Behold, I make

All Things New

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10497 Wilshire BoulevardLos Angeles, California 90024310 474-4511

www.westwoodumc.orgwww.TheLoftLA.org

Copyright © 2014 by Westwood UMC All rights reserved

oN the coverEmily Kishibay takes a break from a re-roofing project at the Walker River Paiute reservation in Shurz, Nevada. Emily was one of 17 youth and five adults from Westwood UMC who were involved in the work of the Sierra Service Project this past summer. Our congregation sent two groups: senior students from June 28 to July 6, and middle school students from July 27 to August 1. Photo by Keith Price.

We have kicked off the fall program at Westwood UMC and now are approaching the Advent season. As I think about what has been driving all we do here, it is

well summed up in the theme of this issue of the Spire Magazine, All things New. As I look around our church, much is new: new programs, new people, and a new vision for how to organize our church for faithfulness and vitality.

Newness is not a foreign concept for followers of Jesus. My September sermon series was entitled re-booting, which coincid-ed with a new lectionary (plan) guiding our scripture focus for each Sunday’s worship. Newness and new experiences undergirded the narrative stories we find in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the new work that God will accomplish: See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them. (Isaiah 42:9) The Revelation to John builds on the same idea: And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true. (Revelation 21:5)

My Advent sermons will continue in this vein with a series called Nova, Nova. These words begin an ancient Latin Christmas carol, Nova! Nova! ave fit ex Eva. Loosely translated, the phrase means: News, news, Hail (a new work) comes from Eve. It’s an in-teresting play on words. Ave (“hail”) is Gabriel’s greeting to Mary, the mother of Jesus (see Luke 1: 42), and is the mirror of the word Eva – the Latin name for Eve. Indeed, Mary marked the beginning of a new redemptive work that we all inherit.

As you read through these pages I hope you will encounter ways that God is transforming us and making All things New. I look forward to seeing you in church during the coming season of holidays.

In Christ’s Service, Pastor John

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A Spiritual Home at UCLA By Myka Kennedy Stephens

Reflections on The United Methodist Women Assembly By Westwood UMC’s delegation

The Loft: Hitting Its Stride By Chris Spearman

Envisioning the Future By John Woodall & the Strategy Team

Generosity Reimagined By The Stewardship Team

Infused With God’s Love By Bette Caldwell

Member Profile: TO BE By Bette Caldwell

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A SpirituAl home At uclAby Myka Kennedy Stephens

Campus minister Deaconess Jeanne Roe Smith engages students at UCLA in ministries of love, justice and service.

Upon arriving at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), stu-dents embark on an experience of urban college life with all its complications and complexities. Nestled in one of the more aff luent neighborhoods of Los Angeles, UCLA is one of the top public research institutions in the United States and home to more than 40,000 students. Life here is overwhelming for many, fraught with many social issues like vio-lence, substance abuse and health concerns.

Wesley

FoundationAmid the chaos and stress of

undergraduate and graduate student life, there is a refuge here, a sanctuary: the Wesley Foundation Serving UCLA. The ministries of the Wesley Foundation create an environment that is welcoming, warm and supportive. In its community space students are invited to explore faith and engage in dialogue about belief while sharing food and fellowship.

Deaconess Jeanne Roe Smith is campus minister at Wesley Foundation, living out her call in connecting the university to both the church and the world. She first became campus minister

in 2009 and since that time has seen the cost of higher education rise nearly 60 percent. Students come to UCLA and struggle with the impersonal nature of such a large campus, which may lead to interpersonal and communal problems such as violence, racism, sexism and homophobia.

“The Wesley Founda-tion provides a place for students to explore their faith,

identity, ideas and concerns with respect and intel-ligence,” Ms. Smith said. “It is truly a ministry of love, justice and service. Love is the preeminent focus: love God, love all, recognize the sacred worth of all and act to create systemic change to build the beloved community.”

Wesley Foundation hosts numer-ous events and activities, all rooted in the spiritual practices of hospitality and breaking bread together. Open Table is a

weekly gathering for students of various faith backgrounds and traditions to share a meal and worship together, feeding their bodies and souls through good food and thoughtful dialogue on the Scrip-tures read and heard.

580 CaFéThe foundation hosts the 580 Café,

a welcoming space for students to gather and share a meal while exchanging sto-ries. One student ref lected, “It is a place that has become a home away from home, because, no matter who you are and what your beliefs are, you are always welcomed with open arms and a smile. The 580 Café is where friendships and commu-nity are formed.”

Students also have opportunities to explore the world beyond the

university through community service projects. The Meals With Hope program carries food and meals to the home-less and transient population near the university and the

Veteran’s Administration West Los Angeles Medical Center.

These ministries connect students with community concerns such as

food, hunger, homelessness and living wage, offering a chance to partner with local faith-based and community action groups

and provide hands-on experience with those in need.

a long traditionIn April, the Wesley Foundation cel-

ebrated 86 years of campus ministry. It is the longest full-time continuous campus ministry in the California-Pacific Annual Conference and has a long tradition of progressive thought and action. It held racial dialogues in the 1940s, empowered women in leadership in the 1950s, held a pacifist position during both World War II and the Vietnam War, and became the first reconciling community outside of a

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local congregation in the 1970s.This tradition continues today

with radical hospitality and ministry with immigrant students. UCLA has a high percentage of immigrant students, including first-generation Americans born of immigrant parents and young adults from undocumented and mixed-documented families. These students are on the margins of the UCLA community with needs that range from basic school necessities like textbooks and technol-ogy to food, transportation and legal counsel for immigration/naturalization. In her role as campus minister, called to welcome and connect with all students, Ms. Smith offers resources, support and encouragement to these immigrant stu-dents in the hope that connecting with Wesley Foundation can help normalize their college experience.

Myka Kennedy Stephens is a deaconess and independent information professional serv-ing in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference. Her current projects include public commu-nications consulting for the United Methodist Women Office of Deaconess and Home Mis-sioner and developing the field of information ministries through mission-information.org. This article first appeared in the June 2014 issue of RESPONSE, the magazine of The United Methodist Women, and is reprinted here with permission.

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the right Fit: my cAlliNg AS A DeAcoNeSSby Jeanne roe smith

Being a United Methodist deaconess has allowed me to integrate my calling to love, justice and service ministry within the university setting for the past 15 years. I did not come to this calling easily or

without deep soul searching. It was a life journey to integrate my deepest longing to help others in ways that build and affirm their own self-worth and create systems of justice through access and educa-tion grounded in faith and practice.As a child of the civil rights movement, the power to challenge and change injustice and inequality were part of my faith develop-ment as well as social conscience. It wasn’t until I was an adult, however, that I began to understand my personal and profes-sional life could integrate both my concern for the well-being of others and the faith tradition that called me to seek and claim a professional relationship within The United Methodist Church.At United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, I began to explore my call to professional ministry within our denomina-

tion. At that time, I was uncertain of which path I was being called to—elder, deacon or lay. I was blessed to encounter two women who both shared with me their experiences and information about the Office of Deaconess and Home Missioner. When I read the role and ministry of the deaconess, I knew I had found the right “fit:”• Alleviate suffering.• Eradicate causes of injustice and all that robs life of

dignity and worth.• Facilitate the development of full human potential.• Share in building global community through the

church universal.As I began my professional ministry in campus minis-try at the Wesley Foundation in Cincinnati in 1998, I

found this calling and these principles to be critical to our denominational efforts to address our faith and practice with young adults and the acad-emy. Young adults are at a crucial time of life when they are testing the strength of their roots, beliefs and abilities. They are learning that beliefs, values, family and ideas are not limited to only their experience, culture or tradition. Campus ministry is the church in mission to the university, creating connections to a life of reason, faith and service. In order to build principled Christian leaders for the 21st century, campus ministry connects the church to young adults seeking to build a better world. As a deaconess I serve in this ministry as a representative of our denomi-nation, to speak and educate on current issues that separate us from one another and God, and to work with the diverse communities, peoples and institutions to create systems of access and justice for all God’s peoples. Because we believe, we act to build, become and be God’s beloved com-munity!deaconess Jeanne roe smith is campus minster and executive director of the Wesley Foundation serving uCla, los angeles, Calif. a longer version of this article may be found at: http://responsemagazine.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/the-right-fit-my-calling-as-a-deaconess/

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Jeanne Roe Smith is arrested in front of the White House in an act of civil disobedience for immigrant rights Feb. 17, 2014, in Washington, D.C.

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umw ASSembly reFlectioNS 2014The quadrennial national Assembly of the United Methodist Women was

held April 25-27 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louis-ville, Kentucky. The Assembly was entitled, “Make it Happen!” and was at-tended by Westwood women Kimberly Britts, Sherry Burch, Ellen Evans Agee, Leanne Nakanishi, and Tonia Symensma-Cohen. The following article is their collaborative response to the experience:

Kimberly summarized our weekend perfectly: “As a first time Assembly attendee, I was overwhelmingly taken with the energy of so many women wor-shiping together and focusing on the spiritual, moral, religious, and Methodist response to the social injustice in the world. I knew that social justice and mis-sion were the hallmarks of the UMW, but I did not realize the depth and breadth of their global force. The buoyancy of the hope and optimism generated by over 7000 Methodist women inspired me to ‘bring it home’ and encourage West-wood’s regenerated UMW group to action and to ‘Make it Happen.’” Sherry also added how thrilling and moving it was to be around so many women of all ages and ethnicities, working together to better the lives of others.

let mutual love Continue. do not negleCt to shoW hospitality to strangers For by doing that some have entertained angels. –hebreWs 13:1, mattheW 25:35,40

From the moment of our arrival at Louisville Airport, southern hospital-ity was evident by the huge electronic billboard welcoming United Methodist Women. One focus of this Assembly was to help expand our vision and ability to

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welcome new and unnoticed women to participate, join, and shape our work.At the opening worship, our Native-American sisters welcomed us on their

native land with prayers, mutual respect, the acceptance a gift of a cross on behalf of their ancestors, and the words, “Minister with us, not to us… together we can grow and learn.”

Bible Study centered on how little time we spend with people who are different from us, and that now is the time we can learn from strangers. “God’s Spirit was the first migration story over the face of the waters.” We need to show abundant hospitality because we too were once strangers in a place. “Not Yet does not mean Not Ever.”

One highlight for Leanne was participating with the Assembly Drama Team for the Tableau Vivant during the Opening Worship. Friends of the Groom patiently and professionally rehearsed with our group of novice volunteers who had never imagined we could be a part of such a powerful dramatic presentation of Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand. Bringing scripture to life was a powerful soul-moving experience that many will never forget. (Videos are featured on the national UMW website at: http://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/assembly or use Google to search for UMW Assembly 2014.)

Tonia was moved by singing beautiful songs of worship together, lifting up her voice with thousands of other voices to make one beautiful sound. “We LOVED the music and the live band.”

Another revelation was learning how difficult it was for talented female musi-cians to find employment. The debut of our first all-women band at Assembly was such a highlight. We then learned how the entire band met only a few days before Assembly commenced! Sherry was particularly touched by Mahina Movement, the other all-woman band, and has continued to follow them on Facebook. Their powerful poetry and music was filled with the heartfelt emotions of the painful and joyous life experiences of being young women of different ethnicities in a society where not all are accepted. “Our soul spaces must be created to you, and by us…..You are who you have been waiting for…” Thank you, God, for these beauti-fully diverse and gifted musicians, who opened the door for other musicians to not give up on their dreams.

We were blessed to have witnessed the consecration of 26 new Deaconesses representing 18 Annual (regional) Conferences. This lay ministry is a vital part of our church’s commitment to serve in ministries of love, service, and justice.

We are Called to aCt, to serve the least oF these. –luke 4:18 and psalm 33:5

Another focus of the Assembly was to help women connect with one another and with partners in mission to further the organization’s PURPOSE.

Our keynote speaker was former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who shared heartwarming ref lections of her upbringing in The United Methodist Church. She credited the Methodist church with instilling within her the values of social justice, compassion, and serving others. She championed the UMW with its enduring legacy of focusing on the issues of women, children, and youth on global, national, and local levels. Most importantly, she recognized that the work of the UMW “puts our faith into action” and that we, as members of the UMW, are examples of “living the Gospel.” These terms resonated with us as we envisioned the local outreach that our Westwood UMW could do in the Los Angeles area. We were also moved and inspired by the Foundation work she and former President Clinton are engaged in. She told stories of the girls’ school they support in Cam-bodia and the lives that are changed there.

Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvan, General Secretary of the world Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), shared how poverty did not make her a statistic.

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For children around the world, the lack of access to education leads to human trafficking, forced marriages, domestic violence, mater-nal death, illness, and other travesties against God’s children. In moments of sorrow and pain, we came together as women of faith to eradicate from our world inequality, racial, gender, and class divi-sions.

Thousands of us participated in an economic justice march, which was covered by most of the local television stations. Bob Cunningham, longtime civil rights activist in Louisville, spoke about “the invisible line on 9th Street between black and white,” how economic inequality equals economic insecurity, and how economic justice has no East nor West. Many of us joined Mr. Cunningham and hundreds of UM Women in a peaceful justice march. It sad-dened our hearts to realize that we had not noticed how dramatically the paved streets and sidewalks changed once we crossed this “not so invisible line” around the Beecher Terrace public housing complex and Baxter Square Park areas. As we looked up to see the beautiful young African-American children waving and smil-ing at us, we almost tripped on a large pothole in the uneven surfaces.

Every day, 19,000 chil-dren die from preventable and treatable illnesses.* A critical partnership between UMW and the United Method-ist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) will focus on maternal and child health priority areas of nutrition and breastfeeding, safe motherhood and childbirth, safe water and sanitation, and the elimination of sex- and gender-based violence, in order to save many lives. In additional, thousands of prayer shawls were collected to surround women and children in love and prayers. (Thank you to our Prayerful Stitches group for your blessed donations.)

all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. go thereFore and make disCiples oF all nations, baptizing them….teaChing them to observe all that i have Commanded you.

–mattheW 28:18-20We were challenged intellectually and spiritually by classes and

programs. We were educated to lead, excel, and find our own voices through what we learned at the many workshops and to bring back the information to our own communities. We were inspired to move from being merely concerned about social, moral, or political issues, to being active agents for change. We were encouraged to find the resources we have in our communities and collaborate with potential partners to change lives.

We were educated about a Mozambican women who started a home for displaced and ostracized widows, a group in Norway that raised awareness about drug addiction among teens, a woman who started a gun buy-back effort to remove guns from the streets, and a

teacher who provided school supplies to low-income students. This all happened because of UMW!

We are also a vital part of eradicating a preventable disease by participating in Imagine No Malaria.

We were inspired by UMW’s legacy of work on racial justice and standing firm against segregation in the church. Humanitarians Belle Bennett and Lugenia Hope told of the UMW’s refusal to sup-port the segregation vote of the 1939 General Conference, and of the decision to move Assembly from St. Louis to Cincinnati in 1942, so all women could participate.

Sherry took a class on what it means to be a Christian consum-er. It is a controversial area and sparked fabulous discussion which was facilitated by a college professor class leader. We were shocked to learn at least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.

Tonia attended the workshop focusing on issues of social justice and was especially moved by Behind the Kitchen Door by Saru Jayaraman. It describes the lives of the 20 million workers in the U.S. food system, of which 10 million are in the restaurant industry. They

are part of the lowest-paying industry in America with the federal “tipped mini-mum wage” stuck at $ 2.13 per hour for more than two decades. Next time you dine out, do not be afraid to ask the serv-ers and managers about this unbelievably low hourly rate.

Other workshops educated us about gender inequality, human trafficking, domestic violence,

and environmental issues, all top initiatives of United Methodist Women.

We learned about mass incarceration’s impact on communi-ties. For example, over 20% of African-Americans in Kentucky do not have the right to vote because of past incarceration. This is three times the national average and the highest in the nation.

We Can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us. –philippians 4:13

United Methodists have been a part of our country’s moral conscience since its inception. We are the conscience of human-ity. Silence is not an option. United Methodist Women have always taken up – and will continue to take up – the charge that Jesus gave his disciples. We must BE THE CHANGE, so all of God’s children are safe, healthy, and know that we care enough to make sacrifices to do the right thing. Together, we will MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Ellen enthusiastically shared shared about her experience with an invitation for Westwood women to join us! “I love the UMW Assembly every four years. The plenary sessions including amaz-ing music, scripture, entertainment, and heartfelt sermons – this is my favorite part. Imagine 7,000 women – from all over everywhere – joining together in song and prayer and laughter and friendship. I feel so invigorated to be part of such a strong group of women who are making a big difference in our world. Plus, it’s a wonderful time to spend with friends, both from Westwood and other churches, away from the day-to-day grind at home. I can’t wait until 2018 in Colum-bus, Ohio – look out!”

*UNICEF, 2012. See http://www.apromiserenewed.org/383.htm

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the loFt: hittiNg itS StriDeBy Chris Spearman

September marked the two-year anniversary of The Loft. It has felt like a wobbly toddler figuring out how to move from crawling to walking. But now it is starting to get its legs under itself and feel the benefit of a new stride.

Our theme for The Loft in 2014 was expansion. The hope was to see the good work begun in the launch year con-tinue into an increase of community and ministry.

Several big changes came over the last six months that are really starting to show beautiful im-provement. First, we doubled our Loft Leader-ship Team from three lay people and three staff to 12. Through the investment of New Minis-tries funding from the California-Pacific Annual Conference, we were able to take the entire team to San Diego for an Emergent Ministry Confer-ence. This three-day event was a terrific catalyst for ideas, collaboration, and empowerment. Our new team has energetically assumed leadership of ministries once run by Bo and Chris, and is developing new opportunities for more people to be in partnership. This expansion of leader-ship could not have come at a better time as the workload of this growing, innovative commu-nity was becoming daunting for the staff.

One improvement led to another as this new Leadership Team overhauled our small groups. For the last several years, Chris and Paige Spearman have hosted a small young adult group in their home on Tuesday nights. It is from this group that The Loft was born. However, because of growth within The Loft, this single small group had become a limiting factor. The Leadership Team devised a plan to split the single group into three regional groups. In addition, a pastor would no lon-ger facilitate them. Rather, the groups would be lay-developed and organized so as to afford them equality and a communal spirit. We now have a Tuesday night group meeting in West-wood, a Wednesday night group meeting in Culver City, and a Thursday night group meeting in Sherman Oaks.

The benefits of this innovation have been tremendous. We have seen average small-group participation grow from 11 to 24

on a weekly basis. The harder-to-assess numbers of relational growth and community development seem to be improving as well. Our pastors and leaders agree that these small groups have helped The Loft turn a corner and become a true church community through deepened personal relationships. Since the change in the small-group structure, our Sunday attendance as grown as well. We are seeing a higher attraction rate and more consistent attendance.

The maturation process of Westwood’s newest ministry opportunity continues to progress at a wonderful pace. We have much to be proud of as a community seeking vitality and growth into the future. Our Sunday morning participation is steadily growing as more and more people enter Westwood UMC through the door of The Loft. We continually listen as the Spirit of God calls us forward to new spaces, faces and places for partnership and justice.

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By John Woodall and the Strategy TeamOur faith community here at Westwood

United Methodist Church has experienced a lot of change over the last several years. Change is inevitably part of what it means to be a church focused on vitality and faithful-ness. It is particularly challenging for church people because familiarity and the sense of being at home are often at the core of why we are a part of this place. A look at the staff-ing, the facilities, and the programming is a reminder that we are a different church than we were ten years ago. One of the things we have learned is that the time in which we live requires different ways of working together. 2013 was very encouraging as we saw another year of continuing growth in attendance as well as a net increase in membership. That growth has continued in 2014. But the Church Council and staff are keenly aware that sustaining this growth will require some changes in how we worship, study, work and serve together.

Last January, the Church Council par-ticipated in a Vision Retreat focused on as-sessing what we are doing and what we need to be about over the next five years. There was a great deal of discussion evaluating the strengths as well as gaps in who we are as a church. One of the discoveries that day was that we are overly focused on involving our members in administrative tasks, at times to the detriment of service and learning. The question was asked, “Is there a better way for us to organize and work together?” To ad-dress that question, Chairperson Paul Rutter and the Council formed a team focused on vision and strategic planning. Gary Bos-worth, Catherine Fuller, Ellen Evans Agee, Sherry Burch, and John Woodall agreed to meet and strategize.

The team met for several months and engaged in ongoing dialogue with the larger Church Council. The result of this dialogue we are calling our 20/20 Vision (alluding to both seeing clearly and the year 2020). Simply stated, our vision is to be a vital church that matters to the people here as well as to the larger community. One important goal of the 20/20 vision is to put in place ministries that will help us to grow to an average weekly worship attendance of 400 persons by the year 2020. (The current aver-age weekend attendance is 230) This is a big goal, without a doubt, but we believe it is a worthy and achievable goal for this congrega-tion! We believe an increase to that level of attendance will result in several things.

It will help maintain momentum and increase the level of enthusiasm to participate.

It will lead to more commit-ment to partici-pate in service to the local and larger community, amplifying the witness of this church.

It will supply a larger finan-cial base to help underwrite the ministries and mission that are so important to this congregation.

400 by 2020 seems to be the appropri-ate challenge for this place and time.

This vision and goal will require us to

organize in a different way. The strategy team, in looking at how we currently do our work, felt more was needed than a little bit of a course correction. A recommendation was made, and has been approved by the Church Council, to decrease the number of persons enlisted to staff committees. At the same time, the staff and Council are challenged to find more ways to engage folks in fellowship, study, and service.

This led us to a discussion of what we see as the “core values” of Westwood UMC and the things we need to do as a church. Out of that discussion came this visual depic-tion, using the form of the Jerusalem cross:

2020Envisioning the Future

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We are using this as a visual reminder that:

• Everything we do is designed to spread the Good News of Jesus

• The church is at its best when maxi-mum attention is focused on:• Worship & Prayer• Teaching & Learning• Fellowship• Service

The administrative things we do are not ends to themselves; rather they are part of the supportive framework which ensures that we can be engaged in meaningful and faithful ministry.

As we move into the months ahead, several changes are coming that will affect how we operate as a church and where we focus our energies. Some of these things are already happening. The Church Council has approved a more streamlined com-mittee structure that includes an ongoing Strategy Team (drawn from the Church Council) that will focus on identifying and implementing initiatives designed to move us forward. This will mean fewer meetings for the Church Council. The Committee on Lay Leadership will now meet year-round, finding ways to know the congregation better to discern how their interests and skills could be used in carrying out our vision and mis-sion. This is what prompted the Skills and Interest Survey we encourage every member and friend to complete.

There will be a dedicated effort to make sure the diversity of our congregation is rep-resented, especially reaching out to persons who connect to the church through The Loft. Westwood UMC is one church committed to providing as many entry points as possible so that it remains a dynamic and growing congregation.

The coming months are a transitional time for the Church Council and other com-mittees. More information will presented at our All Church Meeting on Wednesday, No-vember 19. As we move into 2015 it will be a time of learning, risking, trying new things and evaluating results – a more intentional approach to organizing to be the church. Let us keep one another in prayer as we continue to follow Jesus and be a faithful people.

From the 2014 steWardship team

Westwood UMC is a place of abundance! We have been richly blessed as a church family in so many ways. For some, it is the depth and breadth of worship—at both the 10:00 service and The Loft—led by a creative and talented staff and lay people. For others, it is in the music ministry where they find a sacred space here at Westwood. Perhaps it is the many educational opportunities that engage the mind and instruct the next generation. Or is it in fellow-ship opportunities where you find your true home? Cafe W, WOW, the Fall Festival, Advent Workshop, or the annual all-church picnic to name just a few! How about the many opportunities for mission that the church supports? Last summer Westwood UMC was recognized by the Annual Con-ference as the leader in giving beyond itself. Truly, there is abundant life at Westwood UMC!Fall is the perfect time to reflect on these many gifts and reimagine how we can support them into the future. Our stewardship theme this year is Generosity Reimagined. We want to focus on the idea of giving, not out of duty or expec-tation, but from a sense of abundance and in gratitude for our many blessings. We want to reimagine what it means to be a generous people who give back to God the first fruits of our labor and treasure, not just what is left at the end of the month. We want to challenge everyone to move toward the goal of proportional giving and reimagine what it means to tithe. There are so many requests for our resources – why not envision a tithe that gives 5% to the church and frees 5% for other worthy organizations?Very soon you will be receiving a growthbook that will help you think about giving from spiritual and practical perspec-tives. In it are three weeks of readings, reflections, prayers, and questions to help us become more aware of how we respond to God’s gifts in our lives. We hope that with just a few minutes of reflection each day, we can better see life through a lens of abundance. Westwood UMC makes our lives richer in so many ways. Let’s celebrate these blessings with a commitment to reimagined generosity, for we are called to be generous with our time, our talents, and our money.

Come reimagine the possibilities with us!

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iNFuSeD with goD’S love through uSBy Bette Caldwell

“Words cannot convey more than a frac-tion of the emotions I felt when the church blessed and gave me my prayer shawl. It was an affirmation that I had not only survived a serious condition, but had also come out of it with a beautiful and tangible gift of faith and love from my church family. Thank you again.” –Jan Gonder

Prayerful Stitches began sev-eral years ago when Rachel Gipson discussed with several friends her desire to serve others who are in need. “This ministry started with the desire to provide a physical, tan-gible representation of the prayers, thoughts, and love of the congrega-tion and of God,” Rachel says. “The prayer shawl seems like the perfect item to be blessed and given because it is, literally, wrapped around the recipient like a hug, providing warmth and a physical re-minder of the love that encircles them. The shawls are meant to be something the knitter, and the whole church, can do to let the re-cipients know that they are being thought of and cared for. I think it is meaningful for all the members of the church to be involved in the blessing of the shawl. There is something powerful about having your hands on the item that will be wrapped around a loved one to infuse it with your love and with God’s love through you. The process of creating them, the time and personal investment that it takes, make the end result much more than knitted yarn. It is personal and powerful.”

Several church members who have

received prayer shawls have shared their thoughts below. Their experiences testify to the power of this ministry.

Pat Wood wrote, ”The prayer shawl that I received four years ago at the time of my husband, Dana’s, death, was so very comforting. It resides on a chair in my den and is a cozy and continual reminder of how fortunate I am to be a part of such a caring congregation.”

Dr. Gina Shaw shared, “I actually have two of the prayer shawls. I received the first one after the death of my son, Steven, and the second one when they were given out at a WOW gathering. I use both of them – one in my healing room and the other on the chair where I watch television. They do have a special energy. I especially like to wrap them around me in cooler weather. It is comfort-ing to know the love and prayers that went into the making of them..”

Ruth Elin Drossel ref lected, “Last sum-mer, my sister-in-law was suddenly facing a very serious operation at UCLA Medical Center – brain surgery. I received a shawl from Prayerful Stitches that I was able to give her when I visited her following our Sunday

worship service. She loved it. It made her so happy to think that “strangers” were praying for her recovery and good health. She also used it quite often in the hospital and during her recovery at home to keep her neck and shoulders warm. (It must have worked as she is totally ‘cured’).”

Beverly and Brydon Shirk each received prayer shawls following surger-ies. “They hang on our respective sides of the headboard and they comfort us still,” shared Beverly.

Nancy Price also shared, “I received my prayer shawl when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It represented the love and support of the congregation as I underwent my surgery and radiation treat-ments. It was an important reminder that

I was not alone.”Doreen Rutter offered an emotional

statement, “That beautiful shawl! I am tear-ing up as I write this. We never dreamed that we would be in a place where we would be considered for this gift. It brought such love and comfort after my parents’ deaths. We took it to the hospital and it surrounded my mother and the family as we let her go to be with God. We wrapped it around us as we sat through the memorial services for them. My sister and I took turns sleeping with it each night. And now, several months later, it lies over a chair in the bedroom, a daily reminder of the prayers of our loving congregation. Although knit by one, it was blessed by many. It brought such comfort.”

Rachel Gipson, the founder of this won-derful group, has also experienced its care. “I received a prayer shawl when my father died in 2010, and then received blankets and hats for Henry and Simon when they were in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit after being born prematurely. I was in church when the shawl was blessed on Easter, the day after Dad passed. I was able to see the line of people waiting to pray over it and I felt very moved. I left the shawl on my couch and sometimes would just touch it and remember my Dad and my church that loves me. Now I wrap up my children in the shawl and they snuggle in it and play, and I am reminded of the life and laughter that comes after grief.

The twin boys’ blankets and hats were powerful in a different way. At that time, I was not going to church as most days were spent at the hospital and we were so over-whelmed and exhausted. I was not good at returning the calls and texts from worried friends, and this only furthered my isolation. So, when the blankets were delivered by El-liot’s parents, I felt reconnected in a way that

If you wish to request a prayer shawl, for any reason, email prayerfulstitches@gmail.com or go online to westwoodumc.org/prayerful-stitches. To contribute to this ministry, purchase craft store gift cards from the SAM Plan and then donate them to Prayerful Stitches for the purchase of yarn.

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was both calming and healing. My church was letting me know that they were thinking about us and praying for us and worrying for us. It was a reminder that, even in the isola-tion of the NICU, we were not alone on the journey. We wrapped them up in the blan-kets for their baptisms a few months later to honor the love and support we received from our church during that very difficult time.”

Shirley Williams, an extremely active knitter, summarized the purpose of the group, “The different colors, patterns, and yarns used in the prayer shawls ref lect the variety of people who create the shawls and those who receive them with their various prayer requests. At one of our first meet-ings, Rachel Gipson stressed that it was not the person doing the knitting or crocheting that was important, but, rather, the recipi-ent. Rachel added that it would be appropri-ate to say something like, ‘Bless the person who receives this shawl,’ as we work on the shawls. The shawls are tangible signs that people care – in the making of the shawls, in the blessing of them by the clergy, and in the praying over them by the congregation. People praying over the shawls is an outward sign of their care but also is in the tradition of “laying on of hands,” as practiced since the ancient church. All those who are involved in this ministry are part of the fabric of the church. I am glad that I can help.

Bette Caldwell is Assistant Principal of Counseling Services at Youth Opportuni-ties Unlimited Alternative High School. She has served as Editor of The Spire and the Los Angeles District page of Circuit West, as well as Chi State News, a publi-cation of The Delta Kappa Gamma Soci-ety International. She has been a member of Westwood UMC since 1964.”

to be: ArtiStic eXpreSSioN For worShipBy Bette Caldwell

Church members and visitors who walk through the entrance of Westwood United Method-

ist Church are immediately struck by the beauty of the Sanctuary, particularly the Glory Window and the other stained-glass windows. But they also are met by a unique and beautiful f lower arrange-ment on the table in the Narthex, often from the garden of two church members.

A further look reveals additional beauty in the paraments which adorn the altar area, the pulpit and the lectern. All of this is thanks to two very creative artists, Brydon and Beverly Shirk.

Beverly and Brydon have spent their lives devoted to artistic endeavors. After high school, Beverly attended Fullerton Junior College, San Jose State, and Cali-fornia State University, Fullerton. She was an English Literature major with an Art History minor, and graduated with an elementary

teaching credential. Brydon graduated from Woodbury College with a major in Interior Design.

After college, Brydon was drafted

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72” circular banner created

for First Presbyterian

Church of Fullerton

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into the U.S. Navy and spent three tours of duty in Vietnam. Beverly taught school in LaHabra, Fullerton, and Yorba Linda for nine years. Wishing to stay home with their children, Beverly and Brydon decided to start a home alteration and sewing business that also provided clergy vestments, choir robes, and fabric art hangings for churches. At the same time, Beverly also taught sewing part-time at Fullerton College and began assisting with – and later designing – costumes for Fullerton Children’s Reper-tory Theater. She retired from full-time teaching in 2007 but remains involved with Fullerton High School’s Academy of the Arts. Their two adult children are also involved in the arts. Bronwen, their daughter, has worked as the Head Cutter in the Costume Shop at South Coast Repertory Theater and is now free-lancing; and their son, Evan, is manager of the historic Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton as well as a theater tech consultant.

Brydon and Beverly are widely known as textile artists who create ecclesiastical paraments, vestments, and banners for congregations and environmental textiles for public spaces. They work together in creating their textile art works – Brydon devel-ops the two-dimensional design concepts and Beverly translates them into creations of complicated joined silks. They have been featured artists at three convocations of The Fellowship of United Methodists in Worship, Music, and the Other Arts. For many years they designed worship environments and visuals for the principal wor-ship services at the California-Pacific Annual Conference sessions held in Redlands. Beverly and Brydon did pioneering work in religious wardrobe for clergywomen. They created vestments for the Reverend Marjorie Matthews, the first woman Bishop in The United Methodist Church. That robe is displayed in the museum at the National Council of Churches headquarters in New York City. As a liturgical consultant, Brydon is especially gifted in helping congregations work with architects who are designing or remodeling their worship spaces.

In addition to Westwood, their textile art is included in collections at:Duke University Chapel, Durham, North CarolinaHigh Point United Methodist Church, High Point, North CarolinaFirst Presbyterian Church, Fullerton, CaliforniaMany local United Methodist Churches in Southern California

Brydon and Beverly joined Westwood UMC in 1995 and have blessed our clergy, choir, and congregation in many ways. They created the paraments used during vari-ous liturgical seasons, a chasuble for Pastor John, choir robes and stoles, and various banners. Recently, they designed a stole for the Reverend Chris Spearman on the occasion of his ordination. They are also faithful members of the Chancel Choir. As Beverly says, “Westwood UMC feeds my spiritual and artistic needs. It is worth the drive.”

John Woodall models one of the Shirks’ latest creations.

Torrance UMC, 1999

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This is how I remember it happening:

I was a seminary student in the mid-seventies at Claremont School of Theol-ogy. During one of those years I shared an apartment with my good friend, Linda, who was working at Orangethorpe UMC in Fullerton. Somehow she had met Bev and Bry and told me that they were starting their own busi-ness designing clergy robes for women and they might call me.“Wow,” thought I, “designing clergy robes for women! How smart are they…and I am interested.” Women were just beginning to enter seminar-ies and I can testify that nobody had given any thought to how those black academic gowns looked on women! I borrowed one of those from a friend for my deacon’s ordination in 1975. You can picture the gathers at the shoulders and billowy sleeves, and they had slits where pockets would be in men’s pants (perfectly useless when you don’t have pockets).The phone call came (I don’t remember which Shirk made the call) and a Shirk told me about the business they were imagining and that they needed guinea pigs (or was it prototypes?) of robes for real women that they could show and feature. Would I be interested in getting a custom-fit robe for a great price? They didn’t have to ask me twice!That was the beginning of a nearly forty-year relationship that I treasure. I drove down to their home in Fullerton and Beverly got all my measure-ments (which have expanded, contracted, and expanded over the years) and we talked design concept. They made my first robe, black silk with grey piping on the bodice–and with pockets! It was beautiful. Over the years they made robes and stoles for both Al and me, as well as an iris wall hanging that friends commissioned for me when I became a District Superintendent. When I was appointed to Westwood my husband Al com-missioned a stole that would capture Westwood UMC. They created it featuring the carved angels from the balcony, symbolic designs of the city, and fabrics from an array of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. When Al and I were co-pastors at Santa Clarita we had them come out to lead robe-making workshops for acolyte and choir robes. Church members came with their sewing machines and production was intense and fruitful. As the Shirks’ business developed they also offered workshops on the histo-ry of liturgical garb as well as the Church’s history of promoting and funding the arts. (Did I tell you that the business was named “To Be” and that they had a spare tire cover with their logo on their VW van… which they needed to haul their stuff everywhere!) For decades they were the “go to” people for Annual Conference worship visuals, and for their good worship sense. They organize processionals like nobody else! God blessed them with creativity, capacity, and humor. Bev’s sister, Jonelle, starting coming to Conference to sell the crosses that she made, which made buying one every year especially fun! We can remember when each other’s children were small, sharing their fam-ily cabin in the snow. We’ve enjoyed weddings and grandchildren and long talks and treasured times. I cannot tell you how thrilled I was when they first started appearing in worship at Westwood UMC. As they made the decision to make this church their home I was so happy to have colleagues with such skill join the fam-ily. There is much to love and admire about Beverly and Brydon, but one more thing I want to mention: I have counted on them to speak truthfully and I have not been disappointed (annoyed… but never disappointed – just kidding). As I now slowly put my ‘toe’ in the Westwood ‘waters’ in a new relationship, I am glad to be with them again, unbound by the protocol that keeps former pastors at a distance. They are treasures who have given of themselves generously that worship might be transcendent and transform-ing. —Sharon Rhodes-Wickett

Organ screen, 22’x35’ constructed from parachute silk

sewn in 4” patchwork squares.Canyon Hills Presbyterian Church in Anaheim, 1996.

sharon rhodes-Wickett was senior pastor of Westwood umC from 1994 to 2006

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Westwood United Methodist Church10497WilshireBoulevard•LosAngeles,CA90024

NON PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLOS ANGELES, CAPERMIT No. 38190

God, we come here in worship every Sunday,

Give or take,

Full of hope and faith,

More or less,

Secretly hoping our mere presence in sacred space will create a world better than the one we left at the door.

Won’t you lead the world out of violence?

Won’t you lead us out of fear and hatred?

Won’t you find ways to feed your flock, house those who sleep in cardboard boxes, and quench our thirst for clean water?

Here we are, God, waiting for the new thing you have promised us.

Yet…

In spite of our not-so-secret desire for you to do all the work, we know whose job it is to create a world where everyone can live in peace.

Emily Dickinson said, “We dwell in possibility.” In our better moments, we see ourselves as architects of miracles. God, give us strength and vision to transform possibility into your reality.

AMEN

Prayer for a New ThiNg By Jan Gonder

See, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? –Isaiah 43:19