A New Start for the Newsletter

For the past few months, the church staff, along with the help of Communications Chair Art Shirley, have been looking at updated, economic-friendly ways for us to improve the church’s newsletter. We are excited to share that we will now be able to assemble the weekly newsletter with photographs, our new church logo, an easily readable format, and a much lower cost. With continued increases in the costs of postal mailing, we can be good stewards of our resources by distributing the newsletter electronically.

We know this will be a big change, and here’s what we need from you to ensure you stay updated on everything First United Methodist:

Contact the church office by Wednesday, January 31, and let us know if you would prefer to receive the newsletter via text message (through Remind) or email.

Have you seen our beautiful posts that Julie, Stacy, and Jessi have sent out with church announcements and on social media over the past couple of years? Those were made on a program called Canva, which we will use for the newsletter, too. We can’t wait for you to see how bright and beautiful it is!

We know this will be a big change, and thank you for understanding. We look forward to hearing from you!

all good things,
dr. darian

One More 2023 Pastoral Letter

Dearly Beloved Friends (And Flock),

This is our last newsletter of 2023, and as I reflect on the past year, I understand why the New Testament writers always began and ended their letters with words of thanksgiving. Paul, Peter, James, John, and any anonymous writers expressed how grateful they were for the letter’s recipients. Let me begin with the same blessing that I give thanks to God our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ for the ways I see the Holy Spirit at work in you.

I’ve had to write you a number of pastoral letters this year, and it felt appropriate to end with one that looks upwards & forward. Now is the opportunity for us to live out what we believe, and what we believe in is resurrection. New life. New beginnings. Miracles. We are already showing signs of such new birth! Two words that the Lord keeps impressing upon me for 2024 are gratitude & generosity. I will share more in the Epiphany worship series about these words and what they might mean for us.

I will update you that the finance committee will meet this week to discuss and hopefully approve our budget for next year. By the end of this week, we should also have most of our church officers in place and ready to approve. Both officers and the budget will be distributed to our active members soon after. In early January, we will talk about stewardship as well, how you might commit not only your monetary gifts but the gifts of your hands, feet, and hearts.

I give thanks for each of your hearts. It is an honor to serve as your pastor, shepherd, and friend. Let us take our sheep lives into 2024 with gratitude and generosity!

all good things to each of you,
dr. darian

More Glory Sightings

On behalf of the Staff Parish Committee, I’m delighted to share that Gail Foote has accepted the position of office manager, to begin on January 1, 2024. Gail is no stranger to our church’s membership or staff. She has served as Director of Family Ministries in the past and is involved in many areas of church life. Most likely, if you are reading this newsletter, then you have gotten a text from Gail! Her gifts of hospitality and encouragement, among others, will be most welcome as she returns to the staff.

We’re also thankful that our new pianist, Kindal Gammill, will start playing weekly in January. These two “newest” members of the staff have something in common that I believe is so important: the Holy Spirit led them to us, and they answered a “nudge” from the Holy Spirit. Glory sightings emerge when we respond to these leadings and nudges.

When the angel Gabriel visits Mary and tells her that she will bear a son named Jesus, the Savior of the world, Mary asks a legitimate question: HOW? Gabriel responds by saying, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you: (Luke 1:35).

The same Spirit that came upon Mary is upon us. We are overshadowed by the same God who brought forth eternal life. What have we to fear? Let us give thanks for all the ways that God’s glory is shining, and may his Light shine through us.

all good things to each of you,
dr. darian