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

 
      
     
10:00 a.m. FCC Worship in the  chapel
 


   
 
        
                   March 20, 2016   
                      
                      
                       

  
We will observe Palm Sunday in worship and then enjoy our Annual Festival which includes lunch and an Easter Egg Hunt! 
Reflections on Sunday Worship ....

Luke 19:28-40
 
Blessed is the One who comes to us
by way of love poured out with abandon.
Blessed is the One who walks toward us
by the grace that holds us fast.
 
Blessed is the One who calls us to follow
in the way of blessing, in the path of joy.  
                                   - Jan Richardson

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, when we remember Jesus' entry into Jerusalem amidst shouts of Hosanna and the waving of palm branches. It was a bittersweet journey as Jesus sensed that there were those who loved him and still others who sought to take his life. It took great bravery for Jesus to walk toward his destiny and trust that God would continue to guide and sustain him.
 
We will remember his journey, the culmination of his public ministry, in church this Sunday. Marlene and Meagan Vandeventer are creating an altar that remembers the stories and images from the five previous Sundays in Lent - images of love from First Corinthians, the fig tree that had not yet borne fruit, the image of a hen lovingly protecting her brood, the forgiving father of the prodigal, and the story of Mary extravagantly anointing Jesus. We will also enjoy the music of guest musicians which include violin, flute and cello presenting classical selections from Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #2. Our adult choir will sing, "Come, Celebrate Jesus the King." Our children's choir will also be singing, "Filled With Excitement." We are gathering for worship in our sanctuary this week and also on Easter Sunday. See you Sunday!

- Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy
 
Also this Sunday:
 
Children's Choir will have their final practice before worship at 9:20 in the sanctuary. Parent should contact Connie Washburn with any questions.
Krysty Leckrone and Roberta White will be teaching the elementary class and Jeff T. will be leading the youth class.
 
We will have our Annual Palm Sunday Festival following worship. Details below!!! Many thanks to Membership for organizing this event (Sue Chaplin Herb, Lu Burd, Tara Bernard, Neva Orr and Marlene Pomeroy).
 
There will be a community Peace Parade at 3:00 on Sunday. Details on that event below as well.

We are still collecting cereal boxes for Friends in Deed, coffee donations/bags of Fair Trade coffee, and small gifts and gift cards for 10 Friends in Deed Easter baskets that we are putting together to be handed out to families this week. Please turn in any cereal, coffee or basket goodies this Sunday!
 
 
Palm Sunday Lunch and Festival
This Sunday we will have our annual Palm Sunday event - replete with lunch catered by El Pollo Loco, an Easter Egg Hunt coordinated by Lu Burd and our youth, crafts which include egg eyeing, and putting together 10 baskets to be handed out to Friends in Deed. What to bring? $5 for each teenager and adult for lunch, a basket if you are a child and want to join in the egg hunt, gift cards from various places (fast food places, Starbucks, etc. in increments of $10 or $15), candy and small goodies for the baskets.

(a)Spire Serves Meals in the Park Sunday 3/20
This Palm Sunday March 20th (a)Spire community will be serving a lunch meal in Memorial Park a 12:30PM. We will meet at 11AM to transport tables, chairs and food over to the park, then will serve the meal at 12:30, lead a brief worship at 1PM, then transport everything back to FCC at 2PM.

We also need help preparing the meals on Saturday morning at 10-11:30AM. Please contact Jordan Pedersen at jordan.pedersen@gmail.com if you can help out with anything on either day. 
 
14th Annual Pasadena Palm Sunday Peace Parade
Peace Without Borders, Welcoming the Refugee
This family-friendly peace witness and public worship event begins with a short sending ceremony at Reformation Church and proceeds to the intersection of Garfield and Colorado for music and brief words of wisdom and inspiration. Participants are encouraged to wear life vests, carry posters, and bring children's wagons made up to look like boats. Children can ride in the wagon - boats along the parade route, carrying banners and stories of refugees throughout history - including Jesus, who, decades before riding into Jerusalem. found refuge in Egypt from the terror of a tyrant.

Sponsors include Urban Village of Pasadena, Reformation Church, Progressive Christians Uniting, Pasadena Mennonite Church, Orange Grove Friends Meeting, Montrose Peace Vigil, Knox Presbyterian Church, Jesus for Revolutionaries Church, Crescenta Valley Methodist Church, Church for Others, and All Saints Church.

For more information, visit the Pasadena Sunday Peace Parade on Facebook:
 https://www.facebook.com/PeaceParades

   
For more information visit aspireucc.org.
 
Worship Leaders:
Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy
Rev. Andy Schwiebert
Rev. John H. Pomeroy

Ushers :
Sandy Biehler
Cindy Speakman
Robert Rinck
Kevin Cordova-Brookey

Liturgist
Stacy Thomas

Organist & Music Director
Andrew Whitenack

Church School Teachers:
Elementary class with  Krysty Leckrone/Roberta White in Room 232. Youth class with Jeff Tyler in the youth room.

Church Nursery (for infants - Pre-K):
Mrs. Irene Phillips, Jaquelyne Rodriguez and Serena Van.

Nursery opens at 9 a.m. for early birds and then everyone comes to worship at 10:00 and stays through the Children's Time and then  children return to the nursery. 

Nina Kung  
fccmonina@gmail.com

Visit us at:  uccpasadena.org 

Sermon podcast:


Office Hours

Monday - Thursday

9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

We close for lunch
12 - 1:30 PM

Tel. # 626.795.0696
Fax # 626.795.0698

Like us on Facebook
 
New Members Class

If you have thought of officially joining our church, you are invited to attend a two-part New Members class on Sundays April 17 and 24 following worship. Please let pastor Marlene know if you wish to attend or have any questions. 


Easter Lilies & Tulips Request Form
First Congregational Church of Pasadena, UCC
2016

Please provide information for your Easter flowers for our Sanctuary on Easter Sunday, March 27th.
 
Name________________________________________________________________
 
In honor of____________________________________________________________
 
In memory  of _________________________________________________________
 
Number of Lilies _____@$8.00     Number of Tulips  ___@$8.00
 

Payment must accompany order.  Make check to First Congregational Church and designate for Easter flowers.  You may take your flowers home after the Easter service.
 
Flower purchases are not tax-deductible and will not show up on your church statement for tax purposes.


New Bibles for our Pews! 


Our Worship Ministry has ordered and received beautiful new black pew Bibles for our pews. You may have noticed that our current red ones have slowly disappeared and we don't have enough to stock our pews. Our Worship Ministry is excited to replenish our pews with these new ones. We invite each of you to purchase 1 (or more) Bible in honor or memory of a loved one. The Bibles are stamped with our church's name on it as well as the UCC symbol. Your name and the honoree will be inscribed inside the Bible. The Bibles are $20 each and you may purchase your Bible the next few weeks after worship. Thanks to Worship for overseeing this project! (Carolyn Olney, Bettie Teel, Ken Biery, Aren Burd, Andrew Whitenack and Marlene Pomeroy)


Holy Week Schedule

Sunday March 20th 10 a.m. Palm Sunday service in sanctuary, followed by lunch and Festival in parlors.
 
Thursday March 24th Maundy Thursday supper and worship in the parlors, including hand washing and Communion. Dinner at 6 and worship at 7 p.m.
 
Friday March 25th - we do not have a service on site; the Altadena Community Church, UCC, invites us to attend their Tenebrae service at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday March 27th 10 a.m. is our Easter Celebration service in our sanctuary. Our adult choir is singing and we have guest brass for the service. Please arrive early and bring a few fresh flowers for our living flower cross that will be assembled in our narthex. 


One Great Hour of Sharing
 
Two weeks ago in worship many of us received boxes for collecting OGHS donations.  Remember to take a moment at your lunch or dinner table and share a story with one another about times and places in your life when you have been welcomed.  Perhaps you were surprised to receive a welcome or support when you thought you would face a severe challenge or some kind of punishment?  Maybe you did not deserve a second chance at something but you were offered another try at something or at a relationship?  Following the welcome of the parent in the story of the Prodigal Child, and the image of our God as welcoming and forgiving, we are invited to give to One Great Hour of Sharing so others may have an experience of welcome, of nurture, and of health.  Please return your donation box to the church office as soon as you have no more room in the box for donations! 






Faith in Action Opportunity on 3/23: Sanctuary, NOT Deportation 

Next Wednesday morning March 23 a large group of faith community leaders and members from around LA County will gather at the immigration detention facility downtown to protest the impending deportation of hundreds of Central American refugee children who have fled violence in their home countries and are seeking asylum here in the U.S.. While 150-200 people are expected at the protest, at least 15 people of faith will be risking arrest in an act of civil disobedience, including me (Andy Schwiebert), Allison Mark (UMC Pastor), another UMC clergy, a few Episcopal priests, a Nazarene pastor, a Catholic nun, and a several other lay activists.  Contact Andy Schwiebert if you can show support for this action.

Faith leaders will lead us in prayers, reflections and demands "during a most sacred time of the year for many faiths"  for Sanctuary, Not Deportation "Santuario Si, Deportacion No!"

WHAT:  Pilgrimage, Rally and Prophetic Street Action Against Deportations

WHEN:  Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016

GATHERING TIME:  8:30am at Aliso St and  N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, 90012, near the Metropolitan Detention Center

RALLY & STREET ACTION:  9:30am Arrive at Pershing Square at Olive Street and 6th Street 

NOTE:  If you are clergy, a lay leader, or a community/labor leader who wants to know more about the street prophetic action, please contact the Rev. Francisco Garcia at 1-626-246-4513.



Outreach Opportunities & Update
Many thanks to our youth and adults Andy Schwiebert and Lu Burd for serving the Union Station meal in March! The next Union Station team that will be cooking and serving will take place Monday April 4th with the Delta team. Please let Nina in the church office know if you wish to sub for a member of that team.

Upcoming events sponsored by Discipleship and Peace & Justice include:
Assemblying Aid Africa Birthing Kits on Saturday April 9th. More details will be coming.

(a)Spire Worship and meal in the park will take place on Sunday March 20th. Check out the (a)Spire website or speak with Rev. Andy Schwiebert for more info.

Goodies for Friends in Deed Spring baskets - see Membership article above.


Fund-Raising Tea - SAVE THE DATE!!
On Saturday June 11th we will have our 2nd Annual Spring Tea in our church parlors at 4 p.m. Details will be coming soon but plan to attend our most focused and organized fund raising event of the year!! This is a GREAT one to invite your mom, friend, neighbor or bff to!! Music will be provided again by Ms. Connie Washburn.
 


More pictures from Aid Africa Walk

We had a wonderful morning learning and experiencing what it is like for developing communities whose women have to walk long distances just to have drinking, cooking and bathing water.
- Irene Keller