Dear Friends,
I have asked Christopher Carter, our new Student Pastor of Discipleship, to write some words of introduction about himself. I invite you to introduce yourself to Chris and his wife Gabrielle, and Jon Tarman, our Student Pastor of Youth, and welcome them.
– Pastor Bob
Christopher & Gabrielle: The early years
Christopher and I met and spent most of our lives in Battle Creek Michigan, where we attended Washington Heights UMC. This is the church Chris grew up in, as well as our home church for most of our marriage. The city is known as Cereal City USA, Kellogg’s started there, and it smells like Fruit Loops in most parts of the town.
We have been a couple since January 2000, and we married in July of 2003 (the best decision Chris ever made, though going into ministry might be a close second). I graduated from Michigan State University in 2004 with a degree in Sociology and a love of MSU sports. Chris graduated in 2007 from Cornerstone University with a degree in Business and Ministry leadership. We have adopted Chris as an honorary Spartan since Cornerstone is a private Christian school and doesn’t have the great sports that MSU does!
In September of 2007 we moved to Claremont California for Chris to begin his seminary journey at Claremont School of Theology. After 3 long days in Chris’ Ford Mustang (visualize 2 adults, 2 large dogs, a car full of stuff, and 2 bikes strapped to the car) we arrived in hot California. There was a problem with the apartment we had rented and it turned out we had nowhere to live…we ended up at the Red Roof Inn. Luckily we found a rental over the weekend. Though we had no electricity for the first two days and it was over 90 degrees, the journey had started!
Unfortunately (according to our mothers) we don’t have children yet, but we do have two great dogs that keep us plenty busy. Currently I work full time for Social Security as a Social Insurance Specialist and part time at Pottery Barn. Chris works at school as a student activities organizer. We enjoy traveling, reading, and sports in our leisure. Hope this gives you a look into who we are. We are looking forward to getting to know all of you and greatly appreciate the welcoming that we have already received.
Peace and Blessings, Chris & Gabrielle Carter
May 13th, 2008
Rev. Bob Isip
Reading: Acts 2:14-18
7:16 | 4.5 MB | Play Sermon
May 11th, 2008
EARTH TALK
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: I really want to eat healthy and organic but am constantly traveling and on the go. How can I eat fast food without having to always end up at McDonald’s and Burger King?
– Dylan Baker, Seattle, Washington
The latest trend in fast food is healthy and organic, and luckily for conscious consumers, several chains offering just such fare are taking root in different parts of the U.S. One of the leaders of this small but scrappy pack of fast food upstarts is O’Naturals. The small chain currently runs two stores of its own in Maine (Falmouth and Portland) and one in Acton, Massachusetts, and franchises out additional locations in Kansas and Florida. O’Naturals’ menu contains lots of vegetarian-friendly items, including “build-your-own” flatbread sandwiches, salads, noodle stir-frys and soups. The meat the restaurant does serve is grass-fed and hormone-free, while the chickens are free-range and the Alaskan salmon is wild.
Another healthy option is EVOS, which currently runs five “quick-casual” restaurants in Florida and is planning a major expansion into the western U.S. Vegetarians can rejoice in the chain’s wide selection of vegetarian and vegan items. While its hormone- and antibiotic-free burgers are still only about as healthy as red meat gets, their soy burger satisfies without the guilt or the cholesterol. Also, EVOS uses organic field greens in its wraps and salads, organic milk in its milkshakes, and fresh fruit in its smoothies. Additionally, the restaurant air-bakes its fries and other typically deep-fried items to keep the fat content as much as 70 percent lower than the same kinds of foods found elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Seattle-based Organics-To-Go, with five locations in Washington and California, lays out a wide array of “grab-and-go” organic and natural foods so customers can make up their own meals out of a cornucopia of healthy choices. Other fast food alternatives offering lots of health (as well as vegetarian and vegan) options include Au Bon Pain, Bruegger’s Bagels, Noah’s Bagels, and World Wraps, while Subway and Quizno’s alike can be good options for those willing to study the menu carefully.
Even though many alternatives exist, it is hard to beat the reach of the major fast food chains, several of which are making small steps toward healthier menus and will undoubtedly continue to do so if consumers bite. McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King and Wendy’s have reduced or eliminated trans-fats. Burger King now offers a veggie burger, and McDonald’s is testing one in California. Taco Bell offers many non-meat options, including a bean and cheese burrito, a veggie fajita wrap, and a 7-layer burrito, which can be had without the cheese and sour cream. Carl’s Jr. also has many tasty and healthy vegetarian options despite an otherwise standard fast-food menu. Vegetarians and vegans looking for more ideas about what to eat when time is of the essence should consult any number of websites with pages devoted to the topic, including Vegetarian-Restaurants.net, VegCooking, FitWise and Vegetarian Resource Group.
And remember, nothing beats seeking out local restaurants when you’re on the road, to soak up some of the local culture. And with trends as they are it shouldn’t be too difficult to find many that do serve healthy menus-just not quite as fast as “fast food” but probably fast enough.
CONTACTS: O’Naturals, www.onaturals.com; EVOS, www.evos.com; Vegetarian-Restaurants.net, www.vegetarian-restaurants.net; VegCooking, www.vegcooking.com; FitWise, www.fitwise.com; Vegetarian Resource Group, www.vrg.org.
GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.
May 11th, 2008
Bottled water is out, and tap water is in, says the May/June 2008 cover story of E – The Environmental Magazine (now posted at: www.emagazine.com). Call it reverse snob appeal. These days, it’s the tap water enthusiasts, concerned about the environment, who get to act self-righteous. Just like it has become cool to bring your own cloth bags to the grocery store and your own mug to the coffee shop, the reusable water bottle is the hip, new eco-accessory.
In Canada, the bottled water issue has reached the level of an “uprising.” College students are staging protests - declaring “bottled-water free zones” on campus. High school activists are raising questions about why their school board members are locking them into a contract with Coke or Pepsi (makers of Aquafina and Dasani bottled water) when they have access to drinking fountains for free. Some of the students have jokingly started selling bottled air for $1.
Perhaps Richard Girard, a corporate researcher for the Ottawa-based Polaris Institute, says it best. “This movement is gaining momentum because the general public is starting to figure out bottled water is a scam,” he says.
Bottled Waste
Bottled water is also contributing to huge amounts of waste and energy consumption. It takes 15 million barrels of oil per year to make all of the plastic water bottles in America, according to the Container Recycling Institute. Sending those bottles by air and truck uses even more fossil fuel. Once people drain the bottles, they rarely recycle them because they’re often purchased at big concert venues or airports with no recycling bins. CRI says eight out of 10 water bottles end up in the landfill. The bottles that drift from landfills or end up as litter in streams are washing out to sea to form a huge raft of plastic debris in the center of the Pacific that is estimated to be twice the size of Texas.
It takes 1,000 years for plastic bottles to break down, CRI estimates. States could add deposit bills that would increase recycling efforts, but few have taken the initiative.
Don’t Refill the Bottle!
Consumers aren’t advised to reuse store-bought bottled water, or even plastic bottles made for refilling due to dangers of leaching chemicals. Research shows that clear bottles made of polycarbonate plastic (such as the original 32-ounce Nalgene) can leach bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disrupting chemical that acts like estrogen in the body. Since BPA has been linked to low sperm counts and an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer, scientists suggest avoiding reusable bottles made from plastic. They also raise serious concerns about the potential for other plastic chemicals to leach out of typical PET bottled water bottlesespecially if they sit in the hot sun.
Some of the best refillable bottle options come from the stainless guaranteed-not-to-leach SIGG bottles made in Switzerland. The trend away from bottled water may also boost sales of home filters. Water quality experts say most tap water is fine to drink straight from the faucet - especially in cities like San Francisco, Seattle, New York City and Denver, where water comes from pristine mountain reservoirs.
Turning Back to Tap
It makes sense for anyone turning back to tap to become educated about the local public water supply. And since the Environmental Protection Agency requires frequent water quality reports, the data is easy to find. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) makes it easy with its Tap Water Database. You can plug in your zip code and find out whether your local water system is up to par.
Now that more people are trying kick the bottled water habit, groups like Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and EWG hope this new awareness will translate into more support for public water supplies, and for water conservation in general.
GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.
——————————
See related post: Bottled Water vs. Tap Water
May 6th, 2008
Dear Friends,
I have asked Jonathan Tarman, our new Student Pastor of Youth, to write some words of introduction about himself. I also invited Chris Carter, our new Student Pastor of Discipleship, to share some information; this will appear in a future edition of the El Portal.
– Pastor Bob
Hello! My name is Jonathan Tarman and I am excited to begin serving the church as the Student Pastor of Youth Ministries. Originally from Dodge City, KS, I was raised on my family farm. My father is a fifth generation farmer and cattle rancher and my mother currently serves as a Lay Associate and Christian Education Director in the United Methodist Church.
I graduated from Kansas State University in May of 2007 with a degree in Biological Science and a minor in Spanish. Currently, I am now pursuing a Masters of Divinity concentrating in Family Pastoral Care and Counseling from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena.
I look forward to becoming integrated into the life of the church, and among many things will be involved in the Sunday School, youth group, and the young adult ministry. I invite you to introduce yourself so that I may get to know you. Please feel free to contact me at any time: jonathan.tarman@gmail.com, 626-676-9082.
– Jonathan
May 6th, 2008
This video features the facets of Peace with Justice Sunday – including peace education and reconciliation work around the world, cross cultural reconciliation and help for those in war torn areas begin anew. Features the song “Forgive the World” by Kim McLean.
Forgive The World
May 2nd, 2008
Dear Friends,
Our Staff-Parish Relations Committee decided to hire two student pastors instead of requesting an ordained appointed associate pastor this year. So, last Sunday, April 20 during our 9:45am worship service, we introduced Jonathan Tarman, our Student Pastor of Youth, and Christopher Carter, our Student Pastor of Discipleship.
Jonathan, who likes to be called Jon, officially started on Saturday, April 19 by being with our youth at the work day at the Madrona Marsh. His general areas of responsibilities will include: leading the youth program; organizing the single young adult group(s); and overseeing the education and Sunday school programs.
Christopher, who goes by Chris, is starting on the first Sunday of May. His job description includes designing and overseeing our discipleship programs; preaching in a rotation schedule; and reaching out to our young families, married couples, and single parents.
Michigan native Chris is a first year student at the Claremont School of Theology and is married to Gabrielle. Jon is from Kansas and is a first year student at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena.
Each of these United Methodist young adults will work 15 hours a week. Moreover, they will be fulfilling their respective field education requirements for their Master’s of Divinity Degree as they progress through the ordination process. Both are commuters to our church and will announce their office hours and schedules.
They are both high caliber people and will contribute much to our church family in the near future. I invite you the congregation to introduce yourselves to them and receive them with open arms. More information will be forthcoming in regards to a welcome reception.
– Pastor Bob
April 29th, 2008
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