WESLEY CHAPEL NEWS JANUARY 2020

Bob Bryan Mike Birchfield Dot Danforth Sara Dean Mary Ann DeMaria Christi Ross Ann Franz Terri Dover Carole Carreker Sue Peters Mary Roper Steve Bowman Paula Burtch David Wold Mary Anderson Lynda Wester Gregory Separk Debbie Kirk (sister of Diana Overdorff) Pat Booth (Mindy Lee’s mother) Darcie Hartford (granddaughter of Ray & Shirley Kalb) Don & Peggy Lantz (parents of Linda Brock) Bill & Phyllis McArthur in the loss of their son (friends of Terry & Terri Dover) Charlotte Christopher (Vera Burrell’s sister) David & Lisa Mangus (Pat Reed) Steve Reed (Pat Reed’s son) Donna Stacy (Joe Stacy’s mother) Jim & Dott Stroud (Marcie Millholland’s parents)

I n his book Revolution, George Barna notes, “We are not called to go to church. We are

called to be the church.” (p. 39) America is full of Christians who are really good at

going to church and doing church. In fact, you don’t have to attend a church for very

long to discover what behaviors are expected when you attend. You can quickly learn how

to “do church” – what time to arrive, what to bring with you, when to stand, when to sing,

when to listen, when to take notes and when to leave. Week after week, month after

month, year after year, Christians everywhere are “doing church” for an hour or so on Sun-

day. Many Christians would tell you that this church experience is one of the most mean-

ingful times in their week. To create mean-

ingful church experiences for an hour or so

on Sunday, pastors and church staff mem-

bers devote an enormous amount of time

and energy so they can be prepared to “do

church” each weekend. Time is spent to

study and prepare sermons, to select and

rehearse music, to print bulletins, to sched-

ule ushers and greeters, to recruit and train

children’s workers, to prepare lessons from

Sunday School curriculum, to provide coffee

and refreshments, to pray for spiritual im-

pact, to invite friends and neighbors and to

clean restrooms.

The focus of all of these activities is to be prepared to “do church” together with other be-

lievers. Every week Christians are authentically worshipping God and being taught His

Word and learning what it means to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus. This is happening

around the world.

However, for some Christians, “doing church” has little impact on the rest of their week.

In Lost in America, the authors state, “Sometimes behavior by those who profess Christ is

actually worse than those who don’t.”

Church is not something to “do.” The church is something to “be.” Missional Transfor-

mation requires a shift from “doing church” to “being church.” While what happens on

Sunday is important, it is not the primary expression of the church. Being the church daily

for the sake of the world is what matters most.

Continued on page 2

“Being The Church”

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY Please join us for Sunday School

10 a.m. | 3rd floor classroom Nursery for children 4 and younger

during Sunday School and the 11 a.m. service

THIS MONTH AT WESLEY CHAPEL

1/6 Basketball practices and games resume 1/9 Girl Scouts, 6:30 p.m. 1/10 Girl Scouts, 3 p.m. 1/12 Men’s breakfast, 7:30 a.m. 1/13 Girl Scouts service unit, 7 p.m. 1/21 Trustees, 7 p.m. 1/23 Girl Scouts, 6:30 p.m.

HERITAGE CLUB LUNCHEON

Thursday, Jan. 16 | noon Gospel/country singer Marc Cave

will be the entertainer.

We are so grateful for the generous love offering given to our families. It is a joy and a privilege to serve you as we work together to answer God’s call in our lives, do His will and spread His love throughout our community. We wish you a happy and healthy 2020, and look forward to what God has in store for us.

- Your Wesley Chapel staff

Parents & confirmands: We will have our first meeting this month. All WC kids: Watch for opportunities to help with our puppet ministry!

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The best way to start being the church

is to first understand what the church is

– and what the church is for. As N.T.

Wright describes, “The church is first

and foremost a community, a collec-

tion of people who belong to one an-

other because they belong to God, the

God we know in and through Je-

sus.” (Simply Christian, p. 210) He

then describes what the church is for –

“The church exists for two closely cor-

related purposes: to worship God and

to work for his kingdom in the world.

You can and must worship, and work

for God’s kingdom, in private and in

ways unique to yourself, but if the

kingdom is to go forward, rather than

around and around in circles, we must

work together as well as apart.” (p.

211)

The church gathered is powerful! Yet

doing church on Sundays is not why

the church exists. Being the church

together in community requires a life-

style of worship and witness that ex-

tends beyond “doing church” corpo-

rately on Sundays. Being the church is

daily! It includes worshipping together,

serving together, loving together,

learning and growing together, praying

together, engaging culture together,

being salt and light together, and so

much more.

Being the church doesn’t stop when

you drive away from the church build-

ing or meeting place. Being the church

doesn’t stop when you walk into your

home or get to work. Being the church

doesn’t stop ever. Once you belong to

God through faith in His Son, you al-

ways belong to His church.

(from Dave DeVries blog, February 2007)

In Christ,

Jimmy

New Year, new you! Our theme for 2020 is Being the Church.

“Christ is building you into a place where God lives through the Spirit.” — Ephesians 2:22

Pastor Jimmy will kick off the new year with his Bible study “The Story Behind the Story,” a look at the background, history, politics and other factors at work before, during and after Jesus. Groups will meet at 6 p.m. Sundays Jan. 12, 19, 26 and Feb. 2, 9 and 16 as well as at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays Jan. 15, 22, 29 and

Feb. 5, 12 and 19. All are welcome!

5 p.m. Sundays WCGym

Invite your friends and neighbors to come with you, and watch for updates

about special activities and events.

LOOKING AHEAD

Get ready for destination UMYFs this month!

There will be a Belize mission trip meeting later

this month — watch for dates.

Souper Bowl Sunday is Feb. 2, 2020.

Start watching those YouTube decorating videos now! We’ll have our annual Cupcake Wars com-

petition in mid-February.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. — Isaiah 43:2

SUNDAY SCHOOL @ 10 in the WCGym | WORSHIP ON THE FRONT ROW @ 11 for 6th through 12th grades. Please do not be late — be considerate of your SS teachers and fellow youth

DRIVE-THRU NATIVITY More than 600 people came out over two nights to hear the story of Jesus’

birth. We couldn't have pulled off this ministry without your prayers, dona-

tions, time and effort. THANK YOU!!!

WC Youth had fun with

the kids at a Happy

Birthday Jesus celebra-

tion and at their party

and gingerbread house

decorating contest.

Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church

4495 Sandy Plains Road

Marie�a, GA 30066

770-993-4919

www.wcumc.info

January 3 Erin Smith

January 7 Kathy Rodenroth

January 8 Shawn Lambousis

January 14 Larry Posey

January 16 Marcella Butler

January 17 Josh McLaurin

January 18 Debbie Hood Sheila Pollina

January 23 Robert Brock

January 24 Meredith Barney Logan Barney Seth Phillips Nash Wright

January 25 Ray & Shirley Kalb

January 29 Tom Fitzpatrick

January 30 Chloe Reed

Contact Us 4495 Sandy Plains Road Marietta, GA 3006 (770) 993-4919 Church.office@wesleychapelumc.com For more information and the daily activity calen-dar, please visit us at www.wcumc.info

Rev. James W. Hood Senior Pastor jimmyhood@wesleychapelumc.com

Marcie Millholland Children & Youth Ministry, Recreation and Outreach Coordinator msmillholland@gmail.com

Kevin Sanders Music Director

Rosalyn Dunn Church Secretary secretary@wesleychapelumc.com

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES