The Messenger - September 9, 2007

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    Pastor Neal's Notes

What a fabulous time we had in and through the church last weekend! First, there was the choir's beach party down at the Portuguese Bend Club on Friday night. The food was excellent, the setting was gorgeous, and the company was fun!

The next day, several of us traveled to San Miguel Island for the annual re-enactment of Juan Cabrillo's landing here in North America. John Olguin was the captain, Allan Petker was the Navigator, Erik Langdon and Jim Peacock were soldiers, and I was the priest. Unlike the original occasion (I am sure), the weather for OUR landing was fabulous, and ran into several "Indians" from First Presbyterian Church! Together, we disembarked from calm seas on a sandy beach, we walked up a steep canyon, and we laid a floral wreath on Cabrillo's grave. Then, we rode the ferry back to Ventura through a huge pod of blue whales. There were spouts going off everywhere--all around the boat. There were more than even "Captain John" had ever seen.

Meanwhile, Rupert and Betty Loyd organized a fabulous picnic for our church at Fort MacArthur. As in past years, they grilled hot dogs while sharing salads and desserts. Then, young kids jumped up and down in one of those wonderful "bouncy" tents while the adults had a chance to chat. And those who really enjoyed the company stayed to swim after that. Unlike last year, we also had entertainment: a marvelous men's quartet consisting of Paul Purdy, Tom Cummings, Roger Quadhammer, and Fred Workman. The "harmony" of sound and spirit was felt by all.

Finally, we started Sunday morning with a new organist and a full choir. How fabulous that sounds! The sermon described some of the moral and ethical values that under gird God's Word, and the closing hymn challenged all of us to uphold these values in the world. As the people of our nation reconsider the challenges that they face on the 6th anniversary of 9-11, I hope that the people of our church will recommit themselves to the values that have made our country great--values that are prescribed in God's Word.

• Series:  The Promises of God
  
• Sermon: If my people. . .
  
• Scripture: Second Chronicles 7:14
  
• Preacher: Rev. Neal Neuenschwander

• September 9th was not Church School Rally Day it is actually September 16th.    Contact:  Diane Bettis

• Women's Bible Studies to start Mon., Sept. 10, 7 - 8:30pm and Wed., Sept. 12, 1 - 2:30pm   Studies are identical.  Contact: Kim Neuenschwander   There's still time to sign up.

• September 22 @ 9am - New Members/Inquirer's Class - Lunch provided -  Contact:  Rupert Loyd

• September 22 our kids choir will sing and we will have a booth at the Light at the Lighthouse  music festival.          Volunteers Contact:  Erik Larson or Karen Ceaser    Choir Members and Parents Contact:  Lesley Siriani or Emily Anderson
  

• September 23 - Children and Youth Sunday School begins     Contact:  Diane Bettis

• Rehearsals for all youth choirs start soon.  Members or not, all youth are welcome!                                                       Contact:  Lesley Siriani or Emily Anderson

• You can sign up online for the new weekly church e-newsletter... or view the archives.

Confucius, Muhammad join Jesus in La. courthouse
by Christine Harvey
Religion News Service


     
   Confucius            Mohammad           Napoleon                Hammurabi

SLIDELL, LA — Napoleon, Confucius, Hammurabi and more than a dozen other historical figures have joined Jesus Christ on the wall at courthouse in a bid to. . . .   <<<complete story>>>

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Opening doors

Kansas City congregation transformed by Hispanic outreach

by Jerry Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service

 

Pastors Rick Behrens (left) and Alfonso Tot of Grandview Park
Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, KS, lead their workshop at the
National Presbyterian Evangelism Conference in a Latin gospel tune.
Photo by Jerry Van Marter

NASHVILLE — Ten years ago, 118-year-old Grandview Park Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, KS, was all too typical of urban congregations in transitional neighborhoods — an. . . .    <<<complete story>>>

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by Jim Peacock


The First Pres Men's Group will be participating in the annual Men's Conference on Oct. 13th, Saturday; from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Sponsored by Calvary Chapel Churches; this free conference at Anaheim Convention Center; is really a "must see" for all our Men and male teenagers!!  The speakers list is impressive; Chuck Smith, Greg Laurie, Luis Palua, Steve Mays,

Brian Broderson, and more.  The music from the Praise Bands will really charge your spiritual batteries. 

To reserve a seat in one of vans from the Church, sign up in the McCormick Room after

church in September.

             

          Volunteers needed!

• Date:  September 22, 2007
• Time:  10:30am - 6:30pm
• Location:  Point Fermin Park

The Student Ministries Commission oversees our educational and relational ministry to middle school, high school, and college aged young people. They organize Youth Sunday School, Youth Fellowship, and "Hang-Out" (a non-threatening community outreach) every week. They also organize youth Sundays, youth camps, youth weekends, and mission trips. They contact church youth regularly and encourage them to participate in worship, fellowship, and service. They also seek responsible volunteers to assist with this ministry.

Chairperson:  Sarah Mantz

Inductive Bible Study or "Exegeses" is to draw out or extract what is in the text the way it was written. One attempts to find the true meaning and explain the passages of scripture from their context.  It is suggested that a translation that is close to litteral be used.