This Sunday September 30, 2018

Rev. Bud Reeves Offertory “Come, Ye Blessed” Keely Sattazahn, Soloist Nancy W. Vernon, Organist

Rev. Bud Reeves Offertory Anthem “Jesus Calls Us” Solo “Come, Ye Blessed” Keely Sattazahn, Soloist Chancel Choir Gaye McClure, Chancel Choir Director Nancy W. Vernon, Organist

Rev. Dane Womack- 3rd Floor Loft “King of My Heart”  “Gracefully Broken” “More Like Jesus” “Your Love Never Fails”  “All I Need is You”

OCTOBER IS GENEROSITY MONTH

I am so thrilled to be a part of First United Methodist Church!  It just seems that this entire year, the sense of joy and excitement has been building throughout our church life--worship services, children and youth ministries, fellowship, learning opportunities, and community outreach. Read about some of them in this newsletter. It’s a great season at the church! October is going to be Generosity Month at First United Methodist Church. We will be doing a campaign called Taking the Next Step . It is focused on the spiritual concept of generosity. You might wonder why we are doing another campaign about giving after we just completed the highly successful Faith Forward campaign last spring. While both campaigns are focused more on spiritual growth and discipleship than fund-raising, the Faith Forward campaign raised money for a capital project--the update of the Family Life Center--and for endowment funds to go into our Foundation. In addition to capital and endowment giving, the other important piece of well-rounded Christian stewardship is our annual giving, the regular contributions that allow us to fund the ministries that God is calling us to do and that make our church a vital and exciting place to be. Just like Faith Forward , I anticipate that Taking the Next Step will be equally positive, uplifting, and successful. Taking the Next Step is not about raising money to pay the bills or fund a budget. It is about asking individual families to pray, talk to one another, and decide how their faith is leading them to respond to God. True Christian stewardship is not about what the church needs to receive; it is about the need of the faithful person to give as a response to what God has already given to us. A key piece of the Taking the Next Step campaign is a devotional booklet called Practicing Extravagant Generosity: Daily Readings on the Grace of Giving . It’s by Bishop Robert Schnase, whose book Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations has been the basis of our September sermons. We will read the devotional booklet together during the month of October, and it will focus our thoughts and give us some common understandings of the meaning of spiritual generosity. Be sure and pick one up in church if you haven’t already! Last fall the leaders of our church (Finance Committee and Administrative Board) envisioned and adopted a plan to make a comprehensive effort in 2018 to put our church on a solid financial footing. The only way that can happen long-term is if we understand the spiritual nature of giving. We don’t do fund-raising; we do faith-raising! I am excited to share this coming month with you and to see what God does with us when we ask, “Lord, where do You want me to be in my giving?”

Rev. Bud Reeves Senior Pastor breeves@fsfumc.org

If you have not already received your devotional booklet Practicing Extravagant Generosity:Daily Readings on the Grace of Giving, please pick one up either before or after worship. We have made available enough books for each household in the church to have one. A donation of $5 is suggested but not required. We will be reading these devotions together beginning October 1 as part of our Taking the Next Step  campaign.

LORD OF THE ORDINARY

This past week my Wednesday Night LIFE Group gathered to discuss the first couple of chapters of our book, Liturgy of the Ordinary by Rev. Tish Warren. It’s a great book and I am really enjoying my group! I know our other LIFE groups are also going well. What a fantastic time in the life of our church with a great crowd. In my group we spent some time grappling with this quote by the author, “We tend to want a Christian life with the dull bits cut out. Yet God made us to spend our days in rest, work, play, taking care of our bodies, our families, our neighborhoods, our homes. What if all these boring parts matter to God? … Christ’s ordinary years are part of our redemption story. Because of the incarnation and those long, unrecorded years of Jesus’ life, our small, normal lives matter.” In reading those sentences my mind went immediately to John Prine’s folk song, “Jesus, the Missing Years”. I was disappointed to hear that more of my group was not familiar with this tune! Prine takes some admittedly artistic (and not necessarily theologically sound!) privileges in imagining what Jesus’ life might have been like between ages 12 and 30. It’s meant to be a funny song and is certainly a creative way to interpret Jesus’ missing years. What *was* Jesus doing all that time? Our lives certainly include many high moments of celebration - the sorts of dates and events you might share online or highlight in a scrapbook or even lift up in an obituary. Our personal resume, if you will. What did we accomplish and when did it happen and who all knows about it? And yet, the majority of our life will be far less interesting and in fact, not even memorable. Thousands of days we do the simple work of building a life: caring for home and family; shaping and changing careers; supporting and partnering with our community. We need to cultivate and celebrate a Christian spirituality that take seriously the possibility and joy of an everyday faith. We are wrapping up the work of renovating the Family Life Center. I’m not quite ready to name a date we’ll move in, but within a couple of weeks. The finished product is going to be beautiful and a very hospitable space. During the renovation I have made nearly daily walks through the FLC - usually multiple times per day. It has been a great joy to watch the men and women do their work. In fact there are many days I’d love to be working alongside them! Most of those long days - the demolition, the wiring and plumbing hidden behind walls and ceiling, the building of the stage and its components - will not be remembered or celebrated. But obviously, it is the tireless work of sorting hundreds of feet of wiring and perfecting the corners of drywall that help create a space prepared for life-changing worship, fellowship, and missions.  The smallest of moments, the least interesting of days can be made holy if we might have eyes to see.    Holy God, give us a spirit of anticipation and awareness, that we might see your beauty, grace, and peace permeating our every moment. Amen.

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

We need your help! The Connexion is adding a few new media positions and need some volunteers. Some of the new positions would be running cameras for live stream, lighting operator, and live streaming switcher. All positions will come with training and easy to learn. We also have need for sound techs in the sanctuary. Training included. If interested contact Trevor Hardcastle at thardcastle@fsfumc.org.

FIRST KIDS

Club 56 continues on their mission of filling the Little Red Pantry boxes throughout Fort Smith. You can help by bringing canned goods and other items to the Shopping Cart on the second floor outside Sally's office. The children will sort, label and deliver bags of food for the needy in our area.   Bible Presentation & Bible Explorers Class October 7th & 14th We will be presenting Bibles to students in the 11:00 AM Connexion Worship Service on October 7th. Following the worship services on October 7th and then again on October 14th there will be special classes called Bible Explorers, where the children can learn to use their new Bibles. Please ask Sally for a registration form if you have a 3rd or 4th grade student who would like to receive a Bible and attend these classes.

THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone for your warm welcome to me as I joined the staff as the new Minister of Adult Discipleship here at Fort Smith First United Methodist Church. I am settling in fine and l already feel at home in this church and the community. In the coming month, I will continue to make brief visits to all of the adult Sunday School classes. In November, I will begin a schedule of coming back and spending most of the hour with one Sunday School class per week. I will send out my schedule in mid-October. This will give me a chance to get to know each class and you all to get to know me. I have already begun visiting our different local mission sites and programs. I am so impressed with all of the missions that our church does especially in the local community. If you are on Facebook, please add me. I have a devotional/ministry page on it to give each person a spiritual lift every day. I am honored and humbled to serve on staff here. I am looking forward to getting to know the good folks here. God’s Blessings, Don Thrasher

The following members were submitted for removal from the membership of First United Methodist Church, Fort Smith, AR. Please call Gail (479-782-5068) with an address or email address on any members that you know. Rena Alber, Phillip Bagby, Chad Nelson Brixey, Kathryn Buchanan, Robert Harold Burnham, Judy Cartmill, Col. John Lawson Cloninger, Jr., Teryl Curry, Terry Dean, Jimmy D. Fant, II, Cody Derek Graham, Dan R Graham, Sarah Christine Graham, Sherry Lynn Graham, Gregory Allen Griffin, Darrin Bruce Hutheson, Michelle Lynn Mitchell-Burnham, Debbie North, Laura (McKinney) Pearson, Connie Jo Lindsey Riddle, Mark Sparkman, Gabriel Steffy, Joann Weiss Steffy, Karen Elizabeth Hardin Sweatt, Maria Vielma, Daniel Waldrop, John Wegenhoft, and Melissa Wegenhoft

NEW MEMBERS

On August 5, Harry & Suzie Tommey transferred from another UMC. Harry is retired teacher and principal. Suzie is a retired administrative assistant.

On August 5, Gary & Cindy Peevey joined in the Sanctuary and come by transfer from another UMC. Gary is retired from Cargill and a property manager. Cindy a retired RN.

On August 12, Ken & Susan Pate joined FSFUMC. Ken is a retired UM pastor from the Oklahoma Annual conference, and Susan is a retired English teacher.

On Sep 9, Mitchell & Jill Wells transferred from Charleston. They are the daughter & son-in-law of Joel & Sandy Parker . Mitchell works at ArcBest. Jill is a full-time mom and volunteer. They have 4 kids, whose membership will stay at Charleston until they get settled somewhere.

On Sep 9, Sally Matthews transferred from another UMC. Sally is a retired school teacher from OK and a widow.

On Sept. 9, Steve & BJ Cobb and children Emma & Matthew joined in Connexion. They come by transfer from another UMC.

Gail Oakes has been part of the office staff for 26 years. Before she began working full-time, she worked in the church nursery during worship, Parent’s Night Out, and Children’s Day Out. Gail also volunteered with the 2 year old Sunday school, children’s council, and youth group.  During her childhood at FUMC, Gail attended Sunday school, sang in the children’s choir and was confirmed in the Sanctuary. She will always remember sitting in the balcony on Sunday, and receiving a Bible (that she still has) that the church gave her on 9/26/60. Larry and Gail were married in the Roebuck Chapel on December 11, 1971. They have three daughters; Emily (Eddie Cole) Oakes, Erin (Jacob) Bouxsein and Erika (Tony) Ragar. Emily, Erin and Erika were baptized and confirmed at FUMC. Some of their favorite childhood memories have been in this church. They all played baseball, sang in the choir, played hand bells, were acolytes and attended Youth Group. Erin and Erika both were married in the sanctuary. Her three grandchildren were also baptized in the sanctuary. She is most proud of her family. Nothing makes her happier than spending time with her three grandchildren; Lily Ann, Cash and James. One of the greatest joys of Gail’s job is seeing a volunteer find the perfect placement for them to serve at our church. She also enjoys volunteering at the children’s check-in desk on Sunday morning and in the Connexion Service. She also loves to go through the membership books.  Gail believes that she is very blessed that her 95 year old mother, Myra Ward, is still living and that she gets to talk with her every day. Motto: Be careful what you say because, once you say it, you can never take it back.

In the hospital: ·  McKee Cox (Sparks)   We mourn with: ·  Janet (Marlin) Fretheim, Todd (Melissa) Fretheim, Scott (Courtney) Fretheim, Amy (Jerry) Reith, Taylor, Michael, and Connor Fretheim, Natalie, Caleb, and Calvin Fretheim, Anniston, Treyson, and Brecken Reith, Harmon Fretheim in the loss of their mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great great grandmother Natalie Taylor. ·  Nancy (Stan) Robbins, Josh & Molly Robbins in the loss of their mother and grandmother Eva Findlay. ·  Gladys Walz, Pat (Gary) Fine in the loss of their sister and aunt Ruth Phillips. ·  Jim (Vickie) Cullen, Chris, Charlie, & Julia Cullen in the loss of their mother and grandmother Irene Cullen. ·  Janie (Michael) Weber, Kate Weber, Peter Weber, Casey (Donna) Vickery, Lindsay, Kelsey, and Gavin Vickery in the loss of their mother, grandmother, and great grandmother Wanda McKinley Shepherd. ·  George (Mona) Warmack, Lee, Ashley and Hayley Warmack in the loss of their mother and grandmother Jane Warmack.

FIRST YOUTH IN OCTOBER

October is an action packed month for FIRST YOUTH! We’re going full speed on Sunday nights and at Wednesday Night Life. We’ve also got one of our favorite events happening, the FIRST YOUTH Hayride! Over the years, our Hayride has evolved to become a really great gathering and a high point in our year. New faces and familiar faces alike come and celebrate the fall season with us at Fred & Shirley Williams’ Ranch. The night is filled with good-hearted fun, roasting hot dogs and s’mores, worshipping around a bonfire, and catching a scare during the haunted hayride. You can’t help but to have your spirit warmed while being out in nature, listening to the laughter of youth friends. It truly is a wonderful time! I’d like to invite all of our youth and youth parents to this event on October 28. Bring a chair and a stick/ hanger for hot dog roasting. We will meet behind the Sanctuary at 5PM to head to the Williams’ Ranch, and get back to the church between 8:30PM and 9PM. Students are HIGHLY encouraged to invite friends, as this is a great event to show the youth of our city what we’re about.

RECENT MEMORIALS

·  Harry Shipley by James & Barbara Saviers, Joel & Sandy Parker, Robert & Nadine Miller, Byron & Linda Ware, E. Gilbert Rapley, David & Judy Staggs ·  Boyd Saviers by Marvin & Linda Mumme, Kyle & Renee Parker, Sue Plattner-Smith & Family, Alana, Jan, LouAnne & Gail Gattis, Lori Hardin & Michael Willis, Jack & Janie Freeze, Mary Ellen Fraser ·  Joanne Jones by Betty Stanfield, John Beasley, David & Leanne McClanahan, Byron & Linda Ware, Center for Hearing, Virginia Jones Calhoun ·  Elizabeth Stanton by Harriet S. McKay ·  Doug Parker by James & Barbara Saviers, Bob & Nadine Miller, Larry & Janet Nelson ·  Jennifer Jesson Karber by Robert & Nadine Miller ·  Tara Hardin Black by Lori Hardin & Michael Willis ·  Doyle Hopkins by Richard & Ann Appleton ·  Hugh Hardin by Lori Hardin & Michael Willis ·  David Hardin by Lori Hardin & Michael Willis ·  Anita Mooney Rahaim by Shirley Cothren ·  Dr. Eldon Pence by Susanna Sullivan, Charles & Karen Still, Jane C. Williams, Richard & Mary Kay Aclin, Taylor & Mary Prewitt, Randal & Janie Goins, Kyle & Renee Parker, Jack & Louanna Green, Harry & Nancy Robinson, Robert & Judy Dawson, Bob & Nadine Miller, Richard & Jan Beauchamp, Nancy Wenderoth, The Floyd Sagely Family, Robert A. & Mary Young, III, Sue Cooley ·  Bill Cheyne by Richard & Jan Beauchamp, Sue Plattner-Smith & Family, Bob & Nadine Miller, Glenda Brown, Ted & Virginia Taylor, Iris Hightower, Mary Lee Kulin, Jack & Louanna Green, Patricia Payne, Taylor & Mary Prewitt, Darryl & Linda Bunting, Don & Kelly DeSoto   In Honor of: ·  Bob & Janice Powell’s 45th Anniversary by Clay & Lynn Gilliland & Family ·  Nadine Hardin-Miller by Lori Hardin & Michael Willis

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Sunday, September 30-Sack Lunch Program Sunday 8:30 am Roebuck Chapel Worship 8:45 am Holy Grounds, Narthex 9:45 am Sunday School 11:00 am Sanctuary Worship 11:00 am Connexion Worship, 3rd Floor Loft 4:00 pm Guatemala Missions Meeting, Friends Class 5:00 pm First Youth, Loft 5:00 pm Nominations, Conference Room   Monday, October 1 2:00 pm Staff Meeting, Conference Room 6:00 pm Women’s Bible Study, Friends Class 6:30 pm Scouts, Room 300   Tuesday, October 2 5:30 pm Young-ish Adults, Breezeway Patio, 400 block of Garrison Ave.   Wednesday, October 3 9:15 am Women’s Bible Study, Aldersgate Room 10:00 am Prayer Group, Prayer Room, 2nd Floor 10:00 am Ladybells Practice 3:30 pm Youth Open Loft 3:30 pm Children’s Choir 4:30 pm Early WNL Group, Conference Room 5:30 pm Holy Communion, Roebuck Chapel 5:45 pm Shared Dinner, Narthex 6:30 pm Wednesday Night Life Groups, Various Rooms 7:00 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal   Thursday, October 4 7:00 am Youth Breakfast Club, Chick Fil-A 10:00 am Knitters & Knotters, Narthex 12:00 pm UMM Bible Study/Lunch, Friends Classroom   Friday, October 5 11:00 am Pacesetters, Western Sizzlin—Rogers Ave.

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, 3rd Floor Loft   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.

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