Order of Worship for Sunday, March 5, 2023: Lent II - What Does It Mean to Be Saved?

Call to Worship - You are invited to light a candle in your home to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) - El Dorado

Welcome - Stephen Folds

Galileo - 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. 

LENT SERMON SERIES: SAVED BY GRACE
You are invited to pray the Lord’s Prayer every day at noon throughout Lent
February 26 - Temptation and the Nature of Sin
March 5 - What Does it Mean to Be Saved?
March 12 - Justified by Faith
March 19 - The Grace that Comes Before Our Knowing
March 26 - Is Resurrection Possible?
April 2 - Palm Sunday 🌿 - Jesus Christ Superstar!
April 7 - Good Friday - Virtual Service at Noon PT
April 9 - Easter Sunday - Set Your Minds on Things That Are Above
April 16 - Sabbath Sunday

Calling all arts submissions for “The Light in All of Us” LA First UMC community-wide Easter Arts Offering!

What does the phrase “The Light in All of Us” inspire in you? Does it spring forth as a tune, a painting, a poem, a painting, a lego sculpture, a film, a scene, etc? We are a church community filled with artists with many diverse gifts. We would love to hear what comes from your soul, what your heart would create around that theme. It can be shared live or via video or email. We would like to our online and in-person community members to share their gifts a part of our celebration of Easter.

As you complete your work, email office@lafirstumc.org to let us know how you would like to present your portion of this offering.

[NEW DATE] UWF Field Trip the to Museum of Social Justice

Our United Women in Faith will now be taking an hour long tour on Saturday March 11th to see the new exhibit before everyone disperses for the day. At 10:30am, those who want to carpool can meet in our parking lot and drive together to La Plaza. All in our church community are welcome. If you are interested, please reach out to Sara Munshin to let her know you would like to participate.

All who need a meal on Sunday, young and old, are invited to come sit down at the table with us for a hot, catered breakfast to get their day started! Our volunteers will be acting as servers, so that all who come join us have time to sit and enjoy their breakfast

LA First UMC is starting this ministry with the hopes of helping to fill the need for hot meals served on the weekends when most meal-providing services are closed in DTLA.

LA First UMC's Sunday Breakfast Ministry

Sundays 8:30-9:30am Pacific Time
Outside, at the picnic tables, in the parking lot on the South East Corner of Olympic and Flower
Next to Villa Flores located at 1020 S Flower St

Update to Volunteering Process

In order for the hour to run smoothly and efficiently, Debbie has planned to have jobs for 6 volunteers each week. Don't worry there are plenty of Sundays to sign up for the rest of the year. Please reach out to Debbie to get on the volunteering calendar. She can be reached at debbie@lafirstumc.org. Once you are signed up to be one of the 6 volunteers for a given week, Debbie will send out an email the Friday or Saturday before your volunteer shift to confirm your participation.

UWF Scholarship Now Open!

UWF has opened their scholarship application in case anyone is interested.

https://uwfaith.org/latest-news/2023/united-women-in-faith-national-scholarship-2023/

UMCOR response to earthquakes in Turkey and Syria (Global Ministries)

Read the full story here.

Donate to UMCOR so that victims recieve 100% of your donation here.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

Cold and Wet Weather Reminder: LA Homeless Services Authority Winter Shelters Are Now Open Through March 31st

Motel vouchers are available and shelters operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 211 for a referral. https://www.lahsa.org/winter-shelter

Flash Flood Directions from the National Weather Serive:

Turn around, don't drown.

This is your reminder to never attempt to drive through flooded roads. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away a small car and 2 feet to carry away most vehicles.

Covid Testing:
Getting tested is now easier than ever with LA County's Pick-Up Testing Kits program. Visit ow.ly/tfIu50Hsnh5 for a list of locations where you can get a kit at no cost. The program will allow residents to pick up a PCR test kit & return it at designated locations. Results will be available within 24-48 hrs.

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

CALL TO PRAYER: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross - 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.

First Reading: Genesis 12:1-4, NRSV

Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Scripture: John 3:1-17 NRSV

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

One: This is the Word of God for us, the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God! 

Sermon: What Does It Mean to Be Saved?, Mandy McDow, Preaching

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.

CLOSING SONG: Fix You - 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. 

LA FIRST UMC LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - authored by Tom Grode, affirmed by LA First UMC’s Church Council on July 13, 2021

We Acknowledge the Tongva people as original caretakers of this land and their ancient village Yaangna, what we call Downtown Los Angeles.

We Acknowledge the many Native Americans who moved Downtown to Bunker Hill due to the Indian Relocation Act of 1956 as “the 'old' Bunker Hill was effectively scalped by urban renewal in the 1960’s.”   

We Acknowledge the work of Skid Row Housing Justice activists in the 1960's and 70's to keep the low income hotel housing in Skid Row from suffering the Urban Renewal fate of Bunker Hill.

We Acknowledge the Native Indigenous peoples of Los Angeles, their special relationship to Mother Earth, and their hospitality, inviting us into that special relationship.

We Acknowledge the patience, kindness, and compassion of Mother Earth.

We Acknowledge our beginnings as a church in 1853 when Methodist leader Adam Bland was sent to evangelize the "rowdy and incorrigible” Southland.

We Acknowledge our relationship with Biddy Mason, one of the Matriarchs of early Los Angeles, and a member of Fort Street Methodist Episcopal Church (the first name our church bore) before she began First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) out of her home, one of the spiritual pillars in Los Angeles for many decades.

We Acknowledge Biddy Mason as the Patron Saint of Downtown Los Angeles, an enslaved woman who fought for the freedom of all who were enslaved. She utilized her training as a midwife to buy land and used her wealth to help others in need.

We Acknowledge the words of Jesus "to whom much is given much is required" as a blessing for us to live out: the legacy and reality of owning the largest piece of undeveloped property in South Park.

Welcome to Tongvaland, Pamela J. Peters

We Acknowledge the land of Downtown Los Angeles - more than a dozen unique and dynamic neighborhoods - as land the eyes of the world look towards for leadership and solutions to the challenges facing all humanity.

We Acknowledge the mission of the United Methodist Church as founded by John Wesley: to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

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