One of the comments that came to our ears at the end of 2019 regarding the Single Board was that with fewer people serving, we would need to make a more concerted effort to inform the congregation as to what decisions and actions the board makes on the congregation’s behalf. With two meetings under our belt for 2020, I’m happy to inform you that things are running smoothly as we continue to refine our new structure. Before I reflect too much on how our meetings have gone, let me share a few notable decisions and actions from the Administrative Side of your Single Board.

Using emails and technology, the group will submit reports ahead of meetings to expedite discussion.

The Finance Function Group carried over a decision from last year to develop a plan to pay off the Parsonage Mortgage to avoid the higher interest payments coming in April. For accountability and transparency, we will take bids for an outside CPA to conduct a financial review.

With the merger of Landmark Bank and Simmons Bank, we will observe how the shift happens and if it affects our finances. No decisions have been made about changing banks at this time.

The Trustee Function Group will be identifying facility projects that we will address with volunteers as well as taking bids from professionals. A workday was scheduled for March 28 to complete interior and exterior projects.

The SPRC Function Group will be working to review and revise the job description for our Youth Director.

Without sharing all the conversation that went around these topics, all the topics we discussed and decisions we made only took an hour and a half. We met with efficiency and trust that each group around the table would take their commitments to serve seriously. It was a refreshing moment to see the model we spent six months creating finally in action.

While we have identified ways we can improve the model for our Single Board, like having a nominated Vice Chair for example, everyone I have spoken with who was at our first administrative meeting felt we are off to a great start. As your pastor, I have been honored to lead the congregation to this new model. The trust you place in me each week is greatly appreciated and I feel privileged to serve as your shepherd. Keep up the good work, the prayers, and all we are called to do for God’s Kingdom.

We had a Single Board Admin meeting on February 26th and both Admin and Ministry will meet on March 26th.

March 2020

newsletter

Life of the Church:

Weekly Meeting Schedule

Boy Scouts - Tuesdays @ 7:00 pm Cub Scouts - Mondays @ 6:30 pm

True Grit - Wednesdays @ 6:00 am Worship Planning & Staff - Tuesdays @

9:00 am

Church Calendar Items

Adult Choir - rehearsals Wednesdays at 6:45 to 8:00 pm. See Sharon Acker if you are interested in joining the choir

Faith & Family Wednesdays with Family Meal @ 5:30. Children & Youth

Activities. See church calendar for specific times.

Handbells - Joyful Sounds practice on Wednesdays @ 4:30, Beginner

Handbells on Sundays @ 2:00 pm

Let’s Get Moving - Balance & Mobility. Light chair/floor exercise - Tuesdays &

Thursdays @ 10:00 am

Games Day - Cards/Dominoes Mondays @ 9:30 am. Covered dish lunch @

Noon

The Piecemakers Quilting Group - Fridays @ 9:30 with lunch. Contact: Jo Stow or Sarah Stock for details.

Combined Meeting of UMM and UMW March 1st, Covered Dish Lunch

following 10:30 service. Each group will separate after lunch to hold their

meeting. UMM Contact: Bob Hargesheimer, UMW Contact: Carolyn

Maynard

Upper Room Prayer Group - 1st & 3rd Mondays @ 9:30. Come pray with us!

Special Events in March - Lent Begins:

March 1st - First Sunday in Lent, 1st Lenten Breakfast Potluck - 9:30

Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby - March 7

Daylight Savings Time begins - March 8

Whitesboro ISD Spring Break begins March 9

No Family Meal March 11

Ladies Walk to Emmaus begins Mar 12

Wesley Hall Reserved March 15

History Club - March 16

Nominations for Nominations & Leadership - March 22nd @ 9:30 am

Masonic Lodge Chili Supper @ Lodge, March 28th

Wesley Hall Reserved March 29

Contact the church office if you have questions regarding any church related

activity. Did you know our sanctuary is equipped with The Loop Hearing Aid System. If you

have any questions or need help, see Dusty Luton, Ricky Acker, or Mike McLendon.

Nominations for the 2020 Nominations & Leadership Committee will be taken from the floor March 22nd at 9:30 in between services. Please be thinking about who you would like to serve in this role.

Let’s Gather this March

March 28th - 9:00 am to Finish

Volunteers Needed for a number of small tasks around the church inside and outside.

No experience needed - just a

“can do” willful spirit. Join us as we do some spring

cleaning and get or church and grounds ready for Easter.

A list of duties will be posted in Wesley Hall.

Call the church office for any questions, or to sign-up!

Coffee and Donuts will be served.

Lenten Brunches

March 1st & April 5th

Lent is a season of penance, a time of reflection and fasting which helps us

remember that Jesus died on the cross for us. This 40 days of Lent is our time to prepare

our hearts and minds for Christ’s resurrection.

In the past, we gathered every Sunday for a Lenten

Brunch in between services. This year we will begin Lent with a brunch on March 1st -

the 1st Sunday in Lent. Marking this sacred time for all Christians, and again on the last Sunday in Lent on April 5th. Which is Palm

Sunday. The beginning of the Holy Week.

Bring a potluck breakfast item and join us in Wesley

Hall at 9:30.

Be mindful of your table, and please tidy up after yourself. Remember to take your dish

home.

Cub Scouts

Pinewood Derby

March 7th - Wesley Hall

Masonic Lodge Chili Supper Fundraiser

March 28th

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Drawings @

7:00

“Let’s Get Moving!” Chair and/or Standing Exercises

Targets Balance, Strength and Flexibility Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at

10:00 in Wesley Hall Please dress comfortably!

Absolutely FREE and EVERYONE is Invited! For more information contact

Lenora Garrison, Susan Cox or call the church office.

Attention High School Seniors

and College Students

The following Scholarships are available:

FUMC Youth Oakey Hagood Memorial Youth

Mona Sullivan Grandma Shirley

Church Women United of Grayson County

Scholarship Forms are located in the church office or on the website:

www.whitesborofumc.org

Application Deadline is: April 1st

Sarah Stock

Betty Watson

Gene Paul Williams

Roylene Winchester

Sondra Visser

Dolly R. Yeargan

Homebound

*military

Lucy Hill

Cheryl & Larry Jones

Jane Killam

Inez Leach

Penni Luton

Bernice Maloney

Billy Mangrum

Bob Bollinger

Beverly Brown

The family of Chandler Burnett

Betty Chilcutt

Carl & Mary Francis Garrison

Becky Hagood

Mary Harris

Tyler Morgan *

Zach Morgan *

Michael Nealon

Christopher Palmer *

Reagan Faith Parker

Marlyn Penrose

William Ramsey *

Terry Rouk

When all else fails, when there are no words, there’s always prayer. Fulfilling our role and spiritual practices, as Christians we believe in prayer and gladly lift up our loved ones.

If you would like to meet with us, join us the 1st & 3rd Monday of each month.

Jim & Charlotte Strahan

Ray, Debbie, Blake, Tyler and Zach Morgan

Allen & Judy Snider

We are glad you made FUMC Whitesboro your new church home!

Memorials & Honorariums

Memorials & Honorariums unless noted otherwise, go to the Memorial Fund. The Memorial Fund is used for items for our worship & sanctuary.

The following is a list of other giving opportunities:

* Adult Choir Fund * Benevolent Fund * Building Fund * General Budget

* Memorial Garden * Oakey Hagood Memorial Youth Scholarship * Special Children’s Fund for Camp * Youth Scholarship

If you have any questions, please contact the church office or a member or the Finance Committee

In Memory Of: Given By: In Memory Of: Given By:

Shirley Strong Sondra Visser Jared Taylor Suzanne & Johnny Greear

Shirley Strong Deanna & Gary Wyrick Shirley Strong Charles & Roylene Winchester

Chandler Burnett Kim & Gregg Hickman Chandler Burnett Suzette & Clint Strong

Chandler Burnett Ricky & Sharon Acker Chandler Burnett Kiwanis Club

Chandler Burnett Danny Ferguson Oakey Hagood Kenneth & Delores Lockmiller

Chandler Burnett Mr. & Mrs. John Burnett Chandler Burnett Jim & Kay Thomas

Congratulations Anna Kate Goedecke & Preston Johnson On your engagement and upcoming wedding.

God bless you and your new life together.

Things to celebrate...

WE LIKE TO HEAR

FROM YOU!

If you have an article, picture or item of interest to share in the Newsletter, please email your

information to: bridgethoenig@whitesborofumc.org

by the 3rd Wednesday of the

month.

05-Mar David McCorkle 19-Mar Carson Hickman 26-Mar James Chisum 28-Mar Frank Winchester

05-Mar Reagan Downs 20-Mar Angela Allen 26-Mar David Stelter 31-Mar Rickie Fielder

08-Mar Mary McCann 21-Mar Becky Hagood 27-Mar Austin Ward 31-Mar Dawna Anderson

10-Mar Don Smith 24-Mar Karen Walker 27-Mar Keely Hartless 31-Mar Jacob Lang

12-Mar Sharion Acker 24-Mar Brittany Gibson 28-Mar Pam Simmons 31-Mar Rickie Fielder

19-Mar Bob Stegall 25-Mar Colby Shaw 28-Mar Roger Unger

Ladies Appreciation

Dinner

Safety Team Update:

We had a great start in preparing our operating procedures. The team accomplished a great deal with more to do. Our Safety Team is looking at how we react to emergencies such as: medical, weather, and church security. Even something as simple as a power outage needs to have a resolution. During our first meeting we developed basic SOP (standard operating procedures) for several areas, we made an extensive list of things to consider: radios, flashlights, one board ministry seat, cameras, medical kits, and training for a number of things. Most of all we began the process of attaining a focus on a new ministry of loving our people and a new way to be in ministry to the community. We will give updates to the congregation as we meet and put things in place. Be Vigilant, Rick Simmons If you’d like to join our efforts, please contact Rick Simmons or Jackie Bollinger. Members of the team are: Danny Anderson; Kevin Brannan; John Morgan; Kyle Maynard; Jacqueline Bollinger; Rick Simmons; John; Dusty Luton; Mike McLendon; Johnny Greear; David; Jim Hoenig; Adam Spore; Ken Kniss

WORDS

OF

T

H

A

N

K

S

A message from SPRC – Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committee On Sunday, January 26, several Single Board Administrative members attended the Northwest District Local Church Leadership Training at Whaley UMC in Gainesville. As a representative of the Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committee on the Single Board, I attended the breakout session related to SPRC. During this session, the topics of Ministry Safe, Sexual Ethics and Feedback to Staff/Pastor were discussed and the highlights of those discussions follow. Ministry Safe is an online Sexual Abuse Awareness Training program designed to reduce the risk of sexual abuse of children. Anyone working with children or youth must first pass both a background check and the one hour Ministry Safe online training and quiz. Ministry Safe certification is valid for 2 years. With the increased national awareness of unreported sexual harassment and abuse, the North Texas Conference is reemphasizing the fact that the United Methodist Church “has a zero-tolerance policy regarding any sexual misconduct either by clergy or lay people”. In the near future, you will find a brochure in the church office on “Clergy Sexual Misconduct: What You Should Know”, which defines sexual misconduct with examples and describes options for reporting the misconduct. Our District Superintendent, Todd Harris, recommended that this information be made available to the congregation. Although the brochure is specific to Clergy Misconduct, the same criteria for identifying and reporting sexual misconduct applies to lay people. Lastly, any positive feedback to our pastor, paid staff and unpaid volunteers would be much appreciated throughout the year. It should go without saying, but sometimes we need a friendly reminder to show our appreciation for all of the extra time and effort freely given by the staff and volunteers on a weekly basis. A word of thanks or thank you card would be a simple gesture of appreciation welcomed by all. If you have any questions about the SPRC, please contact me. Sue Abernathy, SPRC Chair

The Staff &

Worship Team is looking for a few

volunteers to help us setup for our

Maundy Thursday (April 9th)

meal and service.

Please call or email the office if you’d like to help.

FAT TUESDAY

PANCAKE SUPPER

SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER

Thank you for supporting the

Youth Scholarship Fund

Faith & Family

Wednesday

02/19/2020

Children’s Mid-week Message -

learning where the ashes come from that we use

for Ash Wednesday.

MARY LOUISE TURNER HENSEYMARY LOUISE TURNER HENSEYMARY LOUISE TURNER HENSEY By: Barbara Bailey, Church Historian

In the summer of 2019, Mary Lou (as her friends called her), contacted me to ask me if I was related to Bill Bailey. When I answered “yes” and said “He was my Dad”, Mary Lou went on to tell me she knew my Dad and was “Best Friends” with my aunt. We talked for a while and ended the conversation with ‘we would sit down and talk very soon’. I never got that opportunity. Mary Lou passed away on 17 January 2020, just shy of her 95th birthday. Born on 30 January 1925 to Marcus and Gladys Turner, she grew up on a farm just outside of Whitesboro. After graduating from High School, her first job was at Cole’s Department Store on Main Street in Whitesboro. At 17, Mary Lou would leave Whitesboro and moved to Dallas along with her “Best Friend”. She would find two more places of employment there. It is now 1941 and the USA is at war. A famous recruiting poster would read “UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU.” She would accept her first government secretarial position which began her career that would stretch well over a decade and take her to faraway places. From Fort Sam Houston, where she worked at the Headquarters of the 4th Army headed up by a three-star general, she would work various positions always taking on more responsibilities. Mary Lou was invited to transfer to Germany as WWII

was now over and the Marshall Plan needed to be implemented to re-build Europe. She was then offered a position in Tokyo to work for General Douglas MacArthur, Commander of the Supreme Allied Command of the Far East. When the Korean War ramped up, her position on the general’s staff would have her transcribing “Top Secret” messages. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, a young Major would be assigned in Japan, close to Tokyo. In 1952, after a whirl-wind romance, Mary Louise Turner would become Mrs. Bob Hensey, a title she would revere for the next 48 years. After Bob retired from the Air Force, now a full Colonel, they would move back to Texas to be close to her beloved hometown of Whitesboro. Bob preceded her in death in 2000.

A member of the First United Methodist Church in Whitesboro, Mary Lou will always be remembered for her positive, upbeat and joyful attitude. Her love for Whitesboro, the State of Texas, the USA, and her faith in God were evident to everyone she met.

A quote from her Life Celebration Service written and delivered by Gil A. Stricklin, CH(COL) USA, Retired is as follows –

“Mary Lou passed her days so that when her death came, there was abundant proof she had walked by faith and not by sight, and now is numbered with God’s chosen people in glory of Heaven everlasting.”

Note: A special Thank You to Chaplain Stricklin for sharing his story of such a very special lady.

Contact Barbara if you have a suggestion or idea for a Church History article.

We invite you to stop by the History Room and look through our archives, photo albums, and church memorabilia.

John Wesley rode far enough on horseback to circle the earth 10 times. Wesley rode 250,000 miles! He was convinced that it was important for him personally to spread the gospel through relationships and continue to grow closer to God in those relationships. Asked if he would consider walking instead of riding, he replied, “Nay."

PO Box 370 * 122 S. Union Whitesboro, TX 76273

Tel: 903.564.3156

Website: www.whitesborofumc.org

Facebook Page: fumcwhitesboro Putting our FAITH * HOPE * LOVE * into ACTION

Stop by and see the new crosses added to the Honorarium & Memorial

Cross Wall

The Cross Wall supports our Benevolent Fund. If you would like to hang a Cross in Memory or

Honor of a loved one, the cost is $20, forms are located in the church office. Crosses can be no

larger than an 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper. *

Your Neighbors House

Will gladly accept

donations of

Personal Care Items:

Volunteers are always

needed

and appreciated!

Call Connie:

903.564.4400

2020 Communion

Rail Offerings &

Mission Work

January Benefit: General

Missions Received: $ 122

February Benefit: General Mis-sions: $335

Project Focus:

Snacks for Hayes Primary:

Fat Tuesday Youth

Scholarship Fundraiser:

March Benefit:

Benevolent Fund

April Benefit: General

Missions—

May Benefit: Summer Lunch-

Children’s Camp Fundraiser—

June Benefit: General Missions

July Benefit: Open-

August Benefit: Back to School

Supplies-

September Benefit: Snacks

October Benefit: General Missions

November Benefit:

December Benefit:

Ministerial Alliance Food

Baskets -

Enchanted Tree

Sunday Mornings 8:15 & 10:30

Facebook Page: FUMCWhitesboro

March Communion Rail offering will benefit our Benevolent Fund.

When we get a request for assistance, my first thought is “how can I help this person today, God has them here for a reason”. Many times a stranger is passing through town, our number one request is for help with utilities. We can’t pay the entire bill, but we can help keep the lights on until other arrangements can be made. The Utility Office is so good to work with us and our community. I never know who God is going to put in my path from day to day but I am so grateful that we can help, even just a small way. By giving to the Benevolent Fund, you help us provide hope for someone who has no other place to call. This is what Adam mentions at the end of the offering, we can be a means of grace for others.

SNACKS FOR HAYES PRIMARY

Thank you church for the continued

support of our local children and

schools.

We will be delivering the snacks the

week of March 2nd.

Use the Church Calendar to setup

text reminders and never miss

another meeting or church event.

Contact the church office if you

have any questions.

SINGLE BOARD

BOTH ADMIN & MINISTRY AREAS

@ 6:30 TAKING NAMES FROM THE FLOOR

FOR 2020 NOMINATIONS

COMMITTEE, 9:30 BETWEEN SERVICES