Announcements
Church-Wide Spring Break Mission Opportunity!
HOLY WEEK NOON-DAY SERVICES
yearly tradition will continue as the downtown churches of El Dorado host noon services during Holy Week.
As in the past, each service will be at noon, and a light meal will be served for $4 at both 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
The schedule is:
Monday, March 29 First Presbyterian....Rev. Brittany Richardson
Tuesday, March 30 First Baptist....The Rev. Chuck Chapman
Wednesday, March 31 St. Mary’s Episcopal....Rev. Mr. Jason Sharbaugh
Thursday, April 1 First United Methodist....Rev. Phil Pinkard
Friday, April 2 Holy Redeemer Catholic....Rev. Dan Loomis
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IHS Peanut Butter and Jelly Food Drive Last year’s Peanut Butter and Jelly food drive for Interfaith
Help Services (IHS) was so successful that we are going to do it again this year. As part of our Lenten
focus on missions, each Sunday during Lent you are encouraged to bring some jars of peanut butter and/or
jelly with you to church. Drop them off in the Hanna Building or the sanctuary narthex. We supplied almost six month’s worth of these staples last year.
Let’s work together to do even better this year!
Lenten Study:
Looking in/Reaching Out will be a study for the Lenten season taught by Rev. Brittany. The study will take an important look at our call as Christians to both look inwardly to seek a deep relation-ship with God and reach out as the hands of God, spreading the Love of God to the entire world. The study will be on Monday evenings from 5:30-7 pm starting on February 22 and ending March 29. Keep your eye out for the devotion packets as we draw closer to Ash Wednesday.
"Our Living Dead" Seminar
This seminar will be especially helpful in bringing comfort to those who have lost loved ones and will also bring enlightenment to others about death and what the Bible says about the future for the Christian. Participants are urged to bring their Bibles and prepare to take notes.
The seminars will be on Wednesday nights from 6:30-7:30 on February 24, March 3 and March 10.
The sessions will cover the topics: "What Does It Mean For A Christian To Die?", "What Kind Of Bodies Will We Have In Heaven?", "Where Are Our Living Dead?"
The seminar will be taught by Rev. Sam Shepperson. He pastored Marrable Hill Chapel here in El Dorado for 46 years and has been pastor of Scotland Presbyterian Church in Junction City for 5 years.
This past Summer we had a Financial Peace University Class at our Church, and it is time to see if there is an interest
in having another. Each of the 13 lessons with Dave Ramsey deals with different topic and could change the way you think
about personal finance. This video-based class will give practical advice about how to save money, live on a budget,
communicate about money, eliminate debt, find bar-gains, and experience the joy of giving. If you would like more infor-mation,
please check out Dave Ramsey. Registration will be $100 per person or couple, which will include the workbook
and all the tools and resources the course will offer. If fifteen or more people are interested in the course, we will
schedule a time to hold it. If you are interested, please contact Bro. Jim.
Many of you have commented on how much you enjoy the fellowship when we have combined worship services on Sunday mornings. Worshipping with the larger church and getting to know one another better are both very important. Therefore, beginning February 7 and going through October, the first Sunday of each month will feature a combined worship service. We will alter-nate between 8:30 and 10:30 hour, but always the focus will be on worshipping God and fel-lowshipping with one another. You will find the schedule of combined services below; please copy them into your home calendar!!
February 7, April 4 (Easter), June 6, September 5, November 21, and December 19 will all be at 10:30 in the Sanctuary.
March 7, May 2, July 4, August 1, and October 3 will all be at 8:30 in the Hanna Building.
Lent: Looking In/Reaching Out
This lent we will be focusing on holiness, not only in our personal lives but also through the way we interact with the world. This theme will manifest itself in many ways in our church community, from continuing our sermon series on the Ten(der) Commandments to the study on missions. Please keep your eyes and ears alert for more specific information as we draw closer to our Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday, February 17th at 6 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
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A New Sunday School Class!
Patty Polk has started a new discussion based Bible Study for adults not currently involved in a Sunday School class. For more information please contact Patty at 863-3281.
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We are the Golden Girls Exercise Class
We meet in the Hanna Building on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00-10:00 a.m. On Tuesdays after our
regular exercise, we do chair exercise. On Thursdays we use weights. After this, we either walk,
use the equipment in the exercise room or we Line Dance, which we will teach you if you decide to
join us. On the month of your birthday, we take you out to each and try our best to make you feel
special! Come Join Us!
Stretch and Bend
Moan and Groan
But You’ll Feel Better
When You Get Home!!!
Check out the latest Kindergarten N E W S
Important Fun in the Son news!
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HOSPICE HELPERS NEEDED!
Did you know?? For quite some time, a few of our members and church staff have been taking a home-prepared lunch every Thursday to
LIFE TOUCH HOSPICE HOUSE to serve the family and caregivers of the patients. The house has a lovely kitchen and dining room. Many
of the recipients live quite far from El Dorado, and the meal is always appreciated. There are no other groups providing a regular weekly meal.
We need more people to join our effort. Would you be willing to prepare a dish to send—or, better still, go out and help serve it?
We are there only to serve in the kitchen and you will not be called on more than once a month.
For more information, ask Andrea Hale in the church office or call Bill and Myra Turnage at 862-3883.
Are you concerned about the environment?
Do you have some ideas about how we could make this church a little “greener”? Do you believe that a few
small changes can make a big difference? If so you are in luck! Rev. Brittany Richardson is looking into
starting a “Green Team” that will celebrate God’s creation though exploring more environmentally friendly
options. If you are interested in joining the team please contact her by email:
fumcedap@suddenlinkmail.com or at the church office!
Please help us conserve electricity. Due to a combination of rate increase and usage our monthly bill is
averaging $500 per month above last year (from $2800 to $3300/mo.). When you leave a room (even a hall
or bathroom) please turn out the lights even if someone will be returning to that room in an hour.
Paying attention to air conditioning settings will help too!
IHS desperately needs more volunteers to work in the office. They need substitute workers
and people who are able to work a regular shift. Shifts are 3 hours long. Contact Jean Nixon:
862-9143, josephenixon@suddenlink.net
Recycle bins are available in the church office for your paper products. Youth are collecting aluminum cans as a fund raiser.
Myra Turnage and the kitchen committee are encouraging us to reduce our use of Styrofoam. The 2008 General Conference reaffirmed the commitment to care for creation and reduce the carbon footprint that United Methodists are making. Help us make First El Dorado a stewardship leader!
Additionally, please turn off lights when leaving a room for more than 15 minutes.
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The Prayer Shawl Ministry is in desperate need of prayer shawls. FUMC provides all the materials; all we need
is your talent! Call Marcella at 863-9337.
Coming Events
~~~~~~~~~~ March 2010 ~~~~~~~~~~
March 7 - Combined worship service and brunch with Rio Bravo program
March 12 (Friday)- Acoustic Café at 7:00 in Fellowship Hall
March 20 (Saturday)- Adult Ministry day trip to Garvan Gardens in Hot Spring.
March 28 - Palm Sunday
March 31 (Wednesday)- Easter party at Harper Farm at 5:30 p.m.
~~~~~~~~~~ April 2010 ~~~~~~~~~~
April 1 - Tenebrae Service at 7:00 p.m.
April 4 - Combined Easter Worship at 10:30 a.m.
April 17 (Saturday) - Youth Fundraiser at Applebee's from 8-10 a.m.
~~~~~~~~~~ May 2010 ~~~~~~~~~~
May 7 (Friday) - Adult Ministry trip to the Bill Gaither Homecoming Concert in Monroe.
