Ryan, Kate, Simon and Scarlett joined our church on Dec. 28, at the special service to end the year. We welcome them into our congregation and look forward to confirmation for Simon and Scarlett in a few months.

Have you ever wondered, along with the Apostle Paul, "Why do I do what I don't want to do?" We might also phrase this question in some different ways: Why can't I choose what I say I want? Why do I speak hurtful words to those I love and then find it hard to apologize? Why does my love for God grow cold?

Christians have been asking questions like these for 2,000 years. In the 3rd and 4th centuries, they began to look for the root causes of our faithfulness failures. They narrowed the list to seven -- all growing from the root cause, pride. These seven were known as deadly vices (the stuff that gets a hold of us and won't let go). They are: vainglory, envy, sloth, greed, wrath, gluttony, and lust.

In this series, we will examine these vices -- where they come from, how we can recognize them with greater accuracy, and the grace offered through the counteracting virtues of our faith.

Starting this Sunday, Jan. 4, Pastor Charla will teach a Sunday morning class, from 10:00-11:00 am. This class will focus on mapping the right path for our spiritual journey. Some begin the spiritual journey with a life-changing experience with God. Others have no idea when their journey with God began, but they know they want to go further. Walking the path -- making forward progress -- is the desire we all share. If you'd like to know more, join Pastor Charla on the journey.

Many of you have a Sunday School class already; some do not. If you don't already have a group, consider joining with the group Pastor Charla will build in our six weeks together. If you have questions or would like more information, CLICK HERE, to email Pastor Charla.

As our music ministry returns for 2026, we are accepting musicians of all ages and skill levels. There are openings in all ensembles:

All ensembles present worship opportunities to their members at least once per month and typically follow the academic calendar. The praise band and sanctuary choir continue year-round.

Revelation Youth Choir is now accepting students 4th thru 12th grade. They rehearse on Sunday afternoons at 4:00pm in the Music Suite. Point of contact is Keegan Rose. CLICK HERE to email Keegan with questions.

Children's Choir accepts students Pre K-5th grade. They will rehearse Sunday mornings, 9:30-10:00am in the Music Suite. Rehearsals begin on Jan. 11. Point of contact is Irene Upson. CLICK HERE to email Irene with questions.

Thanks to all who worked so hard on Sunday to make Breakfast Church a success. We had 205 in attendance for our worship service on Sunday, Dec. 28. Sapeida Myers made a great breakfast for us, including two extra pans of French toast casserole she made when supplies got low. Andrew Ranson brought the house down with O Holy Night. We collected over 50 books to donate to Hope House. You shined on Sunday, First Church! It was a wonderful conclusion to 2025.

We'll be giving bibles to our third graders in a few weeks, on Sunday, Jan. 25. If you know of a third grader that needs a bible, please contact Irene Upson. CLICK HERE to send her an email.

Over 300 people gathered in our sanctuary on Friday, Dec. 5 for the annual Early Childhood Center Christmas Program. It was a good test run for Christmas Eve! (Our 5:00 pm service was full with 423 in attendance.) All the children did a great job telling the Christmas story to parents, grandparents, big brothers and sisters.

Our Early Childhood Center (ECC) is on break for the holidays, but will return next week. They operate 5 days a week with over 60 children enrolled. We hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful evening and were blessed by the celebration.

As we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to share that Hope House will begin offering a second shopping day each month - a change made with our foster families’ needs and busy schedules in mind.

Over the past quarter, thanks to the generosity of our community, we were able to place more than 80 packages of diapers into the hands of families who truly needed them. Each one represents comfort, relief, and a reminder that none of us are doing this work alone. As we prepare for our next shopping days, following are a few items we are in need of:
        
Diapers – Sizes 5, 6 & 7
        Girls & Boys Pull Ups – Sizes 4T/5T & 5T/6T
  Unscented Baby Wipes

Items may be dropped off in our donation box located inside the front doors of First United Methodist Church, 400 W 7th Ave, Monday-Thursday 8:00am-4:00pm. You can also drop donations on Mondays directly to Hope House from 9:00am-11:00am at 802 S Duck St. The Hope House 2026 Amazon Wish List can be seen by CLICKING HERE. Thank you for your continued support of Hope House and the families we serve - Happy New Year!

We've had a great response to our Stewardship Campaign this year, "Living a Life of Love." Next week, we'll give the final report. We are still receiving commitments, so if you haven't turned yours in, please send it to the church office. You can also email it to Daniel Guthrie. CLICK HERE to email Daniel.