Wesley Witness Wesley United Methodist Church

May 2017 614 Texas Street, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482 Phone 903-885-3383 www.wesleysst.org Fax 903-438-2324

Wesley’s Vision

INVITE all in the Name of Christ GROW disciples with the Word of Christ SERVE all with the LOVE of Christ.

Little Acorn School May Newsletter

Important Dates

May 1 - 5 Teacher appreciation week

May 12 Muffins with Mom

May 18 End of year program and graduation

May 25 Last day of school

May 26, 29, 30 Closed for Memorial Day and get ready

for summer program

SSHS Auditorium Saturday May 6 7:00 p.m.

Sunday May 7 2:00 p.m. Adults $12.00 Children $5.00 $15.00 at the Doorwww.netchoral.org

Get tickets from singers, online, or from Alliance Bank, CNB, or Guaranty Bond Bank

Mary Lou Foster, Carol Ann O’dell or in the Wesley Church Office

Needed! Used printer cartridges.

We purchase office supplies with the rebates we get from recycling.

Egg Hunt April 2017

Spring Treasure Hunt

and Garage Sale

Friday, May 26

8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 27

8:00 a.m. - NOON

Bring your treasures, junque and white elephants to the church on

Thursday, May 25.

May Mission Emphasis Bags for Children and Youth

CASA

Reaching Out…

April was National Child Abuse Prevention Month and in honor of all the little voices who have come into care because of abuse or neglect, our Mission emphasis for May will be purchasing bags for these children to put their belongings in when they are removed from their home or move from foster home to foster home.

April 23rd, we had the privilege of meeting Gina Law, Director for CASA Hopkins County. CASA is an acronym for Court Appointed Special Advocate. These CASAs are the voice for children in care – they speak for them in court. CASAs also visit with these children regularly to ensure they are taken care and that their basic needs are met.

In 2016, there were 119 children in foster care, 75 of them in Hopkins County, their ages ranging from birth to 18. Of this number, 9 children were returned to their homes and 17 were adopted by either relatives or their foster parents. The numbers for this year have already grown. Regrettably, the number of abused or neglected children is on the rise and we don’t even know if there are more that haven’t been reported. When a child is removed, they more than likely are taken with just what they are wearing. They might have time to grab a favorite toy or book, but many times the situation is such that the child cannot take anything. Many times, a child is moved from foster home to foster home. This is the time that they typically can only throw their things into a garbage bag and move on.

Having a bag, whether it be a rolling bag, a duffel or just a backpack, to put their things in would mean so much to them. Please be in prayer for our May mission and consider donating a travel bag of some kind for these children. Any and all bags donated will, at the end of May, be given to CASA of Hopkins County. Two years ago, we were able to collect 36 bags – this year can we collect 40 or more??

Following Gina’s talk, our children participated in a “Bags Runway” displaying the bags purchased by members of the Outreach Committee. Thanks to them and our children for their participation. This very moved Gina. She wants to be sure and say a huge thank you to the gentleman who handed her a check after service.

On your way out next time, please stop and look at the bags on display – under the thermometer.

Blessings,

Silvina

With great joy you are invited to celebrate the marriage of

Richard Joseph Batty, Jr.

and Chelsea Brooke Rosselot

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Wesley United Methodist Church 614 Texas Street

Sulphur Springs, TX 75482

Ceremony starts at 2:00 p.m.

Reception to follow

PRAYERS AND CONCERNS

Carolyn Albritton Rhonda Alley DeLana Beadle Sherry and Max Baxter Shanda Beck Cassie Cavaliere Pam Clayton Phillip Coleman Chloe Cox Kathy Crowson and Family Sandy Davis Megan Earls Faye and Gaither Day Jayne Glenn Beulah Godfrey Ty and Jamie Funderburk Ronnie Jenkins Martha Johnson Robert and Mary Glover Billy Gregg Kathy Hipkins Magan,Tim and Eisley Henderson Pam Hollingsworth Sharon Hughes Marvin and Louise Jones Mike Human Stewart Johnson Christa and Victor Kasztelanski Dana Jordan Corena Korth John Kramer Bob Leerskov Angela Little Bear Littleton Jase Mabie Zane Magan Mary Ann McCormick Jill Mangum Sarah Massey Jonathan and Cammie McGraw and Baby Mason Gaylon O’dell Tana and Gary Moon Old Saltillo UMC Janice Petty Ricky and Kay Orr Tokio Pevalta Agnes Ponder Debbie Price Ben Read Truman Renshaw Sara Robinson Lois Shannon Sharon Patsy and Don Shaw J.O. Shaw Beth Shurtleff Pat Skauge Dustin Snyder Patty Soward Donna and Dave Spears Pat and Floyd Spears Allan Thar Louise and Elton Stewart Anna Mae Stolz Gary Stribling Carol Susat Velma Swatsell Debbie Trout Bo and Pennye West Mark Warren Frances Williams Jimmy Winfrey David Woody Ron Zitterick The Family of Tom Craft – Mike Gilmer’s cousin The Family of Lana McAree Canada Our Country and Our Leaders North Texas Annual Conference Law Enforcement, EMS, Fire Fighters, Hospital Personnel

Military Personnel and their Families CANHelp CASA Healthy Church Initiative/HCI Team Backpack Buddies Community Chest/Cupboard Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center North Texas Food Bank Holy Highway Girls Home Abused Children and Youth Way of Salvation UMC, Mytischi, Russia Dallas Bethlehem Center – Wesley-Rankin Community Center New additions to the prayer list are in BOLD Note: Names added to the prayer list will remain on the list for 30 days. They will be relisted by request. Please help us to keep the list current

WESLEY HOMEBOUND Doris Rawls Bobbie Holder Bill Shell

Muriel Lucas Sandra McIntire Della Loane

Picture by Mary Lou Foster

Wesley Youth Barbeque Sandwich Fundraiser April 7, 2017

Youth Fundraisers benefit the June mission trip to Denver, CO.

Wesley Youth Bake Sale @ Atwoods April 22.

May 20 at the fire station on Gilmer Street.

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Friday, May 5 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Children ages 2 - 10 Kids Carnival - Games

Kids Meal Provided Minimum Donation $20 per family Fundraiser for the Youth Mission Trip

Don’t Forget, the youth are taking orders for the most

awesome t-shirts in the world, for the super low price of $20 dollars each.

These are being sold to raise funds for summer church camps and the mission trip to Denver this

June. See Joe Clark for details.

Lilies Given in Memory By T.M. and Marietta Higgins Max and Ilene Massey Tom and Esther Massey Erica Kines

Algarine Jordan L.B. Jordan

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Herman Gina Wilder

Our Parents Gary and Debra Huffman

Buddy Watts Jo and Bill Watts Sid and Christine Speck Carey Gibson

Chuck Glass Emily and Garrett Glass Doris Herman

Logan Loved Ones Mary Logan

Morris Logan Mary Lou and Stanley Foster Bill and Elizabeth Foster

Foster Gaines, Grandfather Kelly Moser

J.R. Campbell Margaret Campbell Eddie Campbell

Raymond McCaig Dorothy McCaig

Leroy Easley Wandean Easley

Don Temples Lynna Nichols

Our Son Elton and Louise Stewart Our Parents

Andrew Phillip Robinson Pastor Steve and Dicie Rue Aubrey Makenzie Mullinax Dr. William S. and Mary Elizabeth Rogers Kirk Edward Fletcher Wayman and Mary Cook

Wayne Gross Dora Gross

Rickey Trout Jim and Vera Skaggs Andy Trout Geraldine Skaggs

All my loved ones who are at home Sandy Heisler with our sweet loving Father

Buddy Watts Rhonda Alley Carey Gibson Gene Alley

Wanda Griffin Karla Griffin

James Parker Sandra Parker

Dick Brock Shirley Brock

Randy Jenkins Dorothy McCaig

Lilies Given in Honor of By Marcy and Max Massey, Jr. Max and Ilene Massey Vivian and Wade Kines

Children and Grandchildren L.B. Jordan

Mr. and Mrs. Everett Wilder Gina Wilder Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Glass and Family

Our Children and Granddaughters Gary and Debra Huffman

Sara Gibson Jo and Bill Watts

Katherine and Grant Glass Emily and Garrett Glass Gina and Bill Wilder Laura Glass

Mary Lou and Stanley Foster Mary Logan

Mary Logan Mary Lou and Stanley Foster

Joy Britton Lynna Nichols

Our Children Elton and Louise Stewart

Wesley UMC Pastor Steve and Dicie Rue Our Children Our Grandchildren Our Many Friends Bonnie Gilmer

The Choir Gary and Rachel Lewis

Old Saltillo Church Jim and Vera Skaggs

Wesley Choir Paula and Dennis Jordan Joe and Amanda Clark

All those in need of Your love and grace Sandy Heisler

Grandparents Dan, Barbie, Brooklynn Jack and Janie Godfrey

Bill and Jo Watts Rhonda Alley Gary and Rachel Lewis

Vera Ann Johnson Ricky Batty

Children and Grandchildren Sandra Parker

Children’s Egg Hunt 2017

Paying It Forward

“Paying it forward” is a third party beneficiary concept that involves doing something good for someone in response

to a good deed done on your behalf or aa a gift you received. When you pay if forward, however, you don’t repay the person who did something nice/good for you. Instead, you do something nice/good for someone else. For example, if someone changes your tire while you are stranded on the highway, you might shovel your elderly neighbor’s walk after a snow has fallen. The concept was popularized in modern times by a 2000 movie Pay It Forward, starring Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt. In this movie, a young boy, played by Haley Joel Osment, is given is given a school assignment that requires him to find some way to change the world. He develops the “pay it forward concept,” setting forth a chain reaction of good deeds. One of the most important things that people should remember about this concept is that it should be done with a selfless spirit. This means that one person helps another without hoping for repayment or good deeds in return. In fact, there are some organizations that allow people to pay it forward anonymously, donating money, good, or performing good deeds without hoping for recognition. As far as the receiver of the money, gift, or good deed is concerned, he or she is told to do some-thing good for someone else. On several occasions, I have been the recipient of this kind of “paying it forward” for someone that needed help for a friend. I’ve even been known to purchase a soft drink with change clanging out for more and then step away and watch the joy of someone else discover-ing that change! I’ve heard some of you tell me about being both the recipient and giver of this concept. This is outrageous generosity, the kind that Bishop Robert Schnase has written about in his book Five Practices of Faithful Congregations. I’ve had this thought recently: Why not ask, even challenge faithful, church members to (1) remember their church (Wesley) in their wills or at least (2) tithe their estate to Wesley? In every church I’ve pastored, there have been at least one person who’s told me: “Pastor, I’m going to play the lottery and if I win, I promise I will faithfully give 10% of my winnings to the church! In a similar vein, several church folk along the

way have chose to go to Grant, OK or Shreveport, LA to play the slots with that same attitude of I’ll/we’ll tithe 10% on our winnings! To be fair, my Oak Park UMC, Paris, TX ladies always did exactly that. However, once they came back and said, ”Could we get some help from the church? We were losers this time!” I had to tell them, “No” since I’d never discussed winning versus losing; it was their choice. And so it goes… The Apostle Paul writing in II Corinthians 9:6-7 reminds us that “the Lord loves a cheerful giver.” it was St. Francis of Assisi who in a prayer states, “it is in giving that we receive.” Lee E. Cralle, late owner of the Cralle Funeral Home in Louisville, KY and a generous donor to my Alma Mater, Georgetown College, is purportedly to have said, when the Cralle Student Center was dedicated of 40 years ago, this: “That which a man gives away often becomes his greatest posses-sion.” Mr. Cralle understood the concept of Pay It Forward. All of us have the opportunity to do something to do something now and in the future for the Glory of God here at Wesley. The question you and I must ask is simply, “WILL WE? This is a bottom line issue. You can make a difference. WILL YOU?

From Pastor Steve

Birthdays and Anniversaries

May 9 Rhonda Brock May 12 Everett Wilder May 14 Emily and Garrett Glass May 16 Betty Phillips May 17 Jim Gregg

May 18 Jacob Nelson May 20 Janie Godfrey May 20 Jessica Garcia May 21 Rachelle and Ron Sills May 26 Paula Jordan

The Wesley Witness Wesley United Methodist Church

614 Texas Street Sulphur Springs, TX 75482

(903) 885-3383 Church Office (903) 335-8010 Parsonage (903) 438-2324 Fax

www.wesleysst.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

See us on

Wesley UMC-Sulphur Springs

United Methodist Women

1:30 p.m. Tuesday May 16

Program: Rhonda Alley

Hostesses: Mary Logan Mary Lou Foster

Muffins with Mom Sunday, May 14

following worship in Wesley Hall

Little Acorn School

Graduation and End of Year

Program

6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26

Reception in Wesley Hall following the program

2017 Emmaus Walks Girls Chrysalis Flight June 8-10 @ Cuthand, TX Boys Chrysalis Flight July 13-15 @ Cuthand, TX Men’s Walk 17-135 Sept 21-24 @ Lone Star, TX Women’s Walk 17-136 Oct 19-22 @ Lone Star, TX