February 3

Evenings at the River returns...
Join us for our 10th Anniversary Celebration on Feb. 3, 6:30pm
View the flyer
You are invited to a free buffet style dinner followed by a unique, straight from the heart, high energy, mostly music worship experience, led by our house band Healing Stream. Here, the message is in the music... and through it, we draw closer to God and to one another. Come and join in inspiring songs of praise and celebration as well as songs that speak to our shared burdens and struggles and celebrations. This hour of music vibrates with the presence of God's spirit. Whether you are simply curious, a spiritual seeker, or have been on the spiritual road for a long time and are looking for something new and relevant, know that you are welcome and warmly invited to experience ... Evenings at the River.

February 5

Souper Bowl Party
Sunday, February 5, 3:00pm, Social Hall
The Youth Fellowship will be hosting a Superbowl Party for the whole church. We will be streaming the game, and providing games and crafts for the little ones. All the youth ask is that you bring some canned goods for donating and a dessert to share. (Learn more)

February 18

Workteam needed to give a facelift to room #108
February 18, March 3 and March 10 from 9:00am–3:00pm
By this upcoming Easter we would like to have Room #108 transformed into an attractive multipurpose space. We have some money, but not enough to have the work done professionally. We are proposing 3 Saturdays of volunteer work from 9am to 3pm: February 18th, March 3rd and March 10th. Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided. Sign up sheet in the social hall. If we have many hands the work will go by swiftly. (Learn more)

February 22

Ash Wednesday Service
Wednesday, February 22, 12:00noon
All are invited to attend the 12 noon BUMC Ash Wednesday service led by Pastor Jeff.

February 26

Freedom Sunday
Sunday, February 26, 5:30-7:00pm in the Social Hall
An informative evening about Human Trafficking — the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor. It's a modern-day form of slavery, and the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Watch the film "The Dark Side of Chocolate". Talk to people from Freedom House, a local shelter for survivors of human trafficking. Learn about the United Methodist Committee on Relief projects to fight human trafficking.

February Programs:

Bible Studies

Godly Play

Journaling and Meditation

Keystone

Mission Opportunities

United Methodist Women

March 4

1st Sunday of each month
We offer Communion and Healing Prayer on the first Sunday of each month. We also ask that you bring to worship any canned goods and place them in the basket near the altar. We like to do our part in helping to stock the cupboards at the CALL Primrose Center.

March 18

Maple Street Shelter Dinner
We provide dinner 4 times per year to the Maple Street Shelter located on Maple Street in Redwood City. The Maple Street Shelter is part of the Shelter Network of San Mateo, serving single adults. Watch for a sign-up sheet to provide food and dinner items for the shelter on March 18.

This Spring

Bluegrass Benefit Concert
Coming in Spring 2012, BUMC's Bluegrass Benefit Concert. Click here for a sneak peak!

June 2

Pre-Rummage Sale volunteers
Donations are piling up for the rummage sale on Saturday, June 2 and we could use help. We try to meet every Wednesday at 10:00 and work until 12:00. If interested, please contact Deanna (deannpenn@yahoo.com/650-345-2650) or Judy McKie (JudyMcKie@att.net). Also, keep those donations coming!

Other News:

Visit our Shutterfly photo site

Entertainment Books Are Here!
Only $30 and a terrific value! Find coupons for Chevys, Michaels, Grayline tours, Foot Locker, Gap, Petco, rental cars, airfares, hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, retail stores, etc. Please call Susan Lindstrom, at 345-2850, for your book today! All proceeds benefit UMW Missions which are dedicated to women and children.

Join the Chancel Choir
Interested in singing in the Chancel Choir at 11:00am each Sunday? See Thierry Spelle or contact him at 414.737.3611. Rehearsals take place on Mondays at 11:00am and Wednesdays at 5:30pm.

Join the gardening team or donate tools!
In an effort to reduce expenditures, a decision was made to discontinue our gardening service and seek out volunteers to assume this task. If you would like to help out maintaining and improving the church grounds, contact Kevin Morgenstern or the church office.
        If you have any of the following gardening tools tucked away in a shed or your garage and they are not being used, why not consider donating them to the Church. They will be much appreciated and put to good use. Tools needed: Spade, Square shovel, Leaf rake, Garden rake, Hoe, Long handle pruning shears, Loppers, Push broom, Hedge trimmer, Hand shears, Scoop shovel

Support Our Traditional Music Ministry
Over the past year, the 11am worship service has been blessed with the talents of outside professional musicians — both singers and instrumentalists. They have been paid out of the Chancel Choir Fund. However, almost no income nor donation has gone into this fund, and it is in danger of being totally depleted. This means that, in a few months, we will be unable to continue hiring any musician for the 11am service. Each Sunday, singers cost about $150. We ask that you support the Music Ministry by making a donation to the Chancel Choir Fund. Make sure to write "Chancel Choir Fund" on your check. We thank you in advance for your support.

Evenings at the River Dinners
Each Friday night we provide dinner for 50-70 guests, the majority of which are either in transitional housing or homeless. We warmly welcome them and have gotten to know those who come each week. Most stay for worship and are fed spiritually as well as physically.
        We ask for your help. Would you and friends or family members like to cook dinner this month or next? If so, enter your name on the date you prefer, on the calendar located on the refrigerator door in the kitchen. Ursula will contact you in advance. We have a budget and we will reimburse you for your expenses. You may cook at home or in the church kitchen.
        If you would like to help underwrite this cost, your contribution will be gratefully received. Checks to BUMC with "Friday Dinner Fund" in the memo will be designated for this hospitality ministry. You can also make donations online here, just be sure to click the Donate button next to "Friday Dinner Fund". Thank you for your generosity! If you have any questions, please contact the church office 650.344.6321.

Nothing But Nets — Helping African children
Malaria claims 3,000 children a day. That's one life every 30 seconds. Mosquitoes spread it. We can stop it! The goal is to raise funds to eradicate malaria in Africa, where the mosquito-borne disease causes the death of one-fifth of all children under 5 years old. Hanging nets over children while they sleep is a simple, inexpensive way to kill the mosquitoes or keep them from biting. $10 will purchase 1 net. Please contribute generously to this program. Please make your check out to BUMC "Malaria Project."

EScrip — Help support Burlingame UMC without spending a dime!
EScrip's family of merchants have committed to donating a portion of their proceeds back to the nonprofit of your choice. Hopefully we are one of them! Escrip offers a number of painless ways to support LBBC. If you haven't already, you can register your grocery cards, credit cards and debit cards so a percentage of the purchases you make every day at dozens of participat-ing merchants benefits LBBC. So, whether doing your regular shopping at Safeway or Macy's, or booking that one-time special cruise on Royal Caribbean, Burlingame UMC will receive 1%-6% of your total purchase
        If you have more than one grocery card, please register the cards you use frequently. eScrip supports cards from the following grocery stores: Safeway, Trags, Molly Stone's and Pak-n-Save. eScrip supports credit and debit cards from the following: Macy's, MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Discover, Debit/ATM Cards. For more information go to escrip.com or call their customer service line at 1-800-700-5655

Don't Throw away That Empty Printer Cartridge!
Bring it to church! Burlingame UMC has launched a fundraising project with the help of an inkjet recycling company Emties4Cash. Empty inkjet cartridges can be recycled and remanufactured. BUMC will receive up to $4.00 for each cartridge turned in. This will directly benefit BUMC not to mention it is great for the environment. Any inkjet cartridge with a print head can be recycled, regardless of brand or type. No laser jet cartridges. Do you have an HP, Lexmark, Xerox, Compaq, Brother, Dell, Canon, or Apple printer? Place your empty inkjet cartridges (in a zip lock bag) in one of the marked boxes labeled Empites4Cash. Thanks for your support!

News Links

United Methodist News Service weekly digest

Submit your prayers to our prayer chain here. You can read our weekly prayer concerns here.