THIS SUNDAY
Traditional Worship | 9:40 am | Chapel | 11:00 am | Sanctuary | Dr. Tim Bruster
Children First | 9:45 am | Sanctuary | Mister Mark Burrows
Theme: “God keeps his promises. No matter how bad or sad things can seem, God is always in control.”
DiscipleChurch | 7:15 am | Community Breakfast | Wesley Hall
8:30 am | Worship | Chapel | Charme Robarts
9:30 am | Discussion | Foundation Building, 2nd Floor
The Gathering | 9:30 am | Wesley Hall
11:00 am | Justin Youth Building
Rev. Lance Marshall
Chapel Communion | 10:35 am | Chapel | Dr. Len Delony
eleven:eleven celebration | 11:11 am | Wesley Hall | Charme Robarts
Worship Bulletins
Connections | 10:30 – 11:00 am & noon – 12:30 pm | Garden & Wesley Hall
Join us at Connections between services.
More Ways to Worship
Live Stream | Join us live online on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am for The Gathering, 9:45 am for Children First (first Sunday of each month), 11:00 am for Traditional, and 11:11 am for eleven:eleven celebration.
WRR Radio | Listen to each previous week’s sermon and music on Sunday mornings at 7:30 am on WRR 101.1 FM.
Sunday School Teachers & Topics
The Gift of Being Awe-struck
Dr. Tim Bruster
Psalm 8, Job 37:1-5
As I prepare for this week’s continuation of our “Gifts of the Dark Wood” Lenten worship series with “The Gift of Being Awe-struck,” I can’t help but think about the times in my own life when I felt awe-struck. You know the kind of moment I’m talking about: When a sudden flash of insight or awareness, seemingly coming out of nowhere, changes your understanding of your world and what’s in it — and you remain changed from that point on. These pivot points in life can be simple, expected, or unexpected. The way you recognize them is they contain a sudden and profound “flash” that heralds the unmistakable experience of God in your life. For me the greatest of these moments would be meeting Susan, when each of my daughters were born, seeing my grandchildren for the first time, and my call to ministry. Read more.
Robert Stovall gives a quick preview of the music offering for this Sunday.
Welcome to Lent 2017: Gifts of the Dark Wood
This Lent we will explore what it means to be in the “Dark Woods” moments of our lives. We are not just going to talk about how to get out of it, as if life is good only when we are not there. We are going to explore what it might mean for our lives to recognize the gifts of being in the Dark Woods. What if times of uncertainty, failure, or emptiness are actually opportunities for spiritual awakening?
Together we will take a journey in this season of Lent. Our worship series, “Gifts of the Dark Wood,” is about “seeing life through new eyes.” When we allow ourselves to accept the personal journey we can experience within the Dark Woods, the Holy Spirit tends to nudge us, awaken us, to a fuller life. Life is messy. Life is uncertain. Rather than a problem to be solved, what if we saw uncertainty, failure, emptiness, and loss as gifts? What if we saw how these uncomfortable times can actually help us let go of all we cannot know so that we can live more wholeheartedly? Let us begin the journey . . .
2017 Lent Programs and Events
CHURCHWIDE NEWS
A Way Forward — Progress Begins With Simple Phone Call
In their first meeting, the 32-member Commission on a Way Forward were simply separate voices connected by 32 separate telephones. This mid-December called teleconference was the first opportunity for official contact between the newly appointed Commission members led by three moderators, Bishop David Yemba, Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball, and Bishop Ken Carter. Read more.
MEMBER NEWS
NEW MEMBER
BAPTISM
HOSPITALIZATION
Greg Carter
BIRTH
Vera Klipfel, proud parents are Lauren & Ben Klipfel
GIFTS & MEMORIALS
MEMORIAL GIFTS
Children’s Ministries in Memory of:
Michael Patison by Elaine Crowder
Michael Patison by Elsie May Chesser & Lewis Chesser Jr.
Easter Offering in Memory of:
Jimmie Harrington & Craig Dickson by Cecile Montgomery
First Street Methodist Mission in Memory of:
Ellen Jo Jeannes by Sandra & James Balch, M.D.
General Fund in Memory of:
Michael Patison by Redmond Warren & Lee Unger
BLOGS
We’re Off to the Emerald Isle in 2018!
Robert Stovall
As you may remember in recent weeks, I spoke about the incredible opportunity being presented for members of our Choral Union to travel to IRELAND! Well, it’s going to happen, folks. Members of this fantastic choir, along with spouses and friends, are going to Ireland June 25 through July 4 of 2018. Read more.
Yesterday and This Coming Sunday
Mark Burrows
First of all — wow! We had a great day yesterday. (It was like the first day of Academy.) The halls were absolutely buzzing, and it felt great! Second — Children First is THIS Sunday (9:45 am in the Sanctuary). As always, we depend on lots of child leadership. So if your kid can help out this Sunday, please let me know. See you Sunday! Read more.
Being Awe-struck
Charme Robarts
Hello everyone, I’ve missed you while I was away and look forward to seeing you all on Sunday and thinking with you about our Gifts of the Dark Wood. Being awe-struck: that moment when you realize (again) that your way is not the only way; that there might have been more to the story than you realized, that your way of seeing things is not the only one, AND instead of you having assumptions — your assumptions have you! Read more.
The Temptation of John the Baptist
Andrew Mochrie
This past week in our Lenten series, “Gifts of the Dark Wood,” our church talked about the gift of temptation. It is the perfect setup for us in the Justin as we begin this week with our series on temptation for our middle school youth. Most people’s go-to story for temptation is Jesus’ 40-day-and-night fasting experience in the desert. His three temptations hold classical themes for life’s challenges to us as we journey through it in faith. Read more.
The Window to Wonder
Dr. Len Delony
Awe is one of our greatest gifts. I’m not talking about the intimidating, even punishing “shock and awe” of one side against another. (From this view, sometimes a harsh “God fearing” or “fear and trembling” is how awe is interpreted, with the emphasis on fear, and power of one over another. Read more.
EVENTS
April Mission Sundays
During the month of April, please bring insect repellent and sunscreen to:
First Street Methodist Mission | Monday – Thursday | 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
OR the donation bins at the East, West & Garden entrances | Sunday mornings
Communications Volunteer Opportunities
Print Production Volunteer
On-Call Delivery Volunteer
Event Photographers
1.26 – 4.6 Thursday Theologians
9:15 am | Refreshments & gathering
9:30 – 11:00 am | Book discussion | Room 350
Led by Rev. Linda McDermott | Registration closed
3.5 – 4.2 Luther & Wesley: Before & After
Sundays | 9:30 – 10:30 am | Room 332
Led by Dr. Lamar Smith
3.5 – 4.2 Sunday Lenten Study: “Gifts of the Dark Wood”
Sundays | 11:00 am – noon | Room 331
Led by Rev. Chuck Graff
Registration required | Book available for $12
3.6 – 4.10 Monday Musers Lenten Study Group
Mondays | 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Foundation Building, Room 271
Led by Dr. Mike Marshall
3.8 – 4.12 Wednesday Lenten Study: “Gifts of the Dark Wood”
Wednesdays | Noon – 1:00 pm | Room 154
Led by Rev. Linda McDermott
Registration required | Book available for $12
3.8 – 4.12 Pastor’s Lenten Study
Wednesdays | 6:00 – 7:00 pm | Room 231
Led by Dr. Tim Bruster
4.1 Fort Worth Zoo Run
8:00 – 9:30 am | Fort Worth Zoo
1989 Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76110
Registration required
4.2 Baptism 101
11:00 am | Room 230 | Registration required
4.2 Church Tour
After 11:00 am worship | Sanctuary
4.2 Emmaus Ministry Gathering
4:00 – 6:00 pm | Room 350
4.2 Bluegrass Gospel Concert
6:00 pm | Sanctuary
4.4 United Methodist Women Annual Fundraiser
10:30 am | Ridglea Country Club
4.6 FUMC Day School Fundraiser — A Night of Pure Imagination
6:00 – 10:00 pm | Joe T. Garcia’s
2201 N. Commerce St. | Fort Worth, TX 76164
4.8 Habitat for Humanity Cowtown Brush Up
Registration closed
4.9 Choral Union Holy Week Concert
7:00 pm | Sanctuary
4.13 Family Maundy Thursday Dinner & Service
5:30 pm | Dinner | Room 350
6:15 pm | Worship | Chapel
“What Does Maundy Mean?”
4.13 Maundy Thursday Service
7:00 pm | Sanctuary | Rev. Linda McDermott
“The Gift of Disappearing”
4.14 Good Friday Services
Noon | Chapel | Rev. Lance Marshall
7:00 pm | Sanctuary | A meditative service of word and music
4.14 Family Good Friday Dinner & Service
5:30 pm | Dinner | Room 350
6:15 pm | Worship | Wesley Hall | Mister Mark Burrows
4.14 Adoramus Good Friday Concert
7:00 pm | Sanctuary
4.15 Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 15, 2017
10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Lyle Lodge
7179 Peden Road | Azle, TX 76020
4.16 Easter Sunday Traditional Worship
8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am | Sanctuary | Dr. Tim Bruster
“Where Do We Go From Here?”
4.19 – 12.20 Pastor’s Bible Study
Wednesdays | 6:00 – 7:00 pm | Room 231
Led by Rev. Lance Marshall
4.22 The Message Marathon 5K, 10K, Half-marathon
6:30 – 9:30 am | Fort Worth Stockyards
Registration required
4.22 The Message Marathon Water Station Volunteers
7:00 – 9:00 am | Fort Worth Stockyards
Registration required
4.30 The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
10:00 am – 4:00 pm | Lyle Lodge
Led by Rev. Phyllis Barren
$75 per couple (includes lunch and workbook)
Registration required by April 24
Ongoing Programs
First Yoga
Mondays & Tuesdays | 9:30 – 10:30 am
10:45 – 11:30 am | Chair yoga
Wednesdays | 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Thursdays | 8:30 – 9:15 am
Room 320 | Led by Linda Blanchard | All ages & fitness levels
Registration required | $70 per 10-class punch card
Free Community Boot Camp
Mondays & Wednesdays | 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Justin Youth Building Gym | 801 W. 5th St.
Waiver required | Registration required
Men’s In-Depth Bible Study
Tuesdays | 7:00 – 8:00 am | Room 154
Led by Fred Cantu and other leaders
First We Drum
Second Tuesday of each month
7:00 – 8:30 pm | Wesley Hall
De Colores! Emmaus Ministry Fourth Day Reunion Group
First Wednesday of every month
Noon | Room 230
Walking, Running, & Cycling Group
Not meeting 4.1 & 4.22
Saturdays | 8:00 – 9:00 am
The Trailhead at Clearfork
4801 Edwards Ranch Road
Fort Worth, TX 76109 | Waiver required
Fill Backpacks for Food 4 Kids
Sundays | Pack backpacks for 1 hour between 9:00 am – noon
First Street Methodist Mission
First Talks
Sundays | 9:30 – 10:30 am | Room 350