INSPIRATIONS
a weekly newsletter of
First United Methodist Church,
The Church in the Heart of Aubrey
Come
Home to Family
June 12, 2008
In This Edition:
(click to follow link)
From the
Pastor
Special Thanks
Announcements
Opportunities for Involvement
Prayer
Concerns & Joys
Weekly
Schedule
Classes
Contact
Information
From the Pastor’s Heart
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of
following Christ, if his love has made any
difference in your life, if being in a community
of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have
a heart, if you
care – then
do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each
other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your
way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to
the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get
ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own
advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend
a helping hand. Philippians 2:1-4,
The Message
We are blessed to have preserved for us this
letter from Paul to “all the followers of Jesus
in Philippi,” for it is nothing less than a love
letter from friend to friends. As I prepared to
write this, my last newsletter article to you,
my companions in faith, it seemed fitting to
turn to these words from Paul. He has worked and
led and served and prayed alongside the
Philippians, and he is rightly bonded to them in
spirit, and they to him.
Paul writes from prison, not knowing whether he
will live or die, yet his letter is filled with
the love and joy of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
This is Paul’s happiest and most encouraging
letter, overflowing with an enthusiasm that is
contagious. Though facing the possibility of a
lifelong separation from those he dearly loves,
Paul has a deep, abiding confidence that God’s
work among them will continue until the day
Jesus returns. He sends to them the words of a
teacher and friend: “I love you. But, even
better than that,
God
loves you! Cling to the hope that is beyond any
other, the hope of Christ. And whatever else you
do, don’t forget to love one another as Christ
loves you – wholly, selflessly, fervently.”
I am grateful to have had this year among you.
My time here has prospered me in ways you may
never know, and I carry a part of each of you
with me as I prepare to move into the next phase
of God’s plan for my life. Of course it is my
hope that my work at Aubrey FUMC has produced
lasting fruit of many kinds, but if I were
permitted to leave you with only one thing, I
would leave you with this: Love. Just do it.
It’s the key to … well … it’s the key to
everything.
Never forget.
My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do
want the very best for you. You make me feel
such joy, fill me with such pride. Don’t waiver.
Stay on track, steady in God. … Receive and
experience the amazing grace of the Master,
Jesus Christ, deep, deep within yourselves.
(Philippians 4:1, 23)
Amen.
United with you in Christ,
Abril
Special Thanks
In this section of the newsletter we recognize
folk who have been caught in an act of
supporting our church with their prayers, their
presence, their witness, their gifts, or their
service.
-
I thank you, each of you who have loved and
supported me, who have encouraged me with your
gifts of words and prayer and gas money and
food and hugs and smiles. God be with you.
If you’d like to express your gratitude to a
person or group, send me an email, and I’ll put
it in!
Announcements
-
June 15th reception
for Abril at the Furzey’s, 1220 Sandpiper Dr,
Paloma Creek; 11:30 – 1:30. Contact Dorothy
for further information, 972-347-3728.
-
June Food Drive
items:
Soup and Crackers.
-
Terry and Carol Lucas own a company that
recycles
vegetable oil. If you know someone
in the restaurant business, talk to Terry
about how this might financially benefit the
church.
-
Address for
Jackie Goin:
Senior Care Health and Rehabilitation
Center/2244 Brinker Road/Denton TX 76208. Her
room number is 407A. She really loves having
visitors and receiving cards and photographs.
(Return to Top)
Opportunities for Involvement in the Church and
Beyond
-
Sign up to
mow or
clean
the church on Saturday mornings – or when
it fits your schedule. See the sign-up sheets
on the bulletin board in the entry to Collins
Hall.
-
We need more
prayer team
members. Prayer is the foundation of
everything we do as a church. If you would
like to join our prayer team, please see Peggy
Cain.
-
Greeters
are needed on Sunday mornings to hand out
bulletins and provide a friendly smile. See
Dorothy Furzey to volunteer.
-
We have an ongoing
food drive
for the Food Bank in Denton. See Peggy Cain or
Denise Gilliland to help gather or deliver
food and other items.
Prayer Joys & Concerns
Pray for:
-
Our church and its leadership
-
Our soldiers in foreign countries and for
service men and women in the United States,
and pray for their families
-
Our town, our state, and our country, and for
the wisdom of our leaders and the leaders of
all nations
-
Jennifer Jolly’s stepfather, Johnny recovering
from back surgery
-
Jackie Goin, ongoing recovery from a stroke
-
Kathleen McGothlin and baby William, scheduled
to arrive on July 25!
-
Jennifer Jolly’s mother, Nita, diagnosed with
lung cancer
-
Peggy Cain’s uncle Elvis, in hospice
-
The family and friends of John Wise
-
Annie’s boss, Kenneth and family, in the death
of his father John F. Wright
-
Crystal Nelson’s parents, Bob and Rae
-
Alex Stephens, young friend of Crystal Nelson
-
Family of Margaret Seay
-
Brenda Ellis
-
Crystal Nelson’s friend Kitty, recovering from
illness
-
Billy Ward, friend of the Burke’s, stationed
in Iraq
-
Don Hopkins, friend of the Furzeys
-
Summer travelers
-
Steve and Daylen
-
Rejoice that Juliana is returning on the 15th!
Our prayer team prays for you regularly. If you
have a specific joy or concern that you would
like to list in the newsletter or would like the
prayer team to pray about confidentially, please
contact Abril or Peggy Cain.
(Return to top)
The Week At A Glance
Sunday, June 15:
Worship, 10:00 AM
Youth, Aubrey FUMC, 4:00 PM
No Finance Meeting
Reception for Pastor Abril & Zachary, 11:30 –
1:30, Furzeys
Sunday, June 22:
Worship, 10:00 AM
Youth, Aubrey FUMC, 4:00 PM
MEET YOUR NEW PASTOR, JOE GIST, AND
HIS FAMILY
Opportunities for Learning and Growth
Christian Believer has completed its 30 week
study. Congratulations to those who stuck with
it all the way to the end: Peggy Cain, Denise
Gilliland, and Crystal Nelson. We had a
wonderful time.
Sunday School classes are on temporary hiatus.
Keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming
opportunities!
(Return
to top)
Church
Staff and Contact Information
Church Office:
940-365-3024
www.aubreymethodistchurch.org
Pastor:
Abril Goforth
pastor@aubreymethodistchurch.org
abrilgo@ticnet.com
Music Director:
Juliana Choi
dajeong_choi@yahoo.com
June 5, 2008
In This Edition:
(click to follow link)
From the Pastor
Special Thanks
Announcements
Opportunities for Involvement
Prayer Concerns & Joys
Weekly Schedule
Classes
Contact Information
From the Pastor’s Heart
My
heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is
steadfast. I will sing and make melody. Awake,
my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake
the dawn. I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
among the peoples; I will sing praises to you
among the nations. For your steadfast love is as
high as the heavens; your faithfulness extends
to the clouds.
Psalm 57:7-10
We
had wonderful music in worship last Sunday! It
was such a blessing to my spirit. Music
ministers to me in so many ways – when I am low
it lifts me up and when I am filled with joy it
gives me an outlet to express my praise. Music
speaks to my heart in ways that nothing else
can.
Many of you know my brother, Shane Goforth, who
was the high school band director in Aubrey a
few years ago, and played his saxophone or the
piano or something most every Sunday at the
Assembly of God church. He lives in Houston now,
but several of you have asked, “When is Shane
going to come play for us?” Well, I have (what
I think is) good news! Shane and
his wife Lawren, along with their three
children, Opal, Cassidy, and Henry, will be here
at the Aubrey First United Methodist Church on
Sunday morning, and Shane is going to play a few
songs for us. And maybe he’ll bring along some
friends to play with him; we’ll just have to
wait and see. And Annie is going to sing for us,
too! It’ll be another Musical Extravaganza at
the AFUMC. Woo Hoo!!
And
don’t forget that Sunday is Pot Luck, too, so
bring your goodies, bring your friends, and
bring your toe-tapping shoes, because we’ll be
singing our praises to God at 10 AM!
United with you in Christ,
Abril
Special Thanks
In this section of the newsletter we recognize
folk who have been caught in an act of
supporting our church with their prayers, their
presence, their witness, their gifts, or their
service.
-
Many thanks to our Capital Campaign Committee
for their hard work during the past 2 ˝
months. And a very special thank you to Peggy
Cain who single-handedly organized our
wonderful luncheon on Sunday, without even
being asked! Thanks also to her husband,
Steve, who cooked our meat on his smoker –
dragging it all the way from home to church.
It was delicious!!
-
The music Sunday was wonderful, too. Thanks to
Dianna Burke, Annie Garza, and Bruce Trotter
for making the day extra special.
If you’d like to express your gratitude to a
person or group, send me an email, and I’ll put
it in!
Announcements
So far there are no takers. Please let Abril
know if you plan to participate.
-
Terry and Carol Lucas own a company that
recycles vegetable oil. If you know
someone in the restaurant business, talk to
Terry about how this might financially benefit
the church.
-
Address for Jackie Goin: Senior Care
Health and Rehabilitation Center/2244 Brinker
Road/Denton TX 76208. Her room number is 407A.
She really loves having visitors and receiving
cards and photographs.
(Return to Top)
Opportunities for Involvement in the Church and
Beyond
-
Sign up to mow or clean the
church on Saturday mornings – or when it fits
your schedule. See the sign-up sheets on the
bulletin board in the entry to Collins Hall.
-
We need more prayer team members.
Prayer is the foundation of everything we do
as a church. If you would like to join our
prayer team, please see Peggy Cain.
-
Greeters
are needed on Sunday mornings to hand out
bulletins and provide a friendly smile. See
Dorothy Furzey to volunteer.
-
We have an ongoing food drive for the
Food Bank in Denton. See Peggy Cain or Denise
Gilliland to help gather or deliver food and
other items.
Prayer Joys & Concerns
Pray for:
-
Our church and its leadership
-
Our soldiers in foreign countries and for
service men and women in the United States,
and pray for their families
-
Our town, our state, and our country, and for
the wisdom of our leaders and the leaders of
all nations
-
Jennifer Jolly’s stepfather, Johnny recovering
from back surgery
-
Denise Gilliland’s friend Charlie, undergoing
cancer treatment
-
Jackie Goin, ongoing recovery from a stroke
-
Bouncer Goin, now in rehab
-
The Goin family, as they juggle many
responsibilities
-
Annie Garza’s mom, Juanita, who suffers from
continuous pain
-
Peggy Cain’s mother, Ruby, in the death of two
sisters
-
Kathleen McGlothlin and baby William,
scheduled to arrive on July 25!
-
Gordon Furzey’s daughter, Carolyn, in the
death of her father-in-law, Frank
-
Denise Gilliland’s school, DeLay Middle School
in Lewisville
-
Chris McGlothlin’s and family in the death of
his Uncle Pat and another family member
-
Jennifer Jolly’s mother, Nita, diagnosed with
lung cancer
-
Peggy Cain’s uncle Elvis, in hospice
-
The family and friends of John Wise
-
Annie’s boss, Kenneth and family, in the death
of his father John F. Wright
-
Crystal Nelson’s parents, Bob and Rae
-
Alex Stephens, young friend of Crystal Nelson
-
Family of Margaret Seay
-
Brenda Ellis
-
Crystal Nelson’s friend Kitty, recovering from
illness
-
Continued prayers for Juliana as she travels
-
Billy Ward, friend of the Burke’s, stationed
in Iraq
Our prayer team prays for you regularly. If you
have a specific joy or concern that you would
like to list in the newsletter or would like the
prayer team to pray about confidentially, please
contact Abril or Peggy Cain.
(Return to top)
The Week At A Glance
Sunday, June 8:
Musical Stylings of SHANE GOFORTH
during worship
Worship, 10:00 AM
POT
LUCK, 11:15 AM
Youth, Aubrey FUMC, 4:00 PM
Annual Conference begins at 3:30
Sunday, June 15:
Worship, 10:00 AM
Finance Meeting, 11:30 AM
Youth, Aubrey FUMC, 4:00 PM
Annual Conference begins
LOOKING AHEAD:
Sunday, June 8 – Wednesday, June 11
North Texas Annual Conference
Sunday, June 15
Pastor Abril’s last Sunday
Sunday, June 22
New Pastor, Joe Gist’s, First Sunday!
Come welcome him!
Opportunities for Learning and Growth
Christian Believer has completed its 30 week
study. Congratulations to those who stuck with
it all the way to the end: Peggy Cain, Denise
Gilliland, and Crystal Nelson. We had a
wonderful time.
Sunday School classes are on temporary hiatus.
Keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming
opportunities!
(Return
to top)
Church
Staff and Contact Information
Church Office:
940-365-3024
www.aubreymethodistchurch.org
Pastor:
Abril Goforth
pastor@aubreymethodistchurch.org
abrilgo@ticnet.com
Music Director:
Juliana Choi
dajeong_choi@yahoo.com
May 29, 2008
In This Edition:
(click to follow link)
From the
Pastor
Special Thanks
Announcements
Opportunities for Involvement
Prayer
Concerns & Joys
Weekly
Schedule
Classes
Contact
Information
From the Pastor’s Heart
The congregation in Antioch was blessed with a
number of prophet-preachers and teachers:
Barnabas,
Simon, nicknamed Niger,
Lucius, the Cyrenian
Manaen, and advisor to the ruler
Herod,
Saul.
One day as they were worshiping God – they were
also fasting as they waited for guidance – the
Holy Spirit spoke: “Take Barnabas and Saul and
commission them for the work I have called them
to do.”
So they commissioned them. In that circle of
intensity and obedience, of fasting and praying,
they laid hands on their heads and sent them
off.
Sent off on their new assignment by the Holy
Spirit, Barnabas and Saul went down to Seleucia
and caught a ship for Cyprus. The first thing
they did when they put in at Salamis was preach
God’s Word in the Jewish meeting places. They
had John along to help out as needed.
Acts 13:1-5, The Message
That’s quite a list of names – Barnabas, Simon,
Lucius, Manaen, Saul. These verses don’t tell
us, but Mark was with them, too, and “the
ministry of God’s Word grew by leaps and bounds”
(Acts 12:24).
It takes a lot of faithful workers to reap a
bountiful harvest. And sometimes the workers are
sent to sow or reap in other fields. If you
haven’t yet heard the news, I will soon be
leaving Aubrey FUMC for a different church, Blue
Mound United Methodist Church, in Denton. This
is a good move for me, to a full-time position
with a parsonage and fields waiting to be tilled
and sown and harvested. I am glad for this new
opportunity, though I will miss each of you very
much. We have done much hard labor together in
God’s field and we have planted many seeds,
which I look forward to seeing blossom and grow.
The good news is that another gifted
prophet-preacher is headed your way. Peggy Cain
will be making an announcement about that on
Sunday morning. I am excited for you all because
I know this is a very good fit, and you will
continue to learn and grow and sow and reap a
bountiful harvest. And as United Methodists, we
are a connectional people, which means that we
truly do see ourselves as one body, connected
and serving and loving one another across miles
and years. You are very special to me and I will
pray for you always – and don’t think for a
second I won’t be checking up on you from time
to time through the connectional grapevine!
BUT ---- for now we put all that aside because
We Aren’t Finished Yet!! We still have exciting
and wonderful work to do together! First,
Celebration
Sunday for our Capital Campaign,
“Keep The Fire
Burning: Envisioning a heritage for the next 150
years,” is this
Sunday, June 1st.
We will turn in our Pledge Cards and celebrate
with much music and enthusiasm and – of course –
EATING!
Please join us at 10:00 A.M. as we worship
together and thank the Good Lord for the mighty
works God has done in our midst; and please plan
to stay for the cookout immediately following
worship. Glory!
If you did not receive a pledge card either at
church or in the mail, please find attachments
with information about that included with this
newsletter. Complete the pledge card and bring
it with you. I look forward to celebrating with
you this Sunday morning!
United with you in Christ,
Abril
Special Thanks
This is a new section in the newsletter where
each week we will have the opportunity to
express our gratitude to an individual or group
for supporting our church with their prayers,
their presence, their gifts, their service, or
their witness.
