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.

Dementia Support Workshop – Saturday, November 9

First Church will host a “Dementia Support for our Community” presentation on Saturday, November 9 from 9 to 11 a.m. Please join Pastor Karen Stewart as she provides insightful workshops designed to give caregivers the tools and resources they need. Call 602-767-8300 for more information or RSVP by emailing events2@dementiacampus.org.

First Sunday Social Hour

Please join us for our First Sunday Social Hour Gathering between services at 10 a.m. in Wesley Lounge. This is a time to mingle and talk about what’s going on or how you can serve at First Church. We look forward to seeing you!

All Church Conference – Tuesday, November 19

Join us on Tuesday, November 19, at 7 p.m. in Asbury Hall as we celebrate the ministry of First Church with our West District Superintendent and Missional Strategist, Rev. Javier Olivares. Goals for 2025 will be approved as we welcome leadership into serving positions and lift up our accomplishments from 2024. All members of First Church are welcome to attend and vote on matters of the church.

Axios Unaltered

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 or search @axiosunaltered on social media for more information.

Join the Missions Committee

The Missions Committee invites you to join us, supporting and organizing mission projects to serve our community and be transformed in service to God.
We meet at 6:30 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of the month via Zoom. If interested, please contact Tami Smith.

Attention Business Owners!

We are starting up a business directory for all church members to receive a complimentary listing if they are self-employed, an independent contractor, or a business owner. This will be a classified ad-style listing with one sentence about what you do, including your contact information. This will enable our members to support one another when looking for a business professional. Please email info@firstchurch.church with your information if you would like to be included.

First Church Foundation – Did You Know?

If you have a tax-deferred retirement savings account, you must withdraw a minimum amount (Required Minimum Distribution or RMD) each year once you
reach age 73. Affected accounts include traditional IRAs and qualified retirement accounts with a former employer. Distributions from an account can be fully taxable as ordinary income. HOWEVER, you may be able to have your RMD paid directly to a qualified charity that satisfies your distribution requirement and NOT pay income taxes on that amount. Consider having that RMD sent directly to First United Methodist Church or First United Methodist Foundation of Phoenix. As always, consult your financial advisor or tax preparer for detailed information and procedures.

Christmas Greens

Once again, this year the members of the music program at FUMC are taking orders for fragrant Christmas greens from Washington state. You may order wreaths, centerpieces, swags, or cones. Interested? You may order through the month of October. Check-in at the table on the patio or call Don Richardson at 602-997-1205.

Young Adults Small Group

Join our brand new young adult ministry. Teens out of high school, twenty-somethings, and thirty-somethings are invited to this new group meeting each week on Sundays at 3 p.m. in Room 102 for Bible study, prayer, and connection. Prepare to be challenged and dive deeply into the Word of God. Let’s take our faith to the next level!

Volunteers Needed for our Tutoring Program

Please join a group of First Church tutors who assist and support students, kindergarten – 4th grade, in the Madison School District OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring Program. For more information, please contact Marie Morais Garber at 602-448-0419.

Community Yoga Class

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. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 19.
The book for November is Mockingbird Summer by Linda Rutledge. We welcome all who love to read and discuss and travel the world through books.

Prayers for the Congregation

PRAYER QUILT IN THE NARTHEX
A prayer quilt displayed in the Narthex this morning is for Art Coughanour. Art is the husband of Marcia Boyer’s best friend Sally. We invite you to stop, tie a knot, and pray for healing, grace, and comfort.

PRAYERS FOR OUR SPECIAL CARE
Loraine Stewart, Bev Sutton, Twyla Thompson, Brenda and Jim Unsworth, Elizabeth Vick, Bob Young, Selena Alderman, Carolyn Allen

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES (Celebrating 50 or more years of marriage) Grant and Audrey Clayton 11/3, Clark and Jamie Dove 11/10

SENIOR MILESTONES (Celebrating 80 or more birthdays)
Sarah Schafer 11/3, Ted Becker 11/7

PRAYERS FOR OUR CHURCHES
Sunrise UMC, Phoenix; Willowbrook UMC, Sun City

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.