 The
United Church of Los Alamos
United Chimes: Vol. 41, No. 9, September 2004
Table
of Contents
On Sunday, September 12th, The United Church will say farewell to our interim pastor, Howard Grant, and his wife Joyce. Pastor Grant will preach both services that day. Howard and Joyce have been with us for a little over a year. They have contributed to the life of this congregation in many ways. We are grateful for their willingness to become part of this community of faith over the past year. Their service to the congregation has helped us through a time of transition. We wish them well as they return to retirement and to their home in Salida, Colorado. We pray that God will continue to bless them. The Elders are planning a reception for the Grants following the 9:30 service on September 12th. There will be an opportunity for individuals to write a note of thanks to the Grants. Love Offering for The Grants - A Love offering will be collected on Sunday, September 12th for Howard and Joyce Grant who will be finishing their ministry here. If you cannot be in church on that Sunday, please leave your offering in the church office. Please
Take Note
New Schedule for Children *change from last year 9:30 (During
Worship service)
10:30 *Singing
for 4 years old
Room 101 Suzanne Johnson
10:30- 11:00
Junior Fellowship
Graves Hall
11:00 Sunday School Room No. Lead Teacher Childcare:
Birth- 3 yrs old
Room 113 Nursery Worker
The Sunday School program is successful because of the many dedicated volunteers. Contact Jean Picard, 662-2971, to volunteer for Children’s Worship, to substitute, to help in a classroom, or to help in the nursery. We NEED your help! Training for all teachers and volunteers will be held September 12th. Thank you. Youth
News
Event Place Leader Sundays:
Mid-High
11:00
AM Senior High
7:00 PM Youth Group Craig Hall TBA Thursdays:
Burrito Prayer
Sonlight Retreat Oct 29-31st All high school students are invited to Sonlight Christian Camp for a retreat. This retreat is sponsored by Sonlight. If you would like to attend visit the Sonlight website (www.sonlightcamp.org) or get a form from the church office. The cost is $80. Students are responsible for their own transportation to Sonlight. We Want You! Youth are needed to participate in many areas of our church. If you would like to be a liturgist, usher, greeter, nursery worker or board member please contact Jean Picard, 662-2971. I’d like to take this opportunity to THANK each and every one of our summer music participants for being willing to share their musical talents with our congregation. It gives us a chance to experience a wide variety of musical styles, both vocal and instrumental, all of which greatly enhance our service of worship. It also gives our choirs a much needed break and an opportunity to attend church with their families.
With appreciation,
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Suzanne Sunday Morning Classes Being Offered This Fall These classes are open to all Adults and High School Students The book Remedial Christianity: What Every Believer Should Know About the Faith but Probably Doesn’t, will be the focus of a discussion group led by Brian Newnam, Arnie Nance, and Sandy Charles. Quoting the author, “The purpose of this book…[is] to inform Christian believers about their faith tradition in a clear and compelling way, and in so doing to free them to inquire and think about it intentionally and seriously.” The book was written by Paul Alan Laughlin, Professor and Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Otterbein College. Class will meet in Sangrey Chapel. Yours Are the Hands of Christ will be taught by Steve Renfro. The study of Biblical texts that reflect the many ways Jesus used his hands will lead participants to think about ways they can live more like Jesus by using their hands to make a difference in the world. Class will meet in the CE Lounge. The Bible from Scratch: The Old Testament for Beginners will be taught by Bob Weeks. This class will appeal to those who have—or fear they have—little or no Bible knowledge. It will offer an overview of what is in the Old Testament and introduce participants to some basic tools and skills for Bible study. Class will meet in the center section of Graves Hall. Fall
Music Programs Begin
Praise Choir
Junior Choir
Joy Singers
Beginning
Dates:
All groups directed by: Suzanne Johnson, Director of Music Ministries (with help from accompanists and assistants) Please call her at the church or at home, for more information. Thank You for the Beautiful Sanctuary Flowers The altar flower committee wishes to thank the following for flowers in July and August Ronnie and Joel Moss, Norma and John Puckett, George Stephens, Pat and “Krik” Krikorian, Hugh Rich, Jan and Ken Sinclair, Linda and James Goforth, Emily and Lars Engel, and Lois and Jim Hudgins. The members of the altar flower committee place the arrangements and candles for the Sunday services. They also provide the flowers (fragrance free) for Sangrey Chapel. If you would like to help the committee, please notify Dorothy Crawford, chair. Moms
and More
Childcare is always provided during Moms & More, and a $2.00 per child contribution is greatly appreciated.
New
Address for Howard & Joyce Grant
Holiday
Highlights Refrigerator Calendar
SEPTEMBER 3 ALL CHURCH CAMP at Ghost Ranch SEPTEMBER 6 LABOR DAY - CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED SEPTEMBER 7 6 pm CE BOARD meeting in the Lounge SEPTEMBER 8
4 pm SOMBRILLO NURSING
HOME WORSHIP
SEPTEMBER 9 7 pm TRUSTEES meeting in the Library SEPTEMBER 12
11 am SUNDAY SCHOOL
AND ADULT EDUCATION
SEPTEMBER 13
7 pm MEMBERSHIP EVANGALISM
BOARD meeting
SEPTEMBER 19 12 noon CHIMES NEWLETTER DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 21
6:30 pm FINANCE BOARD meeting
in the Library
SEPTEMBER 23
4 :15 pm JUNIOR CHOIR practice
begins in the
SEPTEMBER 26
10:30 am JOY SINGERS practice
in Room 101
SEPTEMBER 28 7:30 pm EXECUTIVE BOARD meeting in the Lounge September
Sunday Worship Themes
Coffee
Hosts for September
September 12th: Jack and Betsy Comly September 19th: Jim and Vicki Cobble September 26th:
Charlie and Nona Bowman
Many, many
thanks to you for giving us coffee!
Reminders!
Greeters for September: Bob & Wilma Cowan, Nelson & Vita Atencio, Youth and Larry and Carol Brown. Lunch
Bunch Callers for September
If you would like to be included in Lunch Bunch but didn’t get into this year’s booklet, please remind me so I can add your name month by month. Janet Tallman
Chimes
Newsletter Deadline
For Companions in Christ Companions in Christ
is:
Individuals who study each day about prayer, scripture, and discernment, and who keep a personal notebook or journal of their learnings and questions. A small group of people who meet weekly to support one another, share about what God is revealing in their reflections, and open themselves to exploring on a deeper level the theme of the week. Individuals who know that daily spiritual disciplines and weekly meetings offer a good balance and provide holy ground for growing in faith. If you wish to develop your daily disciplines and you long for a small group with which to share the journey of faith, come join Companions in Christ. Two Class
times will be available this year:
For more
information contact
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Registration Form Name____________________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________________ Phone: Day______________________ Evening__________________________ E-mail___________________________ Preferred Meeting Day/Time__________________________________________ Stephen
Ministers to be Commissioned
Volunteer
Coordinator Task Force
If you received the information sheet as a Chairperson, please return the completed form to the church office by September 15th. Thank You. The task force includes Jim Stapp, Jan Lippiat, Verlene Stam, Dorothy Crawford, chair, and Kathleen Logan staff. If you have suggestions please contact a member of the task force. United
Church Bridge Group
It is not mandatory to stick to the schedule, but if hosts are not able to meet their obligation during a particular month, we ask that the host inform the guest couple that they will play at an alternate time. Singles are welcome and are asked to arrange for their own partner (one for the season). Players are not required to be United Church members. To sign up or for more information, call Mary or Jim Billen. The year’s schedule will be generated the middle of September, so please call soon! Stephen
Ministers Continuing Education
Fall
Women’s Retreat
When:
October 8-10
Speaker: Kay Roberts
Kay Roberts grew up in the United Church and graduated from LAHS.
Years later Kay returned to “The Hill” to teach at Los Alamos Middle School.
After her four children graduated from Los Alamos High School, Kay decided
to leave teaching for seminary training. The United Church was her
sending faith community.
AGENDA
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Name:___________________________________
Emergency Contact:___________________
Transportation will be available if you don’t wish to drive. REGISTRATION
DEADLINE: September 24 (space available
thereafter)
Make checks payable to: United Church (memo: Women’s Retreat) Mail or hand
carry to:
United Church of Los Alamos
For more information, please contact the United Church office at 662-2971 Prayers for Donald Court upon the death of his wife, June. Prayer
Concerns
Marjorie Bell Chambers Lynn Smith New
Office Hours
Closed Thursday mornings Prayer
Letter
It is Jesus’
name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete
healing to him, as you can all see.
Rachel
Wangen-Hoch baby
Eric and I are proud to announce the arrival of Elijah John Hoch, our first child. He was born on May 24, 2004 weighing 8lbs 2oz and measuring 21 inches long. He is a growing, healthy, happy baby boy. We are tremendously pleased that his grandparents, Larry and Judy Wangen (also former members of United who now live in Edmonds, WA), are doing a change of station for the year and joining us in Washington DC. Eric continues to serve at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Kensington, MD. I am part time at Saint Luke Lutheran Church in Silver Spring, MD where I work in the youth ministry office and bring Elijah with me. We have a large parsonage and would be happy to host people when they are in the DC area. God's Peace,
Rachel Wangen-Hoch
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Congratulations To Eric and Rachel Wangen-Hoch on the birth of their son, Elijah John Hoch, Born May 24, 2004 Chimes
Letter
Cindy taught Vacation Bible School the first year they were here and has served on the Elders Board. Currently, she is a member at large on the Executive Board. John has served on the Finance Board and was chairman last year. They have both been ushers since they joined United Church. John learned to be active in the church at a young age. He belonged to an avid youth group during his childhood and adolescence. He and Cindy have always worked within their Church community. While they lived in California, Cindy taught Vacation Bible School and served as a member of the pastoral search committee. In the community, she was a Girl Scout leader. John was raised in the farm country of Michigan. He was active in 4H and always liked working with animals. Although John contemplated a career as a veterinarian, he instead majored in Nuclear Engineering. Animals are still a part of his life, though. The Kindingers have a cat named Timid that they’ve raised from birth. Neighbors of theirs in California left town, abandoning a pregnant mother cat. Although all the other kittens were placed in homes, the runt of the litter, Timid, became attached to John. He also likes to feed the deer. He has a trough in the back yard and sets out alfalfa and grain for them to eat. Currently, about ten deer come up out of the canyon and will get as close as five feet to partake of the smorgasbord in the Kindinger back yard. Cindy teaches Social Studies at Los Alamos Middle School. Her love for history at an early age drove her to major in Social Science and minor in English. She is passionate about teaching and believes that each child has unique gifts that need to be recognized and developed. She wants each child to be successful in their school career. History is mostly static, but Cindy refuses to teach the same things year after year. She prides herself in finding new teaching methods, fresh approaches, or a different emphasis in order to keep history interesting. She also serves as a staff developer at Los Alamos Middle School. John works at Los Alamos National Laboratory where he performs systems engineering and risk analysis for the Nuclear Weapons Programs. When they aren’t busy working, you may find Cindy out for a run, or perhaps you’ll play against them in Bridge. They have one daughter, Jennifer, age 27. They just recently returned from a trip to North Carolina, where they attended their daughter’s wedding. Cindy said it was a challenge, since they had to work around Hurricane Charlie, or maybe Hurricane Charley, gave them a break at just the right moments. Anyway, their daughter will continue her work for the Army as a lawyer in the civil rights agency. Cindy and John volunteer because they enjoy meeting new people and have always gotten back more than they put in. Says John, “With our increasingly mobile and diverse society, the church is a constant that is always there. It helps bring people together in fellowship and is a source of comfort during stressful times.” Amen to that! By
Angie Chipera
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It’s hard to believe that we arrived here in Los Alamos on July 30, 2003, and over a year has marched by. I am reminded of Psalm 8 – When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. . . O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! With fleeting time and an expansive universe the question is real: What are we humans that God cares about us? I know that those of you at LANL are having deep difficulties, still daily I see those acts of caring undertaken among the people of this church, and I can’t help but understand that God is self-revealing through you – a people of love who can face hard times with faith. Because of you, I have found new friends, and my heart has grown closer to God across these months. I am so grateful for each of you. While I complete my service here these next two weeks, I promise to continue to give you the best I have. Summer at the United Church has been an eventful time. Many youth happenings were led by Jean Picard and Rev. Kathleen Logan together with our youth interns. The annual family retreat stands immediately before us and it beckons us forward with a challenge to study Biblical Archaeology during Dr. Jonathan Reed’s presentations. Music Director Suzanne Johnson has planned outstanding music for our worship services this Fall, and choir is kicking off on September 8. Vision with me this Fall at The United Church. That will be a very busy time for Rev. Logan as she carries the full pastoral load of this congregation. I’m sure you know what an incredible benefit she continually is for all of us! So, I invite you to pray for her daily, but more than that I ask you to be ready to quickly say, “Yes,” when she asks you to do things. That is GREATLY needed. It will help our church’s transition to a new senior pastor to be very smooth. In conclusion, I cannot help but say, God has crowned us all with glory and honor. And I cannot help but pray, “O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Amen. Farewell.
In Christ’s caring,
Howard E. Grant, Jr.
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