Announcements

Well... did you figure out who's who in the "name the newlyweds" game? Here are the correct answers: #1 - Delores & Jerome Nunnally; #2 - Janis & Randall King; #3 - Gerry & Claude Robinson; #4 - Jeanette & Aaron Morgan; #5 - Mary Sue & Bill Noble; #6 - Betty Jo & Herman Ratcliff; #7 - Sue & Fred Worsham; #8 - Winnie & Robert Hood; #9 - Norma & Royce Dean; #10 - Carolyn & Ron Robinson; #11 - Betty & Al Stover; #12 - Sue & Sam Crawford; #13 - Veta & Carroll Blewster.

Wednesday night activities for children and youth will begin September 3. Promotion Sunday is September 7. Watch The Messenger for details. It should arrive at your home this week.

August 24th is Garrett West’s last Sunday with us, and we want to say "thanks!" for his help with our youth program as a summer intern. Garrett will be returning to his college coursework this fall.

August 31st will be Lance Green’s last Sunday with us. Lance has served as our Director of Student Ministries for the past two years and will be leaving us to take employment elsewhere. Lance, thank you for your hard work and devotion to the youth of our church. We wish you God’s best as you move on in your career!

Upward Flag Football and Cheerleading
fall registration brochures are now available in the church office and foyers.

It’s time again for the annual "paper" drive for Hope Landing. Last year you brought liquid handsoap, paper towels, toilet tissue, facial tissue and trash bags. During the next two weeks please consider bringing those same items once again. Children with special needs learn to ride horses there plus much much more. Be part of the blessing!

Sunday Nights this summer will see youth gathering in the home groups. Teens sign up with Lance now.

Wednesday nights THE LOFT will open at 5:30 and close at 8:30 - Noomas will be shown at 6:00 p.m.

Prayer Shawl Ministry Will not meet during the summer months but we hope you keep knitting! When you need more thread just call Marcella Perdue at 863-9337. She would also love to hear about individuals who might like a Prayer Shawl.

FUN In the SON
(5th & 6th graders) Will meet only on Wednesdays during the summer months. 5:30 - 7 p.m.

New Fun Way to Give
All loose $1 bills placed in the offering plates are now being dedicated to a special mission fund called the Dollar Giving Fund. Suggestion boxes have been placed in the Narthex, Hanna building lobby and church office to receive your ideas for mission projects where we can share the money collected. Be sure to bring a loose dollar every Sunday and watch the ushers smile as your bills fill the plates, what a great visual for our children. Thanks to two of our members for following up on the idea God gave them. They turned their vision into their mission.

Hope Landing is seeking volunteers at least 16 years of age to help with camps for children with special needs. Community service hours are available. Contact Angela Roberson at 870-862-0500.

January ‘09?
Who in the world is thinking about that? FUMC, that’s who...we are planning to kick off the new year with vigor. We’ll host not just one large event but two! And we need your help to pull them off. We are looking for a few good folks willing to form the central planning committee for each event and then a host of other workers, supporters and participants. Think how good you would feel using your gifts and talents to benefit a church project. How about one that has the potential of changing lives throughout our whole community? By volunteering to serve on one of the committees below you will have the opportunity to see God work up close. By not volunteering and watching others come up to that bar what will you be saying? YOU have something to offer and we need your help. During two different weekends we hope to fill our sanctuary, your home church to capacity. Don’t accept a seat on the bench, get involved. We need everything from graphic designers & radio personalities to parking attendants & childcare workers. Don’t wait for us to call you, let us know we can count on you! Jan Silvious: January 9-10, 2009 (FUMC Women's Conference) and Josh McDowell: January 23-26, 2009 (Adele MacFarlane Preaching Series)

For insurance purposes, the church needs to make a DVD of the physical building and its contents. If you would like to volunteer to tackle this project or loan out your video camera, please contact the church office (862-1341) or John Lusk (863-5581).

The Prayer Shawl Ministry is going strong. Shawls are knitted and blessed. If you would like to have one sent to someone please fill out a request form. The forms are in the church office, the narthex and the Hanna Bldg. foyer.

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is collecting items for fall Ingathering kits. Look for the gold baskets in the narthex and Hanna building entrance. Please fill our baskets to help children in need around the world. Items to be collected in August and September are hand held pencil sharpeners and packages of construction paper in various colors.

FUMC is looking for more ushers on Sunday mornings. If you would like to serve your church this way, please contact the church office or speak with Scott Yocum.

I H S Volunteers
Interfaith Help Services that operates out of the Episcopal Church is in need of volunteers. Shifts are either mornings (9:00 until noon) or afternoons (1:00 until 3:00). Contact Jean Nixon at 862-9143.