1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

April 2015
Or Current Resident
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 10
We will be celebrating this as a “Women’s Sunday” with
several members from United Methodist Women assisting
in our Worship Services. We hope you will come and help
us honor all women of CUMC!
1475 Center Road, Venice, FL 34292
941-493-7504 / 888-833-9408
Website: www.christvenice.com
Email: [email protected]
Dear Friends,
We are in the midst of exciting times at Christ UMC! Over the past
year, we have seen an increase in our worship attendance by about
15%. During the season (January-March) both our 9:15 and 10:45
services were full each week and we saw a 51% increase in attendance
at the 9:15 service. On Easter Sunday we had several people volunteer
to sit in the narthex at the 10:45 service to make room for our guests.
If you have been keeping up with news around Venice, then you know
that more developments are planned and coming on-line within a 5
mile radius of the church. 80% of our congregation lives within that
radius now. We can expect to see more new people arrive at our
church as these developments are built because you will be inviting
them!
How are we preparing for this growth? At the most recent meeting of
the Church Council we discussed several options to handle this growth
and voted to create a team to think through and come up with a
strategy for growth. They created the Acts 2 Team.
Sunday
Worship
Schedule
8 & 10:45 am
Traditional
9:15 am
Contemporary
CUMC
STAFF
LEAD PASTOR
Rev. Michael Hudson
ASSISTANT PASTOR
Rev. Larry Potts
The Acts 2 Team is charged with thinking through the options for
growth, coming up with a short term (actionable by October 1, 2015)
and long term strategy, and presenting it to the Church Council in July,
2015.
ASSISTANT PASTOR
Robert Haley
Of course, with growth comes change. But as we look back at our own
history as a church, we see that we have always done what it takes to
reach and welcome new people. Whether it was building a Sanctuary
that was “too big” at the time or starting a contemporary worship
service, our church has stepped into change with faith, not fear. God
has done amazing things with the faith we have shown. And I can’t
wait to be amazed at what He has in store for us next.
YOUTH MINISTRY
Jeff DunnDunn-Rankin
Jonetta Dudley
Marcia Schaberg
NON PROFIT ORG
U. S. POSTAGE
PAID
MANASOTA, FL
PERMIT # 808
I’m asking each of you to be praying for the Acts 2 Team. We need
wisdom, discernment, and faith as we explore where the Lord is
leading us. Your faith and prayers will be what moves the mountains
and makes a way for the Lord to work in a manner that will cause us to
laugh and say, “Only God could do this!” These are exciting times,
indeed!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Mike
MUSIC MINISTRY
Cheryl Smith
Bobby Whipple
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Susan Pence
DISCIPLESHIP AND
LAY MINISTRY
Nancy Kinney
TREASURER
JoEllen Whipple
SECRETARY
Michele Morley
CHILD D EVELOPMENT
CENTER
Anita Burton
NOTES
from the
MUSIC
MINISTRY
SUMMER CHOIR IS
COMING SOON!!!
Have you always want ed to sing
with a choir and have never
been able to do it? Maybe the
summer choir alternative is for
you. During the months of
June,
July,
August,
and
September, the choir comes in
on Sunday mornings and
practices
with Cheryl
at
10:15am in the choir room.
There are NO Wednesday night
rehearsals to attend during June,
July and August. We don’t
wear robes. Dress casual is
worn.
Interested?
Summer
choir begins Sunday, June 7.
CHANCEL CHOIR!!!
A huge “Thank You” to all the
singers in the chancel choir for
sharing your musical gifts
during Holy Week through
Easter Sunday.
We always
need singers, especially tenors
and basses.
Currently, we
rehearse from 6:45 to 8:15pm
on Wednesday evenings in the
choir room.
*Please note that our last
rehearsal of this season will be
May 27.
Rehearsals will
resume on Wednesday, Sept 9.
PRAISE ORCHESTRA WE APPRECIATE YOU!
Thank you once again to the
members of our CUMC Praise
Orchestra.
This group of
committed
musicians
accompanies our 10:45 worship
services each week from
October
through
April.
Rehears als will resume again on
Tuesday, Sept 29 at 11:15am in
the sanctuary. We are always
looking
for
more
instrumentalists to play with us.
JOYFUL SOUND NEEDS
YOU!!!
A big “Thank You” to our
Joyful Sound singers at our
Early Riser service! This small
ensemble of dedicat ed folks
adds so much to our worship
experience. We meet each
Sunday
morning
in the
Sanctuary at 7:30am to do a
sound check and run through
the morning anthem.
Please contact Cheryl
Smith if you are
interested in or would
like more information
on any of our music
ministries.
[email protected]
LIBRARY NEWS!
The new library shipment of books and DVDs are here! Come in and check out
new items--a sampling for you:
Debbie Macomber--the Rose Harbor series -- books #1 and 3 are in.
Tim LeHaye--Books #3 and 4 of the "End Times" series
Rosenbery--Book #3 of the "Twelfth Imam" series--Damascus Countdown
Large Print -- The Family of Jesus
Children -- Go Ahead and Dream
Terry Blackstock--3 new books --Moonlighter series
Plus non-fiction books by Chuck Colson, Bill Hybels, David Jeremiah and Jim Cymbala .... AND 7 new
DVDs! Wow - I love books and these look like great reads --find them on the top bookshelf marked
NEW-- read, enjoy, and please write a review.
Karen Quinn
Women of Valor
In A Year of Biblical Womanhood (Thomas Nelson), Rachel Held Evans explores the
concept of the Proverbs 31 woman, whose character is described as noble or virtuous.
Many scholars say the most accurate translation of the Hebrew phrase “eshet chayil” is
actually the “valorous woman.”
To many modern-day women, Proverbs 31 seems like an impossible-to-meet job description. But Evans says that shouldn’t be the case. “The woman of Proverbs 31 is not
some ideal that exists out there; she is present in each one of us when we do even the
smallest things with valor,” she writes. “Like any good poem, the purpose of this one is
to draw attention to the often-overlooked glory of the everyday.”
To affirm the females in her life, Evans started calling them “women of valor.” What
an honoring way to bless someone’s day!
Brooks, Benjamin
Seiders, Christian
Ruehr, Sean
Whidden, Skip
Pack, Gaylord
Pippin, Judi
Vass, Lil
Petty, Mariana
Ah/born, Fred
Davis, Sarah
Decker, Arlene
Hurst, Barbara
Montano, Eleanor
Storm, Mel
Thompson, Ruth
Kocher, Irene
Milligan, Jan
Obregon, Dr. Pete
Peters, Carol
Schmidt, Bill
Czajkowski, Donna
Wood, Jessica
Bibus, Mary
Brown, Barbara
Hoffman, Donnabelle
Crotty, Frances
Hawkins, George
Lafave, Irene
Peterson, Lane
Flowers, Mary Lou
Schleutker, Jean
Wolf, Karen
Collins, Johnalee
Harnish, Kay
Sandilands, Gary
Berry, Bernard
Susalla, Leon
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Blevins, Noah
Gould, Meredith
Shockey, Lisa
Stone, Charlie
Thomas, Catherine
Grant, Don
Hertzog, Ann
Kotkiewicz, Tommie
Leisenring, Melissa
Sullivan, Pat
Hitt, Karen
Smith, Patti
Baxendale, Paul
Hunt, Mildred
Robson, Dee
DeArk, Betty
Jones, Barbara
Collins, Penny
Noser, Brooke
Gilmore, Beth
Griffiths, Louise
Kalkbrenner, Roger
Schleutker, Earl
Woodruff, Ken
Klatt, LuAnn
Weerasooriya, Lena
Hunt, Gene
Myers, Chris
Vancura, Paul
Reiter, Edie
Wilson, Margie
Barrick, Gary
Booth, Betty
Outerbridge, Janet
Pfeiffer, Joan
Canfield, Amy
Demike, Sarah
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Hadsall, Patricia
McCluskey, Ginny
Byers, Jerry
Conover, Carolyn
Quinn, Karen
Carpenter, Byron
Smith, JoAnn
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Freeman, Terry & Kelly
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Kellogg, Jack & Joan
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St Clair, Gary& Juli
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Crabbe, Larry & Marcia
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Honn, Bill & Vicki
5/10
Obregon, Dr. Pete & Judy 5/11
Mersman, Harold & Jan
5/12
Disler, Tim & Jackie
5/16
Eichert, Matt & Bert
5/17
Draime, Walter & Carole 5/18
Rogers, Tyler & Patience 5/18
Kotkiewicz, Tom & Donna 5/20
Leisenring, Andy & Melissa 5/20
Thorne, Michael & Debbie 5/20
Whipple, Bobby & Kyla
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Hilbert, Larry & Edith
5/25
Wardell, Carl & Donna
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Knapp, Jack & Jean
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Sheets, Paul & Marie
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Caterson, Ed & Theresa 5/28
Montano, Rob & Eleanor 5/29
Gaylor, Bill & Phyllis
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Thoennissen, Bill & Marge 5/31
You are invited to CUMC’s Intergenerational VBS
On June 22nd – 25th, 6:00 – 8:00pm
Experience the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of a unique
culture at Thailand Trek VBS, where kids and their families will
discover how much God loves the world.
Parents, grandparents, and friends are invited to join us.
Call 941-493-7550 to register for this life-changing
adventure!
Contact Susan Pence at 941-468-7550 or [email protected] if you are
interested in being a part of the team for this exciting week!
Great turn out for the golf tournament!
WEEKLY ITEMS
In total, the golf outing raised approximately $4,850
between 19 hole sponsors, 66 golfers, 6 spouse dinners,
raffle tickets and mulligan sales.
Club Whatever Sundays at 5:00pm
We extremely appreciate everyone's continuous support by our returning
golfers and hole sponsors. Through your generosity we are able to spread God's
word and make a difference in the hearts of Gary, West Virginia!
Chris Eaton, Youth Intern
REVERB
At the end of March, the youth group went on our annual spring retreat. This year, we
traveled to a church in Wachula, Florida. The theme of our retreat was "Reverb".
It was a weekend filled with powerful worship and lessons lead by Joshua Price.
We also played Club Whatever's first game of “Quidditch” ever, and yes I am talking
about the game from "Harry Potter." Everyone learned a lot and had a great time.
Kori Disler, Youth Intern
Seventh through Twelfth Grade students come to the Family Life
Center each Sunday evening for a time of games, dinner, and worship.
See our Youth Ministry page on the website (christvenice.com) or
contact Jonetta Dudley for more information.
SAFE Ministry Mondays at 6pm
SAFE is a ministry of Support and Addiction Family Education. SAFE Support meets every Monday
evening at 6:00 in Memorial Hall, Room 24. In addition to sharing and support, meetings include a brief
educational discussion of a topic related to addiction and recovery, as well as prayer, good fellowship,
and hope! Everyone who has a loved one with alcohol, drug, or other addiction problems is cordially
invited to attend. www.cumc.info/SAFE, email [email protected], or call Jewell at 941-716-6169.
Guest Follow-Up Ministry Wednesdays at 10am
Are you one who loves to meet new people? Are you one who loves to brag on the ministries of
CUMC? Are you one who believes in outreach for our Lord Jesus Christ? Then this is ideal for you.
We go out two by two to greet the visitors from the previous Sunday, and new-comers to the area.
You’ll be blessed! Call Pastor Larry at 493-7504.
Worship at The Windsor Assisted Living Facility Wednesdays at 11am
Come and join us for a short worship service at the Windsor Assisted Living Facility every Wednesday
at 11:00am. Your support and interaction with the residents in this outreach opportunity to worship with
others outside our church is appreciated.
ACOLYTE CORNER
We are now in the Easter Season. Easter Sunday is forty days (not
counting Sundays) after Ash Wednesday. It is the first day of the
Easter Season which is the crowning season of the Christian year.
It is the period of celebration of the resurrection of Christ. The
color is white - representing purity, chastity, light, and rejoicing.
Some Easter Trivia:
Easter was originally called “Pascha” after the Hebrew, meaning “Passover”. The date of
Easter, which determines much of the rest of the church calendar, is fixed according to the
Paschal Calendar. Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon, falling on or
after the first day of spring (March 21). Fixing Easter in such a manner causes it to fall at the
same time as the Jewish Passover, since the first Passover coincided with that feast.
Exploration Station & The Current Wednesdays at 6:45pm
Exploration Station is for elementary age children and The Current is for middle-schoolers. Both groups
meet in the Family Life Center each Wednesday evening and are fun, engaging places for young people
to learn and grow together in their faith. Contact Susan Pence at the church for more information.
Pastor’s Bible Study Wednesdays at 5:00pm
Meet in the main Sanctuary for a time of inspirational, practical, and Biblical teaching
by Pastor Mike; currently, teaching through the book of Genesis.
Yard and Grounds Crew Fridays at 7am (or so)
WE NEED SOME YOUNGER BLOOD! We have openings
for men and women to operate self-propelled mowers and weedeaters, clean-up sprinkler heads, maintain equipment, plus a host of
other things. Please just show up on Fridays before 8am; come to the
maintenance building. Contact Matt Eichert at 497-0965.
“Tour of Israel with Andy Stanley”
Recap
Wednesday, May 20 at 6:45pm
Presented by Rich & Elaine Hutter. Join them after
the dinner in Memorial Hall Room 22 as they share
the highlights of their trip to Israel, including the
messages given by Andy Stanley and the main Biblical sites that were visited. Andy stated on the first
night of the trip that there was an event that forever
changed the world, find out what he was talking
about.
MONTHLY ACTIVITIES
Pastor’s Social on the first Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, meet in the Memorial Hall Parlor at 6:45pm for an informal time to meet
with Pastor Mike, ask questions, find out what it means to be a disciple at CUMC, and get to
know others. Please call the church office to RSVP so that we know to expect you. Then, if
you are interested in becoming a member of Christ UMC, we invite you to attend a 2 week
orientation class that will help you get connected, and grow in your faith. These classes are
held on the second and third Wednesday, 6:45.
CUMC Nite at DAIRY QUEEN on the first Thursday
Thursday, May 7 join us at the Venice Avenue Dairy Queen from 5-8pm.
10% of their sales during this time period are donated back to us for local
missions.
How Important is Education?
Being a retired teacher, I’m a bit prejudiced, but I’d say it’s VERY IMPORTANT. Especially
for today’s young people. Our technological society demands education beyond High School either College or Trade School.
Please help our very own graduates by giving a donation this spring to the CUMC Scholarship
Fund. Your help is needed and much appreciated!
Thank you from your CUMC Scholarship Team
Pancakes & More Breakfast on the first Saturday
Saturday, May 2 in the Memorial Hall from 8:00am til 9:30am. This is a
United Methodist Men’s sponsored breakfast with proceeds benefitting
orphans in India.
United Methodist Men’s Dinner on the second Tuesday
Tuesday, May 12 at 6:00pm. Come for dinner in Memorial Hall and a guest
presentation. Sign up on Sunday mornings after services; dinner is $6, payable
at the door.
Senior Singles Mingles (A Christian Social Group) Lunch and a Movie
Monday, May 18 meet in Memorial Hall at noon. Glenn Petty will prepare lunch, now $6 per
person, pay at the door. RESERVATIONS NEEDED. Call Pat Lysher at 484-4380 (after
9:30am) before Friday, April 17.
God’s plan is for you to be in relationships that provide mutual help
and assistance. As much as you need other people for help and
friendship, THEY NEED YOU for the same reason.
If you are looking for a “Jonathan to your David” type of fri endship,
a man to man friendship of Biblical proportions, grounded in the
Bible and in the John Wesley tradition, then the Jonathan Group
stands ready to welcome you.
Come and see what we are all about. We meet every Tuesday in the Memorial Hall Parlor at 10:00am.
We’ll keep the door open for you and the light - His Light - is always on. After our meeting, we’ll catch
a quick bite at one of our many local eateri es, by election, and wrap things up with a lot of friendly
fellowship around the table.
atÇvçËá aÉàxáM
“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy,
peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol.” (Galatians 5:22 NIV)
“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step
with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25 NIV)
This is a good checklist for me as I find myself
sometimes not fully producing the fruit that has
been given me by the Holy Spirit! I think being in
the nature of Christ means I need to be the “whole
fruit salad!” Ouch!
Love you,
atÇvç
THANK YOU
“COOKIE LADY!”
It’s difficult to again say thank
you to a wonderful person who
is leaving their ministry work
after over 27 years.
Dee Wright has faithfully
delivered cooki es to our first
time guests visiting our church.
She has affectionately come to be known as “the
cookie lady” by many receiving the delicious
cookies baked by so many of you.
We still need your cookies.
Pastor Larry and several members deliver bread
each Wednesday morning to our guests and he has
offered to add the cookies to the delivery! So
keep the cookies coming.
Thank you Dee and know that we love you!
MINISTRY IN THE
WORKS
“Ministry in the Works” is
something you will be hearing about in the near
future. We are moving to matching Spiritual Gifts
given by the Holy Spirit to all believers, with
ministry service. This will be a gradual change as
we engage in doing this together.
If you are currently serving in a ministry, letters
are being sent to the leaders of each ministry,
inviting all to come to one of three “Ministry in
the Works” sessions. (If you miss one, you attend
one of the other sessions.) At each session you
will have an opportunity to learn about some new
ministry tools that will be available for you. It
will also be a great time to learn about more
suggestions that you may have for doing ministry.
Thursday, April 16, 6:45pm – Session 1
Tuesday, May 26, 6:45pm – Session 2
Tuesday, June 16, 6:45pm – Session 3
THE
TOOLSHED
Using the ministry equipping tools, and how will
they benefit you in ministry, will be the focus of
“The Toolshed!” There are several new tools that
will help you do ministry easier. There will be
one session per month and will usually be the
fourth Wednesday evening of each month, 6:45pm
in Memorial Hall.
Wed, May 27 “Churchteams Database”
Wed, June 17 “Spiritual Gifts Inventory”
Wed, July 22 “Spiritual Gifts & Ministry
Matching”
ALL STATES
DINNER
Recap & Update
One of the programs that
our church people seem
to enjoy each year is the
All States dinner. It is a
night when new people can meet other church
members, laugh together, enjoy a good meal, and
then be entertained and blessed by the program
guest.
Paul and Esther Baxendale want to thank everyone
who came on board to help make this year's event
such a wonderful evening. It takes a lot of people
helping to have the tables arranged, the tables set,
the cooking, clearing tables, washing dishes and
final clean up. Thank you everyone!
The Baxendal e's have done the CUMC All-States
Dinner for the past 10 years and they have decided
to pass the baton to another person or persons in
2016. Paul and Esther are willing to talk to any
interested party to explain the details of planning
this event. It needs to be started now as contacting
a program guest is usually booked early. Please
contact Nancy Kinney at (941) 493-7504.
Church Basement Ladies at Broadway
Palm (Fort Myers, FL)
Thursday, June 11, bus loading at 10:00 am
$75 per person
The ever popular “Church Basement Ladies” is back to
serve up some laughs! From the senior matriarch of the
kitchen to the bride-to-be learning to arrange things in
proper order, everyone will recognize the humorous
and down-to-earth characters. Added is a little
romantic stir for the new pastor and the outcome is
heavenly entertainment!
TOUR INCLUDES:
• Full Buffet Meal including Dessert Bar
• Off-Broadway Palm Show
We extend our deepest
Christian sympathy to
•
•
•
Rodney Hornbake in the
death of his wife Billie Hornbake
Johanna Smith and family in the death of her
mother Vera Olsen
Doris Dohl in the death of her husband, Bill
Dohl.
Adversity is a part of life. But there's some good news, We don't have to face
the challenges alone. Whether it's illness, anxiety, loneliness, personal
battles or whatever, learn about how a Stephen Minister may be able to help
you over the rough spots. We're not here to judge you. We're here to spend
time, listening and sharing with you as you work your way through the
problem. Sharing in a confidential setting can help you recognize the problem,
express it, accept it, and understand it better. To learn more about our ministry, or to request a
Stephen Minister, please call a Stephen Leader, Judy Obregon 445-5682, Don Paull 497-5597
or Juli St. Clair 416-2171.
To receive Home Communion you may ask a Stephen Minister, a Stephen Leader or call the
church office, 493-7504. If you have previously served as a Stephen Minister, we welcome you
to join us in our program and invite you to call one of the leaders to discuss it.