Inside Mesa

Mesa Unified School District and East Valley Institute of Technology - hopefully, will be awarded an $80,000 grant to train Spanish speaking students to become interpreters. 

The program would offer bilingual students the opportunity to use their cultural skills and a way to expand those much needed skills in hospitals and medical offices.

A great method to involve students, help the community and patients effectively communicate their medical needs, and be given a career in the field through the technical curriculum.

One of the most exciting transitions in our community is the uniting of two church congregations - Word of Grace, Mesa and CitiChurch, Scottsdale.

How did this wonderful union of an established congregation of Believers meet a fairly new, thriving congregation of Believers, and become as one church - with two campuses?

Members of these congregations see the hand of God at work in this great opportunity that transpired into the ability to have two become one as a blended family! Word of Grace experienced one church-two campuses in it’s beginnings and has planted several churches since - LifePoint in Copperbasin, Queen Creek area in Pinal County the most recent.  CitiChurch is a multi-site church currently, they’ve had another site by video - we’re related by our DNA as Dr. Kinnaman says!

Pastor Gary Kinnaman, serving Word of Grace for over 25 years found himself called to minister in another way throughout our community, state, and the world.  Teaching, mentoring, being there to come alongside those leaders that would benefit from someone like Dr. Kinnaman, to bring what he has learned so well over the years to others and pass it on.  He and his wife Marilyn will remain members of Word of Grace and remain as a speaking Pastor when needed.

Pastor Terry Crist of CitiChurch, Scottsdale, along with his Pastor wife Judith, have been and will continue to successfully lead a growing, exciting church congregation that they initiated several years ago now.  When Pastor Kinnaman responded to God’s call on his life, a search committee was developed in search of a Senior Pastor.  As it turns out, Dr. Crist was named.   

Currently, Pastor Christ and Pastor Kinnaman have been serving as co-Senior Pastors until January.  At that time, Dr. Terry Crist will become the Senior Pastor at Word of Grace; retaining his position at CitiChurch - go to the web sites for more details!

Church web sites:

Word of Grace  and CitiChurch

Come visit, it’s pretty exciting!

First flights for Allegiant Air began with lots of enthusiasm out of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport yesterday - 400 passengers!

A new one for me is the traditional water hose greeting!  Who else but our Mesa Fire Department trucks providing the Blessing.  Wonder who got wet…sounds like no one doused the anticipation of Mesa’s future that was filled with economic optimism.

Three flights yesterday, four today to and from Stockton and Santa Maria, CA, and Missoula, Montana, possibly boarding 500-600 passengers.

Allegiant Air has quite a service, Las Vegas as their Headquarters - a busy town indeed; Allegiant serving small cities and major as well, overall - totally fifty-four, 1000 employees, all fares one-way and ticket-less.  Simple does it with a fleet of 34 MD-80 jet aircraft that transports 130-150 passengers - and low prices!

Robert Brinton, executive director of the Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau expects more than 130,000 inbound annually, generating $8 Million to $10 Million in revenue. 

Here comes rapid expansion southeast valley!

This coming Saturday, Latino Town Hall will once again have a variety of interests, learning opportunities, networking, while celebrating another year since it’s inception in 2002.  Phil Austin, Civil Rights Attorney and President of the Mesa Association of Hispanic Citizens which he founded, initiated and sponsors LTH.

Mr. Austin saw the need for community leadership to be drawn from the Hispanic and other cultural segments not represented in community leadership positions; Latino Town Hall provides that foundation. 

This year an East Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will be discussed as there seem to be plenty  of Hispanic business owners that would benefit from an organization within the southeast area.  The Arizona Hispanic Chamber basically Phoenix-centered.  Also, a discussion regarding a Mesa Day-Labor Center; however, Mr. Austin believes most will wait to see how an upcoming new law turns out.  January 1, employer sanction laws will be taking effect for those hiring illegal immigrants.

Each Mayoral candidate will also be available to discuss their strengths, what they would bring to the community as a whole, and answer questions as a panel.  Sounds like an interesting time!  Candidates include: Vice Mayor Claudia Walters, recent Councilmember - Rex Griswold, and Scott Smith, 40 years resident and business owner. 

The event is held each year at Mesa Community College, register at Mesa Association of Hispanic Citizens, AZ.  

This grandma sees the light, expressing her view on Sunday’s The Vent.   - I agree with her, how can we expect anything less when “we are taking God out of the schools and putting condoms in.” 

As younger adults are now running our schools (plus all other forms of leadership in our country) I feel we need to take a look at what we as parents have done or not done, in doing our part. 

Have we educated our children as best we knew or know how - on family values?  Are the schools teaching correctly about our Constitution and Bill of Rights, are we being held back on it’s history and the foundation by which our country was founded on - a moral government. 

Praying is certainly a good idea and to have it in school - it surely could make a difference in more lives; we have the freedom to do so as a nation founded and formed as “One Nation under God”.  What is not legislated is what religion one must belong to. 

The article in Perspective, F1, “cracked foundation?” has a lot to say about updating The Constitution.  We haven’t gotten the basics down yet - the interpretation of separation of church and state, for example.  Why convolute it further?

According to a Ventor on October 19:

 “Church and state? Nowhere in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution or the Bill of Rights do you see anything about the Ten Commandments, the Old Testament or the new Testament.”

In the Constitution, Amendment I says
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”.

Or, Congress shall not establish a “state religion” that all must adhere to - but, it shall not prohibit the free exercise of religion, or of speech, the press, assemble peacefully, and address the government of grievances.

The seperation of church and state was to protect the church, not the state. The country had just come out of British rule and wanted to ensure freedom from that.

The writers of our constitution recognized that man is prone to fall and we must have a moral government. Some were Christian, Jew, Ben Franklin a Diest, and John Adams who looked at life philosophically, embraced the idea that government must be built on a moral foundation.

In my view, to list the ten commandments is a moral right and in agreement with the Constitution.

Today’s  Tribune, A7, provides the latest inside look at MCC and the administrative practices - providing the public with information on current issues they are facing. 

At the moment, it’s enrollment and travel - placing a faculty member on suspension without pay until a decision is made by the governing board.

Chancellor Rufus Glasper, Maricopa County Community College District, providing action, accountability, embracing the problem, and addressing the issue in view of the public.

That’s good, way to go!