Blessings Abound!!

What happens when God puts opportunities in our paths? Miracles and blessings sprout up everywhere. This week the "Faith Ladies" . . . a wonderful women's Sunday School class prepared frito pie and brownies for clients at the Children's Advocacy Center. Way to go faith ladies! And, as a result of our alternative Easter giving opportunity, we purchased 39 flocks of chicks, 8 trios of rabbits and 2 goats through Heifer International. Isn't that better than a candy egg? If you have great ideas about outreach projects . . . we'd love to hear them...

Palm Sunday

"Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear" reminds me of my childhood in the church . . . waiving palm branches and processing in to sing about Jesus on the donkey . . . somehow that story connects us to the human side of Jesus. I confess that I still love to sing that old song and I love to remember the stories of Jesus . . . especially the stories of Jesus loving children, reaching out to those the "church people" didn't accept, and washing the feet of the disciples so they could understand servant leadership. Especially during Lent, we remember the humility of Jesus, the Word made flesh, the flesh who suffered so that we can know the unconditional love of God, the love that has no boundaries. Today, I'll thankfully wave my palm branch again, recognizing in my act of worship my submission to the lordship of a servant king who loved the world without exception. Easter Egg Hunt at the Rancho Brazos Community Center today at 4:00 PM . . .

Rancho Brazos Easter Egg Hunt

Hunting Easter Eggs is one of those secular traditions that has become a part of our faith life . . . we're never too old to grab a basket and search through the spring blooms for an egg that just might have a surprise inside. Egg hunting is a "threshhold experience" that takes us not only into spring but also into the assurance of the new life we know through our faith in Jesus. The enthusiasm of the children reminds us that life is full of surprises and that we never really know where the prize egg will be found . . . and that even though there may be many of us "on the hunt" there are always enough eggs to go around. This Sunday afternoon, our Koinonia class will be sponsoring an Easter Egg hunt at our Rancho Brazos Community Center at 4:00 PM. If you would like to help, please respond here and we'll get you connected. You never know what surprise might be in store for you as you serve these precious children in the name of Jesus. Happy Egg Hunting!

Sojourners in Faith

"Come along with me as a sojourner in faith.
Bring along a sense of expectancy, a vision of high hopes, a glimpse of future possibility, a vivid imagination.
For God's creation is not done.
We are called to pioneer forth toward a future yet unnamed.
As we venture forward, we leave behind our desires for a no-risk life , worldly accumulations, certainty of answers.
Let us travel light in the spirit of faith and expectation toward the God of our hopes and dreams.
Let us be a witness to God's future breaking in.
Come along with me as a sojourner in faith secure in the knowledge that we never travel alone."
--Susan gregg-Schroeder

Bunnies and Chicks

Chocolate bunnies and chicks aren't the only things in Easter baskets this Easter! This year we've offered real bunnies and chickens through Heifer International as an alternative giving option that really reflects the love of God to the world. To date, we've sent 22 flocks of chicks and 21 rabbits around the world to celebrate the living Christ. You can multiply your Easter giving by contributing to Heifer as well. Let me know if you need more information!

Love Granbury Kindness Explosion

"If you are a follower of Christ . . . . all that matter is your faith that makes you love others." (Galatians 5:6) It sometimes seems like the most difficult place to love others is our own backyard. "Love Granbury Kindness Explosion" is a non-denominational experiment in servant evangelism . . . loving the world in the name of Jesus with no strings attached! If this is the kind of evangelism that warms your heart and feeds your spirit, join Acton United Methodist Church (along with many other churches in our community) on Saturday, April 17 as we go out into our Granbury community with the pure unconditional love of Jesus . . . . bagging groceries, carrying bags to cars, pumping gasoline, and other random acts of kindness . . . not sure how to do that? Call Rev. Dawne McAlpin at 817-326-4242 or reply to this blog to get more information . . .

FaithWork: God's Love in Action is a new "hands-on" outreach ministry at Acton UMC. We began on Saturday, March 13 when four dedicated folks helped a neighbor in the Rancho Brazos community clean his lot. Not only did we share the work, but we shared God's love and grace as our hearts and hands combined to clean up the world a bit. We'll be working again this Saturday, march 21 . . . meet at 9:30 at the Rancho Brazos Community Center.

In addition, we're well on our way to increasing the bunny and chick population of the world by offering persons the opportunity to give a live Easter gift to someone in need around the world through Heifer, International. So far, we've provided 15 sets of chicks and 6 sets of rabbits. Those are real Easter bunnies.

Upcoming FaithWork projects: Monday, April 5 . . . meet at AUMC at 9:00 AM and we'll travel to work at the Rainbow Room, a support ministry for caseworkers and families in the Child Protective Services system. Persons of all ages and skill sets are invited to come as we help to change the world one family at a time.

On Saturday, April 17, we'll be joining other churches in the Granbury community with Love Granbury Kindness Explosion. Look for us around the community with our bright green reusable bags offering assistance and random acts of kindness showing the love of Jesus. Contact me if you want more information.

If you have other ideas for FaithWork projects, please let us know. We look forward to hearing from you with your ideas.