September 9, 2010 IMPRESSIONS
The Weekly Newsletter of Lake
Travis United Methodist Church
Pastors Perspective
Our church is involved in many vital forms of mission where our witness for Christ is about relieving suffering. Already this year we sent offerings for emergency relief in Haiti, and then we took on a major campaign for Imagine No Malaria. Here in the United States and around the world United Methodists are currently raising millions of dollars to support a strategic plan for eliminating malaria on the continent of Africa.
Here locally our United Methodist Men and United Methodist Women are working projects for support of Lake Travis Crisis Ministries, an ecumenical relief agency aiding persons in need in the geographical area of the Lake Travis Independent School District.
These are special offerings that we give over and above our annual pledges for the core mission outreach and ministry of our church. Among those core ministries, by the way, is our Principios Chiquitos ministry offering English as a second language training and tutoring right here on our campus.
I want to remind you also of the ever-present availability of the United Methodist Committee on Relief—our denomination’s highly effective global relief agency. Anytime, anywhere you see headlines about people in crisis and distress, UMCOR has a means for directing 100% of your gift to relief of people in need as designated by your gift. Whether it’s about the flooding disasters in Pakistan, famine in Africa, or continued earthquake recovery in Haiti, our church can forward your designated offerings to help people you want it to help through the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
One of the reasons UMCOR does not have to take any percentage of those gifts for administrative costs is because we support UMCOR and our whole world-wide witness for Christ through our annual pledge to the church. Our first-mile gifts help support the infrastructure that channels the impact of our second-mile gifts. UMCOR is one of the greatest ministries and one of the best-kept secrets of United Methodism.
UMCOR is one of the multitudes of reasons why I am so enthusiastically and wholeheartedly committed to the ministry and witness of the United Methodist Church in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Grace and peace,
Ray
United Methodist Men Meeting, September 11th – 8 a.m.
The United Methodist Men (UMM) will hold their monthly breakfast meeting in the Chesnutt Building Fellowship Hall on Saturday morning, September 11th, at 8 a.m. Steve Jones, Lakeway City Manager, will be the guest speaker for this month's meeting. Steve will provide updates on Lakeway growth and city planning, and field questions from the group on specific points of interest. Additionally, members of the UMM Executive Committee will provide updates on current and future UMM projects. All men of the Church are invited to attend. (Return to top of page)
Youth Music Ensembles - Time to Sing and Ring!
Youth Choir begins this Sunday September 12, at 12 noon; Youth Handbells will begin September 15, at 7 p.m., as part of our WNL program. Come join with the other youth to share your musical gifts and talents! Youth choir will meet every Sunday, from 12-1 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall (Chesnutt Building). We will have a light lunch, and then have fun singing and learning music to share in worship. (Return to top of page)
Third Grade Bible Presentation
The NRSV Children's Bible will be presented to our 3rd graders on Sunday, September 12 at the 9:40 and 11:00 a.m. services. RSVP to Patty Rosemurgy, discipleship@ltumc.org so we can prepare a Bible for your 3rd grader. Lake Travis United Methodist Church will be presenting
the NRSV Children’s Bible to our third graders at the 9:40 a.m. and the 11:00 a.m. worship service. It is our hope that your third grader will attend and receive a Bible! It is our joy to be able to put the Word of God into the hands of your young person and offer encouragement as they begin to explore the Bible for themselves.
Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is lamp to my feet and a light to my path." To help the children learn more about the Bible and how to use it, the elementary Sunday School classes at 9:40 and 11:00a.m. will be presenting 5 sessions of "Dig Into the Bible" starting September 5.
Third graders and families are invited to be in attendance on this Bible Presentation Sunday for the 9:40 or the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Please sit together as a family and, at a certain point in the service, our young people will be called forward to receive their Bible.
Please RSVP to the church office, 266-9877, or to Patty Rosemurgy, discipleship@ltumc.org so we will have a Bible available and will have the proper name plate for the presentation to your third grader. (Return to top of page)
TAIZÉ Worship Service - September 12, 6 p.m.
Taizé Worship Services will resume their monthly service time - 2nd Sunday of the Month, 6pm, in the Wesley Room. Taizé worship is a contemplative, quiet worship experience. The service will include scripture, prayer, silence, meditative music, and Holy Communion. Please request childcare in advance. (Return to top of page)
GOD SQUAD September Event
GOD SQUAD is a monthly fellowship event for 4th and 5th graders. The September event is Sunday, September 12, from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Our time together includes a meal, games, activities, service projects and directions for our walk of faith. This group explores and celebrates all that it means to be a TWEEN. Tween families are needed to host the dinner and the game time each month. Please contact Patty Rosemurgy, 266-9877x206. (Return to top of page)
Weigh-In Against Hunger: Win the Title"Heaviest Givers!"
Due to a severe shortage of basic foods for the needy in our community, United Methodist Women are sponsoring a fall food drive for Lake Travis Crisis Ministries food pantry. The drive, Weigh-In Against Hunger, will be from September 19-30. The food drive is a competition among groups in our church to see which one wins the title of "Heaviest Giver" by collecting the most pounds of food!
On Sundays in September pick up your FREE LTUMC Shopping Bag at the Welcome Center in the narthex. Inside the shopping bag is a list of the most urgently needed items, as well as other items that are needed. Please donate the most urgently needed items, but any donations on the list will be appreciated.
Bring your donated food items in your shopping bag to the church on the designated Sundays and
• Weigh your donation
• Enter your weight on the chart provided for the group of your choice
• Leave the groceries but KEEP THE BAG as a reminder of your participation
Ask friends and neighbors to help your group win the title of Heaviest Givers. Give generously, weigh-in, and re-use your shopping bag for a greener Lake Travis community! Food Items Requested: macaroni & cheese, boxed cereal, cornbread mix, saltine crackers, tuna, canned beans - like ranch style, etc., rice, Ramen noodles, canned soup, diapers, toilet tissue. (Return to top of page)
Wednesday Night Live Begins
Wednesday Night Live began September 8th with dinner, followed by a worship service. On
September 15, we will hit the ground running with full programs for children, youth, and adults. Come join the fun, the fellowship, and the discipleship in Jesus Christ! Wednesday Night live will have programs for all ages: for our children, they will participate in choir (ages 4 - 5; grades 1st - 5th grade), Bible Zone (ages 4 - 2nd grade), and chimes (grades 3 - 5); Youth have the opportunity to participate in Bible Study (Middle School boys), Devotional time (all youth), Homework and games (all youth), and Handbells (all youth); and for adults, there will be an Adult Bible Study; Adult Handbells; and Adult Choir. WNL will begin with Dinner (served 5:15 - 6:15 p.m.) for a nominal charge. Nursery care is provided all evening, so parents are able to participate in the various programs. Please make dinner reservations by calling the church office (266-9877) or by signing the Connections Form in Sunday's worship bulletin. (Return to top of page)
Inspiring Moms Study "Jesus and Me"
Inspiring Moms has begun a new study called "Jesus and Me.” The study will look at how we can each become God's best version of us. This comes with the good news that Jesus is our constant guide. Moms meets weekly on Wednesday mornings. We meet from 9:15 - 10:30 a.m. to share a cup of coffee or tea, network and share parenting resources, and fill our spiritual selves with words from the Bible and times of prayer. Come once or often: there’s always a place for you; we don’t give out homework; you live it every day. Inspiring Moms is all about our connection with God. Please know that moms always offer childcare. Contact Holly Noak, 261-1871.(Return to top of page)
Susannah Wesley Circle September 21
The Susannah Wesley Circle will meet at the home of Dee Ann Butterfield, 29 Drifting Wind Run in The Hills, on September 21 at 9:45 a.m. Cheri Stringer will continue her series on Polygamy and its impact in Texas.(Return to top of page)
Growing Friendship Circle September 21
The Growing Friendship Circle meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Wesley Room. We offer fellowship, friendship, devotions and a program. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to attend. Our first fall Circle meeting is September 21st. Pam Smith will give the program and Debby Connors will have devotions and dessert. Childcare is provided by reservation 48 hours in advance through the church office. Contact Patty Miles at 906-0135 for questions. (Return to top of page)
Christy Chermak to Spak on Mission Trip to Haiti
UMW is pleased to have Christy Chermak speak to us about her mission time in Haiti and Costa Rica. We will meet in the Wesley Room at noon on September 26th. Bring a salad to share and the hostesses, Lanelle Montgomery and Bobbye Meek, will provide the dessert and beverages. The program will follow immediately. We welcome everyone, whether you are a UMW member or not, male or female. Childcare is provided by a 48-hour-in-advance reservation through the church office. (Return to top of page)
Lake Travis Crisis Ministries Golf Tourney October 3
The 7th annual Lake Travis Crisis Ministries Golf Tournament will be held Sunday afternoon, October 3, at Falconhead Golf Club. The 4-person scramble will have great prizes, food, and fun for everyone while supporting LTCM in its single biggest fundraiser of the year. The cost is $150 per player, with 2/3 going directly to LTCM. Don't play golf, but still want to help LTCM? Sponsor a hole for $125 and get your personal or business message out there with on-course signage. Contact Jim Miles at 512-791-5174 or jamesamiles@earthlink.net for more information. Sign-up brochures will be available in the narthex after Sunday services during the month of September. The deadline for registration is September 30. (Return to top of page)
2010 Pictorial Directory
Many thanks to the more than 200 families (and pets!) who had their portraits taken for the 2010 LTUMC Directory! We hope to receive the finished directory by the end of the year. A project of this magnitude would not be possible without the able assistance of many volunteers from our church family. Special thanks to: Dwight and Betty Haley (Narthex signups), Evon Skilton (portrait session host leader), Will Sutliff (publicity materials), Mary Rose Howard (web coordinator), Sue Butler (story pages editor), and Sandy Barnes (just about everything else!). Evon was assisted in the hosting duties by Katy Franceschini, Marilyn Cobb, Susan Lankford, Barbara West, Denise Coursen, Barbara Phillips, Betty McBride, Dorothy Boddeker, Margaret Gossey, Merle Hulbert, Patty Miles, Ann Dudley Murray, and Marthe Morgan.
Thanks, too, to the many talented photographers who have contributed photos for the story pages, including: Mike Wolfe, Alicebeth Trappe, Cary Boddeker, Sue Butler, Myles McKemie, Steve Cooper, Patty Rosemurgy, Darlene Chermak, Patty Highland, Mary Rose Howard, and Patti Ruth.
A FEW LAST DETAILS ON PORTRAITS: If you had a portrait made and did not order additional copies, check the box in the Narthex for your free 8x10 portrait. As the prints come in over the next couple of weeks, we will be placing them in envelopes in the PHOTO BOX on the counter. Regarding your purchased photos: Three weeks from your photography session, you should receive at your home all purchased photographs. For questions or concerns, or to order extra portraits within 6 months, contact Lifetouch directly at 1-888-313-1746.
Thanks again to all of you! Sylvia Simpson, LTUMC 2010 Pictorial Directory Committee Chair (Return to top of page)
"Cram the Crib" Diaper Drive
Cram the Crib" Diaper Drive is from September 27 through October 10th. Last year, LTUMC collected and donated over 1500 diapers to the Lake Travis Crisis Ministry and helped many young, needy parents with babies! This year, we want to exceed that goal. These Moms and Dads are unable to afford to buy their own diapers, and are in need of some assistance from our church. Please donate diapers: Size 1-5 (largest need is size 3 and 4) by bringing them to the October 3rd or
October 10th services for collection in front of the Sanctuary. A member of Young Children's Ministry Team will be present to assist you in placing diapers in our crib, or taking your monetary donations. Anything you give, small or large, will touch the hearts of these needy parents in the Lake Travis area, and is very much appreciated! (Return to top of page)
Austin District UMW Annual Meeting, Sept. 18, 9:00-1:30, Tarrytown UMC
The Austin District UMW Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, September 18, 9-1:30, at Tarrytown UMC. One of this year's studies will be taught by our own Molly Mc Farland on the Letters of John. The mission outreach project will be to bring boys’ or girls’ underwear size 3-8 and/or children's books to be given to the Montopolis Friendship Center. Luncheon tickets will be sold for $6 and are available at the door. If you are interested in carpooling, a group will be leaving from our church at 8 a.m. Childcare is available by reservation in advance to Rosemary Creamer at (979)-732-9231) or razcreamer@yahoo.com by September 8th, 2010. (Be sure to include ages & number of children.) Questions: call Patti Ruth 608-9249. (This is the meeting that our church hosted last year.) (Return to top of page)
Deputy General Secretary Speaks at UMW SWConference Mtg. – October 1-2, Lockhart, TX
The 36th Annual SW Conference UMW Annual Meeting will be held at First UMC, Lockhart Friday and Saturday, October 1-2 with Deputy General Secretary of the Women's Division of the United Methodist Church, Harriet Jane Olson, as guest speaker Friday night and Saturday morning. A bar-b-q with limited reservations will be $12 and catered by Black's Barbecue in Lockhart at 7 p.m. Saturday's meeting will begin at 8 a.m. with a continental breakfast and a luncheon at noon (reservations are required). Free childcare is available if reservations are made before September 17, $35 for meeting, Saturday lunch $8. We will carpool to this event from our church. Friday's activities also include a historic walking tour. Hotel reservations are available at the Best Western in Lockhart for a rate of $89.99 + tax (1-4 people per room) and reservations made by September 1. Bring shampoo and conditioner for Hays Caldwell Women's Center, serving victims of abuse. Any questions: Call Patti Ruth 608-9249. You must be registered by September 17. (Return to top of page)
Your Presence Makes a Difference!
When you are present with us in Sunday School, worship, children’s and/or youth activities, you are blessed, and our church family is more complete. Please join us on Sunday!
Recent Worship Attendance
Aug 15 – 311
Aug 22 – 415
Aug 29 – 362
Sept 5 - 326
Update from Finance Committee
JUNE
INCOME 61,797.21
EXPENSES 80,994.46
<$19,197.25>
YEAR-to-DATE
INCOME 465,018.56
EXPENSES 500,690.98
<$35,672.42>
Let us join together in giving thanks to God for God’s faithfulness to LTUMC! Please consider joining our Easy-to-Give Program and have your financial gifts regularly drafted from your checking account. Cards are available in the Foyer or you may contact Lisa Keathley, Church Treasurer, for more information about the program. You may also complete the form online.
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