930north December 2013

In this Issue:» Read about the Visitation Ministry...................................6» Experience the power of communion at the world’s table.........................................8 » See how a new way of Sunday School for First Graders.................................10» What Café 930 means to Fran & Steve Shurtz........16

M a k i n g D i s c i p l e s i n T h r e e c e n T u r i e s f o r T h e T r a n s f o r M a T i o n o f T h e W o r l D

December 2013

930nor t ha p u b l i c a T i o n o f f i r s T u n i T e D M e T h o D i s T c h u r c h

Our life together

Missions Gathering class at Connections for Life

An ELC kindergartner using the new materials recieved from a grant.

Dot Harmon, volunteer leader of the flower ministry

Fall Festival

Knit at Night: Knitting scarves for homebound members

Fall FestivalFall FestivalSpiritual Formation Sunday morning Book Study Group

Adult Mystery Trip to Frogmore Plantation

United Methodist Women Leadership Team

The Meeting Place........................................................5

A Vision for Visitation by Art & Pat Landry........................................................6

A Spiritual Connection with WUMCby Celestine Davis...........................................................7

Communion at the World’s Tableby Caroline Tyler..............................................................8

Godly Playby Rev. Ann Trousdale................................................10

Calendar of Advent Events....................................12

Young & Making an Impactby Lanie White................................................................14

Café 930: A Different Kind of Serviceby Fran & Steve Shurtz...............................................16

TAG Visioning Update..............................................17

Congregational News...............................................18

930northDecember 2013

Table of Contents

6

8

10

16

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

I don’t know about you, but the older I get the more surprised I am by how quickly December comes around each year! I turn the last page on the calendar and

find myself thinking, “What? Another year has gone by already?”

One of the things that I find meaningful to do at this time of year is look back over the year, especially at the things that should be celebrated. And 2013 had its fair share.

I completed my first year as Senior Pastor at First UMC in July. My mother and father both turned 70 (which is a sign I’m getting older too!). Tasha and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary and said goodbye to our 9-year relationship with Pampers (Ethan has now graduated to pull-ups).

2013 also brought a few things for us to celebrate as a church. We began a new worship service called The America Street Service (which is already averaging about 160 on Sunday mornings). We started support-groups for people who are experiencing things like grief, relationship loss, etc., and launched a new ministry for “singles” called The Vine. We created a visitation ministry through which dedicated volunteers make regular visits to our homebound members, sent mission teams to Appalachia, Cambodia, Alaska, Utah, and Costa Rica, started broadcasting our worship services in high-definition, and

began publishing this magazine, 930north. And more!

In this issue of 930north you’ll read about some of the highlights from a year in the life of First United Methodist Church. I hope you’ll learn something that perhaps you didn’t know about your church. I hope you’ll be inspired to get involved. I hope you’ll feel a little pride (the good kind) that you’re part of such a vibrant and dynamic congregation.

Most of all, I hope you’ll celebrate the good news that God is working in and through our church, touching, healing and changing lives in the name of Jesus Christ.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Brady WhittonAbout the CoverThe Sanctuary filled with candlelight on Christmas Eve Service last year. Join us this year on December

24th at 5:00 or 7:00 p.m! photo credit / George Ragsdale

To request to be added to our 930north magazine mailing list,

join our photography or reporting team, or to have information

included in a future edition of this publication, contact Emily Phillips,

at [email protected] or 383-4777, ext. 255.

a p u b l i c a T i o n o f f i r s T u n i T e D M e T h o D i s T c h u r c h

9 3 0 n o r T h b o u l e v a r D

b a T o n r o u g e , l a 7 0 8 0 2 2 2 5 - 3 8 3 - 4 7 7 7

Senior PastorRev. Brady Whitton

Associate PastorsRev. Brad Franklin

Rev. Katie McKay SimpsonRev. Susie Thomas Rev. Ann Trousdale

Editor/Graphic DesignerDirector of Communication

Emily Phillips

PhotographersMichelle Ducharme

Pat FaxonDr. William Weldon

Karen Spencer Fran Skipper

Todd Rossnagel

Pastor’s Column

930north

Rev. Brady Whitton Senior Pastor

Celebrating 2013 in the Life of FUMC

Cooky Coffey Outreach Committee Chair

Beth O’QuinnChurch Council President

Vicki KellumStaff Parish Relations

Committee Chair

December 2013 | 930 North Magazine 5

The Meeting Place

Celebrate Years of Faithful ServiceThe following members are rolling off this year and have served four years or more: Mary Sue Garay, Bowen McRae, Cooky Coffey, Lou Faxon, Barbara Jones, Beth O’Quinn, Cliff Vannoy, Garry Hubble, Chester Calcote, Bill Coffey, Greg Cotter, John Evans, Eric Hogan, Keith Jones, Sandra Jones, Leila Braswell, Tee Brown, Jeremy Cinman, Meredith Cinman, David DeFoe, Jen Rossnagel, Graham Smith, and Vicki Kellum.

Thank you to one and all for your years of service!

How long have you served in this position?“With the exception of 2 years, I have served on the Outreach Committee since 1982. I have served as Chairman on 3 different occasions, with my last term lasting for 3 and a half years.”What is something you wish you had known when you first started this position?“The many requests for money from a myriad of sources. The need to educate the church’s membership regarding the variety of ways FUMC is in mission.”What is your favorite memory from serving your church?“I have 2: 1. the knowledge of how our aid to our partner schools has helped increase the students performance & provided educational aide for the teachers 2. the twinkle in the eyes of the residents in 3rd world countries and the joy in their faces over the delight of someone from the U.S. that had come to their country to serve them.”What one piece of advice would you leave for your predecessor?“FUMC is so very blessed in the monetary area, however, we need to think about not spreading ourselves too thin, but rather, carefully choosing our projects.”

How long have you served in this position?“Short answer is seems like a long time! My recollection is that I have been Church Council Chair for about 4 years now. I’ve been a member of the Church Council on and off for the past 20 years.”What is something you wish you had known when you first started this position?“If you are uncomfortable speaking in front of large groups (as I was), it will get easier. The Church council is a wonderful group of church members who will give you grace when needed!”What is your favorite memory from serving your church?“Don’t know that I can name one, but certainly recall all the wonderful people in our church that I have served along side over the years.”What one piece of advice would you leave for your predecessor?“Get an end date in writing! Just kidding. It’s wonderful to be part of such a rich heritage and help make a difference in the direction of our church. My advice is to be open to all members’ perspectives, they are all valuable.”

Vicki Kellum has served faithfully on the Church Council for the past 8 years and on the SPR (Staff Parish Relations) Committee for 6 years. In asking Vicki how she felt about her service she has this to say, “Serving on this committee has been a wonderful opportunity for me. A lot of people do not know what a talented and special staff we have and working with them has been a blessing. “

What is the SPR Committee and what does it do?The SPRC has primary responsibility to work with staff so that the mission of the church is realized. Specific tasks for the SPRC include:• conferring with the congregation and the staff/pastor about ministry direction• assessing the ministry of the congregation and the staff/pastor at least annually• supporting lifelong learning for all staff (continuing education)• identifying and supporting individuals from the congregation whom God seems to be calling for ordained ministry• making recommendations regarding compensation, travel, benefits and housing to the church council• recommending needed staff positions and developing written job descriptions and titles for associate pastors and staff

6 930 North Magazine | December 2013

The Home Bound Visitation ministry got its start in mid January of 2013 when Rev. Brad Franklin called Pat and me at home and asked us to consider

coordinating this new lay-member-lead visitation ministry. and thought that this ministry would be a good fit for us. After hearing Brad’s vision of the ministry and the support that we would receive from the ministerial team, we told him that we would consider it. After several conversations at home and much prayer, we decided to accept the opportunity to serve in this capacity. Rev Brad was pleased. At our initial meeting in February, Brad, Paula and Sandra gave us a mission statement and visitation tips and guidelines. We also discussed recruitment of additional congregation member resources to assist us with this initiative. They also provided us with a priority list of home bound members that they had compiled to start with. At present, our colleagues on this initiative include Dale and Jake Jacobs, Sally Clausen, Jeremy Theriot, John and Pat Bolander and Marilyn Moorman. Each couple or individual has on average 3 to 5 homebound church members assigned for visitation. Our goal is to visit or have some

communication with each of them at least once a month if not more frequently to check on them and see how they’re doing. Our collective efforts have been well received and each of us has made “new friends”. Personally for Pat and me, we’ve enjoyed our visitation time and cherish the conversations and stories. Two of the most important skills that we see that are useful are to be a good listener and have a compassionate heart toward the elderly. After all, we all are heading in that direction. Pat and I both had parents that lived to be in their eighty’s and they’ve passed on so these visits are filling a void in our lives as well. Every quarter we provide the pastoral staff an update on our activity for the previous quarter and meet with them to discuss progress, challenges and unmet needs and solicit feedback from them on our efforts. One thing that I’d like to say is that we would love to have some additional congregational participants who are interested in this ministry and who would be willing to devote some of their time and energy to visit with our homebound, nursing home and retirement community members. This experience has been a blessing for us. Whatever impact our efforts have made on the lives of our homebound members has been returned many times over. If you are interested in participating in this ministry please contact us or speak to one of the ministerial team. We always need additional resources as the need is great. Also, if you know of someone who could benefit from our ministry please speak to one of the ministerial team and we’ll reach out to you and/or that individual.

by Art & Pat Landry

A Vision for Visitation


The Academy for Spiritual LeadershipCelebrating Our Connection

with Wesley United Methodist Church

The Academy for Spiritual Leadership serves FUMC as a ministry of teaching, evangelism, and outreach and we extend this opportunity to include other United Methodist churches in the Baton Rouge area. Following is a reflection from an academy member of Wesley UMC as to the importance of this opportunity for her church: The busyness of church life, as vital as that is, seems not to compare to the joy of covenant fellowship between sisters and brothers who worship together every Sunday. Sisters and brothers who thought perhaps they knew each other well. Wesley United Methodist Church

members have shared a journey of church life for a number of years, through work areas, worship, and studies. But, The Academy

for Spiritual Leadership of First UMC has set precedence for our group through retreats and covenant groups that spotlights commitment, reflection, relationships and vulnerability. In many dedicated Christians, the pressures of everyday life sometimes lead to physical and spiritual burnout. Our covenant group, like many others, will possibly see ourselves in the mirror called “need to reflect.” What we are doing and what we need to be doing will hopefully surface as we pray, study, trust, and help each other on our journey of spiritual growth and renewal. The Academy for Spiritual Leadership has opened the door and invited us to the table of commitment to share in God’s love through Jesus Christ our Lord. We now have a chance to examine our relationship with God in Christ and with one another more deeply. We all can admit that being alone with God in a quiet place is a practice we desperately need to attend to. We know that trusting God with our lives opens the door to spiritual renewal and a wonderful opportunity to share our lives with one another. As we commit to time alone with God, and as we journey together as a covenant group, we look forward to sharing God’s love with the world. We look forward to our next retreat in January with renewed commitment to listen to that ‘still small voice.’

By Celestine Davis, a member of Wesley United Methodist Church

The Academy for Spiritual Leadership is

proud to host...

Reverend Jane Vennard noted author, spiritual leader and theologian

on Sunday, January 19th from 9:40-10:40 a.m. in the

Sanctuary. Open to all! Sunday School classes are encouraged to

attend.

For more information, contact Cherri Johnson, Director

of Spiritual Formation and Education at 383-4777 or

[email protected]

As part of the Academy for Spiritual Leadership, small groups meet weekly. Pictured here is a small group meeting at Wesley United Methodist.

YOU’RE INVITED!

Communion at the


This past August, I traveled to San Isidro, Costa Rica, with 14 other FUMC church members. While on the trip, I shared the task of documenting our adventures on a blog. This sounded like the perfect job for me; because while I am very outgoing, I find I can better express myself with written word. On our bus rides to and

from our worksite in Peje (about 45 minutes from San Isidro), I found myself typing away at the note section on my phone, writing down

snippets of conversations I had with team members and locals on the previous day. On Sunday morning after church, our Costa Rica Mission Project leader, Wil Bailey, shared with our team his thoughts on international mission trips. This resonated with me. After several recent conversations with friends about why I was going to Costa Rica, while at the same time in Baton Rouge there are plenty of opportunities to share the love and serve others; I was conflicted. I was excited to go on this trip, and just kept hearing about the needs at home, and how all the money spent to send me on this trip could go help those in my home town. I completely understand how much money it costs to go on a trip like this. And I certainly know how many meals

it would equivocate to at the Food Bank. I still had this desire to go to another country on a mission trip. Call it Passport Fever, if you will, because someone with a virgin passport will want to get a stamp in that thing as quickly as possible; but I wanted to go somewhere, and Costa Rica was an option. So I took it. Wil told us of a time when he was in Africa on a mission trip, and he was about to share communion with those in the area he was working. He told us how excited he was, to be partaking in something that he thought would be familiar. Little did he know that their version of communion was bread baked on a corrugated tin roof and sorghum beer, instead of his familiar white bread and Welch’s grape juice. However, this communion experience changed him. He came to the realization that this table that he was eating at is a global table, and the communion service at his home church in North Carolina is the same table as the church in Africa. Sharing a simple meal with our friends in other countries is a marvelous thing—same bread, same cup, same Jesus. Yes, different country, but we are all eating with the same Man in mind. Wil then said something that has stuck with me, “How many times can you share a meal with a person, before they cease to be a stranger?” This is why you do foreign mission trips, not just to go see beautiful places, and eat delicious food. Not to sweat in the heat of the night, or get bug bites up and down your legs. But to have the opportunity to meet other people who love and serve the same Lord as you do. It’s about being

Caroline TylerCosta Rica Mission

Particpant & Missions Coodinator

able to connect with an 8-year-old girl over a mutual love of sparkly lip-gloss; or boys playing soccer and showing off their mad footwork to each other; two people speaking two different languages, sharing a smile and thumbs up when a conversation can be completed with the pointing of fingers and poorly spoken Spanish and English. It’s about a group from Baton Rouge working with a crew of Costa Rican men diffing in dirt and smoothing concrete to make a difference. When going on mission trips, most people expect that the missioners are the only ones doing the serving. They are wrong. In order to serve someone, the ones being served must humble themselves to accept the service. This humility and receiving spirit are qualities the disciples expressed when Jesus washed their feet in Jerusalem. Think about it. In order to serve someone, there must be one willing to be served. If no one is willing to accept help, then the cycle is broken, and where’s the fun in that? We all know how humbling it is when someone does something for us. It’s a weird sensation, but just “get over it.” The person who is helping you is getting that “high” from helping you. So let them serve you, and then you can better serve others, because you have been served!

From left to right: Melissa Savario, Terry Dier, & Reid LeJeune

This is why you do foreign mission trips...

to have the opportunity to meet other people who love and serve the same

Lord as you do.

“”

The team worked on a

multi-purpose building at

a Methodist Church in

Peje, Costa Rica. World’s Table


A New Way for S unday School

Godly Play!


By Rev. Ann Trousdale We have good news for FUMC! We’ve found a way! It’s called Godly Play, and this year we are offering this exciting approach to our First Grade Sunday school class. Developed by Rev. Jerome Berryman, Godly Play is based on Montessori educational principles. Each week the children hear a story told using child-sized manipulable objects. Following the story, they participate in “wondering” about the story through open-ended questions, and then are invited to express their response further through a range of artistic expressions. Prayer and a common “feast” bring the Godly Play sessions to a close.

Our team of Godly Play teachers—Becky Poor, Cindy Mann, Sheri Loy, Rebecca Mitchell, Emily Phillips, and Caroline Tyler, and myself—brought Godly Play to our elementary classes last year, immersing each class in a month of Godly Play on a rotating basis. This year we began to offer the First Grade a year-long experience.

We’ve been working hard to develop a special Godly Play classroom, located on the third floor in the former TV studio. The room is set up with a storytelling area, colorful shelves for storytelling kits and art supplies, an area for drama, and an area for three-dimensional response through blocks and building tiles. Refined by 30 years’ experience worldwide, Godly Play is also finding a place in worship, in adolescent and adult religious education, in schools, in hospitals, and nursing homes. This year we are offering Godly Play to our adult Sunday school classes on a one-, two-, or three-session basis.

We are excited to be able to provide this spiritual resource to our FUMC family. If you would like more information or would like to tour the Godly Play room, please contact Rebecca Mitchell at 383-4777 or Rev. Ann at 336-4213.

I wonder… how we can help children engage with

Bible stories on their own level?

I wonder… how we can encourage children to explore their responses to the stories and to hear

others’ responses as well?

I wonder… how we can invite children to deepen their responses through creative expression?

A New Way for S unday School

Godly Play!


What do you like about Godly Play Sunday School?

“It’s fun. There are no chairs. There is a sand box where they got sand from a real desert. If you rub the sand in your hands it tickles....I learn more about God.” - Aiden Desmond

What he would tell your friends at school about Godly Play?

“All the different things we can do. I would tell them about expressions. You can paint, color, do a craft. You pick a part of a story you like and do an expression and make a detail of a story.” -Aiden Desmond

Sofia likes “how you tell the stories with the figures, because you can really “picture it” as you listen.” Eva said that the storytelling method helps you “understand it better.” Both girls also said it was really fun because you get to do art!

Advent and Chri stmas at Fir st United Methodi stDecember 1 First Sunday of Advent – We light the first candle on the Advent Wreath. (8:30 & 11:00 a.m.)

December 4 The Gathering - Dinner, Worship & Advent Studies. The Sanctuary Chrismon Trees will be decorated by our children and we will make gift bags for homebound members. (5:00 p.m.)

December 8 Second Sunday of Advent – We light the second candle on the Advent Wreath. Layette Kits will be dedicated as well. (8:30 & 11:00 a.m.) Advent Taizé Service - Set in the beautiful and intimate Ory Parish Hall, this service provides meditation, complemented by music, scripture, intercessory prayer and silence. (6:30 p.m.)

December 11 The Gathering – Dinner, Worship & Advent Studies. Learn about and make Chrismon ornaments for your home. (5:00 p.m.)

December 15 A Feast of Carols will be offered by the Chancel Choir & Orchestra. Third Sunday of Advent – We light the third candle on the Advent Wreath. (8:30 & 11:00 a.m.)

December 15 The Downtown Christmas Pilgrimage – The gift of Christmas music is offered by each downtown congregation. (5:30 p.m.)

December 18 The Gathering – Dinner, Worship and the evening concludes with Christmas carols and hot chocolate. (5:00 p.m.)

December 19 The Longest Night Service - We host a service at this time as a reminder that even on the darkest day, Christ comes to offer light into our world. This service speaks particularly to persons who have had a difficult year. (7:00 p.m.)

December 21 Christmas Food Boxes are prepared and delivered for the needy in our community. (9:00 a.m.)

December 22 Fourth Sunday of Advent – We light the fourth candle on the Advent Wreath. (8:30 & 11:00 a.m.) America Street Christmas Worship & Movie at the Town Square (6:00 p.m.)

December 24 Christmas Eve Services – Service designed especially with children in mind. (11:00 a.m.) Candlelight and Communion services (5:00, 7:00 & 11:00 p.m.)



Calendar of Events

Books of Life will meet on Wednesday, January 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the McKenzie Library. If you plan to attend or want more information, please contact Mary Jacob - 753-4226 or [email protected].

The book for January is The Mapmaker’s War

(Book 1 of The Keeper of Tales trilogy) by Ronlyn Domingue. The author will attend this meeting and Mary Jacob will facilitate. About the book:In an ancient time, a young woman named Aoife is allowed a rare apprenticeship to become her kingdom’s mapmaker, tasked with charting the entire domain. Traveling beyond its borders, she finds a secretive people who live in peace, among great wealth. They claim to protect a mythic treasure, one connected to the creation of the world. On this most important of journeys, there is no map to guide her. In this tale—her autobiography— Aoife reveals her pain and joy, and ultimately her transformation.

Books of LifeDecemberSunday, December 18:00 AM Giving Tree 9:40 AM Newcomer’s Coffee5:00 PM Youth 5:45 PM Folk ChoirMonday, December 29:45 AM Prayer Ministry 6:30 PM Books of Life Tuesday, December 39:00 AM Men’s Coffee Knitting9:30 AM Fit @ First 11:45 AM Centering PrayerWednesday, December 49:30 AM Bible for Every Day10:00 AM Sisters in Christ5:00 PM The Gathering: Homebound bags & Hanging of the GreensThursday, December 59:00 AM Thursday Group 10:00 AM Widow’s Walk Friday, December 610:00 AM Baby Bouncers Play Group Sunday, December 88:00 AM Giving Tree5:45 PM Folk Choir6:00 PM Taizé & LabryinthMonday, December 99:45 AM Prayer Ministry 6:30 PM Church Council Christmas DinnerTuesday, December 109:00 AM Men’s Coffee Knitting9:30 AM Fit @ First

Wednesday, December 119:30 AM Bible for Every Day 10:30 AM Adult Christmas Luncheon 5:00 PM The Gathering: Chrismon OrnamentsFriday, December 1310:00 AM Baby Bouncers Play GroupSaturday, December 148:00 AM Visioning RetreatSunday, December 15 8:00 AM Giving Tree1:30 PM Visioning Retreat5:45 PM Folk Choir6:00 PM Downtown PilgrimageMonday, December 169:45 AM Prayer MinistryTuesday, December 179:00 AM Men’s Coffee Knitting9:30 AM Fit @ First 11:45 AM Centering Prayer12:30 PM Staff Christmas LuncheonWednesday, December 189:30 AM Bible for Every ay10:00 AM Sisters in Christ5:00 PM The Gathering: Carols & CocoaThursday, December 199:00 AM Thursday Group 10:00 AM Widow’s Walk7:00 PM Longest Night Service

Friday, December 20 10:00 AM Baby Bouncers Play Group Monday, December 239:45 AM Prayer MinistryTuesday, December 24Office Closed-Christmas Eve11:00 AM Family Service 5:00 PM Candlelight7:00 PM Candlelight 11:00 PM CandlelightWednesday, December 25Office Closed-Christmas DayThursday, December 26Office ClosedFriday, December 2710:00 AM Baby Bouncers Play GroupMonday, December 309:45 AM Prayer MinistryTuesday, December 319:00 AM Men’s Coffee 9:30 AM Fit @ First 11:45 AM Centering Prayer

For more dates and events, visit our web site at www.firstmethodist.org.

Lanie White

Associate Youth Director

Young and Making an IMPACT!

My name is Lanie White, I am the associate youth director here at First Methodist. I moved here from Florida in January

2013 with my husband, Brandon, who is currently in grad school at LSU. I have always had a passion for ministry and missions throughout my life and have had the opportunity to work with many different mission organizations. But this summer I got to plan and lead a youth mission trip on my own for the first time. It was a wonderful experience, full of learning, fun, and getting to know the students, which I am so excited to share with you. In 1 Timothy the Bible says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” This verse was in the forefront of my mind as I planned the junior high summer mission trip this past summer. I wanted the middle school students to be the ones in charge of the mission trip. Yes the adults were there to over see and help answer questions, but I really wanted the students to be the ones leading. Our students are capable of doing great things, we just need to give them the opportunity. Our mission trip did just that and the way the students responded to the call is something to be celebrated. As we started off on our mystery trip we handed slips of paper to the parents revealing the destination and left the students on the bus with lots of curiosity. Just two hours later the questions were answered as we pulled up to Clanton Chapel United Methodist Church in Dulac, Louisiana. Pastor Kirby Verret greeted us with open arms and couldn’t have been more excited that we were there to work in their community. At first many of the students were disappointed that we were still in Louisiana but none of them realized the great things that God was going to do in the next few days, in

their lives and in the lives of those they met. For two days the students led a Vacation Bible School and did maintenance projects around the church in the mornings, fed the children lunch, and then led a fun activity for the children in the afternoon. It was a full days work where they were with the kids, loving on them, watching over them, and sharing God’s love with them. By the end of each day the students were exhausted but still ready to do it again. To watch our students embrace the children of Dulac, hold their hands, encourage them to participate in singing the songs, let them sit in their laps, play with them in the kiddy pool, was a wonderful sight. No matter what it was they had to do the students were there to help the kids. The thing that I think had the most impact on our students was how close to home they were and what a different life these children had. One day we took the kids to the local public pool, which many of the kids from there had never been to. The second day we brought in some big inflatable water slides and had hoses and slip n’ slides. These kids hadn’t seen anything like this before. You could tell by the smiles on their faces and the energy they had to climb up and down the slide again and again. As our students got tired and were ready to take a break in the shade, the children of Dulac had a never ending energy. The joy on their faces was priceless. We also got to meet many other members of the community and our students learned a great deal about who they were and where they came from. The last night that we were there we invited the church congregation to join us for a shrimp boil. People of all ages showed up to join us for dinner. We cleared the sanctuary of the chairs and set up tables and all crowded in to enjoy a meal together. Being in Louisiana we all know what a great social thing a big boil can be. After dinner, Pastor Kirby got up and talked to our group all about his community. They are mainly Houma Indians and he told us how they came to occupy Dulac and what these people dealt with day to day—from the fishing industry to hurricanes transforming their community. Pastor Kirby is an incredibly passionate, God filled man. He was over joyed that our students had taken time from their summer to come and work with the children of Dulac. He firmly believes that the kingdom of God is dependent on


Jr. High Mission Trip to Dulac, LA. Pastor Kirby pictured on the far right.

living out for Christ this week. Each night we got to worship together and learn more about God. We focused on three main things: community, maturity, and impact. The students lived in community with each other and the new community of Dulac they had entered. The students talked about how even though they were so close to home, things were very different there and they didn’t even know about this community before they arrived. We talked about maturing in our faith and growing with God. Then on the final night we focused on impact. I asked them in what ways they had been impacted that week and what ways they thought they had impacted the community. Student after student shared how they were impacted with how open and loving all of the Dulac children were. How even though the children didn’t know them they opened up and shared their lives with our students, shared their struggles, and loved on them. Our students were amazed at the love these children had even though they didn’t have many material things and difficult home lives. These children lived with very little and had many hardships even though they were no older than elementary school. Our students learned so much about the children in just two days and were impacted by them. The students felt that they had an impact on the community as well, because they were able to help fix up the church and they were there to listen to the children; to love on them and help them to have fun and enjoy life; to give them something they didn’t normally have. We ended our trip with an adventure on a swamp tour and got to learn all about the swamp wildlife and even meet one of the boys from Swamp People, the TV show. But the most impacting thing that happened on the way home was a phone message from Pastor Kirby. We had left all of our extra food and supplies from our trip for the church to have and to distribute to the people of the community. That afternoon Pastor Kirby’s wife asked him if he could take a box of food to one of the families because she had heard they were in need. Pastor Kirby drove up to the home of one of the families whose children we had at VBS and the mom was

sitting on the front steps looking very distraught. Kirby asked her what was wrong and she said she didn’t know what she was going to feed her children for dinner. Then Kirby pulled a box of food out of his trunk that we had left and gave it to the mother. On the bus on the drive home I listened to this message he left me and shared it with all of the students. You could tell at that moment that they all realized what an impact they had that week. Our students still are talking about their trip this summer and continue to ask me if we can go back to Dulac. What started out as a trip they weren’t sure about, being so close to home. Turned into a trip that they will always remember and saw what great ways God can use them. These students celebrated the ways God had used them and worked in them on this trip during our last night’s discussion. They realized how much they can do so close to home.

Make an IMPACT!Join in the Jr. High youth group “action”

by contacting Lanie White, Associate Youth

Director, [email protected].



by Fran and Steve ShurtzAccording to Garrison Keillor, “Methodists, drink coffee as if it were the third sacrament.” That statement is especially true here in South Louisiana, where our coffee is considered by many to be instrumental to the very act of getting ourselves to church in the first place.

Café 930 was conceived as a means of attracting those congregants who might prefer a quieter and less intimidating setting for partaking of the sacramental beverage than the oftentimes crowded and noisy free-for-all that they perceive the gym to be. Some visitors and members actually had expressed a desire for a quieter, more intimate setting. So, our little coffee shop was born in May of this year as a response to those requests.

It has been remarkable how what began as a simple experiment in serving (no pun intended) the wishes of a broader range of our church family has actually enhanced our own personal spiritual growth! Every Sunday morning now, we (along with our dedicated volunteers) show up in the Ory Parish Hall at 9:00 to set up our wares and await the ending of the 8:30 service, when an increasingly broad range of members and visitors alike show up for their morning cups of joe. While we serve them from our “litany of flavors”, we have the chance to meet, chat, and share with folks of all ages.

We greet old friends. We make new friends. We talk news, sports, politics (church and otherwise) and, honestly, the feelings of belonging and sharing are indescribable. We watch as small groups collect around our little café tables to chat and visit. We await the “regulars” with their familiar, sometimes odd, orders. We see the children who timidly eye the tray of sweet treats on the counter, not quite sure whether they will have the audacity to help themselves.

Our church lives have been truly enriched by the experience, to the point where we rarely think of our coffee service as a job, but rather, very much akin to partaking of a good sermon or choir performance. We are uplifted by our fellow Methodists with whom we share our simple offerings and; we like to think, they are uplifted by our fellow volunteers and us.

Next time you’re free between 9:00 and 11:00 on a Sunday at FUMC, drop on by Café 930 for your favorite flavor, sit awhile, visit, and enjoy a slightly different take on fellowship. We think you’ll like the experience.

a different kind of service

Pictured on left: Fran Shurtz, Café 930 Manager

Pictured in the middle: Steve Shurtz, Café 930 barista

In May 2013, we began a process to help us develop a more focused vision of our future together as a church. What are our dreams for the church? What are we trying to do? And what is our plan to get there?

The assessment phase, which involved a congregation-wide survey, focus groups, identifying the strengths of our staff, and a demographics study of our immediate community, was completed in August.

With this information in hand, a group of about thirty-five church members and staff gathered on October 5-6 with author and consultant, Kevin Ford, to participate in the first of two visioning retreats. The focus of this retreat was to identify our “core values” as a church. Who are we? What do we most value? As we grow and change what things must remain the same?

To identify these values we used a process known as “appreciative inquiry.”

“Appreciative inquiry is a collaborative and highly participative, system wide approach to seeking, identifying, and enhancing the ‘life-giving’ forces that are present when a system is performing optimally . . .” (Mark Lau Branson, Memories, Hopes, and Conversations, pg 19).

The appreciative inquiry process involves asking questions that get people talking about formative experiences while listening for repeated themes that reveal the things people hold most dear.

Try it yourself. Ask your family to share their most significant memories from family vacations. As they share, see what words and thoughts keep popping up. You might here words like “peaceful,” or “relaxing.” Or, depending on your family, it might be things like “fun”, and “crazy.” The themes that repeat reveal your core values about family vacations! (Now that you know these values you can plan the best vacation ever. Hint: don’t bother taking a family that values “fun” and “crazy” on a “peaceful”, “relaxing” vacation. Or vice versa!)

Some of the words and themes that bubbled up at the October retreat were: “music”, “worship”, “learning”, “serving”, “caring”, “children and youth”, and “tradition”. We’ll continue to define these core values and where we go from here at the next retreat, December 14-15. A preliminary presentation of the end product will be made to the whole Church Council on January 11.

This visioning process is not intended to change who we are as a church. It is intended to help us identify who we

have always been, what we love to do and do well, and how we can build on those strengths as we listen for God’s call into the future. We’ll have some final results for you early in the New Year.

In the meantime, please continue to hold this process in your prayers.

Visioning Retreat held Saturday, October 5th


Visioning Update!

TAG Visioning Updateby Rev. Brady Whitton


Welcome New Members!

Congregational News

Celebrating the Birth of...

Receiving the Sacrament of Baptism....

Sympathy to the Families of...

Charles Robert, son of Jess & J.J. Heid

Amelie Ryan, daughter of Rachel & Ryan Mumphrey

November 10, 2013Brody Thomas, son of Jessica & David Lovejoy Tenley Brooke, daughter of Jessica & David LovejoyHaley Grace, daughter of Shannon & Jesse McCormick Townes Jacob, son of Jill & Clay Couvillon

Renea Melton

Heidi & Scott Towns

Melissa Towns

Week of

Sunday, October 13

Worship 1,073Sunday School 545Total 1,618

Week of

Sunday, October 20


Weekly AttendanceWeek of

Sunday, October 27


Week of

Sunday, October 6


Anna Lisa, Jason, Sarah Jane, and

Jake Deal

Gerald & Faye Rogan

Katelyn Towns

Celebrating the Marriage of...

October 19, 2013Holly Shuford & Tony Paladino

November 10, 2013Martha Littlefield & Joel Goldman

Lauren Sibley

Jessica Towns

Rebecca & Kylie Perry Erin & Anna Crow

Mike Schultz


The Longest Night ServiceFirst United Methodist Church’s

A service of healing, hope and encouragement

�ursday, December 19, 2013

7:00 PM in the Sanctuary


NON-PROFITUS POSTAGE

PA I DbaTon rouge, la

PERMIT 63

First United Methodist Church930 North Blvd.Baton Rouge, LA 70802Change Service Requested

Join us for Worship!sunDays

8:30 a.m. Sanctuary Worship9:40 a.m. Sunday School for all Ages

11 a.m. Sanctuary and America Street Worship

6:30 p.m. Ory Parish Hall Worship

WeDnesDays12:10 p.m. Aldrich Chapel Worship

& Holy Communion5:45 p.m. Worship @ Gathering

Nursery Care is available from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Sunday mornings and from 5:00-7:30 p.m. Wednesday evenings for children

ages 8 weeks to kindergarten

lvisit

www.FirstMethodist.org

for more information

930north

facebook.com/FUMCBR

@FUMCBatonRouge

930north December 2013

Documents

surprised i

i n g d i s c i p

t i o n o f t h e w

n s f o r

t ha p u b

year relationship

new ministry

time of year