Lenten / Easter Schedule Churchwide

Church & Society - How are our Children?

That was the question raised by Shelby County Commissioners Shante Avant and Charlie Caswell as they addressed a large crowd on April 16about their efforts to combat intergenerational poverty. The statistics are grim: the majority of those living in poverty in Shelby County are women and children, and 40,000 students in Shelby County Schools live in households earning $10,000 or less annually.

Commissioner Avant, who is also president & CEO of The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM), outlined its holistic approach to addressing specific needs. In 2015, WFGM launched a 5-year initiative to reduce poverty by 5% in Memphis’s poorest zip code. Working with the residents of the area and in partnership with Shelby County Schools and local businesses, WFGM invested $7.1 million, focusing on a multi-generational approach and early investment to change the trajectory of children’s lives. Commissioner Avant noted that WFGM was not coming in to save the community, but to work with it. The initiative resulted in 1,730 people being placed in jobs; 94 individuals starting a business or micro-enterprise; a 53% increase in average household income; 825 children enrolled in early education or childhood programs; 1,065 caregivers and parents engaged in early childhood education and parenting development; and 5,632 young people participating in programs supporting positive youth development. WFGM is now replicating this approach to other areas of the city.

Commissioner Caswell is the founder and board chair of Legacy of Legends CDC, which addresses the trauma caused by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and developing resilient communities. So what are ACES? They include abuse, whether physical, emotional, and/or sexual; physical and/or emotional neglect; household dysfunction including illness, incarcerated relatives, and mothers who are treated violently. Commissioner Caswell spoke frankly and movingly about his own ACES and how former MPD Chief Toney Armstrong’s mentorship ameliorated his trauma. Left unaddressed, the toxic stress caused by ACEs can lead to public safety and health issues, including suicide and crime. To address the effects of ACES, he has established his 7P’s (parents, pastors, principals, police, politicians, proprietors, and partners) Community Collaboration, which he hopes to establish in every county commission district. He urged all of us to come out of our “silos” and work together for the benefit of the children.

Our thanks to Commissioners Avant and Caswell for an inspiring and well-received presentation. If you would like to learn more about or donate to support their work, click on Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis or Legacy of Legends CDC (or scan the following QR codes with your mobile device.)

Please join us for our next presentations. On Sunday, August 20, U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz will speak on civil and human rights, followed by Senior Rabbi Micah Greenstein of Temple Israel on Sunday, November 19.

Sanctuary Flowers

Flowers for the Sanctuary are a treasured way to enhance worship, while honoring or remembering a loved one, celebrating a birthday or anniversary, or honoring a friend. The current cost of donating flowers is $125.00. For more information, please call the church at 754-7216.

To donate sanctuary flowers: Go to the GUMC website and click on the “Donate Flowers” button. Complete the order form and submit your payment online, or stop by the welcome center desk and pick up an order form. You may either leave the completed order form and payment at the front desk or mail it to: GUMC, Attn: Sanctuary Flowers, 2331 S. Germantown Road, Germantown, TN 38138.

Additional Information: Requests will be honored on a first come, first served, basis. If two donations are made for the same Sunday, we will contact the person submitting the second request and ask for an alternate date. Flower and color preferences are accepted, and attempts will be made, but not guaranteed. Preferences are needed a month in advance. We will recognize the persons being remembered /honored and the donor in the bulletin by the following notation:

The Sanctuary Flowers gracing the sanctuary today are given to the Glory of God and in memory/honor of___________________ on ___________. Given by __________________.

Thank you to all who donate flowers and the many volunteers of the GUMC Flower Ministry!

Did you know?

On Monday morning, the sanctuary flowers are arranged into smaller bouquets and delivered to church members who are sick and those who can no longer attend worship. We have volunteers who arrive early on Monday morning to arrange the flowers and volunteers who then deliver them. Along with the flower arrangement, the recipient receives the worship bulletin and a card that reads:

These flowers have been in the chancel of the church. They have heard the hymns that have been sung, the prayers that have been offered, and the sermon that has been preached. Now they come to tell you, in their silent way, of God’s love and care, and to remind you of our prayers that God will bless you with Hope, Happiness and Health.”

Germantown United Methodist Church

Would you like to become a part of this ministry?

Contact Tom Davis –tdavis@germantownumc.org or call 901-758-6513.