PRESBYTERIANPRESS IN THIS ISSUE. But He said to me, My GRACE is. sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

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1 J U L Y PRESBYTERIANPRESS D O W N E Y IN THIS ISSUE PASTOR TIM 2 PNC/ FINANCES 3 GET INVOLVED 4 KIDS NEWS 5 YOUTH NEWS 6 WHAT S NEW 7 PASTOR CANDIDATE 8 GUEST PREACHERS 9-10 A CALL TO GIVE 11 G r a c e But He said to me, My GRACE is JULY CALENDAR 12 sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

2 2 J U L Y A FINAL WORD FROM P A S T O R TIM Dear FPC Family and Friends, Thank you all so much for a tremendous 2+ years of walking together as a church family. As I said on Sunday, June 28th, I ve been blessed to be your Interim Pastor. We ve all grown together. I believe you as a congregation are in a stronger place now to welcome your Pastor Candidate, Maricarmen Campos Castro, as she comes to spend the weekend of July 12th with you. And I trust this will be the beginning of a good and spiritually rich chapter in the long story of 1st Presbyterian Church of Downey! I was so encouraged by the elders and the Pastor Nominating Committee as they stood before you and committed to increase their monthly giving immediately to help fulfill FPC s responsibilities to Pastor Maricarmen. As Cheryl McCaughan shared with you, if each individual in the congregation increases his/her giving by $20 a month, FPC can welcome and fully provide for Pastor Maricarmen. As noted, not everyone is able to increase by $20. Others can and, as God speaks to them, can increase giving by more than $20, even significantly so. Do as God tells you. Now is the time! I m with you in this. As I promised, not only will I continue my giving through the end of 2015, but will also increase it by at least $20 a month with the next check I write. That gives me joy! Where I am going... some of you have asked for more details. I am joining a group of Presbyterians called ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. Their stated mission is: to build flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ. I have been hired to teach, train and assist Presbyterian pastors and elders in their calling to make disciples. In many respects I will be doing a ministry similar to what I was doing in my years in Turkey. But there is the same need here in the States! I will be based in southern California, stay in my condo in Whittier, and travel around the US meeting and working with a range of chuch leaders. I count on your prayers as I begin! Know that I hold you in my heart and prayers. As I said at the end of my final sermon, Paul s prayer fort he Christians at Philippi will be my prayer for you as you come to mind which will be often and especially on Sunday mornings: 9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11 IF you happened to miss June 21 or 28 worship, I d ask that you lisiten to the sermons on-line (so easy to do) by inserting the following text / link in your internet web browser Have a wonderful weekend July (and many good years) with Pastor Maricarmen! If I don t happen to see you again, I ll look for you in that great gathering of saints when all of us shall bow in adoration and worship, confessing to his face that, yes, Jesus Christ is Lord... and then the banquet will begin! Pastor Tim

3 PNC UPDATES 3 PASTOR CANDIDATE WEEKEND! 7/11 S A T U R D A Y 2-5pm Meet & Greet Reception for Pastor Candidate Maricarmen 7/12 S U N D A Y 10am Worship 11:15am Congregational Meeting 12:15pm Reception Your PNC is very pleased and excited to share that we have selected a Pastor Candidate to bring to the congregation on July 12! Although it is premature to share any information about the candidate at this time, we want you to know that, as a committee, we believe God has brought us together with this candidate and we praise God for His goodness in providing such an outstanding Pastor. Jerry Scott Moderator MONTH INCOME EXPENSES NET INC/ (EXP) Y-T-D INCOME Y-T-D EXPENSES Y-T-D NET INC/(EXP) APRIL 27,219 28,993 (1,774) 103, ,328 (3,616) MAY 26,634 21,839 4, , , Give and it shall be given unto you Luke 6:38

4 4 FIRSTPRESCHURCH GETINVOLVED

5 K I D S D E P A R T M E N T POOL PARTY 5 F R I D A Y F U N N I G H T Summer Splash! J U L Y :30PM 3 RD -5 TH Graders The Huff s Pool 8432 Dacosta St Downey SWIMMING, FOOD, & FUN TOGETHER! Questions? Call

6 6 SUNDAYS C H O O L S E S S I O N 9AM

7 7 Y O U T H Let's welcome Miguel Almena back to our youth ministry for the summer as he leads the Wednesday night youth meetings through mid-august!!

8 M a r i C a r m e n C a m p o s C a s t r o PNC Pastor Candidate 8 DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF DOWNEY FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, The Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) is pleased to announce that we have unanimously and enthusiastically selected Rev. Maricarmen Campos Castro as our candidate for Pastor of our church. Maricarmen was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in 2002, and has served in ministry in Los Angeles, Houston, Huntsville and internationally. Please see the brief introduction sheet attached. Guided by our congregational study What s Next? and the leading of the Holy Spirit, the PNC spent over 18 months reviewing over 200 Personal Information Forms (resumes) and conducting scores of interviews and reference checks. Maricarmen quickly came to the top of our list. The PNC interviewed her formally and informally and had an opportunity to hear her preach before a neutral congregation. The Session has called a Congregational Meeting for Sunday, July 12 following the Worship Service to hear the recommendation of the PNC and vote on the candidate and the terms of call. Maricarmen will be preaching that Sunday. You are also invited to a reception on Saturday, July 11 to meet the Rev. Maricarmen Campos Castro. The Reception will take place at our church from 2:00-5:00pm. Please keep our Pastor Candidate and our congregation in prayer and plan to join us on July 11 and 12 for these important events in the life of our congregation. In Service to Christ, Your Pastor Nominating Committee: Lilian Alfaro Shelley Diaz Michael Duron Ian Redford Eric Ruckman Jerry Scott Eric Stender Rosa Torres Karen Trejo INTRODUCING REVEREND MARICARMEN CAMPOS CASTRO MARICARMEN CAMPOS CASTRO is an ordained Presbyterian (PCUSA) Teaching Elder and a missionary to the world. She holds a Bachelor s degree from University Sao Paulo and a Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She has also studied Early Childhood Development at the University of California Los Angeles, and has further theological studies from Princeton Theological Seminary and Chandler School of Theology. She is passionate about spiritual formation and has completed the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Daily Life at the Cenacle in Houston, Texas. Rev. Campos Castro has been a chaplain and pastor in Los Angeles, Houston and Huntsville and for more than 13 years has taught the Bible and spiritual disciplines. From the far ends of Northern Spain to the concrete jungle of Sao Paulo, Rev. Campos Castro has encountered amazing love expressions of God all over the world. She has traveled in Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Mideast. She has spoken in churches across our nation, as well as throughout the world. She has participated in conferences as a speaker and has led several workshops in the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Israel and South Africa. She is the recently published author of Warriors: In Spiritual Battle, Victory is Ours and the Founder of Journey to Grow. More about her work can be found at She loves running, fencing and the outdoors. daughter and a gorgeous grandson. She is the proud mother of a beautiful

9 WHO S COMING TO PREACH THIS SUMMER? 9 July 5 Rev. Forrest Claassen is the Stated Clerk of our presbytery. Forrest and his wife (also a pastor) have served churches in the Pacific Northwest. You all actually met them in late 2013 one morning when they came to visit and were introduced! He ll preach and administer the Lord s Supper. July 12 Rev. Maricarmen Campos Castro! She will preach her candidating sermon. After the service there will be a congregational meeting for her election as your next called pastor! July 19 Our own Jerry Scott will bring the morning message! July 26 Rev. Tom Cramer is the Leader for Vision and Mission for our presbytery. Tom served as an associate pastor at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Hills before joining the presbytery staff. He s been with you in years past, so you may recognize him. August 2 Rev. Rachel Hamburger has served in several churches, most recently on the staff of Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Santa Ana. A good friend of Pastor Tim s, Rachel will bring a clear and pastoral word in her message. She ll preach and administer the Lord s Supper.

10 10 August 9 Rev. Dr. Vicki Orr served for many years on the pastoral staff of Presbyterian Church of the Master in Mission Viejo. Vicki is a well known Bible teacher and has for years been a leader in healing prayer ministry. August 16 Ian Redford! Our own Ian aka husband of our Music Director, Lizzy, and father of Timothy will bring all his passion and creativity to the pulpit this morning! August 23 Our own Jerry Scott will be back with part 1 of a two week series! August 30 Jerry Scott will give the second installment of his two week series this morning.

11 A CALL TO GIVE 11 Over the past weeks Pastor Tim has been teaching and engaging us on the nature and place of financial giving in the Christian life. All this has been timely given the impending arrival of Rev. Maricarmen Campos Castro for her candidating weekend with FPC on July In order for us as a congregation to honor our responsibilities to her as our next permanent pastor, each one of us needs to listen to God on the matter of our regular contributions to FPC. Sunday, June 28th, speaking on behalf of the elders and the Pastor Nominating Committee, Cheryl McCaughan spelled out our need in simple and specific terms. If each individual in the congregation increases his/her giving by $20 a month, FPC can welcome and fully provide for Pastor Maricarmen. Elders and PNC have all committed to increasing their own giving by at least $20, if not more. True, not everyone is able to increase by $20 a month. Others can, and then others will likely increase giving by more than $20, perhaps significantly so. We count on everyone listening to God and responding in faith with a cheerful heart. If it is not in your capacity to increase your giving, God bless you! This is simply a call, not a pressure campaign. God will move his people to provide for his appointed shepherd. This we believe! (If you missed those sermons on financial giving and the Christian life, just insert in the search space of your web browser and then go to the May 31 and June 7 messages.?

12 JULY SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART Psalm 37: OFFICE OFFICE 11 HOLY COMMUNION 10am Worship OFFICE 18 Congregational Meeting 10am Worship OFFICE am Worship 26Whole child loose coin offering CIRCLE 1 BIBLE STUDY :30pm BAND 7pm ALL TEAMS 7:30pm BAND 7pm DEACONS 7:30pm BAND 7pm SESSION YOUTH 7-8:30 PM YOUTH 7-8:30 PM YOUTH 7-8:30 PM YOUTH 7-8:30 PM 7:30pm BAND 10am Worship H a p p y birthday! CLOSED 7:30pm Spanish Bible Study KIDS FUN CLOSED FRIDAY EVENT 6-8:30PM 7:30pm Spanish Bible Study CLOSED 7:30pm Spanish Bible Study CLOSED 7:30 pm Spanish Bible Study 9AM PRAYER Independence Day! 9AM PRAYER Pastor Candidate Meet & Greet 2-5pm 9AM PRAYER 9AM PRAYER We would LOVE to honor you on your BIRTHDAY!!! Please call the church office or us your birthdate (month, day, & year). Thank you! 3 DAVID MACCALLUM 4 SEAN DURON 7 DONNA HUFF 9 REBECCA KING 10 LOIS DELINE 12 KATHRYN MCCAUGHAN 14 GARY THOMAS TREJO 16 PAUL ARAGON 16 ELIZABETH WALE 19 LYLE PETERSON 24 MARY GARCIA 30 OBED PALACIOS 30 CELINE SPENCE OFFICE H O U R S Mon-Thur: 9-4pm Friday: closed

13 F p c First Presbyterian Church of Downey PO Box 5069, Downey Avenue Downey, CA (562)