Plugged - In Prayer

Living by faith is the ultimate challenge. Life constantly presents us with reminders that we cannot live without exercising faith. “The just shall “LIVE” by “FAITH” .

Faith is the outlet to all God’s power.

In our home there are outlets in strategic places that give access to a vast resource of power. We have tools to use around the house that enable us to accomplish the various tasks. Before we can use these tools they must be plugged into a power source. We can try to do it without power but we will be unable to make it work as intended. We will wear ourselves out and still fail.

When we live our live Unplugged, we are powerless.

The analogy is not perfect, but you get the gist of what I mean. God never intended for us to live powerless lives. We are called to be more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. We can’t live as conquerors if we are not Plugged In To Our Power Source!

Faith allows us to access the supernatural power we must have to live righteous and victorious lives.

The week ahead is filled with overwhelming challenges for my family. Please plug-in and pray. We are weak in our feeble strength but God is mighty. By His power I am absolutely convinced we will be MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH JESUS.

You will be overcomers over the overwhelming as you live by faith. Join with us in the

battle as we plug-in and pray. God is a Mighty God! Lift your needs to Him.

We will overcome!!!

Pastor Jerry

NOTE FROM THE OFFICE

Your 2020 year-end contribution statements will be mailed out next week. If you would prefer to have yours sooner, I can email to you. Send an email to office@fumc-kaufman.org and let me know. - Pam

http://www.fumc-kaufman.org/our-media/

Arm In Arm “From 3 Minute Devotions (Daily Devotional), published by Barbour Publishing Inc. Used by permission.”

Accompanied by his son, an

older gentleman began his

daily walk. Side by side, the

two strolled down the sidewalk,

the son adjusting his steps to

match his dad’s. When they

approached a crossroad, the

older man turned toward an

incline. His son suggested the

level grade. Shaking his head, the

gentleman said, “Walking uphill

strengthens me.”

The son took his father’s elbow

and they began to climb.

How often we turn to level ground and try to avoid the hills. Yet it ’s the

hard path that strengthens us. Through our difficult times, God draws near

and takes us by the arm. He becomes our guide and companion...he

becomes our strength.

Moses and the children of Israel faced undeniable peril. With warriors

behind and the Red Sea before, where could they turn? In the nick of time,

God saved them by parting the waters. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

stepped into the fiery furnace, believing that God would rescue them. He

didn’t let them down.

Whatever we face, God is bigger than the circumstances. With God, all

things are possible. Choose today to believe that He will move in a mighty

way. Choose today to cling to His arm and walk up the mountainside.

Dear Father, help me to learn to depend on You daily.

Show me Your mercy and grace. In Jesus name, Amen.

Love to you all,

Karen Park

Director of Music, First United Methodist Church, Kaufman

NOW Backpack Program Now Backpack Program will be an ongoing mission for us throughout the school year. The program is run by the school counselors and provides food on the weekends to those students that may not have access to necessities at home. The goal is to relieve this burden so they can focus on school and extracurricular activities.

Note from Mrs. Carrillo, (counselor at OP Norman Jr. High) At this time we have 24 students we send food home with on the weekends. Nine are girls and 15 are boys. We are working on identifying more because some students have transitioned from at home learning back to school. So in the next few weeks we expect to supply more students with food on the weekends. Due to COVID-19 we do not send actual backpacks back and forth anymore. The students receive a grocery sack full of non perishable food items and once a month toiletries to put in their personal backpacks. Thank you, FUMC, for your continued support!

FUMC Family and Friends, Are you aware of the Kaufman County Homeless Coalition? Their mission is: To lead the efforts in addressing housing insecurity and to support the development of community strategies to prevent and end homelessness in Kaufman County.

Each year they do a PIT count (Point In Time) in Kaufman, Terrell, and Elmo. They are asking for some donations of items for the 2021 Kaufman PIT count, which is next week. From the list they provided, I have signed FUMC up to donate 100 bars of soap (If you would like to donate, I'll leave a plastic tub on my office porch to put donations in. If you are donating cash or check, please leave in gold colored drop box behind the office porch.

Also if you would like to volunteer with the count, info is below. Please join us for the 2021 Kaufman County PIT (Point In Time) Count! This is our opportunity to connect with our housing insecure and homeless neighbors and make sure they are counted!

This year, we will have three PIT Count events --- one in Kaufman, one in Terrell, and one in Elmo. The Kaufman and Terrell events will be held at lunchtime on Thursday, January 28th. Our Kaufman event will be held at The Center in Kaufman. It will take place from 12noon to 2pm. Volunteers will be needed to help set up, pass out lunches and backpacks, and survey the attendees.

To volunteer for the KAUFMAN Lunch Event, copy/paste the following into your browser: https://www.volunteersignup.org/CPPD7?fbclid=IwAR0BdqpB34meowi1x43-

gSIDthh01jpWJl5pmULAFTlk_nre1RbIZ1nzyf4

From the Outreach Committee

If you have any questions, call/text Pam 214-538-4727 or Charrise 469-410-1895

January 2 - Debbie Gilham

January 2 - Maegan McNeely

January - 9 Shiloh Lear

January 10 - Kelly Caffey

January 12 - Gil Altom

January 15 - Pam Caffey

January 16 - Ann Harris

January 21 - Joe Resendiz

January 27 - Rosa Rajovic

January 29 - Carol Altom

A Prayer for Today - Submitted by Dave Spaulding In my distress I called upon the Lord;

to my God I cried for help.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry to him reached his ears. Psalm 18:6, RSV

Dear Father in heaven,

We rejoice that you are our Father.

We rejoice that you rule and guide each of us so that our path in life leads to what is good and genuine and we do not get stuck in this or that concern.

Lead us, renew us, and again and again free us to go forward, finding new courage and joy for ourselves and for our fellowmen.

Then we can praise you, your strength and power can be revealed to us, your heaven come down to earth, and your will be done on earth.

Here on earth your help shall come to the poor, the weak, the lowly, the sick, and the suffering.

May your name be praised! We rejoice in your name. Amen.

From Plough Daily Prayers

Be prepared for upcoming weddings, graduations, and other occasions, all while supporting First United Methodist Church. Forty percent of your purchase will go to our church budget when you use the following shopping link. (copy and paste into your browser) https://radafundraising.com/?rfsn=5158633.c882337

If you would rather have a catalog, let Pam know.

If you have any questions, email office@fumc-kaufman.org or call Pam 214-538-4727.

Open the Eyes Of My Heart

Open the eyes of my heart Lord Open the eyes of my heart I want to see You I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up

Shining in the light of Your glory

Pour out Your power and love

As we sing holy holy holy

Holy holy holy

Holy holy holy

Holy holy holy

I want to see You

My Jesus I Love Thee

My Jesus I love Thee

I know Thou art mine

For Thee all the follies of sin I resign

My gracious Redeemer

my Savior art Thou

If ever I loved Thee my Jesus 'tis now

I love Thee because

Thou hast first loved me

And purchased my pardon

on Calvary's tree

I love Thee for wearing the thorns

on Thy brow

If ever I loved Thee my Jesus 'tis now

I'll love Thee in life

I will love Thee in death

And praise Thee as long as

Thou lendest me breath

And say when the death dew

lies cold on my brow

If ever I loved Thee my Jesus 'tis now

In mansions of glory

and endless delight

I'll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright

I'll sing with the glittering crown

on my brow

If ever I loved Thee my Jesus 'tis now

How Great Thou Art

O Lord my God When I in awesome wonder Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made I see the stars I hear the rolling thunder Thy pow'r thru'out

The universe displayed

Then sings my soul My Savior God to Thee How great Thou art How great Thou art Then sings my soul My Savior God to Thee How great Thou art

How great Thou art

When through the woods And forest glades I wander And hear the birds Sing sweetly in the trees When I look down From lofty mountain grandeur And hear the brook And feel the gentle breeze

When Christ shall come With shout of acclamation And take me home What joy shall fill my heart Then I shall bow In humble adoration And there proclaim My God how great Thou art

Great Our Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness O God my Father There is no shadow Of turning with Thee Thou changest not Thy compassions they fail not As Thou hast been

Thou forever wilt be

Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness Morning by morning New mercies I see All I have needed Thy hand hath provided Great is Thy faithfulness

Lord unto me

Pardon for sin And a peace that endureth Thy own dear presence To cheer and to guide Strength for today And bright hope for tomorrow Blessings all mine

With ten thousand beside