Connections: Week of November 6, 2023

Hello Church! 

This time of year is one of my favorite seasons—the leaves changing colors, cozy sweaters, seasonal cups of joy (I’m typing this as I sip on a cup of pumpkin spice black tea). Warmth seems to fill hearts and homes, and the anticipation of Christmas is palpable. I’m excited for my first autumn and holiday season on the Peninsula: new experiences, new traditions, new memories. What are some of your favorite seasonal activities? Are there traditions your family is looking forward to celebrating? I welcome your suggestions and stories. 

I also know that this can be a difficult season for many of us, especially as we mourn the loss of loved ones, relationships, jobs, or the future that is different than we hoped.  

As the holiday season begins, I encourage you to be gentle on yourself, and others. This time of year holds a lot of emotion, a lot of history. Days of joy, sorrow, disappointment, gratitude, and celebration will fill our calendars, and God is with us in every emotion and every situation. So when the emotions, scheduling, and plans of this season become overwhelming, take time pause and breathe. Be present to what you are feeling. Be present to the Divine’s love surrounding you. Be present to the people you are with in the ordinary and special days ahead, for they are all sacred. 

Looking to the week ahead, Rev. Álvaro Durán and I are doing a “pulpit switch.” I’ll be preaching at this week’s Wednesday service (November 8) and Álvaro will preach this Sunday, November 12. Álvaro is a prophetic preacher and I’m looking forward to hearing his message! 

Until then, may we be the hands and feet and face of God in this world.  

With gratitude and love,

Jessica

PRAY FOR PEACE

Weekly on Wednesdays  • 9:30-10:00am on Zoom

In light of the recent events in Gaza, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories, we are invited to join Churches for Middle East Peace, an ecumenical partner of the United Church of Christ's Global Ministries, to join others across the world in praying weekly for peace. Registration is free, but required to receive the Zoom Link. 

REGISTER HERE

Make a Gift

You can also make a financial gift to help with humanitarian aid for people in Gaza, Palestine, and Israel through the United Church of Christ’s Wider Church Ministries HERE.

Call for a Ceasefire

 Send a pre-written message to your elected officials through UCC’s “Just Peace Church” program HERE calling for a ceasefire and encouraging Congress to take immediate action for de-escalation in Israel and Gaza, and support steps towards a lasting peace.

IF YOU MISSED THE WORSHIP SERVICE,

CLICK HERE FOR LAST SUNDAY'S ENTIRE SERVICE

CLICK HERE for Rev. Jessica Vacketta's All Saints Day homily,

“What Does It Mean to be Blessed?"

Pick-A-Party Sign-ups This Sunday, Nov. 12, at 9:45am!

It's time to go over those lists one more time, sharpen your pencils, get your cash/checkbook ready, and head to Kloss Hall at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, November 12 to sign up for PARTIES. And, in addition to all the great parties, we have some amazing silent auction items, so give thought to your bidding strategy. If you plan to pay by text or online, please consider adding the 3% service fee which is charged for those payments so that CCSM nets the maximum amount from your contribution.  

Questions? Contact Sandy McNabb at sandra.j.mcnabb@gmail.com or Mike Harris at mypirocks@me.com.

To view the list of parties, go to tinyurl.com/CCSM-PAP-23-24. 

Please note two changes from the original printed lists -- Carol Henton's Hike at Huddart Park will be on April 27, and Melodie Lew's San Francisco Ballet tickets are offered for the February 9 performance. Also please note that Sue Bullis' name was left off the list of Pick-A-Party organizers. Sue is a valued member of the Connect & Celebrate team!  

INVITATION TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK FOR 2024 BUDGET PLANNING

The Board invites you to provide feedback to the document entitled, "2024 Budget planning for discussion and additional input." Feedback has been summarized from the Finance Committee itself and from a meeting of 16 or so members of the congregation on Oct 22. This is an invitation to review the planning document and the feedback already received. Please provide any additional feedback by emailing the Treasurer, Veril Phillips, at veril.phillips@gmail.com. Both documents are in the folder posted at tinyurl.com/CCSM-Budget-Planning-2023. All responses will be provided to both the Finance Committee and the Board.

Finally, please put on your calendar a meeting after worship on November 19 in Kloss Hall over a light lunch for further discussion of the 2024 budget.

Music & Art

November 17 is the date of the next Music and Art meeting. We’ll gather at noon in the Buckham Room to enjoy our BYOL (lunch). Beverages and dessert are provided. Following a brief devotion and business meeting we’ll move in to Kloss Hall where Music and Art members Linda Mallette and Mary Ann Notz will play a program of piano duets. Be sure to get this information on your calendar or “device” and remember to RSVP to Don Harper at donaldgharper@yahoo.com or phone 650-553-1800. This is important to have the correct number of chairs and tables as we are limiting guests to five persons per table. And we want to have enough dessert for all!

Calling All Advent Elves! 

Sunday, November 26, 1-4pm

We need your helping hanging the greens and preparing our sanctuary for Advent. Whether you can give an hour, or three, your time is greatly appreciated. Contact Linda Stoick at lindastoick@gmail.com for more details, or let her know you can help! 

Youth and Family News

Saturday, November 11 - Come out to Hillsdale High School to support one of our youth as they perform in Shrek! 

Sunday, November 19 - 60 Minutes! Come join other youth to work on writing a script for our Christmas pageant. We will gather around 10:30am in the Fireplace Room. Doughnuts provided! 

Sunday, December 3 - Youth-led Christmas program! During the 10:30 service, our youth will help teach the kids Christmas carols and help them to make Christmas cards for seniors. 

Sunday, December 3 - CCSM Family Christmas Caroling! We will go after church to sing carols at the homes of church members who can't get out to church right now. Let Sheryl know if you can make it and she'll give you the addresses! 

Sunday, December 3 - After the caroling, Sheryl is hosting an afternoon Pick-A-Party for all ages - a bowling party! Please sign up during the regular Pick-A-Party time in November.

Saturday, Dec 9-Sunday Dec 10 - Advent youth sleepover with youth from other UCCs at the Orinda UCC Church! Come learn about the season of Advent and have a fun weekend with other youth. We will begin around 3pm on the Saturday and finish on Sunday morning. Activities will include learning about Advent, cookie baking, mandala coloring (a relaxing meditation practice), Christmas movies, candlelight youth-led worship, and much more. 

Sunday, December 10 - Cookie exchange after church! Please bring some favorite cookies and take home a variety of others. There will also be some special crafts and cookie-decorating activities for kids. 

Wednesday, December 20 - Las Posadas! Please join us at 7pm to get into costume. Youth assistance welcome! 

Sunday, December 24 - Join us for the 5pm Family Service! There will be a fun low-key skit for all to participate in. 

Agenda for this coming Sunday’s Board Meeting

November 12, 2023 • Noon

• Opening/Prayer
• Approval of Minutes from October 8
• Governance – approval of Conflict of Interest pages (Austin)
• Report from Stewardship (Martha)
• Report from Finance (Veril)
• Planning discussion for November 19 meeting (Veril)
• Reports from staff (and Alvaro):

+ Director of Operations (Chase)

+ Written report from Associate Minister Sheryl Johnson (Austin)

+ Wednesday Service and Latino/a Ministry - Tentative (Alvaro)

+ Senior Minister (Jessica)

• Any “to-do’s” in preparation for January 21 Annual Meeting
• Close

Please note: Dave Goulden, Valerie Leung and Frank Garritano are not able to attend

Upcoming

Board of Directors

Meetings

all meetings are Sunday at Noon

in the Buckham Room

(unless noted)

November 12

December 10

To access the Google folder containing CCSM Board Meeting minutes, go to

tinyurl.com/CCSM-Minutes-BOD

Upcoming

Council of Ministries

Meetings

all meetings are Sunday at Noon

in the Buckham Room

(dates in yellow are combined BoD + CoM)

December OFF

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

Gary H. White - Environmental Justice

Sandy McNabb - Connect and Celebrate

Julien Phillips - Latino/a Ministry

Linda Stoick - Liturgical Arts

Sue Bell - Music

Genel Morgan - Service and Justice

Chris Wuthmann - Spiritual Life/Adult Ed.

Martha Bronitsky - Stewardship

Burlingame Music Club - Monday, Nov. 13

Kloss Hall, 1:00-3:00pm

You’re invited to hear a group of five extremely talented students from throughout the Bay Area give performances in preparation for the BMC Young Musicians’ Competition in April 2024. Two violinists, two cellists and a pianist will perform. Also, the Featured Professional Artist is SAGE, a young String Trio dedicated to performing music of all eras, from Beethoven to composers from modern times, in friendly, neighborly, and accessible ways. Enjoy browsing our fund-raising mini auction along with refreshments. Do come with your friends. All are welcome!

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!

JOIN THE CLICK!

If we get at least 1,000 subscribers, the YouTube algorithm bumps our CCSM site higher on people’s search engine. CCSM Media now has 432 subscribers. Let’s keep pumping it up! So, please go to youtube.com/@ccsmMediaChannel/featured and click the “Subscribe” button.  

Cost: Nothing.  Benefit: HUGE!

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.

Link for Prayer Ritual on YouTube: tinyurl.com/CCSM-Ukraine-Prayer

Regular CCSM office hours:

9:00am - 4:00pm

Monday - Thursday

Scan this QR code or go to ccsm-ucc.org/give

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.