Richmond First United Methodist News and Events
Pastor’s Perspective
Dear Friends,
Trinity Sunday is coming up. This is one of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith. Every year I enjoy thinking and talking about the holy mystery of the three-in-one. I hope to see you in church. Let me know if you’d like to become a member.
Love and Joy,
Dan
Here are my notes from last Sunday:
Fifty Days, Acts 2:1-21
Pastor Dan Damon, Richmond 1st UMC, 5-24-15
Introduction
It takes a week of weeks to celebrate the Queen of Feasts— Easter Sunday. For seven Sundays we greet each other saying, “Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed.” This is the fiftieth day after Easter, the day of Pentecost when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit to the church. On this day we return to our usual greeting, “Peace be with you. And also with you.” We claim the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, and choose to live our time on earth with courage, faith, and hope. We remember with love those who have gone before us. We remembered Lauren McLeod this week with a celebration of her life on her birthday. We live in hope for future generations who will come to this place to sing and pray as we have done in our time.
Retell the Scripture Story
The disciples had been huddled in fear behind locked doors. They seemed powerless and depressed by the absence of their teacher. Luke, the doctor, Luke, the historian tells us in a two volume work about the transition to the ministry of the disciples and the early missionaries who carried the gospel to the farthest corners of the earth. The gospel of Luke gives us the story of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. The second book written by Luke (and separated in the canon of scripture by the gospel of John) is the lesser known Acts of the Apostles. Our story today comes from the second chapter of Acts. It is a story of wind, fire, many languages, great preaching, and universal understanding. Many miracles continue as we read about the birth of what would become the Christian church. The bumbling Peter became the great preacher. There were many leaders: Mary Magdalene, Thomas, and Saul who became Paul when he was called to follow Jesus. There never was a time when Christians spoke with one voice. There have always been many different ways of looking at the person and work of Jesus. But on the day of Pentecost, according to the story, there was universal understanding. Languages and cultures were no barrier.
Application
Our care for the world goes on for more than fifty days. It is a year round, and life-time service. Most of us serve here in California, where we live, but through our gifts to the church we reach out in concern and service to the world. One of the things we do as a local church is to support Katherine Parker, our missionary in Nepal. She is learning a new language, Nepali or Nepalese. Unlike the folks in our biblical story, she didn’t get the gift of the language without work and study.
I received this message from her this week. Listen to the ways the Spirit is working in her life today:
Earthquake response continues in full swing this week. United Mission to Nepal is now supporting relief work for almost 9000 households in 7 regions of Dhading district (just west of Kathmandu). We were all encouraged by the availability of BIG helicopters on Monday and Tuesday that enabled us to get supplies to northern parts of Dhading in significant quantities. In these places even the suspension bridges and walking paths have been wiped away by falling boulder and landslides, making access nearly impossible.
I spent the last three days in the capital of Dhading district where our health team was conducting a training and orientation for our partner organizations and seven Emergency Community Health Facilitators. These seven folks will spend the next three months training local Female Community Health Volunteers and supporting the health response in our target locations. They will focus on four key areas: emergency nutrition, reproductive health, psycho-social first-aid and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene). Other members of our Health Team have been setting up three therapeutic feeding centers for severely malnourished children that we will also run along with our partners.
The 7.3 aftershock that occurred on Tuesday May 12 was probably more emotionally challenging for me and others than the first 7.8 quake. This is because we had all been expecting aftershocks to continue decreasing in number and intensity. While within the probable, the big aftershock was not expected. We have averaged almost 10 aftershocks per day of magnitude 4 or higher since the initial quake on April 25, although there were only 3 in the past 24 hours. Many people are still jumpy, but the situation feels like it is stabilizing a bit and we are moving into a more regular pace of work. The first round of relief is almost completely delivered.
The next key concern is to support farmers to plant before the monsoon rains start so that next season’s crop will be assured and we avert continued and further food insecurity. Temporary shelters are improving as more tarps become available; but they will not be sufficient when the monsoon starts, so stabilizing the shelter situation is also a key concern. Many of the communities that we can reach by road now will become inaccessible once the rains start in earnest, so time is still critical here.
The goal with our health interventions, as well as the need for seed and shelter, is targeted at preventing the situation from getting worse. We hope and are planning to also start working more on recovery and resilience in the coming months.
Thank you for the outpouring of concern for the people of Nepal and for your continued prayers in this challenging time.
Your sister in service for Christ,
Katherine Parker
Our gifts can go to the Nepal Earthquake effort through the United Methodist Committee on Relief Advance #3021568.
My pastoral prayer today will include the concerns Katherine has shared. Let us be in prayer:
- Loving God, we pray for the seven Emergency Community Health Facilitators, local health workers and Female Community Health Volunteers as they spend the next three months sharing key health messages and coordinating nutrition, reproductive health, psycho-social support and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) responses in remote parts of Dhading district.
- We pray for the provision and distribution of seed stock so that farmers can plant this year’s crop before the monsoons and avert future food insecurity.
- We pray for those whose homes are severely damaged or destroyed that monsoon stable housing can be quickly constructed.
- We pray for those living in the far north where even walking paths have been damaged that needed imports like salt will be available in sufficient supply.
- We pray for the United Mission to Nepal’s on-going long-term development work in other less-affected districts that they will not be forgotten and projects will flourish. We pray especially for our office in Doti (the far-western region) that was also damaged during an aftershock.
- We pray for the United Mission to Nepal staff, especially those who have lost family members, homes or are severely affected as they continue to reach out despite personal hardships.
- I invite you now to offer your joys and concerns as we continue in prayer.
- We pray for calm and release from fear as the aftershocks continue.
Joys and Concerns
Please keep Katherine Parker, our missionary, and the people of Nepal in your prayers.
Megan Timberlake is asking for prayers for her ex-husband, Ernest R. Style III, as he struggles with serious illness.
Deby McFadyen is requesting prayers for three young friends who are battling cancer. Please remember Sarah Talkington, Carolyn Thomas and Jimmy Lowe in your prayers.
Sandra Kokoruda (Fran Smith’s daughter) update: Sandra thanks everyone for their prayers and concerns. Fran reports that Sandra is more animated and cheerful than she has been in months. Sandra has undergone 5 chemo treatments and feels good. Both Fran and Sandra ask that prayers continue.
Pat Dornan and Linda Pereira continue to need your prayers of support. Update: Hospice services have started. Pat says that Linda is stronger, able to stand and transfer to her wheel chair after the removal of medications that were confusing her and making her weaker. She is calmer. She is mentally alert and more verbal. Do stop by for a short visit if you can.
Robbie Robinson would appreciate your prayers.
Helen Wysham welcomes your prayers for healing as she undergoes chemotherapy.
Bobby and Pamella Hall would like to be remembered in prayer as they go through some difficult personal times.
Arpha MacIntyre is doing better. She is still in the Residential Treatment area but has been able to return to her own apartment for parts of the day and has been able to play the piano again! Arpha played the piano at our church for many years. If you wish to send a card: Sierra View Homes Retirement Community, 1155 E. Springfield Ave., Reedly, CA 93654. Jane Carnall has spoken with Arpha several times and Arpha is thrilled to be getting cards and messages of love from our church community.
Please keep the people of Camp Liberty in your prayers as chaos reigns in Iraq and near the camp.
News
Katherine Parker, missionary in Nepal: Katherine has left for Northern Dhading to facilitate water sanitation and hygiene. for the people there. Large helicopters are being used to finally get more needed supplies into the areas unable to be reached in any other way. This week 100% of the supplies have reached the people in Dhading Provence. The next task is to get seed to the farmers to be able to plant before the wet season starts and secure housing against the coming storms.
Junktique II was a resounding success with basement sales, pancake breakfast earnings and our Ladybug garden, we earned more than $3,600! The final count is yet to be made. Masquers Playhouse will receive $317 of this. Well done everyone!
Two members of our church community sing with the Berkeley Community Chorus, Linda Andrew-Marshall and Mary Lee Cole. The Chorus will be singing Verdi’s Requiem , June 5,6 and 7 at Hertz Hall in Berkeley. Please see flyer.
New Church Brochure: Debbie Benko is putting the finishing touches on a new brochure for our church. Thank you to Debbie for making this long awaited project a reality! Keep your eyes open for it. The Administrative Board thinks you’ll like it.
Save the Date: Seventh Annual Jean Eakle Art Auction is Saturday, September 26. This is an earlier date than we have held the event before. Donators of art and craft items take special note.
United Methodist Women are starting a collection for 10 School Kits. We now have all our supplies for our school kit bags. A warm and generous thank you for your donations of supplies or money to get the supplies.
CPR, AED, FIRST MEDIC CLASS – SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH
A six-hour course will be offered in the Point San Pablo Yacht Club, 700 W. Cutting Blvd, dining room on Saturday, June 6, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm, to be taught by Joyce Arsi, a Master Trainer certified by the American Heart Association since 1989.
Program: Adult CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, AED Automated External Defibrillator, and First Medic that covers first response to various life threatening emergencies.
Book and two-year certification card issued for CPR, AED and First Medic. Mannequin training practiced on floor and table. Hands on and videos.
The fee will be $55.00 per person paid in advance, refundable until 48 hours before class. Need 10 students in order to schedule a class – maximum 25 students.
Contact Dolores Robinson early to reserve your space (415) 388-6167, or
(415) 999-6107 (cell), or email robbyr67@att.net. Checks payable to Joyce Arsi need to be delivered by May 27th to Dolores Robinson at PSPYC, P.O. Box 70307, Point Richmond, CA 94807.
Generosity
In conjunction with Point Richmond Acoustic and PRJazz we are hoping to have our PA System upgraded by fall. A Bose PA System with 2 columns for ear level multi-directional speakers, a bass speaker and a 1191 mixer with 14 channels is what is desired by Pastor Dan, Bruce Kaplan and Kit Eakle to improve our sound quality for many years to come. We would like to raise $4000 by fall. How you can help: We will be selling piano keys for $45 each to help us reach this goal. Doreen Leighton will have a chart of piano keys and you can color or sign your key when you donate.
If you would like to donate for relief for the people of Nepal, go to umcor.org the Advance.
Don’t forget that donations for Imagine No Malaria are always welcome.
Events
Sunday, May 31, Peace with Justice Sunday. This Special Sunday is our opportunity to donate to efforts by the greater Methodist Church to donate funds to help support programs both international and national to stop injustices such as human sex trafficking, immigration reform and detention of families
Sunday, May 31, 7 pm showing of the film “The Healthcare Movie”. El Sobrante UMC is sponsoring the film and Healthcare For All, Contra Costa County which is advocating for a single payer healthcare system in California. El Sobrante UMC, 670 Appian Way, El Sobrante.
Saturday, June 6, 2:30 pm, Classical Music Concert featuring Dennis Johnson. Donations to benefit Spirit in Action: spiritinaction.org. Program includes works by Beethoven, Griffes, Gershwin, Barber, Liszt and Ravel. Suggested donation $15. First United Methodist Church, Point Richmond. See flyer.
Sunday, June 14, 3 pm Kelly Hope (Bob Hope’s son) will be speaking about his father. This is a fundraiser for the Kitchen Revival Committee of El Sobrante UMC. This should be a fun event. Donations $15. El Sobrante UMC, 670 Appian Way, El Sobrante.
Ca/Nev Annual Conference, June 17-20 (Wed. thru Sat.). This year’s theme is ” Engaging Faith in the Public Square”. Registration is now open at www.cnum.org/acs15. San Francisco Airport Hyatt Regency, 1333 Old Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA.
Thurs. June 18, at 5:45 p.m. – MFSA/Advocacy and Justice Dinner at New Vision UMC, 450 Chadbourne Ave. in Millbrae (2 mi. from the CA/NV Conference Convention site), with guest speakers The Rev. Sharon Delgado on “Global Migration, Climate Justice, & System Change,” and immigration attorney Sharron Williams on “Immigration: Children at Our Borders – the Effect of DAPA & Extended DACA on Families.” Also attending will be The Rev. Israel Alvaran, this year’s Bishop Kelly Peace and Justice Award winner. RSVP by June 11th by completing the form on the attached flyer and mailing it with your $20 check. Seating is limited. Please join us.
Save the Dates: June 14-20 for Mt. Lassen Journey Farthest Out Camp. The camp provides a time apart for spiritual growth and opening our lives to God physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. The vision is to provide a place where all people are accepted with the unconditional love that Jesus shares. All ages are welcome. Registration is open through “Mt. Lassen JFO”.
Sunday, June 21, Father’s Day Jazz Service: Dan Damon Jazz Quartet, 11 am Service with singer Sheilani Alix.
The Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) is meeting in San Antonio, Texas in conjunction with the Reconciling Ministries Network. Gather at the River, Thursday, August 6 to Sunday, August 9. The conference will be working on issues of justice throughout the church and resolutions they would like to see presented at the General Conference in 2016. Register at http://www.gather2015.org/.
Please send submissions for FUMC News and Events to Barbara Haley, editor: bahcats@sbcglobal.net
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- Dennis Johnson Concert 2015 option 2
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- MFSA AC dinner 2015
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