September 2007
Congregational Community Church of Sunnyvale * 408-739-3285 * conglchurch@earthlink.net 1112 Bernardo Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 *

Do you know the story Stanley written by Syd Hoff? Stanley is a caveman who is different from the other cavemen. He is kind to animals. He plants seeds. He even says “Please” and “Thank you”. Gets him into a lot of trouble with the other cave dwellers. He is thrown out of the cave. He is different. He is weird. He does not conform to the way things are supposed to be.

The story goes on. Stanley builds a house and likes it very much. Later the cavemen come along and Stanley rescues them from wild animals. They decide to invite Stanley back to the cave. He says, “No, thank you.” He likes his house and his garden. He invites them to come and build their own houses and plant their own gardens. They agree. A village is created.

Stanley even teaches the other former cave dwellers about saying “Please” and “Thank you.” A society is created. And all of this began because Stanley was weird, different, and did not relate to the world the way others told him he must.
Being part of this church you may feel a little like Stanley. We show compassion for others. We seek to be kind in our relationship with the Earth and all its creatures. We try to be civil even with those who differ greatly in how they say we as a society are to live.

So, we have our house of worship surrounded by beautiful gardens. We are not hidden away in a cave. We understand the comfort others have found in keeping things “as they have always been.” We also understand that the way of Jesus is a way that was weird and different because it always put what was best for all people ahead of what was best for some powerful people.

Here is a place where we seek to live open and affirming lives. Each week we add to the bulletin: “This church welcomes any person who wants to share Christian worship, regardless of age, race, marital status, sexual orientation, ethnic background, economic circumstances, or abilities.”

We don’t have this perfectly down. We are a work in process. And that is the deal - we are in process.
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THANK YOU!

It is so wonderful to be home again. The children and I learned so much while we were away. We experienced some wonderful worship services and Sunday Schools and we experienced some truly terrible ones. Most importantly, my children missed this church every Sunday. It was not about the other churches or their Sunday Schools. It was about YOU.
They really missed the grown-ups who care about the kids of this church community. They missed their aunties and uncles, grandmas and grandpas, as well as the other kids.

Thank you for the warm welcome upon our return and all the excitement we share for this new beginning.

Blessings,
Pastor Gen

LIVING THE QUESTIONS

Living the Questions 2.0 (LtQ2) is an open-minded study created by two Methodist Ministers in Arizona. The study strives to encourage questions and discussion on the difficult questions of our day.

We at the Congregational Community Church, UCC offer this program in three independent flights of seven units each.
Each session will be given on Thursday nights from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

The following Sunday, the worship service will continue to explore the same points/questions with opportunities after worship to be in conversation and review the video for those not able to make Thursday nights.

The 20-minute video segments include conversations with leading voices of faith, sermon and lecture clips, digital stories illustrating aspects of an evolving faith, and concrete spiritual practices and disciplines.   

LtQ2 features contributors that include Nancy Ammerman, John Bell, Marcus Borg, Minerva Carcaño, John B. Cobb, Jr., John Dominic Crossan, Lloyd Geering, Culver "Bill" Nelson, Siyoung Park, Stephen Patterson, Tex Sample, John Shelby Spong , Emilie Townes, Rita Nakashima Brock, Walter Brueggemann, Ron Buford, Yvette Flunder, James Forbes, Matthew Fox, Hans Küng, Amy-Jill Levine, Meagan McKenna, Rebecca Ann Parker, Helen Prejean, Barbara Rossing, Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, Bernard Brandon Scott, Rick Ufford-Chase, Winnie Varghese and Mel White.

Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007 - Nov. 1, 2007
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Invitation to Journey
1. An Invitation to Journey
2. Taking the Bible Seriously
3. Thinking Theologically
4. Stories of Creation
5. Lives of Jesus
6. A Passion for Christ: Paul
7. Out into the World: Challenges Facing Progressive Christians

Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008 - Feb. 21, 2008
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Reclaiming the World
1. Restoring Relationships
2. The Prophetic Jesus
3. Evil, Suffering & a God of Love
4. The Myth of Redemptive Violence
5. Debunking the Rapture
6. Practicing Resurrection
7. Reclaiming the World

Thursday, Apr. 3, 2008 - May 15, 2008
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Call to Covenant
1. A Kingdom without Walls
2. Social Justice: Realizing God’s Vision
3. Incarnation: Divinely Human
4. Prayer: Intimacy with God
5. Embracing Mystery
6. Compassion: The Heart of Jesus’ Ministry
7. Creativity & Transformation?

What can we do to make our church
more. . . ALIVE? --- READY, SET, GROW!

We will send a team from our church to attend a Congregational Vitality Training and learn five steps that can increase our church vitality. If you truly believe that our church will grow, please talk to Pastor Gen and become part of this team!

First workshop:
Saturday, September 29th, 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
at UCC Campbell, 400 W. Campbell Ave., 95008

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As we strive to vitalize our church life -
here is how the dictionary defines
‘vital’ and ‘vitality’...
(as looked up by Mary Ruth Green)

Vital
1) existing as a manifestation of life; concerned with or necessary to the maintenance of life
2) full of life and vigor (animated)
3) characteristic of life or living beings
4) a) fundamentally concerned with or affecting life or living beings as 1) tending to renew or refresh the living (invigorating)
2) destruction to life (mortal)
4) b) of the utmost importance: essential to continued worth or well being
5) recording data relating to lives
6) of, relating to, or constituting the staining of living tissues

Vitality
1) a) the peculiarity distinguishing the living from the non living
1) b) capacity to live and develop, also: physical or mental vigor esp. when highly developed
2) a) power of enduring or continuing
2) b) lively and animated character

OUR
RUMMAGE SALE ON JUNE 16TH



A GREAT
COMMUNITY EVENT -

AND WE EARNED
$3267.57 !!!





THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED
TOWARDS
SOLAR PANELS
FOR OUR CHURCH.

THANK YOU
SO MUCH
TO ALL
WHO HAVE MADE THIS HUGE SUCCESS POSSIBLE!!

Take my Son
(submitted by Mei Wang)

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.” The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes dwelled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered him to pay for the picture. “Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.”

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

He died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?”

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.”

But the auctioneer persisted. “Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?

Another voice angrily said, “We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!”

But still the auctioneer continued. “The son, the son! Who’ll take the son?”

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long-time gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

“We have $10, who will bid $20?”

“Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.”

“$10 is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?”

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t
want the picture of the son. They wanted
the more worthy investments for their
collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!”

A man sitting in the second row shouted, “Now let’s get on with the collection!”

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.”

“What about the paintings?”

“I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.
The man who took the son gets everything!”

God gave His son 2000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: “The son, the son, who’ll take the son?”

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

***
Funny Answering Machine Recordings
(submitted by Lee Lederer)

“A” is for academics. “B” is for beer.
One of those reasons is why we’re not here... so leave a message.

***

Hi. This is John.
If you are the phone company, I already sent the money.
If you are my parents, please send money.
If you are my friends, you owe me money.
If you are a female, don’t worry - I have plenty of money.

***

Hi. Now you say something.

***

Hello. This is not an answering machine. This is a telepathic thought-recording device. After the tone, THINK about your name, your number and your reason for calling, and I will think about returning your call.

***

Hello. I am David’s answering machine. What are you?

***

Hi. John’s answering machine is broken. This is his refrigerator. Please speak very slowly, and I’ll stick your message to myself with one of these magnets.

***

Hello. You are talking to a machine. I am capable of receiving messages. My owners do not need siding, windows or a hot tub, and their carpets are clean. They give to charity through their office, and they do not need their picture taken. If you are still with me, leave your name and number and they will get back to you.

***

Hi. I’m probably home but just avoiding someone I don’t like. Leave me a message, and if I don’t call back, it’s you.

***

Hi, this is George. I’m sorry I can’t answer the phone right now. Leave a message and then wait by your phone until I call you back.

COMMUNITY

PRE-SCHOOL NEWS

HELLO FROM COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL!

The summer has gone by so fast.  The children got to hunt for dinosaur bones on the playground, or learned about Hawaii from a child’s grandparent and learned to dance the hula with grass skirts and flower leis.  Some really warm days the children had fun in the wading pool or splashed in the sprinkler called “Crazy Daisy”.
This summer our program offered both Full Time Child Care classes and Pre-School summer classes too.  The summer school was divided into three three-week sessions.  The three-year-old classes were filled all summer and the four-year old classes had a few openings . Each session the classes would end with a special event. We celebrated the 4th of July with a family picnic and the next session the children enjoyed splashing in our little wading pools and sunbathing on their beach towels.  We finished off our summer program with an Ice Cream Social followed by a sing-a-long led by our new music teacher. The children were then able to visit the classroom they would in the fall. This was also the time we said Good-Bye to the children who would be attending kindergarten in the fall. 
Fall classes will begin September 4th.  We are expecting a large enrollment.  All of our Child Care Classes are full and we have very few openings in our afternoon Pre-School Classes. We also have wait lists for most of our classrooms. 
We have made a few changes in the classrooms. Some of the teachers have moved to another classroom and two new teachers have been hired for the fall.  One teacher, Merry Tan, will be full time in our two-year-old class, and another teacher, Eugenia Halmagean, will be full time in the Four-Year–Old Child Care program. Also this summer we added a new music teacher, Judy Hobart, to our staff.  These teachers come with much experience and dedication to the field of Early Childhood Development.
During the month of September, the school will have Parent Night to introduce the parents to their child’s new classroom and teachers. That month the school will sponsor a Scholastic Book Fair too.  Other events for the Pre-School children and their families have been planned for the new school year.  Two speakers will present information about language and development and another speaker will talk about implementing parenting skills to help with challenging behaviors.  In addition, we will have various fundraising events throughout the year.
Many parents have inquired about the chapel program.  Many children have signed up for chapel Friday from 10:00 to 10:30.  The children enjoy going into the sanctuary and listening to Pastor Gen talk about the Bible.
All of us at Community Pre-School look forward to beginning a new school year and meeting new children and families and catching up with co-workers about what they did over the summer.
I f you have a chance, please come by and greet our staff members and see what the children are doing in the various classrooms.

Barbara Steinmetz (Director)

Notes from our
Treasurer Mary Ruth Green:
 
July 07 Year to Date

Income $25,088 $55,444
Expenses $22,291 $47,205
Net Income $  2,797 $ 8,239

At the end of August, $1,198 had been received for the project ‘A Beautiful Space’ and $6,243 had been received for the Going Green (solar panel) project. Thank you for your support.

********************************
Come join
our little choir!
All abilities welcome
- just drop in!
Choir practice is
every Thursday night at 7:45 p.m.
and on Sunday mornings
at 9:30 a.m. before Worship
*******************************

And last but not least:
Here is a challenge for you from our Sue...

Guess which member of our congregation this is!
Looking Ahead
- Please Mark Your Calendars!

Be sure to bring the water you have brought home from your travels this summer for our
“Gathering of the Waters” ceremony
this Sunday, September 9 2007!
***
Please join us this weekend!
(September 8 and 9, 2007)
“Recovenanting Weekend”

Gabriel’s Trumpet

10:30 a.m. for Sunday Worship Service and Sunday School
Children’s Sunday School begins after “Children’s Time” with the Pastor
11:30 a.m. – Fellowship (approximate time)
Chapel for Preschoolers Friday mornings 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Come join us!

Worship & Fellowship

Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
(nursery & childcare provided)

Bible Study, Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. (starts again after summer break on Sept. 20)
Choir Rehearsal, Thursdays at 7:45 p.m.

***
Yoga classes, led by Mary Ruth Green,
will begin again on
September 14, 9:30 AM. 
Six week session for $40 or $6 drop-in.

Communicator Deadline

Deadline for the October 2007 edition of our Communicator is September 24, 2007. We accept submissions of texts, photos & graphics at our office, 1112 S. Bernardo Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 or via e-mail (conglchurch@earthlink.net).
Office hours: Wednesdays 11:00 - 2:30 pm
Thursdays & Fridays 9:30 am - 2:30 pm