The Power of a Willing Heart,

written by Wendy Tajima,

Executive Presbyter

Click here to view graphic

WATCH OUT FOR

EMAIL SCAMS

Several of you recently received an email that seemed to come from Wendy Tajima. Thanks to Skip Ober Miller from San Marino Community Church for sending some tips to help people recognize scam emails. Here they are, slightly edited:

~Look at the address in the header. If the email address comes up as anything other than the real address, it’s a scam. If there's any doubt about the email, write or text a separate message using the contact info you already have.  

~If the email just starts with “Hi” – not “Hi Skip” or the usual way we start emails – big red flag.

~The sender wants to only talk via email.

~The "essential task" is vague but sounds important or urgent. One of the common scams involves gift cards—if you are asked to buy gift cards, it's probably a scam--when in doubt, contact the sender with the contact info you already have to confirm.

~The language is "off." It's kind of formal or stiff, like something generated by AI.

~The closing says, "In Christ." (the nerve!) Most folks have standard signoffs, so if this isn't it, then confirm.

UPDATED RESOURCES

There are several new resources for our churches:

~Presbytery approved the 2025 pastor compensation minimums. Find the overview of the numbers, along with a summary of the benefits policy changes, HERE.

~Contact Kristin Leucht at kleucht@pensions.org for BoP questions, Cyndie Crowell at cwcrowell1001@gmail.com, or Wendy Tajima at wendytajima@sangabpres.org on San Gabriel's policy.

~If you want to consider alternative sources of coverage for pastor's families, contact Martha Gonzales for options and non-BoP quotes at martha@chminsurance.com

~The Justice Peacemaking and Mission Committee has compiled a list of resources for unhoused neighbors seeking help, but we'd like to update it, especially for services outside of Pasadena--like our churches' food pantries in El Monte, Highland Park, and elsewhere. You can find the list HERE Please take a look and if you want to make additions or changes, contact Patrick Perry at perryting@sbcglobal.net

Update from LA County General Medical

Center Chaplain

Read the most recent update from Rev. Dr. Charity Ngaruiya, Protestant Chaplain at LA County General. The update, which is dated August 2024, includes several moving stories of patient visits, photos from the USC Street Medicine Conference, and a prayer list. Find out more about this

exciting ministry!

To read the update click here.

Interwoven

Eagle Rock Launch

First Celebration

Join the fun at

4848 Eagle Rock Blvd,

Los Angeles, CA 90041

To view flyer, click here

WINTERFEST RESOURCES

Resources from the Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribe

Legal Training for Churches

Neighborhood Center Resource List

Treasurer's Manual PCUSA