Couts Countdown at Couts Making Bible Study a Priority. Wednesdays 6:30 p.m. Deep Dive Bible Studies. (Beginning January 7th)

Transcription

1 Couts Countdown January 1, 2009 Volume 3 Issue at Couts Making Bible Study a Priority Esther: It s Tough Being a Women Led by Sarah Jarrell Wednesday Nights 6:30 p.m. (Beginning January 7th) Study of Ruth and Esther Led by Butch Hott Study of Daniel Led by Dennis Watters Mondays 7:00 p.m. Home of Bill and Cheryl Cerbone 504 W. Lee Tuesdays 7:00 p.m. Precepts Study of Hebrews Led by Georgia Orr Deep Dive Bible Studies Study of Revelations Led by Virginia Mayfield Wednesdays 6:30 p.m. At the church-led by Brad Vantine Thursdays 7:00 p.m. Home of Clint and Pam Collier Home of Rob and Carrie Worsham 241 Southview Court 305 Country Road.

2 From our Letters Pastor-Timothy from Jarrell Letters From Timothy SOSO or SN? I find myself at the start of each year reflecting on a similar question: Will this year be marked by more same ole same ole or something new? On the surface it sounds like an invitation to be rid of everything old. Don t be fooled! Many things in our life we did last year and the year before that are good things we need to continue. For most reading this our need is not a system-wide purge and complete restart and reorientation of our life. Most need adjustment, refinement, and retuning. There are also new things that need to be incorporated! The new we need however, is not to the exclusion of the good-old in our life. Try pondering these questions as you start the New Year: Is there any old in my life that s not good that I need to be rid of? Is there anything new I need to incorporate into my life? How can I make the goodold better? I look forward to the best year ever as we ponder together God s dream for us in this new year! Keep the SON in your eyes! I look forward to the best year ever as we ponder together God s dream for us in this new year! Tim Jarrell Couts Methodist Church Endowment Update Did you know that -- friends and members may make special gifts to the Couts UMC Endowment Fund and designate the earnings of their gifts to support specific needs of the church such as children s ministries, music ministries, youth trips, etc All designated endowment gifts will be administered as a separate portion of the Couts Endowment Fund. Page 2

3 13 Week-Financial Peace University 13 week class offered at Couts Beginning January 11th Couts Finance Committee has asked Karey Hatch to facilitate the Dave Ramsey course. You might ask Who is Dave Ramsey? Dave Ramsey is financial expert and coach and New York best-selling author. A few people in our congregation have taken his course and have highly recommended it to our finance committee and asked them to offer it t o t h o s e i n t eres t ed i n o u r congregation. Dave says you can get out of debt the same way you learned to walk, one step at a time. You can find out more information about the course on Dave recommends 7 Baby Steps to begin your Journey to Financial Peace: 1. $1,000 to start an emergency fund 2. Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball 3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings 4. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRA s and pretax retirement 5. College funding for children 6. Pay off home early 7. Build wealth and give! This 13 week class will be offered at Couts beginning 11th on Sunday afternoons from 4-6 p.m. A one hour make-up class will be offered on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 7:30 p.m. for those who could not attend on Sundays. The cost for the workbook and class is $ (single person or a couple can share the book) The class will be open to the community, as well, so space will be limited. If you are interested or have questions, please call Kerry Hatch WORDS OF WISDOM FROM OUR PRAYER ADVOCATE - ANDY THOMPSON Page 4 Two of YAHWEH S names used in the Old Testament are: ESH OKLEA (Hebrew) - English Consuming Fire EL KANNA (Hebrew) - English Jealous God Hebrews 12:28-29 says, Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God ACCEPTABLY and REVERENCE and AWE, for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrew..ESH OKLEA). A quotation from Ignatius Antioch (First Century) says: We must either fear His future wrath or love His present grace one or the other. Exodus 34:14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous (Hebrew EL KANNA), is a jealous God. The English poet Joseph Addison defined jealously thusly: Jealously is that pain which a man feels from the apprehensions that he is not equally loved by the person he entirely loves. This is the kind of jealously that impels God to pursue us despite our evasions, indifference or waywardness. I urge you to take time today to think about the way in which God has pursued you relentlessly, shrewdly, passionately through your lifetime. Ask Him to help you recognize how He has been at work. Then pray for the grace to forsake every love that will compete with your love for Him. (Adapted from Praying the Names of God, written by Ann Spangler). A Prayer Breakfast is scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2009 from 8-11 am. Hope to see you there.

4 Dave Ramsey Class 4:00 6:00 Musical Rehearsal 2:00 4:00 pn January 2009 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat CCA Starts back Noon 6 7 Bible Retired Teachers Studies 6:30-8:00 Jr. League practices begin in the gym Emmaus Team Meeting - FH Couts Leadership Meeting Dave Ramsey Make-up 6:30-7:30 PM Youth 30 Hour Famine Youth Sunday 30 hour famine 24 Jonathan Stanley Wedding Jr. League Basketball begins District Training Event 9:30-3:00 Prayer Breakfast 8:00-11:00AM Page 4

5 January 2009 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri S :45 Sunday School 11:00 Worship 5 WISD school starts 6 7 Mid Winter forms due Junior High Prayer Partners kick off 12:30 Senior High Famine forms due Junior High :45 Sunday School 11:00 Worship Senior High 19 NO SCHOOL Junior High HOUR FAMINE- 6:30PM FAMINE SUNDAY No Youth Junior High Starting in January the youth is going to look a little different! The junior high youth (grades 7-8) and the senior high youth (grades 9-12) will be meeting separately. This schedule change is to help the youth grow spiritually with more age appropriate material, and to help them grow closer to each other. Junior High Youth will meet every Wednesday from 6:30-8:00PM Senior High Youth will meet every Sunday from 6:00-8:00PM Please pray for the youth group as we make these changes and as we grow spiritually and in numbers It is always comforting to know that someone is always praying for you. If you are willing to be a prayer partner for our youth please let Katie know. For the year 2009 you will be matched with a youth in which you will be praying for, contact once a week through , text, or by phone to see if they have any prayer concerns, and send them cards on their birthday and Christmas. On January 11 at 12:30 there will be a prayer partners kick off where you get to meet your partner, eat, and share some fellowship time with them. If you are interested in being a prayer partner, please let Katie know. Page 5

6 Looking back - Jingle Jam 2008 Jesus Christ Superstar May 21-24th - Mark Your Calendars Couts Begins 15th Season of Broadway Musicals For fourteen years, Couts has provided the Weatherford and surrounding communities with awesome theatre experiences. The first year a cast of 15 actors performed Godspell, a musical based on the book of Matthew. Other years there have been performances that included: Joseph and the Amazing, Technicolor Dreamcoat, Touch of a Child, Children of Eden, Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell and Fiddler on the Roof. Page 6 This year the performance of Jesus Christ Superstar will be open to adults and youth of our church and community. Dates to remember: January 11 & 18 - Musical read-through January 25th and February 1st - Auditions

7 Did you know that CoutsKidz is a sponsor for a child through Compassion International? Our child is Limon Chakrabarti, from Bangladesh. He is 10 years old. We take weekly donations from the children to help with the sponsorship. This is an excellent opportunity for your child to realize that even the smallest of us can make a difference. Please encourage your child to pray for and support Limon! Offerings can be given to their group leaders or to our Sunday School greeters! Even if you don't have a child in the program, but still want to help out with Limon, donations can be given to the office! Thanks for your help! Sunday School Join us in Sunday School as we strive to make our children's ministry a place where the life-changing truth of Scripture becomes lifelong reality for every child who walks through our door. January will lead us through the amazing life of Christ and the impact He has made on us all. CoutsKidz Sunday School is for all kids 3 years old to 5th grade. Now is the perfect to sign up or bring a friend to KidZone. January 7 we will be starting back with a whole new curriculum and program to get ready for our Easter program. See the church office to grab a brochure with information and permission slips! Page 7

8 Non-profit Organization Go Welcome, Equip, Serve, Transform U.S. Postage Paid Weatherford, Tx Permit No. 110 Address Correction Requested W E RE ON T HE WEB - V IS IT US WWW. COUTS METHOD ISTCHUR CH. C O M Prayer Concerns Our Military January Birthdays Allene Bielss J.T. Cox Tim Eldridge (nephew of Ron & Mary Kearney) Jeanette Grim Holly Hatch - Allergy tests Mae Moore Billie Murrell Georgianne Simmons Phil Simmons Sr. Bruce Stewart Calvin Stockton Warren Stockton - tests Marion Tolin Leah Western Marie White Shirley Woods (Tim s Cousin) Mike Young Ray Witherspoon family - Ray passed away on December 26th. A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the next 2 weeks. Kelly Brown, Billy Burris, Marsalee Burris, Matt Couch, Robert Couch, Warren Crouch, Michael Gillium, Michael Greene, Michael Lanier, Cory Jones Blake Hubbard, Mike Hebert, Lisa Lanier, Joey Larance, Kelby Mays, Jason Nazarenko, Gary Neal, Robin Sheehan, Eric Skinner, Doug Yarnell, Thomas Welborn, Chris Wiggs, Cody Williams, Craig Wolfenberger, Matt Urban. 1 January 1 Bob Jenkins George Pendergrass January 5 Cheryl Cerbone Sue Ensminger January 6 Robert Morgan January 7 Monte Martin Robert Miller January 8 Susan Mays Everett Pendleton January 11 Leta Jester Jennifer Polvado Mary Ann Rooney January 12 Mai Dingle January 13 Daniel Garza January 14 Donna DeGrand Lisa Renfro January 16 Chuck Orcutt January 17 Ralph Ragsdale January 20 Marilee Bennett Cissy Coonce January 21 Dovie Barber January 22 Ella Jester January 23 Jean Guess Ricky Torbett January 27 Charles McNutt January 28 Sue Claunch January 29 Pam Collier Grace Pendleton January 30 Jonathan Mays January 31 Edna Strickland