The Eufaula Messenger

Transcription

1 July Pastor Michael B. Brannon The Eufaula Messenger Church Office Mon.-Fri. 9:00-1:00 First United Methodist Church of Eufaula You certainly don t need me to tell you it s hot outside. I ve been told that it is a record setting hot and I believe it. And what can a person do about it? Not much except stay under air conditioning. I also believe that we are in a record setting hot streak in spiritual warfare. Besides the usual temptations of the flesh that are always around we also are faced with a growing despair and anger over the deepening divide that seems to have engulfed our political system. Any day now I expect to see the kind of conflict that has happened in other countries where the politicians resort to punching each other over the issues that divide them. Add the anxiety that comes from these hard economic times and it would be easy to succumb to the feeling of hopelessness. Well there is a way to beat this heat. It s not air conditioning but rather prayer conditioning. When we keep our communication open with God we are better able to withstand the heat the world sends our way. In these times of oppressive heat, temperature wise, many organizations offer cool shelter for folk who have no way to get out of the hot. As Christians when we are prayer conditioned we become a means that God can use to help others find shelter from the heat. We can be a voice of reason and calm as we allow the love of God to flow through us. That can only happen if we are connected to the source of Peace and Love. Our connection comes through spending time with God. Uptight, worried, angry people can only transmit what the condition of their hearts are. So I ask you is your heart prayer conditioned? Hope to see you this Sunday at church. Blessings, Your brother in Christ, Mike. Pastor s Report A Word of Thanks Once again you have overwhelmed us by your kindness and generosity! The food pounding was such an outpouring of o love. Our cupboards are full to the brim. Our hearts are even fuller! Especially enjoyable was the fact that so many came and a stayed and visited. That was the sweetest of all! Nancy and I have only been here a short while but we feel as if we have come c home. Blessings on all. Mike & Nancy Brannon

2 Page 2 The Eufaula Messenger I have struggled with this month s article trying to determine what to say and the reasoning behind the words. Wanting to have a meaningful and thoughtful article is always my goal. In the past, my focus has been on our financial situation and possible solutions to help improve our situation. I was blessed recently when new friends offered me a book to read that they felt would help in my struggle. God does work and without a doubt things happen that are not happenstance. The book is titled The Blessed Life by Robert Morris. It s a small book, only 190 pages, but more powerful than a locomotive and faster than a speeding bullet. Superman but not in the comic book format. My purpose here is to give you a high level overview of this wonderful book. There are 12 chapters and the titles are poignant. The Unexpected Adventure,- God Must Be first,- Life, Not Law,- Do The Right Thing,- Need Greed or Seed,- God Rewards Generosity, these chapter titles are just a sample of this fantastic book. The lessons learned are simple, straight forward and results oriented. This a wonderful roadmap to answering God s directions and allowing God to be FIRST in everything we do. Really, it s very simple and easily understood. Exodus 23; The first of the first fruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God Do we give the first of our earnings or do we give the leftovers? Who is on the top of our list? Finance Committee By: Dan Huddle Here is a statement from the book, page 15 that says it all. We can give God the first of our time. We can give Him the first of our finances. That s really what tithing is giving our first to God saying, God I m going to give to you first and trust You to redeem the rest. I have returned the book to my friends but I am sure that they would be excited to let you read this book. Just ask me and I will tell you how to reach them. Treasurer s Report By: Maurice Arnold As Ivette Perez, Asbury United Methodist Church, Camden, N.J., says "Everyone is God's steward. One receives from God more than what one gives to God. Like good stewards, we must give according to how God has prospered us, not according to what we have left over. Give according to what we have felt in our hearts. To give is a privilege. God will provide and multiply. God wants us to give, not because God is poor or needs it, but because God wants to bless us." The finest hours of being a Christian occur when we respond generously to help persons in need. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, urged the practice of sound financial stewardship. He expected his followers to do three things: Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can. Wesley modeled this stewardship. When his income increased, he continued his simple lifestyle and gave the surplus money to Methodist efforts to spread the gospel and help persons in need. We continue that tradition of stewardship and generous giving.

3 July Page 3 How Did We Do? By: Dan Huddle This data illustrates our tithes and offerings compared to our weekly budget for the month of July: Tithes/Offerings Weekly Budget Variance +(-) July 3, $5, $4, $1, July 10, $3, $4, ($704.41) July 17, $1, $4, ($2,622.96) July 24, $1, $4, ($ ) July 31, $4, ($4,400.96) Total for the month $12, $22, ($9,854.26) Tithes & Offerings for July $6, $5, $4, $3, $2, $1, Tithes/offerings Weekly budget $0.00 July 03, July 10, July 17, July 24, July 31, January ($9,738.18) February ($7,397.75) March ($7,192.26) April $3, May ($3,146.31) June ($4,414.12) July ($9,854.26) August September October November December YTD Total ($38,055.30)

4 Page 4 The Eufaula Messenger UMW Update By: Twyla King We were pleased to have Jerry Lindsay, McAlester District UMW President, visit us at our July meeting which was held on Tuesday, July 5. Robyn and Emily Burris presented the program entitled Making Peace With Mother Earth. This program emphasized that we are to be stewards of the earth which God entrusted to us. We have not always been responsible members of the community of life, and need to be reminded that earth is our mother and we must take care of her. Kate Kuykendall thanked the UMW for their contributions to Vacation Bible School. On July 17, UMW presented Glenna Fisher with Special Recognition at the worship service. Glenna has been bazaar chairman for years, has served in other capacities, is chief pie maker and last year served as chairman of the church Board of Trustees. She was also named Oklahoma Cattlewoman of the Year last year by the Oklahoma Cattlewoman s Assn. Glenna received a certificate and a pin with an emerald. Plans are being made for our annual Whole Hog Day Giant Garage Sale. We will have a report on that in the next newsletter. The Oklahoma Annual meeting of UMW will be held this year at Shawnee on October 1 with Bishop Hayes being the principle speaker. We hope to have many attend. Put this on your calendar now so you can attend. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, August 2 beginning with a noon potluck luncheon. The program entitled Restorative Justice will be given by Debbie Chambers and Glenna Fisher and Kathleen Shannon will be hostesses. All women of the church are invited. August Birthdays 8/3 Kathy Kirkpatrick 8/5 Kay Wall 8/6 Dan Huddle 8/8 Cheyenne Fells 8/9 Andrew Worley 8/10 Bobbie Huddle 8/16 Tammy Green 8/17 Mike Dew 8/18 Twyla King 8/22 Addison Stewart 8/25 Nora Mae Shanafelt 8/27 Margaret Davis 8/29 Leonard Worley 8/30 Kaitlyn Urquhart 8/30 Rosemary Simpson August Anniversaries 8/9 Bob & Brenda McKinney 8/14 Mike & Jill Dew 8/15 Tom & Dayna Foresee 8/15 Raymond & Dorothy Merrick 8/24 Bill & Eloise Smith 8/26 JT & Linda Stubbs

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6 First United Methodist Church 220 S. Main Eufaula, OK Phone: Open Hearts Open Minds Open Doors Label Here August 8/2 12:00 Noon UMW Monthly Mtg. 8/4 7:00 PM Youth Brainstorm Mtg. (open to anyone) 8/9 9:30 AM UMW Workshop 8/13 7:30 AM UMM Monthly Mtg. 8/14 Fellowship Dinner 8/16 9:30 AM UMW Workshop 8/23 9:30 AM UMW Workshop 8/30 9:30 AM UMW Workshop Jennifer Long would like to start a Bible Study around mid-august. She would like this Bible Study to be open to anyone interested in youth, church growth or mentoring programs. She is also hoping that anyone interested in working with the youth will attend the meeting on August 4 at 7:00 pm.