THE HILLTOP NEWS

Wednesday—February 8 9:30 p.m., ESL Class 6:00 p.m., Disciples Choir 6:30 p.m., Handbell Choir 7:00 p.m., Culto de Oración y Meditación de la Biblia 7:30 p.m., Chancel Choir Thursday—February 9 9:00-11:00 a.m., Food Pantry 10:00 a.m., UMW Day Circle 7:00 p.m., UMW Night Circle Saturday—February 11 6:00 p.m., Praiz’n Sunday—February 12 9:00 a.m., Culto de Adoración 9:30 a.m., Sunday School 10:30 a.m., Escuela Dominical 10:50 a.m., Worship Service 7:00 p.m., Musical Valentine Tale Monday—February 13 9:30 a.m., ESL Class 5:30 p.m., Girl Scouts 7:00 p.m., Trustees Meeting 7:00 p.m., M.A.D. Artist Society Tuesday—February 14 9:00-11:00 a.m., Food Pantry 7:00 p.m., Welcoming Committee Wednesday—February 15 9:30 a.m., ESL Class 6:00 p.m., Disciples Choir 6:30 p.m., Handbell Choir 7:00 p.m., Culto de Oración y Meditación de la Biblia 7:30 p.m., Chancel Choir Thursday—February 16 9:00-11:00 a.m., Food Pantry Saturday—February 18 6:00 p.m., Praiz’n Sunday—February 19 9:00 a.m., Culto de Adoración 9:30 a.m., Sunday School 10:30 a.m., Escuela Dominical 10:50 a.m., Worship Service 12:30 p.m., Worship Team 5:00 p.m., U.M.Y.F. Monday—February 20 9:30 a.m., ESL Class 5:00 p.m., Stephen Ministry 5:30 p.m., Girl Scouts 7:00 p.m., M.A.D. Artist Society Tuesday—February 21 Newsletter 9:00-11:00 a.m., Food Pantry 1:30 p.m., Heavenly Needles Wednesday—February 22 9:30 p.m., ESL Class 6:00 p.m., Disciples Choir 6:30 p.m., Handbell Choir 7:00 p.m., Culto de Oración y Meditación de la Biblia 7:30 p.m., Chancel Choir

The purpose of Western Hills United Methodist Church is to

continue the ministry of Jesus by making disciples through faith, hope and love.

2820 Laredo Dr., Fort Worth, Texas 76116

817.244.1153 office@westernhillsumc.org

February 7, 2017

I am so excited! We, as a church, have a wonderful opportunity to enjoy Christian fellowship that is experienced when we gather together as a community of faith. This coming Sunday will be the presentation of "Scrooge: A Musical Valentine Tale" written and composed by our own Debra Rue. It has been a very special treat to participate in the rehearsals and experience people that I know in church in a different and sometimes comical way. I have admired the acting and musical talent of our cast to no end. Once again, do come and bring a friend for an evening of great theatrical satisfaction. Let me share a word of advice. Get here early and take your seat. We are expecting a full house. The date is this Sunday, February 12th, and the show begins at 7 p.m. It has been a great blessing, in the past two Sundays, to preach from two great biblical texts from the Old Testament. I hope we have reflected on how we live our Christian faith. I want for us to know that the greatest example of living the faith is found in Christ. It is Jesus, the Christ, who exercised, through his earthly ministry, the message of the prophets. The prophet Micah reminds of what God requires from us. God's requirements are for us "to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God." Micah 6:8 The prophet Isaiah speaks of the life of reverence to God in Isaiah 58. There, by using the spiritual discipline of fasting, God describes what sacrifice God seeks from us. That is to "loose the bonds of injustice and undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless into your home, to see the naked and cover them, and to not hide yourself from your kin, ... then when we call, the Lord will answer; and when we cry for help, and God will say, Here I am." Isaiah 58:6-9 Let us respond with humility and sincerity to God's invitation to live the Christian life and give bold witness to our faith in God, through the grace of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Look for the moment in which you are captured in the moment of responding to others with the love of God. How I look forward to seeing you in the different settings God has in store for us. Raul

Current Prayer Concerns: Tamera Austin; Linda Conner; Jerry Eastman, Terry Meyer’s son-in-law’s father; Sharon Fowler; Allan Johnson; Paul & Laura Vigil, friends of Vickie Peach; Robert Voegele

(Current prayer concerns will be posted for one month unless a request is received for the name to continue on the prayer list)

Supporting My Church

Ongoing Prayer Concerns: Jean Adams, Beverly Contakos, Jan Fisher, Jessica Gray, Jann Green, Kenneth Holley, Aaron Jennings, Kaylan Covan, Ada Kyser, Doug McGlaun, Nancy Pittinger, Mildred Rankin, Camille Redden, Brayson Robinson, Ann Tolleson

The deadline for the next newsletter is

Monday, February 20, 2017 by 12:00 p.m.

Our Military: Sam Brooks, Jason Busby, Garret Comparini, Sarah Davis, Dan Fagan, Sarah Harris, Angela Herrington, Trinity Herrington, Christopher Moore, Thomas Morton, Robert Newman, Daniel Newman, Richard Ray Owens, Jr., Nicholas Perez, Jacob Rangel, Chris Sotello, Blake Strack, Johnny Waldrop, Melvin Williams, Brandon Wilson

With Presence Sunday School Attendance: January 29th 52 February 5th 76 Spanish Worship Service January 29th 17 January 22nd 19 Worship Attendance: January 29th 121 February 5th 124 Praiz’n Attendance February 4th 17 January 21st 15

January 29th

General Budget $ 4,988.99

Heifer Fund 407.31

Food Pantry 50.00

Memorial Fund 100.00

Special Givings 400.00

February 5th

General Budget $ 6,579.01

Heifer Fund 6.00

Food Pantry 138.00

Grace Fund 12.58

Special Givings 100.00

Royalties 88.55

Gifts of Money Needed for General Budget

each week: $5,000.00

Weekly Prayer Topics:

Week 1 - those fighting illnesses

Week 2 - to learn more about other cultures

SECURITY TEAMS/ LOCK UP TEAMS

If you are unable to work on your assigned day, please make arrangements for a substitute.

February 12th Security: Ralph Fagan Lock Up: Ralph Fagan

February 19th Security: David Clay Lock Up:

MISSION UPDATE Thanks to all of you who donated items: we collected 169 items of underclothes for our “Undies Sunday” project. Our February Mission Project is a Paper Goods Showers for Western Hills UMC. Our goal is to col-lect items that the church uses on a regular basis to supplement supplies. Suggested items include: 1. Printer paper 2. Toilet paper 3. Paper towels 4. Paper plates, bowls and napkins 5. Office supplies The donation box is marked and is outside the Sanctuary.

Joseph: The Journey To Forgiveness Do you ever find yourself thinking about the wrongs that has been done to you?

Mark your calendar for a new Bible Study by Melissa Spoelstra on forgiveness starting

Sunday, March 5 at 3:30pm. Betty Jo Robinson will be leading the study. This six-

week study will explore what God has to say to us about His grace and forgiveness through the story

of Joseph. Joseph's story of trial and triumph found in scriptures will lead us on his journey to

forgiveness and reconciliation. This study will find truth in our own personal situation and give us

practical help in dealing with hurt and betrayal. I have listen to Melissa and she is a great speaker

and I know this study will help anyone that is or has experience this kind of pain to move on in their

life. But this study will also help anyone taking this study to develop tools to handle and understand

how to forgive others in a faith driven way.

Donations are always appreciated for the

food pantry. However, items must

unopened and cannot be expired. The

food pantry volunteers check for

expiration dates and any items that have

reached their expiration date are thrown away.

Please check before you donate!

Hey W.H.Y?

You are all invited to "Scrooge: A

Musical Valentine Tale", this Sunday,

at 7:00 p.m. We will not meet at 5:00 this week but

next week we are creating beautiful cards to deliver

to church members who are stuck at home. I am

looking forward to seeing you at the play and a

special shout out to those of you who are in it!

See you soon,

Amy R. Bailey, W.H.Y? Director

Directory Correction

Cyndi and Randy Toland:

Phone number - (214)-364-2635

The Mayonnaise Jar and the 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.” The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. “Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things — God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions — and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else — the small stuff.” “If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18.There will al-ways be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.” One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.” - submitted