Make the Most of Every Opportunity The first three chapters of Ephesians Paul reminds us who we are in Christ; what Christ has done for us. In the last three chapters Paul reminds us of how we should live because of what Christ has done for us. (The

“therefore” at the beginning of chapter 4 is the give away) In Ephesians 5:16 He says we should make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Those are good words for us today. For many of you, today marks a day of new beginnings - for students, parents, and teachers. For others it is a day of beginning again. But, for all of us it is an opportunity to take a first step, of following Jesus. When we get back into a routine, or start a routine again, do we remember our baptism? Do we remember who we are sup-posed to be and how we should live? We should make the most of every opportunity to live for Jesus every day. We should be kind, generous, and loving to those we encounter. We should take the time to be with other believers in fun, study, and prayer. It seems that we are busier than ever, but in all of that activity are we doing the things that will have eternal significance in our lives and the lives of others? Let us redeem the time we have been given as we follow Jesus in life and in mission! Rev. Tim Bracken

August 10, 2016 From the pastor

Our Staff

Pastor ............................... Rev. Tim Bracken

Administrative Assistant .............. Molly Near

Financial Secretary .................... Mae Wilkins

Director of Children’s Ministry ...... Jill Ingram

Interim Youth Director ........... Kellie Bracken

Director of Senior Adults .......... Karen Wood

Chancel Choir Director ............Dr. Jim Burns

Pianist ...................................... Tausha Plate

Organist .................................... Terry Barger

Maintenance Director ................ Chris Offery

Maintenance ................................. Jeff Smith

Director of CDC ......................... Cathy Smith

Director of PDO ....................... Rachel David

Assist. Director of CDC/PDO ....Karon Steve

Turn in information for the next

newsletter by NOON on

Tuesday, August 23.

Fill out an Announcement Request online OR in the office!

Post An Announcement

Wednesday Night Dinners & Activities

will resume on August 31

Join us for Dinners—5:30 PM (with a reservation), Adult Bible Study—6:00 PM,

Chancel Choir—6:15 PM, and First Youth—6:15 PM All Children’s Activities will resume on September 7.

Chris Todd will be our guest during the 6:00 PM Bible Study hour on August 31. Rev. Tim Bracken

will begin leading Bible Study on September 7.

Back to School Bash - August 14 - 3:00-7:00 PM There’ll be a slip-n-slide you won’t forget, pool games, great food and just plain fun! Sign up today so we will

have a count for food

Braves Game - August 20 Those going are to be at the church at 3:30 PM.

There are 4 tickets available! Contact Sarah if interested!

Wednesday Night Youth As of Wednesday, August 10th we are resuming our

regular schedule from 6:15 –7:30 PM. Come hang out with us as we study the book of Hebrews!

Small Groups Mark your calendars that we will meet on Monday Sep-

tember 12 & 26 from 6:30—7:30 PM.

Save-the-Date Our Fall Retreat will tentatively be set for the weekend

of October 21-23.

Resurrection 2017 You may sign up now for Resurrection on January 20-

22. The cost is $75.

Prayer focus: be in prayer for Kellie and her family

as they are in Texas with her father.

Youth News

The location of our day trip on Thursday, August 18th has changed!

We are now going to the Tellus Museum in Cartersville, GA. We will leave from the church at 9:30 AM. Your only cost will be your lunch.

Please RSVP to Karen Wood by Monday, August 15 to reserve a seat on the bus.

Bread of Life First Church is very active in preparing and serving lunch at the Salvation Army on the second and last Saturday of every month. Are you interested in being a

part of this outreach opportunity? Contact Albian Johnson for more information.

Help us keep our pantry stocked for this special community outreach!

Items Needed: Green Beans Canned Milk Tomato Sauce & Paste

Canned Peaches Chocolate Syrup Yellow Butter Cake Mix

Gad-A-Bout Day Trip

Thank You! The members of the May Dooley Circle want

to thank those who ordered pecans! The proceeds will support mission projects.

You will be contacted, by phone, when they arrive with a cost and pick-up time.

Bereavement Lunch The Bereavement Support Group will be

going to Puleo’s for lunch on Wednesday, August 17th. We will meet at 11:00 AM at the church to carpool. Please call Evelyn Brunson

at 473-8694 for a reservation.

Do you love children? Has God gifted you with a love for music? Do you believe,

“children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him…” Psalm 127:3?

Then join us in Children’s Ministry by leading a choir on Wednesday evenings!

It’s only 11 Wednesdays for 30 minutes from September 7 through December 7!

Our kids need you! Will you help? Contact Jill Ingram for more information.

1st Kidz choirs

Cleveland circuit ride We need your help to make

this year’s ride a success! Sign up today to volunteer

OR sign up to ride!

We need volunteers for: Registration * Set-up

* Turn Guides * S.A.G. Support

(course water/snacks) * Meal Servers * Clean-up

Sign-up Sunday in the bulletin or call the church office and let us know the area which you would like to

serve. Talk to Kellie Bracken or Bob Donaghy for more information.

Women’s bible study Kellie Bracken will be leading a Women’s Bible

Study on The Lord’s Prayer on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 AM beginning September 7.

Join us as we study this beautiful prayer!

NOTIFY THE CHURCH OFFICE TO ADD OR REMOVE NAMES

FROM THE PRAYER LIST.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK

Sunday, August 14 7:30 AM Sanctuary open for Prayer 8:30 AM Early Worship 9:30 AM Sunday School 10:45 AM Worship Service 3:00 PM Youth Back-to-School Bash 5:00 PM First Youth Monday, August 15 7:00 AM Prayer for Revival 6:00 PM Girl Scouts 6:30 PM Scouts Tuesday, August 16 9:00 AM Prayer for Revival 11:00 AM Staff Meeting 6:30 PM Seekers Circle 8:00 PM Prayer for Revival Wednesday, August 17 11:00 AM Bereavement Support Group Lunch 12:00 PM Prayer for Revival 2:00 PM Prayer for Revival 6:15 PM First Youth Thursday, August 18 9:30 AM Gad-A-bout Day Trip 10:00 AM Prayer for Revival 12:00 PM Prayer for Revival Friday, August 19 7:00 AM Prayer for Revival Saturday, August 20 9:00 AM UMW Social Action 3:00 PM Youth to Braves Game Monday—Friday 7:00 AM CDC Tues/Wed/Thurs 9:00 AM PDO

“I will be loyal to the United Methodist Church and do all in

my power to strengthen its ministry by my prayers,

my presence, my gifts, my service, and my witness.”

Our Prayers

Our Presence

Our Gifts

Our Service—August 14

Our country, our leaders, and our troops

Archer Wagstaff

Glenn Cook

Van Swearingen

Kellie Bracken & Family LONG TERM PRAYER

Don Alley

Debbie Ambert

Judy Barger

J. T. Brooks

Ryan Burns

Randall Butler

Debbie Trentham Case

LeeAnn Childress

Bill Cooke

Rusty Cooke

Kaye Coultry

Emma Cummings

Bill Creech

Alan David

Sunday School Worship 7/31/16 36 183 8/07/16 50 211

Budget Receipts 7/31/16 6,791.84 Receipts to Date: 359,717.71 Expenditures to Date: 354,763.01 Receipts/Expenditures + or [-] 4,849.70 Budget to Date: 438,527.38

Budget Receipts 8/07/16 11,339.50 Receipts to Date: 371,057.21 Expenditures to Date: 378,279.04 Receipts/Expenditures + or [-] [7,221.83] Budget to Date: 452,672.36

Prayer Team: Debbie Melton Monthly Prayer Focus: Mary Diana Samuel Home Ushers: Jerry Clevenger, Head; Ernest Adams, Ed Barrow, Bob George, Mark Johnson, Jim Rufener. First Kidz Church: Jill Ingram Sonshine Kidz: English Smith Altar Flowers—sign up outside the church office.

Open hearts, open minds, open doors...the people of the United Methodist

Bob David

Jordann Dempsey

Lorrie Duke

Lois Ellis

Sharon Everson

Kim Faulkner

Karen Fisher

Toye Gibson

Britton Gobble

Jamie Hargis

Renee Henderson

Mike Hodnett

Joe Hogan

Clint Hutto

Russell Johnson

Elaine Larson

Teresa Lee

Chloe Littrell

Colton Malone

Charlie McDonald

Betty McLain

Ron Merz

Larry and Barb Miller

Carmen Orr

Carolyn Owens

Tilley Phillips

Darci Pittman

Lois Pywell

Wayne Reynolds

Marcella Rogers

Nalini Samuel

Nicholas Stark

Kylene Stump

Stuart Switzer

Janice Tate

Addison Thompson

Emily Varnell

Rosemary Warren

Joan Wheeler

Jennifer Wilhite

UPCOMING EVENTS

● August 25—Friendship Circle, Haiti

Team Meeting

● August 27—Bread of Life

● August 28—Ministry Team Meeting

● August 31—All Wednesday Activities

Resume (except Kids’ Choirs)

● September 1—Gad-A-Bout Lunch

● September 3—UMM Breakfast

● September 5—OFFICE CLOSED

● September 7—Women’s Bible Study,

Wild 1’s Children’s Activities Resume

● September 8—UMW Executive Mtg

● September 10—Bread of Life

● September 13—May Dooley Circle

● September 15—Gad-A-Bouts Day

Trip

● September 18—Ministry Team Mtg,

3rd Grade Bible Presentation

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FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Child Development Center Phone: 423-478-1426