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PAST AND PRESENT COPIES OF THE FELLOWSHIP NEWS MAY BE VIEWED AT www.scribd.com
2013 - ISSUE 19 October 1, 2013

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

been our practice for many years: that all are welcome at the table and in the ministry of the Dear Church, When we gather around the Lords Table, we remember that we are brothers and sisters with countless others around the world. In Christ there is no east or west, in him no south or north; but one great fellowship of love, throughout the whole wide earth. This Sunday, October 6, is World Communion Sunday, a day in which the unity of all Christians is celebrated. On that day our church. But the message needs to be heard and proclaimed, because too often the word that gets proclaimed says just the opposite. In this issue of the Fellowship News, you will find two letters to the church; one, by Chuck Fowler on behalf of the Open and Affirming Committee;

also give us one other way to overcome the divisions that exist in our world, and that is by participating in the Reconciliation offering. With all these opportunities to

break down barriers, it will truly be a day to celebrate the wideness of Gods love and mercy! Blessings, Pastor Danny

We

will be collecting Christmas

Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and cards to take to the VA Hospital. Cards for Veterans Day will be need to be received by Nov. 3. Then we will be collecting Thanksgiving cards until Nov 23rd . The Christmas card deadline will be December 15th. A box will be on the table in the narthex. The cards means so much to those confined to the hospital. Let them know we care.

REMINDER!
THIS SUNDAY IS OUR MULTICULTURAL POTLUCK AFTER WORSHIP SERVICE

and another by Sandy Flaig on behalf of her mother and longtime

BKCC member Alice Flaig, who passed away earlier this month. I believe

Cambodian members will join us at 10:15 for a joint worship, which will be followed by our annual multicultural potluck lunch. In addition, on October 6 the members of Bixby Knolls Christian Church will have the opportunity to extend the welcome and grace of the Lords Table even further, as we vote on becoming Open and Affirming. Really, all this

both are worth your attention and consideration. I know that we may not all agree on Open and Affirming, but

Bring your dish and enjoy the fellowship

please know that no matter how you vote or what your views are, grace is extended to all, and there will always be a place for you at Bixby Knolls Christian Church. Finally, October 6 will We are pleased to announce that on Sunday, October 13, our 10:15 worship service will focus on interfaith unity, and we will welcome with us several people representing different faiths to speak to us. This Interfaith Sunday is made possible by the South Coast Interfaith Council, which has organized similar events in other places of worship throughout the area.

does is allow us to state officially what has, in fact,

Ever since the tumultuous times of the 1960s, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has worked to overcome racism in the church and in the world. Every fall, a special offering is taken up in support of this important ministry. How is Reconciliation money used in the 21st century? Here is just one example, in the form of a letter sent by an organization that received a Reconciliation grant: Because of the grant that our local congregation-based organizing network BREAD (Building Responsibility, Equality and Dignity) received from Reconciliation Ministry, our congregation has been a part of a movement that actually changes systems whether it is predatory lending, education, institutional racism, or unfair housing practices. Our church is one 54 faith communities that work together to do justice in the city of Columbus. This year we are working collaboratively on Juvenile Justice. Last year we were able to reduce by half the number of youth in detention. I have learned that the work of doing justice is slow and it cannot be done by alone. It requires perseverance and the willingness to work with others. This work has been a blessing and transforming for me and my church. One of my members reported that because of this work, she now reads the paper diff-erently. I recommend this kind of collaborative work to other churches.

BKCC will collect donations to the Reconciliation Offering on Sunday, October 6. Christian Womens Fellowship
Sunday, November 3, will be a bake sale during fellowship hour. This is CWFs only fund raiser for the year to meet our budget for Disciples Mission Fund. Come check out the treats.

Our month-long worship series, Focus on Excellence, has come to a close. But the opportunities for focusing on excellence in our lives and in our ministry continue! Please pray about how you can continue to excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in generosity [2 Corinthians 8:7].

OPEN and AFFIRMING

Dear BKCC Family, I am supporting the formality of BKCC becoming an Open and Affirming congregation because I do not want anyone to be deprived of the joy and blessings I have received as a worshiper in this congregation. The teachings of Christ call for me to minister to the downtrodden, the outcast, the socially unacceptable. If I succeed in doing that, I am following the actions of Christ himself. Christ humbled himself to wash the feet of the lowest. Christ used the lowest of the low and the outcast to teach us how to live. Who am I not to follow his example? A number of individuals, organizations, and churches have taken it upon themselves to decide who is permitted to worship with them. Permitted? When did the humble carpenter from Nazareth ever require someone to have permission to worship with him? As long as there are organizations like Westboro Baptist Church (which seeks to exclude not only homosexuals but people of many different categories, including adherents of different religions and people who are divorced), I feel that we must take a stand and say that their opinions regarding Gods love are wrong. As we deliberate on the decision to become Open and Affirming, may the peace of Christ be with you. Chuck Fowler, Co-chair, Open & Affirming Committee

My parents (Ken and Alice Flaig) noted the occurrence of the first Gay Pride Parade. Curious, they decided to attend one. Parking 4 or 5 blocks away so no one would identify them as parade attendees, they went to their first Gay Pride Parade. They expected to be proven correct in their belief that the event would be angry, hostile and deviant. They survived the experience and upon arriving home, they were questioned as to what they had seen and experienced. Both parents were extremely impressed and excited about the parade. Mom,

eloquent as ever, said that she had never experienced such love, joy and happiness. Staid, conservative appearing, Mom, accepted sodas and even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich from other parade goers. Mom, always the first to leave an event (why wait for the end, lets beat the rush!), stayed at the parade and exchanged telephone numbers with other parade goers and participants. Without a doubt, that first Gay Pride Parade they attended profoundly changed how they viewed other people. No longer would

my parents view people as defined by labels, but as individual human beings with all of their faults and assets. Their change was so complete that even though they personally had no alcohol problems, they became strong supporters of Alcoholics Anonymous. Dad particularly like to attend AA Conventions and Roundups. Dads perception was that the attendees, with as many strikes against them as they had, were treated as just regular people. Those labels no longer existed for him and they were just individuals.

My parents support for an open and inclusive life continued until their deaths. Moms hope was that she would live long enough to see BKCC host a gay WEDDING. Not just a commitment ceremony, but a real, legal wedding! Mom felt so strongly about this issue that it even separated her from her sister! As she lay dying, one of her last sentiments to me was that she would not live to see it in her life time, but that I would see it in mine! Lets make my Mom proud!
Sandy (Flaig) Rampton

Photos from Rock the Loch, an all-day music festival at Loch Leven Camp & Conference Center Sept. 28. Some 500 people from all over the region enjoyed singing, food, fellowship, and the beauty of the mountains

Pastor Danny & some Loch Leven friends.

Enjoying the music.

Prayer Concerns:
Ester Troxel, Sumbal Sardar, Keri Clark, Ed Bremel, Sean May, John & Bill Solan, Charlie Edwards, Carol McGlasson, James Owen, Anita Ramirez, Nargis & family in Pakistan, Ellis Spikes Jr., Keri France & family (A. Hillig) Janie Oden (G. Kobel)

October 6 - Acts 8:27b-31, 36-37 Oct 13 - Interfaith Sunday (On this day, we will have guests who will make brief presentations on 3 religions: Buddhism, Judaism, and Native American religion)

Doc Rogers and singers from Abundant Life Christian Church take the stage.

Birthday Blessings!
Vanessa Sar Rahail Sardar Betty Jo Williamson Hattie Johnson Marge Jaros Robert Charboneau Gayle Dedrick Oct 3 Oct 7 Oct 9 Oct 14 Oct 15 Oct 25 Oct 29

A special moment of the event: a recognition of the gift received from the estate of Laurel Henrickson to Loch Leven. REMINDER Let Scrip help you during the stressful time of the season, plan ahead and shop early . Remember SCRIP helps God help his children. We now carry LL Bean $25.00

A note was received from LaWahna Eldred expressing her sadness at the passing of her long time friend, Alice Flaig.

Submit your articles letter by October 13

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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.

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October Recognizes Bone and Joint Awareness

A womans risk of breaking a hip is equal to her risk of developing breast cancer, uterine and ovarian cancer combined, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation website. This is why BKCC is hosting Life Line Screening, the nations leading provider of preventive health screenings on Monday, October 21, 2013. The screenings provided include an ultrasound of the heel, which is a first-rung osteoporosis risk test. This is an important test to take during October, a month dedicated to recognizing bone and joint disorders such as osteoporosis. Screenings include tests to check for blocked carotid arteries, atrial fibrillation, and high blood pressure, which are the three leading risk factors for stroke. Nearly 800,000 strokes will occur this year, taking a life approximately every four minutes. Other tests check for abdominal aortic aneurysms and PAD, also called hardening of the arteries in the legs. Many events also offer blood tests, including cholesterol, glucose and c-reactive protein screenings, as well as take-home colon cancer early detection tests.

Bixby Knolls Vision Statement Screening packages start at $139. Single tests cost around $60. To know what the Lord requires of us; We are happy to announce that Life do Line Screening is working with us to provide our members $10 discounts off any to justice, and love kindness, screening package (priced at $149 and higher) in addition to a $10 donation to Bixby Knolls Christian Church. If you would and walk humbly with God. (Micah 6:8) like to take the next step in possibly saving your life or the life of our someone you know and if you would like to help Bixby
Knolls Christian Church as well, please call 1-800-324-9458 today. Please note that you must sign up through this number in order for us to receive our $10 donation as well.

BIXBY KNOLLS CHRISTIAN CHURCH

CHURCH STAFF:

(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

BOARD OFFICERS: Ken Brown Pastor Daniel Bradfield -Board President -Minister Leo Dittemore Monica Lanz -Vice President -Church Secretary Pat Cohen Barbara Neal-Peebles -Secretary -Music Director/Organist Angela Hillig Christine Perkinson - Treasurer - Church Child Care Chrysan Naw Suzie Romero - Financial Secretary - Custodian -Church Clerk