Plummerville United Methodist Church

HOMECOMING 2011

2011-09-28T14:01:00.001-05:00

YOU ARE INVITED.
PUMC will have its annual HOMECOMING CELEBRATION on Sunday, October 9, 2011. Worship Worship is at 11:00 a.m. with a potluck lunch to follow.
Pastor Emeritus VonDell Mooney will deliver the message.
Join us for this special time of worship and remembrance!

Sermon from Sunday, September 25, 2011

2011-09-25T19:02:00.002-05:00

I am going to try to post some of my sermons here in written form. I don't know if they will fit, and I don't know if anyone will read them, but I'll give it a shot.
Remember that the delivered version of the sermon will always be slightly different than the written version.

here goes.

OBEDIENCE
copyright Keith D. Coker, all rights reserved, September 25, 2011.

Today’s gospel lesson can be divided into 2 distinct parts. The first is the conversation between Jesus and the religious leaders, and the second is the Parable of the Two Sons. In the first part there is a confrontation between Jesus and the leaders of the Temple. There are other confrontations like this one in Matthew, but this one is special because it the last confrontation before Jesus’ arrest, and it takes place on the Temple grounds.

Within the gospel itself, we have leap-frogged over the triumphal entry of Palm Sunday and are now on Monday of Holy Week. This confrontation continues on through the end of chapter 21, through 22, 23, 24 and 25. It’s not clear whether or not the confrontation continues into Tuesday, but there is certainly enough material for it to have done so. Just before this passage, Jesus has driven the moneychangers out of the Temple and had some words with the authorities. The next day, Jesus goes back to the Temple and this confrontation begins. As we will see over the next 5 Sundays, Jesus tell the authorities exactly what he thinks of them. He uses 3 parables, but at the end of the confrontation, he really lets them have it, with a string of 7 "woe to you" sayings directed at the scribes and Pharisees. Matthew makes it a point to paint the authorities as villains, and having failed to trap Jesus into taking an unpopular position or declaring himself Messiah, you can almost see the authorities twirling their black mustaches and spitting "Curses. Foiled Again." And we have little doubt as to their character or that they intend to do Jesus harm.

But today we are at the beginning of the confrontation, setting the stage for the rest. They start by asking Jesus a question designed to either have Jesus proclaim himself as Messiah, which he has come close to doing in deed and word, or to force him to back down and stop stirring up trouble.

They ask him on what or whose authority Jesus says and does the things that does,¹ and "Who gave you this authority"² in particular they were probably pointing to the previous day when he was healing the lame and blind in the Temple courts after cleansing the Temple.³ The traditional ordination of a rabbi included the laying on of hands (called Semikhah) by the teacher to the pupil who was being ordained. This was a grant of authority from one rabbi to another.⁴

In cleansing the Temple, Jesus had acted like a prophet. They must have also been concerned that he might claim that title as well.⁵

It’s like asking "what are your credentials?"⁶ They imply that Jesus either has none or will tell them who his teachers were or will refuse to divulge who has taught him to say these things. Jesus says he will only answer their question if they answer his. He is avoiding answering directly because it is not yet time. If he claims the title Messiah, he knows he will be arrested, and he knows that there are still some things left to be taught to the disciples. So it is not yet time.

His question to them is one he knows they CANNOT answer.⁷ To us, looking at this scripture from this side of the passion and the resurrection, we can see that this is foreshadowing his trial before the Sanhedrin⁸ which will happen in a mere 3 or so days. The conflict between Jesus and all the religious authorities was now out in the open. They may have hoped Jesus would claim the throne, and the Romans would step in. They may have hoped he would claim the title Messiah, so they could stone him as a blasphemer.⁹ They may think they already know what Jesus’ answer would be, and they want him to commit to something they can prosecute him for. After the end of this confrontation at the end of chapter 25, the next time Jesus will meet with the authorities is when he is on trial.¹⁰
That’s still in the future in this passage. So, meanwhile, Jesus, following
good rabbinical method,¹¹ answers their question with one of his own. He wants them to say what authority they say John the Baptist acted with. They are trapped and they know it. They cannot endorse John’s ministry as having come from God, because that would also validate Jesus’ ministry which was so closely connected to John’s. They cannot condemn John because even after his death, he is still favored by the crowds, who would then turn on the authorities.¹² They could have tried to praise John and distinguish him from Jesus, but they really did not want to get into the subject of John’s ministry at all.

If they could have understood who John was and what he stood for, they would also have been able to see who Jesus was.¹³ By asking the question about John, Jesus makes his claim to Messiahship without actually having to speak it, by connecting himself to John.¹⁴

By refusing to answer Jesus’ question, the authorities had failed to carry out one of the chief duties of the Sanhedrin, which was to distinguish between true and false prophets.¹⁵ Since they will not do their duty, Jesus rebuffs their question, implying that his authority was from God, and that was the credential that trumped all others.¹⁶

THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS

Jesus then punctuates this encounter with the Parable of the Two Sons. This is one of the parables that is only found in Matthew.¹⁷ In this parable, Jesus issues a direct challenge to the Pharisees and their formalism and the Sadducees and their alleged devotion to the law.¹⁸ The end is a provocative accusation:

"Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.32For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him."

Jesus is saying to them. Those people that you look down on, that you think are the lowest of the low–those people are more righteous than you, the leaders of the Temple!

One thing that probably set them off was that Jesus had touched on an old parable that the rabbis told about God offering a field (the Torah) to all nations. Only the Israelites are willing to promise to tend the field. Eventually, they allow the field to grow up uncultivated. But the field still belongs to the Israelites because the rabbis said that it was better to make the commitment¹⁹ and fail than to not be willing to make the commitment in the first place.

By reversing the old parable into a new one, Jesus was telling them that they had it all wrong. He had turned their perspective inside-out, and they had agreed with him. They did not understand the point, that righteous actions count more than righteous words, even if the doers do not realize that they are doing the will of God.²⁰ As Jesus said, the Temple leaders were the son who said he would work but did not, and the sinners were the son who said he would not work but did.

Barclay points out that neither son is perfect, the first is respectful but disobedient, the second was obedient but disrespectful. Here the one who actually obeyed was better than the other, but the perfect child would have agreed to work and actually done it in gracious obedience.²¹

What is all of this to us? How do we fit into the picture? Who are we in this parable and this confrontation? This is an exemplary behavior parable, not a kingdom parable.

I was tempted to make the theme of this sermon "How are we the Pharisees in this scripture?" But that was a little obvious.²² In going over this scripture, I decided that there was a broader theme here that deserved some attention. That theme is the identity of Jesus and how we respond to it.

Jesus’ response question is asking the leaders to define who they say John the Baptist was. And in so doing they will be defining Jesus because the crowds regarded Jesus and John as being connected. The authorities had asked Jesus "Who are you?" And he had turned it on them, and like his question to Peter back in chapter 12, he implies, "Who do you say that I am?"

The Temple leaders were torn. They could not endorse John without endorsing Jesus. They can’t denounce John because he still holds the allegiance of the crowds. They think they know that Jesus is a blasphemer and a trouble-maker, but they are still afraid to accuse him in public. Not knowing what to do, they do nothing. They don’t agitate the public and they are the ones who "back-off." When they back off, that opens the door for Jesus to tell the additional parables and declare the "Woes." He is pointing out to them and all those listening that they are not doing the will of God, and to go home and that they really do not understand what obedience to God really means.

What authority do WE ascribe to Jesus? It would be unusual in this time for someone to say Jesus acted with EVIL authority. We either say that he has the authority of heaven or only his own authority as a human being. That is the question we touched on back in chapter 16, and here it is again.

We answer this question every day of our lives with our thoughts, words and actions. Each one of our lives is therefore a different answer to the question Jesus poses. That question bubbles to the surface at various times in our lives, and we ask ourselves, "What do I believe about this man called Jesus? How he lived and died and did he rise again? Is he the Messiah, the Son of the Living God as Peter proclaimed?

The old parable about the field that the Israelites agreed to tend teaches that intent is more important than action. Jesus’ Parable of the 2 Sons teaches that actions are more important than intent–that actions speak louder than words.

One of the things that I find most attractive about the Methodist version of Christianity is the belief that we should act out our faith in actions. We say we believe, but are we willing to actually do those things that evidence faith, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, visiting the sick, ministering to the imprisoned, all those things that Jesus did and told us to do?

There are some believers, maybe even one or two right here in this room, whose faith is so rock solid, that they never doubt their beliefs or question their own faith. This sort of Christian has a gift that will see them through many bad times. But most of us, at one time or another, do question our faith, either in a moment of personal crisis, or in just exploring faith itself.

To some degree, if our faith is never tested by crisis or inquiry, it can never grow. Growth can only happen when our faith has to stretch itself to get us through a situation or problem that it has not had to face before. The sudden death of a loved one. A tragedy in our community, an issue that we just can’t seem to get a Christian handle on, a personal illness or maybe a financial crisis. Any of these things can bring frustration or confusion into our lives that make ask questions like "Why is God allowing this to happen?" Or "Is God really looking out for us?" "Does God even really exist?’ Or "Is my faith in Jesus useless?"

When those questions confront us in crisis, it is tempting to just throw the whole religion thing out and attempt to get through it on our own, without any help from "out there." To accept the cold comfort of Scientism–believing only those things that we can sense and measure–cutting God out of the equation altogether. Relegating Jesus to the pile of good but merely human ethical teachers of history. But it is those times that we need our faith most, when we need to know more than ever that God exists, that God cares, that God acts and that Jesus was more than a teacher or a prophet, that he can even today strengthen us and get us through those tough times of life.

Those are the time when faith is stretched. Sometimes, faith’s elasticity is gone, and it breaks under the strain, and we are left with only ourselves to rely on. The lack of elasticity, of stretchability in our faith is sometimes a choice that we ourselves make. We choose how far our faith can stretch. We choose the situations from which our faith can carry us. To some degree, faith is a gift that we do or do not have. But sometimes it is a choice that we make–to believe in spite of the what is happening around us or to us, or to give up on faith and tackle our problems on our own. This begs the question, am I saying that any time faith fails, is ti the fault of the believer who let go?

No. I am not willing to say that this is the case every time. I don’t know some people’s faith fails, when others persevere. But I am willing to say that some times, we set the limits of our own faith. We decide how far we are willing to believe. And the a really good way to stretch that faith is to act it out, especially when we are feeling like our faith is not good enough to face the crisis at hand.

When our faith is weakest is a time when we should be looking around for something we can do to act out the faith we think we are losing. There is nothing like helping others to remind us of what love is, of what the essence of God is, about what Jesus was continually telling us is pleasing to God. To do justice and love mercy, to love our neighbor, and to act on that love is to see God in those we serve, those we serve with and in ourselves.

So you can’t fund a wing at the hospital, or build a wheelchair ramp, or visit someone in jail, can you spend a day at an agency that serves the poor? Can you make a telephone call to someone you know could use cheering up, if nothing else, cna you pray for them or with them? Can you tell them where to go to get help or tell someone who can help them where to contact them to provide a service.

I also do not believe that the only meaning in suffering is opportunity for spiritual growth. I don’t know why all the bad and evil things happen in the world, but I do know that a crisis, on top of whatever else it is, is an opportunity for spiritual growth. That doesn’t make tragedy pleasant. It may not be much comfort at all. But if in the midst of our own suffering, we can reach out to others, then we can experience the love of God first hand, and that experience will strengthen your faith in most situations.

Some times, we decide how far our faith will go. The challenge is to stick with faith, even when it doesn’t seem to be working, in spite of adversity, tragedy and doubt. And to do so by acting out that faith, as Jesus taught, as Wesley encouraged.

SUMMATION
In this section of Matthew, Jesus and the Temple authorities have their last confrontation before Jesus’ arrest. The leaders want to know who Jesus claims to be. Jesus turns the question back on them: "Who do you say that I am?" and he challenges them with the Parable of the Two Sons.

The question for us today is the same" "Who do we say that Jesus is" We answer that question in our faith more with our deeds than our words. The question can come to us at a time when it calls our faith into question. Then, we can decide the limit of our faith. We can set our own boundaries. A new questioning. A time of stress and crisis. Has that ever happened to you? I think we all have or will. We will again and again as we go through life. How will we respond? Let’s all choose to respond with faith, a faith that is rooted in loving actions towards others.

AMEN.

2011-09-25T18:55:00.005-05:00

Hi, all. My name is Keith Coker and I am the new pastor at Plummerville United Methodist Church. Sunday worship is still at 11:00 a.m., and I hope you will take time to come join us some Sunday. How about this week? We have some new events coming up that I will be sharing details of with you here, so stay tuned!

Voncille Kissire funeral

2011-05-17T09:59:00.000-05:00

All,

We had planned to host a church-wide breakfast this coming Saturday morning. We found out early this week that Voncille Kissire passed away. She had moved to Virginia to be near her family; she was a long time member of Plummerville UMC. The funeral is planned for Saturday afternoon. We will postpone the church-wide breakfast until a future date.

The Voncille Kissire funeral will be this Saturday at Plummerville UMC. We plan for lunch to be served at 1:00 and for the funeral to take place at 3:30. Church members are encouraged to bring a dish and assist in the lunch.

Please keep the Kissire/James family in your prayers.

Please share this information with others who might not see this email.

Grace and Peace,

Dane

Disaster Relief Buckets

2011-05-04T16:41:00.006-05:00

Due to the recent weather related disasters in Arkansas our church is preparing relief buckets. The Arkansas Rice Depot, a long time partner of the ARUMC, collects the buckets and distributes them to needed areas. The buckets are designed to assist in cleanup efforts.

We strongly encourage everyone in the church to prepare a bucket or two or three. Making financial donations is obviously appreciated, but often people experiencing these types of disasters need supplies, not cash. If you are able, please consider participating. This is an obvious way to extend the Love and Grace of Christ to our sisters and brothers in need across the state.

Your prepared bucket is due back SUNDAY 5/15/11. We need to collect these quickly so they can be distributed quickly!

Contents:
5 gallon bucket with lid
1 Scrub Brush
5 Scouring Pads
18 Cleaning Towels (reusable)
7 sponges, assorted sizes
Laundry Detergent 50 oz.
Household Cleaner 12 oz.
Disinfectant Dish Soap 28 oz.
50 Clothespins
Clothesline 100 ft. x 3/16”
Dust Masks 5 pack
Latex Gloves 2 pair pack
Work Gloves 1 pair
Trash Bags 45 gal 24 bag roll
Insect Spray, 14 oz.
Air Freshener, 9 oz.

How many buckets will we collect?...25?...35?...50?!

Questions? Call Bro. Dane @ 870-613-2889

ARUMC Disaster Response

2011-05-03T21:21:00.002-05:00

Please continue to keep the families in Arkansas and across the South that have lost loved ones, homes, and employment during the past weeks and days. Here is how you can help:

DONATE: Donate disaster relief funds on-line at the Conference web site or by mail by sending your gift to: Arkansas Conference Disaster Relief, Attn: Conference Treasurer, P. O. Box 3611, Little Rock, AR 72203-3611. Funds have been requested already and we anticipate requests for additional funds will be forthcoming.

PROVIDE: In Vilonia, there is an urgent need for tarps of all sizes and cleaning (fllood) buckets, health kits and supplies at the donation center in Vilonia. Flood buckets or items may be sent/delivered to the Arkansas Rice Depot (ARD), 3801 W. 65th Street, Little Rock, AR 72209 or contact your district disaster coordinator for local drop off points. Additional items: Pillows, towels, wash rags, mops, brooms, ziploc bags, paper grocery bags, smaller boxes, canned meat, pots & pans.

VOLUNTEER - The Vilonia Volunteer Center is ready to accept volunteer teams to help with clean up. These teams to not have to be ERT Certified; however, they must check in at the Vilonia Volunteer Center. The phone numbers at the center are: 501.231.5347 or 501.258.0396.

Easter Services

2011-04-20T15:35:00.007-05:00

Please join us for a Holy Thursday and Passion Story Service of Worship and Communion. This should be a service of contemplation and reflection before the celebration of the Easter resurrection. Please join us! Thursday, April 21, 6:00 pm.

Our Worship will continue on Easter morning with a Sunrise Service set for 7am. This will be a service of prayer and meditation. Come worship God as Easter Morning unfolds.

Our regular worship service is Sunday Morning at 11am. Experience the hope and joy of Easter Morning!

We encourage you to join us for worship during this Easter Season. We anticipate God revealing himself to us through the Resurrection of his Son.

The Bethany Project

2011-02-28T21:08:00.003-06:00

Hello Church Family (and Friends),

The Women's Group is hosting a Catfish Dinner as a fundraiser for Bethany Cox on Saturday April 2, 2011. The Catfish Dinner will be from 5-8pm. We will also have to go boxes available beginning at 4pm. The dinner is $10 per person.

We need people to help us sell tickets and work at the dinner. Please call me or email me at womack.jill@gmail.com to purchase tickets or help work at the event.

For more information on Bethany please see her CaringBridge at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bethanycox/journal/1.

Thank you in advance for giving of your time and your gifts.

Love,
Jill

Upcoming Events!

2011-01-20T13:15:00.006-06:00

Whoa! Sorry we haven't posted since Christmas! Things have been busy, but we are getting back to our a regular routine. Please consider joining these upcoming events:

Women's Bible Study will meet on Feb. 2nd, 6pm at the home of John and Andrea Holland. The ladies will resume their study of Women in the Bible as well as join in a meal. Please consider attending and inviting others. This will be an excellent time of fellowship and study.

Men's Breakfast will gather on Saturday, Feb. 12th. A pancake and sausage breakfast will be served at 8am. Those wanting to help cook may arrive earlier. Please come and intvite other men from the community for a time of relaxing fellowship.

Christmas Candlelight Service Sunday 19th, 5pm

2010-12-15T08:38:00.005-06:00

Throughout the Advent season, we have been patiently awaiting the Christmas holiday. This Sunday we will celebrate by lighting the final Advent candle and joining together in worship.

Please join us on Sunday evening for a service celebrating the Christmas season. The time will include lighting Advent candles, congregational worship, guest music specials, and Holy Communion. We pray this is a night filled with the power and love of the Holy Spirit, guiding our hearts to focus on the birth and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amidst our busy holiday schedules, we look forward to this time where our attention is focused on God alone. Please consider making time to worship with us this Sunday evening.

Worship will begin at 5pm. After the service we will gather in Plummer Hall for a light meal and fellowship. Everyone is welcome! Join us!

Women's Christmas Party

2010-12-09T09:07:00.005-06:00

Last night (Wednesday December 8th) the women of Plummerville UMC celebrated Christmas with a small party at our home. We had delicious chicken spaghetti, salad, bread, chocolate triffle, apple caramel cake, and hot cider. The picture is above is most of the 11 women in attendance.

We also celebrated by beginning our study of Strong Was Her Faith: Women of the New Testament. The book begins with the story of Elizabeth the mother of John. It was very appropriate for our Christmas celebration!

Luke 1:41-44
⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴²and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.

We then had an ornament exchange as a celebration! Here are our cute packages all together.

Thank you to the women of our church for being such an encouragement to me. Your friendship has enriched my life and your commitment to this group is evident. I love that we only began 6 months ago, yet we have grown together and continue to strengthen our friendships.

Merry Christmas.

Jill Womack

Women's Christmas Party

2010-12-06T15:33:00.004-06:00

The Women's Bible Study group will meet this Wednesday for a Christmas Party at Dane and Jill's home at 6:30pm. Salad and Pasta will be provided. Attendees are asked to bring a dessert or drinks. Also, there will be an ornament exchange- please bring an ornament. This will be a time of relaxation and conversation celebrating the holiday season. Please come and invite others!

Fall Festival Success

2010-11-01T10:39:00.013-05:00

Thank You to the community and the church for making our Fall Festival this past Sunday a huge success. We appreciate sponsors and those who made donations, including Petit Jean Meats. It was a beautiful day of relaxing and enjoying one another's company on a perfect Sunday afternoon. Here are a few photos.

Harvest for Him Fall Festival

2010-10-22T20:51:00.004-05:00

We are very excited about our upcoming Fall Festival on
Halloween Day (October 31st) from 2-5pm.

This is an event for the community of Plumerville! We would like to invite everyone from our community to attend. We would love to get to know you and welcome you to our church.

Please invite your friends, parents, kids, teenagers grandparents, etc! This is an event for all ages.

There will be free food, door prizes, bounce houses, a hoops challenge, carnival games, face painting, and child ID from the Plumerville Police Department. (Everything is free!!)

And, of course, we will have CANDY. :)

Please email us at womack.dane@gmail.com or womack.jill@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Homecoming this Sunday! Join us!

2010-10-05T22:03:00.003-05:00

This Sunday we will celebrate our annual Homecoming Service. The City of Plumerville is celebrating it's homecoming with a Chilli Supper on Friday night and a Catfish & Chicken Dinner on Saturday night. Sunday morning, we will hold worship at our regular time- 11am. We anticipate having family and friends visiting from out of town celebrating the history and legacy of Plumerville- both the community and the Plummerville United Methodist Church. Rev. Rodney Steele, North Central District Superintendent, will bring the sermon as a guest preacher. We are excited to have Rev. Steele, whose father served PUMC many years ago, bring the word to our service. After worship, we will gather for our a potluck meal in Plummer Hall. The church is providing meat dishes and church members will provide sides. Guests are encouraged to attend the meal without bringing anything! Let us serve you!!

Please come and join us for this joyous occasion!

Women's Study Group Rescheduled for 10/6/10

2010-09-28T21:52:00.002-05:00

The Women's Study Group that was scheduled for this week has been postponed until next week. Jill is battling an ongoing cough and we do not feel like we should have guests in the house until she is better. Jill would hate to spread this cold to someone else. Thanks for the calls and concerns, we're sure Jill will be back to 100% very soon. The Women's Group will meet next Wednesday on 10/6 for potluck meal and discussion at 7pm. Please come!

New Sunday School Series- Genesis

2010-09-14T19:27:00.003-05:00

Hey! We are very excited to say we are beginning a new Sunday School Series. We recently finished up our study of Wesleyan theology using "This We Believe" by Willimon. We will now begin a short term study of Genesis. Our text comes from Cokesbury, a cousin of the popular Disciple Bible Study series, we will be reading "Invitation to Genesis". We are very, very excited about this curriculum and the ways God will reach us through this group study. The curriculum includes daily bible study and commentary. Over approximately 10-12 weeks we will read the Book of Genesis and supporting materials. Our class discussions will be based on the week's reading and reflections.

Books arrived today! This Sunday we will hand out books and talk about the upcoming study. We will discuss lesson 1 the following week, September 26th 9:45am.

With the fall approaching and school semester back in full swing, this is a great time to get involved with our Sunday School class. If you have not been attending, come on in! Pick up and book and join the discussion.

For many centuries, Christians have gathered together to share the word of God. Group study is a powerful way for God to speak to his people.

Sunday School will continue to include coffee, donuts, juice and fruit. :)

Dane

Men's Breakfast Saturday 8/28/10

2010-08-28T10:05:00.006-05:00

One dozen men gathered this Saturday at Plummer Hall for breakfast and fellowship. The meal was served at 7:30 including ham, bacon, eggs, biscuits, fried potatoes, and sausage gravy. A special thanks goes out to Bob Gordon, Coco Campbell and Charles Malone for gathering the food and preparing the meal. Everyone left with stomachs full.

Rocky Lynch and Peter Sharp fill their plates while Coco calls to remind others...

We even shared some bacon with a canine friend...

Keep watch for other breakfasts and upcoming events.

School Supply Drive

2010-08-10T14:46:00.004-05:00

With the help of local school administrators and teachers, we are collecting school supplies for students in need. This past Sunday (8th) student supply lists were given out similar to a Christmas Angel Tree Program. Church members will purchase the needed supplies for each student. Beyond the particular students that were identified, additional supplies can be donated and will be stored by teachers to be given to students as needed. You can get involved by purchasing and donating supplies from these lists:

Elementary

small bottles of Elmer's glue
small plastic school boxes
3-prong pocket folders
facial tissue
1" 3-ring binders
pencils
crayons (16 or 24)
color pencils
cap erasers/pink block erasers
small scissors
spiral notebooks
glue sticks

Secondary

black/blue ink pens
mechanical/wood pencils
erasers
1" 3-ring binders
loose leaf paper
spiral notebooks
3-prong pocket folders
facial tissue

Deadline for donations of supplies: 8/15/10.

If shopping the latest back to school sale is not your preference, the church is also taking donations to purchase backpacks. Each identified student will be given a backpack filled with the appropriate supplies for their age. The backpacks are being purchased all together with donations received at church. Please give.

Too many children go without basic needs, including supplies that allow them to be successful in school. We want to remind these children they are loved- both by God and by our church community.

Qualyn James

2010-07-23T08:27:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to our very own Qualyn James!!
State AABA champs!!!

Women's Meeting

2010-07-19T21:06:00.004-05:00

Ladies of Plummerville UMC (and friends!!),

Please join us at Jill's house WEDNESDAY NIGHT 6:30 to continue our study of The Open Table.

We will be having a simple dinner and then continuing our discussion of this exciting book. We are currently on Week 3. Please join us even if you did not go on the retreat or read the book. We are a group of women desiring to grow together and share in friendship.

I can't wait to see you all.

Love,
Jill

New Sunday School Series 9:45am Plummer Hall

2010-07-12T22:26:00.001-05:00

Everyone! All people in the church are encouraged to attend our Sunday School class as we seek to better understand the Holy Scriptures, explore the traditions of our Faith, and share our own experiences. Sunday School is not for the Biblically or spiritually advanced; all are welcome and have something to offer.

Talk it out! Our class will not be lecture or teacher driven, but discussion based. Attendees will read lessons prior to Sunday mornings and bring observations or questions back to the group. We can all learn from one another. Discussions leaders will rotate depending on curriculum and schedule. Bro. Dane will lead the first few weeks of this new model.

What will we learn? For approximately 8 weeks, the class will work from the book, "This We Believe: The Core of Wesleyan Faith and Practice" by William H. Willimon. Rev. Willimon is Presiding Bishop of the North Alabama Conference. The text is designed for small-group study. The curriculum is a great reminder of our Wesleyan roots for those that have long been established in the Methodist tradition, but is also a great introduction of the Wesleyan faith.

On Sunday July 11th we kicked off the class with a discussion of John Wesley and "practical divinity." Fourteen people were in attendance. More books have been ordered and will be available at the church or from Bro. Dane. (book order should be here by 15th)

Next week, we will discuss chapter one with the intent of covering one chapter per week. If we find one chapter deserves more attention, we'll allow more than one week. There's no deadline! Or final exam!!

Keeping with our schedule, Sunday School will break around 10:30 for a time of fellowship before worship at 11:00. Coffee, Donuts, Fruit and Juice will be available. Please join us!!

Men's Prayer Breakfast: Sat. 10th 7:30am

2010-07-07T20:54:00.000-05:00

The men of the church will gather this Saturday for a time of fellowship and prayer. Cooks will arrive around 6:30am. Food should be prepared to serve by 7:30am. The men will be doing all of the cooking and cleaning...make of this what you will!

Other than just enjoying the food and fellowship, there will be a time for Group Prayer. It is important that the Body of Christ (in part or in whole) is conscience of our time together. What about the Men's Breakfast at church is any different than a gathering at the local coffee shop? Saturday, we will set aside some time for prayer. Sharing prayer requests and praying in groups can be very powerful and transformational. Prayer does not come easy when we are by ourselves, left to our own devices. But, as a group we can encourage each other and experience new heights in our own spirituality.

We hope this Saturday that you leave breakfast both full in your stomach and in your spirit. Please join us!!

call Bro. Dane for additional info (870.613.2889)

Summer Scripture: Philippians

2010-06-27T00:53:00.000-05:00

This summer, during Ordinary Time in our church calendar we are focused on Paul's epistle to the church in Philippi. The book of Philippians is full of great theology and teaching for any church. Though Paul finds himself in prison, he carefully encourages and offers advice to the young church. Let's see what we can learn! Join us!!

June 13, 1:1-11

June 20, 1:12-18a
June 27, 1:18b-30

Women's Retreat - Mount Eagle Retreat Center

2010-06-20T21:22:00.000-05:00

On June 11-12, 2010 the women of Plummerville UMC headed to Mount Eagle Retreat Center for a women's retreat. We were blessed with 12 women including a guest speaker from Conway - Sue Higgs. We had such a wonderful time. We had a quiet time of prayer and group discussions. We started with a discussion of a great woman of faith in the book of Acts - Lydia. Mrs. Higgs shared her journey of faith and her heart for women/small group ministry as well as personal time in prayer. We also spent some time discussing the first two weeks of Donald Miller's book The Open Table. Sue then lead us to the outlook and through the labyrinth at the retreat facility.

It was a wonderful retreat. I am so blessed to be in a church with women who are so eager to spend time and grow together. Thank you to everyone who took time away from your family and friends to share a weekend together.

Here are a few pictures!

Top left to right: Patsy, Sue, Andrea, Valerie, Martha, Helen, Tracey

Bottom left to right: Nina, Janet, Jill, Becky, Halie

Thank you ladies for being such a blessing. We plan to continue through the last 3 chapters of book with meetings in July, August, and September. The tentative date for July is Wednesday the 21st. We would love for others to join us! It will be at our house. :)

-Jill

Upper Room and Mrs. Edwards

2010-06-14T17:45:00.000-05:00

This year, The Upper Room, a daily devotional guide produced by the Global Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church celebrates its 75th anniversary. Wow! For 75 years The Upper Room has been guiding individuals in their devotional time with God, a very powerful and important ministry. The devotionals are written readers like you and me! Clergy and laity mail in their short devotion with a bible verse(s) and prayer focus. The devotions are collected and printed in two-month intervals. Copies of The Upper Room can be found in the foyer of many United Methodist churches free for the taking.

In a world where daily devotionals can be emailed to cell phones or laptops, it seems the paper booklet maybe past its prime. After all, The Upper Room itself is available online here, complete with tweets, retweets, and facebook sharing. Do we really need to keep printing the paper copy?

This afternoon, I had a chance to visit with Mrs. Edwards. She is an older member of our church who is now home bound. Because she cannot drive, she rarely leaves her house. Private care workers stay the night and part of the day with Mrs. Edwards. I always enjoy our visits; she is such a lovely woman. Today she shared with me how much she uses The Upper Room devotional book; she reads the paperback devotional everyday before breakfast. The ladies that stay with her also read the booklet, usually in the morning while Mrs. Edwards awakes. Later, they gather around the dining table to eat breakfast and discuss the day's devotion. Everyday. Everyday! Wow! These ladies use the devotions as discussion starters for their own small-group!

Perhaps, because Mrs. Edwards is so dependent on others, she fears she has little to offer God. She is wrong. She has much to offer. She has found an effective way to be engaged in ministry in her setting. And I am sure that she is more effective at her breakfast table using The Upper Room than many clergy could ever hope to be. We can learn a lot from Mrs. Edwards, even though she will not be twittering her latest thoughts.

We should probably keep printing those paper booklets of The Upper Room.

Happy 75th anniversary to The Upper Room!

And, thank you Mrs. Edwards for all you do. God bless you.

Annual Conference 2010- Hot Springs

2010-06-06T23:20:00.000-05:00

Today, June 6th, Jill and I joined the 2010 Arkansas United Methodist Annual Conference in Hot Springs. We are here representing our church- Plummerville UMC.

Our first evening included the opening ceremonies and worship. The worship service was inspired and motivational. Haven UMC Choir opened the service, followed by a number of instrumentalists and vocalists. Bishop Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda of the North Katanga Annual Conference (Congo) delivered the sermon. Bishop Ntambo bragged on the Arkansas Conference for contributions already made to the Katanga and Kamina regions. By reminding members of the conference of the great number of resources Americans have been given, the Bishop challenged us to do even more. "You have been blessed, so that you may be a blessing."

Imagine Ministry Meeting May 23rd Noon

2010-05-12T21:26:00.000-05:00

Sorry it's been a while since things were updated. We have been a little busy! Anyway,...

The church will host a meeting on Sunday May 23rd immediately following our 11am worship. At the meeting we will show a video produced by the ARUMC Conference. The video is a part of the larger Imagine Ministry conversation. Each church is encouraged to discuss the video, which includes research about recent church growth, and plan for the future. Each church has a unique ministry in their community and it is essential that we discover our calling to be the best church we can be- here and now. If you are a longtime member of the church and have concerns about the future, this meeting is for you. If you are new to the church and are interested in what the church will become, you need to be there as well. All are welcome. All opinions matter.

More information about the Imagine Ministry movement can be found here: http://www.arumc.org/imagine_ministry.php

Lunch will be provided by the church. This is not a potluck meal. Do not bring anything. We want everyone focused on the discussion, not worried about preparing a dish. Call or email if you have any concerns or thoughts. See you there!!

Congratulations to Coco and Joann Campbell

2010-04-21T22:50:00.000-05:00

Sunday evening we celebrated the recent marriage of Coco and Joann Campbell with a potluck meal and fellowship. The couple brought along numerous guests from out of town including friends and family. We were glad to have everyone gather on such a joyous occasion.

Congratulations to Joann and Coco
We Love You Both

Joann and Jerry "Coco" Campbell

Bob and Charles preparing smoked chicken

Tommy, Patsy, Woody, Janet, Alidene and Bill...
sorry Bill, we caught you with your eyes closed

Ellen and Debbie arrange the food

Dane, Andrea and John pose for a close-up

Thanks to everyone who joined the meal and fellowship. A special thanks to all those who graciously provided a dish.

Feeding the Sheep, aka UCA Wesley Foundation Students

2010-04-15T22:51:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Helen Bostian, Nina Kowerduct, Becky James, Debbie Campbell and others who helped provide a meal for the students of the UCA Wesley Foundation this past Monday. I think stomachs were full, with sweets to spare. I know the church was pleased to offer the meal and students enjoyed eating- I have been on both sides of this arrangement. What a wonderful circle of ministry and support. Bless all who participated in the shared table.

A big thanks to Shannon for this camera phone photo! (We were camera-less.)

Busy, Busy!

2010-04-07T22:14:00.000-05:00

Hey, there! Wow! Easter went by so quickly...We had a wonderful worship experience on Sunday morning, welcoming new member JoAnn Campbell to our congregation. It was a day filled with family and guests. The Sunrise Service and 11am Service were both well attended. Special thanks to Debbie Campbell, Beth Estes, and Jill Womack for providing a pancake breakfast before 11am worship.

Please check the above links for "Calendar." This is a ideal place to learn about upcoming events and contact information for these events. The next few days include 3 different events:

Saturday, 10th 4-7pm Annual Plumerville Bean Supper Homecoming Fundraiser. All are welcome to the meal. This is a community-wide event at the Sr. Citizens Center.

Sunday, 11th Leading and Living the United Methodist Way at FUMC Russellville. This event is brought to you by the conference in conjunction with the district office. This should be an exciting afternoon of fellowship and learning. We will leave Plummerville UMC around 2:00. All are invited and encouraged to attend. See Dane (womack.dane@gmail.com) for more information.

Monday, 12th UCA Wesley Foundation Lunch. We will be providing the student lunch this coming Monday. Helen Bostian is coordinating the menu. This is an exciting opportunity to serve students with a warm meal, extending the grace of Christ.

Please consider joining these upcoming activities. Check our calendar regularly as it will be updated as new information comes in.

Holy Thursday passes, Easter Services Set

2010-04-01T22:29:00.000-05:00

^{John 13:8}
Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”

Thursday evening the congregation gathered for a service celebrating Holy Thursday. Holy Communion was served and attendees participated in a symbolic Hand Washing- serving one another, and allowing themselves to be served.

After sharing the passages of Christ's final meal with his disciples, the congregation joined in Song and Word; exploring the passion story. There is no Easter Morning without the crucifixion of Good Friday. Let us wait, wait on the Lord.

Thank you to all those who attended and participated in the Holy Thursday Service. We pray it was a blessing.

An Easter Sunrise Service is set for 7am, with our regular worship service occurring at 11am. Please join us in the hope and joy of Easter Morning!

Join our Holy Thursday Service

2010-03-29T20:42:00.000-05:00

Please join us for a Holy Thursday Service of Worship and Communion- April 1st, 6:00 pm. With Easter Sunday fast approaching, we will celebrate Christ's last meal with his disciples as well as the instructions he gave them. This should be a service of contemplation and reflection before the celebration of the Easter resurrection. Please join us!

Thursday, April 1, 6:00 pm

Thank You! Let's do it again!

2010-03-26T12:00:00.001-05:00

Wow! Thank you for the overwhelming response to Coffee and Doughnuts. I guess we don't have to twist arms too hard to attract people for sweets. We had a great turn out. The coffee was already brewing when I got there. Thanks for those who helped organize and gather supplies. We'll do it again this Sunday.

Special thanks to Jo Ann Mahan, I mean Campbell, for providing us with that awesome bunt cake. It was delicious.

Please do not rush! We'll gather around 10:15. After some time of fellowship, we'll cross the street for Worship.

This is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Come with a heart and mind prepared to hear the stories of Jesus' final days.

Coffee and Doughnuts Anyone?

2010-03-15T21:59:00.000-05:00

Please join us for Coffee and Doughnuts in Plummer Hall before church. We would love the opportunity to spend more time getting to know each of you. All to often our weeks only consist of shaking hands and sharing "hellos" as people exit the church. We long to know all of you on a more personal level than can be achieved in the church foyer. So, let's sit and talk over sweets and drinks. We may even include some juice and fruit for our more healthy friends.

Please, drop by before church. We'll gather around 10:15 for fellowship before worship begins.

Hendrix Students Join Worship

2010-03-07T22:10:00.000-06:00

On Sunday, March 7th, 3 students from Hendrix College joined our church for worship. As a part of the student ministry team based at the college, the students are actively involved in the United Methodist Connection. After a weekend retreat in Russellville, the group divided up to visit different local churches. Each student that visited a church participated in that church's morning worship. We were happy to welcome Emily Jones (N. Little Rock, AR); Sara Croissant (Denton, TX); and Conner McCutchen (Wynne, AR). During our service the students offered prayers, lead a responsive reading, and assisted in serving communion. It is a blessing not only to receive these people at our service, but to support the future of our church.

HealthKits for Haiti

2010-03-04T22:16:00.000-06:00

After the recent earthquake, United Methodists and a multitude of other churches have come together to provide relief to the people of Haiti. These relief efforts include donations of money, short or long term mission teams, and collecting needed aid. Plummerville UMC spent two weeks collecting supplies for UMCOR healthkits. Some members completed kits themselves, while other members donated needed items. A small group gathered on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 7th) to complete the remaining kits and pack them into boxes. In total, over 80 kits were prepared and shipped to Haiti. This is a very exciting, tangible way to show the love of Christ.

The church also raised money through donations, but getting our hands involved gives us a sense of the tragedy in Haiti. We were packing simple things- towels, toothbrushes, antibacterial soap - but to those who receive this gift, these things are not simple at all. They are life saving. We pray that God blesses our efforts and those who receive His grace through these healthkits.

2010-02-16T22:53:00.003-06:00

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