The
Tidings GERMANTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
February 2017
Table of Contents 4
GUMC Life
5
GUMP
6-7
OLEC
8-11
GUMW
12-14
Older Adults
13 15
Youth
16
UMM/Music
17
Adult Education
18
Special Event
Ministry Contacts Children’s Ministry Lisa Pierce - Director of Children’s Ministry 758-6512 • lpierce@germantownumc.org Kristin Dickerson - Associate Director 754-7216 • kdickerson@germantownumc.org Callie Beaver - Associate Director 758-6525 • cbeaver@germantownumc.org Older Adults Beverly Rhoads - Elder Care Health Ministry Coordinator 758-6513 • brhoads@germantownumc.org Luci Cromer • 755-0803 • luci2@comcast.net
Adult Education Mary Groh - Director of Adult Education and Membership 754-5093 • mgroh@germantownumc.org Youth Ministry Sue Hyland - Youth & Confirmation Director 758-6516 • shyland@germantownumc.org Brian Richards - Associate Youth Director 758-6515 • brichards@germantownumc.org Health and Recreation Tiffany Griffin - Director of Health & Recreation 753-3100 • tgriffin@germantownumc.org See full staff listing at www.germantownumc.org/staff
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The Season of Lent | March 1 This year’s Lenten theme, based on Lectionary gospel readings, will be “Lenten Conversations.” The lectionary readings for this Lenten season focus on key events and conversations found in the scriptures as Jesus goes towards Jerusalem and ultimately to the cross. The conversations give us a look at the grace and wisdom of Christ in the midst of Temptation, misunderstanding, and death. As we follow Jesus and his mission of obedience even to death on a cross, we ultimately celebrate Christ’s victory over death which follows at the Resurrection.
Welcome New Members
Rev. Shirley Edwards and Karen Edwards, December 18
Ashleigh and Chris Williams, daughter Meg, December 18
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GUMC Life Let Us Pray FROM THE EVANGELISM COMMITTEE, YOLANDA TONEY, CHAIR
Let’s begin the New Year with a vow to evangelize here at Germantown United Methodist Church. Evangelism in the simplest terms is sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. We see the first proclamation of the Good News as Jesus recites a lesson from Isaiah 61.
Ask God…
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.
• to give them the will to respond.
He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. - Luke 4:18-19 In Matthew we find the Great Commission... The Great Commission, Matthew 28:16-20: “Make disciples of all nations” by “going, baptizing and teaching.” So how can you share the Good News?
• to open their spiritual eyes. • to give them ears to hear. • to give them faith to believe.
• to send people into their lives to witness to them. • for ways to build caring relationships. • for opportunities that you can witness. • for boldness to witness. • f or an opportunity to invite them into the fellowship of Christ. In future Tidings articles, we will give new ideas and repeat some ways to evangelize, but let’s start 2017 with prayer.
Think about some unchurched people you know and begin to pray (or pray in a broader sense for any unchurched persons).
2017 OLEC Fee and Hours Updates • Group exercise classes will be $5/class
• OLEC hours:
• Punch cards - $50 for 10 classes ($5/class)
- Monday – Thursday will close at 8 p.m. - Friday – no change – 6:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. - Saturday will open at 7 a.m. and close at noon
• New NON-GUMC member rates upon next renewal date: - $100/person annually for ages 13 and over
Thank you for being a part of GUMC’s Health and Recreation Ministry!
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exible Days • Full Curriculum Germantown United Methodist Preschool Now Enrolling for 2017-2018 GUMP hopes that your New Year is off to a wonderful start and that you were able to enjoy the beauty of the January snowfall. It sure did make our little friends excited! The 2016-2017 school year has been an exciting year at GUMP with the launch of two new additional programs. GUMP not only serves families with an age-appropriate curriculum enhancing all developmental domains, but has also added services to care for families: an extended care program (before and after school) and a class for children with developmental delays named G.R.A.C.E. (GUMP Recognizes All Can Excel). We believe this for all of our friends at GUMP, as well as our dedicated and trained staff.
mantown, TN 38138
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901-753-3109
GUMP is currently accepting applications for enrollment for the upcoming 2017-2018 school year. Our current families have recently completed enrollment and GUMP is now accepting applications from families in the community. If your family is interested in visiting or attending GUMP, please call our preschool office at 7533109 to set up a tour of our preschool. Part of the enrollment process is that families and their
potentially enrolling child come and tour in order to learn more about GUMP, have a real sense of what a school day looks and feels like, and see if we are a great fit for your family. We love meeting families and their children, as well as telling them about what GUMP offers.
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www.mygump.org
If you, or a friend, are looking for a fabulous preschool experience for the upcoming school year, please come visit! Should you have further questions, please feel free to call or visit our website at www.mygump.org. For more information contact Sarah Sutton, Director of Germantown United Methodist Preschool at 753-3109 or preschool@germantownumc.org.
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OLEC Why Do I Need to Exercise BY JUDY OROS, CERTIFIED PERSON TRAINER, FITNESS EXPRESS
The jig is up…I’ve been discovered…I really do like to work out. Why???? People ask me that question all the time. The only real answer I can come up with is that exercise is a place where I can go when I really want to feel good. It can be an actual physical place, like the OLEC, an outdoor place, like a lake or, even as simple as taking my bike outside. Some days I just simplify it and stay home, where I can stretch, do yoga or Pilates and relax.
Exercise is Medicine is a new program managed by the American College of Sports Medicine that focuses on encouraging primary care physicians to include physical activity when designing treatment plans for patients. Doctors are seeing great strides in writing a prescription for exercise.
I polled 10 people at the Owings Life Enrichment Center and asked them “why do YOU come to work out?” Here are a few answers:
1. E xercise is important in maintaining your proper weight in order to decrease a person’s risk to diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. If you didn’t already know this, Type 2 Diabetes was once called “Adult On-Set Diabetes” because only adults got it, but is now being called Type 2. (Type 1 is another form of Diabetes). For obvious reasons, now younger adults (and children) are becoming diabetic at an earlier age. As little as 20 minutes of sustained cardiovascular exercise can help in decreasing and maintaining your proper weight. And it keeps your blood flowing, boosts HDL (the good stuff- happy cholesterol I call it) and decreases LDL (lousy).
1. Doctor’s Orders 2. Wife’s Orders 3. All 10 people said that it made them feel better First, and foremost, while polling these 10 people, I wondered about the “feel better” answer and how did exercise actually help? Half of them said they had back issues. Exercise was that one missing puzzle piece that, while resisting it for many years because they said it probably wouldn’t help, was the one thing that DID help. They resisted for many reasons mostly because they simply did not know what to do and how to do it. My number one rule in the gym is to ask for help. Asking is always free at the OLEC. Talk to the trainers, instructors and Director. Find out what OLEC has to offer, where (what room) is it offered, how can I enroll, and when is it scheduled. These few questions are key to resolving that nagging back ache or other ailments. The few that did not have back issues, had other medical issues and it was suggested by their doctors that exercise may help, and the remaining folks said it was the friends that kept them coming, it was a “feel good” place, had a family atmosphere, and it was the one place where it was a “stress free” zone for them. 6
What is it that exercise does to help with certain conditions and ailments?
2. E xercise improves your mood. It changes your brain function and chemicals within your brain to act as if you are in a perpetual good mood. 3. E xercise gives you more energy because it delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. Digestion is improved almost immediately. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.
OLEC
4. For back pain sufferers, exercise is a form of relief from aches, pains, muscle spasms and chronic back ailments that haven’t been resolved for weeks or even years. Mild stretching alone goes a long way to improving muscle aches and back pain. Sitting and not doing anything about it makes it 10 times more aggravating. We have so many classes at the OLEC designed for those with back problems. Gentle Yoga, Stretching Classes, Tai Chi and even easy Walking Classes. Number 4 above gets me back to the beginning of this article. Matthew 7:7 states: Ask and it will
be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. We have flyers, schedules and professionals who want to help you be a fitter, healthier you in 2017. This is why we do what we love to do. In the New Year, do not make any resolutions as they are meant to be broken. Make small lifestyle changes, seek out new goals, and see how that will blossom into a new you. Change is an opportunity for new experiences that you can embrace and lead a a more fulfilling, stress free, pain free life. ASK and you shall receive……
People to ASK . . . and people who know: Judy Oros - Certified Personal Trainer, triathlete, wife/mother of two doctors, Owings Life Enrichment Center Todd Hinton - C ertified Personal Trainer, triathlete, six-time Iron Man (maybe more), Assistant Director of Youth Sports, husband/dad, Owings Life Enrichment Center OLEC Instructors: Al Walton, Judy Pearson, Melissa Smith, Cheryl Pettit, Lynn Justice, Terry Rogers, Lynne Slager, Ronda McCain, Dr. Bob Hughes, Michael Coplon, Barbara Davis, Carrie Twickler, Gus Lauer and Jessica Walters Tiffany Griffin - Director of Health and Recreation GUMC, Owings Life Enrichment Center, Group Fitness Instructor
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United Methodist Women Lent by Candlelight A Special Event for Women Tuesday, February 28, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Mike Wilson Fellowship Hall This event is now full. Please contact Yolanda Toney in order to be placed on the waiting list ytoney@germantownumc.org. Are you interested in celebrating Lent in a special way? GUMW invites all women to prepare their hearts and minds for the season of Lent. You will experience a delightful time of fellowship while
enjoying desserts, coffee and tea in the Fellowship Hall. You will then process through the candlelit hallways and convene in the Chapel for special music, a time for reflection, and devotion. Our Chapel speaker will be Donna Wright. We encourage you to invite your friends. Space is limited to 120 women. Free childcare is also available. You must register for this event at germantownumc.org/umw. We look forward to you joining us for the start to this special season.
Christmas Cookie Shoppe Thank You The 2016 GUMW Christmas Cookie Shoppe was a wonderful success! Thank you for the amazing support from everyone who made and purchased cookies and candies, gave so generously and supported us with their prayers! We were able to raise over $5,300 for our local missions while at the same time offering our church and our community a delightful family Advent activity which is anticipated each Christmas! Please put December 9 on your calendar for the 2017 sale, which we hope will be bigger and better! Start planning what kind of cookie or candy you would like to make! Christmas Cookie Shoppe Co-Chairs: Ronnie Pruitt and Barbara Schanson
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United Methodist Women “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” - ISAIAH 61:3 NIV
February Luncheon February 14, 2017 | 11:30 am | OLEC This Valentine’s Day, join us as we focus on the loving of our neighbors. We welcome Ephie Johnson, President and CEO of Neighborhood Christian Centers, to our GUMW Luncheon on February 14 at 11:30 a.m. in the Owings Life Enrichment Center. Ephie has a heart for her native Memphis, and for serving those less fortunate and reducing the plight of poverty in our community. As the leader of Neighborhood Christian Centers, she oversees aid given to over 50,000 neighbors annually. In addition to her duties at NCC, Ephie is a motivational speaker, a singer/songwriter, wife and mother of two teenage boys. She was an invited speaker to the TED Talks in Memphis in 2015. She hosted FOX13 WHBQ’s “Faith Forum” from 2008-2015, and is the current Host of TBN WBUY TV’s “Joy in Our Town”. Ephie is a native Memphian, a graduate of Treadwell High School and the University of Memphis. She attends Hope Church, where she has been a Praise & Worship Team member for 18 years. Come hear Ephie share her incredible story and be encouraged by her walk of faith to share ourselves with others and love our neighbors! Cost is $10. Deadline to register is February 9, 1 p.m. | Two Methods to Register: • Check to GUMW, write “GUMW Feb. Luncheon” in memo line, placed in drop box outside Fellowship Hall. • Credit Card online at germantownumc.org/umw Childcare is free. Indicate a need for childcare when registering online or by writing “Need Childcare” on your check.
All women are welcome to attend Germantown United Methodist Women events. If you are looking for the camaraderie of Christian women, fellowship while serving others, and the opportunity to make lifelong friends, consider joining one of GUMW's many Circles (small groups). For information, contact GUMW Membership Chair Yolanda Toney at ytoney@germantownumc.org.
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United Methodist Women GUMW Launches Faith Circle Faith Circle, the tenth and newest Circle of GUMW, launches this spring. The new Circle is founded on Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Circles are small group gatherings of United Methodist Women who enjoy camaraderie and mutual support through devotions, programming, service projects and fellowship. Faith Circle will hold its first meeting on April 6, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 338. Lauren Boswell will serve as the first chair of Faith Circle, and Ginny Szalay will serve as its initial treasurer. Boswell said she feels incredibly blessed to have been a member of a women’s Circle over the years, and she hopes more women are able to experience the encouragement and support received through these small groups. She credits a strong UMW for giving the women of GUMC so many great Circle options, and she is excited to be a part of expanding this offering in 2017.
The goal of Faith Circle is for members to grow in their faith and then spend time each month turning that faith into action through mission outreach. Faith Circle will focus its outreach efforts in the area of college ministry. Every month, in addition to study, members of Faith Circle will pray for GUMC college students by name as well as send birthday cards and notes of encouragement. “These young adults who are our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or children of friends are all facing the same challenges and opportunities at this critical time in their lives,” Boswell said. “Because of our faith, we understand the importance and power of prayer. This is something we can all do to help our young adults as they make their way through life’s challenges and blessings.” Funds raised by GUMW through their annual Children’s Consignment Sale, Bridge Benefit, Cinnamon Roll Bake and Christmas Cookie Shoppe are used to support the missions of the UMW and Circles.
“Our hope is to help bring women of all ages together as we work to grow our faith through study and reflection,” Boswell said. “A strong faith will help us through any situation we face as women – joyous or challenging.” The women of Faith Circle will meet each month to share a Bible-based book or video study. For 2017, the group plans to complete a video curriculum entitled Twelve Women of the Bible. The Circle will explore the spiritual lessons learned from a different woman of the Bible and discuss how to apply what they’ve learned to their own lives.
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Lauren Boswell (left) will serve as the first chair of Faith Circle, and Ginny Szalay (right) will serve as treasurer.
TO SIGN UP FOR GUMW’S EMAIL LIST, GO TO GERMANTOWNUMC.ORG/EMAIL
United Methodist Women Faith Circle selected Wesley Foundation Memphis as its outside mission focus. The Wesley Foundation is the campus ministry of the Memphis Conference of the United Methodist Church. This apportionment ministry serves college students from higher institutions of learning in the Memphis area. Among their goals for ministry is to provide a safe place: safe physically, safe emotionally and safe theologically. Boswell said Faith Circle and Wesley Foundation share a desire to reach out to and encourage college age adults, so the partnership was a natural fit. GUMC had also previously supported Faith Circle selected Wesley Foundation Memphis as its the local apportionment ministry in the outside mission focus. past year. Rev. Rick Pinkston, executive director of the Wesley Foundation Memphis, shared how grateful he Faith Circle also plans to support GUMC’s College was they were selected to be the recipient of Ministry Program and looks forward to providing one of GUMC’s communion offerings in 2016. He assistance to Rev. Erin Beasley as the church’s described it as an answer to a prayer. outreach program grows. “When Germantown Church made its initial contribution of one of its monthly Communion offerings, that gift came at exactly the right time,” Rev. Pinkston said. “High seasonal utility bills and some unexpected maintenance issues threatened to put us in a bind. With Germantown’s help, we were able to achieve some stability that allowed us to maintain our programming without cutting back on any activities.” In addition to receiving Faith Circle’s portion of GUMW fundraising money, the Circle plans to provide students of Wesley Foundation a Tuesday night meal after their worship service during fall semester. Rev. Pinkston said, “The Faith Circle’s outreach to us offers us encouragement in the implementing of our shared ministry. Thanks to them and everyone who has helped us present a vital witness to Jesus Christ in the campus setting.”
GUMW President Anna Graunke said, “We are so excited to be adding another new circle within our unit whose emphasis will appeal to women who have a heart for caring for our college age students. We are delighted that the mission focus will not only support the United Methodist’s Wesley Foundation but offer assistance to the college ministry within our church as well.” On March 2, there will be an information meeting at 9:30 a.m. in Room 338 for anyone interesting in finding out more about Germantown United Methodist Women, Faith Circle and Wesley Foundation. Light refreshments will be served. All women of Germantown Methodist Church are invited.
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Older Adult Ministry XYZs in March XYZs Attend Lenten Preaching Series and Tour St. Mary’s Catholic Church in March! As part of our observance of Lent, we are going downtown to listen to the Rev. Dr. Barbara K. Lundblad, Professor Emeritus of Preaching, Union Theological Seminary in New York City, at the Lenten Preaching Series at Calvary Episcopal Church and eat lunch at the Calvary Waffle Shop. An ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, she has preached in hundreds of congregations across the US, given lectures at many seminaries in this country, and been one of the preachers on Day 1 (formerly The Protestant Hour) for over 20 years. On the way home, we will tour St. Mary’s Catholic Church, which has been serving the people of Memphis for over 150 years and whose Soup Kitchen began in 1870. Where: Calvary Episcopal Church and St. Mary’s Catholic Church When: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 Cost: $3 per person plus lunch on your own
Departure: 10 a.m. from OLEC parking lot. (Be there by 9:45 a.m.) Reservations: Call Nancy Arnold, 754-6326, Gretchen Blair, 755-0797, or Luci Cromer, 755-0803. You must make your reservation before paying.
Don’t Forget the February Brown Bag Lunch Program! Willy Bearden, Memphis film maker and author, will talk about “Memphis Blues: Birthplace of a Music Tradition,” and will show us the people who made Memphis the heart of the blues, as well as play some music for us. This presentation will be Friday, February 3, in the Fellowship Hall. The program starts at 11 a.m. with lunch at noon. Bring your own sack lunch; the church will supply the beverages. Call Luci Cromer, 755-0803, for more information. No reservations are needed. There will be a crossing guard on West Street to help with overflow parking.
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Older Adult Ministry XYZs in April XYZs Tour Dixon’s New Exhibit and Eat at Jim’s Place Grille! Join us as we enjoy a private guided tour of Scent and Symbolism: Perfumed Objects and Images from the collection of the Umi-Mori Art Museum in Hiroshima, Japan. This exhibit will consider the role of scent in the history of art through a collection of 140 scent bottles from the 17th-20th century. It will also reveal how the sense of smell, one of humankind’s most powerful yet enigmatic senses, has been described by painters and graphic and decorative artists over time. After our tour, we are going to have a delicious lunch at Jim’s Place Grille in Collierville. Where: Dixon Gallery & Gardens and Jim’s Place Grille When: Wednesday, April 12, 2017 Cost: $20 per person cost includes tour and lunch Departure: 9 a.m. from OLEC parking lot. (Be there by 8:45 a.m.) Reservations: Call Nancy Arnold, 754-6326, Gretchen Blair, 755-0797, or Luci Cromer, 755-0803. You must make your reservation before paying. Deadline for Money and Reservations: Monday, March 13
Spring is Coming—our Handy Helpers are waiting for your call… The Handy Helpers Ministry Team, sponsored by the Older Adult Council, lends a “helping hand” to older adults in our church who need assistance with small repair and maintenance jobs around the house. WHAT TYPE OF JOBS DO HANDY HELPERS DO? • Light maintenance and repairs including small carpentry jobs such as malfunctioning doors, locks or windows. • Minor electrical work such as replacing light switches and light bulbs. • Replacing smoke alarm batteries. • Minor plumbing work such as working on “running” toilets or leaky faucets. • Other miscellaneous jobs are considered on an individual basis. Handy Helpers do not work on large or small appliances, roofs, home decorating, or on jobs requiring tall ladders. WHAT DOES THIS SERVICE COST? The Handy Helpers service charges only for parts and materials used in the repair. There is NO charge for labor. TO QUALIFY FOR THE HANDY HELPERS SERVICE: You must be a member of Germantown United Methodist Church, have home owner’s liability insurance, and be over 60 years of age. To request assistance, please contact Charles Waters, 286-4823
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Older Adult Ministry March Brown Bag Lunch James Cornfoot Will Explore the Music of Easter! March Brown Bag Lunch Though Handel’s Messiah reigns supreme as the king of music for Easter, there are many other seasonal masterpieces that deserve to be heard more often. James Cornfoot is going to talk about some of the Easter music that we know and love, whether it is classical, hymns, spirituals or contemporary at the March Brown Bag Lunch Series, an adventure in learning sponsored by the Older Adult Council. TOPIC: “The Music of Easter” SPEAKER: James A. Cornfoot, MM, Instructor of Music at Rhodes College WHERE: Mike Wilson Fellowship Hall WHEN: March 3, 2017. Program starts at 11 a.m.; lunch is at noon. COST: FREE—the church will supply beverages. RESERVATIONS: No reservations are needed. Just bring your sack lunch and enjoy the program and the fellowship. QUESTIONS? Call Luci Cromer, 755-0803, or Beverly Rhoads, 754-7216, ext. 107. There will be a crossing guard on West Street to help with overflow parking.
AARP SmartDriver™ Course Germantown United Methodist Church and AARP will present the “AARP Smart Driver™ Course,” the nation’s largest driving refresher course. This 8-hour course is scheduled for March 16 and 17 from 9 a.m.1 p.m. Successful completion entitles participants to a discount on their auto insurance premiums for three years. There is no driving test or written exam. Register early because the class will be closed at 28 participants. The results of taking these classes have been proven—class participants have fewer accidents and tickets. Where: R oom 339 (Fellowship Forum classroom) in the Ministry Center. When: Thursday & Friday, March 16 & 17, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost: $ 15 fee for AARP members ($20 for non-members) payable to AARP Reservations: Call Jan Cameron at 366-2772 Deadline for Reservations: Reservations will be taken until class is full. The objectives of the course are to help you: •B e independent, safe, and confident while on the road •K eep up with changes so you don’t put yourself and others at risk •L earn state-specific information throughout the course •F ocus on areas such as roundabouts, pavement markings, stop-sign compliance, red-light running, and safety issues such as speeding and seatbelt and turn-signal use Check your calendar and register now. Your check is your ticket to this class.
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Youth Discovery Weekend February 17-19, 2017 Discovery Weekend, Discovery Weekend 2017 is right around the corner and we could not be more excited. This event is not just for our youth. The entire church can be involved in the whole weekend. We expect to see over 100 students at this event and to be in contact with around 100 volunteers as well. For this retreat we will need first and most importantly PRAYER! Please pray for us. Pray for what God will do and for what God has already done to prepare our hearts, minds, and spirits for this special weekend. We have a few other ways you can partner with us as well. This weekend requires lots of extra, loving hands. In order for this weekend to continue to be a HUGE success, we will need snacks, meals, overnight leaders, set-up people, small group leaders and much, much more. Thank you so much to those that have helped in the past and will continue to partner with us. We appreciate you more than you will ever know.
This weekend is a spiritual retreat for all Middle School and High School students. Our High Schoolers will prepare talks, decorate the gym and other rooms around the church, lead small groups, and love on middle schoolers for the whole weekend. This year our theme is “Love Does.” Love Does is a book written by Bob Goff. Throughout the book there are stories of how people loved extravagantly, and how they tried to love like Jesus. This year we are hoping that all students walk away knowing that they are loved by an incredibly BIG and MIGHTY GOD and that they are loved by a BIG and MIGHTY Church Family. If you’d like to partner with us for Discovery Weekend please contact Sue at shyland@ germantownumc.org or Brian at brichards@ germantownumc.org. Please pray for us and take a look at “Love Does”. You will not be disappointed.
Room in the Inn The youth and their families have been serving at Room in the Inn the first Friday of each month. The dates we still have left in the season to serve are February 3, March 4, and March 31. If you have never served with RITI we would love to have you and your family on board to serve with us. There is a job for everyone to do! As a team we will handle
food prep, bed making, table setting, clean up, fellowship, and music and a devotion. Come join us for one of these AWESOME nights! A sign-up link can be found on our Youth Highlights email or on our website.
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United Methodist Men Valentine’s Breakfast Saturday, February 11 at 9 a.m. Mike Wilson Fellowship Hall. The UMM will host a special Valentine’s breakfast on Saturday, February 11 at 9 a.m. in the Mike Wilson Fellowship Hall. This will be a time to honor our spouses and significant others. There will be a special presentation by our own Rev. Tim Carpenter, Senior Pastor, and musical entertainment provided by the Back Row Boys. You will want to be present for this event. Reservations are required for this breakfast. The cost of the breakfast is $5.00 payable at the door. Please contact the church office by Wednesday, February 8 or email swiseman@germantownumc.org.
Music Choir Concert and Hymn Festival FEBRUARY 26 AT 5 P.M. IN THE SANCTUARY The Sunday immediately prior to Ash Wednesday is an appropriate time to celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord (Luke 9:28), because this event marked a transition in Jesus’ ministry in which he “set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51), where he would die. In Jesus’ transfiguration, we are assured that Jesus is the hope of the ages. Jesus is the One who fulfilled the Law given through Moses, the one dreamed of by the prophets, of whom Elijah is the greatest.
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We mark this year’s Transfiguration Sunday with a musical offering at 5:00 p.m. by the chancel choir and brass ensemble. This will be a festival of hymns and the choir will offer thrilling arrangements of some of the great hymns of the faith. The congregation will be invited to join with the choir in some of these wonderful statements of faith. We hope you will join us for this music of prayer and praise just before we enter the Lenten season.
Adult Education Lenten Study STARTING MARCH 1 Join Rev. Erin Beasley for “Life Together–A Discussion of Christian Fellowship.” For six weeks during Lent, the class will explore the nature of Christian communal living. Life Together is Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s inspiring account of a unique fellowship in an underground seminary during the Nazi years in Germany. It gives practical advice on how life together in Christ can be sustained in families and faith communities. In simple words, he unpacks the importance of personal prayer, worship in common, everyday work and Christian service. The study will meet on Wednesday afternoons, March 1 – April 5, from 2:30–3:30 p.m. Cost for the book is $11. Register at germantownumc.org or contact Mary Groh.
Monday Monthly Book Club Meet kindred book lovers in our monthly book group! We are an informal group of men and women who enjoy reading and discussing books. We meet on the fourth Monday of each month from 10-12 noon in Room 338. There is no need to register; just purchase the book (or check-out from the library) and join us for a lively discussion! The books we have chosen for the winter/spring are: February 27 The Kitchen House | Kathleen Grissom March 27 A Man Called Ove | Fredrik Backman April 24 Docket No. 76 | Arita M. L. Bohannan May 22 Ordinary Grace | William Kent Krueger
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Special Events
Adult Education
Shape versatility: When needed, the wordmark can be set to display on one line.
2017: THE TURNING POINTS IN THE LIFE OF JESUS
March 31-April 2 GUMC hosts its second annual Faith Seeking 2016: DEEP DELIGHT- STORYTELLING AS SPIRITUAL ADVENTURE Understanding weekend event speaker series March 31-April 2. The series features noted religious speakers, thinkers, musicians and others who can inspire and challenge the congregation and community beyond our current routines and comfort zones. Dr. James Fleming, one of the best-known teachers of Biblical Archaeology, will serve as the keynote speaker. Dr. Fleming lived and taught in Israel for 37 years and is currently the director of Biblical Resources and the CEO of the Biblical History Center, a museum of daily life in biblical times, located in LaGrange, Ga. Dr. Fleming uniquely ties his lectures on historical geography with the biblical text and includes an emphasis on the theological implications. He will bring his scholarship to GUMC in the form of a weekend experience entitled “The Turning Points in the Life of Jesus.” His lectures will include “Jesus’ Birth and Years of Obscurity,” “The Galilean Ministry,” “The Journey to Jerusalem” and “The Passion in Jerusalem.” The series of events begins on Friday night with dinner and a lecture. A seminar takes place on Saturday morning, and Dr. Fleming closes the weekend by sharing his insights in a lecture during the 9:40 and 11 a.m. Sunday morning worship services. A complete schedule of events will be available by March 1. “Dr. Jim Fleming is one of the most respected teachers and lecturers on archaeology and biblical studies in the world,” said Rev. Tim Carpenter, senior pastor at GUMC. “He brings an incredible passion for archaeology, geography, culture, and scripture and weaves them together in ways which illuminate the gospel and help apply it for today. ‘Turning Points in the Life of Jesus’ is among his
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finest lectures. I have been blessed many times by Jim Fleming’s teaching, and look forward with anticipation to his visit with us. I highly recommend experiencing Dr. Jim Fleming’s teaching as he has had a tremendous impact on my life and ministry.” Launched in 2016, the Faith Seeking Understanding series originated from the findings of a survey that was commissioned by GUMC’s visioning committee in 2013. The goal was to identify key areas of emphasis that required the attention of the church. After reviewing and analyzing the feedback, “spiritual formation and personal development” emerged as one of the five main focus areas. The Biblical foundation of the “spiritual formation and personal development” focus area comes from 2 Peter 3:18, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” One of the guiding principles for the Faith Seeking Understanding Ministry Team is to develop and host a periodic, ongoing speaker series, geared toward GUMC members and the community at large that would focus on how to interpret and apply biblical truths to current events that shape our lives and the world in which we live. The team believes periodic renewal enhances our spiritual lives, just like it does our minds and bodies. For more information about the Faith Seeking Understanding weekend, please contact Mary Groh at 754-5093 or mgroh@germantownumc.org.
GERMANTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2331 South Germantown Rd, Germantown, TN 38138 Phone: (901) 754-7216 • Fax: (901) 753-3112 • info@germantownumc.org Sunday Worship: 8:30, 9:40, & 11 a.m.