52 S. Florida St. Buckhannon, WV 26201 304-472-9494 fumc26201@gmail.com www.firstchurchum.com

The WV United Methodist General and Jurisdiction Delegations for

2020. — Michael Estep, Judy Raines, Joe Kenaston, Lauren Godwin,

Bree Moll, Jeff Taylor, Royce Lyden, Amy Shanholtzer, Mary Ellen

Finegan, Judi Modlin Kenaston, Rich Shaffer and

Kristi Lawrence Wilkerson. (Not pictured: Joe Hill, Rachel Flynn

Fulton, Erin Sears, and Sharletta Green)

LOOKING AHEAD:

Prayer Walk at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School on

Saturday, August 10 at 10 am. All are welcome to join in

prayer for our students, teachers and staff of Upshur County

Schools.

Christian Education Sunday is August 18!

All children and youth are invited to our Fall Kick

Off including games and s'mores at the playground and

parsonage back yard, starting at 4 pm!

Summer Adult Sunday School

Beginning July 7 thru 28

9:30 am in Godwin Hall

Led by Val Huffman and Jamie O'Brien What if conflicts at home, conflicts at work, and conflicts in the world stem from the same root

cause? What if we systematically misunderstand that cause? And what if, as a result, we

systematically perpetuate the very problems we think we are trying to solve.” Everyday. “a groundbreaking work that instills hope and

inspires reconciliation. Through a moving story of parents who are struggling with their children

and with problems that have come to consume their lives, we learn from once-bitter enemies

the way to find peace whenever war is upon us. “The Anatomy of Peace” in one of those rare

works that somehow finds its way into the heart. Before you know it you will be emotionally

invested in the same process as the characters in this story. Be prepared to be at once challenged, moved, and called forth to become the person

you know you should be.” Mike Bundrant, Publisher

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Sunday School 9:30am

Worship - Sanctuary 10:40am

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Exercise Group - #18E 9:00am

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Early Birds - Library 8:00am

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Exercise Group - #18E 9:00am Scrapbooking – GFH – 10am

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YOUTH 2019

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YOUTH 2019

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YOUTH 2019

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YOUTH 2019 (edit)

Sunday School

9:30am

Worship -

Sanctuary

10:40am

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Exercise Group -

#18E 9:00am

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Early Birds -

Library 8:00am

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Exercise Group -

#18E 9:00am

Scholarship

Committee

11:00am

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Sunday School

9:30am

Worship -

Sanctuary

10:40am

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Exercise Group -

#18E 9:00am

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Early Birds -

Library 8:00am

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Exercise Group -

#18E 9:00am

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Conference

Nominating - GFH

10:00am

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Sunday School 9:30am

Worship - Sanctuary 10:40am

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Exercise Group - #18E 9:00am

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Early Birds - Library 8:00am

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Exercise Group - #18E 9:00am

1 Patience Brock Ana Edwards Shea Phillips Renee Warner 3 Sandy McDowell 4 Ryan Godwin 5 Victoria Adams SarahJean McGee 8 Catherine Loftis Jeff St. Clair 9 Sean Crites 14 Gary McGrew 16 Nicklaus Boring 17 Jo Criss 19 Juanita A. Post 20 Jake Reger 22 Steve Tierney

26 Harold T. Elmore Justin Kennedy 29 Barbara Loftis Wilda Godwin 30 Ava Grace Wallace Anita Lawson 31 Dale Shannon

JULY 2019

JULY GREETERS July 7 Luke Leigh, Marty Kelley July 14 Garrett & Kelci Friend Julyi 21 Patty Brock, Margaret Miller July 28 Alice Poling, Herb Coston

JULY USHERS Ben Crutchfield (head), Sandra McCutcheon, Jeff

McDowell, Shea Phillips

JULY is “School Backpack AND School Supplies”

Month, the monthly collection for the Parish

House & sponsored by the Micah Outreach

Ministry team. Please leave your gift of a

backpack in Linger Hall on Sunday or leave at the

church office.

FROM THE LIBRARY

The church library is always open. You

are welcome to browse through the

books at any time, and borrow one to

read at home. Just sign the card in the

back of the book and leave it on the desk.

Here’s some good reading:

“Shantung Compound” by Langdon Gilkey

During WW 11 Langdon Gilkey, an American professor at

Yenching University in Peking, received word that all

enemy nationals would be sent to a Civilian Internment

Center near Weihsien in Shantung Provence in northern

China for duration of the war. Mr. Gilkey, along with two

thousand others were taken to an old Presbyterian mission

compound and held captive there by Japanese guards. It was

crowded and unsanitary, but they were not tortured or hurt

or made to do heavy labor. This is a fascinating account of

how two thousand people from many countries came

together to make life as normal as possible from this chaos.

NOTES

Thank all those in our congregation for the visits, phone calls, cards and especially the prayers after my surgeries. Rehab continues but making progress. What an ourpouring of well wishes from a compassionate and caring church.

Blessings to all, Mac McGraw Thank you for your monetary support of Project Graduation and the Class of 2019!. Project Graduation would not be successful withour our great community coming together and we appreciate you!!!

BUHS Class of 2019 ………………………………………………………………

Applications for FUMC college scholarships have

been sent in the mail. Applications can also be picked

up in the church office. Completed applications are due

Jully 17.

Evening Circle enjoying time at the farm of

Judy Halle and Susan Rice.

Mid High class celebrating the end of Sunday School

by making and decorating animal

cookies.

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

The organization now known as United Methodist Women has existed for 150 years! That's a long

history of service. Our local unit celebrated this milestone at our last meeting with cake, punch, fresh

fruit, and lots of fellowship time. Ellen Nickell shared some highlights of the organization including

our beginnings as Women's Society of Christian Service.

Women of First Methodist Church of Buckhannon signed the charter slate in 1940 to become a

Women’s Society of Christian Service. There were 176 charter members. That means our local unit

has existed for at least 79 years! Katherine Reemsnyder was a charter member and received a 50 year

certificate in 1988 for membership in WSCS and predecessor organizations. The organization officially became known as

United Methodist Women in 1972.

Over the years the group has supported foreign and local missions as well as FUMC projects including parsonage furnishings, kitchen equipment, education building construction in 1963, remodeling and reroofing, youth group, bell choir, sacred dance group, annual mission trips to McDowell County, and support of WVWC students. One special fundraising project of note was Freida Franquiz’s oatmeal bread. From 1969 to 1992 she baked 2,225 loaves and profited about $2,900! More recently, a sizeable gift from the estate of Helen Hall in 2005 allowed us to buy Hall House for the Upshur Cooperative Parish. Those estate funds continue to help us contribute to larger scale needs. We just voted to give $1000 to the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church for continued disaster recovery for the areas in WV affected by the 2016 flood. We have wrapped up our collection of empty pill bottles. Three large

boxes containing a total of 12 two- gallon size Ziplock bags of empty

medicine bottles were shipped to Matthew 25 Ministries. They'll be

included in medical shipments around the globe to provide a container for

medicine distributions. Thanks to those who labored to prepare bottles.

Because of the difficulty removing labels, we will no longer accept empty

medicine bottles. It was a worthwhile project, but not one we'll repeat.

UMW will not meet in July and August. We’ll resume on September 5, 7

pm, in Fellowship Hall. Edwina Howard-Jack will share about her advocacy

as we explore Women Speaking the Truth.

UMW ladies celebrate 150 years

Medicine bottles for

Matthew 25 Ministries

Thank you for keeping our family in your prayers

during the loss of my Mom, Barbara Davidson.

We are very grateful for all the prayers, thoughts,

cards, and visits.

Thank you and God bless,

Steve, Regina, and Matt Atkins

Thank You, First Church Family for your help and support!

…………Upshur Helping Hands, 2019

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Dear First Church Family, Thank you for all of your support, help and prayers over the past 4 1/2 years. I really appreciate each one of you, as well as the reception that was held. And, the choir's anthem was so very touching - I am truly grateful. ……………….Kristi Wilkerson

VBS 2019

West Virginia Annual Conference Business Session Highlights

• The Narthex of Wesley Chapel housed little-noticed religious artifacts, each with a little-known story behind it.

Paula McGrew provided background and details in her article on the conference website: wvumc.org/news.

• Supported changes made to the insurance program and supported the pensions report.

• Loretta Young, who is the new chair of Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR), presented the bishop an

award for the conference’s support.

• Celebrated the work of our Disaster Recovery Team and collected offerings of money and supplies for continued

efforts on behalf of flood survivors.

• Celebrated the lives of 39 clergy, clergy spouses & surviving spouses who have died since last Annual Conference.

• Recognized and celebrated 34 retirees

• Equitable Compensation report, including minimum salaries, was set after an amendment to make changes was

not supported.

• Conference approved 4 resolutions from the Board of Trustees, including one that dealt with the sale of the

former GlenWood Park facility.

• The Lay Denman Award was given to Helen “Sammy” Martin and Joan “Johnny” Wetherholt of Oak Grove UMC in

the Potomac Highlands District for their work in starting a feeding ministry that serves over 300 people and provides

an opportunity for relationship building as they share the love of Christ.

• The “One Matters” Discipleship Award was given to Rev. Tom Jeffrey and the congregation of West Hamlin UMC

for their work in making disciples in their community.

• Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball highlighted the many places around the conference where ministry is happening in her

“State of the Church” address.

• Ken Willard shared a brochure about the Congregational Vitality Initiative. The initiative includes coaching,

leadership development, church self-study, church survey, mystery guests and workshops. There is also an option of

on-site consultations.

• Bishop Steiner Ball’s spouse, Barry, was recognized for his ministry within the conference. A gift for the Spiritual

Life Office of West Virginia Wesleyan College was given in his honor. Barry addressed the conference about the work

in alleviating the opioid crisis.

• There is a UM Day at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston on Sunday, July 21.

• Recognized retiring superintendent Frank Shomo and his spouse, Michelle, and new conference superintendent,

Loretta Isaiah, and her spouse, Ravi. Loretta will serve the Little Kanawha District. Joe Hill will be serving the Midland

South District.

• The conference adopted a budget of $12,877,355 for 2020. This is an increase of $441,193 or 3.55% from the 2019

budget.

• Pat Mick, Chair of Global Ministries, announced that collections for Celebration of Mission Events total almost

$95,000.

• New personnel: Kristi Wilkerson will become the director of Upshur Parish House. Anna Troy is the Church and

Community Worker at Clarksburg Parish.

• Conference Council on Youth Ministries Chairperson Bree Moll shared the experiences of the youth during the

year, including Fall Workshop.

• Shea James highlighted the Camping Ministry around the Conference and the work of Campus Ministry and the

campus pastors were introduced.

Appalachian Power Park, Charleston

Visit wvumc.org for more details