JONES CHAPEL UMC NEWSLETTER April 2009 Words of Encouragement by Pastor Elnora Nunnally Hello "I will start out thanking everyone for your participation in our youth "Fun Day Out" event. It was a successful and prosperous event, along with our Youth & Children's Annual Day. We could not have done it without your help. The youth at Jones Chapel are celebrated not tolerated. This month is very important to us at Jones Chapel UMC because it is the month we celebrate ""The Death and Resurrection" of Jesus Christ. In the days to come, we will take a new, important initiative to celebrate and promote social and personal benefits of family life (in all ages, shapes and sizes), which is very crucial for the future of our community and Jones Chapel. There will be an improvement in connectionalism and with good family and community relationships here at Jones Chapel. In this time of economic instability, we want to particularly send out strong, positive and abiding messages to our community the Rhema word of God to give us hope and increase our faith to make a difference in our community and our church. You are very welcome to join us here at Jones Chapel. We have "Open Hearts, Open Minds and Open Doors". God Bless AUXILLARIES / COMMITTEES "A church conference is scheduled to be held immediately after worship services on Sunday, April 5, 2009. The topic of discussion is centered around the ongoing project to attach additional rooms to the back of the Sanctuary. All members are asked to be in attendance if possible. The first Appreciation Service at Jones Chapel for our reigning pastor, Elnora Nunnally and husband, Bro. Andrew Nunnally will be conducted on Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 4:00 pm. Special guests for the hour are their son, Rev. Andrew Nunnally III and St. Andrews UMC of Houston, Texas. Everyone is cordially invited to come and celebrate this special occasion with us. The United Methodist Women are still on the move. They are making a special effort this month to visit the sick and shut-ins on Tuesday, April 28, 2009. I'm sure this portrayal of kindness will be greatly appreciated. "TAKE MY SON" "A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, ""Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art." The young man held out the package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."" The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected. The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction on his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. ""We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. " "Skip this one."" But the auctioneer persisted, "" Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100," "$200?"" Another voice angrily said, ""We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the "Rembrandt's. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?" "Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10" "for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. "We have $10. Who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10." "Let's see the masters." "$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!" The auctioneer laid down his gavel. ""I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!" God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: "The Son, The Son, who'll take the Son?" Because, you "see, whoever takes the Son gets everything." "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16" CHURCH CALENDAR & ENGAGEMENTS 04/05/09 Church Conference immediately following morning worship services 04/05/09 Special Men's Day Service - St. James UMC - 3:00 pm - JCUMC Men are scheduled to sing. 04/06/09 Exercise Class - 7:00 pm 04/12/09 Easter Program & egg hunt- immediately following worship service 04/13/09 Exercise Class - 7:00 pm 04/19/09 "Federation - Union Primitive Baptist Church - Teague, TX - 3:00 pm" 04/20/09 Exercise Class - 7:00 pm 04/22/09 United Methodist Women's Meeting - 5:00 pm 04/24/09 Youth Social: Time - TBA 04/26/09 Birthday Celebration for April Honorees immediately following morning worship services 04/26/09 "Pastor's Appreciation Service - 4:00 pm - Speaker: Rev. Andrew Nunnally, III - St. Andrews UMC / Houston, TX" 04/27/09 Administrative Board Meeting - 7:00 pm 04/28/09 Visitation of the sick by United Methodist Women EASTER EGG TRINITY "An Easter egg reminds us about God. There is only one God, but our one God exists in three persons. I know it is a little hard to understand how one person can exist as three people and still be one, but God is not a human being like you and I. God is God, and there is only one God. God is magnificent! God is three people in one! God exists as God the Father, as Jesus who is God the Son, and as God the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us. The Easter egg demonstrates how awesome God is. An egg has three parts: The shell, the egg white, and the egg yolk. Even though the egg has three different parts, it is still only one egg. God is known as the Holy Trinity. Trinity means a group of three." "God is three persons in one God. God is God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Pretty egg-cellent, huh?" APRIL HONOREES 04/01/09 Aaryn Scires 04/06/09 Vernita Gabriel 04/27/09 Randall Johnson 04/04/09 Kolton Gatson 04/20/09 Shetonia Scires 04/28/09 Johnnie Moore 04/25/09 Columbus Rischer REGULAR WEEKLY SERVICES Sunday School: 9:45 am Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 am Prayer Meeting: 1st Sunday - 6:00 pm "Bible Study: Wednesday, 6:00 pm " "Choir Rehearsal: Wednesday, 7:00 pm (Youth & Children - Each Wednesday before 2nd Sunday)" "If in need of a ride to church, contact Ms. Lee Earl Johnson @ 903-389-2522 or the church parsonage @ 903-389-3451." "To receive newsletter via email, send request to mojazz91@yahoo.com or sscires@aol.com"