The Fellowship
Newsletter for November 2020
Friends and family of CVUMC, here is what is happening in our church community.
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From The Pastor
November 2020
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“We give thanks to you, O God: we give thanks; your name is near. People tell of your wondrous deeds.” Psalm 75:1
Would it be fair to say most of us are familiar with the saying, “What a difference a day makes,” and with the change from warm weather to the cool chilly mornings as well as preparing for the holidays, it finally feels like autumn has arrived.
With the arrival of the month of November, we are again reminded that we will be offering thanks to God for all of life’s blessings at Thanksgiving. It will be a time when we remember our blessings and take a moment to remember the goodness of the Lord in our lives and in the lives of our families.
The Bible speaks of Thanksgiving as being our response to God goodness toward us and calls us to employ a heartfelt attitude when we thank God for our blessings.
In America’s history, we remember the Pilgrims who in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, endured many hardships. We look to that first Thanksgiving and hear how they shared in the harvest blessings with the small community of their Native Americans from the Wampanoag tribe. Those natives helped the Pilgrims through the first harsh winter and helped make their first year’s harvest a success.
During the time of the Revolutionary War, America celebrated eight special days of thanksgiving for victories and protection in times of trouble. On November 26, 1789, President George Washington issued a proclamation of a day of thanks.
Through times of trouble, war and other difficulties such as we are now experiencing, we are learning to trust God and give thanks for all the help and blessings given to us each day.
The days in which we are living seem uncertain and evermore challenging, but with God’s blessing and thankful hearts, we will remain hopeful because the God in whom we trust is our source of strength. Happy Thanksgiving!
Peace and Grace,
Pastor Paul
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Sunday, Nov. 8: Leadership Council meeting in Fellowship Hall 1:00 pm
Tuesday, Nov. 17: Charge Conference, on Zoom 6:30 pm. Charge Conference. If you’d like to attend, please contact Pastor Paul at pdtkahuna@aol.com so that you can receive the Zoom invite.
Tuesday, Nov. 24: UMW Reading Lists due to Cathy Wacker
and World Thank Offerings due to Bettie Hull
Thursday, Nov. 26: Thanksgiving Day
Sunday, Nov. 29: Advent begins
Every Sunday: Worship service on our church Facebook page at 10 a.m. and continuously thereafter. The video is on our website www.cvumc.org by 12 noon.
All Month: Sign-ups for the Advent book study group (see Advent Bible Study article). Contact Pastor Paul, Diane Lewis, Janice Burke or Linda Neate
Alternate Saturdays: Nov. 7, Nov. 21.
Non-perishable foods and paper goods collected for Bailey Center & Learning Works and Christmas Gift Tree for Learning Works’ children. 9:00 – 1:00 outside Fellowship Hall
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: Pastor Paul, Jeanne Lavieri, Diane Lewis, Debi Bois, Janice Burke, or call the Church Office (818-249-6173)
Every Wednesday (we're still in the planning stage): “Midweek Midday” Zoom gathering. This is a "Sharing and Caring" gathering. Life has been stressful this year, we’ve all felt a little disconnected from friends and family, and this is an opportunity to stay in touch with each other and give and receive support. Watch for details in your email.
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Birthdays and Anniversaries
Birthdays
4 Nancy Traynor
9 Phil Traynor
10 Heather Burke
11 Andrew Midgley
14 Cathy Wacker
17 Connie Tangonan
27 Doris Motz
Anniversaries
21 Rick and Linda Neate
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Advent begins Sunday, Nov. 29 (Thanksgiving weekend). We are inviting all to participate in an Advent book study group, reading Incarnation: Rediscovering the Significance of Christmas. We'd most likely have 4 meetings.
Written by best-selling author Adam Hamilton, it is very accessible writing, easy to understand and follow along. Over 4 chapters, the book examines the names of Christ used by the Gospel writers (e.g. Emmanuel, Light of the World, Savior, Lord, Messiah), exploring the historical and personal significance of his birth. The text helps us remember the ways in which Christ’s birth and life brings us together, heals our hearts, and calls us to bring light into the darkness. There are materials for youth and children too and also a DVD featuring the author guiding us through the 4 session class.
We will probably meet on-line; however we might be able to work out the details for in-person meetings, with prescribed masks and social distancing.
Please contact Pastor Paul (808) 280-7582, Diane Lewis (818) 497-4680, Janice Burke (818) 497-8431 or Linda Neate (818) 818-7632 or lindaleeneate@gmail.com if you have interest in this study group, and we’ll get the details worked out.
Hope to hear from you soon –
we need time to order the books for you!
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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. |
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UMW Reading Progam: We hope you are enjoying reading the books listed in the UMW Reading Program. If you need access to the Book Cart (to check out or return books), please call Linda Neate @ 818-818-7632 to set up a time to enter Fellowship Hall.
At the end of November, Cathy Wacker will be sending to North District UMW the names of all those who’ve read books this year. Many of us try to read enough books to complete "Reading Level 1", reading a total of 5 books – one from each category: *Education for Mission, *Nurturing for Community, , *Spiritual Growth, *Leadership Development, and *Social Action. But the number of books read is not important. We just encourage you to read, as there are so many interesting and informative books, both fiction and non-fiction that help us grow as whole persons.
Please return your lists to Cathy by Tuesday, Nov. 24.
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Our World Thank Offering outreach begins Nov. 1.
For what are we thankful? Each of us has a different gratitude list, and quite likely near the top will be the people who show love and care for you. 2020 has definitely been a year of many challenges, contentious societal differences, and difficult emotions. Yet even in a year such as this one, with our trust in God, we have found ways to cope with the unknowns; we have a firm principled center from which to build relationships with others; and we have rediscovered so many things for which we are grateful.
A packet of materials, prayers, and information will be mailed to you. It will describe where and how World Thank Offerings are distributed around the world to women and children who are in great need.
If you are inspired to contribute to this Offering, please mail your gift to Bettie Hull by Tuesday, Nov. 24. Many thanks!
Sincerely,
Linda Neate (CVUMW President)
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Learning Works Christmas Tree
Dear Friends,
First, I want to thank you for your continued contributions to Learning Works: the needed food and baby needs, and the cash donations. They continue to need the items, but their more urgent need is to meet their goal of providing the equipment/technology to allow the students to form connections with each other. Your donations will help the staff provide the help these at-risk students need - both academic and social connection - allowing them to achieve their goals for a better future.
As for the "Christmas Tree" and the presents for the children, I have the Wish Stockings; the "tree" will be outside Fellowship Hall on the donation table on Saturday, Nov. 7 and 21. The presents are due back to me by Dec. 7 – please wrap them and leave the ornament attached.
I realize some church members might not be able to get to the church on those dates so if you want to participate, call me (818) 399-9793 and I will arrange to bring a "stocking" to you and also pick up the present. This year there are 12 children: 5 girls and 7 boys.
Again, thank you for supporting Learning Works.
Love, Connie Horton
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Thanks to all of you who have found ways to continue to financially support our church. Your contributions have helped us pay our staff and expenses during the COVID-19 shutdown.
If you would like to share in an offering or your pledge, we invite you to mail offerings and donations to the church using this address:
Crescenta Valley UMC
2700 Montrose Ave.
Montrose, CA 91020
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We had a wonderful day on Costume Day, held on Wednesday, October 28. There was a special Dino Visitor greeting the kids at the drop-off in the morning. We followed all of the Covid precautions and had each pod participate separately in the events we set up. We sanitized in between yet all had an amazing time. The kids were so excited ! The teachers had fun too ! Costume Day was a success. Please see all the photos below.... |
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For Thanksgiving, our ideas include having each family make "Stone Soup" (Soup from a Stone...Fancy that) at home over the weekend with the recipe from the famous book "Stone Soup" Each child will bring their soup the family made for their personal lunch as we celebrate the meaning of sharing and Thanksgiving for the Blessings we have. Due to Covid we cannot cook it here as we usually do.
We would like to start a "GoFundMe" page for the preschool to raise much-needed funds in lieu of our annual Preschool cookie dough fundraiser but we will need to discuss this at the meeting with the Board and Church Council.
Happy Holidays to all.
Linda Taylor-Bell
Preschool Staff,
and the Management Team
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Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October, something I always thought was smart; there’s more time between the Holidays! In any case, I've been reflecting on what I'm thankful for over the past two weeks and will continue to do so through our American Thanksgiving.
Wayne's health continues to improve, and we will be thankful to get the final word on whether the cancer treatments were successful on November 9th. We've been in limbo a bit all this time - too afraid to celebrate in case they didn't get it all. That said, we are optimistic, as this cancer's success rate is 95% - a great number! Keep us in your prayers on the 9th)
Wayne and I realized that the majority of our social interaction over these Covid months derives from CVUMC connections. Alexis, Wayne and I hike regularly, as well as do our fire pit hangs. He's been a great friend to both of us, and we are grateful for his true friendship. The little social distancing parties at Bettie Hull's backyard with Melissa and Magid have become something we really look forward to each month. It's super cute to see Ms. Bettie and Wayne texting back and forth during the month too. A new friendship born from commiserating over medical issues! The weekly calls and texts with Tim and Ricky make me feel like we are still a band! These strong connections have sustained us over these challenging and isolated months.
So that's all. Not much music news, just a lot of gratitude. Stay committed to being healthy and sharing good health over the Holidays. It will be different for sure, but health is our greatest gift. Let's be safe until we can gather to hug freely!
Love you all - Happy Thanksgiving!
Barb and Wayne (and the band!)
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Foundation
The Foundation Board members are President Debi Bois, Becky Castano, Norma Ellis, Henry Garrett, Bettie Hull, and Chris Ruygrok
As most of you saw when watching the November 1st streaming/YouTube/Website service, the Welcome and Announcements were delivered in front of the Tree of Life. That Tree represents Joys, Memories, and Saints (living and passed). It seemed like the perfect place to welcome folks to service on All Saints Sunday. Hope you saw it. If you did miss it, it is still available at cvumc.org.
On another note, at its meeting on Monday, October 26, the Foundation voted to release another $3,000 for Pastoral Housing. That will be in addition to the $10,000 quarterly commitment from the Endowment Fund paid in October. Going forward, a team from the Foundation will soon be meeting with the financial team at CVUMC. This meeting will help determine how the Foundation can contribute going into 2021.
In the meantime, the Foundation appreciates your support and prayers. And, we leave you with this paraphrased quote from Martin Luther King....
If you can't fly, run; if you can't run, walk; if you can't walk, crawl, but by all means keep moving forward.
Blessings.....
Your Foundation Board
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It feels a bit like a miracle that we’ve been able to continue to be a functional, inspirational, and connectional church, given the challenges of the past 8 months. But we have held steady because of the time and efforts and financial help and guidance of so many. If you have a moment, please offer a prayer of gratitude for the people mentioned below. And an email, card, or phone call is always a very personal and appreciated way to say thanks!
*Pastor Paul
*Leadership Council
Pastor Paul, Janice Burke, Becky Castano, Dan Griffin, Kathy Midgley, Jeanne Lavieri, Debi Bois, Connie Horton, Linda Neate
*Liturgists: Welcome, Joys and Concerns, and Scripture
Debi Bois, Janice Burke, Jenny Hambarsumian, Jeanne Lavieri,
Diane Lewis, Connie Tangonan
*Special Hello and Update from Bettie Hull
*Donations Tabulators
Bettie Hull, Connie Horton and Cathy Wacker
*Food Pantry Collectors
Debi Bois, Janice Burke, and Connie Horton
*Linda Taylor-Bell
Preschool Director – successful reopening of Preschool!
*Worship Team
Pastor Paul, Barb Catlin-Bergeron, Janice Burke, Jeanne Lavieri, Debi Bois, Diane Lewis, Ricky Cosentino, Tim Kobza, Alexis Sklarevski
*Tech Team
Molly Burke, Kim Mawhinney, Edmond Hambarsumian
*Youth Leader
Janice Burke
*Barb Catlin-Bergeron
Worship Service videos
*All the Musicians (awesome music)
Barb Catlin-Bergeron, Ricky Cosentino, Tim Kobza, Alexis Sklarevski,
guest vocalists Antonio Lozano, Melissa
*Marv Wacker
“Head Groundskeeper and Troubleshooter”
*Prayer Team
Pastor Paul, Jeanne Lavieri, Debi Bois, Diane Lewis
*Financial Team
Dan Griffin, Becky Castano, Janice Burke, Debi Bois
*Foundation Board Members
Debi Bois, Bettie Hull, Henry Garrett, Norma Ellis, Chris Ruygrok, Becky Castano
*United Methodist Women Board
Kathy Garrett, Peggy Griffin, Connie Horton, Bettie Hull, Diane Lewis, Loraine Locke, Mary Marino, Linda Neate, Carmena Smith, Cathy Wacker
Check out our church website @ www.cvumc.org for up-to-date news!
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