Love is a big deal in biblical thought. John quotes Jesus’ teaching, “They will know you are my disciples if you love one another” (Jn 13:35). Paul wrote, “Now these 3 remain: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13). And again, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Gal. 5:6). And again, “The fruit of the spirit is LOVE….” (Gal. 5:22) And “Over all these virtues put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity.” (Col. 3:14).” And “Keep on loving each other as brothers (Hb 13:1) So when Jesus is asked about what command was the most important to God, it is no surprise that the answer had to do with love. We are going to look at Jesus answer more closely this week, as recorded in the gospel of Mark 12:28-34, NIV -- particularly the question, how do we love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength?

Blessings,
Pastor John

It will be an evening filled with fun for children and families, including games, cakewalk, face painting, a costume contest, food, and more.

This is a fundraiser for the church, with proceeds benefiting our First Youth ministry. Come enjoy a great evening together while supporting our youth!

We are accepting candy donations for prizes. If you are willing to bring a cake/dessert for the cake walk, please let Bryce know.

We’re excited to host a Trunk or Treat for our community on Saturday, October 31, from 4:30–7:00 p.m. in the front parking lot of the church!

We’d love for you to be part of this fun evening by hosting a trunk! This is a wonderful opportunity to come together as a church family and share some joy with the children and families in our community.

If you’re interested in hosting a trunk and would like more info, please reply to this email or contact the church office and let us know! We hope you’ll join us in making this a fun evening for everyone!

The Standing Stones Connect Group is starting a short, standalone 4-week study of Colossians this Sunday. There is no membership required for this class, and no preparation is needed! Please join us!

EFMC will have a booth at the Granite City Fall Festival on Saturday, November 7th, and we are looking for volunteers to help greet visitors and share information about our church!

The festival runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and we would like to have at least two volunteers at our booth during each one-hour shift.

If you are interested in helping, please contact the church office and let us know what time you are available. We appreciate your willingness to help us connect with our community!

In addition to the church's booth...
Middle schoolers, high schoolers, and older active adults, if you would like to have some fun and volunteer at the same time, come help out with the children’s games in the Kiwanis Kids Alley at this year’s “Granite City Fall Festival & Tractor Show,” Saturday, November 7. Volunteers are mostly needed between 10:30 am – 1:30 pm. For more information see Judge Tom Hodges, our local Kiwanis Club President.

Part of the power of Christianity is that we can both grieve and have hope at the same time. On November 1, at both the 9 am and the 11 am Worship services, we will remember our loved ones and affirm the promise of eternal life and the hope of a heavenly reunion.

It’s time to pack a shoebox!

Boxes for Operation Christmas Child are now available in the Crossroads Connection Center and Sanctuary. Inside the boxes, you will find gift suggestions along with a label to place on the outside. Please check the appropriate box based on whether the child is a boy or a girl and the age range the box is intended for.

When returning the box, please include a $10 donation to cover the shipping cost. You can place your donation inside the box (on top of all other included items) or in the offering plate.

All boxes are due back to the church on or before SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15. Thank you for participating in this wonderful ministry providing Christmas gifts to children around the world.

We love the yearly church directories! And what makes them great are all the pictures of our church families! We will be set up in the Fellowship Hall on Wednesday night, November 4th, and Sunday morning, November 8th. Please take a few minutes and have your pictures taken!

Bible Study is a team sport - meaning, we get more out of it as we do it together! In addition to your Sunday School Class or Connect Group, you might enjoy joining a Bible, Study group. Here are the current offerings:

Soul Sisters
Sunday Nights at 6:30 pm: an 8-week study on Galatians, facilitated by Linnette Heydinger, using resources from Elizabeth Woodson, open to all the women of the church.

Breaking Bread
Wednesday mornings at 10:30 am in the Fellowship Hall. This is a new group! Currently looking at favorite psalms, Open to all, led by Pastor John

Lumberjacks
Thursday mornings at 7:30 am, a men’s only study, looking at passages from the common lectionary. Bojangles Biscuits and Coffee are available, the group meets in the Conference Room, with different people taking turns leading the discussion.

Rooted in the Word
Thursday at 6 pm in the Conference Room. This is an ongoing study group led by Pastor John, currently studying the Book of Acts. All are welcome, and participants can join in person or via Zoom.

We are once again hosting a Meal Packing Event with Rise Against Hunger! The event will be on Sunday, November 15, following a 10 a.m. Combined Worship Service. Following the service, we will move over to the Crossroads Connection Center to pack boxes. We are very excited for this opportunity to provide 10,152 meals for those in need around the world.

This year, everyone volunteering is encouraged to register before the event to ensure an on-time start. If you need assistance registering, we will have a station set up at both services beginning Sunday, October 18 to help you register.

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Ladies, you are invited to attend the Soul Sisters Bible Study on Sunday evenings, beginning October 18th, at 6:30 pm (room TBD). This is an 8-session study. Below is a description, along with a link to order a workbook. Please order the workbook that includes video access.

We long for peace, to have lives marked by freedom from difficulty and pain. We look to countless places to fill this need - our possessions, relationships, intellect, spirituality, political affiliations, and so on. But, by relying on these things for freedom, we unintentionally make them our savior instead of Christ. This exchange leaves us enslaved to a false gospel and to the very things we hoped would set us free.

In this 8-session study on the book of Galatians, author and Bible teacher Elizabeth Woodson reveals that the struggle to fully embrace our freedom in Christ is not a new problem. Walking verse-by-verse through Paul's letter, Elizabeth highlights how this letter teaches us that in the gospel alone do we gain what we desire—freedom from sin and freedom to experience true peace, living the abundant life Jesus offers.

We are once again hosting a Meal Packing Event with Rise Against Hunger! The event will be on Sunday, November 15, following a 10 a.m. Combined Worship Service that will be in the Sanctuary. Following the service, we will move over to the Crossroads Connection Center to pack boxes. We are very excited for this opportunity to provide 10,152 meals for those in need around the world.

This year, everyone volunteering is encouraged to register before the event to ensure an on-time start. If you need assistance registering, we will have a station set up at both services beginning Sunday, October 18 to help you register.

Due to parking lot resealing and striping, the EFMC parking lot will be CLOSED to all traffic from Friday, September 25 to Saturday, September 26.

If you need to access the church, please park on East Church Street and enter through the Sanctuary.

Thank you for understanding,
Elberton First Methodist Church

This Sunday, August 30, at Elberton First Methodist, we are having one, combined service in the Crossroads Connection Center at 10 a.m.

The music this week will be our own Al McCall and Mark Wallace, with special guests up from Lincolnton – the award-winning and well-known bluegrass and gospel musicians Little Roy Lewis and Lizzy Long!

In addition to the wonderful music, we look forward to a meaningful message from our North Georgia GMC Conference Evangelist, Rev. Tom Atkins, “The Key to Victory!”

AND, following the worship service, we will enjoy time around the table together with a Fellowship Lunch. The church is providing plenty of baked ham, and we are asking those attending to bring a side dish to share.

Come one, come all – it will be a great week at Elberton First Methodist!

There will be a Women’s Retreat on Saturday, Sept 19th 10 am to 2 pm at Woodlawn Global Methodist Church (378 Brad Dixon Rd, Elberton). This is a Conference-Wide Retreat, and the featured speaker is the Rev. Judy Stevenson, co-Pastor at Macland Community Church, a Global Methodist Church in the West Cobb area of metro Atlanta. The event is free, with brunch included, but attendees are asked to register at woodlawngmc.com.

We're starting a new Christmas Handbell Choir. No handbell experience is needed - just come ready to learn and have fun! If interested, contact Davlin Smith by emailing
davlin@elbertonfmc.com or text 724-816-5268

Dear Church Family,

Due to a restroom plumbing malfunction this morning, the Fellowship Hall is closed while the affected area is professionally treated.

No one should enter or be in the Fellowship Hall until further notice. We will provide an update when it is safe to reopen.

On Sunday, please note the following changes:

• The elevator entrance will be open in place of the Fellowship Hall doors.
• Anyone traveling from the Crossroads Building to the Nursery, Education Wing, or Sanctuary must go outside, walk around the Fellowship Hall, and enter through the elevator entrance near the covered portico.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

In Christ,
Elberton First Methodist Church

Join us Sunday, July 26, during the 9 am worship service, as we will have a time of prayer over our students, teachers, and everyone working in education. If you would like, bring your bookbag with you! It's hard to believe the school year is already here, but we are excited to see how God moves through our students, teachers, and everyone who works in the educational system!

Our youth enjoyed a summer outing last week to Little Japan in Hartwell and then went to get ice cream!

Welcome, Davlin Smith, our new Choir Director! Davlin is from Athens, GA, and she is a graduate of GA State with a Bachelor of Music. She has over 20 years of experience directing church choirs, mostly in Methodist churches, and has recently moved back to GA from Pennsylvania. Davlin said, “My favorite quote is 'Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.’ - Psalm 98:4 (KJV) It doesn't matter your talent, music and praise comes from the heart! So sing out LOUD!”
Welcome to the EFMC family!

This Father's Day, we invite you to make a special donation in honor or memory of a father, grandfather, or influential father figure in your life. For a donation of $5 per name, the names you submit will be included in a special Father's Day bulletin. All proceeds from this year's Father's Day Offering will benefit the Student Ministries of Elberton First Methodist Church. The deadline to donate is Wednesday, June 17. To submit a name, pick up a card at the entrances or visit our website.

We are gearing up for an incredible week of Vacation Bible School at Elberton First Methodist Church! This year's theme, Rainforest Falls, will take children on an exciting journey as they discover the nature of God through engaging Bible stories, worship, games, crafts, and meaningful activities designed to help them grow in their faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.

We encourage you to register participants in advance so we can better prepare. To register online, scroll down to see the form below. If you are not able to register online, don't worry; paper forms will be available at the check-in station.

But don’t stop there! We encourage you to invite your family and friends so more children can experience the love of Jesus and learn more about the truth of God’s word!

We can’t wait to see what God has in store for Rainforest Falls Vacation Bible School!

If you are not able to see the form above, please click here.

On Sunday, November 15, we will host a Meal Packing Event again in partnership with Rise Against Hunger! Last year, we packed around 2,000 food bags providing meals to an estimated 10,000 people! Our packed meals were included in a delivery of meals to those in need in South Sudan. It is wonderful that we in Elberton, GA, can help provide for the hungry men, women, and children in one of the poorest countries on earth. Food supplies, packing materials, and our part of the shipping costs are $4,100. To donate towards this ministry, please designate your offering for "Rise Against Hunger" or use the form below to donate online.

This Mother's Day, we honor and remember the legacy of the mothers, grandmothers, and mother-figures in our lives. See the names of all the great mothers we lift up in honor and in memory this year. 

Because of your generosity, we raised $486, which will cover a large part of the expenses for our Meal Packing event with Rise Against Hunger later this year.

This year, our Mother’s Day Offering will go towards our Rise Against Hunger event. We invite you to remember your Mother or a mother-figure in your life this Mother’s Day by contributing to this cause. It is $5 per name, and all donations are due by Wednesday, May 6. Fill out the form below, or you can fill out a card located at the Crossroads Connection Center or Sanctuary entrances.

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!

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!