EMMANUEL NEWSLETTER March 2017 VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 2

INSiGHT INSiGHT

On February 24th and 25th we began a journey as a congregation. Working with the Fuller

Consulting Group from Fuller Seminary we have started considering afresh what God is up to in the Conejo Valley and what is our part in it. A cross section of leaders from the congregation including the Session, members of the Deacons and the staff, gathered on Friday night and most of the day on Saturday to begin to discern our context both as a church and in our community. The goal is to lead us to new action that is aligned with the core sense of who we are and where we have been as a congregation. Our hope is that we will find new ways to engage the community in God’s Kingdom.

To that end, on Friday March 24th from 6pm – 9pm, we need all of you to come and join in a congregational dinner and workshop. Lead by Rev. Dr. Tod Bolsinger and Rev. Dr. Charlie Campbell from Fuller Consult-ing Group, this will be a time for you to make sure the essential stories and values of Emmanuel Presbyterian Church are shared. It will be a fun, as well as, insightful time of fellowship. We will be asking you to sign up so we can have accurate numbers for dinner. Please set aside this date.

It doesn’t matter if you are a recent member of the congregation or have been here from the beginning, all perspectives are needed for us to faithfully align our future with the God who has brought us to this point. Many of you have been through varied processes that

promise to shape the future of the church. This one is both similar and different. Similar in that it is a process of look-ing back and forward at the same time. Different in that the goal is not to project mere-ly what we want, but to ac-curately define what God has always been up to in our midst and embrace it for future work. Congruency is the word I would use to describe what we are after. We move forward in new ways that reflect long held values, the very character of Emmanuel Presbyterian Church that was forged in its earliest days, but keeps on showing up in each generation.

Are we simply re-inventing the wheel? Absolutely! – there needs to be a fresh expression of the Church for each generation. The landscape changes all the time and we simply don’t notice. It’s a great time to be part of Emmanuel Presbyterian Church and knowing that God is moving us forward.

Join us on the 24th of March and see what God is doing in and through us. You can sign up after services or online at: All Church Way Forward Workshop, Dinner and Story Night.

Faithfully yours,

Craig

Discovering a New Way Forward

C.S. Lewis Class for Post-Modern PilgrimsWednesdays March 8, 15, 22, 29 - 7-8pm in the Fireside Room

We are having a great time looking into the writings of C.S. Lewis and how they are relevant to us for this time and this culture. On the 8th, we will look at The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

– and – The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. On the 15h, we will explore Letters to Malcolm Chiefly on Prayer; the 22nd is Perelandra (and maybe a little bit of That Hideous Strength); the 29th is in case everyone wants an encore and we will look at Experiment in Criticism, an oft overlooked work of Lewis’s that is extremely relevant for post-modern pilgrims. No need to read anything ahead unless you want.

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Community Carnival for Easter - April 16Together, we can create an amazing Community

Carnival at Emmanuel to celebrate Easter! There will be two services on Easter Sunday, April 16, at 9am and 11am, and the carnival will run from noon to 1pm with a petting zoo, face painting, a photo booth (with free professional photos for families) games, art, food and more. There are opportunities for all of us to participate and help make this a fun day for our church and the surrounding neighborhood.

Please consider signing up for a short time slot between 8am and 1:30pm using this sign up genius link (http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090444ADA82CA6F94-easter). Sign up as a

family or with your Emmanuel small group so that you can work together at the carnival.

You can also donate items for the carnival anytime between now and April 2, such as face paint, watercolor paper, food coloring, shaving cream, candy, stickers, plastic eggs and prizes (small stuffed animals, coloring books and crayons, small kits to make cars or planes, puzzles or other small toys). If you would like to contribute food, we are asking for brunch items such as egg dishes, fruit or pastries. Contact Debbie Barber at dbarber@epconline.org if you have any questions.

The Deacons would like to congratulate David Anderson on his ordination and installation as Emmanuel’s Associate Pastor. For those of you who may have missed it, on February 12, David Anderson’s ordination

was held at Emmanuel, and the Deacons provided a reception afterwards. It was a beautiful service, customized just for David, and a wonderful way to worship our Lord and Savior while honoring and affirming our pastor.

David works with the Deacons, serving on the Executive Committee of the Board of Deacons along with the moderator, vice moderator and secretary/treasurer. He attends Deacon meetings each month, offering thoughtful and reflective devotions. David is on board to help lead the Deacons as they seek to serve the church members in new and creative ways as our members move forward into a new era in the life of our church.

Congratulations, David! It’s great that you are now “official.” We love and support you, and we look forward to seeing where God will lead the Deacons next.

Deacon’s Corner - Congratulations, David!

And the Walls Came Tumbling Down:Teaching through the book of JoshuaThe elementary kids just wrapped up five weeks

in the book of Joshua. It was an adventure through the usual games, bible lessons, and crafts that fill Sunday mornings for our kids, but also of battles and victories, trust and forgiveness, leaps of faith and miracles. There are always reasons not to teach Sunday School—making time for prep during the week, the unpredictable nature of young kids, and showing up early and leaving late on Sundays. But, there are more reasons to take a leap of faith and participate. Like in the experiences of Joshua and the Israelites, and my own experiences teaching this month, if we take that leap, God provides a dry path through the raging waters of our inadequacies, distractions in the classroom, technical difficulties and lesson plans gone awry. He makes a way for understanding, for us and

the kids we are teaching; an understanding of His powerful, yet forgiving nature, and His promise of victory even in impossible situations. And so whoever we are, the teacher or the student, He moves our hearts again and again toward Him, our faith follows, and the walls miraculously come tumbling down.

The adventure continues and opportunity calls. Contact Debbie Barber if you are interested in taking an adventure with either the K-2 grade class or 3-5 grade class through Easter stories in April or the Gospel of Luke in May and June. Merideth Sullivan and Rick Ertel will be teaching the book of Judges this month.

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Senior Luncheon Hosts: Channel Islands QuartetWednesday, March 15, 12 Noon in the Fireside Room

Emmanuel member Ruthie Kay, violinist, will join her colleagues Irving Weinstein, violin, Diana Ray-Goodman, viola, and Ervin Klinkon, cello, for a mini-concert celebrating Spring. All are music

educators, as well as performing artists, appearing with local symphonies and ensembles. Their performance will include contemporary and classic favorites for string ensemble.

Bring two friends, a dish to share and your own table service. Beverage and dessert will be provided.

Over Presidents’ Day Weekend, some of Emmanuel’s 7th – 13th graders travelled to serve at Forest Home alongside their kitchen staff. We worked hard, sang and prayed together, and played in some snow! Personally, it is my favorite trip every year, as we always seem to grow closer together when we are working towards something. Thank you Emmanuel for always supporting and encouraging our students!

Our Spring Break Trip is right around the car! If you desire to contribute by lending us your vehicle, please let me know, as we are in desperate need! Love, Jared

Revive: Exploring Spiritual Practices During Lent, we will have a 5 week series exploring

spiritual practices through creativity. We are striving to create an environment that exposes participants to new avenues of experiencing and communicating with God. Each week we will engage in an activity centered on a different spiritual practice (like journaling or contemplation). We will use a variety of techniques including bookmaking, painting, and sculpting. It is our hope that as a result of the series, participants will integrate a new spiritual practice into their lives in order to deepen their relationship with God, know Him more, and gain awareness of His presence in their lives. Perhaps, they will use their handmade journal to present their requests or praises to God daily, or to write down a verse they would like to focus on for the day or week. In one of the activities, participants will meditate and make art about our place in the trinity; and will reflect on how we are each intimately connected to God the Father, God the Son,

and God the Spirit. Participants will be encouraged place their art somewhere in their home or workplace as a reminder of God’s nearness. We are hoping the participants will tangibly experience the fruit of the Spirit such as joy, peace, patience, and self-control during the act of creating but also as a result of an ongoing spiritual practice in their daily lives.

For those not involved in the series, consider beginning a spiritual practice of your own. Consider starting a monthly or weekly practice of solitude and silence, fasting, or journaling. Maybe even doodle or draw, or walk and enjoy nature during your time of solitude. Experience God through tuning in to the world around you and also through stopping for long enough to sense His still, small voice in your spirit. Dallas Willard’s Spirit of the Discipline: How God Changes Lives is a great book that explains different spiritual practices and how they can be integrated into one’s life.

Youth at Forest Home

Emmanuel will be hosting a United Blood Services Blood Drive on Sunday, March 12, from 8:30am-12:30pm. You can be a hero! Sign up online at:unitedbloodservices.org or sign up between services. If you have any questions or want to sign up by phone, please call Janet Thomsen at 805-531-5468.

3/3 Parents’ Night Out 5-9pm, Nursery, Rm 3-4

3/4 Buddy Break, EPC Campus 9am arrival for volunteers 10am-1pm, kids here

3/5 Congregational Meeting 10am, between services

3/12 Youth Bake Sale 10am, between services

Blood Drive 8:30am-12:30, Parking Lot

3/19 MOPS Bake Sale 10am, between services

3/24 All Church Way Forward Dinner & Story Night 6pm, Sanctuary

Coming in April

4/7 Parents’ Night Out 5-9pm, Nursery, Rm 3-4

4/8 Buddy Break, EPC Campus 9am arrival for volunteers 10am-1pm, Kids here

4/8-4/13 Youth Mission Trip to Mexico

4/9 Palm Sunday

4/13 Maundy Thursday Service 7pm, Sanctuary

4/14 Good Friday Service 7pm, Sanctuary

4/15 Holy Saturday Service 7pm, Sanctuary

4/16 Easter Services, 9 & 11am Easter Carnival Noon-1pm, Front Lawn

Groups Meeting at EPCWomen’s Bible Study

Wednesdays at 10am, Room 6Men’s Bible Study

Fridays at 6:30am, Youth RoomMOPS & Mom’s Next - Mother’s of

Preschoolers & Elementary age, 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 9:15am

MOTS - Moms of Teens & Beyond, 1st & 3rd Wednesdays

12pm, Youth RoomROMEOS - (Retired older men eating out), Thursdays 8am at

the Newbury Park IHOP

Wheelchairs and more wheelchairs. God’s Hidden Treasures in Ukraine will soon receive a container of 200 wheelchairs! Joni and Friends International Disability Center in Agoura Hills is providing the wheelchairs. Emmanuel missionary Nita Hanson said the wheelchairs are free for us but we have to pay for transportation. Because of the generosity of the Emmanuel congregation and others, people in Ukraine will receive the wonderful gift of mobility through a wheelchair, cane, or walker. In addition to the mobility aid, relationships are built and the gospel is shared with the recipients. Thank you, Emmanuel, for your continuous support of people in need. Check out the website for more information: www.godshiddentreasures.org.

Daughter comes home. Our missionary to Zambia, Rachel VanGent, welcomed home her new daughter, Moriah, in January. Rachel says, “2 years and ten months ago, I began the adoption process. Two years ago, I started visiting my daughter [in an orphanage] and it has been quite a journey. And as hard as those two years were to wait, I can honestly say that God used all of it to prepare us both for what HE’S doing now!... now, we celebrate. We celebrate that she’s in her forever home. We celebrate all the Lord is doing. And I celebrate and thank God that I have amazing community both here and in the States.” A team of seven people from Emmanuel will be traveling to

Zambia in June to work with Rachel at The Esther School. Stay tuned for updates from the trip. For more information, follow Rachel’s blog at; https://rachelvinzambia.wordpress.com/.

Feeding our neighbors. In April, Emmanuel again begins hosting a

Community Meal every Thursday evening for anyone who is hungry and needs a meal. The program is coordinated by Lutheran Social Services, and churches in the area take turns providing meals. A free meal is available at a church someplace in the Conejo Valley every night of the week! YOU can get involved by helping to host a Thursday meal once a month. That involves being at church from about 5:30 – 8:00 to welcome the people bringing the food, make coffee, and welcome our guests. Please contact Phil Haik at philiphaik@gmail.com if you are interested.

Missions Update

Are you looking for something to read that is profound and accessible at the same time?

Let me suggest the book God’s Unconditional Love: Healing Our Shame by Wilke Au and Noreen Cannon Au. Wilkie is my spiritual director and has great insights into how we live into God’s grace. Check it out. - Craig

A Good Read