Beloved Community,

This Advent, I’ve been reminded again and again that hope isn’t just something we feel, it’s something we practice. I keep thinking about Rev. Mitri Raheb’s life motto I shared on Sunday: “Hope is what we do.” As I sit with our guiding question for this worship series, What do you fear?” I keep thinking of all who live with the very real fear of being detained or deported by ICE simply because of the color of their skin.

You may have seen images from churches across the country naming this reality through their outdoor crèches. One congregation in Massachusetts placed a sign in their manger scene reading, “ICE was here. The Holy Family is safe in the sanctuary of our church.” Another in Evanston, Illinois depicted the baby Jesus zip-tied and wrapped in the metallic blankets used in detention centers. One priest said their hope with the installation "was to create dialogue around contemporary life,” because the reality of the Christmas story begins with a family displaced and seeking refuge. That story is still unfolding in our own neighborhoods and within the families of people we know and love.

And yet, even in a world full of fear, hope keeps breaking in.

This week, our Blessing Box overflowed with donations from neighbors. Angel Tree gifts continue to arrive (don’t forget to bring yours by this Sunday). A business across the street delivered trays of food to help feed our Wednesday Night Community Dinner. We keep practicing hope, despite fear doing its best to stop us.

I also stumbled across another way we can actively practice hope this season. Many of you may be familiar with TODEC (Training Occupational Development Educating Communities). In 2018, their youth groups, many led by young people with personal immigration experience, created the #LETTERSOFLOVE campaign to support migrant children detained by the government. These letters and drawings are delivered to detention centers in San Ysidro, California, Arizona, and Brownsville, Texas. More than 10,000 have been received so far, from across the U.S. and as far away as Spain.

We can join them. Send a Letter of Love or a drawing to:

TODEC

PO Box 5

Perris, CA 92670

They ask that messages be written in Spanish if possible. Google Translate or DeepL (Álvaro’s favorite) can help! You’re welcome to mail a letter on your own or bring it to church this Sunday; we’ll send them next week.

This is what hope looks like- quiet, persistent, contagious.

And it is, without question, louder than fear.

In hope,

Jessica

CYF HIGHLIGHTS

Click to see Rev Álvaro's vocal range on Silent Night as CYF caroled to Lee Mullery.

Thank you, Nancy Jalonen and all the residents at the Trousdale, for welcoming our carolers!

Sugar, spice, and everything iced! ❄️ Gingerbread fun with the youth.

Making spirits bright at The Stratford with our CYF singers and Kristi Spence on the keys! 🎹

THIS WEEK

Masterworks Concert

Saturday, December 13 at 4pm and Sunday, December 14 at 4pm in the Sanctuary

Carole, Cookies & Christmas (12/13 at 4pm)

A festive family tradition with stories, sing-alongs, & surprises! Full to the brim with fun and whimsy, the Masterworks family holiday concert is a musical sugarplum that will delight the youngest music fans and their loved ones. Featuring songs, sing-alongs and a classic holiday story, this joyous tradition is a perfect welcome to the magic of the season! For tickets and more information, click here.

Love is Christmas (12/14 at 4pm)

Experience the festive beauty of the season and calm your soul with music by masters like Ola Gjeilo, John Rutter, and more. This cherished Masterworks tradition features carols and repertoire evoking moments of beauty, joy, and love. For tickets and more information, click here.

Board of Directors Meeting via Zoom

Tuesday, December 16, 6:30 - 8pm

All are welcome to attend the next Board of Director meeting on Zoom. Each month there will be a unique Zoom link for Board meetings. Email Don Ruthoff, our Board Moderator, for more information.

Join the Holiday Bell Choir

Weekly Sunday Practice

If you’d like to ring in the season—literally!—join our Holiday Bell Choir for the Jan 4th service (new date). Rehearsals with Dr. Ondine Young will take place in the Choir Room from 12:00–1:00pm each Sunday prior to Jan 4.

To learn more or let her know you’re coming, contact ondine@ccsm-ucc.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

⛪️ Budget Conversations 💵

Thursday, December 18 at 6:30pm and Sunday, December 21 after worship

We invite you to join us for an overview of this year’s draft budget. Our “Big Dream” budget expresses our hopes for equitable staffing and strong, sustainable ministry. At this point, we are projecting an $80,000 gap between that vision and making it a reality. During these meetings, we will walk through the numbers, share the story behind them, and offer a clear picture of where we are as a church.

If you haven’t received the separate email with this year’s budget, or if you have questions ahead of time, please reach out to our Treasurer, Martha Bronitsky, who will gather and share them with the Finance Committee and Board.

Zoom Budget Meeting

Thursday, December 18 at 6:30pm
Zoom Link HERE

In-Person Budget Meeting

Sunday, December 21 after worship in the Buckham Room

🎶 Music & Art Guild's Christmas Gathering 🎄

Friday, December 19 at 12pm

Everyone is invited to attend a special December gathering of the Music and Art Guild. Bring your own lunch and come at noon (dessert will be provided), followed by a special reflection from the Reverend Polly Moore. She will highlight stories that we often hear at Christmas time (such as "It's a Wonderful Life") and invite us to a conversation about them. We will also enjoy a carol sing, accompanied by Don Harper. Polly is a member of the College Heights Church UCC in San Mateo and currently serves as their volunteer associate pastor.

🙏 Blue Christmas 💙

Saturday, December 20 at 7pm

You are invited to a quiet service called Longest Night: Christmas in a Time of Loss. This gathering is especially for those who are finding it hard to navigate the holidays.

There are so many reasons the season can feel heavier—grief or illness, anxiety or estrangement, financial stress, or simply the exhaustion of trying to hold it all together. Sometimes, the brightness of the season only deepens the ache.

If that’s where you find yourself, you are not alone. Come for a gentle, low-key time of worship, a quiet space held within the peace of the Christmas story and the deep hope it still offers.

🌟 Las Posadas 🕯️

Saturday, December 21 from 5 - 8pm

A nine-day Mexican and Latin American Christmas tradition that commemorates the biblical journey of Mary and Joseph as they searched for lodging in Bethlehem. This event brings together people from all ages, both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking. It begins with the candlelit procession around the church grounds, knocking at every "inn" door. Afterward, we will share a dinner together.

🎄 Christmas Eve Services 🔔

View Our Full Calendar

TAKE ACTION

Annual Giving Commitment

Your annual pledge provides the essential resources that power CCSM's work—from our outreach programs to weekly worship. Your commitment isn't just a number; it is a powerful statement of confidence and hope for our future. Join us in sustaining and expanding the life and nourishment CCSM offers to all!

We have 88 households/individuals who have pledged so far, totaling $396,604 of our 2026 goal of $560,000.

Support Our Shared Dream

Make your Estimate of Giving pledge today and help invest in CCSM's ministry and mission.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Semi-Annual Styrofoam Recycling Day

Saturday, January 10th from 11am-1pm in the church parking lot

Save your holiday packing materials and join us for the Semi-Annual Styrofoam Recycling Program on Saturday, January 10th! You can bring Styrofoam of any size to the CCSM parking lot between 11am and 1pm, where Environmental Justice representatives will be ready to collect it for you. The styrofoam will be transported to the Newby Island Recycling facility in Milpitas and reused to make picture frames, insulation and other usable products.

Annual Meeting

Sunday, January 11th

🪴 Volunteer Opportunity with PUENTE

Saturday, January 17th, 9am - 12pm

Join Puente de la Costa Sur (PUENTE) for a morning workday on January 17th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at their Casa de Flores property in Pescadero. Volunteers will help clear debris, organize greenhouses, and move materials to prepare the site for new projects. To register, please email Bridgitte.

Slow-Read Book Club - Begin reading now!

Monday, January 26th, 11am - 12:30pm in the Fireplace Room

You are invited to a new Slow-Read Book Club focused on books by Christian women authors. Designed for reflection, we meet monthly but spend three months on each book. Each meeting will focus on a third of the book, which will allow ample time for reading and reflection. Our first selection is Barbara Brown Taylor's Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith.

Meetings begin January 2026 (every third Monday or fourth if the third is a public holiday, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM) in the Fireplace Room. Contact Siew Kang or join via Church Center (Affinity Groups).

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