connections spring/summer 2013

7/28/2019 Connections Spring/Summer 2013

1/20

Spring/Summer 2013

First Thursday Organ Concerts (p.4)Chapman Partnership for the Homeless (p.6)Small Groups (p.10)Children & Youth (p.14)and more!

Church news on...

FirstUnitedMethodistChurchofCoralGables.536CoralWay.(305)445-257

8.www.fumccg.org


2/202

Can it possibly be time to turn towards summer? Seems we were just taking down the Christmasdecorations. Why is it the pages on the calendar turn aster and aster with each and every season?

For the past several years our amily has spent time away in a very small Georgia town where mymom's amily settled shortly ater the Civil War (has always been impossible or me to think o anywar as civil). Agriculture has been a way o lie in that area since the mid 1800s. Te pace o lie isdierent in that community. Te calendar pages may turn, but it takes lots o nurture and patienceor the crops to come in. We usually arrive at the end o watermelon season and the beginning o

cotton planting. Farmers tirelessly prepare the soil or the next season's crop and then wait! Teirsis a lie o patient persistence.

I wonder what we will do to nurture and grow our spiritual lie over these summer months. Whatavenues will we employ to prepare the soil, plant the seed, ertilize, and water our soul during thenext ew months? What opportunities will we take to enhance the spiritual lie o others? Will WeGrow in our aith and practice?

Connections is lled with opportunities o engagement, both learning and practicing our aith! Ipray that each o us will step up in our witness lie and share the good news o Christ through learn-ing, serving, sharing, and growing together!

I love serving as your pastor,

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. Te crowd that gathered around him was so large that

he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at

the waters edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: Listen!

A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path,

and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It

sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were

scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which

grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil.

It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred

times. Ten Jesus said, Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.

~Mark 4:1-9

Summer 2013


3/203

Spring/Summer 2013

Contents

Meet Our Organist........................................................... 4

Chapman Partnership for the Homeless ............ 6

Behold the Beauty of Our Church........................... 8

Small Groups.................................................................. 10

Your Word Your Goal.................................................... 12

Youth................................................................................... 14Children............................................................................. 18


4/204

When Jay Brooks rst discovered organ music at age 10 he mar-veled at the divine instruments power and might.

So he started learning organ basics from his piano teacher and by

age 14 became the organist of his church in West Virginia. Later heattended his states Methodist annual conference with his father,a Methodist minister, and set a goal to return one day as organist.Indeed by 17 he became the annual conference organist and thenwent on to earn a degree in organ performance from the Universityof Cincinnatis College Conservatory of Music. Hes been playingever since.

I wasnt intimidated by it. I was intrigued by hav-ing all that power at my ngertips, he recalled ofhis rst organ encounter. When I heard that thingit was loud and kind of scary sounding and I washooked.

Sharing that enduring love with the larger CoralGables community, Brooks this year is holdingfree organ concerts on the rst Thursday of everymonth from 12:30 to 12:55 p.m. at the church (ex-cept July 4). He performs a rich repertoire of spiri-tual and secular pieces on the churchs 4,000 pipeLouisa Candler Eldredge Memorial Organ andhopes to give listeners some mid-day refreshmentand musical respite. He views it as an outreachministry to church members as well as area pro-fessionals and residents. And he vows to havefun with it. When you are an organist you arealmost a one man orchestra. You have this palateof dierent sounds to choose from. The organ canbe a big powerful instrument and it can also be a

Meet Our Organist,

Jay Brooks

The Louisa Candler Eldredge Memorial Organ


5/205

whisper and I plan to use all of it, said Brooks. Itsa solid organ repertoire, including things I might nothave the opportunity to play during churchIt couldbe anything from Bach to Broadway.

Brooks became music director and organist at FUMC-CG in 2006 after moving to Miami to work for the

Central Music keyboard instrument company as aSouth Florida representative. Previously a churchorganist in North Carolina, Brooks used to also playthere at the Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolinawhere as word spread many from the larger commu-nity began to attend. In December he was asked to doa holiday concert for the FUMCCG sta after whichhe conceived the Gables musical outreach. Its a time where they can relax and listen to mu-sic once a month, an oasis, a time apart away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.

Brooks nds that organ music can be

therapeutic and engages the musiciancompletely in using both hands andboth feet. He recalled a concert that hereluctantly played right after 9/11 onlyto be surprised to be uplifted. In dier-ent times in my life it has helped me tomove past things that are troubling andit has helped me to start to see God andsee beauty in places where sometimespeople cant see any beauty. Its dier-ent for dierent people.

FUMCCGs full pipe organ was origi-nally constructed in the 1950s by theMoller Organ Company. Then in 1995as the church underwent renovations

the Schantz Organ Co. built a new one while leaving in parts of the original. Finally in 2006an antiphon organ was added to the back of the church to envelop more of the space and givemore support for congregational singing. There are pipes that are 6 years old and 60 yearsold, he said. Its around 4,000 pipes total, which I believe is the second largest instrumentin Miami-Dade County. Only Florida International Universitys is bigger. Its a very, veryimpressive instrument.

While he continues to work for Central Music, Brooks is grateful for the opportunity to playat FUMCCG. Im always going to be a church organist. I dont feel right if I dont play some-thing on Sunday morning. I like having a church, a place I serve as an organist.

By Priscilla Greear

The Louisa Candler Eldredge Memorial Organ balcony view

Jay Brooks with The Growing Place kindergarteners

First Thursday Mid-Day Organ Concert!Come on the frst Tursday o every month (except July) and enjoy a ree25-minute organ concert by Jay Brooks! Concerts are rom 12:30-12:55 p.m.in the Sanctuary.


6/206

The ministry team from FUMCCG piled in a minivan around 2:00p.m. on a recent Friday and headed down to the Chapman Partner-ship homeless assistance center in downtown Miami near Over-town. There they donned their gloves, caps, hairnets, and apronsand hit the kitchen to prepare the evening meal for 500 residents:BBQ baked chicken, long grain rice, salad, green beans and icecream sandwiches. As the rst seating was admitted at 5:30 p.m.from the line amassed outside, front end coordinator Bill Murff am-icably ushered hungry men, women, and children through the line.Kathy Burns and Kathy Howard brought meals and drinks to thosewith disabilities, mothers with young children, and others needingassistance. From the assembly line, Roberta Weller served green beans wearing a smile and an apron stitchedwith Bible verse John 3:16 and a gift box design.

At a table, one woman named Denise looked heavy laden as she ate her dinner alongside her four boys on thisFriday evening during Lent. But she also felt relieved.I feel a sense of peace. My kids have a place to lay their heads and we dont have to worry that somebody will putus out or where our next meal will come from. I want to get a steady (restaurant) job, go back to school and ndpermanent housing. That way I wont have to repeat this cycle again, said the woman, who had lost her job andbeen living with a friend.

She is trying to muster the initiative required to take full advantage of the many Chapman services available.Meanwhile, she is getting by one day at a time, nding comfort in the gentle presence of volunteers. When [vol-unteers] come they give you encouraging words. They dont have a frown on their face. They dont look down onyou.

Indeed, the FUMCCG team takes care to provide excellent food and service in Christs name to those in pain.When we are called to feed them its not only food but spiritual food as well, to let them know they arent any dif-ferent than anybody else and God cares for them, said team leader, Tom Weller. They really believe that they arethe least, the last, and the lost. When somebody comes and says let me give you a hand its foreign for them. You

have the opportunity to tell them why you serve.

Chapman Partnership relies on civic, corporate, and religious groups tofund and prepare nightly dinners. FUMCCG has sponsored a monthlymeal since the shelter opened after it was incorporated in 1993, origi -nally named Community Partnership for the Homeless. The church out-reach was previously led by the late Sally Jenks.

The homeless center was founded through the leadership of the lateAlvah Chapman, former Knight-Ridder CEO and FUMCCG member whowas asked by the governor to lead a commission to address rampanthomelessnessabout the same time he completed a Disciple Bible class.Chapman extensively researched the issues and led efforts to establishthe Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust and its innovative private sec-tor partner Chapman Partnership. Church member Trish Bell now serves

FUMCCG Partners withChapman Partnership for

the Homeless


7/207

as board chair, Jonah Pruitt as a vice chair, and Brent McLaughlin asa member. And Chapmans widow, Betty Chapman, always donatesFUMCCGs ice cream.

The Partnership gets 63% of its budget from public Trust funding andthe rest through fundraising, said recently retired deputy director, Alfre-do Brown. It provides comprehensive support services including emer-gency shelter, health care, daycare, job training and placement, housingassistance and case management.

And it has become a national model: Miamis homeless rate has beenreduced from 8,000 in 1995 to 839 in January. I cant think of any city inAmerica with a reduction in numbers that signicant, said Brown who

joined the partnership in 1995. We work with them until they are doing all the right things and we get them suc-cessfully placed.

The dinner sponsorship helps our budget immensely and weve reduced feeding on our streets, said Brown. Itsso nice to have people come to feed 500 people on a regular basis and residents appreciate it immensely...We havebeen so grateful that these churches have stayed with us and stuck with us for years and FUMCCG has been withus since we opened our doors in 1995.

And church members reap joy in living their creed. On March 15,Judy Grifs passed out Easter booklets for children and earlierpurchased the 440 pounds of chicken. Its very fullling to seethe people here instead of on the streets, families with childrenwho would either be on the street or living in a car, to know they

can come here to live and start a better life.Added Bill Murff, People come in with their eyes down and whenyou start talking to them and recognizing them as being a personall of a sudden their face lights up.

With about 50 ministry members, the church usually brings about20 servants a night, who serve until exactly 7 p.m. Structure isimportant for them. You give them a plan and give them every op-

portunity to succeed and graduate from the program and become employed, said Weller.The team plans to also start training other church groups who cant afford to continue or start to sponsor a mealalone but want to do it in partnership with another church. The FUMCCG dinner costs about $600 per night whileMrs. Chapman provides $200 worth of ice cream.

A forensics investigator, Weller discovered his love for serving the poor through the project. God says bloomwhere you are planted and that is where Im planted, he said. We are the body of Christ so we (should) get outand move in this community and recognize the need and take care of itYou let people know they are not the least,the last, and the lost and let people know there are people in this community who care about them and there is aGod who loves them.

For ministry information contact Tom Weller at (786) 246-2577 or [email protected].

FUMCCGs CPH team feeds the homeless every 3rd Friday of every month.

By Priscilla Greear

People come in with their eyes down and when

you start talking to them and recognizing them as

being a person all of a sudden their face lights up.


8/208

Every Sunday, come and behold the glory of the Lord in the resplendent stained

glass windows punctuating the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church of

Coral Gables.

The 16 clerestory windows illuminate Christs life, the establishment of the early

church and historic gures of Methodism. The eye level transept windows to the

left of the chancel feature children from the Old Testament and on the right depict

little ones of the New Testament. In the balcony window above the main entrance

Christ raises his hand in blessing and oats on clouds over a covenant rainbow.

And all serve to uplift those who reect on their heavenly radiance and enlightenthose who contemplate their intricate details and rich biblical symbolism.

The church sanctuary was dedicated on Easter Sunday of 1955 where the rst

balcony window was installed of Christ, which also includes a chalice bracketed

by wheat and grapes to symbolize worldwide fellowship of Christians through

communion. The clerestory windows were installed in 1963 through the guiding

light of the clerestory window committee chair, the late William L. Gray Jr., and

the childrens windows were dedicated in 1970.

The clerestory windows were created by the Willet Stained Glass Studios of

Philadelphia, which also made the stained glass windows for the chapel of the

U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The vividly colored and fadeless windows

of mouth-blown pot metal glass were crafted in the same way medieval glass artists executed the windows

for the great cathedrals of Europe, where the art of stained glass reached its height between 1150 and 1500.

In the Middle Ages the beautiful images between earth and heaven served to edify the people, glorify God

and instruct the illiterate. And physical light became a direct symbol of the light of God, the true sun, guid-

ing the hearts of the faithful.

Following Eastertide, lift thine eyes to Christ the Giver of

Immortality on Window 10, the second from the chancel on

the right. The top left medallion reveals Christ emerging from

his tomb with the bursting pomegranate symbolizing the fer-

tility of the word and the richness of divine grace with its

many seeds and red pulp. The lower left medallion shows

Jesus breaking bread with disciples at Emmaus following his

resurrection where he told them what Scripture said about

him after which they recognized him and declared to other

disciples, The Lord has risen and has appeared to us. The

window reminds the faithful how Jesus also walks with them

in daily life, waiting to be recognized, and how he illuminates the minds of those who call him Lord.

Behold the Beauty:

Stained Glass Windows

By Priscilla Greear


9/209

Windows 1-8 on south wall (left side) from balcony to chancel: Window1: Christ the Child, left medallions of the Nativity and presentation in the temple by Simeon

and right medallions of the boy Christ with doctors and Christ in the carpenters shop with Mary.

Window2: Christ the Man, left medallions of Jesus baptized by John and the temptation of Christ and

right medallions of Jesus driving out the money changers and washing disciples feet.

Window3: Christ the Leader, left medallions of the call of the shermen Peter and Andrew and of

Matthew from his post as tax collector. Right medallions of the great commission and Sauls conver-

sion.

Window4:Christ the Preacher, left medallions of the Sermon on the Mount and preaching from the

boat of the Sea of Galilee, and right medallions of blessing little children and in the synagogue.

Window5: Christ the Counselor, left medallions of Christ and Nicodemus and the Woman of Samaria

at the well. Right medallions of Christ with Mary and Martha and with the rich young ruler. Window6: Christ the Friend of Sinners, left medallions of Zaccheus and the adulterous woman and

right medallions of Mary anointing Christs feet and Dismas, the penitent thief.

Window7: Christ the Great Physician, left medallions of blind Bartimeus and the woman of great

faith and right medallions of the grateful leper and the healing of the noblemans son.

Window8: Christ the Worker of Miracles, left medallions of feeding the ve thousand and stilling the

tempest and right medallions of raising Jarius daughter and of Lazarus.

Windows 9-16, north wall (right side) from chancel to balcony: Window9: Christ the Man of Sorrows, left medallions of the agony in the garden and of Peters de-

nial and right medallions of Christ before Pilate and bearing the cross.

Window10: Christ the Giver of Immortality, left medallions of the resurrection and emergence from

the empty tomb and of the breaking of bread at Emmaus to right medallions of Thomas great confes-

sion and the ascension of Christ.

Window11: Apostolic Church, left medallions of Pentecost and Stephens martyrdom and right me-

dallions of Peter and John at the Temple gate beautiful and Paul starting his missionary journeys.

Window12: Reformation, left medallions of Martin Luther of Germany and John Calvin of France

and right medallions of Ulrich Zwingli of Switzerland and John Hus of Bohemia.

Window13:Founding of Methodism, left medallion of Methodism founder John Wesley and great

hymn writer Charles Wesley and right medallions of Susana Wesley, faith-lled mother of 19, and

Francis Asbury, rst great Methodist leader in the U.S. who established many churches.

Window14: Spread of Methodism, left medallions of preacher George Whiteeld and rst America

born bishop William McKendree and right medallions of pioneer Methodists Thomas Coke and Bish-

ops Edwin Holt Hughes, James Straughn and John Moore.

Window15: Church at Work at Home, left medallions of modern Sunday School pioneer RobertRaikes and mother of American Methodism Barbara Heck, and right medallions of American evange-

list Dwight Moody and Red Cross founder Clara Barton.

Window16:Church at Work in Foreign Fields, left medallions of missionary pioneer in India Wil-

liam Carey and missionary pioneer in Africa David Livingston and right medallions of missionary

to India and author Stanley Jones and Albert Schweitzer, German theologian, musician and medical

missionary to Africa.

Windows in Our

Sanctuary


10/2010


11/201

Small groups are people of faith who are living out the Great Commandment: Love your neighbor

At FUMCCG, this spring and into the summer, small groupsare connecting their passion with their good works. The Wom-en In Community and the Round Table groups stued Easter

eggs for the Branches Easter Egg Hunt. Ed and Liz Bakersgroup assisted at the foot washing for the homeless at theFirst United Methodist Church downtown. The Searchers Sun-day School class and the Round Table group both took home-cooked dinner to the student community at the UM Wesley

Foundation duringthe month of April.Some of the womenfrom the group Changing the World One Book at a Time aended the

United Methodist Womens Day Apart in Homestead. They learned

about immigration legal services oered by the Justice For Our Neigh-bors ministry, which is part of the UMC Florida Conference. The AltarGuild donated surplus communionware to a United Methodist Churchin Mozambique.

Recently a representative group met to envision how to make servant-hood more of a priority in small groups in our church in general. There are many adults in our congregationwho have the skills, experience, and time to contribute to the community and to each other through vocationalstewardshipworking for good, mentoring others. There was a suggestion to establish a team, to be called TheWesleyan Corp. Some suggestions for this volunteer alliance are:

visiting the shut-ins grandparenting The Growing Place (ie. reading to the children, greeting or

helping with special TGP events) making soup monthly for delivery in freezer tubs to the elderly or home-bound

ministering to caregivers participating in church work days for gardening or clean-up helping at area schools or tutoring Branches children/youth helping with a church event such as the annual church-wide picnic or vacation

Bible School restarting a Stephen Ministry team participating in a medical mission trip beyond our borders

If you have other suggestions and if you would like to join others in a small group to grow relationships with others

and God, please coordinate with Kay Mur, our Director of Small Groups, by contacting her at [email protected]

or (305) 445-2578 ext. 113.

Small Groups With a Mission

Ladies!Save the date for OASIS: Esther & Vashti, womenof courage and purpose, July 10, 17, 24!OASIS is a special time of spiritual growth, fellowship anddinner ($10).Complimentary childcare available for children ages birth - Kindergarten

Register today online at www.fumccg.org or with Kay Murin the oice.

Esther and VashtiWomen of Courage and Purpose

for times such as these

, , ,

: . .


12/2012

Ina Sunday aternoon workshop, FUMCCGmember Dixie Andrade asked participants to each

pick a word o the year to live and get inspired by tolive more ully in Christ.

Its something or you to have a vision or the

year. ake your word, get excited and make youryear the best it can be, said Andrade, ounder othe lie coaching rm Envision Possibilities, moth-er o twin boys, co-host o a womens Bible study,

and board chair o Te Growing Place preschool.Andrade invited the women to choose a word

they seek to embody and master, which in turn can

empower and ocus them in their eorts to reach

their personal and/or proessional goals. She saidher own word is pioneer and that shes set a goalto touch 1,000 womens lives this year. I said the

word pioneer because Im blazing a trail or me andgoing into the unknownEvery day when situa-tions arise I say how can I be a pioneer in thissituationAnd that doesnt mean just or my job, it

can be in my childrens lives, in volunteering.alkto me in July and it might change but or right nowit eels really authentic and comortable.

Te word approach is an alternative to new yearsresolutions that ollow the do, have, be model

where, or example, i you lose weight youll havesel esteem and be more condent. Were goingto change it around to be, do, have. Te reason whyis i you get stuck in the doand you dont do ityoure never going to get to the be level...Youre

never going to get to that exciting levelthat con-dent level which is what you wanted all along.

Participants rst wrote down why they chose

their word to have intention and clarity. God willmaniest what you want or your lie i youre trulycommitted to it, have clarity on it and are talkingabout it to Him each day in your prayers.

And she reminded them that a prerequisite is tobe authentic. I try to be authentic all the time andits very hard because not everybody is going to likeyou.

Andrade also asked participants to consider anynegative thoughts and eelings that may triggerthem to shrink rom eorts to realize their highest

aspirations. An example is someone who wants tolose weight and compares hersel to skinny peopleater which she degrades hersel and eels shame.


13/2013

Tis awareness can help them to be intentional inthinking positively. And dont worry about howthe word will maniest itsel. I you commit to it

and are praying about it and you know its whatGod wants or you the how will happen. It mightnot happen in the way you thought it was going tohappen. I didnt know I was going to get pregnant

and have special needs children but thats whatGod gave us and they are wonderul, wonderulchildren, she said. God is going to provide you

with the hows and the word or the year will guideyou.

Te women then wrote down ve new proac-tive habits or practices to incorporate into their

lie to help them in embracing this word moreully. Tey also wrote down ve goals theyd liketo accomplish and named their home run or theyear, anything rom a big dream to a way to live

each day. When youclearly dene [a goal]youre much more

apt to achieve it.Participant Lorrie

Balding chose wis-dom as her word

o the year. I seekit every day witheternity in the back-ground. So oten I

look around me and

whatever is going ongets my attention versus looking up. So I want to

just look up all the time.Sara Ocasio chose the word belonging. She

transerred here through her work or AmericanAirlines and now as a retiree seeks to connect with

community groups and meet people with commoninterests. While she already volunteers in adult lit-eracy she vowed to stop procrastinating researchon ways to engage more and take initiative. Its

more involvement and belonging that Im lookingor, she said.

Aislynn McDonald came up with the word re-

lax. I I relax all those other words I came up withwill be an ater eect, such as patience, compas-sion and orgiveness. Being so stressed, so busyall the timeIts slowing down to deal with what-

ever is happening, to process it, she refected.Sometimes I get really intense over something

that is not really a big deal so i I stop then Ill reactdierently. And letting go too everything doesnthave to get done. I I relax more and enjoy the mo-

ment then the to dos and the chores wont be soimportant.

wenty year advertising proessional AngelaKim told the group how she chose the word re-

newal to uplit her through the bittersweet deci-sion to leave behind her home, community lie andorchid garden and take a new job in Houston. Te

word is renewal, the idea o releasing the past andembracing all the prosperity that will come to mebecause obviously its not working here becauseI havent been able to nd employment. I eel al-

most that God is asking me to let go o everythingthat Ive worked so hard orIm araid that Ill ailand that I dont think I can do it, she said, over-come with emotion. I wont have the comort that

I consider comort-able or me becauseIll be in a dierent

space. Te word willbe my way o keepingtrue to the vision owhy Im making this

change.Andrade advised

her to rerame herears in a more posi-

tive way and ocus

not on leaving thingsbehind but on renewing lie in a dierent way. You

are a aithul person and you are praying about itand [renewal] is going to maniest. When you dontworry about the how its going to maniest in greatways and exciting waysUse this word to eel ex-

cited, to get energized about a new change.But God answered Kims prayer in a surprising

way indeed: Te Houston job oer was rescindeddue to miscommunication on logistics. But that

same uesday aternoon she contacted a Miamiagency she had interviewed with and got a joboer by Friday evening. I started my new job on

Wednesday o this past week, the same day I wasscheduled to depart or Houston, wrote Kim a-terwards to the workshop group. I am amazedby Gods timing and orchestration. My word, re-

newal, continues to inspire me. I pray that yourselected word inspires you this week.

By Priscilla Greear

God is going to provide you

with the hows and the word

for the year will guide you.


14/2014

YOUTH


15/2015

Confirmation 2013The Conrmation Class of 2013 wasrecently received into the fellowshipon Sunday, April 7. The class includ-ed: Jack Archer, Michael Aspinwall,Katrina Darby, Hunter Matson, EloyRios, Victoria Rios, Chrissy Rosillo,

and Abbie Wagner. Once again ourwonderful team of teachers consist-ed of Candy Rose, Lisa Metzker andRobert Gray.

We added to the curriculum this year by reading through the entire Gospel of Mark. This wasa great experience for the teachers as well as the students. Reading the entire Gospel cov-ers the life of Jesus on earth and his mission as the Christ. All the issues of being a faithfulChristian come to the forefront through the simple reading ofthe text. It was a wonderful experience to discover Jesus anewin every class.

The highlight of the conrmation experience continues to bethe retreat at the Warren Willis United Methodist Youth Campin Leesburg, Florida. The class joins 400 other youth also goingthrough conrmation. There are guest speakers and fantasticworship as well as over ve hours of study time as a group. Thesetting at the camp is beautiful and the energy is truly inspir-ing. Many of the youth from this years class will be attendingsummer camp for the rst time this year based on their positiveexperience at the conrmation retreat.

This conrmation class has a lot of personal-ity and many talented young people. We lookforward to experiencing their continued spiri-tual growth and maturity as they participatein the youth ministry and other areas of thechurch. We recognize and afrm the impor-tant step they have taken through conrma-tion and are very proud of them.

FUMCCG Youth at Warren WillisConfrmation Camp

FUMCCG Youth on Confrmation Sunday

FUMCCG Youth & Teachers By Robert Gray


16/2016

SUMMER 2013Mission Trip

&Camp

Puerto Rico Mission Trip 2013Last year 16 youth and four adult chaperones

went to Ponce, Puerto Rico, and teamed upwith McCabe Memorial Methodist Church andtheir wonderful pastor, Ingmar Rivera. The goodpeople of McCabe Memorial put us up in theirhomes and their hospitality was incredible. Ourteam was so touched by the passion and joy ofthe people there in Ponce that we are planning togo back again this June.

We also had an idea. Maybe Pastor Ingmar and some of their youth could come to Miamiand work with us on Vacation Bible School and other projects. So we invited them to Miami.And we were so excited that they sent a group to Miami June 8-13. Pastor Ingmar, his wife,Coral, and their daughter, Yadi, brought four high school boys with them.

The McCabe Memorial group was part of our Vacation Bible School team. We also did someprojects around the church including pressure cleaning and painting. The youth room de-nitely got some painting and cleaning as well.

In Puerto Rico we will be cleaning and painting their school. After we refurbished the exist-ing mural that had been vandalized, Pastor Ingmar has requested that we do a brand newmural in another location. Amanda May Moore will be leading our mural team and they have

a great design already planned.

After our amazing trip last year, we set a goal to have twenty-four youth and six adults gothis summer. Well, we have surpassed our goal. Our team is twenty-FIVE youth and sixadults to make a total of THIRTY-ONE missionaries! Praise God!

Puerto Rico 2012

By Robert Gray


17/2017

Warren Willis United Methodist Youth CampI rst went to Warren Wil-lis UM Youth Camp fouryears ago and was ex-

tremely impressed withthe entire affair. The campis directed by Mike Standi-fer and his fantastic staffduring the entire year, butmost of the camp staff iscollege age young adults

hired for the summer. Their faith in Christ and their passion to share that faith is the drivingforce of the camp.

The camp site is a beautiful wooded retreat that says Old Florida all over it. The trees havemoss hanging everywhere and the view of Lake Grifn just takes your stress level downthree notches every time. Technically, it is located in Fruitland Park, Florida, but if you havetrouble nding that look up Leesburg.

The camp is divided into three levels: elementary, middle school, and high school. Thereare around 800 kids in the entire camp each week. The separate age groups do activitiesin groups throughout each day and eat separately as well. They also stay in air conditionedcabins divided by gender and age group.

Worship time is the highlight of each day at camp. The entire camp comes together to join in

a spirited session including great music and videos. The band is made up of counselors andis always very talented and energetic. No one sits around during worship! It is high energyand every song has associated hand gestures. By the second day, everyone knows the mo-tions for each song and it is really fun. I never miss worship.

The camp runs for about 10 weeks and each week is a stand alone session. We will be at-tending the third week from June 24-29 with about 15 youth from our church. In fact, wehave too many going to t in the church mini-bus, so if you are interested in driving somekids to camp this June, let me know. Plan to stay for worship on that rst day. You wont bedisappointed.

WWUM Youth Camp FUMCCG Youth 2012

By Robert Gray


18/2018

forFridays

KidsParents Night Out

&

First Fridays for elementary children and Parents Night Out for preschoolers started inFebruary and ended in May. The parents could enjoy some quality alone time while thechildren were cared for in a nurturing environment. The elementary children learnedabout the life and teaching of Jesus and were led by over a dozen servants giving theirFriday nights to spend with our children.Just after the rst three First Fridays we touched the lives of 64 children!

Please keep these programs and our entire Childrens Ministry in your prayers that we

will make a difference in the lives of children and their families.


19/2019

Summer Calendar

June 10-14Vacation Bible School

Thank you to all the volunteers who made VBS thisyear a success and to all the children and their parentswho raised over $1,000 to buy two cows and a flock of

chicks from Heifer Interntaional!

July 19Family Fun Party at Grapeland Water Park on July 19 from 6-8:00 p.m.

Tickets for $5 will be on sale on June 30, July 7, & July 14.

Family Fun Water Park Party!

Summer Sunday SchoolSchedule

July7&14One worship service at 10:30. Children(K-5th grade) will begin with their families in wor-

ship and be dismissed to room #202.

July21&28 Worship services at 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.Children (K-5th grade) will begin with their familiesin worship and be dismissed to room #202.

August18 Fall Sunday School will begin


20/20

Rev. Durwood Foshee, Senior Pastor [email protected] or ext. 101Rev. Roberto Perez, Associate Pastor [email protected]. Mary Ward, Associate Minister [email protected] or ext. 103Venda Horne, Business Administrator [email protected] or ext. 102

Small Groups - Kay [email protected] or ext. 113

Youth/College - Robert [email protected] or ext. 107

The Growing Place Preschool(305) 446-0846

Weddings - Roberta [email protected] or ext. 121

Baptisms - Darrell [email protected] or ext. 106

Counseling - Sallie Quillian and Judy Hatfield(305) 661-9581 and (305) 448-1957

Traditional Music - Jay Brooks and Dr. Bob Gower

[email protected] or ext. 124 and [email protected] Contemporary Music - Richard Aspinwall

[email protected] or (305) 801-6768

Membership, Outreach, & Children - Rev. Mary Susan [email protected] or ext. 103

Finance - Sid Macaspac [email protected] or ext. 104

Communications - Jennifer [email protected] or ext. 119

Prayer - prayer requests online at www.fumccg.org or Ward [email protected]

Contact Us!

Do you havea story to tell?

Do you have a story to tell that affects orinvolves our church and/or its members?

We want to hear it and help you tell it!

Send any ideas or stories for the next issue ofConnections to our Communications Coordinator,

Jennifer Flynt, at [email protected].

Join us for two special combinedworship services!

10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary followed by a reception after each service:

July 7 - Special Communion Service

July 14 - Hymn Sing Worship Service

Normal worship services will continue for the rest of the summer.

connections spring/summer 2013

Documents