He Tone Ews: Feeling Crowded? Thank God!
He Tone Ews: Feeling Crowded? Thank God!
He Tone Ews: Feeling Crowded? Thank God!
Ken Henry surrounded by his “crowd” at the recent Earth Day Hike at Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve
Clean Water for All the particular water challenges he or For more about this group, look at
God’s Children she faces.
Our mission project will be Play-
their website (www.playpumps.org)
especially in the section titled,
pumps International. This is a won- The PlayPump System.
by Mary Jo Blazek, derful organization that provides Vacation Bible School is for children
Children’s Ministry Coordinator villages with play structures, which in kindergarten through sixth grade.
The Children’s Subcommittee of when turned around by the children It runs June 22 through 26, from
the Christian Education Committee actually pump water for the village. I 9 am to 12 pm., with a family event
is busy planning this year’s upcoming believe that this is a project our chil- on Sunday, June 28, during the
Vacation Bible School, Clean Water for dren can understand, and it will also worship service. The cost is $30
all God’s Children. In light of the recent reassure them of how very important per child or $50 per family. All
threat of drought and water rationing, we all are to each other. are welcome, so invite friends and
we decided to bring awareness neighbors.
to this issue. The theme will I am currently looking for
not only address our immedi- volunteers to staff the camp.
ate water problems, but give There are many opportunities
our children an insight into to be involved: storytellers,
water issues globally. Each day craft leaders, games, music,
through crafts, games, stories, and helpers to guide the chil-
music and snacks, the children dren through the day’s activi-
will gain an understanding of ties. If needed, we will provide
the statement, “Jesus Christ is childcare for younger children
the living water for our bodies of volunteers.
and our souls.” Every day we If you are interested or would
will also learn about a child like more information, please con-
from another country and tact Mary Jo Blazek.
THE STONE NEWS, PAGE 4
June is bustin’ out all over! and after a Each of us is asked to bring a salad to PW Schedule for June:
rather cool spring we welcome it. (Just share. The program will have nomi- Note that circles will resume in
hope it doesn’t get too hot.) nations, election, and installation of September.
We are pleased to announce that leaders for 2009-2010 and revisions Book Group I, 1 pm, June 1,
we have granted two scholarships to to our by-laws. One of Santa Clara’s Liz Shandera’s home, reading An Irish
attend the 2009 Churchwide Gather- public health nurses will also be with Country Doctor, by Patrick Taylor, and
ing in Louis- us to accept donations of layette items June 29, The Soloist by Steve Lopez
Presbyterian ville from July to be provided to low-income new Annual Picnic and Installa-
11 to July 15. mothers. tion of Leaders, at noon, June 4,
Women Each partici- Next, on June 7, Presbyterian Jan Keifer’s home
pant is asked Women in the Presbytery will have its PW in the Presbytery Annual
to bring a $20 gift card from Target, annual meeting at Stone Church from Lunch, 2 - 4 pm, June 7, Social Hall
K-Mart, Home Depot or Kohl’s to 2 pm to 4 pm in the social hall. This, Lunch Bunch, 11:30 am, June 9,
provide relief for vic- too, will include elections, reports, Taiwan Restaurant
tims of disasters. We and conclude with Communion. Book Group II, 2:30 pm, June 13,
are donating four Dorothy Stevens reports, with grati- Rosaleen Zisch’s home, reading Return
cards, which will be tude, that our coupon donations are to Manzanar by Jean Wakatsuki and
sent via our attend- increasing. Emphasis this month is on James D. Houston
ees. If you wish to Campbell’s Soup-to-Go and Kleenex. Focus Group, 9:30 am, June 15,
participate, talk to Fair Trade coffee, tea, and choco- Liz Shandera’s home
Diana Lim. We look late continue to be sold on the third Fair Trade Sales, 10:30 am, June 21,
forward to hearing reports from Sheri Sunday of each month. Social Hall
Cunningham and Diana when they You may see that Bible Study with Prayer Shawl Ministry, 4 pm, June 22,
return. Marge is over until August 27, when Fireside Room
All of us are invited to the Annual we gear up for the 2009-2010 study. We Bible Study with the Rev. Marge,
Meeting on June 4 at the home of Jan shall miss seeing the Rev. Marge and on hiatus until August 27.
Keifer from noon to about 2:30 pm. hope she has a relaxing summer. - Catherine Amos
Stone’s Men’s Ministry includes mis- A tithe (10%) of all fundraising proj- meetings in June or July):
sion worktrips, an interesting book ects is given back to the church to assist The Sound and the Fury by William
group, and even flying in reducing our building debt. Men’s Faulkner (August 17)
Men’s trips with their own Ministry encourages other groups Misquoting Jesus by Bart D.
Ministry private pilots!
All Men’s Minis-
holding fundraising projects to also
consider a tithe for debt relief.
Ehrman (September 21)
The Conscience of a Liberal by Paul
try events are open to all men of the In addition to these allocations, Krugman (October 19)
church. For more detail, please contactMen’s Ministry supports three mission The Shack by William P. Young
Parish Associate David McCreath. work trips each year: Fall and Spring (November 16)
trips to Westminster Woods and a On December 7, the group will
Mission Allocations for Spring 2009 longer Fall trip to Zephyr Point. pick books for spring 2010. Meet-
The Men’s Ministry of Stone Church ings usually occur at 7:30 pm on the
actively supports a variety of mission Men’s Book Group Selects Books third Monday of the month. Differ-
causes through enthusiastic participa- The Stone Men’s Book Group has ent members host the discussions.
tion and with the allocation of the chosen the following selections for All men of the church are welcome.
funds they raise. summer and fall reading (there are no - David McCreath
Through the Semi-annual Used Book
Sale, the Crab Feed, and other similar
means, the Men’s Ministry raises funds
for projects near and far. Allocations
for Spring 2009 include:
A grant to support Chris Duke’s
mission trip to India
Stone Youth Mission Trip in June
Zephyr Point and Westminster
Woods, the two facilities where
the men have annual work trips
Cameron House, San Francisco
A tithe to Stone Church for
reduction of the building debt
The last item has been a tradition Stone’s Spring 2009 Confirmation Class with their Mentors
of Men’s Ministry for several years.
THE STONE NEWS, PAGE 5
Henrietta Perdue’s Gift to Stone Church Barbara Brown Taylor Next
We all understand the great abun- for all. She made it relevant and Henrietta Perdue Lecturer
dance and blessing of God’s gifts. exciting ... because of her love for Barbara Brown Taylor, Professor of Reli-
Giving is a celebration of those the Old Testament, she was able gion at Piedmont College, and author of
gifts bestowed upon us. Over 60 to give us a personal introduction acclaimed books on theology
years ago, the leaders of the Stone while making the Old Testament and spirituality, will be the
Church of Willow Glen sought a come alive. Her classes for youth next Henrietta Perdue Lec-
church that “… [has] a warm heart, and adults at Stone Church made turer at Stone Church on
[an] open mind, [and an] adventur- such an impact. From being the little October 23 and 24, 2009.
ous spirit ... [a church] that inquires church in Willow Glen, we became Rev. Taylor’s topic will be
and looks forward as well as back- a part of the Christian worldwide The Balancing Act: Holy Rest,
ward.” family. I’m sure God would have Good Work, Godly Play.
For the past 35 years, Stone Church told her, “Well done.” According to economist
and the community of Willow Glen The money used to produce the Gordon Dahl, “Most middle class Ameri-
have been challenged and nurtured Henrietta Perdue Lecture Series is cans tend to worship their work, work at
by the Henrietta Perdue Lecture not taken from our annual pledges. their play, and play at their worship.” If you
Series, which enriches and expands For over 30 years, ticket fees have are one of those Americans, then you know
our faith every year. enabled the Henrietta Perdue Lec- something about the cost of scrambling
In April, I sat down with Hazel ture Series to continue, enriching these three vital ingredients of a balanced
James, long-time member of Stone Stone Church and the local commu- life. While the dominant culture is not
Church, to discover more about nity. Moneys received are reserved much help sorting them out, the wisdom
Henrietta Perdue’s gifts to Stone in a separate account to be used as traditions of Judaism and Christianity offer
Church. Hazel and Henrietta were seed money to underwrite future practical help.
good friends for many years, and guest lecturers. Rev. Taylor was named one of the 12 most
their families were close – both This is only one example of cre- effective preachers in the English-speaking
families loved the ocean, and both ative and effective long-term meth- world by Baylor University in 1996. She
families loved Stone Church. ods that can be used by members became Professor of Religion at Piedmont
It was through Henrietta that of Stone Church to perpetuate the College in 1998 and also teaches spirituality
Stone Church women began to memory of someone like Henrietta at Columbia Theological Seminary. She
take an active interest in National Perdue. Over the next months, the has traveled the world in pursuit of sacred
Presbyterian Women. While not Planned Giving and Endowment wisdom, finding most of what she needs
wanting to be known simply as Committee –Ruth McCreath, Ed in her backyard. She lives on a working
“the minister’s wife,” Henrietta Tablak, Bob James, Susan Bedolla, farm in rural north Georgia with her hus-
truly ministered to Stone Church. Mary-Stone Bowers, Gary Weiss and band, Ed. Her books include the critically
She was tall, blond and very dra- Judi Kaiser – will be providing more acclaimed 2007 memoir Leaving Church:
matic. An Old Testament expert, information to Stone Church mem- A Memoir of Faith and the follow-up work,
she encouraged learning for every bers about effective ways of giving An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith,
group in the church. In Hazel’s own in order to provide financial sup- published in 2009.
words, “I think Henrietta’s true call- port for the future life and mission More details, including registration forms, can
ing in life was Christian Education of Stone Church. - Judi Kaiser be found at www.stonechurch.org. - Pat Magee
At its regular meeting on May 19, Another idea is to invite two Stone congregation, but can strain our lim-
the Session worked on new ways of Church returning college students to ited facilities. Sunday morning, in par-
“being church.” Ken talked about new work in the summer of 2009 as youth ticular, can bring competing needs for
member classes and counselors-in-training for 5 to 7 hours space. Emily Meacham is designated
acknowledged strug- per week. The students would work as the person to see with questions
Session gling to know how with individuals; the idea is not to about calendaring, and she passed out
Beat to do these. He is build a huge program. There would copies of a form that she is asking all
proposing one mem- be supervision and help for the stu- groups to use when they want to put
bership class per quarter, with the dents; it would be a learning experi- an event on the calendar.
schedule published in advance, and ence for them. This idea came out Don Foster reported that the Wor-
with no make-up times – if one time of the “Young Family Summit” held ship Committee has the dilemma of
is missed, the applicant waits until the recently by the Christian Education getting adequate copies of music for
next regularly scheduled class. These Committee; it also came from Ken the increased number of choir mem-
would probably include a lunch. Ses- Henry who had a similar job as a col- bers. Past purchases assumed 30, but
sion members suggested using online lege student. with 10 more members the “old”
information, or giving out copies of The Session has continuing con- music needs to be supplemented,
The Presbyterian Handbook, published cerns about uses of space and time: and budget cuts make this difficult.
by Geneva Press. lots of exciting events are great for the - Alice Thorn, Clerk of Session
THE STONE NEWS, PAGE 6
Above: Stone Church had 27 walkers in the CROP
Walk this year - the second largest group there!
Lizanne Oliver recruited folks right up to the
last minute, we had a delicious quick lunch, and
Hilleguus Faber led us in pre-walk stretching. Come
join us next year!
Below: The recent Deacons’ Spring Luncheon was
a wonderful event, full of entertainment (by the
always entertaining Betty and Don D’Angelo), warm
conversation, and delicious and plentiful food!