First Church is planning on going back to Panama in 2025. We are thrilled to have this opportunity. We are starting now to build a team for our Panama Learn and Serve week in July of 2025. Panama is a beautiful country with even more beauty found in her people. First Church has been deeply connected to Panama and the people there for almost 15 years. Our connection is through a United Methodist missionary, Rhett Thompson, who has served in Panama for over 30 years. Rhett has connected us to folks in Panama that we know by name now. It is through these connections that many folks here at First Church have had life-changing experiences in Panama.
These experiences have centered on learning about being present in a community and listening to their needs. It is in this listening that Rhett and our teams that have gone to Panama can work with the communities in Panama to build homes, an after-school recreation center, dental and medical facilities, teach English as a Second Language, and so much more. The point of Panama is not to change others by anything we as Americans can offer but instead to be changed by our experience in Panama with the hope of bringing life-giving experiences home to Birmingham.
Our hope and vision for the life of First Church is to play a role in making Birmingham a city that reflects the Kingdom of God. One of the things that Rhett has been able to do in Panama is to be proximate to people, listen to them, and in response, offer help out of his love for God and humanity. That is exactly what we do in Panama. I hope that we as a team can learn and serve in Panama and see those tangible ways in our own lives where we can learn and serve as a faith community in downtown Birmingham.
One other thing to be said about the trip, beyond the great spiritual impact and life-changing experience, is that it is a lot of fun! We take time to enjoy the beaches, the culture, and the food of Panama. So know that if you make this decision it will be a lot of fun too. We look forward to building a wonderful team that can have a life-giving experience in Panama. A $50 deposit is due by December 15, 2024. Contact Jonathan Goss at Jonathan@firstchurchbhm.com to enquire about joining the Panama Learn and Serve Team in 2025.
