Afew weeks ago, while my family was out of town, our Administrative Assistant, Carol Hartenbower, organized the church vault. FYI, there is a huge vault in my o ce. The lock has a combination and inside are decades upon decades of this church’s life together: financial records, directories, bulletins, Shepherd mailers, photographs, blueprints. At one point there were also Pop-Tarts in there, but that is another story.
When I got back to the o ce, I started digging through those old records, and lo and behold, I found a bulletin from 1951 with my name on it. Not my name exactly, of course, but my family’s name. In 1951, Newnan First had invited my great-granduncle, Clovis Chappell, to be the guest preacher for a revival. What a wild connection. And who knew that for the last four years, while I sat in that o ce, my great-granduncle had, in some sense, been sitting in the vault right behind me?
It is a small and wonderful connection, and it reminded me again of the deep history and living tradition not only of Methodism, but of this church. Newnan First is approaching its 200th birthday in 2028. For generations, this congregation has been a beacon of light and love in this community, sharing the heart of Jesus in Newnan and beyond. Every time we gather in the sanctuary, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Some of their names are written in the stained glass around us. Some are tucked away in old records in the vault. Others are written on our hearts and carried in our memories. Together, they remind us that we did not begin this story, and by God’s grace, we will not be the ones to end it.
Those names still bear witness. They still lift us up. They are joined to us by that invisible thread of grace who is Jesus Christ himself. Across generations, Christ has bound this church together. Their faithfulness has become part of our faithfulness. Their prayers have strengthened our prayers. Their love has become part of the love we now o er in Christ’s name.
And now, it is our turn. Our turn to pray and serve, to sing and give, to worship and witness, to love this church and this community so deeply that those who come after us may one day give thanks for us too. One day, others will hold our bulletins, tell our stories, remember our prayers, and see that in our own time we tried to be faithful to Jesus.
For nearly two centuries, God has been at work in and through Newnan First, and that work is not finished yet. By grace, we now have our place in that long and holy story. So let us take up our part with courage and joy, trusting that no act of love is ever lost in God, and that in Christ even the smallest faithfulness is gathered into something eternal. And know that you have a huge section of saints cheering you on!
God bless you, Andrew Chappell
Iam grateful for a wonderful Holy Week and a great Easter season as we continue to celebrate all that God has done for us! In the month of April, we delivered over $16,000 to Bridging the Gap for food distribution, we started a new Sunday School Class, and we continued to have meaningful worship and ministry together.
There are two opportunities in May that I want to make sure are on your radar:
• New Sunday School Class: If you are still looking for a Sunday School home, come join us in room 209 in the Annex Building on Sundays! We are discussing the Bible from a zoomed-out lens: what is the Bible, and how do we read it? How do we make sense of the di erent books? You are encouraged to join us with questions, observations, and curiosity as we dive deeper into these scriptures that are foundational to our faith. We meet on Sundays from 9:45AM-10:45AM, and you can hop in on any Sunday.
• Mission Trip to North Carolina October 4-9: Our church is partnering with Hinton Rural Life Center for their BOOM service week (Boomers On Outreach Mission). Aimed primarily at those 60+ (although they aren’t checking IDs!), this will be a week focused on serving homeowners in Rural Appalachia and showing them the love of Christ. Please email me if you would like to be added to the interest list to find out more!
May is such an exciting time in the life of the church: Children’s Sunday worship on May 3rd, Mother’s Day on the 10th, Graduation Sunday on the 17th… so many ways for us to stay in tune with God as we live through the rhythm of our days together.
I am grateful for God’s communion with us in all seasons, and looking forward to being in ministry with you this month!
-Connor
(Above) The New Sunday School Class, discussing the mystery, beauty, and confusing-inclusions of the Old Testament. Not pictured- occasional discussion of Lord of the Rings. (Below) The main lodge and chapel of the Hinton Rural Life Center, where we’re traveling in October for our BOOM! Mission Trip.
Mission & Outreach Committee
CONTACT MISSIONS CHAIRS ABOUT VOLUNTEERING
Peter Sheren - peterandivonne@gmail.com | Lee Berry - lee@leeberry.com
Tom Evans - evans.tme@gmail.com | Eneida Evans - eneida.evans@gmail.com
Welcome New Co-Chairs! Tom and Eneida Evans have joined the Mission Team as co-chairs. In 2027, they will transition to chairing the team. They bring experience in the mission field from their prior church and hearts for continuing and growing Newnan FUMC’s work with our local and global mission partners. Please congratulate them on this new role in the church.
Give It Up For Lent Update! – This is the biggest fundraiser for Bridging The Gap (BTG) of the year for Newnan FUMC. Our goal was $12,000. Because of YOUR generosity, BTG received a check for $16,135.50! On April 16th, Connor Bell, Peter Sheren, Lee Berry, and the new Mission Team co-chair, Tom Evans, presented the check to Bridging the Gap’s Jamar Joiner and Grace Rodriguez (pictured left).
One Roof Monthly Donations | May 17, 2026 – In April we delivered 200 pounds of food to One Roof. Please bring the following: jelly, fruit cups, tomato sauce, mac and cheese boxes, canned vegetables, tuna, canned chicken, Vienna sausages and spam.
We also encourage you to volunteer with One Roof.
The Thrift Store, open 10:00am to 5:00 pm Mondays-Saturdays, needs volunteers to help organize and process donations and clean. The Food Pantry has food items to be sorted and boxed and prepared for distribution. The O ce needs help occasionally and for special events. Helping hands always welcome!
Art Ministry Outreach (AMO) Summer Exhibit | Deadline May 27 - The AMO Gallery Easter Exhibit will be on display until June 4th. We are thrilled to have worked with the young women of Angel’s House to create art that showed the darkness to light theme so well. Several of their paintings have been sold to people from this area to Pennsylvania!
This summer we are planning a unique exhibit that is ONLY for our congregants, an opportunity to share your favorite painting, photo, 2D art, something that maybe you didn’t directly create but is special to you. We hope to have 40 to 50 pieces depending on the sizes, to display June 7-September 8. It could be a photo of your wedding, a family adventure picture, pets, etc. Or 2D artwork like small quilts, crochet piece, etc. Submissions can be emailed to NewnanFUMC.ArtMinistryOutreach@gmail.com and need to include: Artist Name & Owner of piece, Title & dimensions, address & phone number, and a detailed/clear photo of the piece (max 7MB .png, .ti , .jpg, .pdf)
BOOM! Mission Trip | October 4-8, 2026 - Have you considered the mission trip to the Hinton Center in North Carolina as a mission you might be interested in? If so, during May we are collecting the names of folks who would like to attend. Sign up using the QR code on the poster to the left. We are planning an August interest and informational meeting and want to make sure we can contact you.
Bridging the Gap Summer Lunch Program | June 8-12, 2026 – Again this summer we will be participating in this ministry to feed students while out of school for the summer. Our church takes one week, Monday through Friday, to distribute 150+/nutritious sack lunches per day. Four of the days will be handled by the Women’s Bible Study groups, the Sta , and the Music Department. The fifth day will be open to anyone interested in helping. The lunches will be assembled, packed at the church and distributed at CJ Smith Park at noon. Use the QR code to the left to sign up to make/pack lunches and/or deliver/ disburse lunches. More details are on the signup genius.
ERT Basic Training | June 27, 2026 – You’ll receive hands-on training to be able to assist with disaster relief. For any questions, please text Ted Burnett at 215-527-9089 or theoburnett61@gmail.com. You can sign up on the church website under Events or use the QR code on the poster to the left. We look forward to learning and growing together with you! We are so blessed to have had no major weather events in a while, but it’s good to be prepared.
Please connect directly to volunteer with one of our local Mission Partners: Bridging the Gap, Samaritan’s Clinic, and One Roof
Paul Mosley
Youth Director
pmosley@NewnanFUMC.org
770.253.7400 (x219)
April was a great month filled with fun and discipleship. We started the month with Easter Sunday which led into Spring break for our students. We continued meeting on Wednesday morning with our bible study on the Gospels at Biscuits and Bibles. We also continued to dive into the next stage of life with our High School Seniors at Sticky Faith, exploring topics like finding your community of faith in college and how to manage your time and money when it is all on you. We closed out April with our spring Small Group Scatter which was a little less scattered this time around. Our small groups all chose to go to Putter’s Pointe for an awesome night of fellowship and minigolf! It has been awesome pouring into our students over the month of April.
This upcoming month we have some great stu planned as well! UTHapalooza is our end-ofthe-year celebration where we head to Camp Welcome to grill out, play games, and end with an all out color war. It is good, messy fun that makes for great pictures! We are also leaving on Choir Tour at the end of May, kicking o the summer with music, discipleship, and a whole lot of fun!
May is always a bitter-sweet time for our UTH ministry. We are excited for all the fun and celebrations we get to be a part of, but we are also sad that the semester is coming to an end and that we have to say goodbye to our graduates. Though they may be graduating and we won’t see them as often any more, they will always be our students and will always have a home here at Newnan First UMC. We’ll celebrate and honor them on Sunday May 17, with a breakfast and recognition during worship. Be sure to be there that Sunday to support these wonderful young people!
As you move through this month, we ask that you be in prayer for ALL our students: that they finish out the end of the school year well, that the graduating seniors experience the love, joy, and support this congregation has for them as they step into the next stage of life, and that our choir tour grows these students faith and they are changed for the better by this trip.
GRADUATE SUNDAY REGISTRATION (DEADLINE IS MAY 4TH):
UTH UPCOMING EVENTS
May 3
UTHAPALOOZA - 6pm
May 10
Mother’s Day
May 17
Graduate Sunday
May 30
Choir Tour Starts
Help us honor your high school seniors and those graduating from college and beyond this Graduate Sunday. Please follow the link to the left and answer as much of it as you can. We understand that their future plans and details may change leading up to Graduate Sunday, and we will update them as necessary.
May is one of those months where the life of our music ministry feels especially vibrant, and this year is no exception. There is a deep sense of joy in watching our children and youth lead us in worship, and we are grateful for the ways this season reflects both their growth and their faith.
On Sunday, May 3rd, we will celebrate Children’s Sunday with the theme Faith in Action. Our children have been hard at work preparing a service that brings together scripture, art, and music in a way that reminds us not only what we believe, but how we live it. Through their creativity, they will help us imagine what it looks like to “blanket the world” in faith, stitching together beloved Bible verses and calls to love and serve into something both beautiful and meaningful. Each piece they share is a reminder that faith is not static. It is something we practice, something we carry into the world, and something we o er to others.
You’ll also notice a visual centerpiece that quite literally brings this idea to life, as the children use a quilt and a globe to symbolize God’s love covering the world. And yes, if you’ve ever thought, “You know what our sanctuary needs? A five-foot inflatable globe,” this is o cially your moment. You won’t want to miss it. It promises to be a service filled with joy, creativity, and a few memorable surprises.
Later in the month, our Youth Choir will embark on their Gulf Coast tour, sharing music and ministry in churches across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. This tour is always a meaningful time of musical growth, spiritual formation, and community building. Our youth will have the opportunity to lead worship in a variety of settings, o ering their gifts in service while also learning from the congregations they encounter along the way. In addition to singing, the choir will share in experiences that celebrate the culture and history of the region. Highlights include a riverboat jazz cruise, a visit to the USS Alabama, and a stop at Alligator Alley. These are moments that will no doubt become lasting memories and strengthen the bonds within the group. One especially meaningful highlight will be singing at Pastor Connor’s home church in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Being welcomed into a place that has shaped part of his story is a gift, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to share in that connection.
This tour would not be possible without the incredible support of our church family. Throughout the year, so many of you have participated in fundraisers, o ered donations, and shown up in ways both big and small to make this experience accessible to our youth. From meals and events to behind-the-scenes planning and generous giving, your support has made a tangible di erence. We are especially mindful this year of the ways you have stepped in to help us continue this tradition while navigating budget challenges, and we do not take that generosity for granted.
Thank you for investing in the lives of our young people. Thank you for believing in the power of music to shape faith, build community, and share the love of Christ. As we move through this full and meaningful month, we invite you to join us, whether by attending Children’s Sunday, praying for our Youth Choir as they travel, or simply celebrating the ways God is at work through the music ministry of this church.
Deo Gloria, Caitie
Soli
April was a full month of fun and memorable experiences for our preschoolers! We kicked o the month with Spring break and then had an exciting Police touch a truck event, where children had the opportunity to explore a real police vehicle and learn about community helpers. We took spring pictures and had a visit from a petting zoo after learning about animals on the farm!
We ended the month on a special note with Mu ns with Mom, a heartwarming time for children to celebrate and spend quality moments with their moms. It was truly a wonderful and joy filled month!
We have a busy month ahead as we look forward to the summer! In May we will have end of year celebrations galore including bounce houses and snow cones! Pre-K and Kindergarten graduation will conclude our year as we celebrate our sweet students who will soon become alumni!
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive. - Acts 20:35.
Summer is right around the corner and we are so excited for all the things to come! Every Sunday morning from 9:45 am to 10:45 am we are learning about the books of the Bible and the stories that we cherish. The younger Sunday School class is 4 years old through 2nd grade and they are learning the stories in the Bible and get to experience the lessons those stories bring. The month of May we are focusing on Acts, and the believers in God! The older Sunday School class has been having so much fun exploring the books of the Bible in order. These kiddos are learning the important lessons behind the books. Sunday School is taught by amazing volunteers that love the kids in our church well.
Children Worship is a fun experience for our 4 year olds to 2nd grades during the 11 am service. They get dismissed from the church service and go upstairs to praise and worship, learn scripture, and the lesson behind them. This time is a center style and they get to hear the scripture and then get to dive deeper with fun crafts and activities.
Coming this Summer...Threads of Faith! Who wants to learn to knit? Details TBA, but for now save your Wednesday mornings.
The final ROOT345 for this school year is Sunday, May 3.
We need volunteers for VBS. Register at the same time as your child(ren), using the QR code on the poster below, or visit our website.
Please let Ms. Andrea know if you have any questions!
Trustees & Church Council Update
Thanks to the generosity of two families and the Trustees, Newnan First UMC is moving forward with a new sanctuary accessibility project, recently approved by the Trustees and Church Council. Beginning in July, and hopefully lasting only three Sundays, worship will be held in the Parish Hall while work is done in the sanctuary.
The project will move the choir chancel, pulpit area, kneeling rail, and altar forward by three feet. This will mean the loss of only one center pew, while preserving the beauty and character of our sanctuary. The look will remain the same—simply moved forward. You can see artistic renderings of the plan on the next page.
These changes will create stairs for choir access on both sides behind the wall (that the pastors sit in front of) and allow the current choir loft stairs to become a lift for accessibility. The choir loft will also be refinished. We are grateful for our choir, for all they have given to this church, and for the chance to make this sacred space more welcoming and accessible.
We know this sanctuary is deeply loved, and every e ort will be made to preserve its historic beauty and original wood wherever possible. Church Council has requested that any original wood that cannot be reused in this project be carefully saved for a future use.
We are thankful for Bob McKoon, James Welden, the Trustees, and Al Robertson, whose company will carry out this work with great care. This is a hopeful step—honoring the beauty of what has been, and making room for those yet to come.
This rendering shows generally what the chancel will look like from the congregation. It will appear the same as it does currently, with the addition of stairway railings on the sides.
This is a peek behind the chancel wall to show how the new stairs will be designed. This is not how it will appear to the congregation. The chancel wall will still be in place.
In The Life of Our Church
Baptisms
Annie Lynn Chappell | April 19, 2026
Adair & Andrew Chappell
Autumn Violet Hoopaugh | April 19, 2026
Hailey & Zack Hoopaugh
New Members | Pizza with the Pastors-March 22, 2026
Randy “Austin” Knight
Timothy Morris
Christopher & Ashley Soltis
Zach & Sara Beth Montgomery
Steven “Chad” & Angelyn McDonald
Hartwell & Annie Spencer
Michael & Beverly Yeager
CHILDREN’S SUNDAY Worship
8:30am | Sanctuary
Sunday School | 9:45am Worship 11:00am | Sanctuary
