Spring Break Lock-in!!

Another successful Youth lock-in! Man, I'm getting too old for this!!
Thanks to all the volunteers but especially Erin and Brian Middleton for their outstanding commitment - ten hours to be exact. Let's do it again.......(in six months or so!)

Blessings,

Jonathan

For more information about Noel Youth ministries contact:
Jonathan Andrews
Director of Youth Ministries
520 Herndon Street
Shreveport, LA 71104
318-221-5207
jandrews@noelumc.org

New Feature: Photo Gallery

A photo gallery has now been added to our website. You will find the link to it on our home page under quick links. I have posted photos from the Easter Meal Celebration this month. You can check them out by going here.

Mexico Mission Trip 2008

Our team of 28 from Noel and other churches went to Juarez, Mexico during the week of Feb. 17-22. We had a great group ready to serve God through the ministry of Proyecto Abrigo. We built 3 houses for 3 families that week, and also helped start the building of the new dorm for teams. We had perfect weather (except for 1 sandstorm!), awesome teamwork and a true spirit of serving and fellowship that week. Check out some of the pictures of our trip below!!

Palm Sunday is here!

Hey, folks! I can't believe Palm Sunday is this week! We will have our annual Palm Parade in both worship services. And the Children's Choir will sing in both services! Any child, infant through 5th grade, is welcome to participate in the parade. Of course, moms and dads who need to assist their infants or toddlers are more than welcome to join in! We'll meet in the Children's Building downstairs at 10:15 to line up for the Traditional service. After we process and sing in that service, we will go back to the Children's Building for a quick snack. Then it's off to process and sing again in the N.O.W. service! It's a fun and exciting day at Noel!

WHAT WE DO....

Folks seem to think, sometimes, that we staffers don't do much except on Sundays. Well... here's proof that they're just wrong. Turn on your sound, for your enjoyment.

Answers to Wesleyan Hymn Study Questions

Well, I had about four responses to the questions posted a couple of weeks ago. Only one of them, Ben Green, actually attempted to look up the answers! Thank you, Ben. Anyway, here are the answers. I hope you find it interesting!

Pictured above are those attending the class. Mrs. Haacker was absent when the picture was taken.

1. When did Charles Wesley Live?

1707-1788

2. How Many Hymns & Sacred Poems did he write?

Over 6,000. Some sources say there could have even been as many as 9,000.

3. Did Charles write the text, music, or both?

Only the text. In fact, there isn't really any evidence that he had any real musical training at all. He had some sort of organ in his home (probably a reed pump organ), so it is assumed that he must have played it, and he played the flute a little. If you look in our hymnal, you will see at the bottom of the page that most of the tunes we sing these texts to were written about 100 years after Wesley wrote them. Most of them are fairly easy to set to existing tunes since he used common poetic meters, including iambic pentameter.

4. Did brother John write any hymns?

This one is sort of a trick question. You may notice that there are several hymns attributed to John in our hymnal. However, he did not actually write any of the texts. John simply took existing texts and either translated or altered them to fit a tune.

SNOW!

Check out the snow at the church! It was beautiful for a while this morning. It has stopped now, but hopefully we're not done. Despite the snow, the World Day of Prayer Service, being held in our chapel by the Church Women United and our United Methodist Women, is going on right now, and is well-attended.

Hope you enjoyed this beautiful Spring blessing!

Hello from Debbie with Women's Ministry

Hello ladies! I wanted to thank everybody for your prayers! I feel God's strength daily walking through the rubble of my home. I was able to save my puppies and myself and the firefighters saved some pictures for me. Thank the next firefighter you see they do an amazing ministry!!!

Ladies, Spring Showers is a few weeks away and it is about Blessings! Sign up today or call with your questions. It is about celebrating our blessings and we all need a celebration! Call 221-5207 and sign up now or go to our website and sign up! www.noelumc.org

Again, keep Kenny and myself in your prayers! We need them right now more than ever!!!

Blessings,
Debbie

New Photos Uploaded

I have added some more photos that have been sent to me. There are several from previous mission trips on our missions page. Also there are really good ones from the Highland Parade last month posted here.

TheDEEP in Israel, March 9th & 16th

Don't miss the visit!

I got a chuckle with this sign showing the way to Lazarus Tomb. Sort of takes a little away from "the holiness" of the sight.

Just wanted to give you a teaser of some of the pictures we'll be showing, as mentioned in Sue's note below. We will be sharing our pictures and stories and reflections from our journey. On the 9th, we'll focus on the Sea of Galilee and surrounding areas, and on the 16th, we'll focus on Jerusalem and surrounding areas.

Look at these photos. The one on the left is a photo from the 30's, when a group from England purchased "The Garden Tomb". This is how the rock appeared then... the rock is supposedly the site known as Golgotha. You see the eyes and mouth in this shot. The picture below is one I took from atop the Jerusalem wall, overlooking the bus terminal that now covers the nose and mouth of Golgatha. See the eyes?

Eerie, huh?

There are tombs atop this rock, where Jesus may have been crucified.

Come see more this Sunday evening at 5:00 p.m. A nursery will be provided and we will finish promptly at 6:30.

Cya there!

-Rev. Beth

Holy Land trip

That was an amazing trip - to walk where Jesus walked, to see places He saw, to touch the water of the Sea of Galilee, to have our baptism vows renewed at the Jordan River, to walk the Via Dolorosa, to take communion near the Garden Tomb - those experiences were so powerful. There were so many other places we went that I have not mentioned. I encourage you to come the next two Sunday evenings to see the pictures and hear Marjorie, Todd, Rachel, Sondra, Rev. Beth, Rev. Sione and me share our experiences in the Holy Land.

In Christ,
Sue