| What We Do at First Christian Church | |
|
First Christian Church serves God and God's creation while sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and enjoying life. |
||
|
| What We Do at First Christian Church | |
|
First Christian Church serves God and God's creation while sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and enjoying life. |
||
We meet each Sunday at 9:30 am for a worship service normally including singing, prayer, a children's message, a sermon, and open communion for all who believe in the power of Christ Jesus. We are often blessed with music from one of the choirs and occasionally have a baptism or a baby dedication.
Children who want to can go to children's church right after their message.
Learn About God
First Christian Church offers a wide variety of ways to learn about God and our relationship to God's creation for 4 year olds through all ages. These include: Sunday School, Weekday Adult Bible Classses and Vacation Bible school.
Sunday SchoolSunday School meets throughout the year after worship service on Sunday mornings 10:45-11:30. Classes include:
Nursery care is available through the worship service and Sunday School with Alycia. Parents are given pagers in case their child needs them.
Four year olds through 5th grade start in the worship service and are dismissed following Children's Moment to Junior Church and Sunday School. A team of teachers leads this group and usually divides them into 2 classes with 4 year old -- 2nd grade meeting together and 3nd -- 5th meeting together. The classes break following the worship service for fellowship time then gather again for Sunday School.
Elementary School meet each week with Deb Tyler in the first room on the far side of the Fellowship Hall. Lessons usually include some sort of craft or project connected with the lesson.
Middle and High School students (6th-12th) meet together in the middle classroom on the far side of Fellowship Hall under the leadership of Amy Bode.
Three Adult Classes are led by Steve Klepinger (classroom off Felowship Hall next to the kitchen), Amy Van Heyningen (library at the top of small stairs), and Doug Morton (meeting in the third classroom on the far side of the Fellowship Hall).
Weekday Bible StudiesASK Bible Study meets at church on Monday evenings at 6:30 through Spring, Summer and Fall under the leadership lof Jan Houlihan.
Women's Bible Study meets at the church on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 through Fall Winter and Spring. Contact person is Letty McKee.
Vacation Bible School
The theme for the 2020 VBS is
"Rocky Railroad" where children ages 5 to 5th grade graduates
discover trusting Jesus pulls them through life's ups and downs.
The day will
be filled with music, singing, bible stories, crafts, games and
snacks. Upwards to 40 are taught by our church members and
Little Lambs staff in this hands-on ministry. You may register
when arriving or call the church at 223-5812.
We will meet in the mornings through one week in June,
but the dates have not been set.
Our Vision is to be a caring community where the message of salvation through Jesus Christ is shared through worship, fellowship, witness and service. As seekers and believers we witness our faith journey by example and teaching. We seek a stronger personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our Savior, leading us to serve one another by showing love and compassion. As a faith community, followers are encouraged to use their God-given gifts to become the hands and feet of Jesus to do His work. We are called to serve Him in new and exciting ways from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth.
Outreach
Our goal is to be the hands and feet of Christ
from our Doorstep to the ends of the earth.
Our Door Step:
-On our doorstep we noticed a real need for quality child care at an affordable price. Little Lambs Daycare has been a part of our congregation for over 15 years and continues to be a good place to be when you cannot be at home. Click for more information on Little Lambs Daycare
-Our doorstep also includes people with real food and shelter
needs. We work together with other congregations and
organizations to support United Ministries which helps with
emergency food, occasional paying bills, and Christmas Baskets.
Additionally we rotate with other congregations in providing a
weekly free, hot community meal for anyone in need and making
sure everyone has a bag of food and drink to take home.
Our doorstep includes a "Blessing Box" which is actually just inside our doorstep through the winter and outside our doorstep the rest of the year. It is filled daily with food items for anyone who needs them. Member continually bring food to stock the "Blessing Box".
-Our doorstep also includes cancer patients who need gas money
to get to their treatments. The gas cards we provide help
with a little gas but also serve as an invitation for further care.
-Our doorstep includes people of all ages, races, economic
situations and backgrounds who have not experienced the love
and empowerment of Jesus. As a congregation, our greatest
outreach is to be the door through which people pass into the
Truth and power found in a relationship with Jesus.
The Ends of the Earth:
-Through our affiliation and support of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) and partnership with United Churches of
Christ, we help support 39 full time missionaries around the
world as well as long and short term volunteers and interns.
We are currently focusing on work in the Middle East.
The goal of our global missions is to meet
people at the point of their deepest need and therefore
gives local communities the lead on what we do to help.
-Through Week of Compassion we respond to human and natural disasters both at home and around the world including ministry with
refugee camps and helping people restart their lives. We are often the first to respond when disaster happens and the last to leave.
-As part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) we are a pro-reconciliation/anti-racism movement which seeks to address the root
causes of racism in its many forms.
Of course our mission to the ends of the earth would not be complete if it did not also include the earth. Eco-friendly education and practice starts at the national and state level as it empowers local congregations. You are invited to visit our Denominational Website at http://disciples.org/ where you will find a denomination focused on empowering local congregations to serve God and people from their doorsteps to the ends of the earth.
Enjoy FellowshipWomen's Groups
Disciple Women generally meet at the church the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm under the leadership of Cheryl Ball. They meet to build personal relationships, explore both world and local Social Justice issues, explore different Bible characters and support local and world causes.
PURPOSE: To provide opportunities for spiritual growth, enrichment, education, and creative ministries to enable women to develop a sense of personal responsibility for the whole mission of the Church of Jesus Christ and to provide a channel through which women in the congregation and the regional Women's Ministries in the United States and Canada may be joined in the fellowship and find means for effective participation in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
SERVICE: In recent months, we have been involved in the following programs:
|
• School kits of supplies for local students • Kleenex and baby wipes for local schools • Cookies for the Blood Bank • Apple Dumpling fund raiser at Chili Cook-off • United Ministries Food Pantry • Cards and visits to local home-bounds • Cheer plates at Christmas • Cookies for Manitou Training Center and Little Lambs • Gift certificates for college students |
• Baby layettes and blanks • Scalpel at the Cross • Fix-up and pick-up (church projects) • Blanket Sunday • Tools for Hope • Disciples Mission Fund • Blessing Box collection. • Church Women United |
Youth Groups
Youth Groups gather every other Sunday through
the school year at 5:30 pm under the direction of Mike
and Amy Van Heyningen.
Gatherings include fun, lessons, mission and
relationship building. On occasion the group also leads worship, takes
advantage of area youth events, summer camp programs, and other outings.
Ministry Teams
The Community Dinner team serves a free meal on the first Wednesday of every month. Individuals donate money and food items plus cook, serve, and clean-up the meal. The team usually serves around 200 people from the basement of Grace United Methodist Church. Team leader is Eric Burch.
The Food Distribution team brings food from a warehouse in Warsaw, organizes it in bags for individual use, and distributes it to the people who come to the Community Dinner on the first Wednesday of each month. Team leader is Eric Burch.
The Tuesday Night Women's Bible Study administers our Gas Card Ministry to local cancer patients in order to offer a little help with the extraneveryday expenses that come with cancer treatmentss as well as open the door for further kinds of support. Deb Tyler serves as the contact person.
Standing Ministry Teams
Standing Ministry Teams are decreed in the by-laws with Team Chairs appointed by the Board Moderator for 1 year term, 3 term limit.
WORSHIP TEAM shall coordinate meaningful worship experiences for all. Worship team chair is Doug Morton.
CHILDREN and YOUTH CHRISTIAN EDUCATION TEAM shall plan and supervise a wide, inclusive educational program and youth group programming. Chair is Deb Tyler.
ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION TEAM shall plan and supervise a wide, inclusive educational program for the adult congregation. Chair is Lori Shewman.
OUTREACH TEAM shall promote and coordinate local and global missions. Outreach team chair is Charlotte Miller.
STEWARDSHIP TEAM shall coordinate all stewardship activities of the church and promote stewardship education. Stewardship team chair is Jennifer Hughey.
MEMBERSHIP TEAM shall assimilate new members and promote fellowship and love among all people of the faith community. Membership team chair is Judy Evans.
FINANCE TEAM shall oversee the financial records of the church and prepare an annual proposed budget to be submitted to the General Board and congregation. Finance team chair is Dave Lease.
PASTORAL RELATIONS TEAM shall support the minister and his family and provide a regular channel of communication between the minister and the congrregation. Pastoral Relations team chair is Lois Hammel.