Peter's Message
Dear Friends,

Summer is flying by. I’m grateful for Sundays, for worship at First Presbyterian Church, and for opportunities to pause and give thanks to our gracious God for life, faith, and community.

A few brief items for your consideration. I will be asking you to provide me with feedback on my Sunday morning efforts. This will take different forms: a written survey following worship on August 29, in-person feedback during after-church forums (four Sundays, once a month during August through November), and in-person interviews conducted by members of my Parish Project Group (the eight FPC members working with me on my Doctor of Ministry project). The results will be reflected in the thesis I will be writing for my degree. Your participation, therefore – and your honest feedback -- will help me tremendously. Your help will also keep me from pulling out the hair that I have left, as the thesis is due in early January. If I seem oddly preoccupied between now and then, that’s the reason.

Second, Life Groups are starting the week of September 19. If you have not yet been a part of one of these small groups, consider giving one a try. The hour to ninety minutes spent connecting with friends and reflecting on the week’s scripture and sermon is special. Specifics about time and place are offered in these pages and on upcoming Sundays mornings.

Third, this year’s stewardship campaign will be emphasizing the theme Called to Be a Caring Community. How fitting that a key element of the campaign will be home meetings in neighborhoods around Santa Barbara. How good it will be to share in conversation about vision and progress at First Presbyterian Church, the Associate Pastor search process, and your hopes and dreams, as well as our shared calling to grow in stewardship of God’s gifts. So when an invitation is extended to you to attend a home meeting in your neighborhood, say Yes!

I am grateful for your kindness, your commitment, and your partnership.

Grace and peace,

Peter

AGO Organ Concert in the Sanctuary on Sunday at 3pm - FREE Admission
80 year old Dorothy Reiss, MD, will play a FPC and AGO Sponsored organ recital. Please come to hear this beautiful music in our sanctuary.

"Invisible Children" Will Return to First Pres
Josh Murray writes, "I am so excited to share that First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara will be hosting Invisible Children’s Face-to-Face Tour on Wednesday, September 15 at 7pm. This Face-to-Face Tour will consist of Ugandans advocating for themselves.  The top students from our Legacy Scholarship Program are embarking on 11 different tours across North America with our Roadie teams. They will be sharing how Invisible Children's programs are rebuilding education for a region recovering from over 20 years of war. These students have overcome all odds. They are night commuters, child mothers, displaced persons, orphans by war. They refuse to be defined by their past, pushing forward to define their own futures. Now, you can attend a screening, watch our films and hear directly from those who have overcome unimaginable odds to represent peace, justice and hope for the people of northern Uganda."  More info and videos can be found at: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/theMovement/National_Tour

Hurricane Katrina Fundraiser at Woodstock's!
This Sunday, August 29th, is the five year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. To commemorate the anniversary, Woodstock's Pizza in Isla Vista is having a fundraiser Sunday from 5-9 for Project Homecoming, a Presbyterian rebuild organization in New Orleans. The city of New Orleans has come a long way but still has farther to go. Since serving in New Orleans, Alex Marino has worked with around 1,000 volunteers and finished building seven homes. This August he gave a 23 minute sermon on the ongoing need in New Orleans titled "God's Call to Service" at Old First Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. You can hear it online on the blog. A quick synopsis is this: Katrina happened five years ago but the good news is this: You still have a chance help rebuild New Orleans! (Submitted and written by alexanderjmarino@gmail.com )

The Clipper Club Starts a New Year of Fellowship
The Clipper Club will began the 2010/11 season on 10 Sept., 2010. Membership is open to both married and single persons. Annual dues are $7.50 per person.
Dinners are by Kay and are $13.00 per person.  

Program and Details for Sept. 10th:
Join us for Mike Lunsford's "The Gaviota Coast"
Social hour at 5:30 PM, dinner at 6:00 PM
A  delicious Roast Beef Dinner By KAY
"A reservation made is a reservation paid."

If you have any questions, please
Call Doug & Carol DuCharme at  685-8232

Doug and Carol DuCharme Attend This Year's General Assembly
In early July, Doug and Carol DuCharme attended the GA as delegates from our Presbytery. See some of their experiences in the photos below. To read more about this year's General Assembly, click here.
.
.
.

GOOD NEWS FROM THE APNC

The Associate Pastor Nominating Committee is very pleased to announce that we completed our CIF (Church Information Form). It has been accepted by our Session and also by COM – The Committee on Ministry for our Presbytery. Soon it will be posted online at the Presbyterian Church Leadership Connection in Louisville, KY, where it can be read by ministers all over the country.  You can read it, too, in a few days by going to our church website and selecting the link to “APNC.” (Coming soon!)

Do you know of someone who would make a good candidate for our new position? Help out by encouraging the candidate to go to our church website www.fpcsb.org and submit an application. Pick up one of our cards with all of the information that you need to get someone started in the process. We know that God has the perfect person for First Pres. Help us to discover who it is.

Your APNC: Ted Baehr, Tom Blabey, Susan Croshaw, Sandy Hess, Loyda Márquez, Michelle Martinich, Dave Morley, Brian Slattery and Cynthy Ardell. See our table at Homecoming Sunday (September 12).

LIFE OF THE CHURCH

UKRAINE UPDATE: Nita Hansen, founder and director of “God’s Hidden Treasures” in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine wrote to our Mission Team about two recent special events. “We had two wonderful mission teams this summer – a terrific camp and another vacation Bible School at the Boy’s House…. The Annual Picnic was a huge success despite a freak storm the day before. Over 400 people attended – some of whom had not been outside since the picnic one year before.” Keep GHT in your prayers.

THE PRAYER CHAIN is available to pray for your needs. In the Narthex and Fireside Lounge are Prayer Boxes provided by the Congregational Care Ministry. Please place a request form in the box, call Chuck at: 687-0754 x 102 or email: ccurtis@fpcsb.org. Requests are kept confidential.

PRAYER AND INTERCESSION

Pray for:

· Missionary “John F.” in the “Middle East”

· God’s presence & guidance for our Associate Pastor Nominating Committee

· Those who are sick, hospitalized or recovering and need our support

· Our military personnel serving in the Middle East: Nicolas Jones (grandson of Allen & Ann Braithwaite); Andrew Gaston (brother of Leah Gaston); the people of the Middle East, the pastors and people of the churches and for all those working for peace in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world

· Praise and thanks that Erich Johnson (grandson of Beverly Smaniotto) is safely home from military service in the Middle East

· Congregation and staff at Carpinteria Community Church, Pastor Jarrett Johnson, retired minster Charles Griffin of Carpinteria and minister member at large Jessica Vaughan Lower

THIS WEEK AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Sunday, August 29 – 8:30 a.m. Contemplative Worship in the Chapel;       9 a.m. Informal Worship in CFC; 9 a.m. Adult Ed in Anderson Lounge; 10:30 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary; 3:00 p.m. AGO Organ Concert in the Sanctuary, FREE admission.

Wednesday, September 1 – 9 a.m. Flower Guild Meeting  in Session Room;  9:30 a.m. Faith & Literature  Women’s reading group in Anderson Lounge (687-4995); 1 p.m. Senior Activities Planning  in Garden Room; 7 p.m. APNC in Anderson Lounge; 7 p.m. Sr. Hi Youth Group in Youth Lounge (Josh: 279-2391)

Thursday, September 2 – 10 a.m. PW Coordinating Team in Anderson Lounge; 7 p.m. Jr. Hi Youth Group in Youth Lounge (Josh: 279-2391)

Friday, Sept. 3 – 10 a.m. Senior Activities Program, Garden Room

Sunday, September 5 – 8:30 a.m. Contemplative Worship, Chapel;     9 a.m. Informal Worship, CFC; 9 a.m. Adult Ed in Anderson Lounge; 10:30 a.m. Worship, Sanctuary; 12 noon Children and Youth Fall Kick-off Party at Willoughby World