Bremen United Methodist Church
will extend transforming grace in the community to develop fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ.
Rev. Jeff Smith
FACEBOOK: Jeff Smith
TWITTER: @jeff_jrsmith5
INSTAGRAM: @bsu1981cts2001
(574) 546-2667
Bremen United Methodist Church
April 2016
will extend transforming grace in the community to develop fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ.
CELL: (574) 248-5753
WWW.BUMCHURCH.ORG
FACEBOOK: Bremen United Methodist Church
INSTAGRAM: @b.u.m.c
Join us April 23rd at 8:30 as we get BUMC cleaned up from hibernation!
There will be job lists in the Welcome Center. Many hands make for light
work! Mark your calendar and give us a hand!
Join us April 30th from 8-12 as we help those in our community! See Mary Grebe if
you have a job that needs done or if you would like to volunteer!
Bremen United Methodist Church
302 West Plymouth street
Bremen, IN 46506-1547
Address Service Requested
UPCOMING EVENTS:
WATER IS LIFE!
As a deer pants for water, so my soul thirst for you O God. -Psalm 42:1
Africa used to be referred to as “The dark continent.” If the only thing you knew about Africa
was that reference you might assume that the land had little sunshine and was perpetually
overcast or cloudy. That would be a mistake. Africa is one of the most sundrenched places on
the planet. Likewise, that reference had absolutely nothing to do with the skin pigmentation of
the residents. So why was Africa known as “the dark continent?” It’s because for a long time,
so little was known about it.
For me personally, Africa is a whole lot less dark today than it was in the past because I’ve
seen Africa up close and personally – at least one part of it called Burkina Faso. The land is
majestic and beautiful – in many places, some of the most beautiful vistas in the world can be
found there. The people are beautiful and they tend to be hard working, and generous with
what they have. They are also desperately poor. And the land, while beautiful, can be harsh
and unyielding.
If you’ve been following us here at BUMC, you know that we’ve been raising funds for clean
water and wells in Burkina Faso. You may recall that about 85% of the population is without
clean drinking water. The wells that have been dug with money you’ve donated have made a
real difference. I’ve been blessed to see this with my own eyes. But what you might not know
is that the clean water initiative is only a part of what’s being accomplished in Burkina Faso.
When a village makes a request of the church for a well, the church asks that they give a plot of
land so that a pastor can come to the village with the well. Once agreed upon, the church will
build a hangar on that plot of ground. A hangar is a framed structure with a tin roof built on a
concrete slab. But a hangar is so much more. It’s a church plant which can be finished with
either brick walls or thatch as the church grows. The pastor comes with the well and is set to
evangelize. In one village, where a well was dug in part with the funds we donated, twelve
women were invited to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and all of them accepted the invitation.
The next day, they brought their husbands. In six short weeks, over two hundred of the villagers became Christians. That’s just one story about what’s happening in Burkina Faso but it is
by no means an isolated one. There are dozens more just like it.
From a Christian perspective, I suppose you could say that Africa is a dark continent because
so few of them know about Jesus or the Good News. But that is clearly changing. There is an
African proverb that goes something like this: “Empty stomachs have no ears.” In Burkina
Faso, missionaries and well trained pastors are making a huge difference in that respect. They
show the folks that they care by putting their time, their talent and their treasure where their talk
is – by providing life-giving water as a way of sharing the Gospel.
That’s what you’ve been a part of both in 2013 and last month. Thank you for helping to make
Africa a place where the light shines – the light of the love of Jesus. And believe me, that light
shines brighter every day.
Blessings,
Pastor Jeff
Pizza At the Parsonage
EVERY TUESDAY!
We have outgrown the Parsonage
dinning room! Meet us in the church
fellowship hall every Tuesday during
lunch!
Alpha Youth Group!
Starting Thursday March 17th at 6:30
join us in the fellowship hall for Alpha
Youth Group! See Jalysa for more
details.
@alphayouth
Girls Spring Break Overnighter!
Join us for a night out with the girls
April 6th to April 7th! See Jalysa for
more information.
Have questions or just need to chat? You can
contact Jalysa at 574-807-2619
Jar of Hope
April JOH goes to
UMCOR
Don’t forget to tell your
Secret Sister how much
you care!
Juice
7oz Cups
Wish List
Canned Pasta
Spaghetti Sauce
Laundry Soap
Dry Beans
Spaghetti
Canned Meat
Snacks
Cereal
From Peter and Liz Anderson
"Greetings to our friends and partners from a
very wet London! We want to thank you all at
BUMC for your ongoing support of our ministry
here in our neighborhood of Tower Hamlets.
Because of your help over the past year, we
have significantly deepened our work here:
guiding spiritual seekers, supporting neighbors
and families in crisis, building community across
religions and ethnicity, and helping our team to
better evangelize and disciple people in our
low-income, mostly Muslim and atheist,
community. You are an ongoing
encouragement and blessing to us in our
mission, and we're excited to see how Jesus's
Kingdom continues to grow both in London and
Bremen. And if you want to hear more, please
feel free to reach us at www.fiercelyalive.com or
email us at [email protected]."
Birthdays
17 Dorothy Bollinger
21 Troy Huff
02 Judy Redman &
23 Abby Campbell
Mike Huppert
24 Steve
03 Shirley Rager
05 Shannon Welborn Schweishberger
25 Sandy Krost
06 Liz Anderson
28 Megan Bules
08 Logan Paul
13 Francis Rans
16 Diane Hawks &
Kaelyn Shively
01 Chris Huppert
Anniversaries
13 John and Kristine Hatfield
15 Ron and Carol Knisley
20 Bob and Connie Wilson
Our Church / God's Church Spring Clean Up
April 23rd at 8:00
We will put together a list of jobs that need to be done and place the list in the Welcome
Center. Please put your names next to the tasks you will be willing to serve to take care
of. If you cannot make it on this day, then you may do it at your convenience.
If you are aware of work that needs to get done, please let one of the Trustees or the
office know and we will add it to the list.
We appreciate your help.
Trustees,
Greg and Wendy Bollenbacher, Todd and Ann Keller, LeRoy Anderson
The BUMC SONLight Care Team Update
John 8:12 Jesus spoke: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will
never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The SONLight Care Team is made up of Todd and Ann Keller, Lois Sheley, Jan
Neidigh, Carol Heckaman, and Mary Grebe. We have been working very hard for the
glory of God and YOU. The committee wants to help build back up the unity of our
church. The way it can be accomplished is trusting and obeying what God wants us to
do. Mother Teresa said, “Prayer is putting ourselves in the Hands of God. If you have
not been receiving prayer chain emails or phone calls, and would like to be added,
please contact one of the committee members.
When our committee asked for your help, these people stepped up to volunteer.
There are still areas of help that we could use volunteers, so please pray and see if
this is where you can serve. 1) Send out Cards to Church Friends: January-February,
Marie Hartsell & Emily Huffman; March-April, Wendy Bollenbacher & Lois Sheley; May
-June, Shirley Wilson & Donna Weston; July-August, Pam Miller & Georgia Germann;
September-October, Carolyn Sheley & Reg Huff, November-December, Jennifer
Makhalira & ____?______. 2) Prayer Warriors: January-February, Reg Huff;
March-April, Melissa Streeter & Flora Bowser. WE need volunteers for the rest of the
year. THANKS & God Bless You All.
Red Bird Mission Trip: June 13-18, 2016
If you would like to go, see Mary Grebe for the sign-up form. Remember there is no
personal cost except for a few meals while traveling.
You can help the team on the mission trip by:
1* Prayers;
2* Donate clothing, home items, and small housewares and small appliances
(Collections will start in May);
3* Fund Donations. We have THREE ways to contribute. 1) Donate aluminum cans
(Collections will start in May). 2) Money donation: Highest Donation will receive a
beautiful quilt made every year by a church member in Wakarusa in honor of her son.
The quilt is 84”by 84”. Donations are collected through June 5, 2016. Just write check
out to BUMC Church, earmarked: Redbird Mission Trip. The quilt will visit our church
closer to the trip. 3)Hacienda Gives Back Fiesta. Thanks for your support.
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Deadline for the
Fri
Sat
1
2
8
9
15
16
bulletin is 10:00am on
Wednesdays.
Deadline for the
newsletter is the 20th
of each month.
3
4
9:30 New Traditions
Worship (Communion)
5
6
7
9 Women’s Bible Study
Girls Sprig Break
Overnighter!
12 BUMS Lunch
6:30 Alpha Bible Study
5 Women’s Bible Study
10
11
9:30 New Traditions
Worship
12
13
9 Women’s Bible Study
12 Pizza at the Parsonage
5 Women’s Bible Study
17
18
9:30 New Traditions
Worship
24
9:30 New Traditions
Worship
14
Tri-Kappa Rise ’n
Roll sale ends April
15th. See Mary Grebe
to order. Pick up date
is April 29th at the
church from
5:30-6:30.
6 Daycare Board mtg.
6:30 Praise Practice
19
20
6:30 Alpha Bible Study
21
22
8:30 BUMS Breakfast
8:30 Spring Cleaning!
12 Pizza at the Parsonage
25
7 Ad Council Mtg.
6:30 Praise Practice
26
27
12 Pizza at the Parsonage
6:30 Alpha Bible Study
28
6:30 Praise Practice
7 Steve Grant at Church of
God
23
6:30 Alpha Bible Study
29
30
5:30—6:30 Tri Kappa
Rise ‘n Roll Pick up!
8-12 Brush with
Kindness
8-12 Brush with
Kindness on April
23rd and May 13th.
See Mary Grebe if
you have any jobs or
would like to
volunteer!