First Fruits
February 1
Philippians 2:1–11
Footwashing, Welcome,
Gethsemane
The Angel Choir (Ages 4
through 1st grade) sings
February 8
Mark 14:17–25
The Last Supper
The Bethlehem Choir
(Grades 2 through 5) sings
Scout Sunday
February 15
Mark 16:1–8
The Empty Tomb
Dear Friends,
While I realize that we
may long ago have passed
the time for making New
Year’s resolutions, I have
claimed some goals for
2015, goals I wish to share
with you. These goals I
shared recently with the
wonderful staff of First
UMC:
 To have the ministries
of FUMC become more
visible in this community
 To strengthen our connection with local
schools
 To see our attendance
in worship grow
 To see participation in
Small Group Ministries
grow
 To see us at FUMC
strengthen our claim
upon our Mission and
Vision
I’m not sure what your
goals for this year may be;
but, as you consider your
service to God and the
vows you have made to
support the ministries of
this church, I pray your
goals may stand in close
company to mine.
First UMC. We build this
center fully trusting that
God is using our efforts to
fulfill his Mission entrusted
to us:
To live as an Uptown
church
Where are all welcome
Where all worship
Where all serve
To the Glory of God.
February 22
Exodus 31:18–32:20
Moses Receives God’s
Commandments
Joyful Noyze sings,
First Hand Experience Puppet Team performs.
Daniel has a BA in organ from Salem
College and a MM in organ from the
University of North Carolina School of
the Arts where he won the Bright and
Annie Lee Fitzgerald-Sink Award for
Excellence in Piano and Organ. Daniel has been serving multiple church-
February Music Calendar
Feb 1 – Angel Choir sings at the 11
am Service, No afternoon rehearsal
for Joyful Noyze (Super Bowl)
Keith
Feb 9 – Children’s Choir Valentine
parties during regular rehearsal time
As I work with you to fulfill
these goals, I do so as one
who is very excited about
the construction of the Uptown Ministry Center of
Feb 16 – No Children’s Choir
(President’s Day Holiday)
to attend the noon service,
the service will only last
about 45 minutes.
closeness of Jesus; in this
season, we see again how
much God loves us.
I don’t know if there is a
more powerful season in
the church year then this
season of Lent. In this season, we hear the call of
Jesus to follow him; in this
season, we know the
I look forward to walking
with you in this holy season. Let us follow Jesus
together.
Keith
es in North Carolina as both organist
and organist/choir master.
Many folks have been working for
many months now to make this transition. Beth Chapman has done yeoman’s work in providing music at
both services as well as accompanying the Chancel Choir. It is my understanding that Becky Smith has put
her retirement on hold for what I believe is now 13 months. Many thanks
go to the members of the search
committee: Keith Ritchie, Janet Lewis, Corky Corcoran, Ed Dietrich, Erin
Givens, and Anne Moore.
Please keep Daniel and the Music
Ministry in your prayers as we all
transition to a new normal!
Music Notes
Feb 8 – Bethlehem Choir sings at 11
am Service
Ash Wednesday Service– February 18
I hope you will participate
in one of the Ash Wednesday services to be held at
First UMC on Wednesday,
February 18. Services will
be held in the sanctuary at
noon and 7 pm. These services will offer the imposition of ashes and the
Lord’s Supper. If you plan
I know that you will want to join me
in welcoming Daniel Johnson to FUMC
Martinsville! Daniel will be our new
organist. His first rehearsal with the
Chancel Choir will be Wednesday,
February 4, and his first Sunday “on
the bench” will be February 8.
Grace and Peace to you in
Christ our Lord,
February 18
Ash Wednesday services
noon and 7 pm
First Fruits
Welcome to Daniel Johnson, Our New Organist!
February 2015
First United Methodist Church
Our Worship Schedule for February as
we continue our series “Witness of the
Windows: Stained
Glass Stories” is as
follows:
Page 2
Feb 18 – Ash Wednesday Service at 7
pm (Chancel Choir sings)
Feb 22 – Joyful Noyze sings at 11 am
Service
Mark Your Calendars!!!
present “The Secret of My Success”
by Celeste Clydesdale at 6 pm in the
Sanctuary.
June 8-12 – FUMC Children’s Choir
Camp / “Sermon on the Mound”
Palm Sunday (March 29) – Chancel
Choir and orchestra present Joseph
Martin’s “Rose of Calvary” at 6 pm in
the Sanctuary.
Sunday, May 3 – Children’s Choirs
District Finance Training at First Church
Finance Training is being offered in
February and March.
deadline to register is February
17.

February 10 is in the chapel @
7:00 pm. This training is primarily directed to treasurers and finance secretaries. The deadline
to register is February 3.


February 24 is in the chapel @
7:00 pm, with the focus on stewardship and endowed giving. The
Please register with Sandra at the
District Office (638-2688).
March 10 is in the chapel @ 7:00
pm. This training is primarily directed to finance committee
chairpersons and members. The
deadline to register is March 3.
February 2015
Page 3
The God We Can Know
Then, as we gather for worship during the Sundays of Lent, the material
that guides our conversations on
Tuesday nights will help shape our
services of worship.
Please share in The God We Can
Know in this holy season. Further
information about this series is found
at www.theGodwecanknow.com.
Feb. 24
March 1
Chapter 1
Knowing the Great “I
Am”
I Am the Bread of Life
John 6:27-59
March 3
First Fruits
Endowment Report from the Trustees
Central to the Lenten journey this year
will be the use of material titled The
God We Can Know. This is a study
for children, youth, and adults. We
are encouraged to take part in this
study each Tuesday evening beginning February 24, from 6:30–8pm.
Annette Huckfeldt will lead the study
for children, Maegan Mitchell for
youth, and Pastor Keith for adults.
Page 4
Chapter 2
“I Am the Bread of Life”:
Knowing God’s Satisfaction
March 8
I Am the Light of the
World
John 7:2, 14:8–12
March 10
Chapter 3
“I Am the Light of the
World”: Knowing God’s
Guidance
March 15
I Am the Good Shepherd
John 10:1–10
March 17
Chapter 4 “I Am the
Good Shepherd”:
Knowing God’s Care
March 22
I Am the True Vine
John 15:1–8
March 24
Chapter 5
“I Am the True Vine”:
Knowing God’s Power
March 29
I Am the Way, the Truth,
& the Life
John 14:1–7
During 2014 our Church has been the
recipient of three very gracious bequests.
plemental to annual operating funds,
to enhance and support programming
and participation.
March 31
Chapter 6
“I Am the Way, the
Truth, & the Life”: Knowing God’s Way
The first was from the estate of John
Redd Smith, Jr. in the amount of
$109,000. John Redd designated that
the funds be used by the Trustees for
capital improvements.
April 5
“I Am the Resurrection &
the Life
John 11:17–26
April 7
Chapter 7
“I Am the Resurrection &
the Life”: Knowing God’s
Possibilities
The third and most recent bequest
was $375,000 from the estate of
Laura Jane Holsinger. Laura designated that her bequest establish the
Holsinger Endowment Fund. Half of
the income generated by the fund is
to be used for scholarships for the
benefit of students whose families are
members of the church and who are
enrolled in degree granting, accredited colleges or universities. The remaining half of the income generated
by the fund is to be used at the discretion of the Trustees for maintenance and capital needs of the
church.
Those in italics are Sundays.
The second gift in the amount of
$100,000 was from the estate of Bernie and Virginia Becker. Their children, Kathryn, Mark, and Mary, are
following through on their parents'
wish that this amount be given to
First United Methodist Church.
Half of the bequest is to be used for
the Uptown Ministry Center project,
specifically the naming of the Food
Pantry. The remaining $50,000 is to
create a new endowment fund for
Youth Ministries. Beginning in 2016
and each year thereafter, 6% of the
invested fund balance will be made
available to our Youth Ministries, sup-
Planned Giving to First UMC can ensure your continued support of your
church long after your passing. It can
support ongoing or new ministries,
memorialize a loved one, or leave a
legacy to the Church and our community. If you have questions or desire information on the many ways to
approach Planned Giving, please see
Don Holsinger, Chairman of the
Planned Giving Committee or me.
Larry Ryder
Chairman
We are truly blessed by the thoughtfulness and generosity of these saints
and families. As Trustees, we will
strive to invest these funds wisely
and continue the legacy of these
faithful individuals.
Worship
Food Bank Update
The Food Bank of First UMC has long
been a ministry at the heart of the
missions of this church. For the past
several years, Winston Whitmore provided diligent and faithful
leadership to this ministry. It was not unusual to see Winston
come to the church
several times a week,
delivering foods to be
distributed by way of the Food Bank,
making sure everything was in order
for the foods to be distributed
on the third Saturday of the
month. Because of his efforts,
many have been blessed over
many years. Thank you for your
faithful servant leadership, Winston.
Beginning in January, Lee Smith
will take over Winston’s duties.
Thank you for the leadership
you bring to this ministry, Lee! You
are continuing to bless many at FUMC
and beyond by sharing your
gifts and giving your time so
that this church may live its
mission to serve to the glory of
God.
“The heavens declare the glory of
God; the skies proclaim the work of
his Hands.” Psalm 19:1
The night sky proclaims to us the
vastness of God’s creativity and power. Looking up puts us in a state of
wonder at its enormity and our smallness. This state of wonder is perhaps
why Jesus encourages us to have the
faith of a child. Children are full of
wonder.
Worship is the way we keep ourselves
open to the wonder of God. We can
discover the nature of God that we
might not see alone. In bringing our
thanks for the things and opportunities that God has provided, we are
given the opportunity to offer praise
to the CREATOR of ALL THINGS.
Worship has the effect of showing us
that God is big and we are small.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent
for the sun….
It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
Nothing is deprived of its warmth.
Psalm 19:4b-6
If our CREATOR is so great in creating the sun and stars that send light
from millions of miles away, then he
must have wisdom that we need in
our own lives. In worshiping God, we
gain the humility to open our hearts
and souls to what God is offering us.
Worship gives us the opportunity to
listen to God’s words of wisdom in
awe of all the great things he does.
As you travel to church, notice the
wonderful things God has created for
mankind and enter his house with
awe for all the great things he has
done.
From the book Over Flow written by
Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Tom Berlin
February 2015
Page 5
Children’s Corner
Kids, pack your bags and get your passport ready! We are going to the Holy Land! As
part of our Lenten study this year, children will have the opportunity to travel to places
where Jesus lived out his ministry. This study will be offered on Tuesday nights (6:30 –
8:00 p.m.) beginning on February 24 through April 7. In addition to this time, other
parts of this study will be used during Children’s Church time on Sunday mornings
(between February 22 and April 5).
In order to complete our 7-week study during Lent, we WILL have children’s church on
the first Sunday of March and April.
“The God We Can Know” lessons will take the children on a “trip” to places from the Bible that explain the “I AM” sayings of Jesus. This study will include:







The Great I AM – Moses hears God speaking from a burning bush in Midian.
I Am the Bread of Life – at the place where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes.
I am the Light of the World – in Jerusalem at the Feast of Booths.
I am the Good Shepherd – we go to a pasture to see Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
I Am the True Vine – we go to a vineyard to see Jesus as the vine.
I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life – Jesus gives us travel instructions.
I am the Resurrection and the Life – we go to Bethany to hear about a resurrection.
JAMZ will meet on Sundays February 8 and 22 from 5:00 until 7:00 pm. We will also
have a special Game Night on Saturday, February 7 from 6:00 until 9:00 pm.
Page 6
Newsletter Title
Youth News
Calling
All
Youth!
Fusion
Youth
Retreat
Friday, Feb. 27–Sunday, March 1
Youth Group - All are invited on
Sunday evenings from 5-7pm as
we gather together for fun and
fellowship while learning more
about each other and who we are
as Christ’s church. Supper is provided!
Youth Small Group – All are invited on Tuesday evenings from
6:30-8:00 pm, starting February
24th for our youth small group.
We will be experiencing Lent and
Jesus’s time in the wilderness in a
new way as we learn together
from the study, “The God We Can
Know.”
Cost - $25, All meals and lodging
provided
All youth are invited to the Fusion
Youth retreat at Eagle Eyrie. This
retreat is for the Danville, Farmville,
and Lynchburg district youth. The
Fusion Retreat features a guest
speaker, a praise and worship band,
small group time, youth group time,
great worship, good food, a mission
project, and much more. This year’s
theme is ‘ECHO’ – we will be exploring what it means to be the echo of
Christ. Come out and enjoy the
fun!!
RSVP to Maegan by
Thursday, February12
ALL ARE INVITED to the Souper Bowl
of Caring lunch, sponsored by the FUMC
youth group, on Sunday Feb. 1, following
the 11 am service. There will be many
delicious soups, breads, and desserts
available for lunch. All proceeds will be
used to benefit and serve those hungry
and in need in our community.
No ticket purchase is needed; simply
make a donation at the door.
‘Souper Bowl of Caring’
uses the energy of the
Super Bowl to engage
young people in service
in order to help others in their local
community who are hungry and in
need.
THANK YOU to all who are helping to
make Souper Bowl of Caring a great success at First UMC. The FUMC youth thank
the many wonderful servants who are
donating their time and talents to prepare
soups, decorate, and serve at the meal.
Blessings to you!
First Hand Experience Adult
Puppet Team
The (ADULT) First Hand Experience
Puppet Team will perform at Marc
Workshop and Stanleytown
Healthcare in February. The “Y NOT
TODAY” tour continues!
Please keep our puppeteers in your
prayers and pray for the people at
these facilities who will see our show.
Adult puppet team members: Kim
Snyder, Emily Parker, Margie Eason,
Gail Vogler, Rebecca Crabtree, Cathy
Philips, Christopher Philips, Betsy
Holsinger, Martha McGhee, Annette
Huckfeldt, and Susan Hodges.
We will become more
faithful witnesses for
God by providing
spiritual guidance, a
moral compass, and a
place of welcome and
comfort to all of God’s
children.
We will do this by being
aware of the needs in
our community, listening
for God’s calling, and
responding with our
time and talents.
Volume 1, Issue 1
Page 7
First Fruits
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 112
Martinsville, VA 24115
FEBRUARY 2015
Sun
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1 Souper Bowl 2
3
4
5
6
of Caring
Wesley Guild
Children’s
Choir & Puppets
Bible Study—12 pm Choir & Hand& 7 pm
bells
7
8 Joyful Noyze
9
Children’s
Choir & Puppets
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21 Food Bank
Youth/Jamz
Joyful Noyze
Youth
Mon
Jamz Game
Night 6:30 pm
First United Methodist Church
146 E. Main Street
Martinsville, VA 24112
Return Service Requested
Phone:276-638-8733
Fax: 276-638-8598
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: fumcmartinsville.net
Put label here
Bible Study—12 pm Choir & Hand& 7 pm
bells
Pancake Dinner
Faith Dev. Team
5:30 pm
Ash Wednesday
12 pm & 7 pm
Choir at 6 pm
No Handbells
Worship Team
1 pm
Seniors Unlimited
& Clothes Closest
5-Talent Academy
Tri-District Youth Retreat
22
Joyful Noyze
Youth/Jamz
23
Children’s
Choir & Puppets
24
25
Bible Study—12 pm Choir & Hand& 7 pm
bells
26
27
Announcements
28
Stephen Ministers will meet on
Thursday, February
12 and 26 at 5:30
pm for Small Group
Supervision. We will
discuss Chapters 1
and 2 of Christian
Caregiving- A Way of
Life as part of these sessions.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Birthdays
Owen Lange
Mark Flint
Lindsay Hawks
Zach Ryder
Gail Vogler
Carl Smith
Shawn Corcoran
Laura Doyle
Ray Tillery
Charles Gunter
Emily Parker
Amy Greer
Parker Gunn
Hayden Bassett
Harry Fisher
Glenn Powell
Sarah Klingman
2/1
2/2
2/3
2/5
2/5
2/5
2/6
2/6
2/7
2/7
2/9
2/10
2/11
2/12
2/12
2/13
2/13
Amy Smith
Susan Childress
Jill Wingfield
Cherie' Spivey
Nancy Bryant
Vee Gross
Megan Withers
Jeff Corcoran
Hugh Gerlach
Cheryl Rigney
Martha Smith
Elizabeth Garcia
Hayden Shackett
Barbara Baron
Melissa Schroeder
Lillie Cate Sapp
Andrew Christensen
Hanna Lyle
Bailey Showalter
2/15
2/16
2/16
2/17
2/18
2/18
2/18
2/19
2/19
2/19
2/21
2/22
2/23
2/24
2/25
2/25
2/26
2/26
2/27
Frances Fishel
Gray Givens
Harrison Klingman
Abi Lange
Nathan Garcia
2/27
2/27
2/27
2/28
2/29
Anniversaries
John & Linda Adams
Douglas & Lewis Riddle
Don & Dawn Howe
Glenn & Mary Cathey
John & Judith Clark
Danny & Martha Smith
Woods & Phyllis Carter
02/01
02/03
02/15
02/17
02/24
02/24
02/26
The Faith Development Team will
meet on Tuesday, February 17, from
5:30 – 6:30
pm in the fellowship hall.
Please bring an
idea to share
with the group
regarding a
small group
study for April/May.
The Food Bank is still collecting tuna
for the month of February.
We are still taking pictures for our
pictorial directory. If you have not
had your photo made yet, there is
still time! Contact Annette to
arrange a time
before it’s too
late and the directory goes to
press! Directories should be
ready for distribution in March.
Seniors Unlimited will meet Thursday, February 19, at noon in the fellowship hall. The program will be
Bob Vogler speaking about Joseph
Martin. The menu will be pasta casserole, salad, dessert. $3.00 for the
meal unless supplying a dish. Remember annual dues!
Seniors Unlimited will meet Thursday, February 5, at 10 am at the
Sirloin House for breakfast.
Shrove Tuesday
Pancake Day
February 17 at 6 pm
The Fellowship Committee
will begin serving "all-youcan-eat" hot cakes and sausage at 6 pm SHARP and
continue until all are fed.
Menu
Hot Cakes w/butter and syrup
Sausage
Coffee (Regular and Decaf)
Milk
Orange Juice
Apple Juice