Jan 2015_January newsletter.pub

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Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“BUILDING TO GROW, GROWING TO SERVE”
January 2015
Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“Building to Grow….Growing to Serve”
Rev. J. Keith Newell, Pastor, 828-342-6077
5929 Coble Church Road
Liberty, North Carolina 27298
(336) 685-4093
Pastor: [email protected]
Church: [email protected]
Editor: [email protected]
In His Service
Ushers
Brian Smith
Curtis York
Offering Counters
James Amidon
John Ferrell
Greeters
4—Kevin & Brenda
Shepard
11—Mike & Karen Andrews
18—Richard & Lorraine
Coble
25—Brett & Teresa Wagner
Nursery -Worship Service
4—Carrie Caligan
11—Diana Euliss
18—Kelley Kimrey
25—Nancy Fisher
Children’s Church
4—Tammy Russell
11—Wendy Lowe
18—Carrie Caligan
25—Melody Smith
Communion Servers
5—Chris Bowman & Paige
Garland, Will Holt
Sunday Building Inspector
Bryan Bowman
To Ponder
“There isn’t a person any-
where who isn’t capable of
doing more than he thinks he
can.”
~Henry Ford
(1863-1947) American
January 2015 Newsletter
From the Halls of Pleasant Union …
If you're like most people, in a few days you may begin making some resolutions for the coming year. Perhaps, you'll lose weight, exercise more, watch less
television, or spend more time with God. The problem with resolutions is that
they're only skin deep. You make a proclamation and then you use your willpower
to try to fulfill it. The Bible says that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Although our intentions are good, we lack the wherewithal or persistence to stick with
our new year's resolutions for the long haul and within days, weeks, or even months
we're right back where we started. Zechariah 4:6 declares "It's not by power, not by
might, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." It is through God's Spirit that we
are to accomplish our purposes and goals. In John 15:5 Jesus tells us, "I am the
vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears
much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Philippians 4:13 says, "We can
do all things through Christ who strengthens us."
These scriptures demonstrate that the responsibility to change or to fulfill
our desires (or resolutions) isn't based entirely upon our will, but God's Spirit living
in us. God knows that we are weak, but in our weakness, he is strong. It is in our
own frailty that we surrender and turn the reins over to God. When we acknowledge
our weaknesses and inability to change ourselves and surrender ourselves to God,
the architect and molder of our lives as well as our hearts, we become the clay in
God's loving and wise hands. Therefore, our resolutions must change from seeking
after a desired outcome to seeking after God.
In Matthew 6 Jesus instructs: "Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or
'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans (unbelievers) run
after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But
seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to
you as well."
The bottom line is this: there are no short-cuts to spiritual maturity and an
intimate relationship with the Lord. God said that you will seek me and find me
when you search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). God will lead us in the
right direction. And you'll find that the more you seek after God, the less these peripheral things will matter, for when we are full of God, there is not much room for
anything false or fake.
May each of us let whatever needs, resolutions, or desires that we have,
cause us to go deeper in Christ in 2015. Use these 8 steps to go deeper in God this
New Year.
1—Be still before the Lord and know that he is God and that he really does
have everything under control. Learn to silence all thoughts and eliminate all emotions that pull you from resting under the shadow of the almighty.
2—Stop trying to fill your hunger and anxiety with things that can't satisfy.
Instead, ask God to fill the voids in your life with his love, mercy, and grace.
3—Enter into God's rest. The Bible says that he can do exceedingly abun-
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Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“BUILDING TO GROW, GROWING TO SERVE”
dantly above all we can ask for or think. The only thing he needs from us is faith, trust, and
obedience.
4—Keep your eyes on Jesus instead of your circumstances. The scripture says, "I will
keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon me."(Isaiah 26:3). Jesus is the answer
to every problem you are facing. Continually bring your attention back to his love, power, and
faithfulness.
5—Meditate on the Lord day and night. Joshua 1:8 tells us that this is the surest way
to success in God. Meditate on the word, meditate on his goodness, and meditate on his love.
Spend time in God's presence, the place where we can touch the hem of his garment and be
made whole.
6—Hide God's word in your heart. God's word is true and powerful and can't return
void. Let his word be the fuel that drives you. Ask God to help you memorize His Word.
7—Eliminate any attitudes or mindsets that grieve or limit the work of the Spirit in your
life. Become an instrument of God's love. The Bible says that God is love; that love never fails,
that perfect love casts out fear, and that we are made perfect in love. Want to become more
like God, then let love motivate your every action.
8—Take every concern to God. The Word of God tells us to cast every care upon Him
because he cares for us(I Peter 5:7). Too often we will tell everybody but God our problems.
But something supernatural happens when we turn every care over to God. He actually takes
them and leaves us with his peace instead. A peace that passes all understanding.
The result of going deeper in God will result in a new you, a healthier you, a more joyful and content you. If you only have one new year’s resolution, let it be to surrender yourself
more fully to the living and transforming power of God and to let him do the work he wants to
do in you and through you.
In Christ’s love,
Pastor Keith Newell
**************************
From Will Holt
Think how you can apply this story for yourself in 2015—
Two men were chopping down trees in the forest for firewood.
One man was young and energetic. Without a doubt, he thought he could cut down
plenty more trees than the older gentleman. After a few hours of work, he noticed that
with all of his efforts, the older man still had cut more trees. This made the young man
work even harder. The young man then began to notice that the old man took fifteenminute breaks every hour. After the day was over, the older man had cut down nearly
double as many trees as the younger gentleman. “How,” asked the young man, “could
you cut more trees down and still take breaks? I worked so much harder and never
stopped.” The older man replied, “Easy, I stopped to sharpen my axe.”
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
◊ “You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” —Aristotle
◊ “Quality is not an act. It is a habit.” —Aristotle
◊ “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” —Helen Keller
January 2015
Think About these
Quotations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“The clearest way into
the universe is through
a forest wilderness.”
John Muir (1838-1914)
Scottish American
“To be nobody but
yourself—in a world
which is doing its
best, night and day,
to make you everybody else—means to
fight the hardest battle which any human
being can fight; and
never stop fighting.”
e.e. Cummings
(1894-1962) American
“This is the day that the
Lord has made. Let us
rejoice and be glad in
it.” Psalm 118:24
“Sometimes we have
to go far in order to
come home.”
Henry Nouwen
(1932-1996)
“We owe our children a
better future. We owe
our country a better
future. And for all those
who dream of that future tonight, I say—let
us begin the work together. Let us unite in
common effort to chart
a new course for America.”
Barack Obama
(1961-) American
Prayer Concerns: Ruby Shepard, Jan Gailey, Ruth Hicks, Vicky Amidon, Norma Shepard, Diana Williams, Ethel
Henwood, Larry & Sharon Pernell, Clark & Celeste Causey, Earnest Jones, Ronda Shepard, Martha Sather,
Susie Cook, Peggy Gentle, Belinda Blake, Thelma Gordon, Lauren Woytisek, Yvonne Oxley, Ada Sanders,
Bobby Shoffner, Janet Howard, Michael Fitzgerald, Nancy Allen, Lisa Hopkins, Futrell Lowe, Rick Church, Fred
Jacques, Gloria Mejia, Edward McDonald, Nicole Twiddy, George Carter, Johnny Key, Pam Griffith, Becky
Sparks, Tom White, Marie Evans, Family of George Carter (Tammy Graves’ Father), Unspoken.
Happy New Year—2015!
Remember Every Day!
“For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.”
—Ralph Emerson (1803 –1882) American
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Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“BUILDING TO GROW, GROWING TO SERVE”
January 2015
The Joy Club (Just Older Youth) will meet at the church on Tuesday morning,
January 6th, at 9:30 a.m. to travel to Moriah Church for the regular monthly meeting.
The United Methodist Men will meet January 5th.
The United Methodist Women. The United Methodist Women will meet at the
church Tuesday, January 20th, at 7:30 pm.
Want more info? Contact, Patricia Shoffner the 2015 President.
Mission Moments...Many Thanks
Members of Pleasant Union
Thank you Pleasant Union for all the monetary donations for Church & Society this month. These collections
will go to friends and families that live in our area or we may go to church with and will be used for immediate or urgent
needs.
As of December 18th, this has been a quieter month than last year, but since it is only the middle of the month,
I am reluctant to comment. However, if anyone knows of a need in our community now or in the future, please let me
know.
In the past few weeks, we have contributed 150 pairs of gloves and 150 toboggans to the homeless located under the bridge in Greensboro, NC. We have helped with a light bill so the power would not be cut off and the family
would be warm for a while.
We are helping out with personal hygiene items and paper products for 18 families in the community that would
not be covered with food stamps.
In 2013 we had 1261pounds of peanut butter and this year we have 1436 lbs—175 pound increase. Thank you
Pleasant Union for all of your donations. Let’s keep up the great work for 2015 and try to help those in need!
~ Betty York, Church and Society Committee
#####
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 –“ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also
reap generously. Each person should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God
loves a cheerful giver.”
I think that God is smiling because Pleasant Union United Methodist Church has been such cheerful givers for
2014. The Missions Committee has given you many opportunities to share out of your abundance and you have responded generously to every project. We try very hard to balance our giving between local, district, conference and international areas.
Locally and in Greensboro, we donate funds to: The Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine, Urban Ministries,
Sanctuary House (for Mental Illness), Faith Action International House, Hispanic Ministry, Chrysalis and Methodist
Counseling Center, Mental Health Association (Operation Santa Claus), and Interactive Resource Center for a total of
$3,200. On the conference level we give money to Red Bird Mission, Western NC Building Team supplies, UMAR,
Wings of Caring (plane for Congo), Mission Response Center Coordinator and the WNCC Mission Response Center for
a total of $2,600. Internationally, we help support Alina Keyse (GBGM) in Central America, Diengenga Trade School
and African scholarships, the Fellowship of 1,000 for Armenia, Project AGAPE, Heifer Project, Bolivia fund, Guatemala
Stove and water project and the Central Congo Conference needs for a total of $3,700.
Some of the many projects we have asked for your help have included:
♦ Feeding the homeless at the Winter Emergency Shelter at West Market Street UMC
♦ The AGAPE collections in April and September with canned food, clothes, new shoes and school supplies, as well as
shoe boxes
♦ The May and October collections for the Dept. of Social Services—diapers, wipes, gift cards to fast food eating places
♦ Funds for the Clean water/stove project in Guatemala (Read Charlie Causey’s report in the Nov. issue). He and Pam
along with a group of 20 volunteers installed 163 stoves and distributed that many water filters.
♦ Samaritan’s Purse Shoe boxes – you filled 64 this year
♦ Christmas gifts for Mental Health patients
♦ The Silent Auction in April and Nov. which goes for scholarships to go on a mission trip
♦ We know of 41 Mission Teams (groups of 3 or more) that have gone beyond the walls of our church to serve others.
This includes the youth and their Asheville and New York trips. We have had groups feeding the homeless and others
feeding Habitat workers; some delivered Mobile Meals and some cooked and served meals for the Allied Churches in
Burlington; some have provided cake for a birthday bash at Clapp’s Nursing Home. As you can see, the list is long and
great. We have been faithful in many things—we give God the glory for His blessings and have given joyfully with our
prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness. Thanks Be to God! Thank you, Pleasant Union, for being
a mission-minded church!
~ Patricia Shoffner, Missions Committee Chairperson
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Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“BUILDING TO GROW, GROWING TO SERVE”
Thanks and Praises for our Youth
*********
Christmas Eve Service
January 2015
Usher Duties
The Usher Schedule changes every month,
which means many people carry out these duties
If you missed the Christmas Eve Candle Light and throughout the year. This is a “refresher” to remind
Communion Service, you missed a special treat from
ushers of the many responsibilities they have before,
the Pleasant Union young people. These youth played during, and after the worship service.
instruments or sang Christmas music and did an ex► Opening Sanctuary doors before and after the
cellent job—Marie Amidon played piano (“I Heard the service
Bells” and “Rudolph”). Sydney Amidon played piano
► Assist visitors and members with seating
(“Greensleeves”). A trio with Bob Grimm, Debbie
► Remain in the Narthex until the end of first hymn
Foust, and Robert Hinshaw sang “Mary Did you
► Receive offerings
Know?” Chase and Mia Shoffner sang.
► Help monitor to assure leaders for Children’s
Daniel Wray played and sang.
Church
Pastor Keith Newell led this service with Lighting
► Conduct random security checks of the building
the Advent Wreath, greetings, prayers of Christmas,
during the worship service
special music, scripture, and a short message. After
► Assist with directing congregation during Comthe Sacrament of Holy Communion and the “Lighting
munion
of the Candles” the service concluded with the audi► Be aware of the needs of elder members
ence singing “Silent Night”. The postlude was the
► Serve as required for special events
singing of “Joy to the World”.
► Be responsible for additional seating as needed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
► If unable to serve, please call one of the alterOur thanks to the Judy Keck and her Worship
nates so a replacement in in place before the time of
Committee for their hard work in making this year’s
the service.
Advent and Christmas worship so
Thank you for your service.
meaningful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* * * * * *
Pleasant Union has Lots to
Fun for Lexophiles (Lovers of Words)
Praise...The many talented youth 1. A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.
from kindergarten through college
grace our services and shine with
their abilities. I like to think the
“Just Older Youth” have taught
the younger ones quite well! No
one seems to have idle hands—all
have worked together to make a very memorable Advent
Season for our church. Let us continue the momentum
as we move into the first month of 2015. Best Wishes
to all.
Many Thanks and Please Keep Up
the Momentum
To all of you who helped make my 2014
editorship of the Pleasant Union newsletter
a smooth ride, I give many, many thanks.
It’s always hard to find enough words and
just the right ones to adequately express
appreciation of such magnitude...so I’ll just
repeat myself and say again “Many Thanks”. Then I’ll follow up and ask that you keep up the good work and the momentum we’ve begun. All of you sent items in, either early
or on time, for this issue even though it was smack in the
middle of the Christmas Season. So with such a record, we
might as well keep the pace and keep schedule for the
whole year...here we come 2015!
~ Sarah Shoffner
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
A will is a dead giveaway.
Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
A backward poet writes inverse.
A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.
When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully
recovered.
You are stuck with your debt if you can’t budge it.
He broke into song because he couldn’t find the key.
A calendar’s days are numbered.
A boiled egg is hard to beat.
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
The short fortune teller who escaped from prison: a
small medium at large.
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
When you’ve seen one shopping center you’ve seen a
mall.
If you jump off a Paris bridge, you are in Seine.
When she saw her first strands of grey hair, she
thought she’d dye.
Santa’s helpers are subordinate clauses.
Acupuncture: a job well done.
Marathon runners with bad shoes suffer the agony of
de feet.
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Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“BUILDING TO GROW, GROWING TO SERVE”
January 2015
Greetings and News from the United
Methodist Women
Tuesday, January 20, 2015—our first
meeting of the new year at 7:30 pm in the Meeting Room. We invite all women of the church to
start out the new year with us. We will put the
final touches on plans for the Brunswick &
Chicken Stew/Bake Sale which is January 24th—
please put this date on your calendar. We always
look forward to this event and how our church
members jump in to help make it a success! Look
for notices in the Sunday bulletins—we will be
asking for help from the congregation for supplies
and items for the bake sale.
Watch for the clip boards and other opportunities to help—sign up for something!
More thoughts as we make resolutions and
set goals for the new year!
For everything that was written in the
past was written to teach us, so that through
the endurance taught in the Scriptures and
the encouragement they provide we might
have hope.
~ Romans 15:4
###
Birthdays and
Anniversaries in January
1—Clay Rousey
2—Brian McManus
3—Kim & Von Clapp
5—Brad Johnson
Rheydyn Russell (2010)
6—Ann Butler
7—Jordan Shepard Sharpe
9—Ray Fisher
Sally Queen
11—Betsy Grimm
12—Tyler Garrett
13—Gloria Rouse
14—Lauren Hutchens
15—Catherine Shepard
Notes from the Worship Committee
“Thank you” to everyone who participated in all
the advent readings. I believe everyone received a
positive, encouraging message from them all.
I want to also thank the “candle angels” who
put together the candles for the Christmas Eve Candlelight Ceremony.
Stay tuned for a Worship Committee meeting
to plan the beginning of 2015—Carrie Williams and
Ronda Shepard are co-chairs.
Blessings,
Judy Keck
If we are willing to work for it, and fight
for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to
look back and tell our children that this was the
moment...when we came together to remake this
great nation so that it may always reflect our very
best selves and our highest ideals.
~ Barack Obama (1961-)
###
The best preparedness is the one that disarms the hostility of other nations and makes
friends of them.~ Helen Keller (1880-1968) American
16—Dan Johnson
Ben Johnson
17—Joan Ferrell
Jeanette Moore
18—Matthew Clapp
20—Jason Fraley
22—Brenda Shoffner
Tanner Phillip Planes (2001)
23—Ray & Nancy Fisher
Jan Brittain
24—Logan Lowe (2002)
26—Adam Staley
Ferne & Bill Dickey
27—Nicole Layton (2006)
30—Karen Andrews
Daniel Wray
Tammy Yow-Russell
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Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“BUILDING TO GROW, GROWING TO SERVE”
January 2015
Calling ALL Lay Servants!
Where are you on your faith journey?
Our Northern Piedmont Lay Servant Training School is being
held the last weekend in February and the first weekend in
March at Guilford College UMC. The Saturday sessions will
be from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.. The first Sunday session will take place from 2
p.m. until 5 p.m. and the second Sunday session will begin at 2 p.m. and last until 6
p.m. to allow us to celebrate in a closing worship service.
I would particularly encourage anyone who would like to “grow their faith” to
attend these sessions. I offer a special invitation to any young person who wants
to know more about how they fit into serving God and their fellow man in lay service. There will be a Youth Basic course offered especially for you.
These are the other courses that will be offered this year: Adult Basic;
Social Principles; Biblical Interpretation; Preaching; United Methodist History;
Story Telling; Relational Evangelism and Spiritual Gifts. As you can see, there is
quite a variety in the areas of personal interest. I will be working with the Spiritual Gifts class which is near and dear to my heart.
If you have any feeling that God is asking you to give more of yourself or is
calling you to do ANYTHING, I will promise you that this opportunity will enrich
your faith journey. You could possibly identify and learn more about your call. God
will not give up on you!
We have several members of Pleasant Union who have attended this training
most recently: Waynette York, Ferne Dickey, Lindley Smith and Jerry
Toms. Please feel at ease in talking with any us about our personal experiences at
the training school. Pastor Keith and I will have the registration forms in January.
I take the responsibility of working with these talented and gifted servants
very seriously. We would all appreciate your prayers for the leaders and the individuals who will be touched in one way or the other during the sessions.
In HIS service,
Tim Shepard, Lay Leader *
(336-685-4280)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Lindley Smith is Lay Leader for 2015 (336-697-1690); Jerry Toms is the
Associate Lay Leader for 2015 (336-430-9399)
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Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“BUILDING TO GROW, GROWING TO SERVE”
Announcements
€ € € Flower Chart for 2015—The 2015 Flower
Chart has now been posted in the hall near the sanctuary. If you have a special date on which you wish to
place flowers on the altar, please sign up now. If you
prefer, you may call Jeanette Moore at 685-0836, or
email her at [email protected], give her the date
you want, and she’ll fill it in for you if it is still available.
€ € € The Upper Room—The January/February
copy of the Upper Room is now available in the Narthex.
Be sure to pick up your copy.
€ € € Trustees Committee—These are your Pleasant Union Trustees: Brian Smith, Chair 2015, Winfield
Causey (2016), R. W. Hinshaw (16), Don York (17), Pam
Causey (17), Jimmy Jarrett (15), Walter Pate (15), Pam
Callicutt (16), Margaret Hemphill (17).
€ € € Leadership List—The complete Pleasant
Union Leadership List for 2015 is available. The following committee chairs are the Church Council:
~ Charles Callicutt, Church Council Chair
~ Beth Ritchie, Church Council Vice-Chair
~ Debbie Foust, Secretary
~ Lindley Smith, Lay Leader
~ Jerry Toms, Assoc. Lay Leader
~ Jane Causey, Treasurer
~ Brenda Shoffner, Assistant Treasurer
~ Dee Ann Staley, Financial Secretary
~ Paige Garland, Assistant Financial Secretary
~ Brent Caligan, Finance Chair
~ Terry Howard, Audit Committee Chair
~ Norma Shepard, Membership Secretary
~ Tim Shepard, Pastor Parish Relations Chair
~ Don Scholl, Evangelism Chair
~ Carrie Caligan, Education Chair
~ Nancy Fisher, Duke Student Committee Chair
~ Wendy Lowe, Sunday School Superintendent
~ Ronda Shepard & Carrie Williams, Worship Co-Chairs
~ Brett & Teresa Wagner, Family Ministries Co-chairs
~ Angie Allred, Youth Ministries Coordinator and
UMYF Counselor—HS
~ Betty York, Church & Society Chair
~ Brian Smith, Trustees Chair
~ Nancy Fisher, Conference Delegate
~ Lindley Smith, 1st alternate Conference Delegate
~ John Ferrell, UMM President
~ Patricia Shoffner, UMW President
~ Mable Hinshaw, Youth Representative HS
~ Chase Shoffner, Youth Representative MS
~ Sarah Shoffner, Communications Coordinator
~ Bryan Bowman, Cemetery Committee
~ Jeanette Moore, Church Secretary
~ Joan Ferrell & Jeanette Moore, Older Adult Coordinators
~ Tammy Graves, UMYF Counselor—MS
~ Terry Howard, Mission Committee
~ Diana Euliss, Historian
~ Howard Holt, Safe Sanctuaries Interviewer
Welcome and Thanks for Serving!
January 2015
*****
Did you Know?
€ € € It’s Stew Time Again—January 25th is
sale day for Pleasant Union’s Brunswick / Chicken
Stew. But much goes on before the sale
day...Soon the clip boards will be circulating so
you can sign up to donate items for the stew
(vegetables, etc.) or baked goods (candies, cookies, cakes, breads, etc.) to sell when folks come
to buy their stew. Workers will be needed too.
Please mark your calendars for this important
date. Both stews will be available again this year
for $6.00 a quart.
€ € € You can Always Consider a Building
Fund Gift—Even though the move-in for the PU
Parsonage was two years ago, we still repaying
the loan. If you did not donate during the Advent/
Christmas season, donations are welcome anytime in 2015.
This is an investment in our church’s future.
Gifts of Thanks
◘◘◘
€ € € Thanks from Robert Hinshaw—
“Thanks to all who participated in the Cantata on
Sunday, December 21st—to the choir members and
Terry Shoffner for the good job you did presenting
"Night of Wonder". The hard work paid off!”
“Also, I appreciate the young people's participation
in making the Christmas Eve Service a truly memorable and meaningful experience. All of you are appreciated more than words can say.”
€ € € Thanks to All Committee Members—In
addition to committee chairpersons many PU members serve on our 11 committees along with 6 Work
Committee / Teams
◘◘◘
€ € € Notes— Our Church and Society mission
continues to help people who have many needs.
Please mark your 2015 calendar for the 5th Sundays
during the year when we will collect a love offering
to support the many people needing assistance in
the community. The following dates in 2015 will be
5th Sundays: March 29, May 31, August 30, and November 29. “Thank you” to everyone for your continued support!
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Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“BUILDING TO GROW, GROWING TO SERVE”
Youth Activities
Pleasant Union Youth have been very active all year...here are just a few of the things
they accomplished in 2014:
◘
Sang and played instruments in the
Christmas Eve Service
◘
Made delicious chocolate pies for fund
raiser
◘
Sponsored a float in the Liberty Christmas Parade...rode in the mist and rain
◘
Helped with “Trunk or Treat”
◘
Worked with Vacation Bible School
◘
Servers at the Steak Supper
◘
Had a Lock-In
◘ Presented a Christmas Play and
exhibited superb acting skills.
◘
Sponsored a Pancake Breakfast during
Advent
◘
Participated in church services
◘
Went to Work on Service Projects in
New York City
#####
Food for Thought in 2015
I asked for peace.
You offered your presence.
I asked for hope. You came to my side.
I asked for joy. You lit my journey.
I asked for love. You gave me yourself.
~ David Adam (Contemporary) English
###
Every individual has a place to fill in the
world, and is important, in some respect,
whether he chooses to be so or not.
~ Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)
American
###
In the sweetness of friendship let there
be laughter and sharing of pleasures. For
in the dew of little things the heart finds its
morning and is refreshed.
~ Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)
###
It is easier to fight for one’s principles than
to live up to them.
~ Alfred Adler
January 2015
Did You Know?
♦ Stew Day is Coming—The United Methodist
Women are gearing up to sell Brunswick and
Chicken Stew on Saturday, January 24, 2015. Quart
sales will begin at 10:00 a.m. It will sell for $6.50 per
quart—first come. They will also provide a Bake
Sale and will be asking for donations early in January. One half of the profit will be given to the Building
Fund in an effort to pay down our loan on the parsonage. Everyone’s help will be appreciated!
♦ Pleasant Union Worship Attendance—These
are the attendance records for the past four Sundays:
Nov 30th—160 with 4 visitors (Kimberly Rush (Jeremy
Jarrett's friend); Jennifer Ledford (Joan's daughter); Nyisha
Lewis (she sat between Joann & Delan Huwe and Keith &
Tammy Graves; Maria Mejia (Patricia Layton’s sister)
Dec 7th—160 with 4 visitors (Maria Mejia (Patricia
Layton's sister); Brooke Reynolds (Matthew Clapp's friend);
Bess & Tory Hilliard (Brenda Shoffner's daughter & Granddaughter)
Dec 14th—163 with 1 visitor (Alexis Conn Kyla McDonald's Friend)
Dec 21st—160 with 7 visitors (Fernando & Lulu
Vasques 4104 Brookwood Acres, Randleman, NC
[email protected]; George Anne Pons (Annette Toms’
mother), Brad, Lisa, Jaycie, & Lily Bolton
#####
Thoughts for Beginning a New Year
A Rerun from January 2014
Well Worth Revisiting!
One day at a time—this is enough. Do not look
back and grieve over the past for it is gone, and do not
be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come.
Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will
be worth remembering.
~ Ida Scott Taylor (1901-1985) American
###
If I were to begin life again, I should want it as it
was. I would only open my eyes a little more.
~ Jules Renard (1864-1910) French
###
The world needs dreamers, the world needs
Doers. But most of all the world needs dreamers who
do.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
###
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for
which God has called me…
~ Philippians 3:14 NIV
Page 9
Pleasant Union United Methodist Church
“BUILDING TO GROW, GROWING TO SERVE”
January 2015
January 2015
Sunday
Monday
28
29
Tuesday
Wednesday
30
31
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
3
8
9
10
15
16
17
22
23
24
Happy New
Year
No Choir
Practice
7:30 pm
5
11
12
Pick up
Newsletter in
Narthax
13
14
Administrative
Council
7:30 pm
Committees
plan yearly
events
Choir Practice
7:30 pm
19
Newsletter Copy
Due—February
issue
25
Choir Practice
7:30 pm
Methodist
Men
6:30 pm
Children’s
Coin Offering
for Disaster
Response
18
7
JOY Club
Meet 9:30 am
at PU to go to
Moriah UMC
Communion
Service
Servers:
Paige Garland
Chris Bowman
6
26
20
UMWomen
7:30 pm
27
21
UMW
Brunswick /
Chicken Stew
and Bake Sale
10:00 a.m.
Choir Practice
7:30 pm
28
Choir Practice
7:30 pm
29
30
Announcements:
4
31
Building to Grow, Growing to
Serve
January 2015
Sarah Moore Shoffner
6078 Old 421 Road
Liberty, NC 27298
This Newsletter may be down loaded from our Web Site
http://www.pleasantunionumc.com
On the Internet
IGNITING MINISTRIES!
OPEN HEARTS,
OPEN MINDS,
OPEN DOORS!
WE ARE
THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH!