Hi Friends!
Last Sunday was our Stewardship Sunday –the day many of us brought to church our green pledge cards and decided how much we are willing to give to our church’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year beginning in July. If you haven’t heard about our fun service – then you’ll have to ask Alonzo if he wants to be a millionaire! We had a little game-show fun this week with Alonzo Pedrin as our contestant –make sure to ask him what this year’s church budget is! Perhaps what all of us realize coming out of Sunday is that this is our church, but it is more than our church –it belongs to those who came before us, it belongs to those who will come after us –but in reality it is not fully ours nor is it fully theirs –this church, Fairview Community Church, is God’s church. And we are in charge of taking care of it, helping it to grow ever-greener, and finding our own voice as we do! Pledge cards can be sent to the church c/o financial secretary. Thank you for your support!
I don’t intend to spend this entire e-mail asking for money –but let me also point out that there are two additional opportunities to give. Many of us are worried about the cyclone devastation in Myanmar and as I’ve mentioned in two previous emails there are ways to give on top of what we as a faith community have already given through One Great Hour of Sharing. You can write a check to Fairview Community Church with Cyclone Relief or Myanmar on the memo and we will send it on, or you can donate directly online by clicking here: https://secure.ga3.org/03/myanmar_cyclone_response
This week is the AIDS Walk in Orange County and Fairview has a team! Thank you to the support that you have given! If you would like to walk on Fairview’s Team or contribute to the team so that we can all be a part of the fight against HIV/AIDS please check out our team website! On the site you can sign-up, donate, and see who else is walking! http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=58903&LangPref=en-CA
This Sunday is Mother’s Day! It isn’t a church holiday –but again –maybe it should be! Most of our mother’s are saints, after all! My mom and grandmother are coming to church – why don’t you bring yours? Let’s take this day and honor the women in our lives. As Wayne would say, It’s an opportunity to recognize the “Superior Gender” or the “Flowers of our Lives.” This Sunday we’re honoring a special mother (and father) to be – Leah and Mike Lyons are expecting their first child, and Fairview is throwing them a baby shower! So come to the party!
See you on Sunday!
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The Wide, Wide World of Theology!
Mother
Bright and ever shining the days
Lodged in memory
Unfading
Giving without hesitation
Eager to care
For Children
Sweet the song now translated
Into higher key
Resounding
Memory and blessing
Found in one woman
Dear Mother
Thanks beyond speaking
Offered in living
Rejoicing
Her sweet light and laughter
Ever sustaining
I always remember
Willard Spencer
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MOTHERS: EVERY YEAR IS THEIR YEAR
This blessing is for all the mothers who have sat up all night
with sick toddlers saying, "It's OK honey, Mommy's here."
This blessing is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they may
never see. And the mothers who took those babies-- forever to be
their own children.
This blessing is for all the mothers who attended ball games,
recitals, rehearsals, etc. etc. and who said, "I wouldn't have
missed it for the world," and meant it.
This blessing is for all the mothers of Kosovo who fled in the
night and can't find their children or can’t feed their children.
Creator God, what makes a good mother anyway? Is it patience?
Firmness? A soft lap?
Or is mothering what is in her heart?
Is it the ache she feels when she watches her child disappear down
the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?
The jolt that takes her from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2
a.m. to put her hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
The need to flee from wherever she is and hug her child when she
hears news of a school shooting, a fire, a car accident, a baby dying?
Yes it is so.
So this blessing is for all the mothers who sat down with their
children and explained all about making babies. And for all the
mothers who wanted to but just couldn't.
This blessing is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in
the grocery store with frustration and despair.
This blessing is for the mothers who show up at work with milk
stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.
This blessing is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook
and their daughters to speak up with pride.
This blessing is for mothers who put pinwheels, teddy bears, or
flowers on their children's graves.
This blessing is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who
haven’t the words to reach them, and yet have never put them from
their heart.
This blessing is for new mothers stumbling through diaper
changes and sleep deprivation. And mature mothers learning to let
go. For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers. Single mothers
and married mothers.
And this blessing is for all of us who will move beyond
sentiment into actions which support mothers and mothering persons
in all of their life-giving and life-nurturing roles. Amen
author unknown
adapted by Dan Bottorff
Prayer for the Day 5-9-99
First United Methodist Church of Westfield
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Announcements
Missed a Sunday? Catch up on your sermons by listening at home! Just click here to listen or download now:
http://www.ocfairviewchurch.org/podcast/sermons or http://fairviewcc.mypodcast.com/
Interested in Becoming a Member? Wonder what it means to Join the Church?
Being a member of the church is easy!
All you have to do is come to a membership class and learn more about the church,
Our church is run by its members –so why not become one and learn about how your voice and vote can have an impact.
Ask Marge or me about coming to a membership meeing!
So… think you can sing? Afraid you can’t?
If you answered yes to either of these questions… Sean wants to meet you!
He’ll take the singers and help them shine, and he’ll take the non-singers and teach them to sing!
Come out to the sanctuary tonight and every Thursday at 7:30pm and sing!
Join our AIDS WALK team! Walk with us on May 10th or Sponsor us by clicking online: http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=58903&LangPref=en-CA
It’s that easy! Hope you’ll help Fairview meet our goal of $850 to raise for this important cause!
Women’s Group this Month is on Tuesday, May 13th!
Join the women of Fairview as they engage in a fun topic:
“Pampering Yourself”
See you at Trae Diede’s home at 7pm!
Divine on the Vine: Word and Wine on Wednesdays!
Wednesday, May 14th at 7:00pm
Join us for Wine, Juice, Cheese and Goodies!
We love to study, question, discuss and grow.
Next Month’s Book Club will be reading Out of Egypt by Ann Rice
Get your copy now, and start reading for May!
Join us on Tuesday May 20th at Rebecca and Libby’s home to discuss!
NOTE THE CORRECTION – It is not THE ROAD TO CANA it is OUT OF EGYPT
Trying to be like Mom,
Sarah
Reverend Sarah Halverson
Fairview Community Church
2525 Fairview Road
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 545-4610
http://www.ocfairviewchurch.org
No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here!
