WELCOME TO FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WINNSBORO!
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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!
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10:50 a.m.
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4-14-19 FUMC Updates
In a way, there’s nothing special about “Holy Week.” We have no mandate from Jesus or His disciples to mark these days for special observances but I see the events of this week as OPPORTUNITIES not OBLIGATIONS. It’s a time to walk with the church, throughout history and throughout our communities, as she walks with Jesus through the most important week in the history of the world. It is a chance to focus our minds and hearts on the One who has changed everything!
The New Testament gives us indirect reasons for using this time to grow in our faith. In Matthew’s 28 chapters, the final EIGHT are given to this one week … the last SIX of Mark’s 16, and the final SIX of Luke’s 24 are all devoted to these last 7 days of Jesus’ life. Most significant, though, is John. TEN of the his 21 chapters — essentially half — deal with the final week of our Lord’s life! Even Acts, which narrates the life of the early church after the resurrection, returns to the events of Holy Week often! (And by the way, yes, the Old Testament anticipates this week as well!)
I hope you’ll consider how you might make the most of this week … 1 1/2 hours on Thursday night … 20 minutes or more on Friday afternoon … and, of course, two different Easter services on Sunday. These are some of the darkest and brightest days in the history of the world, and they are rich with food for the soul and strength for our life journeys! In the chaos of the world, Holy Week is a reminder to take a deep breath out and breathe in the Spirit … and when you do, prepare to be amazed by God!
All event details are on the website … CLICK HERE.
THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 6:30-8 p.m. ~ The Last Supper, Wesley Hall ~ The ultimate plan of salvation that God designed for us when He took the Tree of Life out of the Garden of Eden after the great sin begins at the LAST SUPPER Jesus had with His disciples in the Upper Room. They were there to celebrate the Passover and the city of Jerusalem was overflowing with people coming to make their animal sacrifices. Join us as we go through a symbolic Passover meal and connect the Old Testament history to our current day celebration of communion. (Please eat dinner before you come.)
FRIDAY, APRIL 19 ~ Drop into the sanctuary anytime from 4 – 6 p.m. ~ Jesus’s step-by-step journey to Golgotha is a glowing revelation of the extent of His love. He went all the way to the cross for us, with every bruise, every puncture, and throb and stab of pain. And it is during Holy Week that we see most profoundly how deep the Father’s love for us. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Drop in and get a glimpse of all the events of the last day of Jesus’ life.
EASTER SUNDAY ~ Please make room for our guests!
6:45 a.m. ~ Sunrise Service at the Ragsdales, 270 County Road 4228, Winnsboro (From the intersection of SH 11 West and FM 852 West, go 2.75 miles to a right turn on CR 4228.)
7:30 a.m. ~ Pancake Breakfast at the Ragsdales
10:50 a.m. ~ Traditional Celebration in the Sanctuary
May God make this to be an amazing week for you! I pray you find new grounding in your love of Christ, from the resolve of Holy Thursday, to the ultimate sacrifice of Good Friday, to the triumph of Easter Sunday.
May God speak to the hearts of people in our community who do not know the joy of church connection or may not know how a relationship with Christ will change their life. Let them come to First United Methodist Church of Winnsboro where they will KNOW His love through us!
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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4-09-19 FUMC Updates
I am at the Prothro Methodist Retreat Center as you read this. I wish I could tell you that it’s a RELAXING retreat, it isn’t. But . . . it is probably the most sacred and holy work I do throughout the year. I serve on the BOARD of MINISTRY which is an appointed, then confirmed by the Annual Conference, group of lay and clergy representatives to identify the future Pastors for the United Methodist Church. Once candidates have felt a call to ordained ministry, it is our responsibility as Board of Ministry members to be sure they are ready. This week is our third meeting this year and we meet Sunday afternoon from 3:30 – 9 p.m. We have breakfast at 7 a.m. and finish up in the evenings about 9 p.m. We interview six candidates a day and then we deliberate, in prayer and holy conferencing, which candidates are ready for ordination, and which might need another year of preparation. This is a very humbling experience and when I tell you it’s sacred, I can’t explain how PRESENT the Holy Spirit is in these conversations. Please pray for us all as we begin this process. I’ll be back for our LAST Lenten Study on Wednesday night!
Come for Our Lenten Study ~ Wednesday night after dinner, 6:30 p.m. ~ This week we will be talking in depth about the burial clothes that were left neatly folded in the tomb, and we’ll get a taste of what the promise of resurrection REALLY means! These are single, stand-alone talks so if you’ve missed them or missed some, please come anyway!
Wednesday Night Meals ~ Just a reminder, the net proceeds from the meals through LENT will be going to the Methodist Children’s Home. Please be generous with your love offering!
Last Chance to Bring Candy for the Easter Egg Hunt ~ The egg hunt is April 14, so please drop off a small bag of candy at the office before WEDNESDAY, or bring it Wednesday night please.
Holy Week Begins This Sunday ~ Details on the website HERE: I’d like to encourage you to make time to soak up the tension of this sacred, faith building week. It begins this Sunday with Palm Sunday and shouts of joy and Easter egg hunts and pictures in the courtyard with the beautiful azaleas blooming. Then the tone drops drastically as we have a Last Supper with Jesus before He is arrested, sentenced to death and crucified. Rather than ask, “What can I get from all these worship experiences this week?,” think about asking, “What can I give Jesus with my presence and my commitment this week?”
Sunday, April 14, 10:50 a.m. ~ Palm Sunday ~ Kids will meet in the lobby no later than 10:45 for the palm parade. The Easter Egg Hunt will follow after the service. Kids, bring your Easter Basket.
Wednesday, April 17 ~ NO DINNER
Thursday, April 18, 6:30-8 p.m. ~ Holy Thursday ~ A very special experience in WESLEY HALL, remembering the Passover Jesus shared with His friends and the spiritual significance of that meal in communion today.
Friday, April 19 ~ Drop by anytime between 4-6 p.m. ~ GOOD FRIDAY ~ A somber time to remember the last 24 hours in the life of Christ. You’ll receive a guided self meditation that will allow you to walk through the sanctuary at your own pace.
Sunday, April 21 ~ Easter (details on the website)
6:45 a.m., SUNRISE SERVICE ~ Throw on a pair of jeans and join us to celebrate the morning at Ken and Elaina Ragsdale’s home, 270 County Road 4228, Winnsboro. (From the intersection of SH 11 West and FM 852 West, go 2.75 miles to a right turn on CR 4228.) RAIN? We’ll move to the SANCTUARY. Check the homepage of the website or FACEBOOK for an update at 6 a.m., or we’ll send a text on the prayer chain.)
7:45 a.m., PANCAKE BREAKFAST at the Ragsdales
10:50 a.m. TRADITIONAL SERVICE in the sanctuary
Want to help with the pancake breakfast on Easter morning? CONTACT DON BEATY at donbeaty47@gmail.com
Want to Help the Ragsdales set up for Sunrise Easter Service? Move chairs to and from the church? Contact KEN RAGSDALE kenr91@peoplescom.net
Please be in prayer for those people who do not have a church home and are contemplating the possibility of going to church somewhere on Easter.
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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4-02-19 FUMC Updates
I must admit, my excitement of Easter being just 2-1/2 weeks away makes me want to take a DEEP BREATH thinking about the magnitude of the responsibility for providing an opportunity for Jesus to touch people who may ONLY come to church on Easter! This excitement is tempered a bit by the fact that I’ve been thinking about my Dad who has been in the hospital, I’ve been sad for my friend whose 23-year-old daughter died unexpectedly from an autoimmune disease, I was out of town for four days two weeks ago and have to be out of town three more days next week for Board of Ministry work, not to mention that HOLY week has beautiful, sacred, VERY special events on Thursday night, Friday afternoon, Sunday at sunrise and then, of course, our traditional Easter service at 10:50! WHEW!
As busy as things are, I see so many droplets of grace! God, as always, is hard at work. My Dad got a new pacemaker yesterday and he’s going home tomorrow; my friend’s faith is so strong and her witness inspires me; Laquita is absolutely INCREDIBLE and doing so much to keep everything on track; Amy Moss, our worship chair, is planning ahead and getting things ready: the Ragsdales are already getting ready for the amazing Easter sunrise service at their home; JC is working hard with the choir to make Easter special; Don Beaty and the men are making plans for the pancake breakfast; many of you will bring candy for the egg hunt; some will soon be bringing lilies for our traditional Easter service in the sanctuary; Elaina and Julie will be making plans to design our altar with JOY, JOY, JOY . . . Whew, again! I could go on and on! We are the BODY of Christ and we have had this somber season of LENT to prepare for Easter just 18 days away. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEALS MINISTRY ~ We are so incredibly BLESSED to have a team of people who faithfully plan, shop, cook, make desserts, and cleanup for our Wednesday night meals, week after week! The food is always delicious and the fellowship is always heart warming! I spoke to Don Beaty this morning and we thought it might be good to FREEZE OUR LEFTOVERS to be used for people who return from the hospital and need some help for a few days, for people who stop by the church office and are hungry, for home-bound people who may not get a homecooked meal very often, etc. Sometimes when we don’t know what to do, but we WANT to help, food is a simple answer! If YOU would like to take a frozen meal to someone on our prayer list or in your neighborhood, just call the office and let us know! If we have meals, we want you to be the face of the church whether they are connected to OUR church or not!
Please Bring A Small Bag of Candy for the Easter Egg Hunt ~ Wednesday night, April 3, or Sunday morning, April 7 ~ The Egg Hunt will be after church on April 14. Thanks for your help!
EASTER EVENTS are all detailed on the website (CLICK HERE) but you can also pick up a HOLY WEEK invitation to share with neighbors and friends. They are in the choir hall or lobby. I do want to start sharing some details as we get closer:
PALM SUNDAY ~ April 14, 10:50 a.m. (Children will gather in the lobby at 10:40 am) ~ If you’re wondering where the worship series, THE STONES CRY OUT came from, you’ll find out on Palm Sunday! This Sunday observes the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem that was marked by the crowds who were in Jerusalem for Passover (I’ll talk more about this NEXT week) waving palm branches and proclaiming Him as the messianic King. The Gospels tell us that Jesus rode into the city on a donkey, enacting the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, and in so doing emphasized the humility that was to characterize the Kingdom He proclaimed. The irony of this is that five days later they would all cry for His execution ~ a sobering reminder of our human tendency to want God on our own terms.
This Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday to commemorate the beginning of Holy Week and Jesus’ final agonizing journey to the cross. On April 14,the kids will reenact the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem by the waving of palm branches and singing songs of celebration.
MEN ~ Want to help with the Pancake Breakfast on Easter morning? CONTACT DON BEATY at donbeaty47@gmail.com
WANT TO HELP THE RAGSDALES SET UP FOR SUNRISE EASTER SERVICE? Move chairs to and from the church? Contact KEN RAGSDALE kenr91@peoplescom.net
THIS SUNDAY ~ We will be looking at the Confession of Peter when he proclaims Jesus to be the Christ, the long awaited Jewish Messiah. The proclamation is described in 3 Gospels: Matthew 16:13-20, Mark 8:27–30 and Luke 9:18–20 when Peter declares, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
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)
Read more...
3-25-19 FUMC Updates
I hope you have found a way to do something special for Lent. And it’s not too late! Easter isn’t until April 21st and a Lenten “fast” doesn’t have to consist of just abstinence from the things we love, but it can be doing things that will make our lives more meaningful.
Why do we do this? We do this in order to focus our relationship with God, and remember the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness during the temptation of Satan. Maybe you could not BUY anything you don’t need and give the money to the church, clean out one closet/garage a week and take good, reusable things to the Blessing Box, make a commitment not to gossip or say ANYTHING derogatory about anyone, try a Sunday school group, write a note every day to a different person on the prayer list (our directory is on the website), attend the Wednesday night Bible study, don’t eat after dinner, give up 30 minutes of computer time for prayer time, etc. Again, it’s not too late!
Wednesday, March 27, 6:30 p.m. ~ After dinner, come join us as this week we’re diving into the promise behind the sign, KING OF THE JEWS, placed above the head of Jesus on the cross. We will also look at the promise of the NAILS. While the conversation is difficult, we must appreciate the torture of crucifixion to understand the glory of salvation!
This Sunday, March 31, 9:30 a.m. ~ Coffee and Donuts with Judge Lucy Hebron ~ in WESLEY HALL
We are inviting EVERYONE, all Sunday school classes and all those NOT in Sunday school classes, to come hear the amazing faith story of Wood County Judge LUCY HEBRON! Please don’t miss this. You won’t be sorry you shared this opportunity with a neighbor or friend!
Carla Chitsey’s Book is Available on Amazon ~ How exciting that we have an author in the church. GOD SPELLED BACKWARDS is the name of her book! You can SAVE by buying a copy directly from Carla and paying no shipping so please email her at cchitsey@yahoo.com
L o o k i n g A h e a d? The Easter webpage has updated information on all the upcoming Easter related events ~ Bible study, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter sunrise service and Easter traditional service. I’ll be sharing more details as we get closer but please be sure to mark these dates on your calendar!
Palm Sunday, April 14 ~ Be sure all your children and grandchildren are here for the palm processional!
Holy Thursday, April 18, 6:30 p.m. ~ A Christian Last Supper Experience ~ Want to learn how the Jewish Passover impacted our sacrament of communion? This will be a very special experience!
Good Friday, April 19 ~ Drop in anytime between 4-6 PM to remember the day Christ was crucified.
EASTER SUNDAY, April 21
6:45 a.m. ~ SUNRISE out at the Ragsdale’s home
7:45 a.m. ~ Pancake Breakfast, also at the Ragsdale’s
10:50 a.m. ~ Traditional Service
Have you ever felt rejected? Left out? Not “good enough?” THE STONES CRY OUT again this Sunday as we look at Rejected Stones, Psalm 118 and Matthew 21:33-44. We are getting closer and closer to Easter, who might YOU invite to be part of that amazing day?
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)
Read more...
3-18-19 FUMC Update
HAPPY SPRING! What a fabulous day we had yesterday as we celebrated the Prayer Quilt Ministry and the presentation of the 50th quilt! The beautiful colors and the reminders of how many lives have been touched was amazing and we thank ALL the people who diligently choose the patterns and colors, and do the cutting, ironing and stitching!This Wednesday, March 20, is the first day of spring and as the days get longer and the journey to the cross gets shorter, I am looking forward to seeing more and more people back in church and connected to the wonderful ministries that provide a true sense of belonging!WEDNESDAYS:9-11 a.m. ~ Women’s Bible Study, Leslie James’ book DIFFERENT5:45 p.m. ~ Fellowship Meal ~ Invite a Friend!6:30 p.m. ~ HE CHOSE THE NAILS Bible Study. This week, the promise of the soldiers spit and the wine soaked sponge5th Sunday, March 31 ~ Coffee and Donuts with Judge, 9:30 a.m.In 2019, we’re inviting EVERYONE, all Sunday school classes and all those NOT in Sunday school classes, to meet TOGETHER on the 5th Sundays for coffee, donuts and a wonderful speaker! We’re kicking off on March 31st with an AMAZING guest, Wood County Judge LUCY HEBRON! Judge Lucy has an incredible testimony of how her family immigrated under dangerous and difficult conditions from Russia, and she will also update us on how she integrates her faith in her public role. PLEASE INVITE a FRIEND to come meet our NEW County Judge. I have heard Judge Lucy speak on this topic, and you won’t be sorry you shared this opportunity with a neighbor or friend!LOOKING AHEAD? The Easter webpage has updated information on all the upcoming Easter related events: Bible study, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter sunrise service and Easter traditional service. I’ll be sharing more details as we get closer but please be sure to mark these dates on your calendar!HOLY THURSDAY ~ A Christian Last Supper Experience ~ April 18, 6:30 p.m.GOOD FRIDAY ~ April 19 ~ drop in anytime between 4-6 p.m.EASTER SUNDAY ~ April 21 ~ Sunrise Service at 6:45 a.m., traditional service at 10:50 a.m.THE STONES CRY OUT AGAIN this Sunday as we look at Hearts of Stone . We will take a closer look at things in our lives we’d like to leave at the foot of the cross, especially ways we easily slip into judging others instead of loving others. The scripture is clear about the consequences, Woe to you who ….”HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL WEDNESDAY NIGHT!Debbie Lyons, PastorFirst United Methodist Church Winnsboro301 Church Street, Winnsboro, TX. 75494CLICK HERE for our FacebookCLICK HERE for our website(903) 342-6172 (TEXT 972-896-5254)
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