August 10, 2020
MESSAGE FROM RICKY

Dear Friends,

I hope that you have seen the news we are launching a new in-person worship service starting Sunday, August 16 at 9:00 a.m.
 
We're calling it ​Sunday Morning Chapel​. Every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. we will gather in the Sanctuary for a time of worship. This will be a 45 minute service that will include music, prayer, and a sermon. It won't look exactly the same as our Traditions or Connections worship, but will be an opportunity to once again gather together for communal worship.
 
We have limited capacity so we’re asking everyone who plans to attend to either call the church office or click the registration link in the section below
to reserve a spot.
 
I also wanted to share a few key points to make sure your Sunday morning experience goes smoothly!
 
  • Only the main doors of the sanctuary, facing Hwy 80, will be open for entrance and exit.
  • Doors will open at 8:40 a.m., please do not arrive before then.
  • Our golf cart will be making its way through the parking lots if you would like to ride.
  • Temperature checks will be made at the door and anyone with 100 degrees or higher will be asked to worship with us from home.  
  • If you are feeling ill, please remain home and worship with us online. 
  • Masks are required to enter and must be worn the entire time. (We have extra if you need one!)
  • There will be plenty of hand sanitizer and we encourage you to use it abundantly.
  • There won't be nursery care or kids worship, so children are asked to stay with their family in the sanctuary for the service. 
  • We won’t pass the offering plate, but you can place your gifts in the model church at the entrance to the sanctuary as you enter or exit the service. 
  • All items in the pews have been temporarily removed, so be sure to bring your own Bible!
  • There will be no printed bulletins, but we will email out an Order of Service at the end of the week. 
  • There won’t be congregational singing just yet, but our music staff will offer special music to stir the heart and soul. 
 
Finally, we know that different people can be at greater risk than others to COVID-19. The Annual Conference has developed a simple risk-assessment scale to help you decide whether you should be gathering in crowds at this time. Click the link below to view the scale.
 
And don’t forget, in addition to our 9 a.m. Chapel we will still have our 10:00 a.m. online worship service, so if you’re not ready to return to campus, we can still worship together! 
 
Grace and Peace!
Ricky 
SUNDAY MORNING CHAPEL REGISTRATION
We are now entering into a re-opening phase which will be a 45 minute Sunday Chapel Service. This service will have limited attendance with social distance seating arrangements. A maximum of 100 people may attend. During check-in distancing will be observed.

To be able to operate under the current COVID guidelines / restrictions we need to know in advance who will be attending our services. This registration process enables us to:
  • Ensure we remain within the building’s capacity restraints.
  • Comply with record keeping so that we can undertake contact tracing if required.

Please CLICK on the registration button to attend on August 16.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this phase of re-opening in-person services.
Sunday School via Zoom
The following adult Sunday School classes are meeting on Sunday mornings:

The Beginnings 
Leader: Pam Stuart
Primarily ages 50 and older, married or single, working or retired, but ALL ages are welcome. 

The Differents
Leader: David Langston and Sandra Rushing 
Ages range from 35 to 85.

Faith and Fellowship
Leader: Anna Prestwood 
Ages range from mid 30s- mid 50s 

​The Redwoods
​Leader: Jonathan Pennington
All ages and stages. 

The Upper Room
Leader: Tim Waltman
Ages 20-retirement; couples and singles. 

If you would like to connect with a class, want more information,
or if you need a tutorial on using Zoom, contact Sharonda at Sharonda@firstmethodistclinton.org
MUSIC NOTES
Musical Compass
Music plays a big part in the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God uses musicians to work on His behalf. He uses music to call people to worship, to send them to war, to soothe ragged emotions, to ignite spiritual passion, to celebrate victories and to mourn losses. Whether you are a follower or a leader, your part is important in the family of God. Music is a tool for us to use to respond to God's call, whether by listening or singing/playing. It should be like a compass leading us to the heart of God. And that's where we always need to be, especially in these unusual days. 

Just a little food for thought during your day. Have a great week and keep singing!

In His Service, 
Tommy.
Music is a tool for us
to use to respond
to God's call ...
ANNOUNCEMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
WEEKDAY MINISTRIES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Submitted by Jamie Steadman

HOURLY CHILD CARE POSITION / JOB OPENING
Individuals will work with K through 5th grade children on a daily basis Monday through Friday starting in August. Applications which are available at the church office Monday - Friday 8AM - Noon

CALL OUT FOR CHILD CARE WORKERS
As you may have seen, the Clinton Public School District has announced its plan to restart in-person instruction for students this August. While this is good news for thousands of parents and students, the way school is beginning presents a new challenge. For the month of August, CPSD schools will meet in a hybrid format, with students only attending in-person two days a week. For the remaining three days each week, our weekday parents will need all day childcare for their students. The plan is for this to continue only for August, after which schools will return to a fully traditional schedule.

The Weekday Ministry is asking for anyone in our congregation who is willing to take a “short-term mission trip” and become a childcare volunteer to contact the main office or our director,Jamie Steadman, with your availability.

You would join a team of others providing supervision to students from Kindergarten through 5th Grade. You don’t need any prior teaching experience; just patience, the willingness to be up on your feet a fair amount, and the health to be outside for 45 minutes at a time for recess.

We need coverage Monday -Friday from 7am to 6pm, but you don’t have to work the whole day or every day. Any time you could commit would be appreciated immensely!

For a “no commitment conversation” please email or call Ricky James at
ricky@firstmethodistclinton.org or Jamie Steadman weekday@firstmethodistclinton.org. For those who are eager to serve in this way, please email Jamie with your daily availability for August 13th- August 28th as soon as possible.

With the start of school less than a month away we need to be prepared! So, let us know today if you’re able to help us out!


LAST WEEK TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS
SUZANNE ELAINE SHAW MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
The scholarship fund was established June 5, 1988 in memory of Suzanne Elaine Shaw. Begun at Epworth United Methodist Church, the scholarship was transferred to First United Methodist Clinton in 2010.

Recipients of the scholarship must be students pursuing a degree either in the medical profession or a full time Christian vocation.

A special offering each year supplements the principal of the fund. While we have been unable to hold the special offering this year, you may donate to the scholarship fund by sending your gift to the church office.

Interested students may pick-up an application in the church office or download an application [ APPLICATION ].

Return completed applications to Ricky James via email or at the church office.

Deadline to return application is August 15, 2020.
YOUTH MINISTRY
YOUTH NIGHT RESUMES
This past Sunday, youth large group meetings and small groups resumed on Zoom! In our first series of the semester, Explained, we’ll take a closer look at the documents that make up the Bible, why we trust them, how we use them and why we believe they can be trusted. This will be an awesome way to build a strong foundation for personal Bible study for our students during a time when we are not meeting together in person.

Below is our weekly schedule and small group leaders! if your student missed week one, call, text, or email Hunter Lacefield for information on how to join in next week!

United Night via Zoom Sundays @ 4:00pm
SCHEDULE
4:00-4:10 // Log-on/hangout time
4:10-4:15 // Prayer and announcements
4:15-4:30 // Message
4:30-5:30 // Small Groups in break out rooms

Small Group Leaders
HS Boys // Jake Craft and Hunter Lacefield
JH Boys // Christian Sutherland and Jake Clarke
HS Girls // Amanda Pennington, Jenna Miller, Olivia Roberts, Rachel Rogers
JH Girls // Rachel Townsend, Shreve Bland, Shelby Dean, Anna Prestwood
HANGOUT WITH HUNTER
I will be "in the office" at Cups Espresso Cafe located at 101 West Main Street from 4p-7p every Monday and Tuesday for the month of August.

Students or parents are free to call or text and schedule a time to come meet with me during these times! Be sure to bring a mask!

Also, as always, I am available to set up zoom or FaceTime meetings as well!

- Hunter
CONGREGATIONAL CARE
SHARE YOUR REQUEST
Our church continues to serve our congregation and community during this season. If you have a prayer request or if you, or someone you know, has a need complete a short request form (click on button). These requests will be reviewed by our Pastoral team.

Please review the prayer list download. If you would like to add to the prayer list please continue to use our digital form for submission which can be accessed by clicking on the link in this email or on our website.

Pastoral Care Line 601-460-0570
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
August 2020
August 2: $23,611
August 9: $24,409
Total Giving: $48,020

July 2020
Total Giving: $70,462

June 2020
​​​​June Giving: $111,851
Other Income: $9,719
Total Income: $121,570
June Expenses: $104,178
June Surplus: $17,392

2020 Year to Date
Through June
​​YTD Giving: $529,610
Other Income: $59,029
YTD Total Income: $588,639
YTD Expenses: $631,239
YTD Deficit: ($42,600)


Thank You For Your Continued Generosity!
Missed last week? You can catch up online!
August Sermon Series: The Waiting
Waiting is the hardest part life- even when we know what’s coming, and especially when we don’t. We’ve been doing a lot of waiting this year, and may have to wait a bit more, so what do we do? One thing is to look to scripture and draw strengths from the stories of God’s people who waited in hope, through prayer, and for the dawn of a new day.

August 9- Psalm 130, “Waiting for the Morning”
The Psalmist declares, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits.” The psalmist goes on to describe this waiting like a watchman looking for the dawn. In the meantime, he commits himself to studying God’s word, showing us that the strength to wait is grounded in the promises of God.

August 16- Genesis 15:2-6, “Waiting for a Sign”
When he was 75, Abraham is told by God that he will have a son. As the years (Decades) go by, he begins to doubt that God will come through on that promise. He begins to make other plans, assuming that God hasn’t forgotten, until one night God gives him a sign he’ll never forget.

August 23- John 11:1-44, “Waiting in our Grief”
When Lazarus gets sick, his sisters Mary and Martha leap into action. Faced with illness and death they do all they can, even calling out to Jesus for help. None of it work and Lazarus dies. As they wait in their grief, Jesus comes and weeps with them. But that is not where the story ends.

August 30- Acts 1:6-14, “Waiting for What’s Next”
At the Ascension of Jesus, he tells the disciples to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to give them power and direction. They return home and commit themselves to prayer. But as they tarry, someone gets antsy, and decides it’s time to act (and form a committee!)
NEED TO KNOW MORE?
The Voice is our weekly update for the latest announcements, ministry activities and event information at First United Methodist Church.
Want to know more about us? Head on over to our website, Facebook page or follow us on Instagram. If you missed last week's sermon, you can catch up by visiting our sermon archives. See You on Sunday!

We are so glad that you are interested in the ministry of First Methodist Clinton!
PASTORAL CARE INFORMATION
If you have an emergency need or need to speak
with a pastor please feel free to call.

Pastoral Care Number: 601-460-0570
Submitting information for The Voice:
Please email your submission by noon on Thursday to debb@firstmethodistclinton.org
All content submitted is subject to approval and editing. Thank you for your cooperation!