Whiteboard: The Fifth with First

This Sunday is the fifth Sunday in March, which could mean only one thing...THE FIFTH WITH FIRST!

For the uninitiated, The Fifth With First is our shorthand slang here at the church for "The fifth Sunday with First Christian Church."

On those months where there are five Sundays (and it happens four times a year) we do something a little different on the fifth Sunday -- we have a Workship Service in addition to our Worship Service.

Workship is when we live out our faith by going out into the community to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors. The Workship Service begins at 9AM at the Ramada at Chaparral Park where we have a brief prayer service before heading out to the worksite. We have partnered with Operation Fix-It here in Scottsdale and this Sunday we'll be working on a local home to bring it back up to code.

For folks who can't make the Workship Service, there will also be a Worship Service in the Sanctuary at 10:15. It will be streamlined a bit, but God's name will be praised and you'll be inspired by the service. Then right after the 10:15 Worship Service folks are invited to gather in the Fellowship Hall to help pack Healthy Packs for local school children on the free or reduced lunch program who do not have enough food to eat on weekends. Healthy Packs is an amazing ministry that started right here at FCC Scottsdale (care of our Outreach Minister, Rev.Judy) and we are hoping to pack 50 Healthy Packs as part of The Fifth With First!

If you are coming to the Workship Service please wear closed toed shoes and bring a hat and a refillable water bottle. If you are coming to the Worship Service then please come as you are to celebrate the Lord. If you are coming to either service please remember to wear your red "The Fifith With First" t-shirt!

At both the Workship and Worship Services we'll be sharing the word from John 9:1-12. It is traditionally known as the story of "A Man Born Blind Receiving his Sight" or "Jesus Heals the Blind Man," but I want you to read closely and I want you to pay careful attention to what the man's neighbors say, and I want you to ponder "Why don't we recognize the needs of our neighbors?" That's what we'll be focusing on this Sunday at both the Workship Service and the Worship Service.

To learn more about The Fifth With First visit our dedicated webpage www.FCCScottsdale.org/fifth

To read more Blog Posts about The Fifth With First then click right here.

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John 9:1-12 A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 

His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ 

Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ 

When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). 

Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ 

Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ 

Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ 

He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ 

But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ 

He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ 

They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ 

He said, ‘I do not know.’