WELCOME TO FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WINNSBORO!

All are welcome at Winnsboro’s First Church so dive on in! We are a warm and welcoming congregation where you can meet people, celebrate life, grow deeper, stronger in your faith and turn energy into action that transforms the world. EVERYONE is invited and if you’d like us to meet you at the door, email us HERE and we’ll be there! 
 
Sunday Morning Worship
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

10:50 a.m.

 
CLICK HERE to go to our FACEBOOK page for updates and to
watch past Sunday services and/or devotionals.
CLICK HERE to go to YouTube for
past Sunday services and/or devotionals.
 
Looking for a Sunday Small Group?
 

We’re easy to find in Winnsboro!

 

6-2-20 FUMC Update

Posted on Jun 2, 2020 in HomePage |

It was an almost PERFECT new day on Sunday with beautiful weather and so many people (56!) gathering together to worship God, celebrate our seniors, and remember the power of Pentecost! The only thing that could have made it PERFECT is if everyone could have been there!  But alas, we know this time will come!
 
Thanks to Ken and Elaina Ragsdale for hosting our beautiful worship and to Kade Martin for helping with all the set-up! These three amazing people have been with me on Sundays all through the COVID-19 shut down and I am more grateful to them than they will ever know!  
 
REMINDER, the Picture Directory is Online ~ If your information is not correct, please let us know as we will be updating it in the next week or so.
 
ZOOM BIBLE TALK: Wednesday, 10 am ~ It’s all about Daniel 3. Come join us!
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 451 285 222 Password: 486447  
 
SUNDAYS in JUNE WE’RE BACK IN THE SANCTUARY, 10:50 AM! Thanks to everyone who has RSVP’d and let us know you’re coming! I know how strange it is to only have 40% occupancy in the sanctuary and to have to wear a mask in and out, and ONLY use the main front door, but it’s a start! I support so many of you who are staying home a bit longer, and we’ll “see” you on Facebook. Be sure to sign in when you get there! 
 
SUNDAY SUMMER WORSHIP SERIES: God in the Movies starts June 14 ~ Since the movie theaters have been closed through COVID-19, let’s go to the movies together this summer! You won’t have to have seen the movies to make the sermon relevant because I’ll show lots of clips and tell the stories. We will try to pick a variety of CLASSIC and POPULAR movies where the voice of God speaks loudly and clearly! 
 
We’ll start with one of the most powerful movies I’ve ever seen: AMAZING GRACE. Based on the true-life story of William Wilberforce, a leader of the British abolition movement, Amazing Grace chronicles his epic struggle to pass a law to end the slave trade in the late 18th century. Along the way, Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) meets intense opposition from members of Parliament who feel the slave trade is tied to the stability of the British Empire. Several friends, including Wilberforce’s minister, John Newton (Albert Finney), a reformed slave ship captain who penned the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace,” urge him to see the cause through.
WANT TO WATCH IT?  Amazon Prime or YouTube $3.99
 
SUNDAY in our SANCTUARY … God is making all things new!
Pastor Debbie

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5-25-20 FUMC Update

Posted on May 26, 2020 in HomePage |

It’s a NEW day!
 
For the last few months we have made adjustments to change the way we worship, study, serve, and pray together because our buildings have been closed and our activities have been postponed. We’ve all had to learn new things, and we’re STILL learning new things (as you could see by the glitch in broadcasting our sermon yesterday … you can watch on Facebook HERE.)
 
Now … we’re learning NEW ways to gather again!
 
Yes, it will be different for a little while (see attached guidelines). We will be staying 6 feet apart from each other, we won’t be shaking hands or hugging each other, inside we will be wearing masks in and out of our seats,  we won’t be hanging out in close crowds before or after worship or Sunday schools, we’ll be squirting our hands with Purell, we won’t be singing together for a few weeks, and MANY of our friends will not even be joining us yet! 
 
But it IS a new day because this Sunday we will begin to gather again! This Sunday is also Pentecost Sunday, the new day that Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to be with us through the end of time. And it’s a new day for our Seniors who are graduating! How appropriate that our first day back will have LOTS to celebrate!
 
THIS SUNDAY, MAY 31 ~ 8 a.m. at the Ragsdale’s Home, 270 CR 4228, Winnsboro  ~ WEAR RED! Thanks to all who have let us know you’ll be there (it’s not too late – we’ll bring chairs for you!) We’ll be celebrating PENTECOST and recognizing our three seniors:
Julian Anaya, Landry Deaton, Grant Newton
From the intersection of Church Street and West Broadway, travel west three blocks to FM 852 West. Turn left (west) on FM 852. Go 2 ¾ miles. Turn right (north) on County Road 4228. Go 1400 feet to 270 CR 4228 (driveway on the right; stay on the pavement, don’t go past driveway on dirt road; there will be orange arrows on the county road and driveway)
 
 
TUESDAY, MAY 26, Facebook Devotional, Jeremiah 1: Excuses, Excuses, Excuses ~ While getting ready for our Bible study on  Wednesday, I became fascinated with this incredible prophet who led me to explore why we make excuses NOT to follow God’s will. The video will be on Facebook before noon and the audio will be on the website by Tuesday afternoon. 
 
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, ZOOM Bible Talk, 10 AM ~ CLICK HERE for the calendar with sign-in instructions. If you haven’t given ZOOM a try, please join us through the summer as we dive DEEP into the chapters that help us connect the overall picture of the Bible. This week we’ll meet Jeremiah, known as the WEEPING Prophet or the RELUCTANT Prophet, and we’ll look at WHY God’s will and our CHOICES matter.
 
SUNDAY, May 31, 8 AM ~ Ragsdale’s Home
SUNDAY, May 31, 10:50 AM ~ Facebook LIVE with Bishop McKee
 
SUNDAY, June 7, 10:50 AM ~ Partial Worship in the Sanctuary, Doors will be open at 10:20 AM ~ Thanks again for letting us know you’ll be here as seating will be limited to keep 6-foot distances. WE WILL ONLY BE USING THE FRONT DOOR on Elm/Church Street, so if you are able, please park leaving the spots closest to the front door for others. (NOTE:  Facebook LIVE will ALWAYS be broadcast live too!)
 
DO YOU NEED A FACE COVERING?  We have men’s, women’s, and children, so please call the office if you need one! Love offerings welcome! (903) 342-6172   
 
I had a wonderful SHORT trip to NW Arkansas this weekend to have some amazing mother-daughter time and see my grandchildren. I always love coming home but I must admit, this time was hard leaving. I continue to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY, that you all remain safe and well, and that this virus is controlled and, ultimately, destroyed!
 
Pastor Debbie

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5-21-20 FUMC Reopening Plan

Posted on May 21, 2020 in HomePage |

The Church Council met this week and we’re very excited to SLOWLY but SAFELY begin partial gathering!
Details are on the attached document and I, for one, hope these restrictions will NOT have to be in place for a long time! 
 
Here are the important dates:
 
May 24, 10:50 a.m. ~ Memorial Day Worship, Facebook Live
 
May 31, 8 a.m. ~ All Church OUTDOOR Worship at the Ragsdales (270 CR 4228, Winnsboro) ~ If you have not yet let me know, please REPLY to this email and let me know how many chairs you will need or if you will be listening in your car. MANY THANKS to the Ragsdale family for sharing their home and beautiful meadow with us!
 
May 31, 10:50 a.m. ~ Facebook Live Worship with Bishop McKee
 
June 7 and ongoing in Phase 2, 10:50 a.m ~ RETURN TO THE SANCTUARY ~ We will worship together in the Sanctuary (and Facebook LIVE)!  Please reply to this email and let us know if you’ll be attending so we know how to seat people! I truly do recognize how sitting in the same seat every Sunday is part of the comfort in coming to church and sitting with your pew neighbors. Please know we want to get back to “normal” as soon as possible; but in this interim, please be kind and supportive of the amazing ushers who are willing to work very hard to seat as many people as SAFELY as possible.  
 
ARRANGEMENTS FOR PHASE 2 of Returning to the Sanctuary ~ Again, we hope these adjustments will NOT be “forever” but we hope that being together will far outweigh the minor safety inconveniences.
 
Here is a recap of what you’ll want to know ~
 
1. If you are 65 or older and/or have any underlying health conditions, we will support your decisions to stay home until you feel safe. We will continue Facebook LIVE and ZOOM Wednesday Bible studies at 10 a.m., so please make decisions that are best for YOU! (See CDC guidelines here.)
 
2. I want to thank Trustee Chair Danny Moss and Custodian Deloris Loftin who are doing everything they can to be sure everything is disinfected and that we will be separated by 6 feet to keep everyone safe. 
 
3.  I also want to thank Worship Chair Penny Boice and Communion Chair Sue Gross and ALL of our wonderful ushers who are working hard to make sure worship is joyful, sacred, and SAFE! I hope we will all come to worship cheerfully and leave worship inspired by God, but we will come and go wearing masks, and we will be seated and dismissed without gathering before and after church. (If you need a mask, let me know. We do have some children’s masks too!)  An usher will squirt your hands with disinfectant when you arrive and seat you, maybe not in your regular seat, and help you leave safely by row squirting your hands as you go.
 
Again, details are attached and please let me know if we have any questions. We will do the best we can with what we know at the time and as we know more we will try to do better! We will weather these changes TOGETHER, just like we have in the last two months since COVID-19 forced us to close our buildings … because … 
 
GOD IS WORKING FOR GOOD! 
 
Stay well and HAPPY MEMORIAL WEEKEND!
Pastor Debbie

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5-18-20 FUMC Quick Update

Posted on May 18, 2020 in HomePage |

MAY 31, 8 a.m. ~ ALL CHURCH OUTDOOR WORSHIP AT THE RAGSDALE’S! It’s a NEW DAY, and we’ll worship together for the first time since March 8! EVERYONE WEAR RED as it’s Pentecost and Senior Recognition day! As you may have heard me say in worship yesterday, the Ragsdale family wants to make this easier for everyone by bringing all the chairs for us to be able to sit together in family groups, 6 feet apart. If you want to remain in your care, we will be directing the cars to come close enough to hear. BUT PLEASE REPLY TO THIS EMAIL and let us know if you will be coming so we know how to set up for you.

 Will you be attending worship at the Ragsdale’s on May 31? Yes or No?

If you are coming and don’t need chairs, will you stay in your car?

How many chairs will you need? 

MORE UPDATES COMING THIS WEEK ~ I’m sure you’re anxious to hear how Governor Abbott unveils the next steps of re-opening today. And like me, you’re hoping to hear GOOD NEWS about how COVID is affecting our State. I just checked our local health agency NET Health and see that Winnsboro still only has three cases, 18 total positive cases in Wood county, and 11 of those 18 have recovered, praise God! You can see local updates on the NetHealth.com website.

The Church Council will be meeting on Tuesday night and formulating guidelines for what our PARTIAL return on June 7 will look like. So you’ll be getting another detailed email later this week. Until then, I want to reiterate that we will continue to do worship on Facebook and ZOOM Bible studies even AFTER we can start gathering physically again. So please make wise decisions for you as we recognize that people over 65 or with high-risk conditions should stay home and we will SUPPORT your decisions!

BIBLE TALK ~ Studying the Bible’s Biggest Ideas, 10 a.m., Wednesdays, on ZOOM ~ May 20, Isaiah 53: The Real Face of Jesus ~ Let’s bring the Bible to life! Let’s bring the characters to life! Let’s study the most essential chapters of the Bible in a deep, intentional way so we can connect the dots between the lessons taught thousands of years ago and the realities of life today. This study will continue through July on ZOOM, and each lesson will stand alone so commit to every week or join when you can! While you may not think ZOOM is the best way to go, it is the safest right now, and you’ll be amazed at how “connectional” it can be! We’ll use the screen to make the key points visible and use break-out rooms for small group conversations when needed. This invitation will be good for every week we meet so download ZOOM now and connect with us through the summer! 

Please read Isaiah chapter 53 and then join us this Wednesday: CLICK HERE for joining instructions!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS COME THROUGH THE MONDAY DRIVE-THROUGH ~ As the weather is getting warmer, today was our LAST drive-through and I can’t begin to THANK all of you who came to see me. You have given me so much strength and JOY! This is not to say we won’t do it again as things change, but for now my heart is grateful to all of you!

DO YOU OR YOUR KIDS NEED A MASK? As our small groups are returning, and when we return to the sanctuary, we will likely be continuing to wear masks, at LEAST in and OUT of the buildings. Please contact Deanna at fumc-winnsboro@suddenlinkmail.com if you want to make arrangements to pick a mask/s up. (And yes, we do have some children’s masks!)

THIS SUNDAY is MEMORIAL DAY! Join us at 10:50 a.m. on Facebook for worship! If you want to LISTEN to our Tuesday devotionals or Sunday sermons, as you know, go to the website .

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Pastor Debbie


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5-12-20 FUMC Update

Posted on May 12, 2020 in HomePage |

I can’t tell you how great it has been to see some of our small groups coming back. Family Ties has started back slowly, and the Quilters have started back slowly. Family Ties is meeting in Wesley Hall on Sundays at 10 am and there is plenty of space to join them while maintaining 6 feet apart. Coffee and Conversation is ALSO making plans to start back, and Amy Moss said they’ll meet in FLC if they have to so there will be enough distance for people so contact her for details on their plans.
 
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Penny Boice, our Worship Chair met with Sue Gross, our Communion Coordinator, to explore safe ways we may be able to have communion when we gather again. Penny will also be in touch with all of our ushers this week to see who is comfortable coming back to church in June.  We will have a meeting together in the third week of May and Penny will be letting you know the day.
 
Please hear me clearly … WE DO NOT WANT ANYONE COMING BACK WHO FEEL THEY ARE VULNERABLE! (Click here for CDC details.)
 
We will take as many and MORE precautions to keep everyone as safe as possible, but the CDC recommendations still apply. I really do mean this. I will support whatever your decision you make whether to continue to worship at home, come to church, or to go back and forth depending on how you feel on any given day! After Governor Abbott’s press conference on May 18, your Church Council will meet next week to reassess our Phase 2 opening plans and provide you with lots of details. Stay tuned and pray!
 
May 13, JOIN OUR WEDNESDAY ZOOM BIBLE STUDY AT 10 AM ~ 
To join us click this link: 
Meeting ID: 451 285 222
Password: 486447
OR 
CALL IN: 1- 346 248 7799 US 
Meeting ID: 451 285 222
Password: 486447
 

May 17, THIS SUNDAY, OUR “FLASH MOB PRAYERS” will be for our local merchants and businesses. We will park in the parking space on Main Street, and gather in front of First National Bank to pray, pray, pray!

 
May 18, MONDAY DRIVE THROUGH LAST DAY ~ This Monday will be our LAST drive through as the weather gets warm and we begin to shifts gears back to transitioning between doing both online and sanctuary worship.  
 
TODAY’S FACEBOOK DEVOTIONAL and SUNDAY’S AUDIO is on our website ~ click here to listen.
 
EXCITING UPCOMNG DATES ~
May 31, 8 a.m., Worship at Ken and Elaina Ragsdale’s home

June 7, 10:50 a.m., Those wishing to come back to the sanctuary can and online worship will continue.

 
CDC COVID 19 Symptoms andTesting: CLICK HERE
First United Methodist Church Winnsboro
301 Church Street, Winnsboro, TX. 75494
CLICK HERE for our Facebook
CLICK HERE for our website
 

(903) 342-6172  (PASTOR EMERGENCY or TEXT 972-896-5254)


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