Scroll through this page to see what is happening at First Church.

Worship Online

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.

First Church Kids

Come and join the fun at Kids Church during the 9 a.m. service! The children start with worship in the Sanctuary at 9 a.m. Then, after the children’s message, our incredible leaders will guide them to their groups by age. Parents are welcome to walk with us. At the end of the service, children can be picked up from the following locations:

Greenhouse (6 months to 3 years old) – Room 109
Cubbyhouse (3 years old to Pre-K) – Room 222
Fun House (K-2nd grade) – Room 221
Lighthouse (3rd grade to 5th grade) – Room 102

Adult Sunday School Classes

Faith for Today Sunday School Class
Our class is a friendly, welcoming group. We meet to enhance our Christian beliefs and practices and how we can apply them to our everyday lives. Our
goals include outreach to fulfill local community needs and even beyond. We meet in the Centennial Room between services.

The Table Sunday School Class
This class is a diverse, casual, and welcoming group of people. It’s a great class whether you’re new to your faith journey or a seasoned veteran. Our discussion topics are always changing, the class is loosely structured, and no homework is required. We meet outside of class socially and have a goal of volunteering to serve the community quarterly. Join us in Room 116!

The Upper Room Sunday School Class
In this class, we do a detailed study of scripture. Currently, we are studying Colossians. Dr. Pat Dickerson, a New Testament scholar, leads us as we look at context, authorship, intended audience, specific words and how they are translated from the original text, and what is happening in the world in general. We meet in the Epworth Room from 10 to 11 a.m. If you have questions, please call Peggy Ward at 623-533-7381.

Join us for Holy Week

This Easter, we invite you to reconnect to your faith and church as we celebrate the remarkable work of
God and the story of Jesus’ life, crucifixion, and resurrection. The following opportunities allow us to gather
as a community to celebrate these holy moments.

Good Friday, March 29, 7 p.m.
A Tenebrae service of remembrance with traditional choir and organ.

Easter Sunday, March 31
Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Hallelujah!
9 a.m. Contemporary
10 a.m. A Taste of Easter – light sweets – children’s Easter Egg Hunt, crafts, and face painting.
11 a.m. Traditional Service featuring the Arizona Brassworks Quartet

As Easter reminds us of Jesus’ sacrifice through his life and death, we, too, are asked to reflect on a
personal sacrifice for the work of the body of Christ through the mission and ministry of First Church.

Easter Lily Delivery

We have a long tradition of delivering Easter lilies to members of our congregation who are not able to attend in person anymore. The lilies decorate our sanctuary on Easter Sunday and then are delivered by members who attend the Easter service. This year we will have names and addresses listed on a board in the narthex, separated by zip code. Please consider taking a lily or two and make your delivery on Sunday, March 31 after the 11 a.m. service. Please contact the church office at 602-263-5013, should you have any questions. You will definitely brighten someone’s day!

A Taste of Easter is Coming

A Taste of Easter volunteers are needed. Do you like to bake or make deviled eggs? Please volunteer to bring goodies or eggs for our Easter celebration on Sunday, March 31, at 10 a.m. Email Cathy Rice at cathyriceaz@msn.com. We also need helpers to set up and clean up.

First Sundays Social Hour

The Table Sunday School class has decided to start a monthly social gathering on the first Sunday of every month. The event will be between services from 10 – 11 a.m. and will include coffee and snacks. We will also provide activities for the kids so that parents can join in.

Easter Fun for First Kids

As we celebrate Easter, we will have something for children of all ages, from infants to fifth grade. Between services at 10 a.m., everyone is invited to participate in A Taste of Easter Brunch on the Friendship Patio. There will be an Easter Egg Hunt, crafts, face painting, and treats. We can’t wait to celebrate Easter with you!

Pat’s Run – Saturday, April 13

The 20th annual Pat’s Run is Saturday, April 13, 2024. If you’ve done this 4.2-mile run/walk before, you know how awesome it is to be with 30,000 people honoring the sacrifice of Pat Tillman in Afghanistan in 2003. If you haven’t done it, this is your year! Join Tom Rice, Joshua Elder, and Emma Jean Elder on our FUMC team. Sign up here: https://pattillmanfoundation.org. After you register, join our group FUMC Phoenix. We wind through the streets of Tempe and conclude at the 42-yard line in Sun Devil stadium. Riding the light rail is best. The race starts at 7 a.m., so all aboard at 6 a.m. at the light rail station at Central and Camelback. You can do this! Questions? Email or call Tom Rice. tomriceaz@msn.com of 602-999-2465

Community Yoga Classes

First United Methodist 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.

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 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.