Our Core Values: Love

Grace

Worship

Truth

Our Mission

To see the transformation of people and the building of

families because of the love, grace, worship, and truth

of Jesus Christ

Our Vision . . . to Reach the lost

to Disciple Believers and Equip all for ministry

Volume 23 Issue 5 May 2019

Acts & Facts Newsletter

1300 N Vine Street Abilene, Kansas 67410

785-263-3342 www.eumcabilene.org

wifi password: eumctower

ABILENE’S NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER BREAKFAST

Thursday, May 2, 2019 Serving begins at 7:30AM

Sam McVay Jr. has been married to Amy for 30 years and has 9 children and 16 grandchildren. He leads a ministry called Disciple Nations which is committed to the spread of the Supremacy of Christ in all nations by igniting movements of Prayer and Disciple Making. Sam leads the Wichita Prayer Movement as well as working with the growing Kansas Prayer Movement.

Tickets are available at the church office at a cost of $9.00.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

PRAY FOR AMERICA

from Pastor Gordon

Hello Emmanuel Church Family! As I write this the weather is beginning to feel much warmer, our farmers are ramping up, and our stu-dents are counting down the days until school’s out. May is a great month to celebrate many things and we in-tend to do this in several ways this month as we begin a series called “Celebrate!”. On May 5 we’ll celebrate our graduates and their academic accomplishments. This is always a great Sun-day to wish our graduates well and reflect on their school careers. Pastor Corbin will preach his first message at Emmanuel that day. On May 12 we’ll celebrate Moms as a way of honoring the contributions and influence they have made in our lives. I’m lucky to have my Mom still with us, but some are not so lucky. Whether you come to celebrate your Mom or her memory I hope you’ll join us for a special message by an Emmanuel Mom, Charity Bathurst. On May 19 we’ll celebrate our Preschool. We are fortunate to be entrusted with these young lives. You can never start too early raising up children in the ways of the Lord and our Preschool helps families do just that while providing a good education preparing them for Kindergarten. Rachel will share a special message that Sunday as we honor our Preschool. We’ll also say goodbye to Mrs. Dietzler who has been our Preschool Teacher the past two years. Thanks Mrs. Dietzler for your investment in our children and Emmanuel Church! On May 26 we’ll have our Service of Light honoring those who have passed this last year. Brian Cook will share that day on the importance of family. You’ll enjoy hearing his great wisdom on the topic of a Christ led family. I’d like to invite you to attend the National Day of Prayer Breakfast at Sterl Hall on Thursday, May 2 starting at 7:30am. Tickets are available at the Church office exclusively. Rev. Sam McVay, Jr. will be the guest speaker, the AHS Singers will perform, and Amy McClure will lead a time of Worship. Several area Pastors will pray for different segments of our communities. Cost of tickets which includes a great breakfast is $9. On Sunday, May 5 at 6pm we’ll gather as a Church Family for a Special Called Church Meeting where in-formation about recent decisions of the Judicial Council will be shared and an anonymous survey will be taken regarding our potential departure from the UMC. Your feedback on this survey will be very important for the planning of next steps. Both members and non-members are encouraged to complete the survey at this meet-ing. However, if we move to an official vote at a subsequent meeting only members will be permitted to vote. The meeting on May 5 is not a vote, but rather an information gathering effort. Please make this a priority if at all possible. As school comes to a close no doubt many are planning to be away on vacation. Enjoy your time away and try to attend Church wherever you might be. Amy, Meagan and myself will be traveling to New York City over Memorial Day weekend to celebrate mine and Amy’s anniversary and to see our daughter Sarah in her show on Broadway. (Shameless proud parent plug there…ha!) I hope that the time you spend with your family will be enriching and that Jesus will be at the center of it all. Please continue to pray for Emmanuel Church as we approach a time of critical decisions. God is so good and He’s so faithful! Our trust is in Him alone!!

Check In System: Our children’s and youth programs will be rolling out a new check in system this summer, beginning June 2 in connection with our new church management software, Fellowship One. This will change the way children are checked in and checked out each week. Each family will receive a letter explain-ing the new process. If you are interested in greeting families and helping them check in, please let Rachel Bishop know.

Summer Sunday School: If you are interested in trying out teaching our kids for a Sunday or would love to fill in this summer, please email rbishop@eumcabilene.org for more info. We also highly encourage parents to be part of this as well!

Preschool Enrollment: We are still accepting applications for children ages 2.5-5 yrs. To attend Emmanuel’s Preschool in the 2019-2020 school year. Please stop by the church office to pick up a packet for more information.

OCC collection

We are collecting an item each month to use for a packing party in October. This month we will be collecting hygiene items. This includes deodorant, toothbrush, soap, loofah, tissues, comb, hairbrush etc. Please no liquids including tooth paste! Please bring donations to the office.

5th Grade Grads: Our 5th graders have now moved up. Please congratulate Kilynne McCook, Rylee Miller, Taylor Johnson, Haleigh Wendland, and Jaxyn Summers! We are so proud of their accomplishments and growth in Emmanu-el Kids! Please be praying for them as they transition to middle school next year!

Preschool Grads: Emmanuel’s Preschool is graduating 16 students to Kindergarten next year. We will celebrate them at their graduation and program on Friday, May 17. Sunday, May 19, will also be Emmanuel’s Preschool Sunday where they will showcase their work as well as perform a special program.

King Solomon Kids Camp: If your child would still like to go to camp, please see Rachel for more info! Camp dates are 5th and 6th: June 10-13, 3rd-4th: June 16-18 and 1st-2nd: June 20-21.

Vacation Bible School: VBS will be July 8-12 in the evenings and registration is now open! Please visit the website at www.eumcabilene.org as well as go to our Power UP Facebook event to register

your child for this awesome event! Also if you are interested in serving, please sign up at the kids

bulletin board!

Mark Your Calendar

DID YOU KNOW—

On Sunday, May 26, we will have a memorial service of light at our morning services to remember those who have gone home to be with their Lord and Savior. We will honor those loved ones who have

passed on since the last memorial service of light that was held on May 27, 2018. They are Doris Larson, Glen Stoffer, Gary Yocum, Virginia Fry, Bernice Potter, Delia Hamm, Davian Riegel, Wilbur Smith, Miriam Irwin, Lorene Neaderhiser, Patricia Tyrell, Mary Louise Herndon, Maurine Berger, Kenny Wetzel, John Morton, Luella Coup, Eugene Hadachek, Mary Brown, Dale Keesling, Mildred Seyfert, Paula Peterson, Larry Murphy, Daphne Tompkins, Ken Mitchell.

This service will remember those whose lives impacted us in a powerful way.

If you have someone you would like to honor, Please contact the church office at 785-263-3342

prior to Sunday, May 19.

The church office will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of

Memorial Day.

Our pastors will be attending Annual Conference in Topeka, Kansas May 29 thru June 1.

Keep the Conference and Pastors in your prayers.

Sunday, May 12Sunday, May 12Sunday, May 12

DID YOU KNOW—

Are you interested in becoming a member of a small group or a triad? Please sign up on the “Discipleship Opportunities” bulletin board, or

contact Joyce Steffen at 785-280-1258.

Pregnancy Service Center Baby Bottles “Change” for Life. Pick up a baby bottle (back of Worship Center)

starting on Sunday, May 12, fill it with loose change and return it to the church no later than Sunday, June 16, 2019.

Money raised provides life giving services to men, women, babies and students!

DID YOU KNOW—-

Check out our Graduating Seniors! See announcements on the bulletin board in the

east hallway.

Emmanuel Church provides Our Daily Bread and Large Print Upper

Room devotionals at both entrances in the brochure racks.

Pick yours up today!

Please check the list of items needed at the Salina Rescue Mission. The list is posted on the bulletin

board in the east hallway. This list is updated each month. Won’t you see if you can help in any way.

The ‘Have’s — Need’s’ Board, located in the east hallway, is a place that you can post a NEED you

have; i.e. I need a stove, a clothes dryers, someone to mow my lawn, a baby-sitter, etc OR you can post something that you HAVE to give away,

trade, service to offer, sale, etc.. All communica-tion/transactions will be between the parties and

the church will have no involvement. This is a self-serve type of board.

Checkout the sermon page on our Emmanuel Church website! Now

you can browse through past sermons, download as an MP3 or subscribe to our podcast through

itunes. If you missed a Sunday, it’s the next best thing to actually being with us!

http://www.eumcabilene.org/resources/sermons-2/

This newsletter and much more are available on our website

ONE WORSHIP SCHEDULE at Emmanuel - we have scheduled six occasions when all of us at Emmanuel are invited and heartily encouraged to gather together for

one worship service at 10:00 am. Dates of One Worship Services in 2018–January 21 (Youth Bake

Auction), April 29, July 29, September 30, December 30.

CONGREGATION SUBMISSION

Flashback 3-13-2014 by John Cook

The tiny fingers slipped though tousled blond hair, twirling as though drawing circles just above her forehead, draw-ing comfort from the feel of the twisted strands.

As I looked down at my granddaughter, who was somewhere in that mesmerized land between wakefulness and sleep, the semi-conscious motion evoked a flood of memories ... some too private to share ... from my childhood.

I was born with two cowlicks -- one on the front and one on the back. I was told that, even as an infant, I would con-tinually twist my fingers through the shock of hair sticking up from the front one whenever I became sleepy. It was a habit that stayed with me long enough that I remember doing it, or rather remembered catching myself doing it, be-cause it was never a deliberate thing.

It's a habit that should be broken, I was told. The hair would fall out early, either my mother or one of my aunts said. I'd wear it out. Sure enough, that was the first patch of white in the thick, jet-black hair on my head, and was one of the first areas to succumb to receding hairline.

I suppose someone will burst my bubble and tell me that all children do that kind of thing, but as I stood and watched, the simple motion gave me a different sense of bonding. She's no more or less my grandchild than any of the other 11. I don't love her more of less than I did before. But the moment gave me a different sense of bonding. It's something we share across six decades, across gender, across so many things that separate us.

Habits are important, even simple ones like that. Good or bad, they tend to shape our lives. My mother once told me I'd never be able to hold a job because I lacked the ability to "even mow the yard the same way twice," so those words come from a somewhat unruly mind that has always resisted nice, orderly patterns. I once heard someone say that settling into a pattern, otherwise known as falling into a "rut," was to be resisted at all costs because a rut was nothing more than "a grave with the ends kicked out." I believed it.

But age and all that goes with it have taught me that it's foolish to avoid such things solely for the purpose of avoid-ing them. Change is good, invigorating ... but life's too complex to constantly reinvent your path day by day. You have to embrace some habits, just as you have to avoid others. As you get older and your mind frequently follows other trails, they can be a major aid. The trick is in the choosing.

God made us with the capacity to find and follow such patterns. In Deuteronomy 6:7-9, He told the Israelites to carry His commandments on their hearts. "Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." (NIV)

In other words, form habits that bring God's commands into the activities -- and inactive moments -- of your daily life. Talk about His directions "at home," "along the road," "when you lie down," and "when you get up." A sense of His guidance for my life blends into all thoughts, words and deeds when I focus on living up to that pattern. And with it, a sense of peace.

The noise of life seems always determined to disrupt that pattern and the habits that support it, and that disruption is perhaps the strongest indication of just how important they are to your spiritual life.

DID YOU KNOW—

Please save your pop-top rings for the Ronald McDonald House, place them in the box on the east counter in the church kitchen. Help families in need!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR COMING SOON

June 4-8—AMP it Up Camp June 9—Pentecost Sunday June 9—Family Pool Day June 10—13—5th & 6th Grade Summer Camp June 16—18—3rd & 4th Grade Summer Camp June 20 & 21—1st & 2nd Grade Summer Camp June 30—Prayer / Worship Night July 4—Independence Day, Church Office Closed July 4—4th of July Outreach July 5—Ambrosier/Nutter Wedding Rehearsal July 6—Ambrosier/Nutter Wedding July 8-12—Vacation Bible School July 12—Vacation Bible School Program July 14—Vacation Bible School Sunday July 21—26—High School Camp, Divide, CO July 20—27—Appalachia Mission Trip July 28—Setup for 4H Fashion Judging & Review July 29—4H Fashion Judging & Review July 31—Setup Water Tent

CHURCH FAMILY NEWS

WITH SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILIES OF: Patricia Tyrell (grandmother of Christina Stroud) Burdell Vigilone (Cody Cook’s mother-in-law) Maurine Berger (mother of Tim, Chris, John & Douglas Berger, grandmother of Andrea McCook & Bethany Franz) Kenny Wetzel (husband of Orrene Wetzel) John Morton (father of Mike Morton) Luella Coup (sister of Dillard Klein) Eugene Hadachek (father of Peggy Stoffer) Gary Coleman (husband of Marilyn Coleman) Mary Brown Arnald family Dale Keesling (son of Ginny Keesling) Mildred Seyfert (mother of Rosemary Harris) Scott Chronister Paula Peterson (wife of Lynn Peterson; step-mother of Andrea McCook & Bethany Franz) Larry Murphy (brother of Kaye Eveleth) Elijah Hittle Daphne Tompkins (grandmother of Aaron Tompkins) Ken Mitchell (father of Marjean Smith)

CHURCH FAMILY NEWS

PRAISE & PRAYERS: Praise & Thank you: Thank you for your prayers, the biopsy was benign—Connie Franklin; Praise– Jaxon Armendariz is home from the hospital—Rebecca Stoffer; Thank you for your prayers for safe travel for Melissa & Jonathan Davenport & Debbie Barnes—Connie Franklin; Thank you for the healing prayers for my sister—Peggy Stoffer

Pray for: Jaxon Armendariz, Janet Cross, Dale Pulkrabek, Steven Cavanaugh, Chad Williams, Patti Benda, Terra, Esther Hottman, David Taylor, Taylor Tibbitts, McCade Hall, Tyler Braschler, Melissa & Jonathan Davenport, victims of Midwest floods, Matt Barnes, Madeleine Barnes, Carol Reid, Henry Brackney, Michael Flora, Mike, Gwen, Don & Pat Berkley, Jean Britt, Brandon & Alaina, Debbie Barnes, Al Wells, Bethany Johnson, salvation for family, Kathern Lauxman, Bev Riffel, Lila Verbetan, Dawn Stroup, Erica Coronado, daughter got job, Bev Schmutz

PRAYER FOR WORLD/NATIONAL CONCERNS- President Trump U.S. Troops & their Families Israel Country of France Persecuted Christians in Nigeria Church Burnings around the world Congress to work together Immigration Reform Southern Border North Korea Northern States—flooding Tornado victims Health Care Reform Unity in America Graduates

PRAYER FOR OUR LEADERSHIP- Pastor Gordon McClure Pastor Marc Riegel Corbin Kellum Rachel Bishop William Bishop Marilyn Dietzler Vision & Unity

PRAYER FOR OUR EUM FAMILY/EVENTS Sunday School Teachers & classes Volunteer Appreciation Night—May 1 National Day of Prayer—May 2 Honor 8th grade & High School graduates—May 5 MomLife Appreciation Brunch—May 8 Honor Preschool graduates—May 19 Service of Light—May 26

Call the church office (785.263-3342) if you have a prayer request. Your need will be prayed for by

50 Prayer Chain volunteers. In addition, all prayer requests will be listed in the

bulletin for two weeks.

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

MAY 2019

8:30am MomLife Set-up, WC, Kit., 102, 104, 205 10:00am Mom Life Appreciation Brunch 11:30am Triad, Conf. Rm 1 6:00pm Youth Mac & Cheese Competition, 300, Kitchen 6:00pm Vision Writer Class, 203 6:30pm Small Group, Conf. Room 1

HONOR 8th & HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

NOMINATIONS BEGIN FOR NEHEMIAH

PROJECT

8:45am Alpha Worship 9:30am Appalachian Mission Team Meeting, Conf. Rm 1 9:55am Discipleship Classes 11:00am Omega Worship 6:00pm Special Called Church Meeting, WC

6:30pm Prayer Group, 208

8:00am Set-up Worship Center

10:00am Equipping Staff Mtg., Conference Room 1

11:30am GALS Bible Study, Conf. Rm 1 7:00pm Bible Study, 207 Charles Rd

7:00am Re-set Worship Center 8:00am Prayer for Our City, KJIL Radio Station 5:30pm Girl Scout Mtg., 213

11:30am Triad, Conf. Rm 1 4:00pmPiano Lessons,111 6:00pm Volunteer Appreciation Night, Kitchen, WC 6:00pm Vision Writer Class, 203

National Day of Prayer

7:30am National Day of Prayer Breakfast, Sterl Hall 8:00am Prayer for Our City, KJIL Radio Station 9:00am Care for Next 4 Work Day, Kitchen

Backup location of Woolsoncroft / Harris Wedding Rehearsal

Backup location of Woolsoncroft / Harris

Wedding

MOTHER’S DAY

“Change” for Life starts TODAY

8:45am Alpha Worship 9:55am Discipleship Classes 11:00am Omega Worship

6:30pm Prayer Group, 208 7:00pm Board of Trustee Meeting, Conf. Rm 1

10:00am Equipping Staff Mtg., Conference Room 1 11:30am GALS Bible Study. Conf. Rm 1 2:00pm Staff Meeting, Conference Room 1 5:30pm Mission Team Meeting, Conf. Rm 1 7:00pm Bible Study, 207 Charles Rd

Last Day of Preschool for MWF Class - Day at the

Park

11:30am Triad, Conf. Rm 1 6:00pm Youth Giant Water Slide, 300, Church Yard 6:00pm Vision Writer Class, 203 6:30pm Small Group, Conf. Room 1

Last Day of Preschool for T/TH & M-F Class -

Day at the Park

8:00am Prayer for Our City, KJIL Radio Station

2:00pm Graduation Celebration, 205

6:00pm Preschool End of year program, WC, Kitchen

SERVICE OF LIGHT

HOLY COMMUNION

8:45am Alpha Worship 9:55am Discipleship Classes 11:00am Omega Worship

Memorial Day Observed

Church Office Closed

10:00am Equipping Staff Mtg., Conference Room 1 11:30am GALS Bible Study, Conf. Rm 1 2:00pm Staff Meeting, Conference Room 1 4:00pm Creative Arts Planning Meeting, 300 7:00pm Bible Study, 207 Charles Rd

Annual Conference Topeka, KS

11:30am Triad, Conf. Rm 1 1:30pm Youth Swimming at Milford Lake 6:00pm Vision Writer Class, 203

Annual Conference Topeka, KS

8:00am Prayer for Our City, KJIL Radio Station

Annual Conference Topeka, KS

Men’s Campout

HONOR PRESCHOOL GRADUATES

8:45am Alpha Worship 9:55am Discipleship Classes 11:00am Omega Worship 4:00pm Graduation Celebration, Tower, Kit.

11:30am Triad, Conf. Rm 1 6:00pm Youth Taco Night, 300, Kitchen 6:00pm Vision Writer Class, 203

DEADLINE for June Acts & Facts Articles

6:30pm Prayer Group, 208 7:00pm Church Council, 205

10:00am Equipping Staff Mtg., Conference Room 1 11:30am GALS Bible Study, Conf. Rm 1 7:00pm Bible Study, 207 Charles Rd

8:00am Prayer for Our City, KJIL Radio Station 5:30pm Girl Scout Mtg., 213

Acts & Facts Newsletter

1300 N Vine Street Abilene, Kansas 67410

785-263-3342 www.eumcabilene.org Wifi Password: eumctower

YOUR STAFF: E-MAIL

PERSON

PHONE EXT. 785-263-3342

POSITION

CELL PHONE

gmcclure@eumcabilene.org Pastor Gordon McClure 224 Senior Pastor 316-519-7299

rbishop@eumcabilene.org Rachel Bishop 225 Minister of Children & Emmanuel’s Preschool

Director 785-571-7447

mriegel@eumcabilene.org Pastor Marc Riegel 223 Associate Pastor of Worship 785-307-0741

ckellum@eumcabilene.org Corbin Kellum 221 Youth Past0r 620-388-0900

rmacy@eumcabilene.org Rita Macy 220 Office Coordinator 785-200-0725

prothfuss@eumcabilene.org Pam Rothfuss 222 Financial Administrator

mdietzler@eumcabilene.org Marilyn Dietzler Preschool Teacher

wbishop@eumcabilene.org William Bishop Building & Grounds Maintenance Supervisor

It’s important for people to know their ministers are available when someone has a question, needs some help, or just wants to talk for awhile. Our office coordinator, Rita Macy, will be happy to receive your office visits, telephone calls, and email messages. We work diligently to use the communication resources available, such as voice mail and cell phones, to be available most of the time for question. Our pledge to the congregation is to respond in a timely and courteous manner. When someone calls and says, “It’s urgent,” we will be contacted by the quickest means possible. The ministers are often out of the building for a variety of ministry tasks. They are available to schedule an appointment with you at your convenience. Please contact us if we can be of help to you. We want to be available to serve you!

Following are names of active servicemen connected to Emmanuel. Please keep them and their families in your prayers. If there are others connected to our church that are presently serving, please get their name to the church office.

Robert & Jennifer Dietzler (Mark & Marilyn Dietzler’s son & daughter-in-law) US Army David Fulton (Clarence & Eileen Garten’s grandson) US Army Travis Gregg (Sherry Osland’s nephew) US Navy Anthony Johnston (Joan Boyd’s grandson) National Guard Kyle Jones (husband of Megan Jones) US Army Reserve Matt Nichols (grandson of Calita Niland) US Marines

Stop by the tower entrance display and pick up a prayer list of those serving our country. M

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NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS If you are wanting to put an article into the June Acts & Facts Newsletter, please have the article to the church no

later than the 20th of May. You may either put it in Rita’s slot in the wooden boxes hanging on the wall in the tower entrance, or e-mail it to Rita at rmacy@eumcabilene.org; please indicate that it is for Acts and Facts.

Articles may be edited.