PBPC Announcements

PBPC Family, For all the praying I've done in my life, I'm still not sure I know what I'm doing. My practices of prayer have shifted and changed over the years but the one constant has been its mysterious nature. I know prayer is important and yet when it comes to articulating its importance, I struggle to find words. I know (or at least I think I know) I am connecting with God. I believe that prayer is powerful and yet sometimes, I don't know what that power is, what it looks like, or how it is manifested in my life or this world. Prayer has become ever more essential in my life and yet remains continually elusive in meaning. I recently ran across this article on prayer and appreciated what Chris Green, the author, had to say. He articulated quite well thoughts that have danced on the edge of my mind. I particularly appreciated his contrast between prayer and magic. As we seek to grow into a life of prayer as a church and as individuals, I commend this article to you t...

PBPC Family, This Sunday, we wrap up our journey through 1 + 2 Samuel and 1 Kings. What have you learned? Any stories or texts that have stuck with you? What has God taught you over the last three months? For me, I've been struck by how complex, complicated, and (sometimes) unlikeable Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, and other figures in the Bible can be and at the same time, God loved and used them for God's redemptive purposes. I find great hope in this - I am complex, complicated and (sometimes) unlikeable and those are not barriers to God's presence or activity in my life. The same goes for you. If God were an artist, God doesn't purchase the highest quality ingredients, order the finest instruments handmade by artisans in Sicily, or meticulously examine each pigment to ensure it is absolutely pure when crafting a masterpiece. God (in this poorly thought out metaphor) goes to garage sales and thrift stores, grabs what is on hand and says, "This will do - I've ...

PBPC Family, As announced on Sunday, we are excited to let you know that we signed our lease with Pacific Boychoir Academy and they are in the process of moving in this week. A huge thanks to everyone who helped make this happen:  Amber was instrumental in managing many details and overseeing the clean out and preparation of rooms. Next time you see her, say thanks. We couldn't have done this without her. Brendan did lots of heavy lifting (literally!), repairs, couch destruction, and anything else we asked of him. He also designed "The Living Room" (a new moniker I'm trying out) in the Cafe for our sermon discussions. Rory oversaw many aspects of the negotiation and ensured that no details were overlooked. She made herself available to the church staff while I was on leave on Mondays and Tuesdays and really helped get the lease negotiations over the finish line. Chris and Sylvia cleaned out our worship closet and helped organize our supplies (and threw away a decent ...

PBPC Family, This Sunday, we will have the gift of hearing Michael and Grace Al Zoughbi Arteen. As a church, we have been supporting them for the last few years in their missionary efforts. Grace serves as an Assistant Professor of Theological Education with Arab Baptist Theological Seminary and Michael serves as a chaplain. In worship, they will share God's word with us. If you'd like to hear more about their ministry and work, David Marrs and Ginnie Daniel are hosting a dinner on Saturday, August 10 at their home in Moraga. Please RSVP (see below) if you can make it so they know how much food to prepare. Looking forward to worshipping with you all on Sunday! Grace and Peace, Pastor Calvin 2 Samuel 18 Michael Arteen and Grace Al-Zoughbi Click here to join Zoom Lectionary Readings for August 11 New Sunday Schedule As mentioned above, we have a new  Sunday schedule  starting August 11. This will not impact our worship time but it does mean we will rub shoulders with the members ...