Good News Corner
A big thank you to the wonderful folks of Lake Arrowhead Community Presbyterian Church who traveled all the way to join us for worship, provide our snacks for the day, bless us with a financial donation, and gift us with beautiful music during our coffee fellowship hour! We are so thankful for the Christian love and the support they have given us.
Our beloved Jan Gong has found respite in Hawaii! Despite being on the far away island, Pali Pres is in her thoughts and prayers every day and she even provided last Sunday’s refreshments! Mahalo, Jan!
Bob and Karen Baker are long time church members who moved away several years ago. Their hearts and prayers are with us every day and they even provided last week’s refreshments! The photo below was from their visit with their daughter in Idaho a couple of weeks ago. It’s such good news to know our congregation sticks together, no matter where we are!
We are thrilled to revitalize our Youth Ministry this fall and also work with other Presbyterian churches to support and uplift this amazing program. Last Thursday, the middle school youth met in Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade for a time of fun and connection at the movies. We’re looking forward to more exciting events this fall, including “OTS” (opportunities to serve), social gatherings, and other activities specially planned for our YOUTH! Stay tuned for more updates and we can’t wait to see you there!
The Palisades Interfaith Clergy Group continues to meet in support of one another and to continue to hope and pray for our Community!
This week, we met with Jim Cragg, who is leading a long-term recovery group for the Palisades.
Joshua Park, one of our former Sunday school teachers, recently made a move to Washington D.C. to work with a nonprofit agency in the field of education. He is loving his new life there, having found a new church, wonderful roommates, meeting new and old friends, and enjoying his new job!
He lives in an apartment building with 18 young people, and they’ve all become friends! Before Joshua moved in, none of the other units spoke to each other. Joshua has seemingly brought them all together, and he hosts weekly dinners now, cooking for all 18 of them!
A heartfelt thank you to Aleah Plume for crafting these stunning botanic-themed bookshelves for her Eagle Scout Project, which she generously gifted to the Children and Family Ministry. These shelves will hold our children’s library in Ms. Lucy’s office at Brentwood Presbyterian.
As a dedicated student at Pali High and a Pali Pres VBS counselor for two consecutive years, Aleah has shown remarkable commitment to our children. Despite the difficulties she faced after January 7th, her determination to bring her project to fruition is truly inspiring. Aleah has been such a blessing to our church!
A sincere thank you to Rev. John Todd’s church in Tennessee for sending us this beautiful new communion plate! Rev. Todd retired as the Head Pastor of Pali Pres in 2004.
Evelyn Moyer is holding a little toy rabbit that she once bought in an old ‘five & dime’ store named JJ Newberry. Sadly, Evelyn lost this beloved childhood toy in the fire. The last JJ Newberry closed in 2001 and Evelyn was certain that she’d never see this rabbit again.
Well, several weeks after the fire, Evelyn sauntered into a random antique store around the corner. Low and behold, she was stunned as the exact same rabbit sculpture she had known since childhood, stared back at her from one of the shelves - complete with the original JJ Newberry sticker on the bottom! Her heart leapt with joy and she wasted no time bringing it to the cashier. May this serve as a reminder to us all that if all may seem lost, a little bit of renewal and hope are always just around the corner, often in the most unexpected of places.
We are happy to announce that our Sunday School Program will resume its mission component by once again participating in the Brown Bag Brigade. This bi-monthly activity helps our Sunday School kids remember and practice the two greatest commandments, as Jesus taught us, to love God and to love our neighbor. The sack lunches will bless our unhoused neighbors through The People Concern. Thank you to our Pali Pres Missions Committee who provide the supplies, while we provide the manual labor or love!
This is a photo from Dianne Atkin's backyard. Her house burned, but miraculously, this plastic Jesus statue survived! The blooming lilies surrounding Jesus are actually from Easter 2024 at Pali Pres! Is there a more profound image of resilience and resurrection than this?
“Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” - Mark 13:4
On June 23rd, Dave and Nina Kidd brought 10 sack lunches to longtime friend and Outreach Director from The People Concern, Glanda Sherman, at Santa Monica's Palisades Park. Since the fire, Glanda and her Palisades team continue to care for local homeless clients. Since Nina and Dave are just across Santa Monica Canyon in an apartment on San Vicente, she hopes to help revive our church's the Brown Bag Brigade donation of sack lunches post-fire to aid the outreach efforts of the Palisades Task Force!
“Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?” - Rose Kennedy
The resilience of God’s green earth has been undeniable in the wake of the Palisades Fire. There are flowers blooming where infinite tears rained. Grass is overtaking steel and slate.
Stephanie Hubsch sent us this picture of some Red Shouldered Hawks who made their home in a tree that was scheduled to be removed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Red Shouldered Hawks are protected by state and national law, so the work is halted until the baby hawks can leave the nest.
The hawks’ home is their home, no matter what.
As we continue to move forward from the disaster, stories of resilience and hope are essential in keeping our spirits up and minds focused on improving lives and rebuilding our community. While we weep for all of the children who were inextricably affected by the fire, we can also look to them as a symbol of hope for the future and a model for resilience.
Marquez Elementary theater troupe, along with our very own Emery Nick, were recently featured on Fox 11 News, proving that the show must go on!
Click HERE to see the broadcast!
Hudson Ramberg, grandson of Dean and Margi St. Clair, played shortstop this past season with the Pali High varsity baseball team. Despite the team experiencing the loss of homes, teammates to other schools and their entire baseball facility, they have remained a close community. The players, staff and some very supportive team parents worked diligently with other high schools, little leagues and city parks to ensure that they had a place to practice consistently and play all of their league games. They were visited by various media outlets, a documentary crew, former Yankees manager Joe Torre and actor Billy Crystal, and organizations generously donated equipment and uniforms. They even caught the attention of Dave Roberts, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and were celebrated at Dodger stadium in April. This outpouring of support boosted their morale and helped them make it to the city semi-finals this spring. Pali Strong!
Congratulations to Dianne Jerome for replacing her car that was lost in the fire! As we continue to pick up the pieces after the disaster, it’s important we look to the positive progress made in each other’s lives for inspiration and encouragement, as we all drive towards a new horizon together!
The Children and Family Ministries received a remarkable and generous gift from the Youth Group at First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis, MD (pictured). They raised $1,200 and unanimously chose to donate it all to our Youth Ministry to aid in our recovery efforts. Ms. Lucy had the wonderful opportunity to recently connect with them through a Zoom call, expressing heartfelt gratitude for their love and support. Witnessing this overwhelming outpouring of generosity from our brothers and sisters worldwide, especially the youth, is truly inspiring!
Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch at Holmby Park was a beautiful celebration of community and connection during our pre-Easter festivities. The joy of reuniting with our church family in such a cheerful setting was truly heartwarming. Highlights included delightful treats from our members, along with delicious breakfast burritos, croissants, and fresh fruit from our friends at Palisades Garden Cafe. For the third year, Yasmin’s Balloons and Face Painting brought creativity and fun, while the traditional Easter Egg Hunt filled the day with excitement, and we enjoyed special moments with the Easter Bunny for photos. We also celebrated Pastor Matt’s birthday with a fabulous chocolate cake and a spirited rendition of “Happy Birthday” from everyone present. In light of everything we’ve faced in the first quarter of the year, the ancient proverb resonates deeply: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother/sister is born for a time of adversity.” We are truly grateful for the spiritual family God has provided, guiding us through life’s challenges with hope for a brighter future for our community and the world!
On Sunday, March 23rd, Pastor Grace preached at the American Church in Paris in both services! Très bien, Pastor Grace!
Sonny Saunders (Will’s son) was supposed to start at the brand new Pali Pres Preschool Infant Care program on February 1st, but Mother Nature had other plans.
We are proud to report that Sonny has found a new program at Lighthouse Church Infant Care in Santa Monica! He’s making lots of new friends and is reportedly the happiest kid in class!
Good luck, Sonny!