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Don't Miss These New Beginnings
- Wednesday Night Dinners resume on August 29. That night we will also help prepare Flood Buckets
- Our Back to School Bash is September 5.
- Little Lambs and Bible Pathfinders begins September 12.
- Wednesday Night Adult classes resume on September 12.
- Our new Midweek Worship starts September 12. Look for more details soon.
Make sure to check the Elementary Ministries and Student Ministries newsletters about specific events for those programs.
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 Back to School Bash
We invite families to join us Wednesday, September 5, at 6:00 pm, in Tyson Hall for our Back to School Bash featuring stunt man and comedian, Max Winfrey! Dinner will be served before the show in the Fellowship Hall at 5:00 pm for $6 per adult and $4 per child (with a $20 maximum for families). The show is completely free and we hope to see you there!
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 4th Grade Party Success
Most of our 4th grade students are all coming together for the first time this year at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central. This past week we had a party with 53 of these students. We wanted them to be able to spend time together playing and making new friends. They skated, played games and ate ice cream. They had a great time!
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Labor Day Joint Sunday School Option
Please join us on Sunday, September 2, at 9:45 am, in the Fellowship Hall as we hear from Rev. James Woodin (Pastor Woody) from the Upper Sand Mountain United Methodist Parish. Our 6-7th graders served at the thrift store and food pantry there on their mission trip in early June. This parish serves members of their community with financial and personal counseling, food and nutritional products, thrift store supplies, as well as home repairs and construction. Come learn about this UMC mission and how its allowing mission teams such as ours to become the Hands and Feet of Christ.
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 3rd Grade Bible Sunday
It is the tradition at Vestavia Hills United Methodist to give a Bible to all of our third graders each year. This year Bibles will be presented to the children on September 9 at the 11:00 traditional worship service in the Sanctuary. We hope you will make plans to attend. We also invite the children who receive Bibles and a parent to join us for our "How to Use Your Bible" workshop from 4:00-5:00 pm that afternoon in rooms 219/221. We are excited to celebrate this important occasion as a church family!
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 Elementary Bible Study
We invite 1st-5th graders to join us for our elementary Bible Study, Bible Pathfinders, on Wednesday nights during the school year from 6:00-7:00 pm in rooms 219/221! We will kick off on September 12. Take a journey around the world to learn about Paul's missionary journeys, about kids in different countries and we will explore what it means to be a missionary for Jesus. We will have lots of fun with music, skits, discussion, games and more! Contact Jamie Meeks ([email protected]) for more information.
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Whale of a Sale Volunteers Needed
 Vestavia Day School is one of the strongest outreach ministries of the church and they need our help. The Whale of a Sale, the school's only fundraiser, is coming up and in need of volunteers. This is a great opportunity for you, your friends or your Sunday School group to serve our church and community. Please check your calendars and see if you have a few hours free on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, September 12, 13 or 14. Sign up and enjoy sorting and organizing clothing and toys for the sale. Plus, all volunteers get an early shopping pass at 1:30pm on Thursday, September 13 before the sale opens to the public! If you don't have time to spare, please also consider donating a treat to the hospitality room! If you are interested in helping, email us ([email protected]) or visit the link below and select a time and day that works for you!
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August Hilltoppers Meeting
 Join us next week for Hilltoppers on Tuesday, August 28, at 10:30 am, in the Fellowship Hall. Local historian, Jim Phillips, will join us for our program. For information or to make a lunch reservation ($6.00) contact Harriette Woodring (822-9318) or Margaret Flowers ([email protected] / 769-0112) no later than 11:00 am on Friday, August 24. 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.
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 Sound System Volunteers
We are looking for sound system volunteers for all of our Sunday services, as well as special services throughout the week. A good sounding service is crucial to making a memorable worship experience. Many weeks we risk having services with no one behind the sound board so we need your help more than ever. With the improvements we are making to all of our worship spaces we want to make sure we are good stewards of our progress and have volunteers we can call on to make our sound systems run well. It is very easy, and does not require any experience whatsoever. If you want to be a part of this wonderful team them please contact Peyton Chandler ([email protected]).
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Tyson Hall Tech Volunteers
We are looking for sound, lighting, and media volunteers for our 11:00 Contemporary services in Tyson Hall. Nash Osborne is excited to train and assist any willing volunteers to help make our Contemporary services in Tyson Hall as interactive and memorable as possible! We'll teach you everything you'll need to know. Please contact Nash Osborne ([email protected]) if you are interested.
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 Mission Night and More
Join us as we partner with Canterbury UMC and Trinity UMC next Wednesday, August 29, for a church wide family missions night. We will pack 500 flood buckets to send to Decatur before the hurricane season. We have learned to gather and pack these critical supplies before the first hurricane threat. This year, the three churches are partnering together to be proactive and have the warehouse ready to go to provide relief to hurricane affected areas.
There are many ways you can be a part of this mission project. Please see the sign-up genius below and pray about where you and your family or Sunday school class will participate. If you have any questions, please contact Rachael Hayes ([email protected]).
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 Christmas Shoebox Ministry
Christmas Shoebox Ministry is back and in full swing! There are shoe boxes in the Missions office if you or your group is interested in putting them together. Please note that the deadline is a month earlier this year! All of the boxes have to be delivered to the Conference office by September 4. Now is a great time to get flip flops before they are out of season. Each box needs a pair of flip flops.
If you would like to pick up the boxes and materials, please contact Rachael Hayes ([email protected]). Also, remember there is a small shipping fee of $5 per box. You can write the check to VHUMC and put "Christmas Shoebox Ministry" on the memo line. We will be happy to get everything ready for you to pick up. Box distribution is on a first-come-first-served basis, so let's see if we can pack all 200 boxes we have this year!
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Thank You for a Successful Year
Your Finance Committee would like to thank you for helping make the twelve-months ended June 30, 2018 so prosperous. Not only were we able to complete the largest fund-raising capital campaign in the church's long history, but we did this while ending in the positive ($58k) with our normal, operating budget.
Areas to consider going forward:
- Please keep those NEXT Campaign pledges coming into the church. We have already received 54% of the total amount that was pledged over a three-year time commitment. This helps to keep our loan interest cost down and reduces the chance of any unfulfilled commitments.
- It will be year-end Stewardship time before you know it. Recently, as much as 25% of our annual operating budget came from "unpledged contributions." This makes it harder to make sure all areas of the church are receiving adequate funding for their ministries. Thanks to all those who have turned in pledges in the past and for those that haven't, please prayerfully consider doing so during this fall's Stewardship campaign.
Your Finance Committee takes their task to heart and works hard for the best interest of our Church and congregation as a whole. We meet at least monthly and have a diverse group of both lay members, clergy, and staff. We strive to ensure that all funds are used in the best possible way in a transparent environment.
Thank you for all of your contributions of money, time, and talent during this very exciting time in our church. Please know that you are helping make a difference.
In addition to Gary, Natalie, and John, you can contact me at any time if you have questions or concerns about our finances.
William Hocutt, Finance Committee Chairman
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 Music and Arts
Now that School is back in session, so is the VHUMC Music and Arts program. Music and Arts is for all children K-5th grade and is active every Wednesday, 2:30pm-5:00pm, when Vestavia Schools are in session. Children will have the opportunity to be creative in sessions such as choir, hand bells, drama, visual arts, drumming, and orff instrument. We offer transportation from Vestavia East, West, Central and the Vestavia Day School to VHUMC every Wednesday for Music and Arts. There are also many opportunities for you to get involved with Music and Arts. If you would like to volunteer to be a van driver, a shepherd (lead children between sessions), or if you have any questions about Music and Arts; please contact Matt Wall ([email protected]). We hope to see your child with us on when we kick off on September 5.
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 COA Classes for Fall Fall is a great time to begin music lessons! Our Conservatory of the Arts is ramping up and we don't want you to miss out! Registration for our fall session has started, so why not use this time to learn a new instrument, take voice lessons, to learn art skills, or to try a theatre class? Visit our new website by clicking the link below and register for your lessons today! Check out some of our new opportunities:
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Showstoppers - We are excited to offer this musical theatre class by Holly Harrington for both boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 15 on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-7:00 pm. The class will run for 15 weeks culminating in a final performance in December. It will focus on promoting performance skills through learning specific songs, dances, and scenes from established musicals. Each class will include elements of singing, dancing, and acting.
- Photography Class - From Snapshots to Creative Photographs will once again be offered by Virginia Jones on Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm for high school students and adults. Class will begin on Thursday September 6 and run for 5 weeks. The class is designed for amateurs who want to improve their photographs. A basic working knowledge of your digital camera is encouraged.
- Clay Class - Larry Gibson will once again be returning to teach youth (ages 10 through 18). All students will use their hands and/or a pottery wheel to create both functional and unique clay pieces. Classes begin Monday, September 10 from 4:30-5:30 pm and meet most Mondays through December 3.
- Art Classes - Regular Art Class - Thursdays from 4:15-5:15 pm for students in Grades 1-3.
- Advanced Art Class - Tuesdays from 4:15-5:15 pm for students in Grades 3-8.
- Theatre Class - will run for 12 weeks culminating in a final production in late November. Intended for both boys and girls in 4th grade through high school, this class will help your student become more comfortable and confident while developing skills in acting, stagecraft, public speaking, and improvisation.
- Musicianship Class - a beginning Theory class for students as well as adults. If you have wanted to learn how to read music or are planning on majoring in Music in college and want to learn more music theory, taking this class will give you an edge in your musical knowledge. There are three levels of classes and we are offering Level 1 this Fall on Sunday afternoons. For adults, no prior music experience is necessary to take the class. For children, they would need at least one year of music lessons to enroll. Classes begin September 9.
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 Kindermusik is Back for Fall
Come join our award winning Kindermusik classes here at VHUMC! Kindermusik with Michele and Friends is ranked in the top 5% of music programs in the world by Kindermusik International. We will be offering Sunday afternoon and Monday morning classes this fall for ages birth to 7 years old. Having fun is just the beginning! Our curricula and expert educators provide engaging musical learning experiences during the years most critical to brain development. We are proud to be able to offer classes here and know that you do not want to miss this opportunity for your children. Classes are designed to meet every child right where they are developmentally through music, movement, instrument play, dancing, singing, bonding with caregiver, story time, intentional touch, and so much more. Classes begin September 16 so don't delay. Open enrollment is available all year if space is available.
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 VHUMC in the Community
A big thanks to those of you who helped with the Crimes Against the Elderly Community-wide event hosted at VHUMC. Guests were welcomed as they entered Tyson Hall to hear from guest speakers about strategies to prevent scams and protect our senior citizens. The event was a huge success as our new space was packed with interested citizens.
A fun time was also had by all who attended the community-wide Back-to-School celebration at Cahaba Heights' Fox Field, with VHUMC as a sponsor. Swag, flyers, and promotional materials were handed out as VHUMC members invited our community to join in our ministries for children, students, and adults. We heard so many people share how much they appreciate the role our church plays in our community and how often they are in our church (either through dance, upward, VDS, COA, Thrive or the multitude of ways we serve our community). Thanks to the "enthusiastic evangelists" who shared our love for our church and invited others to join us.
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 Boomer Bible Study
Jim Frazier will be leading Adam Hamilton's video Bible Study: John (The Gospel of Light and Life). We will be meeting in room 147 in the Lighthouse, on Thursday nights, at 6:30 pm, starting September 6. The study will last seven weeks. For more information contact Jim Frazier ([email protected] / 769-0126).
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Brian Davis to Speak at VHUMC Prayer Breakfast
 Brian Davis, the director of Public Works for the City of Vestavia and an SEC Football line judge, will be our guest speaker on Wednesday, September 19, at 6:45 am, in the Fellowship Hall. Brian has worked for the city of Vestavia Hills for 17 years. In 2012, he was named the city's public services director. Because he attended the University of Alabama, Brian cannot officiate Crimson Tide games. Men, women, and students are all welcome to attend this special breakfast. The cost is $5. Please RSVP by contacting Jim Frazier ([email protected] / 769-0126).
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Growing Pains: Renovating for Our Future
 The amazing thing is that you are receiving Notes on a week when we have no power in most of the church building. Through the internet, most of our church administrative functions can go on without our team even seeing each other this week.
If you have not heard, the power is off this week while Alabama Power is replacing our main transformer and we are updating the "switchgear" that channels that power to our buildings. Please note that we will have services this Sunday, August 26, at the usual times and that the Lighthouse is functioning as usual this week.
Thanks for your patience and your prayers as we have worked through this week. Pray for continued good weather.
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Food Pantry
The Food Pantry needs spaghetti sauce and Ziploc sandwich bags. We are always in need of the plastic grocery bags, preferably doubled and flat.
We are also trying to help a family that lost their house in a fire to find two queen size beds with mattresses. If you can help contact Barbara Porter ( [email protected] / 444-9793)
Harvest of Hope Luncheon
The twelfth Annual Harvest of Hope Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, September 11, 2018, at The Club. A silent auction will begin at 10:00 am.
Founded in 2001, Oak Mountain Mission Ministries provides food, clothing, furniture, and financial assistance to those in need in the Greater Birmingham area. Individuals are referred to the Mission from domestic violence and homeless shelters, faith support churches, and social service agencies. Everything is given to screened, qualified clients at no charge. This past year, OMM assisted 6,120 families and the needs continue to grow.
To reserve a place at one of our VHUMC tables, please contact Barbara Porter (444-9793 or [email protected]).
Auction Baskets Needed
Support Family Promise by building a gift basket that will be sold via silent auction or raffle. This would be a great family, Sunday School, or other group project. Suggested basket ideas include Date Night, Movie Night, Wine and Cheese Basket, Beer Basket, Pet Lover's Basket, Golf Basket, Spa Package, Outdoor Package, Tailgating Package, and Dress Up Package. But, you can we as creative as you want. The suggested basket value is $150+. Baskets will be due to our Mission's office by September 14. If you are interested in donating a basket, please contact Rachael Hayes ( [email protected]). Thank you in advance for supporting our mission partner, Family Promise.
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Wednesday Night Menus
- August 29 - BBQ Pork OR Fried Flounder, Baked Beans, Potato Salad OR Mac & Cheese, Ice Cream. Kids: Pizza.
- September 5 - Salad, Pork Loin OR Poppyseed Chicken Casserole, Wild Rice, Green Beans, Bread Pudding. Kids: Chicken Nuggets, Mac & Cheese
- September 12 - Biscuit OR Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Smoked Sausage, Cheese Grits, Orange Slices. Kids: Chicken Nuggets, Mac & Cheese
- September 19 - Salad, Tacos OR Grilled Chicken, Black Beans, Mac & Cheese, Brownie. Kids: Pizza
- September 26 - Salad, Baked Potato Bar, Soup OR Chili. Kids: Chicken Nuggets
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Worship This Sunday
8:30 am Traditional Service
"Not Yet"
Judges(selected verses)
Bill Brunson
9:45 am Service of Word and Table
"Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator"
Judges 6:36-40
Butch Williams
11:00 am Traditional Service
"Not Yet"
Judges(selected verses)
Bill Brunson
11:00 am Contemporary Service
"Procrastination - Friend or Foe?"
Judges 6:11-17, 36-40
Kipp McClurg
5:00 pm Sunday Evening Worship
"Where is Nathan?"
2 Samuel
Mickey Morgan
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Our Time and Resources
Donations
Other Income
Total Income
Total Expenses
Net General Budget
Auxiliary Ministries
Net Church Activity |
Actual
$67,735
$3,762,808
$141,590
$3,904,398
$3,951,696
-$47,298
$105,008
$57,709
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Targeted
+$8,693
-$138,377
-$710
-$139,690
+$92,393
-$47,298
+$10,008
-$37,290
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(+) Better or (-) worse for the church than our target
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Care and Support
Congratulations, hospitalizations, and sympathies |
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Prayer Requests
Please be in prayer for the following persons:
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