April 2017 news

Gruene UMC NEWS

April 2017

What happens during Holy Week?

What is Holy Week? Well, it is the final journey of the week / time between Jesus’ triumphant entrance to Jerusalem to the cross. There is Palm Sunday (April 2), Holy Thursday (or Maundy Thursday when Jesus initiated our holy communion during the Passover) and Good Friday (from his arrest to the cross) and then of course the resurrection on EASTER! We are glad to continue the tradition of sharing in Holy Week services with First UMC New Braunfels! All evening services are at 7:00 pm and there will be child care provided at both locations.

Holy Thursday (April 13) at First UMC (572 W. San Antonio St.) This year they are presenting the “Living Last Supper” a beautiful presentation

of the Last Supper as seen in the famous painting, in word and music. Join us as we re-live the story and take Holy Communion together.

Good Friday (April 14) at Gruene UMC Good Friday is an amazing service. Join us as we place our prayers and nails on the cross to remember the loving sacrifice Jesus gave us. There will be various other stations as well, so we can fully experience His love which never fails!

This Month • Pastor’s Thoughts • Holy Week

• Easter Sunday • Helicopter Egg Drop • Vacation Bible Party • Easter Feast • Passover Seder

Palm Sunday April 9th all services Holy Thursday April 13th @7p.m. at First UMC (572 W. San Antonio St).

Good Friday April 14th @7p.m. at Gruene UMC Good Friday is an amazing service. Join us as we place our prayers on the “wailing wall� and remember the loving sacrifice Jesus gave us. His love never fails!

We are glad to continue the tradition of sharing in Holy Week services with First UMC New Braunfels!

There will be child care provided at both locations.

I love Easter…Holy Week…the entire season. It is a time to be renewed.

It is like spring cleaning for the soul!

Pull out the old stuff, shake out what is good and throw out what isn’t needed anymore. A time to reflect, restore, and get ready for the amazing gift of life we receive in the risen Christ.

I love the way our congregation has been sharing who we are in the community and with those who come in the building. You help share the love of Jesus in so many ways: the 5 worship services in the community, the way we love on families in need via Steve’s Pantry and our weekly backpack food ministry, those being served by our Stephen Ministers, the children at Gruene Tree Learning Center, Be the Church, the Princess Ball, the youth who care for each other… it is amazing!

God continues to do amazing things through YOU at Gruene! Know that we need you…all of you…you are a huge part of what makes Gruene so special! If you have been gone for a bit (on spring break or if life has simply been overwhelming) come back!! We miss you. Come and see how and where God is moving in this place. And please continue to pray! It seems like the wind of change (my new appointment, getting ready to hire a new Children’s Ministry Director, even Brock’s new adventure as a “High Impact Church Resident” – see related article) brings excitement and joy and possibilities!

We need you and your gifts! Thanks for sharing all you have and all you are with God, the church and God’s people.

You are amazing…

(Contact Rev. Karen Horan at karen@grueneumc.org)

EASTER FEAST April 15th

Easter, The BBQ Ministry & The Cool Christian Dudes will be preparing meals for families in need in our community for delivery on Saturday, April 15th. Our church plays an important role in this Ministry. As part of this Mission Outreach, we would like to give our congregation opportunities to participate in this meaningful cause.

Order a ham in honor of or in memory of a loved one. Sign up at the table in the Gathering Space. Hams are $25 per ham. We purchase the hams.

Sign up to donate canned green beans. We need 180 cans.

Sign up at the table to deliver meals Saturday (April 15th) Help us prepare the meal on Saturday morning (April 15th)

We will also be offering to church members the opportunity to have your own ham smoked while we are cooking. We are calling this (BYOH). Bring your own ham between 11 AM - Noon on Saturday, April 15th and we will smoke it and/or glaze it for you.

This is an amazing outreach opportunity and we can't do it without you.

These families will know the love of Jesus all because of you!

For more information, please see the BBQ team at the table in the gathering space.

Children’s Ministry Update!

Note to PARENTS...

Pastor Karen and the Staff Parish Relations Team are currently gathering resumes for a new Children’s / Family Ministry Director. If you are interested or know of anyone interested, please send them our way!

During this time of transition, Pastor Karen will be your main point of contact along with the Children’s Ministry Team. But…we need to know the BEST ways to communicate with you! Over the next few weeks, can you email Nadia, our admin assistant, with the following info: Your child’s name and current grade, Your name (and spouse if applicable) and best way to contact (via email or text). We want to be sure you know what all is happening and be able to keep you and your kiddo connected! Thanks so much!

While this is still a part-time position, we are praying about looking beyond the K-5th grades to what might a holistic family ministry look like? Yes, have kids’ small group and super fun events, but think about integrating the entire family in learning, serving, and loving? Until then, Pastor Karen and a crew of volunteers will keep things going! If you have a little extra time and can step in for the next month or two…please contact Pastor Karen at karen@grueneumc.org While we have a great core group of Sunday morning volunteers, we need a few more! Also please, please, please start praying about helping out with the Helicopter Egg Drop (April 15) and Vacation Bible Party (June 26-30). We will need “all hands on deck”! Ministry can’t stop in times of transition…the world needs to know how amazing God is!!

Also, remember that there are NO Small Groups (K-5th) on Easter! Take your kiddos to church with you. We will have fun packs for children to do and take home that day. Look for the basket in the gathering place and in Motown! We will have nursery for kids not yet in Kindergarten available.

April 10th at 6:30 p.m.

We are very excited to have Pastor Greg Muse from a Messianic Jewish Congregation (Jews who believe in Jesus) who is coming to walk us through the Passover Seder. Passover is the meal that Moses and the Israelites celebrated just before they were freed from slavery in Egypt as the plague of death “passed over” them when the blood of the lamb was put on the door post.

It is also the last meal Jesus celebrated with his disciples before he was arrested…and it is from this meal that Jesus instituted our Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion! Wow… The Seder will last about an hour and a half.

This is a family event and school aged children will be fine during the presentation (we will have nursery available for those younger if you want). We will need to collect a love offering for the Pastor and to cover the cost of the Seder elements. We will not be serving dinner, so eat before you come! We need RSVP’s no later than April 9th so we have enough elements.

You may either sign up in the bulletin on April 9th or email Nadia at grueneumc@gmail.com

Happy Harvest in the Gruene Garden Did you Know Gruene UMC has a Garden?

Yes, we do have a community garden right here at Gruene UMC! We had our very first harvest of radishes! We were so excited and so were the preschoolers at Gruene Tree Learning Center. The preschoolers along with Director Rebecca Goossens, have been working very hard in the garden. We are so thankful for all their hard work.

We do need more volunteers to help keep this ministry going especially over the summer months. All that we harvest goes out in the community to help feed families in need. Experience is great but not necessary and hours are flexible. If you are interested in volunteering, please call Nadia at the church office (830) 625-7200 or email at nadia@grueneumc.org and she will get you connected. We hope to keep this ministry alive but can not do it without your help!

Congrats to Pastor Brock!

High Impact Church Resident here at Gruene UMC Back in January, Gruene was approached

by Path1 (the United Methodist national organization who helps train and lift up leaders for new faith communities) to consider hosting / training a Resident.

Brock and I prayed and decided, why not try? If we get a resident, his / her salary would be completely paid for by grants and what we have budgeted for a Perkins intern Associate Pastor Brock Gillman (brock@grueneumc.org) anyway. So we applied. Brock and I also prayed about whether or not he would be a good resident…one who would one day go and plant a church. And so, we communicated with the SPRC that we are applying and that Brock might be our resident. On March 24 th, we got the official word that Gruene and Brock have both been approved!

This is SUPER exciting! What does it mean? Well…Brock / Gruene will receive the grant money beginning June 1 and he will REMAIN AT GRUENE in his current role as he studies and learns (across the nation) about church planting. His residency will be from June 2017 until June 2018. After that…we don’t know for sure but we will trust God in opening doors as God sees fit. And, we will also be able to bring on a new associate pastor this June! What a blessing! This is an amazing opportunity for Brock to learn and grow while staying right here.

Please congratulate him on this new opportunity to learn and grow!

Did you know‌ Gruene UMC has an App?

YES and it’s FREE! Be sure to download it today and get connected to the GUMC Facebook page, get alerts about events, and PUSHPAY our electronic giving. Go to the apps store on your phone and search for Gruene UMC.

NOW HIRING Teachers!

Gruene Tree Learning Center (GTLC) is Now Hiring for the 2017/2018 school year. Previous experience is great to have, but having the love for children is always a must.

Applications can be picked up at the GTLC front desk with Ms. Karmin or at the church office with Ms. Nadia.

For more information, please contact GTLC Director Rebecca Goossens at gruenetreelearningcenter@gmail.com.

Family Promise

April 23rd - 30th We will be hosting Family Promise April 23rd - 30th.

We are in need of volunteers to help set-up and tear down the rooms, clean laundry, stay overnight, and bring prepared meals and hang out with our guests. Any and all help is much appreciated.

If interested, please contact Amy and Jesse Franklin at anenome10@hotmail.com or (210) 213-0704.

Be The Church Sunday!

APRIL 2nd After all services Be Sure to join us on April 2nd for Be The Church ! Be The Church is a day that we, as a community of faith, collectively take all that you love about this place outside the walls, out into the community.

There are a handful of different service opportunities for you to take part in. We look forward to serving with you on Sunday!

Don’t Forget...

APRIL 2nd 12:15 p.m.

Called Charge Conference

Rev. Karen Horan - Pastor karen@grueneumc.org

Brandi Carnes - Nursery Director brandi@grueneumc.org

Rev. Brock Gillman - Associate Pastor brock@grueneumc.org

Rebecca Goossens - GTLC Director gruenetreelearningcenter@gmail.com

Nadia Hoffman – Administrative Assistant nadia@grueneumc.org

Tiarra Evans - Youth Director tiarra@grueneumc.org

2629 E. Common St. New Braunfels TX 78130 (830) 625-7200 Fax: (830) 625-7208

www.grueneumc.org OFFICE HOURS M-F, 8:30 - 4:30

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES 8:30, 9:40 & 11:00 a.m. (Main Building) 9:50 a.m. (Motown) “Come…be you, be filled , be loved. Go…be joy, be hope, be love. Be His! ”

See What’s Happening There are so many fun and exciting groups here at Gruene! To find out what’s going on, check us out on the Gruene UMC facebook page or on our website, www.grueneumc.org.