Connections: Week of October 9, 2023

Dear Beloved Community at CCSM, 

This past weekend we marked Indigenous People's Day. It has been incredible for me to see how this occasion has become more widely marked over time, even just in the seven years I've lived in the US. In my home province in Canada, Manitoba, they just elected their first Indigenous leader - a dynamic and young Anishinaabe man named Wab Kinew. It feels to me like momentum is building and finally, after far too long, things may be changing for the better. 

In worship on Sunday, we had a powerful message about awe and wonder and rooting ourselves as humans in the story of Creation in a new way. Rev. Ben offered us so much in song, story, presence, and message. He also gave some very practical advice about what we can do to support the planet - talking about climate change is paramount! If you missed the service, please do go back and watch. 

The story we tell shapes how we experience the world. Our faith gives us longer and richer and broader stories than just our own, the recognition of this land as Indigenous roots us in very deep and sacred stories, and the story of the Earth right-sizes us as humans - and reminds us of our important obligations to many species other than our own. 

Old stories and long narratives are very important - and so are new and surprising ones happening now and that are still to come. In Christianity, we often talk about Kairos time - differentiated from clock time or chronos time - as God's time. Moments that are opportune when major shifts can happen quickly and God's love can break forth to bring great healing, peace, and abundant, flourishing life. 

I believe we are at a moment of great turning as people of different cultures learning to live more justly with one another and as a human species learning to live in ways that are more integrated with other animals, ecosystems, and the rest of the world. As a church, I believe we are also in a Kairos time when we welcome Rev. Jessica Vacketta as our new senior minister and begin a new chapter of our common life. 

I pray and believe that there is much goodness that is just ahead on the horizon, the seeds of which are already in-breaking and sprouting all around us. Please join us in worship next Sunday, October 15, to be part of the first page in this new and blessed chapter. 

Peace and blessings - now and always -

Sheryl  

IF YOU MISSED THE WORSHIP SERVICE,

CLICK HERE  FOR LAST SUNDAY'S ENTIRE SERVICE

CLICK HERE for Rev. Ben Meyers' sermon,

Saving Us: Surviving the Anthropocene Age

Rev. Jessica Vacketta, CCSM's new Senior Minister, will have her first official week here STARTING THIS WEEK! and she will preach Sunday, October 15.

Be sure to be here!

<< Rev. Jessica at Coffee Hour last August

STEWARDSHIP HEADLINES

Rise and shine to join the stewardship team for conversation October 15, 9:30AM, before church. (Then, be in worship for Jessica’s first official Sunday with us.) This open meeting includes an update on our fundraising progress for 2024 and a peek at the evolving budget process for 2024, as well as a discussion about next steps for committee members and the whole congregation. This is EVERYONE’s campaign, not just the committee’s!

(Just scan the QR code to get started, or click HERE.)

THE OCTOBER MEETING OF MUSIC AND ART WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20 at noon in the Buckham Room. As usual we will bring our own lunches and beverages and dessert will be provided. After the fellowship lunch there will be a short business meeting followed by a wonderful program.

A small chorus of singers, Bella Voce, led by CCSM’s own Julie Berk, will present an inspirational program. You won’t want to miss this special occasion.

Members who were absent last month, please remember to bring your annual $20 dues, either in cash or by check, made out to CCSM with Music and Art on the Memo line. Please RSVP to the person who emails or calls you as we need to have an exact number of attendees, so we will have the correct number of tables and chairs set up. Due to continuing Covid we are limiting the tables to five persons per table with masks worn except while eating.

Expect to hear soon from Don Harper (donaldgharper@yahoo.com) by email or Fran Gillen by phone. Guests are most welcome but please let us know so we know how many will be attending.

Photo: last month's Music and Art's "Quilts as Art" with Linda Brockett

Youth and Family News

Saturday, October 14 - Celebrate Dia de los Muertos at MLK Jr. Park with our neighbors starting at 2pm! This event is hosted by the City of San Mateo. This is a great opportunity to celebrate and learn about this holiday. 

Sunday, October 15 - Rev. Jessica's first Sunday at CCSM! Please join us for a special service to help welcome Rev. Jessica and join the celebration afterwards!

Saturday, October 21 - Chocolate Fest with our neighbors at Congregational Church of the Peninsula! Join Sheryl for the Saturday evening event - or go another time if that is better for your schedule. Tickets are available at: chocolatefestofbelmont.org 

Sunday, October 22 - 60 Minutes! Come join other youth for discussion about important topics in our world today. 10:30 in the Fireplace Room, led by Mike Mullery and Michele Cinq Mars.

Sunday, October 22 - CCSM Youth Peer Leader Lunch and Meeting. Please join Sheryl for lunch and to plan out some activities for this year! 11:45am-1pm. 

Sunday, October 29 - Dia de los Muertos at CCSM. We will have a special program for kids during our 10:30 service including decorating sugar skulls, building an altar, and learning about this holiday from members of our church with Mexican heritage. Youth assistance welcome! 

Sunday, October 29 - Peninsula Multifaith Youth Gathering - Please join youth from other faith communities at 2pm in the CCSM Youth Room. We'll play some games and ping pong, get to know each other, and start to share a bit about our different faiths and what it like to be a youth in our traditions. Snacks provided! 

Tuesday, October 31 - Come by CCSM when you're out Trick or Treating! Sheryl and others from CCSM will be there to hand out candy and connect with our community. 

Wednesday, Nov 1 - Our Wednesday evening program will be focused on Dia de los Muertos - come out for more learning and fun at 7:15pm. 

Thursday, November 9 - Come out to Hillsdale High School to support one of our youth as they perform in Shrek! 

Saturday, Dec 9-Sunday Dec 10 - Advent youth sleepover with youth from other Bay Area UCCs! Come learn about the season of Advent and have a fun weekend with other youth! 

Green Tip #2

Dry your clothes for free! You save both money and emissions when you let the sun do the work on a clothes line.

Even if you just have a chair outside, at least put heavy towels, blue jeans, etc. draped over it for a few hours.

The latest issue of the Pine Tree is here! It's chock full of news, photos, reflections, and upcoming events. Click HERE for a copy!

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)

October 22

November 12

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

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 https://www.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