I have said this for many years, the month of May is as busy (sometimes busier), than any other month of the year, including December. During the month of December, there are parties to attend, gifts to buy, school functions to attend, Christmas celebrations to plan, and here at the church, programs with our children and youth and our Christmas Eve worship services. December is busy, but I would like to say that it is a “good” busy. 

May rivals it in terms of activities. There are end of the year activities at our local schools. These activities might include honor assemblies, choir and band concerts, honor walks, field trips, baccalaureate services, and graduation ceremonies. Add to that soccer and baseball games, gymnastic meets and dance recitals, and most evenings and weekends are filled. 

The church is busy in the month of May, too. If you include the last Sunday in April in our scheduled celebrations (and for the newsletter article, I am), we will have experienced these special events: Volunteer Appreciation Sunday, Confirmation Sunday, Senior Sunday, Mother’s Day, Celebration Sunday (more about that in a minute), and Pentecost Sunday. Around the office, we have called this season (April and May), reception season. We’ve had and will have receptions for our volunteers, our confirmands, our seniors, and one to honor our mothers. 

I am so proud of our Confirmation Class and the decision they have made about joining the church. I am proud of our graduating high school seniors who we will honor this Sunday, May 3rd in worship services and with a reception in the Commons Area of our United Methodist Activities Center. 

Each celebration is important and a milestone in our lives, but with these words for our lead article, I want to highlight what we are calling Celebration Sunday, scheduled for May 17th. What we are celebrating is the retirement of our debt. What once was a loan in the amount of 2.5 million dollars, has been paid. We are debt free!

Hopefully you know the details of the day. We will have one worship service on that Sunday. The time for the service will be 10:00 a.m. and it will happen in our Sanctuary. Terre Ware, Tim Nelson, and I are planning the service, which will include a nice combination of our two worship services. Before our sermon, we will “burn the note.” Reverend Zach Roberts, our District Superintendent will join us in the celebration of the day. I will preach our sermon, revisiting the idea we used in worship in the Fall of 2024, that we are Better Together.  Following our worship, we will enjoy lunch in our just paid off space, the United Methodist Activities Center. Our planning team is putting the last details together, but have decided that this will be a catered meal. Thus far we have 140 persons who have made reservations. If you have not made your reservation, I encourage you to do so. I cannot wait to watch that note of our debt, go up in flames! 

There are many celebrations in April and May for our members and for our church. Let’s celebrate them all! 

Hope Always! 

John Fleming 

This Sunday, May 3rd we will recognize and celebrate our High School seniors as they prepare to graduate and embark on the next phase of their lives. There will be a reception with refreshments in the UMAC Commons during the Sunday School hour at 10:00. Please make plans to attend the reception to congratulate this year's graduates and wish them luck on their next chapter! Here are this year's graduates:

Jack plans to attend the Fellowship Program at University of Arkansas to study Chemistry with a Biochem focus.

Ayden plans to attend University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) to study Business.

Haevynne plans to attend Arkansas State University Mountain Home’s LPN Program.

Estes plans to attend Arkansas State University Mountain Home to study Wildlife Biology.

Kolsen plans to attend Arkansas State University Mountain Home to study Sales & Marketing.

Aubrey plans to attend Arkansas State University Mountain Home to study Speech Pathology or Teaching.

Brian plans to attend Lyon College.

Kara plans to attend Arkansas State University Mountain Home to study Business.

Jax plans to attend the University of Arkansas to study Business.

Stewards:
Christine Linville
Michele Elders
Ruth Greer
Vicki Kauth
Sherri Ptton
Bob Martin
Ruth Greer

9:00 Servers:
2026 Seniors

11:00 Servers
2026 Seniors

Wednesday, May 6th will be our final More than a meal for the season. We will have a cookout followed by a devotional with Pastor John. We hope you'll join us! You can RSVP using the button below!

Let's celebrate mothers and grand-mothers of all types and all the women who are influential in the lives of others this Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10th. Muffins will be available in the back of the CWC at 10:00am so be sure to come by for one! A photo op will be available before and after each service. 

A photo op will be available on Mother's Day, May 10th, before and after each service!

To all Mothers, Stepmothers, Godmothers, Grandmothers and all women who have been influencial in the lives of others, we say Thank You!  Thank you for all you have done and continue to do each and every day!  You are a true blessing!

Wednesday, May 13th will be our final Wednesday youth & children's ministry for the season! We are finishing up the school year with a bang! There will be inflatables, yard games, and popsicles! Festivities will begin for the kids after school and children and youth families are invited to join us for dinner at 5:15ish for burgers and hotdogs! We will have a blast ushering in the summer! 

On Thursday, May 14^th, we will begin a new 6 week study on the apostle Peter.  We will be using Adam Hamilton’s book and DVD entitled  “Simon Peter – Flawed but Faithful Disciple”.  Books are recommended and are $13 if ordered in class, or can be purchased on your own at Amazon.com. 

Thursday Morning Joy meets Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 AM in the Seeker’s Classroom, #213.  Visitors are welcome any time to check 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. 

As a church, we have faithfully contributed towards our building debt for many years, and we are thrilled to announce that we have finally paid it off! To commemorate this momentous occasion, we have planned a day of celebration! Our collective effort as a church family has made this possible, and we will begin the day with a special blended service at 10:00 am in the sanctuary. This service will incorporate elements of both contemporary and traditional worship. After our worship together, we will fellowship as one with a celebration meal at 11:00 am. Please make sure to RSVP if you haven’t already. You can use the button below to do so. We want as many people as possible to join in this amazing celebration!

Sunday, May 24th, wear red to church to celebrate Pentecost Sunday! Don't forget to snap a picture and use the hashtag #fumcmhwearsred 

The church office will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 25th as we remember and honor our fallen service men and women.

Registration is now open for VBS 2026! At VBS Rome - Paul and the Underground Church we will step back in time to Rome, exploring the life of the apostle Paul and the underground church. Kids will participate in a memorable Bible-times marketplace, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, dig in to Roman eats, visit Paul while he’s under house arrest, and collect Bible Memory Makers to remind them of God’s Word. Each day begins and concludes with a time of upbeat worship that gets everyone involved. Kids will even have the opportunity for a local mission as they bring donations that will help feed families in need in our own local community.

Register your child(ren) or grandchildren now using the button below! VBS will be June 8th - 11th, 9:00 am - 11:30 am.

Volunteers - there will be a volunteer meeting on Wednesday May 27th at 5:30.  If you can not make this meeting, please contact Laura Pedigo at llaw@fumcmh.org

We would like to welcome our newest members:

Michaela Luelf

Tom Swenson & Jackie Skehan

We also welcomed three of our 2026 Confirmands into membership!

Emma Jones         Jack Coleman         Kynlee Ahrenstorff

We are finishing another successful year of Backpack Food 4 Kids. We have been very blessed this Spring with grants from Twin Lakes Foundation, the Elks, and Harps. We are so grateful for those grants, all the individual donations many of you give, and the generous gift we receive from ARKtoberfest sponsored by Rapps Barren. We are now feeding about 300 children each weekend during the school year, and as food prices rise, we really need all of these donations in order to help these kids.

We also want to thank all our wonderful volunteers! Whether you donate plastic bags or flatten them, or pack the bags Wednesday mornings, or pick up the food or deliver the bins, we appreciate you!! You are Awesome and we couldn’t do it without you.

Kathy Bauer

We will soon be kicking off Summer Feeding.  The Summer Feeding Program aims to provide Mountain Home students who get snack packs throughout the school year and their families with a weekly box of food during the time that school is out for summer. Pick up will be Mondays from 11:00-1:00 beginning June 1st. If you would like to volunteer, please call the church office or contact Shannon Wescoat.

Seekers Sunday School Class will continue Max Lucado’s study of “Help is Here – Finding Fresh Strength and Purpose in the Power of the Holy Spirit” during the month of May.  The study guide is $14 and is available in class. Our next study will start May 31^st when we will view and discuss Ray Vander Laan’s DVD lessons on the old testament “Prophets and Kings”  Seekers’ meets Sundays at 10:00am in Room #213.  All are welcome any time to come and enjoy!

It's hard to believe it's May already and school is almost out! I have been so blessed by your children this year and have had so much fun with them! Wednesday, May 13th will be our final day of Wednesday afterschool activities for the summer.  We are having our "Last Blast Celebration" with inflatables, yard games, etc. We will be grilling hotdogs and hamburgers! Children & Youth Families are invited to join us for dinner at 5:15pm when you come to pick up your children.

Registration is now available for VBS on the church website under the children's minisrtry tab. You can also register directly from this newsletter using the button in the VBS section. Our theme this year is Rome -Paul and the Underground Church. At VBS Rome we will step back in time to Rome, exploring the life of the apostle Paul and the underground church. Kids will participate in a memorable Bible-times marketplace, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, dig in to Roman eats, visit Paul while he’s under house arrest, and collect Bible Memory Makers to remind them of God’s Word. Each day begins and concludes with a time of upbeat worship that gets everyone involved. Kids will even have the opportunity for a local mission as they bring donations that will help feed families in need in our own local community. Join us June 8th-11th from 9:00-11:30 each day. 

Thank you to the many volunteers who have agreed to help with this year's Holy Land Adventiure VBS! It always takes more volunteers when we have the marketplace. There will be a volunteer meeting on Wednesday, May 27th at 5:30pm.  If you cannnot make this meeting, please let me know!

Parents, keep an eye out for summer activities that will be scheduled periodically throughout the season. 

God bless!

Laura Pedigo

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If you wish to add a concern to our list, please contact the church office at 425-6036. You can also submit prayers to the prayer wall on the church app.