November & December 2016

GIC 2017 SCHEDULE OF

EVENTS

February 8—12

Wednesday , February 8th

11—5 PM | Red Cross Blood Drive | CAC

4:45—5:50 PM | Welcome Dinner (Texas BBQ meal) | Chitwood Hall $7—adult,

$4—child under 10, $20—family

6—7:15 PM | Opening Celebration service (Stephen Cady) | Sanctuary

After service—9 PM | Displays open in the 1st floor hallways

Thursday, February 9th

12—1:30 PM | Seniors luncheon with Missionaries | Chitwood Hall ($6)

Please RSVP with Dan Kilgore or by calling 345-7261

6:30—8 PM | Leadership Social: missionaries & church leaders | Chitwood Hall

Friday, February 10th

9—5 PM | Stop Hunger Now project | CAC (sign-up for a time slot online)

6:30—8 PM | Concert with Charlie Chastain & Gustavo Falerio | Chitwood Hall

(missionary interview sessions during breaks)

6:30—8 PM | Children’s Program | Callahan

Saturday, February 11th

7:45—9 AM | Church-wide breakfast | Chitwood Hall (fellowship event)

9—5 PM | Stop Hunger Now | CAC (sign up for a time slot online)

12—1 PM | Lunch | Chitwood Hall

Sunday, February 12th

9 AM | Traditions: Duane Brown Bridge: Gustavo Falerio

9:45—10:45 AM | Missionary speakers in Sunday school classes

11 AM | Traditions: Duane Brown Bridge Gustavo Falerio

Our meal packing event on November 16th was a huge success! Our youth and their families packed 10,000 meals for families in need. Thank you for being involved in this world-changing ministry!

Message from Tuscaloosa DHR: This is SO AWESOME!!! These gifts are truly appreciated! These foster chil-dren are going to have a wonderful Christmas because of First United Methodist Church!!!! This would not have been possible without your help. The Tuscaloosa County Department of Human Resources thanks all of you for everything that you have done!!!! THANK YOU!

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2016 | FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2016

Merry Christmas from Challenge Farm, Kenya!

We couldn't think of a better way to end the year but to share how your support, sponsorship and prayers have impacted the lives of the

children at Challenge Farm:

“God can use someone to free your life from captivity, just the way He has used you to deliver my life from captivity, from the streets, from pov-erty and from illiteracy.” - Samuel “I appreciate you because you have changed my life, who through your finances, I am now someone presentable in public. I had nothing but now I have education and that is key to success.” - Paul “I appreciate you because you have really sacrificed for my sake… now I am somebody who can look at and be proud of. I can now read and re-late very well with other people.” - Maxmilla “I want to encourage you with something I learned about God, that God has surely listened and heard our voice in prayer.” - Catherine

Collins was on the street for 3 years before coming to Challenge

Farm. His parents separated and the mother left with the 5 chil-

dren, but 2 died a little while after. The

mother became frustrated with life and

later became a drunk which worsened

the situation. She could no longer buy

food or cook for the children. She be-

came so cruel to them and this

prompted Collins to go to the street.

Since he left home for the streets no

one ever looked for him until he was

rounded up by the police and brought

to Challenge Farm.

THANKSGIVING GROCERY BAGS

Our volunteers delivered 226 filled grocery bags to the Community Soup Bowl. These were handed out to clients of the Soup Bowl for use over the Thanksgiving holidays. Thank you for your participation in this out-reach ministry of our church!

Foster Children’s Christmas Dinner Thursday December 8

th, we hosted the annual Foster Children’s

Christmas Dinner for Tuscaloosa DHR. Foster parents, children

and siblings enjoyed dinner, fellowship, entertainment and a sing

-along.

A thank you from Tuscaloosa DHR Director, Latonia Eaton: “I

just wanted to say once more how grateful I am to have you and

FUMC to help us with honoring our foster parents again with a

nice dinner. They all fellowshipped with each other and we just

really enjoyed it. I can’t say “thank you” enough.”