TOP TEN THINGS I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR

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1 TOP TEN THINGS I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR 10) Many of us have grown up without the luxury of asking questions about God, Jesus, and our faith. We are finding The Open Door to be a place where any person, any opinion, and any question is welcomed. 9) Worship can take many forms. Our service is short and simple. We sing, we pray, and we talk. And through this experience, God is honored, and we are growing closer to God and to one another. That's what worship is all about. 8) It is very hard to reach the unchurched in our neighborhood, and very few people are out "looking for a church". Yard signs and direct mailings do not seem to be enough. Personal invitation is the #1 method of reaching new people. It s about relationship. 7) There is an appetite for this kind of worship experience within our own congregation. Many of you have come faithfully week after week with no sign of slowing down! 6) The Holy Spirit is amazing! (Yes, I already knew that, but...) The Holy Spirit guides our evenings together. Yes, I come prepared; however it rarely works out that my plan is carried out. God's plan is always better! 5) The Scout Hut is a welcoming and comfortable place for worship. With snacks, drinks, and easy chairs, we are definitely a comfortable bunch! 4) Community is forming! The first night, there was a little tension and friction due to the vast differences in faith and practice among the participants. Subsequently, each night has been more relaxing and more comfortable. God's love is definitely in the house! 3) We can sing! Each week, we sing one song that is familiar to some and unfamiliar to others. And we sound good, if we do say so ourselves! 2) Your generosity continues to shine. You have given of your time, talents, and resources in incredible and unexpected ways. You have made this exciting new ministry possible! 1) I am so blessed to be a part of this! Thank you all for your support and participation in The Open Door! Grace and peace, Pastor Jim Memorial United Methodist Church 1100 West C Street Kannapolis, NC jbbrookshire@yahoo.com Oct/Nov 2014

2 The Memorial Messenger is now closed for remodeling. We are evaluating new ways to stay connected with YOU. Stay tuned! 2 Oct/Nov 2014

3 Nifty Over Fifty Memorial Messenger Our September meeting was at the church, and our guests were staff from Cabarrus County Senior Center. They invited us to be a part of the many activities in our area. We will be posting a schedule of events on our bulletin boards. We went to Grace Lutheran Church and met with their Seniors. Our Senior Moments entertained and did an outstanding job! We are planning to go to Johnny's in Rockwell for November. So come and be a part of this group. We welcome ideas for our group so come you are invited! Susie Johnson TRUSTEES Hello everyone! I m excited to announce that the necessary repairs to stop the Upper Room Sunday School classroom leak have been completed. Hopefully this will resolve the problem completely. Thanks to Wayne Anderson, Mike Morgan, and others who have faithfully vacuumed the water out of the room in the interim period. We are now looking into the much needed renovation of our sanctuary and fellowship hall restrooms. Your Board of Trustees Is responsible for all of our buildings and grounds, so if you see anything in need of repair or have ideas for improvements to our property, please let us know! Zac McCombs Congratulations to Skyler Talbert who was baptized in September! Chase Talbert & Katie Gray are his parents, Jeff & Laura Gray and Scot and Teresa Tino are his grandparents. In this age of social media, who doesn t still LOVE to get mail? Thank you to Helen Poston for sending us birthday cards for the last couple of years! And thank you to Gail Wilhelm who will be taking over in Silent servants of God, both of them! 3 Oct/Nov 2014

4 Memorial Messenger National Collection week is Monday, November 17 th Monday, November 24 th. We will need volunteers to help in many ways during that week. Our own collection goal is 300 boxes! Filled boxes are already piling up. We hope that you will get involved in the excitement of Operation Christmas Child. Each box can bring joy and the Good News of Jesus Christ to a child in need of hope. Prayer is one of the most important parts of this ministry. Please pray that God will use every box as an opportunity for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with children and their families. Wayne & Jean Anderson Angel Tree On November 9th, we will begin our yearly Angel Tree Event. This year s angels are mainly from Fred L. Wilson Elementary. On November 9th, angels will be on the altar rail for you to pick up. Each angel will have a child s name, age, sizes, and Christmas gift request. Choose an angel (or two) (or one to share), and return the unwrapped gifts to the church by November 30th. The Angel party will be at Fred L. on December 13th. Still need volunteers to help with the party! See Emily Stewart, Alethea Morgan, Patti Goodman, Michelle Pasko, Linda Peterson, or Pastor Jim for information and to sign up. The Open Door Please continue to pray for this ministry: that it reaches the lost sheep of our neighborhood, and offers everyone who wants one an alternative/additional worship experience. Luke 15:3-4 Open Door is on Facebook! Have something to say about your experience on Tuesday nights? Put it on the OPEN DOOR page! Going on now through November 30th, this study will help us discover what or whom we really worship while nudging us back into a right relationship with God. Jump in anytime! 5pm every Sunday. 4 Oct/Nov 2014

5 In memory of: Lance Kimrey by Ed & Shirley Grass Jenny & Joe Mullinax by Jane James Grace Sherrill by Kenneth & Susan Dianne Brown Our bake sale at the Lion's Club was very successful with a profit of $ Thanks for the help and baked goods. Reading program should be turned in this month. General Meeting is December 1 at 6:30. Very important meeting!! We will distribute our money to our favorite charities. Thank you for all the support you ve provided over the year! Your support of our fundraisers makes a BIG difference in people s lives. Doris Aldridge Shield a Badge with Prayer Please pray for Scott Boggs, Woody Chavis, Allen Milem, and Chris Prince as they serve faithfully as local police officers. Best of Care: Helen Donaldson Liberty Commons: Geraldine Sellars Caremoor Retirement Center: Carrie Hayes and Ann Vaughn Universal Healthcare: Raymond Owens Volunteer of the Year On behalf of all the wonderful volunteers that serve at Fred L. Wilson Elementary School, Pastor Jim and Emily Stewart have been awarded the Volunteer of the Year award! This award was a unanimous choice and vote by the staff at Fred L. It exemplifies the many hours of unselfish and loving time spent with the students, staff, and teachers. We mentor, tutor, wash cars, and offer a lunch break for the teachers. The award will be given on Monday, November 10th at the Administrative Building at 100 Denver St. at 5pm. Everyone welcome! 5 Oct/Nov 2014

6 Memorial Messenger 8/3 8/10 8/17 8/24 8/31 9/7 9/14 9/21 9/28 Worship Attendance Sunday School Attendance Offering Memorials 25 Building Fund Open Door Ministry 5 We Care Happy Birthday! NOV Dawn Grant 5 Doris Lisk 5 Steve Lambert 6 Logan McCombs 7 Kay Ollis 9 Benjie Lambert 9 Vernon Baum 10 Emily Stewart 11 Philip Tourville 12 Matthew Price 13 Larry Beaver 14 Pauline Reynolds 18 Beth Harrison 20 Dionna Milem 21 Scott Boggs 21 Bobby Livengood 23 Madison Boggs 24 Jim Brookshire 26 Scot Tino 27 Montana Kimrey 30 Maria Kimrey 30 Happy Birthday! DEC Sarah Price 12 Phyllis Atwell 14 Addison Brown 16 Holly Brown 24 Ray Wilhite 25 LeAnn Livengood 27 Raymond Owens 30 Happy Anniversary! B.L. & Louise Starnes 9 Doug & Susie Johnson 1 NOV DEC Ernest & Barbara Brock 23 We are on Facebook! Have something thoughtful to say about your church? Put it on the CHURCH page! You can get the latest news, read interesting articles or devotions, see pictures, and check out and sign up for upcoming events (click on the word Events). And by sharing and liking, you will share information about our church to the community. Great way to share our beloved church! 6 Oct/Nov 2014

7 Trunk or Treat Trunks Over 480 hot dogs served! Thanks to everyone who participated! It was a HUGE success!

8 MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1100 WEST C STREET KANNAPOLIS NC 28081