Do you have questions about FUMC, Methodism, or theology in general? Then join us for First Church 101 this Sunday, April 6, after the 11:00 a.m. services. We will meet in the Welcome Center at 12:00 p.m. Wear your walking shoes! We will take a tour of our campus, meet church staff, and answer your questions. We look forward to sharing this time with you! Contact Pastor Denna (dhornby@fumcor.org) for more information. | | |
Scholarship Applications are now open!
Are you a graduating senior or current college student? Please visit our website to apply for scholarships made available through our church.
Applications are due by April 15. For further information please contact Pastor Denna at dhornby@fumcor.org.
| | April Senior Adult Luncheon | | The April Senior Adult Luncheon will feature "Songs from the Heart" by the Oak Ridge High School Choral Ensemble. This previously scheduled choral performance had to be postponed due to inclement weather and snow. However, we are thrilled to announce that the performance has been rescheduled! Join us for a heartwarming presentation of beautiful music. Enjoy a delicious BBQ meal catered by Whitney Dodd Chambers. The cost is $15/person. Reserve your seat by calling the church office (865-483-4357) by April 10. We look forward to seeing you there at our April 16 gathering! | | First Recovery Fosters Family | | |
"We Are Family Now" by Caroline Beidler
She walked into the fellowship hall and was surprised by the rainbow of balloons, sprinkle décor, and cupcakes. Her husband had arrived a little earlier and knew that tonight’s speaker meeting at the church was going to be different.
First Recovery, the community that has developed at First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee over the past several years hosted a surprise baby party for Matt and Melinda Holder, leaders in the church and in the recovery community. They are expecting their second son any day.
| | Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Spring Tea is being cancelled. | | Lenten Guided Lectio Divina | | During Lent a guided Lectio Divina recording will be available on our website and YouTube channel. Lectio Divina is Latin for divine reading, and it is a process through which we prayerfully invite God to speak to us through scripture. Each Tuesday, an approximately 15-minute recording will be available to guide you through this sacred process. We will use the same scripture readings that will be the basis for our Sunday sermons. Come on a Lenten Journey to New Life by deepening your prayer life and strengthening your relationship with God through Lectio Divina. Contact Jenny Caughman (jcaughman@fumcor.org) for more information. | | Willing Workers Can Assist You This Spring | | The dedicated team of FUMCOR Willing Workers will be on the job once again to assist you this spring. Light hauling, trimming shrubs, attaching hoses, and replacing batteries are just a sampling of the tasks that these talented people can accomplish. As the weather warms, we want to help you with your needs. Please contact Mark Diemer at 865-483-5410 to schedule a site visit to assess the needs at your home. You can also contact Mark if you would like to join this wonderful team. A late April or early May Saturday morning will be set soon for the Willing Workers to assist you. Blessings, and thank you in advance for allowing us to be the hands and feet of our blessed Lord! | | Volunteer for Youth Pride Fest | |
 | | The FUMCOR Social Concerns Committee is seeking volunteers to help with the Oak Ridge Youth Pride Fest 2025. As in years past, we're looking for folks from our congregation to help with this annual event to be held Saturday, May 10, 2025, at the First Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge from 12:00 - 5:00 p.m. This year's theme is "Freedom to Express Ourselves." LGBTQIA+ Youth will have the opportunity to experience fellowship and fun in a safe space. Help is needed with check-in, snacks, and activities for all or part of the afternoon. Activity stations will include Art, Games, Drama, Reading/Books, Expression (Selfies), Crafts, Zen-Tango, Face Painting, and more. Our own Rev. Ken Sauer has volunteered to be the "dunkee" in a dunking booth sponsored by the Social Concerns Committee (note that our volunteers may try their luck at "dunking the minister"!). If you can't participate in person, help is being sought to supply snacks for the event as well. To sign up, please contact Greg Smith at smit92611@gmail.com.
| | April Special Offering - Children and Family Ministries | | |
During the month of April, our congregation will have the opportunity to support our Children and Family Ministries through our special offering. The church’s financial support for this ministry means that we can continue to provide a safe, loving, and fun environment for families.
We offer monthly events that are designed to give families the opportunity to spend time with one another, connect with others, and grow in their relationship with God. Along with our monthly events, we have yearly events that could not happen without the financial support of our church family. This summer marks our fourth year creating our own Vacation Bible School curriculum. Creating our own curriculum has been wonderful, but it comes with a larger financial burden as we are creating and purchasing all the materials needed to make a memorable week for the students who join us. This year, we will enjoy “Game Night: Learning to Win with Jesus!” Your financial gifts will help us bring games alive right inside our church building!
Our Children and Family Ministry is full of wonderful families who are eager to connect and be invested in First Church. We ask that you help support them by supporting this ministry through your gifts of giving or volunteering.
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Worship for April 6
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Scripture Readings:
Philippians 3: 4b-14
John 12: 1-8
8:45 & 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship - Sanctuary
11:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship - Multipurpose Room
Preaching: Rev. Ken Sauer, Rev. Clair Sauer
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In Sympathy
Christian love and sympathy are offered to the family and friends of Bev Davis, who joined FUMC on June 30, 1976, and died on March 29, 2025. We ask for prayers for Bev's husband, Dick, their children Sandy and Richard, and all of Bev's family and friends. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.
In the Hospital
None that we are aware of at this time.
Dismissed
Judy Statzer (to Viva)
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Our Giving
Offering 3-24-2025 through 3-30-2025: $11,791.75
2025 YTD offering: $385,474
2024 YTD offering: $366,527
March Monthly Special Offering: $1,560.00
Thank you to all of you who mailed in your financial gifts or continued to give online.
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