THIS SUNDAY
October 4, 2020
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The Power of Words
The Word Above All Words
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Facebook Live and In-Person
Rev. Roy Beth Kelley
“Mighty To Save”
“Future/Past”
“Who You Say I Am”
“Gracefully Broken”
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Facebook Live, FM 96.7, and In-Person
Rev. Roy Beth Kelley
Anthem: “The Word of Life”
Communion Anthem: “Shout for Joy! The Lord has Let Us Feast”
Keely Sattazahn, Gaye Mings, Breck Cogswell, Soloists
Nancy W. Vernon, Organist
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JUST THE SAME...ONLY DIFFERENT
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When I was a child, between allergies and childhood illnesses, I spent a great deal of time at the doctor’s office. One of the things I enjoyed about my doctor’s office was the back issues of Highlights magazine that always sat on the tables in the waiting room. I don’t know why my mother never subscribed to the magazine; it had all kinds of games and puzzles and activities for kids. One that really frustrated me, however, was a game that involved two intricate pictures, and the task was to find the differences between the two pictures. I would puzzle over those pictures and never find as many differences as they said there were.
As we move into the seventh month of dealing with the pandemic, we are well into trying to figure out how to do church in this changed environment. The picture has changed, but we are still discovering all the ways it is different--and we will be for some time. But a picture is beginning to emerge of the shape of ministry in the future. Many of these changes were coming anyway, but the pandemic has accelerated the changes. As we look at the church in 2021 and beyond compared to the church in 2019, what is different, and what is the same?
The faith we hold dear is the same. The Christian faith, communicated through the Scriptures, articulated in the historic creeds, and taught by the church for generations is still the core of our spiritual life. Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture, the Trinity, the sacraments, the resurrection, eternal life--none of that is going to change. We are still Christians, and still Methodists.
The way we live out our faith will not fundamentally change. We will still practice the means of grace to grow in our discipleship of Jesus: prayer, worship, Scripture study, the sacraments, Christian fellowship, acts of mercy. We are still called to love God and neighbor. There may be some new ways we do some of these things, but the Christian life will not be that different.
Our church will still be all about relationships--to God through Jesus Christ, to our brothers and sisters in the church, to people in the community whom we seek to lead to Jesus. Even in this moment when we are not able to be present with one another physically, how we connect with each other is of utmost importance.
Our mission will not change. We are here to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We are here to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world, to serve others and to lead the lost to Christ. Nothing changes that.
So what will be different moving forward?
The new way of doing church will require more initiative and responsibility. It was so easy BC (Before Covid) to just come to church, go to Sunday School and worship, maybe come on Wednesday. You could plan on being fed (spiritually and often physically) just by walking in the building. From now on, you are going to have to make some effort to be Christians, church members, and growing disciples. Much of our ministry will be happening outside of our walls (“The church has left the building!”). Parents will have to make an effort to connect their children and teenagers with our opportunities for young people. They are still happening, but at odd times and often by Zoom or done at home with materials we provide. Adults will have to make an effort to be present with their class or small group whenever they meet, to engage in service opportunities, to volunteer in various ministries. It’s all still there; you just have to be responsible to make it happen.
In the future, we will all have to cultivate flexibility. We have had to do that so much anyway in the pandemic. Almost everything is different in some way. It will be so with the church. Activities will be scheduled at different times. Classes and opportunities will happen at the church, in homes, in public places, or online. Worship schedules have changed and may change again. Task groups and committees will meet by Zoom, probably even after they don’t have to any more. Church will not be the same every week or as orderly as it used to be. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it will require flexibility.
We will use and depend on technology more and more. I am a recovering technophobe myself and take pride in not knowing any more than I have to know about anything technological. But I have been forced into a rapid learning curve on technology. It was coming anyway, but online services, learning opportunities, and meetings will continue. We will have to broadcast a high-quality digital worship experience. Being fully informed will require participation in email and social media. We live in an increasingly technological world, and it won’t go in reverse after the pandemic. We will continue to care for and minister to our members who don’t do technology (We will still mail you a newsletter!), but the digital age is a fact of life.
I believe the church that thrives in the near future will be the church that keeps the right things the same and yet adopts the changes that are already here. It’s kind of a scary time, but I believe it is also a time of great opportunity. We can embrace it, because as Paul told Timothy, “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” Maybe God is going to use this time of upheaval to bring about a great spiritual revival in our land. I want to be on that bus!
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Senior Pastor
breeves@fsfumc.org
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I received my Masters of Divinity at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Although I was required to earn at least ⅓ of my credits in person, the biggest part of my theological education happened online. I know it sounds impossible and kind of crazy, but what a great experience it was! I was able to really get to know my classmates and professors through video conferencing and completing interactive online assignments. We attended weekly spiritual formation classes, and we worshiped together. We prayed for one another, we learned so much, and many of us became life-long friends.
It really is possible to build community online and to grow in faith through digital platforms. That is where the FSFUMC Online Campus comes in. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to realize something we should have paid attention to a while ago: online options can be a vital tool to one’s spiritual development. The online Campus is the printing press or television of our day. So, why wouldn’t we use it to accomplish our mission of telling others the Good News of Jesus?
The first step in creating the Online Campus, a private Facebook group, is live now. If you haven’t already joined the group, just click the picture above or go to -
The second step in creating the online campus is modifying the church website so that online options are clearly listed there. The idea for both platforms is that anything you might do inside the walls of a church, you would also be able to do with the online platforms. We will provide resources for people to pray and be prayed for, to worship, to be part of a small group and to study Scripture individually, to serve the community and to learn to live as generous people. We will provide a way for people to connect with a pastor, with other believers, learn about the church and profess their faith in Christ.
The Online Campus is not meant to replace our physical campus, and we continue to hope for the return to fully in-person options for worship, study and fellowship. However, we know that online options will only enhance and expand what we can accomplish as God’s people. So, would you do three things?
1. Join the FSFUMC Online Campus Facebook Group.
2. Invite your friends and family to do the same, especially if they are not connected to a church. (Although we can be someone’s “second church.” ...or third…)
3. Pray for people to experience the power of God’s love through the Online Campus.
I am praying that the Holy Spirit uses the Online Campus to bring renewal, revival and salvation to many people, including you and your family.
Peace,
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Executive Associate Pastor
rbkelley@fsfumc.org
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Who is Jesus? For many young people, this is a hard question to answer. That’s not because they’ve never heard anything about Jesus, but rather, many teens find themselves in a culture where Jesus is increasingly controversial. Even making objective claims about Jesus, such as “he was a man who lived in the 1st century,” is difficult for some teens.
The youth of our time, whose generation is known as “Gen Z”, have a worldview that highly values inclusion and individualism. They are sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others, which is great when the sentiment has its roots in sympathy, but when taken too far, it makes young people wary of asserting any one view as right or wrong. This has created a collective aversion to causing offense. Gen Z finds themselves in an environment where dialogue between people with different thoughts devolves into monologues about tolerance.
So how do we have effective youth ministry in a culture that is increasingly suspicious of the church, the Bible, and Jesus himself? How do we fight the temptation to forfeit our walk with Christ for fear of causing offense? How do we courageously carry the message of the gospel, and live a life that convinces others of the Way?
Fortunately, we have a Biblical precedent. It’s time for Christians to adopt the mindset of an exile.
When the Israelites were sent into exile in Babylon, several things happened. Many Israelites conformed to the culture of Babylon. They ate what Babylonians ate, they wore what Babylonians wore, and they worshipped what Babylonians worshipped. They fit in. Other Israelites put on a full revolt. They foolishly fought the Babylonian invasion tooth and nail, only to meet their own demise. Yet there was a third way. Read these words from Jeremiah 29:
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel,
says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:
“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce... Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
The “third way” is the way of the exile. We are to simultaneously seek the well-being of the world we are in while maintaining our allegiance to God. We are to be both loyal and subversive. There is much more to this conversation, but for now, I’d like to challenge you with this: will you model the way of the exile for the next generation?
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Director of Youth Ministries
mmings@fsfumc.org
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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN FIRST KIDS?
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Children's Book Club has been going on each Friday since May. We are in need of more readers, so if you would like to read a book to posted on Facebook, please let Kelly DeSoto know!
Each week, Carey Reeves and Breck Cogswell have been hosting Club 56 Celebrate Wonder Zoom Sunday School and Club 56 Midweek Check In Chat.
1st-4th Graders have received their Takeout Church 2.0 pizza boxes with all kinds of fun things from Sunday School lessons to Flat Jesus! But Flat Jesus isn't just for 1st-4th Grade, He is for EVERYONE! Wouldn't it be awesome to flood Facebook with pictures of our whole church doing things with Flat Jesus?!?!? If you would like a Flat Jesus, please let Kelly know!!
3rd Grade Bible Presentation will be coming up very soon! More information to come next week!
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Kelly DeSoto
Interim Children's Director
kdesoto@fsfumc.org
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FUMC FOUNDATION AWARDS COMMUNITY GRANTS
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For the second year in a row, the First United Methodist Church Foundation has awarded grants to 17 deserving community organizations. These partners in ministry share the love of Christ in many ways, from feeding programs to hygiene to child care to foster children to the homeless. Through these grants, the ministry of FUMC reaches out beyond our walls to impact thousands of lives in the Fort Smith community. All together, the grants total $100,134.21. Our Community Grants for 2020 go to:
· Antioch Youth and Family, for a commercial freezer for their food pantry-- $8,000.00
· Community Services Clearinghouse Back Pack Program, for feeding school children--$7,500.00
· Casa Volunteer Training, for volunteers who work with foster children--$2,860.00
· FUMC Child Enrichment Center, for Christian day care ministry--$25,000.00
· Community Rescue Mission, for a walk-in refrigerator--$10,000.00
· Community Service League, for Hygiene Project for youth--$1,500.00
· Fort Smith Schools Friday Closet, for weekend needs for kids--$1,344.00
· Good Samaritan Clinic, for flu shot program--$7,500.00
· Gregory Kistler Center, for Covid-related repairs--$1,150.00
· Hope Campus, for mental health curriculum resources--$2,000.00
· Interfaith Community Preschool, for early childhood education--$5,000.00
· Lincoln Childcare, for air conditioner repair--$2,780.21
· Methodist Village, for staff child care during pandemic--$10,000.00
· Next Step Day Room, for homeless housing program--$4,000.00
· Sack Lunch Program, for adult milk program--$3,000.00
· Salvation Army, for family food boxes--$4,000.00
· Single Parent Scholarship Fund, for food stipends for students--$4,500.00
The FUMC Foundation is an endowment fund that supports the ministry of First United Methodist Church by providing ongoing, perpetual funding for its facilities, operations, programs, and missions. For more information about contributing to the endowment or including the Foundation in your estate plan, please contact Rev. Bud Reeves or Mrs. Patti Cox, Executive Director of the Foundation (pcox@fsfumc.org).
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BIG NEWS FOR IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICES!
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Our first two weeks of in-person worship services have gone very smoothly. We are monitoring and tweaking to make the experiences as positive as possible. Look for new things as we move along. At the same time, we are maintaining our safety standards, primarily to require masks, social distancing, hand sanitizer, and a more structured attendance procedure.
However, we have been informed by our bishop that we may now welcome as many worshippers into our in-person worship services as our space will hold while still maintaining social distancing. In the Great Hall for the Connexion service, this means we can have 126 in attendance. On the Sanctuary floor, we can accommodate 82. (We can accommodate 104 more in the balcony, but we will wait until we need that much seating before we open that up.)
Therefore, we are doing away with making reservations for worship. Judging from our first two weeks, we will have more than enough room for those who want an in-person worship experience. If you feel like coming to church, just come! Arrive a few minutes early, because there will still be a check-in procedure (although we are also relaxing the requirement to take temperatures).
We will still continue online and radio services for the foreseeable future, so be sure to join us that way if you don’t come in person.
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Loss of Loved Ones and Friends:
- Vernon “Bud” Cooksey—Husband of Joyce Ann Cooksey, Father of Suzanne (Neal) Cowne, Grandfather of Megan and Troy Cowne and Greyson Goodfellow
- Phillip and Mary Hill—Brother and sister-in-law of Martha and Charles Paris, Uncle and Aunt of Chip (Elizabeth) Paris, Steven Paris, and Mandy Paris
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Sunday, October 4
8:30 am Cornerstone Class, Zoom
9:30 am Believers Class, Outside at 2720 Lela Street
9:30 am Connexion Worship, Facebook Live and In-Person
9:45 am Roundtable Class, Zoom
11:00 am Sanctuary Worship, Facebook Live, FM 96.7, and In-Person
5:00 pm Club 56, Zoom
5:00 pm First Youth, Zoom
5:00 pm Staff Parish Relations Committee Meeting, Zoom
Monday, October 5
2:00 pm Staff Meeting, Zoom
6:00 pm Troop 2 Girls Weekly Meeting, 3rd Floor
7:00 pm Boys Troop, 3rd Floor
Tuesday, October 6
9:30 am Card Class, Loft
Wednesday, October 7
10:00 am Casserole Group Cooking, Aldersgate
5:30 pm Evening Prayer, Facebook Live
6:30 pm Club 56
Thursday, October 8
10:00 am Casserole Group Cooking, Aldersgate
5:30 pm Card Class, Loft
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Church 2.0
Worship - We will celebrate Holy Communion this week. If you are worshiping online, please prepare your altar with bread and juice. Those worshiping in person will be given prepackaged wafer and juice to receive at their seats.
Service - See "Feed the Fort" info on next page. Also, if you would like to serve within the church, we are looking for servants for the Guest Services Team.
Small Groups - Are you looking for a small group? Groups are forming right now! We have a day time, in person group forming to study Tom Berlin's book Reckless Love. There are FREE books still available. Also, you should definitely sign up for the "Higher, Deeper, Broader Discussion Guide" that arrives in your email Sundays at noon to help you dig into the scripture and sermon topics for the week.
Prayer - Anyone interested in learning how to pray with prayer beads and making your own set?
We are just an email away....rbkelley@fsfumc.org or ethames@fsfumc.org
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FEED THE FORT: FOCUS ON FOOD AT FIRST
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Food at First has provided food to those in need since 2011. This mission was started by Nelson and Dottie Kimes, Connie Adrion, Sheri Cole and Glenda Brown. This group had been a part of the Angel Food Project and when this mission came to an end the group decided to begin a new feeding mission. Food at First has provided food to families at Bost, Arkansas Family Supports and individuals that qualify for assistance. Families receive a box of food containing meat and some vegetables. Boxes are given to families for a very nominal fee or they are free. Due to changes brought about by The COVID pandemic, the ability to distribute food boxes became a bit of a challenge necessitating a need to decrease the number of food boxes that were normally purchased. Food at First will continue purchasing 20 boxes a month to distribute to Arkansas Family Supports and individuals or families at the church that may need help, especially during this difficult period of time. If you know someone that could benefit from a box of food, please contact the church or email Elizabeth Thames at ethames@fsfumc.org.
In addition to continuing this mission, the Food at First Committee has decided to begin making a monthly donation to the Community Services Clearinghouse. This donation will purchase boxes of food for cancer patients. The Clearinghouse provides food to approximately 375 cancer patients and their families on a weekly basis. If you would like more information on how you can help with this mission you can contact Pattie West at pattie.west@csclearinghouse.org.
#feedthefort
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INGATHERING 2020: FEED THE FORT
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In an effort to keep everyone safe, Ingathering 2020 will look a little different …but the excitement and service opportunities are still amazing. Saturday, November 14, 2020 has been declared the "Northwest Arkansas Day of Giving" with several ways that you can participate. This year we will focus on feeding ministries in 5 areas around our district. These sites were selected strategically to support areas where the need is great. We will be taking all of the food bags that we collect here at FUMC Fort Smith to Mission UMC in Fort Smith. Drop off your food bags to the church by Thursday, November 12. We will take the food to Mission UMC on Saturday between the hours of 9:00am-noon. Food bags should consist of the following items:
40 oz. Peanut Butter
2 boxes of Mac and Cheese
32 oz. bag of Rice
32 oz. bag of beans
(2) 32 oz. Shelf stable milk*
2 cans of chicken
Suggested cost: $15
Can be found cheaper at Dollar Tree
So encourage your Sunday School Classes, small groups, UMW Circles and family members to start putting together Food Bags. We will also have a friendly competition between UMM and UMW to see who can bring in the most bags.
If you are not able to make bags, monetary donations can be made to one of the following:
*Mission UMC Fort Smith
*UMCOR(to help restock PPE supplies they had to use from onsite kits)
*Arkansas Conference Disaster Relief to help build a centralized storage/staging facility in Conway
If you have any questions, please call the church or email ethames@fsfumc.org
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Director of Adult Discipleship
ethames@fsfumc.org
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In Memory of:
- Carolyn James by Mike and Susan Schulte
- Betty Jo Bostick by Disciples SS Class
- Annette Phillips by Rev. Aaron and Nell Barling
- Don Foree by Dwight Curry
- Cynthia Galloway by Rev. Aaron and Nell Barling, Kelly and Marilyn Newton, Ann, Jason and Adam Ridener
- Larry Clark by Jack and Louanna Green, Thomas and Jane Foltz, Johnny and Cathy Holland, Brad and Melissa Arterbury, Bill and Debbie Thomas, Fred O. Williams, Gary and Linda Winton, Suzanne Henson, Marlin and Janet Fretheim, Jack and Mary Jane Freeze, John and Jayne Alford, Bob and Janice Powell, Gary and Amy Grimes, Paul and Pamela Latture, Sue Cooley, Morgan and Margaret Bryant
- Susie McOlvin by Mary Kay Aclin, Nancy Baker, Bob and Janice Powell, Roundtable SS Class, Jerry and Susan Schulte, Morgan and Margaret Bryant, Jack and Louanna Green, M. L. Yantis
- Brittany Huggins by Morgan and Margaret Bryant
- Betty Gedosh by Morgan and Margaret Bryant
In Honor of:
- Ed and Jeanne Starr by Floyd and Judy Bradberry
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PASTOR ON CALL
M-F 8:30 AM-4:30 PM: (479) 782-5068
Weekends and Evenings: (479) 459-5060
When there is a hospitalization, a death in the family, or any other time you may need urgent pastoral care, we encourage you to use these numbers. The pastors rotate on-call responsibilities to assure that one of them is always accessible.
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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-4:30PM
Closed for lunch 12:30PM-1:30PM
SUNDAY SERVICES
- 8:30AM Cornerstone and Roundtable Sunday School Class, Zoom
- 9:30AM Believers Sunday School Class, 2720 Lela Street
- 9:30AM Connexion, Facebook Live and In-Person
- 11:00AM Sanctuary, Radio broadcast on 96.7 FM, Facebook Live, and In-Person
WEDNESDAY SERVICE
- 5:30PM Evening Prayer, Facebook Live
- 6:00PM Chapel Class, Zoom
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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.
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