Author: Owner

Fall Stewardship
Worship Series
All church book study on
Adam Hamilton’s Enough
will guide us on this journey.
Opportunities to join a small group for discussion and prayer around ideas of living with less, and experiencing more — more joy, more generosity, more satisfaction, more hope. Be a part of this life-affirming, life transforming experience. Watch your mail for further information and giving cards
Oct 14 When Dreams Become Nightmares I Timothy 6:6-10
Oct 21 Wisdom and Finance Proverbs 21:5, 20
Oct 28 Cultivating Contentment Luke 12:15-34
Nov 4 (All Saints) Defined by Generosity I Timothy 6:12-19
Nov 11 Pledge Sunday Overcoming Fear I Thessalonians 5:16-18

The Gate Post

October 2012

Our Mission: To Create Contagious Christian Community
That values children and helps them grow in the light of Love.
That meets people in the midst of crisis and walks alongside to find solace and solution.
That builds deep and caring relationships and fosters a sense of the joy of belonging.
That gathers together in worship in forms/expressions that are dynamic, meaningful and open to all.

The Aldersgate Community~2417 Getz Road, Ft. Wayne, IN 46804~260-432-1524~www.aldersgatecommunity.com

October Weekly Reading Through the Bible

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	Gospels	Law	History	Psalms	Poetry	Prophecy	Epistles
Oct. 7	Acts 5-6	Numbers 33-36	Il Chronicles 16-20	Psalms 119	Proverbs 29-30	Micah	Hebrews 8-10
Oct. 14	Acts 7-8	Deuteronomy 1-3	ll Chronicles 21-24	Psalms 120-121	Proverbs 31	Nahum	Hebrews 11-13
Oct. 21	Acts 9-10	Deuteronomy 4-6	ll Chronicles 25-28	Psalms 122-124	Ecclesiastes 1-2	Habakkuk	James 1-3
Oct. 28	Acts 11-12	Deuteronomy 7-9	ll Chronicles 29-32	Psalms 125-127	Ecclesiastes 3-4	Zephaniah	James 4-5
Nov. 4	Acts 13-14	Deuteronomy 10-12	Ezra 1-5	Psalms 128-130	Ecclesiastes 5-6	Haggai	l Peter 1-3

Fall Sermon Series
Enough
Oct 14 When Dreams Become Nightmares I Timothy 6:6-10
Oct 21 Wisdom and Finance Proverbs 21:5, 20
Oct 28 Cultivating Contentment Luke 12:15-34
Nov 4 (All Saints) Defined by Generosity I Timothy 6:12-19
Nov 11 Overcoming Fear I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Nov 18 Thanksgiving Sunday More Than Matthew 6:25-33
Nov 25 Christ the King Revelation 1:4b-8

Aldersgate Financial Update

In an effort to keep Aldersgate Members more informed about the ongoing status of our Church’s finances the Finance Committee is providing the following information in summary form. Please note that our Church’s revenue and expenses fluctuate throughout the year; and, each Member’s commitment to honoring a pledge is vital to the financial stability of our Church. Thank you for your commitment and participation in giving.

	August, 2012	August, 2011
Need per month	68,917	68,306
Received	51,103	50,588
Need YTD	551,336	546,448
Received YTD	505,248	497,015
Expense YTD	539,634	536,196
The total operating budget for 2012 is $827,000.00, which is an average monthly need of $68,917.

Community Outreach Opportunities

ALDERSGATE ART SHOW
Sunday October 7-Sunday October 28
The Aldersgate Liturgical Arts Committee is proud to sponsor an Art Show featuring members of the Fort Wayne Artist Guild. Art work will be displayed in the hallway by the church office, the Gallery, Market Place and Parlor.

Wellspring Interfaith Social Services
Presents a
Congregational Open House
Sunday, October 21, 2012
9:00a.m.-2:00p.m.
Wellspring Center- 1316 Broadway
Refreshments
Wellspring to honor volunteers from its supporting congregations.
Also, tour the recently renovated facility and learn more regarding Wellspring’s efforts to provide services for the city’s core.

Aldersgate first became part of this outreach in 2004 when we filled 200+ boxes. Each year we have continued to increase the number of boxes collected. Last year we collected 454 boxes, The most ever. Our goal for 2012 is 500 boxes. WE CAN DO THIS!!
OCC is fun! You can do it by yourself, as a family project, join with a neighbor or the person sitting next to you in worship, your small group could fill a box or two.
OCC is easy to do: first find a shoe box, cardboard or plastic. Next, using the OCC brochure (available October 21st) as a guide, decide the age and gender of the child. Now the fun part, go shopping! If this is your first time doing this take the box with you to make sure items fit, although if you buy too much you can always fill a second box! Cut out the label in the brochure, fix it to the box lid and secure with two rubber bands.
Please mark your calendar for 2012 Operation Christmas Child @ Aldersgate
Oct. 21st – Kick off Sunday. OCC is the Highlighted Ministry. Brochures available.
Oct. 28th – bring in filled boxes to the Market Place. Brochures available.
Nov. 4th – bring in filled boxes to the Market Place. Brochures available.
Nov. 11th – last Sunday to bring in filled boxes to Aldersgate.
Blessing of the boxes at the end of the 9:50am service.
If you still want to bring a box after 11/11 please take it directly to Sonrise. Their hours for receiving boxes are Noon-6pm, daily, including weekend days, 11/11-11/18.
Contact Ruth Carter, 494-1116 or plawsworth@comcast.net. for more information.

Just how safe is the artificial sweetener Aspartame (more commonly known as NutraSweet) that is currently used in some 4,000 products and consumed by hundreds of millions of people? Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World is a close examination into what some consider to be a “hoax”: aspartame toxicity. This controversial documentary is sure to open eyes to the possible dangers of what lurks in our food.
Sundays, October 21 & 28, 2012
from 11:00a.m.-Noon in room 131.
Sign up to attend on Oct. 7 & 14 in the Market Place.

Outreach Community Offerings
AA- Every Monday @ 7:30p.m. in room 124
ALANON- Every Tuesday @ 7:30p.m. in room 131
ALATEEN- Every Tuesday @ 7:30p.m. in room 202
12 Step- Every Tuesday @ 7:30p.m. in room 124
Big Book- Every Thursday @ 6:30p.m.
Super Shots- the first Thursday of each month from 4p.m.-7p.m.
Weight Watchers- Every Wednesday from 6:30p.m.-8:00p.m. and Friday from 9:30a.m.-11:00a.m., Down Under
Me-N-U Community Meals- Every Thursday from 6p.m.-7p.m. in the gym
CUB SCOUT PACK 3349 meets Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Down Under. It serves boys in grades 1 to 5. Contact Jim and Mindy Flesher- email jimandmin@comcast,net
BOY SCOUT TROOP 349 meets Mondays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Down Under. It serves boys 11 to 18. Contact Dean Wilkening email dwilkening@reawire.com

Music, Worship & Arts Ministries
All of Aldersgate's choirs are working hard on their music for Worship and upcoming events.
Don't forget to mark your calendars for the program in honor of Veterans which will be presented by Aldersgate's Adult Vocal & Handbell Choirs Monday, November 12 at 7:00. It promises to be a fantastic concert.
December 17 is the date of our Christmas Program. This year it will be in conjunction with The Old Crown Brass Band. All of our Music Groups will be participating. It will be a delightful evening!
Susannah Chadwell has begun working with our children & teens in music. She is very excited to be with the kids. I heard the teens rehearsing & they were sounding great. I'll be anxious to hear them in worship.
I have been working with the children's chime group and the teens in handbells. They are working hard & really open to learning. They are such fun!
We have lots of openings in all of our groups. Serving God through music is a wonderful experience. Why not try it?
Blessings!
Marlane

Do you know what your toes are doing?
Last month I started this series of “exposés” of the many ministries of our church which often go unnoticed. This is sometimes because of the humility of the leaders and volunteers in these groups but, as I explained last month, their work is an integral and important function of the body of Aldersgate – OUR body!
I suspect that all of us are aware of one of the contributions of this month’s highlighted group: the highly visible Valet Parkers. They are one part of a ministry with the understated name “Helping Others” which is led by Tom Bruce and coordinated by Kathy Routen. In addition to Valet Parking, it also provides Transport, Meals-at-Home and Odd-Job assistance to our Seniors. Their work is closely coordinated with that of Ellen Rhoades who is continuously keeping in touch with our less-mobile Seniors and who also distributes CDs of sermons to those who cannot make it to church. Shortly, the Visitation Committee will start supplementing pastoral visits by sending snail-mail cards and letters to keep our home-bound members connected with their church family.
The Sunday worship transport service is coordinated by Cathy Fisher. A separate transport service provides assistance with those essential journeys to doctors’ offices, grocery stores and for other errands.
For the Meals-at-Home program, volunteers prepare meals in their own homes and deliver them to others for short term situations. This program is coordinated by Stephanie Mallory.
The Odd-Jobs assistance helps with everyday tasks that we all used to do for ourselves before we got older and less flexible. Mac Routen and Bruce Guebard are the ring-leaders for this service.
If you have the time and desire to help with any of these rewarding ministries, please contact the church office and let them know of your interest. Tell them what area you can help with and they will make sure that the information gets to the right person.
But wait, there’s more! We also need to hear from those to whom these types of help would be a blessing. I’m told that some of our Seniors are a little reticent to ask for help; they are reluctant to impose on the generosity of others! May I gently suggest that if this describes you, you might try looking at this a little differently? Maybe when you were a little younger, you gave of your time to help others. Remember how much you got out of giving? Maybe it’s time for you to allow someone else the privilege of service to a fellow church member. You have a wealth of experience of life which that “helper” might just need to learn from you as you interact. This is a wonderful group of service ministries that I am so grateful to have as a part of my church.
David Carter- Lay Leader

United Methodist Women
Martha Circle: will meet Oct. 1 @ 6 p.m. in the lounge. Call Linda Sackman (403-2462).
Mary Circle: will meet Oct. 9 @ noon in the lounge, La Donna Weber will present the program. Call Ruthann Keisler (485-5175).
Rachel Circle: will meet Oct. 24 @ the church @ 9:00 a.m. Call Melinda Fast (625-5315).
Ruth Circle: will meet Oct. 2 from 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. and Oct. 18 from 6:15-7:45 p.m. Call Evonne Stephens (625-3227) or Lynette Jehl (616-0164).
FALL RUMMAGE SALE -- Thursday, October 11. You may begin bringing in items on Sunday, Oct. 7 and place them in The Gallery. Set-up for the sale is Tues., Oct. 9 and Wed., Oct. 10. Volunteers are welcome!!

Youth Ministry
Youth Group meetings take place each Sunday from 6:00p.m.-7:45 p.m. A meal for Middle and High School youth takes place from 6:00p.m.-6:30p.m.. The separate Middle and High School youth meetings follow at 6:30p.m..
October 7– Discipleship Night – Surrender with Francis Chan, Surrender Sin
October 14– Blast Night – Dodge Ball with St. Joseph UMC
October 21– Discipleship Night – Surrender with Francis Chan, Surrender Self
October 28– Discipleship Night – Topic TBA
For more information contact Rev. Christopher Millay (432-1524)

The Street ~ KidLINKS Children’s Ministry Thank You…
To Lynde Wismer-Kosko— 10 years ago Lynde designed our KidLINKS logo which has been a logo that has worked well for all areas and activities of Children's Ministries. So, it was only natural that with the construction of the new children’s wing, we turned to her to help update our logo to reflect this new space for children. Instead of creating a new logo, Lynde and I worked on tweaking the current one. We are not quite done yet, but we are close! Thank you Lynde for sharing your gift of creativity with Aldersgate and the Children’s Ministries! -Joan
To Marge Herbst—On Sunday, September 16th, Bibles were given to all the children who did not have one and to all 2nd graders as they all needed to have the same Bible for their Sunday School classes. Thank you to Marge Herbst for continuing to support the children’s journey through the Bible with her generous donations to our Bible fund! -Joan
To the Children's Ministries Council for all their time and energy spent planning, shopping, cooking, setting up, serving, and cleaning up for the Aldersgate Rally Day and Potluck on Sept. 9th. I could not have done it without you! -Joan
Fall Sunday School with new learning opportunities during the 10am worship hour
Infants—2 year olds can play & be rocked or read to while their families are in worship in our Cradle Care Nursery.
3 yr olds—1st grade will hear traditional Bible stories as their first stepping stone on their faith journey.
2nd graders will dig into their heritage and history by learning about John Wesley, Communion, and Baptism along with learning how to read their Bible.
3rd graders will dig a little deeper into the Bible by learning the names of the books, who wrote them and what each book is about.
4th—6th graders will learn about their ‘Ancestors’ in the J12 Club for tweens.
All of these classes give the children a foundation of faith to build on as they grow.
Kid's Club Walk Through The Bible... As of September 26th the children will have memorized all the books of the Old Testament and will be ready to start the New Testament on October 3rd! It’s never to late to join us on Wednesday evenings from 5:30-7:30 for all children in Kindergarten—5th grade. No need to register—just bring your dinner, Bible, giggles and be ready for fun Bible learning and games in room #124!
Coming this fall …..Stewardship for Kids Children learn about stewardship first and foremost, by what they see and hear from their parents. An old teaching adage says: If we don't teach children now that they have an obligation to share what they have, they can easily be swallowed up by a consumer-oriented culture that only teaches us that we should have more, bigger and better. We must teach our children to ask "Why has God blessed me?"

Lifetree Cafe
Oct. 3- Spiritual but Not Religious: An exclusive filmed interview with the author of The Shack.
Oct. 10- Hey Good Lookin’: Practical help for an ailing nation.
Oct. 24- Does God Have a Plan for You?: One woman’s quest to save 300 babies.
Oct. 31- Same Sex Marriage: When rights, morals, and love collide.
Meeting at New Ground Coffee Company
5925 North Clinton Blvd. (Washington Square)
Every Wednesday Evening from 7p.m.-8p.m.

Bear Creek Mission
We have pictures posted on the bulletin board and within the Gallery of our 2012 mission trip to the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota last July. Come down & take a look.
This year will be the 18th year we have sent Christmas gifts to our young S.D.
Friends. We will be collecting "New"toys for the Indian Kids in the beginning of December again this year. Please consider helping us with this fantastic project. More specific info. to come.
Blessings!
Marlane

The Aldersgate Academy
Aldersgate Academy continues to enroll children from church families and the community. We have waiting lists for the “ones” and “twos” classrooms, and currently have openings in the “threes” and “fours/fives” classes.
We are getting ready to kick off our first fundraiser of the school year – we are bringing back the ever popular Kringles©! Orders for the Racine Danish Kringles© will start on Monday, October 8 and continue through Monday, October 29, 2012. Orders will be available for pick up on Wednesday, November 14 – just in time for those holiday meals! For best quality, Kingles© should be served immediately or frozen.
Upcoming Events: School Pictures on November 5 & 6
For questions or to enroll for classes contact: Sara Lane, Director-432-4507

Senior Adults
Jolly Gaters - Tuesday, October 16th at noon in the Church Lounge. Maureene Meinert-Riethmiller, Development Co-Coordinator, Center for Nonviolence will speak about their history, mission, services and programs. Please join us.
Bake Sale - Sunday, October 28th, 9:00 AM until after the 10:00 AM service in Market Place. Proceeds will pay for the meals of all veterans who attend the luncheon on Sunday, November 11th. Senior Adult Ministries is sponsoring this event but we need help from the entire congregation. If you are able to provide an item to be sold, please bring it to the church that morning, then stop by and purchase an item. Also we will have RADA soup mixes for sale and dip mixes for sampling, and taking orders.
Coming up November 11th will be the church-wide celebration luncheon for our veterans, more information to follow. If there is anything that I can do for any Senior Adult, please contact me. I am in room 125 mid-mornings to mid-afternoons on Tuesdays and Thursdays, phone 432-1524, ext 250.
Roy Horther, Senior Adult Ministries Coordinator

Parish Visitor
It is my goal to be in contact with those who are unable to come to church, who have been in the hospital or are in rehab and nursing homes. I am not just for the Senior Adults, I am for anyone who could use a visit or a phone call. Please keep me informed of those needing some encouragement. Contact Ellen Rhoades at the church 432-1524
Those currently on my list are:
Marie Albert, Jim Altman, Miriam Baker, Barbara Ball, Clarence Bandelier, Kathie Bell, Jeanette Bridgett, Pat Dewart, Clarence Dowling, Geraldine Frederick, Marinell Fry, Virginia Gilb, Ruth Gongaware, Deidra Gulley, Rosalie Hofmann, Mary Hughes, Beverly Kissinger, Hilda Kreigh, Elmer Maucher, Elaine Ping, Thelma Ring, Mable Robinette, Phyllis Rudolph, Gaynelle Shady, Kathryn Shurtz, Ann Taylor, Colleen Ward, Ruth White, Valoice Woodruff.

PLEASE CHECK OUT THE CARE NOTES IN THE CONNECTION. Several of them relate to the Senior Adults and questions about health issues.

2417 Getz Road
Ft. Wayne, IN 46804

Non Profit Org.
US POSTAGE
PAID
Fort Wayne, IN
Permit No. 683

Return Service Requested

Our Ministry Staff
Dr. Derek Weber– Lead Pastor derekcw@aol.com
Rev. Christopher Millay- Associate Pastor christopher.millay@inumc.org
Rev. Don Wismer- Life Tree Cafe donaldwismer@gmail.com
Marlane Sturm- Dir. of Music, Worship & Arts Ministries marlane.sturm@gmail.com
Deidra Gulley- Music Assistant on unpaid medical leave deidragulley@comcast.net
Susannah Chadwell- Temporary Music Assistant suschad2@msn.com
Jane Brager- Organist jmbrager@gmail.com
Brenda Henline- Accompanist brenda.henline@gmail.com
Joan Schell- Director of Children's Ministries kidsmagnet@yahoo.com
John Schell- Cradle Care and J12 Coordinator johnschell40@yahoo.com
Michele Phillips- Church Administrator aldersgate_office@yahoo.com
Deb Eckler- Financial Assistant ecklerdeb@gmail.com
Ellen Rhoades- Parish Visitor emr7962@comcast.net
Roy Horther- Sr. Adult Ministry Coordinator rehorther@hotmail.com
Sara Lane- Academy Director aldersgateacademy2012@gmail.com
Judy Smith- Volunteer Librarian J_S2802@comcast.net
Roy Horther- Custodian
Tina Mihalec- Custodian
Ken Arend- Night Host