Old First Presbyterian

Shared Life [Archive]

November 2007 – Shared Life of Old First

November 2007
Shared Life of Old First

In this issue

Jay Pierson Confirmed as Music Director
Congregational Meting on Nov. 18
Jack Haberer to be Nov. 18 Guest Preacher
New Members Class Nov. 11
Pastor’s Letter
Genie Kinney’s letter from the Senior Center
Stewardship Campaign: Look and Reach for Rainbows
Name Tag Sunday
Welcome Ministry Update
Jazz Vespers – Nov 4
Many Thanks
Adult Education Classes
Lectionary
In Memory – Nell Boals
Note of thanks from Josephine Yee
Directory Updates
News from Knoxville
The Savvy Saver: New Choices for Disttributions
From an IRA
“For the Bible Tells Me So”
Sermon on Philemon
The Lamb’s Book of Lif e
For the November calendar, click on:

http://www.MyChurchEvents.com/calendar/calendar.aspx?ci=L6H2G1J4F0K5N8N8H2

Jay Pierson Confirmed as Music Director
            Since Ken Matthews's final illness in December 2006, Jay Pierson has served with distinction as Interim Music Director. At its October meeting, session confirmed Jay in the permanent position of Music Director. It also approved hiring Bill Vaughan, who has played the organ for us since July, as Organist.
            Session established a Music Program Task Force last December and charged it with “review[ing] the leadership structure of the Old First music program,” recommending an optimal structure, and locating and recommending for hire one or more musicians to carry out the recommended program and structure. After consulting with the congregation via a survey, a town hall meeting, and several interviews, the Task Force revised the Music Director's job description and decided to endorse the excellent leadership Jay and Bill have been providing.
            Jay Pierson has been at Old First as bass section leader and soloist, Assistant Music Director, and Interim Music Director since 2000. He was music director in four other churches over nearly 20 years before coming to Old First. He currently is also on the voice faculty of Santa Clara University. After an extensive singing career in operas, oratorios, and recitals, Jay is now concentrating on conducting and composing for voice, chorus, and harp, including more than 30 pieces for our choir. Jay holds a doctorate in music from the Eastman School of Music.
            Bill Vaughan spends his weekdays as an organ builder. His weekends find him commuting among three (!) church jobs. He is music director for a Catholic church in Orinda and a Lutheran church in Pleasant Hill as well as serving as our organist. He has served as music director and organist for six other churches in three states, and has performed organ recitals in numerous major venues including St Paul's, London, and St Peter's, Rome. He earned Master's degrees in both music and sacred music from Southern Methodist University.

Congregational Meeting November 18
A Congregational Meeting will be held after worship on Sunday, November 18, to elect new classes of Elders and Deacons, and members of the 2008 Nominating Committee.

Jack Haberer to be November 18 Guest Preacher
Our guest preacher on November 18 will be the Rev. Jack Haberer, who will also teach our 9:30 am Adult Education class.
Jack is editor-in-chief of The Presbyterian Outlook and author of God Views: The Convictions that Drive Us and Divide Us, He previously served long term pastorates in Houston, Texas and Satellite Beach, Florida. Jack has served as a member of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church, and chaired the boards of Presbyterians for Renewal and the Presbyterian Coalition.

New Members Class November 11
Pastor Maggi and Pam Byers will hold a class for persons interested in becoming members of Old First; it will be held on Sunday, November 11, from 12:30 to 3:00 pm.
For more information, or to sign up to attend, contact Pam Byers at pambyers@covenantnetwork.org.

Pastor’s Letter

            We are looking for helpers, painters, artists or any creative souls to help with an Advent banner. All levels of skills and/or a willingness to try a new thing are welcome. Please contact Cindy Burt noeawa@pacbell.com or Jeannie Tate Choy ChoyTate@aol.com and let them know of your interest.
            Thank, Thank,,Thank you for making my installation day so special. From those who sat in the pews, to the choir, to the ushers, worship leaders, cooks, bakers, those who set up, served, and cleaned, and all those whose active hearts and hands went to such an amazing day. You made the hospitality, the joy, the energy of Old First real that day. It was a joy to introduce you to my friends and colleagues, and I think they got a sense of why I am so thankful to be called to Old First.
                                                                                                              Maggi

Dear Friends in Christ,
            November is my favorite month of the whole year. It is a time for me to give thanks for all God has given me in the past year. It is my birthday month and so I always take time to list the good things that have come to me----i.e., a gratitude list. This year, among other things, I am especially grateful for Old First Presbyterian Church and the new friends I am meeting here. As the Director of the Doris Krauss Senior Center, I am working with faithful volunteers and meeting courageous and wonderful seniors as we gather each Monday.
            On November 11 at 11 am, there will be a program asking the question: What are you grateful for? On November 18 there will be the annual Thanksgiving luncheon. Please join us for lunch that day. If you would like to contribute to the lunch please let me know at 585-2620 or RevGKinney@aol.com. We would like to have music, food contributions and parishioners to share lunch conversation with the seniors.
            I would like for you to know that we have a new cook for the center. Jennifer Liss will volunteer every Monday to plan menus and prepare the meal. She will still have the assistance of Cynthia Kang, Jennifer Wilson and Sarah Taber , who did the cooking during October and have been serving at the center for a long time. I am grateful for their faithful presence each Monday.
            I look forward to seeing you on any Monday you have time to join us at the senior center.. You will be warmly welcomed by one and all.
            Peace be with you.
                                    Faithfully,
                                                Genie Kinney+

P.S. -- Wish List For Senior Center
Program ideas for an hour class or lecture in your area of expertise
A nurse to take blood pressure for seniors once a month
A TV with a large screen
Someone to bake cakes for our birthday celebrations held once a month
(Box mixes are used!)

Stewardship Campaign: Look and Reach for Rainbows
            Our annual Stewardship Campaign has begun, with the theme of. Look and Reach for Rainbows. With the arrival of The Rev. Maggi Henderson we bless the future with open hearts and arms. Each of us here at Old First plays a role as a steward of God's love and ministry.
            If you have the ability to look and reach for a rainbow, we are asking you to increase yur pledge by 5% over last year's commitment. This will permit small increases in committee budgets and allow Maggi some flexibility as she starts her new ministry with us.
            If you have not pledged before, we would like you to know that pledging during this Stewardship Campaign allows us to plan our budgeting for our church programs and ministries for the coming year. By pledging, you are promising to support Old First financially.
            The Look and Reach for Rainbows campaign is too large for any one of us. Together, each of us plays a role in building together and working towards attaining new heights. Our challenge is that each of us, through prayerful consideration of our financial stewardship, will understand God's will for our lives.
            On Sunday, November 18, the worship service will be devoted to Stewardship. Please bring your pledge card and join us for the commitment of pledges. If you will not be attending please mail your pledge card by November 9.
            Join Pastor Maggi, the Elders and Deacons, all of whom have already pledged, in this dedication ceremony.

Name Tag Sunday - First Sunday of Every Month
Please wear a name tag and help Maggi learn our names

Welcome Ministry Update
Megan Rohrer
            Those who sleep in front of the church: San Francisco recently closed its only handicap accessible shelter, so that it could use the building to create a court where the homeless are brought to court for quality of life violations. As a result, you may have noticed that the individuals who are living in front of our fair church have severe mobility problems. While the Welcome Ministry is also working to help our homeless and hungry friends increase their quality of life, we always pay particular attention to those living in front of Old First. The folk currently living in front of the church are left with no where else to go and severe pain if they move too far from one of the only places around that will let them use the bathroom and offer them a meal. While it is safer than many other places they could sleep on the sidewalk many of our disabled neighbors have been attacked and even had wheelchairs stolen in front of the church. Despite these hardships our friends are of good spirit and are willing to move when activities in the church require it, but be aware that they will need much more time to be
able to move because of their mobility issues.
            New grant and assistant: As a result of a grant from the Wheat Ridge Ministries for our Homeless Identification Project, the Welcome Ministry is currently in the process of hiring a 30 hour a week assistant who will work to enable the homeless to improve their quality of life by attending appointments with them, teaching classes on health and employment, helping our guests fill out paperwork and walking with the homeless. We hope that additional staff will allow us to help those who are in need in and around the church.
            Bingo Fundraiser: Churches have been doing it for years! Come play bingo for a great cause. Join us on Nov. 30th for our annual fundraiser where we will celebrate a great year, and enable our work to continue into the future. We will have a $500 grand prize! Matching funds will be provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Jazz Vespers – First Sundays, 5:00 pm
Nov. 4 – Scott Foster Trio

Jazz Vespers 2007-08 Season
            Dec 2 - Anton Schwartz & Friends
            Jan 6 - John Calloway Quintet
            Feb 3 - Ken French Trio and guest
            Mar 2 - Mad & Eddie Duran
            Apr 6 - Gerry Grosz Quartet
            May 4 - Sascha Jacobsen Quintet
            June 1 - Don Pender Quintet
            July 6 - Jeff Massanari Quartet Hammond B3
            Aug 3 - Dave Rocha Quartet

Many Thanks
To Steve Taber for his gift of the beautiful stole from Syria that Pastor Maggi wore on World Communion Sunday. He has also donated an exquisite length of cloth in a Byzantine-style pattern.

Adult Education Classes
Sundays, 9:30 am, Munro Room

Nov 4 - The Thoughtful Christian- What's Behind Left Behind? Revelation Chapter 1
Nov 11 - Weaving s - End times
Nov 18 - Guest teacher Jack Haberer
Nov 25 - To be announced
Advent Study on “Repentance, Faith, Holiness and Love” begins Dec. 2

Lectionary

Nov 1 All Saints’ Day
Dan. 7:1-3, 15-18; Ps. 149; Eph. 1:11-23; Luke 6:20-31

Nov 4    31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
               Hag. 1:1-4, 2:1-4; Ps. 119:137-144;
               2 Thess. 1:1-4, 11-12; Luke 19:1-10

Nov 11    32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
               Hag. 1:15b-2:9; Ps. 145:1-5, 17-21
               or Ps. 98; 2 Thess.2:1-5, 13-17;
               Luke 20:27-38

Nov 18   33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
               Isa. 65:17-25; Isa. 12;
               2 Thess 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19

Nov 25   Christ the King/Reign of Christ
               Jer. 23:1-6; Luke 1:68-79;
               Col. 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43

Dec 2     1st Sunday of Advent
                Isa. 2:1-5; Ps. 122;
                Rom. 13:11-14; Matt. 24:36-44

In Memory
            Nell Boals died in Roseville, California, on September 21. A graveside service was held September 27 at Newcastle Cemetery.

Dear Members and Friends of Old First,
            It is with heartfelt gratitude that I wish to thank you all for your love, concern and prayers in this past year. Without doubt, the Lord has done the sustaining and healing. It is truly a miracle that I am well and continue to regain my strength to greet each new day.
            As Thanksgiving draws near, my family and I extend our best wishes to you all for a joyous Thanksgiving.
                        Love, Josephine Yee

Directory Updates
            If you have any new or changed information for the Old First directory, please submit them to the church office administrator, Cheryl King, for inclusion in the next print out.
            Either phone the church office or e-mail Cheryl directly at Cheryl@oldfirst.org.

News from Knoxville
Nancy Holve
            On my way back from Maine in late September, I dropped in to see Sara Barrios in her new digs in Knoxville. I found her living in a lovely, spacious apartment in Park View, a colonial-style retirement community complete with rockers on the front porch. To this Californian, it all seems so “typically” Southern!
            It was so wonderful to be greeted at the airport by Sara and her son-in-law Owen, and then to enjoy a meal of chicken and dumplings. Later that evening we exchanged news about Knoxville and Old First.
            The next day, Owen was our tour guide and chauffeur to the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which I was seeing for the first time. We completed that day with a visit with Sara’s daughter Thea at St. John's Lutheran Church and heard about the redevelopment plans on-site for housing and education for their downtown area. The day ended with another fine Southern meal.
            Sara and I had a great time looking at the pictures and notes in the memory book she received at her farewell party at Old First. She appreciates the prayers, cards, e-mails and calls she receives. Even though she is distant from us, we are close to her in her heart through those communications.
            Her immediate challenges are making new friends, figuring out how to live independently within a community that has procedures that must be followed, and finding a new church home. Her friends at Covenant Network are hoping that First Presbyterian of Knoxville may be that new home.
            For my part, I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to share Sara's home with her during my first year at Old First and make a very dear friend who helps guide me with such gentle wisdom.

The Savvy Saver: New choices for distributions from an IRA!
Bob Hermann, for the Stewardship Committee
            Up until 2006, you had only one way to bypass income taxes when making a gift from your IRA to the church: take a distribution, pay the income taxes and then give the money to your church. Or you could name the church as your beneficiary when you pass.
            Now in 2007 you can give Old First up to $100,000 in 2007 without taxation from your IRA and not have to pay the tax man. In this way you can achieve a larger gift. Here are the requirements:
            • You must be age 70 or older on the date of the gift
            • Your gift must be given directly to the church, foundation, or public charity
            • Your gift must be completed before December 31st, 2007 is limited to a maximum amount of $100,000 in 2007
            • Your gift must qualify as 100% charitable, a true gift with no income, goods. or services in return. Gifts for gift annuities, pooled funds, charitable trusts and donor advised funds, do NOT qualify.
            • Gifts to satisfy a pledge must be made directly to the receiving charity
            Should you have any questions on this, please feel free to contact any member on the Stewardship Committee (Bob Hermann, Buddy Tate-Choy) or Reverend George “Skip” Herbert of the Presbyterian Foundation (916) 366-1934.

“For the Bible Tells Me So”
            If you didn’t see this significant new documentary film in October when it was shown in San Francisco, just ask around the church. A number of Old Firsters saw it and were impressed.
            The film “boldly takes on a loaded topic - Christianity and homosexuality.” It was made because of the inspiration and dedication of members of St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach.
            Check out the website at www.forthebibletellsmeso.org. See where it will be shown in the next month or so, and if you have friends in those cities, let them know about it.

Sermon on Philemon
            As a follow-up to Rev. Maggi Henderson's sermon on Philemon of September 23, 2007, the Peace and Justice Committee wishes to refer interested parishioners to the following websites for Peace and Justice within the Presbyterian Church, USA:
            Main Justice and Peace link: http://www.pcusaorg/pw/justice/links/index.htm
            Related link for "trafficking story:"
                                    http://wwwpcusa.org/pw/justice/links/2007-issue4.htm

The Lamb’s Book of Life
Bobby Lane

As I awakened to the agony of pain, I wondered why I even faced another day.
Oohh! How my body wept, from the concrete mattress on which last night I slept.
The sound of people’s voices as they walked on by,
The screaming of the autos as they breathed death into our lives,
The hateful look on the man’s face as he threw me a dollar and some change -
“Go ahead, Junkie, kill yourself! You’re dead anyway!”
I shuffled to my feet as the tears rolled down my face.
As I clenched my hand together I prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ,
“Please, my God, get me out of this place!”
As I rolled up my sleeping bag, the beauty I felt left me so awesomely amazed,
Unaware I would ever feel your holy presence on this dreary day.

            Suddenly from within a Light shining so bright and true.
            This is the voice of the Holy Spirit who ministers to both me and you.
            “My love for you, all my children,” He declares, “is holy and true.
            You have believed in your heart, the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
            Forever your name is sealed and written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

Later in the day as I walked down the street, I had a twenty in my hand,
and I was looking for some meth.
The devil saw to it that I found a little bag of that ugly death.
I stooped down between two cars,
and as I pulled the needle from my arm I wondered how my life became such a scar.
I shuffled to my feet as the spirit of paranoia was on me.
All I could think was, “How can my life be like this?”
A whispering lie said, “Bobby, you are gonna die!”
As I looked up to the holy heaven the sorrow set in,
waiting punishment for the sin I had done.

Days and nights and weeks and years rolled on and on –
the needle and the spoon and the pathway to death.
Finally came that beautiful day, 15 August 2003. I remember the sickness in my spirit,
Yet I was in the presence of amazing Peace !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As I walked into the congregational gathering,
I feared even to look at the prayer warrior, my Brother Wayne.
Finally I made it over to him and trembled as I uttered his name.
He grabbed my arm and shoulder and commanded, “In the name of Jesus Christ,
You come out of him, you Spirit of Self-Condemnation, Spirit of Shame!”
Suddenly, my arms shot into the air. I was lifted to my tiptoes as my lungs nearly burst.
That was the day I was filled with the Holy Spirit, the breath of this life.
I was so very amazed at what had taken place,
the tears rolled down in truth and joy, and from then on I would never be the same.
The angel stood as my eyes were opened,
as I saw my name sealed with the Holy Spirit in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Archive

November 2007, September 2007, July/August 2007, June 2007, April 2007, March 2007, February 2007, January 2007

December 2006, October 2006, June 2006, March 2006, February 2006, January 2006

November 2005, October 2005, September 2005, July/August 2005, June 2005, May 2005, April 2005, March 2005, February 2005, January 2005,

December 2004, November 2004, October 2004, September 2004, July/August 2004, June 2004, May 2004, April 2004, March 2004, February 2004, January 2004,

December 2003, November 2003, October 2003, September 2003, July/August 2003, June 2003, May 2003, April 2003, March 2003, February 2003, January 2003

December 2002, November 2002, October 2002, September 2002, July/August 2002, June 2002, May 2002, April 2002, March 2002, February 2002, January 2002

December 2001, Nov 2001, October 2001, September 2001, July/August 2001, June 2001, May 2001, April 2001, March 2001,
February 2001, January 2001

December 2000, November 2000,October 2000, September 2000, July/August 2000, May/June 2000,April 2000, March 2000, February 2000

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