March 25, 2015 - First United Methodist Church

Word
The
A publication of Dyersburg First United Methodist Church
Volume XLI
Pastoral Thoughts
March 25, 2015
Dr. David Russell, Senior Pastor
Rev. Dell King, Associate Pastor
The Congregation, Ministers
Palm Sunday Discoveries
I’ve been thinking about palms. Maybe the cold winter has caused
my mind to drift toward sunny climates, warm breezes, and palm trees.
Perhaps my heart and mind are making the last turn in the Lenten Journey
which we call Palm Sunday.
Reading Mark’s gospel I (re)discovered something. There is no
mention of palm branches! As Jesus made his entry into Jerusalem, the
people spread their cloaks on the road before him, and some spread leafy
branches that they had cut in the fields (Mark 11:8). (I did notice this
before, didn’t I?) Could I have overlooked this simple fact? Did I just
assume that those leafy branches were palm branches? Double-checking I
learned that palm branches are mentioned in only two of the four gospel
stories. I don’t know why I’m surprised by my discovery. Three things
that I am sure of when I read scripture are 1) I learn something new every
time I read and reread, 2) it is never safe to assume that my memory is
absolute correct about what I have previously read, and 3) my memory is
heavily influenced by movies and pageants.
A few things are consistent among the Gospel stories. Jesus made
his entry into Jerusalem on the back of a young colt, the people spread
something on the road before him – clothes, leafy branches or palm
branches, and the people shouted out their blessings on Jesus as he came
into the city. All of the Gospel writers describe a scene of a great welcome
for Jesus.
So! How will we welcome Jesus this Palm Sunday? Will we
wave leafy branches and shout Hosanna? Will we spread out our coats on
the path and make a royal welcome for the Lord? Whether or not we
individually reenact the pageantry, I pray that we will all make room in our
hearts for the coming of our Savior and let our lives shout our blessings in
ways that echo his blessings upon us.
Hosanna! Blessings on the One who comes in the name of the
Lord.
Blessings on all the ones who come to welcome and worship our
King.
See you Sunday,
Dell
Copy 11
Sunday Servants
SUNDAY, MARCH 29
8:30 A.M.
10:50 A.M.
ACOLYTES
Graham Clark
Lane Pugh
CROSS BEARERS
Kameron Clark
Ches Davis
SMALL TALK
Patti Lou Parker
PRAYER WARRIORS
Harold and JoAnn James
Louise Anderson
SOUNDBOARD
Steve Guttery
Catherine Moore
VIDEO DIRECTORS
Patti Lou Parker
Josie McLaurin
VIDEO RECORDER
Scott Staggs
PALM SUNDAY
As is our tradition, our children
will process in on Palm Sunday,
March 29, waving palm branches
at both morning services during the
singing of the first hymn. Children
should gather in the foyer at the
back of the sanctuary to get their
palm branches and line up for the
procession.
SAUSAGE AND BISCUIT
FUNDRAISER
The Seekers Class will serve sausage
and biscuits on Palm Sunday, March
29, between services and Sunday
School. Donations will be accepted to
help fund missions projects the class
contributes to throughout the
year. The class is not only involved in
church missions but projects and
o r ga n i za t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t o u r
community and hope to reach out and
touch lives even more so than
before. Let’s enjoy breakfast and a
time of fellowship with everyone!
...Visitation for Mr. Grant Guthrie,
who recently passed away, will be
Saturday, March 28 at 12:30 p.m.
in the sanctuary. A memorial
service will follow at 2 p.m.
RECORD OF LOYALTY
ATTENDANCE 3/22/15
8:30 A.M. Worship
136
10:50 A.M. Worship
154
Combined Morning Worship Total
290
Sunday Evening
21
Sunday School
192
Salt & Light Attendance
N/A
Salt & Light Meals Served
N/A
OFFERING
Annual budget 2015
$1,025.028.00
Needed to date
236,544.84
Received as of 3/22/15
190,054.68
Amount over/under Budget
-46,490.16
“Imagine No Malaria” This Week
30.00
Total to Date
10,432.95
EASTER LILIES’ DEADLINE APPROACHING
If you would like to order an Easter Lily to be displayed
Easter Sunday, April 5, in memory or in honor of a
loved one, please call your florist. Lilies should be
wrapped in gold foil with an ecru ribbon and delivered
Friday, April 3, after 1 p.m. Don’t forget to call the
church office (285-6454) to let us know by Wednesday,
April 1.
Sacristy Fund
Recently, the Church Council approved
repurposing the former Couples Sunday School
classroom (adjacent to the sanctuary) for storing
vestments, worship appointments and communion
ware. Currently, these items are stored in several
locations around the church building. Besides
serving as a central location for worship
appointments, this room, or sacristy, will serve as a
place for the acolytes, the cross bearers, and the
ministers to vest prior to the worship service and will
serve also as a central location for the preparation of
the elements used in Holy Communion.
Since the funds needed to reconfigure the room
are not funded through the church’s annual budget,
contributions to fund the sacristy are being solicited.
If you would like to contribute to this project, please
direct your donation to the “Sacristy Fund.”
LAKESHORE SUMMER CAMP
It’s time to start thinking about registering for
Lakeshore summer camp. The church pays $100 of
members’ children’s registration fees. Registration
forms are available from Patti Lou Parker. You can
also register online at lakeshoreuma.com and
indicate that the church will pay $100 of your fee.
Lakeshore will call us and confirm your
membership. If you are unfamiliar with Lakeshore,
Patti Lou has informational brochures in her office.
Please make checks out to Lakeshore.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL WILL BE HELD
SUNDAY, MAY 31 - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3,
FROM 6 – 8 P.M. MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
FLOWERS FOR THE FLOWERING
CROSS
On Easter morning the Flowering Cross will
bloom with flowers. Please bring fresh cut
flowers or fresh cut bouquets from the store
on Sunday, April 5, for the Flowering
Cross.
Salt and Light News
5:00 P.M. —Wednesdays
Menu: Pork Loin, Side Dishes, Rolls,
Salad Bar, Dessert
Servers: Trinity Class
Y C O R N E R Heather Kauffman
O Matthew 9:23-25 in the ESV translation writes:
when Jesus came to the ruler's
U house andAnd
saw the flute players and the crowd
a commotion, he said, “Go away, for
T making
the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they
H laughed at him. But when the crowd had been
23
24
25
put outside, he went in and took her by the hand,
and the girl arose.
We all love a good story about healing, don’t we?
They make us hopeful for times where we need
healing of our own. Prior to this passage, a ruler
knelt down before Jesus and pleaded with him to
bring his dead daughter back to life. This ruler
believed that Jesus had the power to heal her with
the touch of his hand. Jesus and his disciples
followed this man to his house and found a large
crowd mourning over this loss.
When I came across this passage today, Jesus
amazed me with his actions. The story of healing is
beautiful for sure, but there is something else that is
incredible about Jesus in this passage. According to
Jewish law and custom, a person becomes unclean for
seven days after touching someone who is dead. We see
this in Numbers 19:11 where it is written, “Whoever
touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean
seven days” (ESV). When Jesus takes the girl by her
hand, it would have shocked many people around him.
He took a risk by reaching out his hand to this
girl, trusting that God would both heal her and also keep
him clean. It always amazes me that Jesus was not afraid
to do things that surprised people. He cared about them
more than he cared about himself. Jesus was always
ready to lend a hand (literally!), even to those who could
ruin his reputation.
If we are to be Christ-like, what does this passage
say about us? I believe it inspires us to take more risks for
our faith and not be afraid of ruining our reputation by
hanging out with those who may seem unclean. May
these words encourage you this week to step outside of
your comfort zone as you interact with those around you.
Blessings!
Heather
th
Saturday, March 28
12:30-8 PM- Youth Group Paintball Trip ($40 &
Permission Form Required; Meet in Upper Parking Lot)
Sunday, March 29th
5:30-7:30 PM- UMYF
Wednesday, April 1st
No Dayspring (Easter Cantata)
METHODIST MONDAY MEALS will have a quarterly
meeting on Monday, April 6, at 10:30 a.m. in the
conference room.
Please remember our homebound members. A list of
homebound members will be included in the newsletter
periodically. Please call the church with updates for the
prayer list when someone becomes sick or their health
improves.
Betty Sue Putman
Louise Hendrix
Joli DeLaughter
Jim McClure—home
Carole O. Whitnel—The Highlands, Room 206
Brenda North
Jane Sharpe Carl—Susan Hedge’s mother
Bob & Peggy Mayfield
Bonnie Holt
Gary Hall
Dennis Miller
Tanner Holcomb
Destiny Kennedy—Brian and Sandi Stahl’s
granddaughter
Richard Swaim—friend of Jere Ozment
Green Smitheal
Peg Schwartz—Sandi Stahl’s mother
Helen Haynes—Jack Haynes’ mother, Canterbury Place
Renee Young—Sarah Sullivan Deere’s mother
William Paul Enoch
Braxton Farrow—St. Jude
Cynthia Blevins—Desiree Dolan’s mother
Naomi Rushing
Melissa Langston
Labone Stewart—Mary Well’s sister
Chris Bell
Jane Yates Moll
Marie Hardy (mother of Elaine McCormick)
Ryan Breedlove
Carol Hendren Disney
NEWS ABOUT RELAY FOR LIFE
Reminder: If you are a cancer survivor, please call Sandi
Hendren (731) 676-7577 to make sure she has your name
on the list for the Survivor Dinner.
ATTENTION: Sunday School Classes and Individuals –
We are once again asking your help to provide the meal
for the Survivor Dinner for cancer survivors. We are
asking Sunday School classes to contribute $100 (or
more, as able) and individuals to give $25 to sponsor a
meal for a cancer survivor. The meal will be served here
in our church on Thursday, May 28. Please mark your
check “Relay for Life” and it will be directed to this
fund. These survivors were so grateful and appreciative
last year. Many said they had never been treated so
well. Thank you for your generosity in caring for
“strangers who were sick and you looked after them.”
MEMORIALS/HONORARIUMS
PASTOR’S DISCRETIONARY FUND
In memory of:
Given by:
Grant Guthrie
Dr. & Mrs. John K. Legan
John Williams
Friends-Dept. of Human Services
GENERAL FUND
In memory of:
Harold Holt
Dr. Russell Lomas
Don Pennington
Theresa Patrick
Given by:
Dolores Hearn
Dolores Hearn
Dolores Hearn
Dolores Hearn
PANTRY FUND
In memory of:
Grant Guthrie
Given by:
Joan Gilliland
YOUTH FUND
In memory of:
Grant Guthrie
Given by:
Mr. & Mrs. Ron Switzer
IMAGINE NO MALARIA
In memory of:
Given by:
Grant Guthrie
Mr. & Mrs. Roy Campbell
Glendell Melton
Mr. & Mrs. Roy Campbell
Shirley Noble
Mr. & Mrs. Roy Campbell
Memorials not listed this week will be in next week’s
issue.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Palm/Passion Sunday
Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 31:9-16;
Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 11:1-11
SUNDAY SERVICES
9:45 A.M. Sunday School
8:30 & 10:50 A.M. Worship
“Eight Days That Changed
the World”
Mark 11:1-11
Dr. David Russell, preaching
No Evening Service
FAMILY LIFE CENTER NEWS
From Andy Fisher
FUMC MEN’S SOFTBALL
It is time for softball sign-ups. This is a “wood bat
league” that is for church members 14-years of age and
older. If interested, please sign the team roster and waiver
in the Family Life Center, or let Paul Stewart know. This
time frame is well under way.
MISSION BLITZ UPDATE
Mission Blitz 2015 will have a cookie fundraiser at Chick
-Fil-A. Cookie orders are pre-ordered and pre-paid. If
interested in cookies, please call Mark Gadlage at 812639-0724 by April 1. The Cookies will be available at
Chick-Fil-A for Spirit Night on April 6, from 4– 8 p.m.
Mention the Mission Blitz when eating and a percentage
of sales at the store that night will also be given to
Mission Blitz to help with mission projects.
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
Sunday, March 29
8:30 &10:50 A.M—Palm Sunday
Wednesday, April 1
5:00 p.m.—Meal
6:30 p.m.—Easter Cantata
Friday, April 3
Noon— Good Friday Service
Ask your florist to deliver lilies after the
noon service.
Sunday, April 5—Easter Sunday
6:30 a.m.—Sunrise Service
8:30 & 10:50 a.m.—Easter Services
Send form #3579 to The Word, P.O. Box 452, Dyersburg, TN 38025, FUMC
Weekly published by
First United Methodist Church
100 McGaughey, P.O. Box 452, Dyersburg, TN 38024
Church: 731-285-6454, Family Life Center: 731-285-4794
Web Page—www.fumcdyersburg.com
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