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TRANSCRIPT
August 9, 2019Volume 69 No. 8
A Lot Can Happen in Three Days: August Worship SeriesThe very brief Old Testament book of Jonah is layered with meaning. This is the comical story of a guy who winds up inside a big fish for three days before he comes to his senses and listens to God. It’s the premonition of three days inside a tomb that separated death and resurrection for Jesus. And it’s a narrative that contrasts God’s universal, always-forgiving nature with the small jealousy of the human heart. We are retelling the whole story and digging into the genius that makes it a story for today.
August 11: Jonah in the belly of the fishAugust 18: Ninevah
This fall will be a season of immersing ourselves in a new vision for LAUMC. Through several connected worship series, Senior Pastor Kathi McShane and the worship team will explore the facets of that vision in depth. Several exciting guest speakers have also been invited to share their wisdom in worship and other venues. The guest speaker schedule is outlined below; please mark these dates on your calendar!
August 25: Mark and Lisa Scandrette, authors of Belonging and Becoming: Creating a Thriving Family CulturePreaching at 8:30 and 10:00am; lunch and workshop for parents and families of all ages
September 15: Padraig O’Tuama, poet and author of In the Shelter from the Irish proverb, “It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.”Preaching at 8:30 and 10:00am; storytelling, music, and poetry with Bobby Jo Valentine following Creekside Crossings
October 13: Brian McLaren, theologian and author of The Seventh Story and The Galapagos Islands: A Spiritual JourneyPreaching at 8:30 and 10:00am; Conversational Church at 11:15am
November 17: Rev. Grace Imathiu, pastor of Community United Methodist Church, Naperville, IllinoisPreaching at 8:30 and 10:00am; Conversational Church at 11:15am
Fall Speaker Series
FROM THE LOS ALTOS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
by Senior Pastor Kathi McShane
As we turn toward the last half of 2019 and come to the end of LAUMC’s 2020 Vision that was put in place almost 10 years ago, it’s time to imagine the next chapter of our life together. For the past several months, our Visioning Team has been working on a new statement that describes who we are as a church and—perhaps even more importantly—who we want to be five years from now.
You may know from other visioning and strategic planning experiences that there’s a logic to this exercise. We ask,
Who are we now? How are the United Methodist people of Los Altos and Mountain View living out their faith in this place, at this time?
And then,Who is it God is calling us to be? What is the work that God wants to do in this community and is calling us to join in?
From the answers to these questions—a mission statement and a vision—a strategic plan emerges: a set of concrete actions that we will need to take over the next few years to move every part of our life together—our programs, our outreach, our structures, our staffing, our facilities—toward our vision.
The Visioning Team has spent a whole season on Bible study and praying and talking together, looking at the church from many different angles to reflect different parts of our ministry, different segments of the congregation, and the perspective of people who are not part of LAUMC at all. Of course our thinking and planning and praying includes a new campus in Mountain View and new possibilities for ministries and relationships that we are just beginning to imagine.
We don’t have a fully formed vision statement yet, but I want to share with you some of the thoughts that are percolating. We think LAUMC is already filled with people who know that life with God offers—to us and our neighbors—something more than living. Something that is more like life that flourishes. What if God is calling us to the sacred work of neighboring—so that our neighbors’ lives might flourish, too?
Neighboring will require us to stretch in some important ways: toward sustained Connections –with God –with each other –with our families –with people who are strangers to us now –with ourselves toward a wider Compassion toward Courage to take meaningful risks
What might happen in Mountain View and Los Altos if we take this commitment to neighboring seriously? “With God, everything is possible” (Mark 10:27).
Is this a vision that inspires you? Does it sound like the church you know and love? Will it call the best out of LAUMC? Will it make a difference in our community if we live it out? Send me an email ([email protected]) and tell me what you think.
Blessings and love in these final days of summer,
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Birth Fiona Elizabeth Miravalle HoodJune 9Great-grandmother: Valda Tormey
Deaths Evelyn LundeJuly 27Survived by her husband, Donald Hines
Bill WebsterJuly 15
Compassion Week Is Almost Here!Registration opens September 1
Mark your calendars now for the highly anticipated community event, Compassion Week 2019. Throughout the week of September 30 – October 6, serve alongside our neighbors to extend the community, connect with each other, bridge divides, and promote understanding and healing. This year LAUMC is partnering with the Los Altos Community Foundation and multiple faith communities around Mountain View and Los Altos to build a strong, compassionate, and empathetic community by creating service and social justice opportunities for people to expand their understanding of local and global needs.
Registration begins September 1 at www.compassionweeklosaltos.com. You will be able to register online or in the Redwood Room between Sunday services throughout September. If you would like to be a project leader or have any questions about Compassion Week, contact Nadine Damonte ([email protected]).
Belonging and BecomingSunday, August 25
How can you create a sense of home that honors the best of where you come from and embraces the emerging challenges and opportunities of life in the 21st century? It’s tempting to mirror the default values of safety, security, self-focus, and material success that have characterized our culture. It’s easy to get stuck reacting to unhelpful patterns. But families at LAUMC want more than that—you want a life that flourishes. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Now more than ever, families need a vision that is creative, intentional, soulful, and globally aware in order to thrive.
Mark and Lisa Scandrette, authors of Belonging and Becoming: Creating a Thriving Family Culture, will be at LAUMC on August 25. They will give the message at the morning services then lead an afternoon workshop on family thriving and purpose. Lunch will be served at 11:15am, at a cost of $10/adult, $5/child, or $25/family. The workshop will start at noon and end at 3:00pm. Much of the workshop will be kid-friendly, and childcare will also be available. Please register (laumc.org/belonging-and-becoming) so that a spot at lunch and/or the workshop is saved for you!
Families come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you have children, hope to have children, parent solo or with a partner, are an empty nester, or love being a grand-parent, your household can be a place of belonging and becoming, where each person feels safe, cared for, loved, and supported to develop who they are for the good of the world. This is open to anyone who desires to live a life that flourishes. Invite your friends and family, regardless of their history with family and faith.
“Whatever your family experience has been, it’s not the end of the story. Families can grow and change, and we have a lifetime to seek healing and embrace wholeness in our family relationships” (Belonging and Becoming, p. 14).
LAUMC Walk to End Alzheimer’s TeamSaturday, October 12, 9:00am, San Jose
What’s purple and yellow and walks for a great cause? It could be YOU, joining others from LAUMC who will don purple t-shirts and yellow Hawaiian lei for the 2019 Silicon Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s, held this year at Arena Green Park in San Jose.
Can’t make it to San Jose? No problem! You can still join the team and walk wherever you are. Not up for walking? That’s OK, too. You can still participate by sponsoring the team. Regardless of how you support the Walk, you’ll be helping to make Alzheimer’s disease a memory. Your support will fund critical research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. Funds raised will also be used to pay for services for those with Alzheimer’s disease and the spouses, children, relatives, and friends who care for loved ones with this disease. Visit http://act.alz.org/goto/LAUMC to join or sponsor the team. With your support, the team will continue to grow and raise funds to fight. Contact Team Captain Beverly Shengulet-Youlton ([email protected]) with any questions.
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School of Christian Living ReturnsWednesdays, September 4–25, 6:00–8:00pm
What does it mean to deepen our faith? It means that God loves us exactly how we are yet also too much to leave us there. It means that we can always grow in new ways in our relationships with God and with each other. This year, the Deepening Faith Committee continues to offer the School of Christian Living as an opportunity for this type of engagement and growth—because a regular, intentional, authentic community space is one of the best environments in which to deepen one’s faith. The School of Christian Living is held on Wednesday evenings, starting with dinner together in Creekside at 6:00pm, followed by classes at 7:00pm. Classes last for a session of several weeks, with a short break before the next session begins. The first session is September 4–25, followed by additional sessions October 9 – November 13 and December 4–18.
Whether you are new to exploring your faith or a long-time practitioner, you are invited to find something of interest in the class offerings. The courses offered will be in one of three categories: the Bible, life application, or justice and changemaking. The course offerings for September 4–25 are:
The Spirituality of the Gospels (Bible)Explore the unique perspective of each the four gospels and the spirituality within each of these writings, using a book of the same name by Stephen Barton. Discover fresh views on the life, teachings, and significance of Jesus. Senior Pastor Kathi McShane will teach this class.
Anchored in Spiritual Habits (Life Application)Sometimes our lives can feel uncertain and off-center. In these times, we often look for the familiar as an anchoring point. Using Lauren F. Winner’s Mudhouse Sabbath as a backdrop, Robert Wigington will lead a discussion of how the habits and disciplines of our faith help us find our center.
Understanding Changemaking (Justice/Changemaking)Wonder what the Changemaker Fellows are learning? Come for a basic overview of the Fellows’ nine-month curriculum. Led by a different Changemaker Fellow each week, this class will include interactive discussion. The curriculum modules spell R.I.S.K.—come and learn how to risk something big for something good.
Courses are open to youth and adults of all ages. Dinner costs $10 for adults and $5 for children, or $25 per family. Please register at laumc.org/school-of-christian-living for the classes/dates that interest you so that the organizers can adequately plan for meals and room space.
Youth Fiesta Kick-OffSunday, August 25, 6:00–8:30pm, Creekside
Celebrate with us as we kick off this year of youths’ ministry! All youth and their parents are invited to share in a catered taco dinner at 6:00pm, followed by some energizing intergenerational activities. Then at 7:00pm youth will head to youth group (Journey for middle schoolers in Room 7 and Mosaic for high schoolers in the Youth Room) and parents will stay in Creekside for some fun of their own. Learn what will happen this year: What is changing and what is not, who is doing what, and how to get and stay connected. Be part of the party! Please register (laumc.org/youth-fiesta-kick-off) so that the organizers can get a head count for dinner. Contact Sam Pompei ([email protected]) or Kim Jones ([email protected]) with any questions.
Wonderful Buck-a-Burger ReunionLAUMC saw around 200 guests at the Buck-a-Burger reunion event on Thursday, July 25! Kids of all ages enjoyed bubbles and games outside, and after dinner the StarGeezers performed. We give thanks to the organizers, the volunteers and staff who worked at the event, and the entertainers. They all helped to make the event a success.
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Senior Ministries OpportunitiesAt the July regular meeting of Living Gospels, the event changed from a study group to a surprise wedding shower for Megan Carroll, our coordinator of Senior Ministries. She was delighted!
Stained-Glass Tour and LunchThursday, August 15, 11:00amThe stained-glass walls at Los Altos Episcopal Church (1040 Border Rd) by French artist Gabriel Loire are one of the Bay Area’s unsung artistic treasures. You are invited to meet at the Episcopal church at 10:45am. The guided tour will be followed by a free lunch, courtesy of the Senior Ministries. RSVP to [email protected].
Living Gospels Movie GroupFirst and third Tuesdays, August 20, 1:00pm, Live Oak RoomAugust 20: They Shall Not Grow OldSeptember 3: On the Basis of Sex Movie choices are subject to change due to availability; refer to the Sunday bulletin for the current movie.
Endangered Species PresentationFriday, September 6, 2:00pm, CreeksideArtist Jan Pitcher is inspired by wild animals and concerned about endangered species. In her “Appreciation of the Animal Kingdom” presentation, Jan will share some of her large endangered species paintings and lead a discussion about how
we can protect wildlife and take better care of our environment.
Mark your calendars now for a trip to the John Steinbeck House on Thursday, October 24, at 1:00pm. The group will take a tour bus to Salinas, with lunch included. Reservations will be required; watch for details.
Info Session for Holy Lands TourSunday, September 83:00–4:30pm, Live Oak Room
Melanie Ercoli and Vern Dale are organizing a trip to see the Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany and then continue on to the Holy Lands, with an optional extension to Egypt. The trip is scheduled for September 17–28, 2020. There are still a few spots open to go on the tour, and an informational session will be held on September 8 for interested folks as well as those who have already signed up to go. Rev. Dr. Debra Murray, the pastor of Palo Alto First UMC and the spiritual advisor for the trip, will be there to share her insights for our journey. For more information, contact Vern (408-568-1241) or Melanie (650-996-8691) and visit www.ourtour2020.com.
Loudspeaker Showcase and FundraiserSaturday, August 24, 9:00am–7:00pm, Creekside C/D
Louis Pandula designs custom loudspeakers and is holding a showcase to display 12 of his models, playing a range of musical genres to highlight their reproduction qualities. This will also be a fundraising effort, as all sale proceeds will benefit LAUMC. Audiophiles, audio enthusiasts, and anyone who may be curious about high-end audio are invited to drop in any time between 9:00am and 7:00pm to evaluate the acoustic properties of each speaker model in a comfortable, no-pressure environment. If you like, bring your own music to test on USB stick, CD, or phone/tablet.
Louis considers it a calling to create custom speakers for the maximum enjoyment of music and movies. He uses unique shapes, sizes, and finishes and can customize designs to unique listening environments. He first designed speakers out of love for his daughter and other family and close friends, then he felt called to branch out and offer this service of love to a wider audience and donate the proceeds to laudable charities. If you have questions, contact Louis ([email protected]).
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photo: Endangered animal painting by Jan Pitcher
photo: Bridal shower for Megan Carroll
Book GroupThursday, August 157:30pm, Garden Room
The Thursday Night Women’s Book Group will discuss The Storyteller’s Secret: A Novel by Sejal Bedani. All women are welcome to participate. Contact Sandy Montoya ([email protected]) with questions.
August Outreach Connection: Hope’s Corner, Inc.Sunday, August 11, all services
Our featured Outreach Connection agency for August is Hope’s Corner, Inc. Hope’s Corner began in 2011 as a joint ministry of LAUMC and Trinity UMC. Hope’s Corner addresses the needs of unhoused and other needy people in our community in a welcoming atmosphere by providing a nutritious and abundant hot breakfast and a sack lunch every Saturday morning. In 2015 new ADA-compliant shower facilities were built and showers are now offered on Thursday and Saturday mornings. The number of guests served has grown from a few dozen to more than 200 people every week. Thanks to the generosity of donors and organizations that contributed to the Hope’s Corner capital campaign, a new commercial kitchen was built and is now in operation. Your ongoing support is critical to enabling Hope’s Corner to continue its services and build capacity to expand the meal and shower programs. Visit hopes-corner.org for more information. Please give generously in worship on August 11, donate online (https://laumc.onlinegiving.org), or text OUTREACH and your gift amount to 650-229-5200.
Changemaker Initiative Updates for Year TwoThe Changemaker Initiative team is pleased to share some of the exciting things on the horizon as year two begins! These include a new cohort of 10-plus Changemaker Fellows who will each seek to make an impact in the world through the nine-month program, LAUMC’s own four-module curriculum developed and written by some of the first-year Changemaker Fellows, a separate seven-week intensive program led by Senior Pastor Kathi McShane for local clergy to learn more about changemaking (called SHIFT: Bay Area), and lay people from other churches participating in the Fellowship and potentially taking changemaking back to their congregations.
The Changemaker Initiative is also being incorporated into LAUMC’s ongoing activities in new ways, including connecting more of the congregation with the ideas of changemaking and with specific projects, infusing changemaking elements into the youths’ ministry design, exploring how changemaking fits into senior ministries, learning more about changemaking as a form of discipleship, and offering changemaking topics for everyone through the School of Christian Living, beginning in September.
Thank you for your continued interest in and support of this new adventure! Stay connected at thechangemakerinitiative.org. Please contact anyone on the Core Team for more information: Kim Jones, Melissa Allison, Lisa Conover, and Karen Kehlet.
Canning Season RequestAre you canning or making jam from your summer harvest? Would you make a few extra jars to set aside? The United Methodist Women would love your donations of a few homemade jars to the Harvest Faire, scheduled for October 19. Contact Pat Buhles ([email protected]) with questions.
Pizza With the Pastor: Exploring BelongingFriday, September 206:00–9:00pm, Bright Oaks Parsonage
Those interested in exploring membership are invited for a chance to talk together about what it means to be a member of LAUMC. Childcare is available on request. If you plan to attend, please contact Megan Carroll Allende ([email protected]).
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Children’s Ministries NewsThe Sunday school class is having so much fun in the garden! We’ve watered, weeded, and prayed for our tomatoes, zucchini, beans, peppers, herbs, cucumbers, and watermelon. We’ve also learned about God’s love for us and all of creation.
The preschoolers had a chance to shine in July when they attended the Everything Under the Sun Summer Camp, exploring the classroom themes of bugs and insects, ocean life, and camping. The staff did an amazing job of transforming the classrooms into creative wonderlands. A definite highlight for the campers was playing in the tents that were set up inside the classrooms! The Children’s Center staff has now turned its attention to decorating and sprucing up classrooms in anticipation of the first days of school on August 28 and 29.
Introducing a New Parent Education SeriesThe Children’s Center is excited to announce a new parent education speaker series, which will be held on various Thursdays, 9:00–10:30am in the Live Oak Room. Speakers who are at the top of their fields will help attendees gain insights on relevant parenting topics. Here is the speaker schedule:
• October 17 – Screen Time & Young Children by early childhood consultant Sylvia Ford
• November 14 – Kindergarten: Ready or Not by Los Altos School District Curriculum & Instruction Coordinator Greg Drummond
• January 23 – Should I Be Worried? Addressing Anxieties in Young Children by clinical social worker/family therapist Suzy Heltzel
• February 6 – Preschool-Proofing Your Marriage/Partnership by Family Resource Director Bryn Stuebner
• March 25 – How Mothers and Fathers Parent Differently by Jerry Shapiro, author and professor of counseling psychology at Santa Clara
All are welcome to attend these rich, informative, and free events. For additional information and to register, visit childrenscenterpreschool.org.
Pediatric CPR Certification ClassWednesday, September 25, 6:00–9:00pm, Multi-Purpose RoomHas getting certified in CPR been on your to-do list, but you just haven’t gotten around to it? If so, this is just the class for you! You will learn all of the skills associated with assessing a victim, performing CPR, stopping choking, controlling bleeding, and managing shock for an infant, child, and adult. Although we hope you will never have to use the skills learned in this class, you will surely have a new-found confidence and peace of mind. The cost is $45. Space is limited, so sign up quickly. Visit conta.cc/2XZJBNS to register and bring cash or a check made payable to CPRescue to Bryn’s desk in the Children’s Center office.
Children’s Center News Interfaith Playhouse BuildSunday, September 151:00–6:00pm, San Jose
You are invited to participate in a special interfaith Habitat for Humanity event to build 10 playhouses for children in military families, foster care, or immigrant or refugee families. LAUMC is funding two playhouses and has room for 30 volunteers at this event, which is hosted by the South Bay Islamic Association at 2345 Harris Way, San Jose. LAUMC is inviting our siblings from the Pacifica Institute to work with us on the playhouses. Volunteers of all ages (5 and up) and experience levels are accepted. The playhouses are built from kits and Habitat workers will be on site to supervise. The building work is not hard; the playhouses are mostly an artistic exercise as each playhouse is painted in the theme selected for each child. Habitat playhouses are a wonderful way to include children and grandchildren in helping other children. This is the first time the local Habitat organization has cosponsored an event with the Muslim community. If you would like to volunteer or want more information, contact Valarie Arnesen ([email protected]).
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GOOD NEWSLos Altos United Methodist Church655 Magdalena AvenueLos Altos, CA 94024-5297(650) 948-1083 • laumc.org
DATE MAILED: August 9, 2019NEXT GOOD NEWS DEADLINE: September 3, 2019WORSHIP SERVICES: Sundays 8:30am, 10:00am & 5:00pm
Invitation to Serve: Incarceration MinistrySaturday, September 7, 9:30–11:30am, Calvary Church Los Gatos
Matthew 25:36, 40 gives us insight into God’s heart for prison ministry: “I was in prison and you came to visit me. … I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Several LAUMC congregants currently volunteer at Elmwood Prison, listening and sharing. The inmates and volunteers learn from each other. Two volunteers have shared their stories:
“Three years ago, I volunteered to serve communion at a Christmas service at Elmwood. I didn’t know what to expect, but as I gave communion, I looked into each woman’s eyes and said, “You are loved by God.” Afterwards, an inmate said that the most important part about the service was knowing that she was not forgotten. This touched me to my core; to be reminded that we are loved by God and never forgotten. I continue to volunteer twice weekly and learn so much about the depth and resiliency of the human spirit.”
“I meet weekly with a small group of women (10–12) in the psych unit. Each week the guards decide who they will let out. We host a spiritual formation class, where we discuss faith-related topics, read scripture, and sing. I am deeply moved by the conditions these women live in and have personally grown closer to God as I grow in my faith as I explore these topics with God’s precious children in Elmwood.”
If you are interested in becoming part of our Incarceration Ministry, you will need to take the “Going In, Staying In” workshop led by Correctional Institutions Chaplaincy (CIC Ministries). CIC Ministries trains volunteers to provide spiritual services in Santa Clara County jails and juvenile detention facilities. The next workshop is scheduled for September 7 at Calvary Church in Los Gatos (16330 Los Gatos Blvd).