First United Methodist Church Volume 73, Issue 13 July 15, 2017 The Methodist Messenger A Taste of What s Inside 2,5 Church Facts 2 Scholarship Deadline 3 Healing and Wholeness Service 3 Youth News 4 Music Notes 4 Children s Corner 5 Puppets for Jesus 5 Newsletter Deadline Mark Your Calendar 2 Scholarship Deadline- August 1 3 Healing and Wholeness Service - July 30 4 Vacation Bible School - July 17-21 5 Newsletter Deadline July 19 At this reading our 2017 Vacation Bible School will be in full preparation mode. Signs of its coming are already in place throughout our church facility. The leadership team is already in place, something which Chandra has been working on for quite some time. Even though there will be names on the specific lines there is always room for another. So if you haven t volunteered for Bible School, and feel the pull to do so, there is more than enough time. Please check in with Chandra on Sunday or visit with me anytime and I will be especially happy to pass your name along. Bible School this year carries the theme Victory. The primary emphasis falls upon something with which we are familiar, yet a concept that needs affirmation and repeating: Jesus... is the ultimate victor... who deserves glory and praise because he alone can transform our lives from sin to victory. The subtitle for Victory is the Ultimate Pep Rally. Y all get the message? This is designed to be a high energy, positive experience which brings the word of the Gospel to our younger ones and our guests. Once again it ll be my privilege to take a look at a specific mission project. After due diligence, I have decided to move in the direction of School Kits offered through the United Methodist Committee on Relief, aka UMCOR. Each kit runs about eleven dollars, which includes a dollar per kit to see that they are sent somewhere in the world, where children are in need for supplies to assist them in having a stronger school experience. Some of these kits are distributed within the United States even though the scope of their coverage is worldwide. I look forward to our Vacation Bible School experience as we welcome the younger ones of the community to First United Methodist Church for Victory; the Ultimately Pep Rally. See you Sunday, if not before... Regards and God Bless... 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 75644 903-843-2610 www.gilmer-fumc.com Pastor, Richard Laster pastorlaster@etex.net Secretary, Esther Faggione gilmerchurch@gmail.com Financial Secretary, Lamon Geddie fumcacct@etex.net
Page 2 WE SHOW OUR LOVE By Our Prayers... Ceci Crombie, Lamon Geddie, Roy Helpenstill, Kaytlin Poe, Abigal Simon, Jerry Steger, Billie Stevenson 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. 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: www.gilmer-fumc.com Or Call: Church Office 903-843-2610 Betty Parish 903-843-3865 Annette Breazeale 903-843-3873 Our Worship Service is broadcast on ETEX, Channel 999, Sunday, 6 p.m. Our Presence and Monday, 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday Date Worship Visitors School 6-25 75 135 22 7-2 94 136 19 86 170 27 90 165 28 Average Year to Date Average Last Year Our Presents Total Income Total Expenses Income Over/ (Under) June $29,817.41 $31,148.13 - $1,330.72 Year to Date $197,549.81 $206,852.89 -$9,303.08 Date 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 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 1, 2017. If you have questions or need additional information, please call Esther in the church office at 903-843-2610.
Page 3 The Methodist Messenger Page 3 Youth News by Matthew Potter Fifth Sunday Night Prayer for Healing and Wholeness Sunday night, July 30, at 6 p.m. in the Chapel will be our Fifth Sunday night service of Healing and Wholeness. The service includes readings, scripture and song with opportunities for special prayer and anointing with oil if desired.. Our service of Healing and Wholeness is not necessarily a service of curing, but provides an atmosphere in which healing can happen. The greatest healing of all is the reunion or reconciliation of a person with God. For us our basic purpose of spiritual healing is to renew and strengthen our relationship with the living Christ. Please join us for this time of worship and prayer in our chapel on July 30 and invite friends. Hello everyone! We had yet another amazing Impact Weekend. The youth that attended did a phenomenal job during our Amazing Race, which included all kinds of different random acts of kindness and challenges throughout the community. The youth also participated in service Friday afternoon as well by doing yard work for several people in need. We concluded the weekend with a fun filled morning of slip and slide kickball, followed by swimming at Rick and Jan Lively s. I want to thank everyone who made the weekend possible, all the adult leaders, the Faggione s for providing food and the Lively s for opening their home and pool to us. 1 The Amazing Race 2 Timothy 4: 7
Th e M ethodi st Messe nger P age 4 Music Notes by Lora Robison All those adults who are involved in Music Ministries will be resuming regular rehearsals on Wednesday, July 26. Jubilation Bells will be meeting in the bell room at 6:00 p.m. and Chancel Choir will be meeting in the choir room at 7:00 p.m. This is a perfect time to join Chancel Choir! The choir will be back in the choir loft after four weeks of summer break on Sunday, July 30! The music and fellowship in choir is wonderful and YOU ARE INVITED to become a part of this awesome group who love to actively contribute to Sunday morning worship! Hope you will join us! On Sunday, July 16, Cori Beasley will be coming as guest soloist. She will be singing On Eagle s Wings arranged by Mark Hayes. Hymns for the day include Hymn of Promise, Spirit of the Living God, and Thy Word Is a Lamp Unto My Feet all from The United Methodist Hymnal. We will be welcoming Darren Richardson and his sister Melanie Richardson as guest musicians for Sunday, July 23. Darren and Melanie have sung in worship here on numerous occasions and have made it an ongoing tradition to lead us for one Sunday service in July for the past several years. We look forward to this brother-sister team as they sing and play gospel music for our service! Darren is principal of an elementary school in Gladewater, Texas, and music director at his own church. Melanie is a commercial realtor in Dallas and will be traveling here this weekend especially to sing here at FUMC, Gilmer. Committed Christians, these two have sung for the Lord both together and separately for as long as they can remember. It is an honor to have them here to sing for our worship service. The Chancel Choir will be filling the choir loft on Sunday, July 30. The hymns for the day include: Spirit of Faith, Come Down, Every Time I Feel the Spirit, and I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light all from The United Methodist Hymnal. The Chancel Choir will be singing Tell Me the Story of Jesus arranged by Joseph Martin. Thanks to Steve Nye, Buzzy Green, Lauri Woodson, Matthew Faggione, Cori Beasley, Darren and Melanie Richardson for the beautiful music they have provided during the month of July. Thanks to Annette Breazeale for directing during my vacation in June and as always to Bill Marshall and Annette for wonderful music at the keyboards! Hoping to see you in choir in a few weeks! In Christ s love, Lora Children s Corner by Chandra Sorrells Monday we start VBS! It s not too late to register. We are looking forward to studying some of the great Victories in the Bible. This is the ultimate Pep Rally of the summer, you don t want to miss out on all the fun and excitement. Mark your calendars now! VBS July 17-21st 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Rising K-6th grade Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Flowers for July 2 Mr. and Mrs. Larry Morse and family July 9 Mr. and Mrs. Fred Anderson July 16 Mr. and Mrs. Milton Monk July 23 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Winn and family and Dinah Spence and family July 30 Ms. Mary Wightman Greeters Diane Chevalier and Kathy McClain Lay Reader Our Youth The Sanctuary Flowers for June 18 were given in loving memory of Edwin and Harry Aldredge by Harry s children and their families. June 25 were given by Craig, Ashley and Seth Ball in memory of Jeanet Ball. Deadline for Newsletter Articles July 19, Noon P age 5 Puppets for Hope everyone is having a wonderful, safe summer so far! The puppet team is taking a short break for Jesus the summer and will resume September 10th, meeting in the CLC at 2:00. by Babs Crombie We hope any new youth that have an interest in becoming part of our puppet ministry will consider coming to one of our meetings. This year, the puppet team will be open to any youth in the 6th grade and above. Please contact the church office, Jeff Sorrells or myself for more information. Any interested adults are also MORE than welcome to join us as well, and we have several on the team. It s like no other ministry and you have a chance to share your Spiritual Talents in an enjoyable way. Vacation Bible School is just around the corner, fall and holiday events will follow that. There is a lot of things to plan for this year but for now, just enjoy your free time and being with your family during this carefree time of the year. I leave you with a devotion that I shared with the puppet team, it s called The Bible in 50 Words: God made Jacob fooled Sea divided Prophets warned Hope died Adam bit Bush talked Tablets guided Jesus born Love rose Noah arked Moses balked Promise landed God walked Spirit flamed Abraham split Pharaoh plagued Saul freaked Love talked Word spread Joseph ruled People walked David peeked Anger crucified God remained Blessings, Babs Th e M ethodi st Messe nger Follow u s on F aceboo k - Fir st Unit e d Methodi st Church o f Gi lm er