This Sunday,
March 3, 2019
|
|
|
|
Rev. Bud Reeves
Offertory
“Children of the World”
Caroline Beneux, Soloist
Nancy W. Vernon, Organist
|
|
|
|
Rev. Bud Reeves
Offertory
“Jesus on the Mountain Peak”
Communion Anthem
“Come Unto Me”
Chancel Choir
Gaye Mings, Chancel Choir Director
Nancy W. Vernon, Organist
|
|
|
|
Rev. Dane Womack
“Mighty to Save”
“King of My Heart”
“Awake My Soul”
“To God Be The Glory”
“Fall Afresh”
|
|
PREPARE FOR A HOLY SEASON!
|
|
As I write, United Methodist delegates from all over the world are gathering for a special called session of our General Conference in St. Louis, MO. By the time your read this column, the Conference will be over, and we will be trying to sort out what happened. The purpose of the called General Conference is to formulate a plan for dealing with the various expressions of human sexuality in a way that promotes the unity of the church. It will be interesting to see what happens and to what extent we are able to accomplish that goal. There are a few things I can say for sure: God is with us. The delegates, though divided in their opinions and approaches, are committed disciples of Christ and people of good will. And whatever happens, First United Methodist Church will continue in the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ, transforming lives, our community, and our world with the love of God.
It has been easy in the last few months to get so caught up in this controversial conference that everything else fades into the background. It seems like the denomination is holding its breath until we see what happens. But frankly, this conference is not the most important thing going on. In fact, many of our church people are only vaguely aware of it, if at all. Every week we have been worshipping God together, teaching the children, encouraging the youth, visiting the sick, comforting the bereaved, reaching out into our community to help needy people, and being the church God calls us to be. We have been trying very hard to keep the main thing the main thing.
On March 6, we begin the season of Lent again. For me, it is the holiest time of year, as we prepare for the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord in our hearts and our church again. It is not an easy season, as it involves prayer, sacrifice, and repentance. But it is the deepest time of year as we focus on the awesome act of God that changed history, defeated evil, and made eternal life available for you and me. It is probably good that we have Lent right after General Conference. On the one hand, we will need to repent. We have been way more divided than is appropriate for a church that loves God and neighbor. And I’m guessing that whatever the outcome of the Conference, it will be less than the Kingdom of God on earth, and we will still need to repent of our shortcomings.
But in a positive way, following General Conference with Lent will remind us of our core identity. God’s plan of salvation does not depend on getting our church organization right, even if the issues are very important, as they are. We are all people Jesus died for on the cross. We are blood-related through Jesus. We are all hopeful in the resurrection. We are one family. And our mission includes everyone, both in the doing and in the receiving.
When the dust clears and we have a chance to analyze what happened at General Conference, we will communicate with the church in some way. We want folks to be informed. But our main mission will remain the same: to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; to love our neighbor as ourselves; to grow disciples in the Christian faith; to help people who are hurting spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially.
I am so grateful to be involved in such a high calling and such a meaningful ministry with each of you. We are about to enter a holy season. Thanks be to God!
|
|
|
|
Senior Pastor
breeves@fsfumc.org
|
|
|
|
I write this month’s newsletter immediately upon returning from our Guatemala Medical & Dental Mission trip. I was able to attend the trip five years ago and again this month. What a powerful and exciting experience for which I am very thankful. There will be a special opportunity to hear from our team including pictures and stories on
Sunday, March 31 during the Sunday School hour (10-10:30am) in the Family Life Center
.
I will have more to share later, but I offer here one of my favorite images from the past week. Each morning before arriving at the clinic site, patients were already lined up at the door waiting to be seen. We quickly settled in and unboxed necessary supplies. But before seeing anyone, we joined in prayer outside the building and alongside our local neighbors and friends. In fact, we were once led in prayer by a local woman speaking in a Quiche’ dialect and on another day a local man speaking Spanish. What an incredible testament to the diversity of the gifts of God across our world, nations, and languages. It was a Pentecost-like moment as multiple voices and spirits shared in earnest prayer for the sake of effective ministry and medical/dental treatment. We were reminded of and celebrated the power of God’s Spirit to speak across our own barriers and expectations.
As our Guatemala team returned to the US, the worldwide United Methodist Church was beginning its time in St. Louis, MO for a special called General Conference. The news of this gathering brings mixed emotions for many people as we yet again debate how to understand a multiplicity of understandings of human sexuality across our global denomination. Frankly, it is hard, if not impossible, to imagine an entirely unified spirit across so many different voices and perspectives. I have no particular sense of how things will play out in St. Louis. We are all watching and waiting. But I am praying we experience something along the lines of Pentecost. I am hoping we are reminded, if not surprised, at the good that comes from being together, though we do not all think or sound alike.
|
|
|
|
Executive Associate Pastor
dwomack@fsfumc.org
|
|
|
|
In the Hospital:
Jerry O’Neal
(Mercy)
|
|
Sunday, March 3
8:30 am Roebuck Chapel Worship
8:45 am Holy Grounds, Narthex
9:30 am Prayer Ministry, Prayer Room
9:45 am Sunday School
11:00 am Sanctuary Worship
11:00 am Connexion Worship, Great Hall
12:30 pm Created By God, Children’s area
4:00 pm Confirmation Class, M301
5:00 pm First Youth, Loft
5:00 pm Executive Team Meeting, Friends Class
6:00 pm Trustees Meeting, Conference Room
Monday, March 4
2:00 pm Staff Meeting, Conference Room
6:00 pm Women’s Bible Study, Fireside Room
6:30 pm Scouts, Room 300
Tuesday, March 5
10:00 am Network of Executive Women Luncheon, FLC
Wednesday, March 6//ASH WEDNESDAY
9:15 am Women’s Bible Study
10:00 am Prayer Group, Prayer Room, 2nd Floor
10:00 am Ladybells Practice
3:30 pm Children’s Choir
4:30 pm Early WNL Group, Conference Room
5:30 pm Ash Wednesday Service, Sanctuary
5:45 pm Shared Dinner, Family Life Center
6:30 pm Wednesday Night Life Groups, Various Rooms
7:00 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, March 7
7:00 am Youth Breakfast Club, Chick Fil-A
10:00 am Knitters & Knotters, Fireside Room
|
|
|
|
Prayer Books $10
Available in the Narthex
|
|
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION NAMED
|
|
The board of Directors of the First United Methodist Church Foundation, with the approval of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, is pleased to announce that
Mrs. Patti Cox
will assume the duties of Executive Director of the Foundation beginning March 1. Patti and her husband Jamie, who is a circuit judge, have been members of FUMC for about two years. They have two grown children. Patti has recently retired as the director of development for the School of Law at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, so she brings vast experience and expertise to this new position.
As Executive Director of the Foundation, she will help keep the work of the Foundation in front of the congregation through publicity and seminars. She will be available for consultation with anyone who is considering a planned gift to the Foundation. And she will help develop and manage a new grant process to use the funds of the Foundation for ministries that impact the church and community.
Let’s welcome Patti on board our staff team!
|
|
FIRST KIDS HAPPENINGS
10 Benefits of Reading Bible Stories Aloud to Your Children
|
|
Building on our children’s future…put down the smartphones and the tablets and open the Good Book!
-Builds
language skills and
Biblical vocabulary
-Improves reading comprehension
-Promotes empathy through the Parables
-Reduces stress by learning of God’s Love
-Exposes children to experiences in Jesus’ time
-Helps build self-esteem by teaching we are all important in God’s eyes
-Deepens family connections
-
Creates a positive association of the Book
-Builds motivation, curiosity and memory
-Reading is fun and family time is too
If you need a child friendly Bible, I have several suggestions!
|
|
For my first six months in my position here as Minister of Adult Discipleship, I have been doing much visiting. I have been visiting our adult Sunday School Classes. We currently have 16 classes. So far, I have visited 11 of them. It has been great to see the classes, know where the classes are located, know what type of curriculum they use, and to get to the people of each class. I hope to finish my class visitation in mid April. I will be soon distributing to the classes dates that I will be available to teach.
I have been also visiting our Community Mission ministries. It has been a joy to see our church in action throughout the Fort Smith area. We have around 21 opportunities for mission in our area.
Church Missions that I have visited and/or helped out with so far are - Tilles Elementary and Darby Junior High Schools, the Red Shield Diner, Food at First, our Annual Church Thanksgiving Dinner to the Community, our Last Sunday Breakfast and Mini Medical Clinic, Knitters and Knotters (and delivering Prayer Shawls to our folks in the hospital) and attending some of the team meetings of our Guatemala Mission Team.
Our Church Partnerships that I have visited or talked with are the Community Rescue Mission, Hope Campus, St Anne’s Society, Neighbors on the Block (attend monthly meeting), Methodist Village (Retirement Home), Interfaith Preschool, Community Services Clearing House, Northside High School, Sack Lunch Program, Antioch Pantry and Garden, River Valley Food Bank, and the Next Step Day Room and Homeless Services. I am hoping to soon visit Golden Rule Clothing Closet (Closed but planning to reopen) and The Call which is a ministry that helps foster parents.
We have some wonderful adult Sunday School classes at our church. If you do not have a class and would like to visit one, please contact me and I will be happy to find the class that you would like to be a part of. We also have a wide range of community missions as well. If you are interested in serving in one or more of these great ministries, please feel free to contact me.
|
|
|
|
Christen Pryor joined Feb. 6 by transfer from another UMC. She works at Carrot Dirt Organics. Her husband Benji is already a member, and he works for Atchley Air Conditioning & Heating. Children are Livia and Robert.
|
|
|
|
David Moore joined by transfer from another UMC Feb. 24. He is an account manager for Habasit, which supports the poultry industry. David is married to Carrie, and they have two grown sons.
|
|
|
|
Scott and Courtney Fretheim joined in the Connexion, Sunday, Feb. 24 by transfer. Scott is a real estate developer, and Courtney works for Arcbest. Their children are sons Caleb and Calvin, daughter Natalie.
|
|
Last month a group of 17 students and volunteers went to Rogers, AR for Veritas. Veritas is the biggest event that the Arkansas Conference holds for youth groups. Together with 1,300 others, we experienced a great weekend of spiritual renewal.
The Veritas Task Force, a group of students and youth leaders, did a great job coordinating the event for this year. Guest speaker Tim Palmer brought the Word, and the up and coming band For All Seasons brought the worship. Everything came together beautifully, and each of our students left having experienced God.
It is an honor to be a part of a conference that cares so deeply for the youth. I have every confidence that these events shape the faith of our young members, and that they are being equipped to bring the gospel into their schools, their homes, and beyond. Glory to God!
|
|
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
200 N. 15TH ST. FORT SMITH, AR 72901
(479)782-5068 | FSFUMC.ORG
Pastor on Call (479)459-5060
Email: fsfumc@fsfumc.org
Office Hours: Monday-Friday
8:30AM-12:30PM & 1:30PM-4:30PM
SUNDAY SERVICES
- 8:30 AM Roebuck Chapel
- 9:45 AM Sunday School for all ages
- 11:00 AM Sanctuary (Radio broadcast on 96.7 FM)
- 11:00 AM Connexion, Family Life Center-Great Hall
WEDNESDAY SERVICE
- 5:30 PM Holy Communion, Roebuck Chapel
Nursery is provided during worship services for birth thru Kindergarten age.
|
|
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.
Contact Diane Wing about newsletter information and submissions:
dwing@fsfumc.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
