I grew up in the United Methodist church but didn’t know much about United Methodism or the Bible for that matter until I went to seminary. Part of being a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ involves growing in our knowledge of God and the faith, so I am introducing a column to teach about United Methodist beliefs and/or Christian history. This coming Sunday is Pentecost so our first installment will be about that day in the Christian calendar.
|
|
|
What is Pentecost?
Pentecost is one of the principal days of the Christian year, celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. The Greek word
Pentecoste
means "fiftieth day." Pentecost is the day on which the Christian church commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and others assembled in Jerusalem. It marks the beginning of the Christian church and the proclamation of its message throughout the world and is often referred to as the birthday of the church. The liturgical color for Pentecost is red. Congregations often decorate the sanctuary or the narthex (the part of the church right outside the sanctuary doors) with colors of fire (red, orange and yellow) and place symbols of the Holy Spirit in the sanctuary like flames, doves or water.
Why do we celebrate Pentecost?
Pentecost is a glorious celebration of the power and very personal presence of the Holy Spirit. To understand the message of Pentecost, we need to understand its context. At the beginning of Acts 2, the disciples were a small and discouraged group. Their leader had just been crucified and ascended to heaven to be with God. During his lifetime, they had been given an insurmountable task: to go and preach the Good News to the ends of the earth. In the face of this seemingly impossible task and the loneliness that they were feeling, God shows up in the form of the Holy Spirit and gives this ragtag group of individual: power, hope, encouragement, and a unified mission. On the day of Pentecost, the truth of the Gospel message was proclaimed in many different languages; this is called the birth of the church. The disciples were given the gift of the Holy Spirit and they were set on fire for God to go out and proclaim the Good News to those they encountered along the way.
|
|
|
This Sunday, we will wear red to celebrate the birth of the church. You can dress from your head down to your toes in red or you can simply wear a red item. If you forget altogether, no worries or judgment! You can borrow a pin from the back of the sanctuary. We look forward to seeing you in worship!
God Bless,
Pastor Gena
|
|
|
Sunday Worship
8:15, 9:30 & 10:50
|
Sunday, May 20, 2018
“The Helper is Here”
John 15: 26-27; 16: 4b-15
Rev. Mike Alexander
Sunday, May 27, 2018
"Being the Body"
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Rev. Joseph Nader
|
|
|
As you might recall, the islands of Tonga in the South Pacific were devastated by Tropical Cyclone Gita and her 140 miles per hour winds earlier this year (Feb. 12), and the island nation is still in severe need of assistance. If you are unfamiliar with the storm term “cyclone,” it’s the same thing as a hurricane.
Gita flattened parts of the Tonga Parliament House, wiped out schools, churches and homes, and basically just obliterated the nation’s infrastructure. According to the British Met office, Gita was the worst cyclone to pass close to the Tonga main islands in more than 60 years.
While, the storm did not get much, if any substantial coverage on U.S. national or local newscasts, that doesn’t mean that its affects were not intimately felt here in Central Texas – especially by the conference’s vibrant Tongan community, many of whom have close family still living in Tonga who were affected by the storm.
Because of this acute need, Bishop Lowry and the Central Texas Conference Cabinet are calling upon the churches of the Central Texas Conference to receive a special offering to support Cyclone (Hurricane) Gita Relief efforts in Tonga. Churches are asked to receive a special offering in support of Cyclone Gita Relief
as soon as possible
.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the East District Office.
Tonga Cyclone Gita Relief was originally announced as a co-recipient of the Central Texas Annual Conference 2018 Offering along with the Youth Service Fund. However, after receiving updates from Tonga, it was decided that the need was too great and immediate to wait until June.
|
|
|
Arlington Life Shelter Honors Volunteers
|
If you have volunteered in any capacity, past or present, for Arlington Life Shelter dinners or lunches, the Shelter would like to honor your service on Tuesday, May 22 from 5:30-7:00 at the shelter.
The evening will include pizza, refreshments and a special gift for each Food Team Volunteer. The shelter will discuss the Hearts of Faith portion of their capital campaign and present a virtual tour of the new shelter, including the new Hearts of Faith Dining Room.
Sack Lunch Volunteers, you are invited if you have helped prepare sack lunches, sent sandwiches or desserts, transported the lunches, or helped in any other way over the years.
Dinner Volunteers, you are invited if you have shopped for food, donated food, prepared the food, transported the food, served the food, or helped in any other way over the years.
|
|
|
This Sunday evening at 6:00 pm, come and have a "build your own ice cream sundae" and enjoy tons of talent from within New World. We will have singers, dancers, instrumentalists, a hula-hoop artist, a Wild West Skit and handbells. This event is a fundraiser for the Youth Band summer tour to New Orleans area. Cost is $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for children or $25.00 for a family.
|
|
|
Administrative Board Meeting
|
The next meeting of Administrative Board will be Tuesday, May 22, at 7:00 pm. Minutes of the January meeting will be emailed to board members along with an agenda for the meeting. As always, this meeting will be open to any who wish to attend.
Note: May 22, is a busy night at the church. Not only are we extending hospitality to Shackelford Jr. High as hosts of their spring choir concert, but we are also a polling place for the run-off election that day. To accommodate these events, we have been given permission to park that evening on the Turning Point lot next door. The gate near our storage sheds will be open.
|
|
|
Farewell Reception for the Nader Family
|
On Sunday, May 27, New World will host a farewell reception for Joseph, Mary Kathryn, Lydia and JJ Nader.
Stay tuned for more details!
|
|
|
Blood Donors
Mark Your Calendar
|
Our next Blood Drive is Sunday, June 10, from 8:30 am-12:30 pm in our Fellowship Hall. Please mark that date on your calendar. Kathy Goodell and Mary Ann Kelly will be in the Concourse to help make appointments this Sunday, May 27, and, if needed, June 3. Helping someone who desperately needs blood to live is a great way to give thanks for our own good health. Donors in our drive will be rewarded with a Ranger T-shirt and a Buy-One-Get One Ranger Ticket Voucher. Thanks in advance for your participation.
|
|
|
For the second consecutive summer, New World UMC will be doing a
church-wide mission project
serving as a Partner Church for Project Transformation Central Texas!
What is Project Transformation?
Project Transformation Central Texas is a summer literacy and day camp program for underserved elementary students in Tarrant County. College Interns who are exploring calls for ministry run the day-to-day operations of Project Transformation at local United Methodist host churches. Volunteers from Host Churches and Partner Churches support the ministry. For more information about PT, you can go to
https://projecttransformation.org/central-texas/
What do we do as a Partner Church?
As a partner church, we support Project Transformation’s First UMC Bedford location by helping to provide prayers, donations, books, supplies, weekend food for families, occasional dinners for college interns, and lots of volunteers to sit one-on-one with students as they read. We also sponsor a specific intern who is assigned to our church (details coming soon!)
How can you get involved?
Three ways you can get involved right away:
- Pray for the interns, churches, children and their families.
- Begin collecting new and gently used children’s books, school and classroom supplies, and nonperishable foods for the program. We will have a fun & competitive collection drive at the church May 27-June 9.
- Get set to volunteer! If you want to volunteer this summer, be sure that your Ministry Safe status is up-to-date. Sign-ups to volunteer will be in the concourse this week.
|
|
|
Dear Friends and Family at New World,
I did not want to let any more time pass until I thanked each of you who have assisted me with your calls, visits, cards and assistance from dealing with my broken right hand. It has pretty much immobilized me from everything. I still have quite a ways to go, possibly many weeks, and just want to say again that I appreciate each of you and your loving kindnesses and possibly more help as the weeks pass.
With love,
Catherine Covington
|
|
|
I can't thank your wonderful congregation enough for the Mother's Day luncheon. The girls truly felt loved and special. They enjoyed everything...the food, cake, gift bags, and visiting with everyone. It was so cute to hear them get excited over things in the gift bag! They especially loved receiving a card personalized with their name and receiving things for THEM. One student said she has always wanted to do a face mask but never has and was looking forward to trying it and another said she has always wanted the brand of lip gloss that she received but has not been able to purchase it because it is too expensive.
What a great example of Christ's love you have shown each and every PEP student. Thank you again.
Stephanie Jurgens, LMSW
Lamar PEP Counselor
682-867-8334
|
|
|
Online Registration Is Now Open!
Click on the name of the camp you would like to register for and follow the links. These pages will also give you an opportunity to pay online as well.
If you have any questions, please call the church office or email Kathy Alexander at,
kathyalex@nwumc.org
.
or
|
|
|
There will be Sign Up sheets in the Foyer this Sunday to Volunteer for:
- Children’s Sunday school each Sunday
- Children’s Music and Arts Camp, June 26-29
- Family and Children's Camp. July 11-13
We are in need of Volunteers each Sunday and
for the Camps we are having this summer.
|
|
|
The Confirmation class will meet on Wednesday, May 16, at 6:00 pm at the church. We will be working on a project for Sunday. Please keep our confirmation class in your prayers:
Samantha Clowers, Alyson Henjy,
Maddie Hopp, Caroline Honea
Confirmation Dinner - Saturday, May 19, at 6:00 pm
All the Confirmation Class and their families are invited to attend this dinner in honor of our students.
Confirmation Sunday is this
Sunday, May 20, during the 9:30 am worship service.
|
|
|
The Joyful Noise Music & Arts Group and Good News Group will meet during the 9:30 worship service following the Children's Time to prepare for the Pops Concert.
|
|
|
This week in our Worship services and in our classes we are celebrating Pentecost,
“The Birthday of the Church”
It was the fiftieth day after Jesus resurrection. About 120 people were gathered together. Suddenly there was a sound like a rushing wind. The sound filled the space and there seemed to be flames dancing over each person’s head. The day of Pentecost was the first time the Holy Spirit was given to a large number of people.
Everyone is invited to wear Red this Sunday to celebrate Pentecost!
The flame connected to the Methodist cross, the symbol of our church, is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.
|
|
|
Youth Schedule - Sunday, May 20
|
9:30 am
Worship - Confirmation Sunday
10:50 am
Sunday School
12:00 - 2:00 pm
Legacy
4:30 pm
Hands & Feet Youth Band practice
6:00 pm
Pops Concert
|
|
|
Questions? Contact interim youth director,
|
|
Look on The Bright Side
by
|
|
|
Hello Friends!
Ever wonder if there is more than one way to give to New World other than dropping a gift in the plate on Sunday? If so, this article is for you! We have several ways to give whether it is an act of worship, at home or on the go:
- Visit our website at www.nwumc.org and click on the “Give” button at the top of the screen. You can make a one-time, designated and/or a recurring payment. You can also make payments for upcoming events such as VBS or Music & Art Camp
- Text GIVE to 817-789-4129. You will be asked to register with a credit/debit card your first time. Save the number as a contact to give again, set up a recurring gift, check the status of a gift, add a bank account number or update your information
- Set up an ACH (Automated Clearing House) payment which can come from your checking or savings account. You have the option to have payments occur on the 1st and/or the 15th of each month and you can determine the dollar amount. All that is needed is your bank routing number and account number which can be found on your checks.
- If you have stocks or bonds to donate or would like to designate New World in your will, call the church office and let’s set up an appointment to talk.
I will be in the concourse this Sunday May 20
th setting up ACH payments if you would like to come see me. I can also answer any questions you have on giving.
Have a great week!
|
|
|
Lord, Hear Our Prayers...
Hospitalized
Betty Bentzel:
Interlochen Rehab
Terry Dunklin:
Kindred
Meagan Feik:
Surgery 5/16, Baylor, Fort Worth
Recuperating at Home
Mary Lynn Averett; Bob & Judy Chaplin; Sally Cole;
Catherine Covington; Bev Elbert; Betty Fyke; John Hill; Jodi McMann;
Rachel Nolen; Donna Quick; Mary Jeanne Watson
Death
Ben Honea's father
, Benjamin L. Honea, 84,
died Friday, May 11, in Cache Oklahoma. A prayer service will be held on Wedensday, May 16.
Please keep Ben, Martha, Will and Caroline in your prayers during
these difficult days.
Those Facing Cancer and its Treatment
Kathy Alexander's brother, Jamie Harris
Lynda Arnold’s sister, Jonda
Meagan Feik
Amanda Heathcott
Todd Milam
Evelyn Tatom's husband, Bob
Hospice Care
Eva Buckner:
Autumn Care, Flower Mound, TX
Chronic Condition
Gwenne Galati; Leigh Jamieson
Tradel Harris, Darlus Schoonover’s granddaughter
|
|
Our Gifts and Our Presence
|
|
May 13, 2018 - $7,335.87
Month to Date - $34,686.48
Year to Date - $322,751.94
Worship Attendance:
Sunday, May 13 -
236
Adult Sunday School -
73
|
|
Mike Alexander
Senior Pastor
Erin Sloan Jackson
Associate Pastor of Missions
Interim Director of Student Ministries
Gena Anderson
Associate Pastor of Discipleship
|
|
Steven Couch
Director of Worship & Music
Jin Ah Kwon
Organist/Music Assistant
Kathy Alexander
Director of Children’s Ministries
Heather James
Business Administrator
|
|
Becky Hankins
Executive Administrator
Gail Hall
Communications
Francisco Adon
Facilities
Amber Walter
Preschool Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
