What’s Inside

First United Methodist Church109 S. HarperPoteau, OK 74953

Non-Profit Org.

Permit No. 40

Poteau, OK 74953

Address Service Requested

YEAR 24 VOLUME 11 NOVEMBER, 2016 SERViNg gOd 123 YEARS

The United Methodist News

The United Methodist NewsPASTOR TO PEOPLE

REV. JIM PERKIN

Sunday School9:30 A.M.

Morning Worship10:30 A.M.

Church Calendar ................ 2Prayer List .......................... 2Finance Report .................. 2News of Youth .................... 3Children’s Ministry ............ 3Correspondence ................ 3Missions Report ................. 3Preschool Report ............... 4Women of Faith .................. 4Birthdays, Anniversaries .. 4

FIRST

Here it is, Church. The holidays are fast approaching. Our days are getting shorter. The air is getting cooler. The leaves on the trees are start-ing to change. The temptation for many of us is to just get it all done. To provide for our kids and our loved ones the perfect holiday season. I know that you have much to do this time of year but I want to call you to pause for a moment and consider two more things.

First, beginning November 6th and 10th I will begin a new Bible study that will take us about two years to cover. It is a 32-week study all the way through the Bible in chronological order. The study is called, “The Story” and it follows a chronological version of the Bible that reads like a novel. We will meet once a week on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. or Thursday afternoon at 1p.m. If you would like more information, feel free to show up at the first study to check it out or call me at the church. I would love to talk to you about it. What a great thing this would be for our church if many of us went through this study together! Even if you cannot attend either of those study times I would like to offer you the book at $5 so that you can read it along with us. I hope that you will join me in this study.

The second opportunity requires you to think ahead and vision for your life a bit. Next Spring, March 12th-17th, I will be leading a mission trip to the Mississippi Deltas. We will leave on Sunday morning and return on Friday. This mission will consist of some construction/home repair work as well as building relationships with people in ministry. We will have an information meeting on November 6th at 2 p.m. at the church. If you think you might be even a little bit interested in learning more, please make plans to attend that meeting. After the meeting, you can prayerfully decide if this mission opportunity is for you. By attend-ing the meeting, you are not obligated to go. As always, please feel free to call me at the church if you would like!

On the Journey with you,

Fall FestivalNovember 4

9 to 3 p.m.Bake SaleVendors

Door Prizes

Luncheon 11 to 1

ACOLYTES

WORSHIP GREETERS

WELCOME TABLE VOLUNTEERS

LITURGIST

PAGE 2 NOVEMBER 2016

THE UNITED METHODIST NEWSPublished by the Communications Committee

Carol Baker, EditorFIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

109 S. Harper, Poteau, OK 74953Telephone 918-647-2217

e-mail: adminassistant@poteaufumc.comwebsite: www.poteaufumc.com

Sunday School 9:30 a.m. • Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.Bishop Rev. Jimmy NunnDistrict Superintendent Larry BaumanSenior Pastor Rev. Jim PerkinDirector of Youth Ministries Melanie WheatDirector of Music Ministries Mary Lynn PerkinDirector of Children’s Ministries Suzanne KluttsAdministrative Assistant Melissa WardLead Nursery Attendant Jayla CraigOrganist Bill KingFacility Manager Phil Smith

District web page: www.gbgm-umc.org/mc-dist/

4 Fall Festival 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 6 Pastor’s Bible Study begins, 4 p.m. Youth Hayride at Gilliam’s Farm, 5 p.m. 7 SPRC Meeting, 5:30 p.m.10 Pastor’s Bible Study begins, 1 p.m.12 Cavanal Chorale, 7 p.m.13 Planning Your Legacy, 12 p.m. Cavanal Chorale, 2 p.m.14 Trustee Meeting, 6 p.m.16 Membership Care, 12 noon19 Neighborhood Breakfast, 7:30-10:30 a.m.23, 24, 25 Office closed for Thanksgiving

• NOVEMBER CHURCH CALENDAR •• SUNDAY •

Sunday School, 9:30 a.m.Morning Worship, 10:30 a.m.Pastor’s Bible Study, 4 p.m.

UMYF (CHAOS), 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.• MONDAY •

Christian Preschool Monday – Thursday8:30 - 11:30 a.m., Education Building

• TUESDAY •Cub Scouts, 6 p.m., CFLCBoy Scouts, 7 p.m., CFLC

• WEDNESDAY • Jesus and Me Activities, 3:15-5:00 p.m.

Sr. High Small Group (Nikki Perry’s) 5 p.m.Bell Choir 5:30 p.m.

Celebration Choir Rehearsal, 6:15 p.m.• THURSDAY •

Senior Café, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., CFLCPastor’s Bible Study, 1:00 p.m. (Begins 10th)

Poteau F.U.M.C. Report for September 2016Average Attendance Figures for September: 148

2016 Budget Requirements: $340,000.00Needed through September: $255,000.00

Year to Date received through September: $242,887.03September Receipts: $27,755.06

September Expenditures: $30,983.45 New Building Fund Figures:

Deposits: $2,121,219.98; Expenditures: $2,580,121.03

6 Jerry and Mary Ford13 Jon and Mandy Mitchell20 David and Patty Redhage27 Mike and Linda Lee

6 Linda Lee13, 20, 27 Volunteers needed

6 Sadie Perkin13 Mary Ford20 Taryn Shelton27 Tami Matos

6 Brock Call and Ryker Holt13 Lexe Pickle and Jenci Quarry20 Nathan Murray and Waylon Murray27 Burke Perry and Brady Perry

Prayer List(As of November 1, 2016)

To add to or remove a name from the list, call the church office at 918-647-2217.

Nursing Home/Homebound: Maxine Nyberg Health: Landon Akins, Landa Aubree, Astarte

Baker, Debbie Billy, Matthew Billy, Ed Brody, Rebecca Burrows, Perry Carter, Jim Davis, Dale DeCamp, Duke Dunn, Rob Ellis, Mary Folsom, Jim Gaines, Vickie Gillion, Mike Hargrove, Al-len and Jane Ann Inge, Donna Jackson, Walter and Lorene Johnson, Blake and Jessica Jones, Richard Kingrey, Colton Knight, Lloyd and Dana Lee, Arlene LeMaster, Sandra Lum, Dusti Mc-Beth, Sharon Mikkelson, Mason Mitchell, Sun-ny Muse, Steve Odom, Christy Oehlschlager, Pat Pate, Kallie Peck, Jim Perkin Sr., Jean Potts, Beckham Prescott, Kaycee Quarry, William Quarry, Valeri Repass, Bobbie Rowland, Joe Sabatucci, Charles Saviers, Jim Shore, Sandra Slater, Geri Smith, Pat Smith, Richard Sockey, Virginia Stanley, Dennis Thomas, Rita Thomas, Dorothy Watkins, Patsy West, Ann Young.

Bereavement: Military and Law Enforcement:Jared Baughn, Taylor Baughn, Tyler Berlin,

Kyle Kinman, Kaigan LeMaster Coggins, Victor Murray, and all our military and law enforce-ment.

Laurie Bandy

CHILDREN’S MOMENTS

NOVEMBER 2016 PAGE 3

News of YouthUMYF (CHAOS) meets Sunday evenings from

5 to 7 p.m. and is for all youth 6th – 12th.

• Children’s Ministry •

October was an amazing month at JAM. We averaged 85 students and 25 adults. Thank you to all our volunteers for dedicating your time to our students and God’s work! Our theme was Surf Shack and the children caught God’s amaz-ing love. Through Bible stories, crafts, music, games and snacks the kids learned that God creates, helps, loves, calms and sends.

During November we will focus on our up-coming Christmas program, Camel Lot. Under the direction of Mary Lynn Perkin and Tami Ma-tos, the children will learn songs, dances and

By Suzanne Klutts

By Melanie Wheat

NOVEMBER 6 Fall Hayride at the Gillham’s Farm from 5

to 8 p.m. Boys bring the drinks and girls bring the chips.

13 Regular meeting, 5 to 7 p.m.20 Thanksgiving Break. No meeting. We will

be decorating the church that afternoon if anyone can help.

27 Regular meeting, 5 to 7 p.m. I would like to thank everyone that helped

with the Carnival. Your hard work and dona-tions are greatly appreciated!

Winners of the Halloween Costume Contest

speaking parts. Camel Lot will be preformed for our JAM and church families on Wednesday, December 7, save the date!

Please continue to keep the JAM children and volunteers in your prayers.

Remember that the Lord is great and awe-some. Nehemiah 4:14b

Missions ReportBy Judy Peerson

This month’s mission’s project is blankets for the nursing home. We have boxes set up in the Narthex where you can drop off your donations, or if you would rather give a monetary donation, you can leave it at the church office or give it to Judy Peerson and we will purchase the blan-kets for you.

Missions will be Christmas shopping for needy area children again this year. Thanks to your generous donations to our fundraisers in the past, we have the funds to support this cause.

The Drive Through Christmas Story is just around the corner and plans are being made to organize and refurbish sets, costumes and scenes. If you would be interested in wash-ing costumes, please contact the office. This is a project that involves our entire church and there is a job for everyone. Please let us know if you are willing to help.

CorrespondenceTo my wonderful church family,My family and I want to thank you for the

wonderful brunch yesterday. It is always great to feel appreciated! But I want you to know that I am the one who feels blessed! I want you to know that I appreciate you! I couldn’t get a fraction of the ministry done that we do in our church without all of you. So, thank you for the brunch. Thank you for the kind words spoken from the microphone and one on one. Thank you for the cards. Most of all, thank you for being such willing servants of Jesus Christ. It truly is my pleasure to serve as your pastor.

Peace,Pastor Jim

The Pink Basket Day celebrating baby Kay-lix Kolt Castillo was wonderful. We are blessed with a loving church family.

Thank you so much for the many cards and gifts.

Alicia and Colton Castillo

1 Keely Hambrick and Fredric Ritchie 3 Wesley Garrett and Phil Smith 5 Kaycee Quarry 6 Sondra Sampson 7 Ronna Bell, Demi Gilliam and Barbara Harris 8 Maci White 9 Elizabeth Perry, Linda Lee, Martha Renfro and Angela Price 10 Sterling Brookfield11 Jean Gaylor and Nikki Perry12 Deanna Reed, Allison Matos, Bessie Moreland and Mandy Roberts13 Brad DeSpain, Justin Barnes and Jenny Harreld15 Randy Matos and Colton Castillo16 Christy Oehlschlager17 Lance Owen19 Elissa Bridgman, Cynthia Stoughton and Jamie Gilliam20 Keely Carsello21 Henry Hardaway, Jennifer Cravens and Nina Bowen23 Mary Ford25 Ed Brody26 Connor Bandy27 Kela Miller28 Charlee Gilliam and Gary Price29 Artheia Hageman

PAGE 4 NOVEMBER 2016

November Anniversaries

November Bir thdays

The Upper Room devotional guides for No-vember/December can be picked up from the tables in the Narthex. They are provided for you free in either the regular print or large print issue.

ByTracey Gilliam,

Preschool Director

November brings cooler weather and shorter days. The preschool students will be introduced to the letters H, I and J. Henrietta and Harvey Hippo, Isabella Inchworm and Jungle Jim will be the songs used to reinforce the letters H, I and J. The shape of the month is a square and the color is brown. The number of the month is 5. The preschool memory verse for November is “Let us love one another.” The weekly themes are Where We Live, Going Back in Time, Being Thankful for Things God Gives Us and Winter is Coming.

There will be no preschool the week of November 21st due to the Thanksgiving break.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Women of FaithOn October 6 our church served food at the

Historical Museum fundraiser, “Taste of LeFlore County.” Thank you to all for attending, cook-ing or working that evening. It was a successful event.

We are preparing and excited for our Fall Festi-val on Friday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be many vendors, door prizes, a quilt draw-ing at 12:30 p.m. and a bake sale. The chicken and dressing luncheon will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Many thanks for your support in making it a success for our church.

I will be resigning as president of the Women of Faith effective January 1, 2017. Thank you for your help in so many ways. Blessings,

Dorothy G. James

Waylon Murray and Pastor “Willie” at the Hallow-een Carnival.

Planning Your Legacy WorkshopThere will be a Planning Your Legacy work-

shop on Nov. 13 at 12 noon. This is a Chris-tian guide to planning your Will and Trust. A free lunch will be provided for participants. Call 918-647-2217 if you plan to attend.

20 Randy and Libby Bridgman R.L. and Janet Sockey22 Mark and Sheri Zabala26 Alan and Clyda Ware28 Ted and Christie Williams