First Things First. Coat Drive!! We Are A Downtown Church!! in our hearts to those who may not feel the love as strong.

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1 August 2014 First Things First Sunday Services Worship: 8:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Nursery Care begins: 9:40 a.m. In this issue: Who Are We? A Place at the Table 1 2 UMW 3 Book Club 4 Calendar Birthdays, Anniversaries, 5 Interested in receiving the newsletter by ? Forward your address to the church office: fumc@gci.net What does it mean to be a church in Downtown Anchorage? That is a question we have been thinking about for the last few month. Over the last few month we have seen been implementing some new and exciting mission opportunities. Our church has been teaming up with FSUMC to make our presence know to the community. Each month we are gather together as a community to share a meal. This meal is provided free for everyone that walks in the door. This is a chance for us to serve the community, as we are called to do. We are providing a place where everyone is welcome to sit down, this is not for them this is for us. This meal is a chance to show the community as a whole who we are, we are a church with a heart for serving. The us that we are serving are not based on income or living conditions; the us is just that everyone all of us. We are here to be in community with each other, to spread the love we have We Are A Downtown Church!! in our hearts to those who may not feel the love as strong. EVERYONE is not only welcomed, we encourage everyone to join us for our next meal, because there is A Place at the Table for everyone. We also need to look to the near and far future of our community. In the near future is.winter. And with winter comes the need to stay warm! One way we can help is to be able to provide a warm to coat for someone. We will be collecting coats from now until December 26. Please bring in clean coats and drop them off into the box in the narthex. Together, with our open minds and open hearts as we open our doors,, we will all help to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.. Coat Drive!! Even if we don't want to admit it, winter is coming! FUMC & FSUMC are partnering up with One Coat to share the gift of warmth with those in need with a coat drive! Do you have any winter coats in your closet that you no longer wear?? Bring them in and we will donate them to someone who is needing a warm coat! Are you in need of a warm winter coat?? Just ask and we will try to find you one!

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3 United Methodist Women Upcoming Events United Methodist Women s Executive Board Meeting The UMW Executive Board will be meeting on August 19th at 6:30 p.m. The agenda will be is looking very full! Items included are kick-off breakfast, book sale, and other upcoming events. September events: August th Sunday School Kick-Off Breakfast-9:30 a.m. 8th Hope Circle Meeting-7:00 p.m. 9th Executive Board Meeting-6:30 p.m. 10th Friendship Circle Meeting-11:30 a.m. 10th Sunshine Circle Meeting-12:30 a.m. 19th Used Book Sale Set-up-6:00 p.m. 20th Used Book Sale-9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 21st Used Book Sale for Church Members-9:30 a.m. 26th Alaska UMW Annual Gathering 27th Alaska UMW Annual Gathering 27th Lunch with Harriet Jane Annual Gathering Special Guest at Alaska UMW Annual Gathering We are pleased to announce that Harriett Jane Olsen will be joining us for Annual Gathering this year! Annual Gathering is being held September at St John UMC. Harriet Jane Olsen is the General Secretary/CEO for United Methodist Women s National Organization. She will not only be the guest speaker, she will be joining us for the whole weekend. If you are interested in attending the Annual Gathering, there are registration forms available in the Narthex, or contact Jennifer Miller in the church office. If you cannot attend the weekend, but would like to have a chance to hear Harriett Jane Olsen speak, lunch on Sunday is being open to all, there will be at $15 fee to cover the cost of the meal. For information on this or Alaska UMW please speak with Jennifer Miller. Its that time of year again! Please join us on September 7th to Kick-Off the Sunday School Year. The United Methodist Women will be hosting breakfast where you can learn about the classes this year. Sunday School Kick-Off In order to provide the best opportunities for our congregation, we would love to expand the classes. If you would like to teach/co-teach a class, please contact the church office. United Methodist Women Brunch/Auction November is coming quickly!!! It is not to early to start working on your item to for the auction. What kinds of things are we looking for you ask? What ever your hearts desire is! All money raised will go to local charities to support the positive work that is being done in our community. Don t have the time to make a hand crafted project? No problem! We also need amazing store bought items that can be used in the silent auction.

4 Book Club On July 28 we discussed Room by Emma Donoghue. Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another. This book made for an interested discussion on how we see the world we are raised in and how things are not as simple as we may think they should be. It was a great story of the resilience of a mother forced to raise a child in any situation. August 25 at 7:00 p.m. is the next meeting. We will be discussing The Giver by Lios Lowry. Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. We are looking forward to reading this book in anticipate for the movie release. Please join us at Ann York s house on August 25 at 7:00 p.m. as we discuss this wonderful book. Call Ann at if you need directions. August 2014 On September 29 we will be discussing I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings by Maya Angelou; to honor the passing of this great author. Sent by their mother to live with their devout, selfsufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local "powhitetrash." At eight years old and back at her mother's side in St. Louis, Mayais attacked by a man any times her age-and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns about love for herself, and the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors ("I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare") will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned. We are always looking for great new books to discuss! Please come and share what you are reading. August: The Giver by Lios Lowry September: I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings By Maya Angelou Upcoming Events: August 6:00 p.m. Stories on the State at the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery. Come and hear about the lives of some amazing historical figures that have been laid to rest in the Anchorage Cemetery.

5 Prayer List Our thoughts and prayers are extended to: Family & Friends of John Osborn Family & Friends of Linda Jean Myers Ted Koweluk Family & Friends of Audrey Analoak Billie Smalley Emalou Watson military personnel For People who suffer in the midst of war and violence Aufust Wedding Anniversaries Kim & Stephanie Damrill 10 years Burl & Marian Stephens 62 years Dan & Denise Carey 30 years Patrick & Chrystal Reese 24 years August Birthdays Madeleine McCormack 1 Cyndee Reser 2 Leila Spelman 2 Lani Kile 5 Janice Campbell 7 Burl Stephens 7 Jonathan Anunuciancion 10 Sandy Moore 11 Fred Stassel 11 Lance Clark 14 Carolyn Gordon 14 Nell Mitchell 16 Benee Braden 19 Bailey Kile 19 Helen Richardson 19 John Madden 23 Margaret Lewis 24 Lori Staats 24 Chas Warren 25 Sharon Hudspeth 28 Kerry Madden 30 Theresa Vargas 31

6 First United Methodist Church 725 W 9th Ave. Anchorage, AK Non - Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit No. 1 Anchorage, AK Tel: Fax: fumc@gci.net RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Firstumcanchorage.org Let s Praise God Together! August is here! For many families that means school is just around the corner! Shopping for school supplies, books, and fall clothes becomes a part of everyone s schedule. Here at First United Methodist Church, Anchorage, on Sunday August 17th, we want to celebrate and bless the beginning of another school year. Students, preschool through adults, bring your backpacks or lunch boxes to worship service at 11:00. There service will life up children and students of all ages, dedicating them to God s glory as we begin a new school year. Teachers, aides, principals, administrators, secretaries, cooks, librarians, janitors and bus drivers...come to church to be blessed, affirmed in your vocation, and encouraged as you serve children and families in our daily work! Join us for this Celebration Sunday!