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 Holy Week
After Palm Sunday, we invite you to continue in the journey of Holy Week.
- Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples, known as the Last Supper, and we will do the same. Our service will be held in the Sanctuary at 6:00 pm and will focus on Holy Communion and end with the "New Command" that Jesus gave to his disciples and to each of us.
- Good Friday - We call Friday of Holy Week "good," because we live on the Easter side of that day. We know the outcome and what Christ went through for us, so it is a "good" day for us. Our Good Friday service will be held at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary. We will reflect on the suffering of Christ, building the contrast between Jesus' death and the resurrection. We cannot fully appreciate the resurrection until we have gone through the suffering. We hope you will join us!
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 Easter Egg Hunt
Neighbors and friends, mark your calendars to come join us for the VHUMC Easter Egg Hunt! We will gather this Saturday, March 31, at 10:00 am, in the Lighthouse gym. All toddlers through 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!
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Easter is Not One and Done
There always seems to be a letdown after experiencing the glorious worship of Easter Sunday. By the time the next Sunday rolls around, the Easter outfit is at the cleaners, all the chocolate bunnies have been devoured, and not a speck of the Easter ham can be found. In fact, the Sunday after Easter is actually called Low Sunday to reflect the diminished worship attendance and our spirits as well.
However, the power of resurrection has been unleashed upon the world and that means we are an Easter people every day of the year! Come join us for our next sermon series, Real Needs, Real Jesus." We will be discovering together how resurrection power can meet our needs and change our lives 365 days a year because Easter is never one and done. |
 Rise Against Hunger
Join us April 15-17 as we work together to package 300,000 meals during our Rise Against Hunger event. Each meal costs only $0.29 and is a mixture of rice, barley, and soy enriched with 23 vitamins and minerals. Our Lenten offering will support our efforts, so please give as generously as you can to help us reach our $87,000 goal. You can give online or using the Rise Against Hunger envelopes in the pews. Visit the link below to volunteer for a shift and let's work together to end hunger in our lifetime.
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 Time to Improve the Sanctuary
Monday, April 2nd, is the deadline for making a NEXT campaign pledge for our Sanctuary improvements. We hope that more pledges will allow us to make more changes, but we have to decide next week. Items we can't afford right now include:
- Replacing the organ screen and painting all the brick behind the pulpit and lectern
- Painting the wood band around the room
- Adding improved up-lights and stage lights
- Replacing the carpet in the altar and chancel area with hardwood flooring
- Replacing the main Narthex doors with glass insert doors for more light
To add these items, we need an additional $298,120 in pledges over the next three years. If 100 families each pledged $1,000 per year, we could do it all. To make your pledge today simply click the link below.
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No Sunday Evening Worship This Sunday
Enjoy your Easter evening with friends and family. Next Sunday, April 8, Jim Frazier and Friends will provide a joyous evening of worship featuring bluegrass music performed by talented musicians. Come as you are and join us at 5:00 pm in the Rutland-Memorial Chapel.
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Sunday School Opportunity
This Sunday, Easter morning, Nancy Hornsby will be presenting a beautiful time of song and scripture in the chapel from 10:00 to 10:40 am. All Sunday School classes as well as all others are invited to join us. Nancy will offer a lesson in song celebrating the joy and new life we experience during the Eastertide. Easter is a time of new beginnings; and so many of the songs will emphasize the assurance we have that Christ is ever with us as we continue to be transformed by Christ's love and presence.
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 Come Join Us
We would love to have you join the VHUMC church family. There are a couple of ways to do this:
·At the worship service you attend, where you will be greeted and celebrated by other members
·At the Informal Joining Service on Sunday, April 8th in the chapel at 12:15 pm (after worship ends)
If either of these sound like something you want to do, please contact Suzanne Scott-Trammell ([email protected] / 769-0136). Come join us as we grow in ministry together.
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 Spirit Night at Chick-Fil-A
Mark your calendars and join other VHUMC members for a fun filled evening at the Vestavia Chick-fil-A on Tuesday, April 3. Chick-Fil-A is helping VHUMC by hosting a Spirit Night where 15% of the proceeds will be donated to our upcoming Rise Against Hunger meal-packaging event through Planet Fundraiser. From 5:00-7:00 pm, buy dinner for your family as well as gift cards for birthday gifts, teacher appreciation gifts or special occasions! The more you spend, the more impact you can make!
Here's how it works:
- Download the Planet Fundraiser app
- Select our group: VHUMC - Community Wide Event - Rise Against Hunger
- Take a picture of your receipt and upload it to Planet Fundraiser using the app
- 15% of your purchase will benefit Rise Against Hunger.
Don't have the app? Church volunteers will be on hand that night to submit your receipt or walk you through the process. It's an easy way to make a difference!
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Seeking Shalom 
Join us on Wednesday, April 4, at 6:00 pm, as we conclude our
series of
Seeking Shalom. RG Lyons will be here to end our study and send us off with real life stories and ways that "we" as a church, individual and neighbor can have "Shalom" with the opportunities and people that we encounter each day.
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 6th/7th Grade Mission Trip
Registration for our 6th and 7th Grade Mission Trip is open! We will be headed to the Upper Sand Mountain Parrish, in Sylvania, Alabama, on June 4-5 to serve families in need through various projects. The cost is $100. To register, click on the link below. There are a limited number of slots for this trip so register your student as soon as possible to guarantee a spot! Deadline for registration is April 10. If you are interested in chaperoning this event, please contact Jeremiah Stone ([email protected]).
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Dr. Bill Brunson Holy Land Study
Dr. Bill Brunson will be kicking off a Holy Land DVD study for Boomers and Beyond from April 5 through May 17. We will meet on Thursday nights at 6:30 pm in room 203 to study the Holy Land. All ages are welcome. For more information, contact Jim Frazier ([email protected] / 769-0126).
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 Supporting Officer Chris Gentry
We have received several inquiries on how individuals might assist the family of Vestavia Hills Police Officer Chris Gentry, who was hospitalized recently as a result of an on-duty injury. Chris is also one of the officers who provides security for us at VHUMC on Sunday mornings. You can support Chris and his family through a tax-deductible gift to the Vestavia Hills Police Foundation ("VHPF"). Mail your gift to:
Vestavia Hills Police Foundation
600 Vestavia Parkway - Suite 261
Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35216
For more information, please contact Steve Ammons (482-2700 /
[email protected]
) or the department's liaison to the foundation, Captain Brian Gilham (978-0194 / [email protected]).
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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 filled with 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 also looking for leaders in our groups, crafts, snacks and other areas. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Jamie Meeks ([email protected]) or Anne Strozier ([email protected]).
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General Ministry Pledges
Every year, many people graciously support the church through a recurring payment. Often times these payments are made through a bank draft or charged to a credit card. If you have previously preferred this method of financial support of VHUMC and would like to continue to do so, please contact John Sweeney ([email protected]) to confirm the continuation of your giving. We want to be sure our records accurately reflect your generosity.
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Bob Morgan Music Collaborative Concert
Come join us for a wonderful collaborative concert featuring the Chancel Choir of VHUMC, Quint Harris, conductor, the Honor Choir of Vestavia Hills High School, Dr. Megan Rudolph conductor, and the Clay Chalkville High School Chamber Choir, Stacy Daniels, conductor. The event will be held on Tuesday, April 10 at 7:00 pm in the VHUMC Sanctuary. Admission is free and the program will feature the Schubert Mass in G, excerpts from the Brahms Requiem, and other choral music and concert spirituals.
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 Six-Week Grief Support Group
For those who have lost loved ones, we invite you to attend a six-week Grief Support Group meeting on consecutive Wednesday evenings from April 4 through May 9. We will follow a professional curriculum and share with one another. There is no charge to the participants, and a free dinner is also provided before each session which begins at 6:00 pm and should conclude by 7:15 pm. For more information, contact either Cathie Amos at ([email protected] /
908-2731) or Butch Williams at ([email protected] / 769-0102).
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 Fidget Mats
We are excited about a new ministry to supply fidget mats to Alzheimer's/Dementia patients. These are wonderful activity mats crafted from stimulating items (pockets, loops, textured fabrics, etc.) that are used by these patients for comfort and enjoyment! But we need your help to make this ministry possible! We need faded or used dishtowels and placemats. You can drop them off in any of the Food Pantry/Oak Mountain Mission containers. If you, or your group, would like to help make these please contact either Peggy Patton ([email protected] / 335-5097) or Butch Williams ([email protected] / 769-0102).
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April Memory Verse
Our 1st - 5th graders learn a different verse each month and  have the opportunity to recite the verse before or afterSunday School in the elementary office for a sweet treat! April's memory verse is: Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die will live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die" (John 11:25-26). At the end of the school year we will give a grand prize to one boy and one girl. We hope that these verses help to guide them throughout their lives. |
 Grand Camps at Sumatanga
Jim Frazier will be leading two Grand Camps at Sumatanga this Summer. The dates are July 8-10 and July 11-13. This is a great opportunity for grandparents to spend quality time with their grandchildren. For more information, please contact Jim Frazier ([email protected] / 769-0126). Space is limited. To register please click on the link below.
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Video and Sound Operators Needed
Our Sanctuary Worship services are in need of additional help to run our sound board and our videotaping equipment. Complete training is available so no experience is necessary! This is such an important ministry to help everyone experience worship. It's also a great opportunity for our youth and adults to serve. Sound operators are scheduled one time per month and video operators serve as frequently as they want. Please click the link for more information or contact Ruth Grissom ([email protected]) to schedule your training and be a part of these wonderful ministry teams.
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Growing Pains: Renovating for Our Future
 If you have not experienced our exciting construction first hand, you probably will soon! The HVAC replacement is now happening on the second and third floors of the Adult Education Building. This will mean that most of our Sunday Schools and mid-week Bible Studies that meet in those areas will have to temporarily relocate. Leaders will be made aware and everyone should pay attention to the big signs with current room assignments.
Some of the loudest construction work will also start next week. We will try and keep mid-week meetings away from the noise, but you may still have some interruptions. Soon, we will also be without HVAC for about 10 days as the main chiller is replaced.
Tyson Hall is looking great and new paint will start going up soon. Sanctuary work will begin in May where we will be improving the Narthex ceiling, replacing the sound system, improving the lights on the side aisles, and bringing our fire alarm systems up to code.
The Contemporary Service will continue worshiping in the Fellowship Hall until Tyson Hall renovations are complete. The Sanctuary Services will also be moving to the Fellowship Hall for part of the summer.
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Ongoing Outreach
The food pantry needs syrup, peanut butter, and jelly. Families are enjoying the fresh apples, oranges, carrots and potatoes. Thanks to our new helpers on delivery day! We need a volunteer with a pick-up truck to get our monthly food order and extra hands to help unload on the second Monday of each month. If you can help, contact Barbara Porter (
[email protected]).
Oak Mountain Mission
Oak Mountain Mission needs new, or like-new, hand towels and washcloths. Regular size soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and deodorant are also needed. Please put them in the wooden bins around the church. Thank you! Please call Brenda at 685-5757 for furniture pick-up. Thank you!
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Wednesday Night Menu
- April 4 - Salad, chicken pot pie OR tamale pie, broccoli, roll, ice cream. Kids: chicken nuggets, mac & cheese
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April 11 - Biscuit OR pancakes, scrambled eggs, smoked sausage OR bacon, cheese grits, orange slices. Kids: pizza
- April 18 - Salad, meat loaf OR baked chicken, mashed potatoes, english peas, biscuit, cake. Kids: chicken nuggets, mac & cheese
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April 25 - Salad, chicken tetrazzini OR spaghetti, glazed carrots, cheesecake. Kids: pizza
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Worship This Sunday
6:30am Sunrise Service
John 20:1-18
I Have Seen the Lord, and I Am Not Kidding!
Ruth Grissom
8:30 am Traditional Service
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
April Fools
Bill Brunson
9:45 am Service of Word and Table
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
April Fools
Bill Brunson
11:00 am Traditional Service
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
April Fools
Bill Brunson
11:00 am Contemporary Service
Mark 16: 1-8; I Corinthians 1: 18-24
He is in the grave...April Fools!!
Kipp McClurg
5:00 pm Sunday Evening Worship
No Sunday Evening Worship
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Our Time and Resources
July 2017 - February 2018
Donations
Other Income
Total Income |
Actual
$2,729,051
$84,553
$2,813,604
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Targeted
-$85,003
-$1,480
-$86,483
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(+) Better or (-) worse for the church than our target
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Attendance for last Sunday: 845
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Care and Support
Congratulations, hospitalizations, and sympathies |
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Prayer Requests
Please be in prayer for the following persons:
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