June 2016 Skywriter
Transcription
June 2016 Skywriter
Skywriter 1850 Skyland Terrace Atlanta, GA 30319 404-634-6209 [email protected] www.skylandumc.org This blog was written by Carolyn Moore, Pastor of Mosaic UMC in Augusta, who is to speak at our Exalt Weekend in October The High Cost of Unholy Fear (or, how to miss God’s best) Two years after the Israelites were delivered from slavery, Egyptian silver clinking in their backpacks, they stood with toes touching the border of the land God promised them. They’d seen waters part and enemies drown. Yahweh was intimately involved with their lives. They knew him. They followed him. And just two short years after packing up and moving out of bondage, there they stood on the brink of God’s best. Yes, there were vicious armies and untamed wilds on the other side of that border but they had the smoke and fire of God blazing their trail. Then it happened. Human nature kicked in. They became more cautious than optimistic. There at the edge of God’s plan, they sent a dozen spies into that question mark of a promise to check things out. Ten returning spies slinked back with a warning: “Don’t do it! It is great real estate, but the people are giants. We will all die if we go over there.” The majority report was full of fear and trepidation. The other two spies — young men named Joshua and Caleb – looked on that land and saw a future with hope. For them, the land was more possibility than problems. “I think we should do this,” they challenged. “This is God’s land and God’s fight. Let Him defend us!” The people did what people mostly do. They allowed the voice of fear to drown out the voice of potential and it cost them dearly. That day, God turned them back from the border of promise. He sent them out into the wilderness again where he promptly vowed that not one of their generation would see the land flowing with milk and honey. Fear would not be woven into the DNA of his chosen people, not if he had anything to do with it. So the people got in the wilderness what they were most afraid of getting in the promised land. They were destroyed by their own choice. For thirty-eight years they wandered like dead men walking before another generation found itself toe to toe with God’s purposes. I wonder if most of that first generation even knew how close they were to greatness? I wonder if, way down the road, some of them sat around campfires and wondered aloud, “What do you suppose would have become of us if we’d listened to Joshua and Caleb? How do you suppose it would have turned out?” Did they even stop to think about it as they poked their fires or packed up their tents yet again or held their cups beneath water flowing from rocks? Did they think that deeply? Did they assume, like most people, that what they had twenty or thirty years out from that decision was all there was? Did they ever stop to imagine more than mediocrity punctuated by death? Or did they simply go about their lives, making grocery lists, making beds, making a living, making do? I wonder, but I can’t judge. After all, I am an Israelite myself. I peek over into spiritual promises and my little internal band of spies reports back, “That’ll never work for you,” and far too often I listen to those voices of fear or laziness or institutional caution and I miss out. Who knows how long I’ve wandered, unaware of the promises I’ve turned down, while God in his mercy determines to kill off all in me that reeks of fear? Who knows what promises I’m toeing now as I poke my fires, count my money, check my phone and absent-mindedly get back to what I know? June 2016 Announcements for the next Skywriter are due 6/20/16 Friday Night Fire June 3rd 7:00 p.m. Worship in the Sanctuary Join us for supper at 6:15 pm. Come expecting a powerful move of the Holy Spirit Pease call the office on Monday or go online to make reservations 6/1 Assorted Salads 6/8 Baked Potato Bar and Salad 6/15 Meat Loaf, Peas and Mashed Potatoes 6/22 Pasta with Red & White Sauce, Salad 6/29 Deli Sandwiches, Chips & Watermelon $4 Adults | $1.50 Children Childrens' Ministries Lauren Evans Camp Applications are available to fill out online at skylandumc.org Cost - $10 per child or $15 per family. Three Family Fun Days will also be held this summer beginning June 18th. Watch your bulletins and emails for details. Ignite Youth Camp is coming up July 25-29th. Camp is always an amazing and transformational experience for students. The week is filled with anointed worship, meaningful teachings, and a lot of time for fun and fellowship. All rising 7th graders through young adults are welcome to attend. The deadline to register is Sunday, June 26 and the cost is $200. (Scholarships provided.) For more information or registration forms, please see the youth bulletin board. Thank you! Important Dates 6/1 6/3 Youth Trip to Six Flags FRIDAY NIGHT FIRE 6/5 6/6 6/11 6/12 Immigrant Hope Workshop Annual Conference Begins Young Adult Ice Cream Sundae Party Celebration Luncheon for Pastor Josue Witness Lunch/Prayer Walk Dock Party Martha Pirkle Circle Family Fun Day FATHER'S DAY Camp Walk This Way begins Journey Class Cookout YA Lunch 6/16 6/18 6/19 6/20 6/25 6/26 9:45am-6:00pm 6:15pm Supper 7:00pm Worship 1:00pm ends on June 9th 6:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 3:00pm 10:30am TDA meet in parking lot Dining Room Sanctuary Fellowship Hall TBA Dining Room Dining Room Youth Room Dining Room 11:30am- 3:00pm (runs through 6/24) 4:00pm Pete & Kristen Wages 1:00pm Galla's Skyland Church News Youth are going to Six Flags on Wednesday, June 1. We will meet at 9:45am at Skyland and depart at 10am then return for dinner at 6pm. Lunch will be provided. The cost for the ticket is $30. If you have a season pass, you don't need to pay. You must have a current medical release form on file. Please let Lauren know if you are coming or if you would like to chaperone. On June 12 at 10 am, the Journey Sunday School Class will be starting a new 10 week series called Good to Great in God's Eyes, using videos and workbooks written by Chip Ingram. The series will focus on learning ten practices that will help you grow in your Christian walk. All are welcome to join this class in Room 108. See Margie Morgan for more information. We are so delighted that Pastor Josue has now received his Masters of Divinity and his first full time appointment. Everyone is invited to celebrate these big events in his life and wish him well at a luncheon held in his honor on Sunday June 12th. The Spanish congregation will provide drinks and Tinga Tostadas. Everyone else is invited to bring a side, fruit, or dessert to share. See Sheila if you have questions. The Sunday Night Bible Study will begin an excellent new study called "Gideon: Your Weakness, God's Strength" by Priscilla Shirer on June 5th. If you would like to be a part of this group, please contact Cathy Wages. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the Skyland Chapel is open for you to come for prayer and to enjoy and seek God. Tuesday 2:00-500pm Wednesday 4:00-6:00pm Thursday 2:00-5:00pm The Kitchen will be closed July 6th and July 15th for a summer break. There will be no dinners those nights. Please take a moment in June to tell Ini, Barbara and Mitchell how much we appreciate our Wednesday Night Suppers ! The SkyAngels will NOT meet in June but will resume their normal schedule in September. From the SPPR Committee Matt Morton We are very happy to welcome our new Spanish Congregation Pastor, Jose Rodriguez. Jose is a native of Washington DC and has been married to his wife Angie for 21 years. They have three children. Von Marie (18), Kiki (14) and A.J (7). Jose was a single father to his daughter Stephanie (24) for two years before dating his wife Angie. In 1994, on Good Friday, he accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and began his journey in ministry. After receiving his calling, Jose completed an undergraduate degree at Luther Rice Baptist Seminary in Puerto Rico. During his undergraduate work, Jose has served as Praise and Worship Minister, as a Christian Education Minister and as a Youth Pastor before serving as a Interim Pastor for Mt. Zion Baptist Church where he received his pastoral license in 2001. Jose has planted two churches for the Spanish speaking community in the state of Georgia; Forest Park First Baptist Church where he served for five years and now Iglesia La Gran Cosecha as a Harvest Point UMC Ministry. Jose is now a bivocational pastor with the goal of serving the Lord in a full time capacity. His passion is to preach the word of God and see lives being changed for His glory. Pray for One Another Jean Bennett, Sarah Linda Bryson, Steve Bryson, Harold & Virginia Burrell, Betty Clark, Rhoda Hall, Doris Hester, Jodi Holt, Jo Levy, Joann Mathews, Nonie Morton, Mary Mullennix, Bill & Maude O’Donald, Perry & Cindy Shelfer, Pauline Singleton, Evelyn Smith, Karen Smith, John Upchurch, Winnie Zink. Birthdays & Anniversaries Church Staff Perry Shelfer, Senior Pastor Josue Quintanilla, Associate Pastor Lauren Evans, Director of Children & Youth Kristen Wages, Contemporary Worship Leader Will Morgan, Hispanic Worship Leader Michael Webb, Traditional Pianist Eleanor Flanagan, Comptroller & Administrative Assistant Ini Emmah, Fellowship Dinner Chef Leah Sanders, Nursery Coordinator Marlo McDonald, Nursery Staff Melissa Wise, Nursery Staff 6/1 Perry Shelfer 6/14 Noelia Santamaria 6/15 Fernando Aguilar 6/3 Andrew & Margaret Howell Pete & Kristen Wages 6/17 Makenzie Hill 6/5 Coy & Lynn Scott 6/21 Stephen Pirkle 6/6 Tom & Mary Foster Jesse & Sybil Turner 6/23 Margie Morgan 6/25 Gabriella Price 6/7 Keith Ellis Sugey Gomez Chad Norman 6/27 Christine Boyd 6/8 Jim & Helen Pirkle 6/28 Stephen Burnette Russell Wages 6/10 Sarah Wages 6/29 Evelyn Smith 6/11 Andrew & Sabrina Crawford Mitchell Snipes 6/30 Marianna North Winnie Zink June 2016 Sun Regular Wednesday Activities: 4-6:00pm Throne Room Worship/Chapel 6:45pm Bible Study Room 108 Mon 6:30pm King's Kids 7:00pm ESL Classes - Room 204 Tue Regular Sunday Activities: 9:00am Traditional Worship - Chapel | 10:00am Holy Grounds 10:15am Small Group Studies | 11:00am Contemporary Worship Service - Sanctuary 3:00pm Youth 3rd floor | 11:00am Spanish Worship Service - Chapel 4:00pm-6:00pm Open Table Worship - Fellowship Hall/Dining Room Wed 1 Youth Trip to Six Flags 9:45am - 6:00pm Thu Fri 2 3 9 ANNUAL CONFERENCE ENDS 10 16 17 FRIDAY NIGHT FIRE 6:15 SUPPER 7:00 WORSHIP Sat 4 Assorted Salads 5 COMMUNION 1:00pm Immigrant Hope Workshop - FH 6 ANNUAL CONFERENCE BEGINS 7 8 Baked Potato Bar Salad 14 12 Celebration Lunch For Pastor Josue 1:00pm Witness Lunch Prayer Walk 6:00pm Adult Bible Study Room 204 26 Camp Presentation 11:00am Sanctuary 15 10:30 Martha Pirkle Circle 7:00pm Prayer - Parlor 3:00PM Dock Party 6:00pm Adult Bible Study Room 204 FATHERS DAY 18 First Family Fun Day Meatloaf, Peas Mashed Potatoes 20 21 CAMP WALK THIS WAY 11:30am - 3:00pm CAMP WALK THIS WAY 11:30am - 3:00pm 6:30pm Nominations Room 204 7:00pm Prayer - Parlor 27 Open Table VBS 28 Open Table VBS 22 CAMP WALK THIS WAY 11:30am - 3:00pm 7:00pm Prayer - Parlor 23 24 CAMP WALK THIS WAY 11:30am - 3:00pm CAMP WALK THIS WAY 11:30am - 3:00pm 29 Open Table VBS Deli Sandwiches, Chips & Watermelon 25 4:00pm Journey Class Cookout @ Pete & Kristen Wages 6:30 Pot Pourri Galaxy Diner Pasta w/ Red & White Sauce, Salad YA Lunch Galla's 6:00pm Adult Bible Study Room 204 6:00pm Young Adults Ice Cream Sundae Party 7:00pm Prayer - Parlor 6:00pm Adult Bible Study Room 204 19 11 30 Open Table VBS Note: The Kitchen will be closed on July 6th and July 15th for a summer break. No dinners those nights.