1. education
2. school

News, updates and encouragements for the church family
at First United Methodist Church of Ventura.
A Stephen Minister congregation.
Vol. XCII, No. 26
December 17, 2014
Page 2
Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Worship
Sunday, December 21
Advent IV
All Choirs Christmas Music Sunday
ADVENT HIGHWAYS:
Des*na*on Love
Wednesday, December 24
Christmas Eve
4:30 p.m. Family Friendly Service - Sanctuary
7:00 p.m. Tradi*onal Christmas Eve Worship - Sanctuary
11:00 p.m. Casual Alterna*ve Christmas Eve - Chapel
Sunday, December 28
First Sunday a0er Christmas
Barbara Tomblin, preaching
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Epiphany
Holy Communion
Sunday, January 11, 2015
First Sunday a0er the Epiphany
Renewal of Bap*smal Vows
Worship A
endance
Date
2
9
16
23
30
November
9 a.m.
11 a.m.
97
31
142
29
104
35
123
26
111
37
Hilltoppers Christmas Party
Hilltoppers invite our maturein-age members to a Christmas
Party on Friday, Dec. 19, at 5:30
p.m. at Echo Kukuchek’s home.
Ham and rolls provided. Bring a
side dish to share. There will be a
gi0 exchange! RSVP to the church
office at 643-8621.
Page 3
Prayer Concerns
Re)red Clergy & Seminarians - N. District Cov. Prayer Focus for Dec. 21
Camp Wrightwood - North District Covenant Prayer Focus for Dec. 21
Chatsworth West UMC - North District Covenant Prayer Focus for Dec. 28
Valley Central UMC, Chatsworth - N. Dist. Cov. Prayer Focus for Dec. 28
Coffee Hour Thank You
Thanks to United Methodist
Men and ROMEO for hos*ng the
10 a.m. December coffee hours.
Next Globe Bank Collec)on in Jan.
There will not be a globe bank
collec*on in December. The next
collec*on is set for January.
December Mission Market
Dona)ons for Family to Family
December Mission Market
dona*ons will go to Family to
Family, a Ventura program serving
meals to people who are hungry.
We serve the fourth Friday of each
month in the Ventura Avenue
Family to Family facility.
2015 Offering Envelopes Ready
Pick up your 2015 offering
envelopes at the 10 a.m. coffee
hour on Sunday, Dec. 21 and 28.
Sanctuary Equipped With
T-Coil Hearing System
Our sanctuary main floor area
is equipped with a
hearing loop system.
Switch your hearing aid
to T-coil to enhance
your hearing capabili*es. An usher will assist you, if you
have ques*ons.
Page 4
Sunday School Cra< Needs
Our Sunday School mission project is raising money for “Imagine
No Malaria.” We will have a Kid’s
Corner in TroIer Hall to showcase
and sell the treats and cra0s we
have made.
I am asking for dona*ons to
help make these items. Your help is
appreciated. Here’s what we need:
December 21st Cra<
Empty baby food jars
(4-oz. only)
White paper bags (Michaels)
January 11th Cra<
Index cards
Thank you, Jackie Gonzalez
Sunday School Superintendent
Annual Homeless Persons
Memorial Service December 21
Let us remember our deceased
homeless brothers and sisters at
the Annual Homeless Persons
Memorial Service on Sunday, Dec.
21, 3 p.m. in Plaza Park, Ventura.
The names of those who died in
2014 will be read accompanied by
music and readings from various
religious tradi*ons. The Unitarian
Universalist Church of Ventura is
hos*ng this public memorial event.
PUN
A dog gave birth to puppies on
the highway and was cited for
liIering.
“Ring Out 2014” at Open Door
Game Night December 28
Everyone is invited to the “Ring
Out 2014” game night on Sunday,
Dec. 28, from 5-8 p.m. at The Open
Door Coffee House (TOD). Celebrate the year’s blessings with a
game night party. If you’ve had
some boohoo or ho-hum moments,
come anyway. We’ll add an extra
dollop of cheer to your favorite hot
beverage. We promise to get you
smiling.
Mexican Train Domino aficionados, all aboard for TOD’s signature
pas*me. What’s your favorite:
Monopoly, Uno, Gin, Yahtzee?
Something else? Bring it.
On Christmas overload? Nose
lost its rosy glow? Try the coffee
house’s special for the night, “Hair
of the Reindeer.” This vanilla laIe
with a dash of nutmeg will get you
back in the “pink.” Come on by, the
door will be open. Ques*ons: call
the church office at 805-643-8621.
Page 5
C?@AB? CCDEFGCA
9:00 a.m.
9:15 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10:15 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
12 Noon
5:00 p.m.
S@FGCH, DEB. 21
Trad. Worship, Child Care
Children/Yth. Sun. School
Coffee Hour
Children’s Choir Rhsl.
Cont. Worship Rhsl.
Disciples Forum
Handbell Rhsl.
Cont. Worship, Child Care
Children’s Sun. School
Coffee Hour Fellowship
The open door
10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
MIFGCH, DEB. 22
Children’s Choir Rhsl.
Sm. Grp. Study
8:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
T@EJGCH, DEB. 23
Men’s Breakfast-ROMEO
Handbell Rhsl.
C?ALJMNCJ EOE, WEGFEJGCH, DEB. 24
4:30 p.m. Family Service
7:00 p.m. Tradi*onal Service
11:00 p.m. Contemporary Service
C?ALJMNCJ, T?@AJGCH, DEB. 25
Church Office Closed
11:30 a.m.
FALGCH, DEB. 26
Family to Family
9:00 a.m.
9:15 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
12 Noon
5:00 p.m.
5:00 p.m.
S@FGCH, DEB. 28
Trad. Worship, Child Care
Children/Yth Sun. School
Coffee Hour Fellowship
Cont. Worship Rhsl.
Cont. Worship, Child Care
Children’s Sun. School
Coffee Hour Fellowship
The open door
Game Night
MIFGCH, DEB. 29
9:00 a.m.
Quil*ng
10:30 a.m.
Sm. Grp. Book Study
8:00 a.m.
T@EJGCH, DEB. 30
Men’s Breakfast-ROMEO
NEQ YECA’J DCH, T?@AJGCH, JCF. 1
Church Office Closed
1:00 p.m.
FALGCH, JCF. 2
ACIM
Sunday Worship Service Broadcast
Weekly on Cable TV 6
Cable TV 6 broadcasts our
9 a.m. Sunday worship from an
earlier week on Sundays at 9 a.m.,
Wednesdays at 4 p.m., Thursdays
at 6 p.m., and Saturdays at 1 p.m.
Staff
Senior Pastor .................... Mary Birgelai*s
Diaconal Minister ........... Barbara Tomblin
Youth Director .................... Jason Johnsen
Preschool Director ......... Melissa Ledesma
Visita*on Ministry ..................... Jan Marra
Sunday School Supt. ....... Jacklyn Gonzalez
Chancel Choir Director ......... KuanFen Liu
Cont. Worship Ldr................. ScoI Spindel
Organist ................................... Ivan Shobe
Wesley Chldrn Choir Dir. .. Miriam Arichea
Joyful Noise Bell ChDir ...... Miriam Arichea
& KuanFen Liu
Childcare ......................... Jacklyn Gonzalez
Custodian........................... Daren McLean
Grounds Keeper .............. Thomas Stribling
Treasurer ........................... Rona Gonzalez
Financial Secretary ................ Gloria Lewis
Secretary ............................. Ellen Pearson
How to Contact First UMC
Church Office ...................... 805-643-8621
Preschool ................................... 653-5304
Website ................. www.fumcventura.org
Email ...................offi[email protected]
Scoutmaster ............................... 658-0332
Boy Scout Website .....................................
www.freepgs.com/troop102/main.php
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Oxnard CA 93030
Permit 488
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
New Book Study January-March
Barbara Brown Taylor’s An
Altar in the World will be read and
discussed by two groups in the
Wesley Center Rm. 103. Both will
be led by Rev. Charles Simmons.
Tuesdays, 7-8:30 p.m.
(January 13-March 10)
Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon
(January 14-March 18)
Purchase a book in the church
office or from Rev. Simmons ($10).
In the book Taylor shares ways
to encounter God beyond the walls
of the church:
“From simple prac*ces such as
walking, working, and geSng lost
to deep medita*ons on topics like
prayer and pronouncing blessings,
Taylor reveals concrete ways to
discover the sacred in the small
things we do and see.
“Under Taylor’s expert
guidance, we come to ques*on
conven*onal dis*nc*ons between
the sacred and the secular, learning
that no physical act is too earthbound or too humble to become a
path to the divine.”
First United Methodist Church
1338 E Santa Clara St
Ventura CA 93001-3213
Youth Music Reminders
The Wesley Children’s Choir
will rehearse in the sanctuary on
Monday, Dec. 22, 10 a.m. to noon.
The College Handbell Choir will
rehearse in the sanctuary on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
Also if you missed the United
Methodist Women Christmas Celebra*on, you may see the Rubicon
Merry Elves on Saturday, Dec. 20,
at 11 a.m. at the Rubicon Theatre.
Tickets are available by calling
805-667-2900 or going online at
rubicontheatre.org org. Frosty,
Rudolph, and Santa will also appear
at this show!
Miriam Arichea