FUMC Words for Wednesday: 01-04-2023

01-04-2023 FUMC Words for Wednesday

Good Morning Church!

I hope you are having a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

In this new year, my hope and prayer for this church is that God’s grace be upon us all as we worship, pray, study, and serve together. The Good News of Jesus Christ is too important (and too good) not to be sought and shared. This is our mission as the church - “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Several opportunities to live that mission are happening this week.

Bible studies for all ages resume tonight at 6 pm, a good way to begin the new year. In the Adult class, we will begin our journey through the gospel of Matthew for this winter and into the spring.

Our regularly scheduled worship returns this Sunday, January 8, at 8:30, 9:30, and 11 am as we celebrate Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord Sundays together.

Our mission team leaves this Friday to serve at Orphanage Emmanuel. Please continue to pray for them and the ministry there.

In this new year and always, may we be found in Christ, for “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Don

We will resume Wednesday night Bible Studies this Wednesday, 4th at 6:00 pm.

Congratulations to Keith and Cindy DeFoor on becoming first-time grandparents. Their son Richard and his wife had a baby girl Elena born on December 30th in San Diego.

If you would like your 2022 contribution statement, please contact the church office or sign up on the sheet on the narthex desk.

Most are probably aware that the North Georgia Conference has paused the disaffiliation process. You can read more about that here:

https://www.ngumc.org/newsdetail/north-georgia-conference-to-pause-disaffiliation-process-17216662

As such, our town hall meetings for January 8 and January 15 have been cancelled.

The women will be beginning a new Zoom Bible Study on January 18th. They will be studying First Corinthians.

Blood Assurance Blood Drive Sunday, Jan 15, 2023

Blood Assurance is a nonprofit regional blood center, which supplies blood products to hospitals in our area. Blood Assurance receives reimbursement from hospitals for the costs incurred in collecting, testing, & shipping the blood.

Blood Assurance maintains a BloodMobile which comes to several sites in our community. For the past year, they have been coming to FUMC on reserved Sundays to collection blood donations from our congregation & others in our community.

FUMC’s Blood Drives, beginning in 2023, will be done on a quarterly basis. This allows the ‘Double-Red’ donors to donate on a routine basis. When you give a double red donation, you give 2 units of red blood cells in on 1 appointment. Your fluids, plasma & platelets are returned to your body. In 2 donations, you give the same number of life-saving red cells as you would during 4 whole blood donations. If you are interested in learning more about the Double red donation, please speak to the blood mobile staff. You may set up an appointment for Jan 15th, 2023 by going to www.bloodassurance.org, click on the drop down menu on the top right, choose, ‘donate’, then, Make an Appointment. Thank you in advance for your life-saving donation!

Around 25 people enjoyed the luncheon that the Robinettes served yesterday. We encourage everyone to come out and enjoy the second luncheon scheduled for Tuesday, 17th at 11:30 am.

Please stop by and say a prayer over these quilts. Tying a knot lets the receiver know that people care and that we have prayed for them.

Kaye Rich - colon cancer. She is a teacher in Union County.

MAC Walking Track Hours…

Monday-Thursday 8am - 4:30pm

New Winter Pickleball Schedule!

The Blairsville Pickleball Club now plays on Mondays from 1:00pm til 4:00pm & Tuesdays from 1:00pm til 4:00pm. Everyone is welcome! Join us!

Fitness Classes For You!

“Tai Chi”: Led by Pat Tomzyck. Meets Tuesdays at 8:00am in room M-0 (First floor). Cost is $5.00 per class. Bring a mat!

“Christ-Centered” Yoga: led by Pat Tomzyck. Meets Tuesdays at 9:00am in room M-0 (First floor). Cost is $5.00 per class. Bring your own yoga mat.

4 – Dee Freed, Jim Hughes 5 – Jonathan Engle 8 – Kathy Brandenburg, Jeremy Bruce, Julie Sunsted, 9 – Matthew Gibson, Case Hand 10- Rob Howell 12- Frank Bachteler 13 – Billy Hendricks 14 – Jordan Young 15 – Marion Lifsey 18- Charlene Cook 20- Barbara Davis, Ray Parson, Avis Shaw, Danita Stephens 21 – Stephen Schuknecht 22 – Kim Steinke 25 – Ava Smith, Ashton Smith 27 – Adele Bauman, Wayne Jones (married to Kitty), 28 – Fran Edwards 29 – John Redgrave 30 – Andrew Engle, Virginia Lane 31 – Bruce Johnson

Please Help Us at the church by keeping us informed of any sickness or procedures that you or any of our family members may be experiencing. You may contact Pastor Mack for your prayer requests at mack.riley@ngumc.net or call the church at 706-745-2073.

Prayer Concerns and Celebrations:

Please help us keep this list updated by notifying the office of any changes.

SPECIFIC:
Prayers for God leading the right person to us as Youth Director
BL Anderson -recovering from fused disc surgery
Norma Jean Anderson’s brother Wendell -recovering from jaw surgery
Elizabeth Belcher - shoulder surgery postponed due to her having COVID
Clint Blackmon - cancer
Jack & Jackie Bowlin’s friend - Allen Davenport - prostate cancer
Diane Brackett - taking physical therapy on shoulder and arm
Kathy Brandenburg- recovering from knee replacement surgery
Joyce Byers - numerous medical issues
Joyce Byers’ sister-in-law Shirley Kelley - had a mastectomy
Pat Clay’s brother Victor- health issues
Faye Eubanks - physical therapy for torn rotator cuff
Margaret Frizzel - recovering from knee surgery
Maggie Guerrier - recuperating from kidney transplant
Jana Howe - taking chemo treatments
Nancy Hussey’s sister Debbie Wilfert- diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, surgery date of January 20th
Diane and Bill Kolb’s grandson Jason Nichols - bad motorcycle accident
Ria Ledbetter - recovering from rotator cuff surgery
Tiffany Martinez’s son Sky - recovery from surgery
Linda McClarnon - recuperating
Maria McGlen - recuperating
Roger McGlen - recovering from having stents put in
Jeanee and Jerry McJilton’s brother- cancer has returned
Louise McTaggart - recuperating from knee replacement surgery
Shannon Miller’s mom Wanda Pickelsimer - surgery on the 12th
Bill Mollnhauer - positive for COVID
Patty Norwood’s son, Ryan-serious colon problems
Patty Norwood’s sister, Jan-lung problems
Teresa Price’s grandson Isiah Arrant-long term recovery from burns
Jeannine Riley’s sister Suzanne Mobley - lymphoma
Jeannine Riley’s brother-in-law - Ricky Mobley- heart surgery
Joan Shaw - passing of her sister
Avis Shaw’s sister Mildred Elkin
April Southern’s mom Laurel Denmon - health issues, upcoming PET scan
Ron Taylor - in hospice care at the nursing home
Dennis Wetzel- back surgery and recuperating at the Gobin’s home

HEALTH ISSUES and CONCERNS:

Jim Arthur
Marjorie Bowron
Mike Brandenburg
Shirley Cobb
Jennifer de la Montagne’s mom and dad
Jack Dugger
Jesse Eady
Christine Golden
Kathy Heyer
Wayne Jones
James Jordan
Hugh Lee
Leura Mollnhauer
Elaine Neuhaus
Ray Norwood
Rose Oberlin’s mother, Letha
Jeanne Pickerill
Jerry Price
Jerry Roberson
Carol/Norm Rogers
Avis Shaw
Fritz Simonsen
Sue Stewart
Carole Thompson
Zach Thompson
Carol Warren
Roy Whitelock
Sharon Willits

IN NURSING HOMES and ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES:

Polly Conkle - Blue Ridge Assisted Living
Jan Boland’s sister June Gesche - hospice care at Stonehenge
Richard and Shirley McGinnis - Brasstown Manor Assisted Living
Nisia Redgrave - Chatuge Nursing Home
Ron Taylor - UG Nursing Home
Lois Ward - Brasstown Manor Assisted Living - under hospice care
Margaret Wise - Brassstown Manor Assisted Living

If you haven’t signed up yet for online giving, it’s as easy as going to our website (firstmethodistblairsville.com), scrolling down on the front page and hitting the online giving button.