The Buzz newsletter | Updated Weekly
Bake Sale Pre Orders!
We have a bake sale fundraiser coming up, so put in your order today!
All Butler women and friends are invited to join in a baking day on Saturday, March 29 at 1:00 pm at the Butler kitchen! These items will be for a bake sale fundraiser with proceeds helping Butler ladies attend a women's retreat in April. You can find more details on our Women's Ministry page.
A variety of baked goods will be available at the Bake Sale on Palm Sunday...but on a limited basis, which is why you'll want to order early!
A variety of baked goods will be available at the Bake Sale on Palm Sunday...but on a limited basis, which is why you'll want to order early!
Church Council Update
The Church Council will be meeting this Thursday, March 19. A copy of the agenda is available online. The topics include budget review and structure, establishing task force groups, and facilities items. There will also be follow up discussion to the Church Business Meeting from Sunday, where an extension was approved to June for budget and constitutional amendment issues.
Note that Council meetings are open for guests to attend and listen in. (The meeting begins at 6:30pm.) If you have a topic to suggest for a future meeting, or any questions or concerns, please direct those to the council member from your congregation. Please pray for the council as they meet for wisdom, discernment, and unity in decisions to be made.
Candy & Egg Donations
Candy and Easter egg donations are needed for our special kids' activity on Easter Sunday. Please bring wrapped candies and new plastic eggs to the church office or give them to a Children’s Ministry Leader on Sunday with a note “for Easter activity." If you'd like to serve with Children's Ministry or help prepare for this fun activity, please let
Maria Galvan know!
Special Offering Update
In February we highlighted our ministry partners and took a special offering for their support. Thank you to all who have been giving for these ministries....we are now at over 74% to our goal of $15,000! If you would like to give toward this special offering you can bring your gift this Sunday or give online now to
"MB Agencies Support."
Invitation to Hymn Sing and Faspa
Our sister church, North Fresno MB, is hosting a hymn service and faspa on Sunday, March 29
at 4:30 pm. (Faspa has aptly been described as 'Mennonite charcuterie' and this one will include zwieback!) North Fresno Church is located on Fresno St, just south of Bullard. RSVPs are requested in advance
to their church office: 559-431-0333
More news items....
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.
Baptism and Membership Class
If you are interested in baptism or membership at Butler Church, please talk with your congregational pastor or let us know you'd like more information. A class will be taking place on Sunday, March 22, and we plan to have baptisms and present new members on Easter Sunday, April 5th!
Butler members in the news!
Butler's own Yami Rodriguez
is featured in a short article in the March/April issue of Christian Leader, arriving in mailboxes now! This magazine of the USMB Churches is available to regular attenders of Butler Church. Did you know that Yami was appointed by the governor as a CSU trustee and works with a local non profit? No wonder she's such a busy gal! You can also find a link to the story here.
In Memory
This past Sunday, Randy Walker passed away following a long decline in health. He and his wife Carol Morales-Walker have been part of Butler for over 10 years, joining in worship with our Common Ground congregation. A memorial service is being planned Friday, March 27. Thank you for your prayers for Carol during this time of loss.
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.
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!)
¡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: 3/20/2026
Looking for earlier Butler news stories? You can visit our news archive here.