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I have played at this church for about twenty years. Playing the FUMC Christmas Eve service is an annual tradition for me - one that I cherish. The church itself is quite lovely in a modest, unpretentious way and has great acoustics. It was built by shipwrights in the dawn of the twentieth century. The Christmas Eve service always feels to me like what you would hope for in Christmas Eve - welcoming, cozy. Feels like a big old hug from someone you love. For those who are concerned about being proselytized or pressured if they are not Methodist or Christian, I've had friends of other faiths attend and say they felt actively welcomed.
Here is the congregation's mission statement: "We, the people of First United Methodist Church in Point Richmond, seek to embody God’s love for all people through our worship and the many ways we nurture and serve our community and world. We welcome everyone and celebrate the ways we differ in age, race, ethnicity, culture, gender identity, and sexual orientation. We preserve and embrace the beautiful diversity of nature. We cooperate with other congregations and organizations to participate in Jesus’ mission of peace, justice, and unconditional love."
This service will feature Greg Sankovich on piano, Kurt on bass, Lincoln Adler on sax, Carrie Jahde on drums. We originally thought vocalist Sheilani Alix would join us, but she will be in the Philippines with her parents. Kurt will song some, and FUMC members Gill Stanfield and Bethany Reynolds sing with us on a tune apiece.
If you want to know what this will sound like, here is our video recording of 2020's performance:
This was recorded during COVID, so is an outdoors performance not at the church.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
First United Methodist Church, Richmond, CA, United States
