F I R S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H

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1 F I R S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H SENTINEL vo l. cx x x v, n o. 8 Au g u st California-Pacific Annual Conference at University of Redlands Thanks to Adam Guerrero, Allan Walker & Jack Pearson we got some great shots of Conference this year. Can you spot our Bishop? How about our L.A. District Superintendent? And how many FUMCers can you count? Photo of the Month Believe it or not, this wasn t even everyone in attendance from FUMC in support of Robert s Commissioning on Sunday, June 20 at University of Redlands. We just couldn t all fit! Highlights Patricia s Back! 2 August Happenings 3 Paper Alternatives 5 Church Notes 6

2 Horizons by Senior Minister When I started writing this regular column for our FUMC Sentinel newsletter several years ago, I looked up various definitions of sentinel to find a name for my piece that would tie in. The work of a sentinel is to watch with care and to sense, to feel, to perceive what s coming. A sentinel looks out over the horizon in a proactive way to make ready for what is coming. In a sense, my Renewal Leave was a time for stepping out of the day-to-day in order to scan the horizons and take in the big picture for what God might be revealing. Too often, we get too busy to look up, to look around, to look out, even to look deep inside to the horizons of the Spirit s work without and within. I have looked and sensed and felt and listened deeply during these precious months. There is much I will be sharing with you as we move forward together into the future God is preparing even now. One of the renewing gifts sent by the Spirit has been deep assurance of God s presence within us as a community of faith. As we live and serve and worship and pray and love together, God is at work creating, healing, redeeming, equipping, empowering, guiding, and loving us. We have but to become sentinels ourselves and open the eyes and ears of our hearts to see and hear and know and trust. As United Methodists we believe that the church is of God and will be preserved to the end of time. There s our horizon! Let s live into it with faith and joy. Condolences We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of these dearly departed: Betsy Jex who died on June 25. Her Memorial Service is on August 7, at 10 am in the Sanctuary with a Reception following in Simkins Hall. Myrtle Baird who died on July 12. Her Memorial Service was held on July 24 in the Chapel. Ermie Leonard s niece who recently died and left behind a young daughter. Karen Grothe s maternal grandmother Martha Libby. Rev. Frank Witman. His Memorial Service was held on July 10 at Simi Valley UMC. Bill Emmerton who died recently and wife Norma (who died a few years ago). In Recovery Our prayers are with our Music Director Jim Smith as he continues to recover from back surgery. If you would like to be up-to-date on his progress, check out the blog that his daughter Robin set up: Thank You Dear church family, thank you for your good wishes, cards, prayers, and my beautiful prayer quilt, which I received on June 13. I know it played a vital part in the success of my surgery and my recovery, especially my two weeks at the convalescent center! With deep appreciation, Carol Reich We Are What We Do Action #10 Solar Power: Hang your wash out to dry. Mother Nature s clothes dryer is proof that sometimes the original is still the best. As you hang your pants in the breeze, remember that just one load of laundry in the dryer uses enough energy to make 250 pieces of toast - a savings of up to $100 a year. Use a clothesline or a foldable drying track and start hanging to take advantage of the world s oldest, free clothes dryer. from the book Change the World for Ten Bucks

3 Team World Vision - Changing Lives in Africa Team World Vision is a program under World Vision that helps people train for and run half and full marathons while raising funds for clean water in Africa. They are getting ready to start training and would love to invite you to be a part of the team to run and change lives! Train for the 13.1 LA and the LA Marathon with Team World Vision. You don t have to be a runner! There is no fundraising minimum and you can train with others at one of the training groups. To learn more and meet Team World Vision staff, attend one of the info meetings: - Top to Top Running Store: August 25, at 7pm. Show up at 6:30 if you would like to participate in a fun run before the meeting. - K Swiss on Main Running Store (Date and Time to be announced- check the website at Andrea Wittig with questions awittig@worldvision.org. LOOKING AHEAD Final Summer Night Out: Beach Day Come out for our end-of-summer shebang at the beach! Join us on August 13, from 2-6 pm at Life Guard Station #26 (at the end of Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica). Bring a picnic dinner, towels/chairs/ umbrellas and your beach toys. And, don t forget your sunscreen, sunglasses and water bottles! Spread the word and bring your family and friends. See you there! United Methodist Family Night This year's game will take place on Friday, August 20, at 7 pm with the Dodgers facing off against the Cincinnati Reds. Seats are on the Reserve level between home plate and third base. Tickets are $20 each ($32 face value). For tickets or more information, contact Nancy Perov in the church office at nancy.perov@santamonicaumc.org or x106. Help Us Put Our FAITH in ACTION Once again, our Sunday School children will be putting together school supplies for students in the Santa Monica School District. We need your help gathering supplies. Now through August 29, you can drop off the school supplies at the church office or place them in bins in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday morning. The 12 most needed supplies are: Pens (blue, black and red) 3-ring Binders Box of Colored Pencils Loose-leaf Paper Book Covers Spiral Notebooks #2 Pencils Highlighters Index Cards Pocket Folders Backpacks Box of Washable Markers CAST is Coming! Our beloved Children s After School Theater program will begin a Fall session with auditions the first week of September. Stay tuned for more details or contact the church office for more information. Homecoming Sunday: September 12 Homecoming... Rally Day... Bring-A-Friend... whatever you like to call it - be sure to join us and bring your family, friends, neighbors and colleagues to worship on Sunday, September 12. Worship will be lively and welcoming as we usher in the Fall season, and Coffee Fellowship time afterwards will be overflowing with smiles, handshakes and hugs, laughter and plenty of refreshments and coffee, of course. Safe Sanctuary Training: September 19 Calling all children/youth teachers and counselors, ushers, committee/council/group leaders, and anyone else who is interested: we will be holding a Safe Sanctuary Training on Sunday, September 19, after worship. Per FUMC s Safe Sanctuary Policy, everyone working with children and youth is required to complete this training annually. Please plan to join us! FUMC Fall Festival: November 7 Save the date! The entire church community is joining forces with our Preschool to make this year s Fall Festival a joyful event for everyone. There will be activities for all ages and scrumptious food. Stay tuned for more information coming soon! F U M C S e n t i n e l - A u g u s t P a g e 3

4 AUGUST Sunday, August 1 - Holy Communion Monday, August 2 Tuesday, August 3 Wednesday, August 4 Thursday, August 5 Friday, August 6 Saturday, August 7 10 am Betsy Jex Memorial Service & Reception, S/SH Sunday, August 8 6:15 pm Youth Parents Meeting, FR Monday, August 9 9:30 am Intercessory Prayer Group, FR Wednesday, August 11 7 pm Preschool Committee, Rm 203 Saturday, August 14 9:30 am Prayer Quilt Ministry, Rm 300 Sunday, August am Blood Pressure Screenings, FR Tuesday, August 17 7 pm Finance Committee, CR Wednesday, August 18 5:30 pm Trustees, CR Monday, August 23 9:30 am Intercessory Prayer Group, FR Thursday, August 26 7:30 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal Resumes, CHR ~FUMC Preschool is closed August 2 - September 6~ Church Office Hours Tues - Fri, 9 am - 5 pm Weekly at FUMC Chapel Open for Prayer (Summer) Tues - Fri, 10 am - 2 pm Summer Schedule Sundays 8:45 am Partnership with God, Rm am Coffee & Conversation Lectionary Series w/ Pastors, FR 9 am Nursery Care, Rm 100 * 10 am Worship, S 10:15 am Sunday School, Edu Bldg 11 am Coffee Fellowship, SH 6:15 pm UMYF (youth group), 3rd Floor Edu Bldg 6:30 pm Open Table, Off-site Mondays (Church Office Closed) Tuesdays 7 am Men s Breakfast Bible Study, FR Wednesdays 10 am UMW Work Party & Lunch, WR 7 pm the bridge, Rm 308 Thursdays * 6:30 pm PAUSE Worship Gathering, Chapel * Food Drive Item for August: Mac & Cheese, Packaged Meals Please refer to the calendar insert in your Order of Worship on Sunday mornings for specifics or changes to the schedule. For more information about groups of the church, special events or for the complete church calendar visit our website. Coffee Fellowship Hosts August 1: Youth Council August 8: the bridge young adult group August 15: Guidance & Outreach Committee August 22: Church Council August 29: Shareringers Did You Know? FUMC is on Facebook! If you search for First United Methodist Church of Santa Monica you can find the page and become a fan. PAUSE also has a page that you can join for updates. And, if you d ever like to give a shout out to those who haven t found us yet, look us up on Yelp.com and leave your feedback. CHR = Choir Room; CR = Conference Room; CY = Courtyard; FR = Fireside Room; L = Library; MH = Member s Home; OS = Off Site; S = Sanctuary; SH = Simkins Hall; WR = Work Room (UMW)

5 Living Green: The Quicker Picker-Upper? by Rachel Eaton Let s talk about single-use disposable paper products, shall we? When it comes to napkins and paper towels (and don t even get me started on disposable plates, utensils and cups!) - lots of paper (made from trees, remember) ends up in the trash day after day. Not only is this a daily reminder of our constant use of our forests around the globe, a lot more goes into making those products than just the wood pulp itself. I ve wondered a lot recently just WHY my paper napkin, towel or especially toilet tissue and facial tissues, need to be white?! What difference does it make? But, for some reason it s our society standard and therefore tons of chemicals are used to bleach that wood pulp white - chemicals that pollute our air and our ground water and ultimately us. So, what are some alternatives? 1) Cut or tear old bath towels, linens, or clothing into rags to use for quick picker-uppers of messes and general cleaning. Rinse, dry and reuse, then throw it in the wash when it can t take any more. 2) Purchase reusable paper towels made of natural materials that are biodegradable, compostible and can be tossed in the dishwasher or washing machine. A couple of options: and 3) If you absolutely have to buy paper... * Choose paper products made of 100 % recycled materials. * Look for products that contain a minimum of 90 % post-consumer waste. * Choose unbleached! If those are unavailable, opt for process chlorine free (PCF) next, or elemental chlorine free (ECF) as a last choice. * Choose options with no added pigments, inks or dyes (say goodbye to that floral border). * Select packaging with minimal environmental impact, such as that made of recycled and recyclable materials; imprinted with safe inks; and containing no toxic metals, dyes or inks. * Seek items having the largest amount of product to minimize packaging, for example, high-capacity hardwound roll towels have 800 feet or more. Some brands are puffier and allow for fewer paper towels (or toilet paper sheets) per roll or napkins per package. * Look for rolls that are wound on a 100 % recycled core. And be sure to recycle it in the end! 4) Tips for using cloth napkins (and cleaning cloths)... * Only wash when soiled. Most adults don t really dirty a napkin after every meal. * Designate a place to store in-use napkins and use the same one until it is dirty. * If you have a large family, designate a napkin ring for each member to identify their napkin between meals. * Toss dirty napkins and dish towels in with other laundry. * Use eco-friendly laundry detergent. * Wash with cold water and line dry when weather permits. ( An Update From Our Covenant Missionaries in Venezuela Please visit the church website for the full newsletter. But here are a few snippets... It is still difficult for us to deal with the daily heat all year round 100º F and more - but we have sooo many things to thank and praise God for: Eunice s health is improving; Luis patient presence bore fruit and finally he is working on training and sharing sustainable spaces; Eunice s special literature on The People Called Methodist has been used with good results. Praise be the Lord! After a loooooong searching time we bought a used car to help us to be in mission. It wasn t easy but we finally found one with all the documentation and taxes and permits in order and it is also a good car. Thanks be to God and to you! You can support Eunice Arias and Luis Aramayo in a variety of ways: * Pray for them and their ministry in Venezuela * Send your tidings for our support (Eunice Arias - Advance # Z / Luis Aramayo: Advance # Z) or through The Advance Special # 00485A Leadership Development-Venezuela * Write to us; asking questions, expressing your doubts, sharing your own sorrows and joys with us. TOGETHER-KHUSKA-JUNTOS/JUNTAS: The Aramayo-Arias Newsletter Urb. Lago Azul, Calle 103 Edif. Rio Socuy, 2 B Maracaibo, Estado Zulia VENEZUELA address: euniceluis@hotmail.com F U M C Sentinel - Au g u st page 5

6 We have had a few break-ins in the church parking garage in the past year and want to remind everyone to be sure to lock vehicle doors and stow away valuable items so that they re not visible from the outside. And pay attention in general while in the garage. Please report any suspicious activity to the church Church Notes office ASAP. Thanks for your help in keeping our facilities safe and secure! Also with regards to the garage we will be enforcing the policy of towing away unauthorized vehicles that are parked overnight. If you need to leave a vehicle in the church garage overnight for a church related event or other reason, please contact the church office 1) so that we will be aware and 2) so that you can get the proper permit to put on your dash. Now on to a different topic... Did you know that FUMC members can submit their financial pledges with automatic bank debit? It s true! The United Methodist Credit Union charges the church $0 - a big whopping nothing - for transactions and it s an easy way to pledge. Set it up and let the banks do the work. For more information, contact the church office and we ll get you started! Sunday Flowers When you request flowers for the Sanctuary on Sunday morning, you know they will be lovely, thanks to the artistry of Mike Eskridge and his team at Culver Center Flowers. It s a wonderful way to commemorate a special occasion, such as an anniversary or birthday, or to remember a loved one, or to be reminded of the glory of God! The cost is $76 for two large arrangements, and they are yours to take home if you wish. We also accept donations to our general Flower Fund for those Sundays when no flowers have been ordered. Our resources are limited, so gifts to the Flower Fund are much appreciated. Or you may prefer to be on the call-as-needed list. Please call, or visit the church office to place your order or for more information. At press time, the following upcoming Sundays are available: August 1, 15, 22; September 13, 20, 27. Thursdays at 6:30 pm worship with us Sundays at 10:00 am 1008 Eleventh Street, Santa Monica, CA info@santamonicaumc.org Senior Minister Rev. Patricia Farris patricia.farris@santamonicaumc.org Youth & Intergenerational Rev. Robert English robert.english@santamonicaumc.org Children & Family Life Rev. Camille Mattick camille.mattick@santamonicaumc.org Music Jim Smith djes@roadrunner.com L. A. District Superintendent Rev. Cedrick Bridgeforth Bishop Mary Ann Swenson Business Administrator Christina Eddy christina.eddy@santamonicaumc.org Office Manager Nancy Perov nancy.perov@santamonicaumc.org Communications Rachel Eaton rachel.eaton@santamonicaumc.org Weddings & Special Events Linda Burch linda.burch@santamonicaumc.org FUMC Preschool Charleen Smith, Director char.smith@santamonicaumc.org FIRST UNITED METHODIST SENTINEL (USPS ) is published monthly by First U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h, t h S t., S a n t a Monica, CA Periodicals p o s t a g e p a i d a t S a n t a Monica, CA. POSTMASTER: Send address change to First United Methodist Sentinel th St., Santa Monica, CA periodicals (USPS ) Time Value deliver by july 30/31