First United Methodist Church FOCUS ON FIRST. Become Part of God s Family at First UMC

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1 First United Methodist Church FOCUS ON FIRST Praise Service 9:00 a.m. Church School 9:55 a.m. Adoration Worship 10:45 a.m. Become Part of God s Family at First UMC Rev. Mark Finfrock, Pastor John Fisher, Director of Music UPCOMING EVENTS May 2017 Volume 11, Issue 5 May 13 83rd Annual Unsung Heroes Dinner Celebration 5:30 p.m. (reception) 6 p.m. (dinner) - Courtyard Marriott First UMC is being recognized at this event. Reservations MUST be received by Monday, May 8. Tickets are $40/person. Checks should be made out to GMV YMCA (add BTWCC annual dinner on memo line) and sent to the church office. July 7 Dayton Dragon s game 7 p.m. Fifth Third Field, Dayton, OH Tickets $14, first base line seats. Money due June 2nd. Forms are on the bulletin board at church side entrance. Checks to be made out to First UMC, Dayton Dragons on the memo line. Questions? Contact Dave & Alice Stephenson Inside this issue: Pastor s Page 2 Prayer Concerns 3 Church Happenings 6 Birthdays and Anniversaries Worship Leader Schedule Special points of interest: Alter Flowers Family Promise Update Wanted Collecting/Not Collecting Kroger Rewards 6 6 Greeter Schedule 6 Calendar 7

2 Pastor s Page Dear Friends, It s May. What a glorious month. May is the peak of spring. Everything is in bloom. Garden centers are full of all kinds of colorful plants and trees just ready for the planting. There is the fragrance of new mown grass. In May, it seems the world has come fully alive. Mother s Day is Sunday May 14 th where we will be honoring Mothers who are practicing and those who practiced on us. Mothers do a lot of pondering with their practicing. Luke 2:19 tells us that, But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. All of the accolades heaped on her baby in the temple, like Simeon declaring that he can die now that he has seen him. Mary remembered the shepherds stopping by telling of the announcement in the sky of his birth, the wise men traveling all that way, just to give him gifts and bow to him. And then there is Anna, the prophet, eight-four years old, spending her adult life fasting and praying, prophesying that Jesus was to bring the redemption of Jerusalem. Then there is the time that Jesus gave his parents the slip to ask questions and talk to the priests in the temple when he was twelve. How amazed they all were of his intelligence and reasoning. All of that is a lot to ponder. As we go through this month of blooms and warming weather, we have a lot to ponder as well. This precocious young boy preached and died for our salvation. He was crucified, rose from the dead and promised he would come back to take us with him to heaven. May, with all of its blooms and warmth, is entirely in the Easter season and is a month where we can ponder within God s glorious creation. Grace and Peace, Pastor Mark Altar Flowers Looking to honor someone special in your life? Why not sponsor the altar flowers on Sunday. The cost is $30.00 total for both vases. You can make your check out to the church and drop it in the offering plate the week of your donation. Please contact the church office if you are interested or write it on the back of your attendance card on Sunday. The following Sundays are available: June 25 July 23, 30 August 27 September 24 October 22 Page 2 FOCUS ON FIRST

3 Prayer Concerns Those who do not know the peace of Christ. Let us offer Christ, who will heal their souls. Pastor Mark, next phase of cancer treatments Barb Jones, brain tumor Kathy Conrad s mother, health concerns Mark Conrad s father, health concerns Ann Montgomery Geneva Holloway Jessie Postell, cancer Tammy, fighting addiction Dwight Pflanzer Ruth Stanton Ruby Crothers Dave Spurlock Jodi Graf, melanoma Sister of Michael Stidham, cancer Leesa Frederick's mother, Charma, for strength Tammy Jones, dealing with MS Sheila Messerschmidt Lois Maida, cancer (Alice Stephenson's sister) L.T. and Sue Williams, health issues and strength Carol Lee, lymphoma, in remission Nell Bassitt Family Promise Program Dr. William Krall Mary Lee Nichols, lung cancer Elaine Tragesser s son, Don, cancer Gladys & Paul Perkins, health issues Carolyn & Bob Parker Phyllis Scales, cancer Ashley Rose Silva Mike Ketterer Dave Cochran Mary Alice Hensley Tiffany Brunner Jason Schubert s Aunt Marilyn, cancer Dale Kinkaid Andie Hutton, leukemia Nancy Pryor, cancer Anne Wheeler Mike Wheeler John Trent Those families mourning the loss of loved ones Community lunch, missionaries, Peace Corp workers, and those who work for international peace. Military members and their families and national leaders. Concerns of the people in places of war, famine and social unrest. Those who are sleeping outside. Those who have no food. The Imagine No Malaria campaign (INM) (imaginenomalaria.org) as it works to eliminate malaria in our lifetime. INM has made a big difference where it used to be at a person died from malaria every 30 seconds this rate has decreased to every 2 minutes. Our goal is zero. Do you have someone you would like us to pray for? Please call or the office LOVE (8653) or firstumc@firstumc-ham.org. Volume 11, Issue 5 Page 3

4 Family Promise Update First UMC will host Family Promise families the week of May Families will arrive the evening of Sunday, May 21 st and settle into their rooms, have dinner and receive a tour of the church and a brief orientation. Families leave each morning between 7:00 and 8:00 after breakfast and return each evening around 5:30. Our host week ends the morning of Sunday, May 28 th when the families move to the next church in the rotation. Watch for sign up sheets at church the first two weeks of May. If you won t be in church to sign up and would like to volunteer or donate supplies, call Teri Trent at Volunteers from Cornerstone UMC and Bethany UMC will join with us to provide dinner, evening activities, overnight hosts and breakfast each day. If you would like to volunteer and haven t received training, please call Teri Trent. We can arrange training sessions with the Family Promise Coordinator or Director. As of April 23 rd, Family Promise is currently serving four families, two of them close to moving out. Family Promise partners with New Life Furniture to help furnish the homes, however there is always a need for kitchen items (dishes, pans, utensils) and linens (bath and bed) to help our families with a fresh start. If you d like to donate items, call Family Promise at Our newest family is a single mom with a baby and a toddler. Diapers size 3 and 2T pullups would be helpful as well as a car. She has no transportation so if you know of anyone willing to donate a car, please call Family Promise. We will know exactly how many families and the ages of children that we will be hosting the week before our host date. If you re on Facebook and haven t like Family Promise of Butler County, please do so. A weekly update on how Family Promise is keeping our promise to the homeless children and families of Butler County is posted. Teri Trent Join us for a great time of fellowship and food. If you would like to carpool, please contact the church office. The schedule for the rest of 2017 is as follows (3rd Thursday at noon): May Silver Tee September Olive Garden June Spinning Fork October Golden Corral July Walt s BBQ November Houston Inn August Richard s Pizza on Nilles December Perkins Focus on First - ISSN Published Monthly, Issue No. 5 Issue Date: May 2017 First United Methodist Church, 225 Ludlow St. Hamilton, OH JUNE NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: May 22 Page 4 For newsletter submissions, contact Stacey Morefield, newsletter editor, at edsjmorefield@gmail.com FOCUS ON FIRST

5 Collecting/Not Collection Over the years, we have collected many items that were needed here at the church or for various charities; however, some of those needs change. As of today, here is a current list of things we are collecting and NO LONGER collecting. We appreciate all your support in these charity efforts. COLLECTING Box Tops Can Tabs Empty Prescription Bottles NO LONGER COLLECTING Plastic Grocery Bags Soup Labels Kroger Plus Cards If you have not heard, we are no longer required to re-register our Kroger cards for the Community Rewards Program. Be sure, however, that at the bottom of your receipt it does say that your community rewards went to First UMC Hamilton. If you do not see that and wish to enroll in the program, please contact Karen Epperson at or log-in to Kroger.com, click the Community Tab and choose the Community Rewards Program, scroll to the bottom of your profile page and you will be able to select First United Methodist-Hamilton. Our organization number is Remember, this does not cost you anything! It automatically donates to the church based on the amount you were spending for your groceries. Annual Conference Annual Conference is June 4-7. This year the theme is Light the Way. Are you interested in being an at large member for First UMC? If so, join Dave Stephenson, Dee Harper, and Pastor Mark at Annual Conference. Registration is now open and will run through May 30. To register online go to westohioumc.org, and click on Register for Events. There is no fee for attending the event; however, members are responsible for their own travel, housing and meal expenses. Even though you register online you will still need to check-in at South Auditorium when you arrive. Check-in begins on Sunday, June 4 at 1:00 pm. If you have questions, contact Pastor Mark or Dave Stephenson. Wanted! The church is looking for a person who is computer savvy. We occasionally have a need for help with our computers, or help with websites, publishing, etc. If you might be someone who lend a hand when the need arises, please call the church office at Volume 11, Issue 5 Page 5

6 What s Happening in May at First Church Game Night Friday, May 19, :00 Conrad s Greenridge Drive The fun and fellowship continues for any and all fun-loving adults. Join this merry group for lots of laughter, pizza, games and loving fellowship. Just bring $5 for dinner, your own beverage and a favorite board game. Pocket Change Sunday May 21, 2017 During worship services a special collection of pocket change (dollars, too) will be taken as an offering for the Saturday Community Lunch Program. Dorcas Circle Tuesday, May 9, 10 First Naomi Circle Thursday, May 11, 7 Berkeley Square Presentation Room (rear of Manor House) May Birthdays 5/1 Jennifer Pflanzer 5/2 Teri Trent 5/5 Nancy Young 5/8 Tracie Jewett Kevin Williams 5/10 Nicholas Blauvelt 5/11 Terry Spurlock 5/15 Richard Haid 5/16 Beth Day Mae Hacker John Harper John Sebastian 5/17 Marilyn McGilliard Carolyn Purvis 5/23 Chad Campbell Tammy Hall 5/24 Lois Gleason Peter Haid 5/27 Jackie Jewett Caroline Williams 5/30 Kathy Conrad 5/31 Dwight Pflanzer May Anniversaries 5/1 David & Lois Ziels 5/2 Scott & Mikola Fuhrman 5/11 George & Linda Bley 5/12 James & Cynthia Huff 5/18 John & Melanie Schmitt 5/23 Steven & Erin Theobald 5/27 Ron & Carolyn Purvis 5/29 David & Alice Stephenson May Worship Leaders 9 a.m. - Praise Service 5/7 - Larry Bell 5/14 - Kerry Bossert 5/21 - Jim Sebastian 5/28 - Dave/Alice Stephenson May Worship Leaders 10:45 - Adoration Service 5/7 - Karen Epperson 5/14 - Leslie Jewett 5/21 - Diane Hinrichs 5/28 - Linda Creach Bley Praise Service 9 a.m. 5/7 - Dave & Alice Stephenson 5/14 - George Taylor 5/21 - George Taylor 5/28 - Dave & Alice Stephenson Adoration Service 10:45 a.m. Nick & Janice Blauvelt Page 6 FOCUS ON FIRST

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8 First United Methodist Church 225 Ludlow Street Hamilton, OH Phone: Fax: Non. Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit NO. 43 Hamilton, Ohio Address Service Requested Kids Klips