the above and beyond issue

Alomazone.orgMay 2012

The Above and Beyond Issue

Leaving the “stu�” behind and living an above and beyond life!

THOUGHTS FROM UNDER THE HAT:IT’S NO GAME...

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FAMILY MATTERS: A HUSBAND ABOVE AND BEYOND THE REST

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IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH PASTOR JIM GOVATOS

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ADVANCE / MAY 2012 PAGE 3

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page 5ABOVE AND BEYOND AT ANY AGE

page 11FINAL TAKE: WITH ERIC TWACHTMAN

GOOD TIMES AT ALOMA UMC!page 15

MAY CALENDAR OF EVENTSpage 13

page 7WOMEN FINDING THEIR PLACE:ABOVE AND BEYOND WOMEN

SPECIAL:

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LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!EMAIL: [email protected]

FACEBOOK: ALOMAUMCHURCHFAMILY / TWITTER: @ALOMAUMC WEBPAGE: WWW.ALOMAZONE.ORG

SIX WAYS TO LIVE ABOVE AND BEYOND page 94

JIM GOVATOS SENIOR PASTOR,

ALOMA UMC


Living an ‘Above and Beyond’ LifeThis month’s issue of Advance is entitled “Above and Beyond.” In common usage, “above and beyond” usually refers to extraordinary e�ort, as in “above and beyond the call of duty.” Since May is the month of Mother’s Day, I think this meaning resonates within all our hearts. From pregnancy through adulthood, most mothers go “above and beyond” for their children on a daily basis. Giving birth? De�nitely above and beyond. Nighttime feedings? Yep. Projectile vomiting? Check. The slamming doors of adolescence? De�nitely. You get the idea.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he asked his followers to go “above and beyond” as well. Sending them out to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) when they had never been more than a hundred miles from home was asking them to go above and beyond what they were used to. And they did it! They rose to the challenge and performed incredibly.

However, as I looked at the phrase “above and beyond” I saw another possible meaning. As Jesus prepared to leave this earth for heaven, He asked His followers to look above to God and then beyond themselves. This dual glance doesn’t produce double-vision, but a sharp focus on what God would have us do with our lives.

All good vision begins with God. Not only does looking at Him give us clear direction in a world �lled with options, it also gives us inspiration to dream bigger than we might do under our own strength. When Jesus told his followers that they would go to the ends of the earth, He promised them that they wouldn’t travel under their own steam. He would be with them (Matthew 28:20) all along the way. They wouldn’t ever

have to do life on their own if they kept looking above.

The beyond part has to do with how we relate to our world. Right from the start, following Jesus meant going to a hurting world with His love and His power. Sometimes in the life of faith we can get so �xated on solving our own problems we forget we were made for more. When Jesus walked the earth, He did help his disciples deal with their issues, but He always did it in the context of calling them to serve others. He calls us to look beyond ourselves. In fact, the only way to stay close to Jesus is to go as He commanded us in Matthew 28.

I know in my own life one of the greatest antidotes for feeling sorry for myself is to get out and serve someone else. That is as much a part of the Christian life as saying our prayers or reading our Bibles. In the pages of this month’s Advance you will �nd many examples of people looking above to God and beyond themselves to others. Sometimes that will happen in their families; at other times their vision will carry them part way around the world. But in all cases looking above and beyond at the same time has led them to serve “above and beyond” in incred-ible ways.

You, too, can have an extraordinary life by looking above and beyond.

In The Right Direction

ADVANCE /JANUARY 2012 PAGE 5


I am fortunate to still have my mother alive and well at age 86. She has been a strong in�uence in my life. I could share so many stories, but one that stands out is her year as a missionary in Africa at the age of 71. She and my stepfather had always wanted to be missionaries, but with 5 children they were repeatedly turned down. God, however, never withdrew

this desire and in the spring of 1997 they �ew into the interior of Tanzania to begin the adventure of a lifetime. Their courage to undertake such a commitment at that age was amazing. The passion with which they served as parents,

mentors and teachers in their small African community showed God’s love for all peoples. I am sure all of you can think of people whose actions go above and beyond. People who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and care for others. People like Yvan Pierre, who grew up in Haiti, saw the great need and wanted to give back to his community. Because of

his above and beyond e�orts there are now over 650 children receiving an education they would not have otherwise gotten. Churches being planted throughout Haiti because of the Bible Training and Evangelism classes he helped start. As you read the articles in this month’s ADVANCE, celebrate the actions of those going above and beyond. And remem-

ber, no matter what your age, there are always ways to serve the Lord!

Above and Beyond At Any Age

BY CATHY HATCHER ALOMA UMC MEMBER“No eye has seen, no ear has

heard, no mind has conceived what God has

prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor.2:9


With Mother’s Day this month, I am thinking about women. Webster’s Dictionary de�nes “woman” this way: “adult human female.” Really? That’s it? Well now, may I tell you some more things I know about women?

When God �rst observed the man, He

decided to create a helper for the man. I �nd it interesting that the Hebrew word that we translate as”helper”means “one who responds; one who talks back.” Now, I like that de�nition of a woman much better than Webster’s! And, I think most husbands would say that their wives ful�ll that role quite well! Despite some bad theology out there, God never intended for women to be subservient to men; they were created to be capable allies, partners. Some women get o�ended when they read or hear Bible passages that tell of wives being submissive to their husbands. Submission simply means yielding to another person’s opinion. God intends for marriage to be a relationship of mutual submission. In fact, submission is yours to give, not anyone else’s to demand.

In his book, Making Love Last a Lifetime, Adam Hamilton has one chapter titled ‘What Women Wish Men Knew About Women.” Basically, women need 4 A’s: attention, active involvement, appreciation, and

a�ection in non-sexual ways. To fully understand Hamilton’s points, I highly recommend reading the book; but here is a quick overview for husbands. If your wife is talking to you, step away from any rectangular screens, make eye contact with her, and give her your full attention. Wives want men to be actively involved in family activities – meals, sports, game/movie nights, picnics, etc. Wives need to know that their husbands appreciate what they do for them and their families. Husbands should not just assume their wives know they are appreciated – they need to hear it. Putting your arm around her during a movie, holding her hand in the mall, or giving her a hug as you leave the house are ways of non-sexual a�ection that will make huge deposits into your marriage.

I would like you to know one more thing about women. Women are looking for men to be actively involved in the spiritual matters of their families: be involved in family prayer times; make church and worship a priority; read and study the Bible with them. Husbands, if you do not want to be involved in the spiritual matters of your family, then please do not criticize your wife for her involvement. Every time you criticize her, you make a very large withdrawal from your marriage.

By the way, Hamilton also has a chapter titled, “What Men Wish Women Knew About Men.” In it, he states that every husband wants his wife to think of him as her knight in shining armor. Husbands, I have to tell you that if you will prayerfully consider the points made above and put them into play, you will not only be seen as a knight in shining armor; you will be seen as a husband above and beyond the rest!

A Husband Above and Beyond the Rest

MERRY KENDALL DIRECTOR OF FAMILY MINISTRIES,ALOMA UMC

Family Matters:

Each month Family Ministries hosts a special “Family Dinner” in Aloma UMC’s Fellowship Hall.

This is a great opportunity to meet our Family and hopefully decide to become part of the Aloma UMC Family!

Please see the events calendar beginning on page 13 to learn more about this opportunity.

ADVANCE /MAY 2012 PAGE 7

As I sat on the bench watching my beautiful daughter practice soccer in the cool breeze of an early spring evening, I could not help to marvel at how vastly di�erent my life was just seven years ago. I had answered God’s call, been obedient and the rewards have been great. Psalms 37:4 says “take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart”. My journey to motherhood began in March 2003. I was 40 years old, unmarried, unattached, and had a demanding stressful job. I was thinking more and more about mother-hood but having no concept of how that could happen in my life. I was about the furthest from motherhood you could get.

My journey began at lunch downtown with a good friend where I shared with her my desire to be a mother. While dining, she informed me that I could be a mother, even though I was not married, and I looked at her in disbelief. She was con�dent and handed me a magazine turned to an article on foreign adoptions and the availability of healthy babies all over the world who needed loving homes. I went home, read the article and began to pray in earnest. If this was to be my path, then I must know from God with assurances that this was His plan for my life. From that moment on, God began placing people in my path to give me informa-tion, encouragement, and whatever else I needed to make this life changing decision. I prayed, attended seminars, prayed some more, as I searched for the true answer. Would I adopt internationally? Could I adopt as a single woman? Would the baby be healthy? Would the baby look like me? What would my family say? What did my friends think? It was all so overwhelming. In June of 2004, I traveled to Huntsville, Alabama, to visit friends and met their adopted Chinese daughter. These and other friends encouraged and assisted me along the way. They guided me to the adop-

tion agency and eventually to my daughter. During this process, I kept hearing God’s voice clearly telling me to go ahead, that I was capable and He would bless this decision. I can’t say with certainty the exact moment the decision was made, but I do know that when it was made, a con�dence and peace washed over me, like no other peace I have ever known. This was the path my life was to take. I was where I was supposed to be.

After studying all the countries, I decided on China, completed the application and submit-ted it. Ten months later, I was traveling to China and she was placed in my arms. We came home on June 16, 2005, my mother’s birthday, and began our new life together.

My journey to motherhood is Above and Beyond anything I could envision. God desires us to step out in faith and with Him; we will soar above and beyond even our wildest imaginations.

BY HALLIE L. ZOBEL ALOMA UMC MEMBER

Above and Beyond Women

Such a Time as This:

Hallie L. Zobel has a seven year old daughter adopted from China. Her day job is estate planning attorney,

her passionate job is being a mother. She enjoys riding bikes with her daughter, going to the gym,

reading, and playing sports.


BY JEFF MILLERYOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTDIRECTOR,ALOMA UMC

Thoughts from under the hat:

I wouldn’t call myself a gamer, but my brother could spend hours playing his PS3. I recently saw the tagline for a new war-themed shooter game; Battle�eld 3. “Above and Beyond the Call.” Now there’s an idiom I haven’t heard in a while. I’m pretty sure they added that as a play on words to say they go Above and Beyond their competitor’s game “Call of Duty”, but it made me think. How can we go Above and Beyond the Call of Duty?

If you look at the history of this idiom, you will �nd it’s original use was to describe police o�cers, �re �ghters, or soldiers who were injured or killed while doing their jobs. I felt it was important to mention this because it can relate to our lives.

Whether it’s in ministry or not, God gives us all a Calling on our lives. It doesn’t matter if it’s teaching, prayer, healing, God has planted these gifts in our lives to ful�l His plans. I understand not everyone knows how God has called them yet, but let’s say for the sake of this article you do know. Are you going above and beyond your Call?

I’m reminded of the rich man who came to Jesus in Luke 18:18-23. “A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No

one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’’‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said.When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.”

Going back to our idiom, we referenced how this phrase was used to describe injured or killed o�cers. They didn’t become a police o�cer or a �reman just for the pay checks. Those individuals had a sense of Duty to their job that allowed them to do whatever it took to put that criminal behind bars or set out that �re. When I look at the church across the country, I don’t see that over the top, on �re for God, sense of Duty.

My goal for this article isn’t to discourage but rather to encourage and ignite that passion. If you feel God pulling on your heart to teach or to preach or whatever He has in store for you, then go whole heartedly out and use that gift Above and Beyond your Call of Duty.

It’s no game...


The articles contained in this edition of ADVANCE speak of people who are doing some things in the area of missions that seem “above and beyond” what most of us think that we could ever accom-

plish. However, the promise of Ephesians 3:20 (“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish in�nitely more than we might ask or think”) is

available to not just a selected few, but to you!

ANDY SEARLES DIRECTOR OF

DISCIPLING MINISTRIES,

ALOMA UMC

From A to B:


Listed below are six everyday things that you can do to play your part in God’s great missionary adventure.

1) Be the answer to your prayers!Jesus wants to change the world and he wants to use you in the process. How do we �nd out our role? Well, we ask him! But we don’t just ask -with his guidance - we answer! Often, as we pray, we expect God to magically answer our prayers while we put our feet up on the couch. For every person you pray for, think of one action step you can take to accompany your prayers. (Matthew 9:33)

2) Say “Yes” More!Opportunities abound, but so often our default is to say “no”. Boundaries and priorities are vitally important, but don’t use them as an excuse and perhaps be prepared to expand them a little. The reality is we waste too much time on trivial things at the expense of things that really matter. What does your saying “yes” to saying “no” ratio look like? Say “yes” to the right opportunities more often. (Matthew 6:33)

3) Make hope real!Hebrews 6:19 says that “Hope is an anchor to our soul”. Yet so often we treat hope as a buoy. Our hope bounces around, moving, changing and getting splashed by the circumstances of life. Is the hope you have a buoy or an anchor? There is one way to �nd out – lean on it in real life. If Jesus is all he says he is, we have nothing to fear and everything to hope for. How can you help make hope real for someone?

4) Change a habit!Do you know what God could do if you gave him

just 30 minutes of your TV time each day? No… me neither, but I bet it’d be more redemptive that watching some (un)reality show. What’s one habit in your daily routine that you can change? Spend that time writing a letter of encourage-ment, �nding somewhere to serve, reading your Bible, connecting with God or �nding someone to love. How does 1 Timothy 4 translate itself into your life?

5) Find a way to give love away!My grandpa had a sentimental poster on his

bathroom wall. The poster had cute puppies on it but its text changed my life. It simply said, “The Love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay, love isn’t love until you give it away”. How are you giving Jesus’ love away today?

6) Take a risk!Once in high school, in response to my invitation to go on a date, my request was responded to with a poem about risk. Not quite sure why this girl felt it a risk to date me, BUT her poem concluded with the statement, “The greatest risk in life is to risk nothing”. Measured risk is vitally important when it comes to establishing the Kingdom of God. We are people of faith, and therefore

by de�nition, people of risk. What risk can you take today for the sake of Christ?

A mission challenge: Choose one of these principals and apply it to your life this week. Choose another one the next week and so on. Journal what God does in and through you as you start to apply these principals!

God wants to do above and beyond through you and make a di�erence in changing this world that Jesus loves so much.

God wants to do above and

beyond through you and make a di�erence in

changing this world that

Jesus loves so much.

For more information about our missions team, please visit us at www.AlomaZone.org.


I’ve long had a fascination for giants. They’re just so cool (as long as you are one, or at least they’re on your side). You can fairly hear the admiration in the voice of Moses in Genesis as he talks about the giants in the earth. Those were the people who you might have liked to have met – as long as it could have been in a safe environment or you could have been assured that they were (as mentioned before) on your side. One imagines that the Philistines were tickled pink to have a bad mamma-jamma like Goliath on their side.

That’s just the di�culty with them, though. You just can never tell. Maybe that is part of what gives them their gigantish quality. There’s always that edge. Sort of like my favorite line in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ,where Lucy asks Mr. Beaver if Aslan the Lion is safe and the beaver says “Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king I tell you."

My father-in-law, James Timmons, had a bit of that e�ect. He was a powerful speaker and was well respected by his congregation. He was also bigger than me. But the quality that comes to mind most is his inner strength.

The man knew who he was. He had been saved as a young man and had dedicated his life to the Lord. That testimony resonated through his life – and yet he was no pushover. He was in many ways formidable. God had given him the gift to be sold out for Him and to be a man of de�nite opinions. He ran counter to many stereotypes of a pastor. Spend as much time as you wished around him and you would detect no namby-pambyishness.

Which meant that he could be nice – but not always. Thinking back, I must say that that is one of the things that I admired about him. He was comfortable enough in his own skin to be his own man. As if God had created him and saved him and put His Holy Spirit in him and beyond that, he did not need your approval.

Not that he couldn’t be generous. He certainly was – I not only witnessed it but I experienced it as well.

He could be kind, as well.

And insightful.

But, for me, at least there was also that edge. The edge of knowing that in some ways he was an unknown quantity. (He was, after all, my father-in-law).

It’s possible, for instance, that, at the time I didn’t fully appreciate his honesty in criticizing my �rst sermon at my new church. Looking back now, of course, I recognize that he might actually have been a bit soft on me. (It was pretty rough…) If I got better, I imagine that the most helpful comments were the honest ones.

That’s really it with the giants, though. It’s in looking back that their stature really stands out. God’s grace lived large. Not perfect (my father-in-law would have told you that himself ), but blessed to live as who God made them to be.

Final Take:

BY ERIC TWACHTHMAN ALOMA UMC MEMBER


-on ne

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Pre-

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June 25-

trust God! All new Imagination Station activities will give kids highfun! Plus, teamon the move. in powerful, life changing ways.

FREEVacation Bible School

29, 20129am to 12noon, Finale on July 1

K thru 5th Grade(must be 4 years of age by September 1, 2012)

Register online at www.alomazone.org

Just picture yourself in the air! You're flying, surrounded by endless blue sky and puffy white clouds…at Sky VBS you and your kids will discover what it means to

flyin’, handsbuilding games, cool Bible songs, and tasty treats keep everyo

Bible lessons are made memorable and kids experience Bible stories God is active in our lives and his fingerprints are

everywhere! The excitement is soaring, so get ready to take off!

May EventsSPECIAL EVENTSFamily Dinner Wednesday, May 30th5:45 pm Fellowship HallMay’s Family Dinner will be themed around sum-mertime! Join us on Wednesday, May 30 from 5:45-7:00 pm in Fellowship Hall as we indulge in hamburger sliders, fries, and broccoli salad. Then, there will be a jump-roping contest for elementary school children, a hula-hoop contest for middle-schoolers, and a limbo contest for teens and adults! This evening of FREE food and fun is sponsored by Family Ministries and is designed for persons of all ages and family sizes – even if you are a family of one. If you are able, we ask that you consider bring-ing a $1/person love o�ering to cover some of the costs of this monthly event. To ensure that there is enough food for all to enjoy, reservations are only accepted until noon on Monday, May 28. Make your reservation now!

CHILDREN & YOUTHSunday School Classes:

* B.I.G House Sunday School4-year-olds through 3rd Grade

* Garage Sunday School4th through 6th Grade

* Youth Sunday School 7th through 12th Grade

*For Sunday School classes, children, tweens, and youth join their families in the sanctuary at 10:30 for the opening of worship and are dismissed to their age-appropriate groups.

Wednesday Night Bible Study (6:15 pm to 7:30 pm):

*VIP Kids4-year-olds through 3rd Grade

* The Kool Crew4th through 6th Grade

* Youth Group 7th through 12th Grade

For more information, please contact Merry Kendall at [email protected].


To register for a special event, please visit www.AlomaZone.org

May EventsADULTS

Men’s Prayer MeetingEvery Saturday from 7:30 am to 9:00 amLocated in Room 30

Friendship ClassEvery Sunday from 10:30 am to 11:30 amLocated in Room 24

Insight for LivingEvery Sunday from 10:30 am to 11:30 amLocated in Fellowship Hall

Seekers Sunday School ClassEvery Sunday from 10:30 am to 11:30 amLocated in Room 25

Couples and Spares Sunday School ClassEvery Sunday from 10:30 am to 11:30 amLocated in Room 32

Life in Jesus Bible StudyEvery Sunday from 9:00 am to 10:00 am

Located in Room 25

Men’s Bible StudyEvery Tuesday morning from 6:00 am to 9:00 amLocated in the Church O�ce Building.

*For information on how to join a small group, please contact Pastor Andy at [email protected].

Christian QuiltersEvery 2nd and 4th Monday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pmLocated in Room 32

Tuesday Morning Bible StudyEvery Tuesday from 10:00 am to 12:00 pmLocated in Room 32

Women’s Prayer GroupEvery Wednesdays from 6:15pm – 6:45pmLocated in Genesis Room NOTE: This group will NOT meet on Family Dinner nights.

Men’s Small Group Bible Study Every Wednesday from 5:30pm - 6:30pmLocated in room 23

SENIORSSenior ExerciseEvery Tuesday 9:15 am to 10:00 amLocated in Room 24

Would you like to contribute to a future issue of ADVANCE? Let us know by sending your name and contact information to [email protected].



Good Times at Aloma UMC!

2012 Women’s Retreat

Faith & Family Nightat

Orlando City Soccer Game

3045 ALOMA AVENUEWINTER PARK, FLORIDA 32792PHONE: (407) 671-2180FAX: (407) 678-5070EMAIL: [email protected]

the above and beyond issue

Documents

christian life

life of faith

aloma umc advance

earth acts

right direction

hurting world

pastor jim govatospage

jim govatos senior pastor