Waterville UMC NEWSLETTER

February

Waterville UMC News 2020

Dear Church Family,

The Season of Lent is nearly upon us beginning with Ash Wednesday on February 26. This is a season in which we set aside personal time to reflect on our relationship with God through the crucified and resurrected Jesus our savior.

Let us ask ourselves, what is the condition of my relationship with Jesus? Is it stagnant, in need, growing, filled with vitality? What do I need for my relationship to be fulfilling every day?

One of the traditions of Lent is to fast in some way. This is where the notion of giving something up for Lent comes from. The actual intent is to set something aside in a fast to remind ourselves to spend additional time with God. This time of talking is about our relationship. Simply “giving something up” without taking time to talk with God defeats the purpose. What will you fast this year in preparing for the celebration of Jesus resurrection on Easter Morning?

Recently a couple of people have shared with me how excited they are in reading the Bible each day. The goal is to read the entire Bible in one year. Reading the Bible each day may be a part of your daily talk with God as God speaks through the Word. Also, reading the Bible through in a year does not have to begin on January 1. You could start today.

As God continues to move in our congregation there are blessings all around. One is the progress being made to complete the architect’s drawings for the new building. The 75% drawings should be ready by the end of February or early March. Watch for the updates and announcements to review these drawings.

Please continue to pray for God’s leadership in our journey of faith. If you are able, I encourage you to prayer walk our lot at 7115 Waterville Monclova Rd. If you are unable to walk you can park at the firehouse and pray as you look over the property. Pray, giving thanks to God for provision of all that is needed to build His building. Pray for wisdom of all the church leadership. Pray over all the details that must be completed. Pray for all the final approvals needed. God will supply.

What is God calling you to grow in relationship with Jesus? Read the Bible daily or fasting some activity in your life to have increased time to talk with God (prayer). May the power of God’s Holy Spirit be upon our congregation in new and mighty ways.

Pastor Mike

HAPPENING THIS MONTH!!

To find out more information on IF please click here

9:00 Adult Bible Study

9:00 Prayer Time

10:30 Worship service

Who's coming with you to be able to experience the blessings God has given us at Waterville UMC!

FEBRUARY

Our Mission focus this month is Susie's Coats, a non-profit organization that collects and distributes new (preferably for children) and gently used coats, hats, gloves, scarves mittens and blankets. Founded by Susan Perry, they receive calls all winter for items and many of those calls are from schools, requesting items for students. Many stores have sales after Christmas and have really low prices on children's coats.

They are also in need of monetary donations with which to purchase coats and other warm apparel for children in need in Northwest Ohio. A Susie's coats collection box is provided fro you to put the items in outside the Community Room. We will continue to collect throughout the year. Let's fill it up again and again!!

Operation

Christmas Child

Collection this month

HATS, GLOVES, SCARVES

FEBRUARY PRAYER FOCUS

Evangelism

The Sunday Morning Prayer Team meets in the Sanctuary each Sunday morning at 9:00 AM. Our mission is to intercede through the power of prayer for other people locally or around the world who need our prayer Support.

The prayer team is asking for the support of the rest of the congregation to join them in praying specifically for the the Prayer focus of the month.

February’s Theme: Evangelism

Weekly Topics:

1.) February 2 - Asking the Lord for guidance in our prayers and in our

evangelistic journey

2.) February 9 - Worldwide Evangelism

3.) February 16 - Nationwide Evangelism

4.) February 23 - Us, As Individual Evangelists

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR PRAYER FOCUS

ASH WEDNESDAY

February 26, 2020

Communion and Imposition of Ashes

6:30am - 8:30am

Please come anytime during this time frame if you would like to have communion and imposition of ashes.

Walk To Emmaus Weekend

Have you heard of Walk to Emmaus weekends? What are they? They are a short course in Christianity that helps develop Christian leaders. They are a time of learning how much Jesus loves you and about God’s grace. It is non-denominational, although the version we go on is sponsored by the United Methodist Church.

A youth version is called Chrysalis and is called a flight, even though they don’t fly. It is for young people ages 15-18.

An Emmaus weekend, called a walk, even though no walking is required except to 3 meals a day and chapel visits, is for anyone over 18. Emmaus weekends are at Widewater Retreat Center and consists of 72 hours away from contact with home, cell phones, computers, family, and friends. But for anyone who has been on these weekends, it is very relaxing to not have to answer to electronic communications or to know what time it is because watches are also not allowed.

It is a time of self-reflection and group discussion in small table groups. You will experience God’s grace and love for you. It is a life changing weekend.

Several from this church have attended Walk to Emmaus weekends, including Pastor Mike and Pam, Delores Young, and Paul and Cherl Matla. If others have attended, please let Pastor Mike or Cherl know.

We invite you to prayerfully consider attending an Emmaus Weekend. We have brochures about it or you can talk to any of the people who have attended. We’d be glad to answer any questions you have, but more than that, we’d be glad to sponsor you. Anyone who attends must be sponsored by someone who has previously attended.

The next Men’s weekend in Northwest Ohio are April 2 - 5 and Women’s Weekend is April 30 to May 3. They begin Thursday evening and go through Sunday late afternoon. Your sponsor will provide transportation to and from the Walk. Chrysalis Flights are held at Maumee UMC and are usually in the summer.

It would be our privilege to sponsor any of you. Christ is counting on you, will you respond? Please talk with Pastor Mike or Cherl Matla if the Lord is leading you to respond or if you have any questions.

"THEATRE FOR THE WORLD"

Presents

A Little Piece of Heaven

By Mathew Carlin

Theatre For The World

After taking some time off to re-charge, we are happy to announce our next Mission / Outreach project. We will be presenting a comedy by Matthew Carlin entitled A Little Piece of Heaven , with performances on Friday, March 20 & Saturday, March 21 @ 7:30 pm and Sunday, March 22 @ 1:30 pm. It is the story of a little collectibles shop where folks find things from their past that have been missing for a long time.

Once again, there is no charge for admission. However, a freewill offering and donations of canned food & non-perishable food items will be accepted at each performance, with all proceeds going to support the Anthony Wayne Food Pantry and the AW Community Food Ministry. In addition, a lasagna dinner will be hosted by our youth, before the Saturday performance, to help support their 2020 Mission Trip. More information will be made available in the coming weeks, so be on the lookout.

Like any project, we will need volunteers to help in a variety of ways. We are in the process of putting a team together, including leaders and helpers. Many of you have been a part of our team in the past and we hope you will once again join us on this new adventure. We will need help in such areas as stage crew, set construction, ushers, food collection, cookie making & serving them during intermissions, publicity, etc. Please add your name to the signup sheet on the hallway bulletin board or see Tom or Karen Wiggins with any questions.

This will be our 13 ^th production and we thank you our patrons for all your prayers, support and encouragement. Your contributions have helped support our local food pantries, as well as fully funding two water projects in Africa and the purchase of farm animals for needy families in Central America. Since we began Theatre For The World in 2006, we have raised $32,348 and collected over 1,224 bags of groceries. God has blessed our efforts and we hope to continue adding to our totals.

We look forward to another opportunity that God has given us to serve and we ask you to please prayerfully consider where you may assist in this effort to reach others……

A lasagna dinner will be put on by our youth, before the Saturday performance at 6:30 pm, to help support their 2020 Mission Trip.

“Theatre For The World” will present A Little Piece of Heaven , a comedy by Matthew Carlin

PERFORMANCES IN THE SANCTUARY

Friday, March 20 7:30 pm

Saturday, March 21 @ 7:30 pm

(Youth Fundraiser Lasagna dinner before performance Saturday)

Sunday, March 22 @ 1:30 pm

There is no charge for admission. However, a freewill offering and donations of canned food & non-perishable food items will be accepted at each performance , with all proceeds going to support the Anthony Wayne Food Pantry and the AW Community Food Ministry. In addition, a lasagna dinner will be put on by our youth, before the Saturday performance, to help support their 2020 Mission Trip.