The Newsletter of Bellaire United Methodist Church

The Vine ISSUE 52.1 January 13, 2016

Dear Friends,

More than once you have heard me speak of the importance of reading scripture. We know that in scripture we meet God, whose grace can change us in real and powerful ways. If you already have some sort of daily scripture reading plan, I encourage you to continue in that discipline. If, however, you don’t have a routine when it comes to reading scripture, I hope that 2016 will be the year that you incorporate one into your life.

Throughout the course of this year, we as a church will be looking for ways to engage more deeply with God’s word through scripture. A first step in that endeavor begins this Sunday, January 17th. In worship, we will start a four-week teaching series on the Letter to the Philippians. It’s a short letter — only four chapters long — so we’ll have the opportunity to dig deeply into God’s message for us today.

Above, you see the text of Philippians 2:5-11, a brief passage from the letter that we often refer to as the “Christ Hymn.” In it, Paul calls us to be like Jesus. This hymn will take center stage in our study of Philippians, and I think what we will discover is that this book — if we let it sink deep into our souls — will help us live a little more like Jesus.

I invite you to open your Bible or your Bible app right now and begin reading Philippians 1. It will take you no more than just a few minutes, and we will talk in depth about it at our Sunday morning worship services.

If you have been thinking that this year is a year you would like to read your Bible more often, now is your chance! I am excited about exploring this piece of the scriptures with you. As always, if there is anything I can do to be helpful to you, please feel free to email me at sduffin@bellaireumc.org or call me at (713) 666-2167.

In Christ,Pastor SeannSenior Pastor

Day of Service at Benavides Elementary SchoolSaturday, January 23 | 9:00am-12:00pmJoin us as we seek to be good neighbors in a new partnership with Benavides Elementary school. Our focus in this day of service will be helping students with reading, m a t h e m a t i c s , w r i t i n g , a n d s c i e n c e s k i l l s a n d comprehension. If you can help, please contact Pastor Jim at jlove@bellaireumc.org or (713) 666-2167.

Have a Heart for Others Dinner and Live AuctionSaturday, February 20Save the date for this spring’s Have a Heart for Others Dinner and Live Auction!

Along with the Fall Fun Festival, this event raises money for area charities and serving ministries of Bellaire UMC. From caring for the elderly with Alzheimer’s to feeding the hungry, these vital funds make a difference in our community!

So come out, have a great time, and party with your church family for a good cause!

We need your help! Do you have donation ideas for the live auction? Please share them with Fay Peters. Sunday School classes: start thinking about your one of a kind, super fun auction items.

February 20 will be here before you know it!

If you think you would like to help out in any capacity however small, please contact Fay Peters at 832-524-8173 or email at adafay1944@yahoo.com

Thank you, Bellaire UMC for your generosity in this year’s staff Christmas gift. It is a privilege to be in ministry here, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside you as your church staff. As always, if we can assist you with anything, please call the office at (713) 666-2167.

Please Note: The church office will be closed on Monday, January 18th.

Men’s BreakfastTuesdays | 6:30am | Tapester’s GrillJoin the men of Bellaire UMC for a time of study and fellowship every Tuesday at Tapester’s Grill. Contact Kenneth at kspeters@bellaireumc.org for more information.

Youth and Kid’s ActivitiesRegular weekly youth ministry programming will begin again on Wednesday, January 20. Junior High students meet from 5:30-6:30, food and fellowship is from 6:30-7:00, and Senior High students meet from 7:00-8:00.

Kid’s music will also begin again on Wednesday, January 20. God’s Children Sing meets at 5:00 and Kid’s Choirs meet at 6:00.

Bethlehem Village 201510th AnniversaryFollow-upThank you again volunteers for making Bethlehem Village a huge success this year. Our final number for people who registered for the tour was 1002! This number does not include people who went directly to the manger and didn't take the whole tour. Our guests registered with census forms, filled out questionnaires and signed our guest books, all part of the VCI program. After the event, Rev. Love used this information to send them a thank you note and an invitation to our upcoming Christmas services.

Thank you for the extra cookies we requested at the last minute - we had plenty? We were surprised to learn on Thursday December 3rd that we would have over 24 Bellaire High School FFA students volunteering Friday and Saturday night to earn service points. They were great help, working with the animals and the tour. Some even dressed up in costume. We hope they return next year.

New this year in the sanctuary, guests not only had an opportunity to pray, but also to watch a short music video. This was a nice addition. We also had new music books for the Sing-A-Long. Did you like the new selections?

Both our pastors became shepherds for the event. Did you recognize them? We really appreciated them stepping in to help us. Great job!

We will have new leadership in 2016 for our Bethlehem Village Steering Team. Our team leaders will step down after the January follow-up meeting.  It's been 10 years and it's time.  Please pray for the right person or persons to fill the spot!

We hope you had a Merry Christmas and have a Joyous New Year.

-Your Bethlehem Village Steering Team

Ted and Gabrielle Pate, Jack and Sue Ann Compton, Robbie Roach, Sharon Little, Roland and Cynthia Oberlin, Liz Martin, Susan Scott, Sally Adkins, Jackie Milhoan, Alan Hemann, Claude and Linda Eckert, Laurie Husmann, Nancy Poblenz, Bill Bowman, Ellen Bell, Gary and Kim Flaharty, Steve Smith, Rhonda Sampiere, Margaret Miller, Jordan Payne, Michelle Hutchinson, Rev. Jim Love

Contact: Tom and Sandra Williams via tandswms@att.net

Galveston Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather ServiceWednesday, January 20 | 8:45am | DickinsonWe are going to tour the Galveston Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service in Dickinson, followed by lunch, on your own, at Kelly’s Country Cooking Restaurant (Do they ever have good food!!). We tried this earlier in the year, but bad weather created too many emergencies for them to take time to give us a tour. We are trying again. Our tour is at 10:00am which means we need to leave the church by 8:45am to allow for the 610 Loop traffic. The tour is an hour and a half and is FREE. Sign-up sheets will be in your Sunday School classes, or you can call Tom & Sandra at 713-703-1153, or email us at tandswms@att.net.

Bible Trivia AnswerThe Flood covered the Earth for five months.

Texas Trivia AnswerDon’t squat with your spurs on because you may sit down on the sharp point of the rowel, which is the name of the small toothed wheel at the end of a Texas cowboy’s spur.

Bible TriviaWho pulled Lot out of the city of Sodom?

Texas TriviaWhat is the name of the oldest and last battleship that served in both world wars?

“Sage” Sayings “It gets late early out here.” Yogi Berra

Mystery RambleWednesday, February 17 | 10:00am -2:00pm | ????Join us for a late morning outing and lunch at “You don’t know where.” This will be a very local and unique event (at no cost to you) from about 10:30 to noon, followed by a pleasingly filling lunch, on your own. (Be sure to bring cash for your lunch). You will see and learn things and meet people that the general public doesn’t get to do. We are not expecting to have to do very much walking, and we will be indoors out of any weather. The bus will leave the church at 10:00am and return about 2:00pm.

San Jacinto MonumentWednesday, March 9 | 9:45am-3:30pm | San JacintoHow about a trip to the San Jacinto Monument? When was the last time you visited the site of the battle that won Texas its independence from Mexico. We’ll miss Texas Independence Day, March 2, by a week, but we can still have the spirit. We will dine at the Monument Inn nearby at about 11:00 am first and then tour the San Jacinto Monument site, see the exhibits, take the elevator up in the monument, etc. Lunch will be on your own. The tour of some of the special exhibits is $12. The bus will depart from the church at 9:45 am. We may be about 3:30 getting back to the church.

Stockings for Foster KidsThe Community Service Group stuffed 24 stockings for the kids living in the CPS shelter on Chimney Rock.  The kids received them on Christmas morning!

Lynnlea, Charles, Emma, Mollie, Kelley, Humberto, Anita, Charles, Robert, Chelsea, Thomas, Eugene, Hope, Betty, Tania, Jeffrey, Casey, Larry, Geraldine, peace on earth, those that are ill, Janet, Russ, Men’s Ministry, Andrew, those traveling, Joyce, Tammy, Luke, Charles, the youth of BUMC, Luz, Sarah, Alexci, Shana, Eddie, Craig, Alex, Elias, Olivia, Clara, Georganne, Annetta, Stephanie, Mary, Jake, Kyle, Diana, Robbie, BUMC, our community, Debbie, Nick, Claude, the Harris Center, St. Joseph, Juan, August, Emma, and Luke, ministry in 2016, Kim, Ryan, Katy, Van, Margaret, the Hendersons, the Garraways.

In the hospital:Mary Ann C. - Memorial Med CenterT.K. Kielman - St. Luke’s

..................................................................................Rev. Seann Duffin Senior Pastor....................................................................................Rev. Jim Love Associate Pastor.................................................Beth Jurovcik Director of Music & Worship Arts

.....................................................................Margaret Miller Director of Education.........................................................Jordan Payne Director of Student Ministries

.....Kenneth Scott Peters Director of Contemporary Worship & Connections.............................................Rhonda Sampiere Director of Weekday Ministries

.............................................................................Elizabeth Lloyd Business Manager.......................................................................Becki Flores Administrative Assistant

......................................................................Denise Johnson Nursery Coordinator

...........................................................Whitney Joseph Building Staff Coordinator

9:00am Contemporary Worship in the Sanctuary10:05am All ages Sunday School Classes 11:11am Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary 11:11am International Worship in the Chapel

Bible Study with Pastor LoveGod’s Children Sing

DinnerJunior High Wednesday Night

Kids’ Chimes and Kids’ ChoirMen’s Bible Study

Women’s Bible StudyPrayer Partners

Senior High Wednesday NightSanctuary Choir Rehearsal

4:00pm5:00pm5:30pm5:30pm6:00pm7:00pm7:00pm7:00pm7:00pm7:00pm

Staff Sunday Schedule

Wednesday Schedule

Bellaire Prays for

THE BELLAIRE UNITED METHODIST NEWSLETTER

USPS 048-820 is published semi-monthly by Bellaire United Methodist Church.Periodical postage paid at Bellaire, Texas.POSTMASTER: Send address change to, The Bellaire United Methodist Newsletter, 4417 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire, TX 77401, 713-666-2167; FAX 713-663-6397.

Second Class Postage Paid at Bellaire, TX 77401

4417 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, Texas 77401

www.bellaireumc.org

713-666-2167

Bellaire United Methodist Church