” I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF FCUMC, AND I BELIEVE WE ARE CREATING MODELS FOR LIVING IN SOLIDARITY WITH PEOPLE WHO OFTEN ARE NOT SERVED BY OUR SYSTEMS . “
Being part of First Community United Methodist Church has been a great source of family and support. It has also taught me a great deal in my life vocation to pursue greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in churches and other institutions.
In particular, FCUMC’s integration of the ministry of international students has helped me understand both the needs and the possibilities for education. Getting to know the international student ministers, including my wife, has helped me to learn more about the many difficulties they face–in terms of financial stresses, finding affordable housing, navigating cultural adjustments, and all of that on top of pursuing challenging masters studies. While I intellectually understand many of those concerns, the value of relationship is that you learn in such a way that you cannot remain unaffected personally.
I have also learned a great deal about workable models for empowering people who are marginalized by our educational and economic systems.
FCUMC understands that while relational and spiritual support are essential, international students also have material needs, and this needs to be part of holistically supporting our family. I have been able to see firsthand the difference it makes when my wife is able to serve in the church and receive essential help through the church’s scholarship programs. It has been of great blessing to our family, and also helps generate ideas for how the institutions where I work might better reach out practice an ethic of solidarity in how we care for and empower all people.
I am very grateful to be a part of FCUMC, and I believe we are creating models for living in solidarity with people who often are not served by our systems.
You can support the ministry for international students and our ministries. Visit: https://firstcommunitymedford.org/
support-the-church/ and find the ways you can support FUCMC.
Daniel Hauge