The Notes - July 27, 2017

Volume 47

Issue 30

July 27, 2017

Food Truck Sunday Coming Your Way

Join us as we kick off the new school year, promote our kids, and enjoy an awesome food truck meal together! Promotion Sunday will be on August 13 - the time to move your kids to their new classrooms for the new school year. To celebrate, we have scheduled four food trucks who will set up shop in our parking lot:

Monzy's Deli
Old Town Pizza
Lazy Boy Bar-B-Q
Brewster's Ice Cream

The food trucks will serve from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm to accommodate everyone's schedule. Your family can eat in the Fellowship Hall or on the picnic tables in Dick Kelly Park (right outside the back of the Lighthouse). We hope you will join us for Worship at 8:30, 9:45, 11:00 Contemporary or Traditional and Sunday School and this great BIG Day as we celebrate our new school year together.

40 Years of Service with ASP
On August 22, we welcomed back almost 150 high school students and chaperones from Jonesville, VA where they spent the week serving many families to make their homes warmer, safer, and drier through the Appalachia Service Project (ASP). We were presented with a plaque signifying VHUMC's 40 years of service with this project. This year, as every year, the students and chaperones left not only with the satisfaction of helping others, but being touched by the families they were able to serve. We are so appreciative of our students who were able to go, but also of all our adult chaperones who took a week away from their schedules to make this trip happen for all of these students.

Thank you also to the faithfulness of this congregation. Without your giving, trips like ASP and so many others would not be possible for our students. Please enjoy this video of pictures collected throughout the week or watch it during the coffee hour in our Fellowship Hall on Sunday morning.

Christmas in July
We have the opportunity to give now and allow some of our missions partners to make the November/December holidays more meaningful to those in need. Please put the following items in the bins around the church labeled "Christmas in July" or bring them to the mission's office:

For the Car Ministry - jumper cables
For Hope Lodge - paper products from Costco; Solo spoons, knives, forks; Dixie everyday plates; and Hefty bowls
For Children's Harbor - wooden frames and boxes from Michael's that will be used for crafts
For Christmas shoeboxes - flip flops

Another Positive Impact
If you have noticed a special group of children at church this summer, there's a fascinating story about their presence. It started with a Kipp McClurg sermon where he mentioned a ministry in which he and Stephanie had volunteered while in college. A week later at lunch, Chip Casey said to Kipp, "We are the Birmingham version of that ministry you helped in college."

Many of us drive by Impact Family Counseling (located above the Dollar General on the corner of Hwy 31 and Kentucky Avenue), but most of us don't know what they do, or that their director (Chip) and his family are members of VHUMC. Back in 1991, a group of people wanting to assist children and families on life's margins asked Chip to help them start a non-profit counseling service. Often its clients can't pay for the assistance, so their organization works with many partnering organizations and ministries. There are countless stories of conflict resolution and strengthened relationships for young people, parents, husbands, and wives. Recently they have provided academic space for students who are not able to function safely in a typical school environment. Students from Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook are referred there for specialized learning. Chip's staff knows how to deal with children who have the most challenging of behavioral disorders.

Over lunch, Chip shared their summer plans for an academic readiness camp for children who are struggling and need a boost. He asked if it might be possible to bring students from around Birmingham to VHUMC for this program. Their mornings would focus on academic advancement with a version of Vacation Bible Camp in the afternoons. We were excited to let them use the classrooms beneath Tyson Hall and Dick Kelly Park as their campus for the summer. We are so blessed to have so many members invested in our community like Chip Casey and his work at Impact.

Discovery Needs You
The church will be filled with over 300 students and over 100 volunteers for our annual Discovery weekend August 4-6. There are still many opportunities to help to make this event a success. Please see the links below or contact Juli Hansen ([email protected]) to see where you can help!

Meals & Snacks - Sign Up
Adult Breakroom - Sign Up
Prayer Room - Sign Up
Prayer Vigil - Sign Up

Sunday Evening Worship

Come as you are and share in a joyful service of worship with Sherry Harris this Sunday at 5:00 pm in the Chapel! Sherry's sermon is "Tiny Changes/BIG Results!" and is based on Luke 15:1-10. We'll enjoy warm fellowship and sing the old gospel hymns.

Promotion Sunday
Promotion Sunday is August 13! Be on the lookout for a postcard from preschool or elementary ministries to let you know which class your child will be in for the 2017-2018 school year. We will all meet in our new rooms on August 13. Hope to see you there!

Rising 1st Graders
We are looking forward to the rising 1st graders joining Elementary Ministries on promotion Sunday, August 13! On Sunday, August 6, we will bring them down from their kindergarten class during Sunday School to visit the elementary floor. Children should be dropped off and picked up in their current classroom. We will walk the children down to the elementary floor, talk to them about elementary Sunday School, and have some fun! We look forward to watching all of these children grow in Christ!

3rd Grade Bible Presentation
It is the tradition at Vestavia Hills United Methodist to give a Bible to all of our third graders each year. If you are a member at VHUMC, or feel that VHUMC is your church home, we want to make sure that we have your child listed to receive a Bible. We would also like to personalize each Bible by engraving your child's name on the outside cover, but we can only do that if you provide us with the information by August 16. Please click on the link below to let us know what name you would like printed on your child's Bible.

The Bibles will be presented to the children on Sunday, September 17, at the 11:00 traditional worship service in the Sanctuary. We hope you will make plans to attend. We are excited to celebrate this important occasion as a church family!

4th Grade Party
Most of our rising 4th graders will be combining together this year for the first time at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central. We would like to help them take this big step in their life by having them all together for a party. Our rising 4th graders are invited to come to the Lighthouse on Friday, August 11, from 3:30-5:00 for skating, ice cream, and games! Please register your child by clicking the link. We are praying for all of our children as they prepare to begin another school year!

Vestavia Dance Registration
Registration is now underway for Vestavia Dance. We have classes in ballet, pointe, lyrical, jazz, tap, clogging, and hip hop. Classes begin the week of August 28 and are held in the upstairs Lighthouse dance studios.

Magic City Nutcracker Auditions

Auditions for our Magic City Nutcracker will be Saturday, September 9, in the Lighthouse. Five-year-old's to adults are invited to be a part of our fantastic performance of the wonderful holiday tale. Come join us as we celebrate our 5th year!

Join a Women's 2, 4, 6 Group
We know that women need and depend on each other to talk through their busy lives. We are creating "2, 4, 6" groups to meet that need! Groups will consist of 2 hours, 4 questions, and 6 women around a table. You can establish your own group of six women, or sign up to be placed in a group. For two hours, you will enjoy a meal together, discuss your faith, and share in fellowship. Groups will begin in September, and you can hold your group or join a group meeting at a day and time that works for you. If you would like to sign up to join a group, or if you would be interested in leading or starting a group, please contact Ruth Grissom ([email protected]). Don't miss out on this opportunity to share your discipleship journey with one another through a 2, 4, 6 small group!

New Boomer Bible Study
Join our new Boomer Bible Study on the first and third Thursdays, from August 3 - November 16, at 6:30 pm in room 320. Jim Frazier will be leading an eight-session study on Boomer Spirituality. The class is free and books are provided. For more information, please contact Jim Frazier (769-0126 / [email protected]).

Is Your House Safe
VHUMC has a Home Safety Team who want to help make your house safer. They have been trained by the Vestavia Hills Fire Department and would be glad to set an appointment and come inspect your home. If you would like to have your house inspected there is no charge. For more information contact Jim Frazier ([email protected] / 769-0126).

Hoover Adult Softball League
The Hoover Parks and Recreation is having a Church League as part of its Adult Softball Leagues. The cost of registering a team is $275 and the deadline is Friday, August 18. For those interested in putting a team together or if there are any questions, please contact Miles Erbe ([email protected]).

Conservatory of the Arts
Click the link or contact Ellen Bryant ([email protected] / 769-0123) to register or for more information about these items.

Attention All Band Students
Did you know that the Conservatory of the Arts has teachers for all band instruments? Vestavia band instructors recommend private lessons for their band students.

Fall Theatre Classes
Register now for Fall Theatre classes which begin the week of August 28. Classes are available on Mondays for students in Grades 3-6 and on Tuesday afternoons for students in Grades 7-12.

Fall Art Classes
Sign up now for Fall Art Classes which begin the week of August 14! Regular Art Classes are available after school (or earlier for homeschooled students) at 4:15 pm on Thursdays. For older students, advanced art classes are held on Tuesdays at 4:15 pm. The class fee is $150 for eight weeks and includes all supplies.

New Clay Class

Two classes will be offered on Monday afternoons/evenings beginning September 7. One for youth (ages 10+) and one for high school students and adults. All students will use their hands and/or a pottery wheel to create both functional and unique clay pieces. These classes will be taught by Larry Gibson, Art Instructor at Pizitz Middle School. The class fee is $150 for ten classes.

Ongoing Outreach

Food Pantry

The Food Pantry desperately needs tote bags for fresh fruits and veggies that some generous church members buy each week from our own Farmers' Market. We also need Ziploc sandwich bags for our donated Panera sweets. Thanks!

Oak Mountain Mission

Oak Mountain Mission needs items for their upcoming September silent auction: Gift cards, sports memorabilia, jewelry, beach or mountain trips, etc. Call Barbara Porter (444-9793) if you have any questions. Thank you.