A Liberal Church, Welcoming of All, Passionately Committed to Social Justice

The Pilgrim - January 31, 2010

Sunday Celebration Notes from Jerry Stinson
Celebrating God’s Love Every Sunday at 10 am.

This will be our annual WELCOMING SUNDAY during which we celebrate the Open and Affirming Covenant made by this congregation eighteen years ago, when the members declared that this church will be open to and affirming of people of all sexual orientations. The hymns and liturgy will lift up God’s radically inclusive love and will speak of a faith community which publicly welcomes everyone – especially those others would perhaps reject.

Over the years, in several sermons I have looked at Jesus’ parable about a vineyard owner’s way of paying workers. I want to look at that parable once again but from a different perspective this time, as I also consider the story of two medical students and a child with Down Syndrome.

SERMON: Penny and the Med Students
The Rev. Jerry Stinson, preaching
READING: Matthew 20:1-16
LITURGISTS: The Rev. Libby Tigner and Mr. Jim Segura

Next week Jerry Stinson’s sermon will be titled “Diving into Life with Abandon.”

 

Music on Sunday

This will be our final Sunday of performing movements from the Colloredo Mass by Mozart. The Sanctuary Choir will sing the “Sanctus,” the shortest movement of the work. After an initial statement of the text (“Holy, Holy, Holy is the God of Hosts; Heaven and Earth are full of God’s glory”), the soprano soloist begins the “Hosanna in excelsis” and is followed by the choir. Steven Berlagna, our baritone soloist, will sing “Zion’s Wall” from the American Folksongs collection arranged by Aaron Copland. See you in church!

- Dr. Leland Vail, Minister of Music

 

In Sunday School

Theme: Prophet on the Edge
Scripture Focus: Luke 4:21-30

 

In Adult Education
Sundays at 8:30 am in the Klar Rooms, upstairs in Pilgrim Hall

Throughout January we are exploring the “Eight Points of Progressive Christianity.” Using a study guide from The Center for Progressive Christianity, we are fleshing out what each of these points might mean for us as individuals and as a congregation.

The class meets at 8:30 a.m. in the Klar classrooms. Coffee is provided, child care is available, and you are welcome to bring your breakfast and a friend!

 

Parent Book Study Continues

The Parent Book Study meets Sundays at 9 a.m. in the Pownall Room to discuss Making a Home for Faith: Nurturing the Faith of Your Child, by Elizabeth Caldwell. The book study will meet each week through February 21. All parents and those interested in children's faith are invited. Childcare provided in the nursery.

 

 

Long Beach Mozart Festival
Grand Finale Concert
This Saturday, January 30, 8 pm
In the Sanctuary
Featuring Concerto Competition Grand Prize Winner Elicia Silverstein
and the Mozart Festival Orchestra
Dr. Leland Vail, Conductor
Free Event

The program will include Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major, K. 218 and his Missa Solemnis ("Colloredo Mass"), and our own Sean O'Neal will also perform on the organ.

 

A New Class with the Rev. Dr. Ed Bloomfield February 7 and 14:
"The Existential Philosophy of Paul Tillich"
By Ed Bloomfield

Dr. Ed Bloomfield, Minister of Visitation at First Church and Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Cerritos College, will teach a two-week class on the life and thought of Paul Tillich on February 7 and 14 at 8:30 a.m. in the Klar Rooms. Ed had the privilege of studying under Tillich at Harvard Divinity School in 1960-1962.

Paul Tillich (1886-1965) was a German-American theologian and Christian existentialist philosopher. He is best known for his works The Courage to Be (1952) and Dynamics of Faith (1957), which introduced issues of theology and modern culture to a general readership. Theologically, he is best known for his major three-volume work, Systematic Theology (1951-1963), in which he developed his “method of correlation”: an approach of exploring the symbols of Christian revelation as answers to the problems of human existence raised by contemporary existential philosophical analysis.
Tillich is brilliant, exciting, controversial, challenging and frustrating. Plan to join us for what promised to be a very educational dialogue about one of the twentieth century’s most influential Protestant theologians. If you have any questions, give Ed a call at 562-865-1503.

 

Support Haiti and Local Food Banks with Souper Bowl of Caring
By Wally Hoeger

This year the youth of the church have decided to bring back our hunger labyrinth here at First Church on Super Bowl Sunday. At a time when need and hunger are making the headlines on a daily basis, the labyrinth will be a place to pray, meditate, and offer aid to others. Food will be collected this Sunday, the 24th, and on January 31 and February 7. On February 7 the youth will construct a labyrinth for the congregation members to enjoy on that Sunday after church as well as collect monetary donations for the people of Haiti.

What is a labyrinth, you ask? It’s a path that at first glance might appear to be a maze, but in actuality it is the opposite. With one way to enter and one way to exit, it is a single purposeful path that is walked to help become closer to God. It is a meditation and prayer tool used to quiet the mind and focus in prayer or meditation. It can be a powerful experience.

Food donated for the labyrinth will be donated locally to help those who need the support. Monetary donations will be given to the One Great Hour of Sharing Fund to help support the people of Haiti.

 

Central Association
Southern California Nevada Conference
United Church of Christ
PRESENTS
SACRED CONVERSATIONS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
San Marino Congregational UCC
2560 Huntington Drive (corner of Del Mar Avenue), San Marino, CA 91108
626-292-2080

10 a.m. Gather
10:30 a.m. Sacred Conversations
     1. Revitalized Worship with Music, led by Kit Wilke and guests
     2. Sexuality, led by Elsa Seifert
     3. Race in America, led by Art Cribbs
12 p.m. Re-gather
12:30 p.m. Refreshments and Fellowship
1 p.m. Adjourn

Bring a busload or a carload or just come by yourself and keep the conversations alive and going. RSVP to donaldshenk@sanmarinoucc.org or artcribbs@sanmarinoucc.org.

 

Potluck Memorial for John Baney

On Saturday, February 6 at 6 p.m. we will gather for a potluck memorial for John Baney. We hope that all of you knew and loved John will join us. A phone call or email of your intentions to attend would be most helpful in planning the event. Please RSVP to Jim Deaton at 562-424 2311 or slimjimlb@aol.com.

 

Save These Special Sundays Now!
By Jerry Stinson

February 14 – Quinquagesima Sunday with hymns and special music by a Dixieland band.
February 21 – Our Annual Meeting after the service.
February 28 – A special Peace Sunday planned by our Worship and Arts Ministry Team, featuring singer and songwriter Jerry Leggett from Hawaii, who will do a “sermon in song” and then talk at the forum about his cross country trip in the “peace bubble.”

 

New Childcare Policy
By Wally Hoeger

Next month we will start our new policy for childcare at First Church. If you are interested in using the childcare already provided for a particular event, such as First Church Café, we will have sign-up sheets available in the nursery before church. We ask that all parents who would like to drop off their children after church for an event sign up at the nursery before church. As is our continuing policy, if you are interested in having childcare available for an event that is not listed as having childcare, for example a forum or concert, please send your request via email to Wally Hoeger at whoeger@firstchurchlb.org at least two weeks prior to the event.

 

CCEJ Breakfast on February 24
By Libby Tigner

The California Conference for Equality and Justice will have its annual Interfaith/Intercultural Breakfast on Thursday, February 24. The keynote speaker will be one of our nation's most dedicated civil rights leaders, John D. Maguire, PhD - an original Freedom Rider and President Emeritus of Claremont University Consortium and Graduate University.

Please not that First Church will NOT be purchasing a table for this event. If you are interested in attending, please visit the CCEJ website, cacej.org, for more information.

 

Register for Summer Camp
By Wally Hoeger

While summer might seem a long way away, it’s important to register now during the winter months for Pilgrim Pines Summer Camp program. If you did not receive your registration information in the mail you can print it out at www.pilgrimpinescamp.org. Each year we try to have all of our campers from minis (campers going into grades 1-4) to senior high sign up for the same week of camp. This year that week will be Week 5, August 1-7. Scholarships for camp, also known as camperships, are available through the camp and through our church as well. Please contact the Rev. Libby Tigner for more information on camperships that are available.

 

Youth Uniting in Mission: March 13-14
By Wally Hoeger

This year Youth Uniting in Mission (YUM) will be better then ever. Seven churches have
teamed up to bring Jason and deMarco to southern California to give a concert on March 14! We’re having an overnight at First Congregational Church UCC of San Bernardino the night before (March 13-14), and the event will include service projects, games and movies, worship on Sunday morning with Jason and deMarco and a concert on Sunday afternoon.

Our service projects will help support the AIDS meal program and the Homework Center run by FCC UCC of San Bernardino, as well as other programs that benefit the San Bernardino area. This event is for Jr. High and Sr. High youth. RSVP before March 1 to take advantage of our discounted prices: $15 for the overnight and concert and $10 for the concert only. After March 1 the cost is $25 for the overnight and concert and $20 for the concert only. Visit www.scncucc.org for more information and to sign up.

A big thanks to the churches that have volunteered to help make this event possible: First Congregational UCC of San Bernardino, First Congregational Church of Long Beach, Redlands United Church of Christ, First Congregational Church of Riverside, Bethel Congregational UCC in Ontario, Claremont United Church of Christ and Diamond Bar Congregational Church.

 

Dr. Marcus Borg to Speak at Chapman University Founder's Day in March
From Wally Hoeger

Chapman Univeristy is hosting its 27th Annual Founders Day with the popular and compelling speaker Dr. Marcus Borg. Borg is the author of several best-selling books, including Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time and The Heart of Christianity. Borg appeals to those who have an extensive theological education as well as those who are newer to biblical and theological questions of faith.

The two-day event will be held on the Chapman campus in Orange on March 19-20. On Friday, March 19, Borg will offer three lectures during the day under the theme "Jesus: Then and Now." There will also be a Chapman alumni reception at 4 p.m. The evening topic will be "Speaking Christian: Redeeming Christian Language." On Saturday morning, March 20, there will be workshops for prospective parents and students, a reunion of Chapman’s DOC alumni and an extended conversation session with Borg. Following lunch there will be a brief concert by the Chapman Concert Choir and a worship service in which Borg will be preaching. At that service Don Reisinger will be honored as Church Leader of the Year.

Please contact Wally Hoeger at 562-436-2256 ext. 226 or whoeger@firstchurchlb.org if you would like more information or to sign up for this event. You can also get more information at www.chapman.edu.

 

Pilgrim Deadline

The deadline for submitting items for inclusion in the newsletter is Friday at 12 noon for the email going out the following week. Due to the new email format, it is not necessary for items tobe submitted as attachments; they may simply be included in the text of your email.

 

 

The Church Mouse has heard ...

... After considering six football scholarship offers, Alex Cannon has committed to UC Davis for the 2010-11 school year. Way to go, Alex!

 

Parish Concerns

Your thoughts and prayers are requested for Stan Cook (Georgette DeBruyn's cousin); Dell Webb (Jon Rodgers' stepfather); Melvin Langston (Adreana Langston's brother); David Travis-Bourassa; Cathy Flynn; Tom Rogers (Joanne Halley's husband); and Bill and Iris Wells.

In the armed forces: Daniele Ware (Karen Miller’s granddaughter, stationed in Iraq) and Laura Anderson (Kathy Young's niece, stationed in Bahrain).

Names on the Parish Concerns list appear in two consecutive editions of the newsletter. Those in the armed forces serving in combat zones are listed until they come home. To put someone on either list, put a note on the Parish Concerns board on the Third Street landing or contact Ruth Warkentin in the church office.

 

Becoming a Member of First Church

Whether you have been attending for a few weeks, a few months or several years, we would like you to consider becoming a member of First Church. When you are ready to take that step, please call or email the Rev. Jerry Stinson at 562-436-2256, ext 230 or revjstinson@verizon.net.

 

Online Calendar

Don’t miss out! Check the online church calendar at www.firstchurchlb.org/calendar.html for details about all church events. You can use the online calendar to email invitations to friends to church events and to set up emailed reminders to yourself. Just click on any event to see information about it.

 

 

 

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First Congregational Church - 241 Cedar Avenue - Long Beach, California 90802
562-436-2256 - Fax: 562-436-3018 - E-mail: office@firstchurchlb.org