Church News (Page 11)
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!
Notes on “One Body, Many Parts”
This week we begin a new 6-week series called Unity in Diversity: The Beauty of The United Methodist Church. Through these coming weeks, we will explore the rich history and theology that we share as United Methodists. This first Sunday, we kick off this series in the perfect way: by welcoming new members into the congregation of La Jolla United Methodist Church! Some new members are Confirmands who are professing their faith; some are transferring their membership from other congregations;…
Notes on “Trusting the Unknown”
This week and next, we will remain in the Revised Common Lectionary before moving into our next series. This Second Sunday after Pentecost includes texts that remind us that God’s presence and call can rarely be described as expected or ordinary. (Side note: this season is often called “ordinary time” because it is a long season counted by ordinal numbers, not because it is common or uneventful.) Abram isn’t young when God calls him to leave everything he knows. Matthew…