Fellowship in this Holy Season

Dear Pali Pres,

“Invite three people.”

That’s what the voice in my head told me as I sat down to write this blog. It was simple and clear: tell the church to invite three people. So that’s what I’m doing!

As we enter this special and holy season, my encouragement and challenge to all of us is to invite three people to one of our many wonderful Christmas offerings—family members, friends, neighbors, parents at our child’s school, the teller at the bank…anyone! Perhaps you want to invite all three people to the same event. Or, you want to invite three different people to three different events. Your choice! What matters most is that we each make the effort to invite someone to our beloved church to feel the love of Christ this Christmas.

Need a reminder of all that’s going on? Here’s a quick summary:

Sat, Dec 2: Pali Pres Christmas Dinner—Good food (and wine) and good ol’ Christmas cheer!

Sun, Dec 3: Communion/St. Andrews Sunday with bagpipes and beautiful Christmas music!

Sun, Dec 10: Children’s Sing-Along in church (so cute!) with a FREE Christmas Recital at 2pm featuring a mix of traditional Christmas classics and contemporary favorites.

Mon, Dec 11: Women’s Cookie Exchange—a delicious dinner followed by a Christmas cookie swap!

Sun, Dec 17: Las Posadas—pony rides, petting zoo, and a festive re-telling of the Christmas story…including costumes. There’s plenty for the kids too!

Sun, Dec 24: Worship in the morning (10am), afternoon for Children and Families (5pm) and evening (9pm).

Just imagine how amazing it would be to see our beautifully decorated sanctuary and Janes Hall filled with church members, friends, AND visitors this Christmas season. Surely such a sight would be incredibly pleasing to God!

Let’s each do our part to make this Christmas season extra special here at Pali Pres by inviting at least three people to church or any of our special events. Let’s make sure our loved ones, friends, and larger community know that all are welcome at Pali Pres as we celebrate the joyous birth of Christ.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Matt

Reflections on Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving Pali Pres!

I pray this blog reaches each of you enjoying a day off with your family and friends, indulging in some leftover turkey and pumpkin pie (or whatever your Thanksgiving delicacies of choice were this year), and feeling thankful for your many blessings. A special blessing for our family this year is that Luke’s birthday fell on Thanksgiving Day! Our little baby is now 5. Where has time gone?!

In pondering what to focus on in this week’s blog, I did some searching for the perfect Thanksgiving quotation or prayer to share with you. Within three minutes of looking, I quickly ran into a problem—there are WAY too many wonderful reflections on the theme of gratitude to pick only one. Therefore, I decided to share with you a few of my favorites in the hopes that they will each speak to you and help make this Thanksgiving weekend even more special.

The first comes from the book of James, and is a simple but important reminder of God’s goodness to us:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”

The following is a line from George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1789:

"Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be."

I really like the way author Jonathan Safran Foer describes the comprehensive nature of Thanksgiving:

“Thanksgiving is the holiday that encompasses all others. All of them, from Martin Luther King Day to Arbor Day to Christmas to Valentine’s Day, are in one way or another about being thankful.”

I also really love this quotation from the late US Ambassador and Presbyterian pastor Henry Van Dyke:

“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”

And last but not least, Marcie’s famous line from A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving:

“We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown."

With gratitude for all of you,

Pastor Matt

Dedication Sunday

Dear Pali Pres Community,

This coming Sunday is Dedication Sunday, a special day when we as a church family dedicate our 2024 pledges to God. As I put the finishing touches on my sermon and prepare for worship, I feel incredibly grateful for this community of faith. We have so many wonderful programs and ministries that make up our life here at Pali Pres. Our giving is an important way for us to partner with the Holy Spirit and help spread “Abundant Life” both locally and abroad.

As you prayerfully decide on your church pledge for the coming year, I hope you will not do so out of guilt or under compulsion (as Paul warns against in 2 Corinthians 9). Rather, I hope you will consider all of God’s many blessings in your life and offer something back to the church that you feel reflects your gratitude. To quote Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” I sincerely believe that this is what God wants from us—to make a life, abundant life, by giving from the heart.

On Sunday, please bring your completed pledge card with you to church. During worship everyone will have an opportunity to bring forward their pledges and offer them to God as an act of dedication and thanks. If you have already mailed in your pledge card, thank you! You can still fill out a duplicate copy (don’t worry, the church won’t count it twice!) and bring it forward on Sunday morning. Blank pledge cards will be available in the sanctuary. You may also scan the QR code below to submit your pledge digitally. As always, what you pledge will remain confidential.

With joy and thanksgiving,

Pastor Matt

The Gift of Silence

Dear Beloveds,

I had a bad feeling in my Uber on the way to LAX when my driver could not stop coughing and sneezing. Sure enough, after three days’ incubation period, I awoke in Seoul with a high fever, chills, body aches, horribly infected ears, and my throat felt as though a thousand dragons had taken up residence there. I could barely get out of bed to shuffle somewhere to find a bowl of hot soup and then stumbled around to find medicine. I must have been a sight to behold.

I spent the morning willing myself to feel better, and then took the 3 ½ hour journey to get to the prayer mountain for my personal retreat. It took three transfers on subways, trains, and a long taxi ride to finally arrive up at the retreat center, all the while feeling like Typhoid Mary as my symptoms worsened by the hour.

I arrived at night in the dark, and was given a cozy little room at the far end of the dorm. As the prayer retreat house is nestled deep in the mountains, my room was inhabited by all sorts of large insects, varieties that I had never seen; all over the desk, in my bathroom, and on my bed. I would have strange and alien companions surround me for the next few days.

I had a painful night’s sleep, and awoke the next morning feeling even worse, but also so thankful that I was not near anyone, and that no one was allowed to speak at the prayer house. Indeed, it felt as if I was the only one inhabiting the enormous compound most of the time. After a meager breakfast of a boiled potato, I took more medicine and ventured outside to take a prayer walk.

What a joyful surprise awaited me. The prayer retreat center had meticulously crafted a one to two hour prayer walk path modeled after the book Pilgrims’ Progress, an allegorical book written in the 1600’s by John Bunyan, complete with statues of every character enacting the entire story line. Along the way, I “met” Christian and all the lessons he learned on his journey to find the Celestial City. I have never experienced anything like it in my life, and even in my fever-induced stupor, I could feel God’s presence and the lessons that God wanted me to learn while on my walk. I had to stop many times along the way to catch my breath and to rest, but I was so grateful to have made it to the prayer retreat to see God’s face and to learn in this unique way.

Then to task of prayer: back in my room, I pulled out my long list of prayers that I had aimed to lift up to God: our broken and hurting world that seems so fragile right now, our wonderful church and all its people, those who are mourning loss, friends who are battling cancer; I lifted up relationships, people near and far, questions, worries, fears and hopes for our world.

But besides having everything set aside and suspended to create a time for prayer, the thing I appreciated the most was the silence-- total silence. There were no radios or TVs, no sounds of traffic or leaf blowers; not even the sound of other voices. The only sound that would break the silence was the occasional buzzing of large insect wings on my bed and around my ears.

While I was relishing this silent time, the irony was not lost on me that my father struggled with a serious hearing loss the last 20 years of his life. By the time he passed, he was almost completely deaf. He lived in a silent world every single day.

So, as it is with everything, realizing balance is the key. It is a wonderful gift to receive silence in the midst of our busy lives, and in spending time in silence, we can find out what we will really hear. And then, in the same mind, appreciating the gift of hearing—even if it is the sound of an annoying bug.

With great love for you,

Pastor Grace

Recognizing God's Spirit in Nature

Dear Pali Pres,

Now that the calendar has turned to November and Thanksgiving is less than three weeks away (can you believe it!), I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a “Happy Fall!” Of course, given the weather we’ve had this week—with temps in the 80s—it feels like I should be wishing everyone a “Happy Summer” instead!

But even with this heatwave, there are reminders all around us of the changing seasons. This past week Mary and I had a blast carving pumpkins with our boys and taking them trick-or-treating. We also helped our youngest son, Luke, complete a school project in which he needed to collect leaves, twigs, and other items that birds use to make their nests. It was in walking around our neighborhood in search of these items that I felt a strong connection to nature and felt grateful for autumn (albeit a very summer-like autumn thus far).

As luck would have it—or by God’s good timing—the same day I helped Luke collect fallen leaves, I read a poem in my daily devotional about recognizing God’s Spirit in the seasons and in nature. This poem was written by Choctaw elder and retired Episcopal bishop Steven Charleston:  

For all the great thoughts I have read

For all the deep books I have studied

None has brought me nearer to Spirit

Than a walk beneath shimmering leaves

Golden red with the fire of autumn

When the air is crisp

And the sun a pale eye, watching.

I am a scholar of the senses

A theologian of the tangible.

Spirit touches me and I touch Spirit

Each time I lift a leaf from my path

A thin flake of fire golden red

Still warm from the breath that made it.

I hope you too will find yourself brought “nearer to Spirit” in these early November days, perhaps during a walk beneath shimmering leaves or while breathing in the crisp air (which will happen eventually). As Charleston puts it so well in his poem, we need not turn only to books to draw closer to God, or to “touch Spirit.” God is revealed to us in the natural world all around us, which is a beautiful and always accessible gift!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Matt

Those Who Came Before Us

Dear Pali Pres,

This coming Sunday I will be devoting my sermon to the topic of saints—those who have come before us and left their mark on our lives.  I am doing this in recognition of All Saints’ Day, which is coming up on November 1.  While originally a Catholic holiday, many mainline denominations also celebrate this day as a way for us to remember those who have passed and to give thanks to God for the way they have contributed to our lives and our world.  It is good, and important, for us to not overlook the gift of the people God has placed in our lives—family members, friends, coworkers, church members, neighbors, etc.—and the lessons they have taught us.

I encourage you to start thinking now of those special people in your life that have died.  Take a minute to pull out a picture of them, or to remember the way they smiled or sang a tune, or to call to mind a favorite or humorous story involving them.  Take a moment to really think about what you most appreciated about them, or something they said or did that made you thankful and happy. 

With the hectic pace of our daily lives it is often the case that we don’t take the time we should to remember the “saints” who have come before us.  That is why I am so grateful for this yearly reminder on our church calendar.   All Saints’ Sunday is a chance for us to all, as one community, to honor those whom we miss because of the unique way they blessed us and our world.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Matt

Making Sense of Tragedy

Dear Pali Pres,

It seems to be happening more and more frequently—finding myself at a loss for words in response to an unfolding, tragic event in our world. The October 7 attack on Israel took place while I was on a mission trip in Mexico with very limited access to world news. It was not until I returned home, late on October 9, that I was able to catch up on all the horrific news. My heart broke as I read articles, watched videos, and saw photos of the terrorist attack. I was overwhelmed with grief as I struggled to process the brutality, hatred, and loss of life.

The situation in Israel and Gaza has only continued to escalate, and hope for a peaceful end to this conflict seems lost. Like so many people, I am frustrated, confused, sad, and angry. I struggle with wanting to do something—to say something—that, in some small way, might help make sense of things.

One thing I am certain of is that as God’s people we are encouraged to pray and communicate to God our distress and solidarity with those who are experiencing unthinkable trauma and loss. I recently discovered a prayer by the editor and publisher of the Presbyterian Outlook, Teri McDowell Ott, that has spoken to me and has helped me share with God what is on my heart right now. I offer it to you, Pali Pres family, in hopes that it will also help you share what is in your heart with the Lord as we all continue to struggle with what we are seeing and hearing.

Eternal God,

You know our history of complicated conflicts, tense polarization, and situations so politicized that we are afraid to say or pray anything. Yet we know you grieve the violence of war and condemn acts of terrorism. We know you grieve the historical suffering of Jews and Palestinians. May our prayers for peace be uttered out loud for all to hear, our prayers for diplomacy, and for difficult, yet faithful conversation to resume.

God, we groan in grief over the news of this war in Israel and Gaza. Pave a path toward peace in this age-old, tragic conflict. Protect the innocent wherever bombs of destruction fall. Be with those who are captured and the families of those who are captured. Offer a way out for those who are trapped. Awaken us to our common humanity, our common human needs, no matter the walls we build.

Amen.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Matt

Pray for Peace

Dear Beloveds,

In just a few days, I was to be leaving for the second part of my sabbatical. I was to travel to Jerusalem.

We awoke on last Saturday morning to the news of the horror and atrocities that were occurring in Israel. We awoke to the news of death and destruction, and a horrible reminder that the world is a broken place. We are reeling from the news coming each day of the war. As the situation worsened, commercial airlines suspended all flights into Tel Aviv, and the difficult decision was made for me not to go to Israel. Indeed, saddened that I cannot go, it is a mere shadow of the tragedy of this horrific war.

I am so grateful to Pastor Matt and our Personnel Committee for their understanding and compassion in allowing me to postpone my planned sabbatical trip to Jerusalem to a later date when things will, God willing, be safer. Please, keep lifting up this tragic and horrific war in your prayers, and all the innocent lives that have been changed forever.

I will be continuing to work for the next week and a half, and then flying to Seoul, South Korea for what was planned as the second part of my trip, where I have found a retreat house high in the mountains outside of the city. While it is a Christian prayer house, they follow the monastic model of silent retreat, so my first few days in Korea will be spent in welcome silence. I am certain I will meet other sojourners who will be grieving and mourning this unspeakable humanitarian crisis. After that prayer time, I will return to the city to audit classes at a seminary in Seoul. From there, I will return home, serve as a guest preacher, and then return back to work the first week of November. I covet your prayers for the learning and growth that this trip holds.

This week, I was reminded by a dear colleague of mine in the power of love. Love is a power. And we have to use this power, daily in our lives, to conquer injustice, pain, and evil.

We are all reeling-- emotional, angry, and horrified at this tragic state of the world. We pray for those who have lost loved ones, and for who are fighting for their lives, and we are all praying for a way forward.

I leave you with a portion of a prayer given by Pope Francis:

“Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace, enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister…keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation…”

May we be instruments of God’s peace in this world.

With great love for you,

Pastor Grace

Give and it Shall Be Given To You

Dear Pali Pres,

As I shared in one of my blogs from August, Pali Pres is partnering with Brentwood Presbyterian Church (BPC) to take part in a mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico. Time has certainly flown because that trip is this weekend! As you read this blog, I am making my way to the California/Mexico border to take part in constructing homes for less fortunate families through Amor ministries. I am joined by two PPPC church members—Correne Gichuru and Charlie Ellis. We will stay in San Diego overnight on Friday (tonight) before meeting up with 26 participants from BPC in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Together we will cross into Mexico and get right to work! In a matter of just three days, our two churches will team up to construct a shelter for family in the Tijuana area and, in the process, will also grow personally and spiritually.

Having participated in multiple mission experiences over the years (in South Africa, the Philippines, the Appalachia Mountains of West Virginia, to name a few), I am truly excited to see what God will do through this trip. If it is anything like my previous experiences, our time in Tijuana will be just as rewarding for us as it will be for the family we are building a home for. The Holy Spirit has a wonderful way of blessing those who give of themselves in the name of Christ. As Jesus says in Luke 6:38, “Give and it shall be given to you” or “Give and you shall receive.” It’s remarkable how true this is! When we genuinely give of ourselves—be it on a mission trip or through simple, every day acts of kindness—we so often receive many blessings in return. There is a real feeling of joy, gratitude, and contentment in our heart when we give out of compassion and goodwill.

As you hold me, Correne, Charlie, and all the folks from BPC in your prayers this weekend, I also encourage you to think of ways God is calling you to serve. The Lord gives each of us opportunities, every day, to give of ourselves in the name of Christ and receive immeasurable blessings in return.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Matt

Estate Planning

Dear Beloveds,

This past Sunday we held a very informative and important class for our church. Thanks to our Stewardship elder George Browning, we had two incredible attorneys, our very own Joanna and Elan Darvish, present a class on Estate Planning. It was a remarkable afternoon of learning, and we are so thankful for their efforts and time.

Perhaps you have everything all sorted out for emergencies and your death, or perhaps you think that you don’t have much of an “estate” to think about; we learned that no matter your age or your financial situation, planning for the future now is not only wise, but also a loving thing to do for your family.

Elan and Joanna walked us through many details, from PourOver wills, Living Trusts, and one of the most important items that seems to bring people anxiety, a Health Directive. Having a health directive is crucial for ensuring your medical wishes are honored and respected when you are unable to communicate them. This enables your medical team and more importantly, your loved ones, to have clarity and peace of mind during crucial situations. This important legal document safeguards your autonomy and some control of your preferences during treatment if you cannot speak for yourself.

Joanna and Elan told us that as estate attorneys this is one of the items that seems to delay a lot of planning, as people have understandable anxiety and concern about deciding on these things. As a chaplain intern at Cedars Sinai and also in my work as a Hospice chaplain, I cannot tell you the numerous times that I have seen families in a horrific situation where their loved one who is the patient cannot speak for themselves and does not have a health directive, and the trauma that it brings to the family at an incredibly stressful time. Families are forced to make excruciatingly painful decisions in a time when everyone is under a great deal of duress.

It is my strong belief that having an advanced health directive aligns with our values as disciples of Christ, as we are honoring stewardship, compassion, and the sanctity of life. By creating a directive for yourself you can ensure that your medical decisions are guided by your faith even if you're unable to express them in the future. It is also a very loving gift to your family, as it relieves them of the burden of making difficult decisions on your behalf knowing that they are following your wishes in accordance with your faith. By taking this proactive and mindful step, you can demonstrate your trust in God's plan for your life!

Talking about death and dying is not fun, but important for us to face bravely and thoughtfully as a people of faith. As a postscript, I invite you to join me in reading a book I just started: The Good Death: An Exploration of Dying in America by Ann Neumann. I have only read the first few pages, but it is quite captivating!

For more information on this topic, including how to complete your own health care directive, you can visit this link.

With great love for you,

Pastor Grace

Our Membership in God's Kingdom

Dear Pali Pres,

Last Sunday was a special day in the life of our church! We not only came together in a spirit of fellowship and joy for our Fall Kickoff, but we also welcomed seven new members into our Pali Pres family.

If you were with us in church—or watching via livestream—you know that the reception of new members into a Presbyterian church involves a special worship liturgy. I have included a portion of that liturgy here in my blog as a reminder to us all of what it means to be members of the church:

You come to us as members of the one holy catholic church, into which you were baptized, and by which you have been nurtured. We are one with each other, sisters and brothers in the family of God. We rejoice in the gifts you bring to us. As you join with us in the worship and service of this congregation, it is fitting that together we reaffirm the covenant into which we were baptized, claiming again the promises of God which are ours in our baptism. Hear these words from Holy Scripture: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of the One who called you out of darkness into God’s marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

Membership in Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church (or any Presbyterian church) is rooted first in our identity as God’s people. It is through our baptisms that we are first brought into the family of God. It is only through this original membership that we can then be received as members of a particular church.

Our new members, like all our members, are given gifts for serving the church. To put it another way, we have been given an original identity as a member of God’s family (through our baptism), then called to a specific church where we can live out the fruits of that identity in community with others who are doing the same.

This is a beautiful design for our life together as God’s people. Whether we remember our actual baptisms or not, we are still called to remember our first identity—our first membership—is into God’s kingdom. With that foundation in place, we then live fully into our calling through the individual church. And it is all a gift from God!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Matt

A Warm Pali Pres Welcome to our New Members

Dear Pali Pres,

This past Sunday, Pastor Grace, Elder Cynthia Block, and I held a New Member Class for those in our church community who felt led by God to explore membership here at Pali Pres. It was a meaningful time of fellowship, sharing and hearing people’s faith stories, and delving into the ministries and history of our church. We also spent considerable time discussing what it means to be a Presbyterian and reflecting together on the PCUSA Brief Statement of Faith, which is a very rich and theologically relevant document for our church. Last but not least, the class looked at the commitments and vows of being a member. While I plan to write more about the nature of church membership in next week’s blog, I want to share with you today a bit about the people who will be joining our church this coming Sunday:

Dr. Pierre Tang is, of course, our fantastic Director of Music. But did you know that Pierre is also an Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Instrumental Ensembles at Pepperdine University? Originally from Hong Kong, Pierre loves Cantonese worship songs and Japanese pop songs in addition to classical music!

Rev. Dr. Mel Knight is a retired Presbyterian minister who has two grown children and resides in Topanga. His previous church was St. Peter’s By-the-Sea in Palos Verdes.

Londy Chavez works as Mel’s caretaker who has been accompanying him to church on Sundays. In attending the new member class with Mel last week, she too felt the call to join! Londy is originally from Guatemala and is the proud mother of four children, ranging in age from 13 to 21.

Becky Voelker is a retired realtor who comes to us from Calvary Church here in the Palisades. Becky has two grown children and likes reading, sailing, and singing. She enjoys the Pali Pres choir and being in a faith community with people her age.

Katie, William and Meredith Brown began attending Pali Pres shortly after VBS, where Meredith was a youth helper.  Residents of Baldwin Hills, the Browns are thrilled to have found Pali Pres and look forward to getting to know our church better.

Let’s keep the soon-to-be new members our prayers and offer them a warm Pali Pres welcome!

Pastor Matt

Living Out Scripture

Dear Beloveds,

I want to share with you something wonderful that happened this past Sunday. A small group of us—Pastor Matt and his family, Ms. Lucy and her son Andrew, the Nicks, the Iancconnes and myself—went across town to visit Immanuel Presbyterian Church, in the heart of Los Angeles. This church holds a special place in my heart in that this was the church in which I grew up. I was baptized, confirmed, spent all my childhood and youth there, and Charlie and I were married there! My father served for many years at Immanuel, not only as an elder, but also as the sound engineer on every Sunday morning. His special ministry was making sure that the pastor had a fresh glass of water at the pulpit each Sunday morning for their sermon. I had tears in my eyes as we toured the church campus and when I was back in her grand, beautiful sanctuary.

What was truly special was the reason why we went: Immanuel is hosting two families who escaped their countries, Honduras and Venezuela, as asylum seekers, and they are being hosted and cared for by Immanuel until they can get on their feet and start their new lives. They were asylum seekers and have been interviewed and cleared by ICE and Border Patrol. They were political refugees, fleeing violent situations and went through proper channels to receive help here in the States. They have been so grateful for the love and help that has been shown them.

With our session’s blessing, we took over a simple but tasty lunch of fried chicken (a la Ralph’s market!) and broke bread together with these families, Pastor Andy Schwiebert, and Elder Debbie of Immanuel as they shared their stories of survival and their journey to Los Angeles. We were amazed at their bravery, tenacity, and hope in what God was doing for them, and we witnessed their strong faith that God will continue to work miracles in their lives.

We were so grateful for the time that we had together, to learn and to pray for these families, and especially to pray for Immanuel Presbyterian as they so faithfully live out their calling as a Matthew 25 church— a church that has committed to helping others in living out the scripture where Jesus says, “what you have done for the least of these, you have done for ME.”

With great love for you,

Pastor Grace

Be Present With Your People Where They Work

Happy Labor Day weekend, Pali Pres!

I hope everyone has some fun and relaxing plans in store for this long weekend (unofficially, the last weekend of summer). Mary and I plan on braving the crowds on Saturday and taking the boys to the beach, then potentially hitting the Malibu Chili Cook Off on Monday. With school starting two weeks ago and church activities ramping back up after a relatively quiet summer, I am very much looking forward to some easy-going family time. I hope you too will have some time this weekend to take a break from your regular routine and enjoy the company of your family and friends.

Labor Day weekend is also an important reminder of the blessings we have from God. In particular, we remember our God given ability to use our minds and bodies for work and service. We have each been given talents and skills that not only provide us with income, but also help build up our community and our nation.

Below are two prayers that speak to the importance of labor and service, and the importance our labor and service have on those around us. I hope these prayers will speak to you on this Labor Day weekend and help lead you into a deeper sense of gratitude to God for the work we do and the work others around us do.

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with your people where they work; make those who carry on the industries and commerce of this land responsive to your will; and give to us all a pride in what we do, and a just return for our labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

-From the Book of Common Prayer for the Episcopal Church (1979)

O God, you have bound us together in this bundle of life; give us grace to understand how our lives depend upon the courage, the industry, the honesty, and the integrity of our fellows; that we may be mindful of their needs, grateful for their faithfulness and faithful in our responsibilities to them; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-By Reinhold Niebuhr

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Matt

Maui Wildfire Disaster: Prayer & Relief

Dear Beloveds,

A couple weeks ago, we experienced shock and dismay as flames devoured the tranquil landscapes of Maui, leaving behind a trail of destruction that shattered both hearts, homes and lives. As news of the wildfires spread, a wave of emotions swept through many of us. Having lived through the horrible fires in Bell Canyon years ago, this deeply affected me, and my heart ached for the lives lost and the homes reduced to ashes.

In times of crisis such as this, human reactions and responses become a reflection of our collective soul. In the wake of a terrible tragedy such as this, we hold the power of prayer that can became a unifying force that transcends place and culture; in prayer, we could come together seeking solace and strength for those affected by the fires. In the face of this tragedy, we can harness the power of empathy, the strength of prayer, and a spirit of togetherness.

These fires were close to home, in that this region is part of our own Presbytery, part of our own church family. Please see part of Pastor Heidi Worthen Gamble’s (our Mission Catalyst for our Presbytery) urgent message:

As we witness the outpouring of support and the unity that emerges from these ashes, it is a poignant reminder of our duty to one another and to the planet we call home. The Maui Fire is not only and just a tragic event, but a call to action for us; a clarion call for us to stand together in prayer and in compassion. Friends, let us join together in helping Maui and her people.

For a link to give help, please go to our Palipres.org giving page and click on the tile for Maui Fire contributions.

With great love for you,

Pastor Grace

Pali Pres Mission Trip 2023: Tijuana, Mexico

Dear Pali Pres,

I am very happy to announce that our church is helping sponsor a mission opportunity to Tijuana, Mexico on October 7-9. We will be partnering with Brentwood Presbyterian Church, and our host mission agency will be Amor Ministries. Amor is a Christian organization founded in 1980 with a very simple mission: Bring people together to manifest Jesus. And that is what our trip in October will be all about!

Participants, including yours truly, will spend three days constructing housing for those in need in the Tijuana (or Tecate) area. Youth and families are welcome and, thankfully, no special skills are required! Anyone with a heart to serve God by serving others (and a willingness to sleep in a tent for a few nights) is welcome to take part. You can read more about the details of the trip here.

If you are at all interested in joining me on this mission opportunity, please let me know; I’m happy to share with you more information. The deadline is quickly approaching; registration closes on September 6th. The cost is $485 per person, but our Mission & Outreach Committee has made scholarship funds available for those who could use financial assistance.

Even if you are unable to participate yourself, I encourage you to pray for this upcoming trip. Join me in asking God to touch people’s hearts and make it possible for them to take part. Lift up in your prayers Amor Ministries and the people they serve in Mexico. Pray for Brentwood Presbyterian Church and our church as we manage the logistics of this trip and help serve those in need.

As we plan and pray for this mission opportunity, I am reminded and encouraged by Jesus’ words from Matthew 23. When asked which commandment is the greatest, he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Matt

A VBS Village of Volunteers

Dear Pali Pres Community,

I know it is a cliché, but as I reflect on this week of Vacation Bible School (VBS) I can’t help but think, “it takes a village.” With 35 children—ten of them just showing up without notice on Monday morning!—it took a village of Pali Pres volunteers and staff to pull off a fun and Spirit-filled week.

The theme was Hero Hotline based on Romans 14:9—"So let’s strive together for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up." Children played the role of heroes (complete with capes and masks, of course) who sprang into action and explored the ultimate Hero Handbook (the Bible) to discover how we can all follow the examples set by our biblical heroes. Through music, drama and storytelling, games, arts and crafts, and even snacks, they learned how to answer God’s call at church, at home, and every area of their lives.

The “village” that helped make all this happen was led by our wonderful Children and Family Ministries (CFM) Director, Lucy Garcia and the CFM Committee. Along with dozens of church members (too many to name here!), and friends of church members, and friends-of-friends of church members (!), we also had volunteers from our preschool including some awesome youth counselors who are children of our preschool teachers! Add to that list our own Will Saunders (in the starring role of Super Meer, the puppet) and Enrique Portillo and Dennis Moran and, as you can see, we truly had a small village helping out this past week!

I want to thank anyone who contributed in ANY way, including providing snacks, helping with tech/audio, assisting with crafts and games, and all the little things like photocopying and brewing coffee. It all made a difference! As the children learned, ALL of us are called to strive together for the things that bring peace and build each other up. I was so glad to witness that verse in action this week and am so happy for our children and Pali Pres family.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Matt (also known as Ned, the Hero Hotline auditor sent over by corporate to “check” on things this week)

Watchman Nee

Dear Pali Pres Community,

Just recently I came across some selected readings by the late Chinese pastor and author Watchman Nee. I confess I had not previously heard of Nee, even though I have come to learn that he is considered by many to be one of the great Christian leaders of the twentieth century. He led a dynamic missionary movement (known in the West as the “Little Flock”) during the 1930s and 40s, with large gatherings in places like Shanghai. Not supported by foreign missionaries, Nee continues to be an influential figure in the history of the Christian church in China.

While I cannot endorse all of Nee’s principles and practices when it comes to organized religion, I can admire his commitment to Christ and his spiritual devotion. In 1952 Watchman Nee was arrested by the Chinese government on bogus charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, where he eventually died.

Below is an excerpt from one of Nee’s books, “What Shall This Man Do?” which spoke to my heart. This passage is entitled, “A Threefold Provision, and One Condition Demanded.”

God has made, from His side, a threefold provision for every person in that person’s hour of crisis: Firstly, Jesus has come as the Friend of sinners; secondly, it is He personally (and no intermediary) whom we are called to meet; and thirdly, the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh, to bring to pass in us the initial work of conviction of sin, repentance, and faith, and, of course, all that follows.

Then, finally, from the side of the sinner, one condition and one only is demanded. We are not required—in the first place—to believe, or to repent, or to be conscious of sin, or even to know that Christ died. We are required only to approach the Lord with an honest heart.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Matt

PS-- If you’d like to learn more about Watchman Nee and read more of his writings, I recommend visiting www.renovare.org.

The Leap of Faith

Dear Beloveds,

For my birthday this month, my eldest, Elijah, gifted me with a book on the writings of the Dutch philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. When our family gives each other books as gifts, we try to inscribe them with something meaningful in the first pages. For this book, Elijah wrote,

“… I hope you feel God’s love when you read this. Or learn something. Either one is cool.”

I tore into it immediately.

I do find joy when I read Kierkegaard’s thoughts. While this was a man who truly struggled and searched for his faith, he tried to find deep meaning in life, all the while grappling with a horrible sense of guilt and hopelessness at times. For the entirety of his short life, he continued to wrestle with who God was and God’s place in this world.

In his last book, he wrote “…there is not a single human being who does not despair at least a little, in whose innermost being there does not dwell an uneasiness, an unquiet, a discordance, an anxiety in the face of an unknown something.”

For some reason, these words bring me comfort. They tell me that on the days when I struggle and doubt, I am not alone; that there are others through time and history who know the feelings that I feel. That there is room to explore and doubt even when we believe in the living God.

While Kierkegaard can be regarded as a tortured soul to some, one of his main tenets was the concept of the “leap of faith”, which he explained as a mysterious and complex decision to arrive at a place to trust in God. He believed that ultimately, we need to make a conscious decision to trust in something that may or may not be able to be explained or proven completely.

I so enjoy Kierkegaard’s works, as they reflect the challenge for all of us to examine our lives, to embrace the existential moments we have, to step back and confront our faith lives, and live as authentically as we can each day in seeking God in the ordinary. I hope this for all of us!

With great love for you,

Pastor Grace

The Gift of Summer

Dear Pali Pres,

I must admit, I am really enjoying summertime. Perhaps it has to do with the long, wet, and cold (by LA standards) winter and spring we had this year, but waking up to sunshine and basking in the warm, bright days has been so nice. I know many people in the LA area are enduring excessive heat this summer, which is certainly not fun (and, in some cases, dangerous). But here in the Palisades the sunshine and moderate temperatures have been truly enjoyable.

I’ve made it my personal intention, each day this summer, to pause and reflect on this season we are in. It is so important to appreciate the gifts we are given from God, and summer is certainly one of them. I have so many memories from my childhood of summer being the best time of year—playing with friends outside all day, eating loads of ice cream, going swimming, catching fireflies at night, etc. As I enjoy these beautiful summer days, I give thanks for those memories as I also give thanks for the more relaxed nature of life that we enjoy this time of year.

I hope you will join me in thanking God for the gift of this season. I recently came across this prayer of thanksgiving for summer from an unknown author. I trust it will speak to your heart as it did mine:

Father, Creator of all, thank you for summer! Thank you for the warmth of the sun and the increased daylight. Thank you for the beauty I see all around me and for the opportunity to be outside and enjoy your creation. Thank you for the increased time I have to be with my friends and family, and for the more casual pace of the summer season. Draw me closer to you this summer. Teach me how I can pray, no matter where I am or what I am doing. Warm my soul with the awareness of your presence and light my path with your word and counsel. As I enjoy your creation, create in me a pure heart and a hunger and a thirst for you. Amen.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Matt