What If...

Lately we’ve been asking ourselves, “What’s next?” What big thing can we do to reach out to people in need? We started asking questions like... What if no one lacked water? What if our children knew what it was like to be in need? What if we could help people with education? Or self-sufficiency? Or affordable housing? The result is a four-part initiative to help our children and youth gain a global perspective and change lives in Kenya, Costa Rica and right here in Grapevine. If you are interested in being a part of these exciting efforts, please join us for the following gatherings to get started:

Children & Youth: Sunday, April 18 at 12:30 PM in Room 2002 in the Family Life Center
Grapevine Village: Sunday, April 18 at 3:00 PM in Room 2002 in the Family Life Center
Kenya Village: Monday, April 19 at 7:00 PM in Room 2008 in the Family Life Center 

Hispanic Ministries is Expanding!

Over the past year, our ministries to the Hispanic community have continued to grow in exciting ways! We are now expanding our Hispanic Ministries into other parts of Tarrant County. Starting Sunday, April 18, we will be partnering with First United Methodist Church in Watauga to offer a Spanish language service at 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings in their chapel. Contact Rev. Armando Alvarado for more information or if you would like to help with Hispanic Ministries (armandoa@fumcg.org or 817-481-2559 x122).

Services for Pastor Alvin Sandlin

You may recall that the pastor at The SLAB, Rev. Alvin Sandlin, collapsed one Sunday morning about a month ago. Pastor Sandlin passed away Thursday, April 8. Services will be this Saturday, April 17, at 11:00 AM at The SLAB. 

The SLAB will continue its ministry under the leadership of Pastor Cherryll Wallace. We will send volunteers as usual this Sunday, April 18. Meet at the Heritage Campus at 9:30 AM to go with the group. More info about the SLAB...

Rev. Rick Mang Records CD of Children's Music

Equipped with a guitar and an orange chair, Rev. Rick entertains young and old with his catchy (and sometimes silly) selection of songs during children's time. Now you can have your very own CD of Rev. Rick's children's songs! Claim your copy of "Come on Down! It's Children's Time!" at the Welcome Center on Sunday mornings, April 25 and May 2, or in the church office during the week. The suggested donation per CD is $10. You may also order and pay for your CD(s) online. All of the proceeds from the sale of the CDs will benefit Kenya Kids Can and Hugworks. There are a limited number of CDs available, so get yours now!  Visit our website for more details and to order online.

Watch Your Stuff!

We would just like to remind everyone that you should not leave your belongings unattended in the church. We have had some incidents in which purses or wallets were left in a room unattended and valuables were missing. Even though we might like to think that no one would ever take something that doesn't belong to them, the church is open for anyone to walk in. For your own protection, we ask that you keep your belongings with you when leaving a room to go to another part of the campus.

Health Ministry News: Safe Sitter Class Available

Parish Nurse Sandra Nasr has provided the following information for parents of children who babysit:
Do you have a child between the ages of 11 to 14? Would they know how to handle an emergency when asked to babysit? The Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford Safe Sitter class is a medically accurate program that teaches boys and girls ages 11 to 14 how to handle emergencies when caring for children. This class teaches safe and nurturing child care techniques, behavior management skills, and appropriate responses to medical emergencies including CPR. For more information, class dates and to register call 1-877-THR-WELL (1-877-847-9355) or go to TexasHealth.org. 

For information about all of our Missions Ministries, visit our website.

News to Change the World

Needs of the Week
We would like to thank you all for your incredible generosity toward our neighbors in need. We will continue to announce needs weekly. The top needs will be listed in this section of E-News and posted online as we become aware of them. This week's top needs:

Funds (any amount is needed) to help our neighbors in need with their electric bills.  Make checks payable to the church with "Benevolence Fund" on the memo line. Contact Trudy Hughes at trudyh@fumcg.org. 

A "shining star" terminally ill student at Colleyville-Heritage High School needs a desktop computer. She cannot support the weight of a laptop. Contact Linsey Schafer, Student Advocate Services Counselor at CHHS, at 817-305-4783 or Linsey.Schafer@gcisd.net.

Provide funds (any amount is welcome) for a student in need at Timberline Elementary to attend a Leadership Summer Camp. Total cost of the camp is $795. Her teachers are also helping her to raise money. Make checks payable to the church with "Timberline Student Camp" on the memo. Contact cindyr@fumcg.org.

Spring Into Missions - April 24
Join us for our Local Missions Day, "Spring into Missions" on Saturday, April 24! United Methodist churches all over the country will be doing similar projects that day as a part of the Change the World event. We will have 15 to 25 projects that we will do on this great day. We will also need lots of volunteers (both youth and adults who have a willing spirit and can pull weeds, trim a hedge or paint, putty or hammer with supervision. This is a great family-friendly opportunity to “fill the hole” for people in our Ministry Mile! We are also still in need of people who can lead a team. Sign up on Check-In online or in this Sunday's bulletin. 

Lunch with Florence Murugu
Mark your calendar for Sunday, April 25! Florence Murugu, the social worker who works with our AIDS Orphans in Kenya, will be here that Sunday. We will share together in a Pot Luck lunch that Sunday after the 11:15 AM worship service. Meat and desserts will be provided. We ask that you bring a side dish to share. Florence will speak about Meru, Kenya projects and the AIDS Orphans. Volunteers are needed to help set up and clean up. If you would like to help, sign up on Check-In online or in Sunday's bulletin. Questions? Contact Donna Chabot at chabot113@juno.com.  Click here for more information about our AIDS Orphan project.

Flower Fundraiser to Help Build a Comedor in Peru
Sulam Pena, a native of Peru currently attending East Texas Baptist University, came to our attention during the Hole in Our Gospel study. Sulam's parents currently run a ministry in an impoverished area of Peru which feeds about 190 families per day out of a simple outdoor kitchen. Sulam will return to Peru in May with plans to build a new comedor (kitchen/dining hall) to help feed even more people! 

So, how can you help? Get your spring flowers just in time for Mother’s Day and help build the comedor in Peru at the same time! We will be conducting a flower fundraiser for the next few weeks to help fund the comedor in Peru. Place your flower order at the table outside the Sanctuaries and Founders Chapel on Sundays, April 18 and 25. There will be a limited number of flowers available on those Sundays, plus we'll take orders to be delivered on Sunday, May 2. The deadline to order is Sunday, April 25. All orders should be pre-paid. If you cannot pick up your flowers on May 2, please make arrangements for someone to pick them up for you. Flowers available include flats of begonias and impatiens and pots of geraniums, hydrangeas and azaleas. Click here to view the order form (pdf).

Read more about the project here (pdf). If you would prefer to give directly toward the project (without purchasing flowers), you can donate directly here: http://vad.aidmatrix.org/vadxml.cfm?driveid=4280.

If you have questions or would like to help with this project, contact Amy Branch-Lambert at amytwig@gmail.com. 

God Can for GRACE
We collected 132 items for the GRACE pantry last week! Bring your non-perishable food items for the GRACE pantry to the designated bins in the Sanctuary Foyer, Founders Chapel Atrium and outside the church office. GRACE's needs right now are: Cooking Oil, Kid's Cereal, Diapers (size 5), Laundry Detergent, Canned Peaches, Canned Pineapple, Juice (orange, apple, etc.), Spaghetti and Sauce, Sugar (4lb. bags).

Weekend Food Needs
Weekend Food needs are individual packs of: easy mac, ravioli, ramen noodles, applesauce, fruit cups, pudding cups, breakfast bars, instant oatmeal. Please bring your donations to Room 1006 in the Family Life Center. Questions? Contact Debbie Price at depdjp@aol.com or 817-821-3858. More info on Weekend Food.

Mission Green Tip of the Week: Recycle Old Computers and Monitors Part I
It's a sobering thought that the very molecules which once hummed with tender love notes or meticulous spreadsheets end up poisoning other human beings. Well over half of recycled computers are shipped to poor countries, where people dig into their toxic cyberguts for resalable metals, wires, and other materials just to make a living. (To learn more about the issues, visit the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition at www.svtc.org.) In the absence of tough laws against such practices, it's not easy to find safe recycling, but it does exist. The Computer TakeBack Campaign lists recyclers that pledge not to export hazardous-waste and to follow other safety guidelines. 

For information about all Adult Ministries, visit our website.

News for Adults

Adult Bible Studies
We have completed sign-ups for adult Bible studies. The class that had enough sign-ups to make is Invitation To The New Testament. The class begins this Sunday, April 18, and will meet for eight weeks from 5:00 to 6:30 PM in Room 2007 of the Family Life Center at the Downtown Campus. We will offer the other classes again at a later date. If you would still like to be a part of this class, contact Katherine Hunter at katherineh@fumcg.org or 817-481-2559 x130.

Career Transition Ministry
Many of us, especially in this time of economic turmoil, are looking for employment or interested in improving on a current career path. The Career Transition Ministry is here to support anyone looking to improve their current employment situation. We will have a networking and fellowship gathering on Wednesday, April 28, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM in Room 2011 of the Family Life Center. Our topic will be networking and résumés. Bring your résumé! Childcare will be provided that evening in Room 205 of the Education Building. Questions? Contact Katherine Hunter at katherineh@fumcg.org or 817-481-2559 x130. Visit our website at www.firstmethodistgrapevine.org/career for more information about Career Transition Ministry, resources, events and leads to additional job transition groups.

The Well with Jennifer Strickland
Ladies, you are not going to want to miss The Well in May! Jennifer Strickland will speak on "True Beauty." She found her true worth and beauty in Christ after a modeling career. The doors will open at 6:30 PM. Note that we will not be reserving seats for this event, so if you would like to sit with a certain group consider purchasing an entire table! Bring your teenage daughters, your girlfriends and your mothers. The Family Life Center will be transformed into an elegant setting of hospitality where ladies will decorate tables with fine china or picnic goods and everything in between. Men of the church will serve us a fabulous "ladies dinner" from Cliff's. Tickets ($15) are on sale now online and in the church office! Ladies, we need table hostesses! Contact Cathy Morris at cathyc.orris@gcisd.net or 817-498-4901 to sign up to decorate and host a table. Men, we need you to serve! Contact Donna Chabot at 940-262-0366 or Chabot113@Juno.Com if you would like to volunteer to wait tables and serve the ladies of our church at this special event.  Visit our website for full details.

Lands of the Bible Cruise
You are invited to join Ken on the “Lands of the Bible Cruise” November 4-16, 2011. The itinerary includes: Rome, Turkey, Cyprus, two days in Israel in which we will see the Sea of Galilee and Jerusalem, Alexandria & Cairo. The cruise will be on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship and will start in Rome. Dr. John Holbert, Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics at Perkins, will be the guest lecturer for the trip. The price for the trip begins around $3,600 (including air fare) and can increase depending upon the level of cabin on the cruise ship. There will be a meeting about the trip on Sunday, May 2, at 3:00 PM at the church or you can direct questions to Ken at 817-481-2559 or kend@fumcg.org. For more details visit  http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/find_trip/detail.aspx?id=1340.  

Questions about Youth Ministries? Contact Jenny Davidson at jennyd@fumcg.org or 817-705-2264 (cell).

RevolutionX News for Youth www.revolutionXonline.com

Wednesday Bible Study Locations - April 14
5:30-7:00 PM - Middle School - The HUB (Downtown Campus, Family Life Center Room 2013)
7:00-8:30 PM - High School - at the Hall's

Sunday Night Youth
This Sunday, April 18, we will be going “off site” to a movie! Please meet and pick-up your youth at the Cinemark Tinseltown theater at 911 West State Highway 114, Grapevine. We will be seeing the movie Letters to God. Meet Jenny Davidson in the main lobby no later than 4:15 PM to get your ticket. The cost is $2 per person. Bring extra money if you want to have snacks. The movie starts at 4:30 PM. Friends are welcome!

Mission Trip Registration Begins
Registration has begun for 2010 High School and Middle School Mission trips! Register online at www.ctcym.org. 
2010 High School Mission Trip: June 13-19 to Ponca City, Oklahoma with FUMC Watauga. Participants include current 8th through 12th graders. Sponsors must be at least 20 years old and have completed Safe Sanctuary Training. Early bird registration has ended. The cost is now $250 for late registrations.
2010 Middle School Mission Trip: July 18-23 to Menard, Texas. Churches at the Menard Living Center will include: Bedford-Martin UMC, Comanche FUMC, Grapevine FUMC, Hico UMC, N. Richland Hills-Richland Hills UMC. Participants include current 6th-7th graders. Sponsors must have been out of high school for at least a year and completed Safe Sanctuary Training. Cost: $210 with full payment by May 6. Late registration of $225 effective after this date.

Looking for a Way to Help the Youth?
We are still in need of people/groups/Sunday School classes to provide a meal for Sunday Night Youth on the following dates: May 25, July 18, August 1 and August 8. If you are interested, please email Sue Schultz at seg1024@yahoo.com. 

Buy a Light Help the Youth
Visit http://www.bogolight.com/?Click=8372 to purchase a solar-powered flashlight and support the youth! Click here for more info.

Questions about children's ministries? Rev. Nathan Firmin at nathanf@fumcg.org or 817-481-2559 x129.

KidsTown News for Children & Families www.firstmethodistgrapevine.org/children 

This Sunday - April 18
Team12 meets at 3:30 PM in Room 2008. T-shirts will be distributed!
Bible Explorers meets 5:00-6:30 PM in Room 2008.

4th & 5th Grade Overnight Retreat
It is time to sign up for the 4th and 5th grade overnight retreat! The retreat will be May 7-8. We will be staying overnight at the church. You must RSVP to Linda McClure in the church office no later than Wednesday, May 5. No cost is involved. The retreat will begin at 6:00 PM on May 7, and end at 8:00 AM on May 8. Friday night dinner, late night snack and Saturday breakfast will be served. Things to bring: Bible, sleeping bag, pillow, pajamas, change of clothes, and personal toiletries (i.e. toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.). Friday night we will have Games2U providing outdoor laser tag on the playground and video game vans. We also need adult volunteers for the following:

1 female chaperone to stay overnight with us
2 male chaperones to stay overnight with us
2 adults to help prepare and serve Friday night dinner (need to be at the church from 5:15 PM to help prepare, serve and clean up dinner)

Please contact Lisa Palla at lisa.a.palla@sbcglobal.net if you can volunteer. Questions? Contact Rev. Nathan Firmin at nathanf@fumcg.org or 817-481-2559 x129.

Common Sense Media: Five ways to Combat Unwanted Facebook Photos

Click here for this week's edition of Common Sense Media.

Scouting News

Troop 700 Wins First Place in Scouting for Food Event
Troop 700 was recently awarded a first place trophy from the Lakeview District for collecting the most food items in the Boy Scouts of America annual Scouting for Food campaign. Nine troops from Grapevine, Colleyville, Southlake, and Trophy Club area participated within the Lakeview District. The Scouts canvassed local neighborhoods in February for non-perishable food item donations. Troop 700 donated 864 items to the GRACE food pantry to help feed local families in need. 

Congratulations Eagle Scouts
Congratulations to Riley Bruton and Matt Carson, Troop 700’s newest Eagle Scouts! These two young men successfully completed their Eagle Scout Boards of Review earlier this week, joining the ranks of the more than 80 Eagles of Troop 700. Eagle Scout is the highest rank a Scout can earn. Nationwide, only about 4 percent of all Scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout. These two young men are to be congratulated for their hard work and perseverance. They, along with several other new Eagles, will be receiving their Eagle Scout badges at a formal Eagle Scout Court of Honor to be held early this summer.

For more information about Troop 700 please visit their website, www.txtroop700.com or contact the Scoutmaster Trent Tidmore at 817-675-1856.

Updates, Recaps, Gifts, Thanks, Photos, etc.

Confirmation 2010
Last Sunday, we confirmed 38 youth who had taken part in the 2010 Confirmation Class. Congratulations to the following newest members of the church!

Notes of Appreciation

Thank you for the special gifts to the clinic. These items will help with our students frequently. Your concerns and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Mary Callahan, RN
School Nurse - Grapevine Middle School

Thank you so much for your generous donation for camp scholarships. This will go towards helping students whose families cannot afford to pay camp costs. Fourth grade students look forward to this three-day camp all year long. Their smiles and appreciation shine through, thanks to FUMCG! Your support means the world to Timberline Elementary.
Most gratefully yours,
Jessica Follis
School Counselor

Gifts Given

A gift has been given to the Permanent Endowment Fund in memory of Dr. Ed Lancaster by Karen & Walt Watson.