Volume 58, Issue 5 February, 2015 Welcome to Lent. No kidding. I say "no kidding" because not everyone thinks of Lent as a welcome experience. This is probably because for years, the focus of Lent was on self-denial, on "giving something up." Imagine, if you will, a person who normally drinks about five cups of coffee a day. But each year she gives up coffee for the days of Lent. The first few days of Lent are miserable for her as she goes through caffeine withdrawal. Why would she say welcome to Lent? She does, though, because her devotion to God is real, and for her, giving up coffee helps her examine her commitment to Christ and meditate on the suffering and death of her Lord. Acts of self-denial are appropriate when the sacrifice connects with Christian commitment. But there is another view of Lent: a time to prepare to celebrate the Resurrection. When we prepare to celebrate something, we often do housekeeping chores. If we are going to have a party at our house, we first spend some time cleaning the house. We lay in a supply of refreshments. We decorate. And when all is ready and the guests arrive, we celebrate. Preparing is never quite as much fun as celebrating, but it takes the preparation to make the celebration possible. Published by THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH of Wayne To promote Christian discipleship and fellowship in the congregation and community. Pastor Carter Cortelyou 3 Town Square Lent is like that -- a time for spiritual housecleaning, a time to dust off our faith, Wayne, MI 48184 shine up our commitment, lay in a supply of thanks and decorate our lives with the joy of the Christian life. Then, when Easter comes, we know in our hearts what the Telephone celebrating is all about. 734-721-4801 At First Church, our Lenten traditional opportunities for spiritual housecleaning will include: * Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday worship with First Congregational Church * Weekly Lenten Dinners on Wednesday evenings. * Friday night fish frys * Good Friday worship Details about time are on the calendar found elsewhere in The Lantern. Please plan to worship with us during this holy season. And welcome to Lent. No kidding. With you in Christ, Pastor Carter Fellowship Lantern Page 2 February 2015 REJOICE! There are days when we wake up in the morning and the last thing we want to do is rejoice, especially this time of year when the days are short but seem long. Many days are without sunshine and the weather keeps us inside. Our mood is down and we simply grow weary and our situation is overwhelming. We can relate to the writers of the psalms who often felt this way. But no matter how low the writers felt, they were always honest with God. And as they talked to God, their prayers ended in praise. When we don't feel like rejoicing, we can tell God how we truly feel. Then we will find that God will give us a reason to rejoice. One reason to rejoice is because of our Christian fellowship. God does not intend for us to walk through life alone. Life is designed for companionship, not isolation, for intimacy, not loneliness. God demonstrates love for us through the Christian friends in our lives. God gives us one another to lean on, to support each other, to teach each other, and most importantly to love each other. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy! Page 3 Fellowship Lantern February 2015 Coffee Hour Altar Flowers February February 1st Sally & Larry Nitzel 8th 15th Vince & Linda Maylone Louie & Wallene Poteau 1st Doug & Irene Schoonover In Memory of Ruth Schoonover and Emmie Weber 8th Cindy Joseph In Honor of her Parents Helen & Homer Cloud \ 22nd Is a Methodist Service Truly Complete Without Coffee and Treats? THANKS SO MUCH! Thank you for supporting the Boutique. What a great team effort! ● Some people contribute crafts. ● Some people set up crafts and other items to display in the parlor. ● Some people assist during the selling times ● Many People browse and buy items for themselves or as gifts. Whatever group - or groups you are in Thank You! United Methodist Women will prayerfully use the $942 profit to carry out our purpose of supporting missions locally, nationally, and internationally. 15th Shirleen Curtis & Barbara Wilbanks In Memory of Shirleen’s Mother In Honor of Frances Lange 90th Birthday 22nd Lenora Krieger In Honor of her Birthday Feb. 27 Pumpkin Roll Thank You Gale Wilbur and I would like to thank everyone who bought a pumpkin roll this last holiday season. We made 55 pumpkin rolls and made $965 to go to the general fund. We hope everyone enjoyed them as much as Gale and I did making them. Again, Thank You Sandy Ofiara and Gale Wilbur In God’s Service United Methodist Women THANKS TO ALL THAT PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION CHRISTMAS CARD: DEE ALMAS SHIRLEEN CURTIS DAVE, GLORIA & DOUG DILLINGHAM PAUL & KATHY JAHN ROY & JEANNINE KLAY DOTTIE LeSUER MARTY, ERIKA, DORIS & JOY CURTIS MATHISON DOROTHY NESLER LARRY & SALLY NITZEL TERI, RANDY & THE ZOO SANDY & JOHN OFIARA PASTOR BENETEAU LOUIS & WALLENE POTEAU HAZEL RANDALL ILENE SAUNDERS VEORA SCHULTZ GALE WILBUR & GEORGE Fellowship Lantern Page 4 February 2015 United Methodist Women Detroit Renaissance District Presents an Invitation to “Welcomed By God Prayer Breakfast” Detroit Renaissance District Superintendent Saturday, February 14, 2015 Wayne First United Methodist Church 3 Town Square, Wayne, MI 48184 734-721-4801 Registration 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. (Book Room open during registration) Breakfast: 8:45 to 9:45 Program to start at 10:00 Reservations Deadline - February 6, 2015 Please register with Lucille Farmer before or after church or call her at 734-272-6647 by the deadline (Feb. 6) Price is $12.00 per person Please let us know if you have a need for child care or any special dietary needs Page 5 Fellowship Lantern February 2015 UNITED METHODIST WOMEN EXECUTIVE MEETING: Tuesday, February 4,- 6:30 PM - Parlor CIRCLE MEETINGS CHARIS CIRCLE Monday, February 2, 7:00 PM - Parlor We are beginning a new study: “John’s Letters” by Ron Blakey “Discovering Genuine Christianity” Chapter 1 Fellowship and Forgiveness - 1 John:1 Leader Shirlene Curtis YOU ARE INVITED ESTHER-MARTHA CIRCLE Tuesday, February 10 - 7:00 PM - Parlor Leader: Lucille Farmer Part 2: The power pf a Whisper by Bill Hybels ********************************************************** DISTRICT PRAYER BREAKFAST Saturday, February 14, 2015 Wayne-Westland United Methodist Church SPEAKER Rev. Melanie Carey - District Superintendent $12.00 Reservations due to Lucille Farmer by February 8 ********************************************************** Much help is needed: See Linda Maylone for general assignment, and Jeannine Klay for kitchen help. ********************************************************** COMING UP: February 18 - Ash Wednesday - Congregational Church Dinner 6:30 Reservations to Linda in the office - Worship 7:30 February 20 - First Fish Dinner February 25, March 4, 11, 18, and 25 Lenten Dinners March 29 - Palm Sunday April 5 - Easter Fellowship Lantern Page 6 Happy February 2015 Anniversary 9th Paul & Katy Jahn Fellowship Lantern Page 7 February 2015 FELLOWSHIP LANTERN is published monthly except August DEADLINE FOR ARTICLES is the 15th of the month REV. CARTER CORTELYOU LINDA OWULETTE VINCE MAYLONE PASTOR SECRETARY EDITOR E-mail address for the lantern is [email protected] OR [email protected] Visit us on the web at www.waynefirst.org Mission Statement We are the Congregation of First United Methodist Church of Wayne-Westland and are a committed, loving, Christian community of Jesus Christ, in ministry, witnessing to the love of God as experienced in our lives, and expressed by: worship together, Christian nurture, education evangelism, Christian fellowship and support of one another, invitation to others to share our faith, social awareness, involvement and support of world wide Methodism. Our witness embraces all people. SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 10:00 A.M. ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL AT 9:00 A.M. YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 A.M. First United Methodist Church 3 Town Square Wayne, MI 48184-1637