NewsAugust 20, 2017

SUNDAY, AUGUST 208:15 a.m. Living As, Iris Room9:00 a.m. Family Sunday School: Godly Play, Parker Hall11:30 a.m. Multicultural Fellowship, Parker Hall11:30 a.m. Congregational Care lunch, 1245:30 p.m. Sanctuary choir party, TBD

MONDAY, AUGUST 215:30 p.m. Finance Committee, 202

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2310:00 a.m. Companions in Christ: Way of Discernment, Iris Rm.5:15 p.m. Midweek at Belmont meal, Community Center6:00 p.m. Pops Concert, Community Center6:00 p.m. Outreach Ministry Team, 2016:00 p.m. Youth discussion group, 3rd floor6:00 p.m. Yoga, Parker Hall7:15 p.m. Sanctuary choir practice, choir room

THURSDAY, AUGUST 248:00 a.m. Women’s Centering Prayer Group, 124

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2510:00 a.m. Parent and Child Music Group, 2135:30 p.m. Youth leave for choir retreat at Hillmont Camp

SATURDAY, AUGUST 265:30 p.m. Youth return from choir retreat at Hillmont Camp

SUNDAY, AUGUST 279:15 a.m. Family Sunday School: Blessing Breakfast, PH11:30 a.m. Sanctuary choir officers, 1241:30 p.m. Carillon Ringers rehearsal, 226

This week at Belmont UMC

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Joys and Concerns

We believe every person is of sacred worth and created in God’s image. We commit to Jesus’ example of inclusive love, care, and intentional hospitality with persons of every race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, faith story, physical or mental ability, economic status, or political perspective. We respect our diversity of opin-ion and expressions of faith. Therefore, as God loves us, so let us love and serve in the name of Christ.

Gifts That Change Our World:Education

Program for August 23: Pops Concert, Community Center. Menu: Adults and youth: Tarragon chicken with cream sauce, spinach salad, lemon risotto, and dessert. Vegetarian option: Quinoa stuffed mushrooms with cream sauce. Children: Lemon chicken penne pasta.

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Meharry Medical College is a part of the United Methodist Church Black College Fund and receives support from BUMC’s apportionment gifts. Nicholas Conley, a recent Me-harry graduate from Nashville, is able to pursue a career in serving the underserved be-cause of Meharry’s support. Source: Tennessean June 21, 2017 Apportionments are the part of Belmont’s UMC annual bud-get that goes to support shared ministries like the Black Col-lege Fund by adding our gifts to

those from other UMC churches in Tennessee and throughout the

Out of the hospitalIrene MartonSusan SalleyChristian sympathy is extended toCathy Turner, Tucker and Robert Read, Woody, Jennifer, Maddy, and Harry Turner in the death of their husband, father, and grandfa-ther, Bill Turner.

MemorialsMARY JO IRBY

Donors:Dot Ann Barrick

Sara BoyceHelen Ewers

Jean FoxMarie NowellAileen RogersJudy Stubbs

Patricia WardFern Webster

Executive Committee, UMWMARY GOODRICH

MARY JO IRBYDonor:

Harbison Fellowship ClassELEANOR GEWEKE(Herb Mather’s sister)

Donor:Graham-Inquirers Class

Pastor Paul’s prayer for Charlottesville

Lord, as they hoist hateful flags, does the blood drawn by the bondsman’s lash still cry out from Charlottesville’s ground? Jesus, you hung upon that tree, enduring the mob’s taunts, the politician’s calculations, and the preacher’s silence; forgive

us for locking doors and avert-ing our eyes. Give us ears to hear the fears and frustrations of those targeted by hate. Bring us courage to live into our bap-tismal vows resisting evil, op-pression, and injustice. Give us

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Gifts That Change Our World: EducationContinued from page 1

Heart, soul, mind, voice Continued from page 2

Pastor Paul’s prayer for CharlottesvilleContinued from page 1

world. Belmont’s budget includes our apportionment askings, but pledges do not cover our entire amount. We are asking you to make a one time gift between now and August 31 to support these shared ministries. You can email (mark@belmontumc.org), visit the web site (belmontumc.org search online giving), text (BEL-MONT CHANGE to 73256), or call the church (615-383-0832). Thank you for considering a gift that will CHANGE OUR WORLD by training health care professionals like Nicholas to make a difference in their communities.

from 9:15-10:00 a.m. in the choir room and a retreat August 25-26. If you’re interested in ringing in one of our four handbell choirs, please contact Gayle Sullivan (sulli-van@belmontumc.org) for a sched-ule and choir placement.

wisdom, compassion, and the resolve to reclaim our misguided youth caught in a web of racist lies. Come Holy Spirit, empower us to live the Gospel: marching the path of peace, hearing hurts, finding harmony, speaking truth, loving neighbors, welcoming strangers, advancing justice, providing sanctuary, defending the oppressed, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and offering re-demption to enemies, so that Your blessed community may arise in us and Your will be done on earth as in Heaven. Amen.

Upcoming Worship ServicesTwelfth Sunday after Pentecost August 27, 2017Paul Purdue preaching 8:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. worship services.Darren Wright preaching 10:30 a.m. wor-ship in the Community Center.8:15 a.m. - Communion in the chapel9:15 a.m. - Sunday school 10:30 a.m. - Worship in the sanctuary10:30 a.m. - Worship in the Community Center (in Karen, English, and Thai)Scripture lessons: Exodus 1:8-2:10; Psalm 124; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20

Sunday school classes collecting the of-fering for August: Simplicity, Covenant, Seekers

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Children’s choirs resume Wednesday,

August 30!

Midweek at Belmont kicks offthis Wednesday!

If you are a child three-years-old through 6th grade, we have a choir for you! Our four graded children’s choirs meet on the 2nd floor, each Wednesday, from 6:15-7:00 p.m. Also, for those children in 5th and 6th grades, Children’s Chimes meets at 5:40 p.m (before choir in the handbell room above the sanctuary). For more in-formation, contact Amy Cooper (amy@belmontumc.org).

Midweek at Belmont is an opportunity for all ages to gather for a meal (at 5:15 p.m.), followed by spiritual growth pro-grams (from 6:00-7:00 p.m.). This season will kick off on Wednesday, August 23, with the pops concert, a program of secular music presented by some of Belmont UMC’s fine mu-sicians. This event in the Community Center will be entertain-ing for all ages and begins at 6:00 p.m. Meal reservations for August 23 are due by 9:00am on Mon-day, August 21, and can be made in four convenient ways: 1. Complete the online reservation form at belmontumc.org (click on “Connect” at the top of the homepage, then “Mid-week at Belmont” on the drop down menu); 2. Check “I want Midweek dinner reservations” on Sunday’s worship atten-dance pad (be sure to include the number of adults/youth/chil-dren on the lines provided); 3. Call Anne at church, 615-383-0832 (leave a message at extension 49 after business hours); or email Anne (ahoback@belmontumc.org). Go to belmontumc.org for meal pricing and menus. Make plans to join this opportunity for midweek fellowship with your church community.

Flower arranging fun!Reading scripture: Attending to God’s

wordThe Holy Scriptures of the Bible comprise the memory bank of our faith. From scrip-ture, we remember who and whose we are as children of God and disciples of Jesus. Scripture reminds us of why we are and how we are to live. Like a work of art, scripture speaks for itself, inexhaustibly. We, the readers, bring ourselves to scripture seeking to be radically open to its divine depths. Read-ing scripture with spiritual companions allows us to commune with one another and with God. Beginning Wednesday, August 30, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. in Room 124, facilitators will host Wednesday evening companion reading groups through the fall. The format is simple: welcoming, cen-tering in God’s presence and praying for God’s illumination, reading the text and meditating on it, then sharing what we no-tice from the text. In concluding, we will ponder how the text speaks to us and how it will inform our going forward. Come join us. Attend to God’s Word.

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Don’t know how to set a pretty table for a dinner party? Come to the Altar Guild’s workshop on October 28, at 9:30 a.m. in room 124 to get some fresh ideas! We will share light refreshments, learn how to make our tables lovely, hear a few brief announcements, and together arrange the altar flowers for Sunday. All are welcome; come join in the fun. For more information, contact Susan Bradford (su-sangbradford@comcast.net) or Sally Wright (sallysmoot-wright@gmail.com).

UMW Lydia Circle to meet on September 11

The UMW Lydia Circle will welcome Jefferson Furtado to its September 11 meeting at 2 p. m. in the Iris Room. Jef-ferson will share his faith journey with us. This UMW (United Methodist Women) circle strives to uphold the mission statement of the UMW and are women of action focused on improving the quality of life for wom-en and children locally and worldwide. Guests are welcome. If you have not participated in a UMW circle, you are encouraged to come on September 11.

Companions in Christ: The Way of Discernment

Beginning this Wednesday, August 23, plan to participate in this small group spiritual formation experience. This 11-week series will meet on Wednesday mornings in the Iris Room from 10:00-11:30am, August 23 through November 15 (we won’t meet on September 27 or October 18). For more information, contact Heather Harriss (heather@belmontumc.org).

YOU are invited to the All-Church Retreat!

Register in the Iris Room today after worship or on Wednes-days during Midweek at Belmont on August 23 and 30. You can also register online at belmontumc.org. Registration ends Sunday, September 3. The retreat takes place September 22-24. The adult program, Encounters with God Through Story, will be led by Michael Williams. Darren Wright will lead the youth. For more information, contact Jefferson Furtado (jef-ferson@belmontumc.org) or Deborah Arnold (deborah@bel-montumc.org).

Heart, soul, mind, voice It’s time to lend yours to Belmont UMC’s music ministry. Choirs are getting started and we’d love for you to be a part of one of them. Sanctuary Choir, every Wednesday from 7:15-9:00 pm. Open Door Singers youth choir begins August 20 with a gathering

Aging Matters seriesEach month, Aging Matters (formerly the Alzheimer’s Caregiver’s Support Group), will gather to learn more about the com-plexities that aging can present and pro-vide support to one another. We’ll have different speakers each month to guide our conversation and present on a variety of topics. These gatherings will take place on the 2nd Monday of each month from 6:30-8:00 p.m. On Monday, September 11, join us at 6:30pm in room 124 for guest speaker Rev. Elizabelth Knowles-Bagwell, chap-lain at Avalon Hospice. For more information, contact Heather Harriss (heather@belmontumc.org).

Spiritual well being assessment provides great insights

In April and May, 198 Belmont UMC adults completed an assessment of their spiritual well-being and relationship with Belmont UMC. Since approximately a third of our ac-tive members participated, the results provide a statistical-ly valid picture of how Belmonters feel about their church, how their spiritual needs are being met, how they want to be involved, and how their faith is being enriched. These responses can be analyzed by age groups, membership ten-ure, attendance patterns, and family status. This informa-tion will be instrumental to staff and ministry teams as they plan for future programs and ministries. In this next few weeks, key insights from this assessment will be shared in a series of newsletter articles. We hope you will read these articles, and - more importantly - use them to engage with staff and church leaders on how to better serve Christ and others.