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T O U C H S T O N E - A M i d W e e k B u l l e t i n
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10:00AM FCC Worship in the Sanctuary 1:00 p.m. (a)Spire Worship, Alden Hall
Fourth Sunday of Advent
| December 21, 2014 |
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(a)Spire Ministry hosted a Worship in the Park on December 14th and fed over 85 people.
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Reflections on Sunday Worship . . .
The Christmas Pageant
Luke 2:1-20
This week is the Fourth Sunday of Advent and our Christmas pageant will be presented in worship by our children and youth. What a lovely gift to hear and see the story of the birth of Jesus unfold in front of us with our young actors playing all of the parts - angels, animals, shepherds, kings. For the writers of the Gospels these characters all represent important parts of the identity and the purpose of God with us humans. Angels demonstrate the connection between Jesus and "holy history" - the work of God in the heavens but also throughout the ages with prophets and persons of faith. Shepherds represent the common folk - servants and workers - and the ways in which God is present with those who may have very little. The kings are those from other lands, speaking other languages and representing other traditions and cultures - God is recognized and worshipped by those who look different from us and come from different backgrounds than our own. Kings show that Jesus acts with authority - and causes problems for those in authority since his presence and his teachings will challenge Jewish law and both temple and secular rulers. Our Christmas Pageant is a wonderful reminder that our faith is as rich and as complicated as our lives. God is present in many ways through our experience and we are invited to watch, listen to and learn about the ways in which God asks us to be in relationship in this Christmas story!
Come join us in the Sanctuary at 10AM this Sunday and stay after worship in the East parlor for a luncheon in honor of our actors!
Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy
Also this Sunday:
We will be treated to our Annual Children's Christmas Pageant this Sunday during worship!! Many thanks to Krysty and the teachers for all their work organizing, as well as to our many actors and actresses who have come to practice!! Note: final rehearsal is this Saturday Dec. 20th from 3-4:30 in the Sanctuary. Also, please have your child here by 9:15 on Sunday.
We will also be treated to the music of our Bell Choir this Sunday.
After worship we will have a potluck in our parlors. Please be in touch with Laura Kalayjian who is organizing the potluck. Bring a friend and a dish!!!
(a)Spire worship will meet at 1 p.m. with Lead Pastor Andy Schwiebert preaching. (a)Spire mixes the secular and sacred, ancient and contemporary, in a multi-sensory experience of Spirit filled worship. To see the latest e-news from (a)Spire, click here
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Worship Leaders:
Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy
Rev. John H. Pomeroy
Ushers:
Sandy Biehler Cindy Speakman Jason Orr Kevin Cordova-Brookey
Music Director & Organist:
Andrew Whitenack
Children's Choir Director: Connie Washburn
Advent Wreath Lighting Church School Children
Church School Teachers:Pageant during worship. Potluck after worship in parlors. Youth class with Jeff Tyler and an assistant for sermon talk-back in the library.
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Nina Kung
[email protected]
Visit us at:
M - W 9AM - 5:30PM Thurs 9AM - 5:00PM FRI 10AM - 4:00PM Lunch Hours 12:00PM - 1:30PM
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Pledge Update
To date we have 29 pledges for 2015 for a total of $104,455. Our goal is to meet at least the pledged amount of $155,000 from 2014. Thank you to each of you who continue to drop off your pledge cards. We will be checking in with folks in the next few weeks so the Budget Committee can do their work of finalizing a draft budget for 2015.
In the meantime, please enjoy the Stewardship Video that was put together to show us the various ministries and events of the past year. (this was the video that would not work in worship on Stewardship Sunday). Click below for the utube link.
http://youtu.be/Pigw5EWEHjQ
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Youth to Visit Long-Time FCC members at Christmas
On Tuesday 12/23 youth will be visiting long time FCC members and friends, as an intergenerational celebration of the Christmas season, and to share some love at Christmas. Please let us know if there is someone you think would enjoy a visit from a small (4-8) group of our youth, bearing some holiday treats. Talk with Andy or Nina, by calling the church office with your suggestion.
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Next Week:
We will have a combined worship service in the sanctuary on Christmas Eve at 7 p.m. Please dress warmly since the boiler has been acting up. We will have carols of the season, music by our choir, and a time of refreshment in the parlors. Rev. Andy Schwiebert and Rev. Marlene Pomeroy will be offering the reflections. Note: there is NO Nursery on Christmas Eve. You are welcome to bring your children to worship. Please let Nina know if you can bring some food for the reception.
There will NOT be a Touchstone next week. We will be worshiping in the chapel on Dec 28th with Carolyn Olney, who is a candidate for Ministry with the UCC, as our guest preacher for the morning. Connie Washburn will be leading music with guests: AJ Bush on cello, singers: Kim Mendez, Eugene Carbajal and Kim Mendez. Music will include Audrey Assad's Winter Snow Song among others!!!
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Marcus Lee Sherow Jr.'s Baptism
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(a)Spire Meal and Worship in the Park
In an effort to share the love of God at Christmas in our community, on Sunday December 7th (a)Spire gathered a few blocks away in Memorial Park to share a meal with the homeless and hungry (about 50 people). After sharing the meals with those present, a few got an extra meal and then we walked around the park to hand out some more, for a total of about 130 meals. We gave away about 50 blankets, and then enjoyed worship with Christmas songs led by Beau, Desiree, David Contreras (on cajon) and Sam Pullen (on violin), with Andy preaching.
Many thanks to Randy VanDeventer, serving as the (a)Spire/FCC seminary intern, for coordinating both the meal preparation on Saturday and the entire event on Sunday. Many thanks to all those who came to help prepare the meal and to those who came to help distribute it and share the meal with others.
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Discipleship Corner - Opportunities for Learning and Outreach
We have been invited to join Altadena's Border Immersion Experience on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015. Their seminary intern from CST, Scott Hill, is coordinating an all day trip to the Romero Center in San Ysidro. We will not be crossing the border so no passports will be necessary. Scott is looking into chartering a 48-passenger bus so there will be room for others beyond Altadena members. The bus will leave the Altadena Community Church parking lot around 7:00 a.m. and return around 6:30 p.m. The cost that will include the bus, lunch provided by the Center, and snacks on the bus will be @ $40 per person. The tip for the driver will be extra - we'll "pass the plate" on the bus for the tip. During the day, Rev. Dan Romero, our former Conference Minister and the name honoree of the Romero Center will educate us on all the issues connected to the immigration discussion going on in our country. The Center Director, Carlos Correa Berrar will give us an introduction to the Center and share ways that we might become further involved. Please indicate your interest to Nina in the church office (626-795-0696/[email protected]) by Monday, December 8th.
Click here (2) for more information.
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Christmas Flower Request Form
Please help our sanctuary look glorious with a display of poinsettias. You may purchase one or more plants in honor or memory of a loved one. We will list all remembered persons in our Christmas Eve bulletin.
Your name _____________________________________________________
In honor of ____________________________________________________
In memory of __________________________________________________
Number of poinsettias ______$8.00 each
Please make check payable to First Congregational Church of Pasadena
Poinsettias will be displayed Dec. 19th - 24th. You may take your plant home after the Christmas Eve worship service.
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