10-27-2009 Newsletter

Please Pray For One Another

First United Methodist Church Rosenberg, Texas www.fumcrosenberg.net

Concerns: (10-4) Joel Salas, Elaine Parker, Gary Reyes, Denise Clenney

Henry Wittneben

Christopher Bailey Jason Berdou Scott Cayton Jason Johnson Jeremiah Judkin Rachel Miller Dannielle Pope Needler Cash Radowick

Food pantry items for October are canned vegetables. The pantry is starting to rebound but really is in need of almost everything! Please make a donation if you can. Thanks!

Agape Shop opens again on Saturday, Oct. 31. Please bring your donations to the fellowship hall Friday from 6:30-8 p.m. Any garage sale items are accepted and appreciated.

Check us out in color!

(10-25) Robert Hill, Beau and June McGuire, Linda Seay

First United Methodist Church

Selma Danklefs, Cynthia Balzen’s father and her aunt, Clay Wittneben,

Sanctuary: 1127 Third Street Mailing address: 1106 Fourth Street Rosenberg, Texas 77471

(10-18) Bill Castillo, Bob Whitley, Al Liebman and family, Larry Bolton,

Web site: www.fumcrosenberg.net

Setliff, Pat Baggette and family, Suzette Scott, the family of Donna Kelley

Phone: 281-342-3333 or 281-232-3246 Fax: 281-342-3333

(10-11) Dovie Werlla, Wayne Morris, Linda Moody, Elaine Bergman, Karen

October 27, 2009  Volume 24, Issue 41

Ramblings: Have you discovered joy? Last Sunday concluded our churchwide study and worship emphasis called Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity. The final topic of our series was “Defined by Generosity.” We considered the futility and emptiness of accumulating and hoarding possessions and wealth, and we saw that God promises blessings and joy to those who choose to live a life of generosity and self-sacrifice. At the end of the message I issued a challenge for people to step up and be part of a four-month tithing challenge. I asked people to prayerfully consider becoming tithers for the next four months to see how God would bless them in their faithfulness. I asked people to pick up their communication cards and register their commitment to God by checking a box next to “I will participate in a four-month tithing challenge.” I decided to make this challenge after listening to a friend of mine talk about the importance of tithing (not for the church, but for the person doing the tithing). I decided that I would be thrilled if 20% of the adults committed to the challenge. That means I was looking for 30 people to make the commitment. It didn’t quite work out the way I hoped. What I have to be continually reminded of is that God’s plan is almost always bigger than my dream (I’m not really sure why I put almost in that sentence). We didn’t get 30 people to make the commitment to the tithing challenge, we had more than fifty! A full one third of all the adults made a personal commitment to tithing for the next four months. Not only them, but a couple of our youth did the same—I’m immensely proud of them for understanding how important this is and for making a commitment like this in a time of their lives when most people are only thinking about themselves. I was

also impressed (but not surprised) how committed our church staff is to this challenge as well. Later this week those of you who signed up for the challenge will be receiving the first email from me with some practical suggestions and tools that will help you start this challenge of faithfulness. Over the next months you will receive more emails of encouragement and helpful hints that I have found helpful over the years. (For those of you without email—five people so far—I will be sending you a letter with the same information in it). If you missed the opportunity to be part of this challenge because you weren’t at church Sunday or if you were just hesitant to make a big commitment like this quickly, you will have another chance to join us this Sunday during the worship service. This week you will also be receiving an estimate of giving or commitment card in the mail. On a practical level, we ask our members to turn in estimate of giving cards each year so that our Finance Committee is able to set an accurate ministry budget for the coming year. This allows us to make the most of every dollar given to the church. On a personal level, the commitment card is an opportunity for you to spend time in prayer and reflection, considering what offering you would make to God through our church in the coming year. Please be watching for the mailing. Fill out the card and bring it with you to worship this week for Consecration Sunday (November 1). I hope you will be able to join us for this meaningful service as we celebrate and consecrate our gifts to the ministry of our church for the coming year and celebrate the gift of Holy Communion together. IGS, John

Opportunities To Serve The Pumpkin Patch is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Oct. 31. Tuesday, Oct. 27: 7:00 p.m. - Women’s Prayer Team Wednesday, Oct. 28: 5:00 p.m. - Children’s Choirs 5:00 p.m. - Stewardship Committee meeting 6:15 p.m. - Handbells this week 7:30 p.m. - Sanctuary Choir rehearsal Thursday, Oct. 29: 6:30 p.m. - Women’s Growth Group 7:00 p.m. - Praise Team rehearsal Saturday, Oct. 31: 8:00 a.m. to noon - Agape Shop open in the courtyard 5:00-7:00 p.m. - Trick or Treat in the Pumpkin Patch Set clocks back one hour before bedtime! Sunday, Nov. 1: Consecration Sunday 8:30 a.m. - Blended Worship Service 9:40 a.m. - Sunday School for all ages 10:50 a.m. - Traditional Worship Service 1-4 p.m. - Fellowship Hall reserved for memorial service 5:00-7:00 p.m. - Youth (grades 6-12) 6:00 p.m. - Growth Group meeting Monday, Nov. 2: 9:00 a.m. - MOMS 10:30 a.m. - Prime Chimers 7:00 p.m. - Trustees meeting 7:00 p.m. - Boy Scouts

Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor.

Connection Team/Prayer Tent: volunteers to interact with guests as they exit, inquiring how the event was, as well as asking if the guests have any prayer requests (you wouldn’t think many people would want this, however, most do), guests will also be asked if they have a church home. Also, need volunteers to pray with the guests requesting prayer. “Connection Churches” will be matched to and follow up with those indicating they desire a church home. FUMC Rosenberg has volunteered to be such a followup/connection church. This is the only volunteer opportunity that requires advance training which will be held Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at First Assembly of God in Rosenberg. Training will last about 1 ½ hours. Volunteers in the prayer tent will work in pairs – you can partner up in advance or be assigned a partner that day – anyone over 13 can participate as youth will be partnered with an adult. FUMC needs to report a head count prior to the training so please call Judy Morris at 713248-5128 by Nov. 9 if you even think you might be attending the training! Judy Morris will be serving as a coach in the prayer tent, so you will have her as well as the other coaches available should you run into “hard” questions or situations you can’t answer or are unsure of.

Oct. 31

individuals or groups (Sunday School classes, growth groups, etc.) to “adopt” an individual or family. As a connection church we are expected to make face-to-face contact with our referred people within 24 hours of the event, then for the 3 weeks following make face-to-face contact and perform a weekly act of kindness. We are to continue with contact for 12 months providing spiritual mentoring and assisting our referred individuals/families with accessing programs within the church. Examples would be: inviting them to church, Sunday School, growth group, etc; offering to pick them up the first few times or meet them at the door to help with the fear of meeting new people or the uncertainty of where to go or what to do; sitting with them at church and answering questions (or using a resource) about the Methodist Church, FUMC Rosenberg, being a Christian or any concern they might have that would be a spiritual impediment. Please contact Judy Morris (713-248-5128) or Debra Follow-up Efforts: connection churches are to Radowick if you or your group is interested in attempt 3 visits in 3 weeks with each referred being part of the follow up; a short (30 minute) person and provide spiritual mentoring for 1 year. training will be Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. at FUMC Visitation efforts are noted and shared with the Rosenberg for those interested or committed to Convoy of Hope office. This is an opportunity for follow up.



Have you served in the military? Please help us recognize you and your service by providing your name, dates of service and branch of service. A picture of you in your uniform would be GREAT! Please contact Judy Morris, 281-346-2305 or [email protected] by Oct. 31.

Proverbs 22:9

DST ends Nov. 1

FIRST CHURCH STAFF JOHN R. BLACK………………………………………….…...Pastor ADRIANE GRAY…………………………….....Nursery Coordinator DEBRA RADOWICK……………..…....…. Administrative Assistant KRIS WOLDY……………..………….…..………..…Music Director JOSE LUNA ……………………….……..………...Church Custodian GAYNELL PSENCIK………………….…..…….Financial Secretary JESSICA MYERS………………….…………………..…….Organist BECCA HYDE………………….…………………..…Youth Director

Pumpkin Patch Important Dates

Saturday, Nov. 14 9 a.m. to noon

Lunch will be served. Nursery available. Inside and outside jobs to be done.

Before you go to bed on Saturday, Oct. 31, turn your clocks back one hour. Or, you can come an hour early to church on Sunday!

Trunk or Treat

*Trunk or Treat in the Pumpkin Patch on Saturday from 5-7 p.m.! Volunteers are needed to bring candy, stickers and other small goodies to pass out to children who come through the patch. As usual, this is a free outreach to the children of our church and the community. Please let Elizabeth know you will be here.

Pumpkin Patch Clean-Up Day is Saturday, Nov. 7. Please plan to be here!

Hey, Youth! Halloween is my favorite holiday. I know, most people like Christmas, and I love Christmas, don't get me wrong, but I adore Halloween for a lot of reasons. Reason 1) Candy (do I need to say anything else?) Reason 2) You get to dress up as anything you want! I mean...who doesn't want to pretend they are a superhero and have everyone believe them for a few hours?!? It's awesome! But the main reason I love Halloween is because it is the day I adopted my dog, Gus!! Gus is my best friend and my companion. I love Gus like crazy...which is what most people think I am when I tell them that I'd rather do something with Gus than just about anything else. Now don't get me wrong...I love my family, friends, and I do like doing things with them, too...but all those things are made better when Gus gets to come along! My favorite thing about Gus is that he always loves me. No matter if I oversleep so we have to cut our walk short or if I get home late cause I went to a movie instead of coming straight home. He loves me when my house is messy and when it is clean. He loves me when I am in jeans and a t-shirt and when I am all dressed up. Okay, I know what you are thinking...how do you know Gus loves you? It's not like he can tell you. But he does tell me! No, I'm not hearing voices. See every time I come home...no matter how long I've been gone...there's Gus, excited to see me. He wags his tail, jumps up and down, and acts like I'm the best thing he's ever seen! Sometimes people will think you are crazy for loving God and they will make you wonder if there is a God and if He loves you. But I know God loves us...I can tell by the beautiful sunrises and sunsets too glorious to be an accident. I can tell by all the blessings that I have in my life. And I can tell by the amazing love I feel for and from my friends and family that is so strong and real that I can almost touch it. We can experience God when we show love to one another. 1 John 4:10-12 says "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Maybe you wandered away from God...maybe you went out and got lost and stayed out longer than you meant to...but don't worry. God is waiting for you at home and I promise He will be so excited to see you. He loves you unconditionally and He thinks you are the best thing He's ever seen! In His Love, Becca Youth This Week: Bible Trivia! See if you can stump Becca with your Bible knowledge! ALSO: A youth fundraiser...we'll be selling greenery for Christmas from November 1-15 before and after Sunday School in the fellowship hall. All the wreaths are made from real greenery and are shipped directly to the recipient anywhere in the country!