Call to Worship - You are invited to light a candle in your home to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - El Dorado
Passing of the Peace: Through the act of passing the peace of Christ, we offer our sincere desire to love our neighbor.
You are invited to greet one another in the live stream chat on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISCIPLE 2 BIBLE STUDY: Mondays at 5:30 PM via Zoom
Classes will resume January 10, 2022
January 10: Chapter 25 - Chapter 25 - Acts of the Holy Spirit
Day 1: Acts 1 - Ascension, Replacement for Judas
Day 2: Acts 2 - Pentecost, Peter’s Sermon, Common Fellowship
Day 3: Acts 3 - Peter and John Heal a Lame Man
Day 4: Acts 4 - Peter and John before the Council, Praying for Boldness, Sharing
Day 5: Acts 5 - Ananias and Sapphira, Obey God not Humans
Day 6: Study Manual, p. 192-199
ADVENT SERMON SERIES: November 28-Jan 2
A Season of Fulfilled Promises:
NOV. 28: JUSTICE & RIGHTEOUSNESS
DEC. 5: PREPARED & UNREADY
DEC. 12: REPENT & REJOICE
DEC. 19: BLESSINGS WHICH AREN'T
DEC. 24: PROMISE FULFILLED - 5:30PM - IN PERSON WORSHIP!
DEC. 26: SABBATH SUNDAY
JAN. 2: EPIPHANY SUNDAY
CHRISTMAS EVE: IN PERSON WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP!
Join us at 4:30 PM on Friday, December 24 in our parking lot at 1020 S. Flower Street, LA 90015 for fellowship prior to our 5:30 pm Christmas Eve Candlelighting Service! Masks are required, and all are welcome!
EL DORADO - SONGS OF THE SEASON
Enjoy the music of our own El Dorado this season here!
VENMO: You can find us here: https://venmo.com/LAFirstUMC
PAYPAL: https://paypal.me/LAFirstUMC
SQUARE: https://checkout.square.site/pay/be673aef7fcb424e98387016d184e57d
UNITED METHODIST RESOURCES:
ADVENT PHOTO A DAY 2021:
The United Methodist Church offers a practice for the Advent season that we hope is more meaningful and rewarding than it is hard: Our Advent Photo-a-Day Challenge. Each day during the season of Advent, we'll post a word for reflection. Take a moment (or several moments) of pause and reflection, then share a response to that word through a picture posted on social media. Post your picture on social media with #RethinkChurch.
You can find 2020’s Advent Song a Day Playlist here.
ADVENT 2021 Song-A-Day Playlist:
November 28 - PROMISE: A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
29 - FULFILL: Every Valley Shall Be Exalted - Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration, Lizz Lee, Chris Willis, Mike E.
30 - TIME: What Christmas Means to Me - John Legend, Stevie Wonder
December 1 - JUSTICE: O Holy Night, Brandi Carlile (additionally, Tracy Chapman)2 - RIGHTEOUSNESS: New Compassion - HAERTS
3 - LIVE: Nutcracker Suite: Sugar Rum Cherry (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy) - Duke Ellington, Harmonie Ensemble
4 - CALLED: Christmas Is - Dolly Parton & Miley Cyrus
5 - HOPE: And He Shall Purify - Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration, Tramaine Hawkins
6 - MESSENGER: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus - Christy Nockels
7 - PREPARE: People, Get Ready - Eva Cassidy
8 - SEEK: O Come, All Ye Faithful - Nat King Cole
9 - DELIGHT: Hallelujah - HAIM
10 - ENDURE: There’s Still My Joy - Indigo Girls
11 - OFFERING: In the Bleak Midwinter - Indigo Girls
12 - HOME: Home - Michelle Malone
13 - FEAR: River - Joni Mitchell
14 - GROW - Gold and Green - Sugarland
15 - GLADNESS: Circle of Love - Dolly Parton
16 - VICTORY: Soon & Very Soon - Andre Crouch
17 - RENEW: A Hard Year’s Christmas - Johnnyswim
18 - GATHER: Crowded Table - The Highwomen
19 - GREAT: Revelations 19:1 - Sunday Service Choir
20 - WATCH
21 - AWE
22 - AMAZED
23 - TREASURED
24 - SEEN
25 - WORSHIP
*Hospitality Representatives Needed for Our Potentially In Person Christmas Eve Service*
As you may have heard the past two Sundays from Senior Pastor Mandy, we have been planning and preparing to have an in-person service, hopefully, on Christmas Eve at 5:30pm at our home base, our beloved parking lot. In order to make that possible, we are looking for volunteers for our new Hospitality Representatives Team. In order to make sure that all are kept safe under Covid protocols, we will need more hands on deck to greet and guide members and guests so that Mandy and El Dorado and Debbie can focus on the efforts of setting up and running the service. If you think you would be great at this vital new role, please email Debbie at debbie@lafirstumc.org
UMC Winter Camps for Kids and Teens
Junior/Senior High Winter Camp 2022 (Camp Wrightwood)
Elementary Winter Camp 2022 (Camp Wrightwood)
Charlie Brown Christmas Camp 2021 (Lazy W Ranch)
COMMUNITY RESOURCES:
Support The Ending PUSHOUT Act
This summer, many United Methodist Women members and friends all across the country participated in the Mission u study of Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Dr. Monique Morris. We learned about the extreme racial disparities in discipline impacting Black girls. Addressing the deep roots of intersecting oppressions targeting Black girls is complex and long-term work. There is no simple one-and-done fix. But we can have an impact. One way we can help make change is by showing our support for an important federal bill, The Ending PUSHOUT Act, and by encouraging our loved ones to join us in action.
The Ending PUSHOUT Act of 2021 (H.R.2248):
creates a $2.5 billion fund to incentivize schools and states to abandon unfair and discriminatory disciplinary policies and practices that push children of color out of the classroom;
strengthens civil rights monitoring and enforcement;
and establishes a task force to address school pushout, with particular attention to the needs of girls of color.
Participating states and schools would be supported to invest in restorative practices, trauma-informed care, counselors, social workers and mental health professionals. Funds could not be used for police in schools. Please join us in supporting The Ending PUSHOUT Act. Already taken action in support of this bill? Multiply your impact by asking three friends to join you in taking action on this campaign.
Winter Shelters are open 11/1-3/31.
The Winter Shelter Program provides a warm place to sleep and access to supportive services to our unsheltered neighbors. If you or someone you know needs shelter visit LAHSA.org/winter-shelter or call 1 (800) 548-6047.
Metro will be offering free service on all bus and rail lines on the nights of Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. mtro.la/iAty50HelVf
GreenFaith: Lauren K wanted to share this interfaith climate change group to pass along if anyone at church is interested: From coast to coast; continent to continent, our message is crystal clear: Our faiths call for an end to climate destruction and a sustainable and just future for all. https://greenfaith.org/
Holiday Hope Donation Drive
South Park BID and the Elleven HOA are partnering to distribute hygiene kits to people experiencing homelessness in South Park. We are looking for donations of new items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gel, lotion, deodorant, socks, and snacks. For a full list of items, click here. We ask that all donations be placed in gallon size Ziplock bags and dropped off at Elleven, 1111 S. Grand Ave, from December 2nd through December 20th. For more information on the Donation Drive, please contact the Elleven Management Office at (213) 749-9255.
COVID Testing:
You can get your digital vaccination record: myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov
healthvana.com or carbonhealth.com
LA City is now offering free testing, without appointments at City-run sites. Find a site near you: Coronavirus.LACity.org/Testing. For additional COVID-19 resources: Coronavirus.LACity.org/Resources
Vaccines:
In case you missed it: Pfizer's #COVID19 vaccine is approved for kids 5-11!! Children may now get vaccinated at select, walk-up clinics county-wide. Please call ahead to check availability. Visit vaccinatelacounty.com for info or talk to your child’s doctor
All COVID-19 vaccines are now approved for boosters - Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. People may also receive booster doses that are different than their original vaccine. For more info and to make an appointment, visit bit.ly/3m3Uspo--
CVS is already prepared to administer boosters. You can make an appointment for the booster of your choice at https://www.cvs.com/vaccine/intake/store/covid-screener/covid-qns
Vaccine requirements are in effect, LA County is providing mobile vaccinations, testing vendors, as well as a toolkit for owners of bars and businesses that serve alcohol, as well as for those running mega events. For more info visit, ph.lacounty.gov/coronavirus
California residents can now request in-home vaccinations and/or transit assistance to get vaccinated by registering at MyTurn.ca.gov or by calling the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) COVID-19 Call Center at 1-833-422-4255.
Everyone 12 years and older in LA County is now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Children 12-17 are only eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine—to find a location near you, visit bit.ly/PfizerSites. Learn more about the vaccines at vaccinatelacounty.com.
Need a ride? Uber and Lyft are providing free rides to and from vaccination sites. Don't have the apps? Call 833-540-0473 to book your ride.
There are several vaccine sites set up by Carbon Health that you can check: https://carbonhealth.com/
LA County: http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/vaccine/index.htm
Orange County residents and workers: Register for a vaccination appointment at https://othena.com
ADVENT WREATH LIGHTING: Week 4 – Rick Rives
Week 4 – December 19, 2021
Watch and wait for Christ’s coming!
We light candles of hope, peace, joy, and love, remembering the promises of God with prayer.
Hear these words from the prophet Micah: (Micah 5:2-5a, NRSV)
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.
We light this candle in hope. (Light the first candle.)
We light this candle in peace. (Light the second candle.)
We light this candle in joy. (Light the pink candle.)
We light this candle in love. (Light the fourth candle.)
Let us pray:
God, whose origin is from ancient of days, we seek your presence. Help us usher in the coming Christ Child during this season of holy waiting. Come in hope. Come in peace. Come in joy. Come in love.
Come, O Lord. Amen.
Verse 5 of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Joys and Concerns: We believe that the best way to bear our burdens is to share them with one another. You are invited to share your joys and concerns so that our community can hold these things in our hearts as we lift them to God together.
You are invited to share your prayers in the Facebook Live Chat, or on the YouTube Live chat.
Scripture: Luke 1:39-45; 46b-55, NRSV
Mary Visits Elizabeth
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
Mary’s Song of Praise
And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
One: This is the Word of God for us, the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God!
Sermon: ADVENT IV: A SEASON OF FULFILLED PROMISES: Blessings Which Aren’t- Rev. Mandy McDow
HOLY COMMUNION
Invitation to the Table: As we understand the Body of Christ to be inclusive, we understand God’s table of grace and fellowship can extend into our homes. As you’re able, bring your own elements to this time. Bread, Juice, Coffee, Muffins… the Body of Christ is comprised of wonder and mystery. Today, we celebrate that God can reach us where we are, even if we are not together.
The Great Mystery of our Faith
All: Christ has died
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
The Lord’s PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
MUSIC DURING COMMUNION: Joy to the World - El Dorado
Benediction Remember:
God is with you,
God is for you,
God refuses to be God without you.
And may all of God’s people say: Amen.
Virtual Coffee Hour Begins now!
Immediately following worship on Zoom