Upstream

Eight Naked Spirituality groups, including three brand-new groups, have been organized to meet once a month for the purpose of making new friends and deepening our prayer life together. Fifty-five people are reading Naked Spirituality — a significant number! Imagine what God will do with that united energy…
It’s not too late to join in.
SUNDAYS @ 9:45 — one group meets the week of the “Naked Spirituality” sermon of the month; another meets the week after (next meeting: Feb 12)
TUESDAY @ 7 pm — at the home of Valorie Hamachek (next meeting: Feb 21)
WEDNESDAYS @ 10 am — this weekly group has decided to keep discussing the month’s topic every week!
WEDNESDAY @ 4:30 pm — in the Patio Room (next meeting: Mar 7)
THURSDAY @ 7 pm at Peet’s in Redwood City, discussing “Naked Spirituality” the week after the month’s focused sermon (next meeting: Mar 15)
FRIDAY @ 11:15 am — at Betsy Scroggs’ home (next meeting: Feb 24)
SATURDAY @ 10 am — at Doris Lippitt’s home, 2nd Saturday of the month
Drop ins welcome! Groups meet at the church unless otherwise indicated; contact the church office for addresses of church member hosts.

This month’s word: HERE.  Read through page 48 in preparation for group gatherings.

This month’s prayer practice: Journal or movement …

Here I am, Lord (hands out, palms down)

And here you are, Lord (turn hands palms up)

Here we are together (join hands together, one palm up and one palm down)

Next “Naked Spirituality” sermon: March 11

Perhaps you enjoyed our Advent/Christmas book study and worship emphasis with Adam Hamilton’s The Journey, and are ready for more. Or perhaps the New Year has brought with it a stirring to go deeper in your walk with God. If so, we’re pleased to announce that this year we’ll be delving into Naked Spirituality, the latest offering by theologian Brian McLaren. We are taking orders for the book now, and will begin monthly small groups and a once-a-month Sunday worship focus, on the twelve spiritual practices outlined in the book, starting February 5th.

McLaren is one of the great writers and thinkers of our time. He has a gift for taking big-picture, overwhelming issues, and breaking them into easily understood, clearly communicated concepts. His works are a pleasure to read, and Naked Spirituality is no exception.

In the book, McLaren uses the metaphor of seasons — spring, summer, fall and winter — in his description of “seasons” of the spiritual life: simplicity, complexity, perplexity and harmony. For each “season,” McLaren suggests three words that encapsulate three prayer practices. During this series, we will focus on one word/practice each month.

Focusing on one “word” per month also provides us the opportunity to host small groups that may be more workable for busy schedules. We hope you’ll consider joining a once-a-month discussion of the book to help work a variety of simple spiritual practices into your life. With this kind of meeting schedule, we can be more flexible about days, times, locations and forms. If you have an idea about where/when/how might work for you, please give Pastor Laurie a call, grab her after worship, or send an email.

You may order a copy of Naked Spirituality and sign up for a small group in the Welcome Center or by contacting the church office. You can get a preview of the book here on Amazon. You might also enjoy reading this interview with Brian McLaren.

We’ll launch this study on Sunday, February 5. If you have signed up to participate in a small group by that date, you’ll be invited to come forward for a consecration and prayer time.

You’ll find elements of Upstream (and many of the people, too!) in the sanctuary over Christmas and New Year’s:

On Christmas Eve, the children will lead worship at 5:00 pm with an energetic, fun-filled musical presentation, “The Christmas Hang-Ups.”  Following worship, all are invited to a soup supper in the Fellowship Hall, and to get their free photo taken at the manger display in the Patio Room (dress up in costume or wear your holiday best).  The 8:30 pm service of lessons and carols is quiet and reflective and includes readings both from scripture and from some of the great Christian spiritual writers of history.

Christmas Day at 10:45 am will include a “Blessing of the Toys” (adults can bring their favorite gift for blessing, too!), carol singing in English and Tongan, a video visit to Bethlehem with Adam Hamilton, and some surprises.  Onscreen lyrics and media typical of Upstream will be part of this sanctuary worship experience.  Later in the day, the “Photos at the Manger” booth will be open to guests of the InnVision meal for the homeless.

On New Year’s Day we’ll take an old Wesleyan practice, the Service of Covenant Renewal, and make it our own.  Holy Communion will be open to all.

Join us as Upstream joins the “Mainstream” for these celebrations.  Upstream will return to Sunday morning in the Fellowship Hall at 8:45 am on Sunday, January 8.

The room was filled with the light and scent of blue candles.  Worshipers sat on couches and rocking chairs.  Various worship team members read, with confident voices, powerful words of hope and comfort from the scriptures.  Beautiful visuals appeared on screen.  People wrote messages to, and names of, departed loved ones, and were prayed for one-on-one at prayer stations.  And the music played on and on.  For a small group who came to mark The Longest Night, the people of Upstream piled on the love.  At worship’s close, all just sat in silence for many minutes; no one wanted to break the spell.

The scripture readings from The Longest Night observance may be found here.

One the the prayer stations that will be offered at The Longest Night

Marking the Longest Night
A special gathering for grief, hope, faith and healing
Tuesday, December 20, 7pm, FUMCPA Kohlstedt Hall (downstairs)

The holidays can be a difficult time for many people. Painful memories, loss and the prospect of an uncertain new year can feel all the more difficult in the face of so much hoopla in the surrounding culture. Celebrating old traditions can hurt when loved ones are gone or when one cannot do as much as one used to.

The Advent season is a time of waiting, clinging to hope in the midst of darkness. On the longest night of the year, we will gather to remember and to place our pain before God who never lets us go. Through quiet music and new ritual, we hope to create a space for healing. All are invited — and encouraged to bring a friend.

Pastor Laurie leading prayer in worship

Upstream is “Journeying” in a different space during Advent.  We’ve moved into the smaller, more intimate space of Kohlstedt Hall in the First United Methodist Church lower level.  We’re also making use of new lighting equipment to add to that sense of intimacy and mystery (thank you, Centennial Endowment Fund donors!).

The first Sunday of Advent had us journeying through scripture, imagination, and Holy Land video footage to Nazareth, Mary’s hometown; the second Sunday of Advent took the journey to Bethlehem, Joseph’s hometown.  Next week we’ll visit Ein Karem, the hometown of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist).

Several of our worshippers are reading Adam Hamilton’s The Journey during Advent.  A small group studying the book is meeting in a member home on Thursdays. Others are following along in a daily devotional.  Contact Pastor Laurie for more information.

KIDS AND KIDS-AT-HEART!  There’s an app for The Journey, too!  It’s a sort of virtual Advent calendar for your smart phone, with a new game to open every day!  More info and free trial version can be found here.

Join us for an intergenerational, interactive morning of learning and song as we launch our congregational Advent focus on “The Journey” from Nazareth to Bethlehem, inspired by the new book by Adam Hamilton. The morning will include a look at Adam’s holy land video footage and a time for everyone to make their own Advent devotional art piece to take home.

A special ritual of Thanksgiving will mark our gathering time at Upstream this week.  Come a few minutes early so you can be tapped to participate in the creation of our “altar of thanks” — adults and children welcome!

Upstream welcomed Jeremy Schulz, worship leader of Point Pleasant UMC and a Family Camp favorite, on Sunday, November 13. Jeremy shared testimony and music from his recently released album, “Breakin’ Out.” You can hear samples of Jeremy’s music at http://www.jeremyschulzmusic.com/

Did you know that the first Halloween costumes were of saints? We learned about some of the connections between Halloween and the Christian observation of All Saint’s Day at our special Upstream celebration on October 30.  Kids and grown ups alike came in costume, our children’s choirs and other musical guests led us in song.  Lots of intergenerational fun was to be had, including food crafts, trivia contest, trick-or-treat and a cake walk.  We also wrote the names of loved ones who have died and put them on a large cross, to remember the connection of the light-hearted festivities to the observance of All Saints Day, and to affirm our faith that because of God’s grace we are surrounded by a “great cloud of witnesses;” we are never alone, and we need not fear times of trouble or death.