MARCH 2020 EDITION
THE WOODLANDS UMC
POINT NEW YEAR, NEW CHANGES January brought us a new year, new beginnings, and the unveiling of the newly renovated atrium area. I hope by now you have had the chance to see this beautiful space for yourself, especially the Connection Point area. Updates to this space include a more open layout, a visual display of photos showcasing our traditional worship venue, and even a table on wheels that can be easily moved. We hope that this bright, inviting Connection Point will encourage people to stop by and find out more about the programs and ministries of our church. One opportunity that we want to highlight is a program called Alpha. Beginning Tuesday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. we will meet at Blue Door Coffee on The Woodlands Waterway for coffee, dessert, fellowship, and an opportunity to ask and discuss tough questions of faith. Geared towards those seeking to know more about God as well as people who want to be able to articulate their own faith well, this program will help us reach out into the community as we seek to help more people know Jesus Christ. We invite everyone to join us for this wonderful class, and please, bring a friend or two!
Kimberly Constant, Pastor of Outreach and Connecting Ministry
AMERICAN HERITAGE TOUR APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2020 Come along as we travel to Washington DC and Williamsburg. We will tour Washington DC, the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, WWII and Vietnam War Memorials, US Naval Academy, Arlington National Cemetery, Changing of the Guard, Marine Corps War Memorial, Smithsonian Museums, Mt. Vernon, Jamestown Settlement, Colonial Williamsburg and possibly a White House tour. For more information and a brochure, contact Helen Burgdorf at 713.822.5728 or hcburgdorf@comcast.net
A MESSAGE FROM
CLIFF RITTER
PASTOR TO SENIOR ADULTS
March finds us solidly in the midst of the Lenten season. I trust you are prayerfully considering all the important aspects of life that draw us closer to God. When we press the pause button on the usual chaos that surrounds our busy lives, we can tune our hearts to a different sound. It may begin as the sound of silence. But, if we are patient, and persistent, the silence takes on a more robust character. We first begin to hear the heartbeat of God. Then, from the resonance of those holy echoes, we begin to hear the voice of God. It begins as a whisper, and God’s voice gains clarity as we eliminate the white noise of daily life. When we tune our hearts to the divine silence that follows the chaos of the cross, we hear the voice of love, the sound of holiness, a resonant hope that penetrates our spirits. What we hear, or what we experience in the eternal now, has the power to change us from within. And, we know God is present. Can we listen? Yes, but the question is more difficult, can we hear? I believe God is reaching out to each of us. Sometimes God speaks clearly, sometimes God whispers our name. Usually, God gives us a spiritual sense of direction, evidence of God’s presence revealed in the silence of the moment. Our challenge is not to search near and far, but to hear the divine voice from the Holy Spirit within. God is here, within, between the gentle heartbeat of daily life. God is speaking. Are you listening? Can you hear? May God bless our Lenten season and our Easter celebration to come. With grace and peace,
Cliff Ritter