First News First Weekly Edition Opening doors with Christ, one another and our neighbors May 28, 2017 The Altar flowers are given to the glory of God and in memory of Mr. & Mrs. Edward Strohmenger, placed by the Chilton family. The rose on the altar is placed to the glory of God and in honor of the birth of Sullivan James Walton to Brian & Jennifer Walton on May 14, 2017. Congratulations to grandparents Roger & Sandy Walton. Special Circumstances: Millie Neagley is at Messiah Village Rehab; Roy Kohr is at VibraLife. Recovering at home: Doris Zimmerman, Harry Woods, Don Shover Summer Camp Reminder: Sign up now for a wonderful summer experience! See the camp display in the narthex or contact Deb Noss (sdppp@msn.com or 697-5982) for more information. Sign up Today! Join us for a Senators baseball game & picnic on June 10! Game time 6:00 pm - come for all you can eat buffet 4:30 6:30 pm. See flyer for more details on cost. Sign up in main lobby. Questions? Contact Patti Herring or Tina Eaton. Summer Bible Study: A new 6-week Bible study begins June 7 at 6:45 pm in room B004. The Rewritten Life: When God Changes Your Story, by Jessica LaGrone, explores the transformational power of God. See display in main lobby for more details. Books are $10. All men are invited to join our Men of First Church group as they begin a new 5-session Bible study on June 7 titled The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God s Best Version of You. The group will meet every other Wednesday from 8-9pm. See display in the main lobby for more details or contact Barry Eaton. Thank you for the cakes! Thanks to all who baked cakes for the Neighborhood Center Election Day Bake Sale. Working together we raised $1,002.97 to go toward a deserving graduating senior from the Harrisburg area. May you be blessed in the giving!
Organist/Pianist: First Church is seeking an organist/pianist. Responsibilities include playing for two Sunday morning and other special services, accompanying two adult choirs, and accompanying services where an electronic keyboard may be preferred. Some of these duties may be shared with another organist/pianist. Send resume, including education and work history, via email to: office@fumchurch.com, or by mail to: First United Methodist Church, 135 W. Simpson Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 Iditarod Envelopes: Help the youth mission team make it to Alaska by getting all the sleds off our board (in the main lobby). Pick an envelope and support the team with the financial amount noted on the envelope. Inside the envelope learn about our team, Alaska, and the many ways you can be praying for us. Thanks for your support! VBS Registration June 19-23, 9 am to noon, 3 years to 6th grade, $5 per child, includes one free music CD per family if registered by June 2nd. Register via the link on our website or by going to http://2017.cokesburyvbs.com/fumchurch. VBS Help Needed, especially adult classroom shepherds June, 19 th - 23 rd. If you can help in any way, please contact Dawn or George or sign up at http://2017.cokesburyvbs.com/fumchurch or at the Children s Display area. Summer Sunday School Teachers and Helpers Needed 3 year olds to 5 th graders will be learning about the 10 Commandments. Sign up at www.timetosignup.com/kidscount or at the Children s Display area or contact Dawn or George.
This week at 4G (05/28): Celebrate the end of the school year and the start of summer at our picnic at Fisher Park pavilion A on Sunday from 6:00-8:00. Bring a dish/dessert to share. 4G during the summer: we take a break from meeting inside and at church on Sunday evenings and instead meet for summer fun activities and for Periphery in the Park on select Wednesdays during the summer. Sign up for our Remind Text to stay best informed about summer gatherings. Stay connected through text messages! Sign up for Remind texts: text @4gyo to 81010 to be added to the distribution text for "4G news". Rising Fifth Graders: sign up for our Remind Text to hear about summer happenings in the youth department. We'd love for you to join us when you can and start meeting your fellow youth! Service opportunities: Help us as we serve our town as we empty trash for Jubilee Day. Lots of help is needed! www.timetosignup.com/kidscount. The children's department is looking for VBS youth helpers -register online. Impact - forms are now available for our big summer event! Join us July 26-30 for a 5 day transformational experience of deepening your faith, worshipping wholeheartedly, hearing some awesome speakers and bands, and camping like a champ! DEADLINE: June 4 Take me out to the ballgame! Come join your First Church family watching the Senators on June 10th. You must be signed up by TODAY. (Sign ups are in the sign up binder at the welcome desk.) Text Lisa if you need a ride or are attending without family. Dates to Keep in Mind: Jubilee Day (June15), Mission Trip (July 8-14), Impact (July 26-30)
FIRST CHURCH TO WELCOME REV. JOHN L. SHELLENBERGER AS ASSISTANT TO SENIOR PASTOR The Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) is pleased to advise the congregation that Rev. John L. Shellenberger will be joining the First Church staff as Assistant to the Pastor. As Pastor Keller announced at the May 14 services, and you will have read elsewhere, Pastor Shellenberger will begin part-time work with us in late summer or early fall. He will be filling the vacancy created by Pastor Reed s full-time retirement. Pastor Shellenberger will focus on visitation, but will also preach, serve as liturgist, lead Bible studies and Sunday School classes, support Access Ministries and Rejoicing Spirits, and assist Pastor Denny and the rest of the staff team as situations require. Pastor Shellenberger earned a B.A. from Messiah College and a Master of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary. He has served a range of congregations in his career, mostly in Central Pennsylvania. He will be retiring from the position of Lead Pastor at Grace United Methodist Church in Lemoyne at the end of June. Please join us in welcoming them and in making them part of the First Church family. Toward that end, we will put the Appellation Protocol in force and ask you to begin conversations with Pastor John and Merri by telling them your name.
SUNDAY, MAY 28 8:15 am Worship (Sanctuary) 9:30 am Sunday School (various) 10:45 am Worship (Sanctuary) 4:00 pm Rejoicing Spirits (Adult SS Room/MP Room) 6:00 pm 4G MONDAY, MAY 29 MEMORIAL DAY Church Closed TUESDAY, MAY 30 9:30 am Staff Meeting (207) 1:00 pm Zumba Gold (MP) 7:00 pm Quarterly Leadership Planning Meeting (FH) WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 9:30 am Covered in Love (FH Café) 7:30 pm Narcotics Anonymous (FH) THURSDAY, JUNE 1 3:30 pm Studio 1 Percussion (Adult SS Room) 6:00 pm Worship Design Team (207) 6:15 pm Organ Lessons/Practice (Sanctuary) 6:30 pm MASH Drug & Alcohol Support Group (105) FRIDAY, JUNE 2 12:00 pm Al-Anon (216) 12:00 pm Church Office Closed SATURDAY, JUNE 3 No activities scheduled at this time SUNDAY, JUNE 4 8:15 am Worship (Sanctuary) 9:30 am Sunday School (various) 10:45 am Worship (Sanctuary)
Last in the Series, "Here I Am to Worship" I Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11 "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." (vs. 4:12) "Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour." (vs. 5:8b) Evil doesn't go away just because you're a Christian. Peter s letter is one of and.
Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy. (1 Peter 1:8) IT IS BECAUSE OF THE HE HAS MADE IN OUR WORLD. Out of, we are to give back. We affirm our faith with Peter's last statement, "To [God] be the power forever and ever." Amen. ( vs. 5:11) For reflection: What are some concrete actions you might perform in the days ahead to demonstrate your gratitude for all that God and others have done for you?
Ministry Staff Pastor: Rev. Dr. Dennis Keller 766-4611, x103 pastordenny@fumchurch.com Associate Pastor*: Rev. Dr. David Reed 766-4611, x117 pastordave@fumchurch.com Director of Discipleship*: Tina Eaton 766-4611, x104 adultministry@fumchurch.com Director of Congregational Care Ministry*: Janice Bowen 766-4611, x112 wecare@fumchurch.com Outreach Director*: Lori Hoffnagle 766-4611, x115 outreach@fumchurch.com Youth Pastor: Lisa Aronson 766-4611, x113 uthrock@fumchurch.com Co-Director of Children s Ministry*: Dawn Fisher 766-4611, x102 kidscount@fumchurch.com Co-Director of Children s Ministry*: George Canonizado 766-4611, x102 kidscount@fumchurch.com Office Manager/Finance Secretary: Kristin Brown 766-4611, x101 office@fumchurch.com Facilities Coordinator/Custodian*: Tom Ziegler 766-4611, x105 facilities@fumchurch.com Custodians*: George Canonizado, Matt Miller 766-4611, x109 maintenance@fumchurch.com Director of Finance*: Nancy Robinson 766-4611, x115 nrobinson@fumchurch.com Director of Music*: Jody Brinley Director of Little Friends Nursery School*: Chris Sims 766-4611 x111 lfns@fumchurch.com *Part-time staff Security Announcement We are always attentive to matters of safety and security, for the children and youth in particular, but also for adults and for the building itself. If you encounter an unexpected locked door and must walk down a hallway and up a different stairway to reach your destination, remember the children, youth and other adults who share this building with you and know that your mild inconvenience enhances their safety. Please make sure your children and youth are supervised at all times when they are in the church building.