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Pastor's Notes--- 60+ News---Announcements---Youth News---Gravy & Grace

NO FAMILY NIGHT WEDNESDAYS

ALTA WOODS UMC is now also on FACEBOOK!!
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Eddie Spencer has a New Web Site
http://www.eddiecharlesspencer.com

HELP WANTED: CHURCH PIANIST
We are seeking a part-time pianist. Ability to also play the organ is preferred. This position includes accompanying a regular weekly Sunday morning service and a short fellowship service on Wednesday nights followed by Adult Choir rehearsal. Occasionally, this person will play for special services such as weddings, funerals, etc. Prior church related music service is preferred. Audition required. Please send resumes to the church at 109 Alta Woods Blvd., Jackson, MS 39204.

CONCERT AND MEAL HONORING TODD
Next week Todd will share some of his music repertoire with us with a special concert during the service. Following the service, we will be having a meal honoring Todd for his faithful service to the Alta Woods congregation and wishing him well as he moves to Kentucky. As part of the meal, we are asking for people to bring a side dish or a dessert to share.

NO WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEAL OR BIBLE STUDY
We will be taking the month of July off for our Wednesday night meal and Bible study and youth and children activities.

CHOIR PRACTICE IN JULY
The choir will practice on Wednesday nights during July at 6: 15 pm. This is so we can take advantage of one more month with Todd.

COMING ATTRACTIONS
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events: AUGUST
We will take a close look at John and Charles Wesley during a Bible study time.

On Wednesday, August 11th @ 6:15 pm there will be a play entitled "The Man from Aldersgate" written and performed by B.J. Johnston. Tnere will be a love offering for this event. Hope you will come and join us for this fun evening.

SEPTEMBER
On Wednesday, September 8th @ 6:00 pm we will be packaging 10,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now. The cost for the event has been covered by the generous donations from the thrift shop and from the fish fry on May 23fd. Everyone is able to do this so I hope you will plan on coming and helping us get these meals packaged to be sent to those who are hungry around the world.

I hope you will invite your friends and family for both of these events. We will have a pot luck meal before both events.

Thrift Shoppe Donations
The Thrift Shoppe is always in need of donations! As you give your house a summer cleaning, remember to bring unwanted items to the church! Because of the generous amount of donations received on a weekly basis, the Thrift Shoppe is able to provide clothing and household items to those in need. Money raised is used for Alta Woods’ benevolence ministry, mission projects and where ever God’s church is in need of support.

WATERPARK FUN!
We are interested in getting a group together sometime late in July for a Saturday trip to Geyser Falls water park. This activity is targeted toward youth and children, but anyone who wishes to participate is welcome! Kids and grandkids are of course welcome as well! If this is something you may want to do, please see Sarah Jo or one of the pastors to discuss a possible date.

CRAFT HOUSE MINISTRY
The Craft House, our health clinic ministry, has finally received its tax free status and is able to directly receive donations. You can still give through the church if you would like. This ministry continues to provide quality healthcare to those who do not have health insurance. They are in need of funds.

Statistics Averages as of 6/28/2010:
Sunday School- 52
Gravy and Grace- 72
Sunday Worship- 87
Wednesday Night- 34
Month to Date Money as of 6/28/10 -$17,906
Year to Date Money as of 6/28/10- $129,075



Sculpture by Dr. Sam Gore  

ALTA WOODS SERVICE MINISTRIES
Here at Alta Woods we take great joy in helping others. We seek to help in the South Jackson community through a variety of different programs and offerings. · We have a Food Pantry which is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays to give food assistance to those in need.

· Our Thrift Shoppe works to offer low cost clothes, kitchen wares and other life necessities. The Thrift Shoppe also offers limited clothes and goods for free to those who have been through a benevolence interview process with Church staff.

· Our Gravy & Grace Ministry offers a free meal and fellowship to those in need as well as a friendly worship service which is open to all God’s children.

· We also have Snack Packs which we offer to the homeless population in our area. These bags consist of a light meals worth of food with a drink.

· Our Craft House Ministry is a co-operative effort on the part of local United Methodist Churches to provide free healthcare to the working poor and those without health insurance.

·
Lester Elementary School is our local Partner in Education.

· A small Benevolence Fund is also maintained to help those in emergency need. This fund can be used to help with all manner of things and is available only through the completion of an interview with Church Staff.

As you can see God is hard at work through Alta Woods, reaching out to those in need in the Jackson Area. For more information on our outreach ministries, including a very good article on the Craft House, visit our website at http://www.altawoodsumc.org, or call Anita Johnson or Jake Wilson.

Prayer Requests from Cards:

Sarah Loftin, Dr. Frank Howell, Agnes Whitlock, Jean Thompson, Earl Wilson family, The Hawkins family, Dorothy and Jimmy Walker, Carolyn Grant, Mike Czora, Laurie Scott, Pam Brinson, The Blunt Family, Abranna Sparks, Military Personnel, Our Country, Families devastated by Tornadoes, Mike Buson, Anna Jane Shook, The Shook Family, Hilda McRaney, Bill Shipp and Family, Marvin and Rhonda Furgison, Stephen Corhern, Pat Pickou, Al Gaggini, Ms. Powell, Suzanne Simmons, Laurie Scott, Tim Luby, Fred Hille




MEMORIALS FOR JUNE
Malcolm Outlaw
Chris and Leola Meyer
DAVID HARRIS CHOIR FUND
Please consider giving to the David Harris Fund, which provides a monthly stipend to students who contribute greatly to our church's choir

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FLOWERS FOR WORSHIP
Would you like to remember someone by sponsoring worship flowers in their honor or memory? Sign up in the Educational Building on the bulletin board in the hallway.

 

July 2010, NEWSLETTER

Happy Anniversary!!!
I just wanted to share how thankful I am to have just completed my first year here at Alta Woods. I am sure Jake would agree with me that we are both truly blessed and honored to serve God with such a wonderful body of believers. And we are both very excited for what God has in store for all of us in this year ahead. It hasn’t all been great. Some in our church family experienced the loss of a loved one during this past year. Others have lost their job. Others have family members or are themselves facing serious health problems. We had an air conditioner stolen from the Craft House ministry as well as other challenges.

However, we’re still here and God continues to prove to us that He is not done with Alta Woods. I am convinced now as ever that when we are faithful to what God calls us to, God brings forth growth. Growth isn’t always in terms of numbers, though we hope that God will use us to bring others into His Body. Growth comes through a change in hearts as we come to a deeper understanding of God’s grace. Even though Alta Woods is not the church it used to be in terms of size, all we are called to be is the church that God would have us to be right now. I hope in this year ahead we can all seek to grow in our faith. Whether through Sunday school, Bible studies, or the various mission opportunities I hope you will consider the way in which God wants to use you today. I can’t wait to see what God will do in this coming year.

I also wanted to take a moment to thank those who came to the ordination service on June 13th or to the Wednesday night ordination celebration. What a joy it was to see so many familiar faces. I appreciated all of your prayers and encouragement during the RIM process and look forward to this second year of serving among you. (Hopefully) we will celebrate again this time next year with another ordination (Jake’s).

Grace and Peace,

Eric Sanford

Find out more about Rev. Sanford.....MORE...



YOUTH ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Cursillo, Emmaus and Chrysalis are alive and well here at Alta Woods. Future gatherings are being planned to keep that spark lit. These three-day group retreats can renew your spirit, lift your faith and feed your soul. If you are in a faith slump, try one of these retreats.




Growing up, I frequently heard the phrase, “Walk a mile in his shoes” from my Dad, when I would complain about someone. I think of that phrase regarding our Gravy and Grace folks. Fairly early on Sundays there is a small crowd of folks waiting for the cooks to arrive and open up. I travel only 5 miles to get here, from door to door. It takes me around 10 minutes on a busy day. But these guys walk from somewhere downtown, usually near Stewpot or Billy Brumfield House. Would I walk their miles in my shoes? Probably not. It would be tiresome, hot or rainy, very inconvenient, and buggy. Not at all fun, or easy. So why do they do what they do? Because of us, our smiles that reflect the love of Jesus. I don't know how many other churches these folks pass on their trek here. All are obviously closer to them, in a physical sense, but they claim US as their church community. They feel loved and accepted and leave full, spiritually and physically as well. In so many instances in the New Testament, Jesus is seen walking with crowds, sharing meals and ideas in community. These guys travel farther than I would dream of just to be here. How far are YOU willing to go to be with your church family?


Visit Gravy "Grace web page for pictures


 

Greetings from Room 201


Theologian Reinhard Hütter has written a book on freedom called 'Bound to be Free.' I love the play on words in the title. As Christians we are bound to be free. Free from sin, free from fear, free from the tyranny of our own selfishness. This way of reading 'bound to be free' treats freedom as a destination that we are bound for through our relationship with Jesus Christ. On the other hand, as Christians we are 'bound to be free' in that our freed comes from being bound up. We are wrapped up into obedience to Christ and service to our neighbors. This is the meaning that lies behind the popular hymn 'Bind us together.' The hymn sings 'Bind us together Lord, Bind us together, with cords that cannot be broken.' Normally when we think of freedom we think of being free FROM things. Free from obligation or oppression, free from being 'tied down' or bound up.

However, in the Christian sense freedom is always more than simply freedom FROM. Freedom is always freedom FOR. The positive sense of freedom for is that we are free to serve others not ourselves. In Galatians 5.13 Paul says “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.” According to Paul our Christian freedom is the freedom to be bound to another in Christian service.

This month we will celebrate Independence Day, the day on which America declared its freedom from English rule. This holiday will find us all grateful for the political freedom that we have in this country. Truly, it is a gift to be born in to a country like America. Still too often we only celebrate our freedom FROM without also celebrating our freedom FOR others. As you celebrate the 4th of July this month, I hope you find the holiday as a time to gather friends and family and reflect not only on our political freedom but also our Christian freedom.

-Jake

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60+ News


What a wonderful “Day in the country” we had with the Crafts in Mize!!! Those who were unable to go really missed a great day!

God does take care of us...The bus died (I believe they said it is probably the alternator) but praise God this happened on Friday. And we had enough vehicles to drive us. What if it had died on the way to Mize?!! Dr. & Mrs. Ball, Claudia Tisdale, Jake Wilson, Doris Mobarak, and Clydia Milner all drove their cars. Diane, a friend of the Crafts who also helped Nita with our dinner, sang and our own Melissa Johnson played the keyboard and sang as well as three little girls who sang patriotic songs. The entertainment was such an inspirational blessing. And a former pastor and his wife, Earl and Margie Greenough, were there as well. Earl is the pastor who started 60+. It was all a special blessing. Several former Alta Woods UMC members also came. Lorraine Flanagan shared an email as the devotional. God blesses us each year through the Crafts. Thank you, Nita and James.

The July meeting will be July 10th at 2 pm. Your book states Bingo but Shelia Bycofski who was supposed to sing in May will entertain us in July (If there is a change the telephone committee will advise you). Pat Cargile has the devotional and John and Inez Burris are the captains of the host committee with Janice Cook and Raymond and Kay Edwards.

I know the weather is hot, but come on and enjoy a wonderful Christian fellowship on July 10.

Let’s enjoy the beauty of God’s world each day.
-Helen


Women’s Connection
Our May meeting was a great deal of fun as we ate salads and swapped plants. Mary Katherine brought a wonderful devotional.

This was our last meeting of the year. We will join back together on the third Tuesday in September. All ladies plan to attend!

-Helen



THRIFT SHOPPE NEWS

Our Thrift Shoppe is overflowing with good deals but the incoming items are nearly too numerous to manage. We need a few more good volunteers on Thursdays to help sort and price clothing items. In exchange, YOU get a free lunch and great fellowship. Even if you can only help one time, try it, you might like it!  



Pastor's Notes--- 60+ News---Announcements---Youth News
Gravy & Grace
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