The Methodist Messenger

Transcription

1 First United Methodist Church Volume 71, Issue 12 July 1, 2015 The Methodist Messenger A Taste of What s Inside 2,5 Church facts 2 Table Fundraiser 3 Children's Corner 3 Youth Choir Reunion 3 Vacation Bible School 3 Youth News 3 Scholarships 4 Music Notes 4 Clothes Closet 4 Summer Encouragement 5 Puppets for Jesus 5 Newsletter Deadline Mark Your Calendar 1 Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center training event - July 10 3 Vacation Bible School - July Youth Worship Sunday - July 12 3 "Youth" Choir Reunion - September 5 and 6 3 Scholarship Deadline - August 3 4 Clothes Closet Reopens - August 13 5 Newsletter Deadline - July 10 Our area of Texas is home to a quality not-for-profit organization tasked with caring for the youngest among us. The Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center (NETCAC) came to be in Their purpose is to: coordinate the efforts of professionals charged with the difficult work of investigating and prosecuting child abuse cases. Even though NETCAC s primary office is in Winnsboro there are satellite locations throughout an eight-county area including one here in Gilmer. Sadly, when looking at the graph of children who received services in NETCAC s region, Upshur County has, through May of this year, cared for 53 of the 152 children. NETCAC does a wonderful job in providing educational insight for the community. The closest such opportunity is coming soon: Darkness to Light... Stewards of Children... Education is the Key! offered on Friday, July 10 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Best I can say about this in short order is that the goal of Darkness to Light is to provide the following outcomes: Increased awareness of the prevalence, consequences and circumstances of child sexual abuse New skills for adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse Proactive, positive change to organizational policies and procedures Individual commitment to action via a personal prevention plan I have attended several training sessions offered by NETCAC. We all can affirm that one of the gifts Jesus gave to the world was the challenge of caring for children. We care about children. I offer the above invitation to you because I am comfortable with the Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center and also because I feel strongly about our place as those who stand with and for children. One more thing: One of our church members has pledged to pay the ten dollar training fee for up to five people. I will provide transportation. Should make it easy, right? NETCAC s website has a volume of information on this and other such educational enhancements. Take a look: Registration forms are available in the church office. Regards and God Bless. See you Sunday, if not before Richard Vision Statement: First United Methodist Church is a loving, supportive family of faith working together to share God's love. Contact Us 105 N. Montgomery St Gilmer, TX Pastor, Richard Laster pastorlaster@etex.net Secretary, Carol Craddock fumcsect@etex.net Financial Secretary, Lamon Geddie fumcacct@etex.net

2 P age 2 By Our Prayers... WE SHOW OUR LOVE Jeanet Ball, Chuck and Lu Crenshaw, Ceci Crombie, Barbara Fix, Lurline Johnson, Matthew Morgan, Barbara Nye, Leon and Carolyn Shipman, Sandy Steelman, Billie Stevenson, Chester Studdard Remember ongoing prayers for loved ones with serious illnesses, our shut-ins, family and friends in the military service and the leaders and staff of our church and our country. Table Fundraiser Many of the tables in our Fellowship Hall and CLC are broken and it s time to buy new tables for the many wonderful events we have in our church. We would like to raise enough money to purchase at least 20 round tables and 6 rectangular tables. The round tables cost $100 per table and the rectangular tables cost $50. If you would like to help with this fundraiser by sponsoring a table please stop by the church office with your donation. We also have a board with some information about the fundraiser in the entryway of the church. Remember to check our Web Site for up-to-the-minute prayer requests. Prayer Ministry Don t worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don t forget to thank Him for His answers. -- Philippians 4:6 Submit requests to Church s web page: Or Call: Church Office Jane Wilson Statistically Speaking Our Presence Date Sunday School Worship Visitors May June June June Average Year to Date Average Last Year We will be purchasing 6-foot round and rectangular tables from Sam's Club that are constructed of high-density polyethylene and are stronger, lighter and more durable than wood. They will not crack, chip or peel, and are built for indoor and outdoor use. The patented steel frame design provides a sturdy foundation and is protected with a powder-coated, weather-resistant finish. They are perfect for banquets, meetings or events, and are built for the rigors of demanding commercial use. We want to purchase new tables so that we have nice sturdy tables for the many wonderful events hosted throughout the year like the Women's Christmas Tea, Potluck Meals, Retired Teachers Meetings, Senior Friends Luncheons, Kiwanis Meetings, Scouting Events, Yam Jammers and so much more! Sponsored by the GROW Committee Our Worship Service is broadcast on ETEX, Channel 999, Sunday, 6 p.m. and Monday, 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Follow us on Facebook First United M ethodist Church of Gilmer

3 Page 3 The Methodist Messenger Children s Corner by Chandra Sorrells Vacation Bible School is almost here! We are in need of a few more volunteers to lead groups of children to all the exciting activities we have planned. We will be learning and moving this year. Our focus verse is Acts 17:28a "In God we live, move and exist." CEB Don't miss this wonderful time. You never know the impact you are making in the life of a child. Please remember to continue saving paper towel tubes. There is a bag outside my office where you can drop them off. We need approximately 75 of them. Finally, please continue to pray for everyone involved with VBS, that we might be equipped and ready to minister to each of the children that attend this year. 1 Page 3 Youth Choir Reunion - Sept. 5-6 The First United Methodist Church of Gilmer is hosting a reunion of all youth choir members from The choir will be in charge of the service the first Sunday in September. If you are a past member and would like to participate, please call Rick Lange at , and he will send you a pack of music and a CD. (Youth Choir Reunion packets can also be picked up in the Choir Room at FUMC, Gilmer.) The choir will come together on Saturday, Sept. 5th at 2 p.m., practice for 3 hours, and then enjoy a nice BBQ dinner. Then Sunday, Sept. 6th the church will host lunch afterwards in the Fellowship Hall. We look forward to seeing you and your fellow choir members that Sunday in celebration and fellowship! Vacation Bible School July 13-17, a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Ages: Entering K Entering 6th grade Youth News Lunch is provided. by Matthew Potter Hello everyone! Summer is in full swing and the youth are busy. By the time this article is seen by everyone the youth will be at church camp at Lakeview. Please pray for us to have a fantastic week and safe travel to and from camp. I also want to mention that the youth will be leading our worship service on Sunday, July 12th and we hope everyone will be able to attend that morning. I have a feeling you will not be disappointed. College Scholarship applications are now available on the table outside the church office. If you have graduated from high school, are continuing your college education, and are a member of FUMC, please stop by and pick up an application. The deadline for submission is Monday, 5:00 p.m., August 3, If you have questions or need additional information, please call Carol in the church office at

4 Th e M ethodi st Messe nger P age 4 Music Notes by Lora Robison A patriotic theme will be prominent in our communion service for July 5. To open the service, the Boy Scouts will bring in the Flag of the United States of America followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Our first hymn will be America the Beautiful and our last hymn will be This Is My Song, both from The United Methodist Hymnal. Our special music for the day will be Battle Hymn of the Republic, arranged by Mark Hayes and sung by guest soloist, Jodi Mitchell Taylor. Jodi is one of my former voice students who is studying vocal performance at Texas A&M University at Commerce. As a former Texas All-State Choir member and State UIL Outstanding Soloist, we are happy to welcome Jodi to sing for our services once again. Our July 12 service will be a YOUTH-LED service with Youth Director, Matthew Potter in charge. Scripture for the day will be based upon Ephesians 1:3-14. The Call to Worship will be Amazing Grace featuring Matthew Monk, pianist. Our hymns will be Blessed Assurance, and (medley) Lord, I lift Your Name on High and Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone). The closing hymn will be Victory In Jesus. Special Music for the day will be Holy, Holy, Holy arranged by Mark Hayes and sung by Raymond Sorrells. Justin Taylor will be the reader for all services during July. The youth will lead in the hymns by sitting in the choir loft. Plans are being made for the youth to be ushers, greeters, and perhaps to even lead the congregational singing and to bring the message for the day! It is wonderful for our youth to step forward in leadership in our worship services! July is our informal month of worship. The choir loft will be filled with volunteer choirs for the entire month. We will have a MIXED CHOIR for July 5; YOUTH CHOIR for July 12; MIXED CHOIR for July 19 and July 26. So don t be shy about coming to sit in the choir loft during these services. We look forward to Darren and Melanie Richardson being here to sing in worship on July 26. You will not want to miss this wonderful brother and sister duo singing their favorite gospel selections! If you were a member of the YOUTH CHOIR when either Annette Breazeale or I were directors OR if you had a child in one of those choirs please be sure to put the YOUTH CHOIR REUNION WEEKEND on your calendar for September 5-6. Music packets can be picked up in the choir room with all the information included! This should be a weekend of great fun and fellowship and a home-coming for all! Be sure to spread the word near and far about this event! See you in worship! In Christ s love, Lora The Clothes Closet closed on Sunday, June 21st and will reopen August 13th. We thank everyone for their donations. We could not continue our mission without you. We ask that you do not bring donations during the month of July. We will be doing summer cleaning and maintenance to the building and our volunteers need a little vacation. Your donations have allowed us to donate $64,000 to organizations in Upshur County this past year. Penny Taylor Our Church Doesn t Take a Summer Vacation Summertime, and the livin is easy. So goes the well-known song. In fact, summer does bring a more relaxed schedule to many of us and is a great time for family vacations. We ve worked hard all year; we need a rest and deserve some time away. However, God never takes a vacation and neither does our church. Our church even adds ministries like Vacation Bible School and youth activities on top of the usual schedule. But summer is always the slowest time of year for church donations. What happens to your donations when you aren t able to attend worship services? Do you let your church donations go by the wayside while you enjoy some time poolside? Don t despair! The finance committee would like to remind you that it would be fine if you put the check in the mail. You can also contribute by using the online giving tool on our website. Finance/Stewardship Committee

5 Flowers for The Sanctuary Flowers for P age 5 July 5 July 12 July 19 July 26 Mr. and Mrs. Larry Morse Milta Baugh Mr. and Mrs. Milton Monk June 14 were given by Millie and Verlon Feller to the glory of God and in honor and appreciation of their children: Debbie and Russell Durham, Susan Mollet, and Mark and Peggy Feller. Greeter Lynn Davis Lay Reader Justin Taylor Ushers MYF Youth June 21 were given In loving memory of Harry Aldredge by his children and their families. Deadline for Newsletter Articles July 10, Noon Puppets for Father's Day has come and passed, and we hope it was a wonderful day for all the men in your life. The puppet team performed for the Children's message during Jesus the worship service and the puppets told by Babs Crombie the children how important it is for us to not just show our love with words, but with our actions as well. And that our heavenly Father is the best Dad of all...god the Father will come and LIVE INSIDE US, by the Holy Spirit, and JESUS will SHOW HIMSELF TO US!!! A Special "Thank You" to Benjamin & Joseph Fenlaw for their wonderful performance. Also "THANKS" go out to Lisa & Adam Fenlaw for their performance, "God Is For Real," presented to the Children's Church group on June 14th in the CLC. The puppet team is taking a much deserved break from scheduled performances until we regroup again in September. I just want to share one final thought with you since I'll be spending more time in my garden now. Every gardener needs a compost pile. It is the very best way to make a garden grow well, save on watering, keep the earth loose and rich, and nourish the plants. Furthermore, it doesn't cost you anything; it actually saves you money because you don't have to buy fertilizer. I began my compost pile several years ago, at the same time I began my garden. It's amazing what can happen with a compost pile. Last fall I went out and found six avocado plants growing there. The seeds I had thrown out had sprouted on their own and grown into plants. They were tall and looked healthy. I knew with winter coming, they wouldn't last long. I didn't want these brave volunteers to die so I potted them up in the compost they loved, kept one, and gave the others to friends. Mine is still growing strong and putting out new leaves. The bounty from my compost pile seems endless. I have a compost pile in my life as well. I feel that my errors and mishaps form a kind of compost pile from which I can draw to enrich my growth. When I learn from my mistakes they become fertilizer that nourishes my life and brings me all sorts of blessings in disguise. I even find that sometimes I have planted seeds there without realizing it, and when they grow up and show themselves to me, I can share them with friends. These seeds are the stories of my own experiences, which, when I share them may be of help to others. It is never wrong to make mistakes, they are a part of our learning process. Whether we make them in the garden, by planting incorrectly, or in our lives. As long as we are willing to learn from them, our mistakes can become a rich source of nourishment for our lives. May you be blessed with a wonderful compost pile! Blessings, Babs Th e M ethodi st Messe nger Follow us on F aceboo k - Fir st Unit e d Methodi st Church o f Gi lm er