We will have ONE service on Easter as our whole church family will come together at the Mathewson Center on

the Missouri State Fairgrounds. Please invite your friends as

we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

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Easter is the celebration of Jesus rising from the dead. The Bible says, “If he did not rise, then our preaching is in vain.” One of the core beliefs of our Chris-tian faith is that Jesus rose from the dead. There were many witnesses to the res-urrection of Jesus. And, though we have not seen with our own eyes, we see with eyes of faith and hold fast to this belief. Many times around the Easter season there are re-ports of persons finding the tomb of Jesus which only turn out to be a hoax. The tomb is empty! Jesus rose from the dead conquering sin and defeating death. And he said, “Because I live, you will live also.” John 14:19. If we trust in Jesus we are going to live forever. It isn’t about being perfect or even about being “good enough.” Our sin separates us from God. But in Jesus, our sin is forgiven and there no longer is any obstacle standing between us and God. Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this, to lay down his life for his friends.” He showed the ultimate love by laying down his life for the world. That’s all of us. He has done his part. And now he invites us to do ours. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave

his only son, Jesus, that who-ever believes in him, should not perish but have eternal life.” Did you catch that second part? “That whoever believes in him”...that is our part! We are to trust in him. It is an active Faith in what Jesus has done on our behalf. We cannot save our-selves. We trust in what Jesus has done for us. And he does a work in us, as well. Not only are our sins forgiven, we are free to live for him as the Holy Spirit now lives in us. We will find our-selves wanting to please God and not merely our own selves. That change takes place in us as we begin to follow Jesus. We will find ourselves praying and believing and living differ-ently. This is the way we were designed. We live as people who have Hope. And we live the way of Love. We will care where we were indifferent. We will forgive where we once held grudges. We will bless instead of being self-absorbed or self-centered. God will change us from the inside out. This is the message of the empty tomb. It is the power of Easter! Celebrate your faith. Find your hope in him. Let him love through you! We’re “taking it to the streets” this Easter. See you at the Mathewson, April 8th! ~jimd. P.S.~ Our Confirmation Class will be received into membership this Sunday, April 1st at 10:50 a.m. service Downtown.

Leading People to aN active faith in Jesus christ

EASTER EASTER ISIS ONON ITIT’’SS W WAYAY!! Fir

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ethodist Church of Sedalia

“T“THEHE F FLIPLIP””—— NNEWEW 9:45 (W 9:45 (WESTEST))

SSERVICEERVICE HASHAS

SSTARTEDTARTED! ! We had 55 people at the first 9:45 WEST service this past Sunday. It felt like old times for people who remember worshiping in the Friendship Hall. The new service is called: 9:45 West. We are doing this to make a couple hundred more seats available at that hour. The existing service will be called: 9:45 East. 9:45 West service (Friendship Hall) starts with preaching followed by worship and praise. 9:45 East service (Celebration Room) starts with worship & praise followed by preaching. Each service has the same band and communi-cator. Thank you to everyone for your help. You will begin to see some work in the park-ing lots soon to address some of the crowding there.

Veggie Tales Live is coming Easter (6 p.m.) at the Mathewson. Tickets are on sale now. (All Kids 12 and under $5, and Adults $8). Purchase your ticket before or af-ter services at the Celebration Center, or stop by the church of-fice (1701 W. 32nd St.) during of-fice hours (8:30—4:30 p.m. M-TH; 8:30-3:30 p.m. F, excluding 12 to 1 p.m. for lunch.) If questions, please call the church office (827-2993).

DDOWNTOWNOWNTOWN UUPKEEPPKEEP F FUNDUND We have recently decided to make a large repair on the roof of the Downtown facility. We are so thankful for the generous gifts that have made this repair possible. We are committed to maintaining and upgrading the downtown building, therefore we are asking that if you are interested in making monetary donations to the Down-town facility’s upkeep please de-note that on any gifts.

UMW MUMW MEETINGEETING United Methodist Women will meet Apr.10 at 1:15 pm at the Celebra-tion Center (First Family Room). Jack Menges from Open Door will be the speaker. Please bring pa-per products for the “Paper the Community” paper drive. Items needed are: Diapers (baby and adult), feminine products, paper towels, and toilet paper. Call Patsy Harrison, 827-0193, if chid care is needed. All women are invited.

HEARTBEATS

Art Auction Haiti Fundraiser New Member Dessert Veggie Tales Live

On Sat. Mar. 31 at 6:30 p.m. at the Celebration Center there will be an art auction to benefit Strong Tower Orphanage. It will feature art cre-ated by children in Sedalia 200, Pettis Co. RXII, Sacred Heart schools, our own First Church kids, and some local professional art-ists. Tickets are only $5 in advance; $6 at the door. Open bidding and viewing will take place Mar. 30 from noon-7 p.m. and Mar. 31 from 9 a.m. to noon. Come make a differ-ence in the lives of Haiti’s orphans.

SSEEDSEEDS Come to our mid-week service of worship and teaching every Wednesday (excluding April 4th)from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cele-bration Center. “Seeds” is our ser-vice for families that features many of our lay people who have great faith stories to share along with ex-pertise in a variety of fields. A 2-3 year old and an infant nursery are available as well. Come join us!

EEASTERASTER O OFFERINGFFERING This year’s Easter Offering can help support Vacation Bible School, Youth & Children Camp Scholarships, and Easter @ the Mathewson. Thank you in ad-vance for your generous support. Please mark your check payable to First UMC with Easter Offering In the memo. For your convenience, an Easter Offering Envelope is available from the back of the church Sanctuary, and from the Welcome Centers. Please turn it in in the offering, church office, or mail it to 1701 W. 32nd St., Sedalia, MO 65301 Thank you!

For our recent new members, there will be a New Members’ Dessert meeting on Sunday, April 15th at 1:30 p.m. at the Celebra-tion Center (Hospitality Room). Please join with us for this gather-ing and come learn more about First Church.

If you are interested in being a part of a mission trip to our sister church in Caracol, Haiti, August 1-9, to do Vaca-tion Bible School with the vil-lage children, contact Lorie Holt lorie@firstsayyes.com or 620-0866. If you are dealing with a con-flict right now in your lives, let one of our trained Stephen Ministers help provide emo-tional and spiritual care. Call Don Brandes, 827-6455, or the church office, 827-2993. The Celebration Center Nursery will be closed April 6-9.

CCOMMONOMMON G GROUNDSROUNDS CCOFFEEOFFEE H HOUSEOUSE HHOURSOURS::

We are open Wednesday eve-nings from 5:30—6:30, Satur-day evenings from 4:30-7:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings from 8-10 a.m. Enjoy a weekly “Blue Plate” special before SEEDS on Wednesday nights! (Seeds in recess Apr. 4th)

April 8 6 P.M.

April 1, Jacqui Ellis April 2, Tony Avery, Karen Iuchs, Brody Rambo, Dody Millard, Addison Dillon, Ian Jackson April 3, Arthur Vandela-Mayeres, Zoe Grifford, Ilene Webb, Anthony Tsao, Kathy Youkey April 4, Cansata Arnold, Gracie Wheeler, Julie Hill, Regina Logan, Ja-mie Sparks, Matthew Thompson April 5, Anna Belle Lietzow, Cody Strohm, Gwen Turner, Lacy Rambo, Jeff Gilbertson April 6, Janet Ar-nold, Lowell Pilliard, Kay Welch April 7, Taylor Goff, Marissa Mateja, David Gerken, Tom Palmer, Becky Rayl, Allyson Morris, Brison Ball April 8, Jenson Hamilton, Mattie Hathaway, Lance New, Ashley Dill, An-drew Tsao, Andrew Lazenby April 9, Mandy Gleason, Amanda Matz, Shirley Morris, Frankie Vanderpool April 10, Cameron Hisle, Alex Matz April 11, Kara Wheeler, Liz Ambrose, Terry Pummill, Michael Balance, Nicholas Ferolito April 12, Richard Avery, Sharon Doll, Erin Tuller, Megan Simpson, Delores Woolery April 13, Charles Cheffey, Clay Pil-liard, Karstan Luchini, Michael Jones April 14, Sherry Naylor, Donna Ferguson, Laura Griffin, Braxton Luchini, Mona Sturges, Olivia Iuchs L

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FIRST STEPS

March 17-18, 2012 Sunday School 139 Worship 880 Amt. Rec’d for Ministry $ 12911.15 Building 3425.00 Special 1030.76

March 24-25, 2012 Sunday School 168 Worship 1046 Amt. Rec’d for Ministry $ 9988.96 Building 3059.50 Special 985.22

If you would like additional

information about the church

attendance or finances, please call

the church office (827-2993).

WWEE C CELEBRATEELEBRATE THETHE D DAYAY YOUYOU W WEREERE B BORNORN

Our Family Our Prayers for: Betty Rose Thompson, Norma Tullis, Steve Emory, Elmer & Louise Lentz, Rosalee Bur-gess, Darlene & Virgil Burgess, Sue Coleman, Frances Gold-smith, Jacob Gerken, John Latreille (Rich & Margie Ken-drick’s Son-in-Law), Clifford Smith, Mike Knaus, Pat Garrett, Angie Thompson, Dorothy Shull, Samantha Welch, and Our Military Fami-lies.

Congratulations to: ~Mia Bersano on her baptism on Mar. 16. Mia is the daugh-ter of Mike & Julie Bersano, ~Brody Brownlee on his bap-tistm on Mar. 17. Brody is the infant son of Richard & Tiffany Brownlee, ~Brynnley Wells on her bap-tism on Mar. 25. Brynnley is the infant daughter of Matt & Breanna Wells, ~Beth & Kyle Sessions on the birth of Brooklyn Abigail Sessions on March 21, 2012, ~and to Brandy & Michael Ar-nett on the birth of Cooper Arnett on Thursday, March 22, 2012.

TTHANKHANK Y YOUOU:: (On display Welcome Center Bulletin Boards) We received a note of thanks from: Grace “Lucie” Conrad

. Meals on Wheels of Sedalia 1414THTH A ANNUALNNUAL H HAMAM & B & BEANEAN D DINNERINNER SSATURDAYATURDAY, A, APRILPRIL 14, 2012 14, 2012

11 11 AA..MM. . -- 3 3 PP..MM.. OOURUR S SAVIORAVIOR L LUTHERANUTHERAN C CHURCHHURCH

3700 W. Broadway, Sedalia, Mo 65301 Tickets: Adults $5; Children 6-12 $2; Children under 6 are free

If your birthday is not listed, please let us know so it can be added!

YEstodaytodaytodaytoday Bookstore Hours Bookstore Hours Bookstore Hours Bookstore Hours Sat. 4-7 pm Sun. 8-11am

“D“DOORSOORS” ” FORFOR H HABITATABITAT Several artists from our congregation have been working through the winter and early spring to create doors depicting spiritual themes and Scrip-ture for our upcoming worship experience Easter @ the Mathewson. They will be on display around the top of the arena on April 8th. Sometime later this spring they will be auctioned off and all proceeds will go to benefit our local Habitat for Humanity. Please be sure to come early and take a stroll around the upper level of the Mathewson Center to see these beautiful works of art. The doors to the Mathewson will open at 9 a.m. on Easter morning.

Our hearts go out in Christian love and sympathy to . . . ~the family and friends of Leona Moore and Harriet Walker due to their deaths on March 18, 2012, ~Jacque Cowherd and family in the death of his brother, Harold Cowherd, on March 21, 2012, ~the family and friends of Virginia Frontera due to her death on March 25, 2012, and to ~the family and friends of Pat Garrett due to her death on March 27, 2012.

Downtown, 4th & Osage //Worship Sunday 10:50am

Celebration Center, 1701 W. 32nd St // Worship Saturday 5:30pm // Sunday 8:35 9:45am & 12:30 pm

Listen on the Radio at 1490AM Sundays 10:30am or on Website at www.firstsayyes.com (messages)

Email us at email@firstsayyes.com Phone // 660.827.2993

First United Methodist Church

Office: 1701 West 32nd Street

Sedalia, MO 65301

Non-Profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID SEDALIA, MO 65301

Permit #208

FirsT United Methodist Church of Sedalia

MMAUNDYAUNDY T THURSDAYHURSDAY Service will be a 7 p.m. on April 5th at the Celebration Center.

GGOODOOD F FRIDAYRIDAY Service will be at 7 p.m. on April 6th downtown.

EEASTERASTER @ @ THETHE M MATHEWSONATHEWSON on the Missouri State Fairgrounds 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 8th. (doors open at 9 a.m.) Invite your friends and neighbors and come join us! *NOTE: this will be our only service on the weekend of April 7-8.

EEASTERASTER E EGGGG H HUNTUNT

Promiseland Children’s Ministry will be presenting an annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 7th at 10 a.m. at the Celebration Center. Kids 0-10 are in-vited to come celebrate the joy of “Easter.” All fami-lies are asked to donate one dozen plastic eggs and one bag of individually wrapped candy by April 1st. Collection baskets are located in the Celebration Center lobby.

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2012 H2012 HOLYOLY W WEEKEEK S SERVICESERVICES