Apr1
Community Breakfast - CANCELLED
Every Wednesday, 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
UPDATE March 30, 2020
Food Pantry Announcement
On Monday, March 30, 2020 First United Methodist Church Food Pantry begins NEW operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Individuals and families in need of an Emergency Food Package who meet The Emergency Food Assistance Program income guidelines AND live in Madison may call our Food Pantry at 608-251-4407 to request home delivery. Deliveries outside the City of Madison within Dane County will be considered for those suffering illness/medical conditions.
Deliveries will be scheduled based on our supply of Emergency Food Packages and volunteer availability to deliver. Food Pantry clients who receive an Emergency Food Package may request subsequent deliveries, and will be placed on a waiting list until all are served. Delivery dates and times are subject to change based on availability. We are engaging high level safety protocols. Anyone interested in contributing packaged toilet paper, paper towels, laundry soap, or pet food please email Karen Andro or call 608-338-0320.
Thank you to all who are serving in community carrying out essential services while practicing safe guidelines set forth by our local Public Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Karen Andro, Director of Hope's Home Ministries • 608-338-0320
UPDATE March 27, 2020
Easter Community Breakfast - Cancelled
>>Go to our Calendar for other program cancellations.
UPDATE March 18, 2020
A Faithful Response to the Community in a time of Pandemic
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the advice of the Centers for Disease Control all face-to-face worship services, programs and gatherings at First United Methodist Church are suspended for the next eight weeks.
We are also closing the building and limiting access to essential personnel and services.
These are unprecedented times. We are seeking to respond in a faithful and responsible manner. The typical structures and ways of being that normally guide us to gather in worship, prayer and fellowship as a faith community are not available to us in the face of this unfolding emergency. We must suppress the urge to volunteer in great numbers to help those in need. We are seeking to limit exposure and fulfill our ministry and mission with the healthiest response.
Here is what we are doing. We urge you to stay connected to each other and to experience the spiritual gathering of the church. Here is how:
- We will reach out constantly through e-mail, the website, Facebook and live-stream presentations. We encourage you to experience ZOOM meetings and gatherings. If these are new technologies, please attempt to learn them. We will try to provide links through e-mail and the website so that you can access these other media.
- We urge you to connect with each other so that the practice of social distancing does not become isolating. Call. E-mail. Check on one another. Pray for one another. Focus on the day and its blessings.
- We will provide programming through the website on a frequent basis. There will be video programs for the children often. The Quadrilateral Quartet will join Ross with musical offerings during the week. The pastors will guide us through a variety of presentations and spiritual encouragement. On Sundays we will have one live-stream worship service at 9 am. Please join in these. The schedule will be posted on the website and e-mailed.
Please connect with us. E-mail is best. The e-mail addresses are listed on the staff page of the website. Responses may not be immediate due to seriously altered working patterns and on-going challenges to build a totally new church structure, but we will respond. We miss you. We are earnestly seeking to be the church in this new and challenging time.
In a newsletter earlier this week, Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, said, “There are no clear or easy answers. We do not know how long we must take exceptional precautions. We do not know when the dangers will pass. What we do know is that we have God, we have each other, and we have a faith that will keep us strong through even the greatest challenges.”
Amen, and amen,
Mark
UPDATE March 17, 2020
We Remain Connected
Until further notice, all physical face-to-face gatherings at First Church have been cancelled in response to COVID-19 concerns, but we WILL stay connected!
We will rely on the available technology to stay connected.
Please check www.fumc.org regularly for updates, for live streamed worship on Sundays at 9:00 a.m., to make financial contributions, and for daily contributions to our continued spiritual formation.
Daily Posts To Connect Us
First Church will post daily entries on our website during this time of separation. Posts will be designed to appeal to the varied ages, interests, and spiritual needs of our diverse community.
They will include:
- Blogs by the Pastor
- Musical contributions to send our spirits soaring
- Prayers and suggested spiritual practices
- Bible Stories With Buddies for the youngest among us
- Updates from our ongoing Hope's Home Ministries, and more.
- Zoom groups, Google Hangouts, Facebook Live, and other tools will also be used to help us stay connected.
Need to speak to someone?
Appointments with one of the pastors or other staff may be scheduled as needed by calling the church office at 608-256-9061 or contacting staff individually via email. Staff will be in the church building throughout the week on a rotating schedule and working remotely when not in the building. Don't hesitate to email or call as all staff are still available during regular working hours.
This is a time to remember that the building is not the church. We, Christ's people, are the church and we will continue to be the church in some creative, new ways during this time of physical separation. Our love for God and neighbor will keep us close in the Spirit and 21st century technologies will help us stay close to the daily practices of our faith journeys.
UPDATE March 15, 2020
Food Pantry Closed Temporarily
Due to Coronavirus concerns, we have closed the onsite food pantry and are planning to re-open a mobile Food Pantry soon.
Call Food Pantry 608-251-4407 for updates.
If you can help with our new Mobile Pantry, please email Karen Andro or call 608-338-0320.
Please contact the United Way of Dane County at 2-1-1 to receive information about needed resources.
Hopes Home Ministries Cancelled
The following Hope's Home Ministries have been cancelled until further notice.
Wednesday @Hope's Home
-
Community Breakfast
-
Connections to Care (Community Partner On-site Outreach)
-
Come As You Are Worship
Questions? Please email Karen Andro or call 608-338-0320.
Please contact Dane County United Way for help with needed resources at 2-1-1
UPDATE March 13, 2020
Activities Cancelled Sunday, March 15 Due to Coronavirus Concerns
In light of the state of emergency declared by the governor, the suspension of face-to-face classes at UW, and out of an abundance of care and caution, our worship services and all other activities at First Church have been cancelled for Sunday, March 15.
In the absence of face-to-face gatherings, please tune in to our online live streaming at 9:00 am on Sunday morning or any time after.
This Sunday we'll live stream a gathering of First Church clergy joined by Fr. Jonathan Grieser of Grace Episcopal Church which has also cancelled face-to-face gatherings.
Together, keeping recommended healthy social distance, the clergy group will share prayers, the Gospel text for the morning, reflections on the text, and reminders that the Good News is ours even in the midst of unusual and uncertain times. Watch the website for updates about future plans.
UPDATE March 12, 2020
Click to read First Church announcement about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and church events.
Watch here for additional special announcement information such as:
- Weather related cancellations
- Program schedule changes
- Special parking changes/situations