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A PUBLICATION OF FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
THEWINDOW 1411 BROADWAY | LUBBOCK, TX 79401 | 806.763.4607 | FUMC.COM |DECEMBER 2021
What’s Inside Page 03 Beach Club
Page 04 Community Thanksgiving
Page 06 Ministry Spotlight: Quilters
Page 07 Our Life
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH•LUBBOCK
FIRSTLBK
MOVED BY JESUS. LOVING PEOPLE. SERVING ALL.
Our mission is to create a grace-filled environment in which Christ transforms lives.
FAMILIAR STORIES I grew up in a church much like First UMC, Lubbock. We were well known for music ministry that included an amazing Chancel Choir, a Youth Choir, various bell choirs and ensembles that would help to lead worship SENIOR PASTOR throughout the year. Todd Salzwedel Different ministries focused on youth and children, missions and outreach were a part of the reputation and character of our church. But nothing brought all these different elements together the way the Advent season did.
One hallmarks of Advent in the life of the church is that we tell a familiar story each year as if to remind us of who we are. In some sense, it relates back to the root meaning of familiar. Familiar refers to something that is “intimate, very friendly, or on a friendly footing.” It is related to the same root word from which we derive the word family. In other words, to tell a familiar story is to tell a story that is both intimate and close to our hearts. When we gather during the Advent season, we retell a story in a manner that seems like the stories we tell around our family dinner tables and family reunions. In fact, the announcement by Gabriel to Mary, the preparation of John the Baptist for the coming Messiah, and the dramatic birth narrative touch the most intimate parts of our souls. In this sense, the story is most definitely familiar as it is a part of our family (in Christ) story! As a child in the church my family attended,
one of the familiar things I looked forward to seeing was the banners that would adorn the chancel area. Each week of Advent a new banner would be added, and I was always interested to participate in the responsive reading that correlated with one of the four themes we consistently spoke about year after year – Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. I suppose at that age; it was easier to participate in that element of worship than it was to listen to the words of the pastor during his message (Wow! That stings a bit now!). Those themes still resonate in my heart and mind as Advent approaches each year. This year at First, we will again retell the story that is so familiar to us! We will do it through responsive readings in worship, lighting candles on the Advent Wreath, singing Christmas Carols and making our way through the various activities associated with the season. In worship, Pastors Bailey, Shera, and I will also view this family story through the lens of some beloved Christmas movies! The emotions we feel and the shift in attitude we can experience are sometimes vividly expressed on the big screen! But in the end, we are reminding ourselves of the greatest story ever told! We recall that we are connected in intimate ways with the Creator Himself, the amazing birth of a Savior, and the life that Jesus led. Ultimately, we realize that Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection is the most poignant way by which he becomes familiar with us and that we become family with him and one another! I look forward to joining with each of you during this holy time! We will incorporate fond DECEMBER 2021 1) | THE WINDOW 1 (continued from page
Dear church family, We probably could not count the number of times we have heard the Christmas story. Sometimes, the familiar loses its sense of awe and wonder, and we can lose the amazement of God’s love. This year, I encourage you to look at the Christmas story with fresh eyes and renewed questions. For example, Shera Atkinson Why were the shepherds Minister of Spiritual Formation and chosen to be the first to hear Congregational Care of Jesus’ birth? The story of the shepherds reminds us that God’s love is for all and that amazement may be found in the midst of the ordinary. Consider the innkeeper? What is usually said about him and is that judgment fair? Take time to ponder the gifts of the wisemen and how they knew Israel’s prophecies. FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH•LUBBOCK
FIRSTLBK
MOVED BY JESUS. LOVING PEOPLE. SERVING ALL.
Praying f our city
Perhaps we can learn more about worship and seeking God from them. God consistently invites us into conversation that we might grow in knowledge but more importantly in relationship with Him. A Joyful Christmas to each of you! Shera
Prayer Ministry This Christmas, give the gift of prayer to your community. As you drive through the area surrounding your home, please commit to pray for the families, business and needs of those in your zip code. If you are willing to make this commitment please send an email to Shera Atkinson, satkinson@fumc.com with your name and zip code.
(continued on page 2) memories of classic movies like A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, Polar Express and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. We’ll gather on Christmas Eve at one of four different worship offerings, and we will look forward with great anticipation to the coming year, where we will serve God and neighbor by the example of the one whose birth we celebrate this season! And we will be encouraged and uplifted by one another in the days to come! O come Emmanuel, that we might truly experience the hope, joy, peace and love that Jesus offers! Blessings! Pastor Todd 2 DECEMBER 2021 | THE WINDOW
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SERMON SERIES November 28 “A Christmas Carol” December 5 “Polar Express” December 12 “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” December 19 “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Service Opportunity - Kids Beach Club Kids Beach Club: children 3rd-5th grade at Bayless Elementary. Thursdays 3-5 p.m., January 20-March 31, 2022 Volunteers with in small groups called “Surf Teams”. The key to KBC is bringing up the next generation of Christians through volunteer examples, worship music, games and lessons from the bible. All curriculum is provided for leaders. The volunteers role is facilitate the lesson, lead their “surf team” and show a loving Christian example to their kids. All children in the program receive a bible. Training will happen in early January. Background checks on all volunteers is required.
What is Kids Beach Club? KiDs Beach Club® (KBC) is an organization on a mission to make Jesus cool at school. KBC has developed a process for empowering the local church to take the Bible into public schools via engaging, after-school clubs that serve the most impressionable among us—children in grades 3 through 6. By design, KiDs Beach Club® is geared to reach the preteen population, between the age of 8 and 12. In Acts1:8 Jesus compels the church to go and share, “…and you will be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” For those in the KiDs Beach Club® family, that includes reaching children! Reaching every third through sixth grade boy and girl of all economic, social and ethnic backgrounds is the goal of KBC. kidsbeachclub.org
Contact: Leslie Moss, leslie@wendellinepapers.com, or 806-438-4140
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Thank You to Our Community Thanksgiving Volunteers!
This year was our 29th Annual Community Thanksgiving Meal. The community showed up both to volunteer to serve and to receive. We served 1,111 meals this year and God made the food stretch to the very last car. A real loaves and fishes moment. We have 120 volunteers show up to help make this happen and we are so very grateful to all our volunteers and community partners. This event is possible because you are willing to respond to God’s call to serve your neighbors. 4 DECEMBER 2021 | THE WINDOW
Christmas Missions Offering Often in the Christmas story, we hear about the star that directed visitors to the place where Jesus was born. The star brought not only anticipation and joy, but offered direction for those seeking to follow it in search of the Christ Child and ultimately the mission that God had entered into here on Earth. As we look towards the new year, First LBK is looking to God for direction as to where our gifts and partnerships can join Him in His mission in Lubbock and the world. God is at work and calling us to join. We want to follow the star to where He is calling us to meet Him. On February 26, 2022, we will host an Activate Missions event that we hope you will consider attending as we come
together as a church community to listen, learn, and respond to God’s missional purpose for First LBK. Throughout 2021, your gifts to missions have made it possible to answer God’s call for us to join Him in His mission in Lubbock and the world. As we look with anticipation towards 2022, your gifts and partnership are still critical to the ability for First LBK to join in that mission. Join us in prayer as we seek God’s call into missions in Lubbock and beyond. Partner with us through your gifts of time, skill, and finances as we joyfully join the Missio Dei, the mission of God. Grace and Peace, Sara Lattimore, Director of Missions and Outreach
MONTHLY MISSIONS FOCUS 2021 OVERVIEW In 2021, we saw missions opportunities begin to open back up in new ways. We partnered with Bayless to support the students and teachers as they returned to school in person and provided 200+ hoodies. We partnered with Food2Kids to provide snack packs to students in our community that are in need of access to food over the weekends. We partnered with the South Plains Food Bank and served meals through our Second Helpings kitchen. We served 1,111 meals at our 29th Annual Community Thanksgiving. We helped repair a home of a family in need through our Helping Hands ministry and partnered with Habitat for Humanity to help build three homes for families in our community. Globally, we supported missionaries in Honduras, Spain, and Zimbabwe. Through all of this, we partnered in the mission of God. God is already in our community and in the world. He is calling us to join Him on His mission. May we continue to say yes in 2022 and beyond. Contact Sara Lattimore, slattimore@fumc.com
Missions & Outreach WAYS TO SERVE South Plains Food Bank Work Day December 18, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Ages 12 and up We will hold our annual Food Bank Work day as we hand out Christmas Food boxes to members of our community. Please sign up at signupgenius.com/go/foodbankworkday to let us know you are planning to come. We will meet at the Food Bank, 5605 MLK Blvd.
A LOOK BACK: This October we collected and donated 210 Hoodies to Bayless Elementary! Thank you for helping to provide students with a way to stay warm this fall. We are looking forward to starting back up, our Kid’s Beach Club in January. If you would like to help bless the lives of students and teachers through our Blessing Bayless mission please reach out to Sara Lattimore, slattimore@fumc.com. ON THE CALENDAR
Snack Packs Take your family or join some of your church family in packing snack packs with Food2Kids. Sign up with Food2Kids directly signupgenius.com/ go/10c084baaa622a4f85-food2kids1
December Mission Offering Month 8 - Food Bank Work Day - Christmas Boxes
Be on the lookout for a church-wide packing day in 2022. The warehouse is located at: South Plains Food2Kids - 12516 Chicago Ave.
February 26 - Activate Missions Conference
January 29 - Lamesa Recovery Work Day
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Ministry Spotlight: In Grateful Recognition For more than 40 years, the quilting ministry of FUMC has generously supported mission projects and ministries through funds raised by quilting tops commissioned by people of the community. The group completes 8 to 10 quilts each year. Gathering together weekly, volunteers share fellowship and grow in their skill together. Most recently, the group donated four quilts to the Lord’s Acre for the raffle, silent and live auction. You are invited to join the group which meets Tuesdays from 9 a.m to 1:30 p.m and Thursdays from 9 a.m to Noon. To place your name on the waiting list to have one of your pieces quilted, contact Gloria Asby at gashby@fumc.com and asked to be connected with the quilters.
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* ** ** EV E 4 p.m. Contemporary Service – Christian Life Center 6 p.m. & 9 p.m – Sanctuary 11:15 p.m. – Chapel Watch online at 4, 6, and 11:15 fumc.com/livestream or facebook.com/lubbockfumc The 6 p.m. service will air at 10:35 p.m. on KAMC 28.
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Memorials & Honorariums – November 15, 2021 GENERAL FUND In memory of Joe Pedroza by Arthur and Virgie Pedroza
In memory of Lois Karr, Naomi Inez Johnston, Robert Taylor, and Dr. William Golihar by Don and Robin Walker In memory of Robert Taylor by Jerry and Ann Casstevens
EVERLIVING CHURCH TRUST In memory of Rex and Karen Tolley by David and Tamara Speer In memory of Deborah Heflick by Scott and Cathy Porter In memory of Robert Taylor, Terri Blodgett, and Deborah Heflick by Tom and Susan Clark In memory of Lois Karr, mother of Kellye Bouldin, by Nan Shropshire and Susan Hovan In memory of Robert Taylor by John White In memory of Robert Taylor by Jim and Wanda White
FRIENDS OF MUSIC In memory of Charlene A. Gilbert Wulfekamp by Peggy Dyess MUSIC MINISTRY In memory of Shelly Nelson by McMillan Sunday School SECOND HELPINGS In memory Bob Bassett by Tobie, Jerry, and Jana Bailey
Our Life Together BAPTISMS Congratulations to Troy and Morgan Pickering on the baptism of their daughter, Annie Lucille. Rev. Bailey Barkley baptized Annie in the 11 traditional service, Sunday, October 31. Congratulations to Blake and Chelsea Baucum on the baptism of their son, Buckley James. Dr. Todd Salzwedel baptized Buckley in the 11 traditional service, Sunday, November 21. Congratulations to Scott and Kristen Garrison on the baptism of their son, Ryan Knox. Dr. Todd Salzwedel baptized Ryan in the 11 traditional service, Sunday, November 21. SYMPATHIES Sympathies to the Nelson family on the death of Shelley Fur Hall Nelson. Shelley passed away October 10. Rev. Paul Carpenter officiated a memorial service at First Christian Church on November 5.
Sympathies to Dena Taylor and family on the death of her husband, Robert. He passed away October 17. A time of fellowship and remembrance was October 21 at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers. A Celebration of Life was October 22 in Bowman Chapel officiated by Dr. Shera Atkinson. Robert was a member of the Ambassadors Sunday School and a member of First Lubbock since March 13, 1994. Sympathies to Beryl Waddell and the Wulfekamp family on the death of Charlene. Charlene passed away October 26. Her remains will be interred at St. John’s Westminster Union Church cemetery in Cincinnati, OH, next to her husband and daughter. A memorial reception for Charlene will be held in December at First United Methodist Church, Lubbock. Charlene was 103 years old; she was a member of the Homebuilders Sunday School and a member of First Lubbock since September 20, 1998.
Sympathies to the Smith family on the death of Dr. Roy Smith. Roy passed away October 27. Roy was honored with a full military salute November 8 in Arlington Cemetery. Sympathies to Melinda, Drew, and Brian Lacy on the death of husband and father, Phil. He passed away November 2. He was a member of Friends of Music, Amicus Sunday School class, a volunteer for Second Helpings and a member of First Lubbock since November 4, 2007. Sympathies to Phylis Adair and Winford Bradley and family on the death of daughter and wife, Jan. She passed away November 4. A funeral date will be set later. She was a member of First Lubbock since August 17, 1986.
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MOVED BY JESUS. LOVING PEOPLE. SERVING ALL.
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FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH•LUBBOCK
FIRSTLBK
FIRSTLBK
MOVED BY JESUS. LOVING PEOPLE. SERVING ALL.
WORSHIP SERVICES Traditional
8:30 a.m. Connect - Sanctuary 9 a.m. Bowman Chapel 11 a.m. Sanctuary
Contemporary
9:30 a.m. Christian Life Center 11 a.m. Christian Life Center @fumclbk @fumclbk 8 DECEMBER 2021 | THE WINDOW
1411 Broadway, Lubbock, TX 79401 fumc.com The Window is a monthly publication of First United Methodist Church, Lubbock