Making Room

Church buildings are funny things.

We spend a lot of money maintaining rooms that spend part of their lives sitting empty.

Then somebody opens a door.

Children arrive.

A community group gathers.

Someone comes to O.A.S.I.S.

Music fills the sanctuary.

People gather around tables.

Someone walks through the door who may not have walked into a church in years.

Suddenly, it isn’t just a building anymore.

It’s a place where ministry happens.

One of the things I appreciate about First United Methodist Church is the number of ways these facilities serve people beyond what happens on Sunday morning. We have become a gathering place for our community.

That matters.

Yes, buildings require roofs and heating systems and repairs and paint and all those things that aren’t particularly exciting to put on a stewardship poster.

But we don’t maintain a building simply for the sake of having a building.

We care for this place because of what happens here.

Ministry needs room.

It needs places for children to learn and play. Places for people to eat and laugh together. Places to sing. Places to pray. Places to grieve. Places to celebrate.

Places where strangers can become friends.

As we think about our stewardship for 2027, some needed repairs are ahead of us. They are part of caring faithfully for what previous generations entrusted to us.

But perhaps we should think beyond repairing a building.

We are taking care of a place where God continues to bring people together.

And we are making room for whatever comes next.

In Christ,

BIBLE STUDY

Continues TONIGHT

1st Floor of the MAC at 6 pm

“Difficult Sayings and Paradoxes of Scripture”

• Week 4 Election and Free Will
• Week 5 The Imprecatory Psalms
• Week 6 Be Perfect, Matthew 5:48
• Week 7 Hard Sayings on Wealth, Mark 10
• Week 8 The Silence of God, book of Job

Donation bins are located in MAC entrance.

Fill out our enrollment applications located in the lobby be sure the school code is 10648

Click here this link will direct you to their website to link your card.

Intracranial hemorrhage

Hope - Full Caregiving

Hope is one of the most distinctively Christian resources that a caregiver can offer. The uniqueness of Christian hope is that it comes directly from God. Having Christian hope means that we don’t have to place our trust solely in human capacities, institutions, or ideals. Instead, our hope is in God, who is actively at work in both caregiver and care receiver and who brings true healing and wholeness.

Because Christian hope rests securely on God, it encompasses the present and future.

A potent way to express and instill hope is by communicating through your words and actions that you will consistently support the other person in the midst of their struggles. By staying with the person through thick and thin, you help them feel safe, secure and not alone.

From Christian Caregiving – A Way of Life by Kenneth Haugk

Continue to pray for someone to step forward to help us grow our Stephen Ministry team.

Call one of our Stephen Leaders.

Jan Minor 404-805-0505

Kathy Cook 770-403-9337

This four-day event will be held Tuesdays and Wednesdays October 20, 21, 27 and 28 from 9am to 3:30pm. The cost is $55. Lunch will be provided.

An application to attend is available on the website

ngf2f.org or email at registration@ngf2f.org

Coffee: Good or Bad

Coffee is packed with bioactive compounds like caffeine and polyphenols (a category of plant compounds) that provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to boost cognition, reduce insulin resistance, and lower risk of chronic disease. Middle-aged adults who report drinking one to two cups of coffee per day add a couple of years to their life expectancy, compared to non-drinkers, according to a 2025 study. Most of that is due to a reduction in

death from cardiovascular disease. What about decaf? There are benefits there as well, but you’ll need a higher intake: Those who imbibed more than three cups of decaf daily showed a life gain of 3.76 years. These results were for adults 40 – 60, the benefits disappear for older adults. It isn’t harmful to keep drinking coffee as you age but, it didn’t help people reach their 90-plus threshold.

Sharing God’s Love One Shoebox at a Time

Dear Church Family,

As we prepare for the Christmas season, we have a wonderful opportunity to share the love and hope of Jesus Christ with children around the world through Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse.

Each shoebox is more than a gift—it is an opportunity to remind a child that they are loved, cared for, and remembered. Through these simple gifts, children and families are introduced to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

🎁 Let’s Get Ready! Shoeboxes will be available after the Fall Festival.

We encourage everyone in our congregation to begin collecting items and preparing your shoeboxes now so that we can have plenty of time to pray, shop, pack, and prepare our gifts.

Shoeboxes can be packed for:

Boys or Girls

Ages 2–4

Ages 5–9

Ages 10–14

Consider including a special “WOW” gift, such as a stuffed animal, soccer ball with pump, doll, musical instrument, or another special toy. Then fill the box with school supplies, clothing, accessories, crafts, and other fun items. (Samaritan’s Purse⁠)

❤️ Don’t Forget to Pray!

As you pack your shoebox, pray for the child who will receive it. Pray for their family, their community, and the people who will share the Gospel with them.

A personal note or photograph can also be included to let the child know that someone is thinking about and praying for them. (Samaritan’s Purse⁠)

📅 Important Dates

Packing Season:

Begin collecting items and packing your shoeboxes now!

National Collection Week:

November 16–23, 2026

Please have your completed shoeboxes to the church before or during our church’s designated collection time so they can be delivered to the local Operation Christmas Child collection site.

🚫 Items NOT to Put in Your Shoebox

For the safety of the children and to comply with customs regulations, please DO NOT include:

❌ Food, candy, or gum

❌ Soap or toothpaste

❌ Liquids or lotions

❌ Medications or vitamins

❌ Used or damaged items

❌ Money or play money

❌ Scary or war-related items

❌ Toy guns, knives, or military figures

❌ Wearable traditional camouflage

❌ Seeds or other organic matter

❌ Breakable items or glass containers

❌ Matches, fire starters, or aerosols

❌ Knives, saws, or razor blades

❌ Alcohol wipes

Harry Potter

Pokémon

🌟 One Shoebox Can Make a difference.

Please contact Ingrid Engle if you have any questions.

• Frank Baily - terminal cancer
• Lisa Baxter - heart condition
• Lyric Brogden - in physical therapy
• Courtney Bruce’s cousin, Ryan - cancer diagnosis
• Diane Bunten’s friends Kearstin Russell and family - health concerns
• Joyce Byers - health issues, knees
• Shirley Cobb family
• Angela Edwards daughter, Nikki Goslin lupus
• Donna Fredericks’ daughter Carrie Ann - getting on kidney transplant list
• Ricki Garret’s friend Dorothy Rogers - health issues and speedy recovery
• Ricki Garret’s friend Gail Rielly broke hip and foot
• Hauschild’s family friend, Tim Wright fighting for his life.
• Artie Hodgson - heart issues
• Jim & Jackie Hughes friend Fran Ramsey battling bone cancer
• Lorena Johnson - continue strength and healing
• Shirley Kelley - hip surgery - cancer has returned
• Joe & Margaret Kennard - Joe shoulder surgery recovery
• Pam Kocher’s daughter-in-law, Pat Bailey - diagnosed with lung cancer.
• Whitney Lee - in the hospital with sepsis
• Mary Frances and Cecil Lewis’ son, Mark Lewis - triple by-pass surgery
• Terri Mager - Cade Dean 18y old burns over 80% of body in Grady Burn Center.
• Laura May’s, mother, Elizabeth Bond knee replacement and currently in rehab
• Jeanne McJilton, infant grandson Jace- for vision correction
• Allie McTureous - recovering from shoulder surgery
• James McTureous’ father Robert - health issues
• James McTureous - health issues
• Art Miller having open heart surgery
• Buster Miller’s sister, Janice - stroke
• Jan Minor’s daughter, Allie sight loss
• Leura Mollnhauer -health concerns, continuing physical therapy
• Brenda Morningstar - health issues in rehab
• Bob Mundy - health issues
• Craig Nelson - Skin cancer
• Patty Norwood’s son, Ryan-serious colon problems
• Patty Norwood’s sister, Jan - lung problems
• Rose Oberlin’s friend, Kay Floyd Citron - Long haul Covid, car accident with 3 compressed spine fractures in Wellstar Rehab
• Mike & Mary Odom - Mary has advanced jaw and tongue cancer
• Jeannine Riley - brain bleed hospitalized
• Mack Riley’s neighbor Todd Peres - health issues
• John and Renee Rives’ son Thomas and daughter in law Hali- health issues
• John Rives’ sister Robyn-health issues
• Meridith Rose’s Family member, Scott Hulme - lung cancer
• Avis Shaw - health issues at Union Hospital
• Avis Shaw’s sister Mildred Elkin health issues
• Herb Sleeme - health issues
• Rae Ann Straub - cancer diagnosis experiencing low blood pressure and possible infection
• Gary Uhazie - health concerns
• Paul Whittle friend, Amanda Freeman hospitalized with cancer

HEALTH ISSUES and CONCERNS:

• Bill Bender
• Kirby Bowron
• Marjorie Bowron
• Mike Brandenburg
• John Browning
• Joyce Byers
• Wayne Jones
• James Jordan
• Elaine Neuhaus
• Ray Norwood
• Jeanne Pickerill
• Norm Rogers
• Kearstin Russell
• Avis Shaw
• Nikki Schuknecht
• Sue Stewart
• Marie Williams

*Please pray for those with unspoken concerns.

IN NURSING HOMES and ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES:

• Jim Arthur - Stonehenge Assisted Living, Building 2, Room 5
• Marilyn Barnes - Canton- Arbor at Bridgemill, Room #268
• June Colditz - Manor Lake Assisted Living, N Athens
• Shirley Cobb - Union County Nursing Home, Room #142
• Polly Conkle - Blue Ridge Assisted Living
• AG Sherman’s sister, Paula Holley - Union County Nursing Home, Room #252

Licensed & Insured

-Term Care

-Chronic Care

-Critical Care

Email your name and date of birth, height and weight to kristi.tornabene@gmail.com

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.

https://onrealm.org/FirstUnitedMeth47497/-/form/give/now 

You can contribute a one-time donation, or set up a recurring donation suited to your time line. If you are currently contributing through Vanco, please contact me and I would be happy to help you make the transition (if you currently have a Vanco recurring gift, it must be deleted to avoid duplication). Realm provides a seamless way to not only record your gift for your annual statement, but also directly post to our accounting portal. Our goal is to have all contributions flow through Realm by the end of 2026.

Thank you.

Blessings to you and yours,

Janice Hayman

Financial Secretary

(706)851-6772

jhayman@firstmethodistblairsville.com

Please continue to remember your Church in your legacy trusts & wills

- that gift is also greatly appreciated!

 FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF UNION COUNTY

938 Highway 515 Blairsville, Georgia 30512

(706) 745 2073

Rev. Jimmy Hood, Pastor

Church Website: www.firstmethodistblairsville.com

Email: darlene@firstmethodistblairsville.com

      We are a Stephen Ministry Congregation