The Weekly Courier

July 27, 2023

"We seek to connect people to God, each other, and the wider community and to welcome and affirm all people"

Prepare Your Heart...

Before you hear Mark lead our Song Team singing "Mighty to Save" by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan, check out this beautiful performance from Hillsong Worship in Australia.



Click on the picture --> 

Green Bag Sunday Returns!

Green bags will be handed out this Sunday July 30 and returned to the church August 6. The Food Bank is in need of: Peanut butter, canned protein, cereal, and tampons. As always any nonperishable food is appreciated.

A volunteer is needed on August 6 to help move the filled green bags into storage. Another volunteer is needed on August 12 to transport our donations to the Food Bank Warehouse. Contact Toni Miklich ([email protected]) if you can help.

We Love Madison Elementary! Supply Fundraiser 

Our church has a decades long relationship with the elementary school across the street. As Methodists, we are committed to making quality education accessible so that the children of our neighborhood can thrive. More than 50% of the children who attend Madison are living in poverty, which makes purchasing school supplies an added financial burden. 

One way we show our love for the school is through our annual summer fundraiser. Each year we “adopt a grade” and provide the funding needed so that when the children come to school their supplies are provided for them. We are in year 9 of this effort and we are supporting 2nd grade for the 2023-2024 year. This year we are hoping to raise $1750 for supplies. Anything above this number will be given to the school to fill supply gaps for other grades. You can give online by selecting “Madison Elementary” from the drop down menu or put those words in the memo line of your check or cash donation. 

Another way we’re hoping to support Madison is by bringing together a group of volunteers who would like to share their time and talent in various ways this school year. This could look like being a “reading buddy,” to being with children at recess, planning a service-learning activity, attending school board meetings and more. There are options for all types of availability. To learn more about this opportunity please contact Angelina Goldwell or Pastor Heather. 

Tumwater's National Night Out

Our friends at Tumwater United Methodist have invited all the churches in the South Sound Co-op to join in their festivities for "National Night out" on Tuesday, August 6th.

So come join us in the Tumwater UMC parking lot from 6-8pm for lots of community building activities like live music (from the band Backlash), the old car club, fire engines, visits from the Tumwater Police and Fire Departments, dancing, bubble fun, and more!

July-August Upper Rooms

July-August issues of the Upper Room are ready for pick-up for $1.00! You may get yours on a Sunday morning, before or after worship. Or, swing by the church Monday-Thursday, 10am-2pm.

Morning Prayer Team

For prayer opportunities with your church friends, join the Morning Prayer team, Mondays and Thursdays at 9:00am. Access our Zoom Link right here or directly email the church office.

A Message from Interfaith Works

Recently the City of Olympia contracted a consulting company, Truclusion, to set up and conduct a survey to assess Olympia residents’ experiences of discrimination. The goal is to gather data to help the city better understand how discrimination impacts people in Olympia and help identify what kinds of interventions might be most effective. The people at Truclusion worked really hard to ensure that the survey is available in the 4 common languages spoken in Olympia, and it is now up and running!

For easy reference, the website can be found: http://www.surveyolympia.com/

The questionnaire will take 3-12 minutes to complete. If you elect to participate in an interview, your participation may last up to 30 minutes. Those who FULLY complete this survey will be placed in a raffle for a $1,000 VISA Gift Card and other cash prizes. You need to be 18 years or older, and have visited Olympia in the past year to be eligible.

New Church Directories Are Here!

If you'd like to grab your own copy of the new church directory, stop by the table set up after church on Sunday or check in with the office during normal office hours (Mon-Thurs | 10-2).

We're asking for a suggested donation of $10.

When's the Next Tumwater Softball Game?

It's softball season! Come cheer on the Tumwater UMC softball team on Friday nights all Summer (and join us for Dairy Queen afterwards!) All games are played at the RAC (Regional Athletic Center) in Lacey.

The next game is: July 28 @8:30pm on Field #2.

Seeking Nursery Volunteers

Jesus affirmed the sacred worth of children in his ministry. Each week we are blessed to have an average of 3-5 children present in the nursery during worship. Linda Eldred, our nursery staff member, has lovingly cared for our children each Sunday for the past 36 years.

We are seeking to develop a team of 8-12 volunteers who will rotate to be the 2nd adult in the nursery on Sunday mornings with Linda (9:45-11:15am).

This is a wonderful opportunity to engage with our youngest disciples and share God's love with them with your gift of presence. A background check is required and training is provided. If you would be open to being on this team or would like to learn more please contact Angelina Goldwell. 

Life of the Church

This week our youth have combined forces with other youth from around the co-op to perform local service projects in the Greater Olympia Area.

On Tuesday, the youth came to the First Olympia church building and baked cookies for the Shelton Community Lifeline and put together busy bags for the Family Support Center.

You can find more photos from this event (and many more) on our Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/FUMCOLY

Want YOUR Article In The Courier?

If you're looking to remind members of our church community about an upcoming event, updates on existing ministries, or even brand new opportunities, this newsletter is a great place to start! Here's a few tips for how to ensure your news gets out in time:

• Write a short paragraph with all the essential information you need people to know (the when/where's/and what to brings of the event)
• Send your article to our multimedia coordinator, Lauren ([email protected]). If you have a relevant photo you want included, feel free to send that along too.
• Send your article at least THREE WEEKS before your event! We run articles for two weeks and since The Courier goes out on Thursdays, we want to make sure everyone has plenty of time to read your announcement.

If you have news, we'd love to help you share it!

Our Welcoming Statement

First United Methodist Church of Olympia welcomes people of all ages, all abilities,

all sexual orientations and gender identities, all nationalities and ethnicities,

the poor and the rich, single people and the many forms of family.

See our Church Calendar.

Visit our webpage!

Watch our latest worship service

Read the latest Joys & Concerns

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Contact us ...

by phone: 360-943-2661 by email: [email protected]

OFFICE HOURS: Sunday 9am-noon | Monday-Thursday 10am-2pm

The Weekly Courier editor: Lauren Fontanilla