2024-09-26 Newsletter

The back row of the sanctuary is for wheelchair parishioners and their companions.Please allow our friends the convenience of comfortable seating. Thank you.......

God’s House Gets A Thorough Cleaningby Barbara HiuraWell? Did you notice the waft of fresh, clean scent of pine and God’s Breath when you entered the Sanctuary on Aug. 24? Did your shoes squeak on the Fellowship Hall floor, which was buffed to a mirror-shine? Could you see out of the newly cleaned windows? Yes, you took it all in and you were immediately refreshed and uplifted!!! God’s house spark...

Hey! It's Rally Sunday! Welcome! We welcomed back all our children and teachers on Aug. 18 for another year of learning about Jesus and growing as fruit on a budding tree. Helping the church celebrate were members of the Wesley Jazz Band ushered in the beginning of our church's Sunday School Year with "Do Lord!" Teachers Mary Asano and Lisa Bantilan served as our liturgists. And yes, the children ...

ローマとキリスト教 今キリスト教と言うと、主にローマカソリックとプロテスタント、そして東方教会を思い浮かべます。でもプロテスタントは16世紀にカソリックから離反して生まれたことを考えると、初期のキリスト教はローマが中心となって広がっていったことになります。でもローマは当初、キリスト教を弾圧する立場でした。主イエスの十字架は、ローマの当時のユダヤ総督であるポンテオ・ピラトが命じた処刑ですし、使徒言行録に記されているように、その後もキリスト教徒を迫害していきます。それがキリスト教の言わば中心地となっていったのはどうしたわけなのでしょう。紀元前のヘロデ大王のもとではユダヤはローマの独立した同盟国だったのですが、主イエスが宣教を始める頃にはローマは支配を更に強くていました。ユダヤの宗教的指導者である祭司長はローマのユダヤ総督によって任命され、彼の祭具や憲章はローマの監督下に置かれます。また農地税や...

We were treated to the beautiful lyrical rendering and moving story-telling style of Rev. Bobbie Corson whose message "And the Morning Came: Healing from Trauma" was part three in the Journey to Wholeness: Healing Mind, Body and Spirit. And always the "morning comes" as we know God is with us and in us especially during times of trauma. Just let the Creator in. If you missed these uplifting messag...

Our church's Umbrella Ministry continues to come up with interesting craft projects and ways to get our members involved and into relationship with one another, and the "End-of-Summer" Fellowship held on Aug. 25, was no different as the chairs Mary Sasaki and Lynn Tabuchi solicited the expertise of from left: Mika Visitacion, Kiyomi Yanai, Mari Fujii and Carl Miya to create Circuit Designs (electr...

School is back in session and families are getting back into the full swing of things with school and fall activities. Before everyone’s schedules got too, too busy, we had a Back-to-School picnic on Sept 8th for the Children and Youth Ministries families. We had about 60 people join us on that beautiful Sunday afternoon at Willow Street Frank Bramhall Park. Parents and children got to eat some yu...

Ahhhh! Escaping to Pinecrest Lake!by Barbara HiuraThe Excitement! The Rush! The immediate calm cascades within you as soon as you exit the car at Pinecrest Lake. Not a sound can be heard, but the crunch of dirt and gravel beneath your feet. And the scent of fresh pine wafts through the air and you know, yes…finally…you’re at Wesley’s All Church “Family Camp.”Held over Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30 th...

Mark your calendars for our Second Annual Curry Cook-Off on Saturday, November 16, 5:30-7:30pm at the SJ Buddhist Church! For the second year, Wesley and our friends at the Buddhist Church are collaborating to bring this fun event back to our Japantown community. New this year - a Kids' Choice Award for their favorite curry! Proceeds will benefit San Jose JACL and Nikkei West Newspaper. Do you hav...

Wesley’s 2025 Stewardship and Capital Campaign: Abundant Grace, Abundant Giving kicks off on November 3. Before kicking off 2025, Wesley would like to express its gratitude for those who participated in the 2024 campaign. Your support enabled us to expand our outreach programs through new technologies and staff positions, enhance our worship experiences, and move forward with our garden project, w...

Chidori Band11:00 am to 11:40 amA group of vocalists, instrumentalists, and sound technicians dedicated to performing Japanesesongs for the community, especially at local Obon Festivals.Wesley Ukulele Band11:50 am to 12:30 pmHear traditional and popular Hawaiian music with hula from Wesley's own ensemble.Wesley Jazz Ensemble12:40 pm to 1:20 pmThe band’s music includes jazz, blues, latin, rockand r...

If you are considering to donate any plants for the Aki Gardens booth at the Aki Matsuri:  any shrubs, trees, flowers, vegetables, fruits, etc….please drop them off to the church Fireside Room on Friday, October 4th between 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.  Someone will be there to note your donation on our inventory list.  Your donations are much appreciated!! Terri Koike - Lead, Aki Garden......

Calling all Bargain Shoppers! This year's Kids Zone at Aki Matsuri will be home to games like ring toss, Daruma Dig, Hi-Lo, Yo-Yo Tsuri, and more! Kids will be playing hard to earn "smileys", which can be accumulated and turned in to win prizes! We're on the hunt for game prizes (brand new, unopened) to be donated to the Kids Zone. We welcome a variety of prizes, from small trinkets to bigger tick...

Aki Matsuri is a wonderful time for the Wesley folks to invite family, friends, and neighbors.  Have we missed anyone in our congregation that we need to personally invite to our Fall Festival?  By working and playing together,  we demonstrate what it means to be a community and to experience Wesley Church's core value of Joy in Fellowship and Thankfulness to God for his constant love and presence...

This year, Wesley is partnering with the Yu-Ai Kai Senior Service, SJ Buddhist Church, and Nikkei Matsuri Foundation to honor our seniors at Community Keiro Kai on Saturday, October 19 from 4-7pm at the Buddhist Church. The event, which is free for seniors 75+ who are members of one of our participating organizations, will be highlighted with dinner provided by Bento Sprout, an uplifting performan...

Calling all Compassion volunteers and donors!  Please come to a thank you dinner on Saturday November 9th in Fellowship Hall.  Doors open at 5:00pm and dinner is served at 5:30pm.  We don’t know who all of you are, but you know who you are, so please come, and bring your partner, friend, or relative.  Everyone who has volunteered even just once is invited.   And everyone who has donated even just ...

When I directed the United Methodist Church’s Asian American Language Ministry Plan (part of the General Board of Global Ministries) one of my goals was to connect with as many of the Asian American churches across the country, as I could.  In my first year I quickly discovered that every church wanted the same thing: they all wanted more young people and young families to attend their churches. T...

Needed:  Donations for Halloween Trunk ‘N’ Treat Event The church is looking for donations for our Trunk ‘N’ Treats event held at the end of October.  It can be in the form of a monetary contribution to purchase treats (please put TnT Outreach Ministry on the memo line of the check) or donations of small toys and/or candy is happily accepted. Your contributions needs be brought to the church offic...

Carl Miya and Richard Poczulp get ready for greeting and welcoming our guests representing 30 of 50 churches in the El Camino Real District on Sept. 14......