The Buzz newsletter | Updated Weekly

Update from Pastor Ron
Conversations around a season of “transition” at Butler Church have been plentiful over the past couple of years. Earlier, a “vision team” spent considerable time working through the landscape of church ministry models with consultant Dr. Brian Ross. Since September of 2025, I have had the opportunity to meet with individuals, congregational leadership teams, and the church Council to discuss where our points of agreement and urgency lie. Over the past 2 months, our Council has held 7 sessions (3 regular monthly meetings and 4 specially called “transition” sessions) which have generated several points of consensus as well as identified some areas that require further dialogue. Here is where this work presently stands around Mission Statement, Budget and Finance, and Ministry Model.... 

[See Council Updates page - April updates - to read more.]
Mens event

Image credit: NASA. 1972. "The “Blue Marble” (Apollo 17)

Called to Care for Creation

Reflections on Earth Day

Melissa Ens shares some reflections on creation as part of her studies at seminary, and in connection with Earth Day (April 22). Melissa writes:


“…I was raised to look for and rejoice in God's glory in the night sky and the ocean's horizons, but my convictions get messier when I think about climate change, environmental regulations, and public policies. Can you relate? Whether we like it or not, talking about the health of this planet we all live on can trigger our emotions and stir disagreement, denial, indignation, or disillusionment. However, as followers of Jesus, it's worth considering how God made creation to bless us and how God calls us to bless and care for creation as faithful stewards….”


Read more here on how to Reconnect with creation, Respond to creation, and Reclaim our place as stewards of creation. 

Mens event

Prayer Request

A group of 10 Butler ladies will be headed to the women's retreat at Calvin Crest this weekend! Please pray for them as they drive up to Oakhurst this Friday afternoon and return on Sunday after church. Pray for safe travel, great times of connection with Jesus and each other, and to be refreshed through time spent in worship, the Word, and a beautiful part of God's creation.

Men's Day at the Lake

The Men's Day Trip to Bass Lake is coming up on Saturday, May 2. The day will be filled with food, fellowship and fishing! Please sign up now as we coordinate food and transportation. If you have any questions, contact the church office or talk with Mike Acosta or Samson Khoutsavanh this Sunday!

Mens event

Mission Festival Invitation

The Fresno School of Mission is hosting their annual Mission Festival on May 8 & 9 here at Butler! Our local Butler missionary, Nzash Lumeya, is calling our Butler family to take a personal step into mission: You can Pray, be Present, and Partner in this ministry work.


Pray: for the event details and all who will attend - both the mission festival and for a Saturday outreach taking place on the empty lot!

 

Be Present: Please come for as long as you can on Friday (8-noon, 5:30-8pm) or volunteer for the outreach on Saturday morning.

 

Partner: We are praying together for 3 people to make a decision to follow Jesus & connect with a church family; we will walk alongside them in their faith journey

 

For more information, or to let Nzash know of your availablity,

call or text 559-907-1445 

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    Women's baking day 2024

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CA voter info guide
Candidate Forums and Voter Information
Voting for the June primary election begins in two weeks! Which is why now is a good time to learn more about the candidates and election measures. 

On Monday, May 11 a candidate forum will take place here at Butler Church, for Fresno City Council Districts 3 & 5. This nonpartisan event is hosted by the Youth Leadership Institute, and will begin at 6:00pm, with translation. A livestream will also be available. YLI is also hosting a District 1 & 7 debate on May 18.

The first governor's debate was this Wednesday. A recording to the broadcast is available here. 

More news items....

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    Women's baking day 2024

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Reflections on a life of service Memorial Service recording

In Memory of Edmund Janzen

Edmund Janzen passed away the morning of April 14 after a difficult recovery from a recent surgery. We are saddened to be missing Edmund's presence with us, but take joy in knowing that he is with the Lord. Thank you for your prayers for his wife, Mary, and their family during this time.


Because family members are in town, a memorial service has been scheduled for  Monday, April 20 at 11AM here at Butler Church. All are welcome.  For those not able to attend in person, a recording / livestream link will be available on the Butler Church YouTube channel.
 
Edmund modeled a life dedicated to faith, scholarship and service. In addition to being a beloved member of our Butler family, he was also well known as a professor, mentor and administrator. (Learn more, and hear from Edmund in his own words here.)

Support for Butler Family Members
We have several people in our Butler family dealing with significant health challenges. Please keep them in prayer, especially those with a new or difficult diagnosis. Here's one way to help - providing a meal!

Lisa Keith writes: "Hello Butler Friends, I’ve been diagnosed with invasive/aggressive breast cancer and could use your prayers and support. I’m grateful for your continued encouragement as I battle cancer and care for my two parents, age 92. I’m grateful for any support you can give. Peace, Lisa."
Mennonite Disaster Service Opportunity this Summer
The devastating Pasadena/Altadena fires in January of 2025 destroyed more than 8,000 homes. The California MDS Unit will begin construction on the first house MDS will build in what will become a national project. Plans are to start this June. This Pasadena project includes framing, adding siding, installing the roof, along with windows and doors so that the home can be mostly finished on the outside during the summer. Volunteers who can give a week or more are needed. All housing and meals will be provided. Construction experience is helpful but not necessary; skills will be taught. If interested, contact Jim Holm at mds.calif@gmail.com.
Dr Emebet Mekonnen

Listening Sessions available

Our Butler member, Dr. Emebet Mekonnen, is taking part in a chaplaincy training program this year, which will also bring an added blessing to our church family!


Butler Church partnering with “Clinical Pastoral Education of California” in this training, through volunteer internship hours. For the next 4 months, Emebet will be present on campus at various times during weekly office hours. Not only will this opportunity provide an educational context for Emebet as a chaplain-in-training, but our church family will benefit from her investment of time in the form of listening sessions. 


Our goal is to make Emebet's time and listening presence available to church members and community neighbors who need a prayerful, listening ear. Dr. Mekonnen will be report weekly to Pastor Ron and others in Butler Church leadership. We will provide more information as to the times / places for this ministry in the coming days. Look for more details in our Sunday gatherings and in upcoming editions of the Buzz. We welcome Emebet as a volunteer member of our staff for the next several months! – Pastor Ron

January 2026

Assistance Fund 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. 

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.
Text Updates from Butler Church
If you find an occasional text reminder helpful, be sure to “Opt In” so our “Breeze-butler” text messages get through! To share your preferences for text or email updates, you can complete the Butler Subscriptions form. Thanks! 

Note: If you have signed up, but are no longer receiving text updates - try texting START to 87447. Remember that "msg & data rates may apply." Details are in the Butler subscriptions form.
Butler Cultural Celebration Night
Spanish Translation Available!
Our Butler website is also available in Spanish! Click the upper left corner to switch between English and Spanish. (If you notice any translation errors, please let us know!) 

¡Nuestro sitio web Butler ahora también está disponible en español! Haga clic en el ícono de arriba para cambiar entre inglés y español. (Si nota algún error de traducción, ¡avísenos!)

Updated on: 4/22/2026

Looking for earlier Butler news stories? You can visit our news archive here.

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