June
17 - 30, 2007
Cover
Story
WE
WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS
photos by Allan Walker
JOHN
CIAMPA (top left) comes to us with a very significant United Methodist
background and as a Reaffirmation of Faith. He moved here from
Ohio and brings some extensive gifts in the areas of media and
outreach. Welcome John.
LINDA
I’ANSON (not pictured) comes to us in transfer from Scotia
UMC in Scotia, NY. Linda has been worshipping in the church for
months with her daughter Dara. It’s great to have you here,
Linda. Welcome.
CAROLE
KROMAN (top middle) was a member for years, took a bit of a sabbatical
and is now back with us. What a wonderful privilege to welcome
you back into mem-bership. Welcome home, Carole.
JANET
LIPSCOMB (not pictured) comes to us as a transfer from North United
Methodist Church in Minneapolis where she grew up. Janet is a
long time UCLA office manager, a wonderful and gentle soul who
has been attending for awhile. Great to have you join, Janet.
GLENDA
MARTINEZ (top right) comes to us from the Maywood United Methodist
church on Reaffirmation of Faith. Glenda is already working hard
as a teacher in the Sunday School and brings a wonderful warm
smile and willing spirit as well as her two children Alejandro
and Natalia. Glenda is Vice President and Chief Counsel at Univision
Communications. It’s great to have you here, Glenda.
DEVIKA
OGDEN (bottom left) comes to us on Profession of Faith and may
have the warmest smile we’ve ever seen. Devika has a warm
heart and giving spirit. Devika is Sri Lankan and works at the
Australian Trade Institude. It is great to have you here. Welcome,
Devika.
CAROL
SOLVERSON (bottom right) comes to us by transfer from Pilgrim
Lutheran Church here in Santa Monica. Carol has been here for
years and this is simply the formalization of what has become
a wonderful relationship. She has already given so much to this
church. What a privilege to welcome you as a member.
Highlights
SCHOLARSHIP
SUNDAY
Sunday, June 17
The recipients of this year’s Methodist Foundation Scholarships
will be awarded and recognized during worship on June 17. Come
support the students of FUMC furthering their educations as they
also show continued participation in the works of the church.
CAL-PAC
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
June 20 - 24 @ University of Redlands
Our clergy and several Lay Members from our congregation are attending
this year’s Cal-Pac
Annual Conference at the University of Redlands. Several special
events will be taking place throughout the Conference including
Rev. Brad Beeman’s ordination and special recognition of
FUMC’s Mission giving. Brad’s ordination will take
place on Saturday, June 23, at 7:30 pm in the chapel at University
of Redlands. There will be a reception afterwards on the grass
quad just outside the chapel. All are invited!
FILM
SERIES CONTINUES
Sunday, June 24
The Social Concerns film series continues with a showing of excerpts
from the film “The Age of AIDS,” a PBS/Frontline documentary
reporting on the past and future of the worldwide AIDS epidemic.
Made on the 25th anniversary of the first diagnosed cases, this
acclaimed docu-mentary covers “a quarter century of political
denial, social stigma, stunning social breakthroughs, bitter policy
battles, and inadequate prevention campaigns” and focuses
on the continuing battle against a virus that has killed over
30 million people and currently infects 40 million worldwide.
All are welcome to the screening which will begin at 11:20 am
in the Fireside Room.
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. Beginning June 24 tickets will be available on Sunday
mornings during coffee hour or during the week in the church office.
CELEBRATING
TEN YEARS OF SUCCESS
by Cindy McQuade
This year we celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of Upward Bound House
of Santa Monica Family Place. The 22 unit “Welcome Mat”
of Family Place envelops families who have lost their permanent
residence. Family Place is Santa Monica’s only transitional
housing program for children and their parents. It offers 21 apartments
of free housing and a variety of support services. How does one
measure success? By the lives saved, the hearts touched, the money
raised, the goals met? I measure the success of Upward Bound House-Family
Place by the more than 630 children who have been given a home,
safety, comfort, stability and education. I measure the success
by a parking lot transformed to homes for over 300 families since
its opening in June 1997. I measure success by witnessing our
church embracing and interacting daily with these new sisters
and brothers we prayed to welcome and serve. Read
this full article.
MEET OUR NEW PARISH ASSOCIATES
We are delighted to introduce two persons who will come onto our
staff as full-time “Parish Associates” starting June
26. Both are in their late 30s and graduated from Fuller Theological
Seminary with the Master of Divinity degrees on June 9. Each is
very talented, gifted, highly organized and motivated and will
enrich our staff. They bring poise, grace, pastoral sensitivity,
maturity and an ease in working with all kinds of people. Both
are interdenominational in their background and outlook. They
are very comfortable with all kinds of diversity—which fits
well with our community and with the profile of our increasingly
diverse membership and congregation.
Paul
Deveaux is from Queens, NY and is married to Michelle. After attending
Art School, he graduated with a BS in Computer Science from the
US Naval Academy and served as an Intelligence Officer in the
Marine Corps. His church background is Episcopalian with his most
recent experience being in the Mosaic Ministry in Los Angeles.
He will work with the Missions Council and focus on the development
of local hands-on mission opportunities for every age level. He
will work with the Lay Leadership Committee in the area of spiritual
gifts. And he will work with the Youth Ministry.
Nate
Risdon is from northern California and is married to Mee Heh.
His undergraduate work is in voice—operatic training—at
San Jose State. And he has worked as an elementary school teacher.
His background is American Baptist, with his most recent experience
being as an Intern with Rev. Greg Norton at the Pasadena Presbyterian
Church. He will work with Children’s Ministry and with our
possible after-school music and theater program for children and
youth. He will also work with the Social Concerns Council and
on our worship renewal grant through next year. Nate and Mee Heh’s
baby daughter, Abigail, was born last month.
SUMMER SING-ALONGS ARE BACK!
On the four Thursday evenings in July you’ll have the opportunity
to sing along with or simply enjoy listening to major choral works
led by outstanding guest conductors. It begins at 7:30 pm and
musical scores and refreshments will be provided. You may pay
$40 for the entire series if you reserve your spot by July 1,
OR you may pay $12 at the door on any of the four evenings.
July 5 = Little Organ Mass by Haydn, Coronation Anthem
#4 by Handel and Hallelujah from Mount of Olives
by Beethoven with guest conductor Wyant Morton (California Lutheran
University).
July 12 = B Minor Mass (Choruses only) by Bach with guest
conductor Donna M. Di Grazia (Pomona College).
July 19 = Gloria by Rutter and Gloria by Vivaldi
with guest conductor Glenn Carlos (Hollywood Master Chorale).
July 26 = Mass in C minor by Mozart with guest conductor
Jonathan Talberg (Cal State Long Beach).
HELPING
HANDS NEEDED
The UMW Work Party is seeking volunteer assistance in merchandizing
for the upcoming Holiday Boutique in November. If you would like
to lend your talent or if you know of someone in our community
who might be willing to help, please contact Pat McFadden at (310)
829-1431 or email her at pmcfuff@hotmail.com.
Horizons
by
Patricia Farris
It’s summer and that means BASEBALL! It still feels good,
even while watching the Dodgers blow a lead to lose to the Padres
in the bottom of the 9th. So imagine my delight when I came across
the following in an article on “Grace” by Wesley scholar
Stephen Manskar:
Learning
the practice of loving God and loving as God loves is very much
like learning to play baseball.
Really!
Here’s how he explains it:
Attending
to our relationship with God through practicing the means of grace
does not... come naturally. We need to learn how to do these basic
practices of discipleship…loving is a discipline that must
be learned. It is learned over time through discipline and practice
with experienced practitioners.
First,
you cannot do it alone. Baseball is a game that cannot be played
alone. It can be played only with a team. Even if all you want
to do is play catch, you need at least one other person to play.
Because grace is relational, we learn how to love as God loves
in the presence of others who have known and loved God longer
than we.
Second,
like all games, there is a set of basic skills that must be learned
and practiced in order to begin to play the game. This set of
basic skills is universal. All players must learn them: throwing,
catching, hitting, running, knowing, and thinking baseball. The
basic practices of Christian discipleship are the means of grace.
They are foundational to Christian faith and life.
Third,
discipline is essential to growth in grace and love. An athlete
who engages in the discipline of baseball (catching, throwing,
hitting, running, and knowing and thinking the game) becomes a
baseball player. Likewise, a person who engages in the discipline
of following Jesus in the world (attending to all of his teachings
through works of piety and works of mercy) becomes a Christian
disciple.
Learning
and practicing the means of grace as part of daily life is how
Christians attend to their relationship with God and with those
whom God loves (neighbors, other Christians, and selves). They
are how God’s grace flows through a human life for the world.
In the process, when people open themselves to grace, they open
themselves to becoming fully the human beings God created them
to be, in Christ.
Here’s
proof positive that you can be a good Methodist and a baseball
fan! And that maybe the two go together in some mysterious way.
So enjoy summer, dear friends. And while you’re at it, practice
the means of grace with your fellow Methodists. We never stop
practicing and we never stop needing one another.
Patricia
Farris
Community
CONGRATULATIONS
Alison Throckmorton married Scott Petersen on May 12 in Palo Alto.
They live in Redwood City. Congratulations to Alison and Scott
and proud mom, Elli Throckmorton.
Congratulations
to Tom Larmore on his installation as President of the Santa Monica
Chamber of Commerce. Our own Patricia Farris gave the Invocation
at the installation dinner at Tom’s invitation. Congratulations
to Larry Naylor and Naylor’s Paint for receiving the Chamber
Business Award and to Kris Andresen, recipient of the Roy E. Naylor
Lifetime Achievement Award. And, last but not least, congrats
to Marilyn Leoni who won the raffle!
Kudos
to Bob Moore and Herb Roney who recently attended their 60th Class
Reunion at SAMOHI!
SPECIAL
RECOGNITION
During the month of May, my daughter Judy Sheridan and I had the
rare privilege of attending the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial ceremonies in Washington, DC, honoring all who have given
their lives in the line of duty. We were guests of honor from
California sent by the Santa Monica Retired Police Officers Association
and sat in the survivors section. I had the utmost feeling of
dignity and pride knowing my husband Sgt. Ronald Wise serving
on the Santa Monica Police Department from 1956-1965 as a dedicated
officer sacrificed his life for this city. Seeing my husband’s
name on the Memorial Wall along with 17,900 other names was so
touching and emotional for me. He will always be a hero to me
and heroes live forever and are never forgotten. -Ellen Wise
BIRTHS
We congratulate Darcy and Drew McLaren, big sister Rylie and Grandma
Charleen Smith on the birth of Camryn Sofia on June 1 at 10:30
pm. Camryn weighed 8 lbs 5 oz and was 19 inches long.
We
congratulate grandparents Camille and Alan Rogers on the birth
of new grandson, Bradley, to Christopher and Rebekkah Rogers in
January.
CONDOLENCES
We extend our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Ruth
Frater who died on May 28.
