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103 First St SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 850-243-9292
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Our Prayers, Our Presence,
Our Gifts and Our Service . . .
Finding Your Place in First Service
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“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2
First Service is an effort to encourage each of us to be involved in some form of ministry. Ministry may be serving meals at a youth gathering, extending a warm handshake to our Sunday morning worship attendees, teaching a class, singing in the choir, joining a prayer group, or participating in any of the dozens of other service opportunities already available - or taking the lead in a ministry God is placing in your heart. Our ministries are as varied as our members and our members’ gifts. It is our church’s goal to help every member become involved in ministry; for each to experience the privilege and joy of finding a place to serve.
Won’t you begin today to prayerfully listen for what God is leading you to do for Him through First United Methodist Church?
I am the church; YOU are the church; WE are the church TOGETHER!
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A simple, profound children's song tells us: "I am the church; you are the church . . . we are the church together."
First Church members are "living stones being built into a spiritual house." (I Peter 2:5) We are the construction material that is First United Methodist Church and its ministry. That's why the service (ministry) of each one of us is vital. That's why we each pledged our service as we joined this community of faith. We are here to be the church; the church is here to be the body of Christ and to follow His example of service.
First Service exists to encourage every member to be involved in some variety of ministry. Ministry may be writing notes or teaching, singing or ushering, participating in any of the dozens of opportunities listed on our First Service menu, or initiating a service you've created yourself. Our ministries are as varied as our members and our members' gifts. This rich array of active talent makes our church alive and exciting and effective at doing so much so well.
It is our church's goal to help every member become involved in a ministry, for each to assume the responsibility, privilege and joy of finding a place to serve. We are the church together!
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Gifts and Service
Prayers, Presence, Gifts and Service . . . there they are again – those four words that we promised when we became members of this family of United Methodists! Last month we took a look at what it means to uphold our church with prayers and presence. Now we must carefully, and prayerfully, consider how well we’re fulfilling the remainder of our membership vow through our gifts and service.
God does not expect of me what He does not provide me. As He provides me the ability and initiative to provide for myself financially, He also expects me to experience the joy of sharing part of my monetary blessings with others. He expects me to be part of the financial support of His work, and He has led me to a church family whose programs and missions I can believe in and gratefully give to.
The same can be said for how God expects me to share my time and talents. He does not ask of me what He does not provide, but He does expect me to experience the joy of being His hands in my community and the world through my chosen congregation. I understand that my church is not an agency for me to serve, but a work force for God of which I am proud to be a part.
Prayers, Presence, Gifts and Service . . . What a beautiful vow!
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