Connections: Week of June 12, 2023 |
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Dear Beloved Community at CCSM,
What a lovely day we had together on Sunday - the sun came out to shine down on us for a wonderful picnic in Central Park! Thanks so much to the Connect and Celebrate ministry team and all volunteers and helpers for a fabulous event.
And thank you as well for joining us in worship. I am so moved by all of the stories that you shared already with me about the two ways you see various experiences in your life - the polite conversation version and the way that is more rugged and real. We are so blessed to have community here where we can bring all of our stories - please know I am here and always honored to listen, as are so many others.
This coming Sunday we will welcome back Dr. Mahjabeen Dhala, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies and Women's Studies in Religion Chair at Graduate Theological Union. Mahjabeen preached last summer about the intersection of religion and social justice from an Islamic perspective and this week will share about Muslim pilgrimage traditions. Mahjabeen has led pilgrimages all around the Middle East that highlight the often untold stories of women in sacred texts - and in the modern world.
She and I have also co-taught several classes and co-authored a number of articles - and I am blessed to have her not only as a collaborator but also as a close friend. I am so grateful that she has agreed to be with us again next Sunday as we also mark Father's Day and have wonderful music grounding our worship.
Blessings to each of you for the week ahead!
Peace,
Sheryl
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CLICK HERE FOR LAST SUNDAY'S ENTIRE SERVICE
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SOGIE/ LGBTQ+ 101 training!
If you are at the beginning of your journey to be an LGBTQ+ ally, want to expand your capacity to be a better advocate or want to invite your friends and community to learn more, the SOGIE training is a space for you!
This is a rare opportunity to receive this training for FREE. Participants also have the opportunity to win a prize!
Offered in English, closed captioning is available and is on Zoom
Community SOGIE (co-hosted with Outlet)
Tuesday, June 13th from 5:30-7:30 pm on Zoom
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The 2024 CCSM Budget Process is Beginning!
Come Join In!
Have your voice heard!
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CCSM is beginning to plan the budget for 2024. We seek your involvement during this process, which will begin Sunday, June 18, following worship. The process, which is outlined below, involves the Finance Committee, the Congregation, and the Board in three separate phases.
Phase 1 is the development of Budget Principles -- values-based and faith-rooted principles for CCSM -- that will guide us throughout budget development. At the June 18 Second Hour, Sheryl will lead off with ideas based on her book, Serving Money, Serving God. Together, she and the Treasurer will lead an exercise and discussion aimed to come away with a list of principles for the Board to discuss at its meeting on July 9.
Phase 2 is the development of one or more fiscal plan(s). The notion is to set out two or maybe three goals for general fund donations and also total revenue, together with a description of what we think would be funded at each revenue level. This phase is currently scheduled to involve the Congregation prior to worship on August 2 and would end with Board adoption at its meeting on Aug 13. This will be in time for the Stewardship Ministry to use the plan(s) when they kick off the campaign for pledges (which are estimates of giving) in early September.
Phase 3 is the development of one or more detailed first budget drafts -- possibly a budget for each fiscal plan. The tentative date to discuss with the Congregation is October 29, but much could happen between now and then to change that date. The notion is that CCSM would be providing detailed information more than two months prior to adoption of a budget in January at the Annual Meeting.
Come join in the discussions for one or all three phases.
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SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE CCSM
Want to know what goes on behind the scenes, like how decisions are made or the church budget is put together? Want to learn how to have crucial conversations? Want to avoid toxic theology and live into our Guiding Principles? Then, don’t go on vacation—come to church!
Gatherings, classes and meetings will be before and after church in the Buckham Room (both live and Zoom).
Everyone is invited to participate.
June 18, Noon
Reimagining Church Finance with Sheryl and Veril
Help determining what values we want our budget to reflect.
June 25, Noon
Council of Ministries
Get the inside scoop at the gathering of the volunteer teams who keep our church thriving.
July 2, 9:30AM
Exploring Membership
Munch on bagels before church and find out what it takes to officially become a CCSMer.
More happening every Sunday throughout the summer.
Because these classes might not be available for Zoom participants, the classes will be be filmed and uploaded to the website.
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FEEL LIKE YOU ARE OUT OF THE LOOP?
Hope not! But, if you aren’t a member of CCSM yet, you might want to officially join. Then, you can be right in the thick of things. Come Sunday, July 2, before church for bagels and conversation about the life’s journey of the church and your own. “Whoever you are, wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome…” to join us in the Buckham Room at 9:30AM.
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A memorial service for our beloved Kyle Neil will be held on Saturday, June 24th, at 11:00am. A luncheon will follow in Kloss Hall. We would appreciate it if you could RSVP at THIS LINK
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Youth and Family News
Saturday, June 17 + Tuesday, June 27 - 10am - CCSM Outings to the Marine Mammal Center! Take a look through the bulletin to see more details in a separate announcement.
July/August 2023 - Summer camp sessions at Camp Tamarack! Please check the website to learn more and to see which week is open to your age group, registration should be open soon. Please let Sheryl know if you are interested for help with carpooling, assistance with fees, etc.
Saturday, August 26 - LifeMoves Bike Ride to End Homelessness. This is a fun ride for a great cause. There are routes for all ages - kids included! (See below for more information) Please consider signing up as a family. https://www.lifemoves.org/ride-to-end-homelessness/
Sunday, September 10 - Homecoming Sunday! Please plan to stay after church for facepainting, balloon animals, games, and more! Youth are encouraged to help out - and can earn volunteer hours. Please let Sheryl know if you're available!
Saturday, September 16 - City of San Mateo Annual Bayfront Cleanup
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CCSM MARKETPLACE
IS COMING!
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Can you help? CCSM Marketplace is an experiment to test a way to make mutually beneficial connections in our community. For example, some of us need house cleaners, gardeners or caregivers. Others - especially people in our Spanish-language group - offer such services. Some congregants offer music lessons, tutoring, web design and other services while others seek such services. Some members need household goods such as furniture and kitchen equipment, and others would like to donate such items or sell them cheaply.
To launch this experiment, we need listings. Can you help?
• Do you have a service for which you would like to find a new customer/client/student?
• Do you have household goods (or other items) you would like to donate or sell cheaply?
• Do you need something that someone else in our congregation might like to provide?
Please let Sofia Floresca know by:
• Filling out the form on the back and giving it to Sofia or mailing it to her at 713 Murphy Drive, San Mateo 94402.
She will follow up with you personally to discuss how to list your offering or need, arrange for contacting you, etc.
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MUSIC AND ART SUMMER UPDATE
We have decided to continue meeting during the summer months at our regular time, 3rd Friday of the month at noon in the Buckham Room.
No regular music or art programs will be offered, just enjoying a time of fellowship, any information to share about books read, activities, travels or other experiences just to mainly keep in touch. It will continue to be a BYOL (bring your own lunch) meeting. Everyone will be notified as a reminder (you don’t need to play an instrument, sing, or be an artist).
Music and Art is an affinity group of the longest duration @ CCSM.
This is open to all church members and friends of CCSM. Watch for announcements in the Pine Tree, Connections and Sunday bulletins. Friday, June 16 is our first gathering. Hope to see you then.
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Upcoming
Board of Directors
Meetings
all meetings are Sunday at Noon
in the Buckham Room
(unless noted)
>>>June 14<<<
(note: Wednesday 5:15pm)
July 9
August 13
September 17
October 8
November 12
December 10
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Upcoming
Council of Ministries
Meetings
all meetings are Sunday at Noon
in the Fireplace Room
(dates in yellow are combined BoM + CoM)
June 25
July 23
August 13
September 24
October 22
November 12
December OFF
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CCSM Council of Ministries
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Kay Harris - Council of Ministries Lead
Jim Schwandt - Buildings and Grounds
Kim Rey and Troy Grabow - Children, Youth, and Families
Diane Kalliam - Congregational Care
Alison Schwandt - Engagement
Warren Long - Environmental Justice
Sandy McNabb - Connect and Celebrate
Julien Phillips - Latino/a Ministry
Laura McKenzie - Liturgical Arts
Sue Bell - Music
Genel Morgan - Service and Justice
Chris Wuthmann - Spiritual Life/Adult Ed.
Martha Bronitsky - Stewardship
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You don't need to wait for the Ministry Fair to learn more, or join a ministry. Contact the Ministry Lead anytime! |
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Click HERE for CCSM's Governance Manual, and HERE for CCSM's Bylaws
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BRING YOUR BLESSING BOX CONTRIBUTIONS ANY SUNDAY OF THE MONTH!
The "Blessing Box" outside of the entrance of CCSM is a project of the Ministry of Service and Justice, responding to the need for families in our neighborhood to access food and an expression of our call to be the "hands, feet, and face of God" in our community. The container will be in the narthex to collect food (canned, dried and boxed, no fresh food please! donations must be full UNOPENED containers, no fruits, vegetables, or bread) on any Sunday of the month. Thank you for your continuing generosity!
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Pray for Ukraine Every Tuesday at 7:30pm
CCSM held a powerful live Prayer Ritual for Ukraine on March 6th, 2022, and will share this ritual ONLINE every Tuesday until the war ends. These are challenging times and this offering is a way to bring our community together and magnify our prayers.
Please share this link with your friends and family so we can extend this offering to as many people as possible.
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9am - 1pm
Monday - Thursday
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225 Tilton Ave. • San Mateo, CA • 94401
650-343-3694
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Scan the QR code above or go to
to make a donation or pledge to CCSM.
Don't forget to ask your employer if they have a charitable donation matching program to make your pledge go farther.
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