Our purpose is to reflect the image of God through a thriving artistic community within FirstMC.

Our Mission

● Using the arts to express truth and enrich worship in a way that honors and glorifies God.
● Creating an inviting space for creatives of FirstMC to share their gifts to serve the church and community. 

Our Values

● Creativity - reflecting the creative character of God
● Community - welcoming a variety of ages, experience levels, and stylistic expressions
● Whole-hearted effort - serving humbly to the best of one’s ability
● Encouragement - growing and learning together
● Prayer - asking God to lead and empower the community’s artistic endeavors.

Creative Arts Community Monthly Newsletter

The Creative Arts Community Council (CACC) is now creating monthly newsletters to provide information on various events the CACC is producing as well as to highlight other opportunities to support the arts both within and outside of FirstMC. These newsletters will contain more information than what will be included in the Midweek Messenger.

The April newsletter was sent out on Friday, March 29. If you would like to receive our future newsletters to your email, you must opt-in by filling out the form below. If you would like to opt-out of receiving these newsletters, please contact Rachel Wilhelm.


Submit

In case you missed the April newsletter, you can check it out below! There are also copies available at church or you can download and print your own.

Download April Newsletter

Survey

As we continue to develop this community, we want to know what your gifts, talents, and interests are in any artistic field. We also want to know if you might be interested in being involved with future projects or a part of new initiatives as we work to incorporate various arts into the life of FirstMC.

To get to the Creative Arts Community Survey, please click the button below. Be sure to click the red submit button at the bottom of the survey when finished.

Creative Arts Community Survey

One of the components of the Creative Arts Community is to allow for more of the many talented musicians within our congregation to share their gifts by providing live music near the Coffee Connection Café on Sundays starting at 10 AM. We hope that you will make a habit to come to church early to enjoy the yummy drinks and treat, cherish the time of fellowship with one another, and savor the music.

There is a piano available in the hallway, but this is not limited to only pianists or soloists.  Groups of two to three people are welcome to join together.  We will not be using a sound system as this is acoustic, background music to help calm our spirits and prepare us to gather for worship.  

This can be any style: jazz, classical, gospel, traditional hymns, contemporary.  It should not be anything with secular lyrics that people would recognize.

If you have questions, please contact John Gerig. 

If you would like to provide 20 to 25 minutes of music on a Sunday before church, please fill out the form below. Be sure to click the red submit button at the bottom of the form when finished.


Submit

Our current exhibit is called "Praise"

This exhibit will be open from Sunday, March 24 until Sunday, May 5. We hope you will stop by and see this exhibit! 

Important Dates:

March 24 - May 5, 2024: Exhibit open
May 5 - 9, 2024: Artwork picked up

Have you walked through The Gallery yet? The Gallery is open on the north side of the Fellowship Hall with our current exhibit called “Praise”. We are excited by the participation we received from 20 artists of all ages. This exhibit will be up until Sunday, May 5. We hope you check it out! 

Artists:

· Lou Brown (photography)
· Maddie & Ellie Carrigan (Lego)
· Chloe Derby (watercolor & ink)
· Lila Derby (watercolor)
· Samantha Derby (watercolor)
· Amelia Hornbarger (marker & paint)
· Bob Jones (watercolor, oil & linen, and pen & India ink)
· Devon Ngoh (pencil)
· Lucy Nichols (watercolor and acrylic)
· Timmy Oberley (acrylic)
· Corrine Reynolds (pen & sharpie and acrylic & pen)
· Elias Reynolds (wood & acrylic)
· Isaac Reynolds (pencil & marker)
· Nancy Rossiter (quilt)
· Brian Schwartz (wood)
· Kathryn Seelye (wire & Aurora Opal)
· Sonja Strahm (watercolor & ink)
· Logan Tuckey (photography)
· Rachel Wilhelm (photography and mixed media)

A place for FirstMC writers to gather (virtually) for inspiration and connection as we use poetry and other written forms to explore and express our lives of faith. 

Request to join the private Facebook group by clicking the button below.
FirstMC Word Artist on Facebook

Come to an evening for people to share their writing and songwriting centered around a theme of “Praise”! This is on Sunday, May 5 at 6 PM in the Heritage Room with refreshments provided. Everyone is welcome!

If you would like to share a piece, please fill out the form by Sunday, April 28. If you have questions, please contact Pastor Sam.

Submit Writing

Arts in the Community

If you are involved in the arts outside of FirstMC and you would like your event announced in the Creative Arts Community’s Monthly Newsletter, please provide us with the relevant information by clicking the button below to fill out the form.

Please note that the Creative Arts Community Council reserves the right to promote only events
considered appropriate for the entire FirstMC community.
Form for Arts in the Community