100 Years of Ministry & Fellowship

Oct. '04

Nov. '04

Dec. '04

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

CLICK HERE FOR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION PHOTOS

Celebrating Our Centennial Year - 1905 to 2005

100 Years of Ministry & Fellowship!
Our local church turned 99 years old in October 2004. Through the year we celebrated our first century with fellowship, remembrances, tributes, guest speakers, and fun! The anniversary year culminated with a 100th birthday party in October 2005.

Thanks to all who participated in the Centennial planning meetings, and special thanks to committee leaders Jeanne Crabb, Virginia Thompson, and Betty Caley.

200 years ago, the seeds of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) took root, and for 100 years First Christian Church of Puyallup has faithfully sown its service and ministries within our church, the community, and the global parish. We have much to celebrate!

Click for History in Brief

OCTOBER 2004

FCC Puyallup Centennial Kick-Off: Launching our 100th year
Greeted by logo banners, guests on Sunday, October 10^th passed newly landscaped grounds on their way into a church transformed into a valley farm community of 1905. October is harvest time with cornstalks, fall leaves, and apples. Folks pored over scrapbooks and reminisced over an old fashioned box lunch and sarsaparilla floats.

Guest speaker Bob Brock spoke on the Faith Our Ancestors Gave Us. A chalice banner reminded us of the centrality of the communion meal to our denomination. The intergenerational makeup of the service underscored the inclusive nature of our Disciples heritage. Centennial calendars showcasing coming events were presented, and a commemorative bulletin with hymns printed from a 1905 hymnal was the frosting on the cake.

Other special guests included the "new" church's first pastor, Fred Towne and his wife Mary, and members of a 1940s youth group, Christian Endeavor, who still meet regularly.

Special thanks to Disciples Women's Ministry who provided us with new paraments including a communion table cover, pulpit and lectern hangings, and stoles for Pastor Nancy, elders, and candle lighters.

Each month in our 100th year we will enlist members and friends to contribute "100" to a mission project.

October's mission was
"$100 per walker for
Pierce County Hunger Walk."

Our thanks to:
Ercie Borrowman ($270),
Herb Crabtree ($250),
Laura Vogel ($100),
& Emma Forslund, Terry Forslund,
and Tasha Parker ($340) -
for a grand total of $960!

NOVEMBER 2004

On November 7th we celebrated Higher Education Sunday along with All Saints Sunday with Guest Speaker Dick Busic and a trio of vocalists from Northwest Christian College. Rev. Busic's message "Come to the Party" affirms our invitation that ALL are welcome at Christ's table!

November 28th was the traditional Hanging of the Greens. Members too numerous to mention participated in the worship service wherein elements of the decorations were presented. Commemorative Centennial ornaments were among the components of worship, with each person in attendance placing one on the 20' tree.

Our November mission was "100 cans of food for a local food bank." We ended the month with well over our goal with 285+!

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DECEMBER 2004

In December our Centennial Mission was "100 Non-Food Stamp Items for Exodus Housing." Exodus Housing provides transitional housing for those in need and trying to start anew. For more information, visit www.ExodusHousing.org. Thanks so much to all who dug deep to contribute to this worthy cause! The monthly mission was a complete success, garnering close to 200 items:

42 rolls of toilet paper

8 rolls of paper towels

53 bars of hand soap

4 cartons of Q-tips

1 box of Kotex

13 boxes of tissues

2 boxes of wipes

5 bottles of dish soap

3 cans of cleanser

14 tubes of toothpaste

15 toothbrushes

13 bottles of shampoo

1 package of diapers

1 laundry soap

Hand lotion

Miscellaneous & latecomers!

JANUARY 2005

Hope you heard our Centennial Guest Speaker for January... former FCC Puyallup member and timothy, Pastor John Leffler and his wife Ruth graced us with their presence. January 23rd was Laity Sunday, and John preached as a former layperson from our church. He is now pastor of Castle Rock (WA) Christian Church.

Joining John were lay leaders Jeanne Crabb (welcome), Megan Stanhope (Call to Worship & Invocation), Sharon Yanasak (special reading), Bonnie Goddard (Prayers of the People), Dick Clark (Scripture), Cary Stanhope (Offering & Dedication), Robin Crabb (Call to Communion), Eunice Squires (Words of Institution), Bonita Goatz (Prayer for the Loaf), Joy Clark (Prayer for the Cup), and Roxane Neslund (Benediction).

Our January Centennial Mission was "100 Hours of Volunteer Community Service." Did this congregation come through! We asked for 100 hours... and got 496! We know of a few hours that weren't reported, so we're sure the total was actually over 500. How gratifying to be in the midst of so many helpful, caring people!

Spinning School	7.5	AA Domestic Violence	2.5
CTA Sewing School	12	Tsunami Health Kits	17
Salvation Army	10	Lunch with a Friend	14.5
Counseling SeaTac	53	FCC Puyallup Website	6
Good Sam Hospital	45	Rainbow Girls	15
Puyallup Valley Lions	6	Job�s Daughters	14
Puyallup Police Department	94	Pt. Defiance Zoo & Aquarium	7
Nursing Homes	155	FCC Centennial Landscaping	1
Sumner Food Bank	21	Knitting Class Teacher	4.5
Pierce County Extension	5	Home & Community Educators	6
			496

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FEBRUARY 2005

Our February Centennial Mission was "100 Dollars for Souper Bowl of Caring." (www.souperbowl.org) After Worship on February 6th, our youth positioned themselves at the exits with giant SOUP pots to collect the money. Thanks to all who spared some change - once again we were able to blow away our goal, and received $165! Funds received went to Friends and Servants, a YMCA program focused on serving troubled youth and juvenile offenders in the greater Puyallup area. The purpose is to intervene and invest in their lives, to break the cycle of hopelessness and self-destruction, and to empower them to succeed.

This was no "Chopsticks!"

Their visit coincided with the 76th Annual Golden Wedding celebration, complete with portraits for the golden couples and a rousing piano concert featuring Kerry Yanasak and Michelle (Crabtree) Leach, and their children. A good time was had by all!

Our Centennial Guest Speaker in February was former FCC Puyallup pastor, Bernie Krager, with special music from his wife Emily. A finger food reception the day before was well-attended, and the Kragers were warmly welcomed.

February's guest speaker & special musician Bernie & Emily Krager

MARCH 2005

March�s Centennial Mission was "100 Children & Youth Books for Family Renewal Shelter." In March we collected new or lovingly used children's and youth books for Family Renewal Shelter. Through your kindness, we collected 143 books! Founded in 1986, the Shelter offers confidential housing, support services and programs to high-risk victims of domestic violence and their children. For more information, go to www.FamilyRenewalShelter.org.

On March 3rd, Lori Price, columnist for The Puyallup Herald published an article regarding our local church and its early beginnings: Early members of Christian Church worshipped in halls.

The special Centennial guest speaker for March was Dr. Steven Goetz who, along with his wife Lynn graced us with their presence on March 6th, and his sermon A Question of Vision challenged us to see others as Jesus did. Many thanks to Steve and Lynn.

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APRIL 2005

Our Centennial Mission for April was "100 Dollars for Yakama Christian Mission." Our members and friends gave generously to this month's cause and $318 was collected for the Mission. Thanks to all those who found this a worthy cause to contribute to!

Located in White Swan, WA, the Mission provides services for Native American and Hispanic communities on the Yakama Reservation. Affiliated with The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), their mission is to be a visible sign of God's presence, by offering gifts of love and ministry to all who seek spiritual nurture and support.

Holy Humor Sunday on April 3rd was a big hit with jokes and silly songs (Eat Skittles, Laugh, Be Kind (sung to the tune of This Little Light of Mine), and Coffee, Coffee, Coffee (sung to the tune of Holy, Holy, Holy)), a skit featuring Mary & Martha, and a picnic-themed communion table. After Worship an old-time ice cream social honoring our 100th year (<click to see pictures) was enjoyed by all.

Hopefully you were on hand to welcome back FCC Puyallup timothy Noel Phillips as our guest speaker in April. Noel has an extensive background in the Disciples of Christ community and since 1990 has worked as hospital chaplain at Salem Hospital in Oregon. His message reminded us that we are to be brothers and sisters in Christ to those we meet in our daily lives - and how that relationship begins with us! Many thanks to Noel, and it was good to see his mother Dorothy, sister Dorian, and nephew Jarad back in our fold as well!

MAY 2005

Our Centennial Mission for May was "100 Hours of Volunteer Community Service." Just as in January, our members went out into the community to help minister to others. We are 100%+ successful in our missions to this point, and May was no different as we harvested 389 hours! The breakdown of hours looks like this:

Bradley Lake Clean-up	10	Amaranth	5
Good Sam Hospital	4.5	E. Tacoma Community Group	2
Pierce Co. Extension	9.5	Communications & Website	10
Puyallup Police Dept.	92.5	Jury Duty	14
Nursing Homes	70	Job�s Daughters	8
Sumner Food Bank	15.5	Pt. Defiance Zoo & Aquarium	20
Lunch With A Friend	16	FCC Centennial Landscaping	12
Masonic Lodge	3	Puyallup Valley Lions	6
Sea-Tac Seminar	48	Maplewood School	37
Rainbow Girls	6
			389

Ray Heckendorn returned and kept 'em in stitches

That Ray sure knows how to make us smile!

Pentecost Sunday brought Ray Heckendorn's return as our May centennial guest speaker. Ray's visit drew many belly laughs and a large crowd including several of his cronies from Christian Endeavor, a 1940s youth group that still meets faithfully. Festive Pentecost decorations and a potluck topped off the day.

JUNE 2005

Our Centennial Mission for June was "100 Dollars for Gwinwood Camp Scholarships." $112 was collected and will go toward sending our own youth to Gwinwood summer camp sessions. Depending on the camp, the cost can be prohibitive at $140-$270! Thanks to those who contributed to a trip to camp... as well as kindling some lifelong memories for our kids!

On Father's Day we welcomed back former FCC Puyallup pastor Fred Towne; along with his wife Mary and daughter Sharon. No one batted an eye that Fred was a tad late - our flexible and loving congregation sang favorite songs and the order of worship was changed up a bit to accommodate. When Fred arrived, his good natured ribbing of himself kept the mood "light" as he launched into his sermon Let There Be Light. His invitation during the hymn of discipleship for those interested in coming forward with a desire to be baptized, join the congregation, or rededicate themselves in their journey with God met with Nancy (Davies) Freeman coming forward. Nancy had been baptized by Fred as a girl.

Fred also presented us with this picture of the original church building on Meridian. (Click photo for full view.)

JULY 2005

July's centennial mission was challenging: 100 blood donors. Our onsite blood drive welcomed 22 donors (5 first time donors) and 18 pints of blood. 4 other donors are credited with giving off-site. We take pride in the efforts of so many and consider ourselves successful in prompting 26 donors and 21 pints of blood to be made available to the blood pool in the name of this bold mission. MANY THANKS to all who participated! For more information about donating blood, visit www.cascadebloodcenters.org.

AUGUST 2005

August's centennial mission was "100 Donated School Supply Items." We collected 148 items to distribute to kids whose back-to-school experience will be made easier by your generosity.

The Centennial Committee's last full meeting took place in August. At that point many last minute details were still being ironed out for many things, but our progress felt good and our teams were on task!

SEPTEMBER 2005

Due to the dire needs of those affected by Hurricane Katrina, our centennial mission for September was "100 Dollars for Week of Compassion for Hurricane Relief." Through the generous donations of our congregation and friends, $1,938 was collected. Thanks to all who gave from their hearts so that others may rebuild shattered lives. For more information about Week of Compassion or to continue to give, click here.

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OCTOBER 2005

With the help of many, the facilities were polished, the grounds spruced up, and we were ready to celebrate! Our weekend celebration began Saturday, October 8, as we gathered in the Commons at Puyallup High School. Our special guest that evening was Mary Anne Parrott, president of the Disciples Seminary Foundation. She has previously been the featured speaker at a Northwest Disciples Women retreat, and recently contributed to the music CD promoting the Mix in 06�, a joint gathering of Disciples and UCC Women in Nashville, TN. She wrote several hymns in our Chalice Hymnals, and is the author of Hymns & Songs of the Bible, a small group bible study resource for the Covenant Bible Studies series. Mary Anne led us in a rousing tour of American folk songs before dinner, and afterwards continued our musical theme with an old fashioned hymn sing. A praise team (Tasha Parker, Jayne Isch, Nancy Freeman, Joe Stanton) sang back up to Kerry Yanasak's accompaniment on piano. Anastasia Patterson charmed us with a humorous historical timeline of the last 100 years (click to read). Pastor Nancy, the evening's MC, presented our Centennial leaders - Jeanne Crabb, Betty Caley and Virginia Thompson - with a certificate of appreciation that will no doubt be placed in the church history books where all good historians keep their success stories.

On Sunday morning our featured speaker was Dr. Rod Parrott, retired dean at the Disciples Seminary Foundation in Claremont, CA. Dr. Parrott is both an author and teacher. He has taught Disciples history and polity and through his work at DSF has provided outstanding resources for Elders ministries for congregations. His retirement lecture, �March Madness� or Reflections on the Occasion of Retirement is posted on the bulletin board in the library. We were honored to have him as our guest speaker for our centennial worship. Also in our midst was Rev. Jack Sullivan, Jr., NW Regional Minister & President, who presided with Pastor Nancy at the communion table. We are grateful for such a fine turnout at both of our Centennial Celebration events!

Many many thanks to all who participated in making the Centennial Celebration a complete success. We did it!

CLICK HERE FOR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION PHOTOS

Not to be overlooked, October's Centennial Mission was "$100 for Hunger Walk(ers)," and we harvested $636! Click here for pictures of four of our walkers Ercie Borrowman, and Tasha Parker, Emma & Terry Forslund.

(Far left)
Ercie Borrowman

(L to R) Tasha Parker, Emma & Terry Forslund

Although our centennial year has drawn to a close, due to popular demand, monthly missions will continue! Look for upcoming missions on our church calendar on this website. Thanks to all who made each and every Centennial monthly mission a complete success! Here is an overview of our year in mission:

Our Hope:	Our Actual:
October 2004 - 100 dollars for Hunger Walk	960 dollars
November 2004 - 100 canned food items	285 items
December 2004 - 100 non-food items	200 items
January 2005 - 100 community service volunteer hours	496 hours
February 2005 - 100 dollars for Souper Bowl of Caring	165 dollars
March 2005 - 100 children's books (Family Renewal Shelter)	143 books
April 2005 - 100 dollars for Yakama Christian Mission	318 dollars
May 2005 - 100 community service volunteer hours	389 hours
June 2005 - 100 dollars for Gwinwood Camp scholarships	112 dollars
July 2005 - 100 blood donors	26 donors
August 2005 - 100 school supply items	148 items
September 2005 - 100 dollars for Week of Compassion (hurricane relief)	1938 dollars
October 2005 - 100 dollars for Hunger Walk	636 dollars

So, where we hoped to gather 1300 dollars/items/hours over the 13 months...
we actually were able to harvest (and sow!!!) 5816!
What an amazing year!

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