-- November 23, 2022 --

This week we kick off our Advent series entitled The Heart That Grew Three Sizes. The message series focuses on the importance of remembering the Christmas story in a fun way by analyzing the popular book "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!" The series is a reminder of the peace that Christ brings us. We hope you will join us for Worship.

Thanksgiving Closure Schedule For Church Office and Thrift Shop

The Church office will be closed for Thanksgiving Break from November 23 - November 25.

The Thrift Shop will be closed from Nov. 20 - 28, and will reopen on Nov. 29. For more information, please visit the Thrift Shop page.

Thanksgiving At The Church On The Slab

Nov. 24 |11 AM - 1 PM | 1009 Arizona Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76104

The Church on the Slab is not a mission, but rather a church with a mission: leading people to Christ. In the heart of Fort Worth, this church has become a haven for those who desire to be able to rest in the arms of the Lord. 

Our church helps by furnishing a hot meal after the service on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Also, we provide clothing and other needed items throughout the entire year.

Thanksgiving Food Needed:

Our church has been asked to provide side dishes for approximately 75 people for the celebration. We are in need of: mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, yams, other vegetables, cranberry sauce, etc. Contact Steve Kaptain (contact information below) and he will provide you with details.

If you can cook but not attend the dinner, we will gather your contribution and deliver it to the church.

Service Help Wanted:

We have opportunities to serve as table hosts, servers, kitchen prep and greeters. 

Items Needed:

Presents such as gloves, personal items in Gift Bags, and $10 minimum gift cards.

If you have any questions or are interested in being involved in either the Thanksgiving celebration or the 3rd Sunday, please contact Steve Kaptain (817)992-2251; [email protected].

Family Ministries Volunteer Opportunity: Lead Sunday School Preparation

Weekly | K, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Grade Tweens

We are looking for a Lead Sunday school preparation volunteer. Responsibilities include:

emptying Sunday school curriculum buckets and preparing Sunday school supplies for the next Sunday. The purpose is to have everything in the rooms so that Sunday school leaders can walk in and everything is ready to teach. We are seeking someone that is great with organization and is able to use the copy machine. We prefer someone who is available Sunday afternoon, but we are flexible with the volunteer working on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday at their convenience. This role would only take a 3 – 5 hour weekly commitment.

Become a Stephen Minister 

Application Deadline: November 30, 2022

Do you feel that God is calling you to pray, listen and encourage others? Do you want to reach out and bring the love of Jesus to others, but do not know just how to do that? Then you might be interested in becoming a Stephen Minister. The Stephen Ministers are excited to begin recruiting for a class at the beginning of the year. Every third Sunday, we will have tables outside of the church atriums to pray for you or provide more information about the Stephen Ministry.

Applications can be completed online on the Stephen Ministry page before November 30.

Learn More about the Stephen Ministry or Apply!

Methodist Children's Home Bike Project

Dec. 2 : Bike Assembly

"Would you like to honor a loved one for Christmas, while giving the gift of a bicycle to a child?"

With each sponsorship of $110, you will give the gift of a new bicycle and helmet to a child at the Methodist Children's Home. You will also receive a Christmas card for the person you are honoring. 

To make a financial gift, please note "Bike Project Gift” and the name and address in the memo/notes section, and the individual will be notified.

Bikes will be assembled Friday, December 2, with delivery to MCH Waco on Saturday, Dec. 3. Please sign-up to help assemble bikes. Any time you can give is appreciated and we would love your help! 

For more information, please reach out to Donna Price at [email protected] or 817-903-7288.

Sponsor A Bike For A Child

Sign Up to Help Assemble Bikes

Youth Camping Trip

Dec. 2 - 4 | Lake Godstone

We're going camping on December 2-4! We will be returning to the same awesome lodge near Jacksboro, where the Youth stayed last year, with dorm-style bedrooms and bathrooms. Activities will include time around a firepit, fishing, hiking, and more. For more information about the property, visit LakeGodstone.com. The cost of the trip is $25.00 and is due by November 28.

Youth Camping Trip Sign-up

Parents Night Out / Tween Club Christmas Lights

Dec. 2 | 6 - 9 PM

It is time to get in the holiday spirit by going to look at Christmas lights in Dallas and Grapevine. Tweens will gather at 6:00 PM in Leach Hall to eat pizza and decorate Christmas cookies.

We will be leaving the church at 6:45 PM to look at Christmas lights. If you have a December birthday, please let Sandy know. Since we will need to plan for transportation, be sure to register soon. As always, your friends are invited. If you have to cancel, please remove yourself from the Signup Genius and notify Sandy by text.

Tween Sign Up For PNO

Elementary Child Sign Up For PNO

Kids Against Hunger Bake Sale

Dec. 4

Kids Against Hunger is quickly approaching. We need your help with raising funds for the Kids Against Hunger supplies. We will be selling baked goodies on December 4, immediately after each service. If you would like to bake some goodies to donate, please email Kathy Langham ([email protected]).

If you would like to contribute you may give by check, cash at the KAH tables, or online on our giving page by selecting “Local Missions” and entering “Kids Against Hunger” in the notes field. 

Poinsettias In Honor or In Memory of A Loved One

Deadline: Dec. 8

Help our guests and church family feel welcomed, and beautify our spaces to the glory of God by ordering poinsettias. This is a meaningful way to remember or honor your loved ones this holiday season. Please complete the information below to order your poinsettia(s). You may take your plants home with you after the Christmas Eve Services on December 24 or designate them to be given away. The cost is $18 per plant. Mark checks with “poinsettias” in the memo or pay online below. The order deadline is Thursday, December 8 in order to have them by the Candlelighting Concert, so please order soon.

I Want To Honor A Loved One By Ordering Poinsettia(s)

Churchwide Luncheon

Dec. 11 | Noon | Family Life Center

Join us for a churchwide Advent lunch of roast "beast" and other Grinch-worthy foods in the Family Life Center (FLC) on Sunday, Dec 11, following the 11 AM services. Pastor Mike Ramsdell will be preaching that Sunday, and the lunch will also be a time to honor Pastor Mike and Rhonda for their service to First Grapevine. We will have a basket for those who would like to bring cards to encourage Mike and Rhonda on their retirement travels and activities. If you would like to honor Pastor Mike’s service with an honorarium, he has requested that donations be made to First Grapevine’s Children's Ministry or Children's Choir.

Volunteer to bring food

Grinch Fruit Kabobs Recipe

Pistachio Fluff Salad

Let us know you are attending

Angel Tree

Deadline: Dec. 16

Our Angel Trees provide opportunities for you to help local families in need by picking an ornament off of the Angel Tree and supplying that need. These gifts go to the GRACE Christmas Cottage. At the Cottage, families are screened for other GRACE services and get to shop for multiple gifts for their children, stocking stuffers, wrapping paper and a family gift. This allows the families the dignity and privacy of selecting and wrapping gifts for their children. Items for the GRACE Christmas Cottage should be new and unwrapped. Return your gifts to the church between November 28 and December 16.

Love Offering

Deadline: Dec. 18

As we look back on 2022, we are so grateful for our dedicated pastors and church staff! Every week they provide meaningful worship experiences, care for our facilities, and work behind the scenes to support our church’s programs. We invite you to join us in honoring their work with a Staff Love Offering. If you would like to contribute toward this gift, please mark “Staff Love Offering” in the memo of your online gift or check. Checks may be placed in the offering plate or brought to the church office. The deadline to contribute toward this gift is Sunday, December 18. - Pastor Parish Relations Committee

Share Your Appreciation

Mexico Mission Trip

Acuña, Mexico, June 11-16, 2023

Save the date! First Grapevine is planning a mission trip to Acuña, Mexico, June 11-16, 2023. On this trip, we will build a home from the slab up. No construction experience is required and all ages are welcome to join this trip. We will be working with Casas Por Cristo, which you can learn more about at casasporcristo.org. The family will work with us as we build and our missionary will have all the tools and expertise we will need to complete a family home in less than one week. We expect the total cost per person to be less than $1,000 for this trip. If you are interested in this trip, please save the date and make sure your passport or passport card is up to date! We will have an informational meeting in January of 2023 with more details, but if you think you may like to join in this amazing opportunity, please contact Pastor Allen at [email protected].  

Sincerely,

Allen Lutes

Associate Pastor

First Grapevine UMC

In-Person Worship: 350

Online: 289

Sunday School: 134

• We extend Christian condolences to Jim and Zona Peterson and the family on the loss of their brother-in-law, Jack McWhorter on November 4.

• We extend Christian condolences to Rosalva (Rose) Dean and family on the loss of her husband, William (Bill) Dean on November 11.

Here are a few pictures of some church children back in the day participating in the Live Nativity! See if you recognize anyone you might know. 

If you don't recognize them as children, you might know them as adults from last year's Live Nativity. Participating in the Nativity meant so much to them as children, they came back as adults with their own families!

Begin your family tradition of attending a service and serving at a service. The Live Nativity on Christmas Eve is a great place to start!  Please join us as we give our members, visitors, and community the gift of that Holy Night. All ages are welcome, please see the Signup Genius below.  Questions? contact Sue Schultz [email protected] or Debbie Price [email protected].

Sign Up Today

Be Our Guest

WOW, God was with us on Tuesday night for Be Our Guest. It was somewhat chaotic, but HE sent the people and guided our volunteers. We had 110 guests and there were 58 total volunteers: 26 adults in the dining area,15 children in the front area, and 17 helpers in the kitchen. It was amazing. The food was great. We ran out of dressing within the first 30 minutes, but as always, they had a backup plan.

We had several new volunteers and their children helping last night. They are excited to come back next month and were asking about our other ministries. They were amazed at what goes on in our Church and would like to serve in other areas. So, we all are looking forward to what the Lord has planned for December.

Menu for December:

• Pork Tenderloin
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Broccoli
• Caesar Salad
• Various cakes

We encourage you to join us for the meal and show God’s love to our Guests.

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Gary and Tommie Weir, on behalf of the Be Our Guest Team

Repainting the Sanctuary

Blankets of Hope Delivery

Our Blankets of Hope team continues to be busy at work creating blankets. We recently made our third delivery of 2022 to Valley Hope Addiction Center.  Since 2007, our volunteers continue to do everything it takes to turn out finished blankets, offering financial support, donating fleece fabric, trimming, sewing, laundering, or preparing the blankets for delivery. We do this so that each recipient can feel God's love while wrapped in a warm blanket. It is our ministry's prayer to give them hope and to let them know that our church members care and are praying for their recovery.  

Pictured L-R: Carole Lee, Pastor Allen Lutz, Fred Rigdon, Carol Rigdon, Pastor Carly Payne, Sherry France, Debbie Edgren, Kathy Naylor, and Joetta King.

Christmas Decorating