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Fellowship Lantern

Volume 62, Issue 7 March, 2019

Ecclesiastes 3:1: For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven (NLT). Winter has finally arrived! We finally got winter! Or perhaps it is more accurate to say, winter finally got us! For, December was wonderfully deceptive. Not enough snow to mention and the temperatures were mostly bearable and warmer than typical December weather. Some of us even dared to hope for a White Christmas. I have realized in my older age that there is something about cold weather that is no longer fun. It takes much more time to warm up after I get cold. That may explain why I no longer desire to go skiing, make snow angels, snow men or even a single snow ball! Hurry up spring-time! Come Quickly! We humans spend a lot of time wishing along the seasons, don’t we? When it is hot and humid during the summer, we wish for cooler weather. When it is cold and blustery during the winter, we wish for warmer weather. God created seasons and while they do not always agree with us, they are a necessary part of life and will continue to be with us. Genesis 8:22 reminds us, “For as long as Earth lasts, planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never stop” (MSG). It is the same with the various seasons of our lives. We will have seasons of all types and durations. When we are young, we wish to be older. How many adolescents wish to be old enough to drive, get a job or live on their own? And when we are older, we wish to be younger. How many of us adults wish to be younger with fewer aches and pains, more hair and more time? Some seasons are easy, some are difficult, some are simply so-so. Yet, realize it or not, we grow during each of them. So, how do we find ourselves in our seasons? Do we wish them away? Rather than spend our time wishing away the seasons, we can practice living in and through them, and with God’s help, accept that they are seasons of growth for us. We become stronger and wiser during our seasons. In the midst of our seasons God, the Master Potter shapes us to more closely resemble the persons who God ultimately intends us to become. It is true that there is a season for everything. It is equally true that every season does its work on our lives –if we allow ourselves to rely on God to show us the lessons and enable us to thrive. So, don’t wish away the seasons! Cherish them as times on the Potter’s wheel. In the meantime, our hands and feet are cold – “Hurry up spring-time! Come Quickly!” Blessings and Peace!

Pastor Marva

To promote

Christian

discipleship and

fellowship in the

congregation and

community

Published by

.THE FIRST

UNITED

METHODIST

CHURCH OF

Wayne-Westland

.

Pastor

Marva Pope

3 Town Square

Wayne, MI 48184

Telephone

734-721-4801

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INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Three men were discussing the proper position and attitude

for prayer. One said, ”You should be on your knees with

your head bowed in reverence to the Almighty.” The second

man spoke up and said “Remember that you were created in

God’s image. The position in which to pray is to stand up

looking into the heavens, into the face of God and talk to

Him as a child to his father.” The third man spoke up and

said, “I know nothing about those positions, but the finest praying I ever did was upside down

in a well.”

Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails or in an emergency. This

approach is backward. Prayer should come first. Because God's power is infinitely greater than

ours, it only makes sense to rely on it. There are several kinds of prayer. There are prayers of

thanksgiving, prayers of praise and prayers of Confession, and personal "me with God. For this

occasion I want to consider intercessory prayer.

James writes to the Church, James 5:16-, pray for each other so that you may be healed. The

earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. We all

pray prayers of intercessory probably as much as any other type of prayer. You can do even

more for your friends in our church family. The "Prayer Cluster" is a group of people who pray

for each other in pairs of two. They change partners each month and share praises and concerns

with each other. This is not only a good means of praying for each other but is also an excellent

way of getting to know people better. Some people are concerned about their privacy but you

only have to share what you are comfortable with.

The Prayer Cluster started several years ago with 16 members but because of attrition we are

now down to 8 members and would encourage others to join us.

If you are interested, please contact me either at church or call me at 734-728-4868.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with Joy!

Red Miller

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UNITED

METHODIST WOMEN

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING – March 7, 2019 (Thursday)

6:30 p.m. Parlor

PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATE

CHARIS CIRCLE – March 4, 2019 (Monday) 7:00 p.m. Parlor

Program – Get “In Touch” with God’s Word

Leader – Shirleen Curtis

CONSIDER JOINING US – Then just do it!

ESTHER/MARTHA – t/b/a

HEAVENLY CIRCLE – This is our Email Circle

Please contact Kim McCain – kimmiemccain@gmail.com

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COMING UP:

Lenten Potluck Dinners – March 13, March 20, March 27, April 3 & April 10

May 23 UMW Salad Lunch

June 23 UMW Sunday

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Jeannine Klay’s new address:

Vista Springs

605 Pere Marquette

Room 203

Howell, Michigan 48855

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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Pastor Marva

2019 LENTEN POTLUCK DINNERS March 13

Host – Bob & Carole Simons

Meat - Chicken Program – Elvis Impersonator – Ray Gagnon

March 20

Host – Doug & Irene Schoonover

Meat – Pot roast Program – Pastor Chris Richards

March 27

Host – Mike & Tonia Szabo

Meat - Meatloaf Program – Dr. James Waggoner

April 3

Host – Witness Committee

Meat - Turkey Program – Irene Miller – holocaust survivor

April 10

Host – Sandy Ofiara & Gale Wilbur Meat – Pork loin

Program –A Play “Way of the Cross”

Bring a dish to pass and your own table setting.

A FREE WILL OFFERING WILL BE TAKEN TO DEFRAY THE COST OF MEAT

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PLEASE SIGN UP FOR COFFEE HOUR

March 3 Doug & Irene Schoonover

March 10 Vince & Linda Maylone

March 17 Evelyn Clark, Donavon, Jonathan & Abby

March 24 Sandy Ofiara & Gale Wilbur

March 31 Witness Committee

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LAY READER FOR MARCH: Wade Cupps

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ALTAR FLOWERS

March 3 Lenora Krieger in honor of birthday 2/27/19

March 10 Michelle Hyde in honor of grandparents Eber &

Virginia Hyde and Pat & Irene Navamore

March 17 Gale Wilbur & George Kirlanoff in memory of

Susan Wilbur

March 24 OPEN

March 31 Mary McCormick in memory of Robert McCormick

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MARCH BIRTHDAYS:

MARCH 3rd Melanie Bradley

MARCH 6th Kathryne Jahn

MARCH 7th Marc Boiteux

MARCH 13th Ethan Hjortsberg

MARCH 14th Sandra Ofiara

MARCH 15th Robert Clark

Joseph Piazzi

MARCH 17th Marilyn Craig

MARCH 19th Sharon Orwin

MARCH 22nd Edward Jackson

MARCH 24th Alexander Bradley

George Kirlanoff

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MARCH ANNIVERSARIES:

MARCH 22nd William & Carol Henico

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

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FELLOWSHIP LANTERN REV. MARVA POPE PASTOR

is published monthly except August

GALE WILBUR EDITOR

DEADLINE FOR ARTICLES E-mail address for the lantern is

Is the 15th of the month gusty39@yahoo.com

Visit us on the web at

www.waynefirst.org

Mission Statement

We are the Congregation of First United Methodist Church of Wayne-Westland and are a

committed, loving, Christian community of Jesus Christ, in ministry, witnessing to the love of

God as experienced in our lives, and expressed by: worship together, Christian nurture,

education evangelism, Christian fellowship and support of one another, invitation to others to

share our faith, social awareness, involvement and support of worldwide Methodism. Our

witness embraces all people.

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 10:00 A.M.

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL AT 9:00 A.M.

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 A.M.

First United Methodist Church

3 Town Square

Wayne, MI 48184-1637