News & Notes

• Report from the Endowment Committee
• Big Sale
• Church Directories are Here!
• Chancel Choir
• Project Linus
• Personal FRAN Plan
• Church Office Hours
• Flower Chart
• Share Your Pets
• Liturgist and Greeters Needed
• New Eyes for the Needy
• Wesley Fellowship
• Baby Pantry
• Haiti Hot Lunch Program
• New Eyes For the Needy
• Campbells Soup Labels
• Spartan Brand Labels
• House by the Side of the Road
• Recycle Your Ink Jet Cartridges

The balance in our church’s permanent endowment fund at the end of year 2007 was $477,628.76, an increase of $38,708.29 from end of year 2006. The 2007 estimated total return on our investments in the UMF Pooled Congregation Fund is 11.54%, with the stocks returning 16.11% and fixed income 5.50%. You can check out the financials at the United Methodist Foundation web site at any time.

Interest and dividends from the endowment fund were used to help support Vacation Bible School, Summer Youth Activities, Project Linus, Special music for the Chancel Choir, the purchase of twenty stackable armchairs with padded seats and arms, and the Capital Campaign. In addition over $1700 was given to various mission projects, including Ons Plek — a home for girls in South Africa, Mulungwishi Seminary Scholarships, Personal Energy Transport (hand-cranked tricycles), International Child Care, the Baby Pantry, and House by the Side of the Road.

As the above disbursements demonstrate, a donation to the permanent endowment fund is a gift that gives back to the church in many ways. It is never too early or too late to express our faith, or to remember a loved one, with a gift to the endowment fund.

Barbara Cook, Chair

It’s Spring and spring brings spring cleaning time. Our October event is dependent upon you looking into all the closets, storage areas and forgotten corners. Anything that hasn’t seen daylight in the past six months to a year is a prime candidate for our “BIG SALE”. If you can’t hold it until September call the church office 629-9425 to arrange for pickup.

We also have a work bee day on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 9-12 am up on the third floor to sort the items that come in each month. If you have a couple of hours you can give to this vital fund raising project we would appreciate your help.

The new church directories are — finally! — here. You can pick them up during the week at the church office or on Sunday morning at either worship service. Thanks to all who were responsible for getting this enormous job completed.

The Chancel Choir invites anyone who loves to sing — from youth to “young at heart” and everyone in between — to join us for music and fellowship and the opportunity to serve and praise God. Instead of giving up something for Lent, may we suggest you add some fellowshhip and music for your Lenten journey this year.

The Chancel Choir sings every Sunday morning at the 11 am service, performing a wide variety of music from traditional to contemporary, folk to gospel. Special music is planned this year to celebrate Holy Week and Easter.

The Chancel Choir regularly rehearses at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings in the choir room in Goodrich Chapel. The Choir is adding Wednesday night rehearsals, starting on February 13th, from 7 to 8 pm, in Wesley Lounge.

Interested? Call Lisa French, Choir Director, at 517•629•5405 for more details. Or you may use the Contact Form on this web site. If you do the latter, be sure to include "Lisa French/Chancel Choir" in the Question/Comment box.

For the past six years a group of women from the community have been meeting to make quilts for children who have experienced some type of trauma in their lives. Well over 2,000 quilts have been made and distributed through emergency rooms, S.A.F.E. place, and an Indian reservation.

The quilters meet the fourth Tuesday of each month in Fellowship Lounge to make quilts for children who have experienced some type of trauma in their lives. More quilters are always welcome. Even if you don’t quilt there are other ways you can help!

The office will be open Monday morning, all day Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and closed on Fridays. The answering machine is always on so you can leave a message and someone will return your call.

The 2008 flower chart is now posted on the bulletin board in Wesley Lounge. Flowers may be given in honor, in memory, in celebration, or just given to the Glory of God. Cost of flowers will be $28.00 (a slight increase); if you specify a certain color or special flowers then the cost is more. The arrangement is yours to keep after the services. As in the past, we do not place flowers on the altar the first Sunday of each month due to communion.

More participants are needed for monthly Pet Visits to Tendercare of Albion. On the third Wednesday of each month, at 3:30 pm, a small group shares cats and dogs with those who no longer have their pets. These 30-minute, informal visits are much appreciated. Please consider adding this worthwhile service to your calendar. For further information, call Dorothy Kammer at 517•524•8297.

There is a clipboard in Wesley Lounge on the table for people to sign up for the 11:00 service. Please take a few minutes to stop by and save us from having to phone people.

Being a greeter or liturgist is just another way to serve God.

What is New Eyes for the Needy? A non-profit organization whose purpose is to help provide better vision for the poor the word over.

What are the credentials of the organization? New Eyes is endorsed by the American Academy of Opthmalogy, the Opticians Association of America, and the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness.

How can your help? Drop off your old glasses at the church office. They cannot use loose lenses, cases, contact lenses, or broken frames.

This college group meets on Sundays here at the church at 5:30 pm. We are looking for cooks who would be willing to prepare a light meal for this group of 10 to 15 students. There are funds available to reimburse persons for the cost of food. If you would be interested and willing to do a meal please contact Carol at the church office.

We are still having 2-4 people come in daily needing assistance with diapers and baby food. When you are out shopping why not consider picking up a package or two of diapers (sizes 1-2 and 3), baby formula, food? Also, we always need wipes (unscented). Any help you can give is appreciated. If you would rather give a financial donation, simply make your check out to First United Methodist Church with "Baby Pantry" on the memo line. Thank you to The Kiwanis Club of Albion for their generous donation of $250.00 to the Baby Pantry.

This is an ongoing project that we continue to collect pop cans and bottles for with proceeds going to support the hot lunch program in Haiti which supplies one meal per day which consist mostly of beans and rice for children. For many children this may be the only meal for the entire day.

There is a large container in front of the church office for you to put your cans and bottles in. PLEASE be sure that you have rinsed out cans and bottles and also removed tabs which can be put in the marked container on the ledge in front of the office (the tabs we collect are sent to Community House in Grand Rapids). Your support of these projects is most appreciated.

What is New Eyes For the Needy? A nonprofit organization whose purpose is to help provide better vision for the poor the world over.

What are our credentials? New Eyes is endorsed by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Opticians Association of America, and the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness.

How can you help? Drop off you old glasses at the church office. They cannot use loose lenses, cases, contact lenses or broken frames.

We continue to collect the labels but only need the UPC code from the label. There are other foods such as Franco American gravy, Swanson Broth and others which are made by Campbell's. Labels are sent to Community House in Grand Rapids where they are able to use them to purchase various items. For further information, see http://www.labelsforeducation.com/.

If you use Spartan products cut around the UPC labels and turn them into the church office or take directly down to A.I.M. They are able to turn these in for cash.

Again we are in desperate need as we continue to help individuals with rent, utility bills, gas, food, prescriptions etc. Our funds are just about gone and I had to tell two different individuals this week that we just didn’t have the funds to help them out. If you can help with any donation please make you check out to First United Methodist Church and designate for House by the Side of the Road.

Your old ink jet cartridges can help your church raise money. Instead of throwing them away, bring them to the drop off box located by the church office. This has been an ongoing project and recently we sent two boxed in and received a check in the amount of $269.25. With the exception of Epson cartridges, any type of ink jet cartridge can be recycled.