"COOL, CALM, AND COLLECTED" - Holman United Methodist ...
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Holman United Methodist Church | June 2021 | Church of the Bells
“COOL, CALM,
AND COLLECTED”
Dear Holman Family and Friends,
I pray you are doing well. The month of June brings the official start of the summer season.
Summers are hot! The heating temperatures can increase to harmful numbers during this time
of year, so please try to stay cool by staying hydrated, relaxing in the shade, and not over
heating by participating in too much physical activity.
Millions of people are negatively impacted during the summer’s heat and suffer heat exhaustion,
heat-strokes, dehydration, among other illness, and even death. It is not always easy to follow
a common phrase that encourages us to “stay cool, calm, and collected” during unpleasant
seasons of life. Ultimately, God desires us to have a healthy life. Let us remember the words
found in the book of Jerimiah 29:11 “…The Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans
to give you hope and a future.”
The month of June brings an incredibly special occasion, Father’s Day! I am wishing a Happy
Father’s Day to all men who display fatherly love to others in his community. Being a Father is
more than a biological role. Fortunately, many men demonstrate loving service beyond the
“traditional family” paradigm. The Holy Bible highlights the significance of a Father’s role in the
Old Testament and New Testament. Thank God for those serving in fatherly roles that have
helped shape us into productive human beings.
The Holman UMC Relaunch Committee continues to meet regularly as we prepare to begin
limited capacity in-person worship services. Pray for the work and planning performed by our
various committees as they strive to prepare for our reentry into the sanctuary.
During every season, even in the uncomfortable seasons, Michelle and I continue to pray for our
church community to follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, step by step. May we remain
“cool, calm, and collected” this summer in addition to full of appreciation for the good things God
has done, the good things God is doing, and the good things God will do in our lives and in the
world.
God Bless You!
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Dr. Ken Walden
Senior Pastor
Holman United Methodist Church
IN SERVICE
Rev. Louis A. Chase
Minister of Community Outreach
WATER AND THE SPIRIT II
(CARE OF MOTHER EARTH)
Rabbi Nicodemus has an encounter with Jesus at night. In the darkness a conversation ensues. This
learned man, Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews, addresses Rabbi Jesus. In a peculiar way the
conversation begins. “We know that you are a teacher who has come from God.” (John 3: 2). Note, there
is no personal pronoun, but “We know…” Not we think. We know...? Could it be that Nicodemus was
referring to members of the Sanhedrin, the supreme council, or to other Pharisees or to other persons like
him who perhaps would long to have a conversation during daylight, but could not and thus remained in
the closet and he comes to Jesus at night. Could it be that there was a great mass of darkness in his
heart, so much that on the one hand he could say, “for no one can do these signs that you do apart from
the presence of God.” And on the other hand conceals in that darkness, “but I, Nicodemus, don’t really
know you.”
Jesus responds to Nicodemus in a manner that in my case would evoke exasperation. “Very truly, I tell
you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” I would want to shout, “Rabbi
Jesus, answer the question! You are not making sense to me!” Nicodemus is a good and learned man;
“a Pharisee….. a leader of the Jews.” (John 3: 1) And the dialog continues. Jesus says to him, “Are you a
teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?” (John 3: 10)
Born from above? Born of water and spirit? This story is so familiar that if I asked you what did Jesus say
to Nicodemus, you would without hesitation retort, “You must be born again.” Over the years, I have shied
away from this text because of my early years in so-called evangelical religiosity. I did not get it. I was a
Nicodemus. The darkness was not illumined. “Do not be astonished that I told you, “You must be
born again.”
Our text lets us know early on that this is a privileged, private conversation between the two Rabbis.
The text also provides us a didactic session, where something significant was going to be learned or
taught, depending on one’s perspective. And somehow John allows us to eavesdrop on this private
conversation, cloaked in the darkness of the hour, to hear and be illuminated ourselves.
In the first instance, Jesus anticipates the question that was on Nicodemus’ mind and goes right to the
heart of the matter, bypassing the flattery and statement of the obvious. Nicodemus lets Jesus know in no
uncertain terms that his heart was troubled and he came to learn something. He recognized that with all of
his learning, years of study, and observance, he was lacking something, some fundamental insight that
this man, Jesus, apparently had.
The two rabbis spoke and their words seemed to fly right past each other. In their conversation,
Nicodemus wanted an intellectual, rational explanation for the phenomenon he saw in Jesus; and Jesus
offered a spiritual explanation, one that would radically challenge Nicodemus’ life and world. The answers
did not match the questions, in poor, Nicodemus; mind. Here is someone describing to him a process that
(Continued on page 4—WATER AND THE SPIRIT II)
2
In Fellowship
LOOKING AHEAD
1 DIANE BERNSTEIN
1 DAWN GLENN 11:00 A.M.
2 INGRID E. VERNON VIA RADIO BROADCAST ON
4 RICK ALLEN PERSAUD KJLH RADIO 102.3 FM
6 JANE WILSON
WWW.KJLHRADIO.COM
7 DOLORES GRAHAM LIVE STREAM VIA FACEBOOK
7 HAZEL STOREY (HolmanChurch)
7 ROZALIN A. SMITH Sunday, JUN 6
8 DAN SIEVER 2nd Sunday after Pentecost
8 MARY BOYD Holy Communion Sunday
9 BEN BROWN, SR. Scriptures
Genesis 3:8-15; Mark 3:20-35
10 AMA THOMAS
“WHO TOLD YOU?”
11 JUNE BLEAVINS Preacher: Rev. Dr. Ken J. Walden
12 PATRICIA QUAYE
13 BRIGETTE THOMPSON Sunday, JUN 13
rd
13 DON WATERS 3 Sunday after Pentecost
14 LEVAUGHAN WELCH Scriptures
Psalm 20; Mark 4:26-34
14 DARNELL MITCHELL-CLAY
“PLANTING AND HARVESTING?”
17 JOAN GILL Preacher: Rev. Dr. Ken J. Walden
18 JOYCE ALLEN
18 SAUNDRA VARNADO-WILBURN Sunday, JUN 20
18 KAROLYN HAMM 4th Sunday after Pentecost
Scriptures:
19 VIVIAN HALL
1 Kings 15:9-15;
20 MAUREEN NEAL II Corinthians 6:1-13
22 ROBERT LEWIS “A FATHER’S INFLUENCE”
22 JOANN LANCASTER-WMS FLETCHER Preacher: Rev. Dr. Ken J. Walden
24 KERRY L. NORWOOD
25 CARLA HILL Sunday, JUN 27
nd
2 Sunday after Pentecost
27 WALTER CATHEY
Scriptures
28 JACK HAYES Psalm 130; Mark 5:35-43
29 MARZUK LEWIS “GET UP!”
29 RICARDO LJ MOWATT Preacher: Rev. Dr. Ken J. Walden
3
We GROW through inspired learning
(Continued from page 2—WATER AND THE SPIRIT II)
was physically impossible. Nicodemus asks, with a nervous humor, if a man can re enter his mother’s
womb, unsure if he was the butt of a joke or if someone were mocking him. Jesus’ challenge to him was
to elevate your sight; you’re missing the point. Open up your mind, so that your spirit can apprehend the
moment presented to you. Open up your heart.
At this point, Jesus takes learned Nicodemus by the hand and explains to him the key differences
between this material world and the spirit world; between being mortal, yet desiring that which is immortal
and eternal. The thirst you have, Nicodemus, that you have pursued your entire life is for matters spiritual.
In making the comparison of flesh and spirit, Jesus posits the benefits of freedom beyond what this earthly
body could experience. Being born again means the elevation of soul to eternal life, to a level of
consequence that unleashes a new, vibrant life giving power into the world. This is the new birth which
comes from above. This is the new birth that gives life to the dead. You are more that who you think
you are. Your life is more expansive than your flesh and its function.
Jesus says to Nicodemus, if you are to enter the kingdom of God “you must be born again.” You have
matriculated from the school of rabbinical law, now you must be baptized and be renewed by God’s love.
Being born again has nothing to do with what you can intellectually grasp or attain by virtue of your
religiosity, piety or sacrifice. It has nothing, Nicodemus, to do with your class, achievement or
membership, but everything to do with what God intends and provides for you. It is the way to have
eternal life, the fruit of the Kingdom of God. In other words, Nicodemus, you better check yourself before
you wreck yourself.
In an effort to provide Nicodemus a familiar reference, Jesus says, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent,
so will the Son of man be lifted up. The reference to Moses is the occasion where serpents bit the
Israelites in the wilderness, killing many of them. Moses was then instructed by God to fashion a stick
in the form of a serpent, and anyone who was bitten by a poisonous snake who looked on the brazen
serpent would live. It is as if Jesus alludes to his crucifixion, a comparison to the physical body of a
person impaled on a piece of wood hoisted up and the salvific power that would flow from the cross,
“that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not
perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world,
but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3: 16-17)
Jesus invites us to participate in life’s process of being born again, continually. I am reminded by the
tumultuous earthquake in Japan that coincidentally, shifted the earth from its axis by 10 centimeters, and
Haiti with the shifting of tectonic plates and Kilauea volcano, Hawaii with the continuing flow of volcanic
lava that is creating new land mass, that God’s creation is still in process. The universe is still becoming.
The world is constantly being reborn, in spite of what we as humanity do to destroy each other
and creation. To be honest, many of the calamities we experience are exacerbated by our own
inventions. Nuclear power, toxic waste, overcrowding, maldistribution of resources and wealth present
themselves as ticking time bombs that are triggered into calamitous events when nature moves. “We do
not know as much as we think we know. We have to respect nature more,” says one of the scientists in
Japan following their earthquakes and tsunami. In many ways, we are in denial about the ongoing
creative process. We like to think that creation ended after 6 days in Genesis and we are the sole focus
and purpose for life on earth. This anthropocentrism must be exchanged for a theocentricism. We are not
at the center of the world, God is. And yet, God continues to create in us and around us. We, too, are
invited by Jesus to be reborn with water and spirit.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Please join me in four conversations, JUNE 9, 16, 23, 30, on The Air We Breathe, that will
highlight Holman’s participation with STAND LA and other partners on environmental
racism, with the goal of ending oil drilling in Los Angeles.
4
Witness through Nurture
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Faith Formation
Deborah A. Mitchell—Director, Children’s Ministry
Adam and Eve
Genesis 3:8-15 (NIV)
Do you know what the word “temptation” means? It is when you feel the need to do something
that is wrong or unwise; something you know you shouldn’t do but want to. for example, say you
have a cookie jar and you mom or dad said you couldn’t have any before dinner. When mom or dad
left the room where the cookie jar is sitting, you look at it longing to have one. You say to yourself,
“I’ll just have one; they won’t know”. That is temptation calling your name.
Today’s scripture is about Adam and Eve giving in to temptation. Gold told them they could eat
anything they wanted, except for the fruit from one tree. But when Adam and Eve were tempted by
the fruit, they disobeyed God and ate it. Then they both blamed it on someone else—he blamed her
and she blamed the serpent.
God wanted Adam and Eve to do the right thing. God wants us to do the right thing, too.
And God helps us do the right thing. All we have to do is ask him to help us. Remember that part of
the Lord’s Prayer that says, “...and lead us not into temptation...?” That’s where we call on God
through prayer to keep us from sinning.
Prayer: Dear God, thank You that You help us do the right thing. Thank You for giving us the
power to choose the right way. In Jesus' name, amen.
Interactive Activities - HIDE IN A CIRCLE
As children form a circle, the teacher can slip a small object in someone's hand and appoint another
child to stand in the middle and try to decide which child is hiding the object. Pretend to slip the
object in several children's hands so the appointed child in the middle will not know and will have to
guess. Tell children that they can ALL act as if they have the object.
Questions for Reflection:
• What is a way that God helps us say “no” to the bad things that tempt us?
• What are a few things that are tempting for you?
• Why is it important for you to obey God?
Memory Verse:
“God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree
that is in the middle of the garden,
nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’”
(Genesis 3:3).
5
We GATHER for dynamic worship!
BY PATRICIA SMITH
Unless you spring from a history that is smug and reckless, unless
you’ve vowed yourself blind to a ceaseless light, you see us. We
are a shea-shined toddler writhing through Sunday sermon, we are
the grizzled elder gingerly unfolding his last body. And we are intent
and insistent upon the human in ourselves. We are the doctor on
another day at the edge of reason, coaxing a wrong hope, ripping
open a gasping body to find air. We are five men dripping from the
burly branches of young trees, which is to say that we dare a world
that is both predictable and impossible. What else can we learn from
suicides of the cuffed, the soft targets black backs be? Stuck in its
rhythmic unreel, time keeps including us, even as our aged root
is doggedly plucked and trampled, cursed by ham-fisted spitters in
the throes of a particular fever. See how we push on as enigma, the
free out loud, the audaciously unleashed, how slyly we scan the sky—
all that wet voltage and scatters of furious star—to realize that we
are the recipients of an ancient grace. No, we didn’t begin to live
when, on the 19th June day of that awkward, ordinary spring—with
no joy, in a monotone still flecked with deceit—Seems you and these
others are free. That moment did not begin our breath. Our truths—
the ones we’d been birthed with—had already met reckoning in the
fields as we muttered tangled nouns of home. We reveled in black
from there to now, our rampant hue and nap, the unbridled breath
that resides in the rafters, from then to here, everything we are is
the stuff of astounding. We are a mother who hums snippets of gospel
into the silk curls of her newborn, we are the harried sister on the
elevator to the weekly paycheck mama dreamed for her. We are black
in every way there is—perm and kink, upstart and elder, wide voice,
fervent whisper. We heft our clumsy homemade placards, we will
curl small in the gloom weeping to old blues ballads. We swear not
to be anybody else’s idea of free, lining up precisely, waiting to be
freed again and again. We are breach and bellow, resisting a silent
consent as we claim our much of America, its burden and snarl, the
stink and hallelujah of it, its sicknesses and safe words, all its black
and otherwise. Only those feigning blindness fail to see the body
of work we are, and the work of body we have done. Everything is
what it is because of us. It is misunderstanding to believe that free
fell upon us like a blessing, that it was granted by a signature and
an abruptly opened door. Listen to the thousand ways to say black
out loud. Hear a whole people celebrate their free and fragile lives,
then find your own place inside that song. Make the singing matter.
6
Witness through Outreach
NEWS FROM OUR
AFRICA UNIVERSITY
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
To the Holman Church Family
I am excited to inform you that I have reached the 8 th semester which would mark
the completion of my Bachelor of Arts with Education degree at Africa University.
This was the most demanding semester yet, but I am pleased that I was able to
complete everything that was required of me. I am now waiting for the publication
of the results, which are said to be issued on the 14th of June 2021, followed by
the BLENDED (VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON) GRADUATION CEREMONY on the
3rd July 2021. But I am positive that all has worked out well as I have given it my best.
The HOD for faculty of Education has also encouraged me to apply for a Master’s
Degree in Education Leadership, Management, and Development, should I meet the
requirements for that program. I am strongly considering this possibility, but I am also
excited to start working and apply what I have learnt so that I can help others and
flourish in my career. Hopefully I can do both.
I am so grateful that I could experience such a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, Pan-African
institution. The Holman Church has surely blessed me with an opportunity to really
experience something amazing. Giving me the opportunity to study at Africa University
has helped me to grow intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and I can truly testify that
“The Dream is Alive” and the Holman Church has made it possible for me to be a part
of that dream. Reflecting on the past 4 years, I can really see how much I have grown,
having gained more confidence in myself, more appreciation for life, and have learnt to
embrace every challenge knowing that I can learn a great deal from it and prevail.
With that said, I am grateful and appreciative of the Holman Church for investing in me
so that I can further “Invest in Africa’s future.” Your financial support and prayers really
made it possible for me to make it this far. I am really looking forward to achieving my
teaching degree with outstanding results of which I, as well as my sponsors, and my
family can be proud.
Sincerely,
Liza-Maree Tarr
7
We GO into joyful service
Johnson Smith
announces Special
SPOTLIGHT ON HOLMANITES! Investment Envoy to
four African states
KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Government has appointed Marjorie
Grant Fuller as Ambassador/Special Envoy to the African states
of Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo.
Grant Fuller, a Jamaican-born member of the Diaspora in the
United States of America, was appointed on March 1, 2021 and
will serve for a period of two years.
“This appointment is another step by the Government to deepen
its outreach to the continent and to identify specific opportunities
for enhancing trade and investment to support Jamaica's
economic development. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Foreign Trade, in collaboration with JAMPRO, launched the
Economic Diplomacy Programme (EDP) last year. Both these initiatives, and the work being
undertaken by diplomatic missions, are geared at expanding and driving the momentum for trade
and investment promotion,” Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina
Johnson Smith said in making the announcement.
Johnson Smith also noted that, “Mrs Grant Fuller comes to this position with a wealth of
experience doing business with Africa. I am confident that she will use this knowledge to good
effect as she works to promote trade, investment and other areas of cooperation between
Jamaica and these four countries.”
The minister observed that economic relations with East Africa remain largely unexplored and
said Grant Fuller will seek to tap into the great potential for cooperation that exists within the
region, including with Togo in respect of which Cabinet recently gave approval for the
establishment of diplomatic relations.
According to the ministry, Jamaica has strong and historically important relations with Ghana,
South Africa and Nigeria, and hopes to translate these into meaningful economic opportunities.
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) by profession, with over 30 years in the field, Grant Fuller
has worked for both the public and private sectors in the USA, including within the oil and
petroleum industry. She is a graduate of the Roosevelt University, with a Master of Science
(MSc) in Accounting and a Bachelor (of Business Administration) and has also served as a
visiting professor in accounting and auditing.
The ministry said Grant Fuller has been fully briefed on the trade, investment and cooperation
priorities of the government and has met with the minister, senior staff at the Foreign Ministry and
Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO).
The ministry said she will also meet with Prime Minister Andrew Holness in the coming days.
Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica
Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the
printed copy available at https://bit.ly/epaper-login
8
Nurture through Outreach
SOCIAL ACTION & ADVOCACY MINISTRY
Engineers Warn Pressure At
Los Angeles Oil Well Site Is Building
More than 20 oil wells sit idle on a vacant lot in South Los Angeles,
posing a risk to the University Park neighborhood.
By Ingrid Lobet, Capital & Main—Published May 24, 2021
A two-acre lot in South Los Angeles where 21 oil wells sit idle is a danger to the surrounding neighborhood,
according to state documents and several petroleum engineers. But although California officials have known of the risk for
over a year, they have not made sure the wells are permanently sealed. The wells are located in University Park, a dense
neighborhood of intergenerational Latino families and students at the University of Southern California.
The chief of the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM), Uduak Joe-Ntuk, called the site unsafe
more than a year ago. “The hazards and risks at the facility pose not only a danger to the facility itself, but also the local
community,” according to an order from CalGEM in March 2020 that gave the site operator, AllenCo, 30 days to take
action. State officials saw the situation as sufficiently urgent that If the company failed to seal the wells, they were prepared
to hire their own contractor to do the job. Yet due to a legal standoff between the city and AllenCo, as well as bureaucratic
delays, little has been done yet.
CalGEM told Capital & Main via email that it “continues to closely monitor” the lot and is “very much aware of the urban
setting of the site and appropriately concerned.” It said officials are “engaging in regular stakeholder meetings to keep
communities informed.”
Eric Witten, a longtime engineer who worked for years at the site, said in an interview that pressure inside the 21 wells
“has been building every day” since they were shut off back in 2013, increasing the risk of dangerous leaks.
The stark language about danger has not been shared with neighbors, said Hugo Garcia, campaign coordinator for
People Not Pozos (People Not Oil Wells). “Nothing like that has been articulated to the community. If it was, we would be
all over it,” he said. “It is very disturbing.”
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles owns the land. Director of Media Relations Adrian Marquez Alarcon said her
understanding is that state officials recently inspected the site and found nothing indicating a safety risk to the surrounding
neighborhood.
The St. James drill site, also known as the AllenCo Energy site, made headlines beginning a decade ago when nearby
residents became sickened by fumes and began organizing. They formed the People Not Pozos movement. After the
then-regional chief of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Jared Blumenfeld, visited the site and told the
Los Angeles Times, “We suffered sore throats, coughing, and severe headaches that lingered for hours,” the wells were
turned off. Advocates went on to bring scrutiny to all industrial oil operations located close to homes and schools across
Los Angeles. . . .
Think of a well — at its most basic — as a steel pipe going down several thousand feet until it reaches oil or natural
gas. When a well is idle, whatever is inside, whether it is oil, gas, or water laced with corrosive chemicals,
“is just going to sit there and start eating away at the metal,” Lenz said.
As metal is eaten away, valves and gauges can leak, corrosion can burn a hole in the well pipe or leaks can seep up
along the outside of the pipe. Leaks are dangerous because escaping gas can explode or catch fire, the state agency
says.
The chance of springing a leak increases when a well is under pressure. Not all wells are. For example, with some
wells, you can open up the top end of the pipe and nothing comes pouring out. Thick oil might just sit there, several
thousand feet down. But the wells at the AllenCo Energy site have been under pressure, according to engineers who have
measured them.
On September 13, 2019, CalGEM engineer Eric Zimny visited the site. He got a reading of 950 psi (pounds per square
inch) on one well. That was “a lot of pressure to see on an idle well,” according to his testimony in state documents.
Such levels are a concern in the view of another petroleum engineer who teaches oil industry practice at the University
of Texas. “If that were my well, I would worry about it,” Paul Bommer said, because 950 psi is easily enough pressure to
drive a leak.
(Continued on page 10⎯ENGINEERS WARN . . .)
9
We GO into joyful service!
(Continued from page 9⎯ENGINEERS WARN . . .)
When AllenCo owner Clifford E. Peter Allen shut off the pumps that lift oil out of the ground back in November 2013 in
the face of community opposition, he was fully expecting to restart the business soon. The company has plowed $8
million into upgrades to make the operation safer and cleaner.
But the regulatory landscape and public sentiment were shifting quickly in California, and the site has never been able
to open again.
Some government agencies were working with AllenCo on a restart. But L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer sued the
company over the fumes in 2014, seeking permanent closure, and AllenCo eventually paid out $1.25 million to settle the
case.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also came after AllenCo, saying it had not taken steps to prevent
accidental release of extremely hazardous substances.
New, stricter rules and laws concerning drilling practices also came into effect at every level of government —
municipal, regional and state.
Then things took an even sharper turn against AllenCo in March 2019. As the city’s petroleum administrator at the
time, Uduak-Joe Ntuk wrote to company vice president Timothy James Parker to say the mineral rights lease for three of
the 21 wells had expired — not at that moment, but actually years earlier — one year after the company turned off the
pumps.
This shift seemed unfair to AllenCo because it had been shelling out money and planning to reopen while unaware
that the city had quietly decided that the company didn’t even possess a legal right to operate.
This move by the city also reveals a fact not widely known during the heat of the conflict between AllenCo and its
sickened neighbors: Some of the wells run through ground where the city of Los Angeles owns the mineral rights.
The city, as well as hundreds of Angelenos, received royalties for decades.
The principal beneficiary, though, has been the Catholic Church. That’s because the Archdiocese of Los Angeles owns
the two acres together with the adjoining Doheny Campus of Mount Saint Mary’s women’s university. The Archdiocese
initially leased the two acres to the Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) to drill, as a source of income. Later the operating
lease passed to St. James Oil Corporation and then to AllenCo Energy.
Between February 2011 and December 2013, AllenCo paid about $735,000 in rental and royalty payments to the
archdiocese, per copies of checks written to “The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles” in court filings.
“The Archdiocese and the city have profited from this for years,” said Carmen Trutanich. Trutanich is the former city
attorney for Los Angeles. He now represents AllenCo, because last August, the city of Los Angeles charged all three
parties — AllenCo, Clifford E. Peter Allen, 88, and Vice President Timothy James Parker, 64—with 25 misdemeanors.
In a case that pits the former city attorney against the current city attorney, Trutanich and his former chief deputy,
William W. Carter, of Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP, who represents AllenCo executive Parker, now face off against
deputy city attorney Jessica Brown
Trutanich and Carter argue that the 2019 lapse or cancellation of the lease means that the city now owns three of the
wells, essentially inheriting their problems. Mineral rights holders like the city, however, usually do not own a well. The
owner is usually the operator. And the owner bears the cost of permanently sealing a well.
But AllenCo denies it is the owner, its lawyers claiming that its responsibilities ended when its right to operate was
taken away.
“My client could walk away right now and say, ‘Not ours,’” Carter said.
That wouldn’t make the criminal charges go away, though. And even misdemeanors carry potential jail time. AllenCo is
charged with failing to lay out a plan for permanently sealing the wells. This is an expensive process, likely to cost several
million dollars. It involves filling the wells with tons of cement.
Witten, the engineer, said the state is insisting on “killing” the wells in a way that he considers unsafe. In a top kill,
workers apply so much pressure that they push the oil, gas and water in the well downward — 8,000 feet in this case. In a
dense urban area, “killing those wells with pressure on them is incredibly stupid,” Witten said. “It is too dangerous.”
The state disputes that it is insisting on any unsafe method. In an email, CalGEM agrees that it ordered a top kill “as
AllenCo Energy failed to carry out safe depressurization of the wells, resulting in multiple leaks” that were documented
and fixed in late 2019.
These technical questions could probably be resolved among engineers and decision makers who have the facts at
hand in less than a day, Lenz said.
Alarcon said the Archdiocese is evaluating all options and seeks an alternative use “that is in the best interest of the
community and all other stakeholders.”
The City Attorney’s Office declined to comment. Four agencies contacted by Capital & Main — the Los Angeles Fire
Department, which has inspected the site; the Los Angeles County Fire Department; the South Coast Air Quality
Management District; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — all declined comment, pointing to CalGEM as the
most knowledgeable and authoritative agency on the St. James drill site.
AllenCo is appealing the order to permanently close the wells and the facility . The appeal is before a state agency
called the Office of Administrative Law. No date has been scheduled.
Read full article at https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/engineers-warn-pressure-los-angeles-oil-well-site-building
10Outreach through Witness
11By Diane Mitchell Henry
June is the time to celebrate Father's Day, graduations, weddings, Juneteenth, Pride Month,
and National Men's Health Month. I invite you to join me as I take the liberty to include the
celebration of Black Men and Women's Unity in June.
As a growing concern, Black men and Black women's relationships are under attack while
undergoing the influence of social pressures resulting from systemic racism. Unfortunately,
the impact has caused a disconnect and created a gap of discord and disunity. The criticism
by both men and women has advanced the effects of trauma and drama. Communications
for peace and harmony have become irrational, toxic, and ineffective for a sustainable
relationship.
It is imperative to understand the social dynamics perpetuated by a system that uses the
divide and conqueror strategy. According to Merriam-Webster, the divide and conquer
definition is: "To make a group of people disagree and fight with one another so that they
will not join together against one.” Advancing this division weakens any potential measure
of rising to overcome the oppression. Black men and women must be aware of the
manipulative tactics. They must exercise protection against the ills of stereotype propaganda
that influence the interactions between each other.
Let us not fall for the various ways personally, professionally, and politically to widen the gap
and discourage unity. Remembering generations of strength, perseverance, and zealousness
characterized by culture and family bonds constantly overcoming challenges is our defense
to opposing the divide and conquer strategy.
“When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.”
– Ethiopian Proverb
The foundation of this defense is LOVE. Black men and women’s relationships demonstrating
loving behaviors according to I Corinthians 13:4-13, develops character during challenging
times. In particular, if we reflect on verse 13: “But for right now, until that completeness,
we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God,
hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. (The Message)
Making an effort to show respect towards each other reaps favorable responses. Black men
and Black women must dispel the negative stereotype labels, name-calling, and celebrate
one another.
During June and beyond, let us consciously stick together, and move forward in love, fighting
systemic racism and embracing unity to close the gap that divides.
“We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business;
we are each other’s magnitude and bond.”
Gwendolyn Brooks
12Nurture through Outreach
COVID-19
The Disease and Vaccines
Facts vs. Myths
Where are we now in our community?
By Claudia Spears
Program Resources Coordinator, Holman UMW
Holman United Methodist Women hosted a dynamic, virtual, informative and timely
presentation on Sunday, May 30th. The program addressed the current facts vs. myths
surrounding the Coronavirus disease and COVID-19 vaccines.
Dr. Oliver T. Brooks, Chief Health Officer, Watts Healthcare Corporation, was our guest
speaker. He is a practicing pediatrician and Co-Chair of the California State COVID-19 Vaccine
Development Work Group, and a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice
for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He serves as a member of the Health
and Human services (HHS) COVID-19 Task Force.
The Holman UMW Zoom program was well attended by members and guests, who enhanced
our program with insightful questions and practical comments.
What is the current information for our community, families and our children?
Dr. Brooks shared the following information.
The approved vaccines, Pzizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, are all safe. Scientific data
demonstrates that there are greater risks from the Coronavirus disease than the vaccines.
The vaccines are safe.
The vaccines consist of proteins that prompt our bodies to recognize the Coronavirus and
develop antibodies to protect us from the virus itself. The vaccines do not contain the virus.
There are minimal, mild side effects from the vaccines – redness, tenderness at the injection site,
and sometimes occasional mild fatigue. These symptoms can be relieved by cold compresses
to the arm, medication for fever, rest, and hydration. The adverse symptoms usually abate in
24-48 hours.
The COVID-19 disease is very serious, and can lead to shortness of breath, hospitalization,
ventilator dependency, and on too many occasions death.
The vaccines are safe for all ages 12 and above.
Individuals with underlying conditions (i.e., high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease,
compromised immune systems) should definitely take the vaccine to prevent serious illness and
Coronavirus disease. The disease places them at great risk, and these individuals should
definitely take the vaccine.
(Continued on page 14—COVID-19: THE DISEASE AND VACCINES)
13In Community
(Continued from page 13—COVID-19: THE DISEASE AND VACCINES)
The vaccines are advised as safe for pregnant women by The American College of OB/GYN
providers. Individuals with compromised immune systems are advised to get vaccinated with the
COVID-19 vaccine that is available to them. It is recommended that individuals with allergies
(i.e., tree nuts and other food allergies) should check with their primary healthcare provider or
allergist and be proactive in taking the vaccine.
Individuals who are HIV positive should protect themselves with the vaccine due to their
weakened immune system. Hopefully, their immune system will greatly benefit from the vaccine
in protecting them from the Coronavirus.
Dr. Brooks’ presentation, discussion and advocacy provided scientific data and reasoned
responses to the vaccine questions. Most of our community’s reluctance is due to complacency,
lack of confidence in our government agencies, and the convenience of the vaccine (i.e., not
available in their area). Most people are now in a five-mile radius from a COVID-19 vaccine site.
Many African-Americans’ lack of confidence may stem from the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.
However, those diagnosed individuals were denied access to treatment (Penicillin medication)
that had been discovered and available. On the contrary, access to COVID-19 vaccines is
promoted, free, and available. Dr. Brooks provided scientific and practical responses to each
question. In response to a thought-provoking question, Dr. Brooks shared that there is no
“national” data base that is captioning our individual and personal information as related to
COVID-19 vaccines.
In summary Holman family and friends, over 250 million COVID-19 vaccine shots have been
administered. Adverse effects are less than one percent (1%) from the three vaccines. The
Coronavirus disease can be deadly, the vaccines are saving the lives of our family members, and
greatly reducing the incidence of disease in our communities.
We are on the road to community immunity. We must be wise, make good decisions for
ourselves and our families.
“. . . let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance –”
Proverbs 1:5
Here in California, most venues will fully reopen for business on June 15th. However,
Dr. Brooks recommended continuing to follow CDC guidelines and precautions. Masking is
definitely recommended for persons who are not vaccinated—especially in-doors—to protect
themselves, and others in our community. Wearing a mask as we gather, good hand
hygiene, and safe distancing (Six feet apart), continues to be in our best interest. In addition,
our children go back to a safe school environment, not only to learn academically, but to enhance
their socialization skills. Parents and guardians must model and teach safe corona virus
guidelines to our children and family members. We as Parents and grandparents are to
advocate for Covid-19 vaccinations, for teachers and school personnel, and for Covid-19 safe
school health practices. We can do this. Remember "We are knitted together for God's Good
Work".
It was the consensus of those attending that the presentation was extremely informative, and
that we should charge ourselves individually and collectively to be “love in action” by sharing this
information with our loved ones, friends, and community. Bottom line, get vaccinated. We can
save our own lives. We cannot stay silent! Amen.
14Connected in Ministry & Community
2021CalPacAnnualConfRegistration
Workshop and Registration
www.calpacumc.org/ac2021
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15Inviting ALL into Discipleship
with Jesus Christ!!
FOR YOUR SPIRIT
The precepts of the Lord
are right, giving
joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord
are radiant,
Giving light to the eyes.
Psalm 19:8
WORD FOR THE SOUL The DEADLINE for the next Issue of the
Bellringer is Sunday, June 20, 2021
for the JULY publication.
“Each cell or solar system
Bellringer deadline is every THIRD Sunday.
provokes praise and wonder.
Each moment is a theophany,
each encounter an epiphany.” “A Hub of Hope & Healing,
Bruce Epperly A Center of Wellness & Wholeness”
Rev. Dr. Ken Walden, Senior Pastor
Rev. Louis A. Chase, Interim Minister of Community Outreach
Rev. James M. Lawson, Jr., Pastor Emeritus
Bettye Fontenot, Operations Manager
Joni Arlain, Administrative Assistant to the Pastors
Jules Green, Assistant to Ministry & Operations
Aamina Mahir, Receptionist
1945-2020
CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF MISSION & MINISTRY
We for dynamic worship,
through inspired learning,
into joyful service,
and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
3320 West Adams Boulevard | Los Angeles, CA 90018
Phone: (323) 703-5868
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