Sunday, August 27th Gruene UMC News
AUGUST 2017
Gruene UMC’s Back to School Backpack Drive Help us stand in the gap for Communities in Schools It’s that time of year again where we at Gruene UMC and Communities in Schools team up together to help children and parents prepare for the upcoming school year. Communities in Schools has an amazing school supply drive that they do each year so when we asked them how we could be most helpful, they said collect backpacks. So that’s just what we did and have done for 10 years now! We try to collect 200+ backpacks a year for needy kids. Can you help us do that again this year? We will be collecting backpacks starting August 1st thru August 25th in the gathering space. Please stop by the church and drop off your backpacks in the designated donation box in the gathering space. We will bless all the backpacks we are giving away on Sunday, August 27th at “Blessing of the Backpacks!”
during all services. So… as you go back to school shopping, help us stand in the gap again for Communities in Schools. Please remember, No school supplies backpacks ONLY. it is for boys and girls, elementary through high school ages.
This Month • Pastor’s Thoughts • Blessing of the Backpacks • Care Team • Women at the Table • Mission Update • Backpack Ministry Update
• Missions and Muffins • Kids Church
Calendar Family Promise July 30th – August 6th
Women at the Table “Summer Splash” August 5th 9am-3pm Basketball Camp August 7th -14th August 14th - 18th Administrative Council Meeting August 13th 12:30 p.m. Pastor’s Coffee August 13th 5p.m.
Blessing of the Backpacks August 27th all services Church By The River August 26th
The Gruene Care Team needs YOU!!! The Care Team helps in several ways to meet the needs of those in our church and we’d love for you to be part of the team. There are many ways to serve and please read the following to see how you might be a part of this ministry. CARDS We send “Get Well”, “Thinking of You”, and “You are in our prayers” cards to those who could use a boost, prayer or friendly word. Karen Emerson sends us an email requesting cards (including the address and information). Send a card, if you can. Our feedback has been that recipients truly appreciate them! MEALS: A Sign up genius is sent to volunteers for those in need of meals due to illness, surgery, or recuperation. If this is a Mission area for you, there a 3 ways to serve *Preparing and delivering a meal , *Making meals and cookies for future needs or *Getting restaurant gift cards for those needing help. TRANSPORTATION: Help in driving others to church or doctor appointments. FUNERALS and RECEPTIONS: Needs are: Setting up, Food preparation, Serving, and Clean up. Peggy Smith and Karen Emerson have taken care of these events for several years and we need a co-chair to help with this area. Please consider this important role. ***There are tables in the Gathering Area with sign up sheets and Care Team members to answer questions. Please stop by or email Ann Burnett at rdrburnett@yahoo.com
Hello Again Church!
It’s hard to believe how fast summer is flying by! Just a few weeks ago, our kids seemed so much younger. Now, in just a few more weeks, our Pre-K kids will be in elementary school and our 5th graders will be in middle school! How did that happen so fast? One way we try to ease the transition is by moving kids up at church in the summer so they can go ahead and meet new friends in other grades. So, for Kid’s Church, that means we welcome incoming Kinder through 5th graders at 9:40am and incoming Kinder through 3rd graders at 11am on Sundays in the Quad Room of our main building. We welcome incoming 4th and 5th graders at Bro-Town at 9:50am on Sundays in our MO-Town building. We are having a GREAT time in Kid’s Church this summer! In the past month we’ve had around 50 unique and wonderfully made kids join us for our Bible stories, hands -on projects, worship through singing, and other fun ways of experiencing God’s truths. We’ve learned about lessons Jesus shared through parables and miracles Jesus performed. We have been surprised by things Jesus has done, and we’ve surprised our friends in fun ways…like that time we recorded videos…backwards! You may or may not know that we have some AMAZING and dedicated volunteers who serve in our children’s ministry. They show up and do whatever needs to be done to help kids know God and love God more. They know our kids by name and care about each one of them. They often choose to be here for several hours on Sunday mornings so that they can worship personally, and also help our children worship in their own way. We could not care for children like we do without these WONDERFUL folks! Thanks Linda, Gail, Ryan, Mark, Sarah, Amy, Daryl, Robbye, Jonathan, Liz, Jamie, Brad, Brandy and Carrie! We are dreaming and planning for what ministry for children will look like this next school year. I have been meeting with volunteers individually, and will gather the team together in August as we plan for our launch for Fall programming on Sunday, September 10th. Stay tuned for more details! In the meantime, will you please pray for us as we prepare? Pray for children in the greater community of Gruene, their families and our leaders, that we might all draw nearer to Jesus. Please pray for our church to continue to share Jesus and His love in all of the ways we can and with all of the people we can. If you love God and love children, would you consider serving in children’s ministry this school year? That could be as simple as praying for children and families, gathering and prepping weekly supplies, greeting families with a smile and checking kids in on Sunday mornings, working alongside kids on craft projects, leading a game, or sharing a Bible story. If you want to serve, we will find the perfect fit for you! I look forward to hearing from you soon! Blessings, Amy Howell Director of Children & Family Ministry amy@grueneumc.org
Join the Women at the Table on Saturday, August 5th at Motown from 9am-3pm for a Summer Splash event. A fun day filled with spiritual rejuvenation before the craziness of the fall season. Cost is $20 includes Lunch. Childcare also available. For more information or to sign-up go to www.hillcountrywomensministry.com
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.
Kids Clothing Donations Needed! Steve’s Pantry is now collecting kids clothing! Back to school is right around the corner and many families will be needing school clothes. Boys and Girls clothes, underwear, and socks. Please drop off your kids clothing donations during Steve’s Pantry hours or at the church in the gathering space. For more info please contact Stephanie at stevespantry@grueneumc.org.
Item of the Month This month Steve’s Pantry is collecting canned soup and crackers. These donations will help benefit our friends who visit Steve’s Pantry. Please drop your donations off in the baskets in the gathering space at the church. Thank you in advance for your donations and support!
MISSIONS & MUFFINS Missions & Muffins Fall Kick-off Luncheon will be Sept 14th at 11am at Conservation Plaza. To join the M&Ms group and for more info please send an email to laura.mcfall@att.net.
SAVE THE DATE! Pumpkin Delivery Sunday, Sept. 17th! The Gruene UMC Pumpkin Patch is now looking for volunteers to help with Decorations, Set up, crafts, clean up, hayrides, and sales. All money from the sales of the Pumpkins goes towards youth ministry, children’s ministry and Missions. For more info, please contact Brandi Carnes at brandi@grueneumc.org.
Blessing of the Backpacks
Sunday, AUGUST 27th Calling all students pre-school through college and all teachers‌ We want to pray over you and your backpacks and bless them! Bring your own backpacks to any of our Services (8:30, 9:40, 9:50 & 11:00)
Sunday, August 27th and we will pray over all students and teachers during all services Invite your friends and neighbors too!
By Pastor Brock “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old nature and your former way of life……Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God….” Ephesians 4:21-24 My favorite part of what Paul is saying here is “put on your new nature”. Some translations say, “take on the New Humanity.” New Humanity, what does that mean? Basically Paul is saying that Jesus set the example of this New Humanity with his life and ministry here on earth and when we learn about Jesus’s teaching we are to “let” the Holy Spirit leads us to live into that New Nature. Mission and service are two of many beautiful ways to do that. One of the greatest joys of working here at Gruene is watching SO many folks live into that New Humanity. Thank you for your part in that.
Backpack Ministry Update Gruene’s Operation Backpack is a "gap" food program that provides weekend food supplies for food-insecure families within Comal ISD. Sarah and the amazing volunteers shared some statistics from the 2016-17 school year that I want to share with you: Gruene’s Backpack Ministry packed and delivered food for 33 weeks during the 2016-17 school year, averaging 215 kids served per week at a cost of $1.41 per kid per week. That is amazing. Gruene is fortunate to have a partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank and many many volunteers that make it all happen. They will be back in full swing late August and I am sure they would love your help. If you want to learn more about Backpack Ministry or want to help out please email Pastor Brock at brock@grueneumc.org
Steve’s Pantry Steve’s Pantry is an outreach ministry that helps folks with food, clothes, use of laundry facilities, showers and most importantly builds relationships with some great folks. Please consider getting involved, I know that Stephanie would love to hear from you. If you want more information about Steve’s Pantry or want to volunteer, please email Stephanie at stevespantry@grueneumc.org. Missions Team In the month of July your Missions Team was able to support the following ministries: * True Vineyard Ministries reaches out to the most vulnerable people in Rwanda and helps create environments where they are empowered to live out their full potential at work, home and in their spiritual lives. http://www.truevineyard.org * Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, Ecuador – help support pastor salaries and expenses related to starting churches
in Ecuador. http:// www.umcmission.org/Explore-OurWork/Latin-America-and-theCaribbean/Ecuador Church By The River Did you know that Gruene puts on a service for our friends in need down by the river under the bridge at IH-35? Yep, and it is awesome. We worship with music and a brief message, we share Communion, we share a meal, we share donated clothes, food and toiletries. Most important of all, we love on some amazing folks. If you have never experienced Church By The River (CBR) come on out and check it out. CBR is held the last Saturday of every month. We meet at Gruene at 8:45 to load up supplies then we circle up to pray and head down to the river. Check out CBR, a life could be changed and it may be yours. For more information or to help out with CBR please email Brock at brock@grueneumc.org.
Missions Team receiving a gift from Sarah Flores with Global Ministries in Ecuador.
Your Ideas Are Needed Your Missions Team wants to hear from you. The Team meets the first Wednesday of every month @ 6:30 in Steve’s Pantry here at Gruene. Come hear what the Missions Team is up to, come share your ideas and most important of all come help shape what LOVE continues to look like in 2017. Or you can email Brock at brock@grueneumc.org with any ideas of projects for your Missions Team to support. Blessings, Pastor Brock brock@grueneumc.org
Family Promise is Coming! We will be hosting Family Promise July 30th - August 6th. 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.
Do you or your ministry have an event you would like to share in the Gruene UMC Newsletter? Please email your event info to Nadia at nadia@grueneumc.org. The deadline is the 15th !
Grace and peace to you my friends! Thank you so much for welcoming our family into this wonderful congregation! We are so excited about the season ahead and blessed to be here. Our family bought a home near by and we are settling in nicely. Tomorrow is the last Saturday in the month so I will have my first experience with Church by the River! We are looking forward... I wanted to give a special thank you to all the folks who have participated in the listening tour. The listening events have been incredibly insightful. At each meeting we’ve heard about the importance of our come-as-you-are welcoming vibe. At each event we’ve heard about how we are known for our mission and outreach work. We are blessed with powerful worship opportunities (Holy Spirit you are welcome here!). The listening events also gave folks the opportunity to express their dreams and visions as we move into the new season as a church, and at each meeting there were some common themes: strengthening our children, youth, and family ministries, creating more ways to get connected (small groups that meet in homes, weekly evening worship, etc.), and improving ways we communicate through technology (social networking, apps, website, etc.) There were great conversations at each meeting and a real sense that God is at work in all of this growing and changing. Our church is filled with potential because we serve a God of endless possibilities! God bless you and thank you for your ministry here at GUMC. Pastor Dan
Good Day, Gruene! It is with great pleasure to greet you on this day the Lord has made! I don’t know if you can feel it but there’s an exciting energy running through this place. You can see it in people’s faces, hear it in people’s dreams, and even feel it in people’s homes. Thanks to listening tour stops and ongoing conversations, we are all learning what makes Gruene unique. God is using “you” to positively impact individuals, communities, and this city! Pretty Awesome! As we move forward together let’s look expectantly for what God has in store. Pastor Dan mentioned the connection between our being Gruene and the color green being associated with growth. Thankfully, by God’s grace we can be a church who is always growing in spiritual depth, relationships, ministries, outreach, stewardship, and attendance. We’re Gruene and we’re growing! Ready to grow? Let’s grow together! Pastor Aaron aaron@grueneumc.org
Rev. Dan Harrington - Senior Pastor Dan@grueneumc.org
Nadia Hoffman – Administrative Assistant nadia@grueneumc.org
Rev. Brock Gillman - Associate Pastor brock@grueneumc.org
Brandi Carnes - Nursery Director brandi@grueneumc.org
Rev. Aaron Carter - Associate Pastor aaron@grueneumc.org
Amy Powell - Children and Family Ministry Director amy@grueneumc.org Rebecca Goossens - GTLC Director gruenetreelearningcenter@gmail.com
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.