A Newsletter Published by First United Methodist Church – Emporia, KS

August 28, 2008                                                                                                      Volume LIV – Issue 15

Welcome new members!

   On Sunday, August 24, two new members joined our congregation: Mary Smith and Rachelle Smith.  We are happy to have them as part of our church family!  Please extend the hand of friendship and make our new members feel welcome.

 New members: Mary Smith and Rachelle Smith

Sunday, August 17 was a great day of celebration at FUMC as we hosted our Community Open House. Free food, music, games and activities in all rooms of our church provided a great opportunity for fun and fellowship for all people of all ages.  Thanks to everyone who contributed their time and talents to this event.  You were awesome!

Preschool news

   Greetings to you all from Friends Together Preschool!  Classes began on Monday, August 11th, and after two weeks, are in full swing.  Our four year old class is at capacity, but there is still some room in our three year old class which meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  The first week we discussed classroom rules, hand washing and its importance, and most importantly friends as we got used to the class routine.  The second week we started talking about the letter A and learning about fire and tornado drills and how they keep us safe as we continued learning about friends.  There has been lots of exploring going on as the children worked at the water table and in the house area, painted with red and yellow (fire colors) at the easel, and created with play dough, Legos, and blocks. 

    Miss Laura, a student at ESU who worked with us last year, will be coming to help out on Tuesday and Thursday mornings again.  We look forward to having her back!  We are in need of someone who would be willing to serve as a substitute teacher should I have to be gone, though.  If you are interested, please call me at the church (342-6186).  Our picture board with this year’s students should be up in the hall by the classroom soon, so be sure to stop by and take a look!  I’m looking forward to another great year!  Thank you so much for your support!                 --Mrs. Jenny

Youth news

Fall Kick-Off Again  Due to numerous conflicts, attendance at our Fall Kick-Off at Melvern on August 24, was very low.  Therefore, we did not vote on Youth Council or gather necessary new year information.  All this will be done on Sunday, September 7.  We will meet at the church from 6:00-7:30.  All youth grades 7-12 are strongly encouraged to attend.  If you have not joined us in awhile, this is a great time to get connected.

Breakfast Club  Breakfast Clubs will begin meeting in September.  One morning will be for middle school students and another for high school students.  Breakfast Club meets at Coburn’s before school.  You may eat if you wish and we will have a short devotional time.  Please indicate interest by signing up on the bulletin board.  Days and times will be determined by each group.

Half-Time and Youth Choir  Half-Time and Youth Choir will begin on Wednesday, September 3.  Dinner is served at 5:30 and activities begin at 6:00.  Youth Choir is at 7:00.  Don’t miss out on these great opportunities.

Football Friday Fun  Each Friday that Emporia High plays football at home, we will be opening up the Youth Area following the game.  Snacks, games and movies will be available.  Invite your friends and come enjoy a safe place to hang out.  This is a great community outreach opportunity, but adult help is critical to the success.  If you are screened and trained and would be interested in helping on a Friday, please contact Barb or sign up on the bulletin board.

Children’s corner

Half-Time  Mark your calendars for our next Wednesday evening Half-Time session:  September 3 – October 22.  We are very fortunate that Paula Sauder has agreed to once again coordinate the dinner crew, and a family dinner will be served at 5:30 followed by classes for all ages from 6:00-7:30.  Children, ages 3 through sixth grade, will explore FRIENDSHIP.  The traits we need to be a good friend, the many ways friendships enhance our lives, and how Jesus is our forever friend.  Come join in the fun and bring a pal!

Celebration Choir  What a joy it is to sing for the Lord!  Our children’s choir, grades 1-6, will begin practice during the Half-Time program beginning on September 3.  We will then be singing on the third Sunday of each month.  Let us make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

The last three

   To continue telling you about “those” books in our church library, the next one is The Gospel according to Peanuts, by Robert Short.  The author has used some of the Peanuts comic strips to examine the insights found in these imaginative parables of our times.  This book was first published many years ago and we had a copy in our church library at the time, which had to be retired because it was never checked out.  So it’s available again and a delightful experience waits in this modern-day guide to Christian faith, fully illustrated with descriptive Peanuts cartoons, giving us expanded comment on these wonderfully imaginative parables of our times.

   The next book is The Gospel According to Tolkien, Visions of the Kingdom in Middle Earth, by Ralph C. Wood.  One reviewer said “In this engaging book, Ralph Wood shows us that Tolkien’s masterpiece is a deeply Christian work because it does not blink back the horrors of our terrible times but confronts them with startling honesty.  Readers perceive the hope that can be found amidst despair, and the Faith that springs from the strange power of weakness.”  Of course, the “masterpiece” is The Lord of the Rings, about which Tolkien himself said “The religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism.”

   The last book is The Gospel According to Harry Potter, by Connie Neal.  In the Foreword, the author says “my aim is to get people to think outside the cauldron, to spark conversation and provoke thought so that others might share the joy of being able to discern what is “good and acceptable.”  Paul stresses discernment, one of the key gifts of the Holy Spirit.

                                                        --Jean Brown, Librarian

Garage sale a success!

The United Methodist women had another successful garage sale on August 15 and 16th that raised $7,900.  UMW wants to extend their thanks and appreciation to everyone that donated items as well as helped with the sale.  When the sale was over, leftover items were donated to:     Abundant Harvest

              Emporia Rescue Mission

              Toy Shoppe

              Riverside School

Adult Half-Time study

   During the fall on Wednesday nights, Kurt Cooper will be leading an adult Half-Time study on the book  Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Dafur and Beyond.  The study will be held on Wednesday nights September 3 thru October 22 in Cornerstone Café from 6:00-7:30pm. The cost of the study is $10.00, which includes both the book and a Christian Companion study guide.

Success story

   Does our church still have a Briones Scholarship Fund?  Does the school that Antonio Briones founded on the outskirts of Juarez, Mexico still exist?  What happened to Misael Briones, the young man who visited our church last summer with his father?

Briefly, I would like to answer these questions.

   Yes, the Briones Scholarship Fund, which our church established four years ago, will continue to assist Antonio and Dina Briones’ youngest daughter, Abi, as she completes the last two years of her education at Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas.

   Yes, the Susana Wesley Elementary School in Anapra, Mexico is growing every year. Rev. Jim Reed, recently retired from Manhattan First, was honored at graduation ceremonies in June 2008 as one who believed in Antonio’s vision back in July of 2000.   Manhattan First United Methodist has been a faithful supporter of the school; whereas, our support has been directed toward helping the Briones with Misael and Abi’s education at L. P. I.

   Misael Briones is our success story.  Please read the letter he wrote to our church.

Dear First United Methodist Church at Emporia,

   My name is Misael Briones.  I just graduated from Lydia Patterson Institute thanks to donors in your church.  I thank God for that and I pray for you always.  This year I will be attending the University of Texas at El Paso, the Miners.  I hope to finish a degree in Civil Engineering.  In the past I wanted to attend KSU to study architecture but could not because of money.  I know God always has a plan for His sons and I know that He wants me to go to UTEP.

   UTEP has the best school of engineering for Hispanics since 2004.  I have a friend who studied there and now is working at the Boeing Company at Los Angeles.  Since I am Mexican I have to pay more but UTEP has a special program called PASE.  This program allows some international students to pay in-state-tuition.  I turned in my form for PASE last February and was accepted in May.  After that I went through special tests for international students and now I am accepted and ready for orientation.

   ITEP is located around mountains and is really beautiful.  It has a NCAA football team, the Miners.  I think they are in the USA conference, and they play against teams like SMU and Tulane. This season they play against the Longhorns.  By now you know that I love football, so if you turn on the TV in one of the games you might see me in the student section.  Staying at UTEP will allow me to play one more season at my team in Juarez. 

   I will be living at Juarez for now because it is very expensive to rent a dorm or an apartment.  I will be crossing the border every day walking or driving.  I am pretty sure that I’ll walk more than drive due to the gas prices.  UTEP is about 40 minutes in bus away from the border and my house is about 30 minutes driving away from the border.  My dad will drive me to the border and then I’ll walk from there.  I have friends who are also walking so I will not be alone.

   So, this is my plan for college.  I thank God for allowing me to stay here with my family.  I will be helping my dad and mom with their mission at Anapra.  I am sure God has a plan for me and pray so that I stay in the right path.  Please keep me in your prayers.  I will always keep you all in mine.

   God Bless You.                              Your Brother in Christ,

                                                        Misael Briones

   We would like to thank everyone who contributed toward Misael’s education at L. P. I. during the past four years. As a church, our commitment to his high school education is completed.  However, if you would like to assist this outstanding young man as he begins college, please contact Jim or Bev Dillman at 342-9186 to receive his parent’s address.  Antonio and Dina Briones would like very much to communicate with anyone in our church who has an interest in Misael.  All contributions are greatly needed, and will go directly to his parents, not through our church.

                                                        --Jim and Bev Dillman

REMINDER! Super Sunday is September 14!