Unpaid servants are such a blessing to the life of our faith community! Thank you for saying, “Here I am Lord, use me!” April is National Volunteer Month April 21-27 is National Volunteer Appreciation Week. UNPAID SERVANTS MAKE IT HAPPEN at Kerrville First United Methodist Church and at Light on the Hill at Mount Wesley! God has poured out His blessings upon our ministry efforts with the gift of unpaid servants at Kerrville First United Methodist Church and Light on the Hill! Every mission outreach initiative is prayed over and supported with funding, the gift of time, and unending love by unpaid servants. If we tried to pay all of the wonderful folks who faithfully give their love and energy to all of the ministries efforts, we could not afford it because these people are PRICELESS! The passion for serving our neighbors and the love for God that pours out of our unpaid servants throughout all of our volunteer opportunities is amazing! “Thank you” never seems enough but please know how grateful we are for the support of our volunteers. You are each a tremendous blessing! FOOD RELIEF VOUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES (May-September) · May 6 – Mustard Seed: 9-10am · May 13 – MEGA: 8-10am · May 14 - Mobile Mustard Seed: 9am · May 20 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · June 3 – Mustard Seed: 9-10am · June 10 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · June 17 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · June 24 – MEGA: 8-10am · June 25 – Mobile Mustard Seed: 9am · July 8 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · July 15 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · July 22 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · July 29 – MEGA: 8-10am · July 30 – Mobile Mustard Seed: 9am · August 12 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · August 19 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · August 26 – MEGA: 8-10am · August 27 – Mobile Mustard Seed: 9am · September 9 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · September 16 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · September 23 - Mustard Seed: 9-10am · September 30 – MEGA: 8-10am There are also opportunities for bagging food to prep for these pantry dates and home deliveries are done each week, also. Contact Beth Palmer at beth.palmer@kfumc.org or (830)459-5847 to learn more! Some of Light on the Hill's unpaid servants were recognized at the Kerrville City Council Meeting for their efforts to feed first responders during the recent eclipse event. MEGA Food Pantry Drive-thru is Monday! And we NEED BAGS! Please drop off plastic HEB or Walmart bags at KFUMC office or Light on the Hill. Thank You!!!
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS PICKLEBALL?
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the USA for the third year in a row, and was created as a “game for everyone.” The sport is a cross between table tennis, badminton, and tennis. Why is pickleball growing so fast? Pickleball has burst into the mainstream due to its low barrier to entry and variety of health benefits including the opportunity to socialize and build community. It is estimated that about 36.5 million people played pickleball at least once in 2023. How did pickleball get its start? Pickleball was invented in 1965 in Bainbridge Island, Washington, by three friends. The first game was played on a badminton court in a backyard with a pair of ping-pong paddles and a wiffle ball. It followed the same rules as tennis. However, the inventors made a few changes after playing the game over a few weekends. They lowered the net, moved to a tennis court, and simplified the scoring. The origin of the game's name is unclear. But some believe it may have been named after one of the inventors' dogs, who went by the name Pickles, and was always running off with the ball. Pickleball remained a local secret for almost 20 years. In 1984, Washington residents Sid Williams and Bryon Olson formed the United States Amateur Pickleball Association and released an official rulebook. The sport saw some success in the following years. However, it really gained momentum in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. With many team sports off-limits, people turned to pickleball as a socially distant way to stay active. Pickleball can be played anywhere. Makeshift courts can instantly be created on a driveway or in a church gym using sidewalk chalk or painter's tape, and a portable net. The paddles and balls are also very affordable. Additionally, pickleball is easier to learn and much slower-paced than tennis. In pickleball, you're hitting a plastic wiffle-like ball, so it's less bouncy and doesn't fly as fast through the air. And the paddle is much easier to handle because it's shorter and lighter than a tennis racket. Pickleball at Kerrville First United Methodist Church In August of 2021, KFUMC Recreation Ministry Director, Grant Palmer created three courts in the gym, using tape for the lines, portable nets and twelve paddles along with indoor pickleballs. Grant discovered a few people in our faith community that knew how to play and sought their help as well as studied the game online and then invited our church family to come try it out. And the rest is history! Hundreds of men and women of all ages and backgrounds have gravitated to KFUMC to try this new game that has swept the nation. Many new friendships have organically developed through the sport of pickleball at our church. Pickleball players care for each other, laugh and fellowship together, serve through our food relief outreach, sing in the choir, and worship together, all as a result, of coming together to play a game. I think this kind of innovative, out of the box outreach ministry makes God smile. I know that anytime I visit the church gym to watch some pickleball, I am amazed at all of the people enjoying themselves and having a great time fellowshipping! You’re always welcome to come check it out and bring your friends and neighbors. Equipment, playing time and instruction are provided free of charge. What a beautiful painting by Jane Davis! What an incredible display of God’s majesty and power during the eclipse! A huge thank you to all of the unpaid servants who gave their time over the past four days to prepare and serve food for first responders who kept our community safe during this eclipse event. A special shout out to Marquetta Pitts for her organization and dedication to this outreach effort for our community. Thank you to Sysco for contributing to our efforts with the Nourishing Neighbors Grant. Also, thank you to Taco Casa for donating hot sauce packets for the hundreds of breakfast tacos made. Together, we are better!
Join us for Sunrise Service at Light on the Hill at 7am. (610 Methodist Encampment Rd.) Shuttle bus will run from parking lot up to the cross beginning at 6:15am. Palm Sunday Celebration RecapGrateful for our Mustard Seed Unpaid Servants who bless so many in our community! What a blessing! We have the most faithful unpaid servants who deliver food each week to our homebound neighbors. The Morning Rotary Club blessed Mustard Seed Pantry with more than 1,200 pounds of venison! What a blessing the Kerr County Inter-agency Networking Group is for our community! We meet monthly to work together to serve our neighbors in need. Together, we are better!
We had a great workday with our Young Adult Ministry (YAM) at Habitat for Humanity! Thank you to everyone who served! Great day with Illuminate Women’s Conference!
Do you remember that song, “I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, where? Down in my heart, where? Down in my heart to stay!” I used to sing that song with my kids when they were young, and then when they got older, if they were in a bad mood, I would sing it just to aggravate them. But in all seriousness, if we have Jesus, we have everything we need to have joy. Sometimes, when we are going through a difficult time, we need to be reminded of this. I pray joy over each of us today! Thank you to all of our amazing unpaid servants who blessed our community with wonderful food on Monday at the Mega Food Pantry! You brought joy to many! Thank you to all of our new unpaid servants who served at Mobile Mustard Seed on Tuesday! Methodist Healthcare Ministries Leadership Meeting!Mark your calendars for the Palm Sunday Celebration! Want to help? Contact Beth at beth.palmer@kfumc.org or call (830)459-5847
Fresh starts are not just for January! I am sharing a great word from our beloved friend, Jane Davis. I am praying for you this morning…
One of our pastors challenged us recently… “Keep a journal, with dates, in which God was faithful in your own life”. Well, that comment took me to this small shelf in my art room. One-by-one are journals, dating back to the 1980’s, with entry-after-entry about times God was/is faithful to me. Why are they not hidden away in a box? Because when I’m in Heaven, I want my kids to easily find them so that they, too, can read about the countless times God has been, and still is faithful to me. God IS faithful. When you go back and remember what He has done for you in the past…your journey through good, joyful times…and your journey through the “muck and mire”…you will see that God NEVER left you, NEVER failed you… And, Dear One, He won’t fail you now…ever. “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:23 What does the Bible say about a fresh start? God doesn't remember our past, he gives us a fresh start. Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! How do I ask God for a fresh start? Replace the old and broken ways of my heart and restore me with your grace and strength. Fill me with new blessings, joy and peace. Help renew my heart so that I can be ready for a new beginning. In Jesus' name, Amen. When God gives you a fresh start? The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that God promises a fresh start to anyone. Through Jesus Christ, we can have forgiveness, freedom, and a future filled with hope and purpose. He loves you more than you know and has an incredible plan for your life! What a tremendous privilege to serve our neighbors alongside our neighbors! We are blessed to live in a community filled with such wonderful servant hearts! Other Requests & Giving OpportunitiesThis month I have been sharing a lot about fresh starts and setting goals for the new year. Here are some KEYS to help us be successful in sticking with our goals. These are helping me and I hope they will help you, too.
KEY #1: PRAY FIRST. Before you commit to anything, spend some time asking God: “What areas of my life do I need to focus on during the upcoming year?” Let Him guide you to what resolutions to make, and ask Him to help you follow through. KEY #2: MAKE REALISTIC RESOLUTIONS. Many of the resolutions I made over the years were embarrassingly unrealistic. I think that is why I didn’t make them “stick.” Don’t make that same mistake. Instead, aim for targets you can reasonably hit in a year—perhaps memorize one scripture verse a month, share the Gospel with one neighbor, walk or run a 5K before you tackle a marathon, show up and help serve at one in-reach or outreach opportunity. KEY #3: MAKE SPECIFIC RESOLUTIONS. “I will spend 15 minutes in God’s Word every morning at 6 a.m.” is way better than “I will spend more time reading the Bible.” If you want to lose weight, set a specific, numeric goal, as well as a date you plan to reach that goal. KEY #4: MAKE A PLAN. A resolution without a plan is like a car without fuel. It will get you nowhere. Want to lose weight? Or just want to get healthier? Then figure out your workout and nutritional plan. How many times are you going to exercise every week and what types of exercise will you do? How are you going to get more heathy foods in your diet this year? Want to go deeper in your relationship with God and others? Maybe you are already doing that by participating in the Dynamite Prayer book with many others in our church family. Maybe you are joining in a covenant discipleship group on Wednesday nights at KFUMC or during the week with others. KEY #5: MAKE SPIRIT EMPOWERMENT YOUR BIGGEST RESOLUTION. When you’re filled with Christ, everything else falls in line. The fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22–23 will be evident in your life. If you’re producing the fruit of the Spirit, you’re going to have great relationships (love, peace, patience, kindness), not overeat or overspend (self-control), and exhibit a more positive attitude (joy). It’s hard to imagine a successful resolution that’s not covered by the fruit of the Spirit. So, if we make being filled with the Spirit part of our daily routine, everything else will take care of itself. KEY #6: GET AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER. The Navy Seals have a saying they use during their super-high-intensity training: “Get a swim buddy!” Seals in training need someone to push them when they’re slow, temper them when they’re rash, and help them when they’re in danger of drowning. For Navy Seals, it’s a serious offense to get caught without your swim buddy. What’s true of the Seals is true of the believer. We need “swim buddies” in our ocean of busyness. I count on my “swim buddies,” and I encourage you to find one or two of your own. I hope and pray that these six keys will help me and you make and keep better resolutions this year—all for the glory of God! A HUGE thank you to Regan and Stephanie Land and K&R Heating and Cooling for contributing to the All Faith Build at Habitat for Humanity on Saturday! |
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Light on the Hill at Mount Wesley is a Texas nonprofit corporation recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Federal Tax ID: 83-3263624).
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