Refugee Christmas Party

Mama O, Tout Tou Bouthapanya and Dia Martinez

Traditional Lao Dancers

Russian Refugee Choir

Children act out the nativity play

My bowl of soup

Dia Martinez and Sam Chang at the soup cauldron

It tastes like chicken...really!

Dia Martinez and I attended the Christmas party for the Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministry (FIRM) at their office on Fresno Street, between Clinton and McKinley avenues, this afternoon.  When the Hmong girl offered me hot sauce on my rice, I asked for more and she hesitated.  I complained that ethnic people never want to give white people hot sauce because they think we are all wimps.  I will never say that again at a Hmong occasion.  Their hot sauce makes the hottest Mexican salsa taste like ketchup!

The mission statement of FIRM is "Sharing Christ's Love To Build Communities of Hope With New Americans."  There are a variety of ways to become involved with the numerous ministries FIRM does within the community.

"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.  He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.  And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt."  Deuteronomy 10:17-19 (New International Version)

--Posted by Mama O.

Cookies for Habitat for Humanity

Homemade chocolate chip

And chocolate crackles...

Iced oatmeal raisin

Cookie Central!

Mushroom and leaves...just testing your attention span!

Thank you to all the wonderful bakers who brought in fresh, homemade cookies to distribute to the Habitat for Humanity volunteers at Christmas time!  It was an exercise in self-restraint, hauling all those cookies across town to the Habitat office and not eating them!  May God bless each of you for your generosity in baking and giving and may God bless the wonderful volunteers who receive those cookies and the love in each bite!
--Posted by Mama O.

Ladies' Ornament Exchange

26 women gathered at Robin Button's home for an evening
of fellowship

Hostess Robin  Button lights up the whole room with her necklace!

No wonder ladies are always on a diet!

Ornaments for all!

Ladies enjoy the holiday warmth

Thank you, Robin Button, for hosting a lovely evening of fun, food and fellowship, in your home on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012.  Seriously, it's no wonder we all have to diet all the time, with so many good cooks in this crowd!  New recipes and old traditional family favorites were all part of the light buffet supper.  Each guest left with a new ornament for her home and, more importantly, deeper bonds of love and friendship with her fellow women of College Church of Christ. 
--Posted by Mama O.

Sue Group Celebration

Gene Sue leads prayer in "the circle"

Grandpa David Douglass

Sue Group Takes The Cake

As is his custom, Gene gathered all the people in the room into a circle, joining hands on Sunday morning, to pray.  The Sue Group celebrated 20 years of God's blessings, through good times and bad, through sickness and health, and through the parting of many loved ones through death.  Many people have been blessed to be placed inside that circle through the years, hands laid on them, and the church family praying over spiritual matters, finances, health, marriages, children... We have seen God work miracles of faith, healing, love, joy, peace and sweet fellowship as a result of these prayers.

Tables at the back of the room featured prayer requests and praises throughout the years.  Casey Sue, Gene's son, called his youngest son, Joshua, over to show him his birth announcement among the praise reports.  There were photographs of service projects such as the "City of Children" orphanage in Mexico and the Homeless Ministry at Santa Clara and F Streets in Fresno each month.  There were pictures of parties for Halloween, the Pismo Beach camping trip and many other church family traditions.

Gene and Linda have modeled for us, in their own lives, how to love unconditionally, but also be no-nonsense about righteous living.  I cannot think of anything more Christ-like than that!  Well done, good and faithful servants!  May the Sue Group enjoy 20 more years of meaningful ministry!
--Posted by Mama O.

.

High School Christmas Dinner

Jason Swain and Hunter Scott "photo bomb" the young ladies'
photograph

Gentlemen of the College Church of Christ high school group

Looking forward to a beautiful evening

Group shot at the Hamms
(Photo courtesy of Rachel Hamm)

Marcos Miranda and Arthur (the Ferri's St. Bernanrd)

Girls model the popular socks in the gift exchange

Toasting (with Martinelli's) at the Pafford's

Christmas Cheer!
 Our high school students enjoyed a wonderful evening of "progressive dining" on Friday night.  They met at the church, in the Uptown lobby of our Children's Ministry.  Then, they proceeded to the home of Marshall and Rachel Hamm, where they were treated to "twice baked potatoes" and homemade jalapeno poppers.  Considering that the Hamms just moved into their home last week, we think this is a Christmas miracle!

The group then proceeded to Tannon and Theresa Pafford's home, where they dined on salad, bacon-wrapped filet (prepared by barbecue chefs Tannon Pafford and Luke Oehlschlaeger) and creamy mashed potatoes, prepared by "Mama Mandy" Oehlschlaeger.  The Paffords even moved their sofa into the garage for the evening to accommodate the crowd!

Then, the grand finale took place clear across town at the home of Bruce and Cathi Ferri, where the high school students enjoyed Christmas cookies, cupcakes and candy, as well as a lively white-elephant gift exchange.  Cozy socks were the most popular gift-exchange item, while the most memorable gift was probably the bank shaped like a pile of, pile of, well, let's just say it looked like something the Ferri's St. Bernard puppy left on the front lawn!

Thank you to Aaron and Sarah Scott, to our hosts, and drivers for a wonderful and memorable evening!

--Posted by Mama O.

Family Suppers

If I could give our church staff and elders a "Zagat Rating" for their delicious church family suppers on Wednesday nights, it would be the very highest possible rating.  Bon Appetit to Doug Baker for a wholesome and delicious bowl of vegetable soup last night!  To Lee Smith for a pheneomenal pork loin (the secret was in the spicy sauce!).  To Aaron Scott for his Chicken Spaghetti--a crowd pleaser every time!  To Sandra Henderson for her mouth-wateringingly tasty pulled pork sandwiches.  And to Jason Locke with some alarmingly good chili and corn bread!  We appreciate your culinary prowess and your willingness to serve us in yet another way!

It is possible that the fine men and women who lead us would like some other chefs to join the circuit--think of it as an opportunity to be the star on your own Food Network show!  Let's talk about forming some "chef groups" for Wednesday night meals in the new year.  I believe we will be more blessed than we are a blessing as we participate in the tradition of making and breaking bread together as a church family.

We'll talk more about this in Shepherding Group....

--Posted by Mama O.

A Group of Wrap Artists

Wrap Artist Kyle Mason

Mmmmm....tri tip

Theresa Pafford serves the men

Hunter Scott and Aaron Roland



Luke Oehlschlaeger and John Jacobo listen to
Wrapper Sean Gresham

Jason Gresham watches Wrap Artists Sean Gresham
and Steve Ocheltree

The chow line

Watching the game

Thanks, Tannon Pafford, for these photos of the Wrap Artists' party on Monday night, December 3, 2012, to prepare gifts for Angel Tree, a ministry to children who have a parent in prison.

Great job, Wrappers!

--Posted by Mama O.