WELCOME TO FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WINNSBORO!
Reaching beyond our church walls
for those seeking a place to belong.
All are welcome at FUMC so dive on in! We are a warm and welcoming congregation where you can meet people, celebrate life, grow deeper and 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.
Worship on FACEBOOK LIVE or In-Person
CLICK HERE to go to our FACEBOOK page for updates and to
watch past Sunday services and/or devotionals.
Looking for a Sunday Small Group?
2-4-20 FUMC Update
What a joy to welcome Jessica and Jerry Hutcherson as new members at FUMC! They have recently moved to Winnsboro from the Arlington area, and they’re excited about getting involved so please welcome them!
IT’S GAME DAY! ~ This THURSDAY, February 6, 1-3 p.m., Wesley Hall ~ What a FUN afternoon we have planned to refire our Thursday with a fun afternoon of MEXICAN TRAIN. I have never played but I can’t WAIT to learn! This is a fun and easy event to invite a friend or neighbor to come to, so I hope to see you all THURSDAY!
ALZHEIMER’S EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP ~ This Saturday, February 8, 9 – 11:30 a.m., Family Life Center ~ Those of you able to attend the forum we had on Sunday morning got a mini-taste of the information available about the dementia-related disease that has become a global health crisis. On Saturday, we’ll learn more! THIS IS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, so please plan to be friendly and welcoming to people as they arrive. Let them see who the people at FUMC are all about! The events are on our Facebook page so please SHARE on your page.
ComeUnity Gathering, Friday night, February 7, Civic Center, 6-9 p.m. ~ Free dinner and concert by Chase Glover and Stacy Finley! This is not an FUMC event but I have been working on a planning team for this event to celebrate WINNSBORO and build community among neighbors and friends. It’s simply a “let’s get together,” fun night out so please come!
PRAYER VIGIL for the JOHNSON UNIT ~ This weekend the Crusaders for Christ will be entering the prison to bring the love of the Lord to men who may never have know what true love is. Prayer sign up sheets went around the sanctuary this Sunday so please mark your time on your calendar, but you can also pray ANYTIME this weekend for the Holy Spirit to be present in an OH so special way!
PLEASE BRING YOUR HYGIENE ITEMS, Wednesday Evenings or Sunday mornings before February 16 ~ On February 23, we will have lunch after church and put the kits together.
Hygiene Kit Items for Collection
* One hand towel (15×15 to 17×27 inches). No kitchen, cleaning, or microfiber towels.
* One washcloth. No kitchen, cleaning, or microfiber towels please.
* One comb, must be sturdy with at least 6 inches of teeth.
* One toenail or fingernail clipper; no emery boards or metal nail files.
* Bath-size soap (3 oz bar or larger), not Ivory or Jergen’s, do not remove from packaging.
* One adult toothbrush, in the packaging.
* Ten (10) adhesive bandages (3/4 by 3 inches), common household bandages acceptable.
* One one-gallon sized resealable bag.
UNITED METHODIST WOMEN ~ Thursday, February 13, 10 a.m. Come meet new women and get plugged into the good work they do in our community!
This Sunday we will dive into TWO of the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation as we talk about Thyatira and Sardis. At one time these churches were vibrant and alive but Jesus warned them they would face dire consequences if they continued on the paths they were going!
SEE YOU WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR DINNER, 5:45 p.m.!
Debbie Lyons, Pastor
Read more...
1-28-20 FUMC Update
I left after church on Sunday to drive up to the Prothro Center at Texoma where I have been with 39 other incredibly talented clergy and lay leaders in the North Texas Conference. We were together to interview potential clergy in the United Methodist Church through Wednesday night and it’s a true Spirit-driven process built on trust for each other and especially trust in God. Our role was to assess a person’s ability to inspire others to know and love God and discern their call to go and make disciples wherever they are asked to serve. We begin work at 7 a.m. in the morning and end in the evenings at 8:30 – 9 p.m. However, I look into the faces of the future of the Methodist Church and it makes me smile. Please pray for our wonderful new candidates who will be commissioned in June.
MEXICAN TRAIN DAY is coming to FUMC on Thursday, February 6, from 1 – 3 p.m. ~ Looking for a fun event to share with your friends? We’ll provide the snacks and multiple game tables. All you have to do is come!!
DEMENTIA? ALZHEIMER’S ~ The CDC (Center for Disease Control) identifies dementia as the umbrella, or collective term, used to describe various symptoms of cognitive decline severe enough to interfere with daily life. Dementia affects memory, thinking ability, and social abilities and many dementias are progressive. ALZHEIMER’S disease is the most common type of dementia and has been deemed a GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS. It accounts for 60-80% of cases and is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory, thinking skills, and ability to carry out basic functions. BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE CHANGING RAPIDLY in the understanding and treatment of the disease and we want to be part of the SOLUTION in Winnsboro!
THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2 – WESLEY HALL
9:30 a.m. Coffee & Donuts, 9:45-10:30 a.m. Program
Come meet Kathy Shockley, Associate Director of the Alzheimer’s Association, Dallas Office – bring your questions!
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8 ~ 9 – 11:30 a.m.
Family Life Center
HYGIENE KITS for UMCOR (United Methodist Corps of Relief) ~ Click here for list of things to bring. Bring your items to church on WEDNESDAY nights or SUNDAY mornings by February 16. Then on Sunday, February 23, we’ll have lunch in Wesley after church and put the kits together!
2019 TAX STATEMENTS ~ If you haven’t received your 2019 tax statement, please call the office.
IN SEARCH OF A GREAT CHURCH ~ Our series continues and you won’t want to miss this Sunday as we begin to get a taste of the apocalyptic nuances yet to come. This Sunday we look at PERGAMUM, Rev. 2:1-17 and remember, the work we are doing on Sundays this winter are setting the stage for our Bible study on the REST of Revelation in a few weeks!
See you Sunday!!
Debbie Lyons, Pastor
Read more...
1-21-20 FUMC Update
There is MUCH going on in the life of our church. Lots of people have personal struggles going on, many have health challenges, some have faith battles, others have financial pressures. But in the midst of it all, GOD IS WITH US, and we have each other! The blessings of being connected to a smaller group of people other than those who worship together on Sunday mornings is immeasurable! When you get to know people beyond “Hello, how are you?,” the level of relationships and the trust that is built comes in handy when you might need a little extra prayer or a special hand of help to get you through those blips and blasts in life. You can find this in the Wednesday morning women’s bible study, the Wednesday night fellowship meal, in the quilters or crafters group, and especially in a Sunday school group. Have you found a place to BELONG?
In a small way, the people in the few pews around you on Sunday morning might be seen as a “neighborhood group.” You KNOW when your “neighbors” are missing, you pay a little extra attention when you hear their names lifted in prayer and make a point to let them know they have been missed when they return after a time away. Our love for each other extends beyond the people who just sit near us. It extends to the visitors and guests who come into our “space” on Sundays, how do we greet them, make them feel included and welcome them? It really DOES matter so let’s make our neighborhoods the kind of neighborhoods EVERYONE wants to be part of!
ALZHEIMER’S EVENTS COMING TO EAST TEXAS! ~ Attached are the details of two very important Alzheimer’s events coming to East Texas that I’d encourage you to share with others. We have these events posted on our Facebook so you can share those events with your friends. But we have the ADDED BONUS for an all-church special event where Kathy Shockley, the Associate Director of Programs & Services for the Alzheimer’s Association in Dallas will come to speak to us and take lots of questions!
Mark your calendars:
Sunday, February 2, 9:45 a.m., FUMC Winnsboro, Wesley Hall, Alzheimer’s Presentation
Wednesday, February 5, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., FUMC Mineola, Community Lunch & Forum
Saturday, February 9, 9-11:30 a.m., FUMC Winnsboro, FLC, Educational Program
COME PRAY WITH US, Tuesday mornings at 9 a.m. ~ Pray quietly and silently, walk the space or sit in place!
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY begins Wednesday, January 22, 9 a.m. ~ Leslie James will be here for a 6-week study on the Parables of Jesus and all women are welcome!
LAST DAY TO GET YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE INFO TO THE OFFICE, Friday, January 24 ~ I am very hopeful that many of us will be going to the prison together on Saturday, February 8, at 6 pm to greet the prisoners at the Johnson Unit. Even if you DON’T want to go to dinner afterward, I hope you’ll come for just 30 minutes to be the light of Christ for men who may not EVER know His love without our unconditional presence. Get the last 4 digits of your license and your full name to the office before this Friday please.
MEXICAN TRAIN GAME DAY: Thursday, February 6, 1-3 p.m., Wesley Hall ~ Don’t miss our fun and fellowship as we have multiple tables playing dominoes! Even if you have never played before, this is an EASY game to learn! We’d love to meet your neighbors and friends so please bring a guest. We will provide the snacks!
This Sunday we’ll continue in our worship series on the SEVEN CHURCHES in the Book of Revelation. Last Sunday we talked about how a strong church with such excellent leadership could DISAPPEAR completely (listen here) and this week we’ll be looking at the Church of Smyrna, one of only TWO of the churches that didn’t collapse. What did they have??
I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich!
Rev. 2:9a
Debbie Lyons, Pastor
Read more...
1-14-20 FUMC Update
I’m so excited about our new worship series, “In Search of a Great Church!” Most people think of the Book of Revelation as a secret codebook with nothing but apocalyptic messages and end time prophecy, but it starts out with very clear and understandable instructions direct from the Lord Himself! The pattern in these letters is remarkable – in each one, the STRENGTHS of the church are recognized, then the WEAKNESSES are spelled out then INSTRUCTIONS are given as to how to turn back to God. And finally, the REWARDS are short and sweet and definitely worth working for! If you missed being with us on Sunday, you can LISTEN to the introductory sermon HERE … it will give you some background on what’s ahead.
By the way, this worship series will end on February 23, and then we’ll begin a Bible study discussion of the “rest of the story.” We’ll work to decode the amazing messages of what happens when Jesus comes again!
RESIDENTS ENCOUNTER CHRIST, Johnson Unit Prison, Saturday, February 8, 6 p.m. ~ DEADLINE TO SUBMIT YOUR FULL NAME & LAST 4 DIGITS OF YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE Number is January 24 ~ Just 30 minutes can help change the lives of the men at the Johnson Unit! Be sure call to the office and give us the name on your driver’s license and the last four digits of your driver’s license number before JANUARY 24. Then meet us at the JOHNSON UNIT, 703 Airport Rd, Winnsboro. We’ll only be at the prison for 30-45 minutes then we’ll have dinner together afterward!
WOMEN’S COMMUNITY BIBLE STUDY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 10 a.m., Asbury ~ Join Leslie James as she presents her study on the PARABLES OF JESUS. All women are invited!
Martin Luther King Day Celebration at the Winnsboro Civic Center, MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 11am-2pm ~ Let’s join others in our community and meet some new people, hear some good music AND have a free BBQ lunch together! This is a come and go event and I’d love to see you there!
ROAD RALLY EVENT PLANNING, Friday, January 24, 10 a.m., Annie Mae’s on Main Street ~ What is a “Road Rally” you ask? It’s one of the most fun adult scavenger hunts you can begin to imagine so come find out more and plug into this fun community event we’re planning!
LEADERSHIP TRAINING, Saturday, January 25, Sulphur Springs UMC, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. ~ Want to be part of leading our church to be the best church we can be? Please meet us in the parking lot at 8:45 a.m. and we’ll carpool to SS together for this great workshop. Check workshop options HERE, you’ll be able to attend two!
~~~ MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS ~~~
CAMPING BEAVER’S BEND, March 29-31 ~ If you have an RV, motorhome or tent, it’s probably not too late to join the camping group at beautiful Armadillo Campground at Beaver’s Bend. We reserved sites 13-20 (They are pull through and full hookup sites for $29/night if you are under 62 and $27/night if you are 62 or older, 45’ in length.) CALL THE PARK DIRECTLY: The blocked sites are under First United Methodist Church Winnsboro. You will need to call either 580-494-6300 or 580-494-6538 and tell them which site that you want and tell them the site is in the Armadillo Campground. NOT A CAMPER? No problem, you can still enjoy the group meals, campfires and activities but stay in the lodge. Call the lodge directly 832-549-6179, pay for first night and remainder at check-in.
MEXICAN TRAIN COMMUNITY GAME DAY, Thursday, Feb. 6, 1-3 pm, Wesley Hall ~ We’re so excited to kick off a SUPER-FUN day for everyone and anyone who is looking for good ol’ fashioned FUN! We’ll provide the snack – you just bring your friends!
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION DALLAS PRESENTS ~ EDUCATION PROGRAM, Saturday, Feb. 8, 9-11:30 a.m., FLC ~ Alzheimer’s is not normal aging. It’s a disease of the brain that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Join us to learn more about the impact of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Presentation topics include Understanding Alzheimer’s & Dementia, and Understanding and Responding to Dementia Related Behaviors.
~~~ DON’T FORGET ~~~
Wednesday Night Fellowship Dinners are BACK and DELICIOUS! Hope to see you Wednesday night at 5:45!
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Rev. 2:7
Debbie Lyons, Pastor
Read more...
1-06-20 FUMC Update
HAPPY NEW YEAR and many blessings for a wonderful year of abundance! I had an amazing visit with my grandchildren in Arkansas last weekend, and I’m so grateful to Brother Henry and everyone who helped make worship special on Sunday.
Now that the holidays are over and routines are back to normal, I am praying that the commitments you made to God in November bring you closer in your relationship with Him this year! I also look forward to everyone being back together on Sunday mornings as we start a new series on the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation because worshipping together is a HUGE part of growing in our faith together! This is especially important during this time that the United Methodist Church makes decisions about splitting over the issue of human sexuality.
PLANS FOR THE UMC TO SPLIT “AMICABLY” ~ Last week, agreed-upon details of what’s become known as the “Indianapolis Plan” (Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation) was released but none of the reports have dealt with how all this affects our church. I want to share a few clarifying statements and give clarity on how this potential separation could impact us.
First, I encourage you to read the actual protocol and if you want to read some other thoughts on the background on some of the rationale for decisions here are some links:
The Indianapolis Plan: Basic Provisions
UMC News: Mixed Reactions
Embody Grace: How Did the Indianapolis Plan Come to Be
BUT PLEASE HEAR THIS ~ This plan is not a final decision! It is a plan being submitted to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church for deliberation in May 2020. There are some agreed-upon principles within it, but keep in mind – only the General Conference can make decisions affecting the United Methodist Church.
The basics of this new plan are this: a new traditionalist Methodist denomination would be formed that would disallow same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBTQ persons. That new denomination would be formed by the Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA) and would follow their newly proposed Book of Doctrines and Discipline for a New Methodist Church.
This plan would also allow for the continuation of the United Methodist Church which would remain intact with our Book of Discipline, but the restrictive language disallowing same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBTQ persons will be removed. Each pastor, local church, and annual conference would decide whether they would do weddings or ordain clergy. This plan allows churches, annual conferences, and central conferences to choose if they want to remain in the United Methodist Church or leave to join the new, traditionalist Methodist denomination. All churches would keep their properties and assets.
Now for us … I think you all know how much I LOVE First United Methodist Church Winnsboro. We are a diverse community of faithful people who love Jesus, we impact the world for Christ in many different ways, we each live out Christ’s love in relevant ways in the community, and we are generous people! At FUMC, we don’t agree on everything but we do agree on the essentials of the faith … to love God and love all people as we make disciples for Jesus Christ.
The life and ministry of Jesus Christ is the primary way we see God intersect with the world and for me, if I want to know what God would do in any given situation, I look to Jesus. In Matthew Jesus says, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come not to call the righteous but sinners.” Matthew 9:13
We must all learn what Jesus means when He says He desires mercy over sacrifice.
The issues of same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBT persons will continue to be debated in the United Methodist Church and there will be a lot of theological diversity within the UMC going forward, as there has been in the past. But we can be part of the family and have different views! (We just finished a season of holidays and I’m guessing you know what I mean if the topic of religion or politics came up!) We don’t agree on everything, but we love each other and we would never break fellowship over our disagreements.
There are many resources that address the different BIBLICAL views Christians have on the LGBTQ issue; and in this coming year, we will explore these scriptures together so we can grow in our Biblical literacy on this. In the meantime, I would ask you to pray for me and your elected Church leadership as we approach the MAY CONFERENCE. I am praying for peace, understanding, love, and kindness and I am also praying for calm in the midst of storms. I look forward to embodying God’s grace with you!!
The issues of same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBT persons will continue to be debated in the United Methodist Church and there will be a lot of theological diversity within the UMC going forward, as there has been in the past. But we can be part of the family and have different views! (We just finished a season of holidays and I’m guessing you know what I mean if the topic of religion or politics came up!) We don’t agree on everything, but we love each other and we would never break fellowship over our disagreements.
There are many resources that address the different BIBLICAL views Christians have on the LGBTQ issue; and in this coming year, we will explore these scriptures together so we can grow in our Biblical literacy on this. In the meantime, I would ask you to pray for me and your elected Church leadership as we approach the MAY CONFERENCE. I am praying for peace, understanding, love, and kindness and I am also praying for calm in the midst of storms. I look forward to embodying God’s grace with you!!
UNITED METHODIST WOMEN ~ Thursday, January 9, 10 am, Asbury ~ All women in the church are invited as a new year kicks off!
REGISTER NOW FOR YOUR 2020 EMMAUS WALK ~
Men: February 27- March 1
Women: April 23-26, 2020
Want to know more? CLICK HERE for the application at the very bottom of the page. Please don’t wait if you want to go as there are preparations we must make on our end to get ready!
FINANCIAL PEACE IS COMING TO FUMC ~ Nine-Week Course, Mondays, 6-7:30 p.m., Beginning January 27 through March 16 ~ As part of our community outreach, the most successful financial management program in the country is coming to FUMC and the most EXCITING news is that for this FIRST course, a generous donor is underwriting the cost! It’s only going to be $25 pp/family instead of $99! AND WE’LL PROVIDE CHILDCARE! DAVE RAMSEY’S nine-week Financial Peace University is life-changing financial management system for ANYONE in the community interested in taking control of their debt, savings and money! We have purchased workbooks in bulk so please email or call the office to reserve a book now!
BACKPACK FOR MINISTRY RAISED $1,906 ~ Thanks to all of you who gave so generously. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” ~ Matthew 25:40
TUESDAY PRAYER TIME CONTINUES ~ I believe that prayer is ESSENTIAL for the life and growth of the church so the sanctuary will continue to be open at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays. Please come and pray at your own pace and on your own. Prayer books are available on the first pew if you want them.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEALS STARTS BACK THIS WEEK, 5:45 p.m. ~ Come for Red Beans and Rice and a GREAT night of Fellowship!
WOMEN’S WEDNESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY STARTS BACK, January 22, 9 a.m. ~ The next nine-week study by Leslie James will be on the Book of Philippians and all women in the community are welcome!
NEW WORSHIP SERIES STARTS THIS WEEK ~ In the next seven weeks, we’ll explore the seven LETTERS to the seven CHURCHES in the 1st three chapters of the Book of Revelation. We’ll do this because everyone who is looking for a church is searching for a GREAT church and the early churches show us the way! Don’t miss it!
SENIOR MINISTRY RAMPING UP, Annie Mae’s on Main Street this THURSDAY, January 9 ~ If you want to be part of the planning, come join us!
2 pm … Games Team Planning
3 pm … Special Events Planning
Debbie Lyons, Pastor
Read more...