July 2012 Calvary Press

Calvary Press July 2012

Pastor: The Rev. Hiromi Yoneda Parish Associate: The Rev. Dallas Landrum Pastor Emeritus: The Rev. Saburo Masada

2343 Country Club Blvd., Stockton, CA 95204 Office: (209) 466-‐0221 Fax: (209) 466-‐1839

Website: www.cpcstockton.com Email: [email protected]

The March 2011, issue of The New York Times featured a story about a 51-‐year-‐old ex-‐convict named Robert Salzman. After a horrific childhood, Salzman spent most of his adult life in prison. When he was released from prison in 2001, Salzman found it difficult to enjoy freedom outside prison walls, struggling to pay rent or doing stints in homeless shelters.

Finally, in June of 2010, Salzman had a grace-‐like experience. While he was riding a New York City subway car, he was "found" by Rashaad Ernesto Green, a writer and director who was

searching for someone to play a tough-‐looking former convict for an upcoming film. After an audition, Green surprised nearly everyone when he gave Salzman a key role for the film.

In the ensuing months, Salzman found it hard to believe that he had actually been set free from his prison life. On one occasion, while filming with Green on location in a Long Island penitentiary, an exhausted Salzman fell asleep on a cot in the prison cell. When he woke up, he became confused and thought he was still a prisoner. Salzman started weeping in despair … until it slowly dawned on him that he was now a free man. Salzman was overwhelmed by the joy of knowing that at any moment he could walk out of that cramped cell and through the prison doors. On the other side of the prison walls he could enjoy his new life of freedom.

As those who trust in Christ, regardless of our past, we can leave our slavery to sin and condemnation as we joyfully step into our freedom in Christ. Corey Kilgannon, "Sidewalk Is His Prison Yard," The New York Times (3-‐11-‐11)

As I read this story, I thought of how difficult it is to accept the words of Jesus: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). It takes time for this message to sink in, to get under our skin and into our soul, so that we can live free in Christ. Otherwise, like Salzman, we spend more time on a cot in a prison cell than as a free person. Accepting Christ into our lives means that we are truly free from God’s judgment.

The “small” sins are easier to let go of, but our “bigger” sins can haunt us, especially if we allow the adversary (Satan) to remind us of whom we were rather than if we affirm who we are in Christ Jesus today. Scriptures says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2Cor. 5:17)

This new creation, this freedom in Christ, came to us through a great sacrifice on Jesus’ part. We call this gift grace. The Bible goes further to say that, “you were bought at a price” (1Cor. 6:20). This purchase through Jesus’ death on the cross, made all who would accept Jesus into their lives, the possession of God. The Bible calls this salvation. However, our faith journey doesn’t end there. The second part of 1Cor. 6:20 states “Therefore honor God with your body.”

This means we need godly words and deeds to make our salvation active. Too many Christians think that salvation is the goal, rather than the beginning of a life lived for Christ. The word “honor” in Greek means “to glorify” or “to give praise”. To be free in Christ means that we use our body, heart, soul and mind to give praise to God in words and in deeds, not just in the church but more importantly in the world. We have been given this great freedom in Jesus to glorify our Lord in all we do. If we are looking to be blessed by Christ, this is where it begins: we accept Jesus into our heart, we leave the past behind, and we joyfully step into our freedom in Christ.

1. A Membership Class is tentatively set for August 19th. Those interested in finding out more about Calvary Presbyterian Church and what it means to be a member should sign up with Pastor Hiromi. 2. All locks in the gym have been changed. There are some minor things that need to be finished / fixed in the church. There will be a sign-‐up sheet on the bulletin board for those who wish to volunteer to assist in the repairs. 3. There will be no youth mission trip this year. 4. The Calvaryfest date was changed to Saturday, August 11th, from 5:00-‐7:00 pm.

5. The Session approved a resolution to be sent to the Presbyterian Church USA Board of Pensions for a Relief of Conscience to not extend spousal and dependent benefits to same-‐gender domestic partners of Benefit Plan members.

6. The Session approved a motion to designate Sunday, September 23rd, as the first annual Building Fund Sunday. A special offering will be taken that day and will go towards the mortgage principal.

7. The next Regular Session Meeting will be August 12th.

May 2012 YTD Income $84,140.29 Expenses $83,536.10 Total + $604.19

FROM THE

Myra Fong, Clerk of Session

High School & College Graduates Corrections and additions to information published in the June Calvary Press.

Ashley Watanabe Will attend University of Santa Barbara

John Nilsen Will attend University of the Pacific

2012 Stockton Ports Japanese American Heritage Night Sunday, August 12, 2012

Ports vs. Modesto Nuts Gates Open @ 5:05pm Game Time 6:05pm

Discounted tickets are just $7 for Field Box

For more info: Jeremy Neisser 209-‐644-‐1906 or [email protected] -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐

Stockton Ports Order Form 2012 Order forms must be turned into the Stockton Ports office by 8/9/12

404 West Fremont St, Stockton CA 95203 Ticket orders can be taken in person at the ballpark or by calling the contacts above.

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip

Phone: Email:

Number of Ticketes: x $7 =

Please circle: CHECK CASH CREDIT CARD CARD TYPE: VISA MASTERCARD AMEX DISCOVER # Expires: Make checks payable to Stockton Ports Baseball Club

Tickets will be organized at Banner Island Ballpark under the name & will be available the day of the game at the WILL CALL window.

Miki Caron Will attend University of Santa Barbara

Brenna Nakashima Will attend Washington State University Pre-‐Health Major

Special Donations

In Memory of Pete Takahashi Arata, Henry & Grace Chan, Michael & Janice Fujii, Kenneth & Alice Hamamoto, Ben & Susie Hatanaka, Ben & Lilly Nagai, Hatsuto & Etsuko Nakashima, John & Kelly Nakashima, Joyce Nishioka, Kazumi Sakoda, Duane & Jean

In Memory of Grace Sumida Sakai, Clarence & Hideko

In Memory of Kay Nakata Aoyama, Harold & Aiko Arata, Matsuye Chan, Michael & Janice Matsumoto, Tets & Nakashima, John & Kelly Nakashima, Joyce Komure, Kathryn Shima, Bill

In Memory of Dr. James Nakamura Chan, Michael & Janice Kai, Aichi Shinboku Komure, Kathryn Kubota, Diane Matsune, Joan Mishoe, Jenny Nakamura, James & Rose Nakashima, John & Kelly Nakashima, Joyce Nishioka, Henry & Dorothy Nitta, Hiroko & Bonnie Quan, Francis & Linda Sakoda, Duane & Jean Usui, Kay Yamada, Clarence Yamada, Craig Yamada, Keith & Judy

In Memory of Grace Nagai Ishihara, Masayuki & Kimiko Nagai, Nelson

Toyama, Titus & Donna Yoshikawa, Edward

In Memory of Hatsuko Ijuin Sakai, Clarence & Hideko Sakai, Dr. Diane Sakai, Herbert Sakai, Randall Sato, Mendel & Sharon Sumida, Dr. & Mrs. Ryan Tawatat, Ricky & Leslie

In Memory of Mike Kagoshima Colorado Pediatric/

Smits, Greg & Luci Kagoshima, Miki

Building Fund Aoyama, Russsell

Memorial Day Offering Mieko, Shimakawa

Easter Offering Chew, Daisy

CalvaryFest On Saturday, August 11th • 5:00pm to 7:30pm

Calvary family and friends are all invited to celebrate our church at our 3rd Annual Calvaryfest!! (formerly: the Summer BBQ)

At Calvary on the grass between the social hall and the gym

Dinner will be provided by Calvary Gary Low's terrific tri-tip, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, salad, fruit and dessert

Some special celebrations, presentations and wonderful company will be had! It's a time for the Calvary family to enjoy each other's company and to share our

Christian joy with friends and family! The postcards are available at church for you to invite friends and families: those who have participated and supported our Christian endeavors (basketball team families and Spaghetti

Feed workers) and those you would like to become a part of Calvary’s life.

Celebrate! Sally Tsunekawa

Invite Friends and Family Stockton Ports Faith Night August 18 at 7:05 pm

Tickets include semi-‐pro baseball game, faith testimonials by players and post-‐game fireworks. Group seating options (25 person minimum) 1) $10 Game Ticket Only 2) $25 Express Transmissions Pit Stop BBQ:

Includes Game Ticket & All-‐You-‐Can Eat Ball-‐Tip Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Cole Slaw, All-‐You-‐Can-‐Drink Soda.

Plan to Join Us for

Summer Family Camping Thurs.–Sat., July 26–28

More detailed information to come. If you’d like to help in the planning, please contact Brian Dwyer and Chris MacDannald.

August 9-‐10, 2012

GOAL: “To transform Christian leaders around the world with an injection of vision, skill development, and inspiration for the sake of the local church.”

Satellite feed at Bear Creek Community Church (Lodi). $130.00 per person (rate for 10 or more), deadline June 26. $79.00 student rate (regardless of age)

Vacation Bible School SIGN UP NOW to JOIN the FUN!

Contact Brian Kaneko @ 608-0069 or [email protected]

July 2012 Calvary Press

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