First United Methodist Church
Denham Springs, LA

Click here to listen to the December 13, 2009 Cantata presentation.

CHURCH EVENTS
Sunday, February 7
08:30 AM	Blended Worship Service
09:45 AM	Sunday School
11:00 AM	Traditional Worship Service
04:00 PM	Youth Activities
04:00 PM	Club ALMOST
Monday, February 8
06:30 PM	Finance Committee
Tuesday, February 9
07:30 PM	Education Committee
Wednesday, February 10
05:45 PM	Handbell Practice
07:00 PM	Chancel Choir Practice
Thursday, February 11
06:30 PM	Praise Team Practice
Saturday, February 13
07:30 AM	UMM Breakfast and Meeting

CHURCH NEWS

Missed a sermon? Click here to listen to a recent sermon.

ASSISTED LISTENING DEVICES

Assisted listening devices are now available in the sanctuary. Our ushers will be happy to assist you.

FOOD PANTRY SUNDAY

February 7 is Food Pantry Sunday at FUMC. Please put your donations of nonperishable foods in the red containers provided in the narthex. Checks may be made payable to FUMC (noted Food Pantry) and placed in the offering plate. Thanks for your support.

CHURCH PICTORIAL DIRECTORIES

Our new church pictorial directories have arrived & are available for pickup in the church narthex Feb. 14th & 21st. If you were not photographed for the directory but would still like to have one, they are available for a donation of $5, to cover the cost of printing.

Boy Scouts 100 years in America.

Next Sunday, February 14th will be Boy Scout Sunday. All Boy Scouts and leaders are invited to worship in uniform at FUMC.

Children From Pre-K to 6th Grade

We will be starting a choir program on February 14th at 4:00 p.m. at the church. There will be more information coming your way very soon.

One Month to Live
Beginning in Lent
Thirty Days to a no-regrets Life

   What if you only had one month to live? What changes would you make in your life? Kerry and Chris Shook's New York Times best-seller, One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life encourages readers to face their own mortality and live life to the absolute fullest.
   On Sunday, February 21, we’ll begin a church-wide look at the Biblical themes of this bestseller and the implications they have for our lives.
   Each of the 30 chapters—one for every day in a life-changing month—offers fresh strategies for overcoming habits that mire Christians in mediocrity. These strategies come to life through uplifting make-it-count moments, inspiring quotations, colorful true stories and questions for reflection. Readers examine how they can live passionately, love completely, learn humbly, and leave boldly to create a legacy that endures for generations after they're gone. (from the OMTL website)
   Our hope is that each adult and every youth will take part in this potential life-changing, church renewing program by reading this book and taking part in a group study.
   Copies of the book will be available for purchase at FUMC, and several study group opportunities will be made available. Adult and Youth Sunday school classes are also encouraged to consider this as their study for Lent.
   Our hope is that everyone in our congregation would take the 30-day challenge. One dimension of the challenge is to take part in a small discussion group during the 30-day reading of the book. This will be a time to share insights and personal experiences.
   To make it possible for all to take part in a group, we would like to have multiple groups meetings throughout the week.
   If you would be willing to lead a group in your home, please sign up by writing “group leader” on the attendance pad next to your name. All materials and training will be provided.

Maundy Thursday Choir, April 1

The choir will present the “Living Last Supper”. If you would like to be a part of the choir please let Diane know. We have CDs with the voice parts on it that you can practice at home, and it will not require a lot of rehearsals.

FAMILY CAMP FOR ALL AGES

On April 9th-10th, 2010 Family Ministries is sponsoring a FAMILY CAMP for all ages at United Methodist Camp Istrouma in Greenwell Springs. This is for ALL church family, no matter what your marital status. More details will follow. Save the date. You won't want to miss it!

PRAYER PAGERS

Prayer Pager Assignment

Gabe Hilliard: (225) 378-4003

Prayer Pager Information
and
Instructions

A Prayer Pager, sponsored by the FUMCDS United Methodist Men, is assigned to a person or family in crisis for widespread prayer & family encouragement. The pager number is published in church publications & spread through various individual e-mail lists.

To receive a prayer pager, make any of our ministers aware of a crisis need/desire for a prayer pager. Pagers are not limited to our own congregation or to our local area. The ministers will notify you if a pager is available. Then the intended recipient is contacted to see if they would like a pager, for permission to print the situation for prayer & for arrangements for delivery. Recipients may keep the pager for as long as it is needed.

To call the Prayer Pager: Pray for the person in need, then call the pager number. After 4 beeps, enter your numeric zip code and #. The pager will buzz the person, show where prayers originate (by zip code), and let them know how often they are being prayed for.

Additional Highlights of 2010 Ministries

We are richly blessed through a Music Ministry involving over ninety people, participating on a weekly basis. The goal is always to glorify God through music.

The Handbell Ministry involves ten ringers who play at special services such as the Groundbreaking, Hanging of the Greens and the Christmas Cantata. Our goal for the coming year is to offer bell music in worship on a monthly basis.

The Praise Team sings weekly at the 8:30 a.m. service. It is comprised of 5 - 7 members of all ages.

The Chancel Choir sings weekly at the 11:00 a.m. service and provides special music at Easter and Christmas. It is comprised of 25-30 members of all ages and sings music from all genres from gospel to classical.

The Children’s Choir sings for special events and programs such as Mothers Day, Hanging of the Greens and Christmas. Our church is blessed to have a large number of elementary age children participating in this ministry.

Electronic Funds Transfer Helps You and the Church

Occasionally we fall behind on our giving to the church. One tool that is available, to help you stay on track with what you want to give and to help the cash flow needed for the ongoing ministries of the church, is Electronic Fund Transfer. Also known as EFT, ACH, or Direct Payment, it is the electronic transfer of funds from one bank account to another. Contact Linda McDaniel at the Church Office for more info.

SPECIAL NOTES

We have returned to our pre-fire worship and Sunday School schedule. Worship is at 8:30 and 11 a.m. and Sunday School from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Nursery, elementary and youth classes will be held in the Mattie St. parsonage and adult classes at the Centerville St. parsonage. Special thanks to the people of Roberts UMC and First Baptist for graciously and warmly welcoming us in to your church homes.

The Nursing Home Ministry needs volunteers to make visits to nursing home residents to deliver personal care items which have been prepared for them. To volunteer, call Jewell Whitehead at 665-5940.

The Flower Calendar for 2010 is posted in the church office. Please call the office to sign up for specific days you wish to provide flowers.

For more information on any of these items, please contact the church office at 665-8995.

CLICK HERE to view photos from the Old Time Gospel Hour Presentation.

There is a Sunday School Class for you. Click here to see the classes.

Click here to view the current and back issues of The Witness, our church newsletter.

On the night of October 29, 2007 there was a fire at our church building. The sanctuary and gym sustained extensive water and smoke damage while the offices and classroom facilities have been totally lost. Damages are estimated at more than $2 million, although the damage was minimized due to the outstanding performance of our local fire departments responding to the emergency.

Click here to see images of the fire and local firefighters battling the blaze.

As God's will continues to unfold in the wake of this tragic event, the members of First United Methodist Church - DS wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to those who have helped and offered to help our congregation in our time of need, and also to those who have remembered us in their prayers. We have been awed and humbled at the generosity demonstrated by God's people.

For those who wish to make a monetary donation to assist our congregation in our rebuilding efforts, we have established a special account to receive donations:

"For I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

CHURCH EVENTS