705 E. University Dr. Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone #: 956-383-2515 [email protected][email protected]rosarodriguez217.rr @gmail.com CONTACT US EL BUEN PASTOR UMC EL BUEN PASTOR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH—EDINBURG, TEXAS We’re on the Web! Www.elbuenpastorumc.com/ OFFICE HOURS: Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Extended Hours on Tues., Wed., & Friday 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. Secretary Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. SUNDAY: Sunday School 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Worship 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon WEDNESDAY: Wonderful Wednesdays 6:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. *Trusted Con Confianza Webinar Training on 02/10 from 9 a.m. - noon at First United Methodist Church in Mission. *Rev. Piña and Pastor Norma will be in San Antonio for a mandatory Clergy Convocation on 02/15 & 02/16. *Finance Team Meeting on 2/18 after church. *Rev. Piña and Priscilla Patterson will be in Kerrville from 2/19-2/21 for Board of Ordained Ministry interviews. *Culto Unido will be at La Trinidad UMC in Pharr at 6:00 p.m. on 2/25. For Newsletter Article: Contact: Priscilla R. Patterson @ [email protected]February 2018 ******************************* Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 Know Your Ministry Training 4 10:00 am Super Sunday 11:00 am Worship Service Communion 5 UMM/UMW MEETING @ 6:00 PM 6 Choir 7 Wonderful Wednesdays 7:00 Rev’s Class & Confirmation 6:00 8 Coffee With the Pastor Bible Study 10:00 AM 9 10* Trusted Con Confianza Webinar Mission @9 11 10:00 am Super Sunday 11:00 am Worship Service Soup-er Bowl 12 UMM/UMW MEETING @ 6:00 PM 13 Fat Tuesday Fellowship 7:00 PM 14 Ash Wednesday Service 7:00 PM 15* Coffee With the Pastor Bible Study 10:00 AM 16* YAM 7:00 PM- Midnight 17 Rummage Sale 18* 10:00 am Super Sunday 11:00 am Worship Service *Finance 19* UMM/UMW MEETING @ 6:00 PM 20* 21* Wonderful Wednesdays 7:00 Rev’s Class & Confirmation 6:00 22 Coffee With the Pastor Bible Study 10:00 AM 23 24 25* 10:00 am Super Sunday 11:00 am Worship Service Culto Unido 26 UMM/UMW MEETING @ 6:00 PM 27 28 Wonderful Wednesdays 7:00 Rev’s Class & Confirmation 6:00 February 14th is recognized as “Valentine’s Day” the day of friendship, love and romance. Each year, people from around the world exchange gifts, flowers, candy, cards with special messages showing the other person how much they mean to them; me included. Statistics show that about sixty-two percent of Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day. It is during this celebration that one billion greeting cards a year are sent out. This is more than any other holiday with the exception of Christmas. It is said that billions of dollars are spent during this festivity and many single couples get engaged. A lot of activity going on in one day! I believe that we don’t have to wait for Valentine’s Day to feel loved. I believe that the Bible is a love letter, a greeting card sent to us by the One who loves us unconditionally; our God. In this Holy Book we find how much he loves. He loves us to the point of death; He gave his only son to die on the cross for our sins. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16 (NRSV). It is his love that brings us into a relationship with him and he adopts us and calls us “his children”. “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are…” 1 John 3:1 (NRSV). Rev. Isidro Piña A WORD FROM OUR PASTOR The Shepherd Newsletter El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church Edinburg, Texas FEBRUARY 2018 In This Issue: Children’s Ministry 2 New Lent Study Youth Fundraisers Fat Tuesday Noisy Coin Offering 3 Webinar Training Safe Gatherings 4 EBP Remind Messaging Setup Information 5 Treasurer Report 6 February Birthdays & Anniversaries 7 February Calendar 8
EL BUEN PASTOR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH—EDINBURG, TEXAS
We’re on the Web!
Www.elbuenpastorumc.com/
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday thru Friday
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Extended Hours on
Tues., Wed., & Friday
2:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Secretary Hours:
Monday - Friday
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
SUNDAY:
Sunday School
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Worship
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
WEDNESDAY:
Wonderful Wednesdays
6:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
*Trusted Con Confianza Webinar Training on 02/10 from 9 a.m. - noon at First United Methodist Church in Mission. *Rev. Piña and Pastor Norma will be in San Antonio for a mandatory Clergy Convocation on 02/15 & 02/16. *Finance Team Meeting on 2/18 after church. *Rev. Piña and Priscilla Patterson will be in Kerrville from 2/19-2/21 for Board of Ordained Ministry interviews. *Culto Unido will be at La Trinidad UMC in Pharr at 6:00 p.m. on 2/25.
For Newsletter Article: Contact: Priscilla R. Patterson
gifts, flowers, candy, cards with special messages
showing the other person how much they mean
to them; me included.
Statistics show that about sixty-two percent of Americans
celebrate Valentine’s Day. It is during this celebration that one
billion greeting cards a year are sent out. This is more than any
other holiday with the exception of Christmas. It is said that
billions of dollars are spent during this festivity and many single
couples get engaged. A lot of activity going on in one day!
I believe that we don’t have to wait for Valentine’s Day to feel
loved. I believe that the Bible is a love letter, a greeting card
sent to us by the One who loves us unconditionally; our God.
In this Holy Book we find how much he loves. He loves us to the
point of death; He gave his only son to die on the cross for our
sins. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so
that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have
eternal life. John 3:16 (NRSV). It is his love that brings us into a
relationship with him and he adopts us and calls us “his children”.
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called
children of God; and that is what we are…” 1 John 3:1 (NRSV).
Rev. Isidro Piña
A WORD FROM OUR PASTOR
The Shepherd Newsletter
El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church
Edinburg, Texas
FEBRUARY 2018
In This Issue:
Children’s
Ministry
2
New Lent Study
Youth Fundraisers
Fat Tuesday
Noisy Coin Offering
3
Webinar Training
Safe Gatherings
4
EBP Remind
Messaging Setup
Information
5
Treasurer Report 6
February Birthdays
& Anniversaries
7
February Calendar
8
Page 2 The Shepherd Newsletter
It seems like we blinked and the month of January was gone before we could really start the fun. EBP KIDZ met only twice this month. The weather did not help, although we did enjoy being able to stay cozy inside our homes while it was close to freezing outside. The times we did meet, we started preparing for the month of February. The children were introduced to the bible scripture that will be our focus for this month—John 3:16. They are enthusiastically practicing for an upcoming Valentine’s Day presentation. They will be going out into the community to visit and pray over the students at UT-RGV. As well as begin work on the community garden. We can’t wait to see what God has planned for us –Martha Olivarez
Our troop has learned about recycling and the importance of taking care of the world that God has given us to live in. They brainstormed and came up with the idea of recycling the church bulletins after Sunday Service. They have placed a container in the back lobby where you may drop off your bulletins. They will be collecting that as well as emplty plastic water bottles. They will then visit the City of Edinburg Recycling and Educational Center to drop them off. Your help with this is greatly appreciated.
Cookie Booth Sale on February 25th
We appreciate all the support that the congregation has given to our
Girl Scouts during cookie sales. This will be the last opportunity to
get girl scout cookies until next year. Make sure to stock up—
2/14 Ruben Garza Socorro Gutierrez 2/15 Isaac Reyes 2/16 Michael Lopez 2/19 Aaron Alvarado 2/20 Rick Gallardo 2/21 Debra Ramirez 2/24 Minerva Garza Ismael Garza
2/26 Daniel Flores Amy Gonzales Cynthia Moreno 2/27 Adriana Paz
Page 6 The Shepherd Newsletter
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Page 3
What holds your attention and occupies your mind? If you discovered the answer was your cell phone, online gaming, or Facebook, you could give it up for a week if you wanted to, right? But if challenged to do so, would you? What if saying “yes” to this challenge of letting go brought you closer to God? Take a journey of self-discovery and learn how the power of release brings great gain in this seven-week adult study for Lent. Designed to be used by individuals and small groups, each chapter offers questions for reflection and discussion, a brief prayer, and a focus for the week. Cost of books is $10.00...for more information, or to order your book, contact Pastor Norma.
New Rio Texas Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adult Safety Policy
The members of the Rio Texas Conference approved the new Child, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults Safety Policy at the 2017 Annual Conference. This policy will go into effect immediately following the close of Annual Conference 2018. Current Safe Sanctuary certifications are good until then.
The Rio Texas Conference has formed a new partnership with Safe Gatherings- an online tool that will help streamline the Safety Certification process for our conference. Safe Gatherings provides screening (references and background checks) and part of the training for the Rio Texas Trusted con Confianza certification process.
Anyone interested in working with ministries involving children, youth, and vulnerable adults must take part in upcoming Safe Gatherings trainings under Trusted con Confianza offered by the Rio Texas Conference. There are three steps that need to be taken in order to receive your certification:
1) Create an account with Safe Gatherings at www.safegatherings.org (There is a $10 fee)
2) After you create your account, fill out the application, and view the online training.
3) Complete the Rio Texas Conference Trusted con Confianza training. This can be completed by attending the free training being hosted at First UMC in Mission on Saturday, February 10th from
9 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. You must register prior to this event at http://riotexas.org/safetrainings
The Rio Texas Annual Conference is committed to the well-being of every person entrusted to its care as well as those persons entrusted to the care of the districts and local United Methodist Churches throughout our conference borders. Therefore, we will strive to create safe places for all of God's children. Our safety policy and procedures helps us to do this holy and hard work. Contact Pastor Norma or Emmy Cerda for more information.
