Hello Church Family,

Thank you for your extra generosity as we begin the season of Advent. Twenty -five (25) gift tags have been claimed for the Spirit of Giving Gift drive, over 50 ornament tags were claimed to support foster children with Christmas gifts through 4Kids, and we learned about the “re-gifting” needs for the AACY Christmas Shop later this month. Please bring all items for these collections to any worship service at FUMC this Sunday.

Christmas Concert

Friday, Dec. 6^th and Sunday, Dec 8^th at 7:00 PM in the East Campus Sanctuary – Check out our “Facebook event” and please share to invite your friends and neighbors!

This week is our annual Christmas concert! We are blessed by the amazing musical talent in our community. This year’s Christmas concert under the leadership of our Director of Music, Arlene Sparks, will be this Friday and Sunday at 7:00 PM in the East campus Sanctuary. Please invite your family and friends to experience the joy of the Advent/Christmas season. There is no charge for the concert, but a love offering will be collected so we can continue to offer special music opportunities for the community. Childcare will be available both nights.

This Sunday is the second Sunday of Advent and the theme is “Peace.” On the East Campus, I will be focusing on how we experience inner peace as we surrender more of our lives to God. Our Biblical example is Joseph and his encounter with the angel in Matthew 1:18-25.

Hope to see you Friday night at the Christmas concert!

In God’s Amazing Grace,

Pastor Marcus

Hello Church Family,

November has been a great month at FUMC. We experienced a powerful All Saints Sunday and Commitment Sunday on both of our campuses. As of today, 126 individuals/families have made a commitment to God through FUMC for 2020. If you would like to make a commitment for 2020 please print off a commitment card and place it in the offering plate on Sunday.

Last Sunday we experienced a powerful confirmation worship service. I am thankful to Wyatt Robinson and Pastor Rachel for their leadership with the confirmation students. May God continue to guide and bless these teenagers.

This week around 30 servants are participating in a Family Promise hosting week. We continue to find ways to partner with others to help alleviate suffering in our community.

This Sunday we will experience another opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of children in Palm Beach County. Tom Lukasik from 4Kids will be speaking at all three worship services on the East Campus. 4Kids’ vision is for every child to have a home. I encourage you to join us on Sunday and invite someone who is interested in making a difference in the lives of local children.

Finally, on behalf of the Pastors and Staff, I wanted to take this opportunity to wish each of you and your families a blessed Thanksgiving. Everyday may we grow in the grace of Christ and find new ways to share His love.

In Christ,

Pastor Marcus

Last night as I was driving to a Mission/Outreach Team meeting, I was in awe of the towering steeple and cross on the East campus.

It was a powerful reminder of the greatness of God. We are called to reflect the love of Jesus in all the relationships in our lives. During the next 6 weeks there will be numerous opportunities for us to be a generous church. We will have opportunities to support:

• Spirit of Giving Network by purchasing gifts for local children.
• 4Kids by purchasing gifts for foster children in Palm Beach county.
• American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) by donating “re-gifts” so that the youth can shop for their families.
• Our school partnership in Haiti, CROS Ministries, Boca Helping Hands and the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home by providing cash donations

Thank you in advance for making a difference in the greater Boca community and throughout the world!

This past Sunday we celebrated Commitment Sunday. I am happy to share that over 115 commitment cards for 2020 were collected. Here is a video that highlights our stewardship:

Commitment cards for 2020 are available online and can be turned in to the church office. Thank you for generously supporting the operating budget of FUMC. You help make ministry happen!

This Sunday we will celebrate 4 youth being confirmed at the 11:00 AM service on the East campus. Please join me in praying for these teenagers as they grow in the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

In God’s Amazing Grace,

Pastor Marcus

Hello Church Family,

Thank you for all the cards and notes for Pastor’s Appreciation Month. It is a blessing to serve God at First United Methodist Church. I am thankful to be one of your pastors.

EMMA Proposal

On Monday night at our Leadership Council meeting, a report from the Emerging Minds Montessori Academy (EMMA) task force was shared. As you may recall, the EMMA task force was approved by Leadership Council in the spring. Its role is to evaluate EMMA’s offer to purchase our West Campus with conditions that would allow the church to continue operations.

An outline of proposed deal terms was agreed to last Friday. On Monday morning, however, EMMA requested changes to those terms. The request made it impossible for the Leadership Council to vote as anticipated on Monday night. As a result, a special called Leadership Council meeting has been scheduled for Sunday, November 10^th, at 7:00pm on the west campus. The only topic for the night will be to receive final recommendations from the task force and to vote on whether or not to move this proposal to a congregational vote.

There are only a few remaining areas of concern in the current draft of terms, and the task force is already working on the next steps. This includes discussing some options with legal counsel and having a meeting with the leadership of EMMA. This partnership has good potential, and the task force is working hard to ensure that FUMC is legally covered for the term of the proposal.

A few people have asked, “What can we do?” I am encouraging everyone to pray about this long-term partnership with EMMA. Pray specifically that God will help us discern his will for this relationship. Please also pray for our EMMA task force, the Leadership Council, the church staff, and your pastors.

We are reminded in Ephesians 4:29 ESV “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Please pray for this attitude in our church as we seek to expand the kingdom of God.

Annual Charge Conference:

Our annual Charge Conference is scheduled for Sunday, November 3^rd, at 2pm at Christ UMC in Ft. Lauderdale. Our annual Charge Conference approves the leadership slate and pastors’ compensation for the upcoming year.

In God’s Amazing Grace,

Pastor Marcus

Dear First United Methodist Church Family,

Two weeks ago I shared a quote from a 2008 book, Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier. Robert A. Emmons, who spent years studying gratitude, wrote that:

The parable of the ten lepers (Luke 17) reminds us that grateful people are thankful people. This is lived out by acknowledging the greatest gift in the entire world, a relationship with Christ. This relationship calls us to intentionally love God and love all people.  As we begin talking about stewardship and giving God our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, may we seek to be grateful followers of Christ. Let’s strive to be a church that’s not defined by human labels but is defined by our gratitude toward God and all people!

Leadership Council Meeting:

Our next Leadership Council meeting is this Monday, October 28^th, at 6:30pm in the West Campus Fellowship Hall. We will receive an update and report from the Montessori task force about a potential long-term partnership on our West Campus with the Emerging Minds Montessori Academy. Everyone is invited to join us for this meeting. I am very thankful for the time, prayer, and leadership of the Montessori task force.

 FUMC Prayer Partners:

At our last unified worship, we asked people to sign up as prayer partners for our church. A prayer partner agrees to pray regularly over the next 3 months for these four things:

1. The pastors and staff
2. The ministries and mission/outreach opportunities
3. The vision and core values of FUMC
4. Our local community

Over 30 people committed to regularly pray for the church and our community! If you are interested in being part of this team please email Pastor Rachel.

 Annual Charge Conference:

Our annual Charge Conference is scheduled for Sunday, November 3^rd, at 2pm at Christ UMC in Ft. Lauderdale. Our annual Charge Conference approves the leadership slate and pastors’ compensation for the upcoming year.

I am thankful to be one of your pastors.

In God’s Amazing Grace,

Pastor Marcus

Dear First United Methodist Church Family,

Today we are meeting with representatives from our partner church in Cuba. We are spending time with Rev. Yordani Jimenez Breffe, the District Superintendent of Pinar del Rio in Cuba, as he travels the SE District connecting with partner churches. We have been a partner church for many years and provide pastoral salary assistance through our mission’s team.

We are excited to hear about the growth of the Church in Cuba.  There are over 100 missions in his District, with 44 established churches.

We give thanks for his leadership and pray that God might continue to deepen the ties that bind us, through this partnership across the ocean’s divide.

Annual Charge Conference:

Our annual Charge Conference is scheduled for Sunday, November 3^rd at 2:00 pm at Christ UMC in Ft. Lauderdale. This conference approves the leadership slate and pastors’ compensation for the upcoming year.

Pumpkin Patch:

There is a great opportunity to serve by helping unload pumpkins this Saturday at 9:00 am on our West (Glades) Campus. Over 1000 elementary and preschool children visit the patch every year. Hope to see you on Saturday at 9:00 am!

In God’s Amazing Grace,

Pastor Marcus