Posts from 2014

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Charge Conference 2014

Our annual All-Church Conference will squeeze into this season on Sunday, December 14 at 4:00pm. Come to hear the reports of our ministries, to vote and bless our leaders for the coming year, to vote on a budget to fuel our ministry and celebrate who we are as United Methodists at Torrance First. An important item on the agenda is a vote to approve a proposal for disposition of proceeds remaining from the sale of the EI Prado parsonage after…
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Advent Study

Dear Friends, Thanksgiving is behind us and Christmas is before us, leaving us in the craziest part of the year. Decorations will.go up, trees will be trimmed presents will be bought and everythIng will happen at church. We will find ways to celebrate the season in style, through worship and parties alike, but through it all let us not forget what the true meaning of the season is — the gift of Christ Jesus. One way is to participate in…
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Considering the Four Reasons People Choose Not To Go To Church

Dear Friends, Fall is officially upon us with a new school year in full swing and Christmas just around the corner. My pastoral brain is trying to put all the pieces together for the rest of the 2014 year of ministry here at Torrance First and I am realizing that there is so much to do and not too many months to do it; yikes! New Bible studies are coming, our Quad nights will be kicking off in November, the…
soles4souls-head

The Apostle Peter’s Feet

Peter’s feet, and how we ore called to follow them to Christ is the focus of Pastor Stacy’s current sermon series. As we look at his devoted and often human feet we consider how important feet are and how lost we would be without them. Our shoes are an important way in which we care for our feet, but too many people live without shoes and suffer the consequences of disease and injury. From Tuesday, September 9 through Tuesday, September…
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Looking at the Next Six Months of Ministry

Dear Friends, I am not one who lives with hidden agendas or sneaky ways, but I am often looking at a bigger picture to see how pieces can fall into place for an eventual goal. Ministry is the most rewarding chess game I play. Pieces slowly move with a goal of finding ways of bringing people to Christ and closer in their walk with Him. I search for new and creative ways to worship on Sunday mornings, exciting opportunities to…
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Discovering Critical Values Within the Church

Dear Friends, In my first few weeks here at Torrance First I have discovered what I believe to be the two critical values within the church (outside of God and Christ). First, is family and second is food. If you took either of these elements out of a Sunday morning or any church gathering it would not be Torrance First. These two values are the lenses that I have put on to look forward in our ministry together and to…

This Time of Transition

I am looking with anticipation to the conversations I will be having with you, the wonderful meals we will be sharing, the time we will spend studying the Bible and discovering how it applies to our lives, and seeing how Christ is shining through your ministry.

Farewell Message from Pastor Bob and Marlou

Dear Friends, Over the next few weeks, Marlou and I will be sorting and packing stuff; and that goes for the emotions and memories as well. When I sort through the wonderful activities and events in my mind, I’ll bring with me many remembrances—outreach lunches, Filipino heritage and Christmas feasts, recycling Saturdays, confirmation and membership classes, youth trips to Big Bear to play in the snow, young adults times, dinner dances, and volleyball games. I’ll remember the many celebrations—the combined…