The Weekly Courier

March 16, 2023

Prepare Your Heart...

Before you hear Connie and our Praise Team sing "The River," listen to this incredible virtual choir performance with over 140 participants (including the original songwriter Brian Doerksen himself).

Click on the picture --> 

Photo Directory Update

If you haven't gotten your picture and would still like to, we'll be doing one final round of photos on March 19 (this Sunday) right after worship. This will officially be the FINAL round of photos to accommodate anyone who couldn't stay last Sunday.

If you aren't able to make this final photo session, please send Lauren your own photo from home (if you'd still like to be included in the directory). The deadline for this is also 3/19.

If you DO NOT want your photo and/or personal contact information included in the directory, follow this link and fill out our opt-out form: https://forms.gle/izYhReoZUtrcxwQ36

Anti-Racist Film Club Update

Because the first Thursday in April is in Holy Week, our co-op pastors have decided that the Anti-Racist Film Club will take a break for the month and join together again on May 4th. BUT! If you can't wait that long for some meaningful discussion, there's still a new podcast episode just for you!

In a special guest-led episode of the podcast, we discuss the film Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) which just won the Academy Award last weekend for Best Picture of the year! It's a jampacked conversation with tons of insight and a bit of laughter. Definitely a must-listen for anyone excited about the work of our club. You can find a link to the new episode right here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/zJ32Qh9Kdyb

Sign Up For the Easter Vigil

On Holy Saturday, we remember the time between Jesus' death and resurrection; the time in which Jesus was dead and buried. It is tempting to skip from Palm Sunday, where we shout hosanna in welcome of our messiah-king, to Easter, where we shout Alleluia in celebration of Christ's resurrection. But, between Palm Sunday and Easter, a whole host of events take place for Jesus, and for us as his disciples. 

After we remember Judas' betrayal of Jesus on Wednesday during Midweek Worship, and the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday, we invite you sign up to hold vigil for one hour for 'Holy Saturday,' in recognition and honor of the very real grief and loss of the day in which Jesus was dead and buried. 

We know now that Jesus was ultimately resurrected and ascended to God, but the first disciples did not have that foreknowledge. On Holy Saturday, we enter into the experience of the first disciples, imagining and empathizing with their grief at the loss of their friend and teacher, and the existential grief at the state of the world: that we would crucify the messiah. 

You are invited to sign up to hold vigil for one hour on the Portico (front entrance) at the church, around a propane fire between 10am on Saturday, April 8th and 10am on Sunday, April 9th. Two people can sign up for each hour (though there can be more than that, if you want to bring a friend or family member with you). People from other cooperative churches will be holding vigil at their church sites as well, and together, in body and in spirit, we will hold vigil until we enter into Easter worship, shouting Alleluia! Christ is Risen! 

Please sign up with this link: https://forms.gle/wArSQGq6J9uc1iba6

If you have any questions, please ask Pastor Alexa

Upcoming Trustees Work Party

The Trustees are hosting a church clean-up and work party to get ready for spring!

All are invited on Saturday March 25 from 10:00-1:00 to come and help. There will be tasks for all ages and skill levels. Some jobs will be outside and others will be indoors. 

Bring your work gloves, cleaning gloves, or just yourself and come spring clean the church!

FOWIA Easter & Greeting Card Sale

Handmade Easter cards and other greeting cards will be on sale on THIS Sunday, March 19^th. All proceeds will benefit the Madison School Laundry Voucher Program. 

And thank you very much for your support of the Valentine project. A total of $1, 230 was sent to Church World Service for their Emergency Blanket Project.

Order Your UWIF Chocolate Easter Eggs

This Easter season, don't forget to order your own personalized chocolate fudge Easter eggs from the United Women in Faith (these are solid home-made fudge decorated eggs). Color choices for names are: pink, blue, yellow, green, white, violet, or red.

Orders forms will be available on Sunday Mornings in the narthex, in the church office folder or by calling Carol Gruen (360) -352-9703. You can leave the information on her answering machine if she is not home or by emailing her at gruencl1941@gmail.com.

The last date to order eggs will be Sunday, March 26th. Eggs will be available on Palm Sunday, April 2nd. Cost is $6.00 for a whole egg and $5.00 for a half egg.

Join the Hospitality Team!

Do you have a friendly face? Do you like making people feel welcome? Join the Hospitality Team (previously known as ushers & greeters)!

March 26th after worship (11:30am), Pastor Alexa will be hosting a brief training session for those new and longstanding on the Hospitality Team in the Narthex and Entryway. 

College Care Packages

Do you have a child, grandchild, or friend in college and/or graduate school who would benefit from a care package? Our care packages include snacks, drink mixes, something sweet and something spiritual, along with an encouragement card.

Care packages go out the week of April 10. Please contact Angelina (angelina@fumcoly.org) by Sunday April 2. Please include the following information: the name of the person receiving the care package, their college, grade, mailing address and any dietary restrictions so we can customize their care package accordingly. 

Caregiver’s Support Group

Are you a caring for an ailing friend or family member? You are not alone.

The Caregivers' Support Group at First Olympia meets on the third Tuesday of every month from 2:30 - 4:00 PM in the Gathering Place. Together we:

• Exchange information on caregiving problems
• Talk through challenges
• Discuss ways of coping
• Share feelings

If you are a caregiver or friend of a caregiver who has any questions about our group, please contact Jeanne Kirkpatrick (our parish nurse). She'd love to hear from you.

Jeanne Kirkpatrick, RN

Faith Community Nurse

(360) 359-0031 | Jeannek2@comcast.net

March-April Upper Rooms

New issues of the Upper Room are ready for pick-up for $1.00!

You may get yours on a Sunday morning, before or after worship. Or, swing by the church Monday-Thursday, 10am-2pm.

Morning Prayer Team

For prayer opportunities with your church friends, join the Morning Prayer team, Monday-Saturday at 9:00am.

Access our Zoom Link right here or directly email the church office.

We're Hiring! Want to be a Childcare Worker?

What a blessing to have children in our church family! We are gifted week over week with multiple children in our nursery. As a result we are seeking a second childcare worker to join our beloved childcare leader, Linda Eldred, every Sunday in the church nursery (9:30-11:30). You can read the full job description here.

The position pays $16/hour depending on experience and is open to anyone age 16 and over. If this is you or someone you know please send a resume to angelina@fumcoly.org. 

Life of the Church

Check out these awesome photos from the United Women in Faith's annual Rummage Sale last weekend! We certainly had a full church building...

With YOUR support the UWIF were able to raise over $13,000 for local Olympia charities and non-profits. So if you volunteered or shopped with us, THANK YOU for your help in making a difference.

You can find more photos from these event (and many more) on our Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/FUMCOLY

Want YOUR Article In The Courier?

If you're looking to remind members of our church community about an upcoming event, updates on existing ministries, or even brand new opportunities, this newsletter is a great place to start! Here's a few tips for how to ensure your news gets out in time:

• Write a short paragraph with all the essential information you need people to know (the when/where's/and what to brings of the event)
• Send your article to our multimedia coordinator, Lauren (multimedia@fumcoly.org). If you have a relevant photo you want included, feel free to send that along too.
• Send your article at least THREE WEEKS before your event! We run articles for two weeks and since The Courier goes out on Thursdays, we want to make sure everyone has plenty of time to read your announcement.

If you have news, we'd love to help you share it!

Our Welcoming Statement

First United Methodist Church of Olympia welcomes people of all ages, all abilities,

all sexual orientations and gender identities, all nationalities and ethnicities,

the poor and the rich, single people and the many forms of family.

See our Church Calendar.

Visit our webpage!

Watch our latest worship service.

Read the latest Joys & Concerns

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Instagram!

Contact us ...

by phone: 360-943-2661 by email: fumco@fumcoly.org

OFFICE HOURS: Sunday 9am-noon | Monday-Thursday 10am-2pm

The Weekly Courier editor: Lauren Fontanilla