Follow Me We are going to be ringing in the New Year with a new sermon series called “Follow Me”. The series is 7 weeks long, which is longer than my attention span usually lasts. However, we will be looking at an important subject, discipleship, and so I think it is worth taking 7 weeks. We will be using the life of Peter as a model for what it means to follow Jesus as a disciple. We will begin in the first chapter of Mark where we will see Peter’s response to Jesus’ invitation to follow him. We will then follow Peter’s faith journey seeing that at times he falters and even fails to follow Christ, how his life is transformed and how he lives out his faith serving others, proclaiming the Gospel, and crossing the barriers erected by tradition and culture. We will see how Peter matures in his faith. We will witness growth and change in him. His level of discipleship doesn’t remain the same, but deepens and he experiences God’s love more fully. The Peter we will see in Mark 1 is very different then the Peter we see giving a sermon in Acts 10. The mission statement of The United Methodist Church and First UMC is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” In order to do this, we need to begin asking ourselves, what is a disciple? How is discipleship different from church membership? How do we make disciples? Why are we disciples? Where are we on our faith journey? Are we growing and changing or are we stagnate in our faith journey? We will begin to answer these questions by reflecting on Peter’s faith journey. The goal of this series is to help us move from membership to discipleship; to grow and mature in our faith. It is also intended to help us as a church to better fulfill our mission by considering what it really means to make a disciple and to challenge us to focus on the things which help people to experience God’s love and more fully follow Jesus. I hope you will join us beginning January 6 th . Pastor Julie 400 S. Main Street • Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 Phone: (989) 773-6934 • Fax: (989) 773-1855 • Web: www.mtpfumc.org January 2019 NEWSLETTER Our Mission Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Our Vision First United Methodist Church is a welcoming, vital church, filled with people of all ages, from all walks of life and stages of faith, growing together to become deeply committed Christians who follow and serve Jesus Christ. January 6, 2019 Following Scripture: Mark 1:16-20 January 13, 2019 Confessing Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20 January 20, 2019 Failure Scripture: Luke 22:54-62 January 27, 2019 Transforming Scripture: John 21:1-14 February 3, 2019 Serving Scripture: John 21:15-19 February 10, 2019 Proclaiming Scripture: Acts 2:29-39 February 17, 2019 Crossing Scripture: Acts 10:34-38
Transcript
Follow Me
We are going to be ringing in the New Year with a new sermon series called “Follow Me”. The series
is 7 weeks long, which is longer than my attention span usually lasts. However, we will be looking at
an important subject, discipleship, and so I think it is worth taking 7 weeks.
We will be using the life of Peter as a model for what it means to follow Jesus as a disciple. We will
begin in the first chapter of Mark where we will see Peter’s response to Jesus’ invitation to follow him.
We will then follow Peter’s faith journey seeing that at times he falters and even fails to follow Christ,
how his life is transformed and how he lives out his faith serving others, proclaiming the Gospel, and
crossing the barriers erected by tradition and culture. We will see how Peter matures in his faith. We
will witness growth and change in him. His level of discipleship doesn’t remain the same, but deepens
and he experiences God’s love more fully. The Peter we will see in Mark 1 is very different then the
Peter we see giving a sermon in Acts 10.
The mission statement of The United Methodist Church and First UMC is “to make disciples of Jesus
Christ for the transformation of the world.” In order to do this, we need to begin asking ourselves, what
is a disciple? How is discipleship different from church membership? How do we make disciples?
Why are we disciples? Where are we on our faith journey? Are we growing and changing or are we
stagnate in our faith journey? We will begin to answer these questions by reflecting on Peter’s faith
journey.
The goal of this series is to help us move from membership to discipleship; to grow and mature in our
faith. It is also intended to help us as a church to better fulfill our mission by considering what it really
means to make a disciple and to challenge us to focus on the things which help people to experience
God’s love and more fully follow Jesus. I hope you will join us beginning January 6th.
Pastor Julie
400 S. Main Street • Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 Phone: (989) 773-6934 • Fax: (989) 773-1855 • Web: www.mtpfumc.org
January 2019 NEWSLETTER
Our Mission
Making disciples
of Jesus Christ
for the
transformation
of the world.
Our Vision
First United
Methodist Church is
a
welcoming,
vital church,
filled with people of
all ages, from all
walks of life and
stages of faith,
growing together
to become
deeply
committed
Christians
who follow and
serve Jesus Christ.
January 6, 2019 Following Scripture: Mark 1:16-20
January 13, 2019 Confessing Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20
January 20, 2019 Failure Scripture: Luke 22:54-62
January 27, 2019 Transforming Scripture: John 21:1-14
February 3, 2019 Serving Scripture: John 21:15-19
February 10, 2019 Proclaiming Scripture: Acts 2:29-39
February 17, 2019 Crossing Scripture: Acts 10:34-38
The January Loose Coin
UMCOR/Refugee Relief
In the troubled world today, there is no shortage of refugees.
People who are trying to find a safe place to raise their families,
find themselves in unhealthy and unsanitary refugee camps in
many parts of the world. Our own United Methodist Committee
On Relief provides assistance to refugees wherever needed.
Isabella County Restoration House
January 2-13, 2019
First UMC will be hosting the Rotating Homeless Shelter from
January 2-13. Your help is needed to meet the needs of our
homeless neighbors. Please plan to volunteer those days and
nights! SignUpGenius from ICRH https://
www.signupgenius.com/go/508044ba8a92fa1f58-first7
Church & Society Invites You
Church and Society Committee invites you to a discussion of
LIVING FAITHFULLY: Human Sexuality and The United
Methodist Church. We will meet Sunday afternoons at 4:00
p.m. beginning on January 20. The study book is available for
through the Church Office. Curt Jensen has several copies for
you to peruse. Our final session will be on February 17, just a
few days before the specially called General Conference Session
of The United Methodist Church. Come find out how we can fit
into the Way Forward personally and as a congregation.
DISHES or PAPER PRODUCTS:
YOU DECIDE
All groups or individuals who serve food in the church are being
asked to either use paper products, or if you choose to use non-
disposable dishes, you need to arrange for a trained dishwasher
other than Tina to do the dishes. The area you use to prepare,
serve, and clean up the food should be left in as good or better
condition than it was before you used it. The only exception to
this policy is that Tina will continue to wash coffee mugs and
serving pieces after Sunday worship if they are in the provided
trays and returned to the kitchen area in an orderly state. All
serving pieces should be pre-washed (not just rinsed) and
stacked neatly. A little extra effort by each of us will go a long
way towards keeping our church looking its best all the time.
Thank you!
Thank you
The Green Team thanks you for your efforts in diverting lots of
Styrofoam from the landfill and into recycling collections! Our
next opportunity can help St Jude's Children's Ranch for Children
in Nevada. They accept Christmas cards. Please give cards
(front only, except for Hallmark, American Greetings or Disney) to
David Kingsworthy. They will be used in special projects to help
provide life and work skills to vulnerable teens.
UMW News
VALENTINE TEA - Sunday, February 10, 2:00-4:00 p.m. in
Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited to enjoy delightful treats and
beautiful decorations and hear an extra special musical
performance!
SPIRITUAL GROWTH RETREAT for all the women in our
congregation, with Ruth Jones on Fri., March 15 from 7:00-9:00
p.m. and Sat., March 16 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Includes light
refreshments and lunch, a take-home craft and a time to be
renewed spiritually with Christian sisters. Call Janet Rice at 772-
9:00 Traditional Worship 9:00 Story Time 10:05 Bible Study 10:05 Adult SS 11:00 Contemporary Worship 11:00 Children’s SS 11:00 4th Day 5:00 Youth Group
6:00 ICRH Shelter Week
7
6:30 Gam-Anon 3:15 Prayer Group 6:00 SPRC
6:00 ICRH Shelter Week
6:30 Gamblers Anonymous 6:30 Gam-Anon 7:00 Toastmasters 7:00 Boy Scouts
8
9:00 Women’s No Agenda Coffee 5:30 Church & Society
6:00 ICRH Shelter Week
6:30 Property
9
11:30 PEO
4:30 Genesis Bells 5:30 Yoga
6:00 ICRH Shelter Week
6:30 Chancel Choir 7:30 Praise Band
10
7:30 Men’s No Agenda Breakfast
6:00 ICRH Shelter Week
6:30 Narcotics Anonymous 7:00 Wesley Circle
11
6:00 ICRH Shelter Week
12
6:00 ICRH Shelter Week
13
9:00 Traditional Worship 9:00 Story Time 10:05 Bible Study 10:05 Adult SS 11:00 Contemporary Worship 11:00 Children’s SS 11:00 4th Day 4:00 Youth Hang Out 5:00 Youth Group
14
2:00 Staff Meeting 3:15 Prayer Group 6:30 Gamblers Anonymous 6:30 Gam-Anon 6:30 Stephen Ministry 7:00 Boy Scouts
15
Newsletter Deadline 9:00 Women’s No Agenda Coffee 12:30 Mackenzie Circle 6:00 Finance 7:00 Bd of Trustees
7:30 Men’s No Agenda Breakfast 2:30 Fab 5 6:30 Narcotics Anonymous
18 19
8:30 Men’s Group Bible Study
20
9:00 Traditional Worship 9:00 Story Time 10:05 Bible Study 10:05 Adult SS 11:00 Contemporary Worship 11:00 Children’s SS 11:00 4th Day 4:00 Living Faithfully 4:00 Youth Hang Out 5:00 Youth Group
21 MLK Jr. Day
Church Office Closed 6:30 Gamblers Anonymous 6:30 Gam-Anon 7:00 Boy Scouts 7:00 Toastmasters
22
9:00 Women’s No Agenda Coffee 1:00 Stewardship 6:00 Church Council
23
4:30 Genesis Bells 5:30 Yoga 5:45 Youth Soup & Pie Supper 6:30 Chancel Choir 7:30 Praise Band
24
7:30 Men’s No Agenda Breakfast 12:00 JOY Club 6:30 Narcotics Anonymous
25
26
27
9:00 Traditional Worship 9:00 Story Time 10:05 Bible Study 10:05 Adult SS 11:00 Contemporary Worship 11:00 Children’s SS 11:00 4th Day 4:00 Living Faithfully 4:00 Youth Hang Out 5:00 Youth Group
28
1:00 Mary Martha Circle
2:00 Staff Meeting 3:15 Prayer Group 6:30 Gamblers Anonymous 6:30 Gam-Anon 7:00 Boy Scouts
