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Happy New Year
Deeds and Opportunities Brentwood Community United Methodist Church
809 Second Street Brentwood, CA 94513 E-MAIL: [email protected] Office: (925) 634-3093 Fax: (925) 634-0288
Alexis Easton, Pastor Website: Brentwoodumc.org
Facebook Group: Brentwood Community United Methodist Church Betty Gaughan, Editor: [email protected]
January 2013
Heart to Heart (The Pastor’s Column)
Greetings, Friends –
We are nearly at the end of 2012, a very challenging year for Americans and for United Methodists and for many families. A national election and the quadrennial General Conference in Florida – both with a notable amount of conflict, the London Olympics a blessing we all needed, the shock of the Newtown shooting, and at this moment House, Senate, and Administration in Washington, DC seeking a really last-minute agreement. Families continue to struggle with economic challenges, with the diverse needs of children and youth at school and in relationships. It has been a very intense 2012! For us in ministry at BCUMC this year has been mostly a blessing. The H.O.P.E. House ministry has quickly become part of our ongoing service to the Brentwood community with ongoing participation from a number of us and support from most. We continue to give thanks that the Lord opened this door for us, a door that has truly been and continues to be an answer to prayer. As we prepare to enter the 2013 door, I give thanks to all of you for the innumerable ways you serve God through BCUMC. In the coming year, the work of our three ministry teams – Love God, Love People, and Serve the World – will be clarified, strengthened and communicated more clearly to you through website and newsletter. The coming of the Christ Child each year renews our hope and touches our hearts. May your heart be filled with the hope that only God’s Grace provides. Let us enter the 2013 door with confidence. God is most certainly not done with us, beckons us forward, and extends a hand as we step across… a hand that will not let us go in the coming year. With thanks that I am blessed to be your pastor,
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MERRY METHODISTS ANNUAL PLANNING PARTY
Saturday, January 12th, 6-8 pm. Pasta and sauces will be provided, please bring a side dish to share as well as your great ideas for Merry Methodist activities in 2013. Please RSVP to Jennifer Dunn at [email protected].
UNITED METHODIST MEN
Please join the United Methodist Men the first Saturday of every month for breakfast, fellowship and Bible study. Cooks meet at 7:15 AM, and the group gathers promptly at 8:00 AM. Meeting concludes around 9 AM.
Our mission is to Help Men Grow in Christ, So Others May Know Christ.
Last year many people in our church supported the East County Crop Walk by walking or
making donations. This year I would like to try to organize a local walk here in Brentwood. To refresh your memory, the Crop Walk is organized by Church World Service (of which
UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, is a member). 75% of funds raised go all over the world to feed the hungry and 25% stays in the local community. By helping organize the walk in Far East County, our food and clothing ministry HOPE House could directly benefit. Dates for this year’s Crop Walk are April 20th or 21st.
There are already over a dozen walks planned in the Bay Area for that weekend! By doing it at the same time we can benefit from coordinated media outreach. Plus - isn't it exciting to think of hundreds or maybe thousands of people walking for hunger all at the same time?
If you are interested in helping to organize this years’ walk in Brentwood, please contact Patti Bartlebaugh at [email protected]. Our first planning meeting is January 15th at 7 pm at the church. I also need contacts for other faith communities in Far East County who might like to participate. If you know of any, please let me know.
DISCUSSION OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION With Mel Strong
Starting Sunday, January 6, we will be reading and discussing the book of Revelation. Marcus Borg devotes a chapter of his book "Reading the Bible Again for the First Time" to the book of Revelation. We will be using this chapter as our guide through Revelation. I don't think I am alone when I say the book of Revelation has always been troubling to me. I'm sure it is to many of us. That is why it barely made it into the Bible and why Martin Luther wished it had been thrown into the river Elbe.
So I encourage you to join us as we take a look at this last book of our Bible through the eyes of one of our foremost contemporary biblical scholars. I have a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall. I can order the books for you, or you can get them at Barnes and Noble or Amazon Books. The class will be a four-week study.
FAR EAST COUNTY CROP WALK
by Patti Bartlebaugh
SIERRA SERVICE PROJECT
Sierra Service Project is offering faith-rich service weekends again this year. These weekends
combine fun and fellowship with youth from other youth groups with a challenging, hands-on service project and a strong focus on understanding how we can all live out our faith in the world around us. We will partner with different local organizations to provide much-needed hands-on service work, including carpentry, floor and wall repairs, and painting.
Please consider joining other Youth and Confirmands for the February 22-24 Sierra Service Weekend to Sacramento. We'll plan to leave Friday after school and return Sunday around 6 pm. For more information about the host organization, please visit the website: http://www.sierraserviceproject.org/weekend_of_service.html.
Cost is $95 per participant and includes accommodations and meals. Final registration is due January 21st. If there is enough interest, we may do a group fundraiser. Please email Jennifer Dunn at [email protected] with questions and/or interest.
TRUSTEES’ CORNER
The Trustees submitted a budget request for the new year. The new budget was voted on and returned to the Trustees.
The heating and air-conditioning for the office is broken and in need of replacement. The Trustees received bids. They will meet and vote to accept one of them. Obviously, the air-conditioning projects are making quite a dent in the improvement fund. The Trustees will start a fundraiser to meet the cost. We need to replenish the improvement fund so we will have the resources available to fix the next thing that breaks in our 120+ year old facility.
Randy Fortner is working on the school furniture needs. The focus is on the Fireside Room and Teen’s room, which need furniture. The Fireside Room also needs remodeling and repairs, including carpet, furniture, and pads for the area around the fireplace. We are looking for a way to organize the fold-up chairs and other materials used by the groups the use the room.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO ENLIST ESCRIP SUBSCRIBERS
The finance committee is looking for 10 individuals to each enlist 10 or more new Safeway escrip subscribers. Safeway donates 4% of every sale made by the participants to BCUMC. Currently our participants generate an average of $900 a year. We would like to double or even triple this.
For more information, please contact Debra in the office at 634-3093. Thanks!
Calling ALL Junior and Senior High Students to Service
Chaperones Welcome Also
January Notables Acolytes/Crucifer: 6 Nate Clarke, Wren Driscoll, John Marks 13 Jamie Feldermann, Jacob Lukacs, Sam Lukacs 20 Ogechi Ekpemiro, Bella Navales, Chinyere Ekpemiro 27 Alex Dunn, Jaylynn Joaquin, Justine Joaquin Worship Leaders: 6 Jennifer 13 Connie 20 Paul 27 Jan
Birthdays: 1. Rick Fortner 2. Mary Bronzan 12. Vickey Barriner 20 Patti Bartlebaugh 22 Scott Bartlebaugh 23 Jacob Lukacs 27 Audrey Dunn 28. Rachel Simas Anniversaries: 15. Les & Judy Fox 16. Galen & Edith Tidrick Communion Assistants: Vickey Barriner and Ginny Driscoll
Ushers/ Greeters: 6 Robin 13 Lisa 20 Bob 27 Mel
Please let me know if you have information to add or change for important dates. Betty Gaughan ([email protected] or 925.513.3863).
CHURCH FAMILY NEWS
JOYS:
Beverly Johnson is recovering from the flu. Gladys Martin is much better after hip replacement. Beverly Tucker informed us that she had her eyes tested and received new glasses. She is now able to read the newspaper. The UMW Cookie Walk was successful. Following the walk UMW delivered cookies to shut-ins.
Please lift prayers of joy for all of the above and for unknown joys. CONCERNS: Mel Strongs’ brother passed away. Irene Collins passed away. Her memorial service was held at our church followed by lunch served by UMW. Bill Dobson is under Hospice care to provide the medical support. Verla Richardson Chilcote passed away. Her service will be at Higgin’s Funeral home in Antioch on January 4th at 11 am. Verla attended our church during her teen years. Phil Devine, BCT director living in Connecticut, informed us that in 2003 he taught a young woman who later became an inspiring school teacher. She died protecting her students at Newtown. Suzette Fontino’s husband David passed away. His memorial service will be January 3rd at 3:00 pm at LaPaloma High School. Please continue to pray for military, police, fire and education personnel. Don’t forget to pray for the church fellowship. God Bless Us, Each and Everyone!
Lectionary (Scripture Readings)
SUNDAY/SPECIAL DAY OLD TESTAMENT PSALM EPISTLE GOSPEL
January 1 New Year’s Day
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 Psalm 8 (UMH 743) Revelation 21:1-6a Matthew 25: 31-46
January 6 Epiphany of the Lord
Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-7,
10-14 (UMH 795) Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12
January 13 Baptism of the Lord First Sunday after
the Epiphany
Isaiah 43:1-7 Psalm 29 (UMH 761) Acts 8:14-17 Luke 3:15-17,
21-22
January 20 Second Sunday after
the Epiphany (Human Relations Day)
Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 36:5-10 (UMH 771) 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 John 2:1-11
January 27 Third Sunday after
The Epiphany
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 Psalm 19 (UMH 750)
1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a Luke 4:14-21
Sta tement o f Inc lus ion:
Because we believe that no one is excluded from God’s love and that all may come who hear the Shepherd’s voice (John 10:1-18), so we affirm:
In k eep ing w i th the sp iri t and tea chings o f Jesus Chris t and w i th United Method is t
p rinc ip l e s , the Brentwood Community United Method is t Church we l c omes a l l p ersons into our f e l l owship .
Resident Bishop: Warner H. Brown, Jr.
El Camino Real District Superintendent: Kristie Olah Pastor: Alexis Easton; Lay Leader: Julius Lukacs
Secretary: Debra Urzua
The Mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Brentwood Community United Methodist Church 809 Second Street Brentwood, CA 94513 TIME DATED MATERIAL
