Sunday, July 9: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Food Pantry Sunday

Celebration Service 8:30 am

Sunday School 9:40 am

Traditional Worship 11:00 am

Sunday, July 16: Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Celebration Service

8:30 am

Sunday School 9:40 am

Traditional Worship 11:00 am

The Evangel S t . S t e p h e n ’ s U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h

July 7, 2017 Volume 22, No. 14

OUR MISSION is to know God and make God known!

I was so humbled by our first Sunday together, St. Stephen’s. The worship was joyful, the connections were powerful, the lunch was delicious. I learned so much about how this church is already engaged in the community, about some of your stories, and who we are called to be together. I also learned you are willing to laugh at my lame jokes, so thank you for that! Also, if you came to the luncheon and got your picture taken for my “learn the faces of St. Stephen’s” flash cards, thank you! I’m already studying them and learning some names. If you were out of town or didn’t get your picture made, I’ll find some more times for the mobile photo booth to be open.

I mentioned when I was making announcements that I really want to meet with as many of you as I can over my first couple of months here at St. Stephen’s. I do! While it is unbelievably important for me to learn the layout of the building, the calendar of the committee structures, the order of worship and how we function as a church community, this all pales in comparison to learning who we are as people, as followers of Jesus, and as members of St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church.

So let’s hang out. I’m using a really fun tool called Calendly to help keep myself and my time well-organized while I try and meet with everyone here and around the community. If you’d like to set up a time to meet with me, visit www.calendly.com/revnayte and set up a meeting. If that doesn’t work, or if you don’t use computers much, give Mary Ellen a call and she’ll be happy to plug you in. Still can’t find something that works? We’ll find a time that works for you. Promise.

Something that you’ll learn about me is that I like to end things (meetings, worship services, emails, newsletter articles, etc.) with challenges. This challenge is one that I’m very passionate about: prayer. I would invite each and every one of you to join me in praying for our neighborhood. I truly believe that God has placed this church right where it is for great and specific reasons, and I am excited for all of us to work together to keep discovering what those reasons are. So let’s pray together, let’s talk together, and let’s do life together. Thanks be to God!

Paz,

Nathan

A Message from the Pastor

Summer Sermon Series

For the next seven Sundays (through August 20) the gospel texts from the lectionary are from Matthew. They’re texts where Jesus takes normal and reasonable ideas and turns them upside down, stretches them, plays with them, or generally shows people just how absurd it is that God extends so much grace to us. We hope you’ll be able to join us as we explore God’s absurd grace. On Sunday July 9, we’ll ask the question “Did Jesus have too much fun?” (Matthew 11:16-30). On July 16 we’ll ask, “Does anyone really waste that many seeds?” (Matthew 13:1-23).

THE EVANGEL Vol. 22 Issue 14, July 7, 2017 (USPS 019-947) is pub-lished bi-weekly free of charge to subscribers by St. Stephen’s Unit-ed Methodist Church, 2003 West 43rd St., Houston, TX 77018-3009. Periodicals postage paid at Houston, TX. POSTMASTER: Send ad-dress changes to St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church, 2003 West 43rd St., Houston, TX 77018-3009.

Evangel Deadlines

2 Attendance and Contributions at St. Stephen’s:

Publication Date News Deadline July 21 Noon-Monday, July 17 August 4 Noon-Monday, July 31

Send articles to maryellen@stsumc.org or call the church office.

Mi le s ton es

8:30 am 11:00 am Sunday School Operating Building Missions/ Communion

Other Fundraiser

June 25 49 110 98 $5,161.00 $398.50 $55.00 $318.99 —

July 2

54 182 109 $9,531.98 $251.00 $396.00 $1,439.00 —

New Address for the Otto Family

We are happy to report that our former pastor, Rev. Kevin Otto, and his family made their move safely to Carthage, Texas, where Kevin is now serving as the senior pastor at the First United Methodist Church. Kevin, Ginger and Jennings want to share their new address with St. Stephen’s church family:

220 Timberlane Drive Carthage, Texas 75633

Here is the address for 1st UMC Carthage: 201 South Shelby Street Carthage, Texas 75633

Members, guests and friends of St. Stephen’s gathered to welcome our new pastor, Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, and his wife, Sarah, at a luncheon in their honor on Sunday, July 2. Tables at the luncheon were sponsored by various ministries and small groups, and decorated with items associated with those groups, to help Nathan and Sarah become acquainted with our church. Please visit St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church’s Facebook page to see lots more photos of the luncheon and other events at St. Stephen’s.

In Memory

We are saddened to announce that Margaret Demuth passed away Monday, July 3, 2017. A funeral service will be held for Margaret on Saturday, July 15, at 10:00 a.m. at American Heritage Funeral Home, 10710 Veterans Memorial Drive, in Houston. Please lift up her family in your prayers as they grieve the loss of their loved one.

St . S tephen’s UMC —Calend ar of Events

Friday, July 14: Bible Village Set-Up in Fellowship Hall 6:00 am—Men’s Prayer Breakfast (Denny’s @ 34th & 290)

Saturday, July 15: Bible Village Set-Up in Fellowship Hall 8:00 pm—Narcotics Anonymous Support Group (Scout House)

Sunday, July 16: Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Bible Village and VBS Set-Up 7:30 am—Sonrise Choir Practice (Sanctuary) 8:30 am—Celebration Service (Sanctuary) 9:40 am—Sunday School for Children, Youth & Adults (Education Bldg) 11:00 am—Traditional Worship (Sanctuary)

Monday, July 17: Vacation Bible School Week 8:30 am-Noon—Vacation Bible School (Sanctuary, Education Bldg, Fellowship Hall) 12:00 pm—Deadline to turn in articles for July 21 Evangel (Send to maryellen@stsumc.org or call the church office.) 7:00 pm—Boy Scouts Troop 604 Meeting (Scout House)

Tuesday, July 18: 8:30 am-Noon—Vacation Bible School 12:30 pm—Office/Program Staff Meeting 7:00 pm—Church Council Meeting (Room 101) 7:30 pm—Sea Scouts Ship 24 Meeting (Scout House)

Wednesday, July 19: 6:00 am—Men’s Bible Study (Room 112) 8:30 am-Noon—Vacation Bible School 7:00 pm—VBS Open House

Thursday, July 20: 8:30 am-Noon—Vacation Bible School 10:00 am—Prayer Shawl Ministry Meeting (Room 112) 6:30 pm—SEAL Security Meeting (Church Library)

Friday, July 21: 6:00 am—Men’s Prayer Breakfast (Denny’s @ 34th & 290) 8:30 am-Noon—Vacation Bible School

Friday, July 7: Our Jr. High Youth at BIG HOUSE Work Camp @ St. Matthew’s UMC Boy Scouts Troop 604 Returns from Summer Camp 6:00 am—Men’s Prayer Breakfast (Denny’s @ W 34th & 290)

Saturday, July 8: Our Jr. High Youth at BIG HOUSE 7:00 am—Garden Angels Dirt Diggers Workday (Work on flowerbeds.) 11;30 AM—Red Hats Luncheon (Union Kitchen, 3452 Ella Blvd) 12:15 pm—Bus leaves St. Stephen’s for VIPs Trip to Liberty Opry (Fellowship Hall) 8:00 pm—Narcotics Anonymous Support Group (Scout House)

Sunday, July 9: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Food Pantry Sunday Our Jr. High Youth Return from BIG HOUSE 7:30 am—Sonrise (Celebration Service) Choir Practice (Sanctuary) 8:30 am—Celebration Service (Sanctuary) 9:40 am—Sunday School for Children, Youth & Adults (Education Bldg) 11:00 am—Traditional Worship (Sanctuary) 12:00 pm—United Methodist Women Meeting (Fellowship Hall) 12:15 pm—Radical Hospitality Ministry Team Meeting (Room 101)

Monday, July 10: Bible Village Set-Up Begins in Fellowship Hall 10:00 am—The Gathering Place (Fellowship Hall) 7:00 pm—Boy Scouts Troop 604 Committee Meeting (Scout House)

Tuesday, July 11: Bible Village Set-Up in Fellowship Hall 12:30 pm—Office/Program Staff Meeting (Room 101) 7:00 pm—Finance Committee Meeting (Room 101) 7:30 pm—Sea Scouts Ship 24 Meeting (Scout House)

Wednesday, July 12: Bible Village Set-Up in Fellowship Hall 6:00 am—Men’s Bible Study (Room 112) 9:30 am—Senior Games (Room 112/Bring a sack lunch.) 10:00 am—Homebound Visitation (Room 101) 6:00 pm—Sonrise (Celebration Service) Choir Practice (Sanctuary) 7:00 pm—Education Ministry Team Meeting (Room 112) 7:30 pm—Worship Ministry Team Meeting (Sanctuary)

Thursday, July 13: Bible Village Set-Up in Fellowship Hall 7:00 pm—Chancel Choir Practice (Choir Room)

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United Methodist Women

Red Hats Luncheon

The Red Hats welcome ladies of all ages to join us for lunch this Saturday, July 8, at 11:30 at Union Kitchen, 3452 Ella Blvd. Please RSVP to Betty Patterson at 713-688-3681. The Rambling Reds of St. Stephen’s meet monthly on the first or second Saturday to support and encourage women in their pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment and fitness.

The United Methodist Women of St. Stephen’s welcome women of all ages to join us for our monthly meeting Sunday, July 9, following the 11:00 a.m. worship service in the fellowship hall. Please bring a sack lunch. If you would like more information about the UMW, please contact Marsha Hickerson, UMW President, at 281-797-6234. The UMW are coordinating this year’s UMCOR Church-Wide Project, Health Kits. Copies of the supply list for the health kits and a collection basket are available in the Narthex. Items for the health kits will be collected through Sunday, August 13.

Calendar Changes

Be sure to check the church calendar for changes to the regular schedule during the next few weeks. Some events and meetings have had date and location changes, and some have been cancelled, due to the set up for the Bible Village, Vacation Bible School and the visiting J.U.M.M.P. Camp. (You can read more about J.U.M.M.P. on page 4).

In Ou r Prayers

In the Mil itary Dirk Ray Jr., Allen Troth

Pr ayer Co ncer n s

4

In the Hospital

St. Luke’s-Vintage Park—Nancy Hunt

Mission and Volunteer Opportunities

Food Pantry Sunday

This Sunday, July 9, is Food Pantry Sunday. Please bring donations of non-perishable food to the basket in the Narthex marked “MANNA” (Ministry Assistance of the Near Northwest Alliance). The food will be delivered to MANNA’s food pantry to be given to needy families in our area. The second Sunday of each month (with the exception of November and December) is Food Pantry Sunday at St. Stephen’s.

Homebound Visitation

Our Homebound Visitation Team will be visiting our homebound members Wednesday, July 12. You are invited to join us at 10:00 a.m. in Room 101 for prayer before we head out in pairs to visit one or two households to offer our fellowship and take time to listen to their concerns. We want them to know they are still part of our church family, even if they can no longer get to St. Stephen’s.

Florence Bowman, who has coordinated our homebound visitation program for the past 27 years, is retiring. We invite you to consider coordinating the program. The coordinator first contacts our team of visitors to see how many will be able to go out, then calls the homebound to make sure they are able to receive a visitor. This does require some time to make the calls and get return calls from the messages that are left. This ministry is such a satisfying way to spread the love of St. Stephen’s family to members who might feel isolated without us. For more information, please call Florence at 713-682-4513.

Be a Superhero!

At “Hero Central”, July 17-21, children age 3 through those entering the fifth grade next fall will have the opportunity to experience awesome adventures with some of their favorite Bible heroes and discover the qualities that make us truly heroic in God! VBS needs volunteers to make this a successful outreach to the children of our church and community. At this time, we are especially in need of a teacher for preschool age children. Registration forms for children and volunteers are available in the Narthex (sanctuary foyer), through the church office and on our website. For more information, please contact Mary Gossett, Director of Student Ministries.

Snacks for Star of Hope

Who doesn’t love an evening snack? It can be a long time between dinner and breakfast when you can’t raid the fridge for a snack. Volunteers at the Star of Hope Women’s and Family Emergency Center have a wonderful time visiting with clients as they provide and serve an evening snack. Volunteers arrive at 7:00 p.m. to set up. Clients are invited to come by for a snack beginning at 7:15 p.m. Snack time is over at 8:00 p.m. Volunteers then sweep up and are out the door.

We have been invited to host Snacks and Goodnight at the Women’s and Family Shelter, 419 Emancipation Ave., on Friday, July 21, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.; and to provide cookies for approximately 200 shelter guests. If you would like to volunteer to help serve snacks, please contact Jonathan Lowe at jonathan.david.lowe@gmail.com to register.

J.U.M.M.P. Camp

We are excited about hosting our first J.U.M.M.P. Camp at St. Stephen’s the week of July 24-28! J.U.M.M.P., Junior High United Methodist Mission Project, is a leadership work camp the helps 6th, 7th and 8th grade students foster their passion for God and His people. Its mission is to develop junior high youth as student leaders. During camp weeks, the youth spend Monday through Friday staying at churches in the towns they are serving. The work they do ranges from scraping and painting to installing wheelchair ramps, roof repairs, yard work, replacing screen doors and windows, weatherizing, and other general household repairs.

Please be in prayer for the J.U.M.M.P. campers while they are staying with us and ministering to others in need. Let’s help the campers feel welcome by bringing homemade sweet treats and snacks to the church kitchen any day during the week they are here.

Ed & Claytie Abrahams, John & Dorothy Artz, Chappie Ashburn, Ruth Austin, Robert Baldwin, Carolyn Belk, Peggy Bickel, Anita Bishop, Paula Brady, Nancy Buck, Chappie Collins, Earl & Gloria Collins, Dorothy Cox, the family of Margaret Demuth, Elizabeth Dennard, Charlotte Dorton, Gerald Dupree, Cameron Elliott, the family of Florence Epperson, Penny Gadmer, Bill & Mildred Gandin, Louise Glaze, Betty Gleason, Dorothy Haschke, Ann Hill, Betsy Hill, Elizabeth Huebner, Damian Janacek, Thelma Jones, Lee Kruse, Angus & Virginia Lewis, Lavon Mahon, Bonnie Maple, Michelle Maurizi, Frances Mayberry, Ed Mills, Bill Moan, Nina Myers (hospice), Michael Niederhofer, Gary & Dian Parker, Jody Parker, Betty Parks, Jean Parks, Margie Perron, Gloria Powell, Ky and Anna Ruth (in hospice) Putnam, Milton & Noni Ray, Caroline Reaves, Betty Roberts, Rogers & Jane Roberts, Kathleen Saathoff, Donna Schmidt, Barbara Smith, Lura Smith, Billy Stephens, Carol Stone, Hazel Swearingen, Danny Thomason, Hazel Thompson, Rosalie Turner, Ronnie Vance, Bitsy Vilven, Martha Wachel, Virginia Wells, Margaret White (hospice), Paul Wieting, George Wood, Julia Woodhull

THE PRAYER CONNECTION is a ministry that is at the heart of the church - caring for each other in sorrow and in joy. Please help us minister and reach out to you and our faith community more effectively. Please let us know when and how God answers.

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From the Director of Student Ministries

It’s UM ARMY, not UM ARMA

We had a wonderful week serving the people of Lufkin at UM ARMY. Eighty-five people from five churches gathered together to complete twenty-one sites which ranged from constructing giant porches, wheelchair ramps, to painting interior and exterior walls and ceilings. At the start of camp, the director told us, “It’s UM ARMY, not UM ARMA. It’s about the youth, not the adults.” It was a good reminder to all of us, and his leadership helped all of us

remember that it is the work we do with the young people that matters the most. The camp was very spiritually uplifting, and we did a lot of good for the community.

I, Mary Gossett, was the camp administrator, so I got to see the finances. The allotment for materials was $95 a person, and $35 was allotted for food for the week. The church members at Lufkin were kind enough to donate 3 of the evening dinners, which freed up enough money for us to do an extra wheelchair ramp (approximately $1000!) and bless a family more than we will ever know. If you have ever donated anything extra to UM ARMY, know that your gift enables more people to be blessed, and I hope you will think how you can donate in the future.

Big House at St. Matthew’s

Madison, Brody, Lance, Jessie, Ashleigh, Justin, Bryan, and Mary are headed over to St. Matthew’s for our junior high mission trip, Big House, from July 6-9th. We will be doing repairs and yardwork in our community. Please feel free to drop off a goody at St. Matthew’s for the camp during that time.

VBS Help Needed!

Are you good with scissors? Can you cut material in a semi straight line? If so, we need your help making capes for VBS! We are making t-shirt capes, and in order to make enough for all of the children who attend VBS, we need to start cutting as soon as possible. If you can help, please see Mary Gossett for a bag of t-shirts and a template on how to cut them. (It’s really easy, you cut up the sides and leave the collar attached.)

Fine Arts Camp

Our second Fine Arts Camp is August 6-10, and it starts at 5pm each evening with dinner and ends at 7:30pm after an evening of art, drama,

dance, and music. The camp is open to those going into kindergarten through the 6th grade. Please contact Pastor Lindsay for more

information.

Child ren and You th News

Please visit our Facebook page to see lots more photos of children and youth ministries and activities!

UM ARMY United Methodist Action Reach-Out Mission by Youth

St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church

2003 West 43rd Street Houston, Texas 77018 (713) 686-8241

www.stsumc.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

PERIODICA L

PAID

HOUSTON, TX

Rev. Lindsay Smith Minister of Music music@stsumc.org

Mary Gossett Director of Student Ministries youth@stsumc.org

Juyeon Kim Organist

Candice Croker Director, Johnson Memorial School jms@stsumc.org

Melissa Soto Nursery Coordinator

Anita Cabrera, Brittany Hietpas, Adriana Montes, Rachel Montes Nursery Staff

Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe Senior Pastor nathan@stsumc.org

Mary Jessie Accounting Manager mary@stsumc.org

Mary Ellen King Executive Secretary maryellen@stsumc.org

Administrative Staff

Program Staff

Welcome, Pastor Nathan and Sarah Lonsdale Bledsoe! Our church will be blessed by them both, and I am so excited to begin serving St. Stephen’s UMC with them! I look forward to getting to know each of them better and I hope all of us will be in prayer for them as they adjust to a new congregation and a new community. It can be overwhelming to meet so many people so quickly, but you all were wonderfully patient with me while I was learning names, and I know you will be so with Pastor Nathan and Sarah as well! I look forward to what God has in store for St. Stephen’s in the months and years to come, and I am excited to work with Pastor Nathan, who is wonderfully gifted, insightful, and passionate about making disciples for the transformation of the world!

Notes from the Music Minister

To the Congregation and Staff of St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church:

Thank you for everything you have done for Stevens Elementary. I feel blessed and privileged to have worked with you for a few years; 24! It was clearly an honor for me.

God bless you all today and always.

Marcela Enriquez

(Mrs. Enriquez retired this past May after working in the office at Stevens Elementary School for over 25 years. She assisted St. Stephen’s in ministering to families in need at the school during our annual Christmas Basket Ministry, and by shopping for school supplies, uniforms, and other clothing items from monetary donations made by St. Stephen’s congregation at the beginning of each school year. Marcella plans to continue assisting with our Christmas Basket Ministry.)

The Gathering Place

Once a month, on the second Monday, a group of dedicated St. Stephen’s volunteers, in partnership with Interfaith CarePartners, provide lunch and fun activities in our fellowship hall for persons with Alzheimer’s and other memory loss so that their caregivers can have a break. Gatherings are centered around a theme and activities include music, fitness, crafts and live entertainment. This month’s “Gathering” will be held Monday, July 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

There is no charge to caregiver or carepartner to attend The Gathering Place. If you believe you and your carepartner might benefit from this ministry, please contact Monica Holiday with CarePartners at 713-682-5995, ext. 206.

If you are interested in joining our team of wonderful volunteers, there are many areas in which to serve, including helping in the kitchen, with crafts and other activities, and guiding our guests to the various activity areas. If you are physically unable to help in these areas, but have a desire to be a part of the team, you can help by sitting at the tables with our guests, getting to know them and helping them to feel welcome. For more information on volunteering, please contact Gwen Hunt, Gathering Place Coordinator, at ghunt226@gmail.com or 713-686-1202.

Note of Thanks