News
June 5, 2026
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
As we prepare and plan for Pastor Mike’s arrival in July the Lewis Center for Church Leadership offers ways for saying “Welcome!” Not all suggestions listed pertain to every congregation, but it offers a reminder for care and hospitality. The following link includes this list:
https://www.churchleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/50_Ways_to_Welcome_New_Pastor.pdf
In addition, here are a few of their suggestions to prepare to welcome Pastor Mike and his family:
¨ 1. Open your hearts and decide that you are going to love your new pastor.
¨ 2. Begin praying daily for Pastor Mike and his family, even as you continue to pray for Pastor David, Rebecca, and Alex.
¨ 3. Send cards as individuals and as groups of welcome and encouragement to Pastor Mike.
¨ 4. Know that welcoming your new pastor in genuine and effective ways lays the groundwork for a healthy and vital relationship and the development of stable, long-term ministries together.
¨ 5. The Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) will be planning for the transition. Occasionally important welcoming gestures are missed with everyone thinking someone else is handling these details. If you have an idea, contact Marilyn Harter, the SPRC chairman.
I know that you will welcome Mike, Brooke, and Landon with our warm First Church hospitality and that your new season of ministry will be fruitful and Spirit-filled.
Grace and peace,
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 this morning is for Ron Wilson. Ron is the husband of Bonnie Naegle-Wilson. A second prayer quilt displayer in the narthex this morning is for Bobby Andrade. Bobby is the cousin of Susan Sneathen.
We invite you to stop, tie a knot, and pray for healing, grace and comfort.
DEATHS
None
PRAYERS FOR OUR SPECIAL CARE
Laura DeNinno, Yvonne Fischer, Barbara Harvey, Jim Hyde, Barbara Johnson, Vickie Johnson, Ronda Klein, Betty Luallin, Terry Lutz, Ray McFarland.
OTHER
Please pray for these members of our church family: Jim Hyde, Ron Wilson, Tom Rice, Steve Haehl, and Doug Dunipace.
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 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)
John and Peggy Ward 6/2
Noel and Inese Markman 6/3
Mike and Sandy Fox 6/15
Stan and Jill Brown 6/16
SENIOR MILESTONES (Celebrating 80+ birthdays)
Janet Ambrose 5/30
Jill Huddleston 6/2
Judith Wilson 6/8
Diane Howard 6/9
Sarg Magyar 6/11
Phyllis Chase 6/13
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Here’s the Scoop on our Incoming Pastor, Mike Wilkerson – Part 2
Pastor Mike’s call to ministry began while serving in various roles at Song of Life UMC in Queen Creek, Arizona. He discerned a deeper calling and became an ordained elder. In 2018, Mike attended Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, completing his studies over three years. Upon graduation, he was appointed pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Yuma, where he served for two years.
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Children’s Ministry Summer Updates
Kids, Jr. High, and Sr. High have moved to summer hours for June, July, and August. All-ages Sunday School will be meeting from 9:00 am – 10:00 am in room 221. Children and youth crafts and games will be available between services from 10:00 am – 11:00 am in room 222.
There will be no regular evening youth group meetings over the summer, but there are lots of fun activities and service events planned. Please contact julie@firstchurch.church with any questions or to be added to the invite list.
And finally save the date for Sunday, August 30, for our End of Summer/Back to Sunday School Kickoff Celebration to be held from 10:00 am – noon in the grassy courtyard area.
Kids Church, Youth Sunday School, and evening Youth Group will return to regular school-year hours.
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Pastor David Send Off Celebration
Mark your calendars for June 7th at 10:00 am, as we will be hosting a celebration in Asbury Hall honoring Pastor David’s years of service at First Church.
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Thank you, Pastor David
Summer Choir
then you should join us for summer choir!
For more information, please contact Joshua Elder at Joshua@firstchurch.church.
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Peace with Justice Offering
Our communion offering for the month of June is in honor of Peace With Justice ministries. This fund supports United Methodist ministries that work towards social justice locally and globally. They work for the justice and dignity of all people, peaceful solutions to problems, and helps train leaders to help create social transformation within our world.
Learn more about it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3aTYoYluWU
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Blood Drive – June 14th
Our next blood drive will be on June 14th from 8:30 am – noon. If you’d like to sign up for a specific timeslot, reservations are encouraged. Please contact Stephanie Espinoza at 602-284-1258 with questions or to make an appointment or visit www.donors.vitalant.org (Use the blood drive code: firstunited)
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From your Lay Leadership Development Committee (Nominations)
Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts are just that – gifts, given to Christian believers for the building up of the whole body of Christ. They are not given for personal gain, but for ministry in the world. Learning about the spiritual gifts we have, as well as helping our congregation learn about their gifts, can be useful when we pair it with opportunities to engage our community. Such gifts of God’s Spirit include wisdom, shepherding, exhortation, helping, discernment, faith, and compassion.
The following links are to learn more and to discover you own spiritual gift.
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/equipping-leaders/spiritual-gifts
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/spiritual-gifts-inventory/en
What’s next? After you discover your gift, pray to God to enhance and use your gift, call the pastor, tell a friend.
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Annual Conference Van Drivers Needed
Van drivers are needed during the Annual Conference in Sun City to shuttle delegates to and from parking and the conference. If you are interested in learning more, please email info@firstchurch.church. Various times Thursday through Sunday, June 18 – June 21.
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The Desert Southwest Conference Celebrates 70 Years of Women in Ministry- Share Your Stories and Pictures
“Can you believe that 2026 marks seventy years of women being ordained in The United Methodist Church?
This is a milestone for our denomination and people the world over. Even as we know we have more work to do toward equity and justice for all people formed in the imago Dei, we give thanks for the impact of women in ministry.
Other upcoming celebrations include a new live episode of the General Commission on Archives and History’s (GCAH) ‘Un-Tied Methodism’ podcast releasing on May 4 with General Secretary Ashley Boggan and guest Dr. Emily Nelms Chastain to reflect on this historic event. Listen to Un-Tied Methodism now >>
We plan on celebrating this milestone as part of our 2026 Annual Conference. The DSC’s Commission on the Status and Role of Women invites you to share your stories of women’s ordination ministries. Please share your pictures and personal stories with us.
Our hope is to tell the story of how women in ministry have impacted our annual conference, our denomination, and the beloved kingdom of God. Please submit your pictures and stories at https://dsc-reg.brtapp.com/StoriesofWomensOrdinationMinistriesStorySubmission. If you have any questions or want to offer additional comments on this project, please contact Rev. Sylvia Harris, the COSROW Chairperson.”
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Power Up With Pastor David (Online Zoom Gathering)
Join Pastor David online each Thursday from 1:00–2:00 PM, May 7 through June 11. This is a time to connect for support and caring, sharing, and prayer.
Join using this link:
https://dscumc.zoom.us/j/88689272753?pwd=CR2R5vLbgObdtDbBxftrEL6Z6PhTsT.1
Meeting ID: 886 8927 2753
Passcode: Pastor
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4 Week Book Study: The Alchemist- Never Too Late to Join!
Join Pastor David for a four-week journey through The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho—a timeless story about following your dreams, listening to your heart, and discovering the deeper meaning of life’s journey.
Together, we’ll explore themes of purpose, faith, courage, and the ways God can work through our hopes and longings. Whether you’ve read the book before or are encountering it for the first time, this will be a meaningful space for reflection, conversation, and connection.
Details:
· Duration: 4 weeks, Wednesday, May 27 – June 17, 10:00am – 11:30am
· Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Available through your favorite distributor.)
· Format: Group reading with discussion and guided reflection
· To register: Call the church office at 602-263-5013
Come ready to share, listen, and grow as we consider how this story speaks into our own lives and journeys of faith.
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Desert Southwest Conference Orientation to Ministry Event
God’s call never ceases or stops. Want to discover how you can respond to that still small voice? This is one way.
“What is this event: A gathering to explore call, process, and connection.
What does it include: A panel exploring calls and pathways with elders deacons, and local pastors. Outlining the process toward ordination, licensing, and associate membership. Several UMC seminaries discussing degrees, certification, and financial aid. A free dinner will be available.
You should register if you: Feel like serving in ministry makes you come alive, seek candidacy certification, are curious about any of the steps in the process, desire to learn more about seminary opportunities and funding. Hope to build relationships that can help you discern your call.
Register at: https://dsc-reg.brtapp.com/2026O2M.”
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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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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 June 7. 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
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.
- Enter (888) 599-4262 in your cell phone text messaging program and type GIVE $_ as the message (example: type “GIVE $20” to give twenty dollars).
- You will receive a reply with a link to enter your contact and bank 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 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.
