Southport UMC Newsletter

A common question.   I’ve asked it many times myself.   But I’ve heard it from all sorts of people – family, church, neighborhood, everyone.   So now what?   After some big event, some substantial change or tragedy, some celebration or achievement someone will invariably ask – So now what?   And I can’t really imagine a bigger event than Easter.   Everything changed.   Everything is new.   Everything.   Simply everything.   So now what? Like, for example, that guy who Jesus healed, the one lowered through the roof.   Remember that one?   Sure you do.   Jesus was teaching in a house somewhere, it was crowded, couldn’t get close to Him.   But some guys had a friend who was paralyzed, couldn’t get up, couldn’t move, couldn’t walk.   They wanted to get him to Jesus.   So they carried him up to the roof of the house and tore a hole in it.   Yeah, I know.   Carried a stretcher, a cot, a bed up to the roof and then tore a hole in it!   Explain that to the roofer who you called the next

If you have a student grades 6 th through 12 th and they have not been confirmed (i.e., “joined the church”), you should have received a letter about a meeting on April 8 th at 12:45 p.m.   This meeting will be an organizational meeting for an upcoming Confirmation class.   Contact the church office for more information. There will be NO evening Youth Group on Sunday April 1 st.   This is Easter and should be a day for families. Want to know more about Student Ministry and what is coming up in the near future (including summer and fall teaching plans for Sunday mornings), stop by the Student Ministry table in the Gathering Place on Sundays and Thursdays April 15-19. Mark your calendar for Monday June 25 th through Sunday July 1 st .   We are planning a mission trip to Camp Moneto, a United Methodist Church camp.   We plan to do some work on the camp grounds as well as treat this as a retreat/camp for the students.   We hope that students and parents can attend at leas

What? Lay Servant School and Lay Servant Ministries are for anyone interested in learning or polishing ministry skills relating to speaking, teaching, leading, caring, and leadership. Lay Servants serve the local church in any way in which their witness, leadership, and service inspire the laity to deeper commitment to Christ and more effective leadership. When? Saturday, May 12 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Where? Southport UMC is host for this school 1947 E Southport Rd.  Indianapolis IN 46227-5289 If you are interested in this district wide Lay Servant training, please contact Doug Shinkle in the church office for more information.

Who are United Methodist Women?  We are a Faith community.  We are a creative, supportive community in which to Grow and change, and one in which Prayers lead to Action .  The church needs women organized for the empowerment of women and children.  The world needs women organized for mission.  United Methodist Women offers a strong foundation of faith, hope and love in action and this is who we are. Discover more about United Methodist Women, our values and opportunities and attend any of the following activities: Spring Forum - Monday, April 16, 2018, 9:30 - 11:30 am, Coppin Chapel AME Church, 3201 N. Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis IN 46208 .   Speaker: Rev. Shonda Nicole Gladden, Pastor of St. Paul AME Church.    Pastor Gladden will share her experience of pastoring Allen Temple, AME and her community in Marion, IN. Rev. Gladden is the first woman to pastor the congregation at St. Paul AME. An offering will be taken for Girls Inc. camp scholarships. (Call the church offic

Thanks so much for your March effort; we donated 306 pounds of food to Servant's Heart in Beech Grove.  We share God’s love through giving to our local communities. Our April collection will go to Servant's Heart since Hunger Inc. has a sufficient supply of food items at this time.  Any of the listed items will be welcome at the pantry:         Cereal                                                            Canned Chili Pasta and Spaghetti Sauce                            Canned Meats/Canned Tuna Peanut Butter and Jelly                                 Soups Old Fashion Oats                                          Mac & Cheese                                    Variety of Canned Fruit (in their own juice/no sugar added) Variety of Canned Veggies (low sodium or no salt added) Canned Tomatoes (diced, sauce, stewed, etc., no salt added) CHALLENGE – Let’s collect more than 306 pounds! April’s collection dates are Thursday, April 5 and Sunday, April 8

The Creation Care Team will be hosting a Next Steps Table on Sunday, April 22 and Thursday, April 26.   We will have the following information available: ·   Southport United Methodist Church’s new recycling efforts ·   Hand-outs on what is acceptable for our recycling bins located at church ·   How we are encouraging everyone to bring their own coffee cups to use at church in order to cut down on the number of non-recyclable paper cups we use at SUMC Please visit the Creation Care ministry table and become more involved in saving God's wonderful creation.

Nine SUMC team members will be working on Kairos Weekends in April.  Three men will be a part of the weekend at the Plainfield Correctional Facility from April 5-8.  The next week, April 12-15, six women will participate in the weekend at Indiana Women’s Prison.  SUMC will also be represented at the Rockville Correctional Facility (for women) in May.  Please keep these servants as well as the many incarcerated men and women they will be serving in your prayers.  Thank you to all who have volunteered cookies, placemats, and other forms of agape, including funding. Thanks also to those who have signed up to attend the closing ceremonies. SUMC has also offered meeting space as well as meals for our team training meetings. The three and a half day weekend is just the beginning for those who are incarcerated.  They also meet at weekly prayer and share groupings, monthly reunions and one-day retreats. Kairos, a 42-year-old international ministry, which is active at 500 prisons

LOOKING AHEAD in April April 5 and 8 – Support Community Food Pantries April 5 to 8 – Pray for the Kairos Men’s Team serving at the Plainfield Facility April 8 - Community Meal April 8 - Families arrive from Interfaith Hospitality Network April 12 to 15 – Pray for the Kairos Women’s Team serving at the Indianapolis Women’s Prison April 22 – IHN Families complete their stay at Southport April 22 and 26 – Learn more about Creation Care at Southport April 29 – Blood Drive LOOKING AHEAD in 2018 Blood Drive Sundays April 29 (note date change), August 5, November 18 Interfaith Hospitality Network Families (IHN) April 8 to April 22 September 23 to October 7 Jubilee Ministry Christmas in July – July 5 through July 22 Jubilee Christmas – December 8   Ronald McDonald House   Second Saturday of the month at the Ronald McDonald House  Third Sunday of the month at the RMH room in Riley Hospital God’s Will Breakfast Third Thursday of the

I am struggling a bit to figure out what to write about this month.   Often I tell you about how your offerings were used.   Well, we purchased networked thermostats to help save on our heating bill and we started purchasing supplies for vacation bible school (yes, it is almost that time!).   Well that certainly didn’t fill the page. Now, I am sitting in my office looking around trying to figure out what to write.   To my right is a whole shelf of books.   From Success to Significance , Contagious Generosity , Faith Based Family Finance , and Money, Possessions, and Eternity to name a few (feel free to borrow one if you’d like).   Surely there is something there for me to write about….Nope, nothing is popping into my head. So, I keep looking around the room and I see filing cabinets, a shredder, and a portrait of Jesus.   Oh, now we are on to something, Jesus.   What better thing to stumble upon when trying to write an article about giving than, Jesus.   Jesus, what a gift!