NEW MEMBER CLASSES

NEW MEMBER CLASSES

We are so happy there have been some new attenders
express an interest in joining the church!
We also have some long term attenders very active in the church
who never officially joined the church .

When a vote comes up for important issues, it is important to know
that only official members are allowed to vote.
So if you would like to vote on a issue in the coming months
that will affect the future of our church,
please be sure to check your membership status.
There will be a number of ways to check your membership.
Someone will be in the back of the church with a list after church services
and there will soon be a list available digitally so you can check.

You can find all updates on the UMC Discernment Process here!

COMBINED SERVICE WITH REV. EMILY HOTHO

COMBINED SERVICE WITH REV. EMILY HOTHO

Mark your calendars now for a very important day to be here!

Leadership is in the discernment phase for exploring disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church and we have invited Emily Hotho, our district superintendent to be with us on Sunday, June 4 and to share a message from the pulpit. We will have one service at 11:15 and then have a potluck luncheon where Emily will present for the United Methodist Church, and she has agreed to field questions. This is an important meeting so please make every effort to attend.

Leaders will continue discerning what God wants from Wesley Church so please stay in prayer.
Your leadership team:
Chair of the Board, Connie Pruitt
Trustees, Marci Blaney
Council on Ministries, Amanda Olson
Finance, Steve Olson
Staff Parish, Linda Mills
School Board, FLC, Leslie Berlin
Lay Leader, James Pearson
Church Financial secretary, Vickey Paggio (no vote because she is on staff)

You can find all updates on the UMC Discernment Process here!

SUMMER BIBLE STUDY

Do you feel overwhelmed? Insufficient? Too old? Too young? Too afraid?
This study is about Gideon’s victory over his own weaknesses
and the God who transformed his story into a triumph.
Gideon found that his weakness was his gift!

 This 7 week Sumer Study, Pricilla Shirer’s Gideon,
is on Wednesdays starting on May 10. 
Classes are at 10:00 am and 6:30 pm
both in person and online.  

If you are interested, please contact
Leslie Berlin
813-494-9063
 [email protected]

SPANISH CLASS AVAILABLE!
Spanish classes on Gideon will be held on
Thursday evenings 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Starting May 11
in the home of Renee Kincaid (close to church).
if you are interested, please contact
Renee Kincaid
813-885-5674
 [email protected]

WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

This week I am preparing a lesson on the Apostle John. I have always been struck by how completely different his remembering is from Matthew and the others. John’s gospel is almost completely new from Matthew, Mark and Luke. It’s not that their theology is any different, but their perspective is. Mark just rushes from one event to another. “and then…’ is repeated many, many times. Matthew is written for Jewish people and so is filled with Old Testament illustrations and quotes. Luke has a
Gentile audience and has stories and events specific to Gentiles, The good Samaritan, the lost son, healing stories, the Centurion. John seems like he read these other accounts and simply kept remembering something they forgot.

I have begun wondering just how different we can be from one another and still be citizens of the same kingdom. John seems more interested in the relationships Jesus had with people and so his recollection of an event goes into way more detail and even has some emotional context. He really does see things from a different perspective.

When we realize how important those different perspectives are to God, it allows us clarity to love people who see things differently from us.

 My children are very different. Their perspectives on things rarely match. Yet they are both believers and part of my family.  Oddly, I never once considered one of them as outside the family, even though I may have disagreed with their perspective. Perhaps we can learn something from this rag tag group of disciples who rarely all saw things the same way,

~ Grace and Peace ~
Pastor Ernie

NEWS FROM THE EBERHARDS

NEWS FROM THE EBERHARDS

Dear family and friends,
It’s been a busy few months. In February, as always, we launched the 26th edition of the Ethnologue. But this year we also launched the new Ethnologue website, which not only continues to serve missions, research, and governments, but also provides
more access for the general public. Check it out at: https://www.ethnologue.com/.

I’ve also been writing…I’m presenting papers at a couple of linguistics conferences this spring. First off is the Philippines. I leave Saturday for a 3-1/2 week trip, trying to tackle 4 different tasks! I’ll be in the southern island of Mindanao where I will first work with a local university to update data on the languages of Mindanao for the Ethnologue. Next I will give one of my papers as the keynote speaker at the Linguistic Society of the Philippines, as well as presenting a couple of other talks. From there I will spend a week in Davao City on the other side of the island, where we will put on a Journey training for SIL colleagues, followed by a Journey workshop for 4 minority communities from Mindanao. As you may recall, the Journey workshops help locals assess the vitality of their own languages, and help them explore what can be done to develop them if needed.

Then I head to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to catch up with our SIL language surveyors who will be in international meetings there. I plan to finish my time in Thailand hammering out a rough draft of a new research paper that I am co-writing with my colleague, Stan Anonby. This new research, based on some survey work Stan just finished in Sulawesi, Indonesia, should provide some solid evidence of how many of our New Testaments are being used by the language communities, and if they are not being used, investigate why that is so. This research promises to be helpful to all future Bible translators who want their translations to be used.

In the summer I have two trips planned. The first, early June, is a quick trip to Brussels to present another paper at a linguistics conference on language acquisition. I hope to get some feedback that will help me finalize my research on a very rare language
acquisition pattern in some minority language groups that I have been studying for several years now. This could then inform missionaries working in such groups, helping them understand whether or not the youth will eventually be speaking the traditional
language.

Mid-June to mid-July will see me in Brasilia, Brazil, for my annual Sociolinguistics class for young Brazilian missionaries training for cross-cultural work. Late summer or early fall, there is a trip to Guyana in the works for another data gathering event. So, it’s a
good thing I like to travel! Julie plans to stay at home and tend the garden!

A side note from Julie: Yes, it’s spring and I’m coming alive. I LOVE the warm weather and being outside. Recently we were able to attend a “house concert” of one of our daughter’s favorite writer/musicians, Andy Squires. He mentioned how his church had had a devasting event happen, and as a church they spent a year in mourning, in lament. He had written songs through that period, but as they were coming out of the year, he wrote a song, “Cherry Blossoms.” There’s a line: “In winter I believe you, in
springtime I see you.” As our literal spring is coming into full bloom, yes, I can see God. But I’m so thankful that in our literal or metaphorical winters, He is there. I must believe. I must continue to believe, even during the darkest winters. Spring is coming. Thank you for continued interest in our work. We are grateful for you.

Dave and Julie Eberhard

Addresses:
Home Headquarters (for gifts)
102 Berry Patch Dr. Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc.
Wilmore, KY 40390 PO Box 628200
Email: [email protected] Orlando, FL 32862-8200
Dave: 859-351-8455 Julie: 859-797-2299
Our Facebook Ministry Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/473137816404518/
(for online gifts) https://www.wycliffe.org/partner/41C8A5
Please include a separate note indicating, “Preference for the Wycliffe ministry of Dave and Julie Eberhard, Account # 222369

UPDATE ON UKRANIAN MINISTRY

UPDATE ON UKRANIAN MINISTRY

Here are some updates for your prayer consideration regarding Ukraine/House of Mercy.

The Sad News

Theresa & Scott lost a VIP Ukrainian partner this week; Alex, who became a casualty of war.  He was instrumental in helping the orphans of Ukraine and became such a trusted ally that when Theresa & Scott had to return to the US last February, he was given control of their car and many supplies to be used to help orphans.  Alex was given a gun without proper training.  He only knew how to battle spiritually.  Please pray for the comfort of those who knew him.

Another Ukrainian friend of theirs was hit by shrapnel and is in the hospital.  Your prayers for his recovery are appreciated. 

The Rest

The Ukrainian residents of Agape House are in various stages of deciding “what’s next”.  The United for Ukraine visa is a two-year visa.  Scott and Theresa believe this will be extended making it more promising that they can remain in the USA for some duration.   Dariia (single professional woman) and Oleg (father of a family of four) have gotten jobs and have left Agape House for their new independent life in Vermont.   Another (single mother of a son) plans to leave in early May.  It is uncertain what the other singles and families will decide to do.  Many more have gotten their driver’s permit and even women who did not drive in Ukraine are learning.  The Good News Garage https://goodnewsgarage.org/donate-your-car/donate-a-car-in-vermont/ has donated several cars to families who are pursuing work. 

Scott & Theresa will be accepting new non-Ukrainian folks into the house who need a place of transition.   This could include all kinds of different circumstances someone finds themself in when they need extra support and nurturing.  (legally it was determined that Agape’s zip code could not accept any more refugees at this time).

Today Theresa gets a PET Scan to determine the extent of healing that has taken place because of chemo.  She’ll have her fourth round of chemo this Wednesday.  She appreciates all prayers this week as she receives the chemo and has the horrible after effects.  This week Scott’s focus will be to get rid of all accumulated belongings in their personal home as it is under contract and they close April 28. 

Please pray for the Agape residents who have not come up with their transition plan yet, that they would have the open doors needed.  One option is to remain at Agape House but that will require a financial commitment. 

Please pray for the genetic testing for one Agape boy whose father and grandfather have a neurodegenerative disease. 

Special Prayers

While this email serves to focus our prayers on Ukraine and Agape House, I ask for you to pray for two special individuals on this prayer “team” in special need:

Pastor Ernie Post’s wife Brenda is in the end stages of life.  Spiritually she is in a good place however watching her deteriorate has been difficult.  Please pray for their two adult children and grandchildren as well.  Pastor Ernie serves a very loving faith community at Wesley in Tampa.

Andy Evans is pregnant and due with her third child.  Her due date is around the corner.  Please pray for easy labor and no complications with birth.

THANK YOU, SAINTS

GOD ROCK STORE

GOD ROCK STORE

Sponsored by Promiseland
Kids from 4 years old thru 6th grade

The kids in Promiseland receive “God Rocks”
for attending, bring their Bibles, attention/participation
and bringing a friend.
On the last Sunday of the month
they can use their “God Rocks” to purchase
items in the God Rock Store!

NERF WARS IN PROMISELAND

NERF WARS IN PROMISELAND

Sponsored by Promiseland
kids 4 years thru 6th grade.
Meet in Promiseland and then we will
go to FLC Gymnasium.

Bring your Nerf guns
and be prepared to play a fun game.
There will be glow in the dark wrist/necklaces
and the gym will be set up for you to
capture your opponents base!