Our Partnership in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Newsletter of the Farmville United Methodist Church, August 2008 Philippians 4:5-7 “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

“The Blessing of the Ordinary” by Pastor Paul Dunham

How do you turn Blah to BANGBANGBANGBANG???? How does the “daily grind” become

the reason for getting up each day? This goes to the core of who we are. It is the question where “living for the weekend” is a weak answer, and where drug/alcohol abuse, boredom, adultery, and simply unfulfilled living all find their roots. Look at Philippians 4 for a good guide. The passage brings to mind characteristics of a life full of richness and purpose through all the times of life.

“Rejoice in the Lord always! Rejoice!” There is an older hymn called “Count Your Blessings” which comes to mind here. Take the time to look at your life, and see the quiet ways God is with you everyday. Maybe you need to smell the roses some more- watch a sunset; see the smile of a stranger who receives your kindness; take a flower to a neighbor; write a note to encourage someone. There are so many people and things all around you where God is evident, take the time to look. And the take the time to Thank God.

Know the source of your strength. This is not “cheer up,” “it'll get better,” or “dream it and you can do it,” nor is it “there's always someone worse off than you,” or even “you don't know how good you have it”. Paul is giving us a great truth: I have learned the secret of being content, regardless of if I am wealthy or poor, sick or in great health, happy or in deep grief, employed or laid off, fulfilling all my goals or off the path I'd have chosen for myself- I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. I can face the future unafraid because I have taken my cares and concerns to God. God grants me a peace which goes beyond anything that makes sense to me or to people in the same shoes I am in.

See the Extraordinary in the ordinary. Recently, when Nathan & I were out bike riding and saw a great sunset, it was not just “how cool,” but “way to go God”. Recognize that each day God walks with you and provides many moments of his

presence. If you fail to take the time to notice these things, you will “miss the forest for the trees”- you will miss the great sweeps of God going through your life because you had your eyes stuck on the things of this world and the concerns of the day. It may be in a sunset, or it may be in a job well done at work, or in the encouraging smile of someone you help, or in the smile of your child when they learn to tie their shoes again for the 12th time.

It may also be in seeing God in the difficult neighbor who teaches you patience, the growth that comes from admitting a mistake, or the closeness that comes from calling someone up and saying “I need a friend right now, can we talk?”.

Take it all to God. Take your joys and celebrations straight to the throne of the King of Kings. Walk daily with the Creator of the universe. Let God speak to your needs, inspire your heart, recharge your batteries, straighten your path and direct your future. Let God fill you with all the serenity and fulfillment your heart desires.

New members welcomed (Pastor Paul Dunham, with new members (l to r) Holly Dunham, Kim Shovelin, Jeff Shovelin, Melissa Walters, and Lori Craig): Holly Dunham by transfer of membership. Holly resides at 3661 Hillcrest Dr. with her husband, Paul and their children, Bethany and Nathan. Kim and Jeff Shovelin by transfer of membership. They reside at 5781 Dilda Church Rd., Fountain, NC, 27829 with their son Spencer. Melissa Walters by baptism as a profession of faith. Melissa resides at 4068 Pinecrest Dr. with her husband, Hunter and daughter, Bailey. Lori Craig by transfer of membership. Lori resides at 4103 Grimmersburg St. with her son, Tanner, one of our new acolytes.

Farmville Benevolent Ministries Needs

Your Help The Farmville Benevolent Ministries provides assistance to needy families in the Farmville area. A part of this ministry is providing bags of canned goods to those in need. We need 160-180 bags of food Due to an increase in the number of people we serve, our supply of canned goods is regularly exhausted forcing us to purchase the food these families need. FBM is asking for churches to collect their food in a slightly different and more effective manner. There is a way that you can help! In the next week, when you go shopping, please take this sheet with you and purchase the canned goods listed below. Place all six items in a plastic bag, double bag the items, tie the bags, and you have created the normal package of food we give out each Tuesday. By doing this you provide food for the needy and help our already overworked Benevolent Volunteers. Thank you for your assistance and please remember that any donation to the Farmville Benevolent Ministries is helpful and welcome. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” Matthew 25:3 5

Canned Food Items (regular size) 1. Green Beans or Peas 2. Corn 3. Baked Beans 4. Fruit or Mac & Cheese 5. Soup (except creamed varieties) 6. Meat (Spam, deviled ham, tuna, salmon, etc.)

Several weeks ago at Annual Conference it was stated that

UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) was out of Flood Buckets.

With the floods in the Midwest and a

bad hurricane season expected, needless to say, there is a

great need. These clean-up kits / flood buckets will

cost approximately $50.00 each. This will be an opportunity for our entire church to help others in need. Our community knows first hand how devastating a flood can be! Your help will be a blessing to so many. Will you please donate any monetary amount you can? This may be individuals, Circles, Sunday School classes, UMM or anyone willing to help. We will go out and purchase these supplies and bring them back to the church for a “Praise the Lord” party putting them together! As of today, we have enough for only 12 kits. I thank you in advance for all the work you do that represents God’s hands in this world.

Eloise Carraway District UMW Social Action Coordinator

UMM monthly Supper meeting Monday, August 11, at

7:00pm. All men are invited to attend. Join us for good food and great fellowship.

Summer is still very much here, but fall is just around the corner – and with fall comes the re-activation of meetings for many groups around the church. If you’ve ever been asked to give the devotional at a meeting and tried to beg off because you didn’t feel up to the challenge – our church library

has just the help you need – Please Give a Devotion for Women’s Groups by Amy Bolding. Don’t be fooled by the title, this book and others like it can help men and youth as well who are also asked to do the devotional at meetings. Remember that the church library has lots of resources to help with life’s challenges, both big and small. And to update my personal summer reading challenge, I did read all 7 books in the Chronicles of Narnia series and found them to be wonderful and entertaining, and would highly recommend them to both youth and adults!

Nancy Wilson, Church Librarian

Attention Parents, If you have a son or daughter that will be away from home at a college/university, please call the church office with their address. We like to keep in touch by

sending them the newsletter. We want our young people to know that their church cares about them. Please call the church office as soon as you can with this information.

It is time to plan and schedule Wednesday Night Fellowship meals. If there are any suggestions for changes,

improvements or just fantastic ideas let me know right away. Do prices need to remain the same? I realize the cost of groceries has increased dramatically. Was every group breaking even or making money? Also need to know if all groups from last year plan to continue cooking and serving in the rotation. Those were as follows: Methodist Men, New Beginnings, Vereen Class, Youth, Circle III, Circle IV, and Praise and Worship. Will the contact person for each group remain the same? Again let me know as soon as possible. Thanks for your prompt response and for your dedicated hard work through the year. Irene Pollard (753-6174)

How many of us ever stop to think Of music as a wondrous magic link

With God, taking sometimes the place of prayer When words have failed us ‘neath the weight of care?

Music which knows no country, race, or creed, But gives to each according to his need

Anonymous

HEAD UP FOR FALL SCHEDULE! Choir Rehearsals will begin in September

Chancel Choir, Sept. 10 at 7:00pm Children/Youth Choir, Sept 17, at 6:30pm

WESLEY FOUNDATION NEEDS HELP! The Wesley Foundation at ECU is in need of furniture for the rooms they rent to students. The rent is an important financial support for the ministry, but as Pastor Scott says, “Some of the furniture has seen its day!” They need twin beds, mattresses and box springs, desks & desk chairs and chest of drawers. All donations are tax deductible. If you have a donation for the Wesley Foundation, please call the church office.

August 5: No game August 7: FUMC vs Farmville Presbyterian Church at 6:30pm August 12: FUMC vs First Christian Church at 6:30pm

If you are unable to get to

communion, but would like to be

served communion in your home,

simply let the church office know.

Thank You Notes:

Dear Church Family, Words can not express my thankfulness for all you did for me during the death of my son. I really appreciated the meal the

Church provided on Sunday night. It was delicious! Friends, neighbors and church members came by with food and we had enough for another meal after the funeral. It was such a blessing not have to worry about food with so many people and family members from out of town. I was especially appreciative of the Love Offering. It helped more than I could ever tell you. Thank you for being such a loving and caring church family. I love you all and I will be forever grateful. Love

Jean Tyson

To the pocketbook bumpers many thanks: about 200; isn’t that great!

The Bump It Up, BVS (This was in response to the Bump It Up Experiment’s

Pocketbook Drive for “Dress for Success” and their efforts to help women break the chains of poverty.)

…….Iris Roebuck, Lola Joyner, Tracey Smith, John Talton, Sylvia Paschal, David Parker, Tommy Bullock, Eleanor Joyner, Ruth Teel, Lois Tyson, Kim Cotton, Etna Lewis, Horace Allen, Rufus and Evangeline Cochran, Perry Harper, Clark Blackburn, Brenda and Daniel Purser, Delaney Hudson, Linda Gayhardt, Margaret Wilson, Nandra Talton, Dorothy Talton, Cecil Eason, Michael Thigpen, Michael Williams, Barbara Manning, Louise Lewis, Allen McGee, Dot Beard, James & Betsy Bonds, Mary Allen, Tommy Casper, Danny Vernelson, Mr. Mack, Doug Rice, Jean Ross, Rebecca Wilson, Donna Howard, Billy Modlin, Irene and Randy Pollard and Mike and Beverly Wainwright, Larry Cochran, Gerald Brown, Lewis Clark, Bonnie Burch Hicks, Blake McKeel, Ken Wainwright, Mildred Wainwright, Bailiegh Carlene, Donnie Hollman, Pat Jones, Lula B. Bush, Nelson Franklin, Nick Luper, Carlton Teel, Jean Tyson and Family, unspoken prayer request.

August is here and I hope you are enjoying your summer. We had an Executive Meeting on July 16, to start making our plans to finish this year. These are the dates to mark on your calendar.

• Sept. 13 – Brunch for “Meet Your Neighbor” District meeting at Farmville UMC from 9:00 until 12 noon.

• September 19-21 – “Mother-Child retreat” Camp Don-Lee. Registration needs to be by Aug. 25. If you need more information, please call me at 749-4816

• Nov. 15 – Holiday Helpers Fundraiser • Nov. 24 – Hanging of the Greens to

decorate the church for Christmas

I want to keep you informed of what is going on. Thank you ladies for everything you do for the church. Remember it takes everyone.

In Christian Love Darlene Gaynor

Daily Bible Reading for Daily Bible Reading for Daily Bible Reading for Daily Bible Reading for August & early SeptemberAugust & early SeptemberAugust & early SeptemberAugust & early September You can begin at any point of the year. Just pick up on today’s reading and go from there. To prevent the falling behind, which most of us tend to do when following a Bible reading plan, each month of this plan gives you only twenty-five readings. You could set aside Sundays to either not read at all or to catch up on any readings you may have missed in the past week.

AugustAugustAugustAugust

New Testament Old Testament

LUKE 1 TIM. PROV. EZRA

4. 14:1-14 3:1-10 4 6

5. 14:15-24 3:11-16 5 7

6. 14:25-35 4 6 8

7. 15:1-10 5:1-15 7 9

8. 15:11-32 5:16-25 8 10

NEHEMIAH

9. 16:1-9 6:1-10 9 1-2

10. 16:10-18 6:11-21 10:1-16 3

2 TIM.

11. 16:19-31 1:1-7 10:17-32 4-5

12. 17:1-10 1:8-18 11:1-15 6

13. 17:11-19 2:1-13 11:16-31 7

14. 17:20-37 2:14-26 12:1-14 8

15. 18:1-8 3:1-9 12:15-28 9

16. 18:9-17 3:10-17 13:1-12 10

17. 18:18-30 4 13:13-25 11

TITUS

18. 18:31-43 1:1-9 14:1-18 12

19. 19:1-10 1:10-16 14:19-35 13

ESTHER

20. 19:11-27 2:1-10 15:1-17 1

21. 19:28-38 2:11-15 5:18-33 2

22. 19:39-48 3:1-8 16:1-16 3-4

23. 20:1-8 3:9-15 16:17-33 5-6

PHILEMON

24. 20:9-19 1-11 17:1-14 7-8

25. 20:20-26 12-25 17:15-28 9-10

SeptemberSeptemberSeptemberSeptember

New Testament Old Testament

LUKE HEBREWS PROVERBS ISAIAH

1. 20:27-40 1:1-9 18 1-2

2. 20:41-47 1:10-14 19:1-14 3-5

3. 21:1-19 2:1-9 19:15-29 6-8

4. 21:20-28 2:10-18 20:1-15 9-10

5. 21:29-38 3 20:16-30 11-13

Aug. 4: Luke Warren Aug. 6: Jesse Bailey, Margaret Wells Aug. 7: Evelyn Allen, Bill Monk Aug. 11: Bill Lewis Aug. 12: Charlene Gill, Alfred

Lewis Aug. 13: Margaret Morgan Aug. 14: Catherine Tugwell Aug. 16: Brett Erwin, Tommy Hardy Aug. 20: Karen Sledge Aug. 23: Carole Albritton, Mildred Carraway,

Leona Kilpatrick Aug. 26: Bill Hall Aug. 27: Trey Barnette, Agnes Monk Aug. 28: Sheri Von Schriltz Aug. 30: Tracy Smith, John Talton Aug. 31: Bert Warren, Jr.

We’ll be having a HOMEADE ICE

CREAM SOCIAL here at the

Church, Sunday evening, August 17, from 6-

7:30pm. Tommy Bullock is whipping up a

whole crew of ice cream makers- so see him

if you want to make some for the group.

We’ll also have games on the grounds (see

Pastor Paul if you have suggestions). Come

on out, have some fun, bring a friend and let’s laugh

and eat together!!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Return Service Requested

P. O. Box 153, Farmville, NC 27828-0153

Phone 252-753-4803 E-Mail – church@farmvilleumc.com

Webpage: www.FarmvilleUMC.com

Pastor: Paul Dunham-pdunham@nccumc.org

Admin. Assist.: Nan Walston-nan.farmumc@embarqmail.com

Admin. Council: Mr. & Mrs. Mike Tugwell

Music Director: Bonnie Burnette

Organist: Drucilla Lamm

LLIISSTTEENN LLIIVVEE!!!! 11225500aamm SSuunnddaayyss,, 1111aamm

OOrr OONNLLIINNEE ffrroomm tthhee lliinnkk oonn oouurr wweebbssiittee..

PRSRT STD

U.S.POSTAGE

PAID

Farmville, NC

27828

Permit No. 24