Hey Church!  Happy Midweek!

 It is Thursday, January 12th, 2023.  Amazing how time is flying by.  I hope your week has been productive and fun. I am still without my computer, which is a MAC, and am doing all of my writing and correspondence on a PC. Needless to say, everything is taking me about three times as long to complete. Recalling last Sunday’s worship, “I am today years old when I realized I am an Apple snob” UGH! Thank God I have Freddie’s PC to use. Amazing how we are so tied to our computer devices. 

               Thanks to everyone who made worship a meaningful time last Sunday. I especially want to thank, Colleen Clementson, Rosemary Vandervort, and Ryan Kelton for sharing their experience with their 2022 Epiphany Star Words. There is nothing quite as meaningful as when our own people share their stories in worship. Thank you for your courage and inspiration. Amazing. This coming Sunday we are going to begin a new sermon series based on the United Church of Christ’s  Statement of Faith. As most of you know, we are not a creedal church. We do not prescribe what it is you SHOULD believe. As your pastor, I seek to peek your interest and make you think about who God is to you, who Christ is to you, and how the Holy Spirit shows up in your life. Many mainline denominations recite a creed every Sunday … The beginning phrases of most creeds are: “We Believe,” or “I believe.”  At the Community Church of Poway, your theology is a personal, constructive process.  What you believe today, can easily change, day to day, based on new information, new experiences, and maybe even your pastor’s sermons. However … there are some precepts that are the basis for who we are as a church.  For the next several weeks, we will survey this statement, in doxology form, to pinpoint not only who we are, but also reminded us that our denomination is based on Christian principles and ideas.  The title of the series will be … “Precepts and Principles.”  It might sound rather dry, but I can assure you that the principles lifted up in the statement of faith can be life-changing. You see it is more about who God is, What God does, and how God affects us whether we “believe or not”. I hope you will be in worship. I know I am learning new things as I research and study. Hopefully, during this short series you will have a better grasp on what it is that brings you life, gives your life meaning … Basically, what it is that you do believe.” I love being your pastor.

Holding you close and lifting you high!

Pastor Greg

Betty Nagatani

William, Kristie’s friend

Elena, grand-niece of the Shelley’s

Sue, friend of Kristie

Joshua, friend of Rosemary

Jim Siltanen

Rocelle Melone

Dianne Florio

Joanne Jonas

Elaine Lemon

Nina Melad

Sam, Felicia and Nellie-Felicia’s Sister

Jim Siltanian, a long-time CCP member, is turning 95 on January 22nd!

The family is creating a memory book for him and would like a favorite memory that you may have of him!

If you'd like to participate, we are asking you to bring your card/memory to church this Sunday ( Jan.15) and we will collect it in a basket. His family will create a gift to give to him on his birthday full of remembrances.

It’s Time to De-Decorate!

               The Worship Ministry /Board would love some help as we de-decorate the sanctuary, moving forward into the new year.  We will also use the time to dust and polish the wood accents in the room.  Remember, many hands mean less stress.  Come and join in the fellowship.  Pastor Greg will spring for a pizza lunch afterward.  We will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 14th.

Community Church of Poway Blood Drive!

The gift of life … the gift of blood. 

What a joy it is to host a blood drive right here in our church. The American Red Cross will be here on January 14th. 

If you are a returning donor the scheduling process should be simple. If you have a friend or a neighbor who donates, invite them to join our effort.

To schedule an appointment click here! or for more information go to RedCrossBlood.org Use Sponsor Code: Poway 

January 14, 2023 Blood Drive

9:00am-3:00 pm.

Suan Gurriell, Church Moderator

sgurriell@gmail.com 

619-993-4952

Annual Meeting, January 22nd, 2023

It is that time of year again when we gather as a congregation to install our new church leadership and to vote on our ministry budget for the coming year. This is always a blessed time when we get more acquainted with our new church leadership and jump into the blessing and challenges ahead. I hope you will make every attempt to be present for this important gathering.

The Outreach Ministry

Special Ladle Fellowship

January basket donations needed for Ladle Fellowship include men’s casual shoes and clothes, jackets, blankets, and backpacks.

We will be volunteering on Sunday, January 22nd to feed people who are in need at Ladle Fellowship.

Each January we honor the memory of Cathy Evan’s son, Matthew, at Ladle. He spent many Sunday’s volunteering there with his mom.

Greetings from Outreach

We are hoping you all had a joyous holiday season and are looking forward to the New Year with Hope!

 Once again, thank you for sharing your gifts with all our adopted families this Christmas!!! You definitely brought joy to so many.

 So are we ready to start the New Year being God’s hands and feet?

This year we have that opportunity. CCP has been a supporter and working with, for many years, a non-profit in Guatemala called FundaMaya. Throughout the years' church members have gone to Guatemala to help build stoves, deliver beds, water filters, and even build housing! Once again our Church will be heading down to Guatemala to share God’s love with the beautiful people there. It is an experience you will never forget.

 So how can we help???

Those of us that are unable to go can donate to the mission trip by supporting the people who are able to go and the projects they will be doing! It's that simple! We can make a difference even if we are at home! We have a group heading down in July, (it's my understanding that even our good Pastor will be joining them!!) So cool!

For the months of January and February, the Outreach special offerings will go to the Guatemala Mission trip. This donation will help those who have been wanting to go down to serve God in Guatemala but could use financial assistance. And this year the group will be building a house for a woman who is blind, and her daughter. Both women are widows. We are God's hands and feet in this world! We are so blessed to have people willing to share their time, talents, and resources to help those who have so little. So let's make their dreams come true.

Here's how.

You can write a check and designate that it is for the Guatemala mission trip. There are envelopes in the church pews that say Fundamaya on them

Or you can donate online

https://www.ccpucc.org/Resources/Give

Please email treasurer@ccpucc.org to let them know your donation is to be designated for the Guatemala mission



The Outreach Ministry

The JOY of FOOD!

Each week there will be a “Recipe of the Week” for the Buzz!

There will be a red basket in the Narthex where you can drop off your favorite recipes or please email them to julie@ccpucc.org. It can be any recipe from family favorites to ones recently discovered! We will be encouraging you to share your thoughts after you made the dish too. 

Unfortunately, I have not received any new recipes this week, so I am keeping up the last week until I receive more! - Julie

This week's recipe is Sausage Bread!

Sent in by Debbie Hallmark, thank you! 

This Sausage Bread is a Hallmark tradition to make every year!

Click Here for The Sausage Bread Recipe!

Adult Scripture Review:

Sunday’s following worship in the fireside room!

Email Susan Gurriell

at sgurriell@gmail.com

Books & More

On January 24 and 31 Books & More will be discussing The Other Wes Moore.  In 2000, the Baltimore Sun ran a small piece about Wes Moore, a local student who had just received a Rhodes Scholarship. The same paper also ran an article about four young men who had allegedly killed a police officer in a botched armed robbery. The police were still hunting for two of the suspects, a pair of brothers. One was named Wes Moore. Wes Moore, the author, will become the new governor of Maryland on January 18, 2023.

Books & More will meet at our regular meeting place, the Fireside Room on Tuesdays at 10:00 am.

ZOOM LINK:

https://zoom.us/j/98440622539pwd=aG1mRjlXVDVoRHhWTWpBaHA3QXZkUT09  

All are welcome to join us.  

Centering Prayer:

Tuesdays at 6:30 Contact Colleen Clementson

at powclem@yahoo.com or on

her cell at 858-663-6584, for the ZOOM invite

Thank you for checking out our BUZZ! Here is what you were waiting for! If you have a favorite joke or any tips to make the BUZZ even better, please send emails to julie@ccpucc.org :)

Joke of the Week:

J: What do you call a nice ghost on a cold January night?

A: Casp-burr... 

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