the flame
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June 2013, Issue 2 A publication of First United Methodist Church of Allen, Texas. This issue features stories about IMPACT Vacation Bible School, Back to School Bash, Change The World Weekend, Great Adventure Weekend AND MORE!TRANSCRIPT
Back to School Bash Returns to FUMC AllenBy Rev. Maxie Moore, Welcoming Ministries
Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself!
For the past two years, FUMC Allen has partnered
with Allen Community Outreach (ACO) and other
community agencies to provide back-to-school
services to families served by ACO. Again this year,
FUMC Allen hosts the Back To School Bash on
Saturday, August 24. Our goal for the event is not only
to provide school supplies for our children but also to
furnish as many services as possible to help families
off-set the cost of getting their children ready for class.
At the 2012 event, we distributed 60 car seats, 72 bike
helmets, and 362 backpacks to elementary, middle school,
and high school students. Nurses performed 50 blood
pressure screenings with 16 referrals for high blood
pressure. Our police department trained 100 children
and 25 adults on “Stranger Danger,” and volunteers
served a meal to more than 600 people.
In all, we served 157 families whose 368 students
received school supplies. We provided new shoes
to 334 students, a cost underwritten by a generous
donation of more than $6,000. Each family received
a supply of toiletries, which included shampoo, soap,
deodorant, toothbrushes, and toothpaste donated
by our congregation. Stylists were available to
provide free haircuts.
This year, we plan to involve more community agencies
and churches. We need your donations of school supplies
and other back-to-school items as well as volunteers
ready to serve. To participate in this ministry or let us
know of agencies or businesses who might be interested,
contact Rev. Maxie Moore, [email protected].
May we continue to show God’s love by supporting
this community-wide ministry to help our neighbors.
First United Methodist Church of Allen 601 S Greenville Ave Allen, TX 75002 www.fumcallen.org
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Vacation Bible School Makes an IMPACT!By Mary Freeman, Children’s Ministry
Vacation Bible School (VBS) in the hot summer months is always such a fun time of year for the children. VBS originally started in urban areas where children, out of school with nothing to do, were taught in pubs during the summer. Later, a group of ladies took advantage of buildings that were closed during the day, using them to meet with the children in their neighborhoods and teach them about Jesus. The impact that these ladies made years ago is still alive and well today.
The IMPACT program was initiated in 2012 by
Rev. Todd Harris to help our congregation live
out their passion for mission. People have signed
on as leaders of different grassroots efforts that
support people and organizations around the
world. Because the children of our congregation
want to be a part of this great effort, we created
IMPACT VBS: Kids IMPACTING Kids for Jesus.
Last year at VBS, our children learned
about Allen Community Outreach, Project
Transformation, dental health issues in the
Appalachia Mountain region, Juntos Servimos in
Mexico, and The House of Hope in Honduras.
They heard testimonies and saw photographs
of people who have traveled to and worked in
these places. They worked on projects to help
support these missionaries and made items for
the children in each part of the world. Each day,
the children prayed for others.
This year, our VBS theme is IMPACT VBS: The
Year of Jubilee! Our children will learn about Old
Testament celebrations practiced throughout
the world. These celebrations, defined by God,
correlate to events of the New Testament.
Children will explore the different regions that
honor these customs where God’s instructions
are still celebrated today.
We’ve moved our VBS dates to August 5-9. The
VBS staff determined they needed more time
after school was over in June to prepare for our
celebration with the children. In the past, older
children participated in day camp at Chuck and
Ada Williams’ farm, a long-standing and much
appreciated tradition. With a move to August,
the outside temperatures will be too hot to have
day camp outside. So this year, we will all stay
together inside at the church campus.
Come get to know the children of our church
and our community. Meet new friends while
celebrating God and his Holy Word. Because
IMPACT VBS is unique to our church, we enjoy
the creative process of planning our impact. To
join our planning team, contact the Children’s
Ministry office, 972.727.8261 x311.
The FlameIn this issue:Back to School Bash Returns to FUMC Allen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Vacation Bible School Makes an IMPACT! . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Kids IMPACT Water Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Change The World Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Living Life Church Celebrates a Season of Firsts . . . . . . . .3
Boy Scout Project Creates Space and Saves Money . . . . .3
Special Needs Ministry Celebrates Our Youth . . . . . . . . . .3
Chancel Choir Travels to New York City . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Great Adventure Weekend: My Experience . . . . . . . . . . .4
Great Adventure Weekend: My Point of View . . . . . . . . . .4
Confirmation 2013: My Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Change The World WeekendBy Pam Chevrefils, Lay Leader
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45
The vision for Change the World
(CTW) Weekend--May 3-5, 2013--was
to not only engage our congregation at
FUMC Allen in serving our neighbors
but also to reach out and include
other churches, businesses, and service
organizations in the Allen area.
David Wuensch, chair of the Missions
Team, and the 12 member CTW
committee set out early to accomplish
this goal so that for one weekend,
FUMC Allen would serve as a
command central where volunteers
could check-in, finalize assignments,
and receive assistance, as needed.
The command team kept volunteers
moving and motivated, and as a
result, we accomplished our goal
to aid our neighbors, both locally
and globally. Together, we gathered
needed items for our military and
shipped out 130 pounds of supplies
and gifts in 23 boxes to deployed
soldiers. Allen Community Outreach
benefited with a monetary donation
of $900, 691 pounds of food, and
254 bags of clothing. Volunteers
assembled 91,800 meals for Kids
Against Hunger, enough food to
feed 251 children for an entire year.
Hope’s Door, a shelter for battered
women and children, received 20
bags of materials. Our volunteer
work teams helped 18 local home
owners with home repair and lawn
projects. Our children hosted 13
lemonade stands that raised more
than $800 for charity. Volunteers
drove eight routes for Meals on
Wheels. Recreational Ministries
sponsored a shoe collection for Allen
Family Promise, and Daisy Girl Scout
Troop #5578 alone collected 27
pairs of children’s shoes, 15 pairs of
women’s shoes, and 5 pairs of men’s
shoes. And this is just a sampling of
the work completed.
Our thanks to the The Rotary
Club of Allen Sunrise, The
Rotary Club of Allen, Allen High
School Key Club, Allen High
Noon Lions Club, Boy Scouts of
America Eagle Trail District, Girl
Scouts of North East Texas, The
Genesis Group, GC Solutions,
Ace Fencing, Shokrete, McKinney
Tees and Sports Apparel, Allen
Stake of LDS, Good Shepherd
UMC, Creekwood UMC, Living
Life Church, FUMC Allen, and
the 1,408 volunteers who
served that weekend.
While the work of Change the
World Weekend helps many, our
work is not done: Our neighbors
still need us! As servants of Christ,
we are to live intentionally as the
hands and feet of Christ, who was
and is our greatest example
Living Life Church Celebrates a Season of FirstsBy Rev. Abe Smith, Senior Pastor, Living Life Church
Jesus came near and spoke to them, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.” Matthew 28:18-20
Boy Scout Project Creates Space and Saves MoneyBy Tim Bell
What started out as a dream for the church six years ago is finally coming to reality!
With so many events going on at
FUMC Allen, we always have a need
for more storage. The garage next to
the Ministry Center was completely
packed, and we needed more room.
An influx of Boy Scouts from Troops
328, 306, and 207 approached Larry
Wright looking for projects for their
Eagle Scout rank, which spawned an
idea. Several meetings later followed
by lots of planning, fundraising, and
Special Needs Ministry Celebrates Our YouthBy Rev. Maxie Moore, Welcoming Ministries
We have much to celebrate in how our young people are reaching out into our community and beyond.
During the school year, many of our
youth serve as buddies each month
for our special needs ministry, APT
G : A Place to Go. In 2012, several
of our youth served as counselors
at Summer Events for Exceptional
First United Methodist Church of Allen 601 S Greenville Ave Allen, TX 75002 www.fumcallen.org
First United Methodist Church of Allen 601 S Greenville Ave Allen, TX 75002 www.fumcallen.org
Kids IMPACT Water AidBy William Hogg, Student
Last spring, as my friend Brody
and I were playing, we talked
about helping poor people. My
church, FUMC Allen, was talking
about IMPACT so I thought that
it would be good to try and
make an impact by helping the
poor somehow.
Together, we researched
different charities and found
Water Aid. We were shocked to
learn that up to 2,000 people die
each day due to water-related
diseases. something we take for
granted.
We were awarded an IMPACT
grant to get us started in
supporting Water Aid. We
sold water and chips at our
community pool and raised just
under $90. In December, we
approached our principal, Mr.
Andrew Benesh, about getting
our school, Olson Elementary:
Home of the Otters, involved.
FUMC Allen assigned to us
an IMPACT coach, Melissa
Guerrero, to help us on our way.
The school coach let us run
W’Otter Aid Day, where pupils
could play water-carrying games
to help us get a feel of what some
children must do just to survive.
We have shared our story with
two Rotary Clubs in Allen and
have raised $1,565, which will
help provide clean water for life
for up to 60 people!
Want to donate? Visit www.
f i r s t g i v i n g . c o m / f u n d r a i s e r /
KidsImpactH2O/wOtterAid or
scan this QR code with your
smartphone:
Living Life Church Celebrates a Season of FirstsBy Rev. Abe Smith, Senior Pastor, Living Life Church
This scripture, often referred to as
the Great Commission, is Jesus’ final
instruction to the disciples. In a sense, it
was the Son of God telling them “I have
started a good work in the world and
through me, you have the authority to
continue this work. Now go and share
the gospel…go and make disciples.”
Living Life Church is one example
of FUMC Allen’s commitment to
living out the great commission of
making disciples. Since its launch
in January 2013, Living Life Church
has celebrated its first baptism,
participated in missions, has more
than 60 people participating in small
group Bible studies, and is growing
in worship attendance. This summer,
the church will experience its first
Student Life trip, Vacation Bible School,
Feed the Need, and other missional-
focused ministry opportunities.
Living Life Church is one opportunity
where disciples are committed to making
disciples. Reread the scripture and ask
yourself daily, “What opportunities do I
have to make disciples for Jesus Christ?”
Boy Scout Project Creates Space and Saves MoneyBy Tim Bell
hundreds of hours of volunteer work,
we’re starting to see the idea pay off!
Planned and organized by church
volunteers and Eagle Scout
candidates--Braden Howell, Shane
Mooring, Ethan Bell, Garrett Cole
(Troop 328), Dakota Lambert (Troop
207), and Jon LeCroy (Troop 306)--
the expansion of the Ministry Center
garage is almost finished. This amazing
project could not have been possible
without the guidance of Keith Carper,
chair of the Board of Trustees, serving
as the project manager.
Once completed, the new garage
addition adds a space of 35 feet by
28 feet. That’s 980 square feet of
additional storage as well as a new
sidewalk and privacy fence. New brick
and siding on the existing structure
offers a more attractive presentation
from the road and provides storage
for the scout troops so that we were
able to remove the various sheds on
the property, further increasing the
appearance of the lot.
To top it all off, Joel Wood (Troop
328) also squeezed in the renovation
of the patio seating area behind the
Wesley House while the garage
project was underway.
Special Needs Ministry Celebrates Our YouthBy Rev. Maxie Moore, Welcoming Ministries
Kampers (SEEK) camp, a special-needs
week at the Bridgeport Camp and
Conference Center in Bridgeport, TX.
SEEK Camp is a fantastic experience
that includes water games, volleyball,
and basketball for kids to have fun
while learning about the Lord in a
non-denominational setting
In June 2013, seven of our youth
returned as SEEK Camp counselors:
Greg Hockaday, Brady McQueeney,
Brad Hockaday, Evan Kizer, Brennan
Fairchild, Ashlynn Fairchild, and
Glynn Gallaway.
First United Methodist Church of Allen 601 S Greenville Ave Allen, TX 75002 www.fumcallen.org
Chancel Choir Travels to New York CityBy Ruth Swingle
On May 9, several members of
the FUMC chancel choir and
the Allen Symphony Chorus
departed the DFW airport at
7:30am to travel to New York
City to join a 180-voice chorus
that would present a once in
a lifetime presentation of the
Brahms’ Requiem, under the
direction of Donald Neuen, at
Carnegie Hall.
Work for this trip started in the
summer 2012 with a retreat at
Lake Lavon. Weeks of rehearsals
followed with two performances in
April 2013. In New York, the work
continued with nine hours of intense
rehearsals, a learning experience for
everyone. We all now know what
“think till your brain sweats” really
means! It was hard work but so
rewarding and fun!
The Mother’s Day concert was
amazing! Our director, Rev. Rusty
King, prepared the Allen choirs so
well that we were able to not only
soak up a lot of knowledge but also
enjoy the city. As a group, we were
able to attend the Broadway musical
“Chicago.” Many took in additional
Broadway shows and the sights of
New York City, including the Top
of the Rock, Empire State Building,
the Statue of Liberty and Ellis
Island by ferry, the 9/11 Memorial,
Central Park, and museums! Many
enjoyed shopping, and the food was
definitely enjoyed by all.
This experience was rewarding in
many ways with the added benefit
of feeling and learning the passionate
music of Brahms. We are so blessed.
Five Boy Scouts from FUMC Allen charters, Troop 306 and Troop 328, and one from Troop 207 combined their Eagle project efforts and teamed with the FUMC Allen Board of Trustees to expand the storage capabilities of the Wesley House garage. Through garage sales and other projects, the scouts raised the funds and the manpower to pour a foundation, raise the walls, put on a roof, and purchase the siding.
Great Adventure Weekend: My Point of ViewBy Marina Goodwin, Class of 2013
Great. Adventure. Weekend.
These three simple words have
made an incredible impact on
my life. There is something
special about a youth retreat:
something special about setting aside the numerous
distractions that consume our lives and using that
time to develop a deeper relationship with God. Great
Adventure Weekend (GAW) provides so many ways
to do this through powerful worship services, deep
discussions within family groups and cabins, fellowship
during group games, sharing meals with old and new
friends. . . honestly, the list could go on and on.
I have personally experienced all of these aspects of
GAW every single year I’ve attended. This year was my
final GAW, and it was unrivaled by any other year. As a
senior, it is hard for me to understand that soon all of
these experiences I have waited so long for will pass
before I even realize it.
Throughout the entire weekend, it did not occur to me
that it would all soon be over. It did not occur to me as I
planned the lessons for GAW, as we said a prayer before
loading the bus, as I lead my family group in discussions,
as we worshiped together, as we played group games,
as we shared meals, as we watched the talent show, as
the juniors roasted the seniors, or as we roasted Hugo.
It finally hit me as the seniors sat in front of the entire
youth group and gave their testimonies that this was
my final GAW, and I would never have this time back.
Great. Adventure. Weekend. At the start of the weekend,
these three words simply represented the same old
youth retreat I went on every year, but as I spoke in front
of the youth group, my second family for the past six
years, I realized that these words actually mean so much
more to me. They represent precious time spent with
my closest friends, building a deeper relationship with the
Lord and creating memories that I will cherish forever.
Confirmation 2013: My PerspectiveBy Swazey Dickson, Confirmand
Confirmation helped me a lot.
Not only was it fun to hang
out with my friends, but it also
helped me get closer to God
by learning about Him. Every
Sunday, I met with my group and we started with just
talking about a topic. We learned things about the Bible
that we never knew before and got to tell our parents
all about it when they picked us up. We learned about
special holidays in the church, and we have studied the
stories in the Bible more now that we are older.
Confirmation has helped me get through a lot of
things. When I’m upset, I can always talk to my group,
Ms. Susan, or my faith partner, Ms. Melinda. I like faith
partners because they are someone who helps you get
through confirmation and lead you to being an official
member of the church: they are someone who you can
talk to and have fun with.
Confirmation gave me somewhere I could go to solve
a problem or learn something new about the Bible and
meet new people; it gave me the chance to learn how
to be a good disciple of God. It has helped me mature
and grow in my knowledge and see new things and new
people, which we did on our retreat. Confirmation is
something I will always remember, and it is one of my
favorite things about church.
When I was in Sunday school, I always looked forward
to going to confirmation, learning more about my faith,
and being with kids my age. Through confirmation, I
have confirmed my faith in God. I am thankful that I
was able to have this time to learn, and I am thankful
to Ms. Melinda and my other teachers and friends.
Confirmation is a big responsibility, but I am glad I chose
to take part in it; it has been one of my best church
experiences.
First United Methodist Church of Allen 601 S Greenville Ave Allen, TX 75002 www.fumcallen.org
Great Adventure Weekend: My Experience By Janice Hewitt, Adult Volunteer
When Hugo asked if I would volunteer
at Great Adventure Weekend (GAW), I
was honored but concerned. What was I
getting myself into?
The first night really set the tone for the
whole trip. We met with our family groups
and were swept up immediately in the
competition for the “Most Spirit Award.”
My “Jolly Green” family group surprised
me and everyone else that night, thanks
to the quick thinking of Laura Ragsdale,
the team’s resident cheerleader. We
quickly hoisted another team member,
Brady McQueeney, up in the air, and
won! The energy and enthusiasm (in one
word: LOUD) was impressive, and right
then, I knew this was going to be a great
weekend.
Our guest speaker, Youth Pastor Matt
Tuggle from Highland Park UMC,
provided very insightful points that
made for great conversations within
our family groups. He is truly an
outstanding speaker, and we were
very fortunate to have him there to
lead and inspire us that weekend.
So much planning goes into a
successful retreat, and it was amazing
to see first hand the work of Rev.
Hugo Magallanes and Susan Hale.
Reserving the camp, scheduling
transportation, and assigning cabins
to youth and chaperones is quite a
task. But they also planned detailed
activities throughout the weekend.
We also had time to goof around and
really express ourselves within our
small groups.
GAW is an amazing experience that truly
brings everyone closer. I learned a lot
from my amazing family group and cabin
mates, and I hope to be a part of GAW
every year.
The Flame Issue 02 JUNE 2013