Volume 18, No2 Wesley United Methodist Church 544 Government Street Baton Rouge, LA. 70802 Phone: (225) 343-8421 April 9, 2017
Pastor: Rev. Dr. Joe Connelly Newsletter Editors: Anita H. Hansberry, Bridget McGee, Jacquelyn Watts and Carolyn Branch
“Wesley, a Church in the Heart of the City, with the City at Heart”
Well, it is widely known now that I will be moving to a new assignment in July. As has been the custom since the time of John Wesley, ordained elders serve as Itinerant preachers, (move from location to location). The itinerant system is the accepted method of The United Methodist Church by which ordained elders are appointed by the bishop to fields of labor. All ordained elders shall accept and abide by these appointments. (In other words, ordained elders go where the bishop sends them to serve.) {Paragraph 338, UMC Book of Discipline}
Beginning July 2017, I will be serving as the pastor of Bethany UMC in New Orleans, and as the founder/executive director of a new nonprofit for the 7th ward. The assignment to Bethany is for the purpose of revitalization of the congregation, and the nonprofit will focus on Community Economic Development, and Community Organizing/Capacity Building.
For the past seven years, I have truly enjoyed serving as your pastor. The weekly worship experiences, bible studies, and seeing the children grow have all been a vital part of my personal growth. I feel like a part of the new me was reborn here, and for that I am grateful. I will miss you guys, but, New Orleans is just down the road. My prayer is that the new pastor coming will serve you
well and God will be pleased with all that you do. I ask that you keep me and the people I will be serving lifted in prayer.
Remember, God said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”
Until July, I will see you at the place of Transformation and Transition.
Blessings,
Pastor Joe
Sunday, April 9, 2017
The Christian Year The Christian year includes two Christ-centered cycles:
1. Advent-Christmas-Epiphany and 2. Lent-Easter-Pentecost
The Christian Year begins with Advent. Currently we are in the second half of the Christ-centered cycle ~ Lent-Easter-Pentecost. Lent is the six and a half weeks between Ash Wednesday and Easter and is a period of penitence in preparation for Easter. [Continue on page 2 Holy Week]
THE WESLEY PERSPECTIVE
2
The Christian Year [continued from page 1]
Holy Week
• The last week of Lent is referred to as “Holy Week”. The events of this week include the Last Supper, Jesus’ arrest, trial torture, execution and burial and are described in the four gospels from various perspectives.
• Palm/Passion Sunday recalls Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
• Maundy Thursday is an alternate name for Holy Thursday, the first of the three days of solemn remembrance of the events leading up to and immediately following the crucifixion of Jesus. As recorded in John's gospel, on his last night before his betrayal and arrest, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and then gave them a new commandment to love one another as he had loved them (John 13:34). This is why services on this night generally include the washing of feet or other acts of physical care as an integral part of the celebration. While John's gospel does not record the institution of the Lord's Supper among the events of this night, the other gospels do.
• Good/Holy Friday is the commemoration of Jesus’ torture, crucifixion, death and burial.
Why is the Easter season 50 days long?
Easter for Christians is not just one day, but rather a 50-day period. The season of Easter, or Eastertide, begins at sunset on the eve of Easter and ends on Pentecost, the day we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church (see Acts 2).
Easter is also more than just an extended celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. In the early church, Lent was a season for new converts to learn about the faith and prepare for baptism on Easter Sunday. The initial purpose of the 50-day Easter season was to continue the faith formation of new Christians.
Today, this extended season gives us time to rejoice and experience what it means when we say Christ is risen. It’s the season when we remember our baptisms and how through this sacrament we are, according to the liturgy, “incorporated into Christ’s mighty acts of salvation.” As “Easter people,” we also celebrate and ponder the birth of the Church and gifts of the Spirit (Pentecost), and how we are to live as faithful Disciples of Christ. (Source: UMC.org)
Join us on Wednesday April 12th for last Lenten/Luncheon Service 11:30-12:30
Speaker Walter Weiss, Sr.
Welcome Visitors & Friends
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors ~ Welcome to Wesley United Methodist Church... May the peace and Spirit of the Lord inspire you to answer the call to Christian discipleship in 2017.
PRONOUNCEMENTS
Please visit us on the Internet: Our web address
is: www.wesleybr.org
The office e-mail address is: [email protected]
Twitter: @wesleyumcbr
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/wesleybatonrouge
THE LOUISIANA NOW, currently a quarterly
magazine that highlights opportunities, witness and
the various ministries for the Louisiana Annual
Conference is now available online at
www.la-umc.org/lanow/current
3
On the conference homepage, there is a link to
subscribe to the weekly Louisiana Now E-Letter
To access United Methodist Men, United Methodist
Women, or Youth Ministries, go to the main page of
the LA Conference. Click on Ministries, and then
click on Laity. Note: there is a link to access the
new websites for United Methodist Women
[http://umwla.org] and United Methodist Men
[http://www.gcumm.org].
Other web resources:
www.umc-gbcs.org
www.gbgm-umc.org (Mission)
www.tenthousanddoors.org
www.gbhem.org (Scholarships)
www.gbod.org (Discipleship)
www.umns.umc.org (News)
The Church Office must be notified of ALL
Meetings to be held at the church to avoid
schedule conflicts. Cards will be sent out one
week prior to the meeting date, if the office knows
of the meeting and the persons who are to attend.
SAFETY REMINDER: Young children (under the
age of 12) leaving the Sanctuary during worship
services to visit restrooms, water fountain, the
nursery, narthex or any part of the building should
be accompanied by a parent or another responsible
adult. Thank you for your cooperation.
Reminders!!
❖ The Church van is available if you need a ride
to Sunday School and Worship; please call the
church office at 225-343-8421 by Thursday of
each week to put your name on the list.
❖ All vouchers, receipts, reimbursements, etc.
must be submitted to the Finance Committee by
Wednesday of each week.
❖ Announcements to be made during Sunday
Worship Service should be received in the
church office by Thursday at noon.
❖ If you have moved recently/changed your
telephone number or email address or if you or
a member of your family are ill or hospitalized,
etc. please notify the church office by phone or
email.
❖ All meetings, rehearsals, trainings and class
studies must be scheduled through the church
office to avoid conflicts.
❖ If you are in church with your smartphone, you
are invited to tweet or post on Facebook your
church attendance.
Sunday School theme for the 2017
Spring Quarter: “God Loves Us”
Unit I. March~ God’s Eternal, Preserving, and
Renewing Love [1 John 4:7-19, Ephesians 2:1-10,
John 15:1-17, Joel 2:12,13,18,19,28-32]
Unit II. God’s Caring, Saving, and Upholding
Love
• April 2 Lesson Title: Shepherding Love ~
Scripture Psalm 23
• April 9 Lesson Title: Saving Love ~
Scripture: John 3:1-16
• April 16 Lesson Title: Victorious Love
~ Scripture: John 20:1-10, 1 Peter 1:3-9
• April 23 Lesson Title: Reconciling
Love ~ Scripture: Romans 5:6-11; 8:31-39
• April 30 Lesson Title: Protecting Love ~
Scripture: John 10:1-15
Unit III. God’s Pervasive and Sustaining Love
• May 7 Lesson Title: Sustaining Love ~
Scripture: Jonah 1:7-17
• May 14 Lesson Title: Preserving
Love ~ Scripture: Jonah 2
• May 21 Lesson Title: Forgiving Love
~ Scripture: Jonah 3
• May 28 Lesson Title: Pervasive Love
~Scripture: Jonah 4
4
Discover the spiritual enrichment, maturity and
joy that learning can bring. Make Sunday
School attendance a priority and pray for
discernment to answer God’s call for your life.
United Methodist Men’s Bible Study
meets 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study meets
at 11:00 a.m.
Blackwater United Methodist Women will host their study “The Bible and Human Sexuality” on 9a.m. Saturday, April 29, 2017 at Blackwater UMC, 10000 Blackwater Rd, Central LA, Rev. Clifton Conrad will be leading the study. Registration will begin at 830a.m., lunch will be provided. Point of contact is Carol Forman, (225) 931-0348
In lieu of our regularly scheduled April meeting, we have been invited to participate in the above mission study. At our last meeting (Call to Prayer and Self-Denial), we discussed an action project that would meet the requirements for our unit to get credit for a mission study…”The Days for Girls Project”. Our unit would have to attend the study and then do a follow-up project. More information on the project is forthcoming.
2nd Quarter Schedule
April
9 Palm Sunday
12-Lenten Service 11:30
13-Holy Thurs Service
6:30p
14-Good Friday Service
Neely UMC 10:00 a.m.
15-Holy Saturday
16. EASTER Service
23. Boy Scout Sunday
30. Native American Awareness
Sunday-Youth Sunday
May
7. Holy Communion/Birthday
Sunday
14 Mother's Day
21. Founders' Day/Heritage Sun
28. Ascension Sun/Memorial
Sunday
29 Memorial Day
June
4. Pentecost/Holy Communion
/Birthday Sunday
11. Trinity Sunday Graduate
Sunday/Peace with Justice
18. Father's Day
25. Youth Sunday
AC2017: Bold Imagination
Over 1,000 United Methodists are expected to gather
in the Shreveport/Bossier area for Annual Conference
2017: Bold Imagination June 7-10 to worship, share
in fellowship, “boldly” imagine and strategize their
work in ministry to make disciples of Jesus Christ for
the transformation of the world.
5
OUR CHURCH FAMILY
Remember the following persons in your thoughts
and prayers
PRAYER REQUEST
Brandi Beal Lillian Brule’ Shelly Clark Alicia Connelly Rev. Joe Connelly Catherine Dawson (Care) Dorothy Davis Virginia Gaines (care) Cornelia & Lillian Hill
Janice Johnson Leonard Robinson Mister Samuel Bertha Toussaint Anna Turner Theresa Tyson Charlie Wetherspoon(Care) Mack Willis Wilhelmenia Woods
We express our deepest sympathy to Rev. Yvonne
Dayries on the death of her husband Mr. Herman
Dayries. His Celebration of Life Service is scheduled for
Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at St. John Catholic Church, Hwy
73 Prairieville, LA. Visiting is at 9:30 a.m. followed by
Mass at 10:00 a.m. Please keep the family in your
prayers.
• Leo Washington who recently retired after 38
years of service with Entergy.
• Laketa Caston for her recent performance in the
play “Dot” held at the LSU School of Music and
Drama.
• Uzoamaka Njoku placed first all around in her
age group in gymnastics and is representing the
State in North Carolina. If she qualifies, she will
go to the national competition. Pray for a safe
journey
• John W. Coleman, Jr. for the award-winning
article Award-winning article--Pastor’s healing
from abuse inspires ministry and a meeting with
the Pope (source:
http://www.epaumc.org/news)
May 1st Ronald Williams
Marissa Thompson
Justin Ennis
May 2nd Rose B. Mason
May 3rd Virginia R. Gaines
May 4th Shilonda Shamlin
Marian Smith
Mycah Hines
May 5th Katisha C. Lathan
May 6th Gordon Curry
Clayborne M. Thomas
Micah Jordan
Khloe Jordan
May 7th Karleen Green
May 10th Rose Hudson
May 12th Cynthia Doyle-Lewis
May 13th Reginald Lewis, Sr.
May 14th Craig Johnson
May 15th Gaynell V. Johnson
May 16th Chester Charles II
May 17th Cherie Beal
Robert Clark
May 18th Ebony Warren
May 19th Angel Jackson
Stephanie Norwood
May 20th Gary Shannon
May 21st Reginald Lewis, Jr.
May 23rd Anna F. Turner
May 24th Cornelia B. Brossette
Jamon Hall
May 26th Jerome B. Palmer
Chase Bernard Hansberry
May 29th Lana P. Lathan
May 28th Dayton McQuarter
May 30th Cyra C. Charles
IN MEMORY OF
May 1st Consuella Hall Fobbs
May 2nd Rosabelle Jenkins
May 5th Lillie Buchanan
May 6th Jim Lathan
May 9th William Hicks
May 12th Mrs. Caroline S. Jones
May 15th Faye B. Ross
May 18th Rebecca Netterville
May 27th Eunice Collins
6
Valerie F. Moore June 1st Ameen Walker Lenora Robinson Jarrell Gray June 2nd Janis J. Pitcher June 3rd Marilyn Reynaud June 6th Kaden Jordan Myrtle Alexander Courtney Burdette June 9th Janice S. Hall June 10th Karl Dunmoore Henry Collins III Tonette McMorris June 12th Markayla Collins June 14th Markeisha Collins Brandi Rose Beal June 16th Laela Baham Raynell Fleming, Sr. June 17th Leroy M. Edmond June 18th Lois Fouse Tanya Mencer June 19th Connie M. Chapman June 20th Raynell Fleming, II June 21st Lula W. Lee June 24th Bennie L. Davis June 25th Taylor McGee Raylen Lenora Fleming Samuel L. Hughes June 26th Angele Horton
In Memory of
Mr. Charles McCue June 2nd Mr. Hurd Robinson Jr. June 2nd
Mrs. Daisy Moore June 7th Mrs. Anna Robertson June 12th
Mr. Don Pelichet June 14th Mr. Edward Morrison June 19th
Mrs. Matilda Allen June 21st Mrs. Brenda Mims June 23rd Mrs. A. Vanessa Jingles June 27th
Mrs. Effie K. West June 26th Mrs. Bertha Rodney June 30th
Mrs. Annie Atkins June 30th
Photos- Compliments Dr. Donna Washington
Church Leadership & Planning Retreat
2/11/17
Presentation to Baton Rouge
Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome
Outstanding Leadership 2/12/17
Children’s Black History Presentation
Youth Dr. Martin L. King Presentations
7
2017 LENTEN SPEAKERS
Wesley was blessed by the Lenten Meditations given by the following person:
Mrs. Bennie L. Davis ~ March 8th Mr. Leo Washington ~ March 15th
Mrs. Celestine Davis ~ March 22nd Mrs. Colleen Collins~ March 29th
Mrs. Anita H. Hansberry~ April 5th Mr. Walter Weiss, Sr. ~ April 12th
8