8/14/2019 No. 27, Jan. 9 Courier

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/no-27-jan-9-courier 1/4

 January 9, 2010

Inside the Courier : 

! A Look at the BriteSide, page 2

! FCC news in brief,

 page 3

! Reflections on the

word, page 4

On the Web 

fccminneapolis.org

FCC Flickr photos 

Sharon Watkins onDiscipleWorld end 

New %ear’s *esolutions 

A Letter from Pat Dunlop 

! #$%ent )onsp-ra012 pa3e

Well, 2009 has left us and now weare embarking on a new path in 2010.Every year I think about what New4ear’s resol7t-ons 8 sho7l$ :a;e an$how I can motivate myself to followthrough on these. Perhaps as achurch family each of us should con-s-$er <hat =e< 4ear’s resol7t-ons

will help us grow and transform as afamily of faith.

Perhaps I should resolve to followthrough on the challenge given to us by Bob to invite a complete stranger to church with us. Perhaps I shouldresolve to join-in on our mission out-reach opportunities and volunteer with FCC at Feed My Starving Child-ren, Groveland Food Shelf, Immi-grant Relief Assistance, or Communi-ty Emergency Services, or becomeinvolved in the new worship and spi-ritual exploration experience that Boband Dennis will soon be bringing toour church. Maybe I should resolveto > pray> pray every day > pray?or @o$’s =e< 4ear Aesolutions.

I often find myself more than willingto decide what should be resolved, but more often than not, I also findthat <hen 8’: ?a0e$ <-th a0t7all1 ?ol-lowing through I have all sorts of excuses why I don’t. Perhaps thereason 8’: so eas-l1 $e?eate$ -s that

the resolutions only have an B8C 0om- ponent and not the w e component of God working through and with me.

Dat E7nlop 3-%-n3 )h-l$ren’s Fal; on Fhan;s3-ving

For the last 6 years while I have servedas board vice-chair and chair I have beentrying to discern what is in the best in-terest o? o7r 0o::7n-t1G 8’%e not $one

this alone but with the many members of our body who served with me on com-mittees; with those of you who talked

with us about our future; and with allwho prayed for our deliberations anddiscernment daily.

As we transition to new leadership weneed to pray, more fervently, and listen?or @o$’s resolutions; for how we are to be a community in the future and whatthat community will look like. We needto trust in the change of the future and inthe surprises that we encounter. As Bob

so o?ten sa1s2 B@o$2 the practical joker that she is,C has a way of presenting themost wonderful coincidences and oppor-tunities if we are listening.

May this New Year be our best listeningyear yet!

In peace and love, Pat Dunlop

 

Christian Courier F ir st  Chri st ian Chur c h o f  Minn e apoli s  (D i s c ipl e s o f  Chri st  ) 

8/14/2019 No. 27, Jan. 9 Courier

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/no-27-jan-9-courier 2/4

 

Page 2

Pastor Bob Brite

A Thank-You for Faith Sharing Efforts

We pray for Enid Griffin, <ho bro;e her ar: -n a ?all on =e< 4ear’s Ea1

and Deb Murphy, who rebroke her foot; for Barbara Dean and Corrie Brite, recovering from recent surgery, and Mary Lou Cain, whose shoul-der infection was treated successfully; for traveling mercies to Amy and

Steve Dunlop who will soon leave for work in Tanzania and Thailand, andfor Garry Hesser, leaving Jan. 17 for a journey to South Africa, Ethiopiaand other countries; in thanksgiving for the A rt of the Covenant class;for wisdom and discernment for new board members and Tom Cur ry,the new Board Chair; for Elaine Tucker’s cousin who is returning fromservice in Afghanistan, and for all those serving our country as well as their families who wait for them; for Audrey Hanson and Bob Risinger andother homebound members as well as all those in and beyond our churchfamily, Amen.

In Our Prayers 

“Every additional person

in wor s hip m e an s  t ha t  a n e w r e la t ion s hip c an b e  st ar t e d or an old r e la t ion- s hip r e newed” 

On Christmas Sunday, we

$-$n’t h-t IJK people -n <or-ship, but we did have an in-crease in attendance of 60%over our average and, in spiteof the weather, about 15 peoplemore in our Christmas Eve ser-vice than my recollection of last year.

 =o<2 8’: not tr1-n3 to pla1 anumbers game here, but instead8’: tr1-n3 to po-nt out thatevery additional person in wor-ship means that a new relation-ship can be started or an oldrelationship renewed.

Fhat’s the p7rpose o? )hr-st-an

community, and particularlythat needs to be the calling of everyone in the life of thecommunity. The body of Chr-ist here at FCC will, guided by@o$’s sp-r-t Lhope?7ll1M2 3ro<

in number because we grow inthe spirit of relationship.

No2 8’: not 3o-n3 to be sha%-n3

my beard at this time (but will probably offer it up as a futuregoal); however, I am going tosend some cash to regional:-n-str1 to sa1 BFhan; 1o7C tothe congregation for engagingin the efforts of faith-sharing,as well as to encourage you toB;eep -t 7pGC

I also wish to offer a word of thanks to all who providedwonderful munchies, though-tful notes, and other things dur-ing the Advent Christmas sea-sonG 8’: st-ll enOo1-n3 so:e o? the munchies! Bless you for the blessing you are to me.

8’$ l-;e to see 4PQ on N7n$a12 Bob

A Look at the Brite Side 

Gra c iou s  God , w e  

li ft  up t h e s e p e r s on s  in our pray e r s , a s k - ing t h e bl e ss ing o f   

 your Gra ce  and ou t - pouring o f  your Lov e  upon t h e m . 

8/14/2019 No. 27, Jan. 9 Courier

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/no-27-jan-9-courier 3/4

 

January 9, 2010 Page 3

FCC News in Brief  New study groups, offerings, and much more

Rick Bowman earns certification 

Congratulations to our building manager Rick Bowman on his recent certification by the Minne-sota Department of Labor and Industry as a Li-censed Boiler Engineer (2-C). Rick's achievementwill help assure that our heating plant is operatingsafely and efficiently, and will result in loweringour costs for contracted engineering services.Thanks, Rick!

Prayer Circle hoping to restartA Sunday morning prayer circle began this past

summer, meeting in the library at 9am. Pastor Dennis Sanders is trying to gauge interest in res-tarting the Prayer Circle on Sundays at 9:15am.

People would gather and read a devotional and a piece of Scripture and then pray for those on the prayer list. The prayer circle would keep to a timelimit of 20-30 minutes.

If you are free and able to attend, please contactPastor Sanders at:associatepastor@fccminneapolis.org. 

I look forward to hearing from you. 

90th Birthday celebration for Stan Moe Longtime FCC member Stan Moe will celebratehis 90th birthday on January 10, 2010, from 1-3:30pm at Summer House, 9850 Lyndale Ave. S.,Bloomington, MN (55420). Contact Nancy Hall,Ntan’s $a73hter2 ?or :ore -n?or:at-onG R -s SJI-431-1949.

DisciplesWorld ceases publicationDisciplesWorld, the award-winning journal of news, opinion, and mission for the ChristianChurch (Disciples of Christ), will cease publicationafter almost eight years. The magazine publishersno longer have sufficient resources to publish dueto declining subscription and advertising revenueand charitable gifts.

The last issue of the magazine will be the Jan-Feb

2010 issue. Information about obtaining this issue, back issues, a history of the magazine, website in-formation and other details about the dissolving of DisciplesWorld can be found at:

http://tinyurl.com/DisciplesWorldDissolves

!"#ahl' o*era offerin0s hel* su**ort Feed My Starving Children Offerings made for the Advent opera Am ahl and t h e Nigh t  Vi s i t or s , presented at FCC on Dec. 19,came to $1450. With a matching offering from the

Outreach committee, the total donation for FeedMy Starving Children came to $2900, enough to provide 17,000 meals.

Study of Spiritual DisciplinesThe Sunday morning Adult Sunday School Classhas begun a 13-week of Richard Foster's book C e l- e bra t ion o f  Di s c iplin e and scripture. The class willstudy the 12 spiritual disciplines: inward discip-lines (meditation, prayer, fasting, study), outwarddisciplines (simplicity, solitude, submission, ser-

vice), and corporate disciplines (confession, wor-ship, guidance and celebration). All are welcome tocome and check it out!!!

Wednesday Group begins spiritual study How would you describe your faith with God?Could you describe it to others?

If you have trouble answering either question, youmight want to join us on Wednesday Evenings at6pm. The Wednesday Lectionary Group begins an

8-week study on spiritual growth and faith sharing.We will be using the guide Ta l k ing Fai t h , a curri-culum designed for mainline Christians to be ableto share their faith with others as part of a conver-sation and not to as a way to coerce others. All arewelcome to take part!

8/14/2019 No. 27, Jan. 9 Courier

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/no-27-jan-9-courier 4/4

 

Address Service Requested

Sundays at First Christian Church 

Before Worship (9:15 am):Art of the Covenant Class Worship 10:30 am Hearthstone Class Fellowship Hour 11:45 amBible Study Class

Pra er Circle

Bi-Weekly Calendar 

F IRST C HRIS T IA N C HURC HOF MINNE A P OL IS

(DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)

2201 1st Avenue SouthMinneapolis, MN 55404

A Though tf  ul Chur c h in t h e  H e ar t o f   t h e  Ci t  y 

Ministry TeamAll M embers of the CongregationRobert Brite, Interim Minister 

Denn is Sanders, Minister of Diver-

sity and Mission

Chris Wogaman, Office Manager 

Bill Stump, Director of Music

Rick Bowman, Building Manager 

Serena Carlson, Nursery AttendantJa mes Barnett , Pianist

Martha Harris, Courier Editor 

Telephone: 612.870.1868

Prayer Phone: 612.870.0984

www.fccminneapolis.org 

E-mail: fcc-mpls@qwest.net 

Fax: 612.870.1860

Chri st ian Couri e r is published bi-weekly. Send items and ideas tochurch office or to Martha Harris

harrismartha@mac.com by Fri . Jan. 15 for the next issue.

This Week at FCC 

Sunday , Ja n. 10Annual Congregational M eeting 12 n

Monday , Ja n. 11Book Group @ Westphals 7 pm

Tuesday, Jan. 12Property Committee 7 pm

Wednesday, Ja n. 13Finance Committee 5:30 pmLectionary Bible Study 6 pm

Bell Choir 6:30 pmChancel Choir 7:45 pm

Thursday, Jan. 14Handcrafters 9 am

Friday, Ja n. 15 -Article deadline for next Courier 

Saturday, Jan. 16Ten’s @ro7p 9 am

Downtown Grief Group 9:30 am

Laura Lynn/Naomi Circle 10 am

Shelter meal at St. Stephens 6 pm

Next Week at FCC 

Sunday , Jan. 17Food Pantry SundayElders meeting 12 n

Monday, Ja n. 18MLK, Jr. Holiday U office closed

Tuesday, Jan. 19Mpls. Retired Teachers Luncheon 11 amBoard Meeting 7 pm

Wednesday, Ja n. 20Lectionary Bible Study 6 pmBell Choir 6:30 pmChancel Choir 7:45 pm

Thursday, Jan. 21Handcrafters 9 am

Saturday, Jan. 23Ten’s @ro7p 9 am

Downtown Grief Group 9:30 am

Reflections on the WordFro m R e ading s  f  or 1 .10 .10 

BVYou are my son, the beloved;with you I am well pleased.’C 

--Luke 3:22

God speaks twice in the NewTestament: here, at Jesus’ bapt-ism, and at the Transfiguration.This makes God’s few wordsv e ry i m por t an t . God’s truewords are words of blessing; takethem into your heart, especiallywhen you feel like you don’t liveup to expectations W your own,others’ or God’s. You do.

God, whose Word to us is love, put to rest all anxiety we have fornot being good enough. Our goodness is through Jesus, inwhom you are well-pleased.Amen.

--Chris Wogaman