northwest reminder · 2015-12-17 · your elders are also available during this time to provide...

Northwest Reminder VOLUME XXXX, ISSUE IX

DECEMBER 3, 2015

A Newsletter serv ing the congregat ion and fr iends of

Northwest United Protestant Church

Website Pastor’s E-Mail nwup.church [email protected]

Church E-Mail: [email protected]

(509) 946-3222

Monthly Publication

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Dear Friends,

Any day now, Elijah and Isla and I will be welcoming baby Sigrid (Ziggy) into the world. We are so grateful that our church recognizes the need for family time and physical recovery, and we will do our best to use our eight weeks of

maternity leave as wisely as we can! We look forward to the day when we get to formally introduce Ziggy to her church family, and dedicate her into this fellowship of Disciples, this Body of Christ.

While I’m off healing and getting to know this new person of ours, I’ll be leaving you in the capable and loving hands of two excellent pastors — Rev. Faye Serene (November 29

th through January 3

rd)

and Rev. David Helseth (January 10th

and 17th). They will be

preaching Sunday services and providing advanced pastoral care. Your elders are also available during this time to provide support and guidance, should the need arise. As chair of the Elders, Mike Dodson is the main contact for all pastoral care needs, but your entire team of Elders is here to help!

I will be back briefly on Christmas Eve to lead worship and preach. In general, however, I won’t be available professionally until mid-January. If there is an emergency, please contact one of the Elders or Rev. Serene, and they can get in touch with me if necessary.

On the next page is a little bit of information about your first interim, Rev. Serene. May she help us prepare our hearts this Advent for the arrival of the Christ Child! With joy and love,

Pastor Liv

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MEET FAYE SERENE OUR NEW INTERIM PASTOR

Faye grew up in and around Columbus, Ohio. After graduating from Hilliard High School, she graduated from the College of Wooster in 1975 with a B.A. in Religion. She moved to Granada Hills, California where she worked for two years as an Occupational and Recreational Therapy Aide at Northridge Hospital. While there she

began studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. In 1978 she and Gregg Serene got married. Her first call was to Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church as the Associate for Youth and Nurture. She worked in this suburb of Washington, D.C. for 10 1/2 years. Their son, Matt (for “Mathison”) was born there in 1989.

In 1993 they returned to California so Gregg could study Old Testament and Semitic languages at Fuller. Faye was a short term Stated Supply at Shadow Hills Presbyterian Church in Sunland and then was called to pastor the congregation at Occidental Presbyterian Church in Eagle Rock.

In the fall of 1998, they moved to Israel so Gregg could further his graduate studies. While there, Gregg was accepted into the doctoral program in Near Eastern Studies at Cornell University. She filled an interim associate position at First Presbyterian Church in Ithaca for 19 months.

From Ithaca they moved to LeRoy, NY where she served as an interim solo pastor for two and a half years; then took another interim position for 7 months in Shippensburg, PA as head of staff. That was short because she received a call as an associate at West Side Church in Richland, WA in 2004. In the fall of 2009, she went part time at West Side in order to return to school to get a Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology from Walla Walla University. She is now in full time private practice in Pasco, just off Road 100. Her husband does cyber-security for Lockheed-Martin. Their son Matt is in the army, presently stationed in Iraq.

For fun, Faye loves to read, take pictures, and is in the final steps of completing her first quilt after 13 years.

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BITS & PIECES A SPECIAL THANKS TO . . .

Pastor Liv Gibbons, for planning, decorating and purchasing supplies for our Halloween Party and to the wonderful folks that lent her a hand—Shirley Wolf and Sue Jewett who brought spooky snacks, Anna Kion who made the delicious apple cake for the cake walk, Pat Cahow who brought the bean bag game, Joyce Willis and the So-They-Say Storytellers who provided stories—and all the folks who delighted us with costumes (and everyone else who participated) . . . to Jim Jewett for patching the leaks in the Educational Building roof to get us by until we can raise the money for new one . . . Anna & Jim Kion for purchasing and setting up our new Christmas tree . . . to Elijah Buck and Collins Conover for agreeing to be our new Property Committee chairs and to Joanna Flaten for agreeing to take over as our new church Treasurer . . . to Jim Jewett for tracking down, arranging for and helping with the purchase of a new riding lawn mower for the church . . . to Jim & Anna Kion for the donation of some luscious new yarn for the Prayer Shawl Group . . . to Pat Cahow for organizing and directing the decorating of the Sanctuary for Advent and to all her cheerful helpers—Stephanie Hall-Mullen, Joe Popp, Jinjuta Jaroenkhun & Fernanda Vasconcelos Pinto (Kay Humphrys’ exchange students), Donna Whiteside, Jim & Sue Jewett, Mike & Nancy Dodson and Jim & Anna Kion . . . and to Jim Jewett for shoveling the snow from the church sidewalks.

DISCIPLES WOMEN’S MINISTRIES

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION!

Calling all Northwest women! This month’s, Disciples Women’s Ministry meeting will be this Saturday, December 5th at 10:00 a.m. in the Parlor. Instead of our usual brunch, everyone is invited to bring a special Christmas treat to share. There will be no lesson, just a Christmas story or two, the gathering of our diapers and formula for Safe Harbor and, of course, fellowship. If you only make it to one meeting all year, make it to this one. We’d love to have you!

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It was with some reservation that I accepted the offer to be your moderator. With so many offering to help me, I am feeling a lot better about the decision.

Although I have always found the sacred in nature, I never imagined that I would be able to find the sacred in a church again. But I found it at Northwest—a wonderful place with a very special spirit of hospitality filled with remarkable people. I feel grateful to be a part of it.

Having been on the Board for a relatively short period, I am impressed with the talent and devotion of the leadership in the church. Our church is small, and it is in excellent spiritual condition. The sermons and prayers are to me like world-class poetry and literature. The music is spiritually moving. There is now a completely revised church manual, Constitution and By Laws. We have a sound budget and are in good shape financially. There are a number of young families and children and youth coming to the church. The new education program for children is getting excellent reviews. The celebrations of Easter and Christmas are magical.

The church does face some challenges. We need new roofs and a number of the leadership positions, particularly stewards, remain unfilled. I am confident that the church will be able to meet these challenges.

I am looking forward to serving as your moderator. I encourage anyone with concerns or questions to contact me or any other Board member. They will be addressed. Everyone is welcome to attend Board meetings. I am confident that Northwest will continue to be a wonderful spiritual home where we will grow to be more of a blessing to each other and to the community.

Mel Adams

Food 4 Friends is taking a break for December. Enjoy your holidays!

6

New Books in the Library!

Grounded: Finding God in the World, A Spiritual Revolution by the Diana Butler Bass.

Diana Butler Bass is a noted writer on religious topics. She holds a PhD in religious studies from Duke University.

In this well written book, the author notes every year more Americans are leaving organized religion. She argues that this decline reflects a major transformation in how people understand

and experience God. The distant God of traditional religion is giving way to a God found in nature and in human community. She gives numerous and compelling examples of how God is being found in soil, water, sky as well as in community, homes and neighborhoods. This transformation is challenging traditional religious institutions as well as political and social structures.

Bass uses the latest research and her knowledge of history and theology to weave together new trends and data, spiritual texts and ancient traditions to describe the spiritual revolution that is taking place around us.

Available in the Recent Additions section of the church library.

There’s still time to join our Thursday night Judaism 101 class, but don’t delay, it will be over before you know it. Our next session will be TONIGHT, Thursday, December 3rd, at 6:15 pm in the Parlor. Joanna Flaten is leading this six-week study of Christianity’s Jewish roots and our next session will cover myths, legends and oral

traditions. So come expand your mind and have some fun with your church. These one-hour gatherings include light snacks and beverages, and childcare is available—just notify the church office, [email protected] or 946-3222, in advance if you will be bringing your kiddos.

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mailto:[email protected]


























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SPECIAL DECEMBER DATES - 2015

DWM Christmas Celebration, December 5th

Second Sunday of Advent, December 6th

Board Meeting, December 8th

Christmas Dinner Set-up, December 11th

Christmas Dinner, December 12th

Third Sunday of Advent, December 13th

Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 20th

First Day of Winter, December 21st

Christmas Eve Service, December 24th

Christmas Day, December 25th

New Year’s Eve/Watch Night, December 31st

WHEN: Saturday, December 12th

WHAT TIME: from 5:30pm to 7:30pm

WHERE: the NWUP Church Fellowship Hall

WHO IS INVITED: Everyone!

This year’s annual Christmas Dinner will take place on Saturday, December 12th at 5:30pm in the Fellowship Hall. This is a potluck affair with the main dish (ham, plus veggie lasagna for our vegetarian friends) provided by Hospitality and desserts provided by the ladies of DWM. We’ve had a clipboard circulating so you can let us know how many to expect for dinner and whether you will be bringing a hot or cold side dish or a bread of some kind. The dessert table will act as a fund raiser for Safe Harbor and My Friend’s Place with desserts being sold for $1 a plate. Santa will also be making an appearance with gift bags for everyone 12 and under, so please let the office know the names and ages of any little ones who might be in attendance—946-3222.

9

WITNESS OF THE SAINTS (October)

Sunday, October 4: Worship: 48

Christian Education: 6

Nursery: 6

In Finance: General Fund $ 3,708.00

Worship & Wonder 100.00

Reconciliation Offering 77.00

NA Rent (Steps & Trad.) 50.00

TOPS Rent 50.00

Building Fund 40.00

Total $ 4,025.00

Sunday, October 11: Worship: 44


Nursery: 8

In Finance: General Fund $ 416.00

NA Rent (Free Spirit) 50.00

BACA Rent 35.00

Food Bank 30.00

Building Fund 5.00

Total $ 536.00

Sunday, October 25:

Worship: 52


Nursery: 5


Food Bank 5.00

Total $ 1,282.00

Sunday, October 18:

Worship: 45


Nursery: 3

In Finance: General Fund $ 935.25

Building Fund 30.00

Food Bank 5.00

Total $ 970.25

1-Doris & Jeff Ayres

2-Clara Berkey

4-Frances White

7-Paola Medina

9-Bill Kendrick

12-Holly & Shawn Espinosa

25-Tami Arntzen

26-Zane David Arntzen

28-Jim & Anna Kion

30-Bea Pohto

Birthdays & Anniversaries

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WITNESS OF THE SAINTS (November)

Sunday, November 1: Worship: 71


Nursery: 8


Building Fund 70.00

NA Rent (Free Spirit) 50.00

NA Rent (Steps & Trad.) 50.00

Total $ 3,950.00



Nursery: 7


TOPS Rent 50.00

Food Bank 10.00

Building Fund 5.00

Total $ 1,145.75



Nursery: 7


Safe Harbor 125.00

BACA Rent 35.00

Building Fund 10.00

Foo Bank 6.00

Total $ 2,341.75



Nursery: 4


Lawn Mower 500.00

Building Fund 10.00

Youth (from recycling) 9.22

Christmas Dinner 5.00

Total $ 2,281.72



Nursery: 3


Worship & Wonder 1,000.00

Food 4 Friends 20.00

Total $ 3,011.00

December Serving Sundays December 6 December 13 December 20 December 27

Elder S. Wolf S. Jewett C. Eckard J. Willis

Worship Leader

C. Eckard B. Nundahl D. Ayres TBA

Deacons

Bold

names

are

Team Leaders

Team 1- D. Eckard K. Humphry C. Eckard S. Jewett

Team 2- A. Kion O. Adams B. Butherus B. LeVeque I. Souriyavongsa

Team 3- N. Dodson J. Jewett A. Kion J. Brinson-Wagner

Team 4- D. Whiteside S. Wolf J. Willis B. Nundahl P. Cahow

Sound R. Pohto R. Pohto J. Brinson-Wagner

J. Brinson-Wagner

Counters J. Hansens

B. Jenson A. Willis

J. Willis

J. Kion

J. Willis

D. Whiteside

S. Jewett

Greeter M. Adams J. Jakes TBA TBA

Nursery N. Dodson B. Pohto TBA TBA

Sunday School

P. Cahow S. Hall-Mullen

J. Kion S. O’Hara

J. Willis TBA

J. Hansens TBA

Hospitality E. Laughery B. Nundahl D. Barott

R. Gifford O. Adams A. Kion

K. Humphrys O’Hara’s F. & C. White

B. Pohto D. Whiteside J. Willis

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1-Shad Dudley

3-Anna Kion

5-Donna Whiteside

8-Bob LeVeque

10-Katie Phillips

14-Joyce Willis

15-Linda & David Rodriguez

17-Kayle Espinosa

18-Mike Dodson

19-Brenda Berkey

20-David Rodriguez

21-A.J. Phillips

22-Ronni Souriyavongsa

25-Connie Eckard

28-Jinny Howser

29-Mel & Onnie Adams

Northwest United Protestant Church Phone:(509) 946-3222

Pastor Liv e-mail: [email protected] Church office e-mail: [email protected]

[email protected] Website: nwup.church

Staff:

Liv Gibbons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pastor

Joyce Willis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary

Carissa Jones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Choir Director/Pianist

Leanne Groom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moderator

Bob LeVeque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Custodian

April Willis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nursery

NORTHWEST REMINDER is a non-profit monthly newsletter published by Northwest United Protestant Church,

1312 Sacramento Blvd., Richland, WA, 99354.

Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

northwest reminder · 2015-12-17 · your elders are also available during this time to provide...

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