VUMC News - The Vine May 15, 2024

May 15, 2024

Children's Ministry Summer Fun

After a wonderful and busy spring, we are getting ready for an exciting summer! Start the Party Vacation Bible School is up first! The party gets going on June 10th, and it is going to be a great week of celebrating Jesus as the ultimate party guest!

VBS is open to all children who have completed 3K-5th grade. (2K aged children can participate with an adult volunteer.) You can register in Realm; if you have any questions, just email me (rmccurry@vinevillemethodist.org).

I also need volunteers for that week. There are spots open for class shepherds and for station leaders, so please let me know if you can serve that week. And we, of course, love our youth volunteers. If your youth would like to volunteer, just have him/her email or text me (478-361-2717).

It’s going to be a great week!

Save the Date for More Summer Fun

The fun doesn’t end with VBS. Mark your calendars for some more opportunities to get together this summer:

June 26th: Meet Up at the Movies

We’ll meet at Amstar at 9:30 am to watch How to Train Your Dragon.
The cost is $5 and includes a kids popcorn and drink.

July 11th: Wild Adventures

1st-5th graders will head down to Wild Adventures for a day of roller coasters, rides and water park fun.
Cost: $60/person
Chaperones/drivers needed

July 24th: Preschool Fun Day

Preschoolers will get together for a morning of fun. Details to come!

In Christ,

PENTECOST SUNDAY

This is a season of celebration. High school, college and graduate school graduations are in full swing. For those of us in the church this Sunday is Pentecost. It is the birthday of the church and the day that God sent the Holy Spirit into the world. We are God's people, the church, in this place for this time in history. God’s Spirit continues to enliven and empower believers to do the work of God. We gather to remember and to be renewed. We gather seeking a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We gather to celebrate the new life that God offers.

I believe worship attendance on Pentecost ought to rival Christmas and Easter. If we fully understood this day, our services would be standing room only like those other high attendance Sundays.. Think about it – not only did God create us, not only has God come to earth to save us, not only did God raise Jesus from the grave defeating the power of death, not only did Jesus ascend to heaven to make a place for us there, but God has made himself available and present to us with through the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are offered the opportunity to share the inner life of God. This day is a celebration of God's desire to remain intimately connected to you. Your presence will make the celebration better.

As part of our celebration please wear red, yellow, or orange. We want our outward appearance to reflect the inward fire. Nothing will enhance the service more than a crowd of prepared people. Pray for our service. Pray for the church, here and around the world, to be quickened again by God’s Spirit. Remember that on that first Pentecost about 3,000 people believed and joined the church!

PRAYER BREAKFAST CELEBRATES 53 YEARS

In the early 1970’s church, work and family routines were in a season of transition. In 1970 Vineville paused its Wednesday night fellowship suppers. To meet some of the lost fellowship and worship needs, Dr. Frederick Wilson started a Wednesday prayer luncheon. In the spring of 1971, Dr. Wilson initiated another new worship opportunity at Vineville. This was when our Thursday Prayer Breakfast began.

For 53 years this group has continued to meet for fellowship, food, a devotional and prayer. Prayer Breakfast now meets on Thursdays at 7:30 AM in the Dining Room. We are happy to have new folks join us any week, former attendees too for that matter. We hope to have a bigger crowd to celebrate with us on May 23rd. You can call the church or email me (jasbell@vinevillemethodist.org) to help us know how much to cook. Often we have a lighter breakfast, but in honor of the 53rd anniversary we will have eggs, bacon, grits and biscuits. Join us to fill your heart and your tummy!

Peace,

MACON BACON

Are you interested in going to a Macon Bacon baseball game together this summer? Now's your chance to let us know which dates work best for you! To vote on the best dates for you, click the link below. Once a date is decided upon, we'll make an event in Realm with more details where you can RSVP. Voting will close Sunday, May 19.

Vote Here

A MESSAGE FROM A MISSION TEAM MEMBER

The upcoming mission trip in July is an exciting way to go out into the community and help new people outside of Macon. We are looking forward to helping paint, build, and repair houses this summer as well as meet new people and become closer to the church. We will have the opportunity to learn new things and learn how to use many tools while working on the houses alongside friends and family from our church and other churches. Making new friends and becoming close with existing friends will be an amazing part of this trip. We are super excited to go on this trip to help people as well as become closer with the church. Thank you for the support you have given us already through your prayers and donations. Even though you can’t be with us, we hope you will tag-along so we can share this wonderful experience with you when we get back.

-Jon Emory (14) and Siler (12) Hall

“Tag” along with our team

by making a donation to help with our summer mission.

Donations can be made on Realm, through Venmo (@VinevilleMethodistChurch), or at our mission table in the CLC the next two Sundays. Be sure to note: “Hinton Mission” on your donation.

All donations will be recognized with a tag on our mission board in the lobby.

SAVE THE DATE FOR SOLSTICE EVENSONG

God's creation expresses itself in the most marvelous ways, from the rhythm of the seasons to the dances of the cosmos and everything in-between!

Our Chancel Choir will celebrate one of these expressions by offering an Evensong service for the Summer Solstice on Thursday, June 20.

The tradition of Evensong goes back almost 500 years and is a worship experience centered around prayer and music. Our offering will incorporate traditional Evensong elements, seasonal liturgy, and Taize-style worship for what promises to be a meaningful and poignant time of reflection on the longest day of the year. Go ahead and mark your calendars, and I hope to see you there!

SUMMER ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

We are excited to announce our combined Summer Adult Sunday School Series. Starting on June 30th and running through August 4th, we will study Adam Hamilton's new book, Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith. We will gather together in the CLC.

From the cover: "Everyone has doubts. Where is God when bad things happen? Does God hear our prayers? Is there a heaven? How can we know? Often we treat such questions as the enemy of faith. But uncertainty doesn’t mean our belief is lacking. Doubt can be a path to a deeper, richer encounter with God."

WEEKDAY WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

COMMON PRAYER

IN-PERSON & ONLINE

Tuesdays at 7:45 a.m.

Prayer Center

TAIZE

Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.

Chapel

PRAYER BREAKFAST

Thursdays at 7:30 a.m.

Dining Room

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ATTENDANCE

Sunday, May 12

9:00: 106

11:00: 278

Online:

HOSPITAL VISITATION

May 17-19

Jimmy Asbell

478.397.3309

ALTAR FLOWERS

Sunday, May 19

In memory of Mr. & Mrs. R.C. Dunlap Jr. and Mr. & Mrs. George E. Youmans Sr. by their children.

ALTAR GUILD

Harriett Durkee, Joann Edwards, Peggy Edwards, Susan Plaxico

IN MEMORY

David Bartlett Higdon, Sr.

His Family

Nelle Branan Ennis

Cantey Ayres

Susan McDuffie

Tuck and Ginny Wall

Wanda and John Atkinson

Nate Watson

Maddie Henderson Herlong

In Honor

Warren Plowden's 80th Birthday

Jane and Joe Claxton

STAY CONNECTED & GIVING

Send prayer requests to vinevillemethodist@gmail.com.

We have several ways to give to the church. You can mail a check to the church or click here to give online. Thank you for your generosity.

478.745.3331