THE WITNESSO F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F F I R S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H

1 6 1 0 P R I N C E S T . , C O N W A Y , A R K A N S A S , 7 2 0 3 4

WOMEN'S BIBLESTUDY, DISCIPLESHIP

GROUPS FORMING

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

T H E W I T N E S S

NAMESNEEDED FORALL SAINTS

BANNER

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In-person worship:8:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary9:05 a.m. in the Great Hall11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary

Sunday Worship

Online worship:9:30 a.m. Sundays

www.facebook.com/conwayfirstumc OR

www.conwayfumc.org.

See JUMP ROPES on Page 4

Conway FUMC’s circles of UnitedMethodist Women are taking recycling to a newlevel, learning to make jump ropes out of old T-shirts to be given to the children of Guatemala. On a recent Monday, members of twoUMW groups – Nell Dyer Circle and MaryMitchell Circle – gathered for instructions onhow to cut and braid the shirts into good,sturdy jump ropes. The finished product will bedelivered to Guatemala by church membersBonnie and Steve Laycock, who are planning totake a team sometime in the near future towork with the Stove Builders of Guatemala. In her demonstration, Bonnie told theNell Dyer women that T-shirts of all sizes canbe used. Examples she had included one withred, white and blue shirts, and one had beigeand brown patterns which almost lookcamouflaged. She likes to use three differentshirts of differing colors, but the ropes can alsobe just one or two colors. Church member Mary Henderson is alsoinstructing the UMW circles on the jump ropemaking. Mary said she has made about 70 jumpropes so far. When she asked Bonnie how manywere needed, Bonnie just said, “How many

UMW Jumping Up and Downto Send Ropes to Guatemala

(Above) DebbieBartrow stretchesa strip of T-shirt

for her jump rope.

(At left) MarilynWilliams holds the

end of a jumprope being

braided by BonnieLaycock.

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Covenant DiscipleshipGroups Forming

Covenant Discipleship Groups are forming atConway FUMC at the end of October. It can be difficultto live a Christian life on your own, and it helps to haveothers doing the same thing with you. CovenantDiscipleship Groups can provide a weekly confidentialsmall group meeting for the purpose of mutual supportand accountability in Christian discipleship as we growtogether in the love of God and neighbor. The firstgroups will meet for one hour each week for sevenweeks (taking off the week of Thanksgiving). Contact Lynn McClure at pastorlynn5@me.com formore information.

Women's Bible Studyto Start in November

A five-week Women's Bible Study with Pastor Dedewill begin Wednesday, Nov. 3, from. 10 to 11:15 a.m. inthe Youth Big Room of the Trinity Building. We will continue our fall theme of gratitude and getready for the holidays with Ann Voskamp and herclassic study, “One Thousand Gifts”. In this five-sessionsmall group Bible study, we will ponder the questions offinding joy in the midst of everything -- from the typicalgrind daily chores and deadlines to the calamity everyperson eventually faces. The question Ann Voskampconsiders is, "How do you break the bondage of fearthat has white-knuckle control on your life and insteadembrace the everyday blessings that immerse you inChrist's fullness?" We will all be encouraged to keep a gratitude journalthroughout the study, since Ann believes that it's onlyin this expression of gratitude for the life we alreadyhave, that we discover the life we've always wanted ... alife we can take, give thanks for, and use to serveothers. In it, we come to feel and know the impossibleright down to our core: We are wildly loved by God. Participant guides are $10. Please register withPastor Dede, droberts@conwayfumc.org.

Place your orders athttps://sherwoodfundraiser.com/conwayfumcmusic/. Payment can be made atwww.conwayfumc.org/. Click "give online"and then look for the seasonal funds. Enterthe amount in the greenery/music line.Set up your own Sherwood Forest Farms’participant account. To register, visit thewebsite listed below and scroll down thepage. Once you are registered, you will beable to view your orders placed on our groupwebsite. To access your participant accountafter registration, click on the “ParticipantLogin” button in the upper right hand side ofour group website.

Use a traditional brochure and order form. Ifyou'd prefer this option, contact DianeRobinson at greenery@conwayfumc.org orJanet Gingerich at the church.

Annual GreenerySales Under Way

The Sanctuary Music Department's annualfresh greenery fundraiser is under way. You mayplace an order for fresh wreaths, garland,centerpieces and other holiday items startingimmediately, through Sunday, Nov. 7. All of thesewill be delivered to and may be picked up fromthe church the week after Thanksgiving. You mayalso place "direct delivery" orders. These itemsmake wonderful Christmas gifts for family andfriends in other locations; they are delivereddirectly to the recipient. Proceeds from our sale assist the musicdepartment with items/events that are beyondthe scope of our regular annual budget. You can place orders in 3 ways:

http://util.sherwoodforestfarms.com/users/register/regcode:f5ac21c6ab

Names Sought forAll Saints Banner

Each year for All Saints' Sunday we usea special banner that has names of lovedones on it. It already has Conway FUMCmembers that have passed. If you would liketo add a non-member to the banner thisyear, please pass their name on to JillHankins at jhankins@conwayfumc.org. Shewill make sure a ribbon with their name onit is added. Submissions should reach her byTuesday, Nov. 2. All Saints Sunday is Nov. 7, 2021.

Prayer Walks in November Each Wednesday night through Nov. 17 we will havea different prayer route and focus. We will walk,fellowship and pray for around an hour. We will gatherin front of the Fellowship Hall at 6 p.m. and return by 7p.m. Routes will include praying for our schools, city,hospitals, etc. Please note: Start and end times anddistance walked may be adjusted week by weekdepending on daylight.

---Contact Kisha Bumpers, kbumpers@conwayfumc.org

or 329-3801.

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In Honor & In MemoryIn memory of Eloise Raymond by: Martha BumpersIn memory of Mary Pat Cullum by: Martha BumpersIn memory of Andrew Poindexter by: MarthaBumpers, Cliff & Maribeth Garrison, Jamie BirdIn memory of Ann Poindexter by: Cliff & MaribethGarrison, Rex & Martha Ross, Bill & Sue Higgs, Paul &Katherine Butt, Fred & Valera Tate, Skeet & MaryJane Morse, Jim & Carolyn Bruce, Jeff & NormaKelley, Stan & Marilyn Ott, Jamie Bird, Jerry & CherryWhite

DonationsNeeded for

CoffeehouseSilent Auction As you have supportedthis event in the past, theMissions Committee wouldgreatly appreciate donationsfor the silent auction thisyear at our ChristmasCoffeehouse on Nov. 14. Due to continuedhealth concerns from thepandemic, we will not beable to include home-produced food items in theauction this year. Wewelcome individual andgroup/Sunday School classconsolidated items, such astheme baskets, gift cards,store-bought prepackagedfood items, Acts of Servicecertificates (car detailing,yard work, leaf raking, guttercleaning, etc.), vacationhome stays, hunting/fishingtrips, art work, photo shootsand many more. Options are open toyour creativity andimagination.

We would like all donationsturned into the church by

Sunday, Nov. 7.

In memory of Erika Cohen by: Sam & Carole TeagueIn memory of Leah Farris by: Pam WrenIn memory of Gay Moore by: Nancy WilliamsIn memory of Irma Gail Hatcher by: Nancy WilliamsIn memory of Jean Churchill by: Nancy Williams

In honor of Chris & Megan West by: Steve & LauraMiddlekauffIn honor of Kish Jones by: Charles Pittman

First United Methodist Church Staff DirectorySenior Pastor — Michael RobertsExecutive Pastor — Dede RobertsDir., Music/Worship Ministries — Janet GingerichDirector, Children’s Ministries — Pam LentzDirector, Lay Ministries — Kisha BumpersDirector, Youth Ministries — Zach SchrickDirector, MidYouth Ministries — Sandra KingAssoc. Dir., Music (Children) — Linda BallCampus Dir., Wesley Foundation -- Amy Shores

Assoc. Dir., Music (Praise Band) -- Stuart HoltOrganist -- Jason SaugeyChurch Administrator — Jill HankinsBusiness Assistant — Todd BurrisSupervisor, Hospitality Ministries — Ed SpearsFinancial Assistant — Laura BoundsCommunications Assistant — Colleen HoltKitchen Coordinator — Kathleen CaruthersChildren's Ministry Assistant -- Catherine Gatlin

Contact staff by email at:first initial of first name plus

last name@conwayfumc.org

Example: mroberts@

conwayfumc.org

The Witness is published monthly byFirst United Methodist Church1610 Prince St., Conway, AR 72034.Periodicals postage paid at Conway, AR

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to“The Witness,”c/o Colleen Holt, editor;First United Methodist Church,1610 Prince St., Conway, AR 72034

F I R S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H1 6 1 0 P R I N C E S T . C O N W A Y , A R K A N S A S 7 2 0 3 4 5 0 1 - 3 2 9 - 3 8 0 1

W W W . C O N W A Y F U M C . O R G F A C E B O O K . C O M / C O N W A Y F I R S T U M C

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JUMP ROPES from Page 1children live in Guatemala?” So, Mary intends tocontinue making jump ropes until the mission teamleaves. “They are easy to make,” she added. “You cando it while you’re watching TV.” To make the jump ropes, Bonnie cut acrossthe shirt, just under the sleeves. The body of theshirt is what is used for the ropes. She also cut offthe hem on the bottom, and that section is usedlater to wrap the jump rope into a small bundle thatis easier to carry. Next, the shirt is cut into stripsabout two inches thick. This strip is then stretcheduntil it “almost curls up on itself,” she said. Once you have three strips, a knot is madein the end that will serve as the tassel on the end,and it’s time to braid. Some jump rope makers slipthe knot over a door knob to hold the rope in placeduring braiding, but you can also slip it over yourfoot or have a friend hold it tight to make braiding

easier. Bonnie said she usually uses three lengths ofstrips to complete one rope, which is about threeyards (or six feet). The beauty of this project is that most ofthe discarded T-shirt is used for the jump rope, anda circle member came up with a great idea for thepart with the sleeves that has been discarded in thepast. JoNell Plafcan said she has a friend who usesT-shirt sleeves to make baby caps for people inAfrica. So, all the sleeves from the jump rope T-shirts will now be given to JoNell to deliver to herfriend for use on caps. Several of the women stayed after thedemonstration and worked on jump ropes, choosingT-shirts that had been previously donated. Somebrought their own shirts and scissors. Dayna Echolschose three shirts that would make a red, white andblue pattern. Debbie Bartrow was using blue andwhite. Margaret Cline chose shades of green, andMarilyn Williams was working with a gray shirt.