THIS SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 3, 2019
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“Grounded in Gratitude”
All Saints’ Sunday
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Rev. Bud Reeves
Offertory
“And I Saw a New Heaven”
Quartet: Keely Sattazahn, Gaye Mings, Breck Cogswell, Eric Krigbaum
Nancy W. Vernon, Organist
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Rev. Bud Reeves
Anthem
“And I Saw a New Heeaven”
Quartet: Keely Sattazahn, Gaye Mings, Breck Cogswell, Eric Krigbaum
Offertory
“All Things New”
Chancel Choir
Gaye Mings, Chancel Choir Director
Nancy W. Vernon, Organist
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Rev. Roy Beth Kelley
“Build My Life”
“I Will Rise”
“Praise the Father, Praise the Son”
“The Wonderful Cross”
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November is one of my favorite months of the year. It is my birth month, and I am grateful every day to be alive! But I also love the changing time of year. The summer heat finally broke; the leaves are changing; I can wear my sweater vests again. And of course, I look forward to a good time at the end of the month with family and feasting.
If you dwell on it, there are always reasons to be cynical, bitter, and grumpy as we go through life. There are divisions and conflicts on every level of life, from the personal to the international. There are disasters in the news every day that afflict human life and health. We have to contend with disease and death on a constant basis, either our own or someone we love. It gets hard!
But it doesn’t take long to count up the abundance of our blessings, either. We are (most of us) blessed with food, shelter, meaningful employment, a great country, community, and church, and friends and family with whom we can share life and love. God has been so good to us! Even if we are suffering, we are surrounded by the supportive community of the church.
As we focus on generosity in our services this month, it is clear that generosity is based on thanksgiving. Giving our gifts to God and serving God’s Kingdom come happily from a grateful heart. Our older generations have seemingly understood this for years; we have always depended on their loyal support. But our younger folks, too, are realizing the spiritual benefit of giving and serving. I keep hearing phrases like “paying it forward” and “giving back” coming from younger people. I was visiting with a young couple that recently began attending FUMC, and they said, “We have been so blessed. We want to find some way to give back, and it looks like your church does lots of things for the community.” That’s the spirit of thanksgiving!
I am praying every day for our generosity campaign, “Taking the Next Step.” Not for the money, but for the spiritual growth of our church family. If we all pray and seek God’s will, then respond in faith, we won’t have to worry about having enough resources of money and people to do what God is calling us to do.
I am glad that this year, we are jointly talking about financial support and volunteer service. The two go hand in hand as we respond to God and support the church. (Roy Beth will say more about the service aspect in her column.)
I am looking forward to November 17, our commitment Sunday for “Taking The Next Step.” I believe we will see an outpouring of generosity that can only come from God’s Spirit working in the church. Between now and then, please do three things:
1.
Read the daily devotions in the book,
A Generous Life.
2.
Read through the booklet on volunteer opportunities called
Be The Church.
3.
Pray daily in your quiet time, “
Lord, where do you want me to be in my giving and serving?
”
God is at work at FUMC. If you will do these three things, you can be a part of what God is doing here. You will be thankful you are!
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Senior Pastor
breeves@fsfumc.org
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FSFUMC Weekday School Playground
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Imagination Library Program
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UAMS West Central Center on Aging
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Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund
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Next Step Homeless Services
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Community Services Clearinghouse Backpack Program
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Antioch for Youth & Family
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In Mercy Hospital:
Loss of loved ones and friends:
- Sarah, Alexander, Madelyn, and Anthony Jimenez, Tracy and Gary Keifer, Joy Keifer and family on the death of Sarah and Alexander’s daughter, Madelyn and Anthony’s sister, Tracy and Gary Keifer’s granddaughter and Joy Keifer’s great granddaughter, Elizabeth Mila Jimenez
- Family and friends of Annalee Felton
- Family and friends of Melba Coleman
- Susie McOlvin, Mike (Lori) McOlvin, Cindy (Kevin) Poynter, Becky (Greg) Gosnell, Natalie Poynter Abraham, Jacob Michael McOlvin, Adam Scott Poynter, Sara Nicole McOlvin, Thomas Gregory Gosnell and Kaitlyn Paige Gosnell, Jeanne (Charles) Ledbetter and family on the death of Susie’s husband, Mike, Cindy, and Becky’s father, Natalie, Jacob, Adam, Sara, Thomas and Kaitlyn’s grandfather and Jeanne Ledbetter’s brother-in-law, John McOlvin.
- Jack (JoAnn) Gedosh on the death of Jack’s sister Bettye Cupp
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Sunday, November 3
All Saints Sunday
Daylight Savings
8:30 am Roebuck Chapel Worship
8:45 am Holy Grounds, Narthex
9:30 am Prayer Ministry, Prayer Room
9:30 am The Basics Class, Conference Room
9:45 am Sunday School
11:00 am Sanctuary Worship
11:00 am Connexion Worship, Great Hall
4:00 pm Share Team Meeting, Aldersgate Room
5:00 pm First Youth, Loft
Monday, November 4
2:00 pm Staff Meeting, Conference Room
6:00 pm Women’s Bible Study, Friends Class
6:00 pm Cub Scouts, Room 309
6:30 pm Scouts, Room 300
Tuesday, November 5
8:30 am BSF Leaders Meeting, Room 312
5:30 pm CEC Staff Meeting, FLC 115
Wednesday, November 6
9:15 am Women’s Bible Study, Fireside
10:00 am Ladybell Practice
4:00 pm WNL Early Group, Conference Room
5:30 pm Holy Communion, Roebuck Chapel
5:45 pm WNL Shared Meal, Fireside
6:30 pm WNL Groups Meet, Various Locations
7:00 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal
7:30 pm Connexion Band Practice, Great Hall
Thursday, November 7
10:00 am Knitters and Knotters, Fireside Room
Saturday, November 9
9:00 am Serve Fest Team Decorating, Great Hall
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Are you tired of money stress? Then you’re ready to join more than five million people whose lives have been changed by
Financial Peace University
(FPU)! This nine-lesson course taught by Dave Ramsey, Chris Hogan and Rachel Cruze helps you work a plan to nail a budget, defeat debt, and free yourself from money worries! You’ll join a small group for discussions and lessons—all rooted in biblical wisdom and common sense. FPU includes your member workbook and a free year of Financial Peace Membership, with online tools created to support your journey. For more info, contact Carey Reeves at 479-387-8186.
Preview: January 19th from 3:00-5:00pm
Classes: January 22-March 18th from 6:30-7:30pm
(The membership is one per couple if married. All other memberships are one per individual)
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Hi, Church! Did you receive your “Be the Church” Book? This is a booklet that describes the many ways that we can serve others in the name of Christ. You will find a list of opportunities for service within the church and out in the community. Please send me an email if you didn’t receive your book, and we will get you one right away. There is no better way than serving to grow in our faith, and there is no better way to live out Christ’s command to love one another.
Also, Serve Fest is coming Sunday, November 10, in the Great Hall in the Family Life Center from 8:30-9 and noon to 1 p.m. This will be a time for you to talk with leaders of each ministry area to ask questions and learn more about connecting with an area of service that fits you perfectly! There will be a meal offered in the Fireside Room and there will be door prizes, too. You won’t want to miss this fun event that will help you decide how to live out your faith through service.
So, would you take some time to look for an area to serve both within the walls of the church and in the community? I think both are so important for our own growth and for our Christian witness to others. Also, would you consider serving in some way in either the children’s area or the youth ministry? Our children and youth are so important, and we want to offer those areas as much support as possible.
God has blessed us with so many good gifts -- skills, talents, spiritual gifts, and even education, training, vocation and hobbies. My prayer is that we might be inspired to offer part of these gifts back to God with gratitude in our hearts.
Sing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:16-17)
Peace and grace to you,
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Executive Associate Pastor
rbkelley@fsfumc.org
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Is it okay to have questions and doubts about Christianity? How can we be sure we will get to heaven? Why did God give us the option to sin? Did all the stories in the Bible really happen?
These are the questions we’ve been asking during our youth Wednesday Night Life study,
All the Best Questions.
It’s been quite an engaging study to say the least!
As we have questions and seek answers, we go through the process of forming our own beliefs and worldviews. This is really important for youth, but it’s equally important for adults as well. Trying to tackle big questions can be scary and challenging, especially when we are forced to question things we have been taught and to try to rid ourselves of the biases that have been ingrained deep within us. To do this requires an open mind, an open heart, and a desire for the Truth.
Thankfully, God can
always
stand up to our biggest questions and doubts. He is here to help us!
If we never truly dig deep, we can never reach the treasure of faith. No longer will it suffice to say “The Bible said it. I believe it. That settles it.” The time is now to use our God-given intellect to reason through the depths of life, faith, and the Holy Scriptures. Lazy theology and shallow beliefs will never pierce our hearts the way that faith in Christ should.
We need safe spaces to ask questions. We need faith-filled friends who will listen with patience and without judgement. We need good scholarship to unpack the riches of God’s Word. We need to wrestle with our doubts and find the courage to move into faithfulness. We need the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to enlighten us.
These are my desires for our youth ministry and our church. May we be a church where faith grows and people thrive in the goodness of life in Christ! Amen.
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Director of Youth Ministries
mmings@fsfumc.org
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A few months after I moved to Fort Smith and joined the staff here at our church, I heard about a big feeding ministry program that we sponsor for our community. That program is the Community Thanksgiving Lunch which we serve to the community around us, give takeout to the folks that want it, deliver takeout to the residents of the Gorman Towers, to our Fort Smith Police department, and to shut ins.
The food is donated. There is a crew that arrives here around 7 AM on Thanksgiving morning to cook. There is a crew that arrives around 10 AM to get the takeout ready. The Family Life Center is open around 11 AM to the community and the church where everyone is served a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner with turkey and dressing, green beans, cranberry sauce, rolls, and pies for dessert. In addition, water and tea are served. The food is absolutely delicious. Everyone leaves there full and ready for a nap.
Our Community Thanksgiving Lunch has been sponsored by our church for over twenty years. It is a wonderful feeding ministry in which everyone can have a Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving Day. Even though I loved my family’s Thanksgiving meals, I equally love our church’s special meal. It actually made my Thanksgiving last year!
I
f you are interested in serving in this feeding ministry either by serving the meal at the church, distributing the takeout to the community, help get the takeout ready, help with clean up, help with cooking, please contact me here (479-782-5068) at the church or you can contact Connie Adrion (479-629-1041).
It is such a wonderful ministry and outreach from our church!
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Minister of Adult Discipleship
dthrasher@fsfumc.org
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- Hank and Sonya Lemke—New Members
- Madison Jaronitzky—New Member
- Gene and Sara Havard—New Members
- Angelique Rivera—New Member
- Rollins Randall Hoge—Son of Alex and Cathryn Hoge—Baptized
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Gene and Sara Havard and
Madison Jaronitzky
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PASTOR ON CALL
M-F 8:30 AM-4:30 PM:
(479) 782-5068
Weekends and Evenings:
(479) 459-5060
When there is a hospitalization, a death in the family, or any other time you may need urgent pastoral care, we encourage you to use these numbers. The pastors rotate on-call responsibilities to assure that one of them is always accessible.
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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-4:30PM
Closed for lunch 12:30PM-1:30PM
SUNDAY SERVICES
- 8:30AM Roebuck Chapel
- 9:45AM Sunday School for all ages
- 11:00AM Sanctuary (Radio broadcast on 96.7 FM)
- 11:00AM Connexion, Family Life Center
Nursery is provided during worship services for birth thru Kindergarten age.
WEDNESDAY SERVICE
- 5:30 PM Holy Communion, Roebuck Chapel
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In Memory of:
- Richard Aclin by Jim & Dixie Spears, Patricia Janes, Warren & Cynthia Giss, Rusty & Karla Jacobs, Margaret Graham, Rev. Aaaron & Nell Barling, Helen Lanier, John McConnell, Sherron Shuffield, Lori Hardin & Michael Willis
- Albert Newton by Lyle & Catherine Crosland, Gary & Teresa Hawthorne, Marlin & Janet Fretheim, Rebecca Evans, Sandra Adams, Ken & Nancy Blochberger, Suzanne Beauchamp McCord, James & Linda Joyce, Velmar Greene
- Ralph Perryman by Uplifters Class,
- Betty Cupp by Ted & Ginger Taylor
- Carrie Sengel by Larry & Sandra Clark
- Judy Staggs by Sandra Adams, Ken & Nancy Blochberger, Jean, Kim, Heath Bercher / Lauren Appleby, Robert & Donna Skinner, Robert & Sharon Davis, Fran Bateman, George & Maurita Staton, Terry Baumeister, Jim & Dixie Spears, Bob & Janice Powell, Johnny & Tammy Barnes, Jane Williams, Fred & Gayle Hagemeier, Patricia Janes, Richard & Jan Beauchamp, Mrs. Maurice Carter, Juanita Hagedorn, Ken & Tara Kiefer, Thomas & Susan Webb, Ray & Jane Morgan, Joel & Sandy Parker, Dr. Richard & Jane Hinkle, The Wooten Family, John & Harriet Beasley, Robert & Elizabeth Knox, Mary Aclin, Judy Bradberry, Jack & Louanna Green, Marlin & Janet Fretheim, Susan Chaney, Fort Smith Chorale, Inc., Ronald & Betty Knobloch, Jerry & Carolyn Cousins, Ron & Judy McGrew, Dick & Ann Appleton, Randy & Pam O’Kelley, Eleanor Foltz, Larry & Janet Nelson, Larry & Sandra Clark, Robert & Judy Dawson, Sherron Shuffield, Lori Hardin & Michael Willis, Steven Lovick, John McKie, Jr., Randy & Jane Bittle, Kelly & Marilyn Newton, Patricia Payne, Mike & Susan McFerran, David & Joanne Phillips, Bob & Jan Cooper, James & Lavonne Hayes, Charles & Gail Martin Gilmore, Bill & Toka Beall, Mrs. Ruth Davis, Jerry & Jane Hartfield, Lee & Jana Green, Brooke McCarthy, Suzanne Beauchamp McCord, Dr. Murl & Concetta Baker
- Melba Coleman by Mrs. Albert Lee Newton, Mr. & Mrs. Clefton Vaughan, Jim & Terri Nunnelee, Greg & Angie Upchurch
- John McOlvin by FUMC Roundtable Class, Bob & Janice Powell, Larry & Janet Nelson, Jack & Louanna Green,
- John (Les) Evitts by Mary Ellen Jesson, Robert & Judy Dawson
In Honor of:
- FUMC Church & Staff by P.E.O. Chapter AS
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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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