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Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote, "Friendship is a sheltering tree." I remember as a young pastor standing across the street from Tallowood under a tree with Bill Hinson, the pastor of First UMC, Houston. He prayed for my ministry here. I have never forgotten his friendship. We were talking about how busy we can be as pastors with constant availability to people. He said, "if we are always available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, there is not much of us left when people get us."
Not only pastors but most of us have consuming schedules. We are always on the go. One young girl visiting the U.S. and trying to learn our language listened to Americans and when somebody asked her how she was she answered, "Busy." Well we are.
The month of March almost perfectly coincides with the forty days leading up to Easter in 2020. What if we intentionally simplified our schedules this month for this season of preparation for holy week? I know. I know. Some people give up chocolate or coffee. One lady said, "I gave up coffee for Lent and after forty days I was less like Jesus than I have ever been." I want to offer an alternative to this kind of fasting. What if we disengaged from some form of social media or we stepped back from the constant checking of our devices?
On my desk I have a button which says, "No." If you push it, it plays different voices saying "No," in different emphatic ways. Doyle Lowry tells me we sometimes need to say "No," precisely because we have a deeper, "Yes." To what will we say "Yes," this month? May I suggest worship. You may remember falling in love. When we love someone it is not hard to find time to be with them. In fact, we tend to be more punctual to events where we get to spend time with the ones we love. I was never late for a date with Melanie. (She may remember that differently?!)
Let's think of corporate worship in the weeks leading up to Easter as the time we express our love for God together. I want to invite you to make a commitment along with your loved ones to find your place in corporate worship at Tallowood for the six weeks leading up to Easter. Come early. Stay all the way through. Love God out loud with other believers. We will do due diligence to start on time and stop on time for these weeks. Your presence will express your love for God and will also encourage others.
This season at Tallowood feels to me like a time of new momentum. The fresh wind of God's Spirit is blowing through our church. God is bringing many new members into the body. Many others are prayerfully considering joining with us. I would love for you to get to know them and welcome them into our family... to show them that at Tallowood, we don't just go to church but we belong to the church. I'll see you Sunday. Your friendship and partnership in worship has become a sheltering tree to me.
We love loving God together with you!
Duane
March at a Glance March 5 Winter Bible Study 11 AM | Activities Center March 7 Gospel Conversation Training 8:30 AM - 1:15 PM | WT320
POPS Concert 7 PM | Worship Center March 10 10-10-10 Praying Against Human Trafficking 10 AM | Taste of Texas Gazebo
March 12 Hudson Mann Prayer Breakfast 6:30 AM | Fellowship Hall West
The Gathering Place 10 AM | Fellowship Hall East March 26 Winter Bible Study 11 AM | Activities Center March 27 Couples Night Out 6-9 PM
March 28 Serve the City
March 29 Membership Discovery Class 9:45 AM | The Dwelling
Holy Week
Maundy Thursday April 9, 7 PM
The Passion A Modern Oratorio by Greg Nelson April 10, Good Friday, 7 PM
Easter Sunday Celebrate His Resurrection April 12 Worship 8:45 AM & 11:15 AM Connect Groups 10 AM
Tallowood Kids Summer 2020
Vacation Bible School: June 8-12, from 9 AM to noon For kids entering kindergarten through completed 5th Grade. No charge.
VBS Sports Camp: June 8-11 from noon to 4 PM For kids entering kindergarten-completed 5th Grade. Cost before June 1: $100 Cost after June 1: $110
VBS Music Camp: June 8-11 from noon to 2 PM For kids who've completed 1-5 Grade. Cost: $40 per child
Kingdom Basketball: June 15-19 | July 27-31 Summer sessions at Tallowood. All Co-Ed, for 1st-8th Graders grouped by skill level.
Tallowood Kids Days: July 7: Art Day | July 8: Water Day | July 9: Serve Day Days of summer fun for kids who have completed 1st-5th Grade! This event has no charge.
CentriKid Camp: July 13-17 at Trinity Pines For kids who have completed 3rd-5th Grade. Early Bird Registration: $335 Cost after April 15th: $385
Super Place Camp: July 27-31 from 9 AM to 12:30 PM Day camp for kids with special needs. Hosted at Chapelwood United Methodist Church. Registration opens March 2020.
Following Jesus into Resurrection Life
A six-session spiritual formation series on keeping company with Jesus on the way to the cross. Meets Sundays, 2 PM in WT308, beginning March 1.
Week 1: God Really is Good - What on Earth is God Doing? Week 2: Finding Your Life for Jesus' Sake - The Life for which You were Made Week 3: Knowing and Being Known - Abiding in Christ Week 4: Becoming Like Jesus - Virtue and Power in the Spirit Week 5: Reigning in Life with Jesus - Impacting People and Culture for Real Good Week 6: In the Company of Jesus: Abundant Hope amidst Inevitable Suffering - The Greater Weight of Glory
Journey to the Cross
Journey to the Cross is a multisensory experience for all ages that will lead participants to read, pray, and contemplate the week, culminating in Jesus' death on the cross. It will be available April 8-10, from 5-7 PM.
Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery (CR) provides a "safe place" for everyone to experience God's healing, regardless of emotional, financial, relational, sexual or other issues. Find help to overcome your hurts, hang-ups and habits.
Meets every Monday night from 6:30 to 9:00 PM, 3rd Floor of The Point building.
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Click to download a printable version of the Tallowood Times March edition.
Stewards of God's Love Sharing Life Together
For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10
We all are created in God's handiwork and we are destined to do our work for the Lord in some way. Whether it be using our gift of speaking in front the congregation, teaching others about Jesus, building new churches, caring for the sick or needy, and supporting the church with our money in providing for the ministries. Stewardship also isn't limited to churches and church functions, it can be used in the workforce, or wherever you are. Allow yourself to try out your God-given talents in different areas to find where it fulfills His desire for your life. - James Salors
Love God - Worship Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe
Over the past few years, this has become my heart posture as I walk into the worship center at Tallowood every Sunday. A posture of remembering His place in my life as Sovereign, my place as a recipient of His grace, and that the worship hour is not about me and my preferences, but His glory alone. Reading His word daily and spending time in prayer has had the greatest impact upon shaping this mindset and in growing my affection for the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 talks not only about loving the Lord with all of our hearts, but going to great lengths to remember to love God throughout our daily interactions. When we practice remembering what God has done in our lives, our natural response is praise and a desire to joyfully serve Him, and that overflows into serving His church. - Leslyn Jacks
Winter BIBLE STUDY with Pastor Brooks
This Magnificent Salvation
Thursdays: March 5 March 26
11 AM in the Activities Building. Lunch available after study.
SERVE THE CITY
Saturday, March 28
Sign up in your Connect Group Details at tallowood.org/STC
Join us for this all-church opportunity to serve our community and make an impact.
TALLOWOOD POPS CONCERT Featuring the Tallowood Orchestra
OUT OF THIS WORLD Featuring Doug Wheelock, NASA Astronaut
March 7, 2020 7 PM Free Concert
tallowood.org/pops
Couples Night Out
Friday, March 27 6-9 PM
A date night for married & engaged couples of all ages (plus free childcare)!
Register at tallowood.org/cno.
REROUTING
Camp Tallowood 2020
June 16-20
Sign-up at tallowood.org
Gospel Conversation Training
Saturday, March 7 8:30 AM to 1:15 PM, WT 320 Be equipped with simple ways to maximize your effectiveness in having gospel conversations, making disciples, and making an impact. Register at tallowood.org.
Committee of Committees & Church Business Meeting
March 22
The Committee of Committees will meet at 4:15 PM in the Chapel Reception Hall followed by the Church Business Meeting at 5:00 PM.
Congratulations to:
Carolyn Walker on her 5th anniversary at Tallowood on March 16
Guiding all people to love God, make relationships, make disciples, and make an impact.
CONGRATULATIONS TO- Jorge and Daniela Cauich on the birth of Xander Grey on February 2. Xander weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz. and is the baby brother of Freya.
SYMPATHY TO- Family of Pat Howard Chuck Reynolds on the death of his father Erick White on the death of her uncle John Neesley on the death of his mother Kay Lake on the death of her mother Randy Kilpatrick on the death of his father Mary Hudson on the death of her brother
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