Feb 2016 Tower - Blytheville First United Methodist Church

47
56
52
62
53
15,929.26*
5,252.96*
15,085.69*
8,705.40*
5,274.43*
39,628.42*
8,301.00
44,830.44*
8,685.44*
12,525.15*
* Includes Special Accounts
UMW Recognition
The Arkansas Conference of United Methodist Women
recognizes the UMW Unit of Blytheville First United Methodist Church as a member of the National Charter of Racial Justice Organization. Congratulations, UMW!
Youth Family Meeting
Save the date! A Youth Family Meeting is scheduled for
Sun., Feb. 7, at 1:00 p.m. (immediately following the Souper Bowl of Caring lunch). We will discuss Veritas and
other youth activities.
BLYTHEVILLE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
OUR VISION:
A body of faith transformed by grace and empowered
by the Holy Spirit, building the community of God
by sharing the authentic presence of Jesus Christ.
OUR MISSION:
We are making disciples who
make disciples.
First United Methodist Church
33
701 West Main Street
Blytheville, Arkansas 72315
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-3:00
52
Fax: 870-763-3235
Phone:870-763-3351
Web: www.blythevillefumc.org
Email: [email protected]
Our Ministry Team
Pastor……………………………………………………………………...Dr. Robin Moore
Church Administrator………………………………………………………Missy Langston
Communications Specialist…………………………..………………..……Jennifer Woods
Facilities Coordinator…………...……………………………………………Donna Gentry
Treasurer……………………………………………………………………...Diana Holmes
Music Minisries………………………………Liz Smith, Gianluca Strazzullo, Davy Cook
Organist Emerita………………………………………………………...…Frances Jackson
Childcare Providers..………………….Allison Predmore, Mary Herron, Nellie McLemore
Stephen Ministers…………………………Anna Belle Bracey, Kay Caffey, Kathy Conley,
Peggy Kenner, Laura Martin, Susan Parker, Becky Williams
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Our Congregational Mission: The Mission of First United Methodist Church is to make
fruitful disciples of Jesus Christ through the practice of radical hospitality, passionate
worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission, and extravagant generosity.
OUR GIFTS:
Nov 22
Nov 29
Dec 6
Dec 13
Dec 20
Dec 27
Jan 3
Jan 10
Jan 17
Jan 24
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COME JOIN US IN WORSHIP AND SERVICE.
OUR PRESENCE: Where were you?
Week of Nov 23-29:
Worship: 143
Sunday School:
Week of Nov 30-Dec 6: Worship: 173
Sunday School:
Week of Dec 7-13:
Worship: 165
Sunday School:
Week of Dec 14-20:
Worship: 148
Sunday School:
Week of Dec 21-27:
Worship: 254
Sunday School:
Week of Dec 28-Jan 3: Worship: 138
Sunday School:
Week of Jan 4-10:
Worship: 129
Sunday School:
Week of Jan 11-17:
Worship: 156
Sunday School:
Week of Jan 18-24:
Worship: 159
Sunday School:
701 W. MAIN STREET, BLYTHEVILLE, AR 72315
VOLUME 2016
LENT: Getting Ready for Easter
The penitential season of Lent is a fascinating
time in the church year that we Protestants are
really only just beginning to fully appreciate. The
name “Lent” comes from an ancient word that
meant “springtime.” Lent begins on Wednesday,
“The Day of Ashes.” This year, that day falls on
February 10th, when we – and other traditional denominations observe the occasion with a special
worship service during which we place the ashes
of palm fronds in the shape of a cross, as a sign
of our repentance, on the foreheads of those in
attendance. This year, the members of First
Christian Church will join us for this special service. Also, we will observe during worship a Burning of Burdens. All who come forward for the sign
of the cross are invited to also bring personal
notes of confession to God and place them in the
receptacle, where they will be offered up to God.
As we currently observe it, Lent lasts forty days,
Ash Wednesday until Easter, exclusive of Sundays. The early church celebrated just the few
days before Easter, but over the centuries, the
season grew until it was several weeks long. In
the seventh century, the church set the period of
Lent at forty days to remind people of the duration
of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness.
What does Lent mean for us today? It is still the
church season in which we look within and adjust
our spiritual relationship with God as we prepare
for Easter Sunday. It is a special time of prayer
and reflection, of confession and self-denial, a
time of spiritual cleansing. As a newspaper columnist said sometime back, Lent is "An Excuse to Be
Better."
NUMBER 02
January 28, 2016
Dear Friends,
Years ago I taught Sunday school to a wonderfully
gifted group of youth. I was pleased when, invited by
the preacher, they unanimously agreed to help lead
Sunday worship one morning by reading aloud a
rather complicated and dramatic harmony of voices.
They had more than a month to prepare. Plenty of
time, right?
We held rehearsals Sunday afternoons at 4, and ate
supper together afterward. It was great! Their enthusiasm grew the more we practiced. Finally, the bulletins were printed with all of their names listed. One
youth member even designed the cover for that bulletin! The night before our appearance, I called and
reminded each one to set their alarms. “9:45 in the
Youth Room,” I said, “for a warm up.”
The day arrived. I remember sitting with my own
children in the Youth Room looking at my watch
thinking, “I may be a little fast.” But by 10:00, only
two more kids had come. I parked them in various
offices armed with phones and the numbers of their
cohorts. Terrified by my threat to make them appear
without the rest (and the assurance from my kids
that I would actually do that), the four were more
than happy to oblige. “Miss Robin says, ‘GET HERE
NOW,’” they said. “She doesn’t CARE if you haven’t
had a shower.” At five minutes before the 11:00 service began I had 14 (out of 18) disheveled, miserable young people gathered. “What’s going ON?” I
asked. “You were so excited about this!”
One of the girls, a 7th grader named Margaret,
sighed. “Miss Robin, do we HAVE to do this in front
of everybody? Because I think it was the idea we
liked.” I tried very hard not to squeeze too hard as I
put my arm around her and smiled sweetly. “No,
Margaret. You don’t HAVE to do this. You WANT
to. Now let’s go.“
(Cover article is continued on back of calendar.)
PRAYER CONCERNS & PRAISES
Carolyn Brock
Jack Jackson
Jeremy Bennett
Lou Little Smith
Sarah Moore
Annette Crabb
Becky Williams
Kyra Young
Jeff Nicholson
Duncan Thompson
Nettie Jarrett
Ada Buchanan
Susan Baugh
Tate Williams
Ralph Todd
Michael Sanderlan
Jack Dillard (Kathy Conley’s father)
Denise Houge
Phil McCarty
Robbie Butler (Cecelia Wiktorek’s daughter)
Mary King (Nellie McLemore’s friend)
Ron Williams
Sharon Gilmore
Robert Byerley (Toby Rix’s father)
The Lillie Braswell Family (Tamny Parchman’s mother)
Joe Braswell (Tammy Parchman’s father)
Leah Smith (Witt & Patsy Smith’s daughter-in-law)
Mark Dotson (Beverly Garner’s cousin)
Harper Jayne Lyttle (David Lyttle’s granddaughter)
Judy Moore
Carol Glidewell
Ora Lee Gorman
John Ed Goodman
The Vaughn Jerome Family
Dena Vaughn (Trey Townsend’s friend)
June Ray (Rhonda Jordan’s mother)
The Virginia Fisher Family
The Pat Singleton Family
Current names will be listed four consecutive weeks.
Please call the church office at 870-763-3351 to
retain names longer or to provide other names.
If possible, please provide an address for the name listed. Thank you.
Ash Wednesday
Our Ash Wednesday Service is Feb. 10 at 6:00 p.m. in
the sanctuary. It includes the imposition of ashes as an
external sign of repentance and marks the 40-day season of Lent. During the service, we will write our personal burdens on paper and offer them to God through
the Burning of Burdens. Dinner is served prior to worship at 5:00 p.m. in Wesley Hall.
Welcome, Doris Marks!
We welcome Doris Marks to our
membership! Doris joined our church
on Sun., Jan. 24, by transfer of
membership from First United Methodist Church in Forrest City, Arkansas. She is a retired school teacher
and worked for the Forrest City
School District for 35 years. She has
two children, two grandchildren, and
three great-grandchildren.
Wesley Players Spring Production
The Wesley Players are practicing
for their Spring production, Blast
Off!, by Celeste Clydesdale and
David T. Clydesdale.
Join the kids aboard the space
shuttle Discovery as they travel
through space and discover all the
indescribable things in creation
that were made by the hand of
God. With help from various stars,
planets, a cantankerous robot and
the wise and patient Flight Commander, they learn that nothing is
impossible with God.
The Wesley Players meet Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the
chapel, and they will perform Blast Off! on Wed., April 27, at
6:30 p.m.
Lenten Devotionals
Throughout Lent, you will receive
daily Lenten devotionals by
email. Devotional readings will
also be posted on our website
(www.blythevillefumc.org) with a
link to them on our Facebook
page (at “Blytheville First United
Methodist Church). Each day’s
meditation, taken from A Clean
Heart Create in Me: Daily Lenten
Reflections from C.S. Lewis, will
provide special encouragement
as you prepare yourself spiritually for Holy Week and Easter
Sunday.
Oasis Study:
New Mission Opportunity
The Call by Adam Hamilton
The BFUMC Miracle Team
has adopted the Literacy
Project as one of their two
local mission emphases
(the other being the
Food4Kids collection).
Where Food4Kids addresses short-term needs,
the Literacy Project is our attempt to address the longterm needs of generational poverty. This multi-phased
project includes tutors who will go into local schools to
help one-on-one with reading and comprehension.
Additionally, we are working with the Mississippi
County Literacy Council to assist with adult reading.
Join us beginning Wed., Feb.
17, for our next adult Oasis
study, The Call: The Life and
Messages of the Apostle
Paul, by Adam Hamilton.
Class meets at 6:00 p.m. in
the parlor. Books are $14,
and we will place the order
one week before the start of
class. Call the church office
at 870-763-3351 if you’d like
a copy.
Follow the journeys of Paul,
beginning with his dramatic
conversion, as he spread the
Gospel through modern-day Greece and Turkey. Travel
to the early church sites and explore Paul’s conversations with the Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians,
Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians.
In this five-week study, experience faith through Christ’s
greatest teacher and missionary.
Looking for Something to
Give Up for Lent?
GIVE UP complaining! Instead, "In everything give
thanks." Constructive criticism is OK, but "moaning,
groaning, and complaining" are not Christian disciplines.
GIVE UP 10 to 15 minutes in bed! Instead, use that time
in prayer.
GIVE UP looking at people's worst points. Instead, concentrate on their best points. We all have faults. It will be
easier for people overlook our shortcomings when we are
willing to overlook theirs first.
GIVE UP speaking unkindly. Instead, let your speech be
generous and understanding. It costs so little to say
something kind and uplifting. If yours tends to be a sharp
tongue, check it at the door.
GIVE UP your hatred of anyone or anything! Instead,
learn the discipline of love. "Love covers a multitude of
sins."
GIVE UP your worries and anxieties! Instead, trust God
with them. Anxiety is spending emotional energy on
something we can do nothing about...like tomorrow! Live
for today and let God's grace be sufficient.
GIVE UP TV one evening a week! Instead, visit someone
who is lonely or sick. There are those who are isolated by
illness or age. Give someone a precious gift, your time!
GIVE UP buying anything but essentials for yourself! Instead, give the money to God. The money you would
spend on the luxuries could help someone meet their
basic needs. We are called to be stewards of God's
bounty, not consumers.
Our primary focus, however, is to help those who
dropped out of school get their GEDs. ANC has an
excellent GED program, but many drop-outs lack the
basic skills to qualify for entry into that program. Our
focus is to teach basic skills of reading, writing, math
and science, so these individuals will be able to qualify for the GED courses they need.
Lynn Sikes, one of our newest church members, is
spear-heading the program and writing the curriculum.
Lynn and Dr. Robin recently attended an all-day training event in Jonesboro and came back full of ideas
and enthusiasm.
If you have tutoring skills or are interested in helping
with this program, contact Lynn Sikes at 731-4459310 or Dr. Robin Moore at 870-763-3351.
Veritas
Attention all youth, 6th-12th
grade! Veritas is March 4-6, 2016,
at the Hot Springs Convention
Center. Go to our church website,
www.blythevillefumc.org, to register by Feb. 1. The $45 registration
fee is due by 12:00 noon on Feb.
15. Scholarships are available.
Meals, lodging and spending
money are provided thanks to the
Opal Hamilton, BFUMC Youth Trust Fund. Chaperones are
Lynn Sikes (our new volunteer youth director), Jenny Sikes
and Missy Langston.
For more information on Veritas, visit our church website or
the Arkansas Conference Council on Youth Ministries
(ACCYM) site at www.accym.org/veritas.