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11 So Christ himself gave the apos-

tles, the prophets, the evangel-

ists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to

equip his people for works of ser-

vice, so that the body of Christ may

be built up 13 until we all reach

unity in the faith and in the knowl-

edge of the Son of God and become

mature, attaining to the whole

measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be in-

fants, tossed back and forth by the

waves, and blown here and there

by every wind of teaching and by

the cunning and craftiness of peo-

ple in their deceitful scheming.

Ephesians 4: 11-14

It is a crazy world out there, and

we can often feel like we are being

tossed by the waves and blown by

the wind. As parents, grandpar-

ents, neighbors, and friends, we

want the best for our young people.

We want to give them the knowl-

edge, experiences, and faith to

stand firm against the waves and

wind. But with all the options and

activities and schoolwork, it can be

hard to fit faith into the picture for

ourselves, much less our kids.

A recent study by the Fuller Youth

Institute found that only 50-60 per-

cent of highly involved Christian

youth group participants stick with

their faith in college or become

part of a Christian community. If

you’ve ever been in school, you

know that 50-60 percent is not a

passing grade. And this is from

our superstar Christian youth, the

ones in whom we put our hope for

the future of our faith.

At First Church, we have spent the

summer talking, sharing, and

dreaming about how we can give

our young people the best opportu-

nities to grow a strong, lasting

foundation in faith. For us, this

Firs

T started with Sunday school. We

hope you have had a chance to

check out our new children’s and

youth Sunday school models.

Our elementary kids are being

challenged each year to really

engage in traditional markers of

our faith as they work through the

most enduring stories in Scripture.

For example, our youngest ones

are focusing on the fact that Jesus

loves them, and will be singing

about that all year. Our third

graders are still putting on the

armor of God, while others are

learning the Lord’s Prayer, the

Fruits of the Spirit, Psalm 23 and,

most importantly, what they mean

to us.

Further, our youth grades 6-12

now have a discipleship sequence

that will take them on an amazing

spiritual journey. Our 6th and 7th

graders have all been given new

Bibles and will spend the next

two years walking through Scrip-

ture from Genesis to Revelation.

The 8th and 9th graders are focus-

ing on what they believe about

their faith, while learning about

the historic Christian and Method-

ist beliefs. Finally, our 10th-12th

graders will spend the next two

years growing in Christian com-

munity and preparing themselves

for life after high school and

youth group.

We hope that you encourage those

young people around you to join

these Sunday morning faith com-

munities as we join one another

together in the bonds of Christian

love, raising our young people up

to be strong, vibrant Christians in

a world that so desperately needs

the light of Christ.

Mike

SSTARTINGTARTING DDISCIPLESHIPISCIPLESHIP EEARLYARLY

.

OOPERATIONPERATION CCHRISTMASHRISTMAS CCHILDHILD The time to think about Op-eration Christmas Child is here! Our church will be collecting boxes again for our members who would like to participate. There will be a table in the lobby starting October 16 where you can find more informa-tion, brochures, boxes, and other information. You can also drop off your filled box at the table. National col-lection week is November 14-21. It is very important that all boxes be turned in on or before Sunday November 20 so we have time to get them to the col-lection location. All boxes received after November 20 will be saved for next year. Any questions please contact Melissa Valtos at 816-830-6185.

Join us on Saturday nights

and Sunday mornings in the

coming weeks as we walk

through portions of Paul's

letter to the Romans. Paul

tackles some big issues and

so will we: issues like faith

and grace, sin and righteous-

ness. Come and worship our

living God and hear Paul's

words to the Romans and

God's words to us.

HEARTBEATS

Simulcast—Oct. 25 Trunk or Treat

An Evening of Unity and Prayer for our Country First UMC will be hosting a Simul-cast on Tuesday, October 25th from 7 to 9:10 p.m. at the Celebra-tion Center. The Simulcast will be featuring Chris Tomlin, Max Lu-cado, Louie Giglio, Matt Redman, Phil Wickham, Tasha Cobbs, Matt Maher & Kim Walker-Smith. To buy your ticket ($7), go to christomlin. com. Click on Missouri and then Sedalia. Make plans now to at-tend!

UMW CUMW COLLECT-OLLECT-

INGING FORFOR FOSFOS Our United Methodist Women are collecting Eyeglasses, Lenses, and Best Choice Labels for Festi-val of Sharing. Festival of Sharing is an ecumenical state-wide ingath-ering event. It is a cooperative re-sponse to world hunger, poverty and injustice and seeks to address the root causes with solutions. To find out how you can be involved, visit the Festival of Sharing website at www.FestivalOfSharing.org. The event is held at the Missouri State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Oct. 15. If you would like to contribute to our UMW collection, please bring your Best Choice Labels, Eyeglasses, and Lenses by October 9th and place in the Clear Plastic Collection Container at our Welcome Center located in the church lobby. If you wish to make a monetary donation, on October 8-9 we will have Festi-val of Sharing special offering en-velopes available for your conven-ience.

Wednesday Night WOW (Wonderful on Wednesdays) is held on the first Wednesday of every month. It begins with a Carry-In Dinner (meat provided) from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Ministry Groups will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (See the 9/4/16 Bulletin

Insert for a list of classes.) WOW is for ALL AGES. Join us! Come to Sunday evenings’ Youth Group for a fun time of learning and fellowship. Youth MPact (6th-12th Grade) is held every Sunday from 4:30—6 pm. If you love babies, be a Hug-ger & Rocker for our nursery during the 9:45 am Sunday Ser-vice. Contact Lancy, 287-3496 to sign up! For confidential, spiritual, and emotional support in a 1-on-1, caring relationship, contact a Stephen Minister at 620-4484.

Come to Trunk or Treat at the Cele-bration Center to hand out candy to the adorable little children on Mon-day, October 31 from 5 to 7 p.m. Families are asked to donate 2 bags of candy in advance per child who is participating. Drop off in designated bins in the lobby.

UMW MUMW MEETINGEETING United Methodist Women will hold their next meeting on Tuesday, Oc-tober 11th at 1:15 p.m. in the First Family Room. Judy Reed has in-vited Dr. Limbaugh with Habitat for Humanity to speak. Patsy Harrison will have the prayer calendar. Host-esses are Alyce Miller and Carolyn Miller. We look forward to your join-ing us. If questions, please call Linda Davis at 553-7060.

STOSTO 5K L5K LOVEOVE RRUNUN/W/WALKALK

Plan now to participate in the 3rd Annual Strong Tower 5K Love Run/Walk on Saturday, November 12 at 8:00 a.m. There are 6 age catego-ries this year with medals awarded to the top 3 runners in each cate-gory, and Love Run shirts for youth and adults! Registration forms are available at the Celebration Center, Pummills, and online at www.strongtowerorphanage.com. Registration deadline to be guaran-teed a shirt is Oct. 24. Come share God’s heart and yours for Haiti’s or-phans!

Join moms of all ages (Moms Group) for fun and encouragement on the 2nd Saturday evening of every month from 6:45-8 p.m. at the Celebration Center (Gathering Place). Our next event is October 8th. Whether your kids are 2 or 42 - you are welcome! Childcare is pro-vided for children up to age 5.

Mom’s Group

YEsToday Bookstore Hours:

Sat. 4-7 pm Sun. 8-11am

Oct. 9 Lori Broyles, Gary Crites, Bill Beck, Amanda Jackson, Tiffany Brown-lee, Thomas Meyer Oct. 10 D’Rae Marcum, Amy Younce, Joseph Steele, Gary Farr, Johnathan Valtos Oct. 11 Ted Cecil, Nicci Funk, Nancy Finley, Glenda Horne, Nick Veale Oct. 12 Hannah Ingram, Steven Faubion, Demitria Mateja, Frances Oswald, Eric Dillon, Cassidy Ferolito, Marilyn Monhain Oct. 13 Jennifer Fairfax, Dan McNeely, Jean Ingram, Wayne Williams, Rich Ken-drick, Ronnie Barker, Craig Silvey Oct. 14 Karen Cairer, Jamie Schroeder, Dan Holt, Tyler Kilby, Carol Harper, Shad Sparks, Dennis Steele, Kailee Mitchell Oct. 15 Eric Leiss, Andrea Kuhlman, Mike Brosch, Crystal Wood, Donovan Pfremmer, Will Myers Oct. 16 Nicci Brubaker, Bill Marchbanks, Ad-dison Youkey, Raylyn Smith Oct. 17 Bill Wyatte, Cody Irwin, Ron Higgins, Tony Monroe, Sara Bryan Oct. 18 June Holt, Alyssa Hawkins, Russell Ragar, Judy Page, Robert Goalder Oct. 19 Mike Gleason, Michaela Pomajzl, Kate Harrison, Audrey Yazell, Alexandra Luvin, Andrew Frazee Oct. 20 Joanna Rhea, Pauline Carpenter, Laura Pool, Brenda Houk, Kirsten Darrah, Wendy Mateja, Christian Kovalenko, Aliza Smith, Jerry Rothganger, Carol McDonald Oct. 21 Connie Janney, Charli Jo Darbyshire, Troy Ives, Jami Swope, James Irelan Oct. 22 Ruth Friedly, Hudson Pratt, Aleczander Luyet, Shannon Mont-gomery, Penny Marchbanks, Karen Gruhn

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FIRST STEPS

Sept. 24-25, 2016 Sunday School 105

Worship 640

Oct. 1-2, 2016 Sunday School 124

Worship 641

Our Family

Our Prayers for: Betty Rose Thompson, Steve Emory, Darlene & Virgil Burgess, Kenneth Bur-gess, Sue Coleman, Jacob Gerken, Annabell Hackman, Clifford Smith, Jennie Chef-fey, Glenda Horne, Kristina Johns, Sandy Smith, Steve Goldsmith, Mary Matz, Cansata Arnold, Jim Rich-wine, David Miller, Our Mili-tary Families, Strong Tower Haiti Orphanage, and our covenant churches in Mo-zambique. Our hearts go out in Chris-tian love and sympathy to Melinda McAloose and family in the death of her mother, Doris Stathem, on Tuesday, September 20th.

- - - - - - - FREE clogging dance classes are available on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. at the Celebration Center. Call Karen Foster at 660-281-2382 for details. It is great exercise and no experience is necessary!

WWEE CCELEBRATEELEBRATE THETHE DDAYAY YOUYOU WWEREERE BBORNORN If your birthday is not listed, please let us know so it can be added!

WWELCOMEELCOME NNEWEW MMEMBERSEMBERS

Festival of Sharing—Oct. 15

MMISSOURIISSOURI WWOMENOMEN’’SS PPRISONRISON PPACKACK Church Women United is collecting items for the Festival’s Missouri Women’s Prison Packs . Bring items and place them in the labeled basket at the church entryway by October 9th. A list of items needed is on the basket, or refer to our September 7th’s newsletter. Money donations are accepted so if you pre-fer, $10 will complete one kit. Please make checks payable to United Methodist Women. Call Judy Reed with any questions (660-827-5042.)

YYOUTHOUTH SSUNDAYUNDAY SSCHOOLCHOOL Mpact Youth Ministries wants you to know about our big Sunday School Makeover! We've got new options, new teachers, and a new path to disciple-ship for our 6th - 12th graders. We encourage all of our young people to be a part of Mpact Discipleship on Sunday mornings at 9:45. 6th and 7th graders will spend the next two years readings through the Bible in the Mpact room. 8th and 9th graders meet in the Eyesee Theatre as they explore their Christian, Methodist, and personal beliefs. Finally, our 10th - 12th graders gather in the Gathering Place to share life and faith together and prepare for life beyond high school and youth group. Talk with Pastor Mike for more information!

Sept. 2016 Totals Budget $46634.06

Building $6089.00

Special $3674.00

Cory Meineka & Brittney Simmons

12674 Hwy EE

Sweet Springs, MO 65351

660-441-3482/660-202-9812

Celebration Center, 1701 W. 32nd St Worship //Saturday 5:30pm //Sunday 8:35am 9:45am // 11:00am // & 12:30pm Listen on the Radio at 1490AM Sundays 10:05am or on our Website at www.firstsayyes.com (messages) Email us at email@firstsayyes.com Phone // 660.827.2993

First United Methodist Church Office: 1701 West 32nd Street

Sedalia, MO 65301

Non-Profit Organization

US POSTAGE PAID

SEDALIA, MO 65301

Permit #208

FirsT

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

STO VBS MSTO VBS MISSIONISSION DDINNERINNER

All are invited to come to the STO (Strong Tower Orphanage) Haiti Vacation Bible School Mission Dinner Sunday, October 9 at 5:30 pm in the Friendship Hall at the Celebration Center. Come enjoy a Haitian dinner (provided by the team) and hear powerful testimonies and see beautiful pictures from the VBS mission to Church of the Redeemer. Hope to see you there.

MMASTERPIECEASTERPIECE TOTO ATTENDATTEND “L“LEROYEROY VVANAN DDYKEYKE” ” ANDAND THETHE “S“SEDALIAEDALIA SSYMPHONYYMPHONY” C” CONCERTONCERT ONON OOCTOBERCTOBER 1717THTH

Join Masterpiece (our age 50+ ministry) for an exciting evening of music with Leroy Van Dyke and the Sedalia Symphony on October 17th at the Heckart Performing Arts Center. We will gather at 6 p.m. at the Celebration Center for a delicious meal of chili and/or soup (provided). Please bring a side dish to share. Concert begins at 7:30 p.m. A single ticket for the concert is $25 (which will allow you season access to the symphony if you are a senior adult). Make your checks payable to First UMC memo “Masterpiece.” If you’ve already purchased a concert ticket, please still feel free to join us for the meal. Sign up in the church office. Call Rusty Smith for more information at 417-658-8702.