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Volume 82 issue #14 August 2013

First United Methodist Church of Orange

The Forum

Volume 83 issue #13 October 7 2014

Prayer The most essential tool that we have in the Body of Christ is Prayer. The word prayer is

tossed around lightly in our culture, but most of us struggle to understand both the practice

and purpose of it. We long to know how to pray, but we question its relevance to daily living.

We know it is supposed to be an intricate part of our spiritual growth, but what does that

mean? For us, the “why” of prayer points to the highly relational nature of our faith. The God

in whom we believe is neither distant nor disinterested but is personally involved in the

details of our lives. God created us and loves us and desires to commune and to

communicate with us. If we are to grow as a church, we need to know and desire to pray

individually as well as corporately.

Join Pastor Bill and Peter Joseph as we explore together what it means to pray together. You

are encouraged to participate in a 5-week class on prayer based on the book In Spirit and In

Truth: A Guide to Praying by Martha Graybeal Rowlett. The class will take place on

Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:00 in the Fireside Room October 15th through

November 12th.

Confirmation It’s not too late to sign up! For those interested in Confirmation, that will be starting up

Sunday, October 26th from 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the Youth Cellar

Confirmation in the United Methodist Church is a time of intentional preparation, it gives teens

and tweens the opportunity to reflect on the most basic tenants of our faith and gives them a

safe environment to ask questions and grapple with the divine truths and mysteries

proclaimed by the church of Jesus Christ. Confirmation helps youth to investigate the depths

of the faith and helps them begin to understand what it means to become a fully devoted

follower of Jesus Christ, and to make their first public profession of faith. During this time

young person “make firm” what has gone before: God’s prevenient grace, baptism, the teach-

ing and witness of parents and other persons of faith, the teachings and life together in the

church, the student’s own growing faith. We believe that confirmation is a significant step in

the journey of their faith walk. Please see Peter Joseph, Director of Faith Formation, for more

information.

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Spiritual Reflections & Faith Formation

My encouragement to our youth during this season: Our spiritual lives work in a manner where we need to

target our lives on prayer. If we don’t, and we try to do things on our own, it’s hit or miss (usually a miss!).

Why do we stray from prayer when we are told in Scripture that this helps solidify our relationship with

God? Because we are all human, and sometimes we just want to take the easy way out.

This spoke to me in my devotionals just recently:

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

Colossians 4:2

I challenge all of us to reflect on Colossians 4:2. Thankfulness and watchfulness are such profound

concepts that they are worth considering for a whole week - - really for a whole lifetime. “Being watchful”

means being attentive, even perceptive - it doesn’t mean worrying. Will you try something? Join me in this

challenge to do this task this month: Name 4 things for which you need to be thankful. Name 3 things you

should watch for diligently. If you did these 7 things, how would your life be different?

The mystery of Christ is meant to transform our reality. Some people don’t want that, and thus chaos in

our lives will ensue. Our arsenal against this is thankfulness, watchfulness, prayer, and grace. We’re not

meant to accept Jesus, and then live like everyone else; we’re to live differently. We’re to remember those

who suffer. We’re meant to be the godly seasoning in the lives of everyone around us.

God wants us all to be a new creation, and He wants to create good things for us. May you be like

Jesus. Make him central in your life, and watch everything around you transform as we approach the

seasons of Thanksgiving and then Advent.

Grace and Peace,

Peter R. Joseph Director of Faith Formation

Children, Youth and Young Adults

“The God Squad” Youth 6th – 12th grades

October 12th

5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

in the Youth Cellar

Come for a

Great Study, Great Fellowship

and a Pizza Feast!

Peter Joseph Director of Faith Formation

Email: peter@fumco.org

Cell: 714-473-8086

Office: 714-532-6363 x203

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Lady Twigbenders Thursday, October 16

th at 1:00 pm in the Fireside Room

Our hostesses will be Betsy Ross Miale & Maxine Nelson and our program will be presented by Mary Clark. Come, bring a friend ~ guests are always welcome!

United Methodist Women

The UMW Annual Cranberry Tea November 1, 11:30 am

Our annual Cranberry Tea is just around the corner. If you have attended before, you know this is a lovely day of delightfully decorated tables, scrumptious food, and wonderful fellowship. This year our program is “Shirley, Take A Bow”, which will be a history of Shirley Temple presented by Sheryl Shirran, who will also share her dolls and Shirley Temple collection. Sounds like a wonderful trip down memory lane. If you have any Shirley Temple memorabilia, please bring it to share. Please call chairperson Florence Towers (714/516-1945) to volunteer to host a table and/or donate food for this lovely event.

The tea is a fundraising event for mission and open to all women. Tickets will be available from table hostesses, the UMW and in the courtyard by mid-October. $15 for adults and $6 for children. Childcare will be available. Plan now to join us and be sure to get your tickets early as this is always a popular day.

Ruth Circle October 28, 7:30 pm

Mission Study at the home of Florence Towers

October Luncheon Meeting October 9, 11:30 am

Our October luncheon program will be presented by Jennifer Friend from Project Hope Alliance. Prior to becoming the CEO of Project Hope Alliance, Jennifer enjoyed a successful career as a partner at a large law firm managing. While practicing law, she served as the President and Secretary of the Project Hope Alliance Board of Directors and was actively engaged in the organization’s expansion and strategic growth. She also shared with the community her personal story of growing up in Orange County and experiencing significant financial struggles which found her family of six forced from their home at various times during her childhood and living in different motels in Orange County. Ultimately, Jennifer found her calling in advocating for and advancing the needs of homeless children in Orange County and elected to resign from her law partnership and make her vocation working to ensure that every child in Orange County has a fair chance to realize and fulfill their potential.

1 in 6 children in Orange County are living in poverty and more than 30,000 homeless and motel children are enrolled in O.C. schools. Founded in 1989, Project Hope Alliance seeks to end the cycle of homelessness, one child at a time. Project Hope Alliance provides after school care, tutoring, academic and arts enrichment, and daily, round-trip transport to school for children attending 85 schools throughout Orange County. Since 2012, Project Hope Alliance has worked with over 100 families to prevent or end homelessness by moving the families into permanent housing with financial independence. These families, representing over 300 children, have been moved from motels and shelters into homes where the children can study, play and grow in a safe environment. Their goal is to end homelessness for 500 children in 2014. See you in Messenger Hall on Oct. 9th at 11:30am as we learn more about this program and how we might assist in its ministry.

Twigbender Dinner Friday, October 17

th at 6:00 pm in Messenger Hall

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LUNCHBAGS for the HOMELESS Thanks to your generous donations our lunch bag program is doing great! Items needed to fill the

bags include: Vienna sausage, Beanie Weenie, granola bars, juice box drinks, individual applesauce

cups, small boxes of raisins, cheese & crackers, peanut butter & crackers or any other item that

would fit nicely into a sack lunch. All donations, large and small, are greatly appreciated. Please

place your donated items in the specially marked collection bins in the Narthex on Sunday mornings.

We have a need for someone to assist with coffee fellowship one week per month

(either the 1st or 3rd Sunday). This requires you to pick up the donuts, make the coffee

and place all on the courtyard by 10am. If we have someone on every Sunday it

makes the work light for all. If you can help, please call Donna Nash at 714-538-7769.

Outreach . . . Events . . . Opportunities

Calling all Newcomers! Have you begun worshipping at FUMCO in the last 24 months? Would you

like to learn more about FUMCO’s many ministries and meet other parishioners, all while enjoying a

monthly hosted dinner? Well look no further than the Newcomers Fellowship, a new opportunity

that allows newcomers to discover where to invest their time, talents, gifts, and love for Christ. Check

out the brochure in your pews or call the church office for more information.

And …. Calling all FUMCO ministries! Would you like to share more about your

ministry with newcomers? We need 16 groups to host dinners in Fellowship Hall where you'll also

have an opportunity to share more about your ministry and open the doors for newcomers to feel

welcome to our congregation - don’t miss out on this amazing new opportunity to expand your ranks!

Men’s lunch And bible study led by Wayne Nash

at the Tulsa Rib Company (220 E. Katella Ave).

Tuesday, October 14th

at 12:00 noon

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DIAL-A-DEVOTION

714-532-6363 ext. 6

Call today for a devotion recorded for you!

Bits & Pieces

October Birthdays

2 Dororthy Schaper

6 Shannon McFarland

8 Arlene McLaughlin

9 Jackie Hanson

10 Joyce Claussen

16 Jonathan Sanchez

17 Eleanor Dunkle

Bill Landes

18 Beth Meersman

24 Burt Suthers

25 Bonita Chavis

Kami Dickerson

26 Nathan Meersman

Laura Seelig

27 Jay Farrell

30 Peter Joseph

31 Bonnie Goodrich

21 Dave & Janice Bastin

22 Simon & Angelina Gohil

Anniversaries Pray Without Ceasing Marilyn Allen

Jay Farrell

Jackie McCracken

Carol Hilton

Sybil Low

Rob Kaiser

Jim Sal ling

Charles Schroeder

Shirley Somers

Rita Suthers

Dwight Tipping

Nena Williams

Betty Wisely

Joys

Prayer Requests For Shirley Katz as she continues to recover from

surgery.

For Jerry Schaper - is at New Orange Hills, has

started chemo and would like visitors.

For Jane Parra as she continues to work her way

through breast cancer treatment.

For Cathy Laird who is back on the kidney

transplant list.

For Bob Davis for healing and recovery

For Norm Hansen’s granddaughter, Sierra, who was

in CHOC with pneumonia and having problems with

low blood pressure and low protein.

For our shut-ins, the homeless, the hungry, the

sick, the lonely, the unemployed, our military so

far from home and all the others not mentioned, but

known in our hearts.

Cathy Seelig is thankful for all the prayers and con-

cern. She is healing very quickly and feels very

blessed. Thanks be to God!

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Outreach Ministries

of First UMC, Orange

FAMILY PROMISE

Casey Crosbie, Exec. Dir. 714-353-0428

FUNCO

Parent operated child-care Becky Billingsly, Coordinator 714-944-7156

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Orange Co. Central 714-556-4555

Meets Monday and Friday evenings in room 203

NARANON Meets Thursday evenings in room 203

HOMEWORK HOUSE

Marcia Marcinko, Director 714-694-0965

161 South Orange St.

Orange, Ca. 92866

Phone 714-532-6363

Fax 714-532-5496

www.fumco.org

Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday Morning Schedule

8:30 a.m. ......... Choir Rehearsal

9:00 a.m. .. Adult Sunday School

10:00 a.m. ..... Coffee/Fellowship

10:30 a.m. .................... Worship

Sunday School for

ages 4-6th grade following the

Word for Children.

United Methodist Youth

Sunday Fellowship

5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

2nd & 4th Sundays

Office Staff Telephone Extensions: Dial 532-6363 and extension:

Pastor

206 Rev. Bill Johnson

Administration

201 Karen Mendoza, Administrative Secretary 216 Carol Rathbun, Communications Secretary

Programs

203 Peter Joseph, Director of Faith Formation

Mike Short - Director of Music

Sylvia Coussa - Bell Choir Director

Joe Schubert - Organist

The deadline for the next edition of

The Forum

will be Thursday, October 23rd