Of the La Mesa First United Methodist Church

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While for some, those are minor inconveniences as they look forward to celebrating the season with loving family and friends; for others, it is a high-stress time of year where gathering with family

1 Of the La Mesa First United Methodist Church Volume 64, Number 12 December 2017 The month of December seems to be a busy time for everyone. There are numerous parties to attend, last minute shopping to be done, and traffic to contend with. While for some, those are minor inconveniences as they look forward to celebrating the season with loving family and friends; for others, it is a high-stress time of year where gathering with family is not high on the agenda. When Grace and I got married many years ago, we came with different expectations for Christmas. Grace comes from a large family with extended aunts, uncles, and cousins who all got together for the holidays. She gathered with extended family of multiple generations and had a special dinner to celebrate the occasion. I, on the other hand, had been working in the church for some years, and so, the Christmas season was not about gathering with family but managing the logistics of running the youth and children s programs during the holidays. I hadn t gone home for Christmas in years as I spent Christmas Eve at church behind the scenes for all the numerous worship services. That first Christmas, Grace asked what our plans were as newlyweds on Christmas Eve. And I looked at her with a dumbfounded look, What do you mean what are we doing on Christmas Eve? I work. Needless to say, Grace burst into tears with the thought of having to spend her Christmas alone at home. Fortunately, a family in the church invited us for Christmas dinner the following day and we were able to still enjoy the season with wonderful friends. Christmas is a time when we are reminded that we are not alone. We are never alone, whether we are surrounded by many loved ones or estranged from our family. Jesus is born to remind us that despite what our holiday traditions may be, God is with us and invites to be with him during this season. We do so by gathering with our church family in worship and celebration. This year, along with our usual weekly Sunday morning worship services, I invite you to be part of the other occasions to get together. Join us for our Christmas concert on Dec. 10th at 4:00 pm. Come and see our Children s choir present their Christmas musical on Dec. 17th at 12:15 pm. And come and celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve either at the 7:00 pm candlelight service with the choir and/ or the 11:00 pm candlelight service with communion. Last but not least, let us enjoy a meal together on Christmas Day for our community dinner at noon. Sunday Worship Sunday Worship at La Mesa First Dec. 3: First Sunday of Advent Mark 13:24-37 Sylina Kidd preaching Holy Communion Caroling to the noon Dec. 10: Second Sunday of Advent Mark 1:1-8 Sermon: Preparing the Way Christmas 4pm Dec. 17: Third Sunday of Advent John 1:6-8, Sermon: Finding God in Our Midst Children s Choir Christmas Musical Dec. 24: Fourth Sunday of Advent Luke 1:26-38 Sermon: The Gift Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Services Choir and Candlelight Service at 7:00 pm Candlelight and Communion Service at 11:00 pm Dec. 31: First Sunday of Christmas Luke 2:22-40 Sermon: A New Year s Covenant Wesley Covenant Prayer May this season be filled with joy as we celebrate Christ s birth and the presence of one another. Blessings, Pastor Elbert 1

2 Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. It s that time of the year that we as a congregation open our doors and hearts to our community. Christmas is around the corner and with that brings our annual Christmas dinner. We are looking for volunteers to help with this most worthy ministry. The Christmas dinner will be held Monday December 25 th at noon in the social hall. Please RSVP by calling the Church office at Dear Congregation and Friends of La Mesa First United Methodist Church; Merry Christmas from the Staff-Parish Relations Committee: During Advent we will have the opportunity to contribute to the Love Gift for Pastor Elbert and the entire church staff. They work hard year round to support our ministries, our church services, local outreach and many more things we depend on. Please consider giving generously to show your love and appreciation. You may write a check or give cash during Sunday services all during Advent. Please mark your check and envelope "Love Gift" so we know, and put it in the offering plate. In fact, you may give more than once as the Spirit moves you. Thank you and bless you. Eric Dewey-Hoffman, Chair SPRC December BIRTHDAYS Ann Buffington 01 Emily Gibson 03 Daniel Kim 05 Kathleen Kramer 05 Carolynn Evans 10 Lyall Young 11 (97) Jared Rubin 13 Bryan Whelan 13 Elvia De Los Reyes 14 Robin McKinney 16 Lee Darby 17 Mechelle Perrott 19 Nicholas Kramer 21 Dayna Middleton 22 Brian Hodo 23 Sabine Pacheco 23 Kathryn Park 23 Mary Earnest 25 Arthur Drown 29 Brendan Larsen 29 Online Giving Simplify your giving to the church by setting up automatic payments either through credit card or electronic fund transfer. Setup your profile and automatic payments and don t worry about bringing your checkbooks anymore. Go to our church website at: and click on the upper right hand corner on the Giving tab. Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am - 1 pm We are closed on Friday. Mirror Deadline for next issue: December 14 at 12:00 noon Church Staff Rev. Dr. Elbert Kim, Senior Pastor Ekim@lamesaumc.com Sylina Kidd, Seminary Intern Sylina@lamesaumc.com Ray Swaverly, Intern Ray@lamesaumc.com Robin McKinney, Children s Center Director LMUMCC@gmail.com Tina Wiedholz, Church Administrator Tina@lamesaumc.com Esther Brasmer, Finance Secretary Esther@lamesaumc.com Jill Coady, Director of Music Ministries Jill@lamesaumc.com Rosy-Dawn Whelan Fiery Spirit Choir Director Bill Haworth Organist/Accompanist Bill Kelly Lay Leader Debbie Millican Fireside Supervisor Michele Butler, Iris Millican, Amy Sousa Child Care Workers Ron Beierle Sunday Custodian/Van Driver 2

3 Music Notes Caroling to our Homebound This year we will visit our Homebound members on Sunday, December 3rd after second service. This will already have taken place by the time you receive this letter, but we want you to know what we have been up to! Thank you to everyone who came out to carol; to Kimberlee Wilton for making adorable Gnome Gardens for us to give the people we visit; and also to Mary Lou and Barney Moore for providing a lunch for our singers before they venture out! Christmas Concert December 10th, 4 pm. We will be presenting a cantata by Tom Fettke and Thomas Grassi titled The Christmas Story (A Classic Carol Celebration.) Filled with music new and old, this story of Christmas is filled with glorious images of promise, joy, love, faith, worship, and a Baby, God's great gift of salvation. Joining us will be the Fiery Spirit Children s Choir, Readers and Instrumentalists! We hope you will bring your family and friends to share in this delightful afternoon and plan to join us for a light supper in the Social Hall following the concert. Fiery Spirit Children s Choir Concert December 17th, 12:15 pm. Because Chr istmas Eve falls on Sunday this year we are moving our Children s presentation to Sunday, the 17th, after church. Come to church, grab a snack at the hospitality table after service and come back into the Sanctuary to enjoy the Fiery Spirit s production of The Christmas Carol Special Report! Many of the carols we enjoy and sing at Christmas have exciting histories from countries around the world. Giving us the scoop on these festive songs of the birth of Christ, and coming to us live from the television studios of KMAS, we tune into The Christmas Carol Special Report! Join Jim and Natalie (news anchors at KMAS) and three on-location reporters stationed across the globe as they broadcast Christmas carolers live and give some remarkable history behind Christmas celebrations around the world! It s beginning to look a lot like Christmas; soon the bells will start. And the thing that will make them ring, is the carol that you sing, right within your heart. ~ Meredith Willson 3 The Giving Tree In the Narthex is a tree with several envelopes. This tree is an opportunity to give a little extra towards a church expense of your choice. It s a great way to show gratitude for any additional blessing God is providing or simply to give more with a grateful heart. All you need to do is take an envelope off the tree insert your gift and put the envelope in the offering plate during service. Thank you for your blessing and generosity. Holiday Greetings from the Staff and Volunteers Pastor Elbert Robin Jill Sylina Tina Esther Rosy-Dawn Bill Kelly Michele Bill Haworth Debbie Millican Ron Dona Ray Carol Elizabeth Cathy Amy Suanne Debbie Mc Daniel Roger Rubye A Friendly Reminder From Your Administrator Please remember there is no night security or custodian to check windows, lock doors, and turn off lights. If you turn it on, please remember to turn it off. It s very costly when a light or a fan is left on Thursday and no one knows it s still on until Sunday. Thank you. Tina UMW MEETINGS The annual Faith Circle Christmas pot luck will be 12/6 at 6:00 pm at Kimberly s house, 705 Lauree St., El Cajon. Be sure to bring your world thank offering and RSVP to Kimberly at Sunshine Circle: Holding in Prayer Caroline Saunders Susan Taylor Phil & Julie Dreylinger Phyllis Anning Dale & Carol Conger-Cross Pat Chalmers Karen Westgate Dorothy Troxell

4 December 2017 Calendar Friday December 1 5:00 pm Interfaith Shelter, SH Saturday December 2 9:00 am Take Down Interfaith Shelter, SH 10:00 am Hanging of the Greens, S Sunday December 3 9:30 am Children s Choir Rehearsal, EB11 12:00 pm Carolling to Our Homebound, SH 5:00 pm Youth Group Monday December 4 Tuesday December 5 Wednesday December 6 1:00 pm Faith Circle, SH 3:00 pm Bible Study, Grossmont Gardens 6:30 pm Pastor s Disciple Bible Study, EB Thursday December 7 10:00 am Caring Ministries Sewing Project, LL Friday December 8 Saturday December 9 10:00 am CC Christmas Program, S, SH 1:00 pm Joseph Steffe Memorial Service, S Sunday December 10 9:30 am Blood Pressure Check, SH Children s Choir Rehearsal, EB-11 4:00 pm Christmas Concert & Dinner, S, SH 5:00 pm Youth Group, EB-11 Monday December 11 5:30 pm CC Advisory Council Meeting, EB-11 Tuesday December 12 9:00 am Children s Center Chapel, S 6:00 pm Trustees, OS Wednesday December 13 9:00 am Children s Center Chapel, S 12:00 pm Mirror Articles Due 3:00 pm Bible Study, Grossmont Gardens 6:30 pm Pastor s Disciple Bible Study, EB Thursday December 14 Sunday December 17 9:30 am Children s Choir Rehearsal, EB11 12:15 pm Children s Choir Christmas Musical,S 5:00 pm Youth Group Monday December 18 6:30 pm Outreach Committee, WR Tuesday December 19 Thursday December 21 5:30 pm SPRC, WR Sunday December 24 Children & Youth Activities 7:00 pm Christmas Eve Worship, S 11:00 pm Christmas Eve Worship, S Monday December 25 - Christmas Day Office Closed 12:00 pm Christmas Dinner, SH Tuesday December 26 - Office Closed Wednesday December 27 - Office Hours 9-12 Thursday December 28 - Office Hours 9-12 Sunday December 31 7:00 pm Christmas Eve Worship, S 11:00 pm Christmas Eve Worship, S Monday January 1 - New Year s Day Office Closed SH-Social Hall, S-Sanctuary, EO-Elbert s Office, OS-Off Site, PL-Parking Lot LL-Lower Level of Sanctuary 4

5 THE METHODIST MIRROR is published by the First United Methodist Church of La Mesa, 4690 Palm Avenue, La Mesa, CA METHODIST MIRROR 4690 Palm Avenue, La Mesa, CA (619) Fax (619) La Mesa First Families and Friends Have we got a deal for you! COME SHOP WITH US To do your one stop holiday shopping for the Big Stuff & Stocking-Stuffers Great Gifts for Teachers & Co-Workers! Food for your Table! We have over 40 different cards in stock and We can Special Order from over 700 Vendors - Find us on the church patio between Sunday services or in the church office. 5

Of the La Mesa First United Methodist Church

Of the La Mesa First United Methodist Church Volume 64, Number 11 November 2017 November is a month of giving thanks. Even our nation has designated a national holiday for the purpose of giving thanks