SEPTEMBER 2018
SECOND MONDAYS MUNCHIN’ LUNCHEON
Mondays, September 10
The Lunch Bunch meets at noon for a meal and fellowship on the second Monday of each month. All are welcome. Please join us.
We will be going to California Pizza Kitchen in the Santa Anita Mall on Monday, September 10. It is Suite 231 on the second floor near Macy’s which is located at 400 S. Baldwin, Arcadia. Their phone number is (626) 445-2610.
SPIRIT & THE SCREEN
Friday, September 14
Are You Ready For Your Rendezvous with “The Mountain”?
Be a part of our insanely popular Movie Under the Stars with our annual Spirit and the Screen extravaganza under the canopy of the Monrovian night sky. Time to experience the awesome majesty of nature with a screening of the 1956 adventure drama, “The Mountain,” filmed in VistaVision and Technicolor on location in the French Alps. Spencer Tracy and Robert Wagner play two combative brothers with very different motives for locating the wreckage of a crashed plane on the top of the titular mountain. It’s a stunning and exciting spiritual journey that’s a bold metaphor about life and the choices and challenges that we all must face. Make plans to bring a friend and some food to share. Join us at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 14th in the Monrovia back yard of the Van Horsen family. That’s when the pre-show fellowship begins, and we’ll screen the family-friendly cinematic fare as darkness descends. Contact the church or Kim at kimvh@sanmarinoucc.org if you have any questions.
FOOD FORWARD
Saturday, September 15
Food Forward was recently awarded a commendation from the US Environmental Protection Agency, alongside myriad national food suppliers and purchasers like Wegmans, Disneyland, MGM Resorts and UC Davis, for the environmental impact resulting from our food recovery work in 2013-17.
One of the things we LOVE about [FF’s] UCLA partnership is that it is manned and woman-ed by students who are feeding other students. What many people don?t realize is that there is a high percentage of students who experience food insecurity. Current estimates show this number to be roughly 20% at UCLA, with students choosing to buy books over food. Food Forward’s program gives these folks a hand by creating an eco-system where the UCLA community can help its own who are struggling to make ends meet.
Watch for SMCC Picks
Watch your email for announcements on future picks with Food Forward. We look for available activities on the third Saturday morning of each month and will pass that info on to you so that you can join the effort. There is a quick registration on the Food Forward site that allows you to sign up for a pick of your choice and lets Pastor Donald know that he has volunteers. www.foodforward.org
Fruit picks are available for both July and August. You can utilize the Food Forward site to select the date and pick of your choice from local backyards to the Huntington orchard. Check it out: www.foodforward.org
Links will be included in About our Folks for SMCC-specific picks in our neighborhood.
LUNCHES FOR THE HOMELESS
Wednesday, September 19 • 4pm
Union Station Homeless Services Sack Lunch Project
Here’s a way to be of service through your beloved church! Union Station Homeless Services is part of a premier group of human services agencies in L.A. County that are leading the way to ending homelessness in our community. Union Station is the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income adults and families. We are looking to be of service to Union Station by helping out with their programs that provide food for those in need. Our mission will be to provide sack lunches. We will come together at the church kitchen third Tuesday of the month to make the lunches, which will then be taken to the station for distribution. Please let Marcia Albrecht know if you can help prepare the lunches (all food will be provided and in the kitchen). You can email her at: mla2575@aol.com.
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES GROUP
Saturday, September 22
Join us for guided meditation, meeting September 22nd in the Narthex at 10:30a.m. and proceeding into the sanctuary under the leadership of Pastor Donald.
All are invited to join us in this loving time.
LEAP OF FAITH
Wednesday, September 26
LEAP of Faith Bible study group meets the last Wednesday this month for a casual time of conversation, study and prayer from 5 to 6pm in the Art Room.
CENTRAL ASSOCIATION FALL MEETING
Saturday, September 29
A Festival of Hymns for all who love to sing hymns!
Saturday, September 29, 2018
8:30 am Registration ($5)
9 am Organ Prelude
Dr. Christoph Bull, Organist in Residence
9:15-10:15 A Festival of Hymns
An hour of singing your favorite classical hymns and newer hymns accompanied on the Great Organs of First Congregational Church Los Angeles led by Dr. David Harris, Director of Music, FCCLA. On behalf of the Central Association of the United Church of Christ,
YOU are INVITED to a hymn sing like none other!
Please share this invitation with all your friends who love to sing hymns.
First Congregational Church of Los Angeles
540 South Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020
(Google Maps, Lyft and Uber users enter “Pilgrim School” as your destination.)
PLENTY OF FREE PARKING. Enter off Commonwealth Ave.
The Fall Meeting of Central Association will follow the Festival of Hymns.
You may attend one or both! If you wish to stay for lunch after the Association meeting, please register.
General Registration: $5. – Registration and Lunch: $10.
Marcia L. Hoffman, by text at (626) 940-7497 – Cell
email at marciahoffman5@icloud.com
5TH SUNDAY POTLUCK
September 30 following Worship
Join your church family on the last Sunday of September as we enjoy lots of delicious dishes and cozy conversation in our Fireside/Dining rooms. All are invited to bring a dish and share in the fun.
DID YOU KNOW that when you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to San Marino Congregational Church UCC?
Bookmark this link!
Amazon Smile and support us every time you shop.
ONGOING MISSION PROJECTS
FRIENDS IN DEED
Back to School Supply List 2018-19
We’re gearing up to prepare next year’s students for the coming school year. You can help by picking up some supplies to contribute to the drive and have them at the church by Sunday, July 22nd.
- 3 Ring Binders – 1″- 3″ (Prefer with Clear View pocket on front)
- Tab Dividers for Binders
- College ruled notebook paper (this is used more commonly than the “Wide-ruled” paper)
- Wide ruled notebook paper (early grades will use this)
- Spiral notebooks
- Copy paper (for printing on computer)
- Composition Notebooks, hardcover
- Pens; red, blue and black
- Pencils, including #2 yellow 6-sided for younger grades; mechanical pencils Erasers
- Pencil-top Erasers
- Zipper pouch for pens and pencils (3 holed to go in binders)
- Dry Erase Markers
- Colored Markers (NO Sharpies or Permanent Markers)
- Highlighters, all colors
- Colored Pencils and sharpener (must hold shavings)
- 24 Colors Crayons (prefer Crayola Brand)
- 2 Pocket Folders (prefer poly folders)
- Student scissors (such as Fiskars)
- Rulers (metric & customary)
- 3″ x 5″ index cards
- Glue Sticks (many schools prefer the sticks to bottles of glue)
- Tissue/Kleenex – small packages that fit in school bags
…………………………………
SAN MARINO POLICE DEPARTMENT PROJECT REJUVENATED
Local Service Project Back in Service
A couple of weeks ago I announced in church that it looked like we were not going to continue making bags for the homeless to give to the San Marino Police Department for distribution. Many of our supplies on hand were disbursed to our other projects.
Recently, we were approached by Officer Wu to resume the project and that they would like 20 bags a month.
The supplies needed are:
- 16-ounce bottles of water
- A protein source such as tuna or protein bars
- Fruit cups such as applesauce or mixed fruit
- A snack such as granola bars or cheese & crackers
- A “sweet” such as Rice Krispy Bars or packages of cookies
- Napkins
- Extra large brown bags (like the ones for Union Station)
There will be a box in the Narthex for collection of these items. You can add things like solar blankets, blankets (not too large), and sweaters & jackets. We will start making the bags on the Union Station day in July, which is July 18. Thank you so much for helping us restart this project. -Pat Bell, Moderato
…………………………………
Pennies And Pulltabs
A penny coin means as much to us now as it did years ago. Saving your pennies to give to our Penny Jar for the Ronald McDonald House in Pasadena helps the many families who come to stay there while their child is in the hospital. You can also “PULL” for the Ronald McDonald House by collecting tabs of all sizes from soda, cat and dog food, food cans, tennis ball canisters, etc. One tab on its own may not be worth much, but if we all “pull together” we can make a difference. A container for your pull tabs can be found in the Narthex.
…………………………………
J. Seymour Family Center Project
HELP US COLLECT FOR THE HOMELESS: We continue to seek items throughout the year for the Jeff Seymour Family Center in El Monte who provides for the homeless and their children.
Baskets are available in the narthex for your contributions of: new packages of diapers (all sizes), baby wipes, feminine hygiene items, and travel sizes of: •deodorant, •antibacterial wipes, •cream/lotion, •sunscreen, •toothpaste, • toothbrushes, •soap, etc.. Nothing in large packages, please as most recipients have no place to store such items.
…………………………………
Liz Cameron Food Pantry
Every day children and their families go hungry, right here in our own community. By supporting our neighborhood food bank at La Casa by donating food items to our food pantry, you are helping to solve this problem! Food donations go directly to families who otherwise might not have enough to eat.
Ongoing requests:
- beans and rice (in smaller bags – NOT large quantities)
- bags of pasta
- boxes of cereal (NOT the larger sizes)
- canned proteins (tuna, chicken, ham, etc.)
- pasta sauce
…………………………………
If you like to be ACTIVE in your missions, you are also invited to join us on a fruit pick for FOOD FORWARD, which happens nearly every third Saturday of each month. Pastor Donald leads most picks and provides a link for you to sign up on line and join other church members, friends and outside volunteers to help pick fruit from backyard trees (or even some orchards) that is donated to local food banks.
…………………………………
Or you can participate in making lunches for our friends at Union Station Homeless Services. Currently, we are meeting at 4pm on the third Wednesday of every month in our big kitchen. We make sandwiches and stuff bags and have a fun chat at the same time. It’s a great way to make a big difference by only giving about a half hour of your time.