March 6, 2019

Invite Grow Serve

The Soundings

“Give Up or Give?” The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and extends through the forty days (not including Sundays) that lead up to Easter. It is a sea-son of reflection and penitence. A time to remember the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness in a battle with evil and temptation. We are reminded of our need to stand up against the forces of evil, to confess our weakness in the face of temptation, and to repent of our sins.

It has become a traditional part of the Lenten Season for people to choose to give up something as a symbol of sacrifice. In some instanc-es, this ritual of “giving up” has become so trivialized that it borders on the ridiculous. One year I decided I was going to give up coffee. By noon I had an agonizing caffeine headache and I changed my plan from giving up coffee to giving up putting sugar in my coffee. I’ve heard of others who chose to give up chewing gum or chocolate. I even had one young person tell me he was giving up homework. Where have we gone wrong? In comparison to what Christ sacrificed for us the things we choose to give up are relatively, even ridiculously shallow.

I want you to challenge you to a new approach to Lent. Instead of giv-ing up, try giving! To give by praying for our church and our church fam-ily; to give by being faithful in your worship attendance; to give by vol-unteering at Sparrows Nest or Manna House; to give by taking a mo-ment to invite a friend or missing member to join you in worship. In our giving we will be giving up our time and offering our gifts as we grow in our discipleship and build up the church.

My prayer is that this season of Lent will be a meaningful time of spir-itual growth for you, your family, and our church. We begin our ob-servance of Lent on Wednesday, March 6, with Ash Wednesday Services at noon at 6:00pm in our Sanctuary. Plan to give an hour of your time this Wednesday and join with us in this special time of worship.

Blessings,

Tom

March 10, 2019

“SPIRITUAL FITNESS”

Luke 4:1-13 UMW Sunday

Traditional Worship 8:30 & 11:00 Sanctuary

Contemporary Worship 9:45 Chapel

Tom Jones, Senior Pastor

Richard Soper, Associate Pastor

A Devotional Prayer Journal entitled Crucified Glorified will be available on Sunday in the Gholson area and the Narthex for those interested in a daily devotional throughout the Lenten season.

In Memoriam

Jeanne Pleasants

December 19, 1930 - March 3, 2019

This year UMW is celebrating 150 years of worship, service and fellowship. All women in the church are invited to be a part of St. Simons UMC United Methodist Women.

Call Lurlyne Holland (638-9522), Stella Avret (638-9825) or the church office for additional information.

Ray Acosta, Vicky Adams, Bud Avret, Diana Bailey, Nancy Barnes, Marsha Boyette, Gene Cariker, John Childs, Mary Cor-bitt, Jim Counts, Carole Darby, Lee Drury, Janice Dumas, Jeff Fields, Walt Flora, Faye George, Pat Gossage, Connie Hal-lowes, Boomer Hendrix, Roy Hodnett, Janice Horn, Margot Howard, Jim Jensen, Shannon Lemmon, Tom Lindgren, Ed McKenzie, Karen McLawhorn, Nathan Meadows, Tad Meeks, Tom Morris, Teresa Norwood, Sandy Nyenhuis, Jimmy Orr, Becky Outlaw, Betty Pierce, Dick Pipe, Cynthia Jones Powell, George Raiford, Ryan Richardson, Elizabeth Roberts, Lucy Royer, Carolyn Sanders, Joyce Sibert, Eva Simonetti, Mary Stivers, Judy & Tony Teston, Michael Tighe, Grady Vaughn, Julie Wilson, Bobbé Wooldridge, Kevin Young, Beverly Zeller, our Nation.

Magnolia Manor: JoAnne & Bob Alford, Betty Ansink, Jan Dorsey, Jack Jenkins, Marjorie Lawrence, Debby Lloyd, Norma Mock, Joyce Parry, Charlotte Petty, Helen Register, Weldon Thalacker, Miriam Tucker, Larry Varnadoe, Effie Walker Thrive: Pat Miller Sr. Care: Anne Pinson Addington Place: Carolyn Lovell, Leonard Mann and Sallie Mann

Servicemen/Servicewomen: CPT Clay A. Alexander, LTC Tim Buehn, PTE Jonathon Carmichael, Col. Andrew Doehring, LTC John Goodrich, Master Sgt. David Hoffer, CPT Chris House, Mason K. James, Alex McLean, Col Denise Mull, Maj. Susan C. Stahl, and all our service men and women.

To add or remove a name from our prayer list, please contact the church office.

PRAYER CONCERNS:

•New names for this week will be highlighted.

•If you would like to be removed from this list, please call the church office.

STEWARDSHIP - March 3, 2019 Tithes & Offerings Received 31,580.75

Received YTD 196,392.35

Expenses YTD 179,346.66

Difference 17,045.69

Building Fund YTD 405.00

MEMBERS IN MINISTRY - March 10

UMW USHERS: 8:30 Dee Brantley, Janice Lee, Linda May, Barbara Milliken, Charlene Smith 11:00 Kay Kay Akins, Diane Bailey, Dee Brantley, Pam Lewis, Mary Parker

GREETERS: 8:30 Sarah Ellerbee, Maggie Gallagher 9:45 Wayne & Mary Rentz, Pam Rehberg 11:00 Kay Holmes, Kim & Jimmy Maupin

PROJECTION: 8:30 Robin Parmelee 11:00 Ashley Swann

HOSPITALITY: Worship Committee

ALTAR ANGELS: Sarah Ellerbee, Cyndy Franklin, Susan Pope, June Smith

OUR PRESENCE - March 3, 2019 8:30 Worship Service 162 Membership 1076

9:45 Worship Service 56 New Members in 2019 8

11:00 Worship Service 233

Children’s Church

TOTAL 451 9:45 Sunday School 159

SERVE

JAX Symphony Friday, May 24

Patriotic Pops Concert Call the church office for info!

Easter Candy Needed!

Individually wrapped candy needed to fill the plastic eggs for our Easter Egg Hunt.

Please leave any candy you contribute in the Gholson area. Thank you!

Your bowls, trays, dishes that have not been picked up from previous lunches will be in the hallway of the Gholson Room on Sunday, March 10. Any dishes left will be donated to a local charity.

The Prayer Team meets in the Parlor every Monday morning at 9am to pray over the concerns and requests from our church. All are welcome, please join us!

Memorials

In Memory of Patricia S. McGimsey from Kelly, Rick, Elizabeth

& Catherine Martindale

Did you know that SSUMC has a Permanent Endowment Fund and that anyone can contribute any amount and at anytime?

Save These Dates

No WOW March 6 (Ash Wed)

WOW 5:30-6:45pm Children’s Choir, Dinner, Bible Study

Wed, March 13, 20, 27

March 24th 4:00pm Kids/Youth VS Adults Kickball Game

RSVP to Jennifer

MYF : Sunday 5:00-6:30pm

March 10, 17, 31

Sunday, March 24th 4:00pm Kickball Game

March 6—No Sweets & Scriptures

INVITE GROW

Mere Christianity Friday, March 15

6:00 PM

A delicious dinner of Chicken Cordon bleu, Potatoes, Green Beans, and Apple Pie with Ice

Cream will start the evening as you watch C.S. Lewis come to life. Cost is $10. RSVP to the church office. (There will be a love offering taken).

Pasta with a Purpose - Dinner Dessert Auction Monday, March 11 - 5:30-7:30pm, Thorpe Bldg.

Youth Fundraiser Dinner & Silent Auction

Join us for pasta, sauce, meatballs, bread, salad, & dessert to support the Student Life 4 Kids & Youth Mission trip.

Please send in your RSVP by Thursday, March 7th, to the church office (912-638-3317).

Chamber Choir

Saturday, March 16 • 7:00 PM Join us in the Sanctuary for Georgia Tech’s premier mixed vocal ensemble. Founded in 1998, the choir has established itself as one of the foremost college vocal ensembles in the Southern United States. Singers are selected through audition, and the Chamber Choir attracts the finest choral musicians on the Tech campus.

Youth Coordinator: We are looking to hire a youth coordinator

interim. Please contact Tom Jones if you know someone who is interested in this

position and for more details.

The Seven Principles of the Christian Way

8 Week Group Bible Study Led by Rev. Bill Harris and Joyce Harris

Begins Wednesday, March 13 at 5:30pm in Room 204 A great time of sharing and growing in Christ

Come Join Us!!!

Wednesday Night Dinner MARCH 20th

Menu includes Southern Soul Pulled Pork,

Mac & Cheese, Baked Beans, Bread, Mike’s Peach Cobbler, Assorted Drinks ($8 cost)

Don’t forget to RSVP by 3/18 to church office!

Town Hall Meeting

On Wednesday, March 13, at 5:30 pm, you are invited to a Town Hall Meeting in our Chapel to discuss the implications the recent General Conference ruling will have on our church. Tom Jones will lead this session.

Congratulations to Pat Walker on the birth of her grandson, Grant Burgess Swafford on February 12, 2019 in Brunswick,

GA. His parents are Lee & Ginny Swafford of SSI.

Disaster Relief Please pray for those whose lives have been impacted by the tornados in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. If you would like to send a donation to help, please write your check out to SSUMC and in-clude UMCOR Disaster Relief in the memo section.

Non-Profit Organization US Postage Paid

Brunswick, GA 31520 Permit 240

St. Simons United Methodist Church 624 Ocean Blvd. Saint Simons Island, GA 31522 912-638-3317 www.stsimonsumc.com

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

March 7 - March 15, 2019

Thursday, March 7 7:00 am 707 Group, Thorpe Bldg. 10:30 am Final Words Bible Study, Room 207.

Friday, March 8 7:30 am Men’s Bible Study 4:30 pm Wedding Rehearsal, Sanctuary

Saturday, March 9 1:00 pm Informational Mtg, UGA Tifton Campus Conference Ctr. 4:30 pm Wedding, Sanctuary

UMW Sunday, March 10 8:30 am Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary 9:15 am Coffee & Donuts, Gholson Room 9:45 am Contemporary Worship Service, Chapel 9:45 am Sunday School Classes 11:00 am Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary 5:00 pm MYF, Youth Room

Monday, March 11 9:00 am Prayer Team, Parlor 11:00 am Chair Yoga, Thorpe Bldg. 5:30 pm Youth Fundraiser Dinner, Thorpe Bldg.

7:15 pm Men’s Bible Study, Gholson Area

Tuesday, March 12 7:30 am Biscuit Eaters Group, Room 203 10:00 am Men’s Life 10:30 pm Circle 2, Parlor 1:30 pm Women’s Life 4:30 pm Disciple Bible Study, Room 207 6:00 pm Cub Scouts, Thorpe Bldg. 7:00 pm Disciple Bible Study, Room 207 7:00 pm Boy Scouts, Thorpe Bldg. Wednesday, March 13 7:00 am 707 Group, Thorpe Bldg. 11:00 am Chair Yoga, Thorpe Bldg. 12:00 pm SAM Council Mtg, Thorpe Bldg. 5:30 pm Children’s WOW Activities (5:30-6:45) 6:30 pm Chancel Choir 7:00 pm Sweets & Scripture, Youth Room Thursday, March 14 7:00 am 707 Group, Thorpe Bldg. 9:00 am Brunswick Port Tour 10:30 am Final Words Bible Study, Room 207

Friday, March 15 7:30 am Men’s Bible Study 4:00 pm Wedding Rehearsal, Sanctuary 6:00 pm 10 Buck Dinner (Mere Christianity), Thorpe Bldg.

CHURCH STAFF

REV. TOM JONES, Pastor– tom@stsimonsumc.com REV. RICHARD SOPER, Associate Pastor– richard@stsimonsumc.com KEVIN LAMB, Director of Music Ministries- kevin@stsimonsumc.com JENNIFER MEYERS, Director of Family Ministries- jennifer@stsimonsumc.com ANNE FRAZIER, Church Administrator- anne@stsimonsumc.com CAROLYN HAMILTON, Financial Secretary– carolyn@stsimonsumc.com JO ANN HURLEY, Membership, Publications- joann@stsimonsumc.com MARY BRITTAIN, Preschool Director- maryb@stsimonsumc.com HOLLY LAMB, Contemporary Music Associate– hlamb92@gmail.com PATRICK JETER, Youth Coordinator– JeterPatrick@gmail.com JORDAN TIPPETT, Pianist– jordan.tippett@gmail.com

This is a Stephen Ministry Church