PINE TREE #7: Advent and
Connections: November 22, 2022
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The latest issue of CCSM's Pine Tree newsletter is here! Click HERE or on the image to SAY YES to what's coming in Advent 2022.
There are also some events inside that are coming up this week, don't wait to read up!
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SAY ”YES!” Welcome to the theme of opportunity for this Advent Season!
Engage in a rich spiritual journey and say yes to reflections, expressions, and connections at CCSM.
Please contribute to our ADVENT DEVOTIONAL CALENDAR! Pictures, poems, photos, and scripture reflections are all welcome from friends of all talents and ages. There is a life-sized roofing bulletin board that will be our in-person calendar. Copies of contributions will be posted and revealed by children throughout December! ADD to the surprise and joy!
Travel with us to MERCY CENTER on Friday, December 2nd for traditional TAIZÉ. Meet in the parking lot for carpooling at 7 pm; service is at 8 pm. Contact Lynnelle at lbilsey@livemoves.org to RSVP so we can get rides coordinated.
The following Fridays, 12/9, 12/16, and 12/23 we will host a bilingual Taizé service with a light dessert and beverages to follow a 7:30 pm service.
December 11th is a fun and exciting Sunday morning! Worship, Cookie Exchange with Activities for the kids, and the Plenary Meeting to follow at 12:30 pm. This is when we see what Pick- A-Parties are available. I’m going to offer a Pickleball tournament! What fun will you offer for the new year? Reach out to Sandy McNabb for more details or scroll down for more info below.
If you need a break from the 10-story floating balloons in the Macy’s Day Parade please join the Thanksgiving Day online worship service St. James has invited us to share at 10:00am on Thanksgiving morning. Click HERE for the Zoom link.
With the holidays rushing toward us, make sure to find calm each day.
Be gentle with yourself and with others.
Peace and grace,
Rev. Melissa
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Giving Tuesday is next week! Please feel out your pledge card ASAP. Your contribution is vital to our financial viability and budgeting. We would love to have all pledges in by Tuesday, November 29th, “Giving Tuesday.” Go to ccsm-ucc.org/give for more info.
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Click on the video above for Sunday's worship service, or click HERE for Rev. Melissa's sermon and a testimony from Dave Goulden.
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PICK-A-PARTY: We need your parties NOW!
Last Day to Offer a Party: November 27
Party Lists and Cookie Exchange in Kloss Hall: December 11
Pick-A-Party Sunday: January 8, Kloss Hall, 9:45AM
Pick a Parties take place: January – August, 2023
Pick-A-Party is back, carrying on its 20+ year tradition. The success of this beloved fundraiser depends on lots of fun parties and activities being offered by people like you. If you would like to host a party but are not quite sure what type of party, we have ideas HERE. If you need help with a location or would like to partner with someone, please let Sandy, Diane or Michele know (see below.)
The deadline to offer a party is Sunday, November 27th. There's an online form HERE, or you can email/call/or talk to Sandy, Diane or Michele. The sooner the better!
On December 11, the list of parties will be available as part of a cookie exchange in Kloss Hall. (Details forthcoming in the Pine Tree and upcoming Connections and bulletins.) On January 8, Pick-A-Party Sunday, the fun begins when we drop the ribbon in Kloss Hall at 9:45AM. You can go around the room to “pick” and purchase the parties you wish to attend.
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LAS POSADAS: Wed., December 21, 7:15 pm
Save the Date
This Advent Season CCSM will celebrate Las Posadas again! This event brings together people from all ages, both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking. It begins with the traditional candlelit, singing procession around the outside of the church. Joseph and Mary, accompanied by angels and shepherds—and by all of us, go from ‘inn’ to ‘inn,’ seeking a place to stay where Mary can give birth. When they are finally offered a manger in which to stay, we participants in the procession will enjoy cross-cultural games and activities. Then we will proceed to a traditional tamale dinner, prepared by Rev. Jorge’s mother and women from our Spanish-speaking congregation. The evening will end when our children strive to smash open a piñata.
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Youth and Family Events
A reminder that we are still looking for a host family for our Dec playgroup: please let me know if you would like to suggest or organize an activity for families after church on Dec 4. It could be skating in San Mateo Central Park, making gingerbread nativity scenes, games, carolling, or something else!
As usual, during the service, Lily and some youth volunteers will engage our pre-K crowd in some fun playtime in the nursery, and Shannon and Elaine will share a Bible story (through Godly Play) and then invite our K-5th grade crowd to reflect, create, build, share, and serve the community in response to the story (in the Memorial Garden). Some of these responses will be featured in our all-ages Advent devotional which will be launched Dec 1. Please let me know if you or your kids would like to make something for this devotional at home as well - I can share more info. Could be a poem, a photograph, drawing, etc!
The UCC is hosting a climate justice art contest for all ages! Please click here to learn more or to enter the contest. Deadline: November 30.
Sunday, November 27: Thanksgiving Sunday! Please join us for some special treats and gratitude-themed activities.
Sunday, November 27: 11:30am - Youth help make sandwiches for Open Cathedral and earn volunteer hours. (note date correction)
Sunday, December 4: 11:45am Family Advent Play Date! Please let me know if you would like to suggest or organize an activity for families. It could be skating in San Mateo Central Park, making gingerbread nativity scenes, or something else!
Sunday, December 11: Kids craft table during the Pick-A-Party cookie exchange and offering of the party lists, and also there will be a craft table for all ages led by Donna Lindsay and Betsy Woodward!
Wednesday, December 21: 7pm - Las Posadas! Youth are invited to participate as readers/with speaking roles or help out with the kids, food, etc. as we gather to walk around the church telling the story of Mary and Joseph looking for a room at the inn. Younger kids—come wear an angel, shepherd, or animal costume and walk around the church as we tell the story of Mary and Joseph looking for a room at the inn. Afterward, we will share a meal together!
Saturday, December 24: special Christmas Eve services at church
Friday, February 24 - Sunday Feb 26 - Mid-winter youth camp in Cambria for those in grades 7-12.
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Advent Taizé
Start your weekends in a meaningful way on Friday evenings.
In December we will have Advent Taizé services to ground us in the season of love beyond the commercialism that attempts to own the Season.
Fridays, December 9,16, and 23 we will host bilingual Taizé here at CCSM at 7:30pm. Light dessert and beverages after.
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Once again we have the joy of sharing a service with St. James AME Zion, and St. Mark AME Zion in East Palo Alto as well! Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24, at 10:00am.
To join the Thanksgiving morning zoom link, click HERE or type in the info in the invitation at the right.
All are welcome.
"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
Psalm 107:1
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IT’S TIME TO DECK THE HALLS!
On Friday, November 25 at 2:30 PM in Kloss Hall you are invited to join Liturgical Arts Ministry (LAM) to install CCSM’s bodacious Christmas decorations. It was last year’s highlight and this year is going to include treats, too. There will be no limits on having a jolly good time together. Bring your work gloves. We will be assembling trees, draping and fluffing miles of garland, installing floral arrangements, hanging banners, wreaths, bows and red birds. Whew! Something for all skill levels. We will start in Kloss Hall and move decorations into the Sanctuary.
This is a great way to rev up your holiday spirit! Please RSVP to communi_ks@me.com so I can organize our installation teams. —Kay Harris, coordinator
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IT’S POINSETTIA TIME!
Poinsettias are coming! The tradition of delivering a plant to members of our congregation during Advent continues. We are moving up the distribution dates this year. On December 4, you can pick up a plant (or several) on the loggia after the service and deliver them to the people you have selected. If necessary, they will also be available on December 11. More instructions to follow, but wanted you to know that they will be coming earlier this year.
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FIRST SUNDAYS OF THE MONTH ARE COMMUNION SUNDAYS
If there’s a way you can be in person on the first Sundays of the month, communion is a meaningful time to be together.
If you’re not able to be with us in person, you’re invited to share in communion while online with us from wherever you are; just have some bread and juice ready and you can participate with us that way.
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Pray for Ukraine Every Tuesday at 7:30pm
CCSM held a powerful live Prayer Ritual for Ukraine on March 6th. We have decided to premier this ritual ONLINE every Tuesday until the war ends. We hope you will join us online weekly to continue our prayers and heal our hearts. 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.
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225 Tilton Avenue • San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 343-3694
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Scan the QR code above or go to
to make a donation or pledge to CCSM.
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