Worship Preview 6.29.25

This Sunday: 10:30am –  3rd Sunday after Pentecost – “To Be Guided”  Pastor Domingos Fernando preaching. Scriptures: Psalm 23, Galatians 5:1; 13-25.

Psalm 23 and Galatians 5:22-23 are among the most beloved of Scriptures. Both are comforting and encouraging. Psalm 23 celebrates what God does for us, even in times of “darkest valley” and conflict with “enemies.” It proclaims, “God’s goodness and mercy” are with us our “whole life long.” Pastor Christopher often preaches on the “Fruits of the Spirit” – often noting that “goodness” in that list can also be translated as “generosity.” As our VBS kids helped us understand during last week’s “Road Trip.” we are blessed (with God’s goodness, generosity, and guidance) in order to be a blessing to others. In all the times Pastor Christopher has worked with the Galatians passage, however, he admits he has never really focused on verse 25. Our guest preacher this week takes his sermon title from that line, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit!”

On Tuesday, July 1, Pastor Domingos Francisco Fernando will become the new United Methodist Campus Minister at Pittsburg State University and begin serving as an Associate Pastor at Pittsburg First UMC. Pastor Christopher has been a part of interviewing him for ministerial candidacy and a local pastor’s license as he transfers from his previous appointment as a pastor in Pennsylvania and is delighted to have him share his story and witness with us here in Fort Scott before he formally begins those new roles. Pastor Domingos is the eldest of seven siblings. He was born in the north of Angola, in the town of Prenda, a suburb of Luanda, the capital city of Angola and grew up in two places: Prenda and Rocha Pinto-Luanda, due to the early separation of his parents. He was raised in the United Methodist Church by his mother. He worked in banking for a time before attending Africa University in Zimbabwe, where he majored in Psychology. He then served for two years as a United Methodist Global Mission Fellow in Brazil focused on social education with young adults and students. Serving the Church in that program clarified his call for pastoral ministry. He applied to the Masters of Divinity Program at Drew University. “While at Drew, my love for people of all races, languages, ethnicities, and sexual identities broadened and grew.” After graduating in 2023, he began serving the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference at Norwood United Methodist Church as the lead pastor. He says: “I am grateful for the leadership opportunities that I have experienced at Norwood. I am excited to begin my new ministry in the Great Plains Conference and the Pittsburg community. I believe that God, in his wisdom, has brought us together for a special reason, as we journey together in God’s love. I believe that together, we can sow the seeds of that unconditional love in numerous ways.” Drawing from his own journey and looking forward to these new roles, Pastor Domingos will talk about what it means “To Be Guided.” Pastor Christopher is delighted to have him come meet with us here in Fort Scott today as he settles into Southeast Kansas and hopes this help strengthen our ties to Pitt State’s Campus Ministry. Blessings on your journey!

Upcoming Events: 

Wednesday, June 2nd, Feeding Families in His Name: From our founding in 2011, we have sought to provide one meal for one person per week, along with a bit of fellowship. We’ve overcome many challenges in 14 years and God has made a way for the ministry to grow. Currently, times are again challenging, Federal funds have been “delayed” and so we have not received commodities (that is, most of the meat, vegetables, and some fruit used) from “Soup Kitchen Food Bank” (SKFB) program administered by the State of Kansas since April. After numerous inquiries, we have, just this week, been told there will be a July shipment, but the future overall remains uncertain. Right now, we are still serving a meal to everyone without obligation under the portico at 301 S. National beginning about 5:15pm and will do so as long as our supplies and funding last. We invite you to pray for this ministry and all who hunger and thirst. We encourage you to contact your representatives and share how much this program means locally. We invite your donations to help sustain what we do here in Fort Scott. Since 2011, with the help of SKFB commodities and many community partners, we have served almost 182,000 meals to our neighbors and find that the human connection made is sometimes even more important than the meal.  If you would like to support this ministry, you can make donations online at: http://www.firstumcfortscott.org/onlinegiving. Thank you.

Sunday, July 6th – our worship service will be “on the move” again -  join us at 10:30am at Shelter #5 in Gunn Park (yes, it has AC) for a special communion centered worship service and then a potluck to follow! Everyone is invited!