Week of November 8, 2026 | Issue: 757

This Sunday we will continue with our series, “Finding Faith,” considering those times in life when our faith is shaken, and sometimes even shattered. We’ll read a testimony from the apostle Paul, about his own faith journey, and what shifted for him after he was blinded by the light of God. We’ll talk about the grief of lost faith, evolving beliefs, and the hope of rebuilding, drawing wisdom and encouragement from Paul whose story reminds us that faith can be rebuilt, taking pieces of the faith we once held, and shaping them into something even more beautiful. 

We’ll enjoy special music this Sunday from guest soloist Alix Jerinic, and an offertory piece from our bell choir, directed by Jeffrey Fredrick Paul. Tim K. Murphy will provide the prelude and postlude and accompany the hymns. Rev. Jen Chapman will preach and lead the service and Linda Young will serve as liturgist. Childcare will be available during the service for children ages 2 and up.

Black Wealth Builders Benefit Concert

Hope & Repair

This Sunday, November 8, 2026 | 4:00–5:30 p.m.

Epworth United Methodist Church, Berkeley

1953 Hopkins St, Berkeley, CA

Join us for an afternoon of music and inspiration at A Concert of Hope and Repair, featuring uplifting spirituals celebrating hope, unity, and the power of community. Hosted in partnership with Epworth United Methodist, the concert will benefit the Black Wealth Builders Fund, supporting efforts to expand Black homeownership in the East Bay. A reception will follow the concert.

First Aid, CPR, AED Refresher Training

Saturday, November 7, 10:30-noon in the Social Hall

Do you remember how many breaths, how many compressions for CPR? How to usethe AED? What to do if you are with someone who has a heart attack or stroke?

On Saturday, November 7 we will welcome back David Yberra who will provide a refresher training in First Aid, CPR and AED. This will not be a certification class but rather a refresher to remind us of the principles we learned from him in the certification class last year.

All Emergency Response Team Members (Council, Trustees, Greeters, Worship Hosts, H&S) are strongly urged to participate and others in the congregation are welcome. ACC will cover the registration fee ($45 per participant) but pre-registration is required. Eleanor will have a sign-up sheet—also fine to let her know in person or by email.

New Beginnings at ACC!

We have good news! For the past couple of months we have been searching for a Director of Family and Young Adult Outreach, and Riss Kostelnick has officially accepted the position! Pastor Jen, in conversation and partnership with many ACC members and leaders, has been thinking, praying, and dreaming about the potential of this new position for the future of our church. 

If you want to hear more about what this position is about and what inspired it, please read Pastor Jen’s message below.

We will welcome Riss in worship this Sunday!

Please join us for cake and fellowship following the service.

Welcoming Riss Kostelnick

Director of Family & Young Adult Outreach

Riss Kostelnick (they/them) is a fourth year MDiv student at Iliff School of Theology, a Member In Discernment in the UCC, and has a bachelor's degree in Pastoral Ministries. They are currently residing at Heirloom East Bay, an intentional living community that bears witness to God's Love through sustainability and creativity. As a Queer future pastor they are passionate about intentional inclusion of all children of God no matter where on life's journey they are or how long they have been on life's journey. They believe that children are the foundation of our churches as they teach us about new ways to look at the world with curiosity and wonder that connects us back to the creator. They are a hiker, dog parent, plant collector and adventure lover!

Christmas Is a Special Time 

at Arlington Community Church

November 8, 15, & 22

Dear Friends,

This Christmas, Arlington Community Church is excited to share the spirit of the season with our neighbors in North Richmond!

We believe in honoring the dignity of every individual by helping families purchase food and gifts for their loved ones. To support this effort, we’re partnering with the North Richmond Corrine Sain Senior & Family Community Center to help make the holidays a little brighter for local families.

Donation Details

Collection Dates:

November 8, 15, and 22. Beginning November 8, we invite you to contribute cash or checks to support our North Richmond Christmas project.

Checks:

Make checks payable to Arlington Community Church and write Richmond Christmas on the memo line. Place your check in the collection plate during worship.

Cash:

Place your cash in an envelope provided by the church and put it in the collection plate during worship.

Giving by Mail:

Unable to attend in person? You can mail your check to:

Arlington Community Church

52 Arlington Ave.

Kensington, CA 94707

Please write Richmond Christmas on the memo line of your check.

The funds we raise will allow the Center’s coordinators to purchase gift cards for families. Volunteers will distribute the gift cards alongside food baskets, helping our neighbors in North Richmond enjoy a brighter holiday season.

Thank you for sharing the spirit of Christmas through your generosity!

With gratitude,

Board of Missions and Social Justice

Announcing Congregational Meeting

Sunday, November 22 After Morning Worship

Dearr ACC Members,

A Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, November 22, 2026, immediately following worship, to elect at least two additional members to the Nominating Committee, chaired by Vice-Moderator Tom Dean. The committee will be responsible for identifying and inviting members to serve on the 2027 Church Council.

The Annual Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, January 31, 2027, following morning worship.

Nina Harmon, Moderator

Arlington Community Church

United Church of Christ

Sat, Nov 7 • First Aid, CPR, AED Refresher Training • 10:30 AM

Sun, Nov 8 • Morning Worship W/Rev. Jen Chapman • 10:00 AM

Sun, Nov 8 • BWB Fund Benefit Concert, Hope & Repair • 4:00 PM

Mon, Nov 9 • Choir Rehearsal • 6:00 PM

Mon, Nov 9 • Bell Choir Rehearsal • 7:15 PM

Tues, Nov 10 • Checking In & Reaching Out • 11:00 AM

Weds, Nov 11 • Wrestling with Belief Workshop (zoom) • 7:00 PM

Fri, Nov 13 • Ruby Bridges Walk • 7:55 AM

Sat, Nov 14 • Focus Retreat • 9:00 AM

Sun, Nov 15 • Morning Worship W/Rev. Jen Chapman • 10:00 AM

Demystifying Detention Webinar

From Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, Tues, 11/10, 6:30pm

Demystifying Detention in California & How to Take Action Webinar

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Time: 6:30-8:00 PM

Where: Webinar via Zoom

The webinar "Demystifying Detention in California: How to Take Action!" focuses on the four facility locations in the Central Valley (Kern County) where people detained in the Bay Area are often sent. It will highlight the severe conditions inside, corporate profiteering, and the psychological and financial toll on families. We will also be sharing a screening of the film Indefinite, filmed during the 2024 Pilgrimage by Theo Rigby and hear testimonies from directly impacted individuals and those who just returned from conducting visitations. This webinar will include concrete steps for direct mutual aid and local action.

After Northern California detention sites (like Richmond, Yuba, and Rio Cosumnes) were shut down by community campaigns, ICE shifted detainees hundreds of miles away to Central Valley facilities. Private Prison Corporations, like GEO Group Inc. and CoreCivic, continue to receive hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars despite severe safety violations, pending lawsuits, and lack of local operating permits.  

This event will be led by IM4HI interns from the School of Social Welfare at UC Berkeley, and in collaboration with the student group Frontera at UC Berkeley.

Ruby Bridges Walk

Friday, November 13th, 7:55 AM

As a way to show our support of Black families in Kensington following an act of racist vandalism at Kensington Elementary, ACC has been invited to participate in the Ruby Bridges Walk on Friday morning, November 13th. At 7:55 am participants will gather at the Kensington Community Center (59 Arlington Avenue) before the school day begins and walk up the hill to school together.

A parent at Kensington Elementary and co-president of the school's African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC), Hisham Ali Bob, reached out to Pastor Jen after the incident, "Black families are a small share of our school community, and this has shaken them. Parents of kindergartners have had to explain [the n-word] to their children for the first time, and some families are asking whether Kensington is the right place for their children. Arlington Community Church has a real record of standing up for racial justice in Kensington, and we'd be grateful for your partnership.”

The Ruby Bridges Walk is an annual event honoring Ruby Bridges, one of the first Black children to integrate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. The walk promotes kindness, courage, and standing up against racism, encouraging students and communities to help create a more inclusive world.

There are two other ways we have been invited to offer our support:

• Report any information about the crime to the Kensington Police, (510) 525-7573, Case No. 2026-0230 (Check home or car camera footage from Friday afternoon, October 16, to early Monday, October 19)
• Attend the Kensington Community Services District board meeting on Thursday, Nov. 12, 7-9pm. Public comments are requested, asking to keep Case No. 2026-0230 a priority, keep patrols near Kensington Elementary, and keep families informed. You can also email a written comment to llewis@kppcsd.org. Questions? Contact Hisham Ali Bob, AAPAC Co-President, (510) 432-2173, hishamalibob@gmail.com

Racist hate has no place in our community!

Let’s take every opportunity to stand with the Black families of Kensington!

Focus Retreat: Time to RSVP!

Saturday, November 14th, 9am - 3pm

Eleanor Crump is collecting RSVP's for the Focus Retreat. Sign up on Sunday, Nov. 1st or 8th, or send her an email to let her know you're coming, and whether you have any particular dietary needs.

Our annual Focus Retreat is an opportunity to come together as a congregation, connecting and listening to God and one another as we consider again our values and vision as a church. This year, while we will spend some time on our goals, the focus will be on belonging.

How can we nurture a deeper sense of belonging for our current congregation and also make room for others to belong?

We will discuss the results of the survey, talk about our worship services and other programming, and consider the questions around connection. Then, we'll return to our goals and the projects that came out of last year's Focus Retreat, consider our progress, and determine our next steps, seeking the Spirit's guidance and help.

The Focus Retreat is for all ACC participants (in person or online, members or not!). If you would like to participate online in the Focus Retreat, please let Pastor Jen know.

The event will include lunch, and we'll be glad to accommodate your dietary needs if you let us know what you need. Please plan to join us if you can!

Food Drive with Preschools

October 13 - November 19

We’ve been invited to join our campus partners, Hearts Leap School & Kensington Nursery School, for a community food drive. Together we will be collecting canned and non-perishable foods for the West Contra Costa County Food Bank. The food drive will begin October 13th and end November 19th.

*Please note the requested items on the flyer.

You can leave your donations in the green bin located in the Narthex.

Grateful Gatherings

Monday, November 16 at 7PM (TIME CORRECTION!)

Due to special programming at ACC on the 2nd Saturday in November, our Grateful Gathering will not be at its usual time and instead will be on Monday, November 16th 7:00-8:00pm PT. This is our second Grateful Gathering and anyone interested in checking out the Gathering is welcome to join us to see whether it might be a meaningful experience for them as we meet over the course of the coming months.

There is a unique Zoom link for this November Gathering:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85327112034?pwd=OShvPupErjaP0QKbCi5Nt87l7x3Blx.1

ACC has five Boards: Endowment, Buildings and Grounds Trustees, Missions and Social Justice, Invitation and Belonging, Faith and Spiritual Life, and Worship and Care.

Would you like to know more about the good work they do to support the life of our Church? Check out their Third Quarter 2026 Board Reports.

“Wrestling with Belief”

Statement of Faith Workshop

Oct 28 - Nov 18, Wednesdays, 7pm (Zoom)

During this four week workshop, participants discuss faith and doubt, wrestle with their beliefs, and work on discerning their own personal statement of faith.

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88476371297?pwd=eN9LLahkJbRoFY70s01GLY9FW6jCaV.1

"Checking In, Reaching Out"

Tuesdays at 11 am

One way of keeping our congregation strong is by staying connected. You are invited to join us every Tuesday morning from 11:00 to noon for an hour of checking in, sharing, listening and prayer. No experience necessary. Come as you are.



Discussion Topic: Faith Essentials

What do you think is an essential belief of the Christian church and why?

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83386604560?pwd=NKBWEoAxxYpzWbDEMa5eQv89bguP3I.1

Meeting ID: 833 8660 4560

Passcode: 135381

We bid your prayers this week for:

For all those grieving lost loved ones,

For Donna, Dorothy, Helen, Ed and Lisa,

For David, who is gradually losing his memory, 

For Tony’s brother Andrew, in surgery right now,

For Rev. Kelly Colwell, pastor of First Congregational Church of Berkeley, who is battling cancer, prayers also for her wife and 2 year old daughter

For Randy, husband of Rev. Elizabeth Robinson (pastor of Orinda Community Church), who is ill with cancer.

For this congregation – may we continue to have vision, energy, patience, and a joyful spirit.

Amen.

Stay connected with the wider church through Upwellings, the weekly e-newsletter of the Northern California Nevada Conference UCC. Discover upcoming events, ministry opportunities, conference news, and stories of faith and service from congregations throughout Northern California and Nevada.

Click HERE to read the latest.

Arlington Community Church | arlingtoncommunitychurchucc.org