CCSM CONNECTIONS: October 30, 2024

Daylights Savings is this weekend!

Don't forget to set your clocks back on Saturday for an extra hour of sleep!

¡Hola Comunidad! We hope you can join us tonight for our Day of the Dead 2024 Celebration organized by the Latino Ministry.

This special event will honor our departed loved ones through altars filled with love, food, and music. It’s a chance for us to come together, share cherished memories, and celebrate our vibrant Latin American traditions. We invite you to bring photos, mementoes, and stories to share, creating a beautiful tapestry of remembrance and strengthening our community bonds.

This year, we’ll introduce a new tradition. Instead of lighting candles, we will have a special cloth where you can inscribe names and draw symbols or phrases to help us remember. We’ll then embroider them and decorate it. This ever-evolving tablecloth will be used each Day of the Dead at our communion table, uniting us with all those we love but cannot see at Christ’s table, where they continue to a place.

We eagerly anticipate your presence. The service will be conducted in both English and Spanish.

See you there,

Rev. Álvaro

In this season of anxiety and of uncertainty, and with a diversity of concerns for the election process and outcome, we invite you to join us for a contemplative prayer service on the eve of Election Day. This service offers a sacred space to ground ourselves in peace, hope, and God's love as we prepare for an important day in our democracy. All are welcome to this time of centering support. May we see a smooth election on November 5 and a peaceful transition of power, whatever the outcome, in the months ahead.

DID YOU MISS WORSHIP?

CLICK HERE for last Sunday's entire service.

CLICK HERE for Rev. Álvaro's sermon,

"Imagine Together: A Sense of Awe"

Stewardship 2025

As we look towards 2025, we invite you to Imagine Together how God’s liberating love will work through us and with us in the season ahead, and we invite you to prayerfully dream how you might be part of this work.

Your pledge is more than a financial commitment; it is a response of gratitude for all that God has provided, and it’s a declaration of trust in what God is building here at CCSM. We hope you’ll join us as we step into our exciting future together!

If you have any questions about the budget, please reach out to any member of the Finance Committee.

2025 Pledge

Learn More

THIS WEEK AT CCSM

Wednesday, October 30

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

5:30 PM — Children's Día de los Muertos Activities, Buckham Room

5:30 - 7:15 PM — Decorating the Community Altar for Día de los Muertos, Narthex

7:15 - 8:45 PM — Bilingual Día de los Muertos Service, Sanctuary

NO Chancel Choir Rehearsal Tonight

Thursday, October 31

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

NO Bell Choir Rehearsal Tonight

Friday, November 1

1:30 - 3:00 PM — Bella Voce Rehearsal, Choir Room

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

7:00 - 9:00 PM — Youth Outing to Cabaret Performance at Hillsdale High

Midnight — Pine Tree Submission Deadline

Saturday, November 2

8:30 - 10:30 AM — CC Riders Weekly Bike Ride (contact Peter Held)

10:30 AM — Coffee with CC Riders, Village Hub in Woodside (3154 Woodside Road)

Sunday, November 3

9:45 - 10:15 AM — Joyful Noise, CE Building Community Room

10:30 - 11:30 AM — Worship Service - All Saints Sunday (Bilingual) in person and online

10:45 - 11:30 AM — Children's Programs, CE Building

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM — Coffee Hour, Kloss Hall

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM — All Saints Remembrance, Memorial Garden

12:00 - 2:00 PM — Family Playdate, CE Building Community Room

Monday, November 4

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

7:00 - 8:00 PM — English Together Language Sharing Session, Kloss Hall

7:00 - 8:30 PM — Governance Committee, Zoom

Tuesday, November 5

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

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

Wednesday, November 6

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 (Spanish/English) Worship and Potluck, Kloss Hall

View our full calendar on our website

THIS SUNDAY IN WORSHIP

Join us this Sunday as we gather to honor the sacred connections that bind us across time and space. In our All Saints service, we'll light candles to remember those whose light continues to shine in our hearts, share in the fellowship of communion, and be blessed by the musical gifts of guest artists Daniel Zhang (cello) and Xi Zhang (piano). As we enter a week of civic significance, we'll ground ourselves in community and hope.

Whether you're a familiar face or seeking a welcoming spiritual home, there's a place for you at our table. Come as you are to reflect, remember, and renew. We hope to see you Sunday in person, or online, at 10:30am.

PLATE OFFERING for SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3:

Mission Hospice

Founded in 1979 by local residents, Mission Hospice is a nonprofit organization providing end-of-life care, grief support, and education for patients and families. Working as a team, their specially trained nurses, doctors, social workers, spiritual counselors, and volunteers help patients and families throughout the stages of a life-limiting illness. Mission Hospice helps patients with serious illness live life to the fullest as they address physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, whether in patients' homes, assisted living, or skilled nursing facilities. They are committed to providing compassionate care to all patients and families.

Make a Gift

PICK-A-PARTY SEASON

Lists Available: Sunday, November 3

Not Too Late to Host a Party!

If you've never heard of Pick-A-Party, it is a fund raiser and a FUN raiser. They're also a great way to make new friends and socialize with longtime CCSM’ers. Please check out the information handout tinyurl.com/CCSM-2024-PaP-Info.

Pick-A-Party lists will be available starting Sunday, November 3. Pick one up in Kloss Hall or the Narthex, so you can start planning which parties you’ll want to sign up for.

Still thinking of offering to host a party? (For ideas go to tinyurl.com/CCSM-2024-PaP-Ideas) Forgot to tell us about your party offering? Well, it’s not too late to let us know! We’ll set up a special table for late parties at the PaP Rush on November 17^th at 9:45am in Kloss Hall. Let us know your last-minute party on the form at tinyurl.com/CCSM-2024-PaP-Sub by noon, November 11th. Questions and submittals: contact Mike Harris (mypirocks@me.com), Sue Bullis (bullisclan@comcast.net), or Sandy McNabb (Sandra.j.mcnabb@gmail.com).

LOVE OFFERING FOR TRINI ROMERO

A few weeks ago Rev. Álvaro shared an update about his visit with our beloved former staff member, Trini Romero, who suffered a stroke last year. Trini continues his recovery journey with the devoted care of his wife Daisy, and while his spirit remains strong and his cognition is perfect, he has had to discontinue essential medical services due to costs and transportation challenges.

Now is our chance to support this remarkable man who served our church family with dedication. Your gift can help Trini access the medical care and therapy he needs to regain independence. We will receive donations through Sunday, November 10.

To contribute to this love offering for Trini, you can:

Click the link below
Text CCSM Trini [with the amount] to 73256 to give
Drop off a check at the church with "Trini" in the memo

Your contribution is not just a donation, it's a lifeline that can significantly improve the lives of this remarkable man and his family. Together, we can make a real difference.

Make a Gift

40 Days, 40 Prayers

As we prepare to go to the polls

As the election approaches, we encourage you to take a moment to pause, reflect, and center yourself from all of that is swirling in our heads and on the news. This 40-day prayer resource is adapted from Rev. Karen Winkel. Click the button below for all 40 days of prayers or grab a copy of the prayers outside the sanctuary.

40 Days, 40 Prayers

COMING UP

SAMARITAN HOUSE TOUR

Thursday, November 7

9 - 10 AM

This fall, we've been fortunate to partner with Samaritan House to serve meals five days a week at our church. On Thursday, November 7, we’re invited to tour Samaritan House in San Mateo and learn more about their vital work in our community! Please RSVP to jessica@ccsm-ucc.org to secure your spot.

CCSM & YOU: NEW MEMBER SEMINARS

Online: Saturday, Nov. 9, 12 PM

In Person: Sunday, Nov. 10, 12-2:30 PM

Maybe you’re brand-new to CCSM, or maybe you’ve been part of this community for years and are looking to take the next step. Either way, CCSM & You is a seminar designed to answer your questions about membership: what it is, why it matters, and whether CCSM is a good fit for you. You’ll learn about the United Church of Christ (our denomination), CCSM’s history, Guiding Principles, and ways to connect and serve. This is also a great opportunity to meet other new (or newish) folks, as well as long-time members.

Join us on ZOOM on Saturday, November 9 or in person on November 10 (lunch included). These are two stand-alone gatherings where the same material will be presented. Reach out to Rev. Jessica, jessica@ccsm-ucc.org, to learn more and RSVP.

We’re excited to walk with you as you explore this next step on your faith journey and would love CCSM to be your church home!

SECOND HOUR:

END OF LIFE DISCUSSION

November 17, 12-1:30 PM

Buckham Room

Speaker: Rhyena Halpern, End of Life Doula

What if we thought about “end of life” as not only a medical event but, more importantly, a social and deeply spiritual event? Death is not only about taking care of a loved one, it’s about taking care of each other. Talking about death can bring us closer to the people we love. What’s important to us as we approach end of life? Have we made our wishes known? Is there unfinished business that needs to be addressed? Join us in deepening our learning about end of life. Lunch provided.