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THE VINE NEWSLETTER OF BELLAIRE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
MAKING DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD DECEMBER 2017 VOLUME 53 ISSUE 12
F R O M T H E PA S TO R See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” —Mark 1:2-3 Dear Friends in Christ, The gospel of Mark begins differently than any of the other gospel stories. It men=ons nothing about a surprising pregnancy. It says nothing about the light coming into the world or about the Word of God becoming flesh to dwell among us. There’s no men=on of shepherds or angels, and there’s no baby wrapped in swaddling cloth. Instead, Mark’s gospel opens like this: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is wriJen in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wildness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’’ As we enter the season of Advent, two pieces of those opening verses jump out at me. First, this is “the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Advent is the beginning of the Chris=an year, and I don’t know about you, but I always seem to need a fresh start about this =me each year! This year, in par=cular, has taken its toll on many families in our area. Even as we recover and prove to be more resilient than we thought, I imagine you know some folks who could find some relief in a fresh start. Perhaps the beginning of Advent could represent that fresh start for many of us. Advent won’t necessarily take away the daily demands of work, family, or life. Likewise, Harveyrelated frustra=ons and home repairs won’t disappear simply because we’ve begun a new season in the church calendar. But—each day during Advent, we will remind ourselves that this is the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, and perhaps that will help us all refresh our hope and renew our joy in the Lord. Mark goes on to quote the prophet Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” More than anything, this is the meaning of Advent—to prepare for Christ’s arrival. And I suspect that it is in our preparing for Jesus that we will truly find our new beginning. It’s easy, though, to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season. It’s easy to put Sunday morning worship as just another item on the to-do list—especially if you have been prac=cing the faith for many years. It’s hard to make something you’ve done dozens of =mes to feel new. This is precisely why we observe Advent in the church— so that we can remind ourselves that even though the story is old, God is always doing something new. This Advent, I encourage you to think about how you can "prepare the way of the Lord" in your life and in your family. I don't want you to begin doing two dozen new things (even if they're really good things), because you're probably busy enough. But is there one thing you could do each day or each week this month that would focus your heart and mind on preparing the way of the Lord for you. Maybe it's as simple as reading the two scripture verses at the top of this page each morning. Maybe when you pray at lunch=me you'll add to the end of the prayer, "Lord, prepare my heart to receive you anew this Christmas." Maybe when you have a joyful moment with a friend or with your children you will pause and ask God to keep that joy alive in you this Christmas. What will you do to prepare the way of the Lord? In Christ, Pastor Seann
A NOTE ABOUT CHRISTMAS EVE Christmas Eve is on a Sunday this year, and we want to make sure you are aware of the plan for worship that day. We will hold our regular Sunday morning services at 9:00am and 11:11am on December 24th. Our Christmas Eve services with carols, communion, and candlelight will be that aFernoon and evening at 3:00pm (TradiJonal), 5:00pm (Contemporary), 11:00pm (AcousJc). The morning services will be disJnct from the aFernoon/evening services with different sermons and music. Come on Sunday morning to finish our Advent preparaJon, and return on Sunday evening to celebrate the birth of our Savior!
AHEAD IN WORSHIP December 10 — Advent 2 9:00am and 11:11am Pastor Seann preaching on Isaiah 40:1-11
December 17 — Advent 3 9:00am and 11:11am Pastor Seann preaching on Isaiah 61:1-11
December 24 — Advent 4 9:00am and 11:11am Pastor Seann preaching on Luke 1:26-38
December 24 — Christmas Eve Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, which means that we have two dis=nct opportuni=es to worship that day. We will hold regular Sunday morning services at 9:00am and 11:11am. Our Christmas Eve services will all include carols, communion, and candlelight and will be held at 3:00pm, 5:00pm, and 11:00pm. We look forward to seeing you this Christmas Eve!
December 31 — New Year’s Eve We will gather for one Sunday morning service on Sunday, December 31 at 10:00am, with a fellowship hour beginning at 9:00am in the Fellowship Hall. You don’t want to miss this chance to catch up with fellow BUMC members and join together in one, big worship service!
January Sermon Series On January 7, we will begin a three-week series to kick off the New Year. Research suggests that Americans are exposed to 5,000 or more marke=ng messages per day. Many of these adver=sements communicate false messages about who we are and what our purpose is in the world. This series will engage that “False Adver=sing” and show us what the gospel has to say about our iden=ty, our belonging, and our purpose as Chris=ans. This is a great way to begin a new year together!
MAKING A DIFFERENCE ZOE UPDATE Last December Bellaire UMC made a commitment to sponsor 107 orphans in Rwanda. Nearly half of Rwanda’s popula=on is under 18 and living in poverty. That’s why ZOE, the Texas Annual Conference’s selected ministry in 2015, is reaching out to tens of thousands of those children. ZOE helps the children make the transforma=on from a life of poverty to a self-sustaining future by teaching them to grow crops, raise farm animals and open small shops to sell their produce, shoes and clothing. These young people are moving from being a societal problem to a solu=on…. all while living in their own community and knowing God’s love. In January 2017, ZOE began working with a new “class” of 1,505 children in Rwanda, including our 107 orphans who named their group “Twisungane” (which means teamwork). What progress have these 1,505 children made with ZOE’s help in the past 11months? Here are just a few notes: • The children were organized into 439 households, with older children selected to be the “head of household” and group leaders and mentors chosen to meet weekly. • Training on food and nutri=on and new farming methods was provided to all 439 households. All households planted spring crops. The season was good, and the harvest was good. 70% of the households are now “food secure” and can enjoy at least 2 meals a day. • Training on animal keeping was provided to all 439 households. Then 375 households received pigs to raise, 317 received hens, 64 received goats, and 425 received rabbits. • Training on hygiene and disease preven=on was provided to all 439 households. This included informa=on on boiling water for drinking, cleaning their clothes and bodies, sleeping above ground, etc. • All 439 households received training and grants to start selling their produce, livestock and various retail items. • ZOE children par=cipated in the Chris=an Youth’s mission and evangelism event that was organized by local Chris=an churches.
Pictured here are several of the orphans from our working group, Twisungane.
How can you help our working group conJnue their transformaJon? • Pray for them. • Thank God for them, and believe in them. • Make a dona=on so Bellaire UMC can con=nue sponsoring them in 2018. BUMC has commiJed $8,000 per year for three years, and we need to raise approximately $2,000 by January 30 to fulfill our 2018 commitment. • Go on an upcoming ZOE trip to visit our orphans encourage them. Pau and I will be joining a scheduled for July 11-19, and there is another scheduled for June 20-28. Please contact me if would like more informa=on on one of these trips.
and trip trip you
Visit www.zoehelps.com for more informa=on, or come to our Connec=on Center table on December 10 and 17. With your help and the help of the ZOE team in Rwanda, these children can con=nue to make their incredible journey of transforma=on. Thank you!
Steve Smith, Lay Leader
IN THE WORLD
To Our Church Family, A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped during Hurricane Harvey. Many people helped us at our house; packing, moving stuff, cuJng out sheet rock, etc. The whole effort was so well organized, even sending lunches for the volunteers at the various houses. What a humbling experience and blessing, to be helped by so many BUMC members. You are an amazing church, with such a servant's heart. We didn't get everyone's name who helped us, but you know who you are. Please forgive us for not sending personal thank yous. We were dealing with so many things at once that a list wasn't made. BUT...God sent us help…YOU! Thank you, thank you. To God be the glory. In His love, Ted and Gabrielle Pate
Dear Bellaire UMC, My heart is so overwhelmed with joy and apprecia=on for your generous and hearwelt gix to help restore my house. There are no words to express what this truly meant to me. Thank you all so very much. May God con=nue to bless all of you and Bellaire United Methodist Church. Bellaire resident who prefers to remain nameless
W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G SPONSOR A FOSTER CHILD
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS
You can help make it a great Christmas for a child in our neighborhood who is part of the foster care system. Our Community Outreach Group has the names and Christmas wish lists of 70 local children. If you would like to sponsor a child, come to the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, December 3 or Sunday, December 10 to sign up and purchase your gixs. Contact Barbara at barbara@nowotnycpa.com for informa=on.
You can help make the BUMC Sanctuary and Chapel even more beau=ful during Advent and Christmas Eve by purchasing a Christmas poinseua. The cost is $10 per plant, and orders are due to the church office by Monday, December 11 at noon. Order forms are available on Sunday mornings or in the church office. Contact Elizabeth Lloyd at elloyd@bellaireumc.org with ques=ons.
DINNER + BIBLE STUDY
Tuesdays in Advent December 5, 12, and 19 Dinner at 5:30pm Bible Study from 6:30-7:30pm Children’s Advent Ac=vi=es from 6:30-7:30pm Nursery Care Available from 5:30-7:30pm Let someone else cook you a meal this Advent and come for a fun, relaxing evening of conversa=on over dinner and Bible study led by Pastor Seann. This event is for the whole family, and there will be nursery care available for children under 4. Our children’s ministry will lead Advent ac=vi=es for children 4 and up. Come encounter God’s grace as we break bread and study scripture together. If you can’t make it, we’ll be live-streaming on the church Facebook page.
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AT B E L L A I R E U M C TREE OF LIGHTS CHRISTMAS OFFERING For over thirty years, Bellaire UMC has partnered with Chris=an Community Service Center (CCSC) to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families here in Houston. CCSC helps to meet basic human needs like food and shelter through their emergency services program, prepares individuals for meaningful work through JobNet and the Martha’s Way training program, and provides local children with school supplies and Christmas gixs each year. CCSC’s facili=es have been cramped for some =me, but axer flooding three =mes in the last two years (most recently due to Hurricane Harvey), the structures must be replaced. We are grateful for our long-standing partnership with CCSC, and because we have already paid 100% of our connec=onal appor=onments, Bellaire UMC has commiJed a significant por=on of our “Tree of Lights” Christmas Offering to CCSC’s building campaign. This Christmas, the first $10,000 of our “Tree of Lights” offering will go out the doors of this church to directly support CCSC’s goal of providing safe and adequate facili=es to house their emergency services, employment programs, and administra=ve offices. Anything that we collect above that first $10,000 will stay here at Bellaire UMC to fund new programming for children’s and youth ministry. Would you please prayerfully consider making a special gi4 this Christmas over and above your regular giving? Your gix to this year’s “Tree of Lights” Christmas Offering will enable our church both to give back to some of the neediest in our community through CCSC and to invest in the children and youth of our congrega=on. Every gix makes a difference, and you can make your “Tree of Lights” Christmas Offering on a Sunday morning, in the church office, or by giving online right now at www.bellaireumc.org/give. Our goal for the Tree of Lights Christmas Offering is $15,000, and we believe we can do it! We have an opportunity here to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families in our city and in our church. Will you join us in showing God’s love to others as we make this special offering?
Financial Stewardship Update Year-to-Date Financial Snapshot Income through October 31: Expenses through October 31: Difference:
$1,112,893 $1,068,397 $ 44,496
Thank you for your faithfulness in suppor=ng the ministry of Bellaire UMC! Your gix—no maJer the amount—really does make a difference. Our ministry leaders and Finance Team con=nue to be careful stewards of the gixs you give, and we are delighted to inform you that at the end of November we are current on all commitments and have paid all 2017 connec=onal appor=onments in full. Strong giving over the past twelve months has provided a strong cash balance that allows us to remain in a healthy financial posi=on. Giving in September and October has slowed rela=ve to the previous months, but we believe that we will see strong year-end giving that will help us finish 2017 well. If you have ques=ons about your giving or about how you can give to support the ministry and mission of Bellaire UMC, 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-Jme giQ or to set up recurring contribuJons. Learn more at www.bellaireumc.org/give.
BELLAIRE AND BEYOND What a difference a church makes… Being in the youth group has provided me with a stable group of friends and fellow Chris=ans and a refuge from the secular world of school. It's also given me support and refuge when we flooded again during Harvey. During the ini=al cleanup process, I had to deal with the emo=onal stress of once again mourning the loss of my home and belongings. However, whenever I needed an emo=onal break, Jordan and Rebecca's home was always open, and the youth group was always there to cheer me up with silly an=cs and kind words. Without this youth group, I would not be where I am today in regards to my faith. Amy Vaughan
By God’s grace, we are are making a difference in Bellaire and beyond! 1. We serve over 2,500 children and families through CCSC's Back to School and Jingle Bell Express. 2. We give away over $40,000 each year to mission partners like Amazing Place, SEARCH, and CanCare. 3. We partner with 107 orphans in Rwanda through ZOE ministry to help them break the chains of poverty and enter into self-sustaining jobs. 4. We host 7 different scou=ng groups. 5. We serve 193 students and their families through our School for LiJle Children. 6. We support teachers and celebrate students at Cunningham Elementary School, our neighborhood school partner, and we provide Christmas gixs and gradua=on care packages for foster care children. 7. In the weeks following Hurricane Harvey, we deployed 117 teams of volunteers and delivered over 300 meals to assist those recovering from the storm. But me—who am I, and who are these my people, that we should presume to be giving something to you? Everything comes from you; all we are doing is giving back what we have been given from your generous hand. 1 Chronicles 29:14 — The Message
S TA F F L OV E O F F E R I N G Dear BUMC Family, As is our tradi=on, we as the Staff-Parish Rela=ons CommiJee ask that you consider making a love offering as a Christmas “bonus” for our hardworking staff. This year, our Church staff been asked to do more with less. Without excep=on, the answer has been: “Yes, and what else can we do?” With this dedica=on from the team, our church has grown and built momentum going into 2018 despite outside circumstances that have oxen presented hurdles for our staff. Like you, each one of them was impacted in some way, directly or indirectly, by Hurricane Harvey. Yet, they have persisted in serving this church and us well. What is a love offering? The Oxford dic=onary defines a love offering as: “A gix offered as an expression of love, devo=on, etc.; specifically (chiefly US) a charitable dona=on, especially one made to a church or missionary.” Foremost, we want the love offering you make to the staff to be made out of love; not out of obliga=on or merely tradi=on. Reflect on what type of offering the Spirit is calling you to make to support the staff. What does the Bible say about compensaJng the church staff? While talking about compensa=on and money is not the most comfortable conversa=on, it is important for us to consider assis=ng the staff that allows all of the ministries at this Church to flourish. Acts 6:2 says: “So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.’” Likewise, our staff can be strengthened knowing Christmas will come a liJle easier with a love offering at the end of the year. How do I give? Please make out your contribu=on to Bellaire United Methodist Church, mark it "Staff Gix" and hand it to Travis Crabtree, Steve Smith, or Hal Sharp, mail it to the church office to our aJen=on, or place it in the offering plate. We would like to have all of the contribu=ons by December 18, 2017 so that we can divide and distribute the gixs prior to Christmas. How much should I give? The amount is a personal maJer and we appreciate that there may a number of financial obliga=ons this =me of year. What the SPRC would like to see is increased par=cipa=on. If you appreciate anything any one from the staff has done for you this year, then we would ask you to consider giving. The staff has been very giving to all of us while we receive. This is our opportunity to give back some of what we have received from them. Whatever amount you can give is appreciated—par=cipa=on from a large number of us is as meaningful as the amount. What if I have quesJons? If you have any ques=ons about this or other staff maJers, please don’t hesitate to ask me directly. My contact informa=on is below. Sincerely, Travis Crabtree Chair, Staff-Parish Rela=ons CommiJee tcrabtreetx@gmail.com
2018 STEWARDSHIP Thank you for your commitments to support the mission and ministry of Bellaire UMC! We had a great Commitment Sunday to close up our annual generosity and stewardship emphasis. Thank you to all who were able to be there! And thank you for your commitments to grow as disciples and to support the work of this church in the year ahead. If you have not yet had a chance to complete a 2018 Commitment Card and Es=mate of Giving, you can s=ll do that this week and mail it to the church office at your convenience. If you need a card, you can pick one up in the Connec=on Center, the church office, or in worship on a Sunday morning. God's peace, Pastor Seann
stewardship — Stewardship is not the annual fundraising effort to
underwrite the local church budget. In the case of the church, stewardship means the management of resources that belong to God—including money, faciliJes, and personnel.
Growth in generosity is growth in discipleship. Finding ways to grow deeper in our faith requires opening our hearts to prayer and a willingness to personally evaluate and challenge exis=ng habits. One way to do this is to return a por=on of our financial blessings to God through the =the and other offerings. Our giving recognizes God as the source of our blessings. Our gixs help to create and implement ministries that change lives, transform communi=es, and spread the good news of Christ.
the Jthe — In the Bible, a =the is 10% of one’s total income. This was the por=on of one’s resources that belonged to God and is the biblical standard for giving among God’s people. In the church, we give propor=onally, meaning that we give a pre-determined percentage of our total income to support the ministry of the local church.
How much should I give? Giving comes from the heart, and prayer is essen=al for determining what to give. Your decision to be faithful in giving originates out of your love for God. Evaluate your current giving. Does it reflect your blessings? Is it generous? Is it =me for you to increase your giving to God and the work of the church? In these ques=ons, you will find your answer.
AND GENEROSITY Outreach + Evangelism $60,000 Adult Discipleship $94,000 Student Ministry $91,000
These are preliminary figures based on 2017 budget and ministry plans for 2018 and do not replace the tools used by our Finance CommiMee. If you want to see a detailed line item statement of how ministry funds are used, come by the church office. Note: Staff salaries are divided among the ministry categories they support.
Service to Others $162,000
Daily Ministry + Support $104,000
Children’s Ministry $141,000
Space for People + Ministry $320,000 Worship + Music $228,000
ervice to Others Daily Ministry + Support Space for People + Ministry
Worship + Music Children's Ministry Adult Discipleship Outreach + Evang 2018Student Ministry Ministry Budget
$1,200,000 (Es=mated)
OUR MISSION: MAKING DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST FOR T H E T R A N S F O R M AT I O N O F T H E W O R L D
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