Pre-register by Saturday, November 21 at midnight, or simply register when you arrive.
please wear a mask and plan to remain in your car for the worship service.
restrooms will be available in Brooks hall.
plan to arrive no later than 9am so we can get everyone situated before the service begins.
goody bags will be provided for kids in attendance!
The novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform how United Methodists are doing church. Camarillo United Methodist Church has put into place guidelines and procedures to keep us safe and healthy following CDC (Center for Disease Control) and California-Pacific Annual Conference requirements. Please feel free to contact the church office if you have any questions (805-482-4312).
If you can't attend the Drive-In Service, join us online:
*Remember, you can watch it as recorded anytime after the service!
In the midst of rising COVID cases, uncertainty in the political and economic arena, perhaps struggles at home, and ongoing health challenges, we get ready for Thanksgiving Day next week. Given our current conditions, I know many plans for family gatherings and being able to see faces we haven't seen in a while have been suspended. The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to "give thanks in all circumstances." But in times such as these, how do we go about truly being grateful? Life is hard right now.
For me, whenever I think of life being tough, I think of my aunt. Growing up, she lived just around the corner from us and whenever I found myself in trouble or needed someone to talk to, she was my go to person. She was always had a positive demeanor and to a teenage boy, she could solve any problem. You would think that she had an easy life, but that's not so.
My aunt was born during the turbulent years in Korea following WWII. Her father passed away while she was still in my grandmother's womb; and her younger years were filled with moving from place to place. She eventually found her way to U.S. and got married, only to have all three of her children born with disabilities. She worked hard to care for the family, but life didn't seem to let up when she became widowed at age 40 due to cancer. The following year her teenage daughter died in a car accident; and just last year she lost her son due to the same cancer as his father. She remarried to seek stability in her life, only to have her new husband diagnosed with severe Alzheimer's after a few years. She's been caring for him since.
Can life be more unfair? And yet the more I serve in ministry, I meet so many others with heartbreaking stories like these. I keep wondering for someone who has faced so many tragedies in her life, how does my aunt still keep that positive outlook? For her, each time she faces another setback in life, the first thing she does is fall to her knees in prayer. She tells me that if it wasn't for her hope in God, she would not be able to bear all the pain. She relies upon her faith to help pull herself together and then focus on helping others, in caring for her family as well as others in her community. It's in the focusing on the needs of others, she says, that she is able to let go of her sorrows.
This Sunday, we conclude our Stewardship series by focusing on the mission work of the church. Join us for our Drive-In worship in our parking lot as we celebrate God's call for us in serving the needs of the community. Hope to see you on Sunday!
Today’s worship team: Rev. Elbert Kim, pastor; Luvi Avendano, Music and Worship Arts Director; Mark Holmstrom, Organ/piano; Kristi VanKeersbilck, Youth & Family Ministries; Paul Kistler, liturgist.
Music Ensemble: Mark Ortgies, David VanKeersbilck, Kristi VanKeersbilck, Federico, Luvi Avendano, Mark Holmstrom
Media Team: Corey Miller, Matt Saint, Dave Wenner, Mike Nelson, Anna Binney, Don Howald, Jon Scheurich, Alec Kinch, Marian Brock, Ethan Skeens
Prelude: "O Lord, What a Morning"
Welcome & News: Pastor Elbert Opening Song: "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus"
First Reading: Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV) Liturgist Time with Children: Kristi VanKeersbilck
Invitation to Giving Offertory: "As I Went Down to the River to Pray" Folk Melody
Second Reading: Micah 6:1-8 (NRSV) Sermon: "Legacy for the Community" Pastor Elbert
Closing Song: "The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve" Benediction Postlude: "Shall We Gather at the River" Robert Lowry
Kids! Have you been participating in the Sunday School lessons with
Miss Cari? Click here or on the image above to see the YouTube video
of Miss Cari leading the Sunday School lesson for the week.
Join her each week for a new lesson!
Weekly Calendar What's happening @ CUMC this week: November 22 - 29
No Youth Group or Young Adults Bells today (Thanksgiving Break!)
Monday:
Intercessory Prayer, 7:00 am
Staff Meeting, 2:00 pm
Trustees Committee, 7:00 pm
Wednesday:
Vincent van Gogh class*, 2:00 pm (new time!)
Thursday:
Happy Thanksgiving!
Give thanks to God for hidden blessings!
Sunday:
LiveStream*, 9:15 am
* indicates virtual online events
NEW TIME for Gene Bream's Class! Wednesdays at 2:00 pm
Bonjour, from Vincent
(and Gene)!
We have explored “The Last Supper”, “Truffles”, and “Pilgrimage to Chartres” together with Gene Bream, amateur art historian and intrepid tour guide.
Gene is offering to take us on another Zoom journey, this time into the difficult life and marvelous art of Vincent van Gogh. (You may not know that Vincent was briefly a Methodist preacher--in England!) We are in for 4 or 5 hour-long sessions, because Gene apparently doesn’t do anything half-heartedly. If you are interested in joining us for this latest exploration, please call the church office and give us your e-mail so we can forward it to Gene for an invitation. (Those of you who have participated in any of the previous adventures need not call the office!) Do join us!
The Sounds of Christmas at Camarillo UMC
CUMC Annual
Family Christmas Celebration
Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020 at 2pm
online only
It's December 2020, and we all NEED a little Christmas this year!
Our children and youth will help get you into the Christmas spirit with their annual celebration of music, including all four of our youth and children's bell choirs, brass, flutes, a piano - and a speical Christmas story.
This year, the celebration will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook starting at 2:00 pm on Dec. 6th. So invite friends and family, near and far,
to watch and listen! It is sure to make you smile!
Light of Christmas
Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020 at 2pm
online concert
CUMC's annual, traditional Christmas concert presented online. A tapestry of instrumental and vocal offerings, celebrating the wondrous story of the Nativity
A Folk Christmas
Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020 at 2pm
Drive-In Concert
CUMC's Folk Ensemble presents
a concert of popular Christmas songs
in a live, outdoor performance.
A unique presentation of Christmas favorites
to be enjoyed from the safety of your vehicle.
2020 Pandemic Christmas Eve Services Camarilo UMC presents two worship services this Christmas Eve.
Family Christmas Eve Service
Dec. 24, 2020 at 4:30 pm
Live Drive-In Worship
Join us at 4:30 pm for a live Drive-In style Family Christmas Eve Service
led by our youth telling the story of Christmas in dramatic form.
The service will conclude with the breaking of glow-sticks
to shine the light of Christ into the world.
Classic Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service
Dec. 24, 2020 at 7:30 pm
online worship only
Let us gather in the safety of our homes as we recall
the story of Christmas through lessons and carols.
We invite you to prepare a candle to be lit during the service
as we conclude by singing "Silent Night."
Help create a blanket of Poinsettias in the chancel for Christmas. Either pick up a dedication form at the church office (or just call the office), complete the information and include payment of $10 per plant. Place your order in the order box on the church office ledge. Please make checks payable to CUMC, and mark “Advent Plant.” Order by December 13th!
Deliverers Needed - Many of our flowers are donated to our homebound members after worship services and we need delivery volunteers! Please contact Janet Everett at 482-4330 for more info and to volunteer. Flowers will be delivered Monday, December 21st.
If you wish to pickup your flowers, please do soafter worship on Sunday, December 20th.
Sunday, December 6th 10:30am - 4:30pm CUMC Hosted Red Cross Blood Drive
Sarah Kistler is our youth leader of this campaign for the second year in a row!
Volunteers: We can take volunteers over the age of 18 to take people's temperatures as they arrive for their appointment to give blood. Do you know someone interested in the medical field who might be interested? Or would you be interested in helping out? Covid-19 precautions will be in place during this event and supplies provided for volunteers.
Boy Scout Troop 225 is selling beautiful handcrafted fresh Christmas wreaths that embodies the spirit of the holiday. Nothing says welcome during the holiday season like a Christmas wreath on your front door.
Don't miss out! If you are interested in pre-ordering a wreath, please pickup an order form from the church office and return it to HOLLY KUNKLE or church office by November 22nd for pick on Sunday, Dec. 6th. You may also order by email to mickey.rhods@gmail.com. Checks should be made out to "Troop 225". Thank you!
Building a Legacy for Camarillo United Methodist Church 2021 Pledge Cards are available in the church office.
You may also pledge online by going to our church website and clicking on the GIVING tab. Your giving helps support the ministries of Camarillo United Methodist Church in building the Kingdom of God for the future.
A Word of Gratitude from Rev. Richard Brooks
To the friends at Caamarillo United Methodist Church
I just want to express my thanks and love to all you who made my hundredth birthday celebration so wonderful. Your many cards, letters and e mails brought back so many of the most wonderful memories of a long life.. To top it all off Saturday afternoon the kids rented a nice community provided meeting/dining room where only our group was present (virus caution). Someone in the crowd located a first class Memphis style bar-b-que stand in the area and we had the works (ribs, pulled , slaw, potato salad, baked beans from scratch with good old molasses in them, pecan pie, chocolate cake, ice cream, several varieties of hot bread, and lots of knick-knacks. Once we had all over eaten the presents were brought in and ran from computer improvements and replacements to clothing to sweets, fruit, nuts, cookies, various dried meats, you name it.
When Ruth died I turned all our keepsakes from the churches over to Debi. She brought a carful o those items. Beginning with my high school exploits and coming through our stay in Arkansas. As was true when we retired, the greatest eye catcher was the beautiful California King size quilt the ladies of Camarillo made. Debi l had charged with giving them down the line to the girls of the family. We have several. You all know our granddaughter Traci. She has a daughter and two granddaughters. Yep, we have five generations alive from me through Tom, Traci, Kaylan(Ruby) and Jon (Maureen). The two great, great granddaughters are now ten years old and four months old. The party ended last night but Bob and Virginia stayed until this morning (Monday) and left for Bend. Debi stayed until this morning and left for Santa Rosa.
All in all this was an unforgettable experience and I thank all who had a part. I was really amazed to get great numbers of Masonic and Knight Templar cards, calls and e mails. My local chapters in Tennessee are real excited to have what seems to be the oldest Mason and Templar around as I have 70 years membership Then there were the bird folks. Their website on FaceBook reported the heaviest day ever. Growing old is great when you have such friends.
Richard
CUMC Pictures of Gratitude
In the Center of Prayer
Please pray for safe and successful care and treatment for: Julie Parmelee – Nov. 5 breast cancer surgery recuperation Nate Truman – Hospital Check-in Dec 25 for bone marrow transplant Randy Eccles – Nov. 12 UCLA orthopedic surgery recuperation Pat Schumacher – Brookdale Care, hip fracture surgery recup. Rebecca Pillsbury's son Christopher – serious accident injuries require surgery Richard Hatcher – at Santa Barbara Cottage Neuro-ICU following Nov 4 stroke Nedra Kindig’s sister-in-law, Barbara – cancer metastasis Marlene Jone's son, Kevin – severe heart condition
Please pray for peace and comfort: Linda Sharp – Home with family during Hospice Care
Prayers of Sympathy Marjorie Anctil died Tuesday, Nov. 10 from hospice care.
Condolences to Dennis Anctil, 51 Brea Court, Camarillo, CA 93010. Rod Preston, husband of Susan Kline, died Nov. 4, 2020 at home.
Condolences to Susan Kline, 1375 Sweetwater Avenue, Camarillo, CA 93010. Obituary available at: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/westlake-village-ca/rodney-preston-9900428
For information on CUMC, its programs, and future, contact the CUMC office at sec@cam-umc.org; Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr. Elbert Kim at elbert@cam-umc.org; and/or Karen Gundelfinger Chairperson, Church Council and Lay Leader Anna Binney, all through the CUMC office.
CUMC Staff and Leadership information Los Angeles Episcopal Area Resident Bishop: Grant J. Hagiya North District Superintendent: Reverend James Powell Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. Elbert Kim - elbert@cam-umc.org (805-491-1024) (urgent matters call: 805-312-8225) Church Office Manager: Lorna Efford - sec@cam-umc.org (805-491-1023) Music & Worship Arts Director: Luvi Avendano - luviavendano@cam-umc.org (805-491-1025) Family/Youth Ministries & Bell Choirs Director: Kristi VanKeersbilck - kristivan@cam-umc.org (805-491-1026) Sunday School Director: Cari Fox - cariann02@gmail.com Organist: Mark Holmstrom - keys2mark@aol.com Caring Ministries: Evelyn Williams - evelynwilliamsca@gmail.com Preschool Director: Karen Lundberg - klundberg@cam-umc.org (805-482-2537) Wedding Coordinator: Karen Gundelfinger - kng.1@verizon.net
