Worship this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. | |
Reminder: On Sunday, May 26, at 10:00 a.m. we begin our one service summer worship schedule. The 10:00 a.m. service will be both in-person and online. Have an amazing summer! | |
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Meet Rev. Dr. George Klay Weagba
I am a Liberian and a counseling elder of the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. I served as a pastor for several years in the premier district of the annual conference. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to serve my conference in numerous capacities at both the district and annual conference levels. I also served as the lead clergyperson of the Liberian Delegation to the 2016 General Conference of The United Methodist Church and was a three-time delegate to the General Conference.
In addition to my pastoral duties, I was an administrator and faculty member at the church’s theological seminary, where our pastors are trained. Currently, I serve as vice president for research and planning at The United Methodist University of Liberia. I am an author, Bible study leader, and worship leader. I hold a doctorate of ministry degree in preaching and leadership from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky.
I am married to the Rev. Lydia Manawu-Weagba, the first female pastor of the Lutheran Church in Liberia. Our union is blessed with five children.
My sermon on Sunday, May 26 will be based on Philippians 3:10-14, with the theme “Rooted: Keep Pressing On.” This sermon will challenge the congregation, amid their overwhelming trials, failures, and successes, to develop a singleness of purpose to serve Christ.
We begin our summer worship time of 10:00 a.m. this Sunday with an in-person and online service. This one-service 10:00 a.m. time will continue until Sunday, September 8. This week is family worship for our children. Nursery Care is available.
Rev. Dr. George Klay Weagba
Scholar in Residence
Email: gweagba@fumcbirmingham.org
Mobile phone: 248-499-3768
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Click a button below to watch worship online Sunday at 10:00 a.m. | |
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Altar Flowers & Mission Candle
The Altar Flowers are given to the Glory of God and in honor of our families by Karen Hagenlocker and Henry Whiting III.
The Mission Candle is given to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Ed Pugh by his family.
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New Members
We are happy to welcome the following new members who were received into our church family. We hope that they will form warm friendships and find their place in the work of Birmingham and Berkley First.
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Not pictured: Ben Cronin, MacKenzie Hubers, and David Cleveland | |
Farewell Celebration for Pastor Susie | |
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Rev. Susie’s last Sunday with us will be on June 9. She will be preaching during the 10:00 a.m. worship service at the Birmingham campus. The Staff Parish Relations Committee invites you to join in a celebration of Pastor Susie’s ministry at 11:15 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. A card box will be available for you to share cards, memories, and well wishes. A love gift is also being collected as our way of thanking Rev. Susie for her dedication to our congregation.
Contributions can be made online or in-person via cash or check. Click the button below to donate online. Checks submitted before June 9 should be made out to Birmingham First with “Rev. Susie” on the memo line. If you are bringing your love gift on June 9, checks should be made payable to Rev. Susie Hierholzer. Love gifts are non-tax deductible.
Please mark your calendar and join us in thanking Pastor Susie for her amazing ministry among us. See you in worship and in Fellowship Hall on June 9th!
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Food & Supply Drive Thank You from Hunger Ministry
A big THANK YOU to all who brought food and supply items for our Birmingham and Berkley Food Drive! It was a great success! We received many donations and had a generous amount for each of the seven local organizations we distribute the items to. The items are sorted based on the needs communicated to us by the organizations.
The local organizations that we support on this project are: Baldwin Center, Cass Community Social Services, Freedom House, Gleaners, Hope Warming Center, Lighthouse of Oakland County, and Redford Brightmoor Initiative.
In addition, all items donated to the Berkley Campus went directly to the Berkley Food Pantry.
All of the agencies were very happy and thankful for our efforts.
This project is sponsored by the Hunger Ministry Committee and is planned for twice each year. The next one will be in October 2024; stay tuned!
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Frank's Ride for First Kids Preschool - Thank you!
Thank you to the members of Birmingham and Berkley First for their generous donations to Frank's Ride for First Kids Preschool. The weather was perfect for the 51-mile bike ride, a sunny day and a comfortable 70 degrees. Thanks to your support, we raised approximately $2,500 that will go toward scholarships. Your backing means a lot to Frank and all the teachers, families & children of First Kids Preschool.
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Blood Drive Results - Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who made the May blood drive a success. We save lives here at Birmingham & Berkley First! For this blood drive we collected 38 units, impacting 88 lives. We had 4 first time donors. Our next blood drive is July 8.
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The CLC Volunteers and Hunger Ministry want to thank you for making the first Pickleball with a Purpose Tournament a success. Click the button below to read the full thank you letter. | |
Worship at Berkley First for Sunday, May 26 | |
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Pastor Zack preaching
Rooted: I Press On | Philippians 3:10-14
Christian Perfection. It’s an odd term, but one that is integral to following Christ in the Methodist tradition. None of us are perfect, but we do press on toward perfection in love. Since walking with Christ is more than a simple matter of self-improvement, Christian Perfection is about the work of God in and through us.
If you’re in town this Memorial Day Weekend, join Pastor Zack in-person as we press on to perfection. Out of town? Consider joining us online via YouTube, Facebook, or BerkleyFirst.org. Please note: due to the holiday weekend, Sunday School, along with our evening Youth Group are paused. All ages will be worshiping together in the Sanctuary.
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Join Us in Welcoming Liv Vermane | |
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We are excited to welcome Liv Vermane, our Duke Seminary Intern! She is a second year Master of Divinity student at Duke Divinity. Prior to starting at Duke, she attended George Mason University where she graduated with a degree in Communications and Religious Studies. When she's not busy doing ministry work or studying, you can usually find her drinking coffee, enjoying Italian food, or watching the television show, "New Girl." She lives to serve the world by helping others, and oftentimes she finds that she can do this best through her work in ministry! She describes herself as a dreamer, an artist, and a future UMC pastor. She is excited to serve among us here at Birmingham and Berkley First. Liv will begin her summer with us the week of May 26.
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We will welcome Liv in worship at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 2 with a special fellowship hour to follow. Please plan to attend worship that day to meet her.
Additionally, if you would like to sign up to show her a must-see site of the Metro Detroit area, you can sign up by clicking the button below.
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The Christian Classic Book Club will meet on Wednesday, June 5, at 6:30 p.m. for a potluck dinner and reading. Beverly Hannett-Price will bring her expertise by presenting a short story for us to read on-site and discuss as a group. No assignment ahead of time! Everyone is welcome, but please bring a side dish or dessert to share. We will pick our reading assignments for the coming year, too. Please join us at Birmingham First in the Stevens Room #214. | |
It's not too late to join the Meant for Good Church-wide Study. You can click the button below to read more and to sign up. | |
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Today is the last day to RSVP
Sunday Social is May 26. We will meet in Thomas Parlor from 12:15 pm – 1:45 pm for a hot lunch and fellowship with our Birmingham and Berkley First friends. Cost of the lunch will be $15.00. To ensure your place at the table, please make your reservation by Wednesday, May 22 with Mary Feldmaier, mfeldmaier@fumcbirmingham.org.
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Children & Family Ministries | |
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There is still time to register for to volunteer for VBS!
Scuba VBS, our summer morning camp, is all about exploring what it means to be friends with an awesome, loving, and trustworthy God – a friendship that lasts forever! Join us on an amazing undersea adventure where we'll dive deep into the never-ending love of God. Get ready to dive into the Bible and find out what living water is all about! At Scuba VBS, get ready for a whole week of faith, fun discoveries, awesome music, and epic adventures that will make your faith grow stronger!
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We aim to remodel the upstairs restrooms in summer 2024 and the downstairs restrooms in summer 2025. Let's make Berkley First a place where everyone feels truly welcome. Donate today to be a part of this important project!
Click the button below to donate, or for more information.
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Music & Worship Administrative Assistant
The Music & Worship Ministry is looking for a qualified administrative assistant to join the team. This team member serves an integral administrative role in bringing music to life, facilitating impactful worship, coordinating meaningful special events throughout the year, and empowering children, youth, and adults to participate in the music-making! With a flexible schedule, this part-time position is approximately 20-25 hours per week. If you are interested in joining the team, please contact Executive Director of Worship & Music Casey Proch at cproch@fumcbirmingham.org.
More information can be found on our employment page by clicking the button below.
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Watch Worship from Last Week
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Watch a recording of worship from last Sunday by clicking one of the buttons below. | | | | |
