Activites & Accomplishments

This page is an accumulation of a listing of our activities and accomplishments over the past several years. You are welcome to read through it, but this is primarily for historical purposes!

2025


January - Conducted food drive for Gause Harvest of Hope Program
January - Became a participating church in the Gause Harvest of Program
January - Made Warming Center available for a week during freezing weather. No customers though.
February - Men held a Valentine's Dinner in honor of the ladies.  27 participated
February - Replaced the Annex door leading to the breezeway.
February - Installed lighting at the top of the front wall of the sanctuary and a motion light on the Annex porch.
March - Initiated a long term fund drive to assist the Wagnon family with Angelle's medical expenses.
March - Began Lenten Bible Study series
March - Hosted the Christ Church, College Station, choir and held a potato bake.bar while they were here


 

2024


January - Souper Sunday luncheon

January - Baby Shower for the Cliff Cook Family

February - Valentine's Dinner

February - Ash Wednesday Service

February - Lenten Bible Study

March - Christ Church Choir performed at our worship service

March - St. Patrick's Day Potato Bake

March - Maundy Thursday Service

March - Good Friday Service

March - Easter Service & Egg Hunt

April - Adopt a Highway Trash Pickup

May - Recognized moms with roses

May - Graduate Recognition during Worship

May - End of School celebration with Hot Dogs

June - Vacation Bible School

June - Father's Day Meal

July - conducted a blood drive

August - Provided a meal at school for all teachers and staff

August - conducted blessing of backpacks for back to school

August - held a hamburger/hot dog lunch for back to school

August - conducted a fund drive for Call to Help in Hearne for their food bank.  Sent them $1625

August - presented a screening of Sights and Sounds "David" production. 12 attended

September - Conducted Adopt-s-Highway trash pick up with A&M Wesley Foundation help

September - Began monthly Come to the Table food pick up along with the Baptist and Wellspring churches.

October - Conducted a Laity Sunday wherein all aspects of the service were done by lay people.

October - Held Pastor Appreciation luncheon

October - Hosted Milam County Healh Department for Flu Shot Clinic

October - participated in Gause Trunk or Treat

November - Hosted a Blood Drive with 14 donors and 21 units donated.

December - Held the annual Children's Christmas Pageant with 46 in attendance, followed by refreshments

December - Conducted Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

December - Held fund drive to support the Methodist Children's Home in Waco

December - Provided filled shoeboxes to the Samaritan's Purse shoebox drive

December - Provided Christmas gift and food assistance to 5 families with 16 children

2023

January, 1, 2023 - First day as part of Global Methodist Church

January - New committees and officers began leading GMC

January - Developed new logos for the church

January - held a soup and chili lunch

February - Pastor Kyle McNeely was ordained as an Elder in the Global Methodist Church

February - Men hosted a Valentine's Dinner for the ladies. 28 attended

​February - Held a catered lunch celebrating Pastor Kyle's ordination 45 attended

February - Held a Mardi Gras fellowship and dinner night - 18 attended

​February - Conducted Ash Wednesday service with 19 attending

February - Began using the new Global Methodist Church sanctioned hymnals donated to the church by a member

March - Potato Bake - 28 attended

March - Conducted trash pickup for Adopt-a-Highway

March - New volunteer Financial Secretary began service

​March - Conducted Church Conference to vote on changing incorporation documents to match new name, Gause Methodist Church

April - Conducted an Adopt-a-Highway clean up with lunch afterwards

April - Hosted the annual Easter Egg hunt

​April - Contracted to have several storm damaged trees removed from the property

April - Received a new Automated External Defibrillator for the church 

Jun - Conducted an overnight lock in for kids

Jun - Received two new wood offering collection plates

Jun - Held an luncheon in honor of our fathers

​Jul - Hosted a blood drive

Jul - Installed free Book Box Library at edge of our parking lot

Jul - Conducted trash cleanup for Adopt-a-Highway

Aug - Hosted a catered lunch for Gause school teachers and staff

Aug - Conducted Blessing of Backpacks and had IceCream Social

Sep - Presented Bibles to our Third Graders

Oct - Held a Pastor Appreciation Luncheon in honor of Pastor Kyle McNeely

Oct - Hosted Milam County Health Department for free Flu Shots

​Oct - Participated in the community Trunk or Treat

Nov - Recognized veterans in worship and then had a hot dog lunch

​Nov - Conducted the annual Charge Conference meeting

2022

January - New committees and officers began leading GUMC

January - Began streaming to FaceBook using new AV system

February - Men held a Valentine's Dinner for the ladies

February - Conducted a free COVID Shot clinic with 8 served. 

March - Conducted trash pickup for Adopt-a- Highway program - 15 people with 29 bags collected

March - hosted the Milam County Health Dept for COVID shots. 1 person served.

​March - Events committee conducted a Potato Bake for members and friends

March - Missions Committee raised $5,000 for UMCOR Ukraine Mission project

April - Conducted a church work day with 12 people participating

April - Events committee sponsored a potato bake for GUMC

April - Highlight or Easter Egg hunt was getting eggs out of a tree where some were hidden

May - hosted the Milam County Health Dept for COVID shots. Nobody came in for shots.

May - hot dogs were served in celebration of the end of the school year.

May - Cutter Smith, Colton Kirk, Abram Stroh, and Kyle McNeely were recognized for their various graduations

May - At the end of the month, Pastor McNeely and Janna Byrd attended the Texas Annual Conference in Houston as delegates from GUMC.

Jun - Began disaffiliation education sessions

Jun - The first First Monday Ladies Social was hosted by Reba Fischer at her home with 10 in attendance

​Jun - Furnished bereavement meal and use of annex for Hafley family

Jul - Hosted blood drive with 23 units collected

​Jul - Held our Vacation Bible School with 18 kids participating

​Jul - Conducted tool drive for UMC Muck Kits.  Donated $200 worth of tools to District Office

Aug - Hosted teachers and staff luncheon

Aug - Blessing of the Backpacks and back to school lunch

Aug - Hosted Milam County Health Department for COVID Shot Clinic

Sep - GUMC voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church and join the Global Methodist Church on 12-31-22

Sep - Mike Smith joined GUMC

Sep - Bible presentation to three third graders

Sep - Ladies social hosted by Janna Byrd at her home in Hearne

Oct - Pastor Appreciation luncheon

Oct - Hosted Milam County Health Department for COVID shots and Flu Shots.

Oct - Hosted Gulf Coast Blood drive

Oct - Conducted Trunk or Treat for 100+ area kids

Nov -Participated in the community Thanksgiving Dinner at the Gause Baptist Church

Nov - Collected Christmas Shoe boxes

Nov - Hosted Gulf Coast Blood Drive - 14 units donated

Dec - Conducted installation service for the 2022 class of acolytes.  They are Tristian Cook, Rosie Cook, Emmy Cook, Anaka Moore, Joey Moore, and Samantha Stroh.

Dec - Held the Kid's Christmas Pageant for an audience of 55 people. Allison Moore served as the pageant Director.

Dec - Conducted Christmas Eve service

2021

January - New committees and officers began leading GUMC

​January - Paid 100% of our apportionments

January - Trustees reorganized themselves into teams concentrating on all aspects of Trustees responsibilities

February - Established GUMC as a state Warming Center during the frigid weather

​March - Converted all three AC unit thermostats to wireless

​March - conducted a work day for the flower beds and yard

March - conducted a potato bake for the congregation

March - removed the single hand rail at front sanctuary steps and replaced it with two hand rails

April - Easter egg hunt

​April - Replaced Annex air conditioning system

​May - After School Bash for the community with 48 attending

May - Presented Bibles to High School graduates, Ryan Blakley and Ryland Kirk

July - Conducted an Adopt-a-Highway trash clean-up day. Were assisted by 7 A&M Wesley Foundation students. Conlcuded with lunch and swim                          party at Niklasch home.

July - Hosted Blood Drive

July - Approved creation of a new Audio Visual system for streaming

July - Conducted Vacation Bible School - 13 kids participated

August - Provided teachers and staff luncheon at Gause ISD.  Meal and desserts.

August - Milam County Health Dept provide COVID shots in Annex - 28 people served

August - Began installation of new Audio Visual system

September - ​Milam County Health Dept provided COVID shots in Annex - 38 people served

September - Conducted aid drive to collect items to aid Hurricane Ida victims

September - conducted fund drive to raise money for the Methodist Childrens Home and a group visited the home to present the donation.

October - Milam County Health Dept provided COVID shots in Annex. 17 people served.

October - Repaired AC drain line under the sanctuary

October - Completed construction of new Audio Visual booth, wiring, and installation of equipment

October - recognized Pastor Kyle with a Luncheon for Pastor Appreciation Sunday

October - completed a project to re-caulk and re-glaze all the sanctuary windows and to repaint all the trim.

October - Milam County Health Dept provided COVID and flu shots in Annex. 19 people got flu shots and the church paid for those who could not afford it. 15 received COVID shots.

October - Trunk or Treat in coordination with the Gause Baptist Church and the Gause Volunteer Fire Department served over 150 people!

November - Conducted Adopt-a-Highway clean up. 12 people participated. 29 bags of trash collected.

November - New Audio Visual system installation completed.

December - Completed fund raising for Methodist Children's Home and the Christmas Shoebox program plus provided Christmas gifts for two needy families

December - Held the annual candlelight Christmas Eve service.

2020

January - New committees and officers began leading GUMC

​January - Paid 100% of our apportionments

February - Building Committee provided initial plans to GUMC for comments

February - Valentine's Dinner - 38 people attended.

March - Began Live-Streaming worship service

March - Closed the church indefinitely for all gatherings, including worship services due to COVID-19 Virus problems.

March - Hosted an American Red Cross blood draw, collecting 20 units.

April - Conducted Easter Services including Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services via LiveStreaming for first time ever.

​April - Conducted Easter egg hunt on the church web site.

April - Re-stained and installed a weather resistant protective coating on sanctuary front doors.

May - Conducted all services via LiveStreaming

Jun - Developed method for re-opening of the church to in person services

Jul - Reopened in person worship with congregation distanced and in masks

Aug - Sponsored a highly successful blood drive

Aug - Installed Wifi system with Internet for the church facility

Aug - Provided Teacher and Staff Back To School Luncheon at the school

Oct - Conducted Halloween Trunk or Treat and served over 70 children from 13 trunks - 8 from GUMC and 3 Gause Baptist Church

Nov - Conducted All Saints Day service

Nov - Hosted a pet wellness clinic conducted by Milam County Touch of Love and Brinlee Veterinary Services, PLLC

Dec - Participated in Shoebox drive and funded 32 boxes

Dec - Provided clothes and toys for two families for Christmas

2019

Conducted New Committee Member training

Completed our 2018 Year End data input to the District

Continued working with community to provide meals for Dendy Brown family

Completed modification to altar platform making it easier to serve communion

Held Men's Steak Dinner with 24 in attendance including some guests from outside GUMC

Initiated a Facility Needs Study Group to determine solution for our space needs and conflicts

Donated $2000 to various regional and national charities 

Participated in fund raising lunch for Dendy Brown at the Gause Baptist Church

Participated in blood drive for Dendy Brown

Paid electric bill for a family in need

Paid for eye exam and glasses for a lady with no means of support

Held a Valentine's Dinner conducted by the men for the ladies.  36 attended.

​Conducted a church meeting to discuss the 2019 UMC General Conference

Held a Soup Sampler Lunch with 38 attending.

Conducted a Potato Bash fund raiser for the youth program in March.

Held a game night for church members.

Two crews of people went to Franklin to assist with tornado clean-up

Funeral for Curtis Hover was conducted by Rev. Kenneth Byrd

$10,000 raised to support Franklin Tornado victims

Church spring picnic held with 30 in attendance

Gause Cemetery Association meeting was at GUMC this year.

Conducted Church Conference meeting for congregation to vote on Strategic Vision and approve new building project

Established the GUMC Strategic Vision

Establishes a Building Committee to begin the process of developing a new facility

Established a temporary committee to plan and conduct a Vacation Bible Study program to be conducted in July.

​Repaired erosion on a church member's driveway and entrance

Completed tasks to help a church family with their home repairs and yard work that they were unable to do for themselves

​Adopt-a-Highway signs were installed one mile on each side of Gause on Hwy 79

​Began a new Methodist Youth Fellowship program for GUMC with two youth attending.

Conducted a one-day Vacation Bible School (our first in a very long time). 16 children...great day.

Children's Sunday School room repainted.

Picked up trash on our Adopt a Highway stretch. 17 volunteers and 37 bags of trash

Held annual luncheon for Gause ISD teachers and staff.

Conducted Blessing of the Backpacks during worship service Aug 11.

Entered a float in the Gause Founders Day Parade Sep 14th.

Conducted a weekly Sunday afternoon Bible study

Conducted a 5 week Overcomers Bible Study taught by Pastor Kyle.

Methodist Youth Fellowship group visited the Crossroads Nursing Home in Hearne to minister to the residents.

Held a Pastor Appreciation luncheon in October

​Trustees added sprinklers to the flower beds

Held Halloween Trunk or Treat for over 60 children and 40 adults

Entered into agreement with Amazing Grace of Gause for them to receive donations in support of community missions on behalf of GUMC

Conducted Children's Christmas program

​Executed our first video streaming project by streaming live the Children's Christmas program.

Conducted Christmas Eve service

Removed four skunks from under an elderly church member's house

2018

Welcomed 7 new members into the church.
Established the traditional Methodist committee system for the church structure.
Conducted committee training.
Paid 100% of our apportionments to the UMC in January.
Welcomed a series of temporary pastors.
Welcomed our new pastor and his wife.
Had numerous people serving as Lay Readers.
Committees have been conducting meetings and actively managing and operating GUMC.
Vision Team established recommendations for long-term goals.
Bibles presented to graduates.
New front doors constructed and installed on front of Sanctuary thanks to Keith McBee, Mike Griffin, and the Trustees.
Began regular children’s sermons.
Conducted Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Easter Services, and Easter Egg hunt for the kids.
Conducted a new Maundy Thursday service this year.  The Worship Committee voted to continue the service in the future.
Additional people have volunteered to help with children during church.
Revised our church budget and established a new budget format aligned with committees.
Began a new Bible Study conducted each Sunday afternoon with an average of 15 participants - covering Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers in 2018.
Began regular messages on the new sign donated by retired Pastor Kenneth and Janna Byrd.  We are blessed that Ruth Hardy volunteered to manage the sign.
A large number of people have volunteered for numerous tasks without even being asked!
Pastor Kyle taught a multi-week Methodism class.
Prayed over and distributed 15 prayer blankets.
Have had two presentations by children during worship services.
Travis Neely and Dan Fischer attended district-wide meetings to represent GUMC.
Martha Hann volunteered to be our song leader and has worked hard in that position.
Pastor Kyle and Dan Fischer represented GUMC at the Texas Conference Annual Conference.
Much work has been done in the development of our long-term strategy and the goals necessary to meet those strategies. 
Streamlined many of the office processes and have begun organizing the office, files, and associated activities.  The Secretary position has been created and filled.
Judy Marks volunteered to be our organist and to assist Kathy in our worship services.  The organ, along with the piano, has created an added dimension to our worship services.
Kathy Turner asked for favorite hymns from the congregation and has incorporated many of them in our services already.
Kathy Turner continues to inspire us in our Sunday services with her special music selections.
We are in strong financial condition and are blessed to be in such a position. Attached is our budget report for the first half of the year. Please examine it as you will now be able to easily see what each committee is spending and, generally, how the funds are being utilized.
The Committees have been very busy:

Teacher and Staff Luncheon for Gause ISD

Allowed a community family to host a baby shower in our Fellowship Hall at no charge.

Allowed a community family to use our sanctuary for a memorial service at no charge. Plus we served them a bereavement meal.

Conducted a Blessing of the Backpacks ceremony for all those attending school this fall

Installed a yard sprinkler system for the yard in front of the Fellowship Hall

All committees met to develop goals to help GUMC attain its Strategic Vision

Pastor Kyle began holding regular office hours on 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month

Hosted Thomas and Karen Couch, Cross Cultural workers stationed in Kosovo. They provided the Worship message one Sunday

​Held 3 Meet the Pastor gatherings at member's homes to help Pastor Kyle in getting to know the congregation and vice versa

Participated in Gause Founders' Day Celebration and entered a float in the parade which won second place.

Provided a bereavement meal for the family of Dorothy Jean Gause

Jeanne Niklasch has volunteered to conduct our children’s ministries and has already re-designed the Sunday School room, implemented a new curriculum, and had several children’s performances during worship service.

Conducted a men's prayer breakfast

​Conducted our annual Church Conference and associated Charge Conference submission to the District

​Palm crosses made by 5 members of the congregation for Pastor Kyle to use during pastoral visits.

Conducted 7-week Ladies Bible Study - facilitated by Judy Marks

Trustees created and marked a Handicap Parking space

Pastor Kyle and Dan Fischer attended a regional "Listening Session" pertaining to the upcoming UMC General Conference in 2019

Kitchen Shower conducted to restock Annex kitchen

Ladies met and sewed 80 new prayer blanketsPastor Kyle, Dan Fischer, and Henry Bonorden attended the District Charge Conference

Paid for eye exams and new glasses for a child at Gause School

Provided Christmas gifts for two children in need as requested by Milam County Child Protective Services

Provided Christmas gifts for two families of children who attend Gause School

Provided food for a family whose children attend Gause School

Led a community effort to provide food and support to the Denby Brown family in Gause over several months during their recuperation from an accident and other medical issues.

Conducted a new Remembrance Service on the evening of the Longest Night - attendance was 12

Conducted a Christmas Eve Service - attendance was 100