Weekly Newsletter - April 3, 2025

Click here to view or print the Newsletter

News of the Church

Help Stuff Easter Eggs for Egg Hunt 4/13

Our annual Easter Egg Hunt will be Sunday, April 13, and we need your help to get ready! In the atrium and narthex there are buckets with empty Easter Eggs in them - pick up a bag and fill with candy, or bring your own pre-filled eggs before Palm Sunday.

No April Second Sunday Lunch

Because of Palm Sunday activities and the Easter Egg Hunt on April 13, we will not meet for Second Sunday Lunch this month. We will meet again in May for our Senior Recognition Brunch on May 11.

Updates from the Mulberry Community Garden

If you've driven past the Outreach Community Garden lately, you may have noticed the beautiful Cherokee Roses that are blooming along the back fence! Planted just over a year ago, the roses were a part of Wilson Brown's Eagle Scout Project of installing the wall and fence along the back of the garden. Be sure to take a look next time you're by the garden to see the roses! If you'd like to get involved and volunteer at the garden, contact Jane Moore (912-507-3921) to learn more!

Weekly Worship & Prayer during Lent

Join us as we continue our monthly Worship and Prayer service with a special weekly Lenten series. Lent is a season for reflection and spiritual growth as we prepare for the joy of Easter, and this five-week journey will provide an opportunity to deepen our faith through prayer, contemplative practices, and worship. Our evenings will be centered around the theme of gardening; like seeds planted in rich soil, nourished by prayer, scripture, and the light of Christ, we are called to cultivate a deeper, more fruitful faith.

Each Wednesday evening, we will gather for a fellowship dinner at 5:30 PM, followed by a time of scripture, song, and guided prayer at 6:15 PM. Whether you are seeking a new Lenten discipline or simply longing for a space to draw closer to God, we invite you to make the most of this season with us. All are welcome! Nursery is provided.

Announcing Guest Preachers for Daily Holy Week Services

During the week leading up to Easter, Holy Week, Mulberry will hold daily noontime services. Come reflect on the life and ministry of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ as we prepare our hearts and minds for the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Noon services will be 30 minutes, and lunch is provided immediately following worship.

Schedule:

Monday - Rev. Katie Griffis, St. Paul Chapel; Tuesday - Rev. Tommy Perkins, Chaplain at Wesley Glen Ministries; Wednesday - Rev. Dr. Josh Gale, Chaplain at the Methodist Home for Children & Youth, and Pastor at Wesley UMC; Thursday (noon) - Rev. Sam Lamback; Thursday (evening) - Rev. Jack Varnell; Friday - Rev. Payton Stone

Join the Flower Guild!

We are looking for church members to join the church Flower Guild! The Flower Guild coordinates and manages the flower arrangements that grace our altar on Sunday mornings as well as other special arrangements. If you are interested in participating or learning more about the guild, call Beth Smith at 478-719-9041.

If you are interested in placing flowers on the altar, there are several openings available this year. Contact Beth to learn more.

A Bicentennial Moment

In anticipation of Mulberry’s upcoming Bicentennial Celebration in 2026, the Leonard Hill Cochran Historical Room presents a moment of Mulberry history.

The following except is from The Board of Stewards meeting, January 7, 1902.

“The Music Committee brought up the matter of Music Supply and presented three plans to the Board without recommending any of them. The plans were:

Employed Organist and Male Quartette
Employed Organist and Mixed Quartette
Employed Organist and Musical Director with volunteer choir

The Pastor in view of his special authority over music was asked to state his view and the principal points of his recommendation were:

That the Church should have good music.
That volunteers were preferred if possible.
That high class music which appeals only to the aesthetic taste should be avoided.
That the music should be soulful, such as would be spiritually beneficial.
That the music should always in all services be secondary to the preaching of the Word.
That none but persons leading reasonably consistent Christian lives should be engaged to sing in the choir.

He expressed a willingness to abide by the decision of the Board. After some discussion a motion was approved appropriating $250 for three months music supply. On a motion Miss May Wilder was elected Organist for three months. The Music Committee was asked to employ a Quartette for 3 months of two men and two women on such salary terms as could best be secured, the total of all with the Organist’s salary not to exceed the $250 appropriation.”

General Fund

In memory of Lois McLain by Carolyn K. Dominy

In memory of Martha Thompson by Carolyn K. Dominy

In memory of Lois McLain by Bill and Kaye Miller

In memory of Lois McLain by Sally M. Heard

In memory of Lois McLain by Frank and Mary Anne Gaudry

Sunday Worship

April 6, 2025

Fifth Sunday in Lent

Rev. Payton Stone, preaching

“From Grasping Hands to Open Hearts”

Philippians 3:4b-14

Assisting with Worship

Ushers

Gary Dunn, Vaughan Smith, Emory Dunn, Jim Manley, Stuart Walker

Acolytes

Emily Stansfield, Crucifer

Emily Carroll & Ruth Stansfield, Candle Lighters

Communion Servers

Stuart & Jenny Walker

11 a.m. Worship Service will be Live-Streamed and available on Facebook and YouTube.

Prayer List

Scott and Wanda Fitzgerald

Nancy and Lowell Belk

Jarrod Heggins

Jimmy Roach

Freeda Chapman

Thomas Marlow

Linda Sankey

Yetta Price

Eddings Smith

Bettie Causey

Sharon and Tony Marks, sister and brother-in-law of Kathy Welch

Mable Mashburn, Kathy Welch’s mother

Ashley and Mary Hurt

Frances Inzer

Charlotte Barker

Michael Downs, grandson of Harold Downs

Judy Freeney

Shaunacy Fifield

Susan McIntosh, Daniel’s mother

Brian and Sonnya Wilson

Robin Frischkorn

Barbara Henley

Edith Smith, mother of Hinda Ramsay

Flo Martin

Ray McIntosh, Daniel’s sister

Susan Dunn

Martin Magda

Michelle Blount, CCM Director

Robin Harris, Volunteer Coordinator at Macon Outreach

Susan Middlebrooks

Dennis Stewart, Michael Stewart’s brother

Jackie Holtzclaw, Katherine Holtzclaw’s mother.

Sylvia Hathcock

The family of Dustin Ivey Fordham, Carolyn Dominy’s grandson

Kay Harris

Andy Watson and the family of Nell Newcomer

Elena Balkcom, Stephanie Henson’s daughter, and her new grandson Reed

Raleigh Godsey, Hunter’s brother

The United Methodist Church, Bishop Robin Dease

District Superintendent Jay and Kay Harris

Our church, its clergy, and its members

Coming Up at Mulberry

April 13

Easter Egg Hunt

April 14

Holy Week Begins

Full Calendar

On Call Line

478-219-9926

Check out what's going on in Realm!

Be sure to check out the News feature on Realm!

If you need help getting connected, contact the church office at

478-745-8601.

Ainsworth (Adult) Choir Rehearsal

Wednesdays at 7:15 pm in the Choir Room!

We welcome all who like to sing and want to be part of music ministry in worship. Come join us! Please contact Terre Johnson, Director of Music, for questions.

**Nursery is provided during Choir Rehearsal for any parents wanting to join!

Weekly Prayers & Scripture

Week 19:Forgiveness

Day 1. Psalm 25:11 (Morning); Isaiah 55:7 (Evening)

Day 2. Acts 2:38 (Morning); 1 Peter 4:8 (Evening)

Day 3. Psalm 65:3 (Morning); Ephesians 1:7 (Evening)

Day 4. Jeremiah 33:8 (Morning); Luke 5:20 (Evening)

Day 5. Acts 13:38-39 (Morning); Matthew 6:14-15 (Evening)

Morning Prayer of Petition

Gracious God, you meet my mistakes and sin with grace and forgiveness. Reminds me today to follow your example by:

assuming the best in those around me,
speaking honestly to those who disappoint me,
offering forgiveness to those who hurt me,
reconciling relationships if and where possible.

Lord, just as you have forgiven me, embolden me to forgive those around me. Amen.

Evening Prayer of Gratitude

Compassionate God, thank you for the ways you offer me grace, forgive my sin, and give me new chances to serve you. I am aware of your forgiveness today:

through people who love me even when I disappoint,
in the second chances I received,
in opportunities to help others even though I am imperfect,
with clean slates to write new stories.

God, thank you for forgiving my trespasses today and helping me to forgive those who trespass against me. Amen.

Taken from The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer

Donation Needs

Macon Outreach Needs

*No more plastic bags*

Spaghetti Sauce

Jelly

Cases of bottled water

Financial Donations

Cereal

Hamburger helper

Cornbread mix

Condiments

Cake/cookie/muffin mix

Snack items

Daybreak Needs

Cereal

Jelly

Sugar

Vienna sausages (4.6 oz.)

1 min. Instant Grits

Chips (individual bags)

Tylenol/ advil/ ibuprofen

Orajel

Cough medicine (non-alcohol)

Cough drops

Bio freeze/muscle cream

Aspirin 81mg

Paper towels

Water

Disinfectant spray

Air freshener

Men's t-shirts (white) lg, xl 2x

Men & women's underwear (new)

Resources & Links

South Georgia Advocate

The South Georgia Advocate, a twice monthly online news publication, is the official news source of the South Georgia Annual Conference and a ministry of the Office of Connectional Ministries.

Click here for the Georgia Advocate

One Matters Resource Toolkit

As part of this year's conference focus of "One Matters", the South Georgia Conference is providing monthly resources designed to empower each of us in our mission of making meaningful connections and living out transformative discipleship. Each toolkit presents a challenge questions & resources tailored to address that challenge.

Click here for the One Matters Toolkit

Have an addition to the newsletter?

Email Millie Thompson at mthompson@mulberrymethodist.org