8:30 am - Food and Fellowship in the Fellowship Hall/Gathering Place

9:00 am - Sunday School for ALL ages

10:00 am - Concurrent Worship in the Sanctuary and the CLC



WE are UNITED Methodists!

This Week at Traditional

Sermon: Choose

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Join us at 10 a.m. for our traditional service in the Sanctuary for an uplifting message from our Senior Pastor, Rev. Andy Stoddard with music from the Chancel Choir and other musicians.

Lectionary Reading for the week of November 8, 2026

Notes from Andy

Dear Church Family, 

As we approach Thanksgiving, I think one of the most important things we can do for our faith is to stop and realize how much we have to be thankful for. In my daily reflections that I share online each morning, we walked through the very short New Testament book of Philemon. In this one-chapter book, Paul writes this in verse 6:

I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 

I’ve always liked that passage. When we share our faith, when we are in partnership with God and with each other, this activity of serving reminds us of the good things we have in Jesus. This act of service, in so many ways, calls us to remember just how blessed we are, and gives us that opportunity to just stop and say thank you. 

In the coming days, there are going to be so many ways that we can serve. But I want to call your attention to two ways you can serve our students at Mississippi State. First is our International Thanksgiving Lunch on Thanksgiving Day. Through this event, we’ll serve hundreds of international students who are unable to be with family on this day of thanks and of family. If you’d like to serve, click here.  

And right on the heels of that is our Exam Slam. Through this event, we give students a place to eat, study, and just rest for a few moments during finals. This event will start on December 2nd and run through the 7th. We’ll need all kinds of help, and if you’d like to know more, contact us in the church office. 

So, let’s be active in sharing our faith. When we do that, we are reminded of what a good thing we have in Christ Jesus! 

Andy  

Every morning Andy shares a devotional online. It is available as a video on YouTube or Facebook, as well as a podcast (all your favorite apps). You can also read a transcript and have it sent to you by email. Learn more at www.revandy.org 

Other Events This Week

Monday November 9:

Men's Study: 3 pm in E204

Tuesday November 10:

Taekwondo: 5 pm in CLC

Wednesday November 11:

Bible Study: 10 am

Chancel Choir Practice: 5:45-7 pm

Menu: Taco Bar!

Thursday November 12:

Taekwondo: 5 pm in CLC

Friday November 13:

Upcoming Events

November 19: Wesley Foundation Chili Supper, 4:30-6:30

November 26: International Thanksgiving Dinner

November 29: Advent Fest 5-7 pm

December 2 - 7: Exam Slam, Fall '26

Children’s Choir Rehearsals for Christmas

The Children’s Choir will sing three songs for worship on Sunday, December 13 and rehearsals are held on Sunday mornings November 8, 15, 22, 29 and December 6 at 9:00 am in the children’s gathering room off the walking track in the CLC. 

https://onrealm.org/StarkvilleFUMC/AddPledge/2027

Operation Christmas Child

Our goal for 2026 is 150 boxes. The shoeboxes are now ready for you

to pick up and complete with your donations. The “Shoebox Store” is open in the

Gathering Place and feel free to use anything in it to help fill your shoebox. We

encourage families to shop together, perhaps choosing a child who is the same age as

your child. Make sure you mark the enclosed label as to sex and age of child for the

gifts you have chosen. Age levels (boys & girls) are: 2-4, 5-9, and 10-14. The age

groups that receive the least amount of shoeboxes are boys 2-4 and boys 10-14. ALL

shoeboxes are due by Sunday, November 15th.

A donation of $10 per shoebox to cover costs of shipping is appreciated but not a

requirement. If you would like to make a $10 donation, there are envelopes available on the “Place filled shoebox” here table. There is also a basket for donations.

If you have any questions, please contact Florence Box or Linda Wells.

Poinsettias 2026

Please consider ordering poinsettias

 in honor of or in memory of people special to you.

The cost is $16.00 each.

You can find order forms in the church office.

The deadline to order is December 1.

We are seeking

International Thanksgiving Meal Volunteers!

Share Your Blessings. Open Your Heart. Welcome the World!

Join us for the 41^st Annual Thanksgiving Day Meal as we extend Southern hospitality, demonstrate God’s love, and share our table with international students from Mississippi State University and the Starkville community!

A gift of your time can be a tremendous blessing to someone else!

Sign up at here .

Monetary donations for hosting our International Thanksgiving Meal can be made to FUMC.

CASSEROLE KITCHEN

Help provide a meal for 60 people on the second Tuesday of each month! We're looking for monthly coordinators to recruit 4–6 friends, Sunday School classmates, or fellow church members to prepare and serve a meal. Sign up to lead for a month that works for you!

This Starkville Strong program rescues surplus food from local restaurants and fraternity/sorority houses and shares it with neighbors in need. SFUMC serves as a distribution site on the second Thursday of each month at 3:30 p.m. We need two volunteers each month to distribute takeout meals and share a few warm wishes!

Interested in volunteering? Contact Leslie Fye at lpfye@yahoo.com.

No ongoing commitment required! Volunteer for just the date or dates that work for you. Every helping hand makes a difference!

Host/Serve Sign-up Link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/Fall26Host

Food Sign-up Link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/Fall26Food

Pastoral Care Update

Interested in Serving with Our Students?

We’re building a list of people who are open to helping with children, youth, or college ministry at SFUMC. There’s no commitment required right now, just a willingness to be contacted in the future. If you feel called to invest in the next generation of our church, we invite you to fill out the form below and prayerfully consider how you might serve.

Volunteer Form

Caregiver Support

If you are caring for a loved one and would like some helpful information and some encouragement from folks who are walking in your shoes, please join the monthly Caregiver’s Support Group. Folks meet on the third Thursday in the Ladies Parlor from Noon to 1 PM. Remember to enter the building through the ground floor door, next to the east stairway.