St. John's will resume an After School Program,
beginning Wed, Sept. 9, 4:00pm
4:00 - 4:30 Free time • 4:30 - 5:00 Homework, with tutors • 5-6 Free time • 6:00 Dinner
6:30 - 7:00 Faith discussion and lesson
We need five-six volunteers to help with dinner, once or twice a month. Tutors also welcome as is anyone who wants an excuse to act like a kid with kids! Let Max know of your interest.
Important event: St. John's is a sponsor
a school of the americas watch report
by lisa sullivan, soa watch latin america coordinator"THE COUP IN HONDURAS:
THE ROLE OF SOA GRADUATES IN LATIN AMERICA"
Saturday • September 26, 2009 • 6:30-9:00pm, Uptown Body & Fender • 401 26th street,
Oakland, between Telegraph and Broadway. six blocks north of 19th street BART
Music by Francisco Herrera and Jon Fromer
Refreshments • $10.00 Donation (no one turned away)Lisa Sullivan, Coordinator for the School of the Americas Watch “Partnership America Latina” (PAL), will speak about the changes taking place in Latin America, including an analysis of the recent coup in Honduras. While our attention has been focused on the Middle East, our neighbors in Latin America have been forging a new political landscape based on values they call “dignity and sovereignty.” Eleven countries south of the Rio Grande have elected progressive presidents over the past ten years, turning the political landscape of that area upside down. Together with Fr. Roy Bourgeois and others, Lisa has visited 17 Latin American countries over the past three years, meeting with leaders – including seven presidents – to discuss the School of the Americas. These visits, along with pressure from partners in Latin America, led Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay and Costa Rica to announce they will no longer send troops for training to the SOA/WHINSEC.
Sullivan has lived in Latin America for 32 years, most of this time in Venezuela, but also in Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Guatemala, working as a Maryknoll Lay Missioner and a mom who raised her kids in the barrios of Barquisimeto. She met with Honduran President Zelaya shortly before the coup, and then returned days after it to stand in solidarity with the people. She is in a unique position to interpret and explain what happened, especially the concern over the U.S. response and the dangerous implications the coup has for all of Latin America. Sponsored by The School of the Americas Watch West • More info: 510 917-3235.____________________________________
Once again, big congratulations and thanks to Fred Harvey
and all who helped at Camp Elmwood!Forty-six campers and fourteen teen counselors, a total of sixty young people, participated in Camp Elmwood, August 10-14, together with at least fourteen adult volunteers. An equal number of parents and friends joined us for our closing barbeque and program. Happiness was the theme and everyone seemed happy to have participated. Camp art and ideas are on display in the Campbell reception room.
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Upcoming Sunday Forums
September 7 “Amorette’s Watch – A Civil War Widow and her Granddaughter” by Virginia Foote, our own Virginia Anderson’s new book will be the focus of our Adult Forum. The Theft of her grandmother’s watch begins a journey for Virginia that involves years of research and personal reflection as she seeks to know her ancestor. Along the way she has to grapple with issues of marriage, women’s rights, racial discrimination, economic survival and religious vocation not only for her grandmother, but for herself as well. Virginia will read to us about a time when her grandmother went to the South to serve as a Residential Matron at one of the earliest “Negro” colleges. Her work was motivated by her new-found religious vocation as a part of the Methodist Church. Come and learn more about the book and about its author.September 14 “My Father Said Yes – A White pastor in Little Rock School Integration” by Dunbar H. Ogden. Dunbar writes about his father’s experiences in Little Rock in the fall of 1957 when the civil rights struggle focused on nine black students and also the one white pastor who accompanied them to school. The Rev. Ogden who was the pastor of a Presbyterian Church US, became deeply involved that year, working with the leaders in the black community trying to steer a safe course for these students. With Gov. Faubus spewing hate and a very reluctant Eisenhower finally doing the right thing, these were terrifying days. By the following summer Rev. Ogden had lost his church. The story is told not based just on the memories of a young man, but after careful research of his father’s life, theology, the shape of the times as well as a blow by blow of what happened those September days and those that followed. The Rev. Ogden came to St. John's in 1971 and he and his wife, Dorothy, were a part of this community until their deaths – his in 1978 and hers in 1999. The author is Professor Emeritus of Dramatic Art at UC, Berkeley and since 2000 has taught a freshman seminar based on the events in this book. The Foreword is by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.____________________________________
Women’s Bible Study, Thursday, September 17, 2009, noon to 2 pm.
Please note the change in date.We will begin the study of “Joshua: A Journey of Faith”, by discussing the Preface and Introduction. Let me know if you need a copy of this year’s Horizons study. Bring your lunch and your Bible, and your thoughts. The San Francisco Theological Seminary Bible Study featuring the author of the Joshua study, Dr. Mary Mikhael, President of the Near East School of Theology in Beirut, Lebanon will be held on Saturday, September 12th. If you wish to go please give me your check by Sunday, August 30th.
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Choir resumes rehearsal on September 2, and will sing in worship beginning September 6. Rehearsals are Wednesdays at 7:30 in the choir room on the second floor, and Sunday mornings we gather in the sanctuary at 9. Join us! Bell choir rehearsals occur after worship the first and third Sundays.
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Cal Football Parking Volunteers!
We need two volunteers to help with Cal's game against Eastern Washington on September 12 (Eastern Washington); second shift from 1:45 to 4:00; third shift from 4:00 to 6:30-7:00. Also someone to work Oct. 3, the USC game third shift from 6:30 to 9:00. This game is our major money producer! Please call Claudia Cate so she won't badger you at church! Football parking makes big bucks for St. John's, so please, sign up!
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Water Into Wine(s) coming up—a fun, no-agenda party for St. Johns' folks! (Bring food to share! Pot luck.) This Sat. 8/29, 5-8pm at the home of Ann Arndt. Please RSVP Ann Sat. 10/24 5-8pm at the home of David McPhail and Wife Irene RSVP Irene and David
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Prime Timers program and news for September
1 10:30 Bridge with Irene Krones
Diana will not be here.12:00 LUNCHEON IS SERVED. Birthdays celebrated
8
$20.00 PROGRAM SUPPORT FEE DUE10:30 Blood Pressure checks by Roma Arellano
11:00 Andrew from Vital Link will speak about their service
15 PICNIC.
We will barbecue hot dogs and hamburgers on the terrace.Bring salads or desserts. We’ll provide chips, soft drinks.
Pray for sun but not too much!
22, 29 Helen will be gone (to Japan and China)
October 6 Helen still gone but there's bridge at 10:30 and birthday celebration at noon.
At our meeting on August 18 we discussed the possibility of losing Diana Bohn since she will no longer be paid to teach ceramics by Berkeley Adult School. The group agreed that we would each pay a $20.00 per month Program Support Fee to pay her salary. We will run this through St. John’s so the donations can be tax deductible. Payment will be due at the first meeting of the month (except September). Give checks payable to St. John’s to Diana/Chris at the front table.
St. John's Presbyterian Church
2727 College Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705
Do you drink water?
St. John's is planning
a "Water Faire!"
October 18
Get on board!
Call David McPhail!