October 1, 2024
Beloved,
The first worship service of this month, we celebrate World Communion Sunday, that annual date on which we make a special effort to recognize, and be inspired by, the reality that we belong to a faith family comprised of people of every nation, race, cultural background and kind.
We follow up on the last worship service of this month by holding a congregational meeting in
which we take care of the specific needs of this one particular church and elect officers to lead us, and
serve with us, in the fulfillment of God’s will for this unique community of Jesus followers in its unique
context.
In between, we seek, as best we know how now, to make both new disciples and stronger disciples
of Jesus.
To that end, we are striving to develop our hospitality and inclusivity toward church visitors who are spiritually seeking, who are new to the faith, and/or who are in any way unfamiliar with what following
Jesus means to us. We are hoping to learn how to warmly welcome them without scaring them off, how to bring them into our circles of conversation as a new friend without putting them on the spot and, most of all, how to create an atmosphere in which they feel safe enough to be themselves and to speak freely
without being exposed to put-downs or judging.
To the same end, we are also striving to provide additional, alternative ways for the many children and youth who, coming out of the pandemic, have been resistant to coming to church on Sundays, to engage with the wisdom and inspiration of God’s word. We are therefore offering a host of new weekday Bible studies and encouraging more mentorships than before in which the scriptures might often come up in conversations about decision-making and finding one’s way in these challenging days.
In between, we also faithfully keep doing what we know we should always do – such as taking care
of the needy. In that regard, the third weekend of this month, October 19th – 20th, provides a pair of opportunities to help the needy while having a good time!
From 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. that Saturday, at the Salt Water Deck restaurant, right on the beach below 2630 E. Ocean Blvd., the social service agency Christian Outreach in Action, will be having its Gospel Brunch fundraiser. You can enjoy an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet, joyous and uplifting music and a beautiful view of the ocean – while, by your $45 ticket purchase and possible participation in a silent auction, you support the feeding of our unhoused and low-income neighbors. You may purchase your tickets by calling 562-432-1440 or by visiting https://givebutter.com/o7rje7.
Starting at 2:30 that Sunday at the Los Altos Methodist Church at 5950 E. Willow (with organizing rally at 2:15), CROP/Church World Services will be having its Hunger Walk fundraiser. You can enjoy a pleasant 5K afternoon walk through nice neighborhoods in the company of lovely people – while you either take the stroll yourself or sponsor someone who is walking, and so raise money to relieve hunger (with 75% of the funds going to international feeding efforts. and 25%, to Long Beach local efforts). You may register by calling
562-983-1665 or by going online to crophungerwalk.org/longbeachca.
We are so grateful for the adventure of following Jesus, and for such wonderful companions in the
journey!
In the grip of God’s grace,
Pastor Adele and Pastor Rob
Write a comment: