2023-04-16 Beacon

The official sprc pastoral announcement.

Dear Shalimar United Methodist Church Family,

Our Staff-Parish Relations Committee has been working diligently in consultation with our resident Bishop David Graves and District Superintendent Rev. Jean Tippit. These consultations continue to ensure the future pastoral leadership of Shalimar United Methodist Church is aligned with our congregation’s needs and our church’s calling.

With that being said, it is our honor to announce our new lead pastor, Rev. Dr. Alan McBride. Dr. McBride and his family are coming to us from Navarre United Methodist Church. Dr. McBride will begin his ministry with us beginning July 1. Please look for more about Dr. Alan McBride and his family in the coming weeks through our newsletter, the Beacon.

In addition, it is with mixed emotions that we share Rev. Matt Langford will also be appointed to another UMC in our Annual Conference. He and Anne Claire will be with us through Sunday, June 18. We will be communicating with the church family about coming opportunities to share our love with Matt and Anne Claire.

We are also able to announce that Rev. John Kelsoe will be joining SUMC beginning July 1 as our Associate Pastor. He is coming to us from Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church. Please look for more about Rev. Kelsoe in the coming weeks also through the Beacon.

One of the roles of SPRC is the responsibility to evaluate the staff as well as our pastors. This includes the number of staff members and the number of clergy. Through this e valuation, we have determined that having four credentialed clergy on our pastoral team is not financially sustainable at this time. We have decided that the position of Youth Pastor needs to be restructured as a Youth Director position. Of course, this affects Rev. David Garvin. This decision did not come easy as Rev. Garvin has served our youth program well for the past five years. Rev. Garvin has a pastor’s heart, and we wish him well as he looks for his next pastoral position. He and Hannah will be with us through Sunday, May 28. We will be communicating with the church family about coming opportunities to share our love with David and Hannah.

Our SPRC chair, Dave Moore, will be making an announcement concerning all these pastoral transitions in our worship services this Sunday, April 16.

Our church continues to rebound well from a global pandemic and is poised for a strong future. Please keep in prayer all these pastors and families as they transition to their next ministry appointments.

WELCOME

Shalimar UMC

Lead Pastor

Dr. Philip McVay

Rev. David Garvin Youth Pastor

Rev. Matt Langford Associate Pastor

Gerald Batton Custodian

Chris Bennett Facility & Maintenance Manager

Pat Brantley Office Administrative Assistant

Abigail Denney Media & Communications

Joy Harris Financial Assistant

Denise Heath Finance

Sarah Hicks Children’s Director

Karen Jadin Preschool Director

Tony Mallini Interim Church Administrator

Heyward McKenzie Chef

Amanda Marshall Nursery Coordinator

Leigh J. Rice Respite Director

Dawn Rozofsky After School & Camp Director

Ben Savage Worship Arts

Jeremy Thiess Ministries Assistant

After Hours Emergency Pastoral Assistance

Dr. Philip McVay: (850) 607-1133

Dr. Brad Bradford: (850) 227-4328

Rev. David Garvin: (850) 319-0072

Rev. Matt Langford: (334) 437-3931

Dr. Brad Bradford Worship Pastor

Our Vision

Christ-centered, multi-generational, family & community relevant ministries through worship, discipleship, and mission.

Our Mission

We REACH out to our congregation, community, and the world.

We TEACH the word of God as provided in the Holy-Scripture.

We SEND our members and missionaries to be witnesses to God’s grace and His promise of eternal life.

This Sunday in Worship

April 16, 2023

8AM | TRADITIONS | SANCTUARY

In Person & Online

Message by Dr. Philip McVay

Worship Led by Dr. Brad Bradford

9:30 AM | SANCTUARY

In Person & Online

Message by Dr. Philip McVay

Worship Led by Dr. Brad Bradford

11AM | TRADITIONS | SANCTUARY

In Person & Online

Message by Dr. Philip McVay

Worship Led by Dr. Brad Bradford

11:07AM |

FAMILY LIFE CENTER

In Person & Online

Message by Rev. Matt Langford

Worship Led by Ben Savage and The Freedom Team

CHURCH LIFE

CHURCH LIFE

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO BE IN THE KNOW.

DISCERNMENT TEAM PRAYER AND DEVOTIONAL GUIDE

The Discernment Team has prepared a 40-Day Prayer and Devotional Guide that begins this Monday, the 17. Print and online guides will be available this Sunday, April 16, with print guides available for pickup in the Narthex and FLC lobby.

EASTERTIDE MUSICAL

On Sunday, April 23, our Chancel Choir and Orchestra are performing their Easter musical at all of our Sanctuary services. Join us at 8, 9:30, or 11!

REV. DR. PHILIP MCVAY’S LAST SUNDAY

After 47 years of ministry, our lead pastor, Rev. Dr. Philip McVay is retiring.

We hope you can make plans to attend his last Sunday on April 30. The day will be filled with celebration so we will be having 3 identical services in the Sanctuary followed by a reception in the Family Life Center.

Sunday Services on April 30: 8, 9:30, and 11 Philip’s Reception: 11:45am-2pm

If you would like to donate towards Philip’s retirement gift, please contact Tony Mallini at (850) 651-0721 ext. 106 or tony@shalimar-umc.org

If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Thomas at (850) 240-2844 or wendythomasteam@gmail.com

Philip’s Focus

Three Words that Shaped the World... “HE IS RISEN!”

In my early years in ministry, I noticed the Sunday after Easter could give you “whiplash.” Often, Easter was the largest attended, most joy-filled day of the year, by far! The Sunday after Easter was in contrast the lowest attended Sunday and lowest energy level of the year.

As I thought to myself…should this be the way it is? After all, the good news of Jesus’ resurrection is a year around celebration. How I wondered could the greatest three words… “HE IS RISEN” be left behind in just one week?

Back in the 1990’s, I started a tradition of preaching a message the Sunday after Easter, I would simply call it the “Unforgettable Message.” The message would be different and would bring Jesus to the people in a different way. After a few years, I started planning the Sunday after Easter and looking forward to the more “out of the box” approach. Most of the messages were remembered because a different element was introduced in worship. (Not necessarily because they were the best message ever…simply something had been out of the ordinary to become memorable.) My mission in preaching this “out of the box” approach was to remind people the good news of Jesus’ resurrection is not just for one Sunday. If the celebration of “HE IS RISEN” continues the Sundays afterward too…MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

This Sunday will be among the most unforgettable messages I have ever preached. The Lord has placed a message on my heart that took 47 years to both prepare and preach. The element of surprise will be in the sermon but do not expect any gimmicks this time. The strength of the message is in the Biblical content! As I said on Easter Sunday, I will be preaching about issues facing the church today. Be there to hear this message at 8:00, 9:30, or 11:00 worship. We need the Biblical truth and word in these days!

Matt will have his own version of the “unforgettable message” for this Sunday. You may want to worship more than once this week. In fact, plan on “double dipping” in worship this Sunday! It will be a great Eastertide spiritual investment!

This Sunday will be unforgettable because of the good news of Jesus ’ RESURRECTION, HOPE, and LIFE!

Let’s continue to soar in spiritual energy from the greatest three words… HE IS RISEN!”

Lead Pastor

Dr. Philip McVay philip@shalimar-umc.org

Week of April 16, 2023

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

announcements & articles

ATTENDANCE FOR APRIL 9 , 2023

MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT

JOYFUL PLACE

Why be a VOLUNTEER?

It’s not for money, it’s not for fame.

It’s not for any personal gain.

It’s just for love of fellowman.

It’s just to send a helping hand.

It’s just to give a tithe of self.

That’s something you can’t buy with wealth.

It’s not medals won with pride.

It’s for that feeling deep inside.

It’s that reward down in your heart.

It’s that feeling that you’ve been a part.

Of helping others far and near, that makes you be a Volunteer!

Author Unknown

Thank you all for your continued support of Joyful Place. In the year that we’ve been in operations we have served 20 friends living with dementia, Parkinson’s, or similar conditions and have an average daily attendance of 11. In addition, we several new friends starting this month. Our goal is to have one volunteer for each friend, so that would mean we need dozen or so volunteers each Tuesday and Thursday. Oh my, that is a big need, but for a great cause!!! Volunteers can come as often as they are able, some coming one or two times a month, and some that are here almost daily. If you feel you can share a part of yourself with our ministry, please reach out to me. We will have a new volunteer training coming up in early May, so this would be a great time to get started.

Be JOYFUL ALWAYS, Leigh

The Bread House

OPEN

Monday | Wednesday | Friday 9am-12pm

CONGRATULATIONS!

3rd Anniversary celebration of the Bread House! The Mayor of Shalimar was there along with the FWB Chamber of Commerce who did a ribbon cutting ceremony. It was a great day for SUMC!

Thanks everyone for making this possible!

HOLY WEEK