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This week is the 2nd Sunday: Community Groups

Community Groups are a key aspect of our church identity. Each group meets once a month for good conversation, mutual support, and a healthy dose of laughter and general good-times. Currently, all groups are functioning as Virtual Community Groups, meeting once a month via ZOOM. If you haven't signed up for a group yet, go to (fumcbellevue.org/groups) and sign up!
Meet Our New Staff
We’re excited to have two new interns who are starting a 14-month internship program with us, Vanessa Perkinson and Chris Curia. You’ll be able to hear more from them on Sunday, May 2nd. Until then here’s a short bio and photo for each of our new team members.
VANESSA PERKINSON
MISSIONAL COMMUNITY INTERN
Vanessa recently relocated to Seattle from rural Illinois. She graduated from Greenville University with a Bachelors in Theology and is currently pursuing an M. Div at Seattle Pacific Seminary. In her free time, Vanessa enjoys going for walks, getting lost in bookstores, and laughing with friends and family.
CHRIS CURIA
MISSIONAL COMMUNITY INTERN
Chris Curia (he/him/his) is originally from the Midwest and moved to Washington last year to study in the Master of Divinity program at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. Chris is also a filmmaker, a barista, and an avid reader and writer. He’d love to connect with you to hear more about your life and unfolding story!

HELPING HUNGRY CHILDREN IN BELLEVUE
Creating 1000 Backpack Meals for Kids (ACT Sunday)
Sunday, April 25, 10 - 11:30 am
Sign up here 
Every day children go hungry in Bellevue. Close to 250 Bellevue students are unsheltered. Approximately 3400 (17%) of the students qualify for free or reduced meals, including 57% of children at one elementary school, 44% at one middle school, and  38% in one high school. For many students, the only meal they get is at school.  Backpack Meals is there to fill in the gap, providing food for the weekend and over the summer when schools are not in session.

We'll be packing 1,000 backpacks on April 25th so that preschoolers in the district have something to eat on weekends through the end of the school year. We'll be masked, socially distanced, and outside, if at all possible. It is going to take all of us to accomplish this task, so register now so we know we can count on you! The food we are packing will all be prepackaged and preordered, but if you would like to support the project financially that would be wonderful. Please donate here. Questions? Email Laurie E.

Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) Discrimination
AAPI discrimination is not new, but recent events have brought the issue to the forefront. What are the impacts of AAPI stereotypes on the AAPI community, on our policies and systems, and, in our everyday interactions? To find info and answers, check out The Smithsonian video series "We Are Not a Stereotype". Topics range from The Bamboo Ceiling to the Model Minority Myth, and Asian/Black solidarity movements. If you'd like to go one step further to be part of a virtual small group discussion of these issues and resources, please email Laurie Edwards.  


Book Discussion Group
The FUMCB Book Discussion Group will be meeting Wednesday, April 21st at 1 pm via Zoom. Please email Darlene P if you will be attending. We are reading “The Water Dancer; a Novel” by Ta-Nehisi Coates. If you have questions, please email Darlene H.

LECTIO DIVINA
Mondays from 4 - 5:30
Join here. Lectio Divina is a contemplative method of reading the Bible with ‘the ear of the heart’ so as to be transformed, more than simply informed, by the text. We hope this group will help us focus on how the Bible can help to navigate this cultural moment and uplift us with needed hope in this season of upheaval.
Our apartment is now ready to house neighbors in need!
Thanks to a lot of hard work on the part of Steve Pollard, Maggie Radford, Phyllis Borland, and a host of other volunteers, as well as everyone who donated financial resources and "stuff" to the effort, we now have a beautiful, new, totally self-contained space to use for those in need of shelter. May we be blessed by their presence among us.
STAFF:  We're here for you!
  • To sign up for a time to meet with Pastor Phil, click here. 
  • To sign up for a visit with Laurie, click here. 
  • To leave a message for any of us, call the church office! We check messages remotely.
  • For other needs email Aya in our office: Changes in your contact information, emergency contact information (if you would like to provide that), opting out to receive reminder texts on Sundays, a paper copy of the directory, your Care Circle list, etc. 
For Your Prayers
Consider spending some time this week in a moment of quiet reflection or prayer. Consider praying for the following:
  • Prayers for baby Marlow, Marcia's nephew’s premature infant daughter, in a Denver NICU in critical condition. Prayers for her parents, Tara and Josh, for comfort, courage and strength as they go through this stressful and painful time. 
  • Please pray for the members of the Duwamish Tribe, as well as all those whose ancestors lived on these lands from time immemorial.
  • Please pray for all of our LGBTQ neighbors.
  • Please pray for the protestors.
  • Please pray for our country to be less divided
  • Please pray for the health of our community and those affected by COVID-19.
  • Please pray for Pastor Joe and his LGBTQ+ friendly medical clinic and church in Kenya
  • Please pray for Pastor Phil for wisdom, strength, and vision
  • The mission and vision of our Church 
  • Our church family and friends
  • The local community and our neighbors 
  • The United Methodist Church
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