April Newsletter and Calendar - First United Methodist Church of

First United Methodist Church
of Warren & Bristol
Beacon
April 2015 Edition
Dear Fellow-travelers,
As we enter into the days of Holy Week and Easter, we are going up to Jerusalem with the
Lord focusing our awareness upon the Cross. Lent, especially Holy Week, challenges us to
re-build the relationship between our lives and the life, suffering, death, and finally the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Each one of us experiences anxiety, fear, powerlessness, pain, sickness, uncertainty, and the
death of a beloved one. These experiences are the reminders that our lives are limited. And
somewhere in the future each of us is the unknown time, place, and circumstance of our own
death. All of these seriously invite us to meditate upon the implications of suffering and death
in our own lives and their relationship to Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. In other
words, our human condition presses us to think about the ultimate meaning of our existence.
However, we sometimes seem to overlook the struggle of Jesus and think that Jesus went to
His suffering and death in a very unfeeling way. We think that the crucifixion was simply
something Jesus had to do in order to accomplish the work of redemption. When we take this
attitude, we are ignoring the true meaning of His passion. We miss the full importance and
impact of the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.
If you have missed Lenten journey up to now, that’s fine. But I truly, truly suggest that you
give serious thought to the meaning of Holy Week, a deepening and a renewal of your personal
relationship with the Lord through your honest and humble
evaluation of your need for conversion before the Lord. If we do
not participate in His final steps to the Cross, the Easter would
not become our story, and the Risen Christ would not be the
source of our Hope and Joy.
I would encourage you prayerfully be with the Lord in Holy
Week, at the Last Supper table, the Garden of Gethsemane, and
the Cross. You may witness the Empty Tomb, and finally
encounter with the Risen Lord.
Prayerfully in the Lord,
Moo
Potluck
&
Service:
Easter Services:
All are invited at 6:00 PM on Thursday, April 2nd for a
potluck supper (please bring your favorite dish to
share). We will break bread together in Fellowship
Hall and join in a Tenebrae worship service together at
7:00 PM. Please join us in this candlelight moving
service that captures the last days of Christ’s journey to
the cross.
Prayer Time:
Our sanctuary will be open
from 12:00 – 1:00 PM on
Good Friday (April 3rd)
for prayer. All are
welcome to come at their
convenience during this
period and sit in quiet mediation at the altar rails or in
the pews.
There will be a sunrise service at Burr’s
Hill at 6:15 AM led by Rod Ayers. This is
always a moving time as the light of God
fills the sky and the surrounding neighbors
venture out to join us in celebration of the
risen savior. Dress warmly and
comfortably. All are welcome!
Easter Egg
Hunt/Party:
Join us on Saturday, April 4th at 10 AM
for an Easter Egg celebration lovingly
coordinated by Katherine Rulon and our
church family. The event is free and
open to the community for children ages
12 and under. We will meet in
Fellowship Hall to dye eggs and then
gather on the
parsonage grounds for
an egg hunt.
Participants are
requested to bring a
basket. Please help
spread the word!
Please come and enjoy the Easter message
of hope by Rev. Byungmoo Lee at our
worship service at 11:00 AM. Join us in
lively, triumphant music amid Easter
flowers as we gather in joyful
remembrance of Christ’s resurrection.
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ
at the Warren/Bristol Methodist
Church:
Somewhere I once heard:
"Jesus came to comfort the afflicted,
and to afflict the comfortable." It
struck me as I left worship today at
your church (March 15), that this is
what happened to me.
The music during worship -offered up by Joanne Dahmer, Allyson Ayers, and the Praise Team -- is
very comforting. It lifts my spirit,
and I am transformed (if only momentarily) to a place of peace and
contentment before God. It brings
healing to my afflicted soul.
The sermon during worship -offered up by Rev. Lee, sharing interesting stories, times of laughter,
and keen insight into the Gospel
and the human condition -- shakes
me out of my comfort zone. (Afflicts
the comfortable.) I realize that I am
laughing at myself. I realize that
the shoe fits me. I am challenged to
come out of my comfort zone, to live
the Gospel, and to find true peace.
Thank you again for allowing
me to worship with you. Keep up
the good work. And do not grow
weary in your well-doing.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Clinton L. Barlow
Special thanks to Allyson Ayers for her
beautiful Lenten altar installation and
for making the new banners that flank
our front doors in the foyer.
Special thanks to Rick Norman &
Joanne Dahmer for their leadership &
culinary skills at our Annual Gourmet
Roast Pork Dinner. We would also like
to extend our sincere thanks to all who
contributed to making the event a
success. This was truly a church wide
effort. God bless you!
First United
Methodist Church of
Warren & Bristol
Calendar of Events
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
1
7:30 PM
Al Anon
Thu
2
6:00 PM
Potluck Supper
7:00 PM
Tenebrae Good
Friday Service
5
Easter &
Communion
Sunday
6
7
8
7:00 PM Choir
11:00 AM
6:30 PM Church
Rehearsal
Women’s Group Council Meeting
9
7:30 PM
Al Anon
6:15 AM Sunrise
Service at Burr’s
Hill
Fri
3
12-1:00 PM
Sanctuary
Open for Prayer
& Reflection
10
12:00 PM
Fellowship
Luncheon at
BUMC; All
invited.
Sat
4
8:15 AM AA
10:00 AM
Easter Egg
PartyHunt
11
8:15 AM AA
8:00 PM
Church Street
Coffeehouse
10:00 AM
Sunday School
11:00 AM
Resurrection
Service in
Sanctuary
12
10:00 AM
Sunday School
13
14
15
16
17
18
20
21
22
23
24
25
27
28
29
30
7:00 PM Choir
11:00 AM
Rehearsal
Women’s Group
7:30 PM
Al Anon
8:15 AM AA
11:00 AM
Worship Service
19
10:00 AM
Sunday School
7:00 PM Choir
11:00 AM
Rehearsal
Women’s Group
7:30 PM
Al Anon
11:00 AM
Worship Service
26
10:00 AM
Sunday School
11:00 AM
Worship Service
7:00 PM Choir
11:00 AM
Rehearsal
Women’s Group
7:30 PM
Al Anon
8:15 AM AA
The birds serenade so sweetly,
They bring music to my ears.
The grass is alive and green.
I think a little of Heaven is hear.
Made By Your Own Touch
~Shirley Hile Powell
Oh, Lord, the earth is so beautiful
When springtime comes around.
The magnificent, glorious colors
Are everywhere to be found.
All of Nature comes alive in Spring.
Oh, what a gift from You.
I breathe the clear and fragrant air
And gaze at the sky of blue.
Thank you, God, for the springtime
That I love so very much.
I know that all of the beauty
Was made by Your own touch.
The lilac bush and redbud trees
And dogwoods are all aglow.
The little stream that barely trickled
Is now a steady flow.
Karen P.
Karen F.
Helene B.
Bob D.
Emily H.
Tina C.
Dawn B.
Barbara B.
Margaret C.
Gladys H.
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.
~Colossians 4:2
Beacon
April 2015
First United Methodist Church of
Warren/Bristol
Rev. Byungmoo Lee
25 Church Street
Warren, RI 02885
Office Hours:
Pastor: Tuesday & Thursday from 10 AM—1 PM by
appointment
Secretary: From Barrington UMC Monday-Friday:
2-3:15 PM
You can also call during BUMC’s Office Hours
(Monday-Friday from 10 AM—2 PM) at 245-2385.
Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM
Church: 401-245-8474
Parsonage: 401-247-9702
Church Website: umcwarrenbristol.org
Pastor: [email protected]
Secretary: [email protected]
Lovingly mailed with prayers and blessings to: