About FUMC
Worship/Sermons
Programs/Ministries
Missions/Service
News/Calendar
Events/Committees
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About Us
At Ames First United Methodist Church (map) we seek to be “a vital church connecting people with God and with one another.” These connections are important! We celebrate Jesus’ words in John 15:5, “I am the vine you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them, bear much fruit, because apart from me, you can do nothing.” As we are connected with God in Christ, we grow in faith and discipleship, as well as in meaning and purpose of life.
The fall of 2008 we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the construction and dedication of our sanctuary building and we are grateful for the vision and witness of our ancestors who have gone before us. This congregation has certainly experienced “grace upon grace” for the 142 years of its history here in Ames.
This is such an exciting time in the life of this congregation! All of our program ministries for children, youth, and adults are exploding with enthusiasm! We are growing in our stewardship and in our care for one another. Our worship is Spirit-filled! This is a GREAT TIME to grow in our connections with one another as we continue to reach out in love and witness to all those outside of our church in order that they may connect with the living Christ and us.
VISION STATEMENT: Ames First UMC is to be a VITAL Church connecting people with God and with each other - driven to serve.
AN AFFIRMATION OF WELCOME:
Matthew 7:7-8
"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
As a community of the people of God, we are called to minister to all people of the world, knowing that the world is often an unloving place, a place of alienation and brokenness. Christ calls us to reconciliation and wholeness, and we are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing within our society.
We stand in affirmation with the apostle Paul that in Christ “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female.” Christ has made us one. We are all individuals of sacred worth. We acknowledge that this reconciliation encompasses all within the community of faith who exhibit differences in race, gender, and ethnicity, as well as age, culture, physical ability, educational level, economic status, personality, marital status, and sexual orientation.
In response to the often hostile social climate with respect to diversity within our society and the resulting feelings of alienation from the Church, we wish to make known our caring and concern. It is for this purpose that we affirm the following:
* all persons share the sacred worth that comes from being unique individuals created by God;
* all persons are welcome within the membership of this congregation upon making affirmation of faith; and
* as members of this congregation, all persons are expected and encouraged to participate in the sacramental and general life of this congregation and to witness to and serve the community
we believe that God is calling this congregation:
* to be a church steeped in and surrounded by prayer,
* to be a welcoming church,
* to be a church focused outward to the community,
* to be a church of multiple worship experiences,
* to be a church that is equipping leaders,
* to be a church focused inward with caring,
* to be a church of multiple small groups for study and service,
* to be a tithing church, and
* to be a church celebrating all ages of God’s people.
Contact Information
Ames First - 515-232-2750, office@fumcames.org
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Senior Pastor
Reverend Frederick (Fred) J. Lewis
Hometown: Griswold, Iowa
Education: Fred graduated from Griswold High School in 1972, and received a BA from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1976. He went on to The Methodist Theological School of Ohio in Delaware, Ohio. In 1979, he received a M. Div. and a MA, in Christianity and Drama with Christian Education emphasis. Fred was ordained a deacon in 1977 and an elder in the UMC in 1980. He is a certified Minister of Christian Education.
Fred served churches under appointment since 1979 in Ankeny, Janesville, and Clear Lake, Iowa, prior to arriving at Ames’ FUMC in July 2002. He has served on the national boards/councils for both the Christian Educators Fellowship and for The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and the Worship Arts. Fred has published articles in church resources; led workshops on worship and drama; and has served as an adjunct faculty member for Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in the area of worship and church music. In recent years he has once again been teaching the worship and music course in the Iowa School for Lay Ministry. He has held a number of various leadership positions in the Iowa annual conference.
Fred is father to a son, Nick, , and has been a host father to several international exchange students. Fred is a grandfather to Elizabeth M. Lewis. He loves to cook, to watch movies and theatre productions, to attend musical concerts and art shows. Fred has been serving the city of Ames as chairperson of the city's Commission on the Arts for the last few years. He is also on the music advisory board for ISU's department of Music and Theatre.
Responsibilities:
Serves as primary designer of worship and preacher.
Chief supervisor of the staff with oversight for church administration
Serves as resource person for Finance Committee, Stewardship, Worship, Altar Guild and Worship Arts, Memorials and Gifts,the Board of Trustees, and the Staff Parish relations Committee
Leads the Lay Leadership and Nominations Committee
Works with Church Council Leaders and Lay Leaders on the ongoing vision of FUMC
Preaches approximately, at least, two Saturdays and two Sundays a month
Involved in visitation ministries and teaching ministries
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Associate Pastor
Reverend Bethany Johnson
Hometown: Clive, IA
Education: Bethany graduated from Valley High School in 2004, and went to Stephens College in Columbia, MO to pursue a dance degree until God's call on her life made her change plans. She transferred to the University of Iowa and graduated with a BA in Psychology in 2007. She then immediately enrolled in the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA and graduated with her M.Div. in 2010. From May 2010 to June 2011 she worked as a Chaplain Resident at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. She joined the staff of FUMC in July 2011. Bethany is serving as licensed local pastor as she pursues ordination in the United Methodist Church. She also serves as the North Central District representative on the Conference Council on Youth Ministry.
Responsibilities:
Serves in the primary pastoral role for middle and high school youth and their families. Serves as the resource person for the Youth Council, the Youth Ministry Committee, the Welcome and Marketing Team, and the Missions and Outreach Cluster.
Preaches approximately two Saturdays and two Sundays a month.
Involved in visitation ministries and teaching ministries.
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Director of Christian Education
Ellen Johnsen
Hometown: Humboldt, Iowa
A graduate of Humboldt High School and Central College, Ellen served as an AmeriCorps volunteer after college. She spent her summers during college at Lake Okoboji U.M. Camp where she learned to play a few chords on the guitar. Ellen started working at FUMC in October of 2002. Her favorite FUMC event is the Christmas PJ Party, when she gets to wear her pajamas to work. Most of the time, Ellen has one fish who lives at work and a fish who lives at home.
Responsibilities:
Serves as the primary staff resource in Christian Education for the whole congregation, helping to lead the Christian Education Ministry Team for Children and Families
Serves as primary staff resource to children’s Sunday School, Vacation Bible School; Wednesday programs for children
Oversees the church library
Supervises the church’s nursery workers
Serves as primary resource for Camping Ministries
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Director of Pastoral Care Visitation, Adult Ministries and Spiritual Formation
Deanna Pullen
Hometown: Waterloo, Iowa
Education: Deanna graduated from West Waterloo High School and went on to nurses’ training at St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in Cedar Rapids. As a registered nurse, she has recently served as visiting nurse with the home-based team of Hospice of Central Iowa since 2005. Prior to that she had served as Minister of Health at Ankeny 1st U. Methodist Church for seven years. She completed the one-year Minister of Health Education Program through the chaplaincy department at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, with a certification in Health Ministry and Clinical Pastoral Education. She has served as a Licensed Local Pastor in the United Methodist Church since 2009.
Responsibilities: Responsibilities at Ames first include pastoral care and visitation, adult education and spiritual formation. Deanna relates to the pastors in the care of church members and friends, and with Adult Council, which will oversee adult education and adult activities.
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Music Director
Myrna Cakerice
Hometown: New Providence, Iowa
Education: Myrna participated in a variety of activities in school, including basketball, speech, drama, and music. She went on to UNI and attended for two years before she and her husband, Roy, adopted two girls and she received a MOM degree. Myrna and Roy also have one son. She has been a piano teacher since 1960. In 1980, Myrna began her work at FUMC as the church organist, and in 1993, she became the church choir director. In that same year, FUMC’s children’s choir sang with John Denver in his Christmas Concert at C.Y. Stephens in Ames.
Responsibilities:
Consults and works closely with the senior pastor and others regarding music ministry needs for worship and special programs
Serves as church organist and directs choirs, recruiting and caring for the volunteers and their families serving on the various musical ministries of the church
Works with others to develop and oversee the music ministry budget; serves on the Worship Cluster and Church Council
Works with the Director of Christian Education on musical needs for Sunday School, mid-week ministries, etc.
Helps to plan and promote concerts, recitals, and festivals
Properly maintains the music library, resources, and instruments of the church
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Finance Secretary
Jo Durlam
Hometown: Beaver, Iowa
Education: Jo graduated from Franklin Township Consolidated in Cooper, Iowa, then attended and graduated from Morningside College in Sioux City. Her husband, Mike, and she had a clothing store on Main Street Ames for 38 years. She has two daughters, Ann in Ankeny and Sara in Iowa City. Jo has four grandchildren, two in Ankeny and two in Iowa City. She enjoys all the basketball games, piano recitals, guitar recitals, soccer games, and tae kwan do that the grandchildren participate in. Her hobbies include reading, bridge, playing piano, and cooking.
Responsibilities:
Serves as the primary staff person working directly with the Committee on Finance: completes monthly reports; attends meetings; monitors and reviews ministry budget items and missions funds, etc.; recommends procedures and policies related to the financial/stewardship ministries of the church; plans and prepares for an annual financial review/audit
Serves as the custodian of all financial records and supplies reports as requested; counts, posts, and deposits offerings and payments for facility use and weddings
Maintains effective computerized accounting system in order to produce and distribute quarterly and annual financial statements, and in conjunction with the Finance Committee, reports to the congregation the financial status and health of the church
Prepares required information for the annual Charge Conference and complete report forms for use by the Iowa Annual Conference
Works with the church’s accounting firm to help manage payroll and all related issues
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Director of Office and Communications
Deb Benefield
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