by Roving Reporter Marcia M.
I recently interviewed Mavi B. on in the internet using email and learned a lot about this talented person.
I asked her how long she’d been coming to PB UMC and how she found out about us. She told me, “I started attending PB UMC regularly about 2 years ago, but my journey with this church goes back to high school when I participated in Ron Jessee’s show choir at Monte Vista High School. We had a couple of performances at the church back then. Then, in about 2010 when I started working in PB, I would come back for Easter and other holidays. Again, it was Ron’s music that attracted me. Most recently, when my little brother died suddenly Ron reminded me to come back and offering a place of healing and spiritual reconnection through music and fellowship. It was God, through Ron that brought me back in and showed me the magic that happens at PB UMC.”
Recently Mavi provided sermons during two of our services when Pastor Bob was on travel. She told me, “Both times it has been a positive experience for me. Someone from the church I had been raised in as a child told me that me delivering the sermon done was forbidden by The Bible. On a personal level, breaking through those old beliefs has been such an incredible experience. I believe harder than I did before and I have reconnected with Jesus. I never thought I could do it – and I was struggling with my own belief systems when I was asked to do the message. I believe God brings us what we need and at that time, I needed to let go of the pain and harmful doctrine I had experienced when I was younger. Being able to connect with the church in this capacity helped me to do that. I am also learning that I am not isolated in my spiritual journey. I’ve found so much support which I am so grateful for.” We are grateful to her for the messages she provided and are especially happy to know these experiences helped her grow.
When I asked her about her experience singing in our choir, she told me, “The music program at PB UMC has been a Godsend for me. I needed to grieve some pretty massive losses and was spiritually and emotionally stuck. It was through the choir that I was led into service for this church. God works in us and through us in mysterious ways. I hadn’t sung in over a decade. I was able to regain my connection to my feelings, cry, laugh, and feel again. I also found my voice. I thank God every day for the opportunity to serve in the choir.”
I asked what other things she has been doing at PB UMC. “I am not sure how long after I had been singing with the choir it came into my heart that I wanted to be added into the rotation to be a worship leader. I’ve enjoyed that so much. Prior to being a worship leader at PBUMC, I had never spoken publicly in front of a church. I had been raised in tradition that didn’t allow women to speak. It was a super important wall to break through for me and helped to heal some spiritual wounds. I also love helping with communion. It’s one of my favorite parts of worship. I get to connect with God and the community in a super sacred way. It’s one ritual that has always been incredibly meaningful to me.”
I asked her what she does for a living, she told me, “I’m an online communication director.” She asked me, “Do you know how you get sales emails and coupons in text messages and apps? I help to coordinate and automate those.”
I told her I’d seen her with her husband Eddie and asked her about her family. “Eddie has been a musician in San Diego since college, his band formerly known as High Tide was established in 2003. He even wrote a song for the Chargers called “Chargers on a Roll.” He’s also been a music teacher for over 10 years. His relative was in the Kingston Trio and his mom has been singing in Sweet Adeline for over 50 years. Music is in his blood! He encouraged me to join the choir and to become more involved with church. He often coaches me on my singing and got me hooked on the ukulele. Ed keeps music as a central part of our family and home.”
“We have a 13 year old son who is incredibly quiet and introverted. Also, for the last couple of years I’ve been helping to raise my late brother’s 3 daughters. We also have 2 dogs, Teddy and Mac, and an old cat we call Spaz.”
She told me about why she recently left us, “In August, I unexpectedly lost my job and as the family’s primary supporter I was faced with the reality that in San Diego, many people are just 1 disaster, such as a sudden loss in income or other unexpected life changing event, from being homeless. Thankfully, I was hired just 3 days later by a marketing and media company in Las Vegas, NV. I am a marketing strategist and digital communications director. Although I miss San Diego terribly, it’s hard to beat the decrease in the cost of living. We will actually be able to afford to buy a home here and be debt free. That only seemed like a dream before.”
I asked if there was anything else she wanted to share with us and she told me, “I wasn’t born a Methodist, so I am not as connected to the denomination as I am to PB UMC. This church has shown me the type of faith community I want to belong to. I am so appreciative of the patience and love that I have been shown here. I believe God lives and loves in our church in Pacific Beach. Just when I needed it, God gave me this church’s love to experience and witness. I am so very thankful for this.”
I definitely miss Mavi and look forward to the periodic visits from her and her family.
