Pastoral Column

2

Concert, Inspirational Talk,

and a Movie!

3

VBS & Church Directory

4

Save the Date/ Did you

Know...

5

Plants for Giving Field 6

THE SP RE A P R I L 6 , 2 0 1 4

Do you have a desire to E-spire?

Email: dstrother@fumcbeaumont.org

to be added to the E-Spire list.

V O L U M E X X X 1 1 1 I S S U E 7

@firstbeaumont FUMC Beaumont

FUMCBeaumont.org

Sunday, March 23, Faith in

Action Sunday, was a great

day. Even though the day

started with fog and drizzle,

no one was discouraged.

We went out with happy

hearts and as Sarah Woods

put it, “To serve the Lord!”. We interacted with

and reached out to others in the community. We

made some new and lasting friends. There were

116 FUMC participants and 29 non-church

members who showed God’s love and made a

difference. First United Methodist Church

Beaumont put our faith into action by blessing

others and were blessed as individuals as well as

a church.

Faith In Action Sunday

Update

“I will show you my faith in what I do.”

Easter, April 20th

Worship, 10:30 a.m.

One Service Only

P A G E 2

I want to thank you for your wonderful generosity in our efforts to touch our city with the love of

Jesus Christ. Each time we have gathered in worship since the season of Lent began, we have shared

mission gifts with a variety of organizations in our city that provide help to people in need. The hygiene

items and bug spray you shared have gone to our Kairos Kitchen guests. Gently used clothing was given

to Some Other Place, the Shelter for abused women and children received the diapers and other

appropriate items you brought, and the Lion’s Club eye glasses bank received the eyeglasses. On

Sunday, April 6, we will be sharing ourselves with nursing home residents who are always in need of

human community and love. You are encouraged to meet at the church at 3:00 pm Sunday afternoon

when we will divide ourselves into groups so that each of the various care facilities can be visited. On

April 14, we will remember how Judas betrayed Jesus for a payment of 30 coins. That day you are

invited to make a special offering of the change in your pockets or the change you have collected

throughout the week which will be placed in our Society of St. Stephen fund that helps people in need

who come to our church seeking help. Instead of placing lilies on the altar and in our gathering area on

Easter, we will be placing plants in the Giving Field which is a community garden that provides fresh

produce for hungry people in our community. You will have an opportunity to make a donation of the

funds you would have spent placing a lily on the altar in honor of memory of a loved one knowing that

the funds will go toward the Giving Field and your loved one will be remembered in the Easter Sunday

worship guide. Sign-up sheets for these donations will be available just as they have been for donations

of lilies in past years.

I hope you are finding this year’s emphasis for Lent as meaningful as I am. The more we live into

our mission statement: “In the heart of the city to love the city with the heart of Christ” the more

convinced I am that we have found God’s vision for our congregation. There was an amazing sense of

both commitment and community among us on Faith in Action Sunday and so many lives were touched

through those efforts. On April 12, the doors for Kairos Kitchen will open at 3:30 because we will be

showing “The Jesus Film” to our guests. Rothwell hall will be set up like a movie theater and popcorn

will be served as well as a box lunch at supper time. Special activities for the children of our guests are

planned in the class rooms adjacent to Rothwell hall. We need more Kairos volunteers on April 12th than

usual and we need volunteers with special gifts. It is likely that some of our guests will have questions

after seeing the film or may have requests for prayer. We need faithful people willing to pray with those

in need of prayer and willing to be available to answer questions and share the good news of God’s love

made real in Jesus Christ. We need people eager to be part of the children’s activities who can share the

love of Christ with them. I hope you will put April 12 on your calendar and plan to be part of whatever

God might choose to do among us on that day.

The love of Christ abides in this place and through you it is making its way around our city. I

thank God for each one of you!

Karen

Matthew West Concert Friday, April 4th 7:00

Friday, Apr. 4, Contemporary Christian Artist, Matthew West,

will perform in our sanctuary. He brings to his audience the

Word of God through song. Ticket sales are brisk.

To get yours, go to:

deluproductions.com for tickets or call: 833-0045

Letchford Family Visit

Wednesday, April 9th

The Letchford’s are back home in “the States” and are

sharing their stories about their medical & teaching

ministries with those who support them. Wednesday at

5 pm will be dinner. The Letchford family will be tell-

ing their stories afterwards. You will be blessed if you

attend.

If you know you will be at dinner please call the office

and let us know. 832-0295. If you find you can come

at the last minute, please come. A reservation is NOT

required.

MOVIE NIGHT WITH KAIROS

KITCHEN

Saturday, April 12th

FUMC is the host and we are needing volunteers to set-up,

serve,

and clean up. Call Tara Theiss if you can lend a hand.

P A G E 3

P A G E 4

Updating Our Records for a FUMC Membership Directory

Name:__________________________

Children:________________________

________________________

Address:________________________

________________________

Hm. Phone:______________________

Cell Phone:______________________

Wk. Phone:______________________

E-mail:__________________________

VBS : Wilderness Escape

Where God Guides and Provides!

June 23—27

9 am – noon

Children must have completed Pre K-4

or be entering Kindergarten later this year.

SAVE

THE

April 4, 2014 Matthew West Concert

Friday @ 7:00 PM

April 9, 2014 Letchford Family Visit

Wed. @ 5-7:00 PM

April 11, 2014 2nd Friday Friends

Friday @ 6:00 PM

April 12, 2014 Kairos Kitchen

Sat. @ 5:30 PM

Volunteers/Workers

Needed

April 13, 2014 Palm Sunday

Fellowship Lunch

Church Council Meets

April 17, 2014 Maundy Thursday service

Thurs. @ 7:00 PM

Sanctuary

April 18, 2014 Good Friday service

Friday @ 7:00 PM

Rothwell Hall

Did You Know...

P A G E 5

The youth will be participating in Relay for Life for the 5th year.

Relay for Life is May 2nd. Please support our youth in this worthy

cause. We all have family or friends who have been touched by

cancer. You can donate on line at:

www.beaumontrelay.org

Click on Donate

Scroll down to team name: FUMC Youth

Click on Donate

Complete information and submit

**THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR YOUTH**

Camp registration forms are available at the church office.

Registration forms are due May 4th. Camp is for students entering

the 4th grade through the 12th grade. The cost is $150. Please return

completed forms and money to Jana Windle.

Mark your calendars we will have Wacky Wednesday activities

beginning July 2nd through July 30th. We will meet from 2-5 pm. So

far we have planned on a waterslide, baking cupcakes and game

day, and pool party

Remember we have MYF meets Sunday evenings from 5 to 7 pm.

And our Wednesday night bible study will continue through the

Youth News

Kerwin Stone represented the U.S. Air Force on the state capitol grounds

last Saturday. He was one of eight people to pull on parachute cords in

unveiling the new Vietnam Veterans Monument. Each branch of the

armed services had a representative present.

On September 2012 a model of the monument was shown in Beaumont.

”It shows the figures of five soldiers – an infantry rifleman, a sniper, a

radio operator, and a medic treating another wounded soldier.”

Vietnam Veterans Monument

The Spire Publication No. USPS 238-400 Published bi-weekly by: First United Methodist Church 701 Calder, Beaumont, Texas 77701 POSTMASTER: Send change of address to: First United Methodist Church P.O. Box 3247, Beaumont, TX 77704

Dated Material-Please Expedite!

Periodicals Postage

Paid at

Beaumont, Texas

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT SPIRE: April 10, a.m.

Plants for the Giving Field

In lieu of Easter lilies this year, we will be accepting donations toward plants and seeds for the Giving Field, the

community garden that provides fresh produce and eggs to the Nutrition Center at Some Other Place and the

Hospitality Center in Port Arthur. You may designate your gift in memory or in honor of a friend or loved one.

Donations of any amount will be accepted. The deadline for making a donation is Tuesday, April 15.

In memory of _____________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

In honor of _____________________________________________________________________________________

Given by _____________________________________________________________________________________

Phone number __________________________________