December 16, 2007 - January 12, 2008

Cover Story

From all of us at
First United Methodist Church
of Santa Monica,
we wish you a blessed Advent,
a wonder-filled Christmas & Epiphany,
and the brightest of New Years!

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COLLEGE STUDENTS REUNITE
December 24 @ 12 am
All college students are invited to a holiday party in the Fireside Room after the 11 pm Christmas Eve service. Parents will be providing refreshments.

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN MEMBERSHIP?
Sunday, January 27
We will be receiving new members into our church family on Sunday, January 27. If you would like to join or would like to learn more about membership, there will be an informational meeting on January 6 at 11:45 am in the Fireside Room.

DON'T LET 2008 COME...
Without Turning in Your Pledge Card!
Though the campaign is over, we hope that everyone will still make the effort to submit their completed pledge cards to the church office before the end of the year. 2008 is upon us! If you have any questions, please contact the church office.

IT'S ALMOST HERE!!!
Simkins Hall in the Shelby Center
On Sunday, February 3, we will celebrate the completion of Simkins Hall in the Shelby Center with one worship service at 10 am followed by a dedication ceremony and brunch. Save the date!

JANUARY MID-WEEK RECITAL
Wednesday, January 9
Please join us for our monthly free concert in the sanctuary on January 9 at 12:10 pm. Namhee Han will be performing on the organ and a reception will be held after the concert in the Fireside Room. All are invited!

A TIME TO BUILD
Coming in the Spring of 2008
Habitat for Humanity will be building in Santa Monica for the first time by constructing five townhomes at 2018 19th St. In addition to helping families in need, this will be an environmentally friendly project. FUMC, St. Paul’s Lutheran, First Pres, St. Augustine’s by the Sea, and Santa Monica Synagogue are partnering with Habitat for Humanity to make this project a reality. If you would like to participate or want more information, contact Paul Deveaux in the church office.

CORNER CHATS COMING!
Ever wanted to follow up on something said during the sermon on Sunday morning? Here’s your chance. Starting in January, the Spiritual Formation Council will be offering an opportunity each Sunday for worshippers to discuss the day’s sermon. We’ll have a corner in Simkins Hall set up for interested persons to bring their coffee, cookies, opinions, and questions. Members of the Spiritual Formation Council will moderate the discussion. The chat will alternate between the coffee hour after 9 am service and the coffee hour after the 10:30 am service.

This is a chance to share your thoughts and questions with others who have just attended the service with you. Expertise not required – we are all on the journey and this is a way to help one another. Plan to join us. The first Corner Chat will begin at 10:15 am on January 6. Look for us in the corner!

FAMILIES, PRIORITIES & SPORTS - WORSHIP RENEWAL
Saturday, January 12
7 – 8 pm: “Families, Priorities, and Sports” with Regan McMahon, author of Revolution in the Bleachers
8 – 9 pm: Discussion including a panel made up of coaches, parents, family therapists and a pastor; moderated by Rev. Brad P. Beeman – National and White House consultant on what places children and youth at risk.
Sunday January 13
10:30 am – 12 noon: Book Signing and Book Study with Regan McMahon
Revolution in the Bleachers will be the focus of the study. Copies will be available for purchase before Christmas.

JANUARY BOOK STUDY
Though the Fig Tree Does Not Blossom: Toward a Responsible Theology of Christian Hope by Ellen Ott Marshall
This theological mediation on Christian hope begins: “If it is to generate and sustain moral agency, hope must be practiced as an ongoing negotiation between the promising and sobering aspects of life and faith. This is what I mean by a responsible hope.” Dr. Marshall, Associate Professor of Ethics at Claremont School of Theology, will be with us to lead our discussion of her book. Chosen to launch us into the season of Lent which begins early this year on February 6, this book does not flinch from the hardest things and, in so doing, creates the possibility of grounding our hope in the deepest possible resources of faith. It is available for sale now in our Church Library.

ATTENTION ALL COUNCIL & COMMITTEE CHAIRS
A Leadership Training Event has been scheduled for Saturday, January 26 from 9:30 am - 1 pm in the Fireside Room. Lunch will be served. Please plan to attend and RSVP to the church office by Friday, January 18. This will be an important gathering as we begin another year of work in the church.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TIPS FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY
Drill: Conduct fire and emergency evacuation drills with two escape routes
if possible
Practice: “Duck, Cover, and Hold” for earthquake drill.
Test: Read the indicator on your fire extinguisher(s) and follow the
manufacturer’s instruction to recharge. Test smoke alarms. Replace alarms
and batteries as needed.
Gifts of Life: Consider giving emergency survival kits to family members
or friends. An emergency kit would be greatly appreciated by that special
person on your Christmas List. We still have some available in the office or
you could purchase one from the Red Cross.

SAVE THE DATE
AmeriCorps volunteers will be at FUMC on February 9 from 10 am - 4 pm in the Simkins Hall alcove offering a FREE CPR class. Please contact Mary Jo Dalton in the church office, (310) 393-8258, for more information.

 

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A Prayer for late in Advent

As we wait for the birth of our Lord and Savior, we pray for the church and for the world he came to save:

Come to the world, O Christ, where truth is so often
unknown and the message of hope not understood.

May the promise of peace be made manifest in our time.

Bring into our hearts and homes the joy of those who trust in our love and share that love with one another. Give light to us all.

May the tender protection of Joseph and the loving gentleness of Mary keep us safe and strong. May the love that shone from the manger be ours this day.

May the sick find healing, the sorrowful comfort, the
despairing hope and the dying assurance.

We pray for those who have lost their homes and all who at the end of the day will have no place to rest. Bring the wanderers and the homeless to shelter.

May your grace and truth dwell with us and draw us into holiness and empower us to tell out the tidings of great joy for all the people.

Make our lives tokens of the treasures that in our hearts we offer to the Christ Child.

In the name of Christ Jesus we pray, the Word made flesh for our salvation.

O come, O come, Emmanuel!

Amen.

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Flu Clinic Thanks
A big thank you to those volunteers who helped to make the Flu Clinic a success again this year. We gave 315 injections to grateful people from our congregation and the community. The different venue was a bit of a challenge for us at the beginning but our volunteers overcame the obstacles and the clinic proceeded without a hitch. Bravo!

Westside Thanks-Giving
A huge thank you goes out to all who volunteered their time or provided food for the Westside Thanksgiving event at the Santa Monica Civic Center. We are told that 1500 people were served this year! Wonderful job.

Service Update

Upcoming Worship