1. THE VOICE
The Pumpkins are Coming!!!
Join in the Fun!
There are many ways You can be a part of this ministry.
Like to work in sales? Cashiers are needed daily for 3 hour shifts between 9:00 a.m. and
3:00 p.m. for pumpkins and country store.
Like to make or bake homemade goodies? Treats are needed daily to sell at the country
store.
Like to work with your hands? The patch needs to be replenished every afternoon.
Like to be uplifting? On Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 5:00 p.m., the pumpkin truck needs to be unloaded.
Like to decorate? Meet us at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5 to decorate the fellowship hall and courtyard.
Like to get crafty? Items are needed to sell at the country store. If you have a special talent for homemade creations,
the country store would love to sell them.
Like to work with kids? Saturday Playland on Oct. 11 and 18 will be a chance for you to supervise a game or craft, sell
goodies, work with registers, and have fun with the visiting families. You can work one or both Saturdays for all or part of
the 10:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. event.
Like to work with kids and free on school days? Story time needs storytellers and characters, a snack crew, patio
ambassadors, and cashiers.
Like to talk on the phone? Our volunteer coordinator needs help phoning to recruit cashiers and make reminder calls.
Imagine-A Patio Full of Our Neighbors.
Call Hilda at 446-0600 or 859-2052 for cashiers, Linda at 446-0891 for story time, Playland, and decorations, Sarah at
446-6103 for country store, and Bill at 448-2710 for general questions.
From the Pastor: Faith Formation
Prayerfully schedules and routines are coming together. I know on the church campus, we are busy.
We have started a new year at the Little School and are starting new Sunday school classes, and
Witnessing on Wednesday gatherings. It takes several weeks for the little ones and for us big ones to get
use to these daily routines. Really what it takes is a habit to develop.
Habits take time to develop don't they? I have heard some say it takes twenty-one straight days of
doing something for it to become a habit, while others say it takes six weeks. Lord, may our healthy habits
develop quickly and those unhealthy habits never develop.
According to Dr. Sondra Matthaei, in her book, Making Disciples: Faith Formation In The Wesleyan
Tradition, "A living faith is a gift from God and requires cultivation and nurture in a community of
faith" (Abingdon Press, p. 55). In other words, God's prevenient grace gets our attention, we come into a
relationship, and then that relationship requires attention, it requires that we develop a habit of being in
communion with God. We must be intentional on how our faith is nurtured and what steps we take during
this life journey.
Put it like this. Try and grow a garden without cultivation and nurture. If you plant the seed, but do
nothing else, the plant will grow, but probably will never produce a healthy plant, much less a crop. But if
you prepare the soil, fertilize the soil, and keep the garden weed free, a crop will be produced. Sort of like
raising children also. If you don't teach and educate children, they never grow into their potential.
Faith formation takes time, it takes commitment, and it requires that one develops a habit of
cultivation and formation of one's soul. It means developing a fellowship with God and neighbor in a
church, the Body of Christ, so God can disperse God's blessings to God's chosen Body.
Do you have all the answers? Are you faithful? Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Have you the assurance of your salvation? Can you answer basic questions about the Christian faith? Are
you a Disciple? Are you a witness? Would you like to know God more and more?
What if a habit of intentional faith formation could change everything for you? Would you be willing to
participate? Could you develop a habit of doing such?
I can testify that being intentional in faith formation changes everything. Get involved in Sunday
school, small group gatherings, on line Bible studies, Witnessing on Wednesday gatherings, mission events,
worship services, and grow, cultivate your faith and nurture your faith with others. The church is an
awesome place. It is a place where we strive together for the faith of the gospel. It is a place where all are
welcome, in Jesus' name.
In His love,
Pastor Ray Varnado
September, 2014
First United Methodist Church
1255 Canal Blvd.
Thibodaux, LA 70301
Now, Put Yourself In the Picture!
Church Directory
Pictures for the new church directory
will be taken on Sept. 23—26 at 2:00
p.m. and on Sept. 27 at 10:00 a.m.
If we have not received contact
information of you and your family or if
it needs updating please fill out a
communications form which is located
in the rear of the sanctuary and in the
church office.
If you have any questions please contact Vicki
Melancon at 446-3965.
Witnessing on Wednesday (WOW)
On Wednesday, September 3, WOW starts back.
There will be two gatherings this year. One will be in the
afternoon, 2:00-3:45 p.m., and the other during the
evening, 6:30-7:45 p.m. The Book of Romans will be
our focus as we consider how to live Christian values
while living in the empire. How do we keep our faith
immediate, up to the moment? How do we keep it real?
All that is needed is your Bible, hardcover or
digital, paper and pen, or digital notebook, and smart
phones for class research possibilities. There will be
child care provided. If other special needs are
requested, let Pastor Ray know or the church office.
Spread the word, Romans: Living in the Empire
begins! Join us for an afternoon gathering or an evening
gathering of fellowship, study, and Christian faith
cultivation and nourishment.
Phone: 985-447-4287
Fax: 985-446-8727
Email: thibodauxfumc@bellsouth.net

2. September
Birthdays
Samuel Guin 1st
Jason Callahan 2nd
Lee Freyou 2nd
Eugene Mogabgab 2nd
Jeffery Freyou 8th
Milton “Bo” Ross 9th
Lydia Sayes 9th
Connor Bilello 10th
Greg Dumas 11th
Becky Mauldin 12th
Wes Parfait 12th
Emma Peters 13th
Raymond Bonvillian 15th
Katherine Smith 15th
Mark Soignier 15th
Hannah Marie Avants 16th
William “Bill” Baker 16th
Eddie Chiasson 17th
Walter Skaggs 17th
Deanie Soignier 19th
Joyce Young 19th
Holly Maurer 20th
Richard Adams 21st
Charli Gibson 22nd
Austin Henry 23rd
Sandra Wempren 23rd
Fred Davis 26th
Isabelle Caffery 30th
Craig LaBaouve 30th
Sunday School
Another great year is ahead of us.
We are in need of more teachers and
volunteers, helpers and aids for three
of our four children's Sunday school
classes. We are adding another
children's class, making a total of
four. We are adding another youth
class, making two. We are adding
another adult Sunday school class, see information below on
"The Life Foundation Class," making four. Yes, we have nine
different Sunday school classes starting up in September.
Right now we have around fifty attending Sunday school.
Prayerfully this year we break one hundred! Please pray for
our Sunday school classes that they grow, we receive more
teachers and aids, and that God's Holy Spirit guides us in all
we learn.
Financial Report for June 2014
(July 1, 2014 - July 31, 2014)
Fund General
Balance (July 1) $8,324.83
Receipts $19,329.59
Disbursements $18,920.29
Transfers $0.00
Balance (June 30) $8,734.13
September 2014
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 Labor Day–
Church office closed
2 Choir Practice
6:30 pm
LS Staff Meeting
12:30 pm
3 LS Assembly 9:30
am
WOW 2-3:45 pm
6:30-7:45 pm
4 5 6
7 Grandparent’s Day
Youth 4:00 pm
8 Coffee with the
Pastor 7:30 am
Nominations 6 pm
9 LS Assembly 9:30
am
Choir Practice 6:30
pm
10 Wow 2-3:45 pm
6:30-7:45 pm
11 12 13
14 Youth 4:00 pm 15 Coffee with the
Pastor 7:30 am
16 Choir Practice
6:30 pm
17 LS Assembly
9:30 am
WOW 2-3:45 pm
6:30-7:45 pm
18 19 20 UMM Breakfast
8:30 am
Church Work Day
Alzheimer's Walk
21 Congregational
Dinner noon
Youth 4:00 pm
22 Coffee with the
Pastor 7:30 am
Finance Com. 6pm
23 LS Assembly
9:30 am
Choir Practice 6:30
pm
24 Wow 2-3:45 pm
6:30-7:45 pm
25 Pastor Ray @
Division of Local
Pastor's Mtg.
26 XYZ 11:30 am 27 Church Directory
Photos 10 am
28 Youth 4:00 pm 29 Coffee with the
Pastor 7:30 am
Ad Council 6 pm
30 Choir Practice
6:30 pm
Life Foundation Sunday School Class
The Life Foundation Sunday School
Class is reorganizing. This is a
contemporary Sunday School Class for
all adults. We will begin on Sunday,
September 12th at 9:45 a.m. The class is
going to start off with a six week session
of Mike Slaughter’s Dare to Dream. Dare
to Dream is an inspiring class that draws
on the Bible and a lifetime of ministry to
help us discern God’s dream for us and
learn to live it out, prayerfully and
enthusiastically. The class includes a
DVD teaching session (7-10 minutes each) in which Slaugh-ter
guides participants in developing a life mission statement
to help them fully commit to a God-directed lifestyle. The cost
of the class is $15 which includes a participant’s guide, ship-ping,
and to help with the cost of the DVD. Please sign up in
the church office. If you have any questions, please contact
Melissa Shaddock
Book trailer for the class:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-RbDcNNNg4
Church Directory Photos 2:00 p.m.
Beth Moore Bible Study
For the past ten weeks,
13 ladies participated in
the Beth Moore Bible
Study of The Patri-archs!!
It was an awesome
study with great discus-sions!!
Pictured are (top pic-ture):
Anita Bilello, Linda LeRay, Pat Rhodes, Debbie
Landry, Bobbie Simon, and Marian McCann (bottom
picture) Melissa Shaddock, Tina Gehbauer, Oreta
Shaddock, Lou Anne Talbot, and Suzanne Achee.
Members of the class not pictured are Margaret
Kimball and Donna Varnado.
Constitution Week
When: Sept. 17—23
Please fly the Flag during
this week!!!
Sponsored by the Daugh-ters
of the American
Revolution