Prayer Group
The Prayer Group meets at the church at 2 p.m. every Tuesday. Everyone finds themselves or their loved ones in need of prayer at various times. Members lift up all requested petitions to the Lord. All prayer requests are kept confidential. For urgent prayer needs, call the church office and ask to be put in touch with the Prayer Chain.
United Methodist Women(UWM)
UMW carries on the traditions of U.S. women’s missionary societies, which since the 1800’s have supported the spiritual, educational and physical needs of women and children in local and worldwide activity. At FUMC, all UMW activities are open to all women and men, although we are predominately a female organization. Activities include Night Circle, Craft Circle and four quarterly program meetings per year. Meetings are on Saturday mornings, and include brunch or lunch served by UMW members. Night Circle meets at 7 p.m. on the 4th Monday of the month in members’ homes. Craft Circle meets the fourth Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall.
UMW sponsored activites also include all-church movies nights, outings to area cross-cultural/ethnic events, and wedding and funeral hospitality. UMW raises funds through its craft boutiques, its spring luncheon, and its annual fall rummage sale. UMW membership requires no dues, but members pledge annually to missions or contribute to fundraising for missions. Pledge forms are available at circle meetings and at all meetings and events. For more information call Mary Taylor, chairman for membership, nurture and outreach.
United Methodist MEN(UMM)
United Methodist Men is a no-dues, open-to-all men’s fellowship. We meet for breakfast in Fellowship Hall the second Saturday of each month, September through May. An offering of $2-$3 is taken to pay for the food and our annual renewal fee. Our big fund raiser is a Valentine’s dinner, and we prepare an Easter breakfast for the entire congregation. From our fund-raising, we support United Methodist relief efforts, plus St. Andrews Society’s programs to combat hunger. In St. Louis, we join the United Methodist Gateway Central District in potato drops that help supply area food banks. We welcome you to our table – and here’s a tip: If you make only one meeting, try May and enjoy the Bubble ‘n’ Squeak.
Tuesday Guys
The Tuesday Guys are a group of retired men who do projects around the church – painting, carpentry, refinishing furniture and some outside landscaping work along with lightbulb and battery replacement. They always have time for a coffee and doughnut break. For more information or to volunteer call the church office or 636-305-0779
Justice Team
The Justice Team, formerly known as the Church and Society Work Area, focuses on matters of social and civic justice and fairness. John Wesley, founder of Methodism, advocated individual and societal acts of charity and intervention where oppressive conditions challenge Christian beliefs regarding justice and brotherly love. In this congregation, our focus is to provide opportunities for education and action in areas such as poverty, hunger, race relations and gender relations. Currently, the Justice Team is involved with the Webster Groves Alliance for Interracial Dignity, Bread for the World and exploring becoming a Reconciling Congregation.
The Mission Team
The Missions Team’s task is to alert the church to the needs of God’s mission in the world and give people the opportunity to respond to those needs. The response can be prayer, educational awareness, or giving time, talents or money For example – in response to need caused by local flooding last year, our church donated 31 flood clean up buckets. We also coordinate and publicize the six special Sunday offering during the year Each year we have a fun event in November, the Lord’s Acre Dinner and Auction. Thanks to the generous donation of auction items and the skilled and fun auctioneer we raised over $7,000.00 dollars last year to give to local and international mission organizations. We need a link to a Missions page which will go into more detail. I also had sent you a link to our sister congregation in Mozambique – What happened to that?
The Invitation Team
The Invitation Team provided refreshments to voters in the November 2008 election. They also make a home visit to all visitors in our worship services to provide additional information about our church.
The Care Team
The Care Team visits shut-ins, keeping them in touch with their church family and offering communion. They also provide home cooked meals, donated by our church members, to our church families who are recovering from surgery or illness or dealing with a death within their family.
The Communications Committee
The Communications Committee is responsible for the internal and external communication of our church. Internally, we keep updating the information of the church through flyers, pamphlets, packets, worship aides and inside signage. Externally we work with the various church committees to develop any advertising aides they need and to send media releases about any committee activity or event.
Quilters and Embroiderers
Like to stitch? Come join us, the Quilters and Embroiderers of First United Methodist Church. We meet from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the Noah’s Nursery. Our finished quilts are donated to the Lord’s Acre Auction in November of each year to benefit Missions. Bring a sandwich, because we stop at noon for a meal. You can learn to quilt and embroider from experienced members. Other types of needle workers are also welcome. This is fellowship at its best. We praise God with our needles. Join us! For information call 636-305-0779
Room at the Inn
First UMC serves as an overnight site for homeless families several times a year, providing transportation, dinner, overnight accommodations, breakfast and transportation back to the day site.
Room at the Inn (RATI) is a short-term shelter for women and families struggling with issues of homelessness. The goal is to provide a safe environment while individuals and families regain their self-sufficiency through counseling, life-skills training and job and housing placement assistance. A single site in Bridgeton, sponsored by the Sisters of Divine Providence, provides the structured program and shelter during the days. More than 50 interfaith congregations and organizations provide night sites. Our church is a night site on the fifth Friday of each month which occurs about 5 times a year.
As a host site, we provide transportation to and from the Bridgeton center, dinner, hospitality and fellowship on Friday evening, sleeping accommodations in Fellowship Hall, and breakfast on Saturday morning. There are up to 10 guests at each host night with about equal numbers of adults and children. The personality of each host event may differ considerably but the goal of providing a safe shelter, caring interaction and nourishment for the guests is always achieved. A pool of at least 25 volunteers and a total time commitment of about 100 hours are required for each event. The task is large but many hands have made the work manageable. Those volunteers who have interacted with the guests find it to be a meaningful experience and their lives have been touched by the exchange. We need a link to the Room at the Inn site.
Click here for more information.