“The Mystery of the New Birth”  

 John 3:1-17 

These are moments that change our lives forever.

Communion Sunday

In Person, Facebook Live & YouTube 

Rev. Bud Reeves

Offertory “Eternal Light, Shine in My Heart”

Gaye Mings, Soloist

Organist: Benjamin Henderson  

In Person. Facebook and YouTube @ 6pm

Rev. DeeDee Autry

“Awake My Soul”

“Beautiful Things”

“Holy Spirit”

Offertory “Born Again”

“Open Door”

In Person,Facebook Live,

YouTube and FM 103.5

Rev. Bud Reeves

Anthem “God So Loved the World”

Offertory “Eternal Light, Shine in My Heart”

Chancel Choir

Gaye Mings, Chancel Choir Director

Benjamin Henderson, Organist

What a GREAT WEEK!

I was privileged this year to travel with our medical and dental team to Guatemala to serve with the Salud y Paz (Health and Peace) clinic. We had a group of 22 missionaries, including five doctors and two dentists, several nurses and dental assistants, and several more like me who were just doing as we were told! The team worked together exceptionally well, and there was much laughter and camaraderie, even as we ministered to people for whom health care was an almost non-existent luxury. I hope our love and joy made even a more lasting impression than our temporary medical and dental care.

Each day (for four days) we made a bumpy bus ride to a remote village and set up a clinic in a church, a school, or one time in a field on bare dirt. The people of these small villages don’t have the means to get to the clinic in town, so we brought the clinic to them. In four days, we saw almost 500 patients. After seeing the doctor or getting teeth extracted, the patients came to the pharmacy (where I worked, under the tutelage of experienced missioners) to get medications that we purchased through the clinic.

We all really appreciate the support of the church through fundraisers, donations, and our Foundation. The whole enterprise now costs about $60,000, and while most of the cost is borne by the team, we certainly couldn’t do this mission without the support of the church. We also appreciate all the prayers that were holding us up throughout the week.

We ended each day with worship, including an Ash Wednesday service, and it was evident in multitudes of ways all week how God was blessing us and the people of Guatemala through us. It was all God’s work!

I want to say a special word of thanks to Dr. David Staggs, who along with Dr. Janice Sudbrink has led the Guatemala mission team for 10 years. He announced that this was his last time to lead the group, and Salud y Paz gave him a special recognition at the end of the week. His humble, gentle, and cheerful leadership set a perfect tone for the trip. Thanks, David!

After an experience like the Guatemala mission, I am filled with humility and gratitude, realizing how we in America have been blessed, and how those who have far less materially seem to have more joy and peace than we often see in the world’s richest nation. It is definitely a toss-up to decide who ministered more to whom on the trip.  

For me, this trip was a good way to enter into Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, and sacrifice. As we follow Jesus to the cross, we learn again the hard lesson that success is not measured by the standards of the world–wealth, fame, or power. The real treasures are love and faith and caring for one another. All of God’s children are deserving of that.

RECONSTRUCTION OF FLOOD DAMAGE PROCEEDS APACE

Following the backup of Fort Smith sewage into the lower floor of the sanctuary building last month, we have been diligently pursuing cleanup and restoration of the facilities. Clean-up is all done. Plumbing inside the century-old building has been reconstructed to avoid similar problems in the future. The city excavated, found and repaired a collapsed pipe behind the sanctuary. Sheet rock and ceiling tiles have been replaced, and affected areas have been repainted. We are currently waiting on flooring materials which have been ordered to arrive and be installed. Soon we will be back to normal! Thanks to all who have been flexible as we have worked around the mess: the Roundtable and Chapel Sunday School classes, the choir, Benjamin Henderson, Nancy Vernon, Kent Blochberger, Gaye Mings, and others. Special appreciation goes to Dan Thomas, our building and maintenance supervisor, Diane Wing, our business manager, and Larry Weir, our Trustee chair, who have all outdone themselves to accomplish so much in a short time.

Sunday the organ will be back!

LENT SERMON SERIES

Who Is Ready For Spring?

With Spring comes an onslaught of activities, but with spring also comes Easter and the Lenten season. It’s such a wonderful time of reflection and growth in our faith. Before we jump into what’s on the docket for Spring. Let’s visit February!  

In February we had our first annual Bible Bootcamp. Our fourth and fifth graders gathered together for an overnight adventure to learn ALL about their Bibles. We played Bible games, did a Bible scavenger hunt, and learned about the history of the Bible. Saturday afternoon we went to a trampoline park and then to get pizza. That evening, Rev. DeeDee Autry joined us with words of encouragement for the kids.  

We have recently started a new Sunday School series called Mystery Manor! In this series, kids are like detectives as they search for the answers to mysterious questions they often have about God, Jesus, the Bible, and heaven. They are learning that all the evidence we need to solve these mysteries is found in God’s Word — the Bible! I have also created a Family Lenten Calendar which includes daily encouragement and challenges. If you’d like a calendar, shoot me an email or stop by the church. I’m happy to share! 

Our Created series has been AWESOME. Witnessing our children grow and learn about the Bible through art is very encouraging. On March 29th, we invite you to join us as we celebrate the ending of Dinner Church and look at all the kiddos’ hard work. They will be in their Sunday’s Best!  

Palm Sunday, April 2nd, will be a BUSY day! We will be waving the palms at 11am in connexion service. That afternoon from 3-5pm we will have our first Spring Fling. There will be games, inflatables, snacks, and age appropriate Easter egg hunts! You won’t want to miss out!! 

After our big Spring Fling celebration, Easter will be a little more simple, we are meeting in the children’s area (2nd floor) during the Sunday school hour. We will talk through the Easter story, do an Easter craft, and have delicious treats! 

OUTREACH

I had the pleasure of being a part of the Guatemala mission trip. This mission trip reflected God’s beauty and the lessons my heart needed. My role on the mission trip was to play with the children at the clinic. Each day we were in a new village. It took a little bit for the children to warm up to me and my work partner, Lauren Oler. The children spoke Spanish, and we only knew a few words. We taught the kids to play “Duck, Duck, Goose” or “Pato, Pato, Ganso”. They loved to play freeze tag, especially if Miss Tiffany was tagging or tocar (spanish for touch). We played other games, danced, sang songs, and colored with the children.

The children were generous even though they had little. One child gave me one of his candies, another one a homemade donut, confetti-pica-pica-(after putting it on my head), and another one brought me a popsicle

It reminded me of the story in Mark 12:41-44, about the poor widow who gave all she had with her two small copper coins. These people are very generous with what they have. It was convicting to me. Do I give to others in the same capacity? 

The Guatemalan people also have a strong sense of community. When one little girl fell, all the little children surrounded her to hug and comfort her. They looked out for me, the stranger in their village. Some barbed wire had fallen near my vicinity, and the children pulled me away. They moved the barbed wire back and placed a rock to secure it. 

On our last day, one of the children asked for my address to write to me and told me she would miss me. It blows me away their love for people they had just met. A reflection of the way God calls us to love others. These reminders touched my heart deeply. In Guatemala, the water is not safe to drink. The homes are often dirt floors with metal sheets for roofs. The average salary is less than $10 a day. That salary is for the whole family. There are many other resources the people need. This trip taught me to be grateful for everything and to recognize all God has given me. I also learned to love others more in the way Jesus calls us to. Continue to pray for the great people of Guatemala!

We have people here in our community that need to be served and loved. The Prom Closet is still collecting donations and volunteers. This event is Saturday, April 1st, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The last day for students to sign up for this event is Saturday, March 17th. We have three boys in need of suits. We will now take donations of dress pants and dress coats. We currently have 22 students signed up for prom attire. Thank you for helping us provide for these students. Call Tiffany at the church office for any questions. Let us pray that students will leave this church feeling the love of Jesus.

FIRST YOUth

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who took one of the envelopes from our YOUth Wall of Support Fundraiser. If you took an envelope and have not returned it, please bring it to worship and drop it in the offering plate or one of the metal offering wall boxes. You can also mail it into the church, or if you’ve misplaced it, you can find the number you selected and contribute online here:

bit.ly/firstyouthwall23

At the beginning of February we had a High School Sabbath Retreat, where we took 4 high schoolers on this specific retreat for to learn how to de-stress, rest, and not be so dependent on their devices. One of the youth said “I felt very connected to nature and to the people around me. I realized that electronics are more of a burden to my life and hold me back from doing the things that I enjoy”.

We’ve also had great discussions about friendships, enjoyed watching the Super Bowl together, and had a self guided worship focusing on how God loves us.

We are taking 12 youth to Veritas March 3-5 at a big, United Methodist Youth event where we will worship and connect with youth from all around the state. It should be a great weekend!

YOUth MARCH

March 3-5: Veritas in Rogers

March 5: NO Sunday Morning Small Group

4:30-6:45pm Sunday Night YOUth. We are going to play pickleball (and learn how to play for those of us that don’t know)! $10.

March 12: 10am Sunday Morning Small Group. 5-7pm Sunday Night YOUth. Dinner, Worship, Small Groups, & theme of Amazed.

March 13: 6pm High School Out ‘N Eat @ La Huerta on Old Greenwood. 

March 19: NO Sunday Morning Small Group or Sunday Night YOUth

March 19-24: Spring Break Mission Trip to New Orleans

March 26, 10am: Sunday Morning Small Group. 5-6:30pm Sunday Night YOUth @ Gusano’s Pizza. $5

UMCOR SUNDAY MARCH 19

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is a world-wide relief agency that is one of the best in the world and a source of pride for the United Methodist Church. Through disaster relief and recovery efforts, the ministry of United Methodists is felt all over the United States and the globe. This year, on UMCOR Sunday, March 19, we will take a special offering for two significant humanitarian crises that are currently receiving UMCOR attention. Both Ukraine and Turkey have suffered disaster recently, Ukraine from the war, and Turkey from the massive earthquakes. 100% of our donations will go to the International Disaster Relief Fund, from which these two nations are helped. If you would like to contribute, place a designated gift in the offering plate on March 19, mail a check into the church, or give through the giving portal on the church website.

MUSIC DEPARTMENT

The Concordia Choir has performed to very large, appreciative audiences four other times at FUMC in Fort Smith--1999, 2004, 2013, 2018. Founded in 1920, Concordia is one of our nation’s finest a cappella choirs, tours nationally and internationally and has performed in nearly every major hall in the U.S. The Choir’s many recordings are distributed nationwide and on iTunes making it one of the top-selling college choirs in the U. S. Don’t miss this beautiful concert in our beautiful sanctuary! Invite your friends! If there is a need, we will bring tickets to your group!

Tickets are available in the FUMC office M-F 8:30-12:30, 1:30-4:30.

Our new Logo represents a community of ecumenical Widows holding hands while helping each other travel our new road with the love of our spouse in our heart.

Next River Valley Widows Group gathering is Thursday, March 9 @ Noon

Lunch will be corned beef, cabbage, carrots, new potatoes, cornbread and bread pudding.

Our program will be 

===STITCHES ETC===

Have clothes that need altering?

Raise/lower hems?

Too big /small? Most all clothes can be adjusted.

Would you like to redesign clothing favorites?

Shorten sleeves /make a vest from a jacket.

Do you need clothing repaired?

 Dolores Chitwood will share her Tailoring /Shopping guidance with us.

 You are invited to bring one piece of clothing

to get her advice.

For more information email Gail Oakes at RiverValleyWidowsgroup@gmail.com

Or call 479.459.0479

In spite of snow, sleet, rain, and wind, Pacesetters have continued to meet at 10:00 in the Fireside Room the first and third Friday mornings for Fun, Food, and Fellowship.

In January Rosemary Ayers and Lynda McDaniel provided materials and direction for making pine cone/peanut butter bird feeders, and Rev. Steve Poarch, St. Paul's UMC, took us along vicariously with a film presentation of his recent mission ministry to Tanzania. Photos of the Tanzanians, as well as the safari animals he encountered, were heartwarming and exhilarating.

We celebrated February as the month of love, learning that Valentine's Day did not begin as the lovey-dovey holiday we know now.  Music Man Ben regaled us with Frank Sinatra love songs, and those caught "holding the bag" got to test their knowledge of Valentine trivia.  Rounding out February, viewing the movie "One Special Night" we watched the love story of a retired construction supervisor and pediatric cardiologist unfold after a chance encounter during a blizzard.

March promises Dulcimer music and film clips from the August 2023 Fort Smith Film Festival. Join us and stay for lunch.

IN OUR PRAYERS

Loss of Loved Ones:

• Dennis Stricklin - brother of Sandra Adams.
• Heather Glasgow - mother of Jeremiah and Joshua.
• Mary Ellen Jesson -

IN MEMORY OF:

Mary Wheeler Brown

Janice Powell

Ron May

Larry & Nancy May

Robert & Patricia Hitt

Betty Pence

Jack & Louanna Green

John & Garnet Watts

Harry & Nancy Robinson

WestArk Church of Christ

Robert & Judy Dawson

Don Smith

Matthew & Jan Whitt

William & Mary Cooper

Kelly & Marilyn Newton

Jean & Kim Bercher

Jimmie Sagely

Robert & Mary Young

Richard & Jan Beauchamp

William & Bonnie Smets

James & Nancy Llewellyn

Nancy Wenderoth