First United Methodist Church Winnsboro

IT’S BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON! August-September is a season of transitions as vacations wind down, school shopping gears up, calendars get busy again and Labor Day inches closer reminding us that summer is over. Thanks to all of you who are giving beyond your regular giving to serve the kids in our community! Your gift cards, children’s socks, and undies will go directly to the counselors who KNOW what is needed and who needs it so please bring your donations by the church office or to the ice-cream social by THIS Sunday, August 11.

I hope many of you got to meet CHUCK ROY on Sunday. Chuck is the editor of the Community Chronicle, a monthly newspaper that is distributed through six east Texas counties, reaching about 14,000 people. Many of us met him at the grape harvest; and he came this past Tuesday, then again on Sunday, to prepare for an article he is writing for the August edition on our FARM to COMMUNION TABLE. It’s been a pleasure getting to know Chuck, and I asked him to leave some of his papers and magazine so you can see how “healthy” it is. Not only do the publications use high-quality paper, recruit good advertisers, and have amazing editorials, stories, and articles written by talented writers, their ENTIRE focus is on GOD, FAMILY, and COUNTRY. (And you’ll also see Chuck’s passion for cooking in some great articles for “foodies.”)

BLESSING of the BACKPACKS, this SUNDAY, August 11, 10:50 a.m. ~ Please forgive me for not announcing this sooner, but wow, school goes back on August 15th??!! Please have the kids bring their backpacks on Sunday, and we’ll pray for THEM and bless their backpacks!  

CARE TEAM MEETING ~ Wednesday, August 7, 1:30 p.m., Asbury Hall ~ This is an AMAZING place to serve, even just a little, if you’d like to really make a difference! Communion servers, once a month on the first Sunday to our homebound and assisted living centers, writing cards and notes to those on our prayer chain, delivering a Wednesday night meal to someone who may be eating a frozen dinner otherwise, checking in on pets if someone is in the hospital, etc. Please come ~ we’ll be having a special communion service together!

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN ~ Thursday, August 8, 10 a.m. in Asbury Hall ~ Come connect and serve with other wonderfully mission-minded women of the church. You’re all invited!

BACK TO SCHOOL ICE CREAM SOCIAL ~ Sunday, August 11, 5:30 p.m., Wesley Hall ~ The Family Ties Class is working hard to make this a GREAT night so bring some ice cream, dessert or your favorite topping, and come celebrate (or mourn!) that school is starting back! This is the last day to bring your gift cards, socks, and undies.

MEN ~ Let us sponsor you on your WALK TO EMMAUS ~ September 19-22 ~ I hope you’ll pray about how this time away might impact YOUR faith journey! Application is attached and assistance may be available but please don’t wait to register!

WOMEN ~ The last Emmaus Walk of the year for you is October 17-19. And since this, too, is the last walk of the year at a BEAUTIFUL time of year to get away, please don’t wait to register as the Walk will fill up!

WEDNESDAYS kick back in gear on August 21! Who might YOU invite to come to be part of this awesome new season of Fellowship? 

*Fellowship Meal, 5:45-6:30 pm ~ Our kitchen team is hard at work preparing menus for our AWESOME Wednesday night time together! 

*Desserts ~ Dinner wouldn’t be the same without our incredible homemade desserts and thanks to Bettye Gilbert for coordinating our desserts. She writes to us all: Dear FUMC Members, It is time to add our help to the wonderful volunteers who will be preparing our Wednesday evening meals. I need volunteers to sign up to bring two (2) desserts for the same week each month through May 2020. Remember that if you have need of a substitute, I can get a substitute or take care of it myself. lf you wish to volunteer, please send me an email or call me at 903-342-6698. It is a wonderful thing to add to the meals that are lovingly prepared for the Church Family.

What Happens When I Die? 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. ~ Immediately after dinner, we’ll talk about part 1 of what happens when I die, using the scriptural references to heaven so don’t miss it! August 21, we’re talking about heaven; and August 28, we’re talking about hell.

Our new worship series continues this Sunday with a look at the TRUTH THAT MATTERS in the movie, The DaVinci Code. See you on Sunday!

Debbie Lyons, Pastor

First United Methodist Church Winnsboro

301 Church Street, Winnsboro, TX. 75494

CLICK HERE for our Facebook

CLICK HERE for our website

(903) 342-6172 (TEXT 972-896-5254)

From a production company standpoint, making faith-based movies is a risky decision and this is PROBABLY why there aren’t many good Christian movies out there! But there are a lot of movies that are NOT “faith-based films” that cause us to think … to reflect … to digest some very Christians messages, and that’s what we’ll be talking about on Sundays this August. Those of you who voted picked some VERY challenging films and don’t worry, you don’t have to have SEEN the movies to be totally engaged in the message! This Sunday we’ll talk about the SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. We will also be bringing our FARM to COMMUNION TABLE experience full circle as Mary and Brad share the juice from the grapes we harvested last week!

VACATIONING THIS SUMMER? You can still be “in” church with us! The message is broadcast LIVE at a little after 11 a.m. every Sunday, or you can watch ANY sermon, ANY time whenever you want! Just scroll through your Facebook to the SUNDAY you want, or … if you’d rather LISTEN while you drive, you can also LISTEN on the website to any sermon ANY time! You can even keep up with your giving while you’re gone by going to the website HERE … isn’t technology incredible???

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT A TRIP TO THE HOLY LAND? Have you considered how walking the ground that Jesus walked might impact your faith? How praying the Lord’s Prayer on the Mount of Olives would change the way you pray that prayer forever? Can you imagine reading the scriptures from your Bible in the VERY places that those events happened or how having communion in the Garden Tomb would change YOUR first Sunday forever? I have had several people ask me about putting together a group to go to Israel next year. Might YOU be interested? You might be thinking, “I can’t afford to go!” or “How much walking is there?” or “Is it safe?” If you might be even be remotely interested, please let me know! I have led four groups to the Holy Lands, and I’d LOVE to share this faith changing experience with you. If I don’t know the answers, I know where to go to get them!  EMAIL me!

WE’RE SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS! We’re collecting gift cards for our counselors (they know what the kids need but don’t get) and children’s socks and underwear (brand new, in package) ALSO for the kids going back to school who may not HAVE new undies otherwise. If bringing gift cards, we can keep a record IF you make sure the amount and your name is on the envelope please. LAST DAY: Sunday, August 11

WE ARE TESTING A NEW PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE ~ Shiela Haynes has been helping me edit and update the website, and I am so VERY grateful! She has added a new page with current events called HAPPENING NOW. Check it out here! And there is also the CALENDAR if you’re looking further out.

HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR AMAZON SHOPPING TO SMILE.AMAZON.COM yet? PLEASE DON’T SHOP ON AMAZON WITHOUT SELECTING First United Methodist Church Winnsboro AS YOUR CHARITY. The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to US! IT DOESN’T COST YOU A THING!!! Instead of signing into your account at Amazon.com, sign into your account on smile.amazon.com, and search for First United Methodist Church WINNSBORO! Certain items are not eligible for the gift and will not result in donations, but MANY are! It’s really easy. Once you sign up for FUMC to be your charity, you’ll see it in the upper left hand corner of your page so just be SURE you sign onto the SMILE page!! https://smile.amazon.com/

READY FOR YOUR WALK TO EMMAUS? There is only ONE men’s and ONE women’s walk left this year, so please get your application back to me ASAP so I can help match you with a sponsor. Walks are held at the Lone Star Baptist Camp (about an hour away). We will leave Thursday at 5 p.m., and come back home Sunday about 6:30 p.m. SCHOLARSHIP MAY BE AVAILABLE, so please ask me if you need some assistance with the registration!

Men’s Fall Walk, Sep 19-22, 2019

Women’s Fall Walk, Oct 17-20, 2019

THIS SATURDAY ~ EXPERTS WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SINGING VOICE! Saturday, August 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ~ What a FUN Day this will be to get some professional coaching and have lunch ($20), AND there’s a FREE concert Saturday night at the Winnsboro Cultural Arts Center! Go and bring back those great voices to PRAISE GOD!!  Call for details: 903.342.0686 

COME BE PART OF OUR CARE TEAM! WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1:30 p.m., Asbury Hall ~ How can we love God by CARING for others? If you can write greeting cards (we have the cards and stamps!), serve communion once a month to those who can’t get to church, deliver a meal or two to folks recovering from surgery or stays in rehab, watch a pet while someone is in the hospital, then you can help! Many thanks to Angie Hollingsworth who will be coordinating the WHO-WHAT-WHERE-WHEN people need things. Call her if you have questions: 903-850-2373 or email: allray@suddenlink.net   COME JOIN US!! 

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN ~ Thursday, August 8, 10 a.m. ~ Come hear a great speaker and fellowship with other women!

BACK TO SCHOOL ICE CREAM (and dessert) SOCIAL ~ Sunday, August 11, 5:30 p.m., Wesley Hall ~ The Family Ties class is coordinating this traditional event and it’s also the deadline to bring your school gift cards and/or children’s socks/underwear. There are sign-up sheets for ice cream, dessert or toppings in the choir hall, front lobby, choir and Sunday school classes. Can there EVER be too much ice cream or desserts?

SEE YOU SUNDAY!

Debbie Lyons, Pastor

First United Methodist Church Winnsboro

301 Church Street, Winnsboro, TX. 75494

CLICK HERE for our Facebook

CLICK HERE for our website

(903) 342-6172 (TEXT 972-896-5254)

You do NOT have to have seen these movies for the sermons to have an impact on your faith. I’ll be giving the recaps, playing the trailers and also playing appropriate clips. Some of these movies are rated R but don’t worry, the messages will ALL be G rated! If you do want to watch them, or watch them again, you can find them all on YouTube, Amazon Prime, NetFlix or a variety of other video services, most for $3.99. I always look forward to beginning a new series so get ready for God to ENTERTAIN you in August!

GRAPE HARVEST and STOMPING, this Saturday, July 27, 7 – 11 a.m. (come and go) at Mary and Brad’s Vineyard ~ It’s going to be a GORGEOUS morning, starting with lows at 70 and highs at 91 so come join us! I spoke with Mary and Brad on Sunday, and it sounds like the harvest will go QUICKLY on Saturday so if you want to be part of the experience, they suggest getting there no later that 9:30-10 a.m. MANY THANKS TO KEN ATKINS who will be making his famous barbecue chicken, Mary and Brad are making a brisket and if you’d like to bring a side dish, please contact Mary! Stomping will take place as soon as the picking is complete, and lunch will then be served (maybe by 11am??!!) so don’t miss it! Harvest buckets and forks are provided, but you will want to bring sun protection, wear a hat, and wear clothes that you don’t mind getting stained red. Bring flip flops if you want to stomp! If you want to cool off in the pool afterwards, be sure to bring your swimsuit. Please let Mary know HERE if you plan to come so that they can have a rough estimate on the headcount.

Mary & Brad – Bar W Ranch & Vineyard
9502 FM 1448, Winnsboro, TX 75494
Home:  903-365-2552      Mary’s Cell:  781-248-6717
maryewhite@comcast.net

WINNSBORO PHOTO CLUB, July 29, 5:30 p.m., Family Life Center ~ Have you considered what a great opportunity it might be to invite a friend to join you?  This group is a fun, focused group so go check it out!

WOULDN’T IT BE AWESOME TO HAVE EXPERTS TEACH YOU HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SINGING VOICE? Saturday, August 3, 10 am – 3 pm ~ What a FUN Day this will be to get some professional coaching, have lunch, AND perform at the Winnsboro Cultural Arts Center ($20)! Wouldn’t it be even MORE fun, if a BUNCH of FUMC people were there together so we could bring back those great voices to PRAISE GOD???  Call for details: 903.342.0686

THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS always has details on the website … CLICK HERE

DID YOU KNOW ~ We are blessed to have some AMAZING charitable organizations in Winnsboro, and this month I want to focus on our Blessing Box (109 W Pine Street), a non-profit resale shop and food pantry that relies solely on monetary and household donations. They also offer financial assistance when funds are available. Here are some ways you can support them:

–         Shop for good deals at almost garage sale prices! All money received is put immediately back into the charity.

–         Donate your gently used clothes and household items (children’s clothing especially needed).

–         FRIDAYS: Help volunteer to take in and sort donations.

–         SATURDAYS: Help put away donations in order to convert the space back for Sunday use.

FOR INFORMATION OR TO VOLUNTEER CALL: (903) 342-5883

ICE-CREAM SOCIAL & BACK TO SCHOOL KICK-OFF: Sunday, August 11, 5:30 pm ~ It’s hard to believe but it’s already time for the Back to School Ice-cream Social!  The FAMILY TIES Sunday School class is hosting the party on August 11 and we’ll be SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS! We’re collecting Walmart or dollar store gift cards for the counselors/teachers so they can get what they need, and we’re also collecting NEW socks and underwear for children of all ages. If you want your gift cards (or designated cash) included in your giving record, be sure the AMOUNT is on your gift card and put them in a pew envelope with your name. 

PICK-UP YOUR MID-YEAR FINANCIAL UPDATES IN THE SANCTUARY ~ Interested in updates on our budget and your giving through June? If you didn’t get your envelope this past Sunday, be sure to stop in the lobby this Sunday and pick it up. If your records are different than ours, call the office please.

I can’t wait to see you all on Sunday!

Debbie Lyons, Pastor

First United Methodist Church Winnsboro

301 Church Street, Winnsboro, TX. 75494

CLICK HERE for our Facebook

CLICK HERE for our website

(903) 342-6172 (TEXT 972-896-5254)

Sunday night I took a late flight to Charlotte to spend some time with my Dad who is nearing the end of his 6 week intravenous antibiotics (heart valve infection)/rehab. The flight was quiet and dark, and I let my mind wander to MY faith upbringing and how my parents impacted who I am today. I don’t think we EVER missed church. As a young girl, I remember always having to wear a hat, which then became a veil, because head covering was a sign of respect. I also remember vividly when the offering plate would come by because before church my Dad would give us all a quarter to put in the plate. But I also remember thinking, “Why do my parents give so much money to the church when they always tell us kids we can’t even get a candy bar in the grocery store!”

I have since learned that they weren’t giving their money to the church – they were giving it to God! This story really resonated with me …

Every night a father tucked his daughter into bed and they would repeat their familiar routine. The little girl would say, “I love you,” and her dad would say, “I love you first.” One night, however, the little girl interjected a change. After hearing her father say, “I love you first,” she proclaimed, “I love you always!” And that became their new routine. Of course, the little girl grew up and is now a young wife and mother, but daughter and father continue to share these words. 

I love you first, and I love you always.

As wonderful a gift of the love between a parent and child, how much greater and more perfect is the love between God the Creator and those claimed as God’s children? This is the image of the God we worship today!! A God whose love reaches back into all our yesterdays and stretches into all our tomorrows!! A God who always loves and forgives, who is always there to guide us when we are lost, who always strengthens us when we are tired, and who overwhelms our hearts with love and grace! 

Today, many see the offering as a way for the church to collect money to pay bills and fund ministries. But at its very core, the offering is so much more! The offering is the time we are invited to proclaim, through faith, that we love God first!! We love Him more than our jobs, our assets, our possessions, our hobbies, and yes, even our families. The offering is the time we proclaim our trust in God, above all else, as we move into an unknown future or through difficult times.

It is in giving we stay connected to what is really important in life. It is in giving we define who we are. In giving, we gain a deeper understanding of the depth of sacrificial love God has for us, and it is in giving that we grow in our own personal journey as a follower of Jesus.

If you haven’t explored our GIVING page on the website, 19% of our giving is now done online because it’s so easy, and you can do it one time or make your offering recurring. And because it’s in giving we say to God and to the world those simple, yet life-defining words: “I love you first, and I will love you always,” you might find technology works for you!

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO WILL BE GIVING GENEROUSLY TONIGHT!  Tuesday, July 16, 5 pm ~ The United Methodist Women’s 150th Birthday Celebration is tonight and the Cross Strings Bluegrass Band starts the entertainment at 5 p.m., and the dinner will be at 5:45 p.m.!  Rosemary Chitsey has donated one of her BEAUTIFUL watercolors for a raffle so be sure to get your tickets, and it’s going to be a great night so don’t miss it!! (Checks can be made out to FUMC, mark UMW in the memo line.)

WOULDN’T IT BE AWESOME TO HAVE EXPERTS TEACH YOU HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SINGING VOICE? Saturday, August 3, 10 am – 3 pm ~ Don’t miss the flyer at the bottom of this email. What a FUN Day this will be to get some professional coaching, have lunch, AND perform at the Winnsboro Cultural Arts Center! Wouldn’t it be even MORE fun, if a BUNCH of FUMC people were there together so we could bring back those great voices to PRAISE GOD???

GRAPE HARVEST and STOMPING, Saturday, July 27, 7-11 a.m. (come and go) at Mary and Brad’s vineyard ~ If you missed it last year, come share in the fun and TASTE your “hard work” on communion Sunday, August 4! Because of the rains this year, this will be the only harvest and all are welcome! Stomping will be at 11 (flip flops will come in handy!), and Mary and Brad will have a brisket for lunch if you want to bring sides to share. For those who haven’t picked before, buckets and harvest forks are provided, but you will want to bring sun protection, wear a hat, and wear clothes that you don’t mind getting stained red! If you want to cool off in the pool afterwards, then be sure to bring your swimsuit. Please let Mary know HERE if you plan to come so that they can have a rough estimate on the headcount.

Mary & Brad – Bar W Ranch & Vineyard
9502 FM 1448, Winnsboro, TX 75494
Home:  903-365-2552      Mary’s Cell:  781-248-6717
maryewhite@comcast.net

THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS always has details on the website … CLICK HERE

This Sunday I’m looking forward to our Beatitudes on the PURE of HEART … IF you want to see God, THEN don’t miss it!

Debbie Lyons, Pastor

First United Methodist Church Winnsboro

301 Church Street, Winnsboro, TX. 75494

CLICK HERE for our Facebook

CLICK HERE for our website