SPIRIT. Gardena Valley Baptist Church. Issue 3. ear Family,

Transcription

1 Gardena Valley Baptist Church Issue 3 February 2, 2011 GV BC M I SSI O N ST A T EMEN T Helping people discov er Jesus and become His fully devoted follow ers. GV BC PU R PO SE ST A T EMEN T At GVBC, we seek to glorify God by: ~ reaching the world for Christ ~uniting as His family ~worshiping Him with our liv es ~growing in Christ-like character ~and serving others in lov e. Inside this issue: City of Gardena Employees Appreciation Proposed Constitutional Amendments 2 Job Help Workshop 3 Profile of Isaac Ide by Kathy Aiso 4 Family News Mission Field 5 FYI: Events Calendar GVBC Women s Retreat Church Staff Changes SPIRIT ear Family, D Today it s been three weeks since my dad s death. It seems like a lifetime without him and yet it also seems like just yesterday that he was talking to me and smiling his warm love for me. As I face today, I reflect on how we live blessed by people and hopeful in Christ. I truly believe the perfect relationship is the Father, Son and Spirit in the trinity. God created us in community and the small community is family. It is so important for family to be God-centered in Christ s love. Although all families are not perfect, they lay the foundation for how we relate to everyone else. This was God s intention; that s why Jesus had us call God Abba (Daddy) in the Lord s Prayer. My family is not perfect and Dad was not either. I could go through a list of I wishes about Dad as he could have wished about me, but his greatest strength was unconditional love. I could disappoint him, blow classes, do dumb things and not meet his expectations, but his unconditional love for me was never pulled back. I think it s the best strength to have. I miss it today because he is gone. But the hope I live with is, while Dad is gone from me, he is alive in Christ Jesus. To quote a song, Because He lives I can face tomorrow (and today); Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives 1 [paraphrasing is from Pastor Steve]. Christ is our hope for the future; Christ is our hope for the present and Christ is our hope for our past. When death comes to someone who loves us, it s like having our anchor chain break and we start to drift. But Christ is another anchor for us with an indestructible chain so, while we may drift a little, Christ has us and will never let us go. We live each day in this hope. I live each day in this faith. I do not know how people can make it through life without a church family. You have to invest yourself in it (the church family), but when a storm comes, the church family is there to go through it with you. Thank you for going through this storm with me. You are wonderful! You are the face, hands and voice of our Father. Love you! His child, Steve 1 [Because He Lives written by Gloria & William J. Gaither 1971]

2 NEIGHBORHOOD MINISTRY CITY OF GARDENA EMPLOYEES APPRECIATION SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13 Love the City of Gardena Employees GVBC has an opportunity to extend love to our City of Gardena employees for Valentine s Day. We are asking GVBCers to donate baked goods for various departments of the city. We would like to express our appreciation and encourage them to seek the common good of our city. You can volunteer to bake Valentines goodies. You can also pray for and write a personal note to encourage them. We encourage individuals, families, or community groups to participate in this event. You can drop off your baked goods and/or letters to the kitchen on Sunday, February 13 and we ll deliver them for you. Or, if you prefer, you can deliver your baked goods and/or letters directly to the city departments during the week of February 14 to 18. Please visit the Neighborhood Ministry in the courtyard after the worship services or GVBChood@gmail.com to sign up. Contact Paul Matsushima, Pastoral Intern Neighborhood Impact, ext. 695 or him at: paul@gvbc.net. Proposed Constitutional Amendments At the upcoming Annual Business Meeting on Sunday February 20 at 5:00 pm, the membership will be considering the following amendments to the GVBC constitution: ARTI CLE XVI CHURCH FINANCES, Section 1 - Annual General Fund Budget currently reads as follows: The church shall adopt an annual General Fund Budget at its election meeting (See Article XIV, Section 1.2). It shall be presented by the Board of Deacons and have been developed by the Budget Committee (See Article IX, Section 3). During the year, a Core Ministry may over-spend a line item within its budget as long as the total Core Ministry budget does not exceed the church adopted amount. With the recommendation of the Budget Committee, the Board of Deacons may approve transfers of funds among Core Ministries and/or Staffing Budgets during a budget year as priorities or staffing needs change. The Board may amend the adopted General Fund Budget with a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Deacons by up to three percent (3%) of the adopted Budget. Proposed Amendment #1: The church shall adopt an annual General Fund Budget at its election meeting (See Article XIV, Section 1.2). It shall be presented by the Board of Deac ons and have been developed by the Budget Committee (S ee Article IX, Section 3). During the year, a Core Ministry may over-spend a line item within its budget as long as the total Core Ministry budget does not exceed the church adopted amount. A Core Ministry may exceed their total Core Ministry Budget with prior approval of the Board of Deacons. The Board may exceed the adopted General Fund Budget by up to three percent (3%) of the total budget with a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Deacons. With the recommendation of the Budget Committee, the Board of Deac ons may approve transfers of funds among Core Ministries and/or Staffing Budgets during a budget year as priorities or staffing needs change. Proposed Amendment #1 will allow the Board of Deacons to more effectively manage the church budget. ARTICLE XIV MEETINGS, Section 1 Meetings currently reads as follows:.1 An Annual Meeting shall be held in January or during the first two weeks of February following the close of the previous fiscal year. The agenda shall include Annual Reports from all Pastoral Staff, Church Officers, Core and Target Ministries, the end of the year financial report, and other appropriate matters. (Continued on page 3) Page 2 SPIRIT

3 (Proposed Constitutional Amendments Continued from page 2) Proposed Amendment #2: An Annual Meeting shall be held during the first t wo (2) months following the close of the previous fiscal year. The agenda shall include Annual Reports, the end of the year financial report, and other appropriate matters. Proposed Amendment #2 allows the church more flexibility when scheduling the Annual Meeting, especially with variables such as Super Bowl Obento and Valentine s Day to consider. We need 25% of our voting members to be present at the meeting in order to consider any constitutional amendments, so we hope you will plan on attending. In facing current or impending unemployment, Gardena Valley Baptist Church would like to personally invite you to attend our JOB HELP WORKSHOP In this workshop, you ll learn how to compete in today s job market by: Networking for more opportunities Building an effective resume Having a winning interview Join us for a combination of sessions focused on these three important areas in the job search process. Saturday, February 19 9:00 AM 2:00 PM Rooms (GVBC, 1630 W. 158 th Street, Gardena, CA 90247) A free lunch will be provided for all guests. This free workshop is open to anyone and is hosted in conjunction with GVBC s Membership Service Ministries. Please feel free to invite a friend. For the most benefit, bring a copy of your current resume for review, if possible. If you don t have one, we will teach you how to write one. For more information or to RSVP no later than Thursday, February 17, please contact: Stacia Kato via the church office or staciakato@gmail.com or Pastor Annette Kakimoto at (310) , ext. 680 or (Annette@gvbc.net). We hope this workshop will be a blessing to you in this time of life s transitions. Issue 3 Page 3

4 Trial to Triumph Profile of Isaac Ide By Kathy Aiso Every highway of life descends into the valley now and then. And everyone must go through the tunnel of tribulation before they can travel on the high road of triumph. L.B. Cowman From trial to triumph, Isaac Ide (pictured here with his young cousin) handled difficult personal challenges from Get out of my car! In September 2008, a miscommunication in the car between Isaac and his mother, [the late] Yuki Ide, led her to order him out of the vehicle. Only moments later, at midnight, Mrs. Ide pleaded with Isaac, who was 14 years old, to get back in the car. Isaac stubbornly refused. What transpired was a pushand-pull fight with Mrs. Ide pushing and Isaac resisting. Only after Redondo Beach police stopped to inquire about the situation did Isaac get back into the car. Once in the car, Isaac was so infuriated he screamed at the top of his lungs. The two did not talk for two days until Isaac broke the ice. Issac could see his mother felt terrible and blamed herself for the incident. I forgive you, Issac gently told her. A shared relationship From that moment on, Issac and his mother s relationship changed. They began sharing on a personal level with one another. Mrs. Ide shared her childhood memories. Isaac also began sharing intimate details about himself which he never told anyone else. At times, they talked as long as four hours. Isaac s mother became his confidant and best friend. Isaac really cherished their intimate conversations, not knowing within the year, Mrs. Ide would face the most challenging battle of her life. Facing the challenge In March 2009, Mrs. Ide began facing the challenge when she was diagnosed with skin cancer. God blessed Mrs. Ide with the best medical care. In Japan, she received treatment from one of the top oncology doctors who specialized in skin cancer. Throughout Mrs. Ide s ordeal, she had such a strong faith in God. Mrs. Ide accepted God would either heal her or she would pass away. God did take Mrs. Ide home in April Trials build perseverance and trust in God In retrospect, Isaac now rejoices how God used all the challenges in for his and the family s benefit. During his mother s illness, Isaac increasingly felt God s love and realized he didn t need any other identity, but through Christ. Isaac also became thankful God transformed his relationship to a closer one with his mother. It was also through Mrs. Ide s ordeal and passing when the family grew even closer. If Isaac had to do it all over again, he acknowledged he wouldn t have changed anything. In the scheme of things, Isaac realized God worked all the challenges the Ides faced for good. Growing up in a Christian home A native of the South Bay, Isaac grew up in Redondo Beach in a Christian home. From his youth, Isaac, his dad Yoshihiro, mom, and younger sister, Alisa, attended GVBC. At age 12, Isaac received the Lord at Alpine Summer Camp. His thoughts at the time were, I believe in God so I might as well make a public confession. He was later baptized. During Isaac s childhood, he began realizing he was different. Being in an Anglo environment in Redondo Beach, he was frustrated his parents did not speak English well. He began blaming them by confronting them with, Why didn t you just stay in Japan? or You ve been here for 20 years so why can t you speak English well? This issue was settled when Isaac realized the only thing that mattered was having an identity in Christ. It didn t matter if his parents were immigrants from Japan. Opportunities to share the Gospel Today, at Redondo Union High School, Isaac is Christian Club president. He always looks for opportunities to share the Gospel with non-believers. As a career goal, Isaac is seriously considering ministry or missionary work, such as church planting. As part of the GVBC high school youth group, Isaac feels blessed to participate in a ministry which has so much to offer. I ve been to other church youth groups, but none compares to GVBC s high school youth group. The group offers diversity with love and acceptance toward one another. There are always peers who one can relate to as well. The grace of God is with him One of Issac s favorite Bible verses, I Corinthians 15:10 reminds him God s grace is sovereign over everyone s life, including his own. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain, but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. In , God s grace led Isaac from trial to triumph, resulting in a closer, more intimate walk with his Heavenly Father. Isaac looks forward to what God has in store for him in the future. Page 4

5 Family News Our prayers and condolences go out to The family of Terumi (Terry) Kawasaki who passed away. The funeral was held on Monday, January 31 at GVBC. Pastor Daniel Matsuda officiated. Norma Masuda and family in the passing of her husband, Tosh who passed away on Monday, January 24. A graveside service is on Thursday, February 3 at 10:00AM at Green Hills Cemetery. On Sunday, January 30 the Right Hand of Fellowship was extended to: Andrew Abram Welcome new members! Isabel Gutierrez Letters from our Family Dear GVBC Family, Thanks so much for the beautiful flower arrangement because of my January 3 surgery. Despite the pain and eight-day hospital stay and recuperation at home, blessings upon blessings have occurred each day, giving thanks to God for this experience. All the visits from Layne Wakuta, Pastor Ron Matsuda, family, friends, phone calls, cards, and prayers have been uplifting. Dear sisters-in-christ have abundantly brought over delicious meals (desserts, too, since Mits and I have a sweet tooth!). I am so touched by the outpouring of God s love through them! May God less each and every one. In Christian love & gratefulness, Marianne Fujita Dear Friends: On behalf of the City of Gardena, we would like to extend our sincere and genuine thanks for your openhearted support in our 2010 Helping Hands Holiday Program. Your thoughtful donation of $500 [from our LOVE fund]; 42 bags and 3 boxes of food contributed to the sensational success of our program. Four hundred fifty-eight low-income Gardena families and their children (2,130 individuals) were able to receive assistance with Food-for-Less food certificates and toys for their children. An additional 291 individuals received canned goods through our year-round food pantry this Holiday Season. We thank you. Sincerely, Deryl Lloyd Superintendent of Recreation & Human Services, Lydia S. James, Community Services Counselor Congratulations to Christopher Higa who was awarded the Asian American Distinguished Corporate Diversity Award from Northrup Grumman Corporation. This is an Employee of the Year Award. Awards will be presented in Seattle, WA. on February 25 to 26. Missions Field From our Mission s Committee The Missions Committee would like to inform any potential short-term mission applicants that all applications/references need to be submitted no later than 90 days prior to planned departure to be considered. If you are thinking about future short-term mission opportunities, the first step would be to contact Sanaye Nagami, Missions Committee Chairperson via the church office. Be sure to contact her well in advance to discuss more details and to register for a short-term mission. Pete and Sheryl Silzer "Blessings in the New Year," write the Silzers was a year of changes and challenges for the Silzers. Within four days in May, both Pete's mother, Jennie Silzer and Sheryl's mother, Shizuko Takagi, passed away. As Pete and Sheryl helped clean their houses, they recalled precious memories. These memories included the lives of the people, whom they touched over many years. The highlight of 2010 was the dedication ceremony for the Ambai New Testament. The Silzers started the project in It had been the first time the Silzers returned to the Ambai area in Indonesia since "It was exciting to see the reception of God's Word and its use in the churches," write the Silzers. Pete has changed jobs and is now a research assistant for the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies. He enjoys the change in responsibilities. Sheryl's former two jobs have merged into one as the multicultural consultant for the Pacific Area. It means less travel, but for longer periods. Sheryl already has workshops scheduled for 2011 in Nepal, Brazil, Latin America, and Papua New Guinea. The Silzers praise God for their two sons and their families who are doing well. Their grandchildren, Alec, Brooklyn, and Londyn are a delight to their grandparents! The Silzers also praise God for Pete's 60 years of life, their continued good health, safety in Sheryl's travels, and wisdom in daily life interactions. Thank you for keeping the Silzers and their ministry in prayer. Issue 3 Page 5

6 C ONTACT: office (310) [put your event in the subject line]. You can also contact event leaders directly. WE BSITE: A dult Volleyball Mondays, 7:00 10:00PM, Community Hall. Open to men and women, 18 years and up for sports and fellowship. Free. Teams of six players are rotated and play on a first come, first serve basis. All skill levels welcome. For more information contact Loren Harada, (loren.harada@gmail.com) or Scott Uyeda, (s_uyeda@sbcglobal.net) via the church office or drop by next Monday Night. B asic C hristianity Class Sundays, 10:45AM, Room 218, taught by Pastor Ron Matsuda. If you are new to this class, please call the church office to register. OA SIS to Resume February 9 Our Wednesday night Bible class will resume beginning February 9 (for approx. 6 weeks), 7:00 9:00PM, Room 218 with Pastor Ron Matsuda teaching on 2 & 3 John. If you have never attended OASIS, please call the church office to register. M.O.M. (Mexico Outreach Mission) Dates Saturday, February 12, Tijuana Saturday, May 14, Tijuana Friday, July 15 to Sunday, July 24, Bolivia (one week earlier this year.) Saturday, Oct 1, Tijuana Friday, Dec. 16 to Sunday, Dec.18, San Telmo [N OTE: a U.S. passport is required]. Spanish is helpful, but not required. Contact Teresa Matsushima via the church office or her at: treesaw47@sbcglobal.net. H ope for the Future Thursday, February 17, 6:30 8:30PM, Room 201. Elder abuse and finance seminar. Speaker is Larry Nakahara, Attorney at Law. You can bring refreshments to share. For more information go to the Guest Center in the Courtyard after the worship services. A nnual B usiness Meeting & Potluck Sunday, February 20, 5:00PM potluck, 5:30PM business meeting, Community Hall. We will be looking back at 2010, looking forward to 2011 and considering amendments to the church constitution. We need 25% of our voting members to be present in order to amend the constitution so we hope you will attend. Everyone bring a main dish PLUS: (last names starting with) A H=salad, I R=rice, noodle or vegetable dish, S Z=dessert. Single attendees bring only one dish. Sign up by filling out the flyer in the Narthex and put it into the offering basket or leave with the office. IMPORTANT: please sign up so we know how many people are coming. Prime Timer s Tour Events Space Odyssey at the new Columbia Memorial Space Center & California Science Center s IMAX Theatre, Wednesday, April 6. Cost: $91 per person (adults), $89 (seniors 65+). Price includes gratuity to coach driver. DEADLINE: Sunday, February 27. Tour the new 20,000 sq. ft. learning center, lunch at the Elephant Bar, and Huddle 3D film at the IMAX Theater. Leaves GVBC at 9:15AM, returns 5:30PM. Page 6 All Aboard Fillmore & Western Railway Saturday, June 11. Cost: $104 per person (adults), $102 (seniors 65+). Price includes gratuity to coach driver. Tour requires a minimum of 25 participants. DEADLINE: Sunday, May 1. Scenic ride on the movie train. Lunch served on board in the 1930s dinning car. Stop at a fruit stand. Departs GVBC at 9:00AM, returns approx. 6:00PM. Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City. Monday, September 26 to Monday, October 3. [N OTE: PASSPORT REQUIRED for travel into Canada]. $2,615 double occupancy; single $3,165 (includes $550 single supplement). Tour prices includes all gratuities. Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade & Dinner. Thursday, December 15. Cost $109 per person. Price includes gratuity to coach driver. DEADLINE: Sunday, October 30. Dinner at the Five Crowns in Corona Del Mar, evening cruise in the Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade, Rodgers Gardens Christmas Fantasy. Tour leaves GVBC at 1:45PM, returns approx. 10:00PM. ***N OTE: You may request to be placed on an Interested List for various tours. This does not obligate you to go, but reserves a space on a particular tour. You can determine at a later date if you are going or ask to be removed from the list. It gives a count of who is interested in which tour.*** To register for any of these tours or for more info visit the information table in the Courtyard after the worship services or contact Richard or Keiko Imatomi via the church office. President s D ay Monday, February 21 office closed Cult & Occult Evangelism Class Sunday, March 6, 12:30 2:30 pm, Room 113. Contact Marianne Matsuda. D aylight Savings Time C hange March 13 Spring forward B aby D edication Sunday, March 20 both worship services. Youth Ministry: High School & Junior High Youth Winter C amp When: Friday, March 4 to Sunday, March 6, Where: Alpine Conference Center, Blue Jay. C ost: $135 per student ($110 for each sibling or youth who have never attended a Children s/youth Camp). Scholarships available. D EA D LIN E: Sunday, February 20. N O R EFU N D S. Applications available from Daniel Matsuda or the office. Leave GVBC at 4:15 PM March 4. Return GVBC approx. 3:30-4:00 PM March 6. C ontact: Daniel Matsuda, ext. 681 or daniel@gvbc.net Children s Ministry KidZo ne (1 st - 5 t h graders) Fridays, 7:00 8:30 PM. Wear comfortable clothes and gym shoes to all events. Feb 4 Card Relay/Bean Bag Target Toss Feb11 KidZone/HighSchool Activity Feb 18 N o KidZo ne (Jr. Winter Camp) Feb 25 Volleyball/Dodgeball Contact: Susan Wakuta, ext. 689, susan@gvbc.net SPIRIT

7 Location: Cost: Palm Garden Hotel, 495 N. Ventu Park Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, (805) $75 each for 4 people $85 each for 3 people $110 each for 2 people $150 for 1 person Cost includes a one-night stay at the Palm Garden Hotel, one breakfast, two lunches, one dinner, and retreat materials. Sorry, NO REFUNDS. For financial assistance, please contact Annette Kakimoto (310) , ext. 680 or her at: annette@gvbc.net (subject line: Women s Retreat). DEADLINE to register: Registration begins on Sunday, February 6 until Sunday, February 27 or until 140 registration forms are received, whichever comes first. Sign up at the registration table in the Courtyard between the worship services or mail your registration to the church office (1630 W. 158 th St., Gardena, CA 90247). Full payment and your registration form MUST BE received in the church office by Sunday, February 27. Speaker: FOLLOWING THE SHEPHERD PSALM 23 GVBC 2011 WOMEN S RETREAT SATURDAY, MARCH 26 TO SUNDAY MARCH 27 Our guest speaker is Stephanie Schwartz, Director of Women s Ministries at Compass Bible Church in Aliso Viejo, CA. She will speak on Psalm 23, one of the most well-known and recited psalms in the Bible. Stephanie has led small groups, taught in the children s ministry, and taught the Bible to many women. She is also pursuing a Master s Degree at Talbot in Bible Exposition. Contact: For registration information contact Keiko Imatomi, registrar, via the church office. Dawn Robinson The Times They are A-Changin Church Staff Changes After over 14 years of dedicated service at GVBC, Dawn Robinson has resigned as Christian Education (CE) Secretary as of January Dawn begins her new role as full-time grandma to her first grandchild, Brynn Motoyasu, daughter of Lisa and Weston Motoyasu. Fortunately, we ll continue to see Dawn at church on Sunday mornings. Please join us in welcoming Aubrey Matsunami to the GVBC staff as Dawn s replacement. Aubrey grew up in the church and now attends with her family, (husband Lee and children Caitlin and Cole). As CE Secretary, she will work closely with the Children s and Youth Ministries. Aubrey Matsunami Issue 4 will be uploaded to the website on Wednesday, February 16. Hard copies available on Sunday, February 20 in the Narthex. All articles should be submitted by Sunday, February 13. The Spirit is copyrighted 2011 and a publication of Gardena Valley Baptist Church, 1630 W. 158th Street, Gardena, CA., 90247, (310) , FAX: (310) , gvbc@gvbc.net, Website: Senior Pastor: Steve Langley (310) , Editor: Susan J. Shelley, susie@gvbc.net. Office hours: 9:00am 5:00pm, Nichigo Website: bc.info. The Spirit is published tw ice a month to keep members and friends informed of programs of the church and to report news about GVBC and its people. Announcements, praise, prayer requests, and letters are welcomed. Articles are subject to editing and/or postponement. Issue 3 Page 7

8 Gardena Valley Baptist Church 1630 W. 158th Street Gardena, CA Phone: (310) Web: Twitter: Morning 8:45 AM & 10:45 AM Nichigo Japanese-speaking 10:45AM Rm 201 Sermon Series: I Surrender All Sunday, February 6/Communion Both services in the Sanctuary Pastor Chris Koga ~ Humility ~ 2 Chronicles 26 Sunday, February 13 Pastor Daniel Matsuda ~ Obedience ~ Amos 5 New Sermon Series Begins Sunday, February 20 By Faith: Go Move a Mountain Part 1 of 8 Sunday, February 27 By Faith: Go Move a Mountain Part 2 of 8 English-speaking children s Sunday school runs concurrent with the Worship Services. Nichigo children s Sunday school 9:30am, Room 206. Steve Langley, Senior Pastor, ext. 0 Ron Matsuda, Associate Pastor Teaching, ext. 679 Annette Kakimoto, Assistant Pastor Leadership Development, ext. 680 James Chang, Assistant Pastor Worship, ext. 682 Chris Koga, Assistant Pastor College, ext. 685 (pt) Daniel Matsuda, Assistant Pastor Youth, ext. 681 Susan Wakuta Elementary Children s Director, ext. 689 Linda Matsuda Director Early Childhood, ext. 683 (pt) Layne Wakuta, Pastoral Intern Junior High, ext 684 (pt) Paul Matsushima, Pastoral Intern-Neighborhood, ext.695(pt) J.J. Frey, Worship Coordinator (pt) Wendy Nakano, Office Manager, ext. 672 Rei Abe, Nichigo Secretary, ext. 677 (pt) Peggy Kushigemachi, Financial Assistant, ext. 675 Jan Magnani, Secretary, ext. 671 Aubrey Matsunami, Christian Educ. Secretary, ext. 678 (pt) Susie Shelley, Newsletter Editor ext. 673 (pt) Kevin Hatashita, Maintenance Asst. ( pt) Socorro Coco Kagawa, Maintenance Asst. (pt) Kevin Maeda, Maintenance Asst. (pt) Gerald Mayewaki, Maintenance Asst. (pt) Kyle York, Maintenance Asst. (pt)