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News
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Christmas Chili Lunches for the Homeless
Wednesday - Friday, December 19 – 21, 2012
11:00 am – 12:30 pm | Justin Youth Center
 Now in our 26th year of offering a warm holiday meal to our homeless friends, the FUMC Chili Lunches offer a hot meal, gracious hospitality, and an opportunity to send a photograph and Christmas cards to loved ones to hundreds of our downtown neighbors. Sign-up begins December 3 to become part of this unforgettable holiday experience.
To sign up to volunteer please contact Lisa Bodley (elizabethbodley@sbcglobal.net) at 817/692-5431. Sign ups are for one day only. Please be sure to let her know the name and age of each person you are signing up.
Thank you for being willing to share God's love with others.
Children's Sacraments School
 FUMC's Sacraments School teaches our children about Baptism and Communion; the two sacraments celebrated in the United Methodist Church. Baptism is one way we publicly acknowledge God as our creator and recognize God’s love for us. Communion is one way we remember Jesus’ great love for us all. Sacraments School provides opportunities for children age 3-6 to explore and experience these sacraments in ways that are meaningful to them. "I have just returned from vacation and not a day went by that I didn’t think about Sacrament School. I wanted to let you know that getting to work with your children in Sacraments School this summer has made a significant impact on my life. Your children are ... read more
First United Methodist Church, Fort Worth is introducing a new Congregational Care Ministry. Lay persons, called Congregational Care Ministers (CCM’s), will work with our Clergy to help meet the needs of our church family.
Congregational Care Ministers will meet regularly as a team and with their Congregational Care Pastor for supervision and assignments. They will make hospital visits, telephone calls, meet one-on-one, offer support to grieving families and proactively seek to encourage and care for persons within our congregation. This partnership between lay and clergy will enable us to provide a greater level of care to our church family.
If you are interested in being a Congregational Care Minister, or for further information, please e-mail Rev. Phyllis McDougal at PMcDougal@MyFUMC.org or call 817/339-5082
Fall Academy Preparations are Underway!
If you are interested in teaching one of our exciting Academy Model Sunday School Classes, please contact Nikki McInnis at 817/339-5086 NMcInnis@MyFUMC.org to volunteer.
Darcy Deupree elected District Lay Leader
 Congratulations to Darcy Deupree, who was just elected as our new District Lay Leader of the North District, beginning June 6. The election will be formalized at this year’s Annual Conference in Waco. What a great honor! Darcy will provide great leadership for our District.
The Central Texas Conference of the UMC, of which FUMC Fort Worth is a member, is divided into six districts: North, South, East, West, Central and New Church Starts. Our church is part of the North District. The district lay leader is the elected leader of all the laity of the district. The primary function of the district lay leader is to be an advocate for the laity and for the ministry of laity. The lay leader supports local church lay leaders and fosters awareness of the role of the laity within the local church.
Darcy, the daughter of Dee and Mike Deupree, has been a member of FUMC since she was a child. She is active in our church in many areas of ministry including serving as a laity representative at the 2012 Jurisdictional Conference, and has served as a member of the Board of Stewards, Staff Parish Relations Committee, Young Adult Council and Stewardship Committee just to name a few.
 Kids Helping Kids
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 started out like a typical spring day - warm, humid with a threat of storms. As the morning progressed the warnings of severe storms increased. Hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged that day by tornadoes including St. Barnabas United Methodist Church in Arlington. The church and school were badly damaged. Since the storm the church has had to temporarily relocate to other facilities to continue to be in ministry.The children’s area in the church was heavily damaged. Mark Burrows, our Children’s Ministry Director, contacted Cathy Smith, the Children’s Director at St. Barnabas UMC, asking...
Bliss Dodd honored at Annual Conference for her many years of service
 Bliss Dodd, longtime FUMC member, was recently awarded the Morris Walker Award at the Central Texas Conference Annual Conference meeting in Waco, Texas. Bliss has been an active lay leader in both our church and at the conference level. Each year at Annual Conference, the Conference Board of Laity recognizes the "above and beyond" service of lay and clergy to their local church, community and conference. The Morris Walker award carries with it a special plaque and a $500 scholarship for continuing spiritual education. Congratulations Bliss.
 Dr. Tim Bruster named first clergy alternate to the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church
On Monday, April 30 at General Conference, Dr. Tim Bruster was elected as the first clergy alternate to the United Methodist Church Judicial Council. The Judicial Council is the United Methodist Church's equivalent to the United States Supreme Court. The Judicial Council has 9 members (both laity and clergy) and they are elected to serve for an eight year term. The Council reviews each decision on a point of law made by a bishop during an annual conference session. Other cases come from lower church courts or from an official body of the church requesting a declaratory decision as to the legality of a particular action. There usually are several requests during General Conference for declaratory decisions.
As the first clergy alternate, Dr. Bruster will attend the training and orientation, receive all the materials on cases under review, reserve all the meeting dates on his calendar to attend if needed, and serve when a clergy member cannot be present or must recuse himself or herself.
This is an incredible honor for Dr. Bruster, The Central Texas Conference and our church.
Dr. Tim Bruster and Mrs. Carolyn Stephens are representing FUMC Fort Worth and the Central Texas Conference at the 2012 General Conference that is being held in Tampa, Florida. General Conference is the United Methodist Church's top legislative body. Nine hundred and eighty-eight delegates from around the world are there to set policy and direction for the church, as well as handle other business. General Conference is the only entity that speaks for The United Methodist Church.
World Refugee Day: A Success Story at FUMC
By Kim Gudimetla
In honor of World Refugee Day, we are celebrating the Thang family, a refugee family from Myanmar. Approximately 3 years ago, FUMC of Fort Worth partnered with Refugee Services of Texas to co-sponsor this hard-working family upon their classification as refugees by the United Nations. Prior to coming to the United States, the Thang family endured a Tsunami, captivity and displacement from their home country. Despite the state of emergency created by a horrific Tsunami, the Burmese government which functions as a dictatorship would not allow any outside aid to assist the victims.
In the aftermath of the Tsunami, the father and son were taken into captivity and utilized as slaves, and the mother and two girls were left to fend for themselves. At some point - click here to read more
Blessings and Butterfly Kisses: A Success Story
 Thank you to the ministers and staff, church members, and United Methodist Women. Our hearts are full of gratitude! On Tuesday, April 3, the largest United Methodist Women fund raiser "ever" was held at Ridglea Country Club. Because of the magnitude of support for this event, United Methodist Women will be able to bless our community and benefit women, youth, and children in need.
Over 450 attended this year's event! The stage was filled with... read more
 Media Ministry: "Being There” – The Van Hook Family
Connecting people to God and to each other is a mission of our church. We do it many small and big ways. What do you do to connect a person who is more than 6,000 miles away to our church on a very special Sunday morning? You call in the volunteers from our Media Ministry. John and Lita Van Hook, both of whom are members of our armed forces, wanted to baptize their daughter, Sonia, at FUMC. The date was set, the proud grandparents, Carol and James Van Hook, Aunt Laura and her daughter Maggie all were ready for the celebration. Then the orders from the Army came for John to return to Korea.
John Van Hook, the son of long time church member, Carol and James Van Hook, was devastated that he would miss the big day – but there was a bright spot.... Click here to read more
 Downtown United Methodist Women's Circle Meets President Vincente Fox
You never know whom you will meet at Downtown Circle! On Tuesday, April 24th, our early arrivals for circle were visiting in our special room at Vidalia’s Restaurant in the Worthington. The receptionist walked in to leave the menus and told us the former President of Mexico was in the dining room across the foyer. We decided to write him a note... click here to read more
Painting lockers and murals, gardening at our church and at El Buen Samaritano, cleaning the church basement and our decorations closet and packaging rice for families served through our mission were the projects scheduled for the Great Day of Service. Before the day was over, we worshipped and prayed together, we .. Read More
Volunteer Dinner Honors and Educates
A special volunteer appreciation dinner on March 27, honoring nearly 100 volunteers from nine service areas at the church, was hosted by the Lay Ministry Committee. Tables decorated by Lay Ministry Chair Carolyn Stephens and Lay Ministry Committee member Beth Cooper featured large loaves of fresh bread interspersed with colorful plastic eggs. At each place was a hand-made refrigerator magnet bearing an inspirational message.
Marc Rosenberg played classical guitar in the background. After dinner, the volunteers participated ... click here to read more
 Planned Surgery or Hospital Stay?
Let Us Know!
Many area hospitals will NOT notify churches when members are admitted due to changes in the medical privacy laws. Therefore, if you have a planned surgery and know you will be hospitalized or if you have a loved one who is hospitalized in an emergency, please let us know. We want to be there for you and your family to offer our prayers and to visit with you. Please contact the Church Office at 817/366-7277 and let us know where and will you will be hospitalized so that we can help you in your time of need.
Eddie Dunn - decades of service to FUMC
 The term "radical hospitality" certainly defines Eddie Dunn’s years of service as an usher at FUMC - Fort Worth. Having joined the church as a child with his parents in 1931, Dunn has seen many changes take place. He was baptized in what is now Wesley Hall before the sanctuary was built.
"I remember going to church when the minister wore a cutaway suit in the winter and a white coat and shirt and black tie in the summer," he said. "We used to have night services in the courtyard," he added.
He started serving as an usher to accompany his mother, who went to Sunday School at 9:30 and church at 11:00. He ushered during both Sunday morning services and ushered at all four Christmas services until just a few years ago. He now attends... read more
A mission donation of a different kind makes national news
 On December 22, Dr. Jeff Ferrell donated jeans, books, boots, back packs, reusable bags and blankets to our First Street Methodist Mission. What makes this donation special and worthy of national news coverage? The source of the donation.
Dr. Ferrell, a Sociology Professor at Texas Christian University, son of long-time church member, Dr. Gil Ferrell and noted author got all the donated items by “Dumpster Diving.” When he is not busy teaching at TCU he spends his time looking for salvageable items in trash dumpsters. His book “Empire of Scrounge” tells the story of his unusual journey into the often illicit worlds of scrounging, recycling, and second-hand living. With landfills overflowing, today’s highly disposable culture produces more trash than ever before—and yet the urge to consume seems limitless Ferrell’s book calls attention to the dangers of over-consumption. He spends his free time sifting through dumpsters and gives the vast majority of what he finds to the needy or to friends.
FUMC’s Mission received a donation of “found items” from Dr. Ferrell on Thursday, December 22. The donation and Jeff’s unusual hobby is the focus of a CBS Evening News national story that is set to air on either Saturday, December 24 at 5:30 p.m. or Sunday, December 25 at 5:00 p.m. FUMC’s First Street Mission works tirelessly to help meet the basic needs of those in our community and can now enjoy a bit of national attention.
FUMC’S CARPENTER’S MINISTRY-
There are many ways in which you can support the Church and one of these is by becoming a member of the Carpenters, who do minor but important repair work around the Church. If you would like to join this group, contact Byron Baird at 817/294-5490 or email Byron.Baird@Sbcglobal.net.
Member Interest Survey
We are so pleased you are a part of our church family. We strive to meet the needs of our congregation through worship experiences,
study opportunities, fellowship opportunities, and outreach and mission volunteer opportunities. We hope that you will take the time
to complete this brief survey. Your answers will help us help you find your place in the ministries that stir your passions. Begin survey...
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