NEWS

"Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't,
I give myself reasons why I can."
-unknown

To listen to Sunday's sermon and past sermons, click AUDIO OF SERMON.

(Check out what Pastor Buddy's reading and get UMC book, music and movie reviews on the LINKS page!

News and Meetings

Attendance - February 5th 2012

Attendance for Worship - 196

Attendance for Sunday School - 193

L.O.R.D.S. Bible Study - Led by Page Durham. Mondays @ 9:20 am at the YMCA in Smyrna. For more information contact Page - page.durham@comcast.net.

Disciple Bible Study - Led by Jonathan Tolbert. Mondays from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the church

Tuesday Morning Bible Study, "Troublesome Bible Verses" - Led by Galen Medlin. Tuesdays from 10:00 - 11:00 am at the church.

Prayer Time: Buddy will be in the sanctuary each Wednesday morning at 7:30 am for one hour of prayer. You are invited to join him.

Like Church? Then Like us on Facebook... www.facebook.com/lavergnefirstumc

Church Food Pantry - Every Wednesday

The Church Food Pantry is open from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm each Wednesday for those in the community needing assistance with food.

The item requested by the church Food Pantry for the month of February is Cereal and/or Soup. Monetary gifts are always appreciated.

Sunday School Class Contest!!!

It's time to get your class together to win BREAKFAST for bringing in the most food (in pounds) for our church's Food Pantry!!

Here is a list of items that are needed: cereal, oatmeal, granola bars, canned veggies, canned fruit, instant mashed potatoes, spaghetti noodles, spaghetti sauce, pasta, tuna, beef stew/soup, crackers, cornbread mix, peanut butter, jelly, rice, dried/canned beans, mac-n-cheese, small pop-top meals (chili, mac-n-cheese, Spaghetti O's), juice boxes, individual fruit/apple sauce cups, individual cereal boxes, peanut butter crackers.

You only have 1 month!! Deadline is Sunday, March 4th!! Go ahead and start bringing in those items requested! We'll weigh them each week and keep track of each class's weekly weight totals!

Give from your HEART to our FOOD PANTRY!

Art Academy Wednesday

5:30 - 7:00 in the Fellowship Hall

Choir Practice - Wednesday at 6:30 pm

Nursery Volunteer Needed

There is a need for someone to keep the children of the choir members on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 until 7:30 pm (8:30 pm when practice for Spring Concert begins). If you would like to volunteer, please contact Tracy Morris at tracy.morris@ingrambook.com.

Common Grounds

If you need a midweek pick-me-up and coffee, a croissant, and some Christian conversation to help you make it through the rest of the week, then join us at Starbucks Coffee House on Thursday mornings at 5:30 AM for Common Grounds. The decision to spend these 15-30 minutes together may be the best one you make all week. Can’t come every week? That’s fine! Just come when you can. We’ll be glad you did…and you will too.

Youth - Sunday, February 5th, at 11:30 am

Heartwarmers' Circle - Saturday, February 11th - 9:00 am

Pre Teen Spirits - Sunday, February 12th - 11:30 am

Meet in the Fellowship Hall for lunch immediately after 2nd service. After lunch, we will be going to the Smyrna Malco Theater to see "Big Miracle".

Shepherd School - Sunday, February 12th

Murfreesboro District Lay Leadership Training

Tullahoma First United Methodist Church, 208 W. Lauderdale Ave., Tullahoma, Tennessee

1:15 - 4:00 pm

What is Shepherd School?

Because we believe that ministry happens in the laity-clergy partnership, the United Methodist Church has had a long history of leadership training for lay leadership in the local church. To this end, the Murfreesboro District holds an annual leadership training event, Shepherd School, that evidences our communal commitment to ministry through lay service. The event name, "Shepherd School," was chosen to reflect the loving example of our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and as a reminder that laity serve as witnesses to the Light of Christ in their respective congregations.

Workshops offered include:

VBS 2012 Preview and Training: Operation Overboard

SPRC Training

Measuring Congregational Vitality with the "Dashboard": Workshop for Pastors, Lay Leaders, & Administrative Board Chairs

Successful Small Groups

Hands on Mission

Stewardship & Our UM Connection

Please make plans to attend one of these workshops this coming Sunday.

Diapers & Wipes Collection

Sunday, February 12th will be the last Sunday to collect...

Please join in celebrating the birth of Jacob Lambert Ernest, son of Nola & Trent Ernest, by bringing diapers and/or wipes. There is a collection hamper in the Welcome Center.

Youth Cookbook Fundraiser
The youth will begin selling Cookbooks on Sunday, December 18th. They are great for holiday get togethers. The

Cookbooks are $10 each. All proceeds will assist with the youth Mission trip this coming summer. Please support the youth and help keep our mission trip affordable for all youth that would love to attend.

Youth Collection Children's Books

The Youth will begin collecting good, used Children's books for Project Transformation. A drop box will be in the welcome center. Project Transformation is a 4 to 8 week camp in Nashville that will provide recreation, arts and crafts, spiritual formation, and most importantly reading literacy development, hosted by the UMC for surrounding neighborhood children.
Kathy Johnson
Youth Leader

Recycle Your Christmas Cards

Are you wondering what to do with all those beautiful Christmas Cards you received this year? What a waste to just toss them! Well, you can bring your old Christmas Cards (actually just the picture fronts) to the church. Sylvia Stymacks collects Christmas Cards and sends them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children. There is a collection box in the Welcome Center.

Over thirty years ago, wishing to show their donors appreciation for making St. Jude’s Ranch for Childrenpossible, the idea was conceived for turning the previous year’s Christmas cards into “new” cards for the coming season. The recipients were so delighted with their unique “thank you,” they requested the children sell them the special cards. And so, the St. Jude’s Ranch Recycled Card Program was born. St. Jude’s Ranch for Children was created to provide a safe, nurturing home and therapeutic residential treatment services for children in Nevada and Texas. St. Jude’s Ranch is making a difference by creating new lives with new skills for abused, abandoned and neglected children of all races and faiths. The vision came from Father Jack Adam (1932 – 2007), an Episcopal priest who wanted to create a safe haven for abused, abandoned and neglected children in Southern Nevada. He named the organization after St. Jude, the Patron Saint of Desperate Causes.

There currently have a great need for Birthday and Thank You cards, too.

Click VOLUNTEERS to view a list of Nursery, Children's Church, Acolyte, User, etc. volunteers for the current month.