Palm Notes

Rev. Shannon Bullion Announced

Elaine Graham, Chair of Staff Parish Relations, announced the anticipated appointment of Rev. Shannon Bullion as the next pastor of Church of the Palms, effective on moving day, June 28.

Rev. Bullion earned an undergraduate Degree in Psychology / Consumer Science from Western Kentucky University. She earned her Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University.

She was ordained an Elder in the South Carolina Conference in 2021. Rev. Bullion previously served as Senior Pastor of Grover and Providence UMC in the Walterboro District. She is currently an Associate Pastor at Shandon United Methodist in the Columbia District, serving as the Minister of Evangelism and Outreach.

Rev. Shannon has two children, a daughter Mackenzie and a son Charlie.

Weekend Worship

Join Us for Weekend Services

March 25 & 26

Selected verses from John 11:1-36

Called to Regret

Pete Berntson, Proclaimer

Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

Contemporary-style Worship

“The Gathering"

Reader Mary Alice Meyer

Sunday, 8:30 a.m.

Alternative-style Worship

Scripture Readers Pat Ary, Mark Reed

Sunday, 11 a.m.

Classic-style Worship

Scripture Readers Bob Whyte, Barbara Rice

March 25 Bulletin

8:30 a.m. March 26 Bulletin

11 a.m. March 26 Bulletin

Live Streams Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 11 a.m.: youtube.com/c/cotpsc

Scenes from the March Food Drop

Church of the Palms hosted a Community Food Drop on Saturday, March 18. Bill Unger, Chair of Mission, provides a brief overview of the event.

Lenten Fish Luncheon #2

Church of the Palms will be having a second fish luncheon on Friday, March 31 starting at 12 Noon till 1:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Similar to the lunch a few weeks ago, the menu will consist of fish, macaroni & cheese, coleslaw along with beverages and a dessert. A free will offering will be requested. So bring your friends and neighbors to enjoy a time of fellowship at Church of the Palms.

Please register in SignUpGenius to provide us with an estimate of the attendees.

Additionally, there is a separate SignUpGenius for those who would like to help with this luncheon. Please remember these events do not happen without the assistance of our volunteers. So please help out if you can spare an hour of so to work with your fellow parishioners.

Watch Party for Jere Estes’ Celebration of Life

The Brothers!! are hosting a “watch party” of the livestreamed Celebration of Life of Jere Estes on Saturday, April 1, at 2 p.m. This event will be in the Fellowship Hall. Light refreshments will be provided by the Brothers.

Holy Week, 2023, at Church of the Palms starts on Saturday, April 1, with "The Gathering" at 5:30 p.m. and continues through eight different and unique services ending on Easter Sunday, April 9.

We look forward to worshipping with you on any of these dates and times.

April 1, 5:30 p.m.

"The Gathering" (Contemporary style)

"Called to Experience God's Presence"

April 2, 8:30 a.m.

Casual Worship

Choir Cantata

"I Am The Lord of the Dance"

April 2, 11:00 a.m.

Traditional Worship

Choir Cantata

"I Am The Lord of the Dance"

April 6, 7:00 p.m.

Maundy Thursday

(Communion, Footwashing, Stripping of the Chancel)

April 7, 7:00 p.m.

Tenebrae (Service of Darkness)

(In the Round in Fellowship Hall)

April 8, 5:30 p.m.

Holy Saturday at "The Gathering"

"Living in the No Longer, Not Yet"

April 9, 8:30 a.m.

Casual Worship

"Called to Resurrection"

April 9, 11:00 a.m.

Traditional Worship

"Called To Resurrection"

New Member Weekend - April 22 / 23

The last New Member weekend with Pastor Pete is April 22 and 23. The anticipated pastoral change in June will cause some people to accelerate their joining plans while others will want to delay their commitment. Either option is acceptable!

If you wish to join Church of the Palms on April 22 or 23, please get in touch with Sandy Biggs, Church Secretary, in the church office at 843-379-1888 or sandy@palmsumc.org. She will help you with the steps needed, such as filling out a Family Information Sheet and finding a time for an informal discussion with Pete.

Sisters!! Tea Garden Tour

Women of the Church: A road trip is planned for May 3 to visit the Angel Tree and Charleston Tea Garden followed by lunch at a TBD location.

There is no fee for the Angel Tree but a gift shop is available. The Tea Garden tour is $13.65 per person. Sign-up in the Green Book at the rear portico entrance and include payment for the tour in the envelope attached. A lump sum payment for our group is required.

Deadline for signup is April 26. Please make checks payable to Church of the Palms with Tea Garden in the memo. When you sign up, please indicate if you will be a designated driver.

The plan is to meet at Church of the Palms no later than 8:15 a.m. for departure at 8:30 a.m. We should be at The Angel Tree close to 10 a.m. Our Tea Garden Tour is scheduled for 11 a.m.

The Endowment Fund committee addresses several questions regarding the Endowment Fund on behalf of Church of the Palms.

Q. What are some ways to make charitable planned gifts.

A. Giving through:

Your last will and testament
A testamentary trust
Revocable living trust
Life insurance policy
Retirement plans
Donating real estate

Q. How can I find out additional information regarding the Endowment Fund?

A. For information on the Endowment Fund on behalf of Church of the Palms email endowment@palmsumc.org or contact a committee member - Joyce Sciacca (chair), Bob Lane, Richard Reeves, Bill Unger or Jimmy Atkins.

POLO GO!

Come out in a special way to support some of our local charities.

The Rose Hill Equestrian Club has invited Family Promise to be one of five sponsored organizations at the Charity Polo Classic on Sunday, April 2.

There are Traditional and Enhanced Experience Packages which will allow you to find and pick an option for you and a group of your friends. The sooner you book, the better your seating options for this fun way to spend the afternoon and support these worthwhile programs.

Visit rosehillequestrianclub.com for event and ticketing particulars.

Support The Mercy Mission

Please continue to bring your canned and packaged food donations plus unopened toiletries to the containers in the narthex for The Mercy Mission Pantry, one of our Cornerstone Missions. Please remember food items need to be in bags or boxes.

Your support will help supply the food pantry in Hardeeville. The pantry collects items such as: cereal, canned vegetables, canned tomatoes, dried beans, pasta sauce, small bags of rice, pork and beans, canned fruit and bottled water along with personal care items including individually wrapped toothbrushes and toothpaste.

The Food Pantry needs volunteers. Contact Sylvia for details.

Please contact Sylvia Kaufman for additional information: 843-705-5306.

Spiritual Formation Opportunities

Sunday Morning Classes:

Walk the Walk with Jesus during his last days, from His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem to his Resurrection. Each lesson is a significant, emotional and spiritual moment, then and today. Facilitators are Larry Fullen and Harry Danforth. The class meets Sundays, at 9:45 a.m. in Room 106.

Finding Jesus in the Psalms: A Lenten Journey - In Finding Jesus in the Psalms, by Barb Roose, we will journey to find a new way of discovering Jesus through the poetic beauty of the Psalms. Join us! The class meets at 9:45 a.m. in room 107. Contact Jill: Jillherman@sbcglobal.net

Sisters!!

The Sisters!! weekly Wednesday morning Bible study with Pastor Pete will continue a study of Colossians on March 29. The study is in the Fellowship Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

On the first Wednesday of each month, Sisters!! have a coffee social at 10 a.m. followed by study time from 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Brothers!

The Brothers! Thursday morning Bible study with Pastor Pete, will continue their study of the Book of Acts on Thursday, March 30. The group starts with a full breakfast at 8 a.m., study at 8:30, and closing prayer at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

Women’s Bible Study Fellowship

Meeting in the Fellowship Hall from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday mornings, this in-depth study focuses on A Kingdom Divided, A Study of Old Testament Kings and Prophets.

For more information contact Terrie Winkates: 847-363-2595.

Prayer Concerns

In Joy and Thanksgiving

For Austen and Glenn Hecker as they move through the adoption process to receive Esperanza Grace.

For Ailing Zhong and Alexander Atkins, COTP member and son of Caroline & Jimmy Atkins, as they move through the USCIS Green Card process for Ailing.

Praises for the fresh from God grandbaby of Susan and David Voyles. Everett James Voyles arrived March 16.

For Direction, Comfort, Protection

For our Country, our UM Church, and the leadership of each

The citizens and soldiers on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine

For suffering and death in Syria and Turkey due to the earthquake

Alex Hall

Dianne Couper and family

Thanking God for continued Healing and Wholeness

Sharon Boulware

Lou Greer

Mary Anne Schroeder

Courtney, granddaughter of Dick and Diana Tesman

Mark Forry

Carol Baxter

Dominic, grandson of Larry and Margie Fullen

Jennifer Bernhard

Lorraine Roberts

Barb Schmidt

Claudia Williams

For Those Under Hospice Care

Helen Berntson

Frank Pulaski

Rosemary (sister of John Suberati)

Ill / Healing

Don Myers

Dan Mabey

June Stone

Kevin Aylmer

Vickie DeSantis

Caitlyn Mulik, daughter-in-law of Aura Lee

John Kowalk

Doris Milnes, sister of Gary Bolstad

Amy McCarthy, daughter of Ed and Corbitt

Charlie Snyder

Melinda Nash

Marsha Harrison

Susan Gaylor, sister of Dale Larow

Irv McNair

Darlene Ary

Eileen and Milt Baker

Bobby Kline

Those Grieving

Geri Burr and family in the death of Rev. Kenny Burr on February 23.

Berntson family in the death of Luther Berntson, on March 2.

Nancy Huntington and family in the death of Nancy's mother, Margaret Holzer, who died on March 3 at the age of 97.

Please allow me to use this space to provide some details and viewpoints on just a few things swirling around us.

First, you have again proven what a great community of believers you genuinely are. You are dealing very well with the announcement of the pastoral change coming in June and the appointment of Rev. Shannon Bullion (she prefers to be called "Shannon.”) As Kathy and I have stated, if you accept her and love her, just half as much as you did us when we arrived, all will not be just good, it will be very good.

I am excited for Church of the Palms, and I truly believe your best days are still ahead. Shannon comes with such powerful gifts that I don't have but that you've asked for and wanted for some time. The key will be to give Shannon and yourself time to appreciate each other and then move forward together.

And during all this don't forget the rest of the staff team. They will deal with change on a daily if not task-by-task, basis. Shannon will come with her own work, communication, problem-solving, discernment processes, and styles. Allow her to use all this to your benefit. But also, be patient with the staff as they work to reform as a new team with Shannon as their coach.

Second, I, too, am impatient at not being able to share where Kathy and I will be sent. But I trust this is all happening in God's time, so I will continue to trust and obey…

Third, this weekend we focus on the raising of Lazarus as recorded in the Gospel according to John. It is a familiar story, so we will look at it from a slightly different perspective: regret. Our experiences of regret can be powerful, even to the point of being debilitating. In such times, we can get lost in all that is unfinished, the "what ifs" and the "if only's" and the "could've" and "should've." Naming and facing our regrets, however, can actually help us turn hindsight into insight so that even our regrets can be experiences of call for us that move us to something different in the future.

Finally, Holy Week will start on Saturday evening, April 1, at "The Gathering," with a dive into the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. Using the event as recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, we will be challenged to hear the call to recognize true kingship. Then on Sunday, at both services, we will have the choir cantata "I Am the Lord of the Dance." What a grand launch of the most significant week in the Church year!

Honored and humbled to serve as your sheepdog to the Lord Shepherd.

Pete+