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Crosswinds Newsletter
February 14, 2024 - Volume 708
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WHAT IS LENT?
Today marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is one of the holy seasons in the Christian year. Lent consists of the 40 days leading to Easter Sunday. These 40 days do not include the Sundays during that time, which I will explain shortly.
The origins of Lent go all the way back to the early church. It first started as a season where new believers were prepared for baptism. Over time, Lent evolved to become a season where the entire church sought spiritual renewal.
Lent continues today with that same focus. As such, it is a season of penance where we emphasize our need for repentance and seek restoration through God’s healing grace. It is a season whereby we invite God to examine our hearts and lives. We ask the Lord to open our eyes to who we are and what we are. We do this so that we don’t deceive ourselves. Rather than thinking of ourselves as we would like to be, we ask God to show us what we actually are. It is only when we see ourselves clearly, that we can truly place ourselves under God’s care and be led to abundant life in Jesus.
This time of serious self-examination is suspended on Sundays during Lent because Sundays act as “little Easters”, whereby we celebrate the victory over sin and death that Jesus accomplished for us. In this way, Sundays ready us for the joy of Easter morning and the Good News that we belong to a Risen Savior.
If you are reading this article on Wednesday, February 14th, I want to invite you to begin your Lenten journey with us for Ash Wednesday. We have several opportunities for you to connect with us. We will have two worship services. The first will be at 12pm and will last less than thirty minutes. The other will be in the evening at 6:30pm. Both services will be in the sanctuary.
You can also receive the ashes and a blessing via a drive thru experience from 7-8:30am this morning. We plan to have both the north and south sides of the church open for you to receive the ashes before you go to work or school the day.
Pastor Brady Johnston
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We will not host regular Wednesday night activities tonight. Tonight's modified activities are dinner at 5:30 PM, Ash Wednesday service at 6:30 PM and DivorceCare at 6:30 PM. Everything else will resume next week.
Dinner is $8 per person - 18 and under eat free. Cash or a check may be placed in the box at the front of the serving line. Tonight's meal is pizza, salad and dessert!
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Order Your Youth T-Shirt Now | |
FMC Youth T-Shirt Design is here! Our FMC Youth t-shirts are ready to be ordered, and all we need is you! You can check out the design on the order form by clicking FMC Youth T-Shirt Order Form. All orders for T-Shirts must be placed by February 21st! T-shirts are $5 and come in all adult sizes! | |
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Youth Group is Meeting Off Campus
Next Wednesday, February 21
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Retro Night at the Rink is a Wednesday Night experience night next week on February 21st! We will meet from 6-8 PM at Cedar Hill Roller Rink. We have rented out the entire roller rink for an incredible event for students to go back in time and skate the night away! This a chance for students to fellowship, eat, and bring friends who may not be used to church or haven't experienced a community of God!
We will be providing pizza that night for students; however, the venue has asked that we purchase any drinks through their concessions, so please bring money for drinks that aren't water. If there are any dietary restrictions, please let me know so that we can accommodate them!
We will not be meeting at the church this Wednesday, so please have students come straight to the roller rink! If your student needs help finding a ride, please contact Josh Snodgrass, so he can help connect you with other parents who are driving. Do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions
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SAGA Sound of Music Trip
Register by Tomorrow!
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SAGA invites you to join us for an exciting (55+) senior outing on March 9! We will take a bus to Cleburne to have lunch at Our Place and then go enjoy The Sound of Music at the Cleburne Plaza Theater Company. We'll meet at FMC Midlothian at 11 AM and return around 6:30 PM. We will share a bus to spend time together and build relationships!
The deadline to register and pay is tomorrow, February 15!
Reserve your spot by emailing Nancy@Hubler.org. The cost is $78. Pay online or bring a check to the church office by February 15. Please memo payment with "SAGA".
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Serve at Praise Hunt in the Park | |
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Praise Hunt in the Park is our annual community outreach Easter celebration and egg hunt. We host the event at Kimmel Park as a way of sharing the hope and joy of Easter with our community. The purpose of the event is to reach those we may not reach if it were held on our campus.
Praise Hunt includes music, fun stations that share the gospel, and over 10,000 candy filled eggs! It is a unique opportunity to bless our community; but to bless the families, we need our church to serve. We have about 50 spots that are needed. Click here to sign up!! Another way for you to serve is that you can bring candy for the eggs. Please, no chocolate or peanuts. If you have questions, please click here to email Keelee Allen. Thank you!
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We have a special opportunity to reach beyond our walls and serve as Reading Buddies at JR Irvin Elementary school! Buddies will read to the children on Fridays at 9 AM for about 30 minutes. We will read to preschool, kindergarten or first graders depending on the number of volunteers we have each week. Midlothian ISD requires a background check for all volunteers, which will be provided after you register your interest. Please click here to email Missions to receive more information.
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High School Seniors
Class of 2024
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Senior Sunday is set for April 28th and we are excited to honor you, but we need your help! Please complete the senior information form by clicking here to submit senior info and drop 3-4 pictures, labeled with your name, into the Google folder linked when you click upload senior photos. Pictures should include at least one "senior" picture, a baby or childhood picture and whatever other photos you wish to use. Please have the photos labeled with your name. We need this information as soon as possible THIS WEEK. If you have any questions, please email Valerie Dick. | |
Senior Scholarship information will be coming out soon! | |
Bring the Light of Christ Into Worship | |
The lighting of candles in a worship service symbolizes Jesus’ presence with the worshipping community. We are seeking light bearers to assist with the lighting of the altar candles during the 11 AM traditional service. Adults, youth and children at least 8 years old are welcome! If interested, please click below. | |
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Feb 16-18: Youth Winter Retreat
Feb 14: Ash Wednesday, DivorceCare Begins
Feb 25: Discover Grace
Mar 9: SAGA Trip
Mar 24: Palm Sunday, Praise Hunt in the Park
Mar 24-31: Holy Week
Mar 31: Easter Sunday
Apr 28: Senior Sunday
May 5: Confirmation Sunday
May 19: Pentecost Sunday
May 29: VBS Volunteer Training
Jun 9-13: VBS
Jun 15-21: High School Maui Mission Trip
See weekly information below for regularly occurring events.
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February 18
"Follow Me"
Luke 5:1-11
8:30 & 11 AM Traditional Worship
11 AM Contemporary Worship
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WayPoint is a weekly devotional, written by our pastors to dig deeper into the current sermon/series. Click the links below to access digitally. | |
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Office hours are Monday through Thursday 8 AM - 4 PM and Friday 8 AM - 12 PM.
For non-emergencies, please contact church staff during office hours or send email.
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We will not host regular Wednesday night activities tonight. Tonight's modified activities are dinner at 5:30 PM, Ash Wednesday service at 6:30 PM and DivorceCare at 6:30 PM. Regular Wednesday night programming will resume next wee! Join us Wednesdays as we study, sing, eat, worship and fellowship together! Wednesday Schedule
(SB denotes Sanctuary Building, FLC denote Family Life Center):
Pastor April’s Bible Study, 4:30-5:45, Sanctuary
Children's Choir, 5-5:45, SB 301
Wednesday Meal, 5:30-6:15, FLC
Men’s Bible Study, 6:30-7:30, FLC 108
Women's Bible Study, 6:30-7:30, moved to FLC 107
KidsClub, 6:30-7:30, SB Fellowship Hall, Nursery, 202 & 205
Adult Choir, 6:30-8, SB 301
Student Ministries, 6:30-8, FLC Youth Hall (meeting at Cedar Hill Roller Rink on 2/21)
DivorceCare & DC4K, Starts 2/14/24, 6:30-8 PM, FLC 203 &201
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Weekly & Monthly Gatherings | |
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Sunday School Classes meet between worship services from 9:45-10:45 AM. Children's classes meet in the Sanctuary building. Youth and adult classes meet in the Family Life Center (FLC).
Children's Classes, Sanctuary Building
Youth Classes, FLC Youth Halls
Bill Theiss Fellowship Class, FLC 109
Adult Bible Class, FLC 110
Upper Room Class, FLC 201
Open Door Class, FLC 107
Servant's Hands, FLC 208
New Horizons Class, FLC 203
Awakening Class, FLC 204 & 205
All Thee Above, FLC 207
Men's Monday Night Bible Study, Mondays 7-8:30 PM, SB 302
Handbell Choir Mondays, 5:45-6:45 PM, SB 302
Discipleship Groups, contact the church office for information
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Please send your prayer request to Mary Beth or Joy. If you want to join our Prayer/Card Ministry group, send your request to Joy. Not everyone sends cards, but you can pray, thus Prayer/Card Ministry.
New Prayer Request:
Joy Price - Recovering from head injury
Continuous Prayer:
Karen Wilson, George & Dee Culps, Don Lish, John Lowe, Jan Prather, Boyce Whatley
Military:
ARMY - Matt Carroll, Tim Kruettner, Harold Barton, Josh Schenck, Austin Lockwood, Trey Ditto
NAVY - Matthew Price, Andrew Cantrell, Zachary Tucker, Thomas Shirley, Matthew Watford, Thomas Padgett
AIR FORCE - JD Culps, Andrew Miller
MARINES - Josh Dunaway, Bradley Perez, Elizia Delapaa, Cash McAdoo
NATIONAL GUARD - Derek Boots
TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD - John Jackson
Derek Vance
Note : Please let Joy Price know if anyone on the list above should be removed.
Remember in Prayer:
Our world, our country, our community leaders, all our military troops and first responders around the world, our church, our pastors, the staff, church members, visitors, and Midlothian community
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Thank You for Your Generosity | |
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Thank you for your generosity! We continue to do great ministry as a church because of you and your faithfulness. You can give to the church's ministries in service, mailing in your financial gifts or clicking below to give online. Every gift helps us do great things for God's Kingdom!
Please note, if you write a check to the church, make sure checks are made out to FMC Midlothian or First Methodist Church of Midlothian. Please do not use the word United in the recipient line. Thank you!
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FMC Midlothian | 972-775-3993 | fmcmidlothian.org
Office Hours: M-Th: 8 AM - 4 PM, F: 8 AM - 12 PM
Pastors are available for non-emergencies M-Th during office hours
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