1. Art and Diseño

Sunday, February 1st • 12 noon
SEMIANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
to approve the budget and receive committee reports
VOLUME 16, ISSUE 2 • February 2015
FirstWords
In this issue:
Pastors’ Ponderings...... 2
President’s Corner........ 3
Music.............................. 3
El Salvador..................... 4
Calendar......................... 5
Prayer Ventures............ 6
Our Musical Future
As you will have read in previous newsletters, we are in an
interim year with respect to the choir / music director position.
As part of this process, pastors, council and Worship, Arts
and Music (WAM) committee thought it would be a good idea
to revisit a goal identified during the call process: “evolving
our worship offerings, as we foresee a need to incorporate a
wider variety of high-quality styles and formats, especially
in the area of music.”
What was meant by that?
We held two forums and provided a survey. Around 40 people participated, including some of our youth.
Some had very well developed thoughts, others struggled to
articulate feelings or were mostly present to listen. I must
say it was helpful for me, as one of your pastors, to hear your
ideas but also what it is you value about music and worship
at FLC.
It was one more way to get to know you better.
What now? We pastors together with WAM committee are
discerning ways to articulate some values about our worship
and music, what some goals might be (short and long term),
what further questions might be ahead of us. Getting clear
on this can help us know what to look for in a choir / music
director and what we share with candidates about FLC.
What did people say? It’s not easy to summarize, but there
were some general and interesting ideas that seemed to be
emerging out of this process (a few direct quotations below):
See MUSIC, page 7
Pastors’ Ponderings
A forty day journey
On the first Sunday in Lent we hear about
the forty days Jesus spent being tested in
the wilderness. Lent itself is a forty day
journey that leads us into Holy Week and
Easter.
God’s love draws us out of ourselves
to notice the enemy, the stranger, the
neighbor.
Each Sunday this Lent we’ll hear passages
from scripture around the same theme:
Many think of Lent as a time when we God’s love shown in Christ is for the world
“give something up”—usually, some- and draws us into mission.
thing sweet—and take time to be self-reflective. But what if during this time we At 10:30 on Sundays we’ll be using music
were drawn outside of ourselves and our from across the world, the ecumenical
personal concerns to find new ways to be community of Taizé.
present to the people around us?
Ash Wednesday
Lent actually originated as a time to acth
company those who were new to the February 18 , noon and 7 pm: Lent begins
church and preparing for baptism. How with this simple penitential service and
the imposition of ashes.
do I connect with experience of others?
During Lent we hear a famous sentence
from John’s gospel: “God so loved the
world that he gave his only Son.” Notice
it’s not, “God so loved us …” but loved the
world.
Soup suppers
Thursdays, February 26th–March 26th, 6
pm followed by brief evening prayer at 7
pm: We are planning presentations from
various ministry partners like ReconcilWe know ourselves to be loved only as ingWorks and an update on Rios de Agua
we also see how we a part of this broken Viva.
world, yearning for healing.
Sunday themes (tentative)
The rainbow and God’s promise to the
whole creation; die to self and follow for
the sake of the gospel; a prophetic and
confessional mission; God’s love for a poisoned world; a grain falls to bear fruit for
the stranger.
– PASTOR BERNT
2
February 2015 • FirstWords
Finishing in good shape
President’s Corner
After reviewing the preliminary year-end up for some loss of income from that
financial reports, it appears that we will property.
finish 2014 in very good shape.
But based on the giving we experienced
We started the year with a much smaller in 2014, we enter the year confident that,
number of pledges and amount pledged with continued strong giving, we can look
than in previous years, so we substan- forward to expanding FLC’s ministries in
tially increased our ‘leap of faith’ giving 2015.
budget instead of shrinking our ministry. Although we did not meet the 2013 All of this financial information is always
amount of non-pledged giving, we chose provided in the semi-annual report in
to budget almost the same amount again much detail. If you were not able to attend this meeting and did not get a copy
in 2014.
of the report, additional copies will be
We are happy to report that our pledged available at church or it should be availgiving nearly met our entire $31,000 leap able on the website.
of faith amount, and our non-pledged income far exceeded the budgeted amount. Dealing with the FLC’s finances is a huge
effort, and we need to thank Vince BarGiven our reduced expenses due to six ich, our treasurer, who puts in countless
months of an interim pastor as well as the hours keeping the finances going. George
six month vacancy in the youth director Knutson, the financial secretary, also deposition, the excess can be applied to our serves our thanks for his efforts for takreserves.
ing in the giving.
Thank you for your strong financial support of First and its ministry programs!
As we know, 2015 and beyond provides us
with a new challenge. With the completion of the Webster Project, which should
be self-sustaining, we will need to make
Endowment Fund. Nick has been the
‘spokesperson’ since 2007, but gave up
that position last June.
We did not replace him until recently, so
Nick did one last report for the February
We also want to thank the audit commit- congregational meeting—thanks Nick!
tee, led by Phyllis Chrisman and John Allured with David Holmkvist’s help. We Going forward, Russ Grove and Vince Barfinally have an audit for 2013, the first in ich will be joined by John Allured to conmany years.
tinue the three person task of leading the
Endowment Fund.
And finally, we need to thank Nick Larsen for his many years of service to the
–MARK BOGOTT
Music Notes
Lenten expression
The upcoming season of Lent is paradoxically a season of joy for a musician,
because the emotions of Lent have historically inspired composers to write excellent expressive music.
the beginning of service and during Communion on Sunday mornings.
While we’ve occasionally used these
chants as hymns in our services in the
past, their purpose is to be repeated indefinitely to induce a meditative state in
the listener or participant, and so we’re
planning to include extensive chanting at
Set aside the date of March 8th on your
calendar for this epic event, which will be
at Grace Lutheran.
Vespers service from the ELW, a familiar
liturgy which we’ve used in past years.
For the midweek Lenten services this year
after the Soup Suppers, we’ll be using the
–ALLEN SIMON
We experience many kinds of music in
worship, but this is an opportunity to use
music in a less-familiar way, to internalThe hymns of Lent are some of my favor- ize it rather than listening to it, to become
ites, and there is no end to the terrific one with it rather than just singing it.
choral music written for this penitential
season, starting with Ash Wednesday on The choir will also be continuing to prepare for its upcoming performance of
February 18th.
Haydn’s Creation in early March in comThis year’s Lenten services will include bination with Soli Deo Gloria and Orchesextensive use of Taizé chant.
tra Gloria.
FirstWords • February 2015
3
Letters from El Salvador
Sister Parish
God of life and hope be with you always, On November 29th we had a nice celebrayour family and all the brothers and sis- tion of Advent, 90% of the congregation
ters of the Lutheran Church in Palo Alto. participated. It was full of spirituality,
faith, and Christian commitment.
I want to apologize for not writing more
often, but this year has not gone well with We started with a devotional and then the
my health, I spent most of the year with women of the congregation led the vigil
discomfort for bronchial asthma I suffer with songs, dynamic, personal reflecand twice I developed broncial pneumo- tions, then there was a break (where we
nia, thanks to God for now I’m stable.
ate tamales, pastries, coffee and chocolate). The youth entered the space that is
Furthermore I want to share about some between midnight and dawn to drive with
scholarship fellows and graduates. Jona- dynamic light, songs and Bible studies.
than Hernández (Tammy) and Fermín
Gonzalez (Grove family) completed their We completed late in the morning of Nosecondary education (high school).
vember 30th with a solemn worship, we
had communion, and the congregation
We are very happy for graduation, both stayed until the end of the vigil.
are fellows. Also Diana Muñoz (the girl
who was in Palo Alto at the last visit) and On December 24th we celebrated Christher brother Ricardo finished their techni- mas with a solemn worship and later
cal high school, they both are not fellows. youth and children celebrated with a piñata, candy, soda and each of them will
Also, we inform you that all the scholar- have a small Christmas gift.
ship students completed the school year
and some are on the honor roll of the We make this very special celebration, beschool they attend.
cause we know that some of the younger
smaller children will have no celebration
Thanks to the brothers and sisters of the at home, only the little Christmas party
Congregation for the support they give to that will be at the Church.
the children and youth of Rios de Agua
Viva!
On December 31st we had a solemn prayer
service where we ask God to have mercy
on this suffering Salvadoran people that
have failed to eradicate social violence,
which has now become viral on the rise of
gangs and organized crime. After we worship we celebrate the New Year.
Dear sisters and brothers:
We need to put on the armor of the Lord:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against the heavenly hosts
of wickedness in the heavenly places”
(Ephesians 6.12)
With the love of God that unites us as
brothers, I want to share the life situation
of the Salvadoran people, especially in
poor communities, where we are the mission of our Lutheran Salvadoran Church.
There is a total atmosphere of danger
and fear, entire populations are located
in communities which are terrorized by
panic, several members of the families of
our churches have suffered killings, many
for their lives are migrating.
Your sister in Christ Jesus,
–PASTOR VILMA RODRIGUEZ
I am forwarding the message that Bishop Gomez has sent to all Lutheran churches, some
have had migration of parishioners to other
parts of the country because of death threats
by gangs (three families in Rios de Agua Viva
have stopped coming to church because they
are afraid of the gang that is in San Mauricio).
There are other churches that have had parishioners killed, the situation is very difficult,
yet, we do not lose faith in God and hope that
this difficult situation will soon pass.
Prayer, family, and the community harmony
of faith and training in Christian values will
help to protect young children from clutches
of criminal gangs and hordes.
Thanks for your support.
God is with us, He hears us and knows
The murder is the common denominator what is happening, pray without ceasing.
Insecurity is unbearable, the pain has ex- of every day, and in tears the loved ones
hausted our patience, we are desperate.
God will give us protection and divine aid,
of the victims are drowned.
to be instruments of peace bravely.
There is a full silent cry of distress in com- The authorities cannot do anything bemunities, the order that exists on the part cause, for fear of reprisals, there is no ac- “This kind goeth not out but by prayer
of the perpetrators is “SEE, HEAR AND BE knowledgment of complaints and no one and fasting” (Matthew 17: 21)
SILENT” so no one dares to speak, or de- to point to the guilty .
Fraternally,
nounce.
I call for unity in prayer, solidarity ac–BISHOP MEDARDO GOMEZ
tions of wisdom.
4
February 2015 • FirstWords
1
Monday
2
Tuesday
3
Wednesday
4
22
8:30a Worship
9:15a Sunday school
and adult forum
10:30a Worship
Lent 1
24
25
3:30p Silicon Valley 3:30p Silicon Valley 3:30p Silicon Valley
Boychoir
Boychoir
Boychoir
rehearsal
rehearsal
rehearsal
7:00p 12-step group 7:00p 12-step group
meeting
meeting
23
10:00a Lectio Divina
3:30p Silicon Valley
Boychoir classes
6:00p Soup Supper
6:30p First Kids Choir
7:00p Vespers
7:30p Choir rehearsal
Church office closed
10:00a Lectio Divina
3:30p Silicon Valley
Boychoir classes
6:00p First Kids Choir
supper
6:30p First Kids Choir
7:30p Choir rehearsal
17 Ash Wednesday18
Presidents Day
3:30p Silicon Valley 12:00p Worship
7:00p 12-step group
Boychoir
3:30p Silicon Valley
meeting
rehearsal
Boychoir
7:00p Council
rehearsal
7:00p 12-step group 7:00p Worship
meeting
Transfiguration15
8:30a Worship
9:15a Sunday school
and adult forum
10:30a Worship
16
26
19
12
10
10:00a Lectio Divina
3:30p Silicon Valley
Boychoir classes
6:00p Worship Committee
meeting
6:00p First Kids Choir
supper
6:30p First Kids Choir
7:30p Choir rehearsal
9
11
Epiphany 5
8
5
Friday
6
7
21
9:00a Silicon Valley Boychoir
classes
14
9:00a Silicon Valley Boychoir
classes
5:00p Date night
Saturday
3:30p Silicon
Valley Boychoir
classes
27
9:00a Silicon Valley Boychoir
classes
10:00a Combined choir
rehearsal with Soli Deo
Gloria
28
Church office
9:00a Silicon Valley Boychoir
closed
classes
3:00p Dark Horse
Consort Concert
3:30p Silicon
Valley Boychoir
classes
20
3:30p Silicon
Valley Boychoir
classes
13
10:00a Lectio Divina
3:30p Silicon
3:30p Silicon Valley
Valley Boychoir
Boychoir classes
classes
6:00p Dinner/discussion of
"Freedom of a Christian"
6:00p First Kids Choir
supper
6:30p First Kids Choir
7:30p Choir rehearsal
Thursday
8:30a Worship
3:30p Silicon Valley 3:30p Silicon Valley 3:30p Silicon Valley
9:15a Sunday school
Boychoir
Boychoir
Boychoir
and adult forum
rehearsal
rehearsal
rehearsal
9:15a Bag lunches for 7:00p 12-step group 6:30p Social
Night Ministry
meeting
Ministry
10:30a Worship
Committee
7:00p 12-step group
meeting
Souper Bowl Sunday 3:30p Silicon Valley 3:30p Silicon Valley 3:30p Silicon Valley
8:30a Worship
Boychoir
Boychoir
Boychoir
9:15a Sunday school
rehearsal
rehearsal
rehearsal
and adult forum
7:00p 12-step group 7:00p 12-step group
10:30a Worship
meeting
meeting
12:00p
Congregational
meeting
Epiphany 4
Sunday
February 2015 Calendar
February Prayer Ventures
Daily Guide
Prayer petitions for Sundays follow the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle
and can be incorporated into the prayers at weekly worship. Weekday entries are offered as
guides to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the church.
Thank you for your continued prayers for the life and mission of this church.
1 Give thanks, especially during Black History Month, for our sisters and brothers
of African descent participating in God’s
work of restoring, reconciling communities in the name of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
2 Remember the Za’atari Refugee Camp in
Jordan, a ministry of The Lutheran World
Federation that was hit hard by unusually
severe winter storms this past month.
3 We are a church together. Remember
in your prayers the congregations, ministries and leaders of the Sierra Pacific,
Arkansas-Oklahoma and Caribbean Synod
of the ELCA.
ment of the health care professionals who 15 Transfiguration of Our Lord
care for us.
By the miraculous and simple actions of
9 Gracious God, we ask that wisdom, com- God in the world, we are moved to offer
passion and justice will guide the leaders thanks and glory for the light that the Son
of the United States and Cuba, as they of God, Jesus Christ, shines in the world.
work toward new diplomatic relationships, reconciliation, healing and the re- 16 We pray for God’s Spirit to enrich the
lives and faith of the youth, parents and
unification of families.
adult leaders preparing for the 2015 ELCA
10 For men, women and young adults Youth Gathering in Detroit.
considering preparation for full-time
ministry in this church, we pray for their 17 Shrove Tuesday
discernment and that they might use
Many of us know the comfort of abuntheir unique skills and life experiences to
dance and feasting. Let us not fear selfl share the gospel wherever they serve.
contemplation and sacrifice that grounds
11 Remember the work of Lutheran Disas- us in the spirit of Jesus Christ and his
ter Response, including our response to compassion for all humankind.
4 We pray for the warmth and safety of
people and communities facing severe floods in Malaysia, continued response to
cold, snow and flooding during the win- flood recovery in Serbia and Bosnia, and
ter months.
support to returning child migrants in
Honduras.
5 As outdoor ministry leaders seek staff
across the country for their summer pro- 12 We pray that the 2015 ELCA Definitely
grams, pray for young adults to carefully Abled Youth Leadership Event in Detroit
consider their invitations and opportuni- will bless and empower young people
ties to serve.
with physical, cognitive and emotional
differences, so that they might grow as
6 The need for safe, warm shelter for faithful, wise and courageous leaders in
people who are homeless is particularly our church.
critical in the winter months.
13 We give thanks for the generosity
Send us forth to be your people in the of ELCA members who provided nearly
world, inspiring and sharing resources so $400,000 in humanitarian assistance to
that all may have dependable shelter.
support ELCA partners serving the thousands of unaccompanied minors arriving
7 We pray that God’s Spirit of justice, to the United States from countries in
peace and reconciliation will turn the Central America.
hearts and minds of nations, leaders and
factions to peaceful means of resolving 14 Continue praying for all those who
conflicts and wars, and rebuilding com- work to dismantle systems that dehumunities and nations.
manize, oppress or divide people by their
color, culture, language, abilities or be8 We pray for healing among people suf- liefs.
fering in the current flu epidemic, and
we give thanks for the skills and commit-
6
February 2015 • FirstWords
18 Ash Wednesday
As we mark ourselves with ashes and the
sign of the cross, we admit our wrongdoings and our human weaknesses. Remember the forgiveness and new life we have
in Jesus Christ.
19 During this season of Lent, ask for
the Spirit’s guidance to follow Jesus’ example of humility, sacrifice, service and
strength in the face of life’s challenges.
20 We pray for the eight young adult
volunteer missionaries serving communities, churches and social ministries in
Mexico this year through the ELCA Young
Adult Global Mission program.
21 We are a church together. Let us pray
for the congregations, ministries and
leaders of the Southwestern Washington, Northern Great Lakes and DelawareMaryland Synod of the ELCA.
22 First Sunday in Lent
The water and word in baptism mark a
turning point in life – the beginning of
MUSIC, from page 1
a new life in a community of faith in the
world. Remember and give thanks for
your baptism and for where God has led
you in the days and years that followed.
23 Water is a gift, a necessity for life for
humanity and creation. We pray for relief
and creative solutions during the drought
being experienced in the western part of
the United States, and in areas of Central
America and Africa.
24 We pray to be willing, trusting and
eager-to-learn followers of Jesus through
trials and temptations to the cross and
new life.
25 We pray that our Lenten traditions
and practices serve to strengthen our
faith, ground our lives in Jesus’ life and
sacrifice, and draw us closer to God.
26 We pray for the African Descent Lutheran Association, people of God rooted in the gospel and redeemed by Jesus
Christ, committed to living out their faith
by expressing their love for one another
and affirming themselves and their cultural heritage as gifts to the church.
27 For some people and families, every
day is like a journey in the wilderness.
Pray that they may find direction, sustenance, hope and the accompaniment of
caring faith communities.
28 Lent leads us – invites us – to have
conversations about faith, our humanness, what it means to be Lutheran Christians, and the good news of Jesus Christ.
We pray that God’s Spirit will guide our
discussions and free us to be curious, respectful and attentive to each person, and
inspired to action.
People highly value the music and worship at FLC, where we’re able to experience a full and rich liturgy and music
that’s sophisticated, interesting, challenging and with real depth for adults
and children. We have a superb organ
and first rate musicians who find spiritual meaning in how they serve us.
In our Lutheran heritage, “music per se
is theologically important.” We enjoy
a rich artistic heritage, and music connects us to the communion of saints
who have gone before us. The recent
use of piano / guitar / mandolin at 8:30
is “simple” and “genuine” and fits that
service in its own way.
service or explaining the pattern of
worship.
How else might we strengthen the connection between musicians and congregation? Some wonder about new ways
to involve the congregation in singing
or playing instruments, such as a temporary choir with less of a rehearsal
commitment. Or “jam sessions? Community band camp?”
A particular area of interest / concern
is in worship and music experiences
that better involve youth and children.
Youth music group? Worship experiences that are more child-friendly?
People are very open to using a great
variety of music, with some question as
to what variety we might pursue and
how to do it well. Some point out the
variety of music that has already been
in use in choir repertoire and other
music.
Let’s be thoughtful about the mission of
the church and wary of simplistic answers about the way forward. In many
churches people are told: “get rid of the
old hymns and use the new stuff, or you
have no future.” I don’t know if there’s
anyone who would say that around FLC. Others point out that the variety goal
wasn’t just about music but worship
Some also question the wisdom of split- more generally.
ting into “contemporary and traditional” services, which can be divisive when What new worship opportunities can
many have a broad range of musical in- we provide? More meditative? More
terest. You don’t want things “bland” use of technology with appeal to a
younger generation? A wider variety
or “boring.”
of liturgical settings?
Maybe it’s OK to be musically extreme,
so long as we’re passionate about it. A few mentioned Taizé, which will be
Music is not a “gimmick” to get peo- the basis for our Lenten Sunday liturgy.
ple in the door. But as we get clearer Also, jazz, gospel, world music, and the
about our mission in neighborhood and music they use at youth conventions—
world, we’ll get more clear about future and adding more instruments. A few
people mentioned the possibility of a
direction for music and worship.
folk or youth-oriented service once a
One area of growth might be around in- month or so.
volving the congregation more meaningfully, or music and in worship that’s Some say: as we add variety, let’s not
more accessible. Some feel “over- sacrifice quality.
whelmed” or “intimidated” when mu–PASTOR BERNT
sic is unfamiliar, hard to sing or seems
obscure. It can seem “solemn” rather
than “joyful,” helping us to “feel the
gospel in our hearts.”
Some people mentioned the idea of
doing further education, whether it’s
teaching a song at the beginning of the
FirstWords • February 2015
7
FirstWords is a publication of First Lutheran Church of Palo Alto, California.
Officers of the congregation:
Mark Bogott...................................................................................................................................................................Council President
Holly Pearson.......................................................................................................................................................................Vice President
George Knudson..........................................................................................................................................................................Secretary
Staff:
Bernt Hillesland................................................................................................................................................................................Pastor
Katherine Marshall...........................................................................................................................................................................Pastor
Allen Simon.........................................................................................................................................................................Music Director
Julia Simon..........................................................................................................................................................First Kids Choir Director
Jin Kyung Lim................................................................................................................................................................................Organist
Rachel Voight..............................................................................................................................................................................Childcare
George Knudson......................................................................................................................................................... Financial Secretary
Deborah Boles.................................................................................................................................................................... Office Manager
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