News

Sierra Choral Festival in March Invites Participants

The annual Sierra Choral Festival (SCF), taking place in the Yosemite foothills in Oakhurst, California, is open to lovers of church choral music from all denominations, including United Methodist Church choristers in the California-Nevada Annual Conference. Whether United Methodist or not, lovers of choral music are urged to sign up now to participate in the festival – under the direction of widely praised conductor, composer, and arranger Allan Robert Petker.   The SCF...

Epiphany 'Chalking the Door' Blessing Launches Committee's Work in 2012

In certain parts of the world, it is customary to ask God's blessing on homes and workplaces – not only on the buildings themselves, but also upon all who live, work, and visit there. Last week, on Epiphany (Friday, Jan. 6) the Leadership Development Mission Focus team met and before getting down to "brass tacks," utilized a short liturgy, a Chalking the Door Service, to ask God's blessing upon its work in 2012. The night before Epiphany is known as Twelfth-Night. It is then...

Service of Christian Unity Is at Twin Towers UMC on Jan. 22

Each year the World Council of Churches (WCC) designates a week when Christians world-wide engage in prayer and shared worship, and realize that in spite of the great diversity in our denominations, we adore one God. Traditionally we celebrate the Week of Christian Unity from January 18 to January 25. At this time, all Christian churches pray for Christian unity and many hold special services. Each year the WCC chooses a theme for the Week of Christian Unity. This year's theme is, "We...

Rethink Church Lenten Series to Have Online Component

How will you reach people for Christ this Lent? United Methodist Communications is ready to help you with a free Lenten sermon series, online advertising, and a multimedia bundle to help you include the broader community.   The Journey to Hope series begins with Christ's journey to the cross, and connects with matters such as relationships, money, work, and suffering to share the hope that exists beyond life's most difficult issues. The sermon series was developed in 2010, and has...

Bishop Brown Posts Advent Message

Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr. has posted an Advent message to the Conference website. In it, the bishop says that in the Christian tradition, Advent is a time of beginning – and says, "It begins with hope as we anticipate the coming of the Savior."   Read the bishop's message in its entirety. It appears on the Home Page at www.cnumc.org (scroll down to the Bishop's Greetings section), and in the Bishop's Articles section, located under the...

Give Gifts of Hope This Christmas

As you are looking for the perfect Christmas presents this year, think about giving gifts that will make a difference and be treasured long after the holiday passes. Choose a project from the Global Ministries gift catalog as an alternative to a traditional gift. Help vulnerable populations and support vital United Methodist mission projects all around the world, while honoring someone special in your life. And remember, with a gift through The Advance, 100% of your donation reaches its...

Order 'Bread for the World' Christmas Cards Today

Don't miss your chance to order Bread for the World Christmas cards! Order today to make sure you receive your cards in time to send them out before the holidays. Packs of 10 cards and envelopes are just $15, which includes shipping.   Sending Bread for the World cards to your friends and family is a great way to show you care for them and for hungry people. Proceeds from the cards support the Bread for the World Institute's work to end hunger.   This year, a special card without...

SOSA Offers Advent Study, Alternative Gift Card Program

Society of St. Andrew (SoSA), the national gleaning ministry, has two Advent programs for you and your church. Passing the Peace   This booklet is an Advent devotions and giving program to help keep us focused on Jesus' coming while we provide a meaningful gift to feed hungry children and adults here in the United States.      During the season of Advent, the Society of St. Andrew devotional booklet asks participants to reflect prayerfully on the Scriptures and...

Lake Merritt UMC Continues Quarter-Century Thanksgiving Tradition

For more than 25 years, the congregation of Lake Merritt United Methodist Church in Oakland has provided a complete, sit-down, free Thanksgiving dinner to anyone who shows up. What began as a community service project for the people of the church has become an opportunity to partner with community groups – including local high school students – who want to do community service work.  "Because the outreach to community groups has grown – and because LMUMC is one...

America's Sunday Supper Promotes Service

United Methodist Communications and the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society are urging communities to Rethink Church with America's Sunday Supper on January 15, 2012, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. America's Sunday Supper will be a nationwide night of simultaneous dinners and discussions shared in churches, homes, community centers, and kitchens to promote positive change in the world. As an activation partner with Points of Light, United Methodist Communications has...

Instant Connection 2011 Holiday Schedule

There will be no Instant Connection email next week, Nov. 24, in observance of Thanksgiving. In December, Instant Connection will be emailed on Dec. 1 and Dec. 8 only, due to the Christmas and New Year's holidays.   We will continue to add stories to the News section on the website during the holiday break, however. Check recent additions to News, Events, and Classifieds, along with new obituaries and appointment posts, at http://cnumc.org/skimmer.     Please remember...

Third Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner Planned at Valley Faith UMC, Sunnyvale

For the third straight year, Valley Faith United Methodist Church and San Jose Tongan Fellowship, both in Sunnyvale, have teamed up to provide a free Thanksgiving dinner for the community – complete with music, food, and fellowship. This year's dinner will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 23 from 3 to 9 p.m. The churches make a practice of reaching out to groups in the community – the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) of Northern California, the Filipino Workers...

It's Time to 'Fall Back'!

Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend – officially, at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6 – so don't forget to set clocks back one hour when you retire, Saturday night. Dean McIntyre, Director of Music Resources, Leadership Ministries, for the General Board of Discipleship, has co-written a Time Change Song for fall, to remind choir members and others to set their clocks back that critical hour. Download the song (in PDF format) from the GBOD'S Worship Website at www.gbod.org....

Pasasalamat 2011 Has Youthful Focus

Each year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, the Filipino American Ministries (FAM) of the California-Nevada Annual Conference hosts a Conference-wide gathering called Pasasalamat – a Filipino word which means "thanksgiving." This year's Pasasalamat is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Los Gatos United Methodist Church. The focus will be on young people, with a celebration of the 25-Year Anniversary of Christmas Institute (CI).   Christmas...

Advent Sermon Series Now Available

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Rethink Church has released an Advent sermon series titled "Outside the Box." The series invites Christians to unwrap anew the story of Jesus' birth, and experience anew Love personified. This four-week, lectionary-based series will guide you through contemplating ancient Scriptures, delving into Christmas traditions, and relating to transformative experiences of Christ's birth throughout humanity. The series challenges us to go outside the box to...

Society of St. Andrew Advent Programs

The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA), the national gleaning ministry, has two Advent programs for you and your church. First, the free Advent devotional booklet, "Passing the Peace," will guide you toward Christmas with daily readings to aid in preparation for Christmas Eve.   During the season of Advent, the Society of St. Andrew devotional booklet asks participants to prayerfully reflect on the Scriptures and devotions, and also to join in the ministry of feeding America's...

Places of Worship Honor Workers on Labor Day

By Kathy L. Gilbert NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)—Anne Alukonis has a degree in sociology and has worked with youth and refugees, owned her own business, cleaned homes, and is now in food service. She knows what she is talking about when she says, "People judge you on what you do rather than who you are."   Alukonis will be sharing her story with United Methodists on Sept. 4 as part of Labor in the Pulpits, a nationwide effort to recognize the more than 2 million full-time...

Catch Fire: A Song for Pentecost

The Rev. Alexis Easton, pastor of Brentwood United Methodist Church – inspired by the "Catch Fire" movement – has written a song for Pentecost which she wishes to share with other churches in the California-Nevada Annual Conference. It is suitable for a children's choir as well as performance by an adult choir and for congregational singing.   The lyrics are copied below. Download sheet music here.   For more information contact Rev. Easton at...

Easter Vigil Is Both Ancient and New Observance for Campbell UMCs

By Dave Foyle Campbell UMC Campbell United Methodist Church, jointly with New Creation UMC, held its second Easter Vigil service this year. The Easter Vigil service, held the Saturday evening before Easter, is becoming increasingly popular among United Methodist churches, likely because an evening service "fits" into the modern lifestyle, and is much more "sleep friendly" than sunrise services for both adults and kids.   The Easter Vigil service is considered to...

26th Annual Coast Tour Rides Again, July 24-30

United Methodists will cycle the Pacific coastline again this summer, July 24-30. Sponsored in the Western Jurisdiction by the California-Pacific Annual Conference, the annual bike adventure known as the Coast Tour will travel the Oregon State-designated bike route along the ocean for nearly 400 miles. The tour, now in its 26th year, has become a full spectrum event for ages 15 to 70+, with friends, couples, parent-teen combos, and other mixes taking part (marriages have been proposed!)....