Neighborhood Meet & Treat

Our annual community event is back this year on Oct 31 with some new plans underway! Co-leaders Amanda Beaulieau and Maria Galvan will be organizing teams for a neighborhood carnival on our main parking lot from 4-6pm! There will be a trunk or treat with candy, games with prizes, food, and other fun activities for kids while parents get to enjoy the evening. We’ll need lots of volunteers to serve and be available to connect with our neighbors!

> Volunteers can sign up this Sunday during Butler Cafe!

> CANDY donations needed too! Bring on Sunday or to the church office. Thanks!

Volunteers Thank You

Thank you to each Butler Volunteer who attended our Volunteer Lunch on Sunday! Over 80 people ate together and then spent time considering the health and functionality of our teams. I am excited to help our teams become more defined and our leaders more empowered. Those who attended will be receiving a follow-up email with more action steps as we move toward 2027. Thanks again for spending your Sunday with us and may God be glorified in our service. - Pastor Connie



Ballot Forum

Are you confused by all the Propositions on the November ballot, trying to understand the wording, or just giving up on the whole project, and hoping to cast your vote the "right" way? Jim Holm will be leading an explanation and discussion of the ballot propositions on Tuesday, October 13, at 6:00 PM in the Youth Room. You are welcome to join. Bring your sample ballot, or your voter information booklet, and your questions, for a time of discussion and deciding. See you there.

Highlights from the Unified Service

It was wonderful to worship together this past Sunday as one church! A big THANK YOU to the worship team for leading us in song in multiple languages. We learned the Lao song "Saan le Seen" - including shaking off our troubles and raising our hands in praise instead! We shared in communion together, Bill Cockerham shared a giving encouragement to share the gifts we have received; and Pastor Elbio shared an encouraging message as he concludes his ministry here at Butler Church. (English subtitles are available on the livestream video, too.) Our next Unified Service will be on November 1st!

Come Pray with Us!

Butler Church has a team that meets once a week to pray over our church. The purpose of our prayer group is to pray for the health of Butler Church itself– for its leadership, ministries, staff, facilities, transitions, and future. We partner with the Holy Spirit as we pray and seek God’s vision for our church. If this is something you’d like to be part of, this group is expanding! The first open gathering will be on Wednesday, October 7th at 5pm in the sanctuary. Come and pray with us!

Baptism and Membership

If you are interested in baptism or membership at Butler Church, please talk with one of our pastors or let the church office know, by October 11. We want to celebrate together in an upcoming Unified Service! Our Baptism & Membership Class will be on Sunday, October 18.

Aviva Men's Conference

Our own Pastor Elbio Carballo will be a keynote speaker at the annual Aviva Ministries Men’s Conference! This event is in Spanish and this year will be held at Fresno Pacific University, with the support of the Center for Community Transformation. Under the theme “No More Excuses!,” this conference will challenge men to identify and overcome the excuses that prevent them from fully living out God’s calling as sons, husbands, fathers, and spiritual leaders. It will be a time of biblical teaching, reflection, and encouragement to strengthen your faith and make an impact on your families and communities.

Aviva | Men’s Conference

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Warkentine Cultural Center at Fresno Pacific University

8:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Reserve your spot and get a free lunch

Men's Camp

Our men’s group is putting a group together for the fall Men’s retreat at Calvin Crest, November 6-8. Men, mark your calendar, and let us know if you’d like to join in so we can send you registration information. Scholarships are available; let cost hold you back from this great time of connection and renewal. For more details, talk with a pastor or Eric Pauls. 

Prayer Request

Please keep our longtime member, Maria Riojas in prayer, following the passing of her husband, Oscar, this week. Maria has been his faithful caregiver for many years and so has not often been able to participate in Sunday worship in person. Thank you for remembering her during this time loss and adjustment.

Hispanic Heritage Month

It's national Hispanic Heritage month! Here at Butler Church, we’re blessed to worship together with Latinx brothers and sisters in several of our congregations, and specifically Amor y Fe!

In Fresno, the celebration starts off with Fiesta Patrias. This year taking place this Sunday Sept 20 with activities throughout the afternoon. You can read more here about the history behind this annual cultural festival. 

Have you been wondering why Hispanic Heritage month isn't set for a regular calendar month? Read more about it here.

Endurance Series

Our English Congregations have begun an 8-week series through the book of Philippians. Along with each Sunday sermon, we also have people who are writing up Mid-Week Questions for you to consider - along with a friend, spouse, or group - during the week after the sermon. (A big thank you to Eddie Morgan, Amanda Beaulieu, Edd Russell, and Beth Stephens!)

The discussion questions are not connected to the sermon, but they are generated out of the same text that was taught on Sunday. This is a fun way to study the same text from two different perspectives! This also means if you miss Sunday, you can still read the scriptures for the week and use the questions to cultivate your spiritual growth. 

These questions are available each Sunday at the back of the sanctuary for you to take home and are also found on our "Endurance" series page: butlerchurch.org/endurance.

This is an excellent opportunity to connect with someone over coffee, breakfast or a walk and discuss Sunday's sermon and these questions to help further your connection to Jesus and to one another!

Pastoral Staffing Update

The following update was shared previously with our Butler Church congregations:

On behalf of the Church Council and Pastor Elbio Carballo, I am writing to inform Butler Church that discussions between Pastor Elbio and the Council have led to a decision that Pastor Elbio's service as a Pastor of Butler Church will come to an end on December 31, 2026. Pastor Elbio just celebrated his fifteenth anniversary as Pastor of Amor y Fe, and we thank him for his faithful service in leading that congregation over these years. We also pray for Pastor Elbio and Sandra as they determine what future ministries God may have for their lives. 

The Council has agreed with Pastor Elbio that his last Sunday at Butler will be October 11, though his official concluding of ministry will be at the end of December. Pastor Connie and the Church Council are organizing a celebration and recognition of Pastor Elbio's ministry as part of our Unified Service on October 4. I invite all of you to join us in worship on that day, as we thank Pastor Elbio and Sandra for their ministry and pray for God's guidance in their next steps. 

Jim Holm, Moderator

Butler Church Council

Growth Opportunities this Fall

As we get into the rhythms of the fall season, this is a great time to join a small group! Below are a number of opportunities for you to engage with people and with scripture! Details are posted on our Events page.

Weekly

• Bible Study with Pastor Nzash learning to know "Who is Jesus? What is he doing in the scriptures and in southeast Fresno?"  | Mondays  @ 6:00 pm
• Women's Bible Study on the women in the Bible | Wednesday mornings @ 10AM

Monthly

• Prayer for our Community for the needs of our neighbors and how they can be met with the love of Jesus | every 1st Saturday @ 10AM
• Men's Fellowship Dinner for those hungry for fellowship & encouragement | the second-to-last Saturday @ 5PM
  

Assistance Donations

Through the Butler Church Benevolent Assistance Fund, we have been able to help with several time sensitive needs recently. Given the upcoming cuts in SNAP funding even more requests may be coming in soon. Please consider making an additional donation to the church benevolent fund , by designating for this in the offering or through giving online. We also work with partner agencies like MB Foundation and Everence to expand our capacity through matching grants. 

Another way to donate is by contributing to our food pantry. Non-perishable goods can be dropped off on Sunday mornings in the sanctuary foyer. Canned goods like pasta sauce, chili, and chicken are especially helpful.

If caring for needs of folks in our community in very practical ways is something close to your heart , please also talk with your pastor or contact the church office. We would like to build a social action response team that can respond to needs as they are made known. If you have a personal need, please also talk with a pastor.