EMMANUEL NEWSLETTER June 2016 VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 4

INSiGHT INSiGHT

On Friday, June 17, at 7 p.m. the Elation Arts Se-ries will present “The Art of Longing,” a classical

vocal concert featuring Tenor Bryan Lane, son of Ed and Carol Lane, and pianist Christopher Davis. Lane and Davis will perform works by Beethoven, Debussy and Schumann. In addition, the program features a world-premiere performance by a renowned Ventura County composer, Michael James Bland, entitled, “June Days.”

Lane is a member of the Los Angeles Master Cho-rale and has sung professionally with Seattle Opera, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale and Opera Santa Barbara, among others. He made his Disney Hall debut as the tenor soloist for the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 35th Annual Messiah Sing-along and has performed other solo concert roles, including Handel’s Israel in Egypt, Monteverdi’s Vespro Della Beata Vergine and Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor.

Lane has joined both the LA Master Chorale and Se-attle Opera as a teaching artist, as well as maintaining a private voice studio here in Ventura County. In 2015 he won the Early Music America Summer Scholarship.

Since moving to Santa Barbara in 2008, pianist Davis has immersed himself in its vast music community, working for organizations such as the Music Academy

of the West, Camerata Pacifica, the Ojai Music Festival and the Santa Barbara Music Club. He is pianist at St. Andrew’s Presby-terian Church in Santa Barbara and maintains a large private teaching studio. Davis has been a prizewinner of numer-ous competitions, including Santa Barbara’s Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation and the San Diego Symphony Young Artist Competition.

Composer Michael James Bland studied music theory at the Royal College of Music in London and music theater composition with Stephen Sondheim. He has composed and arranged music for stage productions at theaters in England, including the National Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse. He also arranged and conduct-ed film scores for Channel 4 television. For the last four years, Bland has been a member of the choir and Schola ensemble at Old Mission Santa Barbara, for whom he has written a number of sacred pieces.

The concert is free and open to the community. A free-will offering will be taken.

Camp Joy is a fun time for discovery, explora-tion, and being creative as we learn about

the wonderful world that God created. Our joy comes from knowing God’s love and presence with us. And we can find joy in using the skills God cre-ated us with to do good and help others. This joy is for both kids and adults!

Monday through Thursday will start off at 9am with giant experiments led by some real live scien-tists. After some music and fun, everyone will head off to take part in our Science Lab, Art Studio, and Game Space. The Science Lab will have different lab stations for experiments and scientific explora-

tion. There will be different choices every day! In the Art Studio, we’ll learn about different artists and create some amazing pieces of art based on the famous artists’ work. And the Game Space is a place for some crazy games and a relaxing and delicious snack.

Tuesday is Color Day. Wear your Camp Joy t-shirt and be prepared to make a mess! We’ll have a color run at the Game Space, and there will be many other colorful (and messy) ways to play and explore.

Continued on Page 3

Camp Joy is right around the corner, July 11-15!

Classical Vocal Concert on June 17

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Summer 2016Wow! Summer is

upon us! I love this time of year. Beach days, birthdays (mine!), vacation days, fun things for youth and children at the church (camp joy and summer camp!). Make sure you read through the newsletter to find all that is going on!

This month there are some changes at Emmanuel. Beginning on June 12th we will be going to one service for the summer. The time is the same, but we will be coming together to worship with those attending both services. Our theme could easily be Worship on the Road! That’s how the tabernacle was developed – worship on the wilderness journey. Jesus is always heading somewhere and we worship with him on the road. Consider this summer as that motif.

June 12th through September 4th we will have one service only. The format may change at times and the location as well. Please make not of these changes.

June 12th is one service and is intergenerational in nature. Much like what we did on Palm Sunday we will be engaging all ages in how we can worship together. It is also the beginning of Summer Choir. If you would like to sing with the choir, just come at 9am any Sunday from June 12th through the end of July and help us lead worship.

June 19th, aside from being Father’s day, is a day to recognize some of the leadership of the church as well as ordaining and installing our newest deacons.

July 17th we will have worship on the front lawn of the property. We will be including a brunch to support the youth camping programs. That day we will celebrate Camp Joy as well. Tables and chairs will be provided and shade! Come hungry and willing to sing! Bring a checkbook to support the youth of the church.

August 7th and September 4th we will have Communion in the Park at Conejo Creek North Park, Creekside. We will have a lunch in the park following service. Our hope is to serve not only our congregation but to extend hospitality to those in the park that day and also include those who join us for our community meal on Thursdays at Emmanuel. If you are at University Village we will assist you with transportation before and after. Extend invitations to all who might enjoy this time.

On September 11th, we will return to our two service schedule with a twist. We will be organizing our services with our more traditional service at 9am and our celebrate service at 10:30am. There’s lots of reasons for this that I will highlight at another time, many of which were discussed in our home meetings this spring. Our session has discerned that this is a necessary adjustment to move our congregation forward. We will be sharing more about Sunday School and childcare as we get closer.

Is that enough change for the moment?! It won’t all happen at once, but wanted to give everybody advanced notice. Don’t miss out on a thing!

Looking forward always, Craig

Do you like to sing but have never sung with a group? Have you always wanted to be in the

choir but never tried it? Now is the time! As summer approaches, Emmanuel is seeking singers to join the summer choir. If you enjoy worshipping God through music and the fellowship of other music lovers, come sing with the summer choir during June and July.

Rehearsals begin at 9 a.m. Sunday mornings starting on June 12. Anthems will be easy to learn, and the hymns and praise music for that morning’s service will be reviewed. There will be no rehearsals during the week during in the month of July, and those who are not part of the regular choir are welcome, but not required to attend the Thursday rehearsals in June.

All who love to sing are welcome to come praise the Lord at the summer services this June and July through song!

The choir will be off in August. However, for those interested in continuing on after the summer, weekly rehearsals for the fall program begin on Thursday, September 8. The choir will resume leading worship on Sunday, September 11.

Summer Choir is part of Emmanuel’s single-service season as we unify our pastoral team and explore what worship means together as the entire church body. For more information on the choir and its summer program, call Lance Merrill weekdays in the office at 805-498-4502.

Sing the Summer Away

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May God Be With You Dear FriendsOn May 22, a musical era came to an end at

Emanuel as Kim Harris and Bernadette Amos performed together during the worship service for the last time. Both women are retiring from their longtime music ministry and taking a well-deserved rest. Kim was Emmanuel Choir’s accompanist, and Bernadette was Emmanuel’s organist.

Bernadette had been a part of Emmanuel’s music ministry for more than 32 years. In January 1984, Bernadette visited Emmanuel, and as she stated, “was worshipping through song” during that service. Another longtime Emmanuel member, Bobbie Weyman, heard a beautiful female tenor voice in the congregation as she was processing up the aisle with the choir during the opening hymn. Bobbie figured out that the voice she heard was Bernadette’s, and after the service gathered a delegation of choir members to sign Bernadette up for the choir.

As Bernadette recalled the moment, Bobbie pointed to her and said, “There’s that voice I heard. We need you in choir. Rehearsal is Thursday night at 7:00.”

Bernadette did join our church and our choir, and in recent years became our regular organist. For more than three decades Bernadette has lifted her exquisite voice to the Lord in Sunday services—and countless times as a soloist, both in worship and in concerts. Throughout the years she played for numerous weddings and funerals as well. Bernadette leant her considerable gifts to talent shows, and she also served on Session.

Several years after discovering Bernadette and inviting her into the Emmanuel family, Bobbie was instrumental in bringing Kim Harris to Emmanuel. In 2001, two weeks before the 9-11 tragedy, Bobbie was starting her role as Emmanuel’s newly appointed

interim choir director and was in need of a piano accompanist. Days before her first choir rehearsal in her new role, Bobbie received a call from an enthusiastic prospect. According to Bobbie, the first words from caller Kim Harris were “Hello! I’m your new accompanist!”

Bobbie auditioned Kim and purposely gave her two very difficult pieces to perform. Kim played them beautifully. She was hired for a three-month gig, which she turned into a 15-year position!

During the past 15 years, Kim has accompanied the Emmanuel Choir and our children’s and youth choirs in worship and numerous concerts. She has also served as the music teacher at Ascension Lutheran School here in Thousand Oaks, nurturing a new generation of young musicians.

Kim and Lisa Yoder have also entertained our church in various, often

hilarious skits, revealing Kim’s experience on the New York stage. They used their gift of humor to promote choir concerts and church events. No matter the worship setting—playing or performing—Kim has expressed glory to God through her musical gifts.

Even though the church body said goodbye to these two very talented women in their official capacities at Emmanuel in May, we wish Bernadette and Kim well and hope that they will come often and join us in song, once again raising their voices and praising God with their Emmanuel family. May God be with them as they journey through a new season of their lives.

Camp Joy - Continued from Page 1 Wednesday is Water Day. Wear your swim suit under your clothes and bring a towel. You WILL get wet!Friday at Camp Joy starts at 7pm. Bring your whole family and your camping gear for a camp out on our front

lawn. We’ll watch a movie and eat popcorn and s’mores. And in the morning, we’ll have breakfast together. Camp Joy is a great time for children in our community. But it only happens through the loving attention of you,

the adults and teens at Emmanuel. We need one small group leader (age 15 or over) for every group of 5 children. Email Debbie at dbarber@epconline.org for volunteer applications and background check forms. You will be glad you did!

06/04 Buddy Break 9AM-1PM, EPC Campus

06/12 Summer Schedule Begins One Service 10AM, Sanctuary

06/15 Senior Salad Potluck Picnic 12:15PM, Gardens of the World - T.O. Blvd.

06/17 Classical Vocal Concert “The Art of Longing” 7PM, Sanctuary

06/19 Father’s Day

06/26 Baby Shower for Rachel After Service, Fireside Rm.

Coming in July

07/04 Happy 4th of July! Office Closed

07/11-07/15 Camp Joy 9AM - Noon Monday - Thursday, Campout on Friday

Groups Meeting at EPCWomen’s Bible Study Wednesdays at 10AM,

Room 5/6Will NOT Meet, June 22-July 13

Men’s Bible StudyFridays at 6:30AM, Youth Room

MOPS & Mom’s Next - Mother’s of Preschoolers & Elementary age, 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 9:15AM

Returning in the FallMOTS - Moms of Teens & Beyond,

1st & 3rd Wednesdays12PM, Youth RoomReturning in the Fall

ROMEOS - (Retired older men eating out), Thursdays 8AM at

the Newbury Park IHOP

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Transportation Ministry

Request from Prison Ministry: During vacation sea-son, remember to pick up the amenities of lotions, shampoo, conditioner, soaps, shower caps etc. from your hotel, motel, cruise or spa visits. Your donations are used for the Fire Camp 13 Christmas Gift Bag project. Please drop donations in the Mission Room, Thank You!

Deacon’s Corner: The Deacons have varied responsibilities, and one very practical

ministry is providing transportation to the church body. The Transportation Ministry is designed to provide transport needs for members on a local-area basis: rides to/from church, rides to doctors’ appointments or the hospital, etc. The deacon in charge of transportation arranges rides for those in need by utilizing volunteers from the congregation, providing rides.

The deacon in charge arranges specific transport needs by checking with the rider requesting the service. If a weekly ride is needed, the deacon calls on church volunteers listed in the Deacon Contact Assignment List. Although the Deacons have a list of available volunteers, they are looking for new volunteers to sign up on an on-call basis (only when a ride is needed).

The church office often gets new requests for ride service. They contact the transportation deacon with the need. Karen Peters, head of the senior concerns ministry, also helps greatly in this area. The transportation ministry is a much needed service and has been highly appreciated in the past and is also highly rewarding to all involved in providing this ministry. If you have a need for transportation or know someone who does, or if you would like to volunteer with this ministry, call Linda Christensen, the new deacon in charge of transportation.

Emmanuel Seniors Potluck PicnicWednesday, June 15 - 12:15PM

Gardens of the World2001 Thousand Oaks Blvd (Across from Civic Arts Plaza)

Bring a salad and your own table service. Dessert provided.Lunch, followed by a tour of the Gardens