blanco united methodist church january 2018
TRANSCRIPT
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“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” Joshua 1:8
When I was in school there were always a couple
of classes that were called..."an easy A." When I
was in Jr. High, my gym class was supposed to be
one of those. One thing we had to do to get the
“easy A” was to complete a physical fitness test that
recorded the number of chin-ups, push-ups, sit-ups,
etc. that we could do. I dreaded the two timed laps
we had to run around the track. I didn't think I could
run that far. Half-way around the track on my first
lap...I faked a leg cramp and hobbled off the field.
The teacher never made me complete the test. I
don’t know how many of you ever struggled with
very low self-confidence, insecurity, and low self-
esteem, but I surely did. My poor self-esteem and I
settled for less than the “easy A.” This always
bothered me down deep inside. Years later when
Ronald Reagan appointed Arnold Schwarzenegger
as the Chairman of the President's Council on
Physical Fitness and Sports, I actually thought that
he might see my records. What a terrible thing it
would be for Mr. Universe / Mr. Olympia to know
that I was a wimp. Low self-esteem is nothing to
take lightly. At least I had a friend who failed
"Home Room," another “easy A” class. All you had
to do for that class was show up. He rarely did.
Many of us fail at those things which really seem to
be so simple, usually without even realizing it.
New Year’s sounds like it should be an “easy A”
event. After years of pastoral ministry, I have
decided that many of us fail New Year’s; in fact, we
fail at it every year. You may think the preacher is
going to refer to the unhealthy and destructive ways
some of us celebrate the New Year. Well, that
would be appropriate and true, and if it applies to
you please consider a change in practice and
behavior, but that is not the main reason for our
failure. You may think that I am referring to the
many resolutions that are made every year only to
be quickly broken and forgotten. Well, this too is an
issue worthy of pastoral encouragement and
admonition, but this too is not the main reason that
we fail New Year’s. The main reason so many
people fail New Year’s is because they carry over
the same attitudes, grudges, bitterness,
condemnation, and guilt from past years into the
New Year. My low self-esteem was a giant
snowball of past failures that rolled with me through
each year, right through Christmas, and then
straight into the New Year. Christmas celebrates the
birth of the Savior who came to put an end to this
kind of destructive cycle. His love melts away our
guilt and condemnation. Sinners are transformed
into saints and the unworthy and unloved are made
beloved. The New Year is a new beginning.
Redeemed by the love of our Savior, we can learn
from the lessons of our past, void of the guilt and
condemnation, so that we might be the wiser and
walk in the promised blessings of the New Year.
Resolutions are meant to motivate us to improve.
Many fail because old destructive structures and
patterns have carried over into the New Year. New
Year’s is an opportunity to develop new structures
and patterns to support a new beginning. If we read
God's Word, meditate on it, and are careful to do
according to all that is within it we will be blessed.
If we know that our sins are forgiven, our past is
behind us, we are beloved children of God, and that
with the Holy Spirit within us, making nothing
impossible for us...we will have a much greater
likelihood of living a victorious and abundant life in
Christ. Are you still fighting the same battles,
dealing with the same issues as you were ten years
ago? You may be failing New Year’s. It should be
an “easy A.” Believe the Good News of our
Savior...and strive to live it out each day. You are
not the failures of the past, but the New Creation of
God with a promising future. Condemnation is not
yours to carry. Instead, let’s carry with us and in us
the love, mercy, grace, and blessing of God.
Philippians 2:14 says, “I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me.” So, go do it! Yes you
can!
In Christ,
Blanco United Methodist Church January 2018
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“Open the Eyes of My Faith”
January 07 2 Kings 6:8-23
Psalm 13:1-6
“Here I Am, Lord, Listening”
January 14 1 Samuel 3:1-10 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
“Called to Be Fishers of Men”
January 21 Jonah 3:1-10
Mark 1:14-20
“Kicking the Devil Out of Church”
January 28 Mark 1:21-28 Ephesians 4:17-32
The month of January we are collecting canned chili. We will continue to keep the church membership informed each month of the requested item(s).
There will be a Men’s Breakfast on January 13th, at 8:00am in the Fellowship Hall.
Prayer Vigil Warriors needed! We have five opportunities for you to be a member of the Prayer Vigil Warriors. The times we need to fill are: 8:00-8:30 AM 10:30-11:00 AM 4:00-4:30 PM 4:30-5:00 PM 8:00-8:30 PM
The responsibility of Prayer Vigil Warriors is to pray at your designated time for church members who are having surgery or medical procedures. If you’re willing to fill one of these slots, please let Gwen Michal know at [email protected] . Thankfully, our congregation is pretty healthy, so you’re not called upon very often.
01/23 Barbara and Marty Rolleg
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01/04 Logan Schwarzlose 01/04 Nickie Cox 01/06 Ryan Wagner-Davis 01/11 Rhonda Riedel 01/11 Joanne Windham 01/14 Cory Nichols 01/17 Ginger Hull 01/21 Dorothy Dillon 01/21 Brayden Hull 01/27 Cerice Spivey 01/27 Jodi Bates 01/30 John Clay Harris 01/31 Bob Schwab
We are looking for BUMC members interested in volunteer work at the Good Samaritan Center. The schedule is as follows:1st Tuesday and 1st Friday each month from 10:00am -1:00pm and all 4 Wednesdays and Thursdays each month 10:00am to 1:00 pm. We serve in the food pantry, sorting donations and selling goods. If interested please contact Judy King at 830-833-0292 or anyone at the center at 830-833-5269
Scholarship Fund
For: From:
Renee Cicero-Blue Harold and
Florine Lord
Renee Cicero-Blue Pat and Laura
Caza
Honorarium
Our Children and Grandchildren Pat and Laura
Caza
An easy & secure way to contribute your
offerings to God.
You can view all donations completed online, print out a statement, and even use it for tax purposes. Please note that the online statement will not show any offerings you gave at the church (e.g., checks & envelope giving).
No one at the church has access to your personal information.
This new service is available on our web site www.blancoumc.org/downloads.html
Information and instructions are available to download.
Upcoming events for the community include the Men’s Walk to Emmaus #2181 on February 1-4, 2018 at Camp Young Judea in Wimberley, TX. For more information, contact either Keith Michal or Pastor Carlos.
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Those who need Healing:
Barbara Dowdy Denise Wagner
June Hensley Dottie Stover
Renee Mobley Cicero’s Family
Libby Connell
Carol Anne Troy Bates
Florine Lord Yvonne Callison
Carol Rogers
Baby Violet (Pavlov’s granddaughter)
Tish Johnson (Bee Reno’s Mom) Trudy Flores Peggy Wright Those who are at home:
Ada Cooley Arline Cathey
Gladys Leatherwood Ruby Barnard
Lola Dowdy Sheryl Houston
Leona Smylie Sid Stiller
Those who are in the Retirement Home:
Louise Reeser Jack Nate
Darlene Kiernan Marilyn Reed Those who are in the Health Center: Melba Cowsert Carol Granberg
Grace Walker Evelyn Heckel Wayne Whistler Elizabeth Ward
The Newsletter deadline is on the 15th of every month. Bring your items to the church office or you can email them to: [email protected]
PASTOR CARLOS CLOYD E-mail [email protected]
ADMINISTRATIVE ASST EMILY ROMERO E-mail [email protected]
YOUTH MINISTER POSITION OPEN E-mail
MUSIC MINISTRY ELIZABETH RENO BRENDA MATHENY
BOOKKEEPER POLLY SMITH E-mail [email protected]
NURSERY KENZIE WARNER KATHRYN HULL CUSTODIAN EDWARD EVANS
WEB SITE: WWW.BLANCOUMC.ORG
Office Hours: 8:30 am-4:00 pm Monday-Thursday Closed Friday
Office Phone: 830-833-5030; Parsonage 830-833-4970 Fax: 830-833-1811
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Plan to be at Fredericksburg UMC 28 Workshop Selections
Meet and hear the new Bishop. Learn something new to help Your
congregation be more effective in your community.
8:45 - 9:15 a.m. Registration 9:15 - 9:45 a.m. Worship
10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Workshop sessions Come and enjoy Mission Displays from
District Churches and Walk the Labyrinth. Call the District Office for more information.
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MORNING SESSION I 10:00-11:50 A.M.
Local Church Finance
I am the New Youth Leader—What Now?
Local Church Trustees
Relief to Recovery
How to be a Strategically Small Church
Leadership in a Changing & Challenging Day
ERT Team on the Ground-You Can too
MORNING SESSION II 10:00-10:50 A.M.
How does Your Church Communicate?
Trusted con Confianza: A Look
at the New RTC Safety Policy
Dive into the Sparkle!
Does Your Church Have An Emergency Plan?
Caring for Congregation & Community
MORNING SESSION III 11:00-11:50 A.M.
Prayer as a Vocation for the Church
Lay Servant Ministry
Local Church Lay Leader
Out of the Box Engaging in Theological Play
(Children)
LUNCH - SPEAKER-12:00-1:30
Rev. Karen Horan
AFTERNOON SESSION IV 1:45-3:30 A.M.
PPR/SPRC
Expert’s Eye View of the Disaster & Response
to Hurricane Harvey
AFTERNOON SESSION V 1:45 P.M.-2:35 P.M.
Methodism: Today’s Winds & Yesterday’s Anchors
Does Your Church Have An Emergency Plan?
Local Church Lay Leader
Trusted con Confianza:
A Look at the New RTC Safety Policy
ERT Team on the Ground-You Can too
AFTERNOON SESSION VI 2:45 P.M.-3:30 P.M. Prayer as a Vocation for the Church
Lay Servant Ministry Out of the Box Engaging in Theological Play
(Children) Caring for Congregation & Community
FIRST UMC BOERNE 205 E. JAMES ST.
BOERNE, TX
SCHEDULE
8:45-9:15 Registration 9:15 – 9:50 Worship with Rev. Will Rice Preaching
Session Schedule