What are the First Three Things?
This year, we hope that everyone connected to First UMC Arlington will commit to spending one hour per week in these First Three Things of faith:
- WORSHIP: This helps us focus on loving God and remembering that everything is about God more than ourselves.
- GROW: This helps us focus on our own spiritual growth through small groups, study, or class so that we continue becoming the disciples that God desires us to be and humbly remember that none of us are fully formed and complete.
- SERVE: This helps us remember that a faith without works is truly dead and that having an outwardly focused faith that tangibly helps others experience Christ’s love is vital to our Christianity.
We live very busy and chaotic lives, and we are often told, or simply feel on our own, that we are not doing enough and always need to be doing more. In a world where there is always more to do, and always a complexity of options before us, we want to strive together to focus on the first and most important things. We believe that focusing on the priorities, the basics of our faith will help each and every one of us to grow in our discipleship and relationship with God and neighbor.
Perhaps striving to invest in these First Three Things will mean adding something to your priority list that has been absent in the past, but for others, it may mean giving other things up in order to simplify your faith life and focus on deepening your relationship with Jesus Christ. What we know is that we need to focus on the priorities of our faith and if we are fruitful in making these three things a meaningful part of our weekly discipleship, we will grow in our relationship with God and we will help others see the love of Christ more fully.
How can I fulfill my First Three Things?
Throughout the year we will offer you opportunities in these three areas and invite you to commit to yourself and to your church family as to how you will do each of these for an hour each week. Perhaps you will fulfill making these First Three Things a priority this year by spending an hour in the 11am worship service in person at First UMC Arlington, attending weekly Sunday school classes, and serving as a packer for our New Day feeding ministry each week. Or perhaps you will fulfill these priorities by worshiping online with us each week, going to Monday Bible study each week, and being a greeter on Sunday mornings. There are so many ways that we might live into these First Three Things, but we know that if we all commit to do something, so very much will be done in our own faith and in the witness of faith to our community.
Need help finding ways to grow and serve in 2022? We can help! Fill out a FTT commitment card (see below or pick up a card in the church office) and check the "please contact me" boxes to indicate that you'd like our staff to reach out to you.
How do I commit to my First Three Things?
First Three Things commitment cards can be filled out online or in person. Click on the button below to fill out your card online or pick up a printed card in the church office or the resource shelves located around the church.