New Sermon Series: Growing Edges

Growing Edges: Five Ways the Church can Be More Faithful  

We all have those areas in our lives where we could be better.  In moments when we try to be positive about our weaknesses, we call them Growing Edges, or Opportunities for Growth.

The Church, too, have places and ways where we can be doing better.  In this series, we'll look at five areas where the church needs to be more faithful.  We'll call these the Growing Edges of the church.  

May 1
Welcome All
Luke 4: 16-32

May 8
Embrace Mystery
1 Corinthians 13: 1-13

May 15
Be Ministers
Ephesians 4: 1-6, 11-13

May 22
Focus Outwardly
Luke 10: 1-10

May 29
Take Risks
Matthew 28: 16-20

New Sermon Series: Moving Beyond Belief

Do you believe all the right things, go to church and practice your faith, yet still feel that something is missing?  Do you ever find yourself wondering, is this it?  Do you ever ask yourself, is there more? 

Two thousand years ago Jesus gave an invitation to his followers.  At its essence it was not just an assignment to believe; it was a bold call to action. 

In this series we’ll be talking about how we might move beyond just believing in God, to putting our faith into action. 

April 3
Following Jesus
Mark 8: 34-37
Jesus never asked us to believe in him.  He invited us to follow him.

April 10
Loving Unconditionally
Matthew 5: 43-48
We are to love others expecting nothing in return without any reservations. Jesus never said to love “some” of our neighbors.

April 17
Practicing Forgiveness  
Matthew 18: 21-22 (23-37)
Love simply keeps no account of wrong-doing.

'Beginnings' Membership Seminar

New members of First Christian Church join a congregation with a 130-year history of fostering community and spiritual growth through worship, learning, missions, pastoral care and fellowship.

Our Information Seminars, Beginnings, are an opportunity to learn about how this church came to be, our ongoing message of grace, joy and inclusiveness; as well as the many opportunities to get connected and meet other members.

All those interested in finding out more about this congregation are invited to join us Sundays, April 10 & 17 at 11:30 a.m. in the Discovery Room.  A light lunch will be served and there will be plenty to time to ask any questions you may have.

To reserve your place, please fill out the form below:

No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.

Mexico Mission registration now open

Mexico Mission 2016 applications are now LIVE on the church website. This online registration is brand new this year and replaces the nine page paper form that was previously used.

Note that Early Bird applications are due by March 28, and after that the registration fees go up! Registration closes on April 17.  No applications will be accepted after that date.

More information and registration applications can be found here here.

Join us for Easter!

Plan now to join us to celebrate Easter!  

We'll be gathering for two worship services, at 9a & 11a, with an Easter Egg Hunt between services at 10:30a.

Mark your calendars and invite your friends and family to join us as we celebrate the Risen Christ!

Lenten Sermon Series

As children, we can ask for a nightlight to chase away the shadows that come alive in the dark, and keep the creature under the bed away. As adults, when darkness creeps over us in the form of pain, depression, grief, and fear, there is no nightlight. At times the only way that we might be comforted is by using or surrounding ourselves with people and things that numb and distract us from pain. However, some coping strategies can lead to more problems and more suffering. Conversely, there are times that if we wait in the darkness long enough, we might discover something about ourselves, God and our world. In other words, staying in the darkness can be a transformative time, a time of growth and conquering.

In this series we learn about the difficulties in our lives that lead to transformation and healing. We’ll look at what authors, philosophers, theologians, and scholars can share with us about the possibility of existence both in times of darkness and light. 

Whatever our experience of pain may be, the hope is that we might come to see a side of that is life affirming. These times of difficulty are important times. May we take the opportunity to live in them well.

February 14
Broken is the Beginning
Job 3: 1-7   

February 21
Jesus Wept
John 11: 1-3, 17-36
(Sing: Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen)

February 28
Getting Into It
Psalm 42

March 6
Smashing Idols Through Pain
II Corinthians 12: 7b-10

March 13
Sitting in Pain
Mark 6: 1-6

March 20 (Palm Sunday)
Bring it Into the Light
John 1: 1-5

Youth to collect food for "Souper" Bowl Sunday

The FCC Youth Group invite you to please being any canned, boxed or bagged nonperishable food items to donate to our Share Pantry.

Share is in great need of the following items:

Boxed or canned soups with easy pull lids, 2 lb bags of rice, individual fruit cups, & pasta noodles (spaghetti and angel hair).

They'll be collecting these items on Sunday, Feb 7!

Lenten Study: Learning to Walk in the Dark

During the season of Lent, Rev. Dr. Russ Peterman will be leading a study series on Wednesday evenings looking at Barbara Brown Taylor's book, Learning to Walk in the Dark.  This incredible book provides a way to find spirituality in those times when we don't have all the answers.

With her characteristic charm and literary wisdom, Taylor will be our guide through a spirituality of the nighttime, teaching us how to find our footing in times of uncertainty and giving us strength and hope to face all of life's challenging moments.

This group will meet Wednesday evenings, Feb. 17 – March 16 @ 7p in the Discovery Room.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase for $10.   Email Russ with questions or to sign up (russ@concordfcc.net).

Beginnings membership seminar to be held April 10 & 17

New members of First Christian Church join a congregation with a 130-year history of fostering community and spiritual growth through worship, learning, missions, pastoral care and fellowship.

Our Information Seminars, Beginnings, are an opportunity to learn about how this church came to be, our ongoing message of grace, joy and inclusiveness; as well as the many opportunities to get connected and meet other members.

All those interested in finding out more about this congregation are invited to join us Sundays, April 10 & 17 at 11:30 a.m. in the Discovery Room.  A light lunch will be served and there will be plenty to time to ask any questions you may have.

Interested?  Have questions?  Contact Russ Peterman at the church office (russ@concordfcc.net or 925/685-7503)

No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.

Understanding Islam seminar

According to the Pew Research Center, only 41 percent of Americans are able to state both the Muslim name for God and the name of the Islamic sacred text. Knowledge of the basic beliefs and practices of this beautiful religion is even lower.  A deep chasm of misunderstanding, dislike, fear and even hatred separates many Christians and Muslims today.  And given the political discourse in the world today as a result of the terrorism inflicted by radical Islamists, many of us find ourselves conflicted and filled with questions about true Islam is really about.  The more we know about the faith of our Muslim sisters and brothers the less fearful we will be when it comes to learning how to live in community. 

During this five-week seminar, led by our Senior Minister, Rev. Dr. Russ Peterman, we’ll look at some of the basic beliefs and practices as well as our shared roots. 

Join us Sunday mornings at 9:00a in the Discovery Room.

Jan 10
Shared Roots: A Look at the Abrahamic Traditions

Jan 17
The Prophet Muhammad

Jan 24
The Koran

Jan 31
The Five Pillars of Islam

Feb 7
The Islamic Community Today

New Sermon Series: Faith, Hope & the Force

The struggle between good and evil, the hope of a new day, a sense of awe and wonder. Themes of sacrifice, denial of self, and mystery. All are present in the life and ministry of Jesus and the largest grossing movie series of all time, Star Wars.

Our first sermon series of 2016 will look at the early life and ministry of Jesus according to the Gospel of Luke with the backdrop of similar themes from Star Wars.

Jan 10            
Looking for a Larger World
Luke 2:41-52          

Jan 17            
The Force is Strong With This One
Luke 3:15-22

Jan 24            
Living in the Power of a Larger World
Luke 4:1-13

Jan 31            
The Unexpected Twist
Luke 4:31-44

Feb 7             
Finding Your Fellow Travelers
Luke 5:1-11

Rev. Dr. Russ Peterman to help lead the Ministry Life Choices Initiative

Lexington Theological Seminary, located in Lexington, KY, and the oldest Disciples seminary, partners with the Pension Fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to support LTS M. Div. graduates in their first 1-5 years of fulltime congregational ministry through a project called Ministry Life Choices Initiative (MLCI).  It is the mission of MLCI to find ways to mediate the effects of clergy burnout, helping and encouraging pastors to be healthy in mind, body and spirit, and to seek ways to support them in their efforts at such health.

Starting in January, the initiative will be entering an exciting new phase with the launch of its first clergy peer group. Six recent LTS alums have agreed to journey together through life and ministry for 18 months beginning in January of 2016. These clergy will begin their time together with a 24-hour retreat in Lexington in January, and then continue meeting monthly via LTS Online. 

Rev. Dr. Russ Peterman, Senior Minister

Our pastor, the Rev. Dr. Russ Peterman, has been chosen to serve as the facilitator of this peer group.

Julie Richardson, MLCI coordinator, explains that Russ was chosen for this role because of his “pastoral presence, keen sense of relationship, and wisdom from his years of ministry,” assets that will help guide these new graduates through an 18-month journey together. 

Richardson recently wrote to the church leadership, saying, “This project, will, of course, take up some of Russ' time. And so I want to extend my gratitude to you all, in advance, for supporting this crucial pastoral service he is offering the wider church. I am profoundly grateful for the leadership I know he will provide. He is, as you know, one of our wider church's finest pastors.”

This is a wonderful opportunity and honor for Russ, as well as a terrific testament to the quality of Russ' leadership.  We trust that he will be an outstanding mentor and facilitator for this new program, and we will proudly support him in this endeavor.

Senior Adult Ministry tours the historic Galindo House

A group of folks from our Senior Adult Ministry enjoyed a marvelous tour of the historic Galindo House in all its Holiday Splendor on December 8.   The tour was let by Concord Historical Society Volunteer, Chuck Gabrysika.  Thanks to Historical Society Member, Gloria Mattson, for making the arrangements for this tour.

Join us on Christmas Eve

First Christian Church will offer two Christmas Eve services this year.  

The 5:30p service will be especially family oriented, with our children and youth presenting a Christmas pageant entitled, "One Night in Bethlehem."  Any one of any age who would like to participate will be invited join in.  Simple costumes will be available.  NO REHEARSAL will be required, and ALL are welcome.  Communion will be served.

Our 7:00p service will be our candlelight communion service.  This is always one of our most memorable and moving services of the year.  The service will end with candlelight and the singing of Silent Night.  A special offering will be collected for the Helping Hands fund. 

Christmas Eve is a wonderful opportunity to invite friends and family to First Christian Church!

FCC to Host Operation Santa Claus

For one glorious Saturday in December, 120 military families will be treated to a day of fun, relaxation, and a show of appreciation for their service and sacrifice.

On Saturday December 12th, these military families will be treated to a day of food, Santa, Claus, and presents by a group of volunteers who have worked for an entire year to plan this event.  Each child will get to see Santa, and stuff a Christmas sock with candy and small toys, before entering Santa’s Workshop to pick out a brand new toy. Then it is on to the Build–A–Bear Station, and a trip to see the face painter.  There are arcade games to play and a marvelous buffet lunch complete with a carving station.  Last but not least, the kids can head for the sledding hill that is covered in real snow!  

By the end of the day, that begins at 6:00 AM and goes ‘til 8:00 PM, your body is tired but your spirt is soaring.  For you have experienced the joy of a child yelling “It’s just what I wanted” as they select their toy or experience snow and sledding for the first time.  You see a little girl hugging her new Teddy Bear, while her sister gets her face painted.  In the midst of all this happiness you will have a parent thank you and say, “Without this event we would not have had Christmas, we just couldn’t afford it this year”. Three years ago, a women mentioned, “This is the first time my son has smiled since his father deployed to Afghanistan”.  But in truth, the thanks belongs to these families who have chosen to defend our country.   

You are invited to come and see this amazing day as FCC joins with Tesoro Golden Eagle Refinery, the Gold Star Parents and the Blue Star Mothers of Contra Costa County, the Vietnam Veterans of Diablo Valley and Englander Catering in showing our appreciation and support for our Troops and their families.  This will be the sixth consecutive year that we have hosted this incredible event.

Several volunteers are needed for the days of Dec 11-12.  If you want to help on either or both days, with this wonderful event to support the troops, please contact Bill Bush. 

Support the Church when you shop online at smile.amazon.com

Doing some online shopping on this Cyber Monday? You can now support First Christian Church, Concord by using AmazonSmile. Simply click on the link below each time you shop and a portion of your sale will be donated back to the church!

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-1231013

Please note, this is not just today, but ANY TIME you shop.  When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the church. 

To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.

Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy to preach Dec. 6

We are incredibly blessed to welcome as our guest preacher on December 6, Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, who serves as the President of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley.  

A committed pastor, a nationally recognized immigration leader, and a sought after speaker, Vásquez-Levy leads at the intersection of faith, higher education, and social change. Vásquez-Levy regularly contributes a faith perspective to the national conversation on immigration and is the author of various publications that explore migration stories in sacred texts and in people's lives. He has lived in four countries and taught courses and led international study and service trips across the globe. Vásquez-Levy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science from Texas Lutheran University and a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry in Preaching degrees from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. 

David will preach as part of our Advent Sermon series, Breath of Heaven, focusing on Mary and her struggle to find courage bring the holy child into the world. 

He will also be teaching the adult Sunday School class at 9 a.m. in the Discovery Room, focusing on immigration issues in light of current events in Syria and Mexico. 

In addition, after worship he’ll be meeting with church leadership for a conversation of leadership and the future of the church. 

Please join us on December 6 to welcome David!  You will be blessed and inspired by his energy, vision and intelligence. 

Advent Sermon Series

Advent Sermon Series:
Breath of Heaven

As we begin the season of Advent we'll be starting a new sermon series in which we'll look at the story of Christmas with a new angle of vision.

In both Hebrew and Greek, breath is synonymous with Spirit.  It is the Spirit of God that helped each of the characters in the Christmas story face difficult moments.  It is that same spirit that gives us courage to make it through life today.

Nov 29    
Elizabeth
Luke 1: 5-25

Dec 6        
Mary            
David Vásquez-Levy, preaching
Luke 1:26-45
Hebrews 11: 1, 8-13

Dec 13        
Joseph
Matthew 18-25

Dec 20        
Wise men
Matthew 2: 1-12

New Sermon Series

New Sermon Series

What If?

Three Questions to Transform Your Relationships

A few years ago Russ did a sermon series called, What If?  It was based upon a blog post written by Donald Miller entitled The Single Most Powerful Question You Can Ask. He started out by explaining that novelists, to write an interesting story, must ask themselves What if?

What if a boy and a runaway slave floated down the Mississippi? for instance.

Throughout the story, the writer must continue to ask the question any time the plot stalls. What if they found themselves in the middle of a feud? What if they met up with some con men? What if Tom Sawyer showed up?

Miller's assertion is that, as with plotting a story, asking What if? is just the thing to add excitement to your real life. Things gotten stagnant? Advance your own plot. Ask yourself What if?

In that original series, we looked at how asking the What If? question can impact our faith, and even our church.  This time around we’ll look at three What If? questions that may help transform our relationships and move them forward in hopeful, exciting ways.

Nov 8                      
What If We Are All in this Together?
Mark 9: 33-37

Nov 15                   
What If Relationships are Meant to Be Enjoyed, Not Fixed?
Ruth 1: 16-17

Nov 22                   
What If YOU are a Gift to Others the Way They are a Gift to You?
Psalm 139: 13-1

Winter Nights Shelter

Providing shelter for our community's homeless in Fellowship Hall.

The Winter Nights Family Shelter program provides a clean, safe and warm facility for homeless seniors and families with young children. The program is sponsored by the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County. Approximately 50 local churches host the families on a rotating schedule during the colder months. 

We will be co-hosting the shelter with Lafayette United Methodist church again this year.  We will be responsible for providing dinner on the nights of Nov. 14-17 and breakfast on Nov 14-15.  

Many volunteers are needed.  No experience is necessary.

Preparing a meal for our Winter Nights residents.

To sign up to help, or for more information, please contact Diane Maltester or sign up at the Outreach Ministry table on Sunday mornings.