WHAT AN EXCITING TIME

What an exciting time it is to be a part of the mission and ministry of First United Methodist Church! We had a great year in 2017. You can see some of the numbers from the graphic on the next page. Two that I want to especially celebrate are reaching 500 in average worship attendance (just barely--the actual number was 500.2!) That is a milestone of growth; I appreciate everyone who shows up week by week! The second number is financial. We spent $1,811,121 through our ministry budget, plus another $103,000 on community missions outside of our budget, for a total of $1,914,121. That is a huge commitment to mission and ministry in our church and community. The good news is, the faithful people of FUMC contributed enough to fund all that ministry, and we ended the year with enough money in the bank to start 2018 without anxiety! I also appreciate everyone who attended, prayed, and led in our Encounter 2.0 event. I believe some people experienced significant encounters with God, and good seeds were planted for future ministry. The Faith Forward campaign is getting underway. We have a great leadership team, and many people are responding positively to helping with the various aspects of the campaign. I encourage everyone to be praying, “Lord, what do you want to do through me?” I believe God will show you if you pray that prayer--not only for the campaign, but for your life. See the article for the next steps moving Faith Forward. There is too much in the world that would lead us to sadness, depression, and despair: political instability, illness, grief, poverty, disasters, violence. If we focus on the bad stuff, it can drive us crazy. But if we focus on what God is doing in the world, if we see the positive things happening in our church, if we celebrate the life-transforming ministry we get to do, then we can rise above the negativity. We can celebrate the good. We can find reason to continue moving forward. Bishop Mueller wrote his pastors a New Year’s letter recently that acknowledged the hard work of ministry in often very difficult circumstances. Believe me, I feel very blessed to be at Fort Smith FUMC and to face the challenges we have! He expressed gratitude for the churches and pastors that strive every day to be the best God calls them to be. Then he made a powerful statement, saying that the present moment is an incredibly exciting time to be in ministry, because the world has never needed Jesus Christ any more than it does right now!  I celebrate what God has done among us, but what is really exciting is that we serve in a mission field that is deeply in need (whether they even know it or not) of what we have to offer--the grace, love, mercy and salvation of Jesus Christ. May God give us guidance, strength, power and courage to minister well in this exciting time!

Rev. Bud Reeves Senior Pastor breeves@fsfumc.org

THE ONE WHO CALLS Y'ALL IS FAITHFUL

This week we got news that one of our church families, the Morrises, are moving to Central Arkansas for employment reasons. It was for the same reasons they arrived in Fort Smith only a few years ago. We will miss Lara and Tim and their kids as they have been such a wonderful addition to our church family. We lament their leaving, but celebrate new job opportunities and their chance to be closer to family. Their news brought to mind a similar moment a few years ago when a family shared with us they, too, were moving for a job. I remember that moment because it caused me such great anxiety. That anxiety was a reflection of my own immaturity and inexperience, but it felt like a crushing blow to learn that our church would lose contact with these wonderful people who were so faithful to God and to our church. Even more so, my mind wondered, would we be able to “replace” them? Were new folks going to come to our church? Where would they come from? Was this the sign of a larger predicament? The news of the Morrises’ move brings very little anxiety for me with respect to our church. I am disappointed; in fact I know Tim and Lara far better than that previous family from a few years ago. The reality is that sometimes folks must move. But my anxiety for our church has subsided because I know that new and more people will come. We know new people will move to Fort Smith for jobs or to be with family. Some people will come looking for a new or different church. Other people will come to our church, to any church, for the first time in years. It is amazing how blessed we are to regularly receive new people in worship. One of the great quotable films of the last century is Field of Dreams. Near the end of the movie, the character Terence Mann says, “Ray, people will come. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom.” Mann is referring to that magical baseball field in Iowa. But perhaps we, or rather I, have learned something similar about our church. People will come, for reasons we can’t even fathom. This fact will never ceases to amaze me! That doesn’t mean we take anyone’s presence for granted. Quite the opposite! We are being called to greater hospitality, inspiring worship, opportunities for mission, and excellence in discipleship. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says in part, “The one who calls you [plural] is faithful.” God in Christ has called us to this church in this moment. And God in Christ is faithful to God’s church. Further, God continues to call new and different folks to our church. We honor God’s faithfulness and the courage of our guests by being a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive congregation. Who knows who might come for the first time this Sunday!

Rev. Dane Womack Executive Associate Pastor dwomack@fsfumc.org

NEXT STEPS IN THE FAITH FORWARD CAMPAIGN

We are currently engaged in a capital campaign we are calling “Faith Forward.” The goals of the campaign are two-fold: (1) to update the Family Life Center, and (2) to enhance the endowment funds in our FUMC Foundation. An excellent leadership team has been assembled, and they are already recruiting volunteers to help with the exciting events that make up the campaign. If you get asked to serve, we hope you will say “Yes” enthusiastically! WHAT’S COMING UP: January 28--February 7:  Messengers with all the small groups in the church will present information on the campaign. February 8: A Vision brochure will be mailed to the entire church family with more information. February 11-21: Prayer contacts will be made with all church families. More to come later… WHAT TO DO NOW: Say “Yes” if you are asked to help with the campaign. Begin to pray daily, “Lord, what do you want to do through me?” in the light of Faith Forward. Pray for our leadership, the events, and the results of the campaign, that everything we do will honor God and strengthen our ministry.

GOD LOVES DUST

You may have noticed already that Valentine’s Day falls on Ash Wednesday this year, or Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine’s Day. If you’re really looking ahead, you’ll see that April Fools Day falls on Easter, or rather Easter falls on April Fools Day. Beyond the potential for so many *great but also awkward* puns from pastors on these high holy day calendaring twists for the year, this calendaring conflict concurrence is surprisingly rare. Last time this happened was in 1945 and it won’t come around again until 2024. How will you celebrate this Feb. 14th? It’s an odd juxtaposition. One holiday is marked with fasting, repentance, prayer, and solemn spirits. The other is marked with celebrations with red glitter cards, mushy Hallmark movies, candies with the highest level of sugar content, and the finest and decadent foods. Both of these celebrations have their historical roots in the church-- Ash Wednesday being a day of repentance to begin the season of Lent in preparation for Easter and Saint Valentine’s Day, remembering from centuries ago the priest that lived out God’s love for the oppressed, poor, sick, and hurting. Its as if our 2018 calendar is giving us the spectrum of life on one day: from dust and sackcloth to the cupcakes and rose petals. Where ever you find yourself on Feb. 14th, you are worthy of God’s full love and grace. No matter where you will be on Feb 14th, remember that “you are dust and to dust you shall return.” God created all things and loved us so much that God breathed into dust the breath of life and formed us in God’s image. When our days here on Earth are done, we will return to dust and into God's loving arms. Because of God's love, we who are dust have life. Maybe dust and love aren’t so different after all. Both are used by God to create something of the Kingdom and signs of God’s great love for us. God loves dust and even in the mess of dust, God is doing something grand. What a reason to celebrate!

Rev. Sara Bayles Associate Pastor sbayles@fsfumc.org

MISSION SPOTLIGHT

Each month, we’ll feature a short article on one of the many mission ministries of our church. We hope to let our church family know of the ongoing missions and the ways in which they can support this great work.

The week of February 17th thru 24th, our mission team of doctors, dentist, nurses, dental assistants, dental hygienists and a pastor will take off for our annual Guatemala Mission Team. For the last several years, our congregation has partnered with Salud y Paz (Health and Peace) in Guatemala that is a United Methodist related global ministry. Already our Guatemalan partners are preparing the way by contacting potential patients that we will meet. The patients that we will see will be of all ages from birth to very elderly and most will have not seen a medical professional in the last few months and or even several years, and some patients may have not ever received medical or dental care. There is a dire need for medical and dental care in these rural Guatemalan villages outside of Cunen, a town in Northern Guatemala that serves as our base as we go out to different daily clinics in rural areas. Often times when we arrive, there is a long line of Guatemalans lined up waiting for a turn to be seen by doctors and dentist. We’ll pull teeth, offer medicines for cold and sinus problems, stomach problems, joint pain, heart problems, gastrological conditions, basic vitamins and so much more. But most importantly, we’ll offer Christ’s love to those we encounter. This mission would not be possible without the support of our entire church.   Here are some ways to continue to support this mission work and team:      → Pray: For our team of 15 individuals for good health while in Guatemala and for their families and friends who are without their spouses, parents, and friends for a week. Pray for safe travel for our team and continual safety for our team on Guatemalan soil. Pray for the hundreds of patients that we will serve, for those that are our translators, bus drivers, cooks, and helpers in Guatemala, and for God to be at work in amazing and transformative ways. → Be present at Guatemala Team Commissioning on Feb. 4th in Sanctuary Worship → Join our Mission Team presentation after our trip on March 11th in the FLC at 10:00am.

Guatemala Mission Team-2017

Janice Sudbrink has been on staff for 9 years as Minister of Pastoral Care. When she relaxing, Janice likes to garden and loves to watch “The Crown” on television, rug hooking, and knitting. One of her favorite desserts that she wished had zero calories is chocolate pie. Janice has experienced God at work in this ministry by the congregation loving and caring for each other in our church and the community. Three words that describe FUMC: Compassionate, Merciful and Gracious! Janice grew up in Philadelphia, MS. She also loves to take naps, go four-wheeling, and target shooting. An interesting fact is that Janice is related to Eli and Peyton Manning! Speaking of football, her favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys. Before joining the team at FUMC, she had an interesting job as a Flight Nurse on a Helicopter.

Rev. Janice Sudbrink

Pacesetters Meet in the Fireside Room at 10:00 a.m. on the following dates:

·  February 2 - Our program: Abbie Cox with Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund CEC children will visit & sing. $5 Lunch menu: Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad & cobbler. ·  February 16 - Our program: Susan Steffens with the Reynolds Cancer Support House. Weekday school children will visit. $5 Lunch menu: Burgers, baked beans, potato salad, birthday cake.   Call (479)782-5068 if you need a ride. Everyone is welcome to attend. Invite a friend!

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN UNIT MEETING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018—10:00AM FIRESIDE ROOM-FAMILY LIFE CENTER   HOST-REBEKAH CIRCLE   FOLLOWED BY PRESENTATION AND LUNCH   A CALL TO PRAYER AND SELF-DENIAL 2018 LEARNING FOR A LIFETIME DEVELOPING LEADERS

UMW CIRCLE MEETINGS

February 13 at times listed: Circle: Ruth, 10:00 a.m., FLC 101 Circle: Rebekah, 10:00 a.m. at the home of Jane Williams Circle: Hannah-Elizabeth, 1:30 p.m., Friends Class

Thanks Philip Brown for fixing the gate to our cooling tower fence.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Christian & Kimberly, Connor, Kaitlin Swaim joined FSFUMC on January 14 in the Connexion service. The Swaim family transferred from another UMC. Christian works for the Boy Scouts organization. Kimberly is a stay at home mom and volunteers for several organizations locally.  Wade Parker joined FSFUMC by profession of faith on January 21 in the Connexion Service. He is a student at UAFS and helps with our youth group.

DOWNTOWN CHURCHES LENTEN LUNCH SCHEDULE

Please join these services of worship each Monday in Lent! ·  Lunch: 11:45 am-12:15 pm & 12:45 pm-1:15 pm ·  Service: 12:15-12:45 pm FSFUMC offices will be closed during these times so that staff and pastors can attend.

FIRST KIDS

Club 56 Each week the 5 th and 6 th graders take items that have been collected to the Little Red Pantries around town. This is a great way for the children to learn about missions right here in our very own community. If you would like to donate, please bring non perishable food items, toiletries, socks, hats, gloves, or hot hands to the cart outside Sally’s office.  Save the date: June 11-15  VBS is going to be a Rolling River Rampage!! So grab a life vest and get ready for an action-packed adventure as we experience the ride of a lifetime with God as our Guide!

Maggie Jacimore

Sally Ware Director of Children's Ministries sware@fsfumc.org

FIRST YOUTH

Continuing in Education Over the past several months I have been working on continuing my education in youth ministry through the Perkins School of Youth Ministry at Southern Methodist University. Early in January, I went to PSYM for a week to attend my classes. I am very thankful for such an opportunity as this, as the Arkansas Conference was able to send me to SMU on a full scholarship. Praise God! While at Perkins, I took 6 hours of graduate level courses in youth ministry. Those classes were Teaching Biblical Faith and Ministry With Youth. After all of the readings were finished and all of the projects were turned in, I was able to release a deep breath and say “Wow, I feel like a better youth pastor already!” In youth ministry, it’s important to have many tools in your tool belt. After attending PSYM, I feel much more equipped for the job at hand. I want to be the best youth pastor I can be so that the youth of Fort Smith may come to live into the abundance of life given by our Lord. I want to thank all of you for your support, your prayers, and your kind words of encouragement. We’re all in this together, aren’t we?

Michael Mings Director of Youth Ministries mmings@fsfumc.org

·  Recent Memorials in Memory of:   Ernest Bartlett by Jayne & John Alford, Elizabeth & Paul Sharkey & Family Beverly Beman by Ed Beman Douglas Cauthron by Jim & LaVonne Hayes Tommy Fleri by Janie Short, Sherri Steelman, Tammy Holton, & Pixie King David Hardin by Byron & Linda Ware, Community Rescue Mission-Board of Directors & Staff, Huguenot Society of Arkansas, Dick & Ann Appleton, Vicki & Mark Saviers Bernie Houser by Dick & Ann Appleton Jennifer Jesson Karber by Patti & James Kimbrough, Elizabeth & Paul Sharkey & Family Charlie Reutzel by Aldersgate Class James Adelbert Strang by Kimberly & Phil White Donna West by Myrna Sue Lough, Jim & Wanda Foster, Carole & George Beattie, Bancorp South, Angel & Bill Brasher, Kathy & Paul Tuberville, Edward Stout

THIS SUNDAY - February 4

8:30 am - Roebuck Chapel - Rev. Bud Reeves Offertory “Come, Ye Blessed” Keely Sattazahn , Soloist Nancy W. Vernon, Organist   11:00 am - Sanctuary - Rev. Bud Reeves Communion Anthem “Sov’reign Lord, Creator, Righteous One” Offertory “Come, Ye Blessed” Keely Sattazahn, Soloist Chancel Choir Gaye McClure, Chancel Choir Director Nancy W. Vernon, Organist Micah Alt, Meg Norton and Joseph Udouj, Acolytes   11:00 am - Connexion FLC - Rev. Dane Womack “Where You Go, I’ll Go” “I Will Follow” “Audience of One” “Lord I Need You” “Here’s My Heart Lord”

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Saturday, February 3 The church will be closed Sunday, February 4 8:30am Classic Worship, Roebuck Chapel 8:45am Holy Grounds, Narthex 9:45am Sunday School 11:00am Classic Worship, Sanctuary 11:00am Contemporary Worship, Family Life Center 12:30pm Missions Trip Meeting, Fireside Room 3:00pm Trustees Meeting, Conference Room 4:00pm Confirmation Class 5:00pm Youth Super Bowl Party, Loft   Monday, February 5 6:00pm Cub Scouts, Third Floor 6:00pm Women’s Bible Study, Fireside Room 6:30pm Boy Scouts, Third Floor   Wednesday, February 7 9:15am Women’s Bible Study, Fireside Room 9:30am Easter Sunrise Planning Mtg, Conference Rm 10:00am Prayer Group, Prayer Room, 2nd Floor 3:30pm Children’s Choir 5:30pm Holy Communion, Roebuck Chapel 5:45pm Shared Dinner, FLC 6:30pm Wednesday Night Life, Various Rooms 7:00pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal   Thursday, February 8 7:00am Youth Breakfast Club, Chick-fil-a 10:00am Knitters & Knotters, Narthex 12:00pm UMM Bible Study/Lunch, Fireside Room   Friday, February 9 6:30am UMM Bible Study Breakfast, Fireside Room

FIRST UNITED METHODIST NEWS published weekly except the last week of the year by First United Methodist Church 200 North 15th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901.

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