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 26: Week 3, God Welcomes
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
GENESIS-EXODUS
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 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.
NEEDED: A Current Self &/or Family Photo for Video!
We are creating a new video for a song, and we would appreciate a current picture of you and your family/family of choice. Please send these directly to Stephen as high resolution as possible: stephen@lafirstumc.org by the end of the day, Tuesday April 27th.
Mission U 2021
Dates: June 21 - August 8, 2021 California & Hawaii | June 22 - August 9, 2021 Guam & Saipan
Location: Zoom. Cost: Free
WHAT IS Misson U? Mission U is an opportunity to study a spiritual growth topic, a geographic area, and an issue impacting society. Participants grow in understanding of the mission of the church in the current world context. The studies give particular attention to the responsibilities of women in the fulfillment of mission. This mission education program strengthens the leadership and membership of United Methodist Women.
Studies include:
FINDING PEACE IN AN ANXIOUS WORLD
Bearing Witness in the Kin-dom: Living Into the Church’s Moral Witness through Radical Discipleship
Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools
Women United for Change: 150 Years in Mission
Managing Anxiety (Youth)
Becoming Peacemakers in a Culture of Violence (Youth)
Responding to Violence (Children)
You can purchase your study books at unitedmethodistwomen.org/mission-resources or Smile.Amazon.com.
Registration Form - English * Registration Form - Korean
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:
Olvera Street
The City of Los Angeles launched https://discoverolverastreet.com/ to support merchants in the heart of L.A. — part of the L.A. Optimized initiative to expand the presence of the city's favorite shops & restaurants in the digital marketplace.
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
LA County Parks is #NowHiring Recreation Services Leaders!
Be a mentor in your community. Lead activities & sports. Starts at $15/hour. Ages 16+. Apply Apr 26-28 5pm.
Application and details found here!
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:
As of 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
CALL TO PRAYER: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot - 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 and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days
Scripture: Acts 8:26-40, NRSV
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.)
So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it."
So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."
The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?"
Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.
As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?"
He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
One: This is the Word of God for us, the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God!
Sermon: HIGHER GROUND: Examining Our Perception of Freedom - 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: Talkin' Bout a Revolution - 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
