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

After my first Memorial Day at Bay Shore Church in 1987, a dear church member asked me why I didn’t say memorial prayers for those who had died. The answers were:  1)  no one told me that was apparently a custom here, and 2)  Memorial Day is for those who died in service to our country. I told her All Saints’ Sunday would be a good day in which to remember those who have died in the past year. Thus, a new custom was born.

This coming Sunday, we are offering two All Saints’ services. The first, at 9:30 a.m., will include the sacrament of communion, and an opportunity to remember those who died in the past year. First, I will read the names of our church members: Willa Gilmore, Myrtle Welge, Harry Kaul, Irene Neuharth, Jacquelyn Dodge, Albert Sykes, Albern Watts, and Bill Eastman. The church bell will toll once for each one in memory of their presence here.  Then I will read the names of your family members and friends who have died. There will be a white card in the worship bulletin on which you may print those names. Afterward, I will offer a prayer of thanksgiving for their lives.

At 5:00 p.m. in Gabrielson Chapel, we will have an All Saints’ Vesper service. This will be a more informal, yet still meaningful service. As you enter the chapel, you may light votive candles in memory of anyone who has died at any time.  Place them on the chapel altar. In the service, we will offer a memorial prayer, again giving God thanks for their lives.  The service will also have evening hymns we are unable to sing in morning worship. In choosing evening hymns, it took me back to my seminary days when I attended 4:00 p.m. vesper services at First Congregational Church, Berkeley. Julie and I were picking the very same hymns out of the same hymnal I used in the early ‘70s. It was nostalgic, in the best way, as many worship services evoke such feelings in us.

This is the second vesper service we have offered this fall. Fifty-seven persons attended the Taizé service on October 12, so we are anxious to see how this one is received. I hope if such a service sounds meaningful to you, you will join us.  Those who would enjoy a dusk service at close of day (especially as Daylight Savings Time will have ended) may find this service meets their needs.

Charlie Ensley
Senior Minister

COA will have its annual Fundraising Dinner and Silent Auction, called the Fall Festival of Grace, on Saturday, November 15, at 5:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Lakewood. Dinner will feature Santa Maria style beef tri-tip and skewered shrimp grilled over red oak. COA will sell tickets during Fellowship Hour in the Concert Hall at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, October 26. Tickets cost $60 each, and a table of 8 costs $450, which is a $30 savings from the individual ticket price. Proceeds benefit their Hot Meals Program, the distribution of groceries to homeless and low income families, and their Men’s and Women’s Transitional Housing Programs. For additional information, or to make reservations or donations, please call COA.

The organ’s hooded trumpets, which have been out since August to receive a major rebuilding and revoicing, were returned this week. The congregation approved $14,000 from the organ fund in the spring to fund this project. The work was performed by A. R. Shopps Sons, Inc., said to be the country’s leading builders of trumpet ranks for pipe organs. The removal, shipping, reinstallation and tuning was done by our regular organ curator, Dale Schweitzer of Orange.

We hope you will join us in the Concert Hall after worship this Sunday, November 2. You will be able to purchase a token gift of a chicken, some rabbits, a colony of bees, and many other items, such as blankets, school, health, and sewing kits. These items are great gifts for family and friends who already “have everything,” while you benefit Heifer Project International, Church World Service and Habitat for Humanity. Christmas gift cards will be given to you.  Your recipient’s name will be written in beautiful calligraphy for you.

Margaret Leake,
Missions Commission

The last day of sign ups is this coming Sunday. We have only 15 children left. If you would you like to provide a $15-20 Christmas gift for a child from the Hotevilla-Bacavi School, please visit the table in the Concert Hall to select a child and return your gift by November 9. If you have any questions, please call Debby Griffin.

Attendance October 26  was 213:
190 adults and 23 children.

Upcoming Fellowship Hour Hosts:
11/2: Kent & Lisa Davis
11/9: Dick Landes & Diane Donaldson
11/16: Jean Brodie & Cassie Berrisford
11/23: Phil & Charlene Bosl

To add concerns for our Prayer Chain, call Joyce Scott, or drop a note in the Prayer Box in the narthex.

New members will be received on Sunday, Nov. 16. If you have already attended an Inquirers Meeting, please notify Rev. Ensley if you are ready to join at this time. If you haven’t attended one, contact him so he can plan to meet at your convenience.

The Carillon is available online. Log-on to www.bayshorechurch.org and click on the Subscribe tab.  Current and past sermons are also available at the On Sunday tab. Sermon recordings are also available on the web-site.

If you did not receive a letter with the pledge card for 2009 support of the church, they are available on the narthex table or by calling the office. Please return the cards as soon as possible so we will have a current figure of our 2009 income for our budget preparation. We plan to have a budget informational forum on Sunday, Nov. 9 after worship. The Harvest Home congregational meeting to adopt the 2009 budget will be Sunday, Nov. 16.

As a member of Bay Shore Church, one of the ways you can contribute is with your talent and time.  The Business Affairs Commission is interested in forming a committee of volunteers that will help develop, direct, and maintain Bay Shore Technology now and into the future, contributing and serving by helping to set up and maintain Bay Shore’s computer network, computers, printers, and copiers.

Interested members and others should have experience in setting up networks and computers and, most importantly, be willing to put their skills to good use to help Bay Shore. We also encourage those of high school and college age to apply. Rich Ramsey, who works in the software industry, has been volunteer-ing his time the last several months and will lead the committee. If you are interested in serving, or want more information, please contact Rich.

Sat., Nov. 1 – Apple Pie Day at Pilgrim Pines, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 2 – South Coast Interfaith Council Benefit Concert, Temple Beth El, San Pedro, 3:00 p.m. Freewill offering.
Sun., Nov. 9 – South Coast Interfaith Council Unity Awards Dinner & Silent Auction, Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, LB, 5-7 p.m., $60.
Sat., Nov. 15 – Christian Outreach in Action Dinner & Silent Auction, First Baptist Church, Lakewood, 5 p.m., $60. See earlier article for more info.

There will be a committee meeting comprised of all the commission chairs this Sunday, November 2 at 11:00 a.m. for the Bay Shore 2010 committee. We have some very exciting things to work on to make our church even better in the coming months!

Thank you, Leslie Groene