The Aldersgate logo was inspired by the Love Sculpture in Philadelphia, PA.,

to remind us that God is Love and that Love is the Greatest Commandment.

Aldersgate

Steve and Alayna Brooks and their family have served Aldersgate with grace and

vision for the past seven years. Today, the time has come to thank them and wish

them well as their journey takes them to First UMC in Midland. Steve’s sermon

today, “Blessing For A New Day,” will invite us to reflect upon the nature of

beginnings and endings and the way both reveal God’s work. You will find an

order of service on Page 4 and sermon notes on Page 5. All are welcome to stay for

the celebration lunch in honor of the Brooks family today after the service.

Aldersgate United Methodist Church • 1741 Sayles Blvd., Abilene, TX 79605 • (325) 672-7893

www.aldersgateabilene.org

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Our Mission: To raise up deeply devoted disciples of Jesus

Our Local Mission Field: Aldersgate Academy, Bowie Elementary School,

McMurry University, Our Neighborhoods/Community Garden

Regularly Scheduled Services

and Opportunities to Grow and Serve

All are welcome!

Please contact the Church Office at 672-7893

if you’d like to know more about becoming involved.

Ministry Leaders

Pastor: Steve Brooks (325) 660-4415

Associate Pastor:

Amy Wilson Feltz (325) 660-5017

Music: David Wallis

Connections/Communication:

Lisa Alexander

Children: Alayna Brooks & Amber Redman

Youth/Contemporary Worship:

Daniel Mathis

College/Young Adults:

Tim Palmer (July 3)

Finance: Randy Johnson

Artistic Design: Teysha Vinson

Reception: Hope Rouse

Academy: Carol Rogers

Custodial Services: Robert Sandoval

Staying Connected Office Hours:

Mon.-Thurs. 8:30 a.m. -12 p.m.,

1p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Fri. Closed

www.aldersgateabilene.org

ENews: Sign up on our website to

receive our weekly electronic

newsletter, or send an email to

news@aldersgateabilene.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/

AldersgateUnitedMethodist Church

Twitter:@AldersgateABI

Instagram:@aldersgateabi

Text Message Reminders:

gracepeace to 313131

THIS WEEK

Sunday, June 18:

9:00 a.m. Sunday School

10:05 a.m. Combined Worship

11:15 a.m. Brooks’ Celebration Luncheon

Wednesday, June 21:

5:00 p.m. Youth Movie Night

7:00 p.m. Choir Practice

Thursday, June 22:

12:00 p.m. Senior Adult Lunch and Games

7:30 p.m. Contemporary Band Practice

Saturday, June 24:

10:00 p.m. Growth Group Mission Project

COMING UP

Sunday, June 25: Pounding for Gary and Julie Boles

Sunday, June 25-Saturday, July 1: Youth Mission Trip

Monday, June 26: 7:00 p.m. VBS Meeting

Sunday, July 9: 10:05 a.m. Reception for Gary and Julie Boles

Sunday, July 16: 5:00 p.m. Pavilion Garden Party

Wednesday, July 19: 6:30 p.m. Summer Blast–Outdoor Games

Meet Randy Johnson: Director of Finance

Randy Johnson has assumed the full responsibilities of

the director of finance, overseeing the financial needs of

the church, upon the resignation of Mary Chavez Lust,

who served as the director of administration and finance

for the past year.

Randy is no stranger to Aldersgate. He and his wife,

Sherry, came to Aldersgate in December of 1979 and have

served in various leadership roles since. They are longtime

members of the Adult Bible Sunday School class and were

members of the Becomers class before that. Randy was

heavily involved with the Aldersgate youth from 1986-1998 where he attended several mission trips.

In his time at Aldersgate, Randy has served as administrative board chair, finance chair (twice), chair

of the Mission Task Force, chair of the NWTX board of trustees and delegate to annual conference.

Randy continues to serve in the life of the church in many ways, including participating as an

usher in the traditional worship service on a regular basis.

Sherry also serves in many ways, including remaining strongly involved in the Trinity Circle of

United Methodist Women, serving as treasurer of her circle, of the Aldersgate UMW executive

board and the Abilene District UMW executive board.

Both Randy and Sherry were born and raised Methodist and have deep roots in this tradition.

Sherry’s grandfather, Malcolm Thomason, was a founding

member of Brownfield UMC, and Randy’s great great

grandmother was a founding member of the Methodist church

in Roswell. They raised their daughters, Shelly and Lauren,

here at Aldersgate.

“It is a real calling,” Randy said, “to honor the legacy of

our family and be a part of the church in this way.”

Randy brings with him years of experience in

manufacturing at Bridgestone Bandag, in corporate work at

Sears Methodist Retirement System and most recently in

project controls and procurement with Lauren Engineers and

Constructors, Inc.

Randy’s position as the director of finance at Aldersgate

UMC encompasses 30 hours per week.

Please take some time to welcome Randy by giving him a call

at the office (325-672-7893),

sending an email to randy@aldersgateabilene.org or stopping

by the office to see him.

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Budget for 2017 = $ 776,100.00

Received Last Week = $ 26,222.00

Received This Month-to-Date = $ 45,673.00

Received Year-to-Date = $ 344,584.00

Ahead/(Behind) Budget = $ (13,616.00)

2017 Faith Promise Pledges = $ 37,362.00

2017 Faith Promise Contributions $ 12,234.00

At Aldersgate, all are invited to practice faithfulness in our prayers, presence (attendance), gifts (offering of money), service (action in the community) and witness (sharing our faith). You will find information about service and witness throughout the pages of Aldersgate In Action. This page is dedicated to matters of prayer, presence, and gifts.

In Depth

Clay Meadows

Doris Ogden

Lou Swindell

Ken Schmidt

Rosalee Schmidt

Alice Shaw

Alice Alcala

Carolyn Strain

Military and Families

Millie Speed

Sarah Doucette

Delmon Wilson

Billie Langston

Judy English

Charles Myrick

Clinton Gayle

Addison English

Lora Langford

Bob Kuykendall

Kay Burkhart

Billy & Jennifer Butler

Tara Goodloe

June Gill

Jazmine Lara, Academy student

Daisy Walsh

Albert Koltermann

Prayers:

Presence and Gifts: 6.11.2017

To learn more about ways to give: visit our website

www.aldersgateabilene.org or contact Randy Johnson via

email at randy@aldersgateabilene.org.

9:00 a.m. Traditional Service = 259

11:00 a.m. Contemporary Service = 244

Sunday School = 170

Sunday School classes are offered

at 10:05 a.m. for all ages. To learn more

about Adult Sunday School classes,

contact Amy Wilson Feltz at

672-7893 or via e-mail at

amywilsonfeltz@aldersgateabilene.org.

Service Opportunities:

Painting with Friends: We will be painting 3 nursery rooms on July 8th. 10:00 a.m. contact Carol

Rogers 325-439-0230 mdo@aldersgateabilene.org.

Growth Group Service: June 24 at 10:00 a.m., serve lunch to our neighbors. Contact Lisa for more

information at 325-513-7097 or lisaalexander@aldersgateabilene.org

Gary and Julie Boles: Fun Facts Part 2

Thank You: Eric and Abby Gillette

Our new pastor and his wife, Gary and Julie Boles,

will move to Abilene this week. As we prepare to

get to know each other better, Gary and Julie have

offered a few fun facts about their life. Check out

l a s t w eek ’ s In A c t ion on l in e a t

www.aldersgateabilene.org to read the first set of

fun facts!

1. Gary worked as an electrician before discerning

a call to ministry.

2. Julie served as a teacher of Kindergarten-4th Grade before becoming a diagnostician.

3. Gary and Julie graduated together with master’s degrees.

4. Gary graduated from Spring High School and West Texas A&M (bachelor’s and master’s).

5. Julie graduated from Levelland High School, SPC, Angelo State and West Texas A&M.

BONUS Fun Fact: Gary is the first and only person in his family to graduate from college.

The time has come to say goodbye to Abby and Eric Gillette, staff

members who have been working behind the scenes as audio and visual

technicians, respectively, for the traditional service. The Gillettes were

married in March. Abby graduated from McMurry University with a

degree in psychology and a minor in Christian ministry in May, and now

they are preparing to move on June 20 as Abby resumes the role of youth

director at a St. James UMC in Greenville, North Carolina.

Abby and Eric started on staff while attending McMurry. Abby is the

daughter of David and Janna Wallis and has been active at Aldersgate and

as a youth assistant at St. Paul UMC in Abilene. Eric is the grandson of

Bob and Ardis Gillette and has attended both Aldersgate and St. Paul UMC, where he and Abby

met. He will graduate from McMurry in the coming year.

The Gillettes have shown great skill in making transitions, balances and podcasts work more

smoothly in the first service during the past couple of years, and we are grateful for their

commitment to the mission of raising up deeply devoted disciples of Jesus in this way! Please wish

the Gillettes well on their new adventure.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a

living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. -Romans 12:1

For the past seven years, I have been writing articles every other week

for the back page of the In Action. I hope they have inspired and informed

you. Writing these articles is one of the most difficult things I do. I am

still overcoming a false narrative that since I was not a great student

growing up, I still must not be able to do these things well still. I am working on it. Pastor

Amy, with her grand editing skills, sacrifices, ideas and encouragement has made me a better

writer. For this and so much more, I am forever grateful for the opportunity we have had to

work, create, and minister together. However, I have really struggled to write this. These are

sort of like my final words to you, and I feel the pressure.

Our last Futuring Team meeting was held on June 4. Mary Lou Garrett led us in Lectio

Divina over the above passage. It was through that holy experience that I heard God speak and I

knew what I wanted to write.

We have been through a lot together during the past seven years. I have asked us to focus on

our mission and mission field, and you have showed up and responded in very sacrificial ways.

Not only do our sacrifices for the sake of others bless them, but they become for us a signpost

that we are ordering our lives in such a way that we are connecting with God and growing in

God’s love. I don’t know if one could really choose the most important passage in the Bible, but

this one has to be a top five contender. It is as if Paul is saying in chapters 1-11, “AH! This is

what God in Christ has done for us through his great love and grace.” And then from Chapter

12:1 on, “AH! This is how you were created to order and live your life in light of God’s great

love and grace.” The life of following Jesus and receiving his love and grace move us to

burdensome yet joyous sacrifice!

For seven years, I have watched in awe of the many and various ways that you have

sacrificed for the sake of others, and many have experienced God’s great love and grace as a

result! Thank you for the ways that you have laid down your life for others, including myself

and my family. It has been a thrill for me to be a part of a church that deeply cares about others

and is willing to sacrifice mightily for them. I will miss you. Know that God’s love runs for you

deep. God wills your good! I love you, too.

Grace and Peace.

Our Mission: Raising Up Deeply Devoted Disciples of Jesus