SOUL FOOD
As expressed in our ARK ministry, we pray that our church fulfills its call to be a refuge from life's storms.  Life has a way of hurling
a variety of experiences our way -- from high mountains to low valleys and everything in between.  Celebrating, or enduring, those chapters of life are made bearable by one Truth:  as a child of the Living God, nothing can separate us from the love of God
(Romans 8)!
The FUMC Family prays that through worship, study, praying, working and growing as a congregation, God will bless our faithfulness
and use us for whatever purpose He may desire.  Too often in life, we make our plans then seek God's will.  May we have the humility and discernment to seek His will, then make our plans.  Developing and deepening a personal relationship with Jesus Christ serves as
a never-ending source of Love, Comfort, Peace and Strength.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  Spiritual Friendship>

• BELIEVE!   What does a United Methodist Christian believe?   Find out> 
  APOSTLE'S CREED
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• SALVATION   What does it mean to be saved, to accept Jesus as your personal Savior?   Find out>
  

• A MESSAGE FOR ME   Is there "A Word from the Lord" for me?  YES>

• I NEED PRAYER, RIGHT NOW.  Prayer>
  
  
• PRAYING   "I don't know how to pray," is like saying, "I don't know how to speak."  God doesn't require eloquence, He merely wants you to communicate with Him...to know Him.  Here is a resource for various Methods of Prayer:  More>
  

• THE WORD OF GOD   If you do not have a Bible, but would like to have one, simply shoot us an email.  It would be our greatest joy to share God's Word with you.
  
  
• GOD'S WILL   Discovering God's Will>
  
  
• WORSHIP   What is the "right" way to worship God so that we can be sure that we'll get into heaven?   Consider this>
  
  
• BOOKS   I need guidance for finding books and resources to develop my faith.   Search>
  
  
• FAITH IN ACTION   How are other Christians expressing their faith by serving others?   Find out>
  
  
• FORGIVENESS   Can God forgive every sin no matter how bad or terrible it may be or sound?   Read more>
  

• FELLOWSHIP OF THE UNASHAMED
  

JOY
-Luke 2:10-11   Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
-John 14:11   “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."
-John 16:20-22   Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy…Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
-John 16:23-24   “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."
-John 17:13   But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
-Luke 24:52-53   And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God...
-Psalm 16:11   You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

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CELEBRATION, PRAISE & WORSHIP

Comfort for STRESS, ANXIETY, WORRY & STRUGGLE
-Matthew 11:28-30   “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
-Psalm 119:165   Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
-Matthew 6:25-34   “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
-Proverbs 3:5-6   Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight.
-Psalm 34:4   I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
-Philippians 4:6-7   Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
-1 Corinthians 10:13   No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
-Philippians 4:6   Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
-2 Corinthians 1:3-5   Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
-Philippians 4:6   Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
-Hebrews 4:14-16   Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
-1 Peter 5:6-7   Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

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HOPE
-John 14:1-4   Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.

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Consolation for SADNESS
-Psalm 9:9  The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
-Psalm 18:2   The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
-Psalm 22:24   For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
-Psalm 27:4-5   One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in his dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
-Psalm 34:18   The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
-Psalm 37:39   The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble.
-Psalm 46:1-2   God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.
-Psalm 48:14   For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.
-Psalm 55:22   Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.
-Psalm 71:20-21   Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.
-Psalm 73:26   My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
-Psalm 138:7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.
-Proverbs 14:32   When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge.
-Isaiah 25:8   He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.  The LORD has spoken.
-Matthew 11:25-30   Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
-Psalm 30:5   Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.


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DEATH & RESURRECTION
-Psalm 23:4 
  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
-Revelation 7:15-17   And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
-2 Corinthians 5:1-8  For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God,a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling—if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked.  For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.  He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.  So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by .  Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
-Psalm 23:6   Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
-Philippians 1:21   For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
-Romans 14:8   If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.  So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
-John 11:25-26   Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?"