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

Third Sunday in Lent      
March 4, 2018    


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


                                     
                       

  
Part of the group that served the Bad weather Shelter this past week. See more pictures below.

 
Reflection for Worship . . .

John 2:13-22
"The Temple and The Economy"

This week, we will read and reflect on a story from the gospel of John in which Jesus drives money changers and merchants from the temple in Jerusalem.  The theme of close ties between the temple and the marketplace in Jesus' day raises questions about the relationship between communities of faith and the economy in our own time.  How does the church - both the wider institution and our community specifically - relate to the wider economic world?  In what ways do our society's economic tendencies toward the commodification of absolutely everything affect our ability to experience the presence of God?  What exactly was going on in the temple in Jerusalem that had Jesus so upset?  What might this story call us to think about in terms of how the church and contemporary followers of Jesus ought to interact with our wider economic world?  Join us Sunday as we incorporate this fascinating story into our journey through the season of Lent. 


Randy VanDeventer 
Also This Weekend ....

Lamplighters are hosting an event to hear music at Liberty Hall at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills on Saturday March 3rd starting at 6 p.m. See article below for details!
 
 

Daylight saving Time Begins
at 2 A.M. March 11th.
Don't forget to set all of your clocks
one hour ahead!

 
 



Worship Leaders 
      
Mr. Randy VanDeventer 
Rev. John H. Pomeroy
    
Liturgist
 
Bettie Teel

Ushers
Aren Burd
Julie Burd
Peter Keller
Brian Brandenburg  
   
  
Pianist & Music Director 
Connie Washburn  
 
Church School Teachers   
Combined class for elementary & youth class - teachers are:  Neva Orr and Roberta White.
 
Church Nursery (for infants - K) :
Jaquelyne Rodriguez and Adi Paokhomai   
 
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
 

  
 
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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2018 March
In this Edition . . . 
 
Lent Adult Book study
FREE Concert, March 3rd, Lamplighters Outing
Church School Update
Saves the Dates
Report on our Transition Forum
Building Update
BWS Thanks!!!


Lenten Small Groups Begin!

If you signed up to be in a small group you were sent an email letting you know the details of your group. Please contact Pastor Marlene if you have any questions about these groups. Others are urged to read the book for their pleasure. 
   
Chasing Francis is a modern tale for someone in a faith crisis, set against the story of St. Francis from the early 1200's.  
  
Lamplighters
(A group that likes to do things) ... Join Us!



FREE CONCERT
MUSIC OF STAGE AND SCREEN

Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 6:00 p.m.
Liberty Hall, Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90068

Music You'll Hear:
Hamilton, Camelot, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables, Cats,
Pirates of the Caribbean, Grease, Beauty and the Beast and more....
Paulette Westphal, Music Director 

Directions - 134 to Forest Lawn Drive. Forest Lawn Drive to Forest Lawn (on the left). You will go past a Jewish Cemetery first. Once at Forest Lawn follow signs to Liberty Hall at the top of the hill.
Note: Concert starts at 6:00 p.m., come 5:30ish.

For more information, contact Regina Meyers at 626.576.2718 or Anastacia Stewart at 323.258.4351
                   
 

Church School Update
 
Our church school children are collecting money in their piggy banks to be donated at the end of Lent. Save the date for our Palm Sunday picnic in the park and Easter Egg hunt:

- Sunday March 25th, a Palm Sunday egg hunt and picnic at McDonald Park at Bell/Wilson Ave, 
- and a very special outing after Easter to Universal Studios if we reach our fund-raising goal of $200 (all of which will be sent to an organization which the children shall select).  
 
Save the Dates:
 
On Sunday March 25th there will be the Annual Pasadena Peace Parade. Details to come! There will also be a concert by Incendio to benefit Pearls of Africa Children's Fund. The event will be held at a private home in North Hollywood at 12334 Tiara St. The cost is $25 per person. You may purchase tickets at pearlschildrensfund.org/concert or call (818) 249-2398.
 
Saturday April 7th from 9:00 am- 2:00 pm there will be a Aid Africa Birthing Kit assembly at the Salem Lutheran Church 1211 N. Brand Blvd. Glendale. Each kit is $10. For more info please email [email protected] , speak with church folks Peter or Irene Keller, or call (818)389-6442.

Report on Our Transition Forum
 
Last Sunday about 30 persons attended a Transition Forum where we checked in on the next steps following the sale of our church building on February 14, 2018. Moderator Elizabeth Lanski explained the paperwork for closing and the sale proceeds; in short, the monies have gone into two investment accounts - one at TD Ameritrade to be used in case of making an offer on another property or building; the other large account with United Church Funds, with the same investment profile as the monies we invest for the Women's Scholarship Fund. The Investment Committee recommended these funds based on the Council's discussion last week, and our investments may change as our search for a space evolves this year.
 
Persons signed up to help with a celebration event - perhaps in late June this year - where we remember and give thanks for all our historic building has meant to us in our life of ministry together. Also, persons signed up to help sort and decide on what we will take with us and what we will donate or sell - we have an opportunity to make a fresh start in a new space and want to take care how much we spend in storage or moving.
 
Persons from our Scout Team shared briefly about what they have seen so far in church buildings and what their experience so far has been looking for a new home for our faith community. Some very helpful language and questions were shared and recorded.
 
We spent the final half hour of the Forum sharing in small groups what we would like to take with us in terms of programs, qualities and values - and what we might want to let go of and leave behind. We have compiled a list - typed by Elizabeth Lanski - and will continue to share and discuss that list in the weeks to come to help guide our Scout Team and our congregation in making choices and decisions.
 
Stay tuned for more information about investing, sorting, celebrating and choosing a new space for our
 
Building Update
We are officially renters in our building now! The building has been sold and we are in the process of turning over utilities and all building needs to our new owners. The Management Company overseeing our building is United Property.
 
We will be updating our website and posting new signs over the next few weeks to indicate these changes. We will remain in the building as renters for up to a year. Our Building Manager Sallie is available to us for any FCC needs. You may contact her via email at [email protected] , call her at the church office (626)795-0696 Tuesdays through Fridays, speak to her on Sunday, or obtain her cell phone number from Nina or the pastors. Sallie is no longer brokering any outside building use requests or building maintenance concerns beyond what we use as our church. It's a shift for all of us that will take some time to fully get comfortable with! We thank you for your patience during this time of transition.

Bad Weather Shelter Thanks
Many thanks to our hardy group of 10 who came and laid out cots for folks, cooked and served a meal this past weekend. Thank you: Bob (Head Cook!), Elizabeth (assistant cook!), Tara, Brian D., Vicki, Sandy, Bettie, Alyce and Marlene for lending a hand on a cold night!!