Church News (Page 11)

The Colors of Christmas—A Christmas Concert

The La Jolla United Methodist Church Chancel and Dorian Bell Choirs proudlypresent their annual Christmas Concert Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 4:00 PM in the sanctuary. This year’s theme is The Colors of Christmas. The presentation of familiar carols and inspirational anthems will take you on a journey of color and sound. Composers John Rutter, Craig Courtney and Mark Hayes contribute to telling the miraculous birth of the Christ Child. Chamber orchestra and soloists will complement the performance. The concert is open…

Notes on “Packed & Ready?”

Introduction This week we begin a four-week journey of Advent called Road Trip. What is Advent? I’m glad you asked! Have you ever eagerly awaited something, counting down the days, preparing, and getting more excited as the time approaches? That’s the spirit of Advent! It’s the time leading up to Christmas where we eagerly wait and prepare our hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s about anticipating the joy, hope, and love that Jesus brings into our world. During…

Notes on “After Giving Thanks”

We conclude our 3-week series on gratitude called Our Hymn of Grateful Praise exploring the essential nature of gratitude in our lives and in our faith. The text this week is familiar. The story of the feeding of the five thousand is in all four Gospels, though some of the details are different—including the number of people who share in the meal together! And in three of the Gospels, it is linked to the story of Jesus walking on water—also…

Notes on “In Everything”

We continue our 3-week series on gratitude called Our Hymn of Grateful Praise exploring the essential nature of gratitude in our lives and in our faith. The opening verse this week is, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” Consider someone in your life who acts this way. Perhaps it’s someone who is always happy or always celebrating or always filled with joy. This doesn’t mean, even as we approach Thanksgiving, that there isn’t room for grief…

Notes on “Enter the Gates”

This week we begin a new 3-week series on gratitude called Our Hymn of Grateful Praise. Through these few weeks, we will explore the essential nature of gratitude in our lives and in our faith. This first Sunday, we begin with a psalm of thanks (at least according to the heading in my Bible). I think expressing gratitude is essential for us, and sometimes I wonder if we have lost that practice. I’m sure I’ve spoken before about how terrible…

Katherine Parker Biography

Katherine ParkerUMC Global Missionary to Nepal Katherine is a missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries of TheUnited Methodist Church serving as a Health and Community TransformationAdvisor with the United Mission to Nepal (UMN). The UMN has been supportedby the Methodist Church since its founding 65 years ago. Native to California, Katherine comes from a family with deep roots in UnitedMethodism on the West Coast. Two grandfathers, a great-grandfather, an aunt,and several cousins have served as United Methodist clergy.…

Rummage Reimagined

Dear Friends, Margie and I have had a number of people ask about the status of the rummage sale. This annual event of 60+ years is indeed going to happen. However, we need your help to make it happen. The “Rummage Reimagined” Sale of 2024 will be on Saturday, March 9, 2024. This is a gigantic experiment for us. Instead of the normal, year-round preparation, we will be accepting rummage and setting up only the week before. (More details about…

Katherine Parker Visit

MISSIONS & SOCIAL CONCERNSKatherine Parker VisitSupport for Mission to Nepal Missionary Katherine Parker returned to our church last Sunday and presented her sermon: Healing & Joy on Our Journey with God. We learned how the community transformation brought by the United Mission to Nepal has led to improvements in education, health, good governance and sustainable livelihoods. Katherine’s work in Nepal over more than a decade has been especially important for Nepali women and girls, but Nepali men have also benefited from the…
MISSIONS & SOCIAL CONCERNS UPDATESchool Supplies for Migrant Children “Backpack Train” Sunday, October 1st Responding to a request from the Peace with Justice Task Force of the California Pacific Conference, Pastor Tara applied for and was granted an UMCOR Grant in the amount of $2,000 to provide school supplies to children and youth seeking asylum or refugee status at the border. A member of our congregation matched that dollar amount so we ended with $4,000 for this project. The supplies…

Book Talk Fall Season Information

Book Talk is excited to announce a new season, with new books, new presenters, and new ideas! First, we are sponsoring Rev. John Fanestil’s discussion of his newest book, American Heresy, immediately after church on September 24. Grab a cup of coffee and a snack and join us in Fellowship Hall for a fascinating conversation. Our regular monthly meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month, at 2:00pm, in the Fireside Library. This year, we open on October 4, with…

2023 Independence Day Parade

Several of our LJUMC members attended the annual Beaumont Street community parade, including two UMW members serving cookies to attendees. Check out these photos of our incredible community!