Calvary Press February 2013
Pastor: The Rev. Hiromi Yoneda Parish Associate: The Rev. Dallas Landrum Pastor Emeritus: The Rev. Saburo Masada 2343 Country Club Blvd., Stockton, CA 95204 Office: (209) 466-‐0221 Fax: (209) 466-‐1839 Website: www.cpcstockton.com
“A Pain in the Neck” Just recently, I finished building an 8x8x14 foot fence extension to the back yard. It’s a project that started three months ago with the digging of three post-‐holes and a few unexpected complications. Three weeks ago, I finally set the posts, and as I waited for the cement to cure, I gathered the other supplies: the pressure treated rails, screws, and cedar and redwood boards. Everything came together without a hitch, but while working I noticed a gradual irritating pain in my neck. The pain became progressively worse towards the final finishing hours. There might have a been a point when I should have stopped or rested, but I was so close to finishing and I had been waiting so long, that I decided to plow ahead. Whether it's mending a fence or any another project, maybe you can relate. The end is in sight and you head for that finish line! Well, the final outcome for the fence was great. It’s sturdy and will serve us for many years. However, I am experiencing a real “pain in the neck”! You’ve probably had pain of one sort or another in your life. The origin of your pain doesn’t matter. It’s the body’s way of getting your attention saying: “Pay special attention here. If you ignore me, you’ll regret it.” When the pain is small, it’s manageable and therefore easy to ignore. If it gets worse, we can go to CVS and purchase a neck brace and rest, like I did. If we need further care, we may seek professional help. But what do we do when the pain is psychological, emotional or spiritual? Possibly we seek professional care, except that we usually attempt to manage things by ourselves for a much longer period of time and often stop there. Why? Because the former is more tangible, curable and acceptable, while the latter we can put off indefinitely and just keep ourselves busy. If we are fortunate, however, we are blessed with close and wise friends. “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24) Our propensity to manage our lives often leads us to neglect the Word of God. God’s Word is medicine for the soul. And just as we don’t speak to our friends only when we need them, daily doses of Scripture help remind us that our spiritual healing can put the rest of life into perspective. And the sooner we start, the likelier our healing and comfort will be deeper and lasting. Below are a couple of my “go to passages”. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:16 -‐17) I love the LORD, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, save me!” The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simple-‐hearted; when I was in great need, He saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” (Psalms 116:1-‐9) Hmmmm…My neck is feeling better already.
1. The Session approved disbursing the balance of Income Received for 2012, $11,737.93, as follows: a. $5,000 to the Mortgage Fund to pay down the principal. b. Add the remaining balance of $6,737.93 to the $14,000 from the Building Repair Fund and place it into a Money Market account. 2. Sally Tsunakawa will send a copy of the 2013 Calendar to all of the ministries. 3. First Aid kits will be placed in the church kitchen and gym. 4. Thanks to Jerry Nakamura for unlocking the accidently locked Deacon’s Room door. If anyone knows where the key is located, please let Shayna know. 5. The Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on January 27th. 6. 2013 Elder/Deacon Leadership Breakfast at the Yoneda’s will be held on February 2nd. 7. The Service of Ordination and Installation of Church Officers will take place during the worship service on February 3rd. 8. A Leadershift Live seminar with Don Cousins will take place at Quail Lakes Baptist Church on February 23rd. If you are interested in attending, please let Pastor Hiromi know. Myra Fong, Clerk of Session December 2012 YTD FROM THE
Income Expenses Total
$219,360.99 $207,623.06 + $11,737.93
Deacon’s Corner The Deacons are looking forward to 2013 with caring and giving hearts! Our 1st Quarter Outreach Projects will be on Saturday, March 16: 1. Mary Graham Children’s Center – Lead: Dave Furukawa (12 volunteers) 2. Helping Hands Ministries – “It’s not a hand out, it’s a hand up.” Two ministries of Lakeview Assembly – Lead: Ilene Kuwahara a. A food warehouse that involves filling hundreds of grocery bags with donated food items. The bags are distributed to families in need throughout the Stockton community each Saturday. (10 volunteers) b. A thrift store that involves sorting and displaying gently used items at the store site. Donated items are given to individuals in need at no charge. (5 volunteers) (Helping Hands food warehouse & thrift store are both located at 429 E. March Ln.) 3. Lunch Crew at the church – Lead: To Be Determined Outreach participants can return to church for lunch, time of sharing, and fellowship. (5 volunteers) Sign-‐up sheets and more details will be available soon in the Social Hall. Also, please mark your calendar for our Spring Rummage Sale – APRIL 6. In December 2012, we remember and extend our deepest sympathy to the family of Ivy Nishi. We send our best wishes to Linsey Komure & Brandon McMinn on their marriage December 29, 2012. Congratulations to Don & Cyndy Shiromizu on becoming new grandparents. We continue to pray for God’s healing hands on Pastor Dallas Landrum and all others in need of His comfort and care. Until next month…
Mochitsuki 2012 You may have heard this before about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was a job to finish the mochi project. Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody could do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about it because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what
Anybody could have done.
So here’s the “Seasoned Dobody” with the final Mochi Project report. Thank you Everybody for volunteering to make the Mochi Project a successful and fun event. We are grateful for the many monetary donations, those keeping good account of ordering and selling the packages, the non-‐monetary donations of supplies (trays, covers, sugar, beans, mochiko, propane), and the prior preparation to the event. The labor was worth all the work when we can help each other. What a terrific Calvary Presbyterian family! Gross income: $2,447.20 Expense: $400.00 Net Income: $2,047.20 Submitted by Katy Komure
Three church members will be participating in the San Joaquin County Honors Concert on March 9th at 6:30 p.m. Collin Dwyer, Matthew Nakamura, and Gavin Wong were among those selected to represent Sierra Middle School at the concert. The Honors Concert is an annual event featuring the county’s most gifted and talented middle school band, string orchestra, and choir students. It is co-‐sponsored by the San Joaquin County Office of Education, Delta Community College, and the San Joaquin County M usic Educators’ Association (SJCMEA). Participation is open to all middle school band, strings, and choir directors and their students in San Joaquin County. The concert is held at the Delta Center for the Arts, Warren Atherton Auditorium, San Joaquin Delta College. This concert is graced b y a list of distinguished guest conductors representing the very best high school music educators from San Joaquin County. The concert, an annual event, attracts an audience from throughout San Joaquin County and is open to the public free of charge. Tickets are not required. Please attend the concert and support our budding musicians!
SPECIAL OFFERINGS Birthday Fund Henry & Grace Arata Michael & Janice Chan Gary & Janice Ishimaru Mary Lam Mieko Shimakawa Jim & Sally Tsunekawa Building Fund Judie Higashi Alfred Ishida Calvary Press Debra Hatanaka Tets & Jeannie Matsumoto Ruth Yoneshige Compassion Child Judy Takemoto Deacons Fund Harold & Aiko Aoyama Henry & Grace Arata Daisy Chew Allen & Myra Fong Ben & Susie Hamamoto Gary & Janice Ishimaru Betty Joseph Katy Komure Mary Lam Charise Masada Amy Matsumoto Joan Matsune Tom & Tsuru Miyasaki Jerry & Karen Nakamura John & Ruth Oda Mieko Shimakawa Ted & Sue Yoneda For the Ministry of Charise Masada Rev. Saburo & Marion Masada In Honor of Grandma’s 90th Birthday Peter & Mark Nishimura In Memory of Senator Daniel K. Inouye Ted & Sue Yoneda In Memory of Marie Nakade & Keyo Higashiyama Shirley Bertoni
In Memory of Hito Nishi Gary & Kala Cummings Steve & Barbara Fujinaka Eugene & Patricia Hing Aiko Yagi In Memory of Ivy Nishi Elmo & Gloria Biglieri John & Helen Bontscho Gary & Kala Cummings Fujio & Lily Esaki Steve & Barbara Fujinaka Ben & Susie Hamamoto Eugene & Patricia Hing May Hirota Alfred & Irene Ishida Satoko Kimoto Tom & Tsuru Miyasaki Patricia Proebsting Mollie Shimobayashi Robert & Sally Tanaka Aiko Yagi In Memory of Chisato Watanabe Mieko Shimakawa In Memory of Goro Yamamoto Hideko Yamamoto Nichigo Debra Hatanaka Pew & Carpet Project Jerry & Karen Nakamura Thanksgiving Rose Nakamura Christmas Russell Aoyama Henry & Grace Arata Shirley Bertoni Mark & Roxanne Biles Marcia Boyd Michael & Janice Chan David & Shirley Cook Bernice Endow Kevin & Charlene Flynn Peter & Alice Fong Steve & Barbara Fujinaka Alfred & Irene Ishida Shizuko Ishihara Aaron & Lynette Ishikawa Stan & Nancy Kaneko Mary Lam
Chris MacDannald Ralph & Kyoko Matsune Jane Matsuoka Clifford Motoike Rose Nakamura R. Mitsuo Nakamura Joyce Nakashima Ren & Julianne Nakashima Ken & Karen Natsuhara Hiroko & Bonnie Nitta Duane & Jean Sakoda Mieko Shimakawa Don & Cynthia Shiromizu Donald Smith Peter & Tatsumi Stearns Hisaye Takahashi Mitsuya & Miyeko Takeuchi Roy & Emily Takeuchi Jim & Sally Tsunekawa Hideko Yamamoto Rev. Hiromi & Marsha Yoneda Edward Yoshikawa Christmas Staff Appreciation Stan & Nancy Kaneko Ken & Karen Natsuhara In Thanks for Poinsettia Tomie Takahashi Initial Offering Tadashi Agari Henry & Grace Arata Daisy Chew Allen & Myra Fong Ben & Susie Hamamoto Gary & Janice Ishimaru Miki Kagoshima Katy Komure Mary Lam Willie & Anna Low Charise Masada Chris MacDannald Joan Matsune Tom & Tsuru Miyasaki Kazumi Nishioka Bill Shima Sam & Kinuyo Tanaka Roy & Sumi Yonemoto Ruth Yoneshige