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by Pastor Gen Heywood
As we gathered in the evening of Ash Wednesday, the darkness surrounded us. So often darkness is seen as a place of danger. We fear that something dangerous lurks in the darkness.
Yet, it is in the darkness of the womb we each took our form. It is in the darkness of trouble and anxiety that some of the worlds greatest art was formed. Even Genesis begins our Bible starting with darkness.
Lent gives us the opportunity to look at the darkness within our lives. These are the places where new beginnings are possible. We can be afraid to look into our own darkness because we are afraid of what about ourselves might jump out at us. We enter the darkness of Lent, the dark places in our soul can be illuminated with the loving light of God.
Long ago, I read an account of a man’s near death experience. In his account, he stood before God. He wrote that the purity of the love of God was nearly
crushing. It was so full and intense and his awareness of his broken relationship with God made him judge himself harshly. It was not God who judged him. It was in the intensity of God’s love that he saw the truth about himself.
Lent gives us the opportunity to look at our lives with the love of God holding us. God knows us as we are and as we will be. Lent is or opportunity to make room. It is an opportunity to take something out of our lives so that we can add in a return to God.
Making room for God in our lives is what the practice of Lent is all about. Sacrifice means that something must be given up in order for something better to take its place.
I invite you as you enter this Lenten season to step into the darkness where danger may lurk and creation is happening. I invite you into the silence of prayer and the silence of giving without strings attached. I invite you to be changed by these next 40 days.
This season of Lent offers us the opportunity to take a risk of faith, maybe even a leap of faith. Well, how about steps of faith. No, it really is a practice of faith.
May this Lent shine light into your hearts and minds and souls and bring you to new life!
With 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 next
PACE E BENE WORKSHOP
exploring nonviolent living
will be on
To Be Decided
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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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, please speak with Pastor Gen!
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Update on Community Pre-School - Negotiations with the Union
By Our Church Council
The 2nd negotiation meeting took place on February 24. The union team is composed of Tanya Arnaiz (Organizer Early Childhood, Union Negotiator), Linda Medwin (Preschool Assistant Director), Karen Golosman (Preschool Teacher), and Lucille Story (Preschool Office Manager/ Bookkeeper).
The employer team is composed of Darryl Alford (Preschool Board Chairperson), Barbara Steinmetz (Preschool Director), Marilyn Martinyak (Worship & Community Board Chairperson), and Markus Berber (Finance & Personnel Board Chairperson), Adam Fliss (Lawyer). The focus of the first two meetings has been on ground rules.
The total cost for legal advice related to the unionization is $40,090. This covers the period from Oct. 2008 through Jan 2009. A major part of the cost incurred so far was the preparation and execution of the hearings before the National Labor Relations Board in Oakland. As a Council we have prayerfully considered the costs of operating our Community Pre-School. Just like the expenses for preschool salaries and benefits, curriculum, janitorial services, children’s meals, and preschool licensing fees, the legal fees associated with the unionization and the union negotiation are costs incurred in operating our Community Pre-School.
If you have any question, please contact any council member.
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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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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.
 UPCOMING DRUMMING CLASSES
When:
Sunday, March 8: 12-1 PM for beginners
1-2 PM beginner & intermediate.
Sunday, March 22: 5-7 PM beginner & intermediate.
Sunday, April 12: EASTER
Drumming in worship,
no drumming afterward
Sunday, April 19: 5-7 PM beginner & intermediate.
Where:
In the Sanctuary of our Church
Description:
Ariem will be teaching a beginner's drumming class that will introduce drum basics including basic styles of hand drums, cultures and playing techniques.
This class will feature tempo, rhythm and "call and answer" aspects of hand drumming.
Also featured will be hand exercises and how NOT to hurt yourself.
Most important is having fun and enjoying yourself. Be prepared to laugh and have a good time - all while learning how to enrich your life through drumming.
Drums
If you have a drum, bring it. If you don't have a drum, bring yourself.
We will be preparing a drumming Alleluia for Easter!
And we are continuing to play at least one piece each Sunday in Worship. These classes are open to all ages!
Cost
A heartfelt donation for Ariem is appreciated.
Each First Sunday of the Month:
Please Bring Items
for our FISH Program!
Reviving a Good Old Tradition - especially needed
in these tough economic times!
For every Communion Sunday (first Sunday of the month), and whenever else you can, 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.
Special Food Needs
at this time:
Canned Fruits
Peanut Butter 17 oz.
Tuna
Macaroni and cheese
Spaghetti 1 lb. packages
Jell-O
Rice
Bars of soap
Milkman powdered milk (1 qt packages)
Canned Vegetables
Jam 10 oz.
Cereal
Tomato paste or sauce
Top Ramen - any flavor
Pinto beans
Toilet paper
Techniques for
Christian Centering
An adult education study
for the
Congregational Community Church
of Sunnyvale
Wednesdays
March 4 – April 8, 2009
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
This six-evening series will focus on the importance of centering in the spiritual development of Christian people. Each of these classes will begin with background information and will proceed with a guided discussion of the topic.
The course will also provide the opportunity for participants to try various techniques for centering.
The course topics do not build one each other, and this means that you can drop in or out of this series at any time you need without loss
of continuity.
There are no preparatory readings; however, reference resources will be suggested for those wishing to dig deeper into any of the topics.
The instructor/course leader is Dr. Terry Shoup, a Professor at Santa Clara University and a graduate of SCU’s Pastoral Ministries Program. His theological specialization is spirituality and he has taught this class at other churches in the
community.
The topics to be covered are as follows:
March 4, 2009
Spirituality and Personality Type
– Understanding the relationship between our spirituality and our personality.
March 11, 2009
Prayer and Spirituality
– Understanding the fundamental elements of prayer and the scriptural foundations of our Christian spirituality.
March 18, 2009
Centering prayer
– Exploring the role of centering prayer in modern Christianity.
March 25, 2009
Lectio Divina
– Adapting the ancient practice of “praying the scriptures” to the needs and situations of modern Christianity.
April 1, 2009
Theological Reflection
– Understanding the possibilities and techniques helpful in the search for meaning.
April 8, 2009
Opening Boundaries
– Utilizing centering practices of diverse traditions to augment our own centering.
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 2:
UCC HISTORY
This Seminar will be part of Church Day -- See the February-March Pacific for more info
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, March 21
Orinda Community UCC,
10 Irwin Way
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
Church Day Events!
Don't miss our first two All-Conference Church Days! Save the dates now so you can enjoy special events filled with your fellow NCNCers, discovering a variety of resources, workshops, ideas and connections.
March 21, 2009 - 9am-4pm
Community UCC, Orinda
Topics to be covered during Church Day 1 include:
• How to be a church moderator
• Summer Children's Programs
• Youth Ministry
• Young Adult Ministry
• Stewardship in Tough Economic Times
• Professional Boundary Training (for authorized ministers who wish to complete their 6 hour requirement)
• UCC History, led by the Rev. Frank Baldwin (all day session, part 2 of the 4 part UCC Identity Seminars)
October 3, 2009 - 10am - 4pm
College Avenue Congregational UCC,
Modesto
Topics to be covered during Church Day 2 include:
• UCC Theologies / UCC Theologizing
• ... and much more ...
COMMUNITY
PRE-SCHOOL NEWS
HELLO FROM
COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL!
We had Open House for our Fall 2009 program. I advertised this on our web site and made many phone calls from our wait list. We had about 60 families come to tour the school. They were impressed with our low child to teacher ratios, the flexibility of our programs, our spacious classrooms, our park-like setting and friendly teachers. I am confident that many of them will be back on March 2nd to register their children in our school. I am confident that even with our slow economy , we will have a good turnout for our Fall registration.
We started Fall registration on February 17 for our current families. The Full Time classes are beginning to fill up and we are having new registrations daily. We are pleased with the positive response to our Fall registration, even with tough economic times.
In February we had Parent Night. I had invited a parent from Room 7, who is a kindergarten teacher, to come talk about Kindergarten Readiness. The parents really appreciated the specific information from an educator. We also had a dentist, from the community, come tell the children how to promote good oral hygiene.
March 2nd will be our first day for Open Registration. We have advertised information about Fall registration in The
Bay Area Parent Magazine, the internet, and we have registration information on our web site, community-preschool.com. I feel confident that the school will have a good turn out on registration day.
If you have any questions, or concerns about our program, or want to take a tour of our school, please feel free to come by and see our quality program in action.
We are going to have a school fundraiser at El Caminito Restaurant on March 4th. Please come and support Community Pre-School.
Barbara Steinmetz
(Director, Community PreSchool)
FROM ANN'S DESK
Thank you, Thank you,
Thank you one and all
I wish to thank the fellowship of our church for the lovely, kind, and "heartfelt " Get well cards received from so many of you.
The flowers brightened my soul, Maxine's banana bread, hot out of the oven, vanished before my eyes... family got hold of this delicious treat.
Your many warm thoughts, wishes, and mighty prayers, have been a healing force of strength for me to draw upon.
I sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all.
Ann & Family
News from our Women’s Fellowship - News from our Women’s Fellowship - News from our Women’s Fellowship - News from
A Letter from Alethia Picciola at
Rain or Shine
New Orleans 7th Ward
Community Garden
February 11, 2009
Dear Ladies of the Congregational Community Church Women’s Fellowship:
I am pleased to report that progress is buzzing in our community garden. We have installed several new beds, a new compost bin, and painted murals around the garden thanks to your funds and the help of some friendly volunteers. We have also set up the water system and are only waiting on the city inspection before the water is turned on.
And we are continuing to grow...
We are starting a new program in March called the Seventh Ward Urban Marching Band. Two New Orleans musicians, Chris Nobles and Simon Lott, have joined our team and are putting together a marching band for the children in the neighborhood. they will be using hand-made instruments from objects in the neighborhood (pipes, sticks, wood, etc.) and teaching the children how to play them. We are very excited about this. We have two goals for the project:
1. Teach the children how New Orleans rhythms are derived from African rhythms
2. Reinforce the lesson that recycling can be fun and creative.
At the moment, though, everyone is focused on mardi Gras!
Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler!!
I hope this letter finds you all well.
Blessings, Alethia Picciola
 Recipe Corner
This Month:
From Lois Dillon’s Kitchen
Coffee Filters... who knew!
- Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.
- Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling.
- Protect china. Separate your good dishes by putting a coffee filter between each dish.
- Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
- Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
- Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint free coffee filter.
- Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
- Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
- Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
- Stop the soil from leaking out of plant pots with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
- Prevent popsicles from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
- Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.
- Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc. on them. Soak out all the grease.
- Keep them in the bathroom. They make great razor nick fixers.
- Oh yeah - they are great to use in your coffee maker!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Women’s Fellowship is pleased to report that they have sent out a check in the amount of $313 to Sunnyvale Community Services, mainly from the proceeds of the Red Bow Sale in Advent.
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News from our Women’s Fellowship - News from our Women’s Fellowship - News from our Women’s Fellowship - News from our
 
February 2009
by our Treasurer Bonnie Harvey
Benn Hale, I’m glad you asked that question. You wanted to know the financial benefit of the solar panels. I have prepared a table comparing our PG&E costs with solar panels the last 10 months versus our PG&E costs in those same months in the prior year. We do have a cheaper rate on gas this year, but much of the difference is due to the solar panels.
before solar |
$ |
after
solar |
$ |
difference |
| May-07 |
1,407.32 |
May-08
|
676.73 |
730.59 |
Jun-07
|
1,244.36 |
Jun-08
|
370.21 |
874.15 |
Jul-07
|
1,146.15 |
Jul-08
|
174.27 |
971.88 |
Aug-07
|
1,161.75 |
Aug-08
|
174.15 |
987.60 |
Sep-07
|
1,139.85 |
Sep-08
|
179.21 |
960.64 |
Oct-07
|
1,196.45 |
Oct-08
|
164.08 |
1032.37 |
Nov-07
|
1,249.80 |
Nov-08
|
273.25 |
976.55 |
Dec 07
|
1,822.70 |
Dec-08
|
867.78 |
954.92 |
Jan-08
|
3,072.50 |
Jan-09
|
1864.62 |
1207.88 |
Feb-08
|
2,327.56 |
Feb-09
|
1530.54 |
797.02 |
| |
|
|
total
difference |
9493.60 |
You may note, the cost each January is higher due to the (mainly gas) cost to keep the sanctuary warm for the men of the rotating shelter to sleep there.
If we saved $ 9,493.60 every year for 20 years (the guaranteed life of the solar panels) we would have accumulated $ 189,872. We spent $94,238.12 to buy and install the current panels last spring. I don’t know if inflation will raise the cost of replacement, or if technology will lower the cost of replacement or if PG&E rates will increase to give us greater savings in months to come, but I think it’s safe to predict that we will have saved a considerable
amount. The decision for solar panels was promoted for the beneficial results to the environment. Looking at the numbers we can congratulate ourselves on a good management decision or consider ourselves lucky.
The January Financial Report showed a month net income of $3,764.18 and a year-to-date net income of $28,319.45. Our largest source of income is various types of facilities usage, and our second significant source is contributions. I am always so appreciative of those contributions.
Our largest expense is payroll. The next two largest expenses to the church budget in January were to pay the consultant that helped set up our new financial software and to pay for replacement of the circuit breaker board on the furnace for the offices and meeting room.
 Looking Ahead
- Please Mark Your Calendars!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
2nd Workshop with
PACE e BENE on
Non-Violent Communication
UCC NCNC
Annual Gathering at Asilomar
May 28-31, 2009
You are welcome here!
Please speak with Pastor Gen
if you are interested in attending!
Communicator Deadline
Deadline for the April 2009 edition of our Communicator is Tuesday, March 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.
Choir Rehearsal, Wednesdays at 7:45 p.m.
Thursday, March 5, 6:30 PM
Pre-School Board Meeting
and
Worship & Community Board Meeting
Saturday, March 7
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Workshop on Non-Violent Communication with
Pace e Bene
Sunday, March 8
Noon - 2:00 PM
Drumming Workshop
Monday, March 16, 4:00 PM
Finance & Personnel Board Meeting
Wednesday, March 18, 11:00 AM
Women’s Fellowship Luncheon
Thursday, March 19, 6:30 PM
Worship and Community Board Meeting
Sunday, February 22
5:00 - 7:00 PM:
Drumming Workshop
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