The Fellowship
Newsletter for July 2021
Friends and family of CVUMC, here is what is happening in our church community.
|
|
Reverend Denyse Barnes Preaches July 4th
Rev. Denyse Barnes, begins her ministry with us July 1st, and her first Sunday with us will be July 4th - an auspicious celebratory day to welcome her into our church family! Please join us this Sunday and Welcome Rev. Denyse and hear her introductory sermon. She wants to meet you and we want to give her our famous CVUMC welcome. We are even rolling out Fellowship time and refreshments so there will be opportunity for personal greetings after worship. We know it’s a holiday and you may have made travel plans. If you are in town, please plan to join us for worship at 10 AM, Sunday, July 4th and greet her with all warm, enthusiastic hospitality that CVUMC is famous for!
Staff Parish Relations Committee: Janice Burke, Jeanne Lavieri, Jenny Hambarsumian, Andrew Delman, Mike Abdollahi
|
|
From The Pastor
July 2021
Greetings to you all in the name of Christ! I am so excited to becoming a part of the community of Crescenta Valley UMC. As the world slowly emerges from the COVID pandemic this is an opportune moment to commence our time together. Transitions are challenging at the best of times but I am assured this will be a grace filled and exciting time for all of us. I will be serving your church for 50% of the time with the remaining 50% serving as the Associate Director of Justice and Compassion Ministries for our California-Pacific Annual Conference. While these are two different roles, I am sure there will be much crossover and am hoping additional opportunities for Crescenta Valley UMC will arrive through their intersectionality. I have already met with a few members and the welcome I have received has been wonderful. I look forward to meeting many more this coming Sunday and over the following weeks.
I was previously appointed to Hollywood UMC and as LGBTQIA+ advocacy coordinator for the conference. I look forward to bringing the lessons learned and experience gained in those appointments to my work with you all as I learn and grow alongside you all.
This coming Sunday July 4th will be my first in-person worship (not just with you all but also since March 2020!) where we will share the sacrament of Holy Communion together. Our scripture for the day is Mark 6:1-13 and my sermon title is "My Favourite Things."
As we take our first steps in this new journey together we may feel a little anxious and unsure but we have the assurance that God is working in and through each of us. As Isaiah tells us in Chapter 43, verse 19, God has plans for us all!
"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Peace and blessings,
Rev. Denyse
|
|
Sunday, July 4: Join us in welcoming Pastor Denyse Barnes as she begins her ministry with us. Worship begins at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary
Every Sunday: Worship services now in person, in the Sanctuary! Every Sunday at 10 am. Also live-streaming on Facebook, and Facebook video can be replayed continuously thereafter
Once-a-Month Saturday: July 3. During the summer, the Donations for Bailey Center & Learning Works will be only the 1st Saturday of July and August. 10:00 – 1:00 outside of Fellowship Hall. Non-perishable foods, paper goods, disposable diapers, diaper wipes, baby formula, etc. Financial donations are welcome. Also, UMW Library is open and Books are available for check out and return.
Every Tuesday: Prayer Team meets at 6:30 pm on Zoom. If you have a prayer request, please call any member of the Prayer Team: Jeanne Lavieri, Diane Lewis, Debi Bois, Janice Burke, Chris Ruygrok or call the Church Office (818-249-6173)
|
|
Sunday Worship Materials for Children
Connie Horton is providing Sunday School lessons and activities for students – all ages! – to use during the NEW worship service while they are sitting with their parents. Please let her know ahead of time if you’d like her to prepare a “Sunday School in a Bag” for you! She will continue in this way until the time arrives when Sunday School can meet in Fellowship Hall.
|
|
The Foundation
The Foundation welcomes Reverend Denyse and looks forward to working with her in the future.
From the Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 29, Verse 11 –
“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future (NIV)”.
Your Foundation Board
Debi Bois – President; Bettie Hull – Treasurer;
Chris Ruygrok – Secretary/Tree of Life Officer
|
|
Learning Works/Bailey Center Food Pantry Collections
The next date for donations for both Learning Works and Bailey Center is Saturday, July 3 from 10 - 1. For Bailey Center, non-perishable foods are essential – they are still providing food for around 1,000 people each month. Financial donations can be given as well. Make checks out to Bailey Center. For Learning Works, foods that are easily microwaveable are really helpful. As always, any non-perishable food, paper goods, hand sanitizers, disposable training/pull-up diapers for toddlers, sippy-cups – all are greatly appreciated. Many thanks to you from the students and staff of Learning Works for the donations you have sent them. If making a financial donation, you can make a check out to CVUMW and put Learning Works on the memo line. Thank you always for your concern and care for people in our community who are in need.
|
|
The band warmly welcomes Rev. Denyse to CVUMC! We are very excited to work with you and create a meaningful and creative worship experience. It's great to know your dad liked jazz, and that you enjoy singing - you are an official member of the CVUMC choir now!
As the song, "All are Welcome" by Marty Haugen says,
Let us build a house
Where love can dwell
And all can safely live
A place where
Saints and children tell
How hearts learn to forgive
All are welcome in this place!
Sincerely,
Barb, Ricky, Tim, and Alexis
|
|
Montrose Preschool and Infant Care |
|
It is this time of the year that my staff and I get questions relating to child developmental maturity, how it relates to school and how parents can help. One source I particularly like is The Child Mind Institute and their team, which can provide information to teachers and parents alike.
Bullying is a concern of most parents but it also can point to a difference in development with classmates. As children grow up, the world’s expectations of them seem to change at the speed of light. Schoolwork is suddenly more challenging. Sports that were fun become more competitive and physically demanding. Activities, games, and TV shows your child and her friends loved one day are considered “babyish” the next.
All kids struggle to navigate shifting social norms and expectations of parents or teachers, but when a child matures more slowly than her peers, the changes can leave her feeling left out, embarrassed or bewildered by the things her friends are doing.
“In most cases, as kids grow up, things even out,” says Rachel Busman, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. “They’re going to catch up. But the process can be hard.” Our role as parents, she explains, is to reassure kids and give them the support and scaffolding they need to make it through.
I encourage parents to read some of the articles on www.childmind.org. You will find information to guide you in helping your child develop the ability to manage emotions and impulses, which will help them develop confidence and learn the skills to handle challenges as they come up.
Linda Taylor-Bell and the Management Team, Ms. Erica & Ms. Geovanna
|
|
The Board members are Kathy Garrett, Peggy Griffin, Connie Horton, Bettie Hull, Diane Lewis, Loraine Locke, Mary Marino, Linda Neate, Carmena Smith, and Cathy Wacker.
-
Mission U: June 21 – August 8 Mission U is the annual gathering of women to study and grow in understanding of the mission of the church in the current world context (there are also sessions for children and youth). Because it will be on Zoom this year at various times, you can join more than one study if you wish. Some studies are offered with both afternoon and evening sessions. You are welcome to attend multiple studies. And you don’t need to be a member of United Methodist Women (UMW).
Studies include:
-
Finding Peace in an Anxious World (*we have one copy on our library table)
Thursdays, July 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 (7-8:30 pm) or
Sundays July 11, 18, 25, Aug. 1 and 8 (2-3:30 pm)
-
Bearing Witness in the Kin-dom: Living Into the Church’s Moral Witness through Radical Discipleship Sundays June 27, July 11, 18, 25 (4-6 pm)
-
Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools Wednesdays June 30, July 7, 14, 21, 28 (7:30-9 pm)
-
Women United for Change: 150 Years in Mission Mondays June 21, 28, July 5 (7-8:30 pm)
-
Managing Anxiety (Youth ages 12-17) July 16 (5:00-7:00 pm), July 17 (10 am – noon and 1:30-3:30 pm), July 18 (2:00-4:00 pm)
-
Becoming Peacemakers in a Culture of Violence (Youth ages 12-17) July 9, 10 (12:00-4:00)
-
Responding to Violence (Children ages 6-11) June 26, 27, July 10, 11 (1-3pm)
For more information and to register, please contact:
-
Library Book Cart/Table: Lots of books available for check-out each Food Pantry day. (In July and August the food collections are on the first Saturday of the month: July 3 & August 7.) Call Linda Neate if you wish to visit the library on a different day (818) 818-7632. Check out the occasional Book Reviews in the Friday Emails – you might discover a book that is perfect for you! Thanks for following Covid safety protocols. We appreciate if you can return the books you’ve checked out within 2-4 weeks. (You can read books from 2015 to 2021 for the Reading Program.)
|
|
As always, we deeply appreciate all who are able to give. The smallest bit helps and we are grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you to Dan Griffin, Karyn Kemmerer and Molly Burke for getting this online option up and running.
Giving online is easy: just go to our website www.cvumc.org and under the Giving Tab, click in and follow the instructions.
You can give a recurring pledge or donation or a onetime amount. And of course you can still mail in or drop off your tithes and offerings to the church if you like. To mail offerings and donations to the church, use this address:
Crescenta Valley UMC
2700 Montrose Ave.
Montrose, CA 91020
|
|
BIRTHDAYS
6 Daniel Wirsig
7 Jason Castaneda
8 Skye Reynolds
10 Andrew Delman
18 Alex Stupakis
ANNIVERSARIES
13 Andres & Becky Castano
|
|
WOW! After a year+ of not being able to worship in person, we are finally able to do just that! It's been a long year of learning and adapting, coping, praying, feeling so much concern, yet even during those very trying days we found moments in which we could rejoice, by our faith that God is present in our lives. We have been so blessed and comforted with the support, efforts, caring, and kindness of so many people. They have ensured that our church worship services, faith development, financial stability, and mission outreach continued, even though we couldn’t worship “in person” during those past 15 months. We ask that you who are reading this newsletter hold in prayer the people who generously have given of their time and talents during the past year+ of quarantine.
*Pastor Paul: pastoral leadership, care, wisdom, spiritual guidance
*All of you - for your time, resources, and prayers for our church family
*Our Awesome Musicians! Barb, the Band, the guest musicians and vocalists gave us such beautiful, thoughtful, and inspiring music. We were graced with our “new traditional” Mardi Gras/New Orleans Easter Sunday music, and uplifted and emotionally embraced by music and song throughout the month. Thank you Barb Catlin-Bergeron on Piano and Tambourine and for knitting all the video pieces together, Tim Kobza on Guitar and Vocals, Ricky Cosentino on Drums and Vocals, Alexis Sklarevski on Guitar, Wayne Bergeron on Trumpet, Perrin York on Vocals, Andy Martin on Trombone, Forrest Robinson on Drums, Todd Chuba on Drums, Mike King on bass, Rev. David Felten on sax, Melissa Faye - vocals, Antonio Lozano!
*All who created and presented our worship services
Tech Team:
Barb Catlin-Bergeron, Molly Burke, Kim Mawhinney, Edmond Hambarsumian
Liturgists (Welcome, Joys and Concerns, Prayer, and Scripture):
Debi Bois, Janice Burke, Jeanne Lavieri, Diane Lewis, JoAnn Stupakis
Worship Team:
Pastor Paul, Barb Catlin-Bergeron, Janice Burke, Jeanne Lavieri, Debi Bois, Diane Lewis, Ricky Cosentino, Tim Kobza, Alexis Sklarevski
Musicians:
See the tribute above!
*All who managed our church structure, operations, programs, and finances
Financial Team: Dan Griffin, Becky Castano, Janice Burke, Debi Bois
Church Office Administrative Assistant: Karyn Kemmerer
Staff-Parish Relations Committee: Andrew Delman, Jenny Hambarsumian, Mike Abdollahi, Jeanne Lavieri (as Lay Leader) and Janice Burke (as Lay Member to Annual Conference).
Youth Leader: Janice Burke
Linda Taylor-Bell:
Preschool Director – successful and safe operation of Preschool!
Preschool Board:
Connie Horton, Chair, and Lisa Perry-Castaneda, church representative
Foundation Board Members:
Debi Bois, Bettie Hull, Chris Ruygrok
Food Pantry Coordinators: Debi Bois, Janice Burke, and Connie Horton
Marv Wacker: Thursday Man and “Head Groundskeeper and Troubleshooter”
Membership Secretary: Kim Mawhinney
Trustees: Richard Brace, Alan Del Castillo, Hector Castaneda, Edmond Hambarsumian, Andrew Midgley, Linda Neate
United Methodist Women Board:
Kathy Garrett, Peggy Griffin, Connie Horton, Bettie Hull, Diane Lewis, Loraine Locke, Mary Marino, Linda Neate, Carmena Smith, Cathy Wacker
Committee on Lay Leadership:
Jenny Hambarsumian, Melissa Abdollahi, Kathy Midgley
Leadership Council:
Janice Burke, Becky Castano, Dan Griffin, Kathy Midgley, Jeanne Lavieri, Debi Bois, Connie Horton, Linda Neate
Prayer Team:
Jeanne Lavieri, Debi Bois, Diane Lewis, Christine Ruygrok, Pastor Paul
Tithes and Offerings Tabulators: Bettie Hull, Connie Horton and Cathy Wacker
Check out our church website @ www.cvumc.org for up-to-date news!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
