Whiteboard: Christmas Weekend

Everything is coming together.

The poinsettias have been delivered, the choir has rehearsed, the scripts have been sent out to all of our readers, and the worship slides have been put in place. We have completed our Advent Sermon series, and received all of the blessings of the season that we need in preparation for the miracle of Christmas -- the gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

Everything is coming together for our Christmas Celebrations here at FCC Scottsdale. Let me run through all of the festivities for you!

December 22nd Choir Christmas Concert at Westminster at 7PM
For the third year in a row the choir will go to the Westminster Village Retirement Community to perform a special Christmas concert.

December 24th Christmas Eve Service 7PM in the Sanctuary
We’ll have a full service of Lessons and Carols complete with a
traditional, candlelit “Silent Night” to close out the service.

December 25th Christmas Sunday Service 10:15AM in the Sanctuary
On Christmas morning we’ll gather for worship and celebrate the birth of Christ with “The No Rehearsal Christmas Pageant!” And then after service please join us in Fellowship Hall for a special celebration that we are calling “A Birthday Party for Jesus and Harriet Howard!” We’ll continue celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and enjoy some birthday cake in honor of Harriet’s birthday too!

I hope you can join us for all of these special occasions during this Christmas season. Wishing you many blessings for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Luke 2:1-20 The Birth of Jesus

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Whiteboard: One More Thing

This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and like a Steve Jobs' product reveals of old, Advent dares to declare to us, "There is one more thing..."

And just like those old Apple product launches, Advent is saving the biggest, best, most important thing for last. Because the Fourth Sunday of Advent is the Sunday of Love.

Love.

That foundational gift from God that once we accept it changes us forever.

Love.

That blessing that forces us to reinterpret everything that we thought we knew.

Love.

That one more thing that we need to really, truly be ready for the gift of the Christ child at Christmas.

So this Sunday, we'll celebrate the gift of love as we prepare our hearts and prepare our world once again for Christmas.

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Matthew 1:18-25 The Angel and Joseph

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.

But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’

All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’,which means, ‘God is with us.’

When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Christmas Skit Script

During worship on Sunday December 11, 2016 the kids of FCC Scottsdale presented a Christmas Skit as part of our Christmas Cantata Musical Celebration.

The skit was written, at the invitation of our Music Director Sandi DeFeo, by my 10-year-old son (and aspiring filmmaker!) Henry Frederick-Gray.

You can listen to the full audio of the Christmas Skit on the church's website, and by popular demand you can find the full script posted below!

Thank you to everyone who helped make our Christmas Cantata Musical Celebration such a wonderful success!

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What Can I Give Him?
A Christmas Skit
First Christian Church Scottsdale

by Henry Frederick-Gray

(The play opens with Henry, standing at one of the center Praise Team microphones, sorta talking to himself.)

Henry: Alright, getting ready for the Children’s portion of the Christmas Play. Gonna tell everybody about the gifts we bring…

(Jordan, Darren, and Jennica walk up to the Praise Team Microphone nearest the Lectern. They are distracted by the phone that Jordan is holding in front of himself.)

Henry: Oh, are you guys here to play the part of the Wisemen in the Christmas Play?

Jordan: What? No, we were just playing Pokemon Go.

Darren: We think there might be a Jigglypuff in here!

Henry: Oh…

Jennica: Did you say something about a Christmas Play?

Henry: Yes. We’re doing a Christmas Play here at the church and I still need the Wisemen to show up. They are the ones who will give gifts to Baby Jesus and help us understand what kinds of gifts we can bring him.

Jordan: Cool. Do you think baby Jesus plays Pokemon Go?

Henry: I doubt it.

(Hannah, Scarlett and Morgan walk up to the Praise Team Microphone nearest the pews. They are each carrying an object.)

Henry: Are you all the Wisemen?

Scarlett: You mean Wise Women.

Henry: Okay, sure. Did you bring gifts for the Baby Jesus.

Hannah: We sure did. Check it out. (Hannah holds up the iPad box) I brought him an iPad!

Kids: Whoa!

Darren: Wait a second, is that really appropriate for a little baby?

Hannah: What do you mean?

Darren: Well, it is a gift for Baby Jesus, right? But didn’t the APA just change the guidelines on screen time for kids? I don’t think babies are supposed to have iPads. Even if they are the Baby Jesus.

Hannah: Oh, you are probably right…

Scarlett: Well look what I brought him! (Holds up the Lego Death Star Box) It is the biggest Lego set that money can buy!

Kids: Whoa!

Scarlett: Yeah, and it comes with Luke Skywalker…

Henry (Trying to interrupt Scarlett): Scarlett, I don’t think….

Scarlett (Doesn’t notice Henry’s interruption, keeps talking): …and Han Solo…

Henry (Getting Louder): Scarlet, I don’t think that…

Scarlett (Keeps talking): …and Princess Leia…

Henry (Even Louder): SCARLETT, I don’t think that…

Scarlett (Keeps talking): …OH, and Darth Vader

Kids (Loudly, together): SCARLETT!

Scarlett (Finally looks up from the Lego Box): Yes?

Henry: I don’t think that is the most appropriate gift for the Baby Jesus. I mean, isn’t it really just a big box full of choking hazards?

Scarlett: Oh, you’re probably right…

Morgan: Hey, check out what I brought him! (Holds up a T-shirt and a marker).

Jennica: What is that?

Morgan: It is a white t-shirt and a black marker.

Jennica: Why did you bring a white t-shirt and a black marker for the Baby Jesus?

Morgan: I was hoping he would autograph it for me!

Jennica: Um, I don’t think baby’s know how to sign autographs.

Darren: And besides, wouldn’t that really be more of a gift for you instead of a gift for the Baby Jesus.

Morgan: Oh, you’re probably right…

Jordan: So what are we supposed to do now?

Henry: I don’t know. I really wish those three Wisemen would show up. We could really use some help with this…

(From off stage we hear: Knock, Knock, Knock)

Sandi: Henry, did you use your Dad’s church credit card to order pizza again?

(The kids look around, excited)

Henry: No. Not this time.

(The kids hang their heads down, sad)

Sandi: Okay, well go see who is at the door.

(Brian, Eric, and Brayden enter from the sacristy door by the Baptismal Pool. They are wearing crowns, carrying their gifts, and walk to the Pulpit Mic).

Henry: Thank goodness you guys are finally here! Did you bring the gifts for Baby Jesus? We are having a really hard time figuring out what we are supposed to give him.

Brian: I brought him Gold.

Eric: I brought him Frankincense.

Brayden: I brought him Myrrh.

Jordan: Um, none of that sounds particularly appropriate for a little baby.

Brian: That is true. But we weren’t bringing him gifts fit for a baby. We were bringing him gifts fit for a king! Gifts that would help him in his life and ministry. Gifts that would help us to know who he is and what his ministry was all about.

Hannah: Well, we’ve really been struggling to know what kind of gifts we are supposed to bring him.

Eric: Well, maybe you can think about it differently. Instead of thinking “What kind of present do I want to give the newborn Christ child?” maybe you should ask yourself, “What does Jesus really want more than anything else in the world?”

(The kids nod their heads in growing recognition, clearly thinking about this question)

Darren: I got it!

(The kids huddle up and pretend to whisper ideas excitedly back and forth. Every now and then one of them pops up nodding and smiling at the congregation. After a few seconds they return to their microphones.)

Brayden: So, what did you decide?

Jennica: Well, we decided that the best gift we could bring for Jesus probably isn’t the XP from our Pokemon Go game.

Hannah: And it isn’t an iPad.

Scarlett: And it isn’t this totally awesome Lego Star Wars set.

Morgan: And it isn’t a T-shirt for him to autograph.

Darren: What Jesus wants more than anything else in the world, is for us to love him…

Henry: …and to share that love with the world.

Jordan: So what gift should we give him?

Kids and Wisemen (all together): We’ll give him our heart!

Whiteboard: Advent 3

During our Worship Service on Sunday we will be graced with a special service featuring our Chancel Choir, Praise Team, and Kids Choir!

That means that everything will be a little bit different than a typical Sunday morning Worship Service (we’ve rearranged the Order of Service to make it all happen) and it will be a little bit different than Cantata Sundays in year’s past. 

For starters, our kids are going to be featured throughout the Musical Celebration. In fact, the youth of FCC Scottsdale will be performing a Christmas Skit written by Henry Frederick-Gray (yes, my son!). 

What’s more, there will be parts during the Musical Celebration that we’ll invite the entire congregation to join us in singing our praises to God and the Christ child. 

It is going to be wonderful and I hope you can join us!

Whiteboard: Advent 1

Advent is a season of preparation.

It is the beginning of a new year for us in the worship life of the church. A year that does not begin with the revelry and celebration of Christmas or with the cosmos reshaping events of Easter. 

No, our year begins with preparation because faith is about the journey as much as it is about any end destination. So we carve out this time to get ready, to prayerfully consider our preparation. What do we need to do to steady our hearts and steel our wills as we eagerly anticipate the birth of Christ once more in our hearts and in our world.

This Sunday we will gather. 

We will pray. 

We will sing. 

We will share the old, old stories and join our hearts with the dreams that God has for us today. We will prepare our hearts and talk about hope. Because it is into a world just such as this that Christ Jesus came to reveal the fullness of God's love, the promise of God's forgiveness, and the opportunity of a life truly worth living.

Come and light a Candle of Peace with us this Sunday at FCC Scottsdale.

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Matthew 3:1-12 The Proclamation of John the Baptist

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

“Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.” ’ 

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

Three Things from Admin Council

Administrative Council had their final regularly scheduled meeting of the year, this past Sunday immediately after the worship service.

Here are "The Three Things You Should Know" from that meeting:

1. Regional Assembly/Asamblea was a huge success
   Thank you to everyone who kept the joint Arizona Regional Assembly/Asamblea in your prayers. It was a different kind of event, because for the first time in a long time we held our Arizona Regional Assembly in conjunction with the Hispanic Convencion's Asamblea. It was a wonderful event with over 300 brothers and sisters in Christ gathering from all over the state of Arizona. Thank you to East Mesa Christian Church for doing such a lovely job hosting our meeting. The worship services were inspiring, the breakout sessions were life giving, the community spirit was palpable. We had a full slate of representatives from FCC Scottsdale in attendance...and oh by the way I was formally installed as the Moderator of the Christian Church in Arizona!
   
2. Admin Council approves a full Nominating Slate for the Annual Meeting
   You'll be seeing the names in the coming days and weeks, but know that our Nominating Team did an incredible job putting together a full slate of Officers, Elders, and Ministry Team Chairs for the coming year. That slate was approved by the Administrative Council and will now go to the full congregational meeting (scheduled for December 11, 2016 immediately following the Worship Service) for final approval.
   
3. Another Successful Stewardship CampaignYou’ll remember that here at the church we received a $10,000 Challenge Grant. For every increase in a pledge this year it will be matched dollar for dollar up to a grand total of $10,000. What’s more, that grant will be used to double every new pledge we received this year! Well, as of Dedication Sunday we have received pledge increases totaling $7,666 and new pledges totaling another $5,040 meaning that the total of $12,706 more than exceeds our Challenge Grant! Great job church!

Whiteboard: Thanksgiving

I try not to preach Henry stories very often.

The truth is, I could preach a story about my son every single Sunday, but that wouldn't really be fair to him...or to the Gospel for that matter!

But this Sunday I simply can't help myself. I'm going to start my sermon with a Henry story.

While I won't ruin it by telling the whole story here on the Blog, know that it involves my 10-year-old getting surprisingly animated about something a morning drive-time DJ said while I was dropping him off at school on a recent morning.

Oh, and know that it my Henry Story has everything to do with Thanksgiving...or for that matter, how easy it is for us to forget about it.

To pass it over.

To gloss over it.

To skip past giving thanks in the name of hurrying on to whatever so called important thing is next on our to do list.

This Sunday is Thanksgiving Sunday at the church, which means that we'll be carving out the time to do exactly what the Psalmist calls us to do: "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.Give thanks to him, bless his name."

This Sunday, let us do just that!

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Psalm 100 A Psalm of Thanksgiving

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.

For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Whiteboard: Thanksgiving

I try not to preach Henry stories very often.

The truth is, I could preach a story about my son every single Sunday, but that wouldn't really be fair to him...or to the Gospel for that matter!

But this Sunday I simply can't help myself. I'm going to start my sermon with a Henry story.

While I won't ruin it by telling the whole story here on the Blog, know that it involves my 10-year-old getting surprisingly animated about something a morning drive-time DJ said while I was dropping him off at school on a recent morning.

Oh, and know that it my Henry Story has everything to do with Thanksgiving...or for that matter, how easy it is for us to forget about it.

To pass it over.

To gloss over it.

To skip past giving thanks in the name of hurrying on to whatever so called important thing is next on our to do list.

This Sunday is Thanksgiving Sunday at the church, which means that we'll be carving out the time to do exactly what the Psalmist calls us to do: "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.Give thanks to him, bless his name."

This Sunday, let us do just that!

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Psalm 100 A Psalm of Thanksgiving

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.

For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Whiteboard: Go and Do the Same

This Sunday our Stewardship Campaign comes to a close with Dedication Sunday!

We have had three wonderful weeks of celebrating the blessings of Worship, Mission & Ministry here at FCC Scottsdale. We kicked off the campaign on 10/23 by talking about Worship, a week later Rev. Al preached about Mission, last Sunday we focused on Ministry, and now we are ready to wrap up the campaign with Dedication Sunday!

Dedication Sunday means that we’ll be dedicating our Pledge Cards at the end of the worship service…so this is your friendly reminder to bring your Pledge Card this Sunday!

I hope that you have been keeping up with the campaign and that you are as excited as I am about the wonderful things that God is doing with us and through us at First Christian Church Scottsdale. We are praising God in new ways by sharing our Lenten Special Services with our sister congregations at Foothills and Coolwater. We are serving our community in new ways by partnering with Tumbleweeds. We are deepening our faith through the Summer Adventures in Learning series, new small group ministries, and a full cadre of Sunday School classes. That is Worship, Mission & Ministry right there! And it is all made possible by your generosity and faithfulness in giving.

I also hope that you have been prayerfully discerning the ways that you can support our church. Last Sunday we passed out our “I Can…” Checklist that had 30 volunteering opportunities on it that you can choose from. If you didn’t fill one out and drop it off in our basket, know what we’ll have extra copies available in the Fellowship Hall this week. AND, lest we forget: We have a $10,000 Matching Grant before us this year too! For every increase in your pledge this year it will be matched dollar for dollar up to a grand total of $10,000. If you are new to our community and haven’t pledged before that means that your entire pledge will doubled for the coming year! And, if you forgot to turn in a pledge card last year, well, good news because your entire pledge will be doubled for the coming year!

I personally will be increasing my pledge this year in the hopes of maximizing this generous Matching Grant…but more importantly I am increasing my pledge this year because I believe in the good work of this church. I believe in the Worship, Mission & Ministry of First Christian Church Scottsdale and I am happy to support it with my time, talent, and treasure.

I hope to see you at Dedication Sunday! Don’t forget your pledge card…but know that if you do we have extra copies available in the pew racks too!

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Luke 10:25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’

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Acts 11:1-18 -- Peter’s Report to the Church at Jerusalem

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’

Whiteboard: I Can

Our leadership team this year wants to emphasize that stewardship is about more than money. When we are sharing our blessings with each other here at the church that means that stewardship is about sharing our time and talents in addition to sharing our treasure.

In order to demonstrate the ways that we share our time and talents as part of the continuing Ministry at FCC Scottsdale this Sunday you’ll find an “I Can…” Checklist as an insert in your Sunday morning Worship Bulletin.

The “I Can…” Checklist lists off thirty different things that you can do help us further our Ministry programs right here at the church. The list ranges from “Come to Worship” and “Pray” to “Fold and Prepare The Newsletter for Mailing” and “Be a Substitute Teacher for Sunday School.” 

 In fact, if you would like a sneak peak at all 30 items listed on the checklist, well, check out the photos below!

Now, I don’t anticipate anybody will check off all 30 items on the “I Can…” Checklist, but I do hope that you will look over that list and check off the things that you are currently doing to further our Ministry here at the church and check off those things that you might be interested in participating in over the next year. 

We’ll collect the “I Can…” Checklists during the worship service and share the data collected with our different Ministry Team leaders here at the church to help coordinate our efforts.

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Acts 16:16-34 Paul and Silas in Prison

One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, ‘These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.’ She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And it came out that very hour.

But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place before the authorities. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, ‘These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.’ The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay.He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.

Pictures from The Fifth With First

We had another excellent installment of "The Fifth With First" last weekend, including an incredible Workship Project where we partnered with our friends at Operation Fix-It!

Meanwhile, back at the church Rev. Al Beasley preached a wonderful stewardship sermon (on Mission, nonetheless!) and after the service church members stuck around to pack 50 School Supply bags for our outreach partners at the Paiute Neighborhood Center!

Here are a handful of photos from our Workship Project with Operation Fix-It. If you would like to seem more photos from "The Fifth With First" then visit the church's Facebook page at facebook.com/FCCScottsdale!

Whiteboard: Change Your Direction

For folks who are planning on attending the Worship Service in the Sanctuary, you have a special treat: The Rev. Al Beasley will be leading the service and delivering a Mission themed sermon that will highlight the ways your stewardship dollars are transformed into life changing programs in our community and out in the wider world. You’ll get to hear about our many outreach partners, the work of the wider church, and you’ll even hear about the upcoming CROP Hunger Walk!

After the Worship Service in the Sanctuary our Outreach Team has a special On Campus Workship Project for you that will be set up in the Fellowship Hall. We’ll be packing up much needed school supplies for the Paiute Neighborhood Center.

For folks looking to be a part of "The Fifth with First" and our Workship Project with Operation Fix-It, we'll be gathering at the Ramada at Chaparral Park at 9AM for a brief prayer service before heading out to help a local neighbor in need.

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Luke 19:1-10 Jesus and Zacchaeus

He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycomore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 

When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ 

So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 

All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ 

Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ 

Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

Pictures Global Ministries Missionary Visit

On Tuesday evening we were honored to have Anil and Teresa Henry visit us on behalf of Global Ministries.

Anil and Teresa head up the Christian Hospital Mungeli in India, and their story is truly amazing. They have transformed an old missionary building (which was falling in on itself when they arrived) into a cutting edge regional medical center that now serves 30,000 patients a year. They have also developed an accredited Nursing School, have rebuilt a local church (and are working on a second), have redeveloped a local school, and are looking into beginning an orphanage.

The DWM Ladies hosted a Soup and Salad Dinner ahead of the presentation, and then Dr. Anil Henry led us through the remarkable story of transformation that has taken place in Mungeli. It was a wonderful evening, and hopefully the beginning of a new relationship with this powerful mission partner.

The Christian Hospital Mungeli and the work of the Doctors Anil and Teresa Henry are supported by Global Ministries, a joint missionary effort on behalf of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.

To learn more about the Christian Hospital Mungeli and to keep up with the day to day miracles that are happening there, visit their Facebook page at: facebook.com/ChristianHospitalMungeli

The DWM Ladies hosting the Soup and Salad Dinner

A full Fellowship Hall enjoying the dinner before Dr. Anil's
presentation on the Christian Hospital Mungeli.

Dr. Anil Henry in conversation over dinner.

Phyllis Hallman (friend of FCC Scottsdale, member of
Saguaro Christian Church, and a board member for
Global Ministries) introduces Dr. Anil Henry.

Dr. Anil Henry sharing about the Christian Hospital Mungeli.

Dr. Teresa Henry enjoying conversation
and deserts after the program. 

Dr. Henry and my son Henry mugging for the camera!

Pictures 2016 Ministry Fair

Thank you to all of our Ministry Teams at FCC Scottsdale and all of our faithful members who made our First Annual Ministry Fair such a wonderful success!

All of our different Ministry Teams were our in the Church Courtyard with posters and pictures and flyers and stories of the ways that they make ministry happen here at the church. It was a wonderful event where we learned a lot, shared in fellowship, and had an opportunity to volunteer for future projects.

Here are a few photos from the day:

 

Whiteboard: Stewardship Kick Off

With a huge assist from our friends at the Center for Faith and Giving, I'm happy to present my Whiteboard rendition of this year's Stewardship Logo!

This Sunday we are kicking off our Stewardship Campaign!

We have adopted the theme “Go & Do the Same,” which comes from Luke 10:37. At the end of the Parable of the Good Samaritan (a story about putting your faith in action) Jesus instructs us, “Go and Do the Same.”

So all throughout our Stewardship Season we’ll be talking about the ways that we take our faith and put it into action. As we’ve done for the previous two years we have adopted a Narrative Budget. That means that we’ve taken the proposed budget that our Treasurer has put together and translated it into the three broad categories that define our work here at FCC Scottsdale: Worship, Mission and Ministry.

(As a brief reminder, we take those three defining words right out of our Mission Statement. Every Sunday at the beginning of worship I proudly proclaim “At First Christian Church Scottsdale we are a Christ-centered community inviting everyone to seek and celebrate God’s love through joyful worship, mission and ministry!” So, of course, when it comes to describing the work we do we’d use those words.)

Our Stewardship Season will last four weeks. This Sunday we’ll kick off the campaign and focus on Worship! On Sunday October 30 (which is also “The Fifth With First”) we’ll focus on Mission with a special sermon at the worship service in the sanctuary from Rev. Al Beasley. On November 6 I’ll preach about Ministry, and then we’ll wrap up the whole campaign on Dedication Sunday, November 13 where we will turn in and bless our Pledge Cards.

We’ll kick off the campaign this Sunday where I’ll be presenting the first look at our Narrative Budget (including everyone’s favorite: The Pie Chart!). Then next week you’ll be getting your own detailed copy of the Narrative Budget along with a Stewardship Letter as well as your 2017 Pledge Card.

Come and join us!

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Luke 10:25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.’

Luke 7:36-8:3 A Sinful Woman Forgiven

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.’Jesus spoke up and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Teacher,’ he replied, ‘speak.’ ‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ Then turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet.You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’

Some Women Accompany Jesus

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him,as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

Whiteboard: First Responder

A church member stopped by my office when I was midway through with my Whiteboard drawing for the week. I had Jesus in place and the other stick figures fleeing away from him.

The church member joked, "Well, that could be any number of Bible stories, couldn't it!"

Yes. Yes it could be.

People walking away from Jesus' teachings. The Disciples abandoning Jesus in his time of need. The religious leaders of the time scurrying away from Jesus in order to plot and plan against him.

What we actually have this week is the story of Jesus cleansing the 10 lepers. (You'll notice that after the church members confusion I made sure to write in the scripture reference and short descriptive title!)

It is a rather remarkable story.

It is remarkable in part because of the healing power that Jesus displays. Here are 10 lepers who have been cast out of society because of the disease that has afflicted them, and with a simple sentence of instruction Jesus heals them. "Go and show yourselves to the priest."

It is, in fact, while they are going that they realize they have already been made well. Jesus has healed them in a flash as they were walking away...

...and that is exactly what nine of them kept doing: Walking. They just walked away. Healed and set free, restored to wholeness by the power of Jesus' words they take off back into the world that had cast them out. Nine of the ten just keep walking.

But the one. Ah, the one.

He turns back. He praises God. He falls prostrate at Jesus' feet and he just keep thanking him, over and over again. Which is remarkable, and is clearly the life of faith that we are called to.

I have to admit, though, that I find Jesus' response remarkable as well. He knows that he healed ten of them, he knows that only one came back, and evidently he has the power to make amazing things happen. You've gotta figure that he could take that blessing right back, couldn't he? After all, Jesus cursed the fig tree, so you have to figure that he could afflict (or re-afflict) those nine lepers that walked away without a word of thanks or a second thought. But he doesn't. This isn't a story about revenge. This isn't a story about a fickle Savior who will turn his back on us just as quickly as we turn our back on him. No, this is a story of grace. Amazing grace. Radical grace -- the kind that sets us free, and calls us to respond, but isn't conditioned upon our response.

That is remarkable.

The love of God is unconditional. It doesn't hinge on my response or me doing something. No, God's love is freely given. Which makes it even more powerful when we do respond. Because we are doing it out of our own sense of gratitude and appreciation. That is the part that we actually do have control over. You have no control over God's love -- it is there whether you want it or not; whether you recognize it or not. You have no control over how others are going to respond to it -- some will hear the good news and keep on walking, some will cover their ears. The only thing you can control is how you will respond. And I hope (I pray) that you'll respond with the same faith as the one leper who turned back, praised God, and was knocked over with thankfulness.

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Luke 17:11-19 Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him.

Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ 

When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. 

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 

Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’

Whiteboard: World Communion Sunday

I am fond of saying, "World Communion Sunday should be one of our highest of Holy Days for the Disciples of Christ."

Think about it. It is a Sunday that is:

• Dedicated to the Unity We Have in Christ.
• Celebrated around the Lord's Table.
• Participated in by Churches All Over the World Regardless of Denominational Identity.

Those are three of our core values as a church right there! Unity, the centrality of the Lord's Table, and a ecumenical spirit that guides us!

So come join us this Sunday for one of our highest of Holy Days. Come to celebrate the oneness that we experience in Christ Jesus our Lord. Come to remember him in the broken bread and the shared cup of the new covenant. Come to celebrate in worship with our brothers and sisters all over the world who will be gathering this Sunday in their own communities of faith, singing praises in their own language, and breaking bread in their own special way in service to the Lord. See you Sunday!

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Luke 22:14-27 The Lord’s Supper

When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!’ Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would do this.

A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

Pictures from the Sing-Along for Peace

On Sunday September 25 First Christian Church Scottsdale hosted a "Sing-Along for Peace" as part of Faiths United's "Concerts Across America to End Gun Violence." We were one of over 500 concerts that took place that day!

It was a wonderful event filled with song, prayer, and faithful reflection. Below you'll find some pictures from the day as well as the prayer that Sandi offered at the beginning of the concert. 

To learn more about Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence, click here.  

 

A Prayer to End Gun Violence

Merciful Lord, we come to you heavy hearted, for we have heard the cries of the slain calling to us from the ground. We come remembering all the lives lost to the weapons of war that have flooded our communities. We come reminded of the many bodies locked in jails and prisons all across this country. And we ask for your mercy.

Although we find ourselves in a broken world – a world in which hurting people hurt other people, it is no mystery that you are a God capable of healing our world through justice and fairness. Your own revelation has shown us that you stand firmly with those people whose backs are against the wall. Your own life demonstrates how you came from heaven to earth to redeem creation, our communities and our own lives. So we ask for this same redemptive power to be unleashed among us as it was on the day of Pentecost. May we be empowered by your Spirit to reverse the conditions that produce young men and women who are driven to resort to violence and destructive behavior in their fight to stay alive and struggle to remain free.

We know that you have no pleasure in the death of anyone, so we boldly come to the throne of grace today dear Lord, seeking your wisdom as we create strategies that provide pathways and lifelines to hope and healing. Help us to remember we are all your children, created in your image, and we are connected by a single garment of mutuality and destiny. Cause us to never forget how our needs are the same and our calling to address these needs are the same. Reveal to us Lord, that the pain felt in Newtown is the same pain felt in Chicago. The tears shed in Oak Creek are the same tears shed in Oakland. The lives lost in Tucson are the same lives lost in Camden. The children being buried in Aurora are the same children being buried in Detroit.

We cry out to you, heal our souls from this scourge of violence. Endow us with the courage to step down from the pulpits and out from behind our desks to seek the peace of the city. In the coming days and weeks as our leaders debate solutions, Lord we ask that you grant us the voice to speak truth power and demonstrate sacrificial compassion to the hurting.

Teach us your ways, O God. Bless us with the wisdom and strength to put down our swords and be peacemakers. Use us, work through us and, if necessary, work in spite of us to mend our nation’s brokenness.

We thank you for your protecting embrace and unfailing love.

All of these requests we bring to you, in the name of Jesus the Christ we pray.

Amen.

Whiteboard: Be Reconciled

This Sunday we'll be receiving the Reconciliation Special Mission Offering, and I'll be dedicating the entire worship service to the important, necessary work of reconciliation.

And, to be completely honest, I drew this picture on The Whiteboard just to get people to click through to the Reconciliation Ministry Webpage and compare my sketch to the official (and much nicer!) design for the campaign.

Oh, and while you're there make sure to read all about the Reconciliation Special Mission Offering, their work, the resources they develop, and the important place they hold in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Three Things from Admin Council

The Administrative Council had their regularly scheduled meeting this past Sunday immediately following the worship service. Here are "The Three Things" you need to know from that meeting:

1) We have several special events coming up!
Please join us for the "Sing Along for Peace" on 9/25 at 2PM in the Sanctuary, the Fellowship Potluck on 10/9, the annual "Unloading of the Pumpkins into the Pumpkin Patch" on 10/15, the Children's Sabbath Worship Service on 10/16, the Stewardship Season Kick-Off on 10/23, and The Fifth with First on 10/30! What a full month!

2) Arizona Regional Assembly on November 4 and 5
Registration is now open for the Arizona Regional Assembly on 11/4-5 hosted by our brothers and sisters at East Mesa Christian Church. Check out the Regional Assembly Website for more information and swing by the Church to register for the event!

3) Financial Review Completed
The Finance Ministry Team reported back to the Administrative Council that the contracted financial review has been completed and a full report received. With the help of Curt and Mary we are "digesting the report" and will be making policy recommendations on any necessary changes.