Dear Members and Friends of Waterville United Methodist Church,
Please continue to pray for the following folks:
Lowell Crabtree, father of Pam Denman, recovering from infection following heart surgery and has returned to his home
Sally Waggoner - suffered a stroke, now in rehab
Alta Damron - heart and lung issues
Natalie Przybylski
Sharon Schulte - mother of Char Hansen who has some reoccurring issues
John Scheub - lymphoma
Pastor Mike and Pam
Paul Hem - pneumonia - in ICU on ventilator in Hawaii
Elaine Colyer - recovering from shoulder surgery
Wayne and Barb Strayer - His Mother’s death on Tuesday night
Skip Decker - father of Church Cathy, who is hospitalized in Omaha with kidney infection and gall stones
Our May Mission Focus is The Week of Hope Community Service Youth Mission Trip. Fourteen youth and four adults will be serving in Cincinnati, Ohio with Group Mission Trips from June 25-30 this year. In addition to these folks, we also have two of our youth that have been going on mission trips since seventh grade will be on staff with Group this year. Youth and adults may serve homeless with volunteers at a community garden, teach dance and literature to inner-city children at a local gospel mission, pack/sort supplies for needy families in developing nations, lead activities for inner-city youth at local Boys & Girls Club, prep food and take meals to feeding locations and interact with the kids, and help elderly at Assisted Living Centers with activities, games, and other needs. Mission envelopes are available in the pew racks.
The Prayer Group will meet at 9:00 a.m. this Sunday.
Adult Bible Study - Deep within you lies the same faith and longing that sent Peter walking across the wind-swept Sea of Galilee toward Jesus. In what ways is the Lord telling you, as he did Peter, “Come”? Author John Ortberg invites you to consider the incredible potential that awaits you outside your comfort zone. Out on the risky waters of faith, Jesus is waiting to meet you in ways that will change you forever, deepening your character and your trust in God. The experience is terrifying. It is thrilling beyond belief. It is everything you’d expect of someone worthy to be called Lord. The choice is yours to know him as only a water-walker can, aligning yourself with God’s purpose for your life in the process. There’s just one requirement: If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat. This Bible Study will be meeting on Sunday mornings at 9:00, April 23 – June 25 and Tuesday evenings at 7:00, April 25 – June 27 in the Fireside Room.
Worship Service for Sunday, May 21:
Prelude by the Handbell Choir - In Christ Alone
Welcome -
Opening Prayer -
Call to Worship -
Song of Worship - Spirit of the Ling God
Children’s Moment -
Anthem - Sweet, Sweet Spirit
Scripture - John 14:15-21
Sermon - I Won’t Leave You As Orphans - Rev. Joel
Sharing God’s Tithes and Offerings
Offertory - All Creatures of Our God and King
Doxology -
Offertory and Dedication Prayer -
Prayers of God’s People -
The Lord’s Prayer -
Closing Hymn - He Is Exalted
Benediction
Sanctuary Choir Choral Benediction - God Will Make a Way
Postlude -
Liturgist - Dave Landis
We will have eleven Welcome A Neighbor bags that will need to be delivered to new residents in our area following worship on Sunday morning. They are on the table in the entryway along with a map that shows where the homes are located.
Sunday is the deadline for any articles/items that you want placed in the June issue of The Ambassador. You may send them to Janet at wumcjanet@watervilleumc.org
Your Fellowship Hosts for the month of May will be Cindy Box, Penny Greenlese and Terry Myers.
Fellowship hosts are still needed. All of the months are still available except for May and July.
Administrative Council update:
Council has approved a YMCA sponsorship for 5 years duration. This sponsorship gives WUMC a banner at the Waterville Y with our name on it, displayed in a prominent location for public recognition of our support. The sponsorship money goes towards scholarships for family memberships, camps, & classes for our local community members who can otherwise not afford them.
Building team updates:
A group of members on the Project Leadership team & Pastor Mike visited a local church, Blessed John XXIII, to learn more about their tremendous growth in membership while in their present multi-purpose facility. So successful that after just 8 years in this building, they have started on a huge expansion project. We thank Blessed John's Father Herb for sharing their success story with our group that day.
The Project Leadership team learned of an organization called "Building God's Way (BGW)." BGW is a Christian building organization that provides guidance or a full boat of services up to and including architectural, project management, construction, and building material supply. BGW wants to insure Christians are building for God’s purposes as well as building structures that can pay for themselves by being used as an income stream to help cover construction and operating costs. BGW says their organization can bring plan drawing costs in at 1/10th the traditional architect’s charges and up to 30% less total construction cost. BGW has 700+ Christian buildings under their belt which allows them a unique perspective and much experience in the process of church building.
Two members attended a seminar in Fairlawn, OH to learn more about this organization. They now have a great opportunity for our Administrative Council & Project Leadership team to meet 2 people from BGW's team. A BGW architect happened to be driving through town and the director of BGW's Ohio builder, Weaver Commercial Contractor, has agreed to drive here. The meeting is Friday May 19th at 11:30am.
We look forward to sharing an update after this meeting. In the meantime, please visit http://bgwservices.com/ to learn more about this organization.
Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes - Our collection items for the month of May will be “boy items” – tools, duct tape, flashlights and batteries, work gloves, wallets, handkerchiefs, ball glove, stuffed animal, small water bottles, deflated soccer balls and pumps or other balls and Matchbox or Hot Wheel cars. Let’s always remember that the most needed boxes are those for age 10-14 boys – please keep that in mind as you shop. Each month: Pray for shopping wisdom as you purchase these monthly items and the items for your own boxes for the collection in November. The Lord knows the children who will receive your gifts and He can guide your shopping adventures to exactly what will meet needs and give joy.
Bus Drivers Needed - With the growing numbers of our congregation moving into the Browning Masonic Complex, we would like to fully staff the number of people who would be willing to drive the Browning bus to and from our worship services on Sunday mornings. Paul Croy has graciously volunteered to head up this effort. If you would be willing to volunteer for this outreach project, please contact Paul at 419-261-5953.
Folded Flags in Triangle Display Boxes Needed - As part of our Memorial Day observance on Sunday, May 28, we would like to arrange the chancel area with the folded flags of service men and women. If you have such a flag at your house and would be willing to have it displayed that morning, please bring them to the church office by Wednesday, May 24. The flags will be securely stored in Pastor’s office. When you drop off your flag, please be sure and fill out one of the small blue information sheets and put your name on the bottom of the flag box. An insert will be made with the names of all the soldiers whose flags are displayed along with their service branch and in or during what conflict they served.
How Prepared is Your Family in the event of a disaster: fire, tornado, storm, personal injury or even death? Do you have copies of important legal documents, tax returns, birth certificates, wills, insurance policy numbers in a safe place? Do you have water and non-perishable food for 3 to 5 days? For you and your pets? Have you identified “safe rooms” or shelter areas for violent weather? The Maumee Watershed District is presenting “Connecting Neighbors”, a Disaster Ministry helping families be disaster-ready. Participants will be inspired to take action in order to prepare themselves, their households and others before and immediately following a disaster. This training will take place on Tuesday, May 23 from 6:30 – 8:45 p.m. at Bowling Green First UMC (1526 E. Wooster Street in Bowling Green.)
Project With a Purpose - During March through May 2017, the children in our Sunday School will be collecting pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of NW Ohio. Beginning Sunday, March 19, you will have the opportunity to pull the tabs off aluminum cans, and save them in a provided Ronald McDonald cardboard house. Return your houses to Waterville UMC by no later than Sunday, May 28. Our Sunday School kids will drop off the pull-tabs to our Waterville McDonald’s on Sunday, June 4. The tabs will be sold to a recycling station for the market price of recycled aluminum. They send a check to the Ronald McDonald House, and the funds are used for the guest food budget. Thank you for collecting the tabs!
Graduation Sunday - We will be honoring our graduates on Sunday, June 4. Graduates from high school, college, technical school, and higher education will be recognized during the church service. We will also have a time of celebration after the service in the fellowship hall. Stephanie Shelton is in need of the following information from our graduates: Name, school graduating from, and any future plans. This information will be listed in a special bulletin insert on June 4th. Also, if you would like to be included in the slideshow during the service, please get Stephanie about 8 photos of you (at different ages - infant to current) by May 21st. Please send the photos electronically to Stephanie at sshelton171@gmail.com Thank you!
Waterville Elementary Teacher Appreciation Lunch - We will once again honor the 60 teachers and staff at Waterville Elementary School on Tuesday, May 30th at 11:00 a.m. As before, we will need salads, desserts and helpers. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board outside the secretary’s office. Please consider being a part of this outreach ministry. Thank you!!!
Freedom School Volunteers Needed from June 19 –June 28 at Monroe Street UMC:
•CLASSROOM ASSISTANTS help teachers in the classrooms (9:00-noon). Come at 8:30 for Harambe, the opening circle time and enjoy the children!
• READING TUTORS read one-on-one or in small groups with children from 11a.m. till noon. Tutors should bring their own books to read, as well because at 11:45 until noon, everyone in the building stops to read!
• LUNCH BUDDIES bring your own sack lunch and eat and chat with the children while they eat lunch. Lunch begins at noon and ends with a group activity.
• ENRICHMENT VOLUNTEERS participate from 1:00-3:00 p.m. each afternoon in enrichment activities with the children. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the children will rotate through arts activities. On Tuesdays, they will be outside planting a butterfly garden. On Thursdays, they will participate in creative writing and music and other special events.
• FIELD TRIP CHAPERONES chaperone our Friday afternoon field trips. We will take the children to Widewater on our last day of Freedom School for our only all-day field trip.
Sign-up NOW at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f48a5a82aabff2-freedom
Mark your calendars: Our church will be serving breakfast to the children and staff of The Freedom School on Tuesday, July 18 at Monroe Street United Methodist Church. Pam Cook has volunteered to be in charge of this event, but will need volunteers to help. She will be placing a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board for volunteers.
VBS Donations for Crafts - Each night of VBS the children get to make a creative craft to go along with the VBS theme. In order to help with the costs of providing craft materials for around 150 kids, we are hoping to get some of the items donated. The following items are needed for donation: Crayola Washable markers; toilet paper tubes; Bubbles (4 fl. oz. bottles); small plastic plates. Items can be given to Stephanie Shelton or placed in a box by the Community Room. Thank you!
VBS Donations - This year’s theme for VBS is “Maker Fun Factory - Created by God/Built for a Purpose.” After the children finish their nightly craft at VBS, they have the opportunity to participate in a variety of stations set up in the craft room. This year’s stations will go along with the Fun Factory theme. We are looking for donations of Spirographs, Gear Sets, Magnet and other building sets. These items would not be returned. The items would either go to a church in Toledo at the conclusion of our VBS or to our Sunday School program here at WUMC. Any questions, please contact Stephanie Shelton.
Dave and Paulette Hogg, a former pastor and his wife at Waterville United Methodist Church, will be celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary with a Renewal of their Vows on Saturday, June 10, 2017 from 1-4 p.m. The renewal of vows will take place at 1:30 p.m. The event will take place at the Church of the Master United Methodist Church in Westerville, Ohio which is located at 24 N. Grove Street (Corner of Grove and Main Streets.) Dr. Carl L. Wiley officiated at their wedding 50 years ago and will be doing the renewal ceremony. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall. In lieu of gifts, please bring a canned food item to be divided between the two local food pantries. If you plan to attend, please R.S.V. P. by June 1 to Dave’s cell phone: 614-208-4105. Their actual 50th Wedding Anniversary is Saturday, April 29. Cards may be sent to them at the following address: Dave and Paulette Hogg, 6202 Willowcrest Dr., Columbus, OH 43229. We have placed a signup sheet on our bulletin board in the main hallway for those who plan on attending this event. This will help them know how much food is needed.
James (a former Pastor of Waterville UMC) and Barbara Stewart will also be celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary in June. Their children, Jennifer and Jay, will be hosting an Open House for Jim and Barbara on Sunday, June 11, 2017 from Noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Maumee United Methodist Church’s Fellowship Hall, 405 Sackett St., Maumee, Ohio. No RSVPs are necessary. If you are unable to attend, but want to send a note of congratulations or a memory, please do so by sending it to this address: Jennifer Wuertz, 5320 Brown Road, Oregon, Ohio, 43616. The invitation with their original wedding photo is now on display on the bulletin board in the main hallway.
The dogs (and humans) at the Humane Society thank all of you who donated peanut butter jars. This is an easy project that perhaps should be continued until further notice. There is a basket on the shelf by the church office for the jars. By the way, it seems like choosy mothers do choose Jif!
And finally, with the announcement of my retirement at the end of May, we will be in need of folks to run the PowerPoint slides on Sunday mornings. The slides will be completed during the week by the office staff, but you would need to be at the church by 10:00 a.m. to show the announcements and run the slides that go with the worship service. If you are interested, please contact the church office during business hours. talk to me on Sunday mornings or better yet, come and sit with me in the balcony to see what the job entails.
Be A Blessing,
Church Cathy