The Notes - February 14, 2019

Volume 49

Issue 7

February 14 , 2019

Whale of a Sale
The Spring 2019 Whale of a Sale starts next Thursday, February 21, in the Lighthouse. Please join us and shop our huge selection of toys, baby items, and gently used clothing. Proceeds from the sale support Vestavia Day School, one of the strongest outreach ministries of the church. The sale is open to the public from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Thursday, February 21 and from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on Friday, February 22 (with our half-price sale starting at noon). Also, Early Hour tickets are now available by clicking the link below. We hope to see you there!

Daddy Daughter Dance
Our Daddy Daughter Dance is coming up on Sunday, February 24, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, in the Lighthouse gym. The cost is $25 per couple ($10 per additional daughter). This is an event for 4k through 5th grade girls and their fathers/grandfathers. If you have any questions contact Anne Strozier ([email protected]).

Lux Aeterna Collaborative Concert
Please join us for a wonderful concert event on Sunday, February 24, at 7:00 pm, in the Sanctuary. The combined choirs of Vestavia Hills UMC and First Tuscaloosa UMC will present Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna (Light Eternal) as well as several other well-known choral music pieces. Dr.'s John Ratledge and Quint Harris, conductors.

Masquerade Missions Fundraiser

We are excited to kick off our annual Student Ministries fundraiser on Friday, March 1! We will be off-site at Park Crest from 7-10 pm. There will be live music, hors d'oeuvres and desserts, and a live and silent auction. You will want to be there! Tickets are $40 per person and are available by clicking the link below! Please spread the word so we can make this an impactful event for our Student Ministries missions fund! For more information or to help by serving on the committee, please contact Emily Boles ([email protected]).

Joint Sunday School Lesson
This Sunday, February 17, we have a joint Sunday school option in the Fellowship Hall with Rev. Caitlin Harper from Community Church Without Walls - a United Methodist mission congregation in the heart of Birmingham's West End. Through stories of hope, struggle, and resurrection, Rev. Harper will share how Jesus is on the move in a neighborhood with a bad reputation, how you can help, and the ways you already have.

February Hilltoppers Meeting
Our next meeting is next Tuesday, February 19, at 10:30 am, in the Fellowship Hall. The Gospel Jubilee Singers will join us for a musical program. For information or to make a lunch reservation ($6.00) call Harriette Woodring at 822-9318 or Margaret Flowers at 769-0112 or [email protected] no later than 11 a.m. on Friday, February 15. 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.

New Member Dinner
To welcome all new members, we are hosting a dinner next Sunday, February 24, from 6:00-8:00 pm in the small dining room (across from Tyson Hall). If you have joined in 2018-2019, you should've gotten an invitation to attend. But if you didn't, please contact Suzanne Scott-Trammell ([email protected] or 769-0136) if you can come. We want to get to know you better and learn how we can help you find your Christ-centered lives of purpose at VHUMC.

Welcome New Members
Please welcome Lauren and Brad Bannon into VHUMC. They are members of the Agape Sunday School class and just baptized their son, Bates (10 months). The Bannons also have a beautiful daughter Laney (2). Let's give them a warm welcome into our VHUMC family.

MLK Mission Still Serving Others
In January, we hosted our annual MLK Mission day where over 90 adults and student ministry youth participated in several hands-on projects on the youth floor. In addition, visitors from the Junior League helped out on this day of service. We completed over 120 Blessing bags, hundreds of hygiene kits and Christmas shoeboxes, and helped move items in the Food Pantry.

We could not have done this without the wonderful help and support of our church and the many student and adult volunteers. The completed projects have been delivered to the Boutwell warming station, Grace Episcopal Church warming station, and Hope Lodge. The Hope Lodge hygiene kits had special Valentine's in them made by our 4th and 5th graders during their Skate and Serve time on MLK day. Other bags will be delivered to Brother Bryan, First Light, and other mission partners in the community. Thank you VHUMC for continuing to make a difference to so many.

Children's Sunday
Thank you to our elementary children for leading our traditional worship services last Sunday! We focused on 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a; 13. We learned that God's love is authentic and eternal. We hope that we can learn to love as God does through a close relationship with him.

Fat Tuesday Pancake Dinner
VHUMC will once again host their annual Fat Tuesday Pancake Dinner on Tuesday, March 5, at 6:00 pm, in the Fellowship Hall. This year as we kick off the Lenten Season, our annual dinner will benefit our Rise Against Hunger event this coming April. There will be games, king cakes, and the VHHS jazz band. Dinner will be $5 per person with another $5 suggested donation for RAH. Your $5 donation will feed 17 children. Any donation amount is appreciated. For more information, please contact Rachael Hayes ([email protected]).

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, February 20, 21, or 22. Sign up and enjoy sorting and organizing clothing and toys for the sale. Plus, all volunteers get an early shopping pass at 1:30 pm on Thursday, February 21 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!

Parking Lot Prayers and Ashes
Be sure to come by for our annual Parking Lot Prayers and Ashes on Ash Wednesday, March 6, from 6:30 - 9:00 am. Rain or shine, our clergy members will be stationed in both the west and east VHUMC parking lots, offering to drivers and pedestrians the traditional imposition of ashes and blessing. If a recipient does not want to receive the ashes, a prayer of blessing will be joyfully offered. Tell your friends and neighbors. All are welcome to drive thru that morning!

Gifts of $169.00
In our January 27 church-wide assembly, we discussed the giving short-fall we have experienced over the past five months. At that time, we were $244,925 behind our General Fund giving budget. If you divide that by our 1,449 giving families, we mentioned that we would be caught-up with our budget if each family gave an extra $169. At least 11 members have given an extra $169 since then and some of you have given much more. This past week, we exceeded our weekly budget by $30,000! We are excited, but we have a long way to go in catching up. If you can help by giving an extra $169 (or any amount) it would really help us right now.

Great New Things in the Lighthouse

If you haven't tried Pickleball yet, come learn to play! We have open play in the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm and Wednesdays from 6:00-9:00 pm.

Barre Sculpt classes started this week as well. Join us in Room 241 on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12:00 pm and Wednesdays at 9:30 am. You can sign up for a class by visiting the link below. Classes are only $10.

ASP Registration Now Open
Summer is approaching and we are excited to serve another year with our long-term ministry partners, Appalachia Service Project (ASP). This is an amazing experience for our students to travel to a poverty-stricken area of Appalachia and spend the week making homes warmer, safer, and drier for families who need a helping hand. 8th and 9th graders will be headed up on June 22-29, and 10th-12th graders will be going July 13-20. The trip is open to any student who is currently in 8th-12th grades. For more information and registration please visit the link or contact Jeremiah Stone ([email protected]). We are looking forward to another year of serving with our students!

Ministry Board Opportunity
Bridge Ministries is an important non-profit organization that helps prevent homelessness by providing direct emergency assistance to at-risk individuals and families in the greater Birmingham area. They are a vital support to our VHUMC Missions office when we receive benevolence calls for assistance. They truly bridge the gap to those in need. Since 1978, they have assisted over 25,000 very low-income individuals providing direct emergency assistance with rent, utilities, temporary lodging, food, and case management services.

Because of our partnership, Bridge Ministries is looking for a representative from our church to serve on their board. Please prayerfully consider if this is where God is calling you to serve in 2019. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Rachael Hayes ([email protected] / 769-0143) in the mission's office.

COA Summer Camps

Piano Camp - July 29-August 2 from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Students with at least one year of Piano experience up through advanced students are welcome at this camp. You do not have to be taking lessons at the Conservatory to participate. Classes will be differentiated by experience level. All students will participate in ensemble classes, music theory, guest artist lessons, private lessons, and music history.
Showstoppers Camp - June 10-14 from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. This camp will focus on promoting performance skills through learning specific songs, dances, and scenes from established musicals. Elements of singing, dancing, and acting will be rehearsed each day with a performance for the parents at the end of the camp. Both boys and girls ages 11-16 are encouraged to sign up!
Art Workshop - July 15-19 from 12:30 to 2:00 pm for students in grade 3-8 and from 2:00-3:30 pm for students that have completed Kindergarten through 3rd grade. The class will offer creative projects such as cartoon drawing, painting, sculpture, and mixed media.

Upcoming Grief Support Group

All of us experience grief differently, and we have a dedicated ministry at VHUMC focused on providing loving care and support to those who have are suffering the loss of a loved one. As part of that ministry, we periodically offer our Grief Support Groups to help you during your grieving process. Our goal is to provide a loving environment with trained leaders who facilitate these grief support sessions. Participants learn valuable ways to cope with their grief, and they are able to share with others who have experienced the loss of spouses, children, parents, and siblings. Our sessions take place in a warm and caring environment, and they follow proven resources devoted to grief support.

The group meets on Wednesday evenings to dine together at 5:30 pm and start our sessions around 6:00 pm. We meet for about one hour. There is no cost for our Grief Support Group, and part of the joy of our ministry is also in furnishing dinner for all participants.

Our next Grief Support Group will meet for six sessions on Wednesdays from March 6 through April 17. Although you are not required to attend every meeting, you are encouraged to make as many sessions as possible for the benefit of you and for others in the Group who are helped by your attendance and participation.

To learn more about this upcoming Grief Support Group, or to register to participate, please contact either Cathie Amos ([email protected] / 908-2731) or Butch Williams ([email protected] / 769-0102).

Join a Car Placement
Have you ever wanted to see first-hand what the VHUMC Car Ministry is all about? Join us for one of our placements. It is truly a time where you can see God at work. One of the more special placements are when the car donor and recipient get to meet. Usually there is not a dry eye in the room. The outpouring gratitude that is shown and the connection and relationship that has begun is truly only something that God could put together. It is worth seeing.

If you would like to be present at the next placement, please contact Rachael Hayes ([email protected] / 769-0143).

Fidget Mat Sewing Bee
Our next Sewing Bee will be held in the Fellowship Hall on Tuesday, February 26, from 10:00 am-2:00 pm. Come and join us (for some or all of the time) to help create Fidget Mats. Laughter and giggles are guaranteed!

February Memory Verse
Our 1st - 5th graders are taught a different verse each month, and have the opportunity to recite the verse before or after Sunday School in the elementary office for a sweet treat and chance to win a grand prize at the end of the school year. We hope that these verses help to guide them throughout their lives. February's memory verse is: "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you." -Ephesians 4:32

Ongoing Outreach

Food Pantry

The Food Pantry needs quart-size Ziploc bags for sweets from Panera Bread. We are also in need of a like-new vacuum cleaner. If anyone has one they would like to donate, it will save us money that we can use on food. Thanks so much to the West family for the large freezer and for removing our broken one. Since we no longer receive produce from Sprouts, any fresh items(oranges, apples, potatoes, carrots, etc.) you would like to donate would be great. Thank you!

Oak Mountain Missions

Oak Mountain Mission needs working microwave ovens. Please call Barbara (444-9793) if you have one to arrange a transfer. Don't leave them inside the church. Coats of all sizes are needed and can be left in the bins around the church. OMM also needs clear glass square vases (7-11 inches tall) to use for centerpieces for our next annual luncheon. Please just put them in the OMM bin. Thank you.

Wednesday Night Dinners

February 20 - Pot Roast, Roasted Carrots, Couscous, Mac and Cheese, Salad or Fruit (Healthy Option: Ginger Chicken or Chef's Salad)
February 27 - Wild Chicken and Rice Soup, French Bread, Salad or Fruit (Healthy Option: Tomato Soup or Chef's Salad)
March 6 - Orecchiette with Bolognese, Marinara, or Alfredo Sauce, French Bread, Salad or Fruit (Healthy Option: Baked Chicken or Chef's Salad)
March 13 - BBQ Pork, Mac and Cheese, Baked Beans, Steamed Broccoli, Salad or Fruit (Healthy Option: Baked Fish or Chef's Salad)