June/July 2008

    Volume 19 Number 6

Ecumenical Prayer Vigil

 

The prayer vigil for peace in the Middle East continues with California praying on Saturday, June 7 and Monday, July 7.  Prayer examples follow:

 

God of mercy, even as we long to understand that which is often beyond our comprehension, we lay before you the hearts, minds and bodies of all those suffering from conflict in the Middle East. Shower upon all the people of these ancient lands the spirit of justice and reconciliation.

Adult Education

Dr. Susan Mahan

 

Adult Education classes are held from

9:15-10:15 a.m. Sunday mornings

in Hubler Hall through June 15^th.

when the summer hiatus begins.

 

We will be continuing our study of the upcoming General Assembly.  We will be looking at many of the issues before the GA committees.  Come and join our welcoming group.

outreach committee news

Marian Langdon

 

Cards to Veterans

 

The Outreach Committee thanks everyone who participated in the Memorial Day card writing at church on May 18. It was very successful, and we will do it again for the 4^th of July. There will be a table set up with cards on Sunday, June 29 for those who wish to send greetings to our veterans here and abroad.

 

If you prefer to write a note at home on a card of your choice, please leave it at the office before June 29 or bring it to church that day in an envelope addressed To a Veteran. The cards will be sent early the following week. Thank you very much for brightening a veteran’s day.

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“A Lot in a Few Words”

It was a Sunday in early February, 1995, and the congregation was worshiping in Hubler Hall during the remodel.  I preached a sermon on saying the most in the fewest of words (Jesus on the cross: “It is finished.”).  I suggested that if we all got word just now that The Bomb was going to drop in thirty seconds, all we would have time to say would be Thank you; I love you; I’m sorry; Goodbye.  After the service, my friend, the late Bob V. Barker (not one known for showering compliments) said, “That was one hell of a sermon!!”

I’m sorry if anything I said or did (or didn’t say or do) left you feeling unwanted, unloved, neglected or discounted.  I’m sorry if my request to retire catapults you into the confusion of instability. I really am sorry, and I ask your forgiveness.

 

Finally, Goodbye.  The etymology of the word “goodbye” is a contraction of “God be with you.” So at its heart, “goodbye” is a blessing and a wish for a good and healthy future. I would cherish for us each a goodbye and hearts filled with gratitude for the time we have been blessed with and– yes – even burdened with one another.  It has been a privilege, no matter what.  You are an incredible, unrepeatable, rainbow-spectrum-ed jewel, and I’m so glad that God called us into community together for a while.

 

In 1963, when I was a junior in high school in Ohio, there was a hit single on the pop music charts for quite a long time.  The artist was an Australian country crooner named Frank Ifield.  The song was called “I Remember You.”  Of course it was meant to be romantic, but the final lyrics of the song reflect my feelings and my gratitude for you:

 

When my life is through,

And the angels ask me to recall

The thrill of them all.

Then I will tell them I remember,

Tell them I remember,

Tell them I remember you.

BUILDINGS and GROUNDS

Ralph Griffin

 

Final decisions are in the process of being made regarding our termite infestation.  The buildings will probably be tented for several days this summer.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

 

On June 30 to July 4, 9am to 3pm, Christ Lutheran Church (10707 Soquel Dr.) will hold a Vacation Bible School. Tuition is $50.00 per child per family.  Activities will include Bible study, arts & crafts, games, singing and more.  Contact Christine at 688-5727.

Message from the Pastor

Now, thirteen-and-a-half years later, let me revisit those brief statements.  First, thank you.   Thank you for the privilege of being your pastor for fourteen years.  Thank you for allowing me to minister to you in sickness and in health, at the pinnacle moments of joy and sorrow in your lives as well as in the day-to-day normal times.  Thank you for ministering to me through your friendship, confidences, and the many occasions of your forbearance and kindness.

 

I love you.  I love you not only for what you’ve done in ministry, mission and service, but also for who you are.  You are invariably kind, tolerant, and certainly more adventurous than I would imagine that you see yourselves being.  As a congregation, you are strangely devoid of factions – which is extremely unusual in a church.  I’ve seen you gently make room for each other and for differences of opinion that in other congregations often produce hardness of heart and stiffness of neck.  You are precious in God’s eyes and in mine.

 

I’m sorry.  I’m sorry for those times that I have not lived up to your hopes and expectations.  I’m sorry for those times that I have missed a clue dropped regarding a particular need or for those times when I didn’t listen to you or really hear what you were saying.  I’m sorry if ever I said anything hurtful or insulting to you. 

God of justice, bless those who work for peace through justice. Strengthen their resolve in the face of seemingly endless violence and terror. Guide the leaders of the peoples of the Middle East to know your will and to support a just peace for all of your children.

The Wheels of the Bus Go Round and Round”

 

Last year, we learned from the representative of Catholic Charities (which support the Sudanese refugees) that money is badly needed for bus transportation to school, errands, doctor’s appointments etc. The extra money they received from St. Andrew from the backpack project went to a fund for transportation expenses. The Outreach Committee decided to help with this effort as our

summer project, but framed in a fun and fanciful way. A simple plan to help the refugees “over the hill” get to where they need to go without incurring additional expense.

 

A map will be set up with routes to several destinations and we will watch a little bus travel along the path the routes will take. How? For all the Sundays in July and the first three in August, we will be collecting bus money after church. $2.00 buys one ticket, and $10.00 buys an economy pack of twelve. As bus tickets are bought, the little bus will travel, and all will be able to watch its progress.

The Session took action to move our Sunday worship on June 22 to San Jose for the opening worship of the 218^th General Assembly.  We will join thousands of other Presbyterians in a profound worship experience with Communion, Moderator Joan Gray preaching, and a combined choir of over 250 voices.  There will be no worship here on June 22.

 

The service in San Jose begins at 10:00 a.m. The Session is chartering a 56–passenger tour bus (at no cost to you!) which will depart from the St. Andrew parking lot at 8:30 a.m. on June 22. The bus will make a brief stop at Dominican Oaks around 8:45 and proceed to the worship venue in San Jose where it will drop you off at the front door.

 

After the one hour and thirty minute worship service, the bus will pick you up at the front door and bring you back here, again with a stop at Dominican Oaks.

 

Reserve your space on the bus by signing up after worship the first three Sundays in June or by calling the church office.

“Why Should I Go to the General Assembly Meeting?”

the Rev. William Lytle (former GA Moderator, now residing in San Jose)

 

Deborah Block and Jon Walton described Presbyterians beautifully in the recent Covenant Network newsletter: “We are a family.   Sometimes as a family we are a bit dysfunctional, sometimes embarrassing, sometimes wonderful to be with, and other times we have our disagreements.  But we belong together. City folks and country folks, rich and poor, black and white and Asian and Native American and Latino…a gathering of the commonwealth of God that only God could have imagined.”

 

Our family is gathering in San Jose during the last week of June.    We call our gathering the General Assembly.   You need to be there.   This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see your family up close, from every state in the union, from all parts of the world.   The simultaneous worship services on Sunday morning, June 22, promise to be inspiring and uplifting.   In the Exhibit Hall in the Convention Center, open Friday, June 20, through Wednesday, June 25, you can catch up on the latest resources and happenings, browse through the Cokesbury Book Store and the Global Market place.

 

The election of the Moderator takes place on Saturday evening, June 21, 7:00 – 9:30 p.m.   That’s always a highlight.  If there is a particular issue with which you are deeply interested, you can sit in on the committee meetings, Sunday evening, Monday and Tuesday, where that issue is being considered and see Presbyterian discernment in action.   If you are free in the day time, don’t miss the Ecumenical Worship Service on Wednesday morning, 8:30-9:15 a.m., with Archbishop Elias Chacour, of the Melkite Catholic Church preaching and the Thursday afternoon Worship Service, 1:30-2:15 p.m., with Cynthia Rigby from Austin Seminary preaching.     You will be enriched!

We wish to congratulate this year’s 

graduates in our congregation.

Westminster Woods

Let us keep our children and youth in our prayers as they attend Westminster Woods Presbyterian Camp July 27 – Aug. 2.

 

Thank you for your support of their Campuccino Court fundraising, which will be added to Presbytery scholarships and matching funds from the Belsey Memorial, to make camp accessible to all. 

Buildings And Grounds

Ralph Griffin

 

Final decisions are in the process of being made regarding our termite infestation.  The buildings will probably be tented for several days this summer.

A little more than $1000 was raised from the rummage sale.  Thank you for all your donations.  The regular preschool year ended on May 30 as one more group of little ones graduate to kindergarten.  A six-week summer session will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, through mid-July.

DIRECTORY UPDATE !

During the summer we normally update the St. Andrew directory.  Please let the office know

 

· if you have an address or phone number change we don’t know about

· if you anticipate such a change

· if you would like to add your email address

· if you are new to our St. Andrew family and would like to be included.