1. No category

N E W S
F R O M
First United Methodist Church
Rev. Adam R. Knapp
I’m an optimist.
If there’s a way to be positive about a situation, I’m going to do it.
That’s why I still have faith in a happy ending to the fantasy series Game of Thrones
despite the fact that after five books the storyline has become painfully clear: things go
from bad to worse for everyone until they die a horrible, screaming death.
In this series, battles, hunting trips, trials and worship services are potential death traps.
And don’t even ask about weddings. Has there been a wedding where somebody
hasn’t met an untimely end?
So why, after almost all of my favorite (and least favorite) characters have kicked the
bucket, why do I continue to hope?
I’m an optimist.
This is also why Good Friday presents a struggle for me.
My inclination is to skip over this uncomfortable observance – and, like many
churches, also to ignore the emptiness that comes on Holy Saturday as Jesus is in the
tomb – for the much happier celebration of Easter Sunday.
Good Friday leaves me feeling hopeless and helpless, and my desire is to find at
Church an escape from these feelings which are all-too easily found in day-to-day life.
Doesn’t the real world give us enough low moments?
Shouldn’t the Church be a light in a world rather than a place as depressing as a
wedding in Game of Thrones?
If Jesus came to give us hope and life, shouldn’t we focus on hope and life?
Yes.
But … yep, there’s a “but.”
The darkness of fictional worlds pales in comparison to the darkness of the real world.
And Jesus, the Light of the World, lived in the real world and died for the real world.
Isaiah prophesied about Christ, “He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our
sins; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are
healed.”
In Game of Thrones, there is a war for the Iron Throne, and five kings vie for the
chance to rule the land of Westeros. As each king is killed the world gets a little more
chaotic.
That’s how we expect the real world to work.
Yet, in the real world it is the death of the King of Kings which brings us peace.
This is the great plot twist in history, that God should conquer sin and death by dying
himself. Victory for all of us comes because of Christ’s apparent defeat.
I say “apparent” because even as we observe Good Friday we know Easter is coming
as surely as the heroes of Game of Thrones know winter is coming.
But Easter often rings hollow in the ears of those dwelling in the darkness of the real
world.
Can someone living in the black cells of the dungeon of despair believe there is light
outside their walls?
How hard is it for someone mourning the loss of someone they love to sing about how
“Christ the Lord is Risen Today?”
Good Friday is a day for the real world.
It gives us space to mourn. To see the wounds on his body and know it is wrong for
Christ to die and us to live.
And yet we also can know it is only because Christ died that we can live.
Good Friday is coming … but Easter is coming, too.
April 2015
1
Pastor
Rev. Adam R. Knapp
Secretary
Rachel Fuller
Music Director
Cheryl Gray
Praise Band Leader
JP Strickland
Wesley Nurse
Lindsey Floyd, RN
Nursery Attendants
Beverly Hobratschk
Rachel Hobratschk
Michelle Thompson
Contact Us
216 W Main
PO Box 790
Edna, TX 77957
361-782-3561
fumcblessed@sbcglobal.net
www.fumcedna.org
Find us on Facebook
Office Hours
Mon - Thurs
9am - 12pm
1pm - 3:15pm
Attendance & Giving's
Date
9am
11am
Visitors
Sunday School
Total Attendance
March 1st
47
73
14
49
120
March 8th
52
74
8
41
126
March 15th
42
84
16
126
March 22nd
March 29th
Ave. Attendance
Budgeted for 2015…..$234,018.74
Pledges Received for Month…..$
Monthly Goal…..$19,501.56
Donations Received for Month…..$
Prayer Request
Ashely & Zac
Julie Abraham
David Aiken
Herbie Aiken
Howard Aiken
Kay Aiken
Bentley Bacak
Family of Patricia Breeden
Dorothy Boggus
Douglas Boggus
Jane Browning
Linda Seale Browning
Theresa Burnett & Family
Dorothy Davis
Katherine Foot
Daniel Fric
Clem Garcia
Micki Gomez
Cordia Hatcher
Bill Hollingsworth
Sydney Kallus
Linda Karl
Rachel Kiwia
Billy Koehler
Family of Joe Leick
Alroy Malina
Cisco Marek
Jonell Miears
Anita Miller
Jessie Mae Moody
Father Dan Morales
Ray Owens
June Page
Pete Pearson
Darrell Pekar
Mike Reichert
Bobbie Richard
Grandma Sanders
The Schulze Family
David Shellie
Harry Simons
Patsy Stroz
Larry Stutzman
Frances Webster
Bob & Debbie Wells
Susan Young
Armed Forces
Justin Aiken
Kathleen Aiken
Russell Carpenter
Robert Delgado
James Edwards
Marshel Etheridge
Nathan Foster
Humberto Gamez
Khris Graham
Ben Harcrow
Patrick Harriman
Captain Bryce Haynes
Angela Horton
Taylor Murphy
Jason Payne
Corey Pedeville
Juan Perez
Alyssa Rodriguez
Ralph Rodriguez
Zac Rogers
Omar Rosa
Stuart Taylor
Adam Teaff
Bradley Thomas
Kody Watkinson
Major Jason E Williams
2
Jason Young
Community Cantata
Join us for a Passover Seder 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 1 in the
Fellowship Hall!
This traditional service of the Jewish Feast celebrating the Exodus and
God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt is part of the heritage of faith
we receive from Judaism and is the meal Jesus and his disciples shared
during the Last Supper. We will utilize one of the traditional Jewish liturgies
for the service, which includes a meal.
Please sign up to attend the Seder to ensure we have enough food and place settings
for everyone. A love offering is encouraged to help the Fellowship Committee cover
the cost of the Seder meal.
4
A Service of
Shadows
6:30 p.m., April 3 in the Wesley Center
Our Lenten journey leads through the shadows of the Cross and Good Friday.
Without Good Friday, there is no Easter Sunday. You are invited to join us
for a Tenebrae Service, which is also called a Service of Shadows, as we
experience Jesus’ arrest, trial and crucifixion.
This is an emotional service, in which we focus on the darkness of the world
and our own souls as we experience the pain and grief of the crucifixion of
our Lord. As we hear the readings, participate in the hymns and songs,
witness the dimming of the lights and strip the altar, let us reflect on our sins
and on God’s faithfulness to his covenant promise to save us.
*The lights will be dimmed for the service until the Wesley Center is completely dark.
5
Sponsored by:
Jackson County Hospital District
Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas,
Inc.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services
Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes...is a FREE educational program for people or family
members with type 2 diabetes. This primary goal i to help participants learn how to manage their
blood glucose in the ranges recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
Do Well, Be Well Class Dates:
Register by:
Thursday, March 26, thru
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Fri., March 20, 2015 by calling
361-782-3312
Time:
Thursdays 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Location:
Jackson Co. Service Building, Auditorium
411 N. Wells
Edna, TX 77957
Class will be on:
Thursday, March 26
Getting Started: How Food Affects Your
Blood Glucose
Thursday, April 2
Are you Eating the Right Number of
Carbohydrates? Let’s Find Out!
Thursday, April 9
Improving Your Blood Glucose with
Physical Activity
Thursday, April 16
Improving Your Blood Glucose
with Medication
Thursday, April 23
Having Your Cake (or Snack) and
Eating It, Too!
6
Join us for Soul Food Thursday!
We meet on the 1st & 3rd Thursday of each
month at 11:30am in the Fellowship Hall.
We have a wonderful Bible Study followed by a
nutritious meal and fellowship!
Need a ride? Call us! 782-3561 and we’ll be
7
April 2015 Seasons of Wholeness Monthly Message
Dear Church family:
“I went down to the grove of walnut trees and out to the valley to see
the new spring growth, to see whether the grapevines had budded or
the pomegranates were in bloom.” Song of Solomon 6:11
Spring gives us such pleasure as we see everything coming back to life,
and it’s a reminder of the new life that we have through Christ’s resurrection. Gardening is a pleasure for most of us, but it is also an exercise
and can lead to injuries. Raking, mulching, planting, trimming, and digging are good physical activity
yet can result in pain and stiffness in out neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, knees, and back if we overextend ourselves. To enjoy the flowers, vegetables and fruits without pain try these tips.
Treat gardening as a sport: Warm up and stretch the muscles before beginning.
Be Realistic: Plan your work carefully to avoid injuries. Set a moderate pace and time schedule to
allow enjoyment of the task and minimize potential injuries. Wear safety goggles, sturdy shoes,
and long pants to prevent injury when using power tools and equipment. Protect your hearing
when using machinery. If you have to raise your voice to talk to someone who is an arm’s length
away, the noise can be potentially harmful to your hearing. Wear gloves to lower the risk for skin
irritations, cuts, and certain contaminants. Protect yourself from diseases caused by mosquitoes
and ticks. Wear long-sleeved shirts, and pants tucked in your socks. Lower your risk for sunburn
and skin cancer. Wear long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, sun shades, and sunscreen with SPF factor.
Remember good body mechanics: When lifting heavy bags of dirt or mulch keep your back
straight, bend your knees, lift with the legs, and hold objects close to your body. If shoveling, left
the dirt and turn the entire body to empty it-do not twist.
Change it up: Use different muscle groups and minimize the repetitive stress placed on joints and
extremities by frequently changing activities.
Use a cushion, stool, or small bench when weeding: the support helps reduce stress placed on
knees and spine from gardening movements.
Take frequent breaks: By stopping to stretch, getting a drink or just enjoying the progress every
half hour, you minimize your chance of injury or dehydration,
Stop gardening if fatigued or in pain: That “one last thing” when tired leads to injury. If pain occurs, stop! If pain persists, apply ice to the affected area for 15-20 minutes at a time to reduce inflammation. DO NOT USE HEAT-it increases the inflammatory process. If pain persists, contact
your physician.
8
“A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad
fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.” Matthew 7:17
When making dietary change to healthier foods, consider a garden. Fruits and vegetables always
taste better from a garden than a hothouse since they can ripen naturally and are less processed
than those purchased in stores. It is also easier to introduce healthy foods into a diet when they
are the result of the hard work of tour own personal garden. If you grow herbs, you can enhance
the taste of your other food and decrease the use of salt as a flavoring. Having plenty of vegetables
and herbs right outside your door will help battle the risks of heart disease and cancer so start planning yours today.
“I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all
your fruit comes from me.” Hosea 14:8
We can learn lessons about God from our garden since the cycle of plant life is just like the cycle of
people. The process of preparing, planting, cultivating, and harvesting takes great care and can’t be
rushed. Plants need the right soil, mixture of water, and amount of sunlight to grow to their full potential. God does the same for us, He offers us His love, adds His presence, and encourages us
through our faith, church, and family, Like the plant, our spiritual life is a journey through life’s ups
and downs. With God’s guidance we come to full bloom and bear God’s love to all of those around
us.
Your Wesley Nurse,
Lindsey Floyd, RN
Reference:
Merila, N. & Slutz (2009) Seasons of Wholeness Monthly themes and programming for faith community ministry. Volume VI. International Parish Nurse Resource Center; St. Louis, MO.
http://www.cdc.gov/family/gardening.
9
First United Methodist Church
216 W Main
PO Box 790
Edna, TX 77957
Phone: (361) 782-3561
www.fumcedna.org
fumcblessed@sbcglobal.net
Return Service Requested
Y o u r
1st
2nd
2nd
3rd
3rd
5th
5th
11th
15th
16th
17th
21st
27th
M o n t h
a t
Seder Meal, Fellowship Hall, 6pm
Brown Hearing Center, Parlor, 10am-4pm
Maundy Thursday Service, Sanctuary, 6:30pm
Good Friday Service, Courthouse Lawn, 12pm
Tenebrae Service, Wesley Center, 6:30pm
Easter Day Sunrise Service, Chapel, 7am
Easter Day Breakfast, Fellowship Hall, 7:30am
Women’s Emmaus Team Meeting,
Fellowship Hall & Wesley Center, 8am-4pm
Finance Committee, Parlor, 6:30pm
Soul Food Thursday, Fellowship Hall, 11:30am
Emmaus Gathering, Edna FUMC,
Fellowship Hall & Wesley Center, 6:30pm
Men’s Breakfast, Fellowship Hall, 6:30 am
Church Council, Fellowship Hall, 6:00 pm
a
G l a n c e