april 30 through may 7, 2025
***Denotes the announcement was highlighted during worship
STUDENT MINISTRIES
UPCOMING WEEK:
5/4 Sunday - FIRE & WATER Sunday Night
Doors open with a free meal at 5:30p, our regular programming begins at 6:00p, and After Hours follows from 7:30-8:30p.
5/7 Wednesday - WATER Mission Trip Meeting
For all those going on WATER's Summer Mission Trip. 7:00 in the Wharf.
5/8 Thursday - WATER Supermarket Sweeps
Weekly shopping trip for the Food Pantry from 4-5p. Drop off and pickup at the Pantry.
ALL CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
***(NEW) CHILDREN'S SPRING MUSICAL
//Sunday, May 18, 11am//
Join us May 18th at the 11:00a Worship Service for the “The Salt Company” Musical. The children of Fishers UMC are excited to present a musical that will show us what it means to be the salt of the world. This toe tapping musical will be sure to entertain you and show you how even though we are young, we can still be S.A.L.T.
***(NEW) SHOE DRIVE
//Through May 25//
United Women In Faith's Hope Circle is partnering with the Changing Footprints organization to collect previously worn and new shoes. These shoes will be distributed to homeless, disaster-stricken, and underprivileged people at home and abroad. Changing Footprints supplies shoes to over 100 Indiana Organizations that include places such as: Domestic Abuse Shelters, Children’s Services, Immigrant Resettlement, School Programs, and more! Bring shoes of any shape, size, color and condition to the bins located in Connection Central and the Church office throughout the month of May. Worried about the condition of the shoe? Changing Footprints takes ALL shoes, if they are deemed too worn to wear, they will be sent to be recycled to use in things such as playground mulch.
LEARN ABOUT CHANGING FOOTPRINTS
(NEW) MONTHLY BOOK CLUB
//Tuesday, May 27, 7p, Room 280//
Join the Monthly Book Club in May as they read and discuss Riding the Bus With My Sister by Rachel Simon. Rachel Simon's sister is a spirited woman. Beth, who has an intellectual disability, spends her days riding the buses in her city. The drivers are her mentors, her fellow passengers her community. One day, Beth asks Rachel to accompany her on the buses for an entire year. This wise, funny, deeply affecting true story is the chronicle of that remarkable time. Rachel brings to light the almost invisible world of adults with developmental disabilities. Riding the Bus with My Sister was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie starring Rosie O'Donnell and Andie McDowell. If you are looking for a way to combine your love of reading and books with a small group atmosphere of fellowship, this is the place for you! They meet on the 4th Tuesday of the month, this month on May 27 at 7p in Room 280. If you are interested or need more information, contact Kim Arnott at 797-8612 or .
***VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
//June 8-12, 6:00-8:30p//
Vacation Bible School Registration is now open! VBS is free to all kids ages 4-4th grade, June 8-12, 6-8:30p. This year's theme, Magnified, will encourage kids to look closely at the details of God’s amazing world and magnify, or proclaim, the greatness of God! This year we are going to have FAMILY NIGHT SUNDAY, JUNE 8 from 6-8p. THIS IS NOT A DROP OFF evening, instead we are inviting the entire family to join in on the fun. This will be your opportunity to pick up your shirt, see the church fully decorated, have dinner as a family, enjoy games and crafts. We will end the evening with a time of worship. You won't want to miss out on the fun. To register for Vacation Bible School, tap the link below.
***VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR VBS
Vacation Bible School cannot happen without our amazing volunteers. There are a variety of areas to serve and volunteering is a great way to "Be God's Family"! Vacation Bible School is June 8-12, 6-8:30p. If you are interested in volunteering, please tap the link.
P.I.T. CREW - INTERCESSORS WANTED
The Prayer Ministry at Fishers UMC has recently started the Pastors Intercessory Team (P.I.T. Crew) to offer daily prayer support for Senior Pastor Mark Ellcessor, and Associate Pastor Ben Greenbaum. The Bible encourages us to pray for our leaders, as they direct the church to fulfill its mission, and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The prayer team is seeking 10 intercessors each for the month who will commit to praying daily for our Pastors and families. This can be at home with your own schedule, and the time commitment is less than 10 minutes per day. To sign up to pray, tap the link below. Also below is a link to a document filled with more details about the P.I.T. Crew including a FAQ section. If you have any questions, please contact John Hughes at .
sign up to pray
learn more about P.i.t. crew
CHATTING ABOUT RETIREMENT
//Tuesday, May 6, 7p, Room 203//
Retirement planning is a team sport! First, if you are married then both spouses need to be part of the team. Often one person in a couple is the finance person and the other may not be interested in this topic. That is ok, but even the non-financial spouse needs some involvement in the process and understanding if they ever step into the roll of having to take care of the finances. A team also has a game plan that includes managing the risks to the team. Come join us on Tuesday May 6 at 7p in Room 203 as we discuss how to make your retirement team successful! Sign up to attend by tapping the link below.
VBS - INVESTMENT IN THE KINGDOM
We are challenged daily to invest in God’s Kingdom in many ways. How about actually investing in Kingdom outcomes that all the students receive when they attend our Vacation Bible School this year? We do not charge any fees to the students attending the program and the expectation is that we will have 150 students this year and over 100 volunteers. That comes out to approximately $35 per student. To help offset these costs we are asking you to support a child by donating to VBS and its Kingdom outcomes. Each Student is $35 and there is no limit to the number of students you can support. If you would like to help support this ministry, please tap the link below. You can also donate by check and be sure to indicate VBS on the memo line. Any funds raised over the total cost of Vacation Bible School will be divided to missions that locally and internationally support children. There also is an opportunity to purchase supplies needed off the Vacation Bible School Amazon wishlist, tap below to view the list. Anything purchased off the Amazon Wishlist will automatically be mailed to Fishers UMC making it extra easy to donate!
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
//Thursday, May 1//
The National Day Of Prayer is Thursday, May 1 with the theme of: "Pour out to the God of hope and be filled". With Scripture: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:3 NASB
The Fishers UMC Prayer Team is not hosting a prayer event, the following is a directory of local events scheduled here in Indiana.
1. Indiana Statehouse Indianapolis, Indiana 12:00pm - 1:00pm
2. Carmel City Hall Carmel, Indiana 12:00pm - 1:00pm
3. Legacy Bible Church Fishers, Indiana 7:00pm - 8:00pm
For more information visit: www.nationaldayofprayer.org
NIGHT WITHOUT A BED FUNDRAISER
Night Without a Bed is the primary fundraising campaign to support Family Promise's Apartment Shelter Program - where they temporarily host families for up to 90 days while they work with a Case Manager to overcome the barriers that led them to become homeless. Each family stays in a unit that is fully furnished and equipped with housewares and other items needed to support them along the way. Fishers UMC is one of the 32 churches who support Family Promise of Greater Indianapolis and have been doing so since 1994! Did you know we are a founding member of this program? Donations can be made by tapping the link below, the Fishers UMC team goal of $500 has been reached, can you help us meet or exceed our new goal of $1,250? Also below is a link to learn more about the Night Without A Bed Campaign and special event on May 3 at Castleton UMC.
INTERGENERATIONAL MISSION TRIP
Everyone over the age of 8 is invited to be a part of the Intergenerational Mission Trip travelling to Charleston, WV June 29 through July 4 and serve there Monday-Thursday that week. Serving days will be from approximately 9am to 3/3:30pm with a packed lunch onsite. Our evenings will have some free time, dinner together, a few adventures, and an evening time of vespers. Cost is $300/person with a family max of $1,000. The church and student ministries are covering part of the cost of the trip in an effort to bring the cost down and encourage greater participation, financial aid is available. Questions? Contact Liz Simmonds at . To see all the fun you will have, check out the link below to view pictures from last year’s trip, and when you are ready to sign up, tap the link below.
sign up to attend mission trip
CHURCH WORK DAY
//Saturday, May 10//
On Saturday, May 10th we invite you to be the hands and feet of Christ by serving in and around our church building. Two shifts from 9am-noon and noon-3pm. There will be a variety of projects ranging from organizing to cleaning to painting to tree removal! All abilities welcome. Children are welcome to work alongside their parents. No childcare provided. Questions? Contact Liz .
WIDOWS SUPPORT GROUP
Once a month, a group of widowed ladies from our church meet to support one another in their loss. Grief knows no timetable and we have women in all stages of grief, from a few months to many years since the loss of their husbands. It is an informal group that seeks to make connections within our church family so no one feels they are walking alone. The group meets the last Friday of every month at 2p in Room 278. For more information or to be added to the email list, please contact Jennifer Pugh at or call the church office at 317-849-1805.
SUMMER READING CHALLENGE - READ A CHAPTER A DAY
Join Discipleship Ministries and others across the country for a journey through the Book of Acts this summer. Beginning on May 27 and concluding on July 4, participants will read a chapter of Acts each day. This is a great opportunity to grow in faith and community. Details and registration can be found by tapping the link below.
ONGOING ANNOUNCEMENTS
ALTAR FLOWERS
Are you looking for a way to Be God's Light in 2025? You can honor or remember a loved one by sponsoring a flower bouquet on Sunday mornings! This is a great way to mark special life events such as birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, confirmation, and the memory of a loved one. You can choose to take your bouquets home after the 11:00 service or bless someone else by having the bouquets delivered by United Women in Faith to persons in our congregation and community. We have two bouquets each Sunday (except for communion Sundays). The donation is $30 per bouquet. Please complete your sponsorship by tapping the link below. Spots are available through all of 2025. You may sign up for one or two bouquets per Sunday, and also for more than one Sunday. This is a wonderful way to bring beauty to the sanctuary and to share your special life event with others.
ITEMS NEEDED - TURN AWAY NO LONGER
CURRENT NEEDS: TEEN BOYS: JOGGERS, SWEATPANTS AND JEANS, KIDS: ALL SIZES OF PANTS, LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS: CLOTHES IN GENERAL.
United Women in Faith have partnered with Turn Away No Longer, an Indiana nonprofit faith based organization. Turn Away No Longer’s mission is to positively impact the lives of children in the foster care system. They believe no child should feel “forgotten” or “unloved” and strive to show them the love of Jesus in every program they create. As part of this partnership, Fishers UMC has become a donation location to collect items for their Swag Packs. What are Swag Packs? When a child or teen enters foster care, they may not get the chance to pack up their belongings and often they have to leave home or school with nothing but the clothes they’re wearing. This is where Swag Packs can help. Each Swag Pack is age-specific, ranging from newborn to teens. Tap the link below to view their donation list for Swag Packs, all items must be NEW. Drop off items at Fishers UMC in the Turn Away No Longer Bin inside Door #1 by the Church office. You can find out more about Turn Away No Longer by visiting turnawaynolonger.org.
HELPING HANDS MINISTRIES
If you, or someone you know, are in need of minor lawn maintenance (weeding, weed eating, trimming bushes, etc.), a ride to an appointment or church, minor plumbing work, or minor home repairs (a light fixture, electrical socket, light switch, etc. being changed) email Pastor Ben at . If you’d like to add your name to the Helping Hands Ministry team, please let Ben know.
GIVE BACK WHILE YOU SHOP
Did you know Fishers UMC is part of rewards programs at Kroger? Kroger gives to Fire & Water student ministries through your purchases-at no additional cost to you! It's quick and easy to set up Fishers UMC as your charity of choice on your Kroger Plus card, tap the link below and enter our number of SN812.