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ISSUE YEAR - ISSUE NO. 21

OCTOBER 16, 2012

Bixby Knolls Christian Church, (Disciples of Christ) (562) 426-0428

IN THIS ISSUE ~ NEWS & NOTES ~ CARDS FOR VETERANS ~ RICH TOWARD GOD ~ and so much more..... Dear Church, October is Clergy Appreciation Month, and October 14-21 is Week of the Ministry. I mention this not to solicit admiration or recognition, but because of something I read recently about ministry. Everyone in the church, it said, is a minister. A person is either a baptized minister, or an ordained minister. A baptized minister is someone whose calling is to help carry out the ministry of the church. Every person who has been baptized shares in this ministry. An ordained minister is someone (like myself) who has been called to help teach and equip the baptized ministers for their ministry. So, when you help prepare food for the homeless, you are carrying out your ministry. When you share in leadership during worship, you are carrying out your ministry. When you gather with others to pray, you are carrying out your ministry. When you volunteer in the community, you are carrying out your ministry. In this Week of the Ministry, I celebrate all that each of you do on behalf of the ministry we share, the ministry of Bixby Knolls Christian Church! Peace, Pastor Danny
Pastor Danny talks with Ron Degges, director of Disciples Homeland Ministries, at the clergy conference in St. Louis October 2.

Let God choose

After the sudden, tragic death of his son Christopher, Pastor Greg Laurie told of shopping with him in the late 70s. He told Christopher to pick out a Star Wars toy, and the boy chose a small Han Solo from the bottom shelf. Meanwhile, Laurie was looking up at the Millennium Falcon spacecraft. Why dont we get this to go with your new figure? he said. Christophers eyes lit up as he hugged his dad. Laurie says, Christopher eventually learned that when we were in a toy store and I asked what he wanted, his best bet was to say, You choose, Dad! And Id always get him something better than he wouldve chosen for himself. Dont be afraid to let God choose for you, Laurie says. Gods plans for you will always be better than your plans for yourself.
Homiletics
Taken from the Newsletter Newsletter

Seek to please

Shift your prayer life from Please, God to Please God. Take the comma out of those two words when you pray, and transition your praying from asking God for things to asking God for the pleasure of Gods pleasure. -Homiletics

In the next 2 months we have 3 holidays that we share with our veterans at the VA hospital.
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Sunday, Sunday, Nov

Nov 4 is the deadline for Veterans Day thank you cards.

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18 is the deadline for Thanksgiving cards and Dec 16th is the deadline for Christmas cards. A box will be in the narthex for the cards. Sign your first name, name of our church. You can include a personal greeting if you want. Rememberdo not seal the envelope. Our cards are very much appreciated.

n September, we asked people at Bixby Knolls Christian Church how they lived richly toward God; that is, what did they do that brought joy to them and to God? Responses were written on sticky notes and placed on the bulletin board. Here are some of those responses: I sat on a boulder drinking in all the beautiful gifts God has given us to enjoy. This was in Idyllwild, my favorite place in the world. Im so blessed by Gods love! He always goes before me and finds a way J Amazing, incredible, the ones he brings into my life. Thank you, Lord Bake goods every Sunday; giving offering every Sunday; Make food for special occasion for church. Thank God for my daily bread, shelter, good health and strength, and especially for my 80 years on this earth. Thanking God for letting me live longer than 18 years old, I was a preemie. For Gods Improv! For people who love me Y

Rekindle is our monthly evening worship service. The next Rekindle worship will take place October 21 at 6:21pm. Rekindle is a new generation of worship. It is informal, and features singing, prayer, conversation and communion. Quite often, it also includes food sometimes even a whole meal. Join us this Sunday in our new location for Rekindle!

Advent Workshop/Alternative Christmas December 2

Join us for some great shopping, cookie decorating, several Christmas crafts and a lite lunch after the morning worship service.

Just a "FALLING" Note! Fall is zipping along with lots of fun music things at BKCC! Joyous Bells will ring for the first time this season on Sunday Oct. 21st. They are so kind to give the choir a Sunday off! Chancel Choir has started singing Christmas along with their weekly music so listen for the "Angels" Wednesdays and Sunday! I am thinking about starting a beginning men's music group for singers. Let me know if you are interested and we will learn and attempt to sing together! Improv for God, an acting and singing group of youth will perform this Sunday October 21st "scene"! with a short This is the beginning of something that is fun,

a bible quiz Most biblical names had specific meanings. Below are the meanings of the names of several biblical characters. Can you name the person in each case? This isnt as hard as it looks. All the names are also the titles of books of the Bible. The other names are familiar. Answers will be provided in the Oct. 30 issue of the Fellowship News.

exciting, and a real blessing for me! It is student led......I just sorta hang out with them! Come on Sunday and Bring a friend! Just found a fabulous Christmas pageantmusical-drama-comedy that we might use this advent season. It is super easy and open to children through adults and we would like as many as possible to be a part of this multigenerational event. Betsy Hillig and I will be guiding this along and hopefully YOU will want to be included! Peddlers, kings, sheep, travelers, angels in training, kings and things and lots of other fun parts are available! This needs ADULTS and children and youth! Come and have fun with us! Bring a friend! Advent orchestra is around the corner so dust off those instruments, get them fixed, tuned etc. so you are ready to play with us this holiday season. I know it's not Halloween yet, but musicians start Christmas music in August!!!! Oops......we're late! Let me know if you will be playing with us during Advent and what instrument you play so I can get you music. Happy Halloween!!! Don't forget to join us for dinner at church on October 31st, 5:30pm. Blessings one and all, Barb

1. God is strong 2. help 3. loves embrace 4. salvation of the Lord 5. messenger 6. worshiper of the Lord 7. the Lord has consoled 8. star 9. something worth seeing 10. asked of God 11. exalted of God 12. dove 13. he that weeps 14. peace 15. honored of God 16. honorable 17. God is judge 18. the Lord is salvation 19. salvation 20. one with a burden 21. gift of the Lord 22. light-giving 23. rock 24. the Lord remembers 25. the Lord hides 26. the Lord has been gracious 27. praise of the Lord 28. festive 29. who is like the Lord 30. compassionate 31. affectionate 32. the Lord is God 33. polite 34. supplanter

Regional Assembly
October 19-20, 2012 Mill Creek Christian Church Bakersfield, CA The Regional Assembly is the biennial gathering of the congregations of the Pacific Southwest Region. It is a time to gather with fellow Disciples from throughout southern California, southern Nevada, and Hawaii in order to engage in business, worship, learning, service, and fellowship. Those interested in attending should register right away. More info is at www.disciplespswr.org.

News & Notes

Former regional minister Don Shelton has passed away. A memorial service will take place October 18, 3pm, at Mill Creek Christian Church in Bakersfield.

Thank you to Chuck Fowler and Jim Hardeman for trimming the plants in front of the stained glass windows on Carson Street. Now our beautiful stained glass windows can once again be viewed by all.

The South Coast Interfaith Council presents two very special upcoming events: Festival of Music Sunday, Nov. 4, 3:00 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Church (759 Linden Avenue, Long Beach) Free will offering Unity Awards Dinner Sunday, Nov. 18, 7:00 p.m. American Martyrs Catholic Church (624 15th St., Manhattan Beach) $60 per person Efforts to promote interfaith peace and understanding are more important than ever, and these events help SCIC do just that. For more info or to make reservations for the dinner, contact SCIC: 759 Linden Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90813 562.983.1665 www.scinterfaith.org

To have your news, joys, or concerns included in next months newsletter, send a note to Pastor Danny at dannybradfield@gmail.com, or call the church office.

2013 Summer Camp at Loch Leven

The dates for 2013 summer camps at Loch Leven have been announced. Registration materials will be available later, but please mark these dates on your calendar: Mini (entering grades 2 & 3): July 7 10 Junior (entering grades 4, 5 & 6): June 23 29 Chi-Rho (entering grades 7 & 8): June 30 July 6 CYF 1 (entering grades 9 & 10): July 21 July 27 CYF 2 (entering grades 11 & 12, and 13 grads): July 28 August 3 Special Needs Camp: July 7 10 More info at lochleven.org

Servants think of ministry as an opportunity not an obligation -Rick Warren, Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Drive Life

Today I am writing on behalf of myself and David. We want to let you know that our terms as Elder and Board President are coming to an end and we have decided to step down and not take on another term. While we have enjoyed the opportunities we have been given to lead our congregation we believe it is time to pass the torch. Yes, we have had a lot of changes in our personal lives. If we are honest we are a little burned out. However, we would not change a thing. We both have received far more than we have given in these positions. We have gained increased spiritually, improved leadership skills and a joy in knowing we have been serving a congregation that is working hard to serve one another and our community through Gods Love. David and I are now challenging each of you to discover what God has in store for us as individuals and our church as a whole. We realize we are leaving some pretty significant positions empty, but we also have the faith that we are giving BKCC an opportunity. We strongly believe that a change in leadership can provide new prospects for even greater growth. So, are you ready to Serve the Lord with gladness. Psalm 100:2? If so please contact us, be willing to consider saying yes when asked to serve, or pray for our church and its leadership. Gretchen Rugh

For more information about General Assembly, visit www.disciples.org/ga

Dinner continues every Wednesday evening at 6:00. Please note that on October 31, we will have a special pizza dinner starting at a special time of 5:30. We will be inviting the community to join us, and all those in costume will get to eat for free! (Others will be asked to pay $1 per slice.) This special Halloween dinner is made possible by some generous donations by BKCC members. Thank you!

I must do something always solves more problems than Something must be done.
- Unknown

UPCOMING SCRIPTURE October 21 - Mark 10: 35-45

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(Disciples of Christ)

SUNDAY SCHEDULE: 9:00 a.m. Sunday School for Adults 10:15 a.m. Morning Worship and Childrens Church OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Thursday 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Friday closed

CHURCH STAFF: Pastor Daniel Bradfield -Minister Monica Lanz -Church Secretary Barbara Neal-Peebles -Music Director/Organist Christine Perkinson - Church Child Care Suzie Romero - Custodian

BOARD OFFICERS: David Rugh -Board President -Vice President Pat Cohen -Secretary Angela Hillig - Treasurer Chrysan Naw - Financial Secretary Phil OLaughlin -Church Clerk

The Fellowship News A publication of Bixby Knolls Christian Church of Long Beach (a Disciples of Christ Church) 1240 E. Carson Street Long Beach, CA 90807 www.bixbyknollschurch.org Editor: Monica Lanz 562-426-0428 bkcchurch@aol.com fax 562-426-0429 Pastor: Daniel Bradfield The Fellowship News is published twice monthly.