Factoids:

• We served 2,832 lunches during the first half of the year, an average of 128 lunches per week
• For the first half of the year we have spent $4,448.18.
• That averages $741. a month.
• By the end of July we will have spent all of our Emergency Food and Shelter Program grant.
• That means to continue providing the same number of lunches per month we need $4,440 in gifts.
• Additionally, every dollar we give allows us to apply for a matching amount from the federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

One of the unique things about our Sack Lunch program is that the program is all volunteer.  We currently have ten volunteers who distribute lunches or serve in this ministry.  100% of our gifts go directly to food.  You can share that with friends who may wish to give.  Checks should be made out to WHPC (West Hollywood Presbyterian Church) and marked in the memo: Sack Lunch Program.

Thank you!

And Thanks to our Sack Lunch Ministry Team:

Joy Allen, Kazz Blackwell, Artie Buraimoh, Laurie Fox, Gary Grayson, Jack Gregory, Michele King, Bob Patenaude, Henry Penner, and Ron Thomas

Summer worship series:

We recently started our new Bible Study series on prayer. We are doing it in the format of a Book Club. The book we are reading together is called Prayer: Does it make any difference? by Philip Yancey.

To learn more about Philip Yancey and why he wrote this book, click here.

If you are not able to attend but still want to read the book and follow the discussion on our Facebook page, WeHoPres Bible Study Group, you are more than welcome to do so. Please let us know if you want us to order you a book.

Come join in the discussion – we love to hear about your experiences, questions, and struggles with prayer.

For our next meeting, read the second part of the book, titled “Unraveling the Mysteries.”

See you 9:30am in the Social Hall – we’ll have the coffee and pastries ready.

Our next gatherings will be on June 27, July 11 & 25, August 1 & 29, September 12 & 26 and October 3 & 17.

Is the Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival in WeHo

We will have worship at 11 am that day.   The sermon is:

“How Jesus Changed Christianity:  The Baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch.”

Many Biblical Scholars believe the role of the Eunuch is the same as gay and lesbian people in Christianity today.  Phillip baptizes this person into the family of faith!

If you wish to attend church and go to the parade, there are two easy options.

1)  Park on Sunset, cross the street and take the Metro Bus west to Palm Ave. or San Vicente.  [Bus fare is $1.25-exact change].  Walk down the hill to Santa Monica Blvd.  You will be near the end of the parade route, so you’ll see most of the parade and be right by the entrance to the festival if you wish to go in!

2) Park on Sunset and walk west on Sunset to whatever cross street you want.  The Parade begins at Crescent Heights and ends at San Vicente.

Traffic alert:  Santa Monica Blvd is closed between San Vicente and Fairfax.  You can go north on Fairfax or LaBrea to get to Sunset.

the day we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit being poured out upon us.

It is a day of celebrating diversity so,

as is our tradition, WEAR RED

or any ethnic/cultural native dress

TO WORSHIP THAT DAY!

We live in a world where we are more apt to be put down than raised up;

more apt to put others down than raise them up.

But that’s not God’s intention for our lives.

Here are some of the ways God raises us up:

“The Buried Life: What do you want to do before you die?” Easter Day

God is always present in our lives, calling us by name and raising us up into the fullness of life.     Matthew 28: 1-7;  John 20: 1-18

Dan Smith, Pastor

“Touching:  How Close is Too Close?” Apr. 11

Thomas insists on touching the Risen Christ before he will believe.  Have we missed the importance of touch and touching?  Have we been missing the life-affirming and spirit-raising power of the soft gentle touch of a friend, of a partner, of the different?  Let’s see what Jesus and Thomas have to show us about touching.  John 19: 19-29

Brian Symonds, Candidate for Ministry

“Dumping deadly old patterns” Apr. 18

“Leave the dead to bury their dead.”   Matthew 18-22

Dan Smith, Pastor

“Transformed from a Thief to a Philanthropist” Apr. 25

Insights from a short little guy about being raised up: Zacchaeus.

Luke 19: 1-10

Dan Smith, Pastor

“Living High without drugs or artificial stimulants”                                  May 2

“I call heaven and earth to witness to you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live.”  Deuteronomy 30: 15-20

Dan Smith, Pastor

“A time to say NO and a time to BREAK the Silence!”                                     May 9

“For if you remain silent at a time like this, vindication and liberation will come to our people through another source, but you and your family will surely die. Who’s to say? You may have come into the royal court for just this moment.”  Esther 1: 1-21 & Esther 4: 16.

Kobie Vermaak, Minister of Faith Formation

“Better than Gatorade or Red Bull – Living Water”                                       May 16

“Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”  John 4:4-42

Dan Smith, Pastor

The 4th question we will discuss is on the subject of Atonement. The question asked was: “What is the nature of atonement and how is it transferred to someone?” Atonement refers to the widespread Christian belief that sin must be punished, but by dying on the cross, God punished Jesus in our place to wash us clean of our sins. Thus, Jesus death is seen as an atonement for our sins and we receive the benefits of this atonement by believing in Jesus as our Savior and that he is indeed the Son of God.

What are your feelings and beliefs on this subject? Why do you think Jesus died on the cross? Come and join in the conversation. This is going to make for a lively discussion.

A new Bible Study series will begin on June 27.

Prepare yourself for the unexpected!

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Sunday, April 25 at 9:30 in the Social Hall.

The 3rd question we’ll discuss is, “Whatever happened to the Jesus Movement?” This is going to be a lively and interesting Bible Study! All are welcome! Come and share your wisdom, opinion, doubts, or even just curiosity on this subject with us at 9.30am in the Social Hall on Sunday, April 25.

Upcoming Bible Study dates are: May 2, 16, June 6, 20.

Prepare yourself for the unexpected!

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Sunday, March 28 at 9:30 in the Social Hall.

“A Multitude of Blessings”

The second question asked which we will discuss in our Bible study series “Dare to Ask” is controversial yet extremely relevant: Is Christ the only way? Is Christianity really the exclusive path to salvation? How can one reconcile such a claim in our post modern society? This is going to be a lively and interesting Bible Study! All are welcome! Come and share your wisdom, opinion, doubts, or even just curiosity on this subject with us at 9.30am in the Social Hall next Sunday, March 28.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Sunday, March 7 at 9:30 in the Social Hall.

The first of your questions that I will attempt to answer is on the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30 & Luke 19:12-27). Traditionally, pastors moralize this parable and will tell you that this parable encourages us to use our God-given talents in service of God. Usually the servant who doubled the talents entrusted to him is held up as the model of how we should behave and the poor guy who buried his talent is oh so so bad.

I have a bit of a problem with this interpretation of the parable – the story is harsh; the “master” is portrayed as unjust. Isn’t it interesting that many take for granted that the “master” represents God or Jesus? Yet the master is someone who, according to the parable, reaps where he did not sow – something which is condemned in the rest of the Bible as unjust and unethical. Dare I say that the only person in this story showing any decency is the servant who buried his talent?

What is this parable really about, and who is really the “good guy” and who is really the “bad guy” (as my nine year old son would say)?

Come find out THIS Sunday morning, 9:30am in the Social Hall.

Prepare yourself for the unexpected.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

All you ever wanted to know about the Bible, but were afraid to ask!

In March we’ll be starting a new Bible Study series called “Dare to Ask.” Kobie is inviting us to ask all those questions that have been nagging at us all this time, but we never had anybody offer to answer them for us! Anything about the Bible, faith or religion is fair game. There will be question slips available on Sundays, or you may e-mail your questions to the church office & we’ll submit them for you.  We will announce in advance which question will be discussed at each Bible Study.

Upcoming Bible Study dates are:

March 7 & 28, April 25, May 2 & 16.

A new series will begin on June 27.

Welcome to Big Sunday. Our mission is to build community through community service. Our volunteers come from all kinds of neighborhoods, and work in all sorts of neighborhoods, too. The idea is that everyone has some way that they can help somebody else. Our biggest event each year is Big Sunday Weekend. That’s when thousands of people from Southern California, of all ages and all backgrounds, work together at hundreds of nonprofits, schools and other agencies that need their help. Last year on Big Sunday Weekend, 50,000 volunteers turned out—some as individuals, others with their families, still others as part of a class, church, synagogue, mosque, business or club—to lend a hand at more than 500 different projects from San Diego to Solvang, making Big Sunday Weekend one of the largest regional community service events in America.

WHPC’s project:

#90 – *Make Some Young Moms (and Their Babies)

Happy at Gramercy House

Gramercy House is a wonderful residence for young unwed mothers and their babies and toddlers. It is run by the folks from PATH (People Assisting the Homeless). Come on over as we serve brunch to the moms and entertain the kids. (And, come to think of it, we’ll serve brunch to the kids and entertain the moms, too.)

Address

1824 4th Ave

Los Angeles, 90019

Date: May 1, 2010

Start Time: 10:00 AM

End Time: 12:00 PM

Sunday, April 4^th at 11:00 am

WHPC Choral Ensemble

Brian Blanchard, Trumpet

Easter egg hunt for kids after worship.

Invite your friends and family!

WHPC & United University Church on the USC Campus

Again this year we will join our friends at United University Church on the USC Campus for our Good Friday service.  This service combines elements of a “crosswalk” through the Stations of the Cross with a Tenebrae service of darkness and shadows, in which worshippers meditate on the last days of Jesus’ life through scripture and poetry, prayer and silence, hymns and the extinguishing of candles.  We will move from location to location, singing; we will stop several times for readings and ritual.

Following worship, those who wish will join together to “break the fast” at El Cholo’s Mexican Restaurant on Western Ave.

If you would like to be one of the readers of scripture or poetry, see Dan Smith!

Maps are available!

UNITED UNIVERSITY CHURCH

817 West 34^th St

Los Angeles, CA 90007-3502

THE CHURCH IS LOCATED ON THE EDGE OF THE USC CAMPUS,

WHERE HOOVER DEAD-ENDS INTO JEFFERSON.

Directions

From the Hollywood Freeway (101) South:

Go to the 110 (Harbor Freeway) South

From the 110 (Harbor Freeway) South:

Exit at Adams Blvd. Turn right on Adams and then left on Hoover. Take Hoover to where it ends at Jefferson. The Church parking lot is in front of you.  (Or turn right on Jefferson and turn left at McClintock St, entering the campus at GATE 5, then see below.)

From the 10 Freeway (East or West):

Exit at Hoover St. Turn right on Hoover to where it ends at Jefferson.  The Church Parking lot is in front of you. (Or turn right on Jefferson and turn left at McClintock St, entering the campus at GATE 5, then see below.)

From West Hollywood / WHPC: (using surface streets)

Take La Brea south to 6^th St. Turn left (east) on 6^th St to Vermont Ave. Turn right (south) on Vermont to Jefferson Blvd. Turn left on Jefferson.  Turn right at McClintock St entering the campus at GATE 5, then see below.)

Parking

The Church has a small parking lot at Hoover and Jefferson.

If the church lot is full, turn left onto Jefferson and turn left again at McClintock St, entering the campus at GATE 5. Then see below.

At GATE 5, be sure tell the parking attendant you are coming to a church service and you MAY NOT HAVE TO PAY for parking!  Ask the attendant for directions to the parking lot behind THE UNIVERSITY RELIGIOUS CENTER, which is next to United University Church.