August 10, 2018Volume 68 No. 8

From August 19 through September 23,we will be exploring John Pavlovitz’ book A Bigger Table and taking a closer look at who Jesus ate with. A bigger table implies being in relationship with others seated at the table with us, not merely serving others. How can we continue to make the table bigger?

On August 19, Senior Pastor Kathi McShane will start off the series with a look at Fred Rogers’ life and work from the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor at the morning services, and author John Pavlovitz will be our special guest preacher at the evening service. See page 2 for details about the evening service and dinner. The series will continue with a look at some of the people Jesus ate with: Pharisees (the religious), Judas (the betrayer), the Syrophoenician woman (the challengers), Mary of Bethany (the unwise), and Martha (the too-busy, distractible ones). Come learn from Jesus' example and consider who we need to sit with.

Get Ready for Compassion WeekMark your calendars for Compassion Week, scheduled this year for September 24–30. Instead of coming to a worship service on September 30, you are invited to put your faith into action that week by going beyond our Sanctuary walls and into the world to serve our neighbors.

There will be more than 80 projects taking place on our church campus and throughout the Peninsula/Silicon Valley, and even some projects to work on at home in your free time. Everyone will have an opportunity to serve, regardless of age or abilities! Service areas include hunger, homelessness, education, environment, veterans, immigration, and more.

The Compassion Week planning team is looking for project leaders. The project leader role is simple: the planning team will provide the list of those who have signed up for the event you lead; you will communicate with the volunteers about where and when to meet, answer questions about the project and/or agency supported, collect any necessary waivers, and report back on how many volunteers showed up. Perhaps consider leading a project you have served with in the past. To indicate your interest in being a project leader, or for any other questions about Compassion Week, contact Coordinator Nadine Tadeo (nalovita@gmail.com).

A BIGGER TABLE SERMON SERIES

FROM THE LOS ALTOS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

by Senior Pastor Kathi McShane

It’s been several months now since I discovered the book A Bigger Table by John Pavlovitz. From almost the first moment the Ministry Team heard the title and then scanned the book together, we began to see that the idea of enlarging our table expanded our imaginations about what it means to be the Church.

Pavlovitz’s sharp insight and easy voice caught our attention immediately:

The Church will thrive only to the degree it is willing to be about making space for a greater swath of humanity and by recognizing the redemptive power of real relationships. The [good] news is that the way there is a whole lot simpler than we’ve imagined it to be. Jesus models the better way. He sets the bigger table. We don’t have to reinvent Church or create a new system or launch a new denomination. We don’t need a ministry strategy or a building campaign or some magic words. We simply follow him to the table of our own hospitality. We pull that sucker open, drop in a couple extra slabs of wood, and start adding chairs.”

His voice has continued to stir our thoughts. As small groups all around the church have begun to read and study this book, and as we’ve woven the idea of “a bigger table” into all our planning for the fall, new ideas have opened up:

• To organize our life more regularly around the tables where we share meals • To expand the ways we extend radical hospitality off this campus and into our neighborhoods and the community• To add community dinners to the array of opportunities during Compassion Week

If you haven’t already done so, I invite you to join the conversation. Read the book. Join a small group that will be talking about these ideas in the fall. Come and hear John Pavlovitz preach and speak on the evening of August 19. Think about how your own table—the literal table in your home, the figurative table of your heart—might get bigger, so that more people are included in the compassion that’s offered there.

It’s going to be a good fall. I’m glad to be in it with you.

The Good Newsound

“

Building a Bigger Table: John PavlovitzSunday, August 19, 5:00pm, Creekside

How can we extend unconditional welcome and acceptance in a world increasingly marked by bigotry, fear, and exclusion? How can we create spiritual communities that are big enough for everyone? What is the path forward in days that seem more hostile to diversity? Pastor John Pavlovitz, author of A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community, will address these questions as our guest preacher at the Creekside Crossings service and guest speaker at the dinner that follows at 6:00pm. Join us for a hopeful time of storytelling, encouragement, and honest conversation about setting the table for a new, more loving expression of faith and community. Dinner costs $12 for adults and $8 for youth age 10 and up; children ages 0–9 are free. Please register for the dinner at www.laumc.org/a-bigger-table by August 13 for planning purposes.

August 10, 2018 GOOD NEWS! Page 2

DeathWill JensbyJuly 28

Leadership Workshop InvitationSaturday, August 18, 9:00am–12:00pm, Creekside

As a leader, do you have the occasional feeling that there is neither enough time in the day nor energy in your body to do this work as well as you would like to do it? As LAUMC begins a new fall season, there is an opportunity to come together for an infusion of energy and enrichment. John Pavlovitz, the author of A Bigger Table, will do a special Saturday workshop specifically designed for leaders. He’ll lead a conversation about how people committed to justice and compassion might attend to the world’s needs without becoming overwhelmed and consumed. He’ll ask: How do we avoid becoming martyrs of our own hearts? How can we hold the needs of this world without damaging our spirits? What do we do when we’ve exhausted our resources?

Whatever part of the church’s work you’re involved in, John’s presentation will have value for your leadership—and no doubt in other parts of your life, too. There will be time to engage with others, but mostly, this is for you—an invitation to strengthen your spirit and renew your connection with the Holy, as LAUMC begins again. If you can participate, please register at www.laumc.org/leaders-workshop so that the organizers can prepare sufficient seating and breakfast pastries.

LAUMC Accompaniment Team Needs TabletsLAUMC’s Accompaniment Team is assisting an immigrant family that seeks asylum in the U.S. A big part of the service we provide is to help them find needed resources while living here. Right now, what is needed are two tablet computers for the children, ages 6 and 10. The tablets will be used to help the family learn English. If you have a tablet that you no longer need, please contact Duncan MacVicar (650-969-8814 or duncanmv@aol.com).

The team continues to need funding for this work. Soon the family will need backpacks and school supplies. Contributions can be made payable to LAUMC with the note “Accompaniment Fund,” either in the offering plate or online at https://laumc.onlinegiving.org.

Welcome Denise Robinson

The Staff-Parish Relations Committee is pleased to welcome Denise Robinson as the new Chief Administrative Officer at LAUMC. Denise is a regular

usher at the 10:00am worship service on Sunday mornings. She has also served as co-chair of the Sanctuary Building Committee and chaired the Campus Master Plan Building Committee from 2009 to 2013. Before that, Denise served as a board member for the Children's Center. Denise and her husband Tom have two sons, James and Tyler, who are active in Starfire and other youth programs at LAUMC.

Denise’s business and corporate finance background includes executive experience with AT&T and Coopers & Lybrand. She has started and operated a small business, worked as a business consultant, and chaired and/or served on the boards of a number of local nonprofit organizations. She has an MBA from Columbia University and a BA in finance from the University of Texas.

Denise sees this position as an opportunity to increase her involvement in LAUMC and says she is looking forward to getting to know the staff and congregation better. She is excited about The Changemaker Initiative and aligning our whole church with its principles so that we can grow in discipleship and grow as a church.

Denise joined the staff on August 6 and will be working with the pastors, staff, and lay leaders to provide strategic leadership to LAUMC’s operations and finances. Please welcome Denise to her new role!

New Organist AnnouncedLAUMC is pleased to announce the hire of a new organist, Eric Holderman. He has shared the following information about himself:

It is a pleasure to be your new organist, and I thank God for opening this door for me. I was born in Bakersfield and raised in Modesto. I was an organ performance major, and I have been an accomplished organist for 20 years and for a great number of denominations. I am a member

of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), and I carried on the organist tradition, as my Grandmother Holderman was a church organist and my great-aunt was a professional organist.

I am an instructional assistant/para-educator in resource special education and a member of a wellness company. I enjoy anything strawberry, Mexican food, egg nog, Star Wars/Star Trek, meeting new people, United States history, and watching old shows such as “The Three Stooges,” “I Love Lucy,” “I Dream of Jeanie,” and “Bewitched.” I am blessed to be a part of this congregation, and I look forward to being a part of the music department here and getting to know all of you more.

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Our Kids Can Thrive As ChangemakersFriday, August 24, 6:00pm, Creekside

How can we help the young people we care about find their power? Their hope? Their possibility? The Changemaker Initiative invites you to a special evening workshop with our Ashoka partners to explore this question. Let’s create a culture at LAUMC and beyond that enables young people to develop the skills of empathy, leadership, teamwork, and creative problem-solving. Parents, grandparents, community leaders, teachers, school staff, and youth organization leaders are all key players in this endeavor. Come and discover how changemaking is relevant to your work and your family.

Please register at www.bit.ly/reimagineparenting. Childcare will be provided. Check-in and appetizers will be available at 6:00pm, and the program will start at 6:30pm. For more information, contact Kim Jones (kim@thechangemakerinitiative.org).

Youth Fall ActivitiesSenior high youth are invited to kick off the new school year with a party! Let’s celebrate coming together on Saturday, August 18. Contact Carol Damonte (caroldamonte@laumc.org) for the time and location.

High schoolers interested in participating in the Starfire Singers choir are invited to the first rehearsal of the school year on Wednesday, August 29, 6:30–8:30pm in the Choir Room. Singing experience is not required! The choir has fun, serves, and praises God together.

Middle school youth (6th–8th graders) are invited to a BBQ celebration to start the new year! On Sunday, August 19, come to the patio outside the Youth Room between 11:30am and 1:00pm for good food, games, and fellowship.

Damonte Scholarship RecipientsOn July 22 we honored Patrick Gaffney, Mary Sapigao, and Ryan Cox (pictured, left to right) as this year’s recipients of the Roy Damonte Scholarship. The scholarship is given to outstanding high school seniors who have been actively involved in the church and have made a significant impact on the life of LAUMC.

We also honored Kristina Sinks as the recipient for a second year of the Dirk and Carol Damonte Scholarship, which supports students pursuing degrees in music and/or religious studies. In addition to this scholarship from LAUMC, Kristina was also one of the recipients of the California-Nevada Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry’s Conference Merit Scholarship. Kristina is on the dean’s list and pursing a degree at University of Puget Sound.

Please congratulate Patrick, Mary, Ryan, and Kristina!

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Photos from the senior high youth's recent mission trip to Mexico.

Living Gospels Senior GroupLiving Gospels is a faith-based community of senior adults who connect through study, outreach, and life adventures. We learn, we reach out, and we live our senior lives with great joy and enthusiasm. The name Living Gospels implies that we are living examples of God’s promises and truths, and we have a gospel story to share with others.

What do you study? Currently, we are studying A Bigger Table, learning to include more people, not fewer; giving up old ideas and accepting new ones.

How do you reach out? We share our stories of God’s presence in our lives, we find places to serve others, and we fellowship with each other to support and encourage one another.

What kind of adventures do you take? We have taken a bus trip to Filoli gardens, had a picnic in the park, and anticipate many more adventures to come!

We are about living, laughing, and loving. Please join us at our next meeting on September 13. Contact Coordinator of Senior Adult Ministries Megan Carroll (megancarroll@laumc.org or 650-948-1083 x152) for more information.

Yoga Class Restarts CycleTuesday, September 45:30–6:30pm, Creekside

The yoga class will begin its new series on September 4, continuing to October 30. Drop-in participants are always welcome. The class fee is $27 for the series or $5 per drop-in. Contact instructor Patti Graul (408-720-8896) with questions.

Going In, Staying In Jail Ministry SeminarSaturday, September 8, 9:30–11:30am, Creekside

Have you ever considered volunteering at Elmwood Correctional Facility? All are welcome to learn about this opportunity and be trained to go into the jail conduct Bible studies, group classes, worship services, and other spiritual services. CIC Ministries has a mission to respond to the spiritual needs of detained youth and incarcerated adults in Santa Clara County, and the organization trains teams of volunteers to participate in that service. A few LAUMC members have already been trained, and we hope to increase the number of trained volunteers from LAUMC. Contact Chaplain Bev Boxill-German (chaplainbev@cicministries.org or 408-390-1275) if you are interested in attending the training seminar.

United Methodist Women from LAUMC took three different classes at this year’s Mission U event on August 4. All are welcome to participate in next year’s Mission U!

Canning Season RequestAre you canning or making jam from your summer harvest? Would you make a few extra jars to set aside? The United Methodist Women would love your donations of a few homemade jars to the Harvest Faire, scheduled for October 20. Contact Pat Buhles (patbuhles@aol.com) with questions.

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JustFaith Class InvitationTuesday, September 119:00–11:30am, Resource Center

JustFaith is an intensive, small-group process for faithful Christians looking to deepen their commitment to care for vulnerable people and our planet. Many LAUMC folks have taken the class and recommend it highly. The next class will meet on Tuesdays, 9:00–11:30am, starting September 11. Space is limited so that participants can have a meaningful small-group experience, so please register for the 24-week class. Contact Perrie Erickson (perrie.erickson@gmail.com) to register or to learn more about JustFaith.

Invitation to SingIt's not too late to join in the fun of our new adult choir! You are invited to find a new spiritual level of worship and join a warm, loving, and open musical community. We celebrate diversity and inclusiveness in the beautiful and wide-ranging music that we sing.

The choir will rehearse on Tuesday nights at 7:15pm, starting on August 28 in the Choir Room. On Sundays the choir will rotate singing at the two morning service times on a monthly basis. In September (starting September 9) the choir will sing at the 10:00am service; in October it will sing at the 8:30am service. There are no auditions required to participate in this choir. You are invited to participate in a sectional gathering with other singers in your voice range for some

voice blending, group bonding, and dessert. Altos will gather on August 16, sopranos on August 30, and tenors on September 6. Not sure where your voice fits in? No worries! Contact Director Bill Golden (billgolden54@gmail.com or 408-656-4453) and he can sit down with you briefly to hear which voice level would be best for you.

Book ClubThursday, August 167:30pm, Garden Room

The Thursday Night Women’s Book Group will discuss Fried Eggs With Chopsticks, by Polly Evans. All women are welcome to participate. Contact Sandy Montoya (smsmontoya@gmail.com) with questions.

Time to Join the 2018 Walk to End Alzheimer’s TeamSaturday, October 13, 10:00am, San Jose

What’s purple and yellow and walks for a great cause? It could be YOU, joining others from LAUMC who will don purple t-shirts and yellow Hawaiian leis in October for the 2018 Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Check out the group photo of some members of the LAUMC team, who were featured on the cover of the National Captains Guide for the Walk. What an honor for our team!

Can’t make it to San Jose? No problem! You can still join the team and walk wherever you are. Not up for walking? That’s OK, too. You can still participate by sponsoring the team. Regardless of how you support the Walk, you’ll be helping to make Alzheimer’s disease a memory. Your support will fund critical research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. Funds raised will also be used to pay for services for those with Alzheimer’s disease and the spouses, children, relatives, and friends who care for loved ones with this disease. Visit http://act.alz.org/goto/LAUMC to join or sponsor the team. With your support, the team will continue to grow and raise funds to fight.

Betsey Sowder and Janie Nickel are taking over as co-captains of the LAUMC team. Contact Janie (jcn@nickel.com) or Betsey (betsey.sowder@yahoo.com) with any questions.

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Children’s Ministries NewsWe’re gearing up for an awesome year in Sunday school! Please pray for all the children, teachers, and volunteers in our five classes kicking off on August 19. We are still looking for a couple more Sunday school teachers for this school year! If you feel the call to lead children in a life of faith, contact Michelle Caudle (michellecaudle@laumc.org).Teaching children’s Sunday school is rewarding, fun, and a spiritual experience. Every week, lesson plans and materials are prepared for you, and you spend the 10:00am hour leading a simple craft, reading a Bible story, and facilitating free play and other activities.

We say, “Thank you, God” for bringing us together every week to play, create, and learn about our amazing Jesus. Sunday school takes place during the 10:00am worship service. Please check your children in at their classrooms before heading to worship.

• 2- and 3-year-olds: CC Room 2• 4-year-olds and kinders: CC Room 1• 1st and 2nd graders: Room 11• 3rd graders: Room 9• 4th and 5th graders: Room 8

In addition to the five Sunday school classes, 6th through 8th grade students are invited to participate in Venture on Sunday mornings at 10:00am in Room 7.

Infant care is available during the 8:30am and 10:00am worship services, and care is available for all children younger than 9 during Conversational Church at 11:15am.

Creekside Kids ChoirWednesdays, starting September 5, 5:00–6:00pm, Live Oak Room

Our children’s choir is for kids in grades 1–5. Please join us for an exciting year of music at LAUMC! We sing in church, play hand chimes, and will perform a musical in May. Contact Creekside Kids Choir Director Casie Walker (casiewalker@yahoo.com) with any questions.

Children’s Center News What do pirates, mermaids, waterfalls, dolphins, sharks and Hawaii all have in common? Water! All things “water” were celebrated during the Children’s Center’s summer Splash Zone camps. If you ventured onto the church campus in July, you were likely to see preschoolers designing mermaid tails, searching for treasures in the sand, making boats and testing them in water, and creating their own under-the-sea kingdoms. They had tons of amazing adventures.

The Children’s Center staff will spend August prepping for the upcoming school year. Rooms are being painted, decorated, and spruced up in anticipation of the first days of school on August 27 and 28.

If you would like to be a part of an informal parenting education book group, let us know! Our first book of the year will be Raising Happiness, by Christine Carter. If you are interested, contact Bryn Stuebner (brynstuebner@laumc.org).

The Family Resource Center (FRC) is lining up its parent education events. One big fall event will be a community education director from Challenge Success speaking on “The Well-Balanced Child,” strategies for raising healthy, well-adjusted preschoolers. Save the date of Wednesday, October 10, 7:00–8:30pm to attend this event and watch for more information.

Blessing of the BackpacksSunday, August 19, 10:00am, Sanctuary

Students, teachers, and staff of all school levels are invited to bring your backpack or work bag (lunch bag, purse, computer bag, etc.) to the 10:00am service for a blessing. Children will start in their Sunday school classrooms and walk into church as a class. The congregation will pray for all the students and educators, celebrating the year to come, then children will go back to their classrooms.

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GOOD NEWS!Los Altos United Methodist Church655 Magdalena AvenueLos Altos, CA 94024-5297(650) 948-1083 www.laumc.org

DATE MAILED: August 10, 2018NEXT GOOD NEWS! DEADLINE: September 4, 2018WORSHIP SERVICES: Sundays 8:30am, 10:00am & 5:00pm

August Outreach Connection: K-12 TeamSunday, August 19, all services

This month’s featured Outreach Connection agency is K-12 Team, which serves students in Los Altos and Mountain View schools. Its vision is to provide a community educational center for any student in our area. K-12 Team provides reading lessons, reading comprehension support, and math support for students who need educational support outside of the standard class day. The majority of students are elementary-aged English language learners who are struggling with foundational reading and math skills. Most also receive free or reduced lunches due to their family’s minimal financial resources.

On August 19, founder Carol Nunnally will speak at our worship services about the agency’s work, and we will take a special offering. All funds donated to the Outreach Connection offering will be used to provide educational services and/or materials to dedicated families. You may give in person, by text (text OUTREACH and your gift amount to 650-229-5200), or online (https://laumc.onlinegiving.org). Thank you for helping K-12 Team serve these at-risk youth!