Caller: in This Issue
Caller: in This Issue
Caller: in This Issue
March 3, 2013
CALLER
Issue 09
In This Issue
Pastors Corner 2 Statistics/Can you Help 3 Remember in Prayer 3 Spiritual Disciplines Wk 3 Prayer Requests, Feb. 24 3 Serving in the Military 3 Congrats/Save Dates 4 Change of Address 4 Thank Yous 4 Book Club/Mary Circle 4 Please Note/Coffee Time 5 Summer Camp/Pathways 5 Preschool Assistance 5 Daylight Savings Time 5 All Church Study/HMM 6 Homosexual Bible Verse Study 6 Cong Meeting Minutes 6 Tri-Tip Meeting/WOC 7 Transfer of Possessions 8 Mission Trip 8 Easter Lilies/Events 9 Founders Day 10 Calendar 11 Serving Sunday 12
is published weekly (Deadline Wednesday at Noon) by First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 109 E. Wilshire Ave. Fullerton, CA 92832 714.525.5525
email: fullerton1stcc@gmail.com www.fullertonfirstchristian.org
The Caller
Senior Pastor: Rev. Darrell McGowan Associate Pastor: Rev. Debra Todd Editor: Donna Woodbridge
March 3: Third Sunday in Lent 8:00 A.M. - REAWAKEN, Early Worship Service 9:00 A.M. - REFRESH, Contemporary Service 9:00 A.M. - Classes for all ages 10:15 A.M. - REMEMBER, Traditional Service March 4: 7:00 P.M. - Alzheimers Support Group, Chapman Lounge March 5: 10:30 A.M. - Mary Circle, Chapman Lounge 6:30 P.M. Mens Bible Study @ Barry Woodbridges March 6: 5:30 P.M. - Hot Meal Ministry, Team A March 7: 3:30 P.M. - Following the Way, Lenten Bible Study, CL 6:30 P.M. - Bell Choir 7:30 P.M. - Chancel Choir March 9: Set clocks ahead one hour before going to bed 8:30 A.M. - Greek Class at Woodbridges March 10: Fourth Sunday in Lent 8:00 A.M. - REAWAKEN, Early Worship Service 9:00 A.M. - REFRESH, Contemporary Service 9:00 A.M. - Classes for all ages 10:15 A.M. - REMEMBER, Traditional Service March 11: 11:30 A.M. - PSWR Golf Committee, Chapman Lounge March 12: 10:00 A.M. - Pathways of Hope Executive Board. CL 6:30 P.M. - Mens Bible Study@ Barry Woodbridges March 13: 10:30 A.M. - Alzheimers Worship Service 7:00 P.M. - TriTip Organizational Meeting, CL March 14: 3:30 P.M. - Following the Way, Lenten Bible Study, CL 6:30 P.M. - Bell Choir 7:30 P.M. - Chancel Choir March 16: 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. AA use Fellowship Hall AA Groups - Sun. 8:00 P.M., Friday, 7:30 P.M., Sat. 8:30 P.M., NA Group, Tues., 7:30 P.M. 1
During Lent, Ive been receiving daily meditations from Richard Rohr, a Franciscan priest who I have long admired. I hope you find his reflection below as meaningful as I did: Your image of God creates youor defeats you. There is an absolute connection between how you see God and how you see yourself and the whole universe. The word God is first of all a stand-in for everythingreality, truth, and the very shape of your universe. This is why theology is important, and why good theology and spirituality can make so much difference in how you live your daily life in this world. Theology is not just theoretical, but ends up being quite practicalpractically up-building or practically defeating. After years of giving and receiving spiritual direction, it has become obvious to me and to many of my colleagues that most peoples operative, de facto image of God is initially a subtle combination of their Mom and their Dad, or any early authority figures. Without an interior journey of prayer or experience, much of religion is largely childhood conditioning, which God surely understands and works with. But this is what atheists and many former believers rightly react against because such religion is so childish and often fearbased, even if their arguments are blowing down a straw man. The goal, of course, is to grow toward an adult religion that includes both reason and faith and inner experience that you can trust. A mature God creates mature people. A big God creates big people. If your Mom was punitive, your God is usually punitive too, and you actually spend much of your life submitting to that punitive God or angrily reacting against it. If your Dad (or your minister or early God teachers) were cold and withdrawn, you will assume that God is cold and withdrawnall Scriptures, Jesus, and mystics to the contrary. If all authority in your life came through males, you probably prefer a male image of God, even if your heart says otherwise. As we were taught in Scholastic philosophy, everything is received according to the manner of the receiver. This is one of those things hidden in plain sight, but still remains well hidden to most Christians. Frankly, if your early authority figures were merciful and forgiving, you have a great big emotional head start in understanding the Gospel and who God might really be. This is why denominational affiliations in the end mean very little. Yes, good theology and preaching will help, but I have met evangelicals with very limited theology who are bright and alive. They invariably had a bright and alive upbringing, and their hearts tend to be generous. I also meet Mainline Christians with a more expansive theology who nevertheless are dour and dominating. They invariably had an early worldview that was all about counting, measuring, making inner lists, and doling out rewards and punishments. The expansive and open world of grace will actually be a scandal to them. They are upset because God is so generous (see Matthew 20:16). Such people find it sincerely hard to live in the frame of reference which Jesus calls the Reign of God. They are much more secure in a meritocracy of quid pro quo and resent anyone getting anything they have not worked for and deserved. This is all mirrored in our political worldviews, of course. Good theology makes for good politics and positive social relationships. Bad theology makes for stingy politics, xenophobia, and highly-controlled relationships. No wonder that both Freud and Jung believed that low-level religion creates mostly anal retentive people, to use a rather unkind but truly descriptive phrase. For me as a Christian, the mostly undeveloped image of God as Trinity is the way out and the way through all limited concepts of God. Jesus comes to invite us into that flowwhich only flows in one entirely positive direction. Both God as Trinity and Jesus as the image of the invisible God reveal a God quite differentand much betterthan the Santa Claus god who is making a list, checking it twice, going to find out whos naughty or nice or I will torture you if you do not love me god (worse than your worst enemy, I would think). We must be honest and admit that this is the god that most people are still praying to. Such images are an unworkable basis for any real spirituality. Trinity reveals that God is the Divine Flow under, around, and through all thingsmuch more a verb than a noun; relationship itself rather than an old man sitting on a throne. Jesus tells us that God is like a loving parent, who runs toward us while we are still a long ways off (Luke 15:20), then clasps, and kisses us. Until this is personally experienced, most of Christianity does not work. This theme moves us quickly into practice-based religion (orthopraxy) over mere words and ideas (orthodoxy).
Remember in Prayer
Continue to pray for:The family of Donna Bagley, Helen Bailey, Margie Barlow, Dottie Bense, Harold Brickens, Mary Brill, Jerry Brown, Betty Ruth Buchanan, Linda Christman, Chris Collett, Dean Echols, Lorna & Skip Farnum, Anna Lou Horspool, Kevin & Linda Johnen, Carolyn Kenrick, Nancy Knott, Lowenn Land, Flora Miller, Denise Olson and family, Betty Rollo, John & Marj Schwenker, Claudia Tammen, Dorothy Tanner, Jack Townsend, Gil Tucker and family, and Bob Vannoy. Please pray for the following church in the Pacific Southwest Region: Evergreen Korean Christian Church 1135 S. St. Andrews Place Los Angeles, CA 90019 Steve Harm, Pastor
Susie Wright
Bill Patrick and family as he suffers with a break in his spine. For sanity to return and wisdom to guide my family and be of service. Lowenn Land who is facing challenges with infection in her legs. She is at St. Elizabeth Rehab. The homeless and mentally ill and those who make a difference in their lives.
Readings and Prayer Concerns for Week of March 4 March 10, 2013
Monday, March 4: Reading: Luke 15: 13, 11b-19; pray for the Alzheimers Support Group meeting in Chapman Lounge this evening. Tuesday, March 5: Reading: Joshua 5:9-12; pray for the Mary Circle meeting in Chapman Lounge this morning. Congregational Prayer Day, Wednesday, March 6: Reading: Luke 15: 20-21; Psalm 32-17; pray for The Hot Meal Ministry Team A who serve the hungry tonight. Thursday, March 7: Luke 15: 25-32; pray for Global Ministries Missionary Phyllis Byrd in Kenya. Friday, March 8: Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 1617; pray for the General Church of the Disciples of Christ as we prepare for General Assembly in July. Saturday, March 9: Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 18-21; pray for the Greek Class meeting at the Woodbridges this morning. Sunday, March 10: Reading: Luke 15: 22-24, Psalm 32:8-11; pray for the Girl Scouts of America as they celebrate Girl Scout Sunday.
Sunday Statistics
February 24, 13 101 (Remember Service) 8 (Reawaken Service) 9 (Refresh Service) Weekly Giving: $2,727.90 Mission: $303.10 Budget Goal: $3,381 Week of Compassion: $470.13 YTD Totals as of January 31, 2013: Budget Goal: $15,524 YTD Giving: $12,242.98 Deficit: ($3,281.02)
Congrats to:
Karl Gentry, our Custodian, and Sheilah, his wife had a baby girl, Madeline, on February 10. She weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz. and is 19 inches long
Thank You
Last Monday morning when I arrived at work, this is what I found inside the door. Oh my I thought, what do I do with all these clothes? In the afternoon, a real God Shot occurred. Susie Wright happened by the office and I told her about the jackets donated by Burlington Coat Factory. She immediately picked up her phone, made a call to Coast to Coast Foundation, a non-profit group founded by Marie Avena of Coast to Coast Property Search. Within 45 minutes, three young ladies were at the front door to take all the jackets to their storage facility where Cpl J.D. DeCaprio, Homeless Liaison Officer, and his crew of four other officers from the Fullerton Police Dept. have access to help those in need. Thank you Burlington Coat Factory and Coast to Coast for your help. A special big hug to Susie for her help. Donna
Mary Circle
Mary Circle meets this Tuesday, March 5, at 10:30 A.M. in Chapman Lounge. Hostess is Mary Brill; Jan Farley has devotions. We will be working on cleaning the Workroom Kitchen off Chapman Lounge. Please bring dry cereal for Pathways. We are still collecting the following items: toiletries, toothpaste/tooth brushes, combs and brushes, hygiene supplies, bandaids, hot cocoa mix, and small fleece blankets for the gift bags for battered women at the Transitional Living Center in Fullerton. We will be putting these bags together at our April 2 meeting. If you would like to contribute, a box will be in the Narthex during the month of March. Thank you for your help.
Its time to start planning for Summer Camp for our children and youth. Scholarship applications are due on or before April 30. For forms and more information, see Debra Todd or check with Donna in the office. Here is the schedule: Mini Camp - 7/7 7/10 $260 before June 7 (2nd & 3rd Grade in fall 2013) Junior Camp 6/23 6/29 $355 before May23 (4th 6th grade in fall 2013) Chi Rho Camp 6/30 - 7/6 $355 before May 30 (7th - 8th grade in fall 2013) CYF I Camp 7/21 -7/27 $355 before June 21 (9th 10th grade in fall 2013) CYF!! Camp 7/28 8/3 $355 before June 28 (11th 12th in fall 2013 and 2013 graduates) Costs after Early Bird deadline are: $285 for Mini Camp, and $380 for all the other camps.
Set clocks ahead one hour before retired, Sat. March 9 so you wont be late for church.
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Team A is on tap to help out with our Hot Meals Ministry, Wednesday, March 6. Team Members should be there at 5:30 P.M. Please find a substitute if you are unable to make it. Team A is comprised of: Carrie Coffaro, Barbara & Gordon Fenters, Phil Forbes, Linda Johnen, Jane Reynolds, Joe & Judy SedaRuiz(set-up), Mike Silva, Judi Smedley Alternates include: Rod Farley, Annie Frater, Craig Wallace
even if it is minimal at this time, no later than Sunday, March 17. This will allow the Outreach Ministry to discuss this matter further when it meets on March 20. If a week-long Mission Trip is not for you, we remind you that there will be opportunities to engage in one or two-day mission projects prior to the General Assembly to be held in Orlando, Florida, July 13-17. We would love to have some of our members be part of a mission project in conjunction with the General Assembly and to stay on to represent us at the General Assembly. Let us know ASAP if this also interests you. The Outreach Ministry Team
Transfer of Possessions
If you have something you would like to give away, or sell at a bargain, you can advertise it here in this column. If you are in need of something, you can post it here also. Then if someone in the congregation or friends of FCCF need or want the item they contact me and I will put the two parties together. Great way to find homes for your unneeded possessions and help others find something they need. Check this column each week to see what is new. Lets try it and see how it works. Available: *3-drawer Work Table with Vise $100 *Creative Memories albums and supplies. NEW! * 2 DVDs (brand new still in wrappers) Youve Got Mail & The Notebook $5 each In Need of: Good reliable used car Donna Woodbridge
Easter Lilies
Its time to order Easter Lilies in memory or in honor of your loved ones. They are $8.50 per lily Make checks payable to FCC with Easter Lilies in the memo line. Name of Donor _________________________________________ No. of Lilies ______ In Memory or honor of _____________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________
Prayer Vigil
The Council of Elders will be having a prayer vigil from 8 P.M. on Maundy Thursday, March 28 through 7:00 p.m. Good Friday, March. Times will be hour segments. We will need people who are willing to be at the church from 8 11 P.M, March 28; 11p.m. March 28 2 A.M. March 29; 2 A.M. 5 A.M. March 29 and 5 A.M. 8 A.M. March 29. Be thinking about what times we want to pray and whether you would be able to handle on of these shifts. There will be a sign-up sheet in the Narthex next week.
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