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IN THIS ISSUE:

Jr. High Youth Super Bowl Party PAGE

Family Cooking Class PAGE

Friendship Club Outings PAGE 5 6

a Hosted by the First United Methodist Foundation a

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Date: Sunday, March 3, 2019Time: 12:15 p.m.

Location: First Church, Asbury Hall

RSVP no later than Monday, February 25, 2019http://firstchurch.church/about/rsvp/

There are many groups of volunteers who serve the congregation and community of First United Methodist Church of Phoenix. Our Foundation would like to honor and recognize those who give freely and generously to the life of our church.

Ash Wednesday Soup Supper PAGE 3

V O L U M E 3 3 , N U M B E R 2 • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

F I R S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H O F P H O E N I X

A Note From Pastor DennyDear Friends,

I have several items to share with you and encourage you to add them to your calendar.

February Communion Offering - Sunday, February 3 The Justa Center here in Phoenix will be the beneficiary of this offering. The Justa Center began in 2006 by Pastor Scott Ritchey and members of the United Methodist Church. It started with a need for homeless seniors to have a safe, out-of-the-weather place each day. The Center now provides various services to homeless seniors including efforts to find appropriate housing for its clients. The population of homeless seniors has risen 149% in the five year period of 2014 to 2018. This offering needs to be generous in support of this ministry.

Scouting Sunday - Sunday, February 10 We are excited to host Scout Sunday on February 10 at both services. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, their leaders, and families will be recognized and their their work celebrated. As “servant lead-ers,” the scouts will participate in the services and collect food donations for our pantry. A food needs list will be distributed on February 3 so that you can donate what’s needed.

Prayer Service in Support of General Conference - Wednesday, February 20 February 23 - 26, United Methodist from around the world will meet in St. Louis to consider “A Way Forward” as to the unity of the denomination around issues of human sexuality. This Conference needs to be in our prayers and we have scheduled a brief prayer service for Wednesday evening, February 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the chapel.

Ash Wednesday - Wednesday, March 6 We begin the Lenten season with our Ash Wednesday service on March 6 at 6:15 p.m. The service will be preceded by a soup meal served from 5 to 6 p.m., and tickets will be available. Join us as we contemplate our personal shortcomings and prepare our hearts to walk with Jesus through the sea-son of Lent. We hope to see many of you at this important service to begin our Lenten season.

Trusting God - It’s difficult for any of us to know where our lives are going this next year, but we know that God goes with us. In that knowledge we will find strength for the challenges and gratitude for the blessings. Happy and blessed new year to all our families.

In Christ, Denny

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New Members We received new members into our congregation on Sunday, January 13. Pictured left to right are David Whitaker, Lisa and Greg Brown, Pastor Denny, Kathy and Russ Yost, Stephanie Grainer and Marie Garber, our Lay Leader. Also pictured with Pastor Denny are David, Judy, Juliet and Lucas Reno.

Gourmets for God: Food, Fellowship and Fundraising Do you enjoy entertaining with friends? Do you like to cook? Are you interested in contributing to our church budget with a clever concept here? First Church is currently planning a sixth season of Gourmets for God. This is where a host (you) will recruit friends to share in the design, purchasing, cooking and serving of a meal in the home or backyard. Maybe you would like to learn to know someone at church better so consider inviting them to your team. Or perhaps your Sunday School class wants to host. To make our sixth season successful, we need about ten events to take place between late October 2019 and early May 2020. Ideas from past years include Sunday Brunch, English Tea Party, Taco Fiesta, Bon Appetit French Dinner, Wine and Food Pairings, Hungarian Goulash, Italian Fare and more. If you have a favorite dish to make, we have a creative team to give it a title. As the hosts/friends, you will pay for the event, select the date, time and number of guests you wish to entertain and First Church thanks you very much for this gift. Then on a Sunday in the fall, First Church folks will make donations to the church as they “buy a ticket” to your event ... that’s the fund raising part. All money will go to our general church budget. If you have questions, suggestions or interest, please contact Robin Spencer at robin@firstchurch.church. I would love to hear from you very soon as this takes months of planning.

Annual Ash Wednesday Soup Supper Have a fun time here. All are encouraged to attend this fellowship event on Wednesday, March 6 in Asbury Hall served 5 - 6 p.m. A buffet selection of homemade soups, jello with fruit salads, cheese/green chile cornbread and assorted desserts will be served. We strong-ly encourage you pre-purchase your ticket(s) to assist us in planning adequate food. Tickets will go on sale starting Sunday, February 17 on the patio on Sundays or in the church office.

Prices will be $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 4-10 and free for the little ones. All proceeds benefit the UMCOR Mission Team. After the meal, everyone is invited to attend the Ash Wednesday worship service in the sanctuary at 6:15 p.m.

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A Safe Way to Dispose of Your Prescription Drugs First Church will host an event on Sunday, April 7 to safely dispose of your unwanted prescrip-tion medications. As you know, leaving medications in your home can be dangerous. And please never flush drugs down the toilet, or dispose of them in the trash. More information and very specific instructions will be included in next month’s Good News. But in the meantime, the take away lesson from last year still seems reasonable to share now: those giant bottles of vitamins and aspirin tend to expire before you finish them. Always consider purchasing smaller quantities of pills.

Biosphere 2 Tour The Friendship Club will be traveling to Oracle, AZ to visit Biosphere 2 which is a remarkable experience allowing the group to tour one of the “50 Must-See Wonders of the World” according to Time Life Books. The group will be traveling by church vans on Thursday, February 7. We will leave the church at 8:30 a.m. and enjoy the “Under the Glass Tour” that begins at 11 a.m. Upon completion of the tour, we will enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant before returning to Phoenix. Please dress in layered, comfortable clothes and closed-toed shoes. There will be some walking involved on the tour. The price of the tickets for seniors is $19. Lunch will be on your own. Please contact Carolyn Cooper at 602.943.3082 for additional information.

Friendship Club Outing To “Godspell” The Friendship Club invites you to see the musical “Godspell.” This musical celebration of the Gospel will be at Grand Canyon University’s Ethington Theatre. The matinee performance will be on Sunday, March 31. We will meet in Asbury Hall at 12:15 p.m., after the church service where we will have a Subway sandwich lunch. The cost will be $15 which will cover the lunch and the play. What a bargain! On this outing we will have church vans available for about 20 and the rest will be handled by carpooling to the venue. We will leave the church at 1:15 p.m., to arrive early enough for the 2 p.m. performance. Call Suzanne or Steve Haehl at 623.979.5449 for reservations. The RSVP deadline is Friday, March 8. We are limited to 40 tickets.

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UMW Just One Monthly Collection

Each month the United Methodist Women collect basic items for fami-lies in need. It’s called “Just One.” If each of us would bring just one item, think how much that would be! This month they will be collecting facial tissue. Items may be dropped off at the UMW table on the patio or in the church office on Sunday mornings.

IN MEMORY OFCatherine BumpersDecember 30

Dr. Paul JarrettJanuary 1

What’s Up at Weekday School? Weekday School is getting excited for Vehicle Day on February 1. We’ll have a parking lot full of awesome vehicles for our kiddos to see all morning! This is a super fun event and we are so thankful to our community for volunteering their time!

We’d also like to mention a save-the-date. Spring Fling is Friday, March 8, 5 - 7 p.m. There will be bounce houses, a petting zoo, food trucks, and gift baskets that will be raffled off! You don’t want to miss the fun! More info will be posted in the school office.

SENIOR BIRTHDAYSCelebrating 90 years or more

Mila MurlessFebruary 9

Lola Gummere February 27

ANNIVERSARIESCharlotte and Bill CarpenterFebruary 16, married 67 years

Liv and Buzz Stevens February 19, married 53 years

We Pray for Everyone on our Prayer List Jean Oliver, Gilbert Peterson, Joyce Quisenberry, Dorothy Randall, Robert Schoen, Gladys Shaw, Donald Shearer, Shonette Shearer, Jean-nette Smith, Jack Clark, John Lindley, Barb Runey, patients in facilities where they are vulnerable, family of Brady Entringer, Carol, Cate, David Whitaker, Lois and Anne Bettis, Brittany, Carol Hushek, Laura Swan, Dixie and Andy, mother of Kristin Tate, mother of Mary Pat Eul, Barbara Chackel, all girls/women in the world, all children with special needs, our Earth, our Nation and Government, World Wide United Methodist Church, First Responders, United States Military, Nathaniel and Paul Shroyer, Vickie Johnson, Osias and Desiree Segura-April

Plan now to attend the adult fellowship at First Church, also called SWAG. That’s the Second Wednesday Adult Group. The 2019 programs are these:February 13 We welcome Liberty Wildlife Refuge and their rescued birds.March 13 We will take a field trip to the Sugar Bowl in Scottsdale for lunch and ice cream plus a little wandering thru a couple of local shops.April 10 We will show a surprise spring movie complete with soda and popcorn.

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First Friday Coffee Truck February 1 Stop by First Church Friday, February 1 between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. for your morning coffee, tea, smoothie and pastries. We will have Drip Coffee & Espresso Truck in our west parking lot. https://azdripcoffee.com/https://www.facebook.com/dripcoffeeespressoDrip Coffee & Espresso

Our sincere sympathies to Julie Borgmeier, former long-time trea-surer at First Church, on the death of her husband, Phillip Borgmeier, who died unexpectedly on January 19. His memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 2 at 10 a.m. at Word of Life Lutheran Church in Surprise.

COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAMS

UMW shall be a community of women whose pur-pose is to know God, and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ to develop a cre-ative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global minis-tries of the church.

OUR PURPOSE United Methodist Women News

This is a prayer from the Prayer Calendar that UMW uses. “Loving God, as we celebrate 150 years of wom-en’s mission, we long to hear you say “be bold and courageous...Lord Jesus, revive us into greater heights of mission with renewed boldness. Amen.” Submitted by Grace Musuka, United Methodist Women Regional Missionary, Central Africa.

www.FrysCommunityRewards.com Con-nect your VIP card to Phoenix First United Methodist Women, use NPO #MN317. The UMW receives 4% of total spent using your VIP card.

United Methodist Women are planning for the winter and spring seasons. Our meetings are focused on topics of interest about women, children, and youth.

Our February Meetings: The Eve circle will meet on Thursday, February 14 at 7 p.m. in Wesley Lounge on the church campus. The program will be info on the Justa Center, presented by Ernie Shaver and Merrill Davison. The newly-formed Rachel Circle will also meet on Thursday, February 14 at 1:30 p.m. in the Centennial Room. The program will be “Fresh Start.”

Family Cooking Class Sick of the same old dinners week after week, but want wholesome meals the kids can help prepare? Are these questions you often think about? Then this class is made for you! Our family cooking class is a collaborative design for children and adults to work and learn together.

What Families Should Know: • Class Days/Dates: Saturdays, February 16, 23 and March 9• Class time: 10 a.m. -12 p.m.• Space is limited to 10 families• Cost is $30 per family for all 3 classes, to cover the cost of ingredients• We will prepare the meal and eat together in the Centennial Room, by the kitchen• You will be standing, cooking and working for most of the class• Please remember to wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes and have long hair tied back• Tons of fun and tasty foods for families to enjoy!

Please RSVP here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b45adaa28a2fd0-family

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Wild Birds in Asbury Hall On Wednesday, February 13 at the SWAG program, our guests will be from Liberty Wildlife, a rescue orga-nization for injured wild birds. All adults are invited to this educational program where some birds will be brought for a show and tell. The program is at 11 a.m. and lunch ($6) will follow. We need your reservation no later than Monday noon, February 11. Please call the church office at 602.263.5013. We assume everyone is staying for both program and lunch unless you tell us program only.

STAFF TELEPHONE EXTENSIONSPastor Denny Silk 1102Lisa Brown 1100Jen Heffington 1108Russ Morrow 1106Robin Spencer 1107Joshua Elder 1115

Foundation CornerScholarship Applications Available Online

Applications for the First United Methodist Foundation scholarships are now available online from our web site. All applicants will be asked to submit their application using our new online form by using the following link: https://firstchurch.church/ministries/foundation/. Completed applications must be submitted on or before 4 p.m. on Monday, March 18, 2019. All scholarships will be awarded in May.

GOOD NEWS AT FIRST CHURCH

First United Methodist Church5510 North Central AvenuePhoenix, Arizona 85012

SUNDAY SERVICES9 a.m. Contemporary Worship10 a.m. Activities for all ages11 a.m. Traditional Worship

church office: 602.263.5013weekday school: 602.230.0646

web: firstchurch.churchemail: Info@firstchurch.church

facebook.com/firstumcofphoenixfacebook.com/weekdayschool#FirstChurchPhoenixTwitter: @FirstUMCPhoenixInstagram: FirstChurch.ChurchLivestream: Livestream.com/firstchurch

Jr. High Youth Super Bowl PartyWhat: Jr. High Youth Group Annual Super Bowl PartyWhen: Sunday February 3, 2019, 4 - 8 p.m.Where: Bayardi house 14227 N. 16th Ave., Phoenix 85023, 602.432.3438Why: Have fun, food, fellowship with all youth 6 - 8th grade! Bring a friend and a snack to share!

5510 North Central AvenuePhoenix, Arizona 85012Return Service Requested