eNews! - October 1, 2015

View this email in your browser

October 3 - VCI Church-wide Visioning Day, Fellowship Hall, 9:00 a.m.
All are welcome!

From Pastor Hazel

Dislocated and Misplaced

The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches Are Transforming Mission, Discipleship and Community, by Paul Sparks, Tim Soerens and Dwight J. Friesen is the resource that provides information for this article. Ideas are needed that will help us love, bless, and teach others as we blend hearts to change our world. We will identify areas of our church and the world that are fragmented. It will help us identify areas where the Holy Spirit and the Gospel are revealing healing ways to move forward and become a New Parish.
Establishing a “New Parish” means that we move towards a more faithful relationship with God and with one another. In other words, getting more acquainted with God, so we can get more acquainted with ourselves; and get acquainted with our neighbors so we can love, bless and teach our community through meeting some of their needs.
When we connect with our neighboring community, we will learn to depend on God for strength to love, forgive, and show grace like never before. The gospel becomes more active and alive in our church and we actually become an extension of our community.
We are a church in this community in name and location. But how can we become a vital force in this community so that our name will be synonymous with loving, blessing, and teaching others to blend hearts and change our world? We can’t do this in one day, one event, one month of Fun Friday nights, an annual Peppermint Fair, or an Easter activity. How can we evolve into a church without walls? A church with hands and feet that mirror Jesus? A church that assists people through the hard times in their lives, i.e. illness, death of a loved one, Financial Peace, social justice issues, feeding the hungry, working with latch-key children after school…and the list goes on and on. I realize that we can’t be all things to all people, but let’s find our niche and do something and do it well!
When we follow Christ’s example, coupled with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We must erase “can’t” from our vocabulary. Rest assured that when God gives a vision, God also gives the provisions. The provisions may mean that we must reach a little deeper into our pockets and purses as God quickens our hearts. There is nothing that we can give to grow God’s Kingdom that will be in vain. God will provide all of the needs of God’s obedient children, forever.
Let’s not dwell on what we have done right in the past, but awaken to a new day with new needs and new concerns in our neighbors’ lives. There is a Task Force that will be surveying our neighbors to build relationships and to discover who our neighbors are and what their needs are. Then we can pray, discuss, and develop the plan that God wants us to follow. We are charged to strengthen our relationship with Christ and let the Holy Spirit work with each of us to learn how to love others and be faithful to the ministry that God defines for us. We must learn to live out our faith together as a unified church in and among our neighbors.

Peppermint Fair needs volunteers! Please sign up on the roster in the back of the sanctuary. For questions, contact Bob Collins (281-639-0274) or Glenda Johnson (281-450-9468).
We also need donations of canned sodas...Coke, 7-UP, Dr. Pepper, etc. Brand Names Only, please...no Walmart or Sam's Club brands & no Capri Suns. Questions contact Giok Boothe (281-772-8380).

Garage Sale
You can bring your items for donation on Sundays. We will open the room after the 11:00 service.
All donated items need to be in working condition. TVs should be flat screen only. For heavy pick-up furniture, contact Elizabeth Keahey (281-493-2679). We also need lots of PAPER grocery bags.

For the Silent Auction this year, the "theme" is AUMC...Antiques, Unusual Items, Memorabilia, and Collectibles. Some examples...Sporting items, Old Coins, Wartime items, Medals, Folk Art, Duck Decoys, Posters, Presidential Election Buttons, Pottery, Brass and Copper ware, Yesterday's Country Store items, Grandma's "old things," First Editions, Unique toys, and much more. Christmas and Halloween items are also appropriate at this time of the year. Remember...one person's trash is another person's treasure! If item size may be a transportation problem, for showing, we can use photos. For more info or to arrange for donation, contact Des Hully, Mike Duvall, or Ernie Brandl

West Houston Assistance Ministries' (WHAM) annual benefit concert is taking place on Friday, October 9, 2015, at First Methodist Houston, Westchase, 10570 Westpark Drive. The theme this year is LET'S CELEBRATE LIFE! Tickets for adults are $20. Family members aged 17 and under are FREE! The Houston Civic Symphony will be performing. There is a Silent Auction at 6:30 p.m., and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Elaine Adams, Mike Duvall, and Des Hully have tickets for sale or visit WHAMministries.org

ESL Classes are now being held at Ashford. The class is for beginners and meets Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:00 - 8:30 pm. For more information, contact the church office.

Citizenship Prep classes are on-going - Tues/Thurs mornings or Tues/Wed evenings. For information, contact AshfordCitPrep@aol.com

Women's Fall Bible Study on the Gospel of John is meeting Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m.

The 2014-2015 Kroger Community Rewards Campaign ended on August 30th. Please visit KrogerCommunityRewards.com to re-enroll in the 2015-2016 Campaign.

Volunteers are needed at Ray K. Daily...Register at HoustonISD.org to volunteer in classrooms or for the Real Men Read program.

This week, Crossroads is discussing Chapter 2
from Get Their Name by Bob Farr.
(Room 204)

Dates to Remember...
October 6 - Bishop Huie's Visit to Southwest District, Memorial Drive UMC,
12955 Memorial Drive, 77079, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
October 18 - Ashford Charge Conference, Mission Bend UMC, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
October 23 & 24 - PEPPERMINT FAIR!!

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES: 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
(Children’s Church @ 11:00 a.m. service)
Fellowship Coffee 9:30 a.m. Sunday School (all ages) 10:00 a.m.
Telephone: 281-497-1146 | Fax: 281-497-7574 | Website: AshfordUMC.org
Email AUMC@AshfordUMC.org for further information