* Church Announcements (08/26/2026)

- In-person Worship, Sundays @ 9am (Traditional) and 11:15am (Casual)

      - Holy Communion is served, at both services, the first Sunday of each month.

      - (There is a Staffed Nursery at both services for kids 5 years and younger)

      - Additional parking is available in the Hunt Elementary School parking lot.

- Sunday school for all ages @ 10:10am (On summer break. Will resume in September.)

- Online Worship, Sundays @ 10am on our Facebook Page (First United Methodist Church - Sioux City)

- Worship Any-day @ Anytime online (and Sunday’s by 9am) on our Website (siouxcityfirst.com).  

 

Preaching - Rev. Roger Madden

     - Sermon title: “What is God’s Plan for me Now”

Worship Assistant (9:00 service) - Carla Rubel

(Online) Piano - Pat Harm

Organist (9:00 service) - Jane Sibley

Ministry of Music (9:00 service) - Andrea Buckley (soloist)

 

11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.

12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.

14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased

16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.

22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.

23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."

24 And they praised God because of me.

 

✞ What is (or was) my vocation (career)?  How did God prepare me for it?

   - A Preview Question for Pastor Roger’s sermon this Sunday (August 30).  In-person worship is at 9am (Traditional Worship) and 11:15am (Casual Service).  The service is also on Facebook on Sundays at 10am (Facebook page: First United Methodist Church - Sioux City), and also anytime on our website (siouxcityfirst.com).  The scripture will be Galatians 1:11-16 & 22-24 (The Apostle Paul is Called by God).

 

✞  What is God's plan for me in my life now?  Have I prayed about it?

     - Another Preview Question for Pastor Roger's sermon for this Sunday (August 30).

 

     - A Focus Question from Pastor Roger's sermon on Sunday, August 30.  Watch the Online service (anytime throughout the week), listen to and/or download the Sermon Podcast, read the latest detailed newsletter, see whose birthday or anniversary is coming up, and much more on our church website at www.siouxcityfirst.com

 

“We’ve Story to Tell to the Nations”

“Whom Shall I Send?”

“Here I Am, Lord”

 

“We’ve Story to Tell to the Nations”

“Here I Am, Lord”

 

"We've Story to Tell to the Nations"

"Here I Am, Lord"

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✞ All announcements are also available on our website under “Church Announcements” and in the Sunday church bulletins.

 

     We have reached our goal of $74,000 to cover the costs of our Church Storm Windows Replacement Campaign.   The new windows are currently being installed and the project should be completed by the end of September.

     THANK YOU to all who have contributed and pledged to contribute to this needed and worthwhile project!

Note: Any additional funds received will go toward making sure the interior stained-glass windows will open and close properly (we have many that do not) for in addition to the new outside storm windows protecting the interior stained-glass windows, we need to have operational interior windows.

 

   - From Gene Wagner, Music Academy @ First, Director

     The Music Academy @ First held its second free Summer Strings Camp this past week (Aug. 17-19), with 21 students participating. Students spent the week developing their playing through sectionals, where they worked on technique and rehearsed their individual parts. They also enjoyed playing in chamber groups based on their skill levels before coming together as a full string orchestra.

     I am especially thankful for our excellent teaching staff: Eleanor May-Patterson, Lynn Johnson, Kathy Davis, Henry Jones, Antonio Ferraro, Alejandro Anguiano, and Nolan Schmeckpeper. Their time, talent, and dedication made the camp a wonderful experience for our students.

     I am also grateful for everyone who worked behind the scenes to make the camp possible. Thank you to Neil Peck, Jeff and JuLee Buchman, Jill Beck, and Mary Vondrak for all of your help and hard work.

     I am grateful to everyone who helped make this year's Summer Strings Camp a success!

 

(1) We are 58.3% of the way through our budget year.

(2) We have received 49.2% of our $419,235 budget for the year (for a total of $206,775).  

(3) Our total revenues for 2026 are 0.3% higher than our 3-year average for the end of July. This figure includes our Conference Apportionments being paid. 

(4) We have expended 60.3% of our budget for the year (for a total of $253,079). We began 2026 with a positive balance in our account.

     Thanks to you, our financial status continues to fund ministry.  Please remember that we do not receive our offerings in equal 1/12 increments (especially in the summer).  All current bills are paid.  We appreciate your continued giving to God’s work through First UMC.

 

     Dave and Terri Treft would once again like to invite the people of our church too experience a vegetable/flower garden tour at their home on the westside of Sioux City.  The Treft’s will freely share with those touring the produce that is ready to be harvested at that time.  This year, they have planted the following: Many varieties of tomatoes, peppers (sweet and hot), eggplant, cabbage, zucchini, cucumbers, onions, beans, peas, and others as well as flowers (sunflowers, milkweed, roses, lots of zinnias and marigolds, and more).    

Groups are limited to a  maximum 8 people since this makes for a better visit and learning environment.       Sign-up sheets (Please sign up a friend if one is coming with you) are placed across from the church office for Aug. 26.  The tour will be from 7pm-8pm. Treft’s garden is located at 2333 Kellogg Street.  In case of rain, a “rain date” would be the following Wednesday at the same time.

 

     The Personal Care Cupboard has been the busiest it has ever been in assisting families.  The numbers of people helped have climbed and even though this past January The Personal Care Cupboard was the recipient of our Monthly Mission, we have added another month due to the dramatic increase in the number of people we are serving.  

     The Personal Care Cupboard assists families with personal care items you cannot get on food stamps.  In 2025, we assisted over 1000 families and the needs are even more.  You can find our more information about The Personal Care Cupboard on our website at (siouxcityfirst.com).   Thank You to our volunteers who purchase and put away the items (these purchases are in addition to donated items) and to those volunteers who help others every Wednesday from 6pm-7pm and/or Thursday from 2pm-3pm.   If you are interested in volunteering, contact the church office.

     You can make your donation in church, drop it off at the church office, send a check or use "Billpay" through your bank.  If you use a check or "Bill Pay," please include in the memo line "Personal Care Cupboard."  More importantly, all the money raised will go toward supplying non-food items for our Personal Care Cupboard.  

 

Recruiting Handbell Players - Have you ever played handbells or would like to try and play handbells, or know someone who does? Gene Wagner, the director of the Celebration Bells, invites you to join us in playing. A basic knowledge of musical notation is helpful, but not required. We’ll help you with the rest. We are in need of a low bass bell player, especially. We rehearse on Wednesday nights from 6:00-7:00 p.m. from September through May and play once a month at the 9:00 a.m. service at First UMC, as well as playing at the annual 12th Night handbell festival. Rehearsals begin on Wednesday, September 2.

     If you are interested in playing, please talk to Gene Wagner.

 

     As we look forward to the fall, the Jubilate Choir is inviting new singers to join us!  We really could use some more men in the choir. Director Gene Wagner welcomes anyone who enjoys singing – whether you’ve sung in a choir before or just love lifting your voice during hymns on Sunday morning. You don’t need to be a trained vocalist – just come with a willing spirit and a love for music. Traveling often? No problem! Join us whenever you’re in town. Come be part of the fellowship, fun, and joy of choir singing.

Rehearsals begin Wednesday, September 2nd, from 7:00–8:00 p.m.

     For more information, contact Gene Wagner.

 

The Church Newscard is mailed on Tuesday every other week.  For those who receive it on the following Monday or Tuesday, we have no control on when the USPS delivers it.

 

Our Children’s Sunday School is on summer break.  It will resume on September 13.

 

Adult Sunday School (On summer break until September 13) - When they resume, they will meet in the Heritage Room (next to Fellowship Hall) from 10:10-11:00am.  

 

Youth Group (Grade 5 & up) is on Summer Break until Sept. 2 - meets on Wednesdays from 6-7pm with Pastor Martha & Marce Wagner.

 

The Music Academy @ First - Keep up to date with our Music Academy @ First on their website at <musicacademyatfirst.org>

 

The Personal Care Cupboard continues to operate on Wednesdays from 5pm-6pm and Thursdays from

2pm-3pm. If you are interested in volunteering once or regularly, contact the church office.

You may also make monetary donations through the church anytime during the year.

- Item of the Month (August): Razors and Shaving Cream.

- Item of the Month (September): Household Cleaners.

 

Fellowship Time Schedule - Here is the schedule, based on the last name, for families serving. Copies of

the Fellowship Time Schedule through the end of the year are available to pick up by the bulletin board

outside the Church Office.

August 30 - A-Be

September 6 - Bi-C

September 13 - D, E, F & G

 Fellowship Time is each Sunday morning following the 9:00 a.m. worship service. This is a time for

folks to leisurely visit with friends and visitors. This is also a very important time to create a warm and

friendly atmosphere where folks will want to return and become more involved in the life of the church.

 Each Sunday, we need the following from the scheduled host families:

1. Make one 50 cup coffee pot of coffee (coffee is furnished) and put out coffee cups.

2. Have available a total of two gallons of juice or punch (not red).

3. Each family that does not bring juice are to bring about 2 dozen cookies and/or goodies so we have

enough to serve a total of about 100 people.

4. Have at least 3 or 4 persons to be present to serve and greet folks as they come.

 

 We ask your family group to furnish the items. The Fellowship Time is free of charge to all, so we will

not be putting out a money donation basket.

 

 The Hunt Elementary School parking lot is located across the street from the front of the church on Nebraska Street.

 

- Death of Sandy Polak (age 71), mother of Kris Polak.  Sandy died on July 28.

- Death of Carol Oostenbrug (age 91).  Carol died on May 22.

 

 Simply put one sentence in your will that says, “After all my bills are paid, I want 10-percent of my estate (a tithe) to go to First United Methodist Church of Sioux City, Iowa.” Your gift will be added to the principle of our Endowment Fund. The principle is never touched but the investment earnings are used each year for ministry through First UMC. This simple gesture will help support your church for future generations to learn about Jesus.

 

First United Methodist Church is offering the opportunity for individuals to have a loved one's name placed on our Memorial Wall. The Memorial Wall is located in our church's courtyard on the Chapel wall.  It is intended to provide opportunities for First UMC members and friends to remember their loved ones near their church home.  The purchase price is $200 per inscribed plaque. You can reserve a space (or spaces) by filling out a "Plaque Inscription Agreement" form (You can get the form in the Church Office).

 

We are seeking volunteers for our church “Media Team.” Pastor Roger oversees the Media Team and we will train you in whatever area you feel gifted in serving your church as a part of the Media Team during the service. We are not seeking one person to do all of this but a few people to do any of these.

 

Your church provides a free Puzzle Exchange service for anyone who wants. Stop by the church library and see if there is a puzzle that interests you.

 

 You can "Like" us, receive our daily "Prayer Prompts from Pastor Roger", find out about upcoming events, and see what has happened, on our church Facebook page. Pastor Roger will also be reminding us of the previous week's sermon message as well as give us a question or two, later in the week, for the upcoming Sunday's message.

 

     We have had members mail in donations, use their internet banking and set us up as a “Bill Pay” option to send their donations, and even had members drop off their donations in the Mail Drop - which is located right by the Maroon Canopy Entrance in the Main parking lot. As you can see in looking above at all that continues to happen at your church, First United Methodist continues to “Make a Difference” in the lives of others. If you have a prayer request or information to share, you can call the church (258-0119) or email us (scfirst@msn.com).

 

Did You Get a Supposed Text or Email from “Pastor Roger”?  

     If you ever receive an email, text, or phone call “from Pastor Roger,” or anyone on the staff, asking “I need your assistance today” or "What's the best time for you to be free today?" or “I need you to buy a gift card for me.” - DO NOT CLICK ANY LINK AND DO NOT CALL THE NUMBER LISTED.  You can delete the email/ text or report it as spam. This does not come from Pastor Roger.

     If you ever have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us at the church directly (712-258-0119) to confirm if you think something is suspicious.  

 

Weather Cancellation Notifications - In case of severe weather, we will publicize on our web site (siouxcityfirst.com) and on our answering machine whether we are or are not having church, Sunday School, or small groups as soon as we know.

 

 - John Wesley’s (The founder of Methodism) 3 Simple Rules in being a Christian!