Bi-Weekly XLXVI No. 26, December 30, 2014

faith friendship fellowship followership fruitfulness

www.firstsayyes.com

“What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms...leaning on Jesus, safe and secure from all alarms”

These are the familiar lyr-ics of an old hymn, “Leaning on the Everlast-ing Arms.” They have been sung at revivals and camp meetings. They have been sung at funer-als and in worship ser-vices. They serve as a re-minder that we have the strong presence of Jesus surrounding us. We can lean on his “arms.”

When I see this line in the song I have a visual pic-ture of a child leaning into the arms of a loving parent. Tired from the day’s activities, all energy spent, that little one lifts their arms to a mom or dad wanting to be held or carried. You may remem-ber being “that child” or you may recall being “those arms” for one of your kids. The point is: when we have reached the limit of our strength or wisdom or ability that’s when we need to lean. In Proverbs 3:5-6 it says, “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart. LEAN not

Leading People to aN active faith in Jesus christ

Fir

sT United M

ethodist Church of Sedalia

LLEANINGEANING ONON THETHE E EVERLASTINGVERLASTING A ARMSRMS..

Hope! We’ve all needed it. We have each experienced the absence of it. How can we live with hope? Let’s talk about it this weekend as we start a new year together. Hope: it’s a great place to

begin with God.

TTHANKHANK YOUYOU!! We are blessed by the people who have helped to make this Advent and Christmas season so special. Thank you to those who decorated the sanctuary. Thank you for people who made stars for the Christmas Eve services. Thank for cookie bakers, door greeters, ushers, hospitality teams and prayer ushers. Thank you for Sunday School volunteers. Thank you for people who cleaned. Thank you for musicians. Thank you for tech and sound people. Thank you for people who made bulletins and folded them. Thank you for people who invited others to come. Thank you for helping us tell the good news of Jesus birth! You shine like the brightness of the stars (Daniel 12:3)

on your own understand-ing. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.”

These are timely words as we enter into a new year. Let’s carry that thought with us into 2015. Let’s trust in the Lord and ac-knowledge him so he will direct our path.

Recently, I saw a couple out shopping who had what appeared to be a two or three year old son with them. The boy held out is arms to his dad wanting to be picked up. The dad did just that. That’s when I heard the dad say, “Were you tired?” The boy replied emphatically, “Nope! I just wanted you to hold me!”

We don’t have to wait until we are spent to lean on God. The song says there is a fellowship and joy in leaning on God.

May the year 2015 be our year of LEANING on God in all things. The best is yet to come.

See you at the “leaning place” this weekend. ~jimd.

Everyone is invited to a Potluck Din-ner and Open Mic Talent Night on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at the Celebration Center (Friendship Hall). Bring a covered dish to share and come present your talent. If you don’t want to share your talent, just come for the food, fun, and fellowship.

SSTEPHENTEPHEN M MINISTRYINISTRY TTRAININGRAINING A new training for Stephen Ministry will begin on January 14, 2015. Classes will be held 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in The Table (formerly Common Grounds Café) at the Celebration Center every Wednesday. Manuals are $50.00 plus shipping. Anyone interested in enrolling or have ques-tions, please contact Susan Rouchka 660-620-4484. Visit http://www.stephenministries.org/ to learn more about Stephen Ministry.

GGAMEAME N NIGHTIGHT On every 4th Saturday of the month at 6:45 p.m., everyone is invited to the Celebration Center (First Family Room) for a night of fun and fellow-ship. Bring a dish to share at this carry-in supper and card playing eve-ning. Our next event is scheduled for Saturday, January 24th.

HEARTBEATS

Downtown Carry-In Dinner Youth MPact Open Mic Potluck Dinner

There will be a potluck dinner on Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 12 noon at the Downtown Church Fel-lowship Hall. Everyone is invited. Please bring a covered dish to share and come join in the fun and fellowship.

YYOUTHOUTH A ASCENTSCENT WOW 2015WOW 2015 All Youth (grades 5th—12th) and adult sponsors (safe sanctuary cer-tified) are invited to attend Ascent WOW 2015. It will be held January 24-25th, 2015. Registration begins at 10 a.m. and the event concludes on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. It will be held at Springfield, MO, Expo Cen-ter, 635 E. St. Louis Street. WOW is the single largest weekend event for youth-age ministries in the state of Missouri with worship and faith development sessions. The cost is $85 per person, which includes housing, and food (snacks, Sunday lunch, and merchandise not in-cluded.) If you are interested con-tact Mona at 827-2993.

STO RSTO REPLICASEPLICAS The replicas of Strong Tower Or-phanage in Haiti are now available for sale. Each house is 8’ x 6’ and will make perfect playhouses! All proceeds go directly to Strong Tower Orphanage. Please contact Lorie Holt at 620-0886 for more in-formation.

If you received today’s newsletter by regular mail and prefer to re-ceive it by e-mail (let us know your e-mail address) or on-line (www.firstsayyes.com under “resources”), or you do not want to receive it at all, please call the church office at 827-2993.

YEYEYEYEstoday today today today Bookstore Hours: Bookstore Hours: Bookstore Hours: Bookstore Hours:

Sat. 4-7 pm Sun. 8-11am

Youth MPact resumes Sunday, January 11th, 2014. It is for grades 5th through 12th. It meets Sundays from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Celebration Center. Invite a friend and come join us!

Please be sure to notify the church office (827-2993) if you are in the hospital. We would love to visit or pray with you

We are in search of some Sunday School teachers! Requirements include complet-ing Safe Sanctuary, passing a background check, and of course loving children.

For confidential spiritual and emotional support in a 1-on-1, devoted, caring relationship, contact a Stephen Minister at 620-4484 or 827-2993.

Meals for Moms is a minis-try at First UMC to help with meals the first few weeks once mom and the baby come home from the hospital. Call Jennifer Cordia at 826-1574 with con-tact information or questions.

The YesToday Bookstore at the Celebration Center now carries Singing Rooster Cof-fee from Haiti. Proceeds go to Strongtower Orphanage.

Jan. 4 Travis Reid, McKenna Clippert, Donnie Meloy, David Schroeder Jan. 5 Pat Gillman, Richard Brownlee, Ilene Thompson, Carole Grimes Jan. 6 Ryan Monroe Jan. 7 Kelly McMurphy, Kevin Webb, Krista Corbett, Kara Pilliard Jan. 8 Jesse Alvertson, Emma Meek, David Jefferis, Claire Privitt Jan. 9 Jor-dan Williams, Samuel Price, Lavera Schmidtt, Rosie Bunch, Terry Potts, Jes-sica Iuchs Jan. 10 Judith Mathieu, Dennis McCullough, Ethan Henson, Jacob Howe, Jim May, Kenny Davis, Scott Davis, Gavin Mills Jan. 11 Angela Boone, Jonetta Haley, Tom White Jan. 12 Cody Meyer, Todd Griffin, Dencil Bailey, Chris Steger, Pat Rabourn, Cheyanne Zinck, Peyton Triplett, Heather Cham-bers Jan. 13 Rob Hicks, Haley Pollitt, Kirk Martin, Rosalie Buergess, Rodger Marlatt, Jerry Coerver Jan. 14 Jackie Birdson, Deanna Gleason, Angela O’Shea, Sophia Eichler, Rusty Smith Jan. 15 Marjettue Jonson, Reva Stone, Stewart Ferguson, James McFatrich, Holly Allen, Stacey Cromley, Lisa Wil-liams, Ohmi Johnson, Emily Arnett Jan. 16 Bob Lambirth, Amber Schwartz, Jaime Privitt, Katelyn Valtos Jan. 17 Tara Aeschbacher, Tony Woolery, Bob Woolery, Tiffany Mullins, Donna Bowen, Myles Harms Leading people to an active faith in Jesus Christ.

FIRST STEPS

Dec. 20-21, 2014 Sunday School 91 Worship 841 Amt. Rec’d for Ministry $ 13479.01 Building 1978.50 Special 2368.33

Dec. 27-28, 2014 Sunday School (Adult only SS) 42 Worship 729 Christmas Eve 1374 Amt. Rec’d for Ministry $ 14979.71 Building 2315.00 Special 2380.32

Our Family

Our Prayers for: Betty Rose Thompson, Steve Emory, Louise Lentz, Rosalee Burgess, Darlene & Virgil Bur-gess, Sue Coleman, Jacob Gerken, Clifford Smith, Charles & Jennie Cheffey, Brittany Blake, Kathy Gardner, Reggie Waldo, Patti Jones, Nicole Jeffery, Glenda Horne, Daryl McKinney, Cansata Arnold, Bob Salmons, Heather Shaw, Sandy Smith, Our Military Families, Strong Tower Haiti Orphanage, and our covenant churches in Mozambique.

Our hearts go out in Chris-tian love and sympathy to . . ~the family and friends of Alice Stucker due to her death on December 13th in Cole Camp, MO, and to . . . ~Nadine Soles and family due to the death of her fa-ther, Verla (Johnson) Deen on Monday, December 15th, ~Julie Hoffert and family in the recent death of her sis-ter, Peggy Brown, and to . . .~the family and friends of Shirley Morris due to her death on Dec. 30, 2014.

WWEE C CELEBRATEELEBRATE THETHE D DAYAY YOUYOU W WEREERE B BORNORN If your birthday is not listed, please let us know so it can be added!

MMOMSOMS G GROUPROUP Join moms of all ages (Moms Group) for fun and encouragement on the sec-ond Saturday evening of every month from 6:45—8 p.m. at the Celebration Center (Gathering Place). Our next event is January 10, 2015. Whether your kids are 2 or 42 - you are welcome! Childcare is provided for children up to age 5.

IINCLEMENTNCLEMENT W WEATHEREATHER P POLICYOLICY We will ALWAYS have our worship services, and they will NEVER be can-celled. But we ask that you use your very best judgment in getting out during challenging weather. During the week, if Sedalia schools are cancelled due to weather, then we cancel our activities for that evening.

CCHILDRENHILDREN’’SS W WELCOMEELCOME T TEAMEAM With the new launch of the Check-in Station, we are inviting you to be a part of our children’s welcome team! If you are interested in being one of the first faces our families see, contact Mona at 827-2993 or mona@firstsayyes.com. Skills require minimal technology knowledge and a friendly smile!

CCONGRATULATIONSONGRATULATIONS TOTO . . . . . . Louis Osti, III & Ingrid Grace Ramos

on there marriage on December 21, 2014.

Tom Miller 27175 Schenk Rd. Green Ridge, MO 65332 660-527-3792

WWELCOMEELCOME NNEWEW M MEMBEREMBER::

If you would like additional

information about the church

attendance or finances, please

call the church office (827-2993).

TTHANKHANK Y YOUOU:: (On display at Welcome Center Bulletin Board)

We received a thank you from: Blaire Lazenby & Michaela Pomajzl

Downtown, 4th & Osage

//Worship Sunday 10:50am

Celebration Center, 1701 W. 32nd St

Worship //Saturday 5:30pm //Sunday 8:35 9:45am & 12:30 pm

Listen on the Radio at 1490AM Sundays 10:30am or on

Website at www.firstsayyes.com (messages)

Email us at email@firstsayyes.com Phone // 660.827.2993

First United Methodist Church

Office: 1701 West 32nd Street

Sedalia, MO 65301

Non-Profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID SEDALIA, MO 65301

Permit #208

FirsT United Methodist Church of Sedalia

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

K KIDSIDS’ C’ CHECKHECK--ININ P PROCEDUREROCEDURE

It is with great excitement to an-

nounce the arrival of our new check-in sta-

tion! Our hope is for this to make checking

in for events much easier, keep better

track of attendance, and improve commu-

nication with parents. We will officially

launch the system the weekend of January

31st. In order to implement this effectively,

we are asking for all parents of students

birth-12th grade to help us. During the

month of January, please stop by the Welcome Center during weekend services or during office hours

to enter in your family’s information. There will be instructions available. We respect boundaries and

will only use the information you provide us with for our use. We value the importance of ensuring the

safety of your children while they are in our care. Please be patient with us while we transition! If you

have any questions contact Mona.

Mark your calendars:

2015 Spring WOW (Wonderful on Wednesdays) - Feb. 18 to Mar. 25th from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m.

Launching January 28th Ne