10/09/2026
Worship this Week
Scripture: Matthew 26:26-30
Sermon: "Mirror of the Soul: Love"
Chancel Choir 2 9: "Lead Me Lord" arr. Mark Hayes
Pastor Todd's sermon series entitled "Mirror of the Soul" is a six Sunday journey through the themes of the Psalms: awe, beauty, mercy, hope, time, and love. The series is guided by Rev. Dr. James C. Howell's book, The Heart of the Psalms: God's Word to The World. Dr. Howell is the senior pastor of Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the author of more than twenty books. He also has a podcast called, Maybe I'm Amazed.
Welcome, Minah Ellen! She is applying for the pianist/organist position for the traditional service.
Announcements:
Rebecca Circle Meeting Monday
Rebecca Circle meets on the second Monday of each month. All women of the church and their guests are welcome to attend.
Our next meeting is October 12th. We do not have a scheduled program for this meeting as we will be finalizing plans for the fall bazaar on November 7th. This is our largest fundraiser of the year which supports numerous local organizations as well as our financial commitment to United Methodist Women. Please consider participating in our annual fundraiser in any way that you can. Planning, setting up, baking, candy making, crafts, woodworking, donating jewelry. All support and contributions are welcomed! We are also selling delicious chicken casseroles which will be ready for pick up at the bazaar. Please remember to order yours!!
Pianist/Organist Search
The Staff-Parish Relations Committee, Pastor Todd, and chancel choir director Marilyn Fessel are conducting a search process to hire a new pianist/organist for the traditional service. The Sundays of September 27th, October 4th, and October 11th will each feature one of the three outstanding candidates for the position. Please keep the candidates and the search committee in your prayers as they discern the most appropriate fit for the needs of our unique congregation.
Miracle Sunday campaign surpasses $2.1 million: IGRC top donor U.S. conference at $225,000
Across the globe, United Methodists are answering a vital call to support the next generation of spiritual leaders. The Miracle Sunday Initiative (MSI) has officially passed $2,123,420 in gifts and pledges, marking an extraordinary step forward to permanently support theological education in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. Mattoon First UMC contributed $5,000 toward that goal.
What began with a vision in September 2025 and an official kickoff with Miracle Sunday in April 2026 has quickly blossomed into a vibrant movement, inspired by the spirit of joyful, collective generosity found in 1 Chronicles 29. The initiative is driven by a shared dream: to ensure that courageous, compassionate leaders are equipped to shepherd congregations for generations to come.
Already, 50 annual conferences and hundreds of passionate supporters have reported back to us, resulting in 322 distinct contributions from local churches, conferences, and individual donors. Generosity is shining in every corner of the connection—from the South Congo and Zambia Episcopal Area, which leads with over $340,000 raised and pledged, to remarkable 100% church participation in regions like North Macedonia and Denmark.
Thursday Morning Bible Study
We have begun a new book for the fall, entitled You Can Trust God to Write Your Story by Nancy and Robert Wolgemuth. The authors "write personally and beautifully, infusing readers with a Christ-centered vision, hope, and trust for the future." From the inside cover: "Learn why you really can trust God to write your story--no matter what plot twists you may encounter along the way." New and used books are available on Amazon. (We have found used books to be in almost perfect condition.) Please join us whenever you can--with or without a book--at 8:00 A.M. in downstairs Room 102. This study will continue until the first week of November.
Youth Group
The youth group will meet on the second and fourth Sundays of each month 5:30-7. October 11th we will meet at the church at 2:00 to go to the Great Pumpkin Patch and dinner afterwards. October 25th we'll have a cookout and bonfire at the Viertels.
Baby Bottle Drive
The annual 'Baby Bottle Drive' fundraiser was moved to September this year. We will be kicking off this fundraiser on Sunday September 13th through Sunday October 11th. There will be a sign with instructions, a sign out sheet and empty baby bottles available. As in the past, please take one or more baby bottles, fill it with spare change, cash or a check and return it to the main office by October 4th. We appreciate the generosity of our congregation in supporting this important fundraiser for our community.
Choices Pregnancy & Health provides pregnancy services, referrals and education to women and families experiencing an unexpected pregnancy or in need of additional support.
One Stop Community Christmas
For the past 15 years, over 200 area organizations have joined hands to bring joy, hope, and essential items to more than 1,000 vulnerable families across Coles, Clark, Cumberland, Edgar, Shelby, Moultrie, and Douglas counties. This incredible project provides families the opportunity to “shop” at Lakeland College for Christmas necessities such as stocking stuffers, books, scarves, hats, blankets, and—thanks to your generosity—much-needed paper products.
■ Sign-Up for Families - Registration will take place in November and December. For exact dates, visit: OneStopCommunityChristmas.com
■ Our Local Partners - We are grateful to Mattoon First Presbyterian Church, Mattoon First United Methodist, Salem United Methodist (Toledo), United Christian Church (Mattoon), Lake Ridge Christian Church (Paris), Marshall First UMC, Wesley Methodist (Charleston), Greenup IGA, and Lorenz Wholesale (Mattoon) for helping provide both paper products and volunteers.
■ Mattoon First United Methodist's Role for 2026 - A donation collection box will be placed in the Fellowship Cafe for collections through December 2.
■ This year’s total project paper products goal: 1,480 four-packs of toilet paper
■ First United Methodist Church individual goal: 199 four-packs Together, we can reach this milestone and bless families in a very practical way!
■ Volunteer Opportunities - Would you like to be part of the joy? We have openings for:
- Set-up day (date to be announced)
- Shifts to hand out paper products (date to be announced)
Thank You! If you need more details send an email to the church at [email protected]. Your generosity—whether through donations or your time—truly makes a difference. Each pack of toilet paper, each blanket, each smile shared is a reminder of God’s love in action.
Charge Conference October 18th
The annual charge conference will be at 5:30 pm Sunday, October 18th at Effingham Centenary United Methodist Church (203 E. Grove). Please let Pastor Todd know if you would like to carpool. A charge conference is the basic legal and governing body of a local United Methodist church, required to meet at least once a year to conduct official business, set leadership, and connect the local congregation to the wider denomination.
Shawnee W**e Trail Retreat at Little Grassy October 23-25
The Illinois Great River Conference is hosting a weekend retreat combining camp, community, and the beauty of Southern Illinois. This retreat includes a visit to all 11 local w**eries along the Shawnee W**e Trail, with transportation, lodging, and breakfast and dinner each day. Led by Rev. Curtis Brown, Director of Connectional Ministries, it costs $100-260 based on room choice and occupancy at Little Grassy UMC Camp, 1 Methodist Camp Rd, Makanda, IL 62958. For information, call 618-457-6030 or email [email protected]. Or for more on the w**e trail itself: www.shawneew**etrail.com. To view the flier and registers, follow this link: https://www.littlegrassycamp.org/!DqiEKqvGr8I8jVPukR8-7q+ZYF1zQpKslqOcN9rxX9RR23aSO+0EoXnUh0b-1Qsnas34dqFdUn+cW7IMc6gBig
Endowment Committee Seeking Benevolence Fund Requests
The Endowment Committee is accepting requests for contributions from the Benevolence Funds for faith and community groups building God's kingdom locally and abroad. Please email your request to Pastor Todd at [email protected] by October 23rd with your name, the name and contact information of the organization you're nominating, how much money you're requesting, and a statement about the impact they are having on people's lives. Previous organizations that have received funds include New Life Car Care, the Mattoon Community Food Bank, Mattoon Police Department's Safe Passage Program, Salvation Army, Camp New Hope, Rotary Club Access Ramps Ministry, and the Mattoon Schools Children's Assistance Program. The committee members are Chrissy Leitch, Steve Ferguson, Don Hance, Christina Krost, Joyce Lefever, and Donna Meaker.
Pulpit Swap October 25th
Pastor Todd will swap pulpits with Rev. John Taliwaga from Effingham Centenary United Methodist Church on Sunday, October 25th. In addition to being a wonderfully delightful person, Rev. Taliwaga grew up and served United Methodist churches in the Philippines for several years before coming to serve in Effingham. His time with us is an opportunity to recognize our church's $5,000 gift to the Miracle Sunday in May that raised funds for theological education for United Methodist pastors outside of the United States.
Annual Bazaar Saturday, November 7
LET'S TALK BAZAAR!
September is here, which means the countdown to our annual United Women in Faith Fall Bazaar on Saturday, November 7 has begun! This year UWF is hoping for 100% participation of members in this, the biggest fundraiser for missions all year. That means 100% of all members of the congregation. Here's how we can do it:
FILL the tables with your creations--
Can you sew, crochet, knit, weave?
Are you handy with a paintbrush, a hammer and saw, a chisel, a glue gun, a sketchpad?
Do you make creations out of wood, fabric, metal, stained glass, leather?
Do you have a talent for making floral arrangements, wreaths, signs, greeting cards?
What are the specialties from your kitchen--muffins, cookies, cupcakes, pies, breads, jellies and jams?
What about candies--divinity, fudge, brittles, caramels, pralines, toffee, bark, truffles, bonbons, chocolate covered cherries,
buckeyes?
DONATE
Vintage and contemporary jewelry
ORDER
Our famous chicken casseroles (sign-up soon)
VOLUNTEER
For many, many positions before, during and after the bazaar (stay tuned for further information on these).
The United Women in Faith undertake the challenge of hosting the Fall Bazaar to give everyone in the congregation an opportunity to experience the joy in giving, sharing and living the love of Jesus. Every penny of profit goes to support the many missions whose goal is the same. Thank you for joining in this year!
Jewelry Donations for Bazaar
Ladies (and gentlemen?), it’s time to clean out drawers, boxes and armoires to locate those jewelry items you no longer need—watches, rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, even tie tacks and cufflinks that might appeal to vintage collectors.
Leave them in the church office or give directly to Jan Allison or Jerie Brown. If you feel you might have jewelry of some value, be sure to speak directly to Jan or Jerie. Thank you!
Spirit of the Holidays Bazaar @ Arthur UMC, November 13-14
Come enjoy the bazaar that even Santa's talking about! Arthur UMC (128 E. Illinois St.) will host its annual bazaar in its fellowship hall 9 am to 3 pm on Friday and Saturday, November 13-14. There will be crafts, baked items, a cookie walk, and more.
