For previous "From The Pastor" newsletter articles, click HERE!

September 2010

September 2010 From The Pastor

Having been trained as a Christian Educator in both undergraduate and graduate schools, my heart has always been with teaching and the learning that goes with it. A fundamental facet of the life of a Christian is to be a lifelong learner. Otherwise, what were all the sermons, parables, and questions Jesus asked along the way really for? Likewise, the sign of a vibrant and fruitful congregation is a devotion to Intentional Faith Development on the part of the pastor, the lay leaders, and the entire community of members, participants, and friends.

This fall there will be no excuse for you to NOT be involved in some way in an intentional path of spiritual development and Christian education. As you can easily see on the front page of this Messenger, there is something for everyone at every age level – and even several somethings at some ages! I am going to try a few new techniques with my Inquirer’s Class this year. I want to make it as accessible to you, the congregation, and to the entire community as possible. In that attitude:

> The core of this spiritual journey will be Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 9:50 a.m. in the Parlor. This is where the primary content will be shared and mulled over.

> But, in addition to this I’m going to host a monthly Book Discussion Group at Latitude 41°n at 5712 Detroit Ave. in Cleveland’s Detroit Shoreway neighborhood from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. the LAST Monday of each month! Here community folks and church folks and passers-by can be involved in the conversation.

> Finally, I will start a Facebook page for each book we are studying so that persons can add their insights and ask their questions, whether or not they can get to either of the above groups (and even whether or not they are related to our church!). The Page is called "A New Kind Of Christianity" Book Discussion Page. Make it a “Favorite” of your page!

The first conversation will be around the book, "A New Kind Of Christianity: Ten Questions That Are Transforming The Faith,” by Brian McLaren. In this deeply insightful and provocative book, McLaren takes on the “traditional” way we’ve looked at scripture, Jesus, and the Christian faith and seeks to reclaim them from a position of historical and spiritual integrity. The questions are simple on the surface (“Who is Jesus and why is he important?” and “What is the gospel”) but his approach takes us far deeper than many popular preachers and authors would have us go. If we take this quest seriously, it may change our lives and allow us to finally claim the title “Christian” with complete confidence and humility!

Books are available for purchase from Pastor Allen
So, won’t you join me – us – on the journey! Regardless of where you plug in to the Christian Education Program of Franklin Circle Christian Church, there will be LOTS of questions (I hope so), maybe a few answers, but our relationship with God, and the Teacher/Savior he sent in Jesus, will be all the better for it.

May it be so!
Pastor Allen

 

Other Classes:
FOOD – TELEVISION – DISCUSSION
SUNDAY SCHOOL LITE BEGINS – 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning
This fall a new Sunday School class will start with a new and different format. Each week we will start our time together with coffee and doughnuts and watch a video. The class will address a variety of topics that will help in our understanding of Jesus and how He fits into our lives today. We hope you will join us as we start with a review of what happens when God’s people pray. ~ Larry Crell

Adult Bible Study – 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning
Fall 2010 Topic: The study this quarter focuses on the nature of God as the first person on the Trinity. Our three units look at Old Testament texts from the Exodus narrative and from the poetry of Psalms.


 

August 2010

Celebrating Our Diverse Heritage
 

Many of us know about the days and months set aside for celebrations of the ethnic heritage of those of us from Europe. Columbus Day in October is a national holiday, and it is used to celebrate Italian heritage. Of course, who doesn’t know about St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 when all of us have a little Irish in us?! In recent years, such celebrations have expanded. Black History Month, or African American History Month, in February, has become a popular time to celebrate the accomplishments of our African American sisters and brothers. Celebration of identity isn’t limited to ethnicity and race, however. We commemorate Veteran’s Day in November for men and women who have served our country in the military. Those of us who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and affirming march in parades and celebrate at festivals in June for Pride Month.

As part of our commitment to being Anti-Racist, Open & Affirming, and Accessible to All, I thought that in this coming year we might be more intentional about celebrating more of our diversity in this congregation. I would like for us each month to lift up those special celebrations that remind us that in our uniqueness, we are all so much the same. Together we can learn a bit about how these holidays came to be. In our commitment to “Widening The Circle For All God’s Children,” we can find a day, a week, or a month to remember and honor all our identities and heritages.
In that spirit, I would like to lift up two lesser-known celebrations coming up: Hispanic Heritage Month and German Heritage Month. I not only hope, but urge you to share with me your heritage and the time of year in which it is celebrated. Together, in our mosaic of uniqueness, we will see the unity of God where all are one peoples!

God’s Grace Is Abundant,
Pastor Allen

Hispanic Heritage Month ~ September 15 – October 15
For more info, go to: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/hhm1.html

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18.
The term Hispanic, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, refers to Spanish-speaking people in the United States of any race. On the 2000 Census form, people of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin could identify themselves as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or "other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino." More than 35 million people identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino on the 2000 Census

German Heritage Month ~ September 15 – October 15
For more info, go to: http://german.about.com/od/teaching/a/geramday.htm

In the month of October Americans commemorate the Germanic heritage element of American society. About one in four Americans claims to have German ancestors. There were Germans among the Jamestown settlers in 1607 and Germans (Prussians, Austrians, etc.) have continued to migrate to the New World until the present day--most notably during the two migratory waves of the late 1840s and from 1880 to 1889.
The first German-American Day, October 6, was proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 for the 300th anniversary of the arrival of 13 German families on board a sailing vessel named "Concord" (the "German Mayflower"). The Germans from Krefeld landed in Philadelphia on October 6, 1683 and founded Germantown, Pennsylvania (now part of Philadelphia). In 1987, after a campaign by German-American organizations, Congress made October 6 an official day of commemoration.


 

For previous "From The Pastor" newsletter articles, click HERE!