First United Methodist Church of Redondo Beach, California, United States eNews: "Mother's Day & more" for Thursday, 12 May 2016 - Pentecost Sunday! Guest Preacher: Rev. Kapp Johnson. (You are encouraged to wear red.) Also, a new Children's Ministry Director!

First United Methodist Church of Redondo Beach, California, United States eNews: "Mother's Day & more" for Thursday, 12 May 2016 - Pentecost Sunday! Guest Preacher: Rev. Kapp Johnson. (You are encouraged to wear red.) Also, a new Children's Ministry Director!

From Pastor Molly: in Praise of the Spirit
"Don't be surprised if you all start to preach and dream too. Young and old, men and women--we are called to something NEW."
I've been enjoying a new children's book about Pentecost, called The Day When God Made Church. Full of color and imaginative images, in the simple language of children, it reminds me of the wonderful good news of the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The birth of the church comes as the power of God makes is so people are able to do things they hadn't known they were capable of, that give life and salvation to others.
Over and over again in the church, we get to see what's possible when all of us work together, sometimes doing things we hadn't known we were capable of. And the world is transformed. Thanks be to God![Pastor Molly Vetter]
I will be away from Tuesday the 10th through Saturday the 21st, at our United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Oregon, serving as a Reserve Delegate. I invite you to hold our UMC in your prayers during this Conference, including all of the congregations around the world that our delegates call home!

In Worship This Week
Sunday, May 15
Acts 2:1-21
Rev. Kapp Johnson, preaching
Scripture Text for Acts 2:1The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. 2 Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

5 Now there were staying in Yerushalayim religious Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered; they were confused, because each one heard the believers speaking in his own language. 7 Totally amazed, they asked, “How is this possible? Aren’t all these people who are speaking from the Galil? 8 How is it that we hear them speaking in our native languages? 9 We are Parthians, Medes, Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Y’hudah, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome; 11 Jews by birth and proselytes; Jews from Crete and from Arabia. . . ! How is it that we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great things God has done?” 12 Amazed and confused, they all went on asking each other, “What can this mean?” 13 But others made fun of them and said, “They’ve just had too much wine!”

14 Then Kefa stood up with the Eleven and raised his voice to address them: “You Judeans, and all of you staying here in Yerushalayim! Let me tell you what this means! Listen carefully to me!

15 “These people ar en’t drunk, as you suppose — it’s only nine in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken about through the prophet Yo’el:

17 ‘Adonai says:

“In the Last Days,

I will pour out from my Spirit upon everyone.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

18 Even on my slaves, both men and women,

will I pour out from my Spirit in those days;

and they will prophesy.

19 I will perform miracles in the sky above

and signs on the earth below —

blood, fire and thick smoke.

20 The sun will become dark

and the moon blood

before the great and fearful Day of Adonai comes.

21 And then, whoever calls on the name of Adonai will be saved.”’[Acts 2:21 Joel 3:1–5(2:28–32)]

John Wesley Notes-Commentary for Acts 2:1-21

Verse 2

[2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven — So will the Son of man come to judgment.

And it filled all the house — That is, all that part of the temple where they were sitting.

Verse 3

[3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And there appeared distinct tongues, as of fire — That is, small flames of fire. This is all which the phrase, tongues of fire, means in the language of the seventy. Yet it might intimate God's touching their tongues as it were (together with their hearts) with Divine fire: his giving them such words as were active and penetrating, even as flaming fire.

Verse 4

[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And they began to speak with other tongues — The miracle was not in the ears of the hearers, (as some have unaccountably supposed,) but in the mouth of the speakers. And this family praising God together, with the tongues of all the world, was an earnest that the whole world should in due time praise God in their various tongues.

As the Spirit gave them utterance — Moses, the type of the law, was of a slow tongue; but the Gospel speaks with a fiery and flaming one.

Verse 5

[5] And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews — Gathered from all parts by the peculiar providence of God.

Verse 6

[6] Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

The multitude came together, and were confounded — The motions of their minds were swift and various.

Verse 9

[9] Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

Judea — The dialect of which greatly differed from that of Galilee.

Asia — The country strictly so called.

Verse 10

[10] Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

Roman sojourners — Born at Rome, but now living at Jerusalem. These seem to have come to Jerusalem after those who are above mentioned. All of them were partly Jews by birth, and partly proselytes.

Verse 11

[11] Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

Cretans — One island seems to be mentioned for all.

The wonderful works of God — Probably those which related to the miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, together with the effusion of his Spirit, as a fulfilment of his promises, and the glorious dispensations of Gospel grace.

Verse 12

[12] And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

They were all amazed — All the devout men.

Verse 13

[13] Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

But others mocking — The world begins with mocking, thence proceeds to cavilling, Acts 4:7; to threats, 4:17; to imprisoning, Acts 5:18; blows, 5:40; to slaughter, Acts 7:58. These mockers appear to have been some of the natives of Judea, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, (who understood only the dialect of the country,) by the apostle's immediately directing his discourse to them in the next verse.

They are full of sweet wine — So the Greek word properly signifies. There was no new wine so early in the year as pentecost. Thus natural men are wont to ascribe supernatural things to mere natural causes; and many times as impudently and unskilfully as in the present case.

Verse 14

[14] But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

Then Peter standing up — All the gestures, all the words of Peter, show the utmost sobriety; lifted up his voice - With cheerfulness and boldness; and said to them - This discourse has three parts; each of which, Acts 2:14,22,29, begins with the same appellation, men: only to the last part he prefixes with more familiarity the additional word brethren.

Men of Judea — That is, ye that are born in Judea. St. Peter spoke in Hebrew, which they all understood.

Verse 15

[15] For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

It is but the third hour of the day — That is, nine in the morning. And on the solemn festivals the Jews rarely ate or drank any thing till noon.

Verse 16

[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet — But there is another and better way of accounting for this. Joel 2:28

Verse 17

[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

The times of the Messiah are frequently called the last days, the Gospel being the last dispensation of Divine grace.

I will pour out of my Spirit — Not on the day of pentecost only, upon all flesh - On persons of every age, sex, and rank.

And your young men shall see visions — In young men the outward sense, are most vigorous, and the bodily strength is entire, whereby they are best qualified to sustain the shock which usually attends the visions of God. In old men the internal senses are most vigorous, suited to divine dreams. Not that the old are wholly excluded from the former, nor the young from the latter.

Verse 18

[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

And upon my servants — On those who are literally in a state of servitude.

Verse 19

[19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

And I will show prodigies in heaven above, and signs on earth beneath — Great revelations of grace are usually attended with great judgments on those who reject it.

In heaven — Treated of, Acts 2:20.

On earth — Described in this verse. Such signs were those mentioned, Acts 2:22, before the passion of Christ; which are so mentioned as to include also those at the very time of the passion and resurrection, at the destruction of Jerusalem, and at the end of the world. Terrible indeed were those prodigies in particular which preceded the destruction of Jerusalem: such as the flaming sword hanging over the city, and the fiery comet pointing down upon it for a year; the light that shone upon the temple and the altar in the night, as if it had been noon-day; the opening of the great and heavy gate of the temple without hands; the voice heard from the most holy place, Let us depart hence; the admonition of Jesus the son of Ananus, crying for seven years together, Wo, wo, wo; the vision of contending armies in the air, and of entrenchments thrown up against a city there represented; the terrible thunders and lightnings, and dreadful earthquakes, which every one considered as portending some great evil: all which, through the singular providence of God, are particularly recorded by Josephus.

Blood — War and slaughter.

Fire — Burnings of houses and towns, involving all in clouds of smoke.

Verse 20

[20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

The moon shall be turned into blood — A bloody colour: before the day of the Lord - Eminently the last day; though not excluding any other day or season, wherein the Lord shall manifest his glory, in taking vengeance of his adversaries.

Verse 21

[21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

But — whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord - This expression implies the whole of religion, and particularly prayer uttered in faith; shall be saved - From all those plagues; from sin and hell.

8:30am in Epworth Lounge
10:30am in the Sanctuary
Special Music: "Tebe Poem" by Tchaikovsky.

We sing to you,

we praise you,

we thank you, O Lord,

and we pray to you, our God.

Children in worship
Listen to Sermons online
We are very pleased to welcome the Rev. Kapp L. Johnson as our guest preacher this Sunday! Rev. Johnson is on faculty at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, with a joint appointment in the School of Management and Department of Religion. He is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and is also trained in Law. He teaches courses in Business Law and Business Ethics. His scholarly interests include Ethics and Economics, Spiritual Capital, Organizational Development, Leadership and Authenticity, Economics of the Ancient Near East, and the intersection of Faith and Work.
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News From Our Members

"Many years ago I overheard Pastor remark that this church had the smallest Cross and the largest sanctuary of any church in our Conference. I looked around and the small brass Cross on the altar was the only cross visible anywhere. This percolated in my mind for well over a year and then, one day I mentioned this fact to our (by then) different Pastor and he said to me I should talk to another of our congregation who has long since left our fold and I cannot remember his name. At any rate, that became a subject of consideration by church leaders. At that time the stained glass window in the front of our church was...
Thursday, May 12, 2016 by Bob Peterson
Many years ago I overheard the Pastor remark that this church had the smallest Cross and the largest sanctuary of any church in our Conference. I looked around and the small brass Cross on the altar was the only cross visible anywhere. This percolated in my mind for well over a year and then, one day I mentioned this fact to our (by then) different Pastor and he said to me I should talk to another of our congregation who has long since left our fold and I cannot remember his name. At any rate, that became a subject of consideration by church leaders. At that time the stained glass window in the front of our church was not as it is now, but included just the picture of Jesus praying in Gethsemane.
My thought was that a wooden cross treatment of the window would solve the problem. The other gentleman thought bigger and wondered how we could make it work. Some of our people thought the stained glass window was so beautiful, nothing should be done about it. However, the committee included Gene Koester and others, and it was decided to talk to the company that had placed the window there years ago, so they came out and looked it over. It was found that the entire window needed repairing such as new leading and stronger support or it would fall apart. That changed our whole project. The price of taking the window out, repairing it and replacing it would be more than we thought the project should be. Our budget couldn't handle such costs.
We went back to the drawing board and it was felt that a stained glass cross could be installed to look proper while the repairs were being done. There were also the structural concerns about support, permits, etc. When the first renderings were shown it began to shape up and the project was given a price estimate by the stained glass company. It was a lot of money! We decided to put out feelers to see if there was enough interest in support and funding for the project. Our initial response, with lots of explanations, the rendering and the need for the repairs anyway, produced enough interest and estimates of giving that we decided it was worth a fund drive to see how much could be raised. I and others were put in charge of that movement. Our congregation had vision and made promises for it and we began to see the big picture. It would mean six months of construction (2001) with scaffolding up to the front ceiling and much noise, workmen and machinery. We made the decision, with some very important members declaring it was wasting money.
My most satisfying moments were when some of those opposed came to me and reported that they loved the final result. I love it, and I hope you do too, for it was the love, hope and dedication by many of you who donated time, effort and money for this beautiful cross around Jesus. We thank you all.
As we move forward on new projects, let us keep in mind those who built our church, enlarged it, beautified it and took steps forward, steps that, if we take, will benefit church members in the future and keep our Redondo Beach First United Methodist Church viable for years to come
Read more here
Read Columns from our former Lay Leader, Johnna Kosnoff, here!
Coming at Church
Welcome to Risa Vargas, Director of Children and Family Ministries!
We are pleased to welcome Risa Vargas as Director of Children and Family Ministries. Risa has already begun working here part-time now, and will transition to full-time in July. We are excited about the passion for children’s ministry, the creative spirit, and the experience in church leadership that she brings.

Risa is currently Youth Director at Upland First UMC, through the end of this school year. Previously, she has worked in a variety of roles, including Programming Intern for children and youth camping in our Cal-Pac Annual Conference, Children’s Art Instructor in Manhattan Beach, and as a Teaching Artist in Residence. She is a committed volunteer with camping ministries, and is a person of enthusiasm and deep care. She has been living in Monrovia, but is looking to relocate closer to Redondo Beach; another significant and joyous life change is that she is engaged to be married to Eric Prewire on May 21. We are very glad to have her join our staff!

Children's Choir: Father's Day
Kids (age 3 - 5th grade) are invited to join in a special Children's Choir to sing on Father's Day. We will rehearse the two Sunday before--contact Jim Raycroft or Adriana Hwang for more information!

Youth Banquet on June 12:
Ticket Sales Start soon!
May 15, we will start selling $15 tickets to the Youth Banquet on June 12th! This banquet will celebrate the youth program and youth from the last year. We'll have a catered lunch, pictures, and lots of wonderful youth!
During worship on June 12, we will honor this year's high school graduates. We will hear from a few of them, and honor their accomplishments. Come celebrate!

Confirmation Sunday on June 19th!
We will honor our Confirmation Class 2016 on June 19th during the 10:30 service! These young people will also be invited to join the church (and there just might be a baptism)!
Luke Aldover, Samantha Aldover, Tatum Dawson, Sydney French, Ethan Light, Amelia Paulson, Todd Potter and James Thatcher are in our Confirmation class. Come support them!

June 12: Celebrating All Graduates
In the June 12 bulletin, we would like to recognize those individuals who are graduating (at any level). If you have a family member who you'd like to include, please email Ernie in the church office, with their name, relationship to you, the school they're graduating from (and any degree/program information), as well as plans for what they will do next (if that applies). Please get us your information by Tuesday, June 7.
Support the Baja Trip!
On Sunday, May 15, Baja Trip participants will begin selling stock to our Baja Mission 2016. We are trying to raise $6025!
Buying stock entitles stock holders to free attendance at our Stock-Holders Meeting & Report on August 14th! We will report in, show pictures, and let stock-holders know what we did with their investments.
Buying different values of stock also comes with various other perks. Stop by our booth on the church patio to find out more!


Homeless Care Kits on May 22!
The Children's Ministry at First UMC Redondo Beach is packing up Homeless Care Kits on May 22nd.
We will make these available for church families (or anyone else) in the church office, and during the end of the May 22nd 10:30 service. We hope families can keep these in their cars. When you see a homeless person, give them the kit! It is packed with all sorts of goodies we expect to be helpful to someone without a permanent home.

We are making 96 care kits! Please consider donating supplies to help! They need to be in the office by Thursday, May 19th.

Parents Night Out at Church
After this Saturday, there's one more Parent's Night out on our calendar: May 20
RSVP to children@beachfaith.com asap to make sure there's a spot for your family!

BeachFaith Kids Summer Performing Arts Camp: A Day at the Beach
Get ready for some summertime beach tunes, as our Performing Arts camp puts on a new show: A Day at the Beach!
Aug. 15-19; age 3-6th grade.
Mark you calendars now--more info online.
Sponsored by Children and Family Ministries.

Book Club: Our next book (non-fiction) is "Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption" by Bryan Stephenson. Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice. This book is on the UMW reading list.
Join us Thursday, June 2nd, 7:00 PM
More info online; email Ann or Laura.

Vacation Bible School 2016: August 1-5
Register Now Online!
We hope you can join us for VBS, for ages 3-8th grade! We'll be looking for young "surfers" to attend, and volunteers of all ages. Registration is open now, and we are looking for volunteers for all sorts of jobs, before, during and after our VBS week.

Potluck Lunches in June & July: farewells and welcomes!
We invite you to join your church family for a potluck after 10:30 worship on June 5 and July 10. Bring a dish to share - enjoy the fellowship!
On June 5, we will say thanks to Meagan Callahan, who has been our Children's Assistant for the past year and a half. (She'll goes off to grad school this summer!)
On July 10, we will welcome Risa Vargas as Director of Children and Family Ministries.
Announcements
UMW Marys Circle meeting: May meeting day change-- Marys Circle will meet at he home of Leila Grantz on Sunday, May 22 at 6:00pm for a screening of the faith-based film "The War Room." Please bring the appetizer or dessert of your choice - we will have light refreshments, watch the movie, and discuss.
An RSVP to Leila will help her plan, but if at the last minute you discover you can make it but you didn't RSVP, come anyway!!!
Men's Breakfast: Our next breakfast is Monday, May 16, 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!
Prayer Quilt Ministry: Know someone in need of prayer? You can sponsor a free prayer quilt for them. Next Quilt Workshop: Friday, May 20, 10am-noon. Sue Christman will lead us in making blocks with paper piecing--if you haven't tried this quilt-making technique, this is a great easy way to begin. More information is online.
Meals and More: 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.
This Week: Children, Youth & Adults
Nursery (6 weeks+): The Nursery is open during both services, for ages 6 weeks to 6 yrs old. Located right off of the parking lot across from Epworth Lounge. Any questions email the Nursery Coordinator: Adriana Hwang
Children's Ministry (age 3 - 3rd Grade & Church R Us: grades 4-5): This week Children are in worship.
Church R Us (Special Class for Grades 4 & 5): We meet in the upstairs classroom above the nursery. This week Children are in worship
Youth Ministry (6th-12th grade):
-NOPE!! NO Middle School Sunday School this week!
-Confirmation meetings are happening on Tuesday!
-Youth Group? Not this Sunday, because of the Lock-In. Go do homework!
-This Saturday at 6pm we start our lock-in! It's at church, and it goes ALL NIGHT. We'll wear pajamas to church the next morning, and play sniper all night. Ok, maybe not ALL night...(Bring $10 for food and snacks all night. We are having pizza Saturday night and breakfast Saturday morning)
Adult Sunday School: Bible Study and Discussion in May Day Parlor. Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:15am. Led by Helen Stockwell.
Thursday Pastor's Bible Study:
Thursday mornings from 11:00-noon, in May Day Parlor. On the first 3 Thursdays in May, Stephen Hale will lead the Bible Study.
United Methodist News & Events
Our congregation is a part of the El Tordondo Mission Area, in the West District of theCalifornia-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
General Conference 2016
The General Conference of our UMC will meet in Portland this year, from May 10-20. Pastor Molly will attend as a Reserve Delegate; George and Peggy Mercer will attend as volunteers. Follow Pastor Molly and our delegation on their blog! You cankeep up with the meeting online. Also, please join others in praying for the gathering, especially on May 1, when our Cal-Pac Annual Conference lifts special prayers as part of a 60-day vigil.

First United Methodist Church of Redondo Beach

243 South Broadway

Redondo Beach, California 90277, United States
310-372-8445 main

310-372-5696 fax

Email

Website
Ongoing Ministries

Free Meal on Wednesday Nights
Offering food and friendship to those in need, every Wednesday night since 1992. More info here.

Choir & Our Music Ministry
Join our choir and lend your voice to help us worship God together. Choir rehearses most Wednesday nights, from 7:30-9pm. We are always looking for instrumentalists and musical guests, too. Contact Jim Raycroft for more info.

Music Notes by Jim Raycroft
"This week’s anthem is a piece by Tchaikovsky – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – called Tebe Poem. In addition to being a beautiful piece of choral music, it is an interesting part of history.
The Russian Orthodox Church has a long, glorious history of a cappella music, with many composers, most notably Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov, contributing to the repertoire. However, the church had a very strict policy of...
read more here.

The California-Pacific Conference has introduced Safe Gatherings, an online abuse prevention program that screens and educates staff and volunteers to help prevent abuse of children, youth, and vulnerable adults in group settings.
Our congregation's staff and volunteers are participating in this program which includes an application, background check, and the online training every three years. (Some of you may have already received invitations to participate in the screening or provide a reference for one of our volunteers.)
We are excited to be a part of this new program as we continue to grow and offer a safe space for all.

We have many spots to fill for liturgists on Sunday mornings. The following link will take you the sign up. Please check it out.
Sunday Worship Liturgist Sign Up
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. Thanks for your consideration.
Hearing Assistance Devices are available on Sunday mornings. Just ask for one at the audio/video booth in the sanctuary.
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First United Methodist Church

243 South Broadway

Redondo Beach, California 90277, United States
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