1 Senior Pastor writes... Southern hills united methodist church October 2013 THE MESSENGER FALL SNAPSHOTS Here are some snapshots of an active church in motion: Enthusiastic children in the sanctuary on First Sundays for Intergenerational Worship. The air filled with Nerf basketballs as Jill Ruhl calls on the kids to “aim for heaven” in the children’s sermon. Glorious music from the Choir. First Wednesday fellowship dinner- families enjoying delicious food, devotional and singing. A Third Wednesday Taize’ service with communion, moving music and dedicated singers. Packing backpacks of food for 305 at-risk children at Arlington Elementary School. Back to school clothing purchased for children at Nathaniel Mission. Cookies distributed by our women at the Methodist Children’s Home. The Vision Team engaging their first task- to Rethink Vision for the future of our church. Our 23 rd Habitat house under construction. Our people of all ages serving supper to students at the UK Wesley Foundation. Ladies of Southern Hills supporting women in recovery as they graduate from a program at the Hope Center. New, safe sidewalks being built in front of the Activities Building. The hallways filled throughout the week with the happy voices of nearly 200 children in our child care programs. Church in the Park- contemporary worship with the Source on the front lawn of Sullivan College- with barbecue following! Here are some future snapshots that you can expect to see very soon: New Adult Sunday School Classes beginning October 6- Alpha at 9:30 with Bob Durborow and Experiencing God at 11:00 with Gail Isaac. Blessing of the Animals on October 6 at 6- bring all creatures, great and small! Youth Retreat at Aldersgate Camp, October 11-13 and a Fifth Quarter Party on October 25- invite a friend. Laity Sunday, October 20- David Bowles, preaching. Fallderall, our Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat, October 27- good neighborhood outreach. Upward Basketball Evaluations, November 2 and 4- calling all children! Charge Conference and Thanksgiving Dinner on November 24. Room in the Inn, a ministry to the homeless sheltered in our Activities Building on twelve weekends, begins December 7. A Children’s Christmas musical on December 8 and Festival of Christmas Concert on December 11. Christmas Eve Services at 5:30 and 7:00. There’s much to look forward to, isn’t there? These are literally just snapshots of a mosaic of opportunities for involvement at Southern Hills this fall. There’s a lot of activity, but we believe there is purpose behind all of these things, as we seek to serve Christ. Look in this newsletter for much more. Questions? Call us at 277-6176. I like the story about two preachers talking about the seating capacity of their churches. One said, “How many people does your church hold?’ The other pastor said, “It sleeps 400!” Not My Church! Bill
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FALL SNAPSHOTS
Here are some snapshots of an active church in motion:
Enthusiastic children in the sanctuary on First Sundays for
Intergenerational Worship. The air filled with Nerf basketballs as Jill Ruhl
calls on the kids to “aim for heaven” in the children’s sermon. Glorious music
from the Choir. First Wednesday fellowship dinner- families enjoying
delicious food, devotional and singing. A Third Wednesday Taize’ service
with communion, moving music and dedicated singers. Packing backpacks of
food for 305 at-risk children at Arlington Elementary School. Back to school
clothing purchased for children at Nathaniel Mission. Cookies distributed by
our women at the Methodist Children’s Home. The Vision Team engaging
their first task- to Rethink Vision for the future of our church. Our 23rd
Habitat house under construction. Our people of all ages serving supper to
students at the UK Wesley Foundation. Ladies of Southern Hills supporting
women in recovery as they graduate from a program at the Hope
Center. New, safe sidewalks being built in front of the Activities
Building. The hallways filled throughout the week with the happy voices of
nearly 200 children in our child care programs. Church in the Park-
contemporary worship with the Source on the front lawn of Sullivan College-
with barbecue following!
Here are some future snapshots that you can expect to see very
soon: New Adult Sunday School Classes beginning October 6- Alpha at 9:30
with Bob Durborow and Experiencing God at 11:00 with Gail Isaac. Blessing
of the Animals on October 6 at 6- bring all creatures, great and small! Youth
Retreat at Aldersgate Camp, October 11-13 and a Fifth Quarter Party on
October 25- invite a friend. Laity Sunday, October 20- David Bowles,
preaching. Fallderall, our Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat, October 27- good
neighborhood outreach. Upward Basketball Evaluations, November 2 and 4-
calling all children! Charge Conference and Thanksgiving Dinner on
November 24. Room in the Inn, a ministry to the homeless sheltered in our
Activities Building on twelve weekends, begins December 7. A Children’s
Christmas musical on December 8 and Festival of Christmas Concert on
December 11. Christmas Eve Services at 5:30 and 7:00.
There’s much to look forward to, isn’t there? These are literally just
snapshots of a mosaic of opportunities for involvement at Southern Hills this
fall. There’s a lot of activity, but we believe there is purpose behind all of
these things, as we seek to serve Christ. Look in this newsletter for much
more. Questions? Call us at 277-6176.
I like the story about two preachers talking about the seating capacity of
their churches. One said, “How many people does your church hold?’ The
other pastor said, “It sleeps 400!”
Not My Church!
Bill
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October Sermons in Traditional Worship October 6 World Communion Sunday- "A Second Chance" John 3:1-16
October 13 Rev. Jill Ruhl, preaching
Sermon Series: "Putting God First in Living and Giving"
October 20 Laity Sunday- Mr. David Bowles, preaching
October 27 "The Myth of More" Mark 10:17-27
Welcome Our New Administrative Assistant, Susan Rice!
Susan Rice is our new Administrative Assistant. She was born and
raised in Winchester and now lives here in Lexington. She has worked
for 14 years on church staffs, but also as an elementary school librarian
and a paralegal. Susan comes to us with strong administrative and
organizational skills. She has an engaging personality, is team-oriented,
and creative. She is also a published author, has served as a public
speaker for various organizations, is the mother of two teenagers, enjoys cooking, reading,
crafting and is a proud football mom!
Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 6th @ 6:00pm
Rev. Jill Ruhl will lead an outdoor, pet-friendly worship service that will give
animal lovers an opportunity to bring their favorite critters to Church to re-
ceive a prayer of pastoral blessing. God loves all of his creation, and we’ll
celebrate that fact as we welcome our feathered, furry, and fishy friends
(slimy, slithery, spidery ones are welcome, too, but will be blessed from a distance…) Rev. Ruhl
will call every pet’s name before God (her dog Cooper will be there!) and ask that God would
grant them abundant life and peaceful existence with their humans. All are welcome, and par-
ents and grandparents are encouraged not just to bring their kids to this family-friendly/pet-
friendly service, but to help their KIDS bring their PETS to church! All pets must be restrained
(leashes, cages, crates, etc.) and monitored at all times. Come and celebrate God’s good creation
at the SHUMC’s Blessing of the Animals!
Corporate Communion is offered the first Sunday of each month
during services. This is wonderful news for those of us who wish to partake
of the sacraments on a more frequent basis. Weekly Communion in the
Prayer Chapel will resume Sunday, October 13, 10:40a.m. - 10:50a.m.
This will be offered each week except those mornings where corporate com-