September 30, 2025
Lessons for October 5
• Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
• Psalm 37:1-9
• 2 Timothy 1:1-14
• Luke 17:5-10
Just doing my Job
Have you heard people say that lately? I try to say thank you to people who assist myself and others. People like custodians, hotel workers, landscapers, who may not be thanked often enough.
I enjoy thanking people at church as well like:
Leisa who does fantastic work cleaning around the church.
Our exterminator, Kyle, who keeps the bugs at bay.
Our landscaper, Francisco.
Special Kudos to our Volunteers:
Kyle Hadley recently fixed the door to the storage room upstairs.
Lou Hitter fixed the horrible gap in cabinets in the Fireside Room.
Carol and Barbara lead pantry crew.
Barbara is also our treasurer.
Caroline keeps track of your offerings and counts the money with other volunteers.
Karen puts together the worship assistants, communion and education schedule.
Connie who works with volunteeres to provide refreshments after church.
Holly teaches watercolor so more cards can be sent to faith members and friends.
Paula, your president, leads our council meeting filled with volunteers.
There are others to thank and I will do my best to keep it up.
Most of the time when I say thank you. People say: Thanks but just doing my job. Working around the church, doing good works in the world, can be challenging and demanding
at times, so a thank you is a way to bless those who bless us, but it seems like the people that do the most need the least thanks.
In the 16th chapter of Luke, which we studied the last couple of Sundays. Jesus laid out some challenges about money. He does not want us to be drawn in to the love of money.
Selfishly piling up wealth to the neglect of others is a pathway to regret, as the unnamed richman found out. Hebrew 13:5 also reminds us that the love of money is the root of all evil.
That truth was on full deplay when we read from Exodus 32. Moses is up on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, which are meant to help people get along. But the people of Israel
instead used that time to create the image of a calf from their gold and worship it. God was ready for a rewrite, starting with a new group of people Moses could choose. Moses instead
pleas for the people he has. His leadership is demanding but he is there to bless his people.
So we are given the challenge of resisting the lure of money, even when all around the world people seem ready to bow down to it. We are instead urged to focus on the lost sheep, the
lost coins, the lost children.
In chapter 17 Jesus goes on to say that as Moses knew well, people can disappoint us. Even people in the community of faith can cause us to stumble. What are we to do? Encourage
them to change, do not allow the helpful behavior to continue. At the same time have a forgiving heart.
The many challenges Jesus present can be overwhelming. We may be tempted at time for a rewrite. Lord give me a new bunch of people to deal with who are more like me.
The response of the disciples to Jesus’ commands is: “Increase our faith!” Interestingly, Jesus does not think it takes a lot of faith. A mustard seed will do.
After 40 plus years of ministry I would say, Jesus is right. You do not need a lot of faith to follow the Christlike path, you just need to keep after it. The Mulberry trees, Jesus talks about
can be uprooted and cast aside in time.
On November 2 we will be remembering those who have passed away since last All Saints Day. Members like erwin Buschauer, Bud Watson and Yvetre Mureaux. These were people who
deserved a Thank You. But at the end of the day they would likely reply, as Jesus suggests in Luke 17:10: “We have only done what we ought to have done!”
PRAYER Lord, life is challenging often enough. When you ask us to dig deep and care for the lost, for our neighbor, for the Lazarus at the gate, all with a forgiving heart, it can be
overwhelming. Help us to see that amazingly, when we carry your cross, the load is lighter. Chasing after gold and fame can weigh us down. Living in relationship with you and your
people is Light. At the end of the day, may we be able to say: “We have only done what we ought to have done!” Amen.
Grace & Peace, Pastor John
RUMMAGE SALE to benefit the Pantry will be on October 17 & 18. Bring Items to the church on Sunday 10/12. We also need volunteers for the rummage sale — To set up tables Sunday
10/12 after church service. Set up and pricing Monday through Thursday 10/ 13-16, Also, sales helpers during the sale and cashiers Friday and Saturday 10/17 & 18. Hours will be 9 a – 2 p.
One day or several days; any time is appreciated. Upon request, a receipt letter for tax purposes will be provided. For non-members, a full name and address needed.
PANTRY -2nd & 4th Saturday; from 8 to 10:00. The Lord is good and has provided for our pantry. This week: The Faith Pantry was notified by Morongo Band of Mission Indians that we will
receive 25 turkeys for Thanksgiving distribution. Receipts from the upcoming rummage sale will help purchase other needed turkeys. If you can donate one that helps as well.
Starting now and ongoing to Thanksgiving, we are asking donations from the church family for the other parts of a Thanksgiving meal, as well, such as cranberries, turkey dressing, gravy,
canned vegetables, canned yams and any other miscellaneous items. In the meantime, the pantry cupboards are nearly bare, so cereal, soup and pasta sauce is
always needed. Thank you for your continued support.
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP
The support of the church has been such a blessing. We gave $2,400 to our camp and $4,550 to our Synod in support.
Here at Faith, we are now looking at adding a stove to the Fireside Room for convenience of refreshments, meals, and our preschool. Thanks to Kyle Hadley and Lou
Hitter for helping with the installation. Together with Tim Drum and Dana Hadley we are blessed with people who care for our property.
Pastor Bunge will be in the office on Monday and Tuesday next week.
Meditation – will NOT be meeting, Nelson’s health is too compromised.
WATERCOLOR PAINTING CLASS by our OWN MASTER WATERCOLORIST, HOLLY. A new
session will begin November 6-December 11, Thursdays, 4:00 p.m. If interested, sign up in
narthex or let Holly or Connie know. No class fee, materials provided if do not have own;
please donate to the Camp fund for youth for taking the class.
QUILTING – Emily Smith’s Group (909.255.2452) has cleaned up the sewing room. They have
completed four quilts for the San Bernardino Wellness Center and six for LWR.
PRAISE
• Pat Teeters – such a blessing for you to be with us on Sunday, as she has recovered.
• Kyle Hadley is off the antibiotics and back helping around the church.
• Eloise came through her surgeries for the melanoma discovered around her eye. She is receiving chemo and will know more in the weeks ahead. Thanks for your prayers.
• Michael Shea was back with us after oral surgery on August 20 and is recovering. He awaits replacements for the extracted teeth. His breathing is becoming more difficult.
Please pray for:
• Bronson, the grandson of Brenda Batt’s grandson, has been suffering from nose bleeding and needs surgery.
• Nelson Hall continues to have health concerns including his heart function and breathing. He is not able to continue with the Meditation Group.
• Lauren Shaffer who works with us remotely, made it through her surgery and is recovering well. Once fully recovered she will be scheduled for surgery to remove a blood clot, likely
mid-October.
• Bonnie Hallberg will be rescheduling her shoulder surgery. A routine ultrasound done prior to the surgery fortuitously discovered a blood clot in her leg. She is on blood thinners to
dissolve the clot and will reschedule shoulder surgery about three months from now.
• Kim Guevara lost her mother Carol who lives in Canada. Thank you for your prayers. Kayla, their granddaughter, is now able to live with her father, their son, Kyle.
• Judy Martin has moved into Golden Oaks and is receiving Hospice care.
• Bonnie Strack appreciates continued prayers for her son Brendan Simms, who has suffered from a series of strokes.
• Jennifer’s breast chemo treatments for cancer are over; her surgery went well but she is now receiving radiation treatments. She plans on being back in January.
• Continued prayers for Jacque Kottmeier
• Jeanne Koening. Her health issues continue but she able to go to Loma Linda, so care is much closer.
Thanks to all who continue to give shoes for Soles 4 Souls. The box is still in the Narthex for continued donations. Thanks to David Strack for
coordinating.
Thanks to Holly from Family Assistance Center in Yucaipa for making donations as well.
FELLOWSHIP/OUTREACH
PRAYER CARDS – Thanks for sending out cards to remember family and friends. Thanks again to the artists: Emily, Kim, Barbara, Karen, Holly, Pat T., Linda D., Connie
We will provide fall cards in October.
PRAYER/FRIENDSHIP ROCKS – Karen, Connie, Sharon C., and Carol Hambre have painted prayer/friendship rocks for you to keep, give to someone, surprise someone, or put in your
garden, etc. We have painted rocks for the Prayer Ministry that Paula will have; rocks available in the Fireside Room and Chapel for the AA, NA, Al-anon, etc. groups that meet weekly.
SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE HOUR
SEPTEMBER
28 POTLUCK – BBQ AT THE BEACH Wonderful day! Thanks to Dave & Bonnie S.,
Bonnie & Jerry M., Nancy, Steve & Sharon C., Karen H.
OCTOBER
5 WELCA
12 CLERGY APPRECIATION DAY – Bagels, Cream Cheese and fruit
19 BINGO –
26 POTLUCK – CHILIFEST, Salad, Crackers, Cornbread, Biscuits or cinnamon roll
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