Saturday
Ladies, you are invited to bring your clothes and accessories to trade (and a snack to share) tomorrow, September 20th, at 11am in the Parlor. Enjoy searching for new treasures to take home at our Women’s Clothing Swap! Contact Rebekah with questions.
Sunday
BYO Cushion Day! The delivery of our new pew cushions was delayed one week, so our wooden pews will be bare. Please feel free to bring along your own cushion to sit on!
Fall Sunday School starts this Sunday from 9-10am! Classes include: Theology of Hospitality: Gifts of Food and Presence taught by Kathy Oliver, Cindie Ekstrand, and friends, Theology of Song taught by Riley Taylor, and Theology of Resistance and Resilience: Building the Beloved Community taught by John Williams and Nancy Stiles. We hope you can join us! Click here to read more about our classes and sign up.
Our next monthly Grief Group meets this Sunday, September 21st, at 9am in Southside Room. This is a space for anyone experiencing grief or loss to be with others in a similar season. Reach out to Jon Rinkus if you are interested in joining this group. Jon is a trained Hospital Chaplain through Fuller and provides a rich space for folks to process grief.
Because our Sanctuary does not have air conditioning, we encourage you to bring a water bottle and dress lightly on Sundays for worship service in these coming summer weeks.
Join us at 10:30am for worship in the Sanctuary! Our scripture this week is Matthew 26:36-46 and our theme from Breathing Under Water is Step 3: Surrender. The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Our kids five years old and up can join us for the first part of worship, and then will be dismissed to their classrooms with their leaders. Our youth are invited to join us for our regular lunch and fellowship after service. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the Sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.
Stay for our All-Church potluck this Sunday, September 21st, after worship in the Gym. Based on your last name, if you’re able, please bring a dessert (last name A-G), main dish (H-R), or a salad or side dish (S-Z) of about 8-10 servings to share with your friends here at FBCP. Enter through the park to drop off dishes in the Basement Kitchen. Thanks to Tina, Troi, Charlie, Gaby, Michael, Melissa, Amanda, Fredric, Eric, Kirk and Michael for volunteering to help! Please let Pastor Chip know if you’d like to join the fun of setup or cleanup. Thanks!
The Friends In Deed food pantry item this week is canned fruit.
Study with John Jay
Pastor John Jay’s new Monday study will continue as a discussion on the upcoming sermon text and theme. We will gather in the Parlor from 12pm-1pm each week for a wild time of interpretation, imagination, theological training, storytelling, and general merriment. No prep is required to join the fun, and you are welcome to bring your lunch and enjoy during this hour. Bring a printed Bible if you have one (we have extras), a pen and notebook, and all the curiosity you can muster. Can't wait to study together! Email Pastor John Jay with questions.
Coming Up
Look out for yummy treats for sale at our Oaxaca Bake Sale on Sundays September 28th and October 5th (note the shifted dates). Our Oaxaca Missions Team will be selling goodies to raise money for their trip to Mexico this Fall. Let us know if you would like to bake for their sale. You’ll find treats in the courtyard before worship and the lobby afterwards (if there’s some left after Sunday School)!
Join the Yarn Crafts Group for knitting or crocheting projects (or any crafty project you’d like to bring), biweekly on Sundays after worship in the Parlor. Our next meeting will be September 28th. All ages and abilities are welcome to attend. You can bring your own materials (and snacks to share) or Whitney will provide yarn and needles to get started. Email Whitney for details.
Our Basics Class will meet after worship on Sunday, October 19th, at 12:30pm in the Southside Room for those who are interested in learning about our church. Pastors John Jay and Chip will walk you through our church history, our American Baptist denomination, and the meaning behind some of our practices like baptism, communion and membership. Lunch will be provided. Text “basics” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP. Email Pastor Chip for more details and/or if you are attending and will need childcare.
Join us on Saturday, October 25th, at 9am for our quarterly Men’s Breakfast in the Park off Union St. You won’t want to miss the meal or the time of fellowship together. Text “bacon” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP.
We are postponing Parent Night Out until 6-9pm on Friday, October 24th. Save the new date! We'll serve snacks and provide activities for your kids, while you eat dinner, shop, or take a nap! You can register your kid(s) with this link.
De-Escalation Team
Thanks to the folks who serve on our De-escalation Team, a team focused on caring for the needs of folks who might walk in off the streets needing help. Pastor John Jay shared last week that being in an urban setting, FBCP gets regular visitors with varying levels of physical and mental needs. We want to have a few volunteers trained and available to talk with folks who might need help calming down or talking to someone, while the pastors are busy during the service. Text the word "calm" to 626.727.9498 if you enjoy this line of work and Gaby will be in touch with you regarding the next training on November 9th.
Beloved Member
Robin C. Campbell, a beloved member of First Baptist Church of Pasadena, died on September 6th, 2025, due to complications from Leukemia. Robin spent his later years in Utah with his wife Marion. They frequently returned to Pasadena and joined us in worship (especially during Advent for our Candlelight Carol Service). We are honored to host his memorial service on November 29th, 2025, details forthcoming. Please keep Marion and their children in your prayers as they mourn this loss and remember well the love they all shared.
Six Weeks at a Glance
9/20 - Women’s Clothing Swap
9/21 - Fall Sunday School Begins
9/21 - Grief Group
9/21 - All-Church Potluck
9/27 - Parent Meeting with Andrew
9/28 - Oaxaca Bake Sale I
10/5 - Oaxaca Bake Sale II
10/5 - Family Park Hangout
10/11-10/18 - Oaxaca Missions Trip
10/19 - Basics Lunch
10/24 - Parent Night Out
10/25 - Men’s Breakfast
10/26 - Costume Sunday
11/2 - All Souls Sunday
11/2 - FBCPride Group
11/2 - Family Park Hangout
Grace and peace to you as we head into the weekend. We can’t wait to worship with you in our sanctuary on Sunday!
Less without you,
The FBCP Community
P.S. First Baptist Church of Pasadena has weekly worship services on Sundays at 10:30am at 75 N. Marengo Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101. If you’re driving in, we invite you to park at 150 E Holly St and bring in your ticket to the lobby for validation. We are also a block away from the Memorial Park Station on the A Line. Contact the office with questions.
