Articles & Announcements
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.
Did You Know?
Did you know that Shalimar UMC volunteers deliver hot meals every Tuesday to 10-15 elderly shut-ins in Shalimar and Bob Hope Village? They work through the local Council On Aging and the Meals On Wheels program. We are in dire need of volunteers to support this ministry for the Shalimar community. Please contact Ms. Casey Brennan at 850-461-9008 to volunteer or to discuss your questions about this vital ministry for our seniors. Thanks so much for your service to this crucial ministry!
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
at https://www.griefshare.org/loss/events/7574.
online
Through the years, one of the foundational pleas of the Prayer Team has been that “Our church would forever be a House of Prayer.” With that as our inspiration, we would like to present our Congregational Prayer Focus Plan for October, November, and December. This Prayer Focus will be in addition to the 31-Day Pray for Our Pastors guidelines.
The emphasis for October will be on prayers for our pastors and for general concerns of the church.
The Pray for Our Pastors emphasis, and the October Prayer Focus will be available in the Sanctuary Narthex and in the FLC. They can also be downloaded from the church webpage.
Prayer focus documents for November and December will be available later.
Jim Brantley, Shalimar UMC Prayer Team Coordinator
Shalimar UMC Church Family,
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.
Student Pumpkin Carving
Students will gather for a fall-themed night from 5–8 p.m. on Sunday, October 8. There will be fall-flavored dinner and snacks, games, and pumpkin carving. Contact Chris Bennett, Interim Youth Director (youth@shalimar-umc.org) for more details.
Splash Women’s Bible Study
The Splash I Women’s Bible Study invites YOU to come alongside us to study “Jesus and Women” by Kristi McLelland. This seven-session study will allow us to view the Bible from the eyes and ears of women in the first century. It is a look at interactions with women in the Bible that will fuel your worship of the Living God. We will learn things about the culture of the first century which will open our hearts to hear the words of Jesus, “Take Heart Daughter.”
This new study begins on Wednesday, October 18, from 9:30–11:30 a.m. in Room 106 of the FLC. Books will be available that day for $25. If you have any questions, you may contact Sara Michaelson at 850-865-3343.
October 5, 2023
Dear Church Family,
God is on the move at Shalimar United Methodist Church! To celebrate all he has done and all he is doing, and to seek his direction on all he will do through our church in the future, we invite you to a unique "We Are Shalimar” event on Sunday, October 22.
“We Are Shalimar” will begin with three identical worship services in the Sanctuary at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m. These services will unify our worship, combining elements from our Traditions, Connect, and Freedom services, including the Orchestra and Chancel Choir, and a special message from Pastor Alan. Note there will be no 11:07 a.m. Freedom Service for this Sunday only.
Then, following the 11:00 a.m. service in the Sanctuary, everyone is invited to a free luncheon in the Family Life Center. This luncheon will allow all our church family to gather in fellowship over a delicious meal catered by Chef Heyward McKenzie. No RSVP is required. The nursery will not be available during lunch to encourage families to eat together.
“We Are Shalimar” will conclude with a Church Family Meeting in the Sanctuary at 2:00 p.m. This meeting will allow our professing members to express their views regarding Shalimar United Methodist Church’s ongoing connection with the United Methodist Church following the Alabama-West Florida Conference’s Board of Trustees’ decision on Tuesday, September 19, to decline our Church Council’s request for a Church Conference vote regarding disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church.
Everyone is welcome to attend this meeting; however, only professing church members who are physically present during the meeting can formally submit their ballot Members can register for the meeting and receive their registration packet at designated tables in the Family Life Center from 12:15 p.m. during the luncheon and in the Sanctuary Narthex from 1:30 p.m. The registration packet will include a ballot and a one-page information sheet. We strongly encourage you to carefully read information included in the packet and prayerfully consider how the Lord would lead you to respond.
Note this is a non-binding ballot seeking only to receive feedback from our professing membership. Church leadership will utilize the results to learn the pulse of our congregation on this issue.
Our prayer is that, as we walk through this process together, we will move forward united as a church, filled with God’s vision to reach, teach, and send people into our community with the Gospel message for many years to come.
Please contact the Church Office at (850) 651–0721 or office@shalimar-umc.org if you have any questions regarding “We Are Shalimar,” including the Church Family Meeting, and we will be glad to assist you.
In His Blessed Service,
David Mobley, Chairman of Church Council
1 Old Ferry Road | Shalimar, Florida 32579 (850) 651-0721 | office@shalimar-umc.org | www.shalimar-umc.org
