Lancaster First UMC & Imagine No Malaria

Here's an article about our church through the Imagine No Malaria campaign. Click this link. I'm so proud of the generosity of our church!

Lancaster First UMC Recognized for Community Lunch Ministry

Our church is part of the Capitol Area South and Capitol Area North United Methodist Community Ministries. The video below highlights several outreach ministries of the churches of these two districts. Our church's Community Lunch ministry is included at the 3:15 mark of the video.

We won an award for our ministry of serving people in need every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday throughout the year. Thank you for your financial support of the church which allows ministries like our Community Lunches to share God's love in our community!

Superstorm Sandy Relief Special Offering & Prayer

 

Our church will have special offering envelopes available in each pew this Sunday for donations to help with storm relief efforts.  The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is the disaster response team of the United Methodist Church. All proceeds go directly to relief efforts. Checks may be made payable to "First UMC" with "hurricane relief" on the memo.

 

In Time of Natural Disaster Prayer

O God, you divided the waters of chaos at creation. In Christ you stilled storms, raised the dead, and vanquished demonic powers. Tame the earthquake, wind, and fire, and all the forces that defy control or shock us by their fury. Keep us from calling disaster your justice. Help us, in good times and in distress, to trust your mercy and yield to your power, this day and for ever. Amen.
 

Happy Birthday Second Saturday Ministry Outreach!

Today, a new outreach ministry at Lancaster First United Methodist Church called "Second Saturday" was born as over 80 people gathered at the Crossroads facility to offer God's love by serving at many different outreach areas in the city of Lancaster.

These included:

• Nursing Homes where people visited with residents, played bingo, read books, and led a bible study.
• Helping a transitional housing placement for women who are reentering society after prison to move into a new building.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStore where items are donated to support the ministry of Habitat for Humanity.
• Assembling Haiti health kits.
• Installing linoleum flooring at Foundation Shelters.
• Providing food for Southside Settlement ministry outreach in Columbus.
• Delivering homemade cookies to law enforcement agencies and nursing home facilities.
• Hosted a panel discussion on the problems of heroin addiction and how people can find help.

One of the volunteers who served at a nursing home today said that he helped an elderly woman who couldn't see very well to participate in bingo. And then he said that the people of the nursing home all wanted them to come back again because of the new friendships that were formed.

Another volunteer who took homemade cookies to a fire station as a way of saying thanks to those who serve our city said how much their visit and the gift were appreciated.

A man who has a relative struggling with a heroin addiction received helpful information and guidance from the heroin addiction panel presenters.

Before we were unleashed upon the city of Lancaster, these words were read from Luke 4:18-19. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (Jesus), because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Second Saturday will be held on a monthly basis. We're already looking forward to how God will use us to bless our community when we gather again to serve on April 10.

Happy birthday, Second Saturday!