“No matter who you are, no matter where you are, you are welcome here!”

August 18, 2023

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

Maui Disaster Relief

Dear Pali Pres Family,

We have all heard of the horrific news of the Maui fires, and the tragic aftermath of the deadliest U.S. fire in over a century. There has been unspeakable tragedy, and Maui and her people are grieving their deep losses. With only 3% of the search area covered, the death toll is over 100 souls lost and almost 3,000 structures destroyed.

There are numerous ways to help and to contribute funds for the recovery of Maui, and one of the most important things that we can do is pray. In the face of disaster, the human spirit is put to the test. It is during these times that we all try to find ways to cope and to heal, and prayer is one way to do that. While it may seem easy to dismiss prayer as a passive response, prayer is a powerful force in healing and trusting God.

So please, pray for Maui. Pray for her people who have lost so much, for those who have lost everything. Pray for healing of the land, and for comfort in their pain. Pray for hope in the hearts of the people who have lost so much and pray for the survivors who will be recovering for weeks and months to come. Pray, knowing that God is listening.

If you would like to help, please contribute at the Pali Pres giving page. These funds will go directly to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA).

“Stories of Forgiveness and Hope”

Adult Education Opportunity - August 20th After Worship

Join us for a special presentation by guest speaker, Kevin Chaplin, on August 20th after worship. Kevin is visiting LA from South Africa, where he leads two non-profit organizations (the South African Ubuntu Foundation and the Amy Foundation) which help develop and empower young people from challenged and vulnerable communities. This presentation will offer an inspiring glimpse into what God is doing in South Africa through the power of prayer, faith, forgiveness. Please join us in Janes Hall starting at 11:30 to meet Kevin, hear his personal story of following God’s call on his life (after working for 26 years as a banker!), and learn more about the organizations he is a part of.

Fallderol is Coming!

Our annual church fundraiser, Fallderol, will be here before you know it. We are looking for volunteers to join the fun in planning and organizing! If you are willing to help, email Nancy Gillette or just come to the next planning meeting on Wednesday, August 23 @ 5:30p at Pali Pres. We’ll gather in the Library.

Event Co-chairs: Nancy Gillette, Staci Mitchel and Catherine Nadel

Save the Dates

Sunday, August 20th: Adult Education Class “Stories of Forgiveness & Hope”, after worship

Tuesday, September 5th: First day of Preschool

Sunday, September 10th: New Members Class, before and after worship

Sunday, September 17th: Fall Kickoff, after worship

Sunday, September 24th: Estate Planning Class, after worship

Saturday, September 30th: Adult Education Class "Embodying Resilience: How Our Bodies Help Us Thrive", 9am

Saturday, October 14th: Fallderol - Annual Church Fundraiser, 5:30pm to 8pm

Join us for our Livestream Worship!

Join at 9:50am on Sunday Morning to enjoy the prelude, with worship beginning at 10am.

Sunday Refreshments

Bringing refreshments on Sunday mornings to share with our church is a loving and very important ministry. Thank you to all of you who have been doing this so faithfully. Please contact Refreshment Coordinator Jan Gong to sign up to serve.

Thank you to Marie-Anne Helgeson, Norm Helgeson and Annie Amitin for last week's refreshments! This week's goodies are brought to us by Correne Gichuru!

Sunday Sanctuary Flowers

A BIG thank you to Pastor Matt & Mary for donating last week! This week’s flowers are brought to us by Pat & Bill Moran, in celebration of their 44th wedding anniversary!

We invite all of our church members and friends to provide donations for flowers to adorn our sanctuary, along with a special dedication of your choosing. The cost is $75 per week.

Please contact Will at will@palipres.org and the church will order flowers from a local florist to be placed in the chancel on Sunday morning.

Our Deacons will distribute the flowers to one of our members/friends after the service.

Thank you for helping make our sanctuary even more beautiful!

Sunday Sermon Teaser

Come and join us on Sunday as we discover the theology behind embracing simplicity and its impact on our spirits. How can simplicity and deepen our faith lives? Join us and let’s learn together!

Pledge Update

Year to Date Actuals: $213,697.76

Year to Date Budget: $207,445

Pali Pres relies on your consistent giving to meet our regularly scheduled expenses. Thank you to everyone who is able to give!

Give to Pali Pres

Don't forget, you can easily give your tithes and offerings through our website!

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

-Matthew 6: 19-21