When you read or hear the word deep what comes to mind?  Perhaps your first thoughts have to do with water. Most swimming pools that I have been in indicate how deep the deep end is. When the disciples were fishing one day and were unsuccessful in their endeavors, Jesus suggested to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” The catch, you will recall, filled the nets of the fishermen. There’s a great line in Proverbs 20 that reads, “The purpose of a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” So for some, when you hear the word deep, waters come to mind.

I’ve been a part of conversations before when a compliment was given or a statement that seemed outlandish, and someone said, “It is getting deep in here!”  That is a different kind of depth!

What if when we thought about the word deep, we paired it with the word faith. If you do that, the idea takes on a, well, deeper meaning. During the month of October, I am going to be preaching through four Biblical lessons in hopes that it will help us deepen our faith. Here is the schedule and the scriptures so you can follow along and prepare your hearts for these Sundays.

October 5^th:  Luke 17:5-10. In this passage, the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith. Jesus says that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, it is enough. In this sermon, we will talk about deeper faith.

October 12^th: Luke 17:11-19. In one of my favorite biblical stories, Jesus tells of the time when he encountered ten lepers on the road just between Samaria and Galilee. All ten call out to Jesus, asking for mercy. Jesus tells them to go on their way and as they go, they are healed. One returns to give thanks. In our sermon, we will talk about how disciples who take their faith seriously, are thankful.

October 19^th: Luke 18:1-8. In back-to-back parables, Jesus talks about what a deep prayer life looks like. In the first eight verses, His encouragement is to pray always and not to lose heart.

October 26^th: Luke 18:9-14. In the second parable, Jesus talks about two men who went to the altar to pray. One of the men’s prayer was as honest as it could be. This was his prayer, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”  Read the lesson and come prepared to hear his prayer and the man who prayed near him.

I hope you will be here for all four of these sermons and I hope you will take the challenge to have a deeper faith.

John Fleming
Senior Pastor

ARktoberfest is an event that is hosted by Rapp’s Barren Brewing Co. on the square of Mountain Home. This family friendly event is on Saturday, October 4th from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. 100% of proceeds from this event is donated to our Backpack Food 4 Kids Program. We need volunteers at the main entry table collecting tickets, helping at different stations around the square and helping at our Backpack table. Contact Kathy Bauer at 870-321-0019 if you would like to volunteer.

Join us in for our newest sermon series, Deeper Faith. The series will take a look at our faith, giving thanks, and what we hope for in our prayer lives. Jesus said this to Simon when He called him to follow Him, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Let’s dive deeper with our faith in this October sermon series. 

Stewards:
Jill Chandler
Ruth Greer
Vicki Kauth
Sherri Patton
Jana Todd
Jo Wolf

9:00 servers:
Jordan, Casey, Everly and Addison Drennin

11:00 servers
Neil Chandler
William & Karen Kimbrel

We are so excited to welcome Audra Boe to our team as our new bookkeeper! Audra comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience and she has already fit in perfectly with our staff.  She will be a huge blessing to First United Methodist church!

Audra is a devoted wife, mother of three and grandmother of one who values family, faith, and creating a loving home. She is committed to balancing her personal and professional responsibilities with integrity and care, always striving to support and nurture those around her.

Take some time to to welcome her via email or in person during the week.  Audra will be working mornings M-Th.

Pastor John is leading the Believe Bible Study by Randy Frazee Sunday Evenings at 5:00 pm in the Seekers Classroom, Room #213. You’ll need the book and workbook, which we have in the office for $20.00.

Tuesday Evening Joy will be studying Forgiving What You Can’t Forgive by Lysa Terkeurst on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 pm in the Conference Room (unless we have too many). You’ll only need the book for this study and we have copies available in the office for $16.00.

On Thursday, Oct 2nd we will begin a four week study of the book “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by W. Phillip Keller.  We will learn about how  knowledge of sheep and shepherds bring a deeper meaning to David’s famous Psalm.   Books are $3 through class.  Come and get some “Sheep Thrills”!

Thursday Morning Joy meets Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 AM in the Seeker’s Classroom, #213.  New members are always welcome -  come anytime, listen and try us out.  We have bible study along with fun, fellowship, prayer, and coffee!  It’s a great way to spend a Thursday morning!  Call or text Sandra Bainbridge at 870-656-3950 for more information or to order a book. 

Seekers Sunday School Class invites you to join them for a good Bible study and a good Sunday class all in the same place. October 5th we will begin a new 12 Week study on the Gospel of John. The author of the study is Dr. Ben Witherington III, a renown New Testament scholar and excellent teacher. Our student book has short daily and weekly readings. Billy Graham use to advise those who wanted to begin reading the Bible to start with the Gospel of John. John puts everything into proper perspective. We always have good and open discussions, and would love for you to join in. We’re the first class room south of the kitchen (Room #213). Stop by before hand and pick up a student book.

Lifegroups are a wonderful way to connect and fellowship with one another as well as watch over one another in love. How is it with your soul? If you are interested in starting or joining a Lifegroup, call the church office for more information or slimply use the button below to let us know you are interested.

October is Pastor Appreciation month. This is a meaningful opportunity for us to express our deepest gratitude for our beloved Pastor John and his family for their tireless dedication, spiritual guidance, and unwavering service to our congregation and community. We are thrilled to announce a special Pastor Appreciation Day on Sunday, October 12th here at FUMCMH. 

From his wisdom in sermons to his compassionate care during both joyful and sorrowful times, Pastor John pours his heart and soul into his ministry. He has been been a consistent source of inspiration, leading us through faith and discipleship, providing care, and helping to build our church family. 

We invite everyone to join us as we celebrate Pastor John and show our love and appreciation in a couple special ways. During the month of October, we encourage you to shower Pastor John with words of appreciation and encouragement via email, through cards and face to face. 

On Sunday, October 12th, we will honor the selfless service and loving leadership of Pastor John at a reception at 10:00am in the UMAC. The church staff will be presenting him with a gift basket that day. We encourage you to bring your own gifts and/or cards. We know that your presence and participation will be a wonderful blessing to him. 

With Heartfelt appreciation,

The FUMCMH Staff

Hope For All will hold a fundraising sale from 8:00 to 4:00 on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17 and 18th, at First United Methodist Church. The Sale will be in the west parking lot weather permitting and in the gym if it rains. Items for sale will include clothing, shoes, toys, DVDs, CDs, porcelain dolls, purses, Halloween costumes and decorations, Christmas items, blankets, comforters, a grill, an exercise bench, a bar stool, furniture, storage containers and other household goods.

Proceeds will support efforts to help people experiencing homelessness during the winter.

On Sunday, October 19th we will have our annual Bible Presentation! Studying Scripture is one of the most important ways we learn about God. FUMCMH presents personal Bibles to each student in 3rd grade or above as a statement of their growing faith development and as recognition of their being old enough to study Scripture on their own. We celebrate this tradition of presenting Bibles to our 3rd -5th grade students as a gift from the congregation. It is our prayer that this gift will be a starting point for a deeper relationship with God through Christ. Bibles will be presented at whichever worship service the families attend and will be recognized at both. 

That Sunday afternoon from 4:00-6:00pm we will have Bible Exploration where we will play games and give the children tools to help them use their bible. All children 3rd-5th grade are invited to this regardless of when they recieved their bible. We will have a snack while they are here.

If you did not get a chance to order a church t-shirt on Back to Church Sunday, you will still have the opportunity to. To do so, you can order on the next 2 Sundays or order online using the button below. Prices are on the order forms. We do have children's sizes available in all the styles as well.

Adult Prices
Tee = $15
Long Sleeved Tee = $18
Crew Neck Sweat Shirt = $20
Hoodie = $25

Youth Prices
Tee = $12
Long Sleeved Tee = $15
Crew Neck Sweat Shirt = $18
Hoodie = $20

If you were not here on Back to Church Sunday, you missed adding your thumbprint and name to our Better Together Tree!  You can still do so.  The tree hangs on the wall accross from the church office.  See Hollye, Laura or Kyra and we can help you with that.

It's that time again folks!  Put on your creative caps and mark your calendars! It's time for our Trick or Trunk Fall Festival!  We usually have a huge community turnout so we need lots of trunks!  If you are unfamiliar with Trick or Trunk, the congregation decorates their trunk with a game for children to play and candy to hand out. Please make sure your candy is individually wrapped.  If you'd like to help by bringing extra candy, you may drop it off in the church office. There will be hot dogs, popcorn, door prizes and more! So, dress up and participate in the fun! If you need ideas for your trunk, Pintrest is a great resource. Set up will begin at 4:00pm. Trick or Trunk starts at 5:00pm and ends at 6:30pm.  If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and if you plan on doing a trunk, please let me know!

Thank You!

Laura Pedigo
Director of Communications/Children's Director

Join us twice a month on Wednesdays at 5:15pm as we get together for food, faith and fellowship! Dinner begins at 5:15pm. Followed by a devotional with Pastor John. More Than A Meal is a great opportunity for multi-generational fellowship so invite someone younger or older than you to sit at your table so you can get to know them! It's also a wonderful opportunity to get to know others who attend a different service than you. Our October dates are Wednesday, October 1st and Wednesday, October 15th. We hope to see you there!

If you or your group are interested in sponsoring a meal or are able to help set up, serve, and/or clean up, please contact Hollye Lee. 

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Christmas is coming and we are inviting interested souls to join the chancel choir for our Cantata entitled This is Christmas by Mary McDonald. We rehearse our Cantata at 7:20pm each Wednesday. I promise it’s beautiful, not too hard, and includes some congregational singing. We have rehearsal CD’s available to help you. We welcome you, welcome you to bring your prayer concerns, and encourage you to be a part of our music ministry. It’s not too late! Pray about it! We look forward to your participation.

Each year, on All Saints Sunday, we publish a list of those who have gone on to glory since the previous year’s remembrance and include it in our Sunday worship bulletins. Additionally, during each of our worship services on November 2nd, we will have a reading of the names of the saints and a bell will toll and a candle will be lit with the reading of each name. We will be sending out letters to the next of kin of each of those lost in the past year to invite them to church on the day that we honor the loved ones they have lost. 

Each year your Ingathering donations are used to help disaster survivors nationally. Whether it be a small-town event, statewide disaster, or helping our neighbors. We will collect items now through November 10th. The Ingathering event will take place on Saturday, November 15th from 10:00am to 2:00pm.

This year we are asking you to sponsor a bucket for $45 or put together one yourself. Below are the contents of the cleaning kit. We will have paper copies available at the welcome desks. If you decide to sponsor a bucket, pay online (DedicatedFund) or make checks payable to FUMC and mark "Ingathering" in the memo/notes section.

Cleaning Kit:

• One five-gallon round bucket with re-sealable lid (14.35” h x 12.19” w x 12.19” d). No screw lids may be used, but must be free from all residual product. (Advertisements on the outside are acceptable.)
• One 32-64 oz. bottle of liquid laundry detergent
• One 16-40 oz. bottle liquid concentrate household cleaner (No spray cleaners)
• One 16-34 oz. bottle of dish soap
• One 4-8 oz. pump spray air freshener (liquid, not gel)
• One 6-14 oz. pump spray insect repellent (pack of 10-20 wipes also acceptable) (Pump spray bottles must have protective covers)
• One scrub brush (With or without a handle)
• 18 reusable cleaning wipes (No terrycloth, microfiber, or paper towels. Remove from packaging)
• Five scouring pads (No stainless-steel pads with soap in them. Remove from packaging)
• 36-50 clothespins
• One 50-100 ft. clothesline (cotton or plastic line)
• 24 rolls of heavy-duty trash bags (33-45-gallon sizes) (Remove from packaging)
• Five N95 particulate respirator dust masks (1-3 mm thickness) (No surgical masks)
• Two pairs of kitchen gloves (Durable for multiple uses. Remove from packaging)
• One pair of work gloves (Cotton with leather palm or all leather)

Assembly Directions:
All items must be new, except the bucket and lid, which may be recycled but must be clean and free of debris. All cleaning agents must be in liquid form. No powders are accepted. If any items have been omitted, label the bucket accordingly. Please indicate which items are missing.

If we all come together now to prepare for disasters we can then focus on responding “WHEN” it happens. The Twin Lakes Area is by far the best place to live with the best people. We all have our own belief systems but one thing that we all have is the ability and the drive to care for our neighbors. When one hurts we all hurt. Let’s make this happen!

We are begining to collect donations for this year's Thanksgiving vouchers. This ministry and your donations allow us to share the love and light of Christ by helping families in need have a wonderful family holiday meal. The vouchers are $50 each. If you would like to give to this ministry, make checks payable to FUMC and put "Thanksgiving Vouchers" in the memo section. If you give online, be sure to choose "dedicated fund" and put "Thanksgiving Vouchers" in the memo/notes section. Thank you for your generosity!

If you would like to stay in the know with all things First United Methodist Church Mountain Home, download our church app. You can access news and events, watch services, listen to sermons, receive important push notifications and more; all via your phone!  Simply click on the button below from your phone to download the app. You can also use the QR code above using your phone's camera.

Wow!  It's hard to believe it's October already!  Fall is one of my favorite times of year!  With the leaves changing color and the cool temperatures, what's not to like?  Wednesday afternoons have been amazing!  We are still loving our "Dig In" curriculum! If your child is not already attending Wednesdays, I urge you to get them signed up.  You can register them here.  Thank you to the many Wednesday volunteers who make this possible! You are all rockstars!

And don't forget about Sundays! Our Kidz Connection time is every Sunday from 10:00 to 10:45am. We are using the "Dig In" Sunday School component that goes hand in hand with our Wednesday curriculum.  If you are interested in being on a rotation to teach on Sundays, please let me know. If we get enough teachers, you will hopefully only have to teach once a month. 

October 26th is our annual Trick or Trunk Fall Festival from 5:00pm to 6:30pm!  There will be food, games, candy, a bounce house and more! We hope you will get your costumes out and bring your kids and their friends! This is a huge event in the community and you will want to be a part of it! I can't wait to see how you all dress up! Please let me know if you plan on doing a trunk.

Congratulations to our newest acolytes, Thomas Reynolds, Caroline Reed, Everly Drennin, and Kaylee Booth! Thank you to all our acolytes. It's wonderful to see you serving God at a young age. Not only are you carrying the light of Christ in and out of Worship, you are also being the light of Christ by showing your servants' hearts! I am so very proud of all of you! If you have misplaced your acolyte schedule, you can find it here. If your child is unable to acolyte on there scheduled day you may switch with another acolyte or ask an alternate to fill in.

God Bless!

Laura Pedigo

605 Students, Families, and Friends, 
 
We have had quite the September! We jumped back into youth on Wednesdays, made it out of the escape room together (in one piece), met for bible study and breakfast to Dig Deeper, and so much more! I had the honor of sharing in senior celebrations for sports, watched as students won ribbons at the fair, played, and worked hard for all of the other activities this month- check out our social media dump on the youth page to see a little glimpse into all that happened in September. We’ve shared meals, and laughter, and studied together what it means to have good friends and to be good friends. September has brought us so many blessings. 
 
We are so excited to see what October brings to us and all of the blessings, and hopefully some cooler weather! Below you will find some highlights of what will be happening in October followed by the full schedule! 
 
We will begin this month our new series called “After You” A  4-Week Series from the New Testament on Loving Others: We all know God wants us to love others—it’s one of the most important things Jesus taught. But let’s be honest… actually doing it? That’s not always easy, especially when life feels busy or like people aren’t easy to love. In this 4-week series from the New Testament, we’ll explore how Jesus shows us what loving others really looks like. He challenges us to move away from the world’s “me first” attitude and embrace his “after you” message as we follow his example. We’ll learn that Jesus shows us how to notice others’ needs, Jesus asks us to care for each other, God’s Spirit helps us serve others, and God invites us to share our joy.
 
We are back to having lunches at the schools in October! I will be at Pinkston on Monday October 6th and at the High School for two days: Thursday October 9th and Monday October 13th! I hope your students will join me! 
 
Wednesday October 8th- There will be NO YOUTH! We will be cancelling youth activities this night because of the homecoming parade. Students and families who are not participating in the parade are invited to join me to watch our friends who will be marching. I hope you will come out to support our students and football team with me! 
 
Sunday October 19th- High School Hangout! Students in 9th-12th grades are invited to join together at FUMC for a backyard cook-out and bonfire! We will meet together from 5:00-7:00PM! We hope to see you there. 
 
Saturday October 25th- Dig Deeper! 605 Students in 9th-12th grades are invited to join Kyra for breakfast and Bible Study at 9:00AM, location TBD! Here we get to fellowship together, share in a meal, and dig into some deeper bible study together! Will we see you there? 
 
Full Schedule: 
October 1st- Youth Group 
October 4th- Arktoberfest
October 5th- Life Group at 10:00AM 
October 6th- Lunch at Pinkston 
October 8th- NO YOUTH (Homecoming Parade) 
October 9th- Lunch at the High School 
October 12th- Life Group at 10:00AM 
October 13th- Lunch at the High School 
October 15th- Youth Group 
October 19th- Life Group at 10:00AM 
October 19th- High School Hangout FUMC 5:00-7:00PM 
October 22nd- Youth Group 
October 25th- Dig Deeper 9:00AM @ TBD 
October 26th- Trick-or-Trunk 5:00PM@FUMC 
October 29th- Youth Group 

Please feel free to reach out if you ever need anything! Know that you are loved and prayed for always! 

Blessings!

Kyra Anthony

BACKPACK FOOD 4 KIDS
In honor of our Backpack volunteers
Jo & Tommy Strickland

You will recieve September giving info in a separate email after I am back from vacation.

Laura Pedigo

Concerns:
Vickie Martin (09/24/25)
(Tim Nelson’s Aunt)
Virginia Cornett (09/16/25)
(Lucy Monger)
Wyatt Sitzberger (09/15/25)
(Freddie Garner’s Great Grandson)
Cindy Shepardson (09/14/25)
Vicki Kauth (09/07/25)
Henry Silva (09/07/25)
(Ruth Greer)
Beth Friske (09/07/25)
(Sherri Patton)
Karen Hargus (08/31/25)
(Rick Steiner)
Kathleen Carr (08/24/25)
(Sue Storm)
Chris Holm (08/05/25)
Diana Blackburn (08/04/25)
Nick Suntken (07/24/25)
(Linda Vornheder’s Grandson)
David Francis (07/22/25)
(Denny Francis’ Brother)
Lois Nichols (07/20/25)
(Joyce Holsted)
Sandi Franklin (07/20/25)
(Kaye Jarvis’s Niece)
Bill Wagner (06/29/25)
Joyce Holsted (06/15/25)
Bruce Burr (06/15/25)
Jaymeson Miller (06/08/25)
Lisa Dennis (06/08/25)
(Mike Densmore’s Niece)
Wally Smietanski (05/19/25)
Jack Chance (05/06/25)
Krew Hudson (05/06/25)
(Classmate of Emma Jones)
Mona Brewer (04/22/25)
Bob Dickerson (04/13/25)
Teresa Kenyon (04/01/25)
Rexene Watson (03/23/25)
(Tom Yoder’s Sister-in-Law)
Bryan Tomlinson (03/17/25)
(Gail House)
Natalie Tyson (03/13/25)
(Mary Margaret Pearson)
Bobby Myers (02/27/25)
(Gail House’s Cousin)
Mike Thompson (02/25/25)
(Bev Thompson’s Son)
Genie Widerstrom (02/18/25)
(Rebecca Williams)
Nancy Cox (02/16/25)
(Christine & Cleo Holm)
Bonnie Benham (01/19/25)
Kate Melnik (01/13/25)
(Tom Yoder)
Wesley Werner (1/7/25)
Doug Dethloff (12/22/24)
Pat Harris (12/01/24)
(Tina Benton)
Paula Flippin (12/01/24)
(Tina Benton)
Diane Lucas (12/01/24)
(Tina Benton)
Emily Jones Griffin (12/01/24)
(Teresa Kenyon)
Elden Lowe (11/19/24)
(Jill Chandler’s Nephew)
Tim Dorram (11/12/24)
(Yvonne Hall)
Matt Zipperer (10/29/24)
(Sue Storm)
Sharon & Wendell Dennis (10/13/24)
(Debby Bodenhamer)
Jack Knight (09/22/24)
(Jill Chandler’s brother)
Ruth Clark (09/19/24)
Sue Robinson (09/01/24)
(Marilyn Bonecki)
Ronald Robinson (07/29/24)
(Marilyn Bonecki)