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Quick answers to your biggest questions! Where and when are the church's services? First Church’s services are in our sanctuary in Dearborn, Michigan, at the corner of Garrison and Mason. Our Sunday morning service is at 10:00am. What should I wear? Feel free to wear whatever clothes make you feel most comfortable. We care more that you’re here, than what you wear. How long are your services? About one hour and fifteen minutes What are your services like? First Church services focus mostly on worship, praise and preaching. We’ll share some ministry moments during the morning, express our hearts to God through music, and hear a teaching about God’s word. Our service connects to God through hymns and liturgy. We have a different types of music during our worship. If you need personal prayer, our altar is always available after any service and if requested, the pastor or Lay minister will pray with you. A coffee hour follows the service in our fellowship hall. This is an opportunity to talk more with people you’ve met and possibly meet new people for the first time. Will I have to say anything, sign anything, or be singled out? No, you won't be put on the spot, singled-out, or embarrassed. Though we do receive an offering, there is no pressure to give. We do like to collect some basic information from people in our guest registry, but if you'd prefer not to, that's all right with us. We have guest packets with church information to pick up if you like. What about my children? A staffed nursery that is air conditioned is available during the service for infants and toddlers. Children, from Pre-K to 5th grade, attend the service and after enjoying children’s time during the worship, on most Sundays leave to attend Sunday School. Parents are always welcome to attend and observe any of our children’s ministries. We have an active Youth program. What about Religious Education? Sunday School classes are offered for all ages (Pre-K to 5th grade), during the service. More information is available on the Children's Ministry page. Adult Faithlink classes offer in-depth discussion of contemporary issues that affect your life. Check the News Section for current offerings. Faithlink meets at 12 noon. Childcare is available when requested. Be sure and let us know the week before the class. What kind of church are you? First Church is a United Methodist Church. We have roots going back nearly 200 years in the Methodist heritage, and hold it as an important element of our history. First Church is a community church. While people from all over the area join us, our primary ministry is to our neighbors in Dearborn. Our doors are open to anyone who wishes to worship here. First Church is a Purpose Driven church. In 2005, we took part in the “40 Days of Purpose” campaign based on Rick Warren’s best-selling book “The Purpose Driven Life.” We believe that God has called us to live on purpose, with purpose, and we have organized our ministries around this model. Most importantly, First Church is a safe place for people who are looking for answers to their spiritual questions. It's also a place where those who have decided to follow Jesus Christ can learn and be encouraged in their spiritual growth. Why Purpose-Driven? Isn’t that just a fad? Rick Warren’s book has certainly received major popularity since it was published. When something like that sweeps through the church (let-alone the country!) so quickly, it’s often met with questions and doubts. And this is worth exploring, to make sure we’re not just being swept up in the hype. At First Church, it’s not about the hype of “Purpose Driven,” but the basic premise of trying to be a healthy, spirit-filled, growing church. Healthy churches, like healthy people, are balanced. They focus on a few core areas. And when those core areas are doing well, they grow. The Purpose-Driven model has identified five core areas, named them, and set them up as benchmarks against which a church (or ministry, or person) can check themselves to see if they’re healthy. The five purposes aren’t new. They’re based on Christ’s Great Commandment and Great Commission. (Matthew 22:37-40 and Matthew 28:19-20) Worship – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” Ministry to the World – “Love your neighbor as yourself” Evangelism – “Go and make disciples of all nations” Discipleship – “Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” Fellowship – “Creating opportunities for individuals to share the joy of Christian faith in informal groups.” By evaluating what we do based on these purposes, With God’s grace and Christ as our guide, we reach out with love and hope offering opportunities to develop a Christian family who will witness our faith to our congregation, community and world. |