"Deconstruction" has become one of those words everybody has an opinion about - and not enough people talk about what comes after.  This October, we're starting a four-week series called From Ruins to Resurrection, walking through the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites, the valley of dry bones, Jesus' own testing in the desert, and the road to Emmaus - because Scripture is full of people who found themselves int he rubble of what they thought they believed, and found there was always something on the other side.  Whether you're in the middle of questioning things right now, did that work years ago and never quite finished it, or love someone who's there, this series is for you. 

Welcome to our new newsletter!

As part of our move to a new church management system, we're giving our newsletter a fresh look and a new purpose. For years, the newsletter served as "announcement central," the one place to find everything happening in a given month. Now all of that information lives on our church calendar, available anytime on the FUMC Cleburne app or at fumccleburne.com. You can see every event there and RSVP or register right from the calendar.

With event details now easy to find, our newsletter is free to become something more: a place for discipleship and for celebrating the many ministries of our church.

Each month you'll still find:
A preview of the upcoming sermon series
The church calendar of events

And now you'll also find:
Updates from our Leadership Board on the work they're doing
A spotlight on one of our ministries
Photo highlights from the past month
News from our Family Ministry
A short devotional or update from me here in the Pastor's Corner
Current sign-ups (be sure to read all the way to the end of this issue to learn about our new church cookbook and how to submit your family recipes!)

I'm excited about what this change makes possible. Every ministry event can now be found in one reliable place. Each month, this newsletter will also be a touchpoint for our church family. It will give us a chance to celebrate what God is doing among us and to discover ministries you may not have known about or have been meaning to check out. And it will offer a moment of discipleship that meets you right in your inbox.

Happy reading!

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Melissa

Picture Descriptions:
1: Our kids at Bible Camp at Glenlake Camp, 2: Meet Mauryn Bennight our new Family Ministry Assistant, 3: Men and Sponsors off to Emmaus Walk, 4-5: Pictures of our church feeding the Cleburne Yellow Jacket Football Team, 6: Pastor Melissa with her APL Cohort (Advancing Pastoral Leadership Program) in The National Cathedral in Washington DC

Meet the newest member of Christ's Body, Samuel Farquhar! Baptized at the 11am service on September 13th.

I recently had a conversation with another pastor that is interested in having their
church move to a family ministry model. As we talked I share some of that I have
learned through the process of moving from a traditional siloed ministry model for
children, students, and adults to a more integrated family focused model. One thing I
share is my belief is that at its core, family ministry is a ministry to the adults for the
benefit of children and students. This week, I came across a study that demonstrates
just that.

The recent study called “Future Faithful Families Project” looked at Roman Catholic
families where all the children, ALL, grew up and remained faithful participants in the
church in their adulthoods. From this study Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak created a list of
12 key family practices that center around 3 core principles that they call “the Liturgy of
Domestic Church Life”.

The Rite of Christian Relationship
This rite corresponds to the priestly mission of baptism, sanctifying everyday moments.
 Extravagant affection and affirmation: Sharing generous, healthy physical
touch and sincere praise.
 Attention to the emotional temperature of the home: Tuning in promptly
and cheerfully to each other's needs.
 Loving self-donation as a way of life: Putting family members first and
serving one another.
 Rituals that celebrate the day's meaning: Marking highs, lows, and
transitions in a positive light.

The Rite of Family Rituals
This rite corresponds to the prophetic mission of baptism, building intentional habits.
 Family time first: Prioritizing and scheduling family life before other outside
activities.
 Working together: Doing daily chores and tasks side by side.
 Playing together: Creating regular, fun time for games and relaxation.
 Talking together: Having open, meaningful conversations during meals or
meetings.

The Rite of Reaching Out
This rite corresponds to the royal mission of baptism, turning the home outward.
 Praying together: Bringing family struggles and thanks to God as a unit.
 Studying the faith together: Learning and discussing spiritual topics at home.
 Serving others together: Helping neighbors, the sick, or those in need as a
family.
 Sharing the faith with others: Witnessing to Christ through kindness in the
wider community.

Here at FUMC Cleburne, we like to advocate for what we call “Three Rule Parenting”,
taken for the UMC’s Three General Rules that are 1) Do No Harm 2) Do Good 3) Stay in
Love with God and this “the Liturgy of Domestic Church Life” fits well in that
understanding.

In the next few newsletters we will expand on these concepts and offer you practical
ways and resources to introduce them into your daily family life. If you are interested
in this topic and looking to engage faith more as a family, I invite you to reach out to
me (Rev Bill) I would love to talk with you personally and offer you support, resources,
and encouragement.

Blessings,
Rev Bill

Music has a remarkable way of bringing us together. It brightens our spirits, soothes our worries, and invites us to slow down and take time to listen to what God may be doing in our lives. The Traditional Music Ministry leans into those attributes and seeks to bring people together through the beauty, joy, and spiritual power of music. Whether you have sung in choirs for years, played an instrument in school, or simply love to sing along with a hymn on Sunday morning, there is a place for you here. Our Chancel Choir and Handbell Choir are communities of fun, kind people who come together not because everyone has the same musical background, ability, or tastes, but because we share a desire to create something beautiful together in hopes of bringing people closer to the Holy Spirit in worship.

Being part of a musical ensemble offers benefits that reach far beyond the music itself. Singing engages the breath, strengthens vocal and respiratory coordination, improves posture, and can be a wonderful way to release stress. Playing handbells, similarly, develops concentration, coordination, timing, memory, and attentive listening. Perhaps just as importantly, making music with others gives us the opportunity to step away from the demands of our every day, focus our minds, and experience the simple joy of creating something together. Research continues to associate group singing and music-making with social connection, reduced stress, and a greater sense of well-being. In an increasingly isolated world, there is something profoundly healthy about breathing, listening, and creating together.

For us, music is more than an activity. It is a ministry. Throughout Christian history, people have used music to express praise, lament, gratitude, hope, joy, and the deepest longings of the human spirit. When we sing together, we are not simply performing music; we are offering our voices as a gift to God and to one another. A beautiful anthem can prepare a congregation to hear Scripture. A familiar hymn can carry someone through a difficult season. Sometimes a single musical phrase can express something for which words alone are not capable of.

As we move into Fall, we have just started working on our Christmas Cantata and would love to have you join us, even if you simply want to sing with us for this special season alone. Come to a rehearsal, meet the choir, and see what it is like. If you have always wanted to sing but have been hesitant because you cannot read music, have never sung in a choir, or do not consider yourself a "singer," please know that you are still welcome. We can teach you the music, and there is no audition required. The same spirit applies to handbells: beginners are welcome, and likewise, experienced musicians will find opportunities to grow.

Ultimately, our hope is simple: To make beautiful music together while being deeply rooted in faith and remaining welcoming to everyone. Whether you join us for a season, sing with us for the Christmas Cantata, become part of the Chancel or Handbell Choirs, or simply sit among us and sing on Sunday morning, you are already part of the music. We would love to invite you to come make music with us.

Garret Watson

For those that may not know me, I am Jill House, and I am serving in my second year
on the One Board in the Finance position. I work closely with Becky Snider, our Office
Manager and Bookkeeper to review our income and expenditures each month. I report
to the entire One Board monthly with a financial summary.

I want to thank each of you for your faithfulness to FUMC Cleburne in all the ways that
you serve and give, but especially for your monetary gifts. During the time I have served
monitoring our finances, we have maintained a fairly healthy general fund balance, but
honestly, there have been months that I was genuinely concerned that if the trend
continued, we might be in trouble. I am going to repeat data that Robert Childress, our
One Board Chair, shared back in May. For 2026, 57 families submitted pledge cards
covering less than half of our yearly budget of $640,000. We have had to step out on
faith that the non-pledged consistent givers would stay faithful to cover the costs of
operating our church and supporting our programs, missions and outreach.

It is now time to look at the 2027 budget. I would ask that you prayerfully consider your
pledge to our church and take a step up in 2027. You can refer to the chart prepared by
Robert that was included in Pastor Melissa’s letter that you should have received and
take a step up financially if you are able. If not, figure out a small step that is achievable
for you. It could be as simple as turning in a pledge card for the first time, no matter
where you may fit on the chart. Another small step up would be to consider switching
your credit card giving to ACH or increasing your giving to cover the credit card fees that
add up.

Again, thank you for your faithfulness as we strive together to live out our mission to
make deeply committed disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world,
one life at a time.

Dear Church Family,

We are excited to announce that we are putting together a church-wide cookbook! We want to fill its pages with the favorite recipes, treasured family dishes, and special memories that make our church family so wonderful.                                                                                    Every recipe has a story, and we’d love to share yours!
Think of this cookbook as a little taste of home — a collection of recipes passed down through the years, family favorites, holiday traditions, and the dishes that have brought people together around the table.

How to Submit Your Recipes
Physical recipe cards will be available in the narthex for you to take home and fill out. Please take as many as you would like! We would love to have plenty of recipes from our church family.
If you would rather submit your recipes digitally, click here to fill out the Google Form. Simply use the form to submit your recipes instead of filling out a physical card.
All recipes are due October 11th, or anytime before then.

A Little Scripture for Our Cookbook
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

— Acts 2:42 (KJV)

What a beautiful picture of what church family is all about — fellowship, prayer, and gathering together around the table.

Cookbook Pickup
Once our cookbooks are completed and paid for,  they will be available for pickup at the Basket Auction!

Where the Funds Go
All funds gathered through the cookbook will go toward our 2027 VBS Fund, helping us prepare for another wonderful Vacation Bible School and allowing us to continue creating meaningful experiences for our children and families.
We hope you’ll join us in creating something special that celebrates our church family — one recipe, one memory, and one shared meal at a time.
Whether it’s Grandma’s famous pie, your family’s Sunday dinner, a holiday favorite, or simply the recipe everyone always asks you to bring, we want it in our cookbook!

Thank you for helping make this project a success. We can’t wait to fill the pages with a little piece of each of you!

Blessings,

Jayci Mahaffey