CONCORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

 

Pastor:  David King                                                                                                                                         Volume XXI May 2008

 

The mission of Concord United Methodist Church

is to worship God, be receptive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

You may remember that a little over a year ago we changed our church mission statement in order to simplify it, to make it more succinctly state what we believe and to more closely align it with the mission statement of our conference.  We accomplished all of these things, but we later came to realize that there was something missing in our new statement.  Thus, at the last meeting of our administrative council we voted to add just two words to our statement.  Did you happen to notice?  The two small but very important words that we added were “worship God.”

In a sense we are only stating the obvious.  Everyone knows that we come to church in order to worship God, right?  In fact I think we could all agree that worship is the most important thing we do as a church.  Yet I think our initial omission of these words from our mission statement demonstrates how easily we take worship for granted.  There are many other important things taking place within our congregation and our church buildings that clamor for our attention.  But they should never take priority over worshipping our Creator.

It is important for us to understand that worship is not about you or me; it is about the WE– the Body of Christ, coming together in gratitude before God.  In our culture of consumerism, it is common for people to approach worship with questions such as, “What will I get out of this?  What will this do for me?”  We tend to think of ourselves as the audience when we come to church, seeking entertainment.  One of the things we have learned in our adult Sunday-school class this spring is that in worship, we are not the audience; God is the audience!  Our purpose for coming to church should not be about what we will receive, but rather what we are to give God—our praise, our thanksgiving, our honor, our commitment.  We receive from God every moment of our lives, including in church.  Worship is our opportunity to give back. 

This is not to say that we should not get anything out of worship.  Worship is our service to God and our duty to God, but it is also our delight!  It has been said that the primary purpose of human life is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.  We glorify God in worship, and we should enjoy doing it!  If we miss worship, it should feel like our lives are missing something essential to the enjoyment of life.  In fact if we did not worship God our lives would make no sense.  Let us seek not so much to make worship relevant to our lives, as to make our lives relevant to worship. 

“O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!  For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” (Ps. 95:6-7).

 

Grace and peace,

David

 

PRAYER LIST

      As we thank God for the many blessings which have been bestowed upon us, let us remember to keep the following people in our prayers:  our troops and the leaders of all nations, Tom Woody, Sarah Marie Woody, Keith Thomas, Otelier Davis, Mac Lewis, Joe Guthrie, Tony Shropshire & family, Beth Daniel, Joyce Dawson, David Thomas, Robert Moore, Madison Taylor & family, Wanda Shoe, Quentin Zachary, Emily Waddell, Shannon Peace, Teresa Brown, Brianna Bowden & family, Roanne McKinney, Meghan Beckert & family, Georgia Langston, Debra Dawson, Jacob Daniels, Eric Snyder, Tom Fitzsimmons, Janice Andrews, Catherine Farvel, Matthew Fitzgerald, Darryl Gless, Tom Cole, Janice Williamson, Howard & Mary Davis, Jack Mathison, Larry Scott, Judy Loy, Mae Love Cheek, the family of Adelle Braxton, the family of Mark Johnson, Debra and JoAnne Cantrell and the family of Lisa Taylor, the family of Chris McBane, Kim McCoy, John Bradshaw, Betty Roberts, Beth Brawley and all who are in need of physical and emotional healing.   

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to Steve and Christina Wilkins on the birth of their son.  Camden Blaine Wilkins was born on April 1.  Proud grandparents are Mac and Faye Lewis.  Proud big sister is Payton Wilkins.

 

VBS MEETING

There will be a planning meeting for Vacation Bible School on Monday, May 5 at 7:00.  Anyone interested in helping this year is invited to attend.  VBS will be July 20-24.

 

GOLF TOURNAMENT

The annual Concord golf tournament is May 10 at Quaker Creek Golf Course.  If you can help, donate snacks, or would like to sponsor a hole ($100 per hole) please contact Cindy Sanes at 336-376-9314 or email sanes9314@bellsouth.net.

 

BARBECUE SALE

We are having a barbecue sale as a fundraiser for the basement repairs.  We are pre-selling tickets for pounds of barbecue which include slaw and sauce.  Each pound is $8 and can be picked up at the church on May 17 between 12:00 and 2:00 pm.  If you need tickets to sell, please contact Cindy Sanes.

 

OUTREACH BREAKFAST

      Outreach is having a country breakfast fundraiser at the Fellowship Hall on May 31 from 6:30-10:00.  Donations will be accepted. 

 

FINANCIAL NEWS

April 2008

$6,300 Giving Goal

$5,490  Received as of April 27^th

$   810 Short of our monthly goal

Total Budget Goal for 2008 $77,500

Missed Stewardship Opportunity - $1,377

 

HONORARIUMS & MEMORIALS

 

IN MEMORY OF

Geraldine Allen by Sherry White for the Budget.

Revere Mogle by David & Kim King for the Budget.

Grey & Blanche Hargrove by Tom & Beckie Hargrove for the Budget.

Lacy & Blanche Moore by Tom & Beckie Hargrove for the Budget.

Bobby Grey Hargrove by Tom & Beckie Hargrove for the Budget.

Adelle Braxton by Tom & Beckie Hargrove for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Tommy & Vickie Coble for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by William & Frances Moore for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Albert & Judith Siemens for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Mary Moore for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by John & Peggy Bradshaw for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Friendship Sunday School Class for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Herb & Shirley Pierce for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Jolene Guthrie for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Fannie Zachary for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Buddy & Marie Long for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Betty Williams for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by the Talley Family for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by the Bryant Smith Family for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Irma Newlin for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Jack Holmes for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Minnie Gentry for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Clinton & Brenda Smith for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Bill & Donna Marlette for the Cemetery fund.

Adelle Braxton by Greta Thomas for the Cemetery fund.

 

IN HONOR OF

Avis Johnson by Tom & Beckie Hargrove for the Budget.

Joe Guthrie’s 90^th Birthday by Tom & Beckie Hargrove for the Budget.

Joe Guthrie’s 90^th Birthday by Ernest & Ruth Ann Braxton for the Budget.

Joe Guthrie’s 90^th Birthday by Vance Braxton for the Budget.

Mac Lewis, Greta Thomas, Otelier Davis, Ellen Williams & John Gunnels  Birthday by Ernest & Ruth Ann Braxton for the Budget.

Sara Siemens’ Birthday by Ernest & Ruth Ann Braxton for the Budget.

Blake Lloyd, Mac Lewis, Greta Thomas, Otelier Davis, Donna Walters, Ellen Williams & John Gunnels Birthday by Edna Coble for the Budget.

Taylor Bradshaw’s Birthday by Edna Coble for the Budget.

Taylor Bradshaw’s Birthday by Tommy & Vickie Coble for the Budget.

Mac & Faye Lewis & Stokes & Ann Hunt’s Anniversary by Edna Coble for the Budget

Mac & Faye Lewis & Stokes & Ann Hunt’s Anniversary by Ernest & Ruth Ann Braxton for the Budget

 

If you would like to make a donation in Honor or Memory of someone, please mail it to the Church address or to Tom Coble, Church Treasurer, 4357A East Greensboro Chapel Hill Rd., Graham, N.C.  27253.