THIS SUNDAY JUNE 9, 2019   “When Life is Sad…God is Good! “ PSALM 34:18, JOHN 16-21

8:30 am Roebuck Chapel

Rev. Bud Reeves Offertory “I Watched My Savior” Kent Blochberger, Soloist Nancy W. Vernon, Organist

11:00 am Sanctuary

Rev. Bud Reeves Offertory “Jesus! With Us Abide” Anthem “I Watched My Savior” Chancel Choir Gaye Mings, Chancel Choir Director Nancy W. Vernon, Organist

11:00 am Connexion

Rev. Dane Womack “Boundless Love”   “Come Thou Fount” “Multiplied” “Holy Spirit, You Are Welcome Here”

WE’RE ALL STILL WELCOME HERE!

You will get this newsletter after Dane and I and our lay members (Jim and Dixie Spears, Sharon and Larry Weir, and Bob Dawson) have been at Annual Conference, the yearly meeting of the United Methodists in Arkansas. I love going to Annual Conference because I have been in ministry in Arkansas all of my adult life, and I have colleagues and friends I only get to see once a year. Conference is like a big family reunion. Of course, this year, a particular cloud hangs over our Annual Conference. The actions of our General Conference in February did not do anything to calm the controversy surrounding ministry with our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. In fact, by taking a hard line and increasing the restrictions and penalties associated with gay marriage and ordination, the General Conference increased the energy of all the factions who have been embroiled in this conflicted conversation for 40+ years. I appreciated the good turnout we had at “Town Hall” meeting on May 19. I tried to explain what had happened at General Conference and how the Judicial Council had subsequently ruled on what had passed. (Part of the so-called Traditional Plan was upheld, and parts were not.) Right now, there are many voices talking and many ideas being offered for the best way to move forward. I have tried to be aware and be in conversation with other United Methodist leaders so I can be well-informed and lead this church the best I can. I went to a meeting in Kansas City May 20-22 at which there was talk of a separation between the different groups in the UMC, but I am not advocating or leading toward a division any time soon. Nobody knows exactly what the UMC will look like in two years or five. We will just continue to pray and seek God’s guidance, try to treat one another with love and grace, and hope for the best. However, there are some very important things I want everyone in our church family to understand. 1.   Everyone is still welcome at First United Methodist Church.   All people are God’s children, persons of divine dignity and worth, “fearfully and wonderfully made,” as the Psalmist said. The General Conference does not determine how we treat people, and Jesus calls us to love one another as he has loved us. So all people, regardless of nationality, race, gender, ability, sexual orientation, wealth, education or whatever else might characterize them, is welcome in our church, worthy of God’s grace, and called to discipleship in the name of Jesus. 2.   The ministry is the main thing.  As I have talked to people, had meetings, and done polls around the church, one thing is clear. We may be all over the map with regard to human sexuality, but the vast majority of our church family just want to do church and do it together. We can tolerate differences of opinion; we do on lots of issues. We just want a place to have strong worship, fellowship, learning opportunities, and outreach into our community. We want to follow Jesus together, and that’s what we will do. FUMC is a strong church, and it would be a tragedy if anything derailed or diminished the historic and vital ministry we do in the Fort Smith community. So we will continue to focus on what is priority and stay in conversation about all the other stuff. 3.   I want to be the pastor for all the people.  In almost 40 years of ministry, I have been the pastor for a variety of God’s children. Some I agreed with on almost everything; some I differed with on almost everything. My call is still to love those whom God has put under my care. I love my conservative and my liberal friends. I love people who agree or disagree with me on various social issues. I love those who are here every time the doors are open and those I see at Christmas and Easter only. I love you no matter which basketball team you support (although you score points if you like Duke). We have a team of pastors who just want to share the love of Christ with our church family. We accept people where they are and try to help them grow to be more like Jesus. So if you ever have a problem or an issue that we can discuss with you, don’t hesitate to reach out, and we will sit down together. As I write this in anticipation of Annual Conference, and as you perhaps read this after Annual Conference, know that I am thrilled beyond words to be appointed for another year as your senior pastor and I am grateful for your prayers, support, and ministry in our church.

Rev. Bud Reeves Senior Pastor breeves@fsfumc.org

GOODBYES STINK

NBC’s hit sitcom The Office came out while I was in college. Everyone loved it. It was all anyone would talk about. Folks would gather around dorm room TVs on Thursday night to watch new episodes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get it. What was the big deal? It wasn’t funny. Awkward maybe, but mostly strange and uncomfortable. I found the whole thing kind of annoying. But some time, somehow, I started enjoying the show. I became invested in the characters. Michael Scott is the wacky and sometimes annoying boss. Pam and Jim are the improbable couple whose love overcomes life’s challenges. Dwight, Angela, and the rest of the crew are each unique in their own way. The show is unlike any other comedy sitcom I’ve watched. Totally bizarre. But once you get the hang of it, it’s a lot of fun. The inside jokes, the ongoing storylines, and the character arcs. Not only did I grow to enjoy the show, but I have seen the entire series many times over and have something of an emotional attachment to the characters. This analogy may not work for you, and if so, I apologize, but I think of my time here at FSFUMC in a very similar way. I was very disoriented when I arrived. Jill and I had left seminary and North Carolina to come home to Arkansas, but Fort Smith was not a familiar place. And FUMC was large and overwhelming. For a few months I felt quite out of place. It was a strange and uncomfortable time in many ways. But now, some five years later, things have changed. Those initial feelings of doubt and indecision seem like another lifetime. Fort Smith and FUMC have become as comfortable and familiar as my favorite episodes of the The Office.  I have come to know the characters and stories and come to love the people of this church and community. To say I and my family feel at peace at FUMC and in Fort Smith would be an understatement. The staff and church members have become for us a family away from our own family. The church has become a home for us even though we’d never been here just a few years ago. The city including its murals, restaurants, parks, and ball fields has become our town. We have transitioned from strangers in foreign land to being quite at home in the wild west that is Fort Smith.  Thank you for having us and caring for us. Edith was just a little baby when we arrived. Holden was born here. Both kids have attended the church’s Child Enrichment Center. Jill and I began our adult lives here, growing both professionally and personally among you. You have loved, mentored, and guided us in more ways than you know. The gifts we’ve received from you are innumerable. I’ll have more to say about our church and its ministries in my last sermon on Sunday, June 9. Here, I simply wanted to say on behalf of myself and my family, thank you for making us part of your life. Thank you for helping us to feel at home. In his final episode on the The Office, Michael Scott tearfully whispers into a voice recorder, “T-shirt idea: Goodbyes Stink.” I have said many times and firmly believe that this is a great transition. I am leaving a healthy church and following a quality pastor at an equally healthy church. I believe Rev. Roy Beth Kelley is a particularly strong pastor who will excel at FUMC. This transition is best-case scenario all the way around. And yet, Scott was surely right, “goodbyes stink.” With much love, grace, and peace,

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

IN OUR PRAYERS

In the Hospital: Pat Stone (Mercy) Don Sudbrink (Mercy)

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Sunday, June 9 8:30 am Roebuck Chapel Worship 8:45 am Holy Grounds, Narthex 9:30 am Prayer Ministry, Prayer Room 9:45 am Sunday School 10:00 am Coffee with the Pastors, Narthex 11:00 am Sanctuary Worship 11:00 am Connexion Worship, Great Hall 12:00 pm Reception for Dane Womack, Narthex 5:00 pm Executive Team Meeting, Friends Class 5:00 pm First Youth, Michael Mings’ Home 6:00 pm Trustees Meeting, Conference Room   Monday, June 10 8:45 - Noon, VBS Monday - Friday 2:00 pm Staff Meeting, Conference Room 6:30 pm Scouts, Room 300   Wednesday, June 11 10:00 am Prayer Group, Prayer Room, 2nd Floor 5:30 pm Holy Communion, Roebuck Chapel 6:00 pm Pastor’s Summer Bible Study, Aldersgate Rm. 6:30 pm Connexion Band Practice, Great Hall 7:00 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal   Saturday, June 15 9:00 am Food at First Pickup, Family Life Center

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Sullivan Rand Hillard was baptized in the Connexion service Sunday, May 12. Sullivan is the son of John and Megan Hillard and grandson of Jane and Randy Bittle.

We celebrated the Confirmation of Maggie Jacimore on Sunday, May 19 in the 11am Sanctuary service. We give thanks for Maggie and her commitment to the Christian faith and her joining First UMC!

Greg Washington was baptized and joined First United Methodist Church by profession of faith Sunday, May 12. Greg is the son of Stacy and Craig Stites and a graduating senior at Northside High School. He will be a student and play on the football team at Missouri Sate this fall.

Becky Faldon is retired from Arcbest. She comes by transfer from another UM church. Her son Scott and his family are members of FUMC.

FIRST KIDS HAPPENINGS VBS ROAR is June 10-14, 2019

3 year olds – 6 th graders, sign up now! Get your T-shirts, on sale in the Narthex on Sunday morning or come see Sally! Be ready to get your ‘ROAR’ on! Movin’ On Up! It’s that time of year again! 6 th graders will move up to Youth where they will start the next chapter in the journey of their faith walk on Sunday June 23 rd . The 6 th graders will check in at the children’s desk, redeem their points in the Trolley gift shop and travel together to the Youth loft. The current Kindergartens will move over from the Children’s building to the second-floor Elementary Children’s wing and will have a tour of the area and a snack. Parents should pick up their children in their new classrooms or by the Trolley at 10:45AM.

June Children’s Bible Verse   The Son of Man came to look for and to save people who are lost. Luke 19:10

WELCOME REV. ROY BETH KELLEY

We want to give a warm welcome to Rev. Roy Beth Kelley. Her first Sunday with FSFUMC will be June 30 in the Connexion service. There will be a reception in her honor on July 7 immediately following the 11:00 worship services in the Narthex.

FIRST YOUTH Mission Militia

Last month presented some difficulties for our community. On Saturday, May 18, Fort Smith was hit by a severe storm. The strong winds tore through residential areas along the south side and the east side of our town. These winds caused trees and power lines to topple, damaging property and shaking the city. Thank God that there were no fatalities! Because of the severity of the debris, school was cancelled the following Monday. Our students took full advantage of their day off by lending a hand to our neighbors in need. I brought my chainsaw (because sometimes adults want to have fun, too), and we worked to restore our community. My heart is warmed because we can say that Fort Smith is a better place because of FIRST YOUTH! Seeing the amount of work that youth students can do over a short span of time never gets old. But as I’m writing this (Tuesday, May 21) there is still more work to be done. Our youth group will continue to serve our church members and our community to restore property and to restore hope. Thank you for your support in these recovery efforts!

SUMMER INTERN

We will be partnering with the Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, TX to bring in a church intern for the summer. Our intern's name is Ricardo Acosta Arambula. Here are a few things about Ricardo:   AGE: 18 GRADE: Junior HOBBIES: Reading, basketball, weightlifting  SCHOOL ACTIVITIES: Lay Ministry, National Honor Society, Ethics HOMETOWN: Juarez, Mexico   We are in need of host families for Ricardo, so if you are interested, please let me know. As Ricardo will be gone with me on trips for the majority of his internship, hosting opportunities are short term. The church will grant a small grocery stipend to each family that hosts. Host families can pick one, two, or possibly even all of the dates available:   JUNE 6-16, JUNE 22-24, JUNE 28- JULY 1, JULY 5-10, JULY 14-17, JULY 20-22, JULY 27-29   Ricardo will certainly be a blessing to our church and the youth. If you have any questions about this opportunity, don't hesitate to ask Michael Mings. Our abilities in ministry really broaden up when we have a young intern to help. Ricardo is coming to serve our community and our church, so let's show him the love and hospitality of FSFUMC!

KEEP UP WITH YOUR GIVING THIS SUMMER!

We are blessed with many generous and faithful givers at FUMC. But it is so easy to get behind in our giving when summer comes, and we spend time away on vacation or in recreation. However, our ministry expenses do not decrease just because half the church is at the lake! So just a friendly reminder to keep up with your support of the church this summer. Think about covering all of the summer or a month at a time with your gift, or set up an automatic withdrawal that you never have to worry about again. (If you need info on setting up an auto draft, contact Jeannine Thomas in the church office.) Thank you so much for your faithful support of God’s ministry at FUMC!

FAITH MOMENTS

On the third Sunday afternoon of every month, our church serves dinner at the Red Shield Diner which is located at the Salvation Army headquarters here in Fort Smith. We usually serve at least 60 to 70 folks from our community who need a good and warm meal. Our church members can volunteer to serve in many ways. Each month, the menu is emailed out to our volunteers.  They can cook and bring food for the meal on that menu. They can donate fruit and dessert items. They can also serve the meal to the folks from our community. We usually have 20 to 25 volunteers of all ages from our church each month. Many churches from our city are in charge of specific meals at the Diner. Volunteers arrive at 4:30 PM to either deliver the food or to set up for serving. After we have our blessing and begin serving, Walter Ahart begins playing the piano and singing. The diners enjoy the music while they eat. We became involved in the Red Shield Diner about 8 to 10 years ago after the Rev. Janice Sudbrink was asked by the Salvation Army if our church was interested in helping out. Jeanne Starr from our congregation served as its coordinator from our first time serving dinner until 2018. At that time, Kristin Bunnell, Jennifer Jenkins, and Kelly Jacimore began serving as Co-coordinators of this ministry. They carry on the great work that Jeanne did. We appreciate all that have led and lead our Red Shield Diner. Since September of 2018, I have been involved in this feeding ministry. I love helping out in whatever is needed on that particular Sunday from saying the blessing to help serving the food. It is a ministry that brings out the deacon in me. It is a joy to be there and help out. This ministry is one that we can serve and share God’s Love to all from the community that attend each month. If you are interested in serving, please feel free to contact me here at the church.  We would love for you to join us. Feeding ministries feed our bodies and our souls.

RECENT MEMORIALS

In Memory of:   Larry Oakes by Ruth Davis, Clay & Lynn Gilliland, Jerry & Jane Hartfield, Charles & Jeanne Ledbetter, Randy & Jane Bittle, Dwight H. Curry, Marlin & Janet Fretheim, John & Harriet Beasley, Dr. & Mrs. David McClanahan, Deborah Hall, Richard & Mary Kay Aclin, Samuel & Margaret Sloan, Nancy Ashwood, Kimberly White, Patricia Payne, Henry & Melissa Udouj, Steve & Lucy Gist, Colby & Courtney Beland & Family, Taylor & Mary Prewitt Myra Ward by Ruth Davis, Glenda Brown, Susan Chaney, Patricia Payne, Don & Kelly DeSoto, Bob & Janice Powell Linda Cravens by Rev. & Mrs. Aaron Barling Don Jones by Patricia Payne Rebecca Phillips by Ewell & Nancy Lee Kenneth & Darline LeValley by David & Karen Hutcheson Vanessa Hutcheson by David & Karen Hutcheson Clay McKinney by Marcie McKinney Marjorie Magness by Randy & Jill Cutting, Richard & Mary Kay Aclin, Bob & Ann Reynolds, Sherry Martin, Marvin & Linda Mumme In Honor of:   Braden Horton by Drucilla Hughart Kim Friery by Jerry & Jan Walrod

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 Nursery is provided during worship services for birth thru Kindergarten age.   WEDNESDAY SERVICE 5:30 PM Holy Communion, Roebuck Chapel

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

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