The Church With The Warm Heart

The Aldersgate

Aldersgate United Methodist Church www.aldersgate.ws Volume 33, No . 6 March 26, 2017

Heartbeat

Palm Sunday, April 9 Join us in all our services for the celebration of Palm Sunday. Children will sing and process with Palms at the

Bread & Traditional Worship Services. Start your Holy Week with this celebration of our King!

Maundy Thursday, April 13 7:00 pm- Sanctuary

On this night Christians remember the supper Jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion, when Jesus

washed the disciples feet and instituted the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. This service includes readings, music,

foot (or hand) washing, communion and the stripping of the altar to remind us of the abandonment and loneliness

of Jesus experienced during the long night in Gethsemane. You are also invited to join us at 5:45 for dinner. (see

more info inside).

Good Friday, April 14 7:00 pm -Fellowship Hall

The “Way of the Cross” is a modern adaptation of an old Christian tradition dating back to the fifth century. This

service prepares us from Easter by allowing us to journey with Jesus during his final hours. The service consists of

Scripture readings, art, reflections, prayers and music that guide us from the moment Jesus is condemned to death

until he is laid in the tomb.

Easter Sunday, April 16 Sunrise Service

6:30am in the outdoor worship space

Join us in the outdoor worship space for singing, prayer and preaching as the sun rises over Green Mountain.

There are several benches provided. Feel free to bring your own lawn chair as well. A fellowship breakfast of

biscuits and sausage, juice and coffee will be served in the Fellowship Hall.

Manna Service 8:30am

We will enjoy a traditional service of Holy Communion with special music to remember Jesus' triumph over the

grave.

Bread for the Journey 9:45am Fellowship Hall

Our contemporary service is led by the 3X Grace Band. Join us as we celebrate the risen Lord.

Traditional Worship 11:00am Sanctuary

Our traditional worship service will include a special brass ensemble, percussion and handbells to help us celebrate

our Risen Lord!

Sunday School will be at 9:45am

Butterfly release in Sunday School and Worship

Aldersgate United Methodist Church is seeking

a part-time Children’s Director.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about sharing Jesus Christ with chil-

dren from birth to 5th grade and their families and providing opportunities for them

to grow as disciples as well as reaching beyond the walls of our church to touch the

lives of children in our community.

Please email resume to Sherill Clontz at sclontz@umcna.org

Older Adult Ministries

Evergreens April Lunch

Thursday, April 6

11:00 Disciple Center

Spring Salad luncheon

Join us for a spring salad potluck lunch. Bring your favorite salad to share. After our lunch, we have

an estate planning lawyer to speak. Please let Lydia know by Tuesday, April 4 if you are attending.

lydia.locke@aldersgate.ws or 256-883-9062.

Speeders Breakfast

Friday, April 7

8:30 Blue Plate on South Parkway

No reservations, just come enjoy great conversation over breakfast. We had over 20 last month and

hope you will join us!

Caterpillars are Here!

Our caterpillars have arrived! We are excited to watch our caterpillars go from very tiny to

big/fat, chrysalis and then beautiful painted lady butterflies! We will have butterfly release

as part of all worship services on Easter and Sunday School!

Camp Sumatanga

June 18-23 - Elementary 2

All 3rd - 5th graders are invited to join us for a week of camp at Sumatanga. You will live in a family

group and lots of options to try new things and make new friends. During the week we have swimming,

canoes, fishing, low ropes, mountain hike, crafts, music, games, wampoline, worship, singing, archery,

wood working, and much more!! You register on line at www.sumatanga.org. Lydia Locke, Rachel

Sparkman Allison and Joshua Allison are the deans for the week. Our summer interns will also be at

camp.

Palm Sunday, April 9

KidsGate Kids will be singing in both 10:30 services. Please wear your KidsGate shirt. We look

forward to hearing our children share in worship.

Sunday, April 9

5:00-6:30 Fellowship Hall

What could be more fun…..flashlights and eggs filled with treats!! Please bring a dozen plastic eggs

filled with treats when you come. A flashlight is a must & a container to hold all your eggs. The

church is filling eggs as well. If you would like to fill eggs, hide eggs, bring a snack or lead a craft, let

Kirsten Briggs know. kirsten.briggs@aldersgate.ws or 256-883-9062.

Rummage Sale

Our 24th Rummage Sale was a success. We raised over $6,000 for youth missions. Thank you

to those that donated items, sorted and priced, worked the sale and helped clean up.

Emma, the youth and I appreciate your help.

Kathy Weathers

Hope on Wheels

Monday, April 10

2-4 cooking

4:30-6:15 serving

Start your holy week serving our community! We will be serving a hot casserole, salad,

and fruit.

UMW NEWS

The following are our circle meeting times.

All women are welcome for fun, fellowship and a program.

Susannah Circle: Thursday-April 20 9:30am at the Disciple Center

The Mission of the Month for this circle is Community Free Clinic.

For information call Patsy Doty 256-881-9039 or Christie Thompson 256-536-4320

Deborah Circle: Thursday-April 20 7:00pm at the home of Emily Blevins (2707 Gaines Road).

This circle collects personal hygiene items for the group homes in Madison County.

For information call Rita Friday 256-883-8487 or Christy Kindred 256-883-9269

Attention Parents and Graduating Youth:

This is the list the church has for our soon to be graduates. If your name is on the list and you

no longer attend or you have been left off the list, please contact Rita Friday 256-883-8487 or

rlwfriday@gmail.com or the church office 256-883-9062. The UMW and church are beginning

to plan for the senior breakfast and recognition on Sunday May 21st.

2017 High Graduates List

Tyler Andrews, Samuel Becker, Savannah Bonner, Glen Burson, Sophie Ciaccio, Mallorie

Davis, Cailin Foster, Delena Fowler, Joshua French, Nina Grigorian, Cala Hatcher, Bonnie

Henrikson, Jonathon Hubbert, Kaley Johnson, Tate Kennamer, Evan Lake, Rachel Lee, Ashley

Martin, Danny Sapp, Hannah Scott, Andrea Searcy, Lauren Smith, Katie Snodgrass, Adam

Sparks, Taylor Thorington, Aimee Yost, Jennafer Zimmerman

PRAYER CONCERNS Health: David Carlton, Alice Bunnell, Peter Sapp, Donald Zimmerman, Joan Hutson, Lori

Dalton, Barbara Windsor, Carolyn Ottman, Mary Beth Bocking, Madison Wood, Judy Hodge,

Kent Haugen, Bill & Marla Blanton, Martha Gean, Peggy Watt, Ina Fay Carroll, Krista Conner,

Leslie Gates, Emma Jane Frederick, Bill Connell, Robert Stanley, Leslie Peterson, Cindy Taylor,

Carolyn Hall, Jim Maddox, Kathy Konyha, Susan Moran, Patsy Wells, Carol Everitt, Max Rowlette, May

Lyle, Belinda Rogers, Nancy McSwain, Terri Defebo, Erin Bowers, Hank Oprinkski, Tammy Good, Wendy

Kirk, David Nichols, Jordon Cox, Norma Westmeyer, Marta Nading, Wilma, Dalton LeRoy, Doug McVey,

Diane Boustead, Shirley Evans, Holley Nowell, Cheyenne Goodman, Connie Hannaford, Mark Black,

Jeanette Glover, Nancy Jones, Evelyn Colcord, Jim Shivers, Patty Williams, Hope Williams, Pat Mollet, Sally

Looney, Doris Finley, Kevin Sapp, Cynthia Smith, Sherlyn Ann Calob, Ann Parent, Randy McDonald, James

Brumit, Betty Horne

Other: Laurette Smith, Jamie Berg, Rebecca Burke, Shannon Watts, Sympathy to Beth Young & family in

the loss of her brother Carl Hayle.

April 2nd is Bread Sunday.

Please bring loaves of bread for the Salvation Army to be delivered by the Canteen

Crew when they serve the homeless on Sunday night. Place the donations on the

shelves in the Narthex.

Dinner on Maundy Thursday - April 13

5:30-6:45 Fellowship Hall Enjoy a wonderful meal before the service and help children attend camp Sumatanga this

summer.

Menu: Stuffed baked potato, salad, bread, beverage and assorted desserts. Cost is

donations to camp scholarship ministry. Reservations by calling 256-883-9062 or

lydia.locke@aldersgate.ws.

On behalf of Heart of Christ Ministries in Honduras, thank you very much for your generosity and

support. Donations received during the January Mission of the Month, and in February, during Lee

Murphree's visit, have been significant in getting the Children’s Home closer to completion.

In addition, following his visit, Lee shared with us how blessed he felt to be welcomed so openly and

warmly by the congregation of Aldersgate. These are both examples of Aldersgate sharing the love

of Christ with our neighbors.

Thank you so much!

Jim and Kim Shivers

April Mission of the Month:

Reaching Indians Ministries International (RIMI)

RIMI’s mission is to reach the unreached people groups in

India, South Asia, and around the world with the gospel of

Jesus Christ, especially the poor and marginalized including

Dalits, rural women, and slum children.

Established in 1993, RIMI’s key program areas are:

(1) Evangelism and Church Planting,

(2) Leadership Development, and

(3) Compassion Ministries.

These programs are primarily delivered through RIMI’s India partner ministry, Mission India, a non-profit

organization based in Nagpur, India. Mission India operates Mission India Theological Seminary (MITS)

and oversees a network of over 1,000 indigenous missionaries, 28 Bible schools, and 14 Mercy homes

serving over 500 children.

We are involved in improving health awareness

through various medical training seminars and a

100 bed hospital in Nagpur. We are also estab-

lishing village English medium schools, provid-

ing employment opportunities through economic

empowerment, and providing vocational training

for poor and marginalized people.

This year about 500 students will be trained to

become tomorrow’s influential leaders for trans-

forming South Asia and beyond.

Gifts to the Mission of the Month in April will help support RIMI’s God-sized dream to:

* Equip 100,000 Christ-like Leaders

* Establish 20,000 Disciple-making House Churches

* Care for 10,000 Children

* Transform 100,000 Communities

Dennis Clements, our Director of Music currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Board for RIMI and has

known the Founder, Dr Saji Lukos since 1994.

Learn more about RIMI @

http://rimi.org/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC94f_jRld710FUMKpB6yJ8A

Hospitality Initiative begins Easter Sunday We are excited to announce the launch of a new Hospitality initiative beginning

Easter Sunday! We have a wonderful opportunity to serve and share

Jesus as the church with the warm heart when guests visit Aldersgate –

especially for the first time. We want everyone who walks through our doors to

experience the loving welcome of Jesus Christ and what better time to launch this

effort than on April 16, Easter Sunday! Traditionally, we associate Hospitality with

being a warm, welcoming, and friendly church, and that is important, but we also need to make a

more focused effort to create a culture of hospitality - making real connections with our guests and

perhaps even renewing and reinforcing connections between our own members in new ways that can

be joyful, passionate, and fun. We’ll have Ushers, Greeters, Worship Service Teams and Welcome

Center Teams all joining together to support this effort. Watch for more details to

follow soon!

We will hold a formal Hospitality Training on Sunday, April 2. If you currently serve as the chair of

a committee, or as an usher, or simply have a heart for creating an environment of

hospitality, mark your calendar for April 2 from 12-2:30! We’ll even feed you! Contact church office

by Wednesday, March 29 if you plan to attend!

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

4/01 Lori Henrikson

4/01 Drew Hummer

4/01 Ashlyn Smith

4/02 Tracy Sams

4/02 Ben Estes

4/03 Amy Nowakowski

4/05 Lisa Cole

4/05 Scot Jeziorski

4/05 Molly Hall

4/06 Jeff Williams

4/07 Jim Martin

4/07 Rita McVey

4/07 Thomas McGilvary

4/07 Rachel Lee

4/08 Tracy Wiley

4/09 Shari Macpherson

4/09 Drew Wiley

4/10 Beth Young

4/10 Patty Dalton

4/11 Dixie Sims

4/11 Janet Harris

4/12 Joan Hutson

4/12 Allen Bacskay

4/12 Christina Morton

4/13 Nancy Papadopoulos

4/13 Debbie Searcy

4/13 Matt Albritton 4/13 Adam Hoekenschnieder

4/13 Molly Jamison

4/14 Karen Cotton

4/15 Morton Combs

4/15 David Ezell

4/15 Jayna Buchanan

4/16 Virginia Davis

4/17 Jessica Childress

4/18 Lotta Brown

4/19 Lisa Sams

4/19 Zachary Krieger

4/21 Rhoda Peddycoart 4/21 Mary Ellen Davidson

4/21 Ron Weinland

4/22 Jerry Sumners

4/22 Brenda Albritton

4/23 Bill Friday

4/23 Mike Moody

4/23 Bill Murph

4/23 Adam Horne

4/23 Bryan Schlessel

4/23 Hudson Wiley

4/25 Sally Looney

4/25 Aric Oberle

4/25 Courtney Sparkman

4/25 Kaitlin Beard

4/25 T.J. Firman

4/26 Mike Seibert

4/27 Ron Smith

4/27 Dee Holmes

4/27 Leslie Graham

4/27 Kelly Moody

4/28 Al Frazier

4/28 Jerry Harris

4/28 Dave Hannaford

4/28 Megan Robinson

4/28 Michael Allen

4/29 Faith Shivers

4/29 Wade Hummer

Thank you! Kim and I want to take this opportunity to say a huge, “THANK YOU!” to our friends and church

family at Aldersgate for your prayers, your generosity, and the support you have shown our family

during these past couple of months. Cancer is a scary interruption to life, but we know that our Lord and

Savior Jesus Christ is walking with us on this journey, shattering the darkness with His Light! The love

you have shown our family is a perfect example of this. Thank you so much for all you have

done. Your continued prayers are welcomed as we being the next phase of this journey.

Kim & Jim Shivers

Pastor - Rev. Sherill Clontz Associate Pastor– Rev. Brant Butler Pianist/Organist - Rebecca Bundy Contemporary Worship Leader - Dennis Cornelison Director of Music - Dennis Clements Director of Youth Ministries - Emma Tuttle Director of Discipleship & Assistant to the Minister - Lydia Locke Director of Children’s Ministries- Director of KidsGate Choir-Kirstin Briggs Office Manager - Jessica Johnson Financial Manager - Wendy Sampson Facilities Manager-Bob Davidson

Newsletter Deadline: The next newsletter deadline is

Sunday, April 9

Submit information to:

jessica.johnson@aldersgate.ws

Pastoral Care If you have or know of a pastoral care

need, please notify the church office or

any of the pastors. The Pastor on Call

will provide or direct the appropriate

caring response.

Pastor on Call Schedule:

Mondays & Thursdays

Sherill Clontz (256) 508-3760

Tuesdays &Wednesdays

Lydia Locke (256) 426-0070

Friday - Sunday:

March 31-April 2 Brant Butler

April 7-9 Sherill Clontz

Stewardship Ending February 2017 Income YTD $117,222.95

Expenses YTD $119,037.46

Difference YTD ($1,814.51)

YTD Total Building pledges

$179,967.10

Current Loan Balance $127,788.69

Worship Attendance Date Total

3/19 314

3/26 316

CHURCH OFFICE

Closed:

Monday-April 17th

Monday-May 29th

Beginning May 30 till July 31

8:30-1:00