Call to Worship - You are invited to light a candle in your home to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit
Higher Ground - 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:
Stewardship Campaign: Our goal is to raise $20,000/month for payroll, so that we can continue to employ all the people who are working tirelessly to bring the Good News to all who need to hear it. My prayer is that we can raise enough money to cover our church’s payroll over the next three months. This allows the congregation to use any money we have on hand to directly support our ministries.
We have converted our parsonage into a co-housing community, which now has 6 residents living safely and affordably together. We have been able to support people who might not have been able to find sustainable housing in the current market, and we can ensure that they will stay housed during the pandemic. It would be an additional hope to raise $3,000/month to support the utilities and expenses of the co-housing community.
Jubilee Fund: This fund is designated to helping reduce the burden of debt in our community. As we make our way through the pandemic, the economic pressures are going to be challenging. If you feel led, you can now donate through Venmo!
VENMO: You can find us here: https://venmo.com/LAFirstUMC
PAYPAL: https://paypal.me/LAFirstUMC
SQUARE: https://checkout.square.site/pay/be673aef7fcb424e98387016d184e57d
DISCIPLE BIBLE STUDY, Monday, April 19: Week 2, God Scatters the Proud
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
GENESIS-EXODUS
April 19: Chapter 2 - God Scatters the Proud
April 26: Chapter 3 - God Welcomes
May 3: Chapter 4 - Carrying the Covenant
May 10: Chapter 5 - Conflict with the Family
May 17: Chapter 6 - Wrestling With God
May 24: No class
May 31: No class - Memorial Day
June 7: Chapter 7 - In God’s Time
June 14: Chapter 8 - God Works for Good
June 21: Chapter 9 - The Bonds of Slavery
June 28: Chapter 10 - God in the Fire
July 5: No Class
July 12: No Class
July 19: Chapter 11 - God Opens the Sea
July 26: Chapter 12 - Amid the Struggle God Provides
August 2: Chapter 13 - God’s Commands
August 9: Chapter 14 - The Just Laws of God
August 16: Chapter 15 - Protector of the Powerless
August 23: Chapter 16 - God’s Dwelling Place
We have a new mailing address!
When we are able to meet in person, we will still be congregating in our tents under the blue California sky on the corner of Flower & Olympic in the heart of DTLA, but if you need to send anything to the church via snail mail, here is the address you can reach us at:
Los Angeles First United Methodist Church
917 Fremont Ave., #119
South Pasadena CA 91030-9998
Eastertide Sermon Series: HIGHER GROUND - Using the Examen to dig deeper, so that we may reach higher
April 18: Examining Our Faith in God and Others
April 25: Examining Our Thoughts, Words, and Deeds
May 2: Examining Our Perception of Freedom
May 9: Examining How We Find God in Others
May 16: Examining Our Greatest Fear
May 23: Pentecost Sunday
What is the Examen?
St. Ignatius of Loyola created the Examen to be a very short prayer that can be prayed at any time. In the Examen, we review our recent past to find God and his blessings in our daily life. Ignatius would say that the Examen should be the most important moment of our day, because this moment affects every other moment.
How Do I Pray the Examen?
There are five simple steps to the Examen, which this app leads you through:
Relish the moments that went well and all of the gifts you have today.
Request that the Spirit lead you through your review of the day.
Review your day.
Repent of any mistakes or failures.
Resolve, in concrete ways, to live tomorrow well.
The UMW and Abolition Apostles Ministry are looking for pen-pals!
LAFUMC is partnering with Abolition Apostles Ministry to have church members paired with a pen pal who is currently incarcerated. The mission of Abolition Apostles is: “Our mission is to offer moral and spiritual support to members of the incarcerated community, and contribute to the destruction of the prison-industrial complex through solidarity, prophetic witness, and community organizing inside and outside of prison.”
You can learn more about their work here.
Community Resources:
Covid Testing:
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:
Starting April 1st, anyone over the age of 50 is eligible for a free vaccine! On April 15th, ALL California residents over the age of 16 are eligible! Learn more about how people in the newly eligible groups can get vaccinated For more information on who is eligible, booking an appointment and required documentation, visit: Coronavirus.LACity.org/Vaccine
Check out https://myturn.ca.gov/ to see if you are soon becoming eligible for your vaccine.
There 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
Justice for Our Friend and Member Dr. Aysha Khoury:
Dr. Khoury found out that the Kaiser Medical School terminated her contract after she gave a school sanctioned talk on racism in medicine, and she needs our help to hold the administrators of this school responsible for this racially motivated firing.
You can learn more about her story here: https://civilrightslawyerla.com/khoury
You can contribute to the GoFundMe in her name here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-aysha-khoury
Outdoor performances at South Park Commons Fridays from 6-8 PM
https://www.southpark.la/music?mc_cid=5dfde9979d&mc_eid=7f28a27aef
The 2021 COVID-19 Emergency Renters Assistance Program deadline is April 30th!
If you need help with the application, there is a hotline that you can call.
See requirements and get assistance: hcidla.lacity.org
CALL TO PRAYER: Great Is Thy Faithfulness - El Dorado
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.
EXAMEN: My relationship with God, Others, Self
Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days
Scripture: Luke 24:36b-48, NRSV
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
One: This is the Word of God for us, the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God!
Sermon: HIGHER GROUND: Examining our Faith in God & Others - 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 Prayer
Our 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: Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus/Time After Time - 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
Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days