First United Methodist Church

There’s a beautiful effect to reading scripture, it often pierces my heart and soul in unexpected ways. It challenges me to grow and brings healing to my wounds. At the same time, it’s different than reading a work of self-help, science-fiction, mystery, history, or someone’s biography. Whereas I rarely read a normal book more than once, the Bible is not a normal book. It’s known as a living book.

This idea of a living book comes from Hebrews 4:12 that says “God’s Word is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates and separates the mind from the spirit.” While I firmly believe this scripture is actually referencing Jesus Christ, I get why we often apply it to scripture. These are God’s inspired words leading us to Christ and piercing our heart to the deepest depths.

Experientially, I can read a passage then come back a year later and read the same passage again, yet I get something different and something new out of it. It challenges me in news ways. It helps me grow as a follower of Jesus.

That’s because whenever we read scripture, we bring ourselves into the reading. I cannot separate myself from what I read or how I read. Each time I come to the reading, I’m a different person. Life has affected me. Whether good or bad, my experiences have changed me. Moreover, God has affected me. Regardless of what I went through, if I take time to look, I can see where God was faithful or offered me a new perspective about people and life.

I’ve also learned that I can make decisions on how I view things. I can make decisions on how I view scripture and bring myself into the reading just like how I decide to view life events and how I react to them. As my perspective changes, my view changes.

For example, when I focus on one particular thing, let’s say how I live out my faith, my perspective changes how I apply my faith, how I make decisions, and how I decide to follow Jesus. From where I am, how I view the faith may be different than where you are and how you view it. This is called a parallax view.

When reading scripture, thinking about God, and following Jesus, we all have a parallax view. I mean, it’s tempting, if not convenient, for us to think in an ideal world God wants us to have one specific, immutable, way to see scripture. Yet, in God’s wisdom we are given this opportunity to grow in the understanding and knowledge of God as we grow in reading the scriptures. Even the disciples experienced this as Jesus explained the scriptures. Then, after he ascended, the disciples found new ways to interpret scriptures for their context as they shared the gospel.

What views, what experiences, what lenses do you bring when you read scripture and apply it to your life?

If there was ever an ultimate perspective, it would be through God’s grace and love. For it’s by God’s grace that we have any awareness of God at all. Then, because of God’s grace we discover that God is the ultimate example of love. The whole of scripture emphasizes God’s love while 1 John 4:8 sums it up nicely, “The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love.”

Therefore, in our quest to make life better and you better at life through Jesus Christ, let’s be aware of our perspective. As we apply our faith, let’s be intentional that we do so from a view of love. Am I talking to my spouse, my child, my neighbor, the stranger in love? Am I applying my politics with love for all people? Am I demonstrating my love for God through how I engage others?

Whether we call this an attitude adjustment or change in perspective, may we all find the grace to show God’s love on our better days and worse days. So that, no matter what our days bring, people will know we are children of God.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Daniel

Life happens so fast these days. I remember well the hustle and bustle that comes with having two kids involved in multiple activities. Between school, work, extra-curricular activities, household chores and other responsibilities, it is hard to find time to take a breath during the week. And, when the weekend rolls around, rather than catching that much-needed break, the family schedule only seems to pick up speed.

The summer is no exception. With softball, baseball, swim lessons, vacations and all the summer activities, life does not slow down come summer. With the effort it takes to squeeze in family time and leisurely activities like the lake, it’s easy to let church be the thing that we sacrifice. We may think “God knows how busy I am. He knows I believe. So, is attending church really that important?” Yes, it is!

Here’s why: Regular church attendance provides balance. The world is full of distractions. The doctrine of popular culture. The god of materialism. The misleading messages of secularism. Faith, religion and spirituality can easily get lost in all of the noise. Attending church can offer a much-needed balance to counteract this noise. It provides time and space for you and your family to spend quiet time with God, the opportunity to learn morals and standards and grow closer to Him. Attending church can help you stay grounded in the Word and in faith.

Now I am the first one to say that when I’m out on the lake, I feel close to God. Of course that’s true. After all, when we are on the lake we are immersed in God’s beautiful creation. This is why as soon as we get out on the water, all the stress and worries of life seem to melt away. But here’s the thing; we need to be praising God for that beauty that we love to experience. We need to put him first in our lives and gather together in worship with other believers to praise Him and thank Him. You see, regular church attendance fosters a sense of community. The Bible tells us that the church is the body of Christ. Church is not something we do individually, it is something to be done together as fellow members of the family of God. The church offers a place to come together to encourage and support one another as well as to worship and grow in faith together. Through regular church attendance, we come into contact with and can develop relationships with others who share the same values.

Also, regular church attendance sets a good example. Parents who take their children to church on a regular basis set a positive example. They are impressing upon their children the value and importance of the activity. And when the family attends church regularly, other people notice. They see how this commitment is leading your family to a better life, one that may inspire them to want to do the same.

In addition, regular church attendance is habit forming. This can be especially good for children. Children who attend church on a consistent basis when they are young are much more likely to continue the practice into adulthood.

The bottom line is that attending church can bless you and your whole family in many ways. And continuing to attend church regularly during the summer can have eternal consequences for you, your children and those whose lives your family touches.

So this summer, amidst the business of everything I do, I’m going to make a point to continue to attend church regularly and show God that I want to follow Him and that He is a very important part of all aspects of my life. I hope that you will consider doing the same as often as you can. The lake will still be there when church gets out on Sundays. Let’s make our Sunday plans to include worship first so that we can start the day praising God and then follow that with enjoying all the beauty of His creation!

Happy Summer Everyone!

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. –– Colossians 1:16-17

Hello All!

Now that summer is upon us, I'd like to let you know that we are planning various family events throughout the summer months! Here are some of the planned events:

VBS (June 13-16 Youth will act as helpers 9:00am-11:30am)
Ice Cream Social (at FUMCMH with Kickball, etc.)
Bowling/Baskin Robbins
Bonfire (hot dogs and s'mores)
Family Movie Night (UMAC)
Water Fun Day (inflatables etc. FUMCMH)
Movie Matinee (Sun Valley Cinema)
Back to School at the Pool (City Pool Sat. August 13 • 5:00-7:00pm)

Registration is open for VBS. Our theme this year is Rocky Railway, and we will be learning how Jesus’ power pulls us through! If you have not registered your kids/grandkids, get them signed up using the button in the VBS section of this newsletter! Remember that we can pick up at the daycare centers for VBS as well. A BIG THANK YOU to those who have volunteered to help with VBS. We still need a few more volunteers. We hope to make this an awesome experience for all the children, youth and adults who participate!

dates will be nailed down soon for summer events so keep watching for that!

One more thing; If you have not already, I would like to encourage you follow First Kidz on Instagram and Facebook. Social Media is such a staple of communication these days, I'd like us to take advantage of that in our ministries. You may also want to dowload the FUMCMH church app. Information on that is in the next section of this newsletter. Thank you to those who have already connected to us via social media!

There are only 18 summers in childhood. How will you make this one count?

Blessings to all of you parents and kiddos!

Laura Law

Join FirstKidz on Social Media!

Use the links above or search:

Facebook: "First Kidz" or search our username: @fumcmhfirstkidz

Instagram: @fumcmhkidz

Summer Feeding is now under way. In case you didn't know, here's a little history on our Summer Feeding Ministry:

As of a 2019 study by Feeding America, in Baxter County 6,690 people, or 13.9% of the residents, are food insecure. This may be higher now due to the economical impact of the Corona Virus. Of the 3,992 students in the Mountain Home School District, one in four is food insecure. In 2001, First United Methodist Church started the Backpack Program to address the food insecurity problem in our county. Only 12 students received backpacks in 2001. Today, 200-300 students receive bags with food in their backpacks each Friday during the school year.

In May of 2013 after recognizing the fact that the food insecurities of these children does not stop over the summer, rather it increases because the children no longer receive the free meals from school and many do not know where their next meal is coming from, First United Methodist Church extended its feeding ministries to reach beyond the school year and rolled out this sister program. Each family who participated in the backpack program during the school year was invited to participate in the Summer Feeding Program in which they were provided a bag of groceries each week of the summer. Church members donated money and food was purchased from the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas. Now, food is purchased from local grocery stores as well as the Food Bank and with the help of various local resources, we have identified additional families in need. Groceries are distributed every Thursday during the summer to these hungry families.

With the increasing price of groceries, we need your help to fund this important ministry and help end child hunger in Baxter County. If you are looking for ways to give over and above your weekly giving, this is a great choice. If you would like to use this opportunity for 2nd mile giving, just make your check out to FUMC and put "Summer Feeding" in the memo section. If you'd like to give online, you can use the button below. Choose "dedicated" as the fund type and then put "Summer Feeding" in the memo/notes section.

If you are interested in volunteering to pick up groceries, pack groceries, or distribute groceries, call the church office or contact one of our coordinators, Shannon Wescoat or Jen Williams.