Please contact the church office (631-1151) if you are interested in membership. _

There is need for some women to lead a group of senior high girls in an every other week study group. Micah Chisholm. _

Disciple Bible Study classes are being offered again this program year. The first study of the second generation, Jesus in the Gospels, will be offered. Donna Clark, 465-0324 _

All women of the Church are entitled to be part of the United Methodist Women. Marge Klashak, 835-3350 _

All men of the Church are entitled to be part of the United Methodist Men. Mark Miller, 631-1151 _

Start setting aside your unneeded items -- clothing, books, toys, kitchen utensils, computers, plants, tools, home furnishings, computer hardware, CDs, DVDs ... you name it and we can sell it! The fall rummage sale will be Thursday and Friday, September 18-19. Please leave items in the storage room before Monday, September 15. Set-up will be September 15-17. A pre-sale for Aldersgate members will be Wednesday, September 17, 6-8p. Please consider donating time for set-up, sales, clean-up. Sign up on the bulletin board in the Narthex. Jane Kennedy 631-2227. _

Our church library has been updated. We welcome donations to the library. Please place in designated container near the library. The library will now include the books/videos formerly located in the narthex on the rolling cart. _

Books are available for checkout in the U.M.W. bookshelf in Fellowship Hall. Check out some of the opportunities for spiritual growth. _

Greeters are needed to greet members and visitors at the door before each Sunday service. Sign up on the bulletin board outisde of Fellowship Hall. _

Volunteers are needed to serve as ushers and money counters. Youth are encouraged to apply. Nan Skochdopole. _

Volunteers are needed to help with Sunday School and child care. Addie Maxwell. _

This summer, Amber Lauer, a missionary with Youth For Christ, will be moving from South Africa to Europe to serve on an American military base doing outreach and youth ministry. Financial support for her work may be made at the Youth For Christ website. Her account number is 30161. _

Members are asked to prayerfully consider donations to a Technology Fund to improve the audio and visual facilities in our sanctuary so that our ministers will have wider opportunities to deliver the message and our members can more creatively express their faith. _

Volunteers in Mission team members are wanted for continuing projects on hurricane relief and other projects. Over 20 members of our church have participated in teams so far. There is still a big need. Further teams will be going this year. Duane Townley. Duane Brooks went to Rio Colorado, Bolivia in November and June. Duane Brooks, 636-7503. _

Can you sing, play a musical instrument, or just read music? Consider joining one of our musical groups. Prays Band (instrumental) practices on Mondays at 7p. Bell Choir (hand bells -- only have to read music) practices on Tuesdays at 7p. Chancel Choir (vocal) practices on Thursdays at 7p. The Door 24 worship band (vocal and/or instrumental) practices on Saturday morning at 9a. _

Interested in being part of a Praise(prays) Band? Practices are Mondays at 7p. Jeff Yoder or Jennifer Root. _ The Adult Handbell Choir has rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings (except summer) at 7p. The choir rings for two services on the third Sunday of each month except during the summer. Requirements are some basic music-reading skills and a willingness to have a good time while creating meaningful music to enhance worship. Chris Laitner, 636-7674. _ Come be part of the fellowship of the Chancel Choir and experience the joy of making music that both blesses the congregation and praises our Lord. Practices are Thursday evenings at 7p. Jan Baumgras. Express yourself as part of a Worship Band (Door 24). Practices are Saturday mornings at 9a. Both vocalists and instrumentalists are needed. Micah Chisholm. _

Check the new Aldersgate Vision Plan. _

A Shawl Ministry is being started. For further information on this ministry, visit shawlministry.com. Carol Shuler. _

Our Extra-Mile Giving campaign this year is presenting the congregation the opportunity to support the following mission endeavors:
     Chris Hena, United Methodist medical missionary in Kazakhstan
     Daniel & Kelly Harman, Cedar Campus
     Joshua Miller, missionary-teacher in Dominican Republic
     Amber Lauer, missionary to military families in Germany
Amber is a member of our church. Kelly is a former member. Joshua is the son of our minister.
Contribution forms are available in bulletins and in the office. _

Staff Evaluation Forms are available for downloading.
      Word format       pdf format       _

The Youth are collecting pop cans and bottles to help raise money for their activities. Put in the bin in Fellowship Hall. _

A scrapbooking group meets on second Friday nights. Check the bulletin board. _

A mission study on Palestine was given in July and August. _

At the worship service on July 6, we commissioned our youth for their mission trip to the inner city of Chicago. To raise money for their trip, they had a number of fund raisers. On February 29, there was an Ice Cream Social at Great Lakes Ice Cream. On March 15, there was a Spaghetti Dinner at the church. On April 26 there was a Back to Prom 2008 night. They also had an Adopt-A-Youth program. They were gone July 6-12. On August 3 they reported on their trip at an ice-cream social.
_

At the worship service on July 6, we also celebrated our pastor's 50th birthday. _

Rain postponed the Baseball Outing scheduled for Wednesday, July 2; however a sizeable group of baseball fans enjoyed a pre-game picnic at the church. _

Sunday, June 29, recognition was given to Phil & Char Rice for their years of service to the church upon their retirement. _

Vacation Bible School was June 23-27. Thanks to all who helped. _

On June 8, we recognized 11 high school graduates. _

A Bible Study for single parents met Thursday evenings in April, May, and June. They studied Cultivating Spirit-Given Character by Calvin Miller. _

Christian Education Volunteer Recognition was May 18. Over 115 people were recognized for their efforts in helping our education program. _

The United Methodist Kids No-TV-aton succeeded in raising 41 bags of school supplies, 9 health kits, & 9 sewing kits to be sent to Liberia. _

The Rummage Sale, May 8-9, was a big success. Thanks to all who helped. Over $2300 was raised. _

A Spring Planning Retreat was held at the church on Sunday, May 4. _

We welcomed 13 new members into the church on Sunday, May 4. _

The Young Adult Fellowship Group - FaCeS (Families, Couples, and Singles) met Saturday, May 17, for a dinner-movie evening. _

At the June 30 meeting of the seniors group, 55 and the 3F's, participants in summer youth vocal jazz programs at the Midland Center For The Arts performed. At the May 19 meeting, the speaker was Greg Dorian, Executive Director of the West Midland Family Center. _

Prayer requests may be submitted by email or on a form. The address is intprayer @ sbcglobal.net. Please indicate if you would like the prayers to be shared with the congregation, shared only with the intercessory prayer group, shared only with the e-mail prayer group, or shared only by the leaders of the intercessory prayer group. If you would like to be a member of the e-mail prayer chain, please send a note to the above address. Prayer requests may also be submitted on forms found in the pew racks and submitted to the church office or the Intercessory Prayer Group mailbox. Donna Czerepinski, 832-3604, or Cassie Cuthbert, 631-3306. _

The UMW library has many books available for checkout. It is located at the far side of fellowship Hall. There are 4 categories of books: Education for Mission, Nurturing for Community, Social Action, and Spiritual Growth. There are 4 different reading plans; however, you do not have to join a reading plan to check out books. If you wish to join a reading program, check the booklet on the library book shelf. Shirley Brown, 832-2594. _

The Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network continues to help in providing emergency food assistance to local families. Aldersgate is one of nearly 40 churches in Midland County participating in their efforts. The Middle School Sunday School Class has the Pantry as a special mission project this year. In April, Aldersgaters denoted 179 items to the EFPN. _

Click here to visit on thehungersite. Then click on the Give Free Food button. Site sponsors pay for a cup of food with each contact. _

Consider a organ, tissue, or eye donation. Sign up on the Gift of Life Donor registry at giftoflifemichigan.org. _

The Finance Committee has approved participation in Meijer Community Rewards Program. With the use of a special card, a percentage of purchases made at Meijers will be given to the church as miscellaneous giving. Applications for the card are available in the Narthex or the Church Office. _

The Gideon Memorial Bible program enables you to dedicate Bibles in memory or in recognition of a loved one or friend. The Bibles are placed in hotel or motel rooms in the U.S. Material to make donations is available in a rack just outside the Church office door. _

Because of privacy acts, our hospital visitors are unable to find out if there are members of Aldersgate in the hospital. If you know of anyone who has been hospitalized, please inform the Church Office 631-1151. E-card greetings to patients and residences at MidMichigan hospitals and nursing homes may be sent at www.midmichigan.org/e-card. _

Please inform the Church Office of changes in vital information such as changes in event dates and times, addresses, births, hospitalizations, etc. In addition to the phone, 631-1151, and e-mail, aumchurch@sbcglobal.net, you can now use the "message stand" in the Narthex. _

To help local women and children in need, donations of juice, paper items, trash bags, gift cards, and Dial-A-Ride and County Connection tickets are needed. They may be dropped off at the ShelterHouse, 3115 East Isabella (M-20). Donna Czerepinski or Mary Wackerle. _

All members of Aldersgate are eligible for membership at Members First Credit Union, 600 West Wackerly and 617 Bayliss. 835-5100. _

Check the Encounter page for opportunities offered by General Board of Discipleship for improving marriage relationships. Special weekends are offered for engaged couples. _

Be sure to check out the many excellent videos and audio tapes available for loan from our video library. _

Small group ministry is very important to Aldersgate. Make it a point to check the sign-up-board outside of Fellowship Hall on a routine basis. If you see the need for a group, please feel free to use the board as a means to interest others, or let us know by e-mail. _

Make it a practice to bring items for the Food Pantry each Sunday. Leave in the containers in the hallway. Especially needed are canned fruit and shredded wheat. Non-food items such as detergents, paper products and personal care items are also needed. _

To help mission projects at Red Bird Mission School, Henderson Settlement, Midland County Emergency Food Pantry, Voluntary Action Center, Midland Christian School, and other groups, please put following in boxes in narthex:

• The UPC code for General Mills products ("Labels for Education" program)
• Coupons on bottom of Kleenex, Ziplock, Saran Wrap, and other S.C. Johnson products
• Campbell Soups labels
• Point & Tops for Education symbols from Betty Crocker products
• V8 Splash, Prego Pasta sauce, Pace Salsa labels _