A Season For The Spirit. We Will Meet
A Season For The Spirit. We Will Meet
Her personal ministry for many years has been to share her experience
of being clay in the gentle hands of the Father, the Master Potter. She
tells the story of “The Master’s Pieces” as she works her wheel, and
molds the clay into beautiful pieces of pottery. Carole’s pottery will be
on display at the meeting, along with order forms should you wish to
purchase some of these beautiful works of art.
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The Love Circle will be cooking a special lunch, and Jill Foster will offer
our Worship presentation. Our Service Project for February is Fresh
Start, a 501 (C3) nonprofit organization which provides free reconstruc-
tive plastic surgery and related medical services to disadvantaged chil-
dren. Fresh Start is an old friend to FCC, for they were part of our “Ellie”
experience of a few years ago. Many of you took part in the transportation that was
needed to take Ellie to Carlsbad for treatments. Come and hear the exciting things
this wonderful group is doing, and see what your donation can do.
Wherever there is need in the world, Week of Compassion is there, whether in the
aftermath of ice-storms in Kentucky, or in aiding refugees in Darfur, Africa, or in
easing the suffering of dozens of other crises unseen on the evening news.
The theme for this year’s Week of Compassion Special Offering asks “Where Is
Your Treasure?” (Matthew 6:19-21) and invites us to think of ourselves as “treasure
tenders for God” in the care of the least among us.
Gifts may be given to Week of Compassion at any time, but we will have our spe-
cial emphasis on February 15 and 22.
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ENDOWMENT FUND UPDATE
“AS EACH HAS RECEIVED A GIFT, EMPLOY IT FOR ONE ANOTHER….IN ORDER
THAT IN GOD EVERYTHING MAY BE GLORIFIED…” (I Peter 4:10-11)
We want to acknowledge and thank John and Phyllis King for their recent gift to the Endow-
ment Fund in memory of Hilda Corless. Phyllis was part of the original committee that helped
establish the Fund and she has always been an active supporter. For this we are indeed grate-
ful.
The First Christian Church Endowment Fund was created approximately five years ago and is
designed to accept gifts of cash, stocks, bonds, property, bequest in wills and trusts, and oth-
ers. The assets are managed by directors chosen from and approved by the congregation. In
addition, the assets are held separate from the operating budget of our church and the intent is
to invest these assets in a responsible way and periodically distribute a portion of the capital
gains and/or income earned for use by our church here in Torrance. Currently the value of our
accounts is a little less than $100,000. It is invested in two different funds with the Christian
Church Foundation in Indianapolis.
Like everyone, we look forward to the time when our economy will strengthen and steady
growth will begin to occur. Despite the drop in value we are looking forward and have confi-
dence in the management in Indianapolis and have no plans to make changes at this time. We
continue to hope that people will remember our church in their estate planning and might
choose to honor someone’s memory, birthday, anniversary or other special event by means of
a donation to the Fund.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact one of the di-
rectors listed below.
Thank You
MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
Doug Crawford Lee Sebaugh Andrea Whobrey Gene Wiehe Doris Wilson
Baptism Class
Pastor Steve will be offering four classes as preparation for our celebration of
baptism on Easter Sunday (April 12). Classes will be geared for children fourth-
grade and up who have not previously been baptized.
Interested children and their parents are invited to meet briefly on March 1 after each worship
service, so that we may coordinate calendars, and hand out materials. Plans are to hold class
Sunday afternoons, March 8, 15 and 29, and on Saturday morning, April 4.
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CHURCH FAMILY PRAYERS & CONCERNS
Jack Rogers is awaiting the results of a spinal tap, which is to discern
whether or not he may have bone cancer.
Marlen and Francisco Sanchez’s son, David, who lives in Michigan, is doing well after an
emergency appendectomy.
Gene & Doreen Jackson are happy to report the birth of a great-granddaughter, Hope
Carylyn, on January 23. Mother and baby are doing well.
Prayers are asked for safe travels, including Pat Brown, who is returning to England, and
Lilian Asomugha, who has returned from Hawaii after watching her son play in the Pro-
Bowl.
Karen Jackson and a friend avoided serious injury after Karen’s car suffered a high-impact
rear-ending.
Susan Babcock’s beloved canine companions are in our prayers: Shiloh has received a ter-
minal diagnosis after the removal of a cancerous growth; Pumpkin had a growth removed
from the parathyroid, but tests show that it was not malignant.
Judy Rickabaugh’s in-law, Elena Martin, died recently after a long illness.
Ruthie Totes spent time in the hospital after suffering face and head lacerations in a car ac-
cident. None of her injuries are life-threatening, but she needs prayer for comfort and
strengthening.
Michele Wood is doing better with the nerve-damage pain caused by a blood draw—the
hope is that she can now be weaned from medication.
Kim Larson’s grandfather, Paul, who lives in Colorado, will need surgery after breaking
both arms in a fall.
Aron Fried was in a car accident and suffered a stroke. The left side of his body is very
weak.
Officer Steve Kroesen, a co-worker with Carol Wilk, had to be put in an induced coma for
a while, as he was at risk of massive organ failure. He is doing better now, but still grave.
Prayers are asked for the many families, some within our church, who are being impacted
by job or pay cuts.
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February 2009 (Revised
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thurs
WORSHIP SERVICES
8:30 and 10:30 am
Sunday School 9:30 am
1 2 3 4
8 9 10 11
15 16 17 18
Week Of Compassion
Love Group 9:30 a.m.
Congregation Meeting
Faith Group 1:30 p.m.
(after each service) Church Office Closed Cho
Elders 7:00 p.m. Bible Study 10:00 a.m.
Youth Adventure President’s Day 7:00 p
12:00
22 23 24 25
February Birthday’s
Michael Gonzalez (6)
Marie Wood (6)
John Galyardt (7)
Carole Colby (10)
Brent Foster (10)
Doreen Jackson (11)
Jean Richards (12)
Carol Rimmey (12)
Ted Oden (13)
Connie Gonzales (17)
Barbara Myers (17)
Shirley Johnson (20)
5 6 7 Cheryl Crawford (22)
Ruth Singleton (24)
John Beecher (27)
Jeff Wood (28)
Bob Rogers (28)
Bob Thomas (28)
12 13 14
oir
p.m.
Feb. Camp 13-16
19 20 21
ANNIVERSARIES
oir Jeff & Michele Wood (12)
CMF 8:30 a.m.. Stan & Chery Carew (24)
p.m.
26 27 28
oir
p.m.
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Education Notes & News
“Called to Fellowship”
There’s still time if you are interested in participating in our Loch Leven All-
Church Retreat. Our theme comes from 1 Corinthians 1:9: “God is faithful; by
Him you (all) were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
We will be focusing on this scripture and participating in activities and learning
experiences that will be appropriate for all ages, from the young to the old. There will also be
plenty of time for relaxation, hiking, a campfire, exploring and maybe even a trip to the snow.
What: Weekend retreat for the entire church family
Where: Loch Leven Camp and Conference Center located in the San Bernardino mountains
When: Friday evening March 20th-Sunday morning March 22nd
Cost: $90 for adults, $67 for ages 4-12, free for children 3 and younger
Financial assistance is available. See Samantha Lubrani to reserve your spot.
Pastor’s Class
It is a tradition at our church that a Pastor’s Class is offered to fourth graders who are
ready to make the decision to be baptized. This class is also available for older children
who are ready to take this step in their spiritual lives. Pastor Steve Fietz will be leading a
4 week class to help prepare the children for baptism on Easter Sunday. See page 4 for
more information and please see Pastor Steve if you or your child is interested.
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Upcoming Sermons
February 15 – “At the Cross Roads” (Acts 8:26-40)
God has given many gifts, and in great variety—the church’s mission exists at the intersec-
tion of our gifts and the world’s needs.
February 22 – “A Noisy Symbol” (1 Corinthians 12:31—14:1a)
God’s gifts are meant to be used in love—and love is meant to be enacted through the use of
our collective gifts.
March 1 – “Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There” (Psalm 1)
On this first Sunday in Lent, we begin a sermon series on Spiritual Practices—things we can
do regularly (religiously!) that help strengthen our faith and our connection to God. We’ll
begin the series by considering the practice of Meditation.
(Disciples of Christ)
PERMIT NO. 109
TORRANCE, CA
Officers
Chair - Doug Crawford
TIME VALUE DATA
DO NOT DELAY
First Christian Church
Torrance, CA 90503
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