Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost    
October 13, 2019
Meeting at 500 E. Colorado Blvd.
Sunday Worship Service: 11:30 am, FUMC Chapel
Our Core Values: 
Spiritual Growth. Welcome. Justice-seeking
Walk for Water

Join us on this Saturday October 12th for an Aid African Walk for Water event. See article below for more information and to donate. Thanks for helping us raise awareness about the need for clean water.





Reflection for Worship. . .

Faithful Settlers
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7

The Hebrew people - in exile in Babylon - were grieving and missed their families and culture from Jerusalem. In our text for worship comes the unwelcome and confusing message from the prophet Jeremiah, saying that God asks the Hebrew people to settle in the land where they are captive, to build houses, farm the land, raise families and pray for the welfare of this new homeland. Why? Because in this new land, this community will find its own welfare, salvation and destiny. In a reflection entitled “Faithful Settlers”, we will explore what such faithful action might look like in our own situation, having moved from our home to a new home, among a group of welcoming but different persons of faith, together seeking the welfare of the city of Pasadena! Come join us for a discussion of the meaning of a portable, traveling faith! We worship in the Chapel at 11:30AM each week…

Rev. John H Pomeroy


  Join us for a Retirement Party for the Rev. Anne Cohen
On Sunday October 20 th we will honor and celebrate the ministry of the Rev. Anne Cohen during worship and at a luncheon after in the Fellowship Hall. Anne grew up in our church and attended seminary at the Claremont School of Theology. She served in many settings around the Los Angeles area over several decades, Having returned to her home church to cover the sabbatical of the Pomeroys over the Summer, Anne continues to make her church home here. There will be representatives from many of her former church settings at the event as well as colleagues from around the Conference. Please join us for worship as we celebrate Anne and then move to the Fellowship Hall for a catered lunch and some presentations. We looked forward to celebrating Anne.
 
Halloween Party!
On Sunday Oct. 27 th Membership Ministry will have an intergenerational Halloween Party after worship. We will have some activities and games, a costume contest as well as pizza and salads. Please let Elizabeth Lanski know if you can bring a salad. Feel free to dress in costume for worship and the event. Come join us for some festive fun! Speak with Membership Co-Chairs Lu Burd or Kim Story if you can help out with the event.
Social Media Connections
Did you know that we have a Facebook (First Congregational Church of Pasadena, United Church of Christ) account and an Instagram (fccpasadena) church account? You will find weekly updates and inspirational articles that profile our church each week. Please pull up these accounts and follow us! Let’s get the word out about what great things we are doing here at FCC Pasadena.
 
Interested in a Spiritual Practices Group?
Are you looking for a faithful place to connect with others, quiet your mind and nurture your faith through mindful spiritual practices such as: breathing, restorative yoga, prayer, journaling, meditation, etc.? Please let Pastor Marlene know of your interest in attending a group such as this. It would be helpful for her to know what your particular needs are, how often you would plan to attend, and a couple of times during the week that you would be able to attend a 75 minute meeting at the church. If we have enough interest we will proceed with some dates this Fall. Contact Marlene via fccrevs@yahoo.com


  Join Us For these Fall Events! Details will be forthcoming in future Touchstones.

Sat. Oct. 12th - Aid Africa Walk for Water
Sat. Oct. 19th - Fruit Pick 10:00-11:30 a.m. (details tba)
FUMC Mozart Requiem Concert 7:30pm.
Sun. Oct. 20th - Rev. Anne Cohen's Retirement Party
following worship with catered luncheon.
Sun. Oct. 27th - Halloween Party and lunch following worship.
Sat. Nov. 2nd - Aid Africa Fund-Raiser on-site in Fellowship Hall
Sun. Nov. 3rd - Pasadena CROP Hunger Walk

From Connie, our Music Director: As we look forward to October 19, the glorious Mozart Requiem will be brought to life by several local church choirs, including members of FCC UCC choir joining the FUMC choir in the FUMC sanctuary. We hope you’ll mark your calendars!

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

Liturgist  
Anastacia Stewart
  
Ushers
Kathie Arscott
Jeff Levison
Jim Maddox


Pianist & Music Director
Connie washburn

Church School
Combined class for elementary & youth Krysty Leckrone/ Jeff Tyler are teachers in Room 302.
   
Church Nursery (for infants - K)
Kaye Jenkins & Lachlan Ashenmiller
     
This week everyone comes to the Chapel at 11:30am and stays through the Children's Time and then heads to the nursery with caregivers and parents. 

Visit us at:  uccpasadena.org

Sermon Podcast : 
  
Did 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 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

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

Nina Kung  

Walk for Water - A Clean Water Fundraiser - October 12

Tracking Our Outreach Hours - send your hours and info to Pastor Marlene
Please remember that when you engage in outreach that is FCC related, please calculate the amount of time, people and money that is spent and send that info to Pastor Marlene; (For example, if 4 people serve Union Station for 3 hours each, send that info to Pastor Marlene along with the amount of money you spent on food.)

Let's see how many hours, people and funds we are offering. If you are part of a group, please have the leader send me an email. If you buy a bag of supplies for the FID Food Pantry, just send me the amount you spent and how long you shopped. How many hours of outreach can we offer to those beyond us???
Outreach Grants Process Approved!
See Grant Application below
Several weeks ago we called a special church business meeting to approve our Outreach Grants proposal. Applications are available at the end of this article for folks to use to apply.

Here is a synopsis of the process:

With the sale of our building the Budget Committee and Church Council considered setting aside $100,000 of 2019 income for Outreach Projects, in addition to our usual allocations for Union Station, Friends In Deed and other activities. There was considerable support for this idea at the Budget Forum but also a little reluctance to commit to a significant new program without first setting some guidelines. While the new $100,000 outreach budget line was not actually in the final budget approved at the Winter Business Meeting, the Church Council initially approved three projects in line with our mission and vision:

·       Offering five month’s direct support, with the Neighborhood Church on Orange Grove, of $1,000 a month to a woman and her four children who came from Honduras in the caravan at our border and resettled in Pasadena.
·       A $10,000 contribution to our own Women's Scholarship Fund that allowed us to offer increased scholarship amounts this year.
·       A $5,000 contribution to the Jackson Elementary Dual Language STEM Science Camp on Catalina Island that made it possible for 15 fifth grade students to attend who otherwise would have had to skip the trip due to a lack of funding.

In May, an Outreach Grants Committee comprised of Bevin Ashenmiller, Brian Cordova-Brookey, Elizabeth Lanski, Lu Nguyen, Carolyn Olney, and Roberta White was formed. They have worked diligently to develop a process for outreach grants, establishing sources of funding and parameters for the use of those funds, defining types of grants, crafting an application and review process, setting areas of priority, selection criteria, exclusions, and assessment and oversight.

A Forum was held Sunday September 15th to share the plan for awarding grants and to answer questions about the process. This Sunday September 22nd we will voted to affirm the guidelines. Paper or E-copies are available from Nina in the church office.

We are currently receiving applications so that we may fund additional outreach projects before the close of 2019 and start soliciting 2020 grant applications.

-Elizabeth Lanski, Chair
Outreach Grants Committee
Grant Applications
Parenting Book and Discussion on
Bless This Mess
Parenting Discussion Planned

Being a parent is an incredible journey and one that does not need to be done without support and encouragement!   Join us as we discuss the book Bless This Mess on Sunday Nov. 3rd at 4:00. Check with Pastor Marlene about the location.

The book is written by a UCC Pastor and a Child Psychologist and has some very thoughtful insights about parenting along with a lot of stories and support. What makes it so special is that it approaches parenting from a progressive Christian perspective! We will use the book as a jumping-off point to discuss our own experiences of parenting. The cost of the book is $13.50 each.
 
CROP HUNGER WALK
November 3, 2019
Join us as we walk to raise awareness and raise funds to help fight hunger in our community and across the world! Sunday November 3rd at St. Elizabeth’s in Altadena is the date and place - bring a sign, a dog or a young person to share the walk with you! Normal start time is 1-1:30 and walkers can choose different routes according to your strength and time allotment. If you cannot walk, please sponsor someone from our church - the link here will lead you directly to our church's registration page…thanks to Church World Service for all their work and outreach.

Location: St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, 1879 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, 12 Noon registration begins, 1:30 the 5K loop walk begins

Here is the link that will take you directly to our FCC Pasadena Team site to make your donation. There will also be packets you can use to collect money via cash.
Rise Against Hunger Event at FUMC
Ten FCC folks stayed after lunch on
Sunday to prepare emergency food
packages with folks from the Methodist Church and the
Islamic Center. We packaged 24,000 meals in two hours!
‌
Altar Flowers -- Only Four More Sundays Available for 2019


Sign up to remember/honor someone or event! The Flower Chart is located by the entrance in FUMC Chapel or you can contact Nina at the Church Office 626.795.0696 or email her at fccmonina@gmail.com . The cost is $40.
Nov. 24 and Dec. 1, 15, & 29 are available. Thanks to all who have already donated!

(We offer a reminder that altar flowers donation are not tax-deductible.)
We worship at 11:30 a.m. at the Chapel of First Methodist Church every Sunday.
We are the First Congregational Church
of Pasadena,
United Church of Christ
500 E. Colorado Blvd.,
Pasadena, CA 91101
Telephone: (626) 795-0696
OFFICE HOURS:
Mon to Thurs
9AM – 5:30PM
Lunch Hour:
12 – 1:30PM