A Message from
Pastor Abby...
We’re over halfway through Lent…how’s it going? If you attended Ash Wednesday, you were invited to sacrifice one of the following words by writing it on a black ribbon and placing it in a basket: broken, lost, doubt, insecure, indifferent, fear, despair. It’s certainly easy to say we don’t want any of those, but when push comes to shove actually letting go of them for an unknown alternative is rarely easy. We tend to prefer what we know, or as the saying goes “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t”. But as we’ve been looking at each Sunday in Lent, if we sacrifice each of these, God has something so much better for us on the other side. What is it that makes you experience being broken, lost, doubtful, insecure, indifferent, fearful, or despair? How do you feel - what emotions do you have and what does your body feel like - when experiencing each one of those? What images comes to mind for each one?
Our students were brave and vulnerable enough to consider those questions and share their responses to those two questions. We have some pretty amazing students who never cease to amaze me and their responses were beautiful and honest. Those responses were crafted into reflections which were then shared at Ash Wednesday and if you’d like to read them you can find them here. I encourage you to personally sit with those questions for yourself because for us to sacrifice something we must first identify it, acknowledge our attachment to it, and understand what it means to let it go. If you look at our world, you can find plenty broken, lost, doubt, insecure, indifferent, fear, and despair. In Romans, the Apostle Paul encourages us to sacrifice the ways of the world:
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
Paul is telling us that to truly worship God and offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice, we must let God transform us into a new person. To do that we must let go of the ways of the world; the customs and behaviors that lead to more broken, lost, doubt, insecure, indifferent, fear, and despair. God desires transform them into restored, found, assured, generous, awakened, surrender, and hope, but we first must let go. On Ash Wednesday, those who worshipped at Aley were also invited to pick up a random gold ribbon which had one of these transformed words on it and hang on to throughout Lent, pray over it, watch for it. Have you seen your gold ribbon word in action? Have you experienced or witnessed transformation as a result of sacrifice? If you have we’d love to hear about it; if you haven’t, don’t give up. We can’t force the transformation, but we can continue to offer our sacrifice, be persistent in our prayers, and surround ourselves with community that will walk with us in each of those. It’s only by God’s grace and love that our sacrifice can be transformed into such beauty and new life! Always. Everywhere. For Everyone.
Keep going, friends. In a world that is broken, lost, doubtful, insecure, indifferent, fearful, and in despair; keep offering your sacrifice and allowing God to transform it into restored, found, assured, generous, awakened, surrender, and hope. Because as John Wesley said with a holy triumph as his last words “The best of all is, God is with us. The best of all is, God is with us!” Indeed, God is with us.
Pastor Abby
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Looking forward, we will have a fun filled summer with lots of mini-camps. VBS will be June 2-6. Music Camp will be the week of June 23. All kids are welcome to participate (invite your friends to come, too!). There will be LOTS of other fun opportunities, too. Be on the lookout for the sign-ups that are coming out soon. We will also need lots of volunteers to make it all happen.
Please contact:
Susan Grinkemeyer (240-357-5190, or kids@aleyumc.org)
if you want to be a part of
the fun.
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Sermon Series "Transforming Sacrifice"
April 6
"Indifferent - Awakened"
Pastor Abby
April 13
"Fear - Surrender"
Pastor Laurie
April 20 (Easter Sunday)
"Despair - Hope"
Pastor Laurie & Pastor Abby
April 27
"From the story of Jesus to the story of the people of God"
Pastor Laurie
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Lenten Dinner Church in April!
The Adult Ministry Team invites you to join us for Lenten Dinner Church on Tuesdays, on April 1, April 8, and April 15 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. This is a great way to connect and grow as you take the next steps on your Discipleship journey. There will be family friendly opportunities for our youth and kids. Go to the ‘Get Involved’ page to sign up.
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Chancel Choir
Presents a Cantata
The choir will also be presenting the cantata, Crown of Mercy, Crown of Thorns, composed by our own accompanist, Tracey McKibben, on Good Friday, April 18 at 7:00 pm. Please plan to attend and experience the final days of the life of Jesus Christ through music and readings.
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Easter is the time we celebrate the risen Christ! We sing Hallelujah and put on our Sunday best. It’s also been traditionally the time of year we order Easter flowers as a reminder of the new life springing up all around us and we take time to remember or honor those we love.
After the experience last year with the poor quality of the flowers and due to rising costs coupled with difficulty in getting quality flowers, this year we are going to request you add this money (your decision on the amount) to your already planned Easter offering.
We would still like to remember and honor any one you’d like to share with us, so email Alisha, our Admin Assistant (aley@aleyumc.org), with the names, noting if we are to remember or honor them and of course your name. We will still share this with everyone on Easter and there will be one Easter flower present to celebrate our loved ones and the Risen One.
If you have any questions, please let Pastor Laurie know.
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At the recommendation of the mission team, this years Easter Offering will be designated to Red Bird Mission in Beverly, Kentucky.
Red Bird Mission has been serving the Appalachia Kentucky community since 1921 and was started by the Evangelical Church (which through a series of mergers eventually became the United Methodist Church). This area remains in critical need and Red Bird has established, ongoing relationships to work towards building healthy, sustainable communities.
They serve the local community in a variety of ways centered around education, health, housing improvement, outreach, and economic opportunity.
Aley is sending a team to serve with Red Bird August 3-8 (if you’re interested in attending, or supporting those who attend please plan to attend the informational session April 27 @ Noon and RSVP Here).
By combining our time/talents with a financial gift, our impact with Red Bird will be even greater. You can gift your Easter Offering on Sunday mornings, online, or mail/dropping it off in the office, please note “Easter Offering” in the memo.
To learn more about Red Bird Mission, click here
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The Prayer Team wants to extend an invitation to be a little part of the Prayer Team by signing up to pray for the Pastors prior to each worship experience.
It’s simple: (1) use the sign-up genius below, (2) go to the date you want to pray, (3) pick the service time, (4) put your name, email address and phone number. That’s all there is to it. Then put it on your calendar (sign-up genius will also send a reminder).
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Parents Sunday Group…
The Sunday morning Parent group that meets in the hospitality center each week at 9:40 am has lots of room!
Join us as we look at what our Kids/YAA are learning each week, we look at how we can connect it to our faith journey and we talk about the dumpster fires of the week.
So, grab your coffee and snacks and come hang out. It’s a great time to support each other!
If you have any questions you can contact Pastor Laurie.
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New or Transferring Membership, Get into the Aley UMC Story…
We sure hope you already feel connected, but as you take the next steps in that connection through active worship, intentional spiritual growth through small groups, faithful giving and serving in mission and outreach.
All are things you might say are ways you are already living out your faith. But committed growth also includes praying about being a connected member of the story.
So, if you have questions join Pastor Laurie on Sunday April 13th at Noon for lunch to find out more about this journey.
Use the sign up genius so that we can have enough food, and if you need child care.
Questions?
Contact Pastor Laurie.
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Aley to Serve Luncheon at St. Paul UMC
Once again Aley has the opportunity to serve a hearty luncheon to those in need. We will prepare to serve around 150 people at St. Paul UMC on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
Our menu will be goulash, green beans, Jell-O salad, rolls, and Texas sheet cake or brownies. We need donations of food along with drinks, paper products, and supplies. Sign up on Get Involved.
Please consider helping with this worthwhile endeavor. Please have your items to the church before 10:00 am on April 29.
Any questions, please call Susan Lehneis at 937-426-6255 or Bonnie Essex at 937-374-309.
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Tar Hollow Summer Camp Get Together
April 5
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Any student who attended camp in 2024 or any student (or adult) interested in attending camp in 2025 (July 14 - July 19) is invited to come hang out at "The Barn" in Pleasant Hill to have some fun with other campers and staff!
There are snacks, 9 Square, basketball, air hockey, ping pong, pool, volleyball, board games, Gaga, disc golf, and more! The event will be held at 2140 N Rench Rd. Pleasant Hill, OH.
Students are asked to bring a $5 donation to help cover the costs of the event.
If you’ve not been to camp but want to go this year, this is a great opportunity to meet some people beforehand!
Click here to RSVP to the Tar Hollow Get Together
SUMMER CAMP APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!!
JULY 14-19, 2025
REGISTER ASAP TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT BEFORE IT'S FULL!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR CAMP
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Mission Trip Informational Session
August 3-8, 2025
Students and adults are invited on a summer mission experience to Red Bird Mission in Beverly, KY. Red Bird Mission builds "healthy, sustainable communities in the mountains of southeastern Kentucky.
The need remains critical in this isolated, rural distressed area. Chronic poverty, lack of jobs, poor housing, and rugged mountainous terrain provide obstacles to a fuller life for the residents of this area. Red Bird Mission and Clinic strives to meet these needs through five program areas: Education, Health, Housing Improvement, Outreach, Economic Opportunity."
This is a great opportunity to serve, grow, and be transformed through a mission experience. There will be both construction and non-construction opportunities to serve.
Anyone interested in going to Red Bird, or supporting the mission from home should plan to attend the informational meeting on April 27 @ Noon.
RSVP Here
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May 4 @ 4:10 pm
Tickets are $20 and students are responsible for the cost of any food or souvenirs they wish to purchase.
RSVP here by April 13
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Kids' Ministry - Every Sunday, kids are offered several different experiences to encourage their faith journey.
Please contact Susan Grinkemeyer for more info about our Kids Ministry! (kids@aleyumc.org)
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Nursery Ministry - volunteers are needed to care for our youngest kids in the nursery during the Sunday school/ Fellowship hour and the 10:30 service. We want to set up a 6-8 week rotation schedule so that no one volunteer is needed too often.
If you are interested, please contact Susan Grinkemeyer (kids@aleyumc.org, or 240-357-5190).
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The West Ohio Annual Conference will be realigning the conference by district. This will affect Aley United Methodist Church with the movement of Greene County from the Great Miami River District to the Scioto River District.
Our new District Superintendent will be the Rev. Wes Sowders who will be newly appointed July 1, 2025 with the changing of the district lines.
This does not affect our mission or ministry at Aley UMC, but it does help the conference balance the number of churches each District Superintendent is responsible for, so that both clergy and laity can receive the support they need.
The link below shows the other counties affected by the changes. If you have any questions, you can direct those to Pastor Laurie or Pastor Abby.
https://www.westohioumc.org/news/district-realignment-takes-effect-july-1
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The Kemp Rd Clean-up team plans to pick up trash along our section of Kemp Rd on April 5th starting at 9:00 am. Our section of Kemp Rd goes from the church to I-675.
If you haven't joined us before and would like to, please contact me. I have some helpful hints on what to do and what not to do - work in groups, face towards traffic, don't pick up any dead animal, etc. You'll need a safety vest, work gloves, and a grabber is very helpful so you don't have to bend over too much.
Any youth under age 18 must be with an approved guardian. Bill Noble, 937-681-8601 or nobledesoto@ameritech.net
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The Aley Church Clean Up Day will be on Saturday, April 12 at 9:00 AM. We need any willing hands to help!
Please bring work gloves or any general yard work tools you may have.
The United Methodist Men’s group is helping by having breakfast at the church first at 8:00 AM.
So, if you’re available, please come to the church on Saturday at 8:00 AM for breakfast and then stay a while for the Clean Up. We plan to finish by 12:00 PM.
The more help we have, the quicker and smoother things will get done.
Thank you!
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Planting is coming!!
And so much more!
Here's a short reminder of what The Growing Space is... Aley UMC was awards a West Ohio Conference Go! Grant in 2024 for a community engagement project that would focus on growing community relationships with each other and God. The garden will help address food insecurities while connecting more deeply to God's community.
And we are ready for the next phase and lots of Aley servants to go on this journey.
So far:
- We had bed building day
- Set & filled the beds in the Fall
- Seeds have been started
- 6' Deer/Critter fence has arrived & will be installed in April
NOW WE NEED YOU!!
- Servants for the Lead Team - there is still lots to plan and do as this project moves forward... share your gifts!!
- PLANTING DAY IS COMING! Mark your calendar and watch for reminders... MAY 18TH after church. There will be food around the campfire (yes smores too), prayer stakes to make, planting to be done, and more.
And this can be a great inviting opportunity!
So, email Pastor Laurie (pastorlaurie@aleyumc.org) with questions or if you are ready to be part of The Growing Space.
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Calendar/Event Form
We have created a new form that will help gather all needed information for church events. This form will need to be submitted by the chair or lead person from the ministry area regardless of the person(s) in charge of coordinating the event. We will be looking at the number of events scheduled for the same day (excluding outside organizations renting space) in order to keep from straining church resources.
This form will gather all information, such as, weekly announcements, newsletter, sign-up genius, logos or pics needed to create the slide graphics, etc. This form will be available on the web-site in April under a new tab for “FORMS”. We hope to have other forms here in the future to help you with events and fundraising. This form is a fillable form, which simply means you will be able to open the form, click on the area marked to do so, then save and email to the Administrative Assistant.
There will be opportunities to give it a try and for changes that we find need to be made so be patient with the process. We hope to keep things simple.
When the form goes live you will get that notification in the weekly news update.
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Fund-Raising Policy
Aley’s finance committee has been asked to formulate and implement policy and procedures for fund-raising events. The purpose of the policy is to insure that Aley’s resources are not strained due to too many events scheduled at any given time.
The updated fund-raising policy and procedures will be located on Aley Church’s web site. There will be instructions on how to request approval for a fund-raising event.
Also, on-line fillable forms will be available. The new policy will go into effect around May 1, 2025. Watch for more information in future newsletters and Sunday announcements.
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Seeking Golfers!
The 25th Annual Family Promise Golf Marathon will be on May 19, 2025 at WGC Golf Course in Xenia, Ohio.
Each golfer gets their own cart, you bring your driver. Free breakfast and lunch will be provided. Snacks and drinks all day.
The goal this year is to raise $75,000.00! The Golf Marathon is a great day of fun for golfers and helps to raise much-needed funds to help support the financial stability of this ministry. Each golfer is requested to try to play 100 holes and to obtain pledges for the number of holes they play. However, the 100 holes is not mandatory.
Questions and pre-registration can be directed to Don Schneider at
937-232-1806.
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Adult Mixed
Softball Team
This summer there will be an Adult Mixed Softball Team with the Fairborn Church Softball League which consists of teams from Beavercreek, Fairborn and Riverside.
Presently, 7 local churches have indicated they will be entering teams. The season will last from mid-May until August. This league historically has held its games in Fairborn, but due to summer-long renovations and upgrades, the Fairborn facility is going to be out of commission.
The games will instead take place at Kettering Fields which is located in North Dayton. A registration fee of approximately $35.00 will be collected from each player. Team sign-ups close in Mid-April. A signup sheet has been left in the Narthex for those interested.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Dwight Keller at
427-0146.
| | | We would like to celebrate all of those whose birthdays are in APRIL this month. You are special to us & deeply loved by God... Have a great You day! | | | | | |
