In our Sunday School classes this season our young people have been learning about the meaning behind many of the Christmas holiday symbols. They have learned that centuries ago the Christmas tree was once displayed in the center of town and people would gather around the community tree and tell stories from both the Old and New Testament. However, the church at the time did not like people gathering together in the city streets and had the trees removed. Undeterred, the people then began the tradition of having the Christmas tree in their homes, they continued to tell their stories and filled the trees with a variety of meaningful decorations.

We have learned that the dove that adorns the top of many people’s Christmas tree is a symbol of the peace that Jesus brings in the world.

The manger is a symbol of his humble beginnings and the star is a symbol of the promise of his blessings and of God’s love for the world.

In addition to learning about the symbols of the tree, manger, and star the classes have been able to interact with these symbols through different art projects and will be using them in the Christmas Pageant on December 8th.
This has been a fun and interactive learning time and our young people are looking forward to bringing it into worship for their annual Christmas pageant.

Our Pumpkin Patch

For the fifth year now Church of the Foothills has “made the neighborhood feel like fall” by providing the community with a pumpkin patch.

Our neighbors continued to show their appreciation by supporting our patch with lots of sales, several compliments and many thanks for providing a simple family friendly pumpkin patch devoid of extra costly attractions. It has been wonderful to welcome both new and re-turning customers.

The pumpkin patch is primarily a fundraiser; however, it is the kind of event that offers more than financial benefits. Working a shift at the patch provides an opportunity for our church family to get to know each other better. With hundreds of people coming onto our campus, hosting the patch brings us into direct connection with our community who enjoy knowing that their purchase goes to help both the church and the Navajo Nation in Farmington.

I would like to thank all of the wonderful people who helped with this year’s Pumpkin Patch. It takes the support of a village for events such as these to be successful and we know ChOTF has and is a uniquely strong and vibrant village.

I love being ChOTF’s “Pumpkin Pastor” and as long as I’m joined by the Foothills village I will be happy to go “Orange” again next fall.

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.
~Henry Ford

I feel that this quote speaks to numerous positive efforts made in our world and I find it be-fitting when referring to the 2017 OC Pride parade and festival. The theme for the event was “As One” and it surely took many hands and minds coming together to create such a great event.

This was my first experience walking in a parade and I was filled with both joy and pride as I joined our group of approximately 20 walkers from CHOTF. Our group, along with several others walkers, floats and decorated cars marched down 3rd St carrying banners, waving flags and ringing bells all in celebration and unity.

The parade kicked off a full day festival which encompassed several blocks in downtown Santa Ana. I thought it wonderful that CHOTF was one of several churches hosting a booth and sharing the message of love, understanding and acceptance. Our booth had visitors throughout the day and we gave away 500 CHOTF bags filled with Soaptopia samples and information about the church. Additionally, thanks to the hand knitted items donated by Katy Black we received $187 in donations which covered almost two thirds of the events costs.

Thank you to Cuca for the soap, to Katy for the headbands, scarves, heart pins and prayer bears, to the O&A committee their preparing the gift bags and to the volunteers who helped with the booth.

This was a great event and I hope that we will continue to grow with it.

Blessings, Pastor Kel

“Family means you are part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life, no matter what.”

In the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch “Ohana” is their word for family which means for them that “no one gets left behind or forgotten.”

The youth of our church feel that Church of the Foothills is their Ohana. Our church provides for them a safe environment full of loving people who care about them, love them for who they are and encourage and support them in their personal lives.

The message of Ohana will be the theme for this year’s Youth Sunday which be held Sunday, May 21st. Our youth have been enjoying preparing the worship service and invite all the Ohana to come on Youth Sunday and enjoy the experience.

Blessings,
Pastor Kel

“Open your heart, open it wide, spread kindness so much that when you’re done, people will be in a better place.”

I feel that we brought this quote to life on the evening of Saturday January 14th when approxi-mately 150 people came to ChOTF to see the film, “Letter to Anita” This film tells the story of a woman named Ronni Sanlo who, after coming out as a les-bian and losing custody of her two young children in the late 1970’s turned her life into building commu-nity through her personal, political and professional struggles. The film offers insight into the history of the LGBT movement in the 1970’s and the enor-mous impact singer/entertainer Anita Bryant had on the anti-gay campaign.

I thought this was a very insightful film and it provided me with a deeper and more specific under-standing of the adversities the LGBT movement has faced. It also gave me fuller awareness of the role Anita Bryant played during the “anti-gay” crusade in the 70’s and its life changing and far reaching impact. I thought one of the most powerful lines in the movie came toward the end when Ronnie tells inter-viewer Meredith Baxter that she was grateful to Anita Bryant for being in essence the catalyst that galva-nized activist in action and brought the LGBT move-ment to life.

It was exciting to see the tables in the Fellow-ship Hall filled with so many people and even more exciting to know that the director, Andrea Meyerson, and main character, Ronni Sanlo, were among the audience. Many of those in attendance were marvel-ing that this movie was being shown at a church in Orange County and it was wonderful that they left now knowing that we have “safe space” for all within our Christian community. I would like to thank our Open and Affirming Ministry for sponsoring this movie night and I look forward to similar events in the future.

Blessings,
Pastor Kel

This past October marked for me my 2 year anniversary of serving this wonderful congregation. I have found great joy in being a part of this church family and feel so blessed that CHOTF has so loving welcomed me and my husband, son and also my mother.
My mother, Kathleen Hunt, has truly enjoyed her “CHOTF experience” and is so happy to have a new church home. As a new member she wishes to participate in church life by sharing with the congregation her experience in Parish Ministry.

My mother is a retired public health nurse and has served as a Parish Nurse in her previous church and one of her responsibilities has been to write a monthly newsletter article. She enjoyed this experience very much and would like to provide a monthly article for the Foot-prints. Her first Health and Wellness article appears on page 8 of the December issue of Footprints.

Blessing, Pastor Kel