Montclair Presbyterian Church…
The Community Organizes and
Orders Its Life Through the Flow of Information
July 21, 2010
Sunday, July 25th: Karen Stokes, Marcia Roy and Kim Rankin and friends bring a celebration of music in Karen’s ministry and the life of this church.
Sunday, August 1st: Karen’s last Sunday at MPC. Communion, farewells and visions for the future.
In the coming weeks after Karen leaves we will have an exciting line up of Celebration leaders and preachers from our own MPC leadership. Our church is blessed with a breadth and depth of talented people who work in many aspects of ministry, and this will be an opportunity to hear from several of them. Chaplain Mark Smith, Rev. Kathy Ray and Leonard Nielson will preach and lead services in both August and September, and Rebecca Herrero will also preach in Sept. We will keep a schedule updated in Contact so that you can make a special point to welcome and hear our leaders. The beginning schedule is this: On August 8 Leonard will preach and his wife Gretchen will be our guest musician. On August 15 Mark Smith and Leonard Nielson will co-lead the service, with Leonard preaching and Mark leading worship and liturgy, being joined by Marcia and Kim again regularly. On Aug 22 Kathy Ray will preach, welcome newly joining MPC members and will also baptize Carrie McKiernan and Julie McDonald as a newly joining members. Stay tuned for more of the Celebration schedule as it unfolds.
CONTACTsummer schedule. Contact will be published semi-monthly. Regular schedule will resume September 7, 2010.
Farewell Party! Join us on Saturday, July 31 as we give Karen Stokes the kind of send-off that only MPC knows how to give. We’ll meet at 6:00 p.m. in the Family Room for a light dinner reception accompanied by the music of the Barrelhouse Jazz Band. At 7:30 p.m., we move to the sanctuary for a roast with our hosts Chandler Stokes, Earl Hamlin (reprising his role as Karen) and Lori Kendall (back as Betty Barker). The Men’s Group will provide rides to anyone who needs one.
We are gathering together to make this send off happen:
1. By 7/28, RSVP if you can come, with the number of adults and children that are coming to the evening: contact Christine at the MPC office 510.339.1131 or christine@mpcfamily.org. If you need a ride, tell her where you need a ride from.
2. Donate if you can to help defray the costs. Our party and token gifts of appreciation to Karen are being paid for by generous donations, not out of the general fund. Please send your checks to the church office, and note that they are for Karen’s farewell party and gifts.
3. Volunteer if you have time to help make the evening memorable and enjoyable for all. We have most of the big jobs covered, but can gladly use an hour of your time. We have day before, day of, and evening of tasks. All ages welcome!
Note your availability when you RSVP.
Blessings for the generous spirit of this community – and Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime event!
ALL IN THE FAMILY
You Are Invited to an Event HonoringBishop John Shelby Spong & Christine M. Spong
The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry (CLGS) will present the Spongs with a CLGS Leading Voice Award in recognition of their tireless message of hope and inclusion for all of God’s people. 5:30pm – 6:45pm on Tuesday, 27 July 2010 Easton Hall, The Church Divinity School of the Pacific, 2451 Ridge Road in Berkeley. $30 Donation Requested at the Door.
Following the reception and the presentation of the Leading Voice Award, Bishop Spong will be speaking in the PSR Chapel of the Great Commission at 7:00pm on the topic of his latest book, “Eternal Life: A New Vision Beyond Religion, Beyond Theism, Beyond Heaven and Hell.” For more information go to: http://www.clgs.org/
Rosanne Nocerino and Dinah Darvas would like to thank the MPC community for welcoming their family and friends in the celebration of our commitment to each other. Repeated comments on the incredible energy of the congregation and the light of the Sanctuary were made. They marveled at the beauty of the music, the readings of the Poets & Storytellers and the blessings of our pastor, Karen Stokes. To a person they said we are fortunate to have found such a community. We think so. To turn around during the ceremony and see all of you was as special as we thought it would be. We so appreciate your love and support. Thank you all.
Seventy Six Trombones! Who wants to see The Music Man at Woodminster on August 7th? If we can get 25 people, it’s half price! Please contact the MPC main office if you’re up for it.
Nancy Heron, MPC member, has been hospitalized with pneumonia and is in Kaiser Hospital, Oakland. She is improving and welcomes cards, calls, and visits as she recovers.
Virginia Hadsellhas been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a kind of lung cancer. She is meeting with doctors to make decisions about treatment.
OAKLAND EAST BAY GAY MEN’S CHORUS Summer Pops Concert and Fundraiser.One Night Only! Saturday, August 7th. 6:45pm bar opens and Silent Auction begins. 7:30pm performance begins. At the California Ballroom. For more info go to http://www.oebgmc.org/
Baseball Tickets Available: Due to vacation schedule changes, there are four tix available for MPC Day at the Oakland A’s on Sunday, August 8th. Tickets are $24 per person. Interested in joining us? Contact Steve McKiernan at spmckiernan@gmail.com.
Football? Basketball? Hula Hoop? We’re creating a big bin of fun stuff for kids to mess around with during coffee hour, and we’d love to have any donations. So far we have a soccer ball, hula hoops, a Frisbee, and a mini basketball. If you have anything to add — including board or card games for kids — please bring them to celebration and put them in the big clear plastic bin in the kids corner. Questions? Contact Steve or Carrie McKiernan. Thanks!
COMMITTEE
ANNOUNCEMENTS
THANKS TO THE 28 FOOD BASKET VOLUNTEERSwho solicited funds, shopped, packed and delivered 2368 bags of food for 37 weeks this year:
Marilee Bailey, Hope Boije, Russ Bruno, Laura Carlson, Hal Davis, Debbie
Fallehy, Kurtz Gilligan, Louise Greer, Jean Gregory, Katie Kelly, Adam
Kreutzer, Sari Kulberg, Tinka Larsen, Mary Ellen McKey, Helga Mok, Janet
Mulshine, Le Bang Peh;, Burt Post, Kathy Sawyer, Nancy Singer, Brenda
Vallenas, Sharon and Larry Yales.
We’re accepting MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS for next year’s purchases throughout the summer at the Food Basket table during Family Hour. Please also bring in PAPER BAGS and PLASTIC BAGS, as we ran short several times this year.And if you’re interested in HELPING with packing or delivering food in the coming school year, we could use a few more volunteers. Please contact Ruthann Taylor or Jan Stites.
FAITH TRIO RECOMMENDS OLIVE-PLANTING TRIP TO PALESTINE: October 12-28, 2010. The next Keep Hope Alive olive harvest and visit to Palestine-Israel is scheduled for October 12-28, 2010. The trip leader, Ron Shive, was chair of the General Assembly’s Middle East Study Committee, whose report was just approved in modified form by the whole GA. He has many contacts in Israel-Palestine and will make it a very interesting trip. If you want to know more, please contact Prof. Emer. Walt Davis of San Francisco Theological Seminary at 415-453-1875. Walt led the first KHA trip to I/P from the Bay Area, in which Jean Mudge participated, in February 2008.
SAVE THE DATE. PACE E BENE WILL PRESENT AN ALL-DAY WORKSHOP, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16. SAVE THE DATE!
Pace e Bene Nonviolence Training Service has provided excellent programs at MPC for the last three years. In the Fall of 2007 and 2008 we were privileged to have the twelve week course called “Engage”, Exploring Non-violent Living”, and in 2009, an All-day Workshop called “Soulforce.”
This year we will be offering an ALL-DAY WORKSHOP ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 10-4, in the Thornhill Room. It is called “ENGAGING CONFLICTS CREATIVELY”. This is an area of interest in which people from the former courses wanted more depth. The Peacemakers Committee is delighted to offer this opportunity for enrichment. If you are new to Pace e Bene training this would be a great introduction to the work we are doing.
This Pace e Bene workshop will provide tools, new lenses and concrete practices for transforming conflict in our lives, our communities and our world. It will integrate:
- Practical steps for understanding conflict.
- Investigating the terrain that underlies conflict, including emotions and power.
- The possibility of creating rich relationships in the midst of conflict, and
- Constructive responses and options for transforming conflict.
This workshop will be grounded in the vision and practice of Soulforce, which Gandhi called “the force which is born of truth and love, or nonviolence,” Together we will explore conflict transformation through a selection of stories, videos, role-plays, small and large group discussions, ritual and processes that activate and integrate heart, body , mind and spirit.
We are pleased to have KEN PRESTON and PATTY ROBERTSON, whom we’ve grown to love, as our leaders for the day. Final sign-ups for this will be held in September through our Adult Education Program. The cost will be $30, with lunch provided for an additional $5. For more information or to register your interest, contact Mary Smith at smithmcam@yahoo.com or (925) 943-4986.
The storage areas under the office (which constitute a fire hazard) are scheduled for a clearing. Before this starts, we need to know what is to be saved, and what is to be recycled, given away, or pitched. If you have stored anything in there that must be saved, please send an e-mail to Bud Sisson at budsisson@comcast.netlisting what items that must be saved. We would also like to know when these items are to be used again, for what purpose, and by whom. The object of this project is to ensure that items to be saved are safely stored so they will not be damaged and can be easily accessed.
ADULT EDUCATION
Introduction to Organic Garden Design and Maintenance:This class offers a practical introduction to organic gardening. Basics of plant care, soil health, installation, and wildlife gardening will be included. Participants will have the opportunity to evaluate and design a small space during class and will learn tools to assess their own gardens. The class will address pest control without pesticides, easy composting, container growing, and common maintenance mistakes. No prior knowledge needed. Photos or drawings of existing gardens encouraged for class discussion. Come and get your green thumb!
Presenter Molly Bolt is an ISA certified arborist and horticulturist. She runs a small business pruning, consulting and teaching in the East Bay. While prior plant jobs have included installation and restoration work, her current passion is the care of urban orchards. Convener is Paula Moseley, 510 339-8570. Date: 9-12 am July 24 and 31.
Let’s go to the Movies. We will see 3 films in July, August & September. The first chosen for July is The Mormon Proposition. On Sunday July 25 we will have pot-luck in the Family Room at 5:00 PM and we will talk about the film. August and September films will be chosen by you and we will have pot-luck August 29 & September 26 – both Sundays. The Mormon Proposition is the experience of this film’s director and his fellow filmmakers who grew up gay in Utah in the Mormon faith, and more recently about the Mormon Church’s influence to pass Proposition 8. So gather some friends and enjoy an evening at the movies. A fee of $10.00 to defray costs is requested. To sign up and for any other info call Marjorie Moser 510-632-9868.
MPC Calendar:
http://www.mpcfamily.org/CalendarPrelim.htm
Blessings,
Christine Stickever- Peterson
Associate in Communications and Logistics
Montclair Presbyterian Church
5701 Thornhill Drive
Oakland, California 94611
510/339-1131
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MONTCLAIR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Office Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 9:00AM-4:00PM
Rev. Karen Stokes, Pastor: Tues/Weds10 to noon, other times by appt.
Susan Hunn, Associate for Children & Youth: Office hours Tues-Thurs 9:30-2:30 pm
Christine Stickever- Peterson, Associate in Communications & Logistics: Office hours Tues. – Friday 9:00-4:00pm
Rebecca Herrero, Associate in Life & Programs: Office hrs Tues/Thurs 1:00-3:00 pm
Kim Rankin, Associate in Music
Marcia Roy, Organist
Gil & Maria Chiguila, Caretakers
Rev. John Hadsell, Theologian in Residence
Rev. Kathy Ray, Parish Associate