Monthly Prevue Newsletter

2025 Annual Conference Reflection

First United Methodist Church West Lafayette attended the 2025 Indiana United Methodist (INUMC) Annual Conference held June 4-7 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Anna Clark, a member of our First Church family and leadership, shares her reflection on the conference: “I’ve previously shared my story about how disappointed I was in the United Methodist Church in 2019 when we failed to become a more inclusive church. In the six years since, Read more…

By First Church, ago

Celebrate Pentecost with Us – Sunday, June 8

Pentecost Sunday is a powerful day in the life of the Church—a time to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church itself. Join us for worship at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM on Sunday, June 8, as we honor this sacred day together. During the 11:00 AM Celebrate service, we will hold a special Confirmation Ceremony for our youth in grades six and above who have been learning and Read more…

By First Church, ago

You’re Invited: Annual Church Picnic

Join us for an afternoon of food, fun, and fellowship at our Annual Church Picnic on Sunday, June 22! We’ll gather at Happy Hollow Park in Shelter 4. Chicken and drinks are provided, and we ask that you bring a side dish or dessert to share. Please note: The shelter does not have electricity. We’ll have yard games to enjoy. Feel free to bring your favorites along, too! Annual Church Picnic Date: Sunday, June 22 Read more…

By First Church, ago

Help Feed and Support Freedom School Scholars

Dear First Church Family, Many of you have asked how you can get involved with this year’s Freedom School, and we’re grateful for your willingness to serve! One of the most important and tangible ways to help is by providing support for daily meals — breakfast, lunch, and snacks — for our amazing scholars and staff. Whether you enjoy cooking, organizing, delivering, or simply offering a helping hand, there’s a place for you in this work of hospitality. Read more…

By First Church, ago

Family Ministry is Hiring

First Church is hiring! We’re looking for three dedicated people to join our Family Ministry team this summer and next school year. These part-time roles offer the chance to work with our nursery, support Vacation Bible School and Sunday School, and help with family events. Details: If you or someone you know is interested, please email your resume to Talitha Huber at thuber@fumcwl.org.

By First Church, ago
First Church Prevue

May 2025 Prevue

The May 2025 Prevue highlights our Easter Season series, “The Cup of Freedom,” with Pastor Duane’s reflection on how this theme invites us to explore Christ’s liberation and new life. We honor the legacies of Pastor Denise (Denny) Frank, Richard (Rich) Frank, and Max Hoke, whose service and compassion continue to shape our community. Pastor Duane also shares insights from the Spring 2025 GBCS Board Meeting in Los Angeles, and we celebrate the success of Read more…

By First Church, ago

Honoring Pastor Denny & Rich Frank and Max Hoke

With gratitude and deep respect, we remember our dear retired Pastor, Denise (Denny) Frank, her husband Richard (Rich) Frank, and our friend Max Hoke—three faithful members of the First Church family whose lives were shaped by service, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to caring for others, especially children and those in need. Denny and Rich Frank were a team in every sense of the word. Together, they gave their time, energy, and hearts to ministries Read more…

By First Church, ago

From the Pastor’s Desk: A Journey Through Easter Season

Dear Beloved Community, Easter morning has come and gone, but the good news still echoes: Christ is risen—risen indeed! What a joy it was to gather in worship on Easter Sunday, surrounded by blooming lilies, bright hallelujahs, and the warmth of your presence. Together, we stood in that sacred space “between grief and hope,” the title of our Easter sermon, and the tender truth we shared—that hope so often grows from the compost of grief. Read more…

By First Church, ago

Thinking About Becoming a Member?

We warmly invite you to consider joining First Church in membership on Sunday, June 8—Pentecost Sunday—a day when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. It’s a meaningful time to mark what God is doing in our lives, and we will also be honoring our confirmands during worship. If you’re interested in joining on June 8—or would like to explore an alternative date—please reach out to Pastor Duane or Pastor Kory. Read more…

By First Church, ago

A Heartfelt Thank You and Farewell to Mari & Stacy

First Church wants to share a huge thank you and a very fond farewell to our Family Ministry team members who are moving on to great things this month: Mari Pickard-Carlisle, who has been an incredible teacher of the Middles Sunday School class and a huge blessing to all the young people she’s worked with in Lafayette and Indianapolis, is moving to California. Her last day will be Sunday, May 11, and we wish her Read more…

By First Church, ago