JUNETEENTH
On Friday, President Biden signed legislation recognizing June 19th as a federal holiday.
Juneteenth has long been celebrated by Black Americans, marking the historic occasion when the announcement of the end of slavery in 1862 and the conclusion of the Civil War finally reached Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. Historically ignored outside the Black community, Juneteenth will now be rightly commemorated as a national holiday. This represents one small step towards our reckoning with the devastating impact of slavery and white supremacy in the United States to this day.
Greeting - Rev. Mandy McDow
Call to Worship - You are invited to light a candle in your home to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit
Lovely Day - 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 21, Chapter 9 - The Bonds of Slavery
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
GENESIS-EXODUS
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
Sermon Series: June 6-August 29: CULTIVATE
Exploring what scripture tells us about cultivating hope, possibility, and faith
June 20, Juneteenth: Cultivate Faith - Rev. James Wesley Dennis III, preaching
June 27: Cultivate Pride - Pride Sunday! 🏳️🌈 - Rev. Izzy Alvaran, preaching
July 4: Cultivate Independence
July 11: Cultivate Courage
July 18: Cultivate Sanctuary
July 25: Cultivate Satisfaction
August 1: Cultivate Repentance
August 8: Cultivate Humility
August 15: Cultivate Communion
August 22: Cultivate Covenant
August 29: Cultivate Steadfast Love
Sept 5: Sabbath Sunday
Sept 12: HOMECOMING! In-person worship tentatively resumes
We have a NEW 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
P.O. Box 173
South Pasadena CA 91031
Church Council Meeting: Tuesday, June 8 at 6:30 PM PDT via Zoom
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.
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.
Heat Alert:
High Temperatures Forecast for Parts of Los Angeles County Starting Monday, June 14. County and City partners have planned ways to safely operate cooling centers during times of high heat. Residents who do not have access to air conditioning are encouraged to take advantage of these free cooling centers. To find a location near you, visit https://ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ or call 211.
View ow.ly/ulOH50F8LHY for more.
Free Meals for Kids:
This summer, kids and teens 18 and under, can pick up 2 free nutritious meals at select @lacountylibrary locations. Meals are available for no-contact pickup on a first come, first served basis from 12–1 pm, June 14–August 6. Learn more here.
The June 15th reopening of LA is here! Expect updated guidance on masking, distancing, and capacity restrictions. For more information visit ph.lacounty.gov/coronavirus
Lights, Camera, ACTION!
LA County Parks Summer Classes offer classes for kids & adults who are natural entertainers. Sign up to join our Music, Acting, Dance, and Improv classes, to name a few!
Visit parks.lacounty.gov/summerclasses to check out the classes & register!
Free Rec Equipment and Snacks for Kids
Join us at Every Body Plays, a program that offers free sports equipment & snacks for youth at 55 parks within 20 cities countywide! 🏀🎾 Every Body Plays is a safe place where kids can get active & stay healthy (following COVID-19 guidelines). More info: parks.lacounty.gov/everybodyplays
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:
As of May 13th, ALL California residents over the age of 12 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
CALL TO PRAYER: We Shall Overcome - 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.
PRAYER FOR JUNETEENTH by Rev. Dr. Cedrick Bridgeforth
June 18, 2021
What is this thing called freedom, when liberation seems too far a distant dream?
What is forward progress, when those around us encourage commonality and despise peculiarity? What is a celebration long overdue when economies, policies, and normalcies enjoyed by others came at the hands of your own sacrifice?
Who is the victor? What are the spoils in this quest for emancipation?
Shall we walk together children and not be weary
Shall we walk together children and not grow tired
Shall we walk together children and never leave another behind
But, what of the one with no legs or no will to fight; no voice to call out from any wilderness, no dream to defer any longer?
Yet, there is light ahead.
There is light piercing through the veils of uncertainty, of dis-ease, of division, of defiance, and of oppression.
So, we cheer. We learn. We grow. We give our best. We expect all to join hands, hearts, and voices in the spirit of our ancestors who sang when the sun beat down on them...who worked while the sun rose and set on the sweat of their brow...who could only hope against all hope that a day like today would come. When those who labored would be honored for the work done in earnestness.
When those who relented their own stake in society to allow others to prosper on the backs of their toil, expecting nothing in return but a chance to be free, to be freed, to know life in freedom’s great land.
This is our opportunity.
May we capture it.
May we embrace it.
May we know our role in it.
May we highlight our Blackness and not be dismissed as separatists
May we share in this moment of light and know it is not an end or a beginning. No! it is a continuation of the toil, the sweat, the quest for liberation of all peoples who suffer.
Bless us, Oh God on the acknowledgment of Juneteenth as a Holiday
Not a day NOT to work but a day to acknowledge the work behind and ahead.
May we commit ourselves to the ideals and activities that advance the cause of equity, justice, mercy, and grace in this life.
May we live out of a core of humanity that only knows compassion and care for the least of these. And in our calculations, know that whenever and as long as there is a “least of these,” there in their eyes, hands and voices is a call for repentance. Opportunities for reparations. Options for repentance.
Great God of Heaven and Creator of all that is, may your light of love and rays of hope be upon these your people this Juneteenth – knowing in this moment, there are those who may finally hear the message of liberation sounded aloud to the captives: Be free! Be free! Your light has come! Be strong in the Lord! Seek peace and pursue it. Give of your selves without losing your dignity or humanity, ever again.
Bless this day of celebration and this season of reckoning as we do our business, not as usual, but as liberated peoples who will study war no more.
In the spirit and hope of my ancestors and in the name of God’s Son, Jesus the Christ, I offer this Juneteenth prayer. Amen.
Scripture: Exodus 1:8-10, 3:7-8, NRSV
The Israelites Are Oppressed
1:8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 He said to his people, ‘Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.’
3:7 Then the Lord said, ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
One: This is the Word of God for us, the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God!
Sermon: Cultivate Faith - Rev. James Wesley Dennis III
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: This Joy - 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.
