Stephen Cotten, Pastor

“One Sunday afternoon our family gathered around our big oak table for dinner. Soon my daughter Kate’s laughter rose above the talk. “Gram, you’re silly!” she said. We all turned to see my mom delicately lifting to her mouth a small strand of peas on the blade of her knife. All but one pea made it, and everyone clapped. Then Mom told us the story behind her unorthodox technique:” “When I was little we didn’t have much. It was the Depression. But we did have a table full of food because my father grew wonderful vegetables. Lots of hoboes who had jumped from the train wandered onto our property, looking for a meal. More often than not an extra seat was pulled up to our dinner table. “One summer afternoon I was sweeping the kitchen floor when my father’s voice came through the screen door: ‘Lizzy, set another plate. We have company tonight.’ Our guest paused in the doorway, and dipped his head in a gesture of gratitude. ‘Looks like he doesn’t speak much English,’ Dad said, ‘but he’s hungry like we are. His name is Henry.’ “When dinner was ready Henry stood until we were all seated, then gently perched on the edge of his chair, his head bowed and his hat in his lap. The blessing was said and dishes were passed from hand to hand. “We all waited, as was proper, for our guest to take the first bite. Henry must have been so hungry he didn’t notice us watching him as he grabbed his knife. Carefully he slid the blade into the pile of peas before him, and then lifted

a quivering row to his mouth without spilling a single pea. He was eating with his knife! I looked at my sister May and we covered our mouths to muffle our snickers. Henry took another knifeful, and then another. “My father, taking note of the glances we were exchanging, firmly set down his fork. He looked me in the eye, then took his knife and thrust it into the peas on his plate. Most of them fell off as he attempted to lift them to his mouth, but he continued until all the peas were gone. “Dad never did use his fork that evening, because Henry didn’t. It was one of my father’s silent lessons in acceptance. He understood the need for this man to maintain his dignity, to feel comfortable in a strange place with people of different customs. Even at my young age I understood the greatness of my father’s simple act of brotherhood.” “Mom paused, looked at her grandchildren, and winked as she plowed her knife into a mountain of peas.” - Cori Connors, of Farmington, Utah, to Guideposts, March 1997, p. 36. Nothing is as important as opening ourselves up to the gifts that God has placed in all the other humans that God created. When we see others as endowed with gifts from God, we live in a humility that makes God’s hands so easy to see! I look forward to worshiping with you Sunday,

Stephen’s StrandsSunday Dinner

as described by Cori Connors of Farmington, Utah

Prayer List

Sympathy to...

In Memory of Lera Logan Ruby Neely Harry & JoAnna Earl

In Memory of Joyce Jones Judd Scott & Jackie Stempel

Honors & Memorials

Members of First United Methodist Church express our thanks to each of you who have recently given a special

Jerald & Mary Lou MoweryEd & Marilyn JoyceTom & Susan SampleSteve & Pat WrightBill & Nancy CraigHarry & JoAnna EarlGerald & Elease HubbellBob & Janet SingerTom & Tommie SmithBeverly KelleyRoger & Betsy Gekiere

Please Note: Names added to the prayer list will remain on the list for 30 days if needed. They will be relisted by request.

If you would like to have a prayer request emailed out or would like to add someone to the prayer list, please email the Church office at

office@fumcmv.org

In Memory of Neil Scott

In Memory of Rev. Van Lazaroff Steve & Pat Wright

Willie BaneLinda Sue BentleyDavid BrewerPatti BrewerInez ByrdLeticia CampbellJanie CraigCarolyn DaltonArdis DennisMichael DavisNorma Jean DraperKenny DuckBeulah DuweJoanna EarlBob FlandersVictoria FletcherKathey Gutschlag Tim GutschlagRichard HaynieChristi JonesMike Jordan

Judy LindleyCharles LowryPeggy LowryElexis LunsfordTodd LunsfordJean Ann MarshallStephen MarshallLou Gene MaxtonCharlotteWhitesides McFarlinKenneth McGeeSusan McGeeLanny MooreDonna NaberWayne PepitoneSusan SampleCarol Ann ScottMegan SparksAnn StevensPeggy StuttsErnie Venteicher

In Honor of Cindy McDonald Willie & Mary Bane

Administrative Meetings

Trustees Meeting Monday, September 14 @ 5:00 pm

Rainbow Board MeetingMonday, September 21 @ 5:15 pm

Finance Meeting Monday, September 21@ 6:00 pm

Are you hungry yet?! FEED will be back starting

September 14th for pick-up and limited delivery. Be on the lookout

for church wide email and social media the week of September 7th for

menu and other details. We have missed FEEDing you!

Who am I?What can I contribute to this World?

The one thing I want others to know about me…These are the questions I posed to our youth & myself as we take a look at our lives. More than anything I want them to know who they are in Jesus Christ and how they will think outside the box to be able to contribute to the world according to their beliefs. To Live with a greater confidence in Him, that He is their King, and not only is He their King, He is their prize in Life. And, at times we hide things about ourselves that we may not want to share with friends, family or peers, even when it can be a really good thing to know about one another. Hopefully they will want to share their answers with you & these questions might just stir your interest. Be looking forward to the next newsletter for more!May our Lord give you peace today,Cindy

UNSHAKABLE HOPE by Max Lucado

Tuesday, September 8 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. Copies of the book are available for $8 in the church office. For more information, please contact Betsy Gekiere (972-955-2026) or Jill Lowry (972-742-6581).

After much prayer and volunteer input, Ignite Kids is ready to begin our Fall semester! Though things will look different in some ways with new safety precautions and distancing protocols, sharing about God and His great love for all of us is still our priority; with a lot of fun mixed in WNL begins September 9th with a BYOD (Bring Your Own Dinner) at 5:30 pm in the FLC gym and programs from 6:00 to 7:15. Registration forms are available to download on our church website FUMCMV.org and on Facebook @fumcmv. Please note that face coverings will be mandatory while students are in the church building to help provide protection to all of our church family. Jesus has clearly shown us how to welcome and care for our littles when “He took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” Mark 10:16. Help us spread the word that our children and youth programming is starting up for the fall; invite friends and neighbors, share on Facebook, or come join us at dinner. We are excited to be the arms of Jesus this year!

Rainbow ConneCtion

Summer is over and we are beginning our new school year August 6th. At this time all of our classes are FULL! We are continuing with health screenings and our enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures to keep our children and staff safe and healthy. All employees and children over the age of 2 are now wearing face masks when inside the center, as required by our licensing agency. We are looking forward to a great year.

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35,083 40,420

65,475

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June 2020 Thru August 2020

Chloe Copeland Sept. 1Virginia Stotts Sept. 1Jackson Floyd Sept. 4Dennis Venteicher Sept. 4Joe Andrews Sept. 5Shannara Easley Sept. 6Colton Hinton Sept. 9Steve Wafford Sept. 9Zach Hedges Sept. 10Steven Byrd Sept. 11Grant Hammonds Sept. 16Charles McAfee Sept. 16Jerald Mowery Sept. 17Marcia Hogue Sept. 21Tima Deal Sept. 22Gerald Hubbell Sept. 22Chuck Armstrong Sept. 23Joanna Earl Sept. 23Bailey Floyd Sept. 23Knox Law Sept. 23Jill Lowry Sept. 26Shirley McAfee Sept. 26Callie Key Sept. 27Pete Adrian Sept. 28Earl Davis II Sept. 29Charles Rutherford Sept. 29Caroline Rutledge Sept. 29

Get Started today!

Visit our church website for the button you see above,

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OTHER OPTIONS:Drop off tithe during business

hours and we’ll meet you at the door.

MAIL TO:FUMC

P.O. Box 659Mt. Vernon, Texas 75457

https://fumcmv.churchcenter.com/giving

Finance Counters September

6 Eric Law James King 13 Stan Silva Linda Moore 20 Mike Fisk Stan Silva 27 Linda Moore Jerald Mowery

February 146:15 pmFirst United Methodist Church

1 2 3 4 55:30pm Disciple Bible Study

6 7 8 9 10 11 129:45am Roundtable 9:45am Upper Room 9:45am The Stand 9:45am Horizons 11:00am Today's Christians 11:00am Traditional Service 11:00am Youth Bible Time 4:30pm Ignite Bible Study

9:30am Pastor's Bible Study 6:00 - 7:15pm Ignite Kids 6:00pm Youth 6:00pm Confirmation

5:30pm Disciple Bible Study

13 14 15 16 17 18 199:45am Upper Room 9:45am The Stand 9:45am Roundtable 9:45am Horizons 11:00am Traditional Service 11:00am Today's Christians 11:00am Youth Bible Time 4:30pm Ignite Bible Study

F.E.E.D 5:00pm Trustees Meeting

9:30am B.I.G. Bible Study

9:30am Pastor's Bible Study 6:00 - 7:15pm Ignite Kids 6:00pm Confirmation 6:00pm Youth

5:30pm Disciple Bible Study

12:00pm Today's Christians Sunday School Class social

20 21 22 23 24 25 269:45am Roundtable 9:45am Horizons 9:45am Upper Room 9:45am The Stand 11:00am Traditional Service 11:00am Youth Bible Time 11:00am Today's Christians 4:30pm Ignite Bible Study

5:15pm Rainbow Meeting 6:00pm Finance Meeting

9:30am B.I.G. Bible Study

9:30am Pastor's Bible Study 6:00 - 7:15pm Ignite Kids 6:00pm Youth 6:00pm Confirmation

5:30pm Disciple Bible Study

27 28 29 309:45am Horizons 9:45am The Stand 9:45am Upper Room 9:45am Roundtable 11:00am Youth Bible Time 11:00am Traditional Service 11:00am Today's Christians 4:30pm Ignite Bible Study

9:30am B.I.G. Bible Study

9:30am Pastor's Bible Study 6:00 - 7:15pm Ignite Kids 6:00pm Confirmation 6:00pm Youth

September 2020Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

QC Manager

NON-PROFITORGANIZATION

U.S. Postage PaidPermit #30

Mt. Vernon, TX

First United Methodist ChurchHwy. 37 North of I-30PO Box 659Mt. Vernon, TX 75457

PRAISE & WORSHIP9:45 am The Stand in Family Life Center

11:00 am Traditional in Sanctuary

LIVE STREAM LINKS FOR BOTH AT WWW.FUMCMV.ORG

First United Methodist Church, 522 Hwy 37, Mt. Vernon, TX 903-537-3616, fumcmv.org