The Spire Irvington United Methodist Church March 2015 A KINDER AND GENTLER PLACE I love it here. Something’s different. Several have mentioned to me that they sense a calmer and happier spirit. Not sure why. Perhaps it’s last year’s focus on CARL (Care, Appreciation, Respect, Love). Maybe we are just now reaping the benefits of that short term vision. It might be our new short term vision to “Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). The February Church Council meeting had several joys voiced about the value of getting business out of Sunday and reserving that day for a true focus on God. Or it could be Joy. Now don’t get a big head madame Choir Director, but a lot of people have mentioned that your joy is contagious. Thanks. It has also been noted that this is the first time the church has ever had a Choir Director who is United Methodist. Theological comfort goes a long way. And maybe it’s just that we have entered into the season of Lent. That traditional time for introspection. To look inward and seek to clear out the darker areas. Spiritual growth is surprisingly easy when accompanied with emotional maturity. Maybe that’s how we are growing, into the stature and fullness of Christ. It is not just a good idea, it is what we are called to do. Too often Christians know that their thoughts, words, and deeds are anything but Christian and then do nothing about it. This Lenten Season may we examine ourselves daily as to whether or not we are living with Christ in us. May we seek to recover God’s image in us. May we choose to listen to the nudges of the Holy Spirit and act on them, thereby becoming ever closer to one another and the LORD. In His Love, Keith The Spire Page 2 March 2015 2015 JOINT EVENING LENTEN SERVICES SPONSORED BY THE IRVINGTON ASSOCIATION OF MINISTERS We begin each week with a soup supper at 6, followed by a worship service at 7. The following chart shows the dates, locations, texts, and preachers. This year’s topic is DATE The Love of Jesus Christ. LOCATION TEXT THEME PREACHER March 4 Irvington Presbyterian Church Luke 22:14-31 Greatest Love Noah Casey March 11 Emerson Avenue Baptist Church Luke 23:1-24 Love on Trial Andy Rutar March 18 Downey Avenue Christian Church Luke 23:26-43 Crucified Love Justin Thornburgh March 25 Irvington United Methodist Church Luke 23:45-56 Dying Love Alan Blakemore WORLD DAY OF PRAYER Friday, March 6, 2015 10:00 AM Good Shepherd UMC 2015 S Arlington Avenue Free Luncheon @ 11:30 AM Please call Nancy O’Haver (357-4271) or Kim Fulton (356-7231) to make a reservation for the luncheon. Page 3 The Spire March 2015 Old Rugged Cross In the Niche is a rugged old cross covered in wire mesh. The wire mesh symbolizes coldness and aloofness, and the wire itself represents the pain. Jesus Christ endured on the cross. On Easter morning celebrants will place a flower in the empty wire mesh on the cross and gradually fill it with flowers. Suddenly, this cross will come alive with flowers full of life and conveying a message of hope! This flower filled cross sends the message that Jesus' death is not the end. He gives us new life with God the Creator. Each flower demonstrates that through Christ's death, people’s lives are not limited by death. No one flower makes the cross unique; a plethora of flowers together makes Jesus visible. People are as diverse as flowers. They have different family backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles. Christ would encourage us to appreciate diversity. Because we are the body of Christ, our individual work pales unless we work with other Christians to make a huge impact. Easter is all about new beginnings, new life and hope! Page 4 The Spire March 2015 Special Lenten Offering - A Dollar A Day The Lenten Season is one of the most important seasons in the Christian faith. It is a period of 40 Days, starting Ash Wednesday and ending at Easter. During this period, Christians around the world participate in a season of penitence, prayers, fasting and self-denial, just as Jesus did when he spent 40 days in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-25 and Luke 4:1-13) Many believers pray and fast during the 40 days of Lent. Others pray, meditate and give up daily rituals, such as soda, candy or coffee. In the past, the finance committee has asked for a special Lenten offering to help offset the Church's operating budget. This year we would offer you a challenge to save one dollar a day for 40 days. We encourage you as part of your spiritual practice to place each dollar in an envelope, say a prayer for each dollar and place that offering in the plate on Easter Sunday. If 50 people will offer $40, we could collect $2,000.00. Please prayerfully consider this church-wide spiritual exercise in remembrance of Jesus spending 40 days in the wilderness. This will serve as a symbolic sacrificial gift, as a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for us and we will be blessed individually and collectively as members of the body of Christ. Envelopes will be available in the hall outside the Church office. Or you can make your own, just write Lenten offering and A Dollar A Day on the outside. Thanks for your consideration. IUMC Committee on Finance UNITED METHODIST MEN NEWS! Mark your calendar, come join the fellowship and “get to know” the men in our church family. The UMM of Irvington can make a difference in the future of the church and local community. We look forward to spending time together to grow and serve. Mondays, March 2, 16 and 30, 8am “breakfast social” Steak and Shake (E. Washington St and Franklin Rd.) Saturday, March 7, 8am “breakfast and organization meeting” IUMC fellowship hall Page 5 The Spire HOLY WEEK 2015 DATE TIME EVENT Palm Sunday March 29 9:15 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Sunday School. Coffee and Fellowship in the Parlor. Worship, including children’s palm processional, handbells, and choir. The sermon is entitled “Persevering to the End.” Adult Confirmation Class in the Library. 11:30 a.m. Good Friday April 3 7:00 p.m. This service will feature the choir and the “Seven Last Words of Christ.” Easter Sunday April 5 9:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Easter Breakfast in the Fellowship Hall. Easter will begin with a handbell processional. The service will include Easter Lilies, the Choir, Bells, New Member Reception, and Communion. The sermon is entitled “Transformation.” March 2015 Page 6 The Spire March 2015 From the Worship Team The sanctuary screen has been up and running for about a year and a half now. The glitches have been dealt with and it runs seamlessly (for the most part!) every Sunday. But it could be more… It could include pictures of our "shut-ins" Pictures of people needing prayer Pictures of activities going on- the Valentine dinner, Wednesday Night Suppers, Preschool Dad's Day, serving lunch at Fletcher Place, the choirs performing, pictures of the babies that are baptized, weddings, Trustee Work Days, dinners at Applebee's, pictures of the fellowship at Coffee TimeThe list goes on and on!!! The problem is that some savvy "tech" person is badly needed who would be able to coordinate and develop the use of the screen. We have program in place called Media Shout. It would initially require hours of learning the program. Once trained, it would probably take someone 3 hours a week to set up the Sunday program. This is an opportunity to use your skills, be creative and provide a ministry for our congregation. Please prayerfully consider this need! Contact Dr. Adkins with questions and ideas at 356-7231. From IUMC Library Barbara Brown Taylor is an American Episcopal priest, professor, author and theologian and is one of the United States’ best known preachers. In 2014, TIME magazine placed her in its annual TIME list of most influential people in the world. Read her books and you will be satisfied. Here is a story of a life told with clarity, beauty, and honesty. She describes doubt, faith, and vocation, their limits, and how the church both blesses and muddies the waters. Those who attend church, those who do not, and everyone in between will find here the satisfaction of an eloquent voice speaking the truth. Our library has three titles: Leaving Church, An Altar in the World, and Learning to Walk in the Dark. These will be available on the display shelf in front of the windows. Sherrill Franklin, Church Librarian Page 7 The Spire February 2015 A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: LEARNING FROM WESLEY A Lenten Sermon Series Kind of ‘blah’ right now? Sort of apathetic? Vitality gone? Spiritual life at a low ebb? Faith a bit dormant? Here at IUMC our concern has been dominated by attendance, finances, and the building. Perhaps it is time to plant the seeds of revival. Join me as we go through the key events in the life of John Wesley to find lessons for our own spiritual journey. I will be preaching biblical texts from a new book by Adam Hamilton entitled Revival: Faith as Wesley Lived It. Let us make an effort to revive our spirituality by attending all through Lent and bringing a friend. Date Sermon Text Sermon Title March 1 1 Peter 1:13-16 A Longing for Holiness March 8 Romans 4:3-5; 5:1-2 A Crisis of Faith March 15 Ephesians 2:8-10 The Necessity of Grace March 22 James 2:14-18 Works of Mercy March 29 Proverbs 31:8-9 Persevering to the End April 5 Mark 16:1-8 Transformation 2015-2016 REGISTRATIONS Registrations are now being accepted for the IUMC Preschool 2015-2016 school year. Preschool classes are available for children aged 18 months - 5 years. Informational registration brochures can be picked up on the table in the main church hallway or you can visit our web site at www.irvingtonumc.org (just click on the preschool link). Additional information can also be obtained by calling the preschool office at 356-7232. Page 8 The Spire March 2015 Fun and Fitness! Come join us! MONDAYS NEW TIME! 4-4:45PM IUMC Fellowship Hall Fun and fellowship while getting healthier. Are you curious what we are all about? Have you been thinking you want to be more pro”active”? Come see how much fun we have with music, moderate exercise. Can’t hula hoop? We can show you how to modify this exercise without a hula hoop. Your first class/demo is free. Classes are $5 and all proceeds go to the IUMC general fund and room use. ( casual attire and supportive shoes ) Show up or for questions contact Kathy Fulton @ 506-0723. Page 9 The Spire March 2015 FRIEND SUNDAY MARCH 1 YOUTH PASTOR FUND Who did God place on your heart to invite this year? Did you write down three names? Did you take three invitation cards? Will you invite? Just ask people to come give us a try. You might even offer to pick them up. What a great way to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy! The Staff Parish Relations Committee will be looking for a Youth Pastor for this Fall. The position is funded in a specially designated fund outside of the general budget. We look to get back to paying $100/week for about 8 hours of work like we did with Deb Hall. The Fund will be depleted by the end of May, so we need to begin now raising funds for our youth. ADULT MEMBERSHIP CLASS Interested in joining Irvington United Methodist Church? The pastor is conducting an adult membership class on Palm Sunday, March 29 at 11:30 am in the Parlor. New members will be received on Easter. GOOD FRIDAY PREACHERS This year we will be doing the “Seven Last Words of Christ.” If you would like to share a 3-5 minute devotional on one of the seven last words, just let the pastor know. NEW DAY, NEW TIME, NEW BOOK The Book Discussion Group is going great. We now meet on Thursdays at 10 am in the Library. On March 12 we begin “Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?” If interested in joining us, please purchase this book. It is available at Amazon for about $19 new and $14 used. Hint: the discussions are more important than the books. Page 10 The Spire March 2015 ANNA CIRCLE Meetings are throughout the year for Christian fellowship. Monthly meetings are led by volunteer officers and hosted by circle members. Over the many years Anna Circle ladies have made a difference by supporting our church maintenance, donating to many mission projects and programs and organizing our well known IUMC and community outreach, Strawberry Festival and fundraising Fall Auction. Please feel welcome to fellowship with us. Circle meets the 4th Tuesday of most months at 1pm. The next circle meeting will be hosted at the home of Joanne Lisle on March 24th. Kathy Fulton, Anna Circle Leader All Church Work Day Saturday, March 7th 9 am—Noon Lunch Included Church Ladies...HELP! With a Soup Supper and an Easter Breakfast coming up, the dish rag and towel drawers in the big kitchen are empty, all gone! So, please donate some towels and dish rags you no longer use or don’t like. If you forgot to return some after laundering them, this would be a great time to bring them back. I will be glad to put them away. Thanks ladies! Margie Reed Page 11 The Spire March 2015 ADULT CHAPERONES NEEDED IMEDIATELY!! YOUTH EVENTS MARCH 2015 (Check the Youth Group Facebook Page for latest News) March 1 – Craft Night 5-8 grade meet 5-6pm, 9-12th grade meet 6-7:30pm th March 8 – St. Patrick's Day Party 5-8 grade meet 5-6pm, 9-12th grade meet 6-7:30pm th March 15 – No Group March 20 (Friday) – Winter Jam Tour 2015, @Bankers Life Fieldhouse March 22 – Skit/Talk/Sand 5-8 grade meet 5-6pm, 9-12th grade meet 6-7:30pm th March 29 – Cookout Both groups meet together. Invite family and friends! Page 12 The Spire HONEY BAKED HAM FUNDRAISER FOR MISSION GUATEMALA! Purchase a honey baked ham gift card for $25 between now and March 22nd and receive your card on Palm Sunday. $5 of each gift card will go to support the Mission Guatemala team. Sign up for a gift card with a Team Guatemala member and turn in your money before March 22nd. March 2015 Troop 9 Eagle Scout project Fundraiser Pancake Breakfast Saturday, February 28th 8-11 AM IUMC Social Hall Joshua Tingle is hosting this fundraiser to help fund a picnic shelter that he will be building as his Eagle Scout Project @ St. Mark’s UMC. DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS ON SUNDAY, MARCH 8TH. Spire Subscription If you are a church member that is a shut-in or live out of town, we will mail you the newsletter every month at no cost.. If you don’t qualify for the free mailing, you may purchase a subscription for $12 per year. (The price of the subscription, will cover postage.) The newsletter will continue to be emailed out and copies available in the main hallway in the church. If you would like to add your name to the email list, call Kim @ 356-7231. If you would like to purchase a subscription, mail a check to the church office. CALLING ALL SOUP MAKERS & COOKIE BAKERS!!!! Please sign up to bring a pot of soup and/or a plate of cookies for the final Lenten Soup Supper here at IUMC on Wednesday, March 25th. See your Nurture Team representative in the main hallway to sign up. Page 13 The Spire March 2015 EASTER LILIES - 2015 DONOR:________________________________________________ IN HONOR OF:___________________________________________ or IN MEMORY OF:_________________________________________ ___I will pick up my lily on Easter Sunday after 10:30 AM service. ___Please deliver my Easter Lily to a shut in. ___I would like to help deliver Easter Lilies to shut ins. Cost: $10.00 per plant Please return your order forms with payment to the church office or put them in the offering plate. Orders must be received in the church office by Monday, March 30th. ————————————————————————————————————————— EASTER LILIES - 2015 DONOR:________________________________________________ IN HONOR OF:___________________________________________ or IN MEMORY OF:_________________________________________ ___I will pick up my lily on Easter Sunday after 10:30 AM service. ___Please deliver my Easter Lily to a shut in. ___I would like to help deliver Easter Lilies to shut ins. Cost: $10.00 per plant Please return your order forms with payment to the church office or put them in the offering plate. Orders must be received in the church office by Monday, March 304th. Page 14 The Spire March 2015 Start saving your donations! Rummage Sale and Bazaar Saturday, August 22, 2015, 9am-2pm Spring is just around the corner, time to reorganize all those storage areas. This year we are going to offer “love made” items also. Think about making crafts and gather your favorite recipes for cookies, candies and baked goods. Reserve a table to share your talents! The Irvington community looks forward each year when our church doors open for a day of bargains and treasures for everyone! It is always nice to reflect how our rummage sale proceeds provided opportunities for outreach ministries and missions. 2007 AED machine for IUMC, 2008 South Dakota Mission Trip, 2009 Church Council for distribution, 2010 Memorial Lounge,, Youth Program ,Preschool Scholarship, Mission Trip, Screen and Projector, 2011Youth Program, Hope Counseling, UMCOR, 2012 Habitat for Humanity, 2013 ICAN, 2014 ICAN Page 15 The Spire March 2015 Easter Breakfast VANCO Easter Breakfast will be April 5th @ 9:0010:00 AM in fellowship hall. We need your help to feed the masses. On March 22nd & 29th we will have sign-ups for your donations of breakfast casseroles, pastries & fresh fruit. Sign up in the main hallway. We appreciate your support. Giving Choices Available for regular offering and additional offerings: One Great Hour of Sharing March 15 Celebrate 75 years of giving to those in crises by giving generously to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering. Your gift covers the operating expenses of UMCOR and allows 100% of your designated donations to get to those who need them most. The journey of another 75 years starts today. It starts with you. Please give generously. 1. Give in the regular offering on Sunday. 2. Have your weekly or monthly budgeted giving automatically transferred from your checking account to the church account You will not miss a week or month and you won’t need to write a check every time you give. (Call the church office and have Kim set it up for you.) UMC Market UMC Market is available for those who shop online and want to apply those purchases for donations to the church. (Information about signing up for this can be provided upon request. Call the church office and get connected with an instructor so it can be a seamless action for you.) NOTE: The Marsh cards have been discontinued because so few were using them. Bible Study Group Join us and feel comfortable coming into the group any Sunday evening. Each week is an individual lesson concentration, so you won’ t be coming into the middle of a scheduled series. Contact Ellen Foster or Carol Cromer for the schedule of where we will be meeting each week, as we will be in homes or other designated spaces. Age specifications: Early adult to late maturity. Time: Starts at 6:30pm Date: Sunday evening Needed: Bring your Bible and be ready to enjoy. NOTE: If you are interested in a Bible study, but Sunday morning and Sunday evening are not good times, please contact Ellen Foster or the church office so we can start planning a more convenient time when you can take part. Page 16 The Spire March 2015 Are You Coming? Well, It's almost here, and I cannot wait! Of course I'm talking about the Bob Farr "Renovate or Die" Event that will be occurring at Christ UMC in just two weeks, on Monday and Tuesday, March 9 &10! At this event, all Central District lay persons and pastors are invited to hear celebrated author, church growth pastor, consultant (and humorist!) Bob Farr. This church leader and Director of the Center for Congregational Excellence in the Missouri Annual Conference will be with us these two days to help YOUR CHURCH to discover what it must do if it wishes to move forward in the years to come. (A reminder: six Central District churches have closed down their ministries in the last six years, so the title Renovate or Die is true!) You'll notice that there is a Monday morning session for Pastors Only, and an evening session with dinner on Monday for Lay Persons (and pastors if they want). On-site registrations are $25.00. Here's an overview of the schedule: Monday March 9 - 9:00 check-in Session 1 - 9:30-12:15 Pastors session on Renovate or Die lunch 12:30-1:30 Lunch provided Session 2 - 2:00-5:00 Clergy and Laity session on Get Their Name Dinner provided - 5:30-6:30 Session 3 - 6:45-8:30 Laity Session on Renovate or Die Tuesday March 10 - 8:00-8:30 check-in Session 4 - 8:30-noon Clergy session on 9 Things Effective Pastors Do Differently Please don't miss this outstanding event! For the only cause that matters, M. Bert Kite, Superintendent Page 17 The Spire IRVING Hello everyone! It’s another night of food, games and fellowship. B I N G O !!!! That’s what I hope to call out, or maybe I can help pass out prizes. The food will be good and there may not be too many crumbs for me. (This event has been postponed until April.) Speaking of food, what about all that food at the Sweetheart Dinner? Yum, yum. A lot of you two legged folk are bringing cookies to the Sunday fellowship time. It is what keeps me up and running. They say that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. I’m not sure what that means. Keith told me I was the only four legged one allowed in the building. I work really hard to keep the other ones out. Lions are pretty big. Bruce said that it had something to do with snow. Anna Circle took over getting the snow shoveled and they didn’t have to ask a lion to do it. I found some warm clothes in the Turnover Shop and I’ll need them to go camping with the scouts. I am adding something during Lent. I want to visit others, maybe some like you, want to join me? I’m going to move again, did you find me last time I moved? Let see, the clues are: * Not in the kitchen (either one). * Not in the Choir Room *Not in a restroom. *Not in a closet Look around, I’m here. Don’t forget to wave, Irving March 2015 Page 18 The Spire March 2015 Page 19 The Spire March 2015 Historic National Road Yard Sale IUMC will be taking part in the US 40 Yard Sale again this year Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30, 2015 ***We will be renting space on the north, south, west and sections of the east sides of the church yard for those who want to have their own booth. Space Size: Rental Fee: Contact: 10ft X 10 ft. with street frontage $40 for one day/$50 for both days Ellen Foster through church office Office phone: 317-356-7231 Start saving items you want to donate to be sold!!!! Donations of items for the church sale area will be in the same area as last year; the east circle drive and parking spaces from the church to the street. ›› 100% of sale money from items donated to the church will go to the church repairs. ›› Individual booths will pay rental fees and the proceeds from their sales is entirely their personal choice. *Income from the sale goes toward the expenses to make needed repairs to the church building. Extensive repair is needed to the interior and exterior of the building. This cannot cover all that is needed, but it is one effort to take responsibility as stewards of the physical building we have been given. *Be checking your calendar for ways and times you will be able to help with the items to be sold by the church. The helper sign-up list will be available starting April 12, 2015. Items can be brought to the church anytime after April 12. Check picture displays on posters in the parlor for exterior repairs needed. Irvington United Methodist Church 30 N Audubon Road Indianapolis IN 46219 9:15 A.M. SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:30 A.M. WORSHIP Our Staff Dr. Keith Adkins, Lead Pastor (Cell: 847-5041) Rev. Andy Rutar, Associate Pastor Director of Choirs/Organist: Joy Goetz Conners Kim Fulton, Office Manager/Financial Secretary Lori Steuer, Preschool Director , We are on the Web at:: www.irvingtonumc.org Our email address and telephone number are: info@irvingtonumc.org (317) 356-7231 Visit us on Facebook *Spire deadline for April will be March 25th. Page 20 The Spire Our Stewardship March 2015 Condolences to… January Weekly Average 2013 2014 2015 Sunday School 56 49 46 Worship Attendance 117 107 120 General Budget Offering * $3,828 $4,774 Neal Danison on the passing of his father on January 29,2015. $5,660 * Weekly needed for 2015—$4,784 Dining to Donate The eastside Applebee’s has discontinued their Dining to Donate program. Ellen Foster will be searching for a new restaurant to continue our program. Stay tuned! .