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

The Pilgrim - August 15, 2010

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

At this Sunday’s service, we will celebrate the baptism of Steven Mota. There will be special music provided by violist Laura McCrary who will be accompanied by Akiko Dohi.

My sermon will focus on how we can overcome the cynicism of our time. It will build upon comments made several years ago at a Harvard commencement by former Vice President Al Gore.

SERMON: Kicking the World to Pieces
The Rev. Jerry Stinson preaching
READING: Selections from Joshua 2
LITURGISTS: The Rev. Libby Tigner and Ms. Mary Flynn

 

In Sunday School

Theme: Restore Us
Scripture Focus: Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19

 

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

Join us at 8:30 a.m. this Sunday as we resume our conversations about “Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know – and Doesn’t.” We are basing our conversations in a book by the same title by Stephen Prothero. Copies are available at the local library or from online booksellers; however, it’s not necessary for you to read the book to take part in the class. This week we will focus on chapter three, “Eden – What We Once Knew.” This is a slight variation from the previous schedule.

Coffee and childcare are both available – so bring your breakfast and join us in the Klar Rooms at 8:30 Sunday morning.

 

 

Forum This Sunday, 2 PM:
United States Security in the 21st Century
With Captain Paul K. Chappell, U.S. Army

Paul K. Chappell graduated from West Point in 2002. He served in the army for seven years, was deployed to Baghdad, and left active duty in November 2009 as a captain. He is the author of Will War Ever End? and The End of War. He is working on his third book, Peaceful Revolution. See his website here.

 

Forum on Child Abuse - Sunday, August 22, 11:30
By Peter Wright

Come see the presentation on child abuse and family violence that Long Beach ALIVE (Alternatives to Living in a Violent Environment) volunteers have been giving in the Long Beach elementary schools for the last several years. By viewing this presentation this past school year, 2610 fourth- and fifth-graders in 87 classrooms in 13 schools learned how to recognize and report child abuse.
During this one-hour presentation you will see an excellent video telling the stories of real children who have experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. I will give the presentation in the same format and context as the fourth- and fifth- grade students see it.
I think you will find it very informative and rewarding. You may even decide that you would like to become a volunteer.

 

SAVE THE DATE - September 12 Is Homecoming
By Libby Tigner

Celebrating our common life with the theme “Traveling our Journey Together,” this year’s Homecoming Sunday will welcome us all back from our summer travels to a new season of activities and events at First Church. The Sunday Service of Celebration of God’s Love will be built around four short videos being created by First Church filmmakers Tom Penner, Kathryn Boyd-Batstone, Jose Sanchez-H. and Adreana Langston. The choir will be returning from their summer break and will be presenting two anthems.

It will be a busy and exciting day, with Rally Day Activities for church school and youth music registration at 9 a.m. in Patterson Hall and a lunch sponsored by the Church History Ministry Team to follow.

We’re making a big push for all of our Southern California-based members to be present, so plan now to attend. It will be a day that celebrates the best of our church – that means it’s a perfect time to invite your friends, neighbors or co-workers who you think might enjoy being a part of a church like ours.

 

Lunch on Homecoming Sunday
By Barbara Smith

The Church History Ministry Team invites you to lunch on Homecoming Sunday, September 12. The team’s delicious salad bar, drinks, and dessert will be provided. Tickets for this event will be on sale August 29, September 5, and September 12. Individuals $8 and families $20. Luncheon will be held in the downstairs Dining Room.

 

Stewardship Moment - For Such a Time as This
From Robert Stapp

Recently Dr. Lisa Orr was one of our lay leaders in the service and she shared these words with us about stewardship:

I like the John Keats quotation that Jerry included this week in The Pilgrim, “The point of diving in a lake isn’t immediately to swim to the shore, but to be in the lake, to luxuriate in the sensation of the water."

For me, this church is like a lake. Each week I try hard to swim and complete my laps (at work and at home), but on Sundays I enjoy luxuriating in the water. In the book study group I am part of, in the beautiful worship service I attend with sermons that always leave me thinking, and with music that inspires me with its beauty. I feel nurtured by the fellowship of friends, too.

This church offers me so much as an individual and as a member of my family, and this is the time when we are able to join together to make a difference in the life of our church community and in the greater world with our financial gifts. Perhaps you can do as I try to do each week – although we make a monthly pledge, I try to give a bit extra each week out of what is in my wallet. I hope that extra bit may bring about some small miracle in the lives of others as I am blessed each week by swimming in the lake that is First Church.

When we swim in the lake that is First Church we make an investment in our church of our time, our talents or our treasure, joining together to make a difference in the life of our church and world by supporting our many ministries. And we ensure that the recipients of our many ministries can luxuriate themselves in the ministries we have to offer.

For Such a Time as This … you can make a difference at First Church.

 

Small Group Ministry Steering Committee Wants Input
By Libby Tigner

A group of folks who are looking for ways to develop small groups in the church will meet next week. This is a continuation of a group that first meet about a year and a half ago and who put together the Getting to Know You groups that have been meeting since last summer.

If you have ideas about small groups – social, educational, spiritual, outreach, anything – you are welcome to give them to us. Send any thoughts, hopes, concerns to me in the church office, either via phone (562-436-2256, ext. 224) or email (ltigner@firstchurchlb.org). I will happily share them with the committee.

 

First Church Travel Group Sets Sail for Baja, Mexico
By Libby Tigner

Enjoy a few days on the high seas with friends from church. We’ve got a group package for a four-day cruise out of Long Beach on the Carnival Paradise, and it’s open to all First Church members and friends. We’ll sail out of Long Beach on Monday, January 31, visit Catalina and Ensenada, and enjoy a full day at sea before returning to Long Beach on Friday, February 4.

The cost for an ocean view stateroom is $371.03 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement is $190; other categories of rooms are available at other prices. If you are interested, contact Libby in the church office at 562-436-2256, ext. 224, or via email at ltigner@firstchurchlb.org. Reservations and deposits are due by October 4.

 

Donate All Your Old Magazines and Books!
By Brad Lara-Gagne

The Drop-In Center is looking for any and all old magazines and books. It doesn't matter how out of date the magazines are - old issues of National Geographic are great – and the books can be paperbacks or hard cover, fiction or non-fiction. There is not much call for text books or religious books, but anything else is welcome. We are doing a big drive right now, but we will always take what you have throughout the year. Our guests love reading material.

You may drop them off on Sundays or call Brad Lara-Gagne (562-607-4006) if you need to have them picked up. Please help us stock our library.

 

Interfaith Service of Remembrance

Pictured are interfaith speakers and musicians who participated in our Interfaith Service of Remembrance for those who died in the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, 1945. There were Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist participants.

 

Apology

A church member approached me regarding my July 26 "Words with the Children." He told me that my comments about communities and culture were insensitive. I was trying explain a culture with which most people have no experience, Deaf culture. To illustrate my point I tried to draw a comparison with the African Americans, a culture that most people have had experience with. I apologize if my comparison was misguided or hurtful to anyone.

Melanie Hiller

 

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 David Blackburn; Frances Watte (Georgette DeBruyn's sister); the family of Bob Klar; the family of Ed Reeves; the family of Iris Wells; the family of Mike Taylor (Lisa Bode Heard's friend); Trudy DuNard (Paul DuNard's wife); and Gary Kellogg (Jennifer Mota's father).

Laura Anderson, Kathy Young's niece, is now in San Diego, home safely from Bahrain.

Names on the Parish Concerns list appear in two consecutive editions of the newsletter. 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.

 

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