This page shares announcements with planned events with days, times, contact, etc. Weekly Announcements These announcements are from the weekly bulletin and/or bi-monthly newsletter. You will find here information on regular announcements (i.e., signing up for newsletters, online giving) to special events scheduled. Please take some time to review these announcements. Prayer Opportunities | Prayer is such an important part of a church's life. FUMC offers many opportunities to strengthen your prayer life. Please check out our prayer ministry page . We offer prayer groups, a prayer chain, an intercessory prayer group, and many other opportunities to kneel before our Lord and Savior and share your burdens and worship and praise. For what other great nation has God so near to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to him? ~Deuteronomy 4:7 (NRSV) Sunday Preaching Schedule (schedule may change without notice). Pastor Fisher preaching unless otherwise noted. Pastor Christopher Fisher (Individual message titles subject to change) October 11 - "The inner life of holiness". October 18 - Guest Preacher - Mr. Gary Daum. October 25 - "Overcoming Anxiety". November 1 - All Saints Day with Holy Communion. November 8 - Anniversary Sunday - 10:00 AM only Guest Preacher - Rev. Joseph DiPaolo. Typical Sunday Schedule 9:00 AM Worship in the sanctuary ~10:00 AM Fellowship in fellowship hall 10:45 AM Coffeehouse Worship & Sunday School for all ages November Communion Offering TBD. Weekly Prayer Vigil Volunteers | Part of CFC's prayer life is having 1 or 2 people volunteer to pray 1 hour a day for the life of our church, our nation, our members, etc. October 4-October 10. October 11-October 17. October 18-October 24. October 24-October 31. Jean Twardzik. Donna Miles. Liz Wallace. Kiana Perez. Saturday Night Speakers | In the event of inclement weather, please call the Church Office to inquire about service cancellation. October 10. October 17. October 24 October 31. John Fatora. Doug Esposito. Dwight Dros. Ted Catranis. SAVE THE DATE! - NEW LOCATION! 2027 Father/Daughter Dance Sunday, February 21, 2027 The 2027 dance will be held on Sunday, February 21, 2027 at the Arrow Studio & Events, 316 North Centre Street, Pottsville. More information to come. November 8 at 10:00 AM - Anniversary Sunday Guest Preacher - Rev. Joseph DiPaolo. 11:30 AM - Anniversary/Thanksgiving Lunch More information to come. Methodist Women Events | We will continue to meet the second Tuesday of the month at 1:00 PM in Fellowship Hall unless otherwise announced. Our focus continues to be local mission work. All ladies are welcome. Please let us know of any ideas you have or issues that you would like more information. October 13 - Meeting in Room 6 at 1:00 PM unless noted differently in the bulletin. We are planning a Thank Offering & collection for the Vineyard in November. Stay tuned.. Requests for Prayer | Please remember to call the church office if you know of members in the hospital or if you are going to be in the hospital. A visit from our Pastor or visitation team can be arranged. Please continue to remember all those in the hospital, in mourning, and listed in the weekly bulletin in your prayers. Website Prayer Request Page: You may also submit a prayer request by accessing our prayer request page. Weekly Prayer Ministry | Wednesdays at 6 PM Our Prayer Ministry will also continue to run every day of the week with prayer partners meeting for one hour a day with a one-week-at-a time commitment. Please sign up in pairs to pray for one hour a day during your week for the Kingdom of God to come more fully in our church and our community and beyond. We will continue to promote the prayer team ministry on Sunday mornings with the prayer clipboard circulated periodically. Please join us as we seek God together! Next Community Lunch is October 10 at 12:00 PM All are welcome to share this time of fellowship. If you would like to sponsor a C ommunity Lunch, please contact the Church Office at 570.385.3941 for contact information regarding available dates. Men's Breakfast | October 17 at 8:00 AM For more information, please contact the Church Office at 570.385.3941. There are times when things are not going well for each of us, perhaps we ourselves are sick, perhaps there are loved ones who are sick or hurting, maybe there is a family emergency or crisis, during these times you don't need to be alone. Our Pastors, Minister of Visitation, or even our Lay Leader would be very happy to come and visit with you. Before you reach a place where you feel alone and that no one cares, please call the Church Office and let the office staff know that you are in need of a visit. The message will be passed along quietly to the Pastors and a time for a personal visit can be arranged. Others of us tend to prefer to weather these times quietly and by ourselves; if that is you, please be aware that there is a Prayer Ministry team that is willing to intercede and pray for you. You can access the Prayer Ministry through the website, by calling the church office, or prayer chain . Most importantly, remember that you have a church family that is willing to walk along side of you at all times. Also, please know that you don't need to be a Pastor or Lay Leader to visit and care for your Brothers and Sisters in Christ. You can visit our homebound members. If you enjoy getting to know new people and would like to spend some time with members of our First Church family that can no longer make it to church on a Sunday morning, please call the Church office or simply put a note in the offering plate and someone will contact you. Thank you for taking the time to spend a few minutes sharing the love of Jesus with our members who can no longer come to church! Did you know…? CFC saves Redner’s receipts Do you shop at Redner’s? If so, do you have a Save‑A‑Tape /Pump Perks/Rewards Card? CFC participates in the Redner’s 1% Save‑A‑Tape program. Remember to use your Redner’s Save‑A‑Tape/Pump Perks/Rewards Card and put your entire receipt (must include their message "Visit us at www.rednersmarkets.com " at the bottom for it be valid) in the wooden box on the shelf in the corner of the narthex marked Redner’s receipts. By using your rewards card each time you purchase merchandise (excludes, fuel purchases and items controlled by the federal or state government such as tax, milk, and tobacco products) at Redner’s Warehouse Markets, your receipt will be designated as a 1% Save‑A‑Tape customer receipt with a Save‑A‑Tape total printed on the receipt. Receipts that have been highlighted or written on are not eligible, so please do not mark or circle the receipts. Participating in the 1% Save‑A‑Tape program does not exclude your ability to receive gas points, etc. If you don’t already have a rewards card, you can pick one up at any Redner’s locations. The card is free and you DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION to receive the card. Your name is not on any mailing list if you request a card. Our church gets 1% of the total of all receipts. For example, if the receipts total $5,000, we would get $50 to be put towards Christian Ed. Please consider participating in this easy program.

The information on this calendar is generally based on the information in the newsletter and Sunday bulletins. Therefore, this information is subject to change and may not be reflected within the calendar if changes are made by event organizers without notification to the Church Office. If you see any discrepancies and would like the information updated or have a new item to be submitted for the calendar, please contact the Webmaster .

We are a United Methodist Church located in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. We are a welcoming community in the love and power of Jesus Christ. IMG_3742 IMG_3742 1/24 "Our mission is to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." Welcome in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! We're glad to have you come by to check out our website. We are a Bible-believing congregation that loves the Lord and has a heart for missions. We are excited to share with you the love of Christ and power of the Gospel. May the Lord richly bless you. Online Giving There are options to give your tithes and offering electronically: You can click the link to the right and it will take you to the online giving page; You can go to the menu bar above and choose the online giving button; or You can scan our Church's new QR code to the right and that will take you to the online giving page. Online Giving Sunday Morning Worship Live Stream Worship Service Videos Archive Clicking the link above, you will go to the LiveStream page. You will see a block similar to this in the upper left corner of the video window. If you click the down arrow, you will be able to access previous weeks' messages. THROUGH the BIBLE in a YEAR - 2026 We are reading the @YouVersion Bible App plan 'Eat this Book: One Year Bible with Daily Psalm'. You can check out the plan at: https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/206 . If you would like to be part of the church's join reading group, email the pastor at pastor@havenfirstumc.org and he will send you an invitation.

This is our livestream of Sunday messages. CFC WORSHIP LIVE-STREAM Our prayer is that each of these messages will touch and bless each of you in some way. Online Giving Also Available On:

This page is providing highlights of the Alpha Course... it's designed to learn, share explore faith and life within a Small Group environment of fellow seekers. What is Alpha? Alpha is an extended conversation in a weekly group study on the meaning of life and the Christian faith. Participants take part in a meal and fellowship, followed by a video presentation and small group discussion opportunity. Originally presented in-church as a new members class, Alpha was shared with the community starting Spring of 2023 in town and again Fall 2023 and Fall 2024 in the church's Fellowship Hall. The last completed Alpha series took place during Fall 2025 in the church's Fellowship Hall, from Sunday, September 14th, through Sunday, December 7th from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM. The program started with a luncheon and fellowship, followed by an Alpha video and discussion. The video, narrated by Nicky Gumbel, was viewed by participants from the church's congregation as well as those interested from our community. The special Alpha Day Away took place on Saturday, November 1, at the Calvary Chapel of Delaware County. Who is invited? All who are interested in learning more about faith in Jesus Christ are welcome to attend. (Childcare will be provided) How can I help? Assistance is welcomed in the following areas: Prayer Team, Hospitality, Table Leaders, Kitchen Help, Food Prep. (dinner menu) , Setup & Cleanup, Help with Childcare Team How do I sign up or ask questions? contact the church office at 570-385-3941. 09/22/26

This will provide information on Small Groups that meet on a Sunday morning or throughout the week. SMALL GROUPS (UPDATED 09/22/26) CFC promotes participation in Small Groups as a way to meet other Christians, participate in shared interests, support each other's needs, and build lasting friendships in a one-on-one setting with limited attendance. Currently, our groups are held in-person, virtual (highlighted in this listing) , or blended in-person and virtual (also highlighted) . If you have an interest in joining one of the groups below, contact the leader directly or if assistance is needed, contact: ereed@havenfirstumc.org If Group Leaders need to change their meeting information, send updates to: ereed@havenfirstumc.org Life In Action Groups Our interest is in following Jesus' command to "go and make disciples". We study and practice within our Group and then go out into the community to make disciples. Sundays Led by: TBD Study: Alpha Series Where: Church's Fellowship Hall Frequency: Weekly, during the fall season. (contact the church office for participation and/or team information) Led by: Raquel Fisher Study: Young Adult Class Where: Church Frequency: Weekly, 10:30 AM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mondays Led by: Ellen Marino Study Book: Count It All Joy by David Jeremiah (Study in Philippians) (women's group) Where: Church Frequency: Weekly, 10:15 AM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tuesdays Led by: Jean Twardzik Type: Methodist Women Ministry, a Service Group Where: Church Frequency: second Tuesday of each month, 1:00 PM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Days/Times/Location may vary for: Senior High Youth (9th - 12th grades) iGnite Sr. High for information & schedule, refer to: the FAMILIES tab on this website page: Youth - High School Middle School Youth (5th - 8th grades) iGnite Jr. High for information & schedule, refer to: the FAMILIES tab on this website page: Youth - Middle School ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Encouragement & Accountability Groups We are smaller groups which meet regularly to support and encourage each other in our walk of faith. Tuesdays Led by: Lisi Fisher Where: Church (women's prayer and accountability group) Frequency: Weekly, 5:30 AM Led by: Doug O'Connell Where: Men's meeting at Haven Diner Frequency: Weekly, 6:30 AM Led by: M oms O n M issions (for moms of little ones) Where: Church Frequency: Weekly, 6:00 PM (childcare provided) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fridays Led by: Darlene Beers Where: varies Frequency: second Friday of each month (filled at this time) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bible Study Group s Our interest is in-depth study of books of the Bible to better understand its teachings. Sundays Led by: Tom Reed Sr. Study: Book of Joshua Where: Church Frequency: Weekly, 10:45 AM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tuesdays Led by: JoAnn D. Video Study: RightNow Media Topics Where: Church Frequency: Weekly, 3:00 PM Led by: Study: RightNow Media Topics Where: Y's Home Frequency: Weekly, 6:00 PM (filled) Led by: Bonnie Hawley Study: Old Testament Where: Home Frequency: Weekly, 7:00 PM (filled) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wednesdays Led by: Ellen Marino Study: Book of Matthew Where: Church Frequency: Weekly, 10:15 AM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thursdays Led by: Eydie Re ed Video Study: RightNow Media Topics Where: Home Frequency: Weekly, 10:00 AM Led by: Doug O'Connell Study: Book of Genesis Where: in-person, Church & Zoom ; Zoom (late fall/winter) Frequency: Weekly, 7:00 PM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Focused Groups We have a variety of Small Groups with specialized interests. Sundays Led by: Pastor Chris Fisher Type: Coffee House Worship Where: Church Frequency: Weekly, 11:00 AM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tuesdays Led by: Nancy Kraft Study Book: (women's group) Where: Church Frequency: two Tuesdays each month, 2:00 PM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wednesdays Led by: Pastor Chris Fisher Type: Wednesday Night Prayer Group Where: Church Sanctuary Frequency: Weekly, 6:00 PM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thursdays Led by: Dot Murphy Meal & Chat: Women encouraging women (for widows) Where: varies Frequency: fourth Thursday each month, 5:30 PM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturdays Type: Men's Breakfast RightNow Media Topics Where: Church Fellowship Hall Frequency: third Saturday each month, 8:00 AM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coming: Led by: Stacey Lehman and (TBA) Type: Celebrate Recovery Where: Church Frequency: (pending) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you would like to start a new Small Group, please contact the CFC (FUMC) church office at 570.385.3941 for more information.

Lists many ways to serve within our church and to be the church to the world. WAYS TO SERVE The Holy Spirit and You Do you know what your Spiritual Gifts are and how you can use them at FUMC? As a Christian saved through acceptance of God's grace by the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, we receive spiritual gifts to be used in service for God's greater glory. We are to use our unique personalities, traits, and interests to build up the church and to share Christ’s love with the world. You can use these gifts through the ministry of FUMC. Together we provide many opportunities to share God’s love with one another and with the world. Using your Spiritual Gifts is as easy as sharing your time and talents. Below is a list of areas that you can volunteer to serve FUMC: Acolytes | Confirmed youth and youth in the confirmation process are required to serve as acolytes until the age of 16. Acolytes light and extinguish candles. Acolytes receive their initial training and are scheduled by Sandi Berger. Choirs / Praise Team | FUMC offers several opportunities to worship and praise God. We offer an adult choir, a cherub/children's choir, and the praise team. For more information on our music ministry, please click here . Christ Servant Ministry | Certification with extra training and preparation for service in a number of helping ministries. Coffee Servers and Donations | Coffee continues with our new schedule of one worship service on Sunday morning. You can make a monetary donation on a Sunday morning, volunteer on the signup sheet to bring baked goods, you may purchase and bring canisters of regular or decaf coffee, individually wrapped tea bags, hot chocolate, coffee creamer, sugar packets, or other items that may be used to serve the coffee. If you have any questions or not sure what to bring, contact Karen Shiffert or the church office at 570.385.3941. Community Luncheon Sponsor or Server | For more information on our community lunch ministry, please click here . Community Relations and Outreach | For more information on our community relations and outreach, please click here . Communion Steward / Server | A communion steward provides the elements (bread and juice) and sets up for the communion service by placing the bread and cup on the Communion Table as directed by the Pastor (i.e., intinction or individual cups). A communion server assists the Pastor during the communion service by serving the bread and cup to the congregation. Exerettes | FUMC and Diakon's PrimeTime Health partnered to form the Exerettes to provide older persons with valuable knowledge and techniques to assist them in maintaining health, wellness, and independence. The program is particularly attractive to older adults because most of the dances and activities can be done either standing or sitting down. One of the goals of the Exerettes is to inspire others and to show that it is never too late to make life-style changes. The exercises not only promote balance but also flexibility, strength, and better. The Exerettes meet every Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10 to 11 am here at FUMC in Fellowship Hall. By the way, IT's FREE!! Come and join us!!! Greeters/Ushers are the people who say hello and hand you a bulletin when you come to church and have a very important part of our worship; as part of their responsibility, as an Usher they collect the offering(s) and direct people to receive Holy Communion. We welcome and encourage church members who would like to be greeters to contact the church office for available dates. Lay Home Communion Ministry | This group provides the Sacrament of Holy Communion on a regular basis, providing a bridge between the congregation and home-based members. These people have a sense of mission, are responsible, have compassion, are non-judgmental and can keep confidences. They are servants of the Lord who bring the blessings of their congregation to God's children with special needs. Lay Liturgists | Liturgists are congregation members who volunteer to open worship with announcements and to read the lessons during the church services. They serve on an occasional basis. If you are interested in serving as a lector, please contact the church office. Lay Speakers/Preachers | Is God calling you to help spread the Good News? Do you feel a burning desire to talk to others about the things of God? If so, then lay preaching may be the route for you. Lay speakers/preachers are given the work of speaking God's word, praying for others, and serving the congregation's needs. The lay preachers serve FUMC by sharing God's word with the congregation for the Saturday evening service or occasionally on a Sunday morning when the Pastor(s) are out of the pulpit. Media Ministry (media/sound booth) | For more information on our media ministry, please click here . Ministry Teams and Committees | There are many committees that lead FUMC and serve this congregation. Serving on a committee is just one way to share your diverse gifts and interact with those who share your interests and values. For more information, please see the Committees Section of this website . Newsletter Helpers | Bi-monthly, this group meets to help collate and sort the monthly newsletter. If you are interested in serving as a Newsletter Helper, please contact the church office. Prayer / Prayer Shawl Ministry | For more information on our prayer and prayer shawl ministry, please click here . Small Group Leaders | The Christian life is lived out with people. We understand that growing one's faith requires the support, attention and nurturing that only small group can provide. Trusting relationships allow us to know one another deeply and to be known. What we receive from God is always matured, tested and developed in the context of people, like you, in God’s Church. Here at FUMC we value the time-proven experience of Christians meeting in home groups for the purpose of Fellowship, Bible Study, Missions, and growing, nurturing, and discipling people to become dynamic followers of Jesus Christ. We offer short-term and long-term classes to allow you to connect with others as you walk together on your faith journey. Our small groups are a way to get to know each other. If you have a suggestion for a small group, or if you would like to connect with a small group, please contact the church office. Sunday School Teachers | Sunday School teachers are willing to spread the love of Jesus Christ with a group of 6-12 children on Sunday mornings from September through May, have the ability to plan and lead meaningful lessons for Sunday School children, and are willing to serve on a quarterly basis. Vineyard Ministry Volunteers | For more information on our Vineyard ministry, please click here .

This page provides information on the two youth groups which are broken down by grades. Opportunities for Christian Discipleship and Fellowship The teen years are critical times for a healthy connection with a church family and we believe our youth carry great potential to be disciples who make disciples as they seek to live out their faith together - as one big family of faith. Our iGnite youth are truly world changers who are hungry and thirsty for more of God and long for authentic relationships with Him and each other. We tackle topics that are meaningful to students today. We believe in equipping and empowering young people to be the hands and feet of Christ - to be servant leaders in a world that is longing for something worth living and dying for. We find no greater cause, than the cause of Christ. Feel like something is missing in your life? Seeking something more? Come check us out! We provide weekly opportunities for teens to grow in their relationship with the LORD and with each other. Please view our calendar for specific dates, times, and locations of upcoming events. iGnite Jr. High Calendar of events iGnite Sr. High Calendar of Events To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

This provides a summary of our children's ministry. Children aren’t just the future… We believe children are not just the future, but the present of the church. They are warmly embraced in our church community. Providing families with resources like Children's Bulletins and Praise Packs, we enable children to worship alongside their parents while guiding them on their lifelong journey as disciples of Jesus. Partnering with Parents… As your church family, we want to support you in fulfilling your God-given responsibility of starting children on a life-long journey and relationship with Jesus. Therefore, we are committed to partnering with families to continue faith development at home as you build a spiritual foundation that, in God’s timing, will lead your children into a relationship with God through Jesus. Our desire as a church is to be a spiritual extension that helps equip and encourage parents as they engage with their children spiritually. Loving is a top priority… Our desire is to create a safe and engaging environment for all children so they can know and experience God’s love and grow strong in their love for Him. We want every single child to feel loved and encouraged every single week. We want them to know that we believe in them and are excited about God's purpose in their lives. We don't just see your kids as children, we see who they can become and we're excited that God is allowing us to support you and them in that process. To learn more about children's ministry, please contact our Church Office at 570.385.3941.

This page provides a list of recommended books for the small groups and members to read. LIFE IN ACTION GROUPS RECOMMENDED READINGS (UPDATED 02/24/2021) The books listed below have been reviewed by the Discipleship Council and are recommended for the Life in Action Groups to use as a guide in their mission to create disciples in response to Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19a. These books are generally available at www.christianbook.com and through other providers. Discipleship Plan Components Component 1 - Experience God "A Firm Foundation" by Wesleyan Covenant Association Hope and Vision for a new Methodist Future "Alpha Course" by Nicky Gumbel Creating space to explore life, faith, and meaning "Healing" by Francis MacNutt Provides a context within which to understand healing Component 2 - Follow the Lord Jesus Daily Devotions Component 3 - Share Life Together "The Class Meeting" by Kevin M. Watson A fresh new guide to the theory and practice of the Wesley class meeting "The Band Meeting" by Kevin M. Watson & Scott T. Kisker Demonstrates that the band meeting is not merely another church program Component 4 - Serve the Body of Christ "Healing" by Francis MacNutt Provides a context within which to understand healing Component 5 - Invest in Others "The Starfish Movement" by Dan Grider Shows how to fully engage with the original Movement that Jesus launched (suggested reading for leaders of Small Groups) "Crucial Conversations" by Dan Grider Draws our attention to those defining moments that literally shape our lives, our relationships, and our world "God Space" by Doug Pollock Naturally create room - God Space - for spiritual conversations to happen in your everyday life

Highlights upcoming special events. Community Relations & Outreach The purpose of our Community Relations and Outreach Ministry is to reach those who are outside the walls of our church with the message and the love of Jesus Christ. We do this by providing opportunities to minister to all we meet. We are blessed to be able to serve in the mission field in our community as we partner with local organizations and communities to build relationships and provide opportunities to share God’s love and plan of salvation. Our vision is simple - to love God and love our neighbors! Click on the images below to find details about upcoming events!

Fear2Faith: A video series on current events, Bible prophecy, and faith. Dear Friend, A recent survey by the Joshua Fund revealed that 44% of all Americans are asking why this pandemic and other crises are happening. They are wondering whether this is either a wake-up call to return to God and the Bible, a sign of coming judgment, or both (Joshuafund.com ). The survey covered a random sample of Americans, including atheists, agnostics, Jews, Muslims, and other religious groups. It showed that many people are searching the Bible and seeking online for spiritual answers in a way not seen for years. Are you asking any of these questions? Do you want to know if there is a God, if he cares about you, and how you can know him? Are you wondering if the Bible is trustworthy and might have the answers? Are you seeking hope and a sure future amidst the fear? To help with these questions, we at First UMC, Schuylkill Haven, have produced this series of messages on God, current events, biblical prophecy being fulfilled today, and the grounds for hope in Jesus Christ. We invite you to check it out. We want to help you find a genuine relationship with God and give you sound reasons to trust in Jesus Christ amidst these crises.