· Meals for the Elderly (March & September) - Delivering meals to elderly homebound.

· Rebuilding Together (1^st weekend in April) - The city-wide program to help the needy have their houses repaired.

· Basket of Blessings (Easter) - Church members fill large bushel baskets with food, including gift cards for perishable items and a ham.  The decorated baskets are distributed to families through local agencies the week of Easter.

· Relay for Life (May) - First Family sponsors a team for the annual community-wide fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

· House of Faith (December) - A local street ministry for youth.

· Community Programs - First UMC sponsors events, helps recruit volunteers, and assists financially with many local programs such as Faith in Action, Hospice, Christians in Action, House of Faith, United Campus Ministries, CROP Walk, and many others.

· Mission Trip to Costa Rica (Summer 2008) - Church members travel to Costa Rica to help on building projects and run a summer Vacation Bible School.

· Pelican Point Clinic in Honduras - First Family helps support one of our members that runs a medical clinic in Honduras during the summer.

· Support Missionaries - Our congregation currently supports 2 missionaries: the Ray Zirkel family in Costa Rica and Jan Jones medical clinic in Pelican Point, Honduras.

· United Methodist Women (9:45am, 1^st & 3^rd Thursdays) - A women's organization for education and mission.

· Methodist Assistance - Donated funds are used to assist those in need that come to the church.

· Food Pantry - Canned and dry food items are kept to help those families with a short-term food need.

First UMC is proud to be recognized yearly by the Annual Conference as a five star church, which involves paying apportionments in full and contributing support beyond