10:50 a.m.
2-4-20 FUMC Update
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!
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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
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1-21-20 FUMC Update
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1-14-20 FUMC Update
Debbie Lyons, Pastor
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1-06-20 FUMC Update
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:
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 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!!
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!
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.
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!
Debbie Lyons, Pastor
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