Wesley United Methodist Church February, 2017 Volume 1, Issue 2 Wesley Mission Statement To make disciples of Jesus Christ from all nations for the transformation of the world. Wesley Vision Statement As obedient people of faith, we at Wesley United Methodist Church will spiritually embrace and serve in love our community and the world by extending the hand of Christ to all peoples. The Window New Members Class New members of Wesley UM Church were confirmed during worship on February 5, 2017, by Pastor Katurah Johnson. Sunday Worship Schedule 9:00am Prayer 9:30am Bible Study 10:30am Fellowship 10:50am Worship 2:00pm Working together to open hearts, minds and doors Inside this issue Confirmed & Baptized Member: Obang F. Nyigwo Sermon Schedule... 2 Pastor s Letter... 2 Confirmed Members: Namobochi Mmbibya Ajom Ochang Alwai Amane Okonk Obat Furaha Mmbibya Benjamin Bilombele Mmassa Pamela Monde Mate Akello Kwot Member Spotlight (New) 3 Inside Story... 3 Wesley Community Services 4 Finance... 5 WCS Annual Report... 6 Calendar... 7 Mailing Page... 8 Our new members completed new member classes that were held after worship on January 15th and January 22nd. Their children were cared for by DeeEllen Davis, Natalie Smith, Javeon Buchanan and Jennifer Patterson. Soup, sandwiches, pizza and fruit were prepared, or provided by Gaylene Strain, Marilyn Whitis, David Bivin and Pastor Katurah. Mauwa Yalala attended the new member classes but was not present on February 5th due her work schedule commitment. She will be confirmed at the earliest opportunity.
February Sermon Series A Note from Our Pastor A Peter Personality: the faith to walk on water Come, Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:29 (22-33) When the Lord wakes me up at 3:30am (which is the fourth watch of night in Bible terms), I think about Peter, one of the 12 disciples and a close friend of Jesus. It was in the fourth watch of the night that Peter got out of the boat, faced the storms and walked on water. I find quiet time to ponder the storms of my life when I wake in the pre-dawn hours. I also wonder about Peter s personality and the specific attributes that made him a good friend of Jesus, a faithful disciple of the Teacher and a fearless follower of Christ. At 3:30am, I often pause to self-reflect on my relationship with Jesus. While the opportunity to literally walk on water has not happened for me, on the mornings when the Lord wakes me at 3:30am, I pray for a Peter Personality. I pray for ears to hear Christ s voice calling just as Peter responded when he heard Jesus say Come. I pray for a fearlessness that gives me a holy boldness to share the good news to those who do not know it. And I pray for a faith that gives me the courage to get out of the boat to walk on water in whatever storm life leads me to. Yes. Peter was flawed, just like me and every one of you. But at the heart of his personality, was a deep love for the Anointed One. Jesus called Peter the Rock and prophetically proclaimed that the new covenant church would be built upon him. The church of Christ that exists today, still stands on The Rock, and the many laborers in the mission fields who possess the Peter Personality of courage, faith and ears that hear Christ s voice. The Rock was fearless, faithful and flawed. Yet God created him with the personality and spiritual gift-mix to be the foundation for Christ s church that is still making disciples of all nations for the transformation of the world. In Christ s love, Pastor Katurah Communion Sunday February New Member Installation Sermon Series Sunday, February 5, 2017 10:50am Communion Sunday Scriptures: Isaiah 58: 1-9a (9b-12) New Member Installation Matthew 5:13-20 Sunday, Good February News: 5, You 2017 are Salt & Light, Beloved 10:50am Sunday, Scriptures February Matthew 12, 20175:13-20 Good 10:50am News: You are Salt & Light, Beloved Scriptures: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Sunday, February 12, Matthew 2017 5:21-37 Good News: Beware: From the Heart, 10:50am through the Mouth, comes Scripture: Matthew 5:21-37 Murder Good News: Beware: From the Heart, through the Sunday, February 19, 2017 Mouth, comes Murder 10:50am Sunday, February 19, 2017 Scriptures: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 10:50am Matthew 5:38-48 Scripture: Good Matthew News: Dearly 5:38-48 Beloved, Love the Good News: Dearly Unlovable Beloved, Love the Sunday, February 26, Unlovable 2017 Sunday, 10:50am February 26, 2017 6:00pm Scriptures: Exodus 24:12-18 Scriptures: Matthew Matthew 17:1-9 17:1-9 Good News: Friends, Sworn to Secrecy Good News: Friends, Sworn to Secrecy Wilma Staples, Robin Run, Rm. 2 Congregation Members, Attendees & Friends Rick Alexander, MaryLou Annarino, Gloria Coe, Steven Cook, Ann Earl, Margaret Gardner, Robert Green, Betty Grenig, Kristi Hatter, Wendy Bray Hamilton, Maryann Hicks, Barbara Hylton, Jerry Johnson, Donald Myers, Barb Rahke, Pat Rahke, Shirley Ramsey, Mike Reynolds, Natalie Smith, Wilma Staples, Rosemary Green-Terhune, Pat Thomas, and Ewell & Marleen Thrasher. 2
YOUR PICTURE HERE Kim Coplen 4 Loretta Talbert-Kipasa 15 Kayla Dunson 16 Tyquan Underwood 16 Jennifer Patterson 17 David Smith 18 Judy Pollard 22 Picture of Member or Friend Diane Maves 26 Member Friend Spotlight A NEW MONTHLY ARTICLE WILL START IN MARCH OR APRIL. THE ARTICLE WILL HIGHLIGHT A FAMILY OR INDIVIDUAL WHO ATTENDS WESLEY ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT IS GOING TO BE A FRESH APPROACH TO GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER. THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED IN THE INTERVIEW: How did you come to attend services at Wesley? Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story from the Bible? What activities are you involved in at Wesley? What are your hobbies/activities outside of church? Is there anything about you that people at church don t know? Where were you born? Something about childhood/schooling? Please call the office @ 317-926-4414 with any questions, or if you would like to participate. It promises to be fun! 3
The Refugee Faith Care Team has successfully helped 8 young adults register and begin classes at Job Corps. There is a new downtown location. Two of the eight attend Wesley, Ezekiel and Asende. They will work to improve their English, pass a high school equivalency exam and get job training. They are going to class all day and Job Corps is transporting them to their second shift jobs. Christmas Assistance THANK YOU to the congregation of Wesley! Because of the generosity of Wesley UMC, we were able to help five households by providing food and gifts at Christmas. The IU School of Social Work adopted one of our families. St. Michael s Catholic Church assisted an additional family. Thank you to the team of volunteers who shopped for gifts and food and also helped to deliver. Fletcher Place received hats, gloves, socks and underwear from the Giving Tree to distribute to those in need. The Willing Spirits provided gift bags for a mom and daughter. Your contribution to the Advent offering was appreciated. God is alive and well at Wesley. Michelle Grant & Vicki Jackson Christmas Assistance Coordinators 4
Supporting our Ambassadors *Who are refugees? a person(s) who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. Sudanese American, Ibrahim Hassan at Indianapolis airport protest with Liz Davis and her Ecuadorian husband, Franz Coronel. Ibrahim received services from Wesley's Refugee Faith Care Team soon after his arrival. He is now a truck owner/driver and American citizen. Finance Committee Update Support Wesley through online shopping. Endorsed by United Methodist Finance and Administration. Shop with UMCmarket.org and earn money for Wesley UMC. Using UMCmarket.org is a simple process. Visit UMCmarket.org. where you will find free resources about how to support your ministry. Shop thousands of vendors - some offering free shipping, discount pricing, or special incentives. Generate a donation to your selected United Methodist ministry. A percentage of all your purchases will be donated to your church. Encourage each of your ministry s supporter to sign up and create their own UMCmarket secure profile. For more information on how to participate, visit UMCmarket.org/engage. 5
For 45 years, Wesley Community Services has provided assistance to our neighbors. The WCS committee continues to support the activities described below through the Lenten, Advent and Faith Promise/Missions offerings as well as other direct donations. Other community partners are noted throughout this annual report. Many hours of dedicated work is given by WCS committee members: Mary Lou Annarino, DeeEllen Davis, Al Earl, Bill Grant, Michelle Grant, Deb Hannon, Vicki Jackson, Carolyn Magnes, Gaylene Strain, Marilyn Whitis and Barbara Young. Mission committee members in 2016 were: Wendy Clingaman, DeeEllen Davis, Vicki Jackson and Arutha Goss. Obur Omod and Kimo Opiew gave assistance on the Kakuma Refugee Camp project. Emergency Assistance: In 2016, assistance was provided for a number of individuals and families living primarily in the 46222 and 46224 zip codes. This included 169 adults and 159 children, without including those served from food assistance given to NACS. Money was applied towards utilities, rent, car repairs, financial workshop fees, business license renewal fee, child care room supplies, and headstone foundation fee for refugee infant. Some funds were donated specifically to help members with eye glasses and tax fees. The total dispersed for emergency assistance was $6,642.44. Food Pantry: In 2016, WCS distributed 85 bags of food to families with food shortages, including 66 bags delivered to Neighborhood Alliance for Child Safety (NACS). The Refugee Faith Care Team collected leftover fresh food donations from The Lord s Pantry in Haughville on Saturdays for many months. The total money spent by WCS, plus the in-kind food donations to the pantry brings the total giving for food assistance to $2,476.21 Christmas Assistance: We selected 5 family units (17 children) for holiday assistance. The Giving Tree received 97 items that were delivered to Fletcher Place. Total amount spent on Christmas families was $1,466.43 plus $2,478.26 total inkind contributions. Bucket Project: This year 67 buckets of cleaning supplies were delivered on alternating months to Interfaith Hospitality Network, Neighborhood Alliance for Child Safety and Horizon House. Refugee Faith Care Team: In 2016, $4,730.00 was donated for emergency needs of refugees in our community. Having carried a balance forward from 2015, a total of $5,065.16 was spent in 2016. Missions: In 2016, the Missions Committee completed the Kakuma Refugee Camp Worship Shelter Project. A final contribution of $1,260 was made. Total Expenditures/Donations for 2016 : Cash Expenditures In-Kind/Donated Gifts $17,253.24 $3,456.26 Total given to the community in 2016 via Wesley Community Services from cash offerings and amounts donated in gifts was $20,709.50. 6 Full report can be found on the Welcome Table in the Narthex.
February 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 Groundhog Day 3 Sr. Game Night 7pm Rehearsal 7pm 4 Choir Rehearsal 10:30am Staff Parish Mtg 11:45pm African American History Month 5 Holy Communion Worship Service @ 10:50am @ 2:00pm 6 7 Adult Bible Study 1:15pm Youth Grant Mtg 6:15pm 8 Prayer 6:30pm 9 Worship Mtg 6:30pm Worship 7pm 10 Rehearsal 7pm 11 Willing Spirits 10:00am Choir Rehearsal 10:30am 12 Worship Service @ 10:50am @ 2:00pm Lay Servant Fellowship 12:45pm 13 Education Mtg 6:00pm 14 Adult Bible Study 1:15pm Valentine s Day 15 Prayer 6:30pm Stewardship Mtg 5pm 16 Ad Council 6:00pm Worship 7pm 17 Sr. Game Night 7pm Rehearsal 7pm 18 Choir Rehearsal 10:30am 19 Worship Service @ 10:50am @ 2:00pm 20 President s Day 21 Adult Bible Study 1:15pm 22 Prayer 6:30pm 23 Worship 7pm 24 WCS 9:30am Rehearsal 7pm 25 Choir Rehearsal 10:30am 26 Worship Service @ 10:50am @ 2:00pm 27 28 Adult Bible Study 1:15pm 7
Wesley United Methodist Church Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. Katurah Johnson pastorkj@wesleyumcindy.org Office Hours: T: 11am-12 noon, 2:30pm-3:30pm W: 10am-1:00pm Th: 12 noon-3:30pm Administrative Assistant: Diane Maves office@wesleyumcindy.org Pastor: Carlos Doliviera visiontv2011@hotmail.com 3 simple ways to show love this Valentine s Day By Jeremy Steele Wesley scholar Ken Collins said that Wesley s theological vision could be summarized in two words: Holy Love. As the people of this holy love tradition, it seems only right that we should take hold of the love holiday, Valentine s Day, as a tool to express the love of God to a hurting world. In fact, that is just what United Methodist churches across the U.S. are doing. We hope these love-filled ideas from around the church will help you claim this holiday of love and fill it with the presence of the Spirit. Celebrate and renew vows of love. Send care packages and love letters from home. Serve a multigeneration Valentine s Day meal. Wesley United Methodist Church 3425 West 30th Street Indianapolis, IN 46222 Phone: 317-926-4414 Fax: 317-927-5391 E-mail: office@wesleyumcindy.org Web site: www.wesleyumcindy.org Facebook: Wesley United Methodist Church in Indy Office Hours: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, M - F FEBRUARY 2017 PLEASE PLACE STAMP HERE RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED DATED MATERIAL