Family Ministries · Generations Together

Family here means everyone at the table.

Kids and grandparents. Couples and single adults. People new to Anniston and people who have been in these pews for sixty years. Family Ministries is how we spend time together outside of Sunday morning, mostly over a meal.

See what's coming up Talk to Emmalie
Family Ministries sharing a meal together.
Who this is for

"Family ministries" can sound like it's only for married couples with kids. It isn't.

Faith grows best when generations grow together. So when we say family, we mean the church family, and you are already part of it the first time you show up.

  • SingleTired of church events that seem built for couples.
  • Raising kidsShort on time and looking for something the whole household can do.
  • Raising grandkidsDoing it a second time, and glad for company.
  • Newly retiredWondering what to do with a free weekday.
  • New in townYou don't know anyone in Anniston yet.
  • Eating alone a lotWidowed, divorced, or just living by yourself.
  • A teenagerYou'd like somewhere to be that isn't next to your parents.
  • Not sure what you believeQuestions are welcome at every table here.

If any of those sounds like you, there's a seat.

Ways to get started

Four easy ways to meet people here.

None of these require membership, a sign-up form, or knowing anybody. Pick whichever fits your week.

Dinner out together at Grace and Grub.
Once a month · all ages

Grace and Grub

Our monthly gathering away from the building. Some months it's dinner at a local spot; other months it's a casual outing with room for conversation and a lot of laughing. It is the easiest way to meet people at Anniston First.

  • WhereSomewhere different each month. Watch our Facebook page or ask Emmalie.
  • Who comesEvery age. Solo, couples, whole households, and friends somebody brought along.
  • BringYourself, and anyone you'd like to invite.
  • First time?Sit anywhere. Nobody will make you introduce yourself to the group.
Adults sharing a midday lunch together.
Weekdays · midday

Mid-Day Lunch

A steady rhythm for adults who want company during the week. The meals are simple and the conversation is the point. Friendships form here, and people get looked after.

  • WhenA regular weekday lunch. Emmalie can tell you the next date and place.
  • Who comesMostly adults 50 and up. If you're younger, come anyway. We're healthier when generations mix.
  • First time?Expect a plate of food and someone asking how your week's going.
Anniston First youth group together.
Middle & high school

Youth Group

A place for teenagers to be with each other, and with adults who are on their side. Questions are welcome, including the hard ones. Youth has a page of its own with the details.

  • When & whereTimes, place, and who leads it are on the Youth page.
  • Who comesMiddle and high schoolers, whether or not their family comes on Sundays.
  • First time?Bring a friend. Parents are welcome to walk in and meet the adults who lead it.
Visit the Youth page
A big Family Ministries group outside the movie theater.
A few times a year · everyone

Seasonal Outings

Every so often we head somewhere together, from a night at the movies to a day on the water at Camp Lee.

  • WhenAnnounced on Facebook and in our church emails.
  • Who comesFamilies, grandparents, single adults, teenagers. Whoever's free that day.
  • First time?Come for part of the day if that's all you've got.
Have younger children?

Kids have a whole ministry of their own.

Children are welcome at everything on this page. They also have their own Sunday morning, their own camps, and their own director: Julie Talley leads Children's Ministries at Anniston First.

Children's Ministries
Sundays at 10:30, in the Sanctuary
  • NurseryBirth through age two, from the start of the service.
  • Children's momentKids come down front for a few minutes made just for them.
  • Children's churchThen they head out for their own time while the grown-ups stay for the sermon.
Life together

What it looks like when we get together.

Together at Grace and Grub.
The youth group chili cook-off.
Family Ministries kayaking on the lake.
A Family Ministries winter outing.
Swimming together on a summer afternoon.
More from the youth chili cook-off.
Getting splashed out on the water at Camp Lee.
Family Ministries out kayaking together.
Facts & Questions

What people ask before they come.

Our family doesn't look like a "church family." Is this for us?

Yes. Blended families, single parents, grandparents raising grandkids, couples without children, people on their own. Nobody here is checking whether your household fits a picture.

Do I have to be a member, or come on Sundays?

No. Plenty of people meet us at a Grace and Grub before they ever see the Sanctuary. Come to whatever you'd like, as often as you'd like.

I'm coming by myself. Will that be awkward?

Lots of people come on their own. If you'd like, call Emmalie ahead of time and she'll make sure you have someone to sit with.

Can my teenager come to youth group if we don't attend church here?

Yes. Your teenager is welcome whether or not anyone else in the family comes. You're welcome to come in and meet the leaders first. The Youth page has the details.

Is this a way to get us to join?

No. Membership, serving, and giving are things people choose when they're ready. A meal is just a meal, and you can come to as many as you like without anyone asking for anything.

Not sure where to start?

Tell Emmalie what your week looks like.

She'll help you find one thing that fits, whether that's this month's Grace and Grub, a weekday lunch, the next outing, or just a few people to say hello to on a Sunday.

Emmalie Whitney

Emmalie Whitney

Family Ministries · Camp Lee Executive Director
256-499-1282 emmalie@annistonfirst.info

Rather just show up? Worship is Sundays at 8:30 in Acker Chapel and 10:30 in the Sanctuary, 1400 Noble Street. Plan your first visit.