10:50 a.m.
7-16-19 FUMC Update
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
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7-09-19 FUMC Update
We’re more than half way through our worship series on the BEATITUDES and I’ve had time to reflect back, and I have the benefit of looking forward, on the 8 character traits that identify true disciples of Christ. When I got started on this series, I found myself wanting to pick and choose the ones that I thought I’d have the most success working on for myself, but that was silly ~ all 8 work together and they’re NOT “multiple choice!” Jesus didn’t say, “Feel free to pick and choose your favorites.” Our wonderful Savior stated very clearly ALL the qualities that lead to the kind of lifestyle that pleases Him so digging into them ALL has been refreshing for me, as I hope it has been for you!
I admit I’ve found renewed comfort in knowing that these traits we’re working on open the doors to incredible inner happiness and satisfaction! Jesus offers fulfillment in these texts like nothing else on earth!! Each one begins with: “Blessed are . . . ” and this is the only time Jesus repeats the same term 8 times consecutively so obviously it’s important! Our gracious Lord WANTS us to find lasting happiness!! And one more reminder, while there are CONDITIONS to the blessings, I prefer to think of them as PROMISES and oh what great promises they are! IF we behave the way Jesus tells us, THEN we’ll be HAPPY and receive these 8 blessings: the kingdom of heaven will be yours, you will be comforted, you shall inherit the richness of God’s life for you on earth, you will be found worthy in the eyes of God, you will be treated with mercy, you will know God is present in your life, you will be respected by God, you know you’re doing the right thing and your eternal life is assured! I don’t know about you but it seems to me that ALL those blessings are worth working for!!
Have a blessed and happy week!
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7-02-19 FUMC Updates
Debbie Lyons, Pastor
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6-24-19 FUMC Update
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6-17-19 FUMC Update
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? This Wednesday night, June 19, 6:30 pm after the fellowship meal (5:45pm) ~
Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)
MUSIC is such an important part of WORSHIP and if you were in Church on Sunday you heard the disappointing news that our Music Minister, JC Waddell, resigned last Monday. I’m sure you’ll feel the same range of emotions I FELT when I got the news but his letter is attached. I told JC when he resigned that perhaps, in the future, things might change and he could come back, and he also assured me he’d still be willing to do solos or play an instrument occasionally. I want to also remind everyone that when JC and Stacy DO come to church, we will embrace them as FAMILY because that’s who they are!!
WE HAVE A NEW ROOF and WE’RE GETTING A NEW CHOIR ROOM and we’d LOVE your help! I also made this announcement yesterday and wow, what an AMAZING example of how God DOES work for good! If you haven’t been at the church this week to see all the ROOFING going on, it’s been noisy and messy. But wow, these men worked HARD and they worked FAST! You also know that the CHOIR room flooded in that 5” storm of rain a few weeks ago and the insurance adjusters estimate it will be an almost $60,000 renovated, fresh, new choir room when it’s all repaired!
The GOOD news is that for many years we have paid into our insurance so we only had to pay our deductible, the BAD news is, because it was two separate storms, one HAIL and one RAIN, we have 2 different deductibles of $5000 each or a $10,000, an expense that is not part of the regular budget. BUT … WE ARE GETTING more than $200,000 in needed repairs for only $10,000!
It took about 68,640 shingles to repair the roof, so including labor, that is about $2.24 cents a shingle. This doesn’t sound like a lot BUT, just think … our average attendance is 93 so if we did NOT have insurance we would have to be praying for each person to contribute $1,600! YIKES! THANK YOU GOD FOR INSURANCE! Instead, we only have to pay the deductible and guess what, if all 93 people would only pay $108 sacrificially, in addition to their regular offering, you could say, in actuality, you helped buy 738 shingles to help build the value of most IMPORTANT asset we have as a church!
Imagine … if you were to give, just a little MORE than your regular 10% in the next few months, how good it would feel to say you were part of improving this great church God gave us! I told everyone on Sunday that I SCHEDULE my offering to be drafted for direct deposit right to God, but I wanted to be the FIRST to give my additional check! Won’t you join me and prayerfully consider writing an additional check for $108 or $216 or any amount God is CALLING you to make … please mark ROOF in the memo line … God will be SMILING!
WHEW … a lot going on and the Holy Spirit is on the MOVE!!! See you Wednesday night!!
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)
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