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

Our Core Values are: 
Spiritual Growth. Welcome. Justice-seeking



  
 
        
                  November 6, 2016    
                                             
                       

  

We support the Pasadena CROP Walk each Fall to help alleviate hunger locally and worldwide. See article below for more information.



Reflections on Sunday Worship . . .
 

Scripture Text: Luke 6:20-31
Celebration of All Saints Day

Don't forget to "FALL BACK" one hour on your clocks Saturday night before you go to bed.
 
 
November 1st is the actual date of All Saints and churches oftentimes observe it the Sunday closest to it that falls after Halloween. We recall on this Sunday our solidarity with the living and the dead and we honor the memories of all who have gone before us in this life. We also take the time to observe those who have been examples of faith to us - folks who have "walked with God" in a way that inspires and sustains us. The Roman Catholic Church has honored many folks with sainthood throughout history. In the Protestant Church, a saint is a far more informal designation, but still deeply rooted in the love of God and a life of compassion and commitment to others. We will honor those who have passed on to be with God in the past year during our prayer time on Sunday. We invite you to bring those names to worship with you, or email them to one of the pastors before Sunday morning if you will not be in worship. We also invite you to bring mementos and pictures of faithful people - saints to you - and create an altar Sunday morning before worship. Please arrive early with your memento or picture to place on the altar. If you arrive late, you may place it on the altar during the Passing of the Peace.
 
All Saints Day is meant to be a celebration of lives well lived in service to God and humanity. In the words of John Wesley in 1756, All Saints' Day is a "day of triumphant joy."
 
Hope to see you in worship this Sunday!
-Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy
 
Also on Sunday:
We have a guest cellist this Sunday, Cathy Biagini, who will be playing several pieces with Connie and our choir.
Our second Stewardship Witness will be Krysty Leckrone. Click here to read the witness of Heather Bland from last week. Our In-Gathering of Pledges is Sunday November 13th. Please bring your pledge cards on that Sunday or mail them in ahead of time.You will receive a pledge card in the mail.
Our Children's Choir will have a practice directly after worship/church school in the chapel. They will also practice Nov. 13th and sing in worship on Nov. 20th.

CROP walk will take place this Sunday. You may bring a check or cash offering to the pool of walkers by finding John Gamber-Thompson or one of the pastors on Sunday. Any folks walking can grab lunch together and be at Flintridge Prep school at 1:00 to step off for the walk at 1:30.
The Interfatih Conversation is happening at the Unitarian Church from 5-7 p.m. See article below for details.
Sunday Parking Update: We are in negotiations with Fuller about a potentially new policy regarding the spaces under the Fuller overhang on Sundays. At this point you will get ticketed if you park on Sunday. If you receive a ticket please make a copy and give it to Sallie McNair our Building Manager before you pay it. We will let you know if we are able to negotiate the continued use of those spaces, but for now, please do not park there - you may park in the Walnut and Los Robles lots, on the street on Oakland, and in the University Lot if it is not chained up/reserved.
 
Christmas Tree Purchase Benefits Friends in Deed
St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Altadena is having their annual Christmas Tree lot. All proceeds benefit Friends in Deed. The deadline for purchasing a tree is November 14th. Click here for details.

 

Looking Outward: 

The Food Pantry at Friends in Deed is ALWAYS in need of food - especially cereal and canned protein. If you bring in your items any week we will get them up to them for you! The church school children have a donation box in the office for your items. 

In addition, we are collecting men's clothes and shoes for men who are being discharged from County USC hospital. Over 80 patients each month are discharged and do not have clothes to wear. Sturdy shoes and pants are especially needed. Please bring your items to the church office and Dr. Laura Kalayjian will take them in for us. Thanks so much! Click here for more info. 
 



Worship Leaders:
Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy
Rev. John H. Pomeroy
Rev. Andrew Schwiebert
Ushers :
Aren Burd   
Julie Burd
Peter Keller
Brian Brandenburg

Liturgist:        
Ron White          

Pianist & Music Coordinator
Connie Washburn  
 
Church School Teachers:
All older children will have church school in the youth room and return for Communion. Roberta White/Grace Rinck assisting. Pastor Jake will do a sermon talk-back time with any youth after the sermon. 

Church Nursery (for infants - K) :
Mrs. 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   
Visit us at:  uccpasadena.org

Sermon Podcast: 

  
D id you miss the gospel or homily? Please visit uccpasadena.org and select 'podcasts' from the menu on top of the home page or click below
 

 http://uccpasadena.podomatic.com/ 



OFFICE HOURS:

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

We close at lunch 
12 - 1:30 p.m.

 
Tel. # 626.795.0696
Fax # 626.795.0698

Like us on Facebook

 
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What is Highlighted in this Touchstone?
- CROP Walk Sunday Nov. 6th
-"Meet Your Muslim Neighbors" Event   
-Upcoming (a)Spire Events
-Andy Schwiebert's upcoming sabbatical 
-New Small Group Opportunity
-Aid Africa Fall Fund Raiser 
-Stewardship Sunday
-Building for our Futre
-Annual Thanksgiving Feast 

CROP Wants You to walk or support this week! Nov. 6 
 
CROP Walk org John Gamber Thompson is collecting pledges for our CROP Walk Coordinator this year and needs company walking and pledging to support Church World Service as they provide relief work around the world addressing hunger!  Sign up to walk and pledge online at    Pasadena CROP Hunger Walk and make sure you let them know that you are with First Congregational Church, UCC in Pasadena.  Ask John if you need help - his number is available through the directory or church office - if you cannot walk, make sure you pledge - walkers will send you a request for support soon! You can give John a check or cash on Sunday made out to CWS. 
   



Join FCC group going to 11/6 "Meet your Muslim Neighbors" Event

The FCC Discipleship Ministry is organizing a group of folks from FCC to take part in a "Meet your Muslim Neighbors" event on  Sunday November 6th around tables with Muslim neighbors. The event is being organized at/by the Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church at  4:30-7PM. THIS IS THE FINAL CALL FOR RSVPs-- PLEASE JOIN US!! If you can join our FCC group, please contact ANDY to RSVP by FRIDAY 11/4 at 10AM so we can send in our group RSVP.

Halal (Muslim-appropriate) food options will be served for dinner and we will share conversations around tables with Muslim neighbors in Pasadena. Childcare is available, but we must let them know 72 hours in advance.  See the attached  flyer, but PLEASE RSVP to Nina, not to the person named on the flyer. (We will do that for our FCC group.)


Aspire Upcoming Events
In late September Aspire made the decision to close its ministries this Fall. Our final event will be a Meal in the Park on  Sunday 11/13at 12:30-2PM. We will also briefly celebrate Aspire in FCC worship at   10AM  on   Sunday 11/20. Join us if you can. Finally, Andy and his Pastoral Relations Committee (Carolyn Olney, Kim Story & Claire Richardson) will be completing a report to FCC summarizing learnings from Aspire, based on the responses to a survey distributed to both Aspire participants and FCC active supporters. We are grateful for this ministry and to all those in FCC who have faithfully supported its growth and development over the past 6 years. 

Pastor Andy to Begin Sabbatical (#2)
On   Monday November 21st  I will begin the 2nd half of my 12 week sabbatical. I took the first 1/2 back in May. For this piece of the sabbatical I plan to visit several other innovative and thriving churches both locally and out of LA and out of state. I will also go on retreat to discern professional development goals for 2017, and enjoy my time with the family at the holidays. I return to FCC on   1/2/17.

Upcoming Youth Events
On Monday 11/7 at   6-9:30  our youth will help serve the meal at Union Station Homeless Services. Talk with Andy if you have not yet RSVPed. 

On Sunday 11/13 during the church school hour youth are invited to help prepare meals that will be served in the park by Aspire at   12:30PM.

On Friday 12/23
Youth are invited to join visits to visits to long term FCC members and friends, to bring some Christmas love and build inter-generational relationships.   
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New Small Group Opportunity - final call for participants. 
 
In response to the current racial violence in our country and our community, we have convened  Sacred Conversations on Race  after worship three times, have offered a six week small group on the Coates book, have been intentional in worship in sermons and prayers to address the injustice and pain in our present society, and have offered ways to participate in rallies and demonstrations related to Black Lives Matter and in remembrance of JR Thomas who died in police custody a few weeks ago.  We have reviewed the new curriculum from the UCC on White Privilege and we are in conversation with the Altadena UCC around possible outreach and ministry steps we could accomplish together to work toward an end to racial injustice and violence in our own community.
 
We are offering a new small group beginning in November - a discussion of the book Waking Up White by Debby Irving.  Irving is a racial justice educator and writer who tells the story of her struggles with racism and how she began to develop more racial awareness, from the time of her youth in Winchester MA to the present day.  This book is both a set of stories about and an analysis of the construction of white privilege and race superiority in our country - shared with insight and humility.  
 
Several folks have indicated their interest in this small group. If you would like to join the group, please speak with Pastor Jake  or Nina in the church office ASAP.  We will likely meet on a weeknight at the Pomeroys' home in La Crescenta - day and time to be determined. 


AIDafrica AID AFRICA FALL CELEBRATION AND FUNDRAISER
NOVEMBER 13, 2016, 5PM
JOIN US!
Click here for the flyer 

STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY  - - - "GO AND DO THE SAME"
In-Gathering Date of pledges for 2017 is Sunday Nov. 13th.
 
In the next few weeks we will be hearing Stewardship witnesses during 
worship sharing how our church nurtures and sustains their faith. You will also be receiving letters from our Moderator Elizabeth Lanski and our Co-Pastors Marlene and Jake Pomeroy with a pledge card to be returned in worship on the 13th or mailed into the office.


Building For Our Future?!
 
Two weeks ago Church Council presented a wonderful Forum with 20 folks who came together to evaluate our present church programs and groups using the values in our Vision Statement. Next Sunday, November 13th from 11:30AM to 12:30PM, we will look at how other church buildings and our own FCC building match up with our values! Successful organizations are ones that live out their values in their work and their production; we have been offering an inclusive, faithful, justice seeking community in Pasadena for years...how does our building reflect who we are and what we do? What would it look like for a building to be welcoming, to support spiritual growth, and to support our work for social justice? We will look at some examples of churches around the country that live out their mission through their buildings - and evaluate how our facility measures up to what we do with our ministry. Come join us for this helpful and engaging inventory!


IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO BE THANKFUL
 
Mark your calendars for November 20th to attend
the Annual FCC Thanksgiving Feast
Church Parlors
 
For over forty years FCC has held a Thanksgiving Feast on the Sunday prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. This event gives everyone a chance to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal after coffee hour, while spending a relaxed time with church members, their extended families and friends. Judi Tyler will be doing a Thanksgiving craft for the children after they eat, so parents can continue socializing. We are serving turkey dinner will all the trimmings. Please bring a vegetable, salad or dessert to serve 8 to complete the meal. Ken Biery will be taking reservations and signups for food after church on Sundays.
 


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