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The Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 6
Journey of Stones: "Living Stones"
Rev. John Mollet preaching in English
Rev. Armando Alvarado preaching in Bilingual
Worship at 8:30, 9, 9:45, and 11 AM
From the tempter asking Jesus to turn stones into bread in his wilderness wandering to the stone of the empty tomb being rolled away, the Lenten landscape is full of stones. Ecclesiastes says that there is a time for everything including a time to gather and scatter stones. If we picture everything that is keeping us from God like a stone in our path, we can begin a clearing season of our souls. This year for the 40 days of Lent, you are invited upon a soulful journey of stones.
Communion Sunday
This Sunday is Communion Sunday... Holy Communion will be served in all worship services. Our Communion Offering will go to "One Great Hour of Sharing," an annual effort to help fund the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Your gifts to UMCOR will help provide the support that allows the Methodist Church to respond in times of crisis around the world. Click here to read more... To give to this special offering, please mark "UMCOR" in the memo of your check or envelope and bring it with you to the altar during communion this Sunday. You may also give online any time, with UMCOR in the memo of your special gift.
Ken Diehm Service Above Self Award
This Sunday, during the 11 AM worship service, the Grapevine Rotary Club will present this year's recipients of the Ken Diehm Service Above Self Award. This award is given annually to someone who gives of themselves unselfishly, expecting nothing in return. Members of the Rotary Club and FUMC Grapevine are asked to make nominations each year. This year's nominees were honored at the Rotary Luncheon today, and church members Anne and Rob Rhoades were presented as this year's award recipients. Kenda and Emily Diehm were also presented with a special one-time Legacy Award.
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A Note from Dr. Cindy Ryan
Dear Church Family,
I want to share with you some happy next steps for me. For some time, I've been praying for God to help me to discern when to start the next chapter in my life. I arrived at First Methodist Grapevine 20 years (!) ago this February. That is a very long - almost unheard of - time for a pastor to stay at a United Methodist Church. During that time, I have been "all in" and have treasured our experiences which have been happy, sad, rich and deeply blessed.
This summer our daughter and her husband in Houston are expecting their first child, our first grandchild. I really want to be free to be "all in" with them in this exciting time. I also have a son who is about to be a high school senior, a mom who needs me right now, and a husband with a big job.
So, I am 100% sure and at peace with the understanding that my next chapter needs to be a season of undivided attention to my family. The baby is due July 1 (the exact date United Methodist pastors begin their new appointments!). My last Sunday on the church staff will be June, 12, 2016.
You all have known me well enough and long enough to know how much I have treasured our journey, our ministries and who you are to me. I am confident God has been, is and will continue to be, powerfully at work in this congregation in the years ahead.
I am bound, in leaving, to respect our covenant as pastors not to do baptisms, weddings, funerals or other pastoral duties in a former congregation. I will honor that while still living in this community.
Our Staff Parish Relations Committee, led by Mark Maness and our Senior Pastor, John Mollet, are working with our District Superintendent and Bishop on who will be appointed as the next associate pastor. It is their desire that this be done quickly so that the new person can begin around the time I leave.
I am healthy, happy and excited about what is next and I know I have your prayers, support and love moving forward.
~ Cindy
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Winds of Change
Registration for the Winds of Change seminar is continuing, and we are encouraged by the number of people already registered! In case you missed the introduction to Winds of Change during the What's Next meetings or in previous editions of E-News, we invite you to read the full introduction on our website. The "Winds of Change" seminars will teach you valuable skills to deal with change, both in your personal life and in our lives together as a church family. Please set aside the five Sundays between April 3 through May 1 to attend. The seminars will be from 1:15 to 4:15 PM, with lunch provided each day. It is important that you plan on attending every time, as each week builds upon the next. Make-up sessions will be available on Wednesday evenings in April at 6 PM. If you have not already, please RSVP to Bev Campisi ( beverlyc@fumcg.org) and include how many you will have eating lunch. Read more...
Jesus Calling Books Ready for Distribution by Dr. Cindy Ryan
Hundreds of copies of Jesus Calling were labeled on Monday by the Wicke family and the Wednesday Morning Bible Study Group. Copies of this book are now to be given to all first time guests (English and Spanish), to Texas Oncology, to a facility treating eating disorders, to Valley Hope Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center, to families at GRACE Transitional Housing, to our various support groups, through our Stephen Ministers, our pastors, our staff and church members. Remember, we have plenty of copies now in the church office for you to give away to those you know who are going through tough times. If you are connected to a place or group that you think would benefit from having Jesus Calling to give away, email Cindy Ryan ( cindyr@fumcg.org) or Angie Vaughan ( angvaughan1@yahoo.com) with your suggestion. We have already given away books to our Be Our Guest families and VAST families. Thank you to Brent and Monica Wicke for their generous gift in memory of their mom, Amy Wicke, to make this all possible. (Visit www.bit.ly.com/wordsofpeace for details.) Don't forget to check out our church's story on the Jesus Calling website in both blog and podcast format at www.jesuscalling.com/blog. So far, two "chapters" in our church's story have been released with three more chapters to come. You will be touched by reading and hearing what God has been doing in our midst. The video about our church's story is in its final production stage, so stay tuned.
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Opportunities to Serve and Give...
Easter Flowers
We are excited to fill our worship spaces with the beauty of flowers on Easter Sunday! You may purchase Calla Lilies, Tulips or Hydrangeas by using the Check-In insert in your bulletin on Sundays through March 20. The dedications will be included in a bulletin insert on Easter Sunday morning. If you would like to take your flower home with you, you may pick it up after the 11 AM service on Easter Sunday, March 27. If you don't wish to keep your flower, please indicate that on your order and your flower will be delivered to an ill or home-bound person.
What Touched You?
Have you been involved in ministry to one of our Villages? Whether you have served in our local Grapevine Village or traveled the world to visit Kenya, Costa Rica or Latvia... we have one question for you: What touched you the most about your experience? Send your answer to Pat Laster (patlaster@verizon.net).
Thrift Shop Changeover
The Thrift Shop will close the entire week of March 14, so we can change from winter to spring/summer clothing. Volunteers will work as usual to restock the racks and we will continue to accept and process donations through the Drop Box. The shop will reopen on Tuesday, March 22.
Host Homes Needed
We will be hosting a Bell Choir from Cesis, Latvia, in worship on Sunday, April 10. Host homes are needed for choir members on Saturday and Sunday nights, April 9 and 10. If you can host, please contact Melissia with the number of people you can accommodate (melissiam@fumcg.org).
Kenya Mission Trip Scheduled
Our annual Kenya mission trip has been scheduled for May 17-28. Participants will spend time with our AIDS orphans and street kids, visit churches and schools, and take part in medical camps. Approximate cost is $3,000 per person which includes air travel, ground travel while there, lodging, insurance and meals. If you are interested in seeing what we are doing in our Kenya village, join us on this trip! Contact Trudy Hughes (trudyh@fumcg.org) or Mark Howe (mhowe@howewood.com) for more information.
God Can for the GRACE Food Pantry
We collected 92 items this week. GRACE is low on several standard stock items, including juice boxes, snacks, canned soup/stew, condensed milk, ramen noodles, canned fruit, condiments and toothpaste. Click here to view the full list (pdf). If you would like to donate any of these items, please bring your donations to the God Can bins outside the church office or in the Sanctuary Foyer/Atrium.
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Opportunities to Grow...
Men's Study
The Iron Men Bible Study group that meets at Main Street Bakery is beginning a new study of the book In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson. The book is inspired by one of the most obscure yet courageous acts recorded in Scripture, a blessed and audacious act that left no regrets: "Benaiah chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it." (2 Samuel 23:20 -21) Stop running away from what scares you most and start chasing the God-ordained opportunities that cross your path. You may order your own book or contact Russell Gravitt (rgravitt@marjentech.com). The study will begin this Thursday, at 6:30 AM at Main Street Bakery (316 S Main Street).
Tickets on Sale for The Well with Debbie Stuart
Tickets are now on sale for the March gathering of The Well, featuring Debbie Stuart! The event is Thursday March 31, at 7 PM. Enjoy a warm catered meal alongside other women seeking the Word of God. After dinner, enjoy a live performed song to lead into our guest speaker for the evening, Debbie Stuart. Tickets are $25, and may be purchased online or in the church office. Childcare is provided....>
Women's Study
The Wednesday night women's class will start a new study of David Jeremiah's Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven on March 23, 6-7:45 PM in Room 2008. Study guides can be purchased for $10 at www.turningpoint.org. Questions? Contact Julie Doty (214-724-1949).
Belong Tour for Women
Since Women of Faith has concluded its 20 year run of worship with women worldwide, The Belong Tour has risen from the amazing team of leaders! Come join us as we listen to leaders Jen Hatmaker, Patsy Clairmont, Shauna Niequist, and recording artist Nichole Nordeman guide us through the inaugural tour! Worship will happen September 30 - October 1 at American Airlines Center. Tickets in an AMAZING section of AAC have been reserved for the ladies of FUMCG and their family and friends until March 31. The cost is $105 for the weekend (lunch not included). Please email Lezleigh Kleibrink at lezleigh_k@yahoo.com or call at 817-683-8531 to find out how to purchase tickets. Quantities are limited! To read more about the event, go to www.belongtour.com.
From the Spiritual Formation Blog...
A Daily Rhythm
by Fred Rigdon One of our spiritual formation goals is to establish a daily rhythm that weaves our holy habits and practices into our work and our relationships with others and that allows us to remain aware of God's presence throughout our day. To do this we need to develop a plan that includes practicing some of the holy habits throughout the day. The regular practice of these habits brings us closer to God and allows us to receive his guidance. Keep reading...
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News From Family Ministries...
Tween/Early Teen Position Update
The search for a phenomenal person to fill our new Tweens position is underway. In the last two weeks, we have received several qualified applicants. We have worked our way through all the resumes searching for that just right person who will meet our kids' needs and be an excellent fit for our church and team. We plan to complete first stage interviews on Sunday, March 6, with up to 4 candidates. We hope we find the right person, but if not we will keep looking until that awesome person is found!! We love our kids and our church so much, we want to make the right choice for them now and the future.
Director's Corner
by Patty Bandy, Director of Family MinistriesFamily Ministries staff has the excellent opportunity to participate in a training called "A Time for Children." This program is partially sponsored through a grant provided by the Central Texas Conference office. This 3-year training opportunity kicked off with an all-day training in Fort Worth in January. We had a great time learning and connecting with other churches in our Conference. As part of this training opportunity, we have monthly cohort meetings with 4 other churches, as well as one-on-one training. We are currently reading a book called Beyond Christian Education by Ben Marshall, and would like to invite anyone who is interested to read along with us! Keep reading...
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This year our church celebrates 150 continuous years as a congregation of the Methodist Church! The date for our First Methodist Grapevine 150th Anniversary Celebration will be October 9, 2016. We hope you will mark your calendars and plan to celebrate with us in a special service and participate in other fun activities. We will worship together in ONE worship service, followed by a catered lunch. From time to time we will be updating you on plans for that special day and other events surrounding this milestone in our church and community, so watch this section of E-News for updates.
150 Years of Great Cooking!
The first item on our agenda is to collect recipes for our sesquicentennial cookbook! We will be collecting your favorite new and old recipes to publish this summer and have available for purchase by our October 9 celebration. We'll also include some old favorites from past church cookbooks and great recipes from our Be Our Guest team! We know we have the best cooks around, so be sure to submit your favorites to share! You may pick up blank recipe forms in the church office or download a printable form (PDF) by April 15. We have been told that some are having trouble with the online form, however the problem is intermittent (and so far unidentifiable), so you may or may not wish to try using the online form as well.
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Caught Caring...
Gifts Given
Gifts have been given to the Benevolence Fund in memory of John Harris by Sue Ellen McMichael, Ruth Ann & John Anderson, Mary & William Roddy, and Joetta & Ed King.
Blankets of Hope Team
Blankets of Hope held a work session last week. Kathy Naylor, Suzi Guckel, Karen Pafford, Linda Krimm, Sarah Erickson, Darlene Florence, Kay Hidalgo, Emily Diehm, Carole Lee, Debby Stansell, Karen von Herrmann, Troye Maggard and Miriam Ward were all caught caring!
Howell Family / GIFT Class
We are thankful for the volunteers who work to keep our flower beds beautiful! The bed at the corner of Church and College has recently been adopted by the GIFT class, and we caught the Howell family CARING for it last week. It's looking great!
For Grant Isbell's 13th birthday party, he asked everyone to bring Weekend Food!
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First United Methodist Church | 422 Church Street | Grapevine, TX 76051
E-News is published every Wednesday afternoon. The deadline for submissions is Tuesdays at 5 PM. Send requests to melissiam@fumcg.org. Past editions can be found in the E-News Archives. |
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