T HE V INE N EWSLETTER February 2018
F R O M PA S T O R S E A N N “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.” —John 1:14 Full of grace and truth. That’s an interes5ng phrase. The way I read it, John isn’t saying, “Here’s Jesus, made up of 50% grace and 50% truth.” Rather, I believe that John means us to hear that Jesus is full of both grace and truth. Full of grace. Full of truth. If we pay aFen5on to the stories of Jesus in the gospels, we can catch what John means. When Jesus encounters a rich young ruler who asks what he must do to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus tells him to sell what he has and give it to the poor. Full of truth. And when Jesus is on the cross, he says to the thief hanging next to him, “Truly, I tell you, tomorrow you will be with me in paradise.” In the same scene, he says of the very ones crucifying him, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." Full of grace. Full of grace and truth. Perhaps it’s one of those mysteries of the incarna5on that we’ll never fully understand. Even so, it's a mystery that we can trust s5ll today. Jesus is full of grace and full of truth for each of us. We’re a few weeks into our expedi5on through the gospel according to John, and all throughout this journey, we will be encountering Jesus in new and wonderful ways. What I pray we will all discover is the fullness of Jesus’ grace for our lives—that there is nothing about our past that Jesus will hold against us, that there is nothing we can ever do that would prevent him from loving us. I pray also that we will all discover the fullness of Jesus’ truth for us—that he desires that we submit our en5re life to him, that believing in him means we will change our lives and leave the darkness and walk into the light. As we enter the season of Lent, I invite you to con5nue digging into the gospel according to John, knowing that you will con5nue to encounter Jesus—both his grace and his truth. In Christ, Pastor Seann
Worship + 2 is our way of making sure we are engaged in ChrisBan Community and the pracBces of our faith in ways that will help us grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Make it a priority to be in worship as oZen as possible PLUS find two other ways to connect.
Joining a team is a great way to be working on your Worship + 2. Here’s a list of some of our teams. No experience is necessary, and we will provide appropriate training for each team. Contact Pastor Seann to learn more or to sign up to serve.
For the season of Lent, you might consider commi\ng to our Lent Bible Reading Plan (available Feb. 14) and aFending Lenten Dinner and Bible Study on Tuesday evenings. Or, maybe this is a good 5me to try a Sunday school class or small group. Contact Pastor Seann with ques5ons or if you would like help ge\ng connected.
Greeter Team — Welcome members and guests on Sunday mornings. Worship Team — Help lead worship by reading, ushering, or serving communion. Audio/Visual Team — Work behind the scenes at 9:00 or 11:11 to make sure our worship services look and sound great
LENT
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Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Come on Wednesday, February 14 at 7:00am or 7:00pm for a service of worship in the Sanctuary. We will begin this holy season with prayer, scripture, and imposi5on of ashes all of which remind us that we are wholly dependent upon God’s grace and provision.
LENTEN DINNER + BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays During Lent February 20 — March 27 5:30-7:30pm Come enjoy a delicious meal, good conversa5on, and Bible teaching from the gospel according to John. Dinner will begin at 5:30pm, and a 5me of worship and Bible study will begin at 6:20pm. Kenneth ScoF Peters will lead worship music, and Pastor Seann and Jordan Payne will lead the teaching for the first four weeks. Weeks five and six will offer unique opportuni5es to connect with God through music and art. February 20 — John 14 February 27 — John 15 March 6 — John 16 March 13 — John 17 March 20 — Night of Worship Special guest musician, Luke Brawner March 27 — StaBons of the Cross Art exhibi5on of work by local ar5st, ScoF Erickson
BELLAIRE
Holy Week commemorates the final days of Jesus’ life from his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday all the way to the cross on Good Friday and the tomb on Holy Saturday. Come worship God at Bellaire UMC this Holy week at any or all of the following services. Palm Sunday — Sunday, March 25 — 9:00 and 11:11am Pastor Seann Duffin preaching Recall Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem as we wave palm branches and shout Hosanna to the king! StaBons of the Cross — Tuesday, March 27 — 5:30pm Experience Jesus’ final day on earth through art as we host an exhibi5on of the twelve sta5ons of the cross by local ar5st ScoF Erickson. Dinner at 5:30pm in the Fellowship Hall; Exhibi5on following in the Sanctuary. Maundy Thursday — Thursday, March 29 — 7:00pm Pastor Seann Duffin preaching We will hear the story of Jesus’ last supper with the disciples and share the sacrament of Holy Communion together. Good Friday — Friday, March 30 — 7:00pm Pastor Seann Duffin preaching The Bellaire UMC Choir will lead worship with Return to Me, a major choral work based on the Sta5ons of the Cross. The evening, which marks Christ’s crucifixion, will end in darkness. Easter Vigil — Saturday, March 31 — 7:00pm Pastor Jim Love preaching This quiet service begins on the Bellaire UMC front lawn where Boy Scout Troop 222 will be tending a fire and keeping watch throughout the night. Following a procession into the chapel, we will proclaim the hope we have in Christ’s resurrec5on.
easter
Bellaire S u n da y, A p r il 1 7a m S u n r i s e S e r v i c e @ Ev e l y n ’s P a r k
9am Contemporar y S er vice 11 a m Tr a d i t i o n a l S e r v i c e Bellaire Blvd. @ Newcastle St. w w w.bellaireumc .org
S AT U R D AY, M A R C H 2 4 Make a difference in our neighborhood at Bellaire UMC’s Day of Service. We will tackle light construc3on and repair projects within a few miles of the church. We expect to start around 7:00am with a gathering for breakfast, making sack lunches, and a short devo5onal. We are planning to leave the church and be on site by approximately 8:00am and complete the work by 2:00pm. You don't need any unique skills or tools to par5cipate. We will make sure that every crew is supported by a member or members who are skilled in the area in which we are working. If you would like to learn more or are interested in volunteering, please contact Gary Flaharty at gary.flaharty@gmail.com or Jordan Payne at jpayne@bellaireumc.org. Do you have a project in mind? We are looking for (1) projects to help our members, regardless of where they live, and (2) projects for non-members who are located within a three-mile radius around Bellaire UMC. We are looking for projects that we can complete in about 5 hours or less with a team of three to six individuals. Poten3al projects include: Repairs to porches, floorboards, saggy floors, window glass, drywall repair, stuck windows and doors, window and door screens, replacing roMen wood, checking and/or installing smoke detectors, yard work, pain3ng exterior & interior, house cleaning, or leaky faucets. We do not do electrical wiring, plumbing, roofing, room addi3ons, third story pain3ng, or appliance repair. If you have a project sugges3on, please contact Gary Flaharty at gary.flaharty@gmail.com.
F R I D AY, M A R C H 2 3 + F R I D AY, A P R I L 2 7 5:00-8:00PM We will host two fun Food Truck Fridays this spring, and we hope you’ll join us for this great opportunity to meet our neighbors here in Bellaire. There will be great local food trucks, fun games for kids, music and dessert. This is a great opportunity to invite your friends and neighbors to come and see some of what Bellaire UMC has to offer. Contact Kenneth at kspeters@bellaireumc.org with ques5ons or if you can help with set-up or tear-down.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY Mission Kids meets the first Sunday of each month and is a great opportunity for children of all ages to get involved in mission and outreach projects from a young age. Mission Kids will meet from 3:30-4:30pm on March 4 and April 8. For more informa5on, email Kelly at kvicente@bellaireumc.org.
STUDENT MINISTRY Junior High Bible Study Sundays | 5:00-6:00pm 6th-8th Graders Meet in the Student Center Contact Jordan at jpayne@bellaireumc.org.
Ignite is an exci5ng ministry for 4th and 5th graders that meets one Sunday per month in the Children's Chapel (Room 201) for games, prayer, discussion, and bible-based teaching. Ignite meets on March 4 and April 8 from 2:00-3:30pm. Contact Kelly Vicente for informa5on at kvicente@bellaireumc.org.
Senior High Bible Study
Wednesdays, 6:00-7:00pm
Sunday Meal + Games
Children's Choir meets every Wednesday from 6:00-7:00pm and is a great way for children K-5th grade to come together and learn to praise God through music. For more informa5on, contact Jill Vaughan at jill.mgbellaire@gmail.com.
Sundays | 6:00-7:00pm
Sunday, April 1, 10:15am Join the fun at our great, big Easter Egg Hunt on the BUMC Front Lawn between morning worship services at 10:15am on Sunday, April 1. Children of all ages are w e l c o m e ! C o n t a c t Ke l l y V i c e n t e at kvicente@bellaireumc.org for info.
D AY S F O R G I R L S Looking for an opportunity to serve? Days for Girls is an organiza5on that provides sustainable feminine hygiene kits to girls around the globe and has a tremendous impact on their well-being and educa5on. Over the past few years, our BUMC Days for Girls group has sewn and donated 100 kits. We will begin this year’s project on Sunday, February 11 from 2:00-5:00pm in Room 224. Come help cut out and sew shields and cut out and serge liners. If you don’t sew, it’s not a problem—we will have plenty of material to cut. If you have 100% coFon fabric that you would like to discard, we’ll gladly accept your dona5on. If you would like to learn more about the project, please call Natalie Lamont at (713) 668-0605 or check out their webpage, www.daysforgirls.org.
Sundays | 7:00-8:00pm 9th-12th Graders Meet in the Student Center Contact Jordan at jpayne@bellaireumc.org.
6th-12th Graders Meet in the Family Life Center Gym Contact Jordan at jpayne@bellaireumc.org.
Student Mission Weekend Friday, March 23 + Saturday, March 24 6th-12th Graders Meet in the Student Center Contact Jordan at jpayne@bellaireumc.org.
NOTE: We will begin a new confirmaBon class star5ng February 18 and ending on May 6. It will meet on Sundays at 4:00pm in the Student Worship Center. Pastors Seann and Jim will be leading, along with Jordan Payne. This class is for all students who have completed 5th Grade and have not been confirmed into the church. Email Jordan at jpayne@bellaireumc.org for more informa5on.
WO M E N ’ S B I B L E ST U DY Wednesdays | 9:30-10:45am February 14 — March 21 Come enjoy a great six-week Women’s Bible Study that examines six holy habits that can help you have a closer walk with God. The study is open to all women and focuses on 1 & 2 Kings. Register by emailing Meghan at mlutschg@gmail.com.
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS Blessing of the Animals will be on Saturday, April 21 from 10:00amnoon. Our pets are beloved members of the family, and they deserve to be showered with blessings! So don’t miss Saturday, April 21! Bring your dogs, cats, parakeets, guinea pigs, fish, or other pets to the Blessing of the Animals at Bellaire UMC so they can receive an individual blessing from one of our pastors. This annual event honors St. Francis of Assisi who was declared Patron Saint of Ecology because of his special devo5on to the animal kingdom. Blessing of the Animals will take place on the front lawn of the church and in the adjacent parking lot. Stay tuned for more informa5on!