LOVE LIKE JESUS

“Try church again. You were hurt in a church…but you could be healed in a church. You were lonely in a church…but you could find community in a church. You felt pain in a church…but you could find freedom in a church. You endured church…but you could enjoy church. Don’t give up on church…the church hasn’t given up on you.” This post from Pastor @noahherrin said it so well, and we believe there’s never been a better time to try again. No matter your story, your doubts, your past experiences, or how long you’ve been away—you are welcome here. It’s going to be a great day at First UMC, and we hope that if you’ve stayed away from church for whatever reason, tomorrow might be the day you try church again. Join us at 9 or 11 as we worship, grow, and learn to love like Jesus together. 🫶 #LoveLikeJesus

Join us on YouTube live or later! Sunday at 9 and 11am! 🔗 link in bio

‼️ Enroll today to reserve your spot for the fall! ‼️ 25% and 50% Scholarships still available!

The SEMO Food Bank Mobile Pantry is one way we Love Like Jesus ❤️ Mark your calendars if you or someone you know needs a little extra help this season! #LoveLikeJesus

In 2026 we are praying for a different local church and nonprofit each week as a part of our City Prayer. It’s a way of acknowledging that God works through all different people and places and we are all a part of the body of Christ. Last week we prayed for: New Hope Fellowship of Churches and Sikeston Rotary And yesterday we prayed for: Miner Baptist Church and the Daughters of Sunset Please join us in praying for God’s blessing on the work of these churches and organizations 🙏❤️ #LoveLikeJesus #CityPrayer

❤️ Different generations. Same church ❤️ 📣 MILLENNIAL PR TEAM: We would LOVE to invite you to worship this Sunday at First UMC! 😊 ✅ Relevant message ✅ Friendly people ✅ Great music ✅ Safe, fun kids ministry ✅ Coffee available There’s a place for you here. ❤️ — 📱 GEN Z SOCIAL TEAM: you’re not in your flop era you’re not cooked you’re not delulu you just lowkey need church like genuinely we sing we pray we laugh too loud sometimes people cry a little kids run in the hallways someone will absolutely say “good morning” like they mean it and for one hour you remember you are loved by God and you don’t have to carry everything alone lowkey healing tbh “See you Sunday?” Bet. 🫶 Love Like Jesus 📍First UMC Sikeston 🕘 Sunday at 9 & 11 #LoveLikeJesus #GenZHumor #MillennialVsGenZ #FirstUMC #SikestonChurch

📣 Help is on the way! ☀️ If you’re looking for fun family ideas for this summer, Pastor Chandler and Mrs. Robin have you covered! And while you’re having fun filling out your bingo card, you’re also developing something @meredithannemiller calls “family warmth” which is the number one factor determining whether or not your kids will continue in the faith you’re trying to pass on. So go have fun and know that you are forming the next generation of disciples 😊

☀️ School’s out for the summer! ☀️ But at First UMC, we’re still loving like Jesus all summer long ❤️ Make sure you save these dates and stay connected! From opportunities to serve our community, to hanging out with other First UMC families, to fun events for kids and students — there’s something for everyone this summer! #LoveLikeJesus #FirstUMC #SummerAtFirstUMC #ChurchFamily #SummerFun

🎉Congratulations to our Sikeston First UMC graduates!🎓 We are so proud of our kindergarten, high school, and college grads! We can’t wait to see what God will do in and through you in these next chapters of your lives! ❤️

Yesterday we talked about how the genius of unnamed characters in the Bible allows us to find ourselves in the story. Because everyone in the Bible could be anyone today. You are made in the image of God and a part of the story of hope and redemption God is still writing. ICYMI you can catch up on our YouTube channel 🖥️ 🔗 in bio

Our Top 5 Horror Movies: 1. Feeling forgotten 2. Thinking our stories don’t matter 3. Pretending we have it all together 4. Cold coffee 5. Living life without a church committed to Love Like Jesus This Sunday at First UMC, we continue our series: Unnamed & Unforgotten — stories of people in the Bible whose names we never learn, but whose lives still changed the world. Because with Jesus, no one is forgotten. ❤️ Come worship with us. No matter who you are. No matter where you’ve been. We’ll also celebrate our graduates and honor moms this Sunday! 🙌Traditions Worship — 9:00 a.m. 🎶 Journey Worship — 11:00 a.m. 💻 In person or on YouTube

Dear First UMC, Every Mother’s Day I say something like “Mother’s Day can be a complicated holiday,” when trying to acknowledge the range of emotions people might feel on a day celebrating moms. And every year, that statement takes on deeper meaning. In January of last year my wonderful mother-in-law, Bettina Moxley, died and we spent all last year experiencing all the “firsts.” Cate’s first softball season without her in the stands. Her first birthday on the other side of heaven. What would have been her 49th wedding anniversary. The first Christmas without her homemade pralines. And my husband’s first Mother’s Day without his mom. I thought once we got past the year of “firsts” it would get easier, but it turns out, you still miss the people you love just as much the second year, too. I know that grief is not the only emotion people might have on Mother’s Day. It can also bring up anger, joy, or apathy. But I know this: whatever you carry into this weekend, you do not have to carry it alone. The church has always been a place where we bring our whole selves before God — our gratitude and our grief, our celebrations and our questions. This Sunday, whether Mother’s Day feels joyful, painful, complicated, or somewhere in between, I hope you’ll join us for worship. There will be a special Photo Booth and a little gift for moms. We’ll also celebrate our graduates and continue our series, Unnamed and Unforgettable, as we reflect on the unnamed characters in scripture whose stories still shape our faith today. There is a place for you here, and there is enough grace for every emotion we bring. May God hold close the grieving, strengthen the weary, encourage the overwhelmed, and bless all those who have loved and cared for others with a mother’s heart. Grace and peace, Pastor Jennifer

🎉We are so excited to start this journey with you! 🎉 Enroll your child today at sikestonfirstumc.org/firstkidspreschool

Yesterday we kicked off our new series on the unnamed characters in the Bible with the reminder that everybody is somebody to God. Everyone’s story is important and no one is a nobody to God ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus

“You look happier!” Thanks! I started going to church again. “You look happier!” Thanks! I remembered I don’t have to carry everything alone. “You look happier!” Thanks! I’ve been welcomed and loved for who I am. “You look happier!” Thanks! I found a community that is learning to Love Like Jesus. “You look happier!” Thanks! God’s grace will do that ❤️ See you TOMORROW! 🙌 9am — Traditions (organ & hymns) 📖 10am — Biblical Archaeology with Dr. Fuller 🎶 11am — Journey (band & praise music) 🎓AND in both services, you’ll have a chance to write a note of encouragement to our five graduating seniors before we celebrate them next Sunday! Don’t miss the “happier” trend… come find your people here ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus #happier

‼️New series drops this Sunday‼️

Our kids have been having S’MORE fun than ever in First Kids Ministry on Sunday mornings! 😊 All kids are invited to start worship with their families—whether you attend Traditions or Journey—and take part in Communion. (Yes, God’s tangible gift of grace is for even our youngest disciples!) After Communion, kids through 4th grade head to First Kids for a Bible lesson and a snack. Our First Kids Ministry team just returned from the D6 Conference, and they’re excited to share all they learned with our kids! If you’re looking for a place where your kids can learn to Love Like Jesus while having S’MORE fun, come join us this Sunday!

🎉We are grateful and excited to welcome Brenda Dannenmueller as the new Director of First Kids Preschool! Brenda brings with her a deep sense of calling to nurture and guide young children in their earliest years of growth and discovery. With decades of experience in early childhood education, she has faithfully served as Director of Kids Academy in Chaffee since 2020 and previously spent more than 20 years with Head Start as a Lead Teacher and Assistant Director. She will continue in her role at Kids Academy until this summer when she begins at First Kids Preschool. Throughout her ministry of teaching and leadership, Brenda has been committed to creating safe, loving environments where children are known, valued, and encouraged to grow into who God created them to be. She has a special gift for equipping teachers, partnering with families, and fostering a spirit of connection and care within the learning community. Her work reflects a passion not only for education, but for shaping lives with patience, compassion, and excellence. Brenda holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Education from Southeast Missouri State University. In her personal life, Brenda has been married for 38 years and is a devoted mother to two sons and a joyful grandmother to three grandchildren, and three dogs. We give thanks for the gifts Brenda brings to this role and look forward to the ways God will work through her leadership at First Kids Preschool! 📣 First Kids Preschool is scheduled to open August 25, 2026 and serve children ages 0-5. Watch our social media, website, and email for open enrollment starting NEXT Wednesday! #Preschool #LoveLikeJesus

📣 Special Event – Biblical Archaeology Lesson Join us THIS Sunday, May 3 at 10:00 a.m. for a fascinating morning with guest historian Dr. Michael Fuller. “Caesarea Maritima: Rome’s Great Port in the Time of Jesus” — Discover the incredible story of this ancient harbor city and explore decades of archaeological excavation. You’ll hear about some of the most fascinating discoveries—including a cemetery of Templar Knights! Dr. Michael Fuller is an experienced archaeologist, writer, and lecturer with over 40 years of teaching experience. He has directed major excavation projects across the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, and has worked on digs in countries such as Greece, Egypt, Jordan, and beyond. His work has earned numerous awards, and he continues to share his passion through lectures, writing, and field research. Come learn, explore, and deepen your understanding of the world of the Bible! Enter through Traditions or Journey Worship doors and follow signs to “Lamplighters Classroom.” #LoveLikeJesus #archeology

“Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may.”
— John Wesley Last night, Prof. Soendker Nicholson opened with this powerful reminder and guided us through moments in both biblical and recent history where faith and politics intersect. From Covenantal Theology to White Christian Nationalism, the conversation was thoughtful, honest, and deeply engaging. We’re grateful for the 30+ people who showed up, leaned in, and took part in this important conversation. Conversations like this matter—and we’re better because of them. ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus

Coffee and community, hallelujah Music that lifts your soul, hallelujah Kids learning and laughing, hallelujah A message that connects, hallelujah Communion every week, hallelujah Grace you didn’t earn, hallelujah Love that meets you here, hallelujah A place to belong, hallelujah Learning to Love Like Jesus, hallelujah Everything, hallelujah See you tomorrow, hallelujah 🙌 9am + 11am In-person + YouTube #LoveLikeJesus #church #everythinghallelujah

Be a part of the conversation. Be a part of the solution. Let us know you’re coming or want us to send you a link by registering below! 🇺🇸✝️

We love a good ✨ glow up ✨! Here are just a few updates that have taken place the past few months! Taking care of our facility is one way we can Love Like Jesus. We are being good stewards of the resources God has given us, and we are provided a welcoming place for First UMC and community-wide events. And this Saturday we are ready to start on our East Wing renovation! Come from 9-10am to help move some of the smaller items and furniture so the construction crew can get started renovating from the January flood. See you then!

Bold words… and maybe a little uncomfortable, too. Because if we’re honest, those are the very topics we’re often told to avoid. But what if, instead of avoiding them, we approached them with curiosity, humility, and faith? Join us for dinner and conversation as we explore how our faith shapes what we believe—and how we live in a world full of differing perspectives. This isn’t about debate. It’s about understanding. It’s about listening. It’s about learning how to love like Jesus, even when we don’t all agree. Come hungry. Come curious. Come ready for a conversation that matters. Register below: $20 in person (includes dinner) $10 for the livestream link 🇺🇸✝️ #LoveLikeJesus #FaithandPolitics

😃 Smile! It’s Sunday! The best day of the week is finally here! 🙌 If you need some JOY, today is the day! 9am Traditions Worship 11am Journey Worship 📍1307 North Main 🖥️ or online YouTube @FirstUMC-sikeston

✨ Now with a $10 private live stream link option ✨ We’ve heard from folks who want to come but can’t make it in person. If that’s YOU, register today and pay $10 for the live stream link! If you CAN come in person, $20 includes lecture, Q&A with Prof. Soendker Nicholson, dinner and conversation! Link in bio ⬆️ 🇺🇸✝️ #FaithandPolitics #LoveLikeJesus

Have you signed your Kindergartener - Sixth Grader up for the best week ever yet??! Only 34 spots left! Reserve yours today! 🔗 in bio

It’s been a busy few weeks and—although we have done this every week in the worship services—we are behind on posting our City Prayer list on social media! Quick recap: Throughout 2026 we are praying each week for a local church and nonprofit. It’s a reminder that we are all a part of the body of Christ and are connected in the shared work of the Gospel. Below are the churches and organizations we have been lifting in prayer over the past few weeks. We hope you will join us in praying God’s blessing upon their ministry and work 🙏 March 15: Tanner Street Church of God and United Way of SEMO March 22: New Direction Outreach Ministries and Charleston Public School March 29: New Madrid First UMC and SCC Sheltered Workshop April 5: Discover Life Church Sikeston and Open Door Fellowship after school feeding program April 12: Dogwood UMC and Bulldog Pantry

See you there! ✝️🇺🇸 $20 includes admission and dinner. 🔗 Register using the link below!

Let’s get into it! $20 includes dinner. Sign up today!

We welcomed 764 people through our doors last week during Holy Week and Easter! 🙌 Thank you to everyone who worshipped with us or volunteered to make it such an incredible weekend! Want to hear something crazy? 😄 We’re doing it again TODAY! At First UMC, everything we do is about one simple mission: Love Like Jesus —and there’s a place for you to be part of that story. This morning there are 2️⃣ services: ⛪️ 9am Traditions Worship (organ and hymns) 🎶 11am Journey Worship (band and praise music) Whether you joined us for the first time last week, or you’re part of the First UMC family, we can’t wait to see you soon! ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus #worship

We have the ✨ best ✨ counselors! Save your Church Day Camp spot today! July 6-10 8:30 am-5:00 pm Scripture lessons, rock wall, archery, gaga ball, water slides, laser tag, and more!!! Register below ⬇️

Have you noticed the red tables in the lobby? Those are our Mission Tables! Each week, we’re collecting items to support local mission partners and serve our community in tangible ways. You can grab a shopping list on your way out any Sunday, then bring your items back the next week! It’s a simple, meaningful way we can all Love Like Jesus—together ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus

Easter was last Sunday…now what?! Join us for our new series and learn more about what being a United Methodist means and how we can LOVE BOLDLY, SERVE JOYFULLY, and LEAD COURAGEOUSLY ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus #BeUMC

🌸 ICYMI 🌸 Bot Traditions and Journey Easter worship services are up our YouTube channel! 🔗 in our bio

Join us for a taco bar dinner and a conversation with guest speaker, Rev. Trista Sender Nicholson. We’ll explore how faith shapes our views and how it intersects with politics in today’s world. Cost $20. Save your spot by registering below today! ……. Rev. Trista Soendker Nicholson is currently a PhD Candidate at Wesley House in Cambridge, UK; and the Interim Director of the Center for Religion in Public Life at Phillips Theological Seminary and a Professor of UM Studies.  She was awarded the Martha Wright Griffiths’ Emerging Leader Award for her work for the betterment of women around the world. Prior to her career as pastor and in theological education, Trista worked on Capitol Hill and held other positions in the political arena. While in Washington, Trista worked with homeless individuals who were seeking job placement and permanent homes, and coordinated an ongoing feeding program. In addition to completing her undergraduate work at the University of Missouri, Trista earned her MSA from Trinity University, and her MDiv from Saint Paul School of Theology.

Trista and her husband, Sean, have two sons, Judah and Abram, two dogs and a cat. ✝️🇺🇸🌮

✝️ Happy Easter! Thank you to everyone who joined us in worship yesterday for our Easter celebration! 📷 We have loved seeing your beautiful pictures! Drop yours below 👇

📷 scenes from Easter 2025 🌅 It was an incredible day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus and the gift of new life! We can’t wait to do it again tomorrow with you! 🎶 9am Traditions Worship - organ and hymns 🙌 11am Journey Worship - band and praise music #LoveLikeJesus #Easter

Whether you’re coming for the first time, or the first time in a long time, we will just be happy to see you ☺️ No judgement. The Easter message is everyone—and that means you. So if you’re looking for a place to go, know you are welcome here. ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus #Easter

It has been and EGG-ceptional Holy Week! 🥚🐰 We hope to see you tonight as we celebrate Good Friday and again on Sunday for Easter morning! ✝️ Good Friday Worship - 6pm TONIGHT 🌅 Easter Sunday - 9am Traditions Worship - 11am Journey worship

After hearing the scriptures read from Jesus’ last moments you will be invited to pray using our prayer labyrinth. If you have never done this before it’s a powerful contemplative prayer experience. We hope you will join us in the chapel ✝️

📣 This is NO JOKE! 🐟 FREE Fried Catfish tonight at our last Lenten Wednesday Night Live! 🙌 5:30pm Worship 🍽️ 6:00pm Free Meal (donations appreciated) 📍1307 North Main Street in Sikeston

🌿On Sunday, we celebrated Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem with shouts of “Hosanna!,” and now we begin the journey toward the cross and the empty tomb. We hope you will walk this sacred Holy Week with us. 🍞 Wednesday at 5:30 PM We will read the story of the Last Supper and reflect on Jesus’ powerful example of love and service. Then at 6:00 PM, we’ll share our final Wednesday night meal together—with fried catfish on the menu! ✝️ Friday at 6:00 PM Join us in the chapel for our Good Friday service, a reflective and meaningful time as we remember the depth of Jesus’ love shown on the cross. There will also be a powerful opportunity to respond to the story of his crucifixion. 🌅 Easter Sunday at 9:00 & 11:00 AM A joyful celebration—the culmination of the story—where we proclaim the good news: Christ is risen! We can’t wait to walk through this week—and celebrate resurrection—with you! #LoveLikeJesus #easter #GoodFriday #ChristIsRisen

Scroll for what to expect 👉 And check out our website for more details! Sikestonfirstumc.org We can’t wait to see you! Our favorite Sunday is almost here! 🌅 #easter #LoveLikeJesus

Join us in person this morning for 🌿Palm Sunday 🌿 🙌 9am Traditions Worship 🎶 11am Journey Worship

🎬 Scenes from Palm Sunday 2025 🌿🌿🌿 … Dear First UMC, Palm Sunday has always been a mixture of emotions for me—and maybe it is for you, too. On one hand, I love parades. I love the excitement of Jesus coming into Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna!” There’s something beautiful about that moment when the crowd seems to finally see him for who he is. It’s joyful. Hopeful. Full of energy. But on the other hand, we know what’s coming. This isn’t the beginning of the kind of victory parade we might expect—it’s the beginning of the road to the cross. The same voices shouting “Hosanna!” will soon cry out, “Crucify him.” And that’s where we find ourselves, too. We’re invited to stand in both places. To celebrate. To rejoice. To wave our branches and welcome Jesus in. And also… to walk with him. To the table. To the betrayal. To the cross. Palm Sunday invites us not to rush past any part of the story, but to enter into it fully—to hold both the joy and the sorrow, and to trust that God is present in all of it. Because we can’t fully shout “Hosanna!” unless we’re also willing to follow Jesus all the way to Good Friday… …and all the way to Easter morning. And you are invited into that journey. I would love for you to join us this week—whether it’s your first time, or your forty-seventh—as we walk this story together: Palm Sunday (at 9 and 11am), a special Wednesday Night Live (with the story of the Last Supper and our own last Wednesday Night Live meal of fried catfish), Good Friday at 6pm, and Easter morning at 9 and 11. It’s going to be a meaningful Holy Week, and there is a place for you in it. Grace and peace, Pastor Jennifer P.S. Don’t forget the First Kids’ Easter event this Sunday at 4:30—it’s going to be a great weekend!

👀 here’s a sneak peak at all the fun coming up at the Easter Color Fun THIS SUNDAY! Get EGG-cited!

FREE egg hunt, color fun, and food! See you there! 🐰🥚🌅 ✝️

Midweek, but make it meaningful ✨ We’re saving you a seat for Wednesday Night Live tonight! 5:30 Worship 6:00 FREE Fellowship Dinner #LoveLikeJesus #WednesdayNightLive

What a JOY to celebrate the gift of Baby Henry’s baptism, surrounded by his family, church family, and so much love ❤️ We pray that as he grows into his baptism, he will always feel the presence of this great cloud of witnesses and the ever-present grace of God guiding and empowering him each step of the way ✝️ #baptism #LoveLikeJesus

Who else is getting EGG-cited??!! 🥚🐰👏

✨ Sunday is coming… and you’re invited! ✨ This week, we continue our Jesus Revealed series as we hear Jesus say: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” In a world full of confusion and competing voices, these words remind us that Jesus doesn’t just point the way—He is the way. He is truth we can trust and life that truly satisfies. If you’ve ever felt unsure about what direction to take or where to turn next, this message is for you. Come join us for worship, encouragement, and a community learning to love like Jesus. ❤️ ⛪ 9:00 and 11:00am 📍 First United Methodist Church – Sikeston Bring a friend, come as you are—we’d love to walk this journey with you. ✨

JUMPING FOR JOY that the Easter Color Fun shirts are in! 👚 🎉 Join us NEXT Sunday at 4:30 for our FREE Easter Kids’ event! Egg hunt, games, hot dogs and hamburgers, and a special COLOR RUN! If you want a shirt to remember the day, purchase for $5 aT the door or pick yours up this Sunday at First Kids! We are EGG-cited to celebrate with you! #EggHunt #ColorRun #LoveLikeJesus

Celebrate with us! 🎉 Come be part of what God is doing in and through First UMC this Easter! 🌅 ✝️✝️✝️ #LoveLikeJesus

Midweek recharge ⚡️ Come feed your soul and body at Wednesday Night Live TONIGHT! 5:30 worship 🙌 6:00 meal 🍽️ Refuel, reconnect, and recharge. All are invited and welcome! #lovelikejesus❤️

☘️ Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ☘️ Saint Patrick has an incredible story of faith and following God. As a teenager, he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland, where he spent years enslaved as a shepherd. During that time he grew deeply in faith. After eventually escaping and returning home to England, he later sensed God calling him back to Ireland—the very place of his suffering—to share forgiveness and the Good News of Jesus with the people there. Legend says he used the image of the three-leafed clover to help explain the Trinity: one God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So as you wear your green and celebrate today, remember the deeper story behind the day—a story of forgiveness, courage, and a life transformed by following God’s call. May it remind us to share Christ’s love wherever God sends us. 💚 #LoveLikeJesus #stpatricksday☘️

Yesterday our surprise guest was… 👀 Laura Murphy from the Missouri Methodist Foundation! She came to present First UMC with a $10,000 grant for our new preschool! 😭🙌👏 We are incredibly thankful for the Foundation’s generosity and for the support of our Methodist connection. It means so much to know that others across the conference believe in and are supporting the ministry God is doing in and through this place as we seek to love like Jesus in our community. Several individuals have already given toward this project as well, helping build momentum for what’s ahead. If you would like to be part of supporting the new preschool ministry at First UMC, you can give by designating “Preschool” on your gift. Every gift helps us create a place where children and families will be welcomed, nurtured, and loved ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus #grant #preschool

🤫 Shhh! A very special guest will be joining us this Sunday with an exciting announcement. They’ll be sharing at the beginning of both services, so make sure you’re there to hear the news! It’s something we’re really looking forward to and it will shape this next season of ministry at First UMC. I also hope you’ll join us as we continue our series on the “I Am” statements of Jesus. This week we’ll explore Jesus’ words, “I am the vine.” It’s a unique statement in John’s Gospel—one that not only reveals who Jesus is, but also helps us understand who we are called to be as people who remain connected to him. I hope to see you Sunday at 9am for Traditions (in the chapel!) or the Journey at 11am. It’s going to be a good day to worship together. Grace and peace, Pastor Jennifer

We are thankful for God’s faithfulness throughout First UMC’s 159 years in Sikeston 🙌

On Sunday we prayed for Church on the Rock and Sikeston Department of a Public Safety as a part of our City Prayer 🙏 We are especially thankful to the DPS officers who serve First UMC on Sundays and pray for their continued safety, guidance, and blessing on their work 🙌

🙌 Wednesdays are for worship and hanging out 🙌 On Wednesdays we gather for Wednesday Night Live—a time for worship, a shared meal, and a chance to hang out together. 5:30 Worship (childcare provided) 6:00 Meal (free, donations appreciated) All are welcome and invited ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus #wnl

🎬 Scenes from last Friday 🫶 SEMO Mobile Food Pantries are always a blessing to be a part of! We are thankful for the gift of serving our neighbors and the opportunity to live out our mission: LOVE LIKE JESUS ❤️ #lovelikejesus #church #semofoodbank

You might lose an hour of sleep, but don’t worry, we always have coffee! ☕️ #SpringForward #LoveLikeJesus

Hi! 👋 We’re Sikeston First UMC, a United Methodist Church on a mission to LOVE LIKE JESUS! All are invited and welcome—and that means YOU! ⛪️ LET’S WORSHIP TOGETHER! We gather in person and on YouTube for two services with the same message but different music styles: Traditions (organ and hymns) and Journey (band and praise music). Each week we pray our worship creates space for you to encounter the life-transforming grace and love of God. 😎 FIRST KIDS MINISTRY Kids begin in worship (and take Communion with us!) before Birth–4th graders head to First Kids for a Bible lesson, craft, and snack with our amazing team. 🫶 FIRST YOUTH MINISTRY 5th–12th graders gather Sunday evenings for games, Bible study, snacks, and fellowship with Pastor Chandler and the Youth Team. ❤️ ADULT SPIRITUAL GROWTH GROUPS Groups meet throughout the week so you can study the Bible and grow in faith alongside others. JOIN US! There is a place for you here! We can’t wait to see you Sunday! #LoveLikeJesus

TOMORROW! Please share if you know someone who might need a little help 🥫 And if YOU can help serve, come to the Journey lobby at 3pm. The line will start at 4. #LoveLikeJesus #FoodPantry

Last week our friendly neighborhood spiders joined us for Wednesday Night Live 🕷️😂 Come for worship, food, and see who shows up tonight! It will be a fun night of fellowship and digging in to scripture together! See you soon! 5:30 Worship 6:00 Meal All are invited. Meal is free, donations are appreciated ❤️

A few weeks ago we installed our 2026 Church Council. This is the leadership team who makes governing decisions about First UMC, always asking: “How does this help us accomplish our mission to Love Like Jesus?” We are thankful for their ministry, dedication, faithfulness, and wisdom as they guide our church! ⛪️ ❤️👏

Yesterday during our City Prayer we prayed for Christ Methodist Church and the House of Refuge. We pray for their strength, safety, and God’s continued blessing on their work 🙏 #LoveLikeJesus #CityPrayer

We were glad to have the Sikeston Future Farmers of America with us in Journey worship this morning! 🙌 🚜❤️

Save a life AND get a $15 Amazon card! We still have spots available for our drive on Monday! It’s another way we can Love Like Jesus ❤️

Join us for week two of our series “Jesus Revealed” at 9am and 11am this week and check out more serving opportunities in the email link below ⬇️

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” -John 8:12 This season we’re exploring the “I am” statements of Jesus, what they reveal about who God is, and how they help us to Love Like Jesus ❤️ ✨ #LoveLikeJesus

Wondering what WNL is like? Check out our website! Sikestonfirstumc.org 🙌

‼️NEXT FRIDAY at 1307 N. Main St.‼️ Please share with anyone who might need a little help this season! 🥫🍽️🥣 #LoveLikeJesus #SEMOFoodBank

🙌 Come for worship and stick around for dinner! Tomorrow night: pasta! 🍝 All are welcome and invited!

Yesterday Pastor Chandler led us in our City Prayer praying for First Baptist Church and SEMO Food Bank. It’s a recognition that God works in and through many people and places. We pray God’s blessing on their ministries and work in the community 🙏

We ❤️ Sundays! 9am Traditions (meeting in the Chapel during Lent!) 11am Journey #LoveLikeJesus

It was a beautiful night to be together—worshiping, sharing a meal, and being reminded of our deep dependence on God ➕ Ash Wednesday kicked off our Lent Wednesday Night Live service as we begin this season of repentance, reflection, and renewal ❤️ ICYMI: Join us next week for worship and a meal as we continue the journey together ✝️ #lent #AshWednesday #LoveLikeJesus

Here is your permission slip to stop pretending like you’re not a fragile, mortal, aging creature and to rest in the grace and gift of Ash Wednesday ➕ Join us tonight at 5:30 for service and meal afterward. #AshWednesday #LoveLikeJesus

➕Be a part of Ash Wednesday at First UMC ➕ “From dust you came, to dust you will return”

Ash Wednesday—the beginning of the season of reflection and preparation known as Lent—is THIS Wednesday! Here are a few ways to be a part of this powerful day in the church calendar: ➕7:30-9am Ashes-to-go in the Chapel ➕5:30pm Ash Wednesday service in the Chapel ➕6pm Dinner in the Fellowship Hall #LoveLikeJesus

“True religion is this: to care for the widows and orphans.” -James 1:27 Happy Valentine’s Day! #LoveLikeJesus #ValentinesDay

❤️ Love Like Jesus is simple—but it’s not easy. It’s forgiving when it would be easier to hold a grudge. It’s showing compassion when we’re tired. It’s choosing grace, humility, and courage—again and again. That’s why we don’t try to do it alone. ⛪️ Join us this Sunday as we worship, grow, and practice loving like Jesus together. 9am Traditions (hymns and organ) 11am Journey (band and praise music) #LoveLikeJesus

💐💕🥤 We’re almost ready for Girls Night In Flower bar and Dirty Soda Bar at 6pm! Come write a special note for a widow or widower and bring a dessert to share!

📣 ICYMI! Our 2025 Mission Impact Report is out! ❤️ We are so grateful for the ways God moved in and through First UMC last year to make an IMPACT on the Sikeston community and beyond. ✨ These are just a few highlights of how we strive to be a church that Loves Like Jesus. Thank you to everyone who has given their time, talents, and financial support to make this ministry possible. You are truly the hands and feet—and the heartbeat—of Jesus. Together, we are making a lasting impact in our community for the Kingdom of God. 💻 If you’d like to continue supporting the mission and ministry of First UMC, you can give online at sikestonfirstumc.org. #LoveLikeJesus

💐THIS THURSDAY! 💐

🙌Yesterday we celebrated the baptism of George Samuel Gleason! His family brought rainwater from the day he was born and we added it to the baptismal font. In baptism we believe the intangible gift of God’s grace becomes tangible in the gift of water. In the United Methodist Church, baptism is a sign of God’s prevenient grace—God’s love already at work in George’s life long before he could claim it for himself. Through this holy moment, we celebrate that he is claimed by Christ, named beloved, and welcomed into the family of faith. As a congregation, we promised to surround George with a community of love and forgiveness, to pray for him, and to help him grow in faith so that one day he may profess his own faith in Confirmation. This is what it means to Love Like Jesus—to show up, to nurture, and to live out our baptismal vows together. May we remember our own baptisms and renew our commitment to resist evil, injustice, and oppression, and to walk in newness of life, loving George and one another as Christ first loved us ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus #baptism

🏈 KICK OFF your Sunday with us! 🙌 9am Traditions Worship ✝️ 10am Bible Study and Special Baptism Service 🎶 11am Journey Worship ❤️It’s a SUPER day to Love Like Jesus!

🎶 Alleluia For the Lord God Almighty reigns 🎶 If you were in Journey last week you know that after the last song, Kobe and the band broke into an unplanned chorus of Agnus Dei. It was a powerful ending to a beautiful day of worship together. It is a gift to unite our hearts and voices in worship of God and can’t wait to do it again this Sunday! 9am Traditions (organ and hymns) 11am Journey (band and praise music) #LoveLikeJesus

Our Missouri UMC Conference office has a special display for Black History Month honoring individuals with ties to Missouri Methodist history 🙌 We are thankful for their ministry and witness ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus

🎀 Women of all ages invited! ❤️ Bring a dessert to share and come make a dirty soda, fresh flower bouquet, and a gift for a Widow or Widower from First UMC!

“Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow… Morning by morning new mercies I see.” On Sunday we gathered to be reminded of the great faithfulness of God, and during our City Prayer, we offered a prayer of blessing for First Christian Church and Hope Center Ministries. It is one way we have committed to Love Like Jesus this year, praying for a different local church and nonprofit each week. We give thanks for the ways God’s presence guides these communities, for strength for today in their ministries, and for bright hope for tomorrow through their witness and service ❤️ #CityPrayer #LoveLikeJesus

Dear First UMC, As many of you have heard by now, on Monday afternoon most of the east wing of the church flooded after a pipe burst. Almost immediately, so many of you came to the rescue with shop vacs, squeegees, and extra hands to move furniture. I am so thankful for your quick response! Because of you, much of the personal property was saved and the extent of the damage to the building was lessened. RestoreCo. was contacted and they have been in the building since Monday evening, and I’m glad to say the affected areas are now dry. We are still waiting on next steps from insurance and will continue to learn more about repairs in the coming days, but I want you to know the building is safe and usable. During the construction and repair process, First Kids Ministry will be temporarily relocating to the Fellowship Hall. I want to reassure families that ministry will continue without interruption, just in a different space for a season. Our First Kids leaders are already making plans to ensure it remains a welcoming, safe, and joy-filled environment for our children. That also means I’m happy to share that we WILL be gathering for worship in person this Sunday after having to cancel last weekend due to the weather. I know how disappointing that cancellation was, and I’m grateful we can be back together so soon. There is something especially meaningful about gathering as the church after a challenging week—reminding one another that God is present, faithful, and at work even in the midst of disruption. Thank you again for being the church so beautifully this week. From your quick action, to your prayers, to your encouragement, you have embodied what it means to Love Like Jesus. I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday. Grace and peace, Pastor Jennifer #LoveLikeJesus

“Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?” This question is asked of every United Methodist at their baptism. In 2025, THIRTEEN people boldly answered, “I do!” At First UMC, we believe this promise is at the heart of what it means to Love Like Jesus—a love that is active, courageous, and rooted in God’s grace. We are grateful to walk alongside these thirteen as they continue their journey of faith, learning to live out Christ’s love in the world. If you would like to talk about baptism or what it means to Love Like Jesus, we would love to have that conversation with you ❤️ #LoveLikeJesus #Baptism

🌟 New Ministry Spotlight: Comfort Cooks! 🌟 In 2025, a brand new ministry was born at First UMC—Comfort Cooks! This incredible team of 28 gifted cooks shared God’s love in the most tangible way: 🍲 26 home-cooked meals for church family members after surgeries or during times of loss 🍪 Countless cookies baked for various mission events throughout the year. ❤️ This is what it looks like to love like Jesus—one meal, one cookie, one act of care at a time. We are so grateful for each of you! #LoveLikeJesus