The Messenger: How Many Ministers Does Your Church Have?

Church,

Recently I was speaking to a neighbor of mine who goes to one of the local larger “power” churches. She proudly told me how the church she attended was hiring their fourth minister, and asked me how many ministers we have at Oneonta. I said, “well, we have many, many more ministers than that!”

When I was Interim Sunday School Coordinator recently, I asked the children how many ministers were in the room at the time. They responded “one!”, and pointed to me. I responded, “nope – eleven!“, which was the number of children, my teaching partner and I in the room at the time. The children’s eyes all popped out at my reply, as you can imagine!

You see, Christ wants us all to be ministers, in that we Christians are to minister and preach the Good News to the uttermost parts of the land. Until His return, we are to be Christ’s “hands and feet”, assisting Him in the salvation, care and feeding of our fellow man, and His fellow children.

So, when you look around church this Sunday, remember that everyone you see is a minister for our Lord, and so are you, too!

In His Service,

Peter Becronis

Vice Moderator

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:

JULY 7: COMMUNION SERVICE & SALUTE TO AMERICA PICNIC! – Our next Communion Service will be held on Sunday, July 7 @ 10:30am in Gray Hall. Immediately following the service, we will be gathering out on the Great Lawn (corner of Garfield & Oak). Wear your most patriotic outfit! Hot dogs and condiments will be provided. Please bring a salad, side or dessert. Contact Lyn Flygar at mt_lyn@sbcglobal.net or the church office with questions.

GUEST PREACHER ON JULY 7 – We will have a guest speaker, Jerry Johnson, for our Communion Service on July 7. Jerry Johnson has been in ministry for the past 50 years and served 30 years on the staff of Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena as Executive Pastor and Pastor of Spiritual Enrichment. In fulfilling his passion to help smaller churches grow, he left Lake Avenue Church in 2005 and assumed the role of mentoring and coaching the Senior Pastor, staff and congregational leaders at Grace Church, La Verne.

Now retired, he continues to serve churches in a teaching, mentoring and coaching role. He also serves as a volunteer chaplain with the Monrovia Police Department. Jerry recently celebrated 50 years of marriage with his wife Angie and have two married sons and four grandchildren.

Jerry Johnson will preach at Oneonta on Sunday, July 7 @ 10:30am in Gray Hall. His message will be “Practicing a Life of Gratitude” based on Colossians 3:15-17.

ADULT BIBLE STUDY – All are invited to our Adult Bible Study entitled “Exploring the Foundations of Our Christian Faith” . This study is lead by Mary Webster and meets every Sunday in the Forum @ 10:45am.

SMALL GROUPS – All are welcome to our small groups: Adult Bible Study meets every Wednesday @ 7pm in the Forum and our prayer group meets every Thursday @ noon in Redwood Chapel (Practical Spirituality is currently on summer hiatus).

ONEONTA 101 – Thinking about joining the church? The next Oneonta 101 class will take place on Sunday, July 14 @ 1pm in the Forum. Lunch is served and child care can be arranged if requested in advance. This class is a good way to learn about Oneonta’s history and the Congregational Way. Please contact Lyn Flygar at mt_lyn@sbcglobal.net to RSVP.

FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT – Save the date for our Family Movie Night on Friday, July 26 @ 7:30pm on the Great Lawn (corner of Garfield & Oak).  Bring blankets &/or lawn chairs.  More details coming soon!

VBS 2013 – The theme for this year’s VBS is “Living in the Light” and will be held at Oneonta August 5-9 from 9am to Noon each day. Sign up your child for an exciting week of summer camp. Your child will learn fun activities from arts & crafts to music, movement and drama. Sign up early to get our early bird pricing of only $65 per child. Early bird pricing is valid till the end of June. Starting July 1, the price is $75 per child. VBS is for children Pre-Kindergarten (ages 4-5) through 6th grade (completed). For more information, visit http://www.vbs.oneonta.org or contact our VBS Director, Erica Jones, at Erica@oneonta.org or 626-799-6161.

VBS TABLE @ SOUTH PASADENA FARMER’S MARKET – Oneonta’s VBS will host a booth at the South Pasadena Farmer’s Market for the following Thursday evenings: July 11 & July 25.  We will pass out flyers and share information about our exciting VBS program happening in August.  If you are interested in helping at the booth for one or more of those dates, either passing out flyers or helping sing songs, please contact Erica Jones at Erica@oneonta.org or the church office (626-799-6161 or sarah@oneonta.org). The Farmer’s Market is between 5pm-8pm but feel free to attend for however long you are able.  Thank you!

SOUTH PASADENA JULY 4TH PARADE – Oneonta will participate in South Pasadena’s July 4th parade this year.  If you would like to help out, please contact the church office.  Thank you!

DOLLAR MOVIES @ ALHAMBRA RENAISSANCE THEATER – If you are looking for something fun to do this summer, Alhambra Renaissance 14 Theater is showing movies for $1 every Tuesday and Wednesday @ 10am throughout July.  The next showings are “Coraline” on July 2 and “Paranorman” on July 3. Check out their website or call the theater for more details.

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WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

• Sunday, July 7 – Communion Service @ 10:30am, Gray Hall / Salute to America Picnic @ 11:45am, Great Lawn (corner of Garfield & Oak)

• Tuesday, July 9 – Christian Ed @ 7:45pm, Forum

• Wednesday, July 10 – Youth Group @ 7pm, Modular / Adult Bible Study @ 7pm, Forum

• Thursday, July 11 – Prayer @ noon, Redwood Chapel / VBS Table @ 5-8pm, So Pas Farmer’s Market

 

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The Messenger: Living in the Light (Music Camp VBS 2013)

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16

I’ve heard about the dedication that members of Oneonta have in helping to bring children closer to Jesus through volunteering for Vacation Bible School.  What a joy it will be for me to be a part of VBS this summer and see this verse in action, not only through the volunteers but also through the children that come to participate in the program.

The theme for this year’s VBS is “Living in the Light” and it is a week long music camp, August 5-9 from 9am to Noon each day. Children will have the opportunity to explore and learn about who Jesus is through the stories of Bartimaeus, Zacchaeus and Mary discovering the light of Jesus.  At the end of the week, students will put on a production and have the opportunity to be a light and share these stories through using music, movement, drama and arts and crafts.  This VBS is for children going into 2nd grade-6th grade. Cost is $100 per child for regular registration (April-June) and $120 per child for late registration (July 1–July 19).  Forms are available online here or in the church office.  We also have a variety of volunteer positions available so if you are interested in helping out, please let us know!  For more information, or to volunteer, contact Erica Jones at 626-799-6161 or erica@oneonta.org. Thank you!

Erica Jones, Director

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:

SENIOR MINISTER SEARCH COMMITTEE – What qualities are you looking for in our next Senior Minister? The Senior Minister Search Committee is encouraging congregants to sign-up for an appointment to speak with an individual member of the committee, to talk with you, take your questions and record your ideas &/or concerns. To make an appointment, please contact Rick Aoyama (please contact the church office for his information). The Search Committee will also be available in the quad area after the Sunday worship services for the next few weeks.

NEW ADULT BIBLE STUDY – Beginning April 14 through May 26, Joan Hine will facilitate a new adult bible study on Sunday mornings from 11am-11:30am in the Forum. The 7 week bible study by Joyce Meyer is called “Power Thoughts & Making Right Choices”. All are welcome!

SMALL GROUPS – All are welcome to our small groups! The Adult Bible Study meets every Wednesday @ 7pm in the Forum, Practical Spirituality meets every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month @ 6:30pm in the Library (next meeting is scheduled for April 18) and our prayer group meets every Thursday @ noon in Redwood Chapel.

CRAFTING MATERIALS FOR SALE! – Dear Oneonta Friends: on May 11 from 9am-1pm, we will have “our sale” of materials for sewing, knitting, crocheting and embroidery items such as needles, threads, mohair/wool/acrylic yarn, etc. The sale will be held in the Oakview Room and is open to the public. Also, every Sunday after church you can buy items as well so bring your friends! Take them to worship and listen to Lincoln’s fantastic sermons, have coffee and go home with something from the Oakview Room. Live, love and enjoy! See you there, Riet de Raad. PS – In case you cannot come on Sunday, give me a call).

CHURCH LIBRARY NEWS – For those who have access to a VHS player, during the next three weeks the Library will be giving away their VHS videos, which include a number of excellent children’s videos. We would, however, appreciate the donation of any DVD’s to fill our empty rack.

LOS AMIGOS PICNIC IN EATON CANYON – Los Amigos invites everyone at Oneonta to join us in Eaton Canyon for a picnic on Saturday, April 20 from 11am-2pm. Bring your own picnic entrée (no barbeques allowed) plus an appetizer, salad or dessert to share with the group. Cost is $5 per person. Beverages, table covers, plates, plastic eating utensils, cups & napkins will be provided. Eaton Canyon Natural Area is located at 1750 N. Altadena Dr., Pasadena, one block north of New York Dr. We will gather in the picnic area by the pond just north of the Nature Center. The Nature Center will b e open for us to enjoy. Please RSVP to Mary or Wendell Webster by April 16 to let them know you are coming and what you are bringing. Call Carole Abernethy if you would like more specific driving directions. You can call the church office for their phone numbers.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS – Scholarship applications for Oneonta’s graduating high school seniors (and undergrad/grad students who have not received an Oneonta scholarship previously) are due by May 15.  Applications are available at the Info Table in the Narthex and in the church office.

COOKIES FOR LUKAS KIELEY – Lukas Kieley, longtime friend of the Brandt family and member of Oneonta, enlisted in the Navy after graduating from high school. In appreciation of his service, Sandy Stone is organizing a cookie drive to be packaged and sent on Saturday, April 27. We will meet in the Gray Hall kitchen from 1pm to about 3pm. All who are interested may sign up for any of the following: bake cookies, tin foil (wrap cookies), packing materials (plastic wrap, Styrofoam peanuts), shipping boxes, tape (for boxes), money for postage, transport boxes to the post office. Please respond to Sandy Stone (call the church office for her phone number) by April 20 if you are able to help with this project. Thank you!

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WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

• Tuesday, April 16  – OCMA @ 4:45pm, Button Hall / Deacons @ 7:00pm, Tower Room
• Wednesday, April 17 – OCMA @ 6pm, Button Hall / Youth Group @ 7pm, Modular / Adult Bible Study @ 7pm, Forum
• Thursday, April 18 – Prayer Meeting @ Noon, Redwood Chapel / Practical Spirituality @ 6:30pm, Library / Chancel Choir Rehearsal @ 7:30pm, Button Hall
• Saturday, April 20 – Los Amigos Picnic @ 11am, Eaton Canyon
• Sunday, April 21 – Traditional Service @ 9:30am, Sanctuary / Fellowship Time @ 10:30am, Tower Room / “Power Thoughts & Making Right Choices” Adult Bible Study @ 11am, Forum / ONE Worship @ 11:30am, Gray Hall

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The Messenger: 2012 Man & Woman of the Year

Congratulations to the Man & Woman of the Year 2012!

2012 Man of the Year

Our Man of the Year for 2012 was born and raised in this area.  In fact, he is so local that he has proclaimed that he could easily bike to all the places where he has lived.

Away from his church duties, he enjoys cooking, bicycling, reading, watching movies, traveling, skiing, and going to car shows.  He is a self-educated man and a great resource for games of trivial pursuit.  He has a wealth of knowledge about history, movies, cars, and bicycles that he loves to share.  In fact, you can talk to him about almost anything.   His many interests make him a very remarkable man—and as many of us have experienced, he is great company at a party—or a meeting.

He has a great love for our God and His children, which manifests itself every day for his family and friends.  When the church needs him, he eagerly volunteers and happily helps to carry the load—frequently taking on responsibilities above and beyond any reasonable expectation in order to ensure that the church’s work moves forward.

He is a master negotiator and often saves millions of dollars for his company, where he manages a large real-estate portfolio.

He cares more about others than himself.  Every morning his family is reminded of how gracious he is as he tirelessly (and cheerfully) gets everyone up, packs lunches, and sends them off to work and school.  (My secret source tells me that this special service also includes taking care of the dog!)

He is kind and gentle, with a delightful and quirky sense of humor, and his integrity is beyond question.  He is a jolly fellow who easily relates to everyone he meets.  He is a great father, uncle, husband and friend.

Here at Oneonta, he has distinguished himself through his love and service to the congregation and our Lord.  He was a conscientious, kind and dedicated laborer in our stewardship campaigns for several more years than he planned—he chaired (and provided dinner for) the Christian Education Committee—he has taught Sunday School and volunteered with the youth group—and, during what was supposed to be a restful sabbatical year, he (and his family) filled the gap created when our Director of Children’s Ministries resigned this summer:  finding and scheduling volunteers, teaching classes, organizing curriculum, and in general, loving our children.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Oneonta’s Man of the Year for 2012 is Peter Becronis.

2012 Woman of the Year

Our Woman of the Year for 2012 is another local product.  She has a deep love for the people and ministry of this church—and her family.

She is a trained accounting professional, whose hard work and extraordinary talents have recently been acknowledged by her employer with a well-deserved promotion.  She has faced the challenges of the corporation’s financial affairs and computer upgrades with creativity and an admirable level of equanimity:  often traveling far beyond her “home turf” to set-up new accounting and computing protocols and to train her colleagues in Orange County.

Our “Woman of the Year” grew up at Oneonta:  singing in the Cherub Choir and enjoying the fellowship and love offered by Oneonta’s children’s ministry and youth group.  While in high school, her service “genes” kicked into gear—and she began assisting with many of the weddings conducted at Oneonta.

Her warm heart led her to become one of the founding members of the very affirming Hug Club of Oneonta!

She and her husband met while they were students at Cal State Northridge—and they have now been married for 25 years.  They had a very adventurous (and tropical) beginning to married life, spending 18 years living in Hawaii before settling into their home in Temple City with their son, Charles Andrew—known to most of us by another name.

My secret source describes her as a devoted wife and a loving mother.  She has willingly set aside her protective maternal instincts so that her adventurous son could expand his equine interests from rodeo riding to acrobatic vaulting (without protective head gear).

Upon returning to southern California—and Oneonta—in 2003 she resumed an extraordinarily active role in the life of our congregation.

• Serving as a nursery and crib room teacher
• Serving as an usher and greeter
• Using her hard-earned vacation time every year to support our VBS program
• Serving as Senior Deacon
• And, during the past two years, serving as our Moderator Extraordinaire

As all of you know, this past year has been a difficult one for our church, and the steady faith and determination of our Woman of the Year has helped to bring us together and to enable us to move forward with the assurance that we are pursuing the Lord’s work.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Oneonta’s Woman of the Year for 2012 is April Flygar-Smith.

-Mary Webster

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SMALL GROUPS – All are welcome to our small groups! Practical Spirituality meets every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month @ 6:30pm in the Library (next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 17) and our prayer group meets every Thursday @ noon in Redwood Chapel.

ADULT BIBLE STUDY – The Wednesday night Bible Study will begin January 16th, using the “Divine Word” format of reading the text 3 times with discussion and prayer between each reading.  This group will meet at 7:00 pm in the Forum.  All are welcome.

BOOK OF DANIEL – This adult Sunday School Class meets every Sunday in the Forum at 10:30am. All are welcome!

HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS – The church office will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We will resume normal office hours (9am-3pm) on Tuesday, January 21.

ONEONTA CHORAL MUSIC ACADEMY – OCMA will resume on Tuesday, January 22 in Button Hall. Please contact Joan Reeve Owens (joan@oneonta.org) or the church office for more information.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

• Sunday, January 20 – Traditional Worship Service @ 9:30am, Sanctuary / Fellowship Time @ 10:30am, Tower Room / Book of Daniel @ 10:30am, Forum / ONE Worship @ 11:30am, Gray Hall

• Monday, January 21  – Church office CLOSED – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

• Tuesday, January 22  – Church Board Meeting @ 7pm, Tower Room

• Wednesday, January 23 – Friendship Circle @ 10am, Tower Room / Youth Group @ 7pm, Modular

• Thursday, January 24 – Prayer Meeting @ Noon, Redwood Chapel / No Choir Rehearsal

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Mother’s Day

Even though Mother’s Day is a holiday worth supporting, there are many people who can NOT honestly celebrate their mothers, as those mothers did more harm than good to their children.  And then there are those who would love to be counted among mothers, themselves, but who are sad because they haven’t received that blessing (yet).  So, how do we celebrate Mother’s Day thoughtfully, and Biblically? What thoughts about mothers stand out from the Scriptures?

                 1. GOD shows us what the ideal mother is like.

“I, the LORD All-Powerful, will protect Jerusalem like a mother bird circling over her nest.” (Isaiah 31:5; CEV)

The LORD answered, “Could a mother forget a child who nurses at her breast? Could she fail to love an infant who came from her own body? Even if a mother could forget, I will never forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15; CEV)

Wow. God protects and circles over us, EVEN IF our own mothers should have “forgotten” us.  Now THAT is something to celebrate!

2. Yes, there are way less-than-ideal mothers (also in the Bible)….

One of the most infamous examples of a bad mother in the Scriptures is Herodias, who had her daughter dance alluringly in front of Herod the King. When Herod offered the dancer whatever she wished as a reward, “the girl’s mother told her to say, >Here on a platter I want the head of John the Baptist!<” (Matthew 14:8; CEV)

Talk about exploitation and murderous manipulation! There is no whitewashing of painful realities in the Scriptures, thank God.

3. Yes, we owe love and respect to our mothers….

….as per the Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:12; CEV), and also per Jesus’ own instructions:^19”Respect your father and mother. And love others as much as you love yourself.” (Matthew 19:19; CEV)

For many, it may be a far easier and happier task than it is for others to love our mothers.  If so, thanks be to God!

4. Yet, in the family of faith, we can also find additional, spiritual mothers – and we can ourselves become spiritual parents!

³³Jesus asked, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” ³⁴Then he looked at the people sitting around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ³⁵Anyone who obeys God is my brother or sister or mother.”  (Mark 3:33-35; CEV)

If Jesus can call His followers His family, we surely can too! The family of faith, while never (on Earth) the “perfect” family, either, is a wonderful creation of the Lord for the mutual comfort and strengthening of His people.  For some of us, that’s a gift in addition to a great family of origin – for others, it can be a refuge from the biological family. Either way, as believers, we owe love and respect also to the moms we have in the family of faith…and, we should strive to become spiritual parents and older siblings to others, younger in the faith than ourselves (cf. I Timothy 5:1-2).

5. Remember: The best mothers imitate God, and pass along the faith!

Paul gratefully mentions two women who fulfilled their mission as moms: “I also remember the genuine faith of your mother Eunice. Your grandmother Lois had the same sort of faith, and I am sure that you have it as well.” (2 Timothy 1:5-6; CEV)  –Let’s all give thanks for moms like these this Mother’s Day…and let’s endeavor to be like them in our God-given families!     

 …….Your fellow mom, Katie

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Come celebrate Easter with us!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

10:00am Traditional Service

11:00am Coffee and Fellowship time

11:15am Easter Egg Hunt for the kids

11:30am “ONE Worship” Contemporary Service

Special music, preaching, and childcare offered at both services. All are invited! See you there!

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Pics from Oneonta’s “Spirit of Christmas” Talent Show

Thanks to all who participated. Here are a few pics from the event. If you have some you would like to contribute, email them to lincoln@oneonta.org. Thanks!

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Pics from ONE Worship 12-13-09 Children’s song & advent candle lighting

Here are some cute pics taken by Adjoa Skinner at the ONE Worship 12/13/09 service, featuring a song sung by the Oneonta Children’s Ministry and Advent Candle lighting by our friends Allen and Theresa.

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Family Movie Night featuring DreamWorks “Monsters vs. Aliens”

You’re invited to this special event!

WHAT: Join us for Family Movie Night, featuring the recently released DreamWorks animated film, “Monsters vs. Aliens”.

WHEN: Saturday, October 17 from 5:30pm-8:00pm.

WHERE: Oneonta Congregational Church. Event will be in the church quad (grassy area in the center of the campus).

COST: Free event! Free dinner provided by “Mamas Brick Oven Pizza” and free dessert provided by “My Sweet Cupcake”. There will also be free refreshments and more!

BRING: This will be an outdoor event, so don’t forget to bring lawn chairs, blankets, warm clothes, etc.

RSVP: Please contact Lisa Petty at 323-257-8477 to rsvp.

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even more pics from VBS

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more pics VBS 2009

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Pics from VBS 2009, “Crocodile Dock”

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Vacation Bible School is coming August 10-14!

Click here for permission slip/registration form: https://oneonta.wordpress.com/2009/05/07/vacation-bible-school-permission-slip/

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Pics from Father/Daughter Sock Hop Event

Here are some pics from the ages 6-12 Father/Daughter Sock Hop event held last Saturday, June 13, in Gray Hall. This was a time for dancing, burgers, malts, and special memories for all.

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Oneonta Easter Sunday Recap

Thanks to everyone who made our ONE Worship Easter Sunday service a reality! Pastor Doug gave a great Easter sermon, Jennie & Bob kept the energy high as our MC’s, the ONE Worship band rocked out great tunes such as Chris Tomlin’s “All Bow Down” and New Life Worship’s “Our Savior Lives”, David Schwend did an amazing job running the sound, Tom Stone did a great job organizing the greeting team, and our Deacons faithfully served as ushers, too! All in all, it was a great time of worship and I left feeling blessed and excited to be a part of such an amazing ministry.

Here are some pics taken by Howard Kelley of the Easter Egg Hunt, Traditional and Contemporary services:

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Easter @ Oneonta

He is Risen! Come and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior with us on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009.

We are having 2 worship services:

10AM Traditional & 11:30AM Contemporary.

Childcare will be provided. There will also be refreshments, an Easter egg hunt for the kids, and opportunities to make new friends! Hope to see you there!

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