Our monthly newsletter digital version.

1. First United Methodist Church of North Hollywood
GOOD NEWS
e-mail: nohofumc@pacbell.net
DECEMBER 2019
facebook.com/nohofumc1 www.nohofumc.org
IN THIS ISSUE:
• A Christmas Carol
• Christmas Eve Worship
• 22nd Annual Tree Lot
• Poinsettia Orders
• Reverse Advent Calendar
GOOD NEWS is published monthly by
First United Methodist Church of North
Hollywood, California 91601
Phone (818) 763-8231
Rev. Grant Hagiya
Bishop
Rev. Jim Powell
District Superintendent
Senior Pastor
Rev. Steven F. Peralta
Congregation
Ministers
Jeff Thomas
Director of Music
Roger Eshleman
Organist
Nylean Rapinac
Administrator
Patty Kelsey
Director, Program Ministries
Tonya Peat
Director, Outreach Ministries
Norman Kelsey and I were talking one Sunday about how Ebenezer
Scrooge might be one of the most universally known characters in
literature. To say the name “Scrooge” immediately conjures the image
of a miserable, old curmudgeon of a man. We think of someone empty
of compassion, kindness, joy, or empathy. We think of “bah humbug”
and recoil at the image and the sound of the name and hope that we
aren’t ever mistaken from a “scrooge.”
Have you ever stopped to think how incredibly unfair our recalling of
Ebenezer Scrooge is? Certainly, the way we remember ‘Ol Scrooge is
the way we meet him at the beginning of Charles Dickens’ novella A
Christmas Carol. But the Ebenezer Scrooge we observe at the end of
the story is very different than the one at the beginning. His Christmas
Eve experience has changed him, and as a result, the spirit of Christmas
shines within him. Our last sight of Scrooge is a man filled with
compassion, kindness, joy, and generosity: the kind of person we should
all want to be.
As we move into Advent and Christmas, I think we should all set a goal
to be more like Scrooge. We should all enter into the season with the
goal of being better people at the end of it. Every decoration we hang,
every gathering we participate in, every service we attend, every song we
sing, every shift we work at the Christmas Tree Lot, and every present
we exchange should cause the love of Christ and our fellow humans to
grow within us and change us.
I hope that you will make sure to participate in all the special events that
are happening this month (and contained in this newsletter). In
particular, I invite you to join me on Tuesday Nights at 7:00PM as we
follow the story of Scrooge’s transformation and seek to be changed like
Scrooge. I promise that you will not be the same person when we
celebrate Christ’s birth on December 24th.
Noel! Noel!
-Pastor Steve

2. ADVENT SERMON SERIES: A CHRISTMAS CAROL
We will journey with Scrooge as he comes face to face with his past, present, and future. Ultimately
learning to truly live the “Spirit of Christmas” in his heart and to keep it all year long.
December
1
Something’s Coming...
Matthew 24:36-44
December 8 The Ghost of Christmas Past
December 15 The Ghost of Christmas Present Matthew 11:2-11
December 22 The Ghost of Christmas Future Matthew 1:18-25
December 24 Christ is Here!
December 29 A Scary Baby Matthew 2:1-12
HIGHLIGHTS OF WORSHIP
November 3rd - Today was All Saint’s Day. Pastor Steve began his Sermon Series: Living With The
End in Mind. His sermon, “Come What May...,” was based on 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. What is coming is
better than what we currently know and experience. We followed Communion with the lighting of
candles in memory of the Saints we lost this year and those we continue to miss. Mildred Doyel, Frank
Flemming, Richard Roche, Marion Elkerton, Charles Less, and Mary Lees.
November 10th - Synchronicity Handbells performed two pieces to start off worship. Time with
Children was led by Pastor Steve, and it tied in with his message, “Means of Grace,” based on Luke
19:1-10. Grace meets us, restores us, and continues on with us. Zacchaeus has already had a change of
heart because of what God had been doing in his heart, Jesus restores him, and grace allows Zacchaeus
to live in a new way. Special music was shared by Jeff Thomas, who sang, “Precious Memories.” Worship
and coffee fellowship was followed by Service Sunday, where our church, The Wesley School, and Troop
18, came together to complete a multitude of projects. Decorating Discovery Arts Boxes and filling them
with art supplies. Making PB&J Sandwiches for the Food Pantry. Putting together toiletry and snack bags
for our Care Kits for the Homeless. Creating gifts for assisted living residents and writing thank you notes
to Veterans, LAPD, and LAFD. It was a fantastic event and we look forward to seeing how we grow in
changing the world together.
November 17th - On this Thanksgiving Sunday we enjoyed a lovely worship and baptism. Pastor
Steve’s sermon, “Keeping the End in Mind,” was based on Luke 21:5-19, You have to endure the
struggles in order to receive the glory. What you experience now is not how it will always be. Special
music was shared by Shaun Vieten, who sang. We were blessed to witness the baptism of Ethan William
Forgione and celebrated with a lovely luncheon, hosted by the Forgione & Goodpastor families, out on
the patio. What a blessed day!
November 24th - Today was Christ The King Sunday, marking the end of our church calendar year.
Patty Kelsey shared a moment with children about ... Pastor Steve’s message, “Will You Remember Me?”
was based on Luke 23:33-43. Norman Kelsey shared special music, singing, “Do Lord.” Coffee
Fellowship was a celebration of gratitude as we enjoyed Manny’s Coffee and autumn themed treats out
on the courtyard patio.
Matthew 3:1-12
Luke 2:1-147:00 PM
11:00 PM

3. Monday, December 24th
Two Services Available
7:00 PM - Family Service
Featuring Children’s Message,
Chancel Choir & Special Music
11:00 PM
Featuring Lessons, Carols,
Communion & Candlelight.
Main Sanctuary
Christmas Merry Making
Definitely Dickens Carolers
Sunday, December 15th
During 10:30 AM Worship
In the Main Sanctuary and continuing into
fellowship hour out on the Patio.
Enjoy yuletide cheer and Manny’s Coffee!
Give a poinsettia plant in honor or memory of a loved one.
These plants are fashioned into a Christmas tree which adorns the
chancel of our church. The flowers may be taken home following the
11:00 PM Christmas Eve Service.
Thank you for your $10.00 donation. Please complete the section
below and return the form to the office with your check.
Please indicate “for poinsettia” on the offering envelope. Thank you.
Your Name________________________________ Phone ______________________________
Address _______________________________________________________________________
Circle one: (IN MEMORY OF) or (IN HONOR OF) Number of plants ordered _______
Name _________________________________________ Amount Enclosed $ ____________
Name _________________________________________ Please place orders by December 15th

4. What’s Happening in December?
Tuesday, December 24th - CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
7:00 PM - Family Service
Featuring Children’s Message, Chancel Choir & Special Music
11:00 PM - Candle Light Service
Featuring Lessons, Carols, Communion & Candlelight
Sunday, December 8th -Chili Cook Off! Bring
your best crock pot of chili! Taste test & vote!
ADVENT BIBLE STUDY
Tuesdays at 7:00 PM
December 3, 10 & 17
Community Room
Pastor Steve will guide us through
this Christmas Classic as we
prepare our hearts for Christ.
Books are available for pick up on
Sunday, Dec 1st.
Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays in December
Our 22nd Annual Christmas Tree Lot is open for business!
Fridays: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Saturdays: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Sundays: 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
We need tree handlers, greeters, & dinner providers.
Sign up at church or online. (Check your weekly email update for link)
Sunday, December 8th - Mission Sunday!
Bring peanut butter, chili, tuna, & dry cereal for the
food pantry and a few extra dollars for the blue
mission envelopes. Brown paper grocery bags too!
Sunday,
December 15th
Following Worship
Come to our Pop-up
Shop on the Patio
Enjoy Merry Making
Festivities & Shop!
Sunday,
December 8th
Following worship
Patio Courtyard
Bring your most delicious pot of
Chili to church! Everyone will taste
test and vote for their favorite.
Winner gets a small
Christmas Tree!
Wednesday, December 4th - UMW Holiday
Luncheon. Harvest Moon, 12454 W. Magnolia
Blvd, Valley Village. Dutch treat!
Thursday, December 19th - PB & J Project.
Time TBD. Lounge. Come make 150 Sandwiches for
the homeless that receive assistance from NHIFP.
Sunday, December 15th - UMW Boutique
Pop-Up Shop during Christmas Merry Making.
Friday, December 20th- Christmas Tea
Fellowship at the home of Hanna Sack. Come see
her decorations and enjoy a spot of tea. Carpool due
to limited parking. Tea is at 12pm.Wednesday, December 11th - Ruth Circle.
7:30 PM in the Lounge. Annual Cookie Exchange.
Wednesday, December 18th - Blue Christmas
- A Contemplative Service of Remembrance and
Hope. 7pm. Boyer Chapel.
Sunday, December 15th - Christmas Merry
Making. Definitely Dickens Carolers & Manny’s!
Tuesdays in Advent, December 3, 10 & 17 -
Join us for this three part Bible Study, based on
Charles Dickens Classic story. Led by Pastor Steve
in the Community Room at 7pm. Books available.

5. NOHOFUMC 22nd ANNUAL TREELOT
THE CHRISTMAS TREE WITH A HEART
programs like Discovery Arts Boxes, North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry, Hope of the Valley, and
UMCOR Relief Ministries. Every year we bring in somewhere around 16 to 18 thousand dollars to do
good in our neighborhood and world.
The tree lot also provides a place for our community to meet and interact with the church. We need
smiling faces, joyful spirits, strong backs, and many hands to make this a successful endeavor.
Sign up at www.nohofumc.org and help us do good!
TREE LOT HOURS
FRIDAYS
4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
SATURDAYS
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
SUNDAYS
12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
1. Sign up in person on Sundays
2. Online at www.nohofumc.org
You can volunteer for the following:
GREETERS
TREE HANDLERS
CASHIERS
PROVIDE LUNCHES OR DINNERS
From Pastor Steve
Our Christmas Tree Lot opens its doors on Saturday, December 1st.
The proceeds from the Tree Lot support our missions projects and gifts to
From Pastor Steve
While most people look forward to the Christmas season with joy, some people find that the season opens
up old wounds, brings to the surface feelings of grief, as well as a marked sense of loneliness.
On Wednesday, December 18th at 7:00 PM, we will provide a space for those who need to approach God
out of their grief or their pain. This contemplative experience will incorporate opportunities to silently
pray, light candles, and open up our hearts to the one who comes with the promise of new life and of hope.
Please join us for this very special service.

6. DECEMBER MISSION OPPORTUNITY
Everyone loves advent calendars to count them down to Christmas Day. Most children adore receiving one at
the beginning of December because it gets them excited for Santa coming, and every surprise that they open
on the way is a promise of what’s to come. But if you want to try something a little different this year, you can
create an advent calendar that you (and your children) put something into every day instead of taking
something out.
This Advent, we are requesting that you join your follow congregants in filling your reverse advent calendar
every day until Christmas, with items of food that will be taken to the North Hollywood Interfaith Food
Pantry. Just get a large box or bag, place it in your kitchen, den, or by the front door and throw in one item a
day. You can bring your box to Christmas Eve worship service, or to worship on Sunday, December 29th.

7. To order flowers for the chancel, fill out the order form below and place in the offering plate or
drop it in the church office mail slot. If you have a specific color or flower request, this can be
made through Dee’s Flowers 818-769-3000 or deesflowers1945@gmail.com
It’s time to think about dedicating altar flowers in honor
or in memory of your loved ones!
Each arrangement is $30 and includes an
announcement in the bulletin for the Sunday selected.
We are able to accept 5 dedications each Sunday.
Today’s Date: _________________________
Name(s): __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Daytime Phone: ____________________________________________
Email: ____________________________________________________
All dates are available in 2020 currently.
Dates Requested: ___________________________________________
Floral Dedication:
(Please check one of the following and write the specifics of your dedication in the
space provided below)
In Honor of ___________________________________________
In Celebration of _______________________________________
In Memory of _________________________________________
Check enclosed for arrangement ($30). Checks made payable to FUMC.
Single bud vase may also be ordered at $8 each. You may also take the entire vase home following
worship. Red and Pink roses for baby announcements. White roses for death. Special colors for life
milestones like an engagement or graduation. Please contact the church office or Dee’s Flowers
directly, prior to the weekend.

8. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. There are a lot of exciting things happening this
holiday season @NoHoFUMC.
This year, for the children’s play, sticking with Pastor Steve’s theme, Scott Peat has written a fun
take on “A Christmas Carol,” called, “A Ghostmas Carol.” We are super excited to present this
short play on December 22nd, during our 10:30AM worship service. The kids will be working
hard to bring this story to life so please come and support them.
Also, from the Digital Outreach desk, I wanted to draw your attention to our YouTube page
where you can find Pastor Steve’s Message for the Week videos. Each and every week Pastor Steve
and I record a 2 minute video that gives a sneak peek into the message he will be preaching about
that Sunday. We often go on location in our community to find a location that fits with the
message. You can also find the full Sunday service recordings in case you were out of town or
missed church for any reason you can sit down at home and watch the full service. There are also
a number of special videos that I have put together from the community events we do including
Trunk-or-Treat, VBS, PB&J, Care Kits, Discovery Arts Boxes and a special About Us video I did
for the Charge Conference that really shows what our church is about. We are not just friends, we
are a family.
So, the next time you are online, please go to our YouTube page NoHo FUMC and check out all
it has to offer. Subscribe and never miss a post. I also invite you to subscribe to our web site
www.nohofumc.org and as always please follow us on social media. Tag us in your photos and
posts and check in on FB Sundays and when you are at church events.
In addition I’m excited to have Jesse Boone onboard to help do the live streaming on Sundays
that I am not able. So we have a team of 3 of us now with Me, Muffett and Jesse. So thank you
Jesse for joining us.
FROM THE DIGITAL OUTREACH DESK
By Tonya Peat

9. THANK YOU!
Our first Outdoor Market was a huge success! Thank you for your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and
witness toward this awesome Community Outreach event! We met our neighbors and shared our light by
selling lemonade, sharing worship music, selling jams, baked goods, hand-crafted goods, and plants. We even
had participation from Wesley’s Head of School, Ernie Levroney, who made homemade espresso macarons!
New Horizons also took part in our event, sharing information about their organization. In the end, we
raised over $1000 for mission project in total (UMW and General). We love NOHO ARTS DISTRICT!

10. Wishing you a birthday that is merry and bright!
Love, Your Church Family
December 5 Anita McChesney
December 6 Helen Wirth
December 7 Ralph Seybold
December 10 Doug Eboch
December 11 Myriel Tyree
December 16 Pastor Steve
December 17 Cary Noren
December 18 Jeff Thomas
December 20 Genelita Ancheta
December 20 Clive Melville
December 21 James St. John
December 24 Tracey Radillo
December 25 Jesus
December 31 Nancy Kien
• Nancy Harrington was recently diagnosed with advanced stage cancer. She has been hospitalized and
suffering in great pain. Her daughter, Debbie, requests prayers.
• Brian Vieten is recuperating at home and will continue to be monitored by his doctors after having
heart issues at the end of October.
• Ralph Seybold is back home with a caregiver coming in to make sure Ralph has everything he needs.
• Tonya Peat requests prayers for her friend Ali, who has been diagnosed with colon cancer for a second
time and it metasticized. Tonya’s neighbor, Jenn, was just diagnosed with very early staged Breast
Cancer. Jenn is a single mom and feeling very scared about what is to come.
• Roger Eshleman requests prayers for his sister Joan Velde. She had an allergic reaction to her second
round of chemotherapy a few weeks ago. She is very tired from treatment and has been resting at
home. She has been happy to listen to our worship services online.
• Caitlin Thomas was diagnosed with epilepsy after being hospitalized, she has acquired a medical bill of
$10,000. Jeff’s home church in Arkansas has raised funds to help Caitlin.
• Emma Thomas is also developing seizure episodes and is waiting to see a neurologist.
• Carl VanDorn, Muffett Brinkman’s Stepdad) fell and was in ICU for bruising on his brain.
• Tracy Hagan’s fifth round of chemotherapy was not successful. Doctors administered a new treatment
for a clinical trial, which they discovered post treatment, was not covered by insurance.
• Uma Tokahuta thanks you for your prayers over the last few years. She is doing pretty well, on her
own, in Thailand. But misses everyone and everything in the USA.
You can send your joys and concerns in a variety of ways:
1. Contact the church office at (818) 763-8231 or nohofumc@pacbell.net
2. Drop a note in the offering plate on Sunday
3. Let us know if this is a private prayer, for the prayer chain only,
or if it can be shared with the congregation.

11. OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORSHIP
December 1 First Sunday of Advent. Purple or Blue.
Isa. 2:1-5; Ps. 122 (UMH 845); Rom. 13:11-14; Matt. 24:36-44
December 8 Second Sunday of Advent. Purple or Blue.
Isa. 11:1-10; Ps. 72; Rom. 15:4-13; Matt. 3:1-12
December 15 Third Sunday of Advent. Purple, Blue.
Isa. 35:1-10; Luke 1:46b-55; James 5:7-10; Matt. 11:2-11
December 22 Fourth Sunday of Advent. Purple or Blue.
Isa. 7:10-16; Rs. 80:1-7, 17-19; Rom. 1:1-7; Matt. 1:18-25
December 24 Christmas Eve. Peace. White or Gold.
Isaiah 9:2-7; Ps. 96 (UMH 815), Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20
December 29 First Sunday After Christmas. White or Gold.
Isa. 63:7-9; Ps. 148 (UMH 861); Heb. 2:10-18; Matt. 2:13-23
Sunday Worship Services at 10:30 AM in the Main Sanctuary
Children’s Sunday School meets at 10:30 AM in the Community Room/Nursery
Adult Sunday School meets on the 2nd, 4th & 5th Sundays at 9:00 AM in Boyer Chapel
Children’s Message on 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Sundays at 10:30 worship service and Christmas Eve 7:00 PM
Communion will be celebrated on December 1st at 8:15 & 10:30 AM worship service,
and Tuesday, December 24th - 11:00 PM Christmas Eve.
8:15 AM Worship Services in Boyer Chapel
December 1 - Pastor Steve December 8 - Norman Kelsey
December 15 - Patty Kelsey December 22 - Sandra Smith December 29th - Sandra Smith
Please have your articles for the Good News to the church office by December 17th for the January 2020 publication
or email them to pattyfumc@gmail.com
If you no longer wish to receive this publication, please contact the church office
or return this address label noting that we are to discontinue sending it. Thank you.
POSTMASTER - Please send changes of address to:
First United Methodist Church of North Hollywood
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA. 91601