From the Pastor… (Page 5)

From the Pastor… (Page 5)

Holy Week

First Church Family:     The holiest week of the year is upon us. And our church is providing you and your guests with wonderful opportunities to experience it fully. Saturday April 1 – 10:00am: Join us as we meet our Habitat for Humanity family at the construction site – 2614 Friendswood Road, Lenoir. We will hear from Habitat’s executive director, our own Pete Kidder, and dedicate the construction site. DATE CHANGE: Saturday, April 15 @ 10:00am Sunday April 2 – 10:00am: Join us in the…

April News

First Church Family:  Happy Spring! (Yes, spring has finally “sprung,” even though we had some of winter’s coldest weather right before its “springing”.) Though I can come and go as I please, regardless of the season, I must admit that there is something about the winter that is confining. I’ve looked forward to being “released” from the bondage of winter, with the new freedom to be outside, in the community, garden, and yard. Really, Easter is all about being freed…

Spring Ahead

First Church Family:     It is my prayer that this email newsletter finds you in good health and spirits. I am doing well, even though I’m dreading “losing” an hour on the weekend because of springing forward – ugh!     The construction work related our church’s dream of building a house for a deserving family in our community is close to getting underway. The dedication of the site will be held on Saturday April 1. I’ll get you the details as we draw…

March News

First Church Family:               Spring hasn’t sprung, but with the beginning of Lent on this past Ash Wednesday, it feels like it’s not far off! Personally, I would still love to have a “good” snow before winter is over, but it’s looking increasingly like that is not going to happen this year!               March will be filled with significant moments for us at FUMC. Confirmation is well underway. We are using a resource called: “The Absolute Basics of the Christian…

Coming Events

First Church Family, I pray that you are enjoying some respite from cold, dark, and rainy days. I certainly am! Note the following updates: *Please consider making a special offering for those suffering in Turkey and Syria following the catastrophic earthquake last week. Our relief agency, UMCOR, is on the ground there working around the clock to bring comfort and relief to those who are recovering. You may make a donation to our church with the memo “UMCOR Turkey,” knowing…

Beatitudes

First Church Family,     I pray that you are doing well. We are a month and a half past Christmas and well into the New Year. While that is hard to believe, I am remembering the areas of growth and challenge we experienced in 2022 as we followed Jesus.     And I must say that I’m tremendously excited about the places God is going to lead us in 2023.     Over the past weeks in worship, we have been exploring Jesus’ Beatitudes. The word “beatitude”…

February News

First Church Family:               Happy New Year! It seems almost too late to share that, doesn’t it, as we are already well into 2023. But the happiness I wish for you is the happiness that Jesus talked about in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) – the passage on which we will focus in worship over the coming weeks; for the term “blessed” that Jesus used really means “happy,” though in a different way that we usually think about it. Please be…

New Year’s Prayer

First Church Friends: Martin Luther offered this New Year’s prayer: “Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am weak in the faith; strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor. I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust You altogether. O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in You. In…

Christmas Worship Schedule

First Church Family, Winter officially began Wednesday, and is it ever coming in with a vengeance! There is something special, though, about Christmas being cold! Stay warm, and enjoy the blessed holiday! The following announcements will guide us through the next week: Christmas Eve WorshipOur Sanctuary Christmas Eve service will begin at 5:00PM on Saturday evening. It will include Holy Communion and end in candlelight. Following the Christmas Eve service, Holy Communion will be offered until 7:00PM in the  Sanctuary. Luminaries will adorn the front steps of…
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Honoring Jamie

Monday, December 5, 2022 Dear FUMC Family, Weeks ago, an announcement was made informing you that our Jamie Jones had made the decision to retire from our Director of Music position, effective at the end of this year. Jamie has guided our program for the last seven years and will be sorely missed. She will direct our special Christmas music: “The Festival of Christmas,” at the 11:00am service this coming Sunday, December 11. Following that service, we will honor both…

December News

First Church Family: I pray that you are experiencing a blessed Advent. One of the things I look most forward to during this season is holiday music. And on Sunday, December 11, our Chancel Choir will present its 2022 Christmas offering: Festival of Christmas. Please be there for that presentation, and invite friends and family to join you. One of the Advent traditions of members of our local Latino community is the experience of Las Posadas. That term is Spanish…