Light Shimmering Through A Darkness

The Christmas story continues into the shadows. Jesus’ family flees as refugees. Herod’s violence leaves grief in its wake. And yet, God is still with us. Through courage, trust, and faithful obedience, light shimmers through the darkness. Join us as we worship the Christ who is born into a broken world—and leads us in hope.

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Sunday worship begins at 10:15AM.

Join us in person in our sanctuary or watch online via Zoom, Facebook or YouTube Live.

 

Bulletin Link

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December 28, 2025

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You may give your Tithes & Offerings by mail, or click here to give online.

 

Watch Online

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87993979913
Meeting ID: 879 9397 9913
Passcode: 326043
Or dial the following number: 1(669) 900-6833.
When prompted, enter the meeting ID & passcode above.

 

To join Sunday Worship via Facebook, click here and look for the live video at the top of the page.

To watch the livestream of our service on YouTube, click here.

 

 

Upcoming Sundays

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January 04, 2025

Covenant Service

Peter 1:13-25

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January 11, 2025

Soul Reset

Luke 3:21-23

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Holiday Office Hours

December 22 – 23, 10 am – 12 pm

December 24 – January 02, Office Closed

Due to the need to travel and spend time with family and loved ones, the office hours will be reduced to 10am – 12pm on Monday, December 22 to Tuesday, December 23. The office will then be closed from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day.

December 27 – January 04, Pastor Sunae on vacation

During Pastor Sunae’s time away, please direct any congregational care needs to Sue Dickey, Chair of Congregational Care. For urgent pastoral care emergencies, Rev. Myrna Bernadel-Huey will be available, with Sue Dickey coordinating care as needed.

Celebration of Life for Judi Ann Fabrizio

Saturday, January 17 at 11 AM

With grateful hearts for a life filled with love, generosity, and faith, we invite you to a Celebration of Life for Judi Ann Fabrizio on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Lake Merritt United Methodist Church.
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Together, we will honor Judi’s beautiful spirit, give thanks for her life among us, and commend her into God’s everlasting embrace. A reception will follow the service, and all are welcome to stay, share stories, and support the family.
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For those unable to attend in person, a Zoom option is available. Zoom link and details will be shared closer to the date.
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Please hold Judi’s family, Wayne and Julie, and loved ones in your prayers during this tender season of remembrance and grief. We hold our Judi’s loving spirit in our hearts and prayers.
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The Palestinian Reality Post Gaza Ceasefire:

A Time for Faithful Solidarity & Action

Saturday, January 24, 10 AM

New Bridges United Methodist Church 
1411 Oak Street
Alameda, CA 94501

The Bay District and Friends of Wadi Foquin invite you to save the date for this important gathering.

Since the United Nations approval of President Trump’s controversial 20 point peace plan for Gaza, Palestinians have continued to be killed there – and the West Bank experiences a slow, silent takeover of land.

Although the administration has publicly criticized Israel for plans to annex Palestinian land in the West Bank – de facto annexation takes place on a daily basis.. This event will provide an opportunity to hear about Palestinian reality on the ground and ways we can engage in faithful actions for an equitable peace in the Middle East.

For any questions contact Michael Yoshii at michaelyoshii1@gmail.com

 If you would like to submit an announcement for our weekly e-blast, please adhere to the guidelines found here. All submissions are due Tuesday by noon.

God With Us

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we gather to celebrate God With Us through story and song, the lighting of the Candle of Joy, a Christmas program, and the celebration of baptism. At the heart of our worship is the Christmas pageant, “The Gifts of the Journey,” where children and adults alike are invited to journey through the sanctuary in search of a special baby. Along the way, we encounter shepherds, angels, travelers, and wise ones, and we gather gifts we cannot hold—gifts of the heart: love, care for creation, peace and justice, curiosity, and joy—the hopes we carry for every child.

This Sunday we also celebrate the baptisms of Arik Rian Christy and Lyana Rose Iyengar.  As Advent draws us ever closer to Christmas, we prepare room in our hearts, trusting that God meets us on the way and rejoices among us. Join us.

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Sunday worship begins at 10:15AM.

Join us in person in our sanctuary or watch online via Zoom, Facebook or YouTube Live.

 

Bulletin Link

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December 21, 2025

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You may give your Tithes & Offerings by mail, or click here to give online.

 

Watch Online

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87993979913
Meeting ID: 879 9397 9913
Passcode: 326043
Or dial the following number: 1(669) 900-6833.
When prompted, enter the meeting ID & passcode above.

 

To join Sunday Worship via Facebook, click here and look for the live video at the top of the page.

To watch the livestream of our service on YouTube, click here.

 

 

Upcoming Sundays

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December 28, 2025

Light Shimmering Through a Darkness

Matthew 2:13-23

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January 04, 2025

Covenant Service

TBD

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Annual Children’s Christmas Pageant

Sunday, December 21

Advent is here! That means we are counting down the days until the annual Christmas Pageant on Sunday, December 21. This is a no-rehearsal pageant titled “The Gifts of the Journey”. We will “journey” around the sanctuary looking for a special baby. All children are invited to participate, even visitors. So come to church in time to choose a simple costume representing a shepherd, a wise one, or an angel. The pageant will be during the children’s moment. Following the pageant, pre-schoolers will go to their regular class. The Godly Play group will stay in the service. Hope to see you all on the 21st.

Christmas Offering: Supporting UMCOR

Sunday, December 21

This Christmas, we invite you to share the love of Christ through our Christmas Offering on December 21, which will support UMCOR – the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

UMCOR provides emergency aid, disaster relief, refugee support, and long-term recovery for communities around the world. Your generosity helps bring hope where it is needed most. Thank you for shining Christ’s light through your giving.

Christmas Eve Service

Wednesday, December 24, 5:30 PM

Pre-Service Fellowship at 4:30 PM

Join together with other members of our Circuit Churches for a special Christmas Eve service at 5:30pm on Wednesday, December 24th, at New Bridges UMC in Alameda. (formally Twin Towers UMC).

New Bridges UMC is located at 1411 Oak Street, with on street parking on Central Ave. and garage parking across the street at 1416 Oak St.

 

Cookie Donations Needed for Pre-Service at 4:30 PM
If you are interested in donating cookies to the pre-service fellowship, please contact Ivana Heang at Ivana.ccumc@gmail.com or bring the cookies to New Bridges by 4 pm on December 24th. For more information, see this flyer.

Holiday Office Hours

December 22 – 23, 10 am – 12 pm

December 24 – January 02, Office Closed

Due to the need to travel and spend time with family and loved ones, the office hours will be reduced to 10am – 12pm on Monday, December 22 to Tuesday, December 23. The office will then be closed from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day.

December 27 – January 04, Pastor Sunae on vacation

During Pastor Sunae’s time away, please direct any congregational care needs to Sue Dickey, Chair of Congregational Care. For urgent pastoral care emergencies, Rev. Myrna Bernadel-Huey will be available, with Sue Dickey coordinating care as needed.

Donations Needed During Advent

Through the end of the year, there will be baskets under the Christmas Tree ready to be filled with items that will be shared with our friends and neighbors in need. Connectional Ministries is grateful to be able to distribute your donations of new and gently used warm socks, hats/beanies, gloves/mittens, non-bulky blankets, and sleeping bags. New Hot Hands brand hand warmers, rain ponchos, and individually wrapped chocolates are also welcome.

Sunday Fellowship Hour Volunteers and Meals Needed for December

We all enjoy Fellowship after our Church Service on Sunday morning. Currently, we are low on people to help in the kitchen and to provide food. If you would like to volunteer in the kitchen, please contact Sue Dickey at sed5455@gmail.com. If you would like to prepare and bring a main dish, salad, or dessert during the month of December, please sign up on the clipboard in the Fellowship Hall after worship on Sunday.

Volunteers Needed: City of Oakland 2026 Point-in-Time Count

Thursday, January 22, 5 am – 12 pm

The City of Oakland is urgently seeking 500 volunteers for the vital 2026 Point-in-Time Count on Thursday, January 22, 2026. The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is a bi-annual estimated census of people experiencing homelessness in a 24-hour period. It helps to track changes over time, measure the scale of homelessness, and secure critical funding and resources to combat homelessness in our city. This count, conducted in partnership with Alameda County, is more than just a survey. The more accurate our count, the better we can serve our community.

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER: Here
Remember to select “OAKLAND” as your service location.
For more information visit their website at Oaklandca.gov/PITCount or contact them at pitcount@oaklandca.gov

Upcoming LMUMC Holiday Events

What’s happening at LMUMC this holiday season? How are we living into our core values of Christ, Community, and Cause? Find out here!

 If you would like to submit an announcement for our weekly e-blast, please adhere to the guidelines found here. All submissions are due Tuesday by noon.

God With Mary, The Faithful

This Sunday, we light the Candle of Joy and remember Mary—the young woman whose faithful “yes” made space for God to enter the world. When the angel’s message disrupted her life and filled her with questions, Mary chose to trust that God’s promise was bigger than her fear.

In a season that asks much of us, we are reminded that joy is not the absence of fear but the presence of God in the unknown. Come, beloved community—let us listen for God’s call, find courage in our questions, and say “yes” to the hope being born among us.

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Sunday worship begins at 10:15AM.

Join us in person in our sanctuary or watch online via Zoom, Facebook or YouTube Live.

 

Bulletin Link

.

December 14, 2025

.

You may give your Tithes & Offerings by mail, or click here to give online.

 

Watch Online

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87993979913
Meeting ID: 879 9397 9913
Passcode: 326043
Or dial the following number: 1(669) 900-6833.
When prompted, enter the meeting ID & passcode above.

 

To join Sunday Worship via Facebook, click here and look for the live video at the top of the page.

To watch the livestream of our service on YouTube, click here.

 

 

Upcoming Sundays

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December 21, 2025

God Is With Us

Luke 2:1-14

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December 28, 2025

Light Shimmering Through a Darkness

Matthew 2:13-23

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