Beloved Community,

Yesterday I had the gift of visiting the Bethany Fellows spring retreat at the Vallombrosa Center in Menlo Park. Bethany Fellows is a mentoring and spiritual leadership program for clergy in their first four years of congregational service, helping young pastors transition from seminary to sustained ministry with well-being and strength of spirit. I'm an alum of the program and now serve on the Board, and their spring retreat just happened to land close to home this year.

For over 25 years, Bethany has been a lifeline for young clergy, and I mean that literally. I know pastors who credit this ministry as the reason they are still in congregational ministry, marriages, and even alive today. Their rhythm is rooted in the four marks of the early church, right out of Sunday’s scripture in Acts 2: fellowship, breaking of bread, teaching, and prayer. When you tend to the pastor, you tend to the whole congregation. Hundreds of churches have thrived because somewhere in those first hard years, a young pastor didn't have to go it alone.

Tuesdays are historical “wise practices" and before one of the afternoon sessions, someone invited us into a practice I hadn't thought about in years: statio.

Joan Chittister, in The Monastic Heart, describes statio as a sacred stop, a Benedictine practice of taking a holy pause between tasks so that we can release where we've been and arrive mindfully where we're going. It's a time to invite our full attention into one place, so that we might be fully present to the God who is already present with us. I'd add that it also invites us to be present to the people we're with, honoring the divine in them.

Ironically, I've already been doing something very similar to this, not because I remembered statio, but because I came across a podcast encouraging leaders to invite people into one minute and forty-eight seconds of silence before a meeting begins. That oddly specific number stuck with me. So I started inviting people to do it before meetings as a centering practice.

Think about it. We bounce from thing to thing all day, carrying all of it with us, the unfinished conversation, the worry, the to-do list that never quite goes away. What if we gave ourselves just a minute and forty-eight seconds to set it down? To arrive and actually be present to the people we are with or the thing we are working on.

Statio. A holy pause. A sacred gift to ourselves and to those we're with. And maybe, in a world that never stops moving, it's also an act of resurrection, singing through all the noise, beginning, as it often does, in the quiet.

In hope,

Rev. JV

UPCOMING EVENTS

Village Pub is Open Again 🍻

Thursday, May 7th from 7 - 8:30pm in the Fireplace Room

Join us for another evening at The Village Pub in the Fireplace Room on Thursday, May 7th from 7pm - 8:30pm.

This is a perfect, low-key opportunity to connect with new people and discover something new about familiar faces. Come ready to chat, laugh, and simply enjoy hanging out with your community.

Bring a friend—all are welcome!

Pat Pepper Memorial & Obituary

Saturday, May 9th at 1pm at CCSM

Patricia Ann Todd Pepper, 1931–2026

Patricia Ann Todd Pepper, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and long-time resident of San Mateo, California, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2026, at the age of 94, surrounded by her family. Born on August 18, 1931, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to James Buford Todd Sr. and Sarah Wiley Dalton Todd, she lived a life of quiet grace, sharp wit, and devoted service to those she loved. She grew up with horses to ride, dogs to hunt quail, and even convinced her parents to buy her a pony. She was the youngest of three children and stayed close to home once her sister, Sarah Dalton, went off to college and her brother, James Buford Jr., enlisted in the Air Force in WWII. Click here to continue reading more about Pat's fascinating life in her obituary.

All Ages Welcome: CYF Summer Kickoff BBQ & Potluck 🍔

Sunday, May 24th at 5pm at CCSM

Gather the whole family and join us as we officially kick off the summer season! This is a true intergenerational celebration for the entire CCSM family.

Whether you are a family with young kids or a lifelong supporter and friend of CYF, you are wholeheartedly invited to share a meal and connect with friends old and new.

We’ll provide the main BBQ fare—please bring a side dish or dessert to share with the group! Let’s celebrate our community and start the summer season as one.

GRATITUDE CORNER

On November 30, our plate offering supported the Positive Resource Center (PRC) in honor of World AIDS Day. Last month, Eric Chaney from our MSJ group visited their open house to see their vital work firsthand. We were so moved by this thank-you note from someone directly supported by PRC that we wanted to share it with our entire church family.

Learn more about their impact: prcsf.org

LEARN, CONNECT & TAKE ACTION

Additional Resources: Is it Aging or Dementia? 📚

A Heartfelt Thanks to Melanie Bunn! We are so grateful to Melanie for leading last Sunday’s second-hour session. Her insights into the differences between typical aging, atypical aging, and dementia were incredibly helpful for many of us navigating these seasons.

If you missed the session or want to dive deeper, Melanie has graciously shared several resources:

Presentation Slides
Education Program
Follow-up: Melanie invites anyone with further questions to reach out to her directly at melanie.bunn@yahoo.com

Introducing the Family Connection Cafe ☕️

Introducing the Family Connection Cafe! Our Innovation Lab is thrilled to announce a vision for a new ministry: the Family Connection Cafe. We believe the Spirit is calling us to create a regular, supportive gathering where parents and caregivers can share a meal, de-stress, and navigate the challenges of raising kids together.

Here is what you need to know:

The Plan: Over the next few months, we will test four prototypes to figure out the specifics (like structure, hospitality, and children's activities), with the goal of an official launch in fall.
The Village: We want this to be a truly low-stress space for parents. Soon, we will be asking the wider CCSM community to volunteer with food and logistics so parents can simply show up and connect.
Next Steps: We invite you to hold this ministry in prayer as we continue to test and learn what works best. Additionally, if you are interested in helping with hospitality at one of our prototypes, please reply directly to this email.

Blessing Box Donations: Beyond Just Food! 🧴

Thank you for your generosity in keeping our outdoor Blessing Box stocked. While nonperishable food is always appreciated, our neighbors also have a great need for essential household and personal care items.

The Ministry of Service and Justice has set up a donation bin in the narthex. The next time you come to church, please consider dropping off some of these higher-cost, everyday staples:

Household & Cleaning: Dish soap, cleaning supplies
Baby & Personal Care: Diapers, baby formula, baby food, feminine hygiene products
Pantry Basics: Dry milk, sugar, flour

A good rule of thumb: if you use an essential item daily around your house, a neighbor likely needs it too. Thank you for your continued support and creativity!

— Ministry of Service and Justice

Questions about the Horizons Recovery Center?

Learn More at Weekly Office Hours

Horizons will be offering weekly Virtual Office Hours to give community members a transparent forum to learn about the proposed Horizon Recovery Center and engage directly with project representatives.

Sessions begin Wednesday, May 6, from 12-1pm and continue every Wednesday thereafter. All sessions will be recorded and posted to YouTube and Horizon's website for those unable to attend live.

Participants are welcome to join any session and stay engaged as the conversation evolves.

Help Us Stay Connected!

Join Our Digital Church Directory 📖

Let’s get connected!

We’re building a digital directory in the Church Center App so our church family can support one another.

Why join? It’s secure, private, and 100% customizable. You decide what stays private and what gets shared—only verified members have access. Sign up today!

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