First
Connection J U LY 2015
VBS Edition
First
Connection Ju l y 2015
Contents
Our Mission: To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Our Vision:
Vacation Bible School...............................................1 Reynolds Sewell........ ................................................6 Rev. Marissa Teauseau.......................................... ....7 Help with Small Jobs............................................ ..10 Alex Missions and Contest....................................11 Construction Update................................... ..........12 Upcoming Events at First Church........................13
Meet Friends. Meet God. Discover Life.
Our Journey:
Our Practices:
On the Cover: Vacation Bible School on June 15, 2015 On the Back: Best of Cenla Awards 2015 First Connection is a publication from: First United Methodist Church of Alexandria 2727 Jackson Street Alexandria, Louisiana 71301 (318) 443-5696 www.fumca.org We would love to hear from you! Please send us your Feedback, Questions, Comments, Story Contributions, Photos, News or Ideas. Senior Pastor: Rev. Donnie Wilkinson, revdonnie@ fumca.org Editor: Julie Bacon, jbacon@fumca.org Contributor: Bill Sumrall, bsumrall@fumca.org
VBS: June 15-19, 2015 BY Kelly Michot, VBS Director
It’s Monday morning, and the church office
is a-flurry with last-minute preparations for the start of Vacation Bible School. Four-year-old Jackson Bordelon buries his head into the side of his Nonnie (Suzy Smart), feeling completely overwhelmed by all the strange sounds, faces, and scenes around him. She walks him slowly into Fellowship Hall, where he ‌continued on page 2 July 2015 | CONNECTION
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VBS: Day One …continued from page 1 meets his “climbing crew” leader, Nicholas Cerami. Like many of our FUMCA youth, Nick volunteered his time all week to help guide students through VBS. Within a few moments, Everest VBS begins, and “My God is Powerful,” the theme song, starts playing loudly through the hall. Kids and adults alike jump up to their feet; they begin to dance and move to the catchy music. Before long, Jackson has forgotten all about being scared and shy, and he is all smiles, much to the relief of Nonnie, who snaps a few photos of him enjoying himself. Like many of the students walking into VBS that morning,
Jackson is soon lifted up by the smiling faces and awesome message delivered to the students that week—our God is so mighty and so powerful, there is nothing He cannot conquer. Each day the kids would be introduced to a new “Bible Buddy,” a Himalayan animal that would help them remember the daily Bible point and daily Bible verse. At the end of the week, the kids all received a karabiner with 5 tags, each with the image of the character and the Bible verse printed on the back to help them remember all they had learned during the week.
introduced to the theme of the day and got to watch Trek Rockrambler, mountain-climber extraordinaire, played by Youth Director Dylan Reed. They sang and danced to fun songs that told of the awesome power of God. Then they would break off into five stations where they had the opportunity to do cool experiments, play games, and explore more deeply a daily Bible story. Each day is closed with the “Summit Celebration” in Fellowship Hall again.
Although, most kids begin to warm-up and have fun within moments of starting each morning, it is sometimes Each morning, the crew would meet in Fellowship difficult for a few children to “settle into” the rhythm Hall for “Base Camp Sing & Play,” where they were of the morning. The loud noises and large crowd can 2 July 2015 | CONNECTION
…continued on page 5
VBS: Day Two
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VBS: Day Three
VBS: Day Four
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…continued from page 2 understandably be overwhelming for some children. One such child struggled through the first two days of VBS, to the point where his grandmother was afraid he may not be able to finish out the week. But by the third day, our new intern Reynolds Sewell took this child under his wing and he began to really enjoy his VBS experience. By noon on Wednesday, this boy ran to his grandmother, eager to introduce her to his new friend. As Reynolds arrived on Thursday morning, this boy ran
into his arms, happy to be reunited with his VBS buddy. As we wrapped up the final day of VBS, the children were treated to a slideshow highlighting all the fun they had and friends they met on their Everest “climb” throughout the week. As the children left with the catchy Everest music still ringing in their ears, they were filled with hope knowing that no matter what challenges they may face, the mighty power of God will help them overcome anything! ☐
VBS: Day Five
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Reynolds Sewell Summer Pastoral Intern
BY Bill Sumrall, FUMCA Communications Assistant
Reynolds Sewell, 24, of Pineville is the new intern Entering NSU, Sewell said that he originally had planned
serving First United Methodist Church Alexandria this to become a physical therapist but he felt the call to ministry Spring semester of his freshman year. “I ran summer. away from that for about a year but decided to pursue He graduated Pineville High School in 2009 and earned full-time ministry as a pastor Spring of my sophomore a Bachelor of Science degree in medical biology at year,” he said. Northwestern State University in Natchitoches in 2013. …continued on page 8 6 July 2015 | CONNECTION
Rev. Marissa Teauseau Associate Pastor
BY Bill Sumrall, FUMCA Communications Assistant
The Rev. Marissa Teauseau, 26, of Shreveport pastor, a great preacher, and a rising young leader in the has been appointed the new associate pastor for First Louisiana Conference.” United Methodist Church Alexandria. First United Methodist Church Alexandria is her second “I’m excited to have Marissa join our team,” said church to serve as an associate pastor; she was in her Rev. Donnie Wilkinson, senior pastor at First United second year of her first appointment at Broadmoor United Methodist Church Alexandria. “She is a uniquely gifted Methodist Church in Shreveport. …continued on page 9 July 2015 | CONNECTION
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…continued from page 6 “I felt the call to ministry but I never ended and I’m eager to serve the community here at up switching majors because I really enjoyed First Church Alexandria,” he said. studying the human body and I was doing very well in that degree,” Sewell said. Among other things he’ll be involved in at First Church this summer, Sewell is scheduled to Sewell started attending Asbury Theological preach on Sunday, June 28. Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, in the Fall of 2013 and is currently half-way through a four- His parents are John and Carla Sewell, who year degree. attend First United Methodist Church Pineville. His father works at BETA Engineering and his “I’m also a certified candidate in the United mother works in radio advertising sales at Opus Methodist Church and I’ve been able to use Broadcasting. His younger brother will be a the biology degree that I have to help me get a junior at ULM and his younger sister will be a personal training license. I’m currently a personal freshman at LSU and both have been involved in trainer at Asbury,” he said. the Pineville church’s youth group. “As far as school goes, I haven’t declared a concentration but I’m filling my electives with Biblical studies classes. I enjoy studying the original languages (Greek and Hebrew) and diving into Scripture,” Sewell said. “There’re certain things that are best learned in the classroom; there are other things that can be learned via personal study outside of the classroom and then there are some things that have to be experienced in order to learn, so those are kind of three levels of what school is going to be like for me,” he said. His internship here will assist in the requirement for his degree to have “mentor-ministry hours.” “I’m really excited to be able to practically apply what I’ve been studying over the past few years,
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Sewell likes to do triathlons, participate in Warrior Dashes and Adventure Racing, and competed in Season Five of the NBC-TV program “American Ninja Warrior.” “It was a second and a half of fame and glory,” he said, laughing. “They showed me falling – that was a piece of humble pie there -- but I was on TV, however brief. I’m hoping to compete again someday soon.” ☐
…continued from page 7 Her appointment here begins in July and a reception to welcome her will be held during Sunday School hour on Sunday, July 5. In an earlier interview, she said at Broadmoor her duties involved missions/contemporary worship/ young adults. Here it’s a little different – she is continuing her duties with contemporary worship service at The Well with a focus on evangelism and discipleship. “I really am just answering a call to do ministry here,” Rev. Teauseau said, adding she finds that “my priorities line up with this church community.” First United Methodist Church Alexandria has a facility seen as “a welcoming place where people can come and see art and spend time together and I think that is great,” she said. Her parents are Alan and Lisa Teauseau: her father is an Air Force Reserve Officer and was a B-52 radar navigator stationed 20 years at Barksdale Air Force Base and her mother is a retired nurse.
preaching her first sermon there, which she did when she was 16. She called her pastors “great encouragers – still are,” adding “from there, I started studying academic religion and really enjoyed it.” She did religious internship with the Christian Leadership Center, studying different churches and ministries, and worked as youth student leader at Centenary – “that’s where I really started becoming a pastor to my fellow students,” she said, deciding to attend Centenary. Rev. Teauseau received her BA in religious studies in 2010. She received her Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology in 2013. She has a boyfriend, Logan, who she met at Candler, she said, adding he works with nonprofits and is at Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans. Logan graduated a year earlier but she noted they are getting closer geographically.
Rev. Marissa Teauseau attended Montessori School K-8th grade, high school at Loyola Prep and continued her undergraduate studies at Centenary College in Shreveport.
Rev. Teauseau is also a runner who has four halfmarathons under her belt, explaining that a halfmarathon is 13.1 miles while a full marathon is 26.2 miles. Marissa hopes to participate in a full marathon and many more half marathons in the future.
When she was in high school, she took a career aptitude test which suggested preaching as a career, Rev. Teauseau said, adding her pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church suggested
“I am incredibly excited to have been called to First Church,” she said. “I feel lucky to have been invited to minister to and with such an amazing congregation.” ☐
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Iraqi Refugees First Church is collecting diapers, toiletries, feminine products, blankets/comforters and clothing
(including shoes, belts, gloves) to send to the Iraqi Christian families who fled from their homes in Mosel to Irbil in north Iraq. These items may be dropped off at Top Spin laundromat on the corner of Bolton and Jackson. Another way to help the Iraqi Christian families, is by giving $12 to Clara Woolf to help supplement the cost of shipping these much needed items. Please stay tuned for more information on these families and when items will be shipped.
Laundry Love UPDATE Laundry Love will be at a new time 4-7pm through October. Starting in November, Laundry Love will be from 3-6pm. Please spread the word! Let Clara Woolf know if you’re interested in helping at the next Laundry Love. Contact Randy Miller at rmbraceman5@aol.com or Stacey Caplan at Stacey.debevec@christushealth.org
Travel Mug Design Contest First Church travel mug design contest deadline is July 12. www.fumca.org/mug-contest
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Construction update:
June 12 - Roof Renovations Continue
Projected Start Dates:
Projected Completion Dates:
Fellowship Hall March 11
April 10
The Roof, Gallery Hall, Welcome Center, April 27 Restrooms, Choir Room and Offices
July 24
WCM Childcare & Preschool Wing
June 8
August 14
Adult Education Wing
September 8
November 13
Church Office
January 11, 2016
March 25, 2016
(The dates listed are just projections. As projects get underway more refined dates will be set.)
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Upcoming Events @ FUMCA JULY
2 3 5 12 13-16 27-31 29
AUGUST 12
Pub Theology, every 1st Thursday of month at 6:30p @ Finnegans Wake Church office closed in observance of Independence Day Only 1 worship service at 11a in Sanctuary Travel mug design deadline (submit graphics to jbacon@fumca.org) Teen Buddy Camp, 3-9p (fumca.org/buddycamp) Buddy Camp #2, 8a-2p (fumca.org/buddycamp) Acolyte Training (email: egarvin@fumca.org) The Wednesday Evening Gathering Resumes
SEPTEMBER 8 22-24 30
Construction begins on the adult wing (tentative end date - Nov. 20) Church Directory Photos for 2015 Directory Pumpkins Arrive @ 4pm for the Pumpkin Patch!
OCTOBER 1-30 18
Pumpkin Patch is open 10a-6p Mon.-Sat. and from noon-4 on Sundays Fall Fun Fest and Trunk or Treat
NOVEMBER 1 20
Consecration Sunday Tentative end date of construction on Adult Wing
DECEMBER 24 25-26
Christmas Eve Services at 4 & 6pm Church Office closed
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Congratulations to the Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival and to the Preschool & Childcare for being awarded the Best of Cenla Focus Reader’s Choice Awards 2015!