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"Christ in the Wilderness - The scorpion"
by Stanley Spencer, UK |
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This Sunday,
June 7
, 2020
"
Life and the Wilderness
"
This Sunday we begin a two week mini-series on a story usually told in Lent: the story of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. I was drawn to the story because this season feels like time in the wilderness:
- Memorial Day weekend had us not only remembering those who have given their lives in military service to this country but also the over 100,000 lives lost in this country in the pandemic.
- And our hearts are broken by the extra-judicial killings of our people by employees or former employees of our own government. We mourn the loss of
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George Floyd,
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Tony McDade,
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Sean Reed,
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Ahmaud Arbery, and
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Breonna Taylor
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As well as victims of looters and arsonists who are using the peaceful protests of these deaths as an opportunity to loot and set fires, compounding the loss of communities and our nation.
But the violence has erupted, more deeply, out of generation upon generation of how we have lived "race." Race is a dehumanizing construct, an invention of white people in modernity... Its endless terrible consequences have distorted our bodies, souls, and societies.
As long-time public radio host of broadcasts on faith, Krista Tippett has written, "The Greek word "apocalypse," ...does not mean a catastrophic undoing. It means an uncovering - the lifting of a veil." In this sense, we are in a time of apocalypse, where the veil on injustice of racism and poverty in this country has been lifted. We are being forced to see what those who have been treated unjustly over the years have always known. That gives us a new opportunity as neighborhoods and nation to give new answers to the following:
- Will we re-commit ourselves to forming a more perfect, a more just nation?
- Will we structure our life together to honor the professions and the people we have now named as essential?
- Will we create the world our children deserve- all of our children regardless of race or gender identity or condition?
Be assured, by listening to the gospel we will find ways to speak God's word, Christ's word to this moment. You and our beloved country are in my thoughts always.
From Music Minister Ben:
For this week's worship I want to remind us all that our children can benefit greatly by participating in the worship videos. It's a delicate balance, especially at this time, when many of us parents or grandparents, aunts and uncles, are concerned about the lack of socialization and the use of too much screen time by children. I thought I would share with you what works for me and my little toddler Elie. She loves music, and instead of watching the worship video all the way through in one sitting, we look at it multiple times during the week when she is calm and able to focus on it. I show her the highlights of the video. She enjoys recognizing Pastor Barbara, Chuck, and Sam and Plum on the video; she also likes watching the Prelude and Postlude, as that shows slides of many of the people that she has met and shows pictures of the church that she loves going to when she can. (Oh, and we have snacks and sometimes dance while watching! Two of the benefits of remote worshiping.) I share this in the hopes that as you share this worship time, however you decide to do it with the young people in your life, know that what you are doing is building a positive and healthy connection to the church and its community.
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| Ways We Can Bring Kindness and Joy
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Sunday Zoom Video/Audio Conference Call
(Virtual Coffee-Fellowship Time)
Every Sunday at 10am
Don't forget the Sunday Zoom Video/Audio Conference Call With Pastor Barbara e very Sunday at 10am. If you've not received instructions on how to join the call please email
cassie@fcctacoma.org We'd love to see lots of folks online and offer our visual and verbal support to one another!"
If your computer does not have a webcam or microphone, you can still VIEW everyone by clicking on the link above, and THEN you can also at the same time call in (using the above instructions) on your cell phone/landline and you will also then be able to be heard by everyone."
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Please reach out to the office for any of the following needs:
- We continue to offer help for emergencies, including those who cannot get out and need supplies (groceries, household items, prescriptions) and have volunteers who are willing to help. Please let us know what you need by calling the church office at 253-752-7734.
- If you just need to talk, please also call.
- If you know of others in need, please call or email or text.
And thank you for your support as we reach out to provide groceries to those who are hungry, medication for those who cannot get out, and modest help for the unemployed who need to keep utilities and other services going. Please consider a gift, if you have disposable income, to our "Households in Need" fund. ~With Gratitude, Pastor Barbara
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JOYS & CONCERNS FOR OUR PRAYERS
PRAYER FOR THE FAMILY & FRIENDS AS WE REMEMBER
- Peggi Rowe, cousin of Martha Redford, who passed away May 5, 2020.
- Eugene Sabin, former pastor of First Christian Church (1956-1970), who passed away peacefully Wednesday morning, April 29, 2020, at his home with his son Ron by his side. His obituary can be found by clicking here.
- Barbara Davidson, who passed away in the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 29. Services will be planned for a later date.
- Mel Gidley, who passed away April 12, 2020. Private graveside services for family were held on Monday, April 20. The family is planning a Celebration of Life when we can once again gather.
- Debbie Sweet, aunt of Mark Fry, who passed away from cancer.
PRAYERS FOR THE WORLD
- Victims of flood, fire and earthquake.
- Victims of violence.
PRAYER CONCERNS OF OUR EXTENDED CHURCH FAMILY
- Jessica Turnley, recovering at home after visiting the E. R. May 15 for an undiagnosed problem. She will continue to be tested further but COVID-19 has been ruled out.
- Myra Gormley, who is preparing to enter hospice care.
- Jan Riley, who is being treated for Guillain Barre Syndrome at Good Samaritan in Puyallup. CARDS AND LETTERS PROVIDE NEEDED ENCOURAGEMENT; NO VISITORS YET.
- Mark Fry, recovering at home with doctor supervision after hospitalization for mild stroke.
- Stacie, friend of Phyllis Jacobson, who is dealing with diabetes and having part of her foot removed.
- Jim Thompson, home-bound with heart issues.
- Angel, uncle of Andrea Alonso, recovering at home after being admitted for Covid-19.
- Lyn Tober, Joyce Tober's daughter, has an upcoming surgery.
- Ron & Anita Coleman, members of Eastside, having health issues.
- Helen Bosley, mother of Gary Bosley, health concerns.
- Brody & Patty, friends of Kathie Call, health issues.
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No Stale Canned Goods Here: On Giving Our Best to FCC, Tacoma
When one of our daughters was a child, her school had a food drive for needy families and I helped her fill a bag, going into our pantry and bringing out things like the can of pickled beets that no one in the family liked nor could say how it had gotten there, the packaged muffin mixes of dubious flavor combinations, and the squid-flavored ramen noodles that had managed (I wonder why?) to go uneaten for two years and which had enough sodium for a small city. Our daughter finally looked at me and in a commanding voice said
"No, Daddy! No. We are not just giving people the things we don't like; they deserve the things we like best because that is what makes our gift meaningful and helpful." (She always was precocious!) During this scary and strange time, you and I are called to continue to give our best. And so many of you have indeed done so - your "prayers without ceasing" (as Paul says), your mask-making, your fetching groceries for a neighbor, your mowing a neighbor's yard, and countless others examples. Your continued gifts to the
church are also an expression of your best and we are grateful. In this time where there is much talk of "essential" services, the mission and ministry and witness of the church remain
theologically essential: in the midst of violence perpetrated on minorities it is
theologically essential that we continue our recorded worship service witness and powerful preaching testifying to a God of justice for all; in time when it is estimated that 1/3 of Americans are actually depressed it is
theologically essential that the church continue its work of keeping people connected; in a time when economic uncertainty has ravaged households it is
theologically essential that your church aids such folks.
YOUR continued generous giving (and even increasing that giving if you are able) makes all these things possible. Whatever you can give will help in a time when the church's income is down and the needs are up. You can give in a variety of ways: via a check mailed to the church, through the online donation page at
http://bit.ly/fccgiving, by setting up with your bank a monthly "ACH payment" to the church, or by adding the church to your online bill payees and issuing a check to the church from there. Thank you, thank you!
Chuck Blaisdell,
Trustee
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GOVERNOR INSLEE VISITS NOURISH
On April 3 , Governor Inslee visited the Nourish Warehouse to
welcome members of the National Guard. This visit landed a photo
of Nourish in the New York Times. The Guard is filling in for
the regular volunteers to help keep our neighbors fed during the
COVID-19 pandemic response.
Nourish relies on over 1000 volunteers each year to provide services
at 26 distribution sites in Pierce County. The majority of volunteers are over 60 years old - and based on recommendations from the CDC - are
staying home to safeguard their health. The National Guard is stepping in to pack boxes and distribute them to clients at Nourish locations in the county.
Nourish is considered an essential service during the Governor's Stay
Home, Stay Healthy order. The National Guard involvement allows Nourish to continue to feed our neighbors with compassion, dignity
and respect.
How can you help? By making a donation to Nourish, your support will
help ensure that those who need help the most will get it.
For every dollar you donate, Nourish is able to distribute $7 worth of food. Your donation will be matched by our church budget, doubling the amount of your gift.
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Check out what's NEW on FCC's website: A Pentecost Coloring Page, A Pentecost Greeting from the General Minister & President, "Sesame Street Workshop's Tips For Parenting During A Pandemic," "Creative Ideas for Kids" (from our own Ben Smith!), and a lovely and fun musical take-off on Billy Joel entitled "Longest Time - Quarantine Edition."
You find all of these in the Covid-19 sections "Family Fun Resources" & "Worship & Prayer Resources"
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Greetings, Parents, Pastors, and Volunteers in the Youth and Children's Ministry of the Northern Lights Region,
I know that many of you are already looking forward to summer plans, as our communities are starting to open back up, and you may already be thinking about church camp. After much deliberation and conversations, the regional board with a unanimous vote affirmed my recommendation to cancel our overnight camps for this summer.
This was not an easy decision to make, but it is our intention that whenever we gather as a region, we do so with the safety of all at the forefront of our minds. With too many variables and the need for added precautions in place for us to gather, made it clear that we could not be confident that everyone would be safe at camp, or those communities to which our participants would return.
Along with the health concerns we have started to notice that recruiting volunteers for this summer was going to be more difficult than usual because of those with additional health risks and uncertainty around their work schedules, caused some of our volunteers and directors to decline to staff an in-person camp.
While we do not know where our communities will be come July, now is the time to make the difficult decisions as we also make arrangements and plans for alternatives. The Youth and Children's Ministry team and camp directors will be meeting soon to discuss our options for this summer and how we can continue to serve our regional youth and children.
Some of the options that have been brought up are a virtual camp format, a camp day organized in our local communities, or an end of summer day camp at our facilities. Each of these ideas do pose their own set of challenges as well as their advantages. Our hope is to provide a way in which we can continue to celebrate our Creator and our camping communities even though it may look different.
I am reaching out to our facilities to work with them on how we as a region can help them through this time. We recognize that the loss of our regular camps for this summer poses financial challenges for each facility and we want to continue to support Cane Ridge West and Gwinwood in this time. One idea that is being worked on, is to promote a camp in a box fundraiser. This will require volunteers to help bring together items that reflect the essence of camp, and send them out to households, churches, and camp alumni who want a piece of camp at home this summer.
Peace in Christ,
Rev. Chris Snow
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Returning to worship together
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another
. - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)
We are in Eastertide, when we rejoice in the good news of the resurrection, and yet so much our journey still feels like the wilderness. I continue to pray for you as we walk through these days of distancing together.
This week, some state governments are beginning to lift stay-at-home orders and allow some businesses and industries to reopen their doors. These reopening conversations are understandably raising questions about how and when churches should resume in-person worship services. These are difficult decisions, but I want to encourage you, as difficult as it is, not to rush too quickly back. It is not yet time to gather for worship in person.
I know that it is heartbreaking not to be able to gather. We want nothing more than to hug our loved ones and squeeze the hands of our grieving friends. We want nothing more than to worship together and join our voices together in song. We want nothing more than to break bread together at our beloved communion tables.
But the phased reopening plans developed by public health experts call for several benchmarks to indicate safety such as 14 days of declining case counts, widespread testing, and contact tracing. We are not there yet.
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Pentecost Sermon Planning
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Date
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Scripture
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Sermon Title |
June 7
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Mark 1: 12-15
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Life and the Wilderness |
June 14
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Matthew 4:1-11
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What This Wilderness Shows Us |
| June 21 |
Matthew 9:35-38 |
Compassion |
| June 28 |
Psalm 56 |
Holy Lament: Tears in God's Bottles |
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| Click Here to Donate |
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Did you know you can donate your regular
giving or special offerings online? Click on the button to the left to head to our donation page or use the QR code to the right to donate through Venmo. Should you have questions please email us at
info@fcctacoma.org
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SUBMIT SUGGESTED ARTICLES FOR INCLUSION IN THIS WEEKLY EMAIL AND SUNDAY BULLETIN BY WEDNESDAY AT NOON. EMAIL THE OFFICE HERE
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