News of the Presbytery of San Jose
"The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying: Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land shall observe a sabbath for the Lord. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in their yield; but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of complete rest for the land, a sabbath for the Lord..."
Leviticus 25:1-4

We want to keep you informed!
Below is a list of current events happening in the Presbytery of San Jose.

Also remember to check the Presbytery
website at www.sanjosepby.org.
SJ PBY logo.
Presbytery Meeting

The last Presbytery meeting for the year is scheduled for Saturday, November 20th via Zoom. Check back closer to the date on the Presbytery website for registration information and the docket.
Be sure and visit the Presbytery website at www.sanjosepby.org for ongoing current information.
Cultivated in Creativity

On the second and fourth Sundays of each month, Theresa Nelson of Cultivated in Creativity will teach art classes at Trinity Santa Cruz' Fellowship Hall.

Where: Trinity Church – 420 Melrose Avenue, Santa Cruz (corner of Melrose & Poplar Avenue)

Next Gathering: Sunday, November 14th from 11:45 am to 2:30 pm

More information may be found on the Presbytery website at: https://sanjosepby.org/cultivated-in-creativity-art-after-church-at-trinity-pres-santa-cruz

The registration page may be found here:
https://www.cultivatedincreativity.org/book-online
News from
The Immanuel House

By way of good news (for her)/ bad news (for us), the Immanuel House manager, Flor Silva is retiring.

Also, if you're looking for ways to support our work with refugees, we have suggestions!

Click here for more information regarding Flora's retirement and local needs:
Announcing the passing of
our former
Executive Presbyter,
the Rev. Paul Masquelier

A service of Witness to the Resurrection and Celebration of Life for the Rev. Paul Masquelier will take place:

Saturday Nov 20th at 2pm
at University Presbyterian Church
1776 E Roberts Ave, Fresno, CA

The Mercury News featured his obituary:
The current Mid-Council Newsletter may be found here:
Current Open Positions

Stone Church
Stone Church of Willow Glen is looking for a part-time "Tech Coordinator." The position would require 15 hrs/week at $20 - $25/hr. The details may be found here:


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Sunnyvale Presbyterian
SVPC is seeking applicants for an AV/IT Coordinator. 

Information is available online at:

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Santa Teresa/Foothill
STHPC and FCPC are looking for a part-time youth director to oversee a combined youth group.


Contact Rev. Deborah Troester at prdebsthpc@gmail.com for more information.

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Gilroy Presbyterian Church
GPC is looking for a "Family Ministry Director." Details may be found here:


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First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto

FPCPC is looking for an "Audio Visual Coordinator" and a "Zoom Host." Details may be found here:
PRESBYTERIAN YOUTH TRIENNIUM 2022

Do you have youth at your church (entering 9th graders - 12th graders) that would like to go to Triennium? The dates next year are July 24-27, 2022 in Indianapolis, and we'd like to send a delegation from the Presbytery of San Jose. We are also looking for adult leaders to help lead this trip.

If you're interested or if you have questions, please contact the official registrar for our Presbytery, the Rev. Irene Pak Lee at Stone Church (pastor.irenepak@gmail.com), and provide her with the number of youth who will be attending.

Registration is $515 for youth and $535 for adult. This does not include housing and travel, but we may have scholarships and grants available to assist with that.

More info may be found at https://presbyterianyouthtriennium.org.

Official registration begins in early February, so we need to know if you're interested! 
Psalms for People Like Us

Did you know that in this country, one out of four adults every year will suffer some kind of mental illness? In 2016, Christianity Today published the results of a survey asking preachers, “How often do you preach about mental illness? Of the 92% who responded, there were 3 responses… "Occasionally, Rarely, Never.” The reality is that a significant part of your congregation may not be getting the help and encouragement they need.  

The Rev. Sharon LeClaire, a minister member of our Presbytery is available for preaching and teaching related to mental health issues. More information may be found here: 


Contact Sharon at: sharon.j.leclaire@gmail.com
Information for Prospective GA 225 (Summer 2022) Commissioners

(FYI) The meetings of the 225th General Assembly will be a blend between in-person Assembly committee meetings held at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville and online plenaries convened via Zoom. Our Presbytery will seek nominations in September 2021 and elect commissioners at our November 2021 meeting, but we wanted to alert any interested potential commissioners about the new format and timing for Summer 2022.

How will the GA meetings work? All Assembly meetings will be held between Friday, June 17, 2022, and Saturday, July 9, 2022. Commissioners and advisory delegates are asked to hold this full block of time until they have been notified of their Assembly committee assignment. Assembly committee assignment and specific dates for travel to Louisville will be distributed on or about Feb. 28, 2022. Requests to change committee assignments due to scheduling conflicts or other preferences cannot be honored due to the committee assignment requirements of the GA Standing Rules.

Link to more information :


A video link with details: https://vimeo.com/592783966

In addition, for those preparing to nominate commissioners, instructions may be found here:
Pastoral Reflection

Last week's sermon was a reflection on the paradox of rest and productivity. My text was from Leviticus 25 and related to the land's Sabbath rest and the Year of Jubilee. American poet and prophet Wendell Berry provided inspiration.

Here is one of his poems about the paradox of finding peace among the wild things...

“The Peace of Wild Things”

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water,
and I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light.
For a time, I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.


May you find peace among the wild things.

Amen

Rev. Dr. Jennifer Bales
Director of Communications
Presbytery of San Jose
Phone: (408) 279-0220 Website: www.sanjosepby.org