FROM THE PASTOR: From the mouths of children:
While in the reception area of a doctor’s office a woman rolled an elderly man in a wheelchair into the room. As she went to the receptionist’s desk, the man sat there, alone and silent. After a short time a little boy slipped off his mother’s lap and walked over to the wheelchair. Placing his hand on the man’s he said, “I know how you feel. My mom makes me ride in the stroller too!”
Paul Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for children stricken with cancer, AIDS, and blood diseases. One afternoon, he and his wife, Joanne Woodward, stopped by to have lunch with the kids. A counselor at a nearby table, suspecting the young patients wouldn’t know that Newman was a famous movie star, explained, “That’s the man who made this camp possible. Maybe you’ve seen his picture on his salad dressing bottle?” Blank stares. “Well, maybe you have seen his face on his lemonade carton?” An 8 year old girl finally perked up and asked “How long was he missing?”
FELLOWSHIP DINNER
The fellowship dinner for March will be held Wednesday March 2nd at 6:30 pm in the fellowship hall. Everyone is welcome, even if you don’t have time to make something to bring.
SHUT IN OF THE MONTH
All during the month we will collect special items for our Shut In of the Month—cards, candy, a book, cookies, a nice bookmark, whatever you decide. You can give these items to Jennifer Lee, or put them in the basket in the entryway to the sanctuary. At the end of the month a basket of these love gifts will be taken to that Shut In. The Shut In for the month of March is Pat Adcock.
FELLOWSHIP BIBLE STUDY GATHERING
Those interested in a time of sharing, praying, and fellowshipping together are welcome to gather at the home of Henry Procopio on Wednesday March 16th at 6:30 pm. This is a monthly gathering but anyone is welcome to come whenever they can come. The group is studying the Gospel of Mark. You can start at any time. Desserts are provided.
UPCOMING DATES
April 17 Palm Sunday
April 23 Children’s Eater Party
April 24 Easter Sunday
CHURCH CLEANING SCHEDULE
For March 6th Matt & Renee
For March 13th Martha & Henry
For March 20th Jennifer Lee
For March 27th Steve & Sheri
For April 3rd Donna & Trent
COMMUNION
We will celebrate Communion on Sunday, March 13th.
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME
Daylight savings time begins Sunday March 13. Don’t forget to turn your clocks and watches AHEAD one hour at bedtime Saturday night.
MEMBER ADDRESSES NEEDED
The church is responsible for keeping up with its members’ addresses even if they move. We are missing addresses for the following members: Charlie Brown, Mitch and Vickie Skelton, Lois Harper. If you can get an address and phone number for any of these people please write it down and give it to the pastor.
WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY
Did you know that an estimated 70% of all people who die do not have a Will or Living Trust? Without proper estate planning your church cannot receive gifts from you estate. Do you know who your heirs will be? Is your church a beneficiary of your estate?
TRUSTEES MEETING
The Trustees will meet Tuesday, March 22 at 6:30. The trustees are: Martha Neeley, Henry Procopio, Grady Garton, Steve Lain, Patsy Clark, Sandra Robinson, Charles Powell, Tim Garrett, Doug Baxter.
PASTOR PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE
The 2011 Pastor Parish Relations Committee will meet for their first meeting of the year to learn the committee responsibilities on Thursday, March 31 at 6:30. Members of the committee are: Kara Jackson, Henry Procopio, Patsy Clark, Dee Randolph, Mary Cline, Charles Powell, Mary Beth Riley, Jesse Browning, Vickie Kegerise, Brenda Alcorn.
JOELTON HOPE CENTER –Neighbors Helping Neighbors
The Hope Center is located 212 Gifford Place, between Curves and the Laundromat. There are now over 115 client families being helped by our center. In January 36 families [138 individuals] received food boxes.
A barrel is in the entryway of the church to receive donations for the Joelton Hope Center. [You can also take them directly to the Hope Center.] For the month of March we will be collecting Baby Stuff—diapers, wipes, formula, bibs, diaper rash ointment, lotions, shampoos, soaps.
The Hope Center is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10-4 and 10-2 Saturday while we are on Central Standard Time. The Hope Center Board set a goal of being open 6 days a week in 2011 so additional volunteers are needed any day Monday-Saturday. Dee Randolph has recently started volunteering again there. She would love for others from Forest Grove to join her.
PASTOR BILLMAN’S WORK SCHEDULE
About 6 years ago the Pastor Parish Relations Committee and Church Council decided to ask the Tennessee Annual Conference to appoint a part time pastor to Forest Grove due to financial struggles that the church was experiencing at the time. Part time pastors can be ¾, ½ or ¼ time. Pastor Billman was then appointed to Forest Grove ½ time in July 2005. In spite of that, when he presented the Pastor Parish Relations Committee a couple years ago with a list of the things that he does for Forest Grove church, no one on the committee could point out anything missing that a full time pastor would be doing. In order for Forest Grove to return to a full time appointment, the Pastor Parish Relations Committee and Church Council would have to vote to do that and then obtain the permission of the annual conference to do so.
The Discipline does not allow full time pastors to have a second job. However, most part time pastors who are not retired need a second job. So, Pastor Billman is also appointed to Aldersgate Renewal Ministries in Goodlettsville ½ time by the Eastern PA Annual Conference. He works at the ARM office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8-4. In addition he is gone some weekends on ARM business across the country and around the world. Aldersgate also pays for Pastor Billman’s health insurance.
Peg Billman’s playing the piano for church services, choir practices and special music; directing the bell choir, preparing words for the choruses and sermon for projecting on the wall, making banners for the sanctuary, formatting the newsletter and mailing labels, and maintaining the church blog site are all done for free.
ENCOURAGING WORD
What God hates is human pride—the kind of pride that says, "I don't need God." The kind of pride that seeks to be great apart from God. Again and again in Scripture, God says he opposes the proud. He wants us to be like trusting children, looking to him for every need, every breath we take. That kind of attitude goes against the world … but reaches God's heart every time.
ASH WEDNESDAY
The church season of Lent, leading up to Easter, begins on Ash Wednesday, March 9th. We will have a special combined Ash Wednesday service of our Joelton area United Methodist churches at St. Andrew UMC, 4590 Clarksville Pike, Nashville at 7pm. We will be taking our bells and Pastor Billman will bring the evening message. The offering will go to the Joelton Hope Center.
The Lenten Coin Folders also begin that day. The money raised through them will go toward our local and foreign mission projects. These folders will be available in the entryway.
UPCOMING SERMONS
Set For Life: Meeting the Jesus I Know—Feb 27
Set For Life: Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda—March 13
Set For Life: Habits of Highly Ineffective Christians—March 20
How to Be Used By God, Part One—March 27
How to Be Used By God, Part Two—April 3
The Weeping King—Palm Sunday, April 17
FIVE FINGER PRAYER
1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'
2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all, which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
| March 2011 | ||||||
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| | | 1 | 2 6:30-Fellowship Dinner Pastor and Peg are | 3 gone through March | 4 8th | 5 |
| 6 9:30-Sunday School 10:30-Worship Harry Burger preaching | 7 | 8 | 9 7:00-Combined Ash Wednesday service at St. Andrew (Lenten coin folders start) | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 9:30-Sunday School 10:30-Worship COMMUNION | 14 | 15 | 16 6:30-Bible study & fellowship at Henry’s-Anyone is welcome! | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 9:30-Sunday School 10:30-Worship | 21 | 22 6:30-Trustees Mtng | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 9:30-Sunday School 10:30-Worship | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 6:30 – Pastor-Parish Relations Comm. Mtng. | | |
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