Summer Group to focus on Forgiveness…Any adults who are interested in participating in a class to be led by Vonnie during mid-July through mid-August are asked to let her know of your interest in attending so that books can be ordered. We will be studying about forgiveness using Adam Hamilton’s resource on forgiveness.
There will be a women’s Bible study during the summer for any interested women. We will be studying “Lies Women Believe” and will meet at Donna Benstead’s home on Wednesday nights. Any interested women should text Donna.
Did you know that you can drop your 5 cent deposit bottles at The Can Man, mention Springville First United Methodist Church and help fund our WSPQ radio ministry? No time to spare? Just drop them in the marked box in the east entrance at church and they will be taken care of for you.
We have a new e mail for the First Fruits newsletter! The deadlines will be on the 20th of each month. Please e mail items to newsletter@s1umc.org or drop off at the church office by that time. Contact Richie Place if you have any questions.
Welcome Pastor Costner & Family! It was announced to the congregation that Bishop Webb and his cabinet have appointed a new pastor to the Springville First United Methodist Church. Pastor Kevin Costner, his wife, Heather, and sons, Caleb and Joshua, will begin their ministry here on July 1, 2015. The Costner family will be coming to us from the Camp Street United Methodist Church in Jamestown, NY, where they have pastored for the past four years. Pastor Kevin currently holds the credentials of Local Pastor and is working toward the goal of ordination in the next couple years. He has previous experience in Youth and Young Adult Ministries and missions. The Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committee has met with the Costner family and has found them to be genuinely warm and cordial. They are excited about their move to Springville and whatever God has in store for them (and us) here. In the next couple months, our church family will be busy assisting the Roy family to prepare for their departure and, at the same time, prepare for the arrival of the Costners. It will likely be a very busy, even hectic, time. We ask that you pray for Abel, Rebecca, Abigail and Priscilla as they look forward to their new assignment. We ask that you also pray for Kevin, Heather, Caleb and Joshua (their bearded dragon and two turtles, as well) as they anticipate the transition to their new home, life and ministry in Springville. If you would like to send a note of greeting and welcome to the Costner family, their mailing address will be printed in upcoming happenings sheets and in the First Fruits.
Donations for Operation Christmas Child can now be given throughout the year. Suggested items which are purchased can be placed in the shoebox by the office. They will be stored until Oct./Nov. when they will be packed into shoeboxes for the Samaritan’s Purse OCC. distribution. Items for May: small clothing items, i.e., socks, underwear, hats, t-shirts. Thank you. Please note that liquids are not permitted. Families and individuals are still encouraged to pack shoeboxes for the November 2015 distribution. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to fill 100 boxes this year? See the OCC information by the donation’s shoebox.
A new ministry is being offered for mothers of infants and preschool age children. The “Mommy And Me Playgroup” will begin meeting weekly on Monday, March 23rd. from 10:00 am – noon in the nursery. Mothers of infants and preschool age children all need a day out for fellowship, encouragement, and play time with their little ones. Come join us! For more information or questions, contact Sam Skura who will be coordinating this ministry.
Here are just a few things your generous donations were able to help with! Whether you enjoyed it as a gardener, a consumer or both, our Harvest Table was a huge success again this year. Thanks to you, we were able to send $232.22 from the table and another $668 from separate donations to the Peanut Butter Factory Co-op in the Dominican Republic. Keep our table in mind this year when you do your spring planting! This past Christmas was a special one for 11 WNY children when they received a gift Christmas morning under the tree from their incarcerated parent and an age appropriate bible from our church family. Many thanks to those of you who purchased a gift on a prisoner's behalf, a bible, or the postage to get them to their destination. What may seem like a small act of kindness goes a long way for a child who cannot communicate with their parent on a regular basis. Please include these children and their caregivers on your prayer list that they may not feel alone, ashamed, or anxious about their current circumstances. In December our church was able to send a donation to our Jamaican host family Harold and Teri Nichols to help them maintain a children's breakfast program that they have started up at their home on school days. When our team was down there we witnessed the widespread hunger and malnutrition first hand and we were so pleased to hear that the Nichols' have been able to get this up and running! We received a hand written note back from TEAMS (that's who the Nichols work for) when they received our check that I would like to share with you. [...]
MEN’S BREAKFAST IS ON HOLD, TEMPORARILY MEN! The monthly breakfast is on hold for the next several months. We are asking and looking for a facilitator for them. If you are so led, please contact the church office or Dave Garlock.
You can buy your own "Our Church" Methodist Heritage prints or note cards. In doing so you are giving 2x’s, not only is your loved one receiving the prints and cards that show our Bicentennial history, you are also gifting our church by helping to reduce our life center mortgage, little by little. You can find these artfully drawn (by Holly Nachbar) items in our foyer. Card packs $8.00 and prints $6.00. Using the honor system, payment can be made. Or contact the church office.