News
June 20, 2025
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
Please see the video below from the United Methodist’s annual conference in Nevada. They are launching a project during this month to help feed hungry children in the state. Please click here to donate: https://dsc.brtapp.com/page/donate/annual-conference-mission-project.
(If you would like to view this video on Vimeo or in higher resolution please click here: https://vimeo.com/1071525013).
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 this morning is for Nick Wubker. Nick is a friend of Susie Cons. We invite you to stop, tie a knot, and pray for healing, grace and comfort.
DEATHS
None
PRAYERS FOR OUR SPECIAL CARE
Barbara Harvey, Judith Humbert, Barbara K. Johnson, Ronda Klein, Betty Luallin, Terry Lutz, Ray McFarland, Shirley Myer, Gerry Oliver, Jean Oliver
PRAYERS FOR OUR CHURCHES
Haven UMC – Jerome
Lakeview UMC – Sun City
Liberty UMC – 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 deby@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)
Fred and Ginny Karnas 6/12
David and Jean Rupley 6/12
Mike and Sandy Fox 6/15
Stan and Jill Brown 6/16
Larron and Karen Horton 6/22
Mike and Sandy Fox 6/15
Stan and Jill Brown 6/16
Larron and Karen Horton 6/22
SENIOR MILESTONES (Celebrating 80+ birthdays)
Sarg Magyar 6/11
Phyllis Chase 6/13
Dennis Domer 6/15
Carolyn Allen 6/17
Alice Kraft 6/17
Ann Flaherty 6/25
Lyn Warder 6/27
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First Church All-Congregation Survey June 8-22
Our Church Council is looking forward to your responses to an all-church survey available through June 22. Your answers are important, completely confidential, and they help guide the future of our church.
Use https://bit.ly/FirstChurchSurvey25 to connect to the survey on the internet. The survey works best from your desktop computer or laptop.
For those who do not have internet access, paper copies are available by contacting Cathy or Russ in the church office: 602-263-5013. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!
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Upcoming Spirit Month
July is spirit month, where we spend each Sunday celebrating a certain theme by dressing up, having themed food, and activities. The 6th is red, white, and blue day, the 13th is island breeze, the 20th is Disney day, and the 27th is Christmas in July.
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Iglesia Aliento Volunteers Wanted
Iglesia Aliento is hosting a children’s summer camp and is looking for volunteers. The camp is Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for 2.5 weeks starting July 1st. If you or anyone you know would like to sign up to help to volunteer, please fill in the sign-up form or contact Iglesia Aliento.
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First Church Foundation – Hats off to Students!
From the early years of its inception in 1954, the First Church Foundation has been awarding educational scholarships to members of the church. Over the past ten years the Foundation has granted more than $445,000 in post high school and theological scholarships.
In May, the following students were awarded scholarships by the Foundation – Christopher Boadu, Ian Elder, Erin Sullivan, Skye Goodman, Josh Boadu, Grace Cooper, Mattie Cork, Morgan Pinkerton, Mary Ellen Shaver, Maya Smith, Hali Cork, Jessica Morris and Cade Rogers.
Congratulations students! Your church is behind you!
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Food Pantry Updates
The shelves of our food assistance pantry are in need of the following items: cases of bottled water, Vienna sausage, packaged or canned tuna, canned soup, small jars of jelly and peanut butter (plastic jars please), fruit cups, apple sauce, granola bars, hard or chewable candy. For all canned goods, please provide only pop top cans. If you are able to help with any of these items, please drop them off to the church office.
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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 July 6th. We look forward to seeing you!
Axios Unaltered (LGBTQ+ Small Group)
Axios Unaltered is our resident queer small group that meets every week here at the church for a time of discussion, Bible study, and prayer, as well as service projects to support the community. If you are LGBTQ+, please join us on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. to connect with other like-minded individuals and grow in your faith. Contact Sammi Burkhart, visit axiosunaltered.com, or search @axiosunaltered on social media for more information.
Young Adult Small Group
This is a small group for anyone in our church 18-40 looking to dive deeper into their faith and connect with other younger people. We meet every Sunday afternoon in room 102 at 3:00pm for a time of community, Bible study, and prayer (and if anyone away at college would like to join in, contact Sammi Burkhart for a Zoom link to participate virtually). Come join us in the book of Romans.
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 $40. Email the church office for more information: info@firstchurch.church.
Afternoon Book Group
The Afternoon Book Group meets on the fourth Tuesday of most months at 1:30 p.m. in room 116. We welcome all who love to read and discuss and travel the world through books.
The next meeting is scheduled for June 24. The book for June is To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield.
Visit our website https://FirstChurch.church and click on the “Give” button at the top of the home page, or scan the QR code at the bottom of this message with your mobile device for a quick and easy link to the giving page. You can set up a recurring frequency or give when you want to by making a one-time gift using your checking or savings bank account.
You may also give electronically using your bank’s bill pay service.
Another way to give electronically is Text-to-Give with your debit or credit card.
- Enter (888) 303-7535 in your cell phone text messaging program and a dollar amount without including a “$” sign as the message (example: type 20 to give twenty dollars).
- You will receive a reply with a link to enter your contact and debit or credit card information.
- After you complete the registration, you will receive a verification text as well as a receipt by email.
- 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.
