Experience Connecting Knowing Loving Growing MAY 2014 On April 20th of this year we celebrated Easter. Easter is the day set aside in the Christian year to remember Christ’s resurrection – His coming back to life after death. It is truly a remarkable story. It is really the greatest miracle in all of history. But it is a pivotal story. Many don’t believe it is true. People didn’t want to believe it then, and people don’t want to believe it now. But I am convinced. The Gospel records bear this out. Many people saw Jesus and witnessed to the fact that he was alive. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all record multiple stories of people who encountered Jesus in the flesh on the Sunday when he rose or on one of the 40 days that followed. (Luke says in the Gospel and in Acts that Jesus ascended to heaven after 40 days.) It sounds so surprising, but Jesus predicted that he would do this. Now his followers didn’t understand what was going to happen in the times that he talked about it, but he mentioned it on several occasions. One of the proofs of the resurrection has to be the disciples’ reaction. As I mentioned above, they didn’t get it when Jesus talked about it before his death, but afterwards the disciples were unrelenting in their witness. They were willing to suffer far more than embarrassment and humiliation to tell the story of Jesus’ resurrection. Because they had seen him. And they wanted everyone to know that Jesus was indeed raised from the dead, and that he indeed was the Son of God. The spread of the Church has to be another proof of the resurrection. From the time that Peter’s first sermon on Pentecost stirred up 3,000 souls until now, the Good News of Jesus Christ has been preached around the world and has been the spark that has created thousands upon thousands of churches and millions upon millions of believers. And that’s really the biggest proof of all today, the fact that Jesus lives today in this world and in the hearts of his disciples around the world. We are part of the resurrection story because we are a part of the body of Christ alive today. The resurrection sets Christianity apart. No other world religion makes the claim that their leader has conquered sin and death. Only Jesus leads to eternal life. There are many who claim it was all a hoax. Many who deny the miracle and say it just isn’t physically possible. But if it is true then we all have hope for tomorrow. If it’s true, then that fact changes every- thing. I believe it happened. I believe Jesus is the Son of God. And I believe he lives. Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know he holds the future And life is worth the living just because he lives. Peace of Christ, Pastor Doug
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Transcript
Aldersgate Experience 1
Experience
Connecting
Knowing
Loving Growing
MAY 2014
On April 20th of this year we celebrated Easter.
Easter is the day set aside in the Christian year to
remember Christ’s resurrection – His coming back
to life after death. It is truly a remarkable story. It
is really the greatest miracle in all of history. But it
is a pivotal story. Many don’t believe it is true.
People didn’t want to believe it then, and people
don’t want to believe it now.
But I am convinced.
The Gospel records bear this out. Many people saw
Jesus and witnessed to the fact that he was alive.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all record multiple
stories of people who encountered Jesus in the flesh
on the Sunday when he rose or on one of the 40
days that followed. (Luke says in the Gospel and in
Acts that Jesus ascended to heaven after 40 days.)
It sounds so surprising, but Jesus predicted that he
would do this. Now his followers didn’t understand
what was going to happen in the times that he talked
about it, but he mentioned it on several occasions.
One of the proofs of the resurrection has to be
the disciples’ reaction. As I mentioned above, they
didn’t get it when Jesus talked about it before his
death, but afterwards the disciples were unrelenting
in their witness. They were willing to suffer far
more than embarrassment and humiliation to tell the
story of Jesus’ resurrection. Because they had seen
him. And they wanted everyone to know that Jesus
was indeed raised from the dead, and that he indeed
was the Son of God.
The spread of the Church has to be another proof of
the resurrection. From the time that Peter’s first
sermon on Pentecost stirred up 3,000 souls until
now, the Good News of Jesus Christ has been
preached around the world and has been the spark
that has created thousands upon thousands of
churches and millions upon millions of believers.
And that’s really the biggest proof of all today, the
fact that Jesus lives today in this world and in the
hearts of his disciples around the world. We are
part of the resurrection story because we are a part
of the body of Christ alive today.
The resurrection sets Christianity apart. No other
world religion makes the claim that their leader
has conquered sin and death. Only Jesus leads to
eternal life.
There are many who claim it was all a hoax. Many
who deny the miracle and say it just isn’t physically
possible. But if it is true then we all have hope for
tomorrow. If it’s true, then that fact changes every-
thing. I believe it happened. I believe Jesus is the
Son of God. And I believe he lives.
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because he lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know he holds the future
And life is worth the living just because he lives.
Peace of Christ,
Pastor Doug
Aldersgate Experience 2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
UTH Extravaganza Page 9
Thanks You’s Page 10
Music Ministry Page 11
Worship Wonders Page 12
Community/Lyra Page 13
Acolytes/Nursery/Trustees Page 14
April Lay Assistants Schedule Page 15
Birthdays Page 2
Financial Update Page 3
100 Days of Fun/Summer Camp Page 4
Graduates/VBS Page 5
Wednesday Night Live Page 6
Sunday Worship Page 7
Missions/JMT/Urban Ministries/IHN Page 8
Tony McCall 05/01
Matt Riggs 05/01
Derek Hampson 05/03
Ryan Dickerson 05/06
Wendy Elder 05/06
Dan van Blaricom 05/06
Patrick Westbrook 05/06
Daniel Shaver 05/07
Benjamin Wike 05/08
Kim Aiken 05/09
Susan Parham 05/09
Evelyn Anderson 05/10
Lindsay Brown 05/10
Andy Revill 05/10
Jason Pifer 05/11
Kristen Sorensen 05/11
Robin Whitaker 05/11
Madison Neal 05/13
Jim Smith 05/13
Craig Sorensen 05/13
Peggy Allen 05/14
Randy Gordon 05/14
Andrew Holland 05/14
Margie Muir 05/14
Todd Nye 05/14
Benjamin Weller 05/14
Olivia Anderson 05/15
Becca Johnson 05/15
Robbie Tomasic 05/16
Charlotte O'Brien 05/17
John Hall 05/18
Mary Lynn Van Deventer 05/18
Ann Williams 05/18
Nathan Mullins 05/19
Stephen Gillispie 05/20
Pam Verble 05/20
Steven Fishback 05/22
Hannah Fogle 05/22
Katie Miller 05/22
Robin Thomas 05/22
Brenda Helmer 05/23
William Murrell 05/23
Tyler Tomasic 05/23
Lily Carr 05/25
Peter Holland 05/25
Justin Mullins 05/26
Cindy Stanley 05/26
Sam Andrews Jr 05/27
Lynn Baird 05/27
Emma Murrell 05/27
Dale Critcher 05/28
Emma Freeman 05/29
Travis Hanson 05/29
Michael Jones 05/29
CONNECTING (Connect with God and one another)
Aldersgate Experience 3
It’s just a click away !!
On-Line Giving ! - Just click the blue “on-line giving” button on
the Aldersgate Web Site (www.aldersgate.org) We are accepting on-line
donations by debit / credit cards as well as electronic fund transfer
JMT BBQ/CHICKEN FUNDRAISER. SATURDAY, MAY 3RD Starting at 11am in the AUMC parking lot. BBQ Chicken or Pork.
If interested in joining a team for 2015, please stop by and talk to previous team members.
BEE ON THE LOOKOUT ! Church wide mission opportunity coming on the 5th
Sunday in June. The event will be assembling food packets for the STOP HUNGER NOW
PROGRAM. All ages can participate, please plan to attend the 5th Sunday and join in preparing
food packages for those in need.
URBAN MINISTRIES NEEDS 2 HOURS OF YOUR TIME "Do you have a few hours a month to donate time to Urban Ministry's Food Pantry?” Aldersgate is the largest
contributor to the food pantry. We staff it on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays and the 4th Thursdays from 9am to
11:30 am. We package food and hand it out during this time to feed 26 families. No prior experience is neces-
sary. Please come join April Twine and Diane Weller in this very rewarding opportunity to serve the Durham
community. If you are interested or need additional information, please contact April Twine at
URBAN MINISTRIES IS IN URGENT NEED OF MEN’S CLOTHING ! The Clothing Closet at Urban Ministries are totally out of men’s pants. Please pass the word to your congre-
gations, neighborhood listservs and friends that we are in need of jeans and khakis in good condition.
You can drop off clothing donations in the Urban Ministries container outside the Wesley Room or at Urban
Ministries Clothing Closet , weekdays between 9:00am and 6:00pm at 410 Liberty St. If donations are
bagged, please label "MEN'S CLOTHING" for the Clothing Closet.
DURHAM IHN VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION Durham IHN Night at the Bulls – DIHN will be honoring its volunteers at the 5pm Durham Bulls game on
Sunday, June 1st. If you are an IHN volunteer, or you are an IHN supporter and want to honor
our IHN volunteers by coming out for a fun night with IHN at the ball park, go to
www.dihn.org to order your tickets.
In addition, Durham IHN is asking each congregation to nominate its most awesome
volunteer(s) for recognition! If you know of a volunteer who is doing or has done something
over the past year(s) that is particularly unique serving our homeless families, or goes above
and beyond what is expected, or exemplifies the meaning in our name “Interfaith Hospitali-
ty Network” – please send your nomination of that individual with a short description to
[email protected] . Please include the word “Nomination” in the subject line. Thank