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


Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost   
August 27, 2017  

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


                                     
                       

  


Eclipse photo taken in Eugene, Oregon by the Rev. Jonathan Morgan
 
Reflections for Worship . . .
 
Bible Reading Romans 12:1-13

We have a beautiful scripture reading this Sunday for a wonderful end-of-Summer worship! We hear about what a life in Christ looks like - how we are to live in a manner that is "holy and acceptable to God."  It involves NOT being conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may discern the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect. What inspiring words for us to hear so many many years after they were first written down. We will use them as our guide as we bless Amara Luz Kauilani Mark-Schwiebert in worship and we will hear the piano music from both Emily and Julia Hughes. In addition we will hear the music of Connie Washburn on piano and the gifts of Gerald Washburn, our tenor soloist! It will be a magical morning. Kevin Cordova-Brookey will be our liturgist. YOU are invited!

- Rev. Marlene Wagner Pomeroy
    
 
Also on Sunday

Church Council will be meeting after worship for their monthly financial meeting. Please plan to meet in the East parlor after a brief coffee hour.

Those attending the Hollywood Bowl Sunday night, see article below.

Several Ways to Get More Involved:

Join our Church Choir this Fall! First choir practice will be Thursday September 7th. See Connie Washburn for more info.
Join a Union Station meal team.  
Bring food to church for Friends in Deed food pantry.  
Sing with the church choir this fall. See Connie.   
Join the next Habitat Build.
Learn about becoming more welcoming to immigrants. 
Buy a ticket to the Fall Jazz event to support Friends in Deed.  
Visit folks who are housebound or recovering.   
 
Contact any of our pastors for more information on how to get involved in any of these!   

Save the date! Pastor's Andy's daughter Amara will be blessed in worship on Sunday August 27th by the Rev. Carolyn Olney. In addition, we will have our Council financial meeting after worship that day.
 

 
Worship Leaders   
Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy    
Rev. John H. Pomeroy   
Rev. Andy Schwiebert 

Ushers
 
Judi Tyler
Dana Pell
Mary Camacho  
 
Liturgist  
Kevin Cordova-Brookey                  
 
Pianist & Music Coordinator   
Connie Washburn   
 
Church School Teachers
F or summer we have a single church school class for children and youth in the youth lounge - the teachers for this week are
Tara Bernard/Meagan VanDeventer.
 
Church Nursery (for infants - K) :
Jaquelyne Rodriguez  and Kaley Pomeroy

Nursery opens at 9 :15 a.m. for early birds and then everyone comes to worship at 10:00 and stays through the Children's  Time and then heads to the nursery with caregivers and parents.  

Nina Kung   
Visit us at:  uccpasadena.org

Sermon Podcast

  
D id you miss a worship service and want to hear the sermon? 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

Mon. - Thurs.
 
9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Lunch hours:

12:00 p.m. -1:30 p.m. 
   
Tel. # 626.795.0696
Fax # 626.795.0698

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In this Edition...

Small Group on Spiritual Practices continues
Hollywood Bowl Concert Aug. 27th 
Save the Dates for Upcoming FID Events 
Friends In Deed 'Jazz on the Green'   
Community Contributions Program 

Small Group on Spiritual Practices

Many of the topics of our recent small groups have been focused on social justice issues. We also recognize the need to ground ourselves in our daily and weekly spiritual practices to sustain us, whether in our work for social justice or in dealing with the daily challenges of life. 
You are invited to spend time with a small group as we work through a book on spiritual practices entitled,  Mudhouse Sabbath: an Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Discipline (study edition) by Lauren F. Winner. The author is a convert to Christianity and has
deep roots in Judaism, so the book is a reflection on the best of Jewish
spiritual practices that might also be life-giving for Christians.

We will try out these spiritual practices together over 4 sessions beginning
Wednesday July 19th, meeting every other Wednesday  
evening from 6:30-8. Please let Andy know if you are interested.

-Rev. Andy Schwiebert 
  
 
 
Hollywood Bowl Concert! 
 
 
    Sunday Aug. 27th Hollywood Bowl Picnic and Concert. The concert starts at 7 p.m. and we will be picnicking ahead of time starting around 5 p.m. (at the tables just past the first entrance to the left before you go up the first escalator. Marlene and Lu will secure tables for us) Bring food to share! Speak with Pastor Marlene for more info. 
Check out their eclectic style in these two links. www.youtube.com/watch
 
 

Save the Dates for Upcoming Friends in Deed events:

Annual Fund Raising Event at the Historic Castle Green Hotel featuring the jazz trio performing that evening: Mr. John Pisano, Mr. Gene Bertoncini, and Mr. John Leftwich, Rev. Donna Byrns, recent past Executive Director of Friends in Deed will be one of the three honorees this year. Tickets are $99 each and all proceeds support the work of FID. See article below.
 
Friends in Deed is a non-profit that serves the poor and homeless in Pasadena. It is one of our outreach partners that we support through our church both financially and with volunteer hours. FID oversees the Bad Weather Shelter, the Women's Room, the Food Pantry and many other services. Check out their website at http://friendsindeedpas.org to learn more about their current programs and activities. We are pleased to be in relationship with this fine organization.
 


September 27, 2017
Castle Green
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
An evening of live music, cocktail, hors d'oeuvres, and silent auction

We are pleased to have a jazz trio performing, Mr. John Pisano, Mr. Gene Bertoncini, and Mr. John Leftwich. These gentlemen have been bringing jazz to the world for over a half century. 

John Pisano is a straight-ahead jazz guitarist who has recorded and toured the globe with artists such as Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, Burt Bacharach, Natalie Cole, Peggy Lee (for whom he conducted the Dallas Symphony Orchestra), Diana Krall, Sergio Mendes, Manhattan Transfer, and many others. For more about Mr. Pisano, visitjohnpisano.com 

Gene Bertoncini is one of the pre-eminent jazz guitarists active today. His fluid technique and lyricism have won him international praise and accolades as the "Segovia of jazz." An eloquent and versatile improviser, Mr. Bertoncini has been heard with an extraordinary range of jazz greats, including performances and recordings with Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Wayne Shorter, Hubert Laws, and Paul Desmond among others, as well as such distinguished singers as Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Nancy Wilson, Vic Damone, and Eydie Gorme. For more about Mr. Bertoncini, visit genebertoncini.com

John Leftwich is a classical guitarist who has performed with a wide variety of musical luminaries, including Tierney Sutton, Rickie Lee Jones, Chet Baker, Mel Torme, and Hubert Laws. In addition, his music has been featured in commercials, as well as numerous movies.

Tickets available now, click here.
For more information, check out the Jazz page. 
 
Ralphs Community Contributions Program 2017 - #83839
You must sign up starting September 1st for the coming year 

Thank you so much for your ongoing support of Ralphs. With your help and the support of your members, family and friends, Ralphs is proud to report that we are committed to giving $2 Million during the next 12 months through our Community Contributions Program.
 
Our new program year begins on   September 1, 2017.   Your organization is still active and will remain active in the program.   Your supporters, however, will continue donating only through August 31, 2016.  Participants are required to register for the new term online at www.ralphs.com or by calling us at 800-443-4438 starting September 1, 2017. Even if your participants registered as recently as June, July or August 2017, they are required to register again beginning September 1st.
 
Participants can start registering for the new term on September 1st 2017. To ensure your organization continues to receive the benefits of the program, your supporters will need to register and/or re-register as quickly as possible on or after that date at  www.ralphs.com .
 
It is also extremely important that we have up-to-date organization contact information.  Email us at community.programs@ralphs.com with any changes to your primary or secondary contact on the organizations' account.
 
Please pass the following information on to all your supporters, family and friends who would like to participate:
 

For your convenience, step-by-step website registration instructions can be found at www.ralphs.com, click on Community, click on Community Contributions, click on 'Enroll Now'. If you don't have computer access, please call us at 1-800-443-4438 for assistance.

Petition Signers
 
Thanks to all of you who signed our petition to stop the LA Housing Authority from raising rents on senior citizens and disabled. We are blessed to have people willing to stand up for others. You are very much appreciated!!
 
-Anastacia