January 2015 Newsletter - La Tijera United Methodist Church

La Tijera United Methodist Church &
Child Development Center Newsletter
V O L U M E
V ,
I S S U E
1
J A N U A R Y
2 0 1 5
Birth of the Child by Frederick Buechner
“Faith is why
I’m here today
and faith is why
I made it
through.”
- Jonathan Anthony
Burkett
Messy Church is
on vacation in
January—we
hope to see you
on February
12th!
In the letters of St. Paul,
which are the earliest New
Testament writings, there is
no suggestion that the birth
of Jesus was accompanied by
any miracle, and in the Gospel of Mark, which is probably the earliest of the four,
the birth plays no part. So a
great many biblical scholars
would agree with the skeptics that the great nativity
stories of Luke and Matthew
are simply the legendary
accretions, the poetry, of a
later generation, and that
were we to have been present, we would have seen a
birth no more or less marvelous than any other birth.
But if that is the case, what
do we do with the legends of
the wise men and the star,
the shepherds and the angels
and the great hymn of joy
the angels sang? Do we dismiss them as fairy tales, the
subject for pageants to sentimentalize over once a year
come Christmas, the lovely
dream that never came
true? Only if we are fools do
we do that, although there
are many in our age who
have done it and there are
moments of darkness when
each one of us is tempted to
do it. A lovely dream. That
is all.
of Jesus’ birth actually were?
As for myself, the longer I
live, the more inclined I am
to believe in miracle, the
more I suspect that if we had
been there at the birth, we
might well have seen and
heard things that would be
hard to reconcile with modern science. But of course
that is not the point, because the Gospel writers are
not really interested primarily in the facts of the birth
but in the significance, the
meaning for them of that
birth just as the people who
love us are not really interested primarily in the facts
of our births but in what it
meant to them when we
were born and how for them
the world was never the
same again, how their whole
lives were charged with new
significance.
Who knows what the facts
Dates to Remember . . .
01/01—Happy New Year!
Center & Church Office are
closed
01/04—Epiphany Sunday,
worship at 9:30 a.m. Communion will be served-all are
invited.
01/04—The Gathering at 6:30
p.m., an hour of meditation,
prayer, silence, scripture, and
music in the style of Taize
01/05—All Center classes
resume
01/05—Westchester
Neighborhood Assoc. meets
at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary
01/19—Center closed in honor
of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s
birthday
01/22—PFLAG meets in
Chapel Lounge
01/11—Worship at 9:30 a.m.
01/25—Worship at 9:30 a.m.
01/12—LAUSD classes are
back in session
01/31—”A Bead and a Prayer”
Prayer Bead Workshop; time
TBA
01/15—Ad Council meets in
Chapel Lounge at 6:30 p.m.
01/18—Worship at 9:30 a.m.
PAGE
2
Birth of the Child (cont. from page 1)
Whether there were ten
million angels there or
just the woman herself
and her husband, when
that child was born the
whole course of history
was changed. That is a
fact as hard and blunt as
any fact. Art, music, literature, our culture itself, our political institutions, our whole under-
standing of ourselves and our
world—it is impossible to
conceive of how differently
world history would have developed if that child had not
been born. And in terms of
faith, much more must be
said because for faith, the
birth of the child into the
darkness of the world made
possible not just a new way of
understanding life but a new
way of living life.
- Originally published
in “The Hungering
Dark,” Harper San
Francisco, 1985
Renegade Gospel—Coming Soon!
“For a new year
to bring you
something new,
make a move,
like a butterfly
tearing its
cocoon! Make
a move!” Mehmet Murat Ildan
DON’T FORGET TO
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
AND CHECK OUT OUR
“NEWS & EVENTS”
PAGE !
LA
TIJERA
Central to the Christian faith is
a man who denies all our preconceived notions about what
God should look like. Joining
his movement will mean coming to terms with the real Jesus, the rebel Jesus.
On Monday, February 23rd
through Monday, March 30th,
we will gather at 7 p.m. to
explore Mike Slaughter’s DVD
and book study. The session
topics are:
Jesus didn’t come to start a
religion. The rebel Jesus came
with a renegade gospel to start
a revolution. In Renegade
Gospel, pastor and author
Mike Slaughter presents Jesus
and his challenging message to
inspire us and discover Jesus all
over again.
Revolutionary Lifestyle
Let Pastor Lyda know if you
are interested in attending in
February!
Discovering the Rebel Jesus
The Most Important Question
You Will Ever Have to Answer
Seeing Jesus Today
The Way of the Cross
Resurrection
Messy Church . . .is on vacation in January!
Messy Church is on vacation
this month . . . But we hope to
see you all on February 12th!
a story from the Bible. We
will end our time together by
sharing a meal.
Here’s what happens at Messy
Church: At 5:00 p.m. we
gather together for snacks and
games. We will explore craft
activities that support our
theme for February. After our
craft time, we will have a time
of celebration with singing and
At Messy Church, you don’t sit
quietly while you hear about
stories from long ago—you get
to create, dance, pretend,
make noise, and laugh!
UNITED
Tell a friend—bring a friend!
ALL are welcome here!
You can register for Messy
METHODIST
Church now—go to our
website, click on the Messy
Church page, and fill out
the registration form on
line!
VOLUME
V,
ISSUE
1
PAGE
3
A Bead and a Prayer!
Prayer beads are a tool for prayer. Just
as a hammer and nails help us construct
a house, so prayer beads help us construct a life of connection with God.
The beads are not the end; they are the
means to an end, which is communion
with God.
Prayer beads of many types exist
throughout the world. Protestant
prayer beads are made up of a cross or
other pendant and thirty-three or more
beads. One large bead, called the
“invitatory bead,” reminds us that God
invites us to a time of prayer.
Prayer beads can help us encounter
God in all of God’s glory. When we
do, we surrender to God’s power and
call to communion. Our response to
the surrendering encourages us to offer
ourselves to God, including the concerns that are on our heart. At that
point, we stop to listen for God’s re-
sponse. In that moment, we hear God’s word
to us.
In our busy, noisy lives we can easily miss one
or more of these elements. When we do, we
begin to feel lost and hopeless. We wonder
where God is and whether God hears our
prayers. Prayer beads can help us enter into
and maintain lives of prayer that are whole
and complete.
On Saturday, January 31st, we will hold a
prayer bead workshop in Chapel Lounge. We
will learn about prayer beads in other faith
traditions and watch a DVD about prayer
beads and faith journeys. Then, each person
will make their own set of prayer beads to
help explore this ancient tool of prayer. We
will be using Kristen E. Vincent’s “A Bead and
a Prayer” book in our workshop.
On Sunday, February 1st and Sunday, February
8th, for those who are interested, we will
gather at 11:00 a.m. to continue to explore
using our prayer beads.
Messy Christmas 2014!
The cost of a prayer bead kit is $15.00; however, arrangements can be made should the
cost of the kit be prohibitive.
Please RSVP to Pastor Lyda
([email protected]) no later
than January 14th so that we
enough prayer bead kits for everyone! Also—let us know if you
would rather meet in the morning
or evening on January
31st!
“For last year’s
words belong to
last year’s
language and next
year’s words await
another voice.”
- T.S. Eliot
LAX Food Pantry
The LAX Food Pantry is an emergency food
resource for low-income clients in Inglewood, Westchester, El Segundo, Hawthorne, and portions of Los Angeles.
Each year, La Tijera UMC participates in the
LAX Food Pantry’s “Bag It Up” program
which provides food for a family of four.
This year, we were able to donate 15 “Bag It
Up” meals to families in need. Through your
generosity, La Tijera UMC also donated
$200.00 to the LAX Food Pantry!
Thank you again to all who participated—
woo hoo!
Don’t forget—La Tijera UMC supports the
LAX Food Pantry throughout the year, not
just at the holidays. We collect donations of
money, canned goods and non-perishables
for the Food Pantry on an on-going basis. If
you would to help the Food Pantry, bring
your donation to the church office or drop it
off during Sunday worship at 9:30 a.m.
Pictures from Messy Christmas!
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4
Mayola’s Corner
Happy New Year to all! Can you
believe another year has passed?!
We had many memorable and
exciting experiences to embark
upon. What a privilege and joy it
has been to serve your childcare
needs and to meet the needs of
eager, curious children! Their
faces remind us always of the
importance of the work we do at
the Center for Children. Let us
rejoice in our accomplishments.
Congratulations to Teacher Lauren! Twin boys (Braxton & Jackson Bonner) weighing in at 5 lbs
each. Next is Teacher Jessica!
As the holiday season ends and
our lives return to normalcy, let’s
give thanks for the many blessings
bestowed upon us during this
past year.
Look for some wonderful
changes in the coming year. I
like to keep things new and exciting so watch for details.
The Center is looking for someone to input info into our new
email address (La Tijera news for
you) another major change is all
of our notices, newsletters and
correspondence will be by email.
If I don’t have a current email
address for you, please stop by
the office. All the Center’s
events/programs will be held
during regular school hours.
Stay tuned to see other important events. The Winter Concert and International Dinner, to
name a few, will be held at 6:00
p.m. All parades, parties and
the Easter Bunny’s visit will be
at 10:30 a.m.
Our teachers and staff hope all
our families had a joyous holiday season and have a prosperous New Year. We welcome
our new families who will be
joining us and our returning
families back for another year.
We know you have many
choices for childcare, but we
are glad that you have allowed
us to fulfill your childcare
needs. We appreciate you and
thank you for your support.
We look forward to spending
2015 with all of you!
Infant I
IMPORTANT: Do
we have your email
address? Please stop
by the office and
provide us with your
email address so we
can update our
records!
As the year begins, we hope
2015 brings lots of new and
wonderful opportunities for all
of us.
We give a warm welcome to
Stella and her family who
joined us in December. And a
fond adieu to Jackson and his
family who are moving out of
state. We will miss you but
know that you will continue to
TIJERA
Luther King, Jr.’s birthday,
thank you for making our
country a better place!
We wish many blessings to
Teacher Bernice and her new
husband as they start their
new life together! Congratulations!
Love from Infant I
This month we observe Martin
Transition 1
Hope you had a wonderful
and safe holiday. Wishing
you and yours a great New
Year. For most of us, it will
be new beginnings and
there will be growth and
prosperity for all.
It is transitioning time for
some of the children and it
LA
learn and thrive on your new
adventure! We’ll also be welcoming four new babies this
month, as three will be transitioning to Infant II. We still
look forward to seeing them all
as we continue to grow closer
and work together to make our
experiences at La Tijera the
best ever!
UNITED
will be a time to explore
and experience new
things to promote
growth and coming into
their own as they develop. We have a vision
that will become a reality
for us all.
Have a great year.
METHODIST
- Teacher Chestina
VOLUME
V,
ISSUE
1
PAGE
Infant II
Welcome back and Happy New
Year! It was a busy fun holiday season. We hope that everyone had a
beautiful holiday with family and
friends.
Thanks to all parents for the beautiful gifts and treats that we received
this Christmas. The staff really appreciates your generosity. Thanks
to all the families and friends who
attended our Christmas party—we
hope you enjoyed it!
In January, our theme is Martin Luther King, Jr.ls birthday, winter and
winter animals—all of our arts &
crafts will support our themes.
Please be sure to label your child’s
belongings. Thank you for all your
support and have a happy and safe
new year, and all the best in 2015!
- Teachers Rosy, Shay, Marisol &
Rebeca
Preschool
Welcome 2015! The year is upon
us and winter is finally here. Hopefully everyone enjoyed their holiday. Congratulations to Ryleigh
Madison, she’s our January Student
of the Month. To enhance learning,
our children will engage in more
creative, hands on learning experiences to broaden their minds. In
celebration of Black History Month,
our children will learn about past/
present leaders in our community
and around the globe. Reminder:
Christmas at the Center!
Please label your children’s clothes.
- Mrs. Sharon
Transitional Preschool
We wish you a Happy New
Year in 2015. May God
bless you all with abundant
love, care and bring great
joy, peace and good health
to everyone throughout the
year.
In January, our children will
be practicing writing the al-
phabet, numbers and their
names. They will also learn
about winter weather with
special art projects to
broaden their views and
ideas
- Teacher Mary
5
La Tijera United Methodist Church
& Child Development Center
www.latijeraumc.org
7400 Osage Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Church phone: (310) 649-6267
Center phone: (310) 641-4173
Lyda email: [email protected]
Mayola email: [email protected]
We are a Reconciling Church!
ALL are welcome here.
We’re on the web!
Latijeraumc.org
From Lyda . . .
When I was a kid, I loved finding hiding
places where I could daydream, be
alone or to just think about stuff. During the winter holidays, one of my favorite places to hide was underneath our
Christmas tree. I would crawl as far
under the tree as I could, and there I
was no longer a part of a busy household—I was alone in a piney forest
where brightly colored bulbs twinkled at
me like magical stars.
Lying snug beneath the ornaments and
lights, safe behind boxes and bows, I
was free to dream about the future, and
remember things that brought me joy
(being chosen first in dodge ball!) Each
moment embraced in the magic of my
Christmas tree fort was a gift as I imagined who I was going to be, and what
the world had in store for me.
This Christmas I decided that it would
probably scare people out of their wits
should they find me hiding under a
Christmas tree, so my dreaming and
pondering has been done sitting upright
at the beach.
As we approach the new year, I’ve been
pondering the future God is dreaming for
La Tijera UMC, but I’ve also made time to
reflect on 2014 at La Tijera.
There have been so many moments of wonder and awe in the life of the church this
year. I close my eyes and see each moment
so clearly—crossing the finish line with
members of the congregation as we raise
funds and awareness for suicide prevention;
supporting the LAX Food Pantry; fighting
for full-inclusion of our LGBTQ friends in
the life of the church and in the world;
building relationships and making connections—moments of grace and following
Jesus beyond church walls and into the
world.
As the new year approaches, there are all
sorts of ideas offered up for resolutions,
diets and ways to change for the better. I
saw an idea on Facebook that I am inviting
you all to join me in doing in 2015—to
make a “Rememberlutions Jar!”
It’s easy—you take a garden variety jar and
decorate it! Remember, you’ll be looking at
it all year, so make it as fabulous as you are!
Then over the course of the year, whenever anything happens that makes you
proud, write it down and put it in the jar.
When you empty it out at the end of
2015, you will “remember all the rad
things you’ve accomplished and how
freaking awesome you are!”
And in 2015, I am issuing a challenge—in
addition to making a Rememberlutions
Jar for yourself, make one for your
church! Make a La Tijera UMC Rememberlutions Jar and when your
church does something that makes you
proud, or when its actions and/or
choices make you proud to be called a
United Methodist, or when you feel your
church is listening to God’s dream for
their mission in the world, write it down
and put it in the jar!
At the end of 2015, I look forward to
opening our personal
and La Tijera UMC’s
“Rememberlutions
Jars” and to celebrating
each other and our
faith journey together!

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