B u s i n e s s N a m e

The Steeple Bi-Weekly Newsletter April 10, 2015

PRAYER FOCUS—RISEN

And saying, “It is true! The Lord is risen indeed. (Luke 24:34 NIV)

Kayla McClurg shared this beautiful

Palm Sunday devotion last Sunday,

March 29th, 2015 entitled “Fragments”

based on Mark 14:1 – 15:47:

For the past few years, I have sensed

death wanting to be my friend. You know

the type: “Let’s hang out more,” she

says, “get better acquainted!” But I already have plenty

of friends, a busy life, and the truth is, I’m just not that

into her. Yet there she is, shuffling along behind me,

showing up when I least want her around, throwing her

arms around my shoulders to show how close we are, how

much a part of my life she already is.

“Stop breathing on me!” I want to say, but she doesn’t

seem to care. And I have to admit I’m starting to get used

to her salty breath, her tattered edges, and her constancy.

I am almost fond now of her clumsy nearness. What might

she tell me if I learned to listen better; what might I see in

this crazy quilt of death in life, pieced together in

haphazard patterns?

Today is the beginning of the end for Jesus. And the

beginning of the beginning. Do you see the wholeness of

his life even as death closes in? The fragments of his final

week create a story that is dangerously familiar. Read it

slowly this year. Walk alongside the other disciples, feel

their confusion and fear, hear Jesus confront the powers,

offer the wisdom of silence, give it all and then give some

more, be abandoned and wait to be found. Pick up a

fragment each day or two. Turn it over and over in your

palm. Ask it for a blessing.

I think of Raymond Carver’s little scrap of a poem called

“Late Fragment” written in his hospital room when he

was dying/living/dying. Here it is, in case you have not yet

learned it by heart:

And did you get what

you wanted from this life, even so?

I did.

And what did you want?

To call myself beloved, to feel myself

beloved on the earth.

That’s all. A fragment, pieced into the quilt of his life

because he had the courage to befriend his death. Keep

some scraps of paper nearby this week. Listen for the

fragments.

What about you, Jesus? Did you get what you wanted

from this life, even so? Are we, too, learning to call

ourselves beloved, to feel ourselves beloved on the earth?

Are the fragments making us whole?

What a great day of celebration Easter was for John

Wesley! I look forward to sharing with you the good

news of the resurrection in the weeks to come.

Grace and peace,

Jim

A Church Conference will be held in the Sanctuary on

Sunday, April 12, 2015, immediately following the

11AM worship service. The purpose of the conference is

to vote on a proposal to offer a housing allowance to our

new senior pastor, Reverend Dr. Marty Dunbar. Rev.

Morris Matthis, our District Superintendent, will lead the

meeting.

Church Conference—April 12

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Sunday, April 26, 6 pm

“Sing Them Over Again To Me”

Your favorite hymns with Chancel Choir and Orchestra.

Reception to follow concert.

Endowment Concert

June 15—August 21

For children 15 mos.—5th grade

Brochure & Registration at www.jwumc.org

Families with multiple

children receive a 10% discount per child enrolled.

-day camp (8 a.m.—1 p.m.) ................... $120 per week

Full-day camp (8 a.m.—5:30 p.m.) ............... $195 per week

Summer Fun & Adventure Camp

Thursday, April 16, 7:00 p.m. Presentation

Welcome Center

All are invited to hear guest speaker Kelly McCann,

Chief Program Officer, Alzheimer’s Association Houston

& S.E. Texas Chapter. Ms. McCann’s presentation will

cover the important differences between the two terms. It

will explore the various types of dementia and the

science behind Alzheimer’s. Attendees will gain a better

understanding of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease

progression, and available treatments and medication. A

question and answer period will follow her presentation.

Alzheimer’s vs. Dementia

June 8—12, 3:00—6:00 p.m.

Kick-off is Sunday June 7

Register online at www.jwumc.org!

This year’s theme is Hometown Nazareth: Where Jesus Was

a Kid! Volunteers needed! Contact Lindsay Miller (lindsay.miller@att.net) to volunteer . Volunteers are

invited for appetizers and hors d’oeuvres on Friday, April

10, at 6:30 p.m. in the Courtyard Room.

Vacation Bible School 2015

New date

& time!

Fill the NAM Food Pantry

Manual can

openers are

also needed!

Save the Date! Exploring Membership Sunday, April 19, Courtyard Room

Thursday, April 23, 7—8:30 p.m.

2nd Floor Education Bldg., Room 215 & Open Area

Join us to play Bunco, laugh, visit and enjoy each other’s

company! You don’t need to know how to play, it’s easy!

We’ll have brief instructions that night. No cost, just come!

Bunco—Ladies Night Out

Thursday, April 16

10 a.m.—Coffee Time & 10:30 a.m.—Meeting

Houston Methodist Hospital Downtown

The program will be presented by Dr. Mauro Ferrari, and

he will be discussing "Clinical Trials at Houston

Methodist Hospital.” Lunch is provided by the hospital

and there is free valet parking. If you're interested in

attending, please contact Judy Green at 832-467-2970.

Methodist Hospital Auxiliary Meeting

Saturday, May 2

2:00—4:00 p.m. (Doors open at 1:30 p.m.)

Wesley Activity Center

Tickets available in the church office and in the

Welcome Center on Sundays.

$20 advance pricing; $25 at the door; $160 for a table of 8

Table hostesses needed! Contact Carolyn Milby or Cindy

Jackson to sign up.

Style show by Talbots. Catering by Squash Blossom

Catering. Event to benefit The WorkFaith Connection

(www.workfaithconnection.org).

10th Annual Friendship Tea

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JOY CIRCLE: Will meet on Thursday, April 16, at

7 p.m. in the Courtyard Room for Part 2 of the "Bad

Girls of the Bible Series" on UMW Reading List.

HOPE CIRCLE: Will meet on Tuesday, April 21, at

9:30 a.m. in the Courtyard Room. Rev. Glynden Bode

will give the program on Prayer and Prayer Beads.

United Methodist Women

Adult Ministry—Kathleen Spangler, Chair

Don McNeil, John O’Banion, Sue O’Banion

Carolyn Milby ........................................................ UMW

Bob Schindler ..........................................................UMM

Rob & Cammie DeShazer ...................................Emmaus

Marie Shelor ............................................................WMC

Marilyn Tears ....................................................... College

Barb Dyar ...................................... Lay Spiritual Director

Staff .................................... Sue Highfield, Janet Jackson

Age Level Ministry Councils

On Saturday, March 21, it started raining, and it wasn’t

going to quit raining. That morning we had scheduled a

5k and Fun Run to raise money for In Shannon’s Shoes -

the youth missions fund at John Wesley. I didn’t get

much sleep that night, laying awake worried that our

event would get rained out, or there wouldn’t be anybody

that wanted to run in the rain. This was the first year we

hosted a 5k so it was hard to judge how it would go. We

had about 60 people register online, and we collected

donations all month. Morning came, and people started

showing up! The rain fell down and more people came.

We had over 100 people show up to volunteer and

participate in the run! Congratulations to Will Danheim

who completed the 5k in just over 22 minutes. I can’t say

thank you enough to our volunteers, parents, youth,

donors, and race participants. The Shannon Stovall

memorial fund was created out of tragedy, and with your

generous support has helped bring so much good to our

community and the communities we serve with our

Youth Mission Trips. We raised over $10,000 with this

event, and it’s because of your unwavering support for

the youth, the church, ,and the missions we do. There are

still donations trickling in, and there is still time to

donate if you missed the opportunity. Thank you to all

those who have supported us. I thank God daily for

allowing me to serve with you all.

Trevor Barnett, Associate Director of Youth Ministries

Youth 5K and Fun Run Fundraiser Was

a Huge Success!

It takes many hands and much planning each week to

make our worship services go smoothly. We are in need

of help in the following areas, Ushers and Altar

Guild. These folks serve only a few times a year if we

have enough volunteers, but it becomes more and more

of a job when we don’t. Please consider serving in one of

these areas. Contact the church office to volunteer!

Also, we are known for our hospitality and our ladies

do an excellent job but more willing hands are always

needed on this committee. Please call the church office if

you would like to serve on the Hospitality Committee.

Volunteers Needed!

JW Kids Children’s Ministry and friends waved palm

branches singing, “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” at all three

worship services commemorating Jesus’ triumphal entry

into Jerusalem. The Children’s Choir sang and the Hand

Bell Choir played. During the Sunday school hour the

children heard the story of the Resurrection and enjoyed

Resurrection rolls representing Jesus’ empty tomb. Wee

ones to JW 45 preteens enjoyed an egg hunt on the

playground and in the courtyard. It was a day to

celebrate, but also a time to remember the Cross.

Following the Children’s Sermon, children received a

wooden cross, reminding them that Jesus suffered greatly

before dying on the Cross. But something wonderful

happened on Sunday morning, Jesus’ resurrection from

the dead! He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

Palm Sunday Celebration Full of Fun!

Attendance

3/29/15:

Worship—705

8:30–190; 8:50–97;

11:00–418

SS—342

4/5/15:

Easter Worship—1219

6:30—92; 8:30–411;

8:50–104; 11:00–612

No SS

Page 4 April 10, 2015

Stewardship Report— For additional financial information, go to

http://www.jwumc.org/church-business

Received through

3/29/2015

$559,983.25

Expected by

12/31/2015

$2,480,000.00

Expected by

3/31/2015

$620,000.06

Received through

4/5/2015

$653,206.29

Expected by

12/31/2015

$2,480,000.00

Expected by

4/30/2015

$826,666.72

Our Church Family

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS:

Scott and Jennie Strozier

6803 Champion Village Ct., Houston, TX 77069-1779

281-397-0030

Steven and Jane Stones, and children Abigail and

Spencer

15010 Gladebrook Dr.

Houston, TX 77068

281-895-9310

Carole Allen (pictured back right)

3902 Gladebrook Ct.

Houston, TX 77068

281-444-0564

BAPTISM:

Elsa Leigh Olenick, daughter of Michael and Jennifer

Olenick and granddaughter of Lyndi Mott, received

Christian baptism on March 29, 2015.

SYMPATHY TO:

Dee Bates and family on the death of her husband

and JWUMC member, Joel Bates.

Mark Day and family on the death of his mother.

Gloria Fawcett and family on the death of her mother.

Maureen Fries and family on the death of her

brother-in-law.

Gina Wolford and family on the death of her mother

REMEMBER IN PRAYER:

Jim Foster, Pat Barnhart, Margie Poole, Jim Cassady,

Bernice Hooper, Maggie Hahn, Lloyd Adamson,

Sue Highfield, Shawn Thomas, Dan Cole, Gen

Stephens, Beverly Driskell, Jim Burnham, Lee

Jacobs, Bonnie Daily, Bob Fitzgerald, Jim Lemmerz,

Will Rathert, Minnie Thomas, Tammy Nau, Jean

Smith

Our future pastor, Marty Dunbar, and family

Yeager Elementary

Children’s Ministry—Candace O’Connell, Chair

Preschool ............................................................ Linda Thrash

Elementary .......................................................... Rene Tucker

Music .................................................................................. Lisa Trewin

VBS Coordinator ............................................. Lindsey Miller

VBS Registrar ............................................... Courtney Brown

Preteen ...................................................... Candace O’Connell

Shepherds ........................................... Jerry & Denise Dilliard

Walk Thru Bethlehem ............................... Kathleen Spangler

Chapel ................................................................... Karen Muhl

At Large .........................Anne Marie Lopiccolo, Josh Fuchs,

.......................................... Margaret Fitzgerald, Jerry Dilliard

K-2 ........................................................................ Karen Fuchs

3rd Grade bible ................................................... Rene Tucker

4th & 5th Grades ..................................... Candace O’Connell

Staff ........... Patty Hutchins, Shawn Thomas, Karen Muhl

Age Level Ministry Councils