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Who is Bill Brunson? Part 4
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Throughout the spring we will be sharing some of the history and perspectives of our coming senior pastor. Bill will take over for Dalton in mid-June.
Bill has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. His dissertation focused on leadership in the church with a primary emphasis on stewardship. Bishop Willimon says, "Bill has a gift for solid transformational leadership. He has made our Board of Ordained Ministry a national model for the vetting and recruitment of talented clergy leadership."
Bill on stewardship: "I have developed methods to effectively lead in the area of stewardship by raising the understanding that what we do is our response to all that God has done. I have always been very involved in leading in the financial program of the church and have seen great benefit from utilizing narrative budgets to connect the budget to the vision of the church and its ministry areas."
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First Quarter Financial Report
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Actual Budgeted
Income $741,264 $810,300
Expenses $895,372 $937,321
General Net ($154,108) ($127,021)
VDS and Dance Net $68,336 $31,670
Total Net ($85,772) ($95,351)
Current building loan balance $693,493
Donations to the church in December of 2011 may have set a new record. $811,199 was given to the General Fund! Thank you for answering our appeal for end-of-year giving.
In January, we adopted a balanced budget for 2012. However, to fund the critical expenses of the church, that budget included five layoffs and the sale of the house at 2100 Mountain View Drive, which is currently on the market.
As you can see above, we actually planned for a first quarter loss. We are comfortable with this because of beginning-of-the-year cash and a history of increased year-end giving. However, we collected $69,000 less than we projected for the quarter and we now have to replace an old leaking roof that is costing $62,000 that was not in the budget.
Thankfully, our expenses last quarter were $42,000 less than what was budgeted and our Vestavia Dance and Day Care ministries are way ahead of budget. In addition, we received $36,000 in extra funds to pay down our mortgage bringing our loan below $700,000!
Please continue to pray for our finances and give what you can to our General Fund. I strongly believe this will be a pivotal year of renewal at VHUMC. Your cheerful and obedient giving will help us be better positioned for a great future.
Gary Wyatt
Business Administrator
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Music & Worship - April 15
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8:10 am Holy Communion
In the Chapel
8:30 am Traditional Service
"Walking the Walk"
1John 1:1-2:2
Dalton Styes
Danielle Eggers, Quint Harris
9:45 am Service of Word & Table
"Walking the Walk" 1John 1:1-2:2 Dalton Styes Danielle Eggers, Ashley Roberts
11:00 am Traditional Service
"Walking the Walk" 1John 1:1-2:2 Dalton Styes Chancel Choir 11:00 am New Traditions Service
"My Lord and My God" John 20: 19-31 Nancy Hastings Hornsby Steve Wingo |
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Vacation Bible Camp Registration
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 Registration has begun. Be sure to register your 4K through 5th grader for a great time as we dare to go deep with God for Operation Overboard! Registration forms will be located throughout the church and on our website. Click here to register online. Volunteers are needed in all areas.
Call Ruth Grissom at 769-0124 (Elementary) or Anne Strozier at 769-0127 (Pre-School). Join us June 11-15 for another great week of Bible fun!
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Hilltoppers Meeting
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Our next meeting is Tuesday, April 17, at 10:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The program is The Seasoned Performers-Rosa and the Rhinestone Star. For information or to make a lunch reservation, please call Frances Cook at 822-2013 or Barbara Lee at 769-0122 (blee@vhumc.org). Lunch is $5.00. Please make your reservation no later than 11 am on Friday, April 13.
Vestavia Hilltoppers is a VHUMC-sponsored organization for persons of retirement age, which meets each month for lunch and a program. They also sponsor trips and other activities that are publicized at meetings. Guests and new members are welcome.
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Come Sing With Us
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The Singing Devotion group will meet this Sunday night, April 15, at 6:15 in the Chapel for a time of fellowship, singing old gospel favorites, and a short devotion. Everyone is invited.
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Lenten Offering
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We collected $36,331 in this year's Lenten offering. Thanks to everyone who gave so generously to support our outreach efforts. The Funds for Christ team will be meeting soon to allocate the funds and will publish the allocations soon.
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Green Mailbox Bows
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The Genesis Class is making bows in support of Wes Edgar and his need for a kidney transplant (Kelly green is the designated color for organ transplants). We will have them for sale on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings or you can see anyone in the Genesis Class. Make your check to Help Hope Live for a minimum $10 donation. Let's all show our love and support for Wes.
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Free Summer Movies
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We will once again be showing Fun Family Movies in the Fellowship Hall on June 20, July 18, and August 8. The movies will start at 6:00 pm; we will provide free popcorn and drinks. We need your help to select the movies! Go to www.vhumc.org, select Free Summer Movies under Upcoming Events and then pick your favorite movie from those listed. We will show the three with the most votes. Voting ends on April 30. For more information, contact Jim Frazier or Sara Lee at 822-9021.
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Steeple 2 Steeple 5K Run/Walk May 19
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VHUMC and Vestavia Hills Baptist Church are co-sponsoring the Steeple 2 Steeple Community Run/Walk between our churches on May 19 at 8:00 am. The cost is $20 for those ages 11 - 64 and only $10 for everyone else. There will be a Friday night cookout and Bluegrass Band concert at VHBC. To register you can go to www.vhumc.org or contact Jim Frazier at 769-0126 or jfrazier@vhumc.org.
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Outreach Corner
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Need Bunk Beds
A family with five children is in desperate need of bunk beds and/or a trundle bed. Did your spring cleaning include a bed to spare? If so, please contact Patti Eggers at peggers@vhumc.org or 769-0143.
Kairos Team Needs Your Support
Each spring and fall, teams of volunteers conduct a Kairos Prison Ministry weekend at William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility that is similar to the Walk to Emmaus. Kairos #55 will be held April 19 - 22 with 48 inmates participating. Please be in prayer for all of those participating-the Chaplain, his staff, Kairos alumni inmates who will be serving, the Free World volunteers, and especially the 48 Men in White who will be experiencing this ministry for the first time. There are two ways you can help:
- HOMEMADE COOKIES! Cookies that we supply (and the supply literally never runs out) to the Men in White is a wonderful symbolic analogy of God's love for all of us. The fact that somebody cares enough for them to actually bake them cookies touches the hearts of these men in ways that you cannot believe. Rice Krispy treats are their favorites, and all cookies are welcome-chocolate chip, oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon, peanut butter, M&M, etc. We only ask that you minimize the use of fruit in the cookies and not bring any "store bought" cookies.Place the cookies in a one-gallon, clear zip-lock bag. No other containers are allowed through the prison security check. Finally, say a prayer over each batch that you make-prayers for these men and the volunteers are very meaningful!
- PRAYER VIGIL A website has been established with 144 prayer slots for the weekend. We will post the list of praying volunteers on Saturday morning for the inmates to see the 144 people praying for them. This profoundly demonstrates to the men that they are not alone and forgotten. It is a powerful display of God's love for them. To sign up, go to http://www.3dayol.org/Vigil/GetVigil.phtml?pvid=6412&commid=80
FOR MORE INFORMATION on the Donaldson Kairos prison ministry, please contact: Rocky Alling (alling@bellsouth.net or 531-9361), Ryan Quinn (ryan.quinn@martinetail.com or 396-8218), Tom Watson (twatson19@gmail.com or 541-7052) or Butch Williams (butch.williams@dhgllp.com or 873-1313).
Food Pantry shelves are bare again!
We are now serving 80 families, so we need 1,360 food items every Wednesday. For April, we need breakfast items plus fresh fruit and potatoes (delivered Sunday-Tuesday only). Panera Bread is donating leftover items on Friday night. If you can help pick up, bag, freeze and store these items until the next Wednesday, please let us know. You may volunteer once, or quarterly, or monthly. Call Barbara Porter 444-9793.
VHUMC Clothes Closet Needs Your Donations
As you clean out for spring, please bring excess clothing to the bins by the church library. We need everything from children's, men's, women's, and shoes. You can leave the clothes on hangers or put them in bags. All usable clothing will go to someone in need.
Oak Mountain Mission is Out of Furniture
If you can donate a sofa, chairs, beds, chests, or kitchen table sets, the mission will get them to families who are in need. Call 685-5757 for pick-up or call Barbara Porter 444-9793 if you have questions.
Box Tops for Education
Please save your food box tops that carry the "box tops for education" designation. Schools trade the box tops for much-needed supplies. Fran Wells collects and delivers them to Jackson Elementary School that we partner with on a variety of outreach efforts. The drop box is located just outside of Tyson Hall.
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Music Notes - Sunday, April 15
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In the book of First John the author speaks to us about living life in the resurrected Christ; walking in the way we have both seen and heard. The Gospel of John shares the story of Thomas and his unbelief in the resurrection and how by faith we must follow in the way that leads to life eternal. Our music will lead us as we seek to "walk the walk." We will sing hymns such as "Christ Is Risen," "Walk with Me," and "We Walk by Faith." Danielle Eggers will solo as she sings "A Contrite Heart," by K. Lee Scott which prays to God for a humble heart as we seek to walk with Him. The Chancel Choir will sing simply "Alleluia" by Thompson as they echo the resurrection message. Quint Harris will sing "Without Seeing You," by Haas which directly relates to the message of walking with God even though we do not see. We pray that you are walking by faith this week as we worship together.
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Wednesday Night Menus
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Apr 18 - Slaw, Curried Chicken, Jasmine Rice, Sauteed Veggies, Trifle
Apr 25 - Chicken Salad, Croissant, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream
Join us each week on Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. The cost is $6/adults, $4/children with a $20 family max. Call Margaret Flowers (769-0107) by noon on Monday to make reservations.
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Our Time and Resources
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Attendance for April 8:
Worship Services 2607
Nursery 150
Sunday School
Adult 412
Youth 97
Elementary 177
Pre-school 119
Financial Items: Actual Budgeted
April 4 - April 10 Donations $74,696 $53,000
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| Prayer Requests | |
Prayer Requests
Careline: 205-822-9336
Weekend Emergencies: 205-914-3121
Please be in prayer for the following persons:
Colleen Armstrong
Martha Drewry
Cortez Harden
Stephanie Wade Hill
Judy and J.B. McKinnon
Amanda Murphy
Charles Murrell
Belva Steed
Rob and Lindsey Sway
Mary Gordon Turner
Jessica Crumpton West
Russell Yarbrough
In an effort to keep the prayer request list current, names will be listed for two weeks unless we are otherwise notified. VHUMC will not publish the names and/or concerns of persons known to be minors (18 years of age or younger) without the permission of said minor's legal guardian. Thank you.
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This Week in Our Congregation
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Sympathy To
Carolyn Lott and family in the death of her husband,
Bobby Lott, on April 8.
Rob and Lindsey Sway and family in the death of Rob's grandfather on April 8.
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For more information about VHUMC and its ministries please visit us at
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