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FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF EATON RAPIDS

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FUMER Block Party

Save the date: September 16, 2018
11:30am - 2pm
All are invited to join us for live music, food, and games.
Fill your bellies with hot dogs, chips, sodas, and cotton candy.
Dunk ER's VIPs
Price is FREE (yup FREE)
FUMER is looking to be open and welcoming to the community.
If you are interested in helping, contact the Church Office at 663-3542.

Eaton Rapids Fall Handbell Festival

Eaton Rapids Fall Handbell Festival
Saturday, October 27, 2018
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
First United Methodist Church

Registration and More Information

2018 VBS
Babylon: Daniel's Courage in Captivity

Babylon: Daniel’s Courage in Captivity transformed our church into parts of ancient Babylon last week! Our sanctuary became a street scene in front of the palace where Daniel was living. We met there twice each day to sing fun songs, learn Bible points and verses, and even share some “cheers” from each family. Our gym was a bustling Market Place, full of various crafts, a food shop, and a missionary shop. Outside was the Royal Animal Courtyard. Other parts of the church building provided small group homes for several Babylonian “families”. The Upper Room became the palace where Daniel, (played by Andy Dickins), was living, all the time being faithful to the One True God, even when it was dangerous. Ashpenaz, King Nebuchadnezzar's chief of staff, was played by Pastor Marty. All in all, it was an awesome week!
Want to know some numbers?

121 different kids attended, which included 7 little ones in the nursery. All of the other kids were in 12 Roman families, including a family of 4 year olds and 11 other families of kids ranging from kindergartners through 6th graders.
Average attendance each day was 99 kids, which is excellent, especially considering that the following week includes the 4th of July!
77 adults and youth were involved doing anything from being Babylonian family leaders/shopkeepers/drama people/kitchen helpers/video techs/game leaders/registrars/song and dance leaders/nursery workers/ decorators/VBS Directors and others who provided a helping hand wherever needed. And at least 28 wonderful youth assisted in just about everything – several of them as teachers and leaders! These numbers don’t count the awesome number of people who provided program supplies and brought LOTS of yummy (and healthy!) food to feed everybody all week. Thank you SO much, everybody!!

About the offering. This year our missionary gifts and financial offerings are being used for the shipping of Baby Boxes to Haiti, helping to support the Baby Box program of Soaring Unlimited Haiti! Briefly, the Baby Box program gives infants a much better chance to survive infancy in Haiti by providing a box for each participating family. The box becomes a baby bed so that infants don’t have to sleep in rags on the dirt floor! The box is full of clothing, and other supplies, that babies need, all provided by VBS kids & their families, as well as our wonderful staff! In addition each participating Haitian mother attends excellent training classes, helping to teach her how to safely raise her children. Last but not least, the box is covered by a mosquito net to provide safety from mosquitoes. In case you are wondering, the Baby Box program saves lives everywhere it is used around the world! Our thanks goes to Dorothy Fredrickson, the recently retired director of Soaring Unlimited Haiti, who is heading up this project in Michigan. She drove out to Eaton Rapids on Tuesday and spoke to all of us during the Opening Celebration time of VBS! Seven baskets of baby items were brought in and $338.94 and more was given to ship the boxes to Haiti.
A special word of thanks goes to our VBS Director team - Sue Shoultz and Joyce Showerman, who have been meeting since January to plan everything. And we want to thank YOU, our FUMER Family, for your generous monetary donations that make VBS happen. VBS is very expensive, but we know that it is worth every penny spent in bringing children to Jesus Christ and the church. Your generous gifts helped make this year’s VBS possible, with some left over for next year. Praise God!
Joyce Showerman

Graduate Breakfast & Recognition

On Sunday, May 6, FUMER hosted a breakfast for our high school graduates and their families. Following the breakfast, the 'soon-to-be' grads were honored during the 10:30 service and received a small gift. Congratulations to all our graduates!

Confirmation Sunday

On Sunday, May 13, several of our FUMER youth were confirmed during the 10:30 service following the baptism of Mia Wheaton.

Check out this week's Bulletin and F.Y.I.

Find us on
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View this month's FUMER Newsletter.

Sunday Worship Schedule

Traditional Service
9:00 am
Casual Service
10:30 am

Sunday School
10:30 am - Adults
10:30 am - Ages 3 through 8th Grade
Nursery available

3:00-6:00 pm - Youth Group
6th - 12th graders
Every other Sunday evening
September - May
Location varies
Contact Pastor Marty or the church
office at 663-3524 for more info.

Online Giving

First United Methodist Church is now offering online giving. Just click on the online giving button below. Once you've filled out your online profile you'll be all set. It's as easy as that!

Mother's Day at FUMER

Check out our Mother's Day Photo Booth slide show from Sunday!

Youth Group Happenings

Our March 25 meeting was a blast with bowling & pizza in Jackson and then a trip to The Parlor for ice cream after. April 8 we did a movie, pizza & popcorn at Ottney’s farm with the extra bonus of a visit with their new baby calves. Adorable!! April 25 was a discussion topic and games in the gym. Always lots of different things for the youth to do.
Coming up we have an AWESOME OUTING planned on May 6 for Camp Highfields to use their zipline and have a picnic. A signed waiver will be required for each child in order to participate (there will be some on hand at drop off). We will leave from the church at 2 pm and return around 5 pm. RSVP would be helpful as we need to organize transportation.
The Youth Group meets every other Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm during the school year. Locations vary. If you wish to help out with refreshments for their gatherings or know more about the youth group, call the church office at 663-3524.