Sharing the Light. The Summer Day by Mary Oliver

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1 W e s t w o o d H i l l s C o n g r e g a t i o n a l C h u r c h June 2013 Sharing the Light There is something about slowing our lives down a little that allows us to pray differently than we usually do. That allows us to pay attention to the wings of a grasshopper or the blades of grass. Inside this issue: Preschool Update 2 Children and Youth Ministries Deacons Report 4 Our Church Family 5 Summer Calendar 6 Summer Birthdays 7 3 The Summer Day by Mary Oliver Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is ea ng sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she li s her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay a en on, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? Dear Church Family, What a great ques on that is, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? I ve said before that I love the possibility that seems to be born every summer. I love the sense of openness that comes when the days are

2 Page 2 Sharing the Light, continued warmer and longer and maybe just a li le bit slower. When we give ourselves a li le more permission to enjoy the living of our days. To be idle and blessed. To take me and make space for rest. To revel in the scent of the flowers and the feel of the grass. To go away on vaca on, even if it s only to the backyard for dinner. There is something about slowing our lives down a li le that allows us to pray differently than we usually do. That allows us to pay a en on to the wings of a grasshopper or the blades of grass. To the people around us, who are so easy to take for granted. To the lives we ve been given and don t o en allow ourselves to enjoy. Something about the long days of summer opens up the possibility to see our lives differently. To find God differently in the world. This summer, we re going on a vaca on every Sunday. Each week will take us to a different loca on: from the Holy Land to grandma s house, from the mountains to the beach, from Disneyland to our own backyards. We will go together to camp and prac ce the holiness of laughter at Westwood Home Companion. We will take me and make space to seek God out wherever we go. To see our lives and ourselves and our God differently, by shi ing loca ons and changing perspec ves. And then, when we return to one another in fall, we will have stories to tell and experiences to relate and encounters with God we might never have otherwise had. Let this be a me of rest for each and every one of us. Let this be a me of simple joy. Let us ponder what it is we each might plan to do with one wild and precious life My heart to yours, Kirsten F P D It has been slightly less than a year since I was chosen as the director of our beloved school. As I walk through the yard and classrooms, I see the growth and evolu on of the program. Teachers are so deeply involved with crea ng new and crea ve curriculum for learning and growth. I feel so proud! Since this is my last newsle er of our academic year, I would like to thank my wonderful staff for their hard work and dedica on to the children and the program. I could have not done it without your support. I would also like to thank the families for their encouragement and kind words. It really means a lot to see my hard work is being appreciated as you no ce the new opportuni es provided for an enriching program. Rev. Kirsten, Pastor Bear, and Sabra your uncondi onal love and understanding have pushed me through. I am grateful to the preschool commi ee for believing in me and my vision for WHP. We will be the best program in West Los Angeles. We are looking forward to congratula ng our class of 2013 on June 28th. We wish them all the best! Nikki Zomorodi

3 Page 3 Fun and Faith (on Friday even!) For the address, please contact the church office. P K P M R R At the mee ng on June 2 nd, I discussed with the kids and their parents what they would like the future of our ministry with them to be. The kids reaffirmed their desire to help other kids that are less fortunate than our community: those kids in the LA area who are homeless as well as kids around the world suffering because of natural disasters or other causes. They also like to be involved with environmental stewardship and hope to have another beach cleanup soon. There is also a desire for age-specific ac vi es in the future. While this may be accommodated, we must make sure to not leave anyone out. We are a church of inclusion. A er Rev. Kirsten took the kids out to have me with her, the grownups and I discussed the more mundane topic of logis cs. And given the extremely busy nature of everyone s calendar these days, especially the kids, it seems that the best mes to plan future events are Friday evenings and Sundays before, during, or a er church. Going forward, I would like to ask all of you, whether you were present at the mee ng or not, to share your ideas with me in regards to what you would like Westwood Hills children and youth ministries to look like. I can cra a program myself, but unless it is something we all have a passion for, something we all buy into, then it will not flourish. Also, please let me know in general what your and/or your kids schedules are for the upcoming school year. Are you also available on Friday evenings and Sundays? Are there other mes that work be er? Our kids deserve the very best, and I think we can give it to them, if we all work together. Thanks! Pastor Bear

4 Page 4 F D The Deacons have had a produc ve beginning to our year. The chari es we are sponsoring with the Deacon s Funds are: PATH Ventures, OPCC and the Westside Food Bank. We have also decided to pledge our monetary support for the Special Offerings that are taken at church each quarter: One Great Hour of Sharing, Strengthen the Church, Neighbors in Need and The Christmas Fund. Lent was a me of great excitement for the Church and we enjoyed sponsoring the egg hunt for all of the children as well as being involved with the Labyrinth and Prayer Vigil, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday services. We have enjoyed working with Fellowship and Hospitality on Ernie s Reed s Memorial luncheon and Pastor Bear s installa on this past Spring. The Deacons are currently inves ng in an upgrade to our (and the choir s) appearances by purchasing 20 much-needed, new, red/white stoles for the Easter, Pentecost and Christmas season. We are looking forward to the summer season with the travel sermon series by Reverend Kirsten and Pastor Bear, Sabbath Sunday June 30th led by Brad Stone as preacher, A Westwood Home Companion on July 21st, Camp Sunday July 28th, and a special guest preacher, Chris Arndt, on August 8th. Next Fall, we are excited for the all-church picnic/worship service on September 22nd as well as an outdoor worship service with West Hollywood UCC on September 29th. E B R For the past few months, the Chris an Educa on Board has con nued to focus on Sunday School by recrui ng teachers and honoring these volunteers on Strawberry Sunday. For Easter, we tried a new organiza on system for helping children of various ages to enjoy decora ng Easter bags and Kate Burleigh led the children in a special Easter song during the service. In addi on to planning for next year s children s ministry, we have also renewed our focus on developing adult educa on programs. As a young board, we've enjoyed working together since the start of 2013 and look forward to a busy summer of planning for the year ahead. Save the Date WHCC Church Picnic Sunday, September 22, 2013 After Worship Cheviot Hills Park Open to all. More info to follow in early September.

5 O C F Page 5 Prayers of joy for Skyla Rose Tosheff, born to Velly and Ilia Tosheff. We are so glad that Skyla made it safely into the world! We pray for all those affected by the shoo ngs in and around Santa Monica College recently. May God be with all those who mourn, and with those bystanders who have been trauma zed by these events. May God bring peace from this great pain. Prayers for the Carlson family, as their patriarch, Dwight, has suffered a series of strokes and the family is facing a number of hard decisions. God help them to keep Dwight s wishes in mind and to pull together for the road ahead. We also pray for Alex Gilbert, who has been dealing with anxiety lately, and for her parents who are seeking new ways to support her. God bring them strength. Con nued prayers for Nancy Pries daughter, who has been in and out of rehab lately, and is struggling to choose life. We pray that God will show her a new path and give her courage to walk it. Prayers for Nancy, as she deals with what she can and cannot do to help. We hold Claudia and Sara in our hearts, a young lesbian couple who have asked for our prayers, as they struggle to be accepted in their families. God be with them. Prayers of thanksgiving for the lives of Jerry and Ernie Reed, who have both passed into God s arms. We give thanks for their incredible example of faith, for their commitment to God and to God s church, and for the blessing of having known and loved them. Ongoing prayers for Kate Burleigh s mom, who is grieving the passing of her significant other, Jim. We give thanks that he is no longer suffering. Prayers for Pastor Raymond Lamondy and his wife, Je, on the loss of their daughter, Melo, to cancer. We ask God to bring them comfort in their grieving and strength to Melo s husband and son. With Lisa Cash, we pray for the people in her workplace, who have undergone a lot of change in a very li le me. May they begin to work together for the benefit of all. Prayers of comfort for the Bi koffer family, a er Tom s dad passed away. We give thanks he is released from his health struggles, and ask God to be with the whole family. We con nue to pray for those in the Midwest who have been affected by storms and tornadoes in recent weeks, as well as the people of Boston, who con nue to heal a er the marathon bombings. God bring them all strength and courage. Prayers for our preschool board and staff, as they work to make our school even be er. May God lead us in new direc ons. We con nue to pray for Gloria Grace, who has moved to Northridge to be closer to her family. Her prayers for peace in our lives and in our world remain with us. Ongoing prayers for Be y Hubbell, who con nues to recover in El Centro a er her car accident. May she grow stronger each day in body and in spirit. Prayers for Barbara Cicio, as she con nues in a me of change in her own life. May she know that she is ever and always in our hearts. We li up prayers for the chari es we support locally, and the work they do to combat hunger and homelessness in our community. God be with our friend, Rev. JD Webster, as he follows a new calling in his ministry. May his health be strong. Prayers of strength for all in these difficult financial mes. We pray there will be a way for each one to come through this me of trial into hope. We give thanks for the growth of our ministry, and for the support to hire a half- me Associate Minister. May God give us courage to grow into the ministry we are called to live. Let us work together to share what we have been given. Prayers for our summer adventures. Wherever we travel, may we seek God and then return home to share our stories with one another.

6 Page 6 S C J 16 Father s Day 21 Fun and Faith on Friday at 6:30 pm at the Arndt home 22 Educa on Board meets 9-1 in Youth Room 23 Prospec ve Members Class at 11:30 am in Fireside Room 28 Preschool Gradua on 10am in Sanctuary 28-7/2 UCC Synod 29 in Long Beach J 1-5 Preschool closed for Summer Break 4 Church Office closed for Independence Day 5 Confirma on Class 6:30 pm 8 Summer Camp begins at Preschool 10 Women s Book Club 7:30 pm at Hilda s home Kirkwood UCC Youth Group staying at WHCC 20 A Westwood Home Companion rehearsal in the Sanctuary 21 A Westwood Home Companion 10 am in the Sanctuary WHCC Kids at Pilgrim Pines for Camp 28 Camp Sunday A 1-4 Pastor Bear away on vaca on 5-13 Rev. Kirsten away on vaca on 9 or 10 Confirma on class (One mee ng on one of those days, TBD) Sabra away on vaca on 23 Last Day of Summer Camp at Preschool Preschool closed for In Service S 2 Church and Preschool closed for Labor Day 3 First day of Preschool 8 Choir is back Sunday School resumes Leadership Sunday 22 Church picnic at Cheviot Hills Park A er worship 29 Worship in Elysian Park with West Hollywood and other UCC churches Worship at 11:00 am, picnic at noon

7 Page 7 H S B! 6/2 Kathy Nojima 6/4 Natalie Arndt 6/10 Jenna Brandt 6/11 Temi Fajemisin 6/18 Rosie Dwyer 6/20 Erin McConahey 6/22 Wayne Brandt 6/23 Melanie Edward 6/23 Cambra Gilbert 6/26 Trisha Attles 6/26 Kate Bancroft 6/26 Samuel Lingle 6/28 Bill Ouchi 6/28 Deb Adair 7/3 Christina Bull Arndt 7/10 Josh Nord 7/11 Juan Pablo Heckendorf 7/13 Lindsay Ross 7/17 Jeff Krell 7/20 Homer Walton 7/24 Barbara Zweigler 7/30 Kip Gibson 8/1 Robert Holte 8/6 Steve Schultz 8/7 Eva Clubb 8/12 Christa Bancroft 8/13 Marc Matloff 8/14 Gloria Grace 8/14 Darcy Mann 8/15 Abe Nash-Resnick 8/15 Sabra Gibson 8/17 James Bancroft 8/20 Glenn Gilbert 8/20 Carolyn Hoeckmann-Percival 8/21 Denise LaChance 8/22 Eric Krieger 8/24 Brad Stone 8/25 John McGurk 8/26 Brennan King 8/31 Diana Kim

8 In the Spirit of Christ, we worship a loving God as we share our love and our lives. We are an Open and Affirming community. We celebrate diversity and create a refuge for spiritual, emotional, and intellectual growth. From our roots in Los Angeles, we reach out to our neighbors, sharing our gifts and resources. W e s t w o o d H i l l s C o n g r e g a t i o n a l C h u r c h W e s t w o o d B l v d. L o s A n g e l e s, C A P h o n e : E m a i l : o f f i c w e s t w o o d u c c. o r g