First united methodist
church
WOrship time
10:00am
sunday school
11:15am
UPCOMING EVENTS
Bible Study
Tuesday Travelers
Tuesday Travelers
Come & Sew
Hash Hush Gal Pals will meet on September 7th at 5:30pm
September 19th at 9:30am, the Prayer shawl ministry will be meeting. Since Mary no longer sees well to sew, we need more people to help
September 3rd at 11:45am, the Tuesday Travelers will meet at the church parking lot to carpool!
Pastor Pike will be having weekly Bible Study here at First Church, each Tuesday at 7pm, beginning Sept. 2nd. On Thursdays starting Sept. 5th at 9 am. Bible study will be at Beaverdam UMC. Everyone is invited!
Easter
shun evil
Words from our new pastor
If you walked into a party and everyone was sitting around with somber faces, poking at their food, and complaining … how long do you think you’d stick around? Not every long, I suspect.
When we go to a party, we expect it to be filled with smiling faces, laughter, excitement, and joy. It’s a party! A fiesta! Everyone is glad to be there and everyone is having a good time.
As Christians, how do we present to ourselves to our friends and neighbors? Heavy faces? Do we make it look like being a Christian is heavy
going? Do we act like being a Christian is a chore, a burden? Who would want to be a part of that, amen?
I’m excited about being a Christian and I want everyone to know about it. I want everyone to be a Christian so that they can share in our joy. How can we share that excitement with those who aren’t Christians? How do we get our more serious brothers and sisters to lighten up? How do we make our joy as Christians contagious? How do we get others to come to our church and join the fun?
By being fun!
I had the privilege of meeting with Father Richard Sutter, pastor and priest of our neighbor, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, and I found a kindred spirit. He shares my heart and desire to make a noise – a joyful noise – in our little corner of Canton. Our time together was spent exploring ways that we could share our excitement with our friends and neighbors, both in the church and in the neighborhoods all around our two churches.
Football season is upon Canton and so why not join in the fun? On October 11th, the Pisgah High School football team will go up against their long-time rivals from Smoky Mountain High School. And what better way to prepare for the game than with a tail-gate party! So, let’s break out the grills and have a pre-game party in the church parking lot and then go join the fun at the game by cheering the Pisgah Bears to victory. Immaculate Conception will provide a tent, a monster grill, and the meat. Any Methodist grill masters? We will be providing the sodas, chips, desert, etc. Bad weather may stop the game but it won’t stop our tail-gate party. We’ll just move the party indoors.
This is one of many fun community programs that we can do with our Catholic brothers and sisters. We also talked about having a concert on the grounds. I look forward to making a joyful noise in our community and hope and pray that you will join in the fun … and let’s show the world what joy there is in being a Christian, amen?
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Gordon Pike
Our Projects
Next meeting: October 14, 7 pm, at Central UMC. Paul Brown be passing the baton to Pastor Aryn Williams-Ruebel, who will be taking over as our new facilitator at the October meeting! Pastor James Marsh has also agreed to serve as our new secretary.
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Reading Buddies or Haywood County's Literacy Initiative
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BEAR (Baby Equipment and Resource) Closet
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Haywood Habitat for Humanity
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Haywood Pathways Center's
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First Responders Appreciation Day Brunch
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The Cruso Endowment
If you're interested in getting involved with Reading Buddies or Haywood County's Literacy Initiative, please contact Pastor Nicole Jones at njones@wnccumc.net. Plains UMC will be looking for volunteers with their after school program in January 2020.
Canton Missional Network
The BEAR (Baby Equipment and Resource) Closet at Francis Cove UMC appreciates you passing the word along to families with infants. They are open on the first and third Thursdays from 2:30-5:30 pm. You can reach them at 828-476-8502.
Volunteers are needed to work with Haywood Habitat for Humanity on building a new home for the Canton family that's been living in Central's Haven House. Contact Habitat at 828-452-7960 to schedule workday (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm). Mention you want to work on Pam's house so she can get credit toward her sweat equity.
Week of October 14: Canton First will be packing backpacks. Please see Linda Smathers for more information.
Haywood Pathways Center's shelter for women and children is now open. Canton pastors are invited to tour the facility next Wednesday, August 28, at 11:30 am. There are still rooms available for moms with kids. The Canton Missional Network is encouraging all churches that collected funds for "Room at the Inn" to now direct money toward Haywood Pathways Center.
There will be a First Responders Appreciation Day Brunch on Wednesday, September 11, from 10 - Noon at the Canton Armory. Churches are being asked to drop off a brunch item by 9:45 am for the first responders to enjoy. A brief ceremony will begin at 10:30 am.
The Cruso Endowment has funds available for projects that benefit the economically disadvantaged, as well as for recreation and beautification projects in the eastern part of Haywood County (Pisgah School District). The Canton Missional Network hopes to make a request that will benefit the Community Kitchen and the Backpacks of Love program. Contact Pat Smathers for more information at patsmathers@smatherslaw.com.
OUR VISION
As servants of Christ we are sent into the world to engage in the struggle for justice and reconciliation. We seek to reveal the love of God for men, women, and children of all ethnic, racial, cultural, and national backgrounds and to demonstrate the healing power of the gospel with those who suffer.
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29 Newfound Street
Canton First United Methodist Church