Gibsonville UMC

Newsletter for March 2012

2012-02-22T11:56:00.001-05:00

Here is the March 2012 newsletter. It is a .pdf document.

Bulletin for Feb. 26, 2012

2012-02-22T11:15:00.001-05:00

Here is the bulletin for Feb. 26, 2012. It is a .docx document.

Loving Jesus and Loving His Church

2012-02-20T11:53:00.001-05:00

Jonathan’s Journals

Well, after declaring several times on Sunday morning, Feb. 19 that we would definitely have the evening service, we had to change our plans after all. The snow and ice came that afternoon sooner than we anticipated, so we ended up cancelling our Sunday Feb. 19 evening service. I was sad to do so. I was really looking forward to the music that night, with Scott on sax, and Susan Pyles and Bonita Chrismon and friends in the band. And I was looking forward to sharing the message with you. We were going to watch a 4 minute video (see video above), and then I was going to respond to it and let the congregation respond to it as well.

The spokesman on the video is a young man, Jeff Bethke, who is 22 years old. If you don’t feel like watching the video, let me give you a short summary: He loves Jesus, but he hates religion. I think it is a common sentiment in our world today (the video was viewed 19 million times in one month), which is why I was going to respond to it. Since we cancelled the service, I thought I would share briefly my response. First of all, what I liked about the video: It is quite clear that Jeff Bethke really does love Jesus. Jesus Christ has changed his life. He knows Jesus personally. He is passionate about sharing the love of Jesus Christ with others. He knows that Jesus wants more than an outward show of religiosity; Jesus wants to change us from the inside out. Jesus reached out to the widow, the orphan, those who were outcast. Jesus loved sinners, so much so that He died for all of us sinners. We don’t have to pretend to be perfect. Our salvation depends on what Jesus did for us, not on what we can do for ourselves. He also makes his remarks in the form of poetry, and the rhythmic cadences of his speech were quite compelling. I would celebrate and affirm all of these aspects of the video.

Despite these good qualities, there are elements of his presentation that need more work. Pitting Jesus against religion is not helpful. Jesus certainly opposed false religion, self-righteous religion, and religion that neglected the needs of the poor. But to say that Jesus “came to abolish religion,” and that Jesus “hates religion,” is going too far. Jesus practiced the religion of Judaism, taught religious doctrine, and instituted religious rituals, such as the Lord’s Supper. Bethke questions the need to follow rules in his video, but Jesus gave his disciples certain commandments and said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The word “religion” is used at least twice in the New Testament to describe an authentic faith and love for God (James 1:27, 1 Timothy 3:16). The church was instituted by Jesus (Matthew 16:18), and despite all of its many problems, Christ has not forsaken His church, nor will He ever do so.

Bethke asks of religion, “why has it started so many wars, why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor, tells single moms God doesn’t love them if they’ve ever had a divorce.” He is right to point out that the church has a history of encouraging wars, and for this we must repent. The church has often neglected the poor, but the church has also fed more hungry people than any other human institution in the world. I am not aware of any church that tells single moms that God doesn’t love them. If such a church exists, it ought to be ashamed of itself. Divorce is a complicated matter, and it is always a tragedy, but most Protestant churches recognize it as a painful reality that we must sometimes accept, and then let God’s grace begin the healing process. If the church ever fails to extend hospitality to divorced people, we need to repent.

Bethke is also right in the video to point out that “Republican does not always mean Christian.” We might also add that Democrat doesn’t either. That’s important for us to hear in this election season, as various politicians might try to use religion to manipulate us into voting for them. Our faith and values should impact all of our lives, including our politics, but nothing is scarier than a candidate who says, “you should vote for me because God is on my side.” This is a great point.

Bethke calls for the church to be a hospital, and that’s a good metaphor for understanding the church. But let us always remember, the purpose of a hospital is to get people well, not just to make them comfortable while they are sick. We are all infected with a disease called sin. The church is called to administer the grace of Jesus Christ, not just so that people will be forgiven, but so they will be healed, transformed, and renewed. To use some church language, we are called not only to justification, but also to sanctification. We are not only forgiven, we are changed into new people.

I think Bethke would agree with most of what I have written here. For Bethke and the millions of young people for whom he speaks, I would just say: in order for your passion for Jesus to be sustained over the long haul, it must be nurtured by a community of faith that we call the church. If your passion for Jesus is not nurtured by the church, it will be like striking a match that burns brightly for a brief time, but then fizzles. It is good to strike a match, but once you have done this, use it to light a candle.

Peace,
Jonathan

All Services and Activities Cancelled

2012-02-19T16:18:00.001-05:00

For Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012 , all evening services and activities are cancelled due to the snow and ice. Stay safe and warm!

Bulletins for Feb 12 & 19, 2012

2012-02-16T11:08:00.001-05:00

Feb. 12, 2012 bulletin

Feb. 19, 2012 bulletin

These are .docx documents.

Bulletin for Feb. 5, 2012

2012-02-02T12:19:00.002-05:00

Here is the bulletin for Feb. 5, 2012. It is a .docx document.

Story Scholarship Application 2012

2012-01-26T11:06:00.000-05:00

Below are links to the Story Scholarship Application for the year 2012. There are links for first-time applicants and renewal applicants. For your convenience, they are available in both the .doc and .pdf versions.

First Time Application (.doc)

First Time Application (.pdf)

Renewal Application (.doc)

Renewal Application (.pdf)

Bulletin for Jan 29, 2012

2012-01-25T13:02:00.000-05:00

Here is the bulletin for January 29, 2012. It is a .docx document.

Bulletins for Jan. 15 & 22, 2012

2012-01-24T14:28:00.003-05:00

Jan. 15 Bulletin

Jan. 22 Bulletin

These are .docx documents.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

2012-01-11T10:54:00.001-05:00

The Gibsonville United Methodist Church Prayer Shawl Ministry was organized by a group of ladies out of a love for knitting and crocheting and their willingness to share these talents with those that might need a “stitch of comfort” in their lives. If you have knitted or crocheted a shawl and received a hug of thanks, you know how special the rewards are. Or, if you have received a shawl for yourself or a loved one, we hope you have felt the strength of prayers from this group.

Each of our members in this group is dedicated to keeping this ministry going. Sadly, sometimes our need for shawls is greater than the shawls we have on hand. Our group is small and we would love to have others join us. If you can knit, crochet, or sew, won’t you please think about being a part of this ministry? Or if you would like to learn to knit or crochet we will be happy to help you get started. Think of the pleasure of giving the gift of a shawl that you have made to someone you love. We welcome your talents, your presence, your support and your prayers to continue the Prayer Shawl Ministry.

The group meets on the second Monday of each month, 1:00 p. m., in the church parlor.

Should you have further questions, please contact either Betsy Greeson, 449-6617, or Mattie Bales, 449-4847.

Bulletin for Jan. 8, 2012

2012-01-05T11:16:00.001-05:00

Here is the bulletin for Jan. 8, 2012. It is a .docx document.

Children's Christmas Musical "One Starry Night"

2012-01-02T11:19:00.000-05:00

Methodists receive highest favorability ratings

2011-12-31T15:26:00.004-05:00

Here is the link to the study which showed that Methodists have the highest favorability rating of any of the largest religious groups in the United States. This article was reference in the January 2012 newsletter. There are also links to follow to get to charts and graphs and even more details about the survey.

January 2012 Newsletter

2011-12-29T10:10:00.002-05:00

The January 2012 newsletter is available here. It is a .pdf document.

Bulletin for Dec. 25, 2011

2011-12-23T15:49:00.000-05:00

Here is the bulletin for Dec. 25, 2011. It is a .docx document.

Pictures from Dec. 18, 2011

2011-12-18T22:38:00.004-05:00

These pictures are courtesy of Mattie Bales.

Bulletin for Dec. 18, 2011

2011-12-15T11:03:00.001-05:00

Here is the bulletin for Dec. 18, 2011. It is a .docx document.

Gibsonville Christmas Parade 2011

2011-12-12T10:12:00.004-05:00

Homecoming 2011

2011-12-12T09:45:00.007-05:00

This picture was taken at Homecoming at Gibsonville United Methodist Church on October 16, 2011. Rev. Dr. Billy Jarrett (left) was the homecoming preacher and revival preacher for the Sunday - Tuesday night services. Jonathan and Angela Marlowe are in the middle of this picture, and former pastor Charles Page is on the right. Click the thumbnail picture below to see a bigger version of it.

Bulletins for Dec 4 & 11, 2011

2011-12-09T12:12:00.002-05:00

Here is the bulletin for December 4, 2011, and here is the bulletin for December 11, 2011.

December 2011 Newsletter

2011-11-30T11:27:00.002-05:00

Here is the church newsletter for December 2011. It is a .pdf document.

Operation Christmas Child - Processing Center

2011-11-28T09:49:00.007-05:00

A group from Gibsonville UMC worked at the Operation Christmas Child Processing Center in Charlotte on Saturday November 26, 2011.

Bulletin for Nov. 27, 2011

2011-11-23T11:35:00.000-05:00

Here is the bulletin for Nov. 27, 2011. It is a .docx document. Let us know if you have trouble opening it.

Thanksgiving Cornucopia 2011

2011-11-22T15:42:00.002-05:00

Welcome New Members

2011-11-22T15:27:00.007-05:00

We welcomed Christy Gerringer, and her children Tyler and Hayley to Gibsonville United Methodist Church. Christy joined us on profession of faith and Hayley was baptized on Nov. 6, 2011. Tyler had previously been baptized.

We welcomed Chantelle Shpherd and her son Jeremy Hile on Nov. 13, 2011. They were both baptized on this joyous occasion.

We welcomed Doug and Bobbie Frazier to the membership of GUMC on Nov. 20, 2011. They transferred their membership from Grace UMC in Greensboro.

We welcomed Timothy and Rhonda Hollway, and their children T.J., Jessica, Summer and Katelyn on July 21, 2011. Summer and Katelyn were also baptized on this day.

Bulletin for Nov. 20, 2011

2011-11-17T11:06:00.002-05:00

Here is the Bulletin for Nov. 20, 2011. It is a .docx document. Let us know if you are able to open it.

Children's Newsletter for November & December 2011

2011-11-16T15:03:00.006-05:00

Here is the Children's Newsletter for November and December 2011. It is a .pdf document. Let us know if you have trouble opening it.

Youth Table Etiquette

2011-11-15T10:38:00.005-05:00

At the Nov. 13 youth meeting, youth discussed the meals that Jesus had in the gospels. Then they learned proper etiquette for fine dining experiences:

Greensboro Urban Ministries - Nov 13, 2011

2011-11-14T10:18:00.002-05:00

Women's Christmas Dinner on Dec. 5

2011-11-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

CHRISTMAS DINNER FOR ALL THE WOMEN OF THE CHURCH ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 5 AT 6:00 IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL.

This year we are planning a special Christmas Dinner for all of the women of the church. We are encouraging you to invite your mother, daughter(s), or even grand-daughters to this dinner. It will be catered by our own CHEF EDDIE BROWN. The menu is a Layered Salad, Pork Loin with Apricot Glaze over stuffing with pears, Broccoli Casserole, Mashed Yukon Potatoes, Carrot Cake and Chocolate Chess Pie. The musical group, Highway 61, will be providing the entertainment for the evening. This should be such a special night to help get you in the Christmas spirit. Tickets for this evening are only $10.00 per person. Kim Norwood will have the tickets after the Sunday morning service for sale for the next couple Sundays. Buy your tickets and mark your calendars for a wonderful evening of fellowship.

"The Journey" Study offered during SS hour each Sunday in Advent

2011-11-10T10:13:00.002-05:00

Bulletin for Nov. 13, 2011

2011-11-10T08:43:00.001-05:00

Here is the bulletin for Nov. 13, 2011. It is a .docx document. Let us know if you need help opening it.

Trunk or Treat 2011

2011-11-03T10:58:00.000-04:00

Youth Newsletter Nov. 2011

2011-11-03T10:55:00.001-04:00

The Youth Newsletter for November 2011 is here.

November 2011 newsletter

2011-11-03T10:30:00.004-04:00

Here is the newsletter for November 2011. It is a .pdf document.

Bulletin for Nov. 6, 2011

2011-11-03T10:25:00.002-04:00

Here is the bulletin for Nov. 6, 2011. It is a .docx document. Let us know if you have trouble opening it.

Bulletin for Oct. 30, 2011

2011-10-27T11:40:00.001-04:00

Here is the bulletin for October 30,2011. It is a .pdf document.

Make a Difference Day - Loaves & Fishes

2011-10-23T17:51:00.001-04:00

Bulletin for Oct. 23, 2011

2011-10-20T11:10:00.001-04:00

Here is the bulletin for Oct. 23, 2011. It is a .docx document. Let us know if you have trouble opening it.

Bulletin for Oct. 16, 2011

2011-10-18T11:41:00.002-04:00

Here is the bulletin for Oct. 16, 2011. It is a .docx document. Let us know if you have difficulty opening it.

Gibsonville Fall Festival

2011-10-08T17:05:00.003-04:00

Impact Community Day Oct 1, 2011

2011-10-06T16:06:00.004-04:00

Bulletin October 9, 2011

2011-10-06T14:37:00.002-04:00

Here is the bulletin for the October 9, 2011 service. (It is a .docx document.)

October 2011 Newsletter

2011-09-27T15:03:00.003-04:00

Click here for the October 2011 newsletter. You may have to hit the "zoom" button on your .pdf reader to make it bigger. One way to make it bigger is to right click on the document and then select "marquee zoom."

Bulletins for Sept 18 & 25, 2011

2011-09-22T10:37:00.001-04:00

Click here for Sept. 18, 2011 bulletin.

Click here for Sept. 25, 2011 bulletin.

Sept 11 service pictures

2011-09-16T10:24:00.007-04:00

More information about Impact Community Day

2011-09-15T17:23:00.005-04:00

Impact Community Day is still going to be at E. Guilford High School on Saturday, Oct. 1, but there has been a time change. It is now going to be from 1:30-4:00 PM.

Also, you are invited to a celebration event for the Greensboro District at Muir's Chapel UMC on Friday evening Sept. 30 at 6:30. The purpose of this event is to celebrate what we will be doing the next day to make a positive impact on our communities. It is like a pep-rally for Impact Community Day on the night before it happens. There will be supper served with bbq and chicken from Stamey's. If you would like to RSVP for this event, please email Jonathan and I will send in your reservation. There is a suggested donation of $5 for this meal. You can also order an Impact Community T -shirt for $7. Let me know if you are interested in the celebration, the meal, or the T-shirt and I will send in your reservation.

It is not necessary to attend the celebration on Friday night in order to volunteer on Saturday.

Bulletin for September 11, 2011

2011-09-08T13:14:00.002-04:00

Here is the bulletin for Sept. 11, 2011 . Please note: we will be recognizing all police, firefighters, and EMT's who are with us. Please wear your uniform if possible. There will be a covered dish lunch after the service with our police, firefighters, and EMTs as our guests of honor.

Bulletin for September 4, 2011

2011-09-06T10:43:00.002-04:00

Here is the bulletin for September 4, 2011

Bulletin for Aug. 28, 2011

2011-08-25T14:10:00.002-04:00

The bulletin for August 28, 2011 is available by clicking here.

Community Fun Day

2011-08-22T10:48:00.008-04:00

Click HERE to see a slideshow of 24 pictures taken at the Community Fun Day, August 21, 2011. It may take a minute to load, depending on your connection speed.

How Do I Read the Bible?

2011-08-19T22:16:00.000-04:00

Bulletin for Aug. 21, 2011

2011-08-18T11:14:00.000-04:00

Here is the bulletin for August 21, 2011.

Spiritus 2011

2011-08-17T12:56:00.006-04:00

We had seven youth and two adults attend Spiritus last weekend at Ft. Caswell on Oak Island. Here are a few pictures:

Bulletin for July 31, 2011

2011-08-05T17:25:00.000-04:00

Here is the bulletin from July 31, 2011.

Working on the Steeple

2011-08-05T17:14:00.005-04:00

Midweek Messenger August 3, 2011

2011-08-05T11:25:00.003-04:00

Dear Friends in Christ,

This is an official public service announcement and warning: the roads in Gibsonville will no longer be safe, because my 16 year old daughter now has her driver's license. Just thought I should put that out there.

Other announcements include:

The Children's Council will meet Monday Aug. 8 at 7:00 p.m.

Care and Share will meet on Thursday Aug. 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Several of our youth will be going to SPIRITUS on Oak Island on Saturday Aug. 13- Monday Aug. 15.

The United Methodist Men will meet Sunday Aug. 14 at 8:45 a.m.

The Hand bell Choir will begin rehearsals starting Wednesday, Aug. 17 at 6:00 pm.

We will have the Blessing of the Book Bags on Sunday morning Aug. 21.

On August 21, the afternoon schedule is:

4:00 PM - special games, crafts, and inflatables for children.
5:00 PM - Ice Cream will be served for all.
6:00 PM - Sunday night worship - special praise band has been invited and we will also sing some of our VBS songs.

The Spirited Friends will go to Fearrington Farms in Pittsboro on Saturday, Aug. 27.

There will be a church-wide pancake breakfast and Sunday School Kick off on Sunday August 28 at 9:45 a.m.

There will be a Blood Drive here on Monday Aug. 29 from 3:00 PM - 7:30 PM

All of these announcements and more will be in this Sunday's bulletin!

As you can see, the summer is almost over, and we are gearing up for the beginning of a new school year. The summer has just flown by too quickly!

If you were here in church on July 17, you may remember the great music and the inspiring message we had from Claude Little. You can listen to the music and the message for that Sunday by going to the church blog: http://gibsonvilleumc.blogspot.com . You can also find many other items of interest in the life of the church there. I encourage you to write something about an area of ministry you are involved in - send it to Edith or me and we will put it on the church blog.

I'll leave you with this blessing from the Apostle Paul:

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. -- Romans 15:5-6

Peace,
Jonathan

Message from Claude Little on July 17, 2011

2011-08-01T20:09:00.004-04:00

Below you will be able to listen to the service from July 17, 2011. It begins with the choral anthem and then has the message that was delivered by Claude Little. This was a great Sunday for GUMC! There is no video for this service, so we just used a picture of the church. Press the "play" button to begin.

August 2011 newsletter

2011-07-27T14:16:00.003-04:00

The August 2011 newsletter is available here.

Stop Hunger Now video

2011-07-22T10:32:00.000-04:00

This is the Stop Hunger Now video from 2010.

Church Steeple

2011-07-19T13:38:00.001-04:00

Laity Service Award

2011-07-19T12:29:00.005-04:00

Ted Bales, recipient of the 2011 Laity Service Award

Bulletin for July 17, 2011

2011-07-14T13:47:00.003-04:00

Here is the bulletin for July 17, 2011. It is a microsoft word document (.docx). If you cannot open it, let me know. If you can open it, let us know that, too!

Midweek Messenger July 13, 2011

2011-07-13T10:50:00.003-04:00

Dear Friends in Christ,

Hot enough for you? Hope you're staying cool somehow, either inside an air-conditioned house, by the poolside, at the beach, in the mountains, or maybe just sitting in the shade enjoying a nice breeze (my favorite).

Last Sunday was a great Sunday as we gathered together to worship God and also recognized Ted Bales as our 2011 Layperson of the Year.

This Sunday will be a special Sunday at GUMC as well. Claude Little's family reunion is in town and there will be about 100 of his family members with us for worship. Claude will also be giving the message. We will have a closed-circuit broadcast of the service in the fellowship hall for any possible overflow. Be sure to come and enjoy this wonderful worship opportunity.

Also, this Sunday evening at 6:00, we will have our 3rd Sunday of the month Sunday evening worship service. Susan Owen's band "Highway 61" will provide the music for this service. This is another great opportunity for worship!

Many of you have noticed our announcements in the bulletin and newsletter about July 24 being our matching funds Sunday for the building fund. An anonymous donor has offered to match anything above $1000 given to the building fund on that Sunday. For example, if $4000 is given to the building fund that Sunday, then our anonymous donor would give an additional $3000. This is a good opportunity to pump up our building fund! There is a $5000 cap on the matching fund.

The evangelism committee met Monday night and considered ways to increase the church's on-line presence. We decided to try developing a church blog. It's free, and it's easy to update. For now, it is still in its experimental stage, but if you would like to see it, this is the address: http://gibsonvilleumc.blogspot.com . This will not replace the church website, but it will be an additional way to get out information quickly and easily. It will be updated frequently, so check it often.

Well, I'm about to go get ready for PB & J. We have had a lot of good youth participation this summer in this ministry, which has been fun. Our youth are also working tomorrow at Loaves and Fishes. Loaves and Fishes called us just yesterday and asked if we could come earlier than we were originally scheduled. They need extra help. So, now the youth are gathering at the church on Thursday at 9:00 AM to go to Loaves and Fishes. Wear your youth T shirt and closed toed shoes. Bring money for lunch. This ministry is so important. Just this morning, someone came by the church needing help with food. We were able to refer them to Loaves and Fishes knowing that they could receive the help they need there.

Hope to see you Sunday!

Peace,
Jonathan

VBS 2011 Pandamania

2011-07-13T09:34:00.000-04:00

Worship on July 17

2011-07-12T14:29:00.002-04:00

Don't miss this Sunday's special worship service. Claude Little, will be our guest speaker and his extended family will also be joining us for worship. Come hear special music and message.

July 2011 Newsletter

2011-07-11T14:04:00.002-04:00

The July 2011 Newsletter is available here.