eNEWS - November 16, 2020 |
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Three Reasons to Drive by First Church on Sunday!
Sunday, Nov. 22 | 3:30 - 4:30 PM | Mission Valley Parking lot P2
- Pick up Communion Elements for Holy Communion on Sunday, Nov. 29
- Bring your food donations for the Thanksgiving Food Drive (see details below)
- Pick up your FREE materials to create your own Advent wreath (see details below)
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THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE 2020 |
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Drop-off dates and times:
Monday, Nov. 16 - Friday, Nov. 20 | 8 AM - 4 PM | Donation box in front of the church office
Sunday, Nov. 22 | 3:30 - 4:30 PM | Parking lot P2
First Church is again partnering with Wesley UMC to distribute ingredients for a full Thanksgiving dinner to hungry San Diego families. We are asking you to prayerfully consider these options:
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Shop for items on the printable list below, and bring to First Church where it will be sorted and packaged for distribution at Wesley.
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Donate to the "Special Gifts - Wesley Thanksgiving Fund", either by check or online (select "special gifts" and write "Wesley Thanksgiving Fund" in the memo line).
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Volunteers needed to package food bags on Saturday, November 21, volunteer to load for delivery on Monday, November 23, or volunteer to monitor health practices at Wesley during distribution on Tuesday, November 24.
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Thanksgiving Eve Interfaith Worship
Wednesday, November 25 | 7:30 PM | YouTube
The 40th Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Eve service, hosted by Congregation Beth Israel and First Church San Diego, will be aired on November 25, at 7:30 PM. Rabbi Jason Nevarez and Rev. Trudy Robinson will share their thoughts on "Home, Humanity and Holiness" with pre-recorded music provide by both congregations.
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ADVENT IN-PERSON COMMUNION |
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Sunday, November 29 - In-person Communion Service
The outdoor service will be brief as we gather to celebrate Holy Communion together.
Mission Valley Campus
Please note that currently our in-person events will take place outside on the Linder Patio under careful guidelines. Attendance is restricted to 45 people at each service. Registration is mandatory. No walk-ins please.
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We may not celebrate the Holidays the same this year. Join First Church in the preparation for this year's Holiday Season.
As we get closer to Advent we hope you join us in these and other upcoming activities. You will be able to serve through the Advent Food Drive, the Angel Tree and the Alternative Christmas Gifts. Each week in Advent will have something new for you and your families to take part of. A Daily Advent Devotional written by members of our congregations in Mission Valley and OB will be available on our website and Facebook. If you like to receive the devotional in your email, click the link below to subscribe.
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Advent Wreath Making
Sunday, Nov. 22 | 3:30-4:30 | Parking Lot P2 to Pick up your FREE wreath materials
Sunday, Nov. 29 is the first Sunday in Advent. The first candle in the Advent wreath will be lit during worship, and again each Sunday until Christmas. Bring the tradition into your own home by creating an Advent wreath and join in the ritual during live-stream worship! For inspiration and ideas using everyday materials or your own Christmas decorations, visit the First Church Pinterest, a collection of member-created and Pinterest ideas, or look through the photo album at fumcsd.org/wreath (and send us a picture of yours to add, upload to fumcsd.org/mywreath.
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Digital Holiday Cookbook & Family Photos
We invite you to share your best Holiday Recipes along with a photo of the dish. We'll collect all recipes and photos to create the 2020 First Church Holiday (digital) Cookbook. We'll have digital copies to share with the church. (Let us know if you would be willing to share your recipes and photos with the community on our social media sites.) Submit your recipes as a PDF or Word doc, along with a picture jpg of the dish, and if you'd like, a photo of your family (current or past) enjoying the dish and/or family tradition pictures. Please submit by December 2. We look forward to sharing in a virtual feast together!
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Making Memories - Family Photo Op
Sunday, December 6 | 3 - 5 PM | RSVP below by Dec. 3 (no walk-ins)
Come to First Church and take some pictures to kick off the second week of Advent! We will have two photo stations, one in front of our stained glass Christ window and one in front of our decorated Christmas tree by the altar. Photos will be distributed via email in the following couple weeks before the holidays are over. Click button below to sign up.
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Over the River and through the (digital) Woods
If you and your family were to travel this holiday season, where would you go? With many travel restrictions in place, we invite you to share where your best holiday destination would be! Send us your trip coordinates: your home as your departure point and your final destination. Your submission will be compiled with others into a fun, digital map to be shared on our social media platforms. Send your response by Dec. 9! We’ll share the map Dec. 20.
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ZOOM WITH US
November 16 - November 22
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New Pastor's Bible Study:
The Advent of Justice and Peace
Wednesdays through Dec. 16 | 10:30 AM | RSVP
Rev. Trudy is leading this study through Dec. 16. No study during the holidays: 11/25, 12/23 and 12/30. The study is intended to consider the doctrine of the incarnation, the traditional Advent scripture readings, and the prevalent idea of the 1st century that the birth of the Christ expected a new era of justice and peace.
If you are a "regular" at our Pastor's Bible Study, no need to register again. We have your contact and you will receive a weekly email with the zoom link.
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Midday Gathering: Connect, Communicate, Community: REALM
Wednesday, Nov. 18 | 12:15 PM | Via Zoom
Speaker: Priscilla Venegas, Director of Guest Engagement at First UMC
First Church is finding creative ways to keep our congregation in touch with each other during this unprecedented time of living through a pandemic. Priscilla Venegas helps church groups stay connected using new technology - Realm - that brings our church community online so the congregation stays connected during this challenging time. Come learn how to stay up-to-date and engage with your church family during this time of physical distancing.
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Healing Your Brain From Trauma
Thursday, Nov. 19 | 2 - 3 PM | Via Zoom
Join the New Life Counseling Center’s Eunice Palacios Ramírez, LMFT, as she presents on trauma, the impact trauma has on the brain, and ways to heal with a powerful therapeutic technique called Brainspotting.
Eunice Palacios Ramirez is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT #92962). She has 11 years of experience specializing in couples, trauma and parenting. Please RSVP below by Nov. 16.
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Prayers of the People
Wednesdays, 9:30 AM
Ongoing
Join us as we pray for one another and shared prayer requests.
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Conversations
Wednesdays, 7 PM
Ongoing
"24 and Me:
A Divine DNA search
for relatives in the Bible"
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Koinonia
Fridays, 8 AM
Ongoing
A devotional is led by group members. All are welcome.
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Younger Adults 4th Sunday Brunch
Sunday, Nov. 22
12 -1:30 PM
Grab a bite and join us!
It will be great to see everyone’s faces.
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Heart of Christianity
Sundays, 10:30 AM
Ongoing
"Ecology, ethics, and interdependence: The Dalai Lama in conversation with leading thinkers on Climate Change.”
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Are You Experiencing Pandemic Fatigue?
Are you feeling exhausted from all the disruptions to life brought on by the pandemic? Are you or someone you know struggling with challenges like: • Isolation and loneliness • Anxiety over health • Grief due to many different kinds of losses • Tension from juggling work, childcare, and schooling • Financial strain or job loss • Uncertainty about the future • Other unexpected life challenges?
If so, you don’t have to face it alone. Our Stephen Ministers are ready to listen, care, encourage, and provide emotional and spiritual support. A Stephen Minister will meet with you privately—by phone, by video chat, or, if safely possible, in person—to offer care and support. It’s free and completely confidential. For more information, email Pastor Tamara.
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Handbell Choir Program Survey
First Church is bringing music back to our ministries through a handbell choir program for all ages, including younger children! To assess your interest, we ask that you complete the survey below. Last day to fill out the survey is November 30.
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Tips for live-stream worship:
Go to our Live Stream page - check out the buttons on this page in advance to:
Gather and light a candle to signify the holy presence of Christ.
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Lead Pastor
Rev. Trudy Robinson
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9 AM | Rev. Hannah Ka
Christ the King/Thanksgiving Sunday
10 AM | Rev. Adam Marshall-Lopez
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Do you have problems finding our live-stream or a link is not working?
- Go to Youtube.com
- Search First Church San Diego
- "Bookmark" or save the First Church San Diego as your "favorite"
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Children and Youth Ministries Sunday Schedule
For more information contact the Dir. of Discipleship for Children & Youth Kenton Reaves Hundley, 619-297-4366 x118
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CHURCH BUSINESS & NOTICES |
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Office Closed
The church office remains closed under state/county order. Staff continues to work from home and are available via email or the church voicemail system.
How to give when the church office is closed and worship is online?
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Give online using your credit/debit card or ACH transfer from your checking account. Gifts can be one-time or automatically recurring each week or month.
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TEXT to Give. Just text MYCHURCHGIFT to 73256 and see how easy it can be!
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Mail your check directly to the church via US postal service: First United Methodist Church of San Diego, 2111 Camino del Rio S., San Diego, CA 92108.
Thank you again as we work to keep everyone safe this season and work to meet the church's ongoing expenses. Please let Jason Tucker know if you have any more questions about giving and tithing to First Church.
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Giving
Operating fund income which includes: pledges, record of giving, unrestricted gifts, interest earnings, and contributions from the Children's Growing Center, Ocean Beach and our leased properties at both locations.
BUDGET FOR TOTAL INCOME: $1,708,037.00 (11/8, 2020)
ACTUALS FOR TOTAL INCOME: $1,685,926.00 (11/8, 2020)
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Weekly Attendance
Sunday attendance at Mission Valley Youtube Live Stream 11/8/2020:
During the live-streamed services on 11/8 Sunday we had 1080 in-real-time viewers with an average watch-time of 16 minutes on the First Church YouTube channel We currently have 698 subscribers to our channel! If you would like to be a subscriber: log in to your Gmail account, go to our YouTube channel and click on the subscribe button to the right on the page. As a subscriber you can choose to be notified every time we are live-streaming. |
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Deaths: Check our website for weekly updates regarding deaths, memorial services and funerals. |
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619-297-4366
2111 Camino del Rio South,
San Diego, CA 92108
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