THE WEEKLY COURIER

November 10, 2022

Prepare Your Heart...

Before you hear our Praise Team's rendition of "Called me Higher" by All Sons and Daughters this Sunday, check out this excellent cover by South Hills Worship. Click on the picture --> 

And if you're also interested in a behind the scenes peek at the original song writer's relationship to this song... you can watch a brief video of her discussing it here.

We in the Greater Northwest Episcopal area have been assigned a new bishop! Beginning January 1, 2023, newly elected Bishop Cedric Bridgeforth will begin serving as our bishop.

Bishop Bridgeforth was elected by the Western Jurisdiction delegates on Nov 4, 2022. He was elected on the 18th ballot taken at the Western Jurisdiction meeting receiving 73 out of 93 ballots cast. He needed 63 ballots to be elected.

Bishop Bridgeforth is the first openly gay, African American man to be elected as bishop in The United Methodist Church.  

He comes to the Greater Northwest Area as an Elder from the California-Pacific Conference. Most recently, he served as the Director of Innovation and Communication for the Cal-Pac Conference. He has been in that role since 2021. Bishop Bridgeforth’s other ministry experience includes serving as lead pastor of Grace United Methodist Church, a historically Black congregation in Los Angeles and lead pastor of Santa Ana United Methodist Church, a multi-ethnic congregation. 

He also served as director of academic programs and outreach for the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies at the University of La Verne and District Superintendent in the Cal-Pac Conference from 2008-2015. While serving as a District Superintendent, Bishop Bridgeforth served as Dean of the Cabinet from 2011-2015.

Bishop Bridgeforth has also chaired the Black Methodists for Church Renewal, the denomination’s official Black Caucus, served as a board member for The United Methodist Church’s pension agency, and written three books which include a memoir, a book on prayer, and a book on leadership.

He is a native of Decatur, Alabama, and a U.S. Air Force veteran. His degrees include a bachelor’s degree in religion from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, a Master of Divinity degree from Claremont School of Theology in Claremont CA, and a doctorate in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. 

According to an article on The Western Jurisdiction website, “In The United Methodist Church, bishops are ordained elders who are called to “lead and oversee the spiritual and temporal affairs of The United Methodist Church.” Bishops, in consultation with district superintendents, are responsible for appointing clergy. They also preside at annual conferences, jurisdictional conferences and General Conference, the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly.” 

Click here to Read MORE about our new Bishop.

New Member Lunch

Are you interested in becoming a member of this church? Wondering what that means? Interested in learning more about United Methodism? We are hosting a new member information lunch on Nov 13 after church and you are invited. You will get a chance to spend time with Pastor Alexa and Pastor Heather and ask us questions about the church, United Methodism, faith, and more.

So let the office know if you are interested in attending!

We Need YOUR Photos!

It's time to start thinking about Advent! Even though its still a couple weeks away, our Advent Worship Series this year will be called "Everything is Sacred" and we need YOUR help putting together our graphics. 

All you need to do is send us photos of the things you find sacred in your own life. Whether it's your family, your pets, the sunrise, a difficult Sunday crossword, crayon stick figures holding hands, an empty email inbox, or the existential pendulum swing between feelings of unfulfilled anticipation and surprise from the gloriously unexpected... what do you find sacred around you?

Please send your photos to Lauren (multimedia@fumcoly.org) BEFORE November 20th and we'll be sure to incorporate them into our upcoming worship graphics. We're looking forward to seeing our sacred world through your eyes!

Hospitality Team Training

The Hospitality Team will have a training on Tuesday, November 15th from 6-8 pm in the Gathering Place. If you are already on the Hospitality Team, or would like to be in the future, please feel free join us!

Though part of the meeting will be orienting ourselves to the building, there will be a zoom option for those unable to attend in person. To RSVP, contact Pastor Alexa by email or by calling the church office for more information.

The Hanging of the Greens

Join us this year for our annual "Hanging of the Greens" event on Sunday November 20 starting at 12:00 pm. In preparation for advent, we'd love your help decorating the sanctuary for this coming advent season. We have tasks for ALL skill levels from assembling the Christmas tree and climbing ladders to simply arranging poinsettias on the altar. Everyone is welcome! And if you have a favorite First Olympia decoration you want to see in the sanctuary this year, feel free to let us know!

Charge Conference Business Meeting 

On Nov 22 at 6:30 pm we will gather for the annual Charge Conference Business Meeting. The meeting should last about an hour. All are welcome to attend. At this meeting we will conduct the following church business:



• Setting the pastor's salary for the coming year
• Approving the church budget (or authorizing Church Council to set the budget)
• Approving New Committee Members (and authorizing Church Council to do this in the coming year)
• Receiving a report from the Membership Secretary
• Receiving Reports from Retired Pastors
• Checking on Annual Business such as the status of our non-profit filing and payment of our property insurance

Women's Book Club

The Women’s Book Club is meeting this Friday at 10 am to discuss the beautiful and poetic book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmer, led by Judy Mason. This will be a hybrid meeting in the Gathering Place at church, and on Zoom for those who'd prefer.

Please come, even if you haven’t finished the book. Bring your thermos of coffee or tea and settle in for a great discussion. If you need the Zoom link, please email Cathy Bennett.

Come Join the Tech Team!

First Olympia is proud to be able to offer a weekly livestream in addition to our in-person Sunday worship. But we need YOUR help to keep it going...

We have a variety of positions for a comfortable spectrum of tech-savvy individuals. Some jobs are as simple as just clicking the "next" slide.

So, if you're looking for an easy way to volunteer on Sunday mornings by clicking a few buttons to create a more inclusive experience for our siblings in Christ worshiping from home, this might just be the perfect opportunity for you.

If you're interested, please reach out to our multimedia coordinator, Lauren (that's me!)

Wishing Angelina "See You Soon"

Our amazing Director of Congregational Life, Angelina Goldwell, will be taking six weeks off for vacation and renewal leave. SPRC granted Angelina's request for leave with prayers that she will find the time off a blessing.

During this time of leave, we are asking that no one from church contact Angelina. We want her to have the space to disconnect completely from her work life. The only contact Angelina has indicated she would find helpful is cards with prayers. You can mail those directly to Angelina or drop them at the office and we will get them to her.

We will welcome Angelina back in January!

Our Current Worship Series:

Tender Mercy

"By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." 

We hope in this time of tender mercy that we take a look at the challenging side of life, while clinging to a word of hope which serves as a balm against our weary souls, so that we can honestly ask ourselves: 

- What does it look like to be good stewards of God's good gifts in light of all of the challenges we've faced in a continuing season of change?

- Do we really trust that the dawn will break upon us and that God has good things

in store for us? 

- If so, how can we (individually and collectively) participate in its manifestation? 

Anti-Racist Film Club Podcast

If you haven't had the chance yet to check out our latest episode of the Anti-racist Film Club Podcast, the good news is that it's still available for your listening pleasure.

Whether you've seen the film, attended the club meeting last week, or just want to listen to a conversation about the difficult intricacies of adoption, assimilation, and how we can avoid developing a "white savior complex" while still doing our best to help those in need... check out our episode on the 2016 film Lion right now.

November-December Upper Rooms

The NEW issues of the Upper Room are ready for pick-up for $1.00! You may get yours on a Sunday morning, before or after worship. Or, swing by the church Monday-Thursday, 10am-2pm.

Morning Prayer Team

For prayer opportunities with your church friends, join the Morning Prayer team, Monday-Saturday at 9:00am. Access our Zoom Link right here or directly email the church office.

Holiday Bazaar Update

Saturday December 3rd from 9 am to 3 pm United Women In Faith's Bazaar (formerly United Methodist Women) will return as an in-person event this year.

Mark your calendars to come check out $25 Fresh Christmas Wreaths, Fresh Nuts, Fleece Throws, Cookie Walk, Homemade Candies and Baked Goods, Vintage Items, Gift Baskets for All Sorts of People, Comfort and Care and other Specialty Things for the Holidays and Rest of the Year-- all reasonably priced.

Come join the FUN! And all funds raised go to local and international nonprofits for women, youth and children.

Life of the Church

Check out these awesome photos from our friendship hikers' last hike for the season!

Blessed with remarkably good weather, here they are exploring the LBA woods.

While this may have been the final hike of 2022, the next Friendship Hikers excursion is planned for March. So, f you'd like to get connected, please reach out to Ginger Sarver to join the group's mailing list.

You can find more photos from these event and many more on our Instagram page: 

https://www.instagram.com/fumcoly/

We Remember...

We remember Jim Barnard and Esperanza Mostales, who each passed away on November 8^th

Our Welcoming Statement

First United Methodist Church of Olympia welcomes people of all ages, all abilities,

all sexual orientations and gender identities, all nationalities and ethnicities,

the poor and the rich, single people and the many forms of family.

See our Church Calendar.

Visit our webpage!

Watch our latest worship service.

Read the latest Joys & Concerns

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Instagram!

Contact us ...

by phone: 360-943-2661 by email: fumco@fumcoly.org

OFFICE HOURS: Sunday 9am-noon | Monday-Thursday 10am-2pm

The Weekly Courier editor: Lauren Fontanilla