First Connec ion Normal First United Methodist Church January 2021 January At-A-Glance Love thy Neighbor Worship Theme (more information on page 2) Wednesday Nights Zoom Classes (note different times each week) January 13 @ 4:30: Cooking with Julie Higgins (WW cook) January 20 @ 6:30: Craft projects with Jess Lamberty (Normal 1 st Intern) January 27 @ 4:30: Cooking with Julie More information on page 3 Weekly Worship Services continue on-line, via our website. The service is available by Saturday afternoons at normalfirst.org. Some in our congregation watch it at their traditional time for worship (Saturdays at 5:00 or Sunday mornings). But we’ve heard of others who are “worshipping” at other times throughout the week. Whenever you worship, we’re glad you’re joining in. Our Vision: To be transformed by God and transform the world into a just, inclusive, Christ-like community Our Mission: To connect all people with the love of Christ Core Values: Love - Love God and all people Service - Serve God, one another, the community, and the world Stewardship - Protect God’s creation Wisdom - Embrace lifelong learning for spiritual and intellectual growth
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Our Vision: First Connec ion...soul. 2. Love your neighbor, as you love yourself. Our worship theme in January will be: Love Your Neighbor. As you practice the spiritual disciplines
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First Connec ion Normal First United Methodist
Church January 2021
January At-A-Glance
Love thy Neighbor Worship Theme
(more information on page 2)
Wednesday Nights Zoom Classes
(note different times each week)
January 13 @ 4:30: Cooking with Julie Higgins (WW cook)
January 20 @ 6:30: Craft projects with Jess Lamberty
(Normal 1st Intern)
January 27 @ 4:30: Cooking with Julie
More information on page 3
Weekly Worship Services continue on-line,
via our website. The service is available by
Saturday afternoons at normalfirst.org.
Some in our congregation watch it at
their traditional time for worship (Saturdays
at 5:00 or Sunday mornings). But we’ve
heard of others who are “worshipping” at
other times throughout the week. Whenever
you worship, we’re glad you’re joining in.
Our Vision: To be transformed by
God and transform the world into
a just, inclusive, Christ-like
community
Our Mission: To connect all people
with the love of Christ
Core Values:
Love - Love God and all people
Service - Serve God, one another,
the community, and the world
Stewardship - Protect God’s
creation
Wisdom - Embrace lifelong
learning for spiritual and
intellectual growth
Thoughts from the Pastor
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I understand that January is named after the
Roman God Janus. Janus was two-faced.
As the Roman god of beginnings and
endings, Janus looked backwards and
forwards at the same time. The month of
January reminds us to look back and to look
ahead.
How do you feel about looking back on the
year that just passed, 2020? It did not turn
out like we expected, did it? As you look
back, what do you see? Covid-19. A knee
on the neck of Mr. George Floyd as he said
he couldn’t breath and then called out for his
mother. Rallies, protests and riots. A very
divisive election and a very divided nation.
What do you see when you look forward?
What is the Good News you want to take
with you into this new year? What is a
Christian to do?
As a church, we want to start this new year
by going back to the basics, or the heart of
our Christian faith. What are we to do?
1. Love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your mind and with all your
soul.
2. Love your neighbor, as you love yourself.
Our worship theme in January will be:
Love Your Neighbor.
As you practice the spiritual disciplines that
will help you love God with all your heart,
may this lead you to reach out to a hurting
world with love for your neighbor. Like the
leader questioning Jesus, we may be
tempted to ask, “But who is my neighbor.” If
we follow Jesus, we do not get off the hook.
We do not get to exclude any groups of
people. We are to find a way to love
everyone.
These are themes for each week, with a
suggested act of kindness.
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
JANUARY WORSHIP THEMES for 2021
Scripture: Matthew 22:36-40
JANUARY 3:
“Love Your Neighbor” Act of Kindness: For someone in your local
neighborhood
JANUARY 10:
“Love Your Neighbor and Loving the Larger
Community”
Act of Kindness: For the larger community
(support an agency, pick up trash, plant a tree, . .)
JANUARY 17:
“Love Your Neighbor: Creating a Beloved
Community”
Act of Kindness: Do something for someone of a
different race (or have a conversation)
JANUARY 24:
“Love Your Neighbor: Love Your Enemy”
Act of Kindness: Do something for someone who
thinks differently than you do.
JANUARY 31 “Love Your Neighbor: What About the Poor?”
Act of Kindness: Do something for someone
living below the poverty line.
We will offer more specific suggestions in
January. We cannot control life. We do not
know for sure what 2021 will bring.
Let us commit to respond as Christians, though.
Let us love God and love our neighbor.
We can continue to change our communities for
the better.
Pastor Kent King-Nobles
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Daily Prayers: Changes for 2021
The Daily Prayers will be a compilation of various contributors. We are
looking for people, of all ages, to submit prayers or scriptures,
meaningful quotes or hymns/songs to be included in our daily readings
for 2021. Here’s how it works:
You can submit a prayer, a scripture, a quote, or a verse from a hymn.
You could submit one or many. One idea would be to send in 7 for an
entire week. It can be an original prayer or one that someone else wrote and was
meaningful to you. Make sure to include the author. You can submit a writing that fits for a
particular day (i.e. MLK holiday) or one that fits for any day. Be mindful of the length of the
writing. What works best is no more than a short paragraph.
*Contact Pastor Kathy for more information or to think through this with you. We’re hoping to have
lots of different people over the year get involved in this project.
*You can send your prayers/writings directly to Molly in the office ([email protected])
Many thanks to Mary Foster for creating the Daily Prayers that have been nourishing us these past few years.
They have been and continue to be a source of inspiration, hope, and re-assurance throughout these days!
Thanks, Mary, for your gift of love and faith to all of us.
Winter Activities to Boost Your Spirits Cooking with Julie: The weather outside is frightful! Homemade food is so delightful! Join us on
Wednesday, January 13 and/or Wednesday, January 27 for a cooking class brought straight to your
kitchen by our very own Wonderful Wednesday chef, Julie Higgins! During each class, you will
prepare a tried and true, fan favorite meal from Julie’s top-secret recipe book. We will be preparing
a mouthwatering Cheesy Potato Soup on Wednesday, January 13 and a delicious Pasta Bake on
Wednesday, January 27. The Zoom meet will start at 4:30pm, with cooking beginning at 4:45pm. The
meal should be ready to eat around 6:15! An ingredient list will be sent to you approximately 1
week before the class so you can have all the supplies you need. Optional substitutions will be
available to make the meal gluten free, vegetarian, and/or vegan.
You are welcome to join one or both nights!
Prayerful painting with Jess (January 20 @ 6:30): Hello, Normal First! Are you looking for something to
do with the whole family or to take your mind off things and focus on God? We have just the thing
for you! You’re invited to join our intern Jessica Lamberty for a fun, interactive prayerful painting
session. No art experience required! This step-by-step session will take place in the comfort of your
own home with minimal supplies. Prayerful painting connects us with the Lord in a unique way that
helps us express our hopes, thoughts, and prayers into artwork. It is a great way to relax and praise
God for the blessings he has given us or ask him for guidance during a difficult time. Feel free to use
your own paint supplies, but if you need to purchase some, watercolors are cheap and available at
most craft stores.
To RSVP for any of the zoom classes, visit https://www.signupgenius.com/
go/10c0d4bafaf2ba1fcc25-january, or contact the church office
We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.
(Social Principles of The United Methodist Church) First United Methodist Church in Normal has committed itself to provide a Christian community and ministry
without reference to any boundaries including age, race, ethnicity, culture, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, economic condition, physical or mental ability. We strive to be an open and accepting
community in line with our understanding of what the Gospel of Jesus Christ expects of us.