November 2015

Ministry Opportunity: Serving Pasadena's Homeless

Through Pasadena’s Bad Weather Shelter (BWS)

Pasadena Covenant helps man the Bad Weather shelter on Wednesday evenings:

Dec. 2nd thru Feb. 24th

Homelessness is a significant problem here in Pasadena. Pasadena Covenant partners with area churches and the City of Pasadena to help respond to this need. During winter months when temperatures drop to 40 degrees or below, or there is a 40% change of rain, Pasadena Covenant’s gym transforms from a basketball court to a shelter for those who need a safe place to stay at night.

Area churches share responsibilities: as the host church, we cover Wednesday nights. There are several jobs, so if your time is limited, you can volunteer with what fits your schedule. Our volunteers basically help anytime from 6:30-9:00pm, so even if you need to arrive late or need to leave early, there will be opportunities for you to help. Trained, professional staff will be on site to help direct volunteers. You may sign up for one, two or more Wednesday nights, either as an individual or as a group (e.g. life group or group of several families). Children are welcome to serve with their families under their parent's close supervision.

To sign up to help, or for more information about the BWS,

come to the Bad Weather Shelter table in the Courtyard/gym on

Sundays after church (during hospitality time) or call Wayne

Walker (626) 429-5120 or e-mail Wayne at

waynefredwalker@gmail.com (on the subject line put: BWS).

P A S A D E N A C O V E N A N T C H U R C H

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Adult Bible Class: 9am Sundays (hosted by Couriers)

Come to the Couriers Bible Class, in the Fireside Room, at 9am to hear from Dave Rinker on

the book of Deuteronomy. All are welcome; coffee and pastries will be provided.

Sunday Morning Women’s Bible Study

The Bible Study meets at 9am in the Corner House. Childcare will be available. It will run for 8

weeks through a series, “To Know and Be Known”. We will be engaging passages of scripture and

several practices including contemplative and listening prayer. Please contact Lisa Thackwell at

thackwells@gmail.com for more information.

Wednesday Evening Adult Small Group

This adult group is open to all for a meal, fellowship and growing in Christ. It meets at the home

of Wayne and Susan Aoki (1002 Dolores Dr., Altadena). Come after 6pm for dinner; the group

conversation is 7-8:30pm.

Upcoming Women’s Bible Study: Begins December 2nd

Kathy Waldner-Gourash will facilitate a group using a new video series from Priscilla Shirer

(Dec. 2, 9, 16, 30 2015 and January 6, 13, 20, 2016). Please contact Judy Pruitt

dapruitt@earthlink.net. By November 19 if you are interested in signing-up.

Time of Prayer and Discernment: Sundays at 9am

Randy Hill will be leading a time of prayers and discernment for our next season of Alpha that

will be in early 2016. Please join him in the Santa Barbara room at 9am Sunday morning

beginning November 1st.

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Sarah Circle will meet Tuesday, November 17th, from 9:30 am - noon in Fireside. We welcome all women to join us for service projects, fellowship and refreshments.

For more info, contact Julie Maljian at (818) 790-5911.

The Men’s Book Club will meet on

Thursday, November 12th, at 7pm at the

Corner House. We will discuss FATE IS

THE HUNTER, by Ernest K. Gann, which

chronicles the era of early aviation, especially

the courageous pilots who helped create an

industry. Newcomers are always welcome.

Join us for fellowship and no worries if you

have not finished reading the selection. We

will also be discussing and voting on titles to

read in 2016. For more info, contact Rich

Doyle at DoyleRJRB@aol.com.

Pascov Play Club Play Club is for any kids under 5 and parents

(moms or dads). We will meet on Thursday,

November 5th, from 9:30-11:30am. For more

information and location, please contact Lisa

Thackwell at thackwells@gmail.com.

Women’s Book Club The Pasadena Women’s Book Club will meet on Tuesday, November 17th, from 7:30 - 9:00pm, at the Corner House to discuss “Unless” by Carol Shields.

Newcomers and one-timers welcome. Come check us out. For more information, please contact Jennifer Mawhorter at jmawhorter@pomona.edu.

The next Urban Ministries Team meeting will be on Monday, November 9th, at 6:45pm in the Santa Barbara Room. All are welcome to join us!

For more information, contact Wayne Aoki at aoki6@sbcglobal.net.

The next Koinonia Prayer and Praise

potluck will be on Sunday, November 1st,

at 6pm at the home of Valla and Wayne

Walker.

Please contact Valla to coordinate your

potluck item vintagevalla@yahoo.com.

Trustee Meeting

Thursday, November 5th

7pm in the Corner House

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Come One, Come All ChoirCome One, Come All ChoirCome One, Come All Choir

Do you love to sing? Did you used to sing with the adult choir or another choir? Do you have a

child in Children's Choir or Miriam Singers? If you answered yes to any of these questions, join

us for a combined children, youth, and adult choir that will sing during the service on Sunday,

Dec. 13. We will rehearse after church on Sunday, Nov. 29 and Dec. 6 from 12:30-1:30 pm in

the choir room. Contact Mindy Gustafson for more details. mindyjs@yahoo.com Everyone is

welcome!

2016 Pictorial Directory2016 Pictorial Directory2016 Pictorial Directory Please return your directory form to the church office along with your photo! If you need a form,

please contact Doreen in the main office at pascov1@pasadenacovenant.org or (626) 795-9381.

WELCOME NEWCOMERS! If you started coming to Pasadena Covenant within the past year and would like the opportunity

to meet staff and others from our congregation, and to ask questions about our faith community

in an informal setting, please join us for our Newcomers Lunch, Sunday, November 8th from

12:15 - 1:30pm at the Corner House (on the Northwest corner of Santa Barbara and Lake Ave.).

All family members are welcome! In order to plan for the food, your RSVP is greatly appreciated

to Marianne Hill, marianne.haver.hill@gmail.com or 626-798-2097. Please let us know if you

have any dietary restrictions, and also if you will be bringing pre-schoolers so that we can plan

food and activities for them.

Budget Update for – October 28, 2015 In the last month we have reduced our deficit by about $33,000 thanks to your giving and generous special gifts. Let’s keep up the positive momentum so that we may maintain ministry and staffing in 2016!

Offerings Rents Giving/Rents ytd = 460,471.15 189,024.67 Year-End Target = 625,000.00 209,600.00 Anticipated ytd = 515.792.98 175,073.15 Surplus/(Shortfall) ytd = (55,321.83) 13,951.52

If you’d like the convenience of giving through online banking, you’ll find assistance at http://pasadenacovenant.org/resources/donate/.

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Journey IN the Promised Land: God's Big Welcome

Sunday Mornings at 10:30am

This year's theme for our Kids' programs is Journey IN the Promised Land: Jesus Welcomes Us. We will be focusing on stories of God's surprisingly BIG welcome which extends to lots of unexpected people. In those stories we find our own journey of hope following Jesus to the promised Kingdom.

Preschoolers: In November, preschoolers will finish reviewing their Old Testament stories from last year's Journey to the promised land—seeing how God's welcome is beginning to unfold. They will focus on David and Daniel.

Ideas for following up at home: 1. Before he was a king, David was a shepherd. If you have a family pet, have your child help care for your pet—feeding, walking, etc. Discuss: how do you think caring for the sheep helped prepare David to be a good king?

2. Discuss highs and lows: Israel under Kind David was a "high"—they finally were in the Promised Land with a godly King. But then just a few generations later they are once again outside the Promised land-- in exile in Babylon. Yet God was with them even in exile. This would be a good time to revisit our practice of family sharing of the days highs & lows around the dinner table or bedtime, looking for where you can see God's presence in both. (for more ideas, see Sleeping with Bread by Dennis & Sheila Linn).

Gradeschoolers: In Logosland, gradeschoolers will finish their study of the Beatitudes (Matt. 5). The Beatitudes are really all about God’s Big Welcome: they are a list of sometimes surprising, unexpected sorts of people who are blessed to be welcomed into God’s great kingdom. Through reading and studying the beatitudes, our praye is that kids will come to see how they, too, are included in God’s Big Welcome.

Ideas for following up at home:

1. Discuss the whole idea of "blessing". When have you felt "blessed"? What does it mean to be "blessed"? 2. Look over the beatitudes in Matt. 5: 3-12. Which ones surprise you? Why?

3. Read some blessings given in the Bible (e.g. Ps. 121:78; Ps. 29:11; Rom. 5:5-6; Rom. 5:13; 1 Thess. 3:11-13; Phil. 4:7). Choose one to focus on as a family, make a poster with the verse and hang it in a prominent place.

4. Choose some people outside your family who need God's blessing. Pray one of those blessing over them each day.

Continued on next page

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Family Advent Breakfast

Sunday, December 6th

8:30-10 am • gym

Begin the Christmas season with a fun & meaningful family breakfast served by our students. You’ll also make an advent craft and receive an advent calendar to guide family devotions. A free-will offer-ing will be taken to help support scholarships for our youth camps.

Christmas Shoebox Project • Collect Nov. 22nd We are collecting Christmas Shoeboxes to be given to children in war-torn countries, refugee camps,

and in developing nations. Any standard size shoebox will work, but plastic ones are particularly use-

ful to those in chaotic circumstances. Fill your box with school supplies, hygiene items, toys. Hard

candy is OK, but no perishable food, liquids, war-related toys, weapons or breakable items. Enclose a

$7 donation in an envelope to cover shipping. Or go to www.samaritanspurse.org/ezgive to donate

online, and you will be able to track your box and find out where it is sent. Pick up a flyer in the chil-

dren's classrooms to get a sticker to affix indicating if it is for a “boy” or “girl” label & indicate the age

level. Bring your box with you to church on Sun., Nov. 22nd. Note: If you can help deliver shoe-

boxes to the distribution center (in Arcadia or Glendale) in the afternoon of Sun., Nov. 22nd, please

contact Vikki at vrandall@pasadenacovenant.org.

Baby DedicationsBaby DedicationsBaby Dedications

Continued

Claire’s

Samuel’s

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TheStudy: Sunday mornings, 9-10:15am (Student Room) All Wednesdays: LifeGroups, 6:30-8pm (Student Room)

Turkey Toss: The Party, Wednesday, November 18th

For more information about upcoming events, please contact our Pastor for Youth Ministries, Dave Rinker, at drinker@pasadenacovenant.org.

Mighty Memorizers Mighty Memorizers is a program to encourage kids to learn one memory verse per month, related to

their Sunday School lessons. At the end of the year we will honor our memorizers in a big

celebration. Our November memory verse is "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. –

Matt 5:8." Take time to discuss the verse as a family and what it means. Challenge the whole family to

learn this important message together. Kids can recite their verse to any of their Sunday School group

leaders any time throughout the month.

Continued

Join the Urban Ministries Team! Do you care about issues of peace and justice? Our UMT seeks to partner with our neighbors in bringing healing & restoration to our community, and we are seeking 2-4 members to help discern God's leading in two key areas:

• Homelessness: PasCov sponsors a bad weather shelter (BWS) for the homeless in Pasadena. We are looking for someone to partner with team leader Wayne Walker to organize, recruit & equip our enthusiastic volunteers. (Most of the responsibilities will be seasonal: Nov.-Feb).

• Madison elementary/food closet: PasCov has a great history of partnering with our local elementary school to provide food and tutoring. As the program and needs of the community have changed, we have taken a step back, with the food closet on hiatus, to discern how best to partner with these neighbors moving forward. We are seeking 1-2 new team members to join us in this process.

If you'd like to know more about the Urban Ministries Team and how you can join with us in community with our neighbors, please contact Wayne Aoki or Vikki Randall.

Pasadena Covenant Church

539 North Lake Avenue

Pasadena, California, 91101-1217

Return Service Requested

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1 Sunday 9:00am Classes 10:30am Worship Service 11:45am Hospitality 12:00pm Miriam Singers 6:00pm Koinonia Prayer and Praise potluck 2 Monday 3 Tuesday 4 Wednesday 5:45pm Children’s Choir 6:30pm PCSM LifeGroup 5 Thursday 9:30am Play Club 7:00pm Trustee Meeting 6 Friday 7 Saturday 8 Sunday 9:00am Classes 10:30am Worship Service 11:45am Hospitality 12:00pm Miriam Singers 12:15pm Newcomers Lunch 9 Monday 6:45pm Urban Ministries Meeting 7:00pm Cross-Cultural Ministry Meeting 10 Tuesday 11 Wednesday Offices & Facilities Closed

25 Wednesday 5:45pm Children’s Choir 6:30pm PCSM LifeGroup 26 Thursday - Thanksgiving Offices & Facilities Closed 27 Friday Offices & Facilities Closed Bad Weather Shelter Begins 28 Saturday 29 Sunday 9:00am Classes 10:30am Worship Service 11:45am Hospitality 12:00pm Miriam Singers 30 Monday

November 2015 12 Thursday 7:00pm Men’s Book Club 13 Friday 14 Saturday 15 Sunday 9:00am Classes 10:30am Worship Service 11:45am Hospitality 12:00pm Miriam Singers 16 Monday 17 Tuesday 9:30am Sarah Circle 7:00pm Women’s Book Club 18 Wednesday 5:45pm Children’s Choir 6:30pm PCSM LifeGroup 19 Thursday 9:30am Play Club 20 Friday 21 Saturday 22 Sunday - Shoebox Collection 9:00am Classes 10:30am Worship Service 11:45am Hospitality 12:00pm Miriam Singers 23 Monday 24 Tuesday