July/August 2009 Newsletter
Take a Break!
As a homeowner, whenever I have a spare few hours, I am outside pulling weeds, pruning bushes, and completing little repair jobs. Taking a break from our labors is the real blessing that we especially think about when summer comes.
Ever since we started going to school based on a former time when America was on an agricultural economy needing more hands during the summer months to harvest the crops, school begins in September and ends in June giving us July and August as a summer break. While some go on long-awaited vacations to faraway places, others stay close to home to enjoy the interesting places that we have taken for granted. For those who remain working, it is still a change of pace when tasks slow down and you and your co-workers picnic outside for lunch. We take a break.
The Bible records in numerous places the importance of taking a break. After God created the heavens and the earth and all their multitude, on the seventh day, God rested and took a break. When Moses received the commandments, the Lord said, “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even in plowing time and in harvest time you shall rest. You shall observe the festival of weeks, the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the festival of ingathering at the turn of the year” (Ex. 34:21-22). When the apostles returned to Jesus and telling him what they have done and taught, Jesus said, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest for awhile” (Mark 6:31). You have worked for the past ten months, we invite you to take a break and rest awhile.
For adult learners, we invite you at take a break from your regular Sunday school classes to participate in this year’s Summer Series. For those in 10:30-11:30 classes, the Discipleship Series offers seminars to sharpen your skills in evangelism and developing stronger fellowship. For those in 11:30-12:30 classes, you will have an opportunity to learn from four partners in ministry in July and lunch conversations with 4/6 friends in August. Consider meeting new friends by attending these new classes in July and August!
More information about these programs is in this newsletter.
At the end of August, take a break as you begin to look forward to autumn and attend our annual All-Church Picnic and Outdoor Worship on Sunday, August 30th, 10:30 AM at Ortega Park in Sunnyvale. There is always great and plentiful food, activities for all ages, and a chance to just talk and catch up with friends. Call the church for lunch tickets. And for the last fling of the summer, we take a break on Labor Day.
It is good for us to take a break. God did it. Jesus invites to do this. Come all of you who have worked all year and take a break!
Pastor Don
ABC Changes
Delegates to this year’s ABC Biennial Meetings in Pasadena will vote on by-law changes that will affect the way American Baptists set mission priorities and ensure greater accountability. In future biennial meetings, there will be a “Mission Summit” that will generate new ideas from those who attend the biennial thereby shaping the mission of the denomination. The ideas coming out of the Mission Summit will go to the “Mission Table” to be organized, prioritized and implemented. The Mission Table is not a governance body but will focus primarily on mission and ministry. The boards of the mission organizations, namely National Ministries and International Ministries will become smaller and more in-line with the way many non-profit boards operate providing board members with gifts and skills needed for these organizations to work effectively. The diverse constituents that make up the ABC such as Asian American Baptists will have a more prominent role in determining mission directions. These are some of the highlights of the proposed changes that will be acted on this June. Attendees from our church are: Rev. Peter Lee, Lydia Lee, Moa Imchen, Akumla Longchar, Rev. Lauren Ng, and Rev. Don Ng. If you have questions about the proposed new American Baptist structure, please see Pastor Don.
Partnership with Chinatown YMCA
Our church continues to be in conversations with Executive Director Kari Lee and YMCA representatives on the possibility of forging a partnership to renovate the gym so that it may be used for our Sunday ministries as well as for the Y to carry out its weekday programs. The central idea of the partnership is for the church to make a significant contribution to the renovation that would enable the church to have the privilege of being first priority Sunday users over a determined number of years. Whatever is agreed upon, the terms in the partnership need to be acceptable to both the church and the YMCA. To this point, the Y has shared with us the proposed architectural drawings of the gym and a small group from our church has had a walk-through of what the project might look like. A meeting has been set with representatives from both the church and the Y to meet to discuss what needs to be included in the partnership. Once a basic understanding is reached and upon the Deacons’ recommendation, a church membership meeting will duly be called to approve of the partnership that would include the amount of our contribution. If you have any comments or questions, please contact Pastor Don.
Adult Summer Series
This year’s Summer Series on the church theme, “Footprints for Christ,” an emphasis on evangelism and fellowship has two parts. In July, we have 4 guest speakers who will share with us how we may become more involved with them to reach out to others with the Good News.
Seminars
July 5 Footprints in the Bay Area led by Anna Eng with the Bay Area Organizing Committee
July 12 Footprints with Other Churches led by Dr. Tim Tseng with ISAAC (Institute for Asian American Christianity)
July 19 Footprints in our Neighborhood led by Kari Lee of the Chinatown YMCA
July 26 Footprints at the Seminary led by Dr. Paul Martin of the American Baptist Seminary of the West
Lunches
In August, you will have an opportunity to sign up and go out to lunch in small groups of fours or sixes. Sign up to participate on Sundays—August 2, 9, 16 and 23. We’ll assign you to a small group and give you a “Discussion Question” to talk on. We’ll provide you with good company and a stimulating question, but you will need to pay for your own lunch! We are hoping that people from both the 9:10 and 10:20 worship services can do this together.
All Adult Summer Series events will take place from 11:30-12:30. For more information, see Pastor Don. Take a break! We look forward to having you participate this summer.
2009 Discipleship Series
The Discipleship Series is a new, four-year program with each year focusing on two areas of Christian ministry emphasized in our church theme. On the theme of “Evangelism and Fellowship,” there will be 8 weeks (7/5-8/23) of sessions from 10:30-11:30 in Culbertson Hall in Cameron House. You may take the course toward certification or audit the course with no assignment requirements.
Evangelism
July 5 Why Do We Do It? Pastor Jane Lam
July 12 The Stakes Are High Rev. Chris Otani
July 19 We Are His Ambassadors Rev. Chris Otani
July 26 Go Therefore and Make Disciples Rev. Dr. Viji Nakka- Cammauf, Served as a minister at First Covenant, Oakland and an adjunct professor for several seminaries.
Fellowship
August 2 Why Do We Do It? Dave Fong, AACF, Berkeley
August 9 Is There a Right Way to Fellowship? Rev. Chris Otani
August 16 A Case Study Jennifer W. Davidson, Assistant Professor of Worship and Director of Chapel at ABSW
August 23 Building Deeper Relationships Rev. Chris Otani
To register and for more information, contact Pastor Lauren Ng.
Redwood Glen 2009—FCBC Seniors & Friends Retreat
The annual FCBC Seniors and Friends Retreat is October 6-8, 2009 at Redwood Glen on the theme, Resources for Positive Aging, will be led by John Chuck, M.D. Invite your friends and acquaintances to join you for a time of fellowship, learning, and sharing. Register as soon as possible with Joel Jang—space is limited.
2010 Holy Land Pilgrimage
Plans are underway for the 2010 Pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan for 14 days in the early part of May. Our visit to Israel will take us to experience all of the major sites of our biblical story. Highlights include Caesarea, Galilee, Capernaum, Nazareth, Jerusalem and the Old City, Gethsemane, Bethlehem, Bethany, and the Qumran. At each site, the biblical story would be read and historical context provided. Morning devotions and Sunday morning worship at a local church offer ways to deepen one’s faith. After our visit to Israel, we will visit the ancient city of Petra in Jordan before returning to the Bay Area.
2010 hotel rates and airfares will be available by this Fall. The 2010 Pilgrimage is limited to 30 persons with priority registration to members and friends of FCBC. To hold a place, a pre-reservation form is now available for completion along with a deposit by November 1, 2009. For more information, contact Pastor Don Ng.
CBC Store
In recent years, our church has published a number of books and continues to sell Lanna Coffee to stop human trafficking and support life-saving projects in Northern Thailand. For the purpose of making these resources and products more easily available, we’ll feature the “CBC Store” in the newsletter.
Books
*Chinatown—More Stories of Life and Faith, Vol. 2; James Chuck, editor.
Following the highly popular first volume of Chinatown—Stories of Life and Faith, this volume contains 60 stories that will inspire you on how Chinese Americans have survived the hardship of growing up in America and how the church was a integral part of their lives. $20.
*Sidewalk Tea Cookbook
Celebrating our 125th Church Anniversary in 2005, this project of the Women’s Fellowship features an abundance of recipes that have been used down through the years and have made church dinners a true event. Unique in this cookbook is the many stories on how a recipe became a part of the person’s life and family traditions. $15.
Lanna Coffee—Every Sip Saves Lives!
When you drink your daily cup of coffee, you can be assured that you are strengthening village economies thereby reducing the risk of sending girls and young women to work as domestics and then running the risk of being trafficked. For every bag of coffee you buy, we donate 50-cents to the House of Love for children with HIV/AIDS and 50-cents to the New Life Center for women rescued from prostitution and trained with new skills to earn a living.
*Premium Whole Bean, 1 lb. $12.
*Premium Ground, 1 lb. $12.
*Espresso Whole Bean, 1 lb. $14.
*Espresso Ground, 1 lb. $14
In addition to the cost for item, there will be some shipping charges. To purchase, contact the church office by phone or by email. Thank you.
Family News
At Square and Circle Club’s 85th Anniversary Celebration on June 7th, our church received a $2000.00 to support our Day Camp and Friday Night School programs. We congratulate the Square and Circle Club for their dedication and enduring service to the community and thank you for your generous contribution!
Congratulations to Matia and Vincent Chan for the birth of their son, Jadon Matson Chan on May 31st! May God bless this new baby and his maturity in the Christian family!
July
4 Holiday
5 9—L
10—D
11—P
7 Pastoral Staff, 10:00
11 “The Married Life” seminar, 6:00-9:00, Fellowship Hall
EFG
12 9—C
10—
11—P
Church Security, 12:30-1:30
Deacons, 1:30
18 Men’s Fellowship
19 9—L
10—D
11—P
Social Committee, 12:45
Music Committee, 1:30
23 Gifts Planning Committee
24 Lanna Coffee, 7:30
25 Sojourners
26 9—Dr. Paul Martin
10—Dr. Paul Martin
11—P
28 Office Staff, 10:00
August
2-8 Youth Camp, Redwood Glen
9—L
10—L
11—P
7-9 Chinese Summer Retreat, Alliance Redwoods
9 9—Youth Camp
10—D
11—
Deacons, 1:30
11 All-Staff, 10:00
16 9—Jennifer Davidson
10—Dr. James Chuck
11—
Christian Circle, 2:00
23 9—C
10—D
11—P
Trustees, 1:00
PRC—1:00
25 Pastoral Staff, 10:00
29 Finance Committee, 9:00
“The Married Life,” 6:00
30 All-Church Picnic & Outdoor Worship, 10:30, Sunnyvale
9/5-7 Family Camp, Happy Valley, Santa Cruz