Transition Events
April 27, 2012
A Transition Team has been formed to make this time of change in clergy at Fairmont meaningful and smooth. We ask for your prayers and support for this team and all the work our entire church will be doing to take advantage of the opportunities ahead.
First, may we all rededicate ourselves to regular church attendance (what a fitting gift to our minister to see the pews full!)
Second, may we “stretch our personal budgets” to meet our church commitments and our conference commitments.
Third, will each of you mark your calendar to participate in the events and activities that are planned to honor and celebrate the 22 years of service that Pastor Steve and Peggy have given to our church?
We invite you to participate in these events:
Sunday, May 6: 11:00 am service – Dedication of the new labyrinth
6:45 pm service – Sunday Night LIVE! with Gospel Review Band
Saturday, June 2: 6:45 pm-Talent Show and Dessert Party (Love offering for Stop Hunger Now in honor of Steve)
Sunday, June 3: 11:00 am service – Special Music Tribute for Steve and Peggy (Covered Dish Luncheon following service)
Sunday, TBA: 11:00 am service – Order of Farewell for a Pastor
Plans are also underway to welcome our new minister. Those events will be listed in the bulletin during the summer and early fall.
Honoring Our Mothers
April 27, 2012
Blanket Sunday—For how many years have we “honored thy mother” with the gift of a blanket on Mother’s Day? It seems a fitting symbol, this single item that is on the front line of disaster relief around the world. Mark your $5 gift with your mother’s name, and whether it is an “in honor” (living) or “in memory” (deceased) gift. Men, despaireth not, we shall “honor thy father” on Father’s Day (Tools of Hope).
United Methodist Retirement Homes—Our retirement home has long relied on the Mother’s Day offering to extend “benevolent care” to residents who have outlived their resources. Let’s use the whole month of May to gather such gifts!
Fairmont is a Stephen Ministry Congregation
April 27, 2012
You may have heard by now that Fairmont UMC has become a Stephen Ministry Congregation. What does this mean for our church? We have begun a ministry that will help us organize and train some of our members to provide quality care and extend the caring ministry Pastor Steve already does. Our Stephen Ministers are Betsy Lampley, Pam Waggoner and Beth Jennings. This will multiply the amount of caring ministry Fairmont can provide by giving us a team of skilled caregivers who are equipped to bring Christ’s healing love to people who are grieving, in crisis, or experiencing other stresses in life.
Spend Memorial Day at Camp Don Lee
April 27, 2012
You deserve a break! A retreat! Why not do it with Fairmont? This Memorial Day Weekend (May 25-27), a group from Fairmont will be going out to Camp Don Lee in Oriental, NC. It is a relaxing place to be with lots of activities, including sailing, swimming, and kayaking. The price per person is $95. That covers two nights in a cabin, breakfast on Saturday through lunch on Sunday, and all of your activities. Let Jess know if you are interested in coming along! Sign up soon, spots are going quickly!
Altar Flowers
April 13, 2012
Altar Flower Openings: Carol Shearin is our new flower coordinator. You can find Carol’s contact information in the Fairmont directory or contact Margie in the church office. One vase is $45; two vases are $90. See upcoming calendar below:
15-Apr 2 Durham & Mamie Potter: Memory of Durham’s father, A.D. Potter, & honor of his
mother, Jean
22-Apr 2 Raleigh Wesley Foundation: in honor of Wesley students
29-Apr 1 Loeppert Family: Honor of church members who prepare Sunday meals
29-Apr 1 John Seymour: Honor of Karen’s birthday
6-May 2 Betsy Buford: In memory of William Edwin Buford and Frances Farrior Buford
13-May 1 Sara & Richard Loepper: Memory of Adeline Loeppert by the Loeppert family
13-May 1 Pam & Kevin Bowden: Honor and memory of our mothers
Stop Hunger Now and Vacation Bible School
March 16, 2012
For five years, we have used part of VBS’ Wednesday night session to package Stop Hunger Now Meals. It is time to start saving for that – now! Mark your gifts, and thousands of meals will be prepared on a single night. We have enough on hand for 3,736 meals. Will we double that?!
Check Out UMYF….Sundays at 5:00 PM
March 8, 2012
March will be an exciting month for the Fairmont Youth! There will be discussions of Mark and Luke, gardening, and a game night! 6th-12th graders are welcome to check out UMYF every Sunday at 5:00 PM. in the Fellowship Hall.
Ever wonder what it is like to be a member of the Fairmont Youth Group? Are you curious about what it is that those awesome youth do on Sunday evenings? Well, you are about to get an exclusive inside look at an average UMYF meeting at Fairmont!
The Fairmont Youth gather around 5:00 p.m. and start off with a service project of some kind. They are quite good at making lunch bags for the Fairmont lunch bag program! Gardening is another skill which the youth have mastered recently. Be sure to check out the area by the education building to see what the youth have accomplished so far. They have mulched, weeded, and planted like pros! The youth will also be assisting with the installation of the labyrinth this fall.
After working on a service project, the youth move on to dinner time. Dinner is provided by a parent or some other amazing person from the congregation. They have had everything from pizza to soup to paninis to baked potatoes. If you ever feel like sharing your culinary skills with the youth, please let me know! You would be appreciated forever and ever.
Once dinner has been cleared away, the youth get ready for their lesson time. They have been going through the Bible book by book. Last September, they started with Genesis and now they are at Ezekiel! In these lessons, the youth learn through games and discussions. Next time you see a youth, ask him or her which book of the Bible is their favorite so far!
After hearing about all this fun, you must be wondering how you can get involved. If you are in 6th through 12th grade, then come and join our awesome group! Adults can get involved as leaders or by providing a meal. This is a great group of people and there is always a whole lot of fun to be had at UMYF. Let me know if you would like to hang out with us!
Jess
New Women’s Group Forming
May 11, 2011
Several women met a while back to brainstorm about a possible new group for women at Fairmont. We looked at the purpose of United Methodist Women and categorized some ideas that went along with that purpose. We also discussed making this a group that does not meet the same time every month and doing the same thing. We hope it will be a group that does a variety of things so that all women can find a way to be a part. Some of the ideas discussed include short term Bible Studies, Discussions about women in the Bible, prayer circles, retreat for spiritual renewal, walk/exercise group, visit/music/at nursing homes, involvement with Stop Hunger Now, Habitat for Humanity, Methodist Home for Children, prepare meals for mending and/or local hungry….and many more opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship and community involvement.
Now we need some ideas about how to get this information out to all women in the church and also some ideas of how to get this organized and going. Please respond to Jean Porter with your ideas and suggestions. Her email is ncbadgerfan@aol.com.