Order of Worship for Sunday, June 13: Cultivate Possibility

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

Jesus Is Just Alright - 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 14, Chapter 8 - God Works for Good
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09

GENESIS-EXODUS
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

Sermon Series: June 6-August 29: CULTIVATE
Exploring what scripture tells us about cultivating hope, possibility, and faith
June 13: Cultivate Possibility
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

“Restoration: Parables of the Pandemic” - The 37th Annual Session of the California-Pacific Annual Conference will take place virtually within the dates of June 17-19, 2021 (June 18-20 in Guam & Saipan).

REGISTER NOW

Cal-Pac UMW Virtual Luncheon
June 19th at 1:30 PDT
Location: Zoom
Cost: Free to all UMW & Friends 
RSVP online by Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Flyer: https://bit.ly/3ybOgQn
RSVP Form: https://bit.ly/2RYBQKN

A virtual Get-Together of staying connected with one another...as we share how each of our 5 Districts navigated this most challenging time.
Hear their joys, challenges and successes!

For questions, contact:
Young Mae Kim or Lisa Kadowaki

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.

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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 around the corner! 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: Open Your Eyes - 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: Mark 4:26-34, NRSV

The Parable of the Growing Seed

He also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’

The Use of Parables

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples. 

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

Sermon: Cultivate Possibility - 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: Sowing the Seeds - 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

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, June 6: Trinity Sunday - CULTIVATE Hope!

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

This Joy - 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
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

Sermon Series: June 6-August 29: CULTIVATE
Exploring what scripture tells us about cultivating hope, possibility, and faith
June 6: Cultivate Hope
June 13: Cultivate Possibility
June 20, Juneteenth: Cultivate Faith
June 27: Cultivate Pride - Pride Sunday! 🏳️‍🌈
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 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

Church Council Meeting: Tuesday, June 8 at 6:30 PM PDT via Zoom

“Restoration: Parables of the Pandemic” - The 37th Annual Session of the California-Pacific Annual Conference will take place virtually within the dates of June 17-19, 2021 (June 18-20 in Guam & Saipan).

REGISTER NOW

Cal-Pac UMW Virtual Luncheon
June 19th at 1:30 PDT
Location: Zoom
Cost: Free to all UMW & Friends 
RSVP online by Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Flyer: https://bit.ly/3ybOgQn
RSVP Form: https://bit.ly/2RYBQKN

A virtual Get-Together of staying connected with one another...as we share how each of our 5 Districts navigated this most challenging time.
Hear their joys, challenges and successes!

For questions, contact:
Young Mae Kim or Lisa Kadowaki

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.

Message from Anne about Ultreya
Thursday, June 10 at 5:30pm:
The Los Angeles United Methodist Urban Foundation and Kid City would like to invite you to our annual event: Ultreya! Celebrating Young People at the Heart of Mentoring. This year we are recognizing two amazing warriors for justice: Rev. David Farley and Betty Hung. In a unique pandemic year, we are also recognizing six Ultreya Fellows -- recent college grads who have spent six months to a year volunteering as staff at Kid City. Here's the link to register for the (Zoom) event, which will be preceded at the same link by a short online reception for the honorees and fellows. Ultreya! is underwritten every year by a very generous gift from LA First UMC's United Methodist Women. Thank you to LA First UMC and the UMW for your support and participation over the last 12 years of partnering with us in Kid City. We are not only transforming lives, but building a better world!

With love from Anne Hawthorne,
Urban Foundation Director

---

Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and the Museum of Social Justice have partnered to curate an outdoor art exhibition. Black artists were invited to imagine a world without police. The exhibition documents the Black Lives Matter movement and illustrates what Los Angeles could be without policing and other carceral systems.

The exhibition seeks to amplify the movement’s policy demand: to reclaim the billions of dollars that systems of law enforcement drain from Black communities and invest those resources in community-driven, life-affirming systems of care and services that truly keep us safe.

Visitors are invited to contribute to the community altar, a sacred space for Black men, women, and children who have been killed while in police custody. Bring a photo, candle, flower, or other item of personal significance to add to the altar.

Walk the black carpet and take a photo as you dream of a world where Black people can flourish.

Outdoor exhibition details:

• Please follow Los Angeles Covid guidelines. Social distance and wear a face cover while at the exhibit.

• Exhibit Address: 115 Paseo De La Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012

• Nearest Parking: El Pueblo Lot 2, 615 N. Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

• Volunteering Opportunity: To be a volunteer docent, sign up here.

Performances on the New Black City stage will be livestreamed every weekend during the exhibition at blmla.org/newblackcity. View the digital exhibit at blmla.org/exhibit.

For more information, contact info@museumofsocialjustice.org.

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: Sweet, Sweet 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.

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Scripture: John 3:1-17, NRSV - Nicodemus Visits Jesus

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: Trinity Sunday - CULTIVATE Hope (Three Is A Magic Number) - 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: There Is A Magic Number - 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

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Donate

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

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

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:

• 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: 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

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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, May 16: HIGHER GROUND: Examining Our Greatest Fear

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, May 17: Week 5, Conflict With the Family
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09

GENESIS-EXODUS
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

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:

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

Los Angeles Poverty Department The New Compassionate Downtown
Performance Commissioned by MOCA for WE RISE 2021
Downtown LA has long been marketed as a nightlife destination. Los Angeles Poverty Department’s The New Compassionate Downtown dares to imagine a downtown that attracts people who value the wisdom and compassionate practice exemplified by Skid Row workers and residents. In The New Compassionate Downtown, an alternative marketing approach touts downtown as “a place you can live guilt and resentment free. No longer will the subterranean guilt of ignoring privilege haunt you, and through psychological displacement manifest itself as anger.” Work on the performance began pre-pandemic and explores themes that have gained resonance in the past year. The performance is set at a meeting of The New Compassionate Downtown, a diverse group of people living and working in all parts of downtown, who embrace building a community of compassion. The performance cuts from the meeting to scenes that concretely explore compassion, in action, as life unfolds daily. The performance, staged in a socially distant manner by a cast of eleven performers, is live streamed and recorded. Los Angeles Poverty Department is a performance group of people who live and work in Skid Row. All the cast members have contributed to this script. The performance is directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers.

CALL TO PRAYER: Come, Ye Sinners/I Will Arise - 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.

Psalm 47 - Elaine Livingston

EASTERTIDE EXAMEN: Examining Our Greatest Fear

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Scripture: Luke 24:44-53, NRSV

Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’

The Ascension of Jesus

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
24:44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled."

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

Sermon: HIGHER GROUND: Examining Our Greatest Fear - 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: Fly Away - 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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, May 9: HIGHER GROUND: Festival of the Christian Home - Examining How We Find God in Others

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, May 10: Week 5, Conflict With the Family
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09

Day 1  Reread Genesis 25:19-34 (birth of two nations); 27 (the brothers struggle)
Day 2  Genesis 28 (Jacob’s dream); Psalm 52 (lament)
Day 3  Genesis 29 (deceiver is deceived); Psalm 53 (folly of evil)
Day 4  Genesis 30; Proverbs 15:17; 18:19 (woman against woman, man against man); Psalm 36 (wickedness and goodness contrasted)
Day 5  2 Samuel 15:1-19:8 (family alienation)
Day 6  Study Manual
Day 7  Rest

GENESIS-EXODUS
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
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: We Shall Overcome/Lift Every Voice and Sing - Urban Voices Project

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.

Psalm 98 - Tom Grode

EASTERTIDE EXAMEN: Examining How We Find God in Others

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Scripture: John 15:9-17, NRSV

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

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

Sermon: HIGHER GROUND: Examining How We Find God in Others - Rev. Mandy McDow

BLESSING OF FAMILIES LITURGY

BLESSING OF OUR INDIVIDUAL CREATION       

Fathering God, you have searched us and known us. You know when we lie down and when we rise up; you discern our thoughts from far away.

Mothering God, it was you who formed our inward parts, you who knit us together in our mother’s womb. We praise you, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made!

Holy Son, you have come into the world as the Word made flesh and dwelling among us, as a constant and abiding reminder that God is always with us, even to the ends of the earth. You are the light that has shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 

Creating Spirit: Where can we go that you are not with us? If we ascend to heaven, you are there. If we make our bed in the depths, you are there. If we perceive the darkness overwhelming us, we know that even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. You hem us in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon us. When we come to the end, you are still with us. 

Let us pray:

Loving God, in your wisdom you have created us and given us many gifts.  Today, we thank you for all that we mean to each other and to our friends and families.  We thank you for the love that has brought us to this time and place, and for your love which abides to tie us all together. Where you are, O God, there is love. Amen.

BLESSING OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS         

God, in your wisdom and love, you have created us and called us good. You have created us in your image, and blessed us as men and women. Today we celebrate the joy that we have found in relationship with one another. As you have created us and called us good, so have you said that it is not good that we should be alone, so you have given us helpers as partners. You have given us choice in who we build our relationships with, and we are able to say to one another, as Ruth said to Naomi: 

          Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge;
          Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 

Let us pray:

God, your strength is sufficient for us all. We have committed ourselves one to the other in your presence, so we pray that you will continue to be with us in the unfolding of our future.  Give us strength and courage in times of difficulty, wisdom and love in times of opportunity and challenge, and the sharing of joy in times of happiness and success.  May we continue to grow in your love; through the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.

BLESSING OF OUR FRIENDSHIPS AND FAMILIES OF CHOICE                                                                            

Incarnate Christ: You have modelled to us what it is to be in relationship with one another. You have broken bread with the weary, comforted the lonely, healed the sick, and wept with friends. We see in your witness what it means to love one another as God has loved us. We thank you for calling us friends, because you have made known to us everything that you have heard from our Father in heaven. Thank you for sharing in relationship with us as equals, and help us to continue to love our friends as you have loved us. Bless us as we form relationships with one another that, as we speak, our souls will be bound up in one another, so that we may love our friends as our own souls, just as Jonathan loved David. 

Let us Pray:

God of friends and families, we are linked together in a community of friendship and support.  We pray for one another. We remember those who cannot be with us today. May we all continue to share in your gifts of love, strength, courage and wisdom, and to know your joy.  Give us growing understanding, sympathy with each other's difficulties, patience with each other's faults, and grace to walk in your ways. Amen. 

BLESSING FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN      

Creator Spirit: You have worked in us to make us open to loving one another in selfless and life-giving ways. For some of us this means the responsibility and joy of raising children. For these lives, which have touched us and blessed us, we thank you. Today we bring to you our children in order that they may be blessed as Christ blessed the children of his day saying, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.” And he took them up in his arms and blessed them. Help us to bless them as they have blessed us. 

Let us pray: 

Loving God: We come today carrying children and youth in our hearts – the children we brought into this world, the children we parent, our grandchildren, nieces, nephews, Godchildren, mentees, the children we care for in our work, and the children we speak out for in our witness. Lord, help us not to be so preoccupied with our purposes that we fail to hear their voices or see their special vision of truth. Keep us with them, ready to listen and to love even as you have loved us, your grown-up and sometimes wayward children. Amen. 

THE ANOINTING

All are welcome to come forward to be anointed individually. If you like, you may come as an individual, or with your spouse or partner, children, or with friends and family of choice. All are welcomed. All are loved. 

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: Blest Be The Tie That Binds Vocals - Vocals: Mandy McDow, Guitar: Salvador Villañueva, Viola: Katerina Lewis

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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, May 2: HIGHER GROUND: Examining Our Perception of Freedom

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.

Psalm 22: 25-31 - Malik Walker

EASTERTIDE EXAMEN: Examining Our Perception of Freedom

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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, April 25: HIGHER GROUND: Examining Our Thoughts, Words, and Deeds

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: Doubting Thomas - 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.

PSALM 23: Lauren Korczakowski

EASTERTIDE EXAMEN: My Thoughts, Words, and Deeds

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Scripture: John 10:11-18, NRSV

‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

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

Sermon: HIGHER GROUND: Examining Our Thoughts, Words, and Deeds - 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: Laughing With - 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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, April 18: HIGHER GROUND: Examining Our Faith in God & Others

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 19: Week 2, God Scatters the Proud
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09

GENESIS-EXODUS
April 19: Chapter 2 - God Scatters the Proud
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 18: Examining Our Faith in God and Others
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.

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:

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:

• Starting April 1st, anyone over the age of 50 is eligible for a free vaccine! On 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

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

CALL TO PRAYER: Great Is Thy Faithfulness - 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.

PSALM 4: Olusheyi Banjo

EXAMEN: My relationship with God, Others, Self

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Scripture: Luke 24:36b-48, NRSV

While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

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

Sermon: HIGHER GROUND: Examining our Faith in God & Others - 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: Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus/Time After Time - 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

Donate

Examen and Sabbath resources found at Sacred Ordinary Days

Order of Worship for Easter Sunday, April 4: I Have Seen the Lord!

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

Superstar/Christ the Lord Is Risen Today! - 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 12: Week 1, Introduction
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09

Monday, April 12 at 5:30, Week 1
Monday, April 19 at 5:30, Week 2
Monday, April 26 at 5:30, Week 3
Monday, May 3 at 5:30, Week 4
Monday, May 10 at 5:30, Week 5
Monday, May 17 at 5:30, Week 6
Monday, June 7 at 5:30, Week 7

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 11: Sabbath Sunday
April 18: Examining Our Faith in God and Others
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.

Community Resources:

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:

• Starting April 1st, anyone over the age of 50 is eligible for a free vaccine! On 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

Petition to Support Affordable Housing in Skid Row:

A couple years ago our Church Council endorsed the work of Skid Row Now and 2040, a coalition of Skid Row stakeholders looking to bring more affordable housing into Skid Row and improve the neighborhood for current residents. The 2040 refers to DTLA 2040, the current City Hall effort to update the Downtown Community Plan which sets Land Use policy and zoning. Please sign this Skid Row Now and 2040 online petition that will be sent to the Planning Commissioners. Now and 2040 has had a very positive relationship with the Department of City Planning over the years.

Sign the petition here: http://chng.it/HM82hTBp56

CALL TO PRAYER: O Happy Day/My Sweet Lord - 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.

Scripture: John 20:1-18, NRSV

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’

She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 

Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ 

Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

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

Sermon: I Have Seen the Lord! - 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: Ring the Bells - 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

Happy Easter from Los Angeles First United Methodist Church! Christ the Lord is Risen Today!
Χριστός ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen!
Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen Indeed!
Ἁλληλούϊα! Alleluia!

Donate

Order of Worship for the Easter Sunrise Service

Live Stream Worship:
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church
Twitter: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc)
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church

GATHERING IN DARKNESS AND SILENCE

CHIMING OF THE HOUR           

BREAKING THE DAWN Remain/Hallelujah Chorus - El Dorado

GREETING AND INTRODUCTION   
Grace to you from Jesus Christ, who was and is, and is to come.
Beloved, our Savior Jesus Christ has passed from death to life.
Hear the word of God: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In the Word was life and the life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.   

BLESSING OF THE NEW FIRE                                                       
Eternal God, giver of light and life, bless this new flame that by its radiance and warmth we may respond to your love and grace, and be set free from all that separates us from you and from each other; through Jesus Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. Amen.

LIGHTING OF THE PASCHAL CANDLE                  
ONE: May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds. Christ is our light!  
MANY: Alleluia! Thanks be to God!          

OPENING HYMN: Christ the Lord is Risen Today - El Dorado
            
*GOSPEL LESSON: John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look* into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew,* ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.                

EASTER EXAMEN

St. Ignatius created the Examen to be a very short prayer which 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.

• Take a deep breath and hold it for a moment - taking in God’s love, light and strength - and let it out slowly, exhaling any worries, cares or fears.

• Invite the Holy Spirit to help you see Easter as God sees it.

• This year is different. What was normal a year ago is no longer so. Even as a vaccine is more readily available, we are still self-isolating and keeping ourselves from work, family and friends.

• Think about this Easter season, the Resurrection that we are celebrating. Take a moment to recognize how God has been present in the days since last Easter Sunday.

• Think about the things you have experienced over this past year which you are grateful for.
  Be specific; it can be time spent with your family, new ways to connect with friends over social media, something special you’ve discovered, warmer weather, sunshine, spring flowers beginning to blossom. Recognize the experience a Resurrection experience. Take a moment to thank God for your gift.

• As you pay attention to your feelings, ask yourself where God seems to be present in your Easter-Resurrection experience.
  Did you experience God’s love, forgiveness or mercy?
  What graces do you recognize in your Easter experience?

• Now take a moment and review where you may not have recognized God’s presence in your Easter-Resurrection experience.
  Think deeply about this moment when you saw the need for love and didn’t feel that love.
  What was the behavior that may have distanced you from God in the moment?
  Ask for forgiveness and the grace to recognize God’s presence in all things.

• Finally, think about what you are hopeful for and what you are looking forward to as the Easter season continues to unfold.
  Offer these to God and ask for God’s blessing on your hopes and dreams.
  Invite God to journey with you throughout the rest of the Easter season and beyond.

• Let us pray the Lord's Prayer in the language in which you learned it first or best:

  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.

                                       
RENEWAL OF BAPTISM VOWS                                  
Sisters and Brothers, on this day, when we celebrate the rising of Christ from death, let us gather at the water to celebrate our baptism, which is the sign and seal of our new life in Christ, by saying the promises that were made at our baptism…Do you renounce the spiritual forces of evil?
MANY: I renounce the spiritual forces of evil. 
ONE: Do you believe in God? 
MANY: I believe in God.
ONE: Do you believe in Jesus Christ? 
MANY: I believe in Jesus Christ. 
ONE: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? 
MANY: I believe in the Holy Spirit.

Closing: O Happy Day/My Sweet Lord – El Dorado

PROCLAMATION AND SENDING FORTH        
One: Go to the world! Go into all the earth! Go preach the cross where Christ renews life’s worth, baptizing as a sign of our rebirth.  
           

 Christ is risen!                         Christos anesti!            
Christ is risen, indeed!         Alethios anesti!             
Alleluia!                                   Alleluia!            
Alleluia!                                 Alleluia!

Join us for Easter Worship at 10:30 am PDT on FB/YouTube/Twitter!

Order of Worship for Sunday, March 21: Hope in What is Forgotten

Live Stream Worship: 
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church   
Twitter: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc) 
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church 

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

Color Esperanza - 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, March 22: Week 34, Rumana Choudhury’s lesson on Islam
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09

Monday, March 22 at 5:30, Week 34, Rumana Choudhury’s lesson on Islam

Monday, March 29 at 5:30, Week 35, “Remember,” A Last Supper Together

Lenten Sermon Series: Color Esperanza
March 21: Lent V - Hope in What is Forgotten
March 28: Palm Sunday - Jesus Christ Superstar
April 1: Maundy Thursday
April 2: Good Friday
April 4: Easter Sunday
April 11: Sabbath Sunday

If You have not already done so, please consider supporting efforts for 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

Petition to Support Affordable Housing in Skid Row:

A couple years ago our Church Council endorsed the work of Skid Row Now and 2040, a coalition of Skid Row stakeholders looking to bring more affordable housing into Skid Row and improve the neighborhood for current residents. The 2040 refers to DTLA 2040, the current City Hall effort to update the Downtown Community Plan which sets Land Use policy and zoning. Please sign this Skid Row Now and 2040 online petition that will be sent to the Planning Commissioners. Now and 2040 has had a very positive relationship with the Department of City Planning over the years.

Sign the petition here: http://chng.it/HM82hTBp56

Statement Against Anti-Asian Violence (AALMP) from Bishop Hagiya
READ THE STATEMENT >>

A few days ago, the Asian American Language Ministry Plan with the General Board of Global Ministries and the National Federation of Asian American United Methodists issued a statement jointly condemning the rise of anti-Asian American violence in the United States of America.

Los Angeles Area Resident Bishop Grant J. Hagiya is a signatory to the letter along with several clergypersons of the California-Pacific Conference.

Given the incident which took place in the Atlanta area yesterday, Rev. John Oda, who directs the Asian American Language Ministry Plan, adds, “This ongoing, rising violence and hatred which sadly includes the recent murders in Atlanta of eight Asian American women – this violence is not just an Asian American concern.  This is not an African American concern, a Hispanic/Latino concern, a Native American concern or a Pacific Islander concern.  This increase in violence, these shootings in Atlanta are a concern for ALL Christians; for anyone who is striving to live out the tenets of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They are a concern for all of us are seeking to fulfill His commandment to love one another. “ 

The United Methodist Church has a moral obligation to be vocally and visibly outraged at these recent murders in Atlanta and this precipitous rise in violence and hatred against the Asian American community.

Learn Intervention Techniques: Advancing Justice | AAJC has partnered with Hollaback! to make training available to equip people with techniques on how to safely intervene when they see or experience anti-Asian harassment. The next dates for each of the free public trainings in our three-part series follow:

Bystander Intervention to Stop Anti-Asian/American Harassment and Xenophobia

• Tuesday, March 23 at 4pm EST/ 3pm MT/ 2pm PT/ 12pm HST. Register Here

• Monday, April 5 at 1pm EST/ 12pm MT/ 11am PT/ 9am HST. Register Here

• Wednesday, April 14 at 6:30pm EST/ 5:30pm MT/ 4:30pm PT/ 2:30 HST. Register Here

• Thursday, April 29 at 3pm EST/ 2pm EST/ 1pm PT/ 11am HST. Register Here.

What Can You Do?

Report and help us document hate and harassment: We encourage community members who have experienced anti-Asian hate to share their experiences and report to our website www.StandAgainstHatred.org, which is accessible in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

2021 Lois Balsley Scholarship

The California-Pacific United Methodist Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2021 Lois Balsley Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to college bound students within the Conference. Graduating high school seniors within the Cal-Pac Conference who plan to enroll in a two or four-year institution of higher learning in the Fall of 2021 are potentially eligible to apply. For this year only, the Grants Committee has relaxed the cumulative GPA requirement from 3.0 to 2.5, to give grace to students who may be adversely affected by the pandemic and virtual learning experience. Application is attached to this email. Call Nia Bailey at 626-568-7347 for more information.

General Board of Higher Education & Ministry Scholarships

The GBHEM scholarship application opens in January of each year. You can only submit one application per year where it will be screened for all possible eligible programs. You may indicate on the first page of the scholarship application which of the below listed programs you would most like to be considered for. Award amounts below are a general estimate of awards given. Scholarship programs are divided into three categories: General Scholarships, Racial-Ethnic Scholarships, and Ministry as a Career Scholarships.

SAI/UMC Latino Youth Scholarship Program - Apply Here!

Spanish American Institute (SAI) has opened the application process for the SAI/UMC Latino Youth Scholarships beginning mid-February until April 10, 2021.Scholarship applicants must: 1) have been a member of a local California-Pacific United Methodist Church for at least one year, and 2) provide a letter of recommendation from the Pastor or Youth Director indicating faithful service in a leadership role to the church and/or community. SAI awards $1,000 scholarships to selected applicants. The application deadline is April 10, 2021. For further information, email info@saischolars.org.

Bishops call Special Session of General Conference, issue timeline forward

In response to the further postponement of the 2020 General Conference, the Council of Bishops (COB) is calling a Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened online on May 8, 2021.

The decision to call the Special Session came in conjunction with the Commission on the General Conference’s announcement of a further postponement of the 2020 General Conference to August 2022. The General Conference had been previously postponed to August 2021 due the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now scheduled to take place August 29 to September 6, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Click here to read the Commission’s announcement.

Women's Month El Pueblo LA Virtual Tour including the Beloved Biddy Mason:

In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth , #ElPuebloLA is proud to announce our newest digital #tour: Historical Women of El Pueblo: Highlighting Female Pioneers in #LosAngeles History.

For more info or to reserve your free tour, call (213) 628-1274 or email EPTours@lacity.org.

VACCINE UPDATE:

Residents 65+ are eligible to be vaccinated starting Wednesday, January 20th. Book your appointments by visiting VaccinateLACounty.com. For additional assistance, call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm.

Orange County residents and workers can register for a vaccination appointment at https://othena.com.

Vaccinations for seniors (and persons with disabilities):

One of the challenges of getting our most vulnerable citizens vaccine appointments is that the methodst to do so are heavily reliant on technology. To help bridge the gap, Margaret Irwin (assistant to Bishop Hagiya), has set up her own grassroots program to match seniors in need or without computers with volunteers willing to spend hours on the phone/online to book vaccination appointments. The demand is greater than the supply as we know but this is a temporary problem, but it will be for a few months.  

https://www.theoccidentalnews.com/community/2021/02/10/a-dose-of-the-truth-to-fight-vaccine-fear-in-nela/2902158 

If you are interested in helping Margaret sign people up for their vaccine appointments, you can send her an email to let her know.

COVID-19 Testing

Updated for 1/2/21: The LA City Mobile Testing Group is bringing COVID-19 testing to communities throughout the City for those who are unable to drive to a testing site.
✅ No appointment necessary
✅Tests are free with or without insurance
Learn more:Coronavirus.LACity.org/MobileTesting

LA County Rent Relief Updates: https://211la.org/lacounty/rentrelief
- Relief extended through 12/31 for eligible applicants from the 08/20 application period
-New 2021 rent relief program coming soon
-Eviction moratorium extended through Feb. 28
The 2021 Rent Relief Program Applications are not yet available and are under development. Sign up to receive updates when the 2021 Rent Relief Application becomes available at 

Distress Hotline:
If you're feeling anger, isolation or anxiety related to civil unrest, you're not alone. The national Disaster @Distressline offers 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 and #TalkWithUs. #USCapitol

CALL TO PRAYER: All Who Are Thirsty - 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.

Scripture: John 12:20-36, NRSV

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.

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

Sermon: Hope in Forgiveness - 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: Spirit in the Sky - 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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, March 14: Hope In Forgiveness

Live Stream Worship: 
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church   
Twitter: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc) 
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church 

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

Color Esperanza - 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, March 15: Week 33, “Ministry,” The gifts of each disciple
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
Monday, March 15 at 5:30, Week 33, “Ministry,” The gifts of each disciple
Monday, March 22 at 5:30, Week 34, Rumana Choudhury’s lesson on Islam
Monday, March 29 at 5:30, Week 35, “Remember,” A Last Supper Together

Lenten Sermon Series: Color Esperanza
March 14: Lent IV - Hope in Forgiveness
March 21: Lent V - Hope in What is Forgotten
March 28: Palm Sunday - Jesus Christ Superstar
April 1: Maundy Thursday
April 2: Good Friday
April 4: Easter Sunday
April 11: Sabbath Sunday

UMW Meeting: Sunday, March 14 at 3:00 PM via Zoom

If You have not already done so, please consider supporting efforts for 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

2021 Lois Balsley Scholarship

The California-Pacific United Methodist Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2021 Lois Balsley Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to college bound students within the Conference. Graduating high school seniors within the Cal-Pac Conference who plan to enroll in a two or four-year institution of higher learning in the Fall of 2021 are potentially eligible to apply. For this year only, the Grants Committee has relaxed the cumulative GPA requirement from 3.0 to 2.5, to give grace to students who may be adversely affected by the pandemic and virtual learning experience. Application is attached to this email. Call Nia Bailey at 626-568-7347 for more information.

General Board of Higher Education & Ministry Scholarships

The GBHEM scholarship application opens in January of each year. You can only submit one application per year where it will be screened for all possible eligible programs. You may indicate on the first page of the scholarship application which of the below listed programs you would most like to be considered for. Award amounts below are a general estimate of awards given. Scholarship programs are divided into three categories: General Scholarships, Racial-Ethnic Scholarships, and Ministry as a Career Scholarships.

SAI/UMC Latino Youth Scholarship Program - Apply Here!

Spanish American Institute (SAI) has opened the application process for the SAI/UMC Latino Youth Scholarships beginning mid-February until April 10, 2021.Scholarship applicants must: 1) have been a member of a local California-Pacific United Methodist Church for at least one year, and 2) provide a letter of recommendation from the Pastor or Youth Director indicating faithful service in a leadership role to the church and/or community. SAI awards $1,000 scholarships to selected applicants. The application deadline is April 10, 2021. For further information, email info@saischolars.org.

Bishops call Special Session of General Conference, issue timeline forward

In response to the further postponement of the 2020 General Conference, the Council of Bishops (COB) is calling a Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened online on May 8, 2021.

The decision to call the Special Session came in conjunction with the Commission on the General Conference’s announcement of a further postponement of the 2020 General Conference to August 2022. The General Conference had been previously postponed to August 2021 due the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now scheduled to take place August 29 to September 6, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Click here to read the Commission’s announcement.

Pet Food available to low income families and those facing financial hardship every Sunday at select LA Animal Shelters by appointment only. For more information visit: laanimalservices.com/petfoodpantry or call 213-264-8985 to set up your appointment!

VACCINE UPDATE:

Residents 65+ are eligible to be vaccinated starting Wednesday, January 20th. Book your appointments by visiting VaccinateLACounty.com. For additional assistance, call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm.

Orange County residents and workers can register for a vaccination appointment at https://othena.com.

Vaccinations for seniors (and persons with disabilities):

One of the challenges of getting our most vulnerable citizens vaccine appointments is that the methodst to do so are heavily reliant on technology. To help bridge the gap, Margaret Irwin (assistant to Bishop Hagiya), has set up her own grassroots program to match seniors in need or without computers with volunteers willing to spend hours on the phone/online to book vaccination appointments. The demand is greater than the supply as we know but this is a temporary problem, but it will be for a few months.  

https://www.theoccidentalnews.com/community/2021/02/10/a-dose-of-the-truth-to-fight-vaccine-fear-in-nela/2902158 

If you are interested in helping Margaret sign people up for their vaccine appointments, you can send her an email to let her know.

Guide to Black History Month Events in Los Angeles:
https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/black-history-month-events-in-los-angeles

COVID-19 Testing

Updated for 1/2/21: The LA City Mobile Testing Group is bringing COVID-19 testing to communities throughout the City for those who are unable to drive to a testing site.
✅ No appointment necessary
✅Tests are free with or without insurance
Learn more:Coronavirus.LACity.org/MobileTesting

LA County Rent Relief Updates: https://211la.org/lacounty/rentrelief
- Relief extended through 12/31 for eligible applicants from the 08/20 application period
-New 2021 rent relief program coming soon
-Eviction moratorium extended through Feb. 28
The 2021 Rent Relief Program Applications are not yet available and are under development. Sign up to receive updates when the 2021 Rent Relief Application becomes available at 

Distress Hotline:
If you're feeling anger, isolation or anxiety related to civil unrest, you're not alone. The national Disaster @Distressline offers 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 and #TalkWithUs. #USCapitol

CALL TO PRAYER: Come, Ye Sinners - 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.

Scripture: John 3:14-21, NRSV

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. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’ 

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

Sermon: Hope in Forgiveness - 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: Blest Be the Tie That Binds - Mandy McDow, Katerina Lewis, Salvador Villañueva

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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, March 7: Hope in Righteous Indignation

Live Stream Worship: 
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church   
Twitter: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc) 
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church 

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

Color Esperanza - 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

Donate

DISCIPLE BIBLE STUDY, Monday, March 1: Week 31, “Victory,” The Book of Revelation
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
Monday, March 8 at 5:30, Week 32, “Victory,” The Book of Revelation
Monday, March 15 at 5:30, Week 33, “Ministry,” The gifts of each disciple
Monday, March 22 at 5:30, Week 34, Rumana Choudhury’s lesson on Islam
Monday, March 29 at 5:30, Week 35, “Remember,” A Last Supper Together

Lenten Sermon Series: Color Esperanza
March 7: Lent III - Hope in Righteous Indignation
March 14: Lent IV - Hope in Forgiveness
March 21: Lent V - Hope in What is Forgotten
March 28: Palm Sunday - Jesus Christ Superstar
April 1: Maundy Thursday
April 2: Good Friday
April 4: Easter Sunday
April 11: Sabbath Sunday

Church Council: Tuesday, March 9 at 6:30 PM via Zoom

UMW Meeting: Sunday, March 14 at 3:00 PM via Zoom

If You have not already done so, please consider supporting efforts for 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

2021 Lois Balsley Scholarship

The California-Pacific United Methodist Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2021 Lois Balsley Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to college bound students within the Conference. Graduating high school seniors within the Cal-Pac Conference who plan to enroll in a two or four-year institution of higher learning in the Fall of 2021 are potentially eligible to apply. For this year only, the Grants Committee has relaxed the cumulative GPA requirement from 3.0 to 2.5, to give grace to students who may be adversely affected by the pandemic and virtual learning experience. Application is attached to this email. Call Nia Bailey at 626-568-7347 for more information.

General Board of Higher Education & Ministry Scholarships

The GBHEM scholarship application opens in January of each year. You can only submit one application per year where it will be screened for all possible eligible programs. You may indicate on the first page of the scholarship application which of the below listed programs you would most like to be considered for. Award amounts below are a general estimate of awards given. Scholarship programs are divided into three categories: General Scholarships, Racial-Ethnic Scholarships, and Ministry as a Career Scholarships.

Bishops call Special Session of General Conference, issue timeline forward

In response to the further postponement of the 2020 General Conference, the Council of Bishops (COB) is calling a Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened online on May 8, 2021.

The decision to call the Special Session came in conjunction with the Commission on the General Conference’s announcement of a further postponement of the 2020 General Conference to August 2022. The General Conference had been previously postponed to August 2021 due the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now scheduled to take place August 29 to September 6, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Click here to read the Commission’s announcement.

Pet Food available to low income families and those facing financial hardship every Sunday at select LA Animal Shelters by appointment only. For more information visit: laanimalservices.com/petfoodpantry or call 213-264-8985 to set up your appointment!

VACCINE UPDATE:

Residents 65+ are eligible to be vaccinated starting Wednesday, January 20th. Book your appointments by visiting VaccinateLACounty.com. For additional assistance, call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm.

Orange County residents and workers can register for a vaccination appointment at https://othena.com.

Vaccinations for seniors (and persons with disabilities):

One of the challenges of getting our most vulnerable citizens vaccine appointments is that the methodst to do so are heavily reliant on technology. To help bridge the gap, Margaret Irwin (assistant to Bishop Hagiya), has set up her own grassroots program to match seniors in need or without computers with volunteers willing to spend hours on the phone/online to book vaccination appointments. The demand is greater than the supply as we know but this is a temporary problem, but it will be for a few months.  

https://www.theoccidentalnews.com/community/2021/02/10/a-dose-of-the-truth-to-fight-vaccine-fear-in-nela/2902158 

If you are interested in helping Margaret sign people up for their vaccine appointments, you can send her an email to let her know.

Guide to Black History Month Events in Los Angeles:
https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/black-history-month-events-in-los-angeles

COVID-19 Testing

Updated for 1/2/21: The LA City Mobile Testing Group is bringing COVID-19 testing to communities throughout the City for those who are unable to drive to a testing site.
✅ No appointment necessary
✅Tests are free with or without insurance
Learn more:Coronavirus.LACity.org/MobileTesting

LA County Rent Relief Updates: https://211la.org/lacounty/rentrelief
- Relief extended through 12/31 for eligible applicants from the 08/20 application period
-New 2021 rent relief program coming soon
-Eviction moratorium extended through Feb. 28
The 2021 Rent Relief Program Applications are not yet available and are under development. Sign up to receive updates when the 2021 Rent Relief Application becomes available at 

Distress Hotline:
If you're feeling anger, isolation or anxiety related to civil unrest, you're not alone. The national Disaster @Distressline offers 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 and #TalkWithUs. #USCapitol

CALL TO PRAYER: For What It's Worth - 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.

Scripture: John 2:13-22, NRSV - Jesus Cleanses the Temple

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

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

Sermon: Hope in Righteous Indignation - 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: Up to Here - 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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, February 28: Hope in Believing the Unbelievable

Live Stream Worship: 
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church   
Twitter: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc) 
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church 

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

Color Esperanza - 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, March 1: Week 31, “Holy” - The Books of 1 & 2 Peter, Leviticus 11, 19; Isaiah 52-53, 55-56
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
Monday, March 1 at 5:30, Week 31, “Holy,” - The Books of 1 & 2 Peter, Leviticus 11, 19; Isaiah 52-53, 55-56
Monday, March 8 at 5:30, Week 32, “Victory,” The Book of Revelation
Monday, March 15 at 5:30, Week 33, “Ministry,” The gifts of each disciple
Monday, March 22 at 5:30, Week 34, “Remember,” A Last Supper Together

Lenten Sermon Series: Color Esperanza
February 28: Lent II - Hope in Believing the Unbelievable
March 7: Lent III - Hope in Righteous Indignation
March 14: Lent IV - Hope in Forgiveness
March 21: Lent V - Hope in What is Forgotten
March 28: Palm Sunday - Jesus Christ Superstar
April 1: Maundy Thursday
April 2: Good Friday
April 4: Easter Sunday
April 11: Sabbath Sunday

Be a Part of The United Methodist Church Easter Virtual Choir!
Upload your video by 12:00 p.m. CST on Friday, March 5

2021 Lois Balsley Scholarship

The California-Pacific United Methodist Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2021 Lois Balsley Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to college bound students within the Conference. Graduating high school seniors within the Cal-Pac Conference who plan to enroll in a two or four-year institution of higher learning in the Fall of 2021 are potentially eligible to apply. For this year only, the Grants Committee has relaxed the cumulative GPA requirement from 3.0 to 2.5, to give grace to students who may be adversely affected by the pandemic and virtual learning experience. Application is attached to this email. Call Nia Bailey at 626-568-7347 for more information.

United Methodist Higher Education Foundation Scholarships - Deadline March 1st

UMHEF offers several scholarship opportunities to United Methodist students attending or seeking to attend a United Methodist-related institution of higher education. Last year, UMHEF awarded more than $2.3 million to over 1,000 students. YOU can be one of those scholars!

• General Named Endowed Scholarships

• United Methodist Dollars for Scholars Program

• Special Scholarships

General Board of Higher Education & Ministry Scholarships

The GBHEM scholarship application opens in January of each year. You can only submit one application per year where it will be screened for all possible eligible programs. You may indicate on the first page of the scholarship application which of the below listed programs you would most like to be considered for. Award amounts below are a general estimate of awards given. Scholarship programs are divided into three categories: General Scholarships, Racial-Ethnic Scholarships, and Ministry as a Career Scholarships.

Bishops call Special Session of General Conference, issue timeline forward

In response to the further postponement of the 2020 General Conference, the Council of Bishops (COB) is calling a Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened online on May 8, 2021.

The decision to call the Special Session came in conjunction with the Commission on the General Conference’s announcement of a further postponement of the 2020 General Conference to August 2022. The General Conference had been previously postponed to August 2021 due the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now scheduled to take place August 29 to September 6, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Click here to read the Commission’s announcement.

Pet Food available to low income families and those facing financial hardship every Sunday at select LA Animal Shelters by appointment only. For more information visit: laanimalservices.com/petfoodpantry or call 213-264-8985 to set up your appointment!

VACCINE UPDATE:

Residents 65+ are eligible to be vaccinated starting Wednesday, January 20th. Book your appointments by visiting VaccinateLACounty.com. For additional assistance, call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm.

Orange County residents and workers can register for a vaccination appointment at https://othena.com.

Vaccinations for seniors (and persons with disabilities):

One of the challenges of getting our most vulnerable citizens vaccine appointments is that the methodst to do so are heavily reliant on technology. To help bridge the gap, Margaret Irwin (assistant to Bishop Hagiya), has set up her own grassroots program to match seniors in need or without computers with volunteers willing to spend hours on the phone/online to book vaccination appointments. The demand is greater than the supply as we know but this is a temporary problem, but it will be for a few months.  

https://www.theoccidentalnews.com/community/2021/02/10/a-dose-of-the-truth-to-fight-vaccine-fear-in-nela/2902158 

If you are interested in helping Margaret sign people up for their vaccine appointments, you can send her an email to let her know.

If You have not already done so, please consider signing the Petition for Justice for Our Friend and Member Dr. Aysha Khoury:
Dr. Khoury found out this week that the Kaiser medical school has terminated her contract, and she needs our help to hold the administrators of this school responsible for this racially motivated firing.

Click Here to Contribute to the GoFundMe in her name:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-aysha-khoury

Guide to Black History Month Events in Los Angeles:
https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/black-history-month-events-in-los-angeles

COVID-19 Testing

Updated for 1/2/21: The LA City Mobile Testing Group is bringing COVID-19 testing to communities throughout the City for those who are unable to drive to a testing site.
✅ No appointment necessary
✅Tests are free with or without insurance
Learn more:Coronavirus.LACity.org/MobileTesting

LA County Rent Relief Updates: https://211la.org/lacounty/rentrelief
- Relief extended through 12/31 for eligible applicants from the 08/20 application period
-New 2021 rent relief program coming soon
-Eviction moratorium extended through Feb. 28
The 2021 Rent Relief Program Applications are not yet available and are under development. Sign up to receive updates when the 2021 Rent Relief Application becomes available at 

Distress Hotline:
If you're feeling anger, isolation or anxiety related to civil unrest, you're not alone. The national Disaster @Distressline offers 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 and #TalkWithUs. #USCapitol

CALL TO PRAYER: Open Your Eyes - 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.

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38, NRSV

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

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

Sermon: Hope in Believing the Unbelievable - 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: Ring the Bells - 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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, February 21: Hope in a Promise Which Cannot Be Broken

Live Stream Worship: 
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church - Home  
Instagram: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc) 
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church 

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

Color Esperanza - 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, February 22: Week 30, “Sacrifice” - The Book of Hebrews
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
Monday, March 1 at 5:30, Week 31, “Holy,” - The Books of 1 & 2 Peter, Leviticus 11, 19; Isaiah 52-53, 55-56
Monday, March 8 at 5:30, Week 32, “Victory,” The Book of Revelation
Monday, March 15 at 5:30, Week 33, “Ministry,” The gifts of each disciple
Monday, March 22 at 5:30, Week 34, “Remember,” A Last Supper Together

Lenten Sermon Series: Color Esperanza
February 17: ASH WEDNESDAY - A COVENANT OF HOPE - Noon Prayer Service on FB Live
February 21: Lent I - Hope in a Promise Which Cannot Be Broken
February 28: Lent II - Hope in Believing the Unbelievable
March 7: Lent III - Hope in Righteous Indignation
March 14: Lent IV - Hope in Forgiveness
March 21: Lent V - Hope in What is Forgotten
March 28: Palm Sunday - Jesus Christ Superstar
April 1: Maundy Thursday
April 2: Good Friday
April 4: Easter Sunday
April 11: Sabbath Sunday

United Methodist Higher Learning Scholarship - Deadline March 1st

https://www.umhef.org/deadlineapproaching/mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWldFNFlqaGxNamxoTTJOayIsInQiOiJXQW1nRWNBRXcwVzYwKzQ5S0F5SjY3UVgyOVwveGVyNitkVDE3c1RlWU8xb2dDSFpLMElmU2xwcm5UN2lPbWk4VkQ4aHlpUUxxVTZnWEU2VmI5Y1pDWFVVbDNvWEY1OFcrRjZHQ2RUOXdzNTYydUQrSEVlbFNmUHpKV2JHS3VBdlMifQ%3D%3D

Pet Food available to low income families and those facing financial hardship every Sunday at select LA Animal Shelters by appointment only. For more information visit: laanimalservices.com/petfoodpantry or call 213-264-8985 to set up your appointment!

VACCINE UPDATE:

Residents 65+ are eligible to be vaccinated starting Wednesday, January 20th. Book your appointments by visiting VaccinateLACounty.com. For additional assistance, call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm.

Orange County residents and workers can register for a vaccination appointment at https://othena.com.

Vaccinations for seniors (and persons with disabilities):

One of the challenges of getting our most vulnerable citizens vaccine appointments is that the methodst to do so are heavily reliant on technology. To help bridge the gap, Margaret Irwin (assistant to Bishop Hagiya), has set up her own grassroots program to match seniors in need or without computers with volunteers willing to spend hours on the phone/online to book vaccination appointments. The demand is greater than the supply as we know but this is a temporary problem, but it will be for a few months.  

https://www.theoccidentalnews.com/community/2021/02/10/a-dose-of-the-truth-to-fight-vaccine-fear-in-nela/2902158 

If you are interested in helping Margaret sign people up for their vaccine appointments, you can send her an email to let her know.

If You have not already done so, please consider signing the Petition for Justice for Our Friend and Member Dr. Aysha Khoury:
Dr. Khoury found out this week that the Kaiser medical school has terminated her contract, and she needs our help to hold the administrators of this school responsible for this racially motivated firing.

Click Here to Contribute to the GoFundMe in her name:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-aysha-khoury

Guide to Black History Month Events in Los Angeles:
https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/black-history-month-events-in-los-angeles

COVID-19 Testing

Updated for 1/2/21: The LA City Mobile Testing Group is bringing COVID-19 testing to communities throughout the City for those who are unable to drive to a testing site.
✅ No appointment necessary
✅Tests are free with or without insurance
Learn more:Coronavirus.LACity.org/MobileTesting

LA County Rent Relief Updates: https://211la.org/lacounty/rentrelief
- Relief extended through 12/31 for eligible applicants from the 08/20 application period
-New 2021 rent relief program coming soon
-Eviction moratorium extended through Feb. 28
The 2021 Rent Relief Program Applications are not yet available and are under development. Sign up to receive updates when the 2021 Rent Relief Application becomes available at 

Distress Hotline:
If you're feeling anger, isolation or anxiety related to civil unrest, you're not alone. The national Disaster @Distressline offers 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 and #TalkWithUs. #USCapitol

CALL TO PRAYER: They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love - 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.

Scripture: Mark 1:9-15, NRSV

The Baptism of Jesus
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

The Temptation of Jesus
And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’ 

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

Sermon: Hope in a Promise Which Cannot Be Broken - 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: Down to the River to Pray - 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

Donate

Order of Worship for Ash Wednesday

Live Stream Worship: 
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church - Home  
Instagram: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc) 
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church 

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

Remain - El Dorado

Passing of the Peace: Through the act of passing the peace of Christ, we offer our sincere desire to love our neighbor.

CALL TO CONFESSION - Joel 2:12-13

The prophet Joel cried out:
Return to the Lord with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothing.
For God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love.
Let us confess our sins and repent of our unrighteousness:

PRAYER OF CONFESSION - Isaiah 58:4-7, Joel 2:17

Merciful God, we confess that we are a rebellious people.
We have broken your covenant, and we have tolerated injustice in our land.
We have not shared our food with the hungry,
We have not sheltered the homeless,
and we have not aided the sick and destitute.
We quarrel and fight among ourselves,
and we use religion to cover our deceit.
We have become a mockery of our heritage;
the world looks at us and asks, Where is their God?
Forgive us, O God.
Subdue our rebellious hearts and restore in us the light of salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Moment of Consideration: Come, Ye Sinners - El Dorado

Prepare
Reconcile
Repent
Mercy
Mortality
Know Yourself
Prayer
Fasting
Deny Yourself
Read Scripture
Listen
Silence
Dust
Ashes
Kneel . . . Now

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS - Isaiah 58:9b-10

If you remove the yoke from among you,
the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
In the name of Jesus Christ, know that you are forgiven and rejoice.
Thanks be to God!

BLESSING OF THE OIL, ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE ASHES

Bless, O God, these ashes and those who receive them.
Let them be for us a remidner of our mortality,
a call to sincere repentance,
and a testimony to your abundant mercy in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Remember that you are dust.
Remember, for your sake, God created the world.

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.

A Song of Hope: Color Esperanza - El Dorado

Benediction: Isaiah 58:6-8

Beloved, observe a Holy Lent:
Loose the bonds of injustice,
Break the yoke of oppression,
Feed the hungry,
Shelter the poor.
With the blessing of God our creator, Christ our redeemer, and the Spirit our sustainer,
receive the promise of Isaiah:
Your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
God your protector shall go before you,
and the glory of the Lord shall be your guard.

Go in peace to love and serve God, in all that you do.
Amen.

Order of Worship for Sunday, February 14: Transfiguration Sunday - Beauty is in Becoming

Live Stream Worship: 
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church - Home  
Instagram: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc) 
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church 

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

Mountain Lifter - 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, February 22: Week 30, “Sacrifice” - The Book of Hebrews
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
Monday, March 1 at 5:30, Week 31, “Holy,” - The Books of 1 & 2 Peter, Leviticus 11, 19; Isaiah 52-53, 55-56
Monday, March 8 at 5:30, Week 32, “Victory,” The Book of Revelation
Monday, March 15 at 5:30, Week 33, “Ministry,” The gifts of each disciple
Monday, March 22 at 5:30, Week 34, “Remember,” A Last Supper Together

Lenten Sermon Series: Color Esperanza
February 17: ASH WEDNESDAY - A COVENANT OF HOPE - Noon Prayer Service on FB Live
February 21: Lent I - Hope in a Promise Which Cannot Be Broken
February 28: Lent II - Hope in Believing the Unbelievable
March 7: Lent III - Hope in Righteous Indignation
March 14: Lent IV - Hope in Forgiveness
March 21: Lent V - Hope in What is Forgotten
March 28: Palm Sunday - Jesus Christ Superstar
April 1: Maundy Thursday
April 2: Good Friday
April 4: Easter Sunday
April 11: Sabbath Sunday

The Faithful Climate Action Fellowship is investing in young people who are often not as visible or supported in the broader climate, creation care and environmental movement: young (18-26) Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) from the Midwest and Southeast. This is an exciting opportunity for interfaith and climate engagement, and we hope that several young BIPOC connected to United Methodist Women will participate.

This fellowship opportunity is co-organized with Creation Justice Ministries, Greenfaith, Wisconsin Green Muslims and Interfaith Power and Light. Deadline to apply is Feb 15, but if you find someone great after that, let us know.

Would you help spread the word, nominate a young woman, and encourage young women in your network to apply? More info can be found here: http://www.faithfulclimateaction.org/

CALIFORNIA-PACIFIC UMW MID-WINTER VIRTUAL EVENT

"Knitting Together God's Family"
Saturday, February 20, 2021, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

https://calpacumc.formstack.com/forms/umwmidwinter2021utm_source=ALL+DATABASE&utm_campaign=61ff1a9d33EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_09_10_26_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7248078e6c-61ff1a9d33-111541549

United Methodist Higher Learning Scholarship - Deadline March 1st

https://www.umhef.org/deadlineapproaching/mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWldFNFlqaGxNamxoTTJOayIsInQiOiJXQW1nRWNBRXcwVzYwKzQ5S0F5SjY3UVgyOVwveGVyNitkVDE3c1RlWU8xb2dDSFpLMElmU2xwcm5UN2lPbWk4VkQ4aHlpUUxxVTZnWEU2VmI5Y1pDWFVVbDNvWEY1OFcrRjZHQ2RUOXdzNTYydUQrSEVlbFNmUHpKV2JHS3VBdlMifQ%3D%3D

Pet Food available to low income families and those facing financial hardship every Sunday at select LA Animal Shelters by appointment only. For more information visit: laanimalservices.com/petfoodpantry or call 213-264-8985 to set up your appointment!

VACCINE UPDATE:

Residents 65+ are eligible to be vaccinated starting Wednesday, January 20th. Book your appointments by visiting VaccinateLACounty.com. For additional assistance, call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm.

Orange County residents and workers can register for a vaccination appointment at https://othena.com.

Vaccinations for seniors (and persons with disabilities):

 One of the challenges of getting our most vulnerable citizens vaccine appointments is that the methodst to do so are heavily reliant on technology. To help bridge the gap, Margaret Irwin (assistant to Bishop Hagiya), has set up her own grassroots program to match seniors in need or without computers with volunteers willing to spend hours on the phone/online to book vaccination appointments. The demand is greater than the supply as we know but this is a temporary problem, but it will be for a few months.  

https://www.theoccidentalnews.com/community/2021/02/10/a-dose-of-the-truth-to-fight-vaccine-fear-in-nela/2902158 

If you are interested in helping Margaret sign people up for their vaccine appointments, you can send her an email to let her know.

If You have not already done so, please consider signing the Petition for Justice for Our Friend and Member Dr. Aysha Khoury:
Dr. Khoury found out this week that the Kaiser medical school has terminated her contract, and she needs our help to hold the administrators of this school responsible for this racially motivated firing.

Click Here to Contribute to the GoFundMe in her name:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-aysha-khoury

Guide to Black History Month Events in Los Angeles:
https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/black-history-month-events-in-los-angeles

A Path Forward Through and Out of COVID-19: The Vaccine and The Black Perspective

Saturday, February 20, 2021, 1 PM-6:30 PM EST

A Virtual Town Hall and a monumental discussion on health, healing and the Black Church.

The Reid Temple Healthy Communities Initiative presents A Virtual Town Hall and a monumental discussion on health, healing and the Black Church. Join us for A Path Forward Through and Out of COVID-19: The Vaccine and The Black Perspective with special guest Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Bishop James L. Davis and our Pastor Rev. Dr. Mark E. Whitlock and more. Sat. February 20, 2021 at 1PM EST. Stream Stream LIVE online at reidtemple.org/watch, Facebook, and YouTube @reidtempleame

Covid Testing

Updated for 1/2/21: The LA City Mobile Testing Group is bringing COVID-19 testing to communities throughout the City for those who are unable to drive to a testing site.
✅ No appointment necessary
✅Tests are free with or without insurance
Learn more:Coronavirus.LACity.org/MobileTesting

LACounty Rent Relief Updates: https://211la.org/lacounty/rentrelief
- Relief extended through 12/31 for eligible applicants from the 08/20 application period
-New 2021 rent relief program coming soon
-Eviction moratorium extended through Feb. 28
The 2021 Rent Relief Program Applications are not yet available and are under development. Sign up to receive updates when the 2021 Rent Relief Application becomes available at 

Distress Hotline:
If you're feeling anger, isolation or anxiety related to civil unrest, you're not alone. The national Disaster @Distressline offers 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 and #TalkWithUs. #USCapitol

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.

Scripture: Mark 9:2-9, NRSV - The Transfiguration

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

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

Sermon: The Beauty Is In Becoming - 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: Same God - 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

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, February 7: Power in Humility

Live Stream Worship: 
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church - Home  
Instagram: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc) 
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church 

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, February 8: Week 29, “Training” - The Books of 1&2 Timothy, Titus
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
Monday, Feb. 22 at 5:30, Week 30, “Sacrifice,” - The Book of Hebrews
Monday, March 1 at 5:30, Week 31, “Holy,” - The Books of 1 & 2 Peter, Leviticus 11, 19; Isaiah 52-53, 55-56
Monday, March 8 at 5:30, Week 32, “Victory,” The Book of Revelation
Monday, March 15 at 5:30, Week 33, “Ministry,” The gifts of each disciple
Monday, March 22 at 5:30, Week 34, “Remember,” A Last Supper Together

Upcoming Sermon Series:
February 14: Transfiguration Sunday
February 17: ASH WEDNESDAY

Church Council Meeting: Tuesday, February 9 at 6:30 PM via Zoom
Meeting to include discussions about recent proposals regarding our Vision for Development.

Called Charge Conference: Wednesay, February 10 at 5:30 pm via Zoom

1010 Development has had an offer from House of David to purchase Villa Flores. In light of this potential transfer of ownership and shift in management of the community, we have invited Bob Buente, president and CEO of 1010 Housing, to address the process at our next Church Council meeting on Feb. 9 at 6:30 pm.

In order to proceed, the church council needs to hold a charge conference on Wednesday, February 10 at 5:00 pm via Zoom to approve the election of a new Board of Directors. Our District Superintendent, Rev. Mark Nakagawa, will preside. This new board would be nominated by the House of David, as part of a change of control from 1010 Development.

This opportunity raises a number of questions, of course, and we would like to begin with dialogue about the ongoing relationship LA First UMC has with the community in Villa Flores.

The current Board of Directors of 1010 Housing is listed, below: https://www.1010dev.org/board-of-directors
Matt Goulet, Board Chair
Jennifer Gutierrez, Vice Chair
Patricia Benson, Board Secretary (Hope Village Resident & Assistant Manager)
Bob Buente, President & CEO
Carrie Gillis
Dr. Alexandre Tsapin
Vivien Villaverde
Please feel free to send your questions ahead of time so that Bob can come prepared with as many answers as possible.

VACCINE UPDATE:

Residents 65+ are eligible to be vaccinated starting Wednesday, January 20th. Book your appointments by visiting VaccinateLACounty.com. For additional assistance, call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm.

Orange County residents and workers can register for a vaccination appointment at https://othena.com.

If You have not already done so, please consider signing the Petition for Justice for Our Friend and Member Dr. Aysha Khoury:
Dr. Khoury found out this week that the Kaiser medical school has terminated her contract, and she needs our help to hold the administrators of this school responsible for this racially motivated firing.

Click Here to Contribute to the GoFundMe in her name:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-aysha-khoury

Guide to Black History Month Events in Los Angeles:
https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/black-history-month-events-in-los-angeles

A Path Forward Through and Out of COVID-19: The Vaccine and The Black Perspective

Saturday, February 20, 2021, 1 PM-6:30 PM EST

A Virtual Town Hall and a monumental discussion on health, healing and the Black Church.

The Reid Temple Healthy Communities Initiative presents A Virtual Town Hall and a monumental discussion on health, healing and the Black Church. Join us for A Path Forward Through and Out of COVID-19: The Vaccine and The Black Perspective with special guest Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Bishop James L. Davis and our Pastor Rev. Dr. Mark E. Whitlock and more. Sat. February 20, 2021 at 1PM EST. Stream Stream LIVE online at reidtemple.org/watch, Facebook, and YouTube @reidtempleame

Covid Testing

Updated for 1/2/21: The LA City Mobile Testing Group is bringing COVID-19 testing to communities throughout the City for those who are unable to drive to a testing site.
✅ No appointment necessary
✅Tests are free with or without insurance
Learn more:Coronavirus.LACity.org/MobileTesting

LACounty Rent Relief Updates: https://211la.org/lacounty/rentrelief
- Relief extended through 12/31 for eligible applicants from the 08/20 application period
-New 2021 rent relief program coming soon
-Eviction moratorium extended through Feb. 28
The 2021 Rent Relief Program Applications are not yet available and are under development. Sign up to receive updates when the 2021 Rent Relief Application becomes available at 

Distress Hotline:
If you're feeling anger, isolation or anxiety related to civil unrest, you're not alone. The national Disaster @Distressline offers 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 and #TalkWithUs. #USCapitol

CALL TO PRAYER: Amazing Grace - 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.

Scripture: Isaiah 40:21-31, NRSV

Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 
It is God who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when the Lord blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. 

To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? God who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because God is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.

Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. The Lord does not faint or grow weary; God’s understanding is unsearchable. God gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. 

Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

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

Sermon: Power in Humility - 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: 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. 

Virtual Coffee Hour Begins now!
Immediately following worship on Zoom

Donate

Order of Worship for Sunday, January 31: As One With Authority

Live Stream Worship: 
Facebook: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church - Home  
Instagram: Los Angeles First UMC (@lafirstumc) 
YouTube: Los Angeles First United Methodist Church 

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

Soon & Very Soon - 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, February 8: Week 29, “Training” - The Books of 1&2 Timothy, Titus
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/598868178?pwd=U1B2YjZYWURDRXJXMStKajI3L1RWZz09
Monday, Feb. 22 at 5:30, Week 30, “Sacrifice,” - The Book of Hebrews
Monday, March 1 at 5:30, Week 31, “Holy,” - The Books of 1 & 2 Peter, Leviticus 11, 19; Isaiah 52-53, 55-56
Monday, March 8 at 5:30, Week 32, “Victory,” The Book of Revelation
Monday, March 15 at 5:30, Week 33, “Ministry,” The gifts of each disciple
Monday, March 22 at 5:30, Week 34, “Remember,” A Last Supper Together (Holy Week)

Upcoming Sermon Series:
February 7: Power In Humility
February 14: Transfiguration Sunday
February 17: ASH WEDNESDAY

EL DORADO: VOL. 1 and SONGS FOR THE SEASON

VACCINE UPDATE:

Residents 65+ are eligible to be vaccinated starting Wednesday, January 20th. Book your appointments by visiting VaccinateLACounty.com. For additional assistance, call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm.

If You have not already done so, please consider signing the Petition for Justice for Our Friend and Member Dr. Aysha Khoury:
Dr. Khoury found out this week that the Kaiser medical school has terminated her contract, and she needs our help to hold the administrators of this school responsible for this racially motivated firing.

Click Here to Contribute to the GoFundMe in her name:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-aysha-khoury

Guide to Black History Month Events in Los Angeles:
https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/black-history-month-events-in-los-angeles

A Path Forward Through and Out of COVID-19: The Vaccine and The Black Perspective

Saturday, February 20, 2021, 1 PM-6:30 PM EST

A Virtual Town Hall and a monumental discussion on health, healing and the Black Church.

The Reid Temple Healthy Communities Initiative presents A Virtual Town Hall and a monumental discussion on health, healing and the Black Church. Join us for A Path Forward Through and Out of COVID-19: The Vaccine and The Black Perspective with special guest Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Bishop James L. Davis and our Pastor Rev. Dr. Mark E. Whitlock and more. Sat. February 20, 2021 at 1PM EST. Stream Stream LIVE online at reidtemple.org/watch, Facebook, and YouTube @reidtempleame

Covid Testing

Updated for 1/2/21: The LA City Mobile Testing Group is bringing COVID-19 testing to communities throughout the City for those who are unable to drive to a testing site.
✅ No appointment necessary
✅Tests are free with or without insurance
Learn more:Coronavirus.LACity.org/MobileTesting

LACounty Rent Relief Updates: https://211la.org/lacounty/rentrelief
- Relief extended through 12/31 for eligible applicants from the 08/20 application period
-New 2021 rent relief program coming soon
-Eviction moratorium extended through Feb. 28
The 2021 Rent Relief Program Applications are not yet available and are under development. Sign up to receive updates when the 2021 Rent Relief Application becomes available at 

Distress Hotline:
If you're feeling anger, isolation or anxiety related to civil unrest, you're not alone. The national Disaster @Distressline offers 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 and #TalkWithUs. #USCapitol

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.

Scripture: Mark 1: 21-28, NRSV

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.

They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

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

Sermon: As One With Authority - 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: Blessed Assurance - 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

Donate