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Connections: January 17, 2024
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2024 brings a special PHOTO ISSUE of the Pine Tree!
Browse through to find photos of our Thanksgiving services, Advent, Christmas caroling, Christmas Tea, our celebration of Angela’s 30th anniversary, Kibbie recognition, a 49ers Pick-A-Party, Poinsettias being delivered, Latino Ministry services, Las Posadas, Christmas Eve, and a special reflection by Chris Wuthmann just in time for our Annual Meeting on Sunday.
Thanks to our many photographers, including Chris Yeh, Alicia Santamaria, Cole Matthews, Jessica Vacketta, Sheryl Johnson, and others. We had so many beautiful photos we couldn’t nearly include them all, but this should be enough to remind you what a warm and beautiful season we just passed through.
Click HERE or on the Pine Tree image to view a copy!
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JOIN US FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING THIS SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH! | |
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Greetings, Church!
Like many of you, I have been fighting this horrible head cold that has been going around. While I kept trying to work through it, it finally knocked me down for the count. It’s been a good lesson of the importance of listening to our bodies—to stop, rest, and allow ourselves to heal. Why are we so resistant to rest? Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry (which Sheryl talked about in her sermon on New Year’s Eve) suggests that our resistance to rest is deeply connected to white supremacy and capitalism. She writes that “Rest pushes back and disrupts a system that views human bodies as a tool for production and labor. It is a counter narrative. We know that we are not machines. We are divine.”
Remember—you are God’s beloved, for who you are, not for what you do or all you accomplish. Listen to your body. Take time to rest. Slow down. Enjoy Sabbath. Find renewal for the work ahead.
As we look to this Sunday, I hope you will join us to welcome our newest members in worship and officially welcome Rev. Álvaro Durán to the staff of CCSM. Following worship we hold our Annual Congregational Meeting in Kloss Hall over a light lunch, childcare will be provided. An email with details and documents for the Annual Meeting will be sent on Thursday, which will include a Zoom link if you will join us online.
May the peace of Christ go with you this day, and always.
With gratitude and love,
Jessica
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IF YOU MISSED THE WORSHIP SERVICE,
CLICK HERE FOR LAST SUNDAY'S ENTIRE SERVICE
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CLICK HERE for Jessica's sermon,
“HOLY SPIRIT ACTIVATE"
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CCSM Annual Meeting
Sunday, January 21, 2024 at Noon
Each year the congregation meets in January to receive ministry updates and reports, approve the new budget, elect board members and ministry leads, and attend to additional business requiring a congregational vote and/or congregational input. This year's meeting will be held over a light lunch in Kloss Hall. An email with complete information will come out soon, so please watch your mailbox!
We must have a minimum of 75 members in attendance, so please plan to join us for this important event. We will also have Zoom available and will be able to take a poll for voting. If you can join us in person rather than online, please do.
Observers are welcome; only CCSM members may vote. If you have questions regarding your membership status, email jessica@ccsm-ucc.org.
Materials for the 2024 budget are available here. An email with all materials will be sent on Thursday.
It will be an exciting day, and hopefully we will have some fun while we continue building our resilient community of faith, openness, and connection. See you there!
Austin Mader-Clark, Moderator, Board of Directors
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Volunteer to make a difference at CCSM!
The Leadership and Governance Committee of the Board at CCSM is looking to recruit 2-3 volunteers from the congregation to join the committee in 2024!
Joining the Governance Committee will allow you to participate in one of the most critical leadership roles at CCSM! Some of the responsibilities of the committee include maintaining the health and functioning of the Board, overseeing recruitment of candidates for election to the Board, conducting orientation and education of the Board, and evaluating the performance of the Board. You may nominate yourself or anyone else, and nominations should be sent to the Chair of the Committee, Frank Garritano at fgarritano@gmail.com or 347-423-5503.
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New Coffee Hour Coordinator Needed
Beginning March 1st, Lin Fenn plans to leave her coffee hour coordinator position (and try a new CCSM service).
This role helps everybody rest and relax! Please see Lin Fenn for details or text her at 650-346-7763.
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PLEASE NOTE:
The delivery ramp leading into the Kloss Hallway is closed for construction until further notice. We are working hard to get it back in service just as soon as possible. Anyone who accesses the church using the keyless entry system needs to make different arrangements, and can contact Chase to do so. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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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.
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Youth and Family News
Sunday, January 21 - CCSM Annual Congregational Meeting after church. Please let Sheryl know if you are planning to attend and need childcare so she can arrange for it!
Sunday, January 28 - CCSM Youth Planning lunch. Please plan to stay after church if you can to help plan some activities for our Mardi Gras/Carnaval/Pancake Tuesday celebration on Feb 11. Also, we will talk about any fun social or service events you might be interested in doing this spring!
Sunday, February 4 - 60 Minutes! Youth are invited to please join Mike and Michele to talk about regional differences in the US - culture/politics/environment, etc.
Sunday, February 4 - CCSM Family Playdate! Please join us for lunch and a special service project to show our care for people in our church family experiencing difficult times. We will also decorate pillowcases for people staying in LifeMoves' family shelters. (This isn't primarily a youth activity, but youth are most welcome to help out!)
Sunday, February 11 - Mardi Gras/Carnaval/Pancake Tuesday! We will prepare for Lent by having a party - and learning about how various cultures around the world celebrate this special time leading up to Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. Hope to see you!
Wednesday, February 14, 7:15 • Special bilingual Ash Wednesday service. There will be special activities for kids to explore this season of reflection, prayer, simplicity, and spiritual growth.
Sunday, March 3 - Day-long service/learning youth retreat in San Francisco! We will spend the day learning, worshipping, and serving in San Francisco with our friends from Danville UCC and others. We will join Glide Memorial Church in worship and service and then have time with the San Francisco Night Ministry. Please let Sheryl know if you are interested asap!
June 23-27 Western Regional Youth Event: Join other UCC youth from across the Western US for service, learning, community, and time at Disneyland! We hope to have a great contingent from both Sunday and Wednesday services. Middle and high school youth are both welcome! Please let Sheryl know asap if you are interested.
July 2024 - UCC Camp Tamarack Sessions. Please mark your calendar! Senior High: July 14-20, Junior High: July 21-27, Junior (4th-6th grade): July 28-August 3
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Paper bills = trees = loss of carbon eaters! Solution = go paperless!
Almost all companies and utilities offer signup for paperless billing, which means we get the bill as an email or text. We don’t have to open the envelope which we then recycle. Then we either recycle, or file, or find a lovely pile of paper to put the bill on top of, which we then promptly forget where we put it. Once we sign up, we are done. Paperless sounds like a win for us and for the environment!
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MUSIC AND ART will begin 2024 in the Buckham Room at noon THIS FRIDAY, January 19
BYOL (lunch); beverages and dessert are provided. After the fellowship lunch, a devotion, and short business meeting, we’ll move to the sanctuary for a program of organ music by our own wonderful organist, Angela Kraft Cross. Please RSVP to Don Harper: donaldgharper@yahoo.com or by phone: 650-553-1800.
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IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS PICK-A-PARTY!
Join the Civil War History Party, THIS FRIDAY, January 19 at 6pm at the home of Phil Lind and Betsy Woodward. Read a few authentic Civil War soldiers’ letters, enjoy a dinner meal with foods "foraged" locally. Hard tack included. Bring any Civil War memorabilia you have to share. $50/person.
If interested, call Betsy at 650-773-5775.
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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
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
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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! | |
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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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 451 subscribers. Let’s keep pumping it up! So, please go to youtube.com/@ccsmMediaChannel/featured and click the “Subscribe” button.
Cost: Nothing. Benefit: HUGE!
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Regular CCSM office hours:
9:00am - 4:00pm
Monday - Thursday
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ccsm-ucc.org
225 Tilton Ave. • San Mateo, CA • 94401
650-343-3694
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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.
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