September Newsletter

Arab First United Methodist Church

September Newsletter

Alive or Dead?

          It’s great to be alive! It’s also great to be a part of a church that is alive! The vital signs around Arab First United Methodist Church look very healthy. John Ed Mathison, former Pastor of Frazier Memorial UMC in Montgomery, wrote about churches that are alive. I thought you might find it interesting:

LIVE CHURCH OR DEAD CHURCH

Live churches are planning for the future - -

            Dead churches are reliving the past.

Live churches focus on people - -

            Dead churches focus on programs.

Live churches present an unchanging Christ in forms of ministry that are changing - -

            Dead churches do things the way they have always been done.

Live churches are filled with tithers - -

            Dead churches are filled with tippers.

Live churches are friendly and receptive to newcomers - -

            Dead churches wonder why they have no visitors.

Live churches focus on what’s right with the church - -

            Dead churches look for what’s wrong with the church.

Live churches design worship in which the worshippers are participants- -

            Dead churches have worshippers that are spectators.

Live churches have worship that celebrates - -

            Dead churches have worship that is endured.

Live churches support missions heavily - -

            Dead churches keep the money at home.

Live churches dream God’s dreams - -

            Dead churches relive nightmares.

Live churches have music designed for the congregation - -

            Dead churches have music designed for the musician.

Live churches focus on power - -

            Dead churches focus on problems.

Agape, Pastor Kenny

See you at a Church that is ALIVE this Sunday!

We are pleased to welcome the following new members

to Arab First United Methodist Church:

Russell Brazelton

Brock, Mary Abigail, & Ainsley Hetherington

Samuel “Bo” and Sheila Harris

Our church is growing in numbers and faith. We welcome these new members, as well as everyone who chooses Arab First United Methodist Church by their presence in worship each week. Every attendee and guest is invited to speak to Pastor Kenny about “officially” becoming a member. Each of you are an important part of what God is doing with His family of faith in Arab. As we gather each Sunday it is to worship God and to grow in our spiritual maturity. We are all traveling this journey of faith together.

“Grapevine News”

Some of what we are hearing through the “grapevine” is that people are enjoying the music, welcoming spirit, and sermons at Arab First United Methodist Church. Keep the faith! God is doing great things to us and with us!



Children's Ministry

We will have a parent meeting, September 1st starting 5:45 pm in the Class of Our Redeemer. Come see what God has in story for your child this year in the children’s department.

Fall curriculum Sunday School classes will begin on September 5th at 9:30 am. The Confirmation Class for sixth graders has already begun with Ms. Lesa Bellin as the teacher. The Wednesday night schedule will begin on September 8th from 5:45-7:00. A children's choir is in the works.

Mark your calendars! Hallelujah (Fall Festival) October 31st from 5:00-7:00 pm, come bring your entire family for a time of fun, fellowship, and spirituality. We will have several new games and activities with a Bible based message to accompany the activity along with the usual trunk-or-treat. We need Sunday School, small groups, and youth to help with the games. Supper will be available that evening as well.

We need all parents of children ages 3 years through 6th grade with an email address to please send me an email to jarrington@blountboe.net with "add me to the list" in the subject box so that we can have a current list to send out important announcements for the children's department.

Wednesday Alive

Adult classes start on September 8^th; we have several classes offered as well as children and youth events. Each Wednesday night 5:45 pm.

Youth Ministry

Celebration of Ministries was held in our sanctuary on August 11during whichour church family shared about their missions and outreach. Do you know that 38 youth with 13 adults (for a total of 51 individuals) participated in seven mission events this summer in youth ministry? In addition, six youth individually and independently served in individual missions. As school starts and the ‘free’ time of summer ends, the youth continue to share God’s love through the following outreach events:

5^th Quarters on August 20, Sept 10, Oct 1, Oct 8, Oct 22 (homecoming), and Oct 29. Fun, food and fellowship at the Youth House after all Friday home football games, lasting from the end of the game until 11:30pm and open for all area youth. This is a free outreach to our area.

Knightfest is September 11 and 12. Knightfest is a revamped community fair sponsored by the city of Arab. The youth ministry of AFUMC will be sponsoring the movie “To Save A Life” at the old Arab Community Center in Arab City Park. The movie will be shown at 7pm on Saturday September 11. The event is free to our city.

See You At The Pole is September 22 where students around the world gather at their school’s flagpole before the start of the school day and pray together. Let us all be in prayer for our schools.

Music Ministry

Christmas Cantata Rehearsal will begin on September 8^th at 7:00 p.m.

We will work on cantata music at the beginning of rehearsal.

Community Outreach

ServeFest everyone is needed to give H2O on September 11^th “Knightfest”.

This is a Community Wide event sponsors by the Chamber of Commerce

and a perfect opportunity to serve our community.

Christmas and Beyond -With the start of school, AFUMC has enacted the “Beyond”; we have helped 110 children with their schools supplies. Each young person also received a Christian gift (pen, pencil, also “God’s AMAZEing Love” activity book and a cup). Parents/guardians received information about the church, a prayer rock, card, and a bookmark with “The Roman Road to Heaven” based on Scripture. Prayer and Christian love was personally extended to each individual family helped as they came to our church on three different occasions. A special thank you to Lois Bright, Dawn Liebner, Joy Privett, Pastor Kenny and the women of Loops of Love for sharing God’s love. Also, a special thank you to our church family for supporting Christmas and Beyond each year.

UMW --- Mini-School of Missions

September 18^th at Hazel Green UMC. Studies include mission and Evangelism, the Epistles of John, the courage of the Sudan, and teachers of youth and children. This school is open to the entire church body. Registration forms are in the church office. For more information, please contact Janey Knutson at 256-586-0242.

Yard Sale

Got stuff you need to clean out, we will be glad to help you out. The mission team supporting Jennifer Saunders will be having a yard sale on September 24 & 25, 7 am – noon, outside the fellowship hall. If you would like to donate items you can bring them after church on Wednesday, (9/22) and then come shop on Friday and Saturday.

Blood Drive

LifeSouth will be doing a blood drive on Sunday, September 19^th here at AFUMC.