May 2018
A Message from Tim Join Us in the Month of May! May 6 we will honor our graduating seniors of the class of 2018 during the 9:40 Ancient Modern Service. May 13 is Mother’s Day, and we will remember our mothers in a special time of prayer. May 20 is Confirmation Sunday, and we will recognize our confirmands in worship, and all are invited to the special service of Confirmation Sunday evening at 5:00 p.m. May 20 is also Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the church, marking the giving of the Holy Spirit in power to the followers of Christ. May 27 is Memorial Day weekend, and we will remember in prayer those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country. Also during the four Sundays of May, we will have a Sermon Series entitled “Overwhelmed? There’s Hope!” dealing with the pressures and the stresses that can get in the way of what God wants for our lives. (see the ad below) I pray that the Sundays of May will be filled with a spirit of grace, celebration, and praise. Join us!
Membership
GUMC Welcomes New Staff Member Pat Smith joined the staff of GUMC as Elder Care Health Ministry Coordinator in March 2018. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Dayton, and a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Wright State University in Dayton, OH. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor/Mental Health Services Provider, with a specialty certification in Gerontology. She has practiced in the field of Geriatrics for over 35 years, and had a private Geriatric Care Management practice in the past. She has been married for 46 years and has two daughters. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her twin sister, reading, and cooking.
Todd Hinton: New OLEC Director Todd Hinton, who has worked several years with OLEC members and two Directors, is taking the helm as our new Director of Health and Recreation Ministries May 31, 2018. 2
GUMC welcomed Emily and Trey Gerrell into membership on Sunday, March 25. Emily joined the church by transfer of her membership from Paris First UMC, Paris, TN. Trey joined by transfer of his membership from Tennessee Valley Community Church. Emily is a member of the Chancel Choir and Trey plays handbells with the Matins Bell Choir.
May Communion Offering
Many members and friends of GUMC go away in the summer. That often means that pledges made to support the mission and ministry of GUMC locally, regionally, and globally fall into the “I’ll get to it later” pile. That is understandable. However, we are still about housing the homeless, feeding the hungry, helping at risk children, providing transport to worship for the elderly, sending youth adults and children on missions trips, instructing the faithful, visiting the sick and more. The “ordinary time” of the church. May’s communion offering, as a second mile, extra, above and beyond gift, will ensure that we stay on top of our expenses, that that mission is not restricted.
Stewardship: More Than Money and More Than a Season Stewardship relates directly to what we do with what we have. Understood that way, we realize that God has already gifted Germantown UMC with all that is required to both do God’s will and meet our mission statement: “We are a faith community committed to: loving God and loving others; serving Christ and sharing him; transforming lives and making disciples.” As we strive to achieve this mission we find that our needs (buildings, materials, community, etc.) are met. The resources entrusted to the people who are GUMC (members, each worship visitor, and every person who participates in any of the worship, mission, service, and other activities of the church) include the building space, grounds, faithful and gifted people, and financial resources. Faithful stewardship of the resources so entrusted, leads us to understand that “the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.” 2 Cor. 9:6-ff. We give joyfully to achieve our church mission as a part of the mission Christ gives to all believers. Faithful stewardship means that we reject the temptation to ever try to gain individual privilege by either giving or withholding resources. Instead we know that we have, together enough and more than enough to carry out the mission entrusted to us. As the Bible teaches, “And Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, thanked God for them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and had enough; and the disciples took up twelve baskets of what was left over.” Luke 9:15-17 Faithful stewardship is certainly about raising money, building buildings, and making budgets. Even more, though, stewardship is about faithful handling of all that God has put into our hands to be used to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed. In this season of prosperity, let us be sure to store up enough to achieve our goals should we face shortfalls later.
GUMC Education Scholarships United Methodists have always been committed to education. GUMC in particular appreciates the value of education. The church has two scholarship funds that assist GUMC college bound youth meet the ever increasing costs of higher education. These funds are the Mike Wilson Scholarship Fund and the Jim Roberts Scholarship Fund. Recipients of both of these awards are nominated by our youth directors and confirmed by the Trustees. Members and friends of GUMC are invited to help continue our long standing tradition of support for our youth striving to prepare themselves for the world in this way. Donations may be made to GUMC with a note in the memo line of the check noting the contribution for one of the two funds. 3
Missions John Gregory - jrgregory111@gmail.com - 494-9168 Room in the Inn - Help Fill the Summer Gap! For the past nine winter seasons, Room in the Inn has provided emergency winter shelter for our homeless neighbors in Shelby County. When the season ends on March 31st each year, volunteers take a break and plan for the next season. But for those we serve, there is no break from living on the streets. The only difference between living on the streets during warm months versus living on the streets during cold months is that while the nights may be uncomfortable, the danger of freezing to death is not present. Many of us who become invested in the well being of our unsheltered friends worry about them during the off season. We hope that we see them again to know they are OK. Simultaneously, we hope that we do not see them again because they have transitioned to a stable living situation. Shelby County has limited options for women seeking shelter. In all, less than 40 beds are available year-round from organizations such as Sisters of Charity, Salvation Army, Moriah House and Dorothy Day House. These outreach organizations are almost always full. After much prayer and discussion, Room in the Inn – Memphis made the decision to extend into the summer offering shelter to a small number of women that truly have no where to go. April and October will be rest and regroup months. May through September, host churches have been asked to host 12 women once a month. GUMC has committed, along with others, to help fill the summer gap. We will welcome 12 women on the first Friday of each month. It is a humbling experience to spend time with these women. How easily could it be one of us being served instead of the one serving? If you have wanted to find out what Room in the Inn is about, but the school year was too hectic, now is your time! Please join us in filling the summer gap. Contact Alise Davis at alisedavis4@gmail.com or 901-496-6402 for more information. You can also visit the church website to find a link to volunteer under Ministries/Missions/Room-in-the-Inn.
Waffle Shop Volunteers: “That’s a Wrap!” This year the “Waffle Shop Workers” from GUMC had a wonderful time volunteering during Lent at Calvary Episcopal Church’s annual Waffle Shop. Friendships were made and renewed with workers across the city who gather each Lenten season to wait tables. A hearty “Thanks” to our faithful volunteers who waited tables and raised funds for a mission yet to be decided. Church members who “show promise as professional waiters” were: Stephanie Adams, Nancy Barnett, Jim and Pat Gill, Henry and Ginger Evans, Bill and Joyce Miles, and Logan and Sue Williams. Aaron Hatch, of Olive Branch, returned to be a part of our group as well. Next year, consider joining us during Lent to Serve! 4
Missions, cont. John Gregory - jrgregory111@gmail.com - 494-9168 Project Transformation Major problems impact the poor in our city – Children are struggling in school, churches in their communities are not growing, and young adults are not responding to the call to ministry opportunities in the United Methodist Church. We are called as God’s people to be part of the solution and Project Transformation is designed to make that possible. Germantown United Methodist Church is a partner in this challenging mission opportunity. Project Transformation has worked very effectively in the Middle Tennessee area since 2012. It expanded to Memphis in 2016 in partnership with Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare and the Memphis Conference of the United Methodist Church. It addresses these critical areas of concern highlighted above with a three-pronged approach. In June and July, young adults engage in a faith-based leadership and ministry internship working with low income children and youth in a summer camp environment offering learning opportunities so the skills they gained during the school year aren’t lost, and the site church actively cultivates growth by being more involved in the community. In 2016 and 2017 there were two United Methodist site churches – Longstreet and Centenary – during June and July. In 2017, 153 students in these neighborhoods participated led by 17 interns enjoying Bible stories, art activities, games, lunch/snacks and daily reading time with volunteers from Memphis United Methodist churches. The reading level of 99 percent of the students improved or maintained, 98 percent of the parents were satisfied with the summer program, and 82 percent of the interns said that they felt exploring God’s call on their lives was more important than before Project Transformation. A new site church is projected for the Raleigh/Frayser area in 2018. As a partner church, we are asked to support this ministry with funding and volunteers. Many of you have given time to this ministry during the past two summers as volunteer readers during one week or by preparing two meals for the interns. We pray that you will volunteer again and encourage others in the congregation to join you. For more information, contact Ruth King, ruthmking@bellsouth.net or visit GUMC website.
United Methodist Women Chesley Porteous - women@germantownumc.org Spring Bridge and Games Benefit: What a FUNd Raiser!! The Spring Bridge and Games Benefit Committee wishes to thank everyone for the support given us in making this year’s fundraiser a huge success! Your presence and participation made this “labor of love” a pleasure! We couldn’t have pulled it off without ALL the volunteers from the Church, our Circles, husbands, and the “Handy Helpers.” If you missed this year’s event, you’ll want to put us on April 2019’s list of events not to miss! So much good is derived from this eleven year old tradition. Funds for missions are raised from registration fees and Unique Boutique sales. Items not sold are donated to Methodist Healthcare Auxiliary and Golden Cross Ministry, to name a few missions that receive these items. We appreciate your generosity! 5
Older Adults Luci Cromer - luci2@comcast.net - 901-755-0803 Don’t Forget the May Brown Bag Lunch Program! Dan Conaway, author, columnist, and consultant, will tell us some of his stories, “I’m a Memphian: Character References for a City”. This presentation will be Friday, May 4, 2018, 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.
AARP Smart DriverTM Course Germantown United Methodist Church and AARP will present the “AARP Smart DriverTM Course”, the nation’s largest driving refresher course. This 8-hour course is scheduled for March 15 and 16, 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 few accidents and tickets. WHERE: Room 339 (Fellowship Forum classroom) in the Ministry Center. WHEN: Thursday and Friday, July 26 & 27, 2018, 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: •
Be independent, safe, and confident while on the road
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Keep up with changes so you don’t put yourself and others at risk
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Learn state-specific information throughout the course
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Focus on areas such as roundabouts, pavement markings, stop-sign compliance, redlight 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.
Older Adult Programming to Resume in September... Don’t forget – the next Brown Bag Lunch program will be September 7. XYZ programming will start in September also. Your August Tidings will have information about these kick-off events. In the meantime, have a wonderful summer break.
Our events are open to all adults age 55 and older, singles and couples, regardless of church membership. Mark your calendar and make your reservations for these events today! 6
Stephen Ministry Become a Stephen Ministry Prayer Warrior Thursday, May 3, 2018 is the National Day of Prayer. As you spend time that day – and throughout the month of May – thanking God for all He has given to and done for you and asking for His further blessings, guidance, intervention, support and comfort, please pray for GUMC’s Stephen Ministry program as well. This important caring ministry of GUMC works best when we are all involved! Pray for the Stephen Ministry Program at GUMC •
Healing God, we thank you for the caregiving that is happening through our Stephen Ministry program. We see the work of your Holy Spirit each day in this ministry and we praise you for it!
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Equip and empower us to continue to serve you through this ministry as more people experience your boundless love and care through it.
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Open the eyes and ears of all of us so that we might recognize those who are hurting in our midst and reach out to them in love.
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We pray that each of us, during difficult times in our lives, will recognize our need to receive care from others, so that we will be willing to receive your care through our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
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We know that this ministry is possible only through you, Lord, and we thank you for your presence in each Stephen Ministry caring relationship.
Pray for Those Receiving Care From Our Stephen Ministers •
Dear Lord, we pray for those receiving care from our Stephen Ministers. Although their names and situations are strictly confidential, their identities and circumstances are known to you.
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You who number the hairs on our heads know the sources of their pain, the depth of their suffering, and the specifics of their needs. Help them with whatever challenge or crisis they are facing.
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Work through their Stephen Ministers to bring them hope and encouragement so that they may feel the vastness of your unconditional love and forgiveness and experience the joy of salvation they have in you.
Pray for Our Stephen Ministers •
Be with our Stephen Ministers as they walk beside their Care Receivers. Grant them patience and compassion as they faithfully meet with their Care Receivers each week.
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Clothe them with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
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Help them remember their training and transform this information into caregiving skills they can use to make your presence known to others in need.
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Help our Stephen Ministers remember that they are Care Givers and that only you are the Cure Giver. Help them turn to you for strength and wisdom as they care in your name.
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Help them listen empathetically and non-judgmentally when they should listen; give them the words to speak when caring words are appropriate.
Pray for Those Feeling the Call to Become Stephen Ministers •
Giver of all gifts and graces, we pray that we all recognize that God is calling us to ministry. Help each of us identify our unique spiritual gifts and find places in our congregation and in your world where we can utilize our gifts to your glory.
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There are those among us whom you have blessed with caregiving gifts of compassion, patience, faith, mercy, and encouragement. Open the ears and hearts of those you have thus prepared for a ministry of caregiving.
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Work in their hearts so that they may know if you are calling them at this time to Stephen Ministry. Raise them up that they might further develop your gifts and use them to bring your love and forgiveness to people in need.
If you want to know how you can become more involved in Stephen Ministry in any capacity, please contact Betty Duke (at 754-0020), Dinah Allison (at 486-2265), or one of our pastors. 7
Adult Education Mary Groh - mgroh@germantownumc.org - 901-754-5093 Disciple Fast Track The two classes of DISCIPLE FAST TRACK Bible Study met together on March 25th for their final lesson and service of communion. This session completed the 24 lessons of DISCIPLE covering Genesis through Revelation. Through their personal study and meeting together, these participants have been blessed with new friendships, strengthened old friendships, and developed a working knowledge of the Bible that hopefully will facilitate lifelong learning and study.
Coming in June: Summer Bible Study for Women! Keep It Shut – What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All Wednesdays, June 13 – August 1, 9:45 – 11:45 a.m. (skipping July 4th) Facilitated by Chesley Porteous (chesleyporteous@gmail.com) From Bible times to modern times women have struggled with their words. Beyond just a “how not to gossip” study, author, Karen Ehman, will teach what the Bible says about the many ways we are supposed to use our words and the times when we are to remain silent. Using our speech to interact with friends, co-workers, family and strangers will be covered along with the many places we use our words. Each session will feature a different character from the Bible, using them either as an example of someone to emulate or whose verbal actions we should avoid replicating. Free childcare is available by reservation. Cost for the study is $25.
New Adult Sunday School Class Started on April 8 at 9:40 Our new class, PATHFINDERS, has started with a BANG!!! – our first Sunday we had 15 people in attendance! If you are in your 40s or 50s and are looking for a class that meets at 9:40, please join us for fellowship, service, and learning in Room 320 on the third floor of the Hamilton Ministry Center. We are currently enjoying a video study exploring The Apostle’s Creed. Be in at the beginning of this wonderful new faith community! We’re saving a chair just for you! 8
Health & Recreation Healthy Living Summer Camp Comes to the Owings Life Enrichment Center! The Owings Life Enrichment Center is hosting a “Healthy Living Summer Camp” for rising 4th, 5th, and 6th grade girls on: June 11-June 14 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Certified instructors will be on-site teaching and guiding campers through basics of several forms of exercise activities. Additionally, there will be a daily Meal Prep Workshop. We will be cooking, planning, and prepping meals on site to build confidence and add tools for success and a healthy lifestyle. Appropriate for all skill levels, plus a great opportunity to build and develop new friendships. Early morning drop-in at 8:00 a.m. for a nominal fee is welcomed. Lunch included. For additional information and/or to sign-up early, contact Judy Oros at 901-336-8639 and/or email joros1234@aol.com.
T-Ball Time
Register at the OLEC through May 1st, 2018 • For children age 4 (as of June 1, 2018) through current kindergartner • $70 league fee (per player); includes uniform. • Games begin end of May, 2018. Teams will play six games on Thursdays with the possibility of one Monday and/or Saturday game. For more information, contact Todd Hinton: 901-753-3100 thinton@germantownumc.org
United Methodist Men
The May United Methodist Men’s Breakfast is Saturday, May 19 in the Mike Wilson Fellowship Hall at 8:00 a.m. Our guest speaker is Dr. Jonathan McCullers and his topic is “Leveraging a Children’s Hospital to Improve Community Health.” The cost of breakfast is $5.00, payable at the door. Reservations are made by calling the church, 901-754-7216. Annual members need only to call with regret. All men of the church are urged to attend.
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Children's Ministry Lisa Pierce - lpierce@germantownumc.org - 901-758-6512 Thank You, Youth Leadership Children’s Ministry would like to take a moment to thank our amazing youth volunteers! Week after week and month after month, these youth pour into the children of our church. They meet with us on Wednesday nights for fellowship, worship, and prayer. They lead us on Sunday mornings in the Huddle and our small groups. They hang with us at Parent Night Out. They join us for VBS and retreats and bring the serious fun everywhere they go. They have become true leaders to our young disciples, and we are incredibly grateful. Not only have our children benefited from these relationships, but our youth have developed skills as mentors which will carry through to adulthood.
Vacation Bible School Weeknight VBS: May 30 – June 1; 5:30-8:00 p.m. (includes dinner) Weekday VBS: June 4 – 8; 9:00 – noon (12:15 for the oldest elementary kids) We are pumped up about Vacation Bible School this summer! Shipwrecked will leave us on a stranded island as we learn about the incredible love of Jesus. Each day will be filled with story, music, crafts, games, science, and snacks – packed full of fun and exploration. Children ages 4 (by August 15, 2018) through rising 6th graders are invited. (We have a special, free VBS for children of volunteers who don’t meet the age requirement.) We ask each family to pay $25 for each child who is registered by May 20. If this is a burden for you or a guest of yours, please let us know so we may provide a scholarship. This fee goes a long way towards covering all materials, snacks, T-shirts, music CD, and much more! To assist us in our planning, we ask you register by May 20. After that date, registration cost will rise to $35 per child. Unfortunately, we need to close registration on May 28, so please make every effort to register early. We need a lot of weird things for VBS activities and decorations. If you have any of the following items and would like to donate/loan them to us, please bring them to the church. Be sure to label your items if you would like them back. In advance, thank you! Old fence pieces Old fashioned ship’s helm (steering wheel for a ship) Old netting (marine type) Large ropes Galvanized aluminum buckets White fabric (gauzy white fabric) Old crates Treasure chest-like boxes Wooden boxes 10
Anchors Nautical-like decorations Styrofoam coolers (like the ones cold things come in the mail)-will not be returned Paper towel cardboard rolls Toilet paper cardboard rolls Empty wine bottles (rinsed with labels removed) Bamboo pieces/sticks Empty water bottles
Children’s Ministry, cont. Mary Groh - mgroh@germantownumc.org - 901-754-5093 Elementary Expedition Elementary Expedition is our children’s ministry equivalent of “youth group.” This past semester, we explored the Fruit of the Spirit through the eyes of science. We have witnessed chemical reactions, used heat to return metal to its original shape, and used the properties of cohesion all to learn more about how the Spirit works in us. Each evening we gathered, we shared a meal prepared by one of our adult Sunday school classes. (“Shout out” to all of them – the meals were fantastic and served with joy!) We then shared in worship with the middle school Synergy group before breaking into our small groups for further study. Our Synergy friends mentored us as we learned to worship as a community. We are incredibly thankful for the youth, the Adult Sunday school classes, and Bill McLaughlin for his leadership through all the science. We are already looking forward to getting back together next semester on Wednesday nights!
Easter Egg Hunt This year’s Easter Egg Hunt was a beautiful time for the GUMC family! There were over 250 little hunters accompanied by their families and friends. After the initial scurry to collect any and all eggs, children enjoyed a petting zoo, train rides, face painting (provided by our youth), and a bunny hop (also led by our youth). The atmosphere of fellowship was only enriched by the incredible weather. Thank you to all those who participated and those who volunteered to help make it a day to remember!
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GUMC kids summer opportunities Healthy Living Summer Camp: June 11 – 14, 9:00 a.m.– 12:30; Owings Life Enrichment Center (Early drop-off is available for a nominal fee.) Rising 4th, 5th, and 6th grade girls will be led through the basics of many different exercise forms by licensed instructors. There will be a daily meal-prep workshop where campers will be guided through planning, cooking, and prepping meals to build confidence and add tools for a healthy lifestyle. Great for all skill levels and a super opportunity to make some new friends in a small group environment! $150 registration fee includes all instruction, meal-prep food, materials, lunch, and a super-cute T-shirt! Mission and Movie Mondays: June 18; July 2 and July 23, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.; the Huddle Get out of the hot summer heat and join some friends for some crafts, lunch, and a movie. Children have an incredible heart for missions but no way to generate income to financially support them. Each of these Mondays, we will learn about different local, national, or international missions. We will then create some high-quality crafts and sacrificially donate them to be sold in the fall to generate money for a chosen mission. After our lesson and crafts, we will move into pizza lunch and chill out with a movie. We will close with either game time or putting finishing touches on our crafts. Cost is $5 which covers the meal and supplies. Online registration opens June 1st; please register to ensure enough food and supplies for all. Dodgeball: June 20 and 27; July 11 and 25, 1:00–3:00 p.m.; Owings Life Enrichment Center Kids in rising grades 3rd through 6th are invited to get out of the summer heat and have some active fun! We will use the indoor gym to play two courts of dodgeball! There is no fee and no registration required. Please bring guests, but only those in rising grades 3-6. Halftime will include popsicles! 5th and 6th Grade Mission Camp: July 9-13, 9:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.; the Huddle In this hands-on camp, we will explore three specific types of mission; inner-church mission, urban mission, and rural mission. The idea is that each child will have a chance to experience different types of work, hopefully creating an appetite for missional work. Some days we’ll make our lunches and other days we will explore some Memphis eateries. We will finish each day with some seriously serious “capture the flag” or other games at McVay Gardens. This camp is only for rising fifth and sixth grade students. Space is limited; registration opens online May 1. Cost is $100 which includes all activities, transportation, food, and a T-shirt. Lakeshore Camp: July 16-21 We are taking a crew from Germantown to Lakeshore for this week of fun and fellowship. If you are interested in attending this week, please register through Lakeshore’s Website (https://lakeshorecamp.org/) and then drop an email to Lisa Pierce (Lpierce@germantownumc.org) so we can coordinate this trip together. Lisa will be staying the week as an instructor and will be driving the church van up and back. Poolpalooza: June 21, July 5, August 2 Transition to middle school is a fun, exciting, and somewhat frightening time for kids (and parents?). We have set aside these nights for our rising sixth graders to meet with each other, some older youth, and youth leaders to help ease that transition. These pool parties will be hosted by various rising sixth-grade families. Guests are welcome but must be entering the sixth grade. Please bring $5 to cover the cost of a lifeguard. Girls bring a snack food to share; guys bring individual prepackaged drinks. Modest bathing suits only, please. Registration opens online June 1. We will send you the location of each event after you have registered. Promotion Sunday: August 12 On this day, all children will promote to the next grade level within our program. This mostly affects those rising to kindergarten and sixth grade – they will actually relocate to a new place! All other children will move grades within their current program. 12
Lauren Wright Hobbs Nursing Scholarship - 2018 A scholarship has been established through Germantown United Methodist Church to benefit a student from our church who is pursuing a degree in nursing. This scholarship is named for Lauren Wright Hobbs who loved serving others in the nursing profession. Lauren was a long-term member of our church who lost her battle with cervical cancer at the age of 29 in October of 2013. Recipients must be members of GUMC and attending nursing school now or in the coming fall semester. The $2,000 scholarship will be awarded to the student who best fits the model that Lauren exemplified in her love of nursing. Applications may be obtained by contacting the church office or Karen Oppenheim at karen.oppenheim@gmail.com. All completed applications must be received by Monday, May 21. The Scholarship committee will review and select the recipient prior to June 17. Donations can be made to this scholarship fund by writing your check to GUMC with Lauren Wright Hobbs Scholarship noted in the memo line. 2018 is the fifth year for this scholarship that is dedicated to the memory of Lauren and her love of nursing. The Emmaus Sunday School Class is honored to establish this scholarship in her name.
Kindermusik Growing at GUMC
We are pleased to announce that Annette Morris, owner of Musik Adventure Studios, will be partnering with GUMC beginning in June. Peggy Warner, a GUMC member who has taught Kindermusik classes here for over 20 years, is excited to be joining Annette and her team of 4 instructors. They will be offering classes from birth through 7 years old, Monday through Friday, at multiple times. The classes will be held in the Adult Education Building, across the street from the main campus. You may visit the website (www.musikadventures.com) for more information. 13
Youth Ministry Sue Hyland shyland@germantownumc.org - 901-758-6516 Daddy Craw’s Jubilee 2018 Daddy Craw’s Jubilee 2018 was a HUGE success! We had over 350 church members show up for the event. It was a great way for us all to share a meal and celebrate our youth. The music provided by Ben Tempel and Ted Horrell and the Monday Night Card was phenomenal and a fun time was had by all as they got to dunk Mrs. Lisa, Sue, and Brian in the dunkin’ booth. We are hoping to dunk Rev. Tim, Rev. Brad, and Rev. Erin next year. We wanted to say THANK YOU to each person that came to our event, gave of their time and resources, or supported us from afar with their prayers. Saturday, April 20th was a beautiful celebration of our GUMC community! Please check out the list below of our sponsors for this year’s event. It would not have been possible without all of these people! Martin Zummach Family Healthy Vending Jay & Valerie McKinney The Keens and the Hylands Keller Williams-Jodie Bowden Lamplighters Sunday School Class Porter Seafood Crye-Leike-Tim Forrester Trinity Sunday School Class Emmaus Sunday School Class Germantown Heat and Air
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Youth Ministry, cont. Sue Hyland shyland@germantownumc.org - 901-758-6516 Senior Sunday, May 6 Please join us on Sunday, May 6th during the 9:40 worship service to honor all of our high school seniors and their families. During this time we have a special opportunity to reflect on all that God has done through GUMC and through all of our seniors. We will have special readings for them and will present them with their senior bibles. We will also have a senior reflection offered at each worship service. Please join us for a special day of celebration and fellowship. If you are unable to be with us at 9:40 please make sure to pick up our “2018 Senior Recognition Booklet” at one of our 3 worship services.
Confirmation Sunday, May 20 On Sunday, May 20th we will honor and confirm all of the 6th graders that have participated in this year’s confirmation program. This is a special day in the life of the church and we are hopeful and prayerful that the church will surround each of the 6th grade students and show their support. We will begin our time together with a special worship service at 5:00 to confirm and baptize our confirmands. After our worship service we will head to a reception downstairs to honor the confirmation class and their families. All are invited to this special time of worship and fellowship for our church community. If you would like to write a letter to a sixth grader that you know to encourage them on their faith journey, please place the letter in the Youth Ministry box or give it to Rachel in the Welcome Center by Monday, May 14th. Please make sure that the student’s name is on the outside of the letter envelope.
GUMP Weekday Preschool
Sarah Sutton - ssutton@germantownumc.org - 901-753-3109
Spring is here! Here at GUMP, spring means happy voices on the playground, planting seeds in the classroom, conversations about bugs, and enjoying more sunshine! Spring also brings our annual licensing assessment by the State of Tennessee. GUMP Administration and Staff do great things throughout the school year in order to show our assessors all the wonderful details we take pride in offering the children and families who attend GUMP. GUMP is assessed in seven categories: Director Qualifications, Professional Development, Developmental Learning, Parent/Family Involvement, Ratio and Group Size, Staff Compensation and Program Assessment. In order to achieve the “3 Star Rating” GUMP must follow the rules and expectations required by the state in each of these seven categories. Our youngest friends are “graded” on the ITERS Scale – Infant and Toddler Environmental Rating Scale. Some of the things that assessors look at are healthy lunches, safety procedures, the variety of classroom materials, hygiene precautions, child vaccinations, teacher education and training, child teacher ratios, playground surface material, classroom schedule, support for children with delays, how teachers speak to children, how children’s behaviors are encouraged or redirected, etc. These are just to name a few!! We recently received our scores and are very pleased with our results. Germantown United Methodist Preschool received a total of 6.14 out of 7. We are happy to hear our assessment was the highest score our assessor has seen! While we are not surprised, we are overjoyed that our teachers received the recognition they deserve. GUMP takes pride in our quality preschool, our exceptional staff, and the beautiful children and families we are privileged to serve!
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Germantown United Methodist Church 2331 South Germantown Road Germantown, TN 38138 www.germantownumc.org 901-754-7216 Editor’s Note: The deadline for submitting articles for Tidings is the 10th of the month prior. Submissions received after this deadline are not guaranteed to run.
A Celebration of the Music Ministry of GUMC On Wednesday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m. there will be a celebration of the music ministry of Germantown United Methodist Church and Jim Thrash’s 30 years of music leadership. Music will be presented by the Chancel Choir, the Matin’s Bell Choir and the Children’s Choirs. A reception will follow in the Narthex. This will be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy beautiful music and show our appreciation to Jim prior to his retirement.