Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
September 1, 2019
Meeting at 500 E. Colorado Blvd.
Sunday Worship Service:
11:30 am, FUMC Chapel
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Our Core Values:
Spiritual Growth. Welcome. Justice-seeking
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Please join others in an evening out at the Castle Green to support an amazing organization. Please let Pastor Marlene know if you wish to attend with others from FCC.
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Reflection for Worship. . .
Who Is Church For Again?
Luke 14:1,
Our faith has a built in dilemma if we decide to be a part of a church or an organized faith community: we are called to welcome the stranger and love our neighbor as ourselves - which means that the church that we devote our time and energy - and money - to is as much for others as it is for us. In practice it is mostly members or regular visitors who call the shots - come to meetings, teach, help with worship, offer outreach labor and time…so it would make sense that we begin to think of the church as “ours”. At a Seder meal there is always an empty chair for Elijah, representing the presence of God that breaks in to the story and the lives of the Hebrew people on their journey of faith. Perhaps we need an empty chair at our meetings and coffee hour to remind us of the same thing?
Our text for this Sunday in worship is a reminder that the church is a gathering of persons that requires lots of human effort - but also and perhaps most importantly - a time and place where we ask God to meet us all - member, regular, stranger and neighbor. In a reflection entitled “Who Is Church For Again?” we will consider how we keep our call to outreach and hospitality in front of us even when we are a mostly settled group that operate like a family or group of friends. Come join us for worship in the air conditioned Chapel at 11:30AM this Sunday!
-Rev. John H. Pomeroy
Also This Sunday
We will celebrate Communion this Sunday. We invite you to bring a donation for our Good Samaritan offering the first Sunday of each month. An envelope will be attached to your bulletin. All monies in that account go out from our church to help those in need. In addition we urge folks to bring non-perishable food items to be taken up to the Friends in Deed Food Pantry the first Sunday of each month. Canned protein, breakfast cereals, baby diapers and baby wipes are especially appreciated. There will be a basket in the chapel for you to place your items.
We will hear special music from several of our children and youth this Sunday as well as from the Rev. Randy VanDeventer on piano and vocals.
We invite you to bring some healthy snacks (muffins, fruit, veges, etc.) to share during our coffee hour in Fellowship Hall after worship.
Confirmation Update:
The next Confirmation Class will be held on Sunday Sept. 22
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at 3:00 in the Main Office. Our confirmands are Elle and Kamryn; their adult partners are Heather Bland and John Gamber-Thompson. Pastor Jake will be leading this class. Please keep our confirmands and partners in your prayers as they explore their faith and their understanding of the church.
Fall Church School
Pastor Marlene has met with the Church School Teachers to do some Fall planning. Church School will resume on Sunday Sept. 8
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– bring your grandparent to church that day to celebrate Grandparent Day!!! And stay for the FUMC Barbecue that we have been invited to that takes place on the front lawn after worship!!! Many thanks to our teachers who are preparing lessons for our children and youth that are biblically based and address themes such as: food insecurity, interfaith awareness, celebrating our church history and the joy of the Christmas story. There will also be opportunities outside of church school to engage in projects to serve others and learn about these themes. Updates will be included in the Touchstone throughout the Fall. Keep our teachers in your prayers as they plan for our children: Neva Orr, Krysty Leckrone, Jeff Tyler, Grace Rinck and Roberta White.
Membership Ministry Update
Our Membership Ministry Committee met this week to do some planning for the Fall. The committee consists of the following people: Lu Nguyen (Chair), Kim Story, Elizabeth Lanksi, and Pastor Marlene Pomeroy. What does this Ministry do? It tracks and welcomes visitors, makes sure we are in touch with folks who visit us on Sundays, reaches out to church members, plans intergenerational events such as the Halloween Festival (Oct. 27
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), the Advent Workshop (early December) and other outings such as the recent Hollywood Bowl trip. Their goal is to provide opportunities for folks to connect with each other, nurture their faith, and have some fun! Many thanks for their willingness to plan and offer events and activities for us! Please check the Touchstone weekly for updates on upcoming events.
Jazz on the Green Tickets supplemented
Council has approved $1000 from the Appley Fund to help support FCC folks who want to attend Jazz on the Green – THE major fund-raiser for Friends in Deed each year. If you would like to attend at a reduced rate please speak to Pastor Marlene ASAP either in person or via email. We must purchase our tickets in the next two weeks. See below for more details about the event.
Save the Dates for These Fall Events! More info to come!
Sat. Sept. 7th
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FUMC Fall Clean-up day. See details below.
Sun. Sept. 8th
- FUMC Rally Day Barbecue . Details below.
Wed. Sept. 25th
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Friends in Deed Jazz on the Green Fund-Raiser 6-9 p.m. Details below.
Sat. Oct. 19th
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FUMC Mozart Requiem Concert 7:30pm.
Sun. Oct. 20th
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Rev. Anne Cohen's Retirement Party following worship
Sat. Nov. 2nd
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Aid Africa Fund-Raiser on-site at FUMC
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Worship Leaders
Rev. Marlene W. Pomeroy
Rev. John H. Pomeroy
Rev. Leo Lynch
Liturgist
Kim Story
Ushers
Aren Burd
Julie Burd
Peter Keller
Brian Brandenburg
Pianist & Music Director
Connie Washburn
No Church School for the Summer
There is no church school summer class, but there will be activity packets for other youth so they can stay in worship
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.
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Sermon Podcast
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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
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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
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In our new world of debt-free budgets and investment income dedicated to service and outreach, 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:
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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.
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A $10,000 contribution to our own Women's Scholarship Fund that allowed us to offer increased scholarship amounts this year.
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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.
Additional new outreach spending awaits approval of parameters and a more formal plan for awarding grants, a plan informed by our values, mission and vision and the guidelines expressed in a trust document naming the church as a beneficiary.
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.
Council has approved the proposal and has scheduled a forum on September 15th to share the plan for awarding grants and to answer any questions you may have about the process, followed by a congregational meeting September 22nd to vote and affirm the guidelines. If you would like to read the proposal before the forum, copies will be available after Sunday morning worship or you may request an electronic copy from me or from Nina in the church office.
Once the plan is finalized, we will solicit 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
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Jennifer Lanski: Solo show
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I would like to invite everyone to the opening of my solo show,
"Places: Famous and Ordinary"
at the LA Artcore Union Center for the Arts.
I will be exhibiting 71 works total from three different series.
The opening reception is Sunday, September 8, from 3 to 5 pm.
The show runs September 5-29, 2019
Gallery hours are Thursday-Sunday 12-4 pm
La Artcore Union Center for the Arts
120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
(Take the Gold Line to the Little Tokyo station and walk a few blocks, or there is inexpensive parking in a lot across the street from the gallery: $1/hour for the 1st 2 hours; metered street parking is more expensive.)
-Jennifer Lanski
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Gallery Opening FAQs
1. Can children come?
Yes, as long as they are old enough to not touch the art, young enough to be unable to do so, or supervised so they won't. All the work in my show is appropriate for all ages.
2. Is there a cost to come to the gallery?
No. And no one will pressure you to buy art (think a grocery store, not a car dealership). But you can if you want to (unlike in a museum).
3. Is there a dress code?
No. Dress comfortably. I might be a little dressed up (or maybe not), but if you don't know me well, you probably won't be able to tell.
4. Do we have to be there for the whole reception?
No. Come for as little or as long as you like. I will be there the whole time (3-5 pm), but you can pop in just to say hi and have a quick glance around, or get caught up in the art and stay for hours.
5. Can I bring friends/family/colleagues who did not receive an invitation?
Definitely; the more the merrier. Please pass on this information to anyone you think might be interested.
6. What if I can't make it to the opening?
I'll miss seeing you there, but the show will be up for the month of September, so you have ample opportunity to see it. I'd love to hear your feedback if you do.
7. Do I need to RSVP?
No. You can just show up. See you there!
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You often have had delicious cake at your Box Openings and Drawing Viewings. Will there also be cake at this opening?
Probably. Come and see.
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An Opportunity to Partner with the FUMC
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FCC staff and leaders are looking for ways to partner with FUMC this Fall. We hope to have: a few outreach activities, a musical concert, a Thanksgiving Feast and a worship service to engage in together. Please see your Touchstone for updates on all of those happenings. To kick things off FUMC has invited us to join them on the following weekend events. This is a great way for us to continue to get to know them and enjoy their hospitality towards us.
On Saturday Sept. 7
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from 8:30am-2 pm many hands are needed to do the annual Fall Clean-Up around the FUMC site. We have been invited to come for an hour or two to help: dust pews, vacuum, trim plants, etc. Wear work clothes and bring any tools you might have. You are welcome to concentrate on the areas of the church that we use the most to freshen them up!
On Sunday Sept. 8
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the FUMC has invited us to attend their Rally All-Church Barbecue which will take place on the lawn in front of the church starting after their worship service at noon. The usually serve tri-tip, salad, baked beans and some veggie option; We will have a slightly shorter worship service that day to be able to finish by 12:20 and head out to eat. They would like a head count for how many of us plan to attend and eat so let Pastor Marlene know of your interest either via email or on Sunday. Let’s join them to kick off the Fall.
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Friends In Deed - Jazz on the Green
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Tickets are now available for the Friends In Deed Fall Fund-Raiser. Please join others in an evening out at the Castle Green to support an amazing organization.
Please let Pastor Marlene know if you wish to attend with others from FCC.
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We have been working with Paulina Lainez at ZenDigital to update our social media and website. She has been posting on our Facebook and Instagram accounts a number of different postings including testimonials of members, staff bios, the history of FCC, and our podcasts just to name a few. We would like to thank those who have written articles. The UCC has taken notice, too and are pleased that we are using their icons plus asked if they could use Kim Story’s testimonial for another publication. Please look for the postings and "like" them, comment on them or feel free to share them. Paulina has also been stream lining our website and making it more user friendly. Through this process, we are updating pictures, staff bios, access to the Women’s Scholarship application, along with information on FCC. The website should be going live in the next couple of weeks. Just a notice, that pictures that are taken at the church or on church events may be used for either the website or social media unless we hear from you that you would prefer not to. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
-Krysty
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Will you offer flowers for our worship one Sunday?
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.
Sept. 22 & 29, Oct. 20 & 27, Nov. 24 and Dec. 1, 15, 22 & 29 are available. Thanks to all who have already donated!
(We offer a reminder that altar flowers donation are not tax-deductible.)
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Golf Tournament of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Pacific Southwest Region
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You are invited to tee it up at San Dimas Canyon Golf Course on
Monday September 16, 2019,
15th Annual Golf Tournament of the Pacific Southwest Region Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) benefitting Youth, Students and Social Services. Registration brochures are available in the church office, please call Nina at 626.795.0696.
This event raises funds for six important ministries in the PSW Region: All People Community Center, LA; DOC Students Program for Disciples and UCC Students at Chapman University, Orange; Disciples Seminary Foundation, Claremonth; Eastmont Community Center, East LA; Project IMPACT, Lynwood, plus the Disciples' Camp and Conference Scholarship Fund for students going to Loch Leven
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CROP HUNGER WALK
November 3, 2019
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Save the date!
Crop Hunger Walk, Sunday November 3, St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, 1879 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, 12 Noon registration begins, 1:30 the 5K loop walk begins.
Save the date! Recruiters Info/Materials Rally, Saturday, September 7, 9-11 a.m.
* New 50th anniversary materials
* Inspiration and information
*Help setting up your web page
St. Elizabeth Parish Hall
1840 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, CA
(EAST side of Lake Ave., at the school)
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Mental Health Advocacy Services and Friends In Deed
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Monthly Free Legal Clinic
At this clinic, volunteers and attorneys at Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. will provide consultation and information.
Bring any documents relating to your question. Call to make an appointment today - 213.389.2077 ext. 15 - Ask for Andrea. Location: First United Methodist Church of Pasadena, Fellowship Hall, 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. For more information, call FUMC church office at 626.796.0157
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We worship at 11:30 a.m. at the Chapel of First Methodist Church every Sunday.
First Congregational Church
of Pasadena
United Church of Christ
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500 E. Colorado Blvd.,
Pasadena, CA 91101
Telephone: (626) 795-0696
OFFICE HOURS:
Mon to Thurs
9AM – 5:30PM
Lunch Hour:
12 – 1:30PM
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