THE MESSENGER - MARCH 2008

THE MESSENGER

Volume 10, Issue 3                                                    March, 2008

Message from Judith Reedy

Dear Church Family,

What a blessing February was for all of us!  Sunday, February 17^th, was a blessing all-day-long, from Korto’s sharing how she has been transformed by God to Gordon Mote’s sharing of the good news in concert.  Your response spoke volumes.  February was the beginning of our evening Lenten series which continues on into March for the first two weeks.  Don’t miss Jack Cloyd on March 2^nd, and David Wink on March 9^th, both at 7 PM.

I have heard from many of you that you are staying with your personal and social disciplines that you marked on the purple Lenten sheets.  Good for you! 

I hope that as we walk toward the cross and on to the resurrection you will avail yourselves of as many Lenten/Easter experiences as you possibly can!

On Palm Sunday we will continue the tradition of the palms, but new additions to all services have been planned for that special day. 

Holy Week will offer a variety of new and different experiences.  On Maundy Thursday, we will have both a love feast and an optional footwashing.  Even if you choose not to participate in the footwashing, you are sure to be blessed by the multi-sensory worship experience.  Our Good Friday service begins at 8 PM this year, and it, too, is a new creation.

Just before dawn 6:30 AM on Easter Sunday, weather permitting, we will have a Sunrise resurrection celebration around the cross on the north lawn.  Please bring your lawn chairs, blankets, jackets, and come prepared for a beautiful beginning of Easter day.  Refreshments will be served, and you may stay for any of our three Easter services that follow.

Easter worship services will be 8:30; 9:45 (contemporary); and 11:00.  This Easter, instead of our traditional living cross, we will have a large gathering basket on the altar.  You are invited to bring flowers from your garden or elsewhere and place in the basket before each service begins.  Remember that on Easter Sunday only we will have no Sunday School.

I look forward to celebrating the passion and the resurrection of our Lord with you during this Holy Season.

Grace and Peace,

Judith

Judithreedy@fumcthecolony.org

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME AGAIN! 

Remember to set your

clocks ahead one hour

before going to bed

Saturday, March 8th.

United Methodist Men

The United Methodist Men will have their monthly meeting and breakfast on Saturday, March 8th at 8:00am.

 MISSIONS

The church in Mission continues the model of Jesus Christ in Mission.  We are all partners in God's mission and are all called to participate.

The mission committee has been working on a 52-week calendar of mission opportunities so that each member can find an area of interest.  This should be available in the narthex and online by the end of March.  This month we are also starting an education program to share information with you about different missions around the world.  Our hope is that as we all learn about world mission, it will inspire us in our own mission involvement.

Few people think of themselves as prejudiced.  Perhaps it would be better to describe ourselves as "diversity challenged," because something makes us uncomfortable being around individuals who are different from us.  As we move through our lives, we end up in groups where everyone looks the same, acts the same, speaks the same.  It is just more comfortable that way.  Before we know it, our comfort becomes quiet prejudice. We make assumptions about certain people.

This is what happened to the Romany people, more commonly and degradingly known as Gypsies.  Considered immoral, thieving, bad luck, and downright dangerous, the Romany people were pushed to the outskirts of society, enslaved and prejudiced.

The prejudice continues today.  Romany children are forced into schools for the mentally retarded or placed in classes for slow learners.  In 1994, the Gandhi School in Pecs, Hungary, founded an all-Romany high school.  It is a prejudice-free school where students live during the week and return home each weekend.  During the week they have shelter and three meals a day, learn to be proud of their Romany heritage and are able to take university prep level classes.

Penny Mann is a teacher at the school.  She tells a story of one of her students who was having a hard time accepting God as so many terrible things were going on in his life.  She herself had experienced many tragedies, and she was able to use her experiences over time to show this student that God does not keep bad things from happening.  God does promise, however, to be there with us through the bad times. 

True mission is where the head meets the heart.  This is your invitation to get involved!

Paula Ward, Chair

Catch the Spirit @ 9:45am

Need something a little different on Sunday

morning?

Come brighten your day and catch the spirit

at 9:45!

Come grow

with us!

NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT

The month of March will be filled with exciting worship music at the 8:30 and 11am services at FUMC!  On March 9 our children’s choirs will be blessing us with several special selections.  On Palm Sunday, March 16 at the 8:30 and 11:00am services, our adult, youth and children’s choirs plus participants from our congregation will be presenting a thought-provoking musical drama, “From Glory to Glory:  A Celebration of Transformation.”  You will not want to miss this special event which shares how people from the past and present have been transformed by Jesus Christ.  This is a beautiful way to help you prepare for Holy Week!  

Then on Easter Sunday, March 23, our adult and youth choirs, handbell ensemble, organist, pianist and brass instrumentalists will provide uplifting, jubilant music to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 

We always welcome new members to our music ensembles.  For more information, please contact Sonja Roebuck at 972-625-1281.  Come join us and discover the blessings of worshiping the Lord through music!

MUSIC REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

Wednesday      

7:00 – 8:30pm   Chancel Choir (adults)

Sunday

During the 11am service after Children’s Church

     Cherub Choir (age 4 – 1^st grade)

12:00 – 12:45pm Cantate Choir  (grades 2–5)

1:00 – 2:00pm Sanctuary Ringers (adults)

4:00 – 5:00pm Celebration Singers (grds 6–12)

Sonja Roebuck, Music Director

The United Methodist Women

UMW breakfast and business meeting will be held on Saturday, March 8, 8:00 to 10:00am.

Easter Egg Hunt

And Fun

Saturday, March 15

3 pm to 5 pm

Hunt Schedule

Preschool:  3:30 pm

Kindergarten to 2nd Grade  4 pm

3rd Grade to 5th Grade 4:30 pm

In-between the hunt times there will be crafts and games for all!

Stewardship Committee –

Transformed Giving

As your new Stewardship Committee Chairperson, let me take a moment to say hello and tell you I feel so new!  I have been a member of First United Methodist Church for 4 ½ years; I have attended Sunday school, bought pumpkins, made my pledges, met friends, loved the music, . . . but this year I am a Committee Chairperson!  I will attempt to transform our Church with my prayers, my presence, my gifts, and my service.  Wow.  What does that mean?  How can my support and involvement transform our Church?  By Transformed Giving:

· being a steward of God’s word – by sharing the news, being an example, and being active and regular in our church.

· being a steward of my time – by examining how I spend my time, setting goals and making a plan so that I spend time on what is important to me,

· being a steward of my finances, by using my resources wisely, being content with what I have, giving honestly, regularly and joyfully.

· being a steward of my talents – by developing my talents, rejoicing in them, and using them to improve the lives of others.

I pray I can transform and be a steward of my life.  Would you please join me?

Blessings from the Stewardship Committee,

Jenny Hundt, Chair

WORSHIP

wor·ship  [wur-ship] -  (verb) to feel an adoring reverence or regard

Have you ever wondered how the many parts of our Worship services come together?  Have you ever wanted to usher or be a lay reader?  We’d like to

invite you to be part of the Worship experience. There are many folks behind the scenes who give their service to prepare for your Worship experience on Sunday.  Here are some of the ways you can participate:

· Ushers

· Lay Readers

· Help prepare Communion

· Sanctuary Setup

· Special Service preparation

· Altar décor

If you are interested in serving, we would love for you to join us!  Please email Tracey at frog2shine@aol.com or call her at 214-223-3323.

When emailing please include how you’d like to serve and at which service you prefer.

Tracey Mostyn, Worship Chair

MARCH COMMITTEE

OF THE MONTH

The Nurturing Ministry has responsibility for the members of FUMC, The Colony. This ministry’s vision statement is to provide a warm, inviting, and nurturing environment.  It is the intent of this ministry that all members will fully understand they are part of a church family that recognizes each individual, their individual needs, and their importance within the Body of Christ.

Several committees have been established to care for our members and we are continuing to seek new ways to meet future needs as they are identified.  Committees that are in need of additional support at this time are College Care Packages, Catch a Ride Committee, and Homebound or Hospitalized Member Visitation.  To get more information about these or other Nurture Ministry committees please contact Laura Christiansen, 972-625-1376, or Rev. Jack Cloyd, 469-438-3814.

Talent Show!

Saturday, April 5

5:30 pm to 8 pm

Sign up for the Talent Show

and bid at the Dessert Auction

to benefit student ministry

mission trips in 2008!

Sign ups for Talent Show:

Sunday, March 2

Sunday, March 9

Sunday, March 30

Support Student Ministry Mission!

And have fun too!!

PDO REGISTRATION

2007-2008

SCHOOL YEAR

The Preschool & Parent’s Day Out is registering for the 2008-2009 school year.  Church members will receive free registration.  Registration packets are now available.  Call the Preschool/Parent’s Day Out office for more information.  972-625-2891.

K.I.C.K. NEWS

Kids in Christ’s Kingdom

(4th & 5th grade youth)

March 9th, 4:30-7:30pm

March 9th KICK will be going to The ZONE in McKinney for a night of Lasertag!  Cost is $15 and includes dinner and all you can play Lasertag.  Please be at the church by 4:30pm, we will leave promptly afterwards.  We will return to the Church by 7:30pm.  Remember friends are always welcome!  For more information, contact Ryan Toornburg at 214-618-0707.

STUDENT NOOZ!

I can’t believe that it’s another month gone by….but here we are in March….the month of Lent and then Easter.  This is a time of preparation where we think really hard about what it means to be Christian and what it means to act Christian.  You see, we keep thinking through the years that acting like a Christian means being a certain way and following rules and guidelines, only doing certain things; not doing other things.  That was Jesus’ problem with the Jews of his time they thought that if they followed the rules, then they were following God.  They were being Jewish to impress their fellow Jews, they weren’t into a close relationship with God or following God’s will.  They just wanted to follow the rules coz you could measure how well you were doing.  Some of them had really bad attitudes, but they followed the rules!  Jesus only had one thing to say about acting Christian, act like you care.  Ouch.  It’s easier to act like you don’t care, coz it doesn’t hurt as much if you’re rejected or laughed at, but Jesus isn’t about the easy way, he’s about the right way….act like you care…..he said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”  He gave up his life for you.  That’s caring a lot.  Give it a try….just try being positive…and remember it makes you pretty.

Okay, this month I’m going on my first cruise….what are you doing for Spring Break?  Just remember my words….don’t hurt yourself…..

Saturday, March 15 is the Annual Easter Egg Hunt and we could use students to help hide and shepherd kids.  We will also need help with crafts and games.  Come around 2:30 and we will welcome you with open arms!

There will be NO UMYF on EASTER.  Do something nice for your parents.

HEY!  Student Council Meeting is on Sunday, March 30 at 3 pm in the Youth Building.  Everyone is welcome!!!!  We will be planning the Talent Show and Easter Sunrise Service.  BE THERE!!!!

COMING UP: 

March 30 – NEW SR. HIGH SUNDAY MORNING

CHRISTIAN LIVING CLASS!!!!!!  Led by Alyssa Haney,

Rob Bell curriculum

April 5 – Talent Show and Dessert Auction (start practicing

those desserts!)

May 2-4 Spring Retreat

May 4 Confirmation Sunday

June 14-22 Sr. High Mission Trip (Louisiana Coast)

June 22-27 Jr. High Mission Trip (C2K – Dallas)

July 14-18 VBS

SUPPORT THE GIRL SCOUTS

First United Methodist Church, The Colony, is celebrating Girl Scout Sunday on March 9.  We would like to invite all Girl Scouts to join us and be recognized at the service of their choice.