The Grape Vine- September

8/3/2019 The Grape Vine- September

1/6

Volume IV Issue No. 8 The Official Newsletter of St. Johns UMC September 2011

St. Johns UMC1100 Ontario Street

Oak Park, IL 60302

(708) 386-5882

Open Hearts. OpenDoors. Open Minds.

By Kathlyn Talapian

The Lord continues to bless St.Johns as the church welcomed

Pastor Cecilia Granadosin, a Mas-

ter of Divinity student at Garrett

Evangelical Theological Semi-

nary, on September 25 for her

field education.

Pastor Granadosin has always

admired the ministries at St.Johns. After recently moving to

Chicago from Seattle in August

2009, she and her husband, Pas-

tor Steve, visited St. Johns be-

cause of friends who told them

that this church would make them

feel like they were in their home

church in Washington. She hassince then come back to the church

to support the Saturday Night Alive

and other activities.

I see how alive the ministries

are in this church, and I see that St

Johns has a lot of potential. The

ministries of St. Johns are very im-

portant and I want to be part of it. Iwant to help in any way I can, Pas-

tor Granadosin said.

Pastor Granadosin will be in-

volved in different activities of the

Pastor Granadosin: A New Pastor Fullof Hopes for St. Johns Ministries

Continue on page 3

St. Johns expresses gratitude through songs

of hope, words of encouragement and food

Remembering the Veterans on 9/11By Linette Romualdo

In commemoration of 9/11,

St. John's UMC under the leader-ship of the Outreach Committee

visited brave Americans who

helped the country become a

better place to live in at Hines

Veteran Hospital. Lolit Flores

shared that the veterans loved

the visit because "nobody visits

them anymore and they are by

themselves most of the time. By

visiting them, we make them

feel special. We give them com-

pany and they dont feel lonely."

15:2 Exodus and Rejoice!

Continue on page 2

By Joash Mencias

Just when people thought there

were enough nurses at St. Johns,

the church hosted the Mary Johns-

ton College of Nursing Alumni Sun-

day service on September 25, and

dozens of nurse graduates from the

Greater Chicago Chapter of the hon-

orable school were present. The spe-

cial Sunday service focused on the

nurses as the St. Johns congregation

welcomed them with open doors,

hearts and minds.

Members of the Greater Chicago

Chapter participated in the service.

Jan Ina Junio, a member of St. Johns

and a Mary Johnston graduate, led

the service as the liturgist. Members

from the Class of 1990 offered a ren-

dition of the classic hymn, Blessed

Assurance. Lydia Roasa-Ward,

member of the Board of Directors of

the Greater Chicago Chapter, took to

the pulpit and delivered a message

about promises, which included an

extensive featuring of all the present

Mary Johnston alumni in the congre-

gation.

Honoring Nurses

& Gods Promises

Continue on page 6


2/6

The Good NewsPage 2 September 2011

By Kathlyn Talapian

A Filipino adage says that

people must never forget to

look back where they came

from. As Filipinos living in the

greener pasture, we are called

to celebrate the gift of our eth-

Fighting Malaria the Youth WayBy Joash Mencias

Several youth from St. Johns joined dozens of other youths at

Glenview United Methodist Church for the annual Nothing But

Nets event on September 24. The district event aimed to create

fellowship with other youth members while raising money andawareness for the Imagine No Malaria campaign.

Youth members participated in various activities such as dodge-

ball and played board games and guitar

hero with other district young people.

Besides dodgeball, members also par-

ticipated in creating blankets for ill peo-

ple in the hospital and children in pov-

erty. Lunch was provided for the atten-dees after an active morning.

Imagine No Malaria is a United

Methodist campaign that provides mos-

quito nets for prevention and malaria

treatment in Africa. Its aim is to eradi-

cate malaria by the year 2015. For more

information on how to help, visit imagi-

nenomalaria.org or nothingbutnets.org

Prayer is the soil in whichhope and healing grow best.

Remembering the Veterans

Continued from front page

Dancers sang songs of worship and

hope for the veterans, who sang and

clapped along. Rev. Jerry Grim gave a

message of inspiration, applauding the

veterans for their great work and dedication to the United States. "Hope

Now" by Addison Road was sung by

15:2 Exodus in closing and a prayer

was led by Rev. Reuel Talapian.

In appreciation to the veterans for

all their hard work and for welcoming

St. John's warmly, the youth and adults

served refreshments such as peanu

butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies

and soda.

Rejoice! Dancer Jocelyn Mendoza

had a wonderful experience in the

visit. She said, "I was glad to give out

the food and to share my prayers with

them. I would be very blessed and

happy to visit and see all the veterans

again."

nicity and share our blessings to

our brothers and sisters in need

in the Philippines.

In this premise, several Filipino

pastors of the Northern Illinois

Conference (NIC) convened on

September 12 at Prince of Peace

UMC and officially founded theFilipino-American

United Methodist

Ministry of NIC. Be-

cause of the grow-

ing Filipino groups

and church leaders

in the conference,

the pastors decided

to organize the

caucus group and

Bonded by Faith and EthnicityFILIPINO-AMERICAN UNITED METHODISTS

Continue on page 3
http://imaginenomalaria.org/http://imaginenomalaria.org/http://nothingbutnets.org/http://imaginenomalaria.org/http://nothingbutnets.org/http://nothingbutnets.org/http://nothingbutnets.org/http://imaginenomalaria.org/http://imaginenomalaria.org/http://imaginenomalaria.org/http://imaginenomalaria.org/


3/6

Page 3 September 2011

The Good NewsPong Javier Testifies About the Joys

& Hardships of Walking with God

By Linette Romualdo

"Parents should not send their

children to church. Parents should

take their children to church. See

the difference?"

Aquilino Javier Jr., more com-

monly known as Pong Javier,

shared a testimony of his personal

journey with Christ during the re-

cently concluded Saturday Night

Alive entitled "Promises." Also

present that night was the Gath-

ering Place Praise Team of 1stUMC in Oak Park, who offered a

song of worship.

As a "Jesus Freak" at a young

age, Mr. Javier became an activist

and went to several countries,

such as Puerto Rico and Zim-

babwe, sharing God's love and

word to others. Having Christ in

his life, Mr. Javier went through

trials, but overcame it through

God's word and promises."There is power in love. God

is love." he said.

He also talked about his

son, James, who is continu-

ously recovering through

Gods grace after his acci-

dent in 2009. An organiza-

tion called "Miles for James"

was established by his

friends and family, and it holds

annual marathons to raisefunds for James medical costs.

Mr. Javier ended his inspiring

story with the idea of the

meaning of JOY. Indeed, to re-

ceive joy, one must put Jesus

first, Others second, and Your-

self last.

New Pastor


church, mainly with the youth

and the young adult groups. In

October 1, she started teaching

Sunday School among high school

and college youths. She also led

the Childrens Moment, creatively

teaching the kids that God is the

Cornerstone with which we build

our church. In the near future,

she will also participate in themonthly SNA, the production of

The Grape Vine, and other min-

istries.St. Johns members warmly

welcomed Pastor Ganadosin

with enthusiastic hearts. Staff-

Parish Relations Committee

Member Evelyn Vicera is very

happy that she has come to St.

Johns because she will be an

asset to our church. She will be

a big help because she is tal-

ented, and she can contribute a

lot in our ministries.Pastor Granadosin received

the call to serve God in

2007 and today, she has

the credentials and certifi-

cation to become a local

pastor. She and Pastor

Steve are graduating in

May, after which they have

to return to Seattle and

serve in the Pacific-

Northwest Conference.

Filipino-American UM MinistryContinued from page 2

elect officers.

St. Johns Pastor, Rev. Reuel Tala-

pian, was elected as the Vice-

President of the Fil-Am United

Methodist Ministry. Serving with

him as officers are Rev. Cerna Rand

as President, Pastor Cecilia Grana-

dosin as Secretary and Rev. Noah

Panlilio as Treasurer. The officerswill be installed on Oct. 29

th, during

the Fil-Am UM Ministrys Thanksgiv-

ing meeting.

This caucus group seeks to

strengthen the relationship among

all Filipino-Americans (clergy and

lay) in our conference, and to cre-

ate a meaningful connection with

the Filipinos in the Philippines and

here in the US, Rev. Cerna Rand

explained.

Continue on page 4


4/6


Fruits of the Vine9/11

By Kathlyn Talapian

Sept. 11, 2001 marks the date that

changed the lives of many people in

the United States and the world. After

a decade, we continue to remember

the victims who died in this tragic

event as well as their loved ones.

St. Johns Youth gathered for a

prayer activity in the church sanctu-

ary in remembrance of 9/11. The ac-

tivity was initiated and facilitated by

the youth council headed by PresidentJoash Mencias.We should never forget what 9/11

cost many people. We want to honor

and remember them even in little wayssuch as in prayer, Mencias explained.

The Prayer for Peace program

started with singing of a hymn led by

Celinne Mencias. Afterward, the youth

recited the renowned prayer of St.

Francis Assisi. The youth then wrote

their prayers with dissolving ink. As

SNA

Continued from page 3

The highlights of the night in-

cluded a song offering by The Gath-

ering Place, covering ChrisTomlins This is Our God with

guitar and djembe. The popular

poem "Footprints in the sand" was

read by Adrian Farrales to further

remind us that God is always thereto keep His promises.

Afterward, Rev. Reuel

Talapian reflected on the

theme and theme verse of

the night, which was He-

brews 13:5: "God has said,

'I will never abandon you

or leave you.'" He talked

about Sarah and Isaac, who

longed and prayed to God

for a child. The Lord had

heard them and He gave

in our Hearts even 10 Years Later

they placed their papers in a bowl of

water, they reflectively watched their

concerns washed away.Pastor Jerry led the youth in prayer

for peace, hope and inspiration. The

youth departed in silence.

Sylvia Brown appreciated the activ-

ity because it reminded me that the

world is not just about me. So many

people are out there suffering because

of war and violence. We have to dowhat we can for them, she said.

them twins, Jacob and Esau.

15:2 Exodus and Rejoice! Danc-

ers led the praise singing with

songs like "Promises" and "You are

my All in All" by Hillsong. They also

led an act of adoration, where eve-

ryone was invited to write down

their words of thanks to God in a

paper that looked like an alabaster

jar and to take it to the altar as an

offering.

THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCISLord, make me

an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred,

let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much

seek to be consoled,

as to console;

to be understood,

as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving

that we receive.

It is in pardoning

that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are

born to Eternal Life.Amen.


5/6


Fruits of the VineBy Gloria Domingo

Who is the most important per-

son in the church? Why do you

come to St. Johns to worship? Are

you here because somebody in-

vited or forced you to attend the

service? Is it because of the fellow-

ship, family or the food (just kid-

ding!)?

Is it about you? Wont it be

wonderful if youre here because

you can

f e e l

Its Not about Youthe presence of the Lord?

Your being here is not an acci-

dent. God brought you here.

Please look and meditate your per-

sonal reason why you are here. If it

is because of the pastor, a certain

person, the music or the fellow-

ship, then you could be in for a dis-

appointment.

The pastor is only human, and

he is not perfect. This is a common

mistake of many church members.

They think that since the pastor

brings us the Good News, he

should be as holy and sinless as

Jesus. Well, the pastor cannot al-

ways please everyone. He may give

sermons not to your liking. If you

have the wrong expectations, the

pastor may disappoint you.

In the same way, the choir and

praise team may not always sing

heavenly to your ears. Members

may say something unacceptable

to you or do something that will

MEMBER SPOTLIGHTBy Joash Mencias

Gaspar Marcelo

Member, United Methodist Men

The Grape Vine (TGV): How did you find

St. Johns?

Gaspar Marcelo (GM): We found out

about the church through Vren Esguerra

when we attended their church (Calvary

UMC) one Sunday.

TGV:What makes St. Johns unique?

GM: From food to special culture days,

Filipino culture is present in every aspect

of the church.

TGV:How has St. Johns helped you transition to life in America?

GM: The members here are very supportive since many of them

came from a similar position before. Many of us are Filipinos, and

that makes me feel a little closer to home.

make your faith stumble. Yes.

People can be a disappointment.

Well, how about putting God

first. Come because you want to

worship God; because you can feel

Gods spirit here. Its about God and

not about you.

Do you feel that when you leave

St. Johns, that you dont leave God

behind? That in fact You are bring-

ing Him with you to share with oth-

ers His love for us and your faith in

Him? We dont only talk about

among people at our church but

also to everybody who needs Him.

Congratulations to the

Newly Weds!

Gino and Jill Villanueva

Welcome to the Christian

Family of St. Johns,

Princess Edda Lofranco!

Continue on last page


6/6


The Grape JellyG N B D Z S I Z H N R B T H N C B D U N

X J R S A H N A S I Q X O A D Z R K X Z

O B L D Z H L V D K S F B L E A V A A I

U A L M A L P M G P L U L P H R U C U K

W O K L O A X E J M B U B C A T T J T C

C H M W V Y H O F U J L R M P R O Z U I

O R E D I C O N A P A O N T U F A C M R

U E A U T W M S E M U T S O C L Q D N T

N L N Q G D E P I C N I C A B N O N E R

M H H L H W C V J E M M P G G C K C J N

Z V Y O T D O M N G S P X H E M A X R F

J I D U E L M J T S L C B B R Q J K B S

V G C B L P I Q V E E U O Y J M N Y A E

C S M N X Y N F K F J F X R P Y N I B O

B X C F B I G P R G M M H O D X D Y J F

I C Z P T L H Q W S E K V G F M C A J R

U Q S K T R H X P F Q I F T B G I G N G

I K R A O I C L R I S C C W U B E D R P

E L G R Q B K F E K V V E H W U A M B H

R E D Q O J V V B F W J P F Y C U S R J

** Word Search **

APPLE

AUTUMN

CIDER

RED

OAK

ORCHARD

PICNIC

PUMPKIN

COLD

COLUMBUS

COSTUMES

HALLOWEEN

HOMECOMING

PARADE

TREAT

TRICK

The Grape VineSTAFF

Kathlyn TalapianEditor-in-Chief

[email protected]

Joash Mencias

Linette RomualdoReporters

Gloria Domingo

April Cyrwus

Adrian FarralesContributors

Ronald Romualdo

Pastor Steve GranadosinResources for Photos

Rev. Reuel TalapianAdviser

By April Cyrwus

Honoring Nurses


The Mary Johnston College of Nursing Alumni of theGreater Chicago Chapter expressed deep gratitude for

St. Johns hospitality and also their ongoing support for

the education of future nurses in the Philippines.

Its Not About YouContinued from page 5

Its all about God and His sav-

ing grace. Let us focus on God not

on ourselves. Yes, it is about God.

Look at the Good news about God

and what is good in His creation.

Bless Him and ask that St. Johns

really be a place for Him to dwell.God loves us. Keep Him always in

your heart, mind and life.

Always pray to Him! Ask Him

that He use you to spread His

love! Ask yourself: What can I do

for God today? How can I please

God today?

Keep on asking and along the

way you will find the opportunity

to serve Him. Yes! Its all about

God!

:Chickenscanttalks

Ifachickensay

s,"All

Chickensarelia

rs"is

thechickente

lling

thetruth?

Ifyoulookyouc

annotsee

me.Andifyous

eemeyou

cannotseeany

thingelse.I

canmakeanyth

ingyou

wanthappen,b

utlater

everythinggoes

backto

normal.Whata

mI?

A:Yourimagination

The Grape Vine- September

Documents

Transcript of The Grape Vine- September