Being a church family includes caring for one another, living out Christian love.  There are a variety of ways you can help care for our church family.

Church Shepherds: Provide a personal contact between each church member and our congregation at large.  Through this two-way contact, help identify ministry needs, especially during times of death and illness, and recognize times of celebration.  Must be willing to make phone calls, mail cards, pray, and/or offer assistance through one of our many caring ministries.

Stephen Ministry: Stephen Ministers provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.  One can only become a Stephen Minister by completing extensive training.  See tab for Stephen Ministry.

Prayer Chain: Teams of prayer volunteers use a phone tree to pass along prayer requests.  Prayer requests are received by the church office and passed to each prayer team.

Sunshine Visitors: Maintain Christian relationship with church members who are no longer able to participate in church activities.  Contacts are made through cards, telephone calls, and personal visits.  Food or other small gifts are often taken at the time of the visit.

Flower Ministry: Flower Arrangers and Flower Deliverers provide flowers to those who are homebound, in a nursing home, or ill.  On ocasion, the flowers are used for other purposes within the church.

DVD Ministry: Share the First Methodist worship service with those who are not able to attend or those who want a media record of special events.  Volunteers run the sound system for both Sunday worship services and for special services such as funerals.  The volunteer makes DVD copies of the 11:00 service.  Other volunteers deliver the DVDs to the homebound.

Care Network: Care for members of our church family during times of crisis when normal family functions are disrupted, such as during or after a family's hospitalization (to include families of one).  Examples of care provided are preparation and delivery of meals (usually an evening meal), babysitting, and transportation to doctor's appointments.

Bereavement Meals: Provide a meal for families in our church who have lost a loved one.  Help set up the room, prepare and serve the meal, or clean up.

The Casting Queens (Prayer Shawl Ministry): Provide Prayer Shawls to those in our church family and community in need of comfort and prayers.  The ministry is open to anyone who is committed to prayer and who knits, crochets, or is willing to learn.