11-15-2023 FUMC Words for Wednesday

Thanksgiving is coming! When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of Pilgrims, Native Americans, turkey (with fixings), pies, and family. It is a celebration, and when appropriately observed, it gives us a sense of humility as we ponder all that has come to us. The legend is that the Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest in Plymouth by gathering to offer thanks to God for all they had received.

I wonder how many of us realize what the Pilgrims went through in that first year in the New World. They left Europe on creaky wooden ships; bound for a place they had never seen and could only imagine. The trip was stormy and dangerous. Not all completed the journey. They landed in a place where the soil was rocky and hard to till. They had to hunt for food with muskets. With bare hands and few tools, they built rudimentary houses. Worst of all, they suffered from disease, which killed half of them. After all of this, they took time to thank God with grateful hearts.

The deeper meaning of Thanksgiving is not so much thanking God for the bounty of our lives. Rather it is earning to live our lives with grateful hearts, no matter what our circumstances. To have a grateful heart is to be open to all that life offers: the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, the happy and the sad. To have a grateful heart is a way of being in the world; it is not an act we must perform. Life itself, is the gift and being able to live that gift in a community of caring folks is a blessing. May we observe this Thanksgiving with open, loving, and grateful hearts, and may we offer a prayer for this community at First United Methodist Church, that it might continue to be a blessed communion.

Happy Thanksgiving!

— Jimmy

WELCOME RAE ANN !

Rae Ann Straub joined our fellowship on Sunday morning in the 9:30 service. She lives in Blairsville.

The offices and MAC will be closed next Wednesday - Friday for Thanksgiving holidays. Due to the closing, there will not be a Wednesday Words sent out next week.

The Panther Pantry needs your help. In preparation for the two holiday breaks, we need to stock the Panther Pantry with non-perishable food items. Cereals, oatmeal, poptarts, soups, crackers and the like are suggested items. The Panther Pantry feeds students while they are on school break. You may place your items in the bin at the MAC entrance.

Pastor Jimmy continues his Advent Bible Study tonight at 6 pm.

4th week - Season of Joy

5th week - Season of Love

6th week - Anticipation of Advent

Supper will be beef stew, salad and bread pudding. Meal time begins at 5 pm.

Wednesday Night Bible Study for all ages is meeting at 6 pm.

Adults will meet in the Fundamental Room (below the fellowship hall).

FAMILY GAME NIGHT

SATURDAY, NOV. 25TH

5:00 PM

DOWNSTAIRS IN THE YOUTH ROOM

Help Us make the Vogel Tree Lighting a huge success. At the annual tree lighting, refreshments are given away to the crowd. We have been asked to help supply cookies for the event. If you can, please bake or buy a batch of cookies and bring them to the church by Thursday, December 7th. Please bring the cookies in a non-returnable container and mark if the cookies have nuts. Thank you.The tree lighting is December 9th. This is a simple way for us to give back and support the community as they have given to us.

UPCOMING HOLIDAY MEAL

Sign-up sheets are now out at both desks. Signing up will help us know how much meat to have. We ask that everyone bring a dish or two to share as well.

Collections for the SAFE tree will continue through this Sunday, November 19th.

Needing a Thanksgiving Dinner? We’ve got you covered. The community Thanksgiving Blessings Dinner will be served on November 23rd. You may sign up to have a meal delivered (10 am till noon) or pick up from a spot (11 am till 1:30 pm) or dine in (11 till 1:30 pm) at House of Prayer. Reservations are requested. You may call our church office to make those.

Thank you for all the coat donations this year. The ladies will be distributing them tomorrow (Thursday).

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.

If you know of someone who would benefit from a prayer quilt,

please let the office or Paula Myers know.

John Browning - Cancer diagnosis

MAC Walking Track Hours…

Monday-Thursday 9 am - 3:00 pm

Pickleball Schedule!

The Blairsville Pickleball Club now plays on Tuesdays from 12:00pm till 3:00pm. Everyone is welcome! Join us!

Fitness Classes For You!

“Ladies Exercise”: Led by Lisa Toups. Meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 - 10:00 am in M-30.

“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.

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.