Rev. Michelle McCarty, Pastor

Cell Number: (580) 695-4775

email: mmccarty2011@gmail.com

Church Office  (918) 689-2109

eufaulamethodist@gmail.com

251 Matthews Lane, Eufaula, OK 74432

https://www.eufaulaok-fumc.org/

“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord,

‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster,

to give you a future and a hope.”

Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me,

and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you.

Then [with deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and

[you will] find me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

— Jeremiah 29 AMP

Dearly Beloved Saints of God,

To have the “mind-set” that was in Christ Jesus (Phil 2), and the right perspective (with understanding through the Creator’s visionary eye), we too can bring about miraculous sightings.  Let me explain…

Remember when Jesus healed the leper, the blind, the sick, or raised the dead?  He did not see the person as the condition, malady or grim prognoses that a physician or layman might look upon them.  That perspective would be seeing in a limited, finite or incomplete way.  It would distract, defeat and hold him back.  Instead, Jesus saw within each person the wholeness, perfection and completeness God intends for their “state of being.”  He was moved with compassion and mercy in a way of seeing people that was confident and faithful to God’s purpose and will for his children.  No limitations, no judgement, and no hinderance to the perfection we are created to be in him.  Simply fulness, completeness (“pleroma” in Greek), in the abundant perfection and fullness of life that we are promised in Christ Jesus.  Reflect on the places where his disciples said, “and Jesus had compassion on them” and you will find healing, restoration and new life followed.

Friends, when we embrace the faith of Jesus and shepherd our vision into reality, we raise our consciousness and expectations, and begin with the miraculous end in mind.  Then we gain momentum towards the fulfillment of our vision, step by step, trusting with deep faith that what we conceived can be achieved, and what we have imagined can be fashioned; that, in fact, the miracle already exists!  And we can live into that new reality bolding, confidently, and powerfully by his transformative power of love.

As you know, we approved our “BUILDING THE FUTURE TOGETHER” (BFT) proposal at Charge Conference, November 2025.  This spring, we celebrated (and acknowledged further challenges) as we completed Phase 1 — “BFT Progress Report” to our DS, mapping our Vision and Fundraising Work Team (VFWT) efforts to address mortgage debt reduction, budget alignment and property management.  We continue to work on these challenges now in Phase 2 — with the “180 by 180th” Anniversary Campaign (by our November 2027 180th Anniversary).

Our Vision / Fundraising Work Team (VFWT) meets the 4th Sunday of the month following worship.  All are welcome and encouraged to participate!  We will be using our new VISION STATEMENT:  PUTTING OUR FAITH INTO ACTION IN SERVICE TO ALL, to envision and align our new vision using the Apostolic Action Plan (AAP) from now through November 2027 for our 180th Anniversary Celebration campaign.  We will practice envisioning the miracle our vision will bring by beginning with the end in mind in two ways… 1. Creating our AAP; and 2. Preview Vision, Alignment, and Execution skills that it will take to effectively oversee our AAP.

Let’s begin to imagining a new future boldly and paint with broad brush strokes, as we sharpen our focus by supplying vivid details and specific goals to achieve our bold new future!  With the “mind of Christ" and “holy imagination,” ask yourself, “How do you envision our community will be empowered once our vision is fully implemented?  What will be different in our community?  Or, in our world?  How might we expand the Kingdom of Heaven experience in our faith family, community and beyond?”

How might God broaden our perspective and expand the mind of Christ through us as we live into the new future and hope God has planned for us for the next 180 years?  This will expand in our BFT — Phase 3 that will address developing a discipleship to apostleship pathway and healthy church growth into the future, 5 year and more!

I hope you will join with our Leadership Board and Work Team efforts to dream a big bold new Jesus-like dream for our future and allow God to fulfill in us the Kingdom of Heaven reality “on earth as it is in Heaven” among us now!

May God continue to bless us to be a blessing to the world!

Grace and Peace, Pastor Michelle

July 5 — 6th Sunday after Pentecost (Green) / Communion Sunday (White)

Gen 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 / Ps 45:10-17 or Ps 72 (795) / Rom 7:15-25a / Matt 11:16-19, 25-30

Sermon Title:  “Take My Yoke Upon You” 

Scripture Text:  Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

July 12 — 7th Sunday after Pentecost (Green)

Gen 25:19-34 / Ps 119:105-112 or Ps 25 (756) / Rom 8:1-11 / Matt 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon Title:  “People are Like the Soil” 

Scripture Text:  Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 

July 19 — 8th Sunday after Pentecost (Green)

Gen 28:10-19a / Ps 139:1-12, 23-24 (854) / Rom 8:12-25 / Matt 13:24-30, 36-43

Sermon Title:  “The Righteous Will Shine Forth” 

Scripture Text:  Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 

Please order in blue or teal by email:

eufaulamethodist@gmail.com 

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Let’s all wear them for the Whole Hawg Festival Parade on July 24th — 

EFUMC will have a tent at Bank of Eufaula (we will hand out water & our church card) and we will have a golf cart or two with “What if Love…”banners and signs — we need your presence there too to help us pass out water and be in the parade for EFUMC.

We’re going Whole Hawg for Jesus!

Sunday Morning Fellowship and Coffee at 9:30am every week.

Adult and Children's Sunday School meet at 10am every Sunday.

Worship every Sunday at 11am.

Youth Group will meet weekly on Monday

Choir Practice join us for weekly choir practice.

Friendship Kitchen meets Saturdays from 11:30am to 1:00pm. All are welcome for lunch and fellowship!

SAS Leadership Team meets the 2nd Sunday of the month following Worship and the Fellowship Meal.

Fellowship Meal gatherings meet 2nd Sunday of the month following church worship.

You will be seeing our new vision statement in the bulletin soon!
Putting our faith into action in service to all.  

We’re looking for people who would like to design a new logo bold enough to replace the boat logo.  Please email your logo ideas to the church email.

On July 4, 2026, the United States of America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence that marks the beginning of the nation.  In a new video series titled "From Crown to Conferencing: Methodism and the New Republic," we reflect on the roles Methodists have played leading up to and after the Declaration of Independence was signed. The resource, produced in partnership between the General Commission on Archives and History (GCAH) and the New York Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, is designed for use by Sunday School classes, small groups, youth or individual study.  Please contact Pastor Michelle if you are interested in this study.

It is with great joy I share that we have a fabulous group of volunteers from across our Annual Conference pulling together on August 8, 2026, at Stroud UMC to bring you Methodism 101 / Basic Lay Servant Training. We are integrating the Methodism 101 videos produced by the OKUMC Communications team along with the Lay Servant Ministries Training to help equip our laity to dive into who we are as Methodists and how we can all better serve. Lay Servant Ministries is about living out call to ministry, each and every one of us. Please see the below itinerary for the day.

The Bank of Eufaula has graciously given us permission to set up a tent next to the bank on Friday, July 25 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM.

We need donations of:

• Water

• Ice

• Ice chests

We will also have 2 golf carts driving in the parade!

Want to help? Please let us know if you can:

• Ride along on a golf cart

• Help hand out water

Contact Pastor Michelle or Tonya to sign up or donate!  Every little bit helps.

Thank you for your support! 

Stella and Terry Vick

Candice Powers

Martha Casey

Margaret Kramer's daughter, Michele

Martha McCracken

Sondra Coughlin

Yurly and Iryna Zherebko                                                                    

Connie Anderson                    

Maurice Arnold  

Family and friends of Bob Sunday

Gloria Stubbs,  JT's Sister Janis Rinker

David Conatser  

Karen McCauley

Ellen & Rod Rink

 Bill Smith

Teressa Bell’s Son, Luke   

Doug Kuykendall’s Sister-in-Law, Betty                  

Patsy's Daughter, Susan, Granddaughter, Madyson, Brother, William,Daughter-in-Laws Bob and Dee, & Friends, Polly & Kevin

Tonya's Friend, Diane Babb Adkins         

Kerrington Satterfield’s Friend, Bryer

Carolyn Reid

Before the construction of the main building to hold Sunday School and church services, the most common form of worship sites was the brush arbor also used for tribal meetings.  Title to property wasn’t available at that time, so whatever churches were built were temporary and brush arbors were preferred in good weather.  There was usually a platform for the preachers and interpreters.  The pulpit was a board or post with a plank large enough to hold the Bible attached.  There was an aisle with women on one side and men on the other. Congregations were usually large.  The Natives were people with an honored tradition of storytelling to preserve their history, so they appreciated a good orator and message. The preacher would talk for more than an hour with the interpreter to follow, and possibly one of the other preachers would speak. A morning service could last into the afternoon and night meeting late into the night. 

  180 by the 180th – Envelope Wall Giving Challenge!

We have set up the Envelope Wall in the foyer for July and August. 

Help us pay down our church mortgage as we move toward our 180th Anniversary!

How It Works

1. Choose an envelope from the wall
2. Give the amount printed on the envelope
3. Return the envelope with your gift inside in the lockbox 
4. Watch the wall empty as we move closer to our goal!

Our Goal

Fill the remaining envelopes → Raise over $12,000!

Each round brings us closer to our $180,000 campaign goal.

Every envelope moves us one step closer to paying down our mortgage and strengthening the future of Eufaula First United Methodist Church.

Thank you for supporting the 180 by the 180th Campaign!

Parents and Guardians

Would you like to understand more about what your kids are faced with on social media?

Do you want to know how to protect them from the dangers lurking?

If so, please join us at the Youth Emergency Shelter in McAlester on August 6 for our FREE Social Media Presentation geared for parents and guardians of children and youth.

Contact Pastor Michelle for more information about this free event and how you can register.

Eufaula First United Methodist is continuing to grow our online presence! Our Facebook page is becoming a helpful place to share church updates, reminders, photos, ministry news, and opportunities to stay connected throughout the week.

If you have not already done so, please follow our Facebook page and invite friends, family, and neighbors to connect with us online. Liking, sharing, and commenting on posts helps more people in our community see what God is doing through EFUMC.

We would also love to share more ministry moments from around the church. If you have photos or updates from church events, Sunday School, Youth Group, United Women in Faith, Friendship Kitchen, the Food Pantry, worship, fellowship meals, or other church activities, please send them in so we can help celebrate and share the life of our church.  You can reach out to me directly at rondataylor@me.com and I can provide a link to upload if you have too many to email.  

Follow us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094634961236

There will not be a UWF meeting in July.

Upcoming Meeting

August 13th | 12:00PM  - 2:00PM   Meet for lunch at the Tea Room for lunch and meeting at church to follow. 

All women are warmly invited to attend—no matter your background or faith tradition. Bring a friend, neighbor, or someone new. We would love to see you there!

Cookson Hills Mission

The UWF will serve lunch at Cookson Hills Mission August 19th.  More details to follow.

In June 2013, Friendship Kitchen opened its doors at Eufaula First United Methodist Church on Main Street in Eufaula, OK. The first meal was served to 13 clients who came for lunch, companionship, and a place to feel welcome without judgment. Seven volunteer churches shared the responsibility of preparing and serving the meals every Saturday. Church volunteers have come and gone, but Friendship Kitchen continues to thrive. Churches and nonprofit organizations continue to dedicate their time loyally. Community Culture Church, Wayland Baptist Church, and EFUMC have been faithfully serving since 2013. The Eufaula VFW Auxiliary, Lake Eufaula Christian Church, and Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Beta Iota chapter (an International Service Organization) joined the rotation a few years ago. Client attendance has consistently increased over the years. To date, we have been providing meals to feed the appetite and the soul, fostering friendship and easing loneliness. On Saturday, July 20, 2026, the Executive Board of God’s Helping Hands served a meal of burgers, baked beans, pasta salad, and anniversary cake to 84 patrons—men, women, and children. Margaret Kramer has supported this Outreach Project since its inception and has been serving as the Director for over 8 years. I am always looking for volunteers who possess a servant's heart to join the EFUMC crew. I invite you to join our team and experience the joy and blessings of being part of this Outreach, meet great attendees, and work with devoted members of our Church Family.

Eufaula First UMC has joined with Waylon Baptist Church youth (and youth from the shelter) this summer for food, fellowship, and fun on the lake!

We appreciate the Jernigan’s for hosting our youth groups, and for all the volunteers who have helped us engage youth in faith and fellowship!

Our youth are also joining efforts to explore and expand mission in our community. 

_____________________________________________________

I am so proud of our youth — and you will be, too!

We were unable to enjoy the Jellystone Park Resort because of the storm damage, so the youth came up to the church yesterday to help with the parking lot.

They pulled weeds and sprayed the overgrowth.  It was getting so bad that you could not get to the playground, and I’m afraid that RV’ers would be discouraged in trying to stay here.

Praise the Lord

UMC Vision: “The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.”

UMC Mission: “The mission of the United Methodist Church is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”