April 11,, 2017 Faith Matters

We are in Holy Week.

In some traditions, today is known as, “Holy Tuesday” – preceded by “Holy Monday,” and followed by “Holy Wednes- day.” As United Methodists, the days in Holy Week which we observe traditionally are Palm Sunday, marking the start of Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, marking the events of Jesus’ last night with his disciples, and Good Friday, which marks, of course, Jesus’ crucifixion and death. But where does the tradition of Holy Week come from, given that none of Jesus disciples recognized that they were walking with Jesus through the final days of his earthly life?

Tradition has it that the Christian Church started to observe Holy Week officially at some point in the late third century – a couple centuries after the events it commemorates. If I’m remembering correctly from my childhood (and that could be a big, “If”!), we observed the following days in Holy Week: Palm Sunday and Good Friday. I was introduced to the observance of Maundy Thursday in seminary; and the Services I saw observed that night focused on the ritual of foot-washing. That’s still the case in many churches that observe Maundy Thursday. In the past 30 years, or so, as more “main line” Protestants have acknowledged increasingly our neglect of the contemplative life, as well as how lit- tle time we’ve tended to give to the passion, or suffering of Christ at his death, some churches have also started to ob- serve “Holy Saturday,” the time Jesus spent in the grave, including it in the three-day Paschal Triduum of Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.

But what about Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week? Well, there are some early traditions for these days, too, which are observed largely by Roman Catholics – for now. On Holy Monday, some Christians remember Jesus’ anointing at Bethany. In John’s Gospel (Jn. 12:1-11), it occurs just before Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Other events of his last week that may also be remembered are Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree, and his cleansing of the Temple. Holy Tuesday observances focus on Jesus’ predictions of his coming death, after his entry of Jerusalem. Holy Wednesday’s observances focus on Judas’ arrangements with the high priests that lead to Jesus’ arrest. For this rea- son, Holy Wednesday is referred to sometimes as, “Spy Wednesday.”

As you can see, we can immerse ourselves in Holy Week as much or as little as we’d like. However, as I mentioned in my Easter Letter and last Spire, I hope you don’t go breezing past this week, jumping from Palm Sunday to Easter. Take time to focus on the life of Jesus this week. You don’t necessarily have to observe each day early Christian tradition states; but do think about Jesus’ life and his final days: the lives he touched and changed forever… those who would not or could not hear and receive his Good News of God’s grace and mercy… his willingness to die in the spirit in which he lived: without judgment or condemnation, without willful harm to others… and centered in God, through prayer, to the very end. What does Jesus life and death mean to you?... How does your relationship with a redeemer who was crucified impact your understanding of God, and/or how you live your life?... These questions and their answers are meant for pause and reflection – much like Holy Week is – so take your time with them.

May you walk through this week carefully and intentionally as we prepare to celebrate the gift of Jesus’ resurrection and its fulfillment of God’s promise that the Way of Life that Jesus revealed will always be more powerful than death.

Grace & Peace, Pastor Myrna

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Caring & Sharing our Prayers, Joys, and Tears

Please let us know if you know of someone who Verniece Roundtree, Mary Lou Smith, Mae Stagnaro could use our prayers of intention so we can include and the Stagnaro Family, Darrell Thomas, Lynn Van, them on our list. and Marie Watson. Continued prayers of healing for our homebound  Verniece Roundtree is now under hospice care. and/or chronically ill, and those who are recovering  Betsy Borruso’s sister, Becky, passed away March from accidents/illnesses, who include: Charles 31st. Condolences may be sent to Betsy at 5041 Dumm, Dorothy Feick, Barbara Humphrey, Lynne Kevin Ct., Castro Valley 94546. Kersting, Julia Kruse, Marge Loudy, Priscilla McIntire, Charlotte McMahon, Kevin Meehan, Betty Quadros,

April Showers Fundraiser Tickets Now On Sale

April 22 Annual Hal Davis Memorial Luncheon 5:00 PM Sunday, April 23—Noon in Hale Hall Café Bethel Family: 2 adults/2 children—$30.00 Bethel Community Presbyterian Church Adults—$12.50 14235 Bancroft Ave. Children under 12—$5.00 Entertainment includes: “Purple Smoke”; Youth age 13—18—$8.00 “Circle Soul”; The Gnarly Men” and The Oakland East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus—and Fundraiser to raise funds to install elec- more. tronic automatic door between Breezeway Suggested Donation $10 and a pair of new and Parking Lot. athletic socks”

Need Help? Dial 211 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week for FREE information about health, housing and social services Find us on Facebook (including food kitchens), etc. facebook.com/fumcsl or visit www.edenir.org

Office: 483-0606 Accompanist Position Open 9 am—1 pm, Monday—Friday Custodian: Nancy Skinner Pastor: Rev. Myrna Bernadel-Huey [email protected] [email protected] Facilities Manager: Position Open NOTE: Fridays are her day off. Beth and Nancy, until position is filled Office Manager: Beth Crawford [email protected] [email protected] Prayer Chain (Confidential): Dawne Teske (357-0770) Study Coordinator: Position Open [email protected] Director of Music: Marcie Avalon Wedding Coordinator: Judi Pitcher [email protected]

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Our Shared Ministry

Regular monthly meeting days and times:  1st Tues.: United Methodist Women, 11 AM; Trustees, 7 PM. Both in the Wesley Rm.  2nd Tues.: Finance Committee, at 6:30 PM, in the Library  3rd Sun.: Staff-Parish Relations (SPRC), 12:30 PM, in the Wesley Rm. or Library  4th Thur. Praise Band Practice, 7:15 PM  4th Sun.: Church Council, 12:30 PM, in the St. Francis Rm.; Young Families Pot-luck, 5-7 PM, in the Wesley Rm. Regular weekly Christian Education/ Spiritual Growth gatherings:  Sundays: Children’s Sunday School, during worship; Adult Sunday School, ~11 AM-~12 PM: Bible Study, in the Library, and Book Study in the St. Francis Rm.  Wednesdays: Meditative Communion, 12:15 PM, Chapel; Small/covenant Group, 6:30 PM, Wesley Rm.  Thursday, Choir Practice, 6:30 PM, Chapel

Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) – What’s In a Name?

As the new chair of SPRC, I’ve been learning about the very broad responsibilities of this committee, and the importance of “Relations” as part of our name. As a committee, we are focused on building strong relations between the paid staff and the congregation and the congregation and the district superintendent. While there is a visible adminis- trative component to our work (such as updating job descriptions and conducting per- formance evaluations, which we are doing this year); we also maintain a strategic focus on the mission of our congregation and the UMC to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To do our work well, it helps if this committee represents the diverse cultural and life experiences of our entire Congregation; and we maintain regular communication with the Finance committee and Church Council. I look forward to telling you more about our work in future newsletters.

Adel Dow, Chair

It Is Almost That Time of Year Again June will be here before you know it—and June means graduates from college, high school, middle school, kindergarten, etc.. And, as always, we want to salute them all. So, if you have a graduate you would like in- cluded in our June 13 Spire, please let us know. If at all possible, we like to include the graduates name, school, graduation date, and a photo. If they are moving on up to another school, we like to hear about that as well. You may either send the information to this email address—[email protected],, drop it off at the Church Office, or mail it to us. We would like to have all of the information by June first so that we can give the article the attention our graduates deserve.

Information about The Sherman Scholarship for our college attendees will appear in the next Spire (4/25)

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Celebrating Nurturers

Looking over our calendar for the next three months, we note that both Mothers’ Day (May 14) and Fathers’ Day (June 18) are coming up. Looking around our congregation we became aware that, while we have many birth parents in our congregation, we also have many nurturers—people who, whether or not they have “birth children” of their own, spend a large portion of their time nurturing , aiding, abetting, encouraging the growth of others of all ages. So, we would like to hear from you about someone (or more than one) who has helped you in your daily (or spiritual) life, by offering love, support, guidance, and encouragement from time to time.

We are not asking for a 500 word essay (although we would not refuse it), but rather just a sentence or two about someone who said or did the right thing at the right time and made a real difference in your life. This person (or persons) does not have to be a member of this congregation—although it would be nice if they were. Send you responses either by email to [email protected], by mail to the Church Office, 1600 Ban- croft Avenue, SL 94577, or just in an envelope in the Collection Plate on a Sunday morning.

We look forward to hearing from you all.

Service Opportunities  Children’s Sunday School—If you are interested in reading (or telling) a short story/lesson to the under five year olds, or perhaps leading them in making a meaningful craft, on a Sunday morning, please let us know. For this age group it is recommended that the lesson be no longer than five minutes. Just a short lesson about Jesus’ love, being kind to others, etc.  We also have a need for Sunday School Teachers for our 6-11 and 12-18 groups. These are among the most important, impactful positions in any church See Pastor Myrna or Marie Wilson-Johnson is you are interested in becoming part of this most important ministry.

Job Openings— From Trustees and SPRC

The Board of Trustees is looking for a Facilities Manager. Responsibilities include: being a liaison to on-going groups using our building, being on hand when one-time users use our space, and advertising our building for use. Compensation is “by commission”. If interested, please contact Lynn Vann Trustee Chairman at 408-691-4661 or call the Church Office.

First United Methodist Church, San Leandro is seeking a part-time Accompanist to be a key member of our music program, accompanying our choir(s) at rehearsal and on Sunday morning, and providing the music (Prelude, hymn-accompaniment, Postlude, etc.) during Worship Service(s). The successful candidate will work collaboratively with our Music Director and Pastor. This is a 12 month position requiring an average of 4-6 hours per week, exclusive of personal rehearsal time and pays $600-$800 per month depending on experience. Requirements include competent sight reading; experience leading congregational singing and accompanying a choir; familiarity with and experience in liturgical music; For more information, please email: [email protected]

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Looking Ahead….

4/13—Maundy Thursday Service, 7:00pm in Hale Hall 4/14—Good Friday—Inter-Denominational Service at All Saints Episcopal Church, 911 Dowling St., SL 4/16—Easter Sunday, including Children’s Easter Egg Hunt—need a volunteer to act as Easter Bunny, need donations of wrapped candies and fillable plastic eggs. Need volunteers to “hide” the eggs on Easter. We also need a volunteer to act as the Easter Bunny. 4/23—Hal Davis Memorial Irish Luncheon—tentatively set for noon. Note: in the past this has been called a St. Patrick’s Day luncheon, but the date is just a little late for that. We are sure it will still be a happy celebra- tion of Hal’s life and heritage. 5/6—Bridges District Conference at Pinole UMC 5/13 — Letter Carriers Food Drive—remember to put non-perishable food out by your mailbox, and then join us at the San Leandro Main Post Office at 3:00pm as we sort the donations to be delivered to Davis Street Family Resource Center. 6/21-24—California-Nevada Annual Conference, Hyatt Burlingame 7/16—Second Annual Circuit-Wide Worship in the Park and Picnic at Castro Valley Community Park, 18988 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley 94546—mark your calendars

In the United Methodist Connection

A Word from John Wesley Perhaps the general prejudice against Christian perfection may chiefly arise from a misapprehension of the nature of it. We willingly allow, and continually declare, there is no such perfection in this life as implies either a dispensation from doing good, and attending all the ordinances of God; or a freedom from ignorance, mistake, temptation, and a thousand infirmities necessarily connected with flesh and blood. — John Wesley, The Character of a Methodist,

A Hymn from Charles Wesley There for me the Saviour stands, Shows his wounds, and spreads his hands! God is love! I know, I feel. Jesus weeps, and loves me still! Jesus, answer from above: Is not all thy nature love? Wilt thou not the wrong forget? Suffer me to kiss thy feet? (Collection-1781, #162:8 & 9) Questions for Reflection: 1. In John Wesley’s description of the character of a Methodist in this reading is clearly answering objections pre- sent in his day. What are the objections today to the Methodist understanding that it is possible to perfectly love God and neighbor? 2. What is the meaning for us today when Charles Wesley guides us to sing: “God is love! I know, I feel. / Jesus weeps, and loves me still!”? 3. Do you believe we can receive the gift of Jesus from above, that will make all our nature love? 4. As you continue this journey of Lent, what else do you need to surrender or lay aside?

Want to receive the Spire via “snail mail” in 2017? As the cost of postage has gone up, we are going to have to charge more. So, the cost for the Spire by mail will be $15 for the year. Just send your check to the Church Of- fice with “for the Spire” in the memo line.

Sunday Schedule: First United Methodist Church of San Leandro is a Chris- 9:30 AM Worship & *Children’s Sunday School tian Community which believes that every person is a 11:00 AM Adult Sunday School & *Children’s Choir Child of God. We invite you to grow with us in your rela- *September—June tionship with God, through a repeating cycle of Prayer and Praise, Study, and Service. Service Ministries and Agencies FUMC Supports: For more information, please visit us at www.fumcsl.org  Interfaith Homelessness Network (IHN) “April Showers” on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays of each month at the Girls’ and Boys’ Club of San Leandro  Red Wagon food collection to benefit Davis Street Family Re- source Center. You may bring in non-perishable food items to share as part of the Offertory on any Sunday Morning—or place items any day of the week in the barrel in the Breeze- way. The Spire is published on the second and fourth Tuesday of Contact the Church Office: (510) 483-0606 each month by the First United Methodist Church of San Lean- Office Manager Hours: Monday-Friday; dro. Articles may be submitted electronically at man- 9:00 a.m.— 1:00 p.m. [email protected]. FUMC Office E-mail address:

All Articles Due by 9:00 am Monday of Spire Week. [email protected]

2017 11, April

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