First United Methodist Church, Great Bend

10/22/2026

Dear Church Family,

What does it truly mean to be free, and how does holding onto truth become the highest act of love and care we can show one another?

As we continue walking together in our annual theme, "The Call to Care and Compassion!" - we warmly invite you to join us this coming Sunday, October 25th, for our worship services as we observe Reformation Sunday.

On Reformation Sunday, we reflect on how the faithful teaching of God’s Word shapes our hearts, frees our spirits, and equips us to care genuinely for a hurting world. This Sunday, our sermon topic will focus on "Care by Right Teaching," grounded in the Scripture passage John 8:31–36.

Sunday Service Schedule (October 25th):

▪︎ 9:00 AM – Traditional Service.

▪︎ 11:00 AM – REVIVE Service + Holy Communion.

The Protestant Reformers recognized that standard acts of compassion must be rooted in divine truth. When we teach and hold fast to Christ’s word, we offer the deepest form of care - helping souls find true liberation in Him.

"My conscience is captive to the Word of God... I am content with this gift of the Scriptures, which teaches and supplies all that is necessary, both for this life and that which is to come."
- Martin Luther, Diet of Worms (1521) & Preface to the Old Testament

"The church cannot be kept in sound order unless the doctrine of Christ is kept pure; for there is no other foundation upon which it can safely rest."
- John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon

As you prepare your heart and mind for our worship gatherings this Sunday, consider these questions:

1. In what areas of your life are you seeking the freedom and clarity that only Christ’s truth can provide?

2. How can grounding ourselves in God's sound teaching expand our daily capacity for genuine care and compassion toward our neighbors?

We look forward to praising, praying, and sharing in the Lord’s Supper together with you this Sunday!

Revd. Robert Selvakumar
Pastor, Great Bend First United Methodist Church

10/19/2026

10/15/2026

Dear Church Family,

As the autumn leaves turn and the crisp morning air sets in, there’s no better time for us to gather, enjoy God’s creation, and worship together as one family.

I warmly invite each of you to join us on Sunday, October 18th, at 10:00 AM for a special Combined Service at the Great Bend Pumpkin Patch! We’ll share in a morning of sweet fellowship, complete with delicious fall refreshments to enjoy together.

Here is what is in store for our morning:

¤ Outdoor Fellowship & Refreshments: Gather with friends and neighbors amidst the pumpkin patch while enjoying warm, delicious treats.

¤ Blended Worship: We will lift our voices in a shared service that brings together both our Traditional and Revive (Contemporary) worship styles.

¤ Preacher: We are delighted to have Todd Scheuerman with us, who will be sharing the message with us.

¤ The Message: Continuing our annual theme, "The Call to Care and Compassion!" Todd will lead us through Matthew 7:7-8 & 1 Timothy 4:12-16, with the sermon topic "A Jack of all Faith and Light to All!"

If you have any questions about the service, location, or schedule, please feel free to reach out to me directly or contact the church office.

Bring a lawn chair or a warm blanket, invite your family and friends, and come ready for a meaningful morning outdoors. I look forward to worshipping with you all at the pumpkin patch!

Grace and peace,

Revd. Robert Selvakumar

Pastor, Great Bend First United Methodist Church

10/08/2026

Dear Church Family,

As we step into this vibrant new season together, I want to personally invite each and every one of you to a very special morning of fellowship, worship, and mission. Come with your hearts stirred to be vessels of God’s Kingdom through the missional expression of our annual theme, “The Call to Care and Compassion!”

On Sunday, October 11th, at 10:00 AM, we will gather in the Fellowship Hall for our Combined Service, starting off with breakfast together! It is going to be a wonderful time to connect, share a meal, and worship as one unified body. Here is what you can look forward to during our time together:

▪︎ Warm Breakfast & Fellowship: Come hungry! We’ll share breakfast together in the Fellowship Hall as we open our hearts and doors to one another.

▪︎ Blended Worship: Our worship will bring together the best of both worlds, blending traditional hymns with modern Revive worship.

▪︎ Inspiring Guest Speakers: We are blessed to have Lisa Armstrong and Dr. Samira Villela with us. They lead the incredible mission work in Honduras that our church family has had the privilege of partnering with for several years.

▪︎ The Message: Lisa Armstrong will be bringing us the Word. Her message, "Care With Invitation!", is rooted in Matthew 22:1–14 (The Parable of the Wedding Banquet) as we explore what it truly means to include the excluded and share God's abundant love.

▪︎ Honduras Mission Silent Auction: The centerpiece of our day will be a Silent Auction, with all proceeds directly supporting our ongoing mission work in Honduras. I encourage you to come with a generous heart, ready to bless others just as we have been blessed.

If you have any questions about the Silent Auction or how you can contribute, please reach out directly to Jann Sherman or contact the church office.

Bring your family, invite a neighbor, and come ready to celebrate God’s hospitality and grace together.

In Christ’s love and grace,

Revd. Robert Selvakumar

Pastor, Great Bend First United Methodist Church

10/01/2026

Dear Church Family and Friends,

God has entrusted us with a garden of purpose, and what we do with the ground we’ve been given matters for eternity.

As autumn arrives and we gather as a community, I am reminded of how deeply grateful I am for the warmth, strength, and love present in our church family. No matter where you find yourself on your journey of faith today, there is a place reserved for you here, and our hearts and doors are wide open.

This coming Sunday, October 4th, marks the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Continuing our annual theme, "The Call to Care and Compassion," we will dive into Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 21:33–46 with a sermon titled "Care for the Vineyard!" In considering the story of the tenants, we’ll reflect on what it truly means to be faithful stewards of the blessings, relationships, and responsibilities God places in our hands - and how true accountability springs from His deep love for us.

​“Now let me sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard... For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.”

- Isaiah 5:1, 7 (NKJV)

​“The parable of the wicked tenants is not merely a tale of judgment, but a solemn reminder of trust. God does not abandon His creation; He commits it into human hands as a sacred trust, expecting the fruit of righteousness, justice, and faithful stewardship in return.”
- R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (New International Commentary on the New Testament, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2007, p. 812).

We warmly invite you to join us for worship at whichever service speaks to your spirit:

》Traditional Service at 9:00 AM: A sacred, classic worship experience rich in timeless hymns, traditional liturgy, and quiet reverence.

》REVIVE Service at 11:00 AM: A vibrant, uplifting service filled with contemporary praise, energy, and a welcoming atmosphere.

Communion at both services.

As we break bread and share the cup together, we remember that Christ’s table is open to all - a place of grace, renewal, and unity.

As you prepare your heart for this Sunday, I invite you to reflect on these questions throughout the week:

1. What "vineyard" - what gifts, relationships, or callings, has God entrusted to your care in this season of life?

2. How can we move from simply tending to our own lives to actively offering fruit back to God with gratitude and compassion?

Bring your family, invite a friend, or simply come as you are. We look forward to worshipping, praying, and seeking God’s heart together this Sunday.

With grace, peace, and warmth,

Revd. Robert Selvakumar

Pastor, Great Bend First United Methodist Church

09/28/2026

Dear Friends & Family,

You are warmly invited to join us for "Prayer Retreat 2" at Great Bend First UMC!

Whether you are looking to refresh your personal quiet time, deepen your connection with God, or simply take a peaceful pause from the busyness of life, this retreat offers a wonderful space to grow together.

Guided by Rev. Keith Funk, we’ll explore practical and meaningful ways to enrich our prayer lives, draw closer to the Lord, and support one another in faith.

◇ Date: Saturday, October 10th, 2026.

◇ Time: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.

◇ Location: Fellowship Hall.

◇ Cost: FREE! (Coffee and delicious snacks will be provided).

◇ All are welcome!

To help us prepare, please sign up at the church or by leaving your name in a comment below.

We look forward to sharing this blessed morning with you!

Blessings on your week,
Revd. Robert Selvakumar
Pastor, Great Bend First UMC

09/25/2026

BEFORE WE GET TO SUNDAY ...

Remember the Game Day afternoon of games and fun tomorrow (Saturday) at 3 p.m.

Bring a favorite treat and/or game, and come have some fun fellowship!

Don't forget we've got a door prize of special fun for someone!

09/24/2026

Dear Church Family,

​Have you ever said yes to a promise with all the right intentions, only to let your actions completely fall flat when the real work began?

​It is a subtle trap we all face. We offer enthusiastic agreement in conversation, yet when love requires hands-on effort, our momentum fades. As we gather for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are continuing our annual journey around "The Call to Care and Compassion!" This Sunday’s sermon topic is "Care with Action!", invites us to bridge the gap between our intentions and our active obedience.

​Our foundation for this worship experience rests on Matthew 21:23-32, where Jesus tells the parable of the two sons. One son boldly refuses his father’s request but later repents and goes to work in the vineyard. The other offers polite, immediate agreement - "I go, sir" - yet never sets foot in the field. Jesus reminds us clearly that active obedience matters far more than empty assurances. Supporting this truth, the Apostle James echoes a similar warning: "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? ... As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." (James 2:14, 26)

​This requirement for lived-out faith is not new; it has echoed throughout Christian history. St. John Chrysostom addressed this exact disconnect in the 4th century: "For God requires not words only, but also deeds; and if these be absent, speeches are of no avail... It is not the saying of good things, but the doing of them, that shows a mind well-disposed." (St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew, Homily 67.2)

​Worship Services Schedule: Sunday, September 27th, 2026

◇ 9:00 AM - Traditional Service: A reflective, classic worship experience centered on Scripture, traditional hymns, and communal prayer.

◇ 11:00 AM - REVIVE Service with Communion: An energetic, modern worship service where we will share the Lord’s Supper together as a unified body.

​To help prepare your heart and mind as we come together this Sunday, consider these two questions throughout the week:

1. Where in my life am I currently offering God good intentions and polite words instead of actual follow-through?

2. Who is one person in my immediate community who needs to experience Christ's compassion through my direct action this week?

​Come ready to worship, share in the Lord’s Table, and be challenged to live out our calling.

All are welcome to our Father’s house!

​In Christ’s Grace,

Revd. Robert Selvakumar

Pastor, Great Bend First United Methodist Church

09/23/2026

Are you curious about where the sweet treats and eats come from during fellowship time on Sunday mornings?!

🥰You may be surprised to learn that they're lovingly prepared or purchased by volunteers like you!

If you're interested in signing up, check the schedule below for details. Thanks! https://calendar.app.google/WX7mA7ZErhcqxkX6A

09/17/2026

Dear Church Family,

What if God’s understanding of fairness looks completely different from our own?

As we journey through our annual theme, The Call to Care and Compassion!, we invite you to gather with us on Sunday, September 20th, 2026 - the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Together, we will reflect on the sermon topic Care by Equity!, grounded in Jesus’ “Parable of the Laborers” in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16).

In this passage, Christ turns human economics upside down, revealing God's surprising standard of fairness, a grace rooted not in transaction or status, but in generous, meeting-at-the-need equity. Civil rights leader and social reformer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. captured this divine posture powerfully:

"True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?" (1967).

Join us as we explore what it means to embody this radical care in our daily lives and community.

Worship Schedule for September 20th, 2026:

9:00 AM – Traditional Service.

11:00 AM – REVIVE Service (with Holy Communion).

As you prepare your heart for worship this week, consider these questions for reflection:

1. Where in your life do you measure your worth or the worth of others by effort rather than God's unearned grace?

2. How can our faith community move past basic charity to practice true equity and compassion in our neighborhood?

Come as you are, bring a friend, and let us encounter God's transforming love together.

All are welcome to our Father’s house!

Grace and Peace,

Revd. Robert Selvakumar

Pastor, Great Bend First United Methodist Church