THE WEEKLY E-PISTLE

news & update

SERVING THIS SUNDAY

Celebrant: Rev. Matthew McDermott

Preacher: Rev. Lauren McCombs

Deacon: Rev. Lauren McCombs

Organist: Lauren Wittine

Acolyte: Louise Delafield

Greeter: Chantal

Usher: James Mack

Altar Guild: Betsy Alexander

Lesson: Annemarie Redmond

Epistle: Vinie Miller

Coffee Hour: Pam Kaufmann

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Sunday, March 9

Church Service 10:00 am

Coffee hour 11:00 am

Tuesday, March 11

Outreach Planning meeting 9:30 am

Voices in the valley featuring

Lauren Wittine 10:30 am

Wednesday, March 12

Women's Spirituality 10:00 am

Thursday, March 13

St. Patrick's Day Community Dinner 6:00pm

Choir Rehearsal 7:30 pm

Friday, March 14

Creating the Biblical Canon 12:00 pm

Saturday March 15

Holy Hike 9:30 am

Ensemble Continuo Chamber Choir Performance 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm followed by a Reception

Celebrations

Birthdays: Mark Geenen, Sue Riggs, Quinn Homes

Sunday Bulletin March 9, 2025

CHRIST CHURCH PRAYS

Pray for the special needs of our congregation and lift up the following individuals to God in prayer:

Remembrance

Debra Smith, Eleanor (Bunny) North, Lewis A. Todd Jr., Rodney Dodge

Healing

Mark McNulty, Collins Anderson, Bruce McCombs, Caroline Huntley, Anne Wittine, Marina Bermudez, Joan Klappert, David Riggs, Alyssa Hardbarger, Tyler Britton, Dede Jamison, Catherine Aragon, George Mallinckrodt, Peggy Dubes

For pastoral care, you are invited to reach out to:

The Reverend Matthew McDermott

Cell: (650) 269-2611, Email: mjpmcdermott@gmail.com

The Reverend Lauren P. McCombs

Cell: (650) 740-1552, Email: laurenpmccombs@gmail.com

Photo of the week

Purple Irises in our Garden

Did you know?

The liturgical color of Lent - the six-week time of preparation for the celebration of Easter - which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the evening of Holy Thursday is purple.

Purple is rich in symbolism, originally associated with royalty, because it was a more expensive color to dye. It was used as an act of derision toward Our Lord when Pilate placed a purple robe on Jesus, whom he called "King of the Jews".

As we reflect on this color, we are called to embrace our struggles and prepare for the resurrection that awaits us.

As you begin your Lenten journey, Christ Church PVW is here to equip and encourage you in your spiritual life.

May your Lenten observance be blessed with strong grace. In particular, May it be blessed by an ever greater purity of heart for the love of God and of your neighbor.

Visit episcopalrelief.org/lent to sign up for outreach-oriented meditations, delivered straight to your inbox every day in Lent!

Forty days of Preparation

"There are two moments that matter. One is when you know that your one and only life is absolutely valuable and alive. The other is when you know your life, as presently lived, is entirely pointless and empty. Lent is about both. The first such moment gives you energy and joy by connecting you with your ultimate Source and Ground. The second gives you limits and boundaries, and a proper humility, so you keep seeking the Source and Ground and not just your small self.” —Richard Rohr, “Wondrous Encounters”

The 40 days of Lent, beginning Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Saturday, call us to self-denial, discipline and reflection: a solemn preparation for the celebration of Easter. The penitential tone of Lent is highlighted during worship service with purple vestments and by refraining from the use of florals and other adornments.

In observance of a holy Lent, you are encouraged to attend our various worship services and spiritually nourishing programs.

Please click below to read the newsletter

Invitation to Holiness

Support your Parish During this Lenten Season

During this Lenten season reflect on the blessing of our community and how we can support its continued vitality.

Giving alms is not a onetime event. It is a state of mind that see everything we have as GIFT from GOD. What we then give as alms is a small return of what God has blessed us with in this life. Take time over this journey of Lent to lift our heads and see whether there are things that come to light that need our attention and our money. When you do this the gift you make takes on much more significance because it came through the power of prayer and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Our goal is raising $300,000 to support our parish and its mission.

Given the size of our parish, this translates to an average of $5,000 per donor. We recognize that some can give more and others may give less, and that’s okay. Every gift, no matter the amount, is deeply appreciated and makes a meaningful impact.

This year, we’ve made it even easier to pledge:

Pledge Online with This Form
Use the pledge cards available in the Narthex or that you receive in the mail. You can mail them in or drop off at the church.
Email admin@ccpvw.org or wendymcadam@mac.com

to let us know your pledge.

Let’s come together as a community to achieve this important goal.

With Gratitude for your Generosity and Support

Highlight of the Week

Last Sunday we all listened to the captivating voice of Casey McKibben as he read The Epistle during the 10:00 am Church Service.

Casey McKibben

Who says we don't dress up in California!

God Saved and Gifted You to Serve Him in

His Church Body &

His Word is Clear that You are Accountable

for Your Ministry

The Parable of the Talents below is God's unmistakable message that you will be judged on how you used the gifts you are given. One day each of us will stand before God and give an account of our faithfulness to the use of our gifts.

"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward and saying, 'Master, you delivered me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, "well done , good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Matthew 25: 14-30

" So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God."

Romans 14:12

However, You will be Rewarded for your ministry!

"His master replied, 'well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "

Matthew 25:23

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward."

Colossians 3:23-24

Chantal looks forward to hearing from you about serving.

Sunday March 16: SpiritCare Visits with Seniors at Silver Oaks Memory Care in Menlo Park (1:30PM) and The Sequoias Memory Care (3:00PM).

This month we will do a Lenten SpiritCare program.

To volunteer Contact Angela Hey

For Sequoias residents rides are now provided to Christ Church Portola Valley & Woodside at 9:30 AM on Sundays with a return pickup time at 11:30 AM.

Contact the Sequoias Transportation Department at X4117 or sign up in the transportation binder.

Women's Spirituality Group

Women's Spirituality Group meets on Wednesday morning from 10:00 - 11:30 remotely, on Zoom. Contact Mary Jennings at emjennings@aol.com for more information.

This week we begin “How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith” by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde.

News from the Outreach Committee

Tuesday March 11, 9:30 am Zoom Outreach Planning meeting

We will be joined by a representative from Life Moves to discuss the effects of federal government budgetary actions on their program which provides 1500 beds a night for the unhoused in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

Click here to join:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84740428294?pwd=uipNITML0Q666IbirvR3sbFz4r0wX8.1

Contact Kathy Kennedy

Saturday March 23: Help make dinner for our friends at Coast House shelter in Half Moon Bay. Sous chefs and bakers are needed. Help on Friday is also needed. Contact Ruth Ann Wrucke

GAIA Nurse/Scholars: 92 Malawi student nurses are in training with tuition contractually provided by USAID. They reneged. Half graduate this year. During Lent (March 5 - April 17) we will raise funds for 5 scholarships ($6250) working within our larger community along with nearby Episcopal church communities. Let's get these young nurses graduated and deployed fighting AIDS and Malaria.

Signup here: Scholarships for Nursing Students in Malawi

Contact Andy Pflaum or Betsy Alexander

Need Hotel-Sized Toiletries for the Hoptel, a Life Moves homeless vets shelter in EPA. If you have any, please bring them to the green marked box in the church breezeway. New socks and men's undies (L, XL) also needed.

Upcoming Programs

Creating the Biblical Canon: Fridays, March 7th, 14th and 21st at 12pm via Zoom, led by Rev. Claire

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86029151370?pwd=twOyft69KVOk6p99lNbfZoR0RII2Fu.1 (Or enter Meeting ID: 860 2915 1370, Passcode: 772849)

As Episcopalians, we uphold scripture as one of only three sources of divine revelation, alongside tradition and reason. But we also have many questions about the Bible and how to most faithfully engage its words. In this series, we explore the origins of the Canon we call the Holy Scriptures. If you've ever wondered who decided to put the books of the Bible together, how they became authoritative, what was left out, why some Bibles contain certain books and others don't, this series is for you! And if you've never given much thought to such questions, the history of the creation of the canon is fascinating and complex, and our time together will surely enrich your engagement with these holy works. We invite you to bring a song, poem, spiritual writing, or any other text that you would “add” to the Bible if you could.

Outward and Visible Signs: Meets Tuesdays, March 25th, April 1st, and April 8th at 3:30pm in person (co-led by Revs. Cal and Claire)

As Episcopalians, we have inherited centuries of rich tradition from our Anglican lineage, interwoven from both Catholic and Protestant roots. This series will explore the materials and sensory dimensions of our worship practices, delving into the inner anatomy of our sacraments, rites, and rituals. Together, we will revel in the many outward and visible signs and symbols of our faith, including fabric and smoke, fire and water, bread and wine. In conversation with one another, we’ll ponder the Eucharist, Holy Baptism, and other sacramental rites such as marriage, confirmation, and ordination. We will journey through our liturgical calendar and the feasts and fasts of the church, which arise from the ancient practices of the earliest Christians. If you’ve ever wondered about why we do something in our worship life, or if you are new to the Episcopal tradition and hoping to learn more, then this series is for you! All questions are invited to the table, and all are welcome.

Being With Course

Being With is a transformative ten-week long invitation to discover faith in the context of discovering friendship. This series is based on the belief that Being With us is what God is all about, and that being with God, one another, ourselves, and creation, is the calling of our lives in turn.

Each class explores topics like essence, story, community, suffering and hope, while holding space for sharing and listening to one another’s stories. Christ Church Los Altos offered Being With for the first time in 2024 and had such a positive experience that they are offering it several times this year.

Members of Christ Church Portola Valley & Woodside are warmly invited to take part. A new cohort will begin meeting weekly via Zoom on Thursday, March 13th from 4pm - 5:30pm. We also plan to offer a summer cohort and another in the fall. If you're interested in participating, or in learning more, please email Rev. Claire

at claire@ccla.us.

Upcoming Events

Join Lauren Wittine in Uncovering the Secrets

of the Pipe Organ, Including its Mechanics and History

May your Days be Many and your Troubles be Few,

May All God's Blessings Descend Upon you...

Join us for a festive night of celebration! Enjoy delicious Irish food & Music. Our special guest speaker is Rev. Matthew McDermott. He will share thoughts on Celtic Christianity.

6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Green Attire is Encouraged!

Please RSVP below, so we can plan accordingly

RSVP here

Join Deacon Lauren to learn about the history of Anglican Prayer Beads and their significance in deepening your connection to God.

After the presentation there will be a hands on demonstration about how to make your own prayer beads to take home with you. In addition, various resources will be available to deepen your prayerful journey exploring the use of Anglican Prayer Beads.

Contact Chantal admin@ccpvw.org by March 16th so we can plan accordingly or RSVP below.

To attend the workshop, please RSVP below by March 16th

RSVP Here