Adults 55+ Monthly Outlook: March 2023

ADULTS 55+

MONTHLY OUTLOOK

WELCOME JEFF OLIVE AND FAMILY!

Hello, friends! What a joy and privilege to serve as one of your pastors here at TWMC. I am excited to join alongside you in worship, mission and ministry. My family and I have lived in The Woodlands for 10 years. We love this community and this congregation.

I have served as a pastor in the Methodist Church since 1998. Since then, I have pastored rural churches and two-point charges, and served as an associate pastor at a downtown church, a church planter, Director of New Church Development for the Texas Annual Conference, senior pastor, and District Superintendent. A source of great joy in my work over the past 15 years has come from the opportunity to recruit, assess and train church planters in the U.S., Brazil and Asia.

My wife Sharla and I have been married for 25 years. She has worked at The Woodlands Methodist School for the past nine years as a teacher and currently serves as the director of the elementary program. We have two children. Our daughter, Avery, recently graduated from Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana, with a music degree. She works in Baton Rouge and serves as a choir director for a Methodist church. Our son, Anson, is a freshman at Texas A&M studying nuclear engineering.

I am thrilled that as Executive Pastor of Church Planting here at The Woodlands Methodist Church, I get to bring together all God has done in my life with all God wants to do here to plant new churches. New churches are the most effective way to reach new people for Jesus. And my deep prayer is that together we will have more influence over our future generations than the culture around us.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. This is the hope we share together. May our hope be made stronger in the days ahead.

Faithfully in Christ,

Rev. Dr. Jeff Olive Executive Pastor of Church Planting

GREETINGS!

by Rev. Chris McLain, Pastor of Caring and Adults 55+ Ministry

By now you are a few weeks into the churches Lenten journey. I am reminded of a story by Tony Jones, the 1990s youth ministry specialist. He shares a story of how he travels to a monastery for a retreat of silence and reflection. There he meets with a Benedictine monk who presents him, a Protestant pilgrim, with a prayer counter. As he receives it, he notices it is not a rosary, but instead is made of tightly woven rope which has 10 strands hanging from it. It has 10 small rope-woven crosses on each strand. He is intrigued with the gift. The monk asks him if he knows “The Jesus Prayer”? Tony says “no,” and leans in like any good student.

The monk explains this particular prayer is what is known as a breath prayer: “This is a prayer that is said in one breath. The first half is said as you inhale, the second, during the exhale.” He then shares with Tony a beautiful mystery.

“Jesus Christ, Son of God; Have mercy on me a sinner.”

The monk instructs Tony to go and repeat it silently in his room, and each time to hold onto a new cross on his counter. “When you have said the prayer and counted all the crosses, you will have said the prayer 100 times.”

Once Tony is done, he returns to the monk, who sends him away again. 500 the monk says. Then 1,000 and then 5,000. By day two Tony does not return to the monk but seeks silence and reflection in his room. Silently he prays until every breath drawn and every breath extinguished is uttering the affirmation of Jesus as the Christ the Second Person of the Trinity, and the human condition that we all are sinners.

If you didn’t take on a fast for Lent for whatever reason, I pray that you will start today with this prayer. In the spirit of 1 Thessalonians 5:17, I challenge you to “pray without ceasing” during this Lenten season. By the end of Tony’s time at the monastery, he was saying the prayer up to 23,000 times per day. But maybe you can just start at 100!

January Prime Timers

Gospel singer Miles Pike performed a variety of gospel songs. Miles has a unique voice and a five-octave range. His message is one of hope and restoration. Hopefully he will join us again soon!

ADULT FITNESS KICKOFF EVENT

Our Adults 55+ community participated in the annual fitness kickoff event. Our focus this year is “Forward in Fitness.” Peggy Renfro taught a mini session from her Moving in Faith class and shared with Isaiah 40:31. New fitness T-shirts were passed out along with healthy snack bags.

WOODLANDS LUNCH BUNCH

Our Woodlands lunch bunch group met at Uptown Asian Fusion. This group meets the second Tuesday of each month for food and fellowship.

THE WOODLANDS CAMPUS

LENTEN PRAYER TIME

During this season of Lent, we are hosting a weekly series called Contemplative Prayer Time using Lectio Divina. Join us for this sacred reading of Scripture and prayer on Wednesdays, beginning March 1, in Robb Chapel from noon – 1:00 p.m. Journey with us through the Gospel of John as we walk with Christ to the cross. Communion will be served. Find more information at twmc.org/discipleship

PRIME TIMERS

Wednesday, March 1 | 11:15 a.m. | Wesley Hall

Join us for Michael Rafferty’s Bristol House band. This group plays locally in the community as well as at our worship venues. The cost for lunch is $12 Register for this event online.

WOODLANDS CAMERA CLUB

Monday, March 6 | 7:00 p.m. | Aldersgate Hall

Jai Shet is a budding master photographer. Already at 19 years old he has exhibited photos in museums in London and Dubai. One of his photos of the moon was even published on NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day website. He won the 2021 Young Travel Photographer of the Year contest. He will be speaking March 6 on travel photography. For more information about The Woodlands Camera Club, visit thewoodlandcameraclub.org

HYBRID ADULT FITNESS

Adult Intermediate Fitness

Mondays | 9:00 a.m. | Hayes Hall

Adult Basic Fitness

Wednesdays and Fridays | 9:00 a.m. | Aldersgate Hall

Woodforest Adult Basic Fitness

Tuesdays and Thursdays | 8:30 a.m. | WF Gym

Continue your health and wellness journey by joining us for hybrid adult fitness classes. Our online classes meet via Zoom the same time as the face-to-face classes. Zoom Meeting ID: 735 678 773 Password: SFIT

Activity Level 1

ADULT PICKLEBALL

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Rec Center Gym

Woodforest Adult PIckleball

Mondays and Fridays | 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. | WF Gym

*NEW*

NEW LINE DANCING SESSION

Tuesdays, March 7 – April 25 | 11:00 a.m. | WF Gym

Thursdays, March 9 – April 28 | 9:00 a.m. | Aldersgate Hall

A new line dancing session will begin in March. The cost of this class is $10 for an 8 week session. Please register online.

NEW CHAIR VOLLEYBALL

Mondays | 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. | WF Gym

Fridays | 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Rec Center Gym

More fun than you can possibly stand - while seated! Chair volleyball is great for upper body mobility and joint flexibility. It enhances your muscle tone, reflexes, hand-to-eye coordination, and endurance. Rules are similar to regular volleyball. All fitness levels and abilities are welcome! No registration required. Please fill out waiver.

THE GATHERING PLACE

Monday, March 6 | 10:00 a.m. | Aldersgate Hall

The Gathering Place is a ministry for adults who have been diagnosed with early to moderate dementia. It provides an opportunity for caregivers to find respite while their loved one enjoys music, art and entertainment on the first Monday of each month from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at TWMC. Join us this month for a rodeo celebration. If you would like to volunteer your time with this special ministry, please contact Pam Baker at 832.381.4514

ADULT GAME NIGHT

Friday, March 10 | 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Aldersgate Hall

Join us for a night of fun, fellowship, games and refreshments. The cost is $1 per person. Bring a dish to share. For more information, contact Karen Freeman at 858.204.0012

WOODLANDS LUNCH BUNCH

Tuesday, March 14 | 11:00 a.m. | Woodson’s Kitchen

Join us for comfort food with a Southern barbecue twist. This restaurant is located at 2400 FM 1488, Conroe. To make a reservation, call Dee Megee at 281.793.6622 by Monday, March 13.

PEGGY’S BOOK CLUB

Tuesday, March 21 | Noon | Allen Parlor

Join us this month to review Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts. If you would like to read ahead, in April we will review The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone. For more information about Peggy’s Book Club, contact Libby Heintz at 936.271.7660 or Kathy Wisenbaker at wisenbaker@sbcglobal.net

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY MEETING

Friday, March 24 | 10:00 a.m. | Allen Parlor

Crochet or knit for those in need. Join us for fellowship each month. For more information on this ministry, please contact Connie Norton at concetta44@comcast.net or 281.292.3875

MEN’S BOOK STUDY

2nd and 4th Wednesday | 10:00 a.m. | Room C217-A

This group is studying Philip Yancey’s What’s So Amazing About Grace? You are welcome to join at any time. For more information about this group, contact Jerry Barney at 281.826.3232

GOLDENAIRES CHOIR

Rehearsals every Wednesday | 2:30 p.m. | Choir Room

The Goldenaires, our adult choir, is the perfect way for you to spread joy through singing. No audition required. For more information, contact Ed Wandling at 281.788.9880

SINGLE LIFE WIDOWS

Join us for these March activities:

Friday, March 3 | Brookwood Community Tour and Lunch

Friday, March 17 | Via Emilia Italian Restaurant Register for these events online.

CLASS NEWS

FRIENDSHIP CLASS MANNA BAG PROJECT

Thursday, March 16 | 2:00 p.m. | Allen Parlor

Friendship Class comes together to put snack bags together for the 1960 Hope Center.

LATE MORNING START

Monday, March 27 | 11:00 a.m. | WF Worship Space Fellowship. Food. Entertainment. Join us for a monthly gathering. This month the McTeggart Irish dancers will dance to some Irish reels. These young ladies are very talented. You won’t want to miss their performance! The cost of this event is $12 per person. Bring a friend. Register online.

We are looking for leaders for this new event. Contact Teri Rossi at 281.297.5935 for more information.

WOODFOREST CAMPUS

WOODFOREST LUNCH BUNCH

Thursday, March 9 | 11:00 a.m. | Akashi Asian Fusion

Join us for lunch at Akashi Asian Fusion. The location is 15250 TX 105, Montgomery, 77316. To make a reservation contact Roberta Duncan at 713.775.3030 no later than Monday, March 6.

WOODFOREST BOOK CLUB

Thursday, March 16 | 11:30 a.m. | WF Campus

This month we will review The Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham. Next month we will review The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. No registration required. For more information about this group, contact Diane Oakley at 936.701.8067

ADULT GAME NIGHT

Friday, March 24 | 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. | WF Worship

Bring a snack or a dessert to share. The cost for this event is $1 per person. We are looking for leaders for this event. For more information, contact Teri Rossi at 281.297.5935

ADULTS 55+

The Woodlands Methodist Church

2200 Lake Woodlands Drive

The

PRAYER AND CARE MINISTRY

PRAYER MINISTRY

If you or your family would like prayer, prayer teams are available after each of the services, or you can contact Dylan Meeker with our Prayer Ministry at 281.466.8661

CONGREGATIONAL CARE

Congregational Care is a priority for our pastors. If you or someone you know is hospitalized, in rehabilitation or in hospice care — local or in the Texas Medical Center — we would love to send a pastor or a Caring Ministry volunteer to visit and pray with you and your family. Contact Caring Ministry:

The Woodlands Methodist Church | 281.297.5900

The Church at Woodforest | 281.822.8182

RESOURCE CORNER

CONSECRATED HOLY COMMUNION ELEMENTS

Caring Ministry is offering consecrated Holy Communion elements for those of you worshipping at home. Stop by the main administration office to pick up elements.

SUPPORT

COMPUTER SUPPORT MINISTRY

If you need computer support, contact Jerry Barney at 281.826.3232

NEED A RIDE?

If you need a ride to a medical appointment, contact Ken or Linda Keith at 281.796.7447. Call at least 48 hours in advance.

SHEPHERD CARE

Shepherd Care is a ministry of friendship for our members who are in local nursing homes or private residences. Shepherds and new Lambs are always welcome. If you know of someone in need of companionship or if you would like to volunteer to be a Shepherd, please contact Carolyn Crawford at 281.682.9142

CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP

Friday, March 3 | 11:00 a.m. | Allen Parlor

Monday, March 20 | 10:00 a.m. | WF Classroom

A support group for caregivers of family and friends with chronic, long-term or terminal illness. No registration required. For more information about the Woodforest meeting, contact Angela Street at 281.723.6819. For the main campus, contact Teri Rossi at 281.297.5935