THIS SUNDAY
November 7, 2021
|
|
In Person
Rev. DeeDee Autry
Special Music “Be Not Afraid”
Participants
Mercy Trahan, Soloist
Nancy W. Vernon, Organist
|
|
In Person, 6pm Premier on Facebook and YouTube
Rev. Bud Reeves
“Prepare The Way”
“God With Us”
“What A Beautiful Name”
“Oceans"
|
|
In Person, Facebook Live, YouTube, and FM 103.5
Rev. DeeDee Autry
Anthem “Down Galilee's Slow Roadways”
Anthem “Be Not Afraid”
Participants
Chancel Choir
Gaye Mings, Chancel Choir Director
Nancy W. Vernon, Organist
|
|
Sunday, January 9
8:30 am Chapel Service
9:30 am Holy Grounds
9:45 am Sunday Small Groups
11:00 am Connexion Worship, In Person,
11:00 am Sanctuary Worship, In Person, Facebook Live, YouTube & FM 103.5
6:00 pm Connexion Premier on Facebook & YouTube
4:30 pm Middle School Youth, Loft
6:00 pm High School Youth, Loft
Tuesday, January 11
10:00 am Circle Naomi, Parlor
10:00 am Circle Rebekah, Conference
7:00 pm Young Adult Ministry, St. Paul UMC
Wednesday, January 12
10:00 am Casserole Group, Aldersgate
5:30 pm Evening Prayer, In Person and Facebook Live
6:30 pm Praise Band practice, The Great Hall
7:00 pm Chancel Choir, Choir room
Thursday, January 13
10:00 am Knitters & Knotters, Fireside Room
11:30 am Modern Widows Club, Fireside Room
|
|
Even with all the challenges we faced in 2021, it seemed like the year flew by. Maybe it was because we faced so many challenges. But we survived 2020 and 2021, and I don’t believe we will be without challenges in 2022 either. That’s not the way life works, is it? But thanks be to God, we have resources to deal with whatever we face, because our God is abundant, and we are overcomers in God’s name! |
|
Also, thanks be to you, the loyal congregation of First United Methodist Church. We have traversed some tough territory lately, but we have done it together. We are working on getting our year-end figures together, but I believe it will show that we had a great end to the year and are starting 2022 on solid footing. I know we had a great year in terms of ministry–reaching out, transforming lives, making a difference in our community and world. We were able to get past our time of isolation, and even with the Delta and now Omicron resurgences of the coronavirus, we have met and worshipped and learned together. If you were here for Christmas Eve, it felt like old times as we had attendance almost to the pre-COVID level. It was a glorious night! |
|
As we begin 2022, many folks usually make resolutions to get in shape in some way. Some make the same resolution every year! Whatever your other goals might be, I want to suggest a spiritual goal for the New Year–to get your soul in shape. Throughout the pandemic, spiritual strength has been a struggle, like everything else. The rhythm of church life has been upset, and the Christian habits that we had have been harder to maintain. So we are going to spend a few weeks, starting January 16, on the essential practices of the faith that strengthen our soul. These practices–prayer and worship, study, service, giving, and witness–have roots in Scripture. Wesley called them “means of grace.” They are incorporated into our membership vows. They are not new ideas at all. But to build our spiritual strength, we have to be reminded, over and over, of the importance of these simple disciplines. |
|
It’s like an athlete who performs the same activity over and over, trying to reach perfection in his or her sport. The golfer swings a club thousands of times. The basketball player takes hundreds of free throws. The tennis player practices serves for hours. These repetitions develop “muscle memory” so that the athlete can perform the basic functions almost automatically. Join us in Epiphany season as we go back to the gym of faith and work on our muscle memory, strengthening our spirits as disciples of Jesus! |
|
Robert M. (Bob) Powell died on October 7 of last year. Everyone who knew Bob was saddened at his passing, because he made a positive contribution in every aspect of his life–as a businessman, a Naval aviator, community leader, and family man. Bob was also a dedicated member of First United Methodist Church and a generous supporter of our ministry. Shortly after his death, the church learned of Bob’s continuing generosity as he left a tremendous gift to the FUMC Foundation to establish a lasting legacy of support. His gift will support the renovation of the carillon in the church bell tower, endow some aspects of the music ministry, and provide perpetual income for the ministries of the church. Our church will always owe a debt of gratitude to Bob Powell and his family–his wife Janice, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren–for establishing this legacy gift. |
|
The FUMC Foundation exists to allow members and friends of the church to establish perpetual endowments that support the continuing ministry of the church and its outreach into the community. If you would like more information about how to leave a legacy of faith, contact Patti Cox, executive director of the Foundation, (pcox@fsfumc.org or 479-782-5068) or either of the pastors.
|
|
Create Your Sacred Space in Five Easy Steps |
|
As we enter a new year, I thought it might be helpful to re-visit something I’ve spoken of before…and that is to create your own sacred space. Recently I did this very thing! It took me a few months, considering we just moved into the parsonage. But I finally figured out the best spot, and I’ve made my nest. So in this New Year I encourage you to do the same so that 2022 can be a year of spiritual transformation for you. Next month I’ll share some ways you might use this space (so that it doesn’t just collect dust or dirty clothes!) |
1. Choose a small location that is away from a lot of activity such as a corner of a bedroom or spare room.
2. In your chosen space, place a small low table to hold items that are special to you. If you don’t have one, anything will do, even an old wooden crate.
3. Get something comfortable to sit on like a meditation cushion or pillow. The closer you are to the floor, the more grounded you will feel.
4. Place items that you find beautiful or love on your table such as things you collected on a walk in nature, inspirational quotes, photographs, a cross, or fresh flowers. These items should speak to your soul in a way that is both nurturing and inspiring, and that connects you to your spiritual nature.
5. Experiment by bringing in different items to see what works best for you, adding or deleting items as you go along.
|
|
We hope that you are ready to kick off Spring WNL!
We are ready to get started and can’t wait to see everyone back.
|
|
We will start Wednesday Night Life with a “Dinner Church” event on Wednesday, January 19 at 6:00pm. This special night will include dinner, worship, music, and devotions. You won’t want to miss this experience!
|
|
Classes will start on Wednesday, January 26 with Holy Communion at 5:30pm, dinner at 6:00pm and classes to follow at 6:30pm. Three adult classes will be offered as well as programs for youth and kids. Child care (ages 0-4) is also provided. So that we can order materials, please sign up on our website www.fsfumc.org, call the church office 479-782-5068 or email ethames@fsfumc.org.
|
|
WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIFE CLASSES
-
Methodism 101 taught by Rev. Bud Reeves in Room 201
-
The Sermon on the Mount, by Amy-Jill Levine taught by Rev. DeeDee Autry in Room 301
-
Financial Peace University, taught by Carey Reeves and Emily Autry (class begins January 19, room will be posted)
-
Caring Through Cards, led by Kelly DeSoto and Gail Oakes in the Aldersgate Room
-
Children-(K-5th grade)-2nd Floor above Narthex
-
Youth (grades 6-12)- Loft 3rd Floor
|
|
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 2022! |
|
It’s going to be a great year, but let’s first look back on December. |
|
We started the month with our Wednesday evening Bible Study called Wonderland Wednesday’s. We played games, did crafts, and learned all about the Joy of Christmas. We did things a little different for this series. We read the Grinch together along with a Bible story each week, comparing and contrasting the two. |
|
Angel Tree was a huge success this year. We provided gifts for over 50 children. I wanted to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart. We could not have served so many children if it weren’t for the generosity of the church. We are already looking forward to next year! |
|
Cookies for Santa was a flurry of sugary cookies and crazy games. Doing an event just a few days before Christmas meant lots of excited children with LOTS of energy. We played Christmas themed games in the Great Hall. We decorated sugar cookies for them to take home, eat then, and to share with the staff in the Fireside room. We also watched a little bit of the Grinch, which provided a wonderful bookend for our Wonderland Wednesday series. |
|
Looking into 2022, I will be starting a Children’s Ministry team. If you’d like to be apart of this team, please contact me! As a team, we will be deciding on VBS dates and theme, brainstorming events and activities, and working together to disciple the future of our church. In 2022, we will also be doing more things with Club 45 (Our 4th-5th grade ministry). Be on the lookout for those emails coming soon. |
|
I have so many fun ideas for the new year, and I can’t wait to share them with each of you! |
|
FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY STARTS JANUARY 19 |
|
Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University has transformed thousands of lives by teaching Biblically-based, practical principles of money management. Ramsey says, “Everything we teach is based on God’s and Grandma’s ways of handling money so that people truly and practically transform their lives.” As you begin a New Year, wouldn’t it be a great time to get your financial act together? |
|
FPU will start Wednesday, January 19 at 6:30 p.m. Depending on the size of the class, the room will be posted.
|
|
The extra-exciting news is that this year’s class is FREE instead of the $100+ it usually costs. The church has bought a license for RAMSEY+, which will allow access to any church member or friend to multiple Dave Ramsey resources. More info coming on that.
|
|
Students for FPU need to sign up quickly, obtain the access code and watch the first week’s video before the first class session. Sign up with the Wednesday Night Life link, call the church, or go to the FPU website (fpu.com/1145314).
This is one class you will never forget or regret!
|
|
GOD AT WORK THROUGH FIRST YOUTH IN 2021 |
|
I love the month of January because it offers us the perfect space to reflect on the year past, and to dream with hope for the year that is to come. This reflection is essential because if we’re not careful, we might miss noticing how God has been working for good in our lives and in the world. |
There’s a passage in the book of Deuteronomy where God has just saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The Israelites had been slaves for 400 years, being brutally oppressed by Pharoah and the labor that he forced. But God heard the cries of his people. God acted in some truly extraordinary ways to rescue them: he brought justice, he parted waters, and he continued to provide for his people in the wilderness by giving them food and water. Could you imagine seeing God do all of these things? |
Even while everything God did to lead his people out of slavery was amazing beyond words, I think God knows something about our tendencies as humans. We are very quick to forget. As life goes on, forget about the biggest blessings in our life and begin to take them for granted. We forget about the struggles that we’ve been through and the ways that God worked through those struggles. Sometimes life can be going so good for us that we feel like we don’t need God anymore, that we’re content without him, forgetting that he was and is the source of everything good in our lives.
|
So, as Moses, the leader of the Israelites is preaching to the people before his death, some of his final words are a warning to the Israelites to not forget what God has done, but to remember God and his works:
|
|
“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live.”
(Deuteronomy 4: 9)
|
|
If God has blessed you in any way this past year, which I have full confidence that he has, do not let those blessings fade from your heart. With that, I’d like to thank God for the work that he has done in our youth ministry through 2021 by sharing my top 3 things that God has done! Let’s start with #3 and work our way up! |
|
#3 – We served our community. Our youth had some really good service projects this year. During Love the Fort, we helped get an animal shelter up and running, we helped hungry people get fed with Antioch for Youth and Families, and we even stood outside of Walmart for several hours in the summer heat, all so that we could get several truck beds full of donation items for the Community Services Clearinghouse, as well as several hundred dollars worth of cash donations.
In November we built a house for the Make a Wish foundation, AND last month we caroled around the neighborhood to spread some Christmas cheer. That served a lot of people with the joy of Christmas!
God worked through our teens and our youth ministry in some really awesome ways through our service in 2021. Praise God!
|
|
#2 – Teens and their parents have committed to reading through the Bible through The Pilgrimage. For those of you who don’t know, every other year we offer a group that reads through the Bible in 9 months and we call it The Pilgrimage. It’s a lot of work, it’s not easy, but it’s truly worth it… Honestly it’s one of my favorite things that we do in this youth group because I get to see teens and their parents really devoting time and energy to hearing God’s message to us that we read in the Bible. We get to ask hard questions and have good discussions and dig deep into our faith, learning all about what the Bible teaches us about ourselves and the world that we live in.
There has been some really strong commitment from many of our pilgrims, and that’s what our faith journey takes. We need faithfulness to sustain us in our journey. We need a compass to know how to navigate through life, and God has given us that in the Bible. What a blessing it is for teens to discover this in their youth!
|
|
#1 – The youth themselves. I don’t mean to be corny, but truly, our youth are amazing. Their different personalities and quirks make our group awesome and fun to be a part of. We have a lot of youth who just started coming to youth group this past year, and it’s been a joy to get to know all of them and see God at work in and through their lives. Their gift to the world is being who God made them to be. I pray that First Youth would be a catalyst for them to give the gift of themselves each and every day!
|
|
How did God bless you in 2021? Take some time to give him thanks. Pray for open eyes, an open mind, and an open heart to recognize and receive all that God has for you in 2022. Amen. |
|
There have been several requests to change scheduled gifts from online givers. This is not something that staff members can do. The giver has to make this update. |
|
|
|
How to Edit a Scheduled Gift
- Go to your profile in Realm.
- Click Giving on the main menu on the left.
- Click Scheduled.
-
Click ... next to the recurring gift you want to edit, and select Edit.
- Make any necessary changes, then click Continue.
- Make further changes if necessary, then click Give. A confirmation message displays.
- Click Finish.
|
|
If you need further assistance, please call the church office. |
|
Thursday, January 13 @ Noon in the Fireside Room in the Family Life Center, 301 North16th Street, Fort Smith, AR (you may park in the parking lot at 16th and C Streets).
New: 11:30 – for those who would like to watch Carolyn’s monthly video before our meeting we will show it in the Fireside Room at 11:30am. Lunch and meeting to follow.
January topic is Finding Your Leader Within and is under the Pillar of Emotional and Mental Health.
We will be talking about mentoring another widow and how sharing what we have learned so far in our own widow journey enables another Wister to have a hand up in her own circumstance. There is always someone ahead of you and someone behind you to learn from in our widow journey.
We will have vegetable soup with grilled cheese.
Nursery is available upon request.
Please feel free to invite your wister (widow sister) friends.
|
|
Bill and Kathy Priakos transferred their membership from other denominations. Bill is a businessman and resort owner. Kathy is retired from Human Relations work.
|
|
|
WELCOME NEW CEC DIRECTOR! |
|
Our Church welcomes Barbara Canady as new CEC Director , she has worked under Christie Jacobs, Interim CEC Director, for the past 6 months.
Barbara has been married to her husband Greg for 32 years and they have 5 children, She has been in childcare for the past 26 years and her heart has always been the best care for each child that she has work with.
|
|
In Memory of:
Floyd & Judy Bradberry & Laura Cunningham
Sandra Clark
Dr. Ben & Karen Baker
The Walter Woodie Family
Stanley & Dacie Rau
Barbara Honea
Chris & Barbara Jetton
Danny & Nancy Kimbrell
David & Karen Damron
Dean and Dohnae Sikes
Don & Dana Davenport
Ed & Jeanne Starr
Eric & Kristin Bunnell
Jerry & Jan Walrod
Jim & Gayle Tindall
John & Pam Mulson, Sr.
Larry & Janet Nelson
Marvin & Linda Mumme
Sandra Clark
Sandra McGowan
Susan Chaney
Walter & Lynette Woodie
Suzanne Stephens
Deborah Hall
David & Karen Hutcheson
Chloe Kirksey
Frank & Jana Sharum
Jerry & Jane Hartfield
Joe & Elizabeth Powers
Michael Willis & Lori Hardin
Robin Goodman
Ruth Davis
Suzanne Stephens
The Glidewell Family
Tony & Lynnell Leraris
Bill & Nancy Stell
Helen Lanier
Marty & Krista Siems
Ruth Davis
Hillary Jewell
By Louise Finney:
- Rev. Hershel McClurkin
- Karen Bradberry
- Bill Cheyne
- Dustin Hattabaugh
- Pat Little
- Betty Ivey
- Joel Gist
- Courtney Pruitt
- Curtis Sawyer
- Johnnie Dickey
- Toka Beall
In Honor of:
Darlene Sudbrink
Marvin & Linda Mumme
- Discussion Sunday School Class by
Sherron Shuffield in memory of
Charles Shuffield
- Nancy Vernon and Ann Rosenberg by
The LadyBells
By Mike & June DeWitt:
- Charlie Paris
- Jack Green
- George Beattie
By Louise Finney:
- Patty Payne
- Mardell McClurkin
- Taylor & Mary Prewitt
- George & Carole Beattie
- Philip & Anna Brown
- Mary Booth
- Amanda Turner
- Debby Underhill
- Margaret Thompson
- Denise Weakley
- Jerry & Jane Hartfield
- Larry & Sharon Weir
- Nancy Baker
- Jack & Joann Gedosh
- Mary Ellen Jesson
- Ann Woods
- Julie Moncrief
- Floyd & Judy Bradberry
- Pat & Jim Bolins
- Jerry & Cindy Pruitt
- Kay & Jack Finley
- Bob & Nadine Miller
- Beth Watson
- Susie Brooks
- Mosie Boyd
- Lillie Aguilar
- Drucilla Hughart
- Sandy Parker
- Sally & Dave Rickard
- Pacesetters
- FUMC Pastors & Staff
|
|
The surge in COVID cases due to the Omicron variant of the virus has been quick and drastic across the world and our country in the last three weeks. Although the infections from Omicron seem to be generally milder, especially for vaccinated and boosted people, the virus also seems to be infecting many people who have received their shots. |
|
Currently (January 3), the statistics in Sebastian County are within the range to allow normal church activities with precautionary measures. |
|
The Trustees of the church have discussed our safety policies with regard to the current surge, and at this point we do not feel the need to change our policies. We will continue normal church activities. Unvaccinated people are required to wear masks while indoors on the church campus, except when specifically eating or drinking. We recommend that vaccinated individuals also consider wearing masks when in groups of people, but masking is not mandatory. Our children’s ministry, childcare, and children’s schools will maintain current safety standards as recommended by the CDC and Department of Health. |
|
As we have since the beginning of the pandemic, we will exercise appropriate caution to protect the health and safety of our people, while at the same time continuing to offer as much ministry as practicable. Keep us all, especially those who are sick or who have lost loved ones, in your prayers. |
|
Pastor on Call
M-F 8:30 AM-4:30 PM: (479) 782-5068
Weekends and Evenings: (479) 459-5060
When there is a hospitalization, a death in the family, or any other time you may need urgent pastoral care, we encourage you to use these numbers. The pastors rotate on-call responsibilities to assure that one of them is always accessible.
|
|
FIRST UNITED METHODIST NEWS published weekly except the last week of the year by First United Methodist Church 200 North 15th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
