Sunday Worship Schedule

 

 

 

VBS
“Operation Overboard”

June 18th-22nd

6:00pm - 8:30pm

  

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
June 18-22  6:00-8:30 p.m.
To help achieve a successful VBS this year, we would appreciate monetary donations and individual volunteer participation.  To volunteer, please sign up on the patio.

Carolyn Garbacz, 623-975-1615

 

 

 Annual Conference Mission Project
2012

Urban ministries in the Phoenix area (Justa Center, UMOM, and Wesley Community Center) will be given gift cards to assist in their outreach to the poor and homeless. Individuals and churches are encouraged to purchase pre-paid gift cards at the following retailers: Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Goodwill, Fry's, Safeway, or Albertsons in any amount. The amounts of $5, $10, $25, $50 or $100 are probably the most helpful. If not available on the card, please write or identify the amount of each card in some way. Place them in the offering on Sundays, bring to the church office during the week, or give to Myrna Bishop or Everett Heer before the June 10 deadline. The cards will be turned in to the conference office for tabulation to report at annual conference and distribution to Justa Center, UMOM, and Wesley Community Center. Please call Myrna or Everett with any questions.

 

 

 

Eve's Place Mission Project
Preparing meals for safe house in Surprise

Our Eve's Cookers have continued to cook meals for Eve's place one Saturday each month in the church kitchen.

On the patio is a red bin labeled “Eve's Place".  Because the shelter has had its funds deeply cut and will have further cuts, please consider adding to the box on a regular basis.   

Eve's Place's funds have been deeply cut!  If you would like to make a donation directly to  Eve’s Place the address is 15247 Brookside Lane, Suite 129,

Surprise, 85274.  Thank you! 

URGENT NEEED!

Eve's Place is in urgent need of twin bed sheets and bath towels. 

They do not need to be new.......used but clean is fine. 

Please put in the bin at church and spread the word, please.

 

 

 

 

United Methodist Women (UMW)

The Purpose:  The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.

In the good ole summertime" -- UMW takes a break.  No meetings are scheduled for May, June, July and August.  Plans are being made for our meeting on September 22, 2012.  Look for information in the August newsletter.

In the interim, the Needlers will continue working on quilts to have them ready for the fall and for Christmas food boxes.  The Knit-wits will be working on prayer shawls and have some on hand during the summer.  If you need a prayer shawl, please contact Marge Heer, 623-544-0736.

The UMW Conference School of Christian Mission ("SCM") is scheduled for July 26-29, 2012 at Arizona Christian University.

"The campus of Arizona Christian University is located in the scenic Paradise Valley area twelve miles north of downtown Phoenix. The setting is a valley surrounded by picturesque mountains in the midst of the distinctive semiarid environment of Arizona. You can see a map and pictures of the campus on the web at: www.arizonachristian.edu.2012

STUDIES OVERVIEW - There are three studies offered at the SCM.  The Haiti Study is an overview of the cultures that have shaped Haiti. The impact of the devastating earthquake of January 2010 is also addressed.  The Poverty Study for youth and adults will help participants recognize the connections between Scripture, church tradition, compassion for the poor, social outreach, and social justice. The Spiritual Growth Study will examine what it is to be a sojourner and how to live into the Biblical mandate of hospitality for the stranger and aliens in our midst by exploring the Biblical and theological understandings of immigration, immigrants, and migration." (UMW Southwest Winds, Spring 2012)

 If you have any questions or want additional information, please contact Nancy Stokes, 623-266-2001 or e-mail, nancyst@cox.net.

Our prayers for a safe journey go with those of you traveling this summer.  For those of us remaining in the area, even if we can't enjoy the "warmth" of the summer, we can always enjoy the warmth of Christian fellowship in worship.

 

 

A Message from Rev. Lyndon R. Mason

                                 

   Looking for a Future

                 The seeds for any future lies in the fertile soil of the past.   Every garden I have ever started required the preparation of the soil.  Arizona top soil is rather sparse, about 2 to 4 inches at best.   If you want to grow just about anything, you’re going to have to add a lot to the topsoil:  Mulch, peat moss, gypsum, manure and if you’re going to grow vegetables, you’ll need bone meal and blood meal (don’t ask me the specifics). Then comes the working of the soil and the preparation of the bed.   I hope I chose the right spot.  Some areas just seem to never produce much, too rocky, too sunny, too shady, etc. The choice is always our own in where we establish the garden.  I once had a little solarium on the north side of my house in Havasu (zero topsoil).  It got plenty of water, reasonable light for the type of plants I was planting, and yet I could never get that area to produce. I was warned that nothing would grow there but I wouldn’t  listen.  If you want a vibrant faith, one that will see you through the difficulties of life, then you will have to prepare the soil.  Your spirit cannot thrive without the input of scripture and prayer.  You cannot grow in your ability to love God and others (the greatest commandments) if you are not in the presence of the Father and other people.  You probably will not grow straight  if you don’t have the help and input from fellow Christians.  Then there are those weeds!  When I bought my house in Waddell it was surrounded in weeds; the back yard was 3 feet deep.  When I examined the soil I ran into the worst bed of goat heads that I had ever experienced (I’ve never in all my years walked soil that was so infested), and I remembered scripture about the enemy who sowed the thistles (Matthew 13:24-30). 
The time of the sowing of the tares was when the servants of the owner of the field were sleeping.  We are often prone to fall asleep with our faith when the good times roll (so stay alert).   I also remembered the scriptures remedy for weeds and thistles (fire).   So I began to torch the ground since the weed killer I had little effect.  The ground looked absolutely ugly for almost a year but the following winter I established one of the prettiest lawns I have ever had.  Some goat heads remain but fire did its job and continues to do its job.  Sometimes the trials from life burns off those things in our life that are of little importance so we can focus on those areas that are of the most importance.  If you want a vibrant future, work the soil bed of your faith and when the time is right, God will bring forth an abundant harvest from your life.

 Peace,

Pastor Mason

 

Our Ministry Organization Chart

Our ministry organization chart is now on-line. With this chart you can
see at a glance all of our various ministry teams, how we are organized,
find out more information on each ministry team, read leadership job
descriptions, and find a place for you to use your gifts in ministry.

 

We've constructed a 40' wide labyrinth using rocks from our
church property. To learn more about labyrinths, click here.

 

 

Check out a panoramic view of our worship center!
Go to the "Building Our Future" page and click on the link.

Interested in learning more about the United Methodist Church? Check out the exciting United Methodist website: www.unitedmethodist.org