Sequoyah United Methodist Church

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2010-04-26T03:10:00.001-05:00

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2010-04-20T10:04:00.002-05:00

Sequoyah member Dave Clark was moved to share the following

The Garbage Antidote

In this age of rampant consumerism as urban gestalt proclaims, it’s no longer what we are, but what we’ve acquired that counts. No doubt, we’ve all been told what the good American citizen should become. Personal security is no longer personal, parents have become passé, and teachers are too busy preparing for tests. Has the church’s inner odyssey become irrelevant as well? Has it all been replaced by corporate themes and sponsorships, flat screen TV’s and digital signals? It seems advertising, the driving force, is dominated by a psychology of inadequacy, which keeps us forever searching. Like the early Israelites, we feel abandoned; always looking out there, in search of, we’re not really quite sure… As modern wanderers the pivotal questions have changed. No longer do we ask, where is God, but rather, how do we stay busy today? And society is always there to provide, for better or worse.

So paradoxical yet predictable are the ways we experience God in our lives. From a burning bush, a stranger on the road, or even wine in a stone jar, we are continuously summoned to experience true security. Have you ever wondered what would happen to this wonderful mess of a country if we found real security in our shared divinity? “Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you -” 2 Corinthians 13-5 Our need for distraction would be drastically changed, not to mention our relationships with, well-everyone!

Garbage collection, the hidden sacrament, maligned by those who may contribute to its’ accumulation and often misunderstood by even the faithful as a means of grace and spiritual awakening, is seeing a rebirth in our times. Not since the 70’s when an Indian brave stood tearful along a major turnpike, garbage tossed at his feet from a passing motorist has litter awareness seen such resurgence. And that’s a surge to truly believe in!

Litter pick up has been a practice in our family, spiritual or otherwise, depending on whom you ask, for several years. The longing for a spotless street or pristine roadside had its’ genesis for me after a disgruntled neighborhood complained of the unsightly mess (human or otherwise), of a homeless program where I once volunteered. After you purchase a niftynabber (claw handled yard tool), you can never go back. If one was ever looking for distraction combined with instant gratification they need look no further than beyond their curb. Where else might one be confronted with the notion of forgiveness and humility in one full clump, literally? After driving down a major arterial all winter, you can’t wait for that first warm afternoon, your big chance to make a difference out there. What a beautiful example of contemplation in action! If you need an antidote to stem the tide of current wisdom, just possibly, litter cleanup could be another spiritual practice for you. My wife brought home a sticker from a Christian environmental conference a few weeks ago. “If you love the creator then love his creation.”

No experience necessary, only a willingness to be changed.

Holy Week 2010

2010-03-19T11:45:00.002-05:00

Sunday, March 28th - Palm Sunday Parade Children are encouraged to process through the sanctuary waving palms during the beginning hymn of both worship services on Palm Sunday morning. Please meet in the hallway outside the sanctuary before the service to receive your palm branch and instructions.

March 29th through April 2nd – Holy Week Services at Noon You are encouraged to make plans to join the United Methodist’s in our community for Holy Week Services. This year’s host church is Central UMC located at 6 East Dixon Street. The services will take place at noon each day with a different guest preacher each day. After the service (12:30) there will be a luncheon served for $5 per person. Pastor Craig will preach Tuesday, March 30th.

April 1st - Maundy Thursday Come and Go Communion This come and go service of remembering is open to anyone from 6 - 7pm (church membership is not required). Come and spend a few moments in our beautiful sanctuary reflecting on God’s love, and sharing in Holy Communion. A written guide for prayer and scripture reading is provided.

April 2nd - Good Friday Tenebrae Service This service is a Holy Week devotion which dates back to the 7th or 8th century A.D. and is characterized by successive extinguishing of candles. The service presented by SUMC Youth is composed primarily of Bible readings about the last hours of Jesus’s life, and dramatizes Jesus’s passion and death. Please join us Friday, April 2, at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary.

April 3rd -Pancake Breakfast - This year’s annual Pancake Breakfast will be held from 7 – 10 am and coincides with the Families and Children's Easter Celebration. All SUMC families and children are invited. To defray the food cost the breakfast will be $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for children under 10 or maximum of $10.00 per family. The menu will be sausage, pancakes, juice and coffee. If you would like to volunteer to help the Fellowship Ministry Team there is a "shift volunteer” sign-up sheet in the narthex or just call the office and let them know you will help.

Easter Celebration Event for Children & Families and Easter Egg Hunt - The Easter celebration has a new look this year: Faith Discovery Stations. At 9:30, children and their families are invited to discover the real meanings of Easter and the Resurrection. Children are also encouraged to bring flowers to decorate the cross for Easter Sunday services. The Faith Discovery Stations will be followed by the Children’s Easter Egg Hunt at approximately 10am.--Please donate a bag of wrapped Easter Candy for the Hunt and some new plastic eggs by Wednesday, March 31st (see the box outside Ann Catherine’s office in the Children's Area).

April 4th - Easter Sunday Services - Come and celebrate our faith in Christ our Risen Savior! Services are at 8:45 & 11:00 with Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. And remember to Pass It On This Easter!

Epiphany

2010-01-06T06:34:00.003-06:00

Today is the feast of the Epiphany, the day that the Magi visited the newborn Jesus.

This would be an excellent day to do something new and amazing. Why not come to choir practice and learn the music for this year's Martin Luther King celebration? Don't wait for an invitation -- the Magi didn't. Just walk in and try out a new way to honor God. In the choir room, at 6:30 tonight.

Centering Prayer

2010-01-03T12:47:00.001-06:00

Visit CenteringPrayer.com for some thoughts on contemplative prayer.

Silence at Sequoyah

2009-12-28T11:19:00.004-06:00

A new group is meeting at SUMC. A Quiet Place has begun in the Parlor from 8:45 to 9:30 on Sunday mornings. We set aside this time to intentionally practice the presence of God.
Very simply, we sit in silence and listen to God. We become receptive to God's presence and action in our lives.

There is a place of silence within us all. When we empty ourselves to let God enter that silence we listen from the heart.

A Quiet Place is a comforting respite along the way, where silence is no longer awkward.

This group is open to all.

"Be still, and know that I am God;

Psalm 46:10

All Dressed Up for Christmas!

2009-12-22T08:32:00.000-06:00

Spend Christmas at Sequoyah!

2009-12-21T15:20:00.002-06:00

There is not a more beautiful place to spend Christmas Eve than in Sequoyah's sanctuary. We will be hosting 2 Christmas Eve Candlelight Services this year, one at 5:00pm and another at 7:00pm. The service will feature special music and a special Christmas message from Pastor Craig. Please come join us and invite someone to share this special service with you.

Help Our Youth Help Our Community Youth!

2009-12-04T10:32:00.002-06:00

Please support Sequoyah UMC youth by buying a ticket to their Potato To-Go Fundraiser lunch. The lunch will be held this Sunday, Dec. 6th at noon. Tickets are $5 for Adults, $3 for children and can be purchased Sunday morning. The lunch will include a large fully loaded baked potato, bread, fruit cup and brownie. All proceeds will be used to purchase Christmas gifts for needy youth in our community.

Help us prepare for Christmas!

2009-11-20T14:58:00.002-06:00

Saturday, November 28th from 10am to 2pm please join us for Decoration Saturday where we decorate the church for Advent and Christmas. Chili will be served for lunch and it will be a wonderful time of transforming the church into a festive atmosphere in preparation of the celebration of Christ's birth.

Sunday, November 29th we invite you to attend a very special worship service that will be presented in both the 8:45am and 11am worship services. The Hanging of the Greens Service shows us the meaning of various traditional Christmas decorations presented to us by families within our church.

2009 Cluster Charge Conference

2009-11-12T09:45:00.001-06:00

Sequoyah UMC's annual Charge Conference will be held Sunday, Nov. 15th at 2-4pm, at Farmington UMC. This is the Northwest District's first time to "cluster". Everyone is welcomed to attend, while members of the Charge Conference (same as members of AdCouncil) are expected. We will meet at Sequoyah at 1:30 to carpool.
In addition to the usual business of the church, we will join 10 other congregations in some time of celebration. Rev. Mackey Yokem, our District Superintendent, will bring th emessage "No longer business as usual". There will also be a session called "How do we "catch 'em?" presented by Rob Willisnas, a New Church Start pastor assigned to Siloam Springs, in which he will discuss the evangelism strategy based on Bill Hybells book, Walk Across the Room. Finally we will hear a presentation called "What difference has it made?" which will include three personal stories from: a new disciple of Jesus, a person who has recently returned to Christian Discipleship, and a witness to the joy of Tithing.

Sequoyah Women's Spiritual Retreat

2009-11-03T20:26:00.003-06:00

October 23-24, 16 women joined together at the Ackerson's beautiful mountaintop farm in Madison county to be inspired by the message of 'Peace by Piece' in the study developed and presented by Terri Bressler.

The day included insight into the meaning of peace through scripture and the writings of past and present inspirational authors, signs of peace and their development, how to achieve peace and how to share it.

We created a group 'Peace Quilt' where each one contributed a piece of the whole. We experienced origami cranes, a labyrinth, a spiritual approach to yoga, God's beautiful fall weather and colors, and much more.

It was an event to remember and we look forward to the next opportunity to spend time in this type of Christian growth and fellowship.

Notice Something Different on the Front Lawn?

2009-10-01T09:09:00.003-05:00

The pumpkins are here! Please help support our youth by volunteering to help in the pumpkin patch or buying some pumpkins! The Pumpkin Patch will be open October 1st-31st and the proceeds benefit our youth.

Prayer Garden News

2009-09-29T13:48:00.003-05:00

Many of you may not be aware that we have a small family of turtles who inhabit our Prayer Garden. The story goes that several years ago someone brought in a turtle that had been hit by a car (Chip) to recuperate in peace, then someone else brought a companion for it (Dale). For a while we assumed Chip and Dale were both males, but apparently we were wrong!

Chip & Dale are multiplying! Earlier this year we noticed one baby and Donna Clark noticed two more eggs a few weeks ago and today she discovered that one of the eggs have hatched. So as far as we can tell Chip and Dale are now the proud parents of 2 soon to be 3! So be on the lookout when walking through the Prayer Garden for our little friends and make sure to stay to the brick path for their safety.

Sweet Harmony

2009-09-04T11:39:00.002-05:00

Sweet Harmony, the women's ensemble that sings at the early service, got back together for rehearsal after a summer hiatus.

New members are always welcome!

VBS Was Big Fun!

2009-09-03T17:12:00.003-05:00

Hi, I'm Pastor Donna, and I want to share with you the fun we had at VBS!

Hands-on learning about God!

Active play!

Worship and music!

Sequoyah is Growing!

2009-08-27T15:27:00.003-05:00

The Pumpkin Patch is just around the corner (first delivery is Sept. 30th at 5:30pm) and just last week the Tenison family discovered that Sequoyah is growing it's very own pumpkins! A pumpkin vine has appeared in the alley off the parking lot by the children's area and has produced 3 pumpkins! Two are on display in the office and the 3rd one is still a bit too green to come off the vine yet. I think God is trying to tell us that all sorts of things are growing at Sequoyah. . . . . ministries, attendance and even pumpkins!

Best Wishes, Desiree!

2009-08-16T13:14:00.003-05:00

Our wonderful office manager, Desire Keen, is getting married soon, so the ladies of the church held a wedding shower for her.

Desiree and her mom preside over the presents.

There was a fine array of casseroles and salads.

Good conversation, too.

Lots of smiles!

Everyone in the Kids' Programs, Please Read!

2009-08-15T05:53:00.000-05:00

Pictures will be taken August 16 and 23rd of the Children, Shepherds and Teachers for the Children's Directory. Plan to be ready when we come to get you from your class.
Thanks for your cooperation. Donna

Join the Ageless Group

2009-07-24T09:00:00.002-05:00

The ageless group has a luncheon once a month on the third Thursday of each month, meeting at 11:30. We have potlucks at church or we go to a restaurant. The group is open to all members regardless of age. We usually have a devotion after we have finished our meal. We always have a good time!

Myrtis Wyly is the chair of this group. Contact her or the church office with any questions.

Don't Miss the Ice Cream Social!

2009-07-17T10:28:00.001-05:00

July 19 is National Ice Cream Day, and you need to observe this important day by coming to Sequoyah's Ice Cream Social at 3:00.

Music, ice cream, baked goods, fun, fellowship... Be there!

Volunteers Needed

2009-07-13T17:06:00.000-05:00

Volunteers are needed to help with
The Salvation Army, Springdale Arkansas, Feeding Program.

This program feeds 100-150 people daily.

Dates: July 13,14,16,17
(This program needs volunteers year round,
but the cook is on vacation this week so extra help is needed)
Hours are 10am - 1pm

Volunteers are need to assist with preparing the meal, serving the meal and clean up after. Menu is set and all food and supplies will be provided.

If you can help in any way, please go to http://nwasa.volunteerfirst.org to sign up.
For any further questions please do not hesitate to call Sharon at 479-981-0900.

Thank you and God Bless You -- The Salvation Army

In case you missed it...

2009-07-13T06:44:00.004-05:00

Sunday's sermon started with the story of the death of John the Baptist, a horrific event which Pastor Craig brought to life with his lively description of Herod and his posse. The image of Salome carrying the prophet's severed head to show to her mama gives us a picture of Herod's family life which is as disturbing as the crime itself.

It's tempting to look at this kind of wickedness and think that evil has triumphed.

Instead, the story can show us that evil doesn't triumph, that even in a case like this one, where people have so much worldly power that they can appear to get away with any level of depravity, God is still present.

The children's message reminded us of the interconnectedness of all living things and our responsibility to care for our environment.

The choir brought the spiritual "Hush!" for the second service,and Sweet Harmony sang for the early service.

Next week's sermon is "Where have all the shepherds gone?" and the choir will sing a piece by John Rutter.

One Book Foundation

2009-07-11T07:17:00.002-05:00

Ice Cream Social

2009-07-09T08:19:00.002-05:00

Music and Ice Cream 3:00 July 19th

Don't miss it!