Special People

Tempe First is blessed by the presence of many special congregants. On April 17, the congregation celebrated the 100th birthday of Mrs. Florence Bailey. Mrs. Bailey's daughter and son-in-law, Carol and William Lippincott, also members of Tempe First, hosted an open house on Sunday afternoon.

Sadly, another long time member, John Andes, passed away. Mr. Andes, who was 105 years old at his death, was a beloved member and a great conversationalist until his last days.

Over the last 120 years, Arizona State University has grown up around the church campus. Many of Tempe First's members are active and retired educators. It is a joy to be able to talk with them once in awhile about their relationship with both the church and the university.

This past Sunday, April 24, the members of Tempe First celebrated the volunteers who help in the Education department. Thirty-Five people attended the breakfast, and many more were honored during the worship service. The congregation also honored thirteen college students with scholarships for the next school year. Soon, of course, like churches all across the United States, we will be honoring this year's high school and college graduates.

In addition to the wonderful people who attend and volunteer at Tempe First United Methodist Church, there are some ministries that reach out to the community in positive ways. For instance, the Urban Outreach program serves close to 200 homeless individuals each week, with showers, breakfast, and a clothing exchange on Monday and Friday morning. One of the most interesting things about Urban Outreach is that the ministry works with the Service Learning program at Arizona State University. Director Rev. Rosemary Anderson hires 5 or 6 student interns each semester. The interns come from many places around the world. This semester there are students from China, the Middle East, and across the United States.

Another exciting ministry is the new Special Needs Sunday School, started by church member Stacia Doty and Director of Education, Diana Spratt. Ms. Doty is a candidate for ministry on the Deacon track. She plans to specialize in Disability Ministries. This new Sunday School for the differently abled community is crucial in today's world. It will be exciting to watch this ministry grow!