The Pathfinder Dec 2014

8/10/2019 The Pathfinder Dec 2014

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ADVENTWAITING FOR MORE THANSANTA

February 28, 2015 is

scheduled for our all-

church Future Story

Retreat!

The calendar year starts on January 1st but for the Church,its New Year starts on Advent Sunday (the fourth Sunday

before Christmas). The actual date varies, but it is usually the

last Sunday in November or the rst Sunday in December.

This year it is November 30.

Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means

coming, and its the time when the Church gets ready for

the coming of Jesus, celebrated at Christmas. Adventswatchwords are preparation and waiting. Its about looking

outward and ahead. Its time for Christians to declare that

The

Pathfinder

Contents

December 2014

December 2014

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2 December 2014

AdventWaiting for More than SantaContinued from page 1

Gods previous incursion into human aairs

through Jesus Christ is not the end of the

story but the foundation for a future hope of

God bringing ultimate promises to fruition.

We really do have a story of hope and love

that the world needs to hear!

Consider this: A study conducted by

LifeWay Research found that 91 percent

of Americans celebrate Christmas,

including people who call themselves

atheists, agnostics or other. The study

also found that one of the ways47 percentof households celebrate the holiday is

by attending special Christmas Eve or

Christmas Sunday services. The research

also shows that people are more open

during the Christmas season to matters

of faith, which is why Id suggest seizing

the opportunity the season provides: to

invite friends and acquaintances to come

hear the story and sing the carols of the

season. 67 percent of Americans say a

personal invitation from a church-going

family member would be the most

eective method a local congregation or

faith community could use to invite them

to attend. Invitations to attend church froma friend or neighbor are almost as eective,

with 63 percent of Americans indicating this

variety of invitation would be eective.

Inviting people, making guests and

strangers feel welcome, making room; these

are not the work of a church committee.

Beginning the first

Sunday in December,

the Giving Tree of

First Christian Church,

Tacoma will have a

giving tree set up in the

Narthex (the gatheringarea or front room right

o the sanctuary). The

Giving Tree is decorated with ornaments

of paper which have on them a Christmas

gift for each of four families that include six

adults and thirteen young people.. You are

GIVING TREE

By: Rev. Barbara Blaisdell

This is the work of every Christian, of

every single one of US! Especially in this

season, as we remember the birth of the

One for whom there was no room at the

inn, I am mindful that we must make sure

at every worship service, at every gatheringof our beloved congregation that our rst

job is to make certain that there is a place for

the Christ who comes hidden in the guise

of the least of these. What will youdo this

season to help your neighbor await more

than Santa?

1-http://www.lifewayresearch.com/2010/12/20/

lifeway-research-nds-christmas-is-prime-time-

for-church-invitations/


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December 2014 3

invited to choose an ornament, purchase

the gift listed and return it to the church

by Christmas Sunday, December 21, gift-

wrapped in Christmas paper with the right

code name on the gift tag.

Why should we add this expense to an

already expensive holiday for our families,

for people whose names we do not know?

Let me answer this way: in late September,

we were privileged to have a gifted preacher

at First Christian Church, Tacoma. In thatsermon, whose scripture was the familiar

story of the Good Samaritan, the Rev. Dr.

Chuck Blaisdell said this:

if you havent already done so,

start thinking about your Christmas

list now - and think about that list

in a new way. What do I mean?Well, I suspect that on your list, like

mine, are your spouse, your children

and parents, your grandchildren

and friends, your co-workers and

neighbors. What Id like you to do is

to join me in planning right now to add

one extra person to your list. If you

are shopping for your grandchildren,

then add another grandchild to that

list one whom you dont know but

who needs food, or clothing, or shoes,

or even a toy. Maybe he or she is at ahome for abused children, or one of

those children in northern Colorado or

eastern Washington or New Orleans

or California whose lives are still

hurting from the ravages of ood or

re, or one of those children in the

Sudan or Syria who have ed from

terror. Or if you are going to shop for

your friends, then may I urge you to

add one more friend to that list? You

wont know him or her, and he or she

may be a refugee in the Middle East or

the victim of an earthquake in Pakistan

or a soldier a long way from home.

But they are your neighbors too.

When Barbara and I moved to Hawaii,

we quickly learned that the Hawaiian

language has the perfect word to sum

up the story of the Good Samaritan:

the word hana`i. That word denotes

someone is like family, who really IS

family, family not by biology but bychoice. And what the Good Samaritan

story tells us is that with God as

our heavenly parent, the Father and

Mother of us all, we are all, whether

near or far, hana`i brothers and sisters.

God has made us family with all


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4 December 2014

Giving TreeContinued from page 3

As 2014 nears its

end, it is a good

time to reflect

on the past and

look forward

to the future of

our Church. It is

also time for me

to step down as

Moderator and look to other ways to serve

in our church body.

In the last two years our congregation has

THANKS!By: Rich Eltrich

kinds of people whom we know and

who are close by - and with all kinds

of other people whom we will never

meet. The Good Samaritan put thatman who was in the ditch on his list

to give a gift to; will you join me in

adding someone to your own gift list

who needs you?

The song that every child knows at this

time of year says this of Santa Claus:

Hes making a list and checking ittwice Id like to invite you to check

your own list twice or more and make

sure, indeed, that on that list is a gift for

someone who oh-so-needs your help.

And, whats more, maybe youre like

me, in that you really dont need any

more stu and in fact are thinking

about how to pare down your stu!If so, invite your family and friends to

make their Christmas lists and instead

of giving a gift TO you, ask them to

consider giving a gift in your honor

to one of those organizations that is

helping to assuage hurt in this world.

Ask those on your list if they would like a gift

to Habitat for Humanity or the Food Bank or

Associated Ministries or for needy families

at FCC. And then designate those gifts to

FCC in their honor and well make sure they

get where they need to be. If you do, they

and you will have the joy of knowing that

those gifts will be used well for members

of your hana`i family somewhere in Godsgood world. Will you join me in checking

your lists and making those gifts?

Barbara Blaisdell, Senior Pastor


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December 2014 5

worked through some signicant changes.

The challenges have been many. From

changes in worship style to many personal

changes to improving nancial support

for the church. All of these issues have

challenged us as a congregation and some

will continue to challenge us into the future.

The good news is you have elected a group

of volunteers who have stepped up to take

on these challenges with renewed vigor.

Many thanks to those on the Search

Committee who worked with it for well

over a year to select Pastor Blaisdell as our

Senior Pastor. What a blessing! Many thanks

to those who served on the Board, Elders

and various committees. Your guidance,

thoughtful consideration on tough issues

and prayerful decision making skillfully

guided our church though these times.

Many thanks to the Deacons for all the workyou do each Sunday and other times when

called on.

There are many people who warrant special

kudos for the above and beyond work they

do for our church. Here are a few who I

remember from this past year; Jim Treece, for

working to keep our grounds and buildingswell maintained. Jim is present on the

church grounds weekly to work with sta

and contractors who maintain the buildings

or do repairs. Linda Hickcox, for working

with sta to order our books, make them

more transparent and make them balance.

Lela Cox, who works with children each

Sunday during service to provide Christian

education to them. All the volunteers who

work weekly in the oce to help Pastor

Blaisdell and her sta. Finally, to all of our

volunteers who do the work of the church or

are called by Christ to be in service through

our church, thank you!

As we look to the future I want to encourage

you to please plan to participate in our

scheduled Future Story Congregational

meeting set for February 28th. The

Committee that is working with Dick Hamm

on crafting the details to assist you in helping

to tell the story of FCC into the future is

working hard on gathering information

for this process. Why is this meeting so

important? This meeting will help craft the

direction FCC will move into the future. This

means developing concrete actionable work,planned out and prayerfully considered

The only people who can do that is our

church body, we need you! Called by

Christ to serve in this church we are the

ones who must decide through prayerful

consideration and thoughtful planning what

is important to bringing Christs message

to this community and what is not. Whatwill our choices of program and ministry

be? How committed will we be to carrying

those out? Please come and share this church

changing event with your fellow brothers

and sisters in Christ.


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6 December 2014

ThanksContinued from page 5

Like a roller coaster

barreling down thatrst long hill, we are

running straight into

the holiday season.

Along with all the

festivities, excitement,

reflection and worship, December 31

becomes one of the last hurrahsone last

chance for parties, for tasty treats andevenings with friends and family full of

fun and laughter. New Years Eve marks

the end of 2014.

Many of us use this opportunity to reect

on the year just passing, with all of its joys

and sorrows, successes and failures. We

hope we have learned lessons that willhelp to guide our actions in the new year

so that we avoid repeating mistakes, and

nd greater happiness by making progress

toward our goals.

And then comes New Years Day. Fresh and

READY OR NOT!By: Becky Metcalf

Finally, thank you so much for giving me

the opportunity to work with you. I look

forward to serving with you in the future.

Moderator FCC

Rich Eltrich

pure, a brand new calendar page that has

not been written on. This is our chance to

make a new start, forget the past and forge

boldly into the next chapter of our lives.

As in our personal lives, so the communitythat gathers for worship and ministry at

6th and Orchard will also walk across a

threshold into a new year, full of changes

The church operates on the calendar year

for business, and so January will mark a

transition to a new church board, and a time

to re-set our sights for the future.

As the incoming Board Moderator, I am

eager to begin this new adventure. We have

come through some unsure times, you and

me, on our journey in the past few years. But

things are now beginning to stabilize with

both a permanent Senior Pastor and Minister

of Music and Spirituality in place. The new

board can move from the business of trying

to call a new pastor to now listening very

carefully to Gods call for our future together

At this point, I cant even imagine what that

is; however, I know Gods plans for us are

wonderful and life-giving and abundant

Just as we say goodbye to the old year and

welcome the new, our challenge now is tolet go of the past and take faithful steps into

a new future with our way always being lit

by the presence of Gods Spirit.

I hope you will join with me in looking

forward eagerly, expectantly, to the next


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December 2014 7

Thanksgiving Sunday

we were oered the

opportunity to pledge

our support for the

ministry and mission

of First ChristianChurch. We had 39

giving units turn in a

pledge card. 38 of those pledged a specic

amount. The 39th card contained a pledge to

tithe with no specic amount listed. These

THANKS TO ALL WHO AREPARTICIPATING IN OUR FINANCIALSTEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN FOR 2015

Thank you to all

who contributed

to the poinsettias!

Poinsettias will goup on Thursday

December 11th for

the last two Sundays

of Advent including

Christmas Sunday

( the last Sunday of Advent) and Christmas

Eve. Anyone who would like to help place

the poinsettias is invited to come for lightpotluck refreshments at 5:30.

Unhanging of the Greens the undecorating

party with light potluck refreshments will

be after Sunday Jan 4th Epiphany.

TIS THE SEASON......

ADVENTLEARNING TO WAIT(SERMON & WORSHIP THROUGH

CHRISTMAS)

Nov 30Learning to Wait

I. Waiting for the ReningFire (HOPE)

Isaiah 64:1-9; Mark 13:24-37

Dec 7Learning to Wait

II. Waiting for the Shepherds Care (PEACE)Isaiah 40:1-11


III. Waiting on the Light (JOYJohn 1:6-8, 19-28


(Christmas Sunday)

IV. Waiting on the Sovereign Child(LOVE)

Luke 1:39-56

Christmas Eve @ 7:00 pm(Service of Lessons and Carols)

chapter, the future story of Gods body here

at First Christian Church. Make your hearts

tender for Gods direction, and make plans to

play the part that only you can play. Because,

ready or not, the future is nearly here!


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8 December 2014

The First Church Calendar Fundraiser has

been a great

success! Thirty

individuals

and families

have already

ordered 78

calendars and

donated about

$500.00. These

funds will be used for our educational

ministries. The best news is that there are 22

calendars still available (unless we have to

TIME TO CHANGE YOURCALENDAR

AN ADVENT GIFT FOR YOU FROMOUR PASTOR

For Each HouseholdPastor Barbara has purchased a limited

number of Advent

Devotionals for adults.

They will be available

on Thanksgiving

Sunday as a gift from

her home to yours, one

per each participanthousehold.

For Families with Children

Pastor Barbara has purchased a limited

number of these Advent

devotionals for families

with children as a gift

from her family to yours

They will be available on

Thanksgiving Sunday,

one per each participant

household with children

pledges are gifts from about 70 people. The

pledges turned in so far add up to $113, 746.

We are aware that we have other regular

givers who have not yet had a chance toturn in a pledge card. There are cards still

available in the church oce and at the

reception desk in the narthex. Wed love to

still hear from you. Finally, we are grateful

to all our generous

givers of time, talent

and treasure. You

make the ministry of

Jesus possible at 6th

and Orchard.

THANKS TO ALL WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN OURFINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN FOR 2015Continued from page 7

order even more) and you still have a month

before its time to hang your beautiful and

useful 2015 calendar where you can use it

every day. Dont forget that these calendars

will also make great Christmas gifts. See

Joe Mills, the Calendar Guy, before or afterSunday worship.


9/14

supply was not sending sucient wattage

to consistently make the connection for

some of the notes. Our electrician, Bob Blue,

was able to improve this situation enough

to use the organ for Thanksgiving Sunday.

We were excited to have Tim Drewes, the

organ restorer, play the organ Thanksgiving

Sunday and accompany Monica Steele and

the Chancel Choir on the piano for the choir

anthem, Jesus Christ, the Apple Tree.

We ordered a new power supply, a $200

item, and should have it installed for the

rst Sunday in Advent. All work should be

complete by the second Sunday of Advent

Thanks again to all those who have already

contributed to the organ fund and who

are considering doing so. If you have not

contributed and would like to, we are

establishing an organ maintenance fund to

ensure we have the funds to maintain the

organ in the future. This is an investment inour musical/spiritual heritage. We praise

God for those who rst invested and those

who continue to invest in an instrument

built in 1923 for $10,000 (now worth over

$500,000) that will continue to praise God!!

Again, we are so grateful for the folks who

have contributed to the organ fund. We

received $4025 !These gifts plus the $1500

we already have in the budget will enable

us to complete this years work on the organ.

Our new goal is to have the organ up to

its best potential by the second week of

Advent. You know the Spirit is working

when things get done ahead of the original

schedule!

During the third week of work on the organ,

almost done with the rst two phases of the

work, we found that the electrical power

December 2014 9

ORGAN NEWS

By: Monica Steele


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10 December 2014

About Tim Drewes

Tim Drewes has been playing music for a

long time - since he was six. He graduated

from Pacic Lutheran University in Tacoma,

Washington, in 1982 with performance

degrees in both piano and organ. His organ

teacher was David Dahl.

Tinkering with organs was one of his

favorite things. In high school, he worked

for organbuilder Byard Fritts. (Byards son

Paul is now a well- known organ builder.)

American organs of the Victorian period are

one of his passions. After college he worked

for George Bozeman in New Hampshire and

later Richard Bond in Oregon, both known

for their work with historic organs. In 1994,

the American Institute Of Organbuilders

(http://www.pipeorgan.org) awarded him their

Colleague certicate.

William Porter and Yuko Hayashi were his

teachers during graduate school at New

England Conservatory. He is an active

performer on piano and organ in the Seattle-

Tacoma area. Tim played for three national

conventions of the Organ Historical Society

Organ NewsContinued from page 7

(http://www.organsociety.org). He lives in an

old house in Auburn, Washington with his

wife, Cheryl and son, Issac who are also

musicians.

GIVING TREEWe are helping four

families. Look for gift requests on the

giving tree for one you might like to

give. Please return it gift wrappedwith a gift tag that identies the family

and recipient by the letter and number

indicated on the gift request.

CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR PART

TIME STAFFYou are invited to give

a cash gift for distribution to our part

time sta for Christimas.

CHRISTMAS OFFERING

SUPPORTING THE WORK OF OUR

REGIONlook for more information

on this opportunity.

OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE THISCHRISTMAS


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GOING GREEN WITH THENEWSLETTER

Currently all newsletters are printed on

recycled paper, but is that really enough? To

help out Mother Earth we are asking if youwould like to receive an electronic version

of the newsletter? If so, please contact

Cassie at: [email protected] with subject

Lets Save Mother Earth and please let

us know the best e-mail address to send

your electronic newsletter to. Thank you

for Going Green.

This Summer the Writing for Fun & Family

group had a fantastic time being creative

and exploring ways of expressing ones self

through writing. For a limited time youcan read their compilations in Memories

Laughter & Tears for $5 (while supplies

last). All proceeds will be donated to the

churchs organ nd. To get your copy there

will be a table set up in the narthex or you

can reach Myra Gormley.

WRITING FOR FUN & FAMILY

MISSING HOT WATER PITCHERS

During a recent event at

the church our Kitchen

coordinators notice we

had several missing hot

water pitchers. Though

we were able to borrow

some from another churchfor the event, we would like to remind

everyone to please return items that they

have borrowed from the kitchen. Thank you

for your cooperation and understanding.

SHARING AT CHRISTMAS

GIFT IDEAS FOR FCCIn November, we began

to collect for the YWCA

Womens Shelter. There are

still donations we can give

for these women who are

afraid to go home:

12 December 2014

HELP WITH COFFEE HOUR

We are still in need of cookies and small

muns labeled and dated and stored in

our freezer in zip lock bags. So If you love

to bake, please consider donating a portion

of your latest eorts. If baking is not your

thing, you can bring goodies that are store

bought or you can help us set up by making

coee and/or clean up. There is a sign-up

sheet in the Gathering Area (Narthex) and

a complete instruction sheet for doing the

coee fellowship is in a binder on top of

the coee machine.


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YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE!By: Norma Carolyn

The numbers of people served at the

Northwest Tacoma Food Bank on distribution

days keep growing. Five FCC volunteers

donated their time on Wednesday, November19, and four volunteers donated their time on

Saturday , November 22. On Wednesday,

175 families visited the Food Bank to receive

December 2014 13

Large size disposable diapers; regular size

toiletry items shampoo, deodorant, lotion,

soap, body wash, disposable razors, etc ;

small suitcases, large totes, pillow cases;

hand towels, kitchen towels, washcloths,

dishcloths; sweatshirts

Lets also double our eorts to support

Nativity House, for whom we have been

collecting on a regular basis. During the

cold weather, the warm hospitality oered

at Nativity House is a Godsend for the

homeless.:

Used or new mens clothing, especially

socks and underwear; mens toiletries

deodorant, shaving cream, razors, small

tubes of toothpaste

Womens toiletries

Boxes are in the Parlor ready to receive your

love oerings

food supplies, and 166 families visited the

Food Bank on Saturday.

These families included 1,141 individuals.

Your donations helped make a dierence

in their lives.

For every $1.00 donated, the food bank

can distribute $7.00 worth of food, enough

food for a meal for a family of four. You can

put your donation in the collection plate on

Sunday, mark it Food Bank and well get

it to the NW Tacoma Food Bank.

If you wish to donate non-perishable

food items in the

Food barrel in the

Narthex, items

most needed are

chili and stew,

tuna, peanutb u t t e r , a n d

canned beans and

fruit. Non-food

i tems always

in demand are

toi let paper ,

large diapers,

shampoo, soap and toothpaste.

The next dates for FCC volunteers to donate

time at the Food Bank are December 31

and January 3. Contact Ginny Quiring or

Norma Carolyn to volunteer your time.


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First Christian Church of Tacoma602 North Orchard StreetTacoma, Washington 98406253-752-7734

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The Pathfinder Dec 2014