A Service of Healing and Wholeness on Sunday, September 14, 6:30 PM

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1 The Newsletter of the First United Methodist Church of Decatur, Alabama August 27, 2014 Invite Your Friends to Church September 21, 2014 Decatur First is joining thousands of other churches across America for Back To Church Sunday a special day where we will invite persons who are presently not regularly attending a church to come give our church a try. On September 21, we will be having special services to which you can invite your guests and have a Covered Dish Meal as well. Watch for more information about the meal, but begin now to pray about someone to invite. You might think about persons who you have not seen in worship in some time, someone new to your neighborhood, a friend for work, civic club, or even a relative. The Evangelism Team has purchased some door hangers that can be used in inviting persons. You are also challenged to pass on the door hanger to five homes on both side of your home. A Service of Healing and Wholeness on Sunday, September 14, 6:30 PM The Book of Worship of the United Methodist Church introduces the section of Healing Services and Prayers this way: Scripture strongly affirms ministries of spiritual healing, which in recent years have received renewed emphasis throughout Christ s holy Church Spirit healing is God s work of offering persons balance, harmony, and wholeness of body, mind, spirit, and relationships through confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. On Sunday evening, September 14 th we will come together to worship our God who heals and to pray for and with one another. Church Directories The church directories have arrived! If you had your photograph made for the directory and did not pick up your complimentary copy on Wednesday night, please get your copy in the Welcome Area on Sunday morning, August 31 or in the Fellowship Hall on Wednesday night, September 3. We will be selling extra directory copies for families who did not have a picture made or who want an extra directory for their home or car. An extra directory is $7. Checks can be made to FUMC. Thank you, Betty Ann Mitchum & Beth Green Men s Thursday Morning Bible Study Begins September 4, 6:30 a.m. Minister s Conference Room, 3 rd Floor Fellowship Hall Building The men will continue their study of Acts. Bible Study ends at 6:45 a.m. Men s Prayer Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. at City Café, for those who can stay. You may join in the Prayer Breakfast even if you don t make the Bible Study. Our Stewardship of Presences Attendance Numbers for Sunday, August 17, 2014: Total Count for 8:45am = 113 Total Count for 11:00am = 144 Point Mallard Chapel Service: 22 Sunday School Children 29 Youth 13 Adults-137 Total Sunday School August Our Stewardship of Resources Total Count for morning services for August 17: 279 Attendance Numbers for Sunday, August 24, 2014: Total Count for 8:45am = 83 Total Count for 11:00am = 144 Point Mallard Chapel Service: 24 Sunday School Children 34 Youth 8 Adults-135 Total Sunday School August Total Count for morning services for August 24: 251 First Fellowship Children - 22 Youth - 20 Adults - 55 Total First Fellowship Wednesday, August Ministry Budget Capital Fund Received YTD $574, $128, Needed YTD 553, Given This Week 11, , Needed Weekly 16,416.12

2 REFLECTIONS FROM BRO. RUDY Church and Football George Mathison is the Senior Pastor at Auburn First United Methodist Church. I enjoy reading his Pastor s Message on his newsletter. Last week, Bill Dennis brought me a copy of the message that George had written on August 14 th. Knowing my interest in football, Bill thought I would enjoy George s take on football and the church. It happened that I had been so busy I had not read that week s The Village Methodist. In the article George took some football terms and applied them to the church. He said he was not sure of the original source, but he had done some rewording of some to make them relevant and applicable for our football community here in the loveliest village on the plains. Fast-pace offense: when the minister realizes he has more sermon than time, and he speeds things up. Backfield in motion: what you see when our choir director directs the choir. End run: when you rush out the side doors of the sanctuary and do not speak to those on your pew. Two-minute warning: the point you feel the sermon is almost over and you start preparing to turn on your listening device for audible sound. Staying in the pocket: what happens to a lot of money that should be placed in the offering plate. Draw play: what many children (and adults) do with the bulletin during worship. Benchwarmers: those who refuse to sing or pray. Sudden death: what happens to the attention span of the congregation if the preacher goes past noon. Flushed out of the pocket: what happens when a congregant is either immensely inspired or feels guilty and gives a generous offering. Blitz: the rush from the parking lots on Sunday in hopes of beating the Baptists to lunch. The cheering for our favorite football team has begun. Ogle Stadium had a good crowd for Decatur s opening game last Friday. There will be another good crowd at Ogle this Friday as Austin has their first home game. Then on Saturday Alabama and Auburn will both kick off their season before cheering crowds, not to mention all those who will be watching on television. How does your excitement about your faith compare to your excitement about your favorite team? How does your time and resource investments in the ministries of your church compare to your time and resource investments in your favorite team? See you Sunday as we worship the One who deserves first place in our lives, Jesus Christ our Lord. Rudy Sympathy Sharing sympathy with Mallie and James Hale on the death of her father Joseph Alexander Searcy. This family remains in our prayers. Mary Shaw Ozier Memorial Blood Drive Central United Methodist Church Wednesday, September 3 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. New Members Scott and Marguerite Stone joined First Church by UMC membership transfer on August 17. They live at 606 Ferry St. NE, Decatur and their phone number is Welcome! First Grace News The total profit from the First Grace Yard Sale was $4, This was made possible by all who donated items to the sale and also donated their time. Thank you for your dedication! Option Available for E-Newsletter If you would rather receive this newsletter via , 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! 2

3 Servant s Spotlight: Our Servant s Spotlight this week shines on Tucker Rainey for sharing his powerful story at the Tailgate Party on August 24. It was truly a blessing for all who heard. It also shines on those many hands that are helping to paint the first floor hallway in the children s wing and door jams as well - Stephanie Holland, Dell Ward, Mike Ward, Mary Malone, and Drew Ward. The Children s team would like to thank Mike Ward for hanging a cabinet and bulletin boards in our Sunday school class rooms. We appreciate the dedication of all who serve in many ways. If you have individuals to lift up in the Servant Spotlight, please contact any of our staff at (256) Sunday, September 14 th at 4:30 pm We will meet in room # 230 on the Second floor Children s Wing. Starting Sunday, Sept. 14 th our first meeting of the fall will happen. Children (kindergarteners through 5th grade) are invited to come and be a part of our Mission Possible Team. We will meet at 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. for our first mission. Mission Possible is a program designed for elementary children to learn about and participate in mission work. Each meeting, children will learn and work on a mission project either locally, nationally, or internationally. This is a great way for children to see that they can make a difference! If you have a kindergartener and would like them to participate, please come early to fill out the forms needed for your child. There is a cost of $ If you have not created a Kid Check it is simple and easy to do from home. Go to and click on login and go to I am a parent and need to create an account. You are the sole person that controls your family s data and info. That is why you need to create the account. WE at the church cannot do that for you. You may create an account the first time you visit the kiosk. Once you have an account all updates will need to be done from home. Parents need to create an account and then link them to each other. If you wish to have grandparents, aunts/uncles, etc. enabled to pick up your child/children they need an account and designated on your account. Once they have an account they are able to pick up your child and if you/they wish to have a barcode tag then we can do that for them. You can find the Kiosk on 1 st floor entrance to children s wing. Every child needs be checked in for safety and security. We know this is new so we ask for your patience with us as we work out the kinks in the system.

4 Sunday School New Format Our children love to worship and sing! On Sunday, September 7th we will be moving to a new Sunday School format. Our Children will begin meeting in their Sunday school classrooms at 9:50am for ten minutes. Then they will gather as a whole to our new Children s Worship Center in room #305 starting at 10am. We will worship God with singing, praying, listening to our Bible story, and our Bible point for the week, and learn our Bible verse. Following worship time children will then return to their classroom to more fully explore the Bible story and lesson. Children will be dismissed from their classrooms at 10:50am. New Children s Sunday School format Classes begin at 9:50 am - meet in classroom 10:00 am - children will move to the Children s Worship Center Room # :20 am - meet back in classroom 10:50 am - end of class dismissed from classroom Classroom assignments Preschool Sunday school class is for our 3-5 year olds. Room 102 Kindergarten Class Room 225 1st Grade, 2nd, 3rd Grade class Room 231 4th grade 5th grade class Room 306 Our elementary classes meet on our second floor of the children s wing and 3rd floor old building. Please check in your children at the Kid Check Station on the 1 st floor before going to the first Activity station! Wednesday Evening Schedule: All children will begin in their first Activity Station at 5:50 pm Time Age Groups Activity Station 5:50 6:10pm Pre- K & K Music - Room #250 New Building 1 st 2 nd &3 rd Grade Arts/Games -Room# 231 Children s Wing 4 th and 5 th Grade Story - Room #226/Children s Library 6:15 6:35pm 1 st 2 nd &3 rd Grade Music - Room #250 New Building 4 th and 5 th Grade Arts/Games -Room# 231 Children s Wing Pre- K & K Story -Room #226/Children s Library 6:40 7:00pm 4 th and 5 th Grade Music - Room #250 New Building Pre- K & K Arts/Games - Room# 231 Children s Wing 1 st 2 nd &3 rd Grade Story - Room #226/Children s Library All Children will be dismissed from their last Activity Station!

5 Time To Pack Again - Austinville Elementary! School has started once more, which means it is time to help our Austinville Elementary children once more. Our church will help in August and then alternate months with Ninth Street UMC. Both churches help for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. These are the food items we need your help with: Canned pasta meals boxed mac & cheese Ramen noodles Beanie Weenies, tuna Snack crackers Granola bars Pop Tarts Fruit cups/snacks Pudding cups Rice Krispie Treats Please place items in the marked blue barrel by the Fellowship Hall. Thank you to the 4th and 5th Graders in VBS this summer that helped to shop for the items and then packed the bags! Y all were a big help! Thank you, too, to everyone who brought food items to the Back to School Bash! Mother Nature did not help, but thankfully you did! Thank you to our church for helping to take care of these wonderful and grateful little children! Please remember them and their families in your prayers. Sincerely, Jan Dean Refuge of Grace Ongoing Ministry Opportunities: Each weekday afternoon Refuge of Grace offers two-hour Enrichment Classes which are designed to be a fun and interactive way to allow residents to learn skills such as painting, etiquette, household skills, gardening, lawn equipment lessons, car maintenance, cooking, knitting, grilling, budgeting, GED tutoring, computer skills, etc. Volunteers are needed to share these or other talents/skills with residents weekly, monthly, once, or at their convenience. Please contact Margie Thompson or Adele Slaton for more information. First Fellowship Has Resumed Please look on the back page of this newsletter for the menu. The meal starts at 5:00 p.m. with classes following. Please call the church office for more information. Columbarium Committee Needs Input The Columbarium Committee needs your input. At present there are two remaining spaces in the original 48- niche cabinet. We are currently assessing the need for the two spaces and for an additional cabinet. The time between ordering and installing an additional cabinet is rather lengthy, thus our need to plan ahead. Although the committee welcomes firm commitments for future space, your expression of interest is also helpful. No up-front money is required. We invite you to come by the church to look at the columbarium. Church Cookbooks We still have an abundance of our Church Cookbooks available for purchase. You will find these in the Church office for only $10 each. These make wonderful gifts. Pick one up today! News From the Hilltoppers The Carnton Plantation event in Franklin, TN will be Thursday, October 16th from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. If you would like to know more about the plantation, a wonderful novel written by Robert Hicks called The Widow of the South is centered on the plantation. There are two copies in the church office. Please see Lorri McGuire if you wish to read a copy. The Decatur Public Library also has a copy of the novel. When we arrive at the Plantation there is a one hour tour and the cost of the tour is $ We will have lunch at a local restaurant. There is plenty to see! Our November trip will not be on a Thursday! We will meet on Saturday, November 15th and travel to the Old Cook Stove for a Thanksgiving lunch. Dessert Angels Yes, there are angels among us! Dessert angels are volunteers who make our desserts for Wednesday night First Fellowship Suppers with ingredients provided by the church. Look for those wearing a green angel and thank them! If you would like to be a part of this sweet ministry, please call Sandy Callahan at

6 September 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Mynes, Jim & Margaret 2 Nabors, Jane 3 Neill, Jim & Libby {Jennifer, Ben, Molly} 4 Nettles, Betty 5 New, Gerald & Lynda 6 Newman, Rich & Davia {Logan} 7 Pray for our services 8 Noe, Garey & Carol 9 Norman, Jim & Laura 10 Norwood, Eston & Beth 11 O Hara, Vann & Julianne {Kathleen & Hattie} 12 Oletti, A.J. & Anna {Reed & Emily Louise} 13 Oliver, Bill & Gloria 14 Pray for our services 15 Oliver, Burl & Dot 16 Ondocsin, Brian & Calley {Luke} 17 Ozier, Jack & Ann 18 Paler, Rick & Sherrie 19 Payne, Adam & Leah {Amelia} 20 Pearce, Hank & Beth 21 Pray for our services 22 Pentecost, Willie & Glenda 23 Perry, Mac 24 Pippen, Bert & Sandra 25 Place, Karen 26 Pylant, Bruce & Vivian 27 Pylant, John & Ginny {Mary Bibb, Virginia, Annie} 28 Pray for our services 29 Qualls, Greg & Kim 30 Ragland, Wylheme 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.

7 Beth Green, Youth Minister Coming Up Sunday, August 31 10:00 Sunday School no youth due to Labor Day Wednesday, September 3 5:00 First Fellowship 6:00 Bible Study 7:00 Youth Ministry Team Thursday, September 4 7:30 Sr High Prayer Breakfast at Chick Fil A Friday, September 5 DHS Football/ Cheerleader breakfast 6:15 Cooks arrive 7:15 greeters and servers arrive 7:45 clean up arrive Sunday, September 7 10:00 Sunday School 6:00 Brown Bag Supper 6:30 UMYF Monday, September 8 7:45 Jr High Prayer Breakfast at McDonald s (rides provided to Oak Park) Wednesday, September 10 5:00 First Fellowship 6:00 Bible Study Thursday, September 11 7:30 Sr High Prayer Breakfast at Chick Fil A Friday, September 12 DHS Football/ Cheerleader breakfast 6:15 Cooks arrive 7:15 greeters and servers arrive 7:45 clean up arrive DHS Football Breakfast The Decatur High Football Breakfasts started back on Friday, August 22. We had 112 students and coaches attending plus a lot of wonderful volunteers from FUMC! If you are interested in volunteering for future breakfasts, please contact Beth (beth@decaturfumc.org). You will also be able to sign up in Sunday School classrooms. Thank you for your help in making this ministry a success! Volunteer schedule: 6:15am cooks arrive 7:15am greeters and servers arrive 7:30am serve the students 7:45am clean up teams arrive The remaining dates of the breakfasts are: September 5- Austin September 12- DHS/ Athens September 26- DHS/ Brewer October 10- DHS/ Muscle Shoals October 24- DHS/ Florence Youth Sunday The youth will be responsible for the worship services on Sunday, September 14. Please come support our youth as they prepare to share how God has worked in this ministry through mission trips and Discovery Weekend! College Students Please share your college student s information with Beth so we can include them in mailings from our church. We need your students name, college mailing address, school attending, year in school, and at school. We will be sending cards and care packages throughout the school year and don t want anyone left out! If you are interested in volunteering to help put together college care packages, please let Beth know!

8 UPCOMING EVENTS No UMYF, Sunday, August 31 Labor Day - Church Office Closed; Monday, Sept. 1 Women s Bible Study, Courtyard Conf. Room Tuesday, September 2 at 10:00 a.m. Finance Meeting, Minister s Conf. Room Tuesday, September 2 at 5:00 p.m. Lay Leadership, Minister s Conf. Room Tuesday, September 2 at 6:00 p.m. Journey Group led by Debbie Heard at Java Jaay s Wednesday, September 3 at 11:45 a.m. First Grace Board Meeting, Courtyard Conf. Room Wednesday, September 3 starting at 4:30 p.m. First Fellowship; Sept. 3 starting at 5:00 p.m. Youth Ministry Team, Youth 3rd Floor Wednesday, September 3 starting at 7:00 p.m. UMM Bible Study, Minister s Conf. Room Thursday, September 4 at 6:30 a.m. UMM Breakfast, City Café Thursday, September 4 at 7:30 a.m. Sr. High Prayer Breakfast at Chick Fil A Thursday, September 4 at 7:30 a.m. DHS Football Breakfast in Fellowship Hall Friday, September 5 at 7:30 a.m. 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 Monday, Sept. 1 For Labor Day Dr. Rudy Guess, Senior Minister, rguess@decaturfumc.org Cindy McCulloch, Administrative Assistant to the Senior Beth C. Green, Youth Minister, beth@decaturfumc.org Pastor & Finance, cmcculloch@decaturfumc.org Laura Vines, Interim First Grace Director, firstgrace@decaturfumc.org Sandy Callahan, Food Manager Karen Moore, Worship Team Director,kkbabf@gmail.com Alyson Quinn, Church Secretary, aquinn@decaturfumc.org Lorri McGuire, Director of Children & Family, lmcguire@decaturfumc.org Kim Bell, Pianist Jimmy Cantrell, Chancel Choir Director, jcantr1011@aol.com Charlie Elliott, Custodian Gail Warth, Organist Melissa Wiley, Housekeeper 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 August 31 God s Place in Our Daily Work 2 Thessalonians 3: Dr. Rudy Guess, preaching Scheduled To Serve August 31 Acolytes: 8:45 a.m. - No Acolyte Scheduled 11:00 a.m. - Jack Bell and Gabe Brown Greeters: 8:45 a.m. - Jim King, Mitch & Diane Summerlin 11:00 a.m. Lisa Earley, Jim and Gail Herren Ushers: 8:45 a.m. Mike Ward, Drew Ward, Kin Copeland, Mike Boozer 11:00 a.m. Carl Evans, Tom Earley, Jim Gregory, Charles Adams, John Black September 7 Holy Communion Join the Search Luke 15: Dr. Rudy Guess, preaching First Fellowship September 3 (Meal starts at 5:00 - Adults $6.00, Children $3.00, Family Maximum $18.00, $6.75 to go plate. Please make dinner reservations by noon Monday. Don t forget to fill out a reservation card for a standing reservation, too.) Wed., Sept. 3: Kenny s Marinated Pork Roast, Scalloped Potatoes, Turnip Greens, Cornbread, Salad Bar, Peanut Butter and Jelly and Cheese Sandwiches, Honeybun Cake Wed., Sept. 3: Clean up crew: John Copeland (Dishwasher), Fay Copeland, Leigh Ann Blankenship, Mary Malone September Money Desk: Bill & Bettye Dennis