Bay Shore Church - Sermons and News from Bay Shore Community Congregational Church in Belmont Shore, California.

Date: August 24, 2008
Minister: Rev. Charles E. Ensley, Jr.

Lesson: Matthew 15:21-28

 

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Date: August 17, 2008
Minister: Rev. Charles E. Ensley, Jr.

Lesson: Psalm 118:1-9, 21-29

 

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There’s a headline we’ve all been waiting to see! After 18 months of negotiations with the City - sometimes stalled for no reason anyone can figure out - the City Council last Tuesday approved the church’s continued use of the parking lot at Livingston Drive and The Toledo, albeit on a limited basis.  We will have exclusive use of the lot from Noon Saturday through Noon Sunday. The rest of the week, the lot is City-controlled for community usage. As a condition of the new ten-year lease, with two five year renewal clauses, the church will tear-up and repave the lot, and do what landscaping we can within our budget. Last summer, the congregation approved up to $100,000 for this project. We have these funds set aside, a combination of discretionary and reserve funds. Nothing will come out of the church’s general budget for the parking lot.

The new lease becomes effective on Labor Day, September 1, after which we will begin to notify cars parked there they should be removed over the period of our weekend usage. The church will continue to examine designs and bids for repaving the lot.

A big vote of thanks goes to Doug Otto, church member and attorney, who gave dozens of hours of pro bono time and effort in the negotiations, stretching back to January 2007. Others who sat in on meetings and assisted where they could were Mike Jensen, Leslie Groene, Bill Lorbeer, Bill Hayter, and moderators Dede Gilmore and Dick Landes. We are grateful to all of these volunteers for their countless hours of meetings and assistance. We are also grateful to community members who, from the start of community meetings, were in favor of the church having continued use of the lot in its present location.

On another note, I was at the City Hall an hour early last Tuesday for the above Council meeting, so I went into the Downtown Library. It had many patrons inside, researching jobs on computers, doing school work, reading the wide variety of magazines, asking for assistance from research librarians, checking out books, videos and music. I join with Ray Bradbury and the letters to the editor I’ve read in the Press Telegram who decry a proposal to close the library. It serves an important and necessary role in a certain sector of our city, among people who might not otherwise have those resources readily available. It just goes to show you why we keep our church building in repair, so threat of closure is not an option.

Charlie Ensley
Senior Minister

It’s not too late to go out and buy school supplies to fill the backpacks for fifth graders at Lincoln Elementary. Supplies include paper, pencils, pens, folders, crayons or markers or colored pencils, and glue or glue sticks. Anything you think a fifth grader would need to start the school year. We’ll deliver these backpacks at the start of the school year, right after Labor Day. Thanks once again for your continued support for this mission project. Any questions feel free to ask me at church or e-mail me.

Amy Williams.

It has been eight years since the Youth Center has received a little T.L.C. Over the next two weeks we will patch the drywall and paint. Once the project is complete, the Youth Center will be reopened and utilized by our church and local community.

Al Sykes died peacefully at home on August 23 after two bouts with cancer this year. His memorial service will be at church on Saturday, August 30 at 1:00 p.m. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made either to Bay Shore Church, or Memorial Hospice Program. Al was a successful businessman with holdings in several states. He is survived by his wife Marilynn, daughters Janet and Susan, and three grandchildren. The Sykes have been church members since 1997.

The Bay Shore Church Knitting and Crocheting Group, also known as Blessings from Bay Shore, will meet next on Wednesday, September 3 and 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Concert Hall. Come join this enthusiastic group for a fun morning of fellowship and fabulous knitting and crocheting. For additional information, please contact Linda Landes.

In order to participate in the Ralphs Community Contribution Program, please register your new Ralphs Rewards Cards before August 31 to be effective on September 1. We received over $3,000 in donations last year from Ralphs through your use of this easy-to-swipe program.

Ralphs gave the following instructions to the church.

1. Your participants must have a Ralphs Rewards Card to enroll in the new term. They previously had a Ralphs Club Card, but it has been upgraded to the new Ralphs Rewards Card.
2. If they have not applied for their Ralphs Rewards card at their local Ralphs store, all stores have them available at all times.
3. After they complete the Ralphs Rewards application at the store, they can register at www.ralphs.com then click on Community Contribution.
4. All of your participants who are currently enrolled in the Ralphs Community Contribution Program will remain active until 8-31-08.
5. All participants are required to register for the new term at www.ralphs.com that will be effective on 9-1-08.
6. NOTE: Ralphs Rewards Cards can only be used at Ralphs stores.
7. NOTE: Food 4 Less Rewards Cards can only be used at Food 4 Less stores.

For registering your Ralphs Rewards Card, the NPO number for the church is 83255.

On Thursday, September 4, at 7:00 p.m., the Bay Shore Chancel Choir will have a potluck and rehearsal at Rich and Julie Ramsey’s home. Please bring your best hot or cold food favorite. Dessert and beverages will be provided. For questions, please call Julie Ramsey or Linda Landes. Spouses and significant others are also welcome.

Thanks to everyone that brought toiletries for St. Mary’s CARE Pantry. Wow!! We organized the items into boxes last Sunday and donated twelve very large boxes of personal items. Thanks to you, many people will now be able to get a toothbrush, bar of soap, shampoo, etc. Based on our success and the generosity of our church members, we have decided to continue this drive every summer.