FBCP Families | 02.03.2024

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

Now that February is here, it's already time to look ahead to Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. I love the rhythms of our liturgical calendar because they hold so much possibility for reorienting ourselves around God's own rhythm and sense of time. The invitation to slow down and be extra intentional during the season of Lent is always something I crave, and we will be providing families with some ideas for observing Lent at home. We hope you can join us for Ash Wednesday service on February 14th at 6:00pm in the Chapel. Please let me know if you plan to attend and need childcare in the nursery. I pray this coming week holds space for rest, quiet, and receiving from God's abundant love.

Youth Retreat

Yay! We are heading up to Big Bear on Friday, February 23, for our annual Winter Youth Retreat. We will return in the afternoon on Sunday, February 25. Here is an online registration form. Please fill that out as soon as you can so that I can get a final count for purposes of accommodations. If your youth needs a scholarship in order to attend, please do not hesitate to reach out. We never want cost to be prohibitive, so please just let me know what your family needs. Jensen, Brianna, and Michael will be joining us for a wonderful weekend away, and we can't wait to spend quality time with our youth! 

Feed the Youth

If you are looking for ways to spread some love to our youth and you enjoy cooking, then we would welcome a contribution from your kitchen to take to Big Bear! We will also be bringing some bulk store-bought snacks and other food, so we don't expect you to feed us the whole trip. This is really a chance for kindness to be shared. Trust me when I say that food is one of their biggest love languages, and we will receive anything on this sign-up sheet as a great act of generosity.

Local Engagement

Celebrate Lunar New Year on Saturday, February 10th, with others in the City of Pasadena at the USC Pacific Asia Museum on Los Robles Ave. This event goes from 11am-3:30pm and features traditional dances, storytelling, calligraphy and food trucks.

The City of Pasadena and the Black History Planning Committee are pleased to announce the 42nd annual Black History Parade and Festival on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, 10am-4pm with the theme “Past, Present, Future: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Jackie Robinson.” The parade begins at Fair Oaks Avenue and Mountain View Street. See flyer for more details.

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will get to explore the story of Daniel. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to engage the story at home.

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for worship and communion since this is the first Sunday of the month. Make sure your child picks up a fun survey to fill out during worship—Pastor Mary will have that ready in the lobby, and it's always a favorite activity for our kids (and youth!). Pastor John Jay will be preaching on Genesis 37 and Joseph's dreams. It will be a beautiful morning together as a church family, and we welcome the presence of our kids in worship.

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• What was problematic about Jacob's view of love?

• What can we learn from Joseph's attitude toward his brothers?

• Think back on the week. Where did you sense God's presence or encouragement?

• What do you need from God in the week ahead?

YOUTH

This week we have our regular youth gathering after worship. Lunch is included as always, and you can pick up your youth at 1:30PM at the park gate. Yay for youth!

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay

Weekly Updates 02.02.2024

Tomorrow

• Men, you are invited to join us for a time of fellowship tomorrow, February 3rd, at 9am in the Park off Union St. We will share coffee and a tasty breakfast meal. You won’t want to miss this time of fellowship and encouragement, and feel free to bring a friend.

Sunday

• Join us for worship in the sanctuary at 10:30am as we partake in communion together (crackers are gluten-free)! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Please note that because this will be the first Sunday of the month, our kids five years old and up will join us in the sanctuary for service. Our youth are invited to join us for worship and for our regular youth gathering and lunch afterward. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• American Baptists minister as God’s heart and hands, healing the broken and the downtrodden. You can contribute to the American Baptist mission efforts in the United States and Puerto Rico by contributing to the America For Christ Offering this week. Your gift will impact thousands—through ministries with marginalized children, disaster response, prisoner re-entry and aftercare, immigration and refugee resettlement, chaplains who bring comfort to those in hospitals and nursing homes, and so much more. You can give online (choose America For Christ in the drop-down menu), by check (with "AFC" on the memo line), or cash on Sunday. You can find special envelopes for this offering in the pews on Sunday morning. Thank you in advance!

• Name Tag First Sundays—we invite you to find the table in the lobby on each first Sunday of the month and write out your name on the blank labels. Decorate the tags to your heart’s content.

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is buyer’s choice.

Coming Up

• Sunday, February 11th, kicks off the Lenten season with our Mardi Gras potluck in the gym after service. Based on your last name, if you’re able, please bring a main dish (A-J), a side or salad (K-R), or dessert (S-Z) of about 10 servings to share with your friends here at FBCP. We also need several volunteers to set up and take down the potluck, so please see the Volunteer Squad sign-up poster in the lobby.

• Join us for a special worship service on Ash Wednesday, February 14th, at 6pm in the Chapel. The service includes a time of intercessory prayer, confession and absolution, and it will conclude with the imposition of ashes. Childcare for children four years old and younger will be provided; please let Pastor Lindsay know if you plan to bring young children so that she can ensure enough workers for that evening.

• All women and girls are invited to our Women’s Brunch on Saturday, February 17th, at 10am in the Southside Room! It will be a time to share a delicious meal, get to know some awesome ladies and hear Shawn share her story of faith. Text “brunch” to 626.727.9498 to sign up. If you have any questions, please email Pastor Lindsay.

• Our Lenten Sunday School session will begin Sunday, February 18th, from 9-10am before worship in the Parlor. The class will run for six weeks and conclude on Palm Sunday, March 24th.

Snacks + Meals for FBCP Youth

• Our youth are headed to Big Bear for their Winter Youth Retreat February 23rd-25th! If you are looking for ways to spread some love to our youth and you enjoy cooking, then we would welcome a contribution from your kitchen to take up to Big Bear! We will also be bringing some bulk store-bought snacks and other food, so we don't expect you to feed us the whole trip. This is really a chance for kindness to be shared. Trust me when I say that food is one of their biggest love languages, and we will receive anything on this sign-up sheet as a great act of generosity.

Local Engagement

• Celebrate Lunar New Year on Saturday, February 10th, with others in the City of Pasadena at the USC Pacific Asia Museum on Los Robles Ave. This event goes from 11am-3:30pm and features traditional dances, storytelling, calligraphy and food trucks.

• The City of Pasadena and the Black History Planning Committee are pleased to announce the 42nd annual Black History Parade and Festival on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, 10am-4pm with the theme “Past, Present, Future: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Jackie Robinson.” The parade begins at Fair Oaks Avenue and Mountain View Street. See flyer for more details.

• Atherton Baptist Homes is hosting a night where their own resident speakers who lived through the time of the Japanese internment camps can share their stories at 7pm on February 27th in Miriam Chapel. Arrive early to park, and sign in first at the main office before heading to the chapel.

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Winter Sunday School | 9-10am thru 2/11 | Nurturing Communal Practices: Lectio Divina in the Parlor, A Theology of Storytelling in Room 211, Processing Grief through Faith and Community in Room 214, and Deep Dive Into Matthew 22: Loving God and Loving Your Neighbor in the Southside Room

• Yarn Crafts Group | 2/25 at 12pm | Parlor

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 2/4 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

2/03 - Men’s Breakfast
2/10 - Lunar New Year
2/11 - Winter Sunday School Ends
2/11 - Church Potluck
2/14 - Ash Wednesday Service
2/17 - Women’s Brunch
2/18 - Lenten Sunday School Begins
2/19 - President’s Day | Office Closed
2/23-2/25 - Youth Winter Retreat
2/25 - Coffee + Conversation with John Jay
2/25 - FBCPride Group Meeting
2/29 - Leap Year
3/03 - Family Lunch Hangout

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 01.27.2024

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

As a staff, we have been revisiting the concept of sabbath and creating margins in our schedules. We are reading Barbara Brown Taylor's chapter on saying no in her book An Altar in the World as a way to ground a conversation around our own practices. This article on sabbath came my way this week, and I thought I would pass it along to you in case you are also in need of a reminder to rest more intentionally. As we move closer to Easter, Lent will invite us to slow down and prepare in some deliberate  way for the death and resurrection of Christ. Sabbath may be just the practice to lean into during that season if your family does not have a rhythm of rest already. I am so thankful to work on a team where God's standard of rest is taken seriously and with grace. I pray that you, too, will feel the invitation to slow down and say no in a world where fast-paced endless commitments are held as the gold standard. May our children learn, too, that their worth is not tied to their productivity but to their identity as a child of God. Happy Saturday!

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will continue to explore the story of Queen Esther. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to explore the story at home.

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary and me in the front pews. Last week was such a blast brainstorming words of intention we might want to focus on in the new year—ask your child what words they chose to put on their star! We are so happy to be back with them each week. 

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• Think back on the week. Where did you sense God's presence or encouragement?

• What do you need from God in the week ahead?

YOUTH

This week we have our regular youth gathering after worship. Lunch is included as always, and you can pick up your youth at 1:30PM at the park gate. Yay for youth!

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay

Weekly Updates 01.26.2024

Tonight

• Enjoy Community Dinners tonight around the city! Thank you to the Brandow, Ekstrand, Laski, Loose, Lumpkin/Oliver, Perry and Stiles Households for hosting this round of dinners. We hope you all form new and/or stronger friendships with one another and have some laughs along the way.

Tomorrow

• Congrats to our very own Lorenzo Hurtado Segovia’s artwork displayed at the Diane Rosenstein Gallery through February 17th. Read a wonderful review about his work here, and join Lorenzo and the curator for a conversation and walk through the gallery tomorrow between 2-3:30pm.

Sunday

• Winter Sunday School classes continue this Sunday at 9am. Feel free to attend one of our four classes, which run through February 11th—Nurturing Communal Practices: Lectio Divina (Parlor) by Natalee Ellis, A Theology of Storytelling (Room 211) by Chris Manus, Processing Grief through Faith and Community (Room 214) by Jon Rinkus, and Deep Dive Into Matthew 22: Loving God and Loving Your Neighbor (Southside Room) by Jerry Brown. Email Pastor Chip with questions and feel free to just show up!

• Join us at 10:30am for worship in the sanctuary this Sunday! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Our kids five years old and up can join us for the first part of worship and then will be dismissed to their classrooms with their leaders. They can sit with their parents or join us in the front rows at the start of service. Our youth are invited to join us for our regular lunch and fellowship after service. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• Our Oaxaca Interest Meeting is postponed—stay tuned for the new date.

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is fruit & vegetable juice.

Next Week

• Men, you are invited to join us for a time of fellowship on Saturday, February 3,  at 9am in the Park off Union St. These men’s breakfasts happen a few times a year, and they always turn out to be a great time to share a meal and hear a story of faith. Thanks to Pastor Chip, Rich, Brandon and Rene for organizing a great time of breakfast tacos and sharing. Faith and food—win-win!

Coming Up

• Sunday, February 11th, kicks off the Lenten season with our Mardi Gras potluck in the gym after service. Based on your last name, if you’re able, please bring a main dish (A-J), a side or salad (K-R), or dessert (S-Z) of about 10 servings to share with your friends here at FBCP. We also need several volunteers to set up and take down the potluck, so please see the Volunteer Squad sign-up poster in the lobby.

• Join us as we begin the Lenten season on Wednesday, February 14th. We will gather at 6:00pm in the Chapel for a worship service which will conclude with the imposition of ashes. Childcare for those four years and younger will be provided.

• All women and girls are invited to our Women’s Brunch on Saturday, February 17th, at 10am in the Southside Room! It will be a time to share a delicious meal, get to know some awesome ladies, and hear a personal story of faith. Text “brunch” to 626.727.9498 to sign up. If you have any questions, please email Pastor Lindsay.

Opportunities to Serve

• Our Meal Ministry Team is made up of folks in our community who generously share God’s love through the tangible means of food. Lately, they are helping out the Salcido household with meals after the exciting arrival of their baby, and they are also providing frozen meals for our Maintenance Supervisor, Marco Echuary, after he fractured two bones in a car accident last week. If you would like to participate in this ministry, please email Pastor Lindsay, and we will be happy to get you more information.

Local Engagement

• Celebrate Lunar New Year on Saturday, February 10, with others in the city of Pasadena at the USC Pacific Asia Museum on Los Robles Ave. This event goes from 11am-3:30pm and features traditional dances, storytelling, calligraphy and food trucks.

• Atherton Baptist Homes is hosting a night where their own resident speakers who lived through the time of the Japanese internment camps can share their stories at 7pm on February 27th in Miriam Chapel. Arrive early to park, and sign in first at the main office before heading to the chapel.

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Winter Sunday School | 9-10am | Sundays

• Yarn Crafts Group | Sunday at 12pm | Parlor

• Easy-Going Basketball | Sunday at 7pm | Gym

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 2/4 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

2/03 - Men’s Breakfast
2/10 - Lunar New Year
2/11 - Winter Sunday School Ends
2/11 - Church Potluck
2/14 - Ash Wednesday Service
2/17 - Women’s Brunch
2/18 - Lenten Sunday School Begins
2/19 - President’s Day | Office Closed
2/23-2/25 - Youth Winter Retreat
2/25 - Coffee + Conversation with John Jay
2/25 - FBCPride Group Meeting

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 01.20.2024

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

I pray that your family experiences both rest and play each week, especially as we begin a new year and schedules start to get full once again. I have been thinking about our families with kids extra, knowing that you are navigating all kinds of decisions for your children as you nurture and hold up so many desires and hopes for each of them. Brody got a new bicycle with pedals for Christmas, and we took it for a ride at Lacy Park this week. Emma Kate is just learning how to zoom around on her scooter, so I knew this would be a good opportunity for Brody to experience some independence. As he rode around the paved loop, mostly visible but too far for me to reach instantly, I was so excited for the sense of courage and joy he felt in his independence. He made it around three times while I helped Emma Kate scoot at her own pace, and then he returned noticeably upset—he had a minor crash and was discouraged that he was no longer the "safe rider" he thought he was. After reassuring him, he got back on the bike and rode off again. What a microcosm of parenting: constantly letting go a little more, watching the joy and struggle, and being there to help them process whatever comes of it, especially if it means dispelling shame. It reminded me of this movement to create more opportunities for independence for kids. It has been good food for thought even if some of the ideas feel really challenging for some parents. May you feel encouraged and strengthened in all the tiny moments of letting go for the sake of growth!

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will continue to explore the story of Queen Esther. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to explore the story at home.

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary and me in the front pews. This week the kids will spend time exploring some special words of intention that they might embody or cultivate as we begin a new year. We are so happy to be back with them each week!

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• What are some gifts we receive from Jesus?

• How can we use those gifts to bless others?

• What is one way you want to pray for God to help you grow this year?

YOUTH

This week we have our regular youth gathering after worship. Lunch is included as always. Last week we talked about some words of intention for the new year, so you might want to ask your youth about the word they picked and what that might mean for them in their current season of life. Yay for youth!

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay

Weekly Updates 01.19.2024

Sunday

• Allow a few extra minutes driving this Sunday morning due to street closures for the Rose Bowl Half Marathon. See this map for more details.

• Winter Sunday School classes continue this Sunday at 9am. Feel free to catch one of our four classes, which run through February 11th—Nurturing Communal Practices: Lectio Divina (Parlor) by Natalee Ellis, A Theology of Storytelling (Room 211) by Chris Manus, Processing Grief through Faith and Community (Room 214) by Jon Rinkus, and Deep Dive Into Matthew 22: Loving God and Loving Your Neighbor (Southside Room) by Jerry Brown. Click here for descriptions of classes. Email Pastor Chip with questions and feel free to just show up!

• Join us at 10:30am for worship in the sanctuary this Sunday! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Our kids five years old and up can join us for the first part of worship and then will be dismissed to their classrooms with their leaders. They can sit with their parents or join us in the front rows at the start of service. Our youth are invited to join us for our regular lunch and fellowship after service. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• Join us for our FBCP Basics Class after worship service this Sunday, January 21st, at 12:30pm in the Southside Room. This is a great space for those who have been coming for a while and are interested in learning more about our church and/or becoming a member. Pastors John Jay and Chip will go over our history as an American Baptist church, and you’ll have a chance to ask any questions you may have about the FBCP community. Lunch will be provided. Text “basics” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP. Email Pastor Chip for more details.

• We invite you to join the LGBTQ+ community, parents and allies for our FBCPride Group monthly gathering this Sunday, January 21st, at 5pm in the Southside Room. This month we will hear Pastor John Jay and Kevin share about their friendship and the intersection of theophanies, trauma, and church life. Join us for a potluck meal, and if you are able to bring an item (no pressure), check out what we need at our Potluck Sign-up. Text “pride” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP.

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is pasta + sauce.

Opportunities to Serve

• Our Meal Ministry Team is made up of folks in our community who generously share God’s love through the tangible means of food. Lately, they are helping out the Salcido household with meals after the exciting arrival of their baby, and they are also providing frozen meals for our Maintenance Supervisor, Marco Echuary, after he fractured two bones in a car accident earlier this week. If you would like to participate in this ministry, please email Pastor Lindsay, and we will be happy to get you more information.

Coming Up

• We invite you to join us as a church family to remember the life of Joe Hamilton with his family, including his wife Rose and his daughter Aisha. The service will be held at 10am on Friday, January 26th, in the Sanctuary. Rose and Joe served at First Baptist Pasadena for many years as deacons, and their daughter was baptized here. We are so thankful for the legacy Joe leaves and the investment of time and love he generously gave to the community.

• Our Community Dinners have filled up for this Friday night, January 26th, but feel free to email Pastor Chip at chip@fbcpasadena.com to be on the waitlist. Also, email Chip if you haven’t yet been confirmed as part of a dinner. These beloved dinners are a great way to get to know other folks at FBCP in groups of about 6-8 people.

• We are having an informational meeting for this year's Oaxaca trip (October 20-26th), after service next Sunday, January 28th. At this meeting, we'll share more about how last year's trip went as well as discuss details for this year's trip. Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP by Thursday, Jan 25th. Text “Oaxaca” to 626.727.9498 if you want to know more. This photo shows a colorful street the group saw last year:

Next Oaxaca Trip: Oct. 20-26

A colorful street view in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

Men’s Breakfast

• Men, you are invited to join us for a time of fellowship on Saturday, February 3,  at 9am in the Park off Union St. These men’s breakfasts happen a few times a year, and they always turn out to be a great time to share a meal and hear a story of faith. Thanks to Pastor Chip, Rich, Brandon and Rene for organizing a great time of breakfast tacos and sharing. Faith and food—win-win!

Lunar New Year

• Celebrate Lunar New Year on Saturday, February 10, with others in the city of Pasadena at the USC Pacific Asia Museum on Los Robles Ave. This event goes from 11am-3:30pm and features traditional dances, storytelling, calligraphy and food trucks.

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Yarn Crafts Group | 1/28 at 12pm | Parlor

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 1/21 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

1/20 - Youth Girls Hangout
1/21 - FBCP Basics Meeting & Lunch
1/21 - FBCPride Meeting
1/26 - Joe Hamilton’s Memorial
1/26 - Community Dinners
1/28 - Oaxaca Interest Meeting
2/03 - Men’s Breakfast
2/10 - Lunar New Year
2/11 - Winter Sunday School Ends
2/11 - Church Potluck
2/14 - Ash Wednesday Service
2/17 - Women’s Brunch
2/18 - Lenten Sunday School Begins
2/23-2/25 - Youth Winter Retreat
2/25 - FBCPride Group Meeting

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 01.13.2024

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

This Sunday is going to be a beautiful service! In addition to hearing from Pastor Chip and guest preacher Tyler Brewington-Mathis, we will also get to hear from and sing with Urban Voices Project, a choir made up of residents from Skid Row. They use music and their singing community as a way to foster joy, wellbeing, and advocacy. I am so thankful for the ways God will speak and move in our community as we hear from various voices. It will also be a beautiful morning to honor the life of Martin Luther King Jr. If you are looking for a local event to celebrate with the family, the Pasadena Martin Luther King Jr. Community Coalition (MLKCC) is set to host its 2024 King Day Celebration this Monday at the Robinson Park Recreation Center. The event, themed “Defining and Living the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King,” will feature keynote speaker Treveal CW Lynch, an author and self-worth specialist. The day’s activities will commence with a teach-in at 8:30 am, followed by the main program at 10 am. 

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will continue to explore Epiphany. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to explore the story at home.

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary and me in the front pews. This week the kids will spend time exploring Epiphany and honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. We are excited for them to get back to their regular rhythm with their leaders!

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• What do we celebrate and remember on Epiphany?

• What are some ways your family can honor the life of Martin Luther King Jr. this year? Some ideas to consider are a prayer practice, act of service, or a creative activity. 

• What are some practical ways that we can respond to God's call to be agents of justice and love in the places we live, play, and work?

YOUTH

This week we are back on for our regular youth gathering after worship! Lunch is included, and youth can be picked up at 1:30 PM in the church park off Union Street. Looking forward to getting back to our regular Sunday rhythm with youth!

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay

Weekly Updates 01.12.2024

Sunday

• Winter Sunday School classes continue this Sunday at 9am, and it’s not too late to join. Classes include Nuturing Communal Practices: Lectio Divina (Parlor) by Natalee Ellis, A Theology of Storytelling (Room 211) by Chris Manus, Processing Grief through Faith and Community (Room 214) by Jon Rinkus, and Deep Dive Into Matthew 22: Loving God and Loving Your Neighbor (Southside Room) by Jerry Brown. Classes will run through February 11, 2024. Click here for descriptions of classes. Email Pastor Chip with questions and feel free to just show up!

• Join us for Coffee + Conversation with Pastor John Jay this Sunday, January 14th, at 9am. This is a great time for newer folks to chat with our lead pastor about any questions you may have, share how you found FBCP, and meet other people also newer to the community. Coffee and pastries will be served, and the group will meet from 9-10am in his office off Holly St. Text “coffee” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP.

• Join us at 10:30am for worship in the sanctuary this Sunday! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Our kids five years old and up can join us for the first part of worship and then will be dismissed to their classrooms with their leaders. They can sit with their parents or join us in the front rows at the start of service. Our youth are invited to join us for our regular lunch and fellowship after service. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• Help give the gift of life at our American Red Cross Blood Drive this Sunday, January 14th, in a mobile clinic parked on Holly St. from 9am - 3pm. Schedule an appointment here: January 14th Blood Drive Sign-up (NOTE: Be sure to sign up for the one in Pasadena located at 75 N Marengo Ave.)

• Join us as we pray for our global servants around the world this Sunday, January 14th, after worship in the Parlor. We invite you for thirty minutes of prayer for our FBCP-supported American Baptist servants in Mexico, Lebanon, Turkey and Thailand as they love and support others around the world and share the light of Christ through service.

• The Yarn Crafts Group will meet in Room 214 after worship this Sunday. Join this creative bunch of people ages 7 & up who are working on charity projects and personal knitting + crocheting projects as they have fun, too. Snacks provided. BYO water and lunch (if you’d like).

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is canned chicken/tuna.

A Special Invitation

• We would love to incorporate new vocalists into our beautiful FBCP choir as 2024 begins. Practices resume Wednesday, January 17th, at 7pm. Email Pastor Leslie to let her know if you’re interested. No prior experience is required to participate.

Next Week

• Folks ages 55+ are invited to join us on Wednesday, January 17th, at 12:30pm for a potluck lunch in the Southside Room! It will be great to continue getting to know one another, and we will have some fun activities planned. Email Pastor Chip with any questions.

Coming Up

• We will have our FBCP Basics Class after worship service on Sunday, January 21st, at 12:30pm in the Southside Room. This is a great space for those who have been coming for a while and are interested in learning more about our church and/or becoming a member. Pastors John Jay and Chip will go over our history as an American Baptist church, and you’ll have a chance to ask questions you may have about the FBCP community. Lunch will be provided. Text “basics” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP. Email Pastor Chip for more details.

• We invite you to join the LGBTQ+ community, parents and allies for our FBCPride Group monthly gathering on Sunday, January 21st, at 5pm in the Southside Room. This month we will hear Pastor John Jay and Kevin share about their friendship and the intersection of theophanies, trauma, and church life. Join us for a potluck meal, and if you are able to bring an item (no pressure), check out what we need at our Potluck Sign-up. Text “pride” to 626.727.9498 if you’re new to the group and want to receive our emails.

• We invite you to join us as a church family to remember the life of Joe Hamilton with his family, including his wife Rose and his daughter Aisha. The service will be held at 10am on Friday, January 26th, in the Sanctuary. Rose and Joe served at First Baptist Pasadena for many years as deacons, and their daughter was baptized here. We are so thankful for the legacy Joe leaves and the investment of time and love he generously gave to the community.

• Save the Date for our beloved Community Dinners!  Groups of folks will gather in host homes around the city on Friday, January 26th. To sign up, text “dinner” to 626.727.9498. These dinners are a wonderful time to share a meal, and it is a great way to get to know other church members better. Don’t wait to sign up. We hope you can participate whether you are new or seasoned!

• Join Nori in the Southside Room after worship on Sunday, January 28th, if you’re interested in considering a missions trip to Oaxaca this fall. You will hear stories of the trip this past October and the wonderful opportunities that the team had to serve the people through medical clinics and the distribution of chickens. You won’t want to miss the next trip!

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Yarn Crafts Group | 1/14 at 12pm | Parlor

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 1/21 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

1/14 - Mobile Blood Drive
1/14 - Coffee with Pastor John Jay
1/14 - Prayer for Global Servants
1/17 - 55+ Event
1/20 - Youth Girls Hangout
1/21 - FBCP Basics Meeting & Lunch
1/21 - FBCPride Meeting
1/26 - Joe Hamilton’s Memorial
1/26 - Community Dinners
1/28 - Oaxaca Interest Meeting
2/03 - Men’s Breakfast
2/10 - Lunar New Year
2/11 - Winter Sunday School Ends
2/11 - Church Potluck
2/14 - Ash Wednesday Service

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 01.06.2023

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

Happy New Year! I am in North Carolina visiting Gavin's family, and it's been a sweet time to be with our extended family and for Brody and Emma Kate to experience some cold weather, too. I will miss being with you tomorrow but know it will be a meaningful time of worship for all. First Sundays are a gift because our older kids stay in service and share in communion. As you see our kids in the pews, I invite you to introduce yourself to them and help foster intergenerational relationships which are so important for all of us. Thank you for being a church where people of all ages can be seen and known. 

This Sunday is also Epiphany on the church calendar, when we remember the visit of the Magi to Jesus. If you're looking for a meaningful way to celebrate Epiphany at home, this resource has an activity that you could use or modify depending on your family. It has some variations for kids of different ages, and it provides one way to consider going into a new year with a word or phrase of intention. Happy Epiphany!

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will explore the story of Epiphany, when the wise men show up. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to explore the story at home.

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for worship and communion since this is the first Sunday of the month. Make sure your child picks up a fun survey to fill out during worship—Pastor Mary will have that ready in the lobby, and it's always a favorite activity for our kids (and youth!). It will be a beautiful morning together with communion, too!

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• What is one simple prayer practice your family might want to try this year together?

• As you think back on 2023, talk as a family about where you notice God's presence or faithfulness. Take some time to review the year together and invite the Spirit to reveal anything that might encourage or inspire your family in the new year.

YOUTH

This week our youth are invited to help take down the greens after worship. This is an annual tradition where our youth and other congregants get to work and have fun together. Lunch will be provided, and we hope they will stay for this intergenerational time of fellowship. Jensen will be there as a point person for the youth in my absence. Thanks for helping!

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay

Weekly Updates 01.05.2024

Happy New Year!

Sunday

• Winter Sunday School classes start this Sunday, January 7th, at 9am. Classes include Nuturing Communal Practices: Lectio Divina (Parlor) by Natalee Ellis, A Theology of Storytelling (Room 211) by Chris Manus, Processing Grief through Faith and Community (Prayer Chapel on 2nd Floor) by Jon Rinkus, and Deep Dive Into Matthew 22: Loving God and Loving Your Neighbor (Southside Room) by Jerry Brown. Classes will run for six weeks from January 7 through February 11, 2024. Click here for descriptions of classes and sign ups, or text “school” to 626.727.9498. Email Pastor Chip with questions.

• Name Tag First Sundays—a pre-covid tradition revamped for 2024—we invite you to find the table in the lobby on each first Sunday of the month and write out your name on the blank labels. Decorate the tags to your heart’s content. We hope to get to know one another better as we learn names and faces. Find Pastor John Jay’s chalkboard for ideas.

• Join us for worship in the sanctuary at 10:30am as we partake in communion together (crackers are gluten-free)! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Please note that because this will be the first Sunday of the month, our kids five years old and up will join us in the sanctuary for service. Our youth are invited to join us for worship and Taking Down the Greens afterward. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• Join us after service this week for the Taking Down of the Greens as we pack away our Christmas decorations and get our Sanctuary ready for the new year. First, we’ll have lunch together provided by the church (email Pastor Lindsay if you have dietary restrictions). We hope you can stay for this fun communal experience!

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is canned chicken/tuna.

A Special Invitation

• We would love to incorporate new vocalists into our beautiful FBCP choir as 2024 begins. Practices resume Wednesday, January 17th, at 7pm. Email Pastor Leslie to let her know if you’re interested. No prior experience is required to participate.

Next Week

• Our next Coffee + Conversation with Pastor John Jay is set for Sunday, January 14th, at 9am. This is a great time for any of you to chat with our lead pastor about any questions you may have, or share with him how you found FBCP and meet other people also newer to the community. Coffee and pastries will be served, and the group will meet from 9-10am in his office off Holly St. Text “coffee” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP. Limited to the first 8 people.

• Help give the gift of life! Sign up to participate in the American Red Cross’ Blood Drive FBCP is hosting on Sunday, January 14th, in a mobile clinic parked on Holly St. from 9 am - 3 pm. Schedule an appointment here: January 14th Blood Drive Sign-up (NOTE: Be sure to sign up for the one in Pasadena located at 75 N Marengo Ave.)

• Join us as we pray for our global servants around the world next Sunday, January 14th, after worship in the Parlor. We invite you for thirty minutes of prayer for our FBCP-supported American Baptist servants in Mexico, Lebanon, Turkey and Thailand as they love and support others around the world and share the light of Christ through service.

Coming Up

• Folks ages 55+ are invited to join us on Wednesday, January 17th, at 12:30pm for a potluck lunch in the Southside Room! It will be great to continue getting to know one another, and we will have some fun activities planned. Email Pastor Chip with any questions.

• We will have our FBCP Basics Class after worship service on Sunday, January 21st, at 12:30pm in the Southside Room. This is a great space for those who have been coming for a while and are interested in learning more about our church and/or becoming a member. Pastors John Jay and Chip will go over our history as an American Baptist church, and you’ll have a chance to ask questions you may have about the FBCP community. Lunch will be provided. Text “basics” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP. Email Pastor Chip for more details.

• We invite you to join the LGBTQ+ community, parents and allies for our FBCPride Group monthly gathering on Sunday, January 21st, at 5pm in the Southside Room. This month we will hear Pastor John Jay and Kevin share about their friendship and the intersection of theophanies, trauma, and church life. Join us for a potluck meal, and if you are able to bring an item (no pressure), check out what we need at our Potluck Sign-up. Text “pride” to 626.727.9498 if you’re new to the group and want to receive our emails.

• Save the Date for our beloved Community Dinners!  Groups of folks will gather in host homes around the city on Friday, January 26th. To sign up, text “dinner” to 626.727.9498. These dinners are a wonderful time to share a meal, and it is a great way to get to know other church members better. Don’t wait to sign up. We hope you can participate whether you are new or seasoned!

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Thursday Bible Study | Returns 1/11 | Parlor

• Yarn Crafts Group | 1/14 at 12pm | Parlor

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 1/21 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

1/7 - Winter Sunday School Begins
1/7 - Taking Down of the Greens
1/14 - Mobile Blood Drive
1/14 - Coffee with Pastor John Jay
1/14 - Prayer for Global Servants
1/17 - 55+ Event
1/20 - Youth Girls Hangout
1/21 - FBCP Basics Meeting & Lunch
1/21 - FBCPride Meeting
1/26 - Community Dinners
1/28 - Oaxaca Interest Meeting
2/10 - Lunar New Year

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

Weekly Updates 12.29.2023

Sunday

• Join us at 10:30am for worship in the sanctuary! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Since this is the fifth Sunday of the month, our youth are invited to help out on the Hospitality Team before service. Please note that we will not have children's programming for kids ages 5-10 this Sunday so that our teachers may have a holiday break. Kids are invited to join their parents in the sanctuary for Sunday worship. Our youth are invited to join us for our regular lunch and fellowship after service. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• Our Yarn Crafts Group invites all folks ages 7 & up (all skill levels) to continue learning and working on individual yarn projects after service this Sunday. Text “yarn” to 626.727.9498 if you’re new. BYO snacks or lunch and be ready to have fun!

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is rice.

Next Week

• Winter Sunday School classes start next Sunday, January 7th, at 9am. Classes include Nuturing Communal Practices: Lectio Divina by Natalee Ellis, A Theology of Storytelling by Chris Manus, Processing Grief through Faith and Community by Jon Rinkus, and Deep Dive Into Matthew 22: Loving God and Loving Your Neighbor by Jerry Brown. Classes will run for six weeks from January 7 through February 11, 2024. Click here for descriptions of classes and sign ups, or text “school” to 626.727.9498. Email Pastor Chip with questions.

• We invite everyone to stay after worship next Sunday, January 7th, to pack away our Christmas decorations and get our Sanctuary ready for the new year. First, we’ll have lunch together provided by the church (email Pastor Lindsay if you have dietary restrictions). Then, under the leadership of Dave and Cindie, we will be guided through the logistics of “taking down the greens.” We hope you can stay for this fun communal experience!

Coming Up

• Our next Coffee + Conversation with Pastor John Jay is set for Sunday, January 14th, at 9am. This is a great time for any of you to chat with our lead pastor about any questions you may have, or share with him how you found FBCP and meet other people also newer to the community. Coffee and pastries will be served, and the group will meet from 9-10am in his office off Holly St. Text “coffee” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP. Limited to the first 8 people.

• Help give the gift of life! Sign up to participate in the American Red Cross’ Blood Drive FBCP is hosting on Sunday, January 14th, in a mobile clinic parked on Holly St. from 9 am - 3 pm. Schedule an appointment here: January 14th Blood Drive Sign-up (NOTE: Be sure to sign up for the one in Pasadena located at 75 N Marengo Ave.)

• Join us as we pray for our global servants around the world on Sunday, January 14th, after worship in the Parlor. We invite you for thirty minutes of prayer for our FBCP-supported American Baptist servants in Mexico, Lebanon, Turkey and Thailand as they love and support others around the world and share the light of Christ through service.

• Folks ages 55+ are invited to join us on Wednesday, January 17th, at 12pm for a potluck lunch in the Southside Room! It will be great to continue getting to know one another, and we will have some fun activities planned. Email Pastor Chip with any questions.

• We will have our FBCP Basics Class after worship service on Sunday, January 21st, at 12:30pm in the Southside Room. This is a great space for those who have been coming for a while and are interested in learning more about our church and/or becoming a member. Pastors John Jay and Chip will go over our history as an American Baptist church, and you’ll have a chance to ask questions you may have about the FBCP community. Lunch will be provided. Text “basics” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP. Email Pastor Chip for more details.

• We invite you to join the LGBTQ+ community, parents and allies for our FBCPride Group monthly gathering on Sunday, January 21st, at 5pm in the Southside Room. This month we will hear Pastor John Jay and Kevin share about their friendship and the intersection of theophanies, trauma, and church life. Join us for a potluck meal, and if you are able to bring an item (no pressure), check out what we need at our Potluck Sign-up. Text “pride” to 626.727.9498 if you’re new to the group and want to receive our emails.

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Thursday Bible Study | Returns 1/11 | Parlor

• Yarn Crafts Group | 12/31 at 12pm | Parlor

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 1/21 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

1/1 - New Years Day | Office Closed
1/7 - Winter Sunday School Begins
1/7 - Taking Down of the Greens
1/14 - Mobile Blood Drive
1/14 - Coffee with Pastor John Jay
1/14 - Prayer for Global Servants
1/17 - 55+ Event
1/20 - Youth Girls Hangout
1/21 - FBCP Basics Meeting & Lunch
1/21 - FBCPride Meeting
1/26 - Community Dinners

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 12.23.2023

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

Tomorrow we light the candle for Love as we worship on the fourth week of Advent. We will finish our study on the ordinary miracles of the birth of Christ and how those are part of our stories, too. At the bottom of this email, you will find this week's lesson. We designed this year’s study both for the weekly adult Sunday School class and for families and individuals to use at home. There are some practices geared for families at the end of each study so that you can engage in activities rooted in our Advent themes. You can find the full curriculum guide with prompts for each week here. May God continue to make us a people of love and light as we allow God to be born in us again and again. See you tomorrow at 10:30am for worship and then again at 6:00pm for our Christmas Eve service!

Youth Hospitality

Our youth are invited to serve on the hospitality team next Sunday,  December 31st. If your youth is able to serve, please let Pastor Chip know. Thanks to our youth for being an important part of our welcoming community! 

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will explore the story of the birth of Jesus. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to explore the story at home.

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary and me in the front pews. This week the kids will help remember and name all the wonderful truths about Christ and the incarnation. We are excited for them to revisit the story of Christmas and to ponder it anew!

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• Think back to our Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. Which one do you feel most in need of right now?

• How does love change us and our world? 

• What is one way you can choose to respond in love this week?

YOUTH

This week our youth will not gather so they can spend time with families on Christmas Eve. We hope to see many of them back for our evening service! We love our youth and are so thankful for their presence in our church family.

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay

Advent 4

December 24

Key Theme

Jesus is born into overlapping relationships.

Scripture Passage

Luke 2:8-20

It takes a whole host of characters and communities to fully tell the story of Jesus’ birth. There is mother and there is father, who each have their own experience of Jesus’ birth. There are shepherds and there are angels, collective witnesses from vastly different realms of heaven and earth. Tradition tells us that there are non-human witnesses in the manger, as attested by plenty of songs and animated films. Each of these witnesses hold a unique perspective on the birth, and it takes all of them to tell the full story. 

It is common in moments of astonishment for each person to have a slightly different memory of the event. This is one of the reasons we celebrate that we have four versions of Jesus’ life in our four Gospels. They resonate with one another, but they are not carbon copies of each other. For some people, this can seem like troubling inconsistencies. Yet I find this to be deeply human as a way of telling a good story. 

The birth of Jesus unfolds within the ordinary lives of lots of people. The angels seem to be extra informed, so their presence carries insider knowledge. The shepherds, God love them, are just so glad to be included in the moment at all! They run and yell and generally vibrate with excitement. Mother is portrayed as calm, but I imagine that the actual birth was not so quiet. Joseph is not really mentioned as having a distinct response, but we can once again stay curious about how a father might experience the birth of their first born child. 

Each of these witnesses offers a part of the overall scaffolding that is the story of Advent and Christmas. Without the fullness of the telling, the story would lack color and contour. We also get to be witnesses to the story, so that our telling is uniquely welcome. The goal is not to “get it right” as much as we are meant to feel it true and tell it as such. Shepherds do not sound like angels and fathers do not sound like mothers. And then there are all the non-human witnesses to this moment, with language beyond our own understanding. But this too is Gospel. 

Questions

• Share a story of a time when you experienced something really impactful that involved other people. How many different versions of that story would be told by each person who lived it? 

• Your own story is constituted by overlapping communities of witnesses. How does this enrich your self-understanding? How has it been a burden?

• Normally for a historically important birth, there is a lot of content around the story. Birth narratives of kings and rulers are much longer in their telling than the story of Jesus’ birth. Why do you think Jesus gets so little narrative about his birth? (My own guess is that historians are from the privileged class, and there are no privileged witnesses to Jesus’ birth. It just happens and those who are paying attention get to carry the story forward.)   

Reflections for Home

• Light a candle for Love this week as you begin your time of reflection.

• Imagine a modern day nativity scene. Who do you imagine is present? Where does the birth of Christ take place? Take some time to imagine the scene as you consider the characters and setting. If you're up for it, draw a representation of your nativity to hang up on Christmas in the years to come.

• Practice some gratitude and simple acts of love. First, make a list of the people who have borne witness to you or your family's milestones in life. Give thanks to God for each person, and consider how you could thank them with a call or note in the coming weeks. Then think of anyone you know who might feel lonely this year. Maybe it's someone who lives on your street, someone in a community at school or church, or someone you know through an adult in your family. Decide on one simple and practical way you could share God's love and presence (some examples include a homemade ornament, baked goods, a personalized card, or an invitation to join you for dinner or hot cocoa.)

• Many people send Christmas cards this time of year. Those are ways that people reach out to their loved ones to honor their presence and share the growth since last year. Gather the ones you have received and make a simple garland with string and paperclips or clothespins (we have lots at church if you need some!). String up all the cards somewhere you will see often, and commit to praying for the people in each card throughout the year. You might pray for one card a week or some other rhythm that feels meaningful for your or your family.

• Reflect on the people who were present to your family during the first weeks after the birth or adoption of a child. If those people are still part of your community, ask them to share some of their memories and stories from those special days. What do they remember most? How would they tell the story from their perspective? Parents could also share stories of specific acts of love from family and friends during those sacred times of welcoming a new child into the family. How did God's love manifest itself in the relationships surrounding the family? How does that help you imagine those first days for Mary and Joseph after Jesus' birth?

Weekly Updates 12.22.2023

Christmas Eve Sunday

• Pop into our last Advent Sunday School class this Sunday, December 24th, at 9am in the Parlor, written by Pastors John Jay and Lindsay and taught by Michael Mann this week. Email Pastor Lindsay if you plan to attend and need childcare. Click here to check out last week’s lesson. Click here to download the fourth week’s lesson.

• Join us at 10:30am for worship in the Sanctuary as we celebrate the fourth week of Advent! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Our kids five years old and up can join us for the first part of worship and then will be dismissed to their classrooms with their leaders. They can sit with their parents or join us in the front rows at the start of service. Youth group after service will skip meeting this week so that families can have extra time together on Christmas Eve. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• Come back Sunday evening for our annual Christmas Eve service at 6pm in the Chapel. This intimate hour-long service ends with singing “Silent Night” by candlelight on Marengo Ave. We hope you can join us for this special tradition.

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is cereal.

Future Happenings

• Winter Sunday School class sign-ups are here! Classes include Nuturing Communal Practices: Lectio Divina by Natalee Ellis, A Theology of Storytelling by Chris Manus, Processing Grief through Faith and Community by Jon Rinkus, and Deep Dive Into Matthew 22: Loving God and Loving Your Neighbor by Jerry Brown. Classes will run for six weeks from January 7 through February 11, 2024. Click here for descriptions of classes and sign ups, or text “school” to 626.727.9498. Email Pastor Chip with questions.

• Please note that we will not have children's programming for kids ages 5-10 on December 31st so that our teachers may have a holiday break. Kids are invited to join their parents in the sanctuary for Sunday worship.

• Planning on checking out the Rose Bowl Parade this year? We have a handful of free parking passes for our garage available on a first-come, first-served basis for the Rose Bowl Parade happening on January 1st. If you’d like one of the passes, please email our office by December 26th and please pick up from the office by 3pm on December 27th.

• Help give the gift of life! Sign up to participate in the American Red Cross’ Blood Drive FBCP is hosting on Sunday, January 14th, in a mobile clinic parked on Holly St. from 9 am - 3 pm. Schedule an appointment here: January 14th Blood Drive Sign-up (NOTE: Be sure to sign up for the one in Pasadena located at 75 N Marengo Ave.)

• Our recent Coffee + Conversation with Pastor John Jay was such a nice gathering of new folks that we are scheduling another on Sunday, January 14th, at 9am. This is a great time for any of you to chat with Pastor John Jay about any questions you may have, or share with him how you found FBCP and meet other people also newer to the community. Coffee and pastries will be served, and the group will meet from 9-10am in his office off Holly St. Text “coffee” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP.

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Thursday Bible Study | No Study 12/28 and 1/4 | Parlor

• Yarn Crafts Group | 12/31 at 12pm | Parlor

• Easy-Going Basketball | 1/14 and 1/28 at 7pm | Gym

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 1/21 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

12/24 - Regular Morning Worship 10:30am + Christmas Eve Service 6pm Chapel
12/25 - Christmas Day | Office Closed
1/1 - New Years Day | Office Closed
1/7 - Winter Sunday School Begins
1/14 - Mobile Blood Drive
1/14 - Coffee with Pastor John Jay
1/14 - Prayer for Global Servants
1/17 - 55+ Event
1/20 - Youth Girls Hangout
1/21 - FBCP Basics Meeting & Lunch
1/21 - FBCPride Meeting
1/26 - Community Dinners

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 12.16.2023

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

Last weekend's Carol Service was so special—thank you for all the extra help with getting kids to rehearsals and making it possible for them to participate! Our kids and youth are such a special part of our congregation, and it is always a gift to share in moments of intergenerational worship and beauty. 

In case you missed it, I wanted to be sure you knew that we have been releasing a weekly Advent study that corresponds to the teaching each Sunday. The study was designed both for Tyler to use in her weekly adult Sunday School class and for you to use at home. We also have some practices geared for families at the end of each study so that you can engage in activities rooted in our Advent themes. Here is last week's lesson if you missed it, and here is this week's lesson.  

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will continue to explore the story of Debra. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to explore the story at home!

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary and me in the front pews. This week the kids will get to explore the birth of Christ in an interactive activity and make some Christmas crafts. We are excited for them to revisit the story of Christmas and to ponder it anew!

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• What do you think it was like for Mary to be the mother of Jesus?

• What does it mean to have the joy of the Lord? 

• How can we experience joy?

YOUTH

This week our youth are invited to join our regular gathering after worship. We will continue exploring advent themes this month. We love our youth and are so thankful for their presence in our church family! 

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay

Weekly Updates 12.15.2023

Sunday

• Pastor John Jay invites any newer folks to Coffee + Conversation this Sunday, December 17th, at 9am in his office! Get to know a smaller group of people also new to FBCP and have our lead pastor there to answer any questions you may have. Text “coffee” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP. Enter his office through the wooden doors on Holly St.

• Tyler Brewington-Mathis will continue teaching our Advent Sunday School class this Sunday, December 17, at 9am in the Parlor. This curriculum was written by Pastor John Jay and adapted for the home by Pastor Lindsay. There’s no need to sign up ahead of time for this series—just come on in. Email Pastor Lindsay if you plan to attend and need childcare. Click here to check out last week’s lesson. Click here to download the third week’s lesson.

• Join us at 10:30am for worship in the Sanctuary as we celebrate the third week of Advent! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Our kids five years old and up can join us for the first part of worship and then will be dismissed to their classrooms with their leaders. They can sit with their parents or join us in the front rows at the start of service. Our youth are invited to join us for our regular lunch and fellowship after service. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• Thank you to everyone who participated in our 80th Annual Candlelight Carol Service last Sunday, and we invite you to continue to enjoy the recording as we prepare our hearts for Christmas.

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is chili/soup/stew.

Christmas Eve

• Celebrate Christmas Eve with us during our usual morning worship at 10:30am on December 24th, and then return for our annual Christmas Eve service at 6pm in the Chapel. This special intimate service ends with singing by candlelight, and we hope you can join us.

Future Happenings

• Stay tuned for Winter Sunday School class sign-ups! Our choices this time around will include Nurturing Communal Spiritual Practices, A Theology of Storytelling, and Processing Grief through Faith and Community. Classes will run for six weeks from January 7 through February 11, 2024.

• Please note that we will not have children's programming for kids ages 5-10 on December 31st so that our teachers may have a holiday break. Kids are invited to join their parents in the sanctuary for Sunday worship on these days.

• Planning on checking out the Rose Bowl Parade this year? We have a handful of free parking passes for our garage available on a first-come, first-served basis for the Rose Bowl Parade happening on January 1st. If you’d like one of the passes, please email our office for more details.

• Help give the gift of life! Sign up to participate in the American Red Cross’ Blood Drive FBCP is hosting on Sunday, January 14th, in a mobile clinic parked on Holly St. from 9 am - 3 pm. Schedule an appointment here: January 14th Blood Drive Sign-up (NOTE: Be sure to sign up for the one in Pasadena located at 75 N Marengo Ave.)

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Advent Sunday School | Sundays in December at 9am | Parlor

• Yarn Crafts Group | 12/17 at 12pm | Parlor

• Thursday Bible Study | Weekly at Noon | Parlor

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 12/17 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

12/17 - Coffee + Conversation with Pastor John Jay
12/17 - Passive-Aggressive Pickleball
12/24 - Regular Morning Worship 10:30am + Christmas Eve Service 6pm Chapel
12/25 - Christmas Day | Office Closed
1/1 - New Years Day | Office Closed
1/7 - Winter Sunday School Begins
1/13 - Women’s Brunch
1/14 - Prayer for Global Servants
1/17 - 55+ Event
1/20 - Workday at Local Home
1/21 - FBCP Basics Meeting & Lunch
1/21 - FBCPride Meeting
1/26 - Community Dinners

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 12.10.2023

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

Last night was our youth Christmas party, which was full of fun gift-giving, eating, candle-making, and a little scavenger hunt around Old Town. Thanks to our youth for all the joy and laughter you bring whenever we gather. We also had a beautiful rehearsal for the Carol Service this morning, so thanks to the families who were able to make it. I hope you can all join us tomorrow evening for our 80th annual Candlelight Carol Service. I know this is a busy time of year, and this service always helps to ground me in the deep awe and wonder of the season. See you tomorrow!

Kids and Youth | Carol Service

We are so excited for our kids and youth to help lead us in worship at our annual Candlelight Carol Service tomorrow! As a reminder, our kids and youth will be singing a fun version of "Joy to the World" (lyrics here) after they process into the sanctuary for the nativity. They will then sit together in a reserved section for the remainder of the service and join the choir to sing the classic "Go Tell It On the Mountain" (lyrics here) at the very end. Please share those with your child/youth so they can practice at home as well. 

Please bring your child/youth to the chapel at 5:45PM on Sunday evening so they can grab a snack and gather to sit together for the first part of the Carol Service. We will be in charge of them until the service ends. Please pick your child up in the Chapel right after the service so that you can all enjoy the cookie reception as a family.

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will explore the story of Debra. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to explore the story at home.

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary and me in the front pews. This week the kids will get to explore the birth of Christ in an interactive activity. We are excited for them to revisit the story of Christmas and to ponder it anew!

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• Who were the different people and creatures present at the birth of Christ?

• This week we light a candle for peace. What is one way you can practice peace?

• Why do you think God chose to show up as a baby?

YOUTH

This week our youth are invited to join our regular gathering after worship. We will also be exploring advent themes this month and preparing for the Carol Service. We love our youth and are so thankful for their presence in our church family! 

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay

Weekly Updates 12.08.2023

Youth Party Tonight

• We wish the youth group a very merry Christmas as they celebrate early tonight with food, games and lots of laughter. Email Pastor Lindsay with any questions.

Tomorrow

• The FBCPride movie night starts tomorrow at 6pm at the Chen Home. Our RSVP list is full at this time, but we hope to have another movie night in the coming months. Email Kevin and Sally for more information.

Sunday

• Tyler Brewington-Mathis will continue teaching our Advent Sunday School class Sunday, December 10, at 9am in the Parlor. This curriculum, which Pastor John Jay wrote and Pastor Lindsay adapted for home practices, features the Advent story that captures the ordinary miracle of the incarnation: our ancestors and family lineage, the cultural and political landscape, changing bodies (pregnancy and birth), and finally the companions we need for the ordinary days of our lives. There’s no need to sign up ahead of time for this series—just come on in. Email Pastor Lindsay if you plan to attend and need childcare. Click here to check out last week’s lesson. Click here to download the second week’s lesson.

• We invite you to help with the cookie count for the reception after our carol service Sunday night. If you’re able, please drop off 1-2 dozen cookies at the Hospitality Desk before service, and we will prepare platters for the evening. Thank you for your generosity!

• This Sunday is the last day to drop off gifts for the Friends In Deed’s annual Christmas for the Kids Gift Drive. Thank you to everyone who helped us provide gifts to 80 kids this Christmas! Make sure the items include the child's name and family number, and you can drop them at the Connections Desk before worship. Email Shawn with any questions.

• Join us at 10:30am for worship in the Sanctuary as we celebrate the second week of Advent! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Our kids five years old and up can join us for the first part of worship and then will be dismissed to their classrooms with their leaders. They can sit with their parents or join us in the front rows at the start of service. Our youth are invited to join us for our regular lunch and fellowship after service. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• Join us for our 80th Annual Candlelight Carol Service this Sunday, December 10th, at 6pm in the Sanctuary! Copy & paste this link as an invitation to friends: https://fbcpasadena.com/invitation! Help us celebrate the Christmas season as we sing together and are reminded of hope made real in the birth of Jesus. You won’t want to miss this celebration including our FBCP Choir, handbells, kids and youth nativity, men’s quartet, harp music and more! Childcare for toddlers and infants (4 years and under) will be provided, and there will be a cookie reception after the service. If you can’t make it but want to listen from home, we are livestreaming the service this year, and you can tune in at 6pm.

• Our Listen page audio this week is an office recording from John Jay to preview a lesser known Christmas lullaby ahead of the Candlelight Carol Service.

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is fruit and vegetable juice.

Next Week

• Pastor John Jay invites any newer folks to Coffee + Conversation on Sunday, December 17th, at 9am in his office! Get to know a smaller group of people also new to FBCP and have our lead pastor there to answer any questions you may have. Text “coffee” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP. Enter his office through the wooden doors on Holly St.

• Stay tuned for Winter Sunday School class sign-ups! We will have more information beginning next Sunday, and classes will run for six weeks from January 7 through February 11, 2024.

Christmas Eve

• Celebrate with us during our usual morning worship at 10:30am, and then return for our annual Christmas Eve service on Sunday, December 24th, at 6pm in the Chapel. This special intimate service ends with singing by candlelight, and we hope you can join us.

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Advent Sunday School | Sundays in December at 9am | Parlor

• Yarn Crafts Group | 12/17 at 12pm | Parlor

• Thursday Bible Study | Weekly at Noon | Parlor

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 12/17 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

12/8 - Youth Christmas Party
12/10 - End of Friends in Deed Gift Drive; Cookie Drop-off in AM
12/10 - 80th Annual Candlelight Carol Service
12/17 - Coffee + Conversation with Pastor John Jay
12/17 - Passive-Aggressive Pickleball
12/24 - Christmas Eve Services
12/25 - Christmas Day | Office Closed
1/1 - New Years Day | Office Closed
1/7 - Winter Sunday School Begins
1/14 - Women’s Brunch

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 12.02.2023

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

It was such a beautiful experience to see our kids, youth, and adults working together (and playing together) during the hanging of the greens last Sunday. I am so thankful that we have the opportunity for intergenerational bonding and work together. Thanks to all who were able to stay and transform our sanctuary into a beautiful Christmas space! As we gather for the first Sunday of Advent, I pray that we rediscover the power of hope against so many messages of despair. See you tomorrow!

Kids and Youth | Carol Service

We are so excited for our kids and youth to help lead us in worship at our annual Candlelight Carol Service on December 10th! Our preschoolers (our oldest nursery kids) will be participating in the nativity. Our kids above nursery age will be singing two songs at this special program as well as participating in our nativity. Our youth will be participating in candle lighting, singing, and the nativity as well. Our kids and youth will be singing a fun version of "Joy to the World" (lyrics here). They kids will also join with the choir to sing the classic "Go Tell It On the Mountain" (lyrics here). Please share those with your child/youth so they can begin to practice at home in addition to our regular practice on Sundays during our time with the kids. Could you please respond here and let us know if your child/youth is able to attend and participate that evening? Please note that we will have childcare for our young nursery kids.

Please mark your calendars for the dates:

• December 9 — Carol Service Rehearsal for kids from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 

• December 10 — Carol Service (kids should arrive at 5:30 PM)

Youth Christmas Party 

It's time for our annual tradition with our youth! We'll gather at the church on Friday, December 8th, at 6:30 PM for dinner and Christmas festivities. Youth are invited to bring a wrapped gift for a gift exchange ($10 limit and they can be silly or serious gifts!). If you need help making that happen, let me know and we'll have some extras. We'll wrap up at 9:00 PM. Oh--and Jensen is excited to join us for the first time this year!

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will continue to explore the story of Jospeh and his brothers. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to explore the story at home.

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for worship and communion since this is the first Sunday of the month. Make sure your child picks up a fun survey to fill out during worship—Pastor Mary will have that ready in the lobby, and it's always a favorite activity for our kids (and youth!). Pastor John Jay will be preaching on the way God shows up in our genealogies as we begin our advent teaching series. It will be a beautiful morning together with communion, too!

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• What is the season of Advent?

• Where in life are you feeling hopeful? Where in life is it hard for you to have hope?

• Is hope important? Why is it part of the Christmas story?

YOUTH

This week our youth are invited to join our regular gathering after worship. We will be exploring advent themes this month and preparing for the Carol Service. We love our youth and are so thankful for their presence in our church family! 

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay

Weekly Updates 12.01.2023

Parents’ Night Out

• We look forward to hanging with kids who have signed up tonight from 5:30-8:30pm! Pastors Lindsay and Mary are planning a night of fun for all kids so that parents can have an evening to themselves. We will provide programming, food, and fun for kids so that you can have a few hours to use as you wish. See you soon!

Sunday

• Tyler Brewington-Mathis will teach our Advent Sunday School class starting this Sunday, December 3, at 9am in the Parlor. This curriculum, which Pastor John Jay wrote and Pastor Lindsay adapted for families, features the Advent story that captures the ordinary miracle of the incarnation: our ancestors and family lineage, the cultural and political landscape, changing bodies (pregnancy and birth), and finally the companions we need for the ordinary days of our lives. There’s no need to sign up ahead of time for this series—just come on in. Email Pastor Lindsay if you plan to attend and need childcare. Click here to download the first week’s lesson.

• Join us for worship in the sanctuary at 10:30am as we partake in communion together (note: crackers are gluten-free)! The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Please note that because this will be the first Sunday of the month, our kids five years old and up will join us in the sanctuary for service. Our youth are invited to join us for worship and for our regular youth gathering and lunch afterward. The Prayer team will be available at the front of the sanctuary toward the end of the service to pray with those who would like to receive prayer.

• We’d like to appreciate our Hospitality Team at lunch after service this Sunday. Pastor Chip is planning a lunch that will be a mix of fun, training, and spiritual encouragement. We appreciate everything the Hospitality Team does, from handing out bulletins to passing plates during offering. If you’re not already part of this team, we invite you to join this group of helpful folks and find out more about what the Hospitality Team does. Text “welcome” to 626.727.9498 to let Pastor Chip know that you’ll be there, whether you’re already a part of the team or interested in joining the fun!

• Our Listen page audio this week includes Pastor John Jay’s cover of Andrew Peterson’s “Matthew’s Begat.” It runs through names of Jesus’ family lineage in a fun folky tune, and is also a way to prepare for this week’s advent lesson out of Matthew 1:1-16 and our discussion of Jesus’ family story.

• The Friends In Deed Food Pantry item for this Sunday is buyer’s choice.

Advent Season Calendar

• Come and bring your friends (copy & paste this link as an invitation: https://fbcpasadena.com/invitation), to join in our 80th Annual Candlelight Carol Service on Sunday, December 10th, at 6pm in the Sanctuary! Help us celebrate the Christmas season as we sing together and are reminded of hope made real in the birth of Jesus. Childcare for toddlers and infants (4 years and under) will be provided, and there will be a cookie reception after the service.

• We need your help with providing the cookies for the reception after the Candlelight Service! If you’re able, please bring 1-2 dozen cookies to share with all our guests, family, and friends. You can drop them off at the Connections Desk on Sunday, December 10th, before morning worship.

• Celebrate with us during our usual morning worship at 10:30am, and then return for our annual Christmas Eve service on Sunday, December 24th, at 6pm in the Chapel.

Movie Night

• Our FBCPride Group invite you to watch the movie “Pride” at the Chens’ home in Pasadena on Saturday, December 9th, at 6pm. This movie is a beautiful picture of what can happen when a small town comes around the LGBTQ+ community and learns to love bigger. Email Kevin and Sally to RSVP and get more informtation.

Friends in Deed Gift Drive

• Thank you to everyone who has partnered with us for the Friends In Deed’s annual Christmas for the Kids gift drive. Every year we get the honor of helping to provide gifts for Friends In Deed’s families with kids as we are reminded of God’s generous gift of Jesus to our world, and this year we were once again able to provide 80 gifts thanks to your generosity. Unwrapped gifts should be dropped off at the church no later than Sunday, December 10th, and they should include the child's name and family number. Email the office to arrange a time to stop by, or bring the gifts to worship and drop off at the Connections Desk. You have one more week to shop! Email Shawn with any questions.

Coming Up

• It’s time for another Coffee + Conversation! Pastor John Jay loves gathering groups of newer folks for coffee in his office a few times a year. Get to know a smaller group of people also new to FBCP and have our lead pastor there to answer any questions you may have. Text “coffee” to 626.727.9498 to RSVP, and we’ll see you at 9am on December 17th before worship. Enter his office through the wooden doors on Holly St.

• Our trial night of pickleball was a success, and the group wants to keep dinking! Join us for our next pickleball practice at 7pm on Sunday, December 17th, in the Gym. Bring a sweater and water, and text “pickle” to 626.727.9498 if you haven’t already. Email Tim with questions. We have paddles and balls available to use.

Opportunity to Love Our Pasadena Neighbors

• Pasadena Partnership is the primary planning entity coordinating resources to end homelessness in our community. Every January they do a headcount on the streets to plan for what they need more accurately, and this year Nori is a team leader on January 23rd from 8-10pm. He invites anyone wishing to join him in the Homeless Count to register by January 5th. Make sure to select him as your team leader in registration and attend an online training over Zoom on January 16th. See this website for more details and contact Nori to let him know you’re in!

Weekly + Biweekly Happenings

• Advent Sunday School | Starts 12/3 at 9am | Parlor

• Yarn Crafts Group | 12/3 at 12pm | Parlor

• Easy-Going Basketball | 12/3 at 7pm | Gym

• Thursday Bible Study | Weekly at Noon | Parlor

• Passive Aggressive Pickleball | 12/17 at 7pm | Gym

Six Weeks at a Glance

12/3 - Advent Sunday School Begins
12/3 - Hospitality Team Lunch
12/8 - Youth Christmas Party
12/10 - End of Friends in Deed Gift Drive; Cookie Drop-off in AM
12/10 - 80th Annual Candlelight Carol Service
12/17 - Coffee + Conversation with Pastor John Jay
12/17 - Passive-Aggressive Pickleball
12/24 - Christmas Eve Services
12/25 - Christmas Day | Office Closed
1/1 - New Years Day | Office Closed
1/7 - Winter Sunday School Begins

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

Less without you,

The FBCP Community

FBCP Families | 11.25.2023

Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,

Advent is drawing near, and I'm eager to once again celebrate and honor this sacred season with all of you. We will be exploring the holy mysteries embedded in our everyday lives as we look at the story of Christ's birth in the coming weeks. My prayer is that we would be present enough (and sometimes still enough) to notice the way God has woven the presence of the divine into each moment of our day. All the lights, greens, and ribbons are some of the ways we call forth the wonder and beauty of this story we revisit each year. I look forward to decorating our church for Christmas this Sunday and hope you and your families can join us for this fun and special tradition! 

Parents' Night Out

Parents, mark your calendars for Parents' Night Out on Friday, December 1st, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.! Pastor Mary and I are planning a night of fun for all kids so that parents can have an evening to themselves. We will provide programming, food, and fun for kids so that you can have a few hours to use as you wish (dinner out? a nap? a movie? Christmas shopping?). Kids can come for the full time or any fraction of it. Click here to RSVP so we can plan for food and care accordingly.

Kids and Youth | Carol Service

We are so excited for our kids and youth to help lead us in worship at our annual Candlelight Carol Service on December 10th! Our preschoolers (our oldest nursery kids) will be participating in the nativity, and I will email those parents about that separately. Our kids above nursery age will be singing two songs at this special program as well as participating in our nativity. Our youth will be participating in candle lighting, singing, and the nativity as well. Our kids and youth will be singing a fun version of "Joy to the World" (lyrics here). Our kids will also join with the choir to sing the classic "Go Tell It On the Mountain" (lyrics here). Please share those with your child/youth so they can begin to practice at home in addition to our regular practice on Sundays during our time with the kids. Could you please respond here and let us know if your child/youth is able to attend and participate that evening?

Please mark your calendars for the dates:

• December 9 — Carol Service Rehearsal for kids from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 

• December 10 — Carol Service (kids should arrive at 5:30 PM)

SUNDAY

KIDS

Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 10:20 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service. This week our nursery kids will continue to explore the story of Jospeh and his brothers. Don't forget to grab a take-home sheet with some simple ways to explore the story at home.

Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary and me in the front pews. This week the kids will get to explore the meaning of Advent and make something special to help them anticipate the birth of Christ at home!

Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:

• What is the season of Advent?

• What are some symbols and colors of Advent?

• Why do we light candles during Advent and Christmas?

YOUTH

This week our  youth will join in the hanging of the greens! It's an annual tradition of intergenerational fun, and we are excited to help transform the sanctuary and lobby as we begin the Advent season. Lunch will be provided for all. 

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!

With deep affection for you,

Pastor Lindsay