October 2016
Restoring Hope in the God of Second Chances!
Embrace Generosity What does “church” mean to you? (choose one) It means everything! It makes me a better person! It is here that I become the person God created me to be, hopeful, patient and kind. It is here that my hunger for inspiration and my thirst for acceptance are satisfied. It forgives my many faults and yet challenges me to rise above them. It invites me to become a more courageous person by learning to serve with my talents rather than hiding from my fears. I can’t imagine life without it. It means something. I’m already so over-whelmed the church often feels like another activity on my to-do list. I’m cautious about getting too involved and overly committed to anything. Of course I check in from time to time when I’m not tired, when there’s not much else to do or if there’s a special occasion when I can see everyone. I admire what it has done in the lives of others, but it doesn’t really impact in my life. I don’t understand most of what the church does beyond Sunday morning, but I’m really too busy, or too scared, to find out. It means nothing! I avoid church religiously. Church is all about outdated ideas, archaic rituals and meaningless sacrifice. I like to know I’m in control and can’t figure out why anyone would need Jesus. After a long week of making money, keeping house and climbing ladders, I need a day just for me. After all, I’m basically a good person and try to get along with others. What more is there? “Church” produces strong reactions from people. Some good, some not so good. Most people will answer this question not with words but through their actions and attitudes. So the question really is not what does it mean to you, but what are you doing about it? Jesus once challenged his followers to discover where their heart is by looking at what they do with their treasure. “Where your treasure is, you heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) This month we will focus on stewardship, and take an honest, no-holds-bar look at where our heart is. Our goal is to challenge the faithful, the half-hearted and the indifferent to seriously consider their relationship to the church, it’s mission and ministries. It is not your intentions, but your actions, that determine your destination. Blessings,
Whatever our hands touch ….. We leave fingerprints. On the walls, on furniture, on door knobs, dishes and books. Smudges, showing we were there! Another SAK PAK Craft/Vendor Show has been scheduled for October 22 from 8:00 am—2:00 pm … just in time for Christmas shopping. Please contact me at 304-481-5064 to request a sale table or if you have any questions. Sherry Hinton, Director
Oh Lord, please, wherever I go today … Help me leave Heartprints ……. Heartprints of compassion, understanding and love. Heartprints of kindness and genuine concern. I shall go out today …. to leave Heartprints …. And if some one should say …. “I felt your touch!” May that one feeling be …. Your loving touch, Lord, through me!
We are blessed to be serving 125 children From 59 families this year! Thank you so much for your continued support of this wonderful ministry. Sherry Hinton, Director
May my heart touch …. My lonely neighbor with a smile, A worried mother with peace, A runaway child with safety, A homeless person with warmth And my dear friends with love.
Mt. Pleasant UMC October 30th, 2016 ~ 6:00—8:00 pm Chili Cook-Off ~ Pumpkin Recipe Contest Games and Fun for Everyone (More information to follow)
1st Sv
2nd Sv
Total
67
73
139
214
49
69
136
205
Sunday School
2016 Avg Weekly Attendance YTD 2015 Avg Weekly Attendance YTD
General Budget
Designated
Total
2016 Avg. Weekly Offering YTD
$6,772
$1,471
$8,244
2015 Avg. Weekly Offering YTD
$6,341
$1,146
$7,486
RISING STARS Rising Stars will be starting our Christmas play practice in October and need all willing participants available on Sundays. We will be circulating a clipboard soon during Worship service asking for sign ups. Parents, please let us know if your child/children want to participate. We want everyone to be included. Rising Stars is also honoring our military this Christmas season. We are asking that if you have someone you love currently serving in the military that you please send us a picture and some information. We need their name, address, branch, and the names of those submitting the info. Please e-mail Christin Parrish at: cparrish2105@gmail.com or send via Facebook messenger. Hard copies are also okay. Christin can scan and return. Secondly, we are collecting items for care packages. We are going to have our Rising Stars write letters and color pictures, but we would like to include items like: prayer crosses, cross bracelets, gum, candy, etc. We are going to use manila envelopes with bubble wrap, so we are asking for small items. If there are any questions, please contact Christy Archer at 273-2637 or Facebook messenger under Brian-Christy Archer. Thank you so much! Love, Christin, Melanie, and Christy The Mentor
© Jeff Bresee
I paused to stand and watch a man who had come to the road’s divide. My wonder soared as I watched his stare slowly shift from side to side. He stood as if not noticing that many passed him by. They moved without a second glance down the road most traveled by. Then as I watched he stepped full stride toward the path of lesser wear, And soon he vanished from my view round a bend into the snare. I soon, like him, stood center road, faced with that daunting choice. My gaze down his road, causing fear, I quenched my inner voice. For miles I walked the crowded road breathing dust from others feet, Until in despair I stopped and stood, my heart and soul deplete. I gazed about still holding hope, the other path I’d see. On yonder hill I saw him there, the man who mentored me. The path between us steep and rough, un-forged with dangers there, Yet still I left my path of friends, ignoring their bewares. I pressed through hardship, pain and fear o’er rocks jagged and bent. In time I crashed limp on that path, my every resource spent. But then a warming touch I felt, a friendly voice I heard. It said, get up and tread this path. I rose without a word. And as I looked, I saw him there, he continued on his way. His only words as he walked on…“you’re on the path, now stay”. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I chose in err. But looking back, perhaps as well…all memories now seem fair. Much time I spent on the beaten path, and what I learned, immense. But I reached, at last, the other path, and it has still made all of the difference. Inspired by Robert Frost
Do you have an hour a week to give to make a life time of difference to a child? All you need is an hour, a smile and heart full of love! Contact Pastor Anthony ... A child’s life will be changed and blessed and so will yours!
Mt. Pleasant UMC Thursday, November 17 5:00-7:00 pm Last year we served 250 dinners. It was a truly great evening of good food, fellowship, fun and laughter. If you have not joined us in the past, we will be looking forward to seeing you this time. We will need turkeys, potatoes, vegetables, rolls and desserts and lots of help, including, setting up, tearing down, peeling potatoes, serving and cleaning up after the dinner. We will send out volunteer sign-up sheets soon for everything it takes to put on a dinner like this one. Remember …... Mark your calendars for a special evening!!!!!
Sherry Hinton
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Derek Moore ~ Robert Winebrenner Barbara Pifer ~ Shannon & Mark Dugan Susie Burge Barbara Bargeloh ~ Linda Duckworth Frank & Jeanne Hughes
Alec Grygiel Nathan Grygiel Tracy Morris ~ Jay Henry ~ Scott & Teresa Haverty Joyce Jarrell-Hicks ~ Kay & Bobby Perkins 9 Bob & Jenny Criss ~ Polly Province Curtis & Ruth Dickson 10 Melissa Tornabene 11 Eric & Kim Sheppard ~ Randy Smith 12 Eddy & Ruth Ann Sheppard 13 14 15 Doris Cook ~ Jill Fox ~ Zach Milton 16 Rich Davis ~ Allie Moore ~ Mike & Ann Fallon 17 18 Deloris Cox ~ Patrick Heavner 19 20 Dana Whited ~ Sean Gallagher ~ Garrett Cline 21 Brendan Schwendeman ~ Jon & Dana Mader 22 Bob George 23 Gina Starkey ~ Karen Post 24 25 26 John Morris 27 Matt Moore 28 29 Toria Moore 30 Carl Sizemore 31
Acolytes 2 Peyton Farr & Ali Smith 9 Faith Miller & Curtis Miller 16 Gabi Davis & Rylee Davis 23 Aiden Garrett & Ashton Garrett 30 Addison Deems & Abby Francisco Bread Bakers 2 Elaine Smith 9 Ann Somerville 16 Helen Wright 23 Ann Mayhew 30 Carol Dobson Children’s Church 2 Brenda McKnight ~ Lesson 16 9 Dana Mader ~ Lesson 17 16 Gina Starkey & Kaylynn Lantz ~ Lesson 18 23 Linette Gedon ~ Worship Style 30 Communion Stewards ~ 8:15 am Service 2 Communion Stewards ~ 10:45 am Service 2 Daneen Moore & Kelly Williams Youth Greeters ~ 8:15 am 2 Eddy & Ruth Ann Sheppard 9 John & Linda Bargeloh 16 Butch & Carol Dobson 23 Ann Mayhew & Jean Evans 30 Cyndy Goldsworthy & Roger Hodges Greeters ~ 10:45 am 2 Blake & Christina Johnson 9 Greg & Elaine Cappadona 16 Mike & Leslie Coe 23 Cory Chambers 30 Rick, Connie, Josh Dellinger
THRIVE YOUTH GROUP #THRIVE Student Ministries Together, we are on a mission to get God’s word DEEP into our hearts so we can spread His LOVE and WORD – WIDE into the world; to not just survive day by day but THRIVE as we live the way God intended!! We are excited to start this journey with that mission inspired by PSALM 1: 1-3 Happy are those who don’t listen to the wicked, who don’t go where sinners go, who don’t do what evil people do. 2 They love the LORD’s teachings, and they think about those teachings day and night. 3 They are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don’t die. Everything they do will succeed. We look forward to going on our faith journey with the community’s students!! So, invite a friend to church and to our youth time together every Sunday @ 6:30-8pm. COME THRIVE WITH US! Amanda Eagle, student ministry leader eagle_amanda@yahoo.com ~ 304-482-0535 Pastor Anthony Farr AnthonyFarr.UMC@gamail.com ~ 304-489-1965
What a blessing to have our youth LEAD us in worshiping and serving the Lord!! As a church family, we should be comforted that the future of our church is SHINING BRIGHT. Our youth are choosing to not only come to church to learn, to fellowship, and to participate, but also TO LEAD!! As a part of the Body of Christ in Mineral Wells, WV, my heart is full to know that my two young children have young adults and teens to WATCH and learn from at Mt. Pleasant UMC. They will see how other young people can be active leaders in school, in the arts, in sports, in their communities AND IN SERVING THE LORD. Too often in our lives we can get swept away from what we really treasure and who we strive to be by the demands put on us. Being successful at work, caring for our family, encouraging and enabling our children so that they are engaged in a healthy, physical and social life-style, lives has us running them from one end of the county ( or state) to the other, all the while starving for a little down time to just love on each other and “check-in” with each other to be sure we ARE “OK” and reset ourselves to who WE want to be not who the world wants us to be. It can be overwhelming. We have many families in our church that are constantly working to keep that balance, and that is what is so heart warming for me as the youth leader when I see our youth praise God, lead us in prayer, share their insight about His word. They are developing a lasting relationship with Jesus and doing all of the above!!! I read an article recently, “How to Stop Being Too Busy” by Whitney Hopler. It said, “ Chronic busyness brings incessant stress into your life that can ruin the joy that Jesus wants you to experience every day. It can also rob your heart of the spiritual fruitfulness you should be producing, such as by preventing you from reflecting on what’s happening in your life so you can learn and grow from it.” I appreciate our Mt. Pleasant youths’ families for making the time despite all the other things they are involved in with their children, to serve God and study His word and to be an active part of the Body of Christ! We all need God first in our lives and I am thankful that I have this church to set an example of how to encourage and enjoy our gifts and talents the Lord has blessed us with and STILL PUT HIM FIRST! Show love this week to the families of our teenagers!
Trustees Time to Fall. Time for falling leaves. Time for falling temperatures. Time for the sun to fall below the equator. Time to fall on your knees. Time to get on your knees and give thanks for all that you have. Time to get on your knees and reflect on the past year. Time to get on your knees and get dirty or at least collect the dirt. And we, the trustees, are here to help YOU!!!. We will be having several work days throughout the month of October to help YOU help the Church get ready for the Holydays. We will schedule at least two Saturdays in the month, along with some days during the week. If you are not able to make on those days, please let us know and we will be more than glad to let you know what you can do to help. Meanwhile, we just replaced the two air condition compressors in the Education Building. And the parking lot is schedule to be sealed within the next two weeks. Thanks for your time and watch that fall. Please contact one of the trustees with any concerns, problems or issues. And you are always welcome to any of the trustee’s meetings. We usually meet @ 7 pm the on the first Monday of the Month. The Trustees
United Methodist Women
We are women with a Purpose! "United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church. Mt. Pleasant Church United Methodist Women provide opportunities and resources to grow spiritually, become more deeply rooted in Christ and put faith into action. The United Methodist Women’s Reading Program encourages members to think critically about current issues through an annual selection of member-reviewed books. It offers an excellent opportunity to deepen your spirituality and to broaden your understanding of our mission work. More information is available at http://mympumc.net/ministries/ umw/ The United Methodist Women will not hold its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 11, since the Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Charge Conference will be held that evening. We would like to encourage everyone to attend this important meeting. The next meeting of the United Methodist Women will be on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. In September, the United Methodist Women sponsored the Fellowship Luncheon for the Zimbabwe Mission presentation, and provided a donation of $500 to support that mission. Other mission support included a $100 offering at the Little Kanawha District United Methodist Women Fall Meeting for the West Virginia Flood Relief, and $250 to provide support to flood victims through the efforts of our Church members that gave of their time to help with the clean-up, repair, and rebuilding of homes. The WV United Methodist Women Annual Meeting will be held October 21-22, 2016 at the Bridgeport United Methodist Church in Bridgeport, WV. The theme is “Fresh Winds of Mercy” and the keynote speaker is Gail S. Losch. Additional information is available at http://mympumc.net/ministries/umw. Please join us for our meeting in November as we continue to serve as: “ . . . a community of women whose PURPOSE is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.”
Pearl Buchanan President
Every month in The Spire, you will find a little Frog (Fully Rely On God) hidden in various places in the issue. The Frog, the number of Frogs and the places will change each month. The first person to find all 7 of the this month, call the church office and tell Elaine where they are , will receive a gift certificate for Sweet Frog!