Vision Statement:

First United Methodist Church is

a loving, supportive family of

faith working together to share

God's love.

A Taste of What’s Inside

2,6 Church facts

2 Enough is Enough Seminar

3 Youth News

3 Vacation Bible School

3 Children's Corner

4 Letters from Lulwanda

5 Music Notes

5 Ice Cream Social Photos

6 Puppets for Jesus

6 College Scholarship

Information

6 Church Flowers request

6 Newsletter Deadline

Mark Your Calendar

2 Enough is Enough - July 29

1,3 Vacation Bible School -

July 11-15

1,3 Impact Weekend - July 1 - 3

6 College Scholarship Deadline -

August 1

6 Puppets for Jesus Fall Startup -

September 11

6 Newsletter Deadline - July 11

So here we are officially in summer. I trust that all of you will find some creative ways to survive the heat and at the same time locate a few moments for vacation. Our family excursion over to Florida was a wonderful experience. Only downside is that when we returned back to Gilmer I found myself in need of some time off from my time off. It is great to have memories and pho-tos to recall the experiences and it is good to be home and back to the routine of things.

Speaking of summer . . . There are two opportunities designed for our young folk just ahead. Both of these are traditionally part of the life of this congregation with one a longtime, even nearly forever, experience and the other relatively new. First up is Impact Weekend, when members and friends of our United Methodist Youth Fellowship, along with those of a couple of other local United Methodist Congregations, come together for fellowship, practi-cal Biblical insight, mission, music, food, and everything else traditionally highlighted in a retreat format. Matthew Potter, our youth director, is fo-cused upon making this happen. I do know that he is need of and wel-comes adult volunteers. Dates are July 1 to 3. See Matthew for details. Second thing, chronologically speaking, is Vacation Bible School, which runs from July 11 to 15. Chandra Sorrells and her crew of will-ing adult and youth leadership are busily heading toward an invitation to: “Surf Shack… Catch the Wave of God’s Amazing Love.” VBS subthemes include “God who: creates, helps, loves, calms and sends.” The VBS team is being formed now. Please see Chandra for a place where you can serve. Just a touch here concerning summer excitement at First UMC Gilmer. I look forward to enjoying my summer with you all. Regards and God Bless . . . See you Sunday if not before . . .

Richard

Pastor, Richard Laster pastorlaster@etex.net

Secretary, Carol Craddock gilmerchurch@gmail.com

Financial Secretary, Lamon Geddie fumcacct@etex.net

The Methodist Messenger Volume 72, Issue 12 July 1, 2016

First United Methodist Church

Contact Us

105 N. Montgomery St Gilmer, TX 75644 903-843-2610

www.gilmer-fumc.com

P age 2

WE SHOW OUR LOVE

By Our Prayers . . .

Becky Campbell, Claudia Darnell, Millie Feller, Jennifer

Madl Gonzalez, Harmony auto accident victims, Nat

Harrison, Roy Helpenstill, Dr. David Jenkins, family of

Henry Lange, Susan Lee, family of Lewis McCarroll,

Betty Slocum, Rev. Bill Webb, family of Lessie Wilson

Remember ongoing prayers for loved ones with seri-

ous illnesses, our shut-ins, family and friends in the

military service and the leaders and staff of our

church and our country.

Remember to check our Web Site for up-to-the-minute prayer requests.

Prayer Ministry

Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about

everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget

to thank Him for His answers. -- Philippians 4:6

Submit requests to Church’s web page:

www.gilmer-fumc.com

Or Call: Church Office – 903-843-2610

*New Prayer Contact* Betty Parish – 903-843-3865

Annette Breazeale – 903-790-1131

Date Visitors Sunday

School Worship

June 5 28 88 166

June 12 18 100 138

Average Year to Date

28 96 174

Average Last Year

23 87 171

Statistically Speaking Our Presence

www.gilmer-fumc.com

Th e M ethodi st Me s se nge r

Our Worship Service is broadcast

on ETEX, Channel 999, Sunday, 6 p.m.

and Monday, 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

An Important community opportunity is coming to Gilmer: “Enough is Enough,” a seminar created to ad-dress Domestic Violence On July 29 Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd, along with Upshur County Crime Stop-pers, is offering “Enough is Enough . . . Stop Domestic Violence.” The event features The-cia Jenkins of “Bold Professional Seminars and Consulting.” The purpose of this event is simple: to define domestic violence; dynamics of domes-tic violence; safety planning; and primary preven-tion.” There is a time investment from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location is the Gilmer Civic Center. See Linda Keller for details. Linda can be reached at 903 – 680 – 8237 or here at the church on just about every Sunday morning.

Our Deepest Sympathy to

Anita Baker on the loss of her brother,

Lessie Wilson

Ann Irwin on the loss of her brother,

Lewis McCarroll

Rick Lange on the loss of his father,

Henry Lange

1

www.gilmer-fumc.com

P ag e 3

The Methodist Messenger P age 3

Impact Weekend is coming up

very soon (July 1st - 3rd) and we are

still in need of adult volunteers. We will

need help throughout the weekend so if

you could please donate some time to help make this weekend an

IMPACTFUL one you will not regret it and it will be greatly appreciat-

ed. The things we need help with are listed below.

Setup on Friday/Prep

Registration Friday night

Drivers for mission project and transportation to host homes

Mission team volunteers

Adult leaders to interact throughout the weekend

Host homes

Provide and or help serve meals/snacks

Leading short devotionals

If you would like to help or have any questions please contact me on

Facebook or my cell at 903-801-9832.

The month of July will be a crazy fun month for our children. In Sunday School we will be study-ing the story of Abraham and Sarah. Then of course July 11th-15th is Vacation Bible School. There are a few items we could use for VBS; if

you could donate or lend, we sure would appreciate it. Items needed: Beach balls Floating rings Sand pails Beach towels Kites General beach items to use for decoration. Sincerely,

Mrs. Chandra

Vacation Bible School

July 11-15

8:30 a.m.-

12:30 p.m.

Children entering

Kindergarten through

those entering

6th grade.

Lunch is provided.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VBS Volunteers

Meeting,

after Worship,

July 3rd,

in the CLC

Matthew

by Matthew Potter

Youth News

Children’s Corner

by Chandra Sorrells

Th e M ethodi st Me s se nge r P age 4

www.gilmer-fumc.com

Letters from Lulwanda

Thank you for the letters you sent with us to Lulwanda Children’s Home near Mbale, Uganda. We had the opportunity to share your letters with small groups of the staff members who work at the orphanage and the children who live there. Some of the children received a letter from one of our FUMC children and wrote a response. Those letters have been delivered to the children dur-ing Sunday School. Two of the house mothers wrote letters to our congregation (letters below). We are so grateful for your support.

Sue & Buzzy Green

I greet the church members. I greet your pastor. I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ. Please, Sue, this goes to your friends who wrote to us letters. Dear friends, I hope you are doing well in Texas. Back to me, Agnes, I work in Lulwanda Chil-dren’s Home as a mother. I am happy to receive your message. Thank you. I have not stopped giv-ing thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. Ephesians 1:16.

With all my love,

Agnes Nabwire

Dear Church,

Receive my love and greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope your church is doing well. I thank God for your commitment and sacrifice for us, because it is not easy to be blessed, and you became a blessing on others. You are Sa-maritans with big hearts for people, especially the needy children placed in our hands at Lulwanda. (James 1:27) Thank you for your continuous prayers, love, and support you gave us. I also pray that God blesses you abundantly. I encourage you not to give up because it is a hard call which leads you to eternal life. Re-main honest and God-fearing. Thanks.

Yours in Christ,

Mama Lunyolo Juliet

Music Notes by Lora Robison

P age 5

www.gilmer-fumc.com

Th e M ethodi st Me s se nge r

July services at FUMC, Gilmer, are tradi-tionally very informal, and this year is no exception. The planned music will lend to some wonderful summertime worship ex-

periences reminiscent of old-fashioned “tabernacle days” revivals.

Beginning with our Fourth of July Celebration on Sunday, July 3, our opening hymn will be “America the Beautiful” and our closing hymn will be “This Is My Song” both from The United Methodist Hymnal. The Chancel Choir will be in the choir loft this Sunday but will not sing an anthem since Wednesday choir rehearsals will not be resuming until the first week in August. However, our soloist for the day will be An-nette Breazeale who will sing “If My People” by Ow-ens, a beautiful song of prayer for our nation based upon II Chronicles 7:14. As we participate in an Inde-pendence Day Communion may we all go to the altar as God’s people in obedience to the scripture: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Our service for July 10, includes old favorite hymns from The United Methodist Hymnal: “When We All Get to Heaven,” “Are Ye Able,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “Pass It On,” and “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian.” All ladies are invited to join us in the choir loft to help lead the congregational singing. Our soloist for the day will be Lauri Woodson.

Sunday, July 17, we will be inviting all men to join us in the choir loft for the ten o’clock service. We look forward to Mark Feller offering a solo for the ser-vice. Our hymns for the day will all come from the Cokesbury Hymnal. A song sheet will be provided for the service with the day’s hymns including: “He Lives,” “Church In the Wildwood,” “I Know the Lord’s Laid His Hands On Me,” “Love, Mercy and Grace,” and “ ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus.”

We are so blessed to have wonderful gifted musicians in our congregation. Continue to pray for those who have volunteered to offer our “special mu-sic” during the month of July!

See you in Worship!c

In Christ’s love,

Lora

Ice Cream Social and Game Night

by Babs Crombie

Flowers for …

July 3 Mr. and Mrs. Larry Morse

July 10

July 17 Mr. and Mrs. Milton Monk

July 24 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Winn

July 31

Greeters… Lynn Davis, Rob Robison

Lay Readers… Our Youth

Ushers… Our Youth

The Sanctuary Flowers for…

June 12 were given by Millie and Verlon Feller to

honor Richard and Susan Laster, as Richard returns

to FUMC Gilmer for his 7th year as our pastor.

June 19 were given in loving memory of Edwin and

Harry Aldredge by Harry’s children and their fami-

lies.

Th e M ethodi st Messenger Fol low us on F aceboo k - Fir st Unit ed Methodi st Church o f Gi lm er

Puppets for

Jesus

Deadline for Newsletter Articles…

July 11, Noon

P age 6

I know that a lot of us get discouraged when unexpected cir-cumstances occur in life. But, I just want to remind all of us, myself in-cluded, that those are the times when much can be accomplished. I just read that when Handel was about to be imprisoned for not pay-ing his debts, he sat down and wrote "The Messiah," which some have

called "the greatest piece of Christian music ever composed." When Joseph became a slave he made the most of it and in time, became the ruler of the nation. God has something bigger and better for you. Learn from adversity...and thank Him for downtime. The puppet team is taking some much needed downtime for the summer months and will be back as a group on Sunday, Sep-tember 11th at 2:00 p.m. Your action and reaction can change lives, and not just yours, but the lives of many who are watching and learning. Have a great week... Blessings,

Babs

College Scholarship applications are now available on the table

outside the church office. If you have graduated from high school, are con-

tinuing your college education, and are a member of FUMC, please stop by

and pick up an application. The deadline for submission is 5:00 p.m.,

Monday, August 1, 2016. If you have questions or need additional in-

formation, please call Carol in the church office at 903-843-2610.

Please contact the church office if you would like to provide flowers for our worship services on one of these dates: July 10 July 31