The Vine - News Blog

The Table: Lent and Easter 2015

 

How do the practices and rituals of the church translate to our lives? For many people, the rituals of the church can seem empty or even mindless. If we don’t understand our own practices, then how can we expect them to be transformative? The Eucharist (Communion/The Lord’s Supper) is one of the oldest practices of the Christian Community. Many of us experience this practice on a weekly or monthly basis, but what does it add? Gathering around Christ’s Table is a template for how we are to live in community. When we allow our practices to impact the entirety of our life, we begin to see that Eucharist is a practice that transforms our lives. We begin to see that every table is an altar.
 
Join us in worship throughout the Lenten season as we consider The Table.
 
Here are our worship opportunities and events for Lent & Easter 2015:
 
Lenten Noon-day Recitals: Mondays, March 9, 16, and 23, 12:00 p.m. in the Elizabeth Cramer Chapel, followed by lunch in the Family Life Center (with a love offering benefiting Cantabile Youth Choir).
 
Family Easter Celebration and Egg Hunt, Saturday, March 28, 10:00-11:30 a.m.
 
Palm Sunday Worship, Sunday, March 29, 8:45 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. (Sanctuary) and 11:11 a.m. (Worship Center).
 
Maundy Thursday Service, Thursday, April 2, 7:00 p.m., Sanctuary.
 
Good Friday Service, Friday, April 3, 7:00 p.m., Sanctuary.
 
Easter Sunrise Service, Sunday, April 5, 7:15 a.m., outside of the SAM Building.
 
Easter Sunday Worship, Sunday, April 5, 8:45 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. (Sanctuary) and 11:11 a.m. (Worship Center).
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Seek God for the City 2015: Lenten Devotionals from the Prayer Ministry

 
Arborlawn’s Prayer Ministry invites and encourages everyone to participate in the annual Seek God for the City Lenten devotional series.
 

Booklets are provided free of charge; a gift to the congregation from the Prayer Ministry. Look for them at the Welcome Kiosks and in the church office. Read more about Seek God for the City at Waymakers.org. This year's theme is “Prayers of Biblical Hope.”
 
You might also be interested in the smart phone app for this project. It’s available in both Apple’s App Store and from Google Play and costs $0.99. Read more at Waymakers.org/app. The app is great for those times when you're away from your booklet.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Holy Week 2014 Services

 
We invite you and your family, friends, and neighbors to join us for our Holy Week services.
 
The Maundy Thursday service is April 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. The Good Friday service is April 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
 

Our Easter Sunrise Service - a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ - is April 20 at 7:00 a.m. in the area south of the SAM Building. Enjoy music, a short sermon, and the beautiful skies above. (Please come even if it’s rainy Sunday morning. We’ll move the Easter Sunrise Service indoors if absolutely necessary!) 
 

We conclude the holy season with Easter Sunday worship at 8:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary and at 11:11 a.m. in the Worship Center.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Children’s Ministries: Easter Celebration & Egg Hunt April 12; Procession of Palms April 13; VBC July 21-25

 
Easter Celebration & Egg Hunt: Saturday, April 12, 2014
 
Our annual Easter Celebration & Egg Hunt is Saturday, April 12 from 10:00-11:30 a.m.
 
We will have a craft time for the kids where we will decorate cookies. We will also have face painters, balloon makers, and much more. After the craft time there will be two Easter egg hunts for the little and big kids.
 


Lots of plastic eggs filled with candy are needed for the hunts. If you would like to make a donation, look for the donation box located at the base of the stairs by the nursery area, outside the Worship Center, and outside the Sanctuary.
 
We look forward to seeing you all there!
 
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Procession of Palms on Sunday, April 13 in All Worship Services
 
We invite all children to participate in our annual Procession of Palms during all three worship services on Sunday, April 13 (Palm Sunday).
 

Meet in the Lower Commons at 8:30 a.m. for the 8:45 a.m. service; in the Lower Commons at 10:45 a.m. for the 11:00 a.m. service; and outside the Worship Center in the Upper Commons at 11:00 a.m. for the 11:11 a.m. service.
 
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Vacation Bible Camp July 21-25; Volunteers Sought
 
Vacation Bible Camp is July 21-25 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each day. The theme this year is “Weird Animals: Where Jesus’ Love is One of a Kind.” This is going to be a very exciting week for the children. It is a really fun curriculum this year. Have your kids invite a friend to join them. VBC is for kids 3 years and fully potty trained through exiting 5th Grade. This year for those who have younger children, if you volunteer for the week with us, your child can participate in VBC also.
 
The theme teaches us that no matter how different you may be, you are unique and special in God's eyes. As a special treat on Friday, the Fort Worth Zoo will come and share with us some “Weird Animals.” This event will be only for those who have participated in VBC. Registration is free and will begin in May. Those who register will be guaranteed a t-shirt. For more details, contact Melissa Hedger.
 
Vacation Bible Camp Volunteers: We will need everyone's help to make this week a huge success for the kids. The more help we have, the better it will be. Right now we are looking for a few people to help with decorations (this can be done at home), and we are looking for people who can be here that week to lead crafts, storytelling, games, and cooking for our preschoolers or our elementary age kids. Please contact Kristen Harford to help. We need you!
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Lenten Noon-day Recital: Elim Lau Monday, April 14

 
The 2014 Lenten Noon-day Recital season concludes Monday, April 14 with violinist, pianist, and vocalist Elim Lau. Join us for this concert at 12:00 p.m. in the Elizabeth Cramer Chapel. Stay for a light lunch afterward in the Family Life Center. A love offering during the lunch benefits Cantabile Youth Choir.
 
A special note: Elim Lau was recently sworn in as a citizen of the United States. Congratulations, Elim!
 

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ArborlawnUMC.org

Holy Week 2014 Services

 
Invite your family, friends, and neighbors to celebrate this most holy season with us!
 
Holy Week services start with our regular morning worship services on Palm Sunday (April 13) and continue with Maundy Thursday (April 17, 7:00 p.m., including Communion) and Good Friday (April 18, 7:00 p.m.).
 


We are holding an Easter Sunrise Service this year at 7:00 a.m. on Easter Sunday, April 20. Join us at the soccer fields just south of the SAM Building for a celebration of the Resurrection. Enjoy music, a short sermon, and the beautiful skies above.
 

We conclude the holy season with Easter Sunday worship at 8:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary and at 11:11 a.m. in the Worship Center.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Maundy Thursday: “A New Commandment: To Love One Another”

 
Maundy Thursday is an alternate name for Holy Thursday, the first of the three days of solemn remembrance of the events leading up to and immediately following the crucifixion of Jesus. The English word “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum, which means “commandment.” As recorded in John's gospel, on his last night before his betrayal and arrest, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and then gave them a new commandment to love one another as he had loved them (John 13:34). This last night before Jesus’ crucifixion also saw Jesus and the disciples hold the meal we use as an example for our Communion tradition.
 
[Editor's Note: Arborlawn's 2014 Maundy Thursday service is April 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Join us for this service which includes Communion.]
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Where Does the Term “Good Friday” Come From?

 
By Dan Benedict
Retired, General Board of Discipleship
 
The source of our term for the Friday before Easter, “Good Friday,” is not clear. It may be a corruption of the English phrase “God's Friday,” according to Professor Laurence Hull Stookey in Calendar: Christ’s Time for the Church. It is the common name for the day among English- and Dutch-speaking people. It is a day that proclaims God’s purpose of loving and redeeming the world through the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is a day that is good because God was drawing the world to God’s self in Christ. As seen in John’s gospel, particularly, God was in control. God was not making the best of a bad situation, but was working out God’s intention for the world — winning salvation for all people. We call it “good” because we look backward at the crucifixion through the lens of Easter!
 
“Good Friday” is not a universal name for the day. The liturgical title for the day in the Western church was “Friday of Preparation,” since the time Jews used the word paraskeue (getting ready) for Friday, meaning the “day of preparation.” Popular names for the day are “Holy Friday” among the Latin nations, “Great Friday” among the Slavic peoples, “Friday of Mourning” in Germany, “Long Friday” in Norway, and “Holy Friday” (Viernes Santo) among Hispanic peoples.
 
[Editor's Note: Join us for Arborlawn’s 2014 Good Friday service April 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.]
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Children's Ministries: Easter Celebration & Egg Hunt April 12; Procession of Palms April 13; VBC July 21-25

 
Easter Celebration & Egg Hunt: Saturday, April 12, 2014
 
Our annual Easter Celebration & Egg Hunt is Saturday, April 12 from 10:00-11:30 a.m.
 
We will have a craft time for the kids where we will decorate cookies. We will also have face painters, balloon makers, and much more. After the craft time there will be two Easter egg hunts for the little and big kids.
 


Lots of plastic eggs filled with candy are needed for the hunts. If you would like to make a donation, look for the donation box located at the base of the stairs by the nursery area, outside the Worship Center, and outside the Sanctuary.
 
We look forward to seeing you all there!
 
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Procession of Palms on Sunday, April 13 in All Worship Services
 
We invite all children to participate in our annual Procession of Palms during all three worship services on Sunday, April 13 (Palm Sunday).
 

Meet in the Lower Commons at 8:30 a.m. for the 8:45 a.m. service; in the Lower Commons at 10:45 a.m. for the 11:00 a.m. service; and outside the Worship Center in the Upper Commons at 11:00 a.m. for the 11:11 a.m. service.
 
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Vacation Bible Camp July 21-25; Volunteers Sought
 
Vacation Bible Camp is July 21-25 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each day. The theme this year is “Weird Animals: Where Jesus’ Love is One of a Kind.” This is going to be a very exciting week for the children. It is a really fun curriculum this year. Have your kids invite a friend to join them. VBC is for kids 3 years and fully potty trained through exiting 5th Grade. This year for those who have younger children, if you volunteer for the week with us, your child can participate in VBC also.
 
The theme teaches us that no matter how different you may be, you are unique and special in God's eyes. As a special treat on Friday, the Fort Worth Zoo will come and share with us some “Weird Animals.” This event will be only for those who have participated in VBC. Registration is free and will begin in May. Those who register will be guaranteed a t-shirt. For more details, contact Melissa Hedger.
 
Vacation Bible Camp Volunteers: We will need everyone's help to make this week a huge success for the kids. The more help we have, the better it will be. Right now we are looking for a few people to help with decorations (this can be done at home), and we are looking for people who can be here that week to lead crafts, storytelling, games, and cooking for our preschoolers or our elementary age kids. Please contact Kristen Harford to help. We need you!
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Lenten Noon-day Recitals: Talents of Arborlawn April 7; Elim Lau April 14

 
Join us for Lenten Noon-day Recitals on Mondays, April 7 and April 14 in the Elizabeth Cramer Chapel. The music starts at 12:00 p.m. On April 7 we’ll hear from the ever popular Talents of Arborlawn. The April 14 concert features vocalist, violinist, and pianist Elim Lau. Please note the Lenten Recitals are on Mondays this year instead of Wednesdays. (The photo below shows Elim Lau with friends from Arborlawn after his recent United States Citizenship ceremony. Congrats, Elim!)
 

After each concert, join us for a light lunch in the Family Life Center. A love offering during the lunch benefits Cantabile Youth Choir.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Easter 2014: Holy Week Services

Holy Week services start with our regular morning worship services on Palm Sunday (April 13) and continue with Maundy Thursday (April 17, 7:00 p.m.) and Good Friday (April 18, 7:00 p.m.).
 

We are holding an Easter Sunrise Service this year at 7:00 a.m. on Easter Sunday. Join us at the soccer fields just south of the SAM Building for a celebration of the Resurrection. Enjoy music, a short sermon, and the beautiful skies above.
 
We conclude the holy season with Easter Sunday worship at the usual times on April 20.
 
Invite your family, friends, and neighbors to celebrate this most holy season with us!
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Seek God for the City: Lenten Devotionals from the Prayer Ministry

 
Arborlawn’s Prayer Ministry invites and encourages everyone to participate in the annual Seek God for the City Lenten devotional series.
 

Booklets are provided free of charge this year; a gift to the congregation from the Prayer Ministry. Look for them at the Welcome Kiosks and in the church office. Read more about Seek God for the City at Waymakers.org. This year's theme is “Prayers of Biblical Hope.”
 
You might also be interested in the smart phone app for this project. It’s available in both Apple’s App Store and from Google Play and costs $0.99. Read more at Waymakers.org/app. The app is great for those times when you're away from your booklet.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Lenten Devotionals 2014

 
In themselves, Spiritual disciplines can do nothing; they can only get us to the place where something can be done. (Douglas Rumford)
 
We all have desires for our life: desire for strength and beauty, desire for relationship and acceptance, desire for comfort and rest, desire for peace and security. These desires can serve to orient our lives, but if we are not seeking guidance those desires can be misinterpreted or distorted and present a message of inadequacy and hopelessness, even despair.
 

Jesus reveals that our desperations and desires are truly an appetite for God, the Giver of life. Jesus does not seek to shut down our longings; he doesn’t ask to rise above those longings either. Jesus understood deeply that human desire is a realm for opportunity to open us up to the divine around us, at work in the world, and to those around us – friend, stranger, and enemy. Jesus doesn’t perform like a genie in a bottle, objectively granting wishes. He works with us, allowing our desires to draw him into the core conversations of life.
 
For centuries Christian have understood that living the way of Jesus requires deliberate and attentive spiritual practices. These practices create space in our lives where God can dwell in our midst. The journey of spiritual disciplines orients our life around connecting with God and connecting with those around us on a deeper level. Spiritual disciplines are not the end of the Christian journey. They simply put us in a place where we can begin to notice God and respond to his word to us.
 
As we seek to be a church that Loves God and Serves the City (and world) in which we are located we must be committed to seeking God daily. This seeking is not a burden to be carried, but a freedom and a joy to be experienced.
 
Watch for regular Lenten Devotionals updates on Arborlawn’s Facebook page and in Arborlawn’s Twitter feed. (Please note some iPad users are experiencing difficulties accessing the Facebook page through that platform’s Facebook app. We have submitted requests for the repair of this glitch to Facebook and are awaiting resolution. The page works on smart phones and in web browsers and can be accessed through the Safari browser on iPad at Facebook.com/arborlawnumc) You can also pick up a printed Lenten Devotionals guide at the Welcome Kiosks or in the church office.
 
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Noon-day Lenten Recitals on Mondays This Year; March 31 Concert Features Jaris & Sherry Roth

 
As we enter into the Lenten season, one of the most special series of the year returns soon. Mark your calendars for this year's Noon-day Lenten Recitals on March 31, April 7, and April 14. (Please note the Lenten Recitals are on Mondays instead of Wednesdays this year.)
 

The March 31 event features our friends Jaris & Sherry Roth. Join us at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, March 31 in the Sanctuary to hear beautiful music by the couple. Then stay for a light lunch in the Family Life Center. A love offering at the lunch will benefit Cantabile, Arborlawn's Youth Choir.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Seek God for the City: Devotionals for Lent 2014 from the Prayer Ministry

 
Arborlawn's Prayer Ministry invites and encourages everyone to participate in the annual Seek God for the City devotional series during the upcoming Lenten season. (This devotional series is specifically for Ash Wednesday, March 5 through Palm Sunday, April 13.)
 

Booklets are provided free of charge this year; a gift to the congregation from the Prayer Ministry. Look for them at the Welcome Kiosks and in the church office. Read more about Seek God for the City at Waymakers.org. This year's theme is “Prayers of Biblical Hope.”
 
You might also be interested in the smart phone app for this project. It’s available in both Apple’s App Store and from Google Play and costs $0.99. Read more at Waymakers.org/app. The app is great for those times when you're away from your booklet.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Concerts at Arborlawn: Lenten Noon-day Recitals; Wyeth event postponed; Kinderconcerts

 
The 2013 edition of an Arborlawn favorite returns on Wednesdays Mar. 6, 13, and 20 with the Lenten Noon-day Recitals, presented by Concerts at Arborlawn. The 30-minute recitals start at Noon in the Sanctuary. We invite you to stay afterward for a light lunch in the Family Life Center. On Mar. 6 we welcome Organist Jeff Ford in recital.
 

Talents of Arborlawn perform on Mar. 13, and the series concludes on Mar. 20 as Tom Stoker and Karen Gossett perform a recital of piano duets. We hope you will enjoy the musical blessings of this sacred Lenten season with us. Please invite friends in the community to join us.
 
Wyeth Quartet concert postponed
 
The Wyeth Quartet had planned on playing here on Mar. 3, but that event has been postponed. We will report in The Vine when the group is rescheduled. You can also always read more at MusicatArborlawn.com.
 
FWSO: Kinderconcerts here March 26
 
Concerts at Arborlawn welcomes Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra as it performs the 2013 edition of the Kinderconcerts series. Children Ages 3-6 can enjoy "Peter Rabbit and Friends in the Orchestra" on Tuesday, Mar. 26 at 9:45 a.m. or 11:15 a.m. in Arborlawn's Sanctuary.
 

The concerts are conduced by Andres Franco. The FWSO brings children's classics "The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck" and "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" to life musically with the help of a narrator. The performances include an introduction to the instruments of the orchestra. The cost is $4 per person, and tickets are available at FWSymphony.org/education.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Lenten Pastors' Bible Study goes through Holy Week; join us!

 
“The Things I Wish Jesus Hadn't Said” is the theme for this year’s Lenten Pastors' Bible Study which began this week. The six-week study continues through Holy Week.
 

We're studying the "hard sayings" of Jesus: things such as "turn the other cheek" or "forgive seventy times seven" times. We're considering what might have been happening inside of Jesus on the way to the cross when he exclaimed, “Let this cup pass from me!” These parts of scripture (and many others) posed difficulty for even the inner circle of disciples; and for many still today. Clearly there are things we wish Jesus hadn’t said. But if we are to know and understand him more completely, it’s incumbent upon us to look at everything he said, not just the parts we like.
 
The Wednesday evening session is from 6-7 p.m. in the Worship Center and goes through Mar. 27. It is led by Rev. DeAndrea Dare. The Thursday morning session is from 10-11 a.m. in the Worship Center and runs through Mar. 28. It is led by Rev. Ben Disney.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Lenten Noon-day Recitals: Wednesdays March 6, 13, and 20

 
The 2013 edition of an Arborlawn favorite returns on Wednesdays Mar. 6, 13, and 20 with the Lenten Noon-day Recitals, presented by Concerts at Arborlawn. The 30-minute recitals start at Noon in the Sanctuary. We invite you to stay afterward for a light lunch in the Family Life Center.
 

On Mar. 6 we welcome Organist Jeff Ford in recital. Talents of Arborlawn perform on Mar. 13, and the series concludes on Mar. 20 as Tom Stoker and Karen Gossett perform a recital of piano duets.
 
We hope you will enjoy the musical blessings of this sacred Lenten season with us. Please invite friends in the community to join us.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Six-week Lenten Pastor's Bible Study begins February 20 and 21

 
“The Things I Wish Jesus Hadn't Said” is the theme for this year’s 6-session Lenten Pastors' Bible Study that begins on February 20 and 21.
 
Our personalities and culture tend to influence us to not necessarily want to "turn the other cheek" or "forgive seventy times seven" times. What was happening inside of Jesus on the way to the cross when he exclaimed, “Let this cup pass from me!”?
 

They’re known as the “hard sayings” because of the difficulty they posed even for the inner circle of disciples. Clearly there are things we wish Jesus hadn’t said. But if we are to know and understand him more completely, it’s incumbent upon us to look at everything he said, not just the parts we like.
 
The study is on Wednesdays, Feb. 20 through Mar. 27, 6-7 p.m. in Room 225 (led by Rev. DeAndrea Dare) or Thursdays, Feb. 21 through Mar. 28, 10-11 a.m. in the Worship Center (led by Rev. Ben Disney). Join us on this 6-week journey as we explore the hard sayings of Jesus.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Lenten Noon-day Recitals: Wednesdays March 6, 13, and 20

 
The 2013 edition of an Arborlawn favorite returns on Wednesdays Mar. 6, 13, and 20 with the Lenten Noon-day Recitals, presented by Concerts at Arborlawn. The 30-minute recitals start at Noon in the Sanctuary. We invite you to stay afterward for a light lunch in the Family Life Center.
 

On Mar. 6 we welcome Organist Jeff Ford in recital. Talents of Arborlawn perform on Mar. 13, and the series concludes on Mar. 20 as Tom Stoker and Karen Gossett perform a recital of piano duets.
 
We hope you will enjoy the musical blessings of this sacred Lenten season with us. Please invite friends in the community to join us.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org