“A Tale of Two Parades”

Matthew 21:1-11

Luke 23:26-33 

Whether the crowd is cheering or jeering, the journey is worthwhile.

Communion

In Person, Facebook Live & YouTube 

Rev. DeeDee Autry

Offertory “Bring Peace to Our World”

Rylee Norton, Soloist

Organist: Benjamin Henderson  

In Person. Facebook and YouTube @ 6pm

Rev. Bud Reeves

“Hosanna” (Praise Is Rising)

“Hosanna”

“Via Dolorosa”

“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross/Amazing Love” 

In Person,Facebook Live,

YouTube and FM 103.5

Rev. DeeDee Autry

Anthem “Hosanna In The Highest”

Offertory “Ride On, Ride On in Majesty”

Chancel Choir

Gaye Mings, Chancel Choir Director

Benjamin Henderson, Organist

DIVE DEEP INTO HOLY WEEK!

In December, one of our favorite secular Christmas songs is “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” And we do love Christmas. But for Christians, the REALLY most wonderful time of the year is Holy Week and Easter. Historically, Easter and Pentecost were celebrated from the beginning of the church. Lent came along in the second century, but Christmas was a fourth-century development. The remembrance of the passion of Jesus and the celebration of his resurrection have always been the key event in the Christian faith and in our annual rehearsal of the story of Christ.

So here we are again, on the cusp of Holy Week. It’s the most wonderful week of the year, although it is hard and painful in some respects. It’s not easy to read or watch again the gathering darkness leading to Calvary: the betrayal, arrest, trial, torture, and crucifixion of our Lord. The agony of his suffering is heart-shattering. But the Lord’s passion also fills our hearts with gratitude for the love he had that empowered him to endure the cross for our sins.

The darkness of Good Friday has to happen before we can see the light on Easter. The glory of the empty tomb shines ever more brightly because of the suffering that preceded it.  

I want you to have the best Easter possible. So I also want to encourage you to dive deeply into Holy Week. Too often we just trip lightly from Palm Sunday and the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to the bright sunshine of Easter morning and the risen Christ. To help you appreciate the Easter hallelujah, spend some time with Jesus and the disciples in the days between, in the valley between the mountaintops.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Of course, we have worship during Holy Week! Palm Sunday will include palm branches, triumphal songs, and we will begin to look toward Good Friday. On Thursday (April 6), we will have our annual Maundy Thursday service, celebrating Holy Communion and remembering the Last Supper of Jesus with the disciples. On Friday (April 7), we will read through the Passion narrative in a service of Tenebrae (Shadows) to mark the death of Jesus. Then on Easter, we start early with Sunrise service, then great celebrations of Easter in church three times. (See the schedule elsewhere in the newsletter.)
2. I also want to encourage you to spend a few minutes in the Narthex with our Stations of the Cross display Thursday and Friday, during office hours and before and after the worship services. It is a great way to remember the events of the Via Dolorosa.
3. In your private time during Holy Week, I encourage you to re-read the Scriptural narratives of Holy Week and Easter: Mark 14:10-16:8, Matthew 26:14-28:10, Luke 22:1-24:12, John 18:1-20:18. In your viewing time, watch or re-watch some movies about Jesus. IMDB.com has a list.

Maybe this sounds like “full immersion” Holy Week. Well, it is. And what better to get immersed in than the story of our Lord’s last days, crucifixion, and resurrection? I hope you will dive in deep. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Have you ever wondered what the Knitters and Knotters do? 

Maybe you have noticed on our calendar each week how they meet every Thursday morning. These ladies are committed to a very important ministry that intentionally serves others. They work on two different projects. One is taking plastic grocery bags and turning them into mats that are shared with our area homeless and are also used by children as nap mats. The other thing they make are Prayer Shawls. These shawls are intended to be used by our pastoral staff and church members as well to provide a comforting blessing to those who may be sick, homebound, recovering from surgery, have been touched by grief or loss. These shawls have a special blessing stitched to them and they have each been blessed and prayed over.

We keep these Prayer Shawls in the church office, and are available to anyone who would like to deliver one. Simply stop by the office and you will be able to choose the one you want to share with someone in need of a loving hug wrapped in prayer.

Wednesday Morning Bible Study will begin a 6 week study on April 26 at 9:30 am in the Fireside Room. The study is entitled “Acts, Awakening to God in Everyday Life” Books are available in the church office for $15.00. For more information contact DeeDee at dautry@fsfumc.org.

OUTREACH

In March, we had the opportunity to be at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education for the St. Baldrick’s Carnival. This event raised funds for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which researches cures for children diagnosed with cancer. Some of the students raised money by shaving their heads if they reached a certain amount raised! Our booth made green cookies for the St. Patrick’s Day theme. We enjoyed being a part of a great cause! 

Prom Closet donations have been going well. Thank you to the congregation that has donated to this special event. At this time, we have 35 students signed up and over 160 prom dresses. The closet still needs men’s shoes in sizes 10, 11, & 14. We also need a size 50 men’s dress coat. Please bring donations by the church office. The donation link is below for monetary donations. Our team is excited to serve the students in our community. Our goal is for each one to leave feeling confident and loved!

FIRST YOUth

March 3-5 was a great weekend at Veritas for our YOUth and adults. Veritas is a statewide United Methodist Youth event for youth in grades 6-12. It was a weekend filled with worship, great messages, time meeting other youth, a quick trip to Crystal Bridges, and a time of lunch with 70 other youth from the Northwest District. Our group also had some time to make school supply kits that were to be distributed around the state. We had a great group go, who all had a good time, plus it was the first Veritas for most of them. Big thanks to Kimberly Swaim and Erin Bouxsein for helping chaperone.

YOUth APRIL

April 2: 10AM Small Group

2:45-5PM YOUth Mission helping @ FUMC Children’s Spring Fling

April 9: 10AM Small Group

No Sunday Night YOUth

Monday, April 10: 6PM High School Out ‘N Eat @ Tacos 4 Life

April 16: 10AM Small Group

5-7PM YOUth Snacks & Game Night

April 23: 10 AM Small Group

5-7PM YOUth Dinner, Games & Small Groups on Idols

Monday, April 24: 6PM High School 

Out ‘N Eat @ Ed Walker’s

April 30: 10 AM Small Group

5-7 PM YOUth Dinner, Games & Worship

Join us for 

Young Adult Happy Hour

as a time of connection, conversation, plus free appetizers.

Contact Brandon at bbates@fsfumc.org if you have any questions or to give a heads up that you’re coming.

MEDIA DEPARTMENT

Hello church family! In order to serve our Sunday school and small groups better, I have created a tech form request to make sure the media equipment and training needs are met on Sunday mornings. Forms can be filled out on the church website or hard copies can be found in the church office. Contact Trevor Hardcastle with any questions, thardcastle@fsfumc.org or 

479-785-5068.

SYMPHONY ON THE GREEN

We’re partnering with the University of Arkansas 

Fort Smith to present a FREE concert to the community April 1st on the UAFS Green!

Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy a spring day with the Symphony and our friends at UAFS.

UAFS Student pre-concert: 3:30pm

Fort Smith Symphony: 5:00pm

You have several options:

Meet at Golden Corral @ 3:30pm

  (for a “Dutch Treat” early dinner).

If you just want to ride with us, meet us in Golden Corral parking lot at 4:15pm (Van will leave parking lot at 4:30pm).

Meet us at UAFS.

NEXT MEETING

Thursday, April 13 • Tech Support • FLC 3:30pm

PLEASE NOTE

This is our tech support gathering with Northside High School teacher and students.

BRUNCH

Saturday, April 15, 2023 • 10:00am

Fireside Room • FLC

RVWG Book Club

Movie Day

Where the Crawdads Sing

Tuesday, April 18th • 9:30am

Fireside Room • FLC 

Movie will start @ 9:45am

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

Or call 479.459.0479

March Pacesetters meetings brought dulcimer music, good ole’ Methodist singing, St. Patrick’s Day fun facts, and information about Fort Smith’s own August International Film Festival, and a stroll down North 16th Street to the early 1900s when our church’s benefactor Miss Agnes Oglesby and her friend Ed Louise Ballman graced the neighborhood and local social and cultural occasions.

No matter what the program, Pacesetters always share lively talk, laughter, song, prayer, and spiritual connection. A connection that carries us through the days of our lives.  

Pacesetters is a fun-loving, caring group that is eager to welcome new friends.

We meet the first and third Friday mornings from 10:00-12:00 in the Fireside Room of the Family Life Center. Please join us and stay for lunch. 

IN OUR PRAYERS

Loss of Loved Ones:

• Steve Kavanaugh - brother-in-law of Carole Beattie (George) and uncle of Lisa Evans (Larry).

IN MEMORY OF:

Mary Wheeler Brown

Ruth Davis

Suzy Stosberg

Michael Willis & Lori Hardin

Dennis Stricklin

Jim & Pat Bolin

Betty Pence

George & Carole Beattie

Center for Hearing & Balance

Richard & Jane Hinkle

Michael Willis & Lori Hardin

The Jim Glidewell Family

Ann Scott Winters

Jim & Jane Walcott

David & Leanne McClanahan

Fran Bateman

Rebecca Taylor

Lana Gately

Jack & Louanna Green

Larry & Janet Nelson

Gary Hammer

Mark & Julie Twyford

David & Leanne McClanahan

Gene & Teija Nelson

Mary Ellen Jesson

Rebecca Taylor

Craig & Nancy Wood

Jack & Louanna Green

Courtney Dunn

Chloe Kirksey

Patricia Janes

Robert & Nadine Miller

Clay & Lynn Gilliland

John & Harriet Beasley

Michael Willis & Lori Hardin

Richard & Jane Hinkle

Rex & Ginger Terry

Discussion SS Class

George & Carole Beattie

Janice Powell

Kirk & Heidi Dougherty

David & Leanne McClanahan

Bryn Bagwell

Don A. Smith

Ann Smith

Harry & Nancy Robinson

Marilyn & Kelly Newton

Riley Beneaux

Walter & Lynette Woodie