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Breakthrough Prayer
God, rouse me from my "spiritual sleep" so that I am spiritually awake and prayerfully alert to what your Spirit's power longs to do in and through me. Amen.
| | Realm Connect, a Better Way! | | You are going to want to watch this video! | | |
We want to connect with you through Realm Connect!
First Church has transitioned to a new Church Management System and online directory called Realm Connect. Through Realm Connect, you will be able to update and add personal information on your own, upload profile pictures, view financial statements and giving at any time, and see pictures and contact information for other church members (an online, on-demand church directory)!
Follow the links below to get signed up and for step-by-step directions in setting up your Realm Connect account.
If you need assistance with Realm Connect, you can call the church office during regular business hours (865-483-4357) or stop by the Welcome Center on Sunday, July 26, between 8:45-11:00 a.m.
| | Mark your calendars for Sunday, August 2, when First Church students will be "popping up" to their new Sunday School classes during the Sunday School hour. As part of this promotion and in preparation for the new school year, we will also have a backpack blessing during worship, and we will pray for our school leaders and employees. Please make plans to join together in showing support for our students and their teachers and leaders as a new school year begins. For more information, please contact Billy Price (bprice@fumcor.org). | | |
Join Summer Choir this June and July! No experience or long-term commitment is required—simply show up in the choir room on any Sunday at either 8:25 a.m. or 10:40 a.m. to participate. Summer Choir is a great opportunity to sing, meet others, and contribute to worship during the summer months.
If you love singing, or have enjoyed the Summer Choir this season, consider sharing your gifts regularly by joining the choir. Rehearsals begin on August 5! For more information, contact Josh Sumter at jsumter@fumcor.org.
| | New Grief Support Group Beginning | | |
The death of loved ones, including pets, can be overwhelming. Feelings of loneliness, sadness, anger, or despair cry out for relief. Hoping they will go away by staying busy often only compounds the burden of grief.
Hope and healing can be found with others who are willing to confront their loss in a safe, confidential space and help bear one another’s burdens. First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge offers such a space through its Grief Support Group ministry.
The next Grief Support Group will meet Sundays, August 9 through September 27, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in Room 207. Anyone who has lost a loved one or who is facing other significant losses is welcome to attend.
Group facilitators are Gielda Reese, a retired school teacher who lost her 14-year-old daughter to cancer, and the Rev. Bob Cantrell, a retired United Methodist pastor. Together, they offer compassionate guidance and understanding drawn from both personal experience and years of service to others.
Attendance is limited. Advance registration is encouraged, but not required. For registration or more information, contact Pastor Denna at 1-865-483-4357 or dhornby@fumcor.org.
| | Women of the Bible Study Begins August 16 | | |
A new short-term Bible Study is coming together. Beginning on August 16, Pastor Clair will lead a 12-week study (in two 6-week segments) about women in the Bible. The study will meet weekly on Sundays (late afternoon or early evening) from August 16 - September 20 and October 18 - November 22. This study will loosely follow the new book, Her Faith Still Speaks, edited by Sheri Carder Hood with contributions from Holston Conference Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett and FUMC's own Rev. Stella Roberts. Stella will lead the lesson about Ruth, as that was her contribution to this book. All are invited to any or all of this study about women in the Bible.
If you would like to purchase the book, you can find it on Amazon or through Market Square Books, but it is not required for participation in the study. For more information, please contact Pastor Clair (csauer@fumcor.org).
| | Gospel of John Bible Study | | Weekly Wednesday Bible Study with Pastor Ken just began a new study. This is a great opportunity to jump in for an in-depth exploration of the Gospel of John. There are two opportunities each Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. (Room 207) or 6:00 p.m. (Room 205). Contact Pastor Ken for more information (ksauer@fumcor.org). | | KARM Card Ministry Update | | |
First Church’s KARM Card Ministry is coming to a close, and we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated over the years.
Through your handwritten notes of encouragement, you helped support Knox Area Rescue Ministries’ mission of sharing hope and kindness with individuals staying in their overnight shelter. Each card was a simple but meaningful reminder that someone cares.
Thank you to all who wrote notes, organized cards, and supported this ministry, and a special thank you to Judy Smith for her faithful leadership in recent years. We give thanks for the many lives touched through your compassion and generosity.
Your ministry has been a blessing, and we are grateful for the difference you have made.
| | The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has long been important in disaster response and relief around the world. If you would like to support people recently affected by natural disasters in our region (flooding) or in Venezuela (earthquakes), you can follow the links below to give through UMCOR. | |
July Special Missions Offering -
Family Resource Center
| | The July Special Offering will benefit the Family Resource Center (FRC) of Oak Ridge. Housed at Willow Brook and Glenwood Elementary Schools, the FRC offers a variety of services to our Oak Ridge Schools students and their families. Programs include: Food for Kids (hosted and coordinated by FUMC volunteers together with other community volunteers), school supplies, a Clothing Closet, and tutoring programs. The FRC also offers community resource networking, case management, and emergency assistance for families for rent, utilities, medicines, gasoline, food, clothing, and transportation. Adult programs include parenting and budgeting classes and job skills and resume assistance. The FRC is a vital community resource right here in Oak Ridge. If you would like to support the July Special Missions Offering, follow the link below or mail a check to: First UMC, 1350 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Notate “monthly offering” in the memo line. | |
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Worship for July 19
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
Scripture Readings:
Genesis 28: 10-19
Psalm 46
Romans 8: 14-21
Matthew 13: 24-33, 36-39
8: 45 & 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship - Sanctuary
11:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship - Multipurpose Room
Preaching: Rev. Ken Sauer, Rev. Denna Hornby
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In Sympathy
Please be in prayer for the family and friends of Tanyia Creasey, who joined FUMC on July 1, 2008, and died on June 24, 2026. A Celebration of Life will be held at FUMC on Saturday, July 25, at 12:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
In the Hospital/Dismissed
None that we are aware of at this time.
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Offering 6-22-2026 through 6-28-2026: $18,031
2026 YTD Offering: $743,021
2025 YTD Offering: $697,519
June Special Offering (RMN): $1,445
Thank you to all of you who mailed in your financial gifts or continued to give online.
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