King Avenue Digest 1/17/25
January 17, 2025
*NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND QUICKLY-APPROACHING EVENTS*
*HEADS UP* Elevator Update - Please be aware that the elevator will be serviced on Friday, January 17. We'll keep you posted on its availability on Sunday. Remember that the ramp door (south entrance) will get you to the Fellowship Hall for Morning Blend, and the West Door has a chair lift to get you to the Sanctuary. Thanks for your understanding!
THIS SUNDAY, January 19: Human Relations Sunday - Human Relations Day is a special Sunday across our denomination, focused on fostering better relationships and supporting community and youth outreach. On the Sunday before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, we take up a special offering to help bring his vision of a “beloved community” to life. Your gifts support important programs like Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Services, and Youth Offender Rehabilitation. We invite you to give through Realm to help us continue this vital work together.
*NEW* UMCOR Wildfire Relief for Southern California - On January 7, strong Santa Ana winds in Los Angeles caused wildfires to spread rapidly in multiple communities. Thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed, as well as multiple local United Methodist Churches. Preliminary assessments of the damage is underway. UMCOR has awarded two solidarity grants to the California-Pacific Annual Conference to undergird their immediate relief efforts. This includes evacuee support like food and essential supplies as well as support for volunteer efforts and other relief activities. If you want to offer financial support, you can give to UMCOR through Realm. CLICK TO GIVE
*NEW* Sunday 1/26 and Monday 1/27: Auditions for Falsettos - It's Audition Time again! Sunday, January 26th and Monday, January 27th from 6:30-9:00 pm are the auditions for King Avenue Players' Spring production of Falsettos! The performances are April 3-6, 2025, in Fellowship Hall at King Avenue UMC! Don't delay! Sign up for your audition today! CLICK HERE TO RESERVE AN AUDITION SLOT
*NEW* Saturday, February 8: New Member Class - We all have a basic human need to belong. Many of us have found that belonging with King Avenue UMC. When we find that we belong somewhere, sometimes we feel the need to claim it and make it official. If you've found that belonging at King Avenue but haven't taken that next step, you have the opportunity to do just that at our next New Members' Class. We'll gather at the church building for class on Saturday, February 8 from 9am-12pm, then we'll welcome you into membership in worship the next day on February 9. If you're interested and/or have any questions, contact Pastor Andy at andy@kingave.org. CLICK TO REGISTER
*NEW* Save the Date! Let your creative side run wild as you explore music, art, drama, and creative writing at M.A.D. Camp June 2-6, 2025 from 5:30-9:00 pm! This fantastic experience is the first offering of its kind from King Avenue Players and King Avenue UMC. If you are a child currently in Grades K-8, then you are eligible to sign up! The cost per child is $22.50 and it includes dinner each evening at 5:30 pm. There will also be a family dinner on Friday night before our final Showcase and Art Show to celebrate our campers and their talents. CLICK TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER.
KEEP READING FOR THE REST OF OUR CURRENT HAPPENINGS AND NEWS...
Sunday, January 26: Lit Club Book for January - Join the Lit Club on the last Sunday of each month at 7pm in the Logos Lounge. All are welcome! Simply read the book of the month, and get together to talk about it. The month's book is The Women by Kristin Hannah.
Friday/Saturday, 1/31-2/1: CORE Youth Group Overnight - Youth in grades 6th through 12th are invited to join Gwen and Pastor Andy for a night of fun, fellowship, and faith. Drop off your kids at 6pm on January 31st and pick them back up at 10am on February 1st. Please RSVP by January 12th so we can plan for food and all of the activities. Friends are welcome, but please register for the event. Contact Gwen at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com for the registration link.
Sunday, February 2: Communion - We will be celebrating Communion in both services this Sunday. If you're able, we encourage you to join us in-person to meet Jesus and each other at the table. If you aren't able, be sure to have some bread and grape juice or wine with you, wherever you are worshiping from.
Thursday, February 6: Pathways to Queer Thriving Panel - Join us for an inspirational program where you’ll have the opportunity to learn how to transform trauma into thriving. We’ll first explore the unrelenting personal, structural, and collective trauma our community has experienced, and understand the consequences personally and for our community. When trauma is addressed in a healthy way, it leads to the development of resilience and post-traumatic growth, which queer psychologists have redefined as “queer thriving.” A panel of intergenerational LGBTQAI+ folks will share their journeys, stories and dialog with each other and the audience, demonstrating new pathways to queer thriving. This program is open to all who want to learn more about how to become more resilient and thrive in their lives. All are welcome February 6, 6:30-8:00pm in the Fellowship Hall. Light, thriving refreshments will be served.
Friday, February 7: District Wide Youth Group Event - Join youth groups from all over our district at Stonybrook United Methodist Church for an epic night of food, games, a youth panel, worship, and small groups. Email Gwen (gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com) for more info.
OPEN, Our Daily Devotional - Join your King Avenue family in reading through the Gospels and Acts in 2025! Starting in January, we will begin OPEN, a daily devotional that will deliver a bite-sized reading from the Gospels to your email inbox daily. The best part is many of the devotionals will be written by King Avenue members because we believe Jesus has something to say in the Gospels to each of us and through each of us. Our name "OPEN" reflects the King Avenue UMC theme song and positioning statement (Open minds, Open hearts, Open doors). In 2025, we want to OPEN the Gospels together day by day. If you want to join us in this journey, complete this form to sign up. CLICK TO SIGN UP FOR OPEN DAILY DEVOTIONALS
Additional Sermon Starters Opportunity - Sermon Starters is a weekly small-group discussion of the upcoming Sunday's scripture lessons facilitated by Pastor Karen and Pastor Andy. Questions, insights, and stories help the pastors to think through their Sunday sermon ideas, as well as give participants a head start on their consideration of the week's lesson. Let Pastor Karen know (karen@kingave.org) if you'd like to be added to the Realm email group to receive the scriptures ahead of time. All are welcome in this "drop in" Bible Study. Along with our long-standing Tuesday 7am opportunity in the Parlor, we are adding a Wednesday 6pm opportunity in the Chapel.
NNEMAP Item of the Month for January - Each month, we are going to focus our donations on specific items our community partners. You can bring your donations with you on Sundays. There will be a place to leave them in the back of the worship space. In January, we are collecting toothpaste and toilet paper for NNEMAP Food Pantry.
Donations Gratefully Accepted - We are collecting hats and gloves/mittens for Hubbard Elementary School students. Also the items of the month for NNEMAP are ceral and toilet paper. There are collection bins/carts at church marked for your donations. Thanks in advance for your generosity!
Hubbard Tutors Needed - King Avenue has been a community partner with Hubbard Elementary School for several years. One of the ways we love and serve our neighbors there is by tutoring students during the school day. This is a great way to serve your community and we’re always looking for more tutors. Tutoring takes place during the school day, usually once/week for a couple of hours. If you would like to tutor or have any questions, contact Pastor Andy at andy@kingave.org.
2025 Dates for Open Shelter Lunch Packing - King Avenue packs lunches for the Open Shelter on several Tuesdays and Thursdays... 24 times in 2025. All hands on deck for packing 200-400 lunches at a time! CLICK HERE for the 2025 schedule, and join when you're able. All days/dates are 6:00pm in the King Avenue kitchen. Many hands make light work! We're often finished in less an an hour. Contact Andy (andy@kingave.org) if you'd like to be added to the group on Realm, or just show up one of the Tuesdays or Thursdays and get started. The first Thursday date for 2025 is January 16, and the first Tuesday date is January 28. We'd love to add you to the team.