Serving People

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, once expressed that “the world is my parish.” It is the tradition and practice of United Methodists to consider all the world–at home, down-the-road, and far away–to be the place where Christian service is shared. First United Methodist Church of Garland can be found at work in all these places, tending to human need and growing disciples.

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Hope Clinic

Jenny Williams, Exec Director

The Annual Prayer Breakfast was held May 6 in Schrieber Hall. The 150 people representing volunteers, doctors, institutional executives, and leading pastors in Garland heard an outstanding report of Hope’s growth over this past year. Prayers were offered for our community, those who offer hope, and continued blessings on those we serve.

Hope is a clinic for people who have no other means for health care and is a joint venture with a number of other churches in the Garland area as well as Baylor Hospital and other free clinics in the Dallas area. Hope Clinic is located on First Church property immediately behind the church offices. Our efforts have been blessed by God with many volunteer doctors, nurses, and others who help with the care of hurting bodies and souls. Recent grants and partnership with Baylor Hospital have led to a full time Doctor, a Diabetic Educator and a blood testing unit. Diabetes is one of the major health care concerns. The Clinic has recently expanded converting the once garage apartment to office space so that the main building can be entirely used for patients. All who participate in this ministry are examples of the kindness and spirit of Garland people.

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Recreational Outreach Center (ROC)

First Church is a sustaining partner in Metro Family Ministries at the Re-creational Outreach Center (ROC) — a nonprofit ministry center serving west Garland. The ROC is a unique, ecumenical ministry enterprise undertaken by First United Methodist Church and Freeman Heights Baptist Church.

ROC Offering Victory! Over $10,000 given!

For the last month or so we have been discussing our future partnership with the ROC, our vital ministry in West Garland in which we team with Freeman Heights Baptist and others to provide much needed service and ministries to those whose need is great in our community. I think all of us would want to continue that partnership, but the question was one of resources. We needed $3,000 to complete our commitment for this year, and would need $9,500 more than our current budgeted amount next year.

This past Sunday the special offering that was taken for the ROC was a strong and exciting endorsement of our partnership. We asked for $3,000 but when all was counted there was over $10,000 in contributions! Three times what we hoped for! That’s enough to finish this year and ensure almost 2/3 of our support for next year!

Once again the generous hearts of First UMC Garland have overflowed in an offering that is more than was dreamed. What a wonderful church, what an exciting place to be, and what an inspiration to not only continue our current ministry and mission but to reach out more and more.

Congratulations, First Garland! And God bless each of you for your more than generous response to a real and pressing need.

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Local and Regional Outreach

First Church supports with funds, time, and energy local and metroplex helping agencies and happenings such as Good Samaritans of Garland, the Wilkinson Center in east Dallas, Wesley-Rankin Center, Amigos Days, Jonathan’s Place, the Komen Foundation’s Race For The Cure, the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, and our own Ministry of Hope to families with cancer. And, on any day of the week, one can find numbers of  First Church  people volunteering at local schools, hospitals, helping agencies, children/youth sports, & Scouting groups throughout our city.

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Volunteer In Mission Trips

Summer is mission trip time for interested First Church persons and families. On average, from 7-12 days are devoted to serving God and neighbor in some helping capacity. These summer national excursions have placed  First Church  adult, inter-generational, and youth groups in places like Alaska, Oregon, North Carolina, South Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, & Arkansas.

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God’s Old Geezers

The “Geezers” are retired men and women of the church who give their time in “hammers & nails” projects that help local elderly persons or needy families with repair or reconstruction projects near and far away.

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International

Dr. Mark Abbott is a United Methodist missionary serving as a teacher at the United Evangelical Seminary in Madrid, Spain.  First Church  is proud to support Dr. Abbott and his family in his training ministry of pastors.

First Church  is a Russia Initiative congregation. We are a supportive/partner church with First United Methodist Church of Samara, Russia. Russian children are close to our heart — we possess close working relationships with two children’s orphanages: State Orphanage #1 in Samara and the Infants/Toddlers Orphanage in Alexandrov, outside of Moscow.  First Church  annually sends teams to serve alongside our Russian sisters and brothers in Christ at these locations.

The people of First Church are currently undertaking or sponsoring significant Christian work in Russia, Cambodia, Spain, and the Philippines … in addition to our support for United Methodist missions & outreach worldwide.

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Sweet Dreams

Knitting for Newborns Ministry. You can bless a family with a hospitalized newborn child by delivering freshly made baby head caps, blankets, or mittens to area hospitals along with a written word of encouragement from the participants in Sweet Dreams ministry. Sweet Dreams ministry coordinator Rebecca Buck invites you to Room 116 to help with this effort. Contact her at:   rebecca_lea@msn.com

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Persons interested in exploring volunteer opportunities or mission involvement can contact Reverend Clay Womack at 972.272.3471 or cwomack@fumcgarland.org. Gladly, there is room for you within  First Church’s work of mission, service, and outreach!

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Project Transformation After-School Program Supply Requests

A collection box will be in the Garden Room on Sunday, February 20.

Arts & Crafts:  Markers, Colored Pencils, Butcher Paper, Construction Paper, Tempera Paint, Paint Brushes, Pipe Cleaners, Yarn, Embroidery Floss, Popsicle Sticks, Tacky (Craft) Glue, Glue Sticks, Glitter, Sidewalk chalk

School:   Poster Board, Pencils, Erasers, Index Cards, chalk, sharpies, white board/ dry erase markers, spiral notebooks

Exercise/ Sports:   6 Air Pumps for sports balls, basketballs, footballs, Soccer Balls, Hula Hoops, Jump Ropes, Frisbees

Other:   Double A Batteries, 5 electronic pencil sharpeners, Staplers with Staples, Masking Tape, board games some for elementary ages and some for youth (monopoly, scrabble, taboo, puzzles).