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February 2016 Newsletter
ROMEOs Breakfast
We are approximately 280 days away from our nation’s presidential election. The Iowa Caucus has ratcheted up the rhetoric, mudslinging, and lofty promises from the candidates. All of this makes it difficult to understand what the contenders from each major party really believe. Once I get past Bernie Sander’s strong Brooklyn accent, I cannot say I fully agree with all his ideology. Donald Trump’s Queens based inflection is not as pronounced, yet what he actually suggests scares me! Interestingly, both of these candidates are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, yet each has tapped into a growing anti-establishment, populous following. All of this points to a discontent among our citizenry that longs for something greater than what we experienced in the past.
Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth, while moving along his own campaign trail. On the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue. He stood up to read the prophet Isaiah.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
His “stumping speech” declares good news, a vision of hope and freedom from oppression. Jesus was proclaiming himself as the One who would make these promises a reality. In a world where words are cheap, Christ showed us his love in the kindness he displayed to those in need and through his sacrificial death for each of us. As Followers of Christ, through grace, we’ve become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. We were once aliens, outcasts and strangers, through Jesus we are counted among those who have been redeemed and belong to an eternal movement greater than ourselves. Now that is a campaign we can rally behind!
From the Senior Pastor: “Jesus on the Campaign Trail”
Tim SteffenSenior Pastor
by Tim Steffen
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE | FEBRUARY 10TH | 6:30 PMHISTORIC SANCTUARYEach year our congregation gathers together on Ash Wednesday to prepare ourselves spiritually for the Lenten season, which is the forty day period (not counting Sundays) leading up to Easter. Through a meaningful worship service, we focus on the themes of repentance and mortality, but with an eye towards the hope found in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We hope that you will join us for this year’s service on February 10th (age-level ministries will meet as usual this night).
NEW SERMON SERIES LAUNCHES SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH: THINGS UNSEENHave you ever felt that in life and in worship that something deeper was going on than could not be tangibly explained? What happens inside us when we experience both holy practices and ordinary events? Each Lenten season it is customary to focus on our own spiritual journey and the disciplines that shape us, and this year we are going to wrestle with what takes place in the unseen and spiritual realm of our lives as we seek to grow in faith. Over the course of five weeks, we will discuss topics such as spiritual warfare, prayer, praise and worship. This experience will help explain the “things unseen” and shape us spiritually, while also pointing us towards the cross of Good Friday and the empty tomb of Easter.
Ash Wednesday
UnseenThings
Ashley Griffin, Director of Youth [email protected] | 477-1901 ext. 116
Elizabeth Hammock, Director of iKids [email protected] | P: 477-1901 ext. 115
April Foster, Director of Preschool & Nursery [email protected] | 477-1901 ext. 121
iKIDS
PRESCHOOL AND NURSERY
YOUTH
Mother’s Morning Out• February 11th | Valentine’s Party for toddler and Pre-K classes. • Commitment forms for the summer and fall sessions will be going out this month to those
currently enrolled. There will be a few spots left after these forms are returned. If you are interested in enrolling your child, please contact April as soon as possible so that we may reserve a space for your child. We do not want them to miss out on our wonderful summer activities!
Family Sunday | February 28th in the Traditional Service at 11:00 a.m. Preschoolers (2k-5k) who have attended Sunday mornings in the previous month and have learned our worship song will sing in the service. They will return to the preschool wing after singing unless parents want them to stay in the service with them.
Big Reveal: Deep Sea Discovery is our Vacation Bible School theme this year. The dates are June 19th – June 23rd. Put it on your calendar and start getting ready for a full-on AWESOME week!
SUNDAY FUNDAY “GLO” | Sunday, February 21st: Invite your friends, invite your neighbors, invite anyone you know between 1st – 5th grade! We’ll be talking about “Glo” from the inside out, and you won’t want to miss this illuminating day.
Family Sunday | February 28th in the Traditional Service at 11:00 a.m. Sunday school is scheduled as normal but worship will take place in the 11:00 a.m. Traditional service. Contemporary families with kids are encouraged to join us in Traditional Worship for Family Sunday.
30 Hour Famine | February 26th - 27th | Open to all youth ages 13 and older! We will fast together for 30 hours and raise funds to fight hunger. Every year, hundreds of thousands of students in the U.S. — and thousands more around the world — unite through World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine to feed hungry children and families. See more at www.30hourfamine.org.
Age-Level Ministries
Weekly Activities PRESCHOOL & NURSERY
Sunday
9:40 AM Sunday School - PreK Wing
11:00 AM Worship - PreK Wing
Monday
9:00 AM Mother’s Morning Out -PreK Wing
Wednesday
6:00 PM #Snack Supper - PreK Wing
6:30 PM Bible Time - PreK Wing
Thursday
9:00 AM Mother’s Morning Out - PreK Wing
iKIDS
Sunday
9:40 AM Sunday School - iKids Wing
11:00 AM iKid’s Worship - iKids’s Wing
Wednesday
6:00 PM #Snack Supper - iKids Wing
6:30 PM iConnect - iKids Wing
YOUTH
Sunday
9:40 AM Sunday School -Youth Wing
6:00 PM Pursuit (HS)* - Youth Wing
Wednesday
6:00 PM #Snack Supper -Youth Wing
6:30 PM Underground (MS)** - Youth Wing
*HS - High School**MS - Middle School#Except for Second Wednesday
Super Pursuit | February 7th | Flag football for all 6th-12th graders 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Pursuit and small groups for 9th-12th graders 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Super Bowl Party (Grades 9th-12th only) 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
We are excited about the Baby Bottle Drive for New Day Orphanage in China. Please remember to return your baby bottle by Sunday, February 14th. All donations received will go to help purchase formula for these precious babies.
Martha Bowman hosted a Pastor’s Lunch on January 20th to help promote local church awareness and support for Out of Darkness Ministries. Pastor Paul Palmer, from the Atlanta Dream Center, shared along with Jeff Shaw, the Director of Out of Darkness Atlanta, about the restoring ministry of Out of Darkness and how to support and improve its impact on the Middle Georgia community.
Baby Bottle Drive & Out of DarknessMission focus:
“A Different Kind of Romeo”Generations on the Move by Anthony McPhail
The commercial holiday of February is Valentine’s Day (apologies to those that are partial to President’s Day), and with it comes to mind images of love, candy, roses and famous tales of love. One of the most universal stories of love is the Shakespearean Tragedy of Romeo and Juliette. Most people know this classic tale of two star-crossed lovers, and many view the character of Romeo as a classic portrait of a young, romantic gentleman. This is not an article about that kind of Romeo.
Within our church we have a group of men that meet each Tuesday morning for breakfast, and they take their name from the famous character: The ROMEOs. They would not self-describe themselves as young; in fact their name is an acronym that stands for Really Old Men Eating Out, although some prefer the word Retired to the adverb Really. They may self-describe themselves as romantic, although this is nothing I care to verify. But I will say that they are a loving group of gentlemen that exemplify a lot of what is good about our church. They are what pastor types call “salt of the earth” type people.
Although I am typically off on Tuesdays, I make it a point to drop in for periodic visits with the guys. At the end of January, I dropped in for breakfast with the group in a quest to find out what makes this group so special. The group does not have a formal mission statement, but according to Ed Gibbs they “just try to do the best we can to help anybody that needs it. We do that for each other and anybody else that needs help (e.g., building wheelchair ramps, helping people move, etc).” When you ask what the group means to them you will get responses like “an awful lot!”, “caring fellowship”, and “it’s one of the highlights of my week”.
Each week the meeting is fairly similar. John Carroll, a retired United Methodist pastor and District Superintendent, typically begins by sharing a devotional thought and then they proceed to share concerns around the long string of tables it takes to accommodate 15-20 men. The comments range from things going on in their lives, to the lives of loved ones,
and they make a point to lift up concerns of others within the church. This time creates a sensational bond, as it gives them an opportunity to carry each others’ burdens and hear of needs they might can meet in the community. When one of them shared a concern this past meeting, Carroll remarked, “I hurt because (he) hurts; that’s because we’re a brotherhood.”
Like any good Christian group, they do not just sit around and talk business; they also tell jokes, tell old stories, and of course grab something to eat. The rest of the hour they eat breakfast, drink coffee, and mingle around the table. Bill Wells views the setup as a positive saying, “we are able to represent Martha Bowman well and show that we love each other, (as we) are out in the community socially.” But also like any good Christian group, they realize that their connection is not finished when the meeting is adjourned. Several of them spend the rest of their Tuesday morning completing maintenance projects around the church, and throughout the week they will care for other needs that someone in the group might have heard about.
The group has grown both numerically and in closeness since Cecil Canady started the group several years back. Originally there were six of them, and now they average eighteen. Why has the group grown so much? I believe it is because they have seen how essential it is to have that bond with other believers. David Griffin describes it well saying, “in the church you’re too formal, you’re too straight-laced. Out here we can talk about anything and everything, and what we say out here stays out here.” Richard Norton adds
that in the church “you don’t really get a chance to get to know each other as well as you do in a small group.”
The group has walked together through the joys of life, as well as the sorrows. Over the years they have lost such saints as Warren Holbert, Duck Moss, Ned Steele, Rodney Byars, and Bob Kaney. One of the beautiful things about this group is that since Ned’s passing, most weeks a member of the ROMEOs helps get his widow Evelyn to church.
Anthony McPhailAssociate Pastor
It is time for Martha Bowman UMC to be on her knees in thanksgiving and praise to God for all He has done for us through the Revisioning Campaign and renovation of our buildings. We need to be on our knees seeking God’s guidance in preparation for the lost and unchurched. He is sending those to us who need a church home and church family to love, guide and support them. He is also sending members and leaders to help in this mission.
God has blessed us abundantly and now it is time for us to reach deep into our spirit and seek His guidance. PRAYER AND FASTING is what HE IS CALLING US TO. This is a physical action of a spiritual movement. Jesus said, “when you fast and pray.” We are to be obedient.
MBUMC Lent Prayer and Fasting Sacrifice
1. Begins Ash Wednesday February 10th, and continues until Easter Sunday.2. Fast every Friday one meal (more if you wish). If you cannot fast for medical reasons eat a sacrificial meal such as water, crackers and soup.3. Go to the Prayer Room or Prayer Garden once every week. There will be a register for you to sign in the Prayer Room. The Reason for the register is for self-discipline and encouragement to others. We encourage families to go together at some time to pray as a family.
THE PRAYER FOCUS: Salvation of the spiritually lost and unchurched. Pray for our preparation to embrace these persons into our church family, as God sends them to each of us and to Martha Bowman UMC.
“Seek Me and you will find me when you seek me with all of your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity.” Jeremiah 29:13-14a
Contact Jane Canady at [email protected].
PRAYER/FASTING FOCUS
One of the hopes of the group moving forward is that they can be a model for other men in the church, and demonstrate the importance of being a close-knit small group together. Mike Hale heads up our Fishers of Men Ministry and also is a part of ROMEOs, and he recognizes that the frequency of a weekly meeting creates a tighter bond than is available by just attending the various Fishers of Men gatherings throughout the year. “It shows the benefits of consistent fellowship…I think it’s also a model for the larger group (showing) the benefits of a consistent group.” He continues, “Christian fellowship is so unique, it’s such a blessing. Once you experience it you can’t be without it.”
As a church our hope is that everyone will find a place to connect with a small group. The ROMEOs are a model of how important small group ministry is, as this group has grown spiritually together and worked together to do a lot of good. ROMEO member Bill Bethune sums it up well, “I watch people that drop out of the church, and it’s always that they don’t feel as much a part of it because they just walk in and walk out…you can’t get to know people just going in and out of the church each week. It’s only in this smaller group that you get connected.”
So next time a Bible Study starts up or a new Sunday School class forms, we hope that you will jump into the action if you are not part of a small group already. You also are welcome to join any of our ongoing groups, or start your own! Just this past month I had the opportunity to join a group of four other
guys, and it simply started with someone saying, “let’s get a group together,” just like Cecil Canady did a few years back. The ROMEOs have provided a significant place for several retired men in our church to fellowship and serve together, and it is our prayer that others will experience this same kind of blessing as well.
ROMEO Members:Wesley Alford, Bill Bethune, Cecil Canady, John Carroll, Ross Carroll, Richard Davies, Larry DeFore, Ed Gibbs, Jim Glymph, David Griffin, Mike Hale, Andrew Hall, Hinton Harris, Freeman Henderson, John Higgison, Bill Hollis, Jack Long, Alan McDougal, Don Nolen, Richard Norton, Cloyce Pittman, James Rogers, John Rohde, Dave Seagle, Art Tyde, Bill Wells, and Emmanuel Wilson. Senior Pastor Tim Steffen also attends regularly.
Announcements
Prayer ListCircle of Concern Earle and Evelyn Barnette, Darcy Berry, Peg Buck, Kathy Daniel, Cecil Daniels, John DeLancett, Carolyn Gibbs, Betty Henderson, Terry Jackson, Joyce Lasater, Julie Melvin, Lydia Moss, Clyde Rogers, Robert Stewart, John Woodford, Tami Youman.
Christian Sympathy Terry Mullis upon the passing of his brother, Jackie Mullis The family of Norman Zerkus upon his passing. Nancy Bethune and family upon the passing of her brother, Gene Langley. The family of Deany Downs upon her passing.Carey McPhail & Cisty McArthur & families upon the passing of their father, Charles Cannon
Extended Family Chris Barry (brother of Maureen King), Danielle Broussard (niece of Maureen King), Tripp Poole (Rod and Cristy Holmes’s Nephew), Dorothy Seagle (Dave Seagle’s Mother), Kay Swanson (Krista Wieters’s mother), Matt Vaughn (Butch Swinney co-worker’s husband), Ray Worden (Joe & Susie Slappey’s brother-in-law) Active MilitaryChristopher Alston, Drew Brown, Joshua Bynum, Jason Childers, Stan Fossett, Matthew Fossette, Richard Goodale, Jeff James, Cecil Lawrence, Evan Mines, Jake Newberry, Jacoby Riley, John Rogers, Ronnie Simons, Tim Smith.
OLDER ADULT EVENTSRamblers Trip | February 9th | Massee Lane Cameilia Gardens & Lunch at The Swanson House in Perry. We will depart from the church at 10:30 a.m. The cost is $4.00 plus lunch.Birthday Bash | February 23rd | 11:45 a.m. in The Commons. Contact Kathy Griffin at 477-1901 ext. 124 or [email protected].
BOOK STUDY | FEBRUARY 17THDo Not Be Afraid: Faith in a Fearful World by John Indermark led by David and Kimberly Archer. Beginning Wednesday, February 17th (during Lent) 6:30 p.m. in Room 213.
NEW BIBLE STUDYA Transformed Mind...Think Like God Thinks. Facilitated by Linda Horton. Saturday, March 5th from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Reservations required. Contact Kimberly Archer at 477-1901 or [email protected].
LOOKING FOR A WAY TO SERVE?Ushers are needed for the Contemporary Service one Sunday a month. Responsibilities include handing out bulletins and taking up the offering, or substituting occasionally. Contact Kimberly Archer at 477-1901 or [email protected].
PRAYER SHAWL TEA | FEBRUARY 20TH | 2 - 4 PM | THE COMMONSBring your knowledge, yarns, needles and patterns to share! Anyone wanting to learn to crochet will need to purchase supplies ahead of time (contact Brenda for details). Children, age 7+ (best age due to hand/eye coordination) who wish to learn, are welcome. If you plan on attending please RSVP no later than Sunday, February 14th to Brenda Griffin: 478-718-7802 or [email protected]. Please let us know if you will need the nursery.
NEW SAFETY TEAM FORMEDOur goal at Martha Bowman is to be welcoming and hospitable to others while ensuring the safety of all those who attend. Dave Seagle and Ken Fortuna are leading an effort to make the church grounds safer and more secure. The initial training of the Safety Team – consisting of ushers, connect team, staff and other volunteers – has been completed. Procedures are currently being developed to help the Safety Team handle various situations. The goal is for the Safety Team to assist church attendees during weather related events, fires, medical incidents and other emergencies. Experience is not necessary to serve on the team and training is free.
The Safety Team is looking for some help to patrol the parking lots and the building on Sunday mornings. Our wish is to have a large enough team so that a person will serve once every few months. These persons will be the eyes and ears of our church to identify safety incidents and alert other members of the team so that an incident can be addressed as appropriate. We hope the patrol will be a visible deterrent to crime and provide help to those who need assistance. Actual responses to situations will be handled by the appropriate public safety agency based on the incident.
Please contact Ken Fortuna (478-361-4439, [email protected]) or Dave Seagle (478-955-6419, [email protected]) if you have any questions or if you are interested in serving.
YOU’RE INVITED TO A BABY SHOWER HONORING THE MCPHAILSJoin us for a baby shower honoring Emma and Anthony McPhail on Sunday, March 13th from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. in The Commons. The McPhails are registered at Target and Amazon.
MembershipWelcome New Members!Will and Stephanie Dodson, joined November 29th.
FISHERS OF MEN | SAVE THE DATEThe next dinner meeting will be Monday, March 21st, at 6:00 p.m. in The Commons. The event will feature Bobby Lamb, head football coach at Mercer University, as our guest speaker.
A&O COLLEGE MINISTRY AT MARTHA BOWMAN | FEBRUARY 7THCollege Aged Students (18-25), join us February 7th at Howard Community Club from 9:40 a.m. - 10:40 a.m. We will meet the first and last Sunday every month. For details contact David Denson at [email protected].
ALTAR GUILD IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERSThe Altar Guild prepares the altar for the service each week. Servers are scheduled one week once every three months. For more information, contact O’Teria Seagle at 474-1080.
MARTHA BOWMAN PARTICIPATED IN OLD CITY FLOWER FESTIVALIn January, Mildred Wagner, Peggy Defore, Ann Holbert, and Susan Haney created arrangements for the Old City Flower Festival at St. Joseph’s Church in Macon. Over twenty churches participated in this festival that thousands of people visit each year.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN THE NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS!Are you looking for a small group? Are you new to Martha Bowman? Are you not new, but have not been active in Sunday School? This may be your group! The group meets on Sunday mornings at 9:40 a.m. in the Church Parlor and is studying Christian: It’s Not What You Think by Andy Stanley.
Server ScheduleFe
bru
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7th
Feb
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ry 1
4th
Feb
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8th
UshersLarry Defore, Jimmie Powell, Diane Mize, John Rohde
Ushers John Higgison, Richard Norton, Ellen Phillips Ushers
Kathy Geeslin, Andy Greenway, Dendy McCuen, Lynn Faulkner
Connect Team (8:30) Rhonda & Jim Lidstone, Elois Bothe Connect Team (11:00) Rachel & Shannon Britt,
Sara Forehand Connect Team (11:00) Joyce Lasater, Smokey Sutherland
Connect Team (9:40)Smokey Sutherland, Merrilyn Farmen, Sherry Scruggs
Communion Servers Elois Bothe, Dianne Sapp Communion Servers Harold & Carolyn
Lemley
Intercessory Prayer Sunnee Glenn Intercessory Prayer Cecil & Jane Canady Intercessory Prayer Spohn Family
Worship Leader Larry Freels Worship Leader John Mitchell
Ushers
David Becker, Bob Delancey, Bruce Gerwig, Richard Mines
UshersBarbara Brennan, Paul Firth, Bernard & Wende Meyer Von Bremen
Ushers
Lee III, Becky & Lee IV Oliver, Jeff Surles, Stephanie Surles, Joshua Surles
Connect Team (8:30) Larissa Glover, John Rohde, Rita Hale Connect Team (11:00) Lynne Mitchell Connect Team (11:00)
Bobbi Googe, Shauna Davis, Dona Reid
Connect Team (9:40) Melba Wilkinson, Emma McPhail
Communion Servers
Keith & Denna Ochs, Lynn Faulkner, Ken & Rachel Fortuna, Peggy Knight
Intercessory Prayer Hank O’Neal Intercessory Prayer Karen Clifton, Linda Horton Intercessory Prayer Bobbi Googe
Worship Leader Laurie Gerwig Worship Leader Judy DeLancey
UshersSteve Alford, Ed & Shirley Burns, Donnie Davidson
UshersMaureen & Mike King, Richard Coughenour, Wesley Alford
Ushers Kevin Adams, Kent Elliott, Mark Friar
Connect Team (8:30) Cathie Resseau, Ken & Kim Tyson Connect Team (11:00) Anna Jones Connect Team (11:00) Robin Dixon,
Betsy Griffin
Connect Team (9:40) Steve Capista, Hank O’Neal
Intercessory Prayer Jim & Rhonda Lidstone Intercessory Prayer Bill & Nancy Bethune Intercessory Prayer Connie & Walt Miller
Worship Leader J.C. Daniel Worship Leader Jeff Hanson
UshersMerrilyn Farmen, Jimmy Melvin, Cathie Resseau
Ushers Cheryl & David Smith Ushers Betsy & Randy Griffin, Smokey Sutherland
Connect Team (8:30) Beth Mines, Sunnee Glenn, Hank O’Neal Connect Team (11:00) O’teria Seagle,
Sally Morgan Connect Team (11:00)
Connect Team (9:40) Carol Alford
Intercessory Prayer Gretta Duncum Intercessory Prayer Conie Mac & Cyndi Darnell Intercessory Prayer Huggins Family
Feb
rua
ry 2
1st
8:30 Traditional 11:00 Traditional 11:00 Contemporary
Calendar of Events
For a complete list of weekly calendar events, please go to www.marthabowman.org/newsevents/calendar.
FEBRUARY 2016
Financial Information as of 12/31/2015
Sources of Funds $1,161,005
Uses of Funds ($1,138,447)
Sources Over (Under) Uses $22,558
Revisioning Recap to Date
Cost of Project - complete 1,248,880
Total Pledges 1,248,880
Pledges collected to date 858,264
Line of Credit
Total Borrowed 599,002
Principal repaid (184,602)
Current LOC balance 414,400
Interest paid on LOC 13,288
*Be sure to note on checks the amount that goes to the Revisioning fund*
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
6
137
14
8
1
15
9
2
10
3
17
24 25
11
4
18
5
12
19
26 2721
28
22
29
16
23
HUB Mtg5:30PM/Library
Finance Committee Mtg6:30PM/Rm 210
3rd Grade Bible Club12:15PM/iKids Wing
Ramblers Trip10:30AM/Off Site
Friendship UMW Circle Mtg
7:00PM/The Gables
Roberta Gardiner UMW Circle Mtg10:00AM/
Zeta Chambless’s Home
Friendship UMW Circle Mtg
7:00PM//The Gables
SUNDAY SERVICES 8:30 & 11:00 A.M. Traditional Service//11:00 A.M. Contemporary Service
500 Bass Road Macon, GA 31210 | P: (478) 477-1901 F: (478) 471-6378www.marthabowman.org | @MarthaBowmanUMC
Alzheimer’s Support Group10:00AM/Parlor
Joy UMW Circle Mtg10:00AM/Rm 213
Birthday Bash11:45AM//The Commons
Trustees Mtg6:00PM//Rm 213 Youth 30 HR Famine -------------------------------------->
20Prayer Shawl
Tea2:00 pmThe commons
Received Gifts In Memory of Jack Gilbert, Bob Kaney, Murray Nixon, Deany Downs
launches
Ash WednesdayService
6:30PM/Historic Sanctuary
Church Work Day9:00AM/Indoors
Family Sunday11:00AM
Historic Sanctuary
