It's finally fall, and the blessing of cool crisp days and nights.  Now if we could only get some rain...
Fall is a busy time for the Church.  We start thinking about stewardship as we prepare our budget for next year.  Thanksgiving is coming, late in November this year and then Advent and Christmas.  As always we will need helpers to decorate the church for Advent, this year it will be on Saturday November 29th starting at 11:00 AM.  During Advent we will focus on the real reason for Christmas and prepare ourselves to be blessed by the coming of the Christ Child. 

Lynda Bell and I attended the Pacific Southwest Regional Assembly in Garden Grove.  It was amazing to see so many people from around the region working together.  The worship services were incredible, terrific speakers and wonderful music.  And of course the Shoe Stories told by members of different churches.  They shared how they had gathered shoes for the shoe project, wonderful touching and funny stories.  The most incredible thing was, we collected over 20,000 pairs of shoes for the project.  As one speaker said it was time for a new life for the shoes.  I would be very remiss not to thank the wonderful hardworking congregation of Garden Grove church and their Pastor Mamoe Mamoe.

Let us go joyfully into the season of Fall.

Blessings to all
Nancy

Regional Assembly this year was held at Garden Grove Chrstian Church.  This church is so welcoming I think that had a lot of influence on what many of the subjects of worship and workshop and yes the assembly in general was all about.  Hospitality!

Garden Grove CC does hospitality very well.  This congregation has a high percentage of members that are from or have Samoan heritage and we felt like a part of the joy, care and welcome of that island family while enjoying the worship, workshops, food and fellowship at the assembly in October 2014.  Did you know that the 3 main parts in the Samoan culture are faith, family and music?  Well it certainly shows when you visit the Garden Grove CC.  

There were 4 worship services – 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday.  Lots of music all kinds, a few videos and inspirational sermons.  The last worship of the weekend on Sunday afternoon communion was also included.  Our sermon speakers were Rev. Sandy Messick, Regional Minister and President of the Northwest Regional Christian Church, Disciples of Christ.  And Rev. Julian DeShazier, Senior Pastor of the University Church in Chicago – a combined UCC and DoC church. Rev, DeShazier is also known as J.Kwest a well known hip hop music artist.

As I mentioned above the theme used most was on hospitality.  Of the three workshops I attended 1 centered around that subject.  It was on when hospitality is extended then abused by the visitor and how to still be a welcoming person and church.  The other 2 were on new ways to do church and worship resources.  The biggest thing I learned on the hospitality workshop is that when someone relies so long on another’s hospitality and kindness a change has to happen because how then can hospitality be there for others?  The other two had ideas on emergent worship (new kinds of worship in the community) and ideas on worship resources and format.

Another part of the assembly had to do with the collection of shoes.  Remember how we’ve been collecting shoes like we do other items for the Unity Shoppe?  We took a box of shoes that you all had donated.  Some churches donated more some less.  There are several great shoe stories one thing we heard as people were actively seeking shoes for donations that visiting yard sales when asked if the seller would be willing to donate their shoes instead the yard sellers gave all they had.  Some had shoes coming from friends and family in other states.  Most of the stories were of how they had no idea how big it would grow once the word got out.  2 stories were of those with a lot of shoes found someone who needed shoes that happened to hear of what they were doing and were given new shoes.  One was a man who just got a new job and didn’t have the required work boots – the church had just received a donation that day and there were a pair of steel toed boots in his size – which he received. The assembly had a large extra long semi truck sized container to fill. By the end of the Assembly they had over 20,000 pairs of shoes received – once we hear of a final account I’ll be happy to share it with everyone.  Many hoped to do this again.

Finally regarding the resolutions – they were mostly regarding getting a sense of the assembly on encouraging congregations around the region in outreach projects they can get involved in or encourage to start new projects involving the prison system, those who have fulfilled their obligations and may need help in the community or to work at helping at risk preventing having to be incarcerated.  The votes were in majority for both resolutions. 

Thank you for sending and supporting Nancy and I to go this regional assembly event.  We had a good time learned much and it was grand meeting friends across the region and making new friends.

 
Peace, Lynda Bell

 

We are in the season of abundance – just look at any of the many farmer’s markets around town with all the great seasonal foods.  The flowers are blooming all around, sunshine days between June & July gloomy foggy days makes us appreciate the sunshine all the more.  Yes it’s a blessed season.  Did you read the article last month about Granny’s Berry Bucket?  Yep another reminder of this abundant season – Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story Bill Sharrett.  Later I’ll tell you a story about my Grandma Bell who was missing picking blackberries. 

Meanwhile what am I getting at about appreciation?  Well I’m talking about more than appreciating the weather and awards and those special days like Grandparents day, Mother’s/Father’s Days and the ever present kids day (birthday).  I’m talking about the simplicity of appreciating one another and how we share that. Let me share the scripture from 1st Thessalonians 5 (Message)

Several words pop out from this in regards to abundant appreciation:  Encouraging, Build up, Honor, Overwhelm with appreciation & Love, Reach Out, Patient, Attentive, Best, Cheerful, Pray and Belong. 

What a great set of words to share!  Like a basket full of goodness!  The cool thing is that just by focusing on these words we are without trying focusing our appreciation on those around us. These words not only give us action but teach us the good to look to and without a lot of work do for others just what they may need.  It’s as easy as talking to God – pray for those around you to let God know your appreciation and in turn you and their lives will be blessed.  Pray for and lift up those who are doing the work you are not able or that have different gifts than your own.  Every prayer, every smile, hug and simple nod of thanks makes a difference.

As we come into the fullness of the season how about we look for all these good things to share with each other and with anyone we come across in our daily lives.  Let’s show our appreciation.  Recently we had an Appreciation Sunday and shared what appreciation is and what a difference it can make in who we appreciate, who we share our appreciation with but also in ourselves.  We are better for appreciating also. Appreciating others lightens you. For when we appreciate others we are blessed in turn.

Oh before I forget.  What happened to Grandma Bell?  She was gone picking for so long the boys went looking for her and found bear tracks on top of foot prints in her favorite big high berry patch.  Needless to say they were scared as they walked along the spiral and in and out path of this really large patch of blackberries of what they may find.  Well they found her with a bucket full of berries none the wiser that there was a bear following her picking and eating his own bucket’s worth of berries – Grandma was safe and sound and no further sign of the bear that no one ever did see.  Grandma Bell’s blackberry cobbler was awesome so it’s no surprise the bear’s only interest was in berries!

So what do you appreciate?

Peace, 
Lynda Bell

Well if y’all didn’t come to worship at First Christian Church in Santa Barbara, on Sunday June 22nd, 2014 then you missed a wonderful, fun, music filled, joyful worship service.  We had the joy and privilege of having Rick Hall preach for us (He’s not a reverend after all only has played one on TV) and Laura Hall (who happens to be Rick’s lovely wife) and Kelly McLeod sing and play wonderful country songs and hymns.  
Together they are The Sweet Potatoes.

Now we sure enjoyed the message Rick brought us.  A great story about a couple of very different Baptist churches in the 1960’s sharing the local preacher for a time – Rick told the story from the preacher’s point of view and what he went through first being introduced to a different style of worship, then he and his wife Clara (the pianist who learned to add notes to the songs) growing to love this group of worshippers.  Then, he told of how through time and with the help of a baptism, the local firefighters and music these two very different congregations found God and each other in a new experience. 

We had a couple of age old hymns done country style and were joined in more music and communion and fellowship with Laura and Kelly and Rick (The Sweet Potatoes) singing and playing with their great harmony.  Special music was a beautiful song called Where I Belong written and performed by Kelly MacLeod and Laura Hall. We added to the country theme with music on screen the old hymn He Leadeth Me done in video with the words for everyone to follow along.  Afterward everyone went down to the fellowship hall to help Patsy Favalora celebrate her (88th?) birthday with a nice spread done by her kids – Jana, Jamie and Jed!

Now I’m sorry if you weren’t able to be here but there’s good news – there are more lovely services that we plan –you just know what you have to do to enjoy them?  Come to church! We also post on Facebook so check us out – you can always find out what’s going and who’s preaching on our website’s calendar on our outreach and activities page.  We’re here and we’d love to have you join us in great – full worship! Good music (our piano’s done being refurbished and sounds bigger, fuller, Nice!) good messages, praise, and communion every Sunday that EVERYONE is welcome to.

Peace, Lynda Bell

If you want to know more about Kelly, Laura and Rick check out www.thesweetpotatoes.com

    Most people you talk to who went through the Great Depression can think of very few things that happened to them in the 1930’s to ‘40’s that will bring a smile to their faces—a time when there wasn’t much work and there were long soup lines at our churches and other places that tried to help the poor and hungry.  But oh lucky me has a wonderful memory of something I could never forget.

            I was born in a small town in southwest Virginia in 1939.  My family was fortunate to have grandparents who lived on a farm about 30 miles from our home.  Farmers had the same problems as did the city folks but at least they could grow most everything they needed to eat.  They usually had a cow for milk, and of course chickens for eggs, and that Sunday dinner (lunch to us today) that we would dream all week about.  The work to grow vegetables and their main money crop (tobacco) were back-breaking jobs.  Long hours including Sundays, work was done with hand tools and my folks had a mule that we all loved dearly.  We had apple, cherry, and pear trees that did well, and we could sell some of the fruit to buy sugar and coffee and other things they couldn’t grow.  They didn’t seem to mind the hard work.  They were just thankful that they could feed their family and help others who needed a little help.  We would go to Granny Branche’s every week and bring home what she could give us. The folks back in that period of time were very strong and generous and they were proud people who loved the ole USA—I think the little farmer had a big hand in making America the best, strongest, most generous country in the world.

            Now before I forget, I will tell you about the wonderful memory I have about Granny Branche’s house.  If you know me, you will not be surprised to hear me talk about the food—beans, fried cornbread, all vegetables, and many fruits.  But one food stands out well above all the rest.  Granny had a two-gallon galvanized bucket she used to gather eggs, chicken feed, water the mule, carry the vegetables from the garden, milk from the cow (Of course, she rinsed out the bucket before the milk went in!) and lots of other things she used it for.  When I was at her house, I always followed her around as she did her chores.  In mid-afternoon, I could just about read Granny’s mind.  She would be thinking about supper, always good, if not fancy.  We would look forward to the meal.

            Well, now it’s time to tell you about the magic words I still hear today.  “Bill, get the berry bucket.”  I guess my feet never hit the ground until me and Granny finally got down to the river bank where the ground was thick with the wild berry bushes, blackberry, gooseberry, and  mulberry trees, just to name a few.  It didn’t take long to fill the bucket and maybe a little longer to get my fill.  I can hear Granny say, “Now Bill, don’t eat too many now, or you won’t want any of my berry cobbler.”  Fat chance for me not to have room for that pie!  The pie was made in a huge bread pan that I thought was too small.  Oh me, one problem after another.  Waiting on the pie to come out of the oven--it finally did, and you gotta believe, it was worth the wait.

You know what?  I always said it’s the little things in life that are the most important.  Yes, I will always remember Granny’s berry bucket and the pie.  You know something else?  I will always remember God’s promise to provide for you and me in good times and in tough times, even the Great Depression.  Many good things came out of that era.  We learned, with God’s help and a lot of hard work, we made it.  Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and yes, if we are lucky, one of Granny Branche’s berry pies. 

Bill Sharrett

It seems time flies by.  Spring has sprung and we are heading into summer.  Many of us have travel plans, whether it's a day trip, weekend, or a great adventure.  I hope that wherever you go, you take the opportunity to visit God's house. It could be a church service in a family member's church, or it could be outside enjoying the beauty of the world God gave us.  Oh - and take time to listen for God speaking to you.  We so often approach God with the things we need Him to do for us. Take that time to listen, as God may be telling you He's handling the problem.

First Christian Church in Santa Barbara is searching for the pastor God has chosen for us.  For any of you who have never been on a Search and Call committee, it's a lot of hard work!  Please pray for the committee as they search. 

We have been blessed by many speakers, clergy and non-clergy.  Thank you all who have been so kind as to answer the call.  If you have a suggestion for a minister or speaker, please let me know!!

All of God's blessings to you all,
                                          Nancy Harrell, Moderator  

1 John 4:16-18  Common English Bible tells us that
"We have known and have believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who remain in love remain in God and God remains in them. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear expects punishment. The person who is afraid has not yet been made perfect in love."

Well shoot!  I guess we all know we aren't perfect, but this verse just seems to slap my reality in the face. 

I believe in God. That's a fact.   I love God.   I even believe ( in spite of there being no reason I deserve it) that God loves me. 

So why then, do I find myself still such a seething mass of anxiety?  When I was little my dad called me his little worrywort.  Well I am all grown up now. I've been out on my own longer than I was a child in my mother's home.  Surely I should have outgrown the worrywort bit somewhere along the line. 

Worry.  Fear.  Anxiety. All part of the human condition, I suppose. All serving distinct purposes in appropriate amounts. But when they get out of hand they start to become a serious problem. 

Worry can make us sick.  Fear can hold us back from doing what we are called to do.   Anxiety can slow things down to a grinding halt. 

There are many things that cause fear in our lives. Far more than I can list here. But because I came here to be your Transitional minister nearly three years ago,  let me address one o two in particular.

We are one of many, many churches who have been caught up in the process of ever changing society.  Born in the frontier; schooled in the industrial revolution; bursting with growth in the post war periods when purpose was a desperate need and service organizations thrived; we, like so many others,  have been in a gradual decline over the past 40 years.  Decline is scary.  Let's be honest, it can be terrifying. Fear plays a big role in declining churches. 

To reverse decline we are called upon to make friends with change.  Well guess what?  Change is scary, too!

What is a church to do?  

Let go of the reins.  Take chances.  Jump out of airplanes (metaphorically speaking).  All potentially terrifying acts, themselves. 

But we have a super power.  And a super power that makes us impervious to Fear and it's minions anxiety and worry.

We don't have to worry because as it says in First John, " Perfect Love drives out fear."  

I imagine Perfect Love riding into town on a giant steed, with a lariat twirling and a bullwhip snapping as fear, squealing, runs as fast as it's little feet can carry it.   Away.   Far away from Perfect Love. 

Easy to imagine...  A little more difficult to make real. 
Some might even suggest that it is impossible to know Perfect Love, much less to drive out fear.

But again, we have something of a secret weapon on our side.  We know that while many things are impossible for humans like us, "with God nothing will be impossible".  I looked up a few familiar phrases like that just to see what I could find using Google.

I'll be moving on in a few short weeks. You will continue your journey toward of transition. I'll be praying for you to believe fully that you are in the care of the God who as Perfect Love, drives out fear, and with whom nothing is impossible.
   
<3 Elaine