Weekly News
First United Methodist Church of Madison
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All Saints Sunday
November 1 9:30am
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By Mark Heiskanen
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.
-translated excerpt from the Latin Requiem Mass
God has work for us to do,
‘til God’s will is done
and all things are made new,
God has work for us to do!
– Carl Daw, Jr. (1996)
Songs of stewardship, service and faith this Commitment Sunday and Reformation Sunday morning. Read More
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All Saints Sunday: Remembering Our Loved Ones
This Sunday, Bring a Meaningful Item
As we prepare for All Saints Sunday, we invite those who have lost a loved one since last November to bring a meaningful item that reminds them of that special person. These items will be placed on the altar in the sanctuary during worship as we remember the people we hold dear and give thanks for the love, lives, and precious memories they have left with us. Together, we will honor their memory and celebrate the lasting ways their lives continue to touch ours.
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Sharing Our Journeys: Karu Sankaralingam
Sunday, 11am, Chapel & Zoom
Karu Sankaralingam is a Professor at UW-Madison, an Entrepreneur and Inventor and leads the Vertical Research Group. His work has been featured in industry forums of Mentor and Synopsys, and has been covered by the New York Times, Wired, and IEEE Spectrum. He has published over 100 research papers, has graduated 9 PhD students, is an inventor on 21 patents, and 9 award papers. He founded SimpleMachines in 2017 which developed chip designs applying dataflow computing to push the limits of AI generality in hardware. Rich Oliver will serve as facilitator.
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Senior Fall Gathering: Scam Awareness
Thurs., Nov. 5, 11am - 1:30pm, Fellowship Hall
We will kick things off with lunch at 11:00 am, followed at 12:00 pm by a vital presentation from Madison Police Department Financial Crimes Detectives Casey Amoroso and Ashley Knapp. They will discuss common scams targeting seniors, practical tips to recognize and prevent fraud, and the essential steps to take if you or a loved one is targeted. A live Q&A session will wrap up the afternoon—bring your appetite and your questions! RSVP to Rev. Ran Yoo.
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Pick-Up Choir
Sun., Nov. 8, 8:45am Rehearsal, Music Room
A Pick-Up Choir opportunity will be offered on Sunday, November 8. Rehearsal 8:45am. in the Music Room. Come and sing with the choir for a morning! All are welcome.
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Arts @ First Presents
Awake for Birds Concert
Sunday, November 8, 2pm, Sanctuary
The Arts @ First Series presents regional neo‑retro‑folk‑fusion duo Awake for Birds for a performance on Sunday, November 8 at 2:00 pm. Henry Alanna and Lizzy Lynch create songs blending heartfelt and funny, soothing and strange. With a decade’s worth of friendship, and a decade’s worth of original songs and covers, Awake for Birds aims to leave you humming, laughing, and thinking a bit more about this world we all share. Admission by donation ($10-$20 suggested.)
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Second Harvest Food Bank Work Day
Saturday, November 14, 8:15 – 11:45am
An easy opportunity to impact food insecurity for families in our area is available on Saturday, November 14 at Second Harvest Food Bank. We will meet at Second Harvest, 2802 Dairy Drive, at 8:15am. This opportunity is for people over 12 years of age.
The facility requires closed toe shoes and no tank tops. No heavy lifting is required. Be ready to wear a beautiful blue hair net if our work requires it. The work will be described to us that morning and you will work with other First UMC members. There are 21 spots to fill—please spread the word!
If you would like to participate, you need to register through the Second Harvest volunteer website. Contact Krista Tweed and she can help. Second Harvest prefers volunteers be signed up at least one week in advance of the workday.
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One of the things we heard clearly in our recent congregational survey was a desire for more opportunities to form meaningful relationships—to build friendships, share life, and know one another more deeply. We heard that, and we want to begin responding in concrete ways. Read More
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Prayer Requests
- Prayers for Healing, Comfort, and Peace
- As we prepare for All Saints Sunday this coming Sunday, we hold in prayer all those who have lost loved ones over the past year. May those experiencing grief, loneliness, and heartache find comfort, strength, and peace in God’s loving presence.
- We also pray for all who are recovering from surgery, preparing for upcoming procedures, or receiving treatment for health concerns. May they experience God’s healing presence and renewed strength. We pray, too, for the medical professionals and caregivers who care for them, asking God to grant them wisdom, patience, compassion, and endurance in their work.
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Youth Group
Sun., Nov. 8, 5:00-7:30pm, Youth Room
Prepare for a cozy night in! Come in your sweat pants and hoodies! Come in your pajamas! Bring your favorite mug to church for hot cocoa or tea! Sydney is bringing her Nintendo Switch 2! If you have more Switch controllers or multi player games please bring them, and bring your favorite card or board game, bring a craft project you're working on! We're hunkering down and getting oh so cozy! Contact Sydney
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Elementary Insider
Sun. Nov. 8, 4-5:30pm, Youth Room
Our newest children's program, a fellowship gathering for grades K-5! Think of it as youth group, but for the kiddos! A special club just for kids! Perfect opportunity for parents who'd like a date night in downtown Madison! Contact Sydney.
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Children's Sabbath
Sun. Nov. 15, 9:30am, Sanctuary
In the Methodist lectionary calendar, November 15th is the children's sabbath. We are looking for youth who want to participate in service that day! We need ushers, greeters, acolytes, we need someone to design the cover of the bulletin, and some folks to read liturgy! Please contact Sydney about the roles you can take on for this special service! Contact Sydney.
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Young Adult Gathering
Tuesdays, 6pm, Location Varies
Casual gathering with snacks/appetizers provided. Dinner and/or drinks are on each individual. Contact Sydney.
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Racial Equity & Justice Discussion Group
Wednesdays, 6:30pm, via Zoom
Join us, along with friends from other Wisconsin UMCs, for this 10-week study as we explore important issues facing our communities today. Please contact Kevin Williams for more information.
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Adult Bible Study
Thursdays, 2pm, Chapel Café
Join us as we explore a mosaic of the writings those early Christians left behind that did not make it into what we call the New Testament. Led by Scott Walters & Dr. Glenna Jackson. Readings provided in class. Contact Scott Walters.
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First Church Ringers
Thursdays, 5:30 - 6:30pm, Fellowship Hall Participate as you are able. ALL are Welcome. Questions? See Mark Heiskanen after a service, during the week or send him a note, here.
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Chancel Choir
Thursdays, 6:30 - 8pm, Music Room
Participate as you are able. ALL are Welcome. Questions? See Mark Heiskanen after a service, during the week or send him a note, here.
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Sharing Our Journeys
Sundays, 11am, Chapel & Zoom
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Emergent Theology
Sundays, 11:15am, Zoom
This Sunday, they will discuss chapter 5 from "Genesis — A Beginner’s Guide to the Beginning" by AJ. Levine. Contact George Gay for more information.
Zoom Meeting ID: 850 0324 3391 Passcode: 489851
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In Case You Missed It
Watch Sunday's Service Recording
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Hope's Home Ministries Community Breakfast
Wednesdays, 9am - 9:45am
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Hot breakfasts are served every Wednesday morning at 9am.
Sign up here to help with Wednesday breakfasts. We are always accepting more help.
This week, we had 134 guests and served 191 meals for breakfast and 164 sandwiches. We had 24 volunteers and 10 community partners.
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Our ministry could not flourish without our many dedicated volunteers. We are so thankful for their work!
We are always accepting volunteers! Sign up for a recurring position, or get started as a new Volunteer with First Church by filling out the Volunteer Interest Form. Visit Our Volunteer Page here to get involved.
| | Please send your newsletter submissions to communications@fumc.org by 12 noon on Wednesday. Please strive for brevity (150 words max) and relevancy (space is especially limited for external events). All submissions are subject to editing. | | |
First United Methodist Church
203 Wisconsin Ave., Madison WI 53703
info@fumc.org, 608-256-9061
Open M-Th, 9am-2pm
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