Dear Members and Friends of Waterville United Methodist Church,
A video released by the Somalia-based terror group Al-Shabaab a week ago called for attacks on Western targets. Such threats are becoming almost commonplace in our “brave new world.” Our focus in this week’s The Wired Word Adult Sunday School Class is not terrorism per se, but how believers should function under pressure. It’s understandable that threats like these might easily distract us from the church’s core mission, so we will examine what Scripture teaches us about how to respond when we feel threatened. Join us in Fellowship Hall at 9:00 a.m. this Sunday for coffee, scriptures and discussion.
Stephanie Shelton wants to make sure that all children attending Sunday School this week bring a paint shirt to church. (She was ill last week and the kids didn’t get to their painting activity.) The kids will be painting with acrylic paint this Sunday. Also, she is asking for donations of paint/craft shirts. Do you have some adult shirts that are too small or too big? She would be glad to have them for the Sunday School classes.
The Theatre-for-the-World set has been erected at the front of the sanctuary. Although it makes things look a little different for the next three weeks, be assured that we will still be worshiping on Sundays. One of the changes that we’ve made to accommodate the props is that the words on the Power Point slides have been moved to the top half of the screens for the next few weeks. It will look a little funny, but we think that it will work for those who are seated in the pews on the main floor. So, when you arrive on Sunday morning, make sure you sit where you can see at least the top half of the screens.
Worship Service for Sunday, March 1st :
Handbell Choir - God’s Train as the Prelude
Children’s Moment - Don’t forget your paint shirt!
Hymn - Ah, Holy Jesus (Verses one through three will be sung for our opening hymn; verses four through five will be sung as our closing hymn.)
Choir Anthem - When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Sacrament of Holy Communion by Intinction
Scripture - Mark 8:31-38
Pastor Mike’s sermon title - What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus
Olga’s selections - Our God Reigns
Choral Et Variation Op. 37 (This will be a duet with guest trumpeter, Glenn Mills, with Olga on the piano. Glenn is a sophomore at Anthony Wayne High School and is a member of the Marching Band and the Symphonic Band.)
Liturgist – Priscilla Bersée
Following the worship service, please join us in Fellowship Hall for a time of light refreshments and conversation. Julie Croy & Jenny Kahl will be your hosts during the month of March.
A New Member Class is set to begin on Sunday, March 8th at 9:00 am in the pastor’s office. All who are interested please fill out the form in Sunday’s bulletin and place it in the offering plate or call the church office at 419-878-3645. The class will meet on Sunday, March 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th with the reception of new members on the 29th. If you have any questions call or email Pastor Mike at 419-469-0156 or pastormike@watervilleumc.org.
Our mission focus for the month of March will be the Theatre-for-the-World Well Project. Please check your March issue of The Ambassador for additional information.
Tonight, Friday, February 27, 2015 is the 8th Annual Anthony Wayne Spirit of Giving Spaghetti Dinner in the Anthony Wayne High School Cafeteria from 4:30 – 8:00 p.m. Please mark your calendars and come out and support this organization comprised of AW Staff, students, and neighbors, as we raise funds to help support families within our district with catastrophic illnesses. This year there are four families that have been “adopted” by AWSG and several others that will be given smaller grants to assist with financial needs. AWSG is not just about financial assistance, many AW students and staff assist by babysitting siblings during treatment times, taking care of yard work for families when that’s the last thing that need to care about, or grocery shopping to help fill empty shelves. Please help us help others by coming out to the spaghetti dinner. There will be carry out and also drive-through with the spaghetti dinner tonight. Anne Stevens reports that they have lost three of their "adoptees" within the last six weeks....not that they didn't know this was a possibility or that it hasn't happened before (when most of these people we are able to assist are terminal.... ) but she don't know that they’ve ever lost three in such a short period of time. They hope to continue to support the families in their darkest moments but also will have new families they're going to take on because of those openings. This is AWSG's largest fundraiser of the year. The community has been amazing. Thanks for all your help.
Theatre-for-the-World will take place on Friday, March 13th, Saturday, March 14th and Sunday, March 15th. Friday and Saturday’s shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday show will start at 1:30 p.m. This year’s production is FOOLS, a family-friendly comedy by Neil Simon.
Last week, Brian Schultz put a song he wrote out on YouTube with the hopes of driving people to our website for Theatre-for-the-World. He wants to make sure that the people that aren't on Facebook have an opportunity to hear the song and perhaps share it via email with others. He thinks most people would appreciate the message and perhaps they'd even check out what TFTW is trying to do on the web.
We have printed several flyers for the Theatre-for-the-World production. Please feel free to take some of the posters home with you this Sunday and display them in places that you shop, dine or at your place of employment. They are located on the shelf outside the church office.
We are in need of cookie bakers for Theatre-for-the-World intermission treats. Nancy Stafford has placed a signup sheet on the bulletin board in the main hallway. Please add your name to the list and, if possible, indicate what kind of cookies you will be contributing. We have really increased our advertising this year and are expecting large turnouts each time the play is presented. Please help us prepare for our guests!
Stephanie Shelton has placed sign-up sheets on the bulletin board for reservations for the Youth Lasagna Dinner on the Saturday evening before the Theatre-for-the-World performance on March 14th. The deadline for reservations will be March 11th. She is also in need of lasagna makers and dessert bakers for that evening.
Many of you registered your Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes online when you paid for shipping last fall. We would like to know where your boxes ended up! Please contact the church office with that information. We will be plotting these destinations on our world map for all to see.
You have two more Sundays to order your Easter lily! To help save on the cost of the paper by placing order forms in the church bulletins for several weeks and the printing costs, we would like to try something different this year. If you would like to order a flower or make a donation to our Building Fund, please use the envelopes that can be found on the bulletin board outside Pastor Mike’s office. Write your information on the outside of the envelope and place your money inside the envelope. You may either place them in the offering plate or drop them off in the office. We will be taking orders from Sunday, February 1st to Sunday, March 8th. (This date is one week earlier than previously published – we need to have our order turned into the greenhouse by March 13th.) The cost of each lily is $8.00. There is also a link to order your Easter lily in the March issue of The Ambassador – you will just fill out the form online and send it to the office. (There will be a form in the bulletin this week to order your Easter lily. You will find it on the backside of the New Member Class insert.)
Once again, snow is being forecast for Sunday. As long as we are not under a Level 3 Snow Emergency, we will be having worship. If in doubt, call the church office before you leave home.
Be a blessing,
Church Cathy