THE STORY

VOL. 27 NO 2                                         REV. KIRK TUTTEROW                                  FEBRUARY, 2012

 

Reflections on Faith and Christian Service - February 2012

            In these times, it is so easy to identify the problems that surround us.  Open a newspaper, turn on the cable news channels, talk to your friends or neighbors, and you can make a long list of problems very quickly.  Start talking about church, and the list doubles.  We know what the problem is, and we know who is causing the problem.

            The real problem, however, is not in identifying the problem.  The real problem is in developing a solution that works for everyone.  How can you be a part of the solution?  How can you work with others to be a part of the solution?

            Since August, as two churches we have been exploring what some might call possibilities and what others might call a monumental waste of time.  The problem has been easy to identify.   We are spending more money than we are taking in.  We can’t borrow money like the federal government, and there is no agency out there that will bail us out, so we have to come up with a workable solution ourselves.

            In two church meetings, you have voted on your preferences.  Both churches overwhelming voted that the preference is to work harder at moving forward and growing. 

            As a reminder, here are the questions:

1. Every active member commit to evangelism training & stewardship education  – $24.00 a month per person in increased giving at Elbaville and 19.25 a month per person in increased giving at Fulton and one new member per person at each church over the next 12 months.

 

 2. Elbaville & Fulton churches merge to form one new church & every active member commit to support the merger and commit to evangelism & stewardship – $10.25 a month per person in increased giving and one new member every two years.

3. Add a third church to our charge.

4. Break up the existing charge and form new charges with other churches, Elbaville UMC & church “a” would share a minister.  Fulton UMC & church “b” would share a different minister.

5. Cut salary and ministry spending to bring budget in line with giving and building needs.

            The average score for each question is as follows, with “1” being the highest score and “5” being the lowest score.  The amount of number one votes each question receives is listed in parentheses:

            Elbaville          Fulton

1.         1.59 (19)          2.0 (11)

2.         2.82 (2)                        2.25 (4)

3.         3.59 (3)                        4.8 (0)

4.         3.33 (0)                        3.4 (0)

5.         3.44 (3)                        2.55 (5)

            For both churches, option number one is the clear preference with the highest score and the majority of the “1” votes.  I will ask the leadership teams from both church to begin focusing on workable solutions that will help us grow as churches in our discipleship practices, our community outreach, and our stewardship.  Stay tuned, pray, and be prepared for God to do great things through us!

In Christ’s love and grace,

Kirk

 

 

 The Elbaville United Methodist Women met January 2, 2012.  Christine Welborn, president, called the meeting to order.  Debbie Livengood, secretary, read a devotional from “Mornings with Jesus”.  Juanita Blakley was program leader and she shared A Call to Prayer & Self Denial-A Time to Change”. We all participated and there was very good discussion.  We sang “This Little Light of Mine” and collected $23.00. Nine members were present. Six cards were sent in December.  Connie Brinkley read a letter from Davie Pregnancy Care Center, which stated that a donor had agreed to match all donations dollar for dollar up to $7,000.00.  (Each donation will be doubled.)   Connie  Brinkley reviewed list of chicken pie orders. Linda from Bermuda Commons Nursing Home sent thanks for the resident’s gifts. All of the end of year reports have been completed and mailed.  Coupons have been delivered to “Coups-For-Troops” in Walkertown, NC.  Christine will put Rada, Brochures, Flavorings, and our Cookbooks in her bookstore. She will also get with Barbara Crotts, District Secretary of Program Resources, to assist her in obtaining reading program books.

Mary Welborn has bought one book for each category for the reading program (five).  We will make an effort to participate in the reading program this year. We will set a date to make pillow case dresses (children and adult) at February meeting.  Connie Brinkley made motion to send $50.00 to David Pregnancy Care Center . Remember in prayer:  Josh Rominger – Sixteen year old with lung cancer, Lillie Mae Potts family - Passed away from cancer Mary Ann Barnhart – Bone cancer,  Linda Harmon read from the prayer calendar. We dismissed with our motto. Our next meeting is February 6, 2012.

 

Debbie Livengood,

Secretary

 

AROUND THE CHURCH

 

FELLOWSHIP TIME

Each Sunday  at 9 am, we will have a time for fellowship with drinks and refreshments in the Fellowship Building.  We invite all members to come out and participate in this

 

FLOWERS FOR THE ALTAR

 

Due to cuts in our budget for 2012, we will not have fresh flowers on the altar unless they are donated by an individual or Sunday School Class. 

 

We will have a calendar in the Narthex if you would like to sign up for a particular Sunday or month to place flowers in the sanctuary for any special occasion, in memory, honor, birthday, anniversary, etc.  Please notify Christine Welborn at 998-2269.

 

ONGOING

Please continue to save aluminum cans.  A trailer is located under the arbor behind the church where you can deposit the cans.   This is one continuing fundraiser that helps all of the youth with their expenses

 

PLASTIC BAGS

The Storehouse for Jesus continues to need plastic grocery bags.  Please bring your extra bags and leave in Fellowship Hall.  Mary & Linda will deliver them to the Storehouse

 

FOR THE VETERANS

 

In the narthex, there is box labeled “For the Veterans” and on the side of the box is a list of the needed items.  If you prefer to make a donation give it to either Mary Welborn or Debbie Livengood and they will make the purchases.  We will be collecting  items year round.  Thanks for you support.

 SENIOR CITIZENS

 

Mary Welborn, President, welcomed everyone and read some funny New Year resolutions.  She then turned the meeting over to Christine Miller, Chaplain, for the devotions. Her scripture was Phillipians 4:4-13.  Paul tells us to have a gentle spirit and to be gentle to everyone.  Paul said he had learned the secret to being content with whatever happened to him.  He tells us that we can do anything with God’s help.  Christine said we should be like Paul and be content.  We need to make a difference in our lives in the new year, we need to get up with joy in our heart and live it out during the day.  She read a reading from the Upper Room, “Don’t Look Back”.  Our older age should be a good time in our lives.  Christine closed with prayer.   We had 14 members present.  Happy Birthday was sung to Sue Lynch, Naomi Everhart and Kathleen Bailey. Sympathy Cards had been sent to R. J. Markland family, Becky Cartner family, Get Well cards to Nadine Whicker, Larry Carlton and Thinking of You to Virginia Robinson, Neville & Rachel Storey, Jim & Hazel Phelps, Henry & Barbara Boger, Fred & Sue Lynch.    Our prayer requests were for  Sue & Fred Lynch, Hazel Phelps, Jim’s daughter, Lisa, Lillie Mae Potts family, Betty Lanier, Craig Mock, John Buchanan, Janet Bates family, Elaine Reed family, Josh Rominger, Seabon Cornatzer, and  Kathleen Bailey.  Laura Smith won the door prize. In our business, we elected officers, reworked our program leaders and reviewed and approved our rules.  We discussed getting more members into our group.  We are going to make sure it is announced at other local churches and will place an announcement in the Enterprise.  We enjoyed a delicious lunch.  At our next meeting on February 7, we will have soup and sandwiches.  Pat Boger will make vegetable soup and Elaine & Connie will make chicken stew.  Other members will bring crackers, sandwiches, desserts and drinks.

 

 

Connie Singleton-Brinkley

Secretary

 

 

OLD EYE GLASSES

If you have any old eye glasses or lenses, please bring them and place them in the box located in the Family Fellowship Class.  We will be collecting these for the Lions Club and they will distribute to needy people and other countries.

 

PRAYER MISSION

 

'THE POWER OF PRAYER"

 

The quality of your spiritual life will be in direct proportion to the quality of your prayer life.  Prayer changes things, and it changes you.  Today, instead of turning things over in your mind, turn them over to God in prayer.  Instead of worrying about your next decision, ask God to lead the way.  Pray constantly about things great and small.  God is listening and he wants to hear from you now.

 

Always pray daily for others, your family, yourself .

Prayer Chairperson

Ken Blakley
      
      
The following shut-ins are  continually on our prayer list: Edith Myers,  Mabel & Grady Watson,   Calvin Minor, Betty Spry, Mary Zimmerman,  Shirley Snyder,  Mildred  Markland,  Hazel Phelps.

 

GROCERY COUPONS

 

The United Methodist Women  have a new place to send our grocery coupons which will then be distributed to the troops and their families overseas.  They can use both food and non-food coupons in their PX and Commissaries. 

 

The good news is that we no longer have to divide food and non-food or count the total dollar amount.   PLEASE MAKE SURE THE COUPON EXPIRATION DATE IS NOT OVER TWO MONTHS.

MISSION EMPHASIS

 

In January, we were able to help a family of five in the community keep their power on.  It was scheduled to be disconnected.  Elbaville, First UMC of Mocksville and Bethlehem UMC went together to get the bill paid.  By working with other churches, we can get more done in the communities than we can do by ourselves.

 

Jars of Hope is our Lent Season Mission Project this year.  You can take a jar and throw your change into it each day.  I’ll try to find some smaller jars to fit into the cup holders in our cars, if you prefer.  I’ll try to have them at church by January 29.  We can save until the end of March since Lent begins February 22 this year.  The money can go toward our Stop Hunger Now project with Mock’s UMC, Advance UMC and Fulton UMC on April 21, 2012.  We will again need volunteers and money for this project.  Last year we packaged over 13,000 meals.

 

We will have more fundraising to do this year for our projects as they are no longer funded by the church budget.  You will be hearing more about them in later newsletters.  Let us be in prayer and open our hearts as we come together as the body of Christ as we continue to serve him and his ministries.  May the Holy Spirit lead us into the community to reach those who are unchurched and those in need.  They need to see the love of Christ in us as we go about serving him.  May God bless each one of you.

 

Food Pantry items for February are soap products, hand & body wash, shampoo, bath tissue, etc.

 

Linda Harmon, Local Missions

 

FINANCE REPORT

 

The Finance Team met along with the Administrative Council on January 23.  We reviewed the figures for 2011 and the balances in all accounts.  Attached is a spread sheet showing all expenditures out of the General Checking for the year 2011.  Here is a summary::

 

TOTAL GENERAL  OFFERINGS  $49,151.99

 

TOTAL GENERAL SPENDING     $65,638.20

 

DEFICIT FOR 2011                       ( $16.486.21)

 

BALANCE IN GENERAL FUND

AS OF JANUARY 22, 2012              $16,974.57

 

OTHER BALANCES

 

LOCAL MISSIONS  $1,146.95

 

PARSONAGE FUND  $91,498.81

 

BUILDING IMPROVEMENT FUND

 $8,267.30

 

If you would like to make a contribution to any of the funds, please mark your check as to which fund and mail to:

 

Debbie Livengood, Financial Secretary

PO BOX 2276, Advance, NC  27006

 

Connie Brinkley, Chairperson Finance Team

 

 THOUGHTS FROM ONE OF OUR CONCERNED MEMBERS:

 

I truly feel God's presence.  The last thing we need to do is give up.  I, myself, am moving forward.  We know what will happen if we don't make an effort.   I read in my devotional the scripture in Luke  21:1-4, about the poor widow giving all she had (two small copper coins).  In the devotional it talks about how God's economy is upside down.  Jesus was able to take the smallest things and multiply them into more than we can imagine.  Jesus saw the love and sacrifice and praised her gift. She gave all she had. He often reminds us the value of small things....We are a small group, the widow was small in her time (because she was poor), but God can use what we have to offer and multiply it.  How awesome is that?!  Pray about it.  I think the possibilities are endless.

Debbie Livengood

MISSION & MINISTRY

The team met on January 21st.  The calendar was updated through the end of June.  Three new regular monthly items have been added.  The third Sunday service of most months will now be peoples choice hymn day so be thinking about what songs you would like to be singing.  The last Sunday of most months we will be having contemporary worship services. And we are reinstituting the mission meals as joint events with Fulton.  They will be alternated between the two churches with the proceeds going to the host for their mission funds. Many other interesting ideas were discussed so watch the monthly newslettter for more information as the details get worked out.  

Mary Welborn, Chairperson

EMAIL ADDRESS

 

I need your email address so the newsletter can be sent to you by email.  This will reduce our

cost of  paper, copier and postage.

 

Please send your email address to:

Pennyscoot40@aol.com

 UPCOMING EVENTS

 

 

January 29, 2012 – 2:30 – 5:30 PM

Lexington District Leadership Conference

First UMC, Lexington

 

February 5 – Soup & Sandwich Lunch after church – Fulton UMC – Donations for Missions

(We will be alternating each month with Fulton to raise money for each church Mission Fund)

 

February 11 – Silver Ball – Advance UMC

Dinner & Music – Tickets  $10,99

 

February 12         L.A. Bridge at Fulton 5:30-8:00 p.m.

 

February 19 – Prayer Team Lunch after church at Venezia Restaurant

 

February 22 – Ash Wedneday Service

Elbaville 7pm

 UMYF HAPPENINGS

 

February 5          Super Bowl Party at Kirk & Cheryl’s 6:30-9:00 p.m.

 

February 11         Help with Valentine’s

Dinner & Silver Ball  -

    5:00 p.m. at Advance UMC

 

February 12         L.A. Bridge at Fulton 5:30-8:00 p.m.

 

February 19         Game Night at Kirk & Cheryl’s 5:00-6:30 p.m.

 

February 26         UMYF Meeting 5:00-6:30 p.m. at Advance 

 

ELBAVILLE WEBSITE

 

www.elbavillechurch.org

 

ACOLYTES:

 

Andrew Minor, B. G. Minor, Nathan Minor

 JR. USHERS

 

Shawn Myers, Hayley Carter

Alt: Megan Minor, Nathan Minor

 

USHERS

B. G. Minor

Andrew Minor

 

NURSERY WORKERS

 

 Emily Robertson, Mickey Minor

 

REVISED

2012 PURPOSE STATEMENT

 

GOD IS CALLING US TO FOCUS ON HIS PROMISES AND POSSIBILITIES FOR THE CHURCH  AND COMMUNITY.  ELBAVILLE UMC IS RUNNING GOD’S RACE AS DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST

FUELED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

 I have added to bottom of page a link to some other pages that by clicking on them you can

 get to them. 1st is calendar---2nd is boardmembers---3rd is budget