CCSM Connections - January 8, 2025

CCSM CONNECTIONS: January 8, 2025

Dearest CCSM Community,

With Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany now behind us, the first season of the church year is over, and our busy lives have resumed with the light of the Christ Child to guide us.

Last year your Board of Directors, Committees, and Ministries accomplished many things together. The Board has been working towards stabilizing our staffing model and making sure that all our employees, regardless of the amount of time they work each week, earn a fair living wage and basic benefits like holidays, vacation, and sick days. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Personnel and Finance Committees who have worked tirelessly towards this goal. We have also, as promised, been working to bring our Minister of Community Life into our Operating Budget, so that position doesn’t depend on special gifts to be funded. Thank you to our Latino Ministry for their work in this regard, among many other things they have accomplished.

This has also been Reverend Jessica’s first full year in her role as Senior Minister and it has been a joy to work alongside her and not only build on the legacy that is CCSM, but also look for new places where our ministry can be effective. One example of that is our partnership with Samaritan House where we provide space so that those who need to can receive a hot meal every night of the week in Kloss Hall. This ministry has given CCSM the opportunity to reach outward to the community around us and help to provide an important service, and it has brought new visibility to CCSM. Thank you to Jim Granucci for coordinating these efforts, along with our many weekly CCSM Samaritan House volunteers.

This coming Sunday, I hope you are making plans to join us for a light lunch and our Annual Congregational Meeting. We will gather in Kloss Hall at 12:00 pm and on Zoom, to review some exciting changes to our bylaws, elect the slate of officers to fill out the board, committee, and ministry leadership team, and approve our operational budget for 2025. We will also reflect on the members that have gone before us this past year, and we will hear from Reverend Jessica about her first year with us and her thoughts about the years ahead.

We need 75 voting members to participate in the meeting to have a quorum. Voting will be available via polling on Zoom if you cannot be on site. I will look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

With you in Christ’s Service,

Don Ruthroff, Moderator CCSM Board of Directors

ZOOM LINK

MEETING AGENDA AND MATERIALS

DID YOU MISS WORSHIP?

CLICK HERE for last Sunday's entire service.

CLICK HERE for Rev. Jessica's sermon,

"THE ROAD ISN'T STRAIGHT"

THIS WEEK AT CCSM

Wednesday, January 8

4:00 - 6:00 PM — Samaritan House Meal Service, Kloss Hall

7:15 - 8:45 PM — Bilingual Worship Service, Kloss Hall

Thursday, January 9

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

6:45 - 8:45 PM — Bell Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary

Friday, January 10

4:00 - 6:00 PM — Samaritan House Meal Service, Kloss Hall

Sunday, January 12

9:45 - 10:15 AM — Joyful Noise Kids' Choir/Music Program, Fireplace 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, Kloss Hall

12:00 - 1:30 PM — Annual Congregational Meeting, Kloss Hall

Monday, January 13

1:00 - 3:00 PM — Burlingame Music Club, Kloss Hall

4:00 - 6:00 PM — Samaritan House Meal Service, Kloss Hall

Tuesday, January 14

10:00 - 11:30 AM — Men’s Coffee Group, Hillsdale Mall Food Court

4:00 - 6:00 PM — Samaritan House Meal Service, Kloss Hall

6:30 - 7:30 PM — Personnel Committee Meeting, Fireplace Room

7:00 - 8:30 PM — Our Home San Mateo Meeting, 3rd Floor Conference Room

7:15 - 8:30 PM — MSJ Monthly Meeting, Zoom

Wednesday, January 15

4:00 - 6:00 PM — Samaritan House Meal Service, Kloss Hall

7:00 - 8:30 PM — Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary

7:15 - 8:45 PM — Bilingual Worship Service, Kloss Hall

View our full calendar on our website

THIS SUNDAY IN WORSHIP

The Baptism of Jesus

Join us this Sunday as we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus and gather as beloved community! Rev. Jessica will explore Luke's account of Jesus' baptism, where the heavens open and God's voice declares, "You are my Son, the Beloved." Through word and song, including the beautiful Spirit of the Living God, we'll reflect on what it means to be named and claimed as God's beloved children. This special service will also honor our outgoing church leaders who have served faithfully through times of transition, and we'll joyfully welcome new members into our congregation.

Whether you join us in person or online at 10:30am, come be part of this celebration of God's ever-expanding love and the Spirit's presence among us.

PLATE OFFERING for

SUNDAY, January 12:

ALAS

ALAS (Ayunando latinos a sonar) is dedicated to working for social wellness through multicultural practices; mental health care; individualized and collective support related to education, immigration

processes, and work; and advocating for the well-being of the entire community.

The farmworker community is a fundamental piece of the San Mateo Coastline society. ALAS’ work consists of liaison and outreach, maintaining close and continuous contact with the farms to know their needs. And ALAS collaborates with many organizations and public institutions to provide services to farmworkers and their families.

Make a Gift

CCSM SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

Available Now - Due March 15

Thanks to the generosity of CCSM members, the Youth Ministry is offering scholarships for the 2025-26 school year to active CCSM members who are high school seniors, college students, or graduate students, with applications due March 15, 2025. Continuing the Congregational Church's long tradition of supporting education, CCSM remains committed to helping educate younger generations.

For more information and scholarship application packets, go to https://tinyurl.com/CCSM-2025-Scholarships or contact Warren Long at longlake15@sbcglobal.net. There will also be packets on the Welcome Table in the Narthex starting this Sunday, January 12.

BEARS, BEARS, BEARS

Got a teddy bear that needs a new home? Please bring new, or like new teddy bears, to the church office and place them in the bear collection bin. Gran’Its are collecting them for the At Risk Youth Foundation. Thank you!

COMING UP

MUSIC AND ART

Friday, January 17 at Noon

Following a brief business meeting at noon in the Buckham Room, we will enjoy the talent of our own Angela Kraft Cross as she plays selected pieces on the organ. Angela just returned from a trip to France, so she may have some stories to share. Remember to BYOL – bring your own lunch. Beverages and dessert are provided.

Please RSVP to Genel Morgan, glmrn12@gmail.com or 650-759-7318, so we can have the correct number of tables and chairs set up. Hope to see you there!

SECOND HOUR:

Intergenerational

Service-Learning Trip

January 19, 12–1 pm

CCSM is planning an intergenerational (6th grade and up) service-learning trip for June 15 - 20, 2025 to Tucson, Arizona, focusing on immigration justice in coordination with UCC affiliated non-profit, Be the Neighbor. Come and learn more about this important and timely opportunity!

Email Rev. Jessica if you would like to be added to the interest list.

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. We already have several families participating! Be sure to sign up before the deadline!

If you would like to meet at CCSM for lunch prior to serving, email Kibbie Ruth.

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

Sunday, Jan. 26, 3:30 PM

What if you found a million dollars when you were a kid? Join us Sunday, January 26 at 3:30 pm in the Buckham Room for the British comedy, Millions, popcorn, and stay for dinner. ALL AGES welcome! FREE! (Sponsored by the Gran’Its)

Zumba Pick-A-Party, February 1st in Kloss Hall! There's still room to sign up for this great event, led by a professional Zumba instructor. Whether you're an expert or a total novice, this event promises to be great fun. See the flyer for details and share it with your friends and neighbors! Contact Alicia Santamaria for more information.

GREEN TIPS