July
1 - 14, 2007
Cover
Story
A
PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS
by Mary Garbesi (photos by Rachel Eaton)
My Everyday Sacred Photo Exhibit had both pictures and words!
The All-Church Photo Exhibit, titled My Everyday Sacred, featured
photos and narratives submitted by several FUMC individuals and
families, responding to the question of what they see and experience
as sacred in their daily lives. St. Catherine of Seina expresses
it well!
Wisdom
is so kind and wise
that wherever you may look
you can learn something about God.
Why would not the omnipresent teach that way?
The
exhibit, curated by the Photo Project Task Force, was on view
at coffee hour on June 10, 17 and 24.
The
Task Force: Shannon Bishop, Rachel Eaton, Mary Garbesi, Ashok
Kanagasundram, Emily Payne and Lynn Stokes
Highlights
GCWT
TALENT SHOW
Saturday, July 14
The UMYF and the Youth Gulf Coast Work Team present an evening
of entertainment on Saturday, July 14. A silent auction will begin
at 5 pm. Seating will begin at 6 with the dinner and show beginning
at 6:30 in Simkins Hall. Proceeds will support the Youth GCWT
trip to New Orleans on August 4 - 12 as well as other UMYF activities
and needs. Tickets are now on sale and available on Sunday mornings
during coffee hour or during the week in the church office.
SUMMER
SEMINAR SERIES
Sundays, July 15, 22 & 29 @ 11:20 am in the Fireside Room
The Social Concerns Council has scheduled a social issues seminar
series for this summer, and invites all who are interested to
attend and participate.
July 15 = “A Christian Approach to Anger Management”
with Ken Rasmussen, PsyD
July 22 = “Human Trafficking”
with Bekah Cooke, Salvation Army
July 29 = “Denial of Genocide and Atrocity”
with Philip "Flip" Cuddy
WESLEY
WALKERS - RELAY FOR LIFE
Saturday, July 28
The Wesley Walkers, FUMC’s Relay for Life Team, is still
looking for walkers and donations for the event happening on Saturday,
July 28, through Sunday morning, July 29, at John Adams Middle
School. The reason behind Relay for Life is to raise funds for
cancer research and treatment. You may support any of the individual
walkers or contribute to the entire team. Either way, you’ll
be contributing toward our overall goal. To do this, visit our
online
Wesley Walkers page which you may link to via the church website.
For more information visit the Wesley Walkers table during coffee
hour on Sunday mornings or contact the church office.
SUMMER
ADVENTURES! & VBS
Don’t Miss out!
Summer Adventures! is underway. Children may be signed up for
individual or various sessions (each 1 - 3 weeks in length). Vacation
Bible School - “Lift Off: Reaching New Heights with God”
will take place on August 6 - 10. Session schedules and registration
forms are available on the church website as well as in the church
office. Sign up before it’s too late!
"WHERE
ARE WE ON THE SIMKINS HALL RENOVATION PROJECT?"
There is much good news and many things happening! We’ve
selected an electrical contractor for the job. Barker and Son
Electric will begin work in the hall on July 9. The electrical
phase of this project is expected to last 6 weeks. Decisions have
been finalized regarding the new audio visual and sound equipment
as well as the new lighting fixtures. Equipment purchases are
expected to take place in the next few weeks. More soon!
PREPAREDNESS
KICK-OFF
We don’t need to be reminded of the devastation resulting
from the tsunami in Indonesia, Katrina in New Orleans and other
floods and storms throughout the country. Here, our most likely
disaster would be an earthquake but there could also be a medical
epidemic or some chemical or other kind of terrorism. Are we prepared
and how can we help others if the need arises? Join Health Ministry
on July 22 for a mini-fair at coffee hour, 11:15 am - 12 noon
on disaster and emergency preparedness. The Red Cross and the
Fire Department will be there!
This is the first in a monthly series of announcements which will
alert you to all the areas of preparedness at home, in your car
and in the community.
Have a Family Meeting & Plan for Communication - Plan where
and how to reunite after a disaster. Knowing everyone is alive
and well will help family members cope with the situation more
easily. Develop the family plan of where the family will meet
and with whom they will communicate in the event of a disaster.
Include the following in your plan:
· Out of state contact. Keep emergency numbers by telephone
· Meeting place
· Policies of schools and day-care center pertaining to
emergency shelter
· Transportation
· Care for children and reuniting children with parents
CONFIRMATION
Meadow Holman, Michael Hooper, Jessica Jones, Shelly McCammon,
Carolan McCollough, Bram O’Bell, Sawyer Pascoe, Jimmy Scott,
Molly Smith and Julia Wallace went through this year’s Confirmation
class. They were all confirmed and joined the church on Sunday,
June 10. They also participated in many aspects of the worship
service including leading the Call to Worship, reading scripture
and serving Communion. We welcome them into membership and congratulate
them on completing Confirmation!
UNITED
METHODIST DODGER NIGHT - AUGUST 3
The 25th Annual United Methodist Night at Dodger Stadium is Friday,
August 3, at 7:40 pm. The Dodgers will take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
This is the 25th year the California-Pacific Annual Conference
has partnered with the Los Angeles Dodgers to raise funds. Tickets
are $15 (a $17 face value); parking is $15 and bus parking is
$35. Children 3 years of age may attend for free but will only
have a seat if a ticket is purchased for them. Proceeds will benefit
Conference Youth and Children Ministries. The deadline for purchasing
tickets is July 24. Additional information is also available on
the Dodgers website at www.dodgers.com.
If you’d like to show off your singing talent at the game,
you have the opportunity to submit a cassette tape or CD with
your rendition of the National Anthem for review. The LA Dodgers
organization will select the lucky individual or group from our
United Methodist Cal-Pac Conference to sing at the game. For more
information, contact the church office.
by
Patricia Farris
As I look forward to beginning my 10th year as Senior Pastor,
I am delighted that we are bringing two new Parish Associates
onto our staff. With Char Smith becoming Director of our Preschool
and Larry Young “re-retiring,” I began the search
for new staff leadership in the areas of Missions, Social Concerns,
Outreach, Children and Youth.
The
SPRC has been diligent, supportive and faithful in this process.
We intentionally kept the positions fluid and somewhat loosely
defined in order to seek out the best candidates. Conversations
with our district superintendent revealed that there was not an
ordained United Methodist available for appointment at this time
that fit our staffing profiles, and I was given the green light
to search far and wide. Contacts at both the Claremont School
of Theology and the Fuller Theological Seminary provided candidates.
Several applications were reviewed. Three persons were interviewed
by a sub-committee of our SPRC.
We
are delighted that the Church Council fully supports the SPRC
recommendation to hire Paul Deveaux and Nate Risdon as Parish
Associates. You have no doubt read about them in the last Sentinel.
I want you to know that their several references expressed comments
such as “a 10,” “would hire him in a heartbeat,”
“highly organized,” “faithful and great integrity,”
“maturity and grace,” “works well with all kinds
of people,” “highly motivated”…and on
and on—about both of these fine graduates of Fuller Seminary.
Each
brings experience and gifts that will help us continue to move
in the direction of our transformational model of discipleship.
You’ve heard me say it many times—the purpose of The
UMC is TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE TRANSFORMATION
OF THE WORLD. In different yet complimentary ways, Nate and Paul
value music and the arts, worship, children and youth, mission,
small groups, empowerment for ministry and engaging the issues
of the day. They will bring new perspectives, new ideas and new
energy to all that we cherish and do.
I
encourage you to welcome them warmly. Invite them into your groups,
Councils, committees, homes and hearts. Share your dreams with
them. Help them become acquainted with FUMC and with what it means
to be United Methodist. They are eager to learn, to jump in and
to make significant contributions to our ministry and mission.
Our
God, our help in ages past, is always ready to “do a new
thing” within and among us. How very grateful and expectant
we are!
Patricia
Farris
Community
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to David and Joyce Landsverk who both retired
in June from teaching.
We congratulate three of our
young people who were recognized at the 47th Annual Literature
& Arts Program of the Human Relations Council (Santa Monica
Bay Area) on June 13, for writing about peace and justice after
reflecting on a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. Great work,
Nicholas Charchut, Kaitlyn Plukas and Kyle McCreight!
A big congrats to Ben Beeman
and Jay Lamb who received SAMOHI Student Awards. And a huge congratulations
to Grant Olsson for achieving Eagle Scout!
ANNIVERSARIES
We congratulate Yvonne and Arthur Dodd who celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary in June.
We also congratulate Kim and
Matt Crawford who celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary in
June.
BIRTHS
We celebrate with our new Parish Associate Nate Risdon and his
wife Mee Heh in the birth of their first child, baby Abigail who
was born in May.
SAFE
TRAVELS
Our principal organist Christoph Bull is playing recitals in Paris
and Moscow this month. Keep him in your prayers as he travels.
WE'LL
MISS YOU
We wish God Speed to our friend Amy Armstrong, an active member
of the bridge young adult group and the Spiritual Formation Council,
who moved to North Carolina on June 19. Keep in touch!
THANK
YOU
We were both so touched by the wonderful send-off and the very
generous gift you of the congregation gave us on June 17. We feel
truly loved and affirmed by you. It has been a joy to serve among
you these past seven years. Now, when we’re not traveling,
we look forward to being part of FUMC’s ongoing life in
the years that lie ahead. Thank you for such a great sending-forth
into re-retirement! - Larry and Jean Young
