I’m frequently asked is the Bible true. This question most often comes from people outside the church, someone who is curious about the faith. Occasionally someone in the church may ask how true is the Bible? Meaning, they’ve been exploring their faith on a deeper level and looking for ways to grow closer to God. I imagine both types of inquiries are a result of God’s grace drawing them closer. This leads me to ask, how is grace involved in the truth of the Bible for us?

This question has challenged Christianity in the past few centuries, and especially in the past few decades more than ever before. Following the enlightenment, our understanding of truth has sometimes been challenged by fact. Often, truth and fact are synonymous. As a result, if we don’t have facts to back something up, we wonder how can it be true. 

Whether or not we have all the facts to prove everything is real, we have the truth of God. While Christian apologetics (a defense of the faith) help strengthen the faith, the need for facts is a contradiction to faith. The reality of God’s truth is found in the overarching theme of God’s redemptive work woven throughout scripture. As Methodists, we acknowledge this truth through scripture, religious tradition, reason, and human experience of the divine. 

Nevertheless, we have something found in scripture that is both factual and truthful. These are the gospels themselves. The gospels were spread far and wide verbally before they were ever written. While Paul’s letters may have been written earlier, their legalistic moors (Pauls’ focus on the law as a result of his education as a Pharisee) are balanced by the gospel stories fame. Imagine the New Testament compiled as Jesus put it concerning the Old Testament, the law and the prophets. 

While the law is very important, it lends itself to picking and choosing which verse and version we choose to adhere to. Yet, the gospels give us a consistent message of Jesus. They provide us a central focus for all of scripture. 

For example, we have four versions of the gospels with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Throughout scripture, especially with Jesus, whenever something was repeated, it was done so to add importance. Moments when Jesus said, Verily-verily or truly-truly, these were modifiers to add extra emphasis. When the early church theologian, Tatian, wrote the Diatessaron in the second century, he did so with the hopes of combining the four gospels into one harmonious account. Yet, the early church eventually rejected it. It lost some of the emphasis of the four gospels as they were. 

Four gospels are an extraordinary value of emphasis on the life of Jesus. They convey compelling evidence of the way, the truth, and the life for the faithful followers of Christ. We would do well to pay attention to them as we follow Jesus more closely. 

Which brings us back to grace. We cannot know any of this without God’s grace. Our understanding of grace is so big, be have three names for it, prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying. Grace preveniently acts in our life by drawing us closer to God before we even know who God is. It’s the presence of God that is there before we arrive, and it invites us closer to God as we awaken to God’s presence. When we’re asking questions of faith, that’s prevenient grace drawing us closer to God. 

Grace is the overriding factor of any change towards God. When we read scripture, it’s grace that encompasses us to surrender ourselves to God, follow Jesus, and become more like Jesus. It’s grace that allows us to simply live 2 Corinthians 4:7 in action, as flawed vessels carrying the most valuable treasure—nothing less than the surpassing power and truth of God. It’s grace that makes the truth of the Bible, the power of Jesus as found in scripture, and the reality of God real to us.

 Grace and Peace, 

 Pastor Daniel 

This is an abridged version of the original article Pastor Daniel wrote. If you would like the full version, please email him using the button below.

Our new worship series is called, “Church on Fire!” We are a church on fire! Our relationship with Jesus, our power through the Holy Spirit, and our love of God can free us from the things that hold us back. By changing the way we think about our relationship with God, razing harmful habits, and rising with fresh breath, we are igniting new passion for the grace of the gospel.

Sermons
June 4th – Friend of Jesus 
June 11th – Big Deal of Bethany 
June 18th – A Heavenly Father 
June 25th – God Changes Who We Are 
July 2nd – Simply Sabbath 

Stewards
Betty Fulton
Vicki Kauth
Beth Pierson

9:00 servers
Wave Simmons
Monica Cole
John Smith

11:00 servers
Sandra Bainbridge
Judy Recer
Christine Rohr

Sunday, June 4th at 10:00am we are having a church wide reception in the UMAC Commons to celebrate Tom Merry and his time with our youth.  We are so grateful for all that he has brought to our youth ministry.  Tom has accepted a position with the Mountain Home School District. We wish him the best in his new job and we are so grateful that he has chosen to remain involved in our youth ministry in a volunteer capacity. Tom has such a heart for children and youth as well as for missions and we are thankful that he and his family are part of our church family.

We have worked through two Special Sessions so far, and many continue to lament the loss of clergy, church families, and even buildings that provided a history that was so important in our spiritual journeys.

Clergy and Laity are invited to join Bishop Laura Merrill as she will lead with devotion and prayer to help center us in the love of Christ as we struggle to find ways to move forward. Come, Spirit, come! 

Have you seen The Chosen?  It is the first-ever multi-season TV series about the life of Jesus.  It imagines Jesus through the eyes of those who knew him in 1st century Galilee.  It is GOOD, it will challenge you, and it will lead you into the Bible. It has been inspiring to many at FUMC, and we are eager to share it with you, too. 

Each week we will watch an episode or two then reflect on scriptures of the episode with pastor Daniel. Bring a friend, this is for the whole family. 

We will begin on Monday June 5th at 6:30pm. You’re invited to our weekly watch party in Crossroads. Feel free to bring your own refreshments, popcorn will be provided.

Join us in Babylon, where we'll explore what life was like for Daniel and his friends, captives in a strange land. You'll craft cool projects in the Marketplace, laugh as you play Bible-times games, visit with Daniel, and eat some interesting food. Plus, you'll meet lots of new friends!  It will be held June 12-15 from 9:00am to 11:30am. Register your child(ren) online from the Children's Ministry Page, from the Events page for VBS or with the button below.  

We are delighted to share we are launching an Open AA Meeting on Tuesdays at 6:00 PM, starting June 6th in The Gathering classroom (Rm #205). Sharing Experience, Strength & Hope, these are open meetings where all are welcome regardless of addiction or relation. Participants and guests are asked to park at the north side of the building and use the entrance under the red awning. For more information, call Jeanine at 707-498-0100.

Alcoholics Anonymous began in 1935 and has since grown into a worldwide organization helping people recover from alcohol abuse and addiction. Since then, they have helped millions of people recover from substance abuse and find a relationship with God. 

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, 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 Monday from 11:00-1:00 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 our coordinator, Shannon Wescoat.

On Sunday, June 18th at 10:00am, we invite you to the UMAC (United Methodist Activities) for Donuts with Dad to celebrate all the men who are influencial in the lives of others.  Don't forget to stop by the the photo wall in the commons for a Father's Day Photo Op!

We are organizing a women’s/girl’s trip to Branson the Sight and Sound Theatre to see Queen Esther this summer.  If you think you might be interested in going, please call or email the church and we will put you on the list.  If there is enough interest, we will set a date.  Tickets are $59 for ages 13 and up but we will get a group discount if we get enough people. Once enough people sign up we will select a date.  It will be a Saturday. Of course all people are welcome (not just women).

This summer, if we can get an adult leader, we plan for students and adults to attend the OMP Camp in Siloam Springs June 25-30th. If you and/or your student is interested, please contact the church as soon as possible.  If we do not have an adult to take the lead and enough adult driver/campers, we will not be able attend.  If you are feeling this call, please contact the church as soon as possible. 

We are pleased to welcome our newest members, our 2023 confirmands!

Bella Chance    
Lincoln Clements     
Aly Hunt
Brooklin Knight    
Sebastian Knight
Keeton Reed
Wave Simmons

Congratulations to this year's scholarship recipients.
(pictured left to right: Trey Czeschin, Alea Vaccarella, Katie Camp, Maggie Thompson, Pastor Daniel Thueson)

If you are interested in this scholarship for the 2023/2024 it's not too late.  You can still apply.  The deadline is July 1st.  The scholarship can be used for tuition or for books and fees.

We are getting ready to open our shower/laundry trailer up and we are looking for cloth reusable shopping bags to put soap and supplies in so clients can use them and then they can be washed and reused.  Please drop donations off at the church office.

The flip flops are flopping.  The sunscreen is lathered.  The baseball hats and sunglasses are on. Summertime is one of my favorite times of year!  We are so blessed to live in a place where the beauty of God's creation is all around us. With the rivers, the lakes, the hiking trails and so much more we have endless opportunitoes to enjoy the many things made by God's hands.  The lake is truly my happy place. Topping the list, without exception though, is time spent with family and friends.

Relaxed summer schedules afford us the opportunity of taking time to create memories.  It’s a chance to live out faith on the road, towards new destinations and old stand-bys. A huge component of living out what we believe, is allowing Scriptures to come alive in the midst of our journeys.  We want our kids to be immersed in the Word, just as they are immersed in the many summer activities they will experience. 

Here's the thing - it's not hard to incorporate the Bible into many of those summer activities. Here are a few exaples/suggestions: 

1.  The Zoo: A showcase for God’s creativity.  Hunt for five of the most bizarre animal facts.  Discuss God’s purpose in His specific design of each animal.  Try to find an animal for each letter of the alphabet. Make an A to Z book. Talk about Adam’s job to name the animals. What names would you have chosen? Discuss Noah’s faith in building the ark.  Eat animal crackers. Upon your return, make monkey bread or decorate cupcakes to look like animals.  Play a game of animal charades or animal races (hop like a kangaroo, slither like a snake, or walk like an elephant.)

2.  The Beach: Another display of God’s handiwork.  Build a sandcastle near the tide, on the sand.  Build another one on a rock on higher land.  Discuss the wise man and the foolish man.  How does that apply to us? Fill a small container with sand.  How many granules would you estimate are in there?  Talk about Psalm 139:17-18, “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.” Go on a hunt for seashells.  Challenge them to find two that are exactly the same. Find a recipe for a “sand dirt dessert” and make it when you get home.

3.  The Backyard: Go cloud watching.  Read Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”  Replicate the clouds with a cotton ball art project.  Read It Looked Like Spilt Milk, by Charles G. Shaw. Plant a vegetable or flower garden.  Take care of it daily.  (Even dead plants are a great object lesson if things don’t work out!)  Read Mark 4:30-32, the Parable of the mustard seed. Play games, have fun, and be silly.  Jesus promises us life to the full.  What does that mean? Hunt for bugs.  Find a caterpillar and a butterfly.  Discuss 2 Corinthians 5:17. At night, chase fireflies.  Notice how they stand out in the darkness.  Play flashlight tag. Sing, “This Little Light of Mine.”  Search for constellations.

Clearly, this is not an exhaustive list.  What are some of your favorite places to go with your children?  What are some of your favorite things to do as a family?  How can you incorporated God’s Word into your own travels and activities?  

We are hoping to have a few activities for the kids throughout the summer. Activities and dates will be nailed down soon for summer events so keep watching for that! Registration is open for VBS. Our theme this year is Babylon: Daniel's Courage in Captivity! 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!

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

Blessings to all of you parents and kiddos! Have a wonderful summer!

Laura Law

Possible Summer Activities
VBS (June 12-15 • 9:00am-11:30am)
Ice Cream Social 
Bowling
Water Fun Day (inflatables etc. FUMCMH)
Movie Matinee (Sun Valley Cinema)
Back to School at the Pool 

Join FirstKidz on Social Media!

Hello Church Family,

This summer our youth council has decided they want to continue a youth group on Wednesdays. We will have youth hangout time on Tuesdays. This time can be games, open gym, video games just a safe place to go hangout. This summer programming will start the 1st full week of June. So Junbe 5th - 11th. 

June Schedule
Youth Hangout Tuesdays: 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Youth group Wednesdays: 6:05pm - 7:30pm
Thursday, June 8th: Disc Golf 9-12 (meet at church)
>June 12-15: VBS (youth as helpers)
June 22: Mountain Mystery (TBD)
June 26-30: OMP (Ozark Mission Project)

Let's all have a safe and fun summer!

Tom Merry

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Community and Congregational Connections Coordinator
Full-time
Do you like working with people and helping the community get connected with Christ and the congregation? We’re looking for someone to help coordinate our volunteer teams, connect new guests into the life of the church, help organize and schedule outside events, and assist the pastor and staff with some office administrative duties. If this sounds like something you were gifted for, or enjoy doing, please contact the church.

Children’s Ministry Director
Part-time
FUMCMH is seeking to hire a creative, organized, and spiritually mature Children’s Ministry Director. The Children’s Ministry Director provides a safe, loving, and vibrant learning environment with activities for children, Pre-K through 5th grade. The ideal candidate has a passion for teaching children, planning programs and events, plus recruiting and building a team to assist in these events. A full list of responsibilities of the position is available upon request. This position is salaried and designed to be 20 – 25 hours per week.

Director of Sudent Ministries
Full-time
FUMCMH is seeking to hire a creative, organized, and spiritually mature Director of Student Ministries. The Director of Student Ministries will oversee the discipleship programs for 6th-12th grade students. The ideal candidate for this role would be a detail-oriented, hands-on individual who collaborates with and empowers a youth council and a team of volunteers within a sustainable model of ministry. A full list of responsibilities of the position is available upon request. This position is salaried and designed to be 40 hours per week.

Organist/Pianist/Accompanist
Part Time
FUMCMH is seeking to hire a qualified and enthusiastic Organist/Pianist/Accompanist to perform and help plan music for Sunday morning 11:00 worship including hymns, anthems, and other forms of musical worship, weddings and funerals, and special services. The organist/accompanist will participate in all choir rehearsals. The ideal person will have the ability to play traditional and contemporary pieces and a willingness to work collaboratively with the Pastor and Director of Music to select music for worship services. A full list of responsibilities of the position is available upon request. This is a part-time position, and the hours of this position may vary; however, a set rehearsal night and Sunday morning worship remain part of the hours worked.

All employees at First United Methodist Church Mountain Home must submit to a criminal background check, a child maltreatment check and follow the policies and guidelines set by the church. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and resume to First United Methodist Church using the button below.

Ozark Center of Hope is asking for box fans to disbursed as needed to keep folks cool this summer. Each year they give out over 100 fans. I am sure we will need more this year because of the heat starting to rise early this year. 

Ozark Center of Hope is also looking for a volunteer on Wednesdays to interview clients. If you are interested, please have them come on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 1:00-2:00 and fill out an application, the hours would be 9:45 till 2:00.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Sandra Anderson at 870-508-4374.

GENERAL FUND
In memory of Andy Youngblood
Kay Owens
June Wilborn
In memory of Dave Osmon
Mike & Joyce Cameron
Tom & Deborah Knox
June Wilborn
Peter & Jan Peitz
In memory of Jim Brown
Mike & Joyce Cameron
Tom & Deborah Knox
In memory of Daniel Chock
Mike & Joyce Cameron
Tom & Deborah Knox
June Wilborn
Nancy Osmon
Steve & Sharon Fabich & Juanita Kelm
In memory of Coni Baldwin
Tom & Deborah Knox
June Wilborn
Cathy Roshon
Thursday Morning Joy
Mike & Becky Baker
In memory of Ed Baldwin
Cathy Roshon
In memory of Don Owens
June Wilborn

BUILDING FUND
In memory of Jim Brown
Phil & Vicki Garner

MUSIC
In memory of Coni Baldwin
Neal & Janet Wheeler

WESLEY KITCHEN
In memory of Andy Youngblood
Shirley Poynter

FOOD BASKET
In memory of Don Owens
Carolyn Youngblood

BACKPACK FOOD 4 KIDS
In honor of Rita Billbe
Joyce Holsted 

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.