(Click on the name of a section to skip directly to it)
Dr. Tim Bruster — Minimum Daily Requirements
Other Sunday Morning Offerings
FUMCFW Special Programs Survey
More Than 3 Million Stitches for God
Age is Just a Number for Wesleyan Adventurers
Baptism 101
May Church Tour
Preparing for Marriage
Meridian State Park Outdoor Retreat
Wesleyan Adventurers Night at the Baseball Game — Sold Out
Spring Golf Tournament
Women’s Wednesday Morning Study Group
Mission Day Camp
Vacation Bible School
April Mission Sundays: Adult-Sized Shirts
UMCOR Cleaning Bucket Collection
Singing Men of First Church
2016 Youth Scholarships
Service of Confirmation
Senior Recognition Sunday
2016 Youth Banquet
2016 Summer Mission Trip
Camp Barnabas
Traditional Worship | 9:30 & 11:00 am | Sanctuary | Dr. Tim Bruster
11:00 am | Confirmation Sunday
DiscipleChurch | 7:20 am | Community Breakfast | Wesley Hall
8:30 am | Chapel | Rev. Lance Marshall
9:30 am | Discussion Groups
Chapel Communion | 10:35 am | Chapel | Dr. Len Delony
nine:thirty-nine | eleven:eleven celebration | 9:39 & 11:11 am | Wesley Hall | Rev. Tom McDermott
“Minimum Daily Requirements”
Dr. Tim Bruster
Micah 6:1-8
Second in the series: “Five Essentials for Living Well”
Dear friends,
This Sunday I’ll continue the series in both Sanctuary services entitled “Five Essentials for Living Well.” In this series we’re looking together at five passages of scripture that guide us in building our lives around values and practices that help lead to what Jesus called “abundant life.” This Sunday we’ll hear the prophet Micah’s challenging words: “He has told you, human one, what is good and what the LORD requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God.” Just as there are nutritional minimum daily requirements for living, these are minimum daily requirements for living well.
This Sunday is a special day in the life of our church. It is Confirmation Sunday. I had the opportunity to spend some time with many of the members of this year’s confirmation class at their confirmation retreat at Glen Lake Camp in Glen Rose this past Saturday. What a great group of kids! They asked great questions and it was wonderful to have that time with them and with the committed adults who went with them and provided leadership for the retreat. Forty-nine young people will affirm their faith in Christ and become full members of the church in this meaningful service during our 11:00 am worship. I know that you will want to be present to support and celebrate this very important milestone in their lives.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Grace and Peace,
Dr. Tim Bruster,
Senior Pastor
Other Sunday Morning Offerings
The Gathering | 9:30 am | Room 350 | Rev. Lance Marshall
This new and different First Church Sunday morning offering led by Rev. Lance Marshall offers a casual and relevant opportunity for prayer, study, topical exploration, and high-spirited connection free from typical worship or Sunday School structures.
nine:thirty-nine celebration | 9:39 am | Wesley Hall | Rev. Tom McDermott
This engaging experience of laughter, storytelling, and message, infused with the music of Elizabeth Wills, Brad Thompson, and the Revolution Band, offers a nontraditional, unorthodox, and transformative 50-minute worship experience. If you’re ready to “reconnect your spirit without disconnecting your mind,” join us Sunday mornings at 9:39 or 11:11 am in Wesley Hall. Discover new insights into radical community, the universal love of God, and living for the healing and transformation of our world. Come casual, bring your family, and join the celebration!
Connections | 10:30 – 11:00 am & noon – 12:30 pm | Wesley Hall
Each Sunday, Wesley Hall will be set up and ready to offer members, visitors, and guests from all our different Sunday morning worship and study opportunities a chance to visit, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy a Sunday morning treat.
Click here to see classes meeting this Sunday, April 17
Every Sunday morning, groups of adults meet in FUMCFW Sunday School classes to enhance their spiritual growth and enjoy fellowship with other Christians. We have classes for a variety of demographic groups, with many different class personalities and styles.
Visit the Adult Sunday School page to learn more!
Faith in Action: Outstanding Music That Enhances Worship
Roger Partridge
I started my blog last week and I knew the communications team would be so happy to have an early submission, but then I heard the choir on Sunday — and I had to start over! You see, I originally wanted to write about the outstanding music we heard on Easter Sunday. It was simply AMAZING. Then on April 3, when the choir sang “The Majesty and Glory of Your Name,” a personal favorite of mine, once again I was ready and inspired to write about it. But wait. Last Sunday our Choral Union sang the most moving rendition of “Ride On King Jesus”I have EVER heard, and again I had to start over! Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Roger
Got A Minute?
Lisa Helm
This past Sunday, as I stood in the Garden during Connections, I noticed a couple I didn’t recognize looking around and taking it all in — the music of the eleven:eleven band against the backdrop of the beautiful weather in our Garden. I watched as they saw the people streaming out of the Sanctuary heading to Wesley Hall to grab a cup of coffee, a cookie, and the chance to mingle with the folks who had just finished the nine:thirty-nine service and I could just tell: they were visitors.
I went over and introduced myself, and in the conversation that ensued I learned they were, in fact, first-time visitors. Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Lisa
The Attendance Challenge Continues . . . and Homework for Parents
Mark Burrows
As we head into the weekend, I wanted to remind everyone about our April Attendance Challenge in Academy.
We have two Sundays to go, and the class with the highest average attendance gets a pancake party!
Homework for Parents:
Our theme this month is “Wow.” Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Mark
Everything is Waiting for You: Hospitality as a Prayer Practice
Dr. Len Delony
Something deeply powerful and profound happens when we try to follow the way Paul recommends in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that we “pray without ceasing.”
But it’s often not so much what happens that is different. It is more about our awakening to what God is already doing and inviting us into, no matter what else is happening in and around us.
Part of what we must do is learn to let go of our narrow assumptions and immediate “fight-flight-freeze” reactions. Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Len
Curiosity on the Path to God
Rev. Tom McDermott
There is an old proverb, I’m sure you’ve heard it before:
“Curiosity killed the cat.”
It was one my mother, and preschool teachers, passed along to me (in too many situations for me to remember here), and most often as an afterthought to a lesson I’d supposedly learned in consequence — a burned preschool finger after touching the surface of the hot stove burner, the time after school I’d argued with my second grade friend Tony that an old mattress wouldn’t burn because “it’s composition is too complex,” the night I drank my first, and last, “sure-to-make-me-rich” healthy shake I’d concocted of grape juice, peanut butter, vanilla ice cream, cheese, cinnamon, root beer, and bologna — all the stuff I liked (by themselves). I was sick all night. Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Tom
Our Second Pistol Packin’Mama
Rev. Larry Grubb
She is small, 5’4″ and about 100 pounds, and mighty in many ways. Her very latest “adventure” is recuperating from heart surgery in October 2015. Following her initial surgery, she had emergency surgery to repair a pacemaker that had broken and punctured her lung. Since that time, she has been on a very long and monumental road to recovery. She is still in rehab and working very hard to regain her strength and her ability to swallow. Her disposition is bright, her faith strong, and her eyes and smile dance when you enter her presence.
She was born in Fort Worth in 1931 in her grandmother’s home. Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Larry
Which Comes First? Commitment or Confidence?
Sid Johnston
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
At the First Methodist Church of Fort Worth Foundation, our daily work is governed by a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors. This Board exercises an amazing commitment to strengthening the assets of the Foundation, as it has been doing for over half a century! The assets comprise an endowment of invested funds that generate income. Income is released yearly according to a mandated formula, transferring money for the Church to use as it sees fit. Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Sid
NEW MEMBERS
HOSPITALIZATIONS
Claire Bradley
IN MEMORIAM
Ophelia Bradshaw
Click here to see a list of upcoming programs and events.
FUMCFW Special Programs Survey
Click here to take this two-question survey to help us time our programs to best fit the majority of schedules. Or, complete and return the printed survey to the Main Office of the church.
More Than 3 Million Stitches for God
“We did it all together — not for ourselves, but for the glory of God.”
— Sualice Armstrong of the 1996 Needlepoint Project
Some people stitch as a therapeutic hobby — an age-old version of the latest coloring book craze. Others stitch as a means to an end — to patch a ripped coat or hem a new skirt. Sualice Armstrong and Diann Stadler “will stitch for God.” When the 50 participants of the 1996 Needlepoint Project joined hearts and hands for God, together they made an everlasting mark on our church.
It all began almost 20 years ago when Diann and fellow stitcher Janie Harper had the same idea on the same day — to incorporate needlepoint into our Sanctuary. They put their heads together and got the stamp of approval to create needlepoint kneeling cushions for the altar rail. It took a lot of planning and teamwork to bring this project to life. More than 3 million stitches later, our church was blessed with 16 one-of-a-kind kneeling cushions in the Sanctuary.
Each kneeler is handcrafted with symbols of our Christian faith that stand for much more than meets the eye. Even before the time of Christ, symbolism played an important part in the life of the church. And before the written word, symbols were used to preserve the parables and scriptures so they could be passed down from one generation to the next. Just as all of the symbols on the Sanctuary kneelers connect with one another to tell a bigger story, the dedication of each individual kneeler tells yet another story of the people who live on in our memories. Every stitch was for the glory of God — and left a legacy that will tie our church together for generations to come.
Click here if you’d like to know more about the 1996 Needlepoint Project. Click here to download a special keepsake PDF of the history behind the millions of stitches that went into the Sanctuary pieces. And join us at the front of the Sanctuary after the 11:00 am traditional worship service on Sunday, May 1, for a tour of the building which will feature not only these Sanctuary kneelers — but all of the art and history that means so much to our church family.
Age is Just a Number for Wesleyan Adventurers
The Wesleyan Adventurers Adult Ministry is all about fun and fellowship — and for this 2,800-member group of FUMCFW adults age 55 and up, the sky is the limit. Plus, they’ll be quick to tell you that if you think this means you have to be old to join their fun, think again. This group bridges a whole generation of men and women who are young at heart and act anything but their age. From games to dinner to retreats and much more, these adventure seekers are always on the move — and looking to include anyone interested in having fun and connecting with others in our faith community over a wide array of activities and events.
On April 29, they will be in a league of their own at the TCU vs. Texas Tech baseball game (sold out). On May 9, they will team up yet again to tee off the annual FUMCFW Spring Golf Tournament. Then on May 24, they’ll stop and smell the roses during a day trip to Chandor Gardens. And this fall, the group will hit the road for a trip to remember.
Want to join in? You can pick and choose what interests you the most. And regardless of the escapade, the Wesleyan Adventurers guarantee a discovery of friendship and faith on their many adventures together. For more information, contact Rev. Phyllis Barren (pbarren@myfumc.org) at 817/339-5082.
Click here to learn more about this exciting adult ministry.
Baptism 101
Sunday, May 1
11:00 am | Room 230 | Led by Rev. Lance Marshall | Registration required
Baptism 101 must be attended by first-time parents and/or parents whose older children were not baptized in a United Methodist Church. At the class, a pastor will discuss the history, theology, meaning, and responsibility of baptism. We will also go over logistics and steps to scheduling. Not to mention it’s a great chance to meet other young families. It is offered the first Sunday of every month at 11:00 am in Room 230. While the nursery is available during class time, babies and children are more than welcome to join! There is no cost to join the class; however, we do ask that you register online, or by contacting Gayle Ammerman (gammerman@myfumc.org) at 817/339-5091, so that we can prepare accordingly.
May Church Tour
Sunday, May 1
Immediately after 11:00 am worship | Meet at front of Sanctuary
Want to find a Sunday School class, learn about our Library, Television Ministry, Children’s Ministries, and more? Join our tour of the building on Sunday, May 1. Meet Dianne Fisher at the front of the Sanctuary immediately following the 11:00 am worship service.
(Click on the name of a section above to skip directly to it)
Preparing for Marriage
April 17 – May 1
Sundays | 9:00 – 10:45 am | Foundation Building, 2nd floor
$100 per couple | Registration required
Led by Joy Allen, LCSW, M.Div
Couples often spend thousands of dollars on their wedding but invest very little in their marriage. Premarital counseling is very important to couples who are making one of the biggest decisions of their lives. This workshop helps couples to quickly recognize and develop strategies for approaching issues in their relationship that may limit their satisfaction. Participants will develop an understanding of the differences in each other’s personality, and explore powerful means of enhancing the intimacy and satisfaction they desire for their lives together. Cost includes materials as well as an individual session with Joy Allen. Joy Allen, LCSW, M.Div. is committed to helping couples create positive, respectful relationships with passion and health. Registration is required as class size is limited. To register, contact Marianne Wilson (mwilson@myfumc.org) at 817/339-5071.
Meridian State Park Outdoor Retreat
April 29 – May 1
6:30 pm Friday – 10:30 am Sunday
Meridian State Park
Our FUMCFW Outdoor Retreat Ministries have had an outstanding response over the past several years as members and guests of all ages (a real intergenerational experience) have enjoyed retreating to various state parks for spiritual renewal, outdoor activities (nature hikes, biking, fishing, exploring park offerings, bird-watching, reading a good book in peaceful surroundings, and other possibilities), Dutch oven meals and cooking, campfires with s’mores, and meaningful outdoor worship together. Our retreats offer cabins, shelters with amenities, basic shelters, RVs, and tent sites. You will experience wonderful fellowship and a retreat that will truly renew your spirit as you take a break from your busy, urban life to experience God’s beautiful creation in a new way. Please join us for this fantastic outdoor retreat at Meridian State Park. For more information, contact Rev. Chuck Graff (cgraff@myfumc.org) at 817/339-5065.
Wesleyan Adventurers Night at the Baseball Game
Friday, April 29
6:30 pm | Lupton Stadium | Sold out
Spring Golf Tournament
Monday, May 9
9:00 am shotgun start | Pecan Valley Golf Course
$40 per person, includes green fee, cart, & lunch, payable at tournament
Registration required
Women’s Wednesday Morning Study Group
April 13 – May 25
Wednesdays | 9:30 – 11:00 am | Room 154
Led by Rev. Phyllis Barren
“Belief” Documentary Series
The class will watch “Belief,” a seven-part documentary exploring humankind’s ongoing search to connect with something greater than ourselves. “Belief” invites viewers to witness some of the world’s most fascinating religious and spiritual journeys through the eyes of believers. Traveling to the far reaches of the world, and to places cameras have rarely been, these stories will all lead us to ask, “What do you believe?” For more information, please contact Rev. Phyllis Barren (pbarren@myfumc.org).
Visit the Adult Ministries page for more information on programs and activities.
Mission Day Camp
June 13 – 17
Lyle Lodge | Children entering grades 3 – 6
$125 per child before May 30, $160 after
Click here to learn more and register!
Click here to sign up to be a youth volunteer!
Vacation Bible School
July 11 – 15
9:00 am – noon | Meet in Wesley Hall
Children 3 years old through 6th grade
$15 per child before 6.7 or $30 after
Registration closes at midnight on 7.5
Click here to learn more and register!
For more information, please contact Janice Cooper (jcooper@myfumc.org).
VBS Celebration Sunday
Sunday, July 17
11:00 am | Sanctuary
Visit the Children’s Ministries page for more information on programs and activities.
Visit the FUMC Day School page for more information on programs and activities.
April Mission Sundays: Adult-Sized Shirts
During the month of April, please bring collared polo shirts, T-shirts, and white cotton/dress shirts for men and women to:
First Street Methodist Mission | Monday – Thursday | 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
OR in the donation bins at the West, East, & Garden entrances | Sunday mornings
For more information, contact Linda Murphy (lmurphy@firststreetmission.org) at 817/339-2404.
UMCOR Cleaning Bucket Collection
April 3 – 24
Bring assembled buckets to Main Office
Weekdays 9:00 am – 5:00 pm | Sundays between services
As followers of Christ “going out to be God’s people in the world,” FUMCFW is responding to those affected by the recent devastating floods in our region. We are collecting cleaning buckets containing supplies that enable people to begin the overwhelming job of cleaning up after a flood. Click here for information on creating a cleaning bucket. Please bring completed buckets to the Main Office through noon on Sunday, April 24, and we will deliver them. You may also leave $1 for transportation with your cleaning buckets. This is an excellent project for Sunday School classes, church groups, individuals, and families. We may send a team to help serve soon as well. Thank you for your support in helping those facing great need and loss! For more information, contact Rev. Chuck Graff (cgraff@myfumc.org) at 817/339-5065, and click here to read a message from Rev. Laraine Waughtal.
Visit the Compassion & Justice Ministries page for more information on programs and activities.
Singing Men of First Church
Sunday, May 8
9:30 & 11:00 am worship | Sanctuary
Singing Men of First Church Rehearsals
4.27 | 8:00 – 9:00 pm | Choir Room
5.4 | 8:00 – 9:00 pm | Choir Room
5.8 | 9:00 & 10:30 am | Choir Room
The Singing Men of First Church, a choir comprised solely of male voices, will join together once again during the 9:30 and 11:00 am Sanctuary worship services on Sunday, May 8. This short-term choir — or “sprint choir” — will only rehearse a few times before singing together. Men of all ages are welcome, whether you are a member of Choral Union looking for something different, or if you are interested in a short-term choir experience without the commitment of a weekly rehearsal. The Singing Men of First Church will perform under the direction of Robert Stovall, Director of Music & Worship Arts. For more information, contact Peggy Graff (pgraff@myfumc.org) at 817/339-2405.
Visit the Music Ministries page for more information on programs and activities.
2016 Youth Scholarships
Good Neighbors Scholarship
FUMCFW Baker and Beaver Scholarships
Applications due April 17
It’s time to apply for 2016 FUMCFW Senior Scholarships! All applications and materials are due April 17. Click on the links above to download guidelines and applications for the Good Neighbors Scholarship and the FUMCFW Baker and Beaver Scholarships. For more information, contact Brenda Kegans (bkegans@myfumc.org) at 817/339-3888.
Service of Confirmation
Sunday, April 17
11:00 am – noon | Sanctuary
Family Lunch
Sunday, April 17
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Justin Youth Building | $10
Click here to register for the service and lunch!
After a year of faithfulness and learning and growing together, the time has come! At the Confirmation Worship Service, the kids who have not previously been baptized will receive their baptism. All of the kids will be confirmed in faith and received into full membership of First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth! This is a very special day for the kids as well as their families.
After the Confirmation Worship Service, we’ll take pictures in the Garden and then make our way to the Justin Building where we’ll have an end-of-year celebration lunch. Families are welcome. We will enjoy a meal, celebrate the year behind us, and look toward the years ahead. The kids will also receive their Confirmation gift from the church. We will provide more details via email. For more information, contact Brenda Kegans (bkegans@myfumc.org) at 817/339-3888.
Senior Recognition Sunday
Sunday, May 1
11:00 am worship | Sanctuary
Join us as we recognize and celebrate the graduating seniors of the Class of 2016 during the traditional worship service at 11:00 am in the Sanctuary. To join us, send your senior headshot, your high school’s name, and your post-graduation plans to Brenda Kegans (bkegans@myfumc.org) by April 17.
2016 Youth Banquet
Sunday, May 1
6:30 – 8:30 pm | Wesley Hall
$15 | Dressy attire
Reservations due 4.24
Click here to RSVP and pay now!
All current youth are invited to join us for a night of celebrating our youth and honoring the Class of 2016. Click here to RSVP and pay online by April 24. For more information, contact Brenda Kegans (bkegans@myfumc.org) at 817/339-3888.
2016 Summer Mission Trip
June 19 – 24
Kansas City, MO | $225 for students | $75 for adults
Grades 7 – 12 (In the 2015 – 2016 School Year)
Click here to register!
We’ll be going up to Kansas City this summer from June 19 – 24 for our youth mission trip, which is open to all youth grades 7 – 12. We’ll be spending the week working in the city, worshipping together, and having fun. Youth have to be able to be there the entire week. Questions? Contact Brenda Kegans (bkegans@myfumc.org) at 817/339-3888.
Camp Barnabas
July 23 –29
Purdy, MO | $250 per person | Space is limited
Grades 9 – 12 (In the 2015 – 2016 School Year)
FUMCFW Youth are headed back to Camp Barnabas this summer for a week of swimming, camping, and playing with amazing campers dealing with mental disabilities. This is an incredible week of life-changing experiences sure to change perspectives, redefine disability, and spread God’s love in an unforgettable way! Contact Martin Leathers (mleathers@myfumc.org) at 817/339-3882 with your teenager’s name to sign up.
“We want to show our volunteers what it looks like to serve others the way Christ calls us to serve, to look past physical appearances and instead, look at the heart.”
— from the Camp Barnabas Mission Statement
Visit the Youth Ministries page for more information on programs and activities.
HONORARY GIFTS
General Fund in Honor of:
Martin Leathers by Kay Watkins
MEMORIAL GIFTS
Easter Offering in Memory of:
Thomas D. Butler by Judy Butler
Thomas L. Butler by Judy Butler
First Street Methodist Mission in Memory of:
Glenn Killman by Jo Ann Durham
Foundation Memorial Fund in Memory of:
Betty Adams by Fran & Bill Mizell Jr.