Pastors retreat on Monday
On Monday of this week, I attended a day retreat with the pastors group that I have been participating with for the past 15 years. We meet twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring, and mostly have done Monday and Tuesday retrats at Our Lady of the Pines Retreat Center in Fremont. However, the last two retreats were held and Pastor Henry and Becky's house west of Fremont, and with the retreat this week we moved to a one day format. With so many of our group now retired, our focus has been a little different, but still it's good to gather for prayer, fellowship, worship, and good eats. Thanks, Becky, the food at your house is fantastic!
Transition Team almost ready to pass the baton
The Transition Team has the Ministry Site Profile almost completed -- much progress was made at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon, at which a few more assignments were made, and we hope to get it wrapped up at our next meeting, which is Sunday after worship. Call Committee members were announced at the Tuesday night Council meeting, and approved by the council. Call Committee members are Dennis Bauer, Richelle Lovins, Lisa Gittenger, Sherri Doster, James Mapus, and youth member Jake Doster. At a Sunday service in the near future (date not determined yet), I'd like to install the Call Committee, and recognize the hard work the Transition team has done. I'll also meet with the Call Committee to review the Ministry Site Profile. The new Call Process Facilitator (don't know who this is yet) will orient the Call Committee to its tasks, and the protocols that are important to carry out their duties in a well ordered way.
AAMPARO: What's that?
You may or may not have heard that word. It's actually an acronym that means Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities. AMMPARO was envisioned after witnessing the plight of children who are forced to flee their communities because of complex and interrelated reasons, including chronic violence, poverty, environmental displacement and lack of opportunities in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. This program works with companion churches in the region, including companion synod relationships, and existing ministries in the U.S., and is one of the ways that the ELCA has worked to bring hope and healing to people in need. You can view a video about AAMPARO here.
Statement on Racism and White Supremacy
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has issued a statement on Racism and White Supremacy. You can read the statement here.
Picture Directory Signups Begin This Weekend
Doug and Cindy Klein will be the photographers for the congregation's new picture directory. This directory will be done a bit differently than in the past, which have been produced by professional Church Picture Directory companies. Doug and Cindy will be available over two weekends between October 19th and October 27th to photograph congregation families. No purchase is necessary, although photos will be available for purchase with pre-Christmas delivery guaranteed. Also, every family who sits for a portrait will receive a complimentary 8x10.
Printed directories will be available, although entirely at the congregation's cost, either as congregational or individual family expense. This directory will also be available online, although it should be noted that it will be password protected. Doug has suggested that we use on online service called Instant Church Directory. Congregations subscribe to the service for $95 per year, and the website provides on online directory (password protected as mentioned above), as well as the ability to generate a pdf directory that can be printed, and mobile apps for access on your iPad, tablet, iPhone, or Android. You can view the website and what it offers here.
Cindy will begin signups this Sunday, both before and after worship. At the Council meeting Tuesday night, Pat Olsen volunteered to assist Cindy with the signup process. Thanks, Pat!
An Organ Concert during Christmas Break?
In July, Paul took a very nice photo of the St. John's organ from downstairs front of the church, and Kristen posted it on the St. John's Bellevue Facebook page, where it received many likes and positive comments. I also posted the photo on my Facebook timeline, along with a picture of the front of the sanctuary from the back. I received over a hundred likes, loves, and many, many comments on the beauty of the St. John's worship space.
One Facebook friend who took particular notice of that post was Chase Castle. Chase is from Norwalk, and is the son of Chris Castle, one of the owners of Castle Music in Norwalk. I got to know Chase after he started playing organ part-time at St. Peter in Norwalk during his high school years. During my 2014 interim at St. Paul's North Robinson, I contracted with Chase and his dad Chris to provide a music concert for the congregation's annual August picnic.
Chase graduated from Norwalk High in 2015, and then attended Baldwin Wallace, from which he graduated this past spring with a Bachelor of Music degree in Keyboard Performance and Music History & Literature. This fall he started a Ph.D. in Music at the University of Pennsylvania, and his primary instrument of choice and study is organ.
Chase indicated that he would be interested in playing a concert at St. John's on our instrument, and that he would be available during his Christmas break between Christmas and January 8, during which time he is booking concerts in the area. My thought was do a Sunday afternoon concert on either December 29 or January 5. His usual fee is $400, although he says he's "flexible." He listed Bach, Mendelssohn, and Hindemith as composers whose music he would play. You can learn more about Chase, as well as listen to some organ concert excerpts on his website, which you can view here.
Synod Interim Pastors Meeting
On Thursday I attended the monthly meeting of our synod's interim pastors at the synod office. This after taking July and August off. We had eleven in attendance, and good discussion, as we share the joys and challenges of being pastors in congregations in transition. Something new this month -- we now have the option of attending via Zoom (online meeting program), and had one attendee join the meeting in that way.
Visit to Marabelle
I learned that Marabelle S. is now in hospice care at Countryside Care Center in Fremont. I met two family members there on Wednesday, and did a service of commendation for Marabelle. Roger and Ann Paul have been regular visitors of Marabelle, bringing prayers and Holy Communion. Keep her and her family in your prayers. Lord, now let your servant go in peace...
First learning session for Catechism
Our first Confirmation learning session was held this week, during which we learned about the First Commandment. This lessons begins with the prologue to the Ten Commandments in which God declares "I am the Lord your God." So we spent some time talking about the relationship God has created with us through our baptism, and then given us the Commandments, which not only structure life for us and help to keep us safe, but also drive us to the promise and remind us of our need of a savior. I use PowerPoint to present the lessons, and if you want to view this week's Presentation, just clik here, and then click on "Present" at the top of the page. Space bar or down arrow will advance the frames.
Come and "See Through the Scriptures"
Our first "See Through the Scriptures" session was on Sunday at 9 and Thursday at 6. Because of the time limitation, we will likely need two of our sessions to get through a session of the course that was meant for about 90 minutes. It's not to late to join us. This is very good Bible learning material.
