March 1, 2019
Paradise Valley United Methodist Church
Join Bishop Bob TOMORROW AM You're invited to join others in the UMC at a gathering with Bishop Robert Hoshibata of the Desert Southwest Conference Saturday, March 2 at 10 am. Called Together by Grace: One Body will be a time for worship and discernment following General Conference. The event will be connected via video technology held in four different locations: three in Arizona and one in Las Vegas, NV. The closest one to us is St. Matthew UMC, 2540 Baseline Rd, Mesa, AZ
Pastor's Message

  Dear Friend in Faith,

We are looking these weeks at some of the hardest questions of faith regarding suffering and pain in our world. Whether it is natural disasters, the loss of health, encounters with racism or homophobia, all of us have wondered, is there a plan and purpose for our suffering? Do things really happen for a reason? Certainly as a species, we want to control our fate and our future. Sometimes, like Job, we can’t help but get angry and frustrated over the worst life has given us. If you've suffered from financial hardship, watched the people you love make poor decisions, or lost someone dear to you, then you know the heartache of feeling like you’re on the losing end of life, with little hope for recovery.

And yet we can meet God, who's there to help in our hardest moments. It is God who helps us to persevere through our dark times. It is God who weeps with us when the tears run down our face. It is God who aches with us when sorrow comes through our front door. In the Bible, Job finds that he is able to meet God face to face, which changes Job's perspective on his life and on faith. Sunday we come to find God and know the gift of God's presence that walks with us through our dark hours.

Pledge Your Support to PVUMC
If you have not yet pledged your support to the church for 2019-2020, please make your commitment this Sunday to give your time, talent and treasure to Paradise Valley United Methodist Church. We're counting on YOU to be God's love in action. Turn in a pledge card or pledge online . Read why Sandra Caldwell pledges.

Sunday Worship at PVUMC
Paradise Valley United Methodist Church (PVUMC) invites you to worship with us at on Sunday, March 3 at 8, 9:30 or 11 am. We'll celebrate communion at all three services and invite you to bring non-perishable food items to donate to UMOM. Look for the blue bins at church entrances. Read more about what's needed.


Download your Looking Ahead for this Sunday and see what's on the schedule for this week. We include news and events as well as Prayers of Intercession so you can pray for others. Bulletins and the Looking Ahead are available online at our website.

Ash Wednesday Services
Ash Wednesday is March 6, 2019. We will have services at 12 noon in the chapel and at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary. Read more about these services and our Lenten book studies at pvumc.org/news/.

Check our Calendar Online
See the website calendar at pvumc.org/calendar for all our children's, youth and adult activities, during the week and all year long.

Prayer Requests
 Submit prayer requests using our online request form, email prayer@pvumc.org or call the church office at 602.840.8360. Your request will be shared with our 200+ list of prayer warriors on email. If you haven't been receiving prayers, and are already on the prayer team list, please make sure you add " prayer@pvumc.org" and our new prayer chain coordinator's email, " ddoran@pvumc.org" to your safe sender and recipient lists. To make sure the E-News gets to you, add " paradisevalleyumc@gmail.com" to your email list of safe recipients.
Join Bishop Bob of the Desert Southwest Conference Saturday, March 2
Not too long ago, our church hosted the Western Jurisdictional Conference's consecration of Bishop Karen Oliveto, an openly gay bishop who continues to lead the Mountain Sky Area of The United Methodist Church. Two years ago, on February 27, 2017 , PVUMC's Church Council approved our new invitational statement on our welcome page . Now, we are gathering to talk about the recent General Conference Special Session where the legislative body passed the Traditional Plan rather than the One Church Plan favored by the Council of Bishops. Many churches in the west are vowing to uphold their inclusive stance and remain in the UMC, which will be a challenge. Bishop Bob Hoshibata invites us to meet with him on Saturday, March 2 at "Called Together by Grace: One Body," to discuss next steps.

Tetra String Quartet - March 8
We're excited about our spring line-up of PVUMC Community Concerts, and had 250 at our last concert in February. On Friday, March 8, the Tetra String Quartet performs.

As with all the community concerts at the church, there are no tickets or fees. Registration is FREE on Eventbrite. Donations are gratefully accepted at each event.

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Rummage Sale Donations Begin
The annual Caring Kids Rummage Sale is April 6-7, 2019 and the kids will have a sorting day on Sunday. Please donate gently used children's clothing, books, toys, DVDs, sporting equipment, games and room decor in the bins on campus through March 31 . Proceeds from the sale will go toward the purchase of a new church van.

Thrive 34 Pancake Breakfast Sunday, March 3
Come hungry to church this Sunday, and help support Thrive 34 by coming to the Pancake Breakfast in the Fellowship Center on Sunday, March 3, 9 am-11:30 am. Students and their families will be flipping and serving pancakes as part of a fundraiser to help purchase a new church van. All-you-can-eat pancakes are accompanied by sides of juice, coffee/tea and sausage. Suggested donation: $5. 

God's Love in Action in Guatemala
Every March for more than a decade, PVUMC has sent a medical mission team to Guatemala. This year will be their 13th year! Last year, the team saw a hundred patients on a typical day and taught VBS to more than 100 children. Thanks to your donations, more than 500 pairs of glasses were distributed to help those struggling with poor eyesight. This year, you can be God's love in action again by becoming a mission team stakeholder.


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If you missed last week's sermon, you can listen online at LISTEN: Previous Sermons.

To make a donation online, visit GIVE NOW.

You're Invited to a Mingus Mountain Camp Encounter
Mark your calendar to join us for an evening of Mingus Mountain Camp experiences benefiting the Children and Youth Scholarship Fund on Thursday, April 4, 7-8:30 pm in Kendall Hall at Central United Methodist Church. A Day at Camp Mingus will include a campfire, stories, skits and s'mores! Help us send 100 kids to camp for a week this summer. Donate at the event or hit the donate button at the camp website. You can also donate via the church website at GIVE NOW. Choose "Other" and type "Mingus Mountain Camp Scholarships" in the comments section. If you write a check to PVUMC, include the same memo on your check. Thank you for giving kids a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Camp Day at PVUMC is Sunday, March 24!

NOTE: Childcare is availa ble with a 48-hour reservation for all our
events and classes on campus. Call 602.840.8360, ext 134.