ANNOUNCEMENTS * ANNOUNCEMENTS * ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE CHEERLEADER'S CORNER

Three cheers for Kathy Campbell and Linda Caldwell for making sure we have a gift for visitors who attend our church. Thank you ladies!
Periodically we advertise special events with a banner on the Folsom Blvd. side and sometimes on the 39th street side of the property. They have to be anchored properly so they won't fall over or blow away. The cheerleader just confirmed who that happens to be. How about you? Do you know who it is? I will have the answer next time.

Week of Compassion Offering

Every year, there are places around the world which experience great crises. In 2004, there was the tsunami in Indonesia. In 2005, Louisiana was hit by Hurricane Katrina. And in 2009, Haiti was devastated by the January earthquake. Smaller disasters also make big impacts on human commumities, such as the tornadoes in Tuscaloosa and Joplin, Missouri last year. When tragedies strike, you have the opportunity to be there, in the first wave of assistance through a ministry called Week of Compassion. Every February, we receive a special offering that goes into an international fund that responds with emergency supplies wherever disaster strikes around the world. W of C funds also support development efforts in impoverished countries. In many countries today, people struggle to live on the money that you and I might spend on a grande cup of coffee. Week of Compassion helps to provide wells and agricultural assistance where they can do the most good. The very best thing about Week of Compassion is that when you give, 100% of your gift goes to do the good work. All overhead costs are provided through other sources of revenue. Few, if any, other charities can make that claim. We will be receiving our Week of Compassion offerings on Feb. 19 and 26.

Welcome Back Sheila

On Sunday February 12th, we will welcome Sheila Howerter back from sabbatical. At the end of last year, the Worship Committee and Church Board granted Sheila a six week sabbatical. She has served our Church in its music ministry for 20 years. During that time, she has held every role, organist, accompanist, Choir Director and even temporarily, Praise Team director. We thank Suzie Agee for doing double duty during the last few weeks, but it will be really good to have Sheila back on Sunday mornings!

New Church Directories

Have you noticed new faces in our midst? We have some new faces and some new addresses. It is good to be able to stay in touch with one another, and to be able to write care cards, so that we can keep doing Job #1. Our Office Administrator, Kathy Burt, has prepared a draft copy of a new directory for our Church. The draft will be available to you to view and make corrections or additions on Sunday, Feb. 5th. The new directories will be available for you to have on Sunday, February 19th.

Don't Call Goodwill!

Save your good rummage for the Church Rummage Sale. We are working now to get a date set for a 2012 rummage sale. The 2011 sale was great! We will soon be receiving items. Please, no clothes and no large furniture items. These things to do not sell well. Watch for more information soon.

Regional Youth Council Service Project

RYC is asking for large pieces of fleece to make no-sew blankets. Please bring any fleece you have for us to use at Feb Camp to make these for young children at either St. Jude or Shriners hospitals! We need them by February 12th. Thank You, from Regional Youth Ccouncil. Ellie Corbett and Sarah Ellsworth

Holy Land Trip

If anyone is interested in a trip to the Holy Land and Jordan Pilgrimage, join Priscilla and Ron Ross April 23rd through May 3, 2012. Brochure available. Health concerns are keeping one party from the journey, so there is room available on the tour. Call Katie Nielsen, Tour Host, or talk to Priscilla.

Lenten Studies Coming Soon

Fill your canteen, grab your compass and hiking boots, and get ready for the 2012 Spiritual Adventure. Our inspiration for these six studies came from spending time with those faithful witnesses who wrote about their own spiritual adventures in stories recorded in the Bible. The Bible is filled with stories about people who struggled on their path toward finding God, and while struggling found hope, healing, transformation, courage, forgiveness and the presence of the Christ who offered new life. These biblical heroes sometimes had great failings, and yet God's grace and unconditional love transformed their lives. Some of our ideas in this study were taken from the writings of Bruce Epperly and his book, Holy Adventure. Epperly is a Disciples of Christ minister and theology professor who challenges Christians to live adventurously as they follow Christ. The studies will be held in the Fellowship Hall Sundays, from 5:00-6:00 PM each week: February 26, March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 1. Childcare will be provided for children preschool to 6th grade, with the youth room open for those 7-12th grades. Please sign up on the bulletin board, or call the office in advance, so that we can prepare enough materials for everyone.

Bible Buddies

Dear Friend:

I am inviting you to join me in reading the entire Bible through the year of 2012 starting January 1.

A schedule of each month will be printed in the Capital Disciple, and available online below. We will start at the beginning -

Genesis in the Old Testament and Matthew in the New Testament. Each day, we'll read from the Psalms and study a Proverb or two. At the end of the year, you will have completed the reading of God's Word.

I am asking you to be my Bible Reading Partner for 2012. Each month, we will get a schedule like the one available below. I would like for us to hold each other accountable for reading the entire Bible together. So many of us take God's Word for granted...Reading bits and pieces or not at all. How can we claim to be God's people and to let his laws govern our lives, if we've never spent much time reading what He had to say? Someday when I stand before God, I want to say that I have read your book.

Download and print February's Bible Buddies scripture list here. Questions? Priscilla Ross.

NEWS * NEWS * NEWS

Valentine's Brunch - February 11th

Love is in the Air!! Get your tickets soon - you won't want to miss this annual CWF event! Enjoy a tasty brunch, lively entertainment featuring FCC's own talented folks, an d the crowning of the King and Queen for 2012. Tickets are just $5.00 at the CWF table during Coffee Hour.

High School Feb Camp - February 18-20th

Grades 9-12 from 10 AM February 18th to 11 AM February 20th. It will be held at Camp Tuolumne Trails - 22988 Ferretti Road in Groveland, CA. Cost is $160.00 for each youth. The church can provide $60.00 scholarships for our youth. Registration deadline is February 11th. Camp will be keynoted by Rev. Steve Moore and directed by Rev. Michael Hamm. Registrations available now in the FCC office.

Health and Wellness Sunday - February 19th

Our worship service will focus on issues of health and wellness as part of our life of faith. We hope that you will join us on that special day to find inspiration for healthy living.

All Church Game Night February 19th

Men, women, youth and children are all invited! We will get together to share a potluck dinner in the Fellowship Hall at 5 PM. Bring your favorite winter foods. Bring also your favorite table games, and we will play till 7 PM. Childcare will be available for the youngest children who can't play game but still want to have fun in the preschool room! To host a game table or help with the potluck please contact Vickie. (Cheerfully sponsored by Girl's Night Out)

Ash Wednesday Service - February 26th

We will join with the Cottage Way Christian Church for Ash Wednesday this year. The service will be held at the Cottage Way Christian Church - 2117 Cottage Way, near Howe Ave. It promises to be a moving service as we prepare our hearts for the Lenten journey of drawing closer to Christ.

Youth Lock-In on March 10th

This will be a great night of fun, fellowship and planning for our youth ministry. We will get together at the Firch House on Saturday night at 7 PM. Bring your friends, a sleeping bag, pillow and fun! In the morning, we will load up into cars and go to worship. Please bring $5.00 for food costs. Contact Pastors Vickie or Ted for more info.

Easter - April 8th

Four Score and More luncheon - April 14th

Regional Assembly in Redwood City April 20-22

This year the Regional Assembly will be at Hotel Sofitel in Redwood City. This promises to be a great location. The speakers wil lbe Rev. Nancy Brink, Director of Church Relations at Chapman University, and Rev. Jose Morales. Rev. Morales is serving as the Regional Minister of the Rocky Mountain Region. It will be a great weekend focusing our calling to bring the gospel to the world. Registration materials will be available in mid-January. Our Church will send three delegates, plus all are welcome to attend, since the business is only a small part of the gathering. There will be informative workshops and inspiring worship.

Junior Camp (for those entering grades 4-6) - June 24-30

Chi Rho Camp (for those entering grades 7-9) - June 24-30

Grandparents and me Camp - June 30-July 2 AND July 1-7

CYF Camp (for those entering grades 10-12 and grads) - July 4-6

Sacramento Disciples at the Rivercats Game - August 5th

REMINDERS * REMINDERS * REMINDERS

Alternative Gift Giving

We live in a culture of "Too Much Stuff". Our closets are stuffed. Our garages are stuffed. We even rent storage units for more stuff. So, when we think of giving we may be adding more stuff to our lives. We would like to suggest an alternative. In our community there's a number of fine programs working to meet the needs of individuals and families. There are a number of great organizations doing local, national and international work. You will find a list of some of these people and organizations on the hallway bulletin board with their addresses. You may have a group that you and your family support. Consider these as alternatives to stuff.
The Department of Outreach aka Reaching Out

Quality of Life Cards

Please use Raley's/ Bel-Air cards when you shop at these stores. These cards are free to church members and their friends. Our CWF receive a percentage back from every purchase made with the cards. This is a way to support the outreach ministries. Contact Marge Rushing for cards.

Coffee Hour

We need more coffee hour volunteers. Cookies are not a requirement (but they are nice!), all we need are people who will set out beverages and clean up afterwards. Sign up on the sign-up sheet on the hallway Bulletin Board.

Donation Center

We collect several different items for charities. We collect Campbell Soup labels, grocery bags, toiletries for St. John's Shelter, coffee mugs, etc. We now have a convenient collection center in the Fellowship Hall. Check it out!

Membership has its rewards!

First Christian Church offers a number of services to members. For one thing, if you are a member, we do not charge you for the use of the building for weddings! We maintain membership files here in the Church office. In the files, we offer the opportunity to store important paperwork, like copies of Advanced Health Care Directives or DNR forms. In this way, you and your family can be assured that these papers can be readily accessed in case of emergencies. Additionally, many people like to do advanced planning for their own memorial services. You may have special requests of favorite hymns or scriptures, or of fraternal organizations that you would like included in your memorial planning. The Church staff and clerk will be happy to keep these requests on file, so that we can serve you. If you would like to become a member of First Christian Church, please contact Pastor Ted.

Remember First Christian Church In Your Estate Planning

For 155 years, First Christian Church has worked in the Sacramento area to spread the gospel, to educate young people and to feed the hungry. We have been able to do so because of the faithful support of people like you. If you believe that this ministry should go on, then we encourage you to include First Christian Church in your will. Consult your lawyer or estate planner to find out the best way to give. As you do, you will benefit the generations yet to come into our church.

Volunteers Needed!

The ministries of First Christian Church depend upon lots of willing volunteers. It is our belief that all members of the church have some way to share their gifts in service to all. The following is a short list of opportunities.

Coffee Hour - We need volunteers to prepare coffee and snacks for our fellowship time after worship. If you want more information, contact Carol Scott or Kathryn King.

Children's Ministries - We always need Sunday School teachers and substitute Sunday School teachers. There are other ways to help also, contact Heather Barnes-Ponder or Pastor Ted.

Service and Outreach Ministries - Do you get excited about working to help refugees, children in crisis, the hungry, and the homeless? If so, we try to create opportunities for service. Contact Kathy Smith.

Music Service - Do you like to sing, or play an instrument? Contact choir director Andrew Smith, or Praise Team director Pamela Zaniewski.

ADULT GROUPS * ADULT GROUPS * ADULT GROUPS

CHILDREN'S GROUPS * CHILDREN'S GROUPS * CHILDREN'S GROUPS

Sunday School classes are offered every Sunday for those children ages 4 years and older. Child care is offered for infants, 2 and 3 year olds.

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