In this issue:

• Note from Pastor John
• Worship News and Sermon Video
• Church News
• 75 th Anniversary Celebration -
• Volunteers to Set Up for Dinner - September 4th at 4 p.m.
• Choir News - Practice Schedule - Tonight and Saturday
• Sign the Hymnal for Time Capsule
• Emmaus Gathering - Monday September 7
• All Booked Up - September 9th
• United Women in Faith Activities - September 10
• Creation Care Tip
• Programming Night
• Missions
• Giving Information
• Prayers
• What's Happening This Week
• Birthdays & Anniversaries

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

After 75 years in the making and more than a year in the planning, our main celebration is upon us this weekend. Our final RSVP count for the dinner was 120, which is more than what we had planned, which is a very good place to be.

So just a recap of the schedule for the weekend:

Saturday, September 5

• 10 am Reception in the library – The history display is out and the building will be open for those who would like to walk through.
• 11 am Choir Practice – The choir has already been practicing for Sunday morning, but if you haven’t been able to attend this is your opportunity to be a part of this special worship service. (Practice tonight is 6 pm for bells, 6:30 for choir and then 7 pm for choir with First Light)
• 4 pm Social Hour – gather to catch up with people, especially returning clergy and some others from out of town. Look at the history display and go through old photo albums and share your own memories for the church archives.
• 5 pm Catered Dinner in the Fellowship Hall
• 6 pm 75^th Anniversary Celebration in Sanctuary – Music covering the last 75 years and our retired clergy will share memories of their time in Los Alamos. This will be live streamed and is available on the first page of our website: lafumc.org. Let anyone you know who may be interested where they can watch. This should be around two hours.

Sunday, September 6

• 10 am Worship – We will have piano, organ, bells, choir and First Light all performing, with more songs than usual for the celebration. My message will be on establishing a foundation that will support us for the next 75 years and communion will be served by all the clergy in attendance. We will also dedicate our new time capsule set to be opened for the 100th anniversary. We have put a lot of time and thought into these services and I believe they are going to be very special times. This service will be live streamed as normal.
• The color for Sunday is red, if you would also like to wear red.
• 11:30ish Photo – After worship, please note the later ending time, we will gather at the front of the sanctuary for a photo of everyone in attendance for this service.
•  After Worship:
• The Mission Team will have items to be stuffed into snack bags for the homeless ministry in Espanola. Because we expect to have a larger attendance, we will be putting more bags together than we normally do.
• Reception on the front lawn – coffee, tea, water and some light snacks for final catchups and goodbyes.

I want to thank everyone who helped with this celebration, starting with our 75^th Anniversary Committee. Their names will be listed in the programs, and we will have them in the newsletter in coming weeks as well. Please thank them for their work. This event will be a success because of them. And thanks to all of the other people who helped us sort through the archives, helped us prepare materials, worked on the campus, or contributed in other ways. It has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

We do not have any more spaces available for the dinner, but nothing else requires any reservations, so please join us for what you can and help us celebrate this occasion and give thanks to all the saints who helped get us to this day.

I look forward to seeing you this weekend.

Blessings,

John

ps. Several people have asked if they need to pay for the dinner, and the answer is no. The Leadership Board set aside $5,000 several years ago to cover expenses for this event, and we will be using those funds. But, if you would like to make a special gift in honor of the 75th anniversary, you are welcome to do so. These gifts can help cover other expenses we have taken on for this year, like the many improvements to the campus.

Prayer for the week:

God of delight, your Wisdom sings your word at the crossroads where humanity and divinity meet. Invite us into your joyful being where you know and are known in each beginning, in all sustenance, in every redemption, that we may manifest your unity in the diverse ministries you entrust to us, truly reflecting your triune majesty.

in the faith that acts, in the hope that does not disappoint, and in the love that endures. Amen.

Sunday: The scripture readings for Sunday, September 6, are Deuteronomy 6:1-13; Psalm 146; 1 Corinthians 3:1-11 and Matthew 28:16-20. Sunday is our 75th anniversary service and the message, "What Must Our Foundation Be to Support the Future?" will be on the passages, excluding the Psalm. Sunday we will receive communion, served by our retired clergy, and we will have both traditional and contemporary songs. Sunday's service will be around an hour and a half.

Questions to help you prepare: Deuteronomy tells us that we are harvesting plants we didn't plant and living in houses we didn't build. What are the things we are using in the church that we had nothing to do with? What do we need to plant and build now for the future? What is the ultimate foundation of the church? How do we live that out? How do we spread the good news?

Sunday, August 30, 2026

Did you miss Sunday's sermon or want to hear it again?

You can find other sermons in this series on our website.

Four years ago, we launched Programming Night on Sunday evenings with a vision of cultivating a vibrant, shared space where different classes could naturally feed into one another, creating a beautiful and energetic critical mass. Yet, in truth, that shared evening was born out of a very practical and urgent necessity: It was the only window of time we could successfully gather the humble, fragile beginnings of our youth group into one room. As we reflect on the outcomes and experiences of the past four years, the Leadership Board, Pastor John, and I are recognizing a difficult truth: Our current configuration is no longer meeting our needs.

Moving forward, Programming Night will no longer be held on Sunday evenings.

Please know that this is not an ending, but an opportunity to allow for richer, deeper growth. None of our active classes or programs are going away. Instead, we are consciously releasing the expectation that all of our paths must cross at the exact same time on the exact same day. We are currently reimagining our class schedules to genuinely and effectively meet the diverse needs of those who currently attend, while leaving the door wide open for those who want to join our community.

As we step into this new season of ministry, we want to hear the unique rhythm of your household. We are seeking your voice on what timings, specific days of the week, and engaging subject matters would most enrich your family's spiritual journey. Most importantly, we want to know if you feel a need or desire to share your personal gifts by stepping up to lead or co-lead a class or guide an activity.

We invite you to share your thoughts through the survey linked below. We look forward to seeing what new opportunities will come as we reshape our time and space together.



Click here for the survey. 

Available in apple store and google play!

There are several ways you can make your

tithe and offering payments.

1. Go to our website then click on "Give Securely Online" at the top right-hand column. Set up a one time or a reoccurring gift.
2. In-person drop off your check
3. You can mail your checks to the church office:

715 Diamond Drive, Los Alamos, NM 87544

We thank you for your faithfulness!

Praise and Thanksgiving:

• We are thankful for our Pastor and our church leadership team.
• Prayers of celebration that Peggy Robey's pathology reports brought good news for treatment.

New and Ongoing Prayers:

• Prayers for families and countries experiencing natural diasters.
• Prayers for Valerie's nephew dealing with addiction and life consequences.
• Prayers for rain and water for our lands, including the farm lands of the Navajo Nation.
• Prayers for Travis Martinez who is going through a difficult season.
• Prayers for Lynn Kluegel for her current treatment to continue to working.
• Prayers for the situation in the Middle East.
• Prayers for our country and our world.
• Prayers for healing for Mark Brussard, Bodil Brandow, Stacey Castille, Liz Martinez, Sandra Jo Rudloff, Erelne Seay, Judy Thompson,and Harriett Zickert.

Church Families to pray for this week:

Doris Jackson                                      

Dylan Johnston & Taylor Dehner

Mada Jones                                         

Alicia Justus & Family

Kevin & Kim Kaufeld & Family                 

Mary Keller

Lynn Kluegel                                        

Linda Leschnitzer & Family

If you have a prayer request or praise that you would like to share please call, 505-662-6277 or email, office@lafumc.org, the church office. If you would like your prayer to be confidential just let us know.

Wednesday, September 2

6 p.m. Handbell Rehearsal in Sanctuary

6:30 p.m. Chancel Voices in Sanctuary

7 p.m. Praise Band in Sanctuary

7 p.m. STARS NA meeting in Church Library on Zoom tonight.

Thursday, September 3

7 p.m. Troop 122 in Fellowship Hall

Friday, September 4

4 p.m. Set up in Fellowship Hall

Saturday, September 5

10 a.m. Reception and History Display Open

11 a.m. Choir Practice in Sanctuary

4 p.m. Social Hour

5 p.m. Dinner for those with Tickets in Fellowship Hall

6 p.m. 75th Anniversary Program in Sanctuary


Sunday, September 6

NO Bible History Class

10 a.m. Traditional Worship In-person and Online

11:30 a.m. 75th Anniversary meeting

Monday, September 7

Ark CDC and Church Closed for Labor Day 
1:30 p.m. Clubhouse Knitter's Group at Ridge Park Clubhouse 
505 Oppenheimer Dr. Los Alamos

6 p.m. Emmaus Potluck Dinner in Fellowship Hall

7 p.m. Emmaus Fourth Day in Fellowship Hall

Wednesday, September 9

10 a.m. All Booked Up

6:30 p.m. Handbell Rehearsal in Sanctuary

7:15 p.m. Chancel Voices in Sanctuary

7 p.m. STARS NA meeting in Library (C1)

If you see your name missing or the date needs correcting

please email the church office at office@lafumc.org.

September Birthdays

Sept. 3 Opal Lee Gill

Sept. 3 Janet Fernsdorf

Sept. 5 Valarie Prestwood

Sept. 9 Valerie Collins

Sept. 14 Tim Dale

Sept. 15 Loren Hatler

Sept. 15 Carol Mead

Sept. 15 Celina Morgan

Sept. 15 Shelley Morris

Sept. 18 John Courtright

Sept. 21 Joy Beery

Sept. 24 Norma Covington

Sept 28 Braelynn Ami

September Anniversaries

Sept. 18 Loren & Jolene Hatler

Monday through Friday

9 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

505-662-6277 or office@lafumc.org