FEBRuary 2015 Administrative Council Andy Cheezum Steering Team Patty Muller Trustees Henry Covington, Jr. the MESSENGER Finance Jerry Thomas Treasurer Chad Cronshaw Recording Secretary Sandy Fratzke Staff Pastor Parish Relations Amy Taylor Methodist Men Rodger Vorhauer Methodist Women Phyllis Hoffman Memorial Fund Treasurer Lynda Palmatary Lay Members to Conference Tom and Mary Scull Our Mission Is To Make Disciples For Jesus Christ! February 2015 At the beginning of each season I use my article to advertise upcoming worship services and sermon series. Please use this edition of the newsletter to mark your calendars with these upcoming opportunities for “Daring to Believe in 2015”.      Evangelism Scarlett Milliken  Volunteers In Mission Larisa Thomas  Worship Pastor Mark   Library Coordinator Harriet Caporin Photographer Bob Clark th Worship Services: February 18 - Ash Wednesday Service, 7pm, Sanctuary February 22nd - March 22nd Lenten Sermon Series, “I AM” statements from the gospel of John March 29th - Passion/Palm Sunday April 2nd - Maundy Thursday, Hand Washing Service, 7pm, Sanctuary April 3rd - Good Friday, Bread of Life Communion Service, 7pm, Fellowship Hall April 5th - Community Easter Sunrise Service, Millstream Park; Easter Worship Services at CUMC, 8:40 and & 11:00 AM April 12th - New Adult Members join the Church May 24th - Pentecost Sunday, “Everything Red” May 31st - Confirmation Class joins the Church during the 11am service Sermon Series:    January 30th & February 1s t - “Dare to Believe in 2015” February 8th & February 15th - “Manifestation of the Holy Spirit” April 26th, May 3rd and May 10th - “The Beatitudes” Page 2 PRAYER THOUGHTS…. Ultimate Intersession There is one intercessor who the Father counts on above all others. That intercessor is Jesus Christ, who “ever always lives to intercede.” His intercessory prayers undergird all the operations of the kingdom. They bring glory to the Father, bring salvation and security to the people of God, and build the church on earth. God’s plan for history moves forward because Christ intercedes. He is the ultimate intercessor. However, He does not intercede alone. Our intercessory prayers in Jesus’ name are drawn into His prayers and His prayers include ours. God counts on His Son to incorporate and reform our prayers. A second intercessor that God counts on is the Holy Spirit. He is the indwelling intercessor whose primary intercessory activity is within us. Sent by the Father and the Son, the Spirit enables us to pray “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18). The Spirit puts God’s burdens on our hearts and brings our prayers into line with God’s will. God counts on the Holy Spirit to help us pray as we ought. Father, it continually amazes me that I am asked to participate in seeking Your heart for Your glory and the advancement of Your kingdom. What an amazing privilege and awesome responsibility! Thank You for the power of the Name of Jesus and for the indwelling Holy Spirit who continually helps me to align my prayers with the purposes of Your kingdom. –Adapted from Praying God’s Heart (Prayers that Make a Difference) by Alvin VanderGriend. Prayer Points Praise God that he knows everything in every age. Give thanks that he knows you by name and that you matter to him. Confess any attempt to conceal things from God. Commit yourself to openness and honesty before God. Invite him to search your heart and life (Ps. 139:23-24). Ask to be protected from the evil one and kept from a spirit of worldliness. Since faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:15-17), pray that your unsaved friends, neighbors, and relatives will hear the Word and respond in faith. –Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. FEBRuary 2015 Page 3 Page 4 Volunteers In Mission : Helping to Provide Outreach Opportunities for the Congregation By Larisa Thomas As you can see in our heading, the Volunteers In Mission (VIM) job is to involve our congregation in spreading the gospel through service throughout the world. We are here to involve YOU in missions. We meet once a month now on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:45 PM in the Purple Room. Come join us! Shelter Signups Update CUMC’s has a few dates left to help out Our Haven Homeless shelter located at KIUMC. We still need volunteers for the 6PM to midnight shift Thursday February 19th, Wednesday March 11th, and Thursday March 12th. The main part of this job is fellowshipping with the Guests, while making sure they follow the rules (which are only a handful and easy to supervise). In addition, CUMC also needs church members to cook and serve a meal for up to 20 people staying at the shelter March 11th- March 12th. Please sign up at the VIM Bulletin Board or call Larisa Thomas at 410-758-2144 who would love to give you more information. Our Nicaraguan Missionary Update: Miguel Mairena and Nan McCurdy In 2012 CUMC felt led to reach out beyond our area and help those really spreading God’s Word internationally. We started supporting the Methodist’s Church’s Global Board of Missionaries, which supports all the missionaries afield. We established a Covenant Relationship with Miguel Mairena in Nicaragua. We pledged to pay $5 per member (up to $2500, as is the requested amount per member from Global Ministries) in the name of Miguel. We have continued this for around 3 years. Although our church is faithful to help the mission work, the actual individual contributions were not very high this year. Through putting most of VIM’s fundraising toward the missionary fund, we were able to fulfill the $2500 commitment. For those of you who have been reading the newsletter articles from Miguel and Nan, you would have read that they have changed job assignments recently. They are now serving as a resource person (Mission Interpreter) between Global Ministries and the annual conferences. Although we have really appreciate the work they are doing, VIM has voted to have a Covenant Relationship with another missionary out in the field, preferring to stay with the same Women and Children Center in Nicaragua that we have already been working with. So for 2015, a new year, a new foot forward internationally! Stay tuned for the exciting announcement next month about our new Covenant Relationship. You will be receiving the missionary donation envelopes during the next month at the church services, as they did not make it into the envelope boxes this year. Send in your $5/person. For $5 you can personally be responsible for spreading the love of Christ to those whose lives are definitely harder than ours! FEBRuary 2015 Page 5 Month In Pictures Page 6 Month In Pictures FEBRuary 2015 Page 7 THE SAMARITAN FUND For those of you who may not be aware, CUMC has a Samaritan Fund which is a very important part of our ministry at the church. The purpose of this fund is to provide assistance to anyone in need who might contact us for help paying bills or obtaining temporary shelter. (In other churches you may have heard this called the “pastor’s discretionary fund,” which is essentially the same thing.) In order to maintain this fund we rely on the generous gifts of everyone at the church. Below is the current balance in our Samaritan Fund. If you see the fund running low please consider contributing even a small amount to help us reach out to those who are most in need. Thank you and God bless you! CURRENT BALANCE IN SAMARITAN FUND: $870.00. Meet Our Team Rev. Mark Farnell, Pastor Robyn Brown, Associate Pastor Tammi Clark, Office Manager Ken Laing, Youth Director Renee’ Carroll, Sunday School Superintendent Nancy Cook, Chancel Choir/Handbells Avis Wheatley, Organist Kelly Nelson, Nursery Director Barbara Meeks, Cherub Choir Jennifer Gragg, Newsletter Charlene S. Brown, Membership Secretary [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well” James 5:15 in our prayers Janie Nickle Bill Lindemann Centreville United Methodist Church 608 Church Hill Road Centreville, MD 21617 www.centreville-umc.com NON‐PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 48 Chestertown, MD RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Centreville United Methodist Church SUNDAY WORSHIP Contemporary—8:40 a.m. Traditional—11:00 a.m. Nursery Services Available SUNDAY SCHOOL Adults - 9:50 a.m. Children - 9:50 a.m. Contact Information (410) 758-0868 Fax (410) 758-1248 www.centreville-umc.com FEBRUARY AT A GLANCE February 1st - Youth Sub Sale Pick-up before noon February 2nd - Trustees Meeting 6:30 p.m. Scan for Online Giving February 10th - UMW Meeting 1:30 p.m. UMM Valentines Day Dinner 6:00 p.m. VIM Meeting 8:15 p.m. “John” Bible Study Begins 7:00 p.m. February 12th - Steering Team Meeting 7:00 p.m. February 14th - VIM Pancake Breakfast 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. February 16th - Finance Meeting 7:00 p.m. February 18th - “Your Living Compass” Bible Study Begins 11:00 a.m. February 19th - “Lenten” Bible Study Begins 9:30 a.m. February 23rd - ASP Meeting 7:00 p.m. February 24th - Administrative Council Meeting 6:30 p.m. All dates are subject to change. Please confirm with the Calendar, Church Office or Ministry Chair. Making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transforma on of the world.