He Is Risen, He Is Risen Indeed! -------------------- A Beacon of God to all People Growing in Christ Sharing God's Love Reaching Out to the World Believe..Belong..Serve Mark 1: 14-15 The Newsletter of the Parkwood United Methodist Church Proudly serving the Parkwood Community for 55 years Holy Week Schedule of Services Palm Sunday (All will gather outside to proceed in) March 20 th @ 11am Maundy Thursday Common Meal and Service March 24 th @ 6:15 Good Friday Vigil March 25 th @ 12-3pm & 6-7pm Tenebrae Service March 25 @7pm Easter Sunrise Service March 27 th @ 7am Easter Worship Service March 27 th @ 11am 1
March, 2016 Primary For you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. Exodus 34:14 Election year. I am not a fan. Tempers flare, names are called, Facebook posts are shared without any thought of fact checking. It is not enough to like your candidate or really, really like your candidate. Whomever they oppose must be the very essence of villain. I can honestly say that the posts I see have not existed to inform me of a candidate s position, but to inform me of how diabolically evil another candidate truly is, even if a lie or two or ten are used to paint such a picture. But all of that is nothing compared to how candidates like to bring Jesus into the equation. Knowing how popular the evangelical vote is, some will declare our country s need for God, some will declare how much an expert they are on what God wants for our country, and some may even declare that God has willed them to be president. Frankly, I don t think God wants to be associated with our American politics. I pray that this does not come as a surprise to you, but I do not think there is a candidate out there that would get Jesus endorsement. Sure, there may be a quality or two here and there that speaks to a Christian ideal or concern, but certainly there is no perfect candidate from either side of the aisle (or independent) that embraces, fully, what it means to be Christian. Where one upholds the sanctity of human life before birth, they might forget to uphold that value in a foreigner looking for a safe place from war. Where another might succeed in better care for our poor, they might lose sight of the morality Christ also holds dear. Not one person running is the perfect Christian. Heck, many of them seem very far from that mark. But that is ok. We still need to weigh our options and vote. Why? Because we are picking a president not a Messiah. That role is already taken. Pastors are not allowed to endorse candidates and I am thankful for this. Who would I pick!? However, it is my duty to remind you of one big truth. None of these candidates are going to fix our nation. There will still be wars to fear, debts to tackle, and poverty to fight. Some candidates might tell you differently, that their election will repair this nation with God on their side, but people will say anything to get elected, right? The truth is that the only hope we have is the same hope we have had since the beginning. It is God becoming human, a man named Jesus. His speeches were never televised or to the big campaign contributors, but to the poor and forgotten, the outcasts the world created with their search for power. He was never big on armies or violence, but saved the world by giving every drop of blood he had on the cross. The Son of Man came riding a donkey (not to be confused as a party endorsement), mocking the rulers of his time and reminding the people that their rulers and governments served a purpose, but, as Samuel warned when Israel requested a king, live to take, and take, and take. Here in North Carolina, primaries are set for March 15 th. Please vote and please vote based on a candidate you know will best fit the faith that guides all of our decisions. Just remember we already have a savior and the man or woman in the nice suit on the TV is not that. Vote for someone that remembers the least of these, is not prone to tearing down others, seeks to connect all people, who is led by love and not fear. I know, right? Good luck with that, right? And remember that we still have a job, too. Maybe we are always looking for another savior because we are too afraid to go to work ourselves. But nobody can answer our call for us. So 2
feed the hungry, quench the thirst of the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the foreigner, and visit the sick and imprisoned. That will definitely do more good for God and our brothers and sisters than a Facebook post endorsement. Pastor Nathan SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITIES The Seekers Class On Sunday January 17, 2016, the Seekers Class began the Study of John, The Gospel of Light and Life by Adam Hamilton. Please plan to join us. The Seekers class meets at 9:30 in room 5 The Seekers class is moderated by Bob Newlin the Jacob Class Join us as Ron Byrd begins a study of the book of Isiah. The Jacob class meets in room 1 at 9:30 the Jacob class is moderated by Ron Byrd He is not here, for He is Risen Matthew 28:6 3
Birthdays Linda Youngblood March 19 Laura Moore March 21 Taylor Potter March 21 Ken Ganong March 27 Clint Robson March 27 Linnie Skidmore March 31 Anniversaries Frank & Brenda Stephans Send birthdays and anniversaries to crabbyron@yahoo.com Please Join us..on Maundy Thursday (March 24) at 6:15 for our Common Meal commemorating The Last Supper. The meal will consist of cheeses, fruits, breads and crackers. The church will provide the juice for the meal. Please bring items to share and join in the fellowship for this very meaningful service. Communion will begin at 7:00 p.m. Easter Morning Breakfast We are again planning on going out for breakfast to Benetis after the Sunrise Service and before the 11:00 Easter Service. We will be putting up a signup sheet soon. If you would like to join us please plan to do so. Benetis is near by and there is still plenty of time to go home (if you live in Parkwood) to freshen up before church. This is a great way to get to know your church family. Look forward to seeing you. They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins!...Page 14 4
Friday Nite Movie Presents: Somewhere In Time Christopher Reeve & Jane Seymour Friday, March 11 th at 7:30 pm Somewhere in Time preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uicvpzskim Previews of Coming Attractions for 2016* April Blithe Spirit 1945 Rex Harrison & Constance Cummings May Court Martial of Billy Mitchell 1955 Gary Cooper & Charles Bickford June War room 2015 Pricilla C. Shirer & T.C. Stallings July North by Northwest 1959 Cary Grant & Eva Marie Saint Aug. Little Boy 2015 Emily Watson & Jakob Salvati Sept. They Were Expendable 1945 John Wayne & Donna Reed & Robert Montgomery Oct. The Robe 1953 Richard Burton & Jean Simmons Nov. The Glenn Miller Story 1954 Jimmy Stewart & June Allyson Dec. The Good Witch s Gift 2010 Catherine Bell & Chris Potter *subject to change 5
Parkwood United Methodist Women Irish Luncheon Fund Raiser SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016 12:15 p.m. FELLOWSHIP HALL Donations will be split between PUMC s Capital Campaign & Women s Empowerment Grants A TIME FOR IRISH TREATS Stew Corn Beef & Cabbage Potato Soup Salad & Bread Desserts Please come and join us for a wonderful luncheon of fellowship and fun. Green is the color of the day Please come and join us for a wonderful luncheon of fellowship and fun. Green is the color of the day Parkwood United Methodist Men The Parkwood UMM will meet on Saturday morning March 19th, 2016, for breakfast at Beneties Restaurant in the Greenwood Commons shopping center off Sedwick road at 8:00 am 6
SCOUTING MISSIONARY RETURNS TO STATES Parkwood United Methodist Men Sponsor Cub Scout 495 Ty LaValley, a scouting ministry specialist, and his wife, Cheryl, have returned to their Springfield, Ga., home following their service on Cote d Ivoire. Ty cited deteriorating health as the reason for his return. The conditions in the field were very austere, he said. The workload and lack of rations made it easy to succumb to ailments that I have been able to fight off in the United States. Ty was commissioned as a missionary by the General Board of Global Ministries at a November, 2014, service in Quito, Ecuador. While serving in the West African nation, Ty introduced the Le Prix du Cheminement (God in), a scouting award with three journeys: 1) a spiritual-formation journey, 2) an evangelism journey, and, 3) a mission- engagement journey. The youth worked together as missionaries in their own country, said Ty. They distributed treated mosquito nets to combat Malaria, provided water filters for villages, and gave information about preventing the spread of Ebola. From the UmMen magazine Knit Purl Pray Parkwood United Methodist Church 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 2 nd. and 4 th. Saturday If you are an experienced knitter/crochet, beginner or a novice; you are welcome. We all have our own level of expertise and love to share. News from the chicken coop Eggs for the Durham Rescue Mission will be collected on Sunday, April 17 th 7
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT LENT AND HOLY WEEK AT PUMC What is Lent? Lent is a time when Christians, primarily those of the Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic denominations prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which starts 40 days, not counting Sundays, before Easter. Why are Sundays not counted? Sunday is always a day of celebration, therefore it cannot be counted in the 40 fast days. The 40 days remind Christians of the 40 days and nights Jesus spent in the desert without food or water, and being tempted by the devil. Christians spend 40 days preparing themselves to rejoice at the resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter. We begin our Lenten observation with a brief service and distribution of ashes at 6:30 AM and again at 7:00 PM on Ash Wednesday. During the service the Pastor will lightly rub the sign of the cross on the worshipper s forehead using ashes from the burning of the palm leaves saved from the prior year Palm Sunday service. Ashes are the biblical symbol of repentance, sorrow and humility. The ashes used to mark the sign of the cross symbolizes that through Christ s death and resurrection all Christians can be free from sin. Holy week begins on Palm Sunday, the 6 th Sunday of Lent. This day marks Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where He was greeted by crowds waving palm branches and proclaiming Him the messianic king. We begin our Palm Sunday celebration with a procession of children waving palm branches and placing them on the altar. Maundy Thursday marks the observance of Jesus betrayal, arrest, trial and sentencing. Our Maundy Thursday service begins with a common meal consisting of bread, cheese and fruit, followed by a communion service. This symbolizes Jesus last meal with His disciples, during which he taught them a new commandment: Love one another even as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples. (John 13:34-35). The Eucharist is followed by the removal of the paraments, or stripping of the alar, during which Psalm 22 is read. This symbolizes the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples and the stripping of Jesus prior to his crucifixion. The people leave the sanctuary in silence. The Tenebrae service, or service of darkness, held on Good Friday evening, characterizes Jesus crucifixion and death. A series of readings and meditations are done in stages while candles are gradually extinguished, symbolizing not only Jesus death but of the hopelessness in the world without God. The service ends in darkness with the final candle, the Christ candle, carried out of the sanctuary, symbolizing the death of Jesus. The service concludes with a loud noise which depicts the closing of Jesus tomb. The church is open and attended from 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM on Good Friday for prayer and meditation in remembrance of Christ s crucifixion. Easter morning begins with a sunrise service which commemorates Mary Magdalene finding the empty tomb denoting that Jesus has in fact risen. The resurrection is celebrated at our 11:00 AM service. 8
March Fellowship Refreshments & Hospitality Greeters Chancel Choir Fellowship Refreshments Mar 6 Brenda Stephans Mar 13 Geri Lam Mar 20 Laura Meyers Mar 27 Rosemary Marlowe Hospitality Greeters Mar 6 Betty Byrd Mar 13 Dena Roberts Mar 20 Pam Skidmore Mar 27 Brenda Stephans You are cordially invited to join the Chancel Choir at Parkwood United Methodist Church. The choir meets weekly on Wednesday nights from 7:30-9:00 PM! Vintage Easter Post Cards from the Past 9
Boy Scout Troop 486 and Cub Scout Pack 495 are holding a Fundraiser at Applebee s in the Brier Creek shopping center on Saturday, March 12 th from 7:00-10:00 am. Applebee s will make pancakes and sausage and the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts will act as greeters, servers and bussers for the event. Tickets are $7.00 for pancakes, sausage and a drink. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door. The proceeds from these tickets will be split between Troop 486 and Pack 495. Pack 495 winners in the Mawat Pinewood Derby Jacob Sochaski: Second Place Most Beautiful 10
Christopher Coppit: Second Place Most Original United Methodist Women The Parkwood UMW met on Thursday, January 28th in the Fellowship Hall at PUMC. Pam Skidmore welcomed fifteen women who attended the meeting. As always, the members took a few minutes to share joys and to report on health concerns as well as improving conditions. Pam led the women in the reciting of the United Methodist Pledge. We then talked about what it meant to be a United Methodist Women. We touched on a few items for the year ahead. We will have our Pot Luck dinner in February this year, a field trip is being looked into and a Bible Study. We will be having our St. Patrick s Day Luncheon in March. Look for more information after the February meeting. 11
12
13
They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for the church ladies with computers. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced at church services: ------ The Fasting & Prayer conference includes meal Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children. ------------------------- The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water'. The sermon tonight:'searching for Jesus.' Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands. Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help. 14
Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs. Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get. Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days. A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow. At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice. Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones. 15
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered. The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon. Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7PM. Please use the back door. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy. Weight Watchers will meet at 7PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance. Submitted by Frank Stephans 16