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First Church News & Updates - October 20, 2017
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Don't forget to join us tonight for Katie's reception and roast. It will be from 5:30 - 7:30 pm in the Family Life Center. The roast and presentation will be at approximately 6:30 pm. On Sunday there will also be a reception after the 11 am worship service. See details below.
Just a reminder...if you had a photo taken for the pictorial directory, but did not buy additional photos, your free 8x10 may be picked up in the Sanctuary Foyer on Sundays or the church office on weekdays.
Enjoy this First Church news.
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Credo...Keeping your faith in unbelievable times.
Ours is a time when people are struggling for faith. People are struggling with what they believe in and how to keep believing. We hear it in our young adults. They want to believe in a God who makes a difference. They know the God that they don't believe in-a God of easy answers, a God tied to a particular political point of view. But they struggle with what kind of God they do believe in.
Sermon Title:
"The Gospel According to You - The Most Persuasive Witness"
In a sermon tag team, all three pastors will be preaching in all services this Sunday.
The Source
, our weekly devotional guide, is available on the
church website
.
We will be recognizing and celebrating Rev. Katie Meek on her final Sunday at First Church before she leaves to assume her post as a United Methodist missionary in Sierra Leone. Don't forget to wear your
Mission Accepted t-shirts.
Please join us in worship this Sunday at 8:30 am (Sanctuary), 9:40 am (FLC), or 11 am (Sanctuary).
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Celebrating Rev. Katie Meek!
Join us tonight and Sunday as we send Katie off to Sierra Leone with our best wishes. Katie will be traveling to Sierra Leone in November as a missionary of the United Methodist Church.
We are planning two celebration events to say thanks and farewell to Katie.
We hope you can join us for one or both of these events:
- Friday, October 20, Come and Go Reception & Roast, 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the Family Life Center. There will be a special presentation at 6:30 pm.
- Sunday, October 22, Cookies and Punch Reception, 12 noon in the Family Life Center.
We are collecting funds for a gift from the congregation.
The funds will be allocated as follows:
- Retire Katie's student loan debt.
- Provide supplemental income for Katie during November as she transitions to Sierra Leone.
- Provide missionary support going forward.
There are collections boxes in the foyers of the Sanctuary and Family Life Center if you would like to make a contribution. You may also give online at
myFirstChurch, (
select the Katie Meek Fund), send a check to the church office or put a check in the offering with Katie Meek fund in the memo line.
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Thank you, Katie!
For the past five years and four months, we have been thoroughly blessed by the ministry of Katie Meek. We celebrated in a staff luncheon on Tuesday and remembered first impressions: how young she looked, how energetic and what a "can do" attitude she brought to everyone and everything. As we looked at our website, we found her name as a contact person for nearly every aspect of ministry. When we looked at our brochures we saw the same thing. Her sermons have been challenging and Christ-centered, with lots of humor and personal connection. Her greatest legacy may well be her development of our outreach ministries, culminating in our "Villages" (Greater Round Rock, You - the Body and International). Her
God-planted passion for missions has captured our hearts, and now has captured hers in a whole new way.
Personally, working with Katie was one of the things I looked forward to in coming to First Church. She is respected throughout the Conference and I knew I would not only enjoy serving with her, but also grow from that service with her. The partnership between Katie, Beverly and myself is something I will always treasure.
As Katie sang last Sunday, we were all deeply moved, not only because we will miss her, but also because the words of surrender she sang were being lived as much as sung. We connected with her and her Savior, heart to heart, which is what we all have done since her first day here.
It will be our distinct honor to commission Katie for her work in Sierra Leone in each of our three worship services. All three preachers will share in a sermon entitled "The Gospel According to You." The music will be beautiful and the holy moments will be many. Make plans now to be present and bring someone you know or love with you.
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Dr. Will Cotton
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Sincerely in Christ,
Dr. Will Cotton
P.S. We still are collecting funds for Katie's going away collection of gifts Any leftover monies will go toward a down payment for a vehicle, as she just discovered she will need one (after already selling her car!). See you Friday at the Reception and Roast from 5:30-7:30 pm and the Reception following the 11 am worship service on Sunday.
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The blessing of the quilts is this Sunday
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Since 1999, our Heart to Heart Quilt Ministry has given more than 2200 quilts to children age 17 and younger in our central Texas community. The quilts have been given to First Church Children's Ministry, Hospice Austin/Williamson, Dell Children's Hospital, the Rainbow Room, CASA in Williamson County, St. David's NICU unit, and the Ronald McDonald House.
The purpose of the quilts is to bring comfort to children who are ill or in crisis and need a gentle touch of loving kindness to brighten their day...a warm hug. Today we are pleased to celebrate the Blessing of the Quilts by the pastors and church members. We are proud of the work of the Heart to Heart Quilters as they put their hands and hearts to work to fulfill their mission of comfort and healing.
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It's almost time for our sixth annual Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat! It will be on Sunday, October 29, from 4-6 pm. This is an afternoon for children and families of our congregation and community. Come and bring your whole family. Children can trick or treat at the decorated trunks and also participate in our Fall Festival activities. To make this event a success, we are going to need your help.
How can you help?
- Donate Candy: We rely on candy donations to pass out to children during the trunk or treat so we are asking for you to help donate candy. You can bring the candy to the one of the large tubs on the church campus.
- Volunteer to provide a Trunk: Trunk or Treat relies on people signing up to bring their trunk and help pass out candy to children as they come through. You will come with your car, decorate your trunk and then pass out candy, this is crucial to the success of the event. To sign up your trunk follow this link: Trunk or Treat Sign Up
- Volunteer for the Festival: There are also opportunities to sign up and volunteer for the festival portion of the event and this will be a huge need as well. If you have a high school student, they can earn service hours by volunteering. We will need volunteers to set up, work the booths and clean up! Click here to volunteer!
We look forward to this event every year and hope that you will help us in making it a success yet again.
Thank you for your help!
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3rd - 5th graders: J-Team is this Sunday
Bricks 4 Kidz
is bringing Lego fun to our church campus this Sunday, October 22. You won't want to miss this one.
Please bring a friend and join us upstairs in Bldg. 5-232 from 2:00-4:00 pm.
J-Team is a drop off event, but we need a 2017-18 registration form for every child. Parents please walk inside to check your child in and out with Tammy Parks. A snack is included.
Cost: $5.00. Please RSVP to Tammy@fumc-rr.org. Click for details...
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FUSION: Camp Eagle this Sunday!
All 6th-12th grade students are invited to join us at Fusion on Sunday nights! This week is
Camp Eagle Sunday! Joining us will be Zakk (Camp Eagle Speaker), Dave (Camp Director) & Amanda (Assistant Director). We will meet in the Family Life Center at 6 pm for a $3 dinner of pizza and a soda or water along with games and fellowship! Fusion is a great opportunity for students to fellowship, worship and join in small group discussion.
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Other Student Ministry Info...
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Methodism 101 begins November 5
What makes United Methodists unique? How are we both like other Christians, yet see things differently?
You are invited to a three-week class to explore these questions: our history, our theology, our way of living, and our place in God's work and in our world today.
Led by Dr. John Clifford,
Methodism 101
begins on November 5 and will meet at 9:40 am on Sunday mornings for 3 weeks.
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UMM Project Workday is coming up!
The United Methodist Men have scheduled a workday on
Saturday, October 21, to continue work on the newly relocated barbecue pit. They will meet near the Family Life Center at
8 am.
The project for this workday is adding the metal roof to barbecue pit. All are welcome to join us! Please b
ring gloves, ladders and cordless drills.
If you would like more information, please contact
Denny Powers
512.293.1304.
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Other Adult Ministry Info...
- Tuesday Women's Bible Study: Meets Tuesdays at 9:30 am in Bldg. 5-122. New study, Finding I AM by Lysa TerKeurst, begins October 31.
- Sunday, October 29: UMM will be selling Smoked Brisket, $20 for approx. 2 lb. brisket.
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The United Methodist Men are here to help you with Sunday dinner on October 29
The UMM will be smoking briskets for sale between worship services on Sunday, October 29. The briskets are approximately 2 pounds and sell for $20. All proceeds from the sales will be used for UMM Mission projects.
If you would like to learn more about United Methodist Men, you are invited to join them to come to the FLC Kitchen at 8 am on Sunday, October 29, to help
prep and package brisket.
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Sharing our blessings at Thanksgiving
Every year our church feeds nearly 300 families Thanksgiving in the greater Round Rock area through our Thanksgiving Bag Ministry. Join us this year as we feed 200+ families in eight partnering schools, 100 families in the Houston area, and families in our local National Guard. If you would like to help, just pick up a bag in the sanctuary, Family Life Center, or Building 5, fill the bags with items on list and return to the church by
November 12
! Contact Jodi Marfell,
jodi@fumc-rr.org,
for more information.
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Other Mission & Outreach Info...
- First Church Crafters Holiday Extravaganza: Sunday, November 12, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
- Disaster Relief: Donations are still being accepted for hurricane relief.
- The Villages: read more about our strategic vision for church-wide Outreach and Mission-local, regional, and global.
- First Church Backpack Project: Donate or volunteer!
- Round Rock Helpers: Provides basic maintenance and repairs for senior citizens so that they can continue to live in their homes.
- Student Ministry is staffing the Twin Oaks Cafe in October.
- Plastic Bag Recycling: Donate your plastic bags for use at the Round Rock Area Serving Center. Leave them in the white barrel in Payne Cottage. They are picked up weekly.
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Drive-A-Senior Needs More Drivers: Visit
their website,
or call 512-310-1060 to learn more about this community service to our elderly neighbors.
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Round Rock Area Serving Center:
Volunteers are needed for a variety of jobs! New volunteer orientation is on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 4 pm at 1099 E. Main St., 2nd floor conference room. Call 512-244-2431.
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First Scrub-a-dub Day is tomorrow, October 21
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Save these dates for upcoming holiday events!
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Halloween, Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas...just around the corner
In order to help you plan your calendar, we want to share some church-wide and community events:
- October 29: Fall Festival/Trunk or Treat, 4 - 6 pm
- November 12: Christmas Angel Tree in Sanctuary foyer
- November 12: First Church Crafters Holiday Extravaganza, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm, Gazebo
- November 14: Thanksgiving Basket delivery, 6 - 8 pm
- December 2: Ring Noel, Sanctuary
- December 4: Children and Youth Bells Advent Recital, 6 pm, Sanctuary
- December 10: Christmas Cantata, 8:30 and 11 am worship services
- December 10: CrossRoads Christmas, 9:40 am, Family Life Center
- December 15: Round Rock Community Choir Holiday Concert, 7 pm, Sanctuary
- December 17: Senior Access Christmas Choral Concert, 6:30 pm, Sanctuary
We will add additional events and dates as information becomes available.
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This week at First Church
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Saturday, October 21
- 9 am - Scrub-a-dub Day, church campus
- 9 am - UMM Workday, west parking lot
Sunday, October 22
Monday, October 23
- 4:00 pm - Kids of the Kingdom Bells, Bldg. 3/FLC, East Cry Room
- 7:00 pm - Adult Christian Education, Bldg. 5-122
- 7:00 pm - Boy Scout Troop #157, Bldg.3/FLC
- 8:30 am - UMM Tuesday Breakfast group, Juárez Restaurant on South Mays
- 8:45 am - Ring of Joy rehearsal, North Suite
- 9:30 am - First Church Crafters, 115 Winsted
- 9:30 am - Tuesday Women's Bible Study, Bldg. 5-122
- 12:30 pm - Brown Bag Theologians, Bldg. 5-122
- 7:00 pm - Community Bible Study, Bldg. 5-223/224, 220 & 225
- 7:00 pm - Church Council, Bldg, 5-127
- 6:15 am - UMM Breakfast, fellowship, devotional - FLC/Bldg. 3
- 9:30 am - Wednesday Women's Bible Study, Bldg. 5-232/234
- 5:00 pm - Revelation Ringers Tins rehearsal, East Cry Room/FLC
- 5:00 pm - Revelation Ringers Bronze rehearsal, North Suite
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6:00 pm - Heartsong rehearsal, South Suite
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6:30 pm - Wednesday Women's Bible Study, Bdlg 5-232/234
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6:30 pm - Financial Peace University, Bldg. 5-127
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7:00 pm - Jubilation bell rehearsal, North Suite
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7:15 pm - Chancel Choir rehearsal, South Suite
Thursday, October 26
- 9:30 am - Heart to Heart Quilters, 115 Winsted
- 12 noon - Mom Life, Bldg. 5-122
- 7:00 pm - Council Oak Bells rehearsal, North Suite
- 7:00 pm - Orchestra rehearsal, South Suite
Friday, October 27
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8:00 am - Round Rock Helpers, Bldg 4/Payne Cottage
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9:30 am - MOM weekly gathering, Bldg. 5-232/234
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8:00 pm - Narcotics Anonymous-Right Stuff, Bldg. 4
Saturday, October 28
- 9 am - Scrub-a-dub Day, church campus
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Blessings,
Betty Robertson
Communications
First United Methodist Church Round Rock
First Church exists to share the love
of God in Jesus Christ.
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First United Methodist Church | Round Rock
512.255.3336 |
newsletter@fumc-rr.org | http://
fumc-rr.org
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