First Things for May 16, 2025

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Bakeless Bake Sale This Sunday

The United Women in Faith (UWF), formerly known as United Methodist Women, will host a Bakeless Bake Sale this Sunday in conjunction with all Sunday morning services. This year, UWF will donate $250 to our church's Community Assistance Fund. Additionally, the UWF would like to donate $250 to our Community Meal ministry.

We would greatly appreciate your support by participating in our Bakeless Bake Sale this Sunday.

Food for Zimbabwe

All the buckets have been claimed. Thank you so much for your commitment to sharing food with our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe! If you picked up a bucket, please fill it with the items listed below only (this helps ensure the kits get through customs easily). Include $8.00 for shipping (make checks payable to First UMC with "buckets" in the memo line), and return the packed bucket to the Welcome Center no later than Sunday, May 25.

1 bag of sugar (4-5 lb)

1 bag of self-rising flour (4-5 lb)

1 bag of rice (2 lb)

1 bag of dried beans (2 lb)

1 powdered milk (no larger than 64 oz)

1 bottle of cooking oil (48 oz or less)

2 cans of meat: ham (2 - 1 lb cans) or spam, tuna, chicken

Get Registered for VBS

Register now for Vacation Bible School! Students Pre-K (5 years) through 6th Grade can join us for a week of fun as we learn about the Fruits of the Spirit through engaging Bible stories, crafts, games, and more!

Glow Dance Party

Children and Family Ministries invites you to celebrate the end of the school year at the annual Glow Dance Party! This year, the party will be held in the Multipurpose Room on Friday, May 30, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Contact Shelby Fowler (sfowler@fumcor.org) for more information.

First Church Book Club

Do you enjoy a good book? Join the FUMC Book Club, which meets the second Monday of each month at 1:00 p.m. in Room 207. Book club members are pictured after discussing the May book, Bridge Under the Sun. This book details the life of a Johnson City native, Gwen Terasaki, who married a Japanese diplomat shortly before World War II.

The book for June is Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips. Contact Pastor Denna (dhornby@fumcor.org) for more information.

Stephen Minister Training Coming This Fall

FUMC has a 35-year tradition of offering Stephen Ministry support to our congregation. Help us continue that tradition. In conjunction with Grace Lutheran and First Cumberland Presbyterian churches, we will be offering a training course this fall for those interested in becoming a Stephen Minister. Classes are held once per week for a total of 17 weeks beginning September 23, 2025. The classes cover a broad spectrum of topics, including Christian caregiving, effective listening, confidentiality, maintaining boundaries, and process-oriented relationships. If you have any interest in pursuing this vital and personally gratifying ministry, please contact Rev. Ken Sauer (ksauer@fumcor.org) or any of our Stephen Leaders and Ministers.

Around the Community

New Pipe Organ

For anyone who has looked in the Chapel lately, you may be wondering what has happened to make such a mess. The answer is that we have just been fortunate enough to acquire a small pipe organ for the Chapel! The organ was listed for sale in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and even has wood details that match the center of the Chapel's rose window. This modest organ was in the home of a professional organist and will soon be reassembled in our Chapel so that we can enjoy it for many years to come.

Many thanks to all who helped unload the organ and especially Kali Bargiel, Jack Landenberger, and Paul Davis, who accompanied Josh Sumter on the trip to NC to disassemble and load the organ. Along with the new pipe organ, the Chapel will be rearranged to better suit the new instrument and to encourage more use of the space. Please, bear with us as we work to transform the space into a more useful and inviting area.

May Special Offering - Music Ministries

Throughout the month of May, the special offering will support the FUMC Music Ministry. For years, this church has influenced many lives through music, bringing congregants closer to God in worship and offering activities for all ages. The Music Ministry currently involves approximately 75 regular participants in various groups, including the Parish Adult Choir, Parish Youth Choir, Children’s Treble Choir, Schola Cantorum, Carillons handbell ensemble, and the brand new FUMC Orchestra. Other musicians contribute through vocal or instrumental solos and by participating in special choirs.

In traditional services alone, around 223 musical pieces are performed or sung each year. This number only includes preludes, anthems, offertories, and postludes. If additional music such as psalms, service music, introits, and unique hymns were accounted for, the total would well exceed 300. In the past year, the children's choir, adult choir, and handbells have experienced growth. FUMC has seen the emergence of another large ensemble in the form of the orchestra. On June 21, 2025, FUMC will host a concert by the internationally renowned, professional handbell ensemble, The Raleigh Ringers. Our own Carillons handbell ensemble just attended the Smoky Mountain Ring handbell festival. This June, a group of church members from children to adults will attend the Music & Worship Arts Week at Lake Junaluska.

There are so many additional expenses for the activities listed above (as well as many others not listed) that are not included in the budget, such as music, robes, stand lights, and other necessary tools. Tuning and maintaining the pipe organ and six pianos also require financial resources. The line items for handbell-related purchases and children's choir-related purchases were removed years ago. Additionally, any trip taken by the Music Ministry incurs costs. Our music ministry is revitalizing in tangible ways, but it needs your support to continue growing.

Music has a profound impact on us, creating lasting memories and friendships. The Music Ministry humbly asks for your support of the May Special Offering, which will benefit all musical endeavors at our church so that FUMC can continue to inspire the community through song.

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