Shelby First United Methodist

05/03/2026

Walking the Path That Grows Brighter
Life often feels like a series of choices—some big, many small—that shape the direction we’re heading. In Proverbs, we are given a clear image: two paths. One leads to light, growing brighter with each step. The other leads to darkness, where it’s easy to stumble without even realizing why.
The wisdom of Proverbs reminds us that the path we walk is formed over time. It is shaped by what we listen to, what we take in, and the patterns we allow to grow in our lives. Small, daily choices matter. They quietly determine whether we are moving toward light or drifting into shadow.
1 Peter adds another layer to this image. We are not simply individuals trying to find our way—we are being built together into something meaningful. Like living stones, we are part of a spiritual house. We belong to God and to one another.
This passage also reminds us of who we are:
• A chosen people
• A royal priesthood
• A people called out of darkness into light
Our identity is not something we earn by walking the right path. Instead, it is from this identity that we are able to walk it.

Reflection Questions
• What am I “taking in” that is shaping my thoughts, attitudes, and direction?
• Are there small patterns in my life that are leading me away from the light?
• Where do I see even a small “glimmer of dawn” in my life right now?
• How can I lean into community instead of trying to walk alone?

04/25/2026

04/02/2026

Please join us for the following
Holy Week Services
Ecumenical Services:
Maundy Thursday, 7pm- UCC Church
Good Friday, 7 pm Presbyterian Church

Easter Sunday, 9 am at our home church
No sunrise service due to rain forecast.

01/25/2026

A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Hee-Soo Jung

Dear Beloved People of The Ohio Episcopal Area,
I write to you today with a heavy heart and a praying spirit as we witness the recent tragic deaths of two people in Minnesota. These losses are not isolated incidents. They are part of a wider pattern of fear-driven, indiscriminate immigration enforcement that has crossed moral and spiritual boundaries. Nothing can justify violence against human life.

As an immigrant myself, I know in my own body what it means to live under the weight of uncertainty, vulnerability, and being labeled. I also know that many who are called “undocumented” are not criminals. They are workers, parents, and neighbors who crossed borders because economic systems, political violence, and family survival left them no other choice. Today, families, industries, and entire communities in the United States depend on their labor and their lives. This is why we must continue to call for comprehensive immigration reform that reflects reality, justice, and mercy.

Scripture is unambiguous about God’s heart toward the stranger.
“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the stranger. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the stranger as yourself” (Leviticus 19:33–34).

The crisis before us is not only legal or political—it is moral and spiritual. The United States is being tested at the level of its soul. Will we be a nation shaped by fear and exclusion, or a society rooted in hospitality and justice? Our faith reminds us that God is always found among the displaced, the vulnerable, and the unwelcome.

Jesus himself was a refugee. Scripture tells us that his family fled violence and crossed borders to survive (Matthew 2:13–15). And our Lord teaches us plainly: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35).

The church cannot be silent in such a moment. The Ohio churches are called again to be a people who build true human community—where dignity is protected, where the stranger is seen as neighbor, and where love is stronger than fear. Laws matter. Policies matter. But before all of that, the spirit of hospitality must shape our homes, our congregations, and our public witness.

Let us become communities of sanctuary - places where justice has a face, and mercy has hands:
We lift before you the names and faces
of those who have died,
and the families who now grieve.
Hold them in your healing light.
Make our churches places of welcome,
where the stranger is no longer invisible,
and the wounded find safety.
Let justice walk freely in our streets,
and let compassion become
the language of our nation.
Break the power of fear.
Restore the soul of this land
through the love of Christ,
who makes us all neighbors. Amen

12/19/2025

Join us for Christmas Eve candlelight service
7 pm

12/15/2025

Our Advent photo word of the day for December 13: GREATER
What images does this inspire in your mind today? Share your responses in the form of a picture and tag your post with @ unitedmethodistchurch

Want to see what others are coming up with? www.umc.org/adventphoto

12/14/2025

Church services at Trinity and First UMC are canceled tomorrow due to weather. Stay safe and warm everyone!

12/13/2025

Nine Lessons and Carols has been cancelled tonight due to the weather!

12/04/2025

Advent Bible Study, first night tonight. Will be held the next two Thursday nights at 5 pm. Light supper provided. Come see Pastor Michael’s legendary power point. 😁

12/03/2025

Shelby City Council voted unanimously Monday evening to approve the First United Methodist Church as a local landmark.