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by Pastor Gen Heywood
Our Christmas play is certain to be wonderful again this year. We have shepherds and sheep, angels and barn animals, and of course, Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. (The wise ones will arrive on Epiphany Sunday, January 4, when the Gospel of Matthew tells us that the wise ones arrived at the house where they found the child with his mother.)
It is the Gospel of Luke that tells us the story of the poor shepherds who receive the good news. God is with us. It is Luke who emphasizes that God comes not to fix the wrongs and hardships of this life but to be with us no matter how dark the night may get.
More still, God comes to experience life as a simple peasant from an obscure village and impoverished family. In Jesus, God comes like each of us. God comes feeling hunger and pain, needing love and nurture. Indeed, Jesus is fully human. And Jesus comes to teach us to love our enemies, to share with those in need, to stand for what is fair not just for what is easy. In this way, Jesus shows us how to practice becoming fully divine as we live our fully human lives.
Each Christmas Eve, we remember that Christmas is God's belly button day. Receiving a belly button really does make God with us. Like it or not, we have come from a long line of humans, some of whom are heroes and others, scoundrels. The message of Jesus is that you who are born, as long as you have life, you are not stuck in your ancestry. You are not stuck in your mistakes. You are not stuck in your successes. In Christ, life is something to be involved and engaged with. And as long as we have breath, possibly even longer, God continues to encourage us to reach for our full potential as creatures of the Divine.
This Christmas, go ahead, contemplate your belly button just for a few moments. And thank God for this miracle of being in life where God is with us, not to take away the hardships and troubles but to be a light calling us to our own nature as we too become more fully human and more fully divine.
Blessings,
Pastor Gen
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Join Pastor Gen in prayer for our church
Tuesday mornings from 9:00-9:30 am.
Take a few minutes for prayer
wherever you are
to seek special guidance for our church.
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UCC 2008
HURRICANE RESPONSE
Hurricanes Fay, Gustav, and Ike, as well as Tropical Storm Hanna have left a swath of death and destruction across the nations of the Caribbean, throughout Florida, and across the Gulf Coast. The UCC has issued an appeal for $250,000 and 1001 Clean-Up Buckets to support emergency and long-term relief and rebuilding efforts. Find out more at the UCC website:
http://www.ucc.org/disaster/gulf-coast-hurricanes.html
about the hurricanes and the emergency response already carried out through your generous gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing.
As always your 100% of your donations through OGHS for disaster relief go directly to that purpose.
You can send checks, marked Hurricanes, to the NCNC Conference Office: 21425 Birch St., Hayward CA 94541.
Or you can give online at the Hurricanes 2008 link above.
Letter from our Moderator Mei Wang
Regarding the Men’s Rotating Shelter
November 24, 2008
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
It is cold weather again in Sunnyvale/Cupertino area as we're approaching the month of December. This means that the Congregational Community Church of Sunnyvale will be once more hosting the Rotating Shelter as we have done the past ten years.
I am writing you this letter in the hopes that, besides gaining your understanding about the importance of this mission for our community, you might also help us in this specific ministry.
This Rotating Shelter program is sponsored and managed by West Valley Community Services and Faith in Action. Our role as a church in this program is to
1) provide shelter for the time period of November 29, 2008 through January 3, 2009;
2) purchase food for their breakfasts and lunches;
3) provide dinners on those needed days (posted on the bulletin board in Shephard Hall); and
4) greet and welcome our guests each evening.
You can help by being a shopper, who will shop twice a week, fund is provided by our church.
Or you can help by providing a dish or a meal on the days needed.
Or you can simply show up at 8 p.m. and extend your warm welcome and greetings.
As you can tell from the enclosed information, the 15 men will be on church grounds from 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. each day of their stay with us. The church facilities impacted during their stay are primarily Room 2 and our sanctuary.
Their belongings, refrigerator, sleeping gear, etc., are stored in Room 2 and they sleep in the sanctuary this year. They shower at the Cupertino YMCA and use the handicap bathroom next to Room 1 for their toilet needs. The sanctuary will be restored to its original condition before the men leave every morning.
This year Barton Wilson and I will be coordinating the program again. So, please contact me at 650-965-2338 or Barton at 408-225-1089 with any further questions you might have, or if any issues or concerns arise during the time period the men are with us.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Mei Wang
408-245-7338 (w) 650-965-2338 (h)
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Open Position on the
Worship and Community Board
We meet once every month on Sundays after Worship to reflect with Pastor Gen on worship elements and plan for fellowship events of our church community. If you may consider serving with us, please talk to any member of the board (Marilyn, Pat, Mary and Ina) or to Pastor Gen.
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Needed:
Sunday School Teachers and Assistants
If you think you could possibly help starting from January, please speak with Pastor Gen!
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Thank you!
Thank you very much from our Women’s Fellowship
to all who have helped
to make their Annual Bake
and White Elephant Sale
on November 16
a great success!
The total proceeds were
$ 274.50!
(Even $ 10 more than first published in the bulletin!)
Each First Sunday of the Month:
Please Bring Items
for our FISH Program!
Reviving a Good Old Tradition:
For every Communion Sunday (first Sunday of the month), please bring in items for FISH, our clothes closet.
They are in need of used clothes in good condition, blankets, baby items, hygiene articles and non-perishable food.
(At this time there is a special need for peanut butter, clothing and stuffed animals.)
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Join us on Sunday Mornings:
10:10 AM, right before Worship Service:
Children’s Choir and...
 Drum Choir!
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Come join our little choir!
All abilities welcome - just drop in!
Choir practice is on Sunday mornings
at 9:30 a.m. before Worship
and on Wednesday nights from 7:45 PM
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A Thank You to Share:
During the week before Thanksgiving, one of the regular attendees of the AA meetings (that take place in our Shephard Hall every weekday from noon to 1 PM) came into our church office to express his deep gratitude that the church lets AA use the hall. He wanted to let all involved know that those meetings make a huge difference in most of the attendees’ lives, and how thankful he is for that.
 WITNESSFORJUSTICE
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
JUSTICE AND WITNESS MINISTRIES
“Witness for Justice” is a regular publication by the Justice and Witness Ministries of the national setting of our UCC.
(To be found at www.ucc.org/justice/advocacy_
resources/witness-for-justice/pdfs)
This particular issue was brought to our attention by Maxine Eggerth.
WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #399
November 17, 2008
Making a Difference
M. Linda Jaramillo, Executive Minister
November 4 reminded me of one of my many fond childhood memories. I remember national Election Day at our house seemed like a holiday. I don’t remember if the post office, local stores or even if the schools were closed. But I do remember that my parents took the day off and we didn’t go to school so they could journey the 40 miles to vote. It felt like a special day, not because we got to miss school, but because my parents took their right to vote very seriously. They believed their vote counted and it made a difference.
The days and weeks leading up to the election were always interesting because my parents were not of the same political party. So the household debates about whether the Republicans or Democrats knew best were commonplace. I hate to date myself, but it was before the barrage of television advertising was even around, so the conversations were based on written flyers and radio news about the campaigns and candidates. The candidates had a much different challenge to convince the electorate about their qualifications for office. Interestingly, the most important affiliation was political party – then just as it is today.
As the days and weeks approached this year’s election, I got tired of the hundreds of television commercials and news stories. They seemed endless.
However, I did not look forward to this election just so those relentless commercials would end. I looked forward to this election because of the apparent excitement in the air. I looked forward to the election because so many people were once again engaged in the process. I got excited because I saw new energized interest and a belief that voting is really a privilege and an opportunity to voice our opinion and have it matter. My fond childhood memory was revived. We could make a difference.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a Witness for Justice entitled The Cornerstone of Democracy. My appeal was for the protection of everyone’s right to vote. I admit that I was very worried. I was afraid that the fraudulent elections of the past would once again haunt our renewed belief in the process.
Then I watched as the systems were put into place from state to state to make sure that elections would be fair and accessible. It was a joy to watch early voting taking place meant to avoid the long lines on Election Day. It was hopeful to see that provisional ballots were made available for those who encountered problems.
Then the day came – November 4, 2008. I drove from Precinct to Precinct in Cleveland, Ohio. I went to the polls that were known for turning people away or challenging the rights of so many voters, mostly African Americans. What I encountered was not long lines of frustrated voters, but a flow of people in and out of the doors with smiles on their faces. People said that they really felt that their vote counted and it would make a difference. What I experienced was joy and a sense of holiday.
That night, I called my Mom in Oregon; we talked and I knew that our holiday was back and my fond childhood memories were revived.
The United Church of Christ has more than 5,700 churches throughout the United States. Rooted in the Christian traditions of congregational governance and covenantal relationships, each UCC setting speaks only for itself and not on behalf of every UCC congregation. UCC members and churches are free to differ on important social issues, even as the UCC remains principally committed to unity in the midst of our diversity.
Saturday, September 27:
All Church Fishing Day
at Vasona Park in Los Gatos
Fall Festival
Sunday, October 19
“Global Village”
With our favorite ethnic foods and a display and “show and tell” of our favorite objects from around the world
Halloween Tailgate Party had to be canceled this year because of the threat of rain.
Instead, there was a scavenger-hunt type Happening on Halloween Morning for the Community Pre-School Children.
(Pastor Gen as Minnie Mouse!)
 Recipe Corner
This Month:
From Pauline Davey’s Kitchen
Applesauce Spice Cake
as enjoyed at the
Women’s Fellowship Meeting on Nov. 19.
1/2 cup butter or other shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten light,
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup raisins
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
Cream shortening and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and mix thoroughly. Add nuts and raisins. Put together dry ingredients in measuring container and add alternately with applesauce to creamed mixture, beating thoroughly.
Pour into greased loaf pan ( I use a ring cake pan) and bake in a moderate oven (350 deg. F) for 1 hour. If baked in layers, bake only for 25 minutes.
Makes 1 loaf (8x4 inches or 2 (9 inch) layers.
I use the ring baking pan and for 42 minutes only, comes out delicious.
Pauline Davey
COMMUNITY
PRE-SCHOOL NEWS
HELLO FROM
COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL!
December at the preschool is always such a fun time for all of us. The children are busy making gifts for their parents. There is always lots of glittery crafts and snow painted trees decorating the classrooms. The teachers are planning holiday parties for their classes and the children are eagerly learning fun winter songs with Judy Hobart, our music and movement teacher.
Parents are invited to share their various holiday traditions.
In Room 7 the children learned about the celebration of Diwali.
In Room 9 the children made paper dolls for the Festival of Children.
In Room 5 a parent brought in a Christmas manger with farm animals figurines and talked about Jesus' birthday.
The children at chapel are enjoying seeing the manger scene that is displayed in the Church Sanctuary. The holiday Christmas program will be coming up soon, flyers will be sent home to all families. It is always such a special time to share with friends and family.
During our staff meeting in December, the teachers will hear a presentation about how to keep themselves safe. This presentation will be open to the public.
It has been a tradition for the teachers to share a potluck lunch just before everyone leaves for Christmas break. We have a wonderful variety of foods from many countries. Please come by and join us if you are in the area.
In January we will have an open house. Parents will be able to bring their children and get to see the school and meet and talk to the teachers. We have never done an open house, I am sure this will be a good marketing tool. We also will have a speaker come to talk about kindergarten readiness. One of our families has offered to give the teachers a talk on earthquake preparedness. Various fundraisers are planned for the coming months. This is a great opportunity for families and the teachers to get together.
On behalf of Community Pre-School, we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Barbara Steinmetz (Director)
 Looking Ahead
- Please Mark Your Calendars!
 OUR WORSHIP SERVICES
DURING
ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS SEASON
November 30:
First Sunday of Advent - “Hope”
Morning Worship at 10:30 am
December 7:
Second Sunday of Advent - “Peace”
Morning Worship at 10:30 am
December 14:
Third Sunday of Advent - “Joy”
Christmas Play!
Children of all ages, please dress as shepherds, angels or barn animals (sheep are most sought after!) and join us in the play!
December 21:
Fourth Sunday of Advent -“Love”
Choir and Hymn Sing Sunday!
Join us for the joy of music in Worship -
Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the South West
(by Conrad Susa)
December 24 - Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service for all ages at 7:00 pm - followed by Cookie Potluck!
(Please call the office if you would like a ride!)
December 28:
Approaching the New Year
Morning Worship at 10:30 am
January 4: Epiphany
Morning Worship at 10:30 am
The Magi brought gifts for Baby Jesus - so do we!
Please bring to church diapers, nonperishable food, and baby and kids items to benefit children through FISH. And then, afterwards, it is time to undecorate the sanctuary...!
Women’s Fellowship
Christmas Luncheon
December 10, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Please meet at church and
carpool to the restaurant!
Nativity Set Exhibition
in our Sanctuary
from December 21 to 28
Please bring in your Nativity Set(s)
for Display!
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE:
Saturday, January 24, 2009
from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
tentatively scheduled:
2nd Workshop
with
PACE e BENE
on
Non-Violent Communication
Communicator Deadline
Deadline for the February 2009 edition of our Communicator is Friday, January 23, 2009.
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: Tuesdays - Fridays 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
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!
December 2008
&
January 2009
Calendar
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Worship & Fellowship
Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
(nursery & childcare provided)
Bible Study Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal, Wednesdays at 7:45 p.m.
Sunday, November 30
First Sunday of Advent - Hope
Sunday, December 7
Second Sunday of Advent - Peace
Wednesday, December 10
11:00 AM
Women’s Fellowship Christmas Lunch
Sunday, December 14
Third Sunday of Advent - Joy
Children’s Christmas Play
Sunday, December 21
Fourth Sunday of Advent - Love
Choir and Hymn Sing Sunday
Nativity Set Exhibition Starts
Wednesday, December 24
Christmas Eve
7:00 PM Candlelight Service for all Ages
Sunday, December 28
Approaching the New Year
Nativity Set Exhibition Ends
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Faith in Action
Men’s Rotating Shelter Moves Out
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Epiphany - Baby Shower for Baby Jesus
Saturday, January 24, 2009
9AM - 5PM tentatively scheduled:
Workshop with Pace e Bene
on Non-Violent Communication
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