his week our church family joins with millions of Jesus’ followers around the world to mark the beginning of the Lenten season in the Christian calendar. Lent is a journey – a journey with Jesus into the suffering that comes with doing God’s work in a world where systems of oppression are designed to favor the powerful few. Jesus came for the overlooked, underserved, and downtrodden – and we are invited to join that work. Each Sunday between now and Easter we will reflect on Jesus’ actions to “release the oppressed” brought great joy but also deep cost. This is the enduring message of the cross; self-giving love conquers fear and oppression!

The month of February has also seen our church family move forward the important conversations that will enable us to act confidently in this season of transition. On Sunday, 01. February, 60 people (representing all 4 Butler congregations) gathered for a 2-hour workshop to hear and share our thoughts about the church’s mission and future. Our Council is working hard to process and refine all that feedback into actionable items that will bring change to the church’s constitution, our operational structures, and our ministry models. With an added monthly meeting dedicated to these transition matters, Butler members can expect frequent updates (in writing and in gatherings) as well as opportunities to continue participating. Remember: any Butler member / attender is welcome to attend Council meetings in an observational capacity! Our goal is to clearly communicate purpose (mission) and future vitality (vision).

Finally, please mark March 1st on your calendar; this will be a special all-church “Agency Sunday” service where we highlight various MB partners, Fresno Pacific University & Seminary, and hear from MB Pastor Juan Wall. I’m looking forward to this celebration of our wider partners and communities!

January 29

Just like any family, Butler Church experiences the highs and lows of life together. This includes those moments where we celebrate the achievements and joys of our members, as well as losses and places of sadness or suffering. This week, we have seen dearly loved members move into their eternal rest and reward. (See separate announcement.) May the memory of those who have passed on be a blessing to family and friends. Moments like this are keenly felt, known, and precious to God our Father (Rev 14.13). 

Another element of life together are those seasons where we engage in conversations and decision-making about the future. Our Butler Church family – all four congregations – is in such a season right now. I’m grateful for the strong attendance, wide-ranging input, and goodwill that has been demonstrated in our congregational listening sessions through the month of January. Many of you have seen the wall posters that have been generated by early analysis of our Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats. Now, this coming Sunday, we will engage in the next step in our transition process: an All-Church Strategic Planning Workshop (01. February 2026 @ 3–5 pm). 

We will meet in the main auditorium around tables for a 2-hour session that will include: (1) review of our guiding Vision statements, (2) summary of key SWOT analyses insights, (3) laying the groundwork for re-envisioning the organizational shape and ministry model of our church, and (4) describing our next steps in the coming weeks. It is important to emphasize that we do not have a pre-determined outcome! Our collective feedback will go a long way in helping the Council evaluate and prepare goals and options for our discernment. Please come with good cheer and prayerful anticipation as we engage in this workshop! For me, it is not coincidence that our morning gatherings will also include the Lord’s Supper. This can truly be a significant Sunday as we come together as a church body: four congregations, one church, one family! 

Pastor Ron

____________________

January 8

While everyone around us has marked the beginning of a new year, the people of God live by a different rhythm. Our “new year” began on November 30th with the start of the Advent season. Today, as I write this note, January 6th marks Epiphany – when we celebrate the discovery of Jesus by Persian astrologers (Magi in Matthew 2.1–12). Like them, we look for signs of the life of Jesus all around us – in people, in local communities, and, yes, even in world events where voices for peace ring out to counter the violence, greed, and deceit that seems to dominate. I say “seems” because the story of God and God’s people has a different plot and different outcome. We have the privilege to live a different way – the way of self-giving love that Jesus embodied. And, for the next several months our gatherings and teaching settings will focus on the way of Jesus. In particular, I am looking forward to several opportunities we, as an Anabaptist church, will have to reflect and meditate on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). I encourage us all to make these texts part of our daily curriculum this Spring as we invite God’s spirit to continue forming us as “Jesus people.”

This coming year at Butler Church will find us listening to each other and discovering what God may be saying to us about the church’s (1) Mission, (2) Model, (3) Leadership, and (4) Resources. Each distinct congregation at Butler is engaged in this work and, subsequently, we’ll all come together for church-wide discussion and decision-making. Can I ask us all to be in prayer for our newly constituted Council and our pastoral staff? We need wisdom to communicate effectively and to identify the changes needed to move Butler into a new season of flourishing and growth. 

You can expect regular updates in our Buzz newsletter and in our gatherings. As you are able, please plan in advance to participate in your congregational listening session, in an all-church workshop, and in a special congregational business meeting. The latter two events will have dates assigned in the next couple of weeks.

For now, here are the dates for each congregation’s listening session:

Faith Community   04. January @ 10.15 am

Asian Grace   11. January @ 9.45 am

Amor y Fe   18. January @ 12.15 pm

Common Ground    25. January @ 12.15 pm

I join you in believing that our journey as “Jesus people” will be deeply rewarding as we trust that God has given us the resources of wise leadership and collective passion for the transforming Kingdom!  

Pastor Ron

We’re in a season of beginnings and endings: while the end of 2025 rushes toward us, we mark the time of Advent as the first few days of the global and historic church’s New Year. I’m glad to share some updates on church governance and administration as [as of this writing] we’ve just held our year-end congregational meeting this past Sunday, Dec 4.

A New Council

We welcomed three newly elected members to the Butler Church Council: Jim Holm as Moderator, Suzanne Slattery as Secretary, and Jim Rodriguez as Treasurer. Further, Anne Guenther was re-installed as the Faith Community (FC) representative. I am so thankful for the willingness of these new members to serve and look forward to their leadership and wisdom among us with a year of significant transition ahead. Further, for their diligence and faithful service in Council leadership we thank Matt Jacobs (Moderator), Shelly Coleman (Secretary), and Rosalie Carter (Treasurer). NOTE: Two of these elections required special action: (1) the secretary position is provisional until a future congregational meeting can consider amendments to the church constitution that loosen current requirements for multi-congregational representation on the executive; and (2) the FC position required suspending the bylaws regarding term limits.

Transition, Vision, & Strategic Planning

With working posters affixed to the Family Center walls, attendees from all four congregations were able to review and discuss this early feedback data. (See link for photos.) I then summarized the strategic planning discussions that have taken place so far with each congregational leadership team. Further, I presented our working draft of a timeline for transition (see link) – this includes both decision-making settings and implementation of a new vision and strategic plan. Please join me in prayer for clarity and “unity in diversity” for this transition season. Also, be on the lookout for times when each congregation will hold their own listening sessions with leadership. So many folks have expressed hope and confidence in God’s good hand guiding Butler’s journey over these next weeks and months. Let’s take heart in this scriptural reminder: People plan their path, but the LORD secures their steps (Prov 16.9).

Provisional Budget 2026

In light of the above described transition process, the overall church budget will likely require some important adjustments. Therefore, a provisional budget (with slight deficit) was approved under the conditions that a revision will be brought to the congregation by March 15, 2026.