January Newsletter - 2012

The Braden Epistle

Vol. VIIIVol. VIIIVol. VIIIVol. VIII JANUARY, 2012 JANUARY, 2012 JANUARY, 2012 JANUARY, 2012 No. 35 No. 35 No. 35 No. 35

The Four Areas of Focus

The Four Areas of Focus express the vision and yearnings of the people of The United Methodist Church. Over this quadrennium, the church will seek to focus the work of making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world around these areas of ministry:

• Combating the diseases of poverty by improving health globally.

• Engaging in ministry with the poor.

• Creating new places for new people and revitalizing existing congregations.

• Developing principled Christian leaders for the church and the world.

No two are alike!

Welcome WinterWelcome WinterWelcome WinterWelcome Winter

Father, Creator of the universe and seasons. We thank you

for allowing us to see, another one of your

miracles.

Did you ever STOP and think no two people or snowflakes

are alike? Each one is unique! We are His workmanship.

(Eph. 2:10) He created all things.

Winter began December 22!

Snowflakes Reflect the Diversity of God Sometime if this winter you go

Abroad to see the falling snow-

You will find to your surprise

That a trillion flakes will greet your eyes.

Swirling, dancing in the day,

Who could make them quite this way?

Each one new, six sides on all,

Each reflects light as they fall.

No two ever found alike

With lace and rays and sculptured spike.

Here one moment, then they melt,

But what a silent scene is felt!

Discern in those dear tiny flakes,

The face of God who nature makes

To please His children and show His love

To all the world from heaven above.

Work of PostWork of PostWork of PostWork of Post----Christmas Begins. . .Christmas Begins. . .Christmas Begins. . .Christmas Begins. . . When the song of the angels is stilled. When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are home, When the Shepherds are back with the flocks, Then the work of post Christmas truly begins: To find the lost, To heal those broken in spirit, To feed the hungry, To release the oppressed, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among all people, To praise God from the heart. . . Radiate the Light of Christ, every day, in every way, in ALL that we do and in ALL that we say. Let the true meaning of Post-Christmas begin, and let it begin with you and through you.

Let Jesus Shine!!

Happy New Year!

The Braden Epistle JANUARY, 2012 Page The Braden Epistle JANUARY, 2012 Page The Braden Epistle JANUARY, 2012 Page The Braden Epistle JANUARY, 2012 Page 2222

Message from the Pastor

My Beloved Parishioners, I am excited about what God has in store

for us in 2012. This year is going to provide us with many more opportunities to fulfill the pur-pose God has given Braden United Methodist Church. It is our goal to bring glory to God as we engage the world. It is our goal to develop people who engage God in worship, who engage in obe-dience, who engage the lost world with the gos-pel, who engage each other in love, and who en-gage in intentional discipleship.

In which of these areas do you need to

improve during this New Year? In what areas do you need to be more active in our church? God has a place for each of us in His mission. I en-courage you to find your place and be diligent in your obedience.

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walk-ing-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of im-maturity, God brings the best out of you, devel-ops well-formed maturity in you."

I recently read the above passage from Eugene Petersen's The Message. It spoke to me in so many different ways. It speaks of the importance of giving our all to God. .. making God our number one priority. It reminds us that even though we are in the world, we can't let the world consume us. It is about focus and priori-ties.

Much easier said than done, I know. My every day, ordinary life can occasionally be all consuming. Sometimes making it through the day, finding time for it all, can be just about all I can handle. My attention can easily be diverted. What do those words say? "Fix your attention on God." We also have heard that scripture that says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." When culture is consuming, it can be tough. What if? What if we did set our priorities in the right way? God first. What if we put our relationship with our Savior as the center of who and what we are? "You'll-be changed from the inside out." Our lives will be transformed!

I invite you, along with me, to slow it down a little. I invite you to focus on what is really im-portant in your life. Let us together fix our atten-tion on God. Let us strengthen our spiritual life. Let us experience deeper, richer worship to-gether. Let's just see what God might have in store for us. We might be amazed!

Although our ministries and the way we do ministry might change some, it’s good to know that one thing never changes. God’s love always remains the same. I feel like our loving God that has loved us always, is leading us to do some new things and I am very excited. I hope you are too. If you would like to be involved in something you read or hear about, or if you are concerned about something, my door is always open to you. Please feel free to talk to me about ideas, ways to help out, or things that bother you.

God has led his people through many changes and many exciting times. We know that God will also lead us during these times.

May God use you to do extraordinary things in 2012!

Pastor DixonPastor DixonPastor DixonPastor Dixon


How and Why We Worship

Why We Stand for the Reading

of the Scripture

Stand and let your heart hear the words of the Living

God!

According to Josh Gelatt, Pastor of Indian River Bap-

tist Church in Northern Michigan, “When Ezra the

scribe stood on a high platform to read the scripture to

the people who had just returned from exile, the peo-

ple listened attentively and stood up in unison without

prompting. Obviously, they took the reading of the

Word seriously (Nehemiah 8:1-6). In Biblical times

and throughout the history of the church, the public

reading of scripture is the pinnacle of the worship ser-

vice.”

It is the tradition of people of God to stand up during

the scripture reading to show honor for the Word.

Scripture does not instruct us to do so. Instead, scrip-

ture focuses on the issue of the heart rather than the

form used. Sitting or standing isn’t as important as the

receptivity of one’s heart.

Altar Flowers

Would you like to honor your mother or father on their

birthday or anniversary with altar flowers in the sanc-

tuary on Sunday? Would you like to rejoice in the

graduation or the birthday of your son or daughter?

How about celebrating your anniversary or your

spouse’s recent accomplishment? And of course, flow-

ers are a beautiful way to honor the memory of a fam-

ily member or special friend

You can give thanks to God and beautify our worship

services by donating altar flowers for any Sunday you

would like. Your name and the name of your honoree

will be printed in the Sunday Bulletin and the newslet-

ter, giving others a chance to know about the occasion.

The donation price for each arrangement is $25, made

payable to BUMC Flower Fund.

Call Lisa at the church to put in your request.

Upcoming Events and

Important Dates!

Thurs., Jan. 26 Senior Missions

Sat., Jan. 28 Maumee Watershed District Leadership Day 9:00-4:00

Sun., Jan. 29 Youth Sunday

Worship Committee Meeting

Wed., Feb., 22 Ash Wednesday

Sun., Feb. 26 1st Sunday in Lent

Wed., Feb. 29 Lenten Bible Study begins

*Attention: Nurses Needed & Wanted for the Braden Nurses Guild

If interested - contact Lois Lipkins at 419-539-7768.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*Senior Missions! Men and Women interested in Senior Missions Pro-grams can come to our next meeting from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Ages 55 and up. Transportation available if needed. Contact Lois Lipkins at

419-539-7768 for next meeting date.


Finances at a Glance

We give thanks to each and everyone for their support

of the Braden Church and it’s ministries in 2011 and

look forward to new opportunities in 2012!

Here are the Year End financial figures:

Cash Receipts through 12/25/11:

Needed: $184,518.00

Received: $184,414.18

Apportionments: District-$7008.00 - $100%

Conference-$28,978.35 -101%

Gas Expense Total: $12,665.45 -79%

Electricity Ex. Total $ 9413.13 – 72%

Maintenance- $ 4057.19 -51%

Special Fund Balances at year end:

Scholarship- $11,372.86

Missions- $ 349.20

A/C- $ 9606.66

Undesignated Funds $12,365.69

Inverness Funds $ 2659.00

Account Balances as of 12/31/2011

General Fund- $ 132.74 Capital Impr.Fund- $ 3004.63 Savings Account- $49,803.28 $52,940.65 Again, we thank everyone for their support in 2011!

Average Attendance:

145

Message from the Finance Department

Finance: Praise God for those faithful Stewards that

continue to pass blessings to the body from being

blessed. Braden has finished the year with 101% ap-

portionments paid! With the loss of the Day Care in

June, our bills have been tight but manageable. We

are humbly grateful to end the 2011 year with 100%

of Braden’s portion of the budget obtained. Overall

completion was at 92%, again due to the loss of the

Day Care. Twenty-twelve (2012) will prove to be

challenging, but with God’s Grace and Mercy and

You, we will be victorious.

In reviewing the number of people giving (financially) we

have identified categorically that approximately 123 per-

sons has the possibility to step –up their financial stew-

ardship to $26 per week or $52 bi-weekly or $113.25

monthly. Remember, Christian Stewardship is an out-

ward expression of an inward work of God’s grace.

(Grace is when God gives us what we don’t deserve and

mercy is when God doesn’t give us what we do deserve.)

Faithful Christian stewardship means investing our time,

talents and other treasurers so that they multiply for

ministry. Praying that you will step out on mustard seed

faith and allow the Holy Spirit to let it grow.

The here is consistency one step at a time.

Be mindful that if your relationship and understanding of

Christian Stewardship is beyond this point consider your-

self truly blessed, maintain your faithful stewardship and

grow. Remember We Are Too Blessed To Be Ungrateful.

Again we thank you all for 2011 and look forward to a

successful 2012 with God’s Grace and Mercy and You!

God Bless you all! Thank you.

Dec. 2011 status. Keeping you informed.

Please continue to give what you can.

Remember we're in this together! Thank you.


Braden United Methodist Church

2012 Church Officers

Church Council

Pastor<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Wynston Dixon

Council Chairperson<<<<<<<<<<<. Lafe Tolliver

Lay Leader<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<. Marie Bush

Secretary<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< TBA

Lay Delegate to Conference<<<<<<<<.. TBA

Pastor/Staff/Parish Relations, Chairman<<<... Annette Savage

Finance Committee, Chairman<<<<<<<.. Sunceray Lamb

Treasurer<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Lisa Gleason

Financial Secretary<<<<<<<<<<<< Carol Robinson

Youth Ministries Coordinators<<<<<<<< Yolanda & Roye Durden

Congregational Care Coordinator<<<<<. Randall Jones

Christian Education Ministry Coordinator<<<. Yolanda Robinson

Outreach & Mission Ministry Coordinator.. Cerrsandra McPherson

Board of Trustees Chairperson<<<<<<<... TBA

U M Men President<<<<<<<<<<<<.. Steve Halliburton

U M Women President <<<<<<<<<< Linda Hester

Council Members-at-Large

Lay Member to Conference Alternate<<< Morell Fonfield

Council Vice Chairperson <<<<<<<. Linda Hester

Finance Committee Vice Chair<<<<<. Sabrina Nabors

At Large member<<<<<<<<<<< Mary Dunson

Lay Leadership Committee

Chairperson, Rev. Wynston Dixon

Lay Leader, Marie L. Bush

Lay Member,TBA

Class of 2012 Class of 2013 Class of 2014

Matthew Coleman Virginia Haywood-Smith Charles Tuggle

Danyale Brown Duanya Tillman Vicky Forrest

Vince Davis Paula Stewart Yvonne Mitcham


Braden United Methodist Church

2012 Church Officers

(continued)

Pastor/Staff/Parish Relations Committee (SPPR)

Chairman, Annette Savage

Lay Leader, Marie L. Bush

Lay Member, TBA


Randall Jones Charles Tuggle

Linda Hester Annette Savage Vince Davis

Judy Jackson Odell Chancy Elbert Stewart

Board of Trustees

Chairperson, TBA


Willie Reams Steve Halliburton Richard Tuggle

Marcella Brown James Goodlow Terry Hutcherson

Stanley Hill Jackie Robinson Danyale Hill-Brown

Finance Committee

Pastor Rev. Wynston Dixon

Chairman Sunceray Lamb

Vice Chairperson Sabrina Nabors

Treasurer Lisa Gleason

Financial Secretary Carol Robinson

Lay Leader Marie Bush

Lay Member TBA

Council Chair Lafe Tolliver

SPRC Rep. Annette Savage

Trustees Rep. TBA by Trustees

Names in bold were nominated by the Lay Leadership Committee for 2012.


Words of Wisdom

God specializes in surprise endings!

Randall Jones, Jr.

A New Year With The Lord

A new year is about to unfold

With new opportunities to explore;

Doors will open for new experiences

New adventures with the Lord.

Remember not the former things

The things of this past year;

The Lord will do new things in us

Much more than we are aware.

For He will make a way for us

As we put our trust in Him;

And He will guide our every step

By His presence we have within.

What God has placed within our hearts

We find we’ll be able to do;

If we look for the opportunities

We’ll see the door to go through.

We mustn’t let anything hold us back

But rise up and take our place;

And be all that God wants us to be

With a fresh touch of His grace.

- M.S.Lowndes

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Why come to Sunday School, Bible Study or even Church?

Why not???

Here, you will be taught what the scriptures are saying and how you can use them in your life. Here, you begin a relationship with others who are trying to grow in the Word and apply them to their lives as well. Being fed, receiving direction from the Word, finding comfort through reading and study are necessary in order to grow into the person He has created in you.

Just a few reasons for your attendance<

We look forward to seeing you.

Involvement God wants you involved. God has a place for you.

To find a place simple means to find relationship. Relationship equals empowerment.

There is an outline available of what the Adult Class will be discuss-ing until the end of February. We encourage everyone to come and join a Class. During the month of February, we will be discuss-ing our history through songs, prayers and scriptures.

Carol Robinson’s class is located in the McFarland Room Yolanda Robinson’s class is located in the Conference room

Mrs. Carla Hines is looking for students, children and youth . Her class is upstairs off from the gym.

.

Announcement

There will be a meeting for Christian Education on Saturday January 28th, at 11:00am. All persons interested in the Christian Education Area please come out.


Coming Soon!

Opening March, 2012

Braden Learning Center

(Formerly Asbury Day Care)

4725 Dorr Street

Toledo, OH 43615

Braden United Methodist Church will be opening the day care in their facility under new management.

Beginning in February 2012, Braden Learning Center Day Care will be accepting reservations for your

children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

Call 419-386-2700, ext #2 for additional information or to submit your reservation.

Christian Environment

Safe Child Atmosphere

Great Location

Professional Staff

Employment Opportunity

Braden Learning Center is looking for a state qualified administrator for our child care cen-ter. Applicants must have an Associates Degree in childcare and development or equivalent hands on experience with licensed day care. Applicants must have a currently valid CDA (child development associate) certificate. Starting salary $22-$25K; submit resumes to [email protected] or mail to Braden United Methodist Church, 4725 Dorr Street, Toledo, OH

43615.

Special

Announcement!


Have we missed your

Birthday or Anniversary?

Just give the church office a call at (419)386-2700 with the infor-mation, and we’ll see your name is added. We don’t want to miss or forget anyone. Thanks.

Happy Birthday!

HOSPITALS/NURSING HOMES/

REHAB CENTERS

Remember the following

members and friends

in your prayers

Whitehouse Country Manor

11239 Waterville St., Waterville

(43566)

• George Allen, Jr.

Lutheran Home—Assisted Living

2519 Seaman St., (43605)

• Lincoln Bussey, Sr.

Heartland—Holly Glenn

4294 Monroe St. (43606)

• Harold Young

Fairview Nursing Home

4420 South Ave (43615)

• Edna Russell

• Loretta Simmons

Laurels of Toledo

1011 Byrne Rd., #206 (43607)

• Norvelle Gross

Franciscan Center

4111 Holland/Sylvania Rd.

(43623)

• Beth Matthews

Sick & Shut-Ins

Asia Beene

Mildred Coleman

Velma Shoecraft

Wilbert West

Prayer Requests

Carleton Allen

Florene Allen

Sarah Cooper

Lucy Davis

Lula Greene

Willa Mae Johnson

Mattie Keyes

Edith King

Mattie Mays

Odessa M. Phillips

Lewis Powell

Nettie Taylor

Margie White

Notification!

Please call the church office at 419-386-2700

if you or a family member is in the hospital

and would like a visit. The hospitals do not

always let us know if one of our members is a

patient.

Also if you have a family member that is ill at

home or in a facility please contact the church

office so we can make a visit to them.

(If you do not tell us, we will not know.)

February

20 HILL, Miss SELENA

3 SHARPER, Ms. DONNA

3 SHEARES, Mr. JAXSON

5 ROBINSON, Mr. GEORGE II

6 WISE, Mr. JAMES

8 COOPER, Ms. ROSLAYN

10 GLEASON, Mrs. LISA

11 BUSSEY, Mr. LINCOLN

14 DAVIS, Mrs. LUCY

15 LATHAM, Mrs. FRENCHYE

15 THOMPSON, Mrs. IRENE

17 JONES, Mr. MARCUS

24 TUGGLE, Mr. CHARLES

28 JONES, Mr. BRUCE

January

2 WRIGHTEN, Ms. MARY

4 BATTEN, ALBERTA

4 ROBINSON, Ms. JACQUE-

LYNE

5 PRYOR-BROWN, Mrs.

MARCELLA

6 ROBINSON, Mr. GEORGE III

7 LAYSON, Mrs. GLORIA

7 SALLEE, Mrs. HELEN

8 BISHOP, Ms. TIFFANY

13 SHEARES, Miss VANESSA

14 SLOAN, Mrs. JOYCE

15 HILL, Mr. STANLEY Jr

(ZEKE)

15 KING, Mrs. EDITH C

18 CONLEY, Mrs. LIZ

19 YOUNG, Ms. ROSETTA

21 ROBINSON, Mrs. YOLANDA

23 GREGORY, BROOKLYNNE

24 JOHNSON, Mrs. WILLA N

25 BAGGETT, Ms. AUGUSTA

25 DUFFY, Miss MELANIE

30 JONES, Mr. LARRY

31 ROBINSON, Mr. GABRIEL


Youth Corner

UT Aspiring Minority Conference

http://www.utoledo.edu/utlc/excel/pdfs/save_the_date.pdf

In front of the Christmas tree— after youth baked 14 dozen cookies for Fairview Nurs-

ing Home residents and staff.

Ice Skating

Its 2012, God has blessed us with another year and a fresh start. Here are some of our members New Years Resolutions and what they are hop-

ing for in the new year.

Barbara Colbert: To grow stronger in my faith

and continuous good health.

****

Samella Williams: I thank God for my health and strength he kept me out the hospital and I was able to go to church. I Thank God for family

and friends.

****

Destiny Bailey: To do better in school.

February 10, 2012

6-9 PM

Volunteers Needed!


Black History ReflectionsBlack History ReflectionsBlack History ReflectionsBlack History Reflections A History of Deliverance

If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the

furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let

him deliver us. (Daniel 3:17)

It is hard to imagine that the slave could have survived

slavery the way he did without the history of deliver-

ance found in the Old Testament. IT is not possible to

estimate the sustaining influence that the story of the

trials and tribulations of the Jews had upon the slave.

With unlimited creative musical abilities the slaves

sang hungry listeners into a firm faith that as God pre-

served the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, so

would he save them; and as God had delivered Israel

out of bondage in Egypt, so would he deliver them.

As the slave sang the haunting melody of “Didn’t my

Lord deliver Daniel?” he had to believe that he was at

least as good as Daniel and worthy of deliverance.

What great effort that must have taken! The slave

heard everyday that he was worth nothing and could

be bought and sold at will. Yet, words of that song

would not go away, and the slave’s faith could not be

banished.

How often do we forget that against all odds God has

delivered us and our ancestors form the troubles of the

past? How much do we need to sing the songs the

slaves created? If those songs will help us live that

brave new life of faith, let’s start singing them now!

Father, we are grateful that you have delivered your

people through the ages. Amen.

African American History Month Daily Devotions, Marjorie L.

Kimbrough. 2008

We celebrate

Black History Month in February

The Question for this issue is:

Who is God?

Who is God? He is the Master Designer, Controller,

and Creator of the entire universe. He is the answer to

life’s questions. He is the essence of absolute truth.

He is all-knowing and all-wise; the only holy God of

grace, slow to anger, merciful, faithful, and true. He is

our Shield and Protector. He supplies all our needs.

God has made it possible that we might know Him, yet

we cannot fully understand Him. How incomprehensi-

ble is our God, yet how very near He draws to those

who reach for Him with a yearning to know more.

“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it

sufficeth us” (John 14:8). To know God and have a per-

sonal relationship with Him, we must have a sincere

desire to make His intimate acquaintance, seeking Him

with all our heart and mind. A proper concept of God

will give us added strength and courage when we face

trials.

God has created us with the power to choose. Wrong

choices lead us away from Him one step at a time. But

He has also given us careful, written instructions about

how to follow Him.

Let’s ask ourselves a personal question. What are we

pursuing in life? Do we have some idol that gets our

attention? Man left to follow the inclinations of his unre-

strained nature will eventually destroy himself. Often

we are the greatest hinderance to ourselves. Daily we

need to crucify the flesh. If self is still on the throne, we

cannot be called God’s children. Who is God? He is

our Lord by choice today; our Judge by right tomorrow.

Beside the Still Waters; Volume 17 Issue 1. January, February 2012

The Communications Team would like to wish everyone a blessed and peaceful 2012!


Purpose Statement:Purpose Statement:Purpose Statement:Purpose Statement:

Pressing towards a higher mark through love and service to Jesus Christ

Purpose Scripture:Purpose Scripture:Purpose Scripture:Purpose Scripture:

“….forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God

in Christ Jesus” Love,

(Philippians 3:13b-14)

Worship Services:

Sunday School – 9:30 am Worship Services – 10:30 am

Wednesday Bible Study 12:30 pm & 7:00 pm

Discipleship Prayer!

First Friday Prayer 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Church Office Hours:

Monday-Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Office: 419-386-2700

Email: [email protected]

For regularly scheduled weekly events refer to your weekly church bulletins.

The Braden Epistle will be printed and distributed to the membership of Braden United Methodist Church and the community during the months of January, March, May, July, September, November.

News articles are due by the 20th of the previous month the newsletter is printed. Send all material to: Communication Ministry Team, 4725 Dorr Street, Toledo, OH 43615 or contact the church office at 419-386-2700

Website News...Church Calendar Reminders-

Emailed Directly to You...Don’t miss another meeting!

Let our church website at www.Bradenumc.org email you

with easy reminders. You won’t forget a meeting or activity

again.

Call or email me if you have any questions or comments.

I’m happy to help.

Linda Hester— Cell: 419-290-4434 -

Email: [email protected]

Welcome New Members!

Tiffany Bishop

Brooklynne Gregory

Sydney Gregory

Roylene Reed

Richard Tuggle

Beverly Moody-Hicks

Documents

January Newsletter - 2012