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Sunday, January 4
Epiphany Sunday
Pastor Molly, preaching
God's Calling
8:30am
in the Epworth Lounge 10:30am in the Sanctuary
Sunday's Scripture:
Isaiah 60:1-6
Isaiah 60: People Returning for the Reunion
1-7 “Get out of bed, Jerusalem!
Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight.
God’s bright glory has risen for you.
The whole earth is wrapped in darkness,
all people sunk in deep darkness,
But God rises on you,
his sunrise glory breaks over you.
Nations will come to your light,
kings to your sunburst brightness.
Look up! Look around!
Watch as they gather, watch as they approach you:
Your sons coming from great distances,
your daughters carried by their nannies.
When you see them coming you’ll smile—big smiles!
Your heart will swell and, yes, burst!
All those people returning by sea for the reunion,
a rich harvest of exiles gathered in from the nations!
And then streams of camel caravans as far as the eye can see,
young camels of nomads in Midian and Ephah,
Pouring in from the south from Sheba,
loaded with gold and frankincense,
preaching the praises of God.
And yes, a great roundup
of flocks from the nomads in Kedar and Nebaioth,
Welcome gifts for worship at my altar
as I bathe my glorious Temple in splendor.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Isaiah 60:1-6
Verse 1
[1] Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
Arise — A word of encouragement accommodated to the Jewish, or Hebrew style, wherein, as by lying down, is described a servile and calamitous condition, chap. 47:1, so by rising, and standing up, a recovery out of it, into a free, and prosperous one, as may be seen frequently; Rouze up, intimating her deliverance to be at hand. Here under a type, of Jerusalem's restoration, is displayed the flourishing state of the Gentile - church, under the Messiah.
Thy light — Thy flourishing and prosperous state.
Verse 2
[2] For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
The darkness — All kinds of errors.
The Lord — Christ.
Shall be seen — Shall be conspicuous; as the Lord's arising, to the darkness covering the earth, so the glory being seen, answers to that gross darkness.
Verse 3
[3] And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
The Gentiles — A plain prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles.
Verse 5
[5] Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
See — With delight the multitudes of thy children running to thee.
Flow — They shall flock together to behold such an amazing sight.
Fear — Or stand amazed.
Enlarged — Both with joy, and love.
The abundance — The islands of the sea, the nations, shall turn to thee in religion, and affection.
The forces — Or wealth.
Verse 6
[6] The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
The multitude — The treasure, that is brought upon camels. By these, and such like figurative expressions in several verses of this chapter is implied the coming in of all nations to Christ, and therefore they are brought in as presenting the chief commodities of their respective countries.
Dromedaries — A smaller sort of camel.
Ephah — The Midianites, and Ephahites dwelt beyond Arabia.
Sheba — A country in Arabia Felix, whose queen it was, that came to visit Solomon, and her bringing gifts might be a type of this, Solomon being a type of Christ.
Gold — The principal commodities with which this country abounded, by which we are to understand whatever is precious.
Sermon Story "Reunion" by Gary Lee Parker for Epiphany Sunday, 4 January 2015
On this 12th Day of Christmas as we celebrate of the arrival of the wise people to worship and honor the child Jesus in a house bringing three gifts, we are reminded of the reunion that Isaiah prophecied. The reunion of all people, both Gentiles and Israelites, together in worshiping the One True God. The words of Isaiah talk about the inclsuion of the Gentiles into God's family even though the Jews were suppose to be God's witness to the Gentiles of the Love and Mercy of God, but too often instead of being God's witnessess they would fall into worshiping the idols that the Gentiles were worshiping in place of God of Creation. How often do we fall into this trap even though the idols may not be made of stone or wood? We hear of the call of God for the reunion of His human creation as well as all other creation to follow God alone. On this day of epiphany, which means God revealing, how has God been revealing Himself to you and the church to be His witnesses to all people? What kind of witness can we be as His people to all people who are seeking God in ways than we are used to in our Christian 20th century heritage? How is God revealing Himself with His Grace and Mercy in this part of His history where we live?
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| In This Issue |
| eScrip |
| From the Lay Leader |
| Chancel Choir News |
| Like us on Facebook |
| This Week at Church... |
| 20/30 Group |
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The Church office will re-open for regular hours startingMonday, January 5.
We are open from 9-4, Mondayto Thursday. Our regular staff meetings are on Monday at 1:30pm.
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| Adult Bible Study
The Pastor's Bible Study meets Thursdays at 11:00amin May Day Parlor. Normal classes resume on Jan 8!
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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.) |
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!
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 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.
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Want to see photos of past church
activities and events?
Check out our
Flickr page and ourFacebook page
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Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year
By my count, today is the 8th Day of Christmas. I love these days between and after the holidays, when the pace seems to slow a bit, and I get to savor time together with loved ones. These days open up space for reflection, and the new year gives me another occasion to focus on renewal, and on what new things God is doing in my life.
It's also a time during which I am holding you in prayer. I pray that God's light would shine brightly through you, that you would know the depth of God's love for you, and that our church would be a faithful part of the gracious things God is doing in the world.
Thank you, again, for allowing me to be your pastor, and for your part in the life of our congregation. It is a joy to with you, as we seek to be the presence of Christ, together.
grace and peace,
Pastor Molly
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| Contact Info
Pastor Molly Vetter
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January Sermon Series:
God's Calling
Stories of how God's using us
to do amazing things.
Worship with us on Sundays
at 8:30 and 10:30am.
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Big Bear Youth Retreat 2015
The youth group is kicking off 2015 with our annual trip to Big Bear! It will be big, and it will set the tone for the next year. Don't miss it!
Our Price: $100
More Info: Click here!
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Parking Reminder: If you are able, we encourage you to park at the Wells Fargo bank on Sunday mornings, and walk across the street, reserving the parking lot for those with mobility challenges or for new visitors. We also have a bike rack on the patio, for those who choose to bike to church! Thanks for your consideration.
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The Lay Looker, Bob Peterson
a view from the pew from a longtime member of our church
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From the Lay Leader, Johnna Kosnoff
bi-weekly thoughts and reflections from our church Lay
Leader
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Join the Choir!
There's still room for more voices to join in the singing! We're adding handbells into some of the music, too--so ringers are welcome.
Rehearsals are on Wednesdayevenings, from 7:30-9pm in the Choir Room. Everyone's welcome. Come share your gifts and be a part of some amazing music-making to glorify God. |
Thank You for Your Generosity
We offer our gratitude for the many ways that so many of you shared generously this Christmas. In gifts through of offering--to support the ongoing ministry of the church, to help end malaria, in support of Shared Bread, to the Endowment Fun, to our Trustee's capital funds, and more--you have been a blessing.
Additionally, we are grateful for our congregation's generous giving of gifts for Corazon, of baked goods and table decorations for Shared Bread's holiday meals, of carols to our homebound members, and so much more.
We can only imagine the multitude of ways you all were a part of sharing Christmas gifts with family and those in the community--thank you for all the ways you make generosity a part of your life and our world.
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Fall Stewardship Pledge Campaign
Thank you to everyone who has made a pledge of financial commitment to our church and ministries for 2015. We have already received over 50 pledges for our general budget--and we still have a ways to go toward our goal. We are glad to receive your pledges in coming weeks, and hope to receive many more.
Pledge cards are available in the sanctuary, church office, or you can submit pledges online. You can read more about our pledge campaign on our website.
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| Community Events and Other Opportunities: click these links for more information
January 17 - 19, 2015, Camp Wrightwood
Winter Camp, sponsored by our Annual Conference, is only $95 for the weekend, including activities, staff, and meals. It's a wonderful opportunity for children and teens to spend a weekend with their peers from across the conference and (hopefully!) enjoy some time in the snow. |
To the entire congregation: Please Check Into Church!
Your results will be helpful for our membership committee to know areas of interest in our church and see who still needs assistance connecting in our church. If you are already as involved as you want to be, just fill in the areas where you are already serving! You may pick up a paper copy in the office or go to our website and complete it. CLICK HERE
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Look what fun we've been having!
Click through to see more pictures from ourPageant (left) or All-in-One Advent Fun (above)!
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 Like us on Facebook!
Visit the page and "like" us so you can see and share the latest photos, news and links from the church.
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This Week at Church...
Nursery (6 weeks-2 years):
The Nursery is open during both services: 8:30am for ages 6 weeks to 6 yrs old and 10:30am for children 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 (Preschool- 3rd Grade):
8:30am & 10:30am: Join us in service! Look for special activities on the children's cart that invite children to engage with the message. (Sunday School starts again on January 11th)
Church R Us (4th and 5th grade):
8:30am & 10:30am: Join us in service! Look for special activities book that invite children to engage with the message. Watch your email for information about our upcoming Fun Friday Fellowship on January 9th. (CRU starts again on January 11th)
Youth Group (6th-12th grade):
-Big Bear Youth Retreat Sign-ups are online! Only nine days left before we go!
-Middle School Sunday School? Nope! Next week, Jan. 11th, is also cancelled due to the Big Bear Youth Retreat.
Youth Group- Christmas Scraps White Elephant Gift Exchange. Don't spend more than $10, and bonus points if you didn't have to buy a White Elephant gift!
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Men's Breakfast:
Our next breakfast is Monday, January 5 at 7AM. Coco's Restaurant, 18120 Hawthorne Blvd. (Hawthorne and 182nd) All men of the church and their friends are welcome to join us for fellowship.
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20/30 group: This young adult 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!
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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
First United Methodist Church
243 S. Broadway Street
Redondo Beach, California 90277 United States
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