Worship Online with Us

If you are unable to attend our Sunday morning worship services in-person, please join us online. We stream both services Sunday mornings live at 9 and 11 a.m. and both are available to watch later if you can’t watch live. We also have many previous services available to watch if you missed one. Please don’t forget to let us know you are watching with the “I’m Here” button at the top of the page.

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Pastor David’s Corner

For our Pastor’s Corner this week, we just wanted to highlight some of the pictures we received yesterday from our UMCOR missions trip team. We can’t wait to hear more about their trip when they get back!

Congregational Prayer Requests

(Please join us in lifting up the following items in prayer!)

PRAYER QUILT IN THE NARTHEX

The prayer quilt displayed in the narthex is for Muriel Ray. Muriel is a Bible College friend of Judy Sargent. We invite you to stop, tie a knot, and pray for healing, grace and comfort.

DEATHS

First Church is saddened to announce the death of Paul Harter, Marilyn Harter’s husband, who passed on April 16.

First Church is saddened to announce the death of Robert “Bob” Young, who passed on April 22.

PRAYERS FOR OUR SPECIAL CARE

Barbara K. Johnson, Vickie Johnson, Ronda Klein, Betty Luallin, Terry Lutz, Ray McFarland, Gerry Oliver, Jean Oliver, Bonnie Rheaume, Susan Secrest.

OTHER

None

PRAYERS FOR OUR CHURCHES

First UMC- Glendale

First UMC – Phoenix

First UMC – Sun City

(Got a prayer request? Need someone to pray with? Need support? Our congregational care team is here for you! Please contact the church office to have them forward your request to the congregational care team, fill out the form on our website https://firstchurch.church/prayer-requests/, or reach out to the congregational care team directly by emailing patricia@firstchurch.church.)

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Congregational Celebrations and Praises 

(Please join us in praising God for these celebrations!)

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES (Celebrating 50 or more years of marriage)

Jack and Linda Smalley 4/1

Mike and Cecilia Gowey 4/10

Dave and Charlene Kingston 4/10

Jack and Susan Sneathen 4/22

SENIOR MILESTONES (Celebrating 80+ birthdays)

Karen Champagne 4/18

John Ward 4/20

John Harapiak 4/24

Al Asendorf 4/25

Maxine Perkins 4/27

Nancy Maxwell 4/27

Next Sunday, May 3, will be in support of the Annual Conference Mission Project 2026, the solidarity fund. Grounded in our United Methodist call to love our neighbor and seek justice, the Desert Southwest Conference has established a Solidarity Fund to support immigrants facing financial hardship amid increased immigration enforcement. In many of our communities, detention and deportation leaves family members behind. Those families still need to pay rent and other important bills, while they work to understand ways that they will continue to support themselves. Additionally, the fear of detention and deportation is keeping people from work, school, medical care, and essential services placing immediate strain on families who are already vulnerable.
This fund offers direct, short-term assistance for basic needs such as rent, utilities, food, transportation, and medical expenses. By sharing our resources, we bear one another’s burdens and offer a tangible witness to God’s compassion and care for immigrants among us. Your generosity is a faithful act of solidarity with our immigrant siblings and neighbors, affirming the sacred worth of every person. Our May Communion Rail Offering will benefit The Solidarity Fund to share our generosity in gratitude for God’s compassion to others

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Buzz Stevens Memorial

The memorial service for Buzz Stevens will take place in our church’s sanctuary on April 25th at 2:00 pm. For those who are unable to make it in person, this livestream link is available to use:

https://vimeo.com/event/5882850?fl=so&fe=fs

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Potluck

ALL ladies of First Church are invited to a potluck dinner, sponsored by the United Women of Faith. It will be held in Centennial Room, on Thursday, May 14, at 5:30 pm. We wish to enjoy your company for fabulous food and fellowship! If you have questions please, call Susan Sneathen at (602) 361-8235.

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First Sunday Social Hour Hosts Still Needed!

We are still looking for a few spots on our First Sunday Social Hour calendar to be filled, so we wanted to open up the spots to anyone who thinks it sounds fun, not just groups, but individuals, family, or your group of friends!

We are still looking for anyone willing to host August and October. The set up can be as elaborate or as simple as you want it to be. This is an easy, no pressure way to help support the church. Contact the church office or Sammi Burkhart if you are interested in signing up.

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Youth Group Concert Fundraiser

Joshua Elder’s daughter, Alice, who goes by the artist name Olive Branches, will be hosting a concert at the church on Sunday May 3rd at 6:30 pm to raise money for the church youth group. Come support one of our very talented teens and enjoy an evening of great music! (Entry is free, but we will have donation options available for those who appreciate the music and would like to support the church youth group.)

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Reminder- Text Message Updates are Available!

If you’d like to opt into text message news and updates from our church, please contact the office to be added onto the text list!

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Iglesia Aliento Street Festival

Iglesia Aliento is hosting a street festival on Sunday May 3^rd from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, which will feature tacos, burgers, hotdogs, games, face painting, as well as various booths that provide social services, including domestic violence counseling, and free clothing for those who need it. This is a great opportunity to support their ministry, have some fun, as well as socialize with other UMC churches who have been invited. Come join in!

*If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please contact Dan Cox Gonzalez at dcoxgonzalez@gmail.com or at 602-463-2197, or sign up on Church Center (https://firstchurchphoenix.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3594784).

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Sunday Social Hour

Please join us for our First Sunday Social Hour Gathering every first Sunday of the month between services at 10 a.m. in Wesley Lounge. The next one will be May 3rd. We look forward to seeing you!

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Afternoon Book Group

The Afternoon Book Group meets on the fourth Tuesday of most months at 1:30 p.m. in the library. We welcome all who love to read and discuss and travel the world through books. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28th. The book is North Woods by Daniel Mason.

Community Yoga Classes

First Church offers two weekly yoga classes to our community. Classes meet Tuesdays, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m., and Thursdays, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. The cost is $12 per class or four classes for $40. Email the church office for more information: info@firstchurch.church.

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First Church Business Directory Updates

Business Directory July 2025

Here is an updated first church business directory.

Visit our website https://FirstChurch.church and click on the “Give” button at the top of the home page, or scan the QR code at the bottom of this message with your mobile device for a quick and easy link to the giving page. You can set up a recurring frequency or give when you want to by making a one-time gift using your checking or savings bank account.

You may also give electronically using your bank’s bill pay service.

Another way to give electronically is Text-to-Give with your debit or credit card.

1. Enter (888) 599-4262 in your cell phone text messaging program and type GIVE $xx as the message (example: type GIVE $20 to give twenty dollars).
2. You will receive a reply with a link to enter your contact and bank information.
3. After you complete the registration, you will receive a verification text as well as a receipt by email.
4. For future giving, simply send a text message with GIVE and the amount you wish to give. That’s it!

Check Your Spam and Junk

Sometimes email from our Church’s domain, “.church” isn’t recognized by all email providers. Please check your spam and junk mail folders periodically to see if something from First Church or other senders to your address might be filtered out of your inbox.