I've Been Thinking                        

I've been thinking about our service of Imposition of Ashes. It will be observed according to ancient custom on the first day of Lent, a day perhaps more familiar in these parts for being the day after Mardi Gras. Since Lent always begins on a Wednesday, Fat Tuesday arose as a final celebration before the disciplines of Lent are observed. Lent itself is defined as the forty days before Easter excluding Sundays. The season is marked by simple living, repentance, prayer and fasting. The 40 Days of Lent, reminiscent of Christ's time in the wilderness, set aside approximately 1/10 of the year as a tithe to re-focus and re-turn our lives to God in preparation to receive again the Resurrection message. (Sundays are always feast days or little Easters and thus are excluded from the Lenten observance of fasting and self-denial.) Therefore, we observe the imposition of Ashes as a way to mark the beginning of the season of repentance.
 
The Lenten season begins this year on February 22, which is called Ash Wednesday. In many traditions these observances are ancient but relatively recent for some United Methodists. The Service of Imposition of Ashes is particularly helpful for those of us who live in the world of Mardi Gras. It makes a striking transition from the excesses and frivolity of Carnival into the serious work of preparation for the Easter celebration and the opportunity to grow closer to God through various disciplines of devotion.
 
Our tradition here at Long Beach FUMC is to have a very simple evening service of Imposition of Ashes to help us regain focus and promote understanding of the Lenten season.  The service itself includes Scripture, music, reflective prayer and repentance.  If feasible, you are encouraged to fast throughout the day and break your fast after the service in the evening.
 
Our worship theme for Lent will be "Life In Service". Led by the MIBs, our congregational project will be the STOP HUNGER NOW ministry. We will have opportunities for prayer, alms giving and a hands-on meal-packing event on Palm Sunday. I hope you will carefully consider a personal Lenten Discipline for this year that will begin on Ash Wednesday. Spend the day focused on who you are as a child of God in order to prepare yourself for a holy Lent. 

Top Ten List: THINGS YOU CAN TRY FOR THE LENTEN SEASON

10. Try an electronic fast. Give up TV, Guitar Hero, texting, tweeeting, e-mail and all things electronic for one day every week. (or everyday of Lent!) Use the time to read & pray.

9. Start a prayer rhythm. Say a prayer every time you brush your teeth, hear an ambulance, or check your e-mail. Before you text someone, pray for them.

8. Read one chapter in the Bible each day.

7. Forgive someone who doesn't deserve it (maybe even yourself.)

6. Give up soft drinks, fast food, tea or coffee. Offer the money you save for STOP HUNGER NOW (a food packaging event to be held on Palm Sunday, April 1st, at our church)

5. Create a daily quiet time. Spend 30 minutes a day in silence and prayer.

4. Cultivate a life of gratitude. Write someone a thank you letter each week and be aware of how many people have helped you along the way.

3. Be kind to someone each day or volunteer one hour per week.  Practice random acts of kindness.

2. Pray for others you see as you walk, drive or interact with others.

1. Repent and turn from sin. Give up anything in your life is blocking you from being a true disciple of the Lord and being made a new creation in Christ.


Rev. Rod Dickson-Rishel

Senior Pastor
 

Electronic Newsletter

We are in the process of converting to an electronic newsletter. There are several positive aspects to this change, first and foremost the savings of the cost of mailing the newsletter. If you would like to receive your newsletter electronically please either call Alice in the church office at 863-9619 or you can e-mail your address to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

This Week at First United Methodist Church

Sunday

8:30       Sanctuary Morning Worship

9:45       Sunday School

11:00     Sanctuary Morning Worship 

11:00     Worship @ The Well - Fleming Auditorium USM Gulf Park

3:30       Puppets

5:00       Moms In Touch

5:00       UMYF

6:00       Staff Parish Relations Committee Meeting

Monday

6:00       Boy Scouts - CLC

7:00       UMW Circle 1

Tuesday

OFFICE CLOSED

9:00      Ladies Bible Study

6:00      Boy Scouts - CLC

Wednesday

11:45     O.A.K.S. Luncheon

12:30     Moms in Touch

5:30       Youth Ministry Heart & Soul

6:00       Ash Wednesday Service

Thursday

5:00       Bible Study - Good News class 

Prayer Concerns

Mary Margaret Willems, Austin Barker, PC & Dee Havens, John Holmes, Thomas Free, Inez Jordan, Polly Mincher, John Lutenbacher, & Teresa Wilson

MOSAIC 2012 is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for June 28-July 1. MOSAIC will be taking on a new look and feel as we seek to transition from a student mission camp focused on home repair to a church-wide local mission saturation weekend. If you are interested in leading or serving in any way then you are invited to an informational meeting on Wednesday February 29 at 6:00pm in Heritage Hall.

Children's Ministry News

We will be meet at Big Play Family Fun Center next Saturday, Feb. 25th, at 4:00 pm for an afternoon of goofy golfing with our kids!  We will eat dinner after at Hog Heaven BBQ.  Call Lori Cripple at 206-0185 to RSVP and for pricing information.    

On Saturday, March 10th, we are going on our Honey Island Swamp Tour in Slidell, LA! Adults are $25, and children under 12 are $15.  We would like to take the 12 pm tour time, but we will need to make a group reservation ahead of time.  If your family is interested in going on this tour, please call Lori Cripple to add your family to the list! 

Tickled Pink

Sugar and spice and everything nice

That's what little girls are made of!

You are invited to a

Baby Shower

Honoring

Emily Barlow

Sunday, March 4th

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Heritage Hall

Given by: Marsha Bishop, Amanda Wood & Lori Cripple

Educator Appreciation

As we gear up to show our appreciation to educators in our community, we are asking something from you to make it a success!  Please take time to sign up to provide one or more of following items for the brunch reception:
 

Donut holes (any flavor)

cheese cubes
grapes (any flavor)
strawberries
fresh pineapple cubed
Orange Juice
Apple Juice

Nurture News

The Nurture Committee is looking for volunteers willing to drive church members unable to drive themselves to doctor's appointments, to church, to do errands, etc. If you are interested in occasionally providing this service, please contact Lucy Reagan at 822-0988 or 365-2122.

Mountain T.O.P. Friends Weekend

Join us for a great weekend at Camp Cumberland Pines, Tennessee as we begin our 28th year of service to the people of the Cumberland Plateau and the enrichment of our own lives in the process.  We'll leave Wednesday morning 2/29 and return home Sunday 3/4. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday we'll be working on four construction and renovation projects on camp facilities, to prepare them for the 2,000 youth and adults who will be serving the surrounding communities this summer in ways similar to the help we've been receiving since Katrina.  The fee for the weekend is $125, Call John Armstrong, 547-6082 for more info & to RSVP.    

You Are Invitedto join us on a learning session with St. Thomas Catholic Church (March 7th), Grace Lutheran (March 14th), & St. Patrick's Episcopal Church. We will meet here at FUMC on March 21st, all meeting times are at 6:00 p.m. We will gather together to share about each of our congregations/faith traditions.

Calling all worker bees!  

The Seashore Mission urgently needs groups and individuals to help sort donations.  We will be having a sorting day on Saturday, February 18 from 10am - 2pm in our storage facility (17339 Hwy 67, Biloxi, MS 39532).  We will have duct tape and tables, but are in need of plastic storage tubs, cardboard boxes and shelving. Clothing racks are also welcome!  Drinks will be provided, but volunteers will need to bring their own sack lunch.  If you are interested in volunteering, please call Judy Longo at 228.861.7777 or Paige Swaim-Presley at 228.265.1106.

Sampling Supper

The Annual MGCCC-JD/USM-Gulf Coast Wesley Foundation Sampling Supper will be on Saturday, March 3rd at 6 pm in the Christian Life Center of Long Beach First UMC. Twelve local United Methodist churches will participate by providing dishes and their pastors will serve sample size servings. Everyone gets to vote for their favorite cooks by putting money in the cup in front of that dish. The winning church will be awarded the Silver Spatula. The church that receives the most monetary donations by March 2 will receive a framed appreciation certificate. A silent auction will begin at 5 pm and we need donations of new and nearly new items for the auction. There will also be entertainment. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students of all ages, and children age 4 & younger are free. Janis Slade will be selling tickets in the narthex & also at The Well on Sunday, February 19 & on Sunday, February, February 26. You can also purchase tickets in the church office. For more information on donating silent auction items call Janis at 209-5268. All proceeds will be used for student leadership scholarships and local mission projects.