Sunday, 8/7 @BFC: Green bags, Trustees, SS, Worship, BBQ!

Events
This Sunday, 8/7, don't forget to bring your green bag for the Berkeley Neighborhood Food Project with you, and bring it on in to worship so we can give thanks together! And then as to the schedule, the Trustees are up first, at 9 AM. Then our Sunday School classes for children and adults converge at 10 AM. We gather for Worship at 11 AM, with song, silence, and communal prayer and--rather than having one single speaker--we are again inviting everyone to share a well-loved Bible verse, saying, poem, or song. Tell us what it means to you, or why it struck you when you discovered it, or anything else significant to you. Again, this is so that we may build one another up, as with the Apostle Paul's words…
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Sunday, 7/31 @BFC: Sunday School, Worship & Fellowship

Events
Coming up this Sunday, 7/31 is one of those rare Sundays where we have no committee meetings before or afterward... just Sunday School classes for adults & kids at 10 AM; Meeting for Worship at 11, allowing us to sing our praises, pray our joys and concerns, hear a message based on part of Ecclesiastes 5, and wait in quiet on the Living Word; and fellowship time follows worship, for as long as Friends would like to stay. Also, a look ahead to the following Sunday, 8/7: we will again have a time of worship sharing, so be thinking about what Scripture passage, song, poem or saying you might bring to share and build up the body of Christ! There will also be a barbecue during fellowship time.
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Advocating for peace on the opinion page

Reflections
Yesterday, the San Francisco Chronicle published a brief letter from Louise Neal, "Remove Nuclear arms from Turkey." It won't be up on the Chronicle's website for long, so see the attached PDF. Louise wanted to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to to send their own letters, on this issue or another one. She reminds us that one thing Stephen McNeil said in his Shared Security talk was that Letters to the Editor is one of the most-read sections of the newspaper. Good job, Louise! RemoveArmsTurkey.pdf
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Sunday, 7/24 @BFC: Nominating, Sunday School, Worship, PECSC

Events
This Sunday, 7/24, begins with an ad hoc meeting of the Nominating Committee, at 9:15 AM. Then our regular Sunday School classes for adults & kids gather, at 10 AM. Meeting for Worship will coalesce at 11 AM, with song, prayer, and stillness... and I'm going to make another try at a message based on part of Isaiah 30 (we'll see where this one goes...). Following worship, the Singing Ensemble will have a brief meeting in the worship room at 12:25 PM, and Friends will gather for fellowship upstairs.Then the Peace, Environment and Christian Social Concerns Committee will meet at 1 PM. Hope to have you with us as we gather!
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Sunday, 7/17, @BFC: Singing Ensemble, Sunday School, Worship, Potluck, Meeting for Business

Events
This Sunday, 7/17, we gather beginning at 9 AM, with a Singing Ensemble rehearsal. Then we have Sunday School classes for children and adults, meeting at 10 AM. Worship follows at 11 AM, with corporate song, prayer, special music from the Singing Ensemble, and our monthly extended time of open worship, as the Spirit preaches in and to our hearts. A potluck lunch follows, and then our Monthly Meeting with a Concern for Business will convene at 1 PM. Hope to have you with us!
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A Litany for Those Who Aren’t Ready for Healing

Reflections
Once again this past week, the depth of our national sicknesses has been made clear. I have very few useful words at this juncture, but today I have been challenged by the words of a litany written by Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce of Princeton Theological Seminary. She originally drafted it in the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in 2014, but lamentably it remains almost entirely relevant today. Much more can be said, but for the time being, here is A Litany For Those Who Aren't Ready For Healing.
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Sunday, 7/10 @BFC: Sunday School, Worship, Fellowship, Singing Ensemble

Events
This Sunday, 7/10, at Berkeley Friends Church, our regular Sunday School classes for adults & kids gather first, at 10 AM. Then Meeting for Worship will coalesce at 11 AM, as we reach toward God together in song, prayer, a spoken message based on part of Isaiah 30, and the strength that comes from corporate quietness and trust.Fellowship time follows worship, and then the Singing Ensemble rehearses at 1 PM. Note to members of the Stewardship & Finance Committee: the 9 AM meeting is likely to be postponed unless you hear from the clerk before Sunday morning. Hope to have you with us!
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This Sunday, 7/3, @BFC: Let all things be done for edification! And: Trustees, Sunday School, Barbecue, MOCE!

Events
Here is the order of things for this coming Sunday at Berkeley Friends Church: As they usually are, the Trustees are the first in the building at 9 AM, meeting with a concern for our building and grounds. Then our Sunday School classes for children and adults gather at 10 AM. We gather for Worship at 11 AM, with song, silence, and communal prayer and--rather than having one single speaker, we are inviting everyone to share a well-loved Bible verse, saying, poem, or song. Tell us what it means to you, or why it struck you when you discovered it, or anything else significant to you. This can help us to get to know each other better, and help deepen our time together with God; additionally, it may give us…
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This Sunday, 6/26, @BFC: Sunday School, Worship, PECSC

Events
Here's the schedule for this fourth Sunday at Berkeley Friends Church: The Sunday School classes for children and adults will start things off, at 10 AM. Then we gather for Worship at 11 AM, with singing, group prayer, waiting worship, and a prepared message. Fellowship time follows worship, and at 1 PM, the Peace, Environment and Christian Social Concerns Committee will have their monthly meeting. Also, here's a heads-up concerning worship the following Sunday, 7/3: Rather than having a single speaker that day, we are inviting everyone (that means you!) to bring and share a loved Bible verse, poem or saying to share during worship. Tell us what it means to you, or why it struck you when you discovered it, or anything else you'd like to say about it.…
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Sunday, 6/19 @BFC: Singing Ensemble, Sunday School, Worship, Potluck, Monthly Meeting

Events
This Sunday, 6/19, the Singing Ensemble starts things off with a bright-and-early rehearsal at 9 AM. Then our regular Sunday School classes for children and adults will meet at 10 AM. Worship is at 11 AM, with song, prayers of the people, an extended time of waiting worship, and ministry in music from the Singing Ensemble. A potluck lunch follows, and then we meet for our Monthly Meeting with a Concern for Business at 1 PM. Members are expected to participate, and attenders and guests are welcome as well. Please join us as we worship, fellowship, study, and seek the will of God together!
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