10Jun 2016 by Pastor

This weekend, 6/11-12 @BFC: CFC, Harvest Day, Stewardship & Finance, Sunday School, Worship, Singing Ensemble

Events
It's a full weekend at Berkeley Friends Church: This Saturday, 6/11, we host the quarterly gathering of the Christian Friends Conference--Western Region, from 9 AM to 3 PM. CFC is a group of Christian Quakers from around the Bay Area who meet for Bible reading, waiting worship in the traditional manner of Friends, and fellowship. For more information, see the attached flyer. Also on Saturday is the Harvest Day food collection for the Berkeley Neighborhood Food Project, from 9:30 AM to 12 noon. If you'd like to help, contact Pantry Director Sara Webber; if you forgot your green bag last week and need to bring it in, come by any time between 10 AM and noon. And then on Sunday, 6/12, the Stewardship & Finance Committee will convene first, at…
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02Jun 2016 by Pastor

Sunday, 6/5 @BFC: GREEN BAGS, Trustees, Sunday School, Chas. Blue preaching, MOCE

Events
First off, this Sunday, 6/5, as you head out the door, remember to bring that green bag full of food for the Berkeley Neighborhood Food Project collection!Bring it on into worship with you. Once we get to the meetinghouse, the Trustees will open things up at 9 AM. Then our Sunday School classes for children and adults gather at 10 AM. We meet for Worship at 11 AM, presenting a living sacrifice of song, silence and communal prayer. Charles Blue will bring a message on bearing one another's burdens, as per Galatians 6. Fellowship time and refreshments follow worship, and then the Missionary, Outreach & Christian Education Committee meets at 1 PM. Please join us for worship, fellowship and service!
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27May 2016 by Pastor

This Sunday, 5/29, @BFC: Singing Ensemble, Sunday School, Louise Neal preaching, Shared Security presentation

Events
A fifth Sunday at Berkeley Friends Church is an opportunity free of the usual committee meetings, that allows us to do something a little different. This month, we'll have a special presentation on Shared Security in the 1 o'clock hour. But first, here's the complete schedule: The melodious Singing Ensemble starts things off, rehearsing at 9 AM; Our fantastic Sunday School classes for children and adults meet at 10 AM; We gather for deep worship at 11 AM, with song, prayer, stillness, and Louise Neal bringing her message, "Love Your Enemies," based on Matthew 5:38-48. Joyful fellowship time following worship; And our special presentation on Shared Security at 1 PM. The speaker will be Stephen McNeil of the American Friends Service Committee, who will tell us about this Quaker vision…
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20May 2016 by Pastor

Sunday, 5/22, @BFC: Sunday School, Worship, PECSC

Events
Fifth Month keeps rolling along, and here's the schedule for this fourth Sunday: Sunday School classes for children and adults at 10 AM; Worship at 11 AM, with singing, group prayer, waiting worship, and some reflections on last weekend's Stoking the Fire conference in North Carolina, connected with the words of Psalm 18. Fellowship time following worship; Then at 1 PM, the monthly meeting of the Peace, Environment and Christian Social Concerns Committee. We hope to have you with us!
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30Apr 2016 by Pastor

Sunday, 5/1, @BFC: Trustees, Sunday School, Worship, MOCE

Events
Fifth Month arrives tomorrow, and here's what's happening at Berkeley Friends Church: The Trustees are the early birds, gathering at 9 AM. Sunday School classes for children and adults convene at 10 AM. We meet for Worship at 11 AM, coming together with song, silence, communal prayer, and a message from Giuseppe Rensi, "The Glory of the Word," based in part on Psalm 19:1-4. Then there's fellowship time and refreshments... Followed by the Missionary, Outreach & Christian Education Committee meeting at 1 PM.
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26Apr 2016 by Pastor

At whose table would we not be caught dead?

Sermons
...this was a question I asked in the message this past Sunday. If you were there, you remember that we read Peter's summary in Acts 11 of the great vision he has of all of the animals of creation, clean and unclean, and God's voice bidding him to eat of all of them--and then, when Peter demurs, saying, “don't call unholy what I have made clean.” Of course, once Peter comes into contact with the Gentile centurion Cornelius and his household, Peter realizes that the vision is about people and not food, and the Spirit confirms this by descending upon Cornelius and his people just as it did upon the apostles at Pentecost. Once Peter returns to Jerusalem, some of the Judean apostles take him to task for visiting and…
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22Apr 2016 by Pastor

Weekly Stoking the Fire Devotionals

Reflections
The Stoking the Fire leadership team and planning committee have been writing devotions for use as we approach the retreat weekend. There should be a new one each Tues or Weds. Please take a look and pray along with those preparing for the event!
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21Apr 2016 by Pastor

This weekend, 4/23-24, @BFC and elsewhere: design workshop, Sunday School, Worship, PECSC

Events
A reminder that Saturday, 4/23, there will be a meeting for worship with attention to design at Youth Spirit Artworks. Pickett Fellow Julia Thompson is working on an outdoor art space with YSA, and she would like other Friends to assist in worshipfully discerning what it means to design and build through the Spirit. 10 AM on Saturday (note: not Sunday, as previously reported)at YSA, 1769 Alcatraz Avenue In Berkeley. Then, on Sunday, 4/24, we'llbegin with Sunday School for children and adults at 10 AM. Then there's Meeting for Worship at 11 AM, including song, supplication, stillness, and a spoken message. Fellowship time follows worship, and then the Peace, Environment and Christian Social Concerns Committee will meet at 1 PM. Please join us as we seek the Presence in our…
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14Apr 2016 by Pastor

Quaker Heritage Day and CROP Walk Weekend @BFC!

Events
It's one of the biggest weekends of the year at Berkeley Friends Church! Tomorrow night, Friday, 4/15, we'll be having a simple potluck meal to welcome our Quaker Heritage Day speaker, Marlene Pedigo. Everyone is welcome at about 6:30 PM for food and fellowship. If you'd like to come and haven't contacted us, please let John Maurer or Brian Young know. Then, on Saturday, 4/16, QHD 2016 begins at 9 AM! Marlene will be speaking on "Forgotten Friends' Testimonies (?)" The question mark is there because, while some of us may think that we haven't forgotten about important things like eldering and supporting women in the ministry, we may very well find ourselves learning some things... see this post for the schedule and other details. Finally, we gather on Sunday,…
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