Fill The Hole!

This Lent we've been taking on hundreds of projects to help fill the hole in our gospel and fulfill Jesus' invitation to us to serve the poor and the "least of these." The Lenten crosses have been filled with hundreds of tags with specific ways to help others. As the tags have been taken, more have been added and we've been hearing amazing stories of mountains moving.  New on the cross this week (note that new tags on the cross will have a different color ribbon than the brown used in previous weeks): 

• Assist two families who need help moving - one on March 19-20 and one on March 28. (Contact Whitney Illies if you can help.)

• Donate Box Tops for Education (clipped from commonly-used products) to Cannon Elementary. Click here for a list of products from which you can clip Box Tops.

• Provide an old computer to be refurbished for the Texas Center for the Visually Challenged.

• Provide an orphaned CHHS student with a laptop to take to A&M in the fall.

• Repair cars for our neighbors (or pay to have the work done).

• Provide summer clothes for two boys size 10 and 5.

• Serve as a Client Aide for someone in GRACE's Transitional Housing program.

• And more!!

Please note that when you take an item off of the cross, you are responsible for following through with it by contacting the person indicated on the tag. Need help choosing or need more information? Contact Volunteer Coordinator Bev Campisi at beverlyc@fumcg.org or 817-797-4936. Click here to see a more complete list of some of the opportunities available.

Recycle Your Book!
If you are no longer using your copy of The Hole in Our Gospel, you may return your book to the church office. We will pass it on to someone else who would like to read it, or to another church that's doing the study.

Easter Flowers

Help us decorate the Sanctuaries and Founders Chapel for Easter by providing flowers in honor or memory of a loved one. Two types of flowers are available this year: Lilies ($15) and Hydrangeas ($20). Place your order through the Check-In insert in your bulletin starting this Sunday morning or in the church office. The deadline for orders is 5:00 PM on Monday, March 29. Please print legibly and include ONE DEDICATION per flower ordered. The dedications will be included in a bulletin insert on Easter Sunday morning. If you would like to take your flower home with you, you may pick it up after the 11:15 AM worship service on Easter Sunday, April 4.

"The Seven Last Words of Christ"

The choir will be performing Theodore Dubois' work, "The Seven Last Words of Christ," on Sunday, March 21, at Heritage and Sunday, March 28, at the 10:10 and 11:15 AM services at the Downtown Campus. "The Seven Last Words of Christ" is a unique musical telling of the Passion story that dates back to the late 1700's. "The Seven Last Words of Christ" is presented in eight movements and will feature soloists Jennifer Chung (soprano), Scott Boiles (baritone) and Wren Robinson/Caleb Hailey (tenors). 

Please note that the choir performance will replace the traditional order of worship and message in the services in which "The Seven Last Words of Christ" is presented.  Dr. Cindy Ryan will deliver the sermon in the 8:50 and 9:00 AM services on Sunday, March 28.

Holy Week & Easter

Palm Sunday, March 28 
Children’s Easter Party - 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM - Lawn, Playground, Family Life Center 
"The Seven Last Words of Christ" - The choir will perform during the 10:10 and 11:15 AM worship services at the Downtown Campus. Dr. Cindy Ryan will speak at 8:50 and 9:00 AM. 

Daily Devotions, March 29-April 3 
An informal time of lay-lead devotions and reflection each day of Holy Week - March 29-April 3 (Monday-Saturday) at 6:30 AM in the Heritage Sanctuary.

Maundy Thursday, April 1 
Worship/Communion Services: 7:00 PM in Founders Chapel | 7:00 PM in the Heritage Sanctuary 

Good Friday, April 2 
Bilingual Service of Darkness: 7:00 PM in Founders Chapel

Easter Sunday, April 4 
Sunrise Services: 7:00 AM in the Grapevine Botanical Gardens | 7:00 AM on the lawn of the Heritage Campus 
Regular Worship Services: 8:50 AM in Founders Chapel | 9:00 AM in the Sanctuary | 10:10 AM in the Sanctuary | 10:30 AM in the Heritage Sanctuary | 11:15 AM in the Sanctuary

Childcare is provided for all worship services except for Sunrise Services. No Sunday School Easter Sunday.

For information about all of our Missions Ministries, visit our website.

News to Change the World

Blood Drive
Our next blood drive is coming up Thursday, March 18, from 4:00 to 7:30 PM in Leach Hall. Visit our website for the link to make your reservation online. Please bring a photo ID with you. All donors receive a T-shirt and a mini-physical including blood pressure and iron level check at the time of donation and cholesterol results following their donation. Please have a meal prior to donating. Questions? Contact Sandra Nasr.

God Can for GRACE
We collected 422 items for God Can last week! Bring your non-perishable food items for the GRACE pantry to the designated bins in the Sanctuary Foyer, Founders Chapel Atrium and outside the church office. GRACE's needs right now are: Cooking oil, canned meats, dry rice, pasta, toiletries. Click here for a full list of GRACE Pantry's current needs (PDF).

Weekend Food Needs
Weekend Food needs are individual packs of: easy mac, ravioli, ramen noodles, applesauce, fruit cups, pudding cups, breakfast bars, instant oatmeal. Please bring your donations to Room 1006 in the Family Life Center. Questions? Contact Debbie Price at depdjp@aol.com or 817-821-3858. More info on Weekend Food.

Mission Green Tip of the Week: Plant Trees
Here's an incredibly simple way to save on energy costs: Plant trees. Strategically planting trees and shrubs to shade your home can lower surrounding air temperatures during warm summer months by up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit, and can reduce your wall and roof temperatures by 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenehit, keeping your home naturally cooler. In winter, trees can function as windbreaks as well, reducing your heating bill. Over the course of a year, the average home could save between $150 and $250 on energy costs--simply with smart landscaping.

For information about all Adult Ministries, visit our website.

News for Adults

Grief Support Group
Of all the human experiences, one of the most devastating is the death of someone we love. The Good Grief Support Group, based on the booklet Good Grief by Granger E. Westberg, is a six-week journey in grief work that will include examination of patterns of grief, remembering with less pain and strengthening the ability to cope. The group will meet Sundays starting March 14, from 4:00 to 5:30 PM in Room 2011 of the Family Life Center. The group is interactive with reflective assignments between meetings. Topics that will be addressed during the six weeks are: telling our stories, understanding the grief process, tasks of grieving, individual factors of grieving, how children grieve, sudden death, stress management, holidays and anniversaries. The group will be facilitated by a licensed professional counselor intern.  Class size is limited to 10 participants. Please RSVP to Katherine Hunter (817-481-2559 x130 or katherineh@fumcg.org).

Prayer Team Meeting
Please join us for the next Prayer Team Meeting, this Sunday March 14, at 4:00 PM in Room 2010, upper level of the Family Life Center. This is an opportunity to gather together for prayer and fellowship. We welcome your presence whether you are a current member of this ministry or just interested in learning more about what we do. We will also have a special prayer time Sunday, March 21, from 8:15 to 8:45 AM in Room 2002 of the Family Life Center. During this time we will pray for the pastors and ministries of our church. We hope to see you there! 

New Horizon
On Tuesday, March 23, New Horizon, a group of 55-plus Christian individuals, invites you to a dinner and program at 6:30 PM in the Family Life Center. Dr. Paul Benson, a college Professor of Humanities, will present a program with the catchy title of "Fruits and Nuts, America’s Strange Marriage of Business and Religion," which promises to be both entertaining and informative. Dr. Benson was with us about two years ago and was well received as a very memorable speaker who gave us a thought-provoking evening of fun. The cost of the evening is $10 per person including catered dinner. Reservations must be made by noon the Monday before (March 22) by calling 817-430-4965 or 817-488-4136. 

College Sunday School Class
We are getting ready to start a new Sunday School class for college-age adults (18-24). Our goal is to strengthen our connection with God through relevant studies. If you are interested in more information about this class or would like to share your input, please contact Barbara Howe at 817-320-1912 or fumcgrapevine.college@gmail.com. 

Questions about Youth Ministries? Contact Jenny Davidson at jennyd@fumcg.org or 817-705-2264 (cell).

RevolutionX News for Youth www.revolutionXonline.com

Wednesday Bible Study Locations - March 10
5:30-7:00 PM - Middle School - The HUB. NOTE: Middle School Bible Study will now be meeting in the HUB (Downtown Campus, Family Life Center Room 2013) due to transportation conveniences.
7:00-8:30 PM - High School - at the Breunig's

Spring Break Schedule
Note that Sunday Night Youth will not meet this Sunday, March 14, due to Spring Break. Wednesday Bible Studies will not meet on Wednesday, March 17. Sunday Night Youth WILL meet on Sunday, March 21, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in the Family Life Center.

Mission Trip Registration Begins
Registration has begun for 2010 High School and Middle School Mission trips! Register online at www.ctcym.org. 
2010 High School Mission Trip: June 13-19 to Ponca City, Oklahoma with FUMC Watauga. Participants include current 8th through 12th graders. Sponsors must be at least 20 years old and have completed Safe Sanctuary Training. 
NOTE: The deadline to get the Early Bird rate of $225 ($100 deposit due) is TOMORROW - March 11. The price goes up afterwards.
2010 Middle School Mission Trip: July 18-23 to South Central Texas. Participants include current 6th-7th graders. Sponsors must have been out of high school for at least a year and completed Safe Sanctuary Training. Cost: $200 Early Bird cost/$100 deposit due April 8th - price goes up afterwards.

Looking for a Way to Help the Youth?
We are still in need of people/groups/Sunday School classes to provide a meal for Sunday Night Youth. If you are interested, please email Sue Schultz at seg1024@yahoo.com. 

Buy a Light Help the Youth
Visit http://www.bogolight.com/?Click=8372 to purchase a solar-powered flashlight and support the youth! Click here for more info.

Questions about children's ministries? Rev. Nathan Firmin at nathanf@fumcg.org or 817-481-2559 x129.

KidsTown News for Children & Families www.firstmethodistgrapevine.org/children 

Save the Date for the Easter Party!
Kids, come celebrate Easter with us at the Children's Easter Party on Sunday, March 28, from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. We'll enjoy lunch, egg hunts, plus a carnival on the front lawn with a bounce house, carnival games and bunny pictures! Lunch will be BBQ with all the trimmings, served from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. The cost is $3 per person, with a family maximum of $15. The carnival will run from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM. There will be age level egg hunts held on the playground starting at 1:00 PM. There will be a Scavenger Hunt for 3rd-5th graders. We have opportunities to help in all areas. You may also donate candy for the hunt in collection buckets around the church or donate cookies for the lunch.  You may sign up in Sunday morning Check-In, or by contacting Dianne Hackney at hackney_family@att.net. We will need RSVPs for both the lunch and for the egg hunt by age.  Please RSVP to Linda McClure (817-481-2559 or lindam@fumcg.org) by March 23. 

Creative Learning Center Registration
The Creative Learning Center is continuing registration for the 2010/2011 school year, and would love to have your child join us for learning and fun. We have classes for 18 month olds, two, three and four year olds, as well as a wonderful Transitional Kindergarten class for five year olds. Our mission is to provide "Quality Education and Care for the Young Child in a Christian Environment." The CLC preschool has been an important outreach ministry of the First United Methodist Church of Grapevine since 1965! We look forward to welcoming you to the CLC. Come visit us for a tour, or call for more information. (817)329-8444. For more information, visit www.clcgrapevine.org. 

Common Sense Media
Parents, I would like to share a media resource with you called, Common Sense Media. I subscribed several months ago and have followed its content and found some great articles. We will run a link to this site in the Children's Ministry section of E-News and on our website. Please check it out and share your thoughts and ideas.  ~ Nathan

Click here for this week's edition of Common Sense Media.

Updates, Recaps, Gifts, Thanks, Photos, etc.

The Well with Natalie Witcher and Josh Ingram
Another Thursday night at "The Well" and all were replenished in one way or another. Josh Ingram captivated us with some beautiful songs that he has written. What a joy it was to watch his wife in the audience as he performed the song he wrote about his love for her. Our guest speaker, Natalie Witcher, gave us plenty to think about regarding the baggage we carry. Guilt, shame, fear, anger and envy are the top five pieces of baggage that we lug around. Natalie made it clear to us that the enemy is not creative. He hits us over and over with the same things. Nevertheless, we can overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. thanks to all of you who brought gently used purses for the women's shelter. It is such a blessing to enjoy an evening with women who are so generous! Click here to see more pictures from the event.

New Members in February
Please join us in welcoming the following new members from the month of February:

Gifts Given

A gift has been given to the Endowment Fund in memory of Dr. Ed Lancaster by Melburn & Martha Sibley.

Gifts have been given to the Memorial Fund in memory of Randy Roberts by: Curtis & Joanne King, Linda Sue Meik, Wade & Deborah Stansell, Alice Hardin.

Gifts have been give to the Be Our Guest ministry in honor of: Ed & Kim Crater, Rick & Sue Schultz, Doug & Debbie Price, Ted & Kathi Shaw.