Wonderful Weekly | 10

Coronavirus updates

As we adjust to the reality of the coronavirus spreading, it's easy to become either anxious or frustrated with those who are anxious. We are blessed to be in community as a church family, which means there is another way through a circumstance such as this. We can choose to care for one another with compassion, reminding each other of the peace we have in Christ while following reasonable best practices to help keep each other healthy. Stay connected, be wise, and breathe. This is the invitation we extend to you at FBCP. 

To that end, we want to make sure everyone is in the loop about potential disruptions to church gatherings and programming. So before you do anything else, click the button below and make sure you are signed up to receive text updates. This is the best way to keep you in the loop. Seriously, click that button and sign up! Over the next few days we will be sharing more related to this emerging pandemic. For now, here are the most important practices you can adopt immediately:

  • Wash your hands all the time and with vigor. Count to 20 and get all the cracks and crevices. Use hand sanitizer if you cannot get to a sink.

  • Do not touch your face, mouth or eyes. I know it is hard to resist, but you must.

  • If you are sick, stay home and skip public gatherings. If you are very sick, call your doctor or urgent care.

We expect there to be disruptions to normal life over the next few weeks as the virus spreads. Be prepared, not anxious. This little explainer is a good place to start on how to get ready. More soon. Sign up for text updates right away so you don’t miss any messages. Love to you all, and blessings in this time of uncertainty. God is surely with us.

-Pastor John Jay

It’s week #10

Spring Forward! Don’t be late to church on Sunday. Remember to set your clocks ahead by one hour before going to bed on Saturday night.

Second Sunday in March and the sixth Sunday of our new sermon series, The Seven Deadly Sins. Read to the end, or skip there if you want to see a snapshot of our upcoming events.

Sunday Worship

Our good friend and long time pastor Ken Fong will be preaching this Sunday. He will be teaching on the sin of sloth, and based on our conversations you are in for a treat. Worship is at 10:30 am.

Lent

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent in the church calendar. These 40 days are meant to focus our hearts on the work of the Cross and the shock of resurrection. Many of you will take up practices like fasting to better hone your attention. We have a booklet of activities and reflections to do with friends and family, and you can pick that up on Sunday. The last week of Lent is Holy Week, and we will be sharing a special immersive experience for you to join either on Maundy Thursday, April 9, or Good Friday, April 10. Using the last phrases of Christ, we will invite participants to walk these immersive rooms as a way to experience Holy Week in a new way. This will be part meditation, part art exhibit, and part embodied liturgy. We will open up online signups on March 23 with various 20-minute time slots between 5:30 pm-8:00 pm each evening. In order to keep the experience meaningful and intimate, we will be limiting group sizes to 10 people per walkthrough. If you have never attended an immersive event like this in a spiritual setting, the closest experience would be something like an art exhibit that envelops the viewer in the themes. For now, save these dates and be on the lookout for a signup link coming soon!

FBCP Holy Land

Exciting news! We are in the very early stages of planning a 10-14 day trip to the Holy Land in 2022 for FBCP members and friends. Please email Holly Earle if you are interested in learning more about this excursion. We will be gathering in March to begin to iron out the details.

 

FBCP Families | 9

Hi, Friends!

I'm writing to you from Nashville, where I'm attending a conference on spiritual practices tonight and tomorrow. I'm hoping to have some fun things to share with you when I return.

This Sunday we have a full service with communion, a baby dedication, kids in service, and a teaching on gluttony. I can't wait! I hope you enjoy your weekend and this year's Leap Day. Kidspace in Pasadena is having a fun Leap Day event if you're looking for something to do with kids. See you soon!

Nursery - Elementary

This Sunday kids in TK and above can join us in the sanctuary for worship. We are excited to have their presence with us, especially as we dedicate baby Eloise! The nursery kiddos can head to their usual room for a fun time of play and Bible lesson. 

Family Discussion Starters:

  • What does "gluttony" mean?

  • Why do you think that gluttony is a sin?

  • What are some ways that we can experience God's love in feasting?

  • What's a favorite memory you have of eating with loved ones?

Prayer: Lord, show us how to experience you when we eat and give thanks together.

Children's Choir 

Children's Choir will continue to worship and prepare for Palm Sunday during their regular Sunday school hour. You can help your child learn the songs by playing these videos at home or in the car: "Rejoice the King is Coming" and "Cloaks and Branches." You can check out this lyric sheet for "Rejoice the King is Coming." We are so excited for them to lead us in worship this spring!

Youth

This Sunday we will have our regular time of food, fun, and conversation with our youth right after worship service. All youth are invited to come early to help set up communion between 9:30-10:00. 

Depression and Anxiety in Youth

Parents and guardians of youth, be on the lookout for an email from me regarding resources about anxiety and depression in teens. We are going to begin having some deeper conversations with our high schoolers in the coming months, and we welcome your questions and any resources you have, too. Here is one article from the Fuller Youth Institute that has some good information and tips about talking to your teen about depression.

For Good Measure

Practicing Lent with Loved Ones

We have a fun booklet full of devotions and activities that you can do with friends and family during the 40 days of Lent. Make sure you get one on Sunday from the desk in the lobby. Here's to a meaningful and intentional season of Lent as we prepare our hearts for all that the cross and the resurrection hold for us! Let me know if you need extra copies for a neighbor.

Art Night in Pasadena is almost here!

Mark your calendars for Friday, March 13th. It's Pasadena's annual Art Night, and that means lots of fun things to do with friends, family, and kids. Enjoy a free (yes, free!) evening of art, music and entertainment as Pasadena’s most prominent arts and cultural institutions swing open their doors. You can check out this brochure for a map and different events going on that night.

Have a blessed weekend, and I hope to see you Sunday morning!

-Pastor Lindsay

Wonderful Weekly | 9

It’s week #9

First Sunday in March and the fifth Sunday of our new sermon series, The Seven Deadly Sins. Read to the end, or skip there if you want to see a snapshot of our upcoming events.

Sunday Worship

This first Sunday of the month is full of goodness. Communion, a family dedication, a teaching on gluttony, singing, high fives, prayer…all the stuff. Worship is at 10:30 am.

Lent

On Wednesday we gathered in the Chapel for our Ash Wednesday worship service. This service marks the beginning of the season of Lent in the church calendar. This 40 days is meant to focus our hearts on the work of the Cross and the shock of resurrection. Many of you will take up practices like fasting to better hone your attention. We have a booklet of activities and reflections to do with friends and family, and you can pick that up on Sunday. The last week of Lent is Holy Week, and we will be sharing a special immersive experience during the Thursday and Friday before Easter. More details next week so stay tuned.

FBCP Holy Land

Exciting news! We are in the very early stages of planning a 10-14 day trip to the Holy Land in 2022 for FBCP members and friends. Please email Holly Earle if you are interested in learning more about this excursion. We will be gathering in March to begin to iron out the details.

Becoming Benedictions

Expect to see more happening in this space about how we are trying to becoming blessings to the world for the sake of Heaven. A couple of weeks back we gathered a group of people to continue exploring the work of Becoming Benedictions. This last Tuesday Pastor Gretchen joined an interfaith group of folks to visit the Adelanto Detention Center (more precisely, this is a prison facility). Friends of ours in the area have been visiting people caught in our broken immigration system and looking for ways to partner with these men and women in scary and dangerous situations. We are exploring meaningful ways to get involved in this work.

You will also be seeing information about ways to help the upcoming national Census. We are partnering with LA Voice to help our church family get to 100% census participation within our congregation. Some of you might wonder why this work is crucial for churches like ours. Because the census data affects how resources are dispersed for things like affordable housing and public education, it is important that everyone is seen and accounted for. However, there are increased efforts to undermine the accuracy of the census, particularly for Immigrants and communities of color. At FBCP we believe in the foundational dignity of every person and encourage everyone to risk being seen and known in that dignity. We pray that each of you carries your sacred worth into the world with confidence. We will be providing education and guidance for the process. If you or someone you know is afraid of participating in the Census for whatever reason, find one of your pastors and let us help you with the process in a safe and secure way.

 

FBCP Families | 8

Hi, Friends!

I pray that you are enjoying the beautiful weather and getting a chance to step outside. Brody had a nice little crawl session in the church park the other day, so he definitely loves this California sunshine. 

I hope you can join us for the Mardi Gras potluck on Sunday! Our potlucks are always an intergenerational experience where we get to enjoy one another and worship God by having fun together. Who knew there was so much theology in the practice of potlucks?  It's also our chance to feast and fellowship before we head into a contemplative season of Lent with Ash Wednesday next week. Join us for all of it!

Nursery - Elementary

This Sunday the kids will be learning about the time when Jesus was sleeping during a giant storm. What a silly Jesus! We are excited for our kids to think deeply about Jesus' choice to nap in the middle of a crisis and to uncover what God is teaching us through that moment. Perhaps Jesus was not the silly one in the story after all. 

Family Discussion Starters:

  • Why do you think Jesus chose to sleep at such a scary time?

  • What did you learn about the character of Jesus in this story?

  • What would you have done at that moment if you were one of the disciples?

  • Have you ever felt like God was asleep during a time you needed help? What does this story teach you about those times?

Prayer: Lord, help us to have faith and confidence in you even when we are afraid.

Children's Choir 

Children's Choir will continue to worship and prepare for Palm Sunday during their regular Sunday school hour. You can help your child learn the songs by playing these videos at home or in the car: "Rejoice the King is Coming" and "Cloaks and Branches." You can check out this lyric sheet for "Rejoice the King is Coming." We are so excited for them to lead us in worship this spring!


Youth

This Sunday the youth will join us all at our Mardi Gras potluck after worship. We hope this will be a fun intergenerational time of fellowship, food, and joy!

Parents of youth, feel free to send me information if we can attend a competition, event, or performance with or in support of your youth! 


For Good Measure

A Better Dinner Conversation with Family and Friends

I stumbled upon this article about how to connect at a family gathering by Priya Parker and watched her short Ted Talk. Her ideas definitely challenged me to think about how to create space for more connection and meaning in the everyday gatherings (and in the special ones!). I thought you might find it interesting, too. Here's to making the most of our conversations and creating space for transformation in them. 

Screens and Teens

On Tuesday, February 25, I am going to attend a screening of a new documentary called Screenagers: The Next Chapter. It's about how screen time affects our teens, and it will be followed by a discussion panel featuring local therapists who specialize in these types of issues. If you want to join me, you can RSVP here (it's free!). If you can't make the screening but want to learn more, stay tuned for a future gathering where we can discuss the topic together. Many thanks to Grace Goodman for passing on the event information!

Have a blessed weekend, and I hope to see you Sunday morning!

Wonderful Weekly | 8

It’s week #8

Last Sunday in February and the fourth Sunday of our new sermon series, The Seven Deadly Sins. Read to the end, or skip there if you want to see a snapshot of our upcoming events.

Sunday Worship

Greed. Avarice. Late Stage Capitalism. Call it what you want, and for this sin none of us is off the hook. How could we be, given that we live in the richest country in the world? Greed is encoded into every aspect of our culture, as it is built for consumption rather than flourishing. This teaching will explore the words of Jesus and Paul, as well as advertising models, growth curves, and the limits of how much we can carry before our neighbor suffers. Worship is at 10:30am.

Memorial Service for Roger Moon

We received notice that member Roger Moon passed away on January 16. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 22, at 2:00 pm. The service will be held at Rialto United Methodist Church, 1230 N Lilac Avenue, Rialto, CA, 92376. Condolences may be sent to his daughter, Lisa Moon, 619 E Washington Blvd #15, Pasadena, CA, 91104.

Mardi Gras Potluck this Sunday

FBCP loves potlucks, Pastor John Jay loves Mardi Gras (he is from New Orleans, after all), so why not combine these joys into a meal the Sunday before Lent begins? Prepare a dish to share and plan to stay after worship for a big celebration. Expect king cakes and snoballs because of course we will have those wonderful treats. Check out the event below for more info.

Gratitude Beads

Corrie created a gift for our community to go along with our generosity teachings in January. These Gratitude Beads will be available on Sunday at the Welcome Desk. They are very thoughtfully made and presented. Thanks, Corrie, for the labor of love.

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Footnotes | Wrath

From time to time, we share the footnotes that were gathered to create the teachings. There is so much good stuff related to wrath that it merits its own post. You might want to start below with the audio of the teaching from Sunday. A big thanks to my friend and colleague Curt Lowndes for joining me in the conversation.

The images from Sunday

Wonderful Weekly | 7

It’s week #7

Third Sunday in February and the third Sunday of our new sermon series, The Seven Deadly Sins. Also, make sure you scroll to the bottom where the EVENTS are listed. There is a ton of cool stuff coming up this season at FBCP…

Sunday Worship

RAGE! WRATH! LA TRAFFIC!!! You get it. Anger is up this week for our walk through the classic seven deadly sins. This week will be a shorter teaching with a special response conversation with me (Pastor John Jay) and my good friend Curt Lowndes. Curt is a pastor in Durham at The Gathering Church where we both served while at Duke Divinity. We do these improvisational discussions every once in a while at FBCP. The idea is to offer a looser structure within which a living theology can emerge. Often there is this false notion that theology is the realm of the scholar or preacher, and only engaged with after hours of study. I am much more interested in the way that theology is responsive to lived experience, which is never predictable or tame. So join us on Sunday as we talk through anger while trying to not lose our cool. Worship is at 10:30am.

Memorial Service for Roger Moon

We received notice this week that member Roger Moon passed away on January 16. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 22, at 2:00 pm. The service will be held at Rialto United Methodist Church, 1230 N Lilac Avenue, Rialto, CA, 92376. Condolences may be sent to his daughter, Lisa Moon, 619 E Washington Blvd #15, Pasadena, CA, 91104.

Mardi Gras Potluck on February 23

FBCP loves potlucks, Pastor John Jay loves Mardi Gras (he is from New Orleans, after all), so why not combine these joys into a meal the Sunday before Lent begins? Prepare a dish to share and plan to stay after worship for a big celebration. Expect king cakes and snoballs because of course, we will have those wonderful treats. Check out the event below for more info.

Gratitude Beads

Corrie created a gift for our community to go along with our generosity teachings in January. These Gratitude Beads will be available on Sunday at the Welcome Desk. They are very thoughtfully made and presented. Thanks, Corrie, for the labor of love.

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FBCP Families | 7

Hi, Friends! Happy Friday and Valentine's Day. My mom is a preschool director, and yesterday her students visited a senior living center to sing and pass out valentines. When one of her kids was asked what he loves most about Valentine's Day, his response was this: "Giving out love." What an answer! Giving out love is simple but hard, so I'm grateful we can help each other learn how to do it well.  I pray that you feel you feel loved and inspired to give love away, not just on the 14th of February but all the time. If you're looking for a little devotion about today, here is SALT's brief theology of Valentine's Day (and how it relates to John Jay's recent sermon on the Song of Songs). Know that you are loved at FBCP and by your Creator.

Nursery - Elementary

This Sunday the kids will be learning what it means to build a house on a rock (well, metaphorically speaking). This scripture in Matthew 7 will be fun to act out (there are storm elements and walls crashing down!). We are excited to help our kids understand this teaching of Jesus and to think about the foundation of their own lives. 

Family Discussion Starters:

  • Why do you think Jesus used the example of building a house on rock and sand?

  • What stood out to you from this teaching?

  • What are some things that might be like "sand" in our lives?

  • What are you still wondering about after hearing this passage?

Prayer: Lord, help us to build our lives on you, our rock!

Children's Choir 

Children's Choir will continue to worship and prepare for Palm Sunday during their regular Sunday school hour. You can help your child learn the songs by playing these videos at home or in the car: "Rejoice the King is Coming" and "Cloaks and Branches." You can check out this lyric sheet for "Rejoice the King is Coming." We are so excited for them to lead us in worship this spring!


Youth

This Sunday the youth can choose to attend the Becoming Benedictions meeting or their regular small group time. Either way, lunch is included! We look forward to spending time with our awesome youth.

Parents of youth, feel free to send me information if we can attend a competition, event, or performance with or in support of your youth! 


For Good Measure

Screens and Teens

On Tuesday, February 25, I am going to attend a screening of a new documentary called Screenagers: The Next Chapter. It's about how screen time affects our teens, and it will be followed by a discussion panel featuring local therapists who specialize in these types of issues. If you want to join me, you can RSVP here (it's free!). If you can't make the screening but want to learn more, stay tuned for a future gathering where we can discuss the topic together. Many thanks to Grace Goodman for passing on the event information.

Have a blessed weekend, and I hope to see you Sunday morning!

FBCP Families | 6

Hi, Friends!

I missed you last week and am so glad to be healthy and back to work! Thank you for your generous support of our youth at the tamale fundraiser last Sunday. I saw photos of all the love and generosity, and our youth are so blessed to be in a supportive church family. A special thanks to Cynthia and the Earles for stepping up to help out in my absence. You are gems!

Check out the updates below. I'm off to get ready for our big Kid Party (aka Parents' Night Out). Pastor Mary and I can't wait to make all sorts of cool stuff, eat delicious food, and watch movies with the youngest members of our church family. Happy Friday!


Nursery - Elementary

This Sunday the kids will be finishing their study of the Lord's Prayer, focusing especially on the last lines. They will also get to enjoy the artwork we received from our refugee friends in Turkey! You may recall that in October the kids painted some beautiful pieces to send to children living in refugee camps in Turkey, and our mission partners Rich and Laura Freeman delivered them in November. We now have some art they sent back to us, and we can't wait to show the kids.

Family Discussion Starters:

  • What have you learned about prayer and talking to God?

  • What are some things you want to talk to God about today?

  • Whom do you want to pray for today?

  • What has God been saying or showing to you as you listen in prayer?

Prayer: Lord, thank you that we can talk to you all the time. Help us to be prayerful in all things.


Children's Choir 

Children's Choir will continue their preparation to lead worship on Palm Sunday. You can help your child learn the songs by playing these videos at home or in the car: Rejoice the King is Coming and Cloaks and Branches. Ask them to show you the hand motions that match the lyrics!

Youth

This Sunday the youth will spend some time in gratitude as we reflect back on our winter retreat, tally our tamale sales, write some thank you notes, and celebrate birthdays in the group! Lunch, cake, and fun are free for all youth. See you Sunday!

For Good Measure

Parent Night Out and a Bonus Option for Parents!

It's not too late for your child/youth to join the fun! Tonight Pastor Mary and I are hosting an evening of fun for kids and youth, complete with dinner and activities. You can drop off and pick up your child anytime between 5:30-9:00 PM and then go do whatever you want. We hope you can take advantage of some time for you! You can register your kid(s) with this link.

If you are looking for something to do tonight, you can join Pastor John Jay and Corrie Alvaro as they begin a series of conversations about marriage and relationships for adults. At this first conversation they will talk about how (and why!) to make time for fun in your relationship despite demanding and competing schedules. Because it's also Parents’ Night Out, childcare is already taken care of, and you'll still have time to get out on the town after! All couples are welcome to join John Jay and Corrie for a conversation from 6:15 to 7:15 PM in the parlor. If you have kids, they can be dropped off as early as 5:30 PM and picked up as late as 9:00 PM. You can sign up using this link.

Have a blessed weekend, and I hope to see you Sunday morning!

Wonderful Weekly | 6

It’s week #6

Second Sunday in February and the second Sunday of our new sermon series, The Seven Deadly Sins. Also, make sure you scroll to the bottom where the EVENTS are listed. There is a ton of cool stuff coming up this season at FBCP…

Sunday Worship

Last week we talked about PRIDE, which was a good place to start when discussing sin. This week is LUST. Now before you try to skip out for fear of feeling squeamish, let me implore you to join us in worship. We will take a refreshingly honest look at lust, including and especially the ways that hatred intertwines with lust. This is the real stuff, so of course we are going to explore it together.

Also this Sunday: we will present some of the newest folks joining FBCP and Volunteer of the Month. After worship join us for cupcakes in the Lobby and meet the newest members of our church. Fun times.

Homecoming Service of Remembrance for Trent Oliver

We will be hosting Trent Oliver’s memorial service on Sunday at 2:00pm in the sanctuary. Trent died unexpectedly at his home last weekend. He is survived by his wife Kathy Oliver. They have been a regular part of our church community for the last year. You might have heard me mention Trent and Kathy in sermons and in conversation. They have been important friends to our family since we moved into our home over a year ago. Their home is across the street from mine, and their porch is the neighborhood meet-up spot. I know my neighbors because of Trent and Kathy, and I feel at home on my street because of them. So keep E Claremont Street neighbors in your prayers, us included. You are all invited to join us at this service.

Date Night and Convo

Pastors Mary and Lindsay (and a host of fabulous volunteers!) are planning a night of fun for kids and youth, complete with dinner and activities! You can drop off and pick up your child anytime between 5:30-9:00 PM on Friday and then go do whatever you want. We hope you can take advantage of some time for you! You can register your kid(s) with this link.

If you are looking for something to do that night, you can join Pastor John Jay and Corrie Alvaro as they begin a series of conversations about marriage and relationships for adults. At this first conversation they will talk about how (and why!) to make time for fun in your relationship despite demanding and competing schedules. Because it's also Parents’ Night Out, childcare is already taken care of for couples who have kids, and you'll still have time to get out on the town after! All couples are welcome to join John Jay and Corrie for conversation from 6:15 to 7:15 PM. If you have kids, they can be dropped off as early as 5:30 PM and picked up as late as 9:00 PM. You can sign up using this link.

Mardi Gras Potluck on February 23

Check out the event below for more info. FBCP loves potlucks, Pastor John Jay loves Mardi Gras (he is from New Orleans, after all), so why not combine these joys into a meal the Sunday before Lent begins? Prepare a dish to share and plan to stay after worship for a big celebration. Expect king cakes and snoballs because of course we will have those wonderful treats.

Congrats to David Turner (once more this week)

FBC house band synth player (and bonafide sound geek) David Turner spent the past several years picture editing and sound mixing a documentary called Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound about the history and art of sound in films. He was recently nominated for an ACE Eddie award and won a Cinema Audio Society sound mixing award for his work on the film.

After a limited theatrical run this fall, Making Waves will finally release on iTunes February 11 and can be pre-ordered here now. David and his team are hoping for enough friends and family to pre-order the film in the next week and a half so that iTunes will decide to feature Making Waves on their home page when it releases Feb 11 and introduce it to a wider audience. Check the film out if you want to support a fellow FBC member and finally understand the difference between sound editing and sound mixing at the Oscars next week!

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Gratitude Beads

Corrie created a gift for our community to go along with our generosity teachings we wrapped two Sundays ago. These Gratitude Beads will be available on Sunday at the Welcome Desk. They are very thoughtfully made and presented. Thanks, Corrie, for the labor of love.

XPRO4545.JPG
 

FBCP Families | 5

Hi, Friends!

There are some important updates for kids, youth, and adults, so please make sure you check out the information below. Most notably, we are having a Parents' Night Out a week from today (woot!), so make sure you register your kid(s) so you can have a night of fun without worrying about childcare! Plus, Pastor John Jay and Corrie are offering a fun discussion on marriage for all couples who are interested. Oh, and tamales are coming at you this Sunday. Get ready—February is going to be awesome!

Nursery - Elementary

It's the first Sunday of February, so that means all kids in TK and above can join us for worship in the sanctuary. John Jay will be starting his new preaching series on the seven deadly sins (yay!), and this week kicks off with a teaching on pride. Kids can often humble us, so it will be good to have them in service. The nursery kids will be learning about John the Baptist. It will be a full morning for everyone!

Family Discussion Starters:

  • What does it mean to be humble?

  • In what ways did Jesus show us how to be humble?

  • Why do you think pride can be so bad for us?

Prayer: Lord, help us to love you and each other with humble hearts.

Children's Choir 

Children's Choir will pick up next week as usual, and they will be preparing to sing on Palm Sunday. You can help your child learn the songs by playing these videos at home or in the car: “Rejoice the King is Coming” and “Cloaks and Branches.” We are so excited for them to lead us in worship this spring!

Youth

This Sunday the youth will be selling tamales as their annual fundraiser for their winter and summer retreats. The tamales have been steaming, and we can't wait to get them in your hands! (Brody has even tried to get his hands on some.) You can pick up your tamales in the lobby after worship. Tamales are $3.50 each or $30 for a dozen, and you can choose between chicken, pork and beef, or cheese with chiles. If you do not wish to purchase tamales, you may still make a donation toward Youth Retreat Scholarships by check or cash during our offering time in worship service. Thanks in advance for supporting our youth!

For Good Measure

Parent Night Out and a Bonus Option for Parents!

Pastor Mary and I are planning a night of fun for kids and youth, complete with dinner and activities! You can drop off and pick up your child anytime between 5:30-9:00 PM on Friday and then go do whatever you want. We hope you can take advantage of some time for you! You can register your kid(s) with this link.

If you are looking for something to do that night, you can join Pastor John Jay and Corrie Alvaro as they begin a series of conversations about marriage and relationships for adults. At this first gathering they will talk about how (and why!) to make time for fun in your relationship despite demanding and competing schedules. Because it's also Parents’ Night Out, childcare is already taken care of, and you'll still have time to get out on the town after! All couples are welcome to join John Jay and Corrie for a conversation from 6:15 to 7:15 PM. If you have kids, they can be dropped off as early as 5:30 PM and picked up as late as 9:00 PM. You can sign up using this link.

Have a blessed weekend, and I hope to see you Sunday morning!


Wonderful Weekly | 5

It’s week #5

First Sunday in February and the first Sunday of our new sermon series, The Seven Deadly Sins. Also, make sure you scroll to the bottom where the EVENTS are listed. There is a ton of cool stuff coming up this season at FBCP…

Sunday Worship

That’s right, this Sunday we are going to talk about SIN. What a nasty little word. No wonder most people avoid it like the plague. But not us! We are going to dive into the deep end together and pray that I can help guide us back to the path of wholeness. Don’t freak out about teachings focused on SIN because we will approach this differently than you might expect. There is a cliché way to teach this stuff, and then there is the way we do things here. Our way is better, in my humble opinion.

So this Sunday we will look at PRIDE, which is a virtue more than a vice these days. Philippians 2 will be our guide, as well as a host of other texts. Can’t wait to see you all and share what I am learning.

Corona Virus Support needed

Our ministry contacts in China are asking for help with urgent medical supplies. Our Board of Deacons have pledged $1,000 from our Emergency Community Needs Fund to be dispersed immediately. We are also inviting you all to give an extra gift to this effort by donating here.

Date Night and Convo

Mary and Pastor Lindsay are planning a night of fun for kids and youth, complete with dinner and activities! You can drop off and pick up your child anytime between 5:30-9:00 PM on Friday and then go do whatever you want. We hope you can take advantage of some time for you! You can register your kid(s) with this link.

If you are looking for something to do that night, you can join Pastor John Jay and Corrie Alvaro as they begin a series of conversations about marriage and relationships for adults. At this first conversation they will talk about how (and why!) to make time for fun in your relationship despite demanding and competing schedules. Because it's also Parents’ Night Out, childcare is already taken care of, and you'll still have time to get out on the town after! All couples are welcome to join John Jay and Corrie for conversation from 6:15 to 7:15 PM. If you have kids, they can be dropped off as early as 5:30 PM and picked up as late as 9:00 PM. You can sign up using this link.

Congrats to David Turner

FBC house band synth player (and bonafide sound geek) David Turner spent the past several years picture editing and sound mixing a documentary called Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound about the history and art of sound in films. He was recently nominated for an ACE Eddie award and won a Cinema Audio Society sound mixing award for his work on the film.

After a limited theatrical run this fall, Making Waves will finally release on iTunes February 11 and can be pre-ordered here now. David and his team are hoping for enough friends and family to pre-order the film in the next week and a half so that iTunes will decide to feature Making Waves on their home page when it releases Feb 11 and introduce it to a wider audience. Check the film out if you want to support a fellow FBC member and finally understand the difference between sound editing and sound mixing at the Oscars next week!

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Kobe

I am still new to LA, so I make no claim on Kobe’s story or legacy. But it is undeniable how much Kobe’s death has impacted our city, including many of you. Collective grief is a powerful thing, momentarily obscuring the ways we are normally divided. It is also clear that Kobe represented something foundational for many people. Laker games were the time each week when a daughter might sit down with a father or uncle and share the same joy and pain. Kobe was shorthand for togetherness and shared passion. That is powerful. Kobe’s death is caught in the warp and woof of our most intimate stories, of how we connected as families and neighbors. So be kind out there. Lots of people are hurting.

Gratitude Beads

Corrie created a gift for our community to go along with our generosity teachings we wrapped last Sunday. These Gratitude Beads will be available on Sunday at the Welcome Desk. They are very thoughtfully made and presented. Thanks, Corrie, for the labor of love.

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A Letter to the Church in Pasadena

On the first Sunday of 2020, I shared a letter I wrote to our church community for the beginning of our next decade together. You can find the letter here.

 

FBCP Families | 4

Hi, Friends! Gavin, Tasha, and I had a blast with the youth last weekend as we explored what it means to seek God's Kingdom and manifest it today. We had an awesome speaker who brought scripture to life, a fantastic worship set led by our own Warren Tang, time to play in the woods and do archery, a low ropes course for team bonding, and a variety of reflection stations that included sensory and artistic activities. Praise God! See below for information about how you can eat tamales in order to offset the costs of the retreat and show support for our amazing youth.

Tasha and I also spent Tuesday and Wednesday at a summit with the Fuller Youth Institute. The summit marked the beginning of a two-year cohort experience with the goal being to develop new ways to disciple youth. Over the next few months we will be implementing a listening project with our young people to learn more about their current understandings of identity, belonging, and purpose (such important stuff!). Stay tuned for updates as we grow and learn!

Nursery - Elementary

This Sunday our kids will continue to learn about the Lord's Prayer because there's so much to explore about it and prayer in general! We can't wait for them to learn more about the way Jesus taught us to pray, what the prayer reveals about God, and how to make this prayer their own. 

Family Discussion Starters:

  • What parts of the Lord's Prayer stand out most to you?

  • How does the Lord's Prayer expand your understanding of prayer?

  • What are some ways you pray throughout your day?

Prayer: Lord, help us to come to you in prayer honestly and often just as Jesus did.

Children's Choir 

Children's Choir continues this week! They are learning songs for worship leadership in February and on Palm Sunday. I will send out more information soon with links to videos for practice. In the meantime, ask your child to sing the song they are learning about cloaks and branches!

Youth

This week after worship the youth will be making tamales and eating some Chinese food in honor of Lunar New Year.  We will hang out until 3pm this week, but if your youth needs to leave earlier that's totally fine. Let me know if your youth needs a ride home. We can't wait to get our aprons on!

For Good Measure

Lunar New Year

Looking for some fun creative things to do to learn more about Chinese New Year? Check out Kiwi Co's 16 Cool Chinese New Year DIY projects! We will be doing some of them with the younger kids on Sunday.  Happy Lunar New Year!

Tamales for Sale!

What’s the highlight of Superbowl Sunday? Tamales! Our youth will be making tamales this weekend for the Big Game, and they will be extra delicious this year! We are excited to join aprons with Cynthia and some local friends to make the tamales, and proceeds will support funding for our youth to attend biannual retreats. Talk about a community effort! You may order and purchase your tamales in advance by using this link before January 24th, or you can purchase some immediately following the worship service on February 2. Tamales are $3.50 each or $30 for a dozen, and you can choose between chicken, pork and beef, or cheese with chiles. If you do not wish to purchase tamales, you may still make a donation toward Youth Retreat Scholarships by check or cash during our offering time in worship service.

Parent Night Out and a Bonus Option for Parents!

We are hosting another Kid Party/Parent Night Out on February 7th, but this one has a special offering for couples! Mary and I are planning a night of fun for kids and youth, complete with dinner and activities. In addition, Pastor John Jay and Corrie Alvaro are excited to begin a series of conversations about marriage and relationships for adults. All couples are invited to join them as they talk about how (and why!) to make time for fun in your relationship despite demanding and competing schedules. Because it's also Parent Night Out, childcare is already taken care of for those of you who have kids (and you'll still have time to get out on the town!). All couples are welcome to join John Jay and Corrie for conversation from 6:15-7:15 PM. Kids can be dropped off as early at 5:30 PM and picked up as late as 9:00 PM. 


Have a blessed Saturday, and I hope to see you Sunday morning!


Wonderful Weekly | 4

It’s week #4

Last Sunday for the Generosity teachings, and last Sunday in January…

Sunday Worship

It is week 3 of 3 on Generosity. This week we will visit everyone’s (secret) favorite book, Song of Songs. The teaching will look at scarcity and abundance in the context of eros and libido, so you are in for a treat! Worship is at 10:30 am. BONUS: on Sunday we will also have the women from Hoving Home join us. They will be sharing stories and songs through worship. This is always a powerful witness from our local partners.

Gratitude Beads

Corrie created a gift for our community to go along with our generosity teachings. These Gratitude Beads will be available on Sunday in the pews and then for a few weeks after at the Welcome Desk. They are very thoughtfully made and presented. Thanks, Corrie, for the labor of love.

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A Letter to the Church in Pasadena

On the first Sunday of 2020, I shared a letter I wrote to our church community for the beginning of our next decade together. You can find the letter here.

Memorial Service for Elwood Williams Today

This is from a note to the church from Elwood’s daughter:

Elwood Williams passed away in his home on December 22, 2019. He experienced a heart attack in May and since then had been working hard in his usual resilient and optimistic manner to recover as best he could. One of his daughters was with him as he passed. The Williams family acknowledges and thanks the First Baptist Church Community for the fellowship Dad enjoyed and participated in these past 50+ years. A memorial service for Elwood will be held at noon on January 25 at Douglass and Zook Mortuary, 600 E. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia, CA, 91016.

 

FBCP Families | 3

As I write, Gavin and I are packing up for the youth retreat this weekend. We are so pumped for some extra time up in the mountains to encounter God and explore what it means to seek first the Kingdom! Will you join us in praying for our middle and high school youth, for safe travel and rich conversations with God and one another? Thank you!

Nursery - Elementary

This Sunday our kids will learn about the Lord's Prayer, which is so fun! We can't wait for them to learn more about the way Jesus taught us to pray, what the prayer reveals about God, and how to make this prayer their own. 

Family Discussion Starters:

  • What parts of the Lord's Prayer stand out most to you?

  • What are some things you pray about most often?

  • How does the Lord's Prayer expand your understanding of prayer?

Prayer: Lord, help us to come to you in prayer honestly and often just as Jesus did.

Children's Choir 

Children's Choir continues this week! They are learning songs for worship leadership in February and on Palm Sunday. I will send out more information soon with links to videos for practice. In the meantime, ask your child to sing the song they are learning about cloaks and branches!

Youth

This week we will not have our usual youth programming since most youth are up at our winter retreat. We will be back on for regular programming next Sunday as we prepare tamales to sell at our annual fundraiser!

For Good Measure

Tamales for Sale!

What’s the highlight of Superbowl Sunday? Tamales! Our youth will be making tamales for the Big Game and they will be extra delicious this year! We are excited to join aprons with Cynthia and some local friends to make the tamales, and proceeds will support funding for our youth to attend biannual retreats. Talk about a community effort! You may order and purchase your tamales in advance by using this link before January 24th, or you can purchase some immediately following the worship service on February 2. Tamales are $3.50 each or $30 for a dozen, and you can choose between chicken, pork and beef, or cheese with chiles. If you do not wish to purchase tamales, you may still make a donation toward Youth Retreat Scholarships by check or cash during our offering time in worship service.

Have a blessed weekend!

How to remember well | MLK

There is always a danger when memory slips into nostalgia. History is complex, and the retelling of a story is deeply conditioned by the one bearing witness.

As we approach this MLK weekend, it is important to hold onto the complexity of King’s work and words. He was not a universal hero in his time, evidenced most viscerally by his martyrdom. There is a tendency to flatten the memory of the dead so that it is palatable for the living. (We often do the same thing with Jesus.) Empire always kills the prophets of any age. Remember that every time you see an image online touting the safest MLK quotes superimposed on images of racial harmony. The dream is not yet realized, and the work is still very much real.

This week I have been thinking a lot about the friendships that sustained King’s life. Some of my favorite thinkers were profoundly shaped by their friendship with King. There is a picture of Will Campbell on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, hours after the tragedy of King’s murder. There is the picture of Abraham Heschel marching with King at various occasions. There are pictures of King laughing with Ralph Abernathy alongside pictures of them looking like the world is weighing on their shoulders together.

We have a romantic image of the lone hero, but this is never the full story. We all need a community of care that might sustain us in the vocations to which we are called.

Below is a video the staff shared with one another that shows the community surrounding the movement King represented.

On Humor as a Sustaining Practice

The other part of King’s life that it is helpful for understanding his work is his sense of levity he sustained while in the midst of the work for justice. Thanks to Austin Channing Brown for the reminder about this side of his humanity.

Lastly, a sermon

This is from a friend of mine guest preaching at All Saints Pasadena.

Books to Live By

I love reading. I love bookstores so much that I still get misty eyed when I visit Vroman’s. All of these beautiful ideas sitting on pages waiting to be discovered. If you sit with me for coffee or lunch, I will invariably recommend at least three books over the course of our conversation. (The following list links off to Amazon, but if you are able to visit a local bookstore then buy them that way. Indiebound.org is a good place to find these books locally.)

The Writing Life
By Annie Dillard
Jesus and the Disinherited
By Howard Thurman
salt.
By Nayyirah Waheed
The Road
By Cormac McCarthy
My Bright Abyss
By CHRISTIAN WIMAN
Team Human
By Douglas Rushkoff
Reality Hunger: A Manifesto
By David Shields

Wonderful Weekly | 3

It’s week #3

Let’s get right to it…

Sunday Worship

It is week 2 of 3 on Generosity. This week we will visit everyone’s favorite book, Leviticus. In the Hebrew it is known as Varikrah, which is a sermon all on its own. But this Sunday we will be teaching on one specific Hebrew word in Leviticus, Korban. I have been studying lots of my favorite books and scriptures and cannot wait to share with you all. Worship is at 10:30 am.

Ways to deepen connections

The next Happening is our BASICS class, which is a deep dive into FBCP culture, history and future. This is after worship on January 19th at noon in the Southside Room, and lunch is provided. If you have been curious about membership, this is also the class that is needed to officially join our community. You are welcome to take the class and not move toward membership, but you cannot become a member without the class. We want you to know what you are getting into!

Finally, we have our super exciting and yummy Community Dinners happening on January 31st. This event is already full! If you would like to be added to a waitlist, email Corrie and she will keep you in the loop. This event is a great way to meet some new friends at the church and share a great meal in someone’s home. We have hand-selected host homes known for their brilliant hospitality and cooking prowess. We will then thoughtfully place people throughout the various host homes. That’s it. Good food, good conversation, and new friends. This is a great way to start off 2020.

A Letter to the Church in Pasadena

A couple of Sundays back I shared a letter I wrote to our church community for the beginning of our next decade together. You can find the letter here.

Road Closures on Sunday, January 19th

The annual Pasadena Half Marathon & 5K at the Rose Bowl will take place on Sunday, January 19, 2020. Travel to and from the church may be impacted by the racecourse and the corresponding street closures. Please see the public access map for the course map that includes closure and re-opening details.

Memorial Service for Elwood Williams

This is from a note to the church from Elwood’s daughter:

Elwood Williams passed away in his home on December 22, 2019. He experienced a heart attack in May and since then had been working hard in his usual resilient and optimistic manner to recover as best he could. One of his daughters was with him as he passed. The Williams family acknowledges and thanks the First Baptist Church Community for the fellowship Dad enjoyed and participated in these past 50+ years. A memorial service for Elwood will be held at noon on January 25 at Douglass and Zook Mortuary, 600 E. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia, CA, 91016.

 

FBCP Families | 2

Hi, Friends! I can't wait to see you on Sunday. It's so good to be back to work and at church. This week is our launch into a study on generosity as a church family, and it's the perfect way to begin a new year. I am pausing to give thanks for you. We really do have something special here at FBCP, and Pastor John Jay's sentiment from last week’s sermon rings true: we are all less without one another. Here's to a year of thankfulness and growth together!

Nursery - Elementary

This Sunday we are back to our regular Sunday school classes for kids! Mary and I will be teaching, and we can't wait. Since we haven't seen the kids since before Christmas, we are going to read the story of the magi visiting Jesus—we don't want them to miss out on that special part of the Christmas narrative. Plus, the wisemen didn't show up until after the birth, so we feel we are just in time with this lesson. It's also a great way to help kids focus on generosity just as the adults will. Woot!

Family Discussion Starters:

  • Why did the magi choose those gifts for the baby Jesus?

  • What gifts has God given you?

  • What is a gift you want to give to God?

Prayer: God, help us to recognize the gifts you’ve given us and to be thankful for the things we have received. Amen!

Children's Choir 

Children's Choir is back up and running this week! Ms. Cynthia has some fun songs to teach the kids, and we look forward to their leadership in worship next month and this spring! As a reminder, children have choir as part of their regular Sunday morning class time.

Youth

This week we are back to regular youth group after worship service! We look forward to spending time together over lunch and preparing for our upcoming winter retreat. 

Youth Winter Retreat

If you haven't signed your youth up for Winter Retreat, then head on over to this page for information and registration information. We are so excited for next weekend and the fun we are going to have with our youth as we explore what it means to seek first the Kingdom as we love others and ourselves. Our sweatshirt logo was made by none other than Corrie Alvaro (a Venn diagram made of hearts!). If you are not a youth, please join us in praying for a Spirit-led weekend of fun and growth!

For Good Measure

(formerly known as "News You Can Use")

It's a new year, so I am playing around with some new wording in my weekly post. This section will continue to be a little extra something good you can use, read, ponder, or do during your week. Ya know...just for good measure.

Faith in an Anxious World

It's no secret that anxiety and depression are realities in the lives of our youth, not just adults. The Fuller Youth Institute has created a new podcast that features conversations with experts about how our youth (and adults!) can settle into hope and faith in the midst of an anxious world. It's about awareness, understanding, and practices that can help all of us. I'm excited to listen and thought you might want to check it out, too. We will be exploring more of these topics with our youth in the coming months, so let me know if you're interested in joining the conversation with our youth leadership team!

Wonderful Weekly | 2

It’s week #2

That lovely pause of post-Advent rest faded into the past as we all jumped back into the swing of things over here in our office. My desk is littered with sticky notes of to-do lists and new ideas. Our office also calendared through the summer (!), and we cannot wait to share some opportunities with you. One super secret sneak peak: we are putting together a brilliant immersive experience for Holy Week this year. Stay tuned…

Sunday Worship

There are phrases we carry around with us that speak to the core convictions of FBCP and the pastoral team. One of those is “Generosity is the engine of the universe.” So, for the next three weeks we are going to explore the depths of that phrase. This Sunday we will look at the connection between generosity and gratitude, working with the second letter to the church in Corinth. Worship is at 10:30am.

Homeless Count

(Registration for this opportunity has closed.) Pastor Gretchen is leading a team to help in the Pasadena Homeless Count at the end of this month. For all of the details, you can read this post that has more information. Please keep our group in prayer as we prepare to attune our vision to those often rendered invisible.

3 ways to deepen connections

You will notice in the EVENTS section below that there are three distinct opportunities to make some new connections with folks in our church community. Each of these happenings are geared toward a different need, and you might find one or all three compelling. First is our monthly second-Sunday Coffee with Pastor John Jay. This is coming up this Sunday at 9am. It’s small in size (6-10 people) and super chill. Sign up is closed for this month, but in February we will host another coffee.

The next Happening is our BASICS class, which is a deep dive into FBCP culture, history and future. This is after worship on January 19th at noon in the Southside Room, and lunch is provided. If you have been curious about membership, this is also the class that is needed to officially join our community in membership. You are welcome to take the class and not move toward membership, but you cannot become a member without the class. We want you to know what you are getting into!

Finally, we have our super exciting and yummy Community Dinners happening on January 31st. This event is already full! If you would like to be added to a wait list, email Corrie and she will keep you in the loop. This event is a great way to meet some new friends at the church and share a great meal in someone’s home. We have hand selected host homes known for their brilliant hospitality and cooking prowess. We will then thoughtfully place people throughout the various host homes. That’s it. Good food, good conversation and new friends. This is a great way to start off 2020.

A Letter to the Church in Pasadena

Last Sunday I shared a letter I wrote to our church community at the beginning of our next decade together. You can find the letter here.

Road Closures on Sunday, January 19th

The annual Pasadena Half Marathon & 5K at the Rose Bowl will take place on Sunday, January 19, 2020. Travel to and from the church may be impacted by the race course and the corresponding street closures. Please see the public access map for the course map that includes closure and re-opening details.

Memorial Service for Elwood Williams

This is from a note to the church from Elwood’s daughter:

Elwood Williams passed away in his home on December 22, 2019. He experienced a heart attack in May and since then had been working hard in his usual resilient and optimistic manner to recover as best he could. One of his daughters was with him as he passed. The Williams family acknowledges and thanks the First Baptist Church Community for the fellowship Dad enjoyed and participated in these past 50+ years. A memorial service for Elwood will be held at noon on January 25 at Douglass and Zook Mortuary, 600 E. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia, CA, 91016.

 

In Pasadena as it is in Heaven

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