FEBRUARY 25 - march 4
***Denotes the announcement was highlighted during worship
STUDENT MINISTRIES
UPCOMING WEEK:
3/1 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.
3/5 Thursday - WATER Supermarket Sweeps
Weekly shopping trip for the Food Pantry from 4:00-5:00p. Drop off and pickup at the Pantry.
3/7 Saturday – FIRE BINGO at Hamilton Trace
Jr. High students are invited to play BINGO with the residents of Hamilton Trace from 10-11a. Drop off and pickup at Hamilton Trace. Student are invited to come to church after to prepare communion for Sunday.
ALL CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
***(NEW) KOINONIA - PRAYER OPPORTUNITY
//Wednesday, March 25, 7a& 7p, Sanctuary//
To support our 2026 Be Connected mission, we are offering a new prayer opportunity called Koinonia, which is defined as a deep, communal partnership of believers. We will have two opportunities to come together in the Sanctuary on Wednesday, March 25th to pray for our church and community. At 7:00a we will join together for morning prayer and praise, and at 7:00p we will gather for evening prayers and to give gratitude for the day. We will repeat this on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and you are encouraged to attend one or both of these Koinonia sessions. If you would like to discuss further, please contact John Hughes at .
(NEW) FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS - IMPORTANT REMINDER
We are so grateful for your generosity in supporting the Come To Me Food Pantry! To ensure your gift can be processed without delay, if you are donating by check, please make checks payable to Fishers UMC and write “Food Pantry” in the memo line.
If a check is written directly to “Come To Me Food Pantry,” the bank may not be able to process the donation. Thank you for helping us steward your gifts carefully and continue serving our neighbors in need.
(NEW) MONTHLY BOOK CLUB
//Tuesday, March 24, 7p, Room 280//
Join the Monthly Book Club in March as they read and discuss Searching for Sunday by Rachel Held Evans. Rachel went through a period where she felt distant from church. It was beginning to feel, for her, that church the church she observed was far removed from Jesus. Yet, despite her cynicism and misgivings, something kept drawing Evans back to church. She found herself wanting to better understand the church and find her place within it, so she set out on a new adventure. Evans tells her story through the lens of seven sacraments of the Catholic church--baptism, confession, holy orders, communion, confirmation, the anointing of the sick, and marriage--to teach us the essential truths about what she's learned along the way. Searching for Sunday will help you unpack the messiness of community, teaching us that by overcoming our cynicism, we can all find hope, grace, love, and, somewhere in between, church. 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 at 7:00p in Room 280. Questions? Contact Kim Arnott at 797-8612 or .
***SIMPLY GIVE: FOOD PANTRY FUNDRAISER
The Come To Me Food Pantry has another opportunity to participate in Meijer’s Simply Give hunger relief program. Through this program, every $10 gift card the pantry purchases from Meijer is matched with bonus funds, turning it into $30 worth of food for our pantry shelves.
These gift cards are then used to purchase food directly from Meijer, helping stock the pantry and support families right here in Hamilton County. Your generosity can make a powerful difference in the fight against hunger.
Ways to give:
• Place cash in the offering plate marked Simply Give
• Place a check in the offering plate made out to Fishers UMC with Simply Give in the memo line
• Give online by tapping the link below
Please donate by Sunday, March 15. Thank you for helping multiply hope and nourishment in our community.
CONNECT AND RENEW
//Saturday, March 21, 10a-3p//
Bishop Malone invites laity (all Fishers UMC attendees) and clergy on a spiritual journey of deeper discipleship, connection, and leadership as we rediscover our Wesleyan heritage and reignite our faith. Featured guest speaker Rev. Dr. Paul Chilcote will join to present on the focused theme “Seeking & Living the Wesleyan Way.” This free one day gathering be held at Zionsville UMC, lunch will be provided. Registration deadline is March 7, tap link below.
***GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE - BLOOD DRIVE
//Sunday, March 1, 8a-12p, Gym//
There are still 26 open slots to fill, would you prayerfully consider donating blood?
A single blood donation can be a lifeline for someone in need, including patients battling cancer or living with sickle cell disease. The need for blood is always great, and local hospitals rely on generous donors like you to meet that demand.
Fishers UMC will host a Versiti Blood Drive on Sunday, March 1, from 8:00a to 12:00p in the Gym. This is a simple, powerful way to make a real difference right here in our community. Donors are encouraged to sign up in advance using the link below, though walk-ins are also welcome. Thank you for sharing hope and helping save lives through your generosity.
MISSION OPPORTUNITY
//Saturday, March 28, 1-3p, Million Meal Headquarters//
In Indiana alone, 1 million people - including 1 in 5 children - don't know where they'll get their next meal. Together, we can make sure they have one. Fishers UMC is partnering with Million Meal Movement on Saturday, March 28 from 1-3pm at the Million Meal Headquarters to pack meals to give to Indiana food pantries. Packers need to be at least 5 years old, sign up by tapping the link below.
Donations are coming in to offset the cost of packing meals, even if you aren't packing meals, you can make a difference by donating to the cause! Meals cost $.50 each and a volunteer can pack 300+ meals in 2 hours. Our goal is to pack 12,000 meals at a cost of $6,000. We have received $1,200 toward our goal! Did you know Fire & Water Student Ministries has paid the balance of the cost for the last 2 years? Tap the link below to donate.
SIGN UP TO PACK MEALS
DONATE MONEY FOR MEALS
BINGO = JOY + CONNECTION
Fishers UMC 5th through 8th grade students serve monthly at Hamilton Trace Assisted Living playing BINGO with residents. BINGO helps residents with their cognitive function, promotes social interaction, provides a sense of community between them and our students, and they LOVE getting prizes. You can help support this ministry by donating prizes with two easy ways to donate. Tap the links below to see the Amazon wishlist or donate money to go towards the purchase of prizes through March 1. Thank you for being part of this special ministry! Questions? Contact Liz Simmonds, Director of Jr High Ministries at .
UPWARD CONCESSIONS HELP NEEDED
Upward is here and volunteers are needed to help with the concession stand. Duties include: greeting players and fans, making popcorn and hotdogs and selling candy and drinks. All concession volunteers get a free drink and popcorn. Volunteers must be 13 years old or older. Contact Penny Walker at with any questions.
WHAT'S NEXT?
//Sunday, March 1, 10:30a, Library//
NEXT is four welcoming sessions for adults who want to connect more with God and Fishers UMC as we explore the Bible, our beliefs, God’s story, missions and ministries. NEXT helps you find out who we are, what we do and how you can enjoy meaningful participation at Fishers UMC. A different NEXT opportunity is offered each month for the total of four months and is a precursor to Membership Class. Sessions are facilitated by our Assimilation Director, Lisa Ellcessor. Our upcoming NEXT opportunity is "Word" and is on Sunday, March 1 at 10:30a in the Library. Sign up to attend by tapping the link.
INTERGENERATIONAL MISSION TRIP
Everyone over the age of 10 is invited to be a part of the Intergenerational Mission Trip travelling to Louisville, KY June 21 through 26 and serve there Monday-Thursday that week. Serving days will be from approximately 9a to 3/3:30p 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 & student ministries are covering part of the cost of the trip in an effort to bring the cost down and encourage greater participation. Please speak to Liz Simmonds or one of the pastors about aid. 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.
2026 ALTAR FLOWERS
You can honor or remember someone you love by sponsoring a Sunday morning flower bouquet! It’s a simple, beautiful way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, baptism, confirmation, or to hold the memory of someone close to your heart. After the 10:30a worship service, you’re welcome to take your bouquet home or, if you’d like to spread a little extra kindness, the United Women in Faith can deliver it to someone in our church or community who could use a smile.
We have two bouquets available each Sunday (except communion Sundays), and each one is a $37 donation. You can sponsor one or both, and you’re welcome to choose more than one date. We even have openings all the way through 2026! Tap the link below to sign up and help fill our sanctuary with beauty and love. This is such a meaningful way to share your joy and your heart with others.
JOIN THE PASTORS INTERCESSORY TEAM (P.I.T. CREW)
As we step into a year focused on Being Connected, one of the most meaningful ways we can stay connected as a church family is by praying for our pastors. The P.I.T. Crew offers daily prayer support for Pastor Mark, Pastor Ben, and Pastor Troy. These leaders pour so much into our church, and your consistent prayers help strengthen and encourage them as they guide us in ministry.
We’re looking for ten people each month who will commit to praying daily from home—just a few minutes a day, on your own schedule. Quarterly sign-up links are available below so you can choose a time that works best for you. You’ll also find a link with more details and a short FAQ about how the P.I.T. Crew works. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to John Hughes at . Thank you for helping us stay connected through prayer!
ONGOING ANNOUNCEMENTS
SUNDAY MORNING GUEST SERVICES VOLUNTEERS
Extending hospitality reflects our mission- to love as Christ loved us. Every connection begins with a welcome and every welcome leads to growth in faith and fellowship. Our Assimilation Director, Lisa Ellcessor, is looking for friendly volunteers to serve in 2026 for either of our Sunday morning services. Specifically, we are looking for Greeters, Ushers and Connection Central Volunteers. Greeters enhance hospitality with a welcome at the main entrances and allow for guided assistance. Ushers help with seating, passing offering baskets and supporting order during the service. Connection Central is a visible, welcoming hub at both main entrances. Guests are greeted by trained volunteers who focus on hospitality and next steps of faith. Our goal is connecting people to ministries, missions and each other. If you would like to be a Greeter, Usher or Connection Central Volunteer, tap the link to sign up.
sign up to volunteer
ITEMS NEEDED - TURN AWAY NO LONGER
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.