Friday, October 29, 2010

A Call For Prayer: Clean Water in Our World

Did you know that. . .

1. 1 billion people in our world lack access to clean drinking water?

2.6 billion people in our world lack adequate sanitation?

1.8 million people die every year from diarrheal diseases, 90 percent of whom are children under the age of five?

3,900 children die every day because of dirty water or poor hygiene?

These statistics come from Advent Conspiracy: Can Christmas Still Change the World? by pastors Rick McKinley, Chris Seay, and Greg Holder. Christmas is still a couple of months off, of course, but there are always reminders that the holiday is approaching as we walk through stores! In this book, McKinley, Seay, and Holder advocate that we approach Advent, the season before Christmas, with hearts to give life-altering gifts toward others instead of allowing the season to be co-opted by consumerism.

Let's pray for the people in our world who struggle to simply have healthy water. And let's pray this prayer as well. . .

Loving God, help us be a part of the very prayers we make.

Here are some organizations that are working with partners to create clean water in our world. Please visit their websites and pray for their efforts:


You can also visit the Advent Conspiracy Website to learn more about this movement.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Coming to a Theatre Near You: 4-S's!

As a young adult community at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, we are eager to have discussions and fellowship with one another. And we have a new invitation for that very thing!

So. . . suppose some social students and skilled souls should summon some sweet, savory sustenance and significant speech simultaneously on Second Sundays?

Well, that's what we're about to do! The Young Adult Leadership Team has come up with a wonderful idea. We invite you to join us on the Second Sunday of every month after worship for Sermon Discussion over Sandwiches! Hence, the creation of the Second Sunday Sermon Sandwich Group!

Our first meeting will be November 14th after the English-language service. We'll gather ourselves together out on the patio and wander over to Corner Bakery Cafe. Once we arrive, we'll talk over the sermon we just heard. And here's one of the best perks about our time together: It will only cost you $5! The Young Adult Budget will cover the rest. So are you coming?

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Reflection: Multi-Lingual Christian Living

Three summers ago, I had the same dream twice, and it affected me. I dreamed that I was learning to become multilingual in terms of people. I was learning to speak the various "languages" of the people who surround my life. And I wasn't the only one who was trying to do this. Others were doing it as well. They were intentionally trying to learn how to speak my language too. We were all learning how to converse through one another's dreams, anxieties, hopes, and experiences.

I think this is a huge part of what it means to share in the humanity of one another, and we certainly share in this way as we engage in young adult ministry. We don't necessarily come to a full sharing if we can only hear others through the lens of our own language, even though we certainly bring our own dreams, anxieties, hopes, and experiences to the table. We cannot share fully if we simply define others in our own terms. I think in order to share in the humanity of one another, we have to be willing to enter the world of another, even if this causes us to leave our own comfort zone.

Perhaps this type of sharing is like moving to foreign country. Commonalities between ourselves and others become treasured. We draw upon our common experiences to communicate. But we also move beyond commonalities and begin to treasure the differences in the others as well. We learn to enter a foreign world. We learn to speak the language of the ones who live there. We know that the best way to do this is to get our noses out of the dictionaries and phrase books and to have an immersion experience. This makes our language learning dependant upon the people who actually speak the language. We can know the phrases from the phrase books all day long, but if we confine ourselves to their use, we'll probably put up a wall between ourselves and others, never moving beyond benign trivialities no matter how grammatically correct our phrases may be. We need to learn the slang. We also know that no matter how long we live there, our experience will never be exactly equivalent with those who grew up in the region, but as we continue to live among them and speak their language, we learn how to converse in their world. And their world becomes a part of us too. We don't claim that their experience is our experience, but through immersion, we adopt their experience toward ourselves. It is now a part of us too. And our world will never be the same now. As we go back to our own country, we will have new ways of understanding life, and our language is enriched because we have known theirs.

How willing are we to enter the world of another? How willing are we to learn to speak the language of another, becoming conversant in the person's dreams, anxieties, hopes, and experiences? Won't this require time and focused attention? Won't we make mistakes and faux pas in the process, at times using the wrong word for the wrong situation? As we do, will we and the other both find that even in our blunders, it is worth sharing our humanity? Do we see the worth of entering that world, not only for ourselves, but for others? Isn't it true that one of the most affirming experiences is for others to find out that their world is worth entering?

As others have learned to speak my language, I have found that to be true. I have been affirmed because I have found out that my world is worth entering. And I don't know about you, but I can't imagine missing out on becoming a world traveler. And there are worlds of discovery - right under our noses at Pasadena Presbyterian Church!

You know, I'm really glad I had those dreams.

-Renee Roederer

Monday, October 25, 2010

Happy Birthday to Two of Our Own!

Today we want to say Happy Birthday to Amy Kim and Myron Oaks! We are grateful for all you do at Pasadena Presbyterian Church!


Amy is a young adult in our congregation who adds so much to our life together. She's a part of our Women's Bible Study, and she serves our church in so many ways, including leading in Sunday worship during our time of offering. We are thankful for you, Amy. Happy birthday today!






Myron Oaks serves as mentor and liaison between our Young Adult Community and the Session at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. He serves on our Young Adult Leadership Team and sings in the Kirk Choir. He and his wife Ramona have three young adult children: Nathan, Jesse, and Amy. We are thankful for you, Myron. Happy Birthday today!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Scripture for Sunday

Luke 12:13-31

Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and all these things will be given to you as well.


13 Uno de entre la multitud le pidió:

—Maestro, dile a mi hermano que comparta la herencia conmigo.

14 —Hombre —replicó Jesús—, ¿quién me nombró a mí juez o árbitro entre ustedes?
15 »¡Tengan cuidado! —advirtió a la gente—. Absténganse de toda avaricia; la vida de una persona no depende de la abundancia de sus bienes.


16 Entonces les contó esta parábola:

—El terreno de un hombre rico le produjo una buena cosecha.17 Así que se puso a pensar: "¿Qué voy a hacer? No tengo dónde almacenar mi cosecha." 18 Por fin dijo: "Ya sé lo que voy a hacer: derribaré mis graneros y construiré otros más grandes, donde pueda almacenar todo mi grano y mis bienes.19 Y diré: Alma mía, ya tienes bastantes cosas buenas guardadas para muchos años. Descansa, come, bebe y goza de la vida." 20 Pero Dios le dijo: "¡Necio! Esta misma noche te van a reclamar la *vida. ¿Y quién se quedará con lo que has acumulado?"
21 »Así le sucede al que acumula riquezas para sí mismo, en vez de ser rico delante de Dios.

22 Luego dijo Jesús a sus discípulos:

—Por eso les digo: No se preocupen por su vida, qué comerán; ni por su cuerpo, con qué se vestirán.23 La vida tiene más valor que la comida, y el cuerpo más que la ropa.24 Fíjense en los cuervos: no siembran ni cosechan, ni tienen almacén ni granero; sin embargo, Dios los alimenta. ¡Cuánto más valen ustedes que las aves!25 ¿Quién de ustedes, por mucho que se preocupe, puede añadir una sola hora al curso de su vida? 26 Ya que no pueden hacer algo tan insignificante, ¿por qué se preocupan por lo demás?

27 »Fíjense cómo crecen los lirios. No trabajan ni hilan; sin embargo, les digo que ni siquiera Salomón, con todo su esplendor, se vestía como uno de ellos.28 Si así viste Dios a la hierba que hoy está en el campo y mañana es arrojada al horno, ¡cuánto más hará por ustedes, gente de poca fe!29 Así que no se afanen por lo que han de comer o beber; dejen de atormentarse.30 El mundo pagano anda tras todas estas cosas, pero el Padre sabe que ustedes las necesitan.31 Ustedes, por el contrario, busquen el reino de Dios, y estas cosas les serán añadidas. for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

12:13 무 리 중 에 한 사 람 이 이 르 되 ` 선 생 님, 내 형 을 명 하 여 유 업 을 나 와 나 누 게 하 소 서' 하 니

12:14 이 르 시 되 ` 이 사 람 아, 누 가 나 를 너 희 의 재 판 장 이 나 물 건 나 누 는 자 로 세 웠 느 냐 ?' 하 시 고

12:15 저 희 에 게 이 르 시 되 ` 삼 가 모 든 탐 심 을 물 리 치 라 ! 사 람 의 생 명 이 그 소 유 의 넉 넉 한 데 있 지 아 니 하 니 라 하 시 고

12:16 또 비 유 로 저 희 에 게 일 러 가 라 사 대 한 부 자 가 그 밭 에 소 출 이 풍 성 하 매

12:17 심 중 에 생 각 하 여 가 로 되 내 가 곡 식 쌓 아 둘 곳 이 없 으 니 어 찌 할 꼬 하 고

12:18 또 가 로 되 내 가 이 렇 게 하 리 라 내 곡 간 을 헐 고 더 크 게 짓 고 내 모 든 곡 식 과 물 건 을 거 기 쌓 아 두 리 라

12:19 또 내 가 내 영 혼 에 게 이 르 되 영 혼 아 여 러 해 쓸 물 건 을 많 이 쌓 아 두 었 으 니 평 안 히 쉬 고 먹 고 마 시 고 즐 거 워 하 자 하 리 라 하 되

12:20 하 나 님 은 이 르 시 되 어 리 석 은 자 여 오 늘 밤 에 네 영 혼 을 도 로 찾 으 리 니 그 러 면 네 예 비 한 것 이 뉘 것 이 되 겠 느 냐 ? 하 셨 으 니

12:21 자 기 를 위 하 여 재 물 을 쌓 아 두 고 하 나 님 께 대 하 여 부 요 치 못 한 자 가 이 와 같 으 니 라'

12:22 또 제 자 들 에 게 이 르 시 되 그 러 므 로 내 가 너 희 에 게 이 르 노 니 ` 너 희 목 숨 을 위 하 여 무 엇 을 먹 을 까 ? 몸 을 위 하 여 무 엇 을 입 을 까 ? 염 려 하 지 말 라

12:23 목 숨 이 음 식 보 다 중 하 고 몸 이 의 복 보 다 중 하 니 라

12:24 까 마 귀 를 생 각 하 라 심 지 도 아 니 하 고 거 두 지 도 아 니 하 며 골 방 도 없 고 창
고 도 없 으 되 하 나 님 이 기 르 시 나 니 너 희 는 새 보 다 얼 마 나 더 귀 하 냐 ?

12:25 또 너 희 중 에 누 가 염 려 함 으 로 그 키 를 한 자 나 더 할 수 있 느 냐 ?

12:26 그 런 즉 지 극 히 작 은 것 이 라 도 능 치 못 하 거 든 어 찌 그 다 른 것 을 염 려 하 느 냐 ?

12:27 백 합 화 를 생 각 하 여 보 아 라 실 도 만 들 지 않 고 짜 지 도 아 니 하 느 니 라 그 러 나 내 가 너 희 에 게 말 하 노 니 솔 로 몬 의 모 든 영 광 으 로 도 입 은 것 이 이 꽃 하 나 만 같 지 못
하 였 느 니 라

12:28 오 늘 있 다 가 내 일 아 궁 이 에 던 지 우 는 들 풀 도 하 나 님 이 이 렇 게 입 히 시 거 든 하 물 며 너 희 일 까 보 냐 믿 음 이 적 은 자 들 아

12:29 너 희 는 무 엇 을 먹 을 까 ? 무 엇 을 마 실 까 ? 하 여 구 하 지 말 며 근 심 하 지 도 말 라

12:30 이 모 든 것 은 세 상 백 성 들 이 구 하 는 것 이 라 너 희 아 버 지 께 서 이 런 것 이 너 희 에 게 있 어 야 될 줄 을 아 시 느 니 라

12:31 오 직 너 희 는 그 의 나 라 를 구 하 라 그 리 하 면 이 런 것 을 너 희 에 게 더 하 시 리 라

Friday, October 22, 2010

Go, Karen, Go!

Our very own Karen Lee is running in a Half Marathon this Sunday! She's been diligently training and preparing, and we are proud of what she is about to accomplish. And we want to encourage her before the big day arrives. Here are some words of affirmation for Karen!



"Karen, you have a wonderful spirit and I know you'll run your heart out! Enjoy the experience and feelings along the way."

-Adrian Estabrook







"Go Karen! You can do anything you put your mind to!"

-Michelle Evans Samuel







"Karen, best of luck on Sunday's marathon. Participating in it shows how energetic and hard working you are. We know you will do great!!"

-Andres Tamayo






"Go Karen!!! Have a great time. Hopefully you'll see Ashay - he's running too!"

-Akemi Dalvi






"Karen, we are so proud of you! Your dedication and training inspire us. Way to go!"

-Renee Roederer





"I wish you all the best. I know you're determined and dedicated, just from working with you. I pray that God is with you during the race as you cross that finish line."

-Eddie Char

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Welcome to Our Blog!

Hey Young Adults!

Welcome to our new blog! This will be a place where we can connect in a myriad of ways. We can post events, discussion topics, theological quandaries, and much more! We can get to know one another. We can learn of ways to volunteer in our community through mission and service. And we can know what's happening in our wider Pasadena Presbyterian Community.

Please become a regular blog-reader!

Dinner Time!

Hey everyone.

Guess what's happening this Saturday at 6:30pm? We're going out to dinner! Where? It's up to you. Let us know by responding to the FB invite.

My husband, Ian, and I are relatively new to Pasadena. We moved here two months ago from Austin, Texas. We are very eager to have a chance to meet each one of you.

Hope to dine with you on Saturday!

Peace,
Renee Roederer