PBPC Announcements

PBPC Family, The following is an announcement from Rory Brown, our Personnel elder. This is a follow up to the announcement she made on Sunday during worship. Park Blvd started last fall the process of selecting a Permanent Pastor with a congregation meeting focused on defining our values and mission, and then continued this spring with another congregation meeting to determine what we wanted in a Permanent Pastor. Now we are ready to have a discernment process in with Park Blvd and Calvin mutually determine whether Calvin should lead Park Blvd permanently. The process will be a series of 3-5 meetings over the next two months guided by a set of questions and prayers. Presently we are forming a committee to participate in the process. Rory Brown as the Ruling Elder responsible for Personnel is leading this process. She can be reached at 510.205.4921 or roryebrown@gmail.com As we begin this process, we invite you to pray for all who will be involved and for Park Boulevard Presbyterian Ch...

PBPC Family, Last night at our Session meeting, we spent some time reflecting on the past 6 months or so of our congregational life. We used the Ignatian Prayer of Examen as a tool for reflection. Traditionally, the Ignatian Prayer of Examen is a daily prayer pondering moments of consolation (feelings of God's closeness or gratitude) and moments of desolation (feelings of God's absence or a lack of gratitude). Considering moments of God's closeness and moments of God's distance can help us discern what God is doing in our midst. It's a lot like sitting down on the couch with Jesus at the end of the day and asking, "What do you think of today? What do you want me to remember?" At our Session meeting, as we shared moments where we sensed God's closeness or God's absence, it was interesting to see certain themes rise to the surface or realize that many of us had similar moments where we felt God's closeness. I found our conversation to be deeply e...

PBPC Family, If you drive by the church this week, you'll notice a new sign on Park Blvd with a question - "Seeking Simplicity?" My guess is that for many of us, the answer is "Yes!" For the month of August, we are going to seek a simpler life. We will be hosting a Simplicity Learning Lab, exploring the wisdom of simplicity through study, conversations, and practical experiments. This learning lab is in response to commitments we made at our Day of Discernment last year to provide opportunities for connection with our neighbors. I am becoming increasingly convinced that simplicity is a crucial spiritual practice for us as we seek to live the way of Jesus. And it is a wonderful entrance to the wisdom of Jesus for those who do not identify as Christians.  Peter Mommsen, the editor of Plough Magazine, recently wrote an article on money ( HERE's the full article - it's well worth the read). He shared the results of a survey on American values by the Wall St...

PBPC Family, Happy Fourth of July! As we remember and celebrate our country's founding, here is a prayer based on Psalm 72, written by J. Philip Newell. Give the leaders of this nation your justice, O God. May they lead the people with truth and the poor with compassion. May they defend the needy and stop the oppressor. May they be wise as long as the sun and the moon shine. May they be like rain that falls on dry ground, like showers that water the earth. In their days may right relationships thrive and peace prosper. May they pity the weak and save the sick, for precious is the blood of the poor. May prayers be said for them continually and blessings offered all day long. May there be plenty of food in the land. May the grain wave on the tops of the mountains and bring health to every family. May people blossom in the cities and children grow like flowers of the field. May our nation be blessed in them and may they know happiness in their own lives. Blessed be you, O God of all c...