Maranatha Sisters & Brothers!

Friends, we are super excited for a post-Easter study and sermon series on the book of Galatians. This will be a study

happening Conference-wide in our West Ohio Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, as given to us by Bishop Palmer. The study is called, Galatians, Book of Grace and our sermon series that will accompany it is called,

Embrace Grace. We want to encourage you to talk with your Bible study group, life group, or study group to be ready to

join in on this 6-week church-wide study, beginning Monday April 22nd. Week one of the sermon series will be Sunday

April 28th and will wrap up on June 2nd, in preparation for our Annual Conference of West Ohio at Lakeside, OH. Be

looking for advertising, promotions, updates, and even T-shirts to purchase that will set us up to celebrate God’s amazing

grace in our life.

There is nothing more formational and foundational in our Christina life than Christ crucified and raised from the dead.

This one event brings salvation to our souls and the abundant life here on earth, all through God’s amazing grace.

Throughout Scripture we are told that we have received the unmerited favor of God, not by anything we have done and

certainly not through anything that we have deserved. Rather, God put onto Christ the sin of the world and took on our

punishment, something He didn’t deserve. This friends, is grace. It is by grace and grace alone that we are saved and

justified before God.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

God’s grace saves us and makes us right with God period, no comma. The book of Galatians is a letter written by Paul to

a collection of churches in Galatia that he had planted in years past. Paul has received word that there is an “alternative”

gospel other than grace that is being preached since he left. Some of the believers in the church are starting to stumble

over it. In particular, those who were formerly Gentiles and have now received Christ are stumbling. Keep in mind that

Gentiles did not grow up under the Old Testament Law and were not formerly obedient nor recognized the Lord our God

before Jesus came onto the scene.

In Galatians you see a very frustrated and contrite Paul as he addresses those he accuses of teaching a false gospel. The

stumbling by church members is occurring because certain believers who were former Jews (under the law of the Old

Testament before receiving Jesus) are teaching that Gentile believers must practice the same law in addition to the grace

of Christ to be justified, saved, and right with God. Specifically they were expecting Gentile believers to be circumcised.

I can imagine there weren’t too many men standing in line to sign up for that membership class. This teaching was in

direct conflict with the Gospel of grace, which Paul preached that planted this church.

In essence, Galatians is a letter that addressed the Judaizers Jewish believers and their expectations upon Gentile

believers. Paul speaks to both the Judaizers giving this false teaching and also challenges the church to not stumble and

fall for this teaching and to return and embrace the Gospel of grace once again. Friends, Paul will remind us all that the

Law is entirely insufficient to justify us, because none of us can follow it entirely, all of the time. We are all fallen and

broken and in need of a Savior and God’s amazing grace. Here is the central theme of Galatians:

“know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no

one will be justified.” Galatians 2:16 NIV

May, 2019 Rolling Plains Newsletter

MAY 12, 2019

Rolling Plains Church 3350 Moxahala Park Rd Zanesville, OH 43701 rollingplainsumc.com Return Service Requested

Non-Profit Organization US Postage PAID Zanesville OH 43701 Permit No. 447

Paul’s challenge to the Galatian church is to Embrace Grace and make it central to their life again. We will be walking

together through the 6 chapters of Galatians—covering a chapter per week with the opportunity to Embrace Grace more

fully, deeply, and passionately than ever before. It’s “Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse

within, Grace, grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin.” For six weeks, let’s embrace grace together with other

churches in our Annual Conference. Let’s embrace a grace that transforms, embraces, clothes us, forms, bears fruit, and

sustains. I am so looking forward to sharing this special time together. Be sure to make it every Sunday, and if you are

not in a study group, now is the time to get into one. God is good!

Come on God!

Pastor John

You Are Not Alone 2019 Suicide Prevention Walk

Rolling Plains has been invited to participate again in the 2nd Annual Suicide Prevention Walk, sponsored by Maysville High School Student, Rylee Butler. The walk will be held on Sunday, May 19th, from 1-3 pm at the Maysville High School Track. Admission is $7 for students (K-12) and $10 for adults, or if you buy a shirt to support the cause and wear to the walk, you will not be asked to pay admission fees!

Purchase Shirts online: https://www.customink.com/fundraising/you-are-not-alone-2019-suicide-prevention-walk

Keep up to date on the walk by following the Facebook event page! Cancellations due to weather will be

announced there. All funds raised will go to You Are Not Alone; 2019 Suicide Prevention Walk, the organizer for the Muskingum County Suicide Prevention Coalition.

Rylee's Story: During my sophomore year of high school, I began planning a suicide prevention walk called 'You Are Not Alone;' due to my past experiences with mental health issues. I wanted to spread a message of hope throughout my community to help people who were struggling with the same things I struggled with and to bring the community together to stop suicide. My initial goal was to raise $300 towards the Muskingum County Suicide Prevention Coalition in an effort to stop suicide in the county, however, my goal was blown out of the water in a very short amount of time. After all was said and done, the walk raised over $5,000, with around 500-600 people attending the walk. I was completely blown away by the outpouring support from the community, and I am excited to bring the walk back again this year. (Rylee Butler)

West Ohio Camps are Looking for Counselors for this Summer.

West Ohio Camps are looking for leaders to be counselors at our three camps this summer. A great camp counselor is someone who serves as an amazing mentor, big

sibling, facilitator, manager, and all-around go-to person for a group of young people. While you serve the Lord and share yourself with the youngsters, you can reap the many

benefits as well. You will build leadership skills, enjoy the outdoors, boost your resume, and get paid to have fun!

Join The Team! Visit https://www.westohiocamps.org/camp

Registration is now open for Summer Camp 2019! It may be cold outside, but we are getting ready for our best summer yet at Camp Otterbein! New for Summer 2019, is a second week of Culinary Camp for older campers and a second week of Treehouse Paradise for younger campers. The theme this Summer is Relentless: God's love has no end. Each morning we will learn about God's relentless love, devotion, freedom, truth, and mission. In the evening we will learn how we can pursue God in the same way.

Unconditional Love

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:7 Isn’t this a good description of a Mother’s love? She loves her children and supports them, no matter what. She is there to help guide them and there when they need her. Her love is Unconditional, as Christ’s love is for us. This Mother’s Day, whether she is your mother or has been the one to mother you, thank her for her love and sacrifice. She loves you like Jesus loves you. HAVE A BLESSED MOTHER’S DAY Cathy Collins, Prayer Ministry Team Member

Galatians Study- Invitation from Bishop Palmer

• April 22nd-28th: Grace that Transforms - Chapter 1 with key verse Galatians 1:23 • April 29th-May 5th: Grace that Embraces - Chapter 2 with key verses Galatians 2:9-10 • May 6th-12th: Grace that Clothes Us - Chapter 3 with key verses Galatians 3:26-28 • May 13th-19th: Grace that Forms - Chapter 4 with key verse Galatians 4:19

• May 20th-26th: Grace that Bears Fruit - Chapter 5 with key verse Galatians 5:22

• May 27th-June 2nd: Grace that Sustains - Chapter 6 with key verse Galatians 6:9

To hear the Bishop’s invitation to the Galatians study, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QjPAWJDwFY

Spring has finally sprung! United Methodist Women are gearing up for a time of prayer, worship, and learning new things about our supported missions of the West Ohio Conference and Global Missions. At our April meeting, we learned about herbs from the Bible, presented by Becky Jewell.

In May, we will be presenting a Special Mission Recognition pin to Pat Wiseman-Jones for her many years of service to the church. This will be a potluck meeting. Please join us as we give special recognition to Pat. We are continuing to sell our Rada knives and have many on hand. If you would like to see a catalog, contact Vicki McConnell @ 740-704-9509. All women of the church are welcome to come to our meetings, the third Tuesday of each month from 1-3 PM. Vicki McConnell President RP UMW

Bishop Palmer has invited us to come together as The West Ohio Conference, in the study of “Galatians: Gospel of Grace” over the weeks of the Easter season. As we read, study, and discuss Scripture together, we will trust the Holy Spirit to move in our midst and to speak to us through the living word of God. We hope you will join us in a conference-wide all-church series on Galatians. We are inviting all small groups to do a study on Galatians during the 6-week timeframe. Small group discussion guides, worship resources, social media options, and communication templates will be available to you. We are asking those who are not in a small group to join one, or to begin a new group, for this 6-week series. As you make plans to participate, you are encouraged to read Galatians and begin preparing around these weekly themes:

1 Maureen Dennis, Misti Wiseman 3 Ashley Ervin, Kevin Franklin, Amber Stokes, Lauren Wood, Caleb Zinn 4 Greg Miller 6 Kery Pettit, Lisa Wiseman 7 Paul Law 8 Jean Ellis 9 Don Longwell 10 Nick Fink, Kris McCutcheon 11 Stephanie Taylor 13 Chris Mohler 14 Ana Presley 16 Ruth Henthorne, Teresa James, Carla Samson 17 Jen Bronner, Stephanie Lowe 18 Harold Barnhart, Bonnie Martin 19 Renee Hammers 20 Ashton Pettit, Van Slack 21 Chase Myers, Charlie Strickler 22 Sarah Pierce, Heather Stoltz 23 Cammie Bunting 24 Chris Jarvis, Donna Talbot 25 Kathy Mohler, Mark Swauger 26 Nikole Daniels 27 Joyce Krouskoupf 28 Tim Adams 29 Shirleen Morehouse, Melissa Smith 30 Steve Johnson, Morgan Swauger

4 Paul & Jane Law 10 Ray & Sue Snyder 11 Steve & Becky Johnson 16 Brian & Kim Spring 18 John & Erin Alice Rob & Heather Matarazzo 20 Larry & Maureen Dennis 22 Tracey & Jeanie Presley 27 Ricky & Heather Moorehead 28 Zach & Mary Robinson

Monday Night Prayer

Each Monday evening @ 6:30 – 7:30 PM

Road to Recovery Each Friday evening @ 6:30 PM

May 5 ~ UMM Meeting 7:00 AM – Embers Room

May 9 ~ All-Pro Dads Breakfast 7:30 AM – Worship Center

12 ~ Mother’s Day

May 19 ~ Discover Rolling Plains 12:15 PM – Embers Room

May 19 ~ Suicide Prevention Walk 1:00 – 3:00 PM – Maysville H.S. Track

May 19 ~ The Well Service 6:00 PM – Worship Center

21 ~ UMW Meeting 1:00 – 3:00 PM – Embers Room

26 ~ Annual Youth End of School Bash 6:00 PM

27 ~ Memorial Day Church office will be closed

NEW HOPE CHURCH – 7:00 PM

Greetings Brothers in Christ's Service, Over the next few newsletters I am going to be posting what the "United Methodist Men" is all about. This first installment is an overview of the group:

"The ministry of men in the local church is defined as a core group of men, partnering with their pastor, to invite and initiate spiritual growth opportunities for all men of the church. Everyone has different gifts, graces, and areas of interest. Therefore, opportunities for participation would include diverse ministries of the church, such as prayer groups, missions, Bible studies, retreats, workshops/seminars, small groups in the Wesleyan tradition, leading and participating on committees, teaching Sunday School classes, youth ministries, scouting, mentoring, and assisting in leading worship service. The focus is not inward, concentrating only on those who attend a set meeting, but outward to all men, assisting them to engage the process of spiritual growth."

The Rolling Plains United Methodist Men is open to ALL men who wish to attend, you need NOT be a member of Rolling Plains Church. We meet for a breakfast meeting on the first Sunday of every month, at 7:00 AM in the Embers Room at the church. We normally have breakfast, a brief business meeting, and a time of devotions. We are normally finished by 8:00 AM. Please feel free to attend. To those of you who already attend, we are in the midst of planning our THIRD annual FALL MEN’S RETREAT at Camp Otterbein, in Logan, Ohio on September 13, 14, and 15, 2019.

Don't forget! Our next meeting will be on Sunday, May 5th at 7:00 AM in the Embers Room. We hope to see you there! In His Service, Tim Collins secretary

Do you need to de-clutter your schedule? I was talking just last night with one of our congregants about our busy schedules and how we had multiple things or places to be at the same time. My wife and I drove separately to the church for an event, as one of our kids had to leave early for another event at school. I am someone who likes to be busy, someone who operates better when the plate is full or over flowing. This is a difficult one for me, so I get it when you say, “I do not know where to begin.” Below are a few items that may help de-clutter your schedule and simplify your life. There is no easy checklist for finding that balance, but here are some things to consider:

• Set priorities. That means making tough choices, letting something go. Before committing to yet another project, volunteer opportunity, or yet another activity for your child, ask yourself if it fits into the 60% of your life. Does it align with your family’s priorities?

• Get on the same page. Make sure your family agrees on priorities. Before you add a big commitment to the calendar, check with your spouse or partner to avoid unnecessary time crunches.

• Realize you cannot do everything. As much as we try to do it all, we have limits. Be realistic with your calendar and your energy level concerning the number of commitments you have.

• Say no. We probably kick ourselves more often for saying yes, than when we should have said no. Such a little word and yet so much power to free up the schedule. This Live Smart Ohio blog has points to consider about overscheduled kids: https://livesmartohio.osu.edu/mind-and-body/carter-413osu-edu/overscheduled-kids/

• Keep your focus. Re-establishing priorities is a cyclical process as we go through our lives. Make sure those priorities show up on your daily to-do list, as a way of being intentional about keeping your focus on what is most important.

Courtesy of Ohio State Family and Consumer Sciences

May we take the time to find time for Jesus in our lives. What could your life look like, if it were less cluttered?

Blessings, Chad Stoltz

Crossworks Mission in Europe May 2019

Praises: Successful Member Care Conference on March 29-30, 2019 in Camarma de Esteruelas, Spain. Prayers needed for:

• Spaniards to be moved by the message of the Gospel and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as we celebrate Easter.

• Future opportunities to train and teach adults

• Successful hiring of a new ECMI-USA Executive Director

DONATE: ECMI-USA, PO Box 2217 Monument, CO 80132. (Sharon Graves # 4060) http://www.ecmi-usa.org/get-involved/give/

English Club Learns of Christian Heritage in Ireland Our resident experts, Tania and Charlie Deering, ECM missionaries from Northern Ireland, joined our English club to share with us the history of St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland’s Christian heritage. Along with a short history lesson about St. Patrick and his work as a Protestant missionary, we tasted Irish breads, learned a few Gaelic words as well as some steps to a popular Irish dance. The session was a fantastic opportunity for our Spanish Spotlight members (who love anything Irish) to practice conversational English by asking and answering questions about this holiday and how it is celebrated.

Who Are These Smiling Faces? Formed almost one year ago, this is ECM’s new Member Care Leadership Team. As the ECM organization continues to grow, the demands of caring for our missionaries in the field have also expanded. Now, instead of two people organizing member care services, we are seven. As a team, we are truly blessed by the giftings, capabilities, and years of experience of each member. Since we are scattered across Europe, our monthly meetings are normally via Skype. However, on March, 28, 2019, we came together, face-to-face, a day before our Member Care conference to meet and work together, which strengthened our bonds as a team and with each other. I love working with this group!

A Big Thank You Rolling Plains UMC! On March 29-30, 2019, we held our Biennial Member Care Conference here in Carmarma de Esteruelas, Spain. This conference was an opportunity for our 24 Member Care facilitators across Europe, to come together and learn about issues critical to the care and support of our missionaries in the field. The conference theme, “Going from Suffering to Resilience,” addressed ways we can care for ourselves and each other during times of suffering. Our conversations focused around the work of Scot Shaum, the author of a book called The Uninvited Companion. At the end of the conference, we were thrilled to be able to give each facilitator a copy of Shaum’s book, purchased by RPUMC. Here, in this picture, is all of our facilitators holding their books. Thank you, Rolling Plains!

THE ABUNDANT HEALTH CHURCH