First United Methodist Church of Johnson City

Transcription

1 First United Methodist Church of Johnson City Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors First United Methodist Church 105 North LBJ Drive PO Box 207 Johnson City, TX Website: Angela Bacon * Carrie Anders Youth Coordinator youth@fumcjctx.org * Ronnie Birck Education Director * Cindy Leonard Wesley Nurse Mo-Fr 8-12 & CLeonard@mhm.org ************************* Pastor Lee Romero pastor@ fumcjctx.org Cell: ************************** Worship Services 8:30 a.m. Contemporary Service 10:50 a.m. Traditional Service Sunday Christian Education Classes 9:40-10:30 a.m. Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God John Wesley Clothing drive JANUARY 2018 It s getting to be that time of year again time for our annual Disaster Used Clothing Drive. We don t start collecting until Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year is February 14th, the same day as Valentine s. As you re finding closet space to stash the new clothes you bought this year or received from Santa, bear in mind the oldies-but-goodies you are ready to toss out would be welcome in the collection. You recall we head up the Hill Country District s collection in partnership with the Seventh-day Adventist disaster services, so we re not scrambling around after a disaster trying to collect used clothes. The problem with those clothing drives is that the need for clothes is short, and by the time we can get clothes collected and delivered to the disaster zone, the need is over, and the bags of clothes become more debris that has to be disposed of. So we get ahead of the need by collecting in the winter, ahead of the spring flood and tornado season. Just before Easter, the Adventists send their trucks around to participating churches and pick up what we ve collected. Then, in their warehouse south of Ft Worth, they clean, sort, and package the clothing and store it until it s needed. Disaster managers across Texas and beyond know to call the Adventists when they have a disaster requiring used clothing, because the Adventists are ready to load their trucks and deliver overnight to the shelters, where the clothing is fresh and ready for survivors when they wake up in the morning. But it only works if we if you stock that warehouse before the winds blow and waters rise. They can t do their part unless we do ours. We have a reputation to live up to. The Adventists tell us their biggest and highest-quality source of used clothing is the collection we Methodists do every winter. They depend on us for it. Your closets need cleaning out anyway, right?

2 As members of this congregation, we pledge to faithfully participate in its ministries by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness. Our Prayers...Lord Hear our prayers: for those who are ill, grieving, or facing difficult times; for those persons in nursing homes, assisted living and homebound; for our military and civilian men and women serving in harm s way and their families; for our leaders, and children everywhere. Our Presence 1st Service Our Gifts 2nd Service SS December 3rd December 10th December 17th Year to date as of December 23, 2017 Budget Requirements $299,625 Tithes Received $300,644 Welcome Our New Member Barbara Scaife 1260 Sandy Oaks Ranch Rd. Johnson City, TX To my very special church family, Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, your visits, and phone calls following my recent surgery and hospital stay and my recuperation at home. When I left the hospital, they were trying to find a bigger surgical waiting room because so many of you were there to support me and my family. You all are really a loving and caring church family. A special thanks to Pastor Lee and Kathy for the special prayers in post-op. Yours in Christ Tom Mill Youth Choir December 3, 2017, the 1st United Methodist Church of Johnson City s Youth Choir sang for the first time in front of a congregation. Although none had ever seen a page of choral music, and certainly had not sung in a choir, they were ready to sing God s praises as best they could. During October and November, after a hard day at school, the students showed up for rehearsal, and worked diligently for less than one hour per week at something for which they had no experience. Courageously, these students stepped forward into an arena of song, and did so with conviction, devotion and grace. When you see any of these young people, please thank them for their devotion of using their voices to praise the name of God. With cordial best regards, Marian Hoy

3 Christmas mission to Columbus Our mission team is spending the week between Christmas and New Year in Columbus, where 40 houses flooded by Hurricane Harvey have been waiting to be made clean and safe for families to move back in. Why so many houses so long after the storm? Because recovery moves very slowly. Mission teams in New Orleans are still re-habbing houses flooded in Hurricane Katrina, more than 10 years ago, so we can expect the work in Texas to continue at least that long. The pace of recovery is always slower than anyone involved expects, said Pastor Lee Romero. We tend to think that when it drops out of the news, it s all fixed but it isn t it is still a long, hard slog. And it keeps going, year after year, until the money and volunteer workers run out, and that s when it s over. This is the beginning of that process. Once the need shifted from delivery of goods to hands-on repair work, we organized one of the first teams, and invited volunteers from other churches local and district-wide to come with us. The Hill Country District, trying to put its own Volunteers in Mission (VIM) program together, asked to make it an official district mission trip, so this also is the district s first mission trip under the VIM rules and structure. As such it s a bit of a work-in-progress, as new procedures are put into place even as we continue our organization process. But making it a district mission trip adds more volunteers from other churches, even from outside the district, and they ll be welcome additions to our own team. Another new part for this mission trip is taking some construction tools to leave behind when we return, added David Hamm, one of the work leaders on the team. Most of us have tools we no longer need, or have replaced with updated models, or just wound up with extras. We ll take them for our jobs, then when we come home we ll leave them behind for the next teams to use, which will let them work on more sites at a time and finish the project sooner. Much of that is an experiment the district mission trip, the VIM procedures, and the tool collection so the work we do will guide other churches as they plan their own trips over the next decade and beyond. We also are doing something else different from other hurricane recovery teams: we re going where the news cameras didn t go. The reason is in a widespread disaster, a few places (Houston, Rockport) get most of the news coverage, and relief aid, and incoming work teams. Smaller towns, especially in rural areas, may have had as much damage for their size, but they re overlooked by relief and assistance groups. If that were in the Hill Country, most help would flow to Austin or San Antonio, and place like Johnson City would get less and much later. We re hoping to turn awareness of that around by going to just such an overlooked town. Not everyone can go hang sheetrock or rebuild walls, but when we asked you for support so those who were able could go, you responded with open wallets. Some of that money bought supplies when that was the need; now some is making it possible for volunteers to go do the hands-on work that s needed now. You re as much a member of the team as the workers, and we recognize and appreciate your support.

4 Sunday School Classes FELLOWSHIP led by Bill & Elaine Swiss. The class will be studying Take the Flag: Following God s Signals in the Race of Your Life. New members and visitors are welcome to join in. The class meets in Fellow Ship Hall, located near the Sanctuary. JOHN WESLEY led by Barbara Hudson. Please join John Wesley Class for a Ray Vander Laan video and study entitled "A Clash of Kindoms." The videos are filmed on location as Paul traveled to deliver the good news of the gospel. If you are not involved in a Sunday School class, you are welcome to join us. NOMADS The Nomads class will be doing a twelve week study by Matt Chandler on the Apostle s Creed. Each week Pastor Chandler will take one verse of the creed to look at more closely. The Nomads class meets across from the office. Everyone is welcome to join us at any time. SEEKERS The Seekers class is studying "Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman. All are invited to join. YOUTH - All 6th 12th graders join us as for a 4 week series A Social Media Christmas. CHILDREN The curriculum used for Nursery, PreK-5th Grade is Planting Faith, Growing Faith. All classrooms are accessed from the hallway by the church office. JANUARY LECTIONARY January 1,2018 New Year Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 Psalm 8 (UMH 743) Rev 21:1-6a Matthew 25:31-46 January 7, 2018 Epiphany Sunday Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-7, (UMH 795) Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12 January 7, 2018 Baptism of the Lord Genesis 1:1-5 Psalm 29 (UMH 761) Acts 19:1-7 Mark 1:4-11 January 14, nd Sunday after the Epiphany 1 Sam 3:1-10 (11-20) Psalm 139:1-6, (UMH 854) 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 John 1:43-51 January 21, rd Sunday after the Epiphany Jon 3:1-5, 10 Psalm 62:5-12 (UMH 787) 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Mk 1:14-20 January 28, th Sunday after the Epiphany Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm 111 (UMH 832) 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Mark 1:21-28 Please remember and pray for our nursing home residents, those in the hospital and shut-ins: Delores Bozeman David Freer Elnora Kneese Alice Wadsworth Bernice Casparis Doris Hartmann Yvonne Leonard

5 Thoughts from the Center Office I know this is the January 2018 newsletter, but with holiday schedules and the office being closed the last week of the year, I want to take this additional opportunity to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas! Never forget the reason for the season; the Birth of Our Savior, Jesus, the Christ! As you receive this newsletter we are wrapping up 2017 and putting a bow on it, so to speak. At this time of the year I like to look back and reflect on all that has taken place in the last year. I know that the world has seen many challenges and continue to face them, even today as I write this. We have seen the heartache and turmoil that is caused by natural disasters and evil in the world. We have lost family members and friends. We have been challenged by health issues. Yet we survive and continue to move on. The Word, the Bible, has never said we will be free from these challenges, but that we can draw strength in our Savior. But I also have seen the way in which this awesome body of Christ reaches out to the world in so many loving ways. The way in which you respond to the love that Christ has shared with you. I have seen acts of love that have transformed and changed lives. I have seen the message of hope shared, when the world would tell you there is no hope. I have seen you find new ways to reach out and bring joy to others. Our blessed church, finds ways for members of all ages to reach out to the farthest corners of the world to give hope and love! In 2017, we continued to expand ministries. You have truly been the hands and feet of Christ to the world! I am confident as we go into 2018 that there is nothing but greater things ahead for our church and community, as we share the love that you hold so dearly in your hearts. I look forward to see the wonderful things to come in Happy New Year to all! God s Blessing, Pastor Lee

6 A Note from your Wesley Nurse Happy New Year! It is hard to believe I have been here 6 years! I have enjoyed being your Wesley Nurse and I hope to continue on another year. I have noticed that there are folks that do not get their regular Health Screenings. I get my annual visit and some of the following screenings on a regular basis. It is all about prevention. Let s prevent diseases and high medical costs. It s time to take charge of your health! This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 Breast cancer Women between ages should have a mammogram at least every 2 years. (I get mine every year!) Cervical Cancer- Pap Test should be done within 1-3 years of the first time they have sex or age 21. Continue this at least every 3 years and until age 65. Pap test, which screens for cervical cancer, is one of the most reliable and effective cancer screening tests available. (I get mine every year) Colorectal Cancer Colonoscopy should be done at age 50, unless you have a family history. This screening finds Pre-cancerous polyps (abnormal growths) so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Symptoms of Colon Cancer are blood in your stool, stomach pain, and sudden loss of weight. ( I had my Colonoscopy at 50 years) Diabetes Screening- Everyone should be tested at age 45 years or older. Being overweight is the leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Being overweight keeps your body from making or using insulin properly. ( I can test your blood sugar in my office) Hypertension High Blood Pressure is sometimes called the silent killer because it has no warning signs or symptoms and many people do not realize they have it. It is very important to have your blood pressure checked regularly. You can prevent stroke and heart disease. ( I can take your blood pressure in my office) Cholesterol Level High cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease. One simple blood test can check for cholesterol levels. If you do not have high cholesterol you should get it checked every 5 years. ( I get mine every year) Prostate Cancer - Prostate cancer is common among older men. It is rare in men younger than 40. Your doctor will diagnose prostate cancer by feeling the prostate through the wall of the rectum or doing a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Bone Density Test - A bone mineral density test is the best way to check your bone health. Osteoporosis makes your bones weak and more likely to break. Anyone can develop osteoporosis, but it is common in older women. As many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due to Osteoporosis. (Done it.)

7 Dental Checkup - In addition to daily brushing and flossing, you can help protect your oral health by seeing your dentist regularly for checkups. It's recommended that most people get a dental checkup every six months, but your dentist may recommend more frequent or fewer visits, depending on your dental health history. (I go twice a year) Vision - Vision impairment becomes more common as people age. While some eye conditions, like cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration, can cause vision loss and even blindness, others, such as refractive errors, are common problems that can be easily corrected with glasses or contact lenses. (I get mine checked every 1-2 years) Have you had your screenings? Cindy Leonard, RN, is a Wesley Nurse with Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM). MHM s Wesley Nurse program is a faith-based, holistic health and wellness program committed to serving the least served through education, health promotion and collaboration with individual and community in achieving improved wellness through self-empowerment. Learn more at Christmas cards Remember the Christmas cards you brought in last year, once the holiday was over? Not only did we save a bundle of paper from the landfill, but you provided raw materials for children to make new ornaments, cards, and decorations for this year. Our children did that this season, and took their creations to the nursing home to give to residents there, to brighten up their rooms and hallways. And, as always, they were much appreciated. The leftovers went across the street to the elementary school, where classes did the same thing. Now it s time to fill the bins again, tucking away the art supplies for next Christmas. If you ll bring in your leftover Christmas cards again, we ll store em away until next fall, when they ll come out to begin a new life at the hands of the children. Your recycled trash turns into kids art projects, which turn into brighter lives for nursing home residents. Hard to beat that.

8

9

10 Happy Birthday! Lee Romero January 3 David Kurimski January 4 Shane Buck January 5 Rosie Hartmann January 6 Anabelle Keene January 6 Brisa Thompson January 6 Tyler Newton Walston January 6 Amber Bray January 7 Michael Troppy January 7 Stella Bruns January 8 Chris Liesmann January 8 David White January 8 Melanie Anderson January 9 Ashley Sultemeier January 9 Leslie Sultemeier January 9 Michael Lane January 10 Zach Bergman January 11 Patsy Simpson January 13 Leila North January 14 Kailey Ockman January 14 Ruth Ann Spencer January 14 Debby Elsbury January 15 Barbara Schmidt January 15 Drew Taylor January 15 Melissa Grote January 16 Patsy Wiedebusch January 17 Pearl Hedlund January 18 Daniel Neal Axtell January 19 David Freer January 19 Syd Lynn January 19 James Sultemeier January 19 Pam Sultemeier January 21 Robert Herrera January 22 Jake Brodbeck January 23 Kathryn Johnson January 23 Kip Thompson January 24 Andrea Fox January 25 John Price January 25 Savanna Sultemeier January 25 Randy Brodbeck January 26 Madalyn Rowe Menzel January 26 Troy Anderson January 27 Paige Whittaker January 29 Margie Kneese January 30 Paul Radich January 30 Happy Anniversary! Tracy & Skipper Scott January 1 Bill & Elaine Swiss January 2 Greg & Tiffany Hubenak January 13 Jim & Marlene Edwards January 16 Bill & Mary Ann Swafford January 20 Michael & Iris Lane January 22 Mike & Angie Bacon January 28

11 A Place to Grow in Christian Love First United Methodist Church PO Box 207 Johnson City, TX Return Service Requested Hand folded and sealed with love especially for... January 2018 The mission of the Congregation of the First United Methodist Church is to continue to be a committed fellowship of disciples sharing the love of God through Jesus Christ and furnishing a place of Christian worship, programs, services and facilities for its members and the people of the Johnson City area. Worship Services 8:30 a.m. - Contemporary Service 10:50 a.m. - Traditional Service Christian Education: 9:40-10:30 a.m. *************************************************** The church office is open: Monday - Thursday 9 am - 12 & 1-4 pm Office Phone: Pastor Lee s cell Pastor s pastor@fumcjctx.org Secretary s secretary@fumcjctx.org Youth Coordinator: youth@fumcjctx.org Education Director: education@fumcjctx.org Visit our Website: