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Newsletter>
The Wesley Voice 2007: Vol. 1, Issue 1
December 1, 2007
A Note from Staff/Pastor/Parish Relations
Submitted By: Jay Wansley
The Staff/Pastor/Parish Relations Committee has received
abundant positive feedback regarding the performance of our
new pastor, Rev. Sharma Lewis. We are encouraged about the
future of our church under her leadership, as evidenced by
our increased attendance and rejuvenation of volunteers in
various service areas of the church.
The Staff-Pastor/Parish Relations Committee is the
administrative unit in a local church where staff and
congregational interests are integrated to focus on the
mission of the church.
The “Pastor-Parish Relations Committee (PPRC)” Is truly a
Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) because the
committee relates to all staff, both bishop-appointed staff
and employed staff… The S/PPRC has some of the same
functions of a personnel office or Human Resources
Department in other organizations.
The S/PPRC has primary responsibility to work with staff so
that the mission of the church is realized. The S/PPRC
should have a clear understanding of your local church’s
mission and vision, built upon the mission of the wider
Church.
The S/PPRC works with individuals and groups, including:
The lead pastor
All ordained leaders-both elders and deacons-appointed by
the bishop
The lay staff
The congregation (individually and corporately)
The community outside the walls of your building
The district superintendent
The United Methodist conference and general church staff
Specific tasks for the S/PPRC include:
Explaining the nature and function of ministry to the staff
and the congregation
Conferring with the congregation and the staff/pastor about
ministry direction
Assessing the ministry of the congregation and the
staff/pastor at least annually
Conferring and consulting with the district superintendent
Supporting lifelong learning for all staff (continuing
education)
History & Archives Committee
Submitted By: Simone Morton
Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church continues to create
history as our church welcomes our 26th pastor, Rev. Sharma
D. Lewis. Rev. Lewis is the first female pastor in the 140
year history of our church. Founded in 1867 under the
leadership of Pastor C.A. Kent, Rev. Lewis continues the
legacy of strong Christian faith and leadership. The
History and Archives Committee continues it ambitious
preservation project. New members are welcome to join and
help preserve Wesley Chapel’s rich history for future
generations.
The Archives committee needs membership cooperation.
Continue to search your family’s basements, attics, and
closets as they may contain all kinds of documents,
programs, artifacts, and photographs of our church’s
history. We are accepting donations that pertain to our
church’s history. Current ministries are encouraged to
provide History and Archives with pictures and committee
reports for archiving.
Additionally, the committee coordinates the annual church
anniversary celebration as well as Black History “moments”
during the month of February. Contact the office or members
of the History and Archive Committee to donate items or to
work on the annual church anniversary committee.
Today’s activities become tomorrow’s history!
Memebership Committee
Submitted By: Queen Mahone
Our membership team, and the New Members classes have been
busy– and we love it that way! We wrapped up this quarter
with a superb reception on September the 8th. There was a
wonderful outpouring of support from our ministry
chairpersons, invited guests, and members (new/old). Many
thanks to one of our very own, Pamela McBride, for serving
as our inspirational speaker for the occasion. Fun, food,
and fellowship were enjoyed by all seventy members in
attendance. Many thanks to everyone who helped to make this
program a success. We are also happy to report that long
time members of Wesley attending membership training are on
the increase. For this, we are simply elated! Have you ever
wondered what the differences are between Methodism and
other denominations? How much do you know about the rich
history of Wesley Chapel? What does it mean when we say,
Stewardship, Sacraments and mention the ministries of
Nurture, Outreach, and Witness (N.O.W.)? Do you have any
questions that you just don’t know who to ask? The
membership class is the perfect place for you. The classes
are offered each Sunday morning beginning at 9:30 a.m.
during the Sunday School hour in the church conference
room. Classes are taught in the following order: 1st
Sunday, History of the UMC & the rich History of Wesley
Chapel; 2nd Sunday, (Structure of the UMC &W.C.U.M.C); 3rd
Sunday, Sacraments /Symbols; 4th Sunday, (Stewardship &
Spiritual Growth). Please join us!!!
United Methodist Women
Submitted By: Jennifer Ryan
The United Methodist Women of Wesley Chapel are preparing
to host the District Annual Meeting. This meeting will be
held here, at Wesley Chapel on October 14, 2007. We are
looking forward to seeing as many women of Wesley, as
possible, to come out in support of this District meeting.
Registration and refreshments will begin at 2:30 p.m. and
the program will start at 3:00p.m. As always, you are
invited to join the United Methodist women at anytime. Come
and be a part of a growing group of women for Christ. We
meet every 4th Saturday of every month at 9:30 a.m. The
Daughters of Imani has returned to their structured meeting
times. The young lady’s community project has really taken
off. We are rejoicing over the progress they have made with
their quilts. We know that they are going to be fabulous!
The United Methodist Women and the Daughters of Imani would
like to take this opportunity to thank so many of you, who
have volunteered, prayed, spent time with, mentored, or
whatever contribution you have made to us during our first
year, We thank you for your loyal support!!!
The Nursery & Children's Ministry
Submitted By: Jennifer Johnson
The Nursery & Children Church Ministries nurture children
three months to ten years of age during the eight and the
eleven Sunday morning services. We reach out to all
children with a smile and the fruit of the spirit.. Our
mission is to provide children with a safe, happy, and
healthy environment. We also want parents to feel totally
comfortable leaving their child or children, in our hands
without any worry that they are comfortable and safe.
It is our goal to provide a service that will be
beneficial to your child during the worship service, and
leave you parents to enjoy the worship experience knowing
your child is being cared for and happy. In this way, we
believe that we can help support families spiritual needs.
Please feel free to join our ministry. For more
information, please contact Jennifer Johnson at (770)
957-5493 or Farrie Johnson at (678) 432-0478.
A Prayer For Black Women
Submitted By: Dwight Helton
Lord God I Pray for the Abused Black Woman—the beaten, the
raped, the cheated on, the ignorant, the cast down, the
left behind, the left out the gossiped about, the lied on,
the run over...I Pray that They May—find solace in your
word and joy in your image, seek first the kingdom of
heaven and not the kingdom of this worlds, understand their
position is on a throne and not in submission, know their
calling is to be strong and not weak...MY Plea is
that...low self esteems become confident outlooks, missed
opportunities become second chances, tragedy becomes
triumph, pain becomes constructive, and fear becomes a
stepping stone...My Cry is that...mothers come home and “no
good” companions go away, babies are born as a sign of
being blessed and not as a way of being exposed, and
falling “in love” does not blind eyes from falling into a
trap...I Worry Though that...will not be understood, evil
is alive, popular culture will get in the way of
traditional values, the colonizing affects of dependence
will prevent the healing solutions of independence, and
simply no one will care...We all personally know an abused
black woman. She is our neice our wife, our cousin, our
daughter, our mother, our grandchild, our sister, and our
friend. It seems that many times, while everyone else sees
the destruction they put themselves through—they don’t .
Those who care should not judge them but should know that
like being addicted to cocaine, being attracted to that
which does not uplift can be just as tranquilizing. It is
hard to believe, but suffering can become comfortable. It
can become normal to repeat this vicious cycle hoping for
the possibility of a dead end. Yet, I Know that there is
HOPE because I know that ...Hebrews 11:1 states, Now faith
is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen,” II Peter 3:9 states, The Lord is not
slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering up-ward, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance,” Psalm
123:1 states, They that trust in the Lord shall be as
Mount Zion, which can not be removed, but abideth forever”,
and Psalm 27:10 states, “When thy father and thy mother
forsake me, then the Lord will take me up” ...I Rest
Assured then that - dark nights will turn into bright
mornings, crooked roads will be made straight, sickness
will turn to health, sorrow will turn to song, ugly will
become beautiful, and all disappointment will be
erased...This is why I pray for the abused black woman
because I am resolute that the same God who answered past
prayers will answer our present ones. Trouble does not last
always.
Nurses Guild
Submitted By: Ethel Johnson
The Nurses Guild will be placing Mini emergency kits in all
classrooms, offices, nursery, choir room & kitchen.
The Nurses Guild is planning to purchase a defibrillator
for the church by the end of the year.
If any church ministry or individual would like to help
with this project, you are welcome to do so.
Some 900 people in the United States die suddenly everyday
before they can get to an emergency room. In most cases,
the cause is cardiac-most commonly, a disturbance of heart
rhythm (the heart either stops beating or beats too rapidly
to pump out enough blood to sustain life.
Unless there is someone right there and then who knows how
to resuscitate an unconscious person, the victim dies
within minutes. You should know how to perform
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), especially if you live
or work with someone who has a cardiac history. It ‘s easy
to learn (one four hour session is all you need). Classes
are offered at Wesley by the Nurses Guild. Be sure to sign
up when they are available again.
United Methodist Men Update
Submitted By: Tonja Johnson
During the month of July the United Methodist Men were
blessed to see their vision of having a car show actually
come to past.
We had a total of 25 cars to register and three motorcycles
to enter. God blessed us with a beautiful day and Wesley
Chapel Church family, you blessed us by coming out and
supporting your UMM and our Mentoring Program.
A special thanks goes to Pastor Lewis for the fellowship
and being our judge for this event. Pastor Lewis had an
opportunity to pick: 1. Pastor’s Favorite 2. Best of the
Show. The pastor’s favorite went to Mr. Orville Jennings
who owned a 1957 Volkswagen Beetle. Pastor Lewis owns a
Volkswagen, too! (smile). 3. The Best of the Show went to
Mr. Thomas McClain , who owns a 1972 Chevy Chevelle SS 454.
Wesley, we were blessed to have some of our own members to
enter their cars and took home trophies as well. Mr. Johnny
Mayes, Mr. Herman Ryan, Mr. Randy Brown, and Mr. Veotis
Thomas.
Wesley, on behalf of the UMM and One Man One Boy Mentoring
Program, we would like to thank each and everyone of you
that helped us in any way to make this event a success.
United Methodist Men Transition From Summer to Fall
Submitted By: Tonja Johnson
As we transition from Summer to Fall, the United Methodist
Men schedule picks up a bit. At the end of September, we
will attend the Mens Retreat at Rock Eagle. This year is
going to be a special one for the UMM of Wesley with the
help of Pastor Lewis praying for us, motivating and
encouraging us to attend. We have twenty men signed up and
ready to attend, our goal was thirty men. Wesley, we are to
be proud that one of our own, Mr. John Ellis, who is in the
middle of the planning at Rock Eagle, and is responsible
for the Prayer Line and the Prayer Wall ministry that will
take place on Friday night from twelve midnight until seven
o’clock a.m. This will be headed by our own, Minister
Dwayne Palmer and a support team of Robby Johnson, Tim
McCrae, Frank Cochran, Danny Thomas and Tavares Stephens.
The men are not only doing the Prayer Wall Ministry, they
will also attend the workshops and the worship services on
Saturday, Sept.29th. Finally, in the month of October, we
will get ready for our annual Men’s Day Celebration to be
held on Sunday, October 4th during both services 8 and 11.
This is open to all men of the church. Your participation
is greatly needed!
Our mission: Is to be a supportive fellowship of men who
seek to know Jesus Christ, to grow spiritually, and to seek
his daily will. We meet on the 2nd Saturdays at 9:30 am and
on the 4th Sunday after the 11am service.
More Ushers Are Needed
By: Albert Rounds
Our usher team ensures that each visitor and regular
congregant at Wesley United Methodist Church is greeted
with a friendly smile. Ushers help visitors orient
themselves to our church and assist them in finding seats
in our Sanctuary. Our Ushers also participate in special
events and holiday services at church. We need your help!
An Usher is a servant to the pastor, church staff, and the
congregation. He/she meets their needs so “church” can be
worshipful and without distractions. The purpose is to
share God’s life and show his love through responding,
relating , reaching and reproducing fellowship with
Christ-centered, Bible-based, and friendly people.
Ushering is affected by all four basic functions:
A Smile
Helping Hand
Eye Contact
Word of Welcome
Ushering is an important part of helping everyone to feel
welcome and safe while at Wesley. We need additional ushers
for the coming year. Please join us!
If you are interested in joining this dynamic ministry
team, please contact Al Rounds at (770) 914-9391. We need
your help!!
Make God Real To Your Kids
Taken from Christiany Today
We all want to make God’s love and care real to our kids,
but it can be a challenge. Many of us feel we’re not doing
that great of a job at the most important task facing
Christian parents.
According to Karyn Henley, a child-education specialist,
“kids can learn from direct teaching approach, she says,
but they really learn better in other ways.”
How can we make our children’s spiritual development a more
natural part of family life?
We often think of family devotions as everyone sitting
together to read a Bible and pray. But with young children,
family devotions don’t have to involve reading anything.
Children 5 and under learn best by moving around and
touching things. So, if your kids are preschool age, do
something active for family devotions. Example: Supply
spiritual nourishment at breakfast. “While you’re making
pancakes, tell your kids: “This pancake is round like the
sun, and I know a story where God made the sun stand still”
(Joshua 10:12-15). Then tell that story while you’re making
pancakes. You can even pull the edges of the pancakes out
to make rays coming off the sun. Your Christian faith is
lived out. And your life speaks louder than words you’ll
say. If they see you read the bible regularly, one day they
will sit down with a book. They might hold it upside down,
but they will be pretending to read their own bible.
When we encounter a “teachable moment” in our child’s life,
how can we make full use of the opportunity?
The best way is to use Jesus’ method, which involves
connecting a truth with the listener’s experience. Identify
one of your child’s experiences, verbally connect the truth
to that experience, then challenge the child to think about
God.
What are the kinds of things you can do at home:
Take a pretend trip. Spread a blue plastic tablecloth out
on the floor and tell a story dealing with water, like Noah
and the Ark. Using the full length of the tablecloth,
outline the shape of the ark with masking tape or with
blocks. Have your kids bring their stuffed animals to put
on the “ark” while you tell the story of Noah and the great
flood.” Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church - (770) 957-4728 -- 397 Racetrack Road, McDonough, Georgia 30253
Mailing Address: P.O.Box 1146, McDonough, Georgia 30253-1146
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