Mon t h l y N ews l e t t e r o f K e i t h Memo r i a l UMC »

The mission of Keith Memorial United Methodist Church is to be a nurturing congregation, growing in faith and discipleship,

witnessing to God’s work in our lives and our world and reaching out to others in service and love for Jesus Christ.

423.745.2612 » information@keithumc.org » www.keithumc.org

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Stewardship “I will be loyal to the United Methodist Church and uphold it with

my prayers, my presence, my gifts, my service and my witness.”

@keithUMC www.facebook.com/KeithUMC KeithUMC

With our Presence: With our Prayers: Sunday School: 138 147

Traditional Worship: 55 146

The Gathering: 257 (combined) 207

Total Worship: 312 357

April 19 April 26

Please remember all members who are homebound, as

well as those who are hospitalized or living in a skilled

care facility.

May 2015 May 10 May 17 May 24 May 31

Acolytes

8:30 a.m.

Kennedy Armstrong

10:35 a.m.

Madison Burke

Matthew Pledge

8:30 a.m.

McCall Willis

10:35 a.m.

Riley Shankle

Connor Solsbee

8:30 a.m.

Matthew Pledge

10:35 a.m.

Andy Sullins

McCall Willis

8:30 a.m.

Fallon Jones

10:35 a.m.

Jonah McDonald

Keely McDonald

2s & 3s

Nursery Melissa Rhodes Cindy Mishtal Joyce Rutland Jona Garrett

Children’s

Church Brandi Armstrong Morgan Fesmire Melissa Rhodes Cindy Mishtal

Greeters

8:30 a.m.

Shirel & Carolyn Grimmett

10:35 a.m.

John & Rita Ramage

The Gathering

Shawna Hart

Tim Womac

10:35 a.m.

Carlton Ealy

Pat Christopher

The Gathering

Rymer Family

8:30 a.m.

Scottie & Lisa Mayfield

10:35 a.m.

Eddie & Faye Morris

The Gathering

Hulslander Family

8:30 a.m.

Jay & Susan Carter

10:35 a.m.

Jack & Ann Underdown

The Gathering

Brown Family

Ushers

Richard Leamon

Stuart Sullins

Mike Bevins

Harold Masengil

Chris Liner

Tom Hamilton

Ben Riden

Rob Davis

Ronnie Vinson

Hal Buttram

George Cinci

John Ramage

David Ray

Trey Sullins

Larry Rhodes

Curtis Crafton

Darrell Dumont

Carter Runyan

Bob Whaley

Donut

Church

May:

Horizons Class

June:

Adult Bible Class

July:

Parlor Class

August:

Wesley Class

UMW Gift

Card Sales

May:

Susanna Wesley

June:

Catherine Keith

July:

New Circle

August:

Broyles/Sullins/Wilkins

With our Service:

Soon it will be time for the members of the Corner Class and Tri-County Center to attend Celebration Camp at Camp

Lookout. This annual event includes a week full of fun, learning, singing and praising God. For many years, Keith

Church has offered scholarships to assist anyone in this group wanting to attend camp. The cost to

attend is $335 per person. If you would like to assist our church in continuing this wonderful tradition,

send your donation to the church with Celebration Camp on the memo line. Any amount is helpful and

greatly appreciated!

You’re InvIted Please join us for a reception honoring The Harrison Family

Sunday, May 17, 9:30 a.m., Activity Center during Donut Church

As it was announced Sunday, April 26 in all three services of Keith Church, transition will soon take place as we say goodbye to the Harrisons and welcome the Graybeals.

We were all sad to hear of the new appointment for Ty Harrison, senior pastor, and his family. His influence and teachings while at Keith will certainly be missed. We wish them only the best at Alcoa First UMC.

On Sunday, July 5 Dave Graybeal and his family will join us as this will be Dave’s first Sunday as senior pastor at Keith Church. Below you will find a brief bio from Dave. We know that you will join us in welcoming the Graybeals and making them feel at home. Dave Graybeal I was born, baptized and raised in Marion, Virginia, where we were very active at First UMC. My father was an attorney and a Sunday school teacher for many years; he passed away in 1994. My mother Anne is a retired elementary school teacher who still volunteers in the Marion school system and with her circle at church. I have an older brother Dan who lives in Ithaca, NY.

I went to college at Emory & Henry College, one of our Holston Conference colleges (along with TWC), where I majored in Philosophy and Psychology. I graduated in 1995. I also sang in the Concert Choir and played on the tennis team all four years.

After working for two years as an admissions counselor at E&H, I started seminary at Candler School of Theology at Emory in Atlanta, where I met and eventually married my wife Tracy Gartmann, who is originally from New Jersey. After graduating in 2000 with my Master of Divinity degree, I served a one-year internship with the British Methodist Church, serving five churches in Penzance, Cornwall. Upon returning from England in 2001, I was appointed as associate pastor at Keith Memorial, where I served for three years with Revs. Stella Roberts and Mike Hubble. In 2004, I was appointed to serve the Englewood-

Mars Hill circuit in McMinn County. After four years there, I was appointed in 2008 to serve St. Mark in West Knoxville.

Tracy and I are very much partners in ministry. She has taught Sunday school classes and led children's music. She also has a passion for playing handbells. She has worked in higher education administration at Candler seminary and Maryville College, and now she is a resume consultant on an individual appointment basis in addition to volunteering at the boys' schools.

Tracy and I have two boys, both of whom were born at the Athens hospital. Noah is 11 years old and will be going into sixth grade this fall. Wesley is nine and will be going into the fourth grade. Wesley was diagnosed at birth with cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition which affects his respiratory and digestive systems, and we have been managing his care through East Tennessee Children's Hospital, and he is doing very well with all of his medications and treatments. Both boys are very active in church (Sunday school, children's choir, as acolytes, etc.) and in sports (soccer, basketball, etc.).

We also have adopted two rescue dogs, Tiptoe (a mix) and Bentley (a basset hound).

We are excited as we anticipate returning to serve in ministry at Keith Memorial UMC!

Welcoming the Graybeals 527 Brooktree Road Knoxville, TN 37919

Send a note or card to welcome the Graybeals back to Keith Church

A Season of Transition

Keith Youth youth.keithumc.org

) ( _____

The names of members and friends listed made

contributions to the Memorial Fund or the fund specified

in memory of the names listed in bold.

The Youth of Keith Church participated in the “Cardboard

Cities” fundraiser, in support of local and global

missions, April 24-25. Youth members chose a charity to

support, found sponsors, then spent a night and day of

going without some common comforts so others in need

may have these things.

This fundraiser was a success with more than 21 youth

participating and 11 adults assisting. These youth

members raised $510 for Grace & Mercy Ministries, $225

for World Vision Ministries and $175 for Feed My Starving

Children. They also worked to pack enough food during

the Feed My Starving Children event to feed 94 children

for one year.

Additionally, $800 was raised by youth members planning

to go on the mission trip to Guatemala. The Guatemala

team from Keith Church includes Rick, Lea Ann and Sadie

Arbuthnot, Anna Luttrell and Cabrina Pascarella. They will

leave May 23 and return May 30.

Special thanks to Jim & Allyson Kirkland, Jennifer Walker,

Marty Pascarella, LeAnn Liner, Tim Womac, Austin

Fesmire, Rick Lay, Denise Cunningham, Jenna

Riemenschnieder, Zach Smith and Shawna Hart for their

assistance with the fundraiser!

Summer activities for the children of Keith Church

have been scheduled. Please sign up and complete

all required forms in the church office. Events this

summer include:

» Saturday, May 30, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.: Camp

Lookout Children’s Day (Rising Fawn, Ga.)

» Monday, June 15, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.: Jump Jam

and lunch (Knoxville)

» Tuesday, June 30, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.: Lunch and ice

skating at Cool Sports (Knoxville)

» Sunday, July 5, 5 - 7 p.m.: VBS kick-off dinner and

water slide (Keith Church playground)

» Monday, July 6 - Friday, July 10, 9 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.:

G-Force VBS

Preschool & Children’s Programs

» The UMW General Meeting will take place Tuesday,

May 12 at 11 a.m. in Ensminger Hall.

» Join us at the monthly meeting of any of our six Circles:

Broyles/Sullins/Wilkins ........ Second Tuesday, 10:15 a.m.

Catherine Keith .................... Second Monday, 10:30 a.m.

Dana Higgins ........................ Second Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

Jewell .............................................. Second Friday, Noon

Susanna Wesley ...................... Second Tuesday, 11 a.m.

New Circle ............................. Fourth Thursday, 6:30 p.m.

News

THANK YOU

EVENTS The UMM invite all men of Keith Church to

attend these upcoming events:

Monthly Meeting & Church Work Day, Saturday, May 9, 8 a.m., David Conley will speak, contact Bill Tindell for more information

Prayer Breakfast, Tuesday, May 26, 8 a.m., Shoney’s of Athens

For more information about UMM events, contact Terry Ulm at 744-8120.

Mission Opportunities at Keith

Martha Lou Armstrong

Dwain & Sally Ealy

Charlie Myers (Choir)

Paul & Barbara Ketron

Jewell Sterchi (Music)

Paul & Barbara Ketron

Carter Runyan

» Guatemala Mission Trip

Several members of the Keith Youth are traveling to

Guatemala on a mission trip leaving Saturday, May 23. This

mission is collecting uninflated sports balls and used eye

glasses in good condition (a part of “Glasses for the

Masses”). If you would like to assist with this mission, bring

your donation to the church office and place it in the box

labeled “Items for Guatemala.” The deadline for donating

any items is Friday, May 15.

» Annual Conference Missions Offering

Bishop Dindy Taylor has issued a call to all congregations in the Holston Conference to commit our time and 2015 Annual Conference Mission Offering to children in poverty in the Holston Conference. She is challenging every person who worships in every congregation to commit themselves to $10 and 10 hours of service on behalf of Children and Poverty in the Holston Conference.

The offering will be collected at Annual Conference in June, but we will take up a special offering for this

mission at Keith on May 24.

All funds collected through this offering will be available to be used in all 12 districts of the Conference to support new and existing ministries, such as Nourish One Child, that address children in poverty.

» Hands-On Mission Project

The Cleveland and Morristown

districts have been challenged

to collect 400 food buckets to

be distributed to those in need

in Liberia. Our goal was to fill

50 buckets and we are

please to say that we have

reached our goal! We are

not limited to 50 buckets, so please continue to bring in

your items by Sunday, May 31.

To complete one food bucket, we need the following supplies:

1 bag sugar (4 - 5 lb.)

1 bag rice (2 lb.)

1 bag dried beans (2 lb.)

1 box powdered milk (9 oz. or less)

1 box oatmeal (18 oz. or less)

1 bottle cooking oil (48 oz. or less)

2 cans (total) meat: ham, spam, or tuna

$10 for the cost of the bucket and shipping (Make check payable to Keith Memorial UMC and turn in to office)

Save the Date for VBS 2015: July 6 - 10

Dear Sisters & Brothers,

I want to say thank you for hosting our Holy Week Services

and opening your doors and hearts to the community. We

appreciate all of your energy, efforts, and ecumenical spirit.

Special thanks to Ty for helping on short notice with

Tuesday’s service.

Special thanks to Will and the Gathering Band for leading

us in our Sunrise Service.

God bless you all for the blessing you have been to us.

Yours in Christ,

Les Rust

KCA Pre-Registration Going on Now

Pre-registration for Keith Children’s

Academy’s summer and fall programs -

Parents Day Out and preschool, is going on

now. Applications and information about the

programs are available in the

church office. If you have

questions or would like

additional information, contact

Tracey Hicks, KCA director, at

745-2612 or

thicks@keithumc.org.

NOURISH ONE CHILD RECEIVES GRANT Nourish One Child, an outreach ministry of Keith Church that

provides food bags to more than 200 children of Athens City

Schools for the weekends, received a $5,000 grant from

Variety Children’s Charity of East Tennessee and Regal

Cinemas in April. We are grateful for organizations such as

these for their continued support, which enables us to meet

the needs of hungry children in our area.

Also, through a partnership with the Chattanooga Area Food

Bank, we were able to purchase more than 4,000 lbs. of

food (pictured

below) at

discounted prices

for the program.

Many thanks to all

of the volunteers

who help make

this ministry

possible.

Pick Up A Baby Bottle If you would like to support Full Circle Women’s Services

of Athens, please pick up a baby bottle and fill it with your

spare change. The bottles may be found in The Gathering

and outside of the sanctuary beginning Sunday, May 10 -

Mother’s Day. Please return them to the church by

Sunday, June 21 - Father’s Day.