Where Can I Serve?

The People of First United believe God calls us to serve and celebrate together! We live our faith every day in ordinary ways to make this an extraordinary Community of Faith!

 Outreach…  These groups will resume when it is safe to do so.

The Gleaners  is a group of people who pick up surplus bread, buns, and donuts from food outlets. Food is then repackaged, frozen and distributed to the Food Bank, Neighbours Outreach Wetaskiwin, The Community Shelter and Touchstone Café. This is a collaborative project between First UC and Catholic Social Services.
 
Community Kitchen cooks twice a month, vegetarian and non-vegetarian, about 30 servings each. Food is frozen and made available for pick up each Wednesday between 10 am and noon.  To volunteer, contact FCSS. To access the food, contact FCSS, Salvation Army Foodbank, or the Boys & Girls Club. This is a partnership between First UC and FCSS.
 
Messy Church is a gathering time for all ages, with stories, crafts, celebration and a meal together. Our next gathering will be in September. You can check out “Welcome to the Godly Play Room” on our Facebook page for more stories till then!
 
First United Church is also a member of Neighbour’s Outreach Wetaskiwin; and offers financial support to Kasota East  Camp on Sylvan Lake. For more information on camperships to help kids get to camp, contact KEC.

The Leadership Team   meets monthly to pray, hear reports, discern policy and engage vision for the congregation. The Worship Team is responsible for our worship life.  There are many ways you can be involved in worship including: Music, decorating, welcoming/ushering, greeting at the doors; Hospitality following worship; Worship in Song [music before worship], reading Scripture or Minute for Mission, serving communion, Sound or Projection technician. Contact the Office.

The Spiritual Growth Team serves to enrich the spiritual journey of the congregation. This team meets quarterly and has responsibilities for education and faith practice for all ages.
 
The Pastoral Care Team
works with the ministry staff to ensure appropriate and timely pastoral and spiritual care is provided to congregants and enquirers. This Team includes the Pastoral Care worker,  the Prayer Shawl Ministry; pastoral care visitors, cards and the Newsletter. They seek to ensure people are welcomed into First United and supported in the joys and sorrows of day to day living. Regular visits to hospital, long term care and senior’s residences are also part of this ministry.
 
We are called to create a  community of faith where all are welcome. Sadly some people’s experience of “church” has not been very helpful or welcoming.
First United is an Affirming Congregation who works to remove barriers and celebrate the diversity that we are as children of a loving God. As peoples of Treaty 6 and Metis Region 4, we are also called to reconciliation with our Indigenous neighbours and to ensure Canada’s laws are in line with the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
 
The Stewardship Team  encourages us to “Love our neighbours as ourselves”.  God has entrusted us with so much, there are many ways we can make a difference!
 

The Ministry & Personnel Committee is responsible for the oversight of staff and serves as a liaison between staff and congregants. They make recommendations about salary, working conditions, hiring and evaluate ongoing work. This Committee meets approximately every 6 weeks.

 
 
First United Church is part of Northern Spirit Regional Council in the United Church of Canada.
“Welcome to the Godly Play Room” posts will resume in August on our Facebook page. There are also some creative ideas and challenges from time to time.
gp mustard seed kids
Godly Play is a discovery based model of experiencing sacred story. We all have our own experiences of the holy. Sometimes we lack the language to express that understanding. Children find a safe space in the Godly Play room to make connections between scripture and their own lives. Using parable, silence, sacred and liturgical stories, with wonder, art and hospitality children and adults learn from one another.