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Alum Rock United Methodist Church 30 Kirk Avenue San Jose, CA 95127-2297 Phone: (408) 258-7368 E-mail: secretary@alumrockchurch.org FAX: (408) 926-3566 Web: www.alumrockchurch.org Address Service Requested

NEWSBREAK

Open hearts… Open minds… Open doors...

August Dates to Remember

Aug. 4 5:00 pm—Annual Summertime Barbeque Aug. Aug. 6 All Lower Level door locks are changed! Aug. 22 10:00 am—UMW Executive Board Meeting in the Fireside Room Aug. 18 10:00 am-8:00 pm—Burmese Christian Community Church Annual Fun Fair

Coming in September Sept. 5 10:00 am—UMW General Meeting in the Fireside Room Sept. 8 9:00 am—UMW Yard and Bake Sale Sept. 15 11:00 am—Wesley UMC Annual Aki Matsuri (Fall Festival)

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NEWSBREAK Volume 12, Number 8 Alum Rock United Methodist Church August 2007

AFFILIATED WITH RECONCILING MINISTRIES NETWORK

SUNDAY MORNING

WORSHIP 10:30 A.M.

August 5 —10th Sunday after Pentecost

“Parable of the Rick Fool” Luke 12:13-21 Water Offering

Holy Communion Celebration of August Birthdays

- - - - - - - - - -

August 12—11th Sunday after Pentecost

“When Is Enough, Enough” Luke 12:32-40

- - - - - - - - - -

August 19—12th Sunday after Pentecost

“ Religious Conflict Within the Family” Luke 12:49-56

- - - - - - - - -- -

August 26—13th Sunday after Pentecost

Rev. Zau Ya Lahpai, pastor of the Burmese Christian Community Church,

will be preaching

- - - - - - - - - -

September 2—14th Sunday after Pentecost Rev. Nymphas Edwards, San Jose

District Superintendent, will be preaching. Labor in the Pulpit Sunday

Holy Communion Celebration of September Birthdays

ANNUAL BARBEQUE

Saturday, August 4 5:00 P.M.

Dinner served in ARUMC Patio Area

Dessert Auction: Bid for your favorite

dessert to share with your family and friends!

Entertainment

Adults: $12.50 Teenagers: $10.00

Children 6-12: $7:00 Children under 6: FREE!

Family Deal: (2 Adults & 2 Children)= $35.00

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because they couldn’t afford to pay the school dues. The co-operative has begun with 4 manual sewing machines but needs to purchase 4 more in order to be fully functioning. Sister Angelita is asking ETRO to raise USD $500 for this purpose. You know, in writing this article my thoughts keep slipping back to Pope Benedict XVI’s assertion earlier this month that Protestant denominations are not true churches, but merely “ecclesial Communities.” We had a good time batting this around at our monthly Eastside Clergy Association coffee clutch, consisting of Father Francisco Rios, priest at St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church; Father James Graham, priest at St. Elias Melkite Greek Catholic Mission; Foothill Presbyterian minister extraordinaire Ben Daniel; Father Silvestsre Romero from St. Philip’s Episcopal; Dr. Andrew Kille, Baptist preacher and director of Interfaith Space; and your own humble United Methodist pastor. The focus at the end of our wide-ranging discussion was who represents the Church. Is it the church hierarchy or is it the people of God? The best surmise of our clergy cluster was that the pope’s pronouncement is basically an attempt to reestablish control in a situation where control has gotten out of the hierarchy’s hands — and that the Vatican II idea of the church as “the people of God” is one that will be hard to stop. Be that as it may, it is comforting to know that grassroots

ecumenism is alive and well in our little corner of San Jose, and that it is alive and well among the little people of East Timor as well. In January Sister Angelita Gomes wrote: “Once again thank you for every-thing may God bless you always….Sr. Joanna talks about you many times and we really thank and ap-preciate your kindness and gener-osity. Thank you for promoting East Timorese women develops their own skill. This in turn will help them to be a self sufficiency and competency in their work for the fu-ture. “I promise you my especial

prayer for all members of your institution, since this week we remember and pray for the unity of the Christian promote by the Vatican for every year. Our work together is a real testi-mony of Unity and I thank God for this.”

EAST TIMOR & GRASSROOTS ECUMENISM I will be leaving early in the morning of August 21 for my an-nual trip to Timor-Leste to deliver educational scholarship funds collected by our East Timor Religious Outreach (ETRO) minis-try to the Protestant Church in East Timor and the Salesian Girls School in Venilale. There has been almost no U.S. mainstream media coverage of East Timor this past year, so this tiny, impoverished nation has practically disappeared from our national radar screen. One result: donations are way down, although the need is painfully real. Listed below are some of the disturbing facts: —-Since my visit a year ago to the capital, Dili, ongoing vio-lence and political turmoil has left 37 people dead and an esti-mated 100,000 people are still in refugee camps. On Wednes-day the United Nations launched an appeal for millions of dol-lars in urgently needed humanitarian aid. —-International peacekeeping forces were sent in to restore order, but tensions in the country remain high. This week sev-eral houses were torched and the main compound of the Inter-national Stabilization Force was set on fire. International troops were forced to fire tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse ram-paging gangs of young people. —-U.S. State Department Travel Warnings are still in effect. —-Unemployment in Timor-Leste is around 50 percent. —-One fifth of the population (approximately 200,000 peo-ple) is threatened with food shortages because of recent crop failures, according to UN humanitarian coordinator Finn Reske-Nielsen. —-In the wake of Timor-Leste’s first parliamentary elections last month, rival political parties have yet to form a new coali-tion government. The nation’s newly elected president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Jose Ramos-Horta (who endorsed ETRO’s scholarship appeal this year!), is now working diligently to form a national unity government. It is against this backdrop that our courageous East Timorese friends struggle with the day-to-day problems of their precarious existence. They have expressed to me many times how grateful they are for the small help ETRO is able to offer. To quote the most recent letter of Sister Angelita Gomes, prin-cipal of the Salesian Girls School in Venilale-Baucau: “[T]he students who got help from [ETRO]...all talked to me to thank you from the bottom of their heart about the support you gave them. They will pray for you and all donators who constantly help them finished their study.” East Timor is a place where everything is understood in terms of personal relation-ships...which is one of the reasons I travel there each year...and I am proud of the rela-tionships ETRO has built up over the course of carrying out our ministry. Now Sister Angelita is seeking ETRO’s help for two new projects. First, our assistance is needed in sending two recently graduated students (Ercilia Odete and Juliana Imaculada Ruas) to Indo-nesia to continue their studies at the univer-sity level. The understanding is that after graduation the young women will come back to teach at the Salesian Girls School in Venilale. Second, this summer Sister Angelita is starting a sewing cooperative in Dili for Venilale students who had to drop out

SUNDAY SCHEDULE Morning Worship 10:30 am Children’s Sunday School—during worship Fellowship Time—following worship Nursery Care 10:15—11:45 am

OUR CHURCH STAFF

Pastor Rev. John Chamberlin Chimes Choir Director Donna Furuta Administrative Assistant Louise Wilson Nursery Caregivers San San Aye Newsbreak Editor Priscilla Batty

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AUGUST 2007 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat UMYF:

Please watch for special events. For details please call Laurie Andrade, at 272-6995

Reg Sun Sched. ARMC: 10:30 Worship, Sanctuary 10:50 Children’s Sun Sch., 3-4 11:45 Fellow- ship Hour, F/R or Sanctuary

Reg Sun Sched. Other: 8:30 AA, 1 9 VN Sun Sch., F/H, 2, 8 & 9 10 VN Worship, F/H 10:30 BCCC, 2 1:15 BCCC, F/H, 3, 4, 8 & 9

1 10 BCCC, 2 7 FA, F/R

2 10 BCCC, 2 3:30 TS, 1, 9 8 NA, F/R

3 7-9 BCCC Bible Study, F/R, 2 & 3

4 6am-12pm BCCC Fast & Prayer/Bible Study, Sanctuary 8 FA, F/R 5 Annual Barbeque, Patio Area

5 Reg Sun Sched.

6 6 GS #1540, 3 7 Nar Anon, F/R 7 VN Event, F/H

7 10 BCCC, 2 6:45 AWOL, F/R

8 10 BCCC, 2 7 FA, F/R

9 10 BCCC, 2 3:30 TS, 1, 9 8 NA, F/R

10 Tran Wedding Rehearsal, Sanctuary 7-9 BCCC Bible Study, F/R, 2 & 3

11 8 FA, F/R 2 Tran Wedding, Sanctuary & F/H 6 VN Youth,

12 Reg Sun Sched.

13 6 GS #1540, 3 7 Nar Anon, F/R

14 10 BCCC, 2 6:45 AWOL, F/R

15 10 BCCC, 2 7 FA, F/R

16 10 BCCC, 2 3:30 TS, 1, 9 8 NA, F/R

17 7-9 BCCC Bible Study, F/R, 2 & 3

18 8 FA, F/R 10am-8pm BCCC Annual Fun Fair 6 VN Youth, F/H

19 Reg Sun Sched.

20 6 GS #1540, 3 7 Nar Anon, F/R

21 10 BCCC, 2 6:45 AWOL, F/R

22 10 UMW Exec Bd Mtg., F/R 10 BCCC, 2 7 FA, F/R

23 10 BCCC, 2 3:30 TS, 1, 9 8 NA, F/R

24 7-9 BCCC Bible Study, F/R, 2 & 3

25 8 FA, F/R 6 VN Youth, F/H

26 Reg Sun Sched.

27 6 GS #1540, 3 7 Nar Anon, F/R

28 10 BCCC, 2 6:45 AWOL, F/R

29 10 BCCC, 2 7 FA, F/R

30 10 BCCC, 2 3:30 TS, 1, 9 8 NA, F/R

31 7-9 BCCC Bible Study, F/R, 2 & 3

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August Birthdays

03 Phil Maier 05 Mari Lee Demie Diaz 08 Connie D’Vaz 15 Anthony Manson Gertrude Perkins 17 Bob Wharton 20 Bev Jackson 24 Kevin Smyth 25 Carol Schultz 27 Derrick Rainbow 28 Rick Christopher

Sympathy

God...will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away…” Revelation 21:4

The Alum Rock Church family extends their love and prayers to Lyn Manson and family as they mourn the loss of their husband, father and grand-father, David Manson, who died on July 27th. Memorial Service arrange-ments at ARUMC have not been completed at this time. We also extend our love and prayers to Hilario (Larry) and Eugenia Saclayan and family who are mourning the death of Julia S. Canaberal, Larry’s elder sister. Please keep these families in your prayers.

August Anniversaries

08 Rosi & Val Defiesta 12 Phil & Kim Maier 18 Neal & Rene Bierbaum 20 Kevin & Kimbra Smyth 26 Russ & Sharon Godfrey 30 Woody & Doris Woods

OUR CORE VALUES Our strong faith in God, our hope for God’s future, and our love for God and others lead us to these core values:

INCLUSIVENESS, DIVERSITY NURTURE, JUSTICE

OUR VISION

A vast throng, from every nation, of all tribes, peoples and languages, standing together, singing and praising God. (adapted from Rev. 7:9,12)

OUR MISSION We welcome all persons, from every nation, of all tribes, and speaking all languages, into a community of caring, growing, and serving, as we seek to follow Jesus in our daily lives.

Prayer Concerns

Please pray for Bessie Krauth who is suffering with shingles and for Jerry Stal-der’s dad, Gilbert Stalder, who is experiencing dizzy spells. Please keep the following people who are dealing with long term medical prob-lems in your prayers: Leroy Martella, Ruth Tillman, Bessie Krauth, Barbara Thompson, Luis Acero, Carol Nash, Janet Van der Kamp, Heather Boale (daughter of Jim Boale), Nancy Gano (friend of Jean Renzel’s daughter), Kyle Thorpe (cousin of Russ Godfrey), Bruce Kunz (brother of Priscilla Batty), Elea-nor Monterio (mother of Louise Wilson), and former member Earl Ragland.

UMW Annual Yard and Bake Sale

Coming September 8th

9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m.

We can use: clean clothing, used books, toys, jewelry, tools, small appliances (working),

games, dishes, and white elephants

We will also have Homemade Baked Goods: cookies, cakes, pies and breads

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Whatever powers in the ecclesiastical hierarchies may say, the grassroots “ecumenical movement” is thriving, — and I thank God for that too! It is not too late for you to make a donation to our East Timor Religious Outreach educational scholarship fund if you desire to do so. Please make your checks payable to “Alum Rock UMC” and earmark them “East Timor” on the memo line. As always, I can assure you that your generosity and support is greatly appreciated by our Christian sisters and brothers in East Timor. Wishing you God’s grace and peace,

Pastor John Chamberlin, National Coordinator East Timor Religious Outreach

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for an end to Israel’s occupation of Arab lands seized in the 1967 Mid-east war. “The initiative aims at calling on all churches to work seriously for putting an end to the Israel occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands,” the WCC said in a state-ment. On their visit to the land of Israel/Palestine, the Kobia-led delegation got a first-hand introduction to the work of EAPPI “accompaniers,” who the WCC general secretary described as “the eyes and ears of the ecumenical family in the midst of the conflict on the ground.” An initiative of the WCC under the “Ecumenical Cam-paign to End the Illegal Occupation of Palestine: Support a Just Peace in the Middle East,” the EAPPI states that its mission is to accompany Palestinians and Israelis in their non-violent actions and concerted advocacy efforts to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories, and to bring about a just and durable solution to the conflict, with two viable and secure nations living side by side in peace. During the June 21-26 visit, the delegation saw EAPPI volunteers at work in Jayyous, a small West Bank town that has been cut off from its farming lands; Hebron, a Palestinian city of 160,000 inhabi-tants whose center has been invaded by some 400 radical Israeli settlers whose presence has killed what used to be the city’s vibrant commercial life; Aida, a refugee camp of some 4,600 people from families dis-placed by the 1948 war; and Bethlehem, which the WCC described as “a community encircled and being suffocated by the government of Israel’s ‘separation barrier.’” The delegation also met the mufi of Jerusalem and Pal-estine, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, as well as the two chief rabbis of Israel, Rabbi Yona Metzger (Ashkenaz) and Shiomo Amar (Sephardi). According to the WCC, issues of education for peace and reconciliation, inter-religious relations and dialogue as well as common val-ues were discussed. “An education founded on solid moral ground needs to replace the propaganda-type education that demonizes the other and encourages hatred,” Kobia said. “If extremists on both sides are allowed to define what it is to be Palestinian or Israeli, then we are in trou-ble.” Other sites visited by the delegation included Christian holy sites in Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jerusalem, as well as Augusta Victoria Hospital of the Lutheran world Fed-eration on the Mount of Olives.

The following article was taken off the Internet.

Palestine, Israel Churches Seek Boost in Faith-Based Peace Efforts

By Eric Young, Christian Post Reporter

Local congregations in the land of Israel/Palestine are looking to the broadest and most inclusive ecumenical group of churches to play a stronger role in supporting their struggle for peace. During a visit to the area last month, the World Coun-cil of Churches (WCC)’s general secretary, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, and a WCC delegation, found that the fel-lowship’s Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Pales-tine and Israel (EAPPI) was strongly backed as a con-crete way for churches worldwide to get involved in the struggle for a just peace. “The visit allowed us to confirm that the WCC does have a role to play in strengthening and supporting the churches in Palestine/Israel,” said WCC delegation mem-ber Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, head of the Church of Nor-way’s Council on Ecumenical and International Relations, according to the WCC. Furthermore, the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum, which WCC recently launched in Jordan, was welcomed by the heads of churches in Jerusalem. It will be “a privileged tool to facilitate greater involve-ment of the WCC member churches in advocacy efforts for a just peace in the region,” said Kobia, as reported by the WCC. “It will enable our member churches to in-crease the work in awareness raising as well as in educa-tion both of their constituencies and the public at large.” The World Council of Churches—which groups 347 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing over 560 million Christians in more that 110 countries—has been an outspoken voice for the people of Palestine whose human rights they say Israel has violated. Last Monday, the ecumenical group said it would launch a global initiative to have churches worldwide rally

PRAY FOR PEACE IN THE HOLY LAND

The Peace Lamp on our altar was made in Taybeh, a small Christian village located 25km north-east of Jeru-salem, in the Holy Land. Out of the 3,400 inhabitants living in Taybeh 30 years ago, only 1,500 remain today. The lamps are produced in the Olive Branch Foundation workshop in Taybeh where more than 20 young men and women work to secure their livelihoods and those of their families in dignity through gainful employment. The goal is to place a Peace Lamp in every single church in the world to unite Christians in a common prayer for peace in the Holy Land.

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Cabbage, potatoes, and pork dominated our meals. We passed fields and fields of cab-bage and potatoes while on our bus trips. However, each country had some memorable foods. In Hungary, goulash was a soup, not a stew. Peppers were served in many ways and a cold creamy peach soup was a memorable dish. Vienna had a chocolate cake, Sa-cher Torte, that is a particular delicacy at one restaurant. The dumplings were deli-cious in the Czech Republic and Poland offered a delicious rye bread soup. The weather cooperated too. We had one hot day in Budapest, but the rest of the trip was pleasant and dry until the last two days in Warsaw...windy, rainy and cool. All in all, a memorable trip...visiting places I’ve never seen and revisiting other fa-vorite ones.

Traveling in Ireland with Diana Siebert

We had a wonderful time in Ireland. The country looked very much as I expected it would…all those pictures you’ve seen of the emerald green hills and fields are exact glimpses of the countryside. And there is a lot of countryside, hills, and foothills! Most towns are very small, and the surrounding expanse of land is beautiful, and heavily populated by sheep and cows. We traveled south from Dublin, then headed west with many stops up and down the south, and finally north to Galway. Driving on the left side of the road was not easy, but Deirdre did a beautiful job as driver (and I probably drove her crazy as navigator). We toured Dublin on the hop-on-and-off sightseeing bus, and a boat on the River Lif-fey. St. Patrick’s Cathedral (very old, but with the most beautiful floor) was a stop on John Wesley’s travels—he preached and celebrated communion there. We toured the Waterford Crystal factory, where I splurged and bought an ornament for the Christmas tree. We enjoyed the tour of the Rock of Cashel; Deirdre trekked up to kiss the stone at the Blarney Castle (which has not been restored) where the surrounding grounds are beautiful; and Cliffs of Moher were dramatic and lovely in the half rain and sunshine—and we were so fortunate that we got there as the next morning we found them totally fogged in. With all that rain and sun, surely we could have found that sought after pot of gold. Actually, we did...it was a wonderful trip.

All Church Work Day A BIG Success!

On Saturday, July 28th, about 30 members of Alum Rock United Methodist Church, The Vietnam-ese United Methodist Fellowship and the Burmese Christian Community Center gathered to do yard work and cleaning of the facility. Fallen tree limbs were sawed and carried away, dead trees were cut down, all the cupboards in the kitchen were scrubbed and then given a new coat of white paint. The stove in the kitchen was taken apart and scrubbed. Floors were swept and mopped. Boxes of old records were re-filed or disposed of, office cupboards were cleaned out and items were sorted for San Jose Shelter or the dumpster. Windows were washed and the outside window ledges were swept. Quarter-round was laid to hold the linoleum in place. The sofa was cleaned and chairs were washed. We shared coffee and sweet breads in the morning and pizza and beans for lunch. Everyone helped each other and the work got done. Our facility looks bright and clean, thanks to everyone who gave up a Saturday to work on this project.

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Traveling in Japan with Sharon Godfrey

When a friend invited me to join her tour group to Japan in April, I didn’t hesitate one minute. Our group of four have known each other for over forty years so we knew it would be a fun trip. Our tour began in the modern city of Tokyo and ended in Osaka a week later. Japan has many beautiful and historic tourist spots. We enjoyed the museums, palaces, shrines, tem-ples, castles and parks. The grounds and buildings were well maintained and the blooming trees were magnificent. The highlights of the trip included seeing Mt. Fuji, a ride on the Bullet Train, the local cuisine, and an overnight stay at a traditional hotel with dinner. We wore kimonos and slept on the floor on special sleeping mats. We appreciated our modern hotel accommoda-tions even more after that experience. The people were gracious and helpful. The children especially wanted to practice their English with us. We loved the uniforms each school child wore and the friendliness. We were exhausted but delighted with the sights of Japan. It was a memorable trip for all.

Traveling Through Eastern and Central Europe with Donna Furuta

I traveled through Eastern and Central Europe earlier this summer. My grandson, Ray, was principal flutist with the San Jose Youth Symphony and I traveled with them on their tour. Our air trip took us from San Francisco via Frankfort to Budapest. We traveled the four countries of our itinerary via bus (Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic and Poland). We left for home from Warsaw. The Youth Symphony was well received with full houses at each concert. The audiences in each country reacted differ-ently. The Hungarians were the most demonstrative with a rhythmic clap and a standing ovation. The Czech audience was more reserved but also enthusiastically clapped. The Pol-ish audience, who we were told almost never stands, were all standing in Wroclaw. The Youth Symphony director, Yair Se-metz, was startled to see the audience standing when he came back for a bow. Reports were that the audience in Austria was an enthusiastic one also. I didn’t go to that concert be-cause we were only two days in Vienna and I wanted to sight-see instead. All the cities we visited had a medieval look in their Old Town areas, but only Prague is authentic. All the others had been bombed and rebuilt since World War II. Prague has buildings dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. While in Prague, I visited with a 2nd cousin for a few hours. Jaroslava speaks English, having spent many months in the U.S. years ago.

St. Stephens Cathedral in Vienna

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The Green Team Korner….Keeping the Earth Green Hi there, Seems that more and more people are aware of the state of the Environment and are doing something about it. The Legislators are conscious of Global Warming and are asking the big companies to save energy by introduc-ing bills that will help keep our Earth safer. The auto industry is creating Hybrid cars to cut down on air pollution. SVTC (Silicon Valley Toxic Coalition) has been fighting, campaigning and working to make computers “Green” so that the toxic parts that are dumped in China, Nigeria and other countries will not contaminate their lands and the people handling them will not get sick. The organizers of the Alameda County Fair provided separate tubs and recycled all the paper, plastic and bot-tles used at the Fair. I feel great about all this and I thank God with all my heart. However, and there is always a “however,” I see people still using Styrofoam! The reason, I believe, is because it is economical, regardless of the bad effects for health, the land, and the amount of water it requires to make it. Please help me to convince people to stop using it! Until next time, Lupita Diaz

NEAL & RENE BIERBAUM….HOME FOR A VISIT

Rene and Jacqueline Curtis

Neal and Lupita Diaz

Neal and Rene sharing some of their adven-tures in the Philippines with the youth and children.

Pastor John and Rene

Derrick Rainbow, Neal and Carlo Trovato

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Steward—One who is “Filled...and Overflowing” Stewardship—Whatever we do with the Gospel by the way that we live. Sharing God’s Gifts isn’t an advertising slogan. It’s the official giving initiative of The United Methodist Church—a multimedia communications program designed to expand and increase giving across the connection and one of the key hall-marks that defines us as a covenant community. Sharing God’s Gifts is a shining example of how we come to-gether to lift a common burden, as Galatians 6:2 instructs: “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” And it’s always been that way since the days of John Wesley and the early Methodists. Pastor Wesley lived each and every day in the outreaching spirit of Jesus Christ. To relieve the helpless—the powerless poor—he collected clothes, distributed food and provided housing. To improve the lives of children, he established schools all across Eng-land. For the sick, he opened free medical clinics in his preaching houses. He did it all, as Bishop Kenneth L. Carder notes in his study, Giving from a Wesleyan Perspective, ”as an expression of love for God and neighbor—a necessary component of being a disciple of Jesus Christ and his mission to the people of the world.” John Wesley saw our work in the simplest terms: “Earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can.” But Wesley’s interpretation of “earn all you can” has a specific, defining instruction, cautions Bishop Carder. “It’s a call to a vocation that contributes to God’s mission of salvation...to an invest-ment in the common good everywhere.” “Save all you can,” adds Bishop Carder, “is Wesley’s call to a simplified lifestyle—a warning against extravagance, opulence and self-gratification.” “It is Wesley’s third rule—give all you can—that gives meaning to the first two,” continues Bishop Carder. “We are to gain all we can, and save all we can, so that we can give all we can. And for Wesley, that means giving all to God to whom everything belongs.” Even the poor were expected to help those who were worse off—because no one is exempt from the command to love their neighbor. No one. Which brings us to the best and most certain way you can do your share: MAKE SURE YOUR CHURCH SUPPORTS CONFERENCE AND GENERAL CHURCH APPORTIONED FUNDS 100% ANNUALLY.

BECAUSE OF Jesus Christ we share God’s love. Because of Jesus Christ we join hands in service.

The Stewardship Page for August 2007

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The following article is taken from “At the Cutting Edge”, A United Methodist Women’s CA/NV Conference Publication, Vol. XIII No. 1 Dated Summer - 2007

A Native American Perspective on Virginia Tech Headlines By Kat Teraji

“Bury my heart at Wounded Knee, Deep in the Earth, Cover me with pretty lies - bury my heart at Wounded Knee. Didn’t we learn to crawl, and still our history gets written in a liar’s scrawl. They tell ya’ ‘Honey, you can still be an Indian d-d-down at the ‘Y’ on Saturday nights.” - lyrics from “Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee,” written by Buffy St. Marie. “The worst Shooting Rampage in American History…”Massacre and Mourning, 33 Die in Worst Shooting in U.S. History,” and “Rampage Called Worst Mass Shooting in U.S. History.” “What first appeared to be a single as the media provided non-stop coverage immediately following the tragic shooting of 33 people at Virginia Tech University. “The Worst in U.S. History…” Really? It is certainly the worst shooting on a college campus in modern U.S. his-tory. But if we think it is the worst shooting rampage in U.S. history, then we are a singularly uneducated nation. “I can’t take one more of these headlines,” said Joan Redfern, a member of the Lakota Sioux tribe who lives in Hollister, CA. We met at First Street Coffee to talk while we scanned Internet stories. “Haven’t any of these people ever heard of the Massacre at Sand Creek in Colorado, where Methodist minister Col. Chivington massacred between 200 and 400 Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians, most of them women, children, and elderly men? Chivington specifically ordered the killing of the children, and when he was asked why, he said, “Kill and scalp all, big and little; nits make lice.” At Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, the U.S. 7th Cavalry attacked 350 unarmed Lakota Sioux on December 29, 1890. While engaged in a spiritual practice known as the “Ghost Dance,” approximately 90 warriors and 200 women stood and sang their death songs while falling under the hail of bullets. Soldiers stripped the bodies of the dead Lakota, keeping their ceremonial religious clothing as souvenirs. Although the attack was officially reported as an “unjustifiable massacre” by Field Commander General Nelson A. Miles, 23 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for the slaughter. Their awards still stand. “To say the Virginia shooting is the worst in all of U.S. history is to pour salt on old wounds—it means erasing and forgetting all of our ancestors who were killed in the past,” Redfern said. “The use of hyperbole and lack of historical perspective seems all too ubiquitous in much of the current main-stream media, “ Redfern said. “My intention is not to downplay the horror of what has happened this week in any way. But we have a 500-year history of mass shootings on American soil, and let’s not forget it. This is only the most recent massacre.” Let’s not forget our history and the richness of our Native roots. While leading youth on a Sierra Service Project on the 1.5 million acre Hopi Reservation in Arizona, I met families living in homes they have occupied for over 900 years. On the surface, it looks like a third world country: the continuity of a long and deep heritage, a sense of the sacred, and artistic expertise, and wisdom about many things that remain a mystery to my culture. Most of all, may we never forget all those innocent civilian men, women, and children who lost their lives simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, just as the students happened to be in Virginia. May we always remember the precious humanity of these students, but may we also never forget the humanity of those who lost their lives simply for be-ing born people Native to this country.

NOTICE!

All Door Locks On The Lower Level Rooms Will Be Re-Keyed On

Monday, August 6th

Your New Keys Can Be Picked Up From Louise In The Office.

New Keys Will Be Issued With

A $10.00 Per Key Deposit Which Will Be Returned When

The Key Is Turned In

A Good Idea

Someone has said if Christians really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. Did you know that during W.W.II there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a pre-scribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00PM Eastern Time, 8:00 PM Central , 7:00 PM Mountain and 6:00 PM Pacific, stop whatever you are doing and spend one min-ute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Pray for your family as well. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have.