ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"> <html> <head> <title>First United Methodist Church, Hickory, NC 28601 </title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=unicode"> <meta Content="DSS 1.2.005"> <link href="dss_fumch02x.css" type="text/css" rel="STYLESHEET"> </head> <body> <div id=header> <p></p> </div> <div id=nav_main2> <ul> <li><a href="index.htm">Home</a></li> <li><a href="worship.htm">Worship</a></li> <li><a href="outreach.htm">Outreach</a></li> <li><a href="ministries.htm">Ministries</a> <ul> <li><a href="ministries.htm#weekly">Weekly</a></li> <li><a href="ministries.htm#monthly">Monthly</a></li> <li><a href="ministries.htm#summer">Summer</a></li> <li><a href="ministries.htm#annual">Annual</a></li> <li><a href="ministries.htm#counseling">Counseling</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><A href="music.htm">Music</A> <ul> <li><a href="music.htm">Choirs</a></li> <li><a href="bells.htm">Handbells</a></li> <li><a href="staff.htm#musicstaff">Music Staff</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><A href="events.htm">Events</A> <ul> <li><a href="events.htm#wed">Wednesdays</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> <div id=nav_main> <ul> <li><a href="study.htm">Study</a> <ul> <li><a href="study.htm">Self</a></li> <li><a href="ss_adults.htm">Adult SS</a></li> <li><a href="youth_ss.htm">Youth SS</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><A href="children.htm">Children</A></li> <li><A href="youth_ss.htm">Youth</A> <ul> <li><a href="youth_fellowship.htm">Waters Edge</a></li> <li><a href="youth_missions.htm">Missions</a></li> <li><a href="youth_activities.htm">Activities</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><A href="events.htm#OAN">Older Adults</A></li> <li><a href="staff.htm">Staff</a></li> <li><A href="">Other</A> <ul> <li><a href="history.htm">History</a></li> <li><a href="wdn.htm">Preschool</a></li> <li><a href="columbarium.htm">Columbarium</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.mccsvs.org/MCCS/JonathanGolden.html">Counseling</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> <div id=content_main > <div class=main> <br> <h3 class=white>  5 FRUITFUL PRACTICES </h3> <h2> Your Church Council held a planning retreat this past Saturday. Some of our conversation revolved around the research presented by Robert Schnase, a United Methodist pastor and bishop, in his popular book, <i>The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations</i> which came out not long ago.<br><br> Bishop Schnase has discovered that vibrant, growing, fruitful congregations practice five basic types of ministry and mission where they are. He says that these basic activities are very critical in meeting the mission Christ has set before us as the Church. We here at First Church articulate our mission this way  <i> Know & Follow Jesus & Make Disciples & Transform the World/Community.</i><br><br> We leaders of your church are just now beginning to understand what these practices mean and how we might, with God s help, implement them in the life of First Church. I want to let you know what these terms indicate as we seek to follow Christ into the future He has for us:<br><br> <i>Radical Hospitality  we offer the absolute utmost of ourselves, our creativity, and our abilities to offer the gracious invitation & welcome of Christ to others.<br><br> Passionate Worship  whether traditional or contemporary, we are extraordinarily eager to offer the best in worship, honoring God with excellence and with an unusual clarity about the purpose of connecting people to God.<br><br> Intentional Faith Development  we mature in faith, grow in grace, and in the knowledge and love of God through all the ministries outside of weekly worship: Bible studies, Sunday school, small groups, and retreats where we learn in the community of other Christians.<br><br> Risk-Taking Mission & Service  we stretch out beyond service to people we already know to make a positive difference in the lives of others for the purposes of Christ, whether or not they will ever become part of our community of faith.<br><br> Extravagant Generosity  we are driven to be generous by a high sense of mission and a keen desire to please God by making a positive difference in the world.<br><br></i> There you have them. Please join your leaders in prayer for guidance and grace as we step out into the future God has in store for us!<br><br> Radically/passionately/intentionally/ risk-takingly/extravagantly yours,<br><br> </h2> <p style="color: white; font-size: 2em; padding-left: 570px; font-family: Lucida Calligraphy;">Bob</p> </div> </div> <div id=content_left > <img src="images\3rdFrntChristmasBnr.jpg" width="156" alt="Winter Photo of FUMC-Hickory"> <img src="images\1stFUMC.jpg" alt="First Building - First UMC Hickory, NC" width="156"> 1871 <img src="images\2ndFUMC.jpg" alt="Second Building - Second UMC Hickory, NC" width="156"/> 1896 </div> <div id=content_right style="height: 2160px;"> <h2 id=right> FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH<br> 311 Third Avenue NE<br> Hickory, North Carolina<br> (828) 322-6058</h2> <br> <div id=worshiptimes> <p class=ul> Worship Times </p><br> <p> Early Service<br> Sunday 8:30 a.m.<br> year-round in Sanctuary<br><br> Traditional Worship<br> Sunday 10:55 a.m.<br> and<br> 8:30 a.m. Fifth Sundays<br> year-round in Sanctuary<br><br> Contemporary Service<br> Fifth Sundays 10:55 a.m.<br> year-round in CLC<br><br> </p> </div> <HR style="LEFT: 12px; TOP: 16px"> <a class=dirblock href="directions.htm">Directions to FirstUMC</a><br> <HR style="LEFT: 12px; TOP: 16px"> <br> <div id=missionstatement> <h3 class=white><U>Our Mission Statement</U><br></h3> <p class=ital900> Know and follow Jesus, Make Disciples, Transform the World.</p> <br> <img src="images\umcwncc.jpg" alt="UMC WNCC Mission Statement logo" width="180"> <br> </div> <br> <div id=visitors> <a class=textV href="visitors.htm"> <h3 class="white"> WELCOME VISITORS!</h3> <p class=ital900> Thank you so much for<br> visiting with us!</p> If you would like more information about First United Methodist Church, please call 322-6058 or contact the Witness Ministry team by e-mail:</a> </div> <p id=center> <br> <br> <h2> SEND A PRAYER REQUEST</h2> <p ><br>To Pastor Bob or to Pastor Rick<br><br> <a class=text href="mailto:fduncan_fumc@earthlink.net">Prayer Request</a><br><br> </p> <h2> ~ ~ ~</h2><br> To CONTACT by Email: <br><br> <a class=text href="mailto:fduncan_fumc@earthlink.net">FUMC Witness Team.</a><br> <a class=text href="mailto:broach_fumc@earthlink.net">Senior Pastor - Bob Roach.</a><br> <a class=text href="mailto:associate_fumc@earthlink.net">Associate Pastor - Rick Schilling.</a><br> <a class=text href="mailto:sandyjahn_fumc@earthlink.net">DCE - Sandy Jahn.</a><br> <a class=text href="mailto:troy_fumc@earthlink.net">Youth Director - Troy Howard.</a><br> <a class=text href="mailto:rhonda.musicsmythe@charter.net">Director of Music - Rhonda Smith.</a><br> </p> <br> <p>______________________</p> <br><br> <p id=center>View or Print your copy of</p> <a class="nlblock" href="images\newsletter.pdf"> First Views </a> <p id=center>Newsletter</p> <br> ______________________ <br><br> <a class=text href="http://www.upperroom.org/Devotional"><u>Upper Room Daily Devotion</u></a> <br><br> <a class=text href="http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/"><u>Lectionary Texts</u></a> <br><br> <a class=text href="http://www.wnccumc.org/">Western NC Conference</a> <br><br> <a class=text href="http://www.umcom.org/site/c.mrLZJ9PFKmG/b.4696269/k.18F8/Rethink_Church__What_if_Church_was_a_Verb.htm">Rethink Church</a> </div> <div id=cw style=" TOP: 2360px; "> <p>© 2012 FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, HICKORY, NC 28601</p> <p>(828) 322-6058</p> <p>Updated 1/22/2012</p> </div> <div id=footer style="TOP: 2310px; test-align: center"> <p>The Cross and Flame is a registered trademark and the use is supervised by the General Council on Finance and Administration of The United Methodist Church. 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