The season of Lent begins on February 22 with our Ash Wednesday service at 6:30pm. We will have a fellowship meal before the service beginning at 5:45pm. The service will begin with the United Methodist Women’s Call to Prayer and Self-Denial and offering. At the end of the service, there will be an imposition of ashes, a time of repenting of our sin and turning our hearts towards God. We hope you will join us as we begin our Lenten journey together.
Sequoyah’s Youth is starting a praise band! If you’re interested in playing, singing or just helping out please contact the church office at 479-442-8677.
Thanks for all your recycling efforts in 2011! From aluminum cans and metal recycling, we made almost $300, which was used for the youth room re-do, plants and such for the garden, and misc. around the church. We carried 2 full truck loads of electronics to the free recycling event in Nov., gathered from church and personal homes. But…we can always do a little more.
For newer people to the church, we collect bagged aluminum cans, any scrap metal, and ink cartridges, in the room across from the kitchen window. In addition to the recyclables we collect sample sizes of personal items, which are donated to homeless and low income in the area. We are also now collecting pop can tabs for the Ronald McDonald house. You can place those in the receptacles near the soda machine.
All Ministry Teams (members and leaders) are invited to attend a leadership training and planning session, January 23rd, from 6 to 8 p.m. Child care will be provided upon request.
A devotional discussion titled “Leading as Jesus led” will start the meeting. Agenda items will include: discussion about our church and community demographic, breakout time for ministry teams to “vision” and plan, and calendaring events. This is a great way to start the new year in the life of SUMC.
If your child is in the sixth grade, he or she is eligible to begin Confirmation classes in the New Year. The classes will meet upstairs during our 9:45 a.m. Sunday School hour beginning in January and continuing through the Spring, culminating in a special Confirmation Sunday Service at church. All children in sixth grade are invited and encouraged to attend, whether you are a member of the church, a visitor, or your child has simply been attending Tweens class on Wednesday nights. For more information please contact the church office at 479-442-8677.
Wednesday evening activities will resume on January 11. Our wonderful meal (menu published on Facebook) will be served at 5:45. Cost is $4.00 per plate ($2.00 for Peanut Butter Sandwich) with a $15.00 family maximum.
Children’s Choir will practice from 6 to 6:30. Activities for children Pre-K through 4th grade will take place in the Children’s Chapel from 6:30 to 7:30. There are also activities planned for the Tweens (5th – 6th grades) and Youth. Adult classes are also scheduled: Bible Studies; Disciple; Financial Peace; Chancel Choir; Bell choir. Child care is provided.
Beginning Tuesday morning, January 10, Pastor Johnson’s Tuesday morning Bible class will begin a study of the Gospel of John. John’s Gospel offers spiritually attuned, stunningly beautiful insights into the nature of Jesus and the meaning of faith. We witness signs and wonders, view contrasts of darkness and light, blindness and sight, death and new life as John puts before us who Jesus is, where he has come from and where he is going.
This class meets each Tuesday morning at 9:30 in the Administrative Council Room and we welcome new and returning students. Student books can be picked up through the church office. The cost is $20 per book. If you have questions or comments, please contact Pastor Johnson.
Please join us as we celebrate the birth of Christ Sunday, December 25 at 10 a.m.
Our Christmas Eve services this year will be held at 4 pm and 7 pm on December 24. On this holy night, we will celebrate the birth of Christ, God’s love coming into the world as a newborn child. The 4 pm service will have a special opportunity for the children to help tell the story of the nativity. At the 7 p.m. service the chancel choir will perform an anthem. In both services, we will celebrate in song, in Scripture, in Holy Communion, and in candlelight symbolizing the light of Christ coming into the world. Invite your family and friends to join us for this special night as we proclaim the good news of great joy that Christ is born!
This year the choir will be performing a Christmas Cantata entitled “Nowell Nowell Emmanuel” composed by Gilbert Martin and Terry Kirkland. It is a nice combination of new and traditional Christmas music to tell the story of the birth of Christ from the prophets to the Angels. It will include the announcement, the birth, the angels, the shepherds, the Prologue of John and the Benediction.
The service that day will feature the Chancel Choir, Sweet Harmony and the Sequoyah Ringers. Susan Johnson is featured on the flute and the whole thing is accompanied by Mark Smidt. Gary Darnell will narrate.
Performances are Dec. 18 at the 8:45 & 11 a.m services. All are welcome.