M A R C H 2 0 1 6 st Monmouth 1 UMC Caller 221 E Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462 (309) 734 9437 Office Hours Mon Fri 8:00 am Noon Church Email: 1umc@frontiernet.net LeAnn Murk: Leann_1umc@yahoo.com If you need immediate assistance please call Save The Date Mission & Easter Breakfast (309) 734-6007 The next Mission Breakfast is Sunday March 6 with donations going to the African University in Zimbabwe. Serving our Continental Breakfast Homemade Rolls, Coffee Cake, Fruit Bowl, English Muffins, Raisin Bread Toast, assortment of Juices, Regular and Flavored Coffee. The Committee asks that you join us on Easter for Breakfast! Serving pancakes, special toppings for pancakes, sausages, scrambled eggs, fruit bowl, juice and coffee. Donations going to African University! Serving Time: 7:30 10:00 am. All are Welcome!!! NOTE: No Breakfast in April!! We thank each and every one of you for attending and supporting the January breakfast. Your donations brought in $230.00. Please give our committee some feedback! Do you like having the scrambled eggs??? World Day of Prayer March 4th at Cameron Christian Church at 1:30 P.M. World Day of Prayer unites women in 170 countries in prayer and Christian unity. The theme is Receive Children Receive Me written by the women of Cuba. Lenten Healing Service There will be a Lenten Healing Service at Kirkwood UMC on Wednesday, March 2nd at 5:30 pm
Jon s Jottings If you are like me then the past two weekends have been like the Tale of Two Cities in the weather department. On February 14 we had our biggest snowfall and it all happened on a Sunday! Then just a week later our temperatures were in the 50 s and the sun was shining, it was perfect or near perfect spring like weather. Guess which weekend s weather I enjoyed most?? I actually do like winter, well I like it some at least. But I am really looking forward to and am feeling ready for spring this year. I know, the winter has not been a bad one by our standards but I m still ready for spring. One of the reasons is because it then gets a lot more comfortable to be out riding a bike when the weather is warmer. I remember as a kid the saying that was associated with March was, In like a Lion and out like a Lamb. The idea being that whichever way March started it would end the opposite way. And we all know that spring can bring a lot of different things when it comes to the weather we will experience. I remember a LOT of heavy wet snows in March over the years. But still it is the promise of spring with its warmer weather and flowers starting to bloom that always seem to bring a sense of hope and a lifting of spirits. In addition to all of that is the knowledge of Easter being an early one this year. So March having the ultimate day of offering hope just adds to the feelings that spring can bring. So, this year, I hope that you have endured the winter well and that you, too, are looking forward to a hope-filled spring. I hope you make time to attend worship and to come to many of our special services. Remember we have a special Bible/book study being offered on Wednesday nights at 6:30 through March and we will be having a Maundy Thursday Service with Fairview Center in their church on March 24 at 7:00 p.m. and a Good Friday Service the very next night also at 7:00 p.m. in our church. If you need any more reason to feel hopeful this year please allow the reality of what Jesus has done for us settle in your hearts, lift your spirits, energize your bodies, and renew your enthusiasm as the warmer weather, the lengthening days, the changing of the seasons, and the ultimate joy of Easter come to you. And if all that doesn t help then get your bike out of the garage, or lace up your walking shoes and get outside to enjoy the gift of (hopefully) better weather God gives to us this March! Shalom, Jon 2
G.R.A.C.E. Place James Petri won the candy bar! We finally finished our study on Moses and the Exodus! In February we made Valentines Cards for our homebound members and our Senior Dream Team delivered them with cookies. All the Grace Place children were given a booklet and a tree that they will use to learn about Lent and the death and resurrection of our Savior. This month we will be studying Lent, Palm Sunday and Easter and what they mean in our lives. Get ready for a surprise on Palm Sunday! We are practicing for something special! Please start purchasing candy for our annual Easter egg hunt! Thanks! We look forward to seeing all the kids at G.R.A.C.E Place and God s Light this month! Blessings, Miss Chris and The G.R.A.C.E Place Gang United Methodist Women Deborah Circle will meet at Janet Stevenson s home on March 9th at 9:30 with Donna Spears sharing the program. Priscilla Circle meets in the Lounge at 7:00 on Monday, March 21st with Brenda Robinson hosting and Elene Frey sharing the program. Trip to the Holy Land Cathy and Craig Sheagren will share their Trip to the Holy Land on Saturday, March 5th in the Lower Parlor. Fellowship begins at 9:30. At ten, a Prayer and Self-Denial worship time with a special offering. Then Craig and Cathy will present their experiences in the Holy Land. EVERYONE is invited to be part of this morning! Spoon River District Personal Growth Seminar Hillsdale UMC will host the United Methodist Women Personal Growth Seminar on Saturday, March 12th beginning with fellowship at 12:30. At one, Teedra Huston, Illinois Great River Conference Officer will present the program: Transforming Maternal and Child Health. Please Call Brenda Robinson if you would like a ride. (734-7226). Festival of Quilts April 8 & 9, Cunningham Children s Home is hosting their 12th Annual Festival of Quilts at the Cunningham Spiritual Life Center, in Urbana. There is also a gift shop and and special lunch. Anita Anderson has tickets if you would like to purchase any, for a $5 donation for admission. 3
Healing Ministry THE COMMUNION/PRAYER ROOM is open for use in various ways. 1. Every day it is open for prayer. 2. On the first Sunday of each month there will be someone from the Healing Team present in the room after FIRST SERVICE. 3. On every Sunday except the first Sunday of the month you may come to the room for private communion and prayer. Joyce Clark, Ray Clark and Chris Moore are available for those who would like to experience Healing Touch. If you would like to volunteer for an HT session, call Clark s for an appointment. 309-299-5682 Penny Vaughn is also a part of the Healing Ministry Team but has chosen to be available for anyone who may just prefer to have Healing Prayer, rather than an HT session. Call 309-371-3596 to request prayer. A Place of Healing The Intention of Healing Touch is to create harmony within each of us. We are physical, emotional, mental and spiritual beings. If we are out of balance in any area, it will affect the other parts in a negative way. For example, the root of physical symptoms or illness may be due to unresolved emotional issues, spiritual matters or false attitudes and fears of the mind. Healing Touch is effective because the energy of the Holy Spirit works through the energy system of a practitioner to harmonize others through their energy systems. It may sound mysterious but it is one way God brings healing and wholeness to each of us. Bev Crede invites you to the Chapel to experience harmony. (734-8471) CARE NOTES RACK Free Care Notes are available on a variety of topics and information of interest to Seniors as well as other age groups. New booklets on the table: My Heart, Christ s Home. Announcements Lenten Lay Breakfast Series The 41st Annual Lenten Lay Breakfast series got underway Friday, February 12, 2016, and will continue each Friday morning through Good Friday March 25, 2016. Strom Center will again be the host for the series. Breakfast begins at 6:30 a.m. with the program from 7:15-7:45 a.m. The breakfast series is sponsored by the Warren County Ministerial Association. Listed below is the schedule of breakfasts and the church that will have the program. March 4 March 11 March 18 March 25 Immanuel Baptist First Lutheran Faith Presbyterian Fairview Center UMC/Cameron Christian 4
Pray about going March 10 & 11, there are 16 openings to go to Midwest Mission Distribution Center sponsored by Smithshire & Kirkwood Churches. Leaving 7:00 am on the 10 th coming back 7:00 pm on the 11 th. Contact Peggy Kulczewski 309-331-0413 to register cost is $20.00. For each card sold in the Scrip program, our church gets a percentage of the sale so when you use Scrip cards for birthdays or wedding gifts (as well as a treat for yourself) it helps Monmouth First United Methodist Church with needed funds. A list of participating retailers for you to take is on the table in the hallway. Cards on hand right now in the church office are, itunes, Bath & Body Works, Maurices, Subway, Burger King and Bergner s. Many other cards are also available by filling out a form in the office or online. Illinois Great Rivers Conference District Superintendent Rev. Sylvester Weatherall is sponsoring an African University Celebration on April 2 at the First United Methodist church in Galesburg. Bishop Jonathon Keaton will be preaching. During lent you will see inserts describing students who wish to attend the university or have or are attending. Containers are at the back of the church if you wish to donate. A special thanks to all of you who donate and support Gods Mission!! The Outreach Committee: Jane Watkins, Lois Cook, Jan Uddin, Brenda Robinson, Gene and Martha Hillman, Jackie Brentise, Dave Geer, Pastor Jon and Anita Sims. SPRING FORWARD Don t forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday March 12 th. A RECORD OF OUR FAITHFULNESS Church School 8:30 AM 10:30 AM Total Worship 2/7/16 63 91 65 156 2/14/16 46 84 44 128 2/21/16 44 78 47 125 Average 51 84 52 136 5
MARCH BIRTHDAYS If you have a birthday in March and you re not listed here, please give the church office a call. 1 Alexa Anderson 18 Norman Skov Ava Anderson Lindsey Munson Nathaniel Anderson 20 Adam Carlson Shirley Ray Tamia King 2 Max Anderson 21 Ron Stombaugh 4 Ray Clark 23 Helen Paul Jamie Ray Janet Stevenson Greg Ray 24 Dillon Frieden 6 Bill Spence 25 Anne McIntosh 7 McKenna Carlson 26 Kevin Murk 9 Rusty Boostrom Jen Rexroat Shannon Edwards Rogan Rexroat Daxton Hall 27 Bud Walker Hudson Hall 28 Dave Bates 10 Marion Duncan Hank Crede Mary Ellen Kauzlarich Lane Frieden 12 Gary Barnett 29 Ann Edwards 13 Martha Hillman Sue Wilson John Perrin 30 Jeff Moore 15 Ken Boyer Bethel Amouzouvik Dorothea Glancy 31 Teresa Armstrong 18 Dorothy Harlow First UMC Ministry Team Rev. Jon Sims, Directing Pastor Janet Gebauer, Treasurer Joyce Clark, Senior Ministries Coordinator Missy Roberts, Music Director Joy Boostrom, Keyboard Joyce Clark, Certified Lay Servant Linda Dean, Certified Lay Servant Jeff Uddin, Certified Lay Servant LeAnn Murk, Secretary/Financial Secretary Dan Marlin, Website Coordinator Elizabeth Walker, Organist Anita Anderson, Certified Lay Servant Sue Clark, Certified Lay Servant Doug Ray, Custodian Adam & Michelle Carlson, Youth Coordinators