1. family and parenting
2. children

The Chapel Times
A Twice-a-Month Newsletter of
Pierce Chapel United Methodist Church
Established in 1855
Our mission is to develop mature disciples who know, love, and serve Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Volume 18, Number 10
Pierce Chapel Staff
Howard White
Pastor
[email protected]
Lynn Meadows-White
Minister of Discipleship
[email protected]
Nathan Carr
Director of Youth Ministries
[email protected]
Roseanna Harbuck
Children’s Ministry Coordinator
[email protected]
Donna Pounds
Service Accompanist and
Choir Director
[email protected]
Debi Van Noy
Preschool Director
[email protected]
Dawn Parker
Nursery Director
[email protected]
Katie Duke
Secretary
[email protected]
Melanie Castleberry
Financial Secretary
[email protected]
Lisa Courtney
Church Custodian
Dale Giefing
Set-Up Custodian
May 15, 2015
When was the last time you had trouble parking anywhere?
Chances are you only had trouble finding the parking space you wanted, but
not finding a parking space—unless you came to Pierce Chapel looking for
one of two things:
C handicapped parking, or
C parking at the most highly attended moments on Sunday morning.
Over the past year, issues related to parking have come up in the work of two
different teams that serve our church: the Trustees and our Worship Task
Force. Both were addressing the issue separately, from different perspectives,
neither knowing what the other was doing, but both touching on a topic that
I’m convinced needs to be addressed, as does your elected Administrative
Council that has met and talked about this issue on two different occasions.
Therefore, with the unanimous encouragement of the Administrative Council,
during the Sunday School hour on June 7, at 9:45 a.m., there will be a
presentation in the Worship Center for the purpose of laying out the issue of
parking and possible solutions that have been examined. This meeting is for
information and consensus-building only, and will be open for all to attend. In
order to allow time for presentation and question-answering, it will need to
begin promptly at 9:45 a.m.
This issue of parking is not merely an issue of convenience for our
congregation. This is part of our ministry of hospitality, which the Bible teaches
is one of the spiritual disciplines for Christians—that we show genuine
welcome and a cordial reception, by giving room and making space for those
who are seeking. That seeker might have been you at one time. It might be
the best Christian servant and friend you’ve ever met next time—if we show
hospitality.
I trust you will make an effort to be present.
Blessings,
Howard
Our UM Missionary
Fran Lynch, Alaska
Sunday Worship Services at 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
Pierce Chapel UMC
5122 Pierce Chapel Road
Midland, GA 31820
Church Office 706-327-9807
FAX 706-327-7253
Preschool 706-327-9807, ext. 6
E-Mail Prayer Ministry: Send prayer requests to [email protected]
For news & current events, go to www.piercechapel.com or connect with us on Facebook.
NEW PRAYER CONCERNS
John & Yvonne Proft
Niki Metcalf Bobadilla (expectant mother)
ONGOING PRAYER CONCERNS
Michil Abitew (Kiddy Seifu’s brother)
Alice Brumbach
Linda Bush
Anneke Carpenter (Lloyd & Alma Artz’s
great-granddaughter)
Dorothy Carrothers
Joann Cherry (Sheila Cook’s sister-in-law)
Betty Coker
Ben Dunton (Linda Socci’s son)
John & Margaret Hunt
Cammy Marchetti (Luis Diaz's sister)
LaVerne McClellan
Holly & James Mulholland
(Don & Julia Payne’s granddaughter & her
husband who are deployed to Afghanistan)
Julia & Donald Payne
Denise Rhinehart
Cheryl Seymour
Brandi Waldheim
Terry Williams (Len Williams' brother)
Tom Willis (Missy Lorentz’s father)
All past and present military service members
All military families
Our military partnership units:
Crusade for Christ
Warrior Transition Battalion
3rd Sqdrn, 1st Cav Regmnt
(Call the church office to make changes in the prayer list.)
Help us keep the prayer list updated by letting us know when
it would be appropriate to remove someone’s name from the
list. Generally we leave a name on the list for 4-6 weeks
unless someone specifically requests otherwise.
Are you ready to embark on an icy adventure?
Then join us at
Vacation Bible School!
Monday-Friday, June 15-19
8:45 a.m.-12:00 noon
Adventure Info:
Children age 4 (by 9/1/15) through current 5th grade are
invited to learn how they can conquer challenges with God’s mighty power!
(To register children, go to piercechapel.com/vbs.)
Volunteers, we need YOU to be a part of this adventure & join our
Expedition Crews! Please prayerfully consider joining the Everest Team
in any of these areas:
Preschool or Elementary Crew Leader (adults & youth entering 11th grade & up)
Preschool or Elementary Jr. Crew Leader (youth entering 7th-10 th grade)
Decorating & Set Construction Team
Registration Team (includes greeters)
Set-up (Sunday, June 14)
Clean-up (Friday, June 19)
Snack Donations
**Mission VBS at Highland Community Church**
Monday-Thursday, June 22-25, 4:00-6:30 p.m.
We express our love and sympathy to Lauren & Brian
Bush at the death of Lauren's mother, Betty Bowden
Doughtie, on April 20.
If you’d like to help with VBS at Highland, contact Roseanna Harbuck
at 706-327-9807 ext. 7 or [email protected].
Thank you for your expression of sympathy. Thank
you for the cards, prayers and altar flowers. They are
still beautiful!
From the family of Betty Bowden Doughtie
(Lauren Bush)
To make our VBS awesome this year, our station leaders and decorating team need the
following items. If you have any of these items that you are willing to loan for the week
of VBS, please mark them with your name and drop them off on the old pew under the
chapel by June 7. Thanks!
Thank you so much for ordering Vidalia onions from
the Kiwanis Club of Greater Columbus. This
fundraiser has raised $1700 each for Open Door
Community House and Our House! We could not
have done it without the wonderful people of Pierce
Chapel UMC!
Rev. Ronnie Culpepper
Church Office Deadlines
News deadline for the June 1 newsletter is 12:00
noon on Friday, May 22.
Sunday worship bulletin deadline is 12:00 noon on
Wednesdays. Please email newsletter and/or bulletin
announcements to [email protected] or call
Katie at 706-327-9807, ext. 1.
Can you loan us any of these items for VBS?
Hiking backpacks
18 bean bags
Sleeping bags
Pairs of skis
Any camping equipment
Snow shoes/snow boots
15 small stuffed animals
Two small tents
Camping lanterns
Fog machine
Rubber chicken
15 comfy throw pillows
Christmas trees
White Christmas lights
Portable camping stools/chairs
VBS Decorating Team
The 2015 Vacation Bible School Decorating Team will meet on the following dates:
Saturdays, May 16, 23, 30, Saturdays, June 6 & 13 and Sunday, June 14
(immediately after the 11:00 service).
W e are always looking for more helpful hands! All kinds of help is needed from
cutting and painting to gluing and constructing. W e operate power tools and swipe
paint brushes. W e climb ladders and crawl on the floor. Please consider giving an
hour, a day, or several days to making Everest 2015 a transforming experience for
hundreds of kids this summer! If you are interested in participating, please come
join on any of the dates listed above.
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Congratulations to our
2015 High School &
College Graduates
High School
Mary Kathryn Alford
David Blanchard
Emily Graydon
Leigh Hadaway
Matt Hooper
Daniel Long
Caroline Mason
Chason McKay
Parker Rhinehart
Caroline Russell
Leah Seifu
Claire Williams
Wyatt Williams
High School graduates will be honored during both
worship services on Sunday, May 17.
College
Marlena Cameron, Columbus State University
(Bachelor of Arts in History
with minor in anthropology)
Kristen Patterson, Columbus State University
(Bachelor of Arts in English
and Secondary Education)
Happy Achers &
Senior Exercise
Happy Achers Sack Lunch & Games for senior
adults in the Hospitality Room 11:30 a.m. on
Thursdays, 21 & 28. Bring a sack lunch (drinks
provided) & join us for extraordinary fun &
fellowship as we "break bread" together & play
"Phase 10" cards & "Mexican Train" dominos!
Senior Exercise meets Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays in the Youth Barn from 9:00 10:30 a.m. If you haven't been before, please
contact Connie Luby at 706-325-2615 to learn of
any changes in the schedule.
Men’s Bible Study
Fellowship:
The Case for Grace
This side of Glory we will never fully understand
the wonders of God's grace, but the discovery
process is richly rewarding. Men of all ages are
invited to join a 9-week summer study and
discussion group based on Lee Strobel's book
The Case for Grace. We will meet Sunday
evenings from 6:00 to 7:15 in Room 215 starting
Sunday, June 7. Please contact Jon Long at
706-494-1548 if you are interested in this study.
For every Thursday in May and June, Ruby Tuesday (Veterans and Manchester
locations) will donate 20% of your bill to Valley Interfaith Promise if you present
this coupon to your server at the restaurant. (You can print the coupon from
valleyinterfaithpromise.com)
We would be very grateful if you could help us promote this! We are humbly
asking your help in distributing the coupon among church members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc.
Thank you all for everything you do for VIP!
Daniel Mitchell
Executive Director
Valley Interfaith Promise, Inc.
The Children's Choirs present...
"The Lost Boy"
Wednesday, May 20, 6:30 p.m.
Over 25 children have speaking parts and 20 children
will be singing solos. Participants range in age from the
Cherub Choir, ages 3-5, through the SonShine Singers,
grades 1-4, up to C.A.S.T. (Christ's Acting and Singing
Troupe), grades 5-6. The young people of Pierce
Chapel have worked very hard to bring this inspiring
message to life. Please join us on W ednesday, May 20
(our last W ednesday night supper of the season)!
You'll be glad you did!
Parents: Please note that children’s choirs will have a special rehearsal
on Saturday, May 16, in the Worship Center, 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Valley Interfaith Promise:
A Ministry to Homeless Families
Our next Host Week is May 24-May 31.
We need YOU to join us in this ministry! We minister to families who are currently
without a home by providing shelter and meals at Pierce Chapel for a week. Sign up
today at the VIP table in the hallway to serve as a meal host, an evening host, or an
overnight host (at the church) or contact Judy Crouch at 706-660-8275 or
[email protected].
How to Avoid Falling for a Jerk (or Jerkette)
Pastoral Institute Community Room, Bldg A
1515 20th Street
Wednesday, May 20, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Cost: $15 per person
Love can be blind, but if you know what to look for you can
avoid being hurt. This fun, interactive workshop will outline
five areas that are crucial to explore in the dating process.
Join us and learn how to use your head and your heart
when choosing a spouse.
To register, contact Sarah Tinsley at 706-507-0895 or [email protected].
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Tabitha’s Heart
Yarn Ministry
Tabitha's Heart meets in the home of Tina
Armistead (7972 Oakmont Court) every Tuesday
at 7:00 p.m. Want to learn how to knit? Or are
you interested in knitting prayer shawls, baby
blankets, crocheting granny squares and now
making caps for Rose Hill, please come join in
the fun! We enjoy a time of friendship and
learning while sharing God's love. The gifts from
our needles and hooks are donated to those in
need of comfort and love when stressful times
appear in their lives. For more information,
contact Tina Armistead at 706-507-0351 or
[email protected].
Pierce Chapel is a VETERAN
FRIENDLY CONGREGATION.
For more info, contact Will Duke
([email protected]).
Music Reading Class
This summer a basic music reading class will be
offered. The class will be opened to high school
freshmen and beyond and will not focus on any
specific instrument, but the skills to follow along
when singing, playing bells, etc. Times and dates
will be announced later on, but please consider
joining us!
Also, summer choir begins Wednesday, May
27. Watch the doors to the music suite (room
302) for starting times.
Supper/Meeting (7th-12th grades) each Sunday, 5:307:30 p.m. in the Barn. Bring a friend! Sunday supper is
$2 per person.
Moving On: Our graduating seniors’ small group will
meet 2 more times at 4:00 p.m. at the Bradley Park
Starbucks on the following days: Tuesday, May 19, and
Monday, June 8. The group time will be guided by the book "Moving On Know where you're going and how to get there" by Doug Franklin. It will help
students identify burden, passion, vision, and mission for their lives. We will
include lots of discussion, practical knowledge and advice for college. There is
no cost and each student gets a copy of "Moving On."
HAGTOWN & Ultimate Frisbee! Our last Wednesday supper is Wednesday,
May 20. HAGTOWN (Have A Good Time On Wednesday Night) returns
Wednesday, May 27, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Bring a friend & join us Wednesdays at the
field next to the Lake Bottom orchestra pavilion for good fun, fellowship, &
Ultimate Frisbee! Come grab a Chick-fil-A milk shake or sandwich afterwards at
the Chick-fil-A on Macon Rd from 8:00 to 8:30. We will not meet on June 6 due
to Souled Out. We need parents or other adults to be there with Nathan each
week, so please contact Nathan if you can help.
Souled Out Pre-Retreat Meeting: Sunday, May 17, 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Youth
Barn. This meeting is important & is mandatory for every youth going & for one
parent or guardian of each youth going. All remaining forms & balances are due
at this meeting. This meeting must be a priority! Please notify Nathan in writing
via Email or text message if you have a conflict. Thank you for understanding!
Souled Out Summer is June 1-5 at Laguna Beach in Panama City! Theme this
year is "Come Alive." The speaker is Adrian Despres, and the band, Moore, will be
leading worship. Pick up your registration form at youth on Sunday or
Wednesday night or at the office & turn it in with your $100 promise to pay. You
can also find forms online on the Youth Upcoming Events page. Total cost is $290
and includes meals, t-shirt, worship band, morning and evening speakers,
recreation, travel...basically everything. This year, we have a recruiting contest
called the "Recruit Your Friends” Scholarship (see below). We also have a
scholarship fund available to help further offset the cost. Please let me know if we
can help. Youth Account Balances: check with Brian Williams at
[email protected].
“Recruit Your Friends” Scholarship: There is a space on each reservation form
for a student to put the name of a youth who "recruited" them to go to Souled
Out. Any one student's name can be written in that space. Whoever recruits the
most youth members and guests to go to Souled out will win a FREE trip and
everyone that student recruited will receive $25 off as well. The second place
winner will receive $145 off and third place will receive $75 off.
Contact Nathan Carr at 706-464-7548 or [email protected]
Pierce Chapel is a Stephen Ministry
congregation. For those who are experiencing a
difficult life event we are blessed to be able to
provide caring Christian men and women who
will walk with you, listen to you, and show you
the love of Christ. If you know a family member
or friend who could benefit from a Stephen
Minister, please contact Debbie Duke
([email protected] or 706-304-7206) or
Jane Armour ([email protected] or 706763-8136) to discuss this important ministry.
Each week, look for the "Kids Own Worship"
information in the worship bulletin. This is where you
can read what your children are learning in Children’s
Church and Vertical View so that you can talk to them
about it later.
May 17: Christians worship God together.
Acts 11:19-26: Barnabas Encourages Christians in Antioch
May 24: The Holy Spirit is powerful.
Acts 2:1-21: Jesus Sends Power from God
May 31: 5th Sunday Fun Day! Featuring a VeggieTales Movie & Popcorn
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Serving Opportunities
Health Kits for Rose Hill UMC
We will be collecting health kits for Rose Hill UMC from now through the first week in June. We have partnered with another group
of churches to do this in a rotation to make sure there is always a good supply for those being served by this ministry. We are
requesting completed kits that would include the following (travel sized items are fine):
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
Hand towel and wash cloth
Deodorant
Shampoo and conditioner
Bar of soap
Toothbrush (individually wrapped) and toothpaste
A few Band-Aids
Comb
Razor
Emory board
2 quart-sized zip lock bags (to keep soap and toothbrush in once used)
All of these items may be purchased from the Dollar Tree for $1 each. All items should be placed in a gallon zip lock bag and put in
the box near the Welcome Center labeled for Rose Hill Health Kits.
Questions? Contact Michelle Crawford-McKay at 706-580-8681 or [email protected].
Work Day to Benefit Pierce Chapel Members
We are planning to have a work day that will benefit some of our own Pierce Chapel members on Saturday, May 30, 8:00 a.m.-12:00
noon. These members will be identified once we have a better idea of how many volunteers we have to work the projects. The
projects will include (but are not limited to):
Yard work/clean-up
C Painting
C Pressure washing
C Washing windows
C Organizing/de-cluttering
Please sign up by Sunday, May 17, so that we may make arrangements with the beneficiaries as to what they need to have done,
assess the projects and assemble teams for May 30. What a great way to serve our OWN members who have faithfully served with
us! If you are interested in serving, please fill out the form in Sunday’s worship bulletin and place it in the offering plate.
Wednesday Servants
Want to see Wednesday Night Suppers continue in the fall? If so, please consider becoming a part of one of our set-up or clean-up
teams. Without these teams, Wednesday Night Suppers cannot happen! Set-up folks need to be here around 4:15-ish, and clean-up
folks are normally done by 7:30. (Complete job descriptions are available if you'd like see them.) Please will out the form in Sunday’s
worship bulletin if you'd be willing to serve in this ministry so that many can continue to be blessed through our Wednesday night
gatherings.
Serving Lunch at Highland Community Church
We have the privilege of providing and serving lunch to our brothers and sisters at Highland Community Church on 5th Sundays, so
our next opportunity is May 31. The menu is hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans, and yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting.
We'll be feeding 240 people! You can provide monetary donations for the food or make or purchase any of the following: potato salad,
baked beans, hamburger buns, hamburger patties, individual packs of condiments, yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting. If you
would like to donate one or more of these items, please contact Karen Hartin at [email protected] or 706-615-1347. You can
also use the form in Sunday’s bulletin and place it in the offering plate.
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