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UPCOMING EVENTS (CALENDAR)
Sunday, March 15
Ministry Leaders
9:45 AM Confirmation Class
12:30 PM Praise Team Practice
2:15 PM Real Steel
3:00 PM Pans of Grace
4:00 PM Pantastic Praise
5:00 PM GUMY
Facility Manager: Ralph McGee
Monday, March 16
Youth/Young Adults: Alan McMillen
7:00 PM Faithful Joy Circle
7:00 PM Young Women’s Bible Study
Tuesday, March 17
9:00 AM Trustee Meeting w/ Mr. Garcia
6:00 PM Praise Team
6:00 PM Young Adults Time
Executive Secretary: Pat Lyman
Treasurer: Tamara Valdez
Finance/Membership: Terri Koehler
Children: Stacy Sanchez
Worship Arts: Holly Boyle
Community Care: Sarah Cox
Pastor: Rev. Dustin Wilhite
Wednesday, March 18
9:00 AM Care Team
9:30 AM S.P.A.
11:00AM Cokesbury
2:30 PM Accordions
5:00 PM God’s Promise Ringers
6:00 PM Grace Ringers
7:00 PM Chancel Choir
Thursday, March 19
8:30 AM Folders and Stuffers
9:30 AM Kindness Circle
2:00 PM Happiness Circle
6:00 PM Bible Study—Miracles, Science &
The Bible
Friday, March 20
4:00 PM Shared Table Food Prep
4:45 PM Puppet Practice
Saturday, March 21
11:30 AM Shared Table
Sunday, March 22
12:30 PM Praise Team Practice
2:15 PM Real Steel
3:00 PM Pans of Grace
4:00 PM Pantastic Praise
5:00 PM GUMY
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March 15, 2015 — March 21, 2015
Welcome to Grace United
Methodist Church!
Grace United Methodist Church 1206 Greenwood Lane, Alamogordo, NM 88310-5740
575-437-7640
Prayer Ministry
Extravagant Generosity
If you would like to submit a prayer request or join the Prayer Chain to pray for
others, please contact Helen Menefee, 437
-3350 or helen.menefee@gmail.com or
Carol Hackett, at 437-8700 or
gramcrl@gmail.com
Gifts
—Rehanna Young (daughter of Chuck
Douglas); prayers for peace and comfort.
—David Prell; prayers for healing, peace
and comfort after back surgery.
—Sheri Maness; Praise the Lord, she has
no brain damage from her seizures. Thank
you for your supportive prayers.
—Rose Holycross; (correction-she did not
have cataract surgery) —prayers for peace,
comfort and healing.
Thank you to the ladies who
faithfully baked mini loaves for
the Welcome center. We are
making changes to the Welcome
area and in the future we will
not need the loaves; however,
we wanted to express our appreciation for your dedication and
faithful service to provide these
gifts. May God continue
to bless you.
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Budget for 2015:
Received Year to Date (YTD):
Expenses Year to Date (YTD):
Net Balance:
$615,724.00
$123,907.17
$110,442.11
$13,465.06
Presence:
8:30 AM Service =
11:00 AM Service =
Total Worship Attendance =
Sunday School =
175
96
271
129
The Grace UMC Endowment Foundation has many scholarships available
at this time. To apply for any of the available scholarships, or to find out
more information regarding each scholarship, please visit
www.graceumcalamogordo.org and click on Scholarships. The application deadline for all scholarships has been updated to March 31, 2015 by
4:00 pm.
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Our Journey Through Lent
By Holly Boyle
Pastor Dustin peered into the orange Home Depot buckets. “Rocks?” he queried.
“Yes,” I said. “Rocks.” And so the Altar Guild began enhancing the Sanctuary and
surrounding areas for the season of Lent.
Rocks and mesquite, wood and burlap. How do these simple enhancements help us
observe Lent? Four years ago when these displays were created, I tried to answer
that question for myself.
In Matthew 4:1, we read about the Temptation of Jesus. “Then the Spirit led Jesus
up into the wilderness so that the devil might tempt him. After Jesus had fasted for
forty days and forty nights, he was starving.” The definition of a wilderness is “ a
wild and uncultivated region, as of forest or desert, uninhabited or inhabited only by
wild animals; a tract of wasteland.” Here in New Mexico we don’t have to travel
very far before we are in a wilderness. Rocky, arid, barren….
During Jesus’ journey through the wilderness, he crossed this treacherous terrain
seeking the answers that would lead him into his ministry. We must do the same as
we make our journey through Lent, find the answers that will bring us to Christ and
life everlasting.
The rocks remind us that the journey will not be easy and that there will be many
stumbling “blocks” along the way. The mesquite branches with its thorns remind us
that it will be a painful experience. The thorns also bring to mind the crown of
thorns that adorned Jesus’ head when he was tortured and crucified. The wood ...the
cross that Jesus carried to his death.
The burlap, rough and uncomfortable fabric to wear, torn and frayed again reminding us that our journey is uncomfortable. The colors of the earth, mundane colors
that beg for something more are paired with the purple of royalty which the soldiers
mockingly draped over Jesus after his trial. (John 19:1)
And our Lenten journey continues….
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Intentional Faith Development
A Lay Servant School will be held in Carlsbad
on Saturday, March 21, 2015 at Mount Sinai
UMC. Basic class will be taught and some advanced courses. An email was sent out to Lay
Servants a couple weeks ago asking them to reply to the District Office on what they wanted or
needed, so these classes might be offered. Please
send your requests to them so they can be included in the decision of what will be offered at this
school.
All Classes are held from
9:45 to 10:55 a.m.
Adults:
ABC Class – Room 9-10
Trinity Class – Room 3-4
Back to Basics – Room 14
Women’s Study – Room 11
God’s Way Out – DH108
JOY Class – Room 12-13
There are many opportunities at Grace UMC to
practice intentional faith development. We are
a church community that encourages and fosters active discipleship training in various formats. We have multiple Sunday School classes
and circle groups, Bible studies for young
adults, young and older women, and also a
thriving youth group. Silver Singles is for those
who are mature and seek fellowship at this
stage of life. We have children’s ministries and
a current Bible study on Miracles, Science &
The Bible. The United Methodist Women provide fellowship and discipleship opportunities
as well. We have all this and so much more
going on at our wonderful church to provide
you with a discipleship course that will meet
your current spiritual needs and help you to
grow! Don’t delay, join a discipleship group
(or course) today!
Youth:
Jr. High – DH206
Sr. High – DH209
Children:
2 year olds – Room 21
2nd & 3rd Grade – DH106
3 & 4 year olds – Room 22
4th & 5th Grade – DH105
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Risk-Taking Mission & Service
Passionate Worship
Easter All-Church Clean Up!
GUMY Box City
Recently, the Trustees of Grace UMC finished our annual inspection of the Sanctuary
and the classrooms. We have decided to have a pre-Easter clean up on March 28, 2015
from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. We are asking all church members to join in and help to
spruce up our church. If you would like to participate, please meet with us on that day
at 9:00 am in the Parlor. The Trustees will be in the Parlor to greet you and provide
supplies to accomplish specific tasks. The tasks will consist of cleaning, painting and
relocating church items. Wear work clothes and bring gloves.
The YOUTH are reaching out to ask for your
help to meet needs, help heal the hurting, and
share the word of Christ in our community. On
Saturday, March 28 starting at 1:00 PM in the
Grace UMC courtyard, our youth group will be
learning to experience life the way many people
all over the world do...by sleeping in cardboard
boxes. Each member of the youth will be
bringing their sleeping bags and tooth brushes and big cardboard boxes. The cardboard boxes
will be their homes overnight. The project is
intended to raise more awareness about the homeless within our community. Through
the experience we will raise money and take donated items to the House of Prayer for the
homeless and needy. Rain or shine the "Box City" will be held. Soup and bread, hot
chocolate, coffee, and water will be provided to the youth.
Radical Hospitality
We take pride in our reputation in the community as the Caring Church in Alamogordo.
These are some of the many examples of how caring hospitality can show people the
love of God.
“My family and I would like to extend our sincere gratitude for all the support the
Grace family has offered during the challenging times we have endured over the past
year. Since Charlie’s diagnosis, we have received continuous prayers as well as
cards, hugs and well wishes. There are not enough words to express how much the
kindness and concern from the church members have meant to our family. Please accept our sincere and heartfelt thank you for all you have done.” — Susan Wride
“The United Methodist Women of Grace UMC would also like to extend a thank you to
all helpers and those who donated to the UMW Rummage Sale.” The UMW rummage
sales at Grace UMC are excellent fundraisers and provide goods to members of our
community are nominal costs. —Grace UMW
“To our Spirit-filled church, a thank you for your prayers, cards and kind words for
me while I was in the hospital and recovering. I feel blessed and may God bless all of
you.” —Frances Tharp
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Items needed to donate to House of prayer include: fruit cups, applesauce, Jello, raisins,
granola bars, crackers, juice boxes, toothbrush, travel sized toothpaste, chap stick, germx hand sanitizer, travel pack wet wipes, canned meat products that can be opened by
thumb tabs (Vienna sausages, beans). Also needed are rain ponchos, sleeping bags, and
tarps. We also encourage members of the congregation to write a note or card with a
message of hope or encouragement.
March 29, 2015
Celebrating Together!
9:00 AM Sunday School
10:00 AM One United Worship Service
The Youth will lead worship and
Serving others in the field of missions
is an act of worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ. We celebrate and appreciate the hearts of the youth in wanting
to serve Christ and share His love with
the world.
Any questions regarding items or this
event, please contact Alan McMillen,
Youth Director at 437-7640 (ext. 105).
share their Box City experience.
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