Vol. 25 No.6
News & Events Turn in your Followership Card! It’s not too late to turn in your Followership cards. Turn in your card by mailing it to the church, dropping it off in the church office, or going to www.frazerumc.org. From Toxic to Transformation- Anyone involved in a service ministry is encouraged to attend the “From Toxic to Transformation” training day on March 2 at Frazer led by Bob Lupton. Lupton will tackle how to do community ministry that brings lasting change and avoids “toxic charity.” For more information, search “Toxic Transformation” at frazerumc.org or contact Kris Johnson at 4956362 or kris@frazerumc.org. SAVE THE DATE: EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA MARCH 23- The whole family is invited to enjoy egg huts, inflatables, games, crafts and a puppet performance Saturday, March 23 from 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. at Frazer. The event is free and open to the public. Easter candy donations are appreciated. Please drop off bags of individually wrapped candy in the baskets in the Atrium by Sunday, March 17. For more information, contact Ellen Bartlett at 514-5260 or ebartlett@elmore.rr.com. HOLY WEEK & EASTER EVENT- This Easter, prepare your heart for celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior through a variety of activities during Holy Week. Stations of the Cross interactive prayer experience will be held in Wesley Hall Wednesday, March 27 from 5-8 p.m., Thursday, March 28 from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday, March 29 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. A Good Friday Tenebrae Service of Darkness will be held in the Sanctuary at 7 p.m. Easter Sunday, March 31, join us for a Sonrise Service at Blount Cultural Park at 6 a.m., and then celebrate Easter at Frazer during regular worship hours. Watch for more details about these special times of worship, prayer and reflection coming soon. GET CONNECTED- Connection Groups such as small groups, Bible studies, Sunday School classes are how you can connect to God’s Word, God’s People, and God’s World. New groups are forming now for men, women, singles, couples, young and old. Check out all the options at frazerumc.org/connect, pick up a Connections magazine in the Atrium, or visit the Group Expo in the Atrium Sunday. More events & a nn o u nc e m e n t s pa g e 2 M o n t h ly C a l e n d a r Pa g e 3
www.frazerumc.org February-March
2013
Volunteers tend ‘Garden’, transform a neighborhood Staff Reports On Thursday mornings, you can usually find Charlie Kendall in his garden, or rather God’s “Garden.” Since Frazer launched its initiative to transform a neighborhod in north Montgomery last year, Charlie, who serves as Frazer’s Community Impact Pastor, along with many volunteers and other Frazer staff, have put in hundreds of hours in their efforts to restore homes in the Garden Square community and breathe new life back into the area. Volunteers from Frazer, including individuals as well as Sunday School and Bible study groups, all have lent their strength, their skills and their sweat on various home renovation and repair projects to the houses Frazer has acquired as part of its Transform Montgomery project. Outside groups, from schools and other local organizations have also stepped in to help in the rebuilding efforts. From ripping out old flooring and ceiling tiles to painting to repairing windows to clearing debris, God has provided the people and the tools and resources to see His will be done in this Montgomery neighborhood. Every Thursday, volunteers gather in the ‘garden’ to complete whatever project needs to be done that day.
Photo by LEE WERLING
Bill Pace and Alex Ansley with the Roll Up Your Sleeves Ministry work on a project at 3509 Manley Drive in the Garden Square neighborhood Feb. 1. Volunteers, both from Frazer and outside the church, have put in hundreds of service hours to further the Transformation Montgomery project in the north Montgomery neighborhood.
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Finished roof completes Church of Hope in Haiti Staff Reports
PHOTO contributed
The roof is finally complete on the Church of Hope in Leveque, Haiti, the church Frazer helped build through a special Christmas Eve offering in 2011.
Despite some setbacks, the Church of Hope in Leveque, Haiti is finally complete, thanks to the addition of a roof in February. Work to add a roof to the new church for the deaf community in Leveque, Haiti began in January, in hopes that it will be completed in time for the church dedication service planned for Feb. 1. Some delays prevented the roof from being completed at that time but the new roof was finally finished by Feb. 19. Margaret Spratlin of 410 Bridge, Frazer’s partner in the Transform Haiti project, wrote last month, “ This is an exciting time because the church will become a gathering place for both deaf and hearing. They will have separate worship services on Sundays, but many joint prayer services and Bible study groups in the years to come- all thanks to Frazer families!” Ground broke on the church project last June, funded by a special Christmas Eve 2011 offering collected by the Frazer family. Construction has been ongoing since last summer and the addition of the roof is one of the final pieces to complete the new worship center. Continued page 4