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February 2021 INSIDE!!! Pg. 2: Upcoming sermon topics. Pg.3: Notice from the Conference and a Bible study on the book of John. Pg. 4: Message from Pastor Andi. Pg. 5: Conference news. You Did It!! Pg. 6: News from El Refugio. Pg. 7: Sunday morning worship information and Family Coupon goal met and exceeded. Promise news. Take a moment right now and look at the chart on page 10. Go Pg. 8 & 9: COVID-19 news from the NC Department of Health and ahead—look. The first thing you may notice is the large type in the box Human Services. indicating the percentage of our military coupon goal collected to date. There is no mistake. Our goal was to collect $600,000 in coupons during 2020. Pg. 10: Military Ministry update. When all of the coupons were counted almost $700,000 in coupons had been Pg. 11: Bible trivia. collected and sent to U.S. military bases around the world. Pg. 12 & 13: Song for this month’s theme. Saying that this past year has been difficult is an understatement. Many of us have had to stay at home and “hunker down” since March. Our worship has Pg. 14: Focus on our members; Birthdays & anniversaries changed drastically as we no longer gather in the Wesley Center and the and “In Our Prayers”. Sanctuary Sunday mornings and Sunday School classes have not been able to meet for the most part. But through all of this you have been faithful to the Pg. 15: Memorials & Honorariums, JUMC Core Values & a Military Ministry of our church. Week after week coupons were brought to Valentine’s Day smile. Sunday morning gatherings and given to those who count them and then get them in the mail. (See the article for locations on page 10.) Pg. 16: Regular church activities. A giving, caring church. While Sunday morning attendance has decreased across the past several years, the size of the heart of each of our members has grown. Our JUMC family loves one another, and we also love our neighbors, both near and far. We don’t Don’t Forget just say it, we don’t just make a slogan about our caring and stop there. No, Our next Cereal JUMC shows our collective hearts through our actions. CUOC was born at Sunday will be JUMC. El Refugio was rooted and has thrived from a seed planted within our February 7 walls. And this month let us celebrate a Military Ministry that continues to flourish after eight years of member care and support. Please read the article on page 10 to learn more about this ministry. Page 2 Life Together Church Staff Senior Pastor: Andi Woodhouse Traditional Worship Music Director & Church Organist: Dr. Daniel Hester February 7: Communion. Mark 1:29-39; “On A Mission!” February 14: Transfiguration. Mark 9:2-9; “Speechless!” Secretary / Bookkeeper: February 17: Ash Wednesday. 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; “Now Is the Acceptable Time!” Kim Gunter February 21: 1st Sunday in Lent. Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22; “God’s Promises” February 28: 2nd Sunday in Lent. Mark 8:31-38; “The Cost of Following Christ” Nursery Director: March 7: Communion. 3rd Sunday in Lent. 1 Corinthians 1:18-23, John 2:13-22; “Proclaim Christ!” Melanie Yarborough March 14: 4th Sunday in Lent. Numbers 21:4-9, John 3:14-21; “The Gift of Life” March 21: 5th Sunday in Lent. Jeremiah 31:31-34, John 12:20-33; “Know the Lord” Communication March 28: Palm/Passion Sunday. Psalm 50:4-9a, Mark 1:1-11; “The Final Journey” Ministries: April 1: Holy Thursday. John 13:1-17,31b-35; “A Night to Remember” Deb Taylor April 4: Easter. Mark 16:1-8; “The Greatest Comeback!” Web Editor Brad Butler Newsletter Editor The first Sunday of the new year started off well with 34 Kim Gunter boxes of cereal donated as well as some canned goods for a total Bulletin Editor of 52 pounds of food. Please continue to support this important ministry by adding an extra box or two of cereal to your shopping cart this week. It’s a small act which will make a big Custodian: difference to a hungry family in Sanford. Jackie Watson Pastor on call 919--292-2612. Maybe not three carts full—but please bring some. Life Together Page 3 NOTICE CONCERNING VOLUNTEERS JUMC 2021 Church Council FROM THE CONFERENCE: Joe Cavalluzzi Effective immediately, all Chairperson Disaster Ministries centers are not accepting volunteers, due to rising Eddie Campbell COVID-19 case numbers. This will be in Finance Committee effect until further notice. Please see the Chairperson North Carolina Conference website and the Disaster Ministries Facebook page for updates. Thank you. John Shontz Lay Leader Church Treasurer Deb Taylor Lenten Bible Study on Financial Secretary the Book of John Marilee Ostman Staff-Parish Relations Committee Chair During Lent, we will read through the book of John and use another excellent Dave Carmony curriculum from Adam Hamilton entitled, Trustees Chairperson “John: The Gospel of Light and Life.” Books can be purchased for $6.00 from Jennie Lanane Christianbook.com and Cokesbury. Missions Coordinator Adam Hamilton Jean Spivey Memorial Committee Brief overview of Hamilton’s book. Chairperson “The Gospel of John is the most deeply Deb Taylor spiritual of the four gospels. It includes some of the David Taylor (alternate) loftiest and most loved verses in all the Bible: "And the Lay Member to Annual Word became flesh...," "For God so loved the Conference world...," "You who are without sin cast the first stone...," "I am the resurrection and the life...," "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." The writing is Sherry Williams filled with rich images and profound truths, but John notes that his aim in writing the gospel is that his Christian Education Team readers will not only believe in Jesus Christ, but that Chairperson they "may have life in his name." Join Adam Hamilton and experience a season of spiritual growth and life- Bill Huggins changing renewal while exploring the major themes of President John while reading the entire Gospel of John. United Methodist Men For more information, please contact Andi at: [email protected] Page 4 Life Together Walking in the light of Christ. “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy.” (Isaiah 60:1-5a, TNIV). This passage dates back to approximately 550-515 B.C. Israel had strayed and broken their covenant with the Lord. As a result of their disobedience the Jewish people were conquered and taken into captivity. Today’s passage gives a glimpse of what it will be like when they finally get to return from exile. The prophet Isaiah says that their beloved city will be rebuilt. The light and brilliance of God’s glory will attract all nations to Jerusalem. Best of all, the Lord is with them and will remain a faithful presence and shining light to guide their way into the future. We are in the season of Epiphany! In these times of pain and brokenness we cling to the truth that Christ is the light of the world and the light of our lives! We continue to navigate through dark days of a lingering pandemic. Sadly, we are trying to understand and recover from the trauma of the recent attack on our nation’s Capitol. How do we begin to respond and move forward? We pray for healing and unity. As baptized Christians we remember who we belong to! We are loved and claimed by God! We hold fast to scripture and Jesus’ teachings of how to treat one another! Christ tells us in the sermon on the mount that we are the light of the world! We are to shine and live our lives in such a way to give glory to God! (Matthew 5:14-16). We are called to serve as a beacon of hope! Remember stanza 3 in “This Is My Father’s World.. This is My Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet! This is my Father’s world: why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King, let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad” (UMH 144). God is with us! The light of Christ will continue to show us the way! “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever” (TNIV Daniel 12:3). God bless you and keep you and your loved ones safe! Reverend Andi Woodhouse Life Together Page 5 Conference News scheduled. The commission wrestled with most of those issues behind closed doors. In October, the commission named a technology study team to look at ways to accommodate full participation of nearly 900 voting delegates and other church leaders who come from four continents and multiple time zones. Among the possibilities is seeing if General Conference can do its work, at least in part, online.