Thursday, June 25, 2015

Redondo Beach, California, United States First United Methodist Church eNews: Pancake Breakfast and VBS this Sunday! Weekly News for Thursday, 25 June 2015

Redondo Beach, California, United States First United Methodist Church eNews: Pancake Breakfast and VBS this Sunday! Weekly News for Thursday, 25 June 2015
June 25, 2015 
First United Methodist of Redondo Beach
Weekly News
Thursday, June 25, 2015 
Sunday, June 28
Pastor Molly, preaching
8:30am in the Epworth Lounge
9:30am Pancake Breakfast for Imagine No Malaria
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Adult Sunday School in Heath Chapel
10:30am in the Sanctuary
Sunday's Sermon & Scripture:
Acts 17:22-28
Acts 17:22 Sha’ul stood up in the Council meeting and said, “Men of Athens: I see how very religious you are in every way! 23 For as I was walking around, looking at your shrines, I even found an altar which had been inscribed, ‘To An Unknown God.’ So, the one whom you are already worshipping in ignorance — this is the one I proclaim to you.
24 “The God who made the universe and everything in it, and who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in man-made temples; 25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he lacked something; since it is he himself who gives life and breath and everything to everyone.
26 “From one man he made every nation living on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the limits of their territories and the periods when they would flourish. 27 God did this so that people would look for him and perhaps reach out and find him although in fact, he is not far from each one of us, 28 ‘for in him we live and move and exist.’ Indeed, as some of the poets among you have said, ‘We are actually his children.’
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Acts 17:22-28
Verse 22
[22] Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
Then Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus — An ample theatre; said - Giving them a lecture of natural divinity, with admirable wisdom, acuteness, fulness, and courtesy. They inquire after new things: Paul in his divinely philosophical discourse, begins with the first, and goes on to the last things, both which were new things to them. He points out the origin and the end of all things, concerning which they had so many disputes, and equally refutes both the Epicurean and Stoic.
I perceive — With what clearness and freedom does he speak! Paul against Athens!
Verse 23
[23] For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
I found an altar — Some suppose this was set up by Socrates, to express in a covert way his devotion to the only true God, while he derided the plurality of the heathen gods, for which he was condemned to death: and others, that whoever erected this altar, did it in honour to the God of Israel, of whom there was no image, and whose name Jehovah was never made known to the idolatrous Gentiles.
Him proclaim I unto you — Thus he fixes the wandering attention of these blind philosophers; proclaiming to them an unknown, and yet not a new God.
Verse 24
[24] God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
God who made the world — Thus is demonstrated even to reason, the one true, good God; absolutely different from the creatures, from every part of the visible creation.
Verse 25
[25] Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Neither is he served as though he needed any thing — or person - The Greek word equally takes in both.
To all — That live and breathe;-in him we live; and breathe - In him we move. By breathing life is continued. I breathe this moment: the next is not in my power: and all things - For in him we are. So exactly do the parts of this discourse answer each other.
Verse 26
[26] And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
He hath made of one blood the whole nation of men — By this expression the apostle showed them in the most unaffected manner, that though he was a Jew, be was not enslaved to any narrow views, but looked on all mankind as his brethren: having determined the times - That it is God who gave men the earth to inhabit, Paul proves from the order of times and places, showing the highest wisdom of the Disposer, superior to all human counsels.
And the bounds of their habitation — By mountains, seas, rivers, and the like.
Verse 27
[27] That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
If haply — The way is open; God is ready to be found. But he will lay no force upon man; they might feel after him - This is in the midst between seeking and finding. Feeling being the lowest and grossest of all our senses, is fitly applied to the low knowledge of God; though he be not far from every one of us - We need not go far to seek or find him. He is very near us; in us. It is only perverse reason which thinks he is afar off.
Verse 28
[28] For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
In him — Not in ourselves, we live, and move, and have our being - This denotes his necessary, intimate, and most efficacious presence. No words can better express the continual and necessary dependence of all created beings, in their existence and all their operations, on the first and almighty cause, which the truest philosophy as well as divinity teaches.
As certain also of your own poets have said — Aratus, whose words these are, was an Athenian, who lived almost three hundred years before this time. They are likewise to be found, with the alteration of one letter only, in the hymn of Cleanthes to Jupiter or the supreme being, one of the purest and finest pieces of natural religion in the whole world of Pagan antiquity.
In This Issue
Dinner Church
From the Lay Leader
Softball
Book Club
Women's Retreat Weekend
Altar Flowers
Parking Reminder
Community Events
Like us on Facebook
This Week at Church...
20/30 Group
www.beachfaith.org


The Church office is regularly open from 9am - 4pm,
Monday to Thursday.
Adult Bible Study
The Pastor's Bible Study meets Thursdays at 11:00amin May Day Parlor.
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Adult Sunday School: Bible Study in Health Chapel
9:30-10:15 am
The class is a Bible Study and discussion. Led by Helen Stockwell.
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!

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.
Want to see photos of past church activities and events?
Check out our Flickr page and ourFacebook page
Do you have concerns, ideas or input about our church that you want to be heard?
You are welcome to reach out to our leaders!
You can contact our Pastor, Molly Vetter.
Our Staff-Parish Relations Committee, which is responsible for staff and pastoral oversight, is led by Darrell Uran.
Nina Dooley is the Chair of our Church Council.
Johnna Kosnoff is our Lay Leader.
READERS FOR SUNDAY WORSHIP & Morning Snack Hosts
We are always looking for people who want to be a part of Sunday morning worship & fellowship. If you would like to be liturgist at either the 8:30 or10:30 service (or both) just click the following link. On the same page, you may sign up to host morning snacks, too. It's a wonderful way to serve. You will receive email confirmation of the date and the office will email all the reading a couple days before.
SIGN UP HERE

In God We Live, Move & Exist
There's so much good energy on our church campus this week--from the early morning Recovery Groups that meet here, through the lively hours of Vacation Bible School each morning, to the evenings with Shared Bread, choir rehearsal and church meetings.
I love seeing the church buildings so full of life.
Of course, it's never really about the buildings--"church" is about the relationships and activities. It's about the life we share (not the structures we inhabit). It's such a beautiful privilege to have these buildings to use, though, and to know that they're doing the things that matter most: helping us convey the love of God as we welcome and teach young people, as we feed the hungry in our community, as we make space for people living with addictions to find support in their recovery.
Our faith comes to life as we live it. More than a set of ideas that we believe, our faith asks us to give our hearts to God, in whom we live, move and exist. Our faith asks us to do things, to practice our religion. To act, move, care, follow and serve.
That's what we've been learning about this week at Vacation Bible School. I look forward to sharing more of that with you on Sunday in worship!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Molly
Contact Info
Pastor Molly Vetter
PastorMolly@BeachFaith.com
310-372-8445 x 102
Sunday, June 28, 2015 is
Vacation Bible School Sunday
In our worship services, we will share lessons from our week as the "G-Force" VBS, where we put our faith into action.
Come at 9:30 for a Pancake Breakfast, which is a fundraiser for Imagine No Malaria.
At 10:30 worship in the sanctuary, our kids will share some of the songs and stories from VBS.
We also worship at 8:30 in Epworth Lounge, and will share VBS themes and stories, there, too (though the kids will just sing at 10:30).


We've been moving,acting,caring,& following God all week!
We can't wait to share all that we have learned with you this
Sunday @10:30 worship.-Your VBS Navigators
Parking Reminder: If you are able, we encourage you to park at the Wells Fargo bank on Sundaymornings, 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.
A New Worship Opportunity this Summer:

Simple Sunday Dinner Church
Thursdays in July, 6-8pm
at the home of Rev. Nicole Reilley and Dr. Jeff Luther in RPV
If you missed Sunday, if you have a friend you'd like to introduce to a new style of worship, if you are looking to connect in a different way through participation, community and sharing your thoughts and questions...
Join us in a 5-week worship experiment this summer.
Click thru to read more.
Our California-Pacific Annual Conference of the UMC

Last week, Pastor Molly and three lay delegates from our congregation joined with United Methodists from our region for our Annual Conference Session, at the University of Redlands.
Including churches from Southern California, Hawaii, Guam and Saipan, Conference gathered together the diverse people who share in our denomination. This year's theme was "Judgment, Justice, Joy." Based on Mark 7:20-24 and Luke 19:1-10, Annual Conference 2015 focused on Acts of Repentance with a particular emphasis on the communities of native persons throughout the California-Pacific region.
You can see more about our meeting through the Conference website.Watch for reports from our delegates in coming weeks! Our lay delegates to Annual Conference are Jonathan Tuuholoaki, Johnna Kosnoff and George Mercer.

The Lay Looker, Bob Peterson
a view from the pew from a longtime member of our church
What a wonderful group of leaders and volunteers our church staff has. Have you seen the room decorations completed before this week's VBS (Vacation Bible School). The May Day parlor and especially the sanctuary alone look as if they are the center of all the action. Leaders Katherine, Stephen, Molly and Ernie plus many others have outdone themselves. If the students (of any age) don't get excited just by their surroundings, then they aren't paying attention. It's truly amazing.
Last week's Father's Day worship service brought back many beautiful memories of my own Dad and perhaps it did for you. As one of the seniors of our church, my Dad passed on in 1991 at the age of 93 and I still remember..."
"Vacation Bible School Week" by Bob Peterson

What a wonderful group of leaders and volunteers our church staff has. Have you seen the room decorations completed before this week's VBS (Vacation Bible School). The May Day parlor and especially the sanctuary alone look as if they are the center of all the action. Leaders Katherine, Stephen, Molly and Ernie plus many others have outdone themselves. If the students (of any age) don't get excited just by their surroundings, then they aren't paying attention. It's truly amazing.
Last week's Father's Day worship service brought back many beautiful memories of my own Dad and perhaps it did for you. As one of the seniors of our church, my Dad passed on in 1991 at the age of 93 and I still remember the many influences he had on me. I'm sure most of you do too and it's great to have these feelings brought back during worship.
Have you attended one of our church's softball team's games yet? Games are listed in the worship bulletin so take time to enjoy the softball sport and cheer our friends on. After all, there are no strangers in our church and we can be certain of their appreciation when they excel and when they put their effort forward to represent our church. Next game is this Sunday, June 28 at Wilson Park, Torrance (Crenshaw, South of Carson Street)...a double header, it seems, beginning at 7:10 PM (if there's no rain-Hah!).
During this week I ran into VBS students who have urged me to give for their VBS campaign against Malaria, so, in addition to learning Bible, eating and play, they help make the world healthier and safer for those in Malaria prone areas. We must help these young people with their projects and in that way, share in their successes.

Read the rest of Bob's recent Lay Looker columns on our website by clicking here.
From the Lay Leader, Johnna Kosnoff
bi-weekly thoughts and reflections from our church Lay Leader
Read Johnna's recent "From the Lay Leader" column on our website by clicking here.

Connecting the Dots: a sermon series inspired by Disney's "101 Dalmatians," starting July 12.
In worship each Sunday at 8:30 and 10:30am.
Join us as we explore some big ideas, connected to this beloved movie (and it's tiny puppies...). Connect the dots as we look at Greed, Beauty, Community, Communication, Adoption and more.
This series is inspired by our BeachFaith Kids' Theatre Arts Camp and their production of "Disney's 101 Dalmatians Kids," on Sunday, August 9 after worship. During the series, we will have a special children's Sunday School class, connected to these same themes, during 10:30 worship.
COME CHEER ON OUR SOFTBALL TEAM!
NEXT GAME: DoubleHeader on 6/28
7:10pm vs Pitch Please 8:20pm vs Spartans
(no game scheduled for 6/21) at Wilson Park Field -
2200 Crenshaw Bl, Torrance, CA 90501 map
Download the whole schedule of games here(subject to change)
"Like" their Facebook page to get game updates and see photos.
Our team has played well--thanks to everyone who's played and cheered us on. We have a 1-2 record, and are ranked 2nd in the league!
BOOK CLUB: July 16, 7pm
Next gathering will be Thursday, July 16, 7:00pm, in the May Day Parlor, and the book selected for discussion is "The Well Women." A contemporary novel by Ladine Housholder, it tells the story of a group of women friends who travel to the West Bank city of Nablus to visit the historic site of Jacob's Well, where Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman. This book is on the UMW 2015 reading program list, and available for sign-out in MayDay Parlor. It is also available from Amazon. We hope you will circle the date and plan to join us.
Any questions? Call or email Ann at 310-371-8379mdgapg@verizonnet or Laura (310) 686-370 larzlaw@gmail.com

BeachFaith Kids:
Theatre Arts Camp

July 27th - August 7th
Age 3 - 6th Grade
Come see our production of "Disney's 101 Dalmatians Kids"
on Sunday, Aug. 9th at noon!

A Caring Community
Did you know that we have a ministry that organizes meals and other assistance for church folks in times of need? In the past, we've helped arrange rides to medical appointments, meals for people recovering from surgery, and more. Leila Grantz coordinates this ministry, using online sign-up tools. If you want to be a part of the group that she emails when there is an opportunity to help, or if you know someone who's in need of a little help, please contact the church office or Leila.
We are currently organizing meals in for the Schempp family during Daniel's deployment, and also coordinate delivery of a Shared Bread meal to the Davisons each week.
Save the Date...

First UMC Redondo Beach
Women's Spiritual Weekend Retreat
February 5 - 7, 2016
La Casa de Maria
Santa Barbara, California
More information to follow...
Prayers and Squares Quilt Ministry

Join us on Friday, July 17, from 10am-noon for a meeting of our Prayers and Squares quilt ministry. We will have some small projects to work on, and Pastor Molly will share a String Quilt block for us to learn and make together. As usual, you are welcome to come, regardless of your sewing skill or experience. If you have them, please bring rotary cutters and mats, as well as portable sewing machines.
Altar Flowers 2015
Would you like to purchase altar flowers for the sanctuary for Sunday worship? It's easy! Just click this link and fill out the order form.
Cost: $45

BAJA MEETINGS START SUNDAY
Meetings for the Baja Mission summer trip start this Sunday (12:15-2pm)! Go get lunch, then bring it back to Epworth! We'll eat together, and start around 12:15 or so.
June 28
July 5
July 12 then
August 2
August 9
This Father's Day, we honored fathers with a gift in their honor to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), to purchase Birthing Kits.
These kits (approx. $10 each) will help provide the essential items to promote a safe, clean delivery and to encourage good aftercare; UMCOR will distribute them around the world, wherever there is need. You can still make a contributions in honor of your father, or those who have been like a father to you. Contributions should be made to the church--checks can be made out to "FUMCRB," and marked "Father's Day" in the memo line.
Community Events and Other Opportunities:
click these headings for links for more information
CalPac Summer Camps 2015: "Living in the Spirit"
Sign up now--discounts for early registration.
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.
This Week at Church...
Pancake Breakfast: Sunday, June 28, between worship services
Baja Mission Meeting for Parents and youth: Sunday, after 10:30 worship
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):
10:30am: There is no Sunday School this week- instead the entire service will be Vacation Bible School themed! The nursery will also have extra activities for children up to the age of six. See you in service!
Church R Us (4th and 5th grade):
10:30am: No Sunday School this week- Instead the entire service will be Vacation Bible School themed! Email Katherine for a speaking part.
Youth Group (6th-12th grade):
-Middle School Sunday School? Nope!
-Youth Group (3-5pm): OH YES. It will be fun!
For more info on upcoming youth events, check our website!
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Men's Breakfast:
Our next breakfast is Monday, July 6, 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.
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!
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 South Broadway Street
Redondo Beach, California 90277 United States
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