Crosswinds Newsletter

October 19, 2022 - Volume 639

Greetings from quarantine. I’m doing well with a fairly mild case of COVID. I appreciate everyone’s prayers. I’m also grateful for the staff and Pastor April for being able to adapt on Sunday after my last-minute positive test. Thank you church for your flexibility. 

On Sunday, we explored Jesus’ famous words from Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  This passage captures the true heart of a Kingdom-minded giver. We all treasure something and/or someone. This is by design.  God created to us to love, care and protect what has meaning. That’s what Jesus means by treasure. To treasure something means that you place immense value on something, therefore, you use what resources you have to protect it and build it up. 

Jesus’ concern isn’t that we have treasures. His concern is what we choose to treasure. We can treasure immaterial things such as wealth, reputation, success that are destined to pass away with this world. We also have the choice to treasure that which is eternal. 

So, just what does Jesus have in mind with eternal things? Look at the Greatest Commandment. It is to treasure God above all, and then to treasure those He made and loves. We love God’s Kingdom. We express that love by investing in it by serving the Lord and others. Then our treasures will net a return of blessing both here and even more importantly, in the eternal life to come. 

This is important for us to visit as it is easy to get caught up in investing in this life. We can confess to treasure God’s Kingdom while most of our resources go towards investing in the kingdom of this world. While we must use resources for our life in this temporary world, we also want to be generous with our investments in God’s Kingdom. 

Part of our yearly stewardship campaign is to call our attention to our practices. It is for us to prayerfully consider what we are investing in God’s Kingdom through our resources of time, talent and financial treasure. These just might be the most important resources we have at our disposal. One of the primary reasons why we give you a pledge card is to invite you to ask God what He wants you to give and to consider what you can give. This is our offering, our investment in His ongoing work in the world through the local church. 

On Sunday, we will be turning in our pledge cards. I invite you to bring your card. We will place them on the altar in the service as a sign of our gift. If you will not be present for worship on Sunday, please return them to the church office around the same time. We also have an online pledge card that you can submit. 

I want to thank you for your generosity and for seeking to bless God’s Kingdom with our God-given resources. 

Pastor Brady Johnston

-Serve in the Pumpkin Patch! Click here to sign up.

-Click here to sign up to help at Trunk or Treat! Donate candy for Trunk or Treat outside Keelee's office! No chocolate or nuts, please.

-The Chancel Choir and Hand Bell Choir are growing! Email Laurie Duke if interested.

-Youth & Children's Ministries needs help in the Nursery (paid), Sunday School, Godly Play, Discover Grace and Youth Group. Email Keelee Allen for more information.

Join us for Trunk-or-Treat on Sunday, October 30th from 3-5 PM! We will have games, candy, bounce houses, pumpkins and more! 

Trunk-or-Treat is one of the biggest community events we host each year, bringing hundreds, if not thousands of people onto our campus. It is a great opportunity to invite our neighbors with a welcoming spirit! In order to make Trunk-or-Treat truly successful, we need decorated trunks! Please consider signing up to decorate your trunk in a family fun way. As of today, we have 10 trunks registered. We also have opportunities to serve in other ways, If you are not a "trucker". Either way, by signing up now staff and volunteers can better plan for this special community event. You can see what opportunities are available by clicking the button below.

Church, we can use some help with supplies and equipment for Fire Night. Please take a look at the link below and see if you can help with some items for this fun, Youth Experience Night and of course we have opportunities to serve listed as well!

Small Group Meetings 

Along with our town hall meetings, we are now hosting small group meetings to discuss the state of the UMC. While we will still have a few large group gatherings, our goal is to present the information in a more conversation-friendly format. We are hosting several meetings with the aim of keeping the groups smaller - at 15 or less. Each participant must be registered individually in order to meet. Please make sure you register via the link below and register any family members that plan to attend with you in a separate spot. Meetings will be held in the Sanctuary on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Daytime and evening options are available.

Do you have questions?

Please click here to submit any questions you have. The pastors and church leadership want to hear your questions so they can be addressed in the meetings. You can also find more information regarding this season of discernment on our website at fumcmidlo.org/discerning-our-future.

We invite all members to join us for our annual Charge Conference meeting Tuesday, November 1st at 7 PM in the Sanctuary. At this meeting, members will have the opportunity to vote on the business of the church, such as the 2023 budget and leadership. Members should try to attend if able. 

Accepting cash, checks, Venmo and Zelle

The Pumpkin Patch is a great opportunity for community outreach for the entire church! Click the link below to see when you can help! Two hour shifts -  afternoon, evening & weekend shifts available.

Though out "trunkers" supply candy for their trunks, we like to have plenty on hand in case they run out. Please consider donating candy for Trunk or Treat. All candy must be wrapped. Donations can be placed in the bin outside of Keelee’s office. Please do not donate candy with nuts or chocolate. Thank you!

October 12th-November 20th: 40 Days of Discernment

October 23rd: Town Hall Meeting

October 26th: Youth Fire Night

October 30th: Trunk or Treat

November 1st: Charge Conference

November 6th: Daylight Savings Ends

November 11th: Veteran's' Day

November 13th: Next Steps

November 24th: Thanksgiving

November 27th: Advent Begins

November 27th: Discover Grace

Month of December:  Sheep Trail

December 11th: Christmas Cantata

December 14th: Christmas Caroling

December 19th: GGP/MISD Christmas Break Begins

December 24th: Christmas Eve Services

December 25th: Christmas Day

See weekly information below

Godly Play Children's Worship gathers during 8:30 and 11 AM worship services throughout the school year. Elementary age children are invited to go with our Children's Ministry Team to worship together. Children are always welcome to stay with their parents throughout worship.

Sunday School Classes meet between worship services from 9:45-10:45 AM.

+Children's Sunday School, Sanctuary building

+Youth Sunday School, FLC upstairs

+Bill Theiss Fellowship Class, FLC 109

+Adult Bible Class, FLC 110

+Upper Room Class, FLC 201

+Open Door Class, FLC 107

+Servant's Hands, FLC 204

+New Horizons Class, FLC 203

Men's Monday Night Bible Study meets Monday nights from 7-8:30 PM in the Sanctuary Building Workroom. The study is coordinated by Don Garret.

Hand Bell rehearsals are every Monday evening from 6-7 PM in the choir room! Email Laurie Duke with questions.

Chancel Choir rehearsals are held in the choir room and led by Laurie Duke. All are welcome!

The choir is now rehearsing on Wednesday from 6-7:30 due to the Christmas Cantata. Normally it’s 6-7.

Pastor April's Bible Study, "Rediscovering Jonah", meets Wednesdays from 4:30-5:45 PM in the Sanctuary. Join anytime!

DivorceCare and DivorceCare4Kids meets each Wednesday from 6:30-8 PM in the FLC, rooms 201 & 203. Email Monica Wilson for more information.

Discipleship Groups meet at various times throughout the week. New groups can form at any time! For more information, please contact the church office.

God's Garden Preschool follows the MISD school calendar and is only open on MISD classroom days. GGP hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM, during the school year.

Next Steps is the second Sunday of each month in the FLC at 9:45. Meet with the pastors during the Sunday School hour to learn more about FUMC Midlothian. 

The Guided Prayer Service is held the second Wednesday of each month at 6:33 PM in the Sanctuary.

Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 AM - 4 PM and Friday from 8 AM - 12 PM. Pastors are available for non-emergencies, Monday through Thursday during office hours. Please contact church staff during office hours.

Have you borrowed something from the church? Don't forget to return it. Please contact the church office to arrange the returning of larger items, such as chairs and tables. Thank you!

October 23rd

"No Worries"

Matthew 6:25-34

8:30 & 11 AM Traditional in the Sanctuary

11 AM Contemporary in the FLC

FUMC on Facebook LIVE

Waypoints on FUMC Website

Waypoints Posted Daily on Facebook

Waypoints is a weekly devotional, written by our pastors to dig deeper into the current sermon/series.

Children's Sunday School meets 9:45-10:35 AM in the sanctuary building.

Godly Play is Children's Worship released during all Sunday morning services.

Creation Kids Links:

Elementary Student's Remind

Early Childhood Remind

Stay connected in Creation Kids Children's Ministry! Follow us on our Facebook page, Creation Kids, and our Instagram page, @creationkidsfumcmidlo, to keep up with resources for connection. For more information, email Keelee Allen.

Jr & Sr High Youth Sunday School meets 9:45-10:35 AM in the FLC. 

Youth Group meets Wednesdays. We'll eat at 6 PM and gather at 6:30 PM.

Stay connected in FUMC Midlo Youth Ministries! Follow us on our Youth Facebook page, FUMC Midlo Youth (public) and our Instagram page, @fumcmidloyouth. Youth and Youth parents, join our private Facebook Group, FUMC Midlothian Youth. For Remind 101 for Youth, text @midloyouth to the number 81010. If you have any questions, please email the Youth Team.

We offer Nursery and Early Childhood Care (infant through pre-k) during our Sunday morning worship services. Please email Keelee with any questions. For information regarding God's Garden Preschool, go to God's Garden. Thank you!

Visit God's Garden online to learn more about our highly sought after, accredited preschool. We follow the MISD school calendar and are only open on MISD classroom days. GGP hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM, during the school year.

Please send your prayer request to MaryBeth or Joy. If you want to join our Prayer/Card Ministry group, send your request to Joy. Not everyone sends cards, but you can pray, thus Prayer/Card Ministry.

New Prayer Requests:

Ariby Weadon - medical test

Amy Norman and family - death of her dad

Continuous Prayer:

Karen Wilson, George & Dee Culps, Don Lish, John Lowe

Military:*

ARMY - Matt Carroll, Tim Kruettner, Harold Barton, Josh Schenck, Austin Lockwood, Trey Ditto

NAVY - Matthew Price, Andrew Cantrell, Zachary Tucker, Thomas Shirley, Matthew Watford

AIR FORCE - J.D. Culps, Andrew Miller 

MARINES - Josh Dunaway,  Bradley Perez, Elizia Delapaa, Cash McAdoo

NATIONAL GUARD - Derek Boots

TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD - John Jackson

Dereck Vance

Remember in Prayer:

Our world, our country, our community leaders, all our military troops and first responders around the world, our church, our pastors, the staff, church members, visitors, and Midlothian community

*Our list of military members needs to be updated. Please take 20 seconds to update us with basic information for each person related/applicable to you by clicking MILITARY UPDATE.

Thank you for your generosity! We continue to do great ministry as a church because of you and your faithfulness. We encourage you to continue giving to the church's ministry either by mailing in your financial gifts or giving online by clicking on the button below. Every gift helps us do greater things for God's Kingdom!

Senior Pastor: Rev. Brady Johnston

Executive Pastor: Rev. Dr. April Fehler

Children's Director: Keelee Allen

God's Garden Preschool Director: Michelle Coffin

Director of Music Ministries (Traditional): Laurie Duke

Contemporary Worship Leader: Jason Westbrook

Administrative Assistant: Mary Beth Mayo

Finance Administrator: Barry Hornburg

Media Director: Valerie Dick

A/V Director: Tyler Coherd

Facilities Director: Matt Sanders 

Hospitality: Dan Maresca