fumchurstblog

Holy Fools

I grew up in the 1970s and 80s. Iron Curtain. Cold War. As a young child, I wasn’t really sure what all that meant, other than Russia (then Soviet Union) was the enemy and they had nuclear weapons. I watched “The Day After” and in my childhood brain, nuclear fallout and radiation poisoning grew as…

Gen Z by the Numbers

A couple of weeks ago I rolled out my plan for high-commitment youth ministry. Without jumping down the rabbit’s hole, high-commitment youth ministry is simply an optional next level of commitment for those students who want to engage more with their church. The challenge of increasing commitment to church is a tall tree to climb…

Caring for Caregivers

Space for Grace is a monthly faith-based group focused on supporting caregivers. The next meetings are Wednesday, Feb. 9 and Wednesday, March 9 at 7 p.m. in the Bride’s Room (W120). For several years, FUMC Hurst has offered a caregiver support group called Space for Grace. This group meets monthly in room W120. The world…

Promoting Hope and Confidence by Advancing English Proficiency

HELPING OTHER PEOPLE TO EXCEL:Partnering with the Immigrant Community to Promote Hope and Confidence by Advancing English Proficiency. Texas Christian University/ Public Health Nursing and First United Methodist Church Hurst have an ongoing service learning partnership. Data from the spring 2015 assessment identified that sustaining hope was an important need among immigrants. Hope is important…

Is It Ever Gonna Rain?

My dad was in the water business almost all of his adult life. He drilled water wells, repaired pumps and put in small water systems in rural areas. Originally, his business was McKee Drilling Company and, eventually, McKee Water Service. It was pretty much a one-person enterprise, although, early on, he occasionally had the help…

Jen’s 2022 Word of the Year

Words mean a lot to me, they do help guide my intentions, and they absolutely help to counter some of my narratives and doubts that definitely need countering…it is January, and I have been debating about my 2022 word for the past week.

Remember your baptism…

On Sunday, January 9, we will focus on the baptism of Jesus on this special day often referred to as “Baptism of the Lord” Sunday and conclude with a congregational reaffirmation of our individual baptisms. Part of the liturgy we will use includes an invitation for us to “remember your baptism and be thankful.” I…

New Things…

I’m often asked when youth will return to normal. The quick answer to that is never…I am not asking you to give up on your dream of the “glory days” here at FUMC Hurst where you had youth busting out of the seams. I’m simply asking you to acknowledge that this is a new time and a new people who face new challenges and need a new normal.

Slow Down

It may sound funny, but even as someone who works in a church, the fact that Christmas Eve is just a week away feels a bit of a shock. … But there is a large part of me that wants it all to slow down just a little bit.

SEEDS OF MINISTRY WITH AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST OF HURST

The goal of FUMC Hurst has been to develop a ministry that will reach to out African immigrants in the HEB community and respond to their needs.

Who are YOU when you aren’t busy?

I’ve been participating in a year-long Spiritual Academy through the Upper Room in 2021 and it has been incredibly good for my soul. Every 3 months for the past year, I have spent 3 incredibly meaningful days on Zoom with about 65 other people from across the country as we listen/talk/pray/worship/discern. We have had wonderful…

An Introduction to Toxic Charity

Hey! Welcome to the second blog that I’ve written today. The first one started as some musings about the philosophy of existence and whether chairs (and by extension, churches) exist…and I wrote myself into a bottomless pit and finally decided that I had more important things to do today…as I was reminded of an important…