Newsletter, June 25, 2009

Be r ke le y U n i t e d Me t h o d i s t Ch u r c h BERKELEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2407 Berkeley Ave. Austin, TX. 78745 (512)447-6633 Email: [email protected]

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Permit #2713 Austin, Texas

Volume 39, Issue 6 June 25, 2009

THE BERKELEY BUZZ

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Berkeley United Methodist Church 2407 Berkeley Ave. Austin, TX 78745 (512) 447-6633 Fax: 851-8438 [email protected] Childcare Center: 443-3509 Ministers Members of the Congregation Pastor Rev. Jeannie Whitehurst

The Day of Independence The day of independence Came 2,000 years ago, When a man from Galilee, Gave His Body, Spirit, Soul, And took our place in punishment, Bore stripes without a fight, Obedience to His Father’s plan, Was utmost in His sight! He came to set His people free, From bondage to their sin, And gave them all a reason, To trust in Hope again. When freedom now we celebrate, Let’s keep in mind this thought, The freedom that sets us truly free, Was by Jesus’ blood bought. By Peggy Jeanine Woody

Youth Director Paul Seeman Director of Music Victoria Schwarz Pianist Tyler Mabry Administrative Assistant Tara Nash Childcare Director Allison McGillicuddy

A WORD FROM PASTOR JEANIE I am pleased to introduce the lay members from our church that joined me Thursday, June 18th at Hyde Park UMC in a new Ecclesiastes Project with eleven urban Methodist Churches in the Austin District: Myrna Cavender (Ad. Council Chair), Rachel Trudell (Lay Leader), Phyllis Coombes (Finance Committee Chair), Ray Hodson (Treasurer), and Brian Peters (Trustee Chair). The eleven churches are: Asbury, Berkeley, Crestview, Faith, Grace, Hyde Park, Memorial, Parker Lane, St. Mark, St. Luke and Simpson. This project is the next step in the process of congregational discernment about the future ministry of our churches which we started three years ago with the Don Nations and Holy Boldness initiatives. The Austin District Superintendent, with the support of the Bishop and the Cabinet of the Southwest Texas Conference, is providing the eleven churches with guides, consultants, and networking opportunities to enhance and deepen our holy conversations begun in our Faithful Practices and Task Force groups. Additionally, the churches will have a contractor available to work with trustees in assessing building code requirements and the estimated cost of making updates. You might consider the following metaphor to understand the lengthy process involved in this multi-year journey: Take an onion. Now peel back the outer layer of the onion skin, such as we did with the Holy Boldness and Don Nations initiatives. In fact, we really took off about two to three layers of the onion in getting the information required. Now, the Ecclesiastes Project will help us take off more layers of the onion to assist us in conversations toward discernment for the future ministry of Berkeley. A proposed timeline for the project is as follows: May 28th—D.S. met with the pastors of each of the eleven churches. June 18th—D.S. met with pastors and key lay members. August—Written documents completed and compiled. August 20th—District Professionals meeting, followed by Ecclesiastes pastors gathering. September—Facilitators begin congregational visits. October—Bible Study for the pastors of these churches by Dr. Beverly Jones, chaplain of Southwestern University. November 8th—Possible Group Charge Conference for all Ecclesiastes churches. We are very happy that the conference is working in partnership with us to plan for our future ministry. It was gratifying to all of us to know that the connectional system is working for and with us. Only God knows the future of our ministry. Please continue to pray and work together to listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. ―All will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be well.‖ ~Julian of Norwich

~Pastor Jeannie

Serving God +++Sharing Christ+++Receiving Mercy

V o l um e 3 9 , I s s ue 6

P age 2

B E R K E L E Y D I R E C TO R I E S

ARE

T H E B E R K EL E Y B U Z Z

The mission trip to Mathis, Texas is fast approaching and everyone is invited to go. We will leave July 19th, work for three days and then go to the beach on the last day before heading home on July 23rd. It will be a great opportunity for everyone to bond, work, worship and play together. The cost is $200 and needs to be turned in along with your registration form by Wednesday, July 1st. You can bring it by the office or give it to Paul Seeman.

IN!

We’re excited to announce the new church directories are here! You can pick up your labeled copy in the designated box located in the Narthex. Congregational Care would like to thank Kallie Green and Ray Hodson for the many pictures they took of our church family in action. And special thanks to Kallie for the exact hours she put into the layout and design. She did a fabulous job with the cover and ministry pages. Thank you, thank you!!! Dear Berkeley Family, Thank you for your concern, prayers and cards during the illness and death of my father, Pieter Vercouteren. We are so thankful that we were able to celebrate his 100th birthday on April 8th. Both my daughters, Marita and Elke and their husbands were also present. He died about two weeks after his birthday. Berkeley Church was very special to my father. He ―found‖ the church in 1976 when he and my mother were visiting us from Holland. He would walk every Sunday morning to different churches and after finding Berkeley he kept coming back. It is about three miles from our house to Berkeley. He loved to walk and three miles was not far to him. (He rode his bicycle till he was 95!) We belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church and he was an Elder for many years. I found BUMC bulletins and newsletters from that time with his papers. When I would give him greetings from some of you, he would be amazed and say ―Do they still know me?‖. My father had a good life and we will miss him. Thank you with love, Ineke Dunn and Family Thank you for your prayers and support following Betty’s recent surgery. Special thanks to those who donated food for us including one person whose name we do not have. We’re holding your dishes. Jim & Betty Barnes

P age 7

C URTAIN C ALL The Berkeley Child Care is in the beginning stages of a long awaited makeover! During the next several weeks the classrooms will be painted and other updates will be made. If anyone is interested in helping sew new curtains for the rooms, please contact Allison at 4433509.

CARES AND CONCERNS BY JUNELL TREECE

Congratulations to our recent confirmands who were confirmed on Pentecost Sunday, May 31st, 2009: Robbie Gaston Jonathon Kaylor Kyle McClanahan Elizabeth Walters

You may not be aware that currently there are at least 53,000 people in the United States waiting for lifesaving transplants of which approximately 3,000 are in Texas. That staggering figure is the result of a lack of organ donors which has created a national medical crisis. There are facts and figures we do not see everyday that nonetheless reveal cares and concerns to which we may respond. You can do your part to help overcome this crisis by becoming an organ donor so that at the time of your death healthy organs can be given to someone in need or to medical research to help eradicate deadly diseases. More information can be found at www.utmb.edu/renaltx/dcard2.htm.

ATTENDANCE: MAY WORSHIP SUNDAY SCHOOL

2009 786 257

2008 540 194

GIFTS AS OF May 31:

MEMORIAL FUND:

MONTHLY INCOME: $19,467

$9,041

MONTHLY EXPENSE: $18,115

ENDOWMENT FUND: $65,272

P age 6

V o l um e 3 9 , I s s ue 6

S AY YES

TO

VBS!

Kids, bring your friends and jump into bayou fun at Crocodile Dock! You’ll participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, dig into yummy treats, experience electrifying Bible adventures, collect Bible Memory Buddies to remind you of God’s Word, and

create Bible Point crafts you’ll take home and play with all summer long! Parents, Crocodile Dock is for kids from 3 years to 5th grade and will run Monday, July 13 through Thursday, July 16 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each day. To register, call the church at 447-6633 or pick up a form in the Narthex.

T H E B E R K EL E Y B U Z Z

P age 3

BERKELEY UMW PROGRAM AND MISSION PROJECT BY JULIA LANCASTER

Berkeley UMW will sponsor a program entitled ―Giving Our Hearts Away: Native American Survival‖ scheduled for Saturday, July 11, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Christian Life Center. Our very own Vikki Schwarz is the presenter; she is the Berkeley UMW Mission Coordinator for Education and Interpretation.

tricts have been asked to collect UMCOR Health kits. We would appreciate any new items you can provide. A collection box will be available (location pending) beginning Sunday, July 5.

KIT CONTENTS: 1 hand towel (15‖x25‖ up to 17‖x27‖, no kitchen towels) 1 wash cloth 1 comb (large & sturdy, not pocket-sized) 1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no UMCOR needs particular kit emery boards or toenail clippers) items, so it may be helpful to 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and have the following list handy up) when shopping. Non-specified 1 toothbrush (single brushes only Vikki has presented this study at items and partial kits will also find in original wrapper, no child-size the School of Christian Mission in their way to someone in need. brushes) Kerrville and to various other Place your items inside a sealed, 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile churches around the conference. one-gallon plastic bag. bandages We look forward to learning some$1.00 to purchase toothpaste thing new. Come join us on July (UMCOR Sager Brown is now pur11th. chasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to health kits before shipIn conjunction with our program ping to ensure that the product we will start a hands on mission does not expire before they are program sponsored by the School sent.) of Christian Mission. UMW dis-

ANSWERED PRAYERS BY

UMYF

CORNER

Sunday Nights 5:30 p.m.—Dinner ($2.00) 6:00-7:30 p.m.—Youth Group June 28 July 5 July 12 July 19-23

Lesson on Job Worship night Mission trip preparation Mission trip to Mathis

DONNA BOSTICK

1999 was a bad year for our family. Just before his 81st birthday, my father suffered a stroke and declined rapidly until he passed away on Pearl Harbor Day, a fitting day for an old military man who had served in both Navy and Army. My mother spent the next year learning to live on her own and do everything herself. In 2001 she was diagnosed with bladder cancer and began to prepare for her demise. We, her children, son– and daughter-in-law, and grandson convinced her to undergo an ileostomy, and after a rough start and a short bout with depression, she rallied and has done remarkably well, still living independently in her own home, driving, and caring for pets.

years ago. Early this year, ―Koch’s Rowdy Rolf‖, her beloved Schnauzer, was suddenly stricken with seizures and other old-dog ailments and had to be put down. This has been extremely hard for her, and she misses him terribly, but God has answered her prayer.

The other thing my mother has really prayed for over the years is to live long enough to see Reno graduate from high school. Earlier this year, she gave me his graduation card ―just in case‖, but as it turned out, I brought her down for the McCallum Fine Arts Academy convocation the day before graduation, when Academy kids receive certification for fulfilling all the requirements of their respective fine arts strands. It As she has gotten older it is obvious she is not as en- was her first trip out of Temple since her surgery in ergetic as she once was and mother began to worry 2001, but once again the Lord answered in the afabout what would happen to her pets should they out- firmative and fulfilled her desire. She says she is conlive her, or if she should have to go into a nursing tent now to live out her days trying to be the best perhome. She prayed that God would let her outlive son she can be, as God leads her. them. Lucky, the little lovebird, passed away several

Page 4

V o l um e 3 9 , I s s ue 6

Each Week: SUNDAY 6:30 am Work Corner Prep 8:30 am Worship 9:00 am Children’s and Youth Choir 9:40 am Sunday School 10:50 am Worship 5:30 pm UMYF (FH) 5:30 pm Covenant Group (9) MONDAY 10:00 am Women’s Group (7) 7:00 pm Covenant Group WEDNESDAY 10:00 am CC Chapel 7:00 pm Choir

7/1 7/2 7/3 7/4 7/5 7/9 7/10 7/11 7/11 7/12 7/13 7/16 7/18 7/18 7/19 7/27 7/29 7/31

Summer Kaylor James Hamilton Nicole Cecil Patti Schultz Susie Parkinson Barbara Lupo Robert Kaylor Alva Brown April Starnes Alma Nave Hugh Moore Karen Winsor Carolyn Brown Charles Hempel Lisa Brown Susan Curtis Sara Kelley Sue Bordovsky

T H E B E R K EL E Y B U Z Z

P a ge 5

STUDY TIME COMING SOON BY JUNELL TREECE

The Disciple 1 Bible Study, a 34-week course, will begin Thursday, September 3rd from 6:30—8:30 p.m. in room 7 of the Christian Life Center. We will be sharing our views on various books of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, always seeking to grow in our faith and God’s plan for us. Classes will be held each Thursday and facilitated by Junell Treece. There is a participant book available at Cokesbury Christian Bookstore for a cost of $40 and we will be placing an order on August 19th. Please contact Chris or Judy Funke at 423-6551 or Junell Treece at 215-9054 if you are interested. Childcare will be provided if needed.

The Berkeley Women in Action (WIA) Circle will be hosting a luncheon at the Cherry Creek Restaurant on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. This will be in lieu of our regular monthly meeting. All women of the church are invited to attend. Hope to see you on July 8th for some good food and fellowship!

Saturday, June 13th Berkeley held a Play Day at the church. Games, puzzles, food and dancing were just a few of the activities that ―made the day‖. Some participants spent the day and some came and went as their schedules permitted. Everyone present had a great time bonding with friends as well as creating new friendships. The Stewardship Committee invites you to join the next Play Day at Berkeley on October 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

J U LY I N T E N T I O NA L P R A Y E R C A L E N DA R July 5-11:

For the military at home and abroad: thanksgiving for their service and supplication for their safekeeping.

July 12-18:

For a successful and Spirit-led VBS, blessing both leaders and participants.

July 19-25:

For a successful and Spirit-led work camp, blessing both participants and receivers.

July 26-Aug. 1:

For safe travel for vacationers.