Asbury United Methodist Church Volume 53, No. 2 CIRCUIT RIDER February 1, 2016 A Note from Lindsay Coming events ASH Wednesday, February 10th 7:00 pm Service of Ashes Friday, February 12th 7:00 pm Family Movie Night (Inside Out) Sunday, February 14th 8:00 am - 11:00 am Pancake Breakfast (sponsored by our Youth Mission teams 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Philippians Bible Study begins Sunday, March 13th Daylight Saving Time BEGINS - set your clocks AHEAD one hour Saturday night March 14th - 18th Spring Break Palm Sunday, March 20th Saturday, March 26th 10am - Noon Easter Eggstravaganza Maundy Thursday, March 24th 7:00 pm Living Last Supper Good Friday, March 25th 7:00 pm The 7 Last W ords of Christ Easter Sunday, March 27th 8:45 am Traditional worship led by our Chancel Choir 9:45 am Sunday School for all ages 11:00 am Contemporary worship led by our praise band Cherry turnovers. When I eat cherry turnovers, I kind of prefer that people not talk to me, and I close my eyes, and I get the most out of every bite. I even take a deep breath after the whole thing is devoured. Savoring is an art. I am learning to savor each day the way I do a favorite dessert. When the boys are crying and disobeying, and the house isn t as picked up as I d like, find a way to savor. When one relationship isn t as close as I d wish, but life with my husband is really good, savor. When the only thing I can think to be thankful for that day is the blue sky, savor. I wonder sometimes, am I savoring my relationship with Jesus? It s there. It s important to us. We re grateful. But savor it? Really sink down deep and luxuriate in it? When introducing something to someone, there s nothing that makes that thing more attractive to them than watching it being savored. Maybe that s a holy habit that needs to rise to the surface. It s often been said it s hard to love our neighbors if we don t know them. So on February 28th and March 6th we need your help to meet our neighbors. We will be asking you to meet up at the church, join with a couple church friends, take a stack of doorhangers, and place them on the doors of a selected group of neighborhood houses. The doorhangers will announce that we ll be coming back the following week asking for manna bag donations. On March 6th, we ll ask you to come back, and this time, knock on those same doors, receive donations, and leave information about our church. We will get no response from some, but maybe some folks will get excited about making a difference with us. I know this is a leap of faith for many of us, but we can take this small counter-cultural step. I hope you ll step out in faith and help us reach out to our neighbors. Mark your calendar for March 6th @ 10am! I can t wait to gather together and let you know of some things going on behind the scenes, an update on where we are now, and a look ahead to the near future. Hope to see you there! As I write this, our winter wonderland is 2 days away. All the time and energy and planning and effort put in, not because we get a kick out of seeing our church packed. Not because we care all that much about a Disney movie. But because our relationship with Jesus is the best thing in our lives, and we are using this event as an invitation for our neighbors to experience it too. Thank you so much for the sacrifices you ve made to make it happen. Whether we re collecting manna bag donations or serving at a church event or standing in line at the store, all of these are nothing more than opportunities for us to display what it looks like to savor a relationship with our Savior. Look inside for more information on the above events and other activities here at Asbury, including Children and Youth events. Hearts that love and Hands that serve as Disciples of Jesus Christ
Welcome Misty Baye Guinon! Born Monday, January 11, 2016 8 lb, 5 oz; 21 1/4 inches long Proud parents: Josh & Eileen Guinon Proud Big Brother: Jace Guinon Grandparents: Bruce & Gayle Guinon SAVE THE DATE! Cave Quest Vacation Bible School July 25th - 29th from 9 am - Noon New Members Luncheon: Sunday, February 28th @ Noon For members who have joined since June 2014 Sign up to place flowers in our Sanctuary on any Sunday! Our flower calendar for 2016 is posted on the bulletin board in the Education Hallway. If you would like to place flowers in our sanctuary in honor or memory of a loved one or for a special occasion in 2016, please stop by and put your name on the calendar to reserve your date. You may also contact the church office to reserve a date. (281-484-4814) The cost of the flowers is $40, and payment is due at least one week prior to the reserved date. If you would like, sign up with another person and split the cost of the flowers. Thank You! Flowers add so much to the look of the Altar on Sunday mornings!
Frozen Winter Wonderland We reached over 2000 people, with over 150 volunteers working the event! Over $6000.00 raised!
Children s Ministries Come join us in Club 252 Sunday School and WOW Worship this month as we learn all about Cooperation Working together to do more than you could do alone. When you cooperate, you can build more. You can learn more. You can do more. As kids are growing they become more aware of the people around them. They have friends on the playground or in their neighborhood. They have to work in teams to finish projects in school. Cooperation is actually a spiritual concept that originates with God. God designed us as human beings not only to need each other, but also to need Him. He created us so we could have a relationship with Him, and so that we could participate in His work together. God put all of us together on this planet to do more together than we could ever do alone, and in some cases with His help to do things that might even seem un-doable. So, we want every leader, every parent and every child to memorize this verse of Scripture: Two people are better than one. They can help each other in everything they do. (Ecclesiastes 4:9 NIrV) Speaking of Cooperation, our Second Annual Frozen Winter Wonderland was a huge success, thanks to the countless hours of dedication and hard work from our amazing church members! We welcomed hundreds more neighbors through our doors this year than last, and I know that through this event, and other outreach opportunities, we will continue to grow God s kingdom here at Asbury UMC. It is such a privilege to serve in ministry with all of you! Asbury UMC truly lives out its vision of Hearts that Love and Hands that Serve as Disciples of Jesus Christ. In First Look Sunday School, It s love month! Get out the heart stickers and stamps. Grab the heart foam shapes. It s time to show some love. Nobody loves us more than Jesus, and this is the month we celebrate that. Preschoolers will spend the month learning that Jesus loves us no matter who we are or what we do. He loves everyone. Jesus loves us no matter what! Jesus wants everyone to know that He loves them. He told the disciples to go and tell everyone everywhere that He loves them. He wants us to share the news too. We can tell our family and friends that Jesus loves them. Jesus loves everyone. Our KidsLIFE group (K-5th grade, 5-6:30 Sunday evenings) will begin a special Lenten series beginning on February 14, where we will learn more about Jesus life through Bible stories, crafts and skits. Come join us in the sanctuary for our monthly Family Movie Night on Friday, February 12 at 7 p.m., where we will be showing the movie Inside Out. Wear your pj s, and bring your blanket and pillow! We will have free popcorn and lemonade for everyone, and children are encouraged to bring a friend. See you at church! Allison Crosstalk Student Ministries What an exciting time for Asbury s Crosstalk Student Ministries. We are in the midst of a 4 week, Sunday evening, series called CrossFit where students are looking at how growing stronger in our faith is similar to working out and getting physically stronger. No one wakes up and says I m going to go run a marathon today NO, you design a plan and start off small and increase each day and work at doing more and more until you are able to run the entire 26.2 miles! It s the same with our faith we don t have to know it all when we decide to follow Jesus we just have to work at it and push ourselves and desire to grow in our faith with God. The more we do the easier it becomes and the stronger our relationship with Him will be. We will wrap the series up on February 7th at 12:00 noon right after the second service. All youth and their parents are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch, a change of comfortable clothes and stay to eat and fellowship together as we wrap up the final week of this awesome series. Church members if you see one of our Crosstalk students, take a moment to ask them how their spiritual fitness plans are going! Summer Missions preparation and fundraising is in full swing! You will see students and parents selling tickets to a Valentine s Pancake Breakfast which will be held on Sunday February 14 th from 8:00am- 11:00am in the Great Hall. Pre-Sale tickets are $6.00, Day-of will be $8.00. We also have a Valentine s themed basket up for raffle. The winner will be drawn on Valentine s Day at 12:00 Noon. Tickets are $3.00 each or 5 tickets for $10! Proceeds will benefit our UM ARMY & BIG HOUSE mission teams as well at Global UMC missions! SAVE THE DATE for Sunday April 3rd at 12:15 immediately following the second service. This is an event you do not want to miss. Asbury s Annual Missions Dinner and Dessert Auction!! From pies and cakes to cheesecake and numerous other delicious desserts, lots and LOTS of fun bidding and much more including a NEW silent auction with a BUY NOW option for those unable to stay for the dinner. Clear your calendars now-you DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS EVENT! Blessings, Laurel Waller Director of Student Ministries Kid s LIFE Calendar: Feb 7 Superbowl Sunday - NO KidsLIFE Feb 10-March 24 Lenten season: Service project is collecting cereal for PCM) Feb 14 Valentine s Day Party March 20 Sunday ending Spring Break NO KidsLIFE March 27 Easter NO KidsLIFE April 3 Jump for Jesus Party!
We seek to honor our covenant through our Prayers, our Presence, our Gifts, our Serving, and our Witness... Prayer Concerns: Continued Prayers for: Jayne Cardenas Marge Colello - Paramount Jackie Gaw - undergoing Cancer treatment Eli Johnson - Texas Children s Hospital Shirley Middleton - The Medical Resort at Bay Area Pray for those who have recently lost loved ones, especially for the family of Ruth Netz. Please pray for our members and friends affected by cancer and other health concerns as well as all family members and friends currently serving in the Military. A weekly updated list of prayer concerns can be found in the Main Hall on the table to the right, before you enter the sanctuary. Gifts Given in Loving Honor & Memory To the Memorial Fund in Memory of: Wallace Ethredge by Bernard & Linda Embrey by Dean & Nita Quinney by Margie Wright, Karen Macey, Russell Wright, Susan Croft and by Norma Balusek, Lloyd Chambers, Orrin Chambers To the General Fund in Memory of: Wallace Ethredge by Barbara Grimes and by Sue Bolch To the McFarland Scholarship Fund in Memory of: Wallace Ethredge by anonymous donor PRESENCE... Sunday, January 17, 2016 8:45 am Worship Service 79 11:00 am Worship Service 115 Sunday, January 24, 2016 8:45 am Worship Service 74 11:00 am Worship Service 131 Sunday, January 31, 2016 8:45 am Worship Service 65 11:00 am Worship Service 119 Asbury extends sympathy to Mike & Janice Williams on the recent death of Mike s grandmother Ruth Netz General Fund Snapshot 2016 Budget $500,940.00 Received thru 01/24/16 $ 33,089.98 Still Needed: $467,850.02 Thanks Received As many of you might know, Jackie Gaw has been battling Stage 4 Melanoma for several months. Not many people plan or account for such a life altering event and the emotional and financial challenges that come with such a diagnosis. This is when family and friends count the most. On November 14, we held a fundraiser here at Asbury and the outcome was amazing, not just monetary but emotional as well. The love and support that was shown not just that day, but throughout this time has been overwhelming. Words cannot describe how thankful we are to be part of such a loving and caring church community that is more like a family. Sincerely, Jackie Gaw & family