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Recently, while in Israel, I went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre inside the walls of old Jerusalem. It is believed that the church was built over the spot where Jesus was buried. And, actu-ally, there are two spots within the church indentified as “the tomb.” It is interest-ing to see lines of people form waiting to go in and see this “empty” space. It is incredible in this Easter week to know that we cele-brate a RISEN Savior. Christ is not buried in a tomb. He vacated that place and is alive forevermore. Life begins here! No longer does death get the last word. No longer do we have to live separated from God’s love (now or eternally). Easter changes everything! I’ve spoken with people in our congregation who feel they are more excited for Easter than in other years. For some it is recognizing that loved ones who have passed away (a few even on Easter day) are now experi-encing eternal life in Christ. For others it is this growing thankfulness for life itself. It is a season of hope. It is a season of love conquering death and reaching the dark-

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T est hearts with life and pos-sibility. Easter people don’t give up. Easter people don’t give in (to fear, or failure or anything else). Easter peo-ple rise up. We rise up be-cause Jesus got up! If you travel this Easter, go with our prayers and bless-ings. If you are in the area, please invite friends and family to join us for Easter @ the Mathewson. It is go-ing to be an incredible cele-bration. It marks a time to get back in church, to get involved and lean into our faith in new and fresh ways. It is the one time of the year that all of our services can be together in one place and with one heart praise the living God. We have a great witness to make to our community about trusting God and looking to God when trouble comes. Rise up, Easter peo-ple. Rise up, First Church. It’s time to celebrate!!! See you at the Mathewson this Sunday! ~jimd. P.S. Only one service this weekend. All other services are in recess this week only.

For accessible parking at the Easter service, go to the NE side of the Mathewson.

DDOWNTOWNOWNTOWN DDREAMINGREAMING & & CCONVERSATIONONVERSATION

On Thursday, April 14, 2016 we will meet at The Celebration Center in the Celebration Room to share our hopes and dreams for the Downtown location. Please pray and bring ideas. We will meet at 6:30 p.m. and a nursery is avail-able.

LIFE BLIFE BEGINSEGINS HERE!HERE!

HEARTBEATS

Easter Offering Circle of Hope Women at the Well Dinner

This year’s Easter Offering can help support Vacation Bible School and Easter@the Mathewson. Thank you in advance for your gen-erous support. Please mark your check payable to First UMC with Easter Offering in the memo. For your convenience, an Easter Offer-ing Envelope is available from the back of the church Sanctuary, and from the Welcome Center. Please turn it in in the offering, church of-fice, or mail it to 1701 W. 32nd St., Sedalia, MO 65301. Thank you!

PPRAYRAY FFIRSTIRST Our new ministry, Pray First, is an effort to lead each one of us into a deeper relationship with Christ through a lifestyle of prayer. Every-one is invited to come to the sanc-tuary at the Celebration Center for prayer and worship from 6:00-7:00 a.m. and 6:00-7:00 p.m. the first week of each month and following Saturday and Wednesday evening events. Our next dates are April 1-7 and focuses on Psalm 27.

BBOTTLEOTTLE WWATERATER CCOLLECTIONOLLECTION Flint, Michigan’s water supply is contaminated with lead and is a danger to its inhabitants. The Pet-tis County NAACP and the Diversi-fied Community Outreach are tak-ing action to collect bottled water to send to the people of Flint. If you would like to help, water may be dropped off at the Celebration Cen-ter thru March 31. If questions, contact Dr. Rhonda Chalfant, 826-5592.

Our 6:15 p.m. Wednesday evening’s “The Story” pro-gram is offered again on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. at the Celebration Center (Theatre). To sign up please call the church office at 827-2993. Youth Group meets every Sunday evening from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Celebration Center. For confidential, spiritual, and emotional support in a 1-on-1, caring relationship, con-tact a Stephen Minister at 620-4484. Big Daddy Weave Con-cert—Sat. Apr. 9 at 7 p.m. at Smith Cotton Junior High School (Gymnasium) Tickets on sale in the church office during office hours.

The Women at the Well Annual Din-ner will be Friday, May 6th. If you would like to help or if you have questions, please contact either Lancy Ulrich, 287-3496, or Karen Mi-esner, 596-3276. Watch the bulletins and newsletters for more information to come.

SSTRONGTRONG TTOWEROWER DDINNERINNER & A& AUCTIONUCTION All are invited to come to the Cele-bration Center on Friday, April 8th at 5:30 p.m. for the 5th Annual Hearts for Haiti Dinner and Auction Gala to benefit Strong Tower Orphanage in Haiti. Live artists Barney Knight and Sarah Ives will be creating pottery and art pieces, live and silent auction items including theme baskets, pot-tery, photography, and artwork. Tick-ets are $10 each and are available in the church office.

HHAITIANAITIAN CCOFFEEOFFEE Singing Rooster Direct Trade Haitian Coffee is available for purchase in the YesToday Bookstore (bookstore opens 30 minutes before and after all weekend service times at the Cele-bration Center.) Proceeds go to Haiti’s coffee bean farmers and Strong Tower Ophanage. For more information, contact Chris Buchanan at 619-2607.

YEsToday Bookstore Hours:

Sat. 4-7 pm Sun. 8-11am

If you are a female affected in any way by cancer, please join us for Circle of Hope, a new women’s cancer/chronic illness support group in The Gathering Place at 6:30 p.m. on the last Thursday of every month. Our next meeting is Thursday, March 31st . Any ques-tions, please feel free to call Kathy Morris at 660-281-4744.

Women at the Well

Annual Dinner May 6, 2016

Mar. 27 Pam McKinney, Bill Gleason, Kale McCollester, Elijah Henness Mar. 28 Dennis Henderson, Karen Zullig, Paula Mosier, Tyler Pripusich, Edgar Smith, Brittney Simmons Mar. 29 Cole Kroeger, Aaron Mewes, Patricia Hunt, Larry Rigdon, Sarah Wuellner Mar. 30 Autry Dotson, Jim Riley, Zoey Hierony-mus, Gerard O’Shea, Danielle Baum, Marsha Silvey, Caitlin Bird, Sharon Twyman, Ariel Soderberg Mar. 31 Harry Gullette, Kenneth Kinshella, Andrea Luyet, Angelica Pfremmer, Karen Sander, David Stevenson Apr. 1 Jacqui Ellis, Spencer Ruckman Apr. 2 Tony Avery, Karen Iuchs, Brody Rambo, Dody Millard, Addison Dillon, Ian Jackson, Madelyn Enrietto, Elianna Parney Apr. 3 Arthur Vandela-Mayeres, Chris Buchanan, Zoe Grifford, Ilene Webb, Anthony Tsao, Van Schenewark, Kathy Youkey Apr. 4 Cansata Arnold, Julie Hill, Re-gina Logan, Jamie Sparks, Matthew Thompson, Jordan Kyle Apr. 5 Anna Belle Lietzow, Cody Strohm, Gwen Turner, Lacy Rambo, Jeff Gilbertson Apr. 6 Janet David, Lowell Pilliard, Kay Welch Apr. 7 Taylor Goff, Marissa Mateja, David Gerken, Tom Palmer, Becky Rayl, Allyson Morris, Brison Ball Apr. 8 Savannah Dieckmann, Jenson Hamilton, Jasper Parker, Mattie Hathaway, Shawn Lemings, Lance New, Ashley Dill, Andrew Tsao, Andrew Lazenby, Susan Meyer Apr. 9 Eli Eaton, Mandy Gleason, Amanda Matz, Frankie Van-derpool Leadin

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FIRST STEPS

March 12-13, 2016 Sunday School 84

Worship 753

March 19-20, 2016 Sunday School 82

Worship 787

Our Family Our Prayers for: Betty Rose Thompson, Steve Emory, Darlene & Virgil Burgess, Kenneth Bur-gess, Sue Coleman, Jacob Gerken, Cansata Arnold, An-nabell Hackman, Clifford Smith, Jennie Cheffey, Glenda Horne, Kristina Johns, Sandy Smith, Leo-nard Craig, Steve Goldsmith, Beverly Hoehns, Patty Smith, Mary Matz, Our Mili-tary Families, Strong Tower Haiti Orphanage, and our covenant churches in Mo-zambique.

Our hearts go out in Chris-tian love and sympathy to: ~Carol Homan and family in the death of her father, Edwin Walden, on Mar. 4, & ~ The family and friends of Jean Mowry due to her death on March 21.st

CCONGRATULATIONSONGRATULATIONS TOTO: : Lindsey Farr & Benjamin Adams who were united in marriage on March 19, 2016.

WWEE CCELEBRATEELEBRATE THETHE DDAYAY YOUYOU WWEREERE BBORNORN If your birthday is not listed, please let us know so it can be added!

WWELCOMEELCOME NNEWEW MMEMBERSEMBERS We will be reporting

Finances monthly.

TTHANKHANK YYOUOU:: Thanks for your participation and support for this year's Nothing But Nets 3v3 Basketball Challenge. Your efforts helped raise $2074.79 for Imagine No Malaria and Nothing But Nets. Because of this, many lives will be positively impacted by this program seeking to eradicate malaria in our world. 50 teams from around our region participated in this year's tournament!

Would you like to be able to conveniently give electroni-cally through your smart-phone or online? YES!Give, powered by SecureGive, is for you! Information sheets are available at the Welcome Center.

John & Karla Melton

Bryce Birdsong

(Grandson)

2200 S. Vermont

Sedalia, MO 65301

829-0506

Darrell & Linda Dillon

204 N. Olive St.

(P O Box 141)

Houstonia, MO 65333

660-568-3455

Diane Mosier

1711 W. 14th St.

Sedalia, MO 65301

826-2250

Patricia Reynolds

2501 S. W. Blvd.

Sedalia, MO 65301

417-773-9378

Celebration Center, 1701 W. 32nd St Worship //Saturday 5:30pm //Sunday 8:35am 9:45am // 11:00am // & 12:30pm Listen on the Radio at 1490AM Sundays 10:05am or on our Website at www.firstsayyes.com (messages) Email us at email@firstsayyes.com Phone // 660.827.2993

First United Methodist Church Office: 1701 West 32nd Street

Sedalia, MO 65301

Non-Profit Organization

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SEDALIA, MO 65301

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AANNUALNNUAL EEASTERASTER EEGGGG HHUNTUNT Promiseland Children’s Ministry will be presenting an annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 26 at 10 a.m. at the Celebration Center. Kids 0-4th grade are invited to come celebrate with us!