Stained Glass Window at La Jolla Presbyterian Church,
where the May Meeting of Presbytery was held,
is a bright spot of glowing colors above the chancel.

Report on May Meeting of Presbytery

Primarily it was an occasion to “wait and see” at the May 15 Meeting of Presbytery at the La Jolla Presbyterian Church.  Commissioners were told work continues by the Executive Presbyter Search Committee, and by the Way Forward Work Groups.

Acting EP and Stated Clerk Linda Therien indicates there may be need to call at least one Special Meeting during the summer months when Presbytery normally does not meet, in order to consider the EP Search Committee’s recommendation and the probability of several churches issuing calls for new pastors or associate pastors that are now underway.

The next scheduled meeting of Presbytery will be September 18 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Escondido.  Check back to this website periodically to keep abreast of what is happening.

May Meeting of Presbytery in Photos - PDF

To view a page of photos in PDF from the May meeting of Presbytery,
click here.

NEW WEBSITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Webmaster Steve Elliott of Mount Soledad Presbyterian
to Concentrate on Updates and Simplicity of Operation

By Bob Battenfield, PresbyNews Editor and Chair, Communications Ministry Team

First let me express my thanks to David Buck, who has served as the Presbytery’s Webmaster since we first entered the information age.  Buck, an elder at Rancho Santa Fe Village Church, manages eight or more other websites, including the Village Church, and has been invaluable to the Presbytery in terms of timely postings and organization of the website.  Buck has been named to head a Task Force on the Way Forward work group, on church property.  Our old system is not as flexible as is needed to keep up-to-date with the many changes we experience in staff and committees.  In particular, the Communications Ministry Team has been tasked with moving forward technologically so that financial reports and other documents can be posted by the office via password access.

Steve Elliott, a member and webmaster of Mount Soledad Presbyterian Church, has been commissioned by Council to develop, introduce and maintain our new website.  He reports to Marcia Borgman, director of finance & administrative services, and will work with the Communications Ministry Team.  Welcome aboard, Steve!

Webmaster Steve Elliott and Communications Ministry Team Chair
Bob Battenfield strive to bring new look and performance to Presbytery website.

Farewell Celebration for The Rev. Dr. Tim Beal

The Rev. Dr. Tim Beal preached the sermon,
“Is Your God Too Small?” at the May Meeting of Presbytery.

As The Rev. Dr. Tim Beal prepares to close his ministry at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church by the end of June, there will be a farewell celebration for him and his wife, Cherie, in the RB Church Fellowship Center on June 16.  The program will begin at 4 p.m. and all are invited to celebrate his ministry among us and be there to give them our blessing and good wishes.

“As our first Executive Pastor, Dr. Tim Beal has proven a great asset to our staff and congregation,” said Rev. Bruce Humphry.  “This was a new pastoral role for RBCPC that has enhanced the other pastors’ roles and added a valuable new component to our ministry team.  It has also brought about a sea change in the way our staff functions, with Tim’s administrative and organizational skills and insights, his wisdom and strong sense of balance and teamwork in leadership.

“While we will greatly miss Tim, we see God’s call on his life to lead a strong sister church on the eastern seaboard.”

Beal has been called to be Senior Pastor/Head of Staff at the Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park, Maryland, near Baltimore and Annapolis. The church sought Beal out to succeed their long-time (27 years) former pastor and be a change agent as they look to the future.

RBCPC has grown in many ways from Rev. Beal’s ministry and will now seek another Executive Pastor to step into his role, Humphry said.

Meet Juan Daniel Espitia

Juan Daniel Espitia to Lead
Hispanic Ministries at Solana Beach

Juan-Daniel Espitia has been called by Solana Beach Presbyterian Church to serve as their new Minister of Hispanic Ministries.  His candidacy as a Commissioned Lay Pastor was received by Presbytery at the May Meeting.

He and his wife Leticia have two daughters and a son.  Born in Mexico, he has many years’ experience as an evangelist, pastor, and as a medical social worker and therapist.  Most recently, the family has lived in Yuma, Arizona. Working with two Presbyterian churches in Yuma, Espitia helped begin a new Hispanic church development. 

He also worked during the past several years in coordination with Pueblos Hermanos of Presbyterian Border Ministry to start a new mission church in San Luis de Rio Colorado across the border in Northern Mexico.  His connection with Pueblos Hermanos goes back to the 1980s when he served as co-director in Tijuana with Rev. Bill Soldwisch.

Known as “Juan-Daniel,” he earned a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Seminary and a Masters of Social Work from Rutgers University.

He brings vision, a heart for Christ, and a love for the church to his call.

Task Force and Elders Vote to Accept
City of Poway Recommendation   [link]

In a disappointing turn of events, Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church has received a carefully worded letter from City of Poway officials strongly recommending RBCPC discontinue pursuit of its Conditional Use Permit to build an outreach project called “the Porch” on the church’s planned Pomerado Road property.

The Porch Task force and RBCPC Elders immediately took decisive action to approve withdrawing the CUP application. The Elders also empowered the Task Force to explore RBCPC’s options for eventual sale of the Pomerado Road property.

In all worship services the following week, Pastor Bruce Humphry announced the Elders’ decision, and reminded all the members and friends of RBCPC that this decision does not change who we are as a congregation. “Just like the church is not a building, the Porch is not a piece of property,” he said. “The Porch represents our calling to be a congregation that does outreach in Jesus’ name and intentionally blesses our community.”

Humphry asked everyone to participate is a season of prayer as the RBCPC leadership team takes the next several months to consider the go-forward options.

More than $2 Million in College Scholarships
Has Been Awarded to RC Grads

Get a copy of Reality Changers 2007 Yearbook and you will be amazed at what the Lord is doing with this rapidly growing outreach program sponsored in large part by the Shared Mission Funds of the Presbytery of San Diego.  Chris Yanov, founder and director, has built a hugely successful program for first generation college students who follow God’s Word. 

Among the 25 graduates of the program featured in the 2007 Report are these top full-ride scholarship winners:

In high school, these students earn scholarships through Reality Changers to attend UCSD’s Academic Connections, a three-week summer residential program where they take college-level classes, earn college credit, and become convinced that they can succeed at a four-year university. Upon graduating from high school, these ready and prepared students become highly sought after by the nation’s top schools and, as in many of the cases listed in the report, are offered full-ride scholarships.

For more information, go to www.RealityChangers.org.

Visit to Hope Center in Malawi
Becomes a Bright Center of Life

By Rev. Kirk Bottomly, Fallbrook Presbyterian Church

Not quite a month ago I visited the Hope Center our church built in Malawi.  A swarm of children had gathered in curiosity around me, and I pulled a picture of one of my sponsored orphans out of my backpack.  They all recognized her — “Maureen!” they shouted in amazement.  Why would I have her picture?  And they ran off like a herd of two-legged gazelles shouting “Maureen!” And returned a couple minutes later—with a beautiful shy young girl in tow. Maureen.

I showed her the picture, gave her a hug, and reached again into my backpack and handed her a new pair of sandals to put on her bare feet which she instantly did. One of our team took a picture of us—and I cannot describe how wonderful I felt, like I had been reunited with a lost daughter. My eyes teared up.  This girl had a future full of promise—food, clothes, schooling, the gospel— because of a strange arrangement of God’s grace that brought her and me together.

That afternoon I watched as 260 children were clothed in new dresses, shirts, and shorts. I watched as lavish plates of ensema and fish were handed to each hungry child.  They gathered afterwards and sang praises to Jesus and then with gleeful voices shouted in unison, “Thank you, Lord!  Thank you, Fallbrook!”— English words they didn’t know, but they mimicked the Director, a huge Malawian man named Blessings.

Here is a bright center of life and hope in the midst of one of the world’s poorest counties.  Our church—moved by the compassion of Jesus—made this happen.  And I thought, “I was created for this.  This is what my life is for.”

Did You Know? American Bible Society Will Distribute
250,000 Bibles in China for Only $1 Each – With Your Help

For 190 years, the American Bible Society has been working to help provide Scripture to people all over the world.  And since the end of China’s Cultural Revolution, it has been building partnerships in that country.  As a result, to provide 250,000 Bibles, all the Society needs to cover is the cost of paper.  Incredibly, that’s one dollar each.

Go to www.AmericanBible.org, click on “GIVE” in the top panel, then “Bibles for China” in the left panel.

Presbyterian Urban Ministries (formerly: Crisis Center)
is Looking for Volunteers

Presbyterian Urban Ministries urgently needs a few caseworkers and front desk people to help manage client intake.  The time involved would be 3-5 hours a week.  Call Gunner de Paul, director, at 619 232-2753, ext 103 for more information or to visit the center, which is located at 2459 Market Street [map] in Golden Hill section of San Diego.

People

Two candidates under care of our Committee on Preparation for Ministry have been ordained recently –

Rev. Michael Mudgett was ordained May 6 at Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church.  He has accepted a call to Malibu Presbyterian Church.

Rev. Inez Ellerd, of Mount Soledad Presbyterian Church, who has relocated to Alaska (see the May issue of PresbyNews for a story on the new Rev. Ellerd’s journey).

Upcoming Events

Faure Requiem June 3

The Faure’ Requiem will be presented Sunday, June 3 at 7 p.m. by the La Jolla Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir. Dr. Keith Pedersen will direct choir, soloists and instrumentalists. There will be a freewill offering and childcare is provided. The church is located at 7715 Draper Ave [map] and has free parking underground which is accessible from Kline St.

Organ Concert June 24 at La Jolla

Chelsea Chen, Concert Organist, will present an organ program Sunday, June 24 at 3 pm in the La Jolla Presbyterian Church Sanctuary, 7715 Draper [map].  No tickets are required, a free will offering will be taken. Childcare will be provided.
  
Ms. Chen has just spent a year in Taiwan on a Fulbright Scholarship and will play something new plus some old favorites in the organ repertoire.  Ms. Chen is the winner of the Musical Merit Foundation of Greater San Diego's highest honor in 2005.  Don't miss this outstanding young performer.

Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church
To Celebrate 70th Anniversary on June 24

Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church has been praising God and serving the Point Loma and San Diego communities since June 24, 1937.

On Sunday, June 24, 2007, members and friends of the congregation will celebrate the church’s 70th anniversary. Enjoy cake and reminisce with former pastors Art Sueltz and Lou Vick, and with the preacher for the day, Rev. S. Dean McBride, Jr. He is the “scholar son” of the church’s second pastor, Rev. Dean McBride Sr., who served there for 25 years. Gather in the Family Life Center following the 8:30 and 10:15 a.m. worship services for the reception. [map]