First United Methodist Church of Kalamazoo

Last Day to Bring In Salvation Army Angel Tree Items
2025-12-09 09:00 - 09:30 (America/Detroit) | First United Methodist Church of Kalamazoo, 212 S. Park St., Kalamazoo, MI, 49007, United States
🎄 Last Call for Angel Tree Gifts! 🎄

Tuesday, 12/9 at 9:00 AM is the final deadline to bring in your Salvation Army Angel Tree items!
Missed the drop-off? No worries—take them directly to the Salvation Army or check with our office team for other options.

Candlelight Service 7pm with Childcare Available
2025-12-10 19:00 - 20:00
Candlelight Service ~

Step out of the holiday rush and into the glow of peace. Join us for a special Candlelight Service on Wednesday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
This sacred gathering offers a quiet center in the midst of December’s bustle—a time for worship, reflection, and renewal as we celebrate Advent. The Sanctuary will shimmer with twinkling lights and candlelight, creating an atmosphere of calm and beauty.
Together, we’ll share gentle singing, prayer, communion, and Scripture—forming a space where hope shines bright and the warmth of God’s presence fills our hearts.
If you’re attending the Mosaic Workshop earlier in the evening, this service is the perfect way to end your day. Come and find the stillness your soul longs for. All are welcome—bring a friend and let the light in.
Childcare will be provided for this service.

Advent Concert Series - Emily Barron and Friends
2025-12-11 12:00 - 13:00
Take a Midday Break for Beautiful Music!

Join us on Thursday, December 11 at 12:00 noon in the Sanctuary for a special Advent Concert featuring Choral Scholar Emily Barron (soprano) and friends.
This is the perfect way to pause during your lunch hour and soak in the joy and peace of the season. Come enjoy exquisite voices, uplifting melodies, and a moment of calm in the midst of December’s bustle.
As a Reconciling Congregation, we welcome everyone—bring a friend, invite a coworker, and share in the beauty of Advent music. All are welcome!

The Kalamazoo Ringers Matinee Concert “Above All this Bustle…Silver Bells”
2025-12-13 15:00 - 16:30
Experience the Magic of Handbells This Christmas!
The Kalamazoo Ringers invite you to their annual holiday concert, “Above All This Bustle…Silver Bells,” in the beautiful sanctuary of First United Methodist Church in downtown Kalamazoo.
Join us on Saturday, December 13 for two free concerts—a 3:00 p.m. matinee and a 7:00 p.m. evening performance. Both are open to the public, with a freewill offering collected during intermission.
Celebrate the season with glorious music played on seven octaves of handbells, six octaves of choir chimes, and their brand-new Silver Melody Bells! Seventeen talented ringers will fill the space with holiday favorites and joyful sounds that will lift your spirit.
As a thank-you to our generous community, we’ll also be collecting hats, scarves, mittens, and gloves for local schools and shelters—help us share warmth in more ways than one!
Come for the music, stay for the joy—all are welcome!

Kalamazoo Ringers Evening Performance - "Above All This Bustle.... Silver Bells"
2025-12-13 19:00 - 20:30

Sunday Worship - 3rd Sunday of Advent
2025-12-14 10:00 - 11:00
Celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent with Us!

Join us on Sunday, December 14 at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary as we continue our Advent journey with the theme: “Even in Our Fear, We Are Called Forward.”
This special service will feature inspiring music from our Chancel Choir and Handbells, filling the space with joy and hope as we light the third Advent candle.
We are a Reconciling Church, welcoming all people with open hearts and open doors. Come as you are and experience the beauty and promise of this season.
Bring a friend, invite your family—everyone is welcome!

Walk the Labyrinth This Advent - Join Pastor Julie for a shared time of devotion and walking the labyrinth following worship
2025-12-14 11:00 - 12:30, 2025-12-21 11:00 - 12:30
Walk the Labyrinth This Advent!

Discover a quiet, prayerful space in the midst of the season. The labyrinth will be set up in Wesley Hall each Sunday of Advent—November 30, December 14, and December 21 (please note: it will not be available on December 7).
Following worship, join us for a shared time of devotion and walking the labyrinth—a gentle way to center your heart and soul.
Several people can walk at once, but please move with care and grace, allowing space for one another as we journey together.
As a Reconciling Congregation, we welcome everyone—no matter who you are or where you come from. Come as you are, breathe deeply, and find your quiet path this Advent. All are welcome.

Academy Class: “Looking Deeply: A Meditative Journey with Our Stained Glass Windows,” led by Mark Stucky.
2025-12-14 11:00 - 12:30
Stay After Worship for Something Special!

Looking for a meaningful way to deepen your Advent experience? Join us for Academy Classes—our Sunday School for adults—right after the 10:00 a.m. service.
On November 23, December 7, and December 14, we’ll explore “Looking Deeply: A Meditative Journey with Our Stained Glass Windows,” led by Mark Stucky.
Take a closer look at the beauty around us and discover the stories and spiritual insights hidden in the glass. It’s a chance to slow down, reflect, and connect with others in a welcoming space.
As a Reconciling Congregation, we invite everyone to join—come as you are and bring your curiosity!
All are welcome—stay, learn, and be inspired.

Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus Concert
2025-12-14 15:00 - 17:00
An Afternoon of Joyful Voices!
Mark your calendar for Sunday, December 14 at 3:00 p.m. and join us at First United Methodist Church for a heartwarming holiday concert with the Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus!
These talented young singers will fill the sanctuary with music that sparkles with the spirit of the season. It’s the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon—beautiful harmonies, festive cheer, and a reminder of the joy Advent brings.
Bring your family, invite your friends, and let the music brighten your day. All are welcome—come share the sound of the season!

Advent Concert Series - The Kalamazoo Concert Brass Quintet
2025-12-18 12:00 - 13:00
Brass for Christmas – A Joyful Advent Concert!

Take a break from the holiday bustle and join us for a festive lunchtime concert on Thursday, December 18 at 12:00 noon in the Sanctuary.
The Kalamazoo Concert Brass Quintet will fill the space with bright, beautiful sounds of the season—perfect for lifting your spirits and celebrating Advent.
As a Reconciling Congregation, we welcome everyone to come and enjoy this gift of music. Bring a friend, invite a coworker, and make this midday moment of joy part of your Advent journey.
All are welcome—come and let the music shine!

Sunday Worship - 4th Sunday of Advent
2025-12-21 10:00 - 11:00
Celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent with Us!

Join us on Sunday, December 21 at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary as we continue our Advent journey with the theme:
“When You’re Afraid, Give Me Your Hand.”
This special service will feature our Children’s Christmas Pageant, a joyful highlight of the season that brings energy and excitement to worship.
As a Reconciling Church, we welcome everyone—no matter who you are or where you come from. Come experience the beauty, hope, and wonder of Advent as we light the fourth candle and prepare our hearts for Christmas.
Bring your family, invite a friend—all are welcome!
Bulletin 12.21.25 with inserts

Christmas Eve Service - 4pm - Children's Pageant
2025-12-24 16:00 - 17:00
Christmas Eve at 4 PM: Good News Is Louder Than Fear

Kick off Christmas with joy and wonder! Our Children’s Pageant will bring the story of Jesus’ birth to life in the most delightful way—full of smiles, carols, and the message that love is louder than fear.
We’ll light the Christ candle, sing together, and celebrate the good news: God is here!
Perfect for families, and full of music and meaning.
Dec 24 | 4 PM | All are welcome
Come for the pageant. Leave with hearts full of hope.
Christmas Eve 4pm bulletin

Christmas Eve Service - 7 pm - Brass Instruments & Chancel Singers With Childcare Available
2025-12-24 19:00 - 20:00
Christmas Eve at 7 PM: Good News Is Louder Than Fear

Throughout Advent, we’ve lit candles of hope, peace, joy, and love. Tonight, we light the Christ candle—because Christ is our Light.
Join us as brass instruments lift our carols, the Chancel Singers share anthems of joy, and we hear the story of Jesus’ birth through the eyes of the shepherds.
On this holiest night, we remember:
Fear may be loud, but love is louder.
Violence may be strong, but hope is stronger.
And the good news—God is here—cannot be silenced.
We’ll end with “Silent Night,” candles raised high, voices united: Christ the Savior is born!
Daycare will be provided at this service
Dec 24 | 7 PM | All are welcome
Come for the music. Stay for the message. Leave with the Light.
7pm 12.24.25 bulletin

Christmas Eve Service - 11pm Service
2025-12-24 23:00
Christmas Eve at 11 PM: Good News Is Louder Than Fear

Step away from the holiday hustle and into a quiet, hope-filled night. We’ll sing beloved carols, hear the shimmering sound of handbells, and gather at the communion table for bread and blessing.
If the skies are kind, we’ll take our candles to the front steps and let “Silent Night” ring out as a call for peace and goodwill for all.
Come for the calm. Stay for the joy. Leave with the light.
12.24.25 11pm bulletin

December 28 Worship Service @10:00 a.m.
2025-12-28 10:00 - 11:00
December 28, 2025 ~ Lessons & Laughter
Rev. Julie Kline
Join us as we celebrate the Christmas season, a time of great joy. Our worship is inspired by a “Lessons & Carols” format and will embody a spirit of “Lessons & Laughter.” We’ll explore three Scripture lessons, each paired with beloved hymns and a creative response rooted in joy. Together, we will respond to the good news just as they did so long ago: the angels sang, the shepherds ran and Mary cherished the miracle of Christ’s birth. Come, let us gather together in a celebration of hope, joy, and community.

January 4, 2026 Sunday Worship @10:00 a.m.
2026-01-04 10:00 - 11:00
Today is the Sunday in which we celebrate the Epiphany; the season of looking for and discovering the light of the Christ Child marked by the Wise Men’s arrival to pay him homage after years of following the bright star. This day also brings an end to our Advent and Christmas Series, “What do you fear?” As we end the series, Herod is still in power. Christ is born, yet it feels as if the world has not changed. The temptation to give up is strong, especially in the face of violence. But the magi don’t let Herod’s fear-driven demands stop them from honoring the newborn Christ or returning home by a different way. They model for us what it looks like to be led by hope, moving through fear without letting it paralyze us. As this series ends and a new year begins, we proclaim: our journey continues, and fear won’t have the last word.

January 11, 2026 Sunday Worship @10:00 a.m.
2026-01-11 10:00 - 11:00
In our baptism, we are claimed by God, and we are reassured that we are God’s Beloved. Let us gather this Sunday to remember the mark of baptismal water upon our foreheads and live into the grace and abundance that is God-given. Remembering our baptism is a renewal of our awareness of God’s faithful love for us. Remembering and embracing this love allows us to accept ourselves, others, and the invitation to live into the call to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus has been named and claimed; we, too, must hear this same call upon our lives. Let us celebrate God’s love and weave our story into God’s story.

January 18, 2026 - Sunday Worship @ 10:00 a.m.
2026-01-18 10:00 - 11:00
Second Sunday after Epiphany
We continue our Epiphany Series “Glory Revealed” on this day looking to the Prophet Isaiah, and then to the Gospel of John. We will ponder the question, What does it mean for God’s glory to be revealed in and through us? In Isaiah we consider God’s words to the prophet “I will give you as a light to the nations…” And we will lean into our curiosity with the disciples in John’s gospel considering Jesus’s invitation to “Come and see.” This is the back and forth of the Christian life – following Jesus to the unknown places that God’s glory might be revealed in and through us. With the prophet may be light. With the disciples may be curious and follow.

January 25, 2026 - Sunday Worship @10:00 a.m.
2026-01-25 10:00 - 11:00
In this season of Epiphany, we are attentive to the revealing of God’s light and glory, and we use an alternative version of the Lord’s Prayer as we worship. The intention is to reconnect to the Lord’s Prayer by praying it anew, with words intended to awaken our hearts and shine a light on our path. One of the lines of the prayer is “Embody your desire in every light and form.” This prayer shapes us to be bearers of God’s presence and light to the world, echoing Christ’s call to embody grace, leave behind our nets, and participate in healing and liberation. The message underscores that our prayer becomes action, and that we are called to shine with Christ’s light in every place we are sent. Come, worship, and be remade as we follow Christ.

February 1, 2026 - Sunday Worship @ 10:00 a.m.
2026-02-01 10:00 - 11:00
We are more than halfway now through our Epiphany Series “Glory Revealed” as we have been seeking God’s glory in our lives and how our lives might be beacons of God’s glory. Today we ask the question “What is good?” as we read two texts from scripture that point us towards “The Good Life…” Though, the gospel’s understanding and the world’s understanding of “the good life” may just be two different things. The Prophet Micah points us towards justice, kindness, and humility, while the Sermon on the Mount points us to a radically alternative way of living. Today’s worship will call us to hold our understanding of “What is good?” up next to the gospel that we might find God’s glory somewhere in the midst of it all. We will also share the bread and cup of communion on this first Sunday of the month.

February 8, 2026, Sunday Worship
2026-02-08 10:00 - 11:00
In this season of Epiphany, you are invited to worship, not just for an hour a week but with your whole life, making every day, every moment, living worship to God. This is a call to action for our own good and for the good of society as we accept the invitation to live out our faith in real-world ways. Faith is a set of beliefs and a pattern of behavior. Jesus shares the kingdom vision with kin-dom relationships that shape us as the body and reconciles the world. This reconciliation is not just to those who are like us. The vision is larger, as it extends through God; it is inclusive as people respond by becoming the light and love for the world. Let us answer the call to live worship both inside and outside the sanctuaries we build. In doing so, we glorify God and reveal God’s glory to the world as we worship in a jazz musical style. Come, let us worship!

Sunday Service February 15 - Transfiguration Sunday
2026-02-15 10:00 - 11:00
This Sunday brings closure to the season of Epiphany and serves as our transition into the season of Lent. On this day much is confirmed about Jesus, while the events of this day draw us deeper into the mystery. Jesus stands on a mountain with disciples when Moses Liberator and the Prophet Elijah stand on either side. Light radiates from Jesus and the voice of God confirms the truth of his baptism that he is God’s son, God’s beloved, followed by the command to the disciples to listen to him. The glory of God is revealed fully in Jesus and confirmed by the law and the prophets. The disciples do not know how to respond. How are we to respond to the revelation of God’s glory?

Ash Wednesday – February 18: Lent Labyrinth at 6:00 PM
2026-02-18 18:00 - 19:00
Ash Wednesday – February 18: Lent Labyrinth at 6:00 PM
As we enter the sacred season of Lent, you are invited to begin your journey with a quiet walk through the Labyrinth. On Ash Wednesday, come reflect on what it means to live a faith that seeks justice, mercy, and renewal. Step into the winding path as we ask God to help us ‘roll down justice’ in our lives, our community, and our world. May this first walk set the tone for a season of transformation.

Ash Wednesday Worship Service
2026-02-18 19:00 - 20:00
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of reflection and penitence that precedes the celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter. We mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross as an outward and visible sign of our repentance. We gather on Ash Wednesday to remind ourselves that we are both dust and spirit, which has been breathed into us by our Creating God. In the 6th century, the church began a ritual at the beginning of the Lenten season, imposing ashes made from the previous year’s Palm Sunday palm branches as a reminder that God created us from dust and to dust, we will return. In between the clay of creation and the dust of death is a life worth living and living fully. Ash Wednesday is an important reminder that God will create a faithful spirit deep within us. The ash upon our foreheads invites us to open our hearts and be reconciled to self, others, and to our God.

Fast-Track Disciple Bible Study
2026-02-19 13:00 - 14:15
Disciple Bible Study – Pastor Matt is planning a daytime Fast-Track Disciple Bible Study on Thursdays, 1:00 – 2:15pm, beginning February 19th, which will take participants through a comprehensive study of the Old Testament over a 12-week period. If you would like to participate, please email Pastor Matt at mweiler@umc-kzo.org.

February 22 - Sunday Worship @ 10:00 a.m.
2026-02-22 10:00 - 11:00
First Sunday of Lent:
Throughout this season of Lent, we are attentive to the cry of the prophet Amos, who proclaims that God desires for our worship and our ways of living be centered on justice. “Roll down, justice,” as God renews our hearts, minds, and spirits. This renewal provides the devotion to serve the world with compassion and solidarity that is true. This justice-seeking and making begins within our own hearts, as we claim our belovedness as our grounding because nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Come, let us worship!
“I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.” ~Romans 8: 38-39

Sunday, Feb 22: Celebration of Our Shared Life
2026-02-22 11:00 - 12:00
Beloved Community of FUMC, You are warmly invited to join us for a special Congregational Celebration of Our Shared Life today following worship. This gathering is an opportunity for us to come together as a church family to reflect on, celebrate, and look forward to all that God is doing in and through our ministries. During this celebration, we will share highlights and reports from our 2025 Church Conference, as well as stories of how our mission, vision, and values have come to life in the past year. We will also look ahead to the ways we hope to continue living out our calling in 2026. A booklet entitled “Our Shared Life: 2025-26 Ministry Reports & Celebrations” will be available, featuring reports and reflections from our various ministries. Your presence and participation are important as we celebrate our shared journey and discern the road ahead together. We look forward to seeing you there and sharing in this meaningful time as a congregation!

Bernie Foulk Memorial Lenten Organ Recital Series Concert - Omar Padilla
2026-02-26 12:00 - 13:00
Bernie Foulk Memorial Lenten Organ Recital Series
February 26 – Omar Padilla
Director of Music, St. Philip Catholic Church, Battle Creek, MI
Omar Padilla opens our Lenten recital series with a program rooted in devotion and heartfelt expression. His playing reflects a deep sense of reverence — a musician who understands how sacred music can draw us into stillness and open us to God’s presence. With warmth and prayerful sensitivity, he invites us to listen for the Spirit in every phrase, allowing the beauty of the organ to lead us toward quiet reflection and renewed hope.
This recital series is offered in loving memory of Bernie Foulk, whose deep devotion to music and faith continues to inspire us. Bernie believed that sacred music opens the heart to God’s presence, and we honor his legacy by sharing the beauty he cherished.

Sunday Worship March 1, 2026 - Communion Sunday
2026-03-01 10:00 - 11:00
Second Sunday of Lent: “How Long: Renouncing Evil”
How long, O Lord? How long will pain and injustice linger?
How long must we carry sorrow in our hearts and see suffering in our world? ~Psalm 13
Today we come, as the psalmist did, bringing our honest cries of grief, along with our questions, and our longing for God to see and respond. But we also come trusting in God’s steadfast love, believing that even in seasons of silence, God’s justice and mercy are at work among us.
Let us gather as a people who dare to lament, who dare to hope, and who dare to pray:
Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Come, bring your whole self, your pain, your hope, your longing for change, and worship the God who hears, the God who saves, the God who calls us to roll down justice in our world.
