Page 6

Burns Connection

Burns Connection

Happy Birthday

The more I die to self, the more fruit I can

bear!
Spend time praying instead of complaining.

Remember In Your Prayers

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord
will raise him up. ...The effective, fervent prayer of
a righteous man avails much. James 5:15, 16.
Mr. Corey Spann (son in law of Cephus & Pam
Thomas) Ms. Ruby Hendrix (sister of Bettye Marshall Augustus) Mr. Hosea Henry (step-father of
Shemga Tyson & brother in law of Virginia Goodman) Mr. James Tony Kennedy, Sr. (brother of
Valerie Kennedy-Robinson) Mr. James Mixon (son
of Sammie & Girlene Mixon Mr. John Myers
(father of Sam Myers) Rev. Calvin Washington
Mrs. Gertrude Kinney (mother of Kenneth Kinney)
Ms. Margaret Brown (aunt of Kenneth Kinney) Ms.
Patricia Squire (sister of Bernice Kinney) Bishop
Theodore & Mrs. Nan Myers Mrs. Ella Mae Eaddy
(mother of Karone Johnson) Rev. Dr. Sheila Elliott

Palmer Memorial Chapel presents a Family

Forum Live on J anuary 20 th, 2015 at
6:PM at the chapel. The topic is After
Death, Then What?
Probate and
other Legal Concerns.
For further
information contact: Palmer Memorial
Chapel (803) 786 6300 or visit their
website: www.palmermemorialchapel.com.

FBUMC Mission Statement: The mission of Francis

Burns United Methodist Church is to glorify God, to
spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and to make
Christian disciples through worship and praise,
nurture, outreach and witness.
FBUMC Vision Statement: The vision of Francis
Burns United Methodist Church is to be in covenant
with God and to connect with God's people through
ministries that meet human needs.

01
03
03
03
06
06
07
07
08
08
10
10
11
13
14
14
14
14
15
15
15
15

Maurice Bell
Leola Grant
Andria Jeffries
Chamar Sweeper
Raymond Singleton
Khryatyan Edens
Tosha Parson
Barbara Thompson
Joyce Holmes
Jacqueline Peppers
Brenda Keeton
Altovise Scott
Elizabeth Cooper
Samuel McDonald
Geneva Williams
Bernetha Mack
Jackie Waymer
Addie Meadows
Teresa Brisbon
Augustus Dicks
Carlton Richardson
Christopher Tyson

16
16
17
17
17
18
20
21
21
23
25
25
26
26
28
29
29
30
31
31
31

Sharon Praylow
Spencer Saylor Robinson
Olden Brooker
Jason Payne
Audrey Samuel
Brandon Jones
Lizzie Reeves
Cedrick Sweeper
Carl Robinson, Jr.
Alyson Humphrey
Shirley Belton
Janice Cave
Timothy Davis
Clifford L. Bourke Jr
Al Murdaugh
Christoher Brisbon
Orson A. Ravenell, II
Devan Bailey
Markeisha Williams
Dezarae Jones
Tracy King McDowell

Happy Anniversary
22 Rodney & Patricia Gunn
25 Rudy & Lynn Harris
To update your birthday or anniversary information,
contact Inez Benjamin at 736-1008 or
email ibeejamming@bellsouth.net

On The Light Side

Volume 2015 Issue 1

Francis Burns UMC
5616 Farrow Rd.
Columbia, SC 29203
(803) 754-1760

Quests for Joy!!!!

Rev. Ernest C. Etheredge

Pastor

RECIPE FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR"

Take twelve whole months, clean them
thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy.
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.
Now cut each month in to twenty-eight, thirty,
thirty-one different parts, but don't make up the
whole batch at once. Prepare it one day at a
time out of these ingredients.
Mix well into each day one part of faith, one part
of patience, one part of courage, and one part of
work.
Add to each day one part of hope, faithfulness,
generosity, and kindness. Blend with one part
prayer, one part meditation, and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits, a
sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play, and a cupful of
good humor.
Pour all of this into a vessel of love. Cook
thoroughly over radiant joy, garnish with a
smile, and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness.
Your final results may vary depending on your
attitude.
Have a Happy New Year!
Author: Unknown

January 2015

2015 is here and my

hope for everyone is
that we all find more
peace and joy this year
than last year.
Did you know that God
commands us to be
glad? "Delight yourself
in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your
heart." (Psalm 37:4)
God created us for his glory. "Bring my sons from afar and
my daughters from the ends of the earth,... whom I created
for my glory." (Isaiah 43:6-7). God made us to magnify his
greatness - the way telescopes magnify stars. He created us
to put his goodness and truth and beauty and wisdom and
justice on display. Great displays of God's glory comes from
deep delight in all that he is. This means that God gets the
praise and we get the pleasure. God created us so that he is
most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
Every human should live for God's glory. "So whether you eat
or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1
Corinthians 10:31). If God made us for his glory, it is obvious
that we should live for his glory. Our duty comes from his
design. Our first obligation is to show God's value by being
satisfied with all that he is for us. This is the essence of loving God (Matthew 22:37) and trusting him (1 John 5:3-4)
and being thankful to him (Psalm 100:2-4) It is the root of all
true obedience, especially loving others (Colossians 1:4-5).
Let us begin this year searching for our own spiritual "Quests
for Joy" and showing others this by our actions and words.
Witness to others so that they might see Christ through us.
Joi Williams
Evangelism

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of

Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
saying, " Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we
have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. And
when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with
Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they
had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:1-2, 11

Page 2

Burns Connection

Lectionary
January 2015

Wow! Time really flies when

you are having fun. This is
the third year that we have
been in service at FBUMC
together. As we reflect on
our future, look briefly into
your past. The Bible tells us
that our future is before us
not behind us.

Epiphany Sunday
January 4, Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14,
Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12
First Sunday after the Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord
January 11, Genesis 1:1-5, Psalm 29, Acts 19:1-7,
Mark 1:4-11
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
January 18, 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20), Psalm 139:16, 13-18, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, John 1:43-51
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 25, Jonah 3:1-5, 10, Psalm 62:5-12, 1
Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20

2014 Budget Information

Administrative
Council on Ministries
Committee on Finance
Board of Trustees
Total 2014 Budget

$295,992.18
$123,763.00
$
250.00
$157,400.00
$577,405.18

Weekly Amount Needed

Monthly Amount Needed

$11,103.95
$48,117.10

Amount Received in November $48,779.00

Thank You

United Methodist Men Update

Meeting
January 10, 2015

For forty (40) years,

Israel wandered in the
wilderness.
The leaders
main task was to keep the people focused on their
future. God is leading us into the future.
One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 3:12
13; Not that I have already obtained this or have
already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my
own; because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my
own; but this one thing I do; forgetting what lies
behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.
A few years ago, a young person that I had the joy of
working with gave me a book: Dont Sweat the Small
Stuff and its All Small Stuff, by Richard Carlson, PhD.
Lesson number ten (10) title; Learn to live in the
Present Moment, Page 29. He wrote; To a large
degree, the measure of our peace of mind is
determined by how much we are able to live in the
present moment. Irrespective of what happened
yesterday, or last year, and what may or may not
happen tomorrow, the present moment is where you
are always!
My hope and prayer is that we will live in the present
moment being lead by the power of God.
Have a blessed and joyful new year,
Ernest and Gwen

Page 5

Burns Connection
2014 has been a
very busy year for
the youth ministry.
As we start a new
year, I thought it
would be a good idea
to remind you how
great 2014 was for
us!

Some of our accomplishments and

activities for the year included:
enhancing Youth Sunday by forming
a youth choir and implementing the
Youth Moment, participating in two
SC
UMC
sponsored
events
(Revolution
and
Salkehatchie),
hosting our second annual youth
revival, starting our own Youth Bible
study, creating our own youth
retreat to Atlanta, GA, collaborating
with the Childrens Ministry to
sponsor the Shrove Pancake Dinner,
attending a Kirk Franklin concert at
Carowinds, attending a Back-to-school Youth Explosion at
New Ebenezer Baptist Church, participated in the Harbor
Lights 5K race (which I came in first for our group) and
attending University Day at North Carolina A&T State
University.
This year, the youth committed to allocating at least 10
percent of our budget to mission projects. Our goal was
to show Gods love and demonstrate our faith by serving
those in need. Some of the ways we executed this goal
was by giving: 40 gift bags with snacks to the families
served by The Ronald McDonald House, 21 Mothers Day
gift bags to the battered women served by Sistercare, 75
loaves of bread to families in the community for the

Evangelism Ministry's Standing in the Gap event, 15

book bags to homeless students in Richland County, 15
book bags filled with personal hygiene supplies to the
men served by Oliver Gospel Mission, gifts to a family
of four for the Missions ministry's annual Families
Helping Families project, non-perishable food items to
at least 10 children at Kelly Mill Middle School each
month and
household items to a family that lost
everything to a house fire that destroyed their home.
In addition to these
activities, our ministry
helped Ms. Regina
King
expand
her
ministry by joining
with the dance and
mime ministries to
sponsor a bake sale.
All of the proceeds
went toward helping
with her education
expenses at Emory
University. Our total
contribution
was
$2,500!
In
December,
the
youth ministry partnered with missions to ring the
Salvation Army Bells and volunteered at the Hannah
House by playing games with the homeless children.
2014 was a great year for the Youth Ministry, and I can
see how the ministry has grown. I'm sure this is not all
that we did, but it's enough to give you an idea of how
busy we've been as a ministry. As we go into 2015, we
are ready to embrace the New Year and look forward to
finding new ways to make this a great one for our
ministry, this church, and God's Kingdom!
-Rachel Forrest

8 AM
Golden Corral

MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BEAR

FRUIT: LOVE, JOY, PEACE,
LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS,
GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS,
GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came

from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by
John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately,
coming up from the water, He saw the
heavens parting and the Spirit descending
upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came
from heaven, " You are My beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased." Mark 1:9-11

Page 4

Burns Connection

Health Notes

Health & Welfare Ministry/H.E.A.L.S Updates &

Meeting:

January 2015
The Health & Welfare Ministrys/Healthy Eating
And Living in the Spirit (H.E.A.L.S) vision for the
Francis Burns church family is to become A
Healthier Congregation.
Mental Health- Spotlight on Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is said to affect 5.7 million adult
Americans, which makes up about 2.6% of the U.S.
population. Bipolar disorder is a condition in which a
person has periods of depression and periods of being
extremely happy or being cross or irritable. In addition
to these mood swings, the person also has extreme
changes in activity and energy levels.
Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally. It
usually starts between ages 15 and 25. The exact cause
is not known. But it occurs more often in relatives of
people with bipolar disorder.
In most people with bipolar disorder, there is no clear
cause for the periods (episodes) of extreme happiness
and high activity or energy (mania) or depression and
low activity or energy (depression). The following may
trigger a manic episode:
Periods of depression or mania return in most patients,
even with treatment. Patients may also have issues
with alcohol or drug use. They may also have problems
with relationships, school, work, and finances. Suicide is
a very real risk during both mania and depression.
People with bipolar disorder who think or talk about
suicide need emergency attention right away.
Although bipolar disorder is a disruptive, long-term
condition, you can keep your moods in check by
following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar
disorder can be controlled with medications and
psychological counseling (psychotherapy).
This year we lost one of our very own, Lee Thompson
Young to the disorder.
In his honor his mother
Dr.Velma Love & sister Tamu Lewis have created The
Lee
Thompson
Young
Foundation,
a
Mental
Health Foundation dedicated to eliminating the stigma
associated with mental health conditions through
education, literacy and youth programs. They envision a
world in which mental illness is recognized by all as a
treatable, biological disorder and the stigma associated
with it no longer exists. A world that supports and
encourages wholeness and wellbeing at every stage of
life.
For
more
information
visit
www.leethompsonyoungfoundation.org/Mobile-friendly.
Information obtained from Mayo Clinic and
Thompson Young Foundation

the Lee

Monthly Meeting: Our

next meeting
is
scheduled for Monday, January19th
at 6 pm.
Everyone desiring to embrace a healthier lifestyle is
invited to join this on-going health ministry.
Free monthly blood pressure screenings w ill be
available the 4th Sunday immediately after worship
services in the Fellowship Hall.
ealHHhh
Aim for Wholeness,
Health & Welfare Ministry/H.E.A.L.S.

STATUS AND ROLE OF WOMEN

By Teresa Holland
The General Commission on Status and Role of
Women challenges The United Methodist Church to
commit to the full participation of women in the life
and mission of the church. The commission serves as
an advocate for, and on the behalf of, women; seeks
to eliminate inequities in relation to women in the
church; and monitors the general agencies, institutions, and connectional structures to ensure the inclusion of women.
If we want The United Methodist Church to be a credible witness to the gospel, we have to deal with hard
issues that threaten to blunt that witness. Women of
all ages face a number of issues that blunt our witness; self doubt, loneliness, low self esteem, relationship issues, sexual abuse to name a few. We long
for support from other women and especially the
church.
In an effort to establish support for women and girls
of all ages, The Status and Role of Women will host
Girl Talk. Each 5th Sunday at 5pm, Girl Talk will be
lead by Dr. Evelyn Fulmore. The talks will aim to provide an open forum for women and girls using as a
basis the book by Sheron C. Patterson, A Mile In Her
Shoes. W e invite girls and w omen of all ages,
single, divorced, single mothers, young, teens,
tweens, middle age and young again to attend. Sisters supporting sisters and eliminating the issues that
blunt our witness for God.

Page 3

Burns Connection

Christian Education Corner

God and the Gaps - Melagne Yed
From the gap where knowledge is not in keeping with
reality, we come now to the gap, in human experience,
where hopes are dashed with disappointments.
Hope and Disappointment
Luke 7:22-23. So he replied to the messengers, Go back
and report to John what you have seen and heard: The
blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have
leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and
the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the
man who does not fall away on account of me.
I had a cousin named Claude who studied and earned an
advanced degree in Petro-Chemical engineering from the
University of Pittsburg, PA, several years ago. He was a
great inspiration to my personal motivations to pursue
higher education abroad, and specifically in the USA. He
and his younger brother, did very well in academia and
earned a prestigious respect in their professions, and
needless to say that they induced a great sense of pride
and hope within the entire family, but mostly within the
hearts of their mother and father. But in 1995, tragedy
strikes; Claudes father dies suddenly. His mother is in a
state of shock but still able to cope with the loss of her
husband through the support of family and friends.
Claude, the second child and also the first boy of his
parents, now becomes the central figure in the burial
preparations for his deceased father. While driving away
one day, on his way to collect his fathers funerary
apparels, he is ambushed by two criminals in a remote
area of the city. His vehicle is brought to a stop. He is
made to lower his window; then one of the brigands pulls
out a revolver and, with a complete disrespect for human
life, discharges the weapon into Claudes neck, killing him
instantly. The killers then vanish into the thick nearby
forest, leaving behind the lifeless body of a human being
in a gruesome display. The horrific news finally reaches
the mother, and I can only imagine, even now, the pain
and grief doubly inflicted upon her as she becomes
uncontrollable for the simultaneous losses of her husband
and of her first son. Over the following years, her ardent
prayer and hope were to see her sons murderers arrested
before she dies. So she urged her children and the rest of
the family to use every resource available in order to
apprehend the criminals. But my aunt passed away in
2013. Her sons murderers have never been found. She
went to her grave with a grieving heart and a shuttered
hope.
John the Baptist is put in prison. He urges two of his
disciples to go and enquire of Jesus if he, Jesus, is the
one they have been hoping for; and if Jesus is the one,
then what am I, John, doing here in prison seems to be
the implicit demand to Jesus. But Jesus replies as if to
say, John, I can do the miracles. Do you not see that?
The blind are seeing, the dead are being raised, the deaf
are hearing, leprosy is being cured, the lame are walking.
The problem is not my inability to perform the miracle,

John. Dont stumble at me.

When hopes and desires are shattered, the
immediate question that rises to the mind is: Why,
Lord, does it have to be that way? The
disappointments can be sudden and provoke a
tremendous sense of despondency a gap in our
hearts; and we cry: Oh God fill this gap. In the first
instance when knowledge is not in keeping with
reality, the gap comes down to the fact that we do
not always have the knowledge of God. But when it
comes to this struggle where hopes are dashed with
disappointment, we realize that we do not always
understand the purposes of God.
To be continued

Meet the Choir

Name: M arilyn Keenan

Choir Section: Alto
Occupation: Director of Communications
Center at Benedict College
Hobbies/Interests: I love w orking in the yard
and baking cakes, but most of all, I love crocheting
scarves, hats, and baby items (hats, booties,
headbands and blankets).

God erases
our sins and
gives us a
new page to
start anew.

Page 4

Burns Connection

Health Notes

Health & Welfare Ministry/H.E.A.L.S Updates &

Meeting:

January 2015
The Health & Welfare Ministrys/Healthy Eating
And Living in the Spirit (H.E.A.L.S) vision for the
Francis Burns church family is to become A
Healthier Congregation.
Mental Health- Spotlight on Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is said to affect 5.7 million adult
Americans, which makes up about 2.6% of the U.S.
population. Bipolar disorder is a condition in which a
person has periods of depression and periods of being
extremely happy or being cross or irritable. In addition
to these mood swings, the person also has extreme
changes in activity and energy levels.
Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally. It
usually starts between ages 15 and 25. The exact cause
is not known. But it occurs more often in relatives of
people with bipolar disorder.
In most people with bipolar disorder, there is no clear
cause for the periods (episodes) of extreme happiness
and high activity or energy (mania) or depression and
low activity or energy (depression). The following may
trigger a manic episode:
Periods of depression or mania return in most patients,
even with treatment. Patients may also have issues
with alcohol or drug use. They may also have problems
with relationships, school, work, and finances. Suicide is
a very real risk during both mania and depression.
People with bipolar disorder who think or talk about
suicide need emergency attention right away.
Although bipolar disorder is a disruptive, long-term
condition, you can keep your moods in check by
following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar
disorder can be controlled with medications and
psychological counseling (psychotherapy).
This year we lost one of our very own, Lee Thompson
Young to the disorder.
In his honor his mother
Dr.Velma Love & sister Tamu Lewis have created The
Lee
Thompson
Young
Foundation,
a
Mental
Health Foundation dedicated to eliminating the stigma
associated with mental health conditions through
education, literacy and youth programs. They envision a
world in which mental illness is recognized by all as a
treatable, biological disorder and the stigma associated
with it no longer exists. A world that supports and
encourages wholeness and wellbeing at every stage of
life.
For
more
information
visit
www.leethompsonyoungfoundation.org/Mobile-friendly.
Information obtained from Mayo Clinic and
Thompson Young Foundation

the Lee

Monthly Meeting: Our

next meeting
is
scheduled for Monday, January19th
at 6 pm.
Everyone desiring to embrace a healthier lifestyle is
invited to join this on-going health ministry.
Free monthly blood pressure screenings w ill be
available the 4th Sunday immediately after worship
services in the Fellowship Hall.
ealHHhh
Aim for Wholeness,
Health & Welfare Ministry/H.E.A.L.S.

STATUS AND ROLE OF WOMEN

By Teresa Holland
The General Commission on Status and Role of
Women challenges The United Methodist Church to
commit to the full participation of women in the life
and mission of the church. The commission serves as
an advocate for, and on the behalf of, women; seeks
to eliminate inequities in relation to women in the
church; and monitors the general agencies, institutions, and connectional structures to ensure the inclusion of women.
If we want The United Methodist Church to be a credible witness to the gospel, we have to deal with hard
issues that threaten to blunt that witness. Women of
all ages face a number of issues that blunt our witness; self doubt, loneliness, low self esteem, relationship issues, sexual abuse to name a few. We long
for support from other women and especially the
church.
In an effort to establish support for women and girls
of all ages, The Status and Role of Women will host
Girl Talk. Each 5th Sunday at 5pm, Girl Talk will be
lead by Dr. Evelyn Fulmore. The talks will aim to provide an open forum for women and girls using as a
basis the book by Sheron C. Patterson, A Mile In Her
Shoes. W e invite girls and w omen of all ages,
single, divorced, single mothers, young, teens,
tweens, middle age and young again to attend. Sisters supporting sisters and eliminating the issues that
blunt our witness for God.

Page 3

Burns Connection

Christian Education Corner

God and the Gaps - Melagne Yed
From the gap where knowledge is not in keeping with
reality, we come now to the gap, in human experience,
where hopes are dashed with disappointments.
Hope and Disappointment
Luke 7:22-23. So he replied to the messengers, Go back
and report to John what you have seen and heard: The
blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have
leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and
the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the
man who does not fall away on account of me.
I had a cousin named Claude who studied and earned an
advanced degree in Petro-Chemical engineering from the
University of Pittsburg, PA, several years ago. He was a
great inspiration to my personal motivations to pursue
higher education abroad, and specifically in the USA. He
and his younger brother, did very well in academia and
earned a prestigious respect in their professions, and
needless to say that they induced a great sense of pride
and hope within the entire family, but mostly within the
hearts of their mother and father. But in 1995, tragedy
strikes; Claudes father dies suddenly. His mother is in a
state of shock but still able to cope with the loss of her
husband through the support of family and friends.
Claude, the second child and also the first boy of his
parents, now becomes the central figure in the burial
preparations for his deceased father. While driving away
one day, on his way to collect his fathers funerary
apparels, he is ambushed by two criminals in a remote
area of the city. His vehicle is brought to a stop. He is
made to lower his window; then one of the brigands pulls
out a revolver and, with a complete disrespect for human
life, discharges the weapon into Claudes neck, killing him
instantly. The killers then vanish into the thick nearby
forest, leaving behind the lifeless body of a human being
in a gruesome display. The horrific news finally reaches
the mother, and I can only imagine, even now, the pain
and grief doubly inflicted upon her as she becomes
uncontrollable for the simultaneous losses of her husband
and of her first son. Over the following years, her ardent
prayer and hope were to see her sons murderers arrested
before she dies. So she urged her children and the rest of
the family to use every resource available in order to
apprehend the criminals. But my aunt passed away in
2013. Her sons murderers have never been found. She
went to her grave with a grieving heart and a shuttered
hope.
John the Baptist is put in prison. He urges two of his
disciples to go and enquire of Jesus if he, Jesus, is the
one they have been hoping for; and if Jesus is the one,
then what am I, John, doing here in prison seems to be
the implicit demand to Jesus. But Jesus replies as if to
say, John, I can do the miracles. Do you not see that?
The blind are seeing, the dead are being raised, the deaf
are hearing, leprosy is being cured, the lame are walking.
The problem is not my inability to perform the miracle,

John. Dont stumble at me.

When hopes and desires are shattered, the
immediate question that rises to the mind is: Why,
Lord, does it have to be that way? The
disappointments can be sudden and provoke a
tremendous sense of despondency a gap in our
hearts; and we cry: Oh God fill this gap. In the first
instance when knowledge is not in keeping with
reality, the gap comes down to the fact that we do
not always have the knowledge of God. But when it
comes to this struggle where hopes are dashed with
disappointment, we realize that we do not always
understand the purposes of God.
To be continued

Meet the Choir

Name: M arilyn Keenan

Choir Section: Alto
Occupation: Director of Communications
Center at Benedict College
Hobbies/Interests: I love w orking in the yard
and baking cakes, but most of all, I love crocheting
scarves, hats, and baby items (hats, booties,
headbands and blankets).

God erases
our sins and
gives us a
new page to
start anew.

Page 2

Burns Connection

Lectionary
January 2015

Wow! Time really flies when

you are having fun. This is
the third year that we have
been in service at FBUMC
together. As we reflect on
our future, look briefly into
your past. The Bible tells us
that our future is before us
not behind us.

Epiphany Sunday
January 4, Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14,
Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12
First Sunday after the Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord
January 11, Genesis 1:1-5, Psalm 29, Acts 19:1-7,
Mark 1:4-11
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
January 18, 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20), Psalm 139:16, 13-18, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, John 1:43-51
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 25, Jonah 3:1-5, 10, Psalm 62:5-12, 1
Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20

2014 Budget Information

Administrative
Council on Ministries
Committee on Finance
Board of Trustees
Total 2014 Budget

$295,992.18
$123,763.00
$
250.00
$157,400.00
$577,405.18

Weekly Amount Needed

Monthly Amount Needed

$11,103.95
$48,117.10

Amount Received in November $48,779.00

Thank You

United Methodist Men Update

Meeting
January 10, 2015

For forty (40) years,

Israel wandered in the
wilderness.
The leaders
main task was to keep the people focused on their
future. God is leading us into the future.
One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 3:12
13; Not that I have already obtained this or have
already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my
own; because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my
own; but this one thing I do; forgetting what lies
behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.
A few years ago, a young person that I had the joy of
working with gave me a book: Dont Sweat the Small
Stuff and its All Small Stuff, by Richard Carlson, PhD.
Lesson number ten (10) title; Learn to live in the
Present Moment, Page 29. He wrote; To a large
degree, the measure of our peace of mind is
determined by how much we are able to live in the
present moment. Irrespective of what happened
yesterday, or last year, and what may or may not
happen tomorrow, the present moment is where you
are always!
My hope and prayer is that we will live in the present
moment being lead by the power of God.
Have a blessed and joyful new year,
Ernest and Gwen

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Burns Connection
2014 has been a
very busy year for
the youth ministry.
As we start a new
year, I thought it
would be a good idea
to remind you how
great 2014 was for
us!

Some of our accomplishments and

activities for the year included:
enhancing Youth Sunday by forming
a youth choir and implementing the
Youth Moment, participating in two
SC
UMC
sponsored
events
(Revolution
and
Salkehatchie),
hosting our second annual youth
revival, starting our own Youth Bible
study, creating our own youth
retreat to Atlanta, GA, collaborating
with the Childrens Ministry to
sponsor the Shrove Pancake Dinner,
attending a Kirk Franklin concert at
Carowinds, attending a Back-to-school Youth Explosion at
New Ebenezer Baptist Church, participated in the Harbor
Lights 5K race (which I came in first for our group) and
attending University Day at North Carolina A&T State
University.
This year, the youth committed to allocating at least 10
percent of our budget to mission projects. Our goal was
to show Gods love and demonstrate our faith by serving
those in need. Some of the ways we executed this goal
was by giving: 40 gift bags with snacks to the families
served by The Ronald McDonald House, 21 Mothers Day
gift bags to the battered women served by Sistercare, 75
loaves of bread to families in the community for the

Evangelism Ministry's Standing in the Gap event, 15

book bags to homeless students in Richland County, 15
book bags filled with personal hygiene supplies to the
men served by Oliver Gospel Mission, gifts to a family
of four for the Missions ministry's annual Families
Helping Families project, non-perishable food items to
at least 10 children at Kelly Mill Middle School each
month and
household items to a family that lost
everything to a house fire that destroyed their home.
In addition to these
activities, our ministry
helped Ms. Regina
King
expand
her
ministry by joining
with the dance and
mime ministries to
sponsor a bake sale.
All of the proceeds
went toward helping
with her education
expenses at Emory
University. Our total
contribution
was
$2,500!
In
December,
the
youth ministry partnered with missions to ring the
Salvation Army Bells and volunteered at the Hannah
House by playing games with the homeless children.
2014 was a great year for the Youth Ministry, and I can
see how the ministry has grown. I'm sure this is not all
that we did, but it's enough to give you an idea of how
busy we've been as a ministry. As we go into 2015, we
are ready to embrace the New Year and look forward to
finding new ways to make this a great one for our
ministry, this church, and God's Kingdom!
-Rachel Forrest

8 AM
Golden Corral

MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BEAR

FRUIT: LOVE, JOY, PEACE,
LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS,
GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS,
GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came

from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by
John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately,
coming up from the water, He saw the
heavens parting and the Spirit descending
upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came
from heaven, " You are My beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased." Mark 1:9-11

Page 6

Burns Connection

Burns Connection

Happy Birthday

The more I die to self, the more fruit I can

bear!
Spend time praying instead of complaining.

Remember In Your Prayers

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord
will raise him up. ...The effective, fervent prayer of
a righteous man avails much. James 5:15, 16.
Mr. Corey Spann (son in law of Cephus & Pam
Thomas) Ms. Ruby Hendrix (sister of Bettye Marshall Augustus) Mr. Hosea Henry (step-father of
Shemga Tyson & brother in law of Virginia Goodman) Mr. James Tony Kennedy, Sr. (brother of
Valerie Kennedy-Robinson) Mr. James Mixon (son
of Sammie & Girlene Mixon Mr. John Myers
(father of Sam Myers) Rev. Calvin Washington
Mrs. Gertrude Kinney (mother of Kenneth Kinney)
Ms. Margaret Brown (aunt of Kenneth Kinney) Ms.
Patricia Squire (sister of Bernice Kinney) Bishop
Theodore & Mrs. Nan Myers Mrs. Ella Mae Eaddy
(mother of Karone Johnson) Rev. Dr. Sheila Elliott

Palmer Memorial Chapel presents a Family

Forum Live on J anuary 20 th, 2015 at
6:PM at the chapel. The topic is After
Death, Then What?
Probate and
other Legal Concerns.
For further
information contact: Palmer Memorial
Chapel (803) 786 6300 or visit their
website: www.palmermemorialchapel.com.

FBUMC Mission Statement: The mission of Francis

Burns United Methodist Church is to glorify God, to
spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and to make
Christian disciples through worship and praise,
nurture, outreach and witness.
FBUMC Vision Statement: The vision of Francis
Burns United Methodist Church is to be in covenant
with God and to connect with God's people through
ministries that meet human needs.

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Maurice Bell
Leola Grant
Andria Jeffries
Chamar Sweeper
Raymond Singleton
Khryatyan Edens
Tosha Parson
Barbara Thompson
Joyce Holmes
Jacqueline Peppers
Brenda Keeton
Altovise Scott
Elizabeth Cooper
Samuel McDonald
Geneva Williams
Bernetha Mack
Jackie Waymer
Addie Meadows
Teresa Brisbon
Augustus Dicks
Carlton Richardson
Christopher Tyson

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Sharon Praylow
Spencer Saylor Robinson
Olden Brooker
Jason Payne
Audrey Samuel
Brandon Jones
Lizzie Reeves
Cedrick Sweeper
Carl Robinson, Jr.
Alyson Humphrey
Shirley Belton
Janice Cave
Timothy Davis
Clifford L. Bourke Jr
Al Murdaugh
Christoher Brisbon
Orson A. Ravenell, II
Devan Bailey
Markeisha Williams
Dezarae Jones
Tracy King McDowell

Happy Anniversary
22 Rodney & Patricia Gunn
25 Rudy & Lynn Harris
To update your birthday or anniversary information,
contact Inez Benjamin at 736-1008 or
email ibeejamming@bellsouth.net

On The Light Side

Volume 2015 Issue 1

Francis Burns UMC
5616 Farrow Rd.
Columbia, SC 29203
(803) 754-1760

Quests for Joy!!!!

Rev. Ernest C. Etheredge

Pastor

RECIPE FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR"

Take twelve whole months, clean them
thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy.
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.
Now cut each month in to twenty-eight, thirty,
thirty-one different parts, but don't make up the
whole batch at once. Prepare it one day at a
time out of these ingredients.
Mix well into each day one part of faith, one part
of patience, one part of courage, and one part of
work.
Add to each day one part of hope, faithfulness,
generosity, and kindness. Blend with one part
prayer, one part meditation, and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits, a
sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play, and a cupful of
good humor.
Pour all of this into a vessel of love. Cook
thoroughly over radiant joy, garnish with a
smile, and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness.
Your final results may vary depending on your
attitude.
Have a Happy New Year!
Author: Unknown

January 2015

2015 is here and my

hope for everyone is
that we all find more
peace and joy this year
than last year.
Did you know that God
commands us to be
glad? "Delight yourself
in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your
heart." (Psalm 37:4)
God created us for his glory. "Bring my sons from afar and
my daughters from the ends of the earth,... whom I created
for my glory." (Isaiah 43:6-7). God made us to magnify his
greatness - the way telescopes magnify stars. He created us
to put his goodness and truth and beauty and wisdom and
justice on display. Great displays of God's glory comes from
deep delight in all that he is. This means that God gets the
praise and we get the pleasure. God created us so that he is
most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
Every human should live for God's glory. "So whether you eat
or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1
Corinthians 10:31). If God made us for his glory, it is obvious
that we should live for his glory. Our duty comes from his
design. Our first obligation is to show God's value by being
satisfied with all that he is for us. This is the essence of loving God (Matthew 22:37) and trusting him (1 John 5:3-4)
and being thankful to him (Psalm 100:2-4) It is the root of all
true obedience, especially loving others (Colossians 1:4-5).
Let us begin this year searching for our own spiritual "Quests
for Joy" and showing others this by our actions and words.
Witness to others so that they might see Christ through us.
Joi Williams
Evangelism

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of

Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
saying, " Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we
have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. And
when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with
Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they
had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:1-2, 11