2004 End of Year Report

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Pastor's Introduction
Vision & Mission Statements
Preschool and Elementary Children's Ministries
Senior Adult Ministries
Mission and Community Outreach
Membership
Church Retreat — Communications
Music Ministry
United Methodist Women
Adult Ministries and Spiritual Formation
Youth Ministry
Facilities

Dear Friends,

The year 2004 was one for the history books! Hurricane Ivan struck with destructive fury the night of September 15-16 and rearranged our land, our homes, and our plans for the year. I sometimes remember the wonderful statement of the way to make God laugh is to tell God what your plans are. Well, the Hurricane of 2004 was unplanned but today I write to you in amazement that God has seen us through. As you will see in a review of the ministry events of this past year, the church did not miss a beat in fulfilling its mission as a Christian family that worships God, grows in Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, puts our faith to work in the world.

Enjoy this summary of the year just past and pray for God’s guidance in the new year.

Yours in His service,
Henry E. Roberts

Vision & Mission Statements

Our Vision — To grow as disciples of Jesus Christ and expand our ministries to the community and the world.

Our Mission — First United Methodist Church of Pensacola is a Christian family that worships God, grows in Christ, and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, puts our faith to work in the world.

Program Highlights

Preschool and Elementary Children's Ministries

Monthly Preschool Craft Nights have been a success with new families attending from LEP and Noah’s Ark.
Summer Camps for preschoolers was a great success. This was a three day a week program run for four weeks during June and July.
Trunk or Treat was in the Education Building the KFC’ers giving out candy. Upstairs in the education building, we had crafts, cookie decorating and a Halloween movie playing.
In March, we celebrated our third annual Family Easter Egg Hunt.
We had a very successful Vacation Bible School. Our theme was “Heroquest: Powered by Faith.” Approximately 235 children participated, which was an increase of fifteen children over Y2003.
Wacky Wednesdays ran throughout the month of July. We coordinated our activities with the Noah’s Ark Summer Camp program. We visited Cici’s Pizza, skated and finished with a super fun pool party at the Pierce’s home.
We offered a human sexuality course for our 4th and 5th graders and had ten children participate.
We offered a new class for 3rd graders on body changes and had 7 girls participate.
We took 25 children to Summer Camp at Camp Whispering Pines in Mobile, Alabama.
We started a new program for 5th and 6th graders called K.F.C. - Kids For Christ. It meets every Sunday for Sunday School and every Sunday evening. Approximately 20 children attended.
Our Pathways program changed names and formats for the Fall. It is now called WACCI and emphasized worship and self-expression. Four rotations are offered each semester and children can choose which class to participate in.
Mini Methodists started back in August with approximately 20 children in grades 2, 3 and 4.
On December 5, we hosted the Advent Breakfast for all pre-school and elementary age children and their families. There were approximately 225 people in attendance.

Senior Adult Ministries

Celebrated Grandparents’ Day
Senior Lunch Out meets monthly
Continued to hold monthly Silver and Gold Luncheons
Conducted annual Senior Adult Week; 50 Plus Luncheon, 100 Plus Senior Adult Banquet
Several XYZ trips were completed
Stephen Ministry peer group training continues/meets twice monthly
Good Shepherds program continues with 25 active volunteers
Attended SEJ Older Adult Conference at Lake Junaluska

Mission and Community Outreach

Run for Missions raised over $3000 for missions projects
Milk and Honey Ministries moved offices into Outreach Center
Participated with St. Luke UMC in mission trip to Costa Rica

Hurricane Ivan:

Provided leadership, manpower, money, and facilities for disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ivan
Received from UMCOR and distributed over 800 flood buckets with the assistance of Milk and Honey Ministries
Served as food distribution center while Manna Food Pantries was out of operation; distributed 1,500 boxes of food to needy families
Served as warehouse for food and relief supplies distributed through other churches; distributed over 3,000 boxes of food and over 400 “food buckets”
Assisted Greater Mount Lily Baptist Church in Thanksgiving food drive; helped feed 150 needy families
Coordinated UMVIM, church and other volunteer teams; housed teams in the Wright Place and Youth Center; served as Pensacola District relief coordinators. Dozens of work teams assisted our community through FUMC coordination efforts. Teams came from as far away as Michigan, Texas, Connecticut and Pennsylvania
Provided first hurricane relief efforts to reach the Century community
Coordinated three reconstruction projects, two in Pensacola and one in Century, providing new roofs and major home repairs to persons who did not have insurance

Membership

168 New members joined in 2004
6th graders were in the six month confirmation class and joined the church by Profession of Faith on Palm Sunday.
12 Introduction to First Church classes held and 4 new member dinners completed.

Church Retreat — Communications

Annual Retreat at Blue Lake with Bishop Looney as retreat leader—200 members attended.
Communications Committee produced 4 television commercials, 3 church logo shirt orders, and initiated an updated church pictorial directory.

Music Ministry

March 19—Birmingham Southern Concert Choir Concert
March 27—Chocolate Extravaganza
May 2, 11:00 a.m.—Law Day Celebration Service
May 11, 6:00 p.m.—American Guild of Organists Organ/Piano Duets Concert
May 13—Senior Adult Choir sang at local retirement and nursing homes
June 2—Kline UMC Youth Choir Concert
June 17-26—Youth Choir Tour to Lake Junaluska, NC
July 4—University UMC Youth Choir from Baton Rouge
July 11—Latham Chapel UMC Washtub Band
August 15—Acolyte Dedication
September 10-11—Sanctuary Choir Christmas Retreat
September 10—Second Sunday Service (Alternative) begins
September 19—KFC Stomp Group, the Drum Sticks, has its first-ever rehearsal
October 31—Choir Dedication Sunday
November 19-20—Youth Choir Christmas Retreat
December 5, 6:00 p.m.—Fresh Aire Christmas Concert
December 12, 5:00 p.m.—White Christmas Program w/Children, KFC and Youth Choirs
December 19, 7:30 p.m.—Christmas Concert w/Adult Choir and Orchestra

United Methodist Women

FUMC’s Unit is composed of approximately 200 members participating in eleven groups that meet monthly. Over 300 health kits were sent to UMCOR in 2003, and well over $10,000 was given to both local, national and international ministries serving women, children and youth.

Adult Ministries and Spiritual Formation

Expanded Companions in Christ to offer module “The Way of Grace”
Graduated two classes of the Disciple Second Generation Study: Jesus in the Gospels
Conducted Interfaith Education Forum in conjunction with Rabbi David Ostrich and the congregation of Temple Beth-El
The Percy Institute offered two days of inspirational preaching and teaching by Dr. Zan Holmes, Jr.
Offered retreat “In the Shadow of God’s Wings: Grace in the Midst of Depression”
Education forum featuring Dr. Roberta Gilbert of Georgetown Family Center introduced congregation to Bowen family systems theory
Initiated compline prayer service each fourth Sunday evening

Youth Ministry

Supported Manna Food Pantries at Souper Bowl Sunday and Postal Food Drive
Youth in Action team offered camps for Milk and Honey
Good Friday Retreat experienced the last week of Jesus’ life
28 Comfirmands joined the church
Youth participated in several small discussion groups on the Purpose Driven Life
Summer mission trip to Bahamas
Youth participated in Wilderness Trail backpacking adventure
Youth created a new alternative worship experience entitled S cubed for every Second Sunday
Held a city-wide Boo Bash to raise money for Hurricane relief
Participated in Christmas Parade
Sponsored a lunch for Heifer Project
Mid Highs had a Christmas Lock-in
Senior Highs had a Christmas Regressive dinner
Youth sponsored Senior Santas
Youth sponsored Christmas Party for Milk and Honey
Youth presented Live Nativity

Facilities

2004 marked the completion of construction for our Build on the Dream capital project with the dedication of the new 3 story church lobby with connections to the Sanctuary, Library, Henry Roberts Activity Center, Wright Place and Education Building and also the new elevator in the Henry Roberts Activity Center with access to the 2nd floor of the Education building, Wright Place and Sanctuary.

2004 also saw Hurricane Ivan impact the church as it did so much of our community. The serious damage was confined to the sanctuary roof and subsequent water damage to the interior ceiling and walls of the sanctuary and basement. A new natural slate roof installation began in January 2005, with interior repairs following.

The church was blessed to have our power restored in time for our worship services on the Sunday after the storm with all of our buildings fully functional. The Wright Place 1st floor was turned over to Hospice for their offices for 3 weeks (their building was destroyed) until they were able to move into a leased building. Hurricane relief work teams from all over the southeast camped out on the 2nd floor while they worked on homes throughout the community. Our garage facilities were turned into relief supply warehouses for the distribution of food, water and clean up supplies.