From the Pastor. February 3-Wilsons 10 McDowell 17 Choir 24-Burke family March 3-Hardee 10 Montgomery 17-McDowell 24 Wright 31 Coffee

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1 1 Bill Montgomery 7 Jenni Sue Aslin 8 Mary Louise Copeland 9 Kathy Neel 10 Alicia McDowell 10 Susan Monroe 11 Hal Branch 12 Lynn Montgomery 13 Marilou Lewis 14 Judy Duke 15 Sharon Grant 15 Charley Carlton 15 Lynda Brown 21 Robert Green 21 George Kable Neel 21 Wesley Taylor Price 23 Mike Malek 24 Martha & Ronnie Burke anniv. 24 Alexis Davis 24 Tina Glenn 25 Dena Montgomery 25 Buddy & Claudett Wilson anniv. 27 Keith McGhee 28 Pastor Steve Johnson 28 Sonya Branch 28 Joe Watkins 28 Wendell Elledge 28 Alex Burton From the Pastor What is love? Is it primarily an emotion which can flare up or fade so that one can fall in or out of love in a relationship? Or is love more of a decision and behavior to act lovingly toward others with our words and deeds? Although love is regarded both as an emotion and action, the Bible emphasizes the latter in the love chapter (1 Corinthians 13). In addition, Jesus said there is no greater love than laying down your life for your friends, and also that we should love even our enemies. This kind of love can be shown whether or not we feel love for others. While thinking about acting lovingly toward others, I was reminded of a great quote by professor of Christianity and author Martin Marty which is in the teacher s guide of our Sunday School quarterly on page 60. He stated, People these days who are civil often lack strong convictions, and people with strong religious convictions often are not very civil. What we need is convicted civility. I hope that the delegates to the special General Conference this month will abide by convicted civility. They, as well as all of us, need to act civilly and lovingly toward one another even though we may be on opposite sides of an issue. Let us love one another in word and deed, even as we hold fast to our beliefs. Pastor Steve Office hours are: Monday thru Thursday 8:00am till noon & 1:00pm till 4:00 February 3-Wilsons 10 McDowell 17 Choir 24-Burke family March 3-Hardee 10 Montgomery 17-McDowell 24 Wright 31 Coffee Altar flowers are $68.00 a Sunday. The flowers may be taken home after worship. Please sign up on the flower calendar Quick Reference Guide Page 1- Pastor s Notes/Birthdays Page 2 Budget/Notes Page 3 February calendar Page 4 Prayer/Special Call Page 5 Our community Page 6 Memorials/Directory Page 7 Youth news Page 8 Children s news Page 9 Upper room/preschool Page 10- Preschool news 1

2 The new flower calendar is posted on the bulletin board in the mall area. Please stop by and pick your date to honor a family member or special occasion. The cost of the flowers is $68.00 and are yours to take home after the worship service. Pastor s Fund On Communion Sundays, any money placed on the altar rail is allocated to our Pastor s Fund. This money is used for helping out individuals/families in need thru the discretion of our pastor Budget: $419, January 6 offering: $9, January 13 offering: $5, January 20 offering: $7, January 27 offering: $6, E-giving received thru January:$6, Have you misplaced a jacket, reading glasses or something else? Please check in our Lost & Found box that is in the mall area! Check out our website! and on Facebook 2

3 1 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Thu Fri Fri Sat Sat 6 Great Hours of Sharing Springhill 83 8:45am- Worship Soup luncheon committee following mtg. worship 6 Great Hours of Sharing Blevins 15 10Worship committee mtg. 8:45am 6 Great Hours of Sharing Hinton Great Hours of Sharing here at FUMC Veritas Weekend :00pm Great Hours of Sharing Confirmation Washington class UMC 2 Staff mtg. 8:45am Wednesday Winter Schedule M&M s & Youth: 5:30pm Handbells: Wednesday 5:30pm Chancel Choir: Wed. 6:30pm 3 6:30 UMW Mtg Feed at the Banner-4:00 6:30 Philip Yancey 6:00 The book Call study 6:30 UMW mtg. 410am/5:30 pm-revival book study 5:30 M&M s 11 69amChapel 10am/5:30 pm-revival book 5:30- study M&Ms / youth/handbells 6:30-choir practice 5:30 M&M s am/5:30 139am Chapel 6:30-Finance 7pm Admin Board mtg Open preschool enrollment Spring Break begins.. for FUMC members Finance mtg. 6:30 Admin Board 7pm :00- Companions mtg 6:00 Companions mtg. Emmaus mtg. 5:30pm pm-revival book 5:30pm study handbells, M&Ms/ 5:30pm youth M&M s 6:30pm-choir am Chapel 5:30 M&M s 10am/5:30 pm- 5:30pm handbells, M&Ms/ book Revival study youth 6:30pm-choir am Chapel 5:30pm handbells, M&Ms/ youth 6:30pm-choir Special Reminders: An attended nursery is available on Sunday mornings from 9:30 till 12:00. It is also available for special evening events throughout the week. Please contact the church office to coordinate the nursery schedule. 5 66:00-Men s 1 6:30-Men s book book study study Office closed :30-Men s 6:00-Men s Feed at the Banner-4:00 6:30 The God We Can Know study book book study study Office closed :00-Men s 6:30 The God We Can Know study 156:30-Men s book book study study :00-Men s 226:30-Men s. book book study study.emmaus Reunion group -5:30pm 6:30 The God We Can Know study 28 6:30 The God We Can Know study. Office closed Veritas Weekend Office closed Veritas Weekend 2823 Sunday Schedule 9:30 am Mall Fellowship 9:45 am Sunday School 10:50 am Morning Worship Monthly youth meeting 3

4 Breakthrough Prayer Initiative-February Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). Do you struggle with worry? Do you find it difficult to let go of your fear about certain situations in your life, or contain your concern about people you love? Worry can cripple your relationship with God. In Matthew 6:25 we are instructed (by Jesus) that we should not worry. In the verse above, we are told that we should not worry, but instead we should pray. And, when we pray, there is the promise that God will give us peace, and keep our hearts and minds focused on Jesus. So, our prayer focus this month is to entrust God with the things that cause us to worry. In his book, The Good and Beautiful Life, author, James Bryan Smith offers these suggestions (pp ). When it comes time to pray, make a list (either in writing or mentally) of the things about which you are anxious. Ask yourself what you can do to remedy the situation. If there is something you can do about the situation, make every effort to do what you can. If you cannot remedy the situation, then talk to God about it and trust the situation to him. Be as specific as you can when you make your requests to God. You don t want your prayers to be so vague that you won t know when God has answered them. If God has a better way to answer the prayer or handle the situation, he will do just that. Let God know what you need and desire. Then, wait and watch to see how God answers your prayers. God has invited us to cast our cares on him, so let s give him all the things that cause us worry. Then, rest in the peace he gives. Special Call to Prayer On February there is a special called meeting of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church. The decisions made at this conference could impact the future of the entire denomination. So, you are being encouraged to include the conference in your prayer all this month, but particularly during the days of the meetings. Will you pray for the delegates, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to them God s will as they vote on the issues before them? Pray also for the bishops and others in leadership that they will be given wisdom and discernment as they conduct the meetings. 4

5 The Call s Informational Meeting Tuesday, February 5th 6:00pm At FUMC Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the monthly Nursing Home visits with your donations of money, lotion and crackers. Join us to find out how you can help children in foster care by becoming a foster or adoptive family or by serving as a volunteer. You will learn more about The CALL, explore the certification process, and get answers to your questions. No obligation. To register online visit CALL in Arkansas.org For more information, contact Dixie Coffee at or hempsteadcounty@thecallinarkansas.org And also to everyone who has volunteered to help the Banner of Hope by providing a snack meal to the students on our assigned week. If you haven't signed up yet, please speak to Marlon Ward or the church office and they can tell you what days are still available. Come join us for food & fellowship! Each year we join with the nation in tackling hunger. Please bring your food or monetary donations for our local Hope In Action this Sunday, February 3rd and place it under the Stuff the Bus sign in the mall area. Immediately following worship, we will have a soup/chili luncheon in the fellowship hall for everyone. Some suggestions for needed food items: canned meat, tuna, chicken, any kind of dried/canned beans, rice, mac & cheese, peanut butter, mixed canned veggies, fruit cups, applesauce, soup, pasta, pasta sauce and ramen noodles, Our Preschool cuties! 5

6 Memorial money is used by our Trustee committee to maintain our church facility. Please designate on your check who the Memorial is in memory of. In memory of Sok Keith by: Jerry & Twyla Pruden Mr. & Mrs. Don Worthey Alicia McDowell Walk to Emmaus 2019 In memory of Dale Wylie by: Mr. & Mrs. Don Worthey Alicia McDowell In memory of Ora Bell Reinhardt by: Adelia Lerz Connie Reinhardt Diana Keith Jennie Sue Aslin Jerry & Twyla Pruden Bennie & Jeffery McCoy Tommie Adams Michael & Angela Dziadzio John & Janice Harrison Brenda Rothwell In memory of John Peters by: Jerry & Twyla Pruden Men s Walk #191 Thursday, March 28 thru Sunday, March 31st Women s Walk #192 Thursday, April 25 thru Sunday, April 28th If you are interested in participating in The Walk to Emmaus, please contact the office for more information. Instant Church Directory Online If you have not joined us yet, it s easy to do!! Just down load the Instant Church Directory in the app store on your phone or computer and follow the prompts. You will need to use the same that you have shared with the church office. If you have any questions, please call the office. 6

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9 Show And Tell READ Thessalonians 2:1-12 Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of god but our lives as well. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NIV) I love inviting my friends to join me at prayer meeting, but they often refuse my invitation. One day a friend told me, Before you invite people to come in, you yourself must exhibit a life changed by Christ. Paul and his partners in Christ, Silas and Timothy, realized that people would not believe their gospel message if their own lives did not show the love of Christ. The passage from 1 Thessalonians reminds me of the saying, Actions speak louder than words. Thought For The Day How do people see Christ in me? Preaching and teaching Gods word are important, but we can also reflect Christ in our lives through our actions. The first believers decided to follow Christ not only because they had heard the gospel through preaching and teaching but because of the kindness they received. (See Acts 2:42-47.) None of us is perfect. But we can try to imitate the life of Jesus. Our lives and the lives of others may not change instantly; but if we continue to imitate Christ day by day, God will makes us a new creation that can bless even more people. If our actions match our words, we will become more effective in inviting people to a relationship with God by following Jesus Christ. Prayer: Beloved God, we believe that with your love and strength our lives will be changed to become more like Jesus. Help us to be salt and light for the world. Amen. Chicken Spaghetti Dinner The Outreach committee has set the date for our annual Chicken Spaghetti dinner for: Monday, April 1st We will be offering 2 times for pick-up: 11:00am to 1:00pm lunch 4:00pm to 6:00pm for dinner & tickets are $10.00 We will begin selling tickets soon!! Watch for more details in the Sunday bulletins Preschool Enrollment for School Year Our Preschool will be entering our 40th year this next fall! The preschool and kindergarten offer a half-day program with slots available for after school care. Church members and current students have priority until March 7th, when registration becomes open to the public. 3 yr. old class: your child is 3 by August 1st, 2019 and potty trained. 4 yr. old class: your child is 4 by August 1st, 2019 and potty trained. Kindergarten class: your child is 5 by August 1st, For more info contact Tiffany Purtle, Preschool Director From the Upper Room, January February, The current Upper Room is available for everyone and can be picked up in the church. 9

10 First United Methodist Church Pastor: Steve Johnson 2300 South Main Street PO Box 400 Hope, AR Office: Fax: January has come and gone and despite our wishes for some pretty white snowflakes, I guess we will have to be content making snow angels inside. The kids have been busy building towers, having tea parties, creating masterpieces of art and learning their letters and numbers. The kindergarten class is learning their sounds and beginning to read. The teachers have selected some new items for their classrooms with our fundraiser money and of course, the kids are very excited. We thank everyone again for all the support you give to our school and students! We do have 2 new kid sized picnic tables on our playground area, thanks to Bruce Ward and Dan Rohrbaugh. Special thank you to the guys for building the tables and to Marlon Ward for encouraging the project. Our United Way penny drive will begin on February 4th thru the 8th. So if you have extra pennies, bag them up and bring them to the office for the drive. We participate in this United Way event every year and we hold a contest to see which class brings in the most weight in pennies. Tiffany Purtle, Preschool Director 10