Order of Worship for Sunday, May 23: PENTECOST - When the Advocate Comes

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

They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love - 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, June 7, Chapter 7 - In God’s Time
Time
: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09

GENESIS-EXODUS
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

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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 

IN-PERSON UMW MEETING TODAY!

The UMW will be gathering at 4:00 in the Villa Flores courtyard. It will be a time to celebrate, with only a minimum of business and a maximum of fellowship. For those wishing to attend who cannot gather in person, you can join via Zoom.

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:

The Brideaus made the LA TIMES! Read this week’s story about vaccinations being made available to children as young as 12 years old. Thanks to Iolani, Ginny, and Alex for sharing their story and their wisdom!

Outdoor performances at South Park Commons Fridays from 6-8 PM
https://www.southpark.la/music?mc_cid=5dfde9979d&mc_eid=7f28a27aef

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:

CALL TO PRAYER: Holy Spirit - 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.

Acts 2:1-21: Diego Ruvalcaba, Miriam Sabado Moller, Bell Blankenship

Acts 2:1-21 - The Coming of the Holy Spirit

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’

Peter Addresses the Crowd

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 
“In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
   and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
   and your old men shall dream dreams. 
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
   in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
     and they shall prophesy. 
And I will show portents in the heaven above
   and signs on the earth below,
     blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 
The sun shall be turned to darkness
   and the moon to blood,
     before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. 
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Scripture: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15, NRSV

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

The Work of the Spirit

‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

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

Sermon: PENTECOST - When the Advocate Comes - 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: One Song (Holy Ghost to Nations) - 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

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