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THE VINE NEWSLETTER OF BELLAIRE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH;
AND IN JESUS CHRIST HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD; WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY, SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DEAD, AND BURIED; THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD; HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, AND SITTETH AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY; FROM THENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND THE LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN. MAKING DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD MAY 2017 VOLUME 53 ISSUE 5
F R O M T H E PA S TO R He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do jus;ce, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. —Micah 6:8 Dear Friends, Being a disciple is o2en hard, harrowing, soul-searing work, because God calls the church to be light and salt. God requires that God’s people visit the sick and imprisoned, that we care for the widowed and orphaned. That means that when we follow God’s call, we o2en find ourselves in the darkness or in places of deep biCerness. We end up facing the reality of disease and injusGce. We hear firsthand stories of grief and neglect. Though we are confident of God’s presence even in the darkest of seHngs, it is indeed hard work, and just like physical labor, the work of ministry can leave us aching. But not always. SomeGmes the work that God asks us to do is all fun, pure joy. A team of people from this church have been busy planning this summer’s Vaca$on Bible School, and I am excited about what God has asked us to do. It already is hard work planning VBS—but it is also all fun, pure joy, because the whole VBS project is sharing the story of God’s great love with children from our neighborhood. I don’t want you to miss out on this. Email or call me this week to volunteer for VacaGon Bible School from June 12-15. We already have tons of kids signed up, and the only way we can pull this off is if you all step up and step in to serve. Our greatest need is always Crew Leaders—the folks who shepherd crews of children from place to place and join in the fun. You don’t have to teach; you just have to want these children to experience God’s love throughout the week. We need 18 or so to make sure every child can parGcipate. Check your calendar, and let me know if you can help. I want to try something else that I hope will be fun this summer—something like a Summer Book Club. The idea is simple: anyone who would like to parGcipate will read a book (or two) over the next couple of months, and we will gather on a Sunday a2ernoon to share what we learned or discovered. If you sign up for them, I’ll send you some emails along the way so that we can be digesGng these books together. I’ll get more informaGon out in the weeks ahead, but we’ll do two books this summer: The Good and Beau,ful God by James Bryan Smith and The Epic of Eden, by Sandra Richter. The Good and Beau,ful God helps us understand how our ideas about God shape how we live. It also includes some pracGcal resources and rouGnes that can help you grow spiritually. Epic of Eden is the best (and most helpful) book I have read on the Old Testament. Structured around the covenants of the Old Testament, this book helps us organize the Old Testament people, facts, and stories into a coherent and memorable story of redempGon. You can find both of these books on Amazon or at your preferred bookseller. Order your copies today, be on the lookout for discussion dates, and let me know if you have any quesGons. Last thing: Thank you to everyone who was able to aCend one of our Master Planning Town Hall Mee$ngs. Our architects and master planning team will soak in all your comments on our congregaGon’s strengths and opportuniGes and conGnue to work through the next phases of planning for the renewal and renovaGon of our church faciliGes. As we move forward, we will provide regular updates here in The Vine, in worship, and by email. If you have addiGonal comments or quesGons, please contact me at your convenience. In Christ, Pastor Seann sduffin@bellaireumc.org
VAC AT I O N B I B L E S C H O O L
June 12-16 — 9:00am-Noon This Summer, God will once again bring dozens and dozens of children through the doors of Bellaire UMC to learn about God’s love and what it means to follow Jesus. We’ve heard the proverb that it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes a whole church to host VBS! We know that BUMC has a heart for children, and we need your help to make sure this summer’s VacaGon Bible School is a success. Here are some ways you can help with VBS. • Crew Leader: Shepherd a group of 8-10 students each day during the week. No experience necessary, and you don’t have to do any teaching. Anyone can do this so long as you are willing to have fun and help these children experience God’s love. • AdministraFve Support: There are lots of liCle tasks that need to happen in the weeks leading up to VBS. If you have some Gme to fold t-shirts, label postcards, stuff bags, etc., we need your help! • Set-Up and Tear-Down: Beginning at the end of May, we will transform parts of the church into the Maker Fun Factory. If you can move things, build things, or have a creaGve bone in your body, there’s a spot for you. If you are willing to volunteer (either beforehand or during VBS week), please contact Pastor Seann at sduffin@bellaireumc.org or (713) 666-2167. We are building teams right now, and there is a place for you to serve!
C O N N E C T I N G AT Social JusFce Team — ConnecFng people to people. ConnecFng people to service. Are you interested in the ways that our ChrisGan faith intersects with real world social and poliGcal issues? There is a small team from our AdministraGve Council gathering to explore how our church can invest in this area of our common witness. If you would like to learn more, there is an interest meeGng over dinner on Sunday, May 21 at the Crabtree home. To RSVP or for more informaGon, please contact Travis Crabtree at tcrabtreetx@gmail.com.
Community Outreach Group — ConnecFng people to service. The BUMC Community Outreach group meets regularly on the third Wednesday of each month in Room 123 from 5:30-7:00pm. This group helps lead our church’s efforts with CCSC, SEARCH Homeless Services, and foster care ministry. All are welcome. Please contact Barbara at barbara@nowotnycpa.com for more informaGon, or join them for one of these upcoming events. Tuesday, May 16 — Cunningham Elementary School — Ice Cream Sundae Award Party. We need volunteers to help the kids “build” their ice cream sundaes. Time is 12:30 to 2:30. Sunday, May 28 and Sunday, June 4 — Project Foster Grad — Come to the ConnecGon Center to learn how you can support local foster care children who are graduaGng from high school this year. Tuesday, June 6 — CCSC Food pantry — Help sort canned goods from 2:00-4:00pm. Tuesday, July 4 at SEARCH North Line (HoJo) — Cook and serve hamburgers & hot dogs for July 4th celebraGon From 11:00am–1:00pm. Tuesday, July 11 — CCSC Food pantry — Help sort canned goods from 2:00–4:00pm. Friday, July 28 — Lord of the Streets — Cook and serve hot breakfast at this ChrisGan homeless center. We are always accepGng these donaGons to support our community ministry partners: Children’s books for the LiCle Free Library we put in at Cunningham Elementary School. New or gently used books are great. Toilet paper for HoJo residents. HEB giE cards help defray the cost of the breakfasts at HoJo at every Tuesday’s Bible Study. We usually have around 18 people and we provide nutriGous items. Cost is generally around $25/week. You can donate these items by dropping them off in the Fellowship Hall or by contacGng Barbara at barbara@nowotnycpa.com.
Stay Connected! We send out weekly email updates about what’s happening at the church. If you don’t already receive them but would like to, email Pastor Seann at sduffin@bellaireumc.org to add your name to the list. Like us on Facebook to find out about special events and stay connected to your church family. www.facebook.com/bellaireunitedmethodist
BELLAIRE UMC Bellaire United Methodist Seniors — ConnecFng people to people. Friday, May 12, 2017: Let us take you out to the ball game as we head to Sugar Land to watch the Skeeters play the Lancaster Barnstormers at ConstellaGon Field. The Gckets are $15 each. We will plan to eat at the stadium. Just think about those hot dogs and nachos! The Skeeters are always fun because you are so close to all the acGon. Our seats are a liCle more around toward first base but sGll up at the top of the seaGng area under shady cover, a short walk from where the bus lets us off. The game Gme is 7:05 PM, so plan to be at the bus in the west parking lot by 5:45 so that we can leave by 6:00 PM to allow for traffic and Gme to seCle into our seats with our eats. Call Tom and Sandra Williams at 713-703-1153, or email us at tandswms@aC.net. Friday, June 23, 2017: Join us for an indoor, air condiGoned visit to the Houston Museum of Natural Science to see an 11:00am showing of the IMAX film "Dream Big 3D," which takes you around the world with engineers who are pushing the limits of ingenuity and innovaGon in unexpected, imaginaGve and amazing ways. Dream Big will take us on a journey of discovery from the world's tallest building to a bridge higher than the clouds and a solar car race across Australia. We will have a chance to witness how today's engineers are shaping the world of tomorrow. IMAX Gckets are $12 each. Following the film, a visit to the museum gi2 shop will be in order. Then we will all have lunch together (pay on your own) at the Silver Palace on Bellaire Blvd. near the church. The Silver Palace's great buffet has enough variety to saGsfy anyone's appeGte. Good fun, food, and fellowship! We will leave for the theater at 10:00 AM from the west parking lot. Sign up sheets will appear in your Sunday School classes later in May, but you can sign up early if you wish by calling Tom and Sandra at 713-703-1153, email us at tandswms@aC.net.
Summer Sunday School Opportunity— ConnecFng people to God. The History of the Protestant ReformaNon, Led by Ellen Bell Save the dates: June 18-July 30 (excluding July 2) for a special Sunday school opportunity open to all. In October of 1517, academic and Catholic cleric, MarGn Luther challenged the sale of indulgences by placing his objecGons on the door of his university’s chapel and challenging his fellow academics to a scholarly discussion. Thus began the ReformaGon. Join us in the FLC for a church wide Sunday School series on the Protestant ReformaGon. We will explore the religious, poliGcal, economic and social forces that converged in Western Europe in 1517 to bring about a major change in the ChrisGan world. What were the theological and insGtuGonal changes that occurred? Why MarGn Luther rather than some earlier religious reformer? We will compare the early development of some of the major modern denominaGons concluding with the Methodist connecGon.
20 — y a M 7 June
MINISTRY NEWS Bellaire UMC Caring Ministries Margaret Miller, Director of Caring Ministries Hi Everybody! I am wriGng to share what we are doing in Caring Ministries. First, a liCle background on how I became involved in Caring Ministry. When I started working full-Gme for the church in 2012, I saw a need to help out the pastors with hospital visits and homebound church members. A few months into the pursuit of these endeavors, Margaret Alexander came back on board with Caring Ministry to help me go on visits every Thursday and whenever we needed to go out and see those in need. Margaret was always the caring minister for her Seekers Sunday School class and had previously been a Stephen minister for Bellaire UMC, so she faithfully expanded to help me every week. Now, in my part Gme posiGon at the church, I conGnue with Caring Ministry and have expanded it with faithful volunteers. Margaret Alexander (our charter member), Helen Jackson, and Natalie Lamont are part of our team, but were not able to be in our photo shoot. The other members include Barbara and Gerald O’Keefe, Sandra and Tom Williams, Patsy and Joe Frederick, and Donna Phillips. Together we will conGnue to visit congregaGon members in need, make phone calls, go with them to the doctors or hospitals, and write notes to keep in touch with Bellaire Methodist. We will also deliver flowers for holidays and be available to provide whatever is needed whenever it is needed to serve Bellaire Methodist’s members. Thanks to all of the faithful Caring Ministry volunteers! If you would like to learn about serving, or if you know of someone who might be in need of a visit from our Caring Ministry Team, please contact me at (713) 666-2167 or mmiller@bellaireumc.org.
Spiritual Life Survey — May 20-June 7 “If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra Summer is almost here, and many of us are planning our trips to water parks, theme parks, miniature golf parks, and ballparks. Wherever your plans are taking you there are usually two vital pieces of informaGon needed to plan your trip. First, you must know your desGnaGon, and second, you must know where you are. With that informaGon, you can plan your route. Without both pieces of informaGon, you may end up someplace else, like Yogi. Planning your walk with Christ is similar: We know the desGnaGon as discipleship -- becoming a follower of Jesus whose life is centering on loving God and loving others. We each start from wherever we are, move along individual discipleship pathways, and move closer to our goal. We want to understand where our members are (our individual starGng points), and our routes (our individual discipleship pathways) so that we can help move many of us closer to our desGnaGon (discipleship). So where are we, all of us, on our journey to discipleship? Bellaire UMC is launching a special survey asking for input on your spiritual life and our church’s role in it to answer that quesGon. Our goal is to beCer understand what Bellaire UMC can do to support your spiritual growth. We’d like to hear from everyone who calls Bellaire UMC their church home. The more input we have, the beCer our efforts to support your spiritual growth will be. So please...take the survey! The survey is comprehensive and thought provoking. We’re asking you to set aside 15-20 minutes to take it. All the account and survey informaGon is 100% confidenGal. Think of this Gme as an investment in your own spiritual life as well as the future of Bellaire UMC. We (Bellaire UMC) won’t know individual responses, so please be honest. The online survey will be available from May 20-June 7. Stay tuned!
PA R K I N G N OT I C E Our parking lots will be geHng a faceli2 beginning this month! Please note that the East Drive (behind FLC) and the parking lot immediately south of the church offices will be closed beginning Wednesday, May 24 and will remain closed through Sunday, May 28. All other church parking lots will remain open. We apologize for the inconvenience and any disrupGon this might cause.
S E RV E O N S U N DAY S Would you like to help make Sunday mornings great at Bellaire UMC? There are mulGple opportuniGes to serve each Gme we gather both behind the scenes and out front. We need people who are willing to serve on our Welcome Team, our A/V Team, and with Worship Support. There are no prerequisites. We provide all the necessary training, and you can choose how o2en you serve. If you would like to know more about any of these opportuniGes, please contact Pastor Seann at sduffin@bellaireumc.org or (713) 666-2167.
NEW MEMBERS Please join us in welcoming the newest members of Bellaire UMC! Right: Alan and Norma Schor|eide who are transferring from other churches. Far Right: Tabitha Carrizales who was bapGzed and joined by profession of faith.
Financial Stewardship Update Year-to-Date Financial Snapshot Income through April 30: Expenses through April 30: Difference:
$398,262 $371,103 $27,159
An update on our Easter Offering: This year, your generosity provided a total of $12,963 for our annual Easter Offering. $10,000 of that will go to support our connecGonal commitment to the World Service Fund. The remaining $2,963 will go to youth ministry here at BUMC to support scholarships for this summer’s UMARMY. Thank you for your faithfulness in supporGng the ministry of Bellaire UMC! Each gi2 makes a difference and helps us fulfill our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformaGon of the world. Lives are changed at this church and in our city because you give—including your own. If you have quesGons, please feel free to contact Elizabeth Lloyd, the BUMC Business Administrator, or Pastor Seann at (713) 666-2167. Thank you! Have you considered giving online? It’s an easy, convenient, and secure way to make a one-Fme giZ or to set up recurring contribuFons. Learn more at www.bellaireumc.org/give.
4417 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, Texas 77401 www.bellaireumc.org 713-666-2167 Bellaire United Methodist Church
THE BELLAIRE UNITED METHODIST NEWSLETTER USPS 048-820 is published semi-monthly by Bellaire United Methodist Church. Periodical postage paid at Bellaire, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address change to, The Bellaire United Methodist Newsletter, 4417 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire, TX 77401, 713-666-2167; FAX 713-663-6397. Second Class Postage Paid at Bellaire, TX 77401