GRACE PRESS Reflection from the Pastor er name was Suzette. While my mom had a beautiful French name, she was a southern Hwoman from Arkansas. You’d never guess it if you met her. She came to Los Angeles after the war, that’s WWII. What an adventure for a single women in the late 40’s!! After being trained to be a model and going to a school to become more sophisticated (although you could tell she was from the south when she got angry), my mom modeled clothing for Vogue and Sacs 5th Avenue, and various other magazines. Her room-mates were Hollywood starlets, even dated some actors. After a few years my mom decided to get married, to settle down, and have children. Only one problem, she could not have children of her own. That didn’t stop her however, there was always adoption. I was the first born/adopted child of 5, although mom tried to adopt others, the five of us stuck!

We were chosen, loved and cherished as we grew up in the LA area, primarily in Malibu. It was an idyllic childhood. We were taught to talk, dress, go to school, cook, bake, clean, given training on good manners, how to garden/weed, to drive and what to look for in a future marriage. We were introduced to Jesus and the Bible, we were taught to swim and surf, and we had lots of “wild” gul- lies and empty lots to run and play with our friends. Life could not have been better for the 5 of us. I thank God for my Mom! She was the best and I wish my mom was still hear so I can seek out her wisdom and love, a part of which still lives on in my heart.

I reflect upon this because May 12th is Mother’s Day. We all have wonderful memories of our moms. I realize that some didn’t have the best experience with their mothers but for most of us we did. For all of us there must have been at least one good memory—you were born! Some of you are mothers and we thank God for you and your amazing ministry to bear and raise chil- dren. Thank you for your wonderful calling in life that God gave you, a gift of creation like His!

So, let’s gather together on May 12th and celebrate Mothers!

God Bless all of us Children who benefited from having a mom to raise them in the ways of the Lord!! Peace, Pastor Mike PAGE 2 Finance Committee Report MAY 2019

All Church Prayer Meeting All Church Prayer Meeting Saturday, May 4, 3:00 – 6:00 Congregation of Grace Join us as we break bread together in fellowship and pray for the church & its members. Dinner & refreshments provided! “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” Acts 2:42 PAGE 3 GRACE PRESS Nominating Committee

he Nominating Committee is at work selecting potential candidates for Tchurch leadership positions as Ruling Elders and Deacons. The selection of church leaders is an important process— God is choosing people for His ministry- It is the duty of the Nominating Committee to discern whom God is calling to serve. It is a spiritual process that requires time in worship and prayer. We are open to suggestions for candidates from the congregation. If you have someone in mind, please mention it to a member of the committee for consideration. Please pray for the members of the Nominating Commit- tee as they carry out this important function of finding candidates for election to the positions of Ruling Elders and Deacons. The Nominating Committee members are: Lou Drexel, Sue Weston, Linda Houston, Tom Harris, Susan Hiltbrand, Heather Russell and Alice Nolf. Global Missions: Ross & Mary Hunter April Prayer requests:

1. Praise for finding a new home to rent! Pray we can complete the needed repairs quickly.

2. Praise: Mary’s studies taken in March and prayer for her safe return to Ecuador the end of April. The day after she arrives in Quito she plans to attend a women’s retreat in Quito. Pray for the many details and packing between now and then in Ohio.

3. Pray for our project “Hope for Venezuela” in Caracas, and Riobamba. Continue to pray for the paperwork the Venezuelan church needs from their government that will enable them to receive mission support. Pray for our weekly outreach in Ecuador that is launching this Thurs. April 4th, that will distribute food and hope to Venezuelans on the streets of Riobamba.

4. Pray for Yolanda’s healing. I just heard from her husband that she is feeling much better than two days ago, and has been eating over the past three days! Pray God would kill her cancer and restore her life!

5. Pray for my PhD research, much of which I hope to integrate into our current ministry program of Disci- pleship Training.

6. Pray for new pledges and special gifts towards our personal missionary support and ministry projects.

Our warm and sincere, “THANKS!” to you for your prayer and/or financial support of our ministry. We can’t do this alone! Thanks to you who have dropped us notes of encouragement.

Together we are part of the body of Christ, ministering to other parts of His body, the Quichua, in Ecuador (and now also Quichua and others in Venezuela!).

Warm Blessings, “Dios Bendiciachun,”

Ross &/for Mary

PAGE 4 For more info or to see the full Newsletter please go to www.evministry.org. Grandparents@Prayer MAY 2019

Generation G: Leaving a Spiritual Legacy (or Hot Topics on Grandparenting) -by Gramma Pat Whisler Don’t you just love springtime? I love to plant flowers and watch them grow. We can think of our grandchildren as those Join our Grandparents@Prayer seeds and we, as grandparents must help them grow without meeting on May 2631 in weeds. (or to help them pull those weeds when they get in the room 10 a half hour before way). One of the puppet shows we did (in my life ago) was the traditional service about a group of ants who lived in ANTS’HILLVANIA*. One begins. ant, ANTHONY, wanted to become INDEPENT-ANT. He was tempted by Mr. Dragonfly who promised to give him fame and fortune. He found out relying on Mr. Dragonfly was wrong. He became REPEND-ANT and learned to rely on the wisdom from above. God’s Word: … You are the plants I have sown. I made them with my own hands. Help your grandchildren as they grow, to show my greatness. Paraphrased from Isaiah 60:21 (International Children’s Bible)

This month’s GP Hot Topic: P L A N T I N G S E E D S Take a look at a few verses of the song called SEEDS from Ants’hillvania. Sing along. Make up your own tune. Let’s think of this as grandparently advice, for their hearts are just like gardens:

First you pull the weeds Down inside your heart You must choose your seeds with care Then you rake and hoe There are thoughts you sow What you sow will blossom there. Then you plant some seeds That are just like seeds Keep your garden free from sin That’s the way you sow. Planted deep below. Plant “wisdom from above” within.

Just you wait and see Just you wait and see Everyone will know Everyone will know What you’ve planted there What you’ve planted there When they start to grow. when they start to grow.

Prayer: Father, you are our gardener. Help us to grow good seeds so what is in our thoughts, what comes out of our mouths and the way we live is beauty to our grandchildren, other family members, our friends, the world and You.

Action: Tell the story of Ants’hillvania to your grandchildren, big or small, young or older. It’s based on the biblical story of the Prodigal Son. You can emboss with your imagination. The point is to listen and follow the wisdom from above.

A thought: “My grandchild has taught me what true love means. It means watching Paw Patrol cartoons while the

basketball game is on another channel. –Gene Perret

*Ants’hillvania was written by Jim and Carol Owens; It can be found and listened to on YouTube.

PAGE 5 GRACE PRESS

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAYS 9 & 10:30am: Worship Services 9 & 10:30am: Adult Studies 10:30am: Sunday School SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 MONDAYS 11am ESL 8am Men’s Breakfast 3pm Personnel 1pm: Knitting Ladies Committee 7pm: AA meeting 7pm Deep & Wide Class TUESDAYS 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

10am Women’s Bible Study 8:30am PEO 5:15pm: Soup Kitchen 6:30pm Worship 11am ESL Committee 7pm Deep & Wide . Class WEDNESDAYS 10am: Staff Meeting 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 11am ESL 9:30am PEO 9am Music Recitial 2pm Creciendo Juntos 1pm Finance Com. Book Club 7:30pm: Worship Band Reh. 7pm Deep & Wide 6:30pm Missions Class Committee THURSDAYS 10am: Bible Study 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 8:30am ASP 12-2pm EFAP 2pm Creciendo Juntos Breakfast 6:15pm Fellow. 6pm Bell Rehearsal Committee 6:30pm Deacons 7:30pm Choir Rehearsal

26 27 28 29 30 31 FRIDAYS 8:30am Grand.@ Office Closed Prayer 6:30pm Session

1 Gil Gordon 21 Shirley Stahl Larry Luther 25 Angel Pinedo 7 Mike & Paulina Cooley (25 years) 6 Susan Hiltbrand 26 Trent DeLeeuw 25 Jerry & Tuyet Salzman (11 years) 11 Cara Duff Lisa Duff 27 Tom & Mary Bryan (36 years)

Jo Gordon 27 Dave Duff 28 Felipe & Nancy Huguet (2 years) 12 Chloe Enger 28 Michele Earnest 30 Eric & Merisue Repik (26 years) 13 Andrea Stamm 29 Cameron Hamnquist 17 Lois Cavalier 30 Terry-Jeane Sawyer 18 John Earnest If you have a birthday or anniversary in May and your name does not appear above, please contact the church office at 760-724-0077 to update our records. Thank you! PAGE 6 Food Pantry Needs: MAY 2019 • Cereal (Not Bulk Size) • Small Jars of Peanut Butter • Pasta Punch/Coffee Service and Flowers for May Punch/Coffee Flowers May 5 Fellowship Anna Nash May 12 Fellowship Open May 19 Fellowship Open

May 26 Fellowship Open

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

Aliaga Family Judy D. Kirkland (Bill Sinatra’s sister in law) Alice Nolf Judy Woolsey Apollo Bostian (Elizabeth Bostian’s son) Lisa Duff

Betty Haver Mike Cooley

Bill Greenway Neil Kirkland (Bill Sinatra’s brother in law) Bill Sinatra

Bob Wilson Parker Family

Bumgardner Family Paulina Cooley

Chris Nolf Family Phil Damon

Cleta Corum Phil Sparkman

Cratsa Family Reidmuller Family

Dick Woolsey Rex Bassett

Dickson Family Rita Sinatra

Doug Barrie Scott Brady

Elizabeth Johnson Stamm Family

Erin Eldridge Terry Breen

Grigorii Kirillov Terry-Jeanne Sawyer

Jacob Sparkman Trisha Roest-Sinatra

Jan Patterson Wallman Family

Judy Ambrose PAGE 7 GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1450 E. Vista Way Vista, CA 92084

Phone: 760-724-0077 Fax: 760-724-2534 E-mail: [email protected] www.gpcvista.org

Address Service Requested

WHERE GOD’S FAMILY GROWS

facebook.com/GPCVista

Church Staff Interim Pastor/Head of Staff Rev. Dr. Michael Wallman Director of Church Operations Christie Elliott Bookkeeper Albina Lumetta Secretary Veronica Campos After School Program Director Maria Haigh Chancel Choir Director Jayne Parker Organist Frances Hummel Hand Bell Choir Director Pat Sexton Facilities Jim Aliaga

GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IS A CONFESSING CHURCH, and we believe: That Jesus Christ alone is Lord of all and the way of salvation. That Holy Scripture is the triune God’s revealed Word, the Church’s only infallible rule of faith and life. That God’s people are called to holiness in all aspects of life.