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Aldersgate United Methodist Church
:
A vibrant and inclusive Christian community
growing in faith, love, health and service
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Aldersgate UMC
14230 SE Newport Way
Bellevue, WA 98006
(425) 746-9800
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Associate Pastor
Church Office
Children, Youth, Family
Preschool Director
Core Leaders
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Feb 10
Youth Lock-In
Feb 11
Camp Sunday
Taco Bar Lunch
February 12
Soup Supper
Common Table
Feb 14
Ash Wednesday Services
Feb 19
Holiday - Office Closed
Feb 25
Club 345, Youth Group
with Dinner
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Mar 10
Time Change
Spring Forward Tonight
Mar 11
Sunday School Training
Club 345, Youth Group
with Dinner
Mar 16-18
Youth SUMYT Retreat
Mar 25
Palm Sunday
Mar 29
Maundy Thursday Service
Mar 30
Good Friday Service
Mar 31
Egg-Stravaganza
Flashlight Egg Hunt
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April 1
Easter Services
Egg Hunt
April 8
Confirmation Begins
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Church Leadership
Click these links to read the minutes of the Core Leadership Team and the monthly minutes of the Ministry Teams.
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SUMYT Team
Thanks You!
A BIG Thank You from the SUMYT Team! The Spaghetti Dinner and Dessert Auction Fundraiser was a huge success. Thank you to everyone who joined us for dinner, donated a dessert, bought a dessert or made a donation. It was a fun night where we were able to hear how this ministry has influenced some of our alumni and we made almost $3000 before expenses. The team is overwhelmed by the generosity and support. Thank you!
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Scripture Lesson: Ephesians 2:8
Sermon:
"Camp Is Lifesaving
"
This Sunday
This Sunday we will highlight the four United Methodist Church camps in our area and the lifesaving experience it is for our children and youth who attend summer camp.
The main theme and curriculum for summer camp revolves around Ephesians 2:9:
"
For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God."
As people, we are born into a broken world. God's desire for wholeness and life for us and the rest of creation was made known to us in the life and death of Jesus. This action by God through Christ literally changes everything - the world, us and how we live in community with one another. Through this curriculum, campers will learn how God's grace changes these things and how we can work with others to show that grace to the world. The daily themes include Our Hearts (Luke 24:13-35, the walk to Emmaus), Our Identity (Acts 9:1-18, the conversion of Saul), Our Purpose (Matthew 25:31-46, the parable of the king, the sheep, and the goats), Our Community (Matthew 15:21-28, the Canaanite woman), and Our Perspective (Luke 15:11-32, the parable of the prodigal father and the wayward son).
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Pastor's Blog
I've been thinking about leadership lately. There are at least two ways of thinking about leadership. One way is to think that most of us are followers and there are a few leaders among us who are accomplished in some way. They can show the rest of us where to go and what to do. In this way of thinking about leadership, the leaders have "done their time" as followers. There has been some sort of progression through which they have moved in order to become ready for leadership. Churches have typically thought of leadership in this way, and in my time at Aldersgate I have come to believe that this church is no exception.
However, there's another way to think about leadership. It's a way that was perhaps most undeniably taught to the world by Holocaust survivors. In this alternate way of thinking about leadership, everyone can lead from where they are. It is this way of thinking about leadership that allows for absolutely anyone to step in when they see injustice, oppression, or bullying and say no. It is this way of leading that provides a way for a black woman to refuse to give up her seat on a bus when the rules said she had to move to the back in order to challenge prejudice. It is this model for leadership that we might even find long before the Holocaust in the stories of a Galilean man who refused to call Caesar "god". Instead he healed on the Sabbath when love demanded it, asked his followers to become like children not like the leaders of the church or state, and embodied sacrificial love in the midst of a land occupied by a brutal empire. Leadership among Jesus followers calls all of us to lead from where we are toward a future that God is creating.
If my musings have any merit, then we might need to start thinking of leadership in the church a different way. Those who have been called to serve on a committee or team or those who teach or share witness are certainly leaders. However, they might not be the only ones. There might be leaders who can start a movement, show the way by their example, and learn the lessons of leadership while leading all around us. I wonder what it would be like if we could live into that possibility. I don't have the answers, but I hope we can start to discover them together.
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One Worship Service
February 11
Mark you calendars!
A week from this Sunday t
here will be only one service on February 11th at 10:00am. It is Camp Sunday and a Taco Bar Luncheon will follow the service at 11:30am.
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Common Table & Soup Supper
February 12
The next Common Table will be Monday February 12 at 7:00pm. Come early at 6:00pm and partake of a simple soup supper. This gathering is for everyone who wants to have a voice in the life of the church. Pastor Jacob will be there to talk about his vision for the Rock Chinese Church that meets at Aldersgate and answer questions. Please sign up on Sunday's attendance form if you plan to come for dinner or contact Wendi in the church office. Also, free childcare is available if you sign up for it in advance.
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Mission Sunday on Earth Day
April 22 will be Mission Sunday this year and the Green Team will be helping to design a decidedly green way to be in mission in our community. If you have ideas, suggestions, or want to be part of a particular team, see Pastor Laura or anyone on Green Team.
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Ash Wednesday
February 14
This year, Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine's Day, February 14. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Christian season of Lent, leading up to Easter. It is a time when we prepare ourselves for the annual retelling of the story of Jesus suffering, death, and resurrection in our lives and in the life of the world. This year we begin the season recognizing that it is also a season of understanding God's love for us, so Valentine's Day themes will be present as well. There are three options for the community to gather this year on Wednesday, February 14.
- Pastor Laura will be available for individual prayer and imposition of ashes in the Youth Room from 11:30am-1:30pm for any who wish to stop by, including Aldersgate Christian Preschool families.
- Bellevue First United Methodist Church will host a community Ash Wednesday worship service at noon that day and all are invited to attend.
- Aldersgate will also host a worship service at 7:00pm in the sanctuary open to the community.
On Ash Wednesday, the imposition of ashes on the forehead is a symbol of our connection to the dust of the earth, and yet also an acknowledgement that God works through this dust and makes our lives holy. Come and Behold!
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Green Team
Meets February 13
Did you know that the green cups for coffee are compostable? How about the new translucent lids? They are compostable as well. What about the wooden coffee stirrers and tea bags and sugar packets? All compostable. Please help us reduce our trash bill by composting all these items. Carefully place your compostable items after worship in the green compost bins in Friendship Hall instead of the trash (black) or recycle (blue) bins. Compost is free for us to dispose of and we pay by volume for trash pick-up, so you can do your part for the church's bottom line and the Earth's future by looking for those green bins. If you have suggestions for the Green Team, please join us for our next meeting on
February 13 at 5:30pm
in Room 21 at church.
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CRC Next Steps
Thanks to all who participated in the Considering Reconciling Congregations (CRC) Bible Study during January. The conversations were not always easy, but they were productive and helpful for all those involved. If you missed the Bible Study, you can still be involved in the next steps.
- The planning committee is continuing to work on the process for the congregation. The question box is still in the Narthex and the online question submission is still available at https://goo.gl/forms/MhIWD3IngtxyBXOw1.
- For those of you who would like to do some reading CLICK HERE to see a resource list compiled from committee members and others in the congregation who had resources to share. If you'd like to add anything to the resource list, please pass along additional suggestions to Joe Lee who is compiling all of what we receive. Updates will be forthcoming as we receive new suggestions.
- Just like during Advent, the committee has intentionally not planned any events during Lent so that the spiritual experience of preparing for Easter is not interrupted for anyone in the congregation. After Easter, we are working to schedule a couple of events where we bring in a guest speaker or a panel of people who have experience with various aspects of becoming Reconciling, including parenting LGBTQIA children in church settings, churches who have joined or not joined the Reconciling Ministries Network, or others with experience of how things change for churches who decide to begin using the Reconciling title. Dates for those events will be published as soon as we have them.
The committee designing the process at Aldersgate remains committed to including ways for all voices within our church to participate. If you would like to be part of the committee working on the process, the next meeting will be on February 11 at 9:00am before worship begins at 10:00am.
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New Youth Assistant
Please welcome Griffey Edwards as our newest staff member! He will be serving as the Youth Assistant. We are very excited to have Griffey on board and the enthusiasm he brings to our youth ministry.
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Kindness Rock Project
Girl Scout Troop 52475 is involved in the "Kindness Rock Project." If you come across a painted rock on church property, feel free to take it. You can keep it or place it in a local park or some place in your neighborhood. Girl Scout Troop 52475 meets regularly at Aldersgate and is led by church members Kim and Gwen Brewer.
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Way of Discernment Stud
y
Pastor Laura will begin a new adult small group to work through the Way of Discernment volume from he Companions in Christ series. The group will meet on Sunday evenings from 6:00-8:00pm, beginning March 4 and run for approximately 3 months. If you are interested in a copy of the book, see Pastor Laura or order one from an online retailer. Used copies are available for about $10. All are welcome. Come when you can. Don't stay away just because you can't be there every week.
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Sound Help Wanted
Sound operators are needed for both the 9:00am and the 11:00am. Training will be provided. For more information, please email Tom Blakney or call him at 206-310-6296.
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Ushers Needed - First Service
More ushers are
GREATLY
needed at the first service. The duties are simple: to greet people and pass out bulletins, to assist visitors and help them find a seat, to collect and store the offering, and then tidy the sanctuary after the service. The ushers work a rotating schedule and with enough ushers, that would mean helping once every 4-6 weeks.
Can YOU help?
If so please sign up on Sunday's attendance form or contact David James, [email protected].
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2017 Contribution Statements AGAIN
The 2017 contribution statements were
emailed
to you twice, on January 18 and January 30. The first time the emails were sent out with a strange header from LogosCMS
Vandalia Baptist Temple
. The problem was fixed and therefore we emailed contribution statements AGAIN with the correct header in case you thought the first was spam. In either case, the body of the email and the attached contribution statement are the same. If we do not have your email address on file, then your contribution statement was sent to you by regular mail. Please contact Wendi in the church office if you need another copy of your contribution statement or if your contribution statement is incorrect. Please continue to use the existing Financial Secretary email: [email protected].
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Youth Group Lock-In
February 10-11
Saturday February 10 to Sunday February 11 will be an overnight Lock-In for the youth. We will bake the cookies for the Valentine boxes to be mailed to Aldersgate College students, help prep for Camp
Sunday the next day, and of course have some fun! All youth who plan on attending need to check in with
Jen Hoerber to make sure the proper paperwork is on file.
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Camp Sunday & Taco Bar
On Camp
Sunday, February 11, there will be only one worship service at
10:00am.
We will celebrate the camping ministry and representatives from all four of the United Methodist PNW Camps will be here to share about this lifesaving ministry. This will be a very fun festive and meaningful worship service.
Following the service at 11:30am, there will be a Taco Bar Luncheon. Besides an amazing taco lunch and your favorite camp desserts, you will have the opportunity to hear from Aldersgate's campers about their camp experience and learn more about the four camps. A free will offering will be taken and funds will be split between Aldersgate's Campership Fund and the district campership fund. This is a fun and yummy way to help ensure all children and youth have the opportunity to go to camp. If you will join us for lunch and if you can help prep food Saturday, serving food Sunday or help clean up after lunch, then please sign up on Sunday's attendance form or via the church Facebook page.
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Youth Group (6th-12th Grade)
Youth Group meets on Sunday evenings from 6:00-8:00pm. All youth in 6th-12th grade are welcome. If you have questions about the youth program, contact
Jen Hoerber. Here are some upcoming events:
*Feb 10 - Youth Lock-In
*Feb 11 - Camp Sunday service @ 10:00am, Taco Bar Lunch @ 11:30am
*Feb 18 - Youth Group, 6:00-8:00pm
*Feb 25 - Dinner, 5:00-6:00pm, Youth Group, 6:00-7:30pm
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Youth SUMYT Retreat
Aldersgate Youth are going to SUMYT! SUMYT is a youth retreat that is put on by the Seattle United Methodist Youth Team! (Did you know Aldersgate has 4 youth on the SUMYT team and 1 adult helping to plan this amazing retreat!) The retreat is at Camp Indianola on Friday, March 16th through Sunday, March 18th. This year's theme is "Under Construction." We will have a fun-filled weekend exploring what it means to be a work in progress, growing in love, community and faith. All youth should contact Jen Hoerber with questions and get registered online soon!
The website to register is
www.sumyt2018.eventbrite.com
. When you register you should
c
hose the pay later option
as the church will pay a portion of the $120 registration fee.
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Club 345 (3rd~4th~5th Grade)
February 25
Kids in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades meet once a month on Sunday evening for food and a fun activity.
The next meeting will be February 25 from 5:00pm - 7:30pm.
Contact is Jen Hoerber, [email protected].
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UMW Funds Dispersed
The United Methodist Women Bake Sale in December netted over $1400. At least $550 was from craft items donated by church members. A huge thanks to all who baked, worked and donated crafts and, of course, to those who bought these items. We couldn't have been this successful without all of you!
Recently the UMW members from Mary Martha and Deborah Circles met to decide where to donate this money. Recipients this year are Sophia Way, Congregations for Kids (in Bellevue School District), Friends of Youth (including Griffin Home, Renton) and Days for Girls (Jo Fritze and Jennifer Ting). Our UMW was also able to meet their annual pledge to the District.
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Interfaith Advocacy Day in Olympia
February 20
This is a time when God's people of many faith backgrounds can come together to put their faith into action on current legislation. Participants get to join workshops that break down current issues, learn current best practices on how to advocate in today's legislature, prepare for briefings and hearings with advocates from your legislative district, and meet in person with your legislator. Click here for registration and more information.
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People with Health Concerns
*Dave Maybee's daughter-in-law
*Katie Schroeder's brother Tim
*Brad & Kim Brewer's sister-in-law Donna
*Bob Olson
*Al Allott
*Lisa Brawn's friend Lynn
*Randal Brown's friends Mary Ellen, Geoff and Jonas
*Michelle Joyce's co-worker Miguel
*Butch & Sue Black
Additional Prayers
*Missionary Katherine Parker
To submit a prayer request to the Prayer Chain, email
Dorothy Bennet
t, the Prayer Chain Coordinator. You can also fill out a pew prayer card on Sunday and put it in the offering plate, or you can contact the
church office with your prayer request. All prayer requests will appear in the church newsletters unless you request otherwise.
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