The Grapevine
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF NAPA
(707) 253-1411
July 1, 2010
Open Hearts, Open Minds,
Open Doors:
the People of The United Methodist Church
…Michael’s Musings:
Summertime, and the living is . . . slower. My wife Mary and I were talking the other day about how the summer pace is -- for us, anyway -- slower and happily so. Some of our volunteer activities and classes take the summer off and all of a sudden there are a few blank spaces on the calendar. Spaces to fill with a longer than usual walk. Spaces to fill by reading an extra chapter in the books we’re working on -- and not to have to put it down to get to a meeting or a chore. A space to fill with a vacation trip to some new and interesting place -- with play-dates and visits with family.
I grew up in the Midwest -- in St Louis -- where the summers are hot and humid. And when it’s not being hot and humid there are violent thunderstorms and the threat of tornadoes -- what we called “Interesting” weather. But even when the weather got really interesting, there was always a shady spot by a lake in the park near our home, or a safe cool corner of the basement where my brother and I could work on our model train layout. A sanctuary in sharp contrast to the stifling heat and potential danger.
It is necessary, I suppose, to know busyness and responsibility to recognize the blessings of quiet and rest. In Mark’s Gospel (Mark 2:27) we hear Jesus’ answer to the critical Pharisees, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of the people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” Jesus’ comments have to do with the strict interpretation of Sabbath Law, but also contain the broader truth that we humans need to withdraw from our labors at times to refresh ourselves in body, mind, and spirit.
I encourage you to take what advantage you can of quiet moments this summer -- to offer a prayer of gratitude for all the blessings which we enjoy -- and to prepare yourself for the work of the church still to be done. We are entering a new era -- the first time in sixteen years that we’ve had just one appointed pastor. As we continue about our business of making disciples, there will be challenges and opportunities. We recognize those as code words for hard work and a need for creativity and flexibility.
So, rest and be strong -- build up the whole body. We are the church.
Michael Herzog
Lay Speaker
Meet Our New Members
Clara “Jo” Richardson: Jo is transferring her membership from Logan UMC in Logan, New Mexico. She was baptized when she was 15 years old in the Baptist church because she could walk there as her parents did not go to church. Then she met her husband, a Methodist pastor and that’s when she became a Methodist. She has loved the Methodist church and was a pastor’s wife for 43 years. She is a retired RN and at the end of her career worked with Hospice. Jo has three daughters, Clara who teaches at a Methodist school in Abilene, TX; LeAnn who is a physical therapist in Santa Fe, NM, and Elizabeth and her husband Glen who live right here in Napa. She has just one granddaughter. She loves to read and be with her wonderful white Schnauzer, Adam.
Anna Fields: Anna is transferring her membership from Green Valley Community UMC in Green Valley, Arizona. She is a UC Berkeley grad who also went to the American Institute of Banking to become a banker. She had a 40 year career, working for Wells Fargo and then United California Bank. Anna has two sons, (one who lives in Napa), 3 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. She loves to dance and she used to dance on the stage, mostly in Follies, etc. She is taking her entire family on a cruise to the Mediterranean in September to celebrate her most recent birthday – her 90th!
Welcome to your new church family! We’re glad you’re here!
Sierra Service Project
This years 2010 SSP Campers thank all of you who participated in our
fundraisers or made donations to support our work. We are very appreciative!
United Methodist Women
UMW Mission Event - July 23-25, 2010 - UMW Mission Event I
in Reno, Nevada. One of the programs will be about Sudan.
UMW Mission Event - August 6-8, 2010 - UMW Mission Event at
UOP in Stockton, California( same programs as Reno).
Please consider going to the Mission Events. More details to follow.
First United Methodist Church
625 Randolph St. Napa 94559
Office: (707) 253-1411 Fax#: (707) 253-1976
www.napaumc.org
Facebook: Napa First United Methodist Church
Pastor: Douglas J. Monroe
Sunday Worship - 9:30 a.m.
Child and Infant Nursery Care is available
Church Office Hours:
Monday—Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
The Grapevine is published bi-monthly.
Editor: Dianne Mahler
WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
The Worship Committee is looking for help in deciding what we need in the Sanctuary for our slide show presentations.
We will set up a Task Force, and people with knowledge of current technology would be greatly appreciated if they would volunteer for the Task Force. If you can give us some idea of what options area available beyond the current Power Point projection and screen, please let us know. Dianelevorsen@comcast.net
Help Wanted at FUMC, Napa
A person to share duties with Joellen Pope to provide flowers
for Sunday morning worship services
An additional van driver
A person to be responsible for changing the paraments as needed
A person to be responsible for coming early on Sundays to make sure the Sanctuary heat is on, the mics are in place, etc.
Please call the church office if you are interested
The emphasis was on fruitfulness when members of the California-Nevada Annual Conference gathered for their 162nd annual conference session, June 16-19, 2010. "We must be accountable for the fruit that we give," said Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr. in his State of the Conference Address. "Mr. Wesley had a thing about fruit. Jesus had a thing about fruit. I guess it's in my DNA to have a thing about fruit."
After citing reductions in the numbers of churches reporting professions of faith, baptisms, and confirmation classes in 2009, the bishop read aloud Luke 13:6-9, the parable of the fig tree, and added, "It's not a numbers game – it's a Scripture game."
His message was reinforced by the conference's guest speaker, Missouri Area Bishop Robert Schnase, who taught from his Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations and Five Practices of Fruitful Living.
Dr. Marcia McFee led the assembly in inspirational worship focused around the concepts of radiating joy, initiating relationship, and "co-creating the Reign."
Bishop Schnase and Dr. McFee conducted workshops for guests of the conference on Thursday morning, while members participated in legislative sections. That afternoon Jennifer Rodia, director of Igniting Ministry for United Methodist Communications, conducted a Rethink Church workshop for youth delegates to Annual Conference Session.
The youth showed themselves to be truly "the church of NOW," fully engaging in the parliamentary process as well as in the battle to eliminate malaria from the continent of Africa by 2015. The bishop's annual reception this year was given over to a basketball-themed fundraiser, "Slam Dunk Malaria," in which the Youth Delegation raised $4,681.53 for Imagine No Malaria – $1,040 of it through texting.
At Conference Secretary Kristin Sachen's urging to "Let's go viral to end this disease," those assembled and those watching from home through live video stream texted the word "malaria" to donate $10 to the Imagine No Malaria campaign. Jennifer Rodia reported that she was able to assist someone in sending the first text of his life to participate in the text donation process!
Several key pieces of legislation were approved. Among them: a proposal to direct bill active clergy pension costs; a resolution reducing the number of districts from seven to four; and a recommendation to suspend Division V of the Standing Rules for a period of two years, "for the purpose of allowing flexibility and innovation in re-aligning the work of the Annual Conference with the four areas of mission focus."
The conference approved resolutions in support of "humane" state budgets for California and Nevada; in support of a bill that would exclude offenders under the age of 18 from being sentenced to "life without possibility of parole"; and a resolution calling for local churches to become bases for "confronting unjust heterosexist structures."
The conference also approved recommendations requiring active clergy to maintain an active email address, local churches to maintain an Internet presence in some form, and local churches to create and maintain a "communications coordinator" position.
It approved a resolution supporting self-determination and independence for the people of East Turkistan, established a Committee on Pacific Island Ministry, and agreed to designate all or part of the 2011 Conference Offering to the Methodist Mission in Cambodia.
The 2010 Conference Offering was taken on behalf of the Gilead Center for Children and the Ethelou D. Talbert Shelter for Girls in the Philippines.
Jurisdictional connectionalism was highlighted when David McPherson, Director of Connectional Ministries for the Desert Southwest Annual Conference, reported that Operation Resurrection 2010, the Western Jurisdiction's Lenten campaign on behalf of Haiti, generated more than $2 million in contributions and more than 44,000 health kits.
The conference closed on Saturday following the Ritual of Commissioning and Ordination, "A New Heaven and a New Earth," in which nine persons – five women and four men, with an average age of 45 – were ordained.
Conference Statistician J. Scott Allred reported membership gains by 118 churches, compared to 115 in 2008. However, 2009 also saw the greatest loss in overall membership in a single year since 1981. Membership stands at 80,375, down 1,854 from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 37,424, down 718. Church school attendance stands at 8,150, down 1,025.
Fun and Fellowship Committee
Pancake Breakfast, July 11, 2010 before the service, @ 8:30 a.m. in the Kagawa Room. We will enjoy fellowship before worshipping together! We will be serving: Pancakes, syrup, fruit, juice, and drinks. The cost will be $3 per person, $10 per family (to defray our cost).
Church Picnic, August 22nd, 2010 after the church service - For the first time, we are planning on having the picnic in the church parking lot and adjacent park area. For this, we are asking if anyone has a pop up awning that we can use for the day. We will need a few of them. We will also need help with set up and break down. Please contact Patty Renfrow at 252-4763 if you can help us with these things. More details to come! We hope to see you there!!!
Sunday Vacation Bible School
July 11 thru Aug. 8
11:00 am—Kagawa Room
The focus of Bible School this summer is all “green”. We will learn more about our world and how to be good stewards of the gifts God has given us. We will grow things as well as grow our knowledge. Everyone is welcome! Bring a friend!
Grapevine Schedule
The next deadline is July 22nd and it will be mailed on July 28th.
By Chris Allan, Interim Chair, CCOR (Conference Committee on Reconciliation)
Drew Phoenix addresses packed luncheon
Both sharing his story and ways to help make churches safer for transgender people, Rev. Drew Phoenix was the featured speaker at CCOR’s annual luncheon this year. Phoenix spoke after the committee’s Turtle Award (for individuals who have stuck out their necks in some way) was given posthumously to Bob Cary, a gay man whose witness and work in the Cal-Nevada Conference touched many during his lifetime.
Committee members also sponsored two pieces of legislation for this year’s Conference: Item 19 (approved on the Consent Calendar) focused on addressing the church’s heterosexism by calling on welcoming churches to reach out to youth in their communities and encourage them to join us in the work of inclusion. Item 24 (ruled Out of Order by Bishop Brown) called on the Judicial Council to reconsider Decision 1032 on its own motion.
CCOR also had a strong presence through its outreach/display table, sharing resources, offering rainbow stoles and buttons, and attracting new additions to the committee’s expanding network.
Finally, CCOR also had representatives at a special diversity presentation at conference, as well as at the local Pride parade.
Hello Church Family,
This year Karen Ritter and I will be walking 60 miles to raise money for breast cancer research through Susan G. Komen’s 3 Days for the Cure. We are each responsible for raising $2300 for the cause. We would really appreciate your support in helping us reach our goal. I know many of you know someone who is struggling with breast cancer or you may be a survivor yourself. We hope that by the time our children grow up there will be a cure and cancer will not be the scary diagnosis that it is today. To donate, please visit www.the3day.org and look for either Susan Dunaway-Tsujihara or Karen Ritter as a walker. If you don't feel comfortable donating online, you can talk to either Karen or myself. Thank you so much to those of you who have already donated. Thanks for considering putting your money toward a cure.
In God's Love, Susan
Napa’s project Homeless Connect returns September 29th 2010
This year the event will be held at Napa Valley Expo. Once again, we are looking for up to 500 volunteers to make this year’s event even more successful than last year.
Last year we served 375 homeless individuals and due to the economic climate we anticipate a larger number this year.
Volunteers are not only needed the day of the event but also to set-up on September 28th and clean-up the evening of September 29th. Youth volunteers (ages 16-17) are welcome to work the event but must be accompanied by an adult volunteer.
If you are interested in volunteering or would like more info, please contact me at 252-6222.
Katie Meehan-Rubin
Executive
Director
Volunteer Center of Napa Valley
Mission Statement
The First United Methodist Church of Napa unconditionally welcomes all people wherever they are on their faith journey. As a congregation rooted in scripture, tradition, experience, and reason, we promise opportunities to grow in the Spirit to become active followers of Jesus Christ. We are affiliated with The Center for Progressive Christianity and a member of the Reconciling Ministries Network.
Sunday Worship Service: 9:30 am
Coffee, cookies, lemonade and friendship are served at 10:30 am
Adult Bible Study: 10:45 am Parlor
Sunday School and Youth Groups are on summer vacation
Visit us on Facebook—Napa First United Methodist Church
www.napaumc.org
707-253-1411
July 11 Scripture: Amos 7:7-17; Psalm 82; Colossians 1:1-14; Luke 10:25-37
Rev. Doug Monroe Special Music
July 18 Scripture: Amos 8:1-12; Psalm 52; Colossians 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42
Rev. Doug Monroe Special Music
July 25 Scripture: Hosea 1:2-10; Psalm 85; Colossians 2:6-15; Luke 11:1-13
Rev. Doug Monroe God’s House Band
Aug. 1 Scripture: Hosea 11:1-11; Psalm 107:1-9, 43; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21
Rev. Doug Monroe Special Music