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Volume 51 May 2017 No. 5

SAKURA DAYORI 桜便り

SJUMC, the Garden Church

Senior Pastor: Rev. Motoe Yamada Foor

Pastor Emeritus: Rev. George Nishikawa

Pastor of Visitation: Rev. Peter Willms

Director of Education: Shaday Bryant

Choir Director: Lyssa Ogilbee

Office Manager: Cathy Mayeda

Phone: (916) 421-1017 Fax: (916) 391-3620

Saturday May 20, 2017

9:00 to 3:00 pm

Annual Memorial Day Inter-Religious Service

May 29, 2017 9:00 am

Odd Fellows Lawn Cemetery 2720 Riverside

Blvd

May 14th

Worship with us as we honor those who nurture us.

Budget & Stewardship Town Hall meeting May 21, Sunday after the service If you have questions about budget or stewardship, please join us! SPRC updates inside

Look at page 3

Sakura Dayori Page 2 May 2017

Ushers

May 7—Curt & Mindy Takechi

May 14—Sunday School

May 21— Karen Fong & Frances

Lee

May 28—Elaine Maeda & Susan

Otnai

Greeters

May 7—Belle Ito

May 14—Kathy Sakamoto

May 21—Kiku Ito

May 28—Kathi Nakashima

Welcome Table

May 7—Keiko Kato, Lorenzo More-

no

May 14—Chris Matsumoto, Wayne

May Security Tobans:

Lester Ouchida and Andy Dong

May 7, 2017 Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 2:42-47 Psalm 23 1 Peter 2:19-25 John 10:1-10

May 14, 2017 Fifth Sunday of Easter Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 1:1-5, 15-16 Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14

May 21, 2017 Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 17:22-31 Psalm 66:8-20 1 Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21

May 28, 2017 Seventh Sunday of Easter Acts1:6-14 Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 John 17:1-11

Invitation to Worship

Change to Sunday bulletins (Worship Programs) We have switched to electronic bulletins, on the screen. Please bring your Bibles to read along when the scripture is read. We know this will be a big change for us, but we believe this will be a better use of our finances and also enable us to be good stewards of our environment and trees. We ask your patience as we try this approach over the next few months.

May 5 for the June issue. Please submit articles to Joanne

Mikami at hankojo@starstream.net

Sakura Dayori Page 15 May 2017

Donations Given for

PLEDGES

Received during February

2017

M/M Victor* Shibata Glen Shimazu M/M Russell I. Tanaka June* Tanihana Sue* Teranishi Mickey* Yamadera M/M Philip* Yuki M/M Larry* Fong M/M Stuart* Satow

KINGDOM FUND PLEDGES Scott* E. Chung M/M Richard* Fernandez M/M Dale* Fong Micki* Fukushima Judie* Higashi Betty* Hirata Belle* Ito Amy* Kawahara Frances* Kushi M/M Tony Lewis Roger* Nakashima Susan* Otani M/M Curtis Takechi M/M Russell I. Tanaka Sue* Teranishi M/M Larry* Fong M/M Stuart* Satow

ACKNOWDLEGMENTS As of March 31, 2017

Choir Fund In Memory of Paul Ito Ito, Kiku In Memory of Alice Kunibe Kunibe, Thomas Kingdom Fund In Memory of Tom Nishizaki Mikami, Joanne

GENERAL FUND In In Celebration of Sue Teran-ishi’s Birthday Teranishi, Sue In Memory of Tom Nishizaki Hagiya, M/M Mark Inouye, Andrew Inouye, Tim Nakamura, Emma Ronay, M/M Kelvin Taketa, M/M Bill Teranishi, Sue Belknap, Gary In Memory of Julie Shibata Ronay, M/M Kelvin Yamadera, Mickey In Memory of Janice Ichiho Shibata, M/M Victor In Memory of Bernice Dingley Teranishi, Sue In Memory of Ben Sakakihara Sakakihara, Diane Marowitz, Leonard

Easter Offering Blaisdell, M/M Farrington Chambers, William Hagiya, M/M Mark Hanaoka, Rev/M Nobu Honbo, Dr/M Wesley Ichimura, M/M Robert Ishihara, Ruli Iwata, M/M Joe Kamei, M/M Nob Kashiwagi, M/M Sam Kunibe, Thomas Niiya, M/M Herbert Tanaka, Amy Tanimoto, Dr/M Jun Yamadera, Mickey Hoig, M/M Steve Narasaki, Ted

ACKNOWDLEGMENTS

As of March 31, 2017

Sakura Dayori Page 14 May 2017

GENERAL FUND PLEDGES

M/M Nelson Akabori M/M Chuck Alicaya M/M Farrington Blaisdell Kyung Chang Scott* E. Chung M/M Jack Clark M/M Richard* Fernandez M/M Dale* Fong Karen* Fong M/M Larry* Fong Lincoln* Fujii Micki* Fukushima Megumi* Goi M/M Mark* Hagiya Mayumi* Hamakawa Yoshiko* Harper Yurie* Harvey Judie* Higashi Betty* Hirata M/M Erik Hoffmann M/M Steve Hoig Lily* Ikami M/M Art* Imagire Andrew* Inouye Mitsue* (Mitzi) Ishisaka Belle* Ito M/M James Ito Shizue* Ito M/M Henry Johnson M/M Clarence* Kado M/M Russell Kanemasu Keiko* Kato Michiko Kawaguchi Amy* Kawahara M/M Mike Kimura Yuri* Kimura M/M- Eddie* Koshino Patty* Koyama M/M Edwin* Kubo Norman Kujubu

Frances* Lee Ernest Lehr M/M Tony* Lewis M/M Evan Lum Elaine* Maeda Kathy* Marquardt Ayako* Marshall M/M Ben Matsuo Kazuko* Matsuoka Joanne * Mikami Lincoln Morinaga Kenneth Murray Mary* Nakamura Emma Nakamura & Family M/M Kent* Nakashima Mary Ann* Nakashima Ken Namikawa Rev/M George Nishikawa Julie* Nishite M/M Curtis Notsinneh M/M Keith Oguro Edith* Oshita M/M David Osuga Michiyo* Osuga Susan* Otani M/M Gregg* Roh M/M Kelvin Ronay Katherine* Sakamoto M/M Robert* Sasaki M/M Stuart* Satow M/M Victor* Shibata Frances* Sumida M/M Stimson Suzuki M/M Curtis Takechi M/M Bill* S. Taketa Frank Tanaka June* Tanihana Seiko Tateishi Sue* Teranishi Linda Tomita M/M Rick Tomlinson M/M Kenneth Toyama

James Umino Millie Wataji Rose Williams M/M Steven* Wong Mickey* Yamadera M/M Isao Yanagisawa M/M Richard* Yang Michael Yui M/M Sam* Kashiwagi M/M Jinji* Kobayashi

IMPROVEMENT FUND PLEDGES

M/M Chuck Alicaya Scott* E. Chung M/M Richard* Fernandez Karen* Fong Lincoln* Fujii Micki* Fukushima M/M Jeff Harada Judie* Higashi Betty* Hirata M/M Art* Imagire Belle* Ito M/M James Ito M/M Henry Johnson M/M Russell* Kanemasu Sue* Kashiwagi M/M Raymond Kato Amy* Kawahara M/M Eddie* Koshino Yuki* Kozuma M/M Kim Combs Frances* Lee M/M Tony Lewis M/M Ben Matsuo Joanne * Mikami M/M Kent* Nakashima Mary Ann* Nakashima M/M Herbert Niiya Susan* Otani Margaret* Saito

Donations Given for PLEDGES

Received during March 2017

Sakura Dayori Page 3 May 2017

Staff Parrish Relations Committee

SPRC is the administrative unit that aids the pastor in integrating the staff and congregation-al interests to grow in faith, and to focus on the mission of the church “Loving God, Serving Others, and Transforming Lives.” Staff at SJUMC consists of Cathy Mayeda, Shaday Bryant, Lyssa Ogilbee, Tavifa Mordovtseva, Nami Box, Sharon Hoshiyama, Cartearra John-

son, and Ashley Herrera.

A few of the tasks summarized in The United Methodist Book of Discipline include the follow-ing: Encourage, nurture and respect the pastor, staff and their families; serve in confidence as liaison for the congregants and the pastor; promote unity in the church; conduct staff eval-uations; responsible for hiring and dismissal of staff; consult on matters of staff support from vacation and sick leave to continuing education

and spiritual formation.

In addition to the nine committee members; Jayne Rasmussen (Lay Leader) and Shigeko Shibata (Lay member to Annual Conference) and Rev. Motoe round out the committee. Cur-

rent members of SPRC are:

Class of 2017: Loretta Ashizawa, Momoko

Newsome, Craig Takehara

Class of 2018: Philip Yuki, Mary Nakamu-

ra, Dale Fong

Class of 2019: Kathy Marquardt, Ruby

Fernandez, Rose Williams

The church in the coming weeks will be wel-coming ‘baby’ Bryant and see the continuing spiritual growth of Ryland Fernandez. Ryland will be serving as SJUMC Summer Young Adult Intern (May 15 to August 14) under the guidance of Shaday. His duties will include: working with Children’s Ministry and Sunday School Superintendent to prep/plan the Sun-day School curriculum/programs; attend Annu-al Conference as young adult delegate (June 21-24); Junior High Camp counselor (July 2-7); VBS Coordinator (July 17-21), VBS Sunday report to congregation (July 23); and, provide small group ministries and other programs as

God calls.

We encourage and welcome the congregation to share its praise or concerns with any of the above SPRC members about the ministry of

our church.

From SPRC Chair, Dale Fong

Shaday Bryant’s Maternity Leave—Shaday’s due date is May 29th, how-ever her doctor advised her to stop working on April 23, 2017, therefore she has already started her maternity leave. She plans to return to work in July. During her maternity leave, please contact Rev. Motoe for questions regard-ing Christian Education. Momoko Newsome, our interim Children’s Ministry Coordinator will extend her term until the end of August. Rev. Motoe spiritual renewal— “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) Heeding the counsel of scripture, Rev. Motoe will be taking a well deserved time of spiritual re-newal during the period June 5 to July 2, 2017. This is the first time she is taking this opportunity to spend focused time with the Lord Jesus Christ receiving refreshment and renewal for her soul. She looks forward to returning to SJUMC with renewed energy and vision for the future. After this period, she will be taking 2 weeks of vacation to attend a ceremony of spreading half of her mother’s ashes in Hawaii. She will return to work on July 17, 2017. Rev. George Nishikawa will be handling any pastoral responsibilities during Rev. Motoe’s time away and guest preachers have been already arranged for each Sunday.

Sakura Dayori Page 4 May 2017

Come join us for the Bowling Green Family Lunch on Saturday, May 27, 2017. Volunteers are needed to help prepare lunch at church, starting at 9 a.m., then servers and greeters at Chacon at 11:45 a.m. The free lunch is served from 12-1 p.m. to Bowling Green students and their families. Please email Sue Teranishi at sue328ter@gmail.com or talk to her after church if you can help.

Charge Conference Report A special charge conference was held on February 26, Sunday after the service. Item 1—Add a Welcome Team repre-sentative to have a vote at Church Coun-cil Yes: 16 No: 15 (Approved) Item 2—Add Tommy Hoshiyama as an At Large member to have a vote at Church Council for 2017 Yes: 28 No: 3 (Approved)

The Big Day of Giv-ing, Thursday, May 4th celebrates non-profit organizations

across the country and also offers SSIP a unique opportunity to capitalize on any donations made online. It’s so easy. Any-time on May 4th go to bigdayofgiving.org, enter SSIP at organization and donate OR schedule your donation now at the same place. All online donations made during that 24hr period will get an addi-tional boost. You may still mail donations to SSIP, 5625 24th St., Sac, 95822 at any time. Join fellow SSIP supporters on The Big Day of Giving, Thursday, May 4th by put-ting your money where your heart is by feeding the hungry.

MA

Y.

4

SSIP Annual Dinner Tuesday, May 23rd

at St. Anthony Parish 660 Florin Road. Tickets are $40.00 and the Auction starts

at 5:00 pm and dinner at 6:00. This is one of SSIP’s biggest fundraiser so we

hope you will join us. You can get tickets from Shigeko Shibata at 395-2550 or

shigekos@comcast.net, Frances Lee or Jane Combs.

Congrats to those who have reaffirmed their faith:

Kathy Gosney, Lyssa Ogilbee, Shigeko Shibata, Kimi Ronay,

Amy Kawahara, Tavifa Mordovtseva, Jayne Rasmussen, Elaine Maeda, Mary Nakamura, Emma Nakamura, Lily Ikami,

Curtis Nottsinneh, Josie Notsinneh, Olivia Notsinneh, Lorenzo Moreno, Wayne Shimizu, Atsuko Takeda,

Lorreta Ashizawa, Roxanne Davenport.

Certificates are available on the Welcome Table. If we missed your name please notify the office.

Teacher’s Appreciation Sunday May 21, Sunday The last day for our regular Sunday School is May 21. Summer Sunday School starts on June 26, Sunday!

Sakura Dayori Page 13 May 2017

UMC South Sacramento Coalition Working together for better community

UMC Churches Serving South Sacramento Centennial UMC, Chinese UMC, Emanuel UMC, First Taulang-U UMC, Florin UMC, Hope UMC, Japanese UMC, Oak Park UMC, Riverside UMC, Wesley UMC ESL in Action! We are in the process of forming a ministry team to pray, discern and collaborate on the next steps to grow the ESL ministry currently offered through Sacramento Japanese UMC. This team will reach out to other organizations in our community offering services to new and longtime im-migrants seeking basic, intermediate and advanced ESL courses, information on how to obtain a GED or legal citizenship, assistance in pursuing legal immigration status and more. The team will also investigate how to create awareness in our community for the services which are being pro-vided. We are also praying for discernment on the possibility of resurrecting the Welcoming Cen-ter that once lived in our neighborhood. Are you, or others in your church, interested in being part of this ministry team? Come to our meeting this Saturday at Florin UMC and get more infor-mation about the next steps and when the ESL Ministry Team will be meeting. Knowing Our Community More Deeply In our last gathering, we went deeper into exploring the question: How do we know what the needs of the community are? How do we hear, better listen to, the voice of the community? Through the ministries in our local churches, are we touching the community in a way in which we truly hear the voices of those we are serving? Are we building relationships which are nurtur-ing, fruitful and sustainable? I invite each of you to spend time in evaluating these questions and then come to our meeting this Saturday at Florin UMC and share your experiences, hopes and revelations for how we go deeper into relationship with the communities in which we serve. PRAX·IS /ˈpraksəs/ noun formal Praxis is defined as follows - ‘practice, as distinguished from theory’. We have been gathering together for the past six months in prayer, seeking to discern how God is calling us together as one body in Christ to serve our community in new ways. And in response, God has been speak-ing to us. God has been revealing to us his will and purpose for our gatherings. Now is the time to move from theory into action. Join with us this Saturday at Florin UMC as we take definitive steps into acting in new ways to serve our immigrant community, provide shelter for the home-less, and raise up a Gospel Choir for the praise and glory of God. This is a time to be excited! Compassion Village, Street Ministry and Youth Sports In this Easter Season, what else are we ready to act upon? Sheltering the homeless? Engaging youth and young adults through street ministries? Building communities through family and youth sports ministries? With the Gospel Choir and ESL Programs moving forward, how else are we discerning God calling us act. Come to our meeting this Saturday at Florin UMC and be a part of our council which votes on the next steps. If you are interested in joining the team, please let Rev. Motoe know. The next meeting will be on May 27, Saturday at Hope UMC at 1pm.

Sakura Dayori Page 12 May 2017

Bags of Grace at SJUMC Are available in the Fellowship hall to give out to people in need. Please take a couple and keep them in your car.

Meeting on the first Sunday of every

month at 9:15am in the Office Classroom. Everyone is warmly invited to join us

whenever we meet. Wheth-er you are grieving a loss or going through a major change in your life, blessings await you when you attend.

The Church Choir meets on

Mondays, from 7-8:30p.m.

We encourage ANYONE who loves to sing, sings in the shower or carries a tune in a bucket to join us. It is great fun and very spiritually uplifting! Although all voices are welcome, we particularly need tenors and baritones. For those who cannot make evening rehearsals, you are invited to join us on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. for the anthem rehearsal followed by 10:30 a.m. worship.

"Kokoro: The Story of Sacramento's Lost Japantown"

Exhibit will be at the California Museum from Feb. 12 through May 28, 2017.

Featuring rare family photographs drawn from the personal collections of community members never before publicly displayed, the exhibit documents the memories at the heart of a once-thriving downtown communi-ty devastated first by forced removal during WWII and again by redevelopment in the 1950s.

Developed in partnership with former residents of Sacramento’s J a p a n t o w n , a u t h o r o f “Sacramento’s Historic Japantown: Legacy of a Lost Neighborhood“ Kevin Wildie and others, the exhibit commemorates the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, the presidential decree that led to the unconstitu-tional incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans.

We Want “You” Church of the Resur-rection Leadership Institute “COR” SJUMC has sent 26 people to attend COR. You can contact any of the people who have attended and they can give you a glimpse of what they encountered. I say glimpse because it’s hard to put into words what happens at COR. Just ask our past 3 participants: Kimi Ronay, Mindy Takechi and Arlene Hagiya. You may be inspired in ways you didn’t imagine. An opportunity to receive fresh ideas, renewed focus and rekindle hope for the future of our church. The dates for COR is September 27-29, 2017. Any questions you can also contact Shigeko Shibaa 395-2550 or shigekos@comcast.net

Join us in Family Worship: 2nd Sunday of each month!

Come to our family service where all

ages can worship together. Bring your whole family!

Sakura Dayori Page 5 May 2017

SJUMC Prayers Comfort and Prayer for the families and

friends of: Tom Mizuno,

Carol Hironaka, Kiki Ryugo (uncle of Winston Ashizawa), Neal Foon (Loretta Ashizawa’s cousin’s

son), Mother of Pam Wong (Loretta’s Sister in

law), Janice Dong. Special Prayers

Shaday Bryant and her baby Janet Takehara Hiromi Seto (Cousin of Loretta Ashizawa) Fumiko Williams

Joanne Ichimura Hoffman Farrington & Helen Blaisdell Chewy Yasushi Ito

Larry Fong Jean Kanemoto

May Ukita Marion Murai Francis Asahara Keiko Nakata Many people who are traveling World Situations People who are facing surgery People who are recovering People who are going through difficult times Thanksgiving Grace Garcia (Granddaughter of Laura Katayama)

MISSION U FOR UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

LEGACY: BLOOMING IN THE HO-

LY SPIRIT! “FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS”

July 28-30 at Carson Valley UMC in

Gardnerville NV @ $375.00 Registration deadline: July 10, 2017

August 11-12 at Asbury UMC in Liver-more, CA @ $185.00

Registration deadline: July 11, 2017

August 16 at Palo Alto 1st UMC in Palo Alto, CA @ $50.00

Registration deadline: August 13, 2017 Scholarships are available Please contact Shigeko Shibata 916-395-2550 shigekos@comcast.net

May 21, 2017 Jr. high Camp Application Due Teacher’s Appreciation Sunday

Last Day of Sunday School

May 28, 2017 Fundraiser for Christian Ed. during

fellowship hour.

May 6, 2017

Bazaar Science Fair Booth

11AM to 2PM Join us for fun science themed hands on activities for children.

Slime

Volcano

Memorial Weekend Worship Slides On Sunday, May 28, the church is honoring loved ones who have passed with

a slideshow. If you would like to honor those who have passed, send us their dates and pictures by May 22th.

Sakura Dayori Page 6 May 2017

Save the Date

June 21-24 - Cal/Nev Annual Conference June 26-July 14 - Jan Ken Po Gakko July 2 -7 - Jr. High Summer Camp July 17-21 - Vacation Bible School July 23-28 - Lake Tahoe Retreat July 24-28 - Asian American Summer Camp

2017 Film Festival July 14-16

Rummage Sale Saturday, May 20

The rummage sale is right around the corner! We welcome all your gently used clothing, useable small appliances, kitch-en ware, toys, household items, books, bed and table linens, shoes, purses, and jewelry. We are also accepting “e-waste”: electronics such as TV’s, computers/laptops, cell phones, microwaves, working or not working. You can start to bring your rummage sale items starting Sunday, May 14, M 9:30 a.m. —12:30 p.m., T—Th 9:30 a.m.—2 p.m., Fri 9:30 a.m.—4 p.m. If you have the time to help us sort on Friday, May 19th we would love to have you join us. It is a great time to visit and chat and perhaps find that

treasure you’ve been looking for.

Thank you, the May Tobans

Graduates!! Please let us know of those who are entering school, going into Jr. or Sr. High, have completed high school or completed any higher education pro-gram. We would like to acknowledge their accomplishments on Sunday, June 12. Please contact office at of-fice@sacjumc.com. We would like this infor-mation before June 5th. Thank you!

Pentecost Service at the Park June 4, 10am

William Land Park With Circuit Churches

District Superintend will be there too! We will start with a Worship service, then potluck lunch. Many fun activities for all gen-eration! Bring a chair if possible! Join us to celebrate the birthday of Church!!!

********* ERROR ********* Valley Community News (Pocket News,

Land Park News) was good enough to run our bazaar article in their 4-21-17 edition;

however, due to circumstances beyond our control, the last paragraph shows a charge

for attending the bazaar. There has NEVER been a charge for coming to the bazaar.

Their next issue will be out on May 5th, too late for a correction. Please inform all your

contacts of this error and invite them to come!

Sakura Dayori Page 11 May 2017

Books (English and Japa-nese) are available to bor-row in the Fireside Room 様々な日本語の本がファ

イアーサイドルームにあ

ります。どうぞ借りてく

ださい。

Daily Devotion Booklets This year we are encouraging people to read The Upper Room as a daily devotion. If you have not picked one up, please go to the office or welcome table to get it. It is also available online on our website or receive a daily email from The Upper Room!

Hospitality Hour Update The SJUMC Hospitality schedule is a living document, which means there are plenty of opportunities for you, your friends and family to host a Sun-day! Open dates for the rest of the year are: June 25, July 16, July 30, August 6, August 27, September 24, October 8, October 15, and Novem-

ber 26. If any of these dates fall on a special day for you or family, why not celebrate with your church family? Please contact Jayne Muraki Rasmussen (jayneras1@gmail.com) for questions on hosting! We have a guideline to make it easy for you and the Fellowship Hospitality Team (FHT) can help!

God’s Community Table will be held once a month starting May 14th Mother’s Day! On these Sundays, everyone in the congregation is the host! This is not a potluck, it’s a “what can I bring to share with my church family that I have on hand.” No need to worry about feeding 6-8 or 120 people! The idea refers to Jesus’ multiplying 5 loaves of bread and two fish to feed thousands. When everyone brings a little, we can feed the entire congregation. We encourage healthy food, but chips are okay! Fruit, a couple of sandwiches cut up, leftover desserts or a non-stale open bag of cookies will work! All of this pleases the Lord as long as you share what you have with love! Most of the God’s Community Tables will be the third Sunday of the month and we will announce it the week before. The Fellowship Hospitality Team will make tea and coffee and set up and clean up, so help us out! Bring your own dish and take them home to wash or use paper or recyclable serving pieces. Let’s make this fun! For Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, bring something Mom or Day likes or liked. My Mom’s favorite was chocolate anything!

プレイグループ Japanese Speaking

Outreach Program for Children

水曜日 Wednesday 10:00am – 11:30am

参加費ー1回$1

場所ー教会ガーデンルームにて 6929

Franklin Blvd, Sacramento CA 95823

10:00am – 童謡、あいうえお、数字、

お話

11:00am—持ちよりランチ

対象 小さいお子さん（０歳から）

とその付き添い. アドバイザーハー

パーよしこさん（元保母さん）、質

問がある方は、牧師の山田まで連絡

ください。916-421-1017, revmo-

toe@sacjumc.com. If you know someone who is looking for a Japanese speaking group for kids, please let the person know about this program!

Sakura Dayori Page 10 May 2017

April 25 is World Malaria Day, an international observance dedicated to malaria awareness. Since 2010, the people of The United Methodist Church through its Imagine No Malaria initiative have focused on reducing malaria deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the process, the denomina-tion has learned that “our God is able, more than able to do more than we can ask or imagine.” Together, we have:

1. Provided more than 4 million life-saving bed nets Insecticide-treated bed nets remains

the most effective way to prevent malaria. Since The United Methodist Church began its effort, which has included bed net distributions, global mortality rates have fallen by an esti-mated 60 percent.

2. Renovated 61 healthcare facilities Improved medical clinics and hospitals in Africa result

in better diagnosis, case management and access to medication. 3. Treated more than 2.7 million people with malaria Treatment works. Because of the

global effort to fight malaria, an estimated 6.8 million deaths have been averted since 2001, according to the World Health Organization’s 2017 World Malaria Report.

4. Protected more than 175,000 structures with indoor residual spraying (IRS) IRS is the application of long-acting chemical insecticides to the walls and roofs of house and domes-tic animal shelters, a top malaria intervention recommend by the World Health Organization.

5. Trained thousands of community health workers and volunteers Through education outreach, a grassroots network has been established with health workers and volunteers who deliver and install bed nets and teach people how to properly use and care for the nets. In addition to aiding with malaria prevention, these workers often assist in other health-related capacities that serve as a vital connection for communities.

Watch the video above that features an original song commissioned by United Methodist Com-munications for its Imagine No Malaria celebration held at General Conference 2016 in Portland, Oregon. The song, “Our God is Able,” was written by James Tealy and James Elliott and record-ed by Jeremy Rosado, a finalist on Season 11 of “American Idol.”

Five ways The United Methodist Church has impacted malaria

Sakura Dayori Page 7 May 2017

There have been many nicknames for the band of believers who followed the lead of John and Charles Wesley in their early ministry in England: Enthusiasts, Sacra-mentarians, Bible Moths, Methodists. Their methods, values, and tradition laid the groundwork for what would become The United Methodist Church, 240 years after John and Charles Wesley began their Holy Club at college. On April 23, 1968, Bishop Reuben H. Mueller, of The Evangelical United Breth-ren Church, and Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke, of The Methodist Church, joined hands at the General Conference in Dallas, Texas. They declared "Lord of the Church, we are united in Thee, in Thy Church and now in The Unit-ed Methodist Church." A new denomination was born and a new logo was created to represent this coming together. A traditional symbol—the cross—was linked with a single flame with dual tongues of fire. This ties The United Methodist Church to God through Christ (cross) and the Holy Spirit (flame). Most church members know that the symbol is a sign that “this is a place where United Meth-odists gather.” But not everyone recognizes how, and why, it is important to use the de-nomination’s full name. The moniker is a merger of the names of the mostly German Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church. Not using the denomination’s full name can feel hurtful to some members. The Rev. Alfred T. Day, head of the Archives and History agency, notes: “If your lineage to become a United Methodist today has been through the Methodist Episcopal strain, you’re in the majority because the United Brethren and the Evangelical Associa-tions by numbers are much smaller groups. So it’s easy for you in the majority to think of yourself as Methodist and claim that heritage. But if you’re from the minority--and then that

Do you know why we are called United Methodists? Evangelical United Brethren Church Bishop Reuben H. Mueller (left) and Methodist Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke join hands on April 23, 1968. Photo courtesy of the United Meth-odist Commission on

Archives and History.

small heritage is combined into the larger heritage--and the only way that you get to claim your name is the word ‘United’ and somebody drops that name off, that kind of leaves you without a name, that kind of for-gets your history.” Another meaning of united in the name speaks to the fuller inclusion of black churches. Even though the Methodist Episco-pal Church had re-united in 1939 after being divided on the issue of slavery, African Ameri-can congregations were still segregated into a separate Central Jurisdiction. In 1968, that segregation ended. That newly formed United Methodist Church became one of the largest Protestant churches in the world with 12.4 million mem-bers today. And the cross and flame logo created in 1968 still represents that body, a body united in the goal to make disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world. “Have you ever typed ‘untied’ Meth-odist Church?” asks Day. “There isn’t that much difference on the keyboard between ‘untied’ and ‘United’ Methodist Church, but boy, oh boy, are there miles of difference in the story of how we get from one to the oth-er.” Happy Birthday to The United Meth-odist Church. By Fran Coode Walsh* April 21, 2017 umc.org

Sakura Dayori Page 8 May 2017

The 2017 Flower Chart is on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. All are invited to honor a loved one or give flowers in their memory on Sundays. The Chart will show what Sundays are available. Please take a moment to look at it and consider giving to the church in this way. Thank you for help-ing to beautify the sanctuary for worship with your Altar Flowers!

Sakura Dayori Page 9 May 2017

SJUMC Kids Summer Camp: July 17-21, 2017

Traditional VBS: 9am-1pm FREE ($15 holding deposit) VBS deposit returned after 3 days of participation.

All Day Kids Camp: 7:30am-6pm (starting @ $50)

Discounts Available!

May 1st—Deadline for Early Bird & Full Day Registration!

All kids get a daily Bible Memory Buddy, Sciency-gismo , t-shirt, snack and lunch every day, and a closer relation with God! At Maker Fun Facto-ry VBS, kids discover not only that God made them the way they are, but

for a purpose too. Plus, we are offering a Kids Day Camp option with early drop off and

afternoon activities for those families where both parents work! Starting at

$50.00 you can drop your child off starting at 7:30 and they can stay the whole day until you get off work up until 6:00pm. For more information, call Rev. Motoe, 916-421-1017, or Momoko Newsome.