FBCP Updates | 01.22.2021

Happy Friday, Friends at FBCP!

We have a few reminders and updates to share with you today, so you can listen to the audio below for all the info or read on for a condensed version of the details. Grace and peace to you this evening.

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

Sunday Worship Online

This Sunday we will not meet in the garage and will instead worship with another Liturgy for the Living Room to keep one another safe during the surge in the pandemic. We are excited to share another liturgy full of various voices in our community, so we pray you are able to find a meaningful time and place to listen and engage with worship and your church family. We will continue to monitor the virus and keep you updated on our plans for worship in the coming weeks.

Grieving Together

Recently we lost three pillars in the FBCP community—Harold Lane, Bob Maase, and Tom Harris. Though we cannot come together in person to honor them right now, we know it is crucial that we have a way to share our collective grief and remember these friends well. To that end, we are in the process of making an online space to share memories from our church community. We’ll have a separate page to honor each of those friends, and you are all invited to share any favorite memories you have of Harold Lane, Bob Maase, or Tom Harris for us to include in these online spaces. Some of you have already submitted memories, and we are so grateful to have your contribution. We would welcome any of the following formats for your submissions:

• written

• audio recording

• video

Please email your contribution to lindsay@fbcpasadena.com or use the buttons below. If you have trouble sending something in or have any questions, you can reach out to Lindsay for help. Thank you in advance for these precious memories.

FBCP Families | 01.22.01

Hey, Friends!

We pray you continue to stay safe and healthy in the midst of the pandemic, and we invite you to join us in praying for all the healthcare workers who are fighting so hard to love and care for people well. Our hope is that numbers will continue to recede so that we can move back to worship in the garage. Until then, we hope you are able to worship with the online liturgy in a way that is meaningful to you. I find it so helpful to hear the voices of our community in order to reorient myself to a posture of gratitude and worship. May this weekend be a time of rest, play, and worship for all! 

Bad Weather Supplies

We have the opportunity to partner with Friends In Deed as they gather supplies for those without shelter in the upcoming months, especially when weather is less predictable and often harsh. You can check out the full list of supplies that are needed here, and we will be collecting them the next time we are back in the garage for worship. If you need us to come pick up items or arrange a handoff, we can do that, too! 

Free Parenting Webinar

Hand In Hand Parenting is offering a free, three-part web series to help you tackle the hard stuff about parenting in isolation and under stress during a pandemic. The sessions will cover when to set limits in a time that's already so restricted, connecting well when you're together all the time, and what to do when it feels like nagging is the new norm. 

Sunday 

Kids

This Sunday we will be sharing a story and some resources for worshipping and praying at home in interactive ways. We look forward to our next time together in the park, but until then know that God is very present in your homes and with your families!

Youth

This week we will zoom with the youth at 12PM so we can deliver lunch! We will all have pizzas sent from Blaze, so please send your youth's pizza order to me when you can. Here is the meeting link that you can use to hop on the hangout. We look forward to a fun time together with our youth!

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!

With gratitude for you,

Pastor Lindsay & Pastor Mary

Mary

Paul

Tonight we invite you to pause and listen to this timeless hymn, remembering that God is still very present in the world He created. The lyrics are below if you want to meditate on them while you listen. Grace and peace this evening, friends.

This Is My Father’s World

This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas--
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world:
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world:
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad! 

Lindsay

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A reflection from John Kelly as we commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, we celebrate a man born in the era of the Great Depression—who became a leader of the Poor People’s Campaign. We remember a man whose childhood was backlit by the noisy chaos of World War II—who came to be America’s leading proponent of nonviolence. We honor a man born Black, amidst the rubble of the reconstructed South—whose life and ministry came to give the voiceless hope, and the hopeless a voice.

Today, much will be said, shared, and posted about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: that he was peaceful; that he sought unity, not division; that he was a good, Christian leader. And none of this is false. Still, others will assure us that King wasn’t as radical, when compared to contemporary society. They’ll ignore his staunch positions on the immorality of poverty and nuclear warfare, and his criticisms of the US government for propagating both. They’ll characterize the Montgomery Bus Boycott and subsequent Civil Rights Movement romantically, as past lessons that America learned once and for all. Many will point to out-of-context quotes, seeking to prove that “King just wanted us all to get along.” 

But such broad generalizations make light of King’s steely convictions, intellectual acuity, and God-fueled hope. Throughout his life, King faced all that the American experience offers—wars, economic crises, warped patriotism, and immoral politics. But despite the temptation to give into inertia and go with the flow of the status quo, King based his life on a different narrative. Though he faced defamation, dehumanization, and even death, King’s faith in the liberating, self-sacrificing God of Scripture gave him the courage to stand on the right side of history—with “the least of these,” to borrow a familiar phrase.

So today, we share a clip from the very end of the last speech King ever gave, just several hours before his death. Working in Memphis for more equitable wages and working conditions for sanitization workers, King remained hopeful that God remains faithful. King remained strong in his allegiance to Christ, not to some idea of power or the status-quo. Up to the hours before his death, King worked to build the Beloved Community.

Though much more could and will be said, today, and tomorrow, and the next day, may we all be practically shaped by King’s character and legacy. May it prompt us to speak truth to power, and to realize that if our spiritual convictions don’t shape our skin-bound society, we might be living by a different narrative than the one found throughout Scripture.

For Further Reading: "Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]"

FBCP Updates 01.16.2021

Today we have some important news to share with our church family. You can listen to the full details and a pastoral word from John Jay in the audio below, but here are some key highlights:

• We will not be meeting in the garage for the rest of this month in order to keep everyone safe and healthy. We will continue to release a new Liturgy for the Living Room on Sunday mornings over email and text, and we are excited to share those with you. We hope you will have time and space to worship from afar until we are able to be back together in person.

• We are sad to share that Tom Harris died today at 1PM. He was another pillar of our church and special person in the FBCP family. He will be dearly missed, and his legacy will continue to impact us in years to come. Please pray for his family as they process their grief and for our congregation. We will share more soon about our plans to honor and remember Tom and others we have lost in the last month, so stay tuned.

• Remember to give yourself permission to breathe and return to your center in Christ. If you can, find a place to go that will give you a new perspective if things feel too hard and intense. You are loved and held by God in the midst of all these things.

  Much love from your FBCP family.

FBCP Family Updates | 01.16.21

Hey, Friends!

We hope you are enjoying this beautiful Saturday and the sunshine! And in case you missed John Jay's communication on Wednesday, we will be taking a few more weeks off from outdoor church in the garage and releasing a Liturgy for the Living Room online. We pray that your family finds ways to worship God and make time for play and rest in your home. 

Because Monday is when we remember and celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we wanted to share this short video by Kid President that your kids might enjoy watching. We pray that we would all continue to seek God's vision for justice, goodness, mercy, and righteousness. 

Bad Weather Supplies

We have the opportunity to partner with Friends In Deed as they gather supplies for those without shelter in the upcoming months, especially when weather is less predictable and often harsh. You can check out the full list of supplies that are needed here, and we will be collecting them the next time we are back in the garage for worship. If you need us to come pick up items or arrange a handoff, we can do that, too! 

On that note, we will be sharing some information from Zach Hoover at LA Voice on Monday regarding ways to contact local representatives regarding an extension of the local eviction moratorium. This initiative is important to keep people in their homes during this particularly challenging time. Stay tuned for more information on how you can participate (and youth can, too!).

Iris Chen's New Book!

Our own Iris Chen just launched her book called Untigering: Peaceful Parenting for the Deconstructing Tiger Parent, and we are so excited for her (and that she is part of our church family!). We have copies for our families with kids if you would like one, and we'll be interviewing her on an upcoming liturgy. Yay! Stay tuned for information about a chance for parents to talk and hear more in a virtual discussion. 

Sunday 

Kids

This Sunday we will not have a video since we had our liturgy in the park today (and what a great day it was!). But here is a resource that includes scripture and a few activities you might want to do at home to create some space for worship. We encourage you to read scripture as a family and allow wonder and questions to guide you as you engage with God's word!

Youth

We are sad that we will not be gathering with the youth in the park tomorrow, but we know that will help us all stay safe and healthy during the surge. So, 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. 

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!

With gratitude for you,

Pastor Lindsay & Pastor Mary

A Song for Friday Night

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me, and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and 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, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy 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’lling days are done.

Mary

Outdoor Church Update

Hello church family,

Anyone else feel like the year 2021 found out how insane 2020 was and thought, "Oh, I can do better (worse) than that!"? But I keep saying (to myself as much as to y'all) that our work is to see the world as it actually is, and then abide within that world with courage and clarity. I am as tired of shifting plans as I am sure you are. But we must continue to be nimble and flexible, which is why I am writing you. After consulting with our staff, Covid Advisory Team and Board of Deacons, we have decided to remain online-only for Sunday worship. So for at least the reminder of January we will not have outdoor church in the garage.

The surge in Covid cases in our area is a real concern, with holiday travel still causing significant spikes in infection rates. So we hope that a couple more weeks online will allow the cases to level off and us to regroup with an adjusted outdoor strategy. We will be communicating about returning to the garage at the end of this month. Nothing is for sure, but we are prayerfully hoping that the virus subsides enough for us to return to outdoor church responsibly.

This Sunday, January 17, at 7pm, we will be hosting a Zoom prayer service led by our staff. There is a lot of turmoil that dominates our minds right now, but it is always wise to slow down, breathe deep and enter into a practice of prayer. I am as guilty of running ahead of prayer to search for knowledge and solutions as anyone else. So let’s come together to pray and quiet our hearts. We’ll send out a link on Sunday so you can join.

We are also seeing some positive Covid infections within our church family and one of our staff members. Marco Echaury, our head of Building and Grounds, tested positive over the weekend. He has given us permission to share this update, and we are grateful that he is showing mild symptoms at this point and continuing to improve. We do not have further staff exposure, in large part because of safety protocols Marcie Lumpkin has established within the building. Tom Harris is also in the hospital with Covid and other health complications. He is 93 and physically vulnerable in lots of ways. So this is a more serious case. Be praying for his family.

We also lost Bob Maase this last week at the age of 97 (a week from his 98th birthday). He died from complications unrelated to Covid. Death after a long life is always both a joy and a grief. But when we are unable to gather in the sanctuary to share in the rituals of grief and loss, the entire process of saying goodbye and remembering well are complicated. So we are praying about how to best honor Bob's life, as well as others we have lost this year and may yet lose in the months to come. Death is a normal part of church life, but once again nothing is normal these days.

There is more to speak about, and plenty of time to do so. But for now those are the highlights.

Be safe friends.

Less without you,

Pastor John Jay

John Kelly

Today John Kelly shares a reflection followed by a song called “Citizens,” written and sung by Jon Guerra.

Family Liturgy Reminders

Hey, Friends!

The January Liturgy for Families with Kids is on for this coming Saturday at 10:30AM in the park, and we are so pumped! Thanks to those who have let us know they can come. We’d love it if you would please fill out this quick RSVP form if you didn't have a chance to yet. (But please know that we will welcome all on Saturday morning, no matter what!)

Safety in the Park

We are following pandemic updates closely and know that safety and protection are as important as ever. We believe we can continue to host this event safely and will have the following precautions in place:

• All families will go directly to a circle upon arrival to get settled and remain a safe distance apart (but don’t worry—we have white boards so you can hold up messages to other friends!).

• We will remain masked the entire event.

• We will maintain safe physical distance.

• We will have to-go snacks ready for you to take with you when you leave so that you can eat them safely and unmasked in the car or at home.

• We will have sanitizer on hand for anyone who needs some.

Thanks for being loving toward one another (and toward our healthcare workers!) through all of these precautions. We are so grateful that you have been willing to come and love each other well so that we can continue to host these events with safety and trust. We are saving up so many hugs for whenever it is safe to share them!

Friends In Deed Winter Supplies

This month we are collecting some important items for Friends In Deed to help them prepare supplies to distribute in Pasadena. We are asking each family to could bring gloves, socks, or an umbrella if you are able. These will go to help those who do not have a home or shelter this winter. (The whole church is invited to participate, and we are excited that the kids can, too!)

Let us know if you have any questions or concerns. We love you and are praying for you this week—and we hope to see you Saturday!

Much love,

Pastors Lindsay and Mary

Gretchen

John Jay

Today John Jay has an important update for our church family. You can listen to the audio below to get more detailed information. We are sad to share that Bob Maase, longtime member of the FBCP community, died last night. We invite you to send any stories of remembrance to us as we compile an online space to honor his life and legacy. You can send written memories, photos, or audio recordings to lindsay@fbcpasadena.com or use the button below. We lift up Bob’s family as they grieve and for our church in this time of loss and remembrance.

Sunday Online Gatherings

January 10, 2021

Friends at FBCP,

Today we have two opportunities for you to connect over Zoom with your church family in light of recent national events. We hope to see you later today as we come alongside one another and seek God’s heart together.

Today at 3:30PM | Conversation with Parents/Guardians
Parents/Guardians (or those who care for young people) are invited to join us for a Zoom discussion about how to have meaningful conversations about national news with kids and youth. Click here to join the conversation:

Zoom Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066602473
Meeting ID: 860 6660 2473

Today at 7:00PM | All Church Time of Lament and Prayer
Join us in a sacred gathering online as we make space for prayer, lament, and encouragement. Click here to join the conversation:

Zoom Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86278567506
Meeting ID: 862 7856 7506

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

Sunday Special | EP 44

Hi, Friends at FBCP,

We have some important reminders and a short video to share with all of our families with kids today. Read on for all the info!

Parent Zoom Today at 3:30PM

Today we share an opportunity to connect with parents over Zoom at 3:30PM. We know that having conversations about national news with our children can be difficult, but there is a lot of shared wisdom in our church families. We are meant to be a resource and support for one another, especially in times like these. To that end, we are inviting parents to join us over Zoom for a discussion about having thoughtful conversations with young people regarding our ongoing national news. John Jay will help lead that time, and we hope you will join us to share your questions and input.  You can join us using this zoom link.

Liturgy in the Park Next Week!

By now we hope you have marked your calendars for the next Liturgy for Families with Kids on Saturday, January 16th, at 10:30AM in the park. We will maintain our safety protocol with distance and masks so that we can keep each other healthy. And, of course, we will worship God with songs, a Bible lesson, and activities for the whole family. This time we are also inviting each family to bring gloves, socks, or an umbrella to donate to Friends In Deed. They are preparing some winter kits to pass out to folks without shelter, and we are eager to partner with them in supplying some of the needs. We hope you'll join us as we celebrate Epiphany and begin a new year in the spirit of generosity and wonder! You can RSVP here to help us plan ahead for supplies.

To help explain a little bit more about what we will be doing at the liturgy in the park and why it's so important to partner with Friends In Deed, we have a short video to share a few more details and a scripture to ground us in God's call.

We pray you are safe and able to worship in a way that is meaningful wherever you are this morning, and we hope to see you next Saturday!

So much love,

Pastors Lindsay and Mary

Leslie

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Steven Taylor | Helen Lemmel

O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There's light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

His word shall not fail you, He promised
Believe Him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

Friday Updates 01.08.21

Today we have important updates about church happenings this week and a special preview of a song from this week’s coming liturgy. Here are the highlights from today’s video announcements:

• Sunday, January 10th | Liturgy for the Living Room. This week we will continue to worship online and will share a new Liturgy for the Living Room in the morning for you to worship wherever you are.

• Sunday, January 10th, 3:30PM | Conversation with Parents/Guardians. Parents/Guardians (or those who care for young people) are invited to join us for a Zoom discussion about how to have meaningful conversations about national news with kids and youth.

• Sunday, January 10th, 7:00PM | All Church Time of Lament and Prayer over Zoom. Join us in a sacred gathering online as we make space for prayer, lament, and encouragement.

• Saturday, January 16th, 10:30AM | Liturgy for Families with Kids in the Park. We’ll have our January liturgy in the park for our families with kids (and following all our regular safety protocol), and we can’t wait to worship with all of them! Families with kids can RSVP here.

• Sunday, January 17th, 10:30AM | Outdoor Church in the Garage. We hope to be back in the garage for worship with those who are able to join. We will continue with increased safety protocols and will livestream the audio for those who need to worship online.

Mary