-- November 9, 2022 --

This season we are focusing on the treasures of God’s grace and direction for our lives by investing in His Kingdom rather than worldly values. 

This Commitment Sunday, we will hear a message from Jeremiah 32. God calls Jeremiah to purchase a field while he is in prison and the Babylonians were on their way to destroy everything. His friends, family, and colleagues thought he was insane for purchasing this land, but it was God who called him to do so as a symbol of hope and new life in the land. Jeremiah did not live to see it, but God did fulfill his promise. Sometimes God calls us into a future we may not get to see, but He still remains faithful to us.

Come worship with us this weekend as we continue the Seek Ye First series!

Operation Christmas Child

National Collection: Nov. 14-21

There are millions of children in need around the world, many who have never received a gift. We want them to know God's gift of salvation through trusting and believing in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior and Lord by presenting them with a shoebox gift. We have two ways to prayerfully prepare to pack your shoebox gift.

1) We have created a BASBO (Build A Shoebox Online) website specifically for our church. With just a few clicks, you can pack an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift online to help share the Good News of Jesus Christ with a boy or girl in need around the world. Simply select toys and other fun items you would like to include from the collection, and personalize your gift with your own letter and photo. 

2) Pick up a shoebox in the church atriums and follow the instructions in the brochure on "How to Pack a Shoebox." Fill it with the items you choose for a boy or girl and return the shoebox to the atriums during the National Collection week, November 14 - 21. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift. Thank you for your support. If you have any questions, please contact Neil Anderson ([email protected])

Build Your Online Shoebox Online

Weekend Food Volunteers and Fundraiser

Weekly | Family Life Center

Weekend Food is a program that provides children who are on free lunch during the school week with a bag of supplemental food for the weekend. We provide lightweight, individually wrapped items that the children can prepare themselves. We currently serve eleven schools. That's over 750 students in Grapevine/Colleyville Independent School District who receive Weekend Food. Sign up to help deliver or bag food. If you are not able to volunteer but would like to contribute, you may give to support this invaluable ministry by clicking the "Support Weekend Food Ministry" link below.

Help Bag Food

Help Deliver Food

Support Weekend Food Ministry

VAST Homework Buddies Needed

Mon - Thur | 4 PM - 5:30 PM

Back to school means VAST is back! This year, we continue our partnership with the City of Grapevine to provide afterschool resources for 20 children from our community.  We are always in need of volunteers for this important ministry. Can you offer 1.5 hours one afternoon a week to make a difference in a child’s life? It’s a fun way to serve, and the program depends on volunteers like you. The program is in need of volunteers any day, Monday - Thursday from 4:00-5:30 PM, to help the students with their homework. For more information, please contact Pastor Allen ([email protected]) or sign up below. 

I Want To Be a Homework Buddy

Be Our Guest Meal

Nov. 15 | 6 PM | Family Life Center

The next Be Our Guest neighborhood meal is on Tuesday, November 15 at 6 PM in the Family Life Center!

Be Our Guest is a monthly meal on the third Tuesday of the month served family-style with tablecloths, porcelain plates, and flatware. Everyone is invited to attend and enjoy this meal.

We would love for our church members to join us, get to know guests, have fun conversations, and enjoy the delicious meal. Our menu will be turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green bean casserole. Invite a friend, and we look forward to seeing you then!

We have several opportunities fir you to be a part of this wonderful ministry. Please help if you can.

Sign Up To Serve

Sign Up To Prepare A Dessert

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.

Kids Against Hunger Bake Sale

Dec. 4| 6 PM | Family Life Center

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. 

Grayful Spirits: A Doublewide Texas Christmas Play

Dec. 4 | 3 PM | 215 N. Dooley Street, Grapevine, TX 

First Grapevine's Senior Adult Ministry, Grayful Spirits, are going to see "A Doublewide Texas Christmas" play at the Runway Theatre on Sunday, December 4 at 3 PM. If you are interested in attending, the cost is $20 per person. Please complete the registration form below and return your payment to the church office before November 14.

Immediately following the play, you are welcome to join us and enjoy a meal at Café Italia (505 W. Northwest Highway, Grapevine) at your own expense.

Grayful Spirits Doublewide Christmas Registration Form

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

Thank you all who have generously supported the MCH Bike Project so far! We still need your help. We are gifting 112 bikes and helmets for Christmas. If you would like to make a financial gift, please note "Bike Project” in the memo of your check or online giving by using the link below. Bikes will be delivered to FUMC and assembled the afternoon of Friday, December 2, with delivery to MCH Waco on Saturday 12/3. Please sign-up here to help assemble bikes; any time you can give is appreciated! We would love your help! 

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

Donate Today

Sign Up to Help Assemble Bikes 

Love Offering

Deadline: Dec. 18

Each year we have the opportunity to give toward a Christmas gift for our pastors and church staff to honor and thank them for their hard work. We would really encourage you to consider a gift to thank them for the hard work they have put in this year. If you would like to give toward this gift, please mark “staff love offering” in the memo of your online gift, app, or check. Gifts may be placed in the offering plate or brought to the church office. The deadline to give toward this gift is Sunday, December 18. 

Give Today

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

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

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 quickly.

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

We are preparing our Church home to welcome guests. We have several service opportunities to help make guests feel welcome, including a Decorating team who will help decorate our campus, an Undecorating team to help put away Christmas decorations after Christmas, a Poinsettia Decorating team, and a Poinsettia Watering team. If you are interested in joining the decorating teams, please contact Melissa Goebel ([email protected]), or for the poinsettia teams, contact Miriam Ward ([email protected]).

In-Person Worship: 418

Online: 344

Sunday School: 158

Gifts have been given to the Endowment in memory of Bob Larson by:

• Nancy Jane Compere 
• Gay Ingram
• Trudy & Allan Hughes
• Jill & Tony Waterbury 

A gift has been given to the Endowment in memory of Russ Logan by:

• Gay Ingram
• Trudy & Allan Hughes
• Linda Love
• Jill & Tony Waterbury

Grief Through The Holidays

Seek Ye First: Seek & Hope

Tween Club Gratitude Cafe