Text: Luke 19:29-44
 
This Sunday we will remember and celebrate the entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem long ago.  We will raise palms in honor of him who challenged the powers of his day to demand God's justice and righteousness for all!  We come to remember that Jesus had a ministry that was played out in his personal life and on a public stage.  We are invited through this text to journey with him on the way of the cross.  Come and join us for worship in our sanctuary at 10:00 a.m.  We will be surrounded by the sounds of brass, our Bell Choir and our Senior Choir.  We will also celebrate Communion and receive an offering for our Good Samaritan Fund since it is the first Sunday of the month.  Children will have Church School after the Children's Time and all are invited to stay after for lunch and a Lenten Festival.  The cost of lunch is a suggested $5 each.  The festival includes an Easter Egg hunt for children and special needs adults, egg dyeing and other activities for all ages.  We are also selling fancy Bunny Baskets for $25 each as a fund-raiser for mission with our children and youth.  Join us for worship this Sunday as we begin the journey to the cross and beyond.
 
Greeters at the door are:  Josh & Bevin Ashenmiller
Ushers welcoming you are:  Ken Winte, Peter Keller, Marie & Robert Spencer
The Acolyte is:  Lachlan Ashenmiller
Parking is available in the University Club lot this Sunday
 
Other opportunities coming up this weekend: 

 

5th Sunday in Lent
Text:  John 12:1-8

This is such an enduring text for us to read and re-read.  It is the story set just days before Passover when Jesus is dining at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  A woman anoints Jesus with a costly bottle of perfume.  In this account it is Mary.  In Matthew and Mark's accounts it is an unnamed woman.  In all three versions of the story, people object to her generosity.  Jesus rebukes them and accepts her gift, knowing that she understands what is about to unfold in Jerusalem in the coming days.
 
One of the interesting layers of the story is the idea of extravagant giving.  This woman models that for us and is judged for it.  We are called to observe her offering and to respond to it.  Some of those present with her object to it.  Jesus accepts the gift that is offered.  We are invited to look at how we respond to gifts that are offered to us.  Do we notice them?  Do we receive them well?  Do we judge them?  Are they good enough?  Giving requires a receiver so it is always a two-way process, and in that encounter, oftentimes the people involved are changed.

Think of the ways your love is poured out on others.  Does your giving style allow you to be changed in the process?  Where are the objections that you have encountered in your own generosity?  I invite you to ponder these questions this week as we gather for our fifth Sunday in Lent.
 
Greeting you at the door this Sunday are:  Ken & Beth Biery
Ushers scheduled are:  Avis Hinks, Nate Lewis, Robert Rinck, Andy Romine and Judi Tyler
Liturgist is:  The Rev. Leo Lynch
Acolyte is:  Kyle Pomeroy
Lenten Faith Witness is:  Edie Wade
 
Other opportunities for involvement and service:

Thursday March 22nd at 7 p.m. in our chapel, the Ecumenical Council of Pasadena Area Churches (ECPAC) will host a meeting for pastors and church members regarding the future direction of this organization.  If you would like to be part of the conversation that determines the future vision of ECPAC, join us on Thursday!  We will have presentations from the president of the Board, along with the new director Patricia O'Reilly.  The ECPAC board is seeking input from its ecumenical partners as it moves into a time of renewal.  Please consider yourself invited!
 
On Saturday March 24, Called to Care group will meet from 9:30-11:00 a.m.  This is our lay visitation group.  If you would like to join this team of caregivers please contact Rev. Jake Pomeroy.
 
On Saturday March 24, from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., the Church Council will meet in the parlors to eat together and have some time to do some business.  Please let Nina in the office know if you cannot attend.
 
On Sunday March 25, we will have worship in our chapel, followed by coffee hour and a presentation by Peter Keller about his most recent trip to Uganda.  Please join us from 11:30-12:30 for this.  Later on Sunday, our Sharing Circle will meet from 6:00-7:15 p.m.  Hosted by Rev. Marlene Pomeroy and Carolyn Olney in the pastor's office, this will be a time of intentional sharing by those in attendance, along with some exercises and some prayers.  It is designed for all those who are in transition, addressing a need that they wish to share, or who just want a more depthful encounter with their church community.  Please let Rev. Marlene know if you will be attending.
 
Outreach opportunities:  We need meal servers for our next Union Station meal on April 2nd.  We also have a date to help out at the L.A. Regional Food Bank on Saturday, March 31 from 9:00 a.m. - noon.  We also are invited to help out with a Friends Indeed clean up morning on Friday, March 30 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.  Please let the church office know if you can help with any of these three outreach opportunities.
 
Hope to see you in church!

 

 

 

Come and join us in church this week when we will consider a scripture text from Luke 15 - the famous parable of the prodigal son.  The sermon is entitled "Accepting Grace" and we will look at the difficulty of the son who remained behind in the story and cooperated with his family's wishes.  For most of us it is hard to ignore when others receive favor and we do not - after all there is a limited amount of attention or favor to go around!  This text invites us to embrace God's grace - a gift offered freely, without reference to justice or fairness it seems. Can we accept such an invitation?
 
Please remember that we collect our One Great Hour of Sharing Offering this Sunday, showing our compassion and concern for "neighbors" who are in need all over the world?we invite you to give generously.  In worship this week we welcome Laura Kalayjian as our Lenten Witness - she will briefly share about her faith during the service.  After worship we will have another Diversity Forum, practicing a couple of exercises from Rev. Eric Law's book The Wolf Shall Dwell With the Lamb.  Come to the parlors from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - you do not have to read or purchase the book before attending!
 
The greeters are:  Jim and Natalie Maddox
The ushers are:  Sandy Biehler, Lurline Brown, Angie Schnapp and Mel Smith
The acolyte is:  Nikko Nguyen
Lenten Witness:  Laura Kalayjian