Sunday Special EP 3

Hi, Friends!

Happy Sunday! It's hard to believe it's been three weeks since we were last together. In some ways, we feel like we see you often since we have been thinking of you nonstop! We hope you got the link to the third "Liturgy for the Living Room" from John Jay and that you are finding your own ways to create a new rhythm on Sunday mornings. Pastor Leslie gave some great tips for that in her Daily Encouragement from Saturday in case you missed it!

Pastor Mary and I have a new video for you today, and it's about something we think everyone can relate to: disappointment. We jump into the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis because it turns out he knows a thing or two about being disappointed. We hope you will join us!

Click here to watch the new video!

After you watch the video, you and your family members can use the following discussion prompts and activities to apply the lesson—woot!

Talk It Out

  • Recap: What were some reasons we can imagine Joseph was disappointed?

  • Check In With Yourself: How are you or others in your house feeling disappointed? Have you expressed that to God yet?

  • Wonder: What are you wondering right now as you think about dealing with disappointment? 

Apply It

Ways you can respond to disappointment:

  • On a sheet of paper, draw a line down the middle from top to bottom. On the left side, draw a sad face at the top and list things you are disappointed about. On the right side, draw a present at the top and  list things you are grateful for in this season. What are the special gifts God is giving you during this time? You could also post this somewhere for your family to see and add to.

  • Take a minute to express it with your body: stomp your feet or march around the room for a minute or two. After the time is up, then picture yourself handing your disappointment  to God and choose something fun or calming to do.

  • Use your blocks or legos to build a tower of disappointment. As you add blocks, name whatever it is you are feeling disappointed about. Then knock it down and rebuild it by naming something you are grateful or hopeful for as you add  each block.

  • Grab some paint and try to use colors and brushstrokes to reflect how you feel in your moment of disappointment. After you are done, say a prayer to God asking for help to deal with disappointment and to show you the good things He is doing in your life.

Remember, you can talk to God about anything anytime! You can tell God how you feel, what you need, and anything else that is on your mind. And don't forget that thanking God can help us feel more calm and happy inside.

We are praying for you! Please remember to email/call/text with any prayer requests you have.  

 

So much love,

Pastors Lindsay and Mary

FBCP Families | Weekday Wonders 2

Hi, Friends!

One of the best blessings of this strange time is that you and all the kiddos are on my heart in an amplified way. It is a joy to think about you and your families every time I get a new resource in my inbox or hear a good idea from another parent. You are shaping how I move through this season, and that is quite special and lovely. I know the same is certainly true for Pastor Mary, and I hope you have been able to receive her texts and emails full of so much sincere love for you. It's so fun for us to think about you all week!

We know you have lots coming at you, so here is how our communication will flow each week moving forward. On Sunday you can find our video on the Liturgy for the Living Room post, and we will continue to email it out with discussion questions and activities. On Monday we will send out a playlist of worship songs for your kids to listen/sing/dance to throughout the week. On Thursday we will send out the Weekly Wonder with some new resources and updates.

Also, Easter is approaching, and we are working hard to plan some special ways for everyone to observe Holy Week. Stay tuned for more on that, including a special Easter project for our kids!

Without further ado, here are some weekday wonders for you that we are excited to share; this week they are homegrown and easy to do! 

New Wonders

Make everyday life a game!

This fun and helpful idea is brought to you by Natalee, one of our wonderful parents at FBCP. All you need is some paper, a pen, and a few ideas to make a board game that has chores, school work, and random fun things to do throughout the day. Fill it with whatever works for your kids! She says her boys love to complete their board games and get stuff done. If you make one, send us a photo and tell us how it went!

Spread Some WINDOW Love to Your Neighbors

I saw this window full of encouraging words while driving through the neighborhood (Brody missed his car seat), and I thought your kids might also want to bless those who walk by. It's hard to see, but the hearts have sweet notes like "Give Thanks" and "Flatten the Curve." It would be fun to have your kids choose a blessing to pour out to your neighborhood and post them for all to see! You could even write our church website address and an invitation for people to connect with our community and join our Sunday liturgy. Send us pictures if you fill your windows with love!

Similarly, you can go on a bear and rainbow hunt! Check out these ideas to start in your neighborhood (or play along if other kids have already begun).

Create your own escape room!

You can download this set of materials to show you how to create an escape room! We would love to hear about any cool ideas you have (and if you are stuck inside your mastermind!).

Resource Hub

And, of course, our Thriving at Home page is still live and expanding. Let us know if you have something to add.

Sunday specials

sunday video

This Sunday, Pastor Mary and I are sharing a new video about how to respond to disappointment. We are following social distancing rules, but don't worry—Pastor Mary, Brody, the tent and I will all be in it. We can't wait to "see" you Sunday! Oh, and you can always check out previous Sunday worship stuff at this page on our website.

Youth Hangout! 

We had so much fun seeing our youth last week, and we will continue to Zoom with them every Sunday at noon. Here is the meeting link that you can use each week to hop on the hangout. We are planning some fun things to do while we hang out in addition to some weekday gatherings in the coming weeks. Yay for youth—we love you!

Connection Corner

Parent Zoom

We had so much fun with our little parent hangout on Wednesday! It was a time of much laughter and beautiful faces. I know some of you were unable to join at that time, so our next one will take place in the evening for those who can’t take a break to chat during the day. You can join us for our next Parent Hangout on Thursday, April 2, at 8pm by clicking this link and using the Zoom app. Let Pastor Lindsay know if you need help with that!

Keep In Touch (safely!)

Pastor Mary and I will continue to reach out to families and make sure you have  what you need, but we are always a phone call, text, or email away! We can pray, tell you a joke, figure out a way to get you supplies, entertain your child so you can drink some coffee—whatever you need. You also will be hearing from someone else in the church who is one of our Connection Team leaders, and they are eager to come alongside you as well. 

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!




John Jay, Gretchen and Bill

From Bill E.

We all know the story of Noah's ark and the great flood. I look at what we are going thru as being on the ark. Darkness, loneliness, and isolation. But this isn't quite true. We are the family on the ark. We are close and connected to each other every day. We know that the floodwaters subsided, the clouds cleared and some have said, a rainbow appeared in the sky. This is God's promise to us, that he is with us always. Even though we are in troubled times...this too shall pass.

There will be rainbows again. 

(Bill’s reflection reminded me of this song below. One of my favorites. -Pastor John Jay)

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Sunday Special | EP 2

Hi, Friends!

It's Sunday morning, and we are worshipping with you in spirit and in love! We hope you got the link to the second "Liturgy for the Living Room" from John Jay and that you are finding your own ways to create a new rhythm on Sunday mornings. 

Pastor Mary and I are excited to bring you a new video today! It's all about building an altar, which is just a fancy way of describing a special place to hang out with God and pray. We think prayer and hanging out with God are going to be pretty important these days, and we looked at the story of Abraham in Genesis 12 for those who want to do some further reading. In Abraham's case, God called him to go somewhere new and trust that God was doing a great work in all of the uncertainty. We aren't going anywhere physically, but we are in a new kind of "place" in our lives. So, we are thinking about the ways God is calling us to trust that He is still working in this strange time. And in all of it, we are going to pray and hang out with God!

After you watch the video, you and your family members can use the following discussion prompts and activities to apply the lesson—woot!

Talk It Out

  • Recap: Why did Abraham build altars, and why might we build an altar?

  • Check In With Yourself: How are you feeling? What do you want to talk to God about in prayer?

  • Wonder: What are you wondering right now as you think about building an altar? 

Apply It

Ways you can build an altar to hang out with God:

  • Gather your Bible and maybe a comfy blanket.

  • Make a prayer chain by cutting strips of paper, writing down prayer requests on each strip, and gluing/taping/stapling them together. Then use it to help you pray to God. Don't forget to include praises!

  • Use sticky notes or notecards to write down some prayers. Post them somewhere so you can see them and pray. 

  • Use blocks or legos to build a prayer and blessing tower. As you add a block/lego, pray for something/someone and watch your prayers stack up!

  • Use a flashlight, lamp, or a candle (with adult supervision!) to help you settle into a special time with God.

  • Find some rocks from outside and use a marker to write down things you want to pray about. When you're hanging out at your altar, pick one stone up at a time and pray over that specific request. 

Remember, you can talk to God about anything anytime! You can tell God how you feel, what you need, and anything else that is on your mind. And don't forget that thanking God can help us feel more calm and happy inside. 

We are praying for you! Please remember to email/call/text with any prayer requests you have.  We love you and can’t wait to be with you again.

Sending so much love,

Pastors Lindsay and Mary

John Jay and Ruthie

Today is normally my sabbath. I am going to have to reimagine what that means. Also, we all need a little less 24/7 news. It is okay to turn the noise off every once in a while.

My daughter Ruthie joins me to talk about Sunday anticipation and preparations, plus life now that school is suspended and everything happens at home.

John Jay and Bri

Today was a sprint for our staff as we wrapped up a lot of work for our Sunday Liturgy For the Living Room. Here is a message from me (Pastor John Jay) for your daily encouragement. My heart strains toward yours in this season. Hold steady friends. We are in this together.

New church friend Bri Johnson delivers a comforting and thoughtful message for our community around needs, loss of control and the fragile ways God made us. Really lovely.

FBCP Families | Weekday Wonders 1

Hi, Friends!

I'm writing to you knowing that parents have had a lot of extra stuff on their plates in the last week. These moments call us to use new muscles and be pioneers on the fly, and I know that you are already doing such a fantastic job! There are countless big and little ways you have been courageous and loving and flexible for your families. I hope you take a minute to breathe and take a time out for you as best you can. On that note, there are lots of links in this post—if they are overwhelming, then skip them! As long as you hear that you are loved and that we are standing by to help with any needs, that's what is most important.

Without further ado, here are some weekday wonders we are excited to share with you!

new wonders

thriving at home

We have a new resource page on our website that will continue to evolve and expand. For now it is mostly online sources, but starting next week we will be adding new content made by members of our church family. That's right—homemade stuff just for you! Please let me know if there are types of resources you want or need and if you have any you want to share.

Faith Formation at Home

Here is a wonderful faith resource for you to use at home this week. It has a beautiful reflection and some discussion questions on Psalm 23, a coloring sheet and activities to help reflect further on the psalm, and a guided lectio divina section. So good!

Penguin Party

If you need a little diversion, check out the fun these penguins had when the zoo shut down. That's right—there were penguins running free at the Shedd Aquarium! 

Sunday 

It’s almost time for another Sunday Special! This coming Sunday, Pastor Mary and I are sharing a video about how kids (and adults!) can make a special place in the home to hang out with God. We hope you will join us (and Brody!) in the orange tent for some creative ways to build an altar. You can always check out previous Sunday worship stuff at this page on our website.

Youth Hangout! 

We miss our youth TERRIBLY! So, our middle and high school youth are invited to join us for a Zoom call on Sunday at 12PM. That's as close to our regular Sunday hangout as we can get right now, so we hope you will join us. (Word on the street is that Chip may join us, too!) If you need a Zoom tutorial, Pastor Lindsay will be sending out more information about how to sign up and get plugged in. Here is the meeting link in case you are already super savvy with Zoom.

Connection Corner

Parent Hangout!

We are going to use zoom to host a time for parents to hang out and check in (and see your beautiful faces!). We will host some kid meetings later, but we wanted to begin by getting the parent community connected. The first one will be next Wednesday, March 25th at  2PM. If that time doesn't work, no worries! We will host more and vary the time to help make it easy for you to opt in. If you need a Zoom tutorial, Pastor Lindsay will be sending out more information about how to sign up and get plugged in. Here is the meeting link in case you are already super savvy with Zoom. We hope to see you there! 

A word from Tasha

Tasha, our fearless leader in the nursery, has a special video message for you. Check it out here! If you want to reach out to her, you can call or text her at 661.208.5470.

Keep In Touch (safely!)

Pastor Mary and I will continue to reach out to families and make sure you have  what you need, but we are always a phone call, text, or email away! We can pray, tell you a joke, figure out a way to get you supplies, entertain your child so you can drink some coffee—whatever you need. You also will be hearing from someone else in the church who is one of our Connection Team leaders, and they are eager to come alongside you, too. 

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!

With great affection and gratitude for you,

Pastor Lindsay Pastor Mary

916.716.7545 626.222.7440



John Jay and Harlan

These days are tough, and we are right there with you in it. This message mentions a couple of ways to stay connected, and you can use the buttons below to start that process.

Our good friend Harlan sent me an audio message of encouragement and challenge. And in classic Harlan form, he pushes us to consider our neighbors who are out vulnerable.

John Jay, Gretchen and Tom

Today was quite a reset from yesterday, which really means that each day is unpredictable in a way that makes my emotions fluctuate wildly. Yours too I bet. Also, God shows up in small but profound ways. Love you all. Miss you. -Pastor John Jay

Pastor Gretchen shares from her personal experience about living alone in the days of physical distancing and isolation. There are some brilliant ideas in here. Pastor Gretchen will continue to share from her experiences and learning throughout this season.

Tom and Becky Hale were part of our church while he studied at Fuller last year. They were a dear part of our community, and I asked him to share some thoughts from what he is seeing across the world. It is great to hear his voice.

John Jay, Lindsay & Ken

Pastor John Jay talks about plans for our church moving forward, and also how to handle the Adjustment Reaction transition during a crisis. Bottom line: be patient with your own reactions, and allow yourself time to adjust to this time of struggle. It is normal. You are having a normal reaction. And we are here with you. Much love.

Pastor Lindsay helps us understand how to prepare without panicking, and why hoarding is counterproductive. Also, this audio is given in an especially calming voice, which is sort of everything these days.

In this audio you hear Ken talk about generosity in a time of hoarding. If you have extra to share, let us know and we will get you connected to someone who needs it. If you need something we might have in excess, let us know and we will do our best to be responsive. Our fear is in proportion to our aloneness. And we want to make sure that none of you are alone, even as you are isolated in body.

 
 

Sunday Special | ep1

Hi, Friends!

It's Sunday morning, and we are thinking of you big time! We hope you got the link to the first Liturgy for the Living Room from John Jay—it's a beautiful recording of all the meaningful elements in a worship service so that you can experience church in your home. 

In lieu of our regular kid programming, Pastor Mary and I are providing a video with a short Bible lesson that complements John Jay's teaching on Envy. This week our "story" is actually this cool thing called a proverb, which is a little piece of awesome advice in the Bible.

After you watch the video, then you and your family members can use the discussion prompts and activities to apply the lesson (scroll down to find those). We hope they are helpful and fun!


Talk It Out

  • Recap: What does envy look like right now in this season of the coronavirus?

  • Check In With Yourself: How are you experiencing a longing for the past or the future right now? 

  • Wonder: What are you wondering right now as you think about this lesson? Share it with your family/friends.

Apply It 

  • Gratitude helps us find peace in the present. Have everyone take a turn sharing what they are grateful for about each person in your family today

  • Helping out can also give us some peace if we are anxious. On a piece of paper, have everyone write one way they want to help out around the house during this time when we are going to be home more often. Then high five each other when you follow through with your commitment!

  • Take some time to think about your house and all that it provides for you. Try not to think about what you wish your house was like (don't envy!). Instead, appreciate the space you have. To help you do that, draw a map of your house. In each section, write down what you most love about that space or what it provides for you. You could even give nicknames to each room or make your favorite rooms bigger—get creative! Post the map somewhere to remind you to be grateful for your home when you get cabin fever.

  • God created Adam by breathing into him, so breathing reminds us that we need God and that God is as close as our breath. Try a breathing exercise to help you focus on the present moment and restore peacefulness. You can do these anytime, anywhere.

Shoulder Shrugs:  Roll your shoulders back and down so they are away from your ears. Breathe deeply in through your nose as you raise your shoulders up by your ears. Breathe out and lower your shoulders. Repeat movement 3-5 times and feel the tension melt away.

Darth Vader Breath: Breathe deeply in and out while exhaling strongly through an open mouth.

Ocean Waves: Close your eyes and imagine you are an ocean wave. Breathe in and out deeply as if you are an ocean wave washing on the beach. Alternate the frequency of your breath to become shorter and longer waves.


Happy Sunday and much love to all of you! Stay tuned for more fun stuff coming at you this week.

With love and virtual hugs,

Pastors Lindsay and Mary




Special Updates for Families at FBCP

Hi, Friends!

I hope you had a chance to read John Jay's letter about how we will continue to "do church" even in the midst of suspending our usual Sunday morning gatherings. You and your kids have been on my mind extra the last few days, and I am writing with so many emotions as I think of you. I'm sad, of course, that we won't be together in person on Sunday (it's my favorite day because of our gathering!). I'm also grateful for you and our church family, knowing that we get to go through this in community. And I have increasing joy and excitement about the creative ways we can come alongside one another. Today's email is meant to explain what you can expect from me and Pastor Mary in the coming days and weeks, so read on for all the details!

Sunday Specials 

Starting tomorrow, everyone will receive an audio church service in place of our usual Sunday gathering. Though there is no substitute for our physical presence together,  I promise it will offer its own beauty and meaning. I hope you and your family and friends can take time to listen and interact with it together.

You will also receive a video Bible lesson for kids to watch and some suggested discussion and activities you can do right in the home to go along with the lesson (which will match the theme of John Jay's preaching). It is our hope that these Sunday resources provide fun ways for you and your kids to engage with your faith and one another at home (and we are super pumped to make meaningful and silly content to share!).  

Weekday Wonders

Outside of Sunday, I will also be sharing other types of resources for you to use with kids during the week, especially since schools have closed. We want to provide all we can to help you create moments of joy, rest, learning, and fun, and we want kids to be able to experience God's presence and love in new ways during the weeks ahead. In short, we want you to thrive in the home in this season, so we are working hard to help you do just that!

Connection Captains

And, most importantly, we will be checking in on you to see how you are doing, share a word of love and encouragement, and assess any needs you have so we can try to help meet them. We are your church family, and we are eager to live out that special calling. For now, please let me know if you have any pressing needs or questions. We are standing by to take your calls, texts, emails, letters carried by animals (who knew?!)—whatever method you prefer! For reals, connection is most important right now, so don't hesitate to reach out. 

One Last Thing

This brief pause in regular Sunday gatherings is its own kind of fast. But it's also the perfect opportunity to have conversations with kids (and adults!) about what "church" really is. We love our church building, and it's truly special. But "being the church" is not about a building; it's about embodying the love of Christ and pursuing God together, in community, as a family. So that's what we are doing as best we can. If you catch anyone in your home saying something like "church is canceled," make sure you clarify that, though a specific gathering may not be happening, church is never canceled. We will keep being the church—and that is such good news! 

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!



FBCP Families | 10

Hi, Friends!

I hope the beautiful day outside reminds you of God's presence and goodness. 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. 

In our kid rooms, we will follow these precautions in the coming weeks:

  • All kids and leaders will wash their hands when they arrive at their classes as well as before their snack, and leaders will serve snacks on individual plates. We also have hand sanitizer available in all nursery and kid rooms.

  • We are taking a break from using play dough and play sand. 

  • Tables, counters, and toys will be wiped down with disinfectant before and after classes (as usual).

  • Youth Group will continue to have individual lunches and wash hands before eating.

  • As an addition to our greeting options, we will offer an elbow bump to kids.

  • We will remind kids how to sneeze/cough into their elbow region instead of their hands

On that note, if you have kids who are home because of school closures, you might want to check out some enriching STEM activities to do at home. Lots of these activities require basic supplies around the house and make great use of the outdoors!

Nursery - Elementary

This Sunday our kids will be learning about the parable of the sower. We are excited for them to think about plants and flowers and soil and growth and beauty—and how they are connected to all of those! I pray that we all would be like good soil as we receive a teaching from God on Sunday.  

Family Discussion Starters:

  • Which type of soil in the parable do you most relate to?

  • Why do you think Jesus chose seeds and growth as a way to teach about people?

  • What are some things you want to do in order to be like the good soil?

  • What might God be planting in you right now?

Prayer: Lord, help us to receive your word so that we can grow in love and become more like you.

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. Youth who serve in our children's ministry will attend a special lunch and training which ends at 2PM. Either way, lunch is provided!

For Good Measure

Practicing Lent with Loved Ones

We have a fun booklet full of daily devotions and activities to build up love in your circles of family and friends. 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!

Good or Bad — Hard to Say

I stumbled upon this Ted Talk by a parent who has learned a new way of seeing good and bad, especially when it comes to her child who was born with disabilities. It's heartwarming, funny, and a compelling invitation to be more open to the full complexity of ourselves and others when society is quick to call us good or bad, which of course are incomplete labels. If you need a little something to give you a new perspective and make you smile, give it a watch—it's a good one.

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


In Pasadena as it is in Heaven

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