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z Message from Pastor Dean
Without vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18 KJV
When travelling in a car on a lengthy journey, children often ask, Are we there yet? The question for us is, How will we know when we have reached our destination, if we dont know where we are headed? SO I think it is time we took a closer look at our direction. So, to begin with, I want all of us to take a good look at the ministry goals we set for ourselves for this year, and the expectations for ourselves that we adopted at Charge Conference.
Ministry Goals for 2008:
Our new purpose statement: Love God, Love Others, Serve the Kingdom to be used for clarifying vision, and focusing discipleship efforts.
Develop and launch a member care program to more effectively meet the needs of members, constituents and visitors.
Capitalize on the momentum of our mens group to establish further ministry to men.
Attract new members and re-engage non-active members in order to increase attendance and support.
Develop a comprehensive discipleship program that fits closely with, and can be effectively implemented with our purpose statement.
Find one or more opportunities to represent Christ in our community by giving aid, assuming responsibility, or other means.
Continue our fall event as an annual event.
Expectations of the congregation to carry out its vision/mission goals:
Pursue our new purpose: Love God, Love others, Serve the Kingdom as our first priority.
Encourage and invite others to attend worship services and other activities of our church family.
Always keep mission opportunities before the congregation, especially local needs.
Lift up the pastor and his family daily in prayer.
Become bold enough and generous enough to share our spiritual gifts, and live a life of Biblical stewardship.
Commit time and effort to spiritual growth both as individuals and as a congregation of Christs church.
Mothers Day is May 11
Bring Mom to church on Mothers Day. A special gift will be given to all women in attendance that morning. The Sonshine Choir and the Chancel Choir will provide special music at the 10:30 worship service.
Congratulations to Graduates
Sunday, May 11 these students graduating from High School will be honored:
Jessica Belt B.J. Kuxhausen
Amber Berringer Heidi May
Bailey Bichel Jennifer Mitts
Caleb Borden Jared Mullennax
Will Dehn Andrew Reinert
Scott Gregory Rachael Ryks
Sophie Fajardo Chris Severn
Ashley Fultz Tyler Thompson
Shannon Hofmockel Nikki Westerhold
Brett Keim Jordan Williams
A cake reception will be served by the Christian Education Committee in Fellowship Hall at 10:00 a.m. The United Methodist Women will present a gift to each graduate. Please plan to come celebrate with the graduates and their families.
Special Music is needed for our Summer Worship Services
Will you share your musical talent? During the summer months the choirs take a break. If you would like to or you know someone who would like to provide special music for either of the worship services this summer, please, contact the church office 527-4607.
The Couples Bible Study to Begin a New Book
The Couples Bible Study meets monthly. Come join them on Sunday, May 4 at 12:30 p.m. at the Old Country Buffet, 7540 Dodge St, Omaha, NE. The group is going to begin a new study from the Focus on the Family book, Cracking the Communication Code (Love for Her, Respect for Him) by Drs. Emerson, Eggerichs. The books are available at Divine Truth. Please, contact Louise Weber at if you have questions.
Chasing Daylight Bible Study
Chasing Daylight is a ten week Bible Study that is at Dean and Susie McPhersons home on Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. The cost of the study book and workbook is $12.25.
In this study Erwin McManus uses the biblical characters of Jonathan and Saul to demonstrate the difference between living a life of purpose and adventure, and living one of apathy and missed opportunity. McManus artfully illustrates the eight characteristics of an adventurers heart. God crafts divine moments specific to each of us, this study will inspire you to seize those moments and make the most of your life. If you have questions or need more information contact Pastor Dean or Susie.
Come Join the Prayer & Praise Sisters
The Prayer and Praise Sisters meet each Wednesday morning in Fellowship Hall at 8:15. Hostesses in May are: May 7 Michelle Woodrum, May 14 Louise Weber, May 21 Julie Gray and May 28 Verna Kelley.
This informal group focuss on a Christian journey with Praise, Prayer and Fellowship and on the needs of our church and community. Enjoy a great cup of coffee and a tasty morning treat! Bring a friend, neighbor or anyone who would like to be enriched with Gods great Love and Glory. Denomination isnt important Coming with a Smile is. If you have questions call Louise Weber or Peggy Warren.
MOPS News
MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) will meet May 14 in Grace UMC Fellowship Hall. Child care will be provided in Sunday school classrooms. This is the last meeting until fall. MOPS graduates will be honored at this meeting.
For more information about MOPS contact Laura Lambert or Melissa Arbogast.
May Committee Meetings
May 7 Trustees 7:30 p.m.
May 21 Nurture & Education 6:30 p.m.
May 28 Vacation Bible School 7:00 p.m.
May 28 Missions 7:30 p.m.
United Methodist Womens May Breakfast
The May Breakfast is Saturday, May 3 at 9:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. Jan Fisher will present the program on her Mission Trip to Africa.
Hope Circle members and Verna Kelley will set and decorate the tables. Barbara Tucker is planning the menu and Faith Circle members will be serving the breakfast. More volunteers are needed on the clean up committee to help Pat Conrad and Margaret McKee.
No Faith Circle or Hope Circle meetings are scheduled until September.
Mission Projects
Please Mark You Calendars !!
The Mission Auction is June 22
We Need Sewing Kit Items
We are collecting items for the Iowa Conference Thanksgiving Ingathering. This month the items we need are for Sewing Kits for the UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Depot. A basket for your donations is located near church office.
Sewing Kits foster independence rather than dependence. Cottage industries often grow out of sewing classes where these kits are used to practice skills. Items needed in a Sewing Kit are:
3 yards cotton or cotton blend fabric (one piece)
1 new spool matching thread
1 package hand sewing needles
1 sewing scissors
5-8 matching flat buttons
Please participate in this years
RELAY FOR LIFE
4:00 p.m., Saturday, May 31 to 8:00 a.m. June 1
at Ram Memorial Field
Team Walk: All teams will line up at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday, May 31. Look for our team. Only once around the track for this. You can do it!!
Cancer Survivors will be honored and take one lap around the track at 7:30 p.m. If you are a survivor, we want to honor you!!
Luminary Lighting Ceremony is at 8:00 p.m. Each person being honored or remembered will have a luminary. Names will be read and continually running on an overhead screen.
Please obtain necessary forms from and return to the following: Susie LaRue, Becky Petty or Lynn Mueller (church office) No later than Sunday, May 18.
Donations of cash or check to the American Cancer Society
Signed Waiver Forms if you plan to walk at any time (walking is not required). These are in the packets or obtain from Susie, Becky or Lynn.
Cancer Survivor Form if you want to be honored and signed waiver if you plan to walk at any time. We want to honor you!
Luminary Information Cards along with $5 donation for each luminary. We need those ASAP.
Please give through the Methodist Church Team.
Lets show Glenwood how much we care!
Peace with Justice Sunday
Sunday, May 18, there will be a special offering envelope in the bulletin and a mission moment about the Peace with Justice Sunday offering.
The Peace with Justice offering recipients will use the money to foster peacemaking ministries such as helping people of all ages learn alternatives to violence and to foster global justice. Half of the money received will remain in the Iowa Annual Conference to be used by the Board of Church and Society.
Christian Education News
May Calendar
May 3-4 30 Hour Famine lock-in.
May 4 Grace Notes play with the Bells of Grace.
May 11 Sonshine choir sings 10:30 service.
Graduating Seniors Cake Reception. 10:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
May 14 Baccalaureate Service 7 p.m. at West Elementary school.
May 18 Kindergarten Graduation! Ceremony during Sunday School.
May 21 Christian Ed. Comm. Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
May 25 9-10 a.m. Participation Celebration for Sunday School and Small Group Ministries. Awards and activities in Church Lot.
10:30 Worship Service Sunday School Attendance Recognition. Attendance Pins and Bars will be awarded.
Joy Choir sings @ 10:30
After-School Groups Snack Roster
May 7 Need someone??
May 14 The Poole Family
Jr. Ushers and Acolytes
May 4 Gavin Arbogast & Nathan Vinton
Devon Arbogast & Chrissy Vinton
May 11 Sydni & James Huisman
Lydia & Sami Umberger
May 18 Kara & Hailey Murphy
May 25 Zach Joyce & Cole Mayberry
Dominic Durrett & Kobe Rhodes
Bulletin Covers The May 18 bulletin covers will be designed by the 5th & 6th Grade class!
ARK Report!
The Toddlers & 2s Class will highlight their Ark Project animal, chicks, during the month of May!
Grace U. M. Church helps your children attend Church Camps!
The Mission/Outreach Committee has teamed up with another Church Committee to answer the call for help to supplement our childrens camping fees. Grace UMC now offers a scholarship of up to $150.00 toward the cost of each childs camp fees. Now, when you register your children for camp, be sure to let Lynn or Roxanne know if you would like to receive this scholarship!
Vacation Bible School!
Not only are we hosting a new, fabulous VBS this summer, but we will also be promoting the Community VBS, too!
To get your summer started out right, join the kids in our community for Market Place, A.D.! This VBS will run from June 17-19 at the Holy Rosary Church. Watch for sign-up opportunities available through our Christian Ed. Office. Volunteers are needed!!
We are very excited about Grace UMCs annual VBS this year, too! Because of the great turnout last year, (105!), and that we will have air-conditioning installed, we are optimistically looking forward to breaking that record! Power Lab will run from August 4-8. Are you interested in helping? Come to an informational meeting May 28 at 7:00 p.m.
Summer Sunday School!
Yes, there will be Sunday School throughout the summer! Our One-Room Sunday school is for grades Kindergarten through 6th. We will meet in the All-Purpose Room in the upper Sunday School Wing.
Look to see new faces as volunteers take turns teaching. Always fun, and you will most likely see Ms Sally and Ms Roxanne helping out!
*If you are an adult and would like to help out this summer, call Roxanne in the Church office @ 527-4607. We really need help in June.
Whats Happening in Sunday School?
Toddlers & 2s Class
We are talking about Spring and how God cares for us all of the time! This group is growing up so quickly! They enjoy playing with their friends and the housekeeping area of the room is their favorite! Ms Tammie and the children would like to give out a big, Thank you! to Ms Amber, Ms Krystal, Ms Laura, and Ms Julie for all of their help this year!
The Pre-K/Kindergarten Class
We are proud to announce that the children along with the help of family members and the congregation have raised $310.00 toward our Heifer Ark Project, FISH! (Check out the bulletin board at the top of the Sunday School wing stairs).
We have been studying about Saul. How did Saul become Paul? The Faithful Frogs are learning how to share Gods word and ways to serve Him. (We are Ambassadors for Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:20).
Our Kindergarteners will be graduating on May 18th. We will be celebrating with a Graduation party!
The 1st/2nd Grade Class
The Race is still on! Come cheer on your friends as they Race through the Books of the Bible in the Lords Race! Everyone will end up in Victory Lane!
The 3rd/4th Grade Class
This eXtreme class brought in food for the Mills County Storehouse and enjoyed Camp Sunday in April. We are looking forward to celebrating May-June Birthdays, our Beatitudes Hike on April 27th, The Greatest Commandment, and the Holy Spirit comes on May 11th!
Some in our group have been reading to earn points for prizes. They are reading passages from the New Testament as listed in the back of their Extreme Faith Bibles.
The 5th/6th Grade Class
We are currently studying Living Holy and Living in Hope. We are incorporating more crafts into our lessons, but continue to act out skits as much as possible before we move into our
Believers Unit with Faith, Problems, and Truth! We are looking forward to Summer! (Dont forget to come to Sunday School this summer, it will be a lot of fun!
Our Youth Classes
The Jr. High and Young Adult classes are in a joint Bible Study developed by Mark Hall, (lead singer from Casting Crowns). We are developing and growing in our own spirituality to deepen our faith before we go out as responsible witnesses.
On May 3rd we will begin our 30 Hour Famine lock-in. We will go without food to feed the starving for 30 hours. These youth will serve a meal to the homeless in a shelter and spend quality time with displaced children. Expect to hear testimonies on Sunday morning!
Whats Happening in Small Group Ministries?
The Joy choir is practicing, Right Here at Grace United to sing on May 25th!
The Sonshine Choir will perform on May 11th during the 10:30 worship service.
The Grace Notes and Harmony Hands did a GREAT JOB performing at St. Johns Church in Mineola on April 13! They will both perform in our worship service in May. The Grace Notes will play on May 4 and Harmony Hands on May 18.
Gods Kids have done a lot of fun, mission oriented things this past year. We plan to end our time together by having dinner together on May 7th! Devon Arbogasts Grandparents, Nelson and Sara Weide, have once again invited us to Valentinos Pizza in Council Bluffs. We plan to leave Grace UMC at 4:30 p.m. Permission slips will be sent out with additional information. A great big thank you to the Weides.
The Young Disciples are planning a 30 Hour Famine lock-in for May 3-4. On May 3 the group will meet at Glenwood Lake Park at 7:00 a.m.
An Open Letter To Our Graduates
As you accept your diploma, we remind you that you step into new relationships with your friends, your family and your community. We assure you that you will always be a part of our community of faith. We commit to God all of our past efforts to show you, by example, the life of faith and love through Christ, and all our attempts to instill within you lifes true values.
With your degree, you have earned more than freedom; you have earned the right to prove that you can handle freedom responsibly; that you are trustworthy, dependable and mature enough to try your own wings. Know that the world will test your true character with fire. And remember that you are always fully accountable to God, who loves you and believes in you far beyond your comprehension.
We assure you of our continued love and promise to remember and uphold you through our prayers. We pledge to always be your family. No matter where you are or in whatever circumstances you find yourself, we care about you and stand ready to rejoice with you in your accomplishments, to support you in your failures, and to grow with you in faith.
Love God. Love Others. Serve the Kingdom.
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