We hope you are receiving our weekly Midweek Messenger which contains lots of information on upcoming events. If you are not receiving it and would like to, please let the church office know.

Upcoming Events for Everyone

Whether you’ve been in church for a long or a short time, is some of the Bible still a bit of a mystery to you? Is it hard to read the Bible for yourself? What do all those obscure books have to do with Jesus? 

John Gerig, youth Bible teacher and College professor in Russia for over 25 years is teaching ‘Bible 101’ on Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 PM.  Come learn how the story of Jesus is woven throughout the entire Old and New Testaments. 

Class material will be provided. 

Interested in joining this class? Fill out the form to register.

These classes are being recorded for those who are unable to attend or missed the first couple weeks of the class. Please contact Rachel Wilhelm for a link to the videos.

FirstMC will be the host for PrayerWorks on Thursday, March 30 from 6 AM to midnight. We need two people per 2-hour time slot, and you are welcome to sign up for multiple time slots.

The sign-up sheet was sent out via email to all our members and regular attenders. For those who do not use email, please call the church office. For more information, go to https://www.firstmc.org/prayerworks/. Even if you do not sign up as a host, we hope you stop by at some point!

Our special Palm Sunday Celebration will be at 10:30 AM on April 2. We will have palms for everyone joining us in person to celebrate the triumphal entry of Christ Jesus our King!

Be sure to come at 10 AM to get a yummy treat from the Coffee Connection Café while you enjoy live music from Logan Tuckey and view the Resurrection/New Life show in The Gallery!

The Creative Arts Community Council is excited to be opening up The Gallery located along the north side of the Fellowship Hall. The theme of our first exhibit is Resurrection/New Life. We are looking for artwork to enrich our community in our celebration of Easter. This is an open call to all artists with their original two and three-dimensional art. Works done by children and youth are welcome too!

The deadline for artwork to be submitted with a completed entry form is Sunday, March 26. The exhibit will be open from April 2 through 16. For more information, go to https://www.firstmc.org/creatives/. You can also get a copy of the entry form from the bulletin board in the main hallway. If you have questions, please contact Rachel Wilhelm.

This year we are doing Maundy Thursday Meals on Thursday, April 6 that will take place in homes. This is a time for us to open our homes and share a simple meal with other FirstMC families as we reflect on all the events of Holy Week.

If you would like to sign up as an attendee, you can fill out the online form at https://firstmc.breezechms.com/form/MaundyThursdayMealAttendee.

If you would like to sign up to be a host, you can fill out the online form at https://firstmc.breezechms.com/form/MaundyThursdayMealHost.


There are paper versions of the forms available at the bulletin board in the Main Hallway. Contact Kay Schwartz if you have questions.

The deadline to sign up is Thursday, March 30.

Our Good Friday Service will be a shorter service for the whole family on Friday, April 7 at 5 PM. We will be taking communion as we reflect and remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Those who watch over the live stream are encouraged to prepare their own elements and take communion with us from their home.

Lent is to Easter what Advent is to Christmas. It’s a season of preparing ourselves for Easter. Traditionally, Lent is a time for prayer and fasting. The “sacrifice” reminds us of what Jesus endured for us when He went to the cross.

Put on your calendar a new way to experience some of what Jesus felt, tasted, and heard as He endured the cross for you and me. On Friday, April 7, from 2-5 PM and 6-7 PM the Fellowship Hall will be turned into nine Stations of the Cross. Come before or after our Good Friday Service (happening in the Sanctuary at 5 PM).


You will not soon forget what Jesus experienced for you and me. You can visit each station and spend as long or as short as you want. Families are encouraged to come together. While the room will be quiet and somber, parents are encouraged to bring their children to explain various aspects of the cross.


Come touch, taste, and see what Jesus did for you and me. If you have questions, please get in touch with Michael Mortensen.

He is RISEN!! We hope you join us for a joyful Easter Sunday Service at 10:30 AM on April 9.

Be sure to come early to grab a special treat from our Coffee Connection Café, stop by The Gallery to see our Resurrection/New Life show, hear a wonderful prelude by our Wind Ensemble in the Sanctuary, and get some selfies in the photo booth on your way out!

Mark 16:4-6 says: “ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.’ ”

Women

Mug & Muffin meets every other month on the off months for IF:TABLE.

Ladies, our next Mug & Muffin is on Saturday, April 15 from 9 to 10:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall.  Following breakfast, we will hear from our FirstMC Prayer Communicator, Victoria Ling, and spend time in prayer together for our church and each other. We hope you bring your favorite mug and a friend and join us for yummy food and fellowship with other women!

There is no sign up needed for Mug & Muffin. We’ll see you there!

A gathering of women over a meal to start building the relationships that God wants us to have.

IF:TABLE is every other month (on the off months for Mug & Muffin).

IF your dream day might include escaping your home for a couple hours of blissful eating, meaningful adult conversation and connecting with women of faith. . .

IF you are a morning, “before it falls apart” person OR . . .

IF an evening “recovery” is to your liking . . .

IF:TABLE is for you!

Many of you have asked the question, “Where does the name, IF:TABLE come from? The name was inspired by the question, “If God is real…then what?”

Our first gathering of IF:TABLE was enjoyed by 37 women, and we would love to see every lady involved! If you have participated in the past, you will be put in a new group so you can meet and spend time with different ladies.

“If:Table means new and deeper connections”

“If:Table is the opportunity to get to know other ladies beyond, “hello, how are you;” sharing times that consist of light heartedness as well as an awareness of sensitive hearts around the table. It enables others to safely share out of the depths of their hearts, which brings about  a greater sense of caring and bonding with one another.” 

Our next IF:TABLE is Saturday, May 6 at 10 AM or Monday, May 8 at 6:30 PM. The May registration is not open yet.

Hostesses are waiting to open their doors to you!

Men

We are excited to be starting up Men’s Ministry soon under the leadership of Trayson Luna. Every man has a part in Men’s Ministry! Men, if you missed the first meeting, that is okay! There will be another meeting soon. We are looking to redefine what a Christian man is. This is about guys getting together and encouraging each other to step into our Father’s footsteps.

Seniors

The next Senior Fellowship will be on Thursday, April 13 at 11:30 AM. More information about the program and the meal will be coming soon! The price remains the same, $12.00.

The sign-up sheet will be in its usual place, in the hallway outside of the Fellowship Hall.

Recurring Events

FirstMC hosts a Euchre Club weekly on Wednesdays from 12:30 to 3 PM. This group used to meet at the Community Center before COVID caused them to shut down, and we are delighted to welcome them to our building. This group is open to whoever wants to join, no matter your age!

We have monthly game nights on every third Friday of the month for any and all adults! Come join us on Friday, April 14 (please note that this is the second friday, not the third!) from 5:30 to 11 PM in the Lower Auditorium for some snacks and board games. Stay the whole time or just for a few hours. Bring a snack and drink to share and any board games you would like to play. For more information, join the Facebook group “Board Game Nights at First Missionary Church“, or contact Anne Harrigan.