September 24, 2023 Beacon

BEACON

Shalimar UMC

Lead Pastor

Dr. Alan McBride

Pastors and Staff

Dr. Brad Bradford Worship Pastor

Rev. John Kelsoe Associate Pastor

Gerald Batton Custodian

Chris Bennett Facility & Maintenance Manager

Chris Bennett Interim Youth Director

Pat Brantley Office Administrative Assistant

Denise Heath Finance

Sarah Hicks Children’s Director

Karen Jadin Preschool Director

Tony Mallini Interim Church Administrator

Heyward McKenzie Chef

Amanda Marshall Nursery Coordinator

Sara Morrison Financial Assistant

Leigh J. Rice Respite Director

Dawn Rozofsky After School & Camp Director

Ben Savage Worship Arts

Jeremy Thiess Ministries Assistant

After Hours Emergency Pastoral Assistance

Dr. Alan McBride: (251) 747-3567

Dr. Brad Bradford: (850) 227-4328

Rev. John Kelsoe: (334) 464-1620

Our Vision

Christ-centered, multi-generational, family & community relevant ministries through WORSHIP , DISCIPLESHIP , and MISSION .

Our Mission

We REACH our community with the good news of Jesus Christ. We TEACH how to love God and to love one another as ourselves. We SEND disciples into the world to share their experiences of Jesus.

This Week in Worship

TRADITIONS – SANCTUARY

8:00 am – In-Person & Online

Message by Rev. Dr. Alan McBride

There Is Sin

Genesis 3:8–13

Worship Led by Rev. Dr. Brad Bradford

SUMC Orchestra

Gloryland – Let the Lower Lights Be Burning and When We All Get Together

CONNECT – SANCTUARY

9:30 am – In-Person & Online

Message by Jeremy Thiess

Got Faith?

Mark 4:35–40

Worship Led by Rev. Dr. Brad Bradford

The Connect Worship Team

Holy Communion Celebrated by Rev. Dr. Alan McBride

TRADITIONS – SANCTUARY

11:00 am – In-Person & Online

Message by Rev. Dr. Alan McBride

There Is Sin

Genesis 3:8–13

Worship Led by Rev. Dr. Brad Bradford

SUMC Orchestra

Chancel Choir – Lead Me Home

Gloryland – When We All Get Together

FREEDOM SERVICE– FAMILY LIFE CENTER

11:07 am – In-Person & Online

Message by Rev. Dr. Alan McBride

There Is Sin

Genesis 3:8–13

Worship Led by Ben Savage

The Freedom Team

Freedom Dancers – I Speak Jesus

Church Life

Pastoral Advisory Conversation

Join Pastor Alan for a Pastoral Advisory Conversation to answer questions and discuss next steps for our church following the Conference Board of Trustees decision regarding our Church Council’s request for a Charge Conference. This meeting will be held on Sunday, September 24, at 2 p.m. and Tuesday, September 26, at 6:30 p.m. to provide two options for all to attend. A livestream will be available for both meetings, and nursery will be provided.

Cuba Mission Trip Meeting

Interested in serving God on an overseas mission trip in 2024? Join Pete Peters for an informational meeting regarding the Cuba Mission Trip in Cross Corner at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 28. Contact Pete at (703) 395–2437 with any questions.

Kidz Bible Reading Celebration

Congratulations to our Shalimar Kidz who have completed their Bible reading challenge! Participants and their families are invited for a special celebration on Friday, September 29 from 5–7:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center. The evening will include dinner, karaoke, and games the whole family will enjoy! Parents, RSVP to Sarah Hicks at sarah@shalimar-umc.org or (850) 2170694 by September 27 to confirm your attendance.

“Made For This” Series Starts October 1

Join Pastor John at the 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. services for a new fiveweek series exploring the lives of ordinary people in the Bible who faithfully began their course of living into God’s calling.

Articles & Announcements

Last week the Bread House offered food, clothing, and prayer to 400 individuals who needed assistance. They also received a donation of 115 bags of groceries from Kitchen Solvers!

Because of your generous giving, we were able to support the remodeling of Sharing & Caring’s Fort Walton Beach facility.

CUBA MISSION TRIP INFO MEETING

Interested in serving God on an overseas mission trip in 2024? Join Pete Peters for an informational meeting regarding the Cuba Mission Trip in Cross Corner at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 28. Contact Pete at (703) 395–2437 with questions or for more information.

LAITY SUNDAY VOLUNTEERS

Every year our church joins with thousands of fellow United Methodist congregations to set aside a weekend to allow our pastors to rest and our Laity to lead worship. This year we will celebrate Laity Sunday on October 29. If you would like to assist by serving in our worship services that weekend, please contact Kyle Wilson at jkkyle12@yahoo.com.

ATTENDANCE 09.17.23 8: 75 930: 63 11: 126 1107: 116

LIVESTREAM: 174 TOTAL: 588

Loss of Spouse Seminar

The holidays can be a particularly challenging time for those who have suffered the recent loss of a loved one. GriefShare’s Loss of Spouse seminar provides ways to cope and heal in a loving and caring environment. The event is hosted from 6–8 p.m. on October 12 via Zoom. The cost is $5 which includes the participant’s guide.

Contact Nancy Kahrs at (850) 226–3097 for further details and register online at https://www.griefshare.org/loss/events/7574.

World Communion Sunday

On Sunday, October 1, we join with churches around the world to celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ through the sacrament of Holy Communion. We invite you to worship with us at the 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, and 11:07 services for a special focus on Communion.

Pastor Appreciation month is October and it is my hope that you already pray for Shalimar UMC and our Pastors on a regular basis. On behalf of the Tuesday Night Prayer Group and the Prayer Ministry Team, I would like to invite each of you to join us in a commitment to pray for our Pastors (Pastor Alan, Pastor John, and Pastor Brad) each day during the month of October.

We hope that we can count on your support by signing up to pray for our Pastors and the SUMC for the 31 days of October. We are not asking for a time, only that you commit to pray daily for each of the pastors and for SUMC.

You will be provided with a “31 day Pray for Your Pastors Challenge” to aid you in praying daily. The guide is for 31 days during the month of October. I know some of you are already praying for our pastors, and I thank you for doing so.

With all that is happening in this world right now, Prayer is more important than ever. What better way to help do our part in changing the world than to start right here at SUMC. I recently heard someone say we need to “Pray Long and Pray Hard”. It is my belief that Prayer does make a difference so please join us in praying for our Pastors each day during the month October and hopefully every day of the year. This could very well be the best gift you could ever give to our pastors.

“God begin answering when the Prayer is made. Prayer triggers the actions in Heaven.” - Max Lucado “Before Amen”.

Thank you in advance for your support.

James Brantley SUMC Prayer Ministry Team.

PEOPLE ACROSS AMERICA WONDER WHY GOD IS NOT MOVING IN OUR CHURCHES.

The Bible clearly states that His house shall be known as a house of prayer. (Is. 56:7, Mt. 21.13) What better way of equipping our pastors than to lift them up in prayer. As we strengthen our pastors, our churches in America will also be strengthened!

“When churches cease to pray for ministers, ministers will no longer be a blessing to the churches.”

Day 1: Pray your pastors will love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Pray God’s Spirit will work in their heart in power and they will value and follow biblical priorities. (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 6:33)

Day 2: Pray your pastors will cultivate strong character and uncompromising integrity. Pray their testimony will be genuine, and they will never do anything they would need to hide from others. (1 Tim. 1:5, 3:7; Eph. 6:10-12)

Day 3: Pray for their personal walk with God—their soul and spirit will be nourished and strengthened in their quiet time with God, beyond sermon preparation. Pray they will spend more time in the Word of God. (Mark 1:35; 2 Tim. 2:15-16)

Day 4: Pray your pastors will counsel and teach with discernment through the wise use of Scriptures and faith in God’s power to work. Pray they will be protected from the effects of sinful or negative attitudes they encounter as they counsel. (Mal. 2:7; James 1:5-6; John 17:15)

Pastoral Care, Inc.

Gardiner Spring (1785-1873)

Day 5: Ask God to protect your pastors’ marriages and keep it strong as a model of Christ’s relationship with the Church. Pray your pastors will tenderly cherish and lead their spouse, and they will respect and encourage their spouses, submitting to their leadership. (Eph. 5:23-33) If your pastor is not married, pray for their relationships with loved ones and those who are close to them.

Day 6: Pray God will protect your pastors’ spouses from bitterness when their spouse is criticized. Pray their prayer and devotional life will be consistent, and they will guard their mind and heart. (Heb. 12:15; Prov. 4:23)

Day 7: Pray for your pastor’s children, and especially that the pressures of the ministry will not discourage or embitter them. Pray your pastors will provide godly leadership in the home, not based on fear of what others will think, but according to scriptural truth. (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:20-21)

If your pastor does not have children, pray God will give them many “spiritual children” as they share the Gospel.

Day 8: Ask God to protect your pastors from evil plots of Satan. Pray they will not be corrupted as they rub shoulders with the world in the course of their ministry. (1 John 17:15; Isa. 54:17; 2 Cor. 2:11; 1 Pet. 3:12; Ps. 9:9, 10, 91:9,10)

Day 9: Pray God will build a hedge of protection around your pastor’s family. Pray your pastors will guard from any improper relationships and their family time will be protected. (Ezek. 22:30a; 2 Cor. 10:4, 5; Matt. 19:6)

Day 10: Pray your pastors will use discernment in use of emails, internet, texting, and other media sources. Ask God to protect their heart concerning the use of their free time. Pray they will be morally pure and they will wear the armor of God so they will not fall to sexual temptation. (Rom. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:16; Eph. 6:10-18; 2 Cor. 10:4)

Day 11: Pray God will bring godly friends and encouragers to your pastors and their family, to strengthen them for the ministry and provide meaningful fellowship with times of rest.

(Phil. 2:19-25)

Day 12: Pray your pastors will be humble and authentic in their faith, not given to pride or hypocrisy. Pray they will have pure motives and give God the glory for every gain and victory. (Micah 6:8; Gal. 6:14; John 7:17, 18; 1 Cor. 10-13)

Day 13: Pray your pastors will make wise lifestyle choices in order to protect their health, especially in the areas of exercise, eating moderately, and getting sufficient rest. Pray for times of relaxation and renewal to balance the stress of ministry. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1Cor. 6:19, 20; 9:27, 10:13; James 3:1, 2)

Day 14: Pray your pastors will focus on the Word of God and walk in the fear of the Lord, instead of the fear of man, as they prepare their message. Pray they will seek to please God rather than men and pursue holiness rather than the praise of men. (Prov. 19:23; Acts 6:4; 2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Tim. 4:1, 2; Heb. 11:6)

Day 15: Praise God for your pastors’ leadership and pray they will make godly decisions. Pray they will lead with a shepherd’s heart and they will always speak the truth in love. (1 Kings 3:9; Jer. 3:15; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Pet. 5:2)

Day 16: Pray your pastors will be courageous in the pulpit in proclaiming Christ and confident in their use of the Word of God. Ask God to help them speak with insight, transparency, and humility. (Col. 1:28, 4:3a; Eph. 6:19)

Day 17: Pray your pastors will be “Great Commission People”, committed to personal evangelism and equipping the saints to seek the lost. Pray they will have a heart to develop a thriving missions program in their church. (Matt. 28:19, 20; Luke 19:10; Rom. 10:15)

Day 18: Pray your pastors will be people of prayer, worship, and lead by example—teaching the congregation how to walk in a close relationship with the Father. (Matt. 4:10; Mark 1:35; Luke 22:36; Acts 1:14a; 1 Thess. 5:17)

Day 19: Pray your pastors will use wise time management, seeking God’s perspective for their schedule, and guarding their time against unnecessary interruptions. (Ps. 90:12; John 9:4; Eph. 5:15, 16; Col. 4:5)

Day 20: Pray for fresh divine anointing on your pastor’s ministry. Pray God’s working will be powerfully evident in their personal life and the spiritual life of the congregation. (Rom. 15:18,19a; 1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Tim. 1:7)

Day 21: Pray your pastors will not give in to discouragement. Let them deal with inevitable criticism and conflict by committing themselves into the hands of God, who judges righteously. (1 Pet. 2:23)

Day 22: Let them edify the congregation with wisdom and serving with God’s “agape” love. (Luke 9:23, 24, 10:43b-45; John 13:5-9; Gal. 5:13b; Phil. 2:3,4)

Day 23: Pray for spiritual unity in the church staff and among the spiritual leadership of the church (elders, deacons, etc.). Pray the enemy will not be allowed to create division, strife, or misunderstanding among church leaders. (Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 12:25)

Day 24: Pray God will give your pastors clear, biblical vision of what your church can be and should be doing for His glory. Pray they will communicate that vision clearly and confidently to the church. (Prov. 29:18; Mal. 3:11; John 15:16, 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:5)

Day 25: Pray your pastors will seek God for personal revival, and for revival in your church and community. (2 Chron. 7:14; Ps. 69:32)

Day 26: Pray your pastors will think biblically, with the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16; Eph. 4:17; Col. 2:6-8)

Day 27: Pray they will earnestly seek God’s will and be committed to instant and complete obedience—ready for God to work powerfully in and through their ministry. (2 Cor. 10:3-5; Luke 9:23, 24)

Day 28: Pray they will strive for personal excellence and will believe God for all He wants to do in the congregation and pastor’s life. (Col. 3:23, 24; 2 Pet. 1:3)

Day 29: Pray your pastors will be people of faith and passionate for the love of God, not given to worry, fear, or an uptight or anxious spirit. (Prov. 3:5, 6; 1 John 4:18)

Day 30: Ask God to provide for the financial needs of your pastors and families. Pray they will be a wise steward of their finances as well as the finances of the church. (Ps. 37:25; Phil. 4:19; 1 Tim. 6:11; Heb. 13:50)

Day 31: Ask God to heal any hurts that your pastors have suffered in the ministry. Pray they will serve the Lord with gladness and encourage the congregation to worship God with a joyful, surrendered spirit. (Is. 61:3)

Taken from Revive Our Hearts, 2005, by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

Did You Know?

Children In Crisis is local non-profit charity committed to “Providing Homes...Keeping Brothers and Sisters Together.” Shalimar United Methodist Church supports Children In Crisis through the Missions and Outreach Committee and your generous gifts to the operating budget and special giving campaigns.

We Need Your Prayers!

With The Challenge Weekend next weekend, please join us as we pray for our students, leaders, and various other volunteers who will participate in this transformative experience. This annual youth event is a partnership with Trinity UMC, Mary Esther UMC, FWB First UMC, Hollywood Baptist, and Beachside to show the students what it means to love like Jesus did. If you feel called financially to help students with this experience, or others like it, you can give to the Youth Scholarship designated fund. For more information about The Challenge Weekend, contact Chris Bennett, Interim Youth Director, at youth@shalimar-umc.org.

MISSIONS DID YOU KNOW?

The Teenager Gift Card Ministry is now a year-round ministry at Shalimar UMC. Recently, teenagers in high school and college were taken back to school shopping for clothing, school supplies, and other basic needs. Contributions may be made to this ministry at any time of the year to the designated fund for Teenager Gift Card Ministry on your check or internet contribution. The number of homeless teenagers and teenagers in foster care in Okaloosa County and the surrounding area is rising. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Contact Ron Garriga, r.garriga@cox.net for more information.

Week 176 – Sep 15th Food

18 New Families visited this week, representing 62 individuals.

Courtney and Jill From Kitchen Solvers. They did a food drive and brought 115 bags of food to the Bread House on Friday! Thanks Gang we appreciate it!

Items always needed!

1. Toilet paper and Paper Towels a must need each week!

2. Canned Meat; Tuna, Chicken, Spam!

3. Canned Vegetables: Corn, Green Beans, Mixed!

4. Dried goods, beans and rice!

5. Fruit, potatoes, onions

If you don’t have time to shop, you can donate money to The Bread House by sending a check to SUMC, MEMO line put “Bread House.”

Questions or want to become a volunteer, contact Pete Peters, 703.395.2437, fpeters1@cox.net, or Robin Hays @ 850-6217014. We’d love to have you!