Congregational Community

Church of Sunnyvale

* 408-739-3285 * conglchurch@earthlink.net
1112 Bernardo Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 *

by Pastor Gen Heywood

Every Easter we gather to worship and we sing, place flowers on the cross, and declare that life is made new today.

Remember the hymn ‘Christ the Lord Is Risen Today’ (Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788  Music: Lyra Davidica, 1708)

1. Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

We love to sing those alleluias. It is like the glorias we sing at Christmas. They just feel good.
And the triumphant beat, “Christ the Lord is risen today.” It almost sounds like a march until the ribbons of alleluias stream out.

We Christians sing Christ IS risen today not Christ WAS risen today. The hymn is a declaration that Jesus is risen today, in the now. Not just at Easter but every time “earth and heaven” come close together.
Every time “love’s redeeming work is done.” Every time life goes on beyond death. Every time we are “made like him, like him we rise.” Alleluia!

Indeed, Jesus is here right now with all who seek to live out the lessons and teachings he gave us. He is still “light for the world.” His teachings free us from the judgment of the world, our families, our neighbors, and place us before the judgment of God. God knows us even better than we know ourselves, and still God loves us.

God loves us enough that we can indeed reflect fully on our lives and make changes that create us to be more like Christ in the world today. We are not captive to our past. We are able to be forgiven. We are able to change and grow and reach our potential as creatures of God, the very children of God.

Consider, how different our faith is from others. We are still being created. At Easter and throughout every moment of our lives, we have the invitation from God to rise above the hardships, the wrongs, the troubles, the successes and the failures and become new again.

In a real way, at Easter we are invited to declare that Christ IS risen today because today, now, is the very place we meet Christ. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day of creation. Alleluia!

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.
______________________________

Continuing the Journey
from Violence to Wholeness

Our March
PACE E BENE WORKSHOP
exploring nonviolent living was postponed to
Saturday, May 9
in our Chapel
from 9 AM - 5 PM.
Please, contact the office to sign up.
(408)739-3285 or conglchurch@earthlink.net

“To resort to power one need not be violent, and to speak to conscience one need not be meek. The most effective action both resorts to power and engages conscience.” Barbara Deming (1917-1984)

Blessings, Pastor Gen

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OUR INTERGENERATIONAL
DRUMMING CHOIR

Drumming and Children's Choir rehearse each Sunday at 10:10 AM with Worship at 10:30 AM - and we welcome all to join us at 10:10 AM.
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Needed:
Sunday School Teachers
and Assistants

If you think you could possibly help, please speak with Pastor Gen!
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Please help
in these tough economic times!


Especially Needed
by the Clients
of our FISH Food and Clothes Closet:

Canned Fruits,
Canned Vegetables,
Peanut Butter 17 oz.,
Jam 10 oz.,
Cereal,
Tuna,
Macaroni & Cheese,
Spaghetti 1 lb. packages,
Tomato paste or sauce,
Rice,
Jell-O,
Milkman powdered milk (1 qt packages)
Top Ramen - any flavor,
Pinto beans,
Bars of soap,
Toilet paper.

As a result of a great idea by Markus
our Worship and Community Board has instituted a
matching contribution of up to
$50 each
for the first 10 people
in the church who buy food
for our FISH program during Lent.
If you can participate in this food drive,
please talk to Ina.

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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

Tentative Schedule:
5 PM Decorate Sanctuary for Easter
6 PM Light Dinner: Soup & Bread and Fruits
7 PM Easter Crafts Project for Children
And everyone is invited for Sleep Over at Church!

WORSHIP SERVICES ON
EASTER SUNDAY, April 12
Sunrise Service at 6:15 AM,
followed by Easter Breakfast
Morning Worship at 10:30 AM,
followed by Easter Egg Hunt
- Please bring flowers to decorate our Easter Cross! -

EASTER EGG HUNT

Worship and Community Board asks you to kindly bring in filled Easter eggs during the remaining weeks of Lent for the Children’s Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday. (We have a lot of empty plastic egg shells saved from last year - please take some home, fill them and bring them back.)
Thank you!

Announcement
of Board Positions
for 2009/2010

by our Moderator Mei Wang

This is the time of the year when the Nominating Task Team or Moderator call for people with talents and gifts to serve either as Church Officers or as Board members.  Although, according to our bylaws, Board members should be members of this church, those who have been worshiping and participating actively in church life, but are not members yet, could be considered.

This has been true in the past. Most recently, Mary Ruth Green stepped forward as our treasurer. We needed her talents and she offered her time. We are so grateful.  She became a member after serving without a vote.

If you have any questions regarding the purpose and functions of the three Boards, please talk to any of the current Board Chairs: 
Worship and Community Board - Marilyn;
Finance and Personnel Board - Markus;
or Preschool Board - Darryl. 

Questions about Church Officers can be directed to
Pastor Gen;
the Moderator - Mei;
the Treasurer - Bonnie;
or the Clerk - Ingo. 

Again, I am calling people with talents and gifts to serve our Church as Church Officers or as Board members.

YOU ARE INVITED TO A WORKSHOP
WITH RON BUFORD

Saturday, April 18
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

Suisun Fairfield/First Samoan UCC
701 Suisun St., Suisun City

Event includes:
Bible Study
Mission Statement Development
Tactical Plans for Evangelism,
Stewardship, Church Growth
and a guaranteed "delicious" lunch 

To Register:
Phone Aisa King 415 724 4257 by Apr 10

No Registration Fee - $8 Lunch Donation

Move with the rhythm of abundance ,

UCC IDENTITY SEMINARS

To register, email office@ncncucc.org or phone 510 247 8995
There is no registration fee, but we need to know you're coming so we can provide space and food. 

UCC IDENTITY SEMINAR 3:
UCC POLITY

How we're organized; how we do things 

11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Thursday, May 28 
Asilomar, Pacific Grove

UCC IDENTITY SEMINAR 4:
UCC THEOLOGY

UCC Theologies/UCC Theologizing

10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, October 3 
College Avenue UCC,
1341 College Ave, Modesto 
Shake it off and Step up!
by “Katie”
(used as meditation at a recent council meeting)

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule... The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule “praying” (or whatever mules do when they fall into wells). After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth trouble of saving.

Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. I suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he should shake it off and step up!
This he did, blow after blow...

“Shake it off and step up... Shake it off and step up... Shake it off and step up!”
He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!

It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of the well.

What seemed like it would bury him, actually helped him... all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

That’s life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self pity... the adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the very real potential to benefit us!!!!!

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the Ark... Professionals built the Titanic.

COMMUNITY
PRE-SCHOOL NEWS

HELLO FROM
COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL!

This month has been very busy for us in the office, registering children for Fall of 2009, and taking prospective clients on school tours.  Many of our morning Preschool Classes are full, and our Full Time Child Care classes have a few openings.  We continue to have a waiting list for many  classes.  We have been pleasantly surprised with new enrollments, even with the slow economy.  

In April we will have  registration for our Summer classes.  I have received a positive feedback from parents wanting to know when they can register.  We are sending out our summer flyers earlier this year and are advertising about our summer program in the Bay Area Parent Magazine.

Some of our selling points for our school are: our low ratios and our large classrooms, and friendly competent staff.  Many parents have commented on the spacious playgrounds and the shade trees that keep the playground cooler in the summer.  The parents like how the teachers provide age appropriate materials for the children and encourage creativity and diversity in the classroom.  

In April our school will be celebrating Week of the Young Child.  I want to personally
invite you to this event.  On Friday April 24 at 10:30 the children will have a parade, followed by refreshments and songs and stories  in their classrooms.  This will be a wonderful way for you to  meet  the children, parents and teachers.  During this week if you would like to share a story with the children or do a special activity, please let me know in the office.  We would love to have you join us for this special week. 

Barbara Steinmetz 
(Director, Community PreSchool)

Pre-School Fundraiser
Coming Up
please join us!

Wednesday, April 22
4 PM to 9 PM
Fresh Choice Sunnyvale,
1105 W. El Camino Real

Please find Coupons after Sunday Worship Service in Shephard Hall under the bulletin board-
or stop by in the office during the week!

SPRING TEA PARTY
Our Women’s Fellowship
will be presenting a
Spring Tea Party
SUNDAY, May 3 2009,
following Church Service.
Spring hats and gloves are optional!

As this is a fundraiser, a $12 donation per adult is requested. Half of the proceeds shall go, as last year, to people recovering from Katrina: the Rain or Shine New Orleans 7th Ward Community Garden.
But as the need is so great locally as well in these hard economic times, Women’s Fellowship has decided to donate the other half of the proceeds to Sunnyvale Community Services.

Rain or Shine
New Orleans 7th Ward community Garden

News from our Women’s Fellowship - News from our Women’s Fellowship - News from our Women’s Fellowship - News from our Women’s Fellowship - News

CROP WALK 2009
by Bonnie Harvey

Each spring many generous people (some from churches) gather dollars from sponsors and participate in a walk in the San Jose Rose Garden area to raise money for hungry people around the world. Some of that money goes to two San Jose agencies who provide food for the poor, and walkers can designate their contribution solely to those agencies if they choose. The walk has a shorter and longer option. This year’s walk will be Sunday, April 26. I encourage you to join me in this endeavor. I have envelopes for walkers to collect donations; other people can participate by sponsoring walkers. I also have more information on where CROP money goes, and what a difference it can make.

Last year my son, Ken, and his family walked with me. Ken had raised (much through the internet) over $700. This year Ken says his goal is aggressive. It’s $1,000.

In 2007 our church had seven walkers who raised a total of $945. In 2008 our church had eleven walkers who raised a total of $1,215.10. I know it’s economic hard times, but in 2009 I hope we can increase both our number of walkers and our dollars raised.

Celebrating more than 30 years in Santa Clara County
and around the world!

SUNDAY, April 26, 2009
Registration 12:30 p.m., Walk 1:00 p.m.

CROP Hunger Walks are multi-generational events
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AROUND THE BLOCK & AROUND THE WORLD!

“All it takes is a rake and a hoe...”

April is taxes-due month, and a time for all of us to review our 2008 financials, a history in numbers of things we did.

The church, as a non-profit organization, does not pay income taxes but we are required to file a form with the County Assessor declaring any purchases of equipment or improvements to our property. We are assessed a low property tax rate as a usage fee for city water and sewer. We had a lot of activity in 2008. The main things I reported are:

Two refrigerators, a microwave oven
and a vacuum cleaner 426.00
Computers and printers 3,638.00
Five orange trees 500.00
Bicycle rack 731.00
Handicapped Parking Signs 129.00
Preschool Landscaping 14,188.00
Carpet for UUFS office and
for the Beautiful Space 1,907.00
Two arrays of solar panels 92,238.00
One double pane window (UUFS office) 284.00
Emergency light 218.00
Remodel to storage room
(now used for TEI office) 8,000.00
Completion of the Beautiful Space 1,320.00
Upgrade preschool bathrooms 19,118.00
New Fence for preschool 16,170.00

The Church Council hired National Property Inspections to examine our property and recommend areas that needed attention, and we now have that report. Large maintenance expenses will be paid from our Building & Maintenance Reserve. This reserve is underfunded, partially because the congregation redesignated some of that money to buy the solar panels.

The February Financial Report showed a month net income of ($13,499.91). This will be corrected in March by preschool department reimbursement of legal fees. The year-to-date net income is $14,819.54.
Looking Ahead

- Please Mark Your Calendars!


Saturday, May 9, 2009
from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

2nd Workshop
(make-up for canceled workshop on March 7)
with
PACE e BENE
on
Non-Violent Communication


UCC NCNC
Annual Gathering at Asilomar
May 28-31, 2009
(Designated delegates from our church
are for this year: Pastor Gen, Mei and Ina)


ANNUAL MEETING
OF OUR CHURCH FAMILY
Sunday, June 7, 2009
after Worship
Please, save the date!
And please prayerfully consider if you would like to serve on one of our boards.
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Communicator Deadline

Deadline for the May 2009 edition of our Communicator is Friday, April 24, 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 Wednesday mornings 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Come join us!

Worship & Fellowship

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

Lenten Series Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. (until April 8)
Bible Study Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. (from April 22)
Choir Rehearsal, Wednesdays at 7:45 p.m.