Graduate Recognition Sunday
Mark your calendars! On May 17th, at both morning services, we will be recognizing our High School and College graduates. If you have a child graduating from high school or college, please visit our website and fill out the form so we can make sure we don't miss anyone! The deadline to submit information is Sunday, May 10. We are proud of our graduates, and can't wait to celebrate them!

https://forms.gle/TPjgVoDy9EBJ3C3h6

Duck Derby
The 11th Annual Duck Derby & Spring Fling benefitting Elbert Memorial Hospital Foundation will be on Saturday, May 2, from 10:30 to 1 p.m. at the Granite City Walking Trail. The Ducks will be released at 11 a.m.! There are many kids' activities, including Face Painting, Jumpies, a Dunking Booth, and more! Check out the Elberton First booth and get a free snow cone!

Wednesday Night Fellowship Meal
Enjoy some good food and fellowship on Wednesday night, May 6, at 5:30 p.m. We will be having a taco bar. $10 per adult & $5 per child 10 & under. Please register online or call the church office by 4 p.m. on Monday, May 4. https://elbertonfmc.subspla.sh/pnqdcj6

Vacation Bible School
Registration is open for Vacation Bible School. The dates are Sunday, June 7, through Wednesday, June 10, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. each night. Ages pre-k through rising 6th grade are welcome! www.elbertonfmc.com.

Interested in volunteering? VBS is one of the most meaningful ways to get involved in the church, and we encourage you to take part in this uplifting week. A sign-up sheet will be available at both services and on Wednesday nights over the next few weeks.

If you would like to make a monetary donation, please be sure to designate your offering for [VBS].

Arrangements for Mr. Bob Weston
The family will receive friends on Thursday, April 30, from 3:00 p.m. until 3:45 p.m. in the Sanctuary of First Methodist Church of Elberton. Funeral services, officiated by the Rev. John Donaldson, will follow at 4:00 p.m. A family graveside service will be in the Georgia Veterans Cemetery in Milledgeville.

Berry Funeral Home & Crematory of Elberton is respectfully in charge of arrangements for Mr. Robert Lawson "Bob" Weston.

To view the full obituary, please click this link: https://www.berryfh.com/obituaries/robert-weston

Are you hoping for more spiritual growth? Would you like to get to know others better at church? Now is a great time to get connected! Sundays from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., there are small groups available for all ages! If you have questions of where to go, just ask one of the greeters and/or ushers.

Check out the church merch store! New designs have already been added, including youth sizes. If you have any design or product recommendations, please let us know.

Subscribe to weekly emails by clicking the button below.

Mark your calendars! On May 17th, at both morning services, we will be recognizing our High School and College graduates. If you have a child graduating from high school or college, please fill out the form below so we can make sure we don't miss anyone! The deadline to submit information is Sunday, May 10. We are proud of our graduates, and can't wait to celebrate them!

As we celebrate the hope and joy of Easter, we give thanks for the beautiful Easter lilies that have been placed in our sanctuary. These flowers are given in honor and in memory of loved ones who hold a special place in our hearts.

Our Young Adult Connect Group took a trip to The Range in Abbeville this past Sunday and had a great time of fellowship!

Our new Connect Groups will not meet this Sunday, but will resume on April 12. If you are looking to join a group, click the button to learn more.

Elberton First Methodist will host a Blood Drive on Monday, April 13, from 12 - 5 p.m. in the Crossroads Connection Center. Donors will receive a $15 E-Gift Card via email! To make an appointment, scan the QR code above or click the button below. *Enter [EFMC] if a sponsor code is required

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and we have an exciting day planned! We will have ONE Combined Service at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary, featuring an Easter Cantata from our Chancel Choir, special soloists, and Children’s Choir. Following the service, we will have a Fellowship Lunch in the Fellowship Hall. The church is providing the meat, and the congregation is asked to bring a side dish or dessert to share. Then, after the meal, we will have an Easter Egg Hunt on the church's back lawn. We are looking forward to a wonderful Palm Sunday celebration!

Elberton First Methodist Church is seeking a Choir Director for our Traditional 11 a.m. Worship Service. A full job description can be found below. Interested candidates, please send your resume and contact information to office@elbertonfmc.com.

Purpose  
The Choir Director for Elberton First Methodist Church has the exciting and challenging position of leading the Chancel Choir in their practices and participation for the 11 a.m. Traditional Worship Service.

Requirements

1. Be a professing Christian. 
2. A degree in Music and/or Comparable experience in leading choirs. 
3. Proficiency in playing the piano.   

Specific Duties of the Choir Director

1. Lead the Choir in weekly rehearsals, normally on Wednesday nights, 6:30 pm – 7:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 10:35 a.m. 
2. Lead the Choir in the Traditional Sunday morning worship service, normally at 11 a.m.; as well as the congregational singing during the service. 
3. Available to lead a Hand Bell choir should such a choir be formed. 
4. Work with the Pastor in picking out hymns for the worship service.
5. Work with Organist in picking additional service music. 
6. Direct or help direct the choir in the performance of Christmas and Easter Cantatas.
7. Work with church and area musicians to incorporate special music in the worship services. 
8. Incorporate a variety of music styles in the worship service. 
9. Work with the Pastor in planning the quarterly “5th Sunday” worship services. 
10. Attend, as able, the monthly Staff meetings and the quarterly Worship Committee meetings. 
11. Available to help in Christmas Eve and Maundy Thursday (6 p.m. ) services.  
12. Keep up the music library in good order. 
13. Update the quarterly meeting of the Administrative Council on musical plans. 

• Interested candidates, please send your resume and contact information to office@elbertonfmc.com.

Click the [download PDF version] button above to download the job description.

We will recognize Compassion Sunday on Sunday, March 22, in both services. If you sponsor a child, we would like to highlight their name, home country, and maybe a few sentences about them. Please send this information by March 16 via email to the church office.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child, click the following link.
http://compassionsunday.com/elbertonfirstmethodist

We invite you, your family, and your friends to join us as we go through Holy Week, anticipating the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Easter is a season that reminds us of God's love and the sacrifice that was made for us on the Cross. From Palm Sunday to Easter morning, we will come together to worship, remember, and celebrate!

We have several services and activities planned for Holy Week. Beginning with Palm Sunday, we will have an Easter Cantata (Combined Service) at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary, followed by a Fellowship Lunch and Easter Egg Hunt. On Maundy Thursday, we will remember the Last Supper during a special service at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary and partake in Holy Communion. Finally, on Easter Sunday, we will celebrate the good news of the resurrection during a Sunrise Service at 7 a.m., Contemporary Service at 9 a.m., and Traditional Service at 11 a.m.

Join us during this wonderful season, we have a seat waiting for YOU!

Our 30 Pieces of Silver Mission Project this year will go towards Compassion International, a Christian ministry dedicated to releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name.

Bags are located at the Crossroads Connection Center and Sanctuary entrances. Please pick up a bag, place your change in it, and return it to the church on Easter Sunday.

SAVE THE DATE for VBS 2026!
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure in the heart of the Jungle at Rainforest Falls!

Kids will dive into a vibrant rainforest world filled with waterfalls, wildlife, and hands-on fun as they discover powerful Bible stories, meaningful lessons, energetic music, and exciting activities. Rainforest Falls is all about helping kids grow in faith while experiencing God’s love in a big, unforgettable way.

Location: Elberton First Methodist Church
Dates: Sunday, June 7 - Wednesday, June 10
Time: 5:30-8:00 p.m.

Registration opens April 1 - mark your calendar and get ready to explore, learn, and celebrate together at VBS 2026!

This Easter, you are invited to donate an Easter lily in honor of or in memory of a loved one. They are $10 each and will be displayed in the Sanctuary on Easter Sunday as we celebrate the hope and joy of the resurrection.
If you would like to donate a Lily, please pick up a card in the Crossroads Connection Center or the Sanctuary entrance. You can also purchase online using the form below. All donations are due Sunday, March 22. 

Just looking ahead, on Palm Sunday, March 29, we will have a combined service in the Sanctuary at 10 a.m., followed by a Fellowship Lunch (the church is providing baked ham; the congregation is asked to bring a side dish), and then the annual Easter Egg Hunt! The Palm Sunday worship service will feature a cantata by our choir. It would be really nice to have more people in our choir for the cantata! If you like to sing and can make joyful noise, please consider joining the choir for the next five weeks at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights.

67 residents of Nancy Hart Nursing Center received individual bags of goodies and staff received baskets of snacks for Valentines Day. Helping deliver items were Jeana and Chloe Henderson and PJo Phelps. Thank you to all who assisted with items and monetarily!

Are you looking for a way to build closer friendships and grow deeper in your faith? During the Lent Season (February 22-March 22), the church will be offering Connect Groups for all ages! These groups (formerly known as Sunday School Classes) will meet from 10:05 to 10:50 a.m. Sunday mornings, with separate groups for the 2-4 year olds, K-2nd Grade, 3rd–5th Grade, 6th–8th Grade, 9th-12th Grade, and a new Young Adult group. Thank you to everyone who has agreed to teach!

The Soul Sisters Bible study group donated, packaged, and delivered 51 Valentine baskets to the residents of Spring Valley Nursing Home this week. We pray that their day was made brighter and the message of Jesus was received through these gifts. Thank you to all of the ladies that donated!

Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sunday, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Lencten, which means “spring.”  The season is preparation for celebrating Easter.   We will begin Lent with an Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday night, February 18, at 6 p.m., in the Crossroads Connection Center.

Dear Church Family,
Due to the current winter weather conditions, all church services for Sunday, February 1, 2026, have been canceled. We will stream our online service on Facebook, YouTube, and the church website at 9:30 a.m. We are praying for everyone’s safety this weekend and hope to be back in-person next week!

To give online, please scroll to the bottom to access online giving.

Blessings,
Elberton First Methodist Church

The menu for the February 4, Wednesday Night dinner, will be smothered chicken, green beans, baked potato, and cake! Following the dinner, we will have an early “valentine’s program”, with a few couples playing the “newlywed game.” Cost is $10 per adult and $5 per child ages 10 & under. Contact the church office to sign up or click the button below to register online.

SOUP MINISTRY POSTPONED
Due to potential winter weather predicted for Saturday, January 31, 2026, the Soup Ministry has been postponed. Please see the updated plans below.

Updated Plans:

• If you are preparing soup, please stop by the church office Monday, February 9 – Thursday, February 12, to pick up individual containers.
• Prepare your soup, place it in the individual containers, and freeze it. (Please note on top what the soup is and if it contains meat)
• Bring the frozen soup to the church kitchen on Sunday, February 15.
• The soup will be distributed the following week.

Blessings,
Elberton First Methodist Church

Dear Church Family,
Out of an abundance of caution and concern for everyone’s safety, all church services for Sunday, January 25, 2026, have been canceled. We are praying for everyone's safety and warmth this weekend.

Blessings, Elberton First Methodist Church

Good Morning Church,

We are following the weather today at the church office. Though we are not going to make an official announcement until Saturday afternoon with regards to whether or not we will have church services on Sunday. Rest assured, if it is not safe to drive, we will not be having services.

So just a reminder: while the weather is still good, today might be a good day to go to the grocery store, gas station, etc. We all might be homebound for a few days.

Blessings, Pastor John

Are you interested in our church offering more Sunday School classes on Sunday mornings? And are you willing to help to make this happen? If so, join us at 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, in the Fellowship Hall.

To see the classes we currently have, click [learn more] below.

Planning is underway for our annual Soup Ministry, which will take place on Saturday, January 31st. Please bring warm, homemade vegetable soup in crockpots, and we will mix together at 11 a.m. Corn bread or muffins are needed, as well as volunteers to take the soup.