In honor of Independence Day, we will gather as one church family in a single worship service at 10:30am on Sunday, July 5. If you are in town, join us for this special time of worship. We will celebrate our freedom as people of faith when we come to the Communion Table.

Our pastors are preparing a special message for the day and our choir has a beautiful anthem to share. After worship, we’ll head over to the Family Life Center for some ice cold watermelon

What an incredible 4 days at Epic Quest Vacation Bible School! More than 60 church family volunteers, ranging in age from 12 to 70+, came together to serve with joyful hearts. We were blessed to welcome 95 registered children, from nursery age through 5th grade, who learned, laughed, worshiped, and grew in faith throughout our time together.

We made a difference beyond our church by raising $851.24 for the Weekend Food Sack Program, helping provide food for children in our community. Epic Quest was truly a church-wide, church-family event, and it would not have been possible without the time, energy, generosity, and love of every volunteer, donor, parent, and participant.

Thank you for making it EPIC! We are grateful for each of you and thank God for an amazing week of faith, fellowship, and fun.

On Monday, July 13, we will be closed for the installation of a new electrical panel in the sanctuary building. This is the second of two major infrastructure upgrades that need to happen this summer. Please note this office closure date on your calendar and thank you for your understanding.

We are looking for our next Facilities Manager. If you know of someone with experience in managing contractors and vendors, as well as building maintenance staff, they might be just the right fit. This position requires the ability to be flexible with changing needs and requirements while remaining focused on a progress and efficiency. It is a salaried position, full-time, with health care benefits. Interested candidates should reach out to Daniel Guthrie by CLICKING HERE with a resume and cover letter.

Our children’s playground received a new bench and new picnic tables this week. We’ve been focused on improving this playground and appreciation the hard work of our Early Childhood Center to make it happen! We’ll be welcoming kids back to school very soon and are grateful to have these new editions.

We’re already halfway through the year, so it feels like the perfect time to share a few fun facts. Over the past six months, Hope House has given out around 150 packages of diapers and wipes, 350 pairs of pajamas, and 80 packages of socks. That’s a lot of love going out the door, and we know the need for these items will stay strong in the months ahead.
If you’d like to help, our Amazon Wish List is always updated with the things we’re running low on, CLICK HERE!

We also happily accept gently used pajamas and kids’ clothing from infant through teen sizes. Donations can be dropped off at First United Methodist Church, Monday-Thursday, 8:00am-4:00pm. Thank you for showing up for this ministry and for the families we serve. Your support truly makes a difference.

The history of our nation and the history of the Methodists in the United States are intertwined. You could say, we grew up together. In 1784, Methodists in the newly formed nation broke with their English founders in what was known as the, "Christmas Conference" which resulted in the Methodist Episcopal Church in America. Our histories intertwined: Methodists reflected the struggles of our nation. We split over slavery in 1844, forming the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South and did not reunite until 1939.

The General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church has produced an 8 episode series called, “From Crown to Conferencing,” to mark the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding. The videos explain the nuances of what feels like a sibling relationship sometimes. Our church and our nation grew up in the same historical situation, experienced the same forming influences, and are forever connected. Yet, we are distinct from one another and continue to learn about ourselves through one another.

Dr. Ashley Boggan is the General Secretary for the Commission on Archives and History. She was our teacher at Annual Conference in May when Methodists from around Oklahoma gathered in OKC for our yearly meeting. Our lay leaders said her teaching was a highlight of the three days we spent together. Dr. Boggan is featured in several of these videos.

If you’d like to watch all 8 videos, CLICK HERE to check out the series on YouTube, and CLICK HERE to view Dr. Boggan's teaching.

May the blessings of independence and freedom continue to expand their reach, widening the circle of those who enjoy the expanse of love and grace.