CHURCH EVENTS

The Spire

The SPIRE is the monthly newsletter of First Baptist Church of Palo Alto.

February Issue of The Spire (pdf)

If you would prefer to receive a paper copy of the Spire, you may either pick one up at the church or ask Oleta to mail you one. If you would like to be added to the list of those who regularly receive their SPIRE by mail, please submit your request to Oleta, including your name and current mailing address.

Please note that due to programming restraints and responsibilities, the submission deadline for the monthly SPIRE is the Friday BEFORE the last Friday of each month. Last minute materials will not be included. Thank you for your cooperation.

DEADINE to submit items for the MARCH SPIRE is Monday, February 20.

office hours

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS:

• Monday-Friday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Regular church office hours are 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Mondays thru Fridays, with an additional 5 hours per week to be applied at Oleta's discretion according to need and expediency to the various aspects of running our facility.

Presidents' Day, Monday, February 20
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED

Want to receive communion?

If you are unable to receive Communion as part of regular Sunday worship and would like to receive Communion where you are, please let Pastor Rick know.

Educational ministry:
Rev. Tripp Hudgins

Lent approaches. I feel like we just got settled after Christmas and already I'm thinking about the long fast of Lent (February 22nd is Ash Wednesday) and the celebration of Christ's Resurrection at Easter. These series of festivals serve as touchstones for me, markers during the year when I am reminded of Who it is I hope to serve and how much God does indeed love this world.

Read more at Educational and Family Ministry.

ADULT FORUM

Adult Forum meets at 11:30 on Sunday mornings in the Parlor.

• February 5: The New Monasticism: : What It Has To Say To Today's Church
  by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. Presented by Pastor Tripp (Part 1).
• February 12: The New Monasticism: : What It Has To Say To Today's Church
  by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove . Presented by Pastor Tripp (Part 2).
• February 19: Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
  by Richard Rohr. Presented by Pastor Rick Mixon (Part 1).
• February 26: Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
  by Richard Rohr. Presented by Pastor Rick Mixon (Part 2).

LENTEN PRAYER SERVICES

There will be a special prayer service at the church every Friday of Lent at 7:00 pm

ADULT BIBLE STUDY

Bible Study meets on Tuesday at 10:30 am in the church parlor. Anyone interested in studying the lectionary texts for the following Sunday is welcome to attend.

CHOIR REHEARSAL

Choir rehearsal is held each Thursday at 7:30 in the parlor. New voices are always welcome to join.

upcoming church meetings

• The Church Council will meet Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 1:30 pm in the Parlor.

SENIOR CHAT

We invite people of all ages to enjoy the great presenters who will be coming to share with us. No RSVP is necessary and we meet in the Fireside Room at 10:00 am on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. We have light refreshments, light exercise and a light "thought for the day" before the presenter. Join us and bring your friends.

Senior Chat meets twice a month at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 670 E. Meadow Drive, in the Fireside Room. Sessions are from 10:00- 11:30 am every second and fourth Fridays of the month. We welcome newcomers to our friendly gathering and always have light refreshments and light exercises in addition to excellent presentations.

• February 10 "The Abundant Life"
  What do you believe brings you abundance? Karen Fedor, spiritual practitioner and life coach, will guide us in our sharing. Bring your ideas and questions. One of my questions might be: "Is abundance in the mental, physical, and spiritual life meant to be available to ALL people?"
• February 24 "What are your Values?"
  David Grady will help us to explore this subject and we will take a little quiz that may surprise us, and give us new insights. David has a passion for art and works at the Sunnyvale Art Institute and SFMOMA.

For information call Rev. Dona Smith-Powers, Coordinator,
650-494- 3093.

MEN’S BREAKFAST

Every first and third Wednesday, (February 15) 8:00 am, at Dinah’s Poolside Restaurant, 4261 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. All the men from our church family are welcome.

NEWS FROM CORINTO

I have been communicating with this month with Francisco Flores Mejia on Facebook. He is a member of our sister church, the Primera Iglesia Bautista of Corinto, Nicaragua. Many of you may recall his visit here in the summer of 2007. He was just a young boy when our church visited Corinto in 1986 and 1990, which he recalls very vividly.

He writes that he and his wife are expecting a baby. He is now working as a general practitioner in the main hospital in San Juan de Rio Coco Madriz, located in the northern part of Nicaragua. "Please tell my brothers and sisters to pray for me as I am preparing for my residence exam and studying for a career in gynecology and obstetrics." He sends "Special greetings to the pastor, Melania (Ramirez), Vanessa (Ville), to all who hosted me and the brother that took all of the photos (Jin Chin). I ask God that you return to visit us soon when I become a gynecologist. I like my work as a doctor very much and the opportunity to minister to my patients is very nice. May God bless you all." (1/18/2012)

Carolyn Shepard

February Mission offering:
CORRECTIONAL Institutions chaplaincy & friends outside

Our offering for this month is split between the Correctional Institutions Chaplaincy of Santa Clara County and Friends Outside. Our goal of $600 is intended to help both those who are incarcerated and their families.

The Correctional Institutions Chaplaincy of Santa Clara County (C.I.C.) is a non-profit corporation, founded in 1962, that works directly with those incarcerated in our jails and juvenile facilities. The chaplaincy staff serves as our missionaries who provide this special ministry. Their work is augmented by four hundred volunteers who help to lead Bible studies and worship services, provide concerts and special programs and offer counseling to troubled inmates. As Jesus ministered to those in prison, we can do likewise with through our financial giving.

Friends Outside is an organization that focuses on the families of those who are imprisoned. Their mission is to assist families, youth, prisoners, and ex-prisoners to overcome the immediate and long term effects of incarceration. It offers the Steps Ahead Program which helps families with young children through education and coaching positive parenting techniques. Other programs include after-school care, summer camps, tutoring for youth, jail services, a clothes closet and the "Adopt a Family" Holiday Drive, a program that we support each December.

Both of these programs rely on financial donations from individuals and organizations, with C.I.C. in particular, receiving support from the churches. Please give generously to support these very worthwhile services. (Carolyn Shepard)

Our goal for this offering is $600

january mission offering:
"Camelfest 2012"-
Heifer Project

HURRAY! HURRAY! WE'VE BOUGHT ANOTHER CAMEL!!!! Our January Special Mission Offering, dubbed CamelFest 2012, has raised enough money to purchase another camel through Heifer Project for those in need of all the good a camel can offer. Thanks to everyone who gave so generously and to Pastor Tripp and the children for leading the camel drive. Thanks especially for the delicious cookies!

DREAM SHARING GROUP

This group meets once a month here in the Library at First Baptist Church in Palo Alto.

The exact day and time fluctuates, so if interested, please call the group facilitator, Dona Smith—Powers at (650) 494-3093

Maximum participation is eight (8) persons.

BRAINWORKS - A NEW OFFERING

Tuesdays, 1:00 - 3:00 pm at First Baptist Church

Brainworks is an experimental class particularly, but not exclusively, targeted at persons suffering from Parkinsons and features vocalizations, breathing exercises and improvisation for the purpose of stretching faces, bodies and brains to do new feats of creativity, rhythm and contact with ourselves and the community. Sometimes participants feel activated in new ways. Brainworks is therapeutic, and it is not therapy. Participants explore and activate aliveness. By participating weekly one can decrease anxiety, decrease depressive symptoms, increase engagement, increase expressiveness, increase problem solving, creativity and thinking outside the box. We move our bodies, breath and brains in ways that decrease chronic pain and increase agility, fluidity and resourcefulness. Partners and caregivers welcome.

FBC FACILITIES WISH LIST

Once again I am sending out a list of tasks that the church needs done ASAP, preferably without having to spend too much money in the doing (but willing to pay a very modest amount for your time if need be).

If you wish to hire a local company or handyperson to do some of these tasks out of your own pocket, that would be more than welcome also as long as you coordinate it with Oleta before the fact.

1. Change the AC/HVAC filters in the second floor attic and check the filters for the sanctuary and downstairs as well.
2. Replace several burnt out light bulbs in the second floor classrooms.
3. Replace several burnt out light bulbs in the Felloship Hall.
4. Replace burnt out light bulbs over the stage in Fellowship Hall.
5. Fix the large exterior spot light in the patio.
6. Put dusk-to-dawn adaptors on the sancrtuary porch lamps (or change the switches to allow for timed operation).
7. Repair the left-side heater & blower in Fellowship Hall.
8. Replace the shattered pvc water pipe that runs under the walkway and serves the sprinkler system.
9. Repair or replace the door closers in Fellowship Hall and the back entrance door.
10. Snake out the downspouts along the back drive (two of the three are blocked).
11. Re-coil and store the various hoses on the property.
12. Finish replacing the window hardware where needed and replace the broken window panes in Fellowship Hall.

AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS

Check the latest news updates from our wider American Baptist family at the ABC/USA website.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS ELSEWHERE

Palo alto residents

The City of Palo Alto is currently working on a Needs Assessment for a $1.2 million grant program that supports a variety of local non-profit organizations.  We would really like to better understand the needs of our residents. If you are a resident of Palo Alto, you are asked to complete a 5 minute online survey so that the needs of our faith community can be included.  The link is http://www.surveymonkey.com/Cpa2012needsassessment

BAPTISTS LUNCHING TOGETHER

Monday, February 6, 12:15 pm. Roy Medley, General Secretary of ABCUSA, and Sumner Grant, Executive for MMBB will both be present. Grand Lake Gardens in Oakland. Lunch is $8.00. For reservations contact Joan Thatcher, (510) 350-7008.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH FOR LAY PEOPLE

Presenter, James Chuck, Th.D. Pastor Emeritus, First Chinese Baptist Church, San Francisco and Professor Emeritus of Theology and Church Ministries, ABSW. Three Saturday mornings 9:00-12:00.

• Saturday, January 28, 2012, An Overview of Church History;
• Saturday, February 11, 2012, An Overview of Christian Faith and World Religions;
• Saturday, February 25, 2012, An Overview on the Life and Mission of the Local Congregation.

A $20.00 fee covers all three sessions. Single session registration is $10.00. Send in registrations no later than Sunday, January 22, 2012, to Wally Bryen, registrar, 3807 38th Ave., Oakland, California, 94605. Make checks payable to "PCBA," Pacific Coast Baptist Association. Send an email to wbryen@comcast.net or call (510) 531-7298 with the required information above and pay the registration fee when you arrive. Sessions held at Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Blvd., Oakland, California. Brochures available in the church entryway.

interfaith volunteers Needed

The Spiritual Care Service at Stanford Hospital and Clinics has a great need for Interfaith Volunteers to visit with patients and families. These volunteers will be given 8 training sessions – 5 classroom sessions and 3 mentoring sessions - each lasting 2 hours. Once training is complete, the volunteers should be willing and able to commit 2 hours a week for at least a year.

In addition there also volunteer opportunities in the No One Dies Alone Program and the Advanced Directive Preparedness Program. Please call (650) 723-5101 for an application. More information on the church bulletin board.

Peninsula Peace
and Justice Center

If you would like to know more about programs relating to peace and justice issues locally, you may sign for a mailing list at: ppjc@peaceandjustice.org.

Mission Prayer Call

You may join a mailing list to receive a weekly prayer call for missionaries which is available at: GlobalPrayerCall.

LIBRARY HOME CONNECTION

is a service of the Palo Alto City Library that provides a visit and delivery of materials to people who cannot get to the library because of an extended illness or long-term disability. The Library is seeking two things – individuals who could use this service, and individuals who would like to volunteer. For more information contact: Anita Delaney, Volunteer and Connection Coordinator, (650) 617-3100 ext. 3215 or anita.delaney@cityofpaloalto.org