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… Some groups have started up and others are waiting for the time to be right!
Community Kitchen is cooking once a month, a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, about 100 servings each cook. Food is frozen and available for pick up from Rock Soup Foodbank. We are partnered with A & W for some of their surplus food and also grateful to Rock Soup for providing some ingredients. Contact the office if you’d like to volunteer.
Weddings & Funerals can be booked by contacting the office/minister. We are currently (as of September 20, 2022) capping our attendance for these functions at 175 and encouraging people to mask, sanitize and distance as possible. Information about related costs are available upon request. We have a lovely hall and excellent commercial kitchen with a brand new commercial dishwasher. Some in house catering is available.
Baptism – is a Sacrament in the United Church of Canada, something we do to make visible the invisible grace of God. Please contact the office/minister if you are interested in Baptism for yourself or your child. We also encourage you to join us in worship as you discern how First United will be part of your journey with God.
First United Church offers financial support to Kasota East Camp on Sylvan Lake. For more information on camperships to help kids get to camp, contact KEC.
Messy Church is a gathering time for all ages, with stories, crafts, celebration and a meal together. We are looking forward to some in person gatherings soon. You can check out “Welcome to the Godly Play Room” on our Facebook page for more stories till then!
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; reading Scripture or Minute for Mission, Sound/ 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 formation 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, phoners, cards and the weekly emails/biweekly mailouts. 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 which 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 Indigenous neighbours and to ensure Canada’s laws are in line with the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We are working on our responsibilities through the Calls to the Church from the Truth & Reconciliation Report.
The Stewardship Team encourages us to “Care & Connect with God, each other and creation”. God has entrusted us with so much, we are delighted to share! Together we can make a difference far beyond our individual efforts.
The Ministry & Personnel Team 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.
Godly Play stories will be included in our worship service or told in the Godly Play room on Sunday morning. There are video sessions available Saturday mornings on our Facebook page and You-Tube channel. Children and youth are also welcome to join us in worship as we resume our in person gatherings.
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.