WORSHIP
week. Masks are optional, but always acceptable and welcome. Everyone is strongly encouraged to get your vaccinations and booster shots. If you feel ill, please choose to worship from home online. Let us know if you need assistance in joining online.
For Palm Sunday, April 2, church member Dorothy Williams will be baking the bread for Holy Communion. Thank you, Dorothy!
Worship Online
We offer several options for participating in online worship. You may join in the service Livestream in real time or later at your convenience on these platforms:
Sundays 10 a.m. Worship Online LIVESTREAM on:
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/santamonicaumc/live
• Website: www.santamonicaumc.org/livestream
• YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/SantaMonicaUMC
• The First UMC App: (download from the App Store, search FirstUMC_SM)
Nursery Care
Nursery Care is available on Sunday mornings from 9:30 - 11 a.m. in Room 204 in the Education Building. Parents with young children are also welcome to worship in the sanctuary or in the Kids Zone in the narthex.
Sunday School
Sunday School is every Sunday morning in Room 206. We are so grateful to our Sunday School teachers (Dot Plukas and Sandra Jones) for their ongoing care and commitment to our children and families. Sundays, 10 a.m. (April 2, in Room 300; Easter Sunday, April 9, no Sunday School - Family Sunday in worship)
After Worship Social Time
Join others in the courtyard or in Simkins Hall (depending on the weather) after worship to say “Hello!” and enjoy the coffee and donuts table (all donuts individually wrapped). Stop by the Welcome Table and visit with staff member David Penson if you have any questions.
April Ongoing Ministries:
• Men’s Bible Study Tuesdays, 7 a.m. via Zoom
• Open Space Young Adults April meeting: Wednesday, April 19
• Listening Hearts Women’s Group Meetings: April 5 & 19: Coffee and Connect: 10 a.m. Literati Cafe (12081 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA April 12 & 26, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom
• Prayer Quilt Ministry Third Saturday of the month: Saturday, April 15, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Room 300
Chancel Choir Meets at 7:40 p.m. on Thursdays
• Nursery Care Sundays, 9:30 - 11 a.m. Room 204
Blood Pressure Screenings Third Sunday after worship, April 16
• Sunday School for Kids Sundays, 10 a.m. in Room 206, for ages 2+ (not meeting on April 9)
• UMYF Youth Group Sundays, 6 - 8 p.m. in the Youth Lounge (not meeting on April 23)
For more info, visit: www.santamonicaumc.org/small-groups
Prayer Requests
The First UMC Prayer Group is a network of persons who provide regular, dependable, and confidential prayer support. You may send a prayer request to the church at any time, and our Prayer Group will be notified of your request. https://santamonicaumc.org/prayer-requests/
Monthly Blood Pressure Screenings
The Health Ministry Council hosts Blood Pressure screenings every third Sunday of the month (subject to change.) We are grateful to this ministry for their continued care of the congregation!
Next Screening: April 16, in the Fireside Room
Easter Flowers - Last Chance!
There is still time to donate toward the purchase of Easter Flowers for Easter Sunday morning worship in celebration of a loved one, an event, a joy, or a remembrance. Order online: www.santamonicaumc. org/flower-fund, or stop by the Sunday Welcome Table and fill out a form. Flowers are $15. Deadline to order is April 4.
April at a Glance
Sun Apr 2 Palm Sunday, Holy Communion
Easter Hop-By
Thur Apr 6 Maundy Thursday - Community Ser vice at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Fri Apr 7 Good Friday Prayer Vigil in the Chapel
Good Friday Labyrinth Walk
Community Ser vice at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Sun Apr 9 Easter Sunday
Easter Sunrise Service
Easter Celebration Worship
Wed Apr 12 April Mid-Week Recital
Sat Apr 15 Prayer Quilt Ministry meeting
Sun Apr 16 Second Sunday of Easter, Moments for Mission with Westside Food Bank
Sun Apr 26 Confirmation Sunday
Sun Apr 30 Fourth Sunday of Easter
Communion Ser ver Training after worship
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a.m. In-Person & Online
April Online Mid-Week Recital
The April Mid-Week Recital features the University of Pittsburgh Men’s Glee Club Founded in 1890, the University of Pittsburgh Men’s Glee Club is the oldest student organization at the University, as well as its oldest musical ensemble. In addition to its performances on campus and in the greater Pittsburgh area, the Club is known for its rich history of concert tours throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Recent international tours have included performances in Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Salzburg and Budapest. In the states, the Club has sung in major cities such as Chicago, Raleigh, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York, Hartford, San Antonio and Austin. Richard Teaster, Music Director, is in his twenty-fourth year of directing the Pitt Men’s Glee Club. He holds degrees in Voice Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Houston, TX. He completed further professional studies at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the Pittsburgh Opera Center. In addition to his responsibilities with the Glee Club, Mr. Teaster is a singing instructor at both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University.
How to watch:
• Facebook Live - Search @santamonicaumc
• YouTube Live- Search “Santa Monica UMC”
• Website - www.santamonicaumc.org/livestream
• The App - download the app at the App Store, search FirstUMC_SM
April Mid-Week Recital: Wednesday, April 12, 12:10 p.m. Livestream. Available to watch anytime afterwards on the above platforms.
Vacation Bible Camp - Register Now!
Sign up now for Vacation Bible Camp, happening Monday, July 31 - Friday, August 4, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. on the First UMC campus. This year’s theme is Hero Hotline: Called Together to Serve God. VBC invites children to answer the call to serve God together. Join the Professor and Super Meer as young Heroes learn to strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up as we are taught in Romans 14:19. Volunteer opportunties for teens/youth are available! Visit: www.santamonicaumc.org/vbc
Methodist Foundation Scholarships
The Methodist Foundation of Santa Monica, founded in 1967, exists to provide aid to religious, educational and charitable causes. The Foundation is administered by a volunteer Board of Trustees with First UMC member John Youngman currently serving as president. First UMC has a long tradition of honoring the academic achievements of students in our church and community who pursue post-secondary education.
Ongoing Service Opportunities and Outreach
There are several on-going service opportunities available at First UMC and the greater Santa Monica community. Visit our website for more information on: Communion Servers Needed; The People Concern Weekend Sandwich Making; Harvest Home group volunteer opportunity, and more! Visit: www.santamonicaumc.org/service-opportunities
Easter Offering
Thank you to all who consider giving a special gift to our Easter Offering 2023. We are in this journey together. With special financial gifts we are able to expand the scope of our sight and the reach of our ministry and mission deep and far and wide. To donate online, visit: www.santamonicaumc.org/give, select “Easter Offering” in the dropdown menu.
LOOKING FORWARD TO MAY
Upward Bound House: 11th Annual Home Run for Kids
UBH presents the 11th Annual Home Run For Kids, a day of exercise, food, and fun all for a good cause! Includes a 5k Run/Walk and a Kiddie K (1km) for families. Join the First UMC Church and Preschool Team! Sign up here: www.santamonicaumc.org/home-run-for-kids Before the race, First UMC will hold a brief on-site prayer/blessing at 8 a.m. Look for the white First UMC tent. Find out what it means to pray on your feet!
Sunday, May 21, 8 a.m. in Brentwood (11620 San Vicente Blvd)
Preschool Spring Fair
Save the Date for the Annual Preschool Spring Fair, open to all! Stay tuned for more information!
Sunday, May 21, after worship in the Courtyard/Simkins Hall
Every year the Loans & Scholarships committee has the pleasure of acknowledging outstanding scholars, including graduating high school seniors, continuing undergraduates, and graduate students, for their scholastic excellence, commitment to community, and dedication to our church.
To apply for this year’s scholarships, the application will be available April 14 on the website, or stop by the church office:
www.santamonicaumc.org/methodistfoundation
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Haiti Mission Update
This month we will be sending funds to our friends in Sobier, Haiti to begin their peanut planting season. We began supporting the peanut crop in Sobier during the pandemic as a way for the villagers to plant a sustainable crop that doesn’t require great amounts of water, and can be harvested and sold at market.
In 2021 we funded plots for the ten most needy families, hiring crews for clearing of the land and purchasing seeds and fertilizer. In 2022 we were able to fund clearing of fields for ten additional families, and seeds were saved from the first crop and shared across all 20 plots. This year there is no more room for expansion, and because all plots are established the need for support is less. The village was able to purchase a small cultivator with our funds in 2021 which helps them in the yearly preparation of the fields.
Our congregation is so excited to be helping them get started again this season. As we all know, there are so many challenges in their country, but through our support the villagers are are able to cultivate a profitable and healthy crop to provide for their families, and building wealth in the community over time.
Please pray for the people of Sobier in this difficult time, and keep your thoughts with them as they prepare the ground, plant their seeds and tend to their crops. I personally pray that we’ll be able to return to Haiti someday soon and see what they have achieved in the time we have been away.
Confirmation Sunday
This Spring, our First UMC youth have been going through Confirmation classes together with Tricia and Adam Guerrero, along with the support of Char Smith and Molly Smith. Confirmation is a time to explore what it means to be Christian, United Methodist, and a Child of God. We prioritize it as a space for youth to ask questions, bring doubts, and authentically explore church and faith.
One special aspect of Confirmation is the Friend in Faith, someone in the church community with whom youth are paired and become pen pals, prayer partners and receive the gift of an intergenerational friendship. The Friends in Faith have been personal support for the Confirmands as they explore and decide for themselves their place in the church and their relationship with God. The Friends in Faith this year include: David Penson, Molly Smith, Ann Wilson, and Jill Dodd.
This part of the youth’s faith journey concludes with Confirmation Sunday worship service, where the youth confirm their faith and sense of belonging with the community. They will be joined by their family and Friends in Faith. Come celebrate with these youth on Confirmation Sunday!
Sunday, April 26, during 10 a.m. in-person and online worship
Later this year we will launch our Pennies for Haiti campaign to resupply our general support fund, which will allow us to continue to help our friends with the purchase of goats and making necessary repairs to their homes before hurricane season. Thank you for your continued support and for your prayers!
Todd Erlandson Haiti Mission Team leader
CONFIRMANDS
Ryan Crawford Quinlyn Kirtley
Recent photos from the peanut crops in Sobier
Rachel Snider Emily Franklin
Cady Senior
Congratulations!
• Congratulations to First UMC members Lindsay Crossan and Spencer Dewald, who were married on Saturday, March 4, in the First UMC Sanctuary. Tricia Guerrero officiated the wedding.
• Congratulations to Keri Olsen Paget, now a published author in the journal The Reflective Practice Journal: Formation and Supervision in Ministry. The name of the article is “Spiritual Care for the Transgender Community: A Seminar for Chaplains and Clinical Pastoral Education Students.” Keri specializes in teaching interfaith chaplaincy that respects the faith and values of each chaplain and helps them develop skills in spiritual care for patients no matter their faith or background. This workshop, developed by Keri and a team of others, is a helpful tool to offer pastoral care to transgender people. To read the article, visit: www.reflective-practice-journal. org (click on the link on the home page.) Or, go directly to: https:// journals.sfu.ca/rpfs/index.php/rpfs
• Congratulations to First UMC Member Karen Hopkins, who ran the LA Half Marathon to benefit Teen Cancer America. Karen and her team raised over 40k for the cause. Congratulations Karen!
Births
• Hudson Kui Pettus was born to First UMC member Tara Pettus, husband Song, siblings Celeste and Kent, and grandparents First UMC members Clifton and Amy Chang, on February 1, 2023.
Deaths
We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of these departed loved ones:
• to First UMC members Roxanne Corley O’Bell and Bram O’Bell in the death of their mother and grandmother, Lydia Maiwela, who died February 21.
• to First UMC member Terri-Rae Elmer in the death of her husband, Gerry Wallace, who died February 25.
• First UMC member Jack Oliver Pearson, who died February 28.
• First UMC member Emily A. Duff died earlier this March.
• to First UMC member Sabrina Simmons on the death of her mother Cheryl Simmons, who died on March 12.
• First UMC member Melanie Hutsell and husband Fred Rapoport on death of his mother Lois Raskin Rapoport, who died on March 18.
Memorials
• A memorial for First UMC member Jack Pearson will be held Friday, May 12, at 11 a.m. in the First UMC Sanctuary. For those unable to attend in person, a Livestream link will be available soon.
Request a Prayer Quilt
Led by Sue Payne and Maile Marquand, the Prayer Quilt Ministry continues to offer Prayer Quilts to those in need. To request a quilt: 1. Talk to the intended recipient. Ask if the person is willing to be prayed for and to receive a quilt. Ask what specific prayers are wished for. There is no charge for the quilt – it is a gift of love. 2. Contact Maile Marquand (mailemarquand@gmail.com) or Sue Payne (sue.f.payne@ gmail.com). 3. Select the quilt if some are already made, or suggest colors if one is to be selected for you. Once the quilt selection has been made, First UMC will display the quilt in the Friday Community Email, and also during Sunday 10 a.m. worship, where you may tie a prayer knot during in-person worship, or view the quilt on the Livestream. The next Prayer Quilt Ministry meeting is Saturday, April 15, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. in Room 300 in the Education Building. Contact info@santamonicaumc.org if you would like to volunteer.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Bereavement Group at St. Monica
St. Monica Catholic Church sponsors a peer support group that is co-facilitated by at least two bereavement ministers, who have also lost loved ones, and have received training to effectively and sensitively facilitate the group. The group experience is a 10-week process, and is offered three times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring). Group participants are asked to commit to attending all sessions. In the group, members join together on Zoom to pray, reflect, and share their experiences. To sign up, go to: www.stmonica.net/ministries/pastoral-care/bereavement Online Orientation will be on Thursday, April 13, at 7 p.m. After Orientation you can decide whether you’d like to join the group. The group will then meet weekly through June 22.
Wesley Foundation Serving UCLA - 580 Cafe: Refresh! An Earth Day Celebration
Join the 580 Café for a lively afternoon of music, dance, and celebration as they share the gifts of student performers, artists, and the community. They will honor the Reverend Mark Nakagawa, West District Superintendent, and Alfred Herrera, Assistant Dean for Academic Partnerships at UCLA, for their long-time commitment, partnership, and support of the 580 Café community. $25 suggested donation, students free. RSVP to: wfsucl@gmail.com, request online link to register.
Saturday, April 22, 1 - 3:30 p.m. 580 Café Patio
St. Alban’s Church, 580 Hilgard Ave, L.A. CA 90024. Limited FREE parking in church lot off of Westholme Ave.
Claremont School of Theology Announces Relocation to Los Angeles
Claremont School of Theology (CST) announced that for the first time in 66 years it will be relocating this summer to Los Angeles, CA. In existence since 1885, CST will be located at Westwood United Methodist Church. “In this season of radical transformation across theological education, CST’s Board of Trustees, along with our faculty, staff, and students, have remained focused on our mission,” said board chair, Rev. Patricia Farris. Read complete article: https://cst.edu
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