volume lxiii no. 18 october 2, 2019fccnh.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/nl100219.pdf · william...

Volume LXIII No. 18 October 2, 2019

A Publication of First Christian Church of North HollywoodA Congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Robert M. Bock, Senior PastorLouise Sloan Goben, Associate PastorJennifer Le’au, Director of Children’s MinistriesJeremy Gillett, Director of Youth MinistriesAlfredo Gomez & Loydi Rivas Gomez, Pastors, Spanish Speaking Congregation

Page � OctOber �, �019 First christian news

This coming Sunday, October 6th, is one of the very important Holy Days in the life of The Church. World Communion Sunday is always celebrated on the first Sunday of October. It offers us, as a church family, an opportunity to affirm our participation within the global church, the Church Universal.

This special day was originally known as World Wide Communion Sunday and was started in 1933 by Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The intent of the celebration was to dem-onstrate the interconnectedness of Christian churches around the world. In 1940 the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America, which later became the National Council of Churches, under the leadership of a Disciples of Christ executive, began promoting the idea nationwide.

Although the historical thought for the day is some-what vague, I was led to believe, while a seminary stu-dent in Indianapolis, that it had a great deal to do with encouraging the German Lutheran Church during its persecution by Hitler. In 1940 Europe was at war while the rest of the world was on the brink of World War II. The Nazis were executing any pastor who would not pledge allegiance to Hitler. It was a time when local churches in every nation were crying for a way to show the unity of Christ to a world fractured by hatred and war. World Communion Sunday was the answer to the church’s cry.

It would be easy for members of our church family to take open Communion for granted. We share the

bread and cup every Sunday and any other time we worship together. And “all are welcome” is the by-word for that experience. Everyone is welcome to share Holy Communion as part of our worship. But that is not the case in most churches around the world. Adherence to a specific creed is often a condition to participation as is recognized membership in a specific church body. Rather than the unity Jesus desired when he instituted Holy Communion during His last Passover on earth, the practice of breaking bread and sharing a cup in re-membrance of Him became, and still is, a major divid-ing point.

World Communion Sunday is a day when churches around the world, representing most denominational backgrounds, observe Holy Communion on the same day. Throughout the day, from morning to night, some-where on this small planet followers of Jesus will be united by doing the same thing and reading the same word – “As they were eating Jesus took bread….” This one simple act, on this one day, says to the world that despite all the racial, cultural, national, political and theological differences that fracture Christ’s Church, we are united at the Table of our Lord.

This Sunday is only one of two Sundays during the year when our church family comes forward for Communion at the 10:00 AM service. The service will be highlighted in many ways. Our Children’s Choir will bring the first special music selection. There will be an international reading of the scripture and as we share Communion there will be special music, including an anthem by our Chancel Choir. My homily will be en-titled “Fractured Fellowship.”

A highlight of World Communion Sunday for the past several years is our International Food Fair Potluck during the Meet and Greet. This event was originated

First christian news OctOber �, �019 Page �

For those of you who know someone serving in the armed forces, as well as people serving in other capacities, we want to lift them up in prayer... please let us know when they come home!

Chris Diaz • Joshua BigbeeWe also want to continue to pray for peace, for wisdom for the world’s leaders, and for the people of all war-torn areas of our world.

by Matt Hunt who still chairs and oversees the selec-tions of food. This is potluck so everyone’s assistance is needed. Bring a dish of your favorite food, an ethnic dish that represents your heritage or some food you would like to share with friends. Share your creativity with your church family.

Don’t miss this very special day in the life of our church family. It is also an excellent time to bring fam-ily and friends who you would like to introduce to your church family.

On Sunday, December 8th, we will have a baptism during the 10:00 AM service. Anyone wishing to be baptized at this time should call either the office or Rev. Louise Sloan-Goben. Usually adult baptisms are done during Lent but we believe Advent also offers an excel-lent opportunity to share in this Sacrament.

I look forward to seeing you in church Sunday, October 6th for an inspiring and exciting service of worship.

Pergé!Pastor Bob

for a night of Western-themed fun

FRI . OCT 18 . 6PMin the Social HallAll AgeS welCOMe

DAnCIng PARTneR nOT RequIReD

DAnCe InSTRuCTORS wIll TeACH yOu:Cowboy Hustle • watermelon Crawl

Black Velvet • Power Jam • electric Slide

RSVP required by October 14th. Tickets are $20 per person and can be

purchased by contacting Jason Peterson ([email protected]) or calling

the church office at 818.763.8218.

Brayden Scott Malotte was born September 23rd, and weighed in at 7 lb. 14 oz. His parents

are Brian and Bree Malotte and his great-grandmother is Sue Malotte. Welcome baby Brayden and congratulations to the family!

it’s a BOY!


Our church, both First Christian Church of North Hollywood, and our denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), will be receiving a spe-cial offering for two weeks. It is referred to as the Reconciliation Offering and it was instituted in the late 1960’s as a response to the anger and frustration that became explosive in major urban centers of the United States. The discord that was part of the Civil Rights Movement in our country was an expression of people’s desire for change and anger that those in leadership were dragging their feet in establishing simple justice and equity.

Some may recall the “Watts Riots” in Los Angeles in 1965, where 34 people lost their lives. Riots in Chicago in 1968 were sparked by the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King and soon many of our cities were marked by violence. The Christian Church sought to establish a way to move forward toward justice dur-ing these turbulent times. The first step was the recog-nition that there are two “societies” in our country that exist side-by-side. One system benefits a certain group of people who have power and financial resources. The other group of people is largely marginalized by poverty and lack of political power. In many regards, little has changed for people of color in our nation.

In 1967 our denomination established the work of Reconciliation Ministries to begin to address the root causes of poverty and racism in our nation. Efforts were directed toward making legislative changes that rein-forced segregation. Denominational boards worked to be more proactive in inviting people of color to par-ticipate more fully in the life of the Church and its ad-ministration. Scholarships were established to encour-

“Just A Thought ...” by rev. louise sloan goben

age more young people of color to attend colleges and universities. With intention, the Church has sought to build bridges and encourage congregations to partner with one another to work toward justice.

I can recall that our own congregation, FCCNH established a rapport with All People’s Christian Church in South Los Angeles that continues to this day. I recall pulpit exchanges and choir exchanges with All People’s, where our minister and our choir spent Sunday morn-ings at All People’s, and the minister and choir from All People’s spoke and led worship at FCCNH. Many of our church members participated in an afterschool tu-toring program in Los Angeles, and some of our church members held dual membership in both congregations. It was a beginning toward opening our awareness of what life was like for our sisters and brothers in an ur-ban context. It was eye-opening.

The Church continues to receive the Reconciliation Offering each year as we know that the struggle for equal-ity continues. Grants from this ministry include support of the Poor People’s Campaign led by DOC minister Dr. William Barber, and grants to support voter registration across our country. The North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry has received past support from this pro-gram as we recognize how many people in our commu-nity live paycheck to paycheck and healthy food is often sacrificed because families simply can’t afford it.

This offering is the only source of funding for the Reconciliation Ministry. Please support Reconciliation.

Pastor Louise


bible charactersin the

mondays 7pm or

tuesdays 10am in the annex

Three religions look to Abraham as the “father of faith”: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. And there are many other Bible figures that also appear in the Quran and in Islamic thinking. We will consider people from Adam & Eve to Jesus and John the

Baptist. Some of them may surprise you and hopefully all of them will enlighten you.

2019 fall study series

The holiday season is often especially difficult for those who are grieving. Please join us for this free seminar that will provide a basic understanding of the grieving

process as well as some valuable coping skills that will help you make it through the holidays.

___________

Tuesday, OcTOber 15 • 7:00 – 9:00 pm

FOresT Lawn – HOLLywOOd HiLLs

FaiTH cHapeL___________

For more information, contact Galen Goben, at800-204-3131, ext. 4662 or visit ForestLawn.com

Forest Lawnfunerals • cremations • cemeteries

6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, CA134 Freeway at Forest Lawn Drive exit

making it throughthe Holidays

There will be a service of baptism in the 10am service on Sunday, December

8, 2019. Anyone interested in being baptized on that day should contact the

church office at 818.763.8218.

The North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry serves roughly 5,000 people each month, and we are in need of wholesome, health

giving food—high protein foods are especially needed. Our next Ingathering Sunday is

October 20th. Please bring your donations to the Narthex or the Church office.

ingathering sundayis october 20


october 11

RSVP required by Noon on Oct 10 Contact Jason Peterson at 818.426.0149

(call or text) or [email protected].

Instead of doing the Operation Christmas Child this year we are going to be filling backpacks with school and art supplies and they will be donated to children in the greater Los Angeles area that are in need of them. We would like to ask for donations of the following items. I will get a tub and place it in the Narthex and donations can be left there or people can just write a check and I’ll buy what we need as donations come in:

new items needed

school supplies donations

Thank you!Jason Peterson

[email protected]

Notebooks (wide-ruled & college-ruled)

Pens Pencils

Pencil Pouches Erasers Glue/Glue sticks Folders/Report Folders

3-Ring Binders Loose Leaf Paper Crayons Markers

Rulers Scissors Art supplies

to order items on AmAzon And hAve shipped directly to JAson peterson go to:www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/35G41QPD4HWBH?ref=cm_sw_em_r_wl_mw_nH6MLPSFbNhZH

Guided Tai Chi Classes Tues. 1:00 pm & Thurs. 4:00 pm

in the Youth Hut

Classes guided by Byron Armantrout.

Freewill donation of $10 per session.

Tai Chi

breathing techniquess imple stretching exercisesmeditat ion to reduce stress


Communion is a time of sharing God’s love with each other. This love began when God gave Jesus to our world. The love grows within us with Jesus’ teachings. At the communion table, we are reminded that Jesus loves us and gave his life for us. He asks us to remember him as we share the bread and cup.

When I leave church, Jesus walks with me, guiding me with His love, I start my day asking for Jesus’ help in being the best I can in doing God’s will and sharing God’s love and light with the people I meet. I know we each are here today with our own con-cerns. Please accept the love shared at the communion table. Take the love when you leave and share it .

JACQUI DIXON, ElDEr • 29 sEptEmbEr 2019

Food trucks, games and prizes

and lots of surprises!!!please let us know if you plan to

decorate your trunk – email Jennifer Le’au at [email protected].

Did you know FCCNH has a Facebook page? Please check it out and Like us on Facebook. It is a great way to keep up with what is going on in the life of the church.

www.facebook.com/pages/First-Christian-Church-of-North-Hollywood/111570318857728


THIS SUNDAY, October 6th, is World Communion Sunday and that means it istime for our 8th annual International Food Fair at the Meet and Greet after the 10:00am service!

Remember: this event only works if YOU bring something. It can be from your own heritage, or a favorite dish from your past or even travels!

One amazing thing about Los Angeles is the ethnic food places, so if you are too busy to cook, pick something up! Let us celebrate the food of the world on this special day when millions are breaking bread across the world! Let me know what you are bringing! Matt Hunt [email protected] or 818.404.1520 text or call. I will receive dishes before church upstairs in the main kitchen. Thanks so much for always making this a fun success!

this sunday, october 6th

sign up today at [email protected]

If you would like to dontate Chancel flowers in commemoration

of a special person or event (birthday, anniversary, achievement, special message, etc.), please fill out

the form located in each Sunday morning bulletin or contact

the church office –[email protected] or 818.763.8218.

Sunday school families back-to-school potluck dinnerthurs . oct 10 . 6-7:30 pm

in the social hall

• Entree will be provided •

if your last name begins withA - L • bring a side dishM - P • bring a dessertQ - Z • bring beverages

rsvp: [email protected]

First christian news OctOber �, �019

I greet you in the Wonderful Magnificent name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Youth would like to thank the congregation for supporting us as we served as diaconate and hosted the meet and greet this past Sunday. The smiles radi-ated through our youth as they began to understand, at a deeper level, that their church fully supports their positive contributions. I am very proud that our church allows growth and development among the youth, it has a profound impact on our young people. As I reflect on my outlook during parallel experiences when I was their age I’ve discovered:

Being a part of a supportive church imparted the knowledge onto me that God truly smiles when His children (the ones which believe in Him and the ones that don’t acknowledge him as father) work together towards one common goal. In its simplest form, the church was created to feature the human condition. The human condition is a sphere of our Lord’s love and a thrust of His Spirit.

This past Saturday the youth, a parent volunteer (Dorothy Brooks), and I visited Studio City Rehabilita-tion Center. I believe it is extremely important for our young youth to understand the value of caring for the elderly community. Our youth bring a vibrant, fun, and unpredictable characteristic to our church. You’ve noticed the energy of the youth and little kids in our church – it provides us with hope that our doors will be open 20 years from now. It is equally our mission to give hope to the elderly community that may think they’ve been forgotten. This past weekend we provided a semblance of Christ love; which says: If I be lifted up,

I’ll draw all men unto me. As the majority of the patients at the Studio City Rehabilitation Center move towards the last leg of their journey, we hope through interac-tions with our young, beautiful and faithful youth they, too, saw the love of Christ and remember He is with them always. And if they don’t know Christ, maybe we introduced them to His light, love, and compassion.

As always I ask that you pray for the youth as we are praying for you.

Blessings, Jeremy Gillett

Director of Youth Ministries

OctOber �, �019 First christian news

Food Pantry volunteer ContaCtsTransportation Teams:

Maggie Talton [email protected] Representative:

Erin Zavala [email protected]

another way to donate to the pantry

Make your donations to the Interfaith Food Pantry through the FCCNH web page

(https://fccnh.charityfinders.com/Donate%20Cash).

the Food pantry is in need oF:Canned tuna, canned chicken, rice, canned beans (pinto, navy etc.), bOxeD (DRY)

CeReAL, diapers, powdered milk, baby food, peanut butter and tomato products!

Wednesday, October 2 Studio City Team

Thursday, October 3 #3 Rae Eiklor Mike Eiklor Neil Eiklor

Sunday, October 6 #2 Louise Goben Galen Goben Jeff Goben Hutch Hutchinson Fred Sloan

Wednesday, October 9 TEMPLE CLOSED

Thursday, October 10 #5 Rosey Tamkin Barbara Erdahl Derek Reisinger Cathy Reisinger

Sunday, October 13 #4 Luis Oliart Barbara Erdahl Robin Frank

Our Prayer Group meets in the Chapel to pray on Monday mornings at 9:30 am and on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm. We pray for those of you who have written on the back of one of our prayer cards, prayers forwarded to one of the members of our prayer group via email, in person, or submitted via our website (www.fccnh.org).

Don’t forget that there is a prayer cabinet in the area outside the Chapel and the office next to the drink-ing fountain. You may take a beige card and write down your prayer, then put it through the slot of the locked cabinet, and the Prayer Group will be your prayer sup-port. It will be completely confidential. This cabinet is available any day of the week to receive your prayers and will be checked throughout the week.

prayeris always there

First christian news OctOber �, �019

ChurCh staFF

Robert M. Bock Senior PastorLouise Sloan Goben Associate PastorAlfredo Gomez Pastor, Spanish Speaking CongregationJennifer Le’au Director of Children’s MinistriesJeremy Gillett Director of Youth MinistriesTyana Parr Director of Children’s/Youth ChoirsDavid Rigsby Music Director/OrganistChristine Karasseferian Director of FinanceChris CarsonChurch AdministratorGabriela Dorantes Administrative AssistantGlenda Morgan Brown Administrative AssistantTerri Burton Church PublicationsMichele Amundsen Wedding Director Elmer Maldonado Building & Grounds SuperintendentMiriam MancillaDirector of Christian Nursery SchoolGreg Kirkland Media Director

volunteer staFFJacob Beam Craig Brooks, Janette Jara, Tom Louie, Susan Marble, Jeff McFadden, Denise Ovaldson, Tiffany TappSound Technicians

Luis Oliart Security

in MeMoriaMEarle Immel Minister of Music Emeritus

Merle E. Fish, Jr. Minister Emeritus

by Way oF rePortWeek of Sunday, September 29, 2019__________

10:00 AM Worship Service 195 5:30 PM SpiritSong Service 21 7:00 PM Evenlight Service 11 7:00 PM Wednesday Service 2 Sunday School Children 41 Youth (morning) 32 Youth (evening) 5

10:00 AM Worship Service $7,769.79 5:30 PM SpiritSong Service $792.00 7:00 PM Evenlight Service $17.00 Wednesday Meditation Service -- Sunday School Children $10.00

total General offerinG $8,558.79

Ralph’s e-Script $238.46 Reconciliation Fund $127.75 Youth Mission Fund $100.00

PLEASE SUBMIT ARTICLES VIA EMAIL [email protected] or [email protected]

Please indicate “newsletter” and/or “bulletin” in the subject line if articles are for publication. Articles can

also be delivered to the office M-F, 9am to 5pm.

is midnight sunday!

n e w s l e t t e r

First Christian News First Christian ChurCh oF north hollywood

a Congregation oF the Christian ChurCh

(disCiples oF Christ) 4390 ColFax avenue

north hollywood, CA 91604 - 2898

THINK GREEN! PLEASE RECYCLE!NOTE: If you would like to receive this newsletter via Email, which saves

on printing/mailing costs and is better for the environment, please contact us. Annual subscription cost for first class mail version is $24.

October 6 – World Communion Sunday EldErs:

10:00 am Janet Bruce Rodney Gould 5:30 pm Ann Jones 7:00 pm Ann Jones

diaconatE: Jeff McFadden Jennifer McFadden Marla Fain Mona Levin Shandi Higgins Barbara Wiles Mike Eiklor Rae Eiklor

Upcoming diaconatE: October 13 Hillary Iffrig & Erin Zavala October 20 Joan Norland & Toni Rossi

First Christian Church of North Hollywood818/763-8218 • FAX 818/763-8457Web Site: www.fccnh.orgemail: [email protected]

pastor & sEnior Editor Robert M. BockproofrEading Glenda Morgan Brownart dirEction Terri BurtonprodUction sErvicEs Byron Armantrout

EmEritUs

Mary Ann Steuterman Billie KlineLillian Carlson Heather Kenney Margaret Defibaugh Cathy Melendez Fern Donald Chuck Mont Jean Johnson Wanda Kanoy Helen Scarna Kay Smith Betty Van Zanten Shirley McClure Deborah Wheeler Virginia Stebbins Cindy Kaller

volume lxiii no. 18 october 2, 2019fccnh.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/nl100219.pdf · william...

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