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

Fourth Sunday of Advent

CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

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



  
 

        
                  December 18, 2016    
                                             
                       

  
Last Sunday, several of us participated in our own observance of Las Posadas, a Christmas ritual practiced in Mexico and Mexican-American communities in which participants join the Holy Family as they seek shelter in Bethlehem....see article below.

Reflections on Sunday Worship . . .

Luke 2:1-20 
This Sunday we will hear and see the biblical Christmas story through word, drama and song as our children act out the Christmas story. Based mostly on Luke's version, with Matthew's Wise Men also making an appearance, we will see the familiar players: the angels, shepherds, innkeeper,  the Wise Ones, Mary and Joseph. Through their story we will engage in a holy encounter with "God-with-us"....Immanuel. Amidst the joy and beauty of our children who will play the parts in this drama, we will learn anew of the wondrous in-breaking of God into our world and in our lives; Like Mary we will ponder these things in our hearts and allow the story to transform our lives.

Join us this Sunday at 10:00 in our beautiful sanctuary for this worship event. After worship we will gather in our parlors to greet our actors and enjoy a potluck together. Please bring food to share!

- Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy 
 


Also this Sunday:
Our church school children will be lighting our Advent wreath this Sunday. We will also be having Advent crafts after lunch, including Mrs. Phillip's candy houses and making ornaments with Sue Chaplin Herb. Join us for a festive Sunday! 

Outreach Opportunities this Month:


We continue to collect men's clothes and shoes for men who are being discharged from County USC hospital. 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.

Our first Bad Weather Shelter date this year is Saturday December 17th from 5-9 p.m. Please sign up with Regina Meyers and join this group in serving a meal and laying out the cots for folks at the Church of the Covenant. We will know on Saturday if the meal will be happening since it is weather activated. If you have signed up you will be receiving an email from John Gamber Thompson.
We have two more dates after the first of the year.

Help us Sponsor a Family ! With the help of Rev. Schwiebert we have a family we are supporting during this Christmas season. They are a family of three children and a mom and dad who are settling in from Honduras. Aspire ministry sent over a truckload of used nursery toys, tables, and children's books to this family of 5. If you send in donations or gift cards, a few of us will shop on your behalf and put together gift baskets for the family. Please bring them by this Sunday and give to Pastor Marlene. If you wish to do your own shopping, speak with Marlene about their wish lists and sizes, etc. Thank you in advance for helping us support another family.


Friends in Deed can always use protein foods, cereal, and gift cards for $15 and $20. Just bring to church each week and give to the church school teaches who are filling and Advent box with the kids each week. Thanks for helping us help others during this Christmas season!
 
Pledge Update for 2017: 

We continue to receive pledges for the coming year. Varnell Lewis will be contacting folks who pledged last year and have not yet turned in their pledge cards. Moderator Elizabeth Lanski will have extra pledge cards on Sunday for you.  You can also send in your pledge to Barbara Bonzo (you can also email her with your amount), that would help the Budget Committee do their work preparing for 2017. Many thanks to all who have turned in their pledges and for those of you who are finishing up your 2016 giving! It all contributes to the work and ministry of our church.


   



Worship Leaders:
Rev. John H. Pomeroy  
Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy
 
Ushers
:
Sandy Biehler        
Robert Rinck
Kevin Cordova-Brookey


Liturgist:       
Jeff Levison 
 
Organist & Music Coordinator 
Connie Washburn  
 
Church School Teachers:
Christmas Pageant during worship.   Children to arrive at 9:00 a.m.

 
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  Pageant 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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Included in this edition:

Outreach opportunities this Month 
Pledge Update for 2017
Christmas Poinsettia Form 
Christmas Schedule
Special Congregational Meeting
Building Updates  
Las Posadas 
From Jennifer Lanski
Lederhosen and Lei Baby Shower
Rev. Sam Pullen's installation 
Aid Africa Scholarship and Summer Trip 2017 
   

advent-candles-header.jpg
 


Advent/Christmas Schedule 

  Thursday Dec. 15th Church Office Open House - for members and Building partners. Stop in for some cheer and a nibble with us!!! All are welcome.
 
Dec. 18th 4th Sunday in Advent - worship in sanctuary with our Children's Pageant as a special feature. A potluck lunch in our parlors will follow worship that day. Please let Laura Kalayjian know what you can bring for the potluck. Church School children lighting the Advent wreath.

Dec. 23rd Youth are invited to join visits to long term FCC members and friends, to bring some Christmas love and build inter-generational relationships. Please contact Nina or Marlene if your youth can take part or if you would like to suggest someone to receive a visit from our young people.
 
Dec. 24th Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with Carols at 5 p.m. (note time change this year) in our sanctuary. There is no nursery for this service. The nursery may be opened for any parents who need to take their children there for a break. A wassail bowl and reception will take place in our parlors following the service. You may take home your purchased poinsettias after the service. Rinck family lighting the Advent wreath.
 
Dec. 25th Christmas Day Worship in our chapel - an intimate affair with a "best slipper and pajamas" contest, cocoa, and cinnamon buns for those who come for this Christmas morning 10 a.m. service. Lots of Christmas singing and a festive atmosphere. Connie and Pastor Marlene in charge of merrymaking! NOTE: we will NOT have church school or a nursery this day so all ages welcome for this brief and joyful service!!
 
candles_romantic.jpg
   

Special Congregational Meeting

A brief Special Congregational Meeting was held this past   Sunday  to vote on taking out a $300,000 loan with the UCC Cornerstone Fund and authorizing expenditures from the Capital Improvement Trust Fund.

Forty-eight ballots were submitted by church members. The loan was approved by the required  4/5 margin (4/5 being 39 out of the 48 of the members present and voting) with 44 in favor, 2 voting "no", and 2 abstentions. This year's expenditures from the Capital Improvement Trust Fund required approval by a 2/3  majority
 (or 32 out of the 48) and this spending was authorized by a vote of 44 in favor, with 3 voting "no" and 1 abstention.  
 
The next steps entail signing various documents and submitting certifications. Once the loan is funded, Council along with the Investment Committee and Building Ministry will proceed with the urgently needed building repairs and stewardship of the funds with an eye on upcoming needs. 
 
Many thanks to all of you who participated in researching, evaluating, and in making this important decision.
 
Elizabeth Lanski
Moderator


Building updates:
 
This year we have completed two projects from our June inspection report.
  • Exterior Air Handler- Sept. 13 - Oct. 7, 2016
  • Leaking Water Reserve Tank replaced (operational for boiler)- completed Nov. 9, 2016
 
Our 3rd project is under city review- waiting on approval and finances to start the Sewer Pit Cover in boiler room and Boiler ventilation-
 
November-December months : both organs and pianos were tuned, new electrical & lighting installed in exterior corner flowerbed, temporary repairs were made on chapel electrical panel, sanitized carpet cleaning completed in #B01 from a leaking steam pipe and electrical repairs made in basement and mezzanine levels.
 
The chapel sub panel has been looked at recently and declared a fire hazard- ready for upgrade.  Phase #1: 60 LED hanging lights and front stage lamps need replacing with new dimmers and a light switch at entry.
Phase #2: replace with new modern sub panel, add and relabel new circuit breakers, patch wall
 
Events in our Sanctuary : PMC performed on Dec. 11, and Pasadena Waldorf Christmas Concert was held Dec. 15.
 
Parking lots and arrangements under review:

On Nov. 11, Jeff Tyler and I met with Fuller Campus Parking Director and the University Club Facility Director to discuss our previous parking agreements and look over dated memorandums. Elizabeth Lanski, Jeff and I were present for a 2nd meeting on Dec. 6, to discuss parking arrangements between the 3 entities. A revised draft of FCC's parking agreement was passed out for all to review before the next meeting on Jan. 6, 2017.
All parking arrangements will remain the same through 2016. New parking arrangements may be enforced after Jan. 6.


-Sallie McNair
Building Manager 


 
  Las Posadas

On Sunday, several of us participated in our own observance of Las Posadas, a Christmas ritual practiced in Mexico and Mexican-American communities in which participants join the Holy Family as they seek shelter in Bethlehem, experiencing rejection as they go from door to door. Our twist on the tradition put the focus not only on Joseph and Mary, but on the marginalized "strangers" we see hurting in the here and now: immigrants, indigenous groups, refugees, slaves, and those who have been cast out from religious communities. We heard voices of real people who've touched us here at FCC; we sang Advent hymns accompanied by simple guitar; we ate delicious homemade cookies; and we started conversations about how to move from meditation to action in a time when we are called, more than ever, to be a community of love, healing, and welcome.


Dear Friends and Colleagues,
 
I have a lot of news to share with you!
 
COMING VERY SOON:
 
I would like to invite you to an extremely informal "drawing viewing" next Sunday, December 18 at my home.

I will be showing ten drawings completed in 2015 and 2016 from a series still in progress featuring compositions of people photographing famous places.

Beginning at 2:00 pm, I will set out a pair of these drawings to be viewed. After about 5 or 10 minutes (depending on the number of viewers), I will replace this initial pair with a new pair. I will continue this process until all the drawings have been set out for viewing in turn. After about 30 or 40 minutes, all the drawings will have been shown, at which point light refreshments will be available. I will repeat the viewing beginning at approximately 3:00 for viewers who have arrived later or who would like the see the drawings again.
 
I'll also be happy to answer questions about my ongoing subscriptionART project, which is now in its fourth year.
 
Children welcome under close supervision. (All art to be shown is appropriate for all ages.)  
Relevant information:
Sunday, December 18, 2:00 pm to about 4
PLease ask Nina at 626.795.0696 for Jennifer's address or she she can be reached through her website jenniferlanski.com

RSVP helpful 
for refreshments but not necessary. (Just reply to this email to RSVP.)
 
Please come even if you do not RSVP.
 
HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA:
 
Why not give someone (or yourself) the gift of subscriptionART?
 
I t is a great time to subscribe to the project or renew your subscription. Subscriptions are _still_ available for as little as $5 per month. You can see some examples of previous months' postcards and learn more about the project on my subscriptionART website.
 
GENERAL NEWS:
 
I will be in residence at the Vermont Studio Center in January 2017 to have some focused time for my work. I have always enjoyed my residencies there, and am looking forward to experiencing Vermont in the winter.
 
SAVE THE DATE:
 
Upon my return from Vermont, I will be hosting an extremely informal "box opening" to show the work from my residency. The Box Opening will be held at 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoon, February 12, 2017 at my home. Details will follow closer to the event, but save the date now.
 
-Jennifer
 


Lederhosen and Lei Baby Shower - save the date!!

As many of you know, our pastor Andy Schwiebert and his wife Alli Mark are expecting their second child in February. We are hosting a baby shower for them on Saturday, January 7th at 4:30 
 in our parlors. More details will be forthcoming. Coordinators are Lu Burd and Pastor Marlene. (The theme reflects that cultural influences and background of the parents!)


The Central Association of the
 Southern California Nevada Conference of the
United Church of Christ

Joyfully invites you to the Service of Installation
 for 
Rev. Samuel Pullen 
Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 3 P.M. 
"CELEBRATING GOD'S INCLUSIVE LOVE"
Click here for more information 
 


You are Invited to go to Uganda July 2017! See below for Scholarship offered.
 
We are offering a trip for one FCC/((a)Spire member to travel to Uganda with Aid Africa next summer. You will see beautiful Uganda, meet the amazing Aid Africa staff and participate in their projects in the rural communities; visit the source of the Nile, go on a safari through a national park, and enjoy scenic side trips to waterfalls and local shopping. We sent Meagan VanDeventer on the tour last summer and she had a wonderful time. Ask her to tell you all about it.
 
 If you are a member of our church (male or female) you are already eligible to take advantage of this great opportunity. The Women's Legacy Fund Aid Africa Uganda Trip Fellowship provides $2,650 toward the cost of the trip.
 
A short Application must be submitted by January 15, 2017. Additional information about the trip, what you'll need and other costs can be found in the soon-to-be-updated Travel Brochure and the Visitors & Volunteers Tour Guide. If you have any questions about Aid Africa or this opportunity to travel to Uganda, ask Peter Keller, Irene Keller, Meagan VanDeventer, or Elizabeth Lanski.