August 2017 • Vol 21• www.AldersgatePA.org • A Reconciling Congregation, open to all

SERVING YOUR CHURCH

Pastor: Rev. Roger Morimotorvm878@gmail.comRev. Gary Barbaree

Your AUMC Staff: Submit newsletter articles by the 15th of the month to:Brad Shirakawa - newsletter editorbradaumc@yahoo.com

Send Sunday bulletin info to Brad by the WEDNESDAY before Sunday

Mimi Funabiki and Lori Wong do everything else:meemfunabiki@gmail.comlori_wong@yahoo.com

Sunday service starts at 10 am. Sunday school available for toddlers through 12th graders.

Aldersgate United Methodist Church4243 Manuela AvenuePalo Alto, CA 94306-3705ph: 650-948-6806 www.aldersgatepa.org

AldersgatePress Blood Drive!see Page 2

The Spiritual JourneyWords with Rev. Roger

see Roger, next page

A couple of weeks ago, I attended my 40th high school reunion (Los Altos HS). Yes, I really did. It was amazing – approximately 200 graduates (class of 463 students) attended. The organizer lo-cated 350+ people and he gave everyone a memory booklet with a short blurb on each of these persons.

As it is for so many, high school is one of the most awkward pe-riods in one’s life – which was true for me. Upon graduation, I did not think I would have ever attend a 40 year reunion. There were a few people I wondered about and hoped to connect with but for the most part, I left that era and those folks in my past.

Nonetheless, by attending the reunion, I found it fascinating to see the directions that my classmates have taken. In the intro of the memory book, the organizer writes the following:

“I believe this publication also serves as a fascinating, if incomplete, case study in where people take their lives over the course of four decades. As I have gotten into the lives of many of our classmates, I have been struck by the singularity of each individual and the journey they have taken. Some have lived what might be called ordinary lives. Others have lived extraordinary lives. Some have done quite well for themselves. Others have faced a very tough road and have been saddled with great heartache. Thirty of us are deceased, always a deeply sad discovery, and some under extremely tragic circumstances. Being involved in this work for the last nine months has impacted me in fundamental and profound way.”

It is true that each of our lives have had a singular path; yet, we have come from a common experience of high school. The reunion helped reinforce in me a sense of our common humanity despite our divergent paths. I must disagree a little with my classmate, I think each and every life has been an extraordinary journey. All are special and unique.

By the time a person reaches their 40th reunion, much of the pretenses of our lives are put away. Most have been humbled by life and have come to just ap-preciate the things of true value – relationships, character, compassion and love.

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We begin to understand we’ve lived the best we could have, given the cir-cumstances and choices made along the way. Our lives are unique and universal.

As I think of the singularities and universalities of our lives, I am re-minded of the words of Jesus – “En-ter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Each of us are meant to take the path that is before us and at each turn a new path emerges. It is not the right or wrong path. It is not fortunate or unfortunate.

What matters at any moment is that we continue to take a step forward on the path in which we find ourselves. This is the spiritual journey.

All of us have many more steps ahead, many more choices, many more experiences; and in walking our path, we are deepening our souls – both individually and collectively.

There will be moments where we pause and reflect – like a 40th re-union – to remind ourselves that we are in our singular journey... together encouraging one another along the way.

Roger

There were plenty of smiling faces at our recent trip to the sands of Sunset Beach.photo courtesy Alice Yu

Blood DriveSunday, August 13 • 9am to 1pm

Volunteer the gift of life, by giving blood at our annual Blood Drive. See our weekly emails for the link to sign up in advance.

Sunset on the Beach

OM GROUP

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Thursday, August 3 at 7:30pm, here at AUMC

A Study on The Zeitgeist Movement

Sunday, August 13 at Noon

Blood, Guts and Dreams

Sunday, September 17 at Noon Picnic Lunch and Vision Boards at Mitchell Park

Tuesday, August 22 at 7:30pm

Enneagram and The Brain led by Peter Savich

Tuesday, September 12 at 7:30pm

Beginning Enneagram (Get the word out!)

Sunday, August 6 at 5pm &Sunday, September 3 at 5pm - both at Alameda site

Creative Expressions Salon

Monday, October 9 at 7pm

Beginning Tai Chi Workshop led by Don Houston

Sunday, November 19 at 5pm

Psychic Healers led by Adelina Tancioco

Open Minds is for young adults in their 20s and 30s

For more about the CSL events, go to their website at http://www.centerforspirituallife.com/

Special Gifts

In memory of Tosh TsubakimotoM/M James Hung

W. Kamiya

In memory of Mary Murata UyenoRobert Yui

D/M Jerry Chang

In memory of Don IwahashiRon Nagata, Jr.David Iwahashi

In memory of Yu Hirata, Bev Kobrin, Robert Hatsuno,

Margret Yamasaki, Masue, Fumio Takeda

Sachiyo Yamasaki

In memory of Ellen FujiokaPauline Ogasawara

M/M Russell FujiokaMary Ishizaki, Fred Ishizaki, Hiroshige

Ishizaki, Hisashi Ishizaki

Kitchen FundDavid Nakamura

Mary Ishizaki, Fred Ishizaki, Hiroshige Ishizaki, Hisashi Ishizaki

Nellie Nakamura funds & EnneagramDavid Nakamura

YouthMary Ishizaki, Fred Ishizaki, Hiroshige

Ishizaki, Hisashi Ishizaki

KoyukaiSatoko King

M/M Paul SakumaM/M Harry Hatasaka

SpecialNina Klepac

Helen Shirakawa

HVACTami Oshima

Tommy’s birthdayJudy Wong

Women’s groupMary Ishizaki, Fred Ishizaki, Hiroshige

Ishizaki, Hisashi Ishizaki

CSLM/M Hiroki Asada

There are plenty of books about the incarceration of the Japa-

nese Americans, but the best of the newest releases might be Un-Amer-ican.

A collection of mostly rare, or never published photographs, it is startling in its ability to convey the power of photography.

Large, high quality reproductions by Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, Clem Elbers and Hikaru Iwasaki make up the bulk of this book. In-cludes photographs of the Shibuya family and Rev. Sab Masada’s fam-ily. Order online or check with your local bookstore.

NEW BOOK REVIEW