Uvalde Methodist Church

Kids Go Caroling

Wednesday, December 20th, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Drop off / Pick up in Weston Hall, Christian Life Center, use red gym door

 

FUMC Kids and friends (6th grade and under) are going to Amistad Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to sing Christmas carols door to door for the residents on Wednesday, December 20th. Children will have dinner first at 5:00p.m. in Weston Hall. Then children will ride in the church vans or with parents at 5:30 to Amistad. Children will return by 7:00p.m. for pick up by parents.

 

NOTE: Any children still needing to ride in child safety seats or booster seats must be driven by and accompanied by a parent. Additionally, one of the church vans is currently at a repair shop, so if willing parents would like to help transport children, that would be great!

 

Bring children in colorful Christmas colors or wearing Christmas headbands or hats if possible. For more information, contact Bethany Suarez at the church office at 830.278.3135.

Children are invited to our Advent festival, The Christmas Gift Shoppe, which focuses on sharing the love of Jesus through mindful giving. Participants make Christmas gifts for free, wrap or bag them, tag them, and personalize cards to give to those special people that could use a thoughtful gift. Children will be encouraged to give gifts to teachers, custodians, cafeteria workers, nurses, mail carriers, bus drivers, and other service professionals as well as friends, family, and neighbors.

Gift-making opportunities will include ornaments, jewelry, treats, and novelties. Some new gifts this year include a personalized tote bag perfect for an on-the-go librarian or principal, Kool-Aid lip gloss for the wind-swept school crossing guard, and Duct Tape pouches for the grandmother who can’t find the pens in her purse.  There will also be fun for the whole family with the nativity photo booth, gingerbread nativity building, drinking hot cocoa, playing games, listening to music, and more.

If you would like to help at a booth or donate items, please contact Bethany Suarez at the church office or fill out the volunteer / donation form.

The Christmas Gift Shoppe

December 3rd, 2:00 – 4:00p.m.

Weston Hall, Christian Life Center

First United Methodist Church, Uvalde, TX

 

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN FALL BAZAAR

Saturday, November 4, 2017

9:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Christian Life Center

9:00 – 1:00 p.m. Crafts Available for Sale

9:00 – 12:45 p.m. Silent Auction – Items May be Viewed/Bid Upon

11:00 – 12:30 p.m. Lunch Served – Sandwiches, Soup, Desserts, Drink

12:30 p.m. Live Auction Begins

 

All proceeds will go toward missions – local, state, national & world wide. Please contact Jeanette Walther, 278-7443, for further information.

FIA Participants:

 

We are really excited for Sunday!  Come dressed super comfortably wearing tennis shoes or work boots on Sunday, Oct. 22nd, at 8:30a.m.  We will worship, take communion, and be commissioned to go out to be the hands and feet of Christ during the 8:30 service.  Then, depending upon what you have signed up for or what you will sign up for, you will go to a designated site. 

 

If you know what you are signed up to do, bring any available supplies you have at your disposal, such as work gloves, sunscreen, bug spray, Epi-pen, tools, lawn equipment, cooler, etc.  If you plan on participating in a social/spiritual project like card writing, praying, visiting, cooking, etc., bring what you need for that as well.  If you need to purchase a large amount of something, call Bethany Suarez (486.7281) to arrange a tax exempt purchase.  If you would like to work with children, please see Diane Underwood or Bethany Suarez.

 

Some items that will be available to you at the church:

trash bags

water bottles

lunches

first aid

loppers

shovels

runners (people who can bring lunches, waters, more supplies or volunteers -OR- help cart away trash)

 

Before you leave for your project, you will want to give the kitchen crew a count of the number of people eating a lunch.  Be sure to offer a lunch to the people in the home you are caring for as well and then call that in to the kitchen if they say yes.  You may eat on site or take an AC break and come eat in the gym.

 

Before the end of your project, make certain to invite the homeowner or person visited to our celebratory dinner in Weston Hall at 6:00p.m.  Offer them a ride if they need one.  If they cannot make it to dinner, pray for and bless them before you go.

 

Everyone is invited to dinner at 6 to eat, fellowship, and share testimony from the day.

 

See you soon!

Children’s Sabbath is a world-wide celebration of young people every October.  First United Methodist Church of Uvalde joins in this celebration by giving children under the age of 18 the opportunity to lead our worship service through the giving of testimony, reading scripture, singing, playing instruments, praying, serving communion, ushering, acolyting, and greeting. 
The theme of this year’s Children’s Sabbath is SERVICE. At the 11:00 worship service on Sunday, October 15th, young people will focus on serving one another in Christ. The confirmation class will pledge their commitment to the confirmation journey as well. All three services will be held this day, but the Children’s Sabbath service will be held during the 11 o’clock hour.

Bring a side, salad, or dessert for a celebratory luncheon to follow in Weston Hall of the Christian Life Center. Hamburgers and hot dogs and macaroni and cheese will be provided. There will also be fun activities for the children and youth after lunch at the lot with the 3 crosses across from the Sanctuary, so they should bring a swimsuit and towel and parents should bring lawn chairs.  Young people are encouraged to bring friends.  All children are welcome!

Faith In Action News
On Sunday, check out the project poster boards that will be in Roe Foyer (outside of Sanctuary) for a list of current projects set for Faith In Action on October 22nd. If you have already filled out a volunteer form and have not already been contacted about taking on a specific job, you may find a project that has blank spaces for names underneath and sign up for that project. If you still need to fill out a volunteer form, pray and fill one out.
If you are ABLE to take on a project on the board, either take a copy of the project application or write down the name, address, and phone number of the project applicant so that you may go check out the property ahead of time. Some questions to answer: (1) how many volunteers are needed to complete the project? (2) what supplies are needed? (3) can only one part of the project be completed? (4) will you need a trailer for trash/debris?
If you are UNABLE to take on a project or be part of a work crew, is there a project you can create that utilizes your gifts and talents in the community for Christ? There is very little need to help make lunches in the kitchen (in fact, there are more signed up for that than is needed), but there are many other ways to put faith into action without physical or outdoor labor. Is there an under-appreciated group that you could do something in support of, like teachers or police officers? Are there people locally and beyond that could use encouragement? Are there people who need attention and prayer?
There is no limit to what God may want to use you for on FIA Sunday—physical strength and repair expertise are not required. For any and all projects that require purchasing supplies, speak to a FIA committee member (Caryn Goggans, Christy Faust, Steve Balke, Mark Underwood) or Bethany Suarez well in advance to find out what stores FUMC has an account with and how to purchase what is needed with tax exemption. Please do not wait until the day of as this is time consuming and some stores are not open on Sundays.
There is also a need for adults to work with children. Working with children is not limited to working with all children. Younger children could be taken to nursing homes, for instance, to read to or sing to residents. Older children could perform park clean up or cook or bake for someone. Some adults and children might like potting plants or may want to use their artistic skills to bless those in need of love.

What may God be calling you to do? You just may be adding a project to the board!

 

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

All day, every day, an invisible war rages around you — unseen, unheard, yet felt throughout every aspect of your life. A devoted, devilish enemy seeks to wreak havoc on everything that matters to you: your heart, your mind, your marriage, your children, your relationships, your resilience, your dreams, your destiny. But his battle plan depends on catching you unaware and unarmed. If you’re tired of being pushed around and caught with your guard down, this study is for you.

 

The Enemy always fails miserably when he meets a woman dressed for the occasion. The Armor of God, more than merely a biblical description of the believer’s inventory, is an action plan for putting it on and developing a personalized strategy to secure victory. (7 Sessions)

 

Features:

Bible Study Book includes 6 weeks of homework that can be completed between 7 group sessions
Includes leader helps and perforated prayer cards that can be used to develop a prayer strategy

Leader material (guides to questions and discussion with small group)

 

Benefits:

 

Author:

Priscilla Shirer is a wife and mom first, but put a Bible in her hand and a message in her heart, and you’ll see why thousands meet God in powerful, personal ways at her conferences. With a Master’s Degree in biblical studies from Dallas Theological Seminary, Priscilla brings the depths of Scripture to life. Her Bible studies span such topics as Exodus, hearing the voice of God, and biblical characters like Jonah and Gideon. She has also written many books, including the New York Times bestseller The Resolution for Women She and her husband, Jerry, lead Going Beyond Ministries, through which they provide spiritual training, support, and resources to the body of Christ. They count it as their greatest privilege to serve every denomination and culture across the spectrum of the church.

 

Details:

Wednesdays, beginning September 20th and ending November 8th, from 6:45pm-7:45pm in room 105 of the Christian Life Center.  Facilitator: Diane Underwood.  Cost of study/book: $20 (scholarships or donations possible).  Child care provided in Room B, the nursery in the Children’s Education Wing.

Buy a refreshing glass of lemonade from our FUMC Kids this Sunday, September 10th, between services in Roe Foyer and help them in their efforts to sponsor their Compassion International child, Priyakshan, from Sri Lanka.  They will be offering a sugar-free option as well.  Lemonade costs $1 and donations are always welcome. 

Sunday, September 10th, a special offering will be collected at FUMC Uvalde for those affected by Hurricane Harvey.  Special envelopes will be available in the Sanctuary for monies designated to UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief.  UMCOR provides disaster relief, food security, health and safety supplies, and much more.  Every dollar helps.  Thank you in advance.

The Lord’s Supper Wednesday Night Meal Program…………Not Just For Kids

 

What is the Lord’s Supper?

 

It sounds like communion, and it kind of is. The scripture, the food, and the fellowship we partake in is a communing of us, the body, with the word made flesh. If you are hungry for the word, hungry for homemade food, and hungry for personal interaction, then come over to Weston Hall from 5:30 to 6:30 on Wednesdays.

 

Here’s a synopsis of any given meal (disclaimer: every night is different!):
You walk into the loggia—that entry way of the Christian Life Center where the coffee and couches are—and congregate there with everyone else because no one knows whether or not they should walk into the gym yet. This is because some bible stories are best introduced there and there’s some learning or activity to do there before going into the gym. If it’s a night to stay in the loggia first, we begin setting the stage of the night’s bible story. If not, the doors to the gym open and everyone finds a seat.

 

You sit wherever you want: with a friend, with whoever you came with, or with someone that’s new and alone. Regardless of whichever space we start in, when you walk in to the gym, the presence or absence of decorations on the tables or around the room, the table arrangement, the buffet or the disappearance of the buffet are all giving you clues about the bible story for the hour.

 

The story progresses in chapters from week to week in whatever book we start the semester with, but we try to recap as much as possible so no one who missed a week feels lost. The scripture may be presented in a skit, a video, in a dramatic reading, or weaved in a variety of ways throughout the meal. You might eat right away, half way through the hour, or in increments. It all depends upon the bible story.

 

The Lord’s Supper kitchen crew prepares a salad, sides, main course, and dessert all from scratch to tie in to the bible story or theme. For instance, when we ate through Abraham’s testing when he placed his son Isaac on a heap of fire wood, we ate butterscotch pretzel ‘wood’ stacks for dessert. Or when Jacob tricked his blind father Isaac into thinking he was his brother Esau by placing hairy animal skin on his arms, we ate an appetizer of kiwi wedges and felt the hairy fruit skin on its edges. And when Jesus taught his disciples how he was the vine and they were the branches, we ate grapes and feasted on chicken in a balsamic grape sauce.

 

The story determines how we eat as well. You may end up serving others, switching your seat, giving something up, being first or last to get something, having to put food ingredients together, needing to answer a question, or wearing something while you eat. Of course, we lovingly exempt the infants, elderly, or absolutely unwilling as needed!

 

The point is this: at Lord’s Supper, God’s powerful and inspiring word is brought to life in less than an hour with whatever food and gifts we have at our disposal for the edification of the body. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what church you go to or how much or little you know God.

 

It’s my hope that this information gives you an idea of what Lord’s Supper is like so that as you pray about God’s vision for you and your loved ones’ fall schedules, needs, and ministries, you may consider whether or not eating through the bible at Lord’s Supper is for you. Either way, you all are loved!

 

Hungry for more, Bethany

 

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Susan Lovelace-Gerrish Director of Music Ministries

The Ring of Truth handbell group will resume rehearsals on Thursday, August 3, 2017. Rehearsals will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the handbell room. The ensemble will play during the worship services in September.

 

The Chancel Choir will also begin rehearsals on Thursday, August 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the choir room. This would be a good time for you to join if you have ever thought of singing with the choir. We will start working on the fall repertoire and in late September will begin rehearsing the Christmas musical, “He Started the Whole World Singing.”

 

God’s Kids will begin on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. The group meets in the choir room. Children, ages four through the sixth grade are welcome to join. We will start working on the special music for Children’s Sabbath which will be on Sunday, October 15, 2017.

News from the United Methodist Women

 

The UMW will resume meeting on Thursday, August 24, 2017. The Executive Committee will meet at 10:30 a.m. in Room 104, CLC. The unit meeting will take place in the Cox Conference Room, CLC. The ladies will enjoy a salad luncheon. Please bring your favorite dish to share.

 

The Circle of ConneXion will meet on Monday, August 28, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. The group will meet in Room 102, CLC to prepare crafts for the annual fall bazaar in November. Please call Dee Ann Dillahunty at 210-415-8217 or Toni Pope at 830-275-6324 for further information.

 

Mark your calendars! The Hill Country District UMW annual meeting will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2017. The meeting will take place at St. Paul’s UMC in Kerrville. Please call Becky Kingston at 830-591-6355 if you’re interested in attending the meeting. The group will car pool from the church.

 

 

PURPOSE

The organized unit of United Methodist Women will be a community of women whose PURPOSE is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.

“Back-to-School!”

 

The signs are everywhere. In every store, near every school, we are getting ready for school to start. I say “we” because the back-to-school time affects us all. (Please watch those school zones, and never pass a school bus with flashing red lights.)

 

It brings us a new start. We all love new starts. Every day is a new start when we think of each day as a wonderful gift of God.

 

We can also see a new start of “Back-to-School” as a new time to learn. I encourage you to learn more about God. Visit a Sunday School class, attend the Lord’s Supper, go to a Class Meeting, call me, the pastor, to start a new group study during the week. Let’s all go “Back-to-School.”

 

We have a great opportunity! Let’s Go!

 

Steve

Thank You!

 

A very special “Thank you” to the 98 volunteers whose presence was a blessing during Vacation Bible School!

 

Thank you to Pastor Steve and the Praise Band for providing praise and worship music.

 

Thank you to the congregation and community children and parents who helped raise $2,000 for Heifer International which provides livestock and plants and sustainability training to families in need around the globe.

 

Thank you to the numerous people who brought in donations and gave monetary gifts to keep the Market Place stocked.

 

Thank you to those who provided meals and cookies for the hungry volunteers.

 

Thank you for your prayers and support.

 

Lastly, thank you to Texas Farm Store for providing the Market Place pallets.

 

 

~Diane & Bethany