Encounter Weekends Locally

If  you'd  like  great  depth, growth, and enrichment in your relationship, you'll like the difference a Marriage Encounter weekend can make!  The next weekend in the Dallas area is April 9-11.  For information and to make reservations, go to www.encounter.org or contact Mickey and Linda Wheeler, jamesw3681@aol.com or 972-594-0232.

This Weekend will add a greater depth,
growth and enrichment in your relationship

www.encounter.org

United Methodist Expression
Affiliated with the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church

What are some results of the Marriage Encounter Weekend?

We have over 25 years in helping couples enhance their communication and strengthen their relationships and documented effectiveness. The National Institute for Family Study reports these findings about Marriage Encounter.

• The divorce rate for couples attending a Marriage Encounter Weekend is just 2% versus the 50% rate as a national average.

• The Weekend experience benefits not only the couple and their marriage, but also has a positive effect on family communication and parenting.

• Less than 15% of the couples rated their marriage as "excellent" before the Weekend, but nearly 65% rated their marriage as “excellent” after the Weekend.

For information contact: Mickey and Linda Wheeler
Home: (972) 594-0232; ; Linda, FUMC, Irving - (972) 253-3531

The Travel Fellowship of First United Methodist Church of Irving invites you, your family, and friends to travel with us in a Christian environment to fascinating places at reasonable prices. ‘This year we plan the following trips for your traveling pleasure:

Wednesday is Family Night at First United Methodist

Oasis is Back !!
the return of Family Night at FUMC!
Our youth have Refuge!
Adults & children now have an

Bible Reading Challenge 2010!

Get your Bibles ready!!!   Get your Bookmarks!
(Bookmarks are on the table right outside the church office.)

We have begun a new year - and a new challenge!
You can start your year anytime!

How are you doing with your Bible Reading Challenge? Several people have told me over the last few months what a blessing it has been reading through the scripture this year. The Word of God is so important to our spiritual health. In the Psalms, David says "Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Reading and remembering the Word of God will help us avoid the many pitfalls we face each day. Sin is everywhere and often in disguise. The Word of God is a light for our path, and helps us see through the darkness and deception around us. It is full of life and hope! And, best of all, it is available to each one of us in so many forms now. We can read the printed Bible, or online versions, or listen to audio formats in our cars or anywhere, and even watch video versions of scripture presented with pictures and sound effects!

Don't fret if you aren't reading exactly on schedule, just get into God's Word, and let it get into you! As James 1:22 says, "But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." It's not too late in the year to start reading! You can even do one of the great 61 day plans at www.biblegateway.com before the end of the year! Read the "highlights" at http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/readingplans/survey.php or the Chronological Bible Reading Plan (61 days) at http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/readingplans/chronological.php These are great ways to familiarize yourself with the Bible in a short period of time. You can also do the plans already highlighted earlier this year, the Biographical Bible Reading Plan (121 days) or the Comprehensive Bible Reading Plan (365 days) http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/readingplans/more.php Bookmarks with plans are available on the church literature table outside the main church offices. God bless you!

Want to read the bible on-line? There are a number of different ways to do this even on your pocket pc style cell phone when you are away from home!. Go to the Bible Reading web page to get the details.  -Webmaster

1st Saturday Breakfast

Sponsored by FUMC United Methodist Men

1ST SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH

An invitation to . . .
EVERYONE- MEN & WOMEN
from the United Methodist Men to our
sponsored Monthly Breakfast on first Saturday,
at 8:00 AM in the Family Life Center!
Note the change of Location!

Come and enjoy a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, sausage, hash browns, and pancakes, only $6.00 per person!

The FUMC Prayer Ministry Needs You

You are invited to join our Prayer Ministry. For the programs and missions our church is preparing or has in process, we most definitely can use the strength and guidance that prayer can bring. The more that we pray the more of a closeness with the Father our church will have. A clearer discernment and understanding of His will and direction for our church is vital for us in the upcoming year and the remaining future.

It is vital that our church family pray for revival in our church, pray for our church and its leaders and pray for God's continued favor and grace to sustain and guide us as this centennial year. Contact Yvonne Mullen at 972-254-1888 for more information on the Prayer Ministry. To place a prayer request, fill out a prayer request form from the card rack on the backside of any pew or from the church office. You can also fill out and submit the on-line prayer request forms on this web site.

When you go by a bulletin board, do you look at it or just pass it by? You might want to reconsider if you just pass it by. There are several boards throughout the church that give great information about upcoming events, or even pictures of an event that just happened. You never know when it is changing or what you might find up there. So, you say, “Where are these boards?”

1. 1. Beside parlor
   2. Beside Director of Christian Education office
   3. 2 – large ones in main hallway across from church office
   4. 1 – large one between church office and library
   5. Beside the library
   6. In the hallway beside the double doors to get to Education bldg.
   7. 2nd floor of Education wing
   8. In the Music Department hallway

The Communications Team

Save A Tree and Help Us Raise Money Recycle! Recycle!

Every time you throw away your newspaper, magazine, office paper, and junk mail, we’re losing money on our recycle bins. School is over so bring us those old papers and files and book reports. If the kids have been taking your recyclables to their school, bring them to us for the summer and help us fill up those bins.

Family Life Work Area has placed our recycling bins in the parking lot across the street from the office, in the back corner of the parking lot next to Hastings Street.

We would like for everyone to bring their recyclable paper to the church and deposit it in these bins. All types of clean (no food attached) paper is acceptable. This includes office paper, junk mail, cereal boxes, advertisements, newspapers, etc. Do not bring heavy cardboard boxes, pizza boxes, food take out boxes, soap boxes or used paper towels.

We know that is may be easier to just put it out on the curb at home, but this is a church fundraiser and we would really appreciate your participation.

REMEMBER: NO CARDBOARD OR PLASTIC BAGS!

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE
OF FORT WORTH

POP-TAB ALUMINUM RECYCLING PROGRAM

Those little insignificant tabs you pull to open your beverage cans make a significant impact to the Ronald McDonald House. The tabs are made of pure, high grade aluminum unlike the rest of the can, which contains paint and other residue.

Irving First is "pulling" for the Ronald McDonald House by collecting pop-tabs, and then donating them to the House. Collection can is in the hallway by the office.

PARENTS DAY OUT!!!

Tuesdays & Thursdays 9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Refer a friend and receive $25 off of your next month’s tuition.
Drop in rates available

See Joy Turner or Call Debbie Robinson
972-259-20511
or email: pdo@fumcirving.org

A Silent Prayer Cell

" . . . and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power of work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."  Ephesians 3:19-21

Rules:

1. Set aside 30 minutes daily of quiet time devoted to scripture and prayer.
2. Read scripture.
3. Intentional prayer
4. Avoid ruminating any and all gossip.
5. Specifically pray during services on Sunday for the Holy Spirit to lead our pastors and the congregants.
6. Prayer chain by phone (activated on request and avoiding unnecessary detail and gossip) taking only the need to our Lord.
7. Our work is to take the need to our Lord who is our intercessor who will present it to His Father.
8. Remembering above all else that it is the work of the Holy Spirit that can and will change, draw, strengthen, convert and revive the First United Methodist of Irving, but we must believe and surrender ourselves to His teaching.
9. There will be NO meetings: only dedicated prayers!

Call Yvonne Mullen 972-254-1888 if you wish to be a part of this!