|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
||||||
|
l Home l About Us l Calendar l Newsletter l Worship l Christian Education l Missions l |
||||||
|
l Pastor's Blog l Contact Us l Links l Directions l Fun & Fellowship l Prayer List l |
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
THE BEACON LITTLE HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH May 2008 Pastor’s Ponderings May 2008 As I was working on this today, it was raining—which caused me to think of a whole lot of quotes about
rain, some in the Scriptures and others not, including that which made its way onto the front page, A smattering:
Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5:45: “Your Father in heaven . . . makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”
Mark Heard, in his song “Some Folks’ World”: “Rain can ruin your weekend, or rain can spare you life, depending on who you are and what your thirst is like”
Fanny Brice, singing in the musical “Funny Girl”:
“Don't tell me not to live, just sit and
putter The rest of the song “April Showers” (the first part quoted on the front page):
“I have learned to smile when skies are
gloomy, Though April showers may come your way, They bring the flowers that bloom in May.
So if it's raining, have no regrets,
God to Noah, after the great flood, found in Genesis 9:8-13:
“ Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” The point of it all is that God’s promise and presence are with us through the rainy times, some of which help us in the long run, some of which may be really hard—but the promise of the rainbow never fails. Hang on to that when it’s so rainy it seems that no rainbow is in sight! Grace and Peace,
Alternative Worship Plans Underway for June Start Church Council approved an Alternative Worship Service to begin in June (it was going to the the 1st, but it looks like we’re going to shoot for the 8th to start). This will be alternative in three ways: one, in terms of time—looking at a Sunday evening—to accommodate those whose work schedules and family schedules cause Sunday morning to be difficult if not impossible. Second, it will be alternative in terms of style, a bit less formal (Pastor Bruce will not wear a pulpit robe or a tie) with some different music and (hopefully) a Praise Band to lead the music. Pastor Bruce’s sermon will be the same one he’ll preach on Sunday morning, but again, a bit more informal in its delivery. And third, it will be alternative in terms of location, as we will not meet in the Sanctuary. Be in prayer for this new opportunity to praise God in worship, that it will—as we trust and pray that Sunday morning does—meet the needs of those who choose to participate. In addition, be in prayer that the Holy Spirit will guide the planning and will raise up people to participate with their gifts and talents, given to them by God. Community Dinners To Precede Alternative Worship Each Sunday evening’s Alternative Worship will be preceded by a Community Dinner. Lance Harris, chef on staff at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, will provide the meal each Sunday night, as he does at St. Paul’s on Thursdays and at Millvale United Methodist Church on Tuesdays. Specifics are still being worked out, but the meal would have a minimal cost—probably $7 at most, depending on the menu and Lance would provide all the food and paper products. All Little Hill would be responsible for would be beverages, dessert, and setup. More information will be made available as plans are clarified. Baptism Celebrated and New Members Received April 20 In worship on April 20 nearly 140 people attended as we celebrated the Baptism of Baptism of Peyton Walter Miskiel-Regan, son of Courtney Suzanne Miskiel and Ronald James Regan (grandson of Mike & Lori Miskiel, great-grandson of Dee Zahn), We also celebrated the Reception into Membership of Courtney and Ron, as well as Christopher Michael Miskiel and Leah Ann Westen. All joined by Profession of Faith. Welcome to these new members of our church family! Chris and Leah will be married at Little Hill on May 17. Youth Group Meets, Provides Coffee Time The Youth will sponsor Coffee Time following worship on Sundays May 4 and May 18, a wonderful time for fellowship. Bring some money to chip in to help defray the cost of the supplies and to help the Youth raise funds for their budget. In addition, Youth Group will meet on Sunday May 18, from 6- 8 PM. May-June Wish List is for the Youth Room Church Council has approved a proposal by the PR/Evangelism Committee for a Wish List for focusing on improvements one room at a time. For May and June, we are asking for help on the Youth Room, so our Youth can have a place to call their own! The Youth Room will need much more work than the Nursery did, wince we were already using the Nursery and right now the proposed Youth Room is being used for kind of ad hoc storage. We need to go through a bunch of stuff and decide if it stays or goes, we need to do some significant scrubbing and cleaning. We have already received a donation of a big television, but we will need carpeting or rugs, and furniture. Next up after the Youth Room will be the kitchen. It is in better shape, since we do use it frequently, but we certainly have some wishes for it! But that’s a couple of months down the road. The Youth Room will take some time and effort and prayer, so let’s get started on it! Bible Study Regroups A Bible Study is meeting in the Library at Little Hill on Wednesday nights, beginning at 7:30 PM. (The third Wednesday is Church Council, so the Bible Study will not meet). We will be doing a short-term study on some of Jesus’ parables, using the Bible (of course) and Maxie Dunnam’s book Twelve Parables of Jesus. Bible Reading Plan—Continues! Our church-wide Bible reading plan continues; we’ll be reading the Bible through in a year; Pastor Bruce’s sermons will also be based on those same passages.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR MAY 2008
Sunday, May 4 Holy Communion, Food Bank Sunday 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School Coffee Time after Worship, sponsored by Youth Group
Wednesday, May 7 6:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM Bible Study
Saturday, March 8 1 PM Door Hanging
Sunday, May 11 Mother’s Day, Pentecost 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School
Monday, May 12 6:30 PM Mother-Daughter Covered Dish
Tuesday, May 13 noon Keenagers 7:30 PM PR/Evangelism
Wednesday, May14 6:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM Bible Study
Saturday, May 17 2:30 PM Chris Miskiel-Leah Westen wedding
Sunday, May 18 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School Coffee Time after Worship, sponsored by Youth Group 6 PM Youth Group
Wednesday, May 21 7:30 Church Council
Sunday, May 25 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School
Wednesday, May 28 7:30 PM Bible Study
Sunday, June 1 Holy Communion, Food Bank Sunday 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School
Wednesday, June 4 6:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM Bible Study
May 8 Manuel C. May 9 George May 13 Linda C. May 14 Bertha K. May 16 Bethany Hulme C. May 21 Jimmy V. May 23 Hazel C. & Jane W. May 28 Tom M. May 29 Chris M. May 30 Helen M. Florida W. Dee Z.
May 10 Rev. Bruce & Susan Stollings
May 11 Bob & Pat F.
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
||||
