PENTECOST

On May 19, we will celebrate the ‘birthday of the church’ which is Pentecost. We will recall the story from Acts 2 which tells how the Holy Spirit blew like a wind across the gathered disciples. There were fire-like flames, new and exciting energy, and the ability to speak in other languages. The power of the Holy Spirit took ahold of the early church and it was changed. The disciples became bold in their witness for Christ and wide reaching in their ministry and mission.

Praise God that some of that same Holy Spirit is stirring in our congregation! By May’s end, we will have baptized two infants and a grandfather. This spring 7 young persons are confirmed into the Christian faith and 11 other persons have joined our church through transfer or profession of faith. In June, more than 30 youth and adults will travel to a reservation in South Dakota for a learning/mission trip. On May 31, Jan Lancaster, from our congregation, will be ordained to full connection as a Deacon at the West Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church. These are the visible signs of the Spirit at work among us; the Spirit winds are blowing in hearts in our congregation, as well.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon us. Thanks be to God!

-Pastor Lynn

Worship Times and Topics for May

Sunday Morning 8:30 and 10:45 Pastor Lynn Pier-Fitzgerald, preaching

May 5 A two week Series: From Here to Eternity “What About Heaven?” John 14: 1-5 The Lord’s Supper Youth Music Recognition May 12 From Here to Eternity: “A Grown-up Vision of Heaven” Angelic Choir Baptism May 19 Pentecost: “Too Early to be Drunk” Acts 2:1-21 Adult Music Recognition May 26 Memorial Day Sunday Pastor Jan Lancaster, Preaching

Church Events, Caring Ministry,

Birthdays, Stephen Ministry

2 & 3

Nurture Ministry 4 & 5

Outreach Ministry 6 & 7

Witness, UMW, Summer Music 8

Youth Ministry, calendar 9

Inside this issue:

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May 2013

Come join the Lunch Bunch on Sundays following the 10:45 a.m. service. We will gather at the Good Shepherd window to get a head count and head out to a local

restaurant. All ages are welcome to join including singles, couples, and families. Check the bulletin for the days’ location or contact David Newton.

Epsilon will meet Wednesday, May 15, 11:30a.m. at Beechwood Inn. Please call Dave or Dorothea 392-3493 by April 13th for reservations.

Will NOT MEET in May. Instead, you are encouraged to volunteer to work either here at church or at the Civic Center for Tulip Time. See elsewhere in this Focus to find out how to do that.

For May, Book Club will discuss Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua. This non-fiction book is an eye-opening exploration of the difference between Eastern and Western parent-

ing. It shows the lessons parents and children every-where teach one another. Read the book and join us Monday, May 13 at 6:30 in the Conference Room. This will be our last meeting of this school year.

The deadline for article submissions for the June Focus is May 15. Please email articles to mhaney@fumcholland.org by that date or earlier. If a hard copy must be used, please bring to main office by that date also. If you would prefer not receiving the Focus in the mail, please let Marj Haney know at mhaney@fumcholland.org.

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Happening this Month

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The Kids In Tow April event will be a cheap date night for adults only on Saturday, May 18. Please see the Welcome Center and bulletin boards for the complete year’s schedule and contact information.

All are invited to our Annual Tulip Time Handbell Concert, Friday, May 10, 7:30 p.m. Featuring four bell choirs from Evergreen Commons and First United Methodist Church. Bring a friend or neighbor and come join us for a wonderful evening of a variety of musical styles and sounds.

A Prayer

I can do everything through him who gives me strength Philippians 4:13

Merciful God, there are those among us whose hearts are heavy and who are facing their struggles alone. Yet you have called us, saying “Come to me and I will give you rest,” and you have promised us “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding.” Help those among us who are hurting to recognize they need not struggle alone, that you created us to be in community, to bear one another's burdens. Give the silent sufferers among us the courage to seek the help they need, whether from a pastor, Stephen Minister, friend, or someone else. Help them realize that even small strug-gles deserve God's touch, so that we can make your

promises real to them and bring comfort and healing to their hearts.

Lord, you are a God of hope, a God of healing. Con-tinue to work through our Stephen Ministers as they bring your hope to those most in need of it.

If you, dear reader, or someone you know could use the support of a Stephen Minister, contact

Sharon Rocker [sbrocker@sbcglobal.net, 392-1966]; or Pastor Lynn [pierfitz@fumcholland.org, 396-5205].

If you feel the calling to become a Stephen Minister, contact Ann Nieuwkoop [616-405-0701, nieu-wkoo@gmail.com], or Marsha Burnham [395-00545, marcib76@gmail.com]

Plan on joining us for a “Summer Reading for the Spirit” book group. They will meet the second Monday of June, July and August from 6:30-7:30 in the church lounge. Our reading will be devoted to spiritual matters. Materials will be available for June soon. Call Sharon Rocker at 392-1966 for more information.

Happy Birthday Wishes!

Please be in prayer for these congregation members and friends...

Notes of appreciation received since the last Focus:

Dave and Kay Conklin wrote: Thank you for the beautiful 7 blooms Easter lily

that Sheryl Veldhoff brought to Dave on Sunday. We were very pleased. The message on your card that the flowers came from the Holy atmosphere of worship bringing with them living thoughts and warm good wishes in the name of Jesus touched all our hearts with renewed Spirit. Allan Borr wrote: I would like to thank the church family and staff for the cards, prayers and flower. Also to Mrs. Rocker for her visit.

Dave John wrote: Dorothea and I would like to send a special thank you to our church family, for your well wished cards, flowers, calls, and prayers while we were patients in the hospital and Freedom Inn. Our recov-ery was quicker because of you.

M AY 20 13 Page 3

Caring Ministry

Sharon Rocker, Director of Visitation Ministry (ext. 13)

These friends are celebrating at least their 85th birthday this month. Please extend your well wishes!

Pastors Lynn & Tom Pier-Fitzgerald have become grandparents! Grandson, Miles Paul Racine, was born on April 21 in Nashville TN, weighing in at 5 lbs. 13 oz.. Miles is two weeks early but praise be to God, both baby and mom are healthy!

Bud and Joyce Bennett as they return to Michigan; Heather Doty; Ginny Dooley; Sheryl Veldhoff; Helen Moomey; Norine Jones; David and Kay Conklin; Gary Teall

Sympathy to Vern and Louise Shumaker on the death of his mother, Theresa, on April 13 and to David and Cindy Minnich and family on the death of her father, John Cravens, on April 14.

May

3 Ivy Cammenga 6428 140th Ave. Holland MI 49423 5 Ella May Evans 145 Columbia Ave. Apt. 315 Holland MI 49423 9 Alice McGeehan 630 Hastings Ave. #114 Holland MI 49423

11 Ila Heavener 755 E. 16th St. #108 Holland MI 49423 25 Paul Mc Ilwain 12156 Parkview Ln. Apt. 1B Holland MI 49424 30 Gene Bair 352 N. 145th Ave. Holland MI 49424 31 Mildred Shidler 1131 Legion Park Dr. Holland MI 49423

We would like to start a church-wide prayer group to pray for our church world-wide and God’s work among all peoples. We are planning on the first Tuesday of each month. Time will be determined by those who participate. We will start the first Tuesday of May and be in the Care Ministry office. Call Sharon Rocker at 392-1966, if you are interested.

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Nurture Ministry Marj Haney, Director (ext. 15) Heidi De Moss, Director of Adult Ministry

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Small Groups Small Group is a commitment that will bring you closer to God, grow your understanding of various Christian topics and the Christian faith itself, and bring you into deeper fellowship with some other Christians who are seeking the same thing. Here is a list of FUMCH’s current Small Groups. Coffee Klatz & Conversation Monday Morning Led by David Newton Lounge The Searls Group Monday Evening Led by Jim Searls Room 301 at 7:00

The Rocker Group Monday Evening contact Bill & Sharon Rocker (every other week) Young Adult’s Bible Study Tuesday Evening Led by Pastor Lynn Conference Room Tuesday Night Group Tuesday Evening fed by Steve and Sandy Snyder Sr. Snyder home Young Mom’s Bible Study Wednesday Evening Led by Pastor Lynn Conference Room Ladies Only Thursday Morning contact office (every other week) Care Ministry Office

Spark Rotation

For May our shortened theme is Fruit of the Spirit. We will have three Sundays in May and will combine both groups for the whole month in art, science and video centers.. The bible reference is Galatians 5:16-26 ~ God made me like no one else! Worship Center and Jubilant Journey classes will end on May 19. We will have Summer Children’s Church at the second service for children going to Kindergarten in the fall through those who just completed the 3rd grade beginning on June 2 and going through the summer. Help is needed for this class, please sign up on the first floor in the Education building.

Family Camps

Its past the deadline to sign up for TriPonds but not too late to go to Lakeview with us in August.

Aug. 9-11 at Lakeview Campground north of Grand Rapids on the shores of beautiful Townline Lake. This is a UM campground and the cost for the weekend is $52. We have 16 sites reserved for that weekend. The first night’s deposit has also been paid for this weekend so please let Marj or Tim

Haney you are interested asap to claim your site. Check out all there is to do at this campground at www.lakeviewcamp.org

Summer Camp Time! Still time to register yourself or your child or youth for camp this summer! You can find out all the information you need at www.westmichiganconference.org and click on the camping tab at the

top. We will pay one half of a week or half week camp for every member’s children and youth who are active in the life of the church. All sign ups take place online now. You will be given a user name and password that will be good for every year your child can go to camp, so all your information will be there. Once you are registered,

you need to let me know so I can be sure Liz sends in your scholarship. The checks will be sent directly from Liz to the Conference Center or Lake Louise for our share of your cost, you just

need to make sure your part is paid by May 15.

Hope you will consider this wonderful opportunity for the children in your life, even grandkids would like a week at camp! Again, if you have any questions, please see Marj Haney, call her at church at ext. 15 or email at mhaney@fumcholland.org

M AY 20 13 Page 5

Adult Jubilant Journey Opportunities

Ongoing Classes on Sunday Morning

Short Term Class Spiritual Parenting: Raising Kids in a Christian Con-text Jean Russner, MA, LLP, MSA and Rev. Jan

Lancaster, BS, RN, presenters Where: the Lounge May 5 Raising spiritual children & Answering your parenting questions "For you are my hope, O Lord God; I have had faith in you since the time I was young." - Psalms 71:5. -- an open forum to address your concerns, plus home rituals and ways to teach your kids how to be closer to Christ. Please join Jean and Pastor Jan for a give-and-take class on how to raise good kids. FaithLinks Class Where : Filling Station contact Peg Minert UMC FaithLinks material Leadership will be provided by FaithLinks members. May 5 and 12 ~ Class discussion based upon UMC materials and Bible readings. May 19 ~ Year End Brunch in the lounge Pastor Lynn’s Class Where : Conference Room led by Pastor Lynn Bearing Fruit: Ministry with Real Results by Lovett H. Weems Churches are created to be fruitful. The faith, knowledge, and actions of Christian leaders can be shaped toward fruit-fulness. Our work matters, and we dare not engage it without and eye to the quantifiable contribution that we make. -- Hope Morgan Ward, Resident Bishop, Mississippi confer-ence, The united Methodist Church from the back cover May 5 ~ Fruitfulness, Harvest, and So That... (chapters 1-3) May 12 ~ Vision (chapters 4-6) May 19 ~ Life, Leadership, and Planting (chapters 7-9) May 26 ~ No Class - Memorial Day Weekend

Fellowship Space Coffee and Conversation Where : East end of Fellowship Hall What : A time to gather and visit with each other, or just re-lax and refresh. Copies of the newspaper are present, as well as coffee, tea, and often some light refreshments. Looking for something new? A Novel Idea Where : Lounge hosted by Lisa Snyder When : Wednesday evenings 6:30 to 8:30 What : A different kind of book club. A time to gather, visit, and relax as a book is read aloud. Maybe you choose to be one of the readers, or just listen. Feel free to draw, knit, cro-chet, or do some other type of handwork as you listen. Returning this SUMMER BIG SCREEN MOVIE NIGHT Where : Lounge hosted by various folks When : Monday evenings 6:30 to 8:30 pm What : Come fellowship together with a movie and popcorn. A variety of films will be shown over the summer. June will focus on Native Americans, in support of our youth’s mis-sion trip to South Dakota. July will focus social justice issues, and August around a broad mission theme. We try to include films for young children, as well as teen, adults, and maybe even a documentary this year. June 3 ~ Pocahontas June 10 ~ Last of the Mohicans June 17 ~ Dances with Wolves Then come and talk about the movie on Sunday... The Movies Where : Lounge hosted by various folks What : A time to ponder and discuss the movie shown the previous Monday. Where do you see faith portrayed on screen? Moral and ethical issues? Do you agree or disagree with the presentation? In this age of media saturation what do the movies teach us, actively or passively? When : Sunday morning during the Jubilant Journey time 9:40 to 10:30 am June 9 ~ Pocahontas June 16 ~ Last of the Mohicans June 23 ~ Dances with Wolves June 30 ~ no class

A Note From the Trustees

As spring has arrived and the church grounds have been spruced up by volunteers, some members of the con-gregation have noticed a lack of activity in the community garden this year. After a poll of the church member-ship, it was felt that we just did not have enough folks available to put in the time necessary to have a successful season this year. Tim Haney, who spearheaded this project, has had more time constraints imposed on him and without having someone to take over his leadership in the garden it was decided not to work on it this summer. We would like to thank Tim for his faithful work over the past 3 years. His dedication and long hours of work

made the garden the success it was. -Lee Voigt

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Outreach Ministry Tracy Garrett, Director (ext. 11)

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Thank you to our Lake Louise Mission Team!

Liz Carr, Bill Mungall, Loretta Tiethof, Tom Webber, and Gene Wong travelled to Lake Louise Methodist Camp in Boyne, MI, April 28 to May 2. They worked on projects to prepare the camp for the summer retreats and camps.

We will have another mission trip to Lake Louise in the fall to help close up the camp for the winter. Watch ere or con-tact Gene Wong (399.3432, gingong6691@gmail.com) for more info - we would love to have you join the team!

Community Action House

As always we accept donations of non-perishable food items, household cleaning,

and hygiene products for the emergency pantries of Com-munity Action House. Your donation may be brought to the church anytime and placed in the baskets at both main entry doors.

Styrofoam Recycling

We will be collecting Styrofoam on the third Sunday of each month. All items must be clean!

Please, do not to bring items during the week - we have no place to store it.

If you would like to help with this effort please contact Dave Marckini (dmarckini@att.net).

Bread Pan Offering on Sunday, May 19, will support PET Holland.

Funds raised through this special offering will provide material support for PET Holland. PET is an ecumenical non-profit building “Personal Energy Transpor-tation” vehicles for children using all volunteer labor. These vehicles provide transportation to kids who have severe mobility limitations due to birth defects, disease, and inju-ries. Many of the kids who receive PET’s around the world are literally lifted from the mud and filth of the streets. PET Holland is providing mobility to some of the least of God’s children (Matthew 25:40) and also providing oppor-tunity for meaningful work for retirees. Please prayerfully consider sharing your financial blessings on May 19.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have generously supported our special offerings in February.

Communion Offering (April 7) in support of Haiti Hot Lunch (an ongoing feeding program of Michigan Area UMCs), your gifts totaled $409.54.

Bread Pan Offering (April 21) in support of our Adult Mis-sion Projects, the amount will be published next month.

Upcoming Mission Service Opportunities

House Painting Party In early spring we will have a 1-2 day local mission opportuni-ty. We will be painting the exterior of the home of one of our members who is unable to do the work alone. Volun-teers will be welcome to work for shifts of a few hours or a full day. Would you like to be part of this planning team? Contact Tracy Garrett (tgarrett@fumcholland.org, 396.5205 x 11).

Adult Mission Trip to Guatemala. We will travel to Guatemala in August to work with Michelle and Kirk Lightfield (who our youth worked with last year). We will build houses and share in fellowship and worship. If you are interested in joining us or have questions, please contact Tracy Garrett in the church office or Dave Diehl (355.5339, dpdieh-l8171@att.net).

Volunteers in Mission - Hurricane Sandy Recovery We will plan a mission trip to the East Coast later this year - we are waiting on the official invitation for general volun-teer teams - currently only specially trained teams working in the area. Volunteers in Mission is the lay member mis-sion trip arm of United Methodist Committee on Relief. UMCOR will invite general VIM Teams when the most dangerous hazards have been cleared and infrastructure is in place to accommodate mission teams for general clean-up, repair, and reconstruction. As soon as the invitation is is-sued we will begin planning this mission trip. Again, contin-ue to watch this space in the monthly newsletters and the announcement page of the weekly worship bulletins for up-dates.

Justice For Our Neighbors Comprehensive Immigration Reform is in the news and the ongoing debate is getting a lot of coverage. We want to remind you that as things progress, JFON will work to keep you up to date on the issue. We regularly post information on our website www.jfonwestmichigan.org and publicize community events and announcements on our Facebook page (Justice for Our Neighbors West Michigan). There are no bad questions; in fact, the unasked question often pro-tects damaging myths.

JFON staff and volunteers are available to speak at public forums, small groups, or at your workplace. Contact Mary DeRidder (mderidder@fumcholland.org) with your ques-tions or to schedule a speaking engagement.

M AY 20 13 Page 7

The Food Donation collection for this month will

be for the Youth Mission Team to South Dakota. This mis-sion team needs to bring food for their time on the Rosebud Reservation where groceries are scarce and expensive. Dur-ing the month of May we will have tags on the bulletin boards at both main entrances with items needed. Please grab a tag or a few tags and bring the items back to church by Sunday, June 2. Can you help with this massive effort of collecting food for 30 people? Your contributions will be a great part of this mission project!

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March and April update from the

Neighborhood Connectors

Greetings First United Methodist! As you know, March is a month of transitions, hopes, and new starts. For Washing-ton School Neighbors, it is the month where the Community Connectors you’ve known for the past year, Shannon and Catie, passed the baton to Andrew and Kallie for the upcom-ing year. We are grateful for the groundwork they have laid, and happy to be living and working with this neighborhood.

So far we have spent most of our time training with Judy at Good Samaritan Ministries, settling into our office over at

Hope Church, and making acquaintances. If you are feeling a tug to get involved on any level, or are curious to learn more about Neighborhood Connections, please come find us at the Hope office (just off of 11th St.) or connect with us di-rectly using the contact information below.

Your Neighbors,

Andrew and Kallie Spidahl

washington@hollandneighbors.org

andrewandkallie@gmail.com

616-422-5104

Current Projects:

Website design, outdoor sign for office, team building, neigh-bor familiarity, city survey work, city liaison for neighbors, general Washington School Neighborhood participation.

This Month’s Challenge:

Decide you will walk at least once a week for a season in this neighborhood where First United Methodist is located. As you walk, open yourself to all kinds of neighbor interactions.

CARING FOR THE CONGREGATION

What happens when a person is hospitalized or when there is a death in the family? How is the church informed? How do we care for one another in time of crisis and need? The Staff Parish Relations Committee asked me to communicate how the congregation is organized to offer care for members in times of crisis, transition or loss.

The base for congregational care is carried by the Pastoral Care Team. The team members are Pastor Lynn, David Newton, and Sharon Rocker. This team shares the tasks of hospital visitation, and prayers for surgery or responses to emergencies. Sharon, as Director of Care Ministries, most often calls at the hospital 3 days each week, as well as check-ing in our nursing home or home centered members. David visits on Mondays and all three of us share a rotation of weekend visitation and cover for each other as needed. Pas-tor Jan also helps out when called upon.

As Pastor, I respond when a call comes about a death, and my visitation includes hospitals, homes, and nursing homes. I meet with individuals and families preparing for baptism and in a series of meetings, I counsel with persons preparing for marriage. I do counsel with individuals, families, and couples, and at times, refer them on for other counseling.

Please let us know if you or a family member or friend needs care. The current health privacy laws limit the information

we receive, so we need your help in our ministry of care. Call or email the church office with your concern and the information will be passed to the proper person. When the office is closed, you may leave a message, or go to my exten-sion-#14- as directed by the phone system, and it relays my cell phone number. You are welcome to call my cell phone and let me know your concern.

The congregation extends care in other ways as well.

-Stephen Ministers offer a caring presence and listening ear in times of transition and challenge.

-Senior Visitors are folks organized by Sharon Rock-er to visit nursing home or home centered senior members.

-The Prayer Chain shares concerns and joys for prayer, but only with permission.

-There is a ministry with cards offered by staff, and the UMW circles and many of you letting one anoth-er know of God’s love and our support.

With 600 souls to care for in our congregation, all of us have a role in offering the love and grace of Christ to persons in times of illness, loss, or transition. If you feel called to join in some aspect of this caring ministry, please call or email Sharon Rocker(email here) or me(pierfitz@fumcholland.org). -Pastor Lynn

United Methodist Women

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Witness and Invitational Ministry Liz Travis, Director (ext. 12)

The current new member class cycle continues May 5 and June 2 on Sunday evenings from 6-7:30 in the Conference Room. Those choosing to do so will join on June 16. For more information about this, please see Liz Travis.

Summer Services Special Music

If you would like to provide music for our Sunday morning worship services, please fill out the slip below and return

it to David Newton or the church office. Summer dates are Sundays, June 2 - September 1, 2013. We would like to

have the schedule finished by as soon as possible.

Thank you for your willingness to share your talents.

Name: ___________________ Telephone: ______________ Voice or Instrument: ______________

Preferred Sundays: _______________________ Sundays not available: ______________________

Solo: ___________ Duet: ___________ Ensemble: _________ Need Accompanist: ______

The service Circle for May is Shalom.

May 2, Executive Board meeting at 6:30 PM

6 - 11, Tulip Time lunch and dinners will be served at the Church and Marktplaats at the Civic Center. To help at church call Susan Kuite Smith at 836 - 2184 or Linda DenUyl at 298-2781. To help at Marktplaats call Dorothy Chamness at 396-3292. Serving for Tulip Time is lots of fun and very rewarding. We look forward to working together to raise money for missions.

16, General meeting at 7 PM Special Program on Immigrant Stories Both men and women are invited to view the screening of Jasmine's Story, a short documentary film produced by Unit-

ed Methodist's Communication for ReThink Church cam-paign. The story, based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, explores the involvement of the Ypsilanti FUMC supporting 17-year-old Jasmine after ICE deported her parents to Guatemala and she was left alone here with her sister. There will be opportunities to listen to your reaction to the film.

You are asked to bring a snack or dessert and meet in the Lounge beginning at 7:00 p.m. You will have an opportunity to hear other immigrant stories or bring one yourself. This event is sponsored by United Methodist Women. No reser-vations are needed. Beverages are provided. Hope you can come!

Summer Bell Choir Are you interested in being a part of a bell choir but don’t have time during the school year to participate? If so, the newly forming Summer Bell Choir may just be for you. Come join adults and youth of all ages as we rehearse songs of the church during the summer months. We’ll rehearse on Tuesdays from 6:30-8 p.m. starting June 4. Can’t make all Tuesday rehearsals; no problem, come when you can. Or if you can’t make any Tuesday rehearsals, contact David Newton and maybe we can organize another rehearsal time. For further info or to sign up for the bell choir contact David Newton at 396-5205 or dnewton@fumcholland.org

For times and locations of events and meetings each week, refer to the calendar available at our website, www.fumcholland.org on the lower right hand side of the page. Staff can be reached via the website under the About Us tab at the top and clicking on Church Staff. Check out our new website!

Youth Ministry LuAnne Stanley Hook, Director (ext. 19)

M AY 20 13 Page 9

Schedule of Events

May 13 Endowment Team 7:00 PM

May 14 Staff Parish 7:30 PM

May 16 SM Supervision 7:00 PM

May 20 Trustees 7:00 PM

May 21 Finance 7:00 PM

May 24 JFON Clinic 8:00 AM

May 28 NO Church Council

May 29-June 1

Annual Conference at Calvin College

Each week:

Tuesday noon: Senior Meal (not on 5-7)

Thursday 7:00: Volleyball

This month marks the end of our “official” youth program-ming for the school year. Thanks so much to all of the volunteers who make our weekly programming possible: Andy Snyder, Luke Dornon, Melissa Clutters, Peter Minnich, Carol Streur, Andy Kenyon, Paul Jones, Dave Vruggink, Lara Miller and Liz Carr. You guys are the best!

Please pray for the youth and adults going on this summer’s mission trips to Mission, South Dakota and Mount Pleasant, MI. Prayer partners needed for each participant. If interest-ed, please contact LuAnne by phone or email at 396-5205, ext. 19 or lstanleyhook@fumcholland.org. The South Dakota team will be responsible for making their own food during their stay on the Rosebud Reservation, and groceries are scarce and expensive there. We would like to take as many non-perishables as possible with us. The Food Donation collection for this month will be for the South Dakota team, to help with the massive effort of collecting food for 30 people. This was very helpful in 2009 when our group visited South Dakota and we appreciate the support of the Outreach Team in this effort. If you are able to help, please see the 10th Street bulletin board for information on items needed or contact LuAnne. Thank you in advance!

May Schedule:

Sunday, May 5, Youth group, 5:30-7:30. No meal, instead bring at least $10 and we’ll walk around and do the annual Taste of Tulip Time. Don’t be late, and dress for the weath-er!

Sunday, May 12, Mother’s Day—no youth meeting—do something nice for your mom!

Sunday, May 19, LAST YOUTH MEETING! 5:30-7:30 p.m. Cookout at the Hook house, 6618 Butternut Drive. Park in the storage units across the street and hitch a ride down the driveway to avoid congestion. Come and celebrate a great year! NOTE: As of this writing, there is some flooding on the property, so the location could be changed. Watch for information.

Looking ahead to summer:

June 15- 23: Senior High Mission Trip to Mission, SD

June 30-July 2: Middle School Mission to Mount Pleasant

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

May 2013

Pastor Rev. J. Lynn Pier-Fitzgerald

Phone: 616-393-6242

Nonprofit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

Holland, MI

Permit No. 445

57 W. 10th St.

Holland MI 49423

Return Service Requested

FI RST UNIT ED MET HODI ST CHURCH

Highlights for the Month

Phone: 616-396-5205

May 2013

Visit us online at

www.fumcholland.org

PRAYER PARTNERS

“I’ll pray for you” is a kind sentiment we offer one another of-ten, but is it a commitment we sometimes forget? We mean well, but are we intentional about our promise? Praying for each other allows the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, creating a closer church family and a caring community.

To increase our feeling of community, we are starting a Prayer Partner program in our church. We want to pair church mem-bers to pray for each other at least weekly, asking God’s blessing and direction for the other person’s life and faith journey. This does not require telephoning, meetings, or finances, just a few moments to ask God’s care for another person.

Please join us. You can sign up on the sheet provided on the

table at the back of the sanctuary, fill out the form to the right

and put it in the offering plate or church office, or call Julia Col-

ingsworth, LuAnne Stanley Hook, or Sharon Rocker. We will

then match you another church member, and you can begin

praying. That’s all there is to it. Let the Holy Spirit do the rest!

Prayer Partner Sign Up

Would you like to sign up as a family, couple, or indi-vidual (adult, senior, or teen)?

Name

Address

Phone Number

E-Mail Address

Short Bio