McLaurin Heights United Methodist

N e w s l e t t e r

April 2016

A Prayer for the Easter Season

Jesus,

Your Resurrection is

so big,

so glorious,

so amazing

that it requires a celebration that extends

beyond a single day.

Help me to see every day as

an opportunity to celebrate and

to live as your Easter person.

Help me to embrace your offer of

resurrection even in the most challenging

points of my life and in the fearful and

dark places of my heart.

Easter me into the person you have created

me to be. Only you can do that.

It is my prayer, O Risen Savior,

that all the words of my mouth,

that all the actions of my hands and

that all the attitudes of my heart

will point others to you and to the reality

of your redeeming Easter love.

In humility and gratitude, I offer this

prayer to you.

Amen

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Inspired to Worship

Called to Serve

United in Fellowship

Thanks go to Erin Lowry for serving as our Children’s

Ministry Team Leader (CMT). She has returned to

college and Stacey Everett is our new volunteer CMT

Leader. You may contact Stacey by calling or texting at

601-955-8282 or e-mail at kitnfinn@yahoo.com.

Sunday School 9:45 Each Week

Toddlers and Twos: The nursery teaches our toddlers

and twos Bible stories using picture cards. In April they

will learn that Believers Share, from Acts.

3 year old-3rd Grade: The children will learn about

The Road to Emmaus, Thomas Believes, The Great

Commission and that Believers Share. These lessons are

from the New Testament.

4th-6th Grade Bible Scholars Class: We are using the

Submerge lesson plans that offer a one-year Bible

survey by following the Christian Year. In April, we

submerge deeper into the Easter season: Overcoming

Doubt; Encountering Jesus; Proclaiming; and Waiting.

Second Sunday Fun Day

For Super Second Sunday in March the children made

wooden crosses. The kids got hands-on experience by

hammering in three nails to assemble the crosses. We

talked about the significance of the three nails on the

cross and Christ’s Crucifixion. They decorated their

crosses and had some snacks. Each child also had a

hand in creating a cross for Pastor Vicki that they

presented to her at the end of the evening. No fingers

were smashed and they had a great time! Thanks to

Preston Everett and my dad Daniel Gibson for cutting

and sanding the pieces of the cross for the children to

assemble.

For Super Second Sunday on April 10th, at 6:00 pm we

are going to plant seeds and talk about love and growing

with Jesus. Snacks will be provided.

Palm Sunday Parade

On Palm Sunday the children marched in the Palm

Parade and handed out palms to the congregation as they

entered. They took the responsibility of making sure

every person had a palm very seriously! They were also

excited to be a part of the service and eager to make

their entrance. That morning they helped pack 24

backpacks with Bobbie Roe and the Spirit Class.

Easter Egg Hunt

We had 20 children and 15 adults for our Easter Egg

Hunt. We had a great time making cross sun ornaments

while the eggs were being hidden. The egg hunt was of

course the highlight of the day after which they had some

treats. To top it off each of the kids (at least those able

to) got the opportunity to throw an egg (full of paint--

Surprise!) at a canvas to create a unique art piece to

celebrate Easter. It was revealed at Easter morning

service during the Children’s Moment, where Pastor

Vicki talked about the surprise of the empty tomb. The

comment was made by someone else, “It just goes to

show that no matter what you throw at him Christ will

always shine through.” Thanks to De’Nieceschsi Layton,

Preston Everett and Daniel Gibson for helping out with

the event.

Day at the Pines

Free day at Camp Wesley Pines (CWP) is April 23rd.

CWP invites all to come and experience a taste of

summer camping. You will have the opportunity to

participate in archery, canoeing, high and low ropes

events as well as touring our camp. Along with the

spiritual lessons shared through the ropes course, our

Prayer Trail will be open for spiritual reflection and

devotionals. Registration will be from 8-9 am until 3 pm,

with lunch (hotdogs and hamburgers) at 12 noon. Come

and experience our camp as we get outdoors and get into

Christ. If your and your children would like to go,

contact Brian Lowry at 601-622-8450 or

blowry07@att.net.

Children’s Ministry Team Meeting

The Children’s Ministry team will meet Sunday, April

10th at 3:30 pm in the Children’s Hall.

Vacation Bible School (VBS)

June 15th —19th

"Remember that the Lord is great and awesome." —

Nehemiah 4:14b, CEB

Get ready to transform our church into an ocean of

excitement as Surfers and Lifeguards glide through surfer

-themed music, crafts, science projects, recreation, Bible

Stories, and more! Watch as our children get stoked

about God’s mission in their lives.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

YOUTH MINISTRY

Sunday School 9:45 Each Week

We meet each Sunday at 9:45 for Bible study. Joey

Fontaine will start a new unit on Restorative Faith. Do

you Trust Me?; Forgiven!; Demons Begone; and

Welcome Home! are the lessons.

Wednesday and Sunday Nights

Come join us at 5:00 pm on Sunday nights and at 6:00

pm Wednesday nights for fun, learning and fellowship as

we grow closer to God. Contact Trey Fontaine, Youth

Director for more information at 601-624-9374.

Bible in One Year 2016

We are using a Bible app called “Bible in One Year

2016”. We read scripture every day, and by the end of

the year we will have read through the entire Bible.

Wednesday and Sunday’s lesson will be on one of the

scriptures of that day. It’s very easy to follow. Go to the

App store, type in Bible, and it is the first app to appear.

Greeters For April

Our youth will be the greeters for worship services in

April.

Flood Buckets

On Wednesday, March 30th, the youth helped fill the

Flood Buckets with cleaning supplies. These buckets

will go to families affected by flooding. Read more

about the Flood Buckets, and how to donate in the Flood

Bucket article in the Missions section.

Wild Game Banquet

Our youth will help hand out door prizes at the Wild

Game Banquet on May 21st. See the article under the

United Methodist Men for more information about the

Banquet.

Save the Date!

High School Senior Recognition and lunch May 1st

Mattie Duckworth

Taylor Lowry

Andrew Pope

Brittany Rawson

Ryan Sellers

Morgan Smithhart

Missionfest June 5th-9th

Sunday School for Adults meets at 9:45 am.

Most classes use the Adult Bible Studies book. For the

next 3 months, we will study The Gift of Faith. In April,

we will study a unit on Restorative Faith from Luke.

College Graduates

Mississippi College May 2016 Beth Lowry

If you know of any graduate we need to honor, please

email secmhumc@bellsouth.net or leave a note in the

secretary’s mailbox.

Pastor’s Wednesday Night Bible Study

All adults are invited to come to Bible Study from 6-7:30

pm in the Conference Room.

United Methodist Men (UMM)

Sunrise Breakfast

Thank you to our UMM for providing breakfast after

Easter Sunrise Service on March 27th. It was greatly

appreciated, as are all of you.

UMM Breakfast Meeting

The UMM will meet for prayer breakfast April 10th at

7:30 am.

Save the Date!

Wild Game Banquet May 21st

The Wild Game Banquet at Muse Center is a fundraising

and community event sponsored by a collaboration of men

in United Methodist Churches throughout Rankin County.

The Banquet raises funds for Habitat for Humanity

Mississippi Capital Area, and all of it STAYS in Rankin

County. The guest speaker will be Coach Gene Stallings.

He will speak on faith, family and football. Tickets are

$25, the doors open at 5 pm with dinner at 6 pm.

MHUMC youth will help hand out door prizes. Contact

Tim Newton, 601-832-4093 or Bennie Rogers, 601-842-

4744 for tickets or more information.

ADULT MINISTRY

United Methodist Women (UMW)

The UMW will meet April 19th.

Wesleyanna at 9:30 am in the Joy Classroom

Lamplighters at 6:00 pm in the Conference Room

Lamplighters News

Lamplighters will meet on Wednesday, April 19th at

6:00 pm. Virgie O’dom will continue our study of Plan

B by Pete Wilson. Everyone is invited to come and

participate in the remainder of the study that will go

through June. Join us and see what a difference we can

make at McLaurin Heights UMC. Contact Sissie

Haynie at 601-937-1789 if you have any questions.

Lamplighters Plan B Study

Do you remember the day you discovered your life

wasn’t going to turn out quite the way you had thought?

It happens sooner or later! All of us have had dreams,

wishes, goals, and expectations that have not come to

fruition. Plans fizzle. Expectations come to nothing.

Trusted people let us down or we let ourselves down.

Dreams shatter or slip away. Has it happened to you?

Plan A comes to an abrupt stop, and you’re not sure if

there even is a Plan B.

Pete Wilson reaches beyond the typical Christian

response to offer frank understanding, honest

encouragement, and real hope for your Plan B reality.

He draws on real-life stories from the Bible (David,

Joseph, Mary and Martha) and the present day. We will

explore the relationship between shattered dreams and

true spiritual transformation. We hope we can answer

the question— “What do you do when you have to turn

to Plan B?”

ADULT MINISTRY

Be Active; Live Longer (BALL) Club

BALL Club Day Trip

Sadly, the March trip to Vicksburg was cancelled due

to severe weather. The trip has now been rescheduled.

The BALL Club will travel to Vicksburg on Friday,

April 15th to eat at Rusty's Riverfront Grill and

shop. We will leave the church at 10:00 am. Contact

Patsy or Bennie Rogers (601-824-9865) to reserve

your space. Watch the bulletin for future news.

Seasoned Adults Laughing Together (SALT)

Easter Baskets for Nursing Home Members

The SALT team made Easter baskets for our church

members in local nursing homes with the hope that it

would make their Easter more special. The baskets

were filled with Nabs, fruit juice, roasted peanuts,

sugar free and regular candy and plastic Easter eggs

filled with candy. Easter cards were delivered with

the baskets. For our out of town nursing home

members, Easter cards were mailed.

SALT Lunch

On April 21st, at 11:30 there will be a covered dish

lunch with guest speaker Rankin County Court Judge

Tom Broome. Contact Maxine Creel, 601-939-4458

for more information.

Gather to Grow Conference

Equipping Disciples in the Second Half

April 29th—30th

The purpose of the Gather to Grow conference is to

equip individuals regarding some of the issues and

concerns relating to growing older in our culture. The

conference fee is $20, which includes Friday night

dinner, breakfast and lunch on Saturday. The deadline

for registration is April 20th. Go to christunitedjxn.org

and click on Gather to Grow to register.

Busy Fingers

Conversation and companionship can

help make handwork projects go

faster. Each Thursday at 9:30 am the

Busy Fingers group meets in the

church kitchen to work on projects

like knitting and crocheting. Bring

your unfinished projects and make

progress on them as you share in fellowship.

ADULT MINISTRY

Scouting Ministry

MHUMC ministry is expanding as we make plans to

add a Boy Scout Troop to our outreach ministry. The

Administrative Board approved this addition at its

March 30, 2016 meeting. If you are interested in being

part of MHUMC Scouting by serving on the Scouting

Committee, working with the troop (boys 6th grade-18

years old) or exploring formation of a pack (boys K-5th

grade) contact Darrell Roe, Scouting Ministry

Coordinator at 769-257-9584, or email

dsr3763@gmail.com.

Baby Shower

Who: Mr. Carson Trace Smith, son of Tyler and

Lacey Carr Smith, grandson of Keith and Patty Carr,

grandnephew of Mitch and Donna Carr, and great

grandson of Waudeena Carr and nephew of Megan and

Alyssa Carr.

When: Sunday, April 10th, from 2—3 pm.

Where: MHUMC Fellowship Hall.

Everyone is invited to attend the baby shower for

Carson Trace Smith. They are registered at Babies R Us.

MISSION EVANGELISM/HOSPITALITY

Day of Hope

Saturday, April 23rd is the Day of Hope at the MS Methodist

Children’s Home. Come spend the day touring our homes,

enjoying lunch, a live auction and having a great time.

10:00 am - Tour Campus

11:30 am - BBQ Lunch

12:00 am - Program

12:30 pm - Live Auction.

MHUMC will help provide the baked beans and cold slaw for

the BBQ lunch. Any volunteers to help with the food or

donations will be very much appreciated. I sincerely hope to

see our church very well represented at the “Day Of Hope”.

If there is enough interest, we will take the bus. We will

leave from the church around 9:30 am. Call Jeanette

Rochelle to make bus reservations or form more information

at her cell number 601-955-8675 or work 601-824-7070 ext.

110.

Save the Date

Thursday, May 12th - MCH Tee Off for Missions 5th

Annual Golf Scramble benefiting the children at the

Methodist Children’s Homes.

LIFE EVENTS

Lenten/Easter Mission Offering

We have raised $320.00 for UMCOR. Mississippians

know first-hand about the power of UMCOR through

disaster relief provided after Katrina and major tornados.

This year our Lenten/Easter Mission Offering will go to the

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). The

donations that UMCOR receives through the Lenten season

(including One Great Hour of Sharing) go toward the

operating costs of UMCOR. This means that 100% of all

other donations go directly to relief in specific disaster

situations and not toward administrative costs.

Because UMCOR keeps operating costs under 10% of its

total budget, undesignated gifts may actually exceed

UMCOR’s administrative needs. When that happens, Lent

offerings are channeled to under-funded programs, where

they are most needed. They also may be used to allow

UMCOR to respond to disasters immediately after an event

and before funds can be raised.

Flood

Buckets

Many families in LA and MS have been impacted by the

recent flooding. Our Mission Team has been encouraged to

fill flood buckets with cleaning supplies. These buckets

will enable people to begin the work of cleaning up after

these devastating floods. The Mission Team at MHUMC

committed to assembling 20 buckets. The requested

supplies were purchased and our youth packed them in 5

gallon buckets.

The cost per bucket is estimated to be $40. The flood

buckets will be paid for from the Missions Emergency

Fund in the budget, and from donations made to Missions.

Any donation will be greatly appreciated. Make you check

payable to the church and note to Flood Buckets.

Are You Ready to Become a

Member of MHUMC?

Are you interested in talking with Pastor Vicki about

joining MHUMC? New members will be joining

Sunday, February 7th. You may contact her at 601-624-

8734 or (pastormhumc@bellsouth.net) Are you ready to

make that next step of faith?

How Do You Get Someone on the Prayer List?

The Prayer Concerns list on the insert in the Sunday

Bulletin is for members, their family and friends who

need our prayers. Contact the church office: by

email, secmhumc@bellsouth.net; phone 601-939-2163;

or a note left in the Secretary’s mailbox located outside

the office. We need your name, the person to be prayed

for, and their relationship to you for the list. If someone

needs to be taken off the list, contact the office in the

same way.

Meetings

SPRC 4:00 pm May 1st

Finance 4:30 pm April 17th

Trustees News

In March, the Trustees had six security cameras

installed. They can be monitored from the office and

the Sound Room. These cameras provide an additional

level of security in the church building especially on the

youth and children’s hallways. All of the fire

extinguishers were checked, some were refilled and

some replaced. Work was done outside to stop the leaks

in the office and Children’s Hall.

RESOURCE MINISTRIES

WORSHIP MINISTRIES MISSIONS

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

3 9:45 am Sun. School 10:55 am Worship 5:00 pm Youth Fellowship 5:00 pm Youth Fellowship Choir Practice 6:00 pm Adult Worship &Study HB Gabby Burke

4

5 9-10 am Food Pantry HB Tasha Pinson

6 9-10 am Food Pantry 6:00 pm Adult Study Children’s Bible Club Youth Fellowship HB Anand Michael HB Rachel Powell

7 9-10 am Food Pantry 9:30 am Busy Fingers HB David Bell

1 HB Brandon Woodard ___________

8 HB Sue Goff

2 HB Norma Bell ________________

9

10 7:30 am UMM Breakfast 9:45 am Sun. School 10:55 am Worship 2-3 pm Baby Shower for Tyler & Lacey Carr Smith 3:30 pm Children’s Team 5:00 pm Youth Fellowship Choir Practice 6:00 pm Children’s Super Second Sunday 6:00 pm Adult Worship &Study

11

12 9-10 am Food Pantry HB Carson Weems HB Will Weems HB Sue Tolbert

13 9-10 am Food Pantry 6:00 pm Adult Study Children’s Bible Club Youth Fellowship

14 9-10 am Food Pantry 9:30 am Busy Fingers

15

16

HB Haylee

17 9:45 am Sun. School 10:55 am Worship 4:30 pm Finance meeting 5:00 pm Youth Fellowship Choir Practice 6:00 pm Adult Worship &Study HB Danny Pope HB Jenny Boatner

18

19 9-10 am Food Pantry United Methodist Women meet 9:30 am Wesleyanna 6:00 pm Lamplighter HB Natalie Temple

20 9-10 am Food Pantry 6:00 pm Adult Study Children’s Bible Club Youth Fellowship HA Ples & Jerry Hester

21 9-10 am Food Pantry 9:30 am Busy Fingers 11:30 am SALT Lunch with speaker Tom Broome HB Will Roberts HB Joey Fontaine

22

23 9:30 am leave the church for MCH Day of Hope 10 am Tour 11:30 am BBQ Lunch 12 am Program 12:30 Live Auction HB Linda Harrison HB Derek Stanley

24 9:45 am Sun. School 10:55 am Worship 5:00 pm Youth Fellowship Choir Practice 6:00 pm Adult Worship&Study

25 .

26 9-10 am Food Pantry

27 9-10 am Food Pantry 6:00 pm Adult Study Children’s Bible Club Youth Fellowship HA Maxie &Angela Sellers

28 9-10 am Food Pantry 9:30 am Busy Fingers HB Inell Hegwood HB Mike Browning HB Teresa Walter

29

30

May 1 9:45 am Sun. School 10:55 am Worship Noon Lunch 4:00 pm SPRC meeting 5:00 pm Youth Fellowship Choir Practice 6:00 pm Adult Worship&Study HB Rusty Pinter HB Vickie Van Wick

2

3 9-10 am Food Pantry

4 9-10 am Food Pantry 6:00 pm Adult Study Children’s Bible Club Youth Fellowship HB Martha Fincher

5 9-10 am Food Pantry 9:30 am Busy Fingers

6

7

HB Drake Cushing

April 2016

Laity in Service

Liturgist: Eddie Grimes Head Usher: Tim Newton Children’s Church: Stacey Everett Sanctuary Greeters: MHUMC Youth Communion Servers: Richard, Lori, Morgan and Jake Smithhart Collection Counters: Phil Sanderson, Sherry Wilson Lock up: Ed Hennington, Dorman Pinter Unlock: Cindy Turnage

Acolytes Nursery Workers

April 3 Aden Lowry Linda Harrison

April 10 Destiny Williams Aliese Green

April 17 Will Weems

April 24 Carson Weems Lori Smithhart

*April 10th Birthdays and Anniversary HB Kenneth Russell HB Sharon Carter HB Jennifer Kacarka HA Charlie & Cyndy Berg

NON-PROFIT ORG

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

JACKSON, MS

PERMIT #405

McLaurin Heights United Methodist Church

325 Mary Ann Drive

Pearl, MS 39208

E-mail Addresses: Pastor: pastormhumc@bellsouth.net

Secretary: secmhumc@bellsouth.net

Fax No: 601-939-3692 Telephone No: 601-939-2163

website: mheightsumc.com

Vicki Watkins Landrum, Pastor Duncan Goff, Music Director Susan Hooper, Secretary Mynette Minshew, Organist

Trey Fontaine, Youth Director Patsy Rogers, Pianist

Sheila Roper, Nursery Sunday: 9:45 am Sunday School

10:55 am Morning Worship

5:00 pm UM Youth Fellowship 5:00 pm Choir Practice

6:00 pm Evening Worship & Study

Wednesday: 6:00 pm Adult Bible Study

6:00 pm UM Youth Fellowship

6:00 pm Children’s Bible Club

Address Service Requested

VOL. 46 Issue No. 4 April 2016

Congratulations to our Spring 2016 Graduates!

High School Mattie Duckworth

Taylor Lowry

Andrew Pope

Brittany Rawson

Ryan Sellers

Morgan Smithhart

MS College Beth Lowry

We want to have a complete list of our graduates. If you

know of any graduate we need to honor, please email

secmhumc@bellsouth.net or leave a note in the

secretary’s mailbox.

___________________________________________

Church-Wide Potluck Lunch

Sunday, May 1st after worship

Fellowship Hall

Graduating seniors and their parents

will be our honorees.

Contact Betty Wade, 601-906-3475, Fellowship Ministry

team leader for more information or to volunteer to help.

Celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus!

Worship each Sunday of

the Easter Season

March 27th—May 15th