Sunday Special | EP 42

Happy Sunday, Friends!

Today we wanted to read a story called The Light Gift, an artistic collaboration of Ann Voskamp and her family. It's a fictional story about the birth of Jesus and our call to share light and love with others in all we do—for whatever we do for anyone else, we do for the coming King. We invite your kids to grab some snacks and cuddle up to listen to the story.

We pray that you are able to experience the light of Christ and then share it with the world like Leona, always ready to treat others as we would treat Jesus. Thank you for already being a light to us!

Merry Christmas and so much love,

 

Pastors Lindsay and Mary

P.S. To learn more about the book and its creation, you can check out this post.

FBCP Families | 51

Hi, Friends!

Merry Christmas! Though this year was not what we would have planned, I do hope that you were able to celebrate the birth of Christ in a meaningful way yesterday. May the joy and hope of Christmas continue to dwell in you as we look to a new year ahead. I am so grateful that we get to worship and follow Jesus together as a church family!

Creation in Photographs

I came across this post today and had to share it—so much goodness in God's creation and in seeing photographs of it! Here's the intro to the post, which features the best nature photos of the year (and, it turns out, looking at those photos is helpful to keeping us grounded in peace!): 

While traveling is not on the table at this point in our pandemic lives, looking at nature photography can also provide a form of mental escape. Various studies have shown that it has soothing effects and helps our brains that are on their way to 2020-induced overdrive to calm down.

Click here to check out all the nature photos!

Sunday 

Kids

This week in our video we read a special book about Christmas called The Light Gift. We discovered this story recently and love the way it ties in all the special elements of the nativity. And, of course, if you can make it to Outdoor Church, we will see you there!

Youth

This week and next week we will have a Youth Zoom gathering at 2pm. Here is the meeting link that you can use to hop on the hangout. We hope to see you there for some post-Christmas fun!

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!

With gratitude for you,

Pastor Lindsay & Pastor Mary

FBCP Updates and The Star of Bethlehem

Friends at FBCP,

Today we have some important announcements to share with our community.

News about Harold Lane

Today we learned of the death of Harold Lane (91 years old), our Pastor Emeritus at FBC Pasadena. Pastor Lane was the pastor of First Baptist Church from 1978-1994. We will be sharing more information about his memorial service, as well as sharing some personal memories of Pastor Lane in the coming days. Please keep his family in your prayers.

Christmas Eve Service

We will gather in the garage for an outdoor worship service on Christmas Eve at 5PM. The service will include communion and the sharing of the light. We hope you will join us if you are able, but we will also have a livestream of the service for those listening online.

The Star of Bethlehem Tonight

Click the audio below to hear a special word from Brian about the Christmas Star that you can see in today’s early evening sky. Head on outside!

Grace and peace to you on this Monday evening.

Less without you,

John Jay and the FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 50

Hi, Friends!

We had such a blast with you last Saturday at our liturgy in the park! Thanks for bringing so much joy and the Christmas spirit to our church family, and thank you for participating in the Friends In Deed gift drive in support of our neighbors in Pasadena. We hope you are having fun thinking of all the names for Jesus and remembering that Jesus knows you by name, too. And if you're lighting your Advent wreath this week, it's the candle for love. As you think about love this week, know that we love you and are so grateful we get to belong to one another!

Gifts to Make at Home

If you're looking for fun gifts that kids can make at home, check out these ten ideas from KiwiCo. (I love the tin lanterns and the no-bake cookies!) It's also a great time to encourage kids to use their imagination to recycle items around the home to make something new and fun for someone else. Happy creating!

Sunday 

Kids

This week we are sharing a special photo video of our liturgy in the park last week, and it's set to a song from our newly released Advent Album (which you can get a copy of here). We hope you enjoy seeing the faces of FBCP friends and hearing the voices of our church!

Youth

This week the youth have a gathering in the park, and this week we are having our version of our annual youth Christmas party! We have safe activities planned where we can remain distanced and masked but still experience the Christmas spirit together. We hope to see you around 10:15am, and we will end by 12:30pm. See you there!

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!

With gratitude for you,

Pastor Lindsay & Pastor Mary

Phenomenal Friday #50

Highlights from Today’s Audio:

  • We are worshipping in the garage this Sunday and following these safety protocols in an effort to love each other well:

    • Wearing masks properly anytime we are out of our cars or have our windows down

    • Giving each other ample distance

    • Washing hands and using hand sanitizer

    • Staying home if we are not well

    • Limiting the time we spend mingling before and after service

  • The Advent Album is available! See the link below to order a copy or stream it online.

  • We will have an outdoor worship service on Christmas Eve! More details forthcoming.

 

THIS WEEK’S TRACKS:

FBCP Advent Updates

Friends at FBC,

Today we have important updates to share with you about Outdoor Church, a super fun online listening party, and ways to posture ourselves during Advent. Listen to the audio for all the info and a pastoral word from John Jay.

Less without you,

FBCP

 

The Advent Album

We have multiple ways for you to access the album, including a CD and digital formats. We are giving these as a gift to the FBCP community, and you can get a CD at Outdoor Church or via the mail. You can also listen for free on Spotify if you have an active account. However, if you want to purchase one as a donation to Friends In Deed, we have multiple options for you to do so. Head on over to the album page to order a CD or purchase on Amazon and iTunes streaming apps. There’s also a button you can click to make a donation of any amount directly to Friends In Deed. Thanks for passing on your generosity in our gift economy.

 

The Album Listening Party

This Thursday night at 7pm we will be hosting an online listening party to share tracks from The Advent Album and hear about that magic that went on behind the scenes to produce it. The music makers will be there to help tell all the stories behind the album, and we hope you will join us as we listen and celebrate the gifts of collaboration and song!

Link for Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88416111813?pwd=VzVLVXAvWCs4Q2c0U2UyWFhBNm9rZz09
Meeting ID: 884 1611 1813
Passcode: 440228
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,88416111813#,,,,,,0#,,440228# US (San Jose)
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbWZDDu3iK

Paul

Tonight we share Paul on the harp. As you set aside time to listen, we pray that you are able to hear the voice of Jesus, remembering His promise to be our light and our joy.

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down
Your head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
So weary, worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting place,
And he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world’s light;
Look unto me, your morn shall rise,
And all your day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In him my star, my sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk
Till trav'ling days are done.

Phenomenal Friday #49

OUTDOOR CHURCH SAFETY UPDATES

We are back in the garage this Sunday for worship at 10:30AM, and we have increased our safety protocol to make sure we can continue to keep one another safe. These gatherings are a vital part of our life as a church, so we take these agreements as serious acts of love and responsibility to each other. Thanks for helping us keep the following precautions in place:

  • Ensure proper use of masks that cover nose and mouth completely.

  • Allow extra space between people (aim for more like 10ft).

  • Remain in car if you are able to drive in; those who need to sit in the pedestrian area will see a new arrangement with seats more spaced out.

  • Head home when the service ends rather than mingling with other household. This will also help our volunteer team who will be taking down the sanctuary setup.

  • Wash hands extra frequently at home. We will have sanitizer at the garage.

  • Stay home if you are not well or have any symptoms of COVID.

SPECIAL WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY

We are super pumped to share songs from our Advent Album in our worship service this Sunday! There are so many individuals from FBCP who have poured their talent and time into the album, and we can’t wait for you to hear all the special elements. Some of the songs will be played live and others will be straight from the album. We hope you will join us if you are able as we reflect on Advent at this special service.

FRIENDS IN DEED GIFT DRIVE

This is the week to bring your gifts if you can come to the garage for worship! Remember to bring the unwrapped gift to church with the child's ID# attached. The easiest way to attach the child's ID# is probably by writing it on masking tape and sticking it to the gift. If you need help getting your gift to us, please reach out to Pastor Gretchen.

THE ADVENT ALBUM!

We have albums ready to give you on Sunday, and we can’t wait! You can preorder one and pick it up on Sunday if you will be at the garage or we can ship them to you. Click the link below to check out all the fun stories behind the album and to order a digital or CD copy.

 


THIS WEEK’S TRACKS

FBCP Families | 49

Hi, Friends!

Thanks for being so flexible as we adjusted the date for our Family Liturgy. We had so much fun seeing you at our drive-by Advent event and hope that you have been leaning into the wonder and anticipation of the season with your Advent wreath. We hope to see you tomorrow!

Advent Family Liturgy

As announced, this Saturday, December 12th, we have our Advent Liturgy for Families with Kids at 10:30AM. We will have all the usual elements but some increased safety protocol to make sure we love each other well and gather responsibly to worship. Some of you have reached out to ask about our protocols, especially as numbers continue to increase, and we are grateful for your thoughtfulness and love. Because our kids are a lower risk group and we can gather outdoors with plenty of fresh air and physical distance, we feel confident hosting the liturgy and know it’s a vital part of staying connected. Thanks for all the ways you have been so respectful of one another at our previous liturgies. Y’all are just the best!

Here are some important reminders and additions to note in preparation for our time:

  • Please make sure you have a mask that fits well and that you wear it at all times.

  • We will have circles in the grass as always, but they will be a little more spaced out. (But don't worry—we will help you all connect with each other!)

  • We are going to provide a to-go snack that you can eat at home (or in the car). We believe that wearing masks and maintaining distance outdoors will keep us all super safe. So, to allow us to keep our masks on the entire time, we will send yummy snacks home with you as you leave rather than eat during the event. While this may feel like a bummer, we are happy to take the extra precaution and make sure we can all participate without any added risk or worry.

  • We make sure all materials we provide are packed with sanitized hands and while wearing masks so that your family liturgy kit is safe and clean. We’ll also have hand sanitizer on hand for anyone who needs it.

Don't forget to bring a blanket or towel to sit on. We are also inviting you to wear your comfy winter pajamas if you would like! We hope to see you around 10:15AM in the church park. Yay!

Friends In Deed Gift Drive

Thanks to all the families who signed up to bring a gift for the Friends In Deed Gift Drive! Please bring your gift with you on Saturday if you are able to join us in the park. Click here if you still want to sign up or need to look at the instructions for labeling your gift. 

Tips for Holidays During the Pandemic

Kara Powell from the Fuller Youth Institute has some simple tips for keeping things meaningful and low stress as we experience Christmas during the pandemic. These are practices that are good all year long, but they are especially helpful reminders now.

Sunday

Kids

This week we won't have a video since we will be together in the park on Saturday. We also hope you will consider coming to the garage for Outdoor Church on Sunday morning since it's a special service featuring songs from our Advent Album! The service will be a beautiful time of song and reflection in place of our regular candlelight carol service. We hope to see you there if you can join us!

Youth

This week we will have a Youth Zoom gathering at 2pm. Here is the meeting link that you can use to hop on the hangout. We will have our next youth gathering in the park on Sunday, December 20th, and it will be a special Christmas gathering. We hope to see you there!

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!

With gratitude for you,

Pastor Lindsay & Pastor Mary

Outdoor Church Update

Friends at FBCP,

Today John Jay and Ruthie bring you some really important updates about Outdoor Church and what to expect this Sunday for worship. Make sure you watch the video for all the details! Our hope is to continue gathering safely as long as we are able to do so. Here are the most important highlights regarding our agreements for safety (aka loving each other well):

  • Ensuring proper use of masks that cover nose and mouth completely

  • Allowing extra space between people (aim for more like 10ft)

  • Reduced chairs that are more spaced out in the seating area

  • Remaining in car if you are able to drive in

  • Heading home when the service ends rather than mingling with other households

  • Washing hands extra frequently

  • Staying home if you are not well or have any symptoms of COVID

You’ll also hear some news about our Advent Album, including an online listening party next Thursday night. We are so excited to share the album and all the stories behind it with you! More reminders and updates will be coming in the regular Friday post. We pray you stay safe and healthy.

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

Paul

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming
As men of old have sung.
It came, a flower bright,
Amid the cold of winter
When half-gone was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind:
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God's love aright
She bore to men a Savior
When half-gone was the night.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere.
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us
And lightens every load

In Pasadena as it is in Heaven

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