Somali Refugees Need Help NOW
Mar 18th, 2012 |
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Safe Church Policy Approved Unanimously
Mar 13th, 2012 |
Developed by the Personnel Committee and unanimously approved by the Coucil, NCC now has an updated and expanded Safe Church Policy to guide us in protecting our children, youth, and vulnerable adults. First approved by a 2/3 vote of the Church Council in December 2011 and a 2/3 vote of the Trustees in January 2012, the policy has now been unanimously approved by Council! You may view and download a copy of this policy by clicking on the Safe Church link below, or contact the office at 494-8061. If you have questions about the new policy, members of Personnel will be available to answer your questions at this year’s annual meeting on January 29 following worship.
3-11-12 Walking the Ancient Paths
Mar 11th, 2012 |
http://soundcloud.com/ncclaguna/03_11_12walking-the-ancient
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 6:16; Genesis 17:1-6
On this third Sunday in Lent, we continue the theme of walking our faith. In the reading from the prophet Jeremiah, God invites the Israelites to stand at the crossroads and ask for the ancient paths where the good way lies. God promises that if the people will walk in it, they will find rest for their souls. But the people respond: “We will not walk in it.” By contrast, in our reading from the book of Genesis, when God asks Abram at the age of ninety-nine years to walk before the Lord, Abram agrees to do it and receives word that he will no longer be called Abram but Abraham, for he will be the father of many nations. God always gives us the choice of whether we will walk before God or not. The choice is always ours. Will we walk or will we not? The answer makes all the difference in the world. Come for worship. Come for fellowship. Come and walk the labyrinth, that ancient path, immediately following the service.
Yours on the journey,
Pastor B.J.
3-4-12 Direction on the Road
Mar 4th, 2012 |
http://soundcloud.com/ncclaguna/03-04-12_direction-on-the-road
SCRIPTURE: Luke 24:13, 15-21, 25, 27-33a, 35; Isaiah 30:18a, 20-21
On this second Sunday in Lent, we continue our theme of walking our faith. In the Gospel reading from Luke, we encounter two disciples walking dejectedly to Emmaus shortly after the death of Jesus when Jesus joins them, incognito, on the journey. After asking why they are so despondent, Jesus opens their minds to understand the scriptures concerning himself. It is only when they plead with him to spend the night and they share table, however, that their eyes are opened in the breaking of the bread. In our walk of faith, God sends teachers to show us the way. This point is made clearly in Sunday’s second scripture reading from the prophet Isaiah. As we walk together through this season of Lent, may our eyes be opened and our minds filled with wonder in the breaking of the bread as we share the Lord’s Supper together.
Wonderful Retreat Opportunity
Mar 1st, 2012 |
WORKSHOPS FOR A NEW WORLD OF MINISTRY
LIVING IN LENT
A Day of Renewal and Retreat
Friday, March 16, 9:30-2:30
Laguna Beach Top of the World Retreat
Led by Rev. Mary J. Scifres, Worship Author & Consultant
& Rev. B. J. Beu, Worship Author, Spirituality Specialist, & UCC Pastor
Register today by emailing Mary.
For more details, visit Mary’s website.
$50 Early Registration included lunch & materials
Regular registration of $55 begins on March 5, and space is limited
Come, find rest and renew your soul as B. J. Beu and Mary Scifres lead us in meditation and worship, quiet conversation and reflection, journaling and celebrating our connection to the great mystery. We will sing, drum, listen, share our stories, experience the texture of silence, and find God at the center of it all. Lunch and snacks will feed our bodies while the retreat feeds our souls. Come celebrate the gift of life, new and renewed, even as we live through the Season of Lent.
ABOUT YOUR WORKSHOP LEADERS
Rev. Mary J. Scifres, United Methodist Pastor and Abingdon Press Author, has been a national consultant, preacher, teacher, and coach in worship, visioning, leadership, and church growth for more than two decades. Having served churches across the nation, Mary brings a broad perspective and diverse understanding of both church and culture.
Mary is author of “Searching for Seekers: Ministry with a New Generation of the Unchurched,” “The Abingdon Worship Annual,” “Prepare!” and “The United Methodist Music and Worship Planner.”
Rev. B. J. Beu serves as pastor of Neighborhood Congregational Church in Laguna Beach, CA. where he lives with his wife, Mary Scifres, and their son, Michael. Before coming to Laguna in 2008, Beu spent 13 years as pastor in the Pacific Northwest Conference. For the past ten years, Beu and Scifres have been the authors and editors of “The Abingdon Worship Annual.”
ENJOY A LAGUNA RETREAT
Top of the World Retreat is our home in Laguna Beach. Located on both Shady Lane and Top of the World Drive, this multi-level home includes view- and garden-retreat-decks for your enjoyment. Workshops take place in the spacious living area, and lunch is served in the adjacent dining room, with seating both outside and in.
Our Top of the World Retreat Home offers comfortable space and time to learn, reflect, and retreat. Situated above the Laguna Wilderness Canyon, this sacred space provides lovely vistas and a quiet place for conversation, contemplation, and education.
Lunch includes salad, grilled chicken, and bread. Light snacks, coffee, tea, and filtered water will be available throughout the day as well.
Come early or stay late to walk the nearby park or canyon paths or stroll through the Old Top of the World neighborhood. Just down the hill, enjoy the quaint ambiance and lovely beaches of Laguna, complete with two public paved trails, dozens of beach accesses, five city parks, and one county park. Art galleries, shops, restaurants, and hotels abound in Laguna Beach.
Located in the heart of southern California, Laguna can be the starting point for a fun family vacation or a relaxing retreat. Fly into nearby Orange County Airport (SNA) and arrive in Laguna in less than half an hour. Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm are only 30 minutes away, Legoland only 45 minutes away, and the sights of either San Diego or L.A./Hollywood are within 70 miles. Click here for Laguna Beach lodging and recreation information.
As always, private or group coaching sessions are available on Thursday evening before the event or Friday evening & Saturday morning after the event. Contact Mary for more details.
Look for Additional 2012 OFFERINGS
Led by Rev. Mary J. Scifres
Worship Author, Consultant, & Coach
“Connecting Church and Culture”
Look for Workshops on…
“Relational Preaching”
“Successfully Seeking Seekers”
“Creating Worship Creatively with a Team”
“Visioning for Structure that Works”
Pre-Register today by emailing Mary. For more details, visit Mary’s website.
OC Housing Authority Accepting Applications for Low Income Housing This Week Only
Feb 17th, 2012 |
The Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA) will open its Waiting List to accept pre-applications for housing assistance fromFeb. 15 until Feb. 29, ’12. Call Friendship Shelter at 949.494.6928 for more information. continue reading » »