Hosanna. April 2, On the INSIDE. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds God s people gat there is a season to everything.

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1 On the INSIDE Hosanna Wilson Temple United Methodist Church April News Brief April 2, 2017 Ecclesiastes 3 reminds God s people gat there is a season to everything. We are leaving the season of Lent a season for self-reflection and often a reminder that winter and wilderness do not feel life-giving and so we long for the new season of Spring Easter, which reminds us there is new life to be sprung! I am reminded as I look at my house that we planned to have it painted this spring. It needs a fresh coat of paint, because the past nine years of exposure to heat, rain, cold, snow, and the natural elements have worn away its appeal. The Word of God reminds us that we all are exposed to seasons which wear at us and so we need a makeover, a fresh anointing, a new outlook to counter the aspects of life that have beat against us. The Christian faith is communal, but it is deeply personal and requires individual responsibility. You and I must nurture the Word of the Lord so we can experience a constant re-making and renewing of our minds, bodies, and spirits. There are natural principles or laws that are part of God s Word and promise. For instance, anything you do not feed will die. Scripture tells us we reap what we sow and we must break up the fallow ground that keeps us from realizing new life (Hosea 10:12; Gal. 6-7). So, the question we must all ask ourselves, if we desire to encounter a new season, Spring Easter, are we feeding our spiritual lives well? Are we taking personal responsibility for caring for our souls? Are you nurturing what you want to grow and starving what you want to die? Are you surrounding yourself positive energy and positive people? Do you speak words of positive encouragement or murmur and complain? Be mindful of what you are feeding your soul, is it negative talk remembering what you reap you will sow what you plant you will grow. Life and death are in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). I look forward to Spring I am reminded that I cannot look forward to planning for what God has ahead of me, if I refused to cultivate, nurture, and water the soil of my soul for the good seed that has been planted to grow. What are you planting do you need a makeover are you filling your day with good thoughts, and conversations that uplift? We reap what we sow. I m looking forward to new growth so I m working on my makeover. Pastor Chris

2 WT NEWS BRIEF Leadership Challenges for the 21 st Century Faith Community I am struck by the fact that a road I have traveled so many times in my life, I-85 in the ATL is now collapsed!!! This means it is no longer able to deliver folks to where it once could. There s a metaphorical lesson for the church in this event a new way forward to a destination is necessary. The old way no longer is a viable option. For the rest of 2017 I will be lifting before us the principles and precepts mentioned below. How do we begin? By embodying the Vision and Mission for God s kingdom locally and globally? First, everyone must embody and embrace the vision and mission of Wilson Temple. The basic premise was established before I arrived, I infused it with new language, but kept the basic premise. Church Vision: Wilson Temple is a community of Real People reaching others with the Real Hope of Jesus to renew God s vision for life so that we may release everyone Holy Spirit empowered to be Real Church. Church Mission: Reach with Love, Renew by Love, Release to Love Pastor s Vision/Mission (my job): To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the renewing of the world, to develop compassionate leaders who love God and love people, and to cultivate systems within the church to make it vibrant for attracting others to God s Kingdom. HOW DO WE LIVE INTO THIS VISION & MISSION? 2 Together: As Pastor I cannot do it all There must be strong disciples willing to work and implement vision and who do it with and in love and are good working with people

3 Missional Church Posture Understand the Church is not on a mission it is the mission of God...we are in partnership with God to advance His Reign/Kingdom and to do it with Love and Compassion. Family Focused Church: Ministry for ALL Age groups Commitment: Move to being a High Expectation Church with High Results...Away from Low Expectations with Low Results Worship: No labels on worship it leads to idolatry. All worship done well glorifies God Grounded in Wesleyan Spiritual Disciples: Prayer, Scripture, Fasting, Accountability, Worship, Group Bible Study, Holy Communion. A FEW IDENTIFYING MARKS of VIBRANT CHURCH Mission Oriented NOT maintenance minded Team Approach working as groups in ministry not business committees in contention Giving & Generosity: In financial giving, worship, discipleship (spiritual growth) and in service. Authentic Welcome and Hospitality Questions We Must Face for Rebuilding If we are going to live into a new way of delivering people to where God wants them to get to, we must ask ourselves, individually, and as a community the following: Key Question 1: How does God want to express God s self through this church in this community/and surrounding communities now? Key Question 2: What did God mean by that? A church which pitches its tent without constantly looking out for new horizons, which does not constantly strike camp, is being untrue to its calling we must play down our longing for certainty, accept what is risky, and live by improvisation and experiment. Theologian Hans Kung 3

4 Friends and Neighbors, There are Property Tax Relief Programs that may help elderly or disabled homeowners stay in their homes, but these programs are not well-known. At its meeting of March 19, 2017, the Board of Directors of Friends of Oberlin Village recommended that I send this information to the Oberlin Road churches, in hopes that it may benefit your congregants and neighbors. Highlights of the programs: North Carolina offers three property tax relief programs for the permanent residence of qualified homeowners. The deadline to submit an application is June 1. You must call the Wake County office at to request an application. Elderly or Disabled Exclusion: Applicants must be 65 years of age or totally and permanently disabled. The total income for 2016 for both an applicant and spouse cannot exceed $29,500. The first $25,000 or 50% (whichever is greater) of assessed value for the permanent residence is excluded from taxation. Circuit Breaker Tax Deferment Program: Applicants must be 65 years of age or totally and permanently disabled. The total income for 2016 for both applicant and spouse cannot exceed $44,250. Taxes for 2017 are limited as follows: no more than 4% of income for owner whose income in 2016 did not exceed $29,500; 5% of income for owners whose income in 2016 exceeded $29,500 but did not exceed $44,250. Taxes above the limitation amount are delayed until a disqualifying event occurs, then the last three years of deferred taxes become payable with interest. Disqualifying events include death of the owner or transfer of the property where the owner's share is not passed to another qualifying owner, and failure to use the property as the owner's permanent residence. Disabled Veteran Exclusion: This program excludes up to the first $45,000 of the appraised value of the permanent residence of a veteran discharged under honorable conditions who has a total and permanent disability that is service-connected or who receives benefits for specially adapted housing. For details such as how unmarried joint property owners may apply, when a late application may be considered, and a table comparing the different programs at different levels of income and home value, please see Thanks for your care of the community, Sue Adley-Warrick, Corresponding Secretary, Friends of Oberlin Village 4

5 Wilson Temple United Methodist Women s Prayer Brunch Theme: The Summons He said to them, Come FOLLOW Me and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19 NRVS Jesus is summoning us to follow in his footsteps. We must grow spiritually. Saturday, April 8, 2017 Time: 10:30AM Wilson Temple United Methodist Church 1023 Oberlin Road Raleigh, North Carolina We invite EVERYONE to join us for this glorious time with GOD! 5

6 WOMEN S DAY 2017 Theme: The Summons He said to them, Come FOLLOW Me and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19 NRVS Jesus is summoning us to follow in his footsteps. We must grow spiritually. SPEAKER Rev. Chalice Overy Director of Ministries - Baptist Grove Church Sunday, April 9, :20 AM 2017 UMW COLOR: Purple Ladies we are asking that you please wear white. WILSON TEMPLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1023 OBERLIN ROAD RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA The Women are asking for a donation of $ Your gift allows the Ministry to support but not limited to Inter-Act, MATCH, Missionaries, Be All For Christ, WT Sewing Ministry, Hospitality Ministry Grieving Families of WT, the Church and other ministries. 6

7 Wheels of Hope will be serving food at IMPACT District Mission Celebration! We will also have food offered by our District UMM, UMW and more! Come hungry to enjoy! IMPACT District Mission Celebration is coming soon! April 23rd International Food Participate in Breakout Sessions Explore 25+ Exhibitors featuring Mission Opportunities for your church Children's Activities Hands on Mission (each church is encouraged to collect items for Welcome Home Kits) Powerful worship! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Friends and Neighbors, Quilters and crafters from Wilson Temple UMC, White Memorial Presbyterian, Oberlin Baptist, Raleigh Friends Meeting, and others, have cooperated to make a unique, queen-size quilt to be raffled off at the Friends of Oberlin Village Celebrate the O! BBQ on May 20, The next page shows a photo of the quilt and details about the raffle. Wishing you many blessings, Sue Adley-Warrick, Corresponding Secretary 7

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9 Hosanna NC Preaching Festival FIRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID CITY, ST PERMIT # 000 An AfLE Leadership Event April 24-April 26, 2017 St. Mark's UMC, Raleigh NC Register now for the third annual NC Preaching Festival. Last chance to update your directory information. The directory will be in the fellowship hall on Sunday, April 2, 2017 following morning service. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The May through August birthday calendars are on the fellowship bulletin board. Please record your birthdays. Come hear powerful preaching from Rudy Rasmus, Kaji Dousa, Otis Moss III, Emily McGinley, and others. This year s Preaching Festival centers on the theme of ONE: One with God, One with each Other, and One in ministry to the World. Our preachers will be helping us unpack the truths of being one. Whether it is maintaining unity in a multi-site congregation, equipping a diverse congregation to have conversations about human sexuality or race, or working with communities around conflict and division, these preachers will speak to practices and visions of unity, that we might be one just as Trinity is one. The three-day event will include 8 dynamic preachers in worship services,8 workshops to choose from, 1 plenary presentation, 2 evening events, and opportunities to be in relationship with other clergy. 9