First Congregational Church of Buena Park

If you don’t already have membership in a Christian church, would you consider becoming a member of First Congregational Church of Buena Park? If so, please let me know, as we would love to have you with us! I recently heard (as reported in "The Washington Examiner") that church membership dipped below 50% for the first time in US history. I honestly didn’t know that so many people had a formal affiliation with a church. Yet, I know that even those of us who have had our name...Continue reading

"Three Things Jesus Knows about You this Palm Sunday" We sometimes think of the events of the Lent and Holy Week as being far removed from our lives. We might quietly say to ourselves, Jesus loved and cared a long time ago, but He doesn’t really know and care about me today. And yet, Palm Sunday reveals so much about our expectations, the Lord’s persistence, and the Lord’s kindness toward us. When we truly understand Jesus’ great care, our hearts will rejoice! Here are Thr...Continue reading

Hi Friends, Would you consider joining us at First Congregational Church of Buena Park for Bible study this Friday afternoon or our free drive-in movie night this evening? For our Bible study at 3pm, we're looking at a Bible passage to encourage us in fulfilling our callings in life. And, this evening at 7pm we will show "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" in our parking lot for our drive-in movie this month. Of course, this Sunday is Palm Sunday, too, and we would love if you could join us for worship in our sanctuary at 10am. Thank you, and God bless you this weekend!

This world pulls us like a dangerous rip current. But, rather than being drawn out into the middle of a helpless and hopeless reality, we have the Lord’s calling upon our lives: He’s the Great Rescuerthe Savior who embraces us with nail-pierced hands of forgiveness and places us upon His shoulders! And, as the world continues to pull at us, here are Three Ways to be Counter-cultural Christians" from the books of 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon that will fortify us against th...Continue reading

Hi Friends, Would you consider joining us for our Bible study tomorrow, on Friday, 3-19-2021 at First Congregational Church of Buena Park at 3pm? In our series on Christian service, we're gong to look at "How to Serve Others" based on Jesus' example at the Last Supper (John 13:1-7). Whatever your going through, whatever "thorn" you have in your life, we want to be here to encourage and help. We meet in our Fellowship Hall at 3pm, and are safely spaced apart and ask that those who join us wear a facemask. We have a short time of prayer, study, and discussion (for those who feel comfortable sharing). Thank you, and God bless you this week!

We don’t have to believe the world’s theories that everything’s about wealth and power, or that there’s no ultimate meaning or purpose in life, to be tempted to forget about God in our lives. From day to day, we tend to focus on whatever’s right in front of us, but the Lord doesn’t want us to miss the bigger picture that He’s with each of us individually and wants to strengthen us on the inside to bless us! Here are Three Ways the Lord Builds us Up in our Lives from the b...Continue reading

Let's Worship the Lord Together! Would you join us tomorrow morning, 2-28-2021, at 10am to worship the Lord with gladness? We would love to see you, greet you, and encourage you in the love and kindness of Jesus for your life! Join us, yourself and your family, as we have important instruction and teaching for our youth, too, as part of the service!

The Lord cares deeply about you and wants you to benefit from His gift! #FCCBP https://mycongregationalchurch.us4.list-manage.com/t/click

"How to Benefit from the Gospel," from First Congregational Church of Buena Park, 2-21-2021. God bless you this week! Have you ever owned something that you didn’t really know how to use that well? I have a cheap Smartphone. Although I can’t use all its features, I know the basics. The word gospel means good message, often called good news or good tidings, and it’s the Christian message that Jesus died for our sins and rose again for us and that we receive its bless...Continue reading

Please join us at 9:30am tomorrow, for Ash Wednesday Dear Church Family, It was about one year ago today, the beginning of the season of Lent, that our lives changed greatly due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We've faced the unpredictability of life and our own mortality in ways we hadn't previously. And the Lord has carried us through, for which we're grateful.... As a testimony to the Lord's faithfulness, would you join us tomorrow morning, at 9:30am, for our Ash Wednesday service in our sanctuary? The service will be shorter than a normal service, but it will include a corporate reading about our frailty but God's mercy, thinking about important truths from Scripture through a message from Pastor Sam Yoo, who always shares about the Lord's gracious work in peoples' lives, and we will also have Communion. Please join us if you're able, and God bless you this week and season. Blessings! John Peters, Pastor

This is our message from the Drive-in service from First Congregational Church of Buena Park, 2-14-2021. We’re glad that going forward we’re able to worship indoors, in our sanctuary! God bless you this week, and many thanks to Photo Editor Loreen Berlin for the great photos from the previous week! Also, as some of you know, I have a full-time job outside of our church and I just want to thank everyone in our church and community who's blessed, helped, and prayed for me throu...Continue reading

Praising the Lord this week with a parking lot Sunday service. Starting next week it will be in the sanctuary continuing to praise our Lord. The sanctuary will be open to 25% capacity, bring your mask and worship with us on Sunday. We will continue to have our service on Zoom and on telephone conferencing. God willing will see you next week.

We were so blessed to have Pastor Sam Yoo with us! It was so good seeing him, his smile, and hearing his laugh! Through Pastor Sam's message, we remember that the Lord said: but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth (Acts 1:8, NASB). In Pastor Sam’s message, Why we Care for Souls, he gave three reasons why we should care about ...the souls of others, including those far away from where we live: "The Heart of God," for the Lord cares; the Lord loves; the Lord reaches out in His grace! Jesus died for our sin’s and rose again to forgive and have compassion on the sinful. "Heaven and Hell," for eternity is real. Those who trust in Jesus have the promise of Heaven where we will see the Lord Himself and have unending joy, while those who refuse will be apart from the Lord’s loving presence for eternity. "To be 'fishers of men' or Witnesses" (Matt. 4:19, NASB), because the Lord has called us to share with others, to tell others about the free forgiveness and promise of eternity He offers and provides! As someone who cares for souls, Pastor Sam also shared about the important work he’s doing in evangelism himself. Please listen to his message and hear highlights of his important evangelistic work! #FCCBP https://youtu.be/7r7eudjSNCc

From First Congregational Church of Buena Park, 10-18-2020 We sometimes get stuck in a rut in our lives, a pattern, and we have a hard time getting out! We’ve seen the Lord’s desire to help us deal with the thorns of our lives. Yet, sometimes we feel stuck and need some help getting out of a rut. Here are Three Things to Help with Christian Growth from the books of 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, and Ezra to help us move in the right direction for improvement with the L...Continue reading

I hope that this message from First Congregational Church of Buena Park's 10-11-2020 service encourages and helps you! "Three Things to See for Your Encouragement" The Bible’s called the Good Book for good reason! Even though it’s written by different human authors and at different times, the Lordthe Divine Authorwants to bless you through it. The Lord wants you to see certain things in the Bible to build you up and train you so that you will be equipped for what He has...Continue reading

This is from our 10-4-2020 service at First Congregational Church that I hope helps you this week. Take care! "Three Things to be Patient About" In The Bible for You, we’re exploring each book of the Bible, taking a passage from each one for our encouragement. This week, we focus on being patient in our lives as we look at the books of Judges, Ruth, and 1 Samuel. We sometimes have a hard time being patient and waiting. Well, the Lord cares about you deeply, and He wants goo...Continue reading

Dear Friends and Church Family, I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well! Please join us this Sunday, 10-04-2020, at 10am as we worship the Lord together in our sanctuary and receive Communion together! The Lord is with us during this difficult time for our families and in the life of our church, and it’s our joy and privilege to worship the Lord together. We again ask that families sit 6 feet apart in every other pew and that masks are worn during the service. Plea...se join us, either by coming to service, or by calling in from home. Here is the number and other information for dialing-in if you can’t make it in-person: Call this phone number: 518-425-1596 Join the call as a participant Put your phone on mute Turn on the speaker on your phone We sometimes have a hard time being patient, but here are Three Things to be Patient About from Judges, Ruth, and 1 Samuel that will result in good things for you moving forward: 1. Be patient in living right (Judg. 2:18-19), for the Lord’s forgiven you of your sins through Jesus and turning toward the bad will only hurt you. 2. Be patient in trusting God (Ruth 1:14-18), for the Lord will bless you as you trust Him through the hard times. 3. Be patient in waiting (1 Sam. 16:12-13), for the Lord will help you as you serve Him now and will provide more opportunities in the future. As you’re assured of Jesus’ forgiveness of you and are patient, you will have an increased sense of blessing and hope! Because the State has prohibited singing, we will listen to the spoken words of two great hymns, which are sure to encourage and help us. We’re looking forward to seeing you, and may God bless you richly! Blessings! Our address is: First Congregational Church 6633 Beach Blvd Buena Park, CA 90621

Please don't be discouraged in your life; the Lord cares deeply about you. Just over a week ago, what I expected to transpire didn't happen the way I thought it would. There was a "thorn" that I wasn't dealing with very well. Thankfully, the Lord helped me put it in perspective and see the bigger picture. And, that picture always has His kindness through Jesus at the center. Do you know the Lord cares deeply about you today? Be encouraged this week, and take care!

Here's some encouragement from Three Things to Remember for Your Blessing from Numbers through Joshua that the Lord will use to encourage you as you fulfill what He has for you in life: 1. Remember the Lord’s deliverance so that you don’t lose sight of what God’s done and go the wrong way (Num. 14:1-10, 20-35). 2. Remember the Lord’s patience, and that the Lord forgives your faults so you can move forward in the right way (Deut. 8:1-3). 3. Remember the Lord’s faithfulness, ...for as you remember how God’s helped you in the past you will build confidence in God (Josh. 1:1-9; 21:43). As you remember these wonderful truths and thank God for these blessings (1 Thess. 5:18), you will find a renewed sense of encouragement for what God has for you for now and for many years to come! #FCCBP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H327zBO8oSE

Dear Church Family, I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well! This Sunday, 9-27-2020, at First Congregational Church of Buena Park, we’re again worshiping the Lord in our sanctuary! I’ve learned not to take worshiping indoors for granted, and I’m grateful for this opportunity this Lord’s Day! We again ask that families sit 6 feet apart in every other pew and that masks are worn during the service. Please join us, either by coming to service, or by calling in from ho...me. Here is the number and other information for dialing-in if you can’t make it in-person: Call this phone number: 518-425-1596 Join the call as a participant Put your phone on mute Turn on the speaker on your phone Here are Three Things to Remember for Your Blessing from Numbers through Joshua that the Lord will use to encourage you as you fulfill what He has for you in life: 1. Remember the Lord’s deliverance so that you don’t lose sight of what God’s done and go the wrong way (Num. 14:1-10, 20-35). 2. Remember the Lord’s patience, and that the Lord forgives your faults so you can move forward in the right way (Deut. 8:1-3). 3. Remember the Lord’s faithfulness, for as you remember how God’s helped you in the past you will build confidence in God (Josh. 1:1-9; 21:43). As you remember these wonderful truths and thank God for these blessings (1 Thess. 5:18), you will find a renewed sense of encouragement for what God has for you for now and for many years to come! Because the State has prohibited singing, we will listen to the spoken words of two great hymns, which is sure to encourage and help us. We’re looking forward to seeing you, and may God bless you richly!

I'm so happy I have Sundays off from my other job once again! Here's part of the message from last Sunday (I apologize it's incomplete), which I hope encourages you. You're extremely valuable and important, and the Lord can help you during this difficult time. In our series The Bible for You, we’re exploring a truth from each book of the Bible with our eyes focused on how the Lord wants to bless you, to build you up in and through Jesus Christ! We’ll see Three Ways the Lord ...has Blessed You from the first three books of the Bible: Genesis through Leviticus! 1. The Lord is with you (Gen. 17:7-8; Gal. 3:29), and He won’t leave you. 2. The Lord delights in your worship (Ex. 3:18; Zeph. 3:17), and is pleased whenever you think about Him, sing to Him, and gather with His people. 3. The Lord accepts you (Lev. 1:3, 5; 1 Pet. 1:18-19), and since Jesus shed His blood for you, you can gain a deep sense of safety in your life. As you remember the Lord’s blessings, He encourages and guides you as you move forward into the good things He has for you in life! #FCCBP https://youtu.be/veJYyAandpI

Church this Sunday! I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well! This Sunday, 9-20-2020, at First Congregational Church of Buena Park, we’re worshiping the Lord in our sanctuary once again! We ask that families sit 6 feet apart in every other pew and that masks are worn during the service. Please join us, either by coming to service, or by calling in from home.... Here is the number and other information for dialing-in if you can’t make it in-person: Call this phone number: 518-425-1596. Join the call as a participant Put your phone on mute. Turn on the speaker on your phone. In our series "The Bible for You," we’re exploring a truth from each book of the Bible with our eyes focused on how the Lord wants to bless you, to build you up in and through Jesus Christ! We’ll see Three Ways the Lord has Blessed You from the first three books of the Bible: Genesis through Leviticus! 1. The Lord is with you (Gen. 17:7-8; Gal. 3:29), and He won’t leave you. 2. The Lord delights in your worship (Ex. 3:18; Zeph. 3:17), and is pleased whenever you think about Him, sing to Him, and gather with His people. 3. The Lord accepts you (Lev. 1:3, 5; 1 Pet. 1:18-19), and since Jesus shed His blood for you, you can gain a deep sense of safety in your life. As you remember the Lord’s blessings, He encourages and guides you as you move forward into the good things He has for you in life! Because the State has prohibited singing, we will listen to the spoken words of two great hymns, which we hope is encouraging to you during this difficult time. Lastly, is there someone you know who would like to be placed on our email list? If so, please get that person's permission and send us his or her email address. We're always happy to add them! God bless you richly!

Three Ways to View the Bible for Your Blessing: 1. See the Bible’s focus on Jesus, that it points you to Jesus as the Savior who forgives you and the Shepherd who guides you (John 5:39). 2. See the Bible as sufficient to equip you, that the Lord uses it build you up and point you toward what is good for you (2 Tim. 3:16-17). 3. See the Bible’s examples to help you, that turning from the Lord brings hardship but trusting in the Lord, even through difficulty, is a blessing (1... Cor. 10:1-12; Heb. 11:1-40). As you and I see view the Bible in this way, we’ll find encouragement and blessing as we fulfill our callings in life! https://youtu.be/phR7A4dG1jI

Please join us for our Outdoor Family Movie Night: Sing It’s so important for our community and church family to remain connected during this time. We’re knit together as family through Jesus, our loving shepherd and great Savior, and need to be here for each other! Please join us at First Congregational Church of Buena Park for our outdoor Family Movie Night on Saturday, 9-12-2020 at 7:30pm. We will present the 2016 animated movie, Singthe touching story of a koala who puts... on a talent show to save his theatre from bankruptcy. The endearing cast of characters who audition and participate will keep you smiling, laughing, and maybe even singing! We’re convinced you will enjoy and appreciate this movie’s sentiment and humor. We’ll show the movie outdoors in our parking lot. Families will be spaced at least 6 feet apart from each other and each will be wearing masks. Please bring your own chairs if you have them, and we will also have some chairs available, too. Some may also want to park in back of the seating area and remain in their vehicles. Please bring your own meals if you would like. Well, thank you for considering joining us. Know that the Lord, who created the stars and calls them by name (Isaiah 40:26, NASB) knows you, and through Jesus has paid the price for your sins and rose again because He loved you so much! We would love if you can join us on Saturday 9-12-2020. Blessings this week! John Peters, Pastor Our address is: First Congregational Church 6633 Beach Blvd Buena Park, CA 90621

Would you please join us for a short church service on a conference call? Just call 518-425-1596 just before 10am for prayer, song, Scripture and a Bible-based message to encourage you in the Lord's kindness toward you through Jesus and His work in your life.

Jesus is the very foundation of the Christian life! For Three Ways to Respond to Jesus as Savior (John 4:7-26) to be assured of eternal life and gain a greater sense of safety in your life: 1. Come to Jesus for eternal life, for He gives living water that results in eternal life (John 4:7-14). 2. Know your sins are forgiven, and that even though you’ve done bad things and have had wrong ideas about God in the past, that you’re forgiven because of Jesus’ death and resurrecti...on (John 4:15-24). 3. Know Jesus’ identity, that He’s God and man and has come as Savior (John 4:25-26). As we do these things, we will have an assurance of eternal life and a greater sense of safety in our lives. #fccbp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvdFXkvxnJI