We are so happy to welcome Lauren Patrus, our new Associate Pastor! Lauren is moving here from Atlanta, Georgia. She was involved with a high school youth group at Morrow Presbyterian Church in Morrow, GA. During her college years, Lauren worked for First Presbyterian Church of Rome, GA and was involved in campus ministry. After graduation, Lauren worked for two years as a missionary on the staff of an international Christian school in Vienna, Austria. Upon returning to the states, Lauren taught middle school students for six years. Then she joined the staff at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta as the Director of Elementary and Family Ministries. It was during those years that her calling to parish ministry became clear.

With the love and support of the pastoral leadership and families that she served at First Pres Atlanta, Lauren enrolled in the Master

of Divinity program at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. She completed her degree this past May, and will be ordained in October (at her home church in Atlanta) after she has passed the examination given by San Francisco Presbytery.

Lauren will begin her work here at First Presbyterian San Leandro in early September. She will be serving as our ¾ time Associate Pastor, and her responsibilities will include the children’s Christian education and fellowship programs, working with our senior high youth director, leading in worship, preaching, doing some pastoral care, and overseeing the adult education program. She will be officially installed here as Associate Pastor on Sunday, November 5

th.

Lauren is engaged to be married later this year, so we look forward to welcoming her fiancé Scott to our church family as well!

WELCOME TO OUR NEW ASSOCIATE PASTOR

HIGHLIGHTS F i r s t P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h S a n L e a n d r o

SEPTEMBER 2017 VOLUME 18, ISSUE 8

NEW ADULT CLASS BEGINS Our Adult Education program in the fall will help celebrate the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation. In the Sunday morning and Monday evening classes, we will have fun taking a look at Luther and other Reformers. We’ll start out with an in-depth look at Luther who was the 15

th century religious reformer from

Germany who broke ranks with the Catholic Church. Much of this Bible study will be devoted to Luther -- a monk whose Spirit-inspired grasp of God's justifica-tion of sinners through faith in the Savior was the cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation.

In this Bible study series, Luther's life and times will be examined through the lens of history, religion and theol-ogy. Other reformers will also be in-cluded. We’ll take a look at the re-formers who led in the creation of the Reformed Churches, including the Presbyterian Church. And we’ll in-clude the most recent document signed by the Roman Catholic Church and most of the Protestant

Churches. We’ll finish the series knowing what Christian churches have in common, where the differences have been in the past, and where even today we agree to disagree.

Sunday School classes for children will begin on Sunday, September 17

th

at the 11:00 hour. The curriculum for the children’s class will coordinate with the topics which are explored during the worship hour at Learning Center.

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES

Volume 18, Issue 8 2

We are putting together a Cook Team to make meals on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for the Building Futures Women’s Shelter. We need to provide a main course, as well as a salad and/or vegetable, dessert, bread and beverage. Ideally, the team will consist of around 6 people, who make a portion of the meal and then deliver it to one central place. Then one person delivers it to the Shelter. If you are interested in volun-teering for this, please see Su-zanne Yee or call her at 510-638-3892. She and Don have done this over the years, but their pre-vious team disbanded and so they are helping to organize a new team. We hope you’ll con-sider helping to provide this sup-port to women and children who are going through a rough time of transition.

The Chancel Choir will have a special rehearsal workshop on Saturday, September 9

th

at 9:00 am.

COOK TEAM FOR BUILDING FUTURES WOMEN’S SHELTER

CHANCEL CHOIR WORKSHOP

On September 10th,

we will begin a new year of the “narrative lection-ary” which focuses on the biblical story from Creation through the early

Christian church. Over a four-year cycle, the texts help us to learn about God’s redemption of his creation throughout history. The church year shapes the flow of the narrative lectionary, so that we will begin in the fall with readings about God’s dealings with Israel, and

culminate in Advent with the prophets who speak of longing and hope. During Christmas and through Lent/Easter, we will have readings from each of the four gospels (this year will focus on the gospel of John). After Easter, selections from the book of Acts and Paul’s letters will trace the movement of the resurrection message, culminating on Pentecost with readings focusing on the Spirit. We hope you will join us for worship at 9:30 am each Sun-day morning.

NEW PREACHING SERIES BEGINS SEPTEMBER 10

MUSIC MINISTRY KICK OFF POTLUCK All choir mem-bers, bell ring-ers and instru-mentalists are invited to a Music Ministry Kick-Off potluck at the home of Jim and Mollie Wakeman (35015 Begonia Street, Union City) on Saturday, September 2 at 12 noon. Jim and Mollie will provide the meat and beverages; please bring something tasty to share. RSVP (510) 579-4776 by August 31

st.

LIKE TO MAKE GIFT BASKETS? The Evangelism Committee is looking for a volunteer(s) to make gift baskets for the Angel Tree families this Christmas. We usu-ally distribute baskets to 8-10 families. “Angels” are purchased to cover the cost of the baskets. Anyone interested please see Val Watts.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

27

9:30 AM Worship

10:30 AM Coffee

11:00 AM Special Presentation

by Adam Anderson

28 29 30 31

7:30 PM Chancel Choir

1 2

12:00 PM Music Ministry

Kick Off Potluck

3

9:30 AM Worship

10:30 AM Coffee/Donuts

12:30 PM Prayer Shawl Ministry

4

5

7:30 PM Christian

Ed, Evangelism,

Group Life,

Church in the

World

6

5:30 PM WOW and

PEAK Kick-Off

Dinner

7

6:17 PM Chancel Bells

7:30 PM Chancel Choir

8 9

9:00 AM Choir Workshop –

Sing Different XXIX

10

9:30 AM Worship/Music Dedication

10:30 AM Coffee

11:30 AM All Church Picnic

11

12 13

4:00 PM WOW

5:15 PM PEAK

14

12:00 PM Women's Bible

Study Luncheon

6:17 PM Chancel Bells

7:30 PM Chancel Choir

15 16

17

9:30 AM Worship/Teacher Dedication

10:30 AM Coffee/Donuts

11:00 AM Sunday School

18

7:00 PM Adult

Education Class

19

7:30 PM Session Meeting

20

4:00 PM WOW

5:15 PM PEAK

21

11:30 AM Young at Heart Luncheon

6:17 PM Chancel Bells

7:30 PM Chancel Choir

22 23

24

9:30 AM Worship

10:30 AM Coffee

11:00 AM Sunday School

25

7:00 PM Adult

Education Class

26

7:00 PM Deacons

Meeting

27

4:00 PM WOW

5:15 PM PEAK

28

1:00 PM Women's Bible Study

6:17 PM Chancel Bells

7:30 PM Chancel Choir

29 30

7:30 AM Men's

Breakfast & Women's

Fellowship

WONDERS ON WEDNESDAY

AUGUST 2017

Our Wonders On Wednes-day (WOW) fellowship pro-gram kicks off on September 6

th at 5:30 pm! The WOW

program is for children and youth entering Kinder-garten through Junior High. The theme for our kick-off will be “I “I Love to Tell the Story”, so after a deli-cious dinner we will have a special storyteller with us from StageBridge. You won’t want to miss this! The whole family is invited for dinner at 5:30 pm! Parents and siblings will be asked to contribute $3 each for their dinner; the cost of

dinner for WOW members is included in their registration fee. Parents will need to reg-ister their child(ren) and sign up for their volunteer job at WOW upon arrival. Our fun will conclude by 7:30 pm. Then on September 13

th, our

regular program times will begin. Children entering Kin-dergarten through Fifth Grades come at 4:00 p.m. for the start of their program, and Junior Highs will come at 5:15 p.m. for dinner and their program. The cost for the first semester will be $65 for the first child in a family, and $55 for each additional

child. This covers dinner, arts/crafts supplies, and special prizes and activi-ties. Senior highs will be asked to contribute $40 each semester for meals. Scholar-ship help and payment plans are available - see Lauren Patrus or call the church office.

YOUTH WEEKENDS AT WESTMINSTER WOODS

PEAK The Peak program, for our senior high students, will also resume on Wednes-day, September 6

th. Come

at 5:30 pm for dinner, fol-lowed by the senior high fellowship program led by our youth director, Becca Brookes. We will conclude at 8:00 pm.

It’s not too early to begin to plan for a weekend at the Woods with other young people! Mark your calendars now: November 3-5, 2017: NovemberBash, a weekend

retreat for middle school youth in grades 6-8.

December 1-3, 2017: DecemberFest, a weekend re-

treat for high school youth in grades 9-12.

February 9-11, 2018: Forest Adventure, a weekend

retreat for students in grades 4-6.

HIGHLIGHTS 5

OLD FASHIONED CHURCH PICNIC SEPTEMBER 10th, 11:30 am

ALL CHURCH RETREAT 2017 LOVE DOES! Our Annual All-Church Retreat will be held at Westminster Woods beginning on Friday, October 6

th at 7:00 pm and con-

cluding on Sunday afternoon, Oc-tober 8

th at 1:00 pm. A great

program is planned for all ages! The adult program will feature a video series called “Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World.” Bob Goff shares remarkable sto-ries from his life and shows how living and loving to the fullest is the best way to make Jesus known in this world. Love is a verb, not just a feeling, and we will discuss things we can DO to show God’s love in this world! We will watch a video clip and then have small group discus-sion. There will also be programs for the children and youth.

Have you signed up yet?? You won’t want to miss this weekend of fun and fellowship in the red-woods!! Watch for the registra-tion table in Fellowship Hall start-ing on September 10

th. The cost

for 5 meals and two nights of lodging for adults is $155, for jun-ior and senior highs $110, for kin-dergarten through fifth grades $75, and for toddlers and pre-schoolers, $40. Housing with in-door bathroom is $200.

If you need financial assistance, partial camperships are available - please see Anne Swanson. If you have reserved a space but not paid the deposit, it is due im-mediately. Final payments are due no later than September 17

th.

We are so excited to have our new pictorial directories! If you have not yet gotten yours, please contact the church office. A free copy is re-served for each person/family that had their photograph tak-en; others may purchase a copy for $10. A big word of thanks to all of you who helped with the photography sessions, and to Elder Kathy Pearson and Jeanette and Bill Bragonier who oversaw this big project! Also thanks to Cassie Clark who put together the lovely activity pages!

NEW PICTORIAL DIRECTORIES HAVE ARRIVED Again this year our all-church

picnic will be taking place at the Lake Chabot Regional Park (adjacent to the marina and the parking lot), at the Mallard Picnic Site (off the Main Entrance to the park, on Lake Chabot Road). Parking is available in a parking lot for a fee, or you may park along the street. The picnic site we have reserved is easily accessible by walking. The church will provide hamburgers and hot dogs, buns, condiments, paper goods and beverages. Please bring a dish to share – salad, fruit, or dessert. We’ll have some fun games, including badminton, and lots of other fun options!

WOMEN’S BIBLE CLASS This fall, the women’s Bible class will be studying the book of Galatians. We will be using Eugene Peterson’s book called Traveling Light: Modern Medi-tations on St. Paul’s Book of Freedom. You may purchase your own copy of the book online (used, inexpensive cop-ies are available), or see Anne if you need assistance. The class meets on the second and fourth Thursday afternoons, be-ginning with a kick-off potluck luncheon on September 14

th at

12 noon. Newcomers are welcome.

NON-PROFIT

ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

PAID SAN LEANDRO, CA

PERMIT NO. 84

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN

CHURCH

180 Estudillo Avenue San Leandro, CA 94577

Return Service Requested

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S

The Young at Heart program resumes on Thursday, September 21

st, with a delicious

luncheon followed by a great program. We are thrilled to have an officer from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit join us with his Belgian Malinois. Come at 11:30 am for coffee and a time to visit, and bring along a new friend or two! Lunch will follow at 12 noon, followed by the program. Please be sure to sign up on Sunday mornings prior to September 21

st, so we can plan accordingly.

Everyone is asked to make a donation to cover luncheon expenses on our meeting day. All seniors who are young at heart are welcome.

YOUNG AT HEART LUNCHEON MEN’S BREAKFAST/BIBLE STUDY AND WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST

The Men’s and Women’s Breakfasts will be resuming on Saturday, September 30

th.

Usually we meet on the first Saturday of the month, but because that would be Labor Day Weekend in September and our All Church Retreat week in October, we are going to adjust our start date. Mark your calendars now for Saturday, September 30

th, and then beginning

in November, we will resume our usual first Sat-urday of the month meetings.

The Men’s group will be considering the Ques-tions God Asks Us in Scripture, so we will have some interesting discussions indeed!

Newcomers are always welcome.