Peter's Message
Dear Friends,

Driving on upper State Street is a pleasure these days. It has been completely resurfaced -- now it’s smooth as silk. Not a pothole in sight. Beautiful!

I wonder if the warm and sincere welcome we offer our church guests on Sunday morning isn’t as beautiful. I heard it again this week, that newcomers like worshipping here because the church is “friendly.” This means a lot of things. It means that people are genuine. It means that we go out of our way to greet those we don’t know. That we are not inhibited; that we are not wary of strangers. That we believe “church” means “caring community.” That Sunday morning is a day for being together, for joy, for worship. That this is communicated to our guests in a real way says to me that we -- you -- are practicing Christian faith through the practice of hospitality.

I’m grateful that our welcome is extended to all people. We do need to balance hospitality with security, however. A recent staff training meeting on this topic was most helpful. Since on Sunday morning our buildings – like our hearts -- are wide open, let me pass on to you some of the cautions we discussed:

• Be sure to lock your car doors before coming into church. Store valuables out of sight.
• Keep an eye on purses or other valuables, no matter where you are in church.
• Hold onto car keys (don’t leave them in a coat pocket).
• Identify the exit closest to where you are sitting so you can leave quickly in an emergency.
• Do not give money to those who ask for it. Do be gracious and polite – and mention that our church does a lot of things for needy members of our community – but decline the request for cash. Do refer them to Judith or me, and we will make arrangements to be helpful – not with cash, but with appropriate services and referrals

Just as important as these cautions – more important, really – is to be truly welcoming. We do not make assumptions about people’s motives for being with us on Sunday morning. Most often our guests who are homeless simply want to experience the worship of God. Life is very challenging for them, even dangerous; church is safe and people are kind. Human kindness is in itself an expression of the kingdom of God.

Thank you for showing the love of Jesus Christ to all you meet. You are the church. If we are becoming a caring community, it is thanks to you.

Peter

A Sukkha for Peace

An Interfaith Celebration

of Community

You are invited to join us for our 5th Annual Sukkha for Peace. The event celebrates the Jewish festival of Sukkhot in a unique and interfaith way. All are welcome. Families are especially invited. The festival of Sukkhot honors the journey of the Jewish people travelling together through the desert. The Sukkha is a simple frame shelter that is built along the way. The lesson of Sukkhot is that it is not the structures that we build that make us secure and bring us peace but rather the relationships we build as we walk together. A lesson as important for our world today as it was thousands of years ago. Come be a part of building the interfaith community in our city. This year we will be celebrating with a circle of special blessings offered from a variety of religious traditions. The universal themes of gratitude for abundance of nature at harvest time, and seeking security and peace through building respectful relationships will be honored. Come early to help decorate the Sukkha. There will be singing, music and circle dance.

Please bring a dairy main dish or salad or dessert to share. We will supply drinks and paper goods.

Co-Sponored with Community Shul of Montecito and La Casa de Maria

Sunday, September 26 4:30 to 6:30 pm

La Casa de Maria is located in Montecito at 800 El Bosque Road. Take San Ysidro exit off 101 towards the mountains. Turn right on East Valley and go about 1/3 of a mile to El Bosque. Turn left and drive to end of El Bosque. The event is to the left as you enter the retreat property. Continue past the event site for parking.

For more information you can call 805-969-5031 or email juliet@lcdm.org.

Please register online at www.lacasademaria.org

LIFE OF THE CHURCH

THE FLOWERS today are dedicated by Michael Frazer in honor of his mother Mary Frazer’s birthday. THE FLOWERS are also dedicated by Judith Muller in loving memory of her mother Beth’s birthday. The Deacons will take the flowers to those unable to attend worship with us.

NEWS FROM WHEELER-WADDELLS: John and Anne Wheeler-Waddell represented Antioch Partners at the New Wilmington Mission Conference in Pennsylvania in late July. There they gave their first member care workshop, allowing “church folk to hear from mission folk about ways that churches can practically and thoughtfully be more supportive of those being sent out in mission in difficult places.” Every year John and Anne spend some of their time teaching at the seminary in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

CALLED TO BE A CARING COMMUNITY is this year’s stewardship campaign. How fitting that a key element of the campaign will be home meetings in neighborhoods to share in conversation about vision and progress at FPC, the Associate Pastor search process, and your hopes and dreams, and 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!” If you can’t attend the meeting in your neighborhood, call the church (687-0754) to find another meeting.

EVERYONE IS INVITED to a unique and wonderful inter-faith activity at La Casa de Maria TODAY, September 26, from 4-6:30 p.m. The goal is to highlight ‘peace’ through the building of a Sukkah (a temporary shelter for the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot) with blessings from various religious traditions, music from the Middle-East Ensemble, discussions on community tolerance, and great food that we all bring to share with each other. See the flyer in the reception office window.

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 Bree Bouma, director of IMPACT of SB Presbyter y

·  God’s 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: Sgt. Joseph G. Whitehouse (grandson of Marge Gould); Andrew Gaston (brother of Leah Gaston); the people of the Middle East, the pastors and people and those working for peace in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world

·  Congregation and staff at First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara, Pastor Peter Buehler, Associate Pastor Judith Muller, Parish Associate Gordon Hess

THIS WEEK AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Sunday, September 26 – 8:30 a.m. Contemplative Worship in the Chapel; 9 a.m. Informal Worship in the CFC; 9 a.m. Adult Ed in Anderson Lounge; 10:15 a.m. Parents’ Life Group in the Garden Room; 10:30 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary; 11:45 a.m. Sermon Feedbac k

Monday, September 27 – 9:30 a.m. Craft Group in the Garden Room; 5:30 p.m. Presbyterian Women Dinner & Program in the CFC.

Tuesday, Sept. 28 – 7 a.m. Women’s Life Group in the CFC; 7:30 a.m. Men’s Bible Breakfast in Anderson Lounge; 1 p.m. Caregiver Support Group, Garden Room; 7 p.m. Session in Anderson Lounge

Wednesday, September 29 – 12 noon Life Group at American Riviera Bank; 7 p.m. APNC meeting in Anderson Lounge; 7 p.m. Sr. High Youth Group in the Youth Lounge (Josh: 279-2391); 7 p.m. Life Groups at Bakker and Hess homes

Thursday, September 30 – 4 p.m. Women’s Life Group in Anderson Lounge; 6:30 p.m. Jr. Hi Youth Group in Youth Lounge (Josh: 279-2391); 7 p.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal

Friday, October 1 – 10 a.m. Senior Activities Program , Garden Room, program - Movie: “Julie and Julia”

Sunday, October 3 – 8:30 a.m. Contemplative Worship in the Chapel; 9 a.m. Informal Worship in the CFC; 9 a.m. Adult Ed in Anderson Lounge; 10:15 a.m. Parents’ Life Group in the Garden Room; 10:30 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary