(Click on the name of a section to skip directly to it)
Dr. Tim Bruster — Growth Happens Quietly
Other Sunday Morning Offerings
Darcy Deupree Named FWISD Teacher of the Year
Transforming a Continent — One Future Leader at a Time
Ministry Milestone: Casey’s Ordination
Baptism 101
Monday Musers Summer Study Group
BrainFit Seminar & Lunch
Wednesday Morning Summer Study Group
Outdoor Retreat Ministries 5th Street Celebration
Grief Support
Mission Day Camp
Vacation Bible School
June Mission Sundays
Singing Women of First Church
Cornerstone Youth Choir Tour
DFW Brass
Rising 7th-Grader Summer Mission Blitz
Mission Day Camp Counselor
Vacation Bible School Volunteer — VBS Celebration Sunday
2016 Summer Mission Trip
Camp Barnabas
Traditional Worship | 9:40 am | Chapel | 11:00 am | Sanctuary | Dr. Tim Bruster
Children First | 9:45 am | Sanctuary | Mister Mark Burrows
Theme: “I Don’t Know”
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. Linda McDermott
“Growth Happens Quietly”
Dr. Tim Bruster
Mark 4:26-29 & Luke 13:18-21
First in the series: “Parables of the Realm of God”
Dear friends,
This Sunday I begin a series of sermons in Sanctuary worship on six of Jesus’ parables. It is entitled “Parables of the Realm of God” because whether Jesus explicitly said, “The kingdom of God is like . . .” or not, Jesus was always pointing to the realm of God in his teachings. He was always calling people to live in the realm of God. I use the word “realm” with a purpose — we don’t live in a kingdom and aren’t much acquainted in our culture with what that means, but the word “realm” captures the meaning beautifully. The word “realm” means a royal domain, like the term “kingdom,” but it also means “the region, sphere, or domain within which anything occurs, prevails, or dominates.” [dictionary.com] So, I use the more inclusive term “realm”: the realm of God is “the region, sphere, or domain within which the will of God occurs, prevails, or dominates.”
Jesus’ parables are about this realm. In his book “Why Jesus?”, Bishop William H. Willimon writes, “Parables, these pithy strange little stories from everyday life, are the most distinctive — and peculiar — aspect of the teaching of Jesus.” In this series we will discover why these timeless stories — like a good joke — always have a punch line, but with a different kind of punch. It’s not so much, “Oh, I get it” as it is “Jesus got me!” In this series we will find our own place in these parables that expose the big picture of God’s dreams for our world and, more specifically, God’s dreams for you and me.
In this Sunday’s sermon, I will be exploring a couple of Jesus’ parables about growth. I encourage you to read them and think about them for our church, our community, our world — and for your life within those realms and within the realm of God. Here are our readings:
Mark 4:26-29 — “Then Jesus said, “This is what God’s kingdom is like. It’s as though someone scatters seed on the ground, then sleeps and wakes night and day. The seed sprouts and grows, but the farmer doesn’t know how. The earth produces crops all by itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full head of grain. Whenever the crop is ready, the farmer goes out to cut the grain because it’s harvesttime.”
Luke 13:18-21 — “Jesus asked, ‘What is God’s kingdom like? To what can I compare it? It’s like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in a garden. It grew and developed into a tree and the birds in the sky nested in its branches.’ Again he said, ‘To what can I compare God’s kingdom? It’s like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through the whole.’”
I look forward to seeing you 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 | Garden & 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, June 5
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: A Summertime Hub of Activity!
Roger Partridge
Most people would consider Advent and Lent our busy seasons — and they are — but allow me to let you in on a little secret: the minute school is out our church activities really take off. Visiting with Director of Youth Ministries Andrew Mochrie this week I learned of the amazing — and constant — assortment of youth activities this summer. Plus, our Children’s Ministries staff is just about to host Mission Day Camp, followed by the highly-attended Vacation Bible School. The Wesleyan Adventurers recently completed a day trip to Chandor Gardens, and our International Mission Trips are busily preparing for their trips to Costa Rica and Kenya. Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Roger
Keeping it Real
Lisa Helm
“Life lives, life dies. Life laughs, life cries. Life gives up and life tries. But life looks different through everyone’s eyes.”
— Groucho Marx
I recently wrote, “This blog practically writes itself,” and that is the truth, it does. However, sometimes I, like everyone else, can get cranky, frustrated, and a little overwhelmed with all we have going on and all the many things that need to be done to make everything go smoothly every single week — and to make it all feel welcoming to the many different people we have here each Sunday morning. Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Lisa
One last reminder before the weekend . . .
Mark Burrows
Thing One — We are now 5 days and counting to our VBS Early Bird registration deadline (Tuesday, June 7, at midnight).
And please share this link with any friends you’d like to join you for the best VBS in the city.
Thing Two — Children First is this coming Sunday — 9:45 am in the Sanctuary.
Our theme is “I Don’t Know.” (Hmmm. Do any of us ever have a hard time saying this?) Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Mark
What They Got That I Ain’t Got?
Rev. Tom McDermott
What makes a king out of a slave? Courage.
What makes a flag on the mast to wave? Courage.
What makes the elephant charge his tusk, in the misty mist
and the musty must? Courage.
What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage. Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Tom
Hearing and Telling Stories of Healing
Dr. Len Delony
“Making one’s own wounds a source of healing, therefore, does not call for a sharing of superficial personal pains but for a constant willingness to see one’s own pain and suffering as rising from the depth of the human condition which all share.” — Henri J.M. Nouwen
“I believe that the community — in the fullest sense: a place and all its creatures — is the smallest unit of health and that to speak of the health of an isolated individual is a contradiction in family or community or in a destroyed or poisoned ecosystem.” — Thomas Berry Click here to continue reading.
Click here to read more posts from Len
NEW MEMBERS
BAPTISMS
HOSPITALIZATION
Ross Sandlin
Click here to see a list of upcoming programs and events.
Darcy Deupree Named FWISD Teacher of the Year
“You’ve been my greatest teacher, role model, and friend — and without you I don’t even know who I would be today.”
— Message from Darcy’s former student, Joey, in her yearbook
Here at FUMCFW, Darcy Deupree is known for many things. She is our District Lay Leader, alternate to General Conference, delegate to Jurisdictional Conference, and member of the Central Texas Conference delegation — to name a few. Outside church and inside the workforce, Darcy teaches at Southwest High School where she is now known as 2016 Secondary District Teacher of the Year for Fort Worth Independent School District. After teaching for eight years in the Career and Technology Program of Choice, focusing on audio/video production, Darcy has clearly excelled in yet another of her passions — and this recognition is one more of her many accomplishments to celebrate. “We have been so blessed to benefit from her gifts and graces,” exclaims Cheri Walton, North District Administrator for Central Texas Conference. “Thank you, Darcy, for loving the children!”
Click here for Q&A with Darcy about her teaching experiences. Wish you could have seen Darcy receive this award? You can! Watch this short video of the award presentation:”
Transforming a Continent — One Future Leader at a Time
A mission update from the Buchele family serving in Ghana
“We are your missionaries in Ghana because only the real power of the Gospel can transform a continent — and our approach is one student, one future leader at a time.”
— Steve & Suzanne Buchele
FUMCFW has faithfully supported the Buchele’s mission at Ashesi University in Ghana, and in a recent update of their work sent to Dr. Tim Bruster, Senior Pastor, Steve and Suzanne thanked Dr. Bruster and our church for its latest donation. Here’s a little more information on this inspiring example of two people who have “gone out to be God’s people” — across the world!
In 2006 the Buchele family made the move to Ghana. Suzanne taught math and computer science at Ashesi University, and then served as acting Academic Dean. Steve served as a teaching pastor and elder, led a church youth group music program, and interned with The Mission Society. When the Bucheles returned to their Texas roots in 2008, their hearts remained in Africa with their ministry and the people of Ghana. God’s calling for them was clear, and they returned after they were consecrated as Career Missionaries in 2012. Back in their beloved Ghana, they reunited with old friends and continue to make new ones every day.
Click here to read the full update from Steve and Suzanne Buchele about their mission work in Ghana.
Ministry Milestone: Casey’s Ordination
“Over these years, I have been most grateful for my church family here as it has allowed me to be a pastor while I am becoming a pastor. I have been so overwhelmed by the love and support I have received. I am especially thankful to Dr. Bruster and the staff for inviting me into this beautiful church and ministry.”
— Rev. Casey Orr, Associate Pastor of Discipleship
Just as we have invited Casey into our lives and faith community, we are invited to share in a very special moment of her life. During what promises to be a moving service of ordination at the Central Texas Annual Conference in Waco, Texas, Casey will be ordained as Deacon in the United Methodist Church. As Dr. Tim Bruster says, “We all celebrate this significant milestone in Casey’s life and ministry.” Even if you are unable to make the trip to Waco, please send best wishes and prayers to Casey and all those who are traveling to witness this momentous event.
Rev. Casey Orr’s Ordination
Tuesday, June 7
CTC Annual Conference | FUMC Waco
4901 Cobbs Drive, Waco, TX 76710
7:00 pm | Sanctuary | Pre-service music
7:30 pm | Service of ordination
Reception to follow | Family Life Center
Baptism 101
Sunday, June 5
11:00 am | Room 230 | Led by Dr. Mike 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.
(Click on the name of a section above to skip directly to it)
Monday Musers Summer Study Group
June 13 – August 29 (Not meeting July 4)
Mondays | 1:00 – 2:15 pm | Foundation Building, Room 271
Led by Dr. Mike Marshall
BrainFit Seminar & Lunch
Tuesday, June 14
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | Wesley Hall
Lunch provided
Good news! Did you know that you can change your brain at any age? All the more reason to come to Brookdale’s BrainFit and discover the building blocks that can keep your brain healthy. Lunch will be provided. For more information, contact Marianne Wilson (mwilson@myfumc.org) at 817/339-5071.
Wednesday Morning Summer Study Group
June 15 – August 31
Wednesdays | 9:30 – 11:00 am | Room 154
This class will examine how God’s presence is always around us, and how God moves in and through our world — even through the books we read and the movies we watch! The group is open all summer, so come when you can. Click here for more information, or contact Gayle Ammerman (gammerman@myfumc.org) at 817/339-5091.
Outdoor Retreat Ministries 5th Street Celebration
Sunday, June 26
9:00 am – 12:30 pm | 5th Street
Camp out with FUMCFW Outdoor Retreat Ministries at our annual 5th Street Celebration! This is your chance to get the details about our upcoming outdoor retreats and hear stories from past campers. You can also check out camping gear and shelters, including special RVs, tents, and our very own cargo trailer. Plus, sample some tasty Dutch oven cooking to get the full experience. Take a break from your fast-paced world to step outside and learn all about this growing ministry! For more information, contact Rev. Chuck Graff (cgraff@myfumc.org) at 817/339-5065.
Grief Support
June 1 – 22
Wednesdays | Noon – 1:15 pm
Foundation Building, 2nd Floor Counseling Room
Registration required
Led by Charme Robarts, certified Grief Recovery Specialist and Community Advocate, this group is focused on providing participants with tools and basic understanding of ways to handle grief that are healthy and lead to healing. Participants have the opportunity to share their story and to listen to others. Through the giving and receiving of support and attention, grievers often find comfort and renewed hope. To register, email Charme Robarts (crobarts@myfumc.org).
Visit the Adult Ministries page for more information on programs and activities.
Mission Day Camp
June 13 – 17
Registration closed
Lyle Lodge | Children entering grades 3 – 6
$125 per child before May 30, $160 after
Click here to learn more!
Click here to sign up to be a youth volunteer!
Children of God, Citizens of the World: A Mission Day Camp for Kids combines a strong mission and outreach core with the kinds of activities that make summer camp so much fun. Activities include swimming (registered lifeguards on site), mission projects, Bible study, music, camp games, Journey of Faith nature walks, and more. Camp counselors are the youth of FUMCFW. They lead the children in activities and share a worship assembly with them each morning.
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 June 7 or $30 after
Registration closes at midnight on July 5
Click here to learn more and register!
Click here to sign up to be an adult volunteer!
Click here to sign up to be a youth volunteer!
At Vacation Bible School 2016: Surf Shack, children will discover an interactive, energizing, Bible-based program that will give them an opportunity to catch the wave of God’s amazing love. During VBS at FUMCFW, children will become surfers and explore how to serve God’s mission for their lives.
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.
June Mission Sundays
During the month of June, please bring sunscreen, insect repellent, and rain ponchos 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
For more information, contact Linda Murphy (lmurphy@firststreetmission.org) at 817/339-2404.
Visit the Compassion & Justice Ministries page for more information on programs and activities.
Singing Women of First Church
Sunday, June 19
9:30 & 11:00 am worship | Sanctuary
Singing Women of First Church Rehearsals
6.8 | 8:00 – 9:00 pm | Choir Room
6.15 | 8:00 – 9:00 pm | Choir Room
Are you a young adult or senior woman who loves to sing but is not available to attend weekly church choir rehearsals? We have the answer for you! On June 19 (Father’s Day) at the 9:30 and 11:00 am Sanctuary worship services, the Singing Women of First Church will fill our Sanctuary with beautiful women’s voices under the direction of Robert Stovall, Director of Music & Worship Arts. There are just two rehearsals scheduled for this event: Wednesday, June 8, from 8:00 – 9:00 pm and Wednesday, June 15, from 8:00 – 9:00 pm (located in the Choir Room on the second floor of the Main Building). Come one, come all! For more information, contact Peggy Graff, Organist and Associate Director of Music & Worship Arts (pgraff@myfumc.org). See you on June 8 for our first rehearsal!
Cornerstone Youth Choir Tour
June 27 – July 1
Branson, MO | Registration closed
This year Cornerstone Youth Choir is going to Branson, Missouri. Why tour? Touring is so much more than the music we make and the places we sing. Of course, music is a large part of it. It ties all of us together, and it is the launching pad for our tour. However . . .
- Nothing builds community and transforms lives better than traveling together!
- God works in us and through us in such different ways on tour.
- It’s an incredible opportunity to see a new city and how God is working in it.
- It’s also a chance for us to make our mark in the mission field and learn to be selfless.
- We have a blast together . . . and we make lifelong friends!
- There are a million other surprises waiting for us.
For more information about Cornerstone Youth Choir, contact Elaine Johnson (ejohnson@myfumc.org) at 817/339-2406.
DFW Brass
Sunday, July 3
10:30 am | Connections in the Garden
11:00 am | Sanctuary worship service
DFW Brass, an acclaimed brass quintet, will be with us on July 3 at 10:30 am in the Garden to perform some of the most beloved patriotic and hymn repertoire, including “Armed Forces Salute,” “National Anthem,” “Stars & Stripes,” “Washington Post,” “Shenandoah,” and “Old Rugged Cross” (Dixieland style). The group will also perform “Simple Gifts” and “Quintet” by Kamen at 11:00 am in the Sanctuary. Come hear this brass quintet and get in the spirit of the Fourth of July holiday!
Visit the Music Ministries page for more information on programs and activities.
Rising 7th-Grader Summer Mission Blitz
Monday, June 27 – Wednesday, June 29
Monday | 5:00 pm | Meet at Justin Building
Wednesday | 9:00 am | Pickup time
$75 | Click here to register online
Come join us for our first-ever Rising 7th-Grader Summer Mission Blitz. This is your time to own the Justin, serve our community, build friendships, and create INCREDIBLE memories! There will be worship, mission projects, and Hurricane Harbor — not to mention you get to sleep over! Contact Andrew Mochrie (amochrie@myfumc.org) or Brenda Kegans (bkegans@myfumc.org) for more information.
Mission Day Camp Counselor
Monday, June 13 – Friday, June 17
7:30 am – 4:45 pm | Lyle Lodge
Youth entering 9th – 12th grade
As a Mission Day Camp Counselor, youth can not only give back to our church and community — they can take a walk down memory lane to their own experiences. Teens will earn 46 volunteer hours while positively influencing and guiding children campers. Plus, this mix of camp fun, mission-oriented service, and leadership skills all takes place in the fresh air and sunshine.
Click here to register as a Youth Camp Counselor and learn more about Mission Day Camp. For more information, contact Director of Children’s Ministries Mark Burrows (aka Mister Mark) (mburrows@myfumc.org).
Vacation Bible School Volunteer
Monday, July 11 – Friday, July 15
9:00 am – 12:00 pm | Wesley Hall
Youth entering 7th – 12th grade
VBS Celebration Sunday
Sunday, July 17
11:00 am | Sanctuary
This year’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) theme is Surf Shack — an interactive, energizing, Bible-based program that gives children an opportunity to catch the wave of God’s amazing love! Youth volunteers will help teach and assist children in the classrooms and participate as leaders in music, art, games, and storytelling. Plus, you can earn up to 24 hours of community service.
Click here to register as a Youth Volunteer and learn more about Vacation Bible School. For more information, contact Mark Burrows (mburrows@myfumc.org) or 2016 VBS Chair Kasey Schrimpf (jeffandkaseys@sbcglobal.net).
2016 Summer Mission Trip
June 19 – 24
Registration closed
Kansas City, MO | $225 for students | $75 for adults
Grades 7 – 12 (In the 2015 – 2016 School Year)
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
Registration closed
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!
“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.
MEMORIAL GIFTS
Food 4 Kids in Memory of:
Faires Kuykendall by Kay Watkins
General Fund in Memory of:
Barbara McWhirter by Beverly Small
Barbara McWhirter by Mavis Smith, Debbie Smith, Rebeca Berry, & Rachel Berry
Barbara McWhirter by Valerie & Dan Rhodes
Herschel Winn by Elaine & John Ehlers
Music & Worship Arts in Memory of:
Betty Anderson by Emily & Gary Harrell