8:30 & 11 a.m.—TRADITIONAL WORSHIP, SANCTUARY 8:45 A.M.—THE INVITATION WORSHIP, WESLEY HALL

10 A.M. - CHURCH-WIDE PHOTO, EAST LAWN

A Message from the Sesquicentennial Committee

The Sesquicentennial Committee is eagerly anticipating our offi-cial 150th Anniversary Celebra-tion on Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017. Bishop James E. Swanson Sr. of the Mississippi Conference of The United Methodist Church will be here to preach on Easter Sunday at ALL THREE SER-VICES. (Please note the early start time for the 8:30 a.m. Tra-ditional Worship service in the Sanctuary.) Bishop Swanson is a

native of Houston, Texas. He graduated from Southern Bi-ble College with a B.S. degree in Christian Ministries and from C. H. Mason Seminary, ITC with a M. Div. degree. Bishop Swanson served as Pastor of St. Mary’s Road United Methodist Church in Columbus, GA for 14 years. He served as Superintendent of the Savannah District of the South Georgia Conference starting in 2001, and he was elected to the Episcopacy in July 2004 by the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference and was assigned to the Holston Area. After serving the Holston Area for 8 years, he was assigned to the Mississippi Area in 2012. Bishop Swanson is married to the former Delphine Yvonne Ramsey. They are the proud parents of six children: Karen, James Jr., Shondell, Carlton, JaNaé and Joshua, and they have ten grandchildren. Fun Fact for Wednesday, April 12 – Did you know that in the years following WWII our Church, under the leadership of Dr. J.E. Stephens, grew in every area of activity? First Methodist greatly assisted Dr. Stephens in the realization of a great dream he had…the development of a fine Christian camp for Conference youth which today bears his name…Camp Lake Stephens!

-The Sesquicentennial Committee

The service of Tenebrae, meaning “darkness” or “shadows,” has been practiced by the church since medieval times. Readings trace the story of Christ’s passion, music portrays his pathos, and the power of silence and

darkness reminds us of Christ’s suffering and death.

Christians commemorate the supper Jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion and instituted

the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

Early start time for 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship.

WEEKLY CONNECTION VOLUME 47 No. 15 APRIL 12, 2017

8:30 & 11 a.m.—TRADITIONAL WORSHIP, SANCTUARY 8:45 A.M.—THE INVITATION WORSHIP, WESLEY HALL

10 A.M. - CHURCH-WIDE PHOTO, EAST LAWNBe a part of this historical 150th Birthday picture!

The Right Order of Things April 30 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. & 12 p.m. Gathering Room Dr. James McCormick, former Senior Pastor of FUMC Written not for professional theologians or dogmatic fundamentalists, this book is for the “the rest of us.” It is for those who want a Christian theology large enough to illumine and enhance all of life, and honest and rational enough to be compatible with all the truth we know. The Right Order of Things is life with God at the center and with the rest of life receiving its meaning and direction from that vital center. It is life un-derstood in relational terms: our relationship with God, with ourselves, and with others. The quality of those relationship determine the quality of our lives. This is a book that seeks to ‘put it all together”, leading to a life well understood and well lived! Dr. McCormick is graciously donating a portion of his proceeds to the Youth Choir Special Fund.

Mark Your Calendars Sunday, April 16: Easter Sunday

Thursday, April 20: District Lay Rally, Wesley Hall Wednesday, April 26: Spring Fling—5:30 p.m.—East Lawn

April 28-30: Hill T.O.P. Sunday, April 30: Youth Choir Program—8:45 & 11 a.m. Traditional Worship

Wednesday, May 3: Children’s Choir Program—6:00 p.m.—Sanctuary Carol Choir, Jubilee Singers, and Jubilation Choir

Sunday, May 7 : Confirmation Sunday—All Services Sunday, May 14: Baccalaureate Sunday—All Services

Monday, June 5—Friday, June 9: Vacation Bible School Thursday, June 8—Saturday, June 10: Annual Conference—Jackson

We will begin a Prayer Bible Study on April 19 at 12 p.m. in the Chapel. This study will using The Workbook of Living Prayer by Maxie Dunnam.

The cost of the workbook is $6. To order, please contact Jarie Thompson at jarie@fumctupelo.com or 662-690-8100 by March 29.

APRIL 11-14; 2—9 P.M. APRIL 15: 10 A.M.—5 P.M.

**NEW**APRIL 26-27; 12—7 P.M. APRIL 28; 2—9 P.M.

APRIL 29: 10 A.M.—5 P.M.

The United Methodist Women will collect Soap for Helping

Hands during April. Please bring these donations to the Old Fellowship Hall

and Wesley Hall.

PLEASE BEGIN SUBMITTING PHOTOS from this past year for the directory! All special events, mission work, etc. This can be submitted electronically by emailing marystewart@fumctupelo.com.

***Anyone unable to have their picture made can submit a photo by May 1 to the church office for $10.***

LIBRARY NEWS

Reliving the Passion enables the reader to see the story from the inside, to discover the strangeness and wonder of the events as they unfold. The author, Walter Wangerin Jr., helps us recognize our own faces on the streets of Jerusalem; breathe the dark and heavy air of Golgotha; and experience, as Mary and Peter did, the bewilderment, the challenge, and the ulti-mate revelation of knowing the man called JESUS.

CHILDREN’S NEWS

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2017

Mark Your Calendars

June 5-9 A Mighty Fortress

SUNDAY, APRIL 16 8:30 Worship, Sanctuary 8:45 Worship, Wesley Hall 10:00 Church-Wide Picture, East Lawn 11:00 Worship, Sanctuary MONDAY, APRIL 17 7:30 CASA, CLC 4:00 Mother/Daughter Book Group, Library 5:15 Communications Comm., FH 5:15 Missions Comm., CR 7:00 Boy Scouts, Scout Hut TUESDAY, APRIL 18 8:00-11:30 Clothes Closet Open for Donations

9:00 Preschool/Kindergarten 9:00 Invitation Planning, CR 10:00 Faithbuilders, 207 10:30 Staff Meeting, Conference Room 12:00 Prayer, Chapel 2:30 CASA, CLC 3:00 Carol Choir

5:15 Christian Formation, Rm 205 5:15 Finance Comm., CR 5:30 Hill TOP Mtg, FH 6:00 Primetimers Movie Night, CLC WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19 6:45 Youth Prayer Breakfast, Connie’s 9:00 Preschool/MDO/Kindergarten 12:00 Prayer, Chapel 2:30 CASA, CLC 3:30 Jubilee Singers/Jubilation Choir 6:00 Sanctuary Handbells 6:00 Youth Worship 7:00 Chancel Choir THURSDAY, APRIL 20 9:00 Preschool/Kindergarten 9:00 Invitation Planning, WH 2:30 CASA, CLC 6:00 District Lay Rally, WH FRIDAY, APRIL 21 7:00 Prayer Group, Chapel

2:30 CASA, CLC SATURDAY, APRIL 22 9:00-12:00 Helping Hands Open 12:00 Birthday Party, CLC

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH—TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI CALENDAR FOR APRIL 16-22, 2017

SERVING SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017

SANCTUARY ACOLYTE/CRUCIFER: 8:45: (a) 11: (c), (a) TV OPERATORS: Harold Hudson, Robert Marion, Ansel Mote SANCTUARY SOUND: 8:45: David Dillard 11: Jim Karrant GREETERS: 8:45: Costa Hill 8:45 Invitation: Michelle/John Guyton 11: Judy/Billy Spencer USHERS: 8:45: Chris Hill, Lindsey Leake, George Rutledge 8:45 Invitation: Nat Leathers, Kevin Rose, Jamie Os-birn, Bill Spencer 11:00: Jeff Short

STEWARDSHIP 2017 Budget Goal ............................................ $2,424,213.45 2017 Needed Weekly............................................ $45,739.88 2017 Four Month Budgeted Amount.................. $808,079.49 Last Week’s Offering through 04/06 .................... $41,075.81 2017 Offering through 04/06 .............................. $739,843.31 Spent to Date 2017 through 04/06 ...................... $589,060.33