March 28 Update

This morning we discussed options for our next Sunday School study. The group decided on a 13 week study of the Psalms. Next Sunday (Easter) Mike will lead us through a lesson from Psalms and after that we'll begin the study. Here are the weekly topics (I'll post them on the blog and at the end of each weekly update so we can keep track of upcoming topics):

• True Happiness - Psalms 32, 34, 65 & 84
• Suffering - Psalms 13,69, 88, 143
• Discouragement - Pslams 3, 31,39, 142
• Trust - Psalm 11, 23, 27, 107
• Confession - Pslams 25, 90, 102, 106
• Anger - Psalms 35, 59, 129, 137
• The King's Glory - Psalms 2, 21, 45, 110
• Despair & Hope - Psalms 10, 55, 74, 77
• Security - Psalms 16, 18, 31, 112
• God's Universal Reign - Pslams 93-98
• Forgiveness - Psalms 6, 38, 103, 123
• God's Sovereignty - Psalms 8, 19, 37, 89
• Praise the Lord - Pslams 146-150

Announcements

• Don't forget to bring your extra bibles or money to buy bibles for City Rescue Mission. They are due next Sunday so bring them by the church office this week or to class next Sunday. Don't forget that the Crew class will match whatever we can collect!

Lots going on during Holy Week...

• Spring Festival - Wed, Mar 31 from 6-7:30 (dinner on grounds, Egg hunt, Jumpy house)
• Holy Thursday service - Thurs, Apr 1 at 7 (drama and music of this holy night plus the Lord's supper in the Sanctuary)
• Good Friday Service - Fri, Apr 2 at noon (meditations on the cross and music in the Chapel)

Prayers

See email for prayer requests

Feb 7 Update

Super Bowl Party at the Hudson's tonight

• Starts at 5:45 until the end of the first half (sorry Greg & John...you don't have to go home, but you can't stay there:-))
• Kids are welcome to come
• Bring a dessert and/or appetizer
• 4616 Princess Anne Lane

We hope to see you all there!

Lesson

Today's lesson was the story of Lazarus from John 11. Here's some of the excerpts we talked about...

21"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." 23Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

40Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" 41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." 43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

Prayer Requests
See email for prayer requests

Jan 31 Update

This week's Sunday School lesson was on John 8:1-11...

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Prayers
See separate email for prayer requests.

Mark from Family Promise of Jacksonville spoke at the church this week. Here is a link to the Family Promise web site if you want more info.

Let me know if we missed anything. Have a great week!

Pam Tebow Women for Christ Luncheon

Hey guys...I also meant to include a link to the info on Pam Tebow speaking at the Women for Christ luncheon.

• Click here for info about the event.
• It is Tuesday, Feb 16 from 11:30-1:00 at the Prime Osborn Center.
• Tickets are $25.
• To sit at the OUMC table, make sure to RSVP to Susan Norville at 389-5556 by February 1.

Jan 24 Update

Hi everyone! Today Mike led us through a discussion on John 9. Here's some excerpts...

1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

35Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 36"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." 37Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." 38Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. 39Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

Announcements

• I'm BEGGING all of you ladies to prayerfully consider joining me in the Beth Moore updated Breaking Free bible study starting this Thursday night from 6:45-8:45 in the Parlor. Nursery is available for those who need it. It is only 11 weeks, so not too much of a long term commitment. Check out this promo and pray about it...It fits in nicely with our initial discussion in class today and how we react when things don't always go our way.
  
• Thanks to Greg, Jen, Josh, Jamie, Sam, Kevin for representing our class yesterday volunteering for Habijax
  
• If you are on Facebook, check out our page...Ortega UMC Fellowship Class Facebook Page
  

Prayer Requests
Check email for prayer requests.

Have a great week!

Jan 17 Update

Sunday we read John 4:1-28 (Jesus Speaks to the Samiritan Woman at the Well) and talked mainly about steering religious discussions with others away from controversial topics and more towards the person of Jesus Christ, the way that Jesus did in this encounter with the Samaritan woman. We also briefly discussed the necessity of both spirit and truth in our worship and spirtual lives.

Announcements

• We need volunteers for Habijax on January 23. The group will be doing landscaping. Please send Greg Coleman an email if you are able to volunteer or want more info (jngcolemans@aol.com).
  
• Joani will be leading/facilitating The Women's Thursday night bible study starting on January 28. They will be doing Beth Moore's updated Breaking Free study (if you click on the link there is a promo video for the study). They wil meet in the parlor from 6:45-8:45. Nursery is available.
  

Prayers
See email for prayer requests

Jan 10 Update

Today we read John 3:1-21 (Jesus Teaches Nicodemus) and talked about being born again and the ongoing walk to a closer relationship with God.

3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

• Announcements
  We need volunteers for Habijax on January 23. The group will be doing landscaping. Please send Greg Coleman an email if you are able to volunteer or want more info (jngcolemans@aol.com).
• Head's up to all the ladies....I would love for you to join me in the Women's Thursday night bible study starting on January 28. We will be doing Beth Moore's updated Breaking Free study (if you click on the link there is a promo video for the study). We meet in the parlor from 6:45-8:45. Nursery is available.
  

Prayers

Check your email for prayer requests. Special request for marriages...there seems to be a growing attack on marriage

Let's all take Mike up on his challenge to go to God each day to be born again and acknowledge that we need Him. Have a great week!

Joani

Jan 3 Update

Hey everyone! I heard you had a good class today. I had fun with the kiddos at PoweredUp! Looks like we have a new Sunday School lesson...the Book of John. Today the class read the story of Jesus turning water into wine in John 2:1-11.

Prayer Requests
Check your email for prayer requests.

Announcements

• Taking down the manger on Saturday morning at 8:30 am if anyone is free to come help.
  
• Our class is hosting dinner for the families from Family Promise this week. It's a small group this time...3 adults and 2 children. Feel free to come join us if you like. We eat around 6-7pm in the Fellowship Hall (I'll be there early to set up and get the food ready). We're ordering Chinese again (their request), so feel free to contribute it you like.

Verses

John 2:1-11

Jesus Changes Water to Wine
1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
4"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come."
5His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
6Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[a]
7Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."
They did so, 9and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
11This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.