November 2014

PASADENA COVENANT CHURCH

Ministry Opportunity: Serving Pasadena's Homeless

Thru Pasadena Covenant's Bad Weather Shelter (BWS)
Wednesday evenings: Dec. 3rd thru Feb. 25th
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 Covenants 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. Our volunteers will help from 6:15
to 9:30pm with set up and providing a meal, or with clean
up. 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.
Donation of supplies to help with dinner would be very helpful. We can use your donations of
coffee, powdered creamer or sugar (not in packets), canned spaghetti sauce, dry spaghetti, powdered
dishwasher detergent, napkins, kitchen sponges, and disposable soup bowls. Place donations in the
basket in the Narthex.
To sign up to help, or for more information, come to the Bad Weather Shelter table in the
Courtyard/gym on Sundays after church (during hospitality time) or call Wayne Walker (626) 3961750 or e-mail at waynefredwalker@gmail.com (on the subject line put: BWS).

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Community Potluck Dinner

Community Potluck Dinner is on Tuesday,
November 11th, from 5-8pm at the Wipf
house: 363 Vinehill Drive., Altadena. Park on
Vinehill Dr. or along Canon Blvd. (Driveway
parking is for the elderly only). Come and enjoy
the final Community Dinner of the year! We
will not meet in December. Bring a flashlight
its dark up at the ranch!

Sarah Circle will meet on Tuesday,

November 18th, 9:30am - noon in Fireside.
We welcome all women to join us for service
projects, fellowship and refreshments.
For more information, contact Julie Maljian
at (818) 790-5911.

The next Koinonia Prayer and Praise

The Mens Book Club will meet on Thursday,
November 13th, at 7pm. at the Corner House.
We will discuss "The Language of God," by
Francis Collins, the surprisingly spiritual
journey by a University of Washington crew
team to the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
For more information, contact Rich Doyle at
DoyleRJRB@aol.com.

potluck will be on Sunday, November 2nd,

at 6 pm, at the Corner House. We will have
a soup and salad potluck. The hosts will be
Paul and Tonia Fetcher and Dave and
Connie McGee.
Please contact Connie at (626) 355-0385 or
dcmcgee@dslextreme.com to coordinate your
food item.

Womens Book Club

Womens Book Club will meet Tuesday,
November 18th, from 7:30 - 9:00pm, at the
Corner House to discuss Book Thief, by
Markus Zusak.
Newcomers are welcome. For more info, please
contact Jennifer Mawhorter at
jmawhorter@pomona.edu.

The next Urban Ministries Team meeting

will be on Monday, November 3rd, at
6:45pm in the Santa Barbara Room.
For more info, contact Wayne Aoki at
aoki6@sbcglobal.net.

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University of Southern California

The Thackwell Family on Mission

It has been three years since God called the Thackwell family to
move to California and begin a new stage of our life and work
together. Lisa was third trimester pregnant when we arrived, and in retrospect we can see that she was perfectly
embodying what was to come: new life, new ministry, new home; growth, fullness and goodness. Yes, these years have
been full and fruitful and sometimes frantic, but part of this fullness has been rest and peace. We are a fast-paced family
on mission, thats for sure, but we are also a family at rest. Over and over again the Lord has caused us to lie down and
enjoy (see picture below). This has been nowhere more true than in the lush and welcoming pasture we have received in
the fellowship and partnership of Pasadena Covenant Church.
Brothers and sisters, we want you to know that you have enabled us to enter into that rest which only comes through
being yoked together. You have been the Body of Christ to us in so many life-giving, burden-sharing ways. It is not too
much to say that we are still walking out our call because of you; and I know it is right to say that our yoke has been
easy and our burdens light because of Christ in you and through you. Through you we have experienced the
abounding, familial love of Christs new community and this is our true rest.
I dont know how to describe this better than the realization that the Thackwell family on mission has become
inseparable to me from the Pasadena Covenant Church family on mission. Alongside the Haver Hills we live in a house
that has become a missional outpost for international grad students and a hospitality center for faculty and their
families. And this ministry is spreading.
I was filled with joy on a recent Sunday when Bruce Wear talked to us about the ministry of hospitality that God seems
to be inviting our church into. And I pray that the good work that was begun two Easter dinners ago (at the HillThackwells) and one Thanksgiving dinner ago (at the
Wipfs, the Parsekians, the Purgasons and the Stuckeys
pictured to the left) will continue to spread to more houses,
more tables and more international students who are
hungry for the very love which we have received in such
abundance through the good people of Pasadena
Covenant Church.
(Continued on page 7)

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Family Advent Breakfast: Sun., Dec. 7th 8:30-10:00 am Gym

Advent breakfast is a time for the entire family to join together and shift focus to anticipating with joyful
expectation the birth of our Savior. All ages are invited to join us for breakfast before the 10:30 service,
followed by a simple family craft and devotional. This year we will be making simple nativity sets which
will go along with the advent lessons we will be
focusing on in our kids classes during December.
Families will be given a guide that can be used to
center a simple family devotional time each week
leading up to Christmas. Brunch will be provided
by PCC Student Ministries, with a free will
offering going to support youth scholarships.

Christmas Shoebox Project Collect Nov. 23rd

We encourage each family to put together a Christmas shoebox as a gift to a child in need. Shoeboxes are
sent to children in war-torn countries, refugee camps, and in developing nations. We encourage you to
bring your child with you to the store to pick out items they think your recipient might like, and have
your child help with packing the box, to help teach empathy and compassion. Bring your box with you to
church on Sun., Nov. 23rd.
Note: If you can help deliver shoeboxes to the distribution center (in La Canada or Glendale) in the
afternoon of Sun., Nov. 23rd, please contact Pastor Vikki at vrandall@pasadenacovenant.org.

Journey to the Promised Land

Sunday mornings at 10:30 for Kids:
This year's theme for our Kids' programs is Journey to the Promised Land: Jesus is our Hope. We will be
focusing on Old Testament stories of the people of God journeying to the promised land. In those stories
we find our own journey of hope following Jesus to the promised Kingdom. All grade levels (2 years thru
5th grade) will focus on the same biblical narrative each week, so families can follow up at home with your
own conversations about our journey.
During November, our stories will focus on Abrahams grandson Jacoba bit of a scoundrel who seems at
firs like an unlikely choice to carry God blessing, but thru Jacob we can see how God redeems our hearts
and lives. Throughout the month, as we see Jacob slowly transformed by Gods
(Continued on next page)
patient pursuit and constant grace, well see our own journey of faith.

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(Continued)

Edge: Sunday Mornings at 9:00 for 4th 5th graders

Led by Doug Berry
Edge is a small group for 4th-5th graders when they can build friendships and talk on a deeper level about
issues of faith. Edge meets in the Edge room (of course!) above the gym.

Mighty Memorizers
New to our kids' program this year is Bible memory. Memorizing portions of Scripture is one of the ways
we "hide God's word in our hearts", allowing it to sink in and nourish our souls. We will encourage
families to learn these verses together, with our preschoolers learning a shorter version and our
gradeschoolers (Logosland) learning the full text and reference. At the end of the year we will have a
special celebration to honor all our memorizers. September's verse was our theme verse for the year:
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for
the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. - Josh. 1:9. October's verse is: "I will establish
my covenant as an everlasting covenant.. to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. " Gen. 17:7

Some ideas for following up at home:

1. Celebrate siblings: Jacobs story is one of rivalry with his not-so-identical twin, Esau. They are so very
different, and usually end up butting headsalmost literally. This is a story many of our kids can relate
to! Yet the story ends with a lovely story of gift-giving and restoration. If your child has a brother or sister
s/he often struggles with, plan a special event just for the siblings. Maybe an outing together or special
snack they share to celebrate what makes each of them uniquebut also uniquely connected.
2. Talk about apologies. Jacob and Esaus eventual reconciliation was possible because Jacob was willing
to demonstrate sincere remorse. This is a great skill to teach our kids! A great pattern for teaching kids
how to apologize can be found at http://www.cuppacocoa.com/a-better-way to-say-sorry/.
3. Begin a time of blessing: the stories well be looking at in fall all contain the idea of passing along a
blessing. One of the kids favorite components of our Godly Play storytime is when we close with an
individual blessing given to each of the children. If you dont already have some sort of ritual of blessing
in your home, this might be a time to begin. Bedtime or mealtimes lend themselves in particular to such
rituals, when our kids can see how much we pray for Gods presence and blessing on their lives and
hearts.

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The 1st-5th graders are moving ever closer to Israel in their

Journey to the Promised Land! Sunday mornings at
10:30am!

1st graders received their Bibles!

Pasadena Covenant Play Club

Play Club is a group for preschool kids and their moms or dads that will meet the first and third
Tuesday mornings at Pasadena Covenant Church's nursery from 9:00-11:00. Play Club is a place for
kids to gather and have a great time singing songs, hearing Bible stories and playing while their
parents connect with each other as well.
Feel free to invite your friends. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact Lisa Thackwell at
thackwells@gmail.com or Brittany Burian at bburian@gmail.com.

Preschool Ministry Need Donated Items:

We are putting together great new play spaces for our preschoolers. Donations of preschool-age toys
that your kids have outgrown are needed to make that happen! Were particularly looking for:
Baby dolls, clothes & accessories
Hot wheel cars and tracks, garages, etc.
Matchbox cars
Dress-up clothes - princess; shoes, jewelry, crowns, etc..

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(Thackwell Continued)
There are so many aspects and facets to the broad-ranging ministry that is afoot through InterVarsitys Graduate and
Faculty Ministries at the University of Southern California and through your financial support and prayer you
support it all. But it is clear that the ministry of hospitality to brilliant scholars from around the world is a partnership
in the Gospel that every family of Pasadena Covenant could tangibly participate in. I am thinking of hugs and smiles,
questions and laughter, table fellowship and dish-washing, story-telling and couch-sitting. We are thinking of
Thanksgiving and Christmas, Easter and 4th of July. Traditions and board games, hot drinks and family recipes. These
are the things that make up the natural habitat of the Gospel.
So, we invite you to open up your hearts and your homes to international grad students from countries like Nigeria,
Korea, China, Singapore, Iran and India. Start this Thanksgiving if you can, or mark you calendars for Christmas or
Easter. Our long term hope is that there would be international students who find a second home in yours and a
second family with you. For some it will mean finding a home in Christ and His kingdom and this is our highest
hope.
If you are interested in this ministry of hospitality please email me at joethackwell@gmail.com or 970-412-3808.

Sunday Mornings
TheStudy: Numbers, Sunday mornings, 9-10am in the Youth Room

Upcoming Events
Nov. 7th - 9th - All Things Retreat: Calvin Crest
Nov. 12th - Lifegroup: 6-8pm at Pasadena Covenant Church
Nov. 19th - Lifegroup: 6-8pm at Pasadena Covenant Church
For more information about any of the events, please contact Dave Rinker at
drinker@pasadenacovenant.org.

Cooking oil, 48 oz

Canned Tomato Sauce

Beans
Rice

Pasta
Canned mixed veggies

Cereal

Canned fruit

Pasadena Covenant Church

539 North Lake Avenue
Pasadena, California, 91101-1217
Return Service Requested

Page 8

November 2014
1 Saturday
8:00am Work Day
9:00am BWS Volunteer Training
2 Sunday
9:00am Classes
10:30am Worship Service
11:45am Hospitality
12:00pm Miriam Singers
12:00pm Bauer Luncheon
3:45pm Pas Cov Choir
6:00pm Koinonia Prayer and Praise
3 Monday
6:45pm Urban Ministries Mtg.
7:00pm Trustee Meeting
4 Tuesday
9:30am Pas Cov Play Club
5 Wednesday
5:45pm Childrens Choir Rehersal
6:00pm PCSM Life group
6 Thursday
7 Friday
PCSM All Things Retreat
8 Saturday
9 Sunday
9:00am Classes
10:30am Worship Service
11:45am Hospitality
12:00 pm Miriam Singers
3:45 pm Pas Cov Choir

10 Monday
11 Tuesday - Offices & Facilities Closed
5:00pm Community Potluck Dinner
12 Wednesday
5:45pm Childrens Choir Rehearsal
6:00pm PCSM Life Group
13 Thursday
7:00pm Mens Book Club
14 Friday
15 Saturday
16 Sunday
9:00am Classes
10:30am Worship Service
11:45am Hospitality
12:00 pm Miriam Singers
3:45 pm Pas Cov Choir
17 Monday
18 Tuesday
9:30am Pas Cov Play Club
9:30am Sarah Circle
7:00pm Womens Book Club
19 Wednesday
5:45pm Childrens Choir Rehearsal
6:00pm PCSM Life group
20 Thursday
21 Friday
22 Saturday

23 Sunday
9:00am Classes
10:30am Worship Service
11:45am Hospitality
12:00 pm Miriam Singers
3:45 pm Pas Cov Choir
24 Monday
25 Tuesday
26 Wednesday
5:45pm Childrens Choir Rehearsal
27 Thursday - Offices & Facilities Closed
Thanksgiving Day
28 Friday - Offices & Facilities Closed
Bad Weather Shelter Activation Begins
29 Saturday
30 Sunday

Upcoming Trustee Meeting

Monday, November 3, 2014
7:00pm, Corner House