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Memorial Day Weekend Worship Changes
 Our worship service line up will be a little different on Memorial Day weekend. We will not have a Contemporary service on Sunday, May 27. We invite everyone to attend either the 8:30 or 11:00 am Sanctuary service with Butch Williams preaching, or the 9:45 am service with Sherry Harris preaching. We will be back to our regular line up on Sunday, June 3.
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Congratulations to Our Day School
 Vestavia Day School has been working hard for the past several years to become a strong educational center in the Christian tradition. Many of you have seen the pieces of their long-term goals slowly being moved into place. Some of the pieces that we are celebrating this year include:
- 50 years of providing care in our location
- A strong faculty of teachers and caregivers
- A strong advisory board that gives feedback and suggestions
- A strong and predictable financial position
- Rates that are competitive with our peers
But the biggest and most challenging goal has been to achieve accreditation through the National Accreditation Commission for Early Learning Leaders (NAC).
On May 10, Vestavia Day School was awarded NAC accreditation through the year 2022. This accreditation not only acknowledges our lower student ratios, quality teaching staff, and excellent curriculum, but will allow us to partner with local universities for student teaching interns and strengthen our relationships with other qualified day school programs. Only 26 day schools in the state are accredited including Trinity UMC (Homewood), OLS (Homewood), Cohn Early Learning Center at the JCC (Mountain Brook), South Highland Presbyterian (Birmingham), and St. Peters (Hoover).
We celebrate the great gift that God has given us in Vestavia Day School! Join with me in congratulating TaraKy Eason and the entire Day School team for a job well done!
Bill Brunson, Senior Pastor
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 Sunday Evening Worship
Come as you are and join us this Sunday Evening at 5:00 pm in the Chapel. Butch Williams will be leading a two-week sermon series, entitled "After I'm Gone" from the Gospel of John. Please note that June 3 is Annual Conference, so we'll not be having Sunday Evening Worship that night.
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A New Opportunity for Ruth Grissom
 Canterbury UMC has several current clergy vacancies and will be receiving newly appointed clergy this summer. They have also been without a permanent Children's Director for almost three years, and they are looking forward to rebuilding and strengthening their program. Rev. Ruth Grissom has been offered the opportunity to take on that role, and the Bishop will appoint her as the Children's Minister for Canterbury beginning on July 1. Ruth has served here faithfully at VHUMC for 14 years. We are very grateful and we pray for her smooth transition into her new place of ministry. |
 A Farewell to Jeremy Roebuck
Jeremy Roebuck has served as our Thrive Student Ministries Assistant Director for almost two years. He has used his gifts and talents well to build relationships with our students over that time. Now, Jeremy has the opportunity to continue his growth and education and will be leaving us. He has been accepted into the clinical mental health graduate school program at UAB and will begin a new path of using what God has given him to help people. |
Mel Sparkman Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to Anna Watts and James Sweeney, this year's recipients of the Mel Sparkman Memorial Scholarship. Anna will be attending University of Georgia and James will be attending Butler University.
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 Vacation Bible Camp
Calling all campers! Vacation Bible Camp is coming up on June 11-15 and this year our theme is Rolling River Rampage. We will be experiencing the ride of a lifetime with God! Children grade 4k (by September 1st) through 5th grade are invited to register for this fun filled week of music, exciting science, creative crafts, fun recreation, and memorable Bible stories. Join us as we discover that God is always with them as they ride the rapids of amazing grace!
We are still looking for group leaders for 1st through 3rd grade as well as helpers in elementary crafts. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Jamie Meeks ([email protected]). If your 6th - 12th grader would like to volunteer as a student helper please contact Kathryn Groat ([email protected]) before May 25.
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 VBC Break Room
We can use your help for the VBC break room. Each year during VBC we provide drinks and snacks for the 250+ volunteers and teen helpers. This year we are in need of 2-liter drinks (Diet Coke, Coke, Sprite, Sunkist, Root beer, etc.), chips, crackers and candy. We have a box designated for this in the church office and on the preschool floor. If you would like to donate perishable items (fruit, dips, breakfast casseroles, brownies, muffins, donuts, veggie trays, etc.) we will take those the week of VBC in the Lighthouse kitchen area located on the 2nd floor. Thanks in advance for your help! If you have questions, feel free to contact Kim Harper (615-525-6622).
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Announcement from the Council of Bishops
 Some of you may have seen the recent announcement from the Council of Bishops related to the called General Conference in 2019. This special General Conference has been called to deal with issues of human sexuality viewed through the theological and doctrinal understandings of our denomination. The Council of Bishops have recommended what they are calling the One Church Plan which "encourages a generous unity by giving United Methodists the ability to address different missional contexts in ways that reflect their theological convictions." Click the link if you would like to read the press release related to this recommendation.
While they are recommending this idea, they will also be putting forward a more conservative plan as well as a more liberal plan. They will publish their full report, including detailed recommendations, on July 8 -one year ahead of the special General Conference.
I am sharing this with you because I want you to remember that the bishop's various plans are their recommendations to the General Conference. The General Conference of 2019 will process and decide which, if any, of these plans they will support. Currently the theology and doctrine of the United Methodist Church has not changed. During our North Alabama Annual Conference this coming June, we will discuss the various plans and respond to the issues. I will be able to share more after that event.
The road ahead for the United Methodist Church is really unknown, but our local church leadership is working to ensure that VHUMC continues doing ministry as we have always done. We still exist so that everyone can experience a Christ-centered life of purpose, and we continue to seek to be the Vestavia Hills community church - striving to make a difference for Christ in the world around us.
As always - it is an honor to be your pastor and I look forward to all that God will do in and through our congregation.
In Christ, Bill
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Fidget Mat Materials Needed 
Our Fidget Mat Ministry is growing! We've delivered our first two batches of fidget mats to Mount Royal Towers' Memory Care Unit and they are thrilled with how meaningful these are for their residents!
The simplest things can be used: buckles, buttons, zippers, textured cloth (velcro, corduroy, felt, leather), old keys, pockets from discarded pants, placemats, jeans, cheap plastic children's bracelets or hair bands, other round objects, fur or faux fur, large buttons, and other objects that can be attached like key chains or crosses with a hole on top. We don't need cloth, napkins, and towels at this time.
When you are cleaning out closets, drawers, and other areas of your home, please think of the Fidget Mat Ministry and bring those items to the church office. For more information, please contact Peggy Patton ([email protected] / 335-5097).
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 Bundles of Hope Diaper Drive
VHUMC is hosting another diaper drive this year in honor and in memory of all mothers in the month of May. We will partner with Bundles of Hope and collect diapers of all sizes through this Sunday, May 20. Please bring your package of new diapers to one of the collection bins near the church office and chapel. For questions, please contact Rachael Hayes ([email protected]).
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Urban Kids/WE Learn Summer Partnership
 Urban Ministry and VHUMC are partnering together this summer to provide lunches for WE Learn summer field trips. If you are interested in participating with either your SS class, family or small group, please contact Rebecca Wadley (919-9184). She is coordinating the lunches. Click the link for a schedule of the field trips for the summer. The July 13 trip is still being planned, but information will be provided as soon as it is confirmed. Thank you for your help in making Urban Kids summer extra special with lunch and learning opportunities.
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Elementary Awards Assembly
The end of the year awards assembly for our 1st-5th graders will be Sunday, June 3, from 9:45-10:45 in the Chapel. We will be recognizing our Sunday School high attendance winners and we will be choosing our memory verse winners. Memory verse winners will receive bungee swings! We will also have games, activities and more prizes. We hope you can join us for the fun!
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 May Memory Verse
Our 1st - 5th graders learn 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! Children also get to put their name in a basket for a drawing at our End of the Year Awards Assembly. May's memory verse is, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2:38
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Investment Discussion Group
How do new tax laws affect my pension, IRA's, 401K, Mutual Funds, etc.? Where should I have my money invested? Join our weekly Investment Discussion Group of men and women of all ages. The group meets each Thursday, at 9:30 am, in Room 318. There is no selling or buying, just discussion and an opportunity to share ideas and ask questions.
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Let's Be Good Neighbors
It is exciting to see our parking lots fill up on Sunday mornings and people parking on the streets to attend our worship and Sunday School meetings. If you find it necessary to park on the street, please be careful not to park on our neighbors' grass. We appreciate their patience with all the cars and do not want to damage their yards in the process.
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Growing Pains: Renovating for Our Future
Work to improve the Sanctuary/Narthex area has started. The Narthex ceiling and the Sanctuary side aisle ceilings have been removed to install new HVAC and electrical connections. You will notice a lot of protective flooring and other changes as we plan to improve the Sanctuary and remove all the old HVAC parts in that area. We plan to have Sunday worship in the Sanctuary as many weeks as possible through the summer.
Tyson Hall improvements and our HVAC replacements in the Adult Education Building are still progressing. Until all the new units are connected and working, all mid-week meetings from 6 am to 3 pm are still relocated to other rooms. Be sure and check the room lists as you enter the building.
The Contemporary Service will continue worshiping in the Fellowship Hall until Tyson Hall renovations are complete. Remember that shorts and short-sleeves are perfectly welcome on Sunday mornings. We want you here and we want you to be comfortable!
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 Food Pantry
Food Pantry needs tote bags for fruits and veggies now that our farmers market is open again. You may also purchase bags of apples, oranges, potatoes, carrots, etc. while out grocery shopping. Our families really appreciate the fresh items!
Oak Mountain Mission
Oak Mountain Mission needs sofas, chairs, chests, and tables.
Call Brenda for
a home
pick-up
(
685-5757
), but your items must be in the basement, garage, carport, or outside since the drivers are not allowed to go into homes. They are open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am until 1:00 pm.
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