Stephen’s Strands

August is here reminding us that things are about to change! Lunches of Love comes to a close on Thursday, August 8th as we present backpacks full of school supplies to students. That night, each student can get a haircut, a relaxed dinner with their family, and leave with their school supplies for the new school year. Give an August Alleluia for this tremendous mission that we participate in with our community churches, volunteers and sponsors!

Our Teacher Appreciation Luncheon for all of our Mt. Vernon ISD school teachers is Tuesday, August 13th. This a wonderful day of serving Mexican Stack-ups to say thank you to all the teachers, administrators, and workers who help our children grow in knowledge and education. Please call the church office if you would like to be added to the service team for this August Alleluia!

Sunday, August 18th is our Blessing of the Backpacks Day when we ask all our students, teachers, and administrators to bring their backpacks, book bags, briefcases, or tote-bags to worship. We want to ask God’s blessings on all of these as well as the students, teachers, and administrators who use them. Let’s start their school year right asking God to guide them in all they do!

Also on Sunday, August 18th, we will be dedicating the new Children’s Reading Area of our Church Library in memory of Terri

Reeder Coleman, Lena Mae Reeder’s daughter. Terri had a tremendous love for children and worked countless hours with Lena Mae to create a library environment that would be enjoyable for members of all ages. Pulling from her teaching background, Terri often read stories to our Rainbow Connection children during their Library time. Join us as we pray for God’s blessing and dedicate the children’s library in Terri’s memory.

Wednesday, August 28th is our Back to School Bash with a Hot Dog Dinner and Waterslides from 5:30-7:15 p.m. This is our Ignite Kids Registration for the new school year. Please help us spread the word to the whole community about the incredible Ignite Kids Ministry available to all on Wednesday evenings!

These are just a handful of August Alleluia activities going on at First United Methodist Mt. Vernon! We look forward to hearing your August Alleluias in worship! God bless your August!

Stephen Cotten

August Alleluias

August Alleluias

Prayer List

Please Note: Names added to the prayer list will remain on the list for 30 days if needed. They will be relisted by request.

If you would like to have a prayer request emailed out or would like to add someone to the prayer list, please email

the Church office at office@fumcmv.org

In Memory of Tom Shiels Wayne & Nancy Thames In Memory of Dawn Parsons Ken & Cindy McDonald John Hicks Wayne & Nancy Thames Kay Frazier Colleen McCall Frederick & Betty Cleveland In Memory of John Jennings New Horizons Class Ruby Neely

Honors & Memorials

Members of First United Methodist Church

express our thanks to each of you who have recently given a special

financial gift in memory or in honor of loved ones.

Altar FlowersThe First Sunday of each month altar flowers are provided by Flowerland and given by the Charles Bruce Flower Fund.If you would like to provide altar flowers on any Sunday, in honor or in memory of, sign up at the info center. You may contact Flowerland (903-537-3755 or 903-588-4881), or you may bring an arrangement from another florist, or create an arrangement yourself on the special day you signed up for on the calendar.The office would like to recognize this special occasion and ask that you make arrangements 2 weeks prior to that special day.

Church EmailsIf you want to be on the church email list,

please contact us at office@fumcmv.org or call 903-537-3616.

Jack AbbottWillie BaneDavid BergmanJenny BergmanDavid BrewerPatti BrewerJanie BynumCarolyn DaltonArdis DennisNorma Jean DraperKenny DuckBeulah DuweJoanna EarlBob FlandersVictoria FletcherJan Banman Gracia

Kathey Gutschlag Tim GutschlagRichard HaynieC.E. JonesChristi JonesMike JordanJudy LindleyPeggy LowryElexis LunsfordTodd LunsfordMargaret MannJean Ann MarshallLou Gene MaxtonDennis McBrideCharlotteWhitesides McFarlin

Kenneth McGeeSusan McGeeLanny MooreMarla NolleyBlaine NordinDorothy PriceJake Reeder Kip ReederBrian RuylePeggy StuttsNancy ThamesAshlan WindorskiDorothy WinfieldSam Zarro

ContrIbUtIon StAteMentS

Contribution statements have been mailed out for your viewing. If you did not receive a statement and believe you should have, or if you believe there is an error on your statement, please contact

the Church office. 903-537-3616 Thank you!

Sympathy to... ...family & friends of John Jennings. ...Kelly Newsome & Lindsey Hunnicutt on the passing of their grandmother, Mildred Karcher. ...family & friends of Dorothy Fewell, Ginger Shaffer’s mother.

Choir for you? Yes!!! Our choir is made up of people just like you, and we are always interested in reaching out to those who love to sing. No need to worry if you don’t read music because we have many members who do and would be happy to help you learn how to follow along.

No auditions needed! Only a desire to ‘make a joyful noise’. Tricky rhythms are gone over and rehearsed as well as all the harmony sections.

I believe there is something of interest in many different styles of music and we want to explore those styles.

Our choir takes a break from rehearsal during most of the summer, but we will begin again in the middle of August. Presently, we gather at 10:30 on Sunday mornings to go over the music of that day. We have fun! We believe that music is a mission and can touch hearts in ways that help us all connect with God more fully. Please consider being part of our choir family. You are needed, and will be welcomed ! Our meeting time of 5:30 on Wednesdays will resume in the middle of August. Feel free to talk to me or any choir member about what to expect. Grab a friend and give us a try! In Christian love, Marilyn

FELLOWSHIP GAMES

Wednesday afternoon Game Day

is taking a break. Games will resume after Labor Day.

Looking for volunteers

to staff a Fourth

mowing teamIf interested, please call

Stan Silva at 505-331-1094 or the office at 903-537-3616.

Youth

Rainbow ConneCtionIt’s hard to believe that summer’s end is rapidly approaching! Our summer camp kids have been able to enjoy many fun activities this summer. Our final camp activity was To Mars and Beyond. It is such a blessing seeing all the kids excited about VBC and we are so thankful to all the people who worked so hard to make it happen! The children are not the only ones who have been busy this summer. Our teachers are working hard to prepare their rooms, and all of Rainbow, for the upcoming school year. Along with sprucing up our indoor environment, we are working to improve our outdoor learning environment (our playgrounds).We would like to add some interest to our playgrounds with music walls (see picture for example). If anyone has any old pots and pans, kitchen utensils, or anything else that would make interesting noises when banged on we would be glad to take them off your hands to create our music walls! We are looking forward a great new school year!

February 146:15 pmFirst United Methodist Church

SAVE THE DATEIgnite Kids Registration Night

August 28th Hot Dog Dinner and Waterslides

5:30 pm to 7:15 pm

What an amazing trip we had To Mars and Beyond at VBC this year! We carried out our mission to find Faith, Boldness, Kindness and Hope for ourselves and to share in our community as learned from fascinating Old and New Testament Biblical examples. Daniel, Queen Ester, the Good Samaratian and Jesus’ followers on the road to Damascus showed us how to grow closer to God and how to care for His children so they may also come to know Jesus and his provision of salvation. We were blessed to have approximately 110 Pre-K through 6th grade space Voyagers attend and more than 40 7th through 12th grade helpers. There were also 50+ FUMC MV adult and

youth leaders volunteering to ensure an exciting, safe, and lesson packed experience for the students by serving in the space pods, crafts, science lab, recreation, Bible storytelling, decorating, preparation assembly and preparing lunch each day. I cannot express enough thanks for your responding to God’s call on your hearts to make this major community outreach possible. With awe struck wonder,Ms. Pam

Small Seeds, Mighty TreesPaul wrote, ‘I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Is it time to add more water to the seeds of faith that have been planted in you? Consider serving our congrega-tion as a Stephen Minister. A new training class is starting soon. For more information, contact any of our Stephen Ministers, or the church office. Or, pick up an application at the information desk in the narthex.

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May thru July

V B CMArS And BEyOnd

2019 Fall Sunday School Classes

AdULT CLASSES

Sunday School will give you the opportunity to expand your knowledge of the Bible and your relationship with Jesus Christ. It is through the fellowship of Church School that members and visitors develop a sense of belonging. We have classes for all ages. If you have not joined us for Sunday School, please visit one or many of our classes.

Check with your Sunday School class to see where and when they are meeting these fall.

Horizons This is a discussion class focusing on the Upper Room. Mature singles and couples. Location: Adult Education Wing.

PathFindersCouples and singles, ages in the 40s and above.

roundtableA roundtable discussion of many topics, centered on the Bible. Couples and singles, ages in the 50s to the 70s. Location: Family Life Center

Today's Christians This class focuses on life lessons with scripturally based group discussions. The class includes young & mature singles and couples. Location: Family Life Center

Upper room Primarily Active Seniors.Location: Upper Room, Adult Education Wing.

CHILdrEnChildren’s Sunday School gathers in God’s Garden every Sunday morning beginning at 9:30 a.m. We begin our time all together to say hello and to hear what exciting lessons we will be covering that day. We then divide into 3 classes of the following divisions:Early Elementary (3yrs old-6TH grades) Children stay in God’s Garden and different rooms and areas are used to teach Biblical stories using storytelling, crafts, games and other sen-sory methods to explore who God is and how He wants to be the most important part of each child’s life. Different teaching styles help to reach each child’s special way of learning. Par-ents and adult volunteers rotate leading the class discussions with provided materials.

yOUTHOur Youth meet in the Family Life Center Youth Room from 9:45 am to 10:30 am, Sunday morning.

WNL Dinner will return in the Fall

3:30 pm Fellowship Games

Wednesday Nite Live Administrative

Meetings

Finance CountersAugust

04 Linda Moore Stan Silva 11 Willie bane ben tyler 18 tom Sample James King 25 Steve Wright Linda Moore

Trustees MeetingMonday, August 12 @ 6:00 pm

rainbow Board MeetingMonday, August 19 @ 5:15 pm

Finance MeetingMonday, August 19 @ 6:30 pm

Church Council MeetingMonday, August 26 @ 6:00 pm

Ken McGee Aug. 01Todd Lunsford Aug. 01Beverly Kelley Aug. 05Darwin McGill Aug. 06Danny O'Hara Aug. 06Cameron Greenberg Aug. 06Lauren Anne Newsome Aug. 06Jana Auringer Aug. 07Mike Fisk Aug. 07Ashlyn Woods Aug. 07Jackson Amick Aug. 09Kathy Moore Aug. 10Wendy Standridge Aug. 11Brandon Easley Aug. 11Savannah Ross Aug. 11Katie Jaggers Aug. 11Connor Johnston Aug. 12Gary Givney Aug. 13Maegen Law Aug. 13David Brewer Aug. 15Mickie Hunter Aug. 17Gail Reed Aug. 17Rachel Dunn Aug. 18Ann Holland Aug. 19Tonya Woods Aug. 19Allen Nottingham Aug. 20Samuel Newsome Aug. 20Brenda Davis Aug. 21Corrine Johnston Aug. 21Kay Frazier Aug. 22Kathey Gutschlag Aug. 23Charlotte McFarlin Aug. 26Edward Pamplin Aug. 26Robert Moore Aug. 27Tom Standridge Aug. 28Verna Curry Aug. 28Nancy Craig Aug. 28Dustin Lueckemeyer Aug. 28J.R. Alphin Aug. 29Waymon Newsom Aug. 30Stephen Cotten Aug. 30

THrEE SErVICES (starting September 8, 2019)

8:30am Traditional Service in Sanctuary9:45am Contemporary Service in FLC - Rosemary Jennings Hall11:00am Traditional Service in Sanctuary

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 108:30am Worship Service 9:30am Refreshments 9:45am Sunday School 11:00am Worship Service

4:00pm Stephen Ministry 5:30pm LOL - Dinner & Backpacks

11 12 13 14 15 16 178:30am Worship Service 9:30am Refreshments 9:45am Sunday School 11:00am Worship Service

6:00pm Trustees Mtg. 1:30pm FUMC Staff Mtg

18 19 20 21 22 23 248:30am Worship Service 9:30am Refreshments 9:45am Sunday School 11:00am Worship Service 2:00pm Services at Willow Creek

5:15pm Rainbow Bd Mtg 6:30pm Finance Mtg

1:30pm FUMC Staff Mtg 4:00pm Stephen Ministry

5:30pm Chancel Choir

25 26 27 28 29 30 318:30am Worship Service 9:30am Refreshments 9:45am Sunday School 11:00am Worship Service 12:00pm Today's Christians' Luncheon

6:00pm Church Council Mtg 1:30pm FUMC Staff Mtg 5:30pm Chancel Choir

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Lunches of Love

Lunches of Love

Back to School Fair 5:30-7:30

Meet theTeacher

Night at MVISD

5:00 - 6:30

NON-PROFITORGANIZATION

U.S. Postage PaidPermit #30

Mt. Vernon, TX

First United Methodist ChurchHwy. 37 north of I-30PO Box 659Mt. Vernon, TX 75457