The news broke sometime last week that actor George Wentz died. George appeared in a number of roles, but the one that he was known best for was his portrayal of a bar patron named Norm in the comedy that ran from 1982-1993. George passed away at his home, at the young age of 76.

I watched several episodes of Cheers in my high school, college, and seminary days. Norm appeared in all 275 episodes of the show and won six Emmy Awards for his role. If you remember the show, then you will recall that Norm walked through the door, was warmly greeted with the cheer of Norm.  He made a wisecrack, now memorable one-liners on his way to his barstool and his favorite beverage. These one-liners were a highlight of the show and now can be seen on social media platforms. 

About the time the show was ending its eleven-year run, I was becoming a pastor, working in a church in lower Arkansas as a ministry intern. It is shaky ground to use an illustration from a show where everything that happens, happens at a bar, but I took a chance then and I’ll take a chance today to simply say this, The words to the show’s opening song, preach. 

Do you recall them?  These are some of the words from the song,

     Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name
     And they’re always glad you came.
     You want to be where you can see troubles are all the same
     You want to be where everybody knows your name.

It occurred to me back in 1993 and again last week when the news broke of the actor’s death and the theme song was being played time and time again, that the words of those lyrics can also be said of a church. A church should be a place where we know each other’s names (name tags do help with this!).  A church should be a place where we are all glad to see each other.  Often, a church is a place where the things in life we face (our troubles) are similar if not the same.

During the month of June, our sermons will focus on what it means to be in a community together and how we can help one another be the kind of place where we know names, are glad to see each other, and where we know that we are living our lives together. 

Hope Always,

John Fleming
Senior Pastor

It’s summer time! We’re here for you. We will continue having worship every Sunday and sharing the gospel in beautiful and meaningful ways. We will continue to be a resource of good news to the community. We will continue to find ways to help you grow in your faith and walk alongside you in this faith journey. So, as you’re vacationing and boating at the lake or floating on the river, remember us. Take some time to be here for us and with us in worship, in giving, in serving God’s Kingdom. We’re doing God’s work. Let’s do it together. 

Stewards
Charlene Ahrenstorff
Betty Fulton
Ruth Greer
Vicki Kauth

9:00 servers
Dick & Lila Karrer
Christine Rohr

11:00 servers
Glen & Pansy Dimick
Yvonne Hall

Registration is now open for VBS 2025, True North! At True North VBS, kids will embark upon the ultimate Alaskan adventure where northern lights glow over majestic mountains, racing rivers, and glistening glaciers. As they trek the tundra, they’ll explore how easy it is to lose sight of what’s true in our wild world today. Pointing them
toward Jesus, True North VBS shows them that he is a faithful friendwe can always trust. He’s our True North!

Register your child(ren) or grandchildren now using the button below! VBS will be June 9th - 12th, 9:00 am - 11:30 am

As part of True North VBS, we will participate in a local mission project! This outreach project gives kids the chance to bring hope and warmth to kids in our community. More than one of every six kids in the United States lives in poverty. As a result, these kids may have inadequate clothing as temperatures drop in the fall and winter.

We can help change that! During True North, kids and adults will have the opportunity to donate to Bundle Up Hope. A donation of any amount can help can provide brand-new warm clothes and blankets for a child!

Each day of VBS children and adults will be encouraged to bring loose change or money they have saved to help in this mission. If you would like to contribute to this project to help us raise more, simply earmark your donation "Bundle Up Hope".

A big thank you to Casey Drennin & North Arkansas Therapy Services who hosted "Lemonade For A Cause" this past Tuesday. Proceeds were then matched by them to give us $400+ for the Summer Feeding Program!!!

FUMCMH Missions were some of over 50 participating organizations to participate in the Community Resource and Volunteer Fair hosted by the Unified Community Resource Council (UCRC) this past Thursday at The Sheid on the campus of ASU-Mountain Home. This event is put on to help spread awareness of resources and volunteer opportunities within the community. Our Community & Congregational Care Coordinator, Hollye Lee, along with other missions members and volunteers, were there representing our church and it's missions like Backpack Food 4 Kids, Summer Feeding, and Wesley Kitchen.

Congratulations to this year's scholarship recipients: Jack Chance, Olivia Clements, Peyton Bodenhamer and Caitlyn (Lynx) Still! Your church family is so proud of you and the young adults you have become!

With the school year ending this means that our Summer Feeding program will start Monday, June 2nd distributing boxes of food every Monday from 11:00 am-1:00 pm. Summer Feeding is able to reach so many families in need thanks to the donations from our wonderful church members. If you would like to help support this feeding mission, please write “Summer Feeding” on the memo line of your giving. We are in need of volunteers to help hand out the boxes of food when families come to collect. Please contact Shannon Wescoat using to button below or Hollye in the Church Office.

To all the fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, uncles, and all the men you have been influential in the lives of others!

On Sunday, June 15th we have donuts available before and each service to celebrate dads and all the men who are influencial in the lives of others.  There will also be a Father's Day Photo Op!

1. SHOP AT YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY GROCER FOR BEST CHOICE PRODUCTS
Brands include Best Choice®, Clearly by Best Choice®, and Best Choice® Superior Selections®.

2. SAVE THE LABELS FROM YOUR PRODUCTS
Clip the labels off your Best Choice® family of brand products and collect them. Be sure to save the UPC portion.

3. EARN MONEY!
Bring them to the church office. Once we have 1,000 labels, we send them in to earn $30 in cash. 

Pastor John has challenged us to start at least 3 new small groups this year. Who are your friends at church? Are there people you would enjoy spending time with? Invite them to be part of a LifeGroup!

What is a Life Group? Quite simply, a Life Group is a small gathering of people who meet regularly to watch over each other in love. Eight to twelve people will meet once a week for an hour to an hour and a half and share their lives — the good, the bad and the ugly —  and then pray for each other, encourage each other, and discuss how God is manifested in their lives.

We learn a lot about God and the bible if we go to church, hear sermons, attend Sunday school, or read and study books.  But that often does not translate into changed lives that abide deeper in Christ’s love.  Life Groups are not about learning how to talk the talk, but experiencing how to walk the walk.

Life Groups are about more than your ideas about Christianity.  The groups are about your relationship with Jesus, the Son of God.  And Jesus does not want to change only our minds, or what we think; he wants to change our hearts and how we live. We are called to lead different lives, not just think different thoughts.

Nothing other than actually following Jesus Christ can make you a disciple.  And following is done in real life time, and doing this with the help of a trusting group of like minded followers of Christ helps.  Christians throughout the centuries have been committed to the idea that the Christian life is a journey of growth in grace — especially Methodists — and they believed that they needed one another in order to persevere this journey.

In short, they would watch over each others journey of growth in grace in love.  Growth is always intentional, and Life Groups help us be intentional and accountable. Life Groups can be but are not always study groups and they are not therapy groups. They are groups that watch over each other in love so that our lives may be more and more grounded in Christ’s love, mercy and grace.

So, how is your walk with the Lord?

The Annual Conference of the Arkansas United Methodist Church will take place June 18-20 at Horner Hall in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This year’s theme, #FollowingLovingSharing, reflects the new Arkansas Conference mission and vision, stating that Arkansas United Methodists are working together to build vital faith
communities by following Jesus, loving people, and sharing grace. Our reporting and celebrations will expand on this statement, reflecting our theme scripture, Acts 2:43-47.

“Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”–– Acts 2:43-47

Remember to pray for Pastor John and the others from our church who will be attending.

Summer is here! We had so much fun at our last blast!  Although there are no Wednesday after school activities during the summer, we will continue to have Sunday school at 10:00 each Sunday so plan to bring your kiddos for that.  If you are interested in helping teach Sunday School on a rotation, please let me know.

We are hoping to have a few special activities for the kids throughout the summer as well. 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 True North! 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 Mountain Home daycare centers, Summer Celebration, the Youth Center, etc. for VBS. Just let me know if you need that. 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 Pedigo

Possible Summer Activities
VBS (June 9-12 • 9:00am-11:30am)
Mini Golf
Bowling
Movie Matinee (Sun Valley Cinema)
Back to School at the Pool 

Join FirstKidz on Social Media!

605 Students, Families, and Friends, 
 
I cannot believe that it is summer already! This school year seemed to fly by, but we are ready for summer! 
May has been chalked full of amazing events from our senior Sunday celebration, to concerts, final games, graduation celebrations, and our last blast for the school year! 
We are excited for what is to come this summer and we are trying a few different things to see what sticks and what gets our kids plugged in. 
 
One of our big changes that we are making is we are going to try the band app for communication with students and families. Join us on the band app by following this link: https://band.us/n/a0a3b1afQbX4D
 
We are also doing Bible Study over lunch this summer and a handful of day trips! Between all of the other things- keep an eye on the band communication, our social media, and your email as we will see events like bowling, a movie night, mini golf, or other similar activities pop-up throughout the summer! 
 
Here is what is happening for the month of June plus a full month calendar to follow: 
 
Bible Study- June 7th from 12:00-1:00PM at Slim Chickens 
 
Silver Dollar City- we are headed to the park for a day away of fun! We will meet at 9:00AM and will be gone for the day. If your student would like to attend this trip please let me know by June 9th! 
 
This summer from June 18th through July 5th, I will be out of the office. If you need anything while I am away, please reach out to the church staff during office hours and I will do my best to get back to you as quickly as possible after I return. 
 
Month of June: 
 
June 8: Pentecost Sunday- Join us for worship and wear your best red outfit that day! 
June 9: Silver Dollar City Sign-up deadline 
June 9: VBS 9:00-11:30AM 
June 10: VBS 9:00-11:30AM 
June 11: VBS 9:00-11:30AM 
June 12: VBS 9:00-11:30AM 
June 15: Join us in worship for Father’s Day and Donuts with Dad 
June 16: Day at Silver Dollar City 
June 18: Kyra starts Out of Office 

Kyra Anthony

Join 605 Student Ministries on Social Media!

GENERAL FUND
In memory of Jim Callis
Katherine Larson

BACKPACK FOOD 4 KIDS
In memory of Dovie Tinsley
Kathy Bauer
Bob & Patti Budolfson

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.