The Presbytery of San José Newsletter 

---

Volume 18, Number 1                           January 1998

The Rev. Dr. Renee Riley, who recently finished a Doctor of Ministry degree at San Francisco Theological Seminary, and who serves as adjunct faculty in SFTS Master of Divinity and Doctor of  Ministry programs,    was elected Moderator of the Presbytery of San Jose for the year 1998.

The new moderator expressed the hope that in the coming year,  people will find spiritual nourishment at Presbytery meetings;   she also wants to see the Presbytery inspire and empower church members for mission.

Renee Riley was raised in Laguna Beach, and graduated from Whitworth College, Spokane, Washington, with a B. A. in English Literature and a secondary teaching credential.  She then graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary, and was ordained in the Seattle Presbytery.  She has served as Associate Pastor at the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, Washington State, and as Interim Pastor at Christ United Presbyterian Church, San Jose.

She has served on the Presbytery’s Christian Education committee, has been chair of the Presbytery Council’s Mission Design Subcommittee, and has been Chair of Presbytery Council.

She is married to Ed, and has three children, David (9), Hannah (4) and Noah (6 months).

Chosen  as Moderator-elect was Elder Ed Demars, a member of North-minster Presbyterian Church, Salinas.  Demars has given a great deal of service to the Presbytery in matters of church growth.

The Presbytery of San Jose elected Stated Clerk John Lococo to a fourth,  five-year term in the office.  (Lococo began by filling an unexpired term, so has already spent 20 years in the job.)  He is among the most senior Stated Clerks in the Synod of the Pacific (Redwoods Presbytery Clerk Terry Cole has served 25 years, and Elwood Becker has served 33 years in Kendall Presbytery, Eastern Idaho).

Town Park Towers, a HUD-subsidized apartment complex  in downtown San Jose, has vacancies among its one bedroom and studio units.  The apartments are for low to moderate income seniors ages 62 and over, or otherwise federally qualified persons.  Among the services enjoyed by TPT residents are hot meals, beauty and barber shop, social workers on site, and adult day services.

TPT was founded and built by First Presbyterian Church of San Jose when  a former church building had to be torn down.  The current First Church building  is next door.  TPT is now owned and operated by Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Services.

For information, call Manager Doug Pannabecker at (408) 288-8750.

As we come to the close of one year, and prepare to begin another, there is a troubling issue that I want to share with you.

All of us are aware of the degree to which our culture has changed from being a Christian (if not Protestant) Culture to a Secular Culture.  Now it seems to be moving from an attitude of indifference towards religion to an attitude of hostility towards religion.

Many Christians did not show much concern when attempts were made to restrict Muslim and Sikh facilities from being located in Santa Clara and San José.  In one case neighbors said that churches should not be allowed to locate in mixed industrial areas and in the other neighbors said churches should not be allowed in residential areas.  Of course we know that planners also don’t want to have churches locate in commercial areas, because of the high tax revenue that such land can generate.  In the meantime, much of the remaining agricultural land has been placed into agricultural reserves, where no churches are allowed.

Last month, the County of Santa Clara’s Planning Commission refused to allow Foothill Presbyterian Church to operate a preschool under their existing zoning, in spite of the fact that they had been allowed to operate such a preschool in the seventies.  The church had to secure a change in their use permit at a cost of several thousand dollars.  Their existing use permit had allowed classrooms to be built, but County Planners would not allow the church to use those classroom as they choose.

In December, the City of San José used a technicality to tell the First Christian Church in downtown San José that they could no longer provide temporary shelter to homeless people.  This was done in the same month in which we remember a child that was born to a couple who found no place in the inn and was forced to give birth to their child in a stable.

Christ commanded us to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and give shelter to the homeless.  Throughout our history, these activities have been seen as being an essential part of what it means to be a church.  Now our secular authorities are beginning a process of gradually narrowing the activities of churches.  At what point does this narrowing process stop?  At what point must we draw the line?

I intend to vigorously protest any such narrowing or restriction of our religious freedom.  I hope you will join me in this effort.

Yours in Christ,
 
Paul J. Masquelier, Jr.
Executive Presbyter

First Presbyterian Church of Grand forks, had water up to the rafters in the basement.  Faced with repair and replacement estimates approaching $1,000,000, the congregation voted to build a smaller church away from the river.  Lost in the flood and not covered by insurance were the contents of  Sunday school rooms through the sixth grade, kitchen and fellowship hall, and choir room, as well as pianos.

In East Grand Forks, Minnesota, six and a half feet of water filled Mendenhall Presbyterian Church’s basement, inundating the furnace, organ blower and kitchen.  Another foot and a half seeped into offices, classrooms and an elevator in a new addition to the church.  Damage, estimated at $125,000, was not covered by the church’s insurance policy.

Pejuhutazizi Presbyterian Church in Granite Falls, Minnesota has a small Native American congregation.  Flooding ruined the furnace and electrical wiring, as well as damaging wood floor and pews in the sanctuary.  Estimates are still being gathered, but will exceeed the congregations’s resources.

Volunteers can call the Presbytery of Northern Plains at 1-701-746-8365.  Money gifts can be given through local churches, designated for Upper Midwest Church Rebuilding, Account 9-2000133.  Giving can be by credit card; phone 1-800-872-3283.

The Rev. Ben Daniel has moved from pastor of Gonzales Community Presbyterian Church, to Pastor of Foothill Presbyterian Church, San Jose.  .  .   The Rev. Steven P. Moyer has been called as Pastor of Felton Presbyterian Church; he transfers from the Presbytery of West Jersey.  .  . The Rev. Dennis Carr has been called as Pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church, San Jose, effective January 5, 1998; he transfers from the Presbytery of Blackhawk.

The congregation of Carmel Presbyterian Church has voted to dissolve the pastoral relationship with the Rev. Dr. Jon Wilson as of the end of October.  The Rev. Edd Breeden is Moderator of the Session until an interim pastor is named.

The Rev. Samuel Casiano has been granted the status of Honorably Retired, and his pastoral relationship with St. Philip’s Presbyterian Church, Salinas, has been dissolved.  He has moved to Stockton for retirement living.  The Rev. Dr. Al Solomon is Moderator of the Session of St. Philip’s until an interim pastor is named.

The Rev. Dr. George Erickson is Interim Pastor of Watsonville United Presbyterian Church, taking the place vacated by  interim pastor the Rev. Richard Neese.

In 1997, the Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry worked with 19 churches in the process of filling a vacant pastoral position or creating a new position.  New pastors were called to Immanuel, Stone and Foothill, San Jose, to Felton and to Sunnyvale.  Vacancies occurred in Carmel; First, Santa Cruz; Covenant, Palo Alto; Gonzales; and St. Philip’s, Salinas.  One church, Christ, San Jose, was closed.