Repair & Recovery

​Most of you have probably already heard that on August 11, if all goes according to plan, I will be having hip replacement surgery.  Please keep me in your prayers for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery.

The doctors tell me that if all goes well I should be back in the game at least to some extent within four weeks and right now my target to return to work is September 8.  I have arranged for pastoral care coverage for the time that I am out.  Please contact Council President Henry Lowman or Office Administrator Tami Schubert if you have a pastoral care need, and they will put you in contact with one of the covering pastors. 

We will also have two guest preachers leading worship while I’m out and their bios are included below.  I know that you all will give them a warm welcome and help them feel at home here at Coastside.  We will be worshiping both in person and on zoom. (Thanks Bill H for continuing to supply tech support).  If I’m able, I may try and jump on the zoom from home while I’m out.

Thank you to everyone who has committed to help with worship and fellowship so that everything runs smoothly.  There are still a few volunteer spots available, please see the SignUp Genius link that is in the weekly email.  Thank you to Mark and Warren for volunteering to lead Centering Prayer on Tuesday evenings at 6 pm.  Please come out and support all our volunteers and our guest preachers.

I’ll admit that I’m a little nervous about the surgery…I don’t do pain well… but I know God will be with me and I’m looking forward to returning in September with a spring in my step, ready to join you in doing God’s work.

Peace! Pastor Sue 

​The Rev. David Bowman will be joining us on August 14 and September 4. Pastor David is a semi-retired United Church of Christ minister. He holds a Ph.D in theological ethics from Glasgow University (Scotland). Since coming to California fourteen years ago, he’s been active in ministry, especially among Lutherans. He served as Interim Minister at Faith Lutheran (ELCA) in Los Gatos. Later, he ministered as Chaplain at The Terraces of Los Gatos. He is the author of three books: Saints Along the Way: Women and Men Who Have Influenced Me (2015), Parish, the Thought: A Memoir in Ministry (2018), and Faith Rising—Between the Lines: Intimations of Faith Embedded in Modern Fiction (2021) He lives in Saratoga, with his wife, Dianne. They have three adult children.
 
The Rev. Mary Ann Johnson (nee Fiene) will be leading us in worship on August 21 and August 28. Here is Pastor Mary Ann’s story: Halfway through my life, I finally got the courage to say "yes" to a call to ministry.  Considering my first field of study was science, a switch to theology left me feeling like I was falling into an abyss.  Until I entered seminary, I had been comfortable in my role as microbiologist and middle manager at Kettering Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio.  When I entered seminary, I left friends and a secure income for the unknown.  Given my style of relating to others and my background in a medical center, I assumed I would become a chaplain.  However, God surprised me!  My call to a small to medium-sized church in Oxnard, California, was a good fit!  The church grew in numbers and in spiritual depth enabling us to engage in Maritime Ministry, support a food pantry, vacation Bible school, an after-school program and a number of youth programs.  Since I was raised in Long Beach, California, I loved living in So. California. In 2010, I retired and moved to Half Moon Bay to be near my sister and her family of: husband, six children and nine grandchildren.  In 2017, I received another surprise from God!  I met and married a retired pastor, Bruce Johnson.  Our relationship is a gift!