Happy summer to you all! I pray that this has been a season of rest and play for you, and I have been blown away by the exciting things that have already taken place in our community this summer. In the past month, we celebrated an excellent youth choir tour, had a wonderful joy-filled week Vacation Bible School, and were able to revisit many of John Wesley’s sermons during worship together.
During the month of July, we will be walking through the book of Jonah together during worship. This book from the Hebrew bible is only 4 chapters long, but is an amazing and thought-provoking exploration of God’s heart for the nations, his calling in our lives, and the need to love our neighbors (even those who are our enemies). As Andrew will be out on the second half of his paternity leave from June 30th-July 23rd, I am excited to be able to preach through this book with you!
If you have not read through the book of Jonah recently, I invite you to do so as we prepare our hearts to receive God’s word.
I give thanks for all of the wonderful ministries taking place this month, including our Church’s mission trip to Epworth by the Sea and being able to host Grow Day Camp for elementaryaged students in our community. God is doing great things through our church!
Finally, please join me in welcoming Charles and Julie Bowen who joined our church in June. And we were excited to baptize Patrick Jackson, age 10, and have him officially be incorporated into God’s holy Church!
Grace and peace, Rev. Connor Bell
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Charles & Julie Bowen
Total Tithes/Income: $ 595,731 Total Expenses: $ 701,362 Over/(Under): $ (105,631) TOTAL BUDGET: $ 1,732,371
On June 3, 5, and 7, we partnered with Bridging the Gap to provide lunch to our neighbors at Eastgate Apartments. We served approximately 125 people each day. A huge thank you to all of our awesome volunteers who took time out of their busy schedules to help make lunches and serve.
UPCOMING MISSIONS
July Donations for One Roof: Canned spaghetti sauce (no glass please), pasta, strawberry and grape jelly, peanut butter, canned meats, and mac & cheese.
Drop your donations off in the conference room by the work room or bring them to the altar on Sunday, July 21st where they will be blessed. Thank you for your generous donations for our monthly One Roof donations!
July 9: Providing 125 lunches for the Newnan High School football team.
July 25: Community Cookout | 11:00am-1:00pm | 1st Avenue Park
Our church, along with others in the community, will pass out 500 bags with school supplies for children in need. These bags will include pencils and sharpeners, pens, highlighters, and crayons.
August 24: RiverLife #ServeCoweta
October: Rise Against Hunger
We will have jobs for everyone. If you need accommodations, please contact Aileen. aburnett@newnanfumc.org.
Caitie Dixon Minister of Music
FALL CHOIR START DATES
Chancel Choir
July 31st
Youth Ensemble & Choir
August 4th
Carol Choir & Cherub Choir
August 14th
ACCOMPANISTS NEEDED
The Cherub and Carol Choirs are each in need of an accompanist for the 2024-2025 school year (and beyond!)
View & Download Choir
Tour photos here
WOW, What a crazy month June has been!
We kicked the month off with our Youth Choir Tour to California. On our first day, we explored Redondo Beach pier and had rehearsal at Rolling Hills UMC, where we performed Sunday morning. After singing for church Sunday morning, we stopped at Oakmont of Valencia, a retirement home in Santa Clarita, and shared ice cream with some of the residents (it was National Rocky Road Day!), so that was a fun treat. After singing for them and visiting with them, we ventured further north.
From Merced we traveled to Yosemite National Park. Talk about God’s masterful creation being on full display! Groups took hikes to Lower Yosemite Falls, the Swinging Bridge, Mirror Lake, and more! We also got the traditional “Choir Tour Pic” at Tunnel View, which was last experienced by our choirs in 2012.
On Tuesday, we served a non-profit known as Fertile GroundWorks and helped with several projects. Here’s a brief snippet from their weekly newsletter:
“Tuesday saw our regular volunteers and the Newnan First United Methodist Church Youth Choir, from Georgia, come out to the garden and they helped us get things DONE! Newnan split into about 4 groups and helped us to finish gleaning out bed N10, start the new expansion out back, plant 56 sweet potatoes and wash & pack the produce for delivery. Once the harvesting was done, and the group for washing/packing was established, everyone worked together to get 2 beds gleaned and 2 other beds prepped! About 12 of the Newnan choir volunteers worked with Ryan to get the new expansion sheet mulched! 6 of the choir volunteers helped Brenda plant the sweet potatoes and prep bed B13! Another group of 6 choir volunteers helped Lori to get bed N10 gleaned out and prep bed A06! Another 6 of the choir volunteers helped to wash and pack the harvested produce for delivery…over 600lbs of produce harvested on Tuesday!
It was truly a blessing to be a part of their ministry. The Youth were great that day. We were tired from Yosemite, and it was hot, but they got the work done! After working in the garden, we got to hang out at Asbury UMC, and then gave a concert for them that night. It was a great day of music and ministry.
Wednesday we got to explore some of San Francisco. That morning we went to Pier 39 and made friends with a ton of sea lions. It was amazing. They wanted to sing, too! We had lunch on the pier, did some shopping, and then headed to our ferry cruise to Alcatraz. This was an amazing experience. It was so cool to explore somewhere many of the students had read about in history classes and other places. We had a special treat that day in that Bill Baker, the last living inmate from when Alcatraz was still a penitentiary, was there signing his autobiography. This is the book Andrew showed off in worship when we got back. A great day!
Thursday we got to have lots of fun at Knott’s Berry Farm, a really nice amusement park in Buena Park, outside of LA. The youth had a great day riding rides, snacking, and having fellowship with each other. Friday we flew home, and then Sunday we got to perform for all of you in services.
The church staff is so proud of how the Youth represented our church in California. I could not have asked for a better first Youth
Choir Tour experience. They really were amazing.
This month the choir will take a bit of a break, so we’ll get to enjoy some special music in services. We hope you’ll enjoy those!
On July 21st, please make sure to join us at 6:00 p.m. in the sanctuary for a Southern Gospel Concert. This will be a fun night of excellent music making. We will also perform our set for the residents at Wesley Woods that afternoon. If you have loved ones there, please encourage them to come. A love offering will be accepted at the evening concert to benefit the music department. I hope to see you there!
Soli Deo Gloria, Caitie
Aileen Burnett Missions & Sr Adult Coordinator
BUS DRIVERS NEEDED
There is an urgent need for a driver during the week for Fun ‘n Frolic events. The church will pay for your CDL training (26-passenger bus) and your meal and activity fee will be covered. For more information, please contact our Transportation Chairperson, Craig Bryan at cbryan83dawg@gmail.com.
Idon’t know about y’all, but the youth have been busy this summer! This Choir Tour was a wonderful experience: touring California sharing God’s Word and having an absolute blast along the way! Then we launched out Downtown Devos: diving into the Fruits of the Spirit each week and supporting a local business with lunch together downtown afterwards. Then so many of our awesome youth helped out at VBS. Andrea and I are thankful for your help and proud of you!
July also has some awesome events lined up! Downtown Devos will continue to happen each week on Wednesdays at 11:30am in the UTH Lounge. We are studying a couple of the Fruits of the Spirits each week then walking to lunch together. These will happen through the month of July. Also, we still have one more upcoming Summer Adventure available for sign up today: Tubing in Helen on July 22! You can find registration links online on our social media or in my emails that go out each month. I am also leading our Domestic Mission Trip in July 13-18, so I would please ask that you be in prayer for us as we work to be the hands and feet of Jesus this month.
School officially starts back next month, and with that we dive back into the full swing of things. The school year kicks off with the Back to School Bash on August 4. This is an event for all students to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of the school year. There will be dinner and games and tons of other fun activities. Please plan to be in attendance and help out as a UTH volunteer. Our UTH program kicks off with Bite Nite on August 11. Bite Nite is a photo scavenger hunt around Downtown Newnan. Signups are live so sign up your students and their friends today! Our first Sunday Night UTH will be August 18 from 6:00-8:00pm. This is when we will get back to lessons and small group activities where we can have a lot of fun and learn about ourselves and our walk each week!
DOWNTOWN DEVOS
July Wednesdays | 11:30am
We’ll meet at the Youth Lounge for devotional time before walking to lunch downtown.
Sign Up Here For Uth River Tubing in Helen
-Paul Mosley
Paul Mosley
Youth Minister
FirstKIDS
Andrea Stuart Director of Children’s Ministry
We ended the school year and jumped right into summer! From learning about being good Disciples of God to an incredible week at Vacation Bible School, it was an incredible month. Check out the last four pages for some VBS pictures!
Summer doesn’t slow down in July either! In Sunday School, we will be learning about some of God’s brave believers. Elijah and the Ravens, Jonah and the fish, Elisha and the Widow’s Jar, and God chooses Joshua to lead people to Canaan!
Prek 4 to rising 6th grade are welcome to join as we act, craft, and read and grow closer to God! In Children’s worship we are wiggling and creating fun while we learn about compassion, saying we are sorry, and forgiveness!
DATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Popsicles in the Park July 24 | 5:30pm* Meet at WNF!
We are looking for Acolytes! If you’re interested in your child learning to serve, please email me.
Hello church family, my name is Susan Mitchell.
Iam the new preschool director at NFUMC. I am honored to serve alongside you and the amazing church staff. I have spent the last year serving as assistant director alongside Nancy Martin and I hope to continue her legacy while growing the preschool program here at NFUMC.
I hold a Master’s degree in teaching from the University of West Georgia. I previously taught Pre-K at NFUMC preschool, which is where I found my love for teaching. I was also a Special Education teacher at Newnan High School. I have had the privilege of teaching students as young as three and as old as eighteen. I am so happy to be home with my preschool family serving in this new role!
I live in Newnan with my husband and two beautiful daughters. My girls both attended preschool here, so I know how important it is that you trust us with your children. I am thankful that God has given me this opportunity to help teach and lead the next generation of children to serve him through this ministry at NFUMC preschool.
We have some exciting opportunities this summer with our summer enrichment program. July 8th-11th our theme is “Fairy Tales” and August 5th-8th we will travel “Around the World.” We have a few spots still available, please visit our website at nfumcpreschool.org to sign up.
I believe communication is key to your child’s success and building relationships is vital to your child’s education. Please feel free to reach out if you need anything or would just like to say hello! My email is smitchell@newnanfumc.org. I look forward to hearing from you!
Hello Church family!
Ihave had a fun retirement celebration given by the preschool staff, preschool parents, church staff, and you! Thank you for the love you have shown me through your notes and cards, phone calls and generous love offering. I will miss serving this church with all the amazing people who work at the preschool and church. Again, thank you for your support of me and the preschool. Blessings! Nancy
In The Life Newnan
Janet Marie Gunnels
Communications Director
jmgunnels@NewnanFUMC.org
770.253.7400 (x204)
CORRECTION CORNER
Jesus is perfect, Janet Marie makes mistakes
June Shepherd, p.11
William Lanier Pritchard’s parents should have been listed as Emily Gray and Jonathan Pritchard.
You may have noticed from all the Baptisms, but there are A LOT of babies being born at Newnan First UMC. In fact, a list compiled last Fall showed that ~20 couples would be expecting babies this year!
With this exciting news came the realization that these families would need a space in the church to tend to the new bundles of joy during services. Bob McKoon, Susan Dieckmann, and Emily Gray Pritchard put together a plan for the Soothing Room, which Emily Gray “executed to perfection,” according to Susan. This room is located just off the Sanctuary Balcony, and includes glider chairs, a changing table, bouncy seat, and more. There’s also a TV that streams the church service, so parents won’t miss a minute.
As Susan put it, “...our congregation is growing with these precious, beautiful blessings from God! We praise His Holy name. Thanks be to God!”
Patty Hall
Hostess
phall@NewnanFUMC.org
770.253.7400
Upcoming Fellowship Events
Wednesday Night Fellowship: Bible Trivia Night
July 24 | 5:15pm | Parish Hall
$8-$25, Enjoy your corned beef, cabbage and rice, and cucumber salad while you compete to see who knows the most about the Bible!
Register for July 24
Churchwide Picnic: Hawaiian Luau
August 11 | 12:15pm | Parish Hall
Join us after the 11am service for Kalua Pork, Hawaiian beans, coleslaw, fruits, and dessert (and hot dogs for the kids!). There will be fellowship, family games, and plenty of fun.
Biweekly WNF will resume August 21, 2024. Wednesdays | 5:15pm | Parish Hall
WNF here
$8-$25, RSVP by noon the Tuesday before supper so we know how much food to prepare!
3
Chancel Choir Rehearsal 6:45pm, Choir Room
4-5
NFUMC Offices Closed
7
Traditional Worship Service
8:30am & 11:00am, Sanctuary
Sunday School
9:45am 8-11
Preschool Summer Enrichment
9am-12pm, Preschool, $
9
Parkinson’s Support Group
9:15am, Henry Kitchen SS Class
NHS Football Lunches 9:45am, Parish Hall
10
Women’s Coffee + Chat 10:00am, Annex Hall
July Calendar
10
Chancel Choir Rehearsal 6:45pm, Choir Room 13
Parents Night Out 4:00pm, Parish Hall, $ 13-18
Domestic Mission Trip
Epworth by the Sea, St. Simon’s Island, $ 14
Traditional Worship Service
8:30am & 11:00am, Sanctuary
Sunday School 9:45am 15-18
GROW Day Camp 9am-5:30pm, Parish Hall, $ 16
Dementia Support Meeting 10:00am, Annex Conference
