2330 South Jefferson Street
Roanoke, Virginia 24014

Phone: (540) 344-4437
Fax: (540) 345-8041

The Household of God:  Three Keys to a Healthy Life
(A Sermon Series for May)

     So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone...in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.  Ephesians 2:19, 22

A father overreacts to his child's crying after a particularly hard day at the office. A teenage daughter screams at her mother, "You never understand me!" when she is asked to clean up her room. A student is disrespectful of a teacher he feels is being particularly unfair. A co-worker offers a suggestion to help improve efficiency and raises the anger of others who feel accused of being inefficient. A member leaves the church and discontinues his contributions because he feels his desires for the program and worship of the church are not being fulfilled.

We all are often faced with anxious situations in our lives. Anxiety is a fact of life. Change is difficult.

Have you ever wondered how some persons, homes, schools, workplaces, or churches seem to handle anxiety and change so much better than another? Have you ever wondered how you can develop the skills and maturity to better negotiate the inevitable "ups and downs" of life? Have you ever wished for the peace of Christ "which passes all understanding" deep in your own heart? Have you ever wondered what life is really like in the household of God?

During the month of May I will preach a series of sermons designed to address these kinds of questions. It is my hope that we will not only identify the symptoms of anxiety in life but also discover the grace that brings healing and health.

There is no better time to embrace the power that is ours through the resurrection of Jesus Christ than the season of Easter! We will also welcome the members of our Confirmation Class who enter the full fellowship of the household of God on Pentecost, May 30!

   We would like to have a few more people for our Fredericksburg trip on May 11-12. Talk it up, and turn your checks in to Penny.

    We need to have your name on the list and your money by May 20 for the trip to Wytheville on June 10. Please make your plans now so we can get the correct reservations made.

Volunteer male and female mentors (age 17 and up) are needed to help staff these annual camps for children of incarcerated mothers. Sponsored by the Bishop's Initiative on Children and Poverty, these experiences are for children ages 7-11.  Although mentors do not lead activities, they provide supervision and companionship to the children in their daily activities, mealtime, and bedtime rituals. It is an intense and challenging experience. There are four camps this year:

   August 1-6 at Camp Highroad (week-long overnight)
   August 9-13 at FFA/FHA Camp in Smithfield (Day Camp)
   August 15-20 at Westview on the James (week-long overnight)
   September 24-26 at Camp Overlook (weekend overnight)

    Back by popular demand, the South Roanoke Methodist Talent Show!  Get out your tap shoes, batons, musical instruments, comedy, whatever talent you can share with your church friends. We’ll love you, no matter what! Help us pick the new “American Methodist Idol”. Sunday, May 16 at 6:00 is the date to reserve. Potluck supper at 6:00, followed by a night to remember. Sunday School classes and other groups are invited to entertain the screaming fans. Start practicing now and get ready for the fun!
    We will also invite any visual arts to be displayed in the fellowship hall that night. Our congregation is blessed with many talented people, young and old, many of which are still hiding in the closet. Please share some of your work with us that night. We will all be amazed at the paintings, ceramics, scrapbooks, photography, etc. that are out there.
    Please submit your talent entry to Becky Austin (342-8101) at Bittsy Hall (982-6725) by Sunday, May 9.

“Pastor’s Inquiry Class”
with Rev. William G. Davidson

for those who:
† are curious about the United Methodist Church or
† want to learn more about the Christian faith or
† are new members of the church or
† are considering becoming members of the church

Sunday mornings, 9:45 am
May 2—June 6
in the library

New Aldersgate Class Series

The Aldersgate Sunday School Class is starting a series of critical studies to examine the significance and strength of our faith in Christ in the context of a modern world full of competing and sometimes conflicting views of spirituality. During the next six months we will be looking at other religions and an atheist’s view of Christianity.

First we will start on April 18 with Joel Green’s book Beginning With Jesus: Christ in Scripture, the Church, and Discipleship. Green uses images of journey to look at the historical Jesus, Jesus’ effect on church history and theology, and His means  to transform lives through more than knowledge when we live as His disciples.

Join us for lively discussion that can lead to a deeper understanding.

LENTEN OFFERING REACHES GOAL
THE MOST EVER!

    2004 Lenten Offering Goal  $13,000
    Total received                     $13,806 
This generous result will fund the following ministries which were removed from our 2004 Church Budget for financial reasons:
Habitat for Humanity            $200
Pastoral Counseling Center      $500
Roanoke Area Ministries (RAM) $1,000
Rescue Mission                  $750
West End Center                 $750
Child Health Investment Partnership $1,950
Roanoke Valley Red Cross        $500
Community Needs Response*     $7,350
*Fund available for emergency needs as they arise.

Vacation Bible School 2004

   Be a Good Sport.  Join the Team at SonGames 2004!  We’re excited about SRUMC’s Vacation Bible School to be held July 26-30.  This year’s program is SonGames 2004, a week of sporting good fun!  At SonGames, children will discover how to live as members of God’s team as they Join In! Team Up! Get Strong! Keep On! And Celebrate!

We Need Your Stuff!

The SRUMC annual Miracle of Missions rummage sale is coming up June 4-5. The proceeds will go to support ministries in our Sister City of Kisumu, Kenya. The ministries include the Agape Children’s Home, the Salem Orphanage, TEMAK (Teenage Mothers Assoc. of Kenya), the New Life Baby’s Home and Kisumu Hospice. We also hope to provide support to missionary Dr. Jerome Freund who will serve for a year at Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya. 

Please help us help our friends in Kenya by cleaning out your closets and donating to our sale. You can bring items to the church fellowship hall as early as Saturday, may 29th. If you need help with larger items or boxes, please call Diane D’Orazio (775-9886). We also need your help in sorting and pricing items the week before the sale and we need volunteers to help man shifts one or both days of the sale.

Youth News

Confirmation Class 2004: Fifteen youth are attending this year’s confirmation class every Sunday night, 4:30-6:00 PM, for ten weeks of study, overnight retreat at Camp Alta Mons, collect food for the Presbyterian Community Center during April, and spend time with new adult mentors. Please keep these youth in your thoughts and prayers.

Roast & Toast (May 2): Join our youth as we celebrate Youth Ministry at SRUMC. We have ten seniors that we will be roasting as well as twelve 8th graders who will be moving up to Senior High School. We will meet in the fellowship hall, 6:30-8:30 PM, for skits, awards, slide shows, and lots of memories.

Jubilee (Aug 1-7): It’s time to sign up for our 10th annual summer mission trip. If you like to help people, eat good food, or hang out with a great folks, you need to join us in Sneedville, TN. Anyone over the age of fourteen is eligible! Sign up with Penny in the church office.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

GUESTS and VISITORS are welcome to join us at South Roanoke for worship and fellowship. We invite those who have no church home to make South Roanoke your church and add your witness to ours.  And for a modern worship experience, join us each Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. for our contemporary service.

PLEASE SEND ARTICLES for the June issue of the Tower Times by May 15 to Joe Kennedy, or email to joesrumc@aol.com.

FAMILY MINISTRIES is looking for volunteers to help with upcoming events. This is a fun and rewarding way to be involved with the life of the church. If you are interested, please call Bittsy Hall (982-6725), Becky Austin (342-8101), or Lee Anne Steffe (344-4477.) 

The United Methodist Men will meet on Saturday, May 15, at 8:00 AM for breakfast and a program by Bob Slaughter..

THERE IS A new greeter sign-up calendar on the bulletin board by the church parlor. Please check your schedules and sign up to serve as a greeter one or more Sundays during the year. We need some greeters for March. 

CONGRATULATIONS to the James Madison Middle School “Odyssey of the Mind” Team in their win of the State Competition last weekend. Kemper Steffe is a member of the team. 

ROAST AND TOAST (May 2): It’s hard to believe that it’s that time of year again!!! We’d love for you to join our youth as we celebrate another year of Youth Ministry at SRUMC. This year we have ten seniors that we will be roasting as well as twelve 8th graders who will be moving up to Senior High School. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for skits, awards, slide shows, and lots of memories. 

THE FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE will meet on Tuesday, May 11, at 10:30 a.m. in the Wimmer Classroom. The book study is finished, therefore, after devotions the group will discuss what to do with the remainder of this year. Please plan to attend this very important meeting. 

CHURCH WOMEN UNITED will celebrate May Friendship Day on Friday, May 7, at Melrose Christian Church/ 4807 Cove Road. Registration begins at 9:30 followed by a Bible study and business meeting. Lunch will be available for $5.00 each. Call 562-0425 to make your reservations. 

CAMP ALTA MONS will be conducting a district approved capital campaign to raise funds to improve, expand and develop existing facilities and property. A public kick-off event to be held Sunday, September 12th, 1:00-5:00 p.m. at Camp Alta Mons’ large picnic shelter. Retired Bishop Kern Eutsler will be the keynote speaker. Praise bands, choir, tours, wagon rides and a BBQ meal will be provided for the event. There is no cost for the special event activities or BBQ meal.  

BOY SCOUT VENTURER CREW #15 chartered by Trinity United Methodist is selling Hardee Bucks. Purchase $5, $10 of Hardee Bucks and receive the same amount of bucks to purchase food at Hardees. For all you low carb Hardee eaters you get great food AND help the Boy Scouts. Contact Barbara Duerk, 343-1616. 

THE ADULT FELLOWSHIP GROUP would like to have a few more people sign up for the trip to Fredericksburg May 11-12. See Joe Kennedy if you need more information. 

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GREAT FELLOWSHIP on Sunday morning, please come to the Wesley Class at 9:45 a.m. The Reverend Bob Garner will continue to lead a study of the historical view of the Old Testament until the end of May. Bob’s knowledge and insight of the Bible plus his humor, make an interesting study. Everyone is welcome! 

THE ALDERSGATE SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS is starting a series of critical studies to examine the significance and strength of our faith in Christ in the context of a modern world full of competing and sometimes conflicting views of spirituality. During the next six months we will be looking at other religions and an atheist’s view of Christianity. They started on April 18 with Joel Green’s book, Beginning With Jesus: Christ in Scripture, the Church, and Discipleship. Green uses images of journey to look at the historical Jesus, Jesus’ effect on church history and theology, and His means to transform lives through more than knowledge when we live as His disciples. Join us for lively discussion that can lead to a deeper understanding. 

THE SRUMC ANNUAL MIRACLE OF MISSIONS rummage sale is coming up June 4-5. The proceeds will go to support ministries in our Sister City of Kisumu, Kenya. The ministries include the Agape Children’s Home, the Salem, Orphanage, TEMAK (Teenage Mothers Assoc. of Kenya), the New Life Baby’s Home and Kisumu Hospice. We also hope to provide support to missionary Dr. Jerome Freund who will serve for a year at Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya. Please help us help our friends in Kenya by cleaning out your closets and donating to our sale. You can bring items to the church Fellowship Hall as early as Saturday, May 29th. If you need help with larger items or boxes, please call Diane D’Orazio (775-9886). We also need your help in sorting and pricing items the week before the sale and we need volunteers to help man shifts one or both days of the sale. This sale has become a tradition at our church that we hope you will support. It’s a labor of love that touches many lives

                                      MAY SERMON SERIES
                              The Household of God: Three Keys to a Healthy Life
Have you ever wondered what life is really like in the household of God? God does provide the
maturity and grace to negotiate the anxious and difficult moments of life to those who seek it.
          1.         May 2  The Household of God (Ephesians 2:19-22; John 14:27)
          2.         May 9  The First Key to a Healthy Life-Accept Differences (Acts 11:17-18; John
              13:34-5)
          3.         May 23  (Ascension Sunday)     The Second Key to a Healthy Life–Focus on
              Strength  (Acts 1:6-11; Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 24:44-53)
       4.     May 30 (Pentecost Sunday) The Third Key to a Healthy Life-Focus on Mission
              (Acts 2:1-8, 12-21; Romans 8:14-17; John 14:25-27)

_________________________________________________________

                             “PASTOR’S INQUIRY CLASS”
                                 With Rev. William G. Davidson
                                              for those who:
                                                             † are curious about the United Methodist Church or
                                                              † want to learn more about the Christian faith or
                                                              † are new members of the church or
                                                              † are considering becoming members of the church 

Sunday mornings, 9:45 a.m.
May 2—June 6
In the library
 

Schedule of topics 

                                    May 2  “What is God Like?” 

                                    May 9  “The Bible: You Can Take It At Its Word” 

                                    May 16  The Mission and Ministry of South Roanoke United
                                                  Methodist Church 

                                    May 23  “What Time Is It? - The Christian Calendar” 

                                    May 30  “The Sacraments: Signs of God’s Love” 

                                    June 6  “United Methodist: Connected and Called”