Dear Church Family,

Happy Anniversary!!!  Forty five years ago South East Winter Haven was growing rapidly.  As a result, St. John's United Methodist Church was launched to reach out to the new community.  At the core was to passionately promote the Kingdom.  This month we are celebrating our 45^th anniversary with a Mission’s Rally on the weekend of March 24-25^th.  Former pastor H. W. Parker will be the keynote speaker, and former choir director/song leader, Charles Selph, will participate as well.  This is a great time to invite the community, friends, family, and former church attendees to attend the services.

Forty five years later South East Winter Haven is once again growing rapidly.  It is exciting to capture the idea that God placed us here us here 45 years ago, and for today, to reach out to the community and to promote the Kingdom.  Jane Wagner, a charter member said, “Whenever anyone saw an opportunity to invite others, they did.  We wanted to be the new community’s church.”  And there are opportunities all around us like the folks from the YMCA.

We are more than happy to host the new Winter Haven YMCA basketball leagues for youth.  During March and April the YMCA, guided by the YMCA staff, will have practice on Monday evenings starting March 5th, and games on Saturday morning from 8 until noon starting on March 17^th.  We look forward to partnering with the YMCA to reach the young people of our community for Jesus Christ.  Please make every effort to make them feel warm and welcome here at St. John’s.

Our mission is to make fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ, and it starts with people who are unchurched.  Christ Jesus came to redeem the world unto Himself, and He has placed into our hands the task to carry out His mission of reaching people for Him.  The fields are ripe for harvest.

Al and Marion Miner just returned from a mission trip to Costa Rica.  A church wide trip is being planned.  Contact Al and Marion now if you are interested in going.  Also you may want to join the team going to Mississippi in April.  Contact Judy Cloninger for more information. 

Don’t miss this one.  St. John’s members and missionaries to Boliva, Lew and Marisa Davis will be with us on Wednesday, March 7^th during family night supper and will share with us about the mission at 6:00pm.

Join a Bible study this month.

God bless you a lot.

Kent