On Sunday, November 14, 2010 we will be holding a special combined worship service at 10:00 AM for our Pledge Sunday. For this special occasion, we will have music from both services, and will combine together as ONE FAMILY to worship, celebrate, and make our pledges for the next year. It will be an awesome event - you will NOT want to miss it.

Following the service, we will gather in the Raimond Christian Center for a Potluck Dinner. Bring a dish to share, and enjoy the company of your church family. What a great event this will be!

Combined Worship Service

Sunday, November 14, 201010:00 AM

Don’t Miss It!

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First United Methodist Church, Annual Stewardship Drive

And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. (Psalm 39:7)

This has been a tough couple of years... not only for the church, but for everyone in general. We have all had to re-evaluate our finances and practices to answer the economic hardships of the country.

In the midst of a time like this, it is easy to lose hope for the future. After all, things aren’t working the way they used to. However, we

have something to rely on that will never let us down - the hope of God.

We hope you will join us this year as we make our financial preparations for 2011. It doesn’t have to be painful, we aren’t going to do a hard-sell, we are simply going to remind ourselves of who God is and what he is capable of. Like the psalmist, we will remember that “our only hope is in God!”

Begin to pray with us about the church... pray about what God is asking you to sacrifice for his

Kingdom... pray that we will be good stewards of what we receive... in short - we hope you will PRAY! We know God will do his part.

In This Newsletter:Frequently Asked Questions 2What is a Good Steward 2FAQ’s Continued 3Be The Church! 4

What Does A Good

Steward Look Like?

1. Vivamus est ipsum vehicula nec.The term “stewardship” is used often in churches, but do we really know what it means?

2. Feugiat rhoncus accumsan id nis.Good Managers - stewards are expected to make wise decisions concerning the resources God has entrusted to their care (time, treasures, and talents). They have a heart to follow God’s will. (See Matt. 25:14-30 and Luke 9:48)

3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.Appreciative - stewards value what has been entrusted to their care. They realize they have received all things from God, and they are truly thankful for all he has given. (See Psalm 100 and Luke 16:19-31)

4. Consectetuer adipiscing elit.Compassionate - stewards have a concern for those who have less than they do... less power, opportunity, financial security, support and love. They concern themselves with sharing resources with their neighbors at home and around the world. (See Matt. 25:31-46 and Matt. 14:13-21).

5. Pellentesque nunc tellus iaculisSpiritual - stewards must be faithfully centered in God. God is the well from which we draw every resource. We seek him through prayer, fellowship, study, worship, service, and reflection. (See Romans 12:1-8 and John 6:25-40).

5. Pellentesque nunc tellus iaculisFaithful - stewards must be persons of great faith. They are willing to move out of their comfort zones and into obedience to the Father. They lean on God for every need. (See Proverbs 3:5-6 and Matt. 17:20).

Why does the church need to talk about money?Jesus had a great deal to say about money and giving. He demanded

that his followers not serve wealth, but God. The greatest struggle in our Christian lives is the battle to make sure we do not allow anything to be more important to us than our relationship with God. Jesus taught the importance of generosity and sacrifice. There are over 2300 verses in the Bible that deal with money and generosity. It is uncomfortable for us to talk about money - and that is precisely why we need to deal with it in consideration of our faith. Our discomfort often reflects that we are looking to our finances as a source of fulfillment.

What is the expected amount of giving?First United Methodist Church would like to emphasize the fact that you

are to give to God as an act of worship and obedience, not out of compulsion or guilt. It is not our intention to force anyone into a commitment they are not ready to make. Our goal is to nurture your relationship with God. Our only expectation is for you to prayerfully and honestly consider how God is leading you to respond. If you are being honest with yourself and honest in your seeking of God’s will, what more could we ask?

What is a tithe?The teaching of the Scriptures directs toward the practice of proportional

giving of our resources to God through the church (the Body of Christ). The historic standard is called a tithe or 10% of our earnings. The concept is that we do not give God what is “left-over” but instead we give “off the top.” For some, giving one-tenth of their income may seem an impossible goal. For others, it is the starting point, and their giving far exceeds ten percent.

The important thing is to start somewhere, that your giving be in proportion to your income, that your giving reflects an appropriate offering to God who has blessed you, and that your giving expresses both your desire to serve the Lord and your investment in God’s work around the world.

Why do you ask for Pledge Cards to be turned in?There are several reasons it is important for each member to consider

making a pledge of their giving:Tangible Commitment - A pledge card gives you the opportunity to

respond as an act of worship in written form to what you believe God is calling you to do on behalf of the church.

Planning Tool - In order for our Administrative Teams to create a realistic budget and seek to make the best use of every resource, the pledge card is our best means of estimating the future resources of the church.

Faith Pledge - This is a way for you to grow your faith in God’s providing for us. You are communicating your desire to trust God to make your finances work.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

What If I am unable to pay my pledge?While we use the pledges as a planning tool, we do not consider them a

bill due. We understand life throws challenges at us from time to time, and you may need to amend or cancel your pledge. You may revise your pledge at anytime, and you do not have to feel shame or guilt about this.

We will send out giving statements at least twice a year. However, this is not to receive “past due” payments; it is simply a way for us to make sure our record-keeping is correct and to provide you with information for your own financial records.

Isn’t there more to stewardship than just money?When you join the church, we ask you to commit your prayers, presence,

gifts, service, and story to this local church. These five areas are what we consider our stewardship commitments. All of these areas are important and help us to grow in our spiritual lives toward a fuller sense of discipleship.

At this time, we are asking your consideration of your gifts to the church. Throughout the year, we will emphasize the other areas of stewardship. A healthy disciple will be active in all of these areas to one degree or another.

When do I turn in my Pledge Card?You may turn in your pledge card at anytime by mailing it or dropping it

off at the church office. We will have a special Celebration Sunday on November 14, 2010 at 10:00 AM. During this combined worship service, we will give the opportunity for you to turn in your pledge card as an act of worship. However, you decide to do it, we really need the information before the end of December so we may make our budget plans for 2011.

Is it OK to give to special needs and not to the general budget?As mentioned earlier, your giving is between you and God; however, we

would like for you to consider that the church is the primary vehicle through which many of the mission agencies, programs, and special interests are served. We believe that the church the hope of the world. We hope you have enough trust in our church leadership to allow us the flexibility to make decisions as to where the money is most needed and most effective. You can be assured we will make these decisions with prayer and a desire to follow God’s will for this church, community, and our world.

What about Alternative Giving methods?We have the ability to do two forms of alternative giving that many folks

find helpful in fulfilling their pledge.Automatic Debit of a Checking Account - if you would like to set up an

automatic draft of your pledge amount, we are able to do this. Some people find this a helpful way to hold them accountable in paying their pledge. If you check this on the pledge card, we will send you the necessary paperwork.

Transfer of Stock - there can be many advantages of transferring stock to a non-profit. Please discuss with your financial advisor.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

Everything Comes

from God.

One of the most important principles regarding the discussion of stewardship is the realization that everything we have is a gift from God. He is the Creator and Maker of all things; therefore, all things come from and belong to him.

2. Feugiat rhoncus accumsan id nis.Psalms 50:10-12 “Every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills, I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all it contains.”

3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

4. Consectetuer adipiscing elit.

What Does God Ask

of Us?

Since our giving is a response of obedience and thanks to God who has given us his all and his best (John 3:16), he asks that we be willing to give him a portion of our best. The biblical term for this is first-fruits.

When God asked his people to give to him, he did not want their left-overs or the second-quality items. He wanted their first and their best.

Proverbs 3:9-10“Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”

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Be The Church! Over the summer we have been reminding ourselves that we don’t go to church - we ARE the church! Our effectiveness as a church is not measured by our buildings, our music, or by any other standard but love. Are we making every effort to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Are we sharing God’s love with others?

Join with us as we begin our intentional seeking of God’s will for our lives, for our church, for our community, and for our world! God is our only hope for us to accomplish this...

“Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love.”

1 Corinthians 13:13

First United

Methodist Church

David E. PayneSr. Pastor

Jet ThrockmortonPastor

Katy FitzhughPastor

Brandon DyerYouth Director

Darlene ToppAdministrative Assistant

Susie LermaBookkeeper

Iris GarciaJourney Pre-school

Irelia RiosWesley Nurse

Facundo ZavalaCustodian

Choir DirectorMarcus Phipps

Band LeaderMichael McCallum

OrganistSandy Thormahlen

Our CongregationMinisters to All

Hope... It’s what we are about at FUMC,

We all want our church to be great. We’d love to know that we are making a difference around us. So join with us this fall, and help make our hope a reality. We firmly believe God is willing and able to do amazing things - and he has given us the privilege of being a part of it. We dream of a church that ministers to families... we dream of a church that helps the poor... we dream of a church where lives are changed... we dream of a church where God is glorified in everything we do!

Our dreams can be reality. God isn’t going to change - he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never goes back on his word. His plan of salvation for the world isn’t going to change, and certainly his power is not going to be diminished. So join with us - and let’s help make dreams come true. Even though we are far from perfect, God can complete a good work in us! Remember - our ONLY hope is in God!

-------------------------*Please don’t forget to mark your calendars for Sunday, November 14, 2010. We will have ONE COMBINED service at 10:00 AM. We will enjoy music from both services, worship as one family, and then celebrate together following the service with a Potluck Dinner at the Raimond Christian Center. We want you to be there - Don’t miss it!