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

This week in church we read about a Pharisee named Nicodemus in John 3:1–17. Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, perhaps in secret, not wanting to be recognized. The image is powerful. Like someone wandering in the dark. In Nicodemus’ case, he is wandering in his faith.

His searching leads him to ask how a person enters the kingdom of God. Jesus responds with the image of birth. Not a biological birth, but a spiritual one. This new birth brings awakening. For Nicodemus, the light of Christ begins to shine into his heart and life.

The call to journey in grace means traveling light. When we hand over to God our burdens such as worry, fear, anxiety, and doubt, the path becomes less heavy, and light begins to touch the places that seem darkest. This was true for Nicodemus. In essence, he is asking Jesus, “How can light shine into the darkness of my life?” Jesus answers, “Be born from above. Embrace a new way of living.”

As we continue our Lenten journey, we too are invited into this new life. Into the way of grace, where Christ’s light meets us in the dark.

See you in church.

Pastor David

Congregational Prayer Requests

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

PRAYER QUILT IN THE NARTHEX

A prayer quilt displayed in the narthex is for Barb Davison. Barb is a long-time member of FUMC. Another prayer quilt displayed in the narthex is for Jim McCoy. Jim is a long-time member of FUMC. We invite you to stop, tie a knot, and pray for healing, grace and comfort.

DEATHS

First Church invites you to attend the Celebration of Life for Donna Warrington, who passed on February 19. Services are on Thursday, March 5 at 11 a.m. at FUMC.

PRAYERS FOR OUR SPECIAL CARE

Selena Alderman, Carolyn Allen, Bill Carpenter, Karen Champagne, Ruth Clark, Mary Anne Cooper, Laura DeNinno, Yvonne Fischer, Barbara Harvey.

OTHER

None

PRAYERS FOR OUR CHURCHES

Christ Community UMC- Avondale

Community Church of Buckeye- Buckeye

(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)

Buzz and Liv Steven 2/19

SENIOR MILESTONES (Celebrating 80+ birthdays)

Kent Klein 2/11

Donna Moninger 2/15

Marion Pease 2/16

Grier Cooper 2/23

Al Hayer 2/23

Daniel Scott 2/26

Barbara Harvey 3/3

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Mission’s Committee Black History Month Weekly Quote

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.

Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Important Reminder- Service Time Change

This is a friendly reminder that on March 1st, we will not have our typical 9:00 am and 11:00 am service split. We will have one worship service at 10:00 am with a free lunch afterwards at 11:15 am. Come join us for good community, good worship, and good food.

P.S. It’s not required, but very helpful for the Foundation to have numbers of how many people are interested in staying for lunch. It would be deeply appreciated if you’d be willing to contact the church office or sign up online (https://firstchurchphoenix.churchcenter.com/registrations/signups/3425606) if you are interested in coming.

Derrick Sewell Memorial Information

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Lura Turner Homes Mission Project- March 14th

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Scholarship Applications Now Open

Our scholarship applications are now open! Please click here to apply! The deadline this year is Monday, March 16th, at 4:00 pm, and late applications cannot be accepted. Applications can only be submitted electronically, and we request that you submit a photo of yourself along with your application. Applicants will receive an electronic confirmation of a successful submission.

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Groups and Gatherings Committee- Get Engaged!

Do you have a knack for bringing people together? Do you like planning a great movie night for your friends, or family activities after the big game? If so, we have a great way for you to serve your church!

We’re developing a Groups and Gatherings Team to plan events and activities for our church throughout the year. The team will be able to plan as few or as many events as they’d like, with no pressure, and will have support from church leaders when needed.

Unlike our established administrative committees, there are no regularly scheduled meetings, no minutes to take, and no reports to present! The team will meet/communicate as needed to share ideas and plan some fun events for our church and the community, including things like board game nights, movie nights, outings to go to dinner, attend a theatre performance, or whatever else sounds fun to you!

Does this give you some ideas? If you are looking for a way to serve that is creative, flexible, and FUN, please email Sammi at sammi@firstchurch.church to join today. Thank you for bringing more engagement to our church!

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Have You Ever Wanted to Learn More About Our Foundation?

First Church is blessed by having a Foundation that has been serving and supporting our ministry for more than 70 years. Through extraordinary generosity and careful stewardship, our Foundation helps sustain many important areas of church life, including significant support for our operating budget.

If out have ever been curious about how our Foundation works, or if you might be interested in learning more about serving on its board, we would love to hear from you. Board service is meaningful and rewarding work that truly impacts all areas of our church.

To learn more, please contact Anne Bettis.

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Pancake Breakfast- March 15th

Please join us on Sunday, March 15th from 9 am to noon in Asbury Hall. Enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast and help support BSA Venturing Crew 2041’s Northern Tier Adventure! The recommended donation is $10. We look forward to seeing you!

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A Morning of Worship and a Table of Community

Sunday, March 1 we’ll gather as one church for worship at 10:00am, then keep the joy going as we head to Asbury Hall at 11:15 for lunch and fellowship.

Thanks to the generosity of our Foundation, a casual lunch will be provided at no charge. Just good food and even better company.

It will be a time to slow down, connect, laugh, and enjoy being together as a church family. Community. Fun. Engagement. Connection. We hope you don’t miss it.

Please contact the church office or sign up online to attend. https://registrations.planningcenteronline.com/signups/3425606

Come for worship, stay for lunch. Leave with a “Panza llena, corazón contento” (“full tummy, happy heart”).

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Giving Report

Here is an updated giving report from Carrick Sears. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.

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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 April 5th. 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.

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) 303-7535 in your cell phone text messaging program and a dollar amount without including a “$” sign as the message (example: type 20 to give twenty dollars).
2. You will receive a reply with a link to enter your contact and debit or credit card 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 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.