Come join us at First United Methodist Church of Wortham as we celebrate the true meaning of Christmas:

"For a child has been born to us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace"
Isaiah 9:6

So often we get so caught up in the giving and receiving during Christmas time that we forget that we already received the greatest gift of all time, a child who would one day grow to be a man, our Savior. You are invited to join us as we worship and celebrate this miraculous and mysterious birth and receive anew that which has been given.

Doing or Being?

As I feverishly worked between Charge Conference forms, bulletin preparation, sermon preparation, Bible study preparation, Church and Civic Committees.... it dawned on me, "Be careful what you wish (pray) for 'cause you might just get it!" We have prayed for growth. We have prepared for growth. Now we have begun to see growth. I think what some of us missed was that with church growth comes a growth of commitment to the church.
Many of us are satisfied with our level of commitment to the church. This commitment includes coming to the church, singing appropriately, placing a few dollars in the offering plate, listening to the sermon and going home. Would it surprise you to know that church membership in the early church was much different? Church membership then was less about what happened in the church building (if they were even able to assemble in a large building set aside for worship) and more about what happened out side of the church building. Of course we don't forsake the assembling together of believers, but that is more about "filling the salt shakers" so we can go out and be the "salt of the earth." As we grow I pray that each of us would look at what it means to BE a church rather than simply DOING church. We may find there is a big difference. (For more on this check out the archive of sermons link on this page.)

Free Photo Registration

This is the Link for the photo registration

Free 8 X 10

We are giving away professionally taken 8 X 10 photos of your family! Lifetouch photo directories will be at the First United Methodist Church from September 10 - 12. Members of the church will have their picture taken for the new church family directory but you do not need to be a member of the church to have your picture taken. Please allow 1 hour for registration, photo session, and viewing.

You will have the opportunity to purchase more pictures if you would like or simply accept the free 8 X 10 as a gift to you. There will be no high pressure sales from the Lifetouch people.

The samples shown are the quality of pictures you should expect.
Plan your Christmas pictures, gifts, or family portrait now.

To register please click here. You will be directed to the registration page and can select a time that is good for you.

Final Tally on Pennies

Several months ago our Children's Ministry (specifically the 2nd - 5th Grade Sunday School Class and Vacation Bible School) began collecting pennies for the Nothing But Nets program. The plan was, through the month of July, to collect pennies (and any other money people would like to donate) toward the eradication of Malaria carrying mosquitoes in Africa through the United Methodist / UMCOR / United Nations / National Basketball Association program called Nothing But Nets. The final tally has been made and the children have raised $427.31. This is enough money to purchase nearly 43 nets, and in effect have the potential to save the lives of 43 families in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Thank you for all you have done to make this possible. Often we fail to see the great things that God can do:
- through our kids
- with a few pennies
- in the life of our church
- with our small donation
- with the little things we do...
Our God can and does do great things in great ways so often. We just need to open our eyes to see it and be thankful that God has allowed us to have even a little part in it. If you would like to give in the future you may do so online at The United Methodist website or contact the church office for more information. Peace and Grace, J

update on pennies

Well, we are a long way from having 200,000 pennies but we have bought quite a few nets. We had 25 nets ($250 or 25000 pennies) prior to Vacation Bible School. The first night of Vacation Bible School we collected another 2000 pennies ($20 or 2 nets) and then last night we collected another 6000 pennies ($60 or 6 nets.)
What a great start. It is so great to see the kids getting into the work of supplying nets for the children in Africa.
May God bless the work these great kids are doing for others.

for info on the mosquito nets check out these videos:
Serious - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guSbOPjG87A
Funny - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noUyiZTDCbk

enjoy

Kingdom of the Son VBS 2009 at FUMC Wortham

First United Methodist Church
Wortham, TX

Vacation Bible School 2009

July 6 - 10

6:00 - 8:30

We'll see you there!

200,000 pennies needed

Our children's ministry has been collecting pennies to support the Nothing But Net's campaign of the United Methodist Church. To date they have collected some 20,000 pennies and still have through July before the fund raiser is over. Our Vacation Bible School, July 6 - 10, 6:00 - 8:30 PM, has a Safari theme and the VBS offering will go toward the Nothing but Net's campaign as well. At the end of July the children will be sending all the funds raised through UMC.org to this great initiative and I am so proud of them.

As I was thinking about all that the kids are doing (and watching a few RETHINK Church video's on youtube.com) I found this add for Nothing But Nets. I don't know who the kid is but the video was produced by my old church, FUMC Lufkin. Copy the link below into your browser to see this cute video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YWtiaxtjxg&feature=related


Here is another one that gets the point across in a different way...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbLL8ZCC27k&feature=related


And finally.... a serious one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxwcJFSKKQE&feature=related


If you are not able to give at our church, give somewhere. $10.00 can make a difference. You can save a life.

If you save a life and I save a life and then each of them save a life and each of them....

I think Jesus said something about "the least of these" somewhere, didn't he?

You get the point! Join us because

Together we can....
Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors
The People of the United Methodist Church.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord;
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior whom we serve and worship together. As we conclude the Easter Season I pray that the celebration of our Lord's Resurrection continues to be a blessing to you.
This month we as a church have chosen to focus on the stewardship of all that God has given us. As United Methodists we recognize this with our vows to support the church by our “Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Services, and Witness.” Over the past weeks our worship has focused on these areas as a part of our devotion to God. This past Sunday we specifically talked about the giving of our finances and the goal to make Tithing a priority. It is my belief that God will bless those who bless him. It is also my belief that our financial giving to God is not an investment plan where we can expect some financial gain as with the stock market. Most often the blessings received have more to do with our continued growth as a follower of Christ and less to to with money.
Does the church need your continued financial support to function properly? Of course it does. The churches that are built, the maintenance of this church, the children that are fed, the mission trips that are promoted, the children and youth ministries, the food pantry, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, Aldersgate Enrichment Center, the Wesleyan Homes, the Methodist Children's Home, the United Christian Fellowship and Wesley Centers on Colleges and Universities, ... are all supported by you. We can not reach out to and support all these great ministries without you. In Money Matters, Financial Freedom for All God's Churches, Rev. Michael Slaughter of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church says that many of the churched people “measure their lives and values in terms of possessions, positions, and prestige” yet true “life is found in our ability to make a lasting contribution to the redemptive work of God in the world. The only thing that lives beyond us is what we do for others in Jesus' name.”But there is more to it than that.
Remembering that Malachi 3:10 tells us to “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse...”; understanding that we are instructed in Acts 2:43-45 to pool all our resources for the benefit of the Kingdom of God; and recognizing that Matthew 6:21 reminds us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” I invite you to a new level of giving to our Lord through your support of the church.
As a part of your continued devotion to God and the recognition of your call to “make a lasting contribution to the redemptive work of God in the world” I invite you to take this opportunity to review where your giving is with God and begin to make tithing a goal. Enclosed is a card that can help you do that. On one side is a Percentage Giving Matrix to help you calculate what percentage of income you are currently giving and how much a tithe (10%) of it is. If you find you are already giving a tithe I am proud of you and pray that you will continue to follow God's direction in your financial stewardship. If however you find that you are lacking in this area of discipleship I encourage you to move up a step or two toward the full tithe. On the other side is a section for you to complete and return to the church on the first Sunday in June. As you see there is no name on the card but I want you to know that I will be praying for you as I pray over these cards monthly. My hope is that over the next few years we will all continue to grow in following God's direction with our finances and see the mighty things that God can do with this church when God's people follow God with all their heart, mind, and soul.
May God Continue to bless you as you are a blessing to others.
Peace and Grace,
J
Rev. Jay Fraze

Stewardship Begins

This month we will be discussing our commitment to, not only the church, but to God. As United Methodists we vow to support our church, and therefore God, through our "prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness." That is what we will be covering through the sermons this month as well as in other ways.
A major part of this discussion will be our own personal financial situations as well as what it means to tithe, i.e. to give a tenth of all you have to the Lord. I have heard some say well, I give more time so that counts for money. I have used this same line of reasoning as well, BUT... if we are true to our conviction that all we have and all we are truly belongs to God, then would it not make sense to give at least a tenth of all we have back to God? At tenth of our time, a tenth of our energy, a tenth of our resources, a tenth of our finances...?
This month I hope we can challenge each other to look beyond our conventional wisdom and see how it is that God is calling us to be His people.
Peace and Grace,
J

Preparing for Palm Sunday

Ahhhh, the season of Easter. Some like Christmas (it's not called “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” for nothing) but I'm a bit more fond of Easter. I know Santa's fun and all the gifts at Christmas are nice, but it seems that the Birth of our Lord has lost it's meaning among all the commercialization and hype. I sure hope the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord doesn't suffer the same fate.
It is life in the Post-Easter era that makes us who we are. Did you know some early Christians knew nothing of the birth of Jesus, only the life and death? (read the gospel of Mark - there is no mention of the birth (or resurrection for that matter). Yet these early Christians truly followed the teaching and suffered with others for their faith in the one we call Lord.
Let us not forget to whom we belong and why. I'll see you later this week for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, not to mention Sunday for Easter! Peace and Grace, J

March 29, 2009
It was such a joy to be able to take a week with the family. Thank you for being such a generous congregation in working with me on my vacation schedule. Gerald Ray helped me out so much. Not only did he preach for me on Sunday, he also showed me how to throw a casting net and where to find fish on Lake Fairfield. The kids loved catching the Crappie and Blue-gill.
To know that Sunday is taken care of is such a great thing as well. A lot of work goes into preparing a sermon and it is difficult to “be with” the family if one has to be working on a sermon the entire time. Thank you Gerald Ray for being there for me and for your church.
Peace and Grace, J

Information on Ash Wednesday and Lent

Information Regarding the Observance of Lent
Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday
and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes form the Anglo-Saxon work lecten, which means
“spring.” The season is a preparation for celebrating Easter. Historically, Lent began a
period of fasting and preparation for baptism by converts and then became a time for
penance by all Christians.
The First Sunday describes Jesus' temptation by Satan, and the Sixth Sunday
(Passion/Palm Sunday),Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem and his subsequent
passion and death. Because Sundays are always little Easters, the penitential spirit of
Lent should be tempered with joyful expectation of the Resurrection.

Information Regarding the Service of Worship for Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday emphasizes a dual encounter: we confront out own mortality and confess
our sins before God within the community of faith. The form and content of the service
focus on the dual themes of sin and death in the light of God's redeeming love in Jesus
Christ.
Depending upon circumstances, this service may be held early in the morning, before the
work and school day begin; an noontime, perhaps observing fast with the deletion of the
regular noon meal; or early in the evening perhaps following a shared sacrificial meal
of bread and water.
The visual environment should be solemn and stark. Purple is the most traditional color
throughout Lent; but on Ash Wednesday gray, with its suggestion of ashes, is especially
appropriate. Dark earth colors or any somber hues are also appropriate. Rough, coarse
textures such as burlap – sackcloth and ashes – suggest the character of the day and
season.
The use of ashes as a sign of mortality and repentance has a long history in Jewish and
Christian worship, the Imposition of Ashes can be a powerful nonverbal and experiential
way of participating in the call to repentance and reconciliation. This practice is the
historic focus of Ash Wednesday observance and gave the day its name. It is traditional
to save the palm branches from the previous Passion/Palm Sunday service and burn
them ahead of time to produce the ashes for the service.

Taken from The United Methodist Book of Worship, Fourteenth Printing, 2003, Nashville, The UnitedMethodist Publishing House. Pgs 320-321.

This Week's Classifieds...

Communion Helpers/Stewards Needed...
We are looking for a few good Christians to help prepare communion one month a year. Please contact Miriam Bounds if interested.
She can be reached at 254-765-3526

Audio/Video Technician...
Are you good with video? Would you like to be involved in taking worship to those who can't attend because of illness or injury? We may have a place for you! If you would like to be a part of a new ministry here at First Church that records, copies, and distributes video of our worship events please call or come by to see the pastor.

Summer Camp Scholarships...
As stated last week, we are looking for donations to assist with the cost of the youth and children wishing to attend Summer Camp.
Peace and Grace, J

February 15, 2009
Do you remember summer camps? Do you remember the fun you had? Do you remember how much you learned from your counselors and leaders? Do you remember the life changing time you and your children have had at camp?
You may have noticed a poster in the Family Life Center announcing the registration for Glen Lake Camp, our conference camp. I am so excited to tell you that several of our youth and children are wanting to attend Glen Lake Camp this summer. That being said, it will cost our children around $200 and our teen's about $252 to attend. (This is only the registration cost by the way.) Though they haven't come to us to ask for help, I would like to see us offer scholarships to these youth and children who would like to attend. I would hate to hear that one of our “little ones” didn't have the chances we had simply because of finances. I hope you will pray about contributing to a fund to pay for camps!
Peace and Grace, J

February 8, 2009
What a great start we have had for our Bible Study on Wednesday nights. We had snacks, fellowship, laughs, and some really great discussion. From now till Easter we are studying the Gospel of Mark. This week we discussed where and when it came from, who wrote it and how it is to be read.
I know that many of you wanted to be there but where unable to attend this week, so I will pass on the assignment so you can be prepared for this coming week. Your assignment, read the gospel of Mark, all of it, in one sitting if possible. I know, your asking “What!!” But it's only about 25 pages or the equivalent of a chapter or two of a modern novel. This is how this piece of literature we call a Gospel was intended to be read, like a modern movie. We don't watch 5 minutes of a movie today and 10 minutes tomorrow; no, we watch it all to get the whole story. I invite you to do that this week with the Gospel of Mark. Then I look forward to hearing your reaction Wednesday night. I'll see you then.
Peace and Grace J

February 1, 2009
Here we go!!!!!! It's time to grow. I know, many of you think that “to grow” means to get bigger, i.e. more people in the pews and I must admit, I like that too. At Kirvin, to worship with 4 is one thing but to worship with 12 is quite another. And at Wortham, 40 is nice but to worship with 120 is quite another matter entirely. So, when I say “grow” it's OK to think of numbers, after all numbers represent people and the church is the best place to “make disciple of Jesus Christ” so having more people in church is a good thing.
BUT.... I'm not only talking about bottoms in seats on Sunday morning when I say it's time to grow. What I mean is spiritual growth. Are you in the same spiritual place you were last year? If so you are not growing and what is the opposite of growing? Dying. So, are you growing or dying?
Either way, starting this week I want you in our Wednesday Bible Study. We will be studying the book of Mark and your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to read the first Chapter of Mark between now and Wednesday. I hope to see you there. And by the way, if you are there I won't think you're dying, instead I'll assume that you are there to continue your spiritual growth.
Peace and Grace J

January 25, 2009
Last week I had the opportunity to hear from our new Bishop, Mike Lowry. He was speaking on the need for a sabbath in each of our lives: a time of rest, a time of reflection, a time of personal devotion, a time of personal growth with God... What I found when I sat under his teaching was a great man of God full of wonderful wisdom and wit and an ability to connect with a congregation in a profound way.
Why am I saying all this you may ask? Because you have the opportunity to hear Bishop Lowry today. He will be preaching at the closing worship of the Waco District 2009 Leadership Summit in Waco today. I hope you will make it a priority to hear your new Bishop today.
Peace and Grace J

January 18, 2009
We've finally done it! Our date is finally set for our first ever leadership retreat. I am still working on the location but it will be away from the church but within a few miles of here, likely Tehuacana or Mexia. If you are on any committee or hold any position within the church this is an event for you. We will work together to plan ahead for the year to come, look at how we will continue to grow, and set for the a plan to incorporate all our members into the working Body of Jesus Christ.
In addition to and as a great preparation for our local event, the Waco District will also be holding a training event for church leaders next Sunday and I hope you will consider attending. I will have details for you if you are interested. Peace and Grace J

January 11, 2009
Since I am writing this a matter of hours after writing last weeks “words”, I don't think there is anything new I can tell you yet. I bet I had a great time at the Congress on Evangelism and I'm sure that I'm glad to be home. I also bet you had a great week and I really appreciate all that Brad did for you while I was gone.
I guess the only thing left is to remind you that the new leadership the church elected in the Fall of 2008 has now taken effect. The new leadership will be getting together some time this month to spend some time looking at and planning for the future of the church. I hope we will all be in prayer for our leaders, (church, city, state, federal...) as we look toward the future of our church, city, state, federal.
Peace and Grace J

January 4, 2009
Over the next week I will be in Nashville, TN at the United Methodist Congress on Evangelism. This will be the second time I have attended this meeting in the past 5 years. The previous time I attended I was pastoring the churches in Evant and Purmela and came back to those churches revived and rejuvenated. I look forward to the same this year.
During my absence I encourage you to call upon Rev. Brad Brittain at 254-625-2435 if you have a pastoral need. As many of you already know Brad is the Sr. Pastor of FUMC Mexia and a good friend of mine.
I will be keeping up with you all while I am gone and praying for you as you begin your new year.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to travel and attend the great continuing education event. I'll see you Sunday.
Peace and Grace J

December 28, 2008
Thank you. Thank you to all of you in this church for the many gifts you have given your your pastor and family this season. Some pastors expect such gifts and say nothing when they have been received. Some pastors refuse such gifts thinking it is the honorable thing to do. Still others try to give back some trinket to 'repay' you for such gifts. I know I have received mason jars full of powdered drink mixes (hot chocolate, cider...) with cute little bows before. To be honest, none of these seen to truly say what is needed as well as the simple words.... THANK YOU.
Rather than giving some simple gift or trinket that will clutter you cupboard Renee and I will be giving a gift in your name to the Methodist Mission Home in San Antonio. This Methodist ministry is known for its work with adoption and care of unwed mothers as well as its work with young adults with disabilities, particularly the deaf and had of hearing, through the Southwest Center for Higher Independence. If you would like more information on this great ministry I invite you to visit their web-site at http://www.mfrs.org/.
Thank you again for your gifts, but more than that thank you for allowing us to serve you as pastor and family in this wonderful church in this wonderful community. I hope you have a great new year and I look forward to being a part of it.
Peace and Grace J

December 21, 2008
A note to the Kirvin folk!
I want you to all know how much I enjoy serving you as your pastor and this weeks service is “just for you”! Why you may ask? Because the Wortham folk are celebrating a musical Christmas this week. When we are all done here and you have had a chance to check the animals and grab a bite to eat I hope you will make your way to the Wortham church at 11:00 for “Joy to the World”, arranged by John Leavitt with additional Orchestration by Tehuacana's own Bill Ferris.
I hope you all have a very merry Christmas this year.
Peace and Grace, J

December 14, 2008
The angels came and said “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”-Luke 2:14.
Then I look around at all the people stressing over finances, rushing from one store to store to get the gift they just have to give, running from party to party because they have to go, struggling to take care of the family, the job, the volunteer activities.... it is just exhausting. Is there any peace in that?
Then I look around the world and see wars, hunger, rampant crime, disease, terror, ... Is there any peace in that?
Then I look at my own life... and see much of the same things. We live in a peace-less time as the world sees it. Maybe just maybe Jesus didn't bring peace to us as the world sees it but rather Jesus brought peace to us in a different way.
The author of our study, says that we as Christians enjoy three types of peace: the peace that Christ offers to all at salvation – to know our sins are forgiven and our relationship with God has been restored, the peace of knowing that we are not alone, especially in the difficult times – God is always with us, and the peace we bring through the power of Christ bestowed upon us. - God wants to use us to be peacemakers.
So this year do 2 things for me, 1)- stop for a little while each week and get away from the hustle and bustle of the silly season and recognize the special season, and 2) – be a peace bringer, a peacemaker, give peace to another.
Peace and Grace J

December 7, 2008
I once saw a paining of a 1st Century carpenter's shop where the child was playing with the father's tools. The toddler happened to be holding three spike nails from the father's bench. Cast across the room was a shadow from the window in the form of a cross. What a vivid image of the future of that son of a carpenter. If you were to look closely at the back of the “12 Days of Christmas” insert you would see an empty manger with the shadow of a cross cast upon it. A little closer to home, if you were to look at the empty stable behind the altar you would see looming behind it a cross. Today as we light candles and think of little baby Jesus, we partake of Communion. The beginning that is the end, that is the beginning. I guess that is why we call it “The Mystery of Faith.”
Today we will light the candle of Peace. Last week we lit the candle of Hope. We celebrate the birth of Christ because the Eternal God of all Creation came to us on a cold night in Bethlehem in the form of a baby named Jesus. We find our hope and peace in the fact that God not only came to us, but that God, in the form of Jesus, lived, died, rose again, and is coming back one day. That is Advent in a nut shell, Christ was, is, and is to be. We celebrate that Christ came and we rejoice that Christ will come again.
Peace and Grace J

November 30, 2008
AHHHHHHHHHH the beauty of Advent. I know of no other time of year that the church is decorated in such beauty. I know you will all want to be here tonight to share the beauty of this place with the community at our 5th Sunday worship service.
As I mentioned in last weeks article, Advent is a time for new starts and change. We have a new look for the bulletin, a new look in the sanctuary, and soon we will have a new look around our homes as we decorate for the season. One other “change” that we see this time of year is generosity. We tend to give more to charity, to the needy, to others. For some reason we tend to focus on other more than ourselves. I wonder if that has anything to do with us remembering that Christ is coming back? That is what advent is about, the return of Christ. We prepare our hearts and lives for Christ's return.
How wonderful it would be if we remembered this fact all year! Would be able to feed more of the hungry? Would we be able to heal more of the sick? Would we be able to provide more clothing for the needy? Would we visit the sick and imprisoned more? Just something to think about.
Peace and Grace, J