Alleluia Hangover
By Reverend Robin Roderick

Welcome to life on this side of the resurrection! Our theme for Easter Sunday is a definition of our lives on a daily basis. As Pastor Jimmy said this past Sunday, we pity the folks who think Easter is something we celebrate once a year, rather than our state of being. I always find the glory and majesty of Easter hanging around in so many places and so many ways - I call it the Alleluia Hangover.

The enthusiasm, joy and wonder of the Easter tide, as it is called, washes over us, filling us again and again with refreshing life. Yes, we are also calling out to the birds in the trees and sneezing as they leaf out; yes, we are cutting a daffodil from the yard and putting it on the table; and yes the grass is greening - but all of that is the cycle of life and death.

Our Easter joy is that the very cycle which brings us such joy in the spring and perhaps less in the dead of winter has been broken in Christ. Death is no more! Where, oh Death, is thy victory? Where, oh death, is thy sting? There is nothing natural about the resurrection. It breaks with all we know.

Life on this side of the resurrection breaks with all we know or at least it can if we will accept the gift of reconciliation to God, receive the power of the resurrection and allow the life and work of Jesus Christ to reframe our futures. Don't finish with Easter - instead live with that Alleluia Hangover!

Safety Town

Information and many other activities will be provided by St. Charles City Fire Department, St. Charles City Police Department, St. Charles County Department of Health and the Environment, SSM St. Charles Clinic Medical Group, Usborne Books, Missouri Department of Transportation, St. Charles Animal Control, and more!

We also need volunteers to help monitor tables and activities. If you want to help with this exciting new FUMC annual event contact Dawn Orndorff at (636) 947-0066 or Jane Harrer at (636) 441-6260.

Reverse Missions
By Billy Collier

The congregation of First United Methodist Church of Blue Springs, Missouri, has a very creative way to support missions. In 2007, FUMC of Blue Springs helped with financial support to bring a mission team from Costa Rica, who had come to the United States to help with the repair work after Hurricane Katrina hit. Now, the Blue Springs congregation is undertaking the next step in Christian mission by putting together a reverse mission trip from Costa Rica in 2010.

It is an all-church undertaking. They are raising money from within their church, and many of their small groups are helping with the planning. They also received financial support from the Office of Creative ministries. The Costa Rica Reverse Mission Trip will provide an excellent opportunity for their church to unite with the team from Costa Rica again and to work on a local project through either Habitat for Humanity or one chosen by the church task force.

What a great way to keep their congregation working together and externally focused on ways to engage and expand mission service projects, not only around the world, but at home.

Is there something like this that our congregation could do? Think about it!

For more information on the Reverse Mission project, contact Max Marble at Office of Creative Ministries at 573-474-7155 or via e-mail at marble@ umocm.com.

Vacation Bible School

VBS registration will start May 3! We need to staff our Crocodile Dock Stations and have 25 Bayou Crew Leaders to be able to serve 150 children. Please prayerfully consider joining the team as we "rock the dock" and help these children shine God's light. No prior experience is necessary. What is required is a light heart that is ready to have fun and share God's light.

Dates for VBS this year will be June 29 - July 3 , 9 a.m. - noon. Areas of need: 3 year old room, Preschool games, Preschool Chadder Theater. For the elementary ages we need leaders for crafts, games, snacks, Bible Bayou, & Chadder Theater.

  Easy to follow guides are available for all of these areas.

Crew leaders are also needed for preschool and elementary ages. A crew leader takes 5-6 children from station to station and enjoys the fun with the kids!  Please sign up on the cards on the pew backs or contact Dawn Orndorff at 636 947-0066 or dawnorndorff@ sbcglobal.net for more information.

New Members

We wish to congratulate the new members of First United Methodist Church who have joined in the past six months (October 2008 through March 2009). Children who have not yet been confirmed are listed in parentheses.