Call to Worship - You are invited to light a candle in your home to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit
Color Esperanza - featuring Diego Ruvalcaba - El Dorado
Welcome - Stephen Folds
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.
TOP 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS
VENMO: You can find us here: https://venmo.com/LAFirstUMC
PAYPAL: https://paypal.me/LAFirstUMC
SQUARE:https://checkout.square.site/pay/be673aef7fcb424e98387016d184e57d
United Methodist Resources:
A Quick Guide to Overt and Covert Racism shared by the UMC's Commision on Race and Religion
The 38th Annual Session of the California-Pacific Conference will be held over four non-consecutive days and will feature in-person and online options for participants. This is a way of creating space and opportunity for connection and safety for clergy and laity.
Legislative sections (June 7) and business sessions (June 15) will be held online via Zoom; Worship, ordination mission opportunities, and other celebrations (June 17 & 18) will be held in person in Costa Mesa, CA. All plenary and business sessions will be livestreamed.
Two informational flyers have been made available for download: Save The Date (image file), When is Annual Conference 2022 (PDF).
Registration will open April 1, 2022.
General Conference Postponed until 2024
As the pandemic continues and the wait time for visas stretches to over two years in some countries, the Commission on the General Conference announced this week that the 2020 General Conference cannot be held in 2022 due to COVID-related and governmental policies/constraints.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES:
Ways to Send Aid to the People of Ukraine🇺🇦:
Over 1 million people have fled Ukraine in search of safety and refuge. While neighboring countries are opening their borders to many, the humanitarian need is overwhelming. If you are looking for a way to support the refugees, check this non-exhaustive list for organizations who are on the front lines of assistance.
Free at-home COVID-19 tests: https://www.covidtests.gov
Every home in the U.S. can soon order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. The tests will be completely free—there are no shipping costs and you don’t need to enter a credit card number. Ordering begins January 19: Click here to order your tests.
Sliding Scale Therapy at the Maple Center
As Ashley mentioned last week, the Maple Center is a great place to start if you want to find resources for mental health. They do therapy on an income based sliding scale, and are very respectful and caring people. https://www.maple4counseling.org/
Food Equity
1 in 10 residents struggles with food insecurity. LA County has convened the Food Equity Roundtable to address systemic inequities in our food system. Govt, philanthropy & nonprofit leaders will soon issue a blueprint for change. Have ideas? Email lafoodequityroundtable@gmail.com
COVID Testing:
You can get your digital vaccination record: myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov
healthvana.com or carbonhealth.com
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:
In case you missed it: Pfizer's #COVID19 vaccine is approved for kids 5-11!! Children may now get vaccinated at select, walk-up clinics county-wide. Please call ahead to check availability. Visit vaccinatelacounty.com for info or talk to your child’s doctor
All COVID-19 vaccines are now approved for boosters - Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. People may also receive booster doses that are different than their original vaccine. For more info and to make an appointment, visit bit.ly/3m3Uspo--
CVS is already prepared to administer boosters. You can make an appointment for the booster of your choice at https://www.cvs.com/vaccine/intake/store/covid-screener/covid-qns
Vaccine requirements are in effect, LA County is providing mobile vaccinations, testing vendors, as well as a toolkit for owners of bars and businesses that serve alcohol, as well as for those running mega events. For more info visit, ph.lacounty.gov/coronavirus
California residents can now request in-home vaccinations and/or transit assistance to get vaccinated by registering at MyTurn.ca.gov or by calling the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) COVID-19 Call Center at 1-833-422-4255.
Everyone 12 years and older in LA County is now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Children 12-17 are only eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine—to find a location near you, visit bit.ly/PfizerSites. Learn more about the vaccines at vaccinatelacounty.com.
Need a ride? Uber and Lyft are providing free rides to and from vaccination sites. Don't have the apps? Call 833-540-0473 to book your ride.
There are 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: Spirit of the Living God - 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.
The 21 victims of the Uvalde school shooting
TESTIMONY: Rumana Fouzia Chodhury
Scripture: 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.”
One: This is the Word of God for us, the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God!
Sermon: Signs on the Earth Below - 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.
ALL: We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love.
As members together with you in the Body of Christ, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, that in everything, God may be glorified.
MUSIC DURING OFFERING AND COMMUNION: Holy Spirit - 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.
Closing: Spirit in the Sky - El Dorado
