Friends at FBCP,

On this page you will find a collection of prayers and words of comfort from our church community. We will continue to invite one another to consider how we can deepen our affection and kinship with the world by holding the pains (and joys) of our church family.

Sharing a word of love, comfort and presence is only a first step in our shared journey of healing and confrontation with the Powers and Principalities that seek to undo the work of Christ. We will not discover the next steps in isolation from one another. So we invite you to pull together now, seeing one another in pain and joy. You are the gift God is giving to the world. May you find ways to give your gift. Move your kindness to the places in this body that are hurting. Your gift is renewed in the giving. Such is grace. Such is love. Such is the work of this church. And for those of you who are hurting, receive this love where your wounds need tending. As you are able, consider offering your depth of understanding to others who might be suffering as well. Your wounds are like the wounds of Jesus, so may the expansive ways that you all carry pain follow in the way of our savior.

And above all may you be a people of hope. God has already defeated Death as a moral agent in the world. The dead have been raised in the body of Jesus the Christ. So while the world writhes in tombs long opened, we will commit again to be a people who practice resurrection in the most simple and intimate of ways. I love you all, and I will continue to hold you in my prayers. May you do the same for one another. 

Less without you,

Pastor John Jay

Words of Blessing

 May the Lord bless our church family with health, peace, and love. That we are provided with patience and wisdom to love and care for even those that think and are different from us. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness on them has light shone. Isaiah 9:2 

He gives beauty for ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit. Isaiah 6:1-3

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:13-14

Lord, thank you for the joy and happiness you provide everyday. Bless us with the courage to seek it, and run in that direction to discover peace. Amen.

You are magnificent. You are fierce. God has given you a place to call home here in another's presence and arms. Despite what the world tries to tell you, you ARE safe here and you ARE loved.

When the world comes crashing down at your feet, it's okay to let others help pick up the pieces. If we're present to take part in your happiness when your circumstances are great, we are more than capable of sharing your pain. community — by Rupi Kaur

May we continue to live out the love of Christ through words and deeds. May we strive for righteousness, justice, and mercy. May we live in the knowledge that each member is unique, is needed, is important.

Dear Friend, 

Please remember as you make your way in this world, that when you stand before God, there is one person beside you: our precious Lord and savior Jesus Christ! And He covers you in his grace and love and your WORTH. He's there for me, too. This makes us kindred! And it gives me the power to love you. And I do.

Over the last several years of coming to this church, I've been so moved by just how strong the feeling of community and loving-kindness and coming-alongside one another is here, and how special it is to find that. I'm so grateful for the many people here who each add to the tapestry that is First Baptist Pasadena and who continually offer love and friendship freely, both to me and to anyone who comes.

Thank you for focusing on how to create the kingdom of God here in Pasadena, how to love the actual people in our lives and our community. Thank you for the joy of getting to love and to know each other better.

Thank you that the world we live in is full of love and interracial relationships, that are wonderful. Thank you that social media is only a minority of what is really going on out there. Thanks for all that is good.

You belong here, we love your presence among us. I pray that we find ways to constantly remind one another of this.

I am so grateful for the many blessings received this year from our Great God/Jesus! What do people do who don't have that relationship with Him! Thank you Lord for being here with me! You are great! Love, Linda Pauloo

Hang in there everyone! Remember that you are loved. When I think of the church, I'm reminded of one of my favorite gospel songs, "I need you to survive" by Hezekiah Walker. 

I need you, you need me

We're all a part of God's body

Stand with me, agree with me

We're all a pat of God's body

Dear Church, 

May you feel seen, heard, and loved in all your imperfections. May you know that God fully sees you and still loves you and may He bring people into your life who see you and love you. May you hear the small voice of God and act on that voice to bring justice, peace, and love into the world.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

We are blessed with this incredible gift: salvation that allows us to trust and have peace. We have not earned this gift, nor do we deserve it. That's real mercy, receiving something totally undeserved. Now we must use this gift to help our brothers and sisters...

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

We see you and we hear you.

God's love is steadfast and powerful. May his love shine on your. May his mercy be upon you, may his word protect you from evil. Rely on Him, trust in Him. It's the blessings from Him upon you. 

The pain and suffering that embodies this world is increasingly incalculable. Yet, amidst this black sea, there is light. You are light. We are light. It only takes a small glow to chase away a multitude of darkness. Come close and be warmed, be ignited, receive comfort, and then pass that comfort to others.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted. Whatever it is that breaks your heart and ours with it, I pray you feel the presence of God intimately, through us and through the Holy Spirit. Even if it is of little comfort, know that you are loved and treasured. May the Lord bless you and keep you, may He make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He lift His smile upon you  and give you peace. Peace be with you.

May the breath we breathe in so purposefully on Sundays remain in our lungs and bodies, so that Monday through Saturday we inhale and exhale the breath of God to all who cross our paths. May every word, gesture, task and movement be filled with the love of God.

To our beloved family at FBCP,

As each day comes and goes, we together mourn the events we are seeing unfold around us. We encourage you to take time to be kind to yourself and give yourself time to embrace yourself and your family. As you do that, think of all your loved ones and the ways they have blessed you and revel in that with gratitude and thanksgiving for their love and care. As you end your meditation or period of self-care, think about the many people at work—at the Post Office, in the grocery store—and find opportunities to love them as you have been loved! Now that is Christ alive in you! And doesn't that just feel wonderful?! Love always, Vivian and Ismael Silla 

May the fears and shame that keep us from authentic expressions of ourselves and acceptance of one another be defused and overcome in the name of Christ. May God's justice, through deep and close relationship and love, hold you fast together with one another. In the love of Christ that exists among us, Peace to you.

For all those emancipatory practitioners struggling with the visceral and consequential reality of who has power and who does not, of who is seen and who gets erased or thrown away, of who is named worthy and who is named worthless—May the creator of all things, whom we know by their love, live as Christ more brightly aflame in you than yesterday, and may you have the wisdom to protect, nurture, share, and fan the flame God has given you to "make shadows [God] can move in." (Rilke) Peace of Christ to you, in you, for you, through you. Amen 

Know that you are loved because of who you are. I pray that you are safe. I ache for any spiritual or emotional pain you may be feeling. May our shared fears and sorrows help us to grow in love and learn to protect one another.

An Irish Blessing: "May the blessings of each day be the blessings that you need." I hold you in my heart and pledge my care and commitment to work for justice for all in our society and especially for all who have long experienced discrimination and antagonism from the white majority population. With my love, Jeannette Scholer

Dear AAPI Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

My heart goes out to you in these days when fear has repeatedly invaded your community because of the hateful acts we have witnessed in past months and which continue to threaten your safety. These concerns come close to me in that my older daughter is Korean born, and for me every Asian face has the look of family. I appreciated the various Zoom occasions in our church life in the past year in which some of you have shared experiences that have been directly hurtful to you. I am grateful for all that I have learned in these sessions not only what is happening today, but also more of the long history of discrimination against AAPI peoples. Living in California since 1995 has provided direct encounters with this history, and I am seeking to be open to learning more both of the past and also of your situations, so I invite conversations as you feel comfortable to engage me. Borrowing the words of Howard Thurman, "I share with you my love and the strength of caring, so that you may not walk alone." I pray that God will grant you peace and will protect you and all in your family circles. 

With love,

Jeannette Scholer

Precious Family Member, I don't know your pain but I care about it. I ask God to show me how to walk with you, how to hold you, how to love you because you are mine and I am yours. I am more complete because I walk with you and because I love you. You are loved. You matter. You belong. Love, Mary

You are seen. You are known. You are loved. We love you for who you are now, in the present, regardless of the past or future. You are loved.

May the distractions of the world fail to keep you from running fully into the Father's arms. May your community be the place of refuge where your heart is able to poke its head out of its shell. May the shell of pain, hurt, and brokenness be gently melted from around our hearts so that we can fully embrace each other. May good food, laughter, and smiles consume your week when the days feel longest and hardest. 

I see you, brothers and sisters, and I feel your pain. I love you, and I stand with you in prayer and friendship and love and protest. Lean on me when you need it, and I'll be there for you. Love, Gretchen

In this time of great unrest, sorrow, and loss, know that the God of all creation holds you in his arms. He cares for all your sorrow and feelings of loss. He weeps when you weep. He rejoices when you rejoice. Don't lose hope, dear brothers and sisters. God is still in control. Amen and Amen

If you are gay, you are loved. If you are lesbian, you are loved. If you are trans, you are loved. You deserve to be yourself. 

Blessing and thanksgiving for FBCP. During this year of struggle it has been awesome to have a church family offering love and support. The leadership of FBCP has been such a blessing providing stability and guidance while ensuring our health concerns are addressed. God's continued blessings and love! To my AAPI brothers and sisters, God's peace. I am so sorry for the unjust pain you are suffering. Please know you are loved! To my brothers and sisters in the African American community, hold tight to God's promises and the hope we have in him. We know though unjustly persecuted, God will be with us as we overcome the pain and anguish we suffer daily. God's mercies are new each day to cover us on this journey in the world. 

Love, Barbara Walker

May the God of all understanding guide your words, thoughts, and actions. Amen

Greater things have yet to come. Greater things are still to be done here. Whether we are in a place of light or a place of darkness in our own lives, we have the hope that this is not the end. We have hope that all things will be made new, all things will be restored. We cannot fathom the joy and wholeness that is in store for us, but we have hope it will happen. 

During this time of chaos and pain I have borne witness to those who faced their pain and opened themselves to be transformed into fuller, healthier, more loving people. Know that the discomfort of life does not have to destroy, but can push you forward into a new life full of wonder and gratitude.

Even though we have many differences, we have enough similarities to join together in love, respect, and support. May this bring comfort knowing we stand together; we are here for each other.

Dear Friend,

You are seen and loved. In the midst of any hopeless, discouraging situation you find yourself in, may you feel peace. May you find rest in a way that brings life to your body and soul. All your experiences, talents, joys, and challenges make you who you are. You are seen and loved.

For those AAPI members in our church and in the wider society, I want you to know that I hear you and see you and I see the pain that has been inflicted upon you by those who unjustly target you and target those you love with their unfounded suspicious and hate, sometimes expressed in subtle ways and other times in overt acts of violence; and I imagine in my heart how  disenfranchising , how disheartening and how frightening it must feel. I affirm each of you as valuable members of our community and as people whose lives, whose ideas, whose feelings, whose talents, whose needs and whose very presence in our midst matters. I want you to continue to know that I and others in our community love you, value you and want to support you in any way that we can, both individually and in the broader struggle for you be treated fairly, for your personhood and humanity to be respected, for you to be affirmed in your rightful role in the society around us and in our nation, and for your right to have your safety and that our your families protected and provided for. I will advocate with you for measures that can help enable that to happen, including advocating for the passage of the current congressional bill against acts of hate perpetrated against AAPI people in our society.  

For those black and brown members in our church and in the wider society, I want you to know that I hear you and see you and all the pain that has been inflicted on you and your families through generation after generation of prejudice and unjust profiling and violence. I hear and see the immense pain caused by the ongoing loss of so many lives that have been needlessly snuffed out by the judgments and actions of others—including by law enforcement officers. I understand that the conviction of Derek Chauvin, albeit an overdue calling to account of one of the perpetrators, does not bring back George Floyd or any of the others whose lives have been stolen from them; and I know that this one action is not enough to remove the systemic racism embedded so deeply in our society. I am gradually coming to realize the degree of anxiety and fear that pervades the background, and maybe even the foreground, of your lives every day and the continual worry and concern you have about the safety of your loved ones. I want you to continue to know that I and others in our community love you, value you and want to support you in any way that we can, both individually and in the broader struggle for you be treated fairly, for your personhood and humanity to be respected, for you to be affirmed in your rightful role in the society around us and in our nation, and for your right to have your safety and that our your families protected and provided for. I also want to continue to become aware of more of the  aspects of systemic racism that I may have been blind to before--so that I can do my part in seeking and calling for action on ways that can help eliminate the injustices in the systems in our society, including adding my voice to the current calls for reforms in policing practices.

Judy

Instead of watching or listening to broadcast news, or reading a local newspaper, try creating your own GOOD news stories by simply being an active participant within your own neighborhood and community. This can be done by simple means, like helping a neighbor in some way when you notice they may need help, don't wait for them to ask, go ahead and offer your assistance. If you see someone being wronged, you can always speak up, or as in my case I am always ready to defend and chase off those that are attempting to prey upon others. I believe we are all put here to help, nurture, and protect each other and went all are more capable in some ways than in others but combined there is nothing we can not accomplish together. If you do not like how something is being said or done, offer a better or more suitable solution. Be PROACTIVE in your neighborhood, your community, your surroundings, and your relationships. Love, Mark