November 2009
Congregational Community Church of Sunnyvale * 408-739-3285 * conglchurch@earthlink.net 1112 Bernardo Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 *

by Pastor Gen Heywood On Thursday, October 29, we as a church were able to do a very good thing.  Oh, we have done many good things.  This is one of those acts of compassion  made possible because we have a Pastor's Discretionary Fund and because we belong to the United Church of Christ. Ben, that was not his real name, called from a friend's home in Oakland.  Ben said he was from Trinity UCC in Chicago.  He called us because we are UCC and he was just trying everywhere to get help. He said he came out here to make a better life and it didn't work out.  Ben, a grandfather raising two of his grandsons,  told me what he needed was three nights in a hotel after which Trinity would help get him home to Chicago. I reminded him several times that he was calling Sunnyvale and that there were a lot of UCC churches closer to him.  He said he had been trying. Well, I tend to be cautious having heard many stories from people who want money. Usually they hang up on me when I tell them we never give cash and that  I only write checks directly to agencies and companies. Ben didn't hang up.  I knew that if he was really in need, he would want to go home. I asked if if he wanted to go to Chicago that night. I figured  for  a little more than the cost of putting him in a hotel, we could buy his tickets to Chicago. I told him that Greyhound Bus Company had accepted my check in the past.  He said that would be a miracle and he started to cry saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” I told him not to thank me yet.  I had to go to San Jose to buy the tickets.  I told him to call me back in two hours to be certain that I was able to get the tickets. I called the Sunnyvale desk officer before buying the tickets, just to be certain that there was no missing persons posting for a family of this description.  The desk officer had not seen anything. So, after a trip to San Jose, we got this little family of three tickets on the next bus to Chicago.  Ben and the kids would spend the next three days on a bus rather than a hotel.  And they were going home. When I got back to the office, I began to wonder if Ben would call back.  He did.  He assured me that they would be on the bus. He expressed over and over his gratitude for being part of the UCC, being part of Trinity, and for the kindness of our church helping a stranger we would likely never meet.  He would be certain to send us a card.  I told him that a card wasn't necessary. I would like an email from his pastor when they made it home. He said he would make this happen. That was the second family we have sent home during this economic down turn. Also, we have paid PG&E, phone bills, rent, and a deposit on an apartment. The Discretionary Fund fluctuates. There are times when we do not have much in the fund.  But on that day, we had what we needed for this family. I do not know Ben.  I do not know if his story is real.  I do know that we have bought three one-way tickets for an adult and two children to go from our Bay Area to Chicago.  I do hope by this Thanksgiving to know that Ben has made it and that they are starting over among family and friends. As I tucked my sweet little ones into their warm beds that night, I was so very grateful for our home and food and our church. Thank you all for our Discretionary Fund. Thank you for your contributions. During this month of November, our prayer practice is to keep a gratitude journal. These will be available starting Sunday, November 8.  And no one need wait for a journal to write or say "Thank you" to one another or to our church family or to our God.  Thank you. With greatest gratitude, Pastor Gen

Please kindly

bring back

your prayer flags

by November 22,

so they can surround

the church



for our celebration

of Thanksgiving!

Pictures
from our
Fall Festival
“Old Time America”

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.
_______________________________
Needed:
Sunday School Teachers and Assistants
If you think you could possibly help,
please speak with Pastor Gen!

Also Needed:
Additional Member for
our Preschool Board
As we are moving forward towards the sale of our Preschool we could use more thinking caps and helping hands! If you have any questions, please speak to Christel, Markus, or Ina
_______________________________

Join Us!
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.
Sunnyvale FISH, our Food and Clothes Closet, at this time especially asks for donations of

- peanut butter
- cheerios and
- toilet paper
- or money.

THANK YOU!

And
Coming Up
November 7, 2009

32nd Annual Junque Sale
for Sunnyvale FISH.

Please, see the fliers in the back of the church and the announcement on the bulletin board in Shephard Hall to learn what, when and where to donate

Important Dates
November 11: Veteran’s Day, School Closed
November 26 and 27: Thanksgiving Holiday, School closed

In October we managed to get through the first rain storm without loosing any power.  Our gutters had been cleaned out before the rains came, but we still had some flooding on the sidewalks leading to the classrooms.  The children stayed inside the classrooms most of the rainy days with exception of umbrella walks taken by our child care classes in the late afternoon.
The children in Chapel have been enjoying learning about the various stories of the Bible.  The pictures that Pastor Gen presents at the beginning of chapel give the children a good visual image of what will be talked about in chapel.  It is fun to see the children enjoy the many songs and prayers that are presented during chapel.   
The Community Pre-School children had their pictures taken by LifeTouch Portrait Studios.  The studio also provided complementary staff classroom  and individual pictures and  school id badges.  
We are all very concerned about the seasonal and H1N1 flu.  I have been given daily updates from the County Health Department .  I have sent home to the parents information about H1N1 is and what symptoms to look for.  I have given out materials about the H1N1 flu to the teachers and encouraged them  to get the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccine when it becomes available.
There were 10 staff members that went to the Early Childhood Development conference at Foothill college on Saturday, October 24th.  Some of the topics offered at the workshop were Children, Nature and You, Peace Education and Play, and Reflective mentoring.
I am setting up a workshop on Children’s Personal Safety, members of the church who work with children are encouraged to attend this workshop.  When I get specific dates I will let the church know.
The school is participating in the Sunnyvale Community Services Food Collection.  The dates will be from Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday November 20.   Teachers will talk about giving food to those who are less fortunate and the children will have an opportunity to put some canned foods into the food service barrel   
We are continuing to enroll children into our various programs.  We have been giving tours and have put more children on the wait list.  With the prospect of the school business being sold, we have lost quite a few families to other programs.  We did have one family leave and join another school, but they came back because the teachers were not as friendly, and the other school did not offer the variety of programs as Community Pre-School.
We continue to be optimistic that a qualified buyer will be found to continue the high quality program that Community Preschool has provided for over forty years.  Our school is valued for its qualified, and professional staff.  I am very blessed, and am thankful  for the  dedicated and  loyal  staff members that are a part of Community Pre-School.

Happy Thanksgiving to all

Barbara Steinmetz
(Director, Community Pre-School)

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 #443
September 28, 2009
An Air of Hostility
M. Linda Jaramillo, Executive Minister

In recent months, television news shows have provided a grandstand view of our national elected leaders engulfed in heated and disrespectful arguments. While they are supposedly focused on health care reform, the issue goes far beyond health care. The debates have taken on a very unhealthy air of hostility. It has become personalized. It has moved from debating about the issue to personal attacks that question the character and integrity of the other person.
Insulting our leaders in public forums seems to have become an acceptable form of behavior. For example, Congressional leaders themselves regardless of party line have admitted that they have never experienced this blatant disrespect for a President of the United States. Some are shocked by the behaviors while others don’t seem to think there’s anything to be concerned about. We could, and often do, blame our leaders in Washington. We say that they should be modeling courteous communication, but that just gets us off the hook for our own lack of civility in our human interactions.
These same hostile behaviors are present in our every day lives – not only in Washington. Local town hall gatherings across the country, meant to open dialogue about health care, seem to have taken on a similar air of hostility. The issue seems much broader than health care. Gauging from some of the interactions I’ve observed in the last few months, this culture of disrespect is being demonstrated in the marketplace,
on our streets and highways, in our neighborhoods, in our work places, in our own households, and in our churches.
We seem unable to give the other the benefit of the doubt. Instead we leap to assumptions that the other person is out to get us. The display we’ve seen on television among our elected leaders is similarly displayed right here at home, where ever that is.
The health care reform debate is about more than about health care. Unfortunately, it has brought out hate filled accusations and attacks on each others’ values and integrity in ways that I have not seen before. Some of the letters we have received in the offices of the United Church of Christ go far beyond the particular issue; they stream off into hostile name calling and damnation. In Justice and Witness Ministries we will respect the differences of opinion on this matter, but will not accept nor respond to the mean spirited, hateful attacks on our character.
We will continue to call people of faith to engage in the work of transforming our nation’s health care system into a just and compassionate system of healing. We as a community of faith will proclaim that health care for all is the mark of a just and compassionate society. We have the power to change the conversation and envision a society where each person is afforded health, wholeness, and human dignity. We will continue to appeal to our constituents to make our democracy work through respectful debate and full participation.
Just like millions of others, I too was terribly disturbed at the outburst on the Congressional floor. However, we cannot demand that our elected leaders behave in civilized and respectful negotiation if we are not willing to look first at ourselves in all our interactions. Have hostility, anger, and
suspicion become the standard for human relationships in this country? I truly hope not, but until we accept responsibility for our own behavior, we can expect a degraded culture of communications to continue. We should be the creators, not the products, of our cultural norms. Time will tell as we watch this issue play out in our country.

Church Signs

in the U.K.

Submitted by Mei Wang

Adam blamed Eve.
Eve blamed the snake.
And the snake didn’t have a leg to stand on.

There are some questions that can’t be answered by GOOGLE.

Down in the mouth?
Come in for a faith lift.

God, You’re Great!

All services are different, we leave the repeats to TV.

As you pass this little church, be sure to plan a visit, so when at last you’re carried in, God won’t ask “Who is it?”.

Can’t sleep? Don’t count sheep, talk to the Shepherd!

Speak well of your enemies.
After all, you made them.

Let us help you study for your final exams.

Almost 2000 years old and still under the maker’s guarantee.

God is perfect... Only man makes misteaks.

We are the SOUL Agents in this Area!

The Meek... shall inherit the earth
if it’s all right with you!

Happy Easter to our Christian Friends.
Happy Passover to our Jewish Friends.
To our atheist Friends... Good Luck!

Looking Ahead

- Please Mark Your Calendars!

November 8:

“From Jesus’ fullness
we have all received,
grace upon grace.”
John 1:16

Stewardship Sunday

and ...

Pie Social!

November 15:
“Bake Sale and More”
presented by our Women’s Fellowship

November 22:
Thanksgiving Lunch
Please, sign-up on the bulletin board in Shephard Hall,
and pick up an invitation card
for a neighbor or friend!


Communicator Deadline

Deadline for the December 2009/January 2010 edition of our Communicator is Tuesday, November 17, 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 AM for Sunday Worship Service and Sunday School
Children’s Sunday School begins after “Children’s Time” with the Pastor
11:30 AM – Fellowship (approximate time)
Chapel for Preschoolers Wednesday mornings 10:00 - 10:30 AM. Come join us!

Worship & Fellowship

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


Adult Bible Study, Wednesdays at 6:30 PM
Choir Rehearsal, Wednesdays at 7:45 PM and Sundays at 9:30 AM
Children’s Choir and Drum Choir, Sundays at 10:10 AM

Sunday, November 8
Stewardship Sunday
Pie Social

Thursday, November 12, 4 PM
Finance & Personnel Board Meeting

Sunday, November 15
Women’s Fellowship:
“Bake Sale and More”

Monday, November 16, 5:00 PM
Pre-School Board Meeting

Monday, November 16, 6:30 PM
Church Council Meeting




Wednesday, November 18, 11 AM
Women’s Fellowship Meeting

Sunday, November 22
Thanksgiving Lunch

Sunday, November 29
First Sunday of Advent


Worship & Community Board Meeting
for November: tbd