In this weeks issue:

• Worship News
• Encouragement for Our Church Family
• Church News
• Lenten Challenge:
• Participate in Adopt a Road clean-up and/or Church Work Day
• Palm Sunday Processional - Children invited to join
• Candy Donations (NUT-free)
• Martha Circle - March 26, Guest Christine Chandler
• Mission Opportunities
• Adopt-A-Road clean-up Saturday, March 24 at 10 a.m.
• McCurdy Ministries Day of Service
• Church Work Day Saturday, March 30 at 10 a.m.
• Schedule for Holy Week and Easter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

The United Methodist Church has been, and continues to be, involved in immigrant ministry. In our conference, and through this church, we have actively supported El Calvario UMC and their work at the border.

Annunciation House, which is a Roman Catholic charity in the El Paso area, has recently been sued by the Attorney General of Texas demanding a release of all client records and he is seeking to shut them down.

Our Bishop has released this statement, which I think is important for you all to be aware of:

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Recently, there has been an intensity of dehumanizing language and a militarizing of border areas over the complex and demanding situation along the border in Texas. We recognize the efforts of many of our first responders, migrant shelters, and advocacy centers as noble and express our deep appreciation for engaging in this important and sacred work. Yet, we offer this open letter to stress the need for religious institutions of all faiths to freely continue in ministries that encompass acts of mercy and compassion to the most vulnerable in our communities, including migrants, without the risk of retribution by authorities.

It is our sacred duty as Christians and United Methodists to follow the teachings of Jesus when it comes to ministries of mercy and compassion. Jesus said in gospel of Matthew, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” We seek to honor this teaching in the best traditions of the Church Universal. We seek to serve all humanity to honor God.

We support migrant shelters and ministries offering food and shelter and dignity in many places from the Annunciation House in El Paso, TX to the Good Neighbor Settlement House in Brownsville, TX. We support our Catholic friends and other leaders of faith. We stand in solidarity with the statement from the Conference of Catholic Bishops: “We must especially preserve the freedom of Catholics and other people of faith to assist their communities and meet migrants’ basic human needs.” The United Methodist Church has a long history of supporting and funding migrant refugee centers on the border. Some of these Christian migrant refugee centers are well over 100 years old and have been providing humanitarian assistance long before the divisive politics of our modern times.

We call on Christians and United Methodists to continue in the sacred work of providing food and shelter and dignity to the most vulnerable in our midst.

We call on government institutions to work in harmony with us towards ending this crisis along the border in a way that reflects the best traditions of our country.

We call upon leaders to cease dehumanizing rhetoric that fans the flames of prejudice and racism.

Respectfully,

Robert Schnase

Bishop of the New Mexico and Rio Texas Conferences of The United Methodist Church

What I am currently reading:

• Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil by Hannah Arendt
• An Inconvenient Cop: My Fight to Change Policing in America by Edwin Raymond

Sunday, March 24, 2024



Scripture Readings: The scripture readings for Sunday, March 24, are Mark 11:1-11 and Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29. Sunday is Palm and Passion Sunday. After waiving our palm branches in triumph, we will then turn to the passion narrative as we hear it from Mark.

Question to help you prepare: The cries of celebration of Palm Sunday quickly turn to cries of crucify, and denial and desertion by the disciples. Why do you think that happened? How does it happen today? How do we participate in both sides of those cries?

Prayer for the week:

Sovereign God, you have established your rule over the human heart, not by force but by the servant example of Jesus Christ.

Move us by your Spirit to join the joyful procession of those who confess Christ Jesus with their tongues and praise him with their lives. Amen.

10 a.m. Worship

streamed online at Facebook.com/FirstInYourHeart,

our website at FirstInYourHeart.org

http://lafumc.churchcenter.com/

Baptism

"Will You Remain Faithful Members ...."

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Rev. John W. Nash

Did you miss Sunday's sermon or perhaps want to share it with a friend?

You can find other sermons in this series on our website.

Please bring donations of packages of individually wrapped NUT-FREE candy! We will use these to fill our Easter Eggs for the children's Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday.

McCurdy Ministries Day of Service

April 11 beginning at 9:30 a.m.

McCurdy Ministries is getting ready to demolish several older buildings in preparation for a new Program Building. These buildings are FULL of items that need to be removed and sold. An estate sale will be held on May 17 – 19. The stored items need to be cleaned and moved to the McCracken Gymnasium for the estate sale. Lighter tasks include washing and cleaning/polishing items especially the lab equipment and band instruments.

Lunch will be provided, please bring water bottles and extra water for the day.

If you’ve never been to McCurdy, it’s been a while, or you’re just interested, we’ll have someone there to give a quick tour of the campus. The day of service is open to all who would like to help. Please let me know if you or your group will be coming so we can plan for lunch and tasks to be accomplished. 

If you are interested in going please contact: Julie in the church office at office@lafumc.org or Carol Mead at cjmead@ansr.biz by April 3, 2024.

We will meet at the church April 11 at 8:45 a.m. to carpool.

Available in apple store and google play!

There are several ways you can make your

tithe and offering payments.

1. Go to our website then click on "Give Securely Online" at the top right-hand column. Set up a one time or a reoccurring gift.
2. "Text any dollar amount to 84321 to give."
3. In-person drop off your check
4. You can mail your checks to the church office:

715 Diamond Drive, Los Alamos, NM 87544

We thank you for your faithfulness!

Praise and Thanksgiving:

• Praise for Pastor John and our church leadership.

New and Ongoing Prayers:

• Prayers for Gail Little in the ICU with pneumonia, and Jim will be coming home on Thursday.
• Prayers for Chris Caudill who is in extreme pain with her shoulder.
• Prayers for the Women's Emmaus Walk this coming weekend.
• Prayers for Sharon & Ed Payne. Sharon has an inoperable brain tumor and is planning to have radiation and/or chemotherapy is at Sombrillo.
• Prayers for Margot and her family.
• Linda Collier, for upcoming eye surgery on March 19th.
• Prayers for Chet Mazur, in hospital with a broken hip, friend of Linda Collier.
• Prayers for Carl and Ellen Bailey as they continue to recover from health issues.
• Prayers for Eric Multer as he continues his fight against leukemia.
• Prayers for June Vasey, Valarie Prestwood's mother, who is declining in health and recovering from a mild stroke.
• Prayers for healing for Ryder Armes, Terry Barnes, Amy Cross, Ashley Johnston, Sandra Jo Rudloff, and Lee Weinland.
• Prayers for our world.

 **If you have a prayer request or praise that you would like to share please call, 505-662-6277 or email, office@lafumc.org, the church office. If you would like your prayer to be confidential just let us know.

Wednesday, March 20

3 p.m. Sr. High Youth Bible Study (B9)

5 p.m. Odyssey of the Minds Board meeting in Friendship (A16)

6:30 p.m. Bell Choir Practice in Sanctuary

7 p.m. Troop 2 in Fellowship Hall (C5)

7 p.m. STARS NA meeting in Library(C1)

7:15 p.m. Choir Practice in Sanctuary

Thursday, March 21

6 p.m. Lenten Series at the United Church 2525 Canyon Road, Los Alamos

7 p.m. Troop 122 in Fellowship Hall (C5)

Sunday, March 24

9 a.m. Bible History Class Hybrid Friendship Center (A16) and Zoom

10 a.m. Palm/Passion Sunday - Contemporary Worship (Communion)

In-person and Online

11:30 a.m. Inquirer's Class Teachers Lounge (B12) on Zoom

NO Program Night Activities

Monday, March 25

1:30 Club House Knitters at 505 Oppenheimer Drive

Tuesday, March 26

1:15 p.m. Martha Circle in Friendship Center (A16) 5:30 p.m. Ark Staff Meeting in Friendship Center (C5)

6 p.m. Leadership Board in Friendship Center (A16)



Wednesday, March 27

3 p.m. Sr. High Youth Bible Study (B9)

6:30 p.m. Bell Choir Rehearsal in Sanctuary (A1)

7 p.m. Troop 2 in Fellowship Hall (C5)

7 p.m. STARS NA meeting in Library (C1)

7:15 p.m. Choir in Sanctuary (A1)

Thursday, March 28

6 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service in Sanctuary

7 p.m. Troop 122 in Fellowship Hall (C5)

Friday, March 29

6 p.m. Good Friday Service-Stations of the cross in Sanctuary

Saturday, March 30

10 a.m. Church Work and Decorating Day in Sanctuary

Sunday, March 31

6:35 a.m. Community Sunrise Service at Ashley Pond (bring your own chair)

9 a.m. Easter Celebration and Egg Hunt at First UMC

9 a.m. Bible History Class Hybrid Friendship Center (A16) and Zoom

10 a.m. Traditional Worship

In-person and Online

11:30 a.m. Inquirer's Class Teachers Lounge (B12) on Zoom

NO Program Night Activities

Monday through Friday

9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.