Non-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 4

new

slette

r

SEPTEMBERJesus Saves

A few Sundays ago in worship I preached about being saved, and how those words in some quarters of our collective faith community, have fallen out of favor. I lamented that, in fact. For this month's newsletter I thought I'd provide another voice on the matter. Frederick Buechner is a Christian author of many fiction and non-fiction books. The following excerpt is from his work The Hungering Dark. He discusses why the phrase, whether written in graffiti on a bridge or spoken in conversation, might be considered embarrassing, offensive even. — Matthew 16:24-25 : Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." 

Maybe Jesus Saves written up there on the cliff or the abutment of the bridge is embarrassing because in one way or another religion in general has become embarrassing: embarrassing to the unreligious man because, although he does not have it anymore, he has never really rooted it out of his soul either, and it still festers there as a kind of reproach; embarrassing to the religious man because, although in one form or another he still does have it, it seldom looks more threadbare or beside the point than when you set it against very much the same kind of seventy-five-mile-per-hour, neon-lit, cluttered, and clamorous world that is represented by the highway that the sign itself looks down upon there.    And maybe, at a deeper level still, Jesus Saves is embarrassing because if you can hear it at all through your wincing, if any part at all of what it is trying to mean gets through, what it says to everybody who passes by, and most importantly and unforgivably of all of course what it says to you, is that you need to be saved. Rich man, poor man; young man, old man; educated and uneducated; religious and unreligious—the word is in its way an offense to all of them, all of us, because what it says in effect to all of us is, "You have no peace inside your skin. You are not happy, not whole." That is an unpardonable thing to say to a man whether it is true or false, but especially if it is true, because there he is, trying so hard to be happy, all of us are, to find some kind of inner peace and all in all maybe not making too bad a job of it considering the odds, so that what could be worse psychologically, humanly, than to say to him what amounts to "You will never make it. You have not and you will not, at least not without help"? 

continued inside…

SAVE THE DATE!

Super FIKA

for

Mission Springs

Camperships

NEWS NO 9 SEPTEMBER 2017 HILMAR COVENANT CHURCH

3 TEAM 8

Norma Avilla

10 TEAM 1

The Brewer’s

17 TEAM 2

The Medak's

24 TEAM 3

Carter Azevedo

Dan Johnson Associate Pastor djohnson@hilmarcovenant.org

Ashley Vargas Children’s Ministry Assistant ashley@hilmarcovenant.org

Sarah Barton Children’s Ministry Director sbarton@hilmarcovenant.org

Beth Walker Office Manager bwalker@hilmarcovenant.org

Leslie Oliveira Children’s Center Director loliveira@hilmarcovenant.org

FRONTLINE

Rev. Casey Barton, PhD Senior Pastor cbarton@hilmarcovenant.org

HCC Staff Contacts

ALL-CHURCHPRAYER MEETING

Calling # 1 & 2

Sept. 13th @ 6:15 p.m.in Sanctuary

The fall season has begun.Let’sprayforGod’sguidanceand for deeper discipleshipand commitment from ourmembers. “The place you give Jesus Christ in your life determines the place you give prayer.”(Ruth Paxon)

3

Scripture Luke Schulze

Prayer: Carolyn Ahlem

10

Scripture Sue Roest

Prayer: Keith Waterson

17

Scripture Clayborne Souza

Prayer: Pastor Dan

24

Scripture Carter Azevedo

Prayer: Art DeRooy

HILMAR COVENANT

Sunday Morning: Scripture Readers & Morning Prayer

Hilmar Helping Hands

Calling # 2 & 3

Communion Sunday is SEPT. 3rd! Bring your

canned food, dry goods, and personal hygiene items for HHH that day. Put your

donations in the gray containers by the doors in

the Sanctuary. Thanks!

Theo Wilson Youth Ministry theo@hilmarcovenant.org

CHOIR Resumes Wednesday, Sept. 6th, at 7:15 pm. An exciting year is head - come and join us in the choir loft and discover the joy of singing together!

HANDBELL CHOIR Resumes Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 5:15 pm. And we still need one handbell ringer to replace Tyler Johnson. Can you join us? Just one hour every Tuesday to practice and playing once a month in worship. See Dan soon – and volunteer!

Friendship Ministry Team Calling #1

Eleven people are on this visitation ministry team.  If you would like a visit, or know of someone who would appreciate personal contact from our church, please call Pastor Dan (668-0400) so we can serve you better! Also, if someone would like the Sacrament of Communion, tell Dan so he can share it with them.

USDA BOXES!!

Thanks for the help - and keep it up, Hilmar Covenant! This food ministry continues to need 80 boxes every fourth Tuesday of the month to pack the food. If you have boxes at least 18” x 1’ x 1’ just bring them to the church office anytime.

August Financial Update Budget per wk:: $11,651 - Avg. Offering per wk: $8,029

Budget YTD: $407,803 - Offering YTD: $346,293 Ahead (Behind): (-$61,510) Last Week’s Attendance: 151 (KS 34)

Council’s Corner August’s Council meeting covered a number of topics ranging from Conformation to a lively, in depth discussion on the Lord’s Prayer.  Pastor Casey shared that he and Pastor Theo have come up with a plan to start a one year Confirmation class starting this fall.  It will be open to all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students.  For more information, you are encouraged to contact the church office.  Pastor Casey also reported that the garage lighting project has been completed, as well as the repairs to the Family Center flooring.  There was also a discussion on creating a space where moms can nurse their infants during church service.  One suggestion was to use the “Brides’ Room” and have the church service broadcasted there via Facebook.  More information needs to be gathered before a decision can be made.  Carolyn Ahlem shared that a plot plan of the Columbarium was being drafted for submission to the county for approval. 

The conversation switched to the Lord’s Prayer when Bud Farrar stated that he would love to see the Lord’s Prayer recited more often in the church service.  Others shared how they appreciate how Carolyn Ahlem incorporates the key components of it when she leads the congregational prayer.  Still others weighed in on occasionally reciting one of the creeds as reminders of what we believe.  It was a very worthwhile discussion, and it brought to my mind how important it is to have key verses and tenets of  God’s word memorized to help us when we struggle, or as in the Lord’s Prayer when we can’t find any words to pray. 

Chris Collier, Council Member

ANTRANClassical Guitarist

In concert Sunday, September 10th – 6:30 p.m.

Born and raised in Hanoi, Vietnam, An Tran is an international award winning and active performing guitarist. He received his B.A. in Music degree from North Park University in 2014, went on to complete his Master of Music degree from Yale University, and is now pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Northwestern University.   Together with Turlock Covenant, we are sponsoring An here in our area from Sept. 5-11. He will be offering special classes to students at Hilmar High and Pitman High schools, playing at Covenant Village, and presenting his major concert especially for local Covenant churches in our sanctuary on Sept. 10. Check him out on Facebook and see what an incredible experience is ahead for us! www.facebook.com/anguitarist2

PeaceCYCLE is a new micro business which aims to educate and employ Haitians, promoting eco-friendly practices, and empowering individuals and families to be self-sufficient. When our Haiti mission team saw what they do with recycled plastic water bags, we were blown away! And wanted everyone back here in Hilmar to have the opportunity to support this amazing enterprise.

In Haiti, 5 million water bags pollute the nation. PeaceCycle is “Upcycling “ those plastic bags and creating beautiful, useful, handcrafted products. Our mission team has arranged to have a variety of these items brought to our area for sale in September and then we will use the profits to continue supporting “Healing Haiti’s” many ministries. Check out everything at the “Mission Focus” display. They will make excellent Christmas gifts! Let’s start a movement of people in our area carry around these unique eco-friendly items when grocery shopping, going to school, at parties, entertaining, etc! For more information go to www.peacecycle.com

“PEACECYCLE” Haiti Microbusiness Gifts

for Sale Sept. 10th @ the Guitar Concert

PRAYER PAGE ALERTCalling # 2

If you want your friends and loved ones on the “Long Term” Prayer List please contact Beth in the office (668-0400).

SUNDAY MORNINGS:Would you be interested in serving in our Worship Service? We are currently looking for volunteers to join our team in reading the scriptures and praying. Contact Beth in the church office for more information. 209 668-0400 Thank you

Memorial Garden - Memorial BricksHave you remembered a loved one or friend with a memorial brick? Or your wedding anniversary, family name, former pastor, or special church event? Just $150(tax deductible) will help us toward our goal for the Memorial Garden! Forms for the bricks are available on Sundays or in the church office. Thank you for your support.

PRAYER, PRAISE, AND PETITION PAGE • SEPT. 2017 • Calling #2

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Phil. 4:6

PRAISES: For our new youth pastor, Theo Wilson – The beginning of a new ministry year – Many recent new visitors in worship

PRAY FOR THE STAFF AND CHURCH COUNCIL: Casey, Dan, Theo Beth, Sarah, Ashley, Leslie (Children’s Center!), Carolyn Ahlem, Melissa Ahlem, Rod Avilla, Mike Boehme, Chris Collier, Bud Farrar, Pat Sparks, Teresa Wells (secretary), Dale Wickstrom (chair). Pray for Miss Lynn as she deals with side effects from treatments.

PRAY FOR OUR HILMAR COMMUNITY: For Hilmar churches, pastors, and our fellow Christians; for Hilmar Christian Children’s Center; Hilmar Helping Hands (Vicki Humble); Merced County Rescue Mission (Pastor Bruce); Turlock Gospel Mission (Christian Curby); new Character Coaches (Dan, Theo, Gwen); Hilmar Unified School District and the new school year.

PRAY FOR MISSIONS: For our missionaries: Don and Lillian Dwight; Roy and Aleta Danforth; Ken and Adrienne Satterberg; Todd & Carrie Minturn (Christian Formation & Direction Ministries) in Fresno; Harvey (Linda) Lundquist in Alaska; Paul and Sheryl Noren in Congo. Pray for our sister church, Iglesia Bautista-Bethel in Tijuana.

PRAY FOR OUR STATE AND NATION: for the disasters and tragedies we have recently been through: storms, tornadoes, floods, and fires across our state and nation., and especially for the Houston area. Pray for President Trump, his administration, and for people’s fears, concerns, and anger to be allayed so we can become more united in the days ahead. Pray for our congressional leaders, and to an end of partisanship and blaming. Pray for the families of those killed in the Charlottesville protest. Pray for families and communities affected by gun violence. Pray for peace and racial righteousness in our nation and for the refugee “situation” – in ALL its complexity! Pray for just and compassionate solutions to immigration reform. This issue has deep implications for many in our Covenant churches. Pray for the poor, who are most vulnerable.

PRAY FOR THE WORLD: Pray for the violence that is everywhere: North Korea’s threatening nuclear posture, the tragedies of the Syrian and South Sudanese civil wars, the famine hitting countries in Africa, and the recent terrorist attacks in Spain. Pray for the difficult refugee situation that continues in Europe. Pray that God would thwart the evil intentions and actions of ISIS, Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, and other terrorist groups. Pray for the continuing terrorist activities against Jews in Israel, the continuing tension between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and ongoing Jewish/Palestinian issues. Continue to pray for Nepal, China, Turkey, Pakistan, Ecuador, Japan, Chile, Philippines, Greece, and recently Italy, where earthquakes have devastated the lives of so many people.

Pray for places where war, social, and economic issues make life miserable for people. Pray - and work - for justice in

EVENTS:

Oct 31st - Truck or Treat hosted by HCC

Calling 4 Sunday Mornings This Fall!

With the fall months upon us and school back in session – the month of September will be busy! Our kids will have a busy school year learning about Jesus – and having fun!

Nursery-4 year olds – John the Baptist - Forgiveness and Baptism! This month our babies through four year olds will be exploring about asking for forgiveness when we do something bad and how God will forgive us. They will also learn about the baptism of Jesus!

Please note – ALL kids 4 and under will continue to be in the Family Center this fall! This is an

opportunity to give our awesome volunteers a bit of a break☺ *Babies – 2 years old will be in the NURSERY *3-4 year olds will be in the PRESCHOOL

Kindergarten-5th grade –Lunch Room: Make Room at the Table! “A friend loves at al times. They are there to help when trouble comes.” Proverbs 17:17. This month our K-5 kids will be exploring the idea of FRIENDSHIP! Having a good friend or "best friend" is an amazing feeling. Something we dont realize is that is it just as amazing and rewarding to BE a good friend.

Please note – Our K-5 kids will still be worshiping up in KidSPACE. Each week we will be exploring the story of JESUS – our place in it – and why FAITH is important. We will be splitting into two small groups only, rather than three. Drop-off and Pick-up will remain the same.

A few things for your FALL Calendar!

TRUNK or TREAT - Trunk or Treat will be on October 31st and we will be hosting it this year! We are in need of donations such as candy (lots of candy), hot dogs, hot dog buns, chips, small waters, your trunk and time. If you would like to set up your trunk, please call the office and let us know!

addressing issues like human trafficking (“Ponics Project”/Daniel Lemke; “New Day for Children”). famine and hunger (Fred Jordan Mission), immigration, and refugees. Pray for people who live in fear because of political, religious, and societal persecution, especially for our Christian brothers and sisters who suffer because of their commitment to Christ. Pray for our “enemies!” (Matt. 5:44) That somehow they will meet Jesus and be transformed in their thinking, attitudes, and behavior.

Pray for our “pen pals” in prison: Steven Taylor, Allen “Big Red” King, Jason Lundquist, Brian Garrett – and for Clyde “Joe” Faus, who has gotten married!

Pray for those who are unable to worship with us.

Pray for our church family serving in the military at home and overseas: J.R. Dane (Marge Pack’s grandson), Trent Goiburn, Brian and Amy Johnson (Tyler Johnson’s brother and sister-in-law), Zach Ribera, Trevor Stevens (Bev Strom-Wenstrands’s grandson-returning to Afghanistan), Shelby Walters (daughter of Bob and Laurie Walters).

Long Term Prayer Concerns. PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE (668-0400) IF YOU WANT YOUR LONG TERM PRAYER REQUEST TO CONTINUE IN FUTURE NEWSLETTERS. Also, please let us know the status of the person(s) for whom you are requesting prayer. Thanks! Bill Ahlem, Eliza Alves, Joe Bello, Betty Dolling (Gwen’s sister), Matteo Geraldini (friend of the DeRooys’), Cricket Higginson (Ed Montague’s sister), Peter Hildebrand (Andy Hildebrand’s brother) Anita Johnson (Dan Johnson’s sister-in-law), Cynthia Johnson, Anna Keevy, Lynn Lea, Anna Medak, Connie Medak, Jan Nash, Phyllis Peterson, Cindy Postma, Melanie Shackelford, Tara Wells (Tom & Teresa Wells’ daughter)

continued from front…..

And what could be more presumptuous, more absurd, more pathetic, than for some poor fool with a cut-rate brush and a bucket of white paint to claim that the one to give that help is Jesus? If he said God, at least that would be an idea, and if you reject it, it is only an idea that you are rejecting on some kind of intellectual grounds. But by saying "Jesus" he puts it on a level where what you accept or reject is not an idea at all but a person; where what you accept or reject, however dim and far away and disfigured by time is still just barely recognizable as a human face. Because behind the poor fool with his bucket there always stands of course the Prince of Fools himself, blessed be he, in his own way more presumptuous, more absurd and pathetic than anyone has ever managed to be since.    Jesus Saves....  And the bad thief, the one who according to tradition was strung up on his left, managed to choke out the words that in one form or another men have been choking out ever since whenever they have found themselves crossed up by the world: "Are you the Christ? Then save yourself and us." With the accent on the "us." If you are the savior, whatever that means, then why don't you save us, whatever that involves, save us from whatever it is that crosses us all up before we're done, from the world without and the world within that crosses us all out. Save us from and for and in the midst of the seventy-five-mile-per-hour, neon-lit crisscross of roads that we all travel in this world. And then the good thief, the one on his right, rebuked the bad one for what he had said angrily, and then in effect said it again himself, only not angrily, God knows not angrily—said, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power." And finally the words of Jesus's answer, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise," which are words no less crude than the ones trickling down the cliff side, in their way no less presumptuous, absurd, pathetic; words that express no theological idea as an idea, but words that it took a mouth of flesh to say and an ear of flesh to hear. I can imagine that the guards who had been posted there to see that the execution was carried out properly might themselves have felt something like embarrassment and turned away from the sheer lunacy of the scene.    Such a one as that save me? That one—the spindle-shanked crackpot who thinks he is God's son, bloodshot and drunk with his own torture, no less crossed up, crossed out than any other mother's son. Such a one as that—Jesus, scrawled up there on the concrete among the four-letter words and the names of lovers? Only somehow then, little by little, a deeper secret of the embarrassment begins to show through: not can such a one as that save me, but can such a one as that save me? Because I suspect that at its heart the painful wincing is directed less to the preposterousness of the claim that Jesus saves than it is directed to the preposterousness of the claim that people like ourselves are savable—not that we are such sinners that we do not deserve saving, but that we are so much ourselves, so hopelessly who we are—no better, no worse—that we wonder if it is possible for us to be saved. I suspect the reason why the name "Jesus" embarrasses us when it stands naked is that it inevitably, if only half consciously, recalls to us our own names, our own nakedness. Jesus saves ... whom? Saves Joe, saves Charlie, Ellen, saves me, saves you—just the names without any Mr. or Mrs., without any degrees or titles or Social Security numbers; just who we are, no more, no less. I suspect that it is at our own nakedness that we finally wince.

Pastor Casey

It is time to start packing our “Christmas Operation - Shoeboxes”

You can drop off your “shoeboxes” in the church office

Sunday, Nov. 5 - Sunday, Nov. 12th

Contact: Norma Avilla for more information

Calling #4

Is it really September already?! School is already in session, sports teams are competing, and (hopefully) cooler weather is ahead…   DISCIPLESHIP & CONFIRMATION We will be having a Discipleship & Confirmation class for Middle School students this school year! This is a year-long class designed to help students build a healthy foundation in their faith. There is going to be a parent meeting after church on Sunday, September 10th at 11:30 in the youth room.  

CHIC 2018 CHIC is the Covenant’s youth conference that is held every three years. It will be July 15-20, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. This year’s theme is UNITE. This is for students who are currently in High School. Our parents meeting will be Wednesday, September 27th at 6 pm.   COMMUNICATION We will be working on stepping up our communication efforts. Currently our main forms of communication are the church bulletin, printed calendars available in the youth room and the Facebook page (not the old one, but facebook.com/hilmarcovyouth/). So there are a couple of things we are working on in the church office, and when those wrinkles are worked out we will have more avenues for communication!   UPCOMING DATES TO KNOW… September 10 – Confirmation meeting September 24 – youth leadership team dinner meeting September 27 – CHIC meeting September 29 – youth group trip to Get Air in Turlock (costs $20) October 7 – Swedish Pancakes fundraiser for CHIC

Theo

HCC CALENDARRECURRING WEEKLY EVENTS

SUNDAY 9:00 am - Waterson’s CBE Bible Study (Chapel) 10:00 am - WORSHIP 10:00 am - KIDSPACE 7:00 pm - Waterson’s Bible Study @ their home 8:30 pm - Iglesia Basketball

MONDAY 8:30 am - AEROBICS 5:30 pm - Waterson’s Volleyball 7:00 pm - Men’s Basketball 7:00 pm - Joell’s Footsteps

OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday - Friday 9-5

TUESDAY 6:00 am - Men’s Community Bible Study @ Hot Rod Diner 9:45 am - Staff Meeting 10:00 am - Power Play 11:00 am - Boys Basketball 5:00 pm - Gallo Basketball 5:15 pm - Handbell Practice 7:30 pm - Iglesia Basketball

WEDNESDAY 8:00 am - FIKA 8:30 am - AEROBICS 6:15 pm - Prayer Meeting 7:00 pm - Youth Group 7:15 pm - Choir Practice

THURSDAY 5:15 pm - Men’s Basketball 7:00 pm - Waterson’s Volleyball

FRIDAY 8:30 am - AEROBICS 8:00 pm - Iglesia Basketball

Special Events: Sept 4 Labor Day Sept 7 Hilmar PTA Sept 10 Confirmation Meeting 11:30 am Sept 10 Classical Guitar 6:30 pm PeaceCycle Sale

Sept 22 Homecoming

Sept 24 Youth Leadership Team Meeting - 5:30pm

Sept 27 CHIC Meeting - 6 pm

Sept 29 Youth Event - 6pm GET AIR

• SENIOR BROWN BAG 2nd & 4th Tuesday

• USDA - 4th Tuesday

• WIC - 1st & 3rd Tuesday

• ALL CHURCH PRAYER 6:15pm - 2nd Wednesday

• STEWARDSHIP MEETING 6am - 3rd Wednesday

• COUNCIL MEETING 6:30 pm - 2nd Thursday

• HCCC BOARD MEETING 6 pm - 3rd Thursday

• HICAP - Merced County 9 am - 1st Friday

Check us out on Social Media

Facebook Hilmar Covenant Church

@ Hilmar Covenant

Instagram hilmar_cov

Website hilmarcovenant.org

Youtube Hilmar Covenant Church

1Tom&TeresaWells6Bruce&KrisMetcalf8Jim&JudyBaballePaul&SherylNoren10John&MaryAnneNixon11Dennis&JeanieNelsonFred&JudyHonore15Mike&MonicaBoehme18Calvin&JudySweeten27Stephen&KaNlnMore30Danny&CarlaAvila

1 KenOlds 2 RodJorritsma FrankDurjava PeggyDulle4 HansDeRooy5 RyanAvila7 FayeHass9 MaryWickstrom11 McCalisterRussell12 JanNash13 StephanieSouza AlanPeterson14 LukeSchulze CarolynBrown

15 GiannaWilson16 CarterAzevedo17 BrittanyHernandez20 MicahHinds23 MichealBoehme LeifBergman27 PatWickstrom28 DanielLemke RebeccaLawton29 TeresaWells30 JulieHansen MariaVieira BettyBoehme

Thank you! DearCongregation, First,Iwouldliketoapologize,thatittookmethislongtogetathankyouletteroffforthebirthdaycardsIgot.Iwasstudyingforamid-termforacollegeclassIamtaking.NowthatI’vetakenitIcangetthisimportantletterdone. Inthepast,I’veusedanexcerptfrom“OurDailyBread”,I’vecameacrossanotheronethatIwouldliketoshare: “GoodFriends,don’tabandonuswhenexternalcircumstanceschange.Theystaywithusthroughthegoodandthebaddays.GoodfriendsalsomaypointustoGodintheuglydays,whenwemayfeeltemptedtowalkaway. RealfriendshipsareagiftfromGodbecausetheyexemplifytheperfectfriend,whoremainsloyalthroughthegood,thebad,andtheuglydays.AstheLordremindsus;“NeverwillIleaveyou;neverwillIforsakeyou’.(Hebrews13:5)” Sothankyoutoallofyouwhoarefriends.Thankyoufortheprayersandsupport.Itallhelpsmestaystrongtogetthroughthispartinmylife.ItalsohelpsmetostrivetobecometheChristianIwenttobe.Sothankyou. GodBless, BrianGarrett Ephesians4:2