Happy New Year
Richmond First United Methodist News and Events
Pastor’s Perspective
Dear Friends,
After a wonderful Christmas Pageant and a Christmas Eve Jazz service to remember, I am looking forward to leading you in worship and spiritual growth in the new year. What goals do you have for the new year? How will you use your gifts to share the good news of God’s love? After we rest up from the holidays, there is work to do. Let us fill our days with the love, joy, peace, and hope of the season.
Faithfully,
Pastor Dan Damon
After a wonderful Christmas Pageant and a Christmas Eve Jazz service to remember, I am looking forward to leading you in worship and spiritual growth in the new year. What goals do you have for the new year? How will you use your gifts to share the good news of God’s love? After we rest up from the holidays, there is work to do. Let us fill our days with the love, joy, peace, and hope of the season.
Faithfully,
Pastor Dan Damon
Joys and Concerns
Lauren McLeod welcomes your prayers for healing.
Sandra Kokoruda (Fran Smith’s daughter) up date: Sandra is at home with Visiting Nurse assistance. Please keep her in your prayers for healing.She thanks us all for our prayers.
Molly Smith is requesting prayers for her brother who has been treated for a brain tumor for several years and has recently entered the Hospice program. Prayers for his family and her brother as they go through this very difficult time.
Deby McFadyen is asking for prayers for her father, Jack McFadyen, who has lung cancer. Currently he is doing well.
Pat Dornan and Linda Pereira continue to need your prayers of support and healing. Pat is inviting people to pop in and say “Hello”. Linda is sad and needs some different faces to cheer her up.
Robbie Robinson would appreciate your prayers.
Helen Wysham welcomes your prayers for healing as she undergoes chemotherapy.
Please keep the people of Camp Liberty in your prayers as chaos reigns in Iraq and near the camp.
News
Our annual Bake and Crafts Sale was a huge success! The Bake Sale made over $900 which will go to the church general budget. That is the most we have made! We ran out of food and closed down early. The Crafts sold over $400 and that money goes to our United Methodist Women. We can’t thank all of you who crafted and or baked and helped at the sale enough. Pat Dornan always deserves special kudos for the lovely wrapping of cookie plates for people to buy. She was especially happy because of the large variety of cookies to choose from. As always the homemade pies flew out of here. Diane Frary and Mary Lee Coles’s jewelry items were big sellers. Our thanks to Pastor Dan for schlepping tables, putting up signs and moving the sandwich boards for us. Also thank you to our staff who manned the tables: Mid Dornan, Fran Smith, Doreen Leighton, Barbara Haley and Pat Dornan.
Our Christmas Pageant was grand! Thank you to Tammara Plankers who made it possible. The quality of the singers was superb, the costumes were great and we had 12 angels in the Angel Choir! We enjoyed singing carols and the quality of Pastor Dan’s piano playing. Jennifer Metz Foster played the cello which added to the tonality of the music. We thank Robert Love who narrated the Christmas Story and all the Masquers friends who participated along with members from our Joyful Noise Choir. The star arose over Bethlehem as smooth as silk thanks to Bill Thompson. Barbara Haley wishes to thank all the food contributors for refreshments after the pageant.
Christmas Eve Jazz Service was precious & beautiful as ever – Angel Choir with strong voices & radiant beams glowing from their faces, all soloists with magically beautiful voices & the quartet so jazzy & strong. Pastor Dan read The Christmas Story sharing that our church family lost our Dear Liam this year (with audible gasps by those who didn’t know), loving tears shed by many who heard Liam’s soft clear voice in the reading. We are So Blessed to share this time together. Thank You Pastor Dan. Submitted by Linda Andrew-Marshall.
Generosity
Don’t forget that donations for Imagine No Malaria are always welcome.
We delivered our collection of disposable diapers to the Richmond Childhood Mental Health Program before Christmas. They were pleased to receive them and they have many needy families who will benefit from your generosity. Thank you to all who contributed.
Events
Wednesday, Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve Celebration, 5 pm at Epworth United Methodist Church, 1953 Hopkins St., Berkeley. The Dan Damon Trio leads a worship service for the new year.
Thursday, January 8, 7 pm, Administrative Board Meeting in Friendship Hall. All are welcome.
Friday, January 9, 7:30 pm, Point Richmond Acoustic Presents Noctambule. Marla Fibish and Bruce Victor present a variety of music from original instrumentals to traditional Irish songs played on a variety of musical instruments. Their music is rendered with lush beauty, sensitivity and humor. Special guests Kyle Alden and Susan Spurlock open the show with their original songs. Tickets are $15 on line and $20 at the door. First United Methodist Church, 201 Martina St., Point Richmond. pracoustic.org
Friday, January 9, 6 pm Easter Hill UMC United Methodist Women are presenting missionary Carol Partridge. Carol has been the Director of Christian Education in Macedonia for the past fifteen years. Carol will speak about her experiences and show some videos. Please contact Arinel Greene at 510 223 4226 if you plan to attend. There will be light refreshments so they would like to know how many people are attending. There will be an offering to support Carol’s work if you care to donate. Easter Hill UMC, 3911 Cutting Blvd., Richmond.
Please send submissions for FUMC News and Events to Barbara Haley, editor: bahcats@sbcglobal.net.
