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Welcome to First United Methodist Church, Sweetwater!

Special Announcement
 
Holy Week at First United Methodist Church 

We will celebrate Maundy Thursday with online communion, which the bishop has approved. You will need to have bread and juice (or substitutes) ready before you watch the service.

We will have online services for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We are blessed to have this way of worshiping when we can’t be in one building together!

Jacqueline will put up Easter cross for us to decorate with flowers on Sunday. If someone else is there when you come, please be mindful of keeping physical distance. You may wait in your car until the other person has finished.

Maundy Thursday, April 9 services may be viewed at: 
 
All services and activities in our church building are cancelled until further notice.  The cancellations include choir practices, TASK, First Kids, pickleball, basketball, and Wednesday Night Connection meals and study groups. Attached is the Bishop’s letter explaining the decision to keep church buildings closed until further notice. Additionally, the United Methodist General Conference scheduled for May has been cancelled.
 

As you know, even with services cancelled, our expenses continue. Some of you have been dropping off or mailing your contribution checks to the office. Many of you already have automatic bank drafts set up for your weekly or monthly giving. Others have inquired about doing this. For those who are so inclined, you may make one-time or recurring donations through our website by clicking on the “My Gifts” tab or by clicking directly on the “Donate Now” link on this page.
Another option is to make your donation through Vanco (the service that handles all our online donations) over the phone by calling their Client Services team at 800-675-7430.

Church Events and Announcements
 

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

This year our Holy Week experience at FUMC will be different as we balance the desire to worship as a community with the necessity to maintain distance to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We had hoped to offer drive-through communion on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, as well as a drive-in service for Easter Sunday, but the governor’s stay-at-home order has changed our plans. We will have online worship on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday at 9:00 as we have done for the past couple of weeks.  These services will be available for viewing any time on YouTube. Margareth is working with our singers and musicians to bring you special music to enhance your worship experience.

EASTER LILIES

We are still accepting orders for Easter lilies. They will be used to decorate our sanctuary for our online Easter service. If you wish to keep your lily afterwards, we will make arrangements for you to pick it up. Or if you prefer to donate your lily, someone has offered to deliver them to homebound members, as well as to nursing home residents and hospice patients.  What a wonderful way to show them the love of Jesus! Order Form
CHURCH OFFICES CLOSING AS WE SHELTER AT HOME
Starting Monday morning, the church office will be closed indefinitely. All staff will be working from home, thanks to the wonders of modern technology! You may continue to email me at this address or contact them directly via phone. The church mail will continue to be checked regularly, so you may continue to mail or drop off checks there.
 
 
KIDS NEWS – All Children’s Events Through April are cancelled.
 
 
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 
Mark your Calendars for July 19-23 for VBS!  Join us on Rocky Railway, where we learn that through life’s ups and downs, “Jesus’ Power Pulls Us Through”. Sign up sheets for helpers will be posted at the end of April.
 
LADIES BREAKFAST  
Our monthly 2nd Saturday breakfasts at The Dinner Bell are suspended until the COVID-19 pandemic is over. We normally meet at 9am on the second Saturday of each month. We are looking forward to getting together again and hope you will join us!
 
Women’s Monday Morning Bible Study
Did you know that we have a Monday morning Women’s Bible Study group? We invite you to join us after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.  We meet in the church conference room every
Monday at 10am. When we resume, we will be studying the Book of Revelation.
 

HOLSTON ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The Holston Annual Conference will be held June 7-10, 2020 at Lake Junaluska, NC. Anyone can attend. Housing lottery starts Febuary 3. Visit ac.holston.org for all annual conference information. You can also contact Brett Ward at 423-337-3609.
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
If you know of someone in our church family who is ill or needing to be placed on the prayer list, please call the office and let us know.  The church always wants to care for its members in whatever way we can.  Also, if there is someone on the prayer list who is no longer needing to be there, let the office know.
 
Current Opportunities to Serve
 
CARING FOR OUR OWN
Please keep in contact with our homebound members through cards and phone calls. If you would like to request phone calls or cards for yourself or someone else, please give me the information and I will include it in my emails. It’s so important for us to remain connected!
 

DO YOU NEED SOMEONE TO RUN ERRANDS FOR YOU?

We have several members who have volunteered to run errands for anyone who can’t or doesn’t want to go out during this time. Please let the office know if you would like someone to do this for you, and we’ll put them in contact with you. When you allow someone to help you, you are giving them a blessing!

 

FUNDRAISER FOR TRUE PURPOSE WOMEN’S CENTER

Since we’re all staying home more, now is a great time for Spring Cleaning! When you purge your closets and basements of serviceable but unneeded clothing and household items, please save them for a yard sale we will hold to benefit this worthy cause. The sale will be in June (hopefully)…watch the bulletin and newsletter for more details to come!

 

WE CARE MINISTRY
 We need someone to organize meals for those individuals who have just come home from the hospital due to illness or surgery.  Please find it in your heart to take on this very important and rewarding responsibility?  It can be done by telephone or on-line with mealtrain, or a combination of both.  If a team of two people stepped up, it would be even better.

 
BE A BLESSING – PASS IT ON
Our church has a “Blessing Box” outside the building.  We are filling it with non-perishable items that can be used by those in need.  Please donate food and dry good items (clothes, blankets, etc.)  for this outreach service supporting those in need in our community.

 

 
 
 
 
 
REMINDER OF CLOSURES FUMC follows the Sweetwater City Schools regarding closures.  If the schools are closed due to weather, all activities at church will also be canceled.