July/August 2012
The Caller…
”We know that in everything God works for good with those who
love God, who are CALLED according to God’s purpose” Romans 8:28
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF HYATTSVILLE, MARYLAND
Our Mission: To Make Disciples of Jesus Christ in this multicultural community by reaching out to all.
Our Vision: To Nurture, Equip & Transform people for Jesus Christ.
Our Purpose: To Inspire people to be like Jesus Christ.
God Called Me From My Comfort Zone to the World of HIV/AIDS
Janis Sloane
I have been attending
First United Methodist
Church of Hyattsville
since the 1980’s. During the early years, my
presence in the pews
was sporadic, as my
work schedule dictated
my life and there were
evening, night, and
weekend shifts to con-
tend with, not to mencertified tester. In the
tion two small children
Spring of 2010 we were
with their own set of
all geared up and ready
needs and demands.
to open our doors for
With the ebb and flow
HIV testing using the
of my life, things
OraQuick method which
changed and I had more involves taking an oral
time to commit to
I had found my “works”
church activities. As a
and now it was up to
nurse and someone who me...
had witnessed the early
swab and then having
arrival of HIV with its
the 99% accurate result
devastating results, I de- within 20 minutes. We
cided that The HIV/
continue to provide this
AIDS Ministry would be free HIV test the 3rd Sata good fit for me and my urday of every month
skills. I joined the Min- from 1-3 PM. In case
istry in the fall of 2008
you don’t know me, I
and by December was a
am the quiet one in the
Volume 49 No4
July/August 2012
Inside this issue:
Transforming lives
1
Heavens Closet
2
A STEP FOR THE CURE
2
HS CLASS OF 2012
3
UMM & UMW
4
PASTORS MESSAGE
6
JFON
6
Never too Young to Let the Holy Spirit Use Us!
I love dancing for the
Lord. When I dance the
Holy Spirit uses me to
bless others. If someone
tells me I can’t do it, I
know Jesus says I can
do all things.
Juliet
I love to dance, When I dance
people say I did good, but I
didn't, the Holy Spirit danced
in me!! That’s why I pray
before I even start dancing.
Dancing helped me believe I
can do all things through
Christ who gives me strength,
also I know God will not
forsake me so I always say
AMEN! Trinity Copeland
Juliet Ikeazota and Trinity Copeland
page2
The Caller…”We know that in everything God works
for good with those who love God, who are CALLED
“WE DID IT!
WE DID IT!
FUMC
MEMBERS
TAKING A
STEP
TOWARDS
THE CURE!”
On Saturday, June 2nd,
First United Methodist
Church was represented by
ten people, eight adults and
two children, at the Susan
G. Komen Race for the
Cure. This annual walk
raises money for breast
cancer research and pro-
vides funding for uninsured women to get their
yearly mammogram. First
Church walking team
raised $750.00; our goal
was to raise $1,000.00.
Please join us next year
either as a walker or as a
sponsor.
Congratulations team!!
Remember, mammograms
save lives!
-Dorrett Caroll
Take a Glimpse into Heaven at Heaven’s Closet
Clothes hanging on the wall
and racks, shoes on racks,
toys on the tables, purses,
games etc. Blacks, whites,
Hispanic, Korean, etc. all
together going through the
aisles, shopping bags in
hands. Everything is Free.
Could this be? Yes it is if you
are shopping at Heaven’s
Closet. A few times a year we
turn Fellowship Hall into a
department store and invite
Thanks to
the many
generous
First Church
and
ecumenical
sponsors of
our walkers.
Our church
had 86
walkers
our neighbors to come and
shop for free. This has to be a
glimpse of Heaven. Fathers
shopping for their kids, teens
looking for jeans, a stranger
looking for a warm blanket
there is something for everyone at Heaven’s Closet.
Everyone is invited. If you get
tired of shopping, take a seat
enjoy a free snack and drink.
Bring the kids for children's
corner with Jesus. Strangers
become friends, neighbors
pray together, everyone
shares the love of Jesus
Christ. This all happens at
Heaven’s Closet. The church
is opened and ALL is invited.
I encourage you to stop and
take a glimpse of Heaven’s.
The next Heaven’s Closet is
July 14th 11:00AM-2:00PM
-Sharon Milton
Crop Hunger Walk
Once again the annual
Hyattsville Church World
Service CROP Hunger
Walk was a sunny success.
The funds earned go to
emergency relief and selfhelp development projects
in third world nations and
in the US. For a current list
of examples of CWS projects, please go to
www.churchworldservice.o
rg. Locally Help by Phone
of Prince Georges County
will receive 25% of the
funds.
To date the total for the 25
churches is $54,600 of
which our church raised
$7,659. Thanks to the
many generous First
Church and ecumenical
sponsors of our walkers.
Our church had 86 walkers,
ten less than a small but
gung-ho church in Greenbelt. But we were the first
Runner Up to the Holy
Sole Award, Tage on Steel
sent us off in fine musical
style. Well done good and
faithful sponsors and walkers. Many thanks,
-Lyn & Bob Doyle, CROP
Walk Recruiters, Missions
Team
page3
Wisdom Spotlight: Mrs. Eileen Henderson
Today the spotlight falls
on Eileen Henderson,
one of our oldest members; one whose membership extends the longest.
Eileen Henderson is 98
years old and has been a
member of First Church
for nearly 70 years; she
and her husband Ralph
joined in 1943. They
raised three daughters at
First Church, as they
continued to be active
members of the congregation.
Eileen was an educator
in the public school system and served as the
principal of an elementary school for challenged children. She always found time to be
deeply involved in the
Church. Cont.pg 4
HS Class of 2012. Transforming from Youth to Young Adults
Alexis Lucas Desmond Lewis
Nia Joynes
Natasha Teckham
Devonna & Devonte
Quasie-Woode
First Church Turns 220
2012 marks the 220th
Anniversary of First
Church. We will celebrate our history during
the month of November,
with special activities,
programs and worship
services. On May 20th
we celebrated 50 years
of being in our current
building. First Church
has a rich full history
and we will celebrate the
faithfulness and dedication of our members and
God’s goodness to us as
a faith community.
Look for soon to come
details of our returning
pastors, special speakers
and celebratory events
all marking our 220
years of life together in
Christ.
“Graduating is
a big
accomplishment
just the start of
a huge journey.
I can’t help but
look back and
say WOW I’ve
come a long
way, but none
of this would be
possible without
God and my
family.”
*Alexis Lucas*
page4
“ She
always
found time
to be deeply
involved in
the
Church.”
“one example
of our efforts to
declare the
centrality of
Christ in all of
our
relationships
through
Christian
service and
outreach. “
“As a result of
the monies
raised the UMW
are able to make
a donation to the
Family Crisis
Center of $200
for Women and
Children of
Abuse.”
Spotlight continued from page 3
She worked at all the
Bazaars and church
dinners. She was the
United Methodist Women Reprensentative to the
Board of Child Care in
Baltimore. The Board of
Child Care is home for
abused, neglected and
homeless children from
babies to high school.
She and Ralph were active members for many
years in the Friendship
Bible Sunday School
Class. They were also
among the first residents
20 plus years ago at Collington Continuing Care
Community in Bowie,
where she still resides.
She has been a faithful
active part of the family
of First Church, and we
celebrate her part in the
life and ministry of our
congregation.
Jesus ChristThe Same
Yesterday,
and Today,
and Forever!
Hebrews 13:8
God Moving Men-United Methodist Men
On Saturday April 14, 2012
The United Methodist Men of
First Church hosted the Baltimore Washington Conference
United Methodist Men’s prayer Breakfast.
The Keynote Speaker was
Rev. Dr. Brian Jackson,
Senior Pastor of
Randall Memorial UMC.
More than 200 men and also
some women, gathered to
share our prayers, songs of
praise and devotion. This was
a celebration of God moving
men to be disciples of Jesus
Christ. In addition to the inspirational message from Dr.
Jackson, we were blessed by
moving testimonies by young
men of the conference about
what God is doing in their
lives. We were joined by
Bishop Schol and several
Pastors from other local
Churches.
This event is just one example
of our efforts to declare the
centrality of Christ in all of
our relationships through
Christian service and outreach.
We invite all men of the
Church to join us at our
Breakfast Meetings which are
held on the first Saturday of
every month at 9:00 AM in
Fellowship Hall
-Doug Campt
United Methodist Women’s Luncheon and Fashion Show
The United Methodist Women (UMW) of First Church
held their annual Luncheon
and Fashion Show on April
28, 2012. The luncheon was
catered by Lynette Alexander
and she was assisted by the
committee members. The
show was emceed by the humorous Merlyn Drummond
who had the audience laugh-
ing with her story telling and
jokes. Some of the ladies in
the fashion show were members of First Church and some
were volunteers. You
should've seen them...Susan
Osifade demonstrated how the
African head wrap was done
without a mirror! Amazing,
and much to the delight of
everyone Banke Daka and
Leila Vandeyar added their
unique modeling style which
kept applause coming. We
had a wonderful, uplifting and
interactive poem which was
written by Dr. Mary CarterWilliams and read by her.
Marshallyn and Marilyn
Whittington shared their melodic voices... cont pg 8
page5
During the months of testing and interacting with the Ministry members and with
the community, I realized that I had discovered something that I felt intensely
passionate about. Providing this tiny speck of service in the vast ocean of need
that engulfs the neighborhoods that border our church, is something I felt called
upon to do. As we are reminded in James 2:14-17:
What good is it, if someone says they have faith but does not have works? Can
that faith save them? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in
daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,”
without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also
faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
I had found “my works” and now it was up to me to protect what I felt compelled
to do. So, I stepped out of my comfort zone, where I had placidly sat for my 59
years, and when there was no one else to take on the leadership role, I took a
deep breath and said, “Take me Lord, I will do it.” Fortunately for me, the
demands of “being in charge” have been shared with the most competent of all
co-chairs, Alexia Muchisu. It is also much easier to be a leader without
leadership skills when you have a team who has pledged to the same cause with
much dedication and a passion for doing God’s work.
In return for this decision to leave my usual “spectator role” behind, I have been
blessed by the following:
The young woman who came to be tested and was so fearful that she shook
throughout the entire process, and when her test was negative, gave me
the most grateful hug I have ever received and said these words, “Thank
you for being here for me.” The satisfaction of being lauded by our
coordinator from the Maryland Infectious Disease and Environmental
Health Administration as the “best example of a faith-based testing site in
Maryland” it is one she uses as a role model for other community groups
seeking to become a testing site.
The warm feeling of providing comfort to the young male who has had to
keep his sexual orientation a secret from many, even members of his own
family, for his entire life. He was ostracized from his church for “being
gay” and thanked me and First Church for their open mindedness and
willingness to minister to “all of God’s children”.
How can one not listen to the call, leave their comfort zone behind, and step up
to do the work that is so desperately needed? If I can do it, you can do it too.
Just look for that thing that speaks to you in God’s voice or the thing that allows
you to not just “talk the talk but walk the walk” of Jesus. We at First Church
feed the hungry, clothe the naked, minister to the sick, comfort those with heavy
hearts, and soothe those weak in spirit. Which Ministry is in need of your
service and where can you put your passion to work?
MOTHER TERESA’S PRAYER
The fruit of silence is prayer.
The fruit of prayer is faith.
The fruit of faith is love.
Fumc children at Kings Dominion
page6
Pastor’s Message
New Life in Christ
Dear First Church Faith
Community,
I’m Back Again! being
reappointed by our bishop I
have the honor and privilege
to serve as your Senior Pastor
for another year. July 1, 2012
marked the beginning of my
8th year. I give God thanks
and praise daily for this opportunity. We move into our
8th year, in the middle of this
calendar year, with six
months of it still ahead of us.
Our Church Theme for 2012
is Grow in Grace. If we
pause for a moment in the end
of this first half of the year,
let’s take our pulse and see
how we are doing with this
Grace. Have we grown in
Grace? Can we see any evidence, any fruits of our
growth? The good news is
that we have six months (but
really the rest of our lives) to
keep working on it. I like
what Paul says in his letter to
the Philippians, as he speaks
about Instructions for
Christian Maturity; he says,
“but one thing I do, forgetting
what lies behind and straining
forward to what lies ahead. I
press on toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of
God in Christ Jesus. Let those
of us who are mature be thus
minded.” Romans 3:12-15a
Opportunities for Christian
growth of our Faith Community are plentiful.
Our goal for these next six
months is to increase our mission, outreach and witness
opportunities to help us grow
as a vital congregation.

Please check out our
Disciple U schedule
for the summer and
the fall classes.
Register on Sunday
mornings or by
contacting the
church office.

Join us on July 14 at
Heaven’s Closet as we
give away clothes and
small household appliances to the people in our
community.

Get out of the building
with us on July 14, as we
go into the community to
express some UnRandom
Acts of Kindness.
God calls us to be the
spiritual pulse of our world;
Come grow with us as we
grow in God’s grace.
Blessings, Pastor Joan
No One
Ever Died
From Too
Much Praise!!
.
I Dare you - Dare you to go Deep with God
Holy Land Trip
August 6-10
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
SAVE THE DATE
Vacation Bible School will
take you deeper as you dive
into God’s watery world.
Vacation Bible School or
VBS is a wonderful opportunity for the children and
adults of our community to
bring you stores of the Bible
to life, to learn about the Bi-
ble, while engaging in fun
activities and make new
friends of faith. This year’s
theme is Operation Overboard: Dare to Go Deep with
God. Everywhere there is
water: in rivers and streams,
ponds and puddles, above in
the clouds and below in the
morning dew. Our bodies are
mainly made up of water.
VBS will provide an oppor-
tunity to dive into the waters
of God’s Word.
Please participate in this fun
and faith-filled week. We
will also need volunteers to
help with the events. We will
begin each session with a
meal. If you want to participate and/or volunteer, fill out
the info stub or contact Hubert Dixon, III at 240-4721771 or [email protected]
page7
FUMC connecting with our missionaries from Zimbabwe
On Sunday, June 10, First
Church welcomed our missionaries from Zimbabwe and
Africa University, Jane and
Larry Kies. Jane teaches
English to non-speakers before they enter Africa University studies. Larry teaches
agronomy and helps manage
the farm that feeds the 1,200
students who represent all the
Sub-Saharan nations. The
Kies’ religious conviction,
helpful life work, and humility clearly showed through in
their three presentations.
Their sermon in the first wor-
ship service, a more informal
talk in the chapel at 10 am,
and a 5 minute Mission
Moment in the second service
were all well received. Over
several years, our church,
through Missions, has given
towards their salary support.
We also donate to Africa
University in our annual
Souper Bowl Sunday
Collection. The audio visual
portion of their talk in the first
service showed us where our
past donations to Africa University. have gone, for example a vegetable seed planter,
generator, boar to make piglets, and hand held GPS units.
In addition, J. D. Williams
sponsored a shipping container which was filled with our
contributions. During that
Sunday, June 10, a Love Offering was taken. Jane and
Larry suggested that student
scholarships be the goal. To
date $1,297.56 has been donated. Well done, First
Church.
-Lyn Doyle
Justice for our Neighbors
At the JFON Immigration Clinic
we see folks that are in need of
legal assistance in regards to their
immigration status. Our clients
come from many countries and
backgrounds with one common
bond, their desire to stay in the
United States to make a better
life for themselves and their families. We are here to provide a
welcoming, caring, safe place for
our clients to come to, a place
where they do not need be in fear
that someone is going to turn
them in, for you see, many of our
brothers and sisters that have
immigrated to the United States
live daily in fear that they will be
picked up and put in deportation.
We are providing a safe haven
for them, a place where they can
see that we are happy that they
have chosen to be our neighbors
here in the United States. We
have seen several of our clients
become citizens of the USA, and
oh how proud they are to be such,
and we love to share in their joy!
JFON clients are extremely grate-
ful for the ministry we provide at
First Church, they cannot say
thank you enough, and some are
just speechless because they were
touched so deeply. Of course we
are not just about the clinic once
a month it is also about standing
up for rights for immigrants. We
participate in rallies and emailing
and calling Congress and even
the White House to let them
know that as people of faith we
believe and demand rights for all.
-Cindy Harding
A Saturday at the Flea Market
The Flea Market is a community outreach event that provides among other things,
opportunities for fellowship.
The Flea Markets are held on
most Saturdays, and a day at
the market is really remarkable. Several cultures meet on
the First Church parking lot to
build a community retail outlet and sell useful personal
items at very reasonable reduced prices. Often times, the
vendors claim that the success
of this event enables them to
put food on the table on Sundays. On the day of the Flea
Market, the regular participants routinely arrive early to
occupy their favorite spots.
They quickly pitch tents to
display their merchandise,
and also help their neighbors
to get organized. All seem
united in one purpose: to provide for their families.
Individuals who have not
participated or visited the Flea
Markets are invited to do so.
Come out, meet, support, and
fellowship with your neighbors.
-Ray Beache
Jesus
Loves
me!
This
I
Know
FUMC At Northwestern High School serving victims of the storms
Childrens, Youth & young Adult Service
Gospel Choir Praising during worship service
UMM
Senior Gala
Dance Ministry
page8
UMW from page 4
to the event.
From the positive
responses and smiling faces, it has been decided that
this will be a UMW’s annual event in April.
Many thanks to Burma
Powell, Kevin Rose and
Nick Richards for their
assistance.
Of course none of this
would've have been possible without the committee
members who sold tickets,
set up and cleaned up, and
all the models.
As a result of the monies
raised, the UMW is able to
make a donation of
$200.00 to the Family Crisis Center for Women and
Children of Abuse.
Thank you for your support
and we look forward to
seeing you next year!
-Christine Vandeyar-Wise
Flea Market from page 7
Train up a child theway
they should grow, and
when they grow old they
wont depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
God has blessed you with
special gifts, are you using
those gifts? New relationships can be developed
with individuals who are
not members of First
Church. The market awaits
you- children of all ages,
people of all races and cultures. God blesses us every
day and every where, don’t
miss out on your blessings.
Be blessed.
Each of you has received
a gift to use to serve others. Be good servants of
God’s various gifts of
grace. 1 Peter 4: 10
-Ray Beache
Saturday April 28, 2012 Christmas in April
Keep your Eyes on Jesus
Before I tell you about this
year’s Christmas in April effort, I thought you’d like to
know some history of the
organization. It’s a national
organization that began in
1989 in our county. Since our
beginning the Prince George’s
branch has repaired 2,167
homes with over 71,700 volunteers. It’s estimated that
that amounts to $37,018,000
worth of free labor to the citi-
zens of Prince George’s
County. Our connection to
Christmas in April is through
volunteers from our church.
The Missions Team allocates
an annual monetary donation
to Christmas in April, all
made possible by your donations to Current Expense. I
would like to say Thank You
to the 13 persons who volunteer this year from First
Church who helped clean out
the house, which was located
close to our church.
The senior owners of the
house were very appreciative
of the work the volunteers
provided.
Bob Doyle, House Captain and
member of the Missions Team