the hanging of the greens

8/14/2019 The Hanging of the Greens

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We had a wonderful and very moving program at our last luncheonabout a program settling refugees in the LA area: Interfaith Refugeeand Immigration Service (IRIS). Shirley Woodman is leading the kids inour congregation and other local congregations in a service project col-

lecting school supplies to send to IRIS for the Holidays. Please talk toShirley Woodman about any donations you may have.

There will not be a luncheon in November due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The next

luncheon will be held on Sunday, December 6th. Ken Potter will be providing us with

our program. Ken’s program is always a big hit. Make sure to mark your calendar so

you don’t miss this great performance by Ken. New Hope will be the hostesses for

the luncheon and Maureen Estolas will be conducting the worship service.

The service project for the December

luncheon is the Union Rescue Mission.From the Union Rescue Mission web-site:

We embrace people experiencing homelessness with the compassion of Christ

giving hope and healing for a changed lifehelping them find their way home

“A sampling of data from providers that focus on family homelessness indicates a40% increase in family homelessness between 2007 and 2009. Confirming this per-

ception, the Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) rec-ognized 7,500 homeless families in January 2009, the same month the count wasconducted, a 49% increase from April 2008.

Families who are homeless have been referred to as the hidden homeless: they typi-cally are less visible than chronically homeless adults. They may live in an automo-bile or on a friend’s living room floor, and spend the day at the mall or a city park.With a child in a stroller, the family’s homeless condition is less noticeable to the pub-lic, or even to outreach workers. These are some of the reasons families are under-represented in the Homeless Count.”

Disciples Women’s Ministry



Feed the Hungry Sunday

Our next Feed the Hungry Sunday is November 22. Your generousdonations make it possible to provide food for about 3,000 peoplea month that come to the Salvation Army His House Program.Here is a suggested list: canned tuna, granola bars, nuts, oatmeal,boxed juices, raisins, canned fruits and vegetables and canned soup.

Dave, the Director of His House, would like to thank you for your continued support

to this much needed ministry.

“for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I wasa stranger and you welcomed me”. Matthew 25:35.

Prayer Shawl Ministry Expands Meetings

Our Prayer Shawl Ministry is now meeting in the Fireside Room everyWednesday afternoon at 2:00 pm. Our time includes working on shawls inprogress, blessing finished shawls, sharing in fellowship and iced tea.

We will also continue to meet at on the fourth Tuesday evening of everymonth, at 7:00 pm.

The Candy Cane Holiday Boutique is less than two weeksaway! Hard to believe that a year has gone by so quickly!We are still in need of volunteers to man the booths andcash register. If you are interested please look for the sign-

up sheets in Sippel Hall after church on Sunday. Remember to invite your friends to the boutique on Saturday, November 14th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Opportunity drawing ticketswill be sold on Sunday and at the door.

Look around your home for gently used and loved items togive to Grandma’s Attic. This is a big hit every year and weneed your help. Please bring the items to the church after November 1st. Items can be stored in the room next to theprayer chapel.



Special Thanksgiving Offering for Higher Education

Disciples of Christ schools have contributed mightily to our congregation—both our pastors

received and are receiving their training from our Higher Education System. And the benefits

continue—Paul Hextall, one of our young members, was in worship recently, and reported

just how much he’s enjoying his first semester at Chapman University, one of our Disciples-related schools. Besides his studies, Paul also noted how much he gains from Wednesday

night on-campus worship at Chapman.

Our church receives six, over-and-above special offerings through the year. Our Thanksgiv-

ing Offering emphasizes the ministries of higher education and leadership development. We pray you’ll give as you are led to support these vital ministries of our wider church.

Offering envelopes will be available for your special offering on November 15 and 22.

Advent Devotional Booklet

Last year, the Worship Committee sponsored a well-received Advent Booklet fullof thoughtful devotions from some of our own members. Anyone interested in

contributing to this year’s devotionals is encouraged to contact the office, or Pastor Steve. There are still lots of days open!

Wednesday Morning Bible Study

Our Wednesday Morning Bible Study is looking at the First Letter of John, a New Testament writing that struggles to hold things together after an early

church split. Bible Study meets in Sippel Hall, Wednesday mornings at 10:00.



CHURCH FAMILY PRAYERS & CONCERNS

Beverly Roseberry is in Little Company of Mary rehabilitation facility after surgery toshore up a broken hip suffered in a fall—which also broke her wrist.

Aron Fried is up and around after full knee-replacement surgery. Susie Noble is doingvery well after knee surgery; Doug Crawford and Carol Wilk are both still in long but

improving recoveries from knee injuries.

Lynne Redderson is home and improving after foot surgery.

Gerri Stoodley is going off current medications in order to find more appropriate treatmentfor what continues to be an undefined ailment affecting her immune system.

Julie Chavez is home from the hospital, but still wearied in her battle with cancer. His

Hands, our cancer support ministry, is helping with meals—contact Gail Grove if you wishto be part of this caring effort.

Kelly Rogers’s sister, Shawn Knudson, is in her second round of radiation and chemother-apy as a follow-up to surgery for ovarian cancer. Kelly also asks prayers for Dana Morgan,

who is recovering from a cancer-related double-mastectomy, and whose twin sons both

have autism.

Mike DeSarro’s father-in-law has cancer, and is on hospice care in Texas.

David Matson asks prayers for the wife of the president of Hope International Univ.,

where he teaches—she has been diagnosed with cancer.

Chery Carew invites prayer for Bobbi’s teacher, Miss Wills, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Prayers are asked on behalf of those struggling with addiction, and for those who seek tolove them best.

Carole Jones’s new puppy has been hospitalized for numerous infections and complica-

tions.

Earl Woods’s cousin’s husband passed after a long struggle.



November 2009 (RevisSunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thur

WORSHIP SERVICES8:30 and 10:30 am

Sunday School 9:30 am

1 2 3 4

Youth AdventureCYF

Craft Workshop

Unbinding the Gospel7:00

Amazing Gray’s1:00

NewsletterTrustees 7:00


Ruby’s Fun Raiser5:00-9:00

Prayer Ministry 5:45

Bible Study 10:00 a.m.Prayer Shawl 2:00

Education 7:00

Unbinding 2:00 &Choir

8 9 10 11

Craft WorkshopCYF



Worship 7:00

Prayer Ministry 5:45Disciple Women 7:30

Veteran’s DayChurch Office Closed

Choir P7:0

Unbinding 2:00 &

15 16 17 18

CYF/Chi RhoYouth Adventure

His HandsUnbinding the Gospel

7:00Thanksgiving Offering


Newsletter

Love 9:30Faith 1:30

Prayer Ministry 5:45Elders 7:00

Bible Study 10:00 a.m.Prayer Shawl 2:00

Cabinet 7:00

Choir P7:0

Unbinding 2:00 &

Director3:00-

22 23 24 25

Feed The HungrySunday

Thanksgiving OfferingCYF 12:00

Prayer Ministry 5:45Prayer Shawl 7:00

Bible Study 10:00Prayer Shawl 2:00

29 30

Hanging of the Greens12:00



d)

November Birthdays

Julie Vernon (1)Lyrae Monson (2)

Alyssa Zukas (3)David Drolet (4)

Jill Foster (4)

Dorie Hernandez (7)Lorraine Colston (8)

Beverly Townsend (10)

Jimmie Talley (11)

Nancy Johnson (11)

Donna Stent (11)Doug Hedde(12)

Pat Woodman (12)

Madison Noble (13)Donald Bowring (20)

Marlen Sanchez (26)

Samantha Lubrani (26)Carol Wilk (27)

Benjamin Koutny (27)

Mark Thompson (29)

Chuck Bruley (30)

Kim Silagy-Silva (30)

Megan Bell (30)

ANNIVERSARIES Jack & Ruth Perry (3)

Francisco & Marlen Sanchez (9)

Jun & Nora Pagdilao (25)

Frank & Joan Paour (26)

day Friday Saturday

5 6 7

he Gospel7:007:00

12 13 14

actice

he Gospel7:00

Boutique9:00—2:00

19 20 21

actice

he Gospel7:00

Photos:30

C.M.F.8:30 a.m.

Junior Greeter

Training

26 27 28



Junior Greeter Training

Plans are in the works for training our new Worship and Wonder greeters. The training will

be focused on our junior greeters, but adult greeters are welcome to join in for any or all of

the training. The date is Saturday, November 21 and will include dinner and a sleepover atthe church.

Children’s Christmas Program: Sunday, December 13

Mark your calendars for 2 fun events. During the second service our children will be present-

ing a special Christmas program. That evening will be our annual All Church ChristmasParty and Sleigh Ride. Come prepared to eat, sing, decorate gingerbread men and celebrate

the birth of baby Jesus. Details coming soon!

Bible Explorers

We’ve just started a new unit on Jonah and the Big Fish. You don’t want to miss out! All

children ages Pre-K through 6th grade are invited to Bible Explorers at 9:30 a.m. on Sundaymornings. See schedule below.

Middle School students are invited to be shepherds for this program. See Jill if you are inter-ested.

High schoolers will continue to meet for their Sunday School in Room 8 with Jeff Wood as

their teacher.

BIBLE EXPLORER SCHEDULE

Education Notes & News

DATE CLASS WORKSHOP ROOM TEACHER

Jonah and the Big Fish

11/8 PRE K-1 ART 2 KARA

11/8 2-5 GAMES 4 SHIRLEY

11/15 PRE K-1 GAMES 4 JILL

11/15 2-5 STORYTELLING 2 DORIE

11/22 PRE K –1 DRAMA 3 PEGGY

11/22 2-5 COOKING KITCHEN KELLY

11/29 PRE K –1 COOKING KITCHEN KELLY

Christmas Around the World

11/29 2-5 DRAMA 3 PEGGY



Loch Leven Retreat--Save the Date!

Our 2nd annual Loch Leven All Church Retreat is going to be the weekend of January 29-31,

2010. Mark your calendars and look for more information to come. See Jill Foster if you’dlike to help plan this fun weekend (commitment of 2 planning meetings) or if you want to be

in charge or help out with an activity on the weekend itself.

Summer 2010 Camp and Conference Schedule

The region has just published the camp schedule for next summer. Here it is so you can mark your calendars and start planning. The 7 kids who went last year had an experience of a life-

time and it would be great for even more to experience it this year.

Mini Camp, 7/7-7/10 (entering 2nd-3rd grade)

Junior Camp, 7/18-7/24 (entering 4th-6

thgrade)

CYF I, 7/25-7/31 (entering 9th-10th grade)

CYF II, 8/1-8/7 (entering 11

th

-12 and ’10 grads)Chi Rho, 8/8-8/14 (entering 7th-8th grade)

November Youth Calendar

Sunday, November 812:00 CYF (grades 9-12) at church

Sunday, November 15

12:00 CYF/Chi Rho/Youth Adventure

joint activity--stay tuned for details

Sunday, November 22

12:00 CYF at church

Sunday, November 29

No youth groups due to holiday weekend.



Upcoming Sermons

November 8 – “It’s a Both/And Life” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) If we are of an age, we remember the folk song “Turn, Turn, Turn” as one of the few times

scripture made the Top 40. But what is Ecclesiastes (a fancy word for “preacher”) really

getting at? What if we don’t like having “a time to break down” or “lose” or “keep silent”?

November 15 – “A Separate Peace?” (2 Kings 20:12-19)

King Hezekiah lays the groundwork for a disaster that falls on his descendants—but doesn’tseem to care, as long as there is “peace in his time.” Can we confess our own temptation to

the same kind of complacency? And what difference would it make for how we live?

November 22 – “Slow Food” (Mark 4:26-29) Thanksgiving is a time when we celebrate harvest, but most of us have gotten away from

our agricultural roots. If farming requires anything, it requires patience—and perhaps a

sense of mystery. What might we learn at Thanksgiving from the slow growing seed?

Sermons on line

Those wishing to listen to past sermons can access them on our church website

(www.fcctorrance.org

) by clicking on Worship Media, and then on the title or date of thesermon. Dates are listed by sermon title, year, month and day—for example, September 7,

2009 is 20090907. Thanks to Jimmy Koontz for helping us to provide this service!

Adult Sunday Class

Our Sunday morning adult class continues its pattern of lively discussion with a number of

thought-provoking topics and facilitators. All people and views are welcome—and often

expressed! It’s also OK to come and just listen!

Ted Oden continues a wonderful discussion of Mike Yaconelli’s book Messy Spirituality

through November 8. We will once again be privileged to experience the scholarship of Dr.David Matson on November 15. Steve Fietz will guide a seasonal discussion during the

four weeks of Advent.

Prayer Service—5:45 pm Tuesdays

This is a quiet time of centering and praying for one another. We still meet in the sanctuary, but with a new seating arrangement that helps us hear one another better. All who wish to

be part of the common support we have in prayer are invited.



What does it take for someone who seeks to follow Jesus Christ to not be a Christian?

The Breeze’s religion page featured an article about evangelical missionaries in New

England, which has now surpassed my Pacific Northwest as the least religious regionof the country. Well I wish them all success!

But a quote in that article troubled me. Citing the decline of Episcopalians and theUnited Church of Christ (historical communions in New England) the Rev. Wes Pastor

(Pastor Pastor?) was quoted as saying these denominations practice a “different relig-

ion.” The implication was that these churches were not truly Christian.

This is not just a “conservative” accusation against “liberals”—the righteous finger has

been known to wag both ways. Because they perceive them as lacking compassion,some liberals have come awfully close to calling evangelicals “non-Christian.” It’s

good to have these discussions, hard as they can be. Silently pretending that we’re all

the same can paper over essential issues, and misses the opportunity to share and grow

in faith. But we need to reframe the discussion, I believe, away from who is and isn’tChristian.

What if we listened more? What if we truly tried to hear and understand what otherswere really saying? What if, when we spoke, it was with the humble acknowledge-

ment that we don’t know everything, we are not God? And even where our beliefs are

passionately held, could we grant at least the sincerity of those with whom we dis-agree? Even in core differences, could we be generous enough to say that another’s

belief is, in our view, wrong, misguided—or even un-Christian—while still allowingthat the actual person is still a sister or brother in Christ?

I believe it’s what the sage meant when he said, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials,liberty; in all things, charity.”

Shalom, Steve

Home phone: 310-212-5950 email: [email protected]

Next Newsletter articles need to be need to be at the church office by 11/16/09.

Footnotes



T h e C h r i s t i a n M e s s e n g e r

F i r s t C h r i s t i a n C h u r c h

2 9 3 0 E l D o r a d o S t r e e t

T

o r r a n c e , C A

9 0 5 0 3

T I M E V A L U E D A T A

D O N O T D E L A Y

E X P E D I T E

N O N P

R O F I T O R G .

U . S .

P O

S T A G E P A I D

T O R

R A N C E ,

C A

P E R M I T N O .

1 0 9

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

(Disciples of Christ)2930 El Dorado Street

Torrance, CA 90503

(310) 328-2820 Fax 310 328-2929E-mail - [email protected] address - fcctorrance.org

Sunday Schedule

8:30 a.m. - Worship - Informal9:30 a.m. - Church School for all ages

10:30 a.m. - Worship - Traditional

Children’s Worship - Ages Pre-school through2nd Grade

(During the Traditional Worship Service)

Nursery Provided

For birth through age 3 during Sunday School

and Contemporary & Traditional Service

Office Hours

Monday - Friday

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Staff

Steven Fietz, Senior Pastor

Ted Oden-Minister of Contemporary WorshipAdministrative Assistant– Camelia Olloque

Choir Director - Ken Potter

Nursery Attendant - Kim Larson

Dorie Hernandez

Officers

Chair - Doug Crawford

Vice Chair - Don ZukasTreasurer– Bill Wysong

Financial Secretary - Charlotte Sandberg

Clerk– Angie Ahumada

O r C u r r e n t R e s i d e n t

the hanging of the greens

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