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Thursday, March 14, 2024

You are invited to Coffee with Pastor Kim, this Sunday, March 17, at 9:45 in the chapel room next to the office. Come for a breakfast treat, coffee or juice, the chance to get better acquainted, and ask any questions you might have about the church, the Christian faith, or whatever is on your mind. This is a great time to talk about baptism or church membership as well. You are welcome to drop in on Sunday, but if you have questions or know you plan to come, please email Pastor Kim at pastorkim@maplewoodumc.org

Welcome to Maplewood UMC’s newest members, Misty Demattee and Spencer Wilson!

This year we celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Sunday. Be sure to wear something green when you come to church Sunday.

Dear Friends,


It’s been a few years, and hopefully won’t be too many more before we send our youth, or maybe even our adults on another mission trip.  We have sent youth to several places, including West Virginia; Dupree, South Dakota; Cleveland, Ohio; and the Henderson Settlement in Tennessee. One question we need to answer honestly about mission trips is: “Who is the trip really for?”


When we send our youth and adults on mission trips, it is not only for the benefit of those who are served. It is also because these trips have the potential for life-changing impact on the youth and adults who go on the trip to serve.


This Sunday as we continue to discover more about the impact of the resurrection of Jesus, we will remember the story of Saul who was on a mission trip of sorts when a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ changed his life—even his name to Paul—and gave him a new mission and purpose.


Some of you have indicated in various conversations that there are things about Paul’s writings that you don’t appreciate. I can understand why that might be. But as we head into Sunday and look at the impact of the resurrection on Saul/Paul’s life, I realize that all of us as followers of Jesus now, have something in common with Paul.


Like us, Paul never did meet Jesus while he was in ministry on the earth before Jesus died or while Jesus was walking around in his resurrected body. Jesus had already ascended when he met Paul on the road to Damascus. Paul was not one of the first disciples or first “in-person” witnesses to the resurrection. And yet, his experience of Jesus was very real and life-changing. The same is true for us as followers of Jesus now.


So, on Sunday, we can celebrate that the same power of the resurrection is as real and available to us as it was to Paul while he was on that trip that changed his life.


I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday when we talk about Paul and hear one of our newest members, Spencer Wilson’s testimony.


God’s grace and peace be with you,


Pastor Kim

Ways to be part of serving and celebrating during Holy Week and Easter:

--Pray for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter services and all who take part

--Invite your friends to celebrate Easter with Maplewood UMC.

--Sign up to help with the Maundy Thursday dinner. March 28, 5:30 – 6:45 p.m.  Coordinator: Charlotte Phelps (phelpscb@gmail.com); Pastor Kim (pastorkim@maplewoodumc.org); and Brittany Link. (Brittany.l@maplewoodumc.org)

--Attend the Maundy Thursday service, March 28, 7 p.m.

--Sign up to help with Easter Breakfast. Coordinator: Tom Cordeal tomcordeal@gmail.com

--Offer to arrange the Easter flowers on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. Email Pastorkim@maplewoodumc.org.

--Pick up a bag or two of plastic Easter eggs from the bins in the room behind the sanctuary to fill with candy for the Easter egg hunt. Each plastic grocery bag contains forty empty eggs. Thank you to Lesley Holloman for bagging up the empty Easter eggs from last year!!

Freedom School Applications are available now!

Freedom School is a 6-week, full day literacy and empowerment summer program under the oversight of Children’s Defense Fund.

Freedom School will be in session June 17 – July 26 (Monday through Friday except for holidays) from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

 

Maplewood UMC partners with LifewiseStL to host Freedom School for children who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade.

 

There is no cost for this program.

 

Applications can be downloaded from the Maplewood UMC website or are available upon request from the church office. The links to online applications are: 

 

2024 FS Application:

https://form.jotform.com/240305064334142

 

2024 FS Application- Additional Child:

https://form.jotform.com/240517320763148

 

 

Maplewood UMC offers Community Unity Kids Club after Freedom School from 3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. for families who need a later pickup time for their children.  There is no cost for this program but a separate registration must be completed. Click on this link to register for Kids Club: https://share.fluro.io/form/65e778417e85500037bfe640 or contact the church office for a registration form.

 

Be on the lookout soon for ways to sign up to serve with Freedom School.

**NEW DATES TO THE CALENDAR ARE IN GREEN

**Thursday, March 14

9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. Church office open

9:00 a.m. - 2 p.m. Second Time Around Shop

2:00 - 3:00 p.m. "The Third Day" Book Study

6:00 p.m. Praise Band Practice

6:00 p.m. Women's AA Group

7:00 p.m. Choir Practice


** Saturday, March 16

10:30 a.m. - Women's AA Meeting


**Sunday,March 17

St. Patrick's Day

9:00 a.m. Prayer with Pastor Kim

9:45 a.m. Coffee with Pastor Kim

9:45 a.m. Children & Youth Sunday School

9:45 a.m. Adult Discussion Group "Third Day" Book Study

11:00 a.m - Worship - In-Person and

online Link: maplewoodumc.org

5:00 p.m. Scouts



***Monday,March 18

9:00 - 11:30 a.m. Community Unity Team Meeting


**Tuesday,March 19

First Day of Spring

9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. Church office open

1:00 pm. Prayer time via Zoom.

Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3745711178pwd=dktsaWkwNlNhVjRmOHpjTFNqR1dqQT09 Meeting ID: 374 571 1178

Passcode: 674257

6:30 p.m. Witnessing Whiteness Study

7:00 p.m. The Third Day Lenten Book Study

**Thursday, March 21

9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. Church office open

9:00 a.m. - 2 p.m. Second Time Around Shop

2:00 - 3:00 p.m. "Third Day" Book Study

4;30-5:30 p.m. Cub Scouts

6:00 p.m. Praise Band Practice

6:00 p.m. Women's AA Group

7:00 p.m. Choir Practice


To see the entire calendar - click below https://73855810.view-events.com


Lenten Study Groups continue....see dates and times in calendar above.

Prayers for...


...Linda Vawter’s sister, Shari, continued healing after her procedure to relieve back pain, and that scan (today)will show path for helping with headaches


Linda Vawter’s nephew Allen,  for continued healing and appropriate work.

 

...Shay Blackwell’s recovery after her recent hospitalization

 

...Barb Riney and her family upon the death of Barb’s brother-in-law,

 

...Steve Findley and his family upon the death of his mother, Joy Findley. A memorial service for Mrs. Findley is scheduled for Saturday, March 16th at 11 a.m. at University UMC, 2220 N. Yale Ave.,Wichita, KS.  https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/joy-findley-obituary?id=54485633

 

...Juanita O’Laughlin and her family upon the death of her sister-in-law, Bobbi Cain

 

From Nancy Thompson- Please pray for my son, Peter Munshaw, to find appropriate employment. 


...Karen Raborn healing of hip issues


...Zambian government to provide vaccinations for Kwasha School children so they can reopen school during cholera epidemic.


...Pastor Kim for continued recovery from shoulder surgery


... Continuing prayers for Brian, Peg Chulick’s grandson, for continued healing as doctors adjust medications


...All the strife in Israel, Gaza and Ukraine


Continuing prayers for ...


...Skip Reynolds's comfort and peace


...Shay Blackwell - for relief of nerve pain and dizziness


... Nina Berry - for Chad to be happy and healthy.



...Jerry Chulick, health concerns.

“Being negative only makes a journey more difficult. You may be given a cactus, but you don’t have to sit on it.”

—Joyce Meyer


Don't forget your "coins for Lent" Calendars

“Coins for Lent” calendars are available at church. Following the daily prompts on the calendar can serve as motivator for collecting funds to be shared with the MUMC Easter Offering which will be for Kwasha Molye School in Zambia and Mosaic Services OR another organization of your choice. The “Coins for Lent” calendar can also be used as a means to count your blessings, as you follow the instructions to count the things in your house that we often take for granted: hats, light switches, boxes of cereal, pairs of shoes or t-shirts.

 

If you missed out on getting one, want to learn more, or would like to access the pdf to print your own, click on this link: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/coins-for-lent-2024

MUMC Kids


Would you like to help in the Children's Sunday School on a rotating basis? See Brittany Link or email brittany.l@maplewoodumc.org


Last week we discussed the Road to Emmaus and learned how to see Jesus all around us!


Join us this Sunday as we learn about Paul and how Jesus can transform our lives! We will get to try out an experiment and see if we can remove an egg from its shell while keeping its form. We might even get to see if it bounces! 

DEADLINE for the church newsletter is MIDNIGHT EVERY TUESDAY; send articles to jbrx10@yahoo.com.

The Sunday morning worship bulletin will be sent via email at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday

For more information about Maplewood United Methodist Church, go to our website    (maplewoodumc.org ) or Facebook page (facebook.com/mumcstl)

The church office is open Tuesday, & Thursday from 9 a.m. til 1 p.m.

Office Phone: 314-781-5902. Pastor Kim Shirar: 314-651-9999 Email: pastorkim@maplewoodumc.org

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