So you've been to a couple of worship services and are interested in exploring deeper into our faith community... great! We suggest joining one of our small groups that meet regularly to deepen relationships with God and with each other:

• Care Groups – These are groups of FUMC folks that meet weekly in each others’ homes for Bible study, discussion, and prayer. They are open for anyone to join and are typically arranged by location, to keep travel distances to a minimum. The groups are re-formed and re-mixed regularly, often starting fresh in the fall or sometimes in the spring, but new faces are welcome to join at any point. Meeting days and times are listed in the Sunday morning bulletins or on the church calendar.
• Sunday School – Most Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:30 (from Sept to May), there is Sunday School for children grades K – 7, featuring enthusiastic teachers and excitable youngsters! There is also an “adult” Sunday School class which carries on an exciting dialogue around different issues and/or books of the Bible. At this time there is not a youth Sunday School class; grades 7 – 12 are encouraged to be a part of the youth group (see description below). All of the Sunday School classes are held in the “Education Building” (a.k.a. “the Sunday School House”) which is the tan building directly behind (north) of the main church building.
• Bible Studies – There are several different opportunities for Bible Study at FUMC. Beyond the groups mentioned above, there is a regular Wednesday morning Bible Study in German, led by Pastor Hans Gerhard Fast in the church basement at 10am. There are also seasonal studies led by Pastor Ingrid Schultz and others, often tied to Sunday morning worship themes. Check the announcements or church calendar (LINKS?) for more information on if/when/where these are happening.
• “YAC:” Young Adults Connect – this is a weekly discussion group for post-high school young adults (a.k.a. “college and career” or “twenty-somethings” or “whippersnappers”) – if you’re out of high school and consider yourself a “young adult,” you’re welcome to come—single, married, studying, working, between careers, whatever…there’s a little of everything in this group. Group members take turns hosting the discussions in their homes, and discussion topics vary widely, usually tied to a faith perspective on current events. Meetings are currently on Tuesday evenings, from 7-9, and are led by Joe Heikman.
• Youth Group – Grades 7-12 and a handful of youth-ful leaders meet Wednesday evenings in the Youth Room (Education Building) for games, music, prayer, Bible-study, and general crazy-fun good times! FUMC’s youth worker Shelley Dyck and her crew have regular social events, service projects, retreats, movie nights… Words can’t begin to describe the energy of this group—you’ve got to see it to believe it!

If you're looking for a way to volunteer, or if you're curious about how FUMC is organized, go here for a closer look at the functional side of the church.

If you're wondering about officially joining the church or getting baptized, there are "discipleship classes" to help interested people to learn more about baptism and church membership. These classes usually begin in Jan-Feb, and FUMC typically celebrates baptisms and memberships on Pentecost Sunday in late spring. But you can talk to one of the church staff about these things anytime, so go ahead and ask.