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:
Church Council met three times to coordinate church operations. These men and women have taken their responsibility to oversee the operation of the church and to plan for the future very seriously. GUMC is in some very capable hands. The Council is continuing its efforts toward developing goals and strategies for the next few years. You will be hearing more about that in the coming months as we get it formalized. The input from the congregation has been the driving force behind the creation of this vision.
Missions & Benevolence Committee has been busy extending a helping hand to the community. They have taken an active role in revamping the way we provide assistance, created a protocol to use when acting on requests, coordinated with the school on some of our missions there, and have laid the ground work for increased community involvement by our church. Here are some of the major efforts conducted
Call for Help - $500, Samaritan's Purse - $500,
Methodist Children's Home. - $500, Wesley Foundation - $500,
Local Need (private) - $600, Gause Cemetery Association - $100.
Gause Baptist Church Children's Camp (support 1 child) - $375.
Morning Star Ranch - $200., Gause CIP (cake) - $100. $3200 in designated giving
Worship Committee has worked hard to establish new service formats, coordinate worship activities, and to assist our new Pastor.
Events & Activities Committee planned and conducted several functions including a welcome reception for Kyle and Karen McNeely, a bereavement meal, Sunday School refreshments, Fellowship sessions following worship, Easter festivities, Gause Founders' Day parade entry, and has been busy coordinating kitchen activities.
Finance Committee has revamped our financial processes, reformatted our budget to make it more useful, established a checks and balances process for processing the offerings, oversaw the process of revising our 2018 budget, and has provided $40,000 from general funds to the Trustees for establishment of CD’s, plus overseen the daily financial operations.
Staff Parish Relations Committee has had an unusually busy half a year bringing in a new pastor, establishing guidelines for the new pastor, creating an evaluation system to evaluate the pastor, developing a Church Secretary position, along with all the normal actions involving the general oversight of a variety of staff and volunteers.
Trustees have also been very busy this year. They have re-piped the entire water system in the annex, established Certificates of Deposit of funds from the Finance Committee, helped with the installation of the new front doors, replaced the water heater, installed a yard sprinkler system, conducted numerous surveys of church property, revised our insurance program, and made numerous repairs to the facilities and equipment.
Nominations & Lay Leadership developed the new slate of committee assignments for 2019. This committee has overseen the Bible studies and other enrichment activities
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