Join us as we worship the risen King on Easter Morning! We will have two regular services at 8:30 and 10:15am in the sanctuary and an online livestream at 8:30am.

We are grateful to gather for our annual Easter sunrise service. Meet us at the Leadbetter Beach picnic area at 6:00am to watch the sunrise as we worship and hear from God’s Word. Pack a blanket and/or chair to sit on and dress warmly. A continental breakfast will be provided after the service.

We will continue our time of worship in the sanctuary at 8:30 and 10:15am (+ 8:30am livestream).

We hope to see you there!

All children up through the 5th grade are welcome to an Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 19th, at 9:00am at La Mesa Park. Come for a great time of fellowship, singing, crafts, and an epic egg hunt. Please bring one dozen candy-filled eggs for the hunt, and please invite your friends and family to join us for this event!

In our Tenebrae service we remember the great love Christ showed for us on the cross. We will read through the story leading up to the cross, and will slowly extinguish candles until we leave in darkness. Join us for our 7:30pm service in the sanctuary, or watch online.

Maundy Thursday Dinner and Talent Show at Pershing Park (come serve our neighbors with us!)

When: Thursday, April 17th at 5:00pm (see below for schedule) 
Where: Pershing Park on the grass

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday during Holy Week commemorating the Last Supper and Jesus' washing of his disciples' feet, emphasizing humility, service, and the commandment to love one another. During the Last Supper, Jesus gave his disciples a "new commandment": "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34). For Maundy Thursday this year instead of our traditional Seder we have opted to share dinner with our neighbors without homes at Pershing Park. We will also be having a talent show after dinner to truly make it a party! We are hoping to have performers both from the park and our church sharing their talents/artistry with each other. We would love to have you come and eat, SERVE alongside us, and even enter into the talent show. 

We would love your help in serving our houseless neighbors and even thinking of new ways to serve/build relationships with them both that day and in the future: we are especially looking for volunteers to help with set-up/tear-down, transfer of tables, picking up food, shopping for sweatpants, praying, and running the talent show. You can sign-up to help at the event or be a performer in the talent show by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/qbFP1gGkS6L6XA8N6 

Also if you would like to donate money for this event, for both the food and donation items for our houseless neighbors please mark "Thursday Pershing Park" in your memo line. 

We can’t wait to commemorate Maundy Thursday with you and our neighbors at Pershing Park. 

Outline of the night: 
4:45pm-setup
5:15pm-communion
5:30pm-dinner
6:00pm-talent show
7:15pm-clean-up

Supper Club is a chance for parents to gather once a month to share life together. The children are cared for by babysitters while we open the Word and pray together. This year we will be discussing the sermon passage (feel free to come even if you missed church). We end our time together with a potluck spaghetti dinner. All are welcome!

Brass Bear Uptown has given us the opportunity to raise money for Cliff Drive Care Center Children’s Programs and Senior Lunch! Go get dinner on Thursday, April 3rd, between 12:00-8:00pm at their uptown location (3302 McCaw Ave). Say you are with Cliff Drive and 10% of your order will go back to us! Spread the news and we hope to see you there!

We are looking forward to welcoming Bishop Kenny and Pastor Estelle Martin to our church on Sunday, March 16th. Bishop Kenny will be preaching and anointing the Elliott family as they prepare for their move to do ministry in Scotland. Following each service, there will be a reception out on the deck.

Calling all Young Adults to celebrate the season of light starting! Join us after Encounter at Shoreline Park on March 9th at 1:30pm for hanging out, playing Spikeball and eating burritos from Super Cucas! Don’t miss out—bring your friends and your appetite! We will be gathering on the playground side of the park. 

WATCH THE ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE ONLINE
BULLETIN

Lent this year begins on Wednesday, March 5th. In the church calendar year, Lent is the 40 day period, excluding Sundays, leading up to Easter. It is a time of contemplation, lament, and earnestly seeking God as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the joyous Resurrection of Jesus. Lent is meant for Christians to deeply consider why Jesus died on a cross. It is a good time to consider letting go of those things which have a hold on our hearts and to fast from them. Lent is often considered a journey where we deepen our walk with Jesus, our Savior whose sacrifice makes us whole. 

To begin the Lenten season, we will be offering prayer in the sanctuary all day long on Ash Wednesday. Starting at 6:00am, you are invited to come and spend time with Jesus on this day set aside for reflection. We are always invited to come to the Lord in prayer, believing God will meet us. As this is the first day of Lent, this may be a day where you are beginning a fast as well. Fasting from our regular patterns of eating or an ingrained activity helps us be more reliant on God. Fasting is not required, but it is a helpful spiritual discipline which mirrors how Jesus fasted in the desert before beginning ministry. Fasting invites the Holy Spirit to meet us in new ways as we give up something that is important to us, and then invite God to fill that space with His presence.  

This day of prayer will be in the sanctuary on March 5th starting at 6:00am. You are invited to come anytime and pray or you can set aside an hour to do so at home. Pastors will be available to pray with you during the day. We will provide scripture prompts and writing materials, in case you want to write down your prayers. We will then end with worship in the sanctuary at 6:30pm, at the Ash Wednesday Service. This is a beautiful worship service of scripture and music that will prepare us for the sacred season of Lent. This service highlights themes of humility, repentance, and mortality, and we will spread ashes on your forehead, a long-standing tradition of the church.

We invite everyone to come to our annual All Church Meeting. This is a time to gather as a family of God to share a meal together, hear a report from each Pastor’s ministry area, and elect delegates who represent our church to the Free Methodist California Annual Conference for the next year. We will also hear an update on the strategic plan. All are welcome to attend, and if you are a member, you will be voting.

With rain in the forecast, we have decided that we will have worship in the sanctuary at 8:30 and 10:15am instead of outside. Then we will enjoy a delicious barbecue lunch together! (think tri tip, chicken, beans, etc.)

Childcare will be provided, but children are welcome at the All Church Meeting if preferred. Email childcare@fmcsb.org to sign up.

FM YOUTH TAKE A HIKE

Saturday, March 1

Who: Jr. high/6th and high school
What: Hike the wind caves trail in Gaviota
When: 10am -2pm Where: Meet at the church, pick up at the church
Why: Exercise, get to know people, be in the outdoors
How Much: Free for the hike, money for the lunch

Who else: Join our fun leaders

Sign up today OR by Wednesday, February 26 to reserve your place. Space may be limited. Sponsored by Free Methodist Youth For more information call Doug Ranck, 965-1338 x224, email doug@fmcsb.org, text 252-3216

All are invited to a backyard concert at the Bates' to hear original music by Pastor Jake, James Asselin (worship pastor of Santa Barbara Community Church) and Summer Kearin (local high-schooler from Providence and Veronica Springs Church). Jake and Breean will use songs to share stories and a deeper look into their upcoming mission to Scotland. There will be an opportunity to sign up for supporting their mission through FMC, though the concert is free. Feel free to invite anyone who might be interested in the music or the mission!

Location: 1269 Mountain View Road

Are you interested in volunteering in your community?

It’s almost time to help serve at Transition House! We are currently looking for some volunteers to help prepare the dinner meal. You can also help by donating funds or food items to help make this dinner happen. Reach out to Pastor Nikki, nikki@fmcsb.org, for more information about how you can get involved in this important ministry.

Got kids 2 years old or older? Do you need some time away? Parent’s Night Out is here to help! We are offering free childcare (+ $5/child for pizza) on Friday, February 7th, from 5:30-8:00pm here at the church. Please sign up through THIS FORM by February 3rd to reserve your spot.

The 2025 Santa Barbara Mission Conference will be held February 1, 2025 at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara (21 E. Constance Ave, Santa Barbara).

Register now for “Engage,” the 23rd annual Santa Barbara Mission Conference. On Feb 1st, Keynote speaker Tim Soerens will help us deiscover the church right where we are.

His message will be supported by a panel of local practitioners who have been pursuing justice and Jesus for the long haul. They will share spiritual and communal practices that have sustained them, while bringing hope and healing to our community.

Afternoon breakout sessions will help us see the presence of God’s church in the midst of addiction, homelessness, isolation, and trafficking. Where might God be inviting you to discover the church, God’s people, at work in the world? Let’s journey together!

LEARN MORE + REGISTER

FM YOUTH presents the seventh annual “TACO TIME”

One taco at a time, one restaurant at a time, South Milpas to North Milpas For all 6th -12th graders Friday, January 10 5:45-7:45pm, $25 (or less, depending on your appetite)

Meet in the parking lot of Rosales Mexican Restaurant 827 E Montecito
Pick up at Taqueria El Buen Gusto, 836 N. Milpas SIGN UP by January 8

For more information contact Doug Ranck, Free Methodist Church, 1435 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, California 93109, 805-252-3216 or doug@fmcsb.org

PERMISSION SLIP

Calling all women for our annual Christmas party! This event is always filled with laughter, singing, great food, fun, games and reflection on the coming of our Savior. Invite a friend or neighbor as we would love to expand and open our circles wider this Christmas season. Joy to the world, the Lord has come! That is what we hope to embody when we gather together for a great party on December 10th.

For the party please bring:

Your favorite Christmas Mug

An appetizer or dessert to share

An item for Food for the Kitchenless! This would be a nonperishable sing-serving food items that can be eaten without using a kitchen or kitchen appliances. Items such as:

Bumble Bee, Snack On The Run, Tuna or Chicken Kits (or similar brand)
Protein bars
Granola bars
Cereal bars
Energy bars
Trail mix bars or pouches
Individually wrapped peanut butter or cheese crackers
Applesauce or fruit in squeeze pouches
Fruit snack pouches
Individually wrapped snack size packs of crackers
Individually wrapped snack sized packs of cookies

Families are welcome to the Patterson's new home for a special Supper Club Christmas Party on Sunday, December 8th! Come any time after5:30pm for fellowship, to share a meal, and celebrate the Christmas season. Childcare will be provided, so please reach out to sandy@fmcsb.org if you plan on attending.

Scotland Ministry Update with the Elliotts
Sunday, December 8th, 3:00pm, The Kass’ Home

Come hear more about the vision of Jake and Breean’s mission to Glasgow, Scotland next spring. They are having a gathering to share details and answer questions about the mission and our support needs this Sunday, December 8 at 3:00pm at the Kass home on 724 Mission Canyon Rd. Parking is limited so carpooling is encouraged. 

ALL CHURCH CAROLING- the YALL team wanted to usher in the Christmas cheer and have a time for the whole church to go caroling across the street at Villa Santa Fe (low income senior housing). We’d love you to join us and feel free to invite a friend! We will start with caroling at 5:30pm and then gather in the Upper Room at 6:30pm for some hot cocoa and treats.

More details:

Meet in Upper Room no later than 5:30pm so you can get your lyric sheet and then be with the group before they head over at 5:45pm. Come back around 6:30pm or so for some hot chocolate and treats. Contact Mary Woodyard ( <woodyard.marylinda@gmail.com> or Kaylie Grant <kayliagrant14@gmail.com> if you have any questions.

We are offering free childcare so that parents can go out and run errands on December 7th! Children must be 2 years and older. We are just asking for $5 for a pizza lunch. Use the form below to sign up!

SIGN UP

Wednesday, December 4 | 7:00-8:00 PM | Youth Room
For all 6th-12th graders

Bring a “white elephant” gift wrapped in newspaper and invite a friend! For more information call Doug @ Free Methodist Youth Ministries, 805.252.3216