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 Coronavirus Precautions
We are closely monitoring reports about the most recent Coronavirus (COVID-19) and taking extra precautions to prevent its spread. Every "touched" surface at the church is being cleaned daily with Clorox wipes and we are changing our methods of serving communion to insure your safety. Currently we are running low on hand sanitizer and all of our suppliers are currently out. Feel free to bring your own sanitizer plus extra to share with others. All of our restrooms are fully stocked with anti-bacterial soap and we are encouraging frequent hand washing.
If you are ill, or have to stay home because of a weak immune system, we encourage you to watch our 11:00 traditional service online and give through our online giving portal. Click the links below to these options. Finally, be in prayer for this virus to subside and for those already infected to be restored to full health.
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 Lenten Offering
Jesus tells us that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. Many miles from Vestavia, our neighbors are counting on us to do just that. Our Lenten offering this year will support our efforts to pack 300,000 meals during our Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event in April. Please use the Lenten envelopes in the pews for your offering. Nourish your soul by providing nourishment for those who need it the most.
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 Sozo Children at VHUMC
The Sozo Children's Choir will be with us again next Wednesday, March 18, at 6:00 pm, in Tyson Hall. This group of children travel from Uganda to America and tour the US leading worship at churches, schools, and events. VHUMC last hosted the Sozo Choir in 2016, so we are excited to have them back. Experience cultural Ugandan singing and dancing with African instruments, powerful corporate worship, and brief testimonies.
The Sozo Children's Choir provides spiritual, personal, and cultural development opportunities for those served by Sozo Children in Uganda. They refer to their US choir tour as a "mission trip" for each child, who are often the recipients of short-term mission service from friends and sponsors from the States. Through the tour, our children are able to share Christ's love, grow in their faith, and continue learning to serve others as part of Sozo Children's mission to empower vulnerable children to become thriving leaders for Jesus Christ.
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 Meeting Your Family's Needs
We work hard every day to provide the right environment for God to work in the lives of your family. It is a thrill to get feedback like this email from Anna Coreno related to our Fat Tuesday pancake dinner.
"Thank you so much for planning tonight's event! We had so much fun listening (and dancing) to the music and burning the palm leaves that our kids carried this past Palm Sunday. We are so incredibly blessed by our church as a family. VHUMC has been a game changer for us, after being new to the area and me being such a social person! You have made Birmingham feel like home. We are blessed to live close to the church, have the kids in close-by schools, and participate in so many VHUMC activities. The church has truly provided us with a community. It touched my heart tonight to see the girls dancing and learning about the Lenten season! I thank God for you guys every day!"
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 Informal Joining Service
We will hold an Informal Joining Service this Sunday, March 15, in the chapel at the conclusion of the 11:00 worship services. If you're interested in joining the church in a more intimate setting, with a small group of people, please contact Suzanne Scott-Trammell ([email protected] / 769-0136). This service is brief and will conclude with lunch together.
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 Rejoicing Over Baptisms
We rejoice in the Baptism of Sarah Jane de Kozan on March 8. Parents are Philip and Lane de Kozan. |
 Welcome New Members
Please join me in welcoming new members into the life of VHUMC, who joined on this past Sunday.
- Shaun and Simone Huysamen come to us from South Africa. They worship in the 11:00 contemporary service.
- Delphine, Owen (12), and Sophie (9) Carter come to us from Shades Mountain Baptist and attend the 9:45 am worship service.
Welcome into the VHUMC family - a wonderful place to call home!
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 Hiking to the Cross
Join the VHUMC clergy at McCallum Park (on Rosemary Lane) this Saturday, March 14, at 9:00 am, as we take a leisurely hike together. We will stop periodically to remember each of the 14 stations of the cross (the events that happened to Jesus from the Last Supper until his resurrection on Easter Sunday). Invite your friends as we enjoy a beautiful spring morning. For more information please contact Jim Frazier ([email protected] / 769-0126).
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 Fun with Food
What is a small savory dish typically served as an appetizer at the beginning of a meal? You guessed it: hors d'oeuvres - also known as our favorite food or how to spoil your dinner in only ten minutes. Do you ever feel intimidated trying to create great hors d'oeuvres? We have the solution for you! Join us on Wednesday, April 1, 6:00 pm, in Tyson Hall and learn how to create beautiful and tasty hors d'oeuvres with convenience items from the grocery store. The cost is $35.00, and our own Melinda Burnett is wowing us once again. You can register on the church website, but the deadline to register is March 27 and the class size is limited to 35 so don't delay. Don't miss out on this fun event!
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Community-Wide Easter Egg Hunt
 Neighbors and friends, mark your calendars to come join us for the VHUMC Easter Egg Hunt! We will gather Saturday, April 4, 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. Join us for a hoppin' good time as we hunt eggs together!
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 Holy Week Services
Don't miss these great church events as we continue together our journey to the cross leading to the celebration of Easter!
- Palm Sunday (April 5) - Celebrate Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem at each of our Sunday morning services.
- Holy Week Lunches (April 6-8) - Come enjoy lunches and stories from some of our most influential members. Join us each day, April 6-8, from 12:00-1:00 pm, as we listen to each speaker give a wonderful message, followed by lunch in Tyson Hall. The meals are $8 and no reservations are required.
- Monday - Jim Sturdivant
- Tuesday - Kelly Bottcher
- Wednesday - Anna Curry Gualano
- Maundy Thursday (April 9) - 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 6:30 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 (April 10) - 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. Our Good Friday service will be held at 6:30 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.
- Holy Saturday Prayer Vigil (April 11) - Join us in lifting up prayers for our families, our community, and our world as we hold a 12-hour prayer vigil from 6:30 pm to 6:30 am in the Prayer Chapel the evening before Easter Sunday.
- Easter Sunday (April 12) - We will rejoice together in the Lord's resurrection beginning with our special 6:30 am Sunrise Service in the Columbarium and continue with special music and messages in each of our Sunday morning services.
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Rise Against Hunger Meals Matter
 When the schools in South Africa have very little or limited funding, the principals have to get very resourceful to find ways to educate the children with curriculum. They are very creative to provide the right learning involvement for their classroom while Rise Against Hunger provides the right nutrition and meals to support the children's learning focus. We have heard first-hand how the vitamins in the meals help with skin and hair growth, but the big difference is the growth in their brain development. Good nutrition in a child's first 1,000 days is crucial, and the Rise Against Hunger meals provide the right nutrients during those days. Your contribution of $.29 will help not only the children, but the principals who nurture, teach and love these children as their own.
Our annual community-wide effort to end world hunger is coming up April 26-28! Rise Against Hunger makes a tremendous difference in the lives of children that would normally go to bed hungry. Over the course of three days you or your group can sign up for 90-minute time slots and help pack nutrient-rich meals. There is something to do for every age! It will be our 6th year to host this event, so plan to be a part and help us cross the finish line to end world hunger.
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 March Hilltoppers Meeting
Our next meeting is Tuesday, March 17, at 10:30 am, in the Fellowship Hall. Rachael Hayes and Timmy Collins will present a program on the ongoing missions of the church. For information or to make a lunch reservation ($6.00) call Harriette Woodring at 822-9318 or Margaret Flowers ([email protected] / 769-0112 ) no later than 11:00 am on Friday, March 13. Please note the price and, if possible, have correct change or an extra dollar bill.
Vestavia Hilltoppers is a VHUMC-sponsored organization for persons of retirement age, which meets each month for lunch and a program. They also sponsor trips and other activities that are publicized at meetings. Guests and new members are welcome.
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 Recovery Roadblocks
Bradford Health Services and VHUMC have partnered together to present Recovery Roadblocks, a speaker panel discussing and answering questions about issues that arise in early recovery from addiction. Topics include financial matters (budgeting, savings, and getting out of debt), legal advice (handling criminal charges on record and legal rights), relationships with significant others/spouses post-treatment, employment questions (resume writing, interviewing, etc.), getting back in to school, and spiritual guidance. The event will be held in Tyson Hall on April 7 from 5:30-7:30 pm and this event is open for any individual or family member that might need guidance in any of these areas. The event is free but we ask that you please register using the link below. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mackenzie Dyer ([email protected]).
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 Overflowing Hope Event
As part of our Year of Prayer 2020, VHUMC will be hosting a Moms in Prayer women's event, Overflowing Hope. Come meet MIP President, Sally Burke, and the US Coordinator, Susan Shepherd. This event will have inspiring worship, powerful Biblical messages, and a focus on prayer that will shape the next generation. The event will be on Friday, April 24, from 6:30-9:00 pm in Tyson Hall. The cost is $15 and includes a copy of Sally's book Raise Them Up! Come join us for a fun girls' night out with coffee and dessert. Women of all ages are welcome, so bring a friend.
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 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, contact Margaret Flowers ([email protected] / 769-0112) before Monday, March 30, at 11:00 am. Order forms will also be available in binders in the church office.
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 Senior Sunday
It's hard to believe, but it's almost time for our seniors to graduate from high school. We will honor them on Senior Sunday, May 17, at 9:30 am. 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 you and your senior, we first need some information from you no later than Thursday, April 16! Please register through the link below.
We also need three pictures (one baby, one middle age, and a senior portrait) for the senior slideshow. Please email your pictures in high resolution to Kenzie Butler ([email protected]) by Thursday, April 9! Any pictures submitted after this date will not be included in the slideshow. Be sure to submit your pictures digitally as we will not be scanning in any images.
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Mel Sparkman Scholarship
The Mel Sparkman Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in honor of a faithful youth volunteer to assist deserving students through the award of a general scholarship grant. Scholarship applications 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 17). Scholarship applications can be downloaded using the link below, or picked up outside the Student Ministries office.
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 Fearless Caregiver Conference
The Fearless Caregiver Conference will be at VHUMC on Thursday, May 7, from 9:30 - 2:00, in Tyson Hall. Lunch is provided. Free tickets are available, but space is limited. For more information, please contact Jim Frazier ([email protected] / 769-0126).
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The Holy Spirit at VHUMC
Come get a basis of scripture, teaching us about who the Holy Spirit is and how He works. Also, hear stories from some of your peers about how the Holy Spirit is working in our lives individually and collectively as a church. Please join Andy Byrd, Julie Harper, Jill Kimbrough, Jim Sturdivant, Alan Legg, Sharon Lovell, and Suzanne Scott-Trammell in room 202, on Wednesday nights through April 29.
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 Take A Walk with Jesus
2020 is the year of prayer at our church, and we have a fresh new way to experience prayer during Lent. You will have the opportunity to pray and walk the Stations of the Cross inside our sanctuary. We have hung fourteen beautiful pictures depicting the 14 Stations of the Cross. You may pick up the prayer devotional guide at the back of the sanctuary on the pulpit side. Then simply follow the pictures around our sanctuary. Your prayer guide has a photo and the story of each station with a prayer and meditation to use.
Lent is a time of reflection and renewal, so we invite you to take this walk, stopping at each station to reflect, read the scriptures, pray the prayers, and contemplate the situation before moving to the next stations. As you walk from one station to the next, your walking becomes an act of devotion because you are walking with Jesus as he walks to Calvary. This can be a moving experience for individuals or families. The sanctuary is open whenever the church is open so come when you can to take this personal walk with Jesus.
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 Pickleball and Pizza
The Boomers and Beyond will be offering a fun evening of pickleball and pizza for anyone 50+ years old on Friday, March 20. We will play in the Lighthouse gym from 6:00-8:00 pm with pizza and drinks in the lobby. Please contact Jim Frazier ([email protected] / 769-0126) so we will know how much pizza to order. We are asking for a $5 donation to help with the cost of the pizzas and drinks.
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 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 sensory room next door to 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. The March memory verse is: Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs." - Matthew 19:14
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Sunday Morning Nursery Worker
Our Nursery ministry is looking for someone who loves young children to fill a job opening in the toddler room. The hours are Sundays from 8:00-12:15. This person needs to be loving, nurturing and have a passion for children! If you know someone who would be a good fit for this, please contact Anne Strozier ([email protected]).
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Ongoing Outreach
Bunny Aid Is Hopping Around the Corner
VHUMC will once again team up with Peter Cottontail and his friends to collect goodies and make Easter Baskets for community organizations around Birmingham. We will be collecting pre-made baskets or fillers for baskets such as plastic eggs, small new toys, or stuffed animals at VHUMC from March 5-April 5. If you would rather make a financial contribution for the baskets, please make checks to VHUMC earmarked Bunny Aid in the memo line. Donations and baskets will be accepted until Sunday, April 5. Thank you for your continued efforts to make one child's Easter morning extra bright and special.
Oak Mountain Mission
Oak Mountain Mission needs gentlemen to work in the warehouse. Can you give one day a week, Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 am until 1:00 pm, to help load and unload cars and trucks? Go visit the mission one day and see if you are interested in helping out. Pelham Parkway across from Nino's Restaurant. Call for details 685-5757.
 Food Pantry
The Food Pantry needs jelly, cereal, and Ziploc sandwich baggies for our treats. Instead of giving up something for Lent, think about giving to something, like putting a food item into a bag every day for our pantry and bringing it to church the week after Easter. All items are appreciated. Thank you!
Orphan and Foster Care Ministry
Be a part of this wonderful ministry with Children's Aid Society to help youth in foster care who are preparing to transition to independent adulthood with no family support. They want to provide 100 Class of 2020 graduates a gift bag, letting them know that our community is supporting them. If you would like to help, visit the link below and click "donate now." Then in the special instructions type "sponsor a grad." Your gift will provide a new duffle bag, filled with household and personal care items and school supplies.
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