FBCP Families | 04.01.2021

Hey, Friends!

Today's email is brief because I know this week is full of the stories we are trying to retell about Jesus and his life, death, and resurrection. I pray that you are able to observe Holy Week as a family in ways that allow room for reflection, questions, and nearness to God. You might want to hold a foot-washing ceremony as a family or read some of the scriptures about Jesus' last days together. Here are some additional ideas from the Fuller Youth Institute for honoring Holy Week at home as a family. Youth Families, I recommend offering  your youth the chance to do the walking pilgrimage experience that we released on Tuesday. It might be meaningful to make space at home for any questions or reflections they have after completing it. We hope to see as many of you as are able to join us on Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection and the ways that God is bringing new life into our lives!

Easter Liturgy for Families with Kids

This Easter we are so excited that we have ways to gather in person after staying home last year. We have two services happening Easter Sunday, and our families with kids are invited to attend both if they want. First, we will have our all-church worship service in the garage at 10:30AM with all the beautiful elements that go in an Easter service. Following garage worship, families with kids are invited to head to the park area where they can hang out in a circle and bring a picnic lunch to eat. You could also get some food in Old Town and bring it back to the park. Then at 1:30pm we will have a Liturgy for Families with Kids, complete with songs, a Bible lesson, and lots of fun Easter activities! So, you can join us for both events or come to the one that works for your family, but you are invited to both. Please note that we will also have some car-friendly activities and snacks for kids who come to the garage service in the morning. We hope to see you on Easter for this special day when we celebrate new life and all the hope that comes with the resurrection! You can let us know your plans for Easter with this RSVP link.

Easter for Youth

The Youth are invited to attend our all-church service in the garage on Easter morning. We'll have some special goodies for them and hope they will join our church family as we remember the resurrection of Jesus and celebrate together. If your youth wants to help with our Pit Crew, let me know! We are so grateful for the ways we have to gather safely and celebrate this special morning as a church family.

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!

With gratitude for you,

Pastor Lindsay & Pastor Mary

A Word on Vaccines

Friends at FBCP,

As we continue to look ahead to when we can be together again, the vaccine is going to play a key role. Today we are excited to share with you a special word from Christopher Sun, a leading physician in the area who is also a beloved church member. He prepared this brief audio to help us all be informed and encouraged, and we are so grateful for his continued guidance and expertise as we make decisions for our church family.

If you have questions about the vaccine or need help getting your shot, please reach out to us so we can come alongside you. You can also let us know your vaccine status by clicking on the button below and filling out the form there.

We look forward to the days we can be together again in our sanctuary. Until then, we are grateful for the ways we can gather safely in the garage and online as we continue to pursue Jesus together.

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 03.27.2021

Hey, Friends!

We were sad to cancel our liturgy in the park last Sunday, but we are so grateful for rain and for the fun we had seeing our families at our drive-by pick up! We hope your seeds are starting to take root and grow—and that your plants remind you of the goodness God is growing in you, too. We are so glad that God wants to plant His word in us, and spring is a great time to keep growing in our faith. If your children are on spring break already, then you might want to check out this list of 30 DIY STEAM activities to do at home (that don't involve screens!). 

It's hard to believe that we are celebrating Palm Sunday already, but I'm so excited for the ways we can observe Holy Week and Easter as a connected church family. Easter Sunday in particular has a few options for families with kids, so make sure you check out the details below and let us know if you have any questions. 

Easter Liturgy for Families with Kids

This Easter we are so excited that we have ways to gather in person after staying home last year. We have two services happening Easter Sunday, and our families with kids are invited to attend both if they want. First, we will have our all-church worship service in the garage at 10:30AM with all the beautiful elements that go in an Easter service. Following garage worship, families with kids are invited to head to the park area where they can hang out in a circle and bring a picnic lunch to eat. You could also get some food in Old Town and bring it back to the park. Then at 1:30pm we will have a Liturgy for Families with Kids, complete with songs, a Bible lesson, and lots of fun Easter activities! So, you can join us for both events or come to the one that works for your family, but you are invited to both. Please note that we will also have some car-friendly activities and snacks for kids who come to the garage service in the morning. We hope to see you on Easter for this special day when we celebrate new life and all the hope that comes with the resurrection! You can let us know your plans for Easter with this RSVP link.

Youth this Sunday

This week the Youth will be gathering over Zoom at 2PM for an important time of connection and conversation as we make space for learning and lament. Here is the meeting link that you can use to hop on the hangout. 

Easter for Youth

The Youth are invited to attend our all-church service in the garage on Easter morning. We'll have some special goodies for them and hope they will join our church family as we remember the resurrection of Jesus and celebrate together. 

Sending you so much love and virtual hugs!

With gratitude for you,

Pastor Lindsay & Pastor Mary

Friday Updates 03.26.2021

Happy Friday, Friends at FBCP!

We pray you have a beautiful start to the weekend as we prepare for Palm Sunday. Here are the updates you need to know for this week:

  • Today at 2 PM, you are invited to join a virtual conversation hosted by our American Baptist Church regional offices. Today’s meeting features our own Jeannette Scholer, who will be speaking on the legacy of her late husband, Dr. David Scholer. He was a strong advocate for women in ministry as a seminary education professor, and his impact has been great in paving the way for women to serve as pastors and ministry leaders. On today’s ABCOFLASH call, Jeannette will share about David’s advocacy for women and their journey of life and ministry together. To join from a computer or smartphone click here and when prompted enter the password 490382. Click here for Dr. Scholer's document that he wrote about the biblical view of women in ministry. Click here to read the Los Angeles Times article about him.

  • We look forward to gathering again for outdoor worship this Palm Sunday! As we look ahead to when we can be in the sanctuary, it would help us if you let us know your vaccine status, including whether or not you have received it and if you still have questions about it. Click here to share that info with our staff.

  • Holy Week: As we make our way to Holy Week and Easter, we are preparing new ways to experience the story of Jesus' death and resurrection. To help you observe Holy Week, on Monday, March 29, we will release a link to an immersive online audio experience for you to engage sometime during the week. This guided meditation practice is designed for folks to listen to while walking and observing the physical space around our church. We invite you to begin listening outside the front of our sanctuary and follow the audio recording's instructions in this embodied practice. It will be best experienced with headphones on a smartphone or similar device, and we hope it allows you to connect with the story of Holy Week in a new and powerful way.

  • We want to pass on Jesse Terry's Memorial and Committal service information below. To share a word of remembrance of Jesse, please email lindsay@fbcpasadena.com.

    • Memorial Service: Jesse's memorial service will be held on Wednesday, March 31, at 9:30 AM at Rancho Baptist Church. The church address is 29775 Santiago Road, Temecula, CA. 92592. This service will be mask-optional for those attending. The service will also be live-streamed through the following link: https://youtu.be/4Or58pP3mZ

    • Committal Service: There will be a brief committal service for Jesse on the same day, March 31, at 12:00 PM. The service will be at Riverside National Cemetery, where Jesse will be laid to rest. The address is 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, CA 92518.

  • Our weekly Lenten Bible Study has come to a close. Thanks for all who were able to bring their voice and insights to the conversations. Stay tuned for information about future Bible study opportunities.

  • Blair High School is just down the street from FBCP, and we regularly have students from Blair in our youth group. This year we have one senior who will graduate from Blair (do you remember Thomas?!), and we are always looking for ways to partner with this neighborhood school. This spring they are still in need of a few folks to sponsor a high school senior by sending them some Blair swag and other small gifts as an encouragement to the students and their families. If you are interested in being matched with a senior to help spread some joy during this difficult school year, you can email Pastor Lindsay at lindsay@fbcpasadena.com.

Grace and peace as you head into the weekend. We can’t wait to worship with you on Sunday!

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

 

Easter Flowers

 

This Week’s Mixtape:

Paul

Tonight we invite you to pause for a time of prayer and meditation as you hear Paul’s gift of music. You can find the lyrics below to read over or simply ask God to speak while you listen. Grace and peace, friends.

What Wondrous Love is This

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul?
What wondrous love is this, O my soul?
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul?

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb who is the great I Am,
while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
while millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and through eternity I’ll sing on.

Friday Updates 03.19.2021

Happy Friday, Friends at FBCP!

Today Ruthie and Corrie have a super fun video about how you can be part of making our garage sanctuary beautiful on Easter morning. Check out the video below and get excited for what will be a really special celebration of the resurrection!

Here are the updates you need to know for this week:

  • We look forward to gathering again for outdoor worship on Sunday, and we will have a few more chairs out for folks in the seating area! As always, we will livestream the service and post a recorded version later in the day. Thank you for honoring our safety agreements so that we can love each other well and stay safe and healthy. As we look ahead to when we can be in the sanctuary, it would help us if you let us know your vaccine status, including whether or not you have received it and if you still have questions about it. Click here to share that info with our staff.

  • This Sunday at 7:30PM we invite you to gather with us over Zoom for a time of prayer and lament in light of this week’s violence. We will make space to hear how recent events have deepened the pain for the AAPI community and to pray for healing, peace, and the Spirit’s leading in the work of justice. We’ll send out a Zoom link on Sunday for all who want to join.

  • Blair High School is just down the street from FBCP, and we regularly have students from Blair in our youth group. This year we have one senior who will graduate from Blair (do you remember Thomas?!), and we are always looking for ways to partner with this neighborhood school. This spring they are still in need of a few folks to sponsor a high school senior by sending them some Blair swag and other small gifts as an encouragement to the students and their families. If you are interested in being matched with a senior to help spread some joy during this difficult school year, you can email Pastor Lindsay at lindsay@fbcpasadena.com.

  • Our weekly Lenten Bible Study continues this week on Wednesday at 12pm over Zoom. This week Chip is leading—wahoo! Join us for a time of reflection and discussion as we make the journey through Lent together. We’ll be using a Lenten devotional created by the folks at SALT Project, and you can pick up a physical copy of the devotional at Outdoor Church or can access a digital copy here. We would love to add your voice to the mix, so be sure to look for the Zoom invitation in the coming week!

Grace and peace as you head into the weekend. We can’t wait to worship with you on Sunday!

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

 
 

This Week’s Mixtape:

Mary

For more ways to pray and advocate for those in Myanmar, see information below the audio recording.

The following information is for those interested in knowing some ways to respond and help the people in Myanmar. Here is a PDF version for those who would prefer to download it. This document was compiled from information and suggestions from American Baptist International Ministries. In addition, you might find this PBS Newshour segment on Myanmar from Tuesday (March 16) helpful.

Standing in the GAP for Myanmar

In Myanmar (Burma) the leaders of the coup have extended martial law to more and more areas, and on Tuesday (March 16th), Leslie Turley from American Baptist International Ministries shared that the capital of Yangon now looks like a war zone. I, Judy Sutterlin, have seen pictures showing how terrible it is with fires and smoke and destruction everywhere. It is overwhelming! At least 275 have been killed since the beginning of the coup, many have been beaten and harshly treated in other ways, women have been raped, villages have been burned, some hospitals and schools have been taken over and used by the military as temporary bases, many have been arrested—some in daylight and many in night raids. The horrors continue to be compounded. In addition, it has been announced that all cell towers, all cell tower data, and all internet will be cut from March 18, making it even more difficult to get information about what is happening from that point forward.

A friend of Leslie Turley who is in Myanmar cries out: “Oh Lord, hear our cries!  Please don’t let innocent lives be taken away from us anymore!” Leslie also shares another prayer, “Soon…these dark days will be over and we will see the beauty of this entire nation once again. Declaring that in Jesus’ name. Amen!”

Leslie Turley and International Ministries are calling us to consider committing to “Stand in the G.A.P. for Myanmar. What does that mean? G stands for Give; A stands for Advocate; and P stands for Pray. Although she introduced us to praying and its importance even before giving us this acronym, we, as she, will explain them in the acronym’s order as we think about the ways we can respond.

Give: A medical friend of Leslie Turley said, “There is urgent need to support the families of those heroes killed in the protests, those who are injured and a need to support those who have been evicted from their housing.” American Baptist International Ministries is currently collecting funds, 100% of which will be used to assist those affected by the coup. Specifically, the funds will be used to: 1) Assist civil servants and their families who are engaged in the passive resistance; 2) Assist the people who are suffering due to their jobless status; and 3) Help those who cannot afford to pay for medical care and vitamins as well as to pay for tests, medical supplies, and vaccines related to Covid-19. If you are led to give, one way to do so is available on the International Ministries website.

Advocate: Leslie Turley reminds us that “To advocate means to publicly support” and asks us to “publicly support democracy and the call to protect innocent lives.” One way to do that is by writing our senators and representatives, and Leslie provides this link, which can help us do that quite easily. In addition, she reminds that researching the issue and letting others know what is happening in Myanmar is another way to advocate.

Pray: We can pray for and with our brothers and sisters in Myanmar. We can pray individually and we can pray as a church and in other groups whether large or small. I am grateful to those of you who joined us for prayer together last Sunday evening as we prayed for the people and about the horrible situations that they are facing. I am grateful for Pastor Mary who has included our prayers for the people of Myanmar in the “daily” recording we receive on Thursdays. I am grateful for each of you and for others who are praying for the people of Myanmar based on what we are sharing on our church Prayer Wall and/or what you are reading and learning about the situation from other sources. This link gives materials to assist in our prayers and to help us understand more about the current situation. Pray with and for the people of Myanmar and also those in our country who have friends and loved ones in Myanmar. Within our American Baptist Churches, there are over 80,000 who have come here from Burma as refugees, with some of them being in at least four churches in our own region. Please continue to pray! 

FBCP Families | 03.17.2021

Hey, Friends!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We hope you are having a great week and that you can enjoy all the green that goes along with today. A friend of mine loves the story of St. Patrick, so she created this little maze for kids to do as a way to learn more about his journey and life. This Saturday at our family liturgy in the park, we will continue with the themes of green, growth, and following Jesus as we look at all the things we hope to see bloom from the inside out. Today’s email has important reminders and news about Easter, so read on for more details!

March Liturgy for Families with Kids

Don't forget that this  Saturday, March 20th, at 10:30AM is this month's liturgy in the park for all of our families with kids! We will have a fun-filled morning praising God together as we consider what it means to let God grow goodness in each of us. It's also the first day of Spring, so we are so pumped to think about all the beautiful things that can bloom around us and inside us! Bring a blanket to sit on and your favorite mask.  You can RSVP using this link to help us prepare enough supplies for everyone.

Easter Liturgy for Families with Kids

This Easter we are so excited that we have ways to gather in person after staying home last year. We have two services happening Easter Sunday, and our families with kids are invited to attend both! First, we will have our all-church worship service in the garage at 10:30AM with all the beautiful elements that go in an Easter service. Following garage worship, families with kids are invited to head to the park area where they can enjoy a picnic lunch or whatever they want to bring. You could also get some food in Old Town and bring it back to the park to eat. Then at 1:30pm we will have our Easter Liturgy for Families with Kids, complete with songs, a Bible lesson, and lots of fun Easter activities! If you can’t make it to the morning service, then you can plan to join us in the park sometime between 12:30-1:30pm if you want to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy with your family. Please note that we will also have some activities and snacks for kids who come to the garage service in the morning. We hope to see you on Easter for this special day when we celebrate new life and all the hope that comes with the resurrection! You can let us know your plans for Easter with this RSVP link.

Youth in the Park

This Sunday the youth have a gathering in the park 10:30AM—yay! We can't wait to hang out, learn, and have fun together in person in the safety of our outdoor space. Breakfast is included as always. We hope to see all of our youth there! 

Sponsor a Blair High School Senior

And a reminder that if you are looking to spread some love to other youth in the area, there's an opportunity to sponsor a student at Blair High School by sending them some Blair swag and other encouraging gifts to help make the end of the year special for them. We have one Blair senior in our youth group at FBCP, and we are always grateful for ways to partner with the school. Let me know if you are interested, and I can get you more information!

With deep love and gratitude for each of you,

Pastor Lindsay & Pastor Mary

In Pasadena as it is in Heaven

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