Uvalde Methodist Church

Tuesday, July 2nd, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Drop Off/Pick Up: Children’s Welcome Center

 

 

Children ages 12 and under have an opportunity to serve by traveling to local nursing and rehabilitation centers to sing to residents. Then children will play at the Uvalde City Pool. Children will travel in church vans. Those still needing to ride in car seats must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Children should wear bathing suits under Serve & Play T-shirts.

 

To pick up a free T-shirt prior to this and other Serve & Play events or for more information, call or stop by the church office and ask for Bethany.

FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS & STAFF WORKING IN ANY CAPACITY FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME WITH CHILDREN, YOUTH, OR VULNERABLE ADULTS:

Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church requires (every 2 years) a background check, application and approval process, and safety training through Safe Gatherings and Trusted con Confianza to ensure abuse prevention for those we serve and best practices for volunteers and staff in ministry.

 

STEP 1

Go to www.safegatherings.com. Click on the red “Get Started” button to register and create an account using your e-mail address that you may access at any time or location.

 

 

STEP 2

Fill out the online background check application. When prompted to type in organization name, begin with ‘Uvalde’ not ‘First United…’ Be sure to have 1 non-current clergy (a former or retired pastor) and 1 professional reference on hand. You will need a phone number and e-mail address for each. NOTE: please notify your references that e-mails will be sent to them so that they check their junk or spam folders.

 

 

STEP 3

Access and complete the Safe Gatherings online abuse prevention and boundary awareness training. It’s about one and one-half hours in length and covers best practices, how to recognize signs of abuse, and how to handle reporting. You may log in and out as needed if you do not have time to complete the course in one sitting. A short test is given at the end. This is all completed on your Safe Gatherings website account. If you do not pass, you will have opportunity to review the information and then re-take the test.

 

 

STEP 4

Register for and participate in a Trusted con Confianza safety training webinar held by Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. This webinar may be taken online or in person. Go to the Rio Texas Conference site to find a date for an online webinar that is suitable to you. Simply go to this address: www.riotexas.org/safetrainings/ and click on a date/location to register. You will be responsible for logging in at the time of the webinar and participating via a smart phone, tablet, or computer -or- for driving to an in-person training and signing in. The webinar lasts for 2 hours. You may also call the church to find out if there are any upcoming staff-facilitated webinars on the church calendar.

 

 

Please note that all four steps must be completed in order to work with children, youth, or vulnerable adults (per conference and church policy). Thank you for partnering with us to share the light of Christ. Your gifts, talents, prayers, resources, service, and love are needed and appreciated! ~FUMC Uvalde

Passover Seder, Lord’s Supper Style
Wednesday, April 17th, 5:30p.m. ~ 7:00p.m.
Weston Hall, Christian Life Center
R.S.V.P. requested

The Lord’s Supper crew will present a fast-paced, interactive Passover Seder during Holy Week. The Seder will include parts of the traditional Jewish order of readings, tastings, cup drinking, children’s activities, and singing but with a Christian perspective. A celebratory meal is included in the Seder, so RSVP to the church office at 830-278-3135.

In Exodus 13, God commanded his people to commemorate the Passover so that future generations would know what the LORD had done for them when he brought them out of slavery in Egypt. This is similar to Jesus’ instructions in the Gospels for us to tell others the good news of our freedom through Christ. It is no longer necessary for us to celebrate Passover because we remember Christ as the final Passover lamb when we participate in Holy Communion. Still, we connect with our Jewish brothers and sisters through the Seder when we marvel at God’s plan with the first and the final Passover. Join us!

FUMC Kids will host a drive for blood donation by adults 18 and over (who pass a brief health screening) and 16-17 year-olds who meet weight requirements and whose parents sign a consent form.  Photo I.D. is required for all donors.

 

FUMC Kids will provide and serve refreshments as well as offer family-fun activities while donors wait to give blood and while donors are recovering.

 

Sunday, March 24th, from 3:00PM-5:00PM in the office conference room there will be a viewing of the safety webinar required for volunteers who work with children, youth, and/or vulnerable adults.  This webinar is put on by the Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church.  The webinar, called TrustEd con Confianza, focuses on how churches can create best practices regarding the safety of those in their care.  This is a follow up to the Safe Gatherings course and test, and participants may ask the facilitator questions or discuss scenarios.

 

In order to receive credit for the webinar, participants must create an account (which automatically initiates a background check) through Safe Gatherings (safegatherings.com).  Those needing assistance with creating an account may come to the office conference room at 2:00PM, prior to the start of the webinar.  To create an account and run a background check, participants must have the name, phone number, and e-mail address of a clergy that knows him or her (not the current pastor) and a professional reference’s name, phone number, and e-mail address.

 

For more information or to ask questions, please call the church office at 278-3135.

A new study begins Wednesday, January 16th. Call the church office to rsvp for a book. It will be from 6:45pm-8:00pm in Cox Conference of the CLC. Here’s the study description: A 7-Session Study by Kelly Minter

Nehemiah’s heart was so broken for those in need that he left the comfort of his Persian palace to help them. This study challenges women to let God break their hearts for a hurting, lost world and move them in compassion to lead people to Jesus.

Nehemiah is a seven week study that includes seven video sessions and real-life ways to put feet to your faith. Are you ready to let God break your heart for a hurting, lost world and move you in compassion to be the hands and feet of Jesus?

This year’s UMW annual fall bazaar is Saturday, November 10th, in the Christian Life Center of FUMC Uvalde.  Do a little early Christmas shopping, get a treat for the upcoming holiday, eat lunch, and enjoy the fellowship of others!

 

Here’s the event’s timeline:

 

9:00a.m. – Doors Open

9:00a.m. – 1:00p.m. – Silent Auction

11:00a.m. – 12:30p.m. – Sandwich Lunch

12:30p.m. – Live Auction

 

Proceeds go toward UMW missions and scholarships.  Come on out!

Children’s Sabbath is celebrated every October.  It is a time to focus on young people to let them know how important they are in the kingdom, because the ministry of the church is not only the work of adults.  Do not be fooled by the word children either.  It is a celebration of everyone 18 and under.

At FUMC Uvalde, we observe Children’s Sabbath by having children and youth lead all aspects of worship.  This means that they greet, usher, sing, perform, speak, pray, read scripture, and give testimony.  Service is always followed up by a kid-friendly meal of hamburgers, hot dogs, and mac and cheese.  As this luncheon is for everyone, we do ask that the congregation bring a large salad or dessert to share.  Then, in the afternoon, there are inflatable water slides, an obstacle course, a baby pool for the little ones, bubbles, chalk, and games.  This year, we will also have an inflatable mechanical bull!

Be sure to call your kids’ friends to invite them to church on this special day: Sunday, Oct. 14th.

Beginning Wednesday, September 5th. . .

 

4:30p.m. – 5:25p.m.

Upstairs Choir Room (off of Roe Foyer outside Sanctuary)

Music Ministries Director: Susan Lovelace-Gerrish, 830-278-3135

Children Ages 5 Years through 12 Years are Welcome!

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, May 21st at 6:00P.M. is the annual Mystery Dinner in Weston Hall of the Christian Life Center.  Come, sit down, and be waited upon by helpful youngsters, and be sure to be ready to laugh and keep an open mind.  On the menu. . .it’s a mystery.  You will make selections based upon clues that don’t always pan out how you expect.  You might get a bowl of soup during the first course with only a fork to use.  You may have your dessert before the main course.  Discover the mystery and enjoy the fun and fellowship.  R.S.V.P. to the church office right away so that enough food is prepared.  See you then!

Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church requires (every 2 years) a background check, application and approval process, and safety training through Safe Gatherings and Trusted con Confianza to ensure abuse prevention for those we serve and best practices for volunteers and staff in ministry.  These are some of the areas of ministry in which background checks and training must occur: Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, Kings Kids, camps/retreats, Advent & Easter festivals, Lord’s Supper, Chrysalis, meal delivery, taking communion, home-church visitations, Confirmation Friend in Faith, 5th Quarter, H.O.T.T. Days, Faith In Action Children & Youth work, Nursery, God’s Kids Choir, Stephen Ministry, etc.

 

STEP 1
Go to www.safegatherings.com. Click on the red “Get Started” button to register and create an account that you may access at any time or location.

 

STEP 2
Fill out the online application. Be sure to have 1 non-current clergy and 1 professional reference on hand.

 

STEP 3
Access and complete the Safe Gatherings online abuse prevention and boundary awareness training. It’s about one and one-half hours in length and covers best practices, how to recognize signs of abuse, and how to handle reporting. You may log in and out as needed if you do not have time to complete the course in one sitting. A short test is given at the end. This is all completed on your Safe Gatherings website account. If you do not pass, you will have opportunity to review and re-take the test.

 

STEP 4
Attend a Trusted con Confianza safety training held by Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Two dates are currently available to attend at FUMC Uvalde: Saturday, May 12th from 9:00-11:00A.M. & Saturday, June 16th from 10:00A.M.-12:00P.M. in Cox Conference, Room 105 of the Christian Life Center. If you are unable to attend one of these trainings, you may access the Rio Texas Conference site to find a date for an online webinar that is suitable to you. Simply go to this address: www.riotexas.org/safetrainings/ and click on a date/location to register.

 

Please note that all four steps must be completed prior to working with children, youth, or vulnerable adults (per conference and church policy). Thank you for partnering with us to share the light of Christ. Your gifts, talents, prayers, resources, service, and love are needed and appreciated!  ~FUMC Uvalde

Bring the whole family to the outdoor pavilion in back of the FUMC Christian Life Center on Palm Sunday, March 25th, from 12 noon – 2:00 p.m. for food, festivities, faith, and fun.  Lunch will be provided along with opportunities to experience Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem through market activities, animals, and games.  Children will also be blessed by a Palm Sundae ice cream bar, pony rides, a petting zoo, and a piñata. 

 

Please RSVP your lunch count to the church office at 830-278-3135.

 

Hope to see you there! 

Costa Rica Mission Trip

June 16-23, 2018

Thirty plus FUMC members are expected to be part of a mission trip team to Costa Rica in June 2018 in support of the ministry of Rev. Ray Zirkel. Their mission site will be the Methodist Children’s Home located just outside the community of Coronado.

Preliminary work on the home began in 2007 and construction of the first home was completed in March 2011. The first children arrived in June 2011. Work on the second home was finished in April 2014. In just a few short weeks it too was filled to capacity.

The team will be working on a multipurpose building which will add a much needed resource (especially during the rainy season) for the home. Additional projects will include work on the administration building and the ongoing project of securing the perimeter wall. The group will host two Vacation Bible Schools during the week for 75-100 children.

Expenses to send thirty team members will be $47,000. With funds of $26,000 already available, an additional $21,000 will need to be raised to fund the balance of the trip. Each member of the trip is making a financial contribution and a fundraiser is planned for April.

If you are interested in supporting the mission team financially, please make your donation to FUMC and designate it “Mission Trip.” Your prayers and support for the team and their mission are coveted and greatly appreciated. For more information on the trip, please contact Sandra Cox at 830-486-6402 or Kay Brieden at 830-900-2129.

The Church Council heard a presentation this January from Rev. Kent Kepler who is very involved in ministry for the prisoners at the Torres Prison Unit in Hondo, TX.  Rev. Kent serves Kairos Prison Ministries which addresses the spiritual and faith-based needs of the incarcerated.  He and the others called by God to Kairos and Chapel of God’s Country Ministries have raised enough money to build the structure of a chapel, a much needed location to fit the high demand of prisoners to take part in Kairos weekends and Christian worship.  However, they need further funds to equip and furnish it.  One of the items needed for the finishing of the chapel is stained glass windows, among other items like audio visual equipment, seating, and appliances.

The FUMC Uvalde Church Council discussed the issue and it was approved that $40,000.00 for the stained glass windows be donated to help in the goal of making the chapel a sacred worship place where our “brothers in white” can come to know and dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ. 

It is exciting for us to partner in this ministry that will be a long, active ministry for years to come.

 

 

 

Often, idols are obvious—money, power, fame. But subtler idols can sometimes take the form of loved ones, Instagrammable interiors, and busy seasons of work, motherhood, or ministry. But if your heart is prioritizing any of those pursuits before God, you’re missing the unrivaled joy and adventure of Jesus being your heart’s ultimate treasure.

In this 8-session, revised and expanded study, learn to identify the functional gods you may be unknowingly serving and the lies they tell. As you dethrone your modern-day idols, you’ll be set free for the deeper, more abundant life Jesus came to give you—discovering that Jesus can do what no other god can. This study’s new content reflects how God has continued to grow, teach, and encourage Kelly Minter in her unrivaled pursuit of Him.

Join us at FUMC Uvalde for No Other Gods bible study by Kelly Minter, facilitated by Diane Underwood.

 

 

Sign up today in the church office!