Sunday Schedule: Worship - 10:00 am Children’s Sunday School - 10:15 am

Vol. 18, Issue 2| February 2018

office@walnutumc.org

W A LNUT W ORD

Rev. Dr. Krista S. Givens Pastor

8 ‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’ ~ Luke 15: 8-10 Lent is coming! We begin the liturgical season of Lent on Ash Wednesday, which - this year - is February 14th,

Valentine’s Day. It seems fitting in some ways that the liturgical season begins with a day we remember the Love we share in this life. Lent is a season of repentance, a sea-son of self-examination, to reflect upon who we are and how we can relate better to others and to God. We don’t often equate a “season of repentance” with the Love of Valentine’s Day. Repentance is understood as a kind of self-flagellation: beating ourselves with our sins to the point we finally say, “Okay, I give up. What I did was wrong and I am for-ever a stupid human, a worm. I mean nothing and I am no one.” But the point of repentance is not to make ourselves feel bad. It is to change our way of being, our way of living, our way of interacting with others and with God. In fact the word “repent” in Greek (metanoeo) means - “to turn around” or “to change one’s way of thinking” and in changing our way of thinking we change our way of acting, our way of living, our way of seeing and interacting in the world. Perhaps in realiz-ing our own “lostness,” perhaps in recognizing how lost we were and remembering the lengths to which God has gone to find us, we are able to go to great lengths to find and forgive others. Knowing that God loves us, fills us with unlimited joy and in response, we extend that joy and love to care for others! God has found us. We once were lost but now are found. That should be our well-spring of joy, our reserve of comfort and confidence: We are found. And that’s some-thing that stays with us, even in our darkest times. This Lent, let us reflect on the ways God loves us and let us extend that love to others. This Lent, may we find those who are lost, as God has found us. And may we be blessed, now and always,

Pastor Krista

Pastor’s Note: Approaching the Season of Lent

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WUMC Children’s Ministry Dear Families, Happy Valentine’s Day! May God bless each family with love, peace, joy, and health. Please join us for Sunday school each week and invite a friend! Nursery care is available during the service in Classroom 1. The children are invited to come with their families into the sanctuary at 10:00 am and have chil-dren’s moments with Pastor Krista. Then they go to Sun-day school and sing Christian songs followed by our les-son.

In February, we continue learning about Jesus’s ministry. Our main point will be “Jesus shows God’s power.” The memory Bible verse is “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!” Mark 4:41.

Feb. 4 Jesus Walks on Water John 6:16-25 Feb. 11 The Four Friends Mark 2:1-12 Feb. 18 Jesus Calms the Storm Mark 4:35-41 Feb. 25 Jairus’s Daughter Mark 5:21-24; 35-48

Please come and join us for exciting lessons with crafts, reading the Bible, watching a vid-eo, and joining together in prayer. Blessings,

Carroll Martin rcepmartin@charter.net

Left: On January 28, the Sunday School Class learned how Jesus loves children and they made self-portraits! From left: Sophia, Aubrey, Benny, Mikaela, Jona-thon, and Steven.

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Walnut United Methodist Women

We had an inspiring, enjoyable meeting in January. Thank you to Julie Fisher for giving the devotions and Sandy Woolley for providing the refreshments. We discussed Mission projects for the year such as making goodie bags for the homeless and the date for the Ladies’ Tea. Please save the date of Saturday,

April 21 for our annual tea! We also decided to have a Meet and Greet at the Walnut United Methodist Preschool on Friday, Feb. 16 from 7 am to 9 am. Please come and help serve tea, coffee, and goodies as we greet the parents. In 2017, together following God’s purpose, we were able to make a difference in the lives of women, children, and youth in our community and the world! We gave to the United Meth-odist Women 5 channels of giving for a total of $1,875. We also gave abundantly $1,100 to Friends of Padhar Schools to help children in rural India get an education. Locally we gave $200.00 to Serenity Foster Care and Adoption, $100.00 to Inland Valley Hope Partners, $100.00 to USO, $100.00 to Cal-Pac Camping Changes Lives program, $100.00 to Tober-man Neighborhood Center, and $50.00 to Danny’s Farms. We also had hands-on projects, such as goodie bags for the homeless, baby shower and Christmas gifts for foster children placed by Serenity, and food drives. Together by your love and generosity, we were able to serve God by putting faith, hope, and love in action. Please come to our next meeting on Saturday, February 10 at 10:00 am in the Fellowship Hall. All ladies are invited! Please try something new and come and join us for a wonderful time of fellowship, learning about God, and doing God’s Mission projects. We will take a Prayer and Self-Denial offering-Learning for a Lifetime: Devel-oping Leaders! I look forward to seeing everyone there! Upcoming event: California-Pacific UMW Mid-Winter Event “Mission into Action” on Satur-day, Feb. 17 from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm. We have an opportunity to have hands-on work day at David and Margaret Youth and Family Services at 1350 Third St. La Verne, CA 91750. We can car-pool from church. Please register by Feb. 6 at www.calpacumc.org/umw. Cost is $12.00. Please let me know if you would like to at-tend. Blessings and Peace,

Carroll Martin WUMW President rcepmartin@charter.net

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Son of God is a 2014 American epic biblical drama

film, produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. The film premi-ered in New York, and Los Angeles for a limited release on Febru-ary 21, 2014, and then into a wide release on February 28, 2014.The film retells the life of Jesus and is an adaptation of the ten-hour mini-series The Bible, which aired in March 2013 on the History channel.

Inside Out is set in the mind of a young girl named

Riley Andersen (Kaitlyn Dias), where five personified emotions—Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Bill Hader) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling)—try to lead her through life as her parents (Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan) move from Minnesota to San Francisco, and she has to adjust to her new surroundings. Join us for a discussion afterward about how - as Psalm 139 states—we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Friday, February 2nd - “Son of God”

Potluck dinner begins at 6:00PM * Movie begins at 6:30PM with discussion to follow

Saturday, February 3rd - “Inside Out”

Potluck lunch begins at 12:00 noon * Movie begins at 12:30PM with discussion to follow

Join us for “Faith in Film!”

African Team Ministries is a Christian ministry working as an intermedi-ary between African and American churches. With help from Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Anglican denominations, we pro-vide funding for orphan and refugee relief missions and evangelism in East Africa. The support we receive is sent directly to our partnering Bishops to pro-vide school fees, tuition, books, and uniforms. This support ensures that the children receive an education and a measure of stability needed to rebuild their minds. We currently have children registered for sponsor-ship in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Through our support, we are giv-ing the gift of HOPE!

Products from African Team Ministries will be on sale in our Narthex on February 4 and Feb. 11th. Come and See!

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Spotlight on Youth!!

Look around the sanctuary on Sunday. Those children’s moment faces and youth enjoying the monthly pizza lunches are the future adults filling the pews. Our acolytes are doing a great service in our worship. Taking time to teach a song and present it on Sunday morning, brings smiles to the faces of Adult song leaders and applause from the pews. To have a “Faith in Film” presentation that encourages our youth and the “Bible Bowl” that highlighted our youth and adults working togeth-er—this is another sign that says youth are a welcome part of our Walnut UMC family. Blessings,

Don Driftmier Youth Ministries

February Calendar

Sunday, Feb. 4 8:45 AM Choir Rehearsal 10:00 AM Morning Worship Service 11:20 AM Youth Pizza Lunch and Game Day Choir Rehearsal Monday, Feb. 5 7:00 PM Trustees Meeting Wednesday, Feb. 7 6:30 PM Bible Study at the home of Jim Brewster Saturday, Feb. 10 10:00 AM UMW Meeting 12:00 PM Choir Rehearsal Sunday, Feb. 11 8:45 AM Choir Rehearsal 10:00 AM Morning Worship Service 11:20 AM Choir Rehearsal Monday, Feb. 12 7:00 PM Finance Meeting Wednesday, Feb. 14 ASH WEDNESDAY 6:30 PM Bible Study at the home of Jim Brewster Friday, Feb. 16 7:00-9:00AM UMW Meet and Greet at Walnut UM Preschool Saturday, Feb. 17 10:00 AM Choir Rehearsal Sunday, Feb. 18 8:45 AM Choir Rehearsal 10:00 AM Morning Worship Service (Lent 1) 11:20 AM Choir Rehearsal Monday, Feb. 19 7:00 PM Preschool Board Meeting Wednesday, Feb. 21 6:30 PM Bible Study at the home of Jim Brewster Saturday, Feb. 24 10:00 AM Choir Rehearsal Sunday, Feb. 25 8:45 AM Choir Rehearsal 10:00 AM Morning Worship Service (Lent 2) 11:20 AM Choir Rehearsal Monday, Feb. 26 7:00 PM Church Council Meeting Wednesday, Feb. 28 6:30 PM Bible Study at the home of Jim Brewster

Pastor Krista on Vacation from February 26-March 15th.

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If you would like to be involved in worship, there are many vital opportunities available: Singing in our Church Choir; Providing refreshments and flowers for the altar; Greeting people as they enter the church—offering a smile and some hospitality. If you are interested, please sign up on the sheet in the narthex. Thanks!

Date Liturgist Refreshments Acolyte

February 4 Jeff Chamlee Belen Ehri Mikaela Hill

February 11 Carol Castillo Areanne Custodio

February 18 Jay Swartz Angela Lie

February 25 Carol Coy Sandy Woolley Sophia Hill

Worship Volunteers for February 2018

Walnut UM Preschool News Though we have just begun 2018, here at the preschool it’s time to start thinking about September and the next school year. We will begin the sign-up and registration process for our kindergarten class early this month and open the Pre-K and three’s registration for our current preschool families towards the end of the month. We will start calling our waiting list and begin our outside registration for new students the first part on March. This month the kindergarten class will have par-ent conferences. The pre-k children have been busy working on kindergarten preparedness, and our three year old classes will continue to work on social skills, and introducing beginning academ-ics. In chapel we will learn the stories that show Jesus’ love and care for His people as He does wonderful miracles. We will have a “Fun with Bubbles” show along with Valentine’s Day parties on February 13th and 14th.

We have always thought of February as the month of “love”, 1 John 3:18 says, “Dear Children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” Let’s be an example to our children not just this month but all year long. Sincerely,

Chris Torreyson Walnut United Methodist Preschool Director

Our WUMP page on the website has been updated! Check it out www.walnutumc.org/preschool-and-kindergarten

Scenes from our Church:

January 2018