The Grapevine

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF NAPA

(707) 253-1411

June 15, 2009

Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors:
the People of The United Methodist Church 

…from Doug’s Deck:

By the time that many of you receive this, Pat Hitchcock, April Dawson, Martha Monroe, Roger and I may be away in Sacramento at the California-Nevada Annual Conference Session of The United Methodist Church – the basic administrative body of our church.  We’re gathering again, as we do every June, for fellowship, spiritual renewal, and what John Wesley called “Holy Conferencing” as we focus on this year’s theme: “Passion in Jesus Christ, Compassion for All.”  With our position as a Progressive Christian Church and Reconciling Congregation that sounds a lot like who we are here in Napa!

Martha and I will be leaving for Sacramento on Tuesday, June 16th, but we’ll all gather for the opening session on Wednesday, the 17th and be there through midday of Saturday, the 20th.  We’ll share what we learned with all of you on Sunday, June 21st!

One of the more important things that we’ll do this year at ACS is address issues that will affect the policies of The United Methodist Church reflected in The Book of Discipline (our guide in all things theological and political) – one, in particular, that declares our support for the Constitutional Amendment that will include all people in the life, leadership and rites of the church.

We’ll deal with issues involving clergy pensions, unrest in the Philippines, hospitality toward Muslims, awareness of and care for those whose abilities are different than most of us, our relationship with Native American and Hispanic ministries, our covenant with the people of West Angola, our mission with the people in Cambodia, along with several opportunities for us to make concrete our faith in the face of issues of injustice – such as addressing Arab-Israeli peace (and how leveraging our investments in Israel can affect change), the violence in Central Africa, ongoing issues of human sexuality, the rights of hotel workers, and how our church should speak in the face of war and the tragedies inflicted upon the people of Darfur.  But through it all we’ll pray, sing and worship together!

As its name implies the Annual Conference Session is a yearly gathering of both United Methodist laity and clergy – in our case from northern California and northern Nevada.  We’re “taking over” most of the Convention Center in Sacramento and you’re welcome to come and listen in on any of the proceedings!

In the cause of shalom…always,

Doug

Greetings Book Lovers, 

Seven of us met last week to discuss The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - It received a favorable review from all!  So if you haven't read it, borrow a copy and enjoy a different format, great character development, and a plot that keeps moving right along ‘til the end!    

For our next two books, we picked  a work of fiction from the best seller list, Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout and from the non-fiction section, Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell.  Outliers comes recommended by 2 members, and "Olive"  just looked interesting.   We'll meet again on Tues., July 7th at 7:30 to share impressions of Olive Ketteridge.   Invite a friend - watch for a location to be announced. 

Youth Group ends on June 14th.  Look for a new beginning on Sept. 13th.

All youth who are entering the tenth grade in the fall are eligible.

There will be NO Pie and a Movie for the month of June but please mark your datebook for July 17 when we will gather again for  fun and fellowship....
more about July in a future Grapevine.  

Important Dates

July 5th—Welcome our Confirmands into our membership during worship
                 Sending off of our SSP Campers to the Wyott Reservation
July 12th—Welcome back our SSP Campers—hear about their experiences

COME PLAY WITH US!  FUMC Play group meets each Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 am in the church nursery.  Babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and their caregivers are welcome!

Call Eva at 252-0708 for more information.

Grapevine

The next deadline is June 25th and it will be mailed out on July 1st. 

Please email your articles to secretary@napaumc.org

BEFORE YOU LEAVE ON VACATION . . .
Stop the mail and the newspapers, leave a lamp in the window on a timer, be sure all the doors and windows are locked -- AND, make arrangements to keep your pledge current while you're away.  The church's expenses continue even during the summer.  Only you can prevent the summer financial slump.

First United Methodist Church

625 Randolph St. Napa  94559

Office:  (707) 253-1411      Fax#:  (707) 253-1976

www.napaumc.org

            Pastors:     Douglas J. Monroe

                               Roger Kimble, III

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

SSP
Moon Over Buffalo
June 18, 2009

You are invited to a play at our local Dreamweavers Theater to benefit our young people in this summer’s SSP Mission.  The play is a comedy involving a couple on tour with one more shot at???

You guessed it; come and join us for an evening of fun and entertainment.  Doors open at the theater at 7 pm and the show starts at 8 pm.  Coffee, tea, sparkling water and desserts will be served at intermission.

Seating is limited to the first 100 people.  The price is $20 per person.  Dreamweavers is located in the River Park Shopping Center behind the old Vallergas store on Imola Ave.

Tickets are available from the SSP Campers or call Lori or Henry Durbin at 337-9200 or 258-0766.

Please Join Us for Brunch

A Taste of The Table

Sunday, June 28th

Immediately following worship

Fellowship Hall

Enjoy food and fellowship

together

Baskets will be available

for donations in support

of our service at The Table

Please make checks payable to

First United Methodist Church

and write “feeding program”

on the memo line

FUMC serves The Table

on the fourth Tuesday

of each month

FUMC Announces Our 2009 Graduates

High School Graduates:

          Robin Pisor, a 5 year SSP camper, graduated from Vintage High School.  While at Vintage she has been active in the marching band, mock trial club and French club.  She has competed in track and field and cross country.  She works in the after school program and also as a music tutor.  Robin plans to attend UC Santa Cruz and will focus on biology and physiology in order to attain her goal of becoming a pediatrician or general practitioner or nurse practitioner. 

          Ben Ballantine, graduates from Napa High a three sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball.  His dream is to be a pro baseball player and it just might come true.  He has earned a full scholarship to University of Michigan where he will pitch and possibly also play outfield.  He likes that idea because he is also a good hitter.  Ben will major in kinesiology and may become a physical therapist (after his pro baseball career, ofcourse!). 

Ted Doshier graduated from Napa High where he was the Captain of the Track and Cross Country team.  He was the trumpet section leader in the band and a four year SSP camper.

Elly Trejo is a four year SSP camper and is graduating from Napa High School where she was a member of the Flag Team.  She will attend Napa Junior College in the fall and then transfer to UC Santa Barbara where she will major in math in the hopes of becoming a high school math teacher.

Katherine T. McGinnis, granddaughter of Ferne and Gene Clemmer,  graduated as an honor student from Vintage High School where she has been very active in several clubs.  K.T.  plans to attend UC Santa Cruz.   Eventually she wants to get her Masters Degree in History and teach at the college level.

          Brooke Silcox, granddaughter of Hugh and Aletha Silcox, graduates from Vintage High.  She was an SSP camper for two  years.  In the fall she will attend Napa Junior College

       Robert Francis graduated from Justin-Siena High School with Highest Honors on June 4.  He is the recipient of the PLUS Foundation Leo Gilmartin Scholarship for Academic Achievement, the Alex H. Urban Scholarship for Theatrical Excellence, and the Bank of America Fine Arts Award.  He is an AP Scholar and received Academic Achievement Awards in English, Math and Foreign Language.  He is a member of the National Honor Society.  Robert was Vice President of the Senior Class; Secretary-Treasurer as a Junior; and Class Representative for two years as an underclassman.    He has participated extensively in Justin-Siena’s Theater productions including serving as Assistant Director of Little Shop of Horrors, Damn Yankees and Children’s Director of Les Miserables.   In addition to playing key roles in the school’s productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Arsenic and Old Lace and Cats, he played multiple leading roles including Marius in Les Miserables, Felix in The Odd Couple, Tony in West Side Story, Seymour Krelbourn in Little Shop of Horrors and Adam in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged.)  Robert has participated in Boy Scouts of America for seven years, receiving the Order of the Arrow and God and Country Award and attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.  He will be attending Duke University in Durham, North Carolina in the fall. 

Reid Francis graduated from Justin-Siena High School with Highest Honors.    He is the recipient of the PLUS Foundation Leo Gilmartin Scholarship for Academic Achievement and the Scholar-Athlete Award from the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.  Reid received the Brother Justin Spirit Award as voted on by his classmates and approved by faculty, given in appreciation for and in recognition of enthusiasm and participation in the spirit activities of the school .  He is an AP Scholar and member of the National Honor Society.  He served as a Lasallian Student Leader during his Senior year and participated in Campus Ministry.   He was the Boys’ State Alternate for Justin-Siena.  Reid is a varsity athlete.  He participated on the Wrestling team for four years serving as Captain as a Senior and individually placing 3rd in the Marin County Athletic League.  He was named All County in 2007.  He won the King of the Valley Tournament, and the team won both the Marin County Athletic League and North Coast Section Championships.   Reid also served as a Captain of the Justin-Siena High School CIF North Coast Section Division IV Championship Football team this past season as a two way starter at Running Back and Outside Linebacker.  He received the Coaches Award for the varsity player who best exemplifies the school’s high ideals of leadership, scholarship, service to others and athletic contribution to the team.   He served as head coach of the Powder Puff Football team for two years and played Combferre in the Justin-Siena production of Les Miserables.  Reid will be attending the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia in the fall.  The church was proud to have Reid working in the Nursery each Sunday during worship, giving quality and loving care to our little ones.

College Graduates:

          Catie Pisor, a 5 year SSP camper,  graduated from UCLA with two degrees; one in psychology and another in anthropology.  She received a Regents’ Fellowship to pursue her Ph.D. in evolutionary anthropology at UC Santa Barbara.  She’ll work directly with anthropologist Michael Gurven to further research how daily behaviors affect aging in humans.  Her goal is to become a professor of anthropology.

          Jessica Ruggiero, also a 5 year SSP camper, graduated from San Francisco State University, Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Psychology.   She plans on taking some time off to find an internship before starting grad school to attain a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.  She is looking forward to simply relaxing in San Francisco for the summer; hopefully enjoying plenty of picnics in the park and daily expeditions to her favorite parts of the city.

          Isabel Yerkes graduated from Columbia University in Boston with a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology. 

          Dylan Pramuk, son of Stephnia and Bill Pramuk, graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Jazz and Contemporary Music from The New School in Manhattan, NYC.  Dylan spent his middle school years and high school years in Napa.  He was involved in Napa High choirs throughout his high school career.  He continued his studies at Sonoma State, eventually moving to the east coast, transferring to The New School in New York City.  Dylan is currently working in the hospitality industry and is working toward a career in music.

We Offer Our Deepest Sympathy
to the family and friends of William Bradford “Brad” Crane, III
who died on June 2nd after a most valiant fight with
pancreatic cancer.
Brad was the husband of Lisa Crane and he had one daughter,
Kendall.  He was the son of Bill Crane
and the brother of Nancy Crane, members of our church.

Brad’s Memorial Service will be held here at FUMC on
Saturday, June 13th at 3:00 pm.

Pew Tender Needed

 A pew tender is a person who comes into the church every fourth month, once a week during that month to prepare the Sanctuary for worship by making sure all the envelopes and prayer cards are in place, the registration books have sharpened pencils and pads and that the hymnals, etc. are all in their places.  If you have any questions or think that this is something you’d like to volunteer for, please call the church office.  You will be your own boss and on your own schedule.

CONFIRMATION CLASSES BEGIN
June 21st and June 28th

Confirmation refers to the decision a person makes to respond to God’s grace with intentional commitment, publicly reaffirming his or her baptismal vows before the congregation.  Most confirmands are youth between the ages of eleven and fourteen who have been nurtured in the church since their baptism.  During Confirmation Class you will learn about the meaning of Christian faith, the history and teachings of the United Methodist Church and an explanation of the baptismal and membership vows you will be professing.  Please call the church office if you are interested.