The Newsletter of the First United Methodist Church of Decatur, Alabama April 22, First Grace News

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1 The Newsletter of the First United Methodist Church of Decatur, Alabama April 22, 2015 Prayer Shawl Ministry The committee that reaches out and touches the lives of the elderly and homebound has as one of the sub-committees the prayer shawl ministry. Prayer shawls and lap robes are knitted or crocheted and provided to those who are grieving or have major health issues. They are prayed over as they are created and given. The blessing to both is unspeakable. Knitters and crocheters are encouraged to become a part of this meaningful ministry. Contact Faye Hovey for more information at First Grace News First Grace Yard Sale will be Friday, April 24th from 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM and Saturday, April 25 from 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall of FUMC. All Proceeds go to First Grace Child Development Center. First Grace 4K Graduation Sunday will be on May 17 during the 8:45 a.m. service. Please read the insert of this newsletter for details about the All Church Family Night Spring Fling on May 6. Option Available for E-Newsletter If you would rather receive this newsletter via e- mail, please send an to Alyson at aquinn@decaturfumc.org indicating this preference. You will help us save paper and postage. We have over 90 subscribers so far! Thank You Notes Hey FUMC Decatur! I just wanted to reach out and thank you guys for supporting me in my education here at Birmingham- Southern, financially and with your prayers and support! Being on a campus with such a great United Methodist foundation during this time in my life is something I am so thankful for. I couldn t do it without your support! In Christ, Hattie O Hara Dear First Church, Gordon Henry, Willie Pentecost, Mike Ward, Patrick McCormick, and Don Mitchum moved a very big and heavy piece of furniture for me. I wanted to give them a sincere thanks for helping me in this task. Virginia Smith Hilltoppers Trip to Untamed Mountain on May 21 We will be traveling to Attalla, AL by bus on Thursday, May 21 to see the Tiger Preserve where they have real live tigers wondering around free in the bush. Come with us to see these big and beautiful cats. There is an admission fee of $12.00 for the tour and you will need money for lunch and a donation for the cost of fuel. Please sign up in your Sunday school class or in the welcome center. We will leave from the church at 9:00 a.m. and will return at 5:00 p.m. Columbarium Adds Additional Cabinet The FUMC Columbarium recently added an additional cabinet of niches. Please contact Committee Chairman Tom Earley at for more information. United Methodist Men News The UMM Bible Study for the spring ended this past Thursday, and there will be no more UMM Bible study until the fall. Weekly UMM Prayer Breakfasts continue on Thursdays at 7:30 AM at the City Café. Upcoming Church Softball Games at Wilson Morgan Park April 28, 7:15 p.m. Field 5 FUMC vs Somerville Baptist May 12, 6:15 p.m. Field 3 FUMC vs Danville Baptist May 19, 7:15 p.m. Field 3 FUMC vs Somerville Baptist May 26, 6:15 p.m. Field 5 FUMC vs Lebanon Baptist

2 REFLECTIONS FROM BRO. RUDY A Pastor Looks at Sports Those who know me know that I am a big sports fan. Last Saturday, for example, Gina asked me who I was talking to on the phone. I told her no one, just keeping up with the scores. For a sports person, like myself, it was a great day: A-Day Football games, College baseball, the Tide and Tigers in softball, and the national finals in Gymnastics, in which both Alabama and Auburn were in the running. I came across the following thoughts on sports by a pastor. The pastor s name was not given, but it is an interesting look at Church and Sports. Church Is Like Sports Football is in the fall. Basketball is in the winter. Baseball is in the spring and summer. This pastor has been an avid sports fan all his life. But I ve had it! I quit this sports business once and for all. You can t get me near one of those places again. Want to know why... Every time I went, they asked me for money. The people with whom I had to sit didn t seem very friendly. The seats were too hard and not at all comfortable. I went to many games, but the coach never came to call on me. The referee made a decision with which I could not agree. I suspected that I was sitting with some hypocrites they came to see their friends and what others were wearing rather than to see the game. Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home. The band played some numbers that I had never heard before. It seems that the games are scheduled when I want to do other things. I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up. I don t want to take my children to any games, because I want them to choose for themselves what sport they like best. (Author Unknown) This Sunday, we continue our look at Being the Body of Christ as we look at the scriptural teaching of Gifted for Ministry. Every Christ-Follower is gifted for some ministry. I hope to see you Sunday. Rudy New Members Odis and Martha Latta joined First Methodist Church on March 22 at the 11:00 service. They attend the Wesley Fellowship Sunday School class and transfer to us from Shoal Creek Baptist. Their address is 43 Colony Lane, Hartselle, AL and their phone number is Welcome! Birth We celebrate the April 14th birth of Wesson Griffith Caldwell to Josh and Katie Caldwell. PATRICK S MUSICAL NOTES Hear the Good News Summer is a wonderful time to join the choir as we begin our preparations for our 4 th of July cantata in the coming weeks. The cantata is to be performed on June 28 and will be a must see for all as we honor the brave men and women who are serving and have served in our armed forces. We extend our hand of welcome to join a group who strives each week to bring an offering of music and worship that enriches and enlightens the service. The Worship Team meets weekly on Mondays at 6:00 p.m. and the Chancel Choir meets weekly on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. If you have any questions regarding upcoming events, please contact me at patrick@decaturfumc.org. Patrick McCormick Director of Worship Our Stewardship of Presences Sunday, April 12, 2015: Total Count for 8:45 a.m. = 123 Total Count for 11:00am = 105 Youth SIFAT Retreat = 15 Total Count for morning services for April 12 = 243 First Fellowship April 8 Children Youth Adults 59 Total First Fellowship April 8 = 114 Sunday School April 12 Children Youth Adults 118 Total Sunday School April 12 = 156 Sunday, April 19, 2015: Total Count for 8:45 a.m. = 109 Total Count for 11:00am = 111 Total Count for morning services for April 19 = 220 First Fellowship April 15 Kids adults Youth adults Adults 55 Total First Fellowship April 15 = 92 Sunday School April 19 Kids adults Youth adult Adults 115 Total Sunday School April 19 = 148 Our Stewardship of Resources Ministry Budget Capital Fund Received YTD $302, , Needed YTD 273, Given This Week 11, , Needed Weekly 16,115.38

3 Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett Appoints Dr. Hughey D. Reynolds Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett has appointed Dr. Hughey D. Reynolds as pastor of Decatur First United Methodist Church. Hughey is currently the pastor at Latham United Methodist Church in Huntsville where he has served for ten years. He is married to Sandy and they will celebrate their 40 th wedding anniversary this May. Sandy is the Human Resource Manager for LMI Consulting, a government contractor, in Huntsville. They have two sons who live is Daphne, Alabama. Christopher is married to Kelly and they are the parents of a two-month old son, Layton. Jonathan is married to Catherine and they are the parents of a two-year old son, Beau. Hughey is the son of Lavelle Reynolds who was a tri-vocational preacher/tractor mechanic/farmer. Lavelle, who willl turn 101 this June, is the oldest ordained minister in the conference. He lives at the Lineville Health and Rehab Center in Lineville, Alabama. Hughey s mother, Imogene, is deceased. Her father and Lavelle s grandfather were both Congregational Christian pastors. Hughey is the third of four children. The oldest, Rod, is deceased. Carolyn lives in Carrollton, Georgia and Charlotte in Northport, Alabama. For the first ten and a half years of his life, Hughey was reared by his parents in his paternal grandmother s home where they helped his grandmother operate the family farm. In 1966, his father was appointed to serve the Midway Circuit, which consisted of four churches, fifteen miles from Lineville in Wedowee. Hughey graduated from Randolph County High School in Wedowee. During the summer before his junior year at a youth revival, Hughey was called to preach. The next summer, he was appointed to serve Bethlehem and Marvin s Chapel United Methodist churches in the Roanoke District. He will complete 42 years of pastoral ministry this June. Hughey began college at Auburn to walk-on Shug Jordan s football team. By that time, he was serving the Liberty Hill Circuit and dating Sandy. He found he could not be a good student, play football, serve the churches, and date successfully, so he gave up football. He attended Southern Union State Junior College and graduated from Birmingham-Southern with a Bachelor of Arts degreee in psychology in He earned his Master of Divinity degree in 1980 and his Doctor of Ministry degree in 1985 from Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He was ordained a Deacon in 1979 and ordained an elder in Decatur First will be Hughey s ninth pastoral appointment. He previously served Latham ( ), Highlands in Birmingham ( ), Sylacauga First ( ), Edgemont in Florence ( ), Fairfax ( ), Wedowee First ( ), Union in Westover ( ), and the Liberty Hill Circuit near Ashland ( ). Hughey loves and uses Biblical storytelling in his preaching and has focused the last four years of training on staff and church leader development for transformation. He views collaboration of staff members with each other and with lay leadership as indispensable for the health and growth of the church. Although he has lived away from the farm since the 1960s, Hughey s avocation is agriculture. Since 1996, he has developed an 85 acre cattle and tree farm that he and Sandy own in Lineville. A caretaker looks after their livestock. Hughey loves spending days off and vacations at the farm and their nearby home on Lake Wedowee. Hughey has incorporated his interest in agriculture into ministry, developing a church-run community garden while at Highlands in Birmingham and a Farmers market while at Latham. He is passionate about local and foreign missions, especially those that help feed hungry people physically through small-scale farming and gardening and spiritually through developing caring relationships in which sharing the Gospel becomes natural. Hughey and Sandy will move into the Decatur First parsonage on June 10. His first Sunday in the pulpit at Decatur First willl be June 14. You may contact Hughey by at hughey.reynolds@umcna.org.

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5 Youth Dates Coming Up Sunday, April 26 10:00 Sunday School 5:00 Mere Christianity 6:00 Brown Bag 6:30 UMYF Monday, April 27 7:45am Jr High prayer breakfast at McDonald s (rides provided to OPMS) Wednesday, April 29 Beth visits Birmingham area college students Thursday, April 30 7:30am Sr High prayer breakfast at Chick Fil A Sunday, May 3 Sr. Class Info due to Beth 10:00 Sunday School 5:00 Jamaica Team Meeting 6:00 Brown Bag Supper 6:30 UMYF Wednesday, May 6 5:00-7:00 p.m. - FUMC Spring Fling 7:00 Youth Team Thursday, May 7 7:30am Sr High prayer breakfast at Chick Fil A Senior Class of 2015 It s time to prepare for graduation at FUMC! All Senior information (high school resume and Sr. photo) will be due to Beth by May 3. The class photo will be taken on the sanctuary steps (weather permitting) on May 10 at 10:00 a.m. The Senior Dinner will be Wednesday, May 13 at 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Senior Recognition Sunday will be May 17 at the 11:00 service. Sunday UMYF Dates April 26 6:00 Brown Bag 6:30 Missions May 3 6:00 Brown Bag 6:30 UMYF lesson May 10 6:00 Brown Bag 6:30 Destination Unknown May 17 No UMYF, Baccalaureate at DHS May 24 & 31 No UMYF Mere Christianity Study The Senior High youth are studying CS Lewis book Mere Christianity during Lent. If you want to join us, we meet on the third floor at 5:00. You will need your own copy of the book. April 26- have Book 3 subchapters 7-12 read to discuss May 3- no study due to the Jamaica meeting May 10- have Book 4 subchapters 1-6 read to discuss May 17?- have Book 4 subchapters 7-11 read to discuss Save the Date! The youth will have Discovery Weekend July 31- August 2, 2015! This year s theme is Discover God s Love Through Scripture. This weekend is for all youth who have completed 5 th -12 th grades. The Senior High will help lead the 43 hour spiritual formation weekend for the Junior High at FUMC. The Prayer Service, for the entire church, will be Saturday night, August 1 st at 7:00 p.m. We hope everyone will be here to support our youth and their families! Discovery invites the entire church family to live out its Baptismal covenant of surrounding these children with a community of love and forgiveness so they may be established in the faith, and confirmed and strengthened in the way that leads to life eternal. We invite you to join us as we all discover what God has in store for us through the Discovery weekend! DISCOVERY WEEKEND

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7 May 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Doug & Rhea Fisher 2 J. Robert & Ruth Ann Fite (Mattie, Nancy) 3 4 George & Angel Floyd (Sara Catherine, Susan, Zachary) 5 Lawrence & Jane Ann Ford 6 Linda Foster 7 Sam & Janet Foster 8 George & Dot Frame 9 Art Frith Herb & Karen (Ashley) 12 Ken Gamble 13 Sharon Gamble 14 Jason & Stephanie Gantt (Weinman) 15 Jaime Garriss (Aiden) 16 Phil & Cindy Geddes Joyce Giles 19 Carol Goforth 20 Charles Goodger 21 Richard & Lyn Grace 22 Pete & Deb Graham 23 Jonathan & Beth Green (Jackson, Carter, Ellis) Tim & Sally Jo Green 26 Jim & Lise Greene (Lou Lou, Jimbo) 27 Suzanna Greer 28 Jim Gregory 29 Mary Gregory 30 Rudy & Gina Guess 31 Church Family Prayer Calendar Please pray each day for the spiritual growth and needs of the families listed. The calendar will help us personally pray for our entire Church family in One day everyone will be praying for you. The other days, pray for them.

8 UPCOMING EVENTS UMC Conference, Fellowship Hall Sunday, April 26 at 3:00 p.m. Mission Possible for Kids, Room 230 Sunday, April 26 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Mere Christianity Class for Sr. High Sunday, April 26 at 5:00 p.m. Brown Bag & UMYF Sunday, April 26 starting at 6:00 p.m. Jr. High prayer breakfast at McDonald s Monday, April 27 at 7:45 a.m. Worship Team, Monday, April 27 at 6:00 p.m. Women s Bible Study, Courtyard Conf. Room Tuesday, April 28 at 10:00 a.m. Beth visits Birmingham area colleges Wednesday, April 29 Chancel Choir Practice, Wed., April 6:00 UMM Breakfast, City Café Thurs., April 7:30 a.m. Sr. High Prayer Breakfast at Chick Fil A Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 a.m. Journey Group, Back Alley Bistro Thurs., April 30 at Noon 805 CANAL STREET N.E. DECATUR ECATUR,, AL PHONE (256) FAX (256) Please place label here U.S. Postage Paid Non-Profit Org. Decatur, AL Permit No. 226 Dr. Rudy Guess, Senior Minister, rguess@decaturfumc.org Beth C. Green, Youth Minister, beth@decaturfumc.org Patrick McCormick, Director of Worship, patrick@decaturfumc.org Cindy McCulloch, Administrative Assistant to the Senior Pastor & Finance, cmcculloch@decaturfumc.org Alyson Quinn, Church Secretary, aquinn@decaturfumc.org Charlie Elliott, Custodian Laura Vines, First Grace Director, firstgrace@decaturfumc.org Melissa Wiley, Housekeeper Lorri McGuire, Director of Children & Family, lmcguire@decaturfumc.org Sandy Callahan, Food Manager Alex Shor, Accompanist Upcoming Worship Services (8:45 & 11:00 AM) VISION STATEMENT: Growing in Christ, Sharing God s Love through Inspiring Worship, Empowering Ministries Equipping Persons for Ministry Promoting Well-Being 8:45 and 11:00 a.m. April 26 Being the Body of Christ Gifted for Ministry Ephesians 4:7-13 Dr. Rudy Guess, preaching May 3 Being the Body of Christ Maturing Disciples Ephesians 4:14-16 Dr. Rudy Guess, preaching Scheduled To Serve April 26 Acolytes: 8:45 a.m. - No Acolyte Scheduled 11:00 a.m. - Aiden Garriss Greeters: 8:45 Jim & Gail Herren, Dean Turney 11:00 - Lou Underwood, Peggy Black, Becky House Ushers: 8:45 Ronnie Dukes, Mike Ward, Kin Copeland and Michael Boozer 11:00 Ricky Clay, Jeff Earley, Ronald Matthews, J. Robert Fite, Phil Corazzari Find Us On Social Media Like us on Facebook to get up to date information about our church, meetings, changes, prayer requests, photos and more! If you have not seen our updated website, please visit to see the exciting updates. Download the Tidings and Reflections from Rudy. Listen to a sermon. View upcoming events on the calendar. See what Discipleship opportunities are available on Wednesday night. Find a ministry in which you can get involved!