The VisitorThe VisitorThe Visitor First United Methodist Church

320 West Main, Magnolia, Arkansas 71753

www.magnoliafumc.org To invite all to know the love of God, to share grace, and to develop relationships

November 16, 2016 Sunday

8:30 a.m.—Chapel Worship

10:45 a.m.—Sanctuary Worship

Noon—Cable Channel 13

Noon—Service on radio

KVMA-AM 630

KVMA-FM 99.1

7:45 p.m.—Encounter in Peace Hall

Wednesday 7:00 PM—Broadcast of

previous Sunday’s 10:45

Service Cable Channel 13

How to Reach Us: Church Office Hours

Monday—Thursday 8:00–4:00

Friday 8:00–Noon

870-234-4530

Our Staff:

Pastor Pam Estes, cell: 501-617-4887

e-mail: pam.estes@arumc.org

Jeremy Carter, Children & Families

Michelle Anderson, Youth Director

Tracie Nipper, Administrative Sec.

Amanda Franks, Business Manager

Dana Phillips, Director of CDC

Kim Shirey, Director of Music

David Crouse, Organist

Barbara Lewis, Dir., The Caring Place

J.D. Martin, Building Superintendent

Kenneth Manning, Custodian

Children’s Music:

Melanie Allen, Christa Marsh,

Jennifer Bailey, Tabitha Lewis,

Anne Couch

Stewpot:

Valerie Sanders, Libby Gilbert,

George Gilbert

Nursery:

Burlene Easter, Kathy Easter

THIS WEEK AT

FIRST UNITED

METHODIST CHURCH THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17 9:30 AM CDC CHAPEL TIME 10:00 AM THE CARING PLACE 4:00 PM STEWPOT SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20 8:30 AM WORSHIP (CHAPEL) 9:30 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:45 AM WORSHIP (SANCTUARY) 5:00 PM YOUTH 7:45 PM ENCOUNTER MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21 4:00 PM STEWPOT TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22 4:00 PM STEWPOT 5:30 PM LIFETREE CAFE (AVERITT) “LIVING ONLINE” 5:30 PM CUB SCOUTS (PEACE) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23 NO WEDNESDAY ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY– OFFICE CLOSED FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY—OFFICE CLOSED

Non Profit

Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

Magnolia,

AR

Permit No. 84

Address Service Requested

First United Methodist Church

320 West Main

Magnolia, AR 71753

Pastor Pam’s Ponderings. . . Slogans are interesting—it’s the real

thing (Coke); Just do it (Nike) Where’s the beef? (Wendy’s) You can have

it your way (Burger King) and perhaps my favorite ridiculous —Love, it’s

what makes a Subaru.

Surely, we all know that these advertising mottos, these catchy

phrases are words meant to stick so that we will spend. On the other hand,

we in the church have also done research to find the right words so that

people may know that we invite them to receive grace instead of spending.

Research done on our behalf asked unchurched people what

characteristics of a church would be attractive for them. Research

discovered that many longed for a church which already existed. The

United Methodist Church fulfilled their longing for mission, worship,

study, and fellowship. Therefore, our advertising slogan is the way we

catch the eye of those who are looking for our kind of place.

Open hearts, open minds,

open doors! Our challenge then is to live

daily the qualities of this openness so

that those who are seeking may

indeed find with a place of welcome

and hospitality. We must be on guard

to ensure our practice of gracious welcome to all people—all ages, all

appearances, etc. Thus, on Sundays we must be sure to speak to all. It is

easy to greet those we know, but even in our congregation, there are some

we do not know as well as others so let's greet everyone. Why not greet

each person as an honored guest? When we participate in conversation, we

are invited by the Spirit of Christ to keep our hearts and minds open so that

we may hear the voice of God in our neighbors. When we consider the

possibilities of serving others, God challenges us to love as God loves—

unconditionally and with joy so that all may know the fullness of the love

of God.

When we live out the call of Jesus,

following Him in expectation, we shall surely

discover together that sharing grace with others

develops grace within us, that as we develop

relationship with one another, our relationship

with God deepens; as our relationship with God

deepens, our hearts expand!

Dear friends, let us be open to the work of God!

Shalom, Pastor Pam

Magnolia Christmas Parade

December 1

FUMC will have a float in this year’s Christmas Parade. We need a team of volunteers to help with ideas, construction, etc. If you are interested in help-ing, please see Jeremy Carter or Deborah Nipper.

Mark Your Calendars To Join Us As We Celebrate

HANGING OF THE GREENS “A Glorious Holiday Tradition”

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 5:00 P.M.

FOLLOWED BY A LIGHT POTLUCK MEAL

Mark Your Calendars

ADVENT LUNCHEONS

Wednesdays Beginning

November 30 - December 14 at Noon

Musical program followed by

homemade soups, sandwiches, and desserts

We will not publish The Visitor next week

due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Our next edition will be November 30.

In celebration of Thanksgiving, we will not

have our regularly scheduled activities on

Wednesday, November 23. We will resume our

normal schedule on Wednesday, November 30.

The church office will be closed Thursday and

Friday (November 24 and 25). We will also

close at noon on Wednesday, November 23.

From the church staff to your family, have a

wonderful Thanksgiving. We give thanks for all

of you!

Happy Thanksgiving

A Record of Our Faithfulness

Worship S.S. November 6 189 89

Encounter 12

November 13 149 78

Encounter 16

Having promised to be loyal to Jesus Christ through The United Methodist Church and to do all in our power to strengthen its ministries, we live out our promise by God’s grace together—participating faithfully in the ministries of

First United Methodist Church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness, making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!

Inviting all to know the love of God, share grace, develop relationships

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Our Weekly Service at Church

Sunday, November 13, 2016 (10:45)

Psalm Reader: Lelia Dadgar

Acolytes: Warner Peterson and

Riley McCook

Youth Usher: Tanner and Jake Nielsen

Encounter—Sunday Evening

Worship (7:45)

Worship: Dr. Kim Shirey, Hannah Kaar,

Michelle Anderson, Myron Smith,

Pastor Pam Estes Tech: David Kaar, Peyton Carter

Message: Pastor Pam Estes

LIFETREE CAFÉ Tuesday, November 22, 2016 at 5:30 p.m.

Living Online

Our Prayers of Intercession

Our Witness

Our Service

Our Presence

Our Gifts

11/1 Zoie Dixon 11/19 Larry Franks

11/1 Charles Flurry 11/20 Cole Eddy

11/2 Christian Hester 11/20 Van Privitt

11/7 Carol Durrant 11/21 Judy McGee

11/9 Jennifer Bailey 11/22 Reece McDonald

11/9 Chris Gosnell 11/23 Kelly Ribble

11/10 Rebecca Ainsworth 11/24 Lester Jetton

11/12 Mabel Card 11/26 Anne Gantt

11/12 Kathryn Dickson 11/27 Tom Harris

11/15 Lauren Lewis 11/27 Joe Hester

11/15 Preston Tye 11/28 JD Martin

11/17 Jan Alford 11/29 Nathan Romero

11/17 Mildred Ruff 11/30 Christa Marsh

11/17 Sam Williams

STEWPOT VOLUNTEERS FOR THE WEEK

NOVEMBER 14

Host/Hostess: Kathy Dickson

Servers: Barbara Lewis, Emerson Methodist Church

NOVEMBER 15

Host/Hostess: Carolyn Greene

Servers: Carolyn Biddle, Jim Garrett, Carl Bismark

NOVEMBER 17

Host/Hostess: Valerie, Ginger, Bonnie Adcock

Servers: Jennifer Ford, SAU Residence Hall Assoc.

We ask for God’s help for —

—those who are ill in hospital and at home

—those imprisoned in jails or behind invisible bars of

addiction, fear, anxiety, and hopelessness

—children and their families

—teachers and school/university personnel

—those who grieve, military personnel and their

families, law enforcement and their families, elected

officials and those running for office

—the hungry, the lost, and missionaries, persecuted

Christians around the world

—one another in our congregation

—all Christian congregations, and

—peace

Service Schedule ALTAR GUILD—Sanctuary

Donna Garrett and Elizabeth Tye (11/7—11/20)

ALTAR GUILD—Chapel

Whitney Whitelaw

A Record of Our Faithfulness

Offerings November 6 $9,233.31

November 13 N/A

—New Member Karrie Allen, Southern Christian

Mission

—New red book cart located in Averitt has the United

Methodist Women's Reading Program Books

available on the cart. During Encounter Worship the

hymnals will be on the red cart in Peace Hall.

Praise God for—

Growing Through Prayer Prayer is never just asking, nor is it

merely a matter of asking for what I want. God is not a cosmic fix-it man, and the aim of the universe is not to fulfill my

desires and needs. On the other hand, I am to pray for what concerns me; and many people

have found prayer impossible because they thought they should only pray for wonderful but remote needs that they

had no interest in and little knowledge of. Prayer simply dies from efforts to pray about "good things" that honestly do not matter to us. The way to get to meaning- ful prayer is to start by praying for what we are truly interested in. The circle of our interests will inevitably grow in the

largeness of God's love.

Heavenly Father, today I lift to you the things that are

closest to my heart, and I pray that you would change me and shape me so that my heart beats in tune with yours. Thank

you for your hand on my life. Amen.

from A Daybook of Prayer, Thomas Nelson, 2006

We are currently working on

2017 budget, please

remember to turn in your

pledge. Thank you.

Join Mildred Ruff

on her

“100th” Birthday Celebration

Saturday, November 17

5:00—7:00 p.m.

Magnolia Arts Center

A very successful Life Share Blood drive. Donors

gave 22 units of blood on November 11.

Thank you to all those who donated,

honoring veterans and saving lives.

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

CHRISTMAS POTLUCK

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5—PEACE HALL

6:00 p.m.