Isle of Hope United Methodist Church 412 Parkersburg Road, Savannah, GA 31406 GLAD TIDINGS (USPS-706-200) PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE ISLE OF HOPE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 412 PARKERSBURG ROAD, SAVANNAH, GA 31406. PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO GLAD TIDINGS, 412 PARKERSBURG ROAD, SAVANNAH, GA 31406. May/June 2020 - Special Edition Glad Tidings (GT) Isle of Hope United Methodist Church Choices While making my son a sandwich with “grocery A few weeks ago, Orlando police arrested a man who store” brand peanut butter, I began counting the ways apparently had a dream to camp out in a tropical par- COVID-19 has disrupted our lives. Beyond the supply adise. He evaded “no trespassing” signs and locked chain and my normal choice of peanut butter, there gates to spend a few days on Discovery Island, an Savannah, Georgia 31406. Georgia Savannah, P2-3 have been many changes. Some of them will be perma- abandoned resort attraction in a Disney World lake. to Isle of Hope UMC c/o Marla Grady 412 Parkersburg Road, Road, Parkersburg 412 Grady Marla c/o UMC Hope of Isle to nent. But I’m convinced that we’re still left with many Mail - during the week, you can give by mailing your gift gift your mailing by give can you week, the during - 4) 4) Choices choices. This unfortunate story helps us discern the differ- June Bible Reading ence between a bad dream and a good one. Good 2020 Graduates cally by setting up bill pay through your checking account. checking your through pay bill up setting by cally The Bible teaches us that to choose is an important part dreams invite us to plan well, to sacrifice deeply, to Automated - automati given donation your have can you - 3) 3) of being human. God honors our God-created ability to work hard, and to trust God. In Acts 2, one sign of choose. God’s Spirit is when all God’s people choose to see vi- recurring gift. recurring sions and dream dreams about what God can accom- com/iohumc) or our YouTube channel (Isle of Hope TV). TV). Hope of (Isle channel YouTube our or com/iohumc) Online - visit our website to make a one-time donation or or donation one-time a make to website our visit - 2) 2) • In his refresher course on the law, Moses says, plish in our lives. You can choose to dream. 10:15am (Traditional) via our Facebook page (www.facebook. page Facebook our via (Traditional) 10:15am p4-5 “Now choose life, so that you and your children Join us online every Sunday morning at 9am (Anchor) and and (Anchor) 9am at morning Sunday every online us Join may live and that you may love the Lord your a great way for you to give. to you for way great a You can choose not to be offended. With all the God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. with the amount you would like to donate. It's simple, safe and and safe simple, It's donate. to like would you amount the with Missions conflict about culture and politics, it is too easy to Hope Arbor (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) Text - Simply text 73256 with the keyword IOHUMC along along IOHUMC keyword the with 73256 text Simply - 1) 1) be offended. But that is really a choice we can make. Online! • On the border of the promised land, Joshua I encourage you to make people work hard to offend says, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” (Joshua 23:15) you! Us With Worship Ways to Give to Ways • The Apostle James warns with wisdom that “anyone who chooses to be a friend of the Last summer when I moved to Savannah, I came world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) into church one Sunday, bracing myself to remem- p6-7 ber as many new names as possible. On one pew sat Here are a few ways we can continue to choose and two friends, and my mind froze. I remembered one cooperate with God’s Spirit in the shaping of our name, but forgot the other. Thankfully, the second Wednesday Night Supper Gratitude in a Time of lives: person chose not to be offended, and, instead, of- Uncertainty fered me a clue, a quick mnemonic device, to jolt my Kids' Corner You can choose to dream. People often ask, “What memory the next time. (And her hint works to this will you do after quarantine is lifted?” That is an in- day!) vitation to dream. 1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love believe that the Bible’s miracles are more than just ancient testi- covers over a multitude of sins.” You can choose not to be offend- mony? That God’s Word is as reliable today as it was for the char- ed. acters who inhabit its pages? Finally, you can choose to believe. Margaret Hutchinson was We have choices, dear friends. God’s character is still good, and the first woman in America to earn a Ph.D. in chemical engineer- his heart is still for the redemption and restoration of all human- ing. She didn’t discover penicillin, but she made it accessible. She ity. Let’s choose him in all the ways we can. created the first large-scale process for manufacturing penicillin and saved thousands of lives during the Second World War. There With joy, is talk about COVID-19 vaccines and not whether but when our scientists will figure it out. I hope we get there soon, but we may Vacation Bible School 2020 not. Instead of saying “the sky’s the limit” with our science and Vacation Bible technology, maybe we need to believe God more. Can we choose to School will look a camp connect little differently this Epworth's Camp Connect is canceled year. Due to the CO- this summer due to social distanc- Day on the island United Methodist News VID-19 crisis, we will ing policies. Please read the words be- be postponing our After prayerful consideration, the UMW and Isle of Beyond our local church, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered low from camp director, Suzanne Akins: Hope leadership have decided to postpone the be- the decision-making schedules for our worldwide United previously sched- uled June VBS dates. loved Day on the Island 2020, originally scheduled Methodist Church. "With heavy hearts, we have made the decision We will still be able for October 2, 2020. With so many uncertainties re- to not have camps this summer. Through consul- to take a trip on the garding social distancing, we are making the decision Our global decision-making General Conference should tation and collaboration with conference leader- Rocky Railway, but will wait until the fall to de- to prioritize the safety and health of our volunteers, have met May 5-15 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but it will now ship, Bishop Bryan, camp industry experts and health officials, we are confident but our new VBS model. Refunds will be issued for home owners, and church family. convene in August or September 2021 at the same site. that closing camps for the 2020 summer is the wisest decision for us. The safety and those who have already paid. Our rescheduled VBS well being of your children and our staff have and always will be our main priority. plans to be a fun three-day weekend for the whole Please save the date for Friday, October 1, 2021 for Our South Georgia Annual Conference has postponed its regular week- Please know that we value your investment in Camp Connect, and a full refund will family that will allow us to share in Bible stories, the 32nd Day on the Island! We are grateful to the long June meeting to an abbreviated session August 14-15 at the UGA Con- be given to all those who have already registered. We will reach out to each registered song, games, and collecting money for a mission committee leaders who have already put in so much ference Center in Tifton, Georgia. One highlight of the session will be on family in the next couple of weeks." work and effort into Day on the Island. Saturday, August 15 at 11:00 am, when Bishop Lawson Bryan commissions project. The potential scheduled date is September The Rev. Jason Wade as a provisional elder in the United Methodist Church 11th-13th. Stay tuned for more details. Gratefully yours, during the service of commissioning and ordination. All are welcome to at- Starr Horn and Callie Daters tend this service! Preschool update Day on the Island Co-Chairs What do you do when a virus has completely ended your daily routine? For preschoolers and First Things First little ones, you have to lift your creativity to a whole new level and our teachers were up for the task! They sent out weekly curriculum, art activities, games, june Bible reading songs and story time! Oh, and let's not forget field trips! The teachers went on a 3-hour if you are in need of the previous month's bible reading, please contact kristen tillman at [email protected]. field trip to see as many children as they could see. Even the neighbors of our preschool- 1 Deuteronomy 33 9 Joshua 7 17 Joshua 24 25 Judges 7 ers had a great time waving and joining in on the celebration. Luke 17:20-end Luke 22:1-38 Galatians 2 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 Zoom was a whole new world for little people as well.