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

The Pilgrim - March 28, 2010

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

On Palm Sunday we will celebrate the Sacrament of Communion by intinction. The service will begin with our annual Children’s Procession of Palms. There will be special music by both our Sanctuary Choir and our chant choir, Una Voce.

In my sermon I am going to look at Abraham’s decision to move to a new land, Jacob’s decision to return home, and Jesus’ decision to enter Jerusalem – all in relation to the theme of a commencement address given by writer Anna Quindlen.

SERMON: Get a Life – a Real Life
The Rev. Jerry Stinson
READINGS: Genesis 12:1-2,4-5; 31:17
LITURGIST: The Rev. Libby Tigner

On Easter Sunday, the Rev. Jerry Stinson and the Rev. Libby Tigner will share the sermon time.

 

Music on Sunday

For this Palm Passion Sunday, the Sanctuary Choir will sing a setting of the “Crucifixus” by Italian composer Antonio Lotti (1667-1740). The “Crucifixus” is from the Credo portion of the Mass proper. The translation is: “Crucified also under Pontius Pilate, he suffered and was buried.” This eight-part motet is most likely excerpted from one of the many mass settings composed by Lotti, who was most known for his operas, oratorios and solo cantatas (both sacred and secular). One can imagine the how the voices would sound in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice, with its many balconies and vaulted ceilings. I am sure the sound will fill the sanctuary at First Church.

- Dr. Leland, Vail, Minister of Music

 

In Sunday School

Theme: Into Jerusalem
Scripture Focus: Luke 19:28-40

 

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

The topic of the class will be "The Last Week: Holy Week in a Progressive Church," led by Libby Tigner. More information is below.

 

 

Holy Week at First Church
By Libby Tigner

This Sunday, Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of the most important week of the Christian calendar. The stories that are associated with Holy Week recount the last week of Jesus’ life and his crucifixion. The week, of course, culminates with our Easter Sunday celebration, but the journey of this week is meant to be challenging and thought-provoking. Please consider joining us for these special observances this week.

Sunday Adult Education. Libby will lead a class called “The Last Week: Holy Week in a Liberal Church.” Relying on the work of Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, we’ll take a close look at what we think might have really happened in Jerusalem during the last week of Jesus’ life, and, more importantly, talk about why it matters. March 28 at 8:30 a.m. in the Klar Rooms.

Palm Sunday Service of Celebration. The children will lead us in a processions of palms, and palm crosses will be handed out to everyone in attendance. See Jerry’s article at the beginning of The Pilgrim for more details about Sunday’s service.

Book Discussion. On Wednesday, March 31 at 7 p.m. in the Pownall Room, we’ll talk about the book Making Rounds with Oscar, which will lead us into a conversation about caring, compassion, and end-of-life decision making.

Maundy Thursday Services. Quiet, and profoundly moving, our Foot Washing observance is held at 6 p.m. in Sacred Space. It is a ritual that provides us the opportunity to practice humility in both the giving and receiving of service, in the symbolic act of washing one another’s feet. The practice of foot washing stems from the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples at their last supper together. The Service of Communion and Tenebrae at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary will include Bellissimo, the adult hand bell choir, the Sanctuary Choir, a meditation and communion. The center of the service is the darkening of the sanctuary as we, through readings and scripture about the last night of Jesus’ life, move into the shadows of the night.

This week is our Holy Week, and the joys of Easter are much richer and more meaningful when we come to them after a recognition of the more challenging and difficult aspects of being human.

 

Don't Miss Out on the Easter Bonnet Tea Party
By Nancy Valencia

Please join us in the Koinonia Room at 12 noon on Sunday, March 28 for the Easter Bonnet Tea Party sponsored by the Downtown Associated Youth Services (DAYS). We have a full menu of delights planned and you will have a chance to show off your Easter bonnet. Everyone who shows up wearing an Easter bonnet will be entered into a drawing to win a wonderful prize. We have a special menu planned at no cost for the children. The cost to attend the Easter Bonnet Tea Party is $25 per adult. 100% of the money raised by the Easter Bonnet Tea Party will go towards our free Summer Day Camp.

If you would like to attend, please contact Nancy Valencia at 562-234-2851 or navalencia@verizon.net. This event is going to be a lot of fun!

 

Easter Lilies

To contribute toward the lilies that will adorn the sanctuary on Easter Day, please email Ruth Warkentin in the office with the information below, then turn in your check made out to First Congregational Church with "lilies" in the memo by putting it in the offering plate on Sunday or mailing it to the office (241 Cedar Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802).

DEADLINE: Noon on Thursday, April 1

Name:
Phone number:

Number of lilies ______ x $10 per plant = $ ________

In honor/memory/celebration of:

__ I will take ______ plant(s) home.
__ Please take ______ plant(s) to shut-ins.

 

Easter Calla Lily Cross
By Tracy Halter-Balin

Calling all calla lilies! We will once again decorate our courtyard for Easter with our beautiful calla lily cross. Since it takes about 500 to fill in the cross, we’re looking for volunteers who can commit to bringing 30–40 lilies to church by 8:45 am Easter morning. I can also arrange to pick them up from you the day before. Just let me know.

Do you have these beautiful flowers in your garden? Or maybe your neighbors have some they’d be willing to share. If you can help out, please contact me at bellgirl99@hotmail.com, call 562-754-3324 or just find me at church! Let’s keep this beautiful tradition going. Thanks so much!

 

Don't Eat That Chocolate Bunny Before Church on Easter!
By Martha Duncan, Board of Parish Life

You'll spoil your appetite! Board of Parish Life is sponsoring breakfast before the Easter service, AND a catered Easter brunch after the service! Come for either or both! You won't want to miss it!

 

HELP!

Do you know folks who have been members or attendees of First Church for less than five years ... are you in that category? Be a friend and direct them (or yourself ) to the sign-up table in the after-church coffee hour in order to join a Getting to Know You Group. Sign-ups are going on for the next three weeks. Sign-ups are coming along in the category of those who have been members/attendees for over five years; it's the five years or under folks that are slower to fill. Each group has four people in the over-five year category, and four people in the under 5 years. So, for the next three weeks, would you help us out on that? Help yourself as well and join. The experience is really nice - I know, I've co-facilitated two groups so far and feel so much more pleasantly connected to folks here at church. What a gift!

The groups we're filling now will start on April 11, April 14, and April 18. Sign-ups are going on now in the coffee/conversation area after church for the next three Sundays. There are ten people in a group, eight participants and two co-facilitators. Each group will have three two-hour sessions. At the first session, the group decides when they would like to schedule the next two sessions, and the last one is a potluck. And just what goes on in each session? Discussions that revolve around questions that each participant shares with the group which allows everyone to "Get To Know You" a little better. No one is ever made uncomfortable; we simply join in at our will.

I thank you for your help. As always, you First Churchers are the ones that make things happen.

Tim Bolton

 

Scholarships Available: Apply Now!
By Sara Schoenfelder, Scholarship Committee Chair

Are you a graduating senior planning to attend a college, university, or trade school next year? Are you currently attending one of the institutions of higher learning mentioned above? Are you in need of financial assistance? Then read on ...

The First Church Scholarship Committee is now accepting applications for scholarships funded by the Kenneth Caskey and the Harriet S. and Nancy A. Merritt Memorial Scholarship funds. These scholarships will be awarded to assist qualified students attending (or planning to attend) any college, university, technical or trade institute at any level. We encourage you to apply if you qualify!

Applications are available in the church office, from the church website members’ area under the Awards tab, or you can email me, Sara Schoenfelder, Scholarship Committee Chair, at (sara.schoenfelder@cox.net). Time is of the essence - get your application, complete it thoroughly (including two reference forms), and return it to the church office or to me by email ASAP.

 

The First Annual Romero Lectures: The Intersection of Faith and Practice

Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24
Gala Dinner - Friday 6:30 p.m.
Romero Lectures - Saturday 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
All events will take place here at First Congregational Church

The Romero Lectures are designed to provoke our thinking by examining the role of the church in civil society in promoting social justice for all creation. Lecturers are distinguished scholars, community leaders, justice activists, ministers, and educators. Topics include the intersections of our faith with justice practice in areas such as the environment, immigration, human rights, racism, economics, gender, etc. The Romero Lectures include a keynote address, panel discussions, workshops, worship, celebration, and fellowship.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Robert Orr,
Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Planning and Policy Coordination, United Nations

Dr. Orr’s responsibilities include advising the Secretary-General on a full range of strategic issues, running the Secretary-General’s Policy Committee, and leading the Secretary’s efforts to complete the UN reform agenda agreed to by world leaders at the 2005 World Summit.

Workshops

• Immigration: The Road & Road Blocks to Documentation, Richard Mendez, Attorney at Law Mendez and Lopez
• Justice Overcoming Boundaries in San Diego County (JOB San Diego), Norma Chavez-Peterson, Director
• Passages: Community Memory and the Landmarks of Immigration in the United States - Pasaje: Memoria Comunitaria y los Momentos Importantes en la Historia Immigratoria de los Estados Unidos, the Rev. Dan Romero, Facilitator. (This workshop will be conducted in Spanish.)

Panel Discussion
Stories and Impressions: The Politics of “Crossing Borders”: Borderlands, Culture and Traditions

Registration
Registration fee is $135 for the full experience which includes two meals, the workshops, the gala dinner and the keynote address. If you are unable to join us for the Lectures, please join us for the Friday night Gala Fundraising Dinner for $40 (available online). Register online at www.theromerocenter.com. For additional information contact Carlos Correa at correac@ucc.org or Donyale Copeland at copeland@ucc.org.

 

Church Table at Benefit Dinner April 24
By Jerry Stinson

The Rebuilding Alliance is a non-profit organization that seeks to rebuild war-torn Palestinian communities in an effort to make them safe. In partnership with Combatants for Peace they built Abir’s Garden: A Safe Place to Grow and the Anata Girls’ School. In partnership with the Rural Women’s Association of Al Aqaba they built a kindergarten and a library. They built a home for the family in Gaza whom the late Rachel Corrie sought to protect when she was killed. In Gaza they built a community center at a soccer field.

On Saturday, April 24 from 6 to 9 p.m., the Rebuilding Alliance will hold its second Annual Peacemakers Dinner at the Red Rock Chateau in Silverado Canyon in Orange County. The guest speakers will include:

• Cindy and Craig Corrie, the parents of Rachel Corrie. Ever since Rachel was killed by Israelis, Cindy and Craig have worked for peace and justice in Palestine and Israel.
• Brian Baird, a member of Congress who just visited Gaza to see for himself the devastation after Israel’s invasion. He is a clear advocate for Palestinian and Israeli human rights.
• Professor Richard Falk, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestinian Human Rights.

If there is enough interest among our members, First Church will buy a table for this very special event. The cost is $50 a person and we need ten people to fill the table. Kay and I will be attending. If you would like to reserve a seat at our table please let me know by phone at 562-436-2256, extension 230 or by email at revjstinson@verizon.net.

 

Taizé at St. Luke's

St. Luke's Episcopal Church will hold a Taizé service for Holy Week on Tuesday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. St. Luke's is at the corner of Seventh St. and Atlantic Ave. in Long Beach. All are welcome.

 

Annual Gathering June 11-12

The Annual Gathering of the Southern California/Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ will be held June 11-12 at First Congregational Church of Santa Ana. It is expected that the next Conference Minister will be chosen at this gathering. A complete schedule of events and registration information are available at the Conference website.

 

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.

 

 

Parish Concerns

Your thoughts and prayers are requested for Iris Wells and Bob Kalayjian's family upon the death of his cousin's son.

In the armed forces: 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.

 

The following information is paid advertising. To place an ad in this newsletter, please contact Ruth Warkentin in the church office.

 

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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