THIS WEEK AT FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH For the week of JULY 29, 2020

A Note from Your Pastor

Friends, Some of you know that my grandparents live at a nursing home in Vinton, IA. Each week the Marketing Director sends out an email to let families know how things are in relationship to COVID. Recently there were a few sentences of his note that struck me and that seem to apply to so many situations in our lives. He wrote: We trust that someday this will be over, and we will look back on it and see it for what it is…..a moment in our life story.

For now, however, we don’t know any of that, and don’t know to what extent we will resume the lives we were living before.

For now, we are left with the choice of embracing only that which is in front of us, as we anxiously await news for ways we can reunite with our loved ones.

For now, we share and celebrate God given moments of joy. I hope that as you continue on this journey of unknowing and of anticipating, that you can celebrate the moments of joy in your life and that you can hold onto hope that someday this will be over. This will always be a strange time in the story of our lives, but it will not write the whole of our stories. Meanwhile, some days more than others can sometimes seem overwhelming. Know that I am praying for you daily and that if there are ways First Christian can support you, we are here.

Missing you, Jill

Stop By For a Tasty Treat

Throughout the month of August, First Christian Church will host a Drive

Thru/Walk Thru/Bike Thru Ice Cream Distribution each Monday (August 3,

10, 17, 24, 31) evening from 7 - 8pm.

You are invited to come to the upper parking lot at church and get your

treat to go. There will be two options each week - one ice cream option

and one fruity (lactose free) option. Those driving up should pull through

the driveway near the front door, those walking/biking up should come to

the north/parking lot end of the front sidewalk (near handicap spots).

This is a simple gift to help FCC friends and neighbors cool off in the

warmth of summer.

This Week at First Christian Church JULY 29, 2020

UPCOMING EVENTS

Join Bible Study on Wednesdays

at 12:30pm using Zoom.

Upcoming scriptures:

July 29 - Luke 4:16-30

August 5 - John 8:1-11

QuaranTEENS (6th-12th graders) will meet on

Thursday, July 30 @ 8pm on Zoom w/ Jill & Kara.

Check your email for the link! This group will

take a break during August, but youth group will

return in the fall.

Please note that for security, Zoom links for meetings involving children and youth are distributed to our mailing list via email only. If you aren’t receiving the emails and would like to take part, contact Kara @ icdisciple.kids@gmail.com

FCC Connect - Thursdays @ 6pm

Join us for a time of conversation with friends from

FCC. We gather on Zoom each Thursday at 6pm

How to Be an Antiracist book study

It’s not too late to join conversation around the

book How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.

This conversation continues on Wednesday

evenings July 29, August 5 and August 12 at 6:30pm

on Zoom.

Please get a copy of the book and prepare the

following chapters for each meeting:

July 29: Chapters 5 - 8

August 5: Chapters 9 - 13

August 12: Chapters 14 - 18

Culture Through Poetry: Inspiration for Our Times

Time are tumultuous. We are living in the midst of pandemic, social activism, racial injustice, and abundant

feelings of helplessness. In this time many are turning to poetry.

You are invited to join Corinne Stanley for a four-week journey of reading and discussing poets (and their poetry)

from around the world. Together participants will become familiar with poets from distinct cultures, respond to

their poetry, and (if inspired) reflect and write original poetry. You don’t have to be a poet to participate!

This class will meet on Tuesdays, August 18, 25, September 1 and 8 from 12:30 - 2:00pm via Zoom.

If you are interested in participating, please follow this link or call the church office to sign up. Those who sign up

will receive a packet of materials ahead of the first class that will be used for each session.

Poets from the following places will be explored: Palestine, United States, Poland, T’ang and Sung Dynasty,

Bohemia/Austria, India, Persia, Spain, Mexico.

A suggestion - as a way to connect not only with other cultures, but also our community, participants are invited

to make a donation to the Free Medical Clinic in appreciation for the class and in lieu of purchasing materials.

If you have questions, contact Corinne.

This Week at First Christian Church JULY 29, 2020

You might remember in May we did a Zoom session talking about cooking and favorite recipes. We are going to share some of those recipes here. And in the midst of summer, this one felt like a good place

to begin. Look for more recipes in future weeks!

KEY LIME PIE A COVID-19 favorite recipe from Eunice Welsh

1 – 8 or 9 inch baked pastry shell or graham cracker crumb crust 3 egg yolks 1 – 14oz can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk) ½ cup RealLime Lime Juice from Concentrate Yellow or green food coloring, optional Whipped cream or whipped topping Preheat oven to 325 degree. In large mixer bowl, beat egg yolks with Eagle Brand, ReaLime brand and food coloring if desired. Pour into pastry shell: bake 30 minutes. Cool, Chili. Top with whipped cream. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

You are invited to join Disciples from all over on Thursday

evenings for a 7-part series sponsored by Reconciliation Ministry

and the Office of the General Minister and President. To register,

click here.

July 30 - Love is an Action Word: Avoiding Complicity with Racism

Aug. 13 - Love is an Action Word: Indigenous Peoples

Aug. 27 - Love is an Action Word: North American Pacific/Asian Disciples

Sept. 10 - Love is an Action Word: Latinx, Obra Hispana, and Just Borders

Sept. 24 - Love is an Action Word: National Convocation, the Black Lives Matter movement

Oct. 8 - Love is an Action Word: Identity, Theology, and Faithful Care for the Community

Oct. 22 - Love is an Action Word: Puerto Rico, Imperialist Ideology, and Mission

+CHRISTIAN SYMBOL+

Grapes

As the fruit used to produce wine

or juice for Holy Communion,

grapes represent the blood shed

by Jesus on the cross. Grapes also

symbolize fruitfulness (or lack thereof) in the

life of ancient Israel and, by extension, of a

Christian. “My beloved had a vineyard on a very

fertile hill. ... he expected it to yield grapes, but it

yielded wild grapes” (Isaiah 5:1-2, NRSV).

BIBLE QUIZ

In John of Patmos’ vision, what is special about the

12 gates of the New Jerusalem?

A. They are made of gold and always closed.

B. They are made of amethyst and onyx.

C. They are closed by day and open by night.

D. They are made of pearl and never closed.

Answer: See Revelation 21:21, 25.

This Week at First Christian Church JULY 29, 2020

Worship Guide for Sunday Worship

Each week we post an electronic worship service on YouTube (and have an opportunity to gather together on Zoom). The new service is available beginning at 10am on Sunday. The worship guide below will function

as a bulletin for those watching the worship service and can also be used independently by those who cannot or choose not to access YouTube.

In preparation for participating in worship, you are invited to gather some sort of food and drink to take at communion time. Remember, these don’t have to be bread and juice or wine. If you desire, you may also

want to have a candle nearby to light as we light the candle at the beginning of worship.

August 2, 2020

Greeting

Congregational Singing - “Change My Heart, O God”

Prayer Take a moment to center yourself. Pay attention to the ways and places God shows up in your life.

Pray for those who are homeless and housing insecure. Pray for those who are experiencing natural disasters or the threat of natural disasters—hurricanes, wild

fires, and more. Simply talk with God. What are the prayers of your heart?

Scripture - Isaiah 64:1-12 (excerpts printed here)

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence….When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth….for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people.

Children’s Moment

Sermon - Songs of Forgiveness and Hope Consider the following questions: How do you experience God? Do you long for God to show up in other ways? What are the sins with which you struggle? Have you asked for forgiveness? Have you forgiven yourself? What are the ways that you would ask God to reshape you, to recreate you as if you are clay in God’s hands?

Offering During this time we appreciate all who are continuing their financial commitment to FCC using the USPS or the “Donate” button on the website. We also encourage you to consider other ways you can be an offering beyond our congregation, to the community and our world. Find an act of kindness to share today.

Communion The table is a place of forgiveness and wholeness. Here each week we are invited to begin again, to renew our relationship with God, to recommit to following the ways of Jesus. As you take the elements of communion, use this moment to commit your body again to God’s work and to invite God’s loving spirit to flow through you.

Congregational Singing - “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”

Benediction

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

14-Shadley & Dan

Grimes

1

2

Online Worship @

Zoom &YouTube

10 AM

3

Ice Cream

Distribution 7 PM

4 5

Bible Study @ Zoom

12:30 PM

Executive Comm. @

Zoom 5 PM

“How to Be an

Antiracist” Book

Study @ Zoom

6:30 PM

6

FCC Connect @

Zoom 6 PM

7 8

9

Online Worship @

Zoom &YouTube

10 AM

10

Finance Team @

Zoom 6:30 PM

Ice Cream

Distribution 7 PM

11 12

Bible Study @ Zoom

12:30 PM

“How to Be an

Antiracist” Book

Study @ Zoom

6:30 PM

13

FCC Connect @

Zoom 6 PM

14 15

16

Online Worship @

Zoom &YouTube

10 AM

17

Ice Cream

Distribution 7 PM

18

BOARD Mtg @

Zoom 7 PM

19

CRC @ Zoom 10 AM

Bible Study @ Zoom

12:30 PM

20

FCC Connect @

Zoom 6 PM

21 22

23

Online Worship with

Back to School

Blessing @ Zoom

&YouTube 10 AM

24

Ice Cream

Distribution 7 PM

25 26

Bible Study @ Zoom

12:30 PM

27

Women Clergy @

zoom 10 AM

FCC Connect @

Zoom 6 PM

Book Club @ Zoom

7 PM

28 29

30

Online Worship @

Zoom &YouTube

10 AM

31

Ice Cream

Distribution 7 PM

1-Linda Kinkade

2-Kathy Harrison

3-Julie Fitzpatrick

3-Karen Haslett

5-Diane Hertel

6-Martha Melton

7-Charlie Hall

9-Richard Green

11-Cara Harris

11-Spencer Thomas

12-Jared Haar

12-Nancy Butler

15-Barbara

Brodersen

15-Jack Jensen-

Fitzpatrick

18-Carol Mertens

18-Keyla Rodgers

18-Del Gilmore

20-Scott

Brownsberger

21-Karen Dawson

24-Corinne

Stanley

27 Wilma Evans

27-Dave Ricklefs

BIRTHDAYS:

ANNIVERSARY:

Jill out of office

Jill out of office

Jill out of office

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

(DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)

900 LINCOLNSHIRE PLACE

CORALVILLE, IA 52241-3615

Our regular schedule will

resume when it is safe to do so

For now we are worshipping virtually.

Each week a new worship service is

posted to our YouTube Channel at

10am on Sunday.

You are also welcome to join others

on Zoom on Sunday mornings at

9:45am. There we will share

fellowship and conversation as well as

watch the worship service.

All other meetings are also virtual.

For links or assistance, contact Pastor Jill.