MAKE A CONNECTION Meet the Connections Team and learn how you can create deeper connections within our church community

These relationships are one of a kind and so precious. The amount of smiles, laughs, and tears we shared brought us closer than we could have imagined. Each person on the trip cared for one another deeply and selflessly. Family is the only word that can describe such a unique group. I will cherish the friendships made there forever.

Our ride back to Baton Rouge didn’t go as planned. The 6-hour drive was extended to 12 due to flat tires and a broken trailer axle. Trying to describe that experience to my friends and family back home was harder than expected. From their point of view, our ride home seemed miserable. Weirdly enough, it was the exact opposite. We bonded with each other as we faced these challenges. It was reminder of the real world obstacles we will still face as we leave the mission trip. It was a perfect example of living your life for God even when frustration tries to overcome you. As I went home and started living my normal life again, I kept thinking about something Kale had told us on the last day. “When you go back home and tell your friends and family what you’ve been doing for the past week, they won’t understand. For someone who hasn’t experienced the ways God worked through us this week, they’ll think you’re crazy for giving up a week of your summer to work for people who you’ve never even met.” When I first heard that, I couldn’t fully grasp it. After many attempts of convincing my friends how much fun it was to work with the Kullichito Church in a small town that no one knew of, I began to understand what Kale meant. People will never understand the joy and happiness that fills our lives through serving others. But God does, because that’s what he created us to do. Mission trips are not about posting pictures or the “play time” at the end. It’s about growing in your faith, changing, and bringing that back home with you. After coming home from Broken Bow, I realize how fortunate I’ve been. With each trip my faith has grown in ways that I could have never imagined and there are so many amazing people that are responsible for that. The amount of smiles, laughs, and tears we shared brought us closer than we could have imagined. Each person on the trip cared for one another deeply and selflessly. Family is the only word that can describe such a unique group. I will cherish the friendships made there forever.

Are you looking for a church home? Come check out Youth Ministry at FUMC! Each week we seek to grow closer to God and each other while being the people God calls us to be. Join us for:

Sunday School | Sundays | 9:40-10:40 AM Youth Night | Sundays | 5:00-7:00 PM Bible Study | Wednesdays | 6:00-7:30 PM

You can join in one of our All-Nighters, big events like Slime Night and the Great Pumpkin Hunt, or the Mardi Gras Ball. Our year spent learning to love like Jesus is always capped off with life-changing summer mission trips like the ones you just read about.

PARENTS: We are in constant need of volunteers to teach, guide, cook, drive, chaperone and plan for all of the above programs. Please let me know where we can get you living out the call to serve as well. I would love to meet up to discuss your questions and to find a place for you to make a lasting influence in someone’s life!

CONTACT KALE WETEKAMM, Director of Youth Ministry, at kwet@firstmethodist.org or 383-4777, ext. 235.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @fumcyouthbr.

Cindy Mann Director of Connections Ministry cmann@firstmethodist.org

Jennifer Stephens Director of Small Group Ministry jennifer@firstmethodist.org

Shelly Caro Director of Welcoming Ministry scaro@firstmethodist.org

God created in each of us a distinct desire for human connection. In fact, our need for meaningful Christian relationships is so great that, without them, we miss out on the fullness of joy that Christ intends for our lives. At First United Methodist Church, we encourage small group participation as a means to grow closer to God through your relationships with others. With the addition of our newest Pastor, Rev. Dr. Jane Riecke, and two new staff members, First Methodist is excited to introduce the Connections Ministry team whose mission is to continually create new opportunities, make them more accessible to our church community, and offer guidance to those who feel they are being called to something more.

“Everyone’s path is different. Everyone’s needs are different, and everyone’s relationship with God is uniquely his or her own,” states Cindy Mann, Director of Connections Ministry. “Our desire is to help individuals find the right small group that creates a sense of belonging, fosters commitment, and leads to spiritual growth.”

Growth does not happen in isolation or without intention. When we choose to commit to one another in this kind of Christ-centered way, we invite the Spirit to work in us and through us. Thus, the mutual bond we share in love of Christ and for one another becomes a powerful tool in which we can see and know God as never before.

“From the visitor to the life-long member, our desire is to shepherd and navigate people into the life of the church in a meaningful way. We recognize that many people worship here faithfully on Sundays, but they feel stuck in not knowing how or where to take that next step. They feel called to creating deeper relationships within the church but often don’t know where to start,” states Shelly Caro, Director of Welcoming Ministry. “We want to help them find their place.” In fact, the goal for the Connections Ministry is to help you take that first small step and then watch it develop into a way of life.

Soon, your "regular life" and your "church life" become hard to separate, as families, friendships, and life experiences bleed into one another, with the Holy Spirit everpresent in them all. The small group experience starts with mere humans who want a deeper connection. It ends with the awesome power of God at work in your life.

As you consider the importance of this ministry in your life, here are some questions for you to ponder: • In what ways do you feel connected to the church? • In what new ways would you like to connect? • Are you feeling called to connect more deeply but are unsure how?

Jennifer Maltbie Connections Ministry Coordinator jmaltbie@firstmethodist.org Maybe you're already experiencing church as a way of life. Take a minute to consider: • What does that mean for you, and what steps did you take to get there? • How can you nurture/help/encourage others to make those meaningful connections?

We'd love for you to share your story with us.