First UMC Pasadena March 2018

How will we do this? Recently our Governing Board reviewed and blessed some edits to our church mission and vision statements to make them easier to remember and understand. The new statements are shown below.

MISSION To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world

VISION To transform our community into God’s kingdom

We want to be a catalyst to help transform our community into a place of Shalom/peace where all (children, youth, adults, and persons of all varieties) feel safe and have what they need (food, clothing, shelter, health, education, and meaningful employment) to fully be the people God has called them to be.

But, the question for each of us is this: How will we accomplish these as individuals and as a church? How will we do this? GROW, PRAY, and SERVE – that is how. These are the principles that will guide our ministry together.

GROW: Every member in a Life Group/Grupo de Vida – Our vision is that every church member will be involved in a Life Group/Grupo de Vida. Life Groups meet regularly for an educational/disciple making activity, pray together, hold one another accountable, and engage in fellowship and support.

PRAY: Prayer/Worship – Our vision is that every church member will pray daily and participate weekly in a worship experience.

SERVE: Every member in ministry - Our vision is that every church member will find a personal place of ministry and service as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

So, I invite each of you to take some time to do a personal inventory. How are you growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ? How are you praying and connecting in worship with God? How are you using your God given gifts to serve as a disciple of Jesus Christ? Are you loving God and others in service and ministry?

My prayer is that each of you will go deeper as a follower of Jesus Christ as you grow, pray and serve to transform our community into God’s Kingdom as the people of faith called First United Methodist Church, Pasadena.

Faithfully,

Will Reed, Pastor.

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Create In Me is a six-week lectionary-based (Year B) Lenten series. For God to create in us, we must first empty ourselves of unrighteousness, leaving the void for God to fill. Resolve to be emptied out, making room in your heart for God to create a great work; He is not finished with you yet.  

Lent 3—Sunday, March 4 - Create in Me….. God’s Power to Do Right Lent 4—Sunday, March 11 - Create in Me….. Life Out of My Darkness Lent 5—Sunday, March 18 - Create in Me….. God’s Words Engraved on My Heart Palm Passion Sunday, March 25 - Create in Me….. A Life Emptied for You (9:00 am Contemporary) Cantata: How Great Thou Art (11:00 am) By: David Clydesdale Special Palm Passion Service (12:30 pm Spanish) Maundy Thursday, March 29 at 7:00 pm (bilingual service) Good Friday, March 30 at 7:00 pm (bilingual service) Easter Sunday, April 1 - Created by the Grace of God, I Am What I Am

Lenten Sermon Series

Create in Me: Lenten Devotional

Are you looking for a way to connect with people on a spiritual level, but don’t have the time or means to get to a small group? Perhaps you are looking for connection at your fingertips. First UMC Pasadena is looking for ways to build community within our social media outreach. We are offering a 7-week daily devotional that coincides with the Create in Me sermon series. There will be two closed discussion groups on Facebook titled Create in Me, one for males and one for females. For God to create in us, we must first empty ourselves of things that prevent Him from doing so. Resolve to be emptied out, making room in your heart for God to create great works; He is not finished with us! Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/firstpasadena/groups/.

Disclaimer: People are looking for a positive and safe environment to grow in their relationship with Christ and others. Comments are subject to deletion if the editor feels they are not in line with this.

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5th Annual Lenten Art Gallery Call For Entries! Create in Me: A Lenten Art Gallery

Create in Me features works that artistically display the beautiful creations God designs within us when we allow ourselves to be emptied of unrighteousness and opened to His loving plan. The exhibit will run Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30 from 2:00 pm-7:00 pm (an hour break for Holy Week services) and 8:00 pm-8:45 pm in the Log Cabin, with an artist’s reception March 28 at 6:00 pm. If you are interested in contributing your art, we are collecting pieces now thru March 21 by 5:00 pm. Contact Nicole Gray for a drop-off time at NicoleGray@FirstPasadena.org, or pieces may be dropped off during normal church business hours.

Palm Passion Sunday, March 25

9:00 am Contemporary Service commemorating the triumphant entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem. Having anticipated His arrival and having heard of the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, the people went out to meet the Lord and welcomed Him with displays of honor and shouts of praise, waving palms.

11:00 am Lenten Cantata, How Great Thou Art, by: David Clydesdale How Great Thou Art dramatically presents the story of the Passion through song and narration in a remarkably stirring way. It combines original material with familiar favorites such as The Holy City, God So Loved The World, How Great Thou Art, and more. The piece utilizes five soloists, choir and small orchestra. How Great Thou Art is something that you must experience!

Easter Egg Hunt - Save the Date

Join us on Sunday, March 25, from 4:00 pm-5:30 pm for our annual Easter Egg Hunt. The festivities will be on the front lawn of the church and pictures with the Easter Bunny, popcorn and sno-cones will be offered. If you are interested in helping with the Easter Egg Hunt, please sign up at the Ministry Center or contact Penny at PennyBuckert@FirstPasadena.org.

Holy Thursday Service, March 29 at 7:00 pm

On Holy Thursday, the church remembers the last evening Jesus shared with his disciples in the upper room before his arrest and crucifixion. Holy Thursday marks three key events in Jesus' last week: his washing of the disciple's feet, his institution of the Lord's Supper, and his new commandment to love one another. This service begins the Triduum, (“triduum” is Latin for a “three-day period of prayer”) which is from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Easter day. The celebration of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday focuses our attention on the many theologically rich aspects of the Last Supper itself, including his attention to communal love and the hopeful anticipation of God's coming Kingdom.

Good Friday Service, March 30 at 7:00 pm

Please join us for the Good Friday Tenebrae service (the word "tenebrae" is the Latin word for "darkness.") The Tenebrae is an ancient Good Friday Service that uses gradually diminishing light to symbolize the events of Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with Jesus’ burial. It is a meaningful service during which one can ponder the impact of Christ's death and await the coming Resurrection. This service will be bilingual.

Easter Sunday, April 1

8:30 am and 11:00 am - Traditional Worship Services in the Sanctuary 9:45 am - Contemporary Worship Service in the Sanctuary 12:30 pm - Spanish Worship Service in the Sanctuary

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Galería de arte de Cueresma

Crea en Mí se enfoca en obras que demuestran las creaciones bellas que Dios hace dentro de nuestoros cuando nos dejamos ser vaciados de nuestras injusticias y ser abiertos al plan amante de Dios. La exhibición estará disponible el jueves, 29 marzo y el viernes, 30 de marzo desde las 2:00 pm-7:00 pm. (cerrado para los servicios de Semana Santa) y desde las 8:00 pm-8:45 pm en la Cabaña. Tendremos recepción para los artistas (que han contribuido a la exhibición) el 28 de marzo a las 6:00 pm. Si gustaría contribuir su arte a este evento, estaremos colectando obras desde hoy hasta el 21 de marzo a las 5:00 pm. Favor de contactar a Nicole Gray para coordinar un tiempo para dejar su arte con ella (NicoleGray@FirstPasadena.org), o traiga sus obras a la iglesia durante las horas de trabajo de la oficina.

Domingo de Ramos, 25 de marzo

9:00 am Servicio Contemporáneo, conmemorativo de la entrada triunfal de nuestro Señor en Jerusalén, en el Santuario. Habiendo anticipado su llegada y habiendo oído hablar del milagro de levantar a Lázaro de entre los muertos, el pueblo salió al encuentro del Señor y le dio la bienvenida con muestras de honor y gritos de alabanza, agitando las palmas.

11:00 am Cantata Cuaresmal, Cuán Grande es Él, por: David Clydesdale, en el Santuario Cuán Grande es Él presenta dramáticamente la historia de la Pasión a través de canción y narración, de una manera notablemente conmovedora. Combina material original con cantos favoritos, como La Ciudad Santa, Porque tanto amo Dios al mundo, Cuán Grande es Él, y muchos más. La pieza usa cinco solistas, coro y una orquesta pequeña. ¡Cuán Grande es Él es una experiencia que no te debes fallar!

Búsqueda de Huevos de Pascua - Guarde la fecha

Únase a nosotros el domingo 25 de marzo desde las 4:00 pm a 5:30 pm para nuestra búsqueda de huevos de Pascua. Las festividades tomarán lugar en la yarda delantero de la iglesia y se ofrecerán fotografías con el conejito de Pascua, palomitas de maíz y helados. Si está interesado en ayudar con la búsqueda del los huevos de Pascua, inscríbase en el Centro de Ministerios o comuníquese con Penny atraves de correo electrónico, PennyBuckert@FirstPasadena.org.

Culto de Jueves Santo, 29 de marzo a las 7:00 pm

El Jueves Santo, la iglesia recuerda la última noche que Jesús compartió con sus discípulos en el aposento alto antes de su arresto y crucifixión. El Jueves Santo marca tres eventos claves en la última semana de Jesús: el lavado de los pies de los discípulos, la institución de la Cena del Señor y el nuevo mandamiento de amarse unos a otros. Este servicio comienza el Triduo, (el triduo en latín denota un período de tres días de oración) que es desde el atardecer del jueves hasta el atardecer del día de Pascua. La celebración de la Cena del Señor en el Jueves Santo centra nuestra atención en los muchos aspectos teológicamente ricos de la Última Cena, incluyendo su atención al amor comunal y la esperanzadora anticipación del Reino venidero de Dios.

Culto de Viernes Santo, 30 de marzo a las 7:00 pm

Por favor, únase a nosotros para un Culto Tenebrae para celebrar el Viernes Santo. La palabra "tenebrae" es la palabra latina para "oscuridad". El Tenebrae es un culto antiguo del Viernes Santo que utiliza la luz gradualmente decreciente para simbolizar los acontecimientos de la Semana Santa, comenzando con el Domingo de Ramos y terminando con el entierro de Jesús. Es un servicio significativo durante el cual se puede reflexionar sobre el impacto de la muerte de Cristo y esperar la venida de la Resurrección.

Cultos de Domingo de Pascua, 1 de abril

8:30 am y 11:00 am - Culto de Adoración Tradicional en el Santuario (en inglés) 9:45 am - Culto de Adoración Contemporáneo en el Santuario (en inglés) 12:30 pm - Culto de Adoración en Español en el Santuario

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At First UMC Pasadena, our mission is to be and make disciples who love Jesus, our community, and the world. To make this a reality, many hands are needed to help carry out this mission on Sundays and throughout the week. Whether it is greeting people at the door, connecting and building relationships with guests, serving as an usher, helping people find a seat, preparing and serving coffee in the Café, or other important functions, each role is important to the life of the church. These roles are performed by people who have the heart and desire to grow our church and welcome our community. We see these groups of people as cohesive teams, and purpose to develop each group into an organized and vibrant team. Collectively, we call them Serve Teams. Each person at First UMC possesses unique gifts and talents, and we would love to help you find your fit on one of our teams. In the next weeks and months, we will develop and implement a Guest Connection program by designing, staffing, training, and implementing new serve teams, and bolstering and growing existing ones. Committing to a Serve Team at First UMC is a great way to meet others and get connected. Stay tuned for more information!

Please welcome Linda Ontiveros to our church family!

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Members of our Spanish worship community just celebrated their one year anniversary! Join us for worship on Sundays at 12:30 pm. More than a simple community, we are a growing family. Everyone is welcome! La Comunidad Hispana de la Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de Pasadena a un año de su nacimiento. Queremos invitarte a unirte a nosotros. Más que una simple comunidad, somos una Familia en crecimiento. ¡Todos son Bienvenidos!

Outreach Corner

Pastor Mireya would like to hear from YOU!

Do you love children? Mentoring youth? Helping those in need?

Contact Pastor Mireya Martínez at MireyaMartinez@FirstPasadena.org to get connected with outreach opportunities in our church and community!

Men’s Prayer and Study Breakfast

Thursdays, 7:00 am-8:00 am | Kitchen & Fellowship Hall 4 Men of all ages can enjoy a hearty breakfast with Dr. Will Reed and Casey Gray, followed by a devotional study using Dr. Reed’s GPS sermon guide.

Diving into the Gospel of John

Join Rev. Mireya Martínez on Thursday evenings and dive into the Gospel of John. It has been noted by many that the Gospel of John is shallow enough for a child to wade in, and deep enough for an elephant to swim in. So come! Wade, swim, and explore with Pastor Mireya the "I AM" sayings of Jesus that are found in this particular gospel. Together, you'll make connections to stories in the gospel that are directly linked to those "I AM" sayings. The class is meeting on Thursdays thru March 22 at 6:30 pm in Room 221. Bring your bibles and a notepad if you wish to take notes! Each week is independent of the others so you can join at any time.

Prayer Room

Do you find yourself needing a little extra quiet time? Feel free to stop by our prayer room on Sunday and throughout the week to take a holy pause and see the changes that have been made to the room. Resources are available to help guide your quiet time. The Prayer Room will be open on Sunday mornings. To access it throughout the week, come to the church office to be given the door code.

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Parking Lot Striping and Painting Thanks to Rev. Ruben Olivares and members of the Spanish-speaking community, our front parking lot has been given a face lift and some bright, new stripes. In order to complete this project by Easter, we need all hands (and paint brushes) on deck! On Saturday, March 10 starting at 9:00 am, all available workers are needed to help in making our parking lot as welcoming and inviting as possible by painting stripes, curbs, handicap markers, and other areas. Come dressed in your painting clothes and help make a big difference in how we look to everyone who comes to our doors. This is a real opportunity to build relationships with each other and make our campus a better place. Lunch will be provided.

Society of St. Stephen Assistance Ministry 281.487.1774 Monday - Thursday 10:00 am - 1:00 pm First Friends Day School 281.487.8170 Monday - Friday 7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Christian Life Center 281.487.2843

CHURCH CONTACT INFORMATION

w w w . F i r s t P a s a d e n a . o r g PHONE: 281.487.8787 FAX: 281.998.1355

Office Hours: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Thursday

Calendar of Events

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Thursday, March 1 Miller Intermediate Choir Concert at 5:00 pm in the Sanctuary

Tuesday, March 20 Governing Board Meeting at 6:15 pm in the Cornell Conference Room

Sunday, March 25 9:00 am - Contemporary Worship Service 11:00 am - Palm Passion Sunday Cantata 4:00 pm - Easter Egg Hunt

Thursday, March 29 Art Gallery from 2:00 pm-7:00 pm and 8:00 pm-8:45 pm in the Log Cabin Maundy Thursday Service at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary

Friday, March 30 Art Gallery from 2:00 pm-7:00 pm and 8:00 pm-8:45 pm in the Log Cabin Good Friday Service at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary

Easter Sunday, April 1 8:30 am and 11:00 am - Traditional Worship Services 9:45 am - Contemporary Worship Service 12:30 pm - Spanish Worship Service

DIRECTOR, FIRST FRIENDS DAY SCHOOL AND NURSERY Penny Buckert ext. 3019 PennyBuckert@FirstPasadena.org

BUILDING MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR Bryan Dudley ext. 3020

BryanDudley@FirstPasadena.org

BUSINESS MANAGER Amanda Horton ext. 3005 AmandaHorton@FirstPasadena.org

COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR Colly Enochs ext. 3001

CollyEnochs@FirstPasadena.org

DIRECTOR OF SOUND Matt Pettit

MattPettit@FirstPasadena.org

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Margie Kearns ext. 3046

MargieKearns@FirstPasadena.org

WEDDING COORDINATOR Carol Wilson

CarolWilson@FirstPasadena.org

PASTORAL STAFF Dr. Will Reed, Pastor, ext. 3006 WillReed@FirstPasadena.org

Rev. Mireya Martínez, Pastor, Outreach and Discipleship , ext. 3004 MireyaMartinez@FirstPasadena.org

Rev. Ruben Olivares, Pastor, Hispanic Ministries , ext. 3002 RubenOlivares@FirstPasadena.org

DIRECTOR OF WORSHIP ARTS Nicole Gray ext. 3011 NicoleGray@FirstPasadena.org

ORGANIST Daniel Miner DanielMiner@FirstPasadena.org

ASSISTANT WORSHIP LEADER Kenny Boggs

WORSHIP LEADER, EMANUEL Rodney Rodriguez

DIRECTOR, DISCIPLESHIP AND MANAGER, BUILDING AND GROUNDS

Casey Gray ext. 3030 CaseyGray@FirstPasadena.org

Ongoing Ministries & Church Events Bus Ministry Sundays, 8:00 am Church Parking Lot

Traditional Worship Sundays, 8:30 am & 11:00 am Sanctuary

Contemporary Worship Sundays, 9:45 am Sanctuary Contemplative Worship Sunday, March 18, 9:45 am Log Cabin Sunday School for All Ages Sundays, 9:45 am (English) and 11:00 am (Spanish) Spanish Worship Service Sundays, 12:30 pm Sanctuary Confirmation Classes Sundays, 2:00 pm Rooms 212 & 213 Grief Support Group Sundays, 2:00 pm Parlor Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Sundays, 6:30 pm Fellowship Hall First Fitness Exercise Class Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 am Gym Disciple Fast Track Mondays, 7:00 pm Room 208/210 Breakfast With Bill (Alcoholics Anonymous) Tuesday-Friday 7:00 am, Saturday 7:30 am Log Cabin Un dia a la vez Al-Anon (Hispanic Al-Anon) Tuesday 6:00 pm Room 226 and Saturday 10:00 am Room 226 Ladies Night Out Bible Study Tuesdays, 7:00 pm Room 208/210 Contemporary Praise Band Rehearsal Tuesdays, 7:00 pm Sanctuary Levites Maintenance Ministry Wednesdays, 8:00 am Log Cabin Handbell Rehearsal Wednesdays, 5:30 pm Adult Wing Youth Dinner and Discussion Group Wednesdays, 6:00 pm Café and Room 215/217 Choir Rehearsal Wednesdays, 7:00 pm Choir Room and Sanctuary Spanish Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays, 7:00 pm Parlor and Fellowship Hall Spanish Service Rehearsal Wednesdays, 8:30 pm Sanctuary Diving Into the Gospel of John Thursdays, 6:30 pm Historical Room (upstairs by the elevator) Men’s Prayer and Study Breakfast Thursdays, 7:00 am Fellowship Hall 4 The Soul Circle First Thursday of the month, 7:00 pm Parlor Women’s Al-Anon Meeting Saturdays, 11:00 am Cornell Conference Room

Ongoing Activities Strawberry Squares Square Dancing Mondays, 7:00 pm Log Cabin Junior High Open Gym Tuesdays, 4:00 pm Gym Boy Scout Troop #199 Tuesdays, 7:00 pm Log Cabin Prime Timers Luncheon Wednesday, March 7, 10:30 am Fellowship Hall Senior High Open Gym Wednesdays, 4:00 pm Gym Rotary Luncheon Thursdays, 11:00 am Fellowship Hall Open Gym for all ages Thursdays, 4:00 pm Gym Cub Scout Troop #199 Wednesdays, 7:00 pm Log Cabin

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