Be r k e l e y U n it e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h

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TH E B ER K EL EY BU ZZ
Berkeley United Methodist Church
2407 Berkeley Ave. Austin, TX 78745 (512) 447-6633 Fax: 851-8438 www.berkeleyumc.org Childcare Center: 443-3509 Ministers Members of the Congregation Pastor Rev. Jeanne Devine revjeanned@sbcglobal.net Director of Music Victoria Schwarz vlschwarz@aol.com Pianist Tyler Mabry tgm@mail.utexas.edu Youth Director Brad Straup berkeleyyouth@ymail.com Administrative Assistant Tara Nash bumc78745@sbcglobal.net Childcare Director Allison McGillicuddy bumc.childcare@sbcglobal.net

PASTORS PERSPECTIVE
As a native of Philadelphia, I just love Independence Day. Ive lost count of the times I gave my own guided tours of Independence Hall (back when the Liberty Bell was inside, not yet across the street in its own building). Now theres the Constitution Center nearby, and I strongly encourage you to include a stop there on your next visit to the City of Brotherly Love (the translation of the Greek Philadelphia). As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, I find the Constitution especially meaningful. The desire for liberty to worship God free from government interference sent many immigrants to America, before and after the Revolution. So when the Constitution was adopted, and then ratified with the Bill of Rights in 1791, the First Amendment stated: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Did you know that 7 of the 13 original colonies did have an establishment of religion? State-approved churches, some supported by taxes, existed in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut (the Congregational Church), and in Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia (the Church of England, later the Protestant Episcopal Church). I hear a lot these days about how the United States of America really is, or ought to be, a Christian nation. Thats not what our founders intended. The Constitution, while granting free exercise to all religions, also prohibits any establishment of religion. What we desire for ourselvesnamely, freedom to practice our faithwe also grant to others. I also hear from candidates for political office about their personal religious faith. I know people who refuse to believe that President Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ; they insist, for reasons of their own, that he belongs to the Muslim faith. Actually, none of that matters as far as qualifications for public office are concerned. Article 6 of the Constitution states: no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States. On the campaign trail, though, subtle religious tests appear every now and then. In 1960, John F. Kennedy had to state: I am not the Catholic candidate for President; I am the Democratic Partys candidate who happens to be a Catholic. He also reminded Americans of our Constitutions prohibition: I do not look with favor upon those who would work to subvert Article 6 by requiring a religious test, even by indirection. For if they disagree with that safeguard, they should be openly working to repeal it. Does anyone want to repeal it? I hope not. Any test thats imposed could exclude you and me as easily as anyone else. To me, this is not just a history lesson. Its an important part of our celebration of our independence. Our faith flourishes in a climate of freedom for all. God wants our worship in spirit and in truth, not because of government favor or support. Be sure to savor our choirs medley of American music on Sunday, July 3! In Christs Service~ Rev. Jeanne Devine

Serving God +++Sharing Christ+++Receiving Mercy

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STE WARDSHIP AN D BE YOND...

SUBMITTED
BY

JEFF CECIL, STEWARDSHIP CHAIR

It is often said that words mean things. And words tend to evolve as time goes by. Well, what comes to your mind when you hear the word Stewardship? Is it positive? Is it painful? Or is it generous? Too often we think of stewardship as the time the church wants (needs) our money and we have to make a promise to give. It can feel like paying your electric bill you may not like to, but you have to. God does not want us to have to give He asks us to want to give. To want to give is to give from your heart. Robert Schnase says, Giving helps us become what God wants us to be. Giving is not merely about the churchs need for money but about the Christians need to grow in generosity. Generosity is a fruit of the Spirit, a sign of our spiritual growth. God uses our giving to change the world for Gods purposes, and God uses our giving to reconfigure our interior lives and to change us! As members of our church family, we promised to support our church with our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our service. Be generous because you want to praise God. Here are just a few things that we have done since last month: June Communion Offering: Peace with Justice $300.00 BUMC Youth Mission gifts: $100.00 UMW Fit for Life (Womens and Girls retreat) June 17-18. Over 35 women gathered and shared in worship, food, activities, tai chi instruction, music, over 100+ homeless bags, etc. Love offerings of $299.00 covered the total costs of the event. Great job, ladies! UMW Mission at the Capital Area Food Bank on May 21. Julia Lancaster, Susan Curtis, Vikki Schwarz and Liz Skiles with two of her friends participated. Way to go! UMCOR Tornado Relief Efforts: $285.00 TRUSTEES WORK DAY: June 4th. A huge thank you for everyone who pitched in and helped! UPDATE: Methodist Mission Home recognizes Berkeley in their summer newsletter Blue Skies. We generously contributed $1036.00 to the home. BUMC was the second highest contributor for our church size throughout the Southwest Texas Conference. (See article on page 6) Vacation Bible School Thank you to the 25+ adult and youth volunteers who made the Shake it Up Caf possible! Here are a few ideas where you can go beyond your tithe: July Communion Offering will go toward The Society of St. Andrew (hunger ministry supported by UM Men). Capitol Area Food Bank. Volunteer your time. www.austinfoodbank.org Generous commitment of your prayers, your presence, your gifts, and your service. Visit a homebound or hospitalized member. Contact Beth Collins (512-295-2987) or Mary Lynn Smith (282-6054) for opportunities. Volunteer with our children/youth groups: Sunday school, Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF). Contact Letha Peters (3125592), Polly Aranda (694-9868), or Brad Straup (680-9321). Volunteer at the downtown Homeless Work Corner on Sunday morning. Contact Irma Trevino. Expand your giving options: You dont use checks anymore? Set up an auto bank draft for your pledge to BUMC. Consider giving via your will or estate. Contact your bank and/or Berkeley Treasurer, Ray Curtis (280-1313), for details. Remember, when you give, please give through the church. This will help BUMC to realize all our collective good works and share this information with the congregation. If you have a good idea for Stewardship or just want to share a stewardship story or update, please send your input to the church office or any member of the Generosity (Stewardship) Committee.

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TAI CHI CLASS OFFERED

Phyllis Coombes will be teaching a beginning Tai Chi class in Berkeley's CLC, Room 8 on Sundays from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. The class begins July 10 and lasts until July 31. These introductory July classes are free, and may be continued with a nominal fee for participation. Health experts recommend Tai Chi for balance and fall prevention, strength training, arthritis, diabetes and improving circulation. Phyllis is a certified trainer and has been teaching for 5 years. Men and women, church members and members of the community are all welcome. Wear loose clothing and low heeled flexible shoes.

M U S I C S U N DAY & P O T LU C K , J U LY 3 1
We will gather for one service at 10 a.m. to combine all our voices and get acquainted with our newest resource, Worship and Song. Then the Spiritual Care and Education Committees are sponsoring the 5th Sunday Potluck in the Fellowship Hall following worship. Bring your favorite dish to share! We suggest you bring something which doesnt require heating. And as a special treat, there will be a PowerPoint presentation about the mission trip that Carolyn Brown, Susan Curtis, and Myrna Cavender took to Honduras in January (back when it was cool). Youre all invited to the feast! We hope everyone will worship together and then eat together.

R E V . T E R RY T E Y K L S P E A K I N G
The Spiritual Care Committee wants to make you aware that Northwest Hills United Methodist Church will be hosting Rev. Terry Teykl, a well-known speaker, author and healer on August 5th and 6th. On Friday evening beginning at 7:00 p.m., he will lead a time of healing worship. On Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. he will conduct an in-depth conference on healing. A box lunch will be included on Saturday, provided you have registered by Monday, August 1st. The cost for both sessions is $35.00 per person. To register, contact Gail Parsons at nay4397@aol.com or Diane Coleman at DHY@aol.com. Northwest Hills UMC is located at 7050 Village Center Drive in Austin.

7/1 7/2 7/3 7/8 7/9 7/10 7/11 7/11 7/13 7/16 7/18 7/18 7/19 7/27 7/29 7/31

Summer Kaylor James Hamilton Nicole Cecil Adam Wenzel Barbara Lupo Rob Kaylor Tasha Johnson April Starnes Hugh Moore Alex Ryno Carolyn Brown Charles Hempel Lisa Brown Susan Curtis Jenette Hamilton Sue Bordovsky

J U LY I N T EN T I O NA L P R AY ER C A L EN DA R
July 39: For wise leadership in those countries undergoing a struggle for democratic change. July 1016: For safe and family-friendly travel. July 1723: For people affected by weather extremes. July 24July 30: For gratitude for good parents and God, our Heavenly Father. July 31August 6: To perceive Gods presence in the deep of summer.

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OUR STUDENTS
SUBMITTED
BY

IN

CAROLYN BROWN

HONDURAS

VBS...SUCCESS!
Thanks to the collective efforts of these adult and youth volunteers, the Shake it Up Caf was a tremendous success. Thank you! VBS 2011 Volunteers Angela Bonner Becky Damon Brad Straup Carol Denton Chris Funke Dave Denton Donna Bostick Irma Trevino Judy Funke Julie Burns Letha Peters Linda Wenzel Polly Aranda Robbie Rohleder Susan Curtis Susan Long Cameron Burns Emily McClanahan Julia Wasson Kate Noll Kyle McClanahan Natalie Little Nathan Fackler Tasha Johnson

Due to the generous support of our church, we were able to give a scholarship to a student in Honduras. School in Honduras is free only through grade 5. After that, the parents must pay tuition, as well as purchase books and uniforms. In many cases the student also has to live away from home, which requires paying room and board. High schools are specialized, so students cant necessarily go to the school nearest their home. School starts in February, shortly after our mission trip. The student assigned to BUMC is Juan Carlos Hernandez, a 9th grade student in Gualaco. Gualaco is our last stop on the way to Rancho Paraiso. We dont have a picture yet, or any further information. I am pleased that I am able to continue sponsoring Karina Mercedes Ramos Atunez. She is now in the 9th grade at San Esteban, and hopes to be a teacher one day. I was fortunate enough to be able to meet her and her mother on our last trip in January. She is a delightful girl. She has two older sisters, and education is important in her family. Karina surprised me last week when I got a text message from her. She was sitting in a hammock under a tree and it was raining. She loves to read and told me her favorite books are Mujercitos and Hombrecitos. Do you recognize the titles? Little Women and Little Men.

Karina, Carolyn, and Karinas mother

JUST NEIGHBORS SERIES CONTINUES

SUBMITTED
BY

JAMIE JUSTUS

We have had two meetings of the Just Neighbors series so far, but it is not too late to attend. The next sessions will be July 24th and August 28th in the CLCs Fellowship Hall. We will meet up after the second service and those who want can bring a brown bag lunch to eat before we start the study at 12:30 p.m. The Just Neighbors series is an interactive, dynamic way of studying and providing facts about these important issues while fostering dialogue about advocacy in our church community. Just Neighbors is a 9-session series and well be having them throughout the next yearyou can come to one, come to some, or come to all of the sessions. Any questions? Ask a member of the Peace with Justice committee or contact Jamie Justus at 940-7591 and jblackwe@hotmail.com.

METHODIST MISSION HOME RECOGNIZES BERKELEY

SUBMITTED DEVINE
BY

REV. JEANNE

WHATS HAPPENING
SUBMITTED
BY

IN

CAROLYN BROWN

C O S TA R I C A ?

Berkeley provides support for our missionary, Becky Harrell, and the Latin American Biblical University in San Juan. Her newsletter excerpt: Each year the Seminario Integrado topic addresses issues of justice, equality, and gender. This year (June-August) the theme explores new family models and the challenges they represent for theological, educational, and pastoral ministries. Students participating in this bimester of study are from Costa Rica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Peru, Honduras, Colombia, and Venezuela. Please pray for our students and faculty as they move through this course of study. Becky Harrell, Missionary, General Board of Global Ministries The United Methodist Church

The summer 2011 issue of Blue Skies, the newsletter of the Methodist Mission Home in San Antonio, recognizes Berkeley UMC as one of 31 churches in Texas and New Mexico with 499 or fewer members who supported their ministries with birth parents, adoptive families and young adults with disabilities. Last December, you generously contributed a total of $1036 to the Home, which does not receive apportionment support through any of the annual conferences. Berkeley was the second highest giving church in our category in the Southwest Texas Conference. Giving Gods Children a Faith, a Family, a Future is the mission of MMH. Thanks for your part in furthering that mission.

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PRAYERSPRESENCEGIFTSSERVICENEW MEMBERS

CHURCH LIFE

THANK YOU
Dear Rev. Devine, I am most grateful to you and your congregation for the devotion and fellowship extended to my cousin, Lila Jo Smallwood, and her family. She had many wonderful and loving friends in your church. Together they filled her life with many blessings. Please extend my sincere gratitude to your congregation. Thank you & best regards, Bob Traylor

Charles Hempel and family on the loss of Mary Lou Hempel, June 20.

Dear Friends, We have received your donation of layette kits to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Sager Brown. Thank you for your loving support. Gifts such as this help us perform the mission that we have been called to fulfill. Grace and peace, Kathy Kraiza Executive Director

Stay current with Berkeley news and happenings at :

www.berkeleyumc.org

Clara Ruth Gibbs, June 19 Lily Nicole Atkins, June 26

G OT N EWS ?

Newsletter articles and contributions are ALWAYS welcome..as well as suggestions for content. You can email articles and suggestions to the church or put them in the Admin. Assistant box in the church office.
Deadline: Sunday, July 24

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE:
MAY WORSHIP SUNDAY SCHOOL 2011 138 49 YTD 148 50 2010 132 45

GIFTS AS OF MAY 31:

MONTHLY INCOME: $22,381 MONTHLY EXPENSE: $20,369

MEMORIAL FUND: $3,709 ENDOWMENT FUND: $61,880

BERKELEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2407 Berkeley Ave. Austin, TX. 78745 (512)447-6633 Email: bumc78745@sbcglobal.net ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

F OLLOW G OD S S ONG
In Max Lucados The Song of the King (Crossway Books), three knights long to marry a princess, so her father arranges a contest. Suitors must travel through a dark forest full of frightening creatures. Each suitor may select one travel partner. One suitor selects the princesss brother, who displays an ivory flute, one of only two in the kingdom; the other flute is his fathers. The flutes play the same song. [The] king will play from the castle wall, the prince says. Follow his song, and you will find the castle. How did the winning suitor avoid getting confused by creatures who imitated the kings song? I knew only one could play the song as you do, he tells the king. So I asked [the prince] to travel with me. As we journeyed, he played. I learned your song so well that though a thousand false flutes tried to hide your music, I could still hear you. Gods song is love, and his Son, Jesus, plays it, too. When Jesus is our companion through lifes darkness and confusion, hell lead us safely to our heavenly King.