The Notes - March 28, 2019

Volume 49

Issue 13

March 28 , 2019

Help the Hungry Feed Your Soul
Every night, 66 million elementary-aged children in the developing world go to bed hungry. Our community-wide meal packing event, Rise Against Hunger can make a tremendous difference. Each meal costs 29 cents, and our Lenten offering will support our goal of packing 300,024 meals April 28-30. There are three ways you can make a difference: with your money, your time and your prayers. Please pray for the children who need our help so desperately, give as generously as you can, and sign up to volunteer during a shift by clicking the link below. Let's work together to end hunger in our lifetime.

Guys Night Out is Here
VHUMC Men's Ministry is hosting a March Madness Guys Night Out event in the Fellowship Hall tomorrow night, March 29, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. The cost is $10/person and includes games on the big screens, all you can eat Donato's pizza, hot wings, popcorn, Moe's chips and dip, and Bruster's real ice cream. To make reservations please contact Jim Frazier ([email protected] / 769-0126).

Freedom from Addiction Breakfast

Join us next Thursday, April 4, for this community-wide event held at VHUMC in Tyson Hall, at 7:00 am (program starts at 7:30). This free breakfast will feature Dr. Thomas Dooley discussing pathways to recovery and giving his personal testimony. Hosted by the Cities of Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Homewood, and Mountain Brook.

Easter Egg Hunt
Neighbors and friends, mark your calendars to join us for the VHUMC Easter Egg Hunt! We will gather Saturday, April 13, at 10:00 am, in the Fellowship Hall. All toddlers thru 3rd grade are invited to bring a basket and camera to take pictures with the Easter Bunny and of course have fun with each other as we hunt eggs together!

New Look for Holy Week Lunches

We are kicking off Holy Week a little different this year. No more sermons from people you have never met. Instead we recruited some of the most influential women from our congregation to come speak before lunch. So, make sure to come hear from these wonderful women on April 15-17, from 12:00-1:00 pm in Tyson Hall. Meals are $8, no reservation required.

Monday, April 15 - Kym Prewitt
Tuesday, April 16 - Jill Kimbrough
Wednesday, April 17 - Julie Harper

You don't want to miss these inspirational messages as we continue on our journey to the cross, leading into the celebration of Easter!

Bunny Aid is Back
VHUMC will once again partner with Peter Cottontail and his friends at Hands On Birmingham to help with Easter baskets for children in the Birmingham area. We will be collecting pre-made baskets in the main office until Tuesday, April 16. If you would rather make a financial contribution, we will also accept cash donations for needed supplies through April 16 (no checks please). Thank you for making one child's Easter morning extra bright and special.

Thrive Lenten Devotion
Throughout the Lenten season, our Thrive Student Ministry are writing devotions that are featured on our Thrive App and Facebook page Monday through Friday. The theme of the season is "Cultivating and Letting Go," and each week we are focusing on attributes we need to cultivate within ourselves or behaviors we need to let go. Join us on this journey, led by our students, to take an inward look at ourselves and discern what we must cultivate and let go of in order to fully reflect the heart of Christ. To find these devotions, and more, follow the Facebook page by clicking the link below.

Your Church Where You Are
At the beginning of the year we released our brand new church app filled with new goodies and features. The new VHUMC app now has all of the latest sermon series published weekly as well as all of our upcoming events right at your fingertips. And don't forget to enable "push notifications" when you open it up for the first time to help you stay connected with some of the great news coming from this wonderful community! All you have to do is go to your phone or tablet's app store and search for "VHUMC" or visit the link below. Download the brand new app today and stay connected wherever you may be.

Helping Our Friends in Lee County

Some of you have asked how we can help our neighbors rebuilding their lives after tornadoes in Lee County. Our UMC distribution center is the Trinity United Methodist Church in Opelika. They are doing well on requested supplies, but are now needing gift cards from places such as Walmart, Lowes, and Home Depot. They also need non-perishable foods to help feed the community, workers, and volunteers.

We will be collecting the gift cards in the mission's office and will get them to the church. Also, please remember that you can always donate financially to UMCOR and designate in the memo line Lee County or wherever the disaster is and 100% of your donation goes directly to relief efforts in the area you designate. Thank you for your continued support!

Easter Flowers
In celebration of Easter, the Flower and Altar Guilds will be adorning the worship services with both fresh cut and potted flowers. You can participate by donating flowers in memory or honor of a loved one for $20. There will be a few potted plants available to be picked up after the 11:00 am services. The Gardening Committee will place any unclaimed potted plants in the church gardens as a living tribute. If you wish to donate flowers in memory of or in honor of a loved one, you must contact Margaret Flowers ([email protected] / 769-0112) before Monday, April 15, at 11:00 am. Order forms will also be available in binders in the church office.

A Record Month of Giving
Thanks to all of you who generously gave to VHUMC during the month of February. We had done all we could to let you know that donations for this current fiscal year were way behind our budget. You really responded with $488,408 in donations to our General Fund. Average February giving over the past four years was $284,000. Looking back, this was the largest amount given in a month other than December in over 10 years! Thank you. This really helped our cash-flow, but still leaves us $103,303 behind our giving budget (see numbers below), so please continue to help.

VHUMC Yard Signs
Pick up and put out your VHUMC yard sign anytime starting this Sunday through Easter. Tables will be set up in the Tyson Lobby and in the Sanctuary narthex and parlor entrances. These are the same signs as last fall, so if you still have yours, please put it out. Thanks for participating in this outreach, to invite and welcome more of our neighbors to come worship with us.

Looking for CDL Drivers
Few things are used as much at our church as our six 15-passenger vans. Most of them are in use 5-6 days a week and we know the overall need is increasing next school year. In the months ahead, we are arranging a short-term rental of a school bus to see if a larger vehicle would better suit our needs and be more economical. However, driving this vehicle will require a CDL license (class A or B). If you have a CDL and would be willing to drive for the church (paid or unpaid), please contact Melinda Burnett ([email protected] / 769-0115). Thanks.

High School Senior Parents
Graduation is just around the corner and we want to honor our seniors before they head off to their next adventure! Senior Sunday will be May 19. We will have a banquet in the Fellowship Hall followed by recognition of our seniors at our 11:00 am Traditional Service in the Sanctuary.

In order to make this a special day for them, we first need some information. Parents please fill out the registration form on the link below as well as providing three digital pictures (one baby, one middle age, and one senior portrait) for the senior slideshow. Please email everything to Jeremiah Stone ([email protected]). All pictures need to be in high resolution (larger than wallet size.) All information and pictures need to be submitted by Thursday, April 9, by 5:00 pm. Any pictures submitted after this date will not be included in the slideshow.

Mel Sparkman Scholarship
The Mel Sparkman Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in 2002 in honor of faithful youth volunteer Mel Sparkman, to assist deserving students through the award of a general scholarship grant.

Applications for this year's scholarships must be completed and turned in to the Student Ministries office by April 15. The recipients of the scholarships will be announced on Senior Sunday - May 19. Click the link below to download the scholarship application.

RightNow Media Devotional
In this 26-minute video from the 2017 IF:Gathering, Lysa TerKeurst reminds us that we must keep our eyes on the Master. He knows things we don't know. He sees things we can't see. And because of this reality, we must surrender our desires into His hands.

Be sure to register for this free resource! Text rightnow vhumc to 41411 to get your link to create a profile. Then watch 2,000+ Bible studies, talks, kids shows, youth studies, and movies. You can also contact Suzanne Scott-Trammell ([email protected]) if you have questions.

Funeral Sound and Media Volunteers Needed

Are you eager to get more involved in VHUMC while serving an important role in different worship services? Currently, there is a strong need for volunteers to operate sound during weekday and/or Saturday funerals at VHUMC. Soundboard operation is very simple, flexible, and easy to learn. We are also in need of media volunteers for Sunday worship services in the Sanctuary. Sanctuary media volunteers operate equipment in the video booth and help with the filming of special services. Media operation is also simple, and helps our worship team tremendously. Trainings will be offered periodically. If interested, or if you have any questions, please contact Peyton Chandler ([email protected]) or Nash Osborne ([email protected]).

Hearing Loop Receivers
Through the generosity of over 100 donors, we now have installed the hearing loop t-coil technology in both the Sanctuary and the Rutland-Memorial Chapel. Everything that runs through our sound system in those two spaces can now be heard through hearing aids and cochlear implants outfitted with this technology. We also have individual receivers (with ear buds or headphones) that can be used in these locations to connect to our sound system, and these can be individually purchased (if you desire to have your own receiver) for $100 each. To order, please notify the church office, or contact Butch Williams ([email protected] / 769-0102) for more information.

Hannah Prayer Team
The Hannah Prayer Team continues to pray for expectant moms and their new babies. If you are expecting a new baby, please contact Ty Howell ([email protected] / 529-1262) and our team will be glad to pray for you and your baby. If you would like to join our prayer team to pray for these young moms and their babies, contact Ty Howell.

March 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. March's memory verse is: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8

Ongoing Outreach

Food Pantry

The Food Pantry is still distributing food every Wednesday to 150 families. If you have never seen this in action, come down to the Student Ministries floor and check it out between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm. If you need an idea for Lent, take one item from your pantry every day and you will have a bag of food to donate after Easter. Our families thank you!

Oak Mountain Missions

Oak Mountain Missions needs working appliances. Please call Brenda (685-5757) for a pick-up. Cookware and linens are always needed. Please put them in the bins around the church, marked for OMM. Thank you.

Immediate Need for Gas Stove and Fridge

We have had a call from a man who was referred to us by his social worker. Unfortunately, our usual appliance supplier is no longer able to help. If anyone has a gas stove or refrigerator that they no longer need, please contact Rachael Hayes ([email protected]) in the missions office and she will connect you with the person in need.

Wednesday Nights at VHUMC

Classes/Programs

Soul Keeping: Most Wednesdays until April 24 * 6:00 pm * Room 203
Holy Week: April 17 * No dinner or programming
Music and Arts Concert: May 1 * Tyson Hall
Enneagram: April 24 - May 15

Menus

April 3 - Tacos, Black Beans, Rice, Salad or Fruit (Healthy Option: Grilled Chicken or Chef's Salad)
April 10 - Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Cheese Grits, Fresh Fruit (Healthy Option: Boiled Egg or Chef's Salad)
April 24 - Sesame Glazed Pork, Rice or Mac & Cheese, Steamed Vegetable Medley, Salad or Fruit (Healthy Option: Ginger Chicken or Chef's Salad)
May 8 - Orecchiette with Bolognese, Marinara, or Alfredo Sauce, French Bread, Salad or Fruit (Healthy Option: Baked Chicken or Chef's Salad)