FRANKLY SPEAKING A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR FRANK

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FRANKLY SPEAKING A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR FRANK On November 25, we will gather with all the other churches in our North Central District for our annual Charge Conference.

2 FRANKLY SPEAKING A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR FRANK On November 25, we will gather with all the other churches in our North Central District for our annual Charge Conference. In that meeting, all the churches will celebrate the ministries conducted in the name of Jesus Christ over the last twelve months, and ask God s blessing on the ministries we will conduct in the next twelve months. You are invited to attend the Charge Conference, November 25, 3:00 pm at Christ United Methodist Church in Plano. As for First United Methodist Church of Sachse, this is the time of year when we traditionally shine as followers of the risen Christ. As in previous years, we will collect and gather and distribute food and gifts to our neighbors in need for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Something new this year, though, is a new ministry that begins on Wednesday November 7. It s our new Difference Makers ministry, in partnership with Hartman Elementary School in Wylie. This ministry intends to create relationships with families and children, and to share the grace of God and the love of Jesus Christ with these new friends. The children will learn that they are loved and they will be given opportunities to love and serve their neighbors through various mission projects. We will conduct this ministry after school on their campus at 510 S. Birmingham Street in Wylie. You are invited to be a part of this ministry. If you wish to participate on their campus, you must complete a volunteer background check through the Wylie ISD website, For more details, see the article about Difference Makers in this newsletter, or contact the church office. Here s a great opportunity for all of us to serve and to shape the future. Page 2

Veteran s Day Luncheon This year, Veterans Day (November 11) is a Sunday, and we will show our appreciation to those men and women who have served our nation in

Representatives from Veterans Services will be there to offer information.

3 Veteran s Day Luncheon This year, Veterans Day (November 11) is a Sunday, and we will show our appreciation to those men and women who have served our nation in uniform with a potluck luncheon on that day, November 11. We will break bread together, praise God together, and thank these neighbors of ours together. Representatives from Veterans Services will be there to offer information. Please invite any and all of your friends, neighbors, and relatives who have served in the military or as first responders. We will need the congregation to bring plenty of side dishes and desserts. Fellowship Committee will provide fried chicken and drinks. Page 3

Forms are available in the Welcome Center and can be dropped off or mailed to the church office.

4 Pew Bibles There is an opportunity to remember or honor a loved one. Purchase a pew bible for use in our sanctuary for only $20. Forms are available in the Welcome Center and can be dropped off or mailed to the church office. Christmas Poinsettias Help us to adorn our sanctuary for Christmas with a beautiful poinsettia given in honor or memory of friends and loved ones. Please mail or bring your order form and payment to the church by Sunday, November 25. Each poinsettia is $18. Page 4

5 Youth Midwinter Retreat Sign up is now open for all 6-12 graders (confirmands included)! Cost is $125 (due by December 1) and includes lodging, meals and all activities at Sky Ranch. Scholarships are available as we ll not let cost prevent any youth from attending. If you think your youth will attend please go ahead and register online: bit.ly/fumcsmidwinter. Contact Matt Gomez via for more information. Page 5

Sunday Night Dinners Changes are coming for our UMYF Sunday

Instead of asking our youth to bring $2 every week, we re

(You can also donate money instead of cooking.

Wednesday Hang Time, Sunday Night UMYF and during Sunday

6 Sunday Night Dinners Changes are coming for our UMYF Sunday Night Dinners. Instead of asking our youth to bring $2 every week, we re asking each parent to sign up for at least one dinner night. (You can also donate money instead of cooking.) Please contact Marcia Snider & Lynn Scott for more information, or sign up here: bit.ly/dinner18-19 Volunteers Needed Volunteers are needed for Wednesday Hang Time, Sunday Night UMYF and during Sunday School amongst a few other things. If you can help out (even once!) we d appreciate it. Sign up is here (Volunteer Schedule Tab): bit.ly/events18-19 Page 6

7 KEEP IN TOUCH Facebook facebook.com/groups/sachseyouth Remind (For Parents) to phone number or join here: remind.com/join/a67he7 Youth Event Schedule & Volunteer Sign Up bit.ly/events18-19 Youth Dinner Schedule bit.ly/dinner18-19 Remind (For Youth) to phone number or join here: remind.com/join/323fbh Matt Say Something Form bit.ly/saysomethingfumc Call Matt Page 7

8 Bible Trek 2018 Come discover the Bible in a whole new way! All 3-5 th graders are invited. November 11 & 25 & December 9 from 5:30-6:30 PM. Advent Workshop Please join us as we gather in our Christmas jammies on December 9 from 3-5 PM to create Christmas keepsakes. All families are welcome to join us. We will have Grinch punch and Christmas treats. Each family will have the opportunity to decorate a gingerbread house, sourdough ornaments for the tree and a plate for Santa s cookies. Page 8

Music Ministry Come Join Us! How very exciting that there are 21 adults planning to sing in the Christmas Cantata on December 16 th at 8:30 and 10:45 am services.

9 Music Ministry Come Join Us! How very exciting that there are 21 adults planning to sing in the Christmas Cantata on December 16 th at 8:30 and 10:45 am services. If you are willing to put in the time, it is not too late to join us. Debbie will provide part predominate CD s for your listening and learning at home. At our Wednesday rehearsals the cantata portion will begin at 7:45 pm. Sachse First singers and non-singers are invited by the Flower Mound UMC to join them as they travel to NYC for a concert at Carnegie Hall on May 27, The great John Rutter will be conducting the concert. A deposit of $300 will ensure you can participate. Housing and flight reservations will be made separately. Contact Debbie Chapman at music@sachsefirst.net if you are interested. Additional people can be added as long as there are openings. Page 9

10 Mark Your Calendars for these events and changes from the norm! Tuesday, November 20: 6:30 PM Bells and 7:15 PM Choir, 7:45 PM Cantata. Wednesday, November 21: Happy Thanksgiving! No Rehearsals. Sunday, December 2: Flutes of the Spirit lead worship music. Sunday, December 9: We ll feature the Children s Choir. Saturday, December 15: Rehearsal with Orchestra 9 AM-Noon Sunday, December 16: Christmas Cantata Were You There on That Christmas Night? by Lloyd Larson at both services Sunday, December 23: We ll feature our Handbell Choir Christmas Eve services: 4 PM Family, 7 PM Praise, 11 PM Traditional Sunday, December 30: 5 th Sunday, One Service Youth in Grades 6-12 You are invited to participate in any (adult) group already established at First Sachse. However!!! Starting in January, 2019, Debbie would love to talk to you about getting something started with youth. Handbells, Youth Choir or Ensemble, Instrumental group. Let s talk and put together something fun! Your band is great but we can do even more! me or talk to me on a Sunday. music@sachsefirst.net Solos and small groups can be scheduled throughout the season. Contact Debbie if you are interested music@sachsefirst.net Blessings, Pastor Debbie Cell Office Hours: Tuesday & Wednesday (or scheduled by appointment) Page 10

11 Difference Makers Difference Makers will start November 7 with a 6-week program at Hartman Elementary School (though the program is open to kids at school). We would meet with 1-4th graders from 3-5:30 PM on Wednesdays. Please contact Shelly at or outreach@sachsefirst.net to volunteer or for registration information! Difference Makers Wish List As we begin the Difference Makers ministry -- focused on helping elementary students experience God s love and empowering them to make a difference in the community -- we have some wants and needs. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated. Here s our wish list: 1. A 15-passenger people mover (I know, it s a biggie, and we have big plans! Having a people mover/bus would enable us to bring kids without transportation to the church, and also would enable us to take them to the food pantry and other places to serve. Plus, we could bring children whose parents don t attend church to our Sunday services; or we could bring we could bring the parents, too. Gas money and having no car or only one car in a family are barriers we could remove!) 2. Laminating machine 3. Shelves or cabinets to store supplies 4. Batting 5. Mod Podge 6. Small sponge paint brushes 7. Travel-size tissues and fragrance-free lotion 8. Lip balm 9. Gum and lemon drop hard candy 10. Small wreath forms and wreath hangers (Dollar Tree is great for these.) Difference Makers will begin Nov. 7. If you are able to donate supplies, please bring them to the church office or to Shelly Gonzales, director of diversity and outreach. For more info, contact Shelly at or outreach@sachsefirst.net. Page 11

12 Outreach An easy way to build awareness and recognition of our church is to do what we like to do anyway -- Instagram, SnapChat, Facebook! On Sunday mornings -- or any time you re at church, let your friends know. Post a selfie with another member or pastor, tag them and check in. Share with your friends something that hooked you. For example: Wow! You should have heard how the Crossfire Band got us going with Old Church Choir this morning! In Sunday school at FUMC Sachse, we talked about I like that we prayed for today at FUMC Sachse. Today s sermon got me thinking about Just be sure to check in, tag, and mention the church! All Saints Day Nov. 1 is All Saints Day, a time to celebrate the faithful Christians who have gone before us. At FUMC Sachse, we ll remember our saints during the Nov. 4 worship service. As United Methodists, we don t canonize saints. Instead, we think of all those, whether obscure or well-known, who have served Christ and set an example for us. John Wesley called this holy day a festival I truly love. Find out more at Advent Plans Advent begins Dec. 2. Now is the time to think about how we ll prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. Will your family set aside a special devotional time or be intentional about serving our neighbors during the weeks leading up to Christmas? Have you picked out a book to study? Share your plans on the FUMC Sachse Facebook page, and tag your pastors and staff. Easy Page 12

13 Tax Planning for Seniors: Qualified Charitable Contributions If you are required to make a Required Minimum Distribution from your 401K and/or Traditional IRA accounts, it may be possible for you to make a Qualified Charitable Contribution direct to your church and/or other 501(C) Corporation from these funds. If so, those dollars would not be taxable as income. This benefit is especially valuable if you take the standard deduction when filing your federal income tax return. You should talk with your fund administrator and tax consultant before deciding if this option is available and makes sense for you. What Shall I Give to the Church in 2019? As our church continues to grow in both participation and ministry, the church continues to operate with prayer and on the financial support we all contribute. Our budget for 2019 is $527,000, which is a nearly 7% increase over our 2018 budget. These are the funds necessary to conduct the ministries that our church is called upon to conduct for the making of disciples for the transformation of the world. Stewardship brochures will be mailed and distributed during worship. During the month of November, we will dedicate some of our worship time to remind each other of God s blessings and our gratitude, inviting each household to prayerfully consider their financial support of the church in the new year. On November 18, during both services, all households are invited to submit their Estimate of Giving in support of the church s 2019 budget. Page 13

Holiday Meals Once again, this holiday season, we will gather groceries for families in need for both Thanksgiving meal and Christmas meal.

The committee will also welcome your cash gifts toward the purchase of meat.

Canned Green Beans 2 Canned Corn 1 Peanut Butter 1 Pre-sweetened Kool-Aid (canister packaging) Angel Tree 2018 You are invited to visit the Angel

14 Holiday Meals Once again, this holiday season, we will gather groceries for families in need for both Thanksgiving meal and Christmas meal. The missions committee is asking for the following items. Missions Committee will provide turkey or ham using budgeted funds. The committee will also welcome your cash gifts toward the purchase of meat. In addition to a turkey or ham, each household will receive: 2 Boxes Stuffing 1 Box Crackers (Ritz or saltines, etc) 1 Bag Dry Pinto beans 1 Rice 2 Canned Green Beans 2 Canned Corn 1 Peanut Butter 1 Pre-sweetened Kool-Aid (canister packaging) Angel Tree 2018 You are invited to visit the Angel Tree in our church Welcome Center starting November 25 to select an angel from the tree. Purchase gifts according to the information on the angel, and bring them back to the church in a black garbage bag, with the angel securely attached to the bag. Page 14

15 Nick At Nite Sunday Evening Adult Study: Revelations Join Pastor Nick for Nick at Nite, an evening class for adults at 6PM Sunday. The current theme of Nick at Nite is "Revealing Revelation," a study of the Book of Revelation. Remember there is no preparation nor homework required just show up and join the conversation! Childcare is available; please call the office for more information. Pastor s Book Study You are invited to join Pastor Frank for book study on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Sessions will last approximately one hour. The next book, starting November 5, is "Night" by Elie Wiesel. Advent Study Starting November 29 We are not that different from Joseph because like him, we encounter circumstances that we d never choose for ourselves. Join us as we examine Christmas through the eyes of Joseph and learn to accept and glorify God s will even when our situation makes it difficult to do so. Our study of Faithful: Christmas through the Eyes of Joseph by Adam Hamilton will be on Thursday evenings from 7-8 PM starting November 29. Page 15

16 Financial Reports September 30th financial reports are now available. If you would like a copy, please let Larry Hostetter know via larryhoss46@gmail.com or call his cell, which is Thank you for your continued support of our Church. Scripture Readers Needed Each Sunday, a member of the congregation reads the Scripture during service. If you would like to contribute in this way, please sign up on the clipboard in the Welcome Center. All ages welcome! Upcoming Scripture selections include: November 4 November 11 November 18 November 25 All Saint s Sunday John 11:32-44 Veteran s Day Mark 12: Stewardship Sunday Mark 13:1-8 Christ the King Sunday John 18:33-37 Givelify Make your tithes and offerings with Givelify from wherever you are. whenever you want. We recommend you download the Givelify app for your smartphone or you can access it via desktop using the link on our website. Amazon Smile Every item available for purchase on is also available on AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) at the same price. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the A mazonsmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable o rganization of your choice. When you login to smile.amazon.com (with all of your usual Amazon login info) select First United Methodist Church Sachse as the organization you are supporting & a portion o f your purchase is given to the church! Here is the link: Page 16

Support Youth Ministries Church member Kriss Cothran invites you to try his auto-detailing services, which are professionally done for reasonable prices.

17 Support Youth Ministries Church member Kriss Cothran invites you to try his auto-detailing services, which are professionally done for reasonable prices. Kriss will donate a portion of proceeds to FUMC Sachse youth ministries. You may contact him at , or DCAUTODETAILSERVICES@gmail.com November Committee Meetings Page 17

18 UMW Dining Out: November 1st Join the UMW at Napolis on Hwy 78 in Wylie for dinner on Thursday, November 1 at 6:30. Sign up is available on the clipboard located in the Welcome Center or call Joyce or Benita to RSVP. United Methodist Women Book Club We ll gather at 6:30 PM on November 20 in the Triple Classroom. November s book is 50 Women Every Christian Should Know by Michelle De Ruska. Anyone is welcome to participate! Save the Dates! November 11: United Methodist Women Officers November Meeting November 18: United Methodist Women Quarterly Meeting December 3: United Methodist Women Officers December Meeting December 6: United Methodist Women Christmas Party December 18: United Methodist Women Beyond the Book Club Meeting Page 18

Every Monday Morning, 10 AM: United Methodist Men Breakfas t As always, you are invited to share breakfast with us each Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. at Ballard Street Café in downtown Wylie.

19 Every Monday Morning, 10 AM: United Methodist Men Breakfas t As always, you are invited to share breakfast with us each Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. at Ballard Street Café in downtown Wylie. Every Wednesday Morning, 6:30 AM: United Methodist Men Coffee and Bible Study Please join the UMM for coffee and bible study on Wednesday mornings at 6:30 am at Starbucks in Firewheel. United Methodist Men Monthly Breakfast Due to the Men s Retreat, there will be no November meeting. Our next monthly meeting will 9 AM (coffee served at 8) Saturday, December 15 at Woodbridge Golf Course. Saturday, November 17 and Saturday, December 15: Wheelchair Ramp Builds Mark your calendars to join the UMM for our next two wheelchair ramp builds on Saturday, November 17 and December 15. All persons 16+ are invited to participate. Meet to leave by 8 AM in FUMC Sachse Parking Lot. Page 19

20 UMM Fall Retreat: Prothro Retreat Center November 2-4 Attention MEN! (And you know who you are.) You are invited to a time of fun, fellowship, bible study, worship, music, rest, and spiritual growth at our Fall Men s Retreat. It s only $165, and it s going to be a terrific weekend. Please plan to attend this special event. In preparation ahead of time, please read Matthew 13:24-43; Luke 15:11-32; and Matthew 25:1-13. What to bring: bible, flashlight, bathroom and shower stuff, toothbrush, jacket, be ready for any kind of weather, be ready for lots of fun, fellowship, and spiritual growth Tentative Itinerary: Friday afternoon: Some might go up early to the Denison Country club for gol. Friday evening, say 6:30-ish: Some might go eat Tex-Mex at Arroyo s Mexican Restaurant on Hiwy 289 just past Tanglewood as you re going north from Pottsboro Friday evening: Back at the camp for campfire and fellowship Saturday 8 AM: Breakfast Saturday 9 AM-noon: Bible study/book study Saturday Noon: Lunch Saturday afternoon: Free time (golf, fish, hike, nap, football on tv, sandbag tournament; some might go to Sherman to the Escape Room) Saturday 6 PM: Supper Saturday 7 pm: UMM business meeting followed by worship with communion and campfire Sunday morning: Pack, cleanup and load Sunday morning: To Jeff and Karla Hudgins place for worship and brunch, then home Page 20

The Flame Newsletter November 2017

The Flame Newsletter November 2017 1 November is all about giving and giving thanks. Frankly Speaking What a month of October we have shared together! It was a month in which we demonstrated profound generosity.