What's Happening This Week at FSFUMC

THIS SUNDAY

August 1, 2021

THE SECRET OF RELATIONSHIP

Ephesians 3:14-21

Holy Communion will be celebrated.

Filled with God, we have strength, power, and love.

8:30 am Roebuck Chapel

In Person

Rev. Bud Reeves

Solo “Thee Will I Love”

Participants

Mercy Trahan, Soloist

Nancy W. Vernon, Organist

9:00 am Connexion

In Person, Facebook Live and YouTube

Rev. Bud Reeves

“Trust In You”

“Spirit Of the Living God”

“How Deep the Father’s Love For Us”

“Your Love Is Extravagant”

11:10 am Sanctuary

In Person, Facebook Live, YouTube, and FM 103.5

Rev. Bud Reeves

Anthem “To Christ Be Glory ”

Anthem “Thee Will I Love ”

Participants

Chancel Choir

Gaye Mings, Choir Director

Nancy W. Vernon, Organist

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Sunday, August 1

8:30 am Chapel Service

9:00 am Connexion Worship, In Person, Facebook Live and YouTube

10:10 am Sunday Small Groups

11:10 am Sanctuary Worship, In Person, Facebook Live, YouTube & FM 103.5

5:00 pm Finance Committee

Tuesday, August 3

6:00 pm Serving from the Heart, Fireside Room

Wednesday, August 4

10:00 am Casserole Group, Aldersgate

12:00 pm WDS Board Meeting, Fireside Room

5:30 pm Way Out Wednesday, Fireside Room

5:30 pm Evening Prayer, In Person and Facebook Live

7:00 pm Choir Practice

Thursday, August 5

10:00 am Casserole Group, Aldersgate

10:00 am Knitters & Knotters, Fireside Room

7:00 pm Young Adult Ministry

Friday, August 6

10:00 am Pacesetters, Fireside Room

In Our Prayers

In Mercy Hospital:

Victoria Crowell

Loss of loved ones and friends:

Joel Gist - husband of Kerri Gist, son of Steve and Lucy Gist, brother of Jeff (Liz) Gist and John Gist and uncle of Sloan and Will Gist.

The Upper Room for July/August are available and can be found at entrances to the church or in the church office.

We will no longer be mailing these out. Notify the church office if you are unable to pick one up and still need to have it mailed to you.

Church office 479-782-5068

DOING THE CHURCH TWO-STEP

There’s a dance called the “Texas Two-Step.” Someone tried to teach me how to do it one time years ago; I have since forgotten how to do it. My recollection is that I learned quickly and did it gracefully, but that may be in my own mind!

There’s another dance that we often do in the church, and that involves steps forward and back. It’s a different kind of two-step. Sometimes it’s “one step forward, two steps back.” Hopefully we can make it “two steps forward, one step back”; at least then in the long run, we are making progress.

We thought we were making forward progress on the pandemic for a couple of months there. We re-opened worship and small groups; we ditched the masks for vaccinated people; our children and youth ministries were getting started back in person. Things were looking up!

Now we are dealing with another surge in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in our area. The Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, which is now the predominant strain in the U. S., is more contagious and, according to most, more dangerous than previous iterations of the disease. The epidemiologists unanimously point to any of three vaccines as the key to stopping the virus, but our state and county are below the average for getting vaccinated. It’s no surprise that we are in a high-risk and highly vulnerable situation.

So last week we had to take a step back and ask everyone, vaccinated or not, to start wearing masks again in all indoor group settings at church. We are still having all our in-person activities, just with masks on. The reason we took this step should be obvious. There are people we love in our midst who are vulnerable. All our children under twelve are still unvaccinated. People over 65 have proven to be more susceptible to infection even if they are vaccinated. And anyone who attends in person who is not vaccinated is putting themselves and others at risk unless they wear a mask.

Our response to the surge in COVID is based on the most fundamental command of Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved you.” He loved us enough to sacrifice his life for us; it is a small thing for us to sacrifice some comfort for our church friends. We are also trying to follow John Wesley’s First General Rule for the Christian life: “Do no harm.”

You can also love one another by getting vaccinated if you have not done so already. There are a few who have medical reasons not to get vaccinated, but for most of us, it is the best way to stop transmission of the virus to the vulnerable people around us. It is also the best way to ease the burden on our medical heroes in the hospitals who have fought an exhausting battle against this pandemic for over a year.

I don’t like to take even one step backward, but I know in the end it is sometimes the best way eventually to move forward again. Sometimes you only see your progress in hindsight. Once we come out of this time of pandemic, I believe we will see just how far we have come--all we have learned, how our faith has deepened, how our church has changed--and we will thank God for it!

One of the most encouraging words of Scripture has come to mind so many times in the last year: “We also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)

So let me encourage you today. Do not be anxious, fearful, or despondent. Keep on track. Keep coming to church activities; maybe we won’t have to wear the masks for long. Keep engaging with your church family in whatever way you can, in person or online. Keep supporting the church with your financial contributions; we still have so much to do! Keep loving your neighbor. Keep hoping in God. Keep the faith, and keep on dancing!

Every once in awhile I love to, what I call, “treasure hunt.”

Meaning that I venture out to stroll through an antique mall or flea market, maybe a consignment store or two. Recently Emily and I took off to see what we could find. Considering we just moved into the parsonage, what better excuse than to find some new treasures for our new home?

I often wondered what the story is behind the items one finds in an antique mall. Each booth is filled with various plates, and glasses, cups and trinkets…sometimes pictures, and baskets, odds and ends that all have had a life somewhere else. Who’s home might these items have occupied, how many meals where shared over those plates, who are those people in the aged photograph in that re-purposed frame? If these things could talk, what tales we would hear!

As we neared the end of our aisle meandering, I spotted something of intrigue…something made with puzzle pieces. Once I took a closer look I discovered something so interesting and quite profound for a scrap piece of wood and a pile of puzzle pieces. I marveled at this creation, and then I turned it over and found some very profound words.

“Life is like a puzzle. We spend our youth moving pieces around, trying to make them fit. Sometimes we were so determined that we had found the right piece that we pushed and shoved, struggling to force a round piece into a square hole. Eventually we realized all that effort is a waste of time and energy. So we stop throwing the puzzle against a wall, slamming it on the floor…ahhh, maturity at last. We relax; accept that God has better discernment than we do. We learn to trust, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5)

Wow, all of that from a random item at an antique mall! Life is like a puzzle for sure. During this pandemic many of you have spent countless hours assembling puzzles. I’ve enjoyed seeing your pictures as you completed yet again another masterpiece with patience and persistence.

Puzzle pieces have always intrigued me, especially when I think about how those pieces are a lot like people…all a little different but yet a part of the big picture. In ministry we often compare our role of serving as being a part of the puzzle, how it takes all of us working together to make things work. Just as life is like a puzzle, so is ministry.

Slowly but surely the pieces fall into place, almost like magic. The missing piece finally appears. Perhaps it was there all along, maybe hidden in a pocket, in a drawer or under the rug…oh the lessons we learn while working on our puzzle…we learn that resting a while, taking a break, gives us a new perspective on puzzle solving.

Maybe that’s why we must learn to trust in the Lord. To find growth in our faith, we must trust, pick up different pieces along the way, and allow them to find the right place in our life to deepen thrust, bring peace, teach us grace, and show us love.

However your puzzle looks, know that it is perfect just as it is, regardless of what others think, or if it fits the world’s view of puzzles. You are perfect, your mind, body, and heart…enjoy the complete work of art as it is!

Back to School Resolutions

For families with children and teens, we have two “new years” opportunities. The first is the start of the actual new year on January 1, and the second is the start of school in the fall. Getting back to school offers families the chance to establish new rhythms and reorient our lives. How can we leverage this upcoming opportunity so that our families thrive this fall?

Prioritize personally investing in your kids. Our kids may have great influences at school, church, and other activities, but at the end of the day, parents are the biggest influences in the lives of their children. As parents, the love and support we offer to our children is key to their ability to thrive in every season of their lives. One of the best ways we can invest in our kids is by giving them our time. This fall, prioritize personally investing in your kids by spending time together. Carve out time to share meals around the table, have fun together on the weekends, and to celebrate their successes. The influence of these simple, personal investments that you give to your children are immeasurable!
Practice saying yes and no to the right things. This fall, there will be many things that you can fill your family calendar with. We all have a sense that it isn’t wise to completely fill our calendars, and yet, we often do everything in our power to avoid being bored or missing out. I want to challenge you to give yourself, and your family, some grace by humbly acknowledging our families cannot do everything. Trying to do everything and go everywhere will only exhaust your family and lead to burnout. This is no way to find happiness. If you have downtime in your weekly schedule, you might be tempted to feel ashamed because you could fill that time with something productive. Resist the sentiments of shame and know that unbusy and unhurried moments are sacred for you and your family. These moments set essential boundaries that we need for mental, spiritual, relational, and physical rest. As we come into the fall season, I pray that you will have the wisdom to know when to say “yes” to something, and when to say “no”.
Lead your family to worship. As people of faith, we come to know the joy that is to be found in living lives that overflow with gratitude towards God. When our everyday choices reflect our thankfulness and reverence to our Saviour, our lives become worship. This definition of worship helps us to see that worship is more than singing songs on Sunday morning. There are endless ways to worship God. We can worship by doing good work, by following God’s guidance, by forgiving someone who has wronged us, or by playing games with our kids. This fall, you can lead your families to live lives of worship to God. This is where our true joy and purpose is found. When worship of God happens in our households and within our families, it is sure to happen in our church gatherings!

May God bless you to find holy rhythms of living this fall. Amen.

I’m very proud of this group of teens for using a part of their summer to love our community well and to join in the work that God is doing around us.

FIRST YOUTH Schedule, August 2021

AUGUST 1