Southport UMC Newsletter

Dear Friends, We are now entering the month of March. Easter Sunday is March 27th. As we move through Lent, I hope that you are preparing you heart and mind for the celebration of the Risen Lord.   There will be several opportunities for worship as we celebrate Holy Week and Easter. March 17 & 20 — Palm/Passion Sunday — We will journey with Jesus as he enters the holy city of Jerusalem for the last time during his earthly ministry. We will continue that journey through music, scripture and video story as Jesus moves toward his destiny of giving his life on the cross.   The services will be 6:00 p.m. on March 17 and 8:30, 10:00 & 11:15 a.m. on March 20. March 24 — Maundy Thursday — We will experience through video and scripture the experience of Jesus and his disciples eating together for the last time. We will experience communion in a setting resembling the upper room.    We will also remember Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemane. The service will be at 7:30 p.m

 The United Methodist Women's (UMW) groups are meeting in March to continue our  pledge to  "MAKE IT HAPPEN."   The event in March that we would like to invite all women to attend is the "Women's Day Out With Women of the Bible.”  The date is Saturday, March 5,  from 9-3.  The famous group called Hearts In Service (HIS)  will be leading us through a day filled with stimulating conversations around women in the Bible.   Come join us for this great day and bring a friend.  Call the church for a RSVP and child care.  The UMW groups will be meeting in March to continue our pledge and prayer and self-denial programs.   Also come hear about our Reading Program.  We have some really great books to read this year to keep us up on the most recent topics affecting children and women. The groups meet on the following dates:                     Rebekah Circle ----2nd Tuesday of each month---Southport Church at                 7 p.m. (March 8)         

BLOOD DRIVE – SUNDAY, APRIL 10 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Gathering Place Thanks to all who participated on February 7! Eighteen units of blood were collected with an additional 9 potential donors who were deferred.   The Blood Center staff will return on April 10. We have committed to quarterly drives; so mark your calendars for August 7 and   November 20 also.   Our Blood Drives are open to all. Invite family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to give the gift of life on any and all of the above times.   UNITING WITH THE CHURCH – MONDAY, MARCH 7 7:00 p.m. in the Office Conference Room Pastor Mark shares the mission and vision of Southport United Methodist Church, the    difference between being a “member” and being a “Disciple,” and how each person is called to ministry. Would you like to make Southport your church home?   Please plan to attend the next “UNITING WITH THE CHURCH” session on Monday, March 7, at 7:00 p.m.   Child care is pro

Through Family Promise’s Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN), homeless families find safe places to stay while they recover from their current condition. Congregations throughout the city open their doors to serve families offering that warm, safe environment. Beginning Sunday, March 27, we become the people these families can count on. During their two-week stay, we provide transportation to and from the IHN Day Center. We prepare family dinners and join our guests in eating together. At the end of the day, we stay overnight so that the families know someone is available for emergencies. In the morning we have breakfast   before the families leave to return to the Day Center. We have so many opportunities to serve our guest families and an even greater opportunity to be present, sharing Jesus’ love. Please be someone our guest families can count on. The IHN Leadership Team will answer your questions and welcome your involvement. See team leaders at the Next Steps table T

Let your spring cleaning begin and support Family Promise Interfaith Hospitality Network. Collection dates: Sunday, March 6, through Sunday, March 13, 2016 Needed: gently used clothing for children and adults, all sizes (Sorry, no shoes or household items at this time please) How it works: ·   Collect gently used clothing and place in white kitchen trash bags. ·   Bring bags of clothing to church from March 6-13 ONLY. ·   Monday, March 14, collected bags will be delivered to the Day Center. ·   Goodwill Industries picks up the bags from the Day Center and based on the number of bags received, donates clothing vouchers for IHN and Aftercare Families to choose the      clothing sizes they need. Please place your bagged clothing donations under the hallway coat racks. THANK YOU!

HUNGER, INC FOOD COLLECTION Thanks to all who donated canned fruit in February making it possible to deliver 135 pounds of fruit to Hunger, Inc.  As usual, they were thrilled with the items collected.  Also, they informed us that the donations from the Meijer's Simply Give Food Drive totaled $53,400.  So, thanks again for supporting that effort and being the hands and feet of Jesus for others.  For March we are collecting cans of tuna on Thursday, March 3, through Sunday, March 6.  There are two additional ways you can help with hunger in Indianapolis. The first is a Chili Dinner hosted at Center UMC on Bluff Rd.   This Kiwanis Club of Perry Township Fund Raiser for Hunger Inc. is Friday, March 4, from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.  It is a Chili and Cornbread Dinner to benefit the Hunger, Inc. Food Pantry. The second way you can help is by donating food and paper goods for our Fletcher Place Food Drive.   FLETCHER PLACE FOOD DRIVE Again this year we our supporting

Pictorial Directories The directories have arrived!  You may pick yours up at the table in the Gathering Area.  These will be available Feb. 25/28, March 3/6, and March 10/13.  Please excuse the typo on page 23. Enjoy! Pictorial Directory Committee

There’s still time to sign up for the JOY Travelers’ Trip to Louisville April 23. For full details, see last month’s newsletter.   The trip includes the Louisville Slugger Museum and factory tour and lunch at Huber Farms, north of New Albany. The cost is $58 per person.   Payment is due by March 15.   For more information, and where to send your payment please contact Herberta at herbertajb@gmail.com or Billie at hunteman55@comcast.net or contact the church office 784-9508.