he Mess The Messenger Upcoming Events July 21, 2016, OAKS PICNIC July is National Picnic Month Fun, Food, & Fellowship This Wednesday, July 27th at 11:45 a.m., we are following a picnic theme for the month of July. So, please bring the trimmings for fried chicken, such as; potato salad, pasta salad, fruits, fresh veggies, tomatoes, cole slaw, dips and chips, watermelon, brownies, cookies, ice cream, etc. You get the idea! Looking forward to a fun time. Name Tags If you do not have name tag and would like one, please contact the church office at 863-9619. Youth Sunday 2016 Please join us on Sunday, July 24th, 2016, for worship led by our youth. The theme of the service will be "Calm in the Storm." They are excited to share their story through scripture, music, and message. Planning Boe's Birthday Bash A meeting will be held Wednesday, July 27th at 6 pm in the CLC to plan the big 50 th Birthday Blowout for Boe Collins in September. We will discuss decorating ideas, activities, setting-up plans, and food to bring for his Grease theme party.
We hope you can join us! Meet & Greets With Jon Kaufman There are two more Meet & Greets planned with Jon Kaufman. The first is on Tuesday, July 26 th at 6:00 p.m. at the home of Adam & Amanda Wood in Pass Christian. The second is on Thursday, July 28 th from 11:30-12:30 at the Harborview Café in Long Beach. Sign-up sheets are available in the narthex and in the lobby of The Well. Community Group Facilitator Training We believe that life is best lived when it is lived together in Authentic Community. Have you thought about leading a Community Group? We will be starting new groups this fall. Please join us on Saturday, July 30th, for our Community Group Facilitator Training. Whether you are a seasoned group facilitator, or just thinking about it, this training is for you! The training will be held in the Youth Hall from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Blessing of Backpacks We will have a Blessing of Backpacks in our Sunday morning services on August 7th. Teachers, students, and anyone who works in the school system are encouraged to bring your bags for a special prayer time. Wear your school shirts or colors! Go Serve Day! Our church will be participating in a Go Serve Day! in September. If you would be interested in being a part of the planning for this event, mark on your calendar to attend a luncheon in the Christian Life Center on Sunday, August 7th, immediately following our 11:00 service and Well service. There will be sign-up sheets in the narthex of the sanctuary and in the lobby of The Well. Thank You The GiGi Foundation (in memory of Geradine Hammons) donated $2,500 to Backpack Buddies in order to continue to help the meet the needs of hungry kids in our community. A big thank you goes to them! Youth News Puppets will not meet July 24th and July 31st, but will resume on August 7th. UMYF will meet this Sunday for a swimming & nacho party at the home of David & Karen Dykes from 5-7 p.m. UMYF will not meet on July 31st, and will resume on August 7th. Online Giving Just a reminder, you can go to our website at fumclb.org and click on the Online Giving tab to make giving quick and easy. Online Giving Weekly Updates and Events Prayer Concerns... PC & Dee Havens, Pat & James Holifield, Kayne Troutman, Debbie Knight, Wanda Miller, Chrissy Edwards, Shorty Haulk, Ruth Swofford, Diane Johnson, Joseph
Poupart, Jackie Branch, Jan Flynn, Sandra Gibson, Annette Skinner, Randal Guthrie, Charlie Gibson, Diane Saul, Richard Gingles, Barbara Ballanco, & Harry Sneed. Welcome... We would like to welcome Bill and Shirley Gay into our church family of faith here at First United Methodist Church. Sympathy... We would like to express our Christian love and sympathy to Garnie Dubuisson and family at the death of her aunt, Polly Mincher. Visitation is on Friday, July 29th from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and the funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 30th at 10:00 a.m. at the church. We would like to express our Christian love and sympathy to John and Jane Cockrell and family at the death of John's mother, Mary Cockrell. Last Weeks Givings and Attendance Budget Offering for 7/17/2016 $6,804.00 8:30-121 11:00-70 11:00 @ The Well - 286 Sunday School - 107 Weekly Calendar Sunday, July 24th 8:30 a.m. Sanctuary Morning Worship 9:45 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Sanctuary Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Worship @ The Well - Fleming Auditorium USM 5:00 p.m. UMYF Swimming Party at the home of David & Karen Dykes (5006 Live Oaks Drive, Long Beach) Tuesday, July 26th 9:00 a.m. Ladies Bible Study in the Christian Life Center (CLC) 6:00 p.m. Meet & Greet with Jon Kaufman at the Wood's home Wednesday, July 27th 11:45 a.m. OAKS Picnic in the CLC 5:30 p.m. Heart and Soul in the Youth Hall 6:00 p.m. Boe's Birthday Blowout Planning Meeting in the CLC 7:00 p.m. Well Band Practice in Heritage Hall (HH) Thursday, July 28th 11:30 a.m. Meet & Greet with Jon Kaufman at Harborview Cafe' Friday, July 29th
6:00 p.m. Polly Mincher Visitation in the Sanctuary Saturday, July 30th 9:00 a.m. Community Group Facilitator Training in the Youth Hall 9:00 a.m. Long Beach Farmer's Market (outside Moore Hall) 10:00 a.m. Polly Mincher Funeral Service in the Sanctuary This Sunday 7/24/2016 Sanctuary - Youth Sunday "Calm in the Storm" Readings Hosea 1:2-10 Psalm 85 Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19) Luke 11:1-13 The Well - Rev. Ben Barlow, Preacher Series: Are We There Yet? "The Cost of Discipleship" Luke 9:21-27 God is Love - this is the truth revealed in scripture and it's the truth that has led me to be a disciple of Jesus and why I am a pastor. I have learned to love, because God loved me first. God loved us and proved it in Jesus Christ because even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (see Romans 5:8). According to the Apostle Paul, the answer to any divisiveness in the church is found in chapter 13, where love is described as the "more excellent way." There, love is described as patient, kind, not envious or boastful, not arrogant or rude, and not insisting in its own way. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Love never ends.
We are experiencing a great deal of pain, fear, anxiety and divisiveness in our culture at many different levels - politically, racially, and socially. How do we, as Christians, respond? Recently our Bishop, James Swanson responded to the killing of 5 police officers in Dallas, TX. Bishop Swanson indicated that we have a choice how we respond. We can respond with numbness, withdrawal, violence, or apathy. But these ways are not the ways of Jesus. Instead, we follow Jesus' way which is: first pray and then second to act in positive, constructive ways rooted in our faith in God and love. If we are to bear witness to our faith and resist evil of any kind, then we have to bear witness in the hardest of times to the love of God that loved us first, even "while we were yet sinners." May you experience this love for yourself and then seek to share that love where you are. Grace and Peace, Jon First United Methodist Church 208 Pine Street Corner of Church Ave. and Pine Street (228) 863-9619 Church email: fumclb@cableone.net Church Website www.fumclb.org The Well Website www.thewelllongbeach.org Rev. Jon Kaufman, Senior Pastor 662-279-4993 Email address: jon.kaufman@fumclb.org Rev. Ben Barlow, Associate Pastor 228-806-2787 email address: ben@thewelllongbeach.org