The Notes - July 6, 2017

Volume 47

Issue 27

July 6, 2017

I Love America Night
Come join us tonight, July 6, at Wald Park for this fun community event at 6:00 pm! Tonight is the re-scheduled date from last week's rain-out. VHUMC coordinates the children and youth area with inflatables and games. We need more volunteers to work a one- or two-hour shift. Then, enjoy the time walking around, sampling food, listening to music, and interacting with our community. For more information or to sign up for a shift, contact Suzanne Scott-Trammell ([email protected]).

Welcome Back Sherry
We are excited to welcome Rev. Sherry and Mike Harris back to VHUMC. Sherry served as an Associate Pastor at VHUMC for several years. She left VHUMC six years ago to serve as the Senior Pastor of Wesley Memorial UMC in Decatur, and in early June she retired from serving as the Senior Pastor of Alabaster UMC. Sherry will be involved in a variety of our ministries - occasionally preaching in various services, serving as liturgist, teaching Sunday school, supporting Ruth Grissom and her team in Women's Ministries, and so much more.

We will have a welcome reception for Mike and Sherry this Sunday, July 9, at 9:45 am, during Coffee Time, in the Fellowship Hall. Please come by and officially welcome them home. Sherry will be preaching in the 8:30 and 11:00 am services in the Sanctuary on Sunday, July 23 and in the Contemporary worship service in Tyson Hall and Sunday Evening Worship in the Chapel on Sunday, July 30.

Meet Our Missionary from Tanzania

This Sunday, July 9, we have the privilege of having one of our missionaries speak during the Sunday School hour in Tyson Hall. Eric Soard is a United Methodist missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries assigned along with his wife, Elizabeth, as a church planter and discipleship trainer in the Mara Region of Tanzania. Mark your calendars and come hear about their exciting mission work.

Sunday Evening Worship

This Sunday we'll be singing some very special hymns and songs and enjoy the joy of worshipping together in community. Butch Williams will preach from Matthew 11:25-30 on "Sharing the Burden." Come as you are and join us!

New Golf Cart
Thanks to one of our church families who saw a need to provide higher quality service and warmer (or dryer) hospitality for our VHUMC community. Their donation allowed us to buy a 2017 state-of-the-art golf cart to provide assistance to members and guests. It's a 6-passenger cart with a cover for bad weather, hand rails for assistance getting in, and back seat that folds down for walkers or supplies. Please flag us down on Sunday mornings for needed assistance into worship or Sunday School. For more information on this and other hospitality ministries at the church, please contact Suzanne Scott-Trammell ([email protected]).

Car Ministry Needs
Our VHUMC Car Ministry, founded by Ashley Curry, has been serving the Birmingham community for seven years. With 12 members on our team plus three wonderful mechanics, we gave away or repaired 38 cars in 2016 and have already repaired or placed 20 cars in 2017! This is a vital and growing ministry whose goal is to assist the "working poor" and we need your help.

We have almost 30 working families who are currently walking, taking the bus, or begging rides to get to work, school, doctor appointments. or church. Those on our waiting list are praying for just the right car to change their circumstance. Could you prayerfully consider donating that extra car sitting in your driveway and/or telling your family and friends about how their extra car can help this ministry? Every dollar given to the Car Ministry goes directly to buying or repairing a car for one of our carefully vetted applicants. If you can help, call VHUMC's Missions Office at 769-0143.

Lighthouse Closed
This week the Lighthouse gym floors are being resurfaced. Due to the lengthy process of stripping, sanding, and resurfacing the floors, (and the fumes) the entire building is closed until Monday, July 10. We apologize for the inconvenience, but look forward to sharing the new floors with you! Please contact Megan Drumm ([email protected]) or Melinda Burnett ([email protected]) with any questions.

Contemporary Worship Snack Team
We continue to hear from visitors to our church and from our members about the love they feel when they enter our doors on Sunday. If you would like to be a part of this team, extending loving hospitality and refreshments, please logon to sign-up genius to learn more and sign up for a date that works for you. If you'd like more information, please contact Suzanne Scott-Trammell ([email protected]).

New Members at VHUMC
We are growing! Please come by the bulletin board outside the front office to see all the new members we have added in the past few months. Let's all welcome them warmly into our fellowship, as we join them in renewing our "covenant to faithfully participate in the ministries of (VHUMC) by our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ."

Hilltoppers Meeting
Our next meeting is Tuesday, July 18, at 10:30 am, in the Fellowship Hall. The New Hootaneers will be performing for us. For information or to make a lunch reservation ($6.00) call Harriette Woodring (822-9318) or Margaret Flowers ([email protected] / 769-0112) no later than 11:00 am on Friday, July 14. Please note the price and, if possible, have correct change or an extra dollar bill.

Vestavia Hilltoppers is a VHUMC-sponsored organization for persons of retirement age, which meets each month for lunch and a program. They also sponsor trips and other activities that are publicized at meetings. Guests and new members are welcome.

Adult Volunteers Needed
Our student ministries team has been busy planning several events for our students this summer. However, we need our adult volunteers to make these events possible! Please click on the link below to view our volunteer opportunities and see how you can help make this summer a success for our students. Thank you so much for all that you do for Thrive Student Ministries!

What's Happening in the Day School

Our new school year is fast approaching and we are looking forward to another year - our 50th! We currently have three full-time and four part-time job openings. The part-time jobs are only for our afternoon shifts. If you or anyone you know might be interested please contact TaraKy Eason ([email protected] / 769-0138).

We are very blessed that most of our classes are at capacity and have a waiting list. We do have a few student spots available: Two Children's Day Out openings (M/W/F from 9-1); Four pre-5K openings (part time or full time); and two 4K openings (part time or full time). Please contact our main office at 769-0128 if you would like to enroll your child for any of these openings or would like to be added to our wait list. Thank you for your continued support of our ministry through VDS.

UAB Football Faith Day
UAB Football is back! The UAB Athletics Program is putting on a Faith Day in which local churches are encouraged to come together and enjoy a game at a discounted group price on Saturday, November 25 when UAB will face off against UTEP! Please email Miles Erbe ([email protected]) if you are interested so we can order tickets together.

Upward Flag Football and Cheerleading

Register now for Upward flag football and cheerleading! The season begins with practices the week of September 4 and games begin Saturday, September 16. Games and practices will take place at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Vestavia. Children grades K5-4th are invited to join in the fun! Registration is $105 until August 22. Late Registration is $115. Flag football jersey and shorts or cheerleading outfits are included. You can register at The Lighthouse or online by clicking the link. Contact the Lighthouse (822-9631), with questions or for additional information.

COA Summer Events

Kindermusik

Kindermusik is Here! Summer is a great time to bring your infants and toddlers to Kindermusik classes. While our June classes are in full swing, we still have a few openings for our July classes which will be held in the late afternoon so even the dads can get involved! Sign up now for July classes ($63) or Fall classes which begin in mid-August! Click the link below for more information or to register.

Photography Class

Photography Class Need help learning to take better travel photos? Would you like to learn how to compose better family pictures? Don't lose out on these awesome memories with bad pictures! Enroll in our Photography Class taught over five consecutive Thursday evenings beginning July 13. Bring a family member or friend as well! Click the link to register or for more information.

Summer Grand Camps
If you have a grandchild between the ages of 4 to 9-years-old, you need to consider taking them to Camp Sumatanga this summer. Jim Frazier will be leading two Grand Camps starting this Sunday: July 9-11 and July 12-14. You will have the chance to spend quality time with your grandchild while you swim, ride horses, hike, canoe, fish, make crafts, and sing songs around the campfire. Click on the link below to register or call 256-538-9860.

8 Days Human Trafficking Film
The North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force is sponsoring a film screening of "8 Days," a very compelling story based on actual events. This free admission event will be on Thursday, July 20, at 6:00 pm, at Trinity United Methodist Church. Human trafficking is now a $150 billion industry - second only to drug activity in illegal profitability. I-20 & I-65 are the busiest interstates for trafficking and they both run through our community. Bring your friends and learn more about this growing problem in our midst.

Memorials and Honorariums

Click on the link below or visit www.vhumc.org to see the memorials and honorariums given last month. Thanks to everyone who has given to help the church in recognition of a loved one.

Ongoing Outreach

Helping Our Neighbors in Fairfield

Fairfield, in western Jefferson County, was hit by a tornado on Thursday, June 22. We have received a request for non-perishable food items, paper products, and Gatorade. Items should be delivered to the Wright Center, 6501 Aaron Aranov Drive, Fairfield AL 35064.

Food Pantry

Food Pantry needs spaghetti sauce and condiments (mustard, ketchup, mayo). Thanks to our preschool children for the decorated bags of snacks they prepared at VBC. Our families enjoyed the treat!

Oak Mountain Mission

Oak Mountain Mission desperately needs furniture to be given to families who have lost their homes due to fires, floods , or loss of jobs. Please call Brenda at 685-5757 to arrange a pick-up. They are open Monday - Thursday from 8 :30 am - 1:00 pm .

American Musical Portraits

Join Family Promise of Birmingham at their benefit American Musical Portraits on Sunday, July 16, at 6:30 pm. The concert will be at Trinity UMC and t ickets may be purchased through Trinity's website or by calling 918-0246.