Cutler Ridge United Methodist Church

February 6, 2010:  Saturday:  Church Wide Work Day  8:30am and 12:30 pm

Februaray 7:  Sunday  8AM  Men’s Breakfast

9:15 Adult Sunday School

10:30  Worship Service    “Souper Bowl Sunday”

February 8:  Monday  Communittee Ministry Team Meeting  7PM (Annex)

February 9:  Tuesday  Craft Group  9AM-Noon (Annex)

Bible Study @ Starbucks 7PM

February 10:  Wednesday  Food Pantry  4:30-5:30

Youth Group 6PM  (Main Moon Buffett)

Choir, 7:30

February 14:  Sunday 9:15  Adult Sunday School

10:30  Worship

11:30  UMW General Meeting (Fellowship center)

February 16:  Tuesday  UMW Luncheon  Fellowship 10:30  (Room 101)

Bible Study @ Starbucks  7PM

Preschool Board Meeting  7PM (Annex)

February 17:  Wednesday  Food Pantry 4:30-5:30

Choir, 8:00

Ash Wednesday Service 7PM

February 18:  Thursday  Preschool Open House 9:30-11:30  Fellowship Center

February 20:  Saturday  Scrapbooking  9AM  (101)

February 21:  Sunday  9:15 Adult Sunday School

10:30  Worship

Church Pot Luck Lunch 11:30

February 22:  Monday  Trustees Meeting 7PM (Annex)

Joy Fellowship  7:15  (Jan’s)

February 23:  Tuesday   Craft group 9AM-noon  (Annex)

Bible Study @Starbucks 7PM

February 24:  Wednesday  Food Pantry  4:30-5:30

Youth 6:00

Choir 7:30

February 27:  Saturday  SHARE Pickup 8-11AM

February 28:  Sunday  9:15  Adult Sunday

10:30  Worship

Hello!
I’m pleased to report that we had a successful Winter Flea Market and supply drive for Haiti this past week. Between the preschool and church donations, we were able to fill four vehicles full of relief supplies and delivered them to South Dade Haitian UMC on Monday. And our hard working volunteers raised $1300 for the church budget through the Flea Market. Also serving during the Flea Market, our Health Ministry volunteers did 75 blood pressure evaluations! We hope this new ministry will continue to be a blessing and make a personal impact on those in our community. Congratulations and thank you to everyone!
For our last week in the FaithQuest series we will be talking about Peter, specifically the episode when Jesus walks on water to the boat where Peter and disciples are and asks to come out too. When Peter does, he is overwhelmed by the mounting waves and he begins to sink into the troubled waters. Jesus lifts him up and asks Peter, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” I encourage you to read this passage in Matthew 14: 22-33 for there is much to speak about faith in this passage. What stands out to you? The miracle itself or Jesus’ actions before the miracle? The fear of the disciples or Jesus’ words to “not be afraid.” The fierce wind or Jesus’ outstretched hand?
Yes, there is much to consider in this passage…there’s a word in it for each one of us on a faith journey, no matter where we find ourselves. For Peter a key to his FaithQuest is the opening question: Lord, if it is you, then ask me to come to you on the water. And Jesus simply replies: Come. I hope you hear Jesus’ invitation in your own life…to come to him. And I hope you will come to worship this week and we meet Jesus together as his disciples.
Peace, Pastor Amber

•    Another Baptism & Confirmation Q&A will be held Thursday night at 7pm in Room 101. If you are interested in either one of these opportunities, please come and hear some basic information and expectations from Pastor Amber. If you cannot attend, please contact Pastor for another time.
•    Newsletter folding team is asked to assemble Feb/Mar newsletters this Friday at 10am. Thanks for your help, ladies!
•    SHARE food packages will be distributed this Saturday, 8-11am in the Fellowship Center.

Dear Friends,

Greetings! Thank you for your generous support to UMCOR for relief in Haiti. Our mission box offering on Sunday was over $1300, and you may continue to give to this effort through our church (simply designate “Haiti”) in coming weeks. Read below for more information on relief efforts.

For the last two weeks, we’ve been talking about people in the Bible who found faith. First, we read about Bartimeaus, a blind man, and talked about how often God is “right in front of us” before we even can see him or recognize him. On our “faith-quest,” our goal is to see God’s beauty and grace in the ordinary things of life. Last Sunday, we met Job, a man who endured great suffering. He hurled many questions—and a few insults—toward God and began to wonder if God even cared or heard his cries. God showed up and redeemed Job’s questions for greater faith and bought back Job’s pain in exchange for peace. I asked if you could trust God with your questions and pain. It’s not an easy prospect, facing God, but it’s how we move along in our faith.

This Sunday, we will look at Gideon in the Old Testament. I encourage you to read Judges 6-7 if you’re able (and you’ll be caught up with the children on the story). Basically, Gideon feels too small, too inexperienced, and too unsure to be confident—or have faith—that God is going to use him to deliver Israel from its enemies. We’ll talk about the next step in our faith quest—accepting the assignments that God gives us with confidence, not in ourselves, but in the Lord’s strength.

Finally, a special word about the Flea Market this Friday and Saturday….As usual volunteers have been working hard to sort the many donations. Wednesday is the last day to bring items to the Fellowship Center. I am also very pleased that our Health Ministry is able to offer FREE blood pressure screening BOTH days from 8am-12noon. And back by popular demand a kids’ play corner! If you have any old coloring books, please bring those as donations (we will cut out any unused pages).  Now, please take a minute to read the other announcements below.

Peace, Pastor Amber

·         CRUMC is still collecting the following items for Haiti relief: rice, black beans, cooking oil, water, sugar, clothing, toiletries. Please bring donations to the church office or Rudy Hall.

·         After the Flea Market we will take any extra clothing and our collected relief supplies to South Dade Haitian UM Mission in Homestead. Sturdy boxes are needed for packing items. If anyone has a pickup truck/SUV and can help on Sunday or Monday please contact the church.

·         Please submit any Newsletter arcticles/announcements/events by Monday, Jan. 25. Our newsletters will cover 2 months now! So, let us know what’s going on for February AND March.

·         Coming Soon will be both Baptism and Confirmation classes. Pastor Amber will hold 2 info sessions for both these opportunities: Tuesday, January 26 at 9:15am and Thursday, January 28 at 7pm. Please RSVP so we can have the right amount materials prepared.

·         As you pray for Haiti and its recovery, please also keep in prayer the church groups and missionaries caught in the earthquake too. Two United Methodists have died from injuries, a laywoman from Dallas and an UMCOR official. Also, we know teams from Indiana churches who were there lead by a seminary friend of the Massingills.

To help the Haitian people, after yesterday’s devastating earthquake, donations can be made to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief).  Please designate funds for Advance #418325.  For additional information please go to http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/

Starting Sunday, January 10, 2010 Pastor Amber will begin a series of sermons “Faith Quest” about people in the Bible who found faith.  This week’s sermon is called “Seeing God”, about Bartimaeus, a man who wants to see God.  Feel free to read along in your Bible, Mark 10:46-52.

Dear Friends,

At the beginning of a new year, it seems like many people set off to find something that’s been missing in their life: exercise, travel, self-control, romance, order, etc. Some may even set off to find—or deepen—their faith in God. For those who are really serious about their goals and aspirations, a quest begins. Some question that begs to be answered; some skill that wants to be mastered; some place that calls out to be seen. Quest is defined as an “act of seeking,” “an adventurous journey,” and “an investigation.”

All of these could apply to faith, a mysterious and lovely part of what it means to be a human. Many of us have questions about God we’ve always wanted to ask, or a desire to explore what our gifts are or to discover something exciting God is doing in the world. But a quest is never easy; it usually comes with obstacles and challenges, ups and downs. When we look at the Bible, we see it doesn’t take a hero to start a “faith quest.”Indeed most of the people with great faith-explorations are ordinary folks like you and me.

For the next month, we’ll look at some of those people. Just like you and I, they all have their own faith quest- one hinges on a special moment, one ensues because of tragedy, one is an outright adventure, and another seems like a failure at times. Please feel free to read along in your Bible and to follow in the e-devotionals. This week we’ll be talking about Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52, a man who wants to see God.

Have a great week!

· The 2010 Leaders Orientation has been postponed to Thursday, Jan. 14 at 7pm. All who are serving on committees and teams are asked to attend! Be looking for a letter in the mail with details.

NOTE: At that time we will discuss meeting times and events for 2010…Team Leaders please be prepared to submit dates to the office for the master calendar by the 14th. Thank you.

· Just a reminder that our office hours have changed: M,W-F 10am to 3pm; Closed Tuesdays. Pastor Amber is still available on Tuesdays and can be reached via phone and email if she’s not in the office.

Greetings!

I hope this week’s devotion finds you and your loved ones filled with hope and love as Christmas Day is just two days away! On Christmas the church traditionally reads John 1: 1-14, poetic words about the Incarnation. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Word and Light are prominent images in John 1, just as in the story of Creation in Genesis 1.

And, for sure, lights are a centerpiece of Christmas, literally many have candles on their tables or around the house. We light extra candles at church. We decorate the outside of our houses with lights (well, others besides the Massingills do.) Even our Jewish neighbors celebrate the “Festival of Lights.” The Bible, as our Christmas carols remind us, declares Christ is the True Light, the glory of the One and Only.

What does light mean for us in age and nation where electricity runs our world?

Like our car headlights… Light guides our path.

Like a handy flashlight in a storm…Light illuminates unknown, treacherous places.

Like a draftsman or artist’s work light…Light allows us to be effective and creative in our work.

Like my kids’ nightlight…Light reveals that which is real versus that which is merely shadow or illusion.

Light gives us comfort, confidence, knowledge, and security. Christ is the True Light of the world and every soul in it. “In him was life, and that life was the light of men (Jn 1:4).” How is the life of Christ your light? Do you need Christ to dispel the darkness for you this Christmas? Is Christ shining through you to the world around you? Do you need Christ to reveal what’s really Real in your life? This is what Christ came into the world to do. Jesus Christ can be Light in your life. And we can be thousands of points of light, as the church together sharing the blessing of Light. This is my Christmas prayer for us.

I encourage you to read John 1: 1-14 this Christmas Day by yourself or with your family. Please join us for Christmas Eve service at 7pm with Candlelight and Communion. There will be nursery care and activity bags for the children to use during the service. If I don’t see you, have a safe and Merry Christmas!

~Peace, Pastor Amber

From The Pastor-

Goal Oriented or God-Oriented

Rev. Amber Massingill

The start of the new year is notoriously the time when people make New Year’s Resolutions. Perhaps you’re one of those people. Perhaps it works for you. It doesn’t work for me. Unless I have partner to push me to exercise it doesn’t happen. Unless relatives come for a visit, I don’t finish that home project.

Or, perhaps, you’re like me. Although I never watch t.v., I think get tunnel vision. Especially with small children, you’re life can be ruled by the “tyranny of the now.” Those goals can wait.

In the bible I have found a good prescription for my lack of goal-making…and keeping. God seems more interested in vision than in goals. I don’t mean the mysterious dreams that come during sleep usually with mess-enger angels. But a wake-up-call-to-the-future. Vision is given by God; goals are made by humans.

So, this New Year ask God “What is your vision for my life this year, Lord?” The same question is being asked by the church. God may have something specific to tell you—like when He told Noah how to build the Ark or He may simply paint an inspiring picture to get movitvated—like He described a new Jerusalem to an exiled Israel.

The Vision may not look much like the present, but God is the One who is capable of bringing us there. We do not hope for what we see, but for what is unseen.

Yes, your home…your health…our church will need to make “goals” or take steps to reach that Vision, but God is the One who directs our steps. Don’t just have a Happy New Year; have a God-oriented New Year! ▪