Sunday, March 2
Transfiguration Sunday
8:30am Informal Worship in Epworth Lounge9:30am Contemporary Worship in the Sanctuary
11:00am Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary
Sunday's Scripture:
Matthew 17:1-9
Matthew 17: 1 After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. 2 He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. 3 Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.
4 Peter answered, and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
6 When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid. 7 Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.” 8 Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”
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John Wesley’s Notes/Commentary:
Matthew 17:1-9
Verse 1. A high mountain - Probably Mount Tabor. Mark ix, 2; Luke ix, 28.
Verse 2. And was transfigured - Or transformed. The indwelling Deity darted out its rays through the veil of the flesh; and that with such transcendent splendour, that he no longer bore the form of a servant. His face shone with Divine majesty, like the sun in its strength; and all his body was so irradiated by it, that his clothes could not conceal its glory, but became white and glittering as the very light, with which he covered himself as with a garment.
Verse 3. There appeared Moses and Elijah - Here for the full confirmation of their faith in Jesus, Moses, the giver of the law, Elijah, the most zealous of all the prophets, and God speaking from heaven, all bore witness to him.
Verse 4. Let us make three tents - The words of rapturous surprise. He says three, not six: because the apostles desired to be with their Master.
Verse 5. Hear ye him - As superior even to Moses and the prophets. See Deut. xviii, 17.
Verse 7. Be not afraid - And doubtless the same moment he gave them courage and strength.
Verse 9. Tell the vision to no man - Not to the rest of the disciples, lest they should be grieved and discouraged because they were not admitted to the sight: nor to any other persons, lest it should enrage some the more, and his approaching sufferings shall make others disbelieve it; till the Son of man be risen again - Till the resurrection should make it credible, and confirm their testimony about it.
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In This Issue
Rummage sale From the Lay Leader
Lay Looker
Prayer Quilting
Like us on Facebook
This Week at Church...
www.beachfaith.org
Adult Bible Study
You are welcome to join our regular Thursday Bible Study with Pastor Molly.
The Pastor's Bible Study meets each Thursday at 11:00am in May Day Parlor.
A Church That Responds to the Needs of the Community
Every Wednesday, with help from neighbor congregations and many volunteers, we host Shared Bread, a free meal for the community.
(Click the logo for more information.)
Would you like to be a part of our Shared Bread Entertainment?? If you play an instrument and would like to share your talent with those who come for a meal, please
contact Susanne Paulson.
Here are some dates you can add to your calendar:
March 12
April 23
May 28
from 6:00 to 6:30ish.
Feel free to bring a
friend to play.
SHARED BREAD
Groceries =
$$$ for Church
Looking for an easy way to support our church? Now you can do your grocery shopping and the store will give a percentage back to FUMCRB! Click the image on the left to learn how you can sign up for this easy giving program. Our Stewardship Team can answer any questions!
WANT TO STAY CURRENT ON ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS?
CLICK THE IMAGE ON THE RIGHT TO LINK TO THE CAL-PAC WEBSITE.
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You may also visit the new website for the entire denomination of United Methodist Church here.
Looking Deeply in Lent
This Lent, I invite you to join me by praying by looking. Each week, as we share in study of a passage of scripture, we will also look at a piece of art that interprets it--paintings and serigraphs by local artist John August Swanson. Our culture is rich with imagery--quick-moving edits on tv, well-crafted advertisements all around us, thoughtful design that constantly speaks to us. Often, I take it in countless images without contemplation.
There is, however, also a long and deep history of devotional images--religions images and icons that have been used by devoted Christians as a bodily way of encountering God. Our gaze, many believe, provides us a way to take Christ, physically, into our bodies.
I am hopeful that our Lenten devotional will offer an opportunity for deeper contemplation and engagement with the stories of Jesus' final days on earth; and that they will help us imagine how we can share in his wondrous love today.
Lent begins next Wednesday, March 5; if you aren't able to pick up a copy of the printed devotional on Sunday, you can follow along online.
grace and peace,
Pastor Molly
P.S. I am away from the office this week, at a meeting of the General Board of Church and Society of the UMC, helping shape and support our church's voice on social issues. I have the privilege of helping lead our work in Economic and Environmental Justice. I will be back on Sunday, and look forward to seeing you then.
Contact Info
Pastor Molly Vetter
PastorMolly@BeachFaith.com
(310)372-8445 x 102
IT'S EASY TO SUPPORT THE UMW---SHOP AND EAT!!! HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE!
From our Lay Leader: Jesus-a Rebel?
"Jesus was a bit of a rebel. He offered kindness to everyone. He required that we all love our enemies, as well as our neighbors. He had dinner with tax collectors and cared for prostitutes. He told us to turn our cheek, give away our cloak and walk the second mile. As I reflect on Matthew 5:38-48 from last weeks sermon, I think of Jesus' command that we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. I remember that our Father in heaven makes his sun rise on ALL, the evil and the good, and sends rain on BOTH the righteous and the unrighteous..."Read Johnna's recent Lay Leader reflections online.
Jesus was a bit of a rebel. He offered kindness to everyone. He required that we all love our enemies, as well as our neighbors. He had dinner with tax collectors and cared for prostitutes. He told us to turn our cheek, give away our cloak and walk the second mile.
As I reflect on Matthew 5:38-48 from last weeks sermon, I think of Jesus’ command that we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. I remember that our Father in heaven makes his sun rise on ALL, the evil and the good, and sends rain on BOTH the righteous and the unrighteous.
Arizona Senate Bill 1062 is making headlines because of concern that it encourages persecution against gay people. The author of the Bill says this is not true. I haven’t yet read the bill so I am unclear as to the accuracy of either report. However, the news is certainly a reminder of the painful division and strong emotions existing in our communities and, sometimes, our own families regarding this issue.
Because our world is in so much pain over this issue, I am thankful that Pastor Molly is offering a Holy Conferencing class on March 9th regarding Homosexuality, Marriage Equality and our Christian Faith. I encourage you to attend. I also encourage you to pray for open hearts and open minds so that we may all better understand and accept what God reveals to us through our prayerful discussion. I am sure we will all walk away with something special in our hearts.
In the meantime, Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 command us to love, not only our brothers and sisters, but also those who are different than us. Jesus is our perfect example of how to live and Jesus loved all people equally: Jews, Gentiles, tax collectors, prostitutes and his disciples. He calls us to be rebels with him, to practice tolerance, acceptance and love for all people. Will you follow his example?
Lay Looker by Bob Peterson
[Read the Lay Looker on our website by clicking here!]For over twenty years I have called it The Miracle of Shared Bread. When Shared Bread was proposed as our church project, I was not available due to an every Wednesday evening’s conflict. However, during its first year of action I had a free Wednesday and went to the church to see what this Shared Bread was all about. I was asked to serve that evening. Following us serving all the hungry (about 80) a few of us were standing around and this man came up to us, thanked us for the fine meal and asked what he could do to show his appreciation. We had been trying to drink from the Fellowship Hall fountain which barely dribbled and one of us said, could he fix the drinking fountain. The man said sure he could do plumbing and asked if he could get his tools from his car and fix it. We said yes and sure enough in a short while he had it running like new. That was my first experience of meeting Bob Crownover.
A few weeks later our church custodian resigned and some Shared Bread workers urged Bob to apply for the position. He did, was hired for the job and a few months later everyone agreed that our church facility was cleaner and better organized than it had ever been. Someone told me that even Bob’s wife, Betty, had been helping out. To make a long and delightful story shorter, they eventually joined our church and made friends of everyone here. Later we heard that Bob was studying to become a Church Lay Preacher. Over the years we were privileged to hear Bob from our pulpit as a substitute preacher when various clergy were elsewhere. Our congregation, almost without exception, was pleased to hear Bob’s take on scripture and his preaching was well done and his theology was direct and to the point.
Now, we and Betty have lost Bob to God’s care and we and our facility will always be better for his life here, his hard work and willingness to help and his services to each and every one of us. God Bless you Bob Crownover and we send our prayers of thanks for you and blessings and best wishes to your wife, Betty.
Church-Wide Lenten Study: What Wondrous Love
Join us for a Lent as we share in a special study of scripture, featuring art images of John August Swanson. Each week, a story from the gospels is illuminated by a companion artwork. A daily devotional (available Sunday) guides you through prayers for the season, and small group Bible studies deepen our study of the texts and images.The 6-week Bible study includes discussion in response to a short DVD, featuring biblical scholars from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5, and runs through Easter, April 20.
Small Group Bible Studies will be available at the following times: (sign up for any of them on our website or in the church office at 310-372-8445)
-Sundays, at 9:30am starting 3/9 (along with Adult Sunday School class)
-Monday evenings from 5:30-7pm starting 3/10 (We will offer a children's art program at the same time, as well as dinner for all ages--see below!)
-Thursdays from 11am-12pm starting 3/13 (along with the Thursday Bible Study)
-Thursdays from 7-8pm starting 3/13 (at the LeClaire/Walters' home)
-a group for 20/30s young adults (starting 3/12) on a weeknight from 8-9pm (more info TBA)
-a group for youth, time and date TBA
Special Monday Night Option for Families
On Monday nights, we have two extras: a dinner for anyone participating, and a printmaking art class for children at the same time as the Bible Study. The dinner is for anyone--adults or youth in the Bible Study as well as children in the class. (Suggested weekly donation $5/person or $20/family.) The Printmaking Art Class for Children (grades 1-6) will use the art of John August Swanson as inspiration. Kids will explore a variety of principles of design and foundational art techniques as they explore various printmaking techniques, including monoprint, silkscreen, block printing and more. There is a materials fee of $25/child or $40/family for the art class. Questions? Contact Director of Children's Ministry Katherine Stanfill. There is also free childcare available on request for younger children.
Holy Conferencing: Homosexuality, Marriage Equality and our Christian Faith
Join Pastor Molly for a class and conversation about our faith and contemporary issues, as we share in holy conferencing about homosexuality and marriage equality on Sunday, March 9 from 3-5pm in Epworth Lounge. Read more about this event on our website calendar page.
Lenten Visitation Volunteer Team
(an invitation from Pastor Molly)
I would like to recruit and train a small team of volunteers, to visit the homes of our homebound members and bring them Holy Communion during the season of Lent. If you would be interested in being a part of this ministry, please email me; I hope to set a training time that works for those interested.
Ash Wednesday Worship - March 5
Our congregation will join other area churches for a special evening worship service at Torrance First UMC, at 7:30 p.m. Rev. Lee Carlile of El Segundo UMC will be preaching, and Stephen Bullardo of Faith UMC (Torrance) will lead a combined choir. As we begin the journey of Lent, this will be a meaningful time for confession and centering in the Spirit of God.
Redondo Beach First UMC invites
ALL scouts to celebrate
Scout Sunday, March 9 during 9:30 worship.Wear your uniforms and come for a moment of appreciation and prayer for Boy Scout Troop 851 and to honor the commitment of ALL scouts,
boys and girls, to serve God and country.
20/30 group: A new group is starting at FUMCRB - the 20/30 group is a casual gathering of people in their 20's and 30's looking to connect with other young adults who attend the same church. Contact Amanda Kuczun for info on upcoming events!
Lenten Choral Opportunity:
Bach's "St. John Passion", Sunday March 23rd, at 5:30pm (free pre-concert lecture at 4:30pm)Experience Bach's dramatic account of the Passion based on the Gospel according to St. John as it was originally composed for Good Friday services. Camerata Singers of Long Beach present the story of Jesus' Passion combined with choral reflections on our response as individuals and community to his suffering and death. Sung in German with supertitles in English, period instruments. Long Beach City College Auditorium. Special ticket prices for FUMCRB members, special group rates--contact Phyllis Daniel.
Our Sanctuary is now ALARMED!
To protect our new sound system, the Trustees have upgraded our security system to include the sanctuary. If you have a key to the sanctuary you must contact the church office before you next use it. There are only two points of entry that should be used and there is a code that you will need to disarm the system. If you need access contact Ernie directly.
Giving to the Church Electronically
There are two new ways for you to make contributions to the church electronically, through electronic funds transfer--via a paper form that is turned into the church office or via a new internet option. Read more here.If you choose to give electronically, we have new cards for you to drop in the Sunday offering basket, noting your gift and allowing you to still participate in the weekly ritual of the offering. Contact the church office for more information.
Prayers and Squares
Sponsor a Free Quilt for Someone in Need of PrayerOur prayer quilt ministry is ready to share prayers and quilts--if you would like to sponsor a free quilt for someone you know, we simply ask that you ask the recipient's permission, and then be here on a Sunday to help people tie knots and say prayers. Request forms are available in the church office or on our website.
Our March quilting meeting will be Saturday, March 15--from 10am-noon at the church. To participate in our March group quilt, we invite you to make a 12.5" square in any pattern using purple fabrics. More information is on our website!
Memorial Service: Lewis Robert Crownover
We will hold a memorial service for Bob Crownover on Saturday, March 8 at 10am in the sanctuary. A reception will follow, organized by Naomi Circle.Born on August 31, 1950 in Belleville, Illinois; Bob passed from this life early on Monday, February 17, 2014 at home in Torrance, CA, as a result of cancer. For the past 24 years, he has shared his life with his wife, Betty.
Bob was a beloved member of our congregation, and served as our Facilities Manager since 1995. He was a Certified Lay Servant in the United Methodist Church, and preached in our church and for the California-Pacific Annual Conference.
The Belltower Has a New Brightness!
We recently installed a system to light our beautifully restored belltower at night--now, the upper bell area is visible for all who pass by, and the stained glass in lower levels shines with a warm glow. (Plus, we took care of some needed electrical maintenance.)Next time you're in the area in the evening, be sure to swing by to enjoy the light! Our thanks to the Trustees for taking on this project.
All-Church Mardi Gras Party
Thanks to everyone who made our Mardi Gras Party so much fun! The pancakes were delicious, the crafts were fun, and we loved the pancake games! We were impressed by all the beautiful cakes you baked, and enjoyed sharing them in the cake walk. Thanks to our Youth and Children's Ministry teams!!You can see photos from the event on our Facebook page, and pictures from the Photobooth on our Flickr site.
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This Week at Church...
Nursery The Nursery is open all three services for ages 6 weeks to 4 yrs old. Located right off of the parking lot across Epworth Lounge. Any questions email the Nursery Coordinator: Adriana Hwang
Children's Ministry
This week during Sunday School we will explore Jesus' "Transfiguration." You can find the story on pg. 358 of your Spark Story Bible or in the Gospel of Matthew 17:1-13. Our Lesson focus is: "Listen to Jesus." Our children's blog has been updated. See pictures of all we've been up to upstairs!
Church R Us (4th and 5th grade):
Join us for Sunday School at 9:30 am. This week we will talk about Jesus' teachings, using the scripture of Matthew 7:24-29.
Youth Group (6th-12th grade):
Confirmation Class this Friday from 5:15-9:15. Dinner and class will be followed by our attendance at WOWship, a worship gathering for youth in the South Bay.
Sr. High Youth will meet from 3:00-4:30 PM on Sunday.
Middle School Sunday School meets again next week (3/9).
Adult Sunday School: Join us every Sunday at 9:30am for study and discussion of this week's scripture lesson. (May Day Parlor)
Men's Breakfast: Our next breakfast is Monday, March 3 at 7AM. All men of the church and their friends are welcome to join us for fellowship. At Billy's Deli, 5160 W 190th St, Torrance, CA 90503.
Register Early for Vacation Bible School 2014!!
June 23 - 27th - for ages 3-Junior High
Volunteer and Student registration now available.We are collecting items...
Check out the Children's Ministry webpage for a list of items needed.
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First United Methodist Church of Redondo Beach
310-372-8445 main 310-372-5696 fax
Reverend Molly Vetter, Lead & Teaching Pastor PastorMolly@beachfaith.com
Ernie Valenzuela, Administrative Assistant x101 Ernie@beachfaith.com
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