The Trinity United Methodist Church in Bloomfield had an incredible concert on Sunday, November 4th, that raised over $2500 for children in foster care so that they would have a wonderful Christmas this year. Many local churches and people in the community quickly joined in and contributed to this great cause, leaving the church with a full house with very few seats left available.
The county was in dire need of this benefit due to the fact that there is a humungous lack of foster families. There are around 350 kids in foster care and there are only about twenty families in the surrounding area that have agreed to care for these foster children. The Trinity United Methodist Church has made an incredible success out of this event to offer help and support to these bighearted families.
Sissy Williams was given the opportunity of coordinating the concert and made it a great success this year. The idea of the concert started a few years with very few attendees but we are proud to announce that that number has increased greatly throughout the past couple of years.
The concert had so many participants from different churches from all over Stoddard County. Many people of all ages and talents participated in the concert and made it a night full of entertainment and enjoyment. Jansen Williams was one of the many performers on that Sunday evening when she performed “Blessings” on piano. The Grace Trio, who has been singing together for over twenty years, also got to step on stage and join in on the cause. Buddy Heaton was a fantastic performer who performed a piano solo: “You Raise Me Up/The Winds Beneath My Wings”. Other incredible performances were held that night, including: Lara, Sophie, and Tony Thorn, Mara and Heather Mayo, Ringer Hill Bluegrass, Michelle Warren Prichard, and The Concert Choir. The crowd enjoyed each and every performance and greatly appreciated the contribution to the foster children’s party.
The benefit also had many guest speakers including Kimberly D. Bolin, Missouri Children’s Div. Supervisor for alternative care and licensure, who explained the need and importance of the benefit. Janet Moore, the coordinator of the Foster Children’s Christmas Party, also spoke about the upcoming party and events.
The money raised at this special event is all going towards a ‘party’ thrown by Trinity United Methodist Church. This party is thrown for the local foster kids, their foster parents, and any biological children that the foster parents might have. Each event during the party is focused on age groups so the younger children will have a festival with games and activities while the teenagers might go shopping or play video games. Once all the festivities are over with, the families get to join each other at the Catholic Hall for dinner.
Another great result of the concert was being able to set up a small gift shop where each foster child is taught about the importance of sharing and giving gifts. Each child will get the chance to pick out two gifts and give them to their loved ones. When the party has officially ended, the families are given a basket full of sheets, towels, and any other practical item that the family might need on a daily basis. This basket also included a couple of toys or Christmas presents for the children of the family.
The Trinity United Methodist Church, the performers, and the supporters are greatly appreciated. The church and the money received from the concert will make a big impact on these children’s and families’ lives when the time for the party comes around. We are looking forward to the next “An Evening of Music for the Children” event.
Kettle Beef Dinner
Sponsored by
First Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
To be held on
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7TH
In the Disciple Center of First Christian Church
Located at 224 E. Stoddard St., Dexter, Missouri
Dinner served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Kettle beef, mashed potatoes, vegetables,
rolls, dessert and drink.
Adults - $7.00
Children 10 and under - $4.00
Carryouts available on adult tickets only.
(enter by alley on Stoddard St. for drive-thru)
For tickets or further information call
(573) 624-4341
On September 23 in Sikeston, Haggard's wife, bestselling author Gayle Haggard will share about the choices she made in her darkest hour as she decided to stay with her husband who was publicly exposed in the illicit drug and infidelity scandal. In the days and months ahead, Gayle’s life was in turmoil — her beliefs, her marriage, and her relationship with the church community she had been a part of for more than 20 years.
Haggard's visit is part of First UMC Sikeston's current message series titled, "F-Bomb." The F-Bomb, as in forgiveness, is difficult for many people to drop on others. Gayle Haggard will be at Sikeston’s First United Methodist Church to tell how she was able to forgive a devastating event in her life and marriage. Haggard will speak at the 9 a.m. Traditions service in the Sanctuary and the 11 a.m. Journey service in the Family Life Center.
Geoff Posegate, First UMC pastor, said: “For the record, or F-Bomb is not the one you’ll hear in abundance in the locker room, in the streets or on the big screen. The F-Bomb is Forgiveness. It’s a bomb many of us would like to have dropped on us. It’s a bomb many of us have trouble dropping on others, Jesus doesn’t just suggest forgiveness. Jesus demands forgiveness on the part of those who claim to follow him.”
The Haggards had founded the New Life Church in Colorado Springs in 1985. From meetings in basements, it grew to have 14,000 members by 2006 with a large campus. When in 2006, Ted Haggard revealed to his wife we was engaged in extramarital homosexual activity and drug use, the couple was removed from New Life. Gayle’s life crashed.
“In a few short days,” Gayle said. “my life as I had known it, that I had so lovingly embraced, was demolished.” Gayle lost her position as Director of Women’s Ministries, but in a letter she wrote to the church, she told the congregation: “I am committed to him until death ‘do us part’.” Together they went through intense therapy and complied with the orders of their church’s overseers to move out of Colorado, leave ministry, restrict communication with the church, and not speak publicly of their situation. In January 2009 they were released from those obligations and began telling how they survived it. In her bestselling book, Why I Stayed, Gayle describes choices she made and how they survived his infidelity. On Sept. 23, she will share at First UMC her renewed passion for the central message of the Bible - the liberating message of forgiveness and love. The couple have appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, and other national media programs to offer public apology. “This is my story of choosing to love my husband through some of the most difficult challenges any marriage could face,” she said. Her husband wanted her to divorce him believing it was best for her and the children. Gayle Haggard said the difficult experience has given her a deeper understanding of the biblical teachings of forgiveness and grace.
Bethel General Baptist Church in Advance is having a Back to School Bash on Wednesday August 22nd from 6pm to 8:30pm for children and youth ages 5-18. There will be free school supplies for the kids and they can praise and worship, play fun games, and there will be food! Everyone is welcome to come and worship and be apart of a wonderful experience for the kids.
