April 2024 Newsletter
Keeping you updated as we gather, grow and go!
PDF version is now here! Enjoy the April shenanigans!
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What is Stewardship?
When many Christians think of stewardship, they immediately think that it’s the church nagging them for money. While the local church benefits when people make the decision to contribute to their church, that’s not stewardship. The Holman Bible Dictionary defines stewardship as “utilizing and managing all resources God provides for the glory of God and the betterment of His creation.”
The Bible tells us that God created everything and He owns everything (Psalm 24:1, 1 Corinthians 10:26, and many others). While we are here on Earth, we are entrusted with things – talents, homes, cars, money, and much more. All of these are gifts from God (James 1:17). God wants us to “steward” these gifts and make the best possible use of them. One piece of this “stewardship” entails giving a portion of our gifts back to God out of gratitude for these Earthly things AND for the ultimate gift of grace that was given when Jesus took the sin of the world on the cross.
Indeed, we believe that giving back to God benefits us by breaking the hold that money and “stuff” have on us. Faithful givers almost universally say that their lives are more peaceful and fulfilled when they regularly give to God. If you do not currently give a portion of your gifts back to God, we encourage you to consider doing so. There are many ways to give to Due West Methodist. Please visit our website (Give — Due West MC) for ways to contribute.
The time of year is upon us when we are developing our annual budget (we operate on a July-to-June fiscal year). If you haven’t turned in an estimate of giving / contributions pledge card, it will be very helpful to give us an idea of the contributions we will receive as we plan our programs and staffing for the coming year. You can use this link to complete a card. Your estimate / pledge is completely private – only our Contributions Specialist sees them. If your situation changes during the year, just complete a new card with a note that your estimated amount has changed.
Expenses and Giving, July-23 – January-24
Budgeted Giving, July-23 – January-24 -- $1,166,000
Budgeted Expenses, July-23 – January-24 -- $1,166,000
Actual Giving, July-23 – January-24 -- $1,131,989 ($34,011 negative)
Actual Expenses, July-23 – January-24 -- $1,130,948 ($35,052 positive)
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Spring Break and The Ten Commandments
Let me stipulate right up front that these are not two subjects you usually see tied together. And if you did, the joining would most likely not be positive. If you thought about Spring Break and the Ten Commandments, you might wonder how many of the Commandments generally were broken on the typical Spring Break. How many people break the first one? “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” How many times might you hear the third one shatter? “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vein.” How many times might the fifth one slide? “Honor your father and mother.” “Does his mama and daddy have any idea what he is doing on that beach?” I could go on, but you get the idea.
But there is a commandment I hope to honor. Coming in at number 4 is, “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.” If you want to trace this all the way back to the beginning, it is in the creation story. God created on days one through six. But on the seventh day, “God rested.” All through the Old Testament and right up until today, Jews observed their Sabbath on Saturday. No work from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. In the early days of the Christian church, they chose Sunday, the day of resurrection as their Sabbath. Not a day to lay around doing nothing. But a day to gather with the family of God and worship. It is day of being refreshed and renewed.
What does that have to do with Spring Break? As we have done in other years, Susan and I have rented a house on the beach. Most of you know she is a school teacher. Spring break is important to her! Her parents are planning to come. Our children and grandchildren will be there. What does this look like? It will begin either the afternoon of Easter Sunday or early Monday morning. (We haven’t decided yet.) There is the six hour drive, followed by unpacking the car. There can be plenty of sun, so plenty of being careful of sunburn. There will be plenty of sand, which gets everywhere. There will be cold water… the gulf coast water is cold in April. And I’m not a fan. There will be the question: “There is a child up in the middle of the night. Who’s getting up?” At the end of the week, I’m not sure we feel rested.
But there is another way to look at it. We are gathered with family in the beauty of God’s creation. We are spending precious moments with our children and grandchildren. We are adding to the memories our grandchildren will carry with them for the rest of their lives. We may not feel rested, but in many ways it will be restful. We will be refreshed and renewed. Call it a Sabbath week. It is Spring Break. We actually plan on keeping all the commandments.
But we are focused on number four!
If it’s Sunday, you want to be at Due West,
David
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April 1-5 - Cobb County Spring Break/Preschool Closed
April 14 - New Sunday School class starts
April 18 - Firearms & Fellowship
April 21 - dwCrew Ninja Fit
April 21 - Wesley Heritage Tour Info Meeting
April 25 - Admin Board meeting
April 27 - Estate Planning Workshop Part 1 of 2
April 28 - Healing Service
April 28 - Due West 101 Class – Part 1 of 2
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Support Groups
AA Open Meeting - Sundays @ 7:00 pm (Bldg A)
AA Women’s Group - Thursdays @ 7:00 pm (Bldg A)
GriefShare - Sundays @ 6:00 pm (Bldg C)
GRASP Support Group - Second Tuesday @ 7:00 pm (Bldg C)
S.O.S. Support Group - Second Thursday @ 7:00 pm (Bldg C)
Parkinson’s Support Group - Second Sunday @ 3:00 pm
Dementia Ministry Meetings
Spouse Support Group meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 9:00 am.
Spouse Group meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 1:00 pm.
Family Support Group meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm.
Currently, all meetings are being held via Zoom. For more information, please email dementiaministry@duewest.org.
Weekly Exercise Classes (Bldg B)
Monday
Tone & Tighten @ 9:30 am (Nursery)
Tuesday
Pilates @ 9:30 am
Wednesday
Cardio-Sculpt @ 9:30 am (Nursery)
Slow Flow Yoga @ 10:35 am
Thursday
Zumba @ 9:30 am
Friday
Boot Camp @ 8:30 am (Nursery)
Stretch & Tone @ 9:30 am (Nursery)
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New Cross in Bldg A Courtyard
We want to take a moment to thank Chuck and Dianne Arundale for their generous donation of the new cross in the Building A Courtyard. We plan on decorating it in May for Mother’s Day and having it available for family photos!
Bethlehem Woodwork Available
On Sunday, April 28th, we will have some special guests on campus. In 2019, many members of Due West traveled to the Holy Land. On that trip we visited Bethlehem and stopped at the Nissan Brothers’ store. They do carvings from olive wood that are beautiful. They are a Christian business in Palestinian Territory. (Bethlehem is in the West Bank.) All of their business comes from Christians who visit there. Because of the war in the middle east, they have lost their store. The finance committee has voted to Chris and John Nissan an opportunity to visit Due West with some of their merchandise. They will be located in the Family Life Center from 10:30 to 1:00 on the 28th. If you would like to come see their work, and possibly make a purchase and support them, please feel welcome.
England Trip
As you have probably heard, Pastor David will be taking a group from Due West visiting Ireland, Northern Ireland and England this fall, October 21-31. We will be visiting sites important in the life of John Wesley, as well as many other famous places. If you are interested, join us in the Gathering Place on April 21st at 4:00 pm. If you are interested and unable to make it, email dcampbell@duewest.org.
Summer Camps Webpage
We have a page including info and registration links for all of our upcoming summer camps available now on the website. Click here to view them all!
Name Badges
As we are in a season of starting fresh here at Due West Methodist Church, it seems like a great time for us to learn the names of fellow members of DWMC while we gather together. We likely recognize one anothers’ faces at worship services or other church events, but wouldn’t it be great to put a name with that face? We can help do that by ordering, and wearing, name badges while on campus. If you are interested in ordering a name badge, please reach out directly to Denise Luders via email at dluders@duewest.org. Please do NOT order name badges individually through the newsletter or website at this time. Denise will collect names and place a bulk order which will allow us to enjoy a significant cost savings per badge (individual badges are $18.50). We will notify all who order what the revised price is prior to finalizing the order.
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Due West Preschool and Kindergarten has open registration for 1 year olds - Kindergarten children. Our registration form is available on our website. You can schedule a tour so you can come to see our rooms, meet the staff, get answers to your questions about our program, and see why we’re certified as a “Preschool of Excellence!” You can schedule a tour by calling the preschool office at 770-590-0982 or go to our website at https://duewest.org/preschool and click on schedule a tour.
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Preschool Sunday School
Memory Verse: “Let you light shine.” Matthew 5:16, NIV
Have you ever been somewhere where it was so dark you couldn’t even see your hand in front of your face? No light shining under the door. No stars in the sky. No screen glaring back at you. Just darkness. So much darkness that you have to shuffle slowly, stumbling your way across the room with arms stretched out, hoping, searching . . . and then finally, with the flip of a switch, LIGHT! Light changes everything.
This month, we’re talking about light, but not just any light. We’re talking about Jesus—the light of the WORLD—and how when we do what Jesus says, we shine. We shine the light of Jesus! After this month, we hope every time you and your preschoolers see a lamp or a star-filled sky, you remember that people were made to shine, and we have Jesus—the light of the world—to show us how. So let’s not hide our light. Let’s SHINE and light up the dark so others can see their way to Jesus.
Elementary Sunday School
Patience - Waiting until later for what you want now.
Memory Verse: “Wait for the Lord. Be strong and don’t lose hope. Wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14, NIRV
Waiting is a part of life. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait on our own. Through the Holy Spirit, God can help us experience the patience we need to wait well. After all, God is patient with us. God is in control and knows what’s best for us. Even though God’s people had been waiting for years for the promised Savior, at just the right time, God sent Jesus. Because we’re created in God’s image, we can reflect God’s patience in our lives. We can be patient when we remember what God has done. We can lean on God’s Holy Spirit to give us the strength we need to trust God and show patience with the difficult circumstances in our lives.
dwCrew is a specialized time of fun, learning, and service for 3rd-5th graders. We will be having our end of the school year party on April 21 from 1:00-3:00 at Ninja Fit. Registration is open and cost is $7.
https://duewest.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2227862
Summer Camps
From science to sports, we are excited for all of the amazing camps we have available this summer. Be sure to check out the church website and Church Center for details on how to register.
Vacation Bible School
At Scuba VBS, kids will explore what it means to have a friendship with a real, loving, trustworthy God - a friendship that lasts forever! Register today to attend Scuba VBS Monday, June 3 - Thursday, June 6.
Be a Volunteer!
In order to provide this amazing experience to our community, we are in need of many volunteers. Register today to help at Scuba Vacation Bible School and help kids dive into friendship with God! If you have not volunteered in the past, you'll find it to be life changing for you as well as the kids! We are searching for both adult and youth leaders. Volunteers must have finished the 6th grade, love the Lord, love children, and like to have fun.
https://duewest.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2145537
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Ignite meets from 5:30-7:30 pm each week and is open to 6-12th grade students. We offer a meal and ask for a donation of $3 to help offset the cost of food. Join us for dinner, worship, a lesson, and fellowship! Bring a friend!
Youth Choir
Weekly rehearsals on Wednesdays from 6 to 6:45 pm in Sanctuary A.
No rehearsal spring break week - April 1-5.
Youth Choir will help with worship on April 14th for the 8:30 service and on May 5th for the 11:00 service. Come sing with us!
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April 21th – Handbells @ 8:30
April 28th – Handbells @ 11:00
FOLLOWING the 11:00 service on Apr. 28th, the Carillon Ringers will be doing an open rehearsal concert in the Building A Sanctuary. It will be very informal, but you are welcome to stay and extend your worship with more bell music!! This is preparation for us to take our bells “on the road” the following Sunday. We will be leading a music worship service at Sandy Valley Baptist Church in Warner Robbins, GA on May 5th!
Thursday, May 2nd – more details will be coming from Christine on the Georgia Festival Chorus Ensemble Concert which we will host @ 7 pm in Sanc. C.
May 5th – Youth Choir @ 11:00
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There are lots of exciting things coming up for the Center for the Arts that you do not want to miss! Be sure to put these dates on your calendar!
April 12th & 13th
Auditions for our Cue West Players summer musical - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Open to ages 8 & up! Watch for a signup genius to book your audition time!
One Enchanted Evening - April 19th, 6-8pm
Join us for this fun event and be entertained by a host of princesses and other favorite characters! There will be food, storytelling, performances & sing-a-longs. This is a senior thesis project for one of our CFA seniors, and all proceeds will fund a scholarship for kids who otherwise would be unable to participate in CFA programs.
SUMMER CAMPS!
Registration is open for all our summer camps! We have theatre camps, art camps, dance camps, an adventure camp, and even a sewing camp! There are opportunities from preschool age through rising college freshman. Check out the list on Church Center and see all we have to offer!
Kindermusik Classes
We are now offering mommy and me (or caregiver and me) classes for babies and toddlers. These classes are offered in partnership with Kindermusik of West Cobb. Please see their site to register https://regalperformingarts.com/
Watercolor Classes for Adults
Join us every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 10:30-12 for a fun watercolor class with Annette Lewis. Commit just one class at a time, and no experience is necessary - Annette will guide you step by step. Just bring yourself and your supplies, or if you don’t have supplies just let her know and Annette will provide those for you. Cost is $13 if you bring your own supplies, $17 if you’d like Annette to provide them. Simply send Annette a text at (404) 664-9906 if you’d like to join the class.
Instrumental lessons
We are thrilled to offer you lessons in piano, voice, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele and harmonica. If you are interested in private lessons in any of those things please send an email to Nicole at cfa@duewest.org for more information.
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Missions Newsletter - April
Check out our missions newsletter to learn more about all the church wide mission projects we have going on here at Due West!
Missions Facebook Page is LIVE again!
Check out our recently Updated Missions Website HERE!
Click HERE to read the Missions Newsletter for April.
Register here to have the monthly email newsletter delivered directly to your email inbox!
Mission Trip Dates for 2024
Guatemala Trip #1 - May 31 - June 8
Trip Leader: Dale Hajost
Registration Deadline: Trip Registration Status: Closed.
Contact Mark Hellman for possible late registration opportunities.
Ocoee Mission Project, Cleveland, TN - June 9-14
Costa Rica, Guapiles Area - June 29 - July 6
Guatemala Trip # 2, Hearts for the Children - July 13-19
Volunteer Partner of the Year
Due West Methodist Church was named Volunteer Partner of the Year by Advocates for Children at their annual meeting because we support them with monthly food boxes. A huge thank you goes to Dan and Mary Margaret Smith for everything they do in managing this ministry opportunity!
Fourth of July First Amendment 5K Race Coordinators
We are looking for 2-3 individuals to serve as this year’s race coordinators.
This will be the eighth year that Due West Methodist will be serving as a co-host for the 4th of July First Amendment 5K road race. The race begins on our campus and ends at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Hadaway Road.
The coordinators will work with Mark Hellman prior to race day on physical set up and planning race day activities. The coordinators will need to be present the morning of the 4th to ensure that registration goes smoothly and the racers get started. The estimated time commitment is from 6:30until 8:00 am on July 4th. There are no responsibilities after the race has begun except for “break down.”
Race day responsibilities include: setting up registration tables, running the check-in process, passing out race numbers, lining up the racers, and conducting the coordinated start.
Please contact Mark for more information.
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Phil McGuire College Scholarship
The 2024 Phil McGuire College Scholarship applications from current Due West Methodist Church active high school seniors need to be submitted to Due West Methodist Men no later than May 31st, 2024.
Please use their mailbox in the Admin 2 building.
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Spring Sunday School
We are starting a short-term Sunday school class for people in their 30s, 40s and 50s! It will meet on Sunday mornings at 9:45 am starting on April 14th and concluding on May 19th. Led by Amy Saye, it will be a Bible study on how to study the Bible. Each week, different passages will be used not only to study, but to talk about how to study. The class will meet in Building C room 240. We invite you to come join us for Spring Sunday School!
Methodist Men Host Firearms and Fellowship
Thursday, April 18th, 6:00 pm
Make plans to fellowship with us at Governor's Gun Club of Kennesaw on Thursday, April 18th for the next Firearms and Fellowship event. We gather at 6:00 pm for range time, and those that are interested are welcome to stay for dinner at the club at 7:00 pm. This is a "dutch treat" style event. Please RSVP to Mark Hellman at mhellman@duewest.org by Tuesday, April 16th.
To join the group on Church Center to keep up with us go to: https://duewest.churchcenter.com/groups/men/firearms-fellowship
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Due West MC has its very own fitness program offering classes for all levels and open to anyone age 12 and up. Classes are $4.00 (includes childcare on Monday, Wednesday & Friday) and you can find our class schedule on Facebook at Due West Adult Fitness Classes. Punch Cards are also available and cover 11 classes for $40.00. These cards are available from the class instructors.
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Congregational Care Ministry
Our Ministry is ready and waiting to be there for you and assures complete confidentiality. We are committed to sharing the love of Christ and the love and support of your church family with you. To be assigned a CCM, please contact Pastor David Campbell or Lay Leader, Brenda Wyatt at bwyatt66chs@gmail.com, cell 770-605-3709.
Matthew 25:40, “ Truly, I tell you whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did for me.”
In His Service by Your Side,
Brenda Wyatt
Congregational Care Minister
GriefShare - Comforting Others
After the funeral, when the cards and flowers have stopped coming, most of the people around you return to their normal lives. But your grief continues and you feel alone. Often friends and family want to help, but don't know how. That's the reason for GriefShare. Our group is led by caring people who have experienced grief and have successfully rebuilt their lives. We understand how you feel because we have been in the same place. We will walk with you on the long path through grief toward healing and hope for the future.
GriefShare is a nationwide network committed to biblical concepts for healing from your grief. To learn more visit the GriefShare website at www.griefshare.org.
What to Expect:
GriefShare is a group that meets weekly for 13 weeks. There are three key parts to the group.
· Video Seminar
· Support Group
· Workbook (Provided)
The next 13-week cycle starts February 11, 2024. Click here to join the group!
If you have any questions or are interested in participating, please contact Connie at cmm10500@gmail.com or 904-651-2732.
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Sometimes We Scare Ourselves
Several years ago, I offered workshops at Due West, entitled: Normal /Not Normal Aging. They were intended to help us better understand ourselves as we age. To help us be less afraid as we age normally. They were also intended to make us aware if we were not aging normally, and to know how to seek help. Becoming dementia aware and educated sheds light on frightening, mean stigmas and helps us face our fears.
Today, Dementia is a fear for most of us over 65. Some of you are aware that dementia can occur even before 65 and perhaps you have spent time in fear about that. Dementia occurring before the age of 65 is known as Young Onset Dementia. It carries with it a genetic marker … it is familial.
AGE is the primary contributing factor for developing dementia over the age of 65, Let’s talk about AGE: Normal/ Not Normal: Processing in the human brain begins to slow at a rate of .01% per year at age 25 and continues to do so for the rest of our lives. This explains why … when we are playing board games with our grandkids … our brains do not work as fast as theirs. Our processing has slowed down, and It will be the same for them one day. Normal Aging! It also explains why, by the time we are 55, we may forget a name … only to have it come back to us at 4:00 in the morning, awakening us from a sound sleep! Normal Aging! Going into the pantry and forgetting what you are looking for … only to remember it when you get back to where you started is Normal Aging!
You may have already experienced some of these things, and when you did, you thought, “Oh no, is it coming to me!?” I get it. However, Teepa Snow, renowned dementia educator and advocate, assures us that these are all very typical signs of Normal Aging.
Not Normal Aging looks very different … never remembering knowing the person whose name you are trying to recall. Never realizing in whose pantry you are standing.
My prayer is that you and your family age normally. However, if Not Normal Aging should appear in your life, may you always know that Loving Through Dementia is here to guide you.
Blessings,
Sheila Welch
404-642-6027
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9:45 am Service Ushers
We are in need of more ushers for the 9:45 am church service in Building C. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Sandra Imundo at Sandra.Imundo@fmc-na.com
Sunday School Volunteers
dwKids Sunday School Volunteers - Contact Alicia Iles at ailes@duewest.org for details.
Online Giving
You can give online using your smartphone, tablet or computer. Click here to begin giving through our system. Contact Amber Wilson at awilson@duewest.org if you have any questions.
Due West Market
Click here to shop! We are taking orders for congregational name tags!
Altar Flowers
Honor a loved one with altar flowers displayed in front of the pulpit on Sunday mornings. Learn More & Purchase
Prayer Requests
Need prayer? Click here to submit a prayer request!