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.

URGENT APPEAL – NOVEMBER 2024

Friends, We come to you with an urgent appeal. As of October 31, 2024, First Church has a $204,686 deficit. In simple terms, that means our cash receipts for the first 10 months are less than our cash outflow. Our staff takes great efforts to monitor and control expenditures. We are implementing new programs and ministries in order to better serve our congregants and our community. However, in order to continue our growth direction, we all need to step up and meet our pledge, and otherwise give generously. WE NEED YOUR GIFTS.

We have heard the expression, Think Outside the Box. How about Give Outside the Box?

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Personal Testimony

Through mid-life career change

First Church is there

Through loss of family members

First Church is there

Through health challenges

First Church is there

Through old age

First Church is there

These are a few of the reasons that I financially support

First Church is there

Where are you?

– John Holmes, Finance Committee Chair

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.

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!

Tutoring Program

First United Methodist Church OASIS Tutors are thrilled to announce that we have completed SEVEN successful years of partnership with the Madison School District through the OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring Program! This nationally acclaimed non-profit organization promotes literacy by helping children in grades K-4 improve their reading, writing, and communication skills. Mrs. Kim Gullo, Madison OASIS Tutor Facilitator, has inspired and empowered our volunteers to make a lasting impact in the lives of young students. Loyal volunteers like First Church member, Donna Wright, are at the heart of our tutoring program and we thank her sincerely for her years of faithful service. She shares her experience below: “I love to read, and for six of the past seven years, I shared that love with kids at one of the schools in the Madison District. One hour a week, a second or third grader would get my undivided attention. We would read aloud, write, talk, laugh, play with words, and enjoy the process. The format was easy to use, and you don’t have to be a teacher to be effective. There have been restaurant owners, secretaries, salespeople, and many others volunteering. There’s a resource room with many books and materials organized by our facilitator, Kim Gullo, for easy access. What did I get out of it? The satisfaction of helping a very young someone who needed a little extra attention and help.” Volunteers like Donna Wright have made a significant difference in the educational lives of many young students. First Church extends our heartfelt gratitude to Donna and all of our other dedicated tutors, whose selfless service continues to enrich the lives of so many young students. We invite you to join us in this fulfilling work. As we prepare for the 2024-2025 school year, we are seeking more volunteers to continue this great ministry. Whether you have a background in education or simply a passion for helping others, you can make a difference in a child’s life. If you are interested in volunteering or would like to learn more about the program, please contact the Church Office at 602-263-5013 or reach out to Marie Morais Garber at 602-448-0419.

Thank you. In His Service, Marie Morais Garber First Church OASIS Tutor Coordinator

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 Jim Johns. Jim is the brother-in-law to Jack Sneathen. We invite you to stop, tie a knot, and pray for healing, grace and comfort.

PRAYERS FOR OUR SPECIAL CARE
Bill Carpenter, Ruth Clark, Grant Cooper, Hedy Cunningham, Laura DeNinno, Yvonne Fischer, Barbara Harvey, Judith Humbert, Barbara and Vickie Johnson

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)
Linda Smalley 11/13
Brenda North 11/15

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.