May 5, 2017, Volume 67 No. 5
Easter Worship Series Continues:
Resurrection Stories Our Easter worship series continues through Pentecost. Come to worship for powerful testimonies— Resurrection Stories—from those who have found “resurrection” in their lives. It might just inspire you to your own rising up! May 7: Resurrection From Oppression This country is made up of so many who escaped to the “promised land” from oppressive regimes. Even within our country and in our own time, there are those who live with oppression and fear. We will listen to three inspirational Resurrection Stories to widen our understanding of what we must do to continue to work for liberation. Our scripture will be Exodus 3:1-15. May 14: Resurrection Stories: Mother’s Day A celebration of mothers, and the ways they embody resurrection. May 21: Resurrection From Imprisonment Jesus’ declaration that he had come to “set the prisoner free” can be interpreted for all of us, whether we have ever experienced being behind literal prison bars. We will hear the powerful Resurrection Story of someone who was incarcerated and is now living a truly free life, thanks to the help of a new-found faith. Our scripture will be Acts 16:15-34. May 28: Resurrection From Illness Sometimes illness can change the course of our lives forever, asking us to adapt in ways we never imagined. A Resurrection Story of rediscovering a passion for life after a devastating illness will offer us a different perspective on how we deal with any life-altering situation. Our scripture will be Genesis 32:24-32. June 4: Resurrection Spirit: Pentecost The Spirit is alive and moves among us as it did in the early church! The end of our series will offer us an opportunity to commit ourselves to some important and concrete goals for our mission in the world. We are a church that can mobilize to alleviate suffering and proclaim resurrection hope through power of the Holy Spirit! Our scripture will be Romans 12:1-16.
Even though we are amidst such great transition here at Los Altos UMC, I am heartened to know that we are all still focused on our mission of “touching heaven, changing earth with head, heart, and hands.” While we are full with questions, prayers and wondering, still we are doing the ministry of our God. While we are worshipping, offering hospitality, enacting bold service and social justice, deepening our faith, and growing in generosity, we are also preparing for the leave-taking of Pastor Debbie, myself, and Paul Rosas, our senior organist. (We would love to see you at our farewell dinner on June 25.) And we are preparing for the welcoming of our new senior pastor, Rev. Kathi McShane, our new associate pastor, Rev. Jon Visitacion, and our new organist. Last month, I was able to share with you a photo and message from Pastor Kathi. This month, I want to share with you a photo and message from Pastor Jon. Blessings,
I am very excited to serve the people of Los Altos UMC and be a member of this community. I grew up in the Central Valley, but I have been serving churches and camps all over California for more than 10 years. I am currently serving Wesley UMC near downtown San Jose as the associate pastor with an emphasis on emerging ministries and congregational care. My wife and I have been married since 2015, and we will be expecting our first son in September. My passions in ministry are to serve God, support others along their faith journey, and just try new things that allow us to grow in our faith. I hope to learn a lot at Los Altos UMC and share with you all my passion and love for Christ. This past Sunday, I preached on the “great expectation” placed on us by God to go out into the world and share God’s love and to follow where God is calling us. I realize that God is calling me in this next chapter of ministry, and I hope that we all hear and respond to God’s call to serve. Grace and peace be with you all, Amen! —Pastor Jon Visitacion
Seeking Organizers for Compassion Week The Compassion Week Planning Committee works each year to arrange community service opportunities, encourage people from our church and community to serve, and celebrate our congregation’s heart for outreach and service. Would you like to help lead our congregation through Compassion Week? Contact Nadine Tadeo (
[email protected]) if you have any questions or are ready to hop on board!
May 5, 2017
Announcing Associate Pastor Transition Eleven years ago, Rev. Debbie Weatherspoon was appointed to be one of Los Altos UMC’s associate pastors. Pastor Debbie cherishes her time with this congregation and the blessings she has received from being a pastor with us. As was announced in worship on April 23, Pastor Debbie will be appointed to a leave of absence by Bishop Minerva Carcaño starting July 1. This does not change her status as an ordained elder. The farewell dinner for our departing staff will be on June 25, immediately following the Creekside Crossings service. Please watch for more information about how we can honor and celebrate the years of ministry together.
GOOD NEWS!
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Organist Paul Rosas Plans Retirement Thank you for all of the support and encouragement that you have given me for the last 12-plus years as organist, accompanist, emergency choir director, and one of the resident composers at Los Altos UMC. You have helped me to grow as a person as well as a musician and given me the courage to follow my dreams as a composer, culminating in Maundy Thursday’s performance of my “Requiem of Remembrance.” I have been playing for church services for 56 years, and after much debate, I have decided to retire from my job as organist at Los Altos UMC at the end of June. Karen and I will be moving to the San Diego area to be closer to our two sons and their families. We will continue to celebrate life by exploring the world and checking things off our bucket list. We will also continue to stay in touch with our many friends, come back to visit, and maybe even do concerts when we are in town. Blessings to you, Paul Rosas
Ready for the Rummage Sale
Birth Sabrina Maeve Brubaker April 7 Parents: Will & Shauna Brubaker Grandparents: Lisa & Doug Webb, Nancy & Dave Brubaker Great-grandmother: Mary Ellen Snodgrass
Deaths Max Bailey March 26 Survived by his wife, Beverly Bailey Jean Giulie April 2 Survived by her husband, Joe Giulie
Friday, May 19, 8:00am–5:00pm Saturday, May 20, 9:00am–2:00pm Are you ready for LAUMC’s annual rummage sale? The United Methodist Women and Starfire Singers are! Clean out your closets and garages and donate useable items, then pick up new-to-you bargains. Remember to: DONATE your treasures at Creekside on Tuesday, May 16, or Wednesday, May 17, 9:00am–8:00pm. If you have larger furniture items in good condition, a pick-up can be arranged within 5 miles of the church. Contact Patricia Parfett (650-9066265 or
[email protected]) to schedule. Donations of handled grocery bags or other large shopping bags are also needed. VOLUNTEER to sort and price donated items. People of all ages can help; just show up on Monday through Thursday, May 15–18, and we will find a place for you. Lunch and snacks will be provided. SHOP at the sale on Friday, May 19, 8:00am–5:00pm and Saturday, May 20, 9:00am–2:00pm. Creekside Center will be filled with bargain items for adults and children, and the Youth Room will feature a large selection of antiques and vintage collectibles. Remember, the proceeds will benefit the UMW’s community outreach and the Starfire Singers summer UK tour.
May Outreach Connection: Casa Materna Sunday, May 14, all services Casa Materna in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, is one of the agencies supported by LAUMC through the Outreach Team. Since 1991, in a remote region of Nicaragua where the infant mortality rate is very high, Casa Materna has helped mothers with high-risk pregnancies who otherwise lack adequate medical care to successfully deliver healthy babies. LAUMC member Dana Stern serves on Casa Materna’s board of directors. Find out more about this ministry at www.casamaterna.org. Your donation to our special offering on May 14 will go a long way in helping mothers in Nicaragua with high-risk pregnancies deliver healthy babies.
May 5, 2017
GOOD NEWS!
GroupLife Update GroupLife is grateful to the more than 70 multi-generational folks who are participating on Wednesday nights in Animate: Bible. We are enjoying delicious dinners, delightful fellowship, and lively discussion about the Bible’s background and its relevance for us today. Hats off to Fred Mayo and Jim & Carolyn Stratton for helping to prepare our dinners each week. We also appreciate the Church Council for funding the Opportunity Fund grant that makes our event free of charge. While this growth night program flourishes, GroupLife is busy planning multiple on-campus gatherings for this fall. These 6- to 8-week group sessions will cover a variety of topics, including social justice, science & faith, the Chronicles of Narnia, and more! Details will be announced later this summer. Contact
[email protected] with questions or suggestions. Pictured: Participants at an Animate: Bible session
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Celebrating Our Graduates The church office is compiling a list of high school and college/university graduates to celebrate their accomplishments in the June edition of the Good News! newsletter. Please fill in the details of your (or your child’s) graduation online at www.laumc.org/graduates-2017 by Friday, June 2.
Student Scholarship Applications Now Accepted Los Altos UMC offers two annual scholarships to students. The deadline to apply this year is May 17. The Roy Damonte Scholarship, established in 1992 to honor the lifetime ministry of our former director of Christian education, is awarded to one or more outstanding high school seniors. These scholarships are given to graduating students who have been actively involved in the church and have made a significant impact on the life of Los Altos UMC. The Dirk and Carol Damonte Scholarship was established in 2010. Dirk serves as our minister of music and worship arts and Carol as the director of ministries and music for youth. Dirk and Carol have dedicated their careers to helping youth at Los Altos UMC discover and explore their faith in God, their talents, their love of music, and their dreams for the future, so it’s no surprise that the goal of their scholarship program is to support undergraduate and graduate students from Los Altos UMC as they pursue degrees in music and religious studies. Applications must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee by May 17. Scholarship award decisions are made by July 18 and will be presented in worship on July 23. For more details about either scholarship or an application form, visit www.laumc.org/ youth/scholarships or contact Carol Damonte (
[email protected]).
May 5, 2017
What’s It Like on the Other Side of the Bridge? The Youth Ministries team wants incoming and transitioning youth to join us on an adventure. We think when you walk over the bridge, you’ll find that growing into the next age group at the church is a pretty cool thing. Come check it out! Then when fall comes, you’ll know what you have to look forward to, and you’ll feel comfortable with the new friends you’ve already met. RSVP to Carol Damonte (
[email protected]) so we know you are coming to a kick-off event. 5th Graders Moving Into 6th Grade Wednesday, May 10, 5:00–6:00pm, Choir Room Lightshine Choir would love to have you. You could be new to the whole singing thing, or you could have been singing forever. We want you to be part of this great group of people who laugh, make new friends, and sing together. We’ll sing a bit, get to know each other, and eat ice cream! 6th Graders Moving Into 7th Grade Sunday, May 21, 7:00–8:30pm, Room 7 Walking over the bridge from 6th grade to 7th grade gives you a whole new view. Journey, the junior high (7th and 8th graders) youth fellowship, meets Sunday evenings to talk about faith, how it fits into life, and how it makes a difference. We celebrate new friendships and think deeper. We’ll welcome you, get to know you, eat a little, and play some games—and get excited for the fall! 8th Graders Moving Into 9th Grade Sunday, May 14, 7:00–8:30pm, Youth Room This bridge crossing may be the steepest of all. There’s nothing like moving into high school, where everything is new and different and you’re not quite sure how or where you fit in. Let Mosaic, our senior high youth fellowship, give you a heads up as well as a great place to belong before fall even starts. We’ll show you why it’s so important to get connected at church before you walk into high school for the first time. Starfire Singers Wednesday, May 24, 7:00–8:30pm, Choir Room Starfire Singers is one of the most incredible groups you will ever have a chance to be a part of. We sing together, laugh, cry, pray, tour the world, perform musicals, celebrate in worship, do mission projects, go on retreats, and make life-long friends with each other; and we do all of that with God at the center. If you don’t think you can sing, come anyway. Between friends and faith, your song will come. Rehearse with us on May 24, then sing with us on Sunday morning, May 28, at the 11:15am service (we’ll gather in the choir room at 10:15am). Afterward, we’ll go across the street and have bagels together. Our treat!
New Summer Blast for Middle School Youth Sundays, June 4–August 27 Looking for a summer opportunity for your (current) 5th through 8th grader to connect with other kids, learn more about the Bible and their faith, and just have a ton of fun? We invite your kids to Summer Blast! Programs will be held on Sunday evenings; stay tuned for the schedule details, which will be released later in May. If you have questions or would like to volunteer, contact coordinators Kim Jones (GroupLife chairperson) and Carol Pugh (Deepening Faith chairperson) at
[email protected].
GOOD NEWS!
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Children’s Ministries News What an Easter season. And now on to May Days, Heifer celebrations, and nearing the end of the regular school year. Vacation Bible School registration ends May 19, so sign up (www.laumc.org/vbs2017reg) if you haven’t already! A great servant of God, parents, and children is angel Barbara Ryder. Besides teaching our 2’s and 3’s every Sunday, Barbara swept up all the hallways of debris after the most recent spring storms so that Sunday school would be welcoming as always. We are happy that Wally Norum will continue to supply palm branches for Palm Sunday. Thanks to Jan Dobson, Jim Stratton, Bob Morley, Karen Groseclose, and Chris Dunn for a wonderful portrayal of the events of Holy Week. My additional thanks to Barbara, board member Tammy Glazkov and her family, and Jeff and Spencer Nordmann for hiding 500 eggs on Easter—all were found! In Sunday school, our word is “determination,” and we share the stories of the disciples/apostles as they formed the church and gained followers and converts. So many great kids, so many great teachers and superintendents, and great leadership from Pastor Debbie. We celebrate you! —John Lehman, interim Sunday school coordinator
Children’s Center News For May Day, the children brought in flowers from their gardens and made beautiful nosegays. We encouraged the children to give their pretty bouquets to someone they love or someone who could use a little cheer. We also danced around the maypole. We enjoyed participating in the April 30 Children’s Celebration Sunday service here at LAUMC. Some of our preschoolers joined the church choirs in a lovely rendition of “Over My Head.” Our classes also helped make decorations, including the cheery rainbow paraments that hung from the pulpit. Our directors, Heidi and Dee, led the Sunday school children in a maypole dance. After the service, we enjoyed hosting a lemonade and cookie reception. In late April, we had a special visit from Los Altos police officer Ryan Langone. Officer Langone spoke with the children about his job, his uniform, and how he became a policeman. The kids were mesmerized! When he invited all of the children to sit in his police car, they absolutely loved the experience! Although the school year is winding down, we continue to be as busy as ever. Our pre-K children will sing for their parents and loved ones in our Spring Sensation celebration and good-luck send-off event on Friday evening, May 5. How to Be a Perfect Parent, Take 2 Wednesday, May 17, 9:30–11:00am, Live Oak Room Local pediatrician and CC alumni mom Dr. Julie Lipps Kim will return for a second time to delight attendees with her candor, wisdom, and practical advice on parenting. For more information and to register, visit www.childrenscenterpreschool.org. Last but definitely not least, our end-of-school-year hurrah will be our annual Children’s Center Fun Day on Tuesday, June 6. The kids will participate in carnival fun, followed by an amazing bubble show. What a way to welcome summer!
May 5, 2017
GOOD NEWS!
Deep Blue: Preschool through kindergarten meet in the Children’s Center. • 2- and 3-year-olds in Room 2 • 4-year-olds and kindergarteners in Room 1 Club 252: 1st–5th grades meet in Creekside then go to the following locations: • 1st and 2nd grades in Room 11 • 3rd grade in Room 9 • 4th and 5th grades in Room 8 Donovan’s Door: One-on-one aides are available for all children with special needs during the Sunday school hour with advance reservation. Contact MacKenzie Breining (
[email protected]).
Children’s Spring Concert Sunday, May 21, 2:00pm, Creekside All are invited to enjoy hearing the Rainbow Choir and Sunshine Singers, our two children’s choirs, perform a combined concert, entitled “All About the Call.” Each choir will also sing some favorite songs from the year. A short reception will follow the show.
May Simple Supper Sunday, May 28 6:15pm, Creekside This month we are offering a Simple Supper as an opportunity for good food and table fellowship. Come to the 5:00pm service first, or join us at 6:15pm for dinner and good company. We especially welcome those who struggle a little more at the end of the month to make ends meet, that you may enjoy a warm meal.
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GOOD NEWS! Los Altos United Methodist Church 655 Magdalena Avenue Los Altos, CA 94024-5297 (650) 948-1083 www.laumc.org DATE MAILED: May 5, 2017 NEXT GOOD NEWS! DEADLINE: June 5, 2017 WORSHIP SERVICES: Sundays 8:00, 9:30, 11:15am & 5:00pm
Donate Books for Women’s Jail Would you donate books to those with a little extra time to read? The United Methodist Women are collecting books for Elmwood Women’s Correctional Facility in Milpitas. Please bring your book donation to the church office, where there is a collection box. Women’s biographies, inspirational books, good fiction, and historical novels are preferred. Donations will be picked up and delivered by CIC Ministries, which responds to the spiritual needs of incarcerated youth and adults in Santa Clara County.
UMW Quarterly Meeting: Identity Theft Wednesday, May 24, 10:00–11:45am, Creekside All are invited to hear a speaker from the Los Altos Police Department present information about identity theft. Identity theft is a potential problem for everyone. Coffee and cookies will be provided at 10:00am, and the speaker will begin at 10:45am. Contact Harriet Palmer (650-9489527) with questions.
Dinner Fellowship With Muslims During Ramadan Wednesday, June 7, 7:00pm, Creekside The Bold Service and Social Justice and Radical Hospitality Committees, along with our friends from the Pacifica Institute and the Bay Area Cultural Center, invite you to participate in the Islamic tradition of breaking fast during Ramadan, a holy month of fasting and religious devotion. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk but enjoy feasts in the evening. Come experience a fast-ending dinner: a warm, wonderful evening filled with delicious food, new friendships, and the opportunity to discuss the commonalities in our lives and our faiths. Los Altos UMC participants will receive information in advance about Ramadan and Muslim customs and traditions. We hope that our graciousness as hosts will honor the warmth, kindness, and generosity of our Muslim guests. There is no charge for the dinner, but attendance is limited to 70 people, and reservations are required. Children are welcome. Reserve your spot at www.laumc.org/ramadan-feast-rsvp by Wednesday, May 31.
