Good News September & October

Our Monthly Newsletter is a double issue we hope you enjoy and we will see you soon.

Transcript

1. First United Methodist Church of North Hollywood GOOD NEWS September | October 2026 4832 Tujunga Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91601 18187638231 + www.nohofumc.org + admin@nohofumc.org Seeing Jesus in India I have just returned from my annual visit to India, and amidst the unpacking and dealing with jet lag, I wanted to share some thoughts about traveling with Jesus, in my heart, in the faces of God’s and with the mini-Jesus kept in my pocket for our NoHoFUMC “Take a Little Jesus with You” Summer Challenge. GOOD NEWS is published bi-monthly by First United Methodist Church of North Hollywood, California. During my 3-week trip, I traveled with friends to Kerala, in the southernmost tip of India. It was my rst visit to the region. According to traditional accounts of the Saint Thomas Christians of India (found on Wikipedia), the Apostle Thomas landed on the coast of the Chera Kingdom, which is the present-day state of Kerala, in AD 52. According to tradition, Thomas— the same disciple whose doubts made him famous — traveled throughout southern India, and some believe China and Indonesia as well, sharing the teachings of Jesus. He was martyred in Mylapore, near Madras, in AD 72. Rev. Dottie Escobedo Frank Bishop Rev. Garth Gilliam District Superintendent Rev. Dr. Krista S. Givens Pastor While I was traveling in India, I witnessed the presence of Jesus in so many instances: in the faces of the children we support, in the teachers who give their all to 58 children in one classroom, in the ways people with so little have so much love to give. But what you won’t see as you travel are churches, crosses, statues, or any other symbols that denote Christian worship. Due to a challenging political atmosphere, it is not always safe to announce one’s belief system, and because the nonpro t I represent is not a religious organization, I am careful. Patty Kelsey Director of Outreach & Congregational Nurture Tonya Peat Director of Social Media & Digital Outreach April Anderson Of ce Administrator Nylean Rapinac Membership & Financial Secretary Dr. Yu Hang Tan Director of Music Ministries Letha Watts Sunday School & Nursery Scott Faucett Custodian fi (Continued on inside cover) fi fi Norman Kelsey Lay Leader
2. So I was surprised to see so much Christian iconography in Kerala: churches peeking out from the palm trees; statues of Jesus towering over cityscapes; a cross in a public square. It was quite a juxtaposition: Me, gingerly pulling my mini-Jesus out of my pocket to secretly take a photo while on the train, and Kerala-Jesus, standing proudly amid the community, declaring his love for all people. Jesus, as the incarnate God, is with us in so many ways and we are challenged to see how God is working in our daily lives. I am grateful for the opportunity to witness how Jesus shows up in our lives, in our church community and in the faces of our neighbors. May we see the work of God everywhere and in everyone. Blessings, Pastor Krista
3. 🍂 Fall Kick-Off Sunday Sunday, September 13th Join us for Fall Kick-Off as we celebrate the return of our choir and the beginning of a new season in the life of our church. Bring a friend to worship and stay after the service for our Tailgate BBQ in the courtyard. The church will provide the barbecue—we invite you to bring your favorite tailgate side dish to share. Let's gather for great food, fellowship, and fun as we welcome everyone back! Hispanic Heritage Pop-Up Sunday, September 20th Join us after worship as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month which begins September 15th with delicious food from Ana's Tacos and a local Salvadoran street vendor. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the rich history, cultures, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. As followers of Christ, we give thanks for the diversity of God's family and the gifts each culture brings to our shared life together. We'd love to make this celebration even more meaningful! If you speak Spanish or have a favorite family recipe or tradition you'd like to share, please connect with Patty Kelsey. Come celebrate the rich cultures and traditions that bless our church family!
4. Join us for Bible Study!
5. Choir Rehearsal Returns on September 10th
6. By Norman Kelsey, Lay Leader The rst week of August, my wife Patty Kelsey and I attended RISE UP, the 2026 installment of Discipleship Ministries’ School of Congregational Development (SCD) in Columbus, OH, from August 2-5. Each day of the conference was themed to a phrase from our denomination’s vision statement (Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully, and Lead Courageously) that was a springboard for the daily worship and sermons, biblical and theological re ections, and panel discussions. There were also workshops and two very insightful plenary sessions featuring though-provoking keynote speeches (yes, two keynotes) from Pastor Carey Nieuwhof, best-selling author of “At Your Best” and founder of the The Art of Leadership Academy. The last night of the event there was a celebration that featured a red carpet, a fantastic praise band, awards, and a speech from Rev. Matt Miofski. Every worship service was wonderful and all of the preachers brought inspiring messages. Sunday night’s opening welcome sermon, delivered by Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of the Ohio Conferences, was titled “Rise In Fire, Go In Love.” The Bishop’s refrain was “receive the re, enter the chaos, dig new wells.” I was particularly inspired by his sentiment that we should not fear ‘un nished places,’ because that Is where God is creating something new. It was a great way to start the conference. Pastor Nieuwhof’s rst speech was “Scaling Your Next Fruitfulness Barrier” which focused on avoiding burnout, energy management, and succeeding in overcoming barriers: no matter the size of your congregation, to ourish where you are as you pursue getting to the next level. The second was The “Future of the Church in the Age of A.I.” While A.I. is not going away, he offered many reasons to remain optimistic about what church, fellowship, and discipleship in person will mean as more and more of our lives becomes virtual, with a focus on the things that only a relationship with God and only human connection can provide. The workshops I attended were “Relational Listening for Community Engagement: How to Foster Deep Connections and Engagement with People in Your Local Community” with Pastor Travis Smith; “Simple Discipleship: How Ordinary Faith Becomes a Movement” with Pastor Anne Bosarge; and “Evangelism 8.0: The Gospel Never Changes; However Our Methods Can,” with Rev. Dr. Stephanie Moore Hand. These were opportunities to learn and exchange ideas in small group settings. I found plenty of great information on the primary importance of our discipleship, ideas on reaching the unchurched in our communities, the emphasis of our Wesleyan tradition… and LISTENING! It was a focus in the keynotes, it was repeated in the workshops. It has been a common theme that I have been encountering even outside of church. “Listen." I also enjoyed meeting so many of the participants including Bishop Jung, Rev. Theon Johnson III, Pastor Karen Muntzing, and Pastor Michael Beck (whose book “A Field Guide to Fresh Expressions,” I purchased and am diving into). We also had a chance to catch up with tech and hospitality guru Jason Moore. There was so much to absorb, learn and experience. My journal has about 22 pages of notes. We also worshipped at Broad Street Church, in Columbus on our rst morning. It is a beautiful church that is a National Historic Landmark with a gigantic pipe organ and stunning stained glass windows, which are vented, to make up for a lack of air conditioning. Columbus was a wonderful host city. I spent a few of my formative childhood years there, but hadn’t been back in over 40 years. We did have an opportunity to visit with an old family friend, make new friends, have dinner with our DS Garth Gilliam, take in some local culture and avor and stroll some beautiful urban oases. fl fi fi fi fi fi Discipleship Ministries puts on a fantastic learning and development event and I hope that we will be able to attend the next one in two years, and perhaps encourage one or two of you to come along. Thank you all for your prayers and support during our trip and your continued support of our ministries. We look forward to sharing even more about our time at SCD over the next weeks and months. fl fl “RISE UP!” School of Congregational Development 2026 Report
7. Carey Nieuwhof Worship at Broadstreet UMC With two of our Cal-Pac District Superintendents, DS Luis Garcia & DS Garth Gilliam Bishop Hee-Soo Jung We loved connecting with United Methodist Clergy and Laity from across the United States.
8. That lift in spirit you feel after leaving church every Sunday might be more than just Pastor Krista’s wonderful sermons, the delicious treats curated by Patty, or the gentle drip from the crepe myrtle buds like little reminders of God’s love under the summer sun. You may have noticed a much needed change in our campus getting a refresh. This includes the board itself! My term as board chair is set to end in November. I have learned so much from all of you about the blessings of this church. I am grateful for guidance in leadership and being a faithful servant to the community following the footsteps of Jesus. I am proud of the work the board members have done these past two years to increase organization of the board to facilitate transparency and create more inclusive leadership. Jesse Boone and Andrew Stum, as treasurers, worked to nd documentation and clarify around many restricted funds, consolidated savings to streamline banking, and worked with staff for a much needed update of our line items in the budget to better align the budget with what we are actually doing as a church. This is ongoing work but will make our budgets more accurate so we may address and support ideas for new outreach and ministry while staying within our means. Trustee chairs Jonathan Laciste, Phil Roche, and Chris Moore have helped to identify and address major repairs around campus, coordinating with the Wesley school, to make sure we have our beautiful campus functional for years to come. Moreover, Jonathan has worked closely with Wesley to update maps of the campus to re ect changes and to clarify shared spaces agreements. This has already helped smooth talks with Wesley, including completing our newest lease addendum. Staff-Parish Relations Committee Chairs Sherri Perry and Laura Hovermale continue to ensure our staff and pastor have fair evaluations that include supporting their needs and concerns. This includes guiding us through changes in staff, bringing in new staff, including Dr. Yu Hang Tan, and leading the in-process search for our new organist. As Chair, I have worked closely with other board members, Wesley liaison Heemanshu Bhagat, and Pastor Krista to nurture a more direct and collaborative communication protocol to our relationship with Wesley. Rachael Mottaz and Laura Hovermale organized a meet and greet for Wesley and NoHo FUMC administrative staff and board members. fi fi fl fl One example is meetings with Wesley Head of School Greg Armbrister to nalize the gate project to make sure the needs of the church and the safety of the students at Wesley were both ensured. Another is when Wesley teacher JoAnna Probst reached out to me because someone was concerned about her work in the NW courtyard garden plot, formerly Pastor Chamie’s butter y garden project. JoAnne explained she was using this as part of her 4th grade science curriculum. You can see their learning blossoming today.
9. A particularly important achievement was the adoption of the Single Board Charter adopted in March of 2025. Though we have been a single board for quite some time, where was no documentation of this and exactly what the board should look like and do, making it challenging to recruit new board members and for new board members to understand their role versus personal choices that prior leaders chose to be involved in, which then were con ated as board responsibilities just because that person was a board member. Based on the Book of 2016 UMC Book of Discipline, the Single Board Charter outlines four areas of board authority: • • • • Trustee Chairs and the Finance Chairs are responsible for maintaining and growing church property. This includes buildings, other physical property (i.e. pianos, of ce appliances, the sound system, chairs and tables for courtyard events) and our assets (i.e. any savings and nancial investments). Our Staff & Parish Relations Chairs (aka SPRC), oversee support and evaluation for the pastor and our staff. They review and update job descriptions, develop pay and bene t packages to be approved by the full board, and help resolve any discrepancies for our employees. In addition to the maintaining and growing assets, the board, led by the Finances Chairs, creates and approves an annual budget. This is done in collaboration with employees and other committees, and district leadership. Our budget cycle follows the calendar year, but the budget is developed each Fall for the charge conference vote. This also includes plans for bringing in enough income through a pledge campaign and, as we are fortunate to have, rental income from the Wesley school. Which brings us to our nal role as Legal Representatives of the church, such as signing the lease with the Wesley School and tree lot permits. fi fi fi fl fi fi When Pastor Krista asked me if I would consider staying on one more year as we work to expand the size of the board, I was actually grateful. It’s a lot of work and you may have heard me counting down the days, but in all honesty, it is a privilege to support NoHoFUMC congregants and staff in the wonderful work they do for our community. I also have a few personal leadership goals that are not yet complete. If you are reading this, then I have nally checked off not missing the Good News deadlines. Next time I will give some tips about bringing issues and requests to the board.
10. Your Trustees team has been hard at work focusing on deferred projects and modernizing the campus this summer! Here are some highlights as well as some plans in the works: Church Of ce Remodel: Our church staff works hard to provide a nourishing environment for everyone to worship on Sundays, and we wanted to show the staff our appreciation in the form of an of ce refresh to modernize the current workspace and make the of ce more functional. I highly encourage everyone to stop by the of ce to see the of ce remodel progress and show some appreciation to our amazing staff! Cleanup Project Phase 1: The Barn in the Community Room was cleaned out and reorganized to make room to store the new Fellowship Furniture that we have been recently enjoying during fellowship time. Cleanup Project Phase 2 for the Church Campus is currently in the works with a much bigger scope of work. Wesley School Partnership: We recently established a shared space guideline with the Wesley School, and this has opened numerous opportunities and resources for both sides to help maintain and upgrade our beautiful campus! Some of these projects include a new wireless access point in the sanctuary which has already been installed which will provide faster internet connection and new storage layouts in the Lo-Fe-Lo room. Future projects are currently in the works with Wesley School and will share those once we can. Landscape: Current planning is being done as California adopts AB 1572 for Non-Functional Turf Ban beginning statewide in 2027. We will keep you updated on how this will affect the church campus. Another important item to highlight is the beautiful courtyard! With a modi cation to the sprinkler system and some upgrades, the courtyard plans are thriving during this season! Summer 2026 Projects: Some of the deferred items planned for this summer which included the marquee sign on Tujunga Ave, universal restroom hardware accessories, and painting projects will not be moved to the Summer of 2027 to allow for more ef cient planning and budgeting. Capital Improvement Projects Update: Meetings have taken place to get the new sound system closer to reality. As a joint project with Wesley School, it’s amazing to see how the church and school partnership is bene ting this joint venture. Infrastructure work for the sound system is currently being planned for this November. fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to myself, Chris Moore, or any of the Church Of ce and Board Members as we are here to serve you and the church!
11. Main section of church of ce. Administration. Before. Main section of church of ce. Administration. After. Outreach and Digital Media Of ce area. After. Outreach and Digital Media Of ce area. Before. Thank you to our Trustees co-chair, Jonathan Laciste, for spearheading and guiding this project! Thanks to the Board and Pastor Krista. Many thanks to Joel Hernandez and his team for getting the work done quickly, ef ciently, and well. fi fi fi fi fi fi New Kitchenette Area on Admin Side of the Of ce.
12. Jon Laciste, Missions Co-Chair Fresh off my rst of cial attendance at the Cal Pac Conference, though brief, I was excited to get back and continue the missions work that was recognized and apply it to everyday life with renewed energy. As I was sitting in traf c, I saw evidence of the high cost of living, the numerous signs of unhousing, and just hearing the news of never-ending con ict. I was coming back to the real world. How was anything going to change? As my Missions Co-Chair, Patty, says there are “God appointments” when God steps in when at the time most needed. It’s amazing after the Annual Cal Pac Conference, Pastor Krista would share a series of sermons about Being Christian in the Real World, and I wanted to highlight 2 of them. Being Christian in the Real World: Compassion Pastor Krista shared a message about Jesus taking 5 loaves of bread and 2 sh to feed thousands of people with an abundance of food left. Compassion and grace from God shown through this act of feeding thousands is something that our Missions Team emulates. As of August 23, 2026, we have touched over 7,500 lives which has already surpassed the number of lives touched last year! Not only that, but the abundance from God is continuously over owing which allows our Missions Team to continue our work. We are excited to announce that we have applied for the following grants our missions ministry quali es for due to the amazing work our Missions Team does: 1. Hunger Grant – Cal Pac $500 (awarded) 2. Immigrant Feeding and Assistance Grant – Cal Pac Up to $10,000 3. Mustard Seed Grant - UMCOR Up to $2,000 These will allow our missions ministry to continue feeding those in need in abundance through our sack lunch assemblies/distributions and our hot meal services. The Hunger Grant was already used to purchase food from a street vendor to feed the Job Center! We are continuously praying the other 2 grants will be approved. Being Christian in the Real World: Be The Change Pastor Krista shared a story of seeking out the location of someone that had called to pray for their puppy that passed for prayer and discovering that the person was unhoused when the rst thought was to seek a housing unit. I would have assumed the same, and this is a great reminder that God blessed everyone with neighbors of all kinds. This was very powerful because it reinforces the the missions work that our Missions Team does. We serve all in need, even if our neighbors are not like us. This is a great reminder as well that our everyday acts as Christians will make difference in the real world. To start, simply “Love Thy Neighbor.” fi fi fl fl fi fi fi fi If you would like more information on Love Thy Neighbor or how to get involved with Missions Ministry, please contact myself, Patty, or any one of our Love They Neighbor team members!
13. Special Requests for the Pantry this Month: Wet & Dry Pet Food
15. September 5 - Dianne Lake September 5 - Aaron McDonald September 5 - Ian McDonald September 8 - Scott Faucett September 11 - Daniella Lake September 12 - Mary Jane Radillo September 13 - Lexi Wintermute September 14 - Rachel Mottaz September 14 - Beth Roche September 14 - Dani St. Clair September 15 - Carol VanMeter September 20 - Martin Light September 23 - Jackson Books September 24 - Preseli Laciste September 26 - Patty Kelsey October 6 - Muffett Brinkman October 6 - Marianne Robinson October 7 - Chris Moore October 10 - April Anderson October 11 - Kathi Ellis October 11 - Judy Palmer October 12 - Ceasar Ancheta October 20 - Maxine Charleston October 22 - Josie Books October 26 - Nylean Rapinac October 28 - Sandy Flemming October 29 - Kim Matsubayashi Wishing you a birthday that is lled with joy! Love, Your Church Family • Scott Faucett received news that he has a 3.7 cm mass/tumor on his brain stem. He is working with his doctor on a plan to remove the mass and is praying that it is benign. • David Eshleman’s partner, Ana Galeano, is having issues with a cerebral spinal uid leak which requires another surgery to replace hardware to stop the leaking. • Jim Tyree’s cousin, Lillian Craycraft, and her family, need prayers. They live in Catlettsburg, Kentucky and Lillian is in hospice care after dealing with liver cancer for the past year. • Patty & Norman Kelsey ask for prayers for their long time from, Hardy Parungao, who has been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. Half of his colon was removed and he is now undergoing chemotherapy. • Sue Longnecker had a double lung transplant. • Letha Watts need big prayers for her family. Her sister Sue’s house caught re and are without a home. Her daughter-in-law was nipped in the eye by a dog. And her grand daughter’s aunt is living with Letha’s family due to a domestic violence situation. • Lisa Cheby’s friend, Xochitl, collapsed on a balcony in Tijuana and had a wound that was cleaned but still not healing. She is feeling the nancial strain of not being able to work due to this injury. Lisa’s friend, Bonnie, also fell at the Hollywood Bowl and broke both her ankles. • Mary Ann Barron needs prayers for stage 4 metastatic cancer that is now in her bones. • Dani St. Clair’s uncle, Bill Steinmeyer is doing his best to live with brain cancer. Dani’s cousin, Aly Holvik could use prayers as she is not only a caregiver for her husband, Bill, but also taking care of their child. • Praise the Lord: Morenike Lake had successful rotator cuff surgery and has been recuperating at home. She recently has been able to return to church. • Prayers for Jaz Pinero’s health, as she lives with lymphoma. • Mychal Guyton will have another procedure soon to maintain his bands that prevent dangerous bleeding. • Homebound: Joyce Cunningham, Bill Varney, Dottie Vick, Rhonda Scott. • Prayers for our friends at the Van Nuys Job Center, LA Community Fridges, Refugee Children’s Center, Hoving Home, and House of Ruth Los Angeles. • Prayers for our leaders, our nation, and our world. • Prayers for those struggling with health, relationships, nances, mental health. fl fi fi fi fi fi You can send your joys and concerns in a variety of ways: 1. Contact the church of ce at (818) 763-8231 or pattyfumc@gmail.com 2. Drop a note in the offering plate on Sunday 3. Let us know if this is a private prayer, for the prayer chain only, or if it can be shared with the congregation.
16. LECTIONARY SCRIPTURE (YEAR A) Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost. Communion Sunday. Green. Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 149; Romans13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20. September 6 September 13 Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost. Green. Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35. September. 20 Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost. Green. Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20:1-16. September. 27 Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost. Green. Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32. October. 4 October. 11 Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost. Communion Sunday. Green. Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Psalm 19; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46. Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost. Green. Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14. October. 18 Twenty- rst Sunday after Pentecost. Green. Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22. October. 25 Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost. Green. Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46. Sunday Worship Services are Posted Online by Wednesday | Worship In-Person at 10:30 AM Join us online via YouTube @nohofumc Communion will be served, in-person, on September 6 & October 4 during worship. POSTMASTER - Please send changes of address to: First United Methodist Church of North Hollywood 4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA. 91601 fi “NoHoFUMC is a community that practices the all-inclusive and transforming love of God as modeled by the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We celebrate our diversity in race, ethnicity, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, gender, ability, citizenship, and socioeconomic status. Moved by the Holy Spirit, we welcome all people into the full participation of the life of the church.”