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CCSM CONNECTIONS: December 18, 2024
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Beloved Community,
As we approach this final Sunday of Advent, our hearts are drawn to a profound truth: "Hope is worth the risk." Today, on International Migrants Day, we're especially mindful of families seeking refuge across the globe, their journeys echoing Mary and Joseph's search for shelter so long ago. In a world where headlines bring daily reminders of violence and displacement, we're invited to choose hope – not as a naive optimism, but as a courageous act of faith.
This Sunday holds special significance as we gather to bless and celebrate Rev. Sheryl's ministry among us. We'll share our gratitude during worship and at coffee hour, where you can bring cards and well-wishes as she embarks on her next chapter.
Tonight, our Las Posadas celebration takes on deeper meaning as we remember not only the holy family's journey, but also the 281 million people worldwide seeking safety and welcome today. This beautiful tradition reminds us that every act of welcome, every door opened, every heart expanded makes room for love to break into our world anew.
As we move toward Christmas Eve, I invite you to consider who in your life might need to hear that "Love knows your name." In a time when our world aches for healing and connection, your invitation to join us – whether at our festive 11am service, our bilingual family service at 5pm, or our contemplative candlelight service at 11pm – could be the very gift someone needs.
Remember: hope is always a risk. But like Mary who said yes to God's unexpected call, like Joseph who chose to stay with Mary, like the innkeeper who finally made room, we're called to take that sacred risk together. For when we do, we discover that love is always waiting to be born again.
With gratitude and love,
Jessica
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LOVE OFFERING FOR REV. SHERYL | | |
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As we prepare to bid farewell to Rev. Sheryl at year's end, we invite you to contribute to a love offering expressing our gratitude for her ministry. Give via text (CCSM Sheryl to 73256) or through our website by clicking the button below (select "love offering"). You can also bring a card to this Sunday's Coffee Happy Hour, or drop one off at the church. Sheryl's last day is December 31.
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CLICK HERE for Rev. Jessica's sermon,
"DO THE GOOD THAT IS YOURS TO DO"
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Image: Alison Schwandt and Gail Held admire Maya's cookies. | |
Image: Cookie bakers Robin Person and Greg Graves. | |
Image: Peter Pierson enjoying Happy Coffee Hour | |
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Image: Joan Brown receives Poinsettias delivered
by Alison and Jim Schwandt
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Organized by the Latino Ministry, Las Posadas, "Making Room for Christ in Our Hearts," has become a joyous and fun-filled annual tradition at CCSM. We invite you to join us on TONIGHT at 7 pm on the church lawn to participate in this special experience filled with music, community spirit, delicious food, piñatas, and much joy. This is a fantastic opportunity to invite friends of all ages and help them connect with the true essence of the season! If you plan to attend, we kindly ask that you bring a side dish or dessert to share, making this gathering a truly communal celebration of our faith.
Children and families will meet in the Buckham Room at 7pm to choose a costume and do some crafts before participating in the procession around the church to remember Mary and Joseph looking for a room at the Inn.
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A NOTE FROM OUR MODERATOR | |
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Dearest CCSM Family,
As we close out 2024 and celebrate the beginning of the Church’s Year with Advent and
the coming of the Christ Child, it is a time to reflect on and celebrate the year that has
passed and look forward to the year ahead and the work that we will do together as
God’s hands, feet, and face here on earth.
As we look at where we are financially as a congregation, the budget we adopted last
year was supported by pledges totaling $540,000, and to date we have collected about
$472,000 against that pledged income – or approximately 87% of our commitment. This is
a great time to go on ccsm-ucc.org and look at myCCSM, where you can see if you are
on track to meet your pledge for 2024. It is also a great time to apply for matching funds
from an employer and make your pledge go even further.
Your Board of Directors thanks you for all your commitment of time, talent, and treasure
to this faith community. We wish you the Happiest of Holidays and a Joyous New Year.
With you in Christ’s Service,
Don Ruthroff, Moderator
CCSM Board of Directors
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Wednesday, December 18
4:00 - 6:00 PM — Samaritan House Meal Service To Go, Buckham Room
6:30 - 7:30 PM — Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary (Note time change for this week.)
7:00 - 8:45 PM — Las Posadas Bilingual Worship Service, Front Lawn, Buckham Room, Kloss Hall
Thursday, December 19
10:15 - 11:30 AM — Women's Coffee Group, Hillsdale Mall Food Court (Contact Linda Skromme)
4:00 - 6:00 PM — Samaritan House Meal Service, Kloss Hall
6:30 - 8:00 PM — Finance Committee Meeting, Buckham Room
6:45 - 8:45 PM — Bell Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary
Friday, December 20
12:00 - 2:30 PM — Music and Art Christmas Meeting, Buckham Room
4:00 - 6:00 PM — Samaritan House Meal Service, Kloss Hall
Saturday, December 21
8:30 - 10:30 AM — CC Riders Weekly Bike Ride (Contact Peter Held)
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM — Coffee with CC Riders, Village Hub in Woodside (3154 Woodside Road)
Sunday, December 22
9:45 - 10:15 AM — Joyful Noise, CE Bldg., Community Room
10:30 - 11:30 AM — Worship Service, in person and online
10:45 - 11:30 AM — Children's and Youth Programs, CE Building
11:30 AM — Coffee Hour, Celebration for Rev. Sheryl Johnson's last Sunday, Kloss Hall
12:00 - 1:00 PM — Second Hour: Our Home San Mateo, Buckham Room
5:00 - 6:30 PM — Advent at the Table Worship Service, Kloss Hall
Monday, December 23
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM — Women's Group, Fireplace Room
3:00 - 6:00 PM — Samaritan House Meal Service, Kloss Hall
7:15 - 8:30 PM — Spiritual Conversations, Zoom
Tuesday, December 24
No Men’s Coffee Group this week
No Samaritan House Meal Service tonight
11:00 AM — Traditional Christmas Eve Worship Service, Sanctuary
5:00 - 6:00 PM — Christmas Eve Family Worship Service (Bilingual), Sanctuary
10:35 PM — Musical Christmas Garland, Sanctuary
11:00 PM - 12:00 AM — Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, Sanctuary
Wednesday, December 25
Merry Christmas!
Church Office Closed and No Daytime or Evening Activities
View our full calendar on our website
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Join us this Fourth Sunday of Advent as we explore the sacred truth that "Hope Is Worth the Risk." Through Matthew's account of Joseph's dream (Matthew 1:18-25), song, and the blessing of Rev. Sheryl's ministry among us, we'll remember that hope often calls us to vulnerable and courageous choices – just as Joseph chose love over safety when he decided to stay with Mary. Our Chancel Choir will offer "I'm Expecting Him" as we light all four Advent candles – Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love – preparing our hearts to welcome the Christ child once again.
Whether you join us in person or online at 10:30am, come discover how hope, even in uncertain times, can transform our world through small acts of courage and love.
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Advent at the Table:
A New Way to Worship Together
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Experience Advent together! Join our bilingual family worship service on Sundays from 5:00-6:30pm in Kloss Hall (Dec 1-22). Gather around tables for meaningful conversation, prayer, communion, and song. Come at 5 pm for a light supper and service project before worship begins around 5:20. All ages are welcome to this interactive celebration of the season.
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PLATE OFFERING for
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22:
Emergency Assistance Fund
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Did you know that CCSM has an Emergency Assistance Fund? Through unexpected hardships, illness, or job loss, sometimes our members and neighbors face urgent challenges. That's where the Emergency Assistance Fund comes in. This fund allows us to meet the needs of our community, in the moment, by helping with groceries, gas cards, utility assistance, and more. | |
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MUSIC AND ART
Christmas Holiday Meeting
Friday, December 20 at Noon, Buckham Room
Following a short business meeting, get in a festive mood by gathering together to hear our own Kibbie Ruth share a Christmas story. We will sing Christmas carols to round out the afternoon together. Bring your own lunch. Coffee/tea and dessert will be provided. Please RSVP to Genel Morgan at
(650) 759-7318 or glmrn12@gmail.com so we know how many tables to set up and have a count for dessert. Merry Christmas everyone!
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SECOND HOUR: OUR HOME SAN MATEO
Sunday, December 22 at Noon
Buckham Room
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Join us for an informative Second Hour as the Latino Ministry presents the “Our Home San Mateo” advocacy campaign, dedicated to fostering housing justice in our community. This initiative is a collaborative effort led by One San Mateo, the Housing Leadership Council, and our Latino Ministry. Together, we aim to rally support for expanded renter protections, focusing on amplifying the voices of those most affected by the housing crisis. Listen to personal stories, understand the issue's urgency, and discover how you can get involved in advocating for change.
This is an opportunity for our congregation to come together and deepen our understanding. Your participation is crucial as we unite to create a stronger base for housing justice in San Mateo. We look forward to your presence and active involvement in this vital conversation!
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11:00 AM - Festive Morning Service
Join us for a morning worship in our familiar Sunday style, complete with cherished carols and Holy Communion.
5:00 PM - Bilingual Family Service
This joyful, interactive service features beloved carols in both English and Spanish and includes our pop-up pageant where everyone is welcome to participate.
11:00 PM - Traditional Candlelight Service
Arrive at 10:35 PM to experience our special "Christmas Garland" of music. This contemplative service offers a peaceful pause amid the season's bustle – a sacred time to welcome the Christ child through scripture, song, and prayer.
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Who will you invite to Christmas Eve? | |
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BLESSING TREE
STAY WARM, SHARE WARMTH
Visit our "Blessing Tree" in Kloss Hall this Advent season! Please hang new or gently used hats, scarves, gloves, umbrellas, etc., on its branches to help neighbors stay warm and dry. Like our Blessing Box, anyone can take what they need.
Thank you for all your donations so far! They've already gone to good use, so we welcome more donations this week, which can be placed directly on the Blessing Tree.
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Thank you for being part of "Imagining Together" as we envision God's liberating love working through our community in 2025. Your generous support fuels our shared dreams.
To date we have received:
131 pledges totaling $499,680
We need approximately $60,320 more to reach our 2025 goal. It's never too late to make your estimate of giving for 2025 – just click the button below or reach out to Cheryle Matteo.
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Questions about the budget? Reach out to any member of the Finance Committee.
The Finance Committee will host a Second Hour on January 5th to answer any questions regarding the 2025 proposed budget prior to our Annual Meeting the following Sunday, January 12.
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ENGLISH TOGETHER
Training: January 6 or 7
Sessions: January 13 – March 10
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After a successful launch of English Together this fall, we are excited to bring together the next group of Practice Partners & English Learners. As a reminder, CCSM partners with a nonprofit based in Palo Alto to bring a structured conversational approach to improve confidence, build connections, and enhance community. To learn more about the program, please sign up for an upcoming interest meeting on ZOOM here: https://englishtogether.org/interest/. When registering please note that you are part of CCSM. Those who haven’t been practice partners before are encouraged to join a Training Session January 6th or 7th @7pm via Zoom. Our sessions will run Monday evenings, January 13 – March 10, 7-8pm. There will be holiday breaks and hybrid options. IMPORTANT: If you are interested, please reach out to Katherine at vegastultz@yahoo.com for additional information.
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FAITH RETREAT FOR
HIGH SCHOOLERS
Saturday, January 11, 2025
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Join youth from other UCCs at Niles Discovery Church for a day of learning about the Bible, Jesus, faith and activism, UCC history, and much more. This learning will help to prepare you for Confirmation if you choose to be Confirmed, or it can just be a day of exploring these topics if you choose not to. Those who are already confirmed are most welcome to help lead the conversations! Let Rev. Sheryl know if you are interested. | |
This is a unique opportunity to work side by side with those of other faiths and cultures to benefit our local community. Projects include preparing soup mixes and a BBQ for shelter residents, working on school campus improvements and gardening, assembling care kits, knitting baby hats, decorating pillow cases, tying fleece blankets, making t-shirt grocery bags, sewing stuffed animals for police and firefighters to distribute, making paracord bracelets for military personnel, creating animal beds and toys, putting together science kits, cleaning up local parks, and singing for residents in senior centers. REGISTER by January 9 by clicking the button below. Projects fill up fast, so be sure to sign up soon! | |
INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING TRIP
Immigrant Welcome, Tuscon, Arizona
CCSM is planning an intergenerational service-learning trip June 15 - 20, 2025 to Tucson, Arizona, focusing on Immigration in coordination with UCC and an affiliated non-profit, Be the Neighbor.
On the Immigrant Welcome, Tucson trip, we “will immerse ourselves in a week of education, collaboration, and hands-on service to help understand what it means to welcome and support our immigrant neighbors.” On the trip, participants will “engage in desert walks to gain perspective on the challenges faced by those crossing the border, participate in humanitarian aid efforts, and contribute to building projects that support local communities."
Rev. Jessica Vacketta is quite familiar with the Be the Neighbor programs and envisions participation by youth (middle school, high school, and college students) and adults on this mission trip which matches well with CCSM’s guiding principles and understanding of Who Is Our Neighbor?
A planning team is working out the details of Itinerary, Group size, Transportation, Costs and Funding and will host a Second Hour on Immigrant Welcome, Tucson in the new year.
Stay tuned for more information on how to participate in this exciting opportunity on a very relevant issue! Email Rev. Jessica if you would like to be added to the interest list.
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Dead batteries do not go in the trash. You can recycle rechargeable and single-use batteries and old cell phones at any Staples store.
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Correction from last week: The photo caption reading "Maggie Smith" should have read "Margaret Smith." | |
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CCSM Council of Ministries
Email COM@CCSM-UCC.org to connect to any ministry!
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Kay Harris, Council of Ministries Lead
Jim Schwandt, Building and Grounds
Kim Rey, Troy Grabow, Children, Youth and Families
Melodie Lew, Congregational Care
Sandy McNabb, Connect and Celebrate
Gary H. White, Environmental Justice
Alison Schwandt, Engagement/Communications
Julien Phillips, Latino/a Ministry
Pam Ridlehuber, Liturgical Arts
Katie Bylander, Music
Genel Morgan, Sharon Tobin, Service and Justice
Dave Olsen, Spiritual Life/Adult Ed.
Ivan Raikov, Stewardship
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Email Kay Harris to get connected to a Ministry Lead anytime! | |
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Submit an Announcement
If you would like to submit an announcement, please send it to:
jprince@ccsm-ucc.org
The weekly deadline is 10 AM on Tuesdays.
All submissions are subject to editing.
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Regular Office Hours:
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday - Thursday
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