on March 29th at 9 am! Come wearing your best tiedye shirt and or 60 s attire! First Tradition Palm Sunday

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With you on your journey Volume 39 Issue 7 March 26, 2015 Palm Sunday, March 29th 8:30, 9:00 & 11:00 am First Light will feature a soloist as we celebrate Palm Sunday.

Come wearing your best tiedye shirt and or 60 s attire! First Tradition Palm Sunday will be filled with music of celebration of the blessings of Christ.

April 2nd 7:00 pm April 3rd at Noon IN THIS ISSUE: NEWS Holy Hilarity - April 12th KIDS@FIRST Easter Egg Hunt - April 4th YOUTH Register now for Rock N the Lou!

Our purpose is to love God, love others, and change the world.

Easter Sunday, April 5th 8:30, 9:00 & 11:00 am First Light will celebrate the risen Christ with some inspiring Easter music!

1 With you on your journey Volume 39 Issue 7 March 26, 2015 Palm Sunday, March 29th 8:30, 9:00 & 11:00 am First Light will feature a soloist as we celebrate Palm Sunday. First Word we are so excited to bring the music of Jesus Christ Superstar to Palm Sunday Worship on March 29th at 9 am! Come wearing your best tiedye shirt and or 60 s attire! First Tradition Palm Sunday will be filled with music of celebration of the blessings of Christ. Chancel Choir will be singing in procession and Center St. Ringers will join on hymns! April 2nd 7:00 pm April 3rd at Noon IN THIS ISSUE: NEWS Holy Hilarity - April 12th KIDS@FIRST Easter Egg Hunt - April 4th YOUTH Register now for Rock N the Lou! MISSION & OUTREACH Communion Sunday - April 5th MISSION COVENANT Easter Egg Hunt - April 4th 4:00 pm at Camp Aldersgate Our promise is to be with you on your journey. Our purpose is to love God, love others, and change the world. Our mission is to be an inclusive downtown congregation that builds Christian community where people experience God s transforming grace. Easter Sunday, April 5th 8:30, 9:00 & 11:00 am First Light will celebrate the risen Christ with some inspiring Easter music! The Cokesbury Center will be filled with outrageous Praise music to rejoice at 9 am! First Tradition will be a full orchestra and 70 singers proclaiming the resurrection! Music will be Worthy Is The Lamb and Amen from Messiah and Regina Coeli by Mozart. We will end the service with the traditional Hallelujah Chorus by Handel. It will be a day you will not soon forget! 723 Center Street Little Rock, Arkansas firstunited methodistchurch DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK

2 UPCOMING EVENTS: March 29th - April 11th For a complete listing of on-going, recurring weekly activities, please visit our online calendar at Sunday, March 29th Palm Sunday 8:30 am - First Light in the Chapel 9:00 am - First Word in the Cokesbury Center 11:00 am - First Tradition in the Sanctuary Wednesday, April 1st 12:00 pm - What s Hot in the Rock (Cokesbury Center) Thursday, April 2nd 7:00 pm - Maundy Thursday (Sanctuary) Friday, April 3rd 12:00 pm - Good Friday (Sanctuary) Saturday, April 4th 4:00 pm - Easter Egg Hunt (Camp Aldersgate) Sunday, April 5th Easter Sunday 8:30 am - First Light in the Chapel 9:00 am - First Word in the Cokesbury Center 11:00 am - First Tradition in the Sanctuary Monday, April 6th 5:00 pm - Staff Parish Relations Committee Tuesday, April 7th 5:30 pm - Share the Good News (Rm 204) Thursday, April 9th 10:30 am - PALS Journey Group (First Cup Cafe) Wednesday, April 8th 4:45 pm - Board of Trustees (Rm 209) Saturday, April 11th 6:00 pm - Philander Smith College (First Cup Cafe) WEEKLY BIBLE READINGS March 29: Mark 11:1-11; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 14:1-15:47 April 5: Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; John 20:1-18 NEWS & EVENTS What s Hot in the Rock? Come see what it s all about! Join us one last Wednesday in the Cokesbury Center for a closer look at issues that impact the lives of those living and working in Downtown Little Rock. From safety to construction to revitalization and more, we invite you to hear speakers familiar with the unique needs of our Downtown community in a comfortable setting. Brown bag lunch provided! April 1 Is Little Rock a Hot Spot? Alan Simms, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau Holy Hilarity - Sunday, April 12th from 3-5 pm on Center Street Someone once said, God has a sense of humor. God has the last laugh and the last word. That word is Resurrection in Jesus Christ! He is risen! The joke is on human reason and rigidity! Rejoice! Historically, Holy Humor began as Bright Monday in the ancient Greek orthodox tradition. It was set aside as a day of joy and laughter at Christ s triumph over death. Join us on Center street from 3-5 pm as we celebrate Holy Hilarity! We ll have a dunking booth, perhaps some piethrowing, cake walk, games and more! Please bring all your friends and family - this is a great event to share the warmth of First Church with others! You are invited to the United Methodist Women s General Meeting and Lunch Sun, April 12th at 12:15, Fellowship Hall Our speaker is Brian Itzkowitz, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas. Goodwill was founded by a Methodist Minister in Boston in Goodwill Industries is much more than a thrift store or a place to drop off unwanted items. Since 1927 Goodwill Industries of Arkansas has helped thousands of individuals with disabilities and other barriers onto a path toward reclaiming their independence through the power of work. They have done this by operating stores that provide jobs and training within the retail environment and by channeling a majority of the revenues into job creation, employment training and placement programs. You will not want to miss hearing about all that is being done by Goodwill Industries of Arkansas. Everyone is welcome - men included. Call the church office at to make a reservation for lunch so enough food will be prepared. Church Directories - Available Now! Directories are now available! A minimum donation of $15 is appreciated. Donations above and beyond $15 will go towards the purchase of additional directories for New Members and Guests --so anything extra will be GREATLY appreciated! If you would like to reserve a copy, you may send in your donation to the church office - ATTENTION: LESLEY ANDREWS.

NEWS & EVENTS Mark Your Calendars! Hendrix College President Dr. William M.

edu by Tuesday, April 21. Starts April 26th! Faith and Film Small Group It is said that the Eyes are a window to the soul.

Spirituality is seeing the sacred connections all around us. It is noticing the Holy in all things and developing awareness that the line between the sacred and the secular is wider than we imagine.

3 NEWS & EVENTS Mark Your Calendars! Hendrix College President Dr. William M. Tsutsui s County to County BBQ Tour First United Methodist Church of Little Rock Sunday, April 26th after First Tradition To make your reservation, please call (877) or RSVP@hendrix.edu by Tuesday, April 21. Starts April 26th! Faith and Film Small Group It is said that the Eyes are a window to the soul. Yet, there are many ways to take a peak inside the inner sanctuary of our hearts and souls through the various activities of our everyday lives and culture. Spirituality is seeing the sacred connections all around us. It is noticing the Holy in all things and developing awareness that the line between the sacred and the secular is wider than we imagine. One of these ways is through movies. Movies point to our deepest longings and struggles and invite us to consider the role of the arts in our spiritual lives. First Church is pleased to offer a new special interest group, Faith and Film. Faith and Film s intent is to have discussion of our formal and personal faith journeys as we do, or do not, encounter them in contemporary movies. It is offered to anyone who wishes to explore their faith in a nonthreatening way by responding to how the medium of film speaks to us about everyday issues. We will be invited to explore themes and how they connect with our faith and life the light and dark, the joys and sorrows, the conflicts and celebrations. Watching movies together invites us into conversation. Faith and Film will be a monthly movie and popcorn night that features a different film each month. Each movie will be followed by discussion so participants can unpack the movie s insight together. We will view different types of films and the way in which the Christian message can be seen in them. Our first gathering will be held on Sunday, April 26, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. We will begin with the movie, Signs. Childcare will be provided. For more information, please contact Rev. Mary Jane Cole at or mjcole@arumc.org MISSION & OUTREACH Faith Promise, Lenten Hunger Offering Arkansas now ranks 10th in the percentage of eligible children who are getting school breakfast. The No Kid Hungry team, led by Patty Barker, works hard to make sure all children, regardless of the economic status of their families, get the nutrition they need to learn. We know that kids who get the proper nutrition have a better opportunity to succeed in school. As Department of Agriculture Tom Vilsak said this week, Good nutrition is just as important to a child s future as education. The Hunger Relief Alliance and our many partners are working to make that a reality for all. Kathy Webb Communion Sunday, April 5th Easter, one of our greatest Christian celebrations, will soon be here. I am making a special appeal because we will not be receiving Communion on Easter Sunday at the First Tradition Service. Instead Communion will be served at the Maundy Thursday service. And then at the First Light service and again at 10 am in the Chapel on Easter Sunday morning. It is then that you will have an opportunity to make your financial contribution to the Assistance fund. As the weather warms, the number of folks coming for assistance increases. Please give as you are able so that we can continue to serve those who come to us. Thank you. Anthony Falkowski, Director of Mission & Outreach We Need Lift Drivers! I have a favorite day of the month; I mark it boldly on my calendar and wake up excited when that day comes. It s not the day I get my manicures or gameday, although I love those too, it is the day I drive for LIFT. You can do it too! LIFT is our program designed to help those with no other viable means of transportation get to medically recommended appointments, free of charge. Our wonderful volunteers get to spend one day a month driving and ministering to our clients in a unique way, but what I have found is that they more often minister to us. The wonderful people we get to spend our time with have become friends I look forward to seeing and catching up with on the way to and from appointments. Even when I am having a rough morning, the feeling I get when I m able to help such wonderful people leaves me feeling unbelievable! Now our program is in need of more volunteers to experience this wonderfully unique way of helping a part of our community that is often forgotten. We re needing subs as well as regular drivers. If you think this is something you or a friend may be interested in, please don t hesitate to ask for more information! You can reach me, Kim Marsh, at Marshfamilly85@gmail.com or You may also contact Anthony Falkowski at afalkowski@fumclr.org or

Contact Julie Diamant (jmdiamant@yahoo.com) to HELP! April 5- Easter Sunday Celebration!

4 Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 4th - 4-5:30 pm Camp Aldersgate, 2000 Aldersgate Road A light snack supper will be served after the hunt! KIDS@FIRST Kids Lenten Journey March 29- Palm Sunday- Create your own Holy Week in a box and use it this coming week to stay close to God. April 4- Easter Egg Hunt (4:00-5:30 pm) Camp Aldersgate. Contact Julie Diamant (jmdiamant@yahoo.com) to HELP! April 5- Easter Sunday Celebration! EASTER EGG HUNT Donations We are asking for donations of individually wrapped candy, small trinkets/toys and fun prizes to use for our Easter Egg Hunt by Sunday, March 29th. Please drop off any items you wish to donate to the church office or in the wire basket on the 1st floor in children s wing. Thank you in advance for making our Egg Hunt just one more way our children can understand the wonderful gift of Jesus! Save the Dates: April 4: Easter Egg Hunt (4:00-5:30 pm) Camp Aldersgate May 10: NEW- Children First, a child led family worship honoring our mothers (9:45 am in chapel) June 15-18: Experience the Rock Camp (8:30 am-4:00 pm) Grades 5-6 June 22-26: VBS (8:30-11:30 am) PreK 4-6th grade June 22-26: Music Immersion Camp (12:30-4:30 pm) Grades 2-7 August 21-22: Bible Boot Camp (Friday 5 pm-saturday 4 pm) Grades 3-4 Do You Want to Stay Young? We can promise you all the hugs you want and all goldfish you can eat! This year our VBS needs volunteers for an extra special event, as we are working in conjunction with the our entire Child Development Center for the first time. Last year the CDC PreK participated, and it was so much fun! So we have decided to expand our reach. This means we will not only be adding approximately 150 children, but their wonderful teachers as well! Church volunteers are needed to escort groups of church or community children from one activity to another or to lead a 20 min workshop 4 times during the morning. We encourage men, women and youth to sign up! Consider taking some vacation time to experience this humbling and exciting week teaching about Jesus! The workshop choices this year will include Bible storytelling, snacks, fun and games, and booths such as carpentry, bead bazaar, synagogue school, olive oil shop, farmers field, dye shop, rock quarry, food market, barnyard and missions. We will have a Sign Up Genius available soon so you can sign up online or contact Pam psnider@fumclr.org or Julie Diamant jmdiamant@yahoo.com with any sign up questions.

Child Development Center FIRST YOUTH Arkansas Children s Week April 13th-17th You are invited to come celebrate Arkansas Children s Week with the Child Development Center!

Tuesday, April 14th: Reading under the Trees Staff and volunteers will read under the trees and on the playground to toddler, preschool and pre-k classrooms.

Wednesday: Picnic in the park from 11 am- 12 pm Parents will bring a sack lunch and picnic with their children! We need volunteers to eat with children whose parents are unable to attend.

Thursday: Book Character Day Come watch the children parade around the block at 10 am dressed as their favorite characters!

5 Child Development Center FIRST YOUTH Arkansas Children s Week April 13th-17th You are invited to come celebrate Arkansas Children s Week with the Child Development Center! See below for the schedule of events! Monday, April 13th: Special Breakfast Continental Breakfast for Parents, children and staff. Tuesday, April 14th: Reading under the Trees Staff and volunteers will read under the trees and on the playground to toddler, preschool and pre-k classrooms. We need volunteers to read to the children beginning at 10 am. See contact information below. Wednesday: Picnic in the park from 11 am- 12 pm Parents will bring a sack lunch and picnic with their children! We need volunteers to eat with children whose parents are unable to attend. Please come a share a special lunch with a friend! See contact information below. Thursday: Book Character Day Come watch the children parade around the block at 10 am dressed as their favorite characters! Friday, April 17th: Talent Show You are invited to come enjoy a talent show at 4 pm presented by the CDC school-age children. To make Children s Week a success, we need volunteers! If you would enjoy reading a book or eating lunch with a child, contact Sandra Farr at sfarr@childdevelopmentcenterlr.com or Don t forget to come watch the parade on April 16th at 10 am - they always look adorable! Rock n the Lou- (St. Louis Youth Tour) Registration is now open for our Youth Tour to St. Louis! So far the trip includes a Cardinals game, an overnight stay at City Museum, a tour of downtown St. Louis, and participation in worship at Concorde Trinity UMC. You can register online at fumclr.org/registrations or pick up a paper registration form in the Youth Studio. Your registration fee depends on how soon you register and your attendance! If you register before April 5th, your deposit is $25, after April 5th it s $75. The deadline to sign up is April 19th. Ozark Mission Project One of the opportunities our youth have each summer is OMP. This week long mission trip has always been a popular event not only with our church, but also with many other UMCs around the state. We only have 1 spot left for Sr. High (current 8-12) for the week of June at the Hot Springs camp and we have just 2 spots for the Sr. High camp in Jonesboro on July We still have all 5 spots at the middle school camp at Wayland Springs on the The middle school camp is open to current 6th & 7th graders. Register online by going to fumclr.org/registrations. If all our spaces fill, we will put you on a reserve list and you ll be the first to know if spaces open up for the week you d like. No Youth March 22- April 5th We will not be having Sunday Night Youth or VOICES due to spring break and Easter. Make plans to be at the Holy Hilarity festival on April 12 from 3-5. Then stick around for a Scavenger Hunt Downtown, a game of Ultimate Frisbee at MacArthur Park and VOICES.

It s time to Register for Summer Camps! Hometown Nazareth - VBS 2015 Hear stories about Jesus childhood from the best source of all his mom, Mary!

Take your kids back to Hometown Nazareth, where they ll stand up for their faith among people who doubt that the carpenter s son is really God s son.

We will have rotations in lessons on various musical instruments, learning basic skills on each instrument.

6 It s time to Register for Summer Camps! Hometown Nazareth - VBS 2015 Hear stories about Jesus childhood from the best source of all his mom, Mary! Everyone knows what it s like to hear your mom tell stories from your childhood. Can you imagine the kinds of stories Mary could tell? Take your kids back to Hometown Nazareth, where they ll stand up for their faith among people who doubt that the carpenter s son is really God s son. June 22-26, 8:30-11:30 am, Ages: 4 Years - 6th Grade, Cost: $20. Music Camp 2015 Kids will be Immersed in music during music camp! We will have rotations in lessons on various musical instruments, learning basic skills on each instrument. (chimes, guitar, piano, choir, percussion, violin and orff instruments). The week will end with a fun, simple, and informal group recital on each instruments (kids will not be performing solos.) June 22-26, 12:30-4:30 pm, Grades:2nd-6th, Cost: $30. Experience the Rock Camp, June 15th-18th is already full. If you would like to get on the waiting list, please contact Rev. Donna at dhankins@fumclr.org.

FRIENDS & FAMILY Congratulations on Baptism Congratulations to Bridget and Kevin Kresse on the baptism of their son, Roman, on Sunday, March 15th during First Tradition.

STEWARDSHIP Nine New Etched Leaves Added to The Promise Tree The Promise Tree is growing new leaves this spring, just as trees around town are beginning to sprout new leaves.

Denny, named Denzil, was born in El Dorado. He spent his career as a pharmacist and pharmaceutical representative.

He was particularly devoted to the music ministry of the church and made many close friends who still mourn his passing.

7 FRIENDS & FAMILY Congratulations on Baptism Congratulations to Bridget and Kevin Kresse on the baptism of their son, Roman, on Sunday, March 15th during First Tradition. Roman has been very active in our children s music program. STEWARDSHIP Nine New Etched Leaves Added to The Promise Tree The Promise Tree is growing new leaves this spring, just as trees around town are beginning to sprout new leaves. Recently nine more etched leaves were added to The Promise Tree in the second floor administrative hallway, and one of them has the name of the late Denny Gainer etched upon it. Denny, named Denzil, was born in El Dorado. He spent his career as a pharmacist and pharmaceutical representative. After retirement from the UAMS Medical Center Pharmacy, he spent his time in service to his parents and to our church, until his death Sunday April 29, He was particularly devoted to the music ministry of the church and made many close friends who still mourn his passing. The church learned later that Denny had left an undesignated bequest to the church. Because of that, his name is posthumously added to the list of members of The First Promise Bequest Society. For more information on how you can remember the church in your will, contact Pat Lile, Director of Planned Giving, or lilepm@sbcglobal.net. ATTENDANCE Date First Light First Word First Tradition March March MEMORIAL & HONORARIUMS In Honor of Rev. Ed & Mrs. Pat Matthews by Mrs. Anne Yost Harper (Mildred & Oliver Scholarship Fund) In Honor of Cooking Matters by Joseph Ladensack & Anita Cooper Trustees In Honor of Donna Jackson by Stephen Wheeler (Ozark Mission Project) The First Youth Spring Break Mission Trip team was commissioned during First Tradition on Sunday, March 22nd. They departed for a week-long mission trip with Revive225 in Baton Rouge, LA after church. Pictures from the trip will be shared in the next printed newsletter! In Memory of Rev. Maurice Webb, Sr. by Nate & Nancy Allen, Janet & Bud Jones, Nancy C. Smith, Marcelline Smith, James & Jennifer Parker, Nancy Foster, Rev. Margaret Dairs Freeman In Memory of Bill Bowen by Rev. Margaret Dairs Freeman

firstunited methodistchurch LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS The First United Methodist In the First Place (USPS692-190) is published every other week for a total of 26 issues

Editor, Chris Cooper; Managing Editor, Lesley Andrews; Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, Arkansas. www. fumclr.

8 firstunited methodistchurch LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS The First United Methodist In the First Place (USPS ) is published every other week for a total of 26 issues by the First United Methodist Church, 723 Center Street, Little Rock, Arkansas Editor, Chris Cooper; Managing Editor, Lesley Andrews; Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, Arkansas. www. fumclr.org POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FUMC In The First Place, 723 Center Street, Little Rock, Arkansas PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID LITTLE ROCK, AR Follow us! facebook.com/ The next issue of In the First Place will be published on April 9, Submission deadline is April 5th.

What is Faith Promise?

With you on your journey Volume 39 Issue 6 March 12, 2015 What is Faith Promise? Faith Promise is our call to reflect on how we can give up something in our everyday budget to make room for giving to programs