Week of October 25, 2026 | Issue: 755 | | This Sunday, October 25th | | |
This Sunday we will listen to ancient creeds and statements of faith from communities old and new, and from different parts of the world. We will hear each one as testimony and listen contemplatively to what resonates with our own faith and beliefs. Shira Kammen will play vielle & harp between the readings as well as an offertory piece. And our choir, directed by Jeffrey Fredrick Paul, will sing an anthem that offers a statement of faith as well. Tim K. Murphy will provide the prelude and postlude. Rev. Jen Chapman will lead the service, and Dea Harrell will serve as liturgist.
Childcare will be available during the service for children ages 2 and up.
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Budget Spectrum
This Sunday, October 25, 11:30am
| | Dudley Thompson, the ACC Treasurer, will lead a Spectrum after church. The subject will be a review of the 2026 budget through the first 10 months of the year. Several board chairs will attend to explain how their board budgets have been used. This is in preparation for the 2027 Stewardship Campaign and the development of the 2027 church budget. | | | | |
El Cerrito Senior Resource Fair
Today! Friday, October 23rd, 10AM –1PM
From Ruth Robinson
| This free event is well worth attending. You’ll be amazed by the variety and number of services right in our locale for those of us of a “certain age.” | | |
Fourth Friday Fireside Films:
Babette's Feast
Today! Friday, October 23 at 1:30 PM
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Some films you watch. This one you savor.
In a windswept village on the edge of the Danish coast, two devout sisters have lived a life of quiet self-denial. Then a mysterious Frenchwoman arrives at their door with nothing but a letter and a secret. Fourteen years later, she will set a table unlike anything the village has ever seen, and no one who sits down will leave unchanged.
Gabriel Axel's Oscar-winning masterpiece is cinema at its most luminous. Stéphane Audran gives a performance of extraordinary dignity, and the film's final act, an unhurried banquet of turtle soup, blinis, quail, and rare wines, stands among the most rapturous sequences ever put on screen.
Based on the novel by Isak Dinesen, this is a story about grace freely given, about the healing of old wounds, and about how a single act of generosity can open hearts long closed. Winner of an Academy Award and the BAFTA Award, it has inspired chefs, theologians, and artists for nearly four decades, and Pope Francis has named it one of his favorite films.
Join us for an afternoon of beauty, warmth, and wonder. Your place at the table is waiting.
Fireside Room at ACC
1:30 PM — Gourmet social; screening at 1:45 PM
Join us for lively discussion afterward
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Centering & Meditation
Tomorrow! Saturday, October 24, 10AM
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"Be still and know that I am God"
- Psalm 46:10
Please plan to join us as we gather in meditative contemplation from 10:00 until 11:00am on Saturday in the Sanctuary.
| | Racist Vandalism at Kensington Elementary | |
A parent at Kensington Elementary and co-president of the school's African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC), Hisham Ali Bob, reached out this week to share with the church about this terrible incident and ask for our support.
“Over the weekend of October 16 to 19, someone wrote a racial slur against Black people on an exterior wall at the school. Kensington Police is investigating it as a hate crime under Case No. 2026-0230, and no suspects have been identified. Black families are a small share of our school community, and this has shaken them. Parents of kindergartners have had to explain this 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 Kensington police are looking for information about the crime. Anyone who saw something or has home or car camera footage from Friday afternoon, October 16, to early Monday, October 19, can call Kensington Police at (510) 525-7573 and give Case No. 2026-0230.
As a way to show our support of Black families in Kensington, our church has been invited to participate in the Ruby Bridges Walk on Friday morning, November 13. Participants will gather at the Kensington Community Center, 59 Arlington Avenue, before the school day begins and walk up the hill to school together.
Racist hate has no place in our community! Let’s take every opportunity to stand with the Black families of Kensington!
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Beware of Fake Emails
Impersonating Church Staff
| Someone has been sending fake emails pretending to be Pastor Jen and other church staff members. These messages may seem friendly and harmless at first, but they could be attempts to gain your trust before asking for money, gift cards, personal information, or favors. |
How to Protect Yourself
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Check the sender's email address. A familiar name does not mean the email is genuine.
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Be cautious of unexpected messages. Scammers may start with a friendly greeting before making a request.
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Never send money or buy gift cards in response to an unexpected email without verifying the request.
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Don't click suspicious links or open unexpected attachments.
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When in doubt, check with us first. Contact the staff member directly using a phone number or email address you already know is correct.
Scammers can fool anyone, so there is no need to feel embarrassed if you receive one of these messages. If you receive a suspicious email, please don't respond. Contact the church office if you have questions.
When in doubt, pause and check before responding. Thank you for helping keep our church community safe!
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Pastor-Parish Relations
Meeting on Sunday, November 1
| The Pastor-Parish Relations Committee will meet Sunday November 1st after worship. We celebrate all the things that are going well for Jen and for the congregation, and if there are areas that need adjustment, we talk about possible solutions. Of course you are always encouraged to go directly to Jen with your compliments or your concerns. But if you have a comment or question that you would prefer the committee to share, feel free to speak to Tom Dean, Rachel Sing, or Sara Laferte. | Donna Barnes has an older cat that used to be affectionate but now bites and scratches Donna. Her daughter, Monica, would like to rehome the cat. If anyone is interested, please contact Monica, Susan Wooten, or the church office. | |
Congregational Survey
Open through October 25th
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THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, IS THE LAST DAY
TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY!
This survey is for all who attend ACC, whether occasionally or regularly. We want to hear from our current congregation, as well as those who stop in from time to time. All entries are anonymous.
The results of the survey will be used by Pastor Jen, the Committee of Ministries, the Worship Planning Team, and participating boards as we plan worship and programs for ACC. We will also review survey results together during the Focus Retreat, coming up on Nov. 14th.
| Annual Giving Commitments | |
Letters and pledge cards to all ACC members.
If you have not received it, please contact the church office.
You do not have to be a member of the church to make a giving commitment. We cherish all participants and your generosity! If you would like a pledge card, you can pick them up from the table in the narthex. If you can't find them, ask an usher or Pastor Jen to help you locate a card.
Commitment Cards can be put in the offering plate any Sunday. We will celebrate and bless our commitments on Sunday, Nov. 1st.
Thank you for prayerfully and thoughtfully considering your giving!
If you would like to learn more about how our church finances are used and managed, please attend our Budget Spectrum!
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Focus Retreat
Saturday, November 14th, 9am - 3pm
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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 to 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!
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Fri, Oct 23 • Fireside Films: Babette's Feast • 1:30 PM
Sat, Oct 24 • Centering & Meditation • 1:30 PM
Sun, Oct 25 • Morning Worship W/Rev. Jen Chapman • 10:00 AM
Mon, Oct 26 • Choir Rehearsal • 6:00 PM
Mon, Oct 26 • Bell Choir Rehearsal • 7:15 PM
Tues, Oct 27 • Checking In & Reaching Out • 11:00 AM
Weds, Oct 28 • Wrestling with Belief Workshop (zoom) • 7:00 PM
Thurs, Oct 29 • Souper Center Sandwiches • 9:00 AM
Sun, Nov 1 • Morning Worship W/Rev. Jen Chapman • 10:00 AM
Sun, Nov 1 • Pastor-Parish Relations Committee • 11:30 AM
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Souper Center Sandwiches
Wednesday, October 29 9am
| Teams make sandwiches at ACC for the GRIP SOUPER CENTER in Richmond every 3rd Tuesday and 5th Thursday of the month. If you’d like to participate sometime, email Julie Stokstad. | |
“Wrestling with Belief”
Statement of Faith Workshop
Oct 28 - Nov 18, Wednesdays, 7pm (Zoom)
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Alongside the sermon series, Pastor Jen will offer a four-week workshop for those who would like to consider working out their own personal statement of faith. The goal is get a better grasp of what you believe right now, not to make any long term commitments! Beliefs sometimes change, but the hope of this workshop is to find a faith you can stand on for the time being.
On the second Sunday of the “Finding Faith” sermon series, we’ll listen to readings of statements of faith from various communities, and in our first workshop session, Pastor Jen will share her own. We’ll discuss what resonates (and what doesn’t!), and each participant will choose a statement of faith (or a few) to modify and make their own. During our final session, we’ll look at what beliefs we share, crafting a shared statement of faith, to see what we can stand on together!
The workshop sessions will be held on Zoom on Wednesday evenings at 7pm, from October 28th through November 18th.
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First Aid, CPR, AED Refresher Training
Saturday, November 7, 10:30-noon in the Social Hall
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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.
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Black Wealth Builders Benefit Concert
Hope & Repair
Sunday November 8 at 4PM
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"Voices in harmony, building futures together."
Mark your calendar for an evening of spirituals benefiting the Black Wealth Builder's Fund. Hosted by Epworth UMC in partnership with Arlington Community Church, Kensington. Reception to follow.
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Food Drive with Preschools
October 13 - November 19
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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 requeted items on the flyer.
You can leave your donations in the green bin located in the Narthex.
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Fall Sermon Series: Finding Faith
Oct 18 - Nov 22
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What is faith? How do we find it? What does it mean to be a non-creedal church? And does it really matter what any of us believe? During this six-week series we’ll dig deep into questions of faith and doubt. We’ll consider the value of a “statement of faith” and wrestle with what we believe, sifting and mining for what shines true.
Oct 18 - “We Believe?”
Exploring the meaning of belief, orthodoxy vs. orthopraxy, and the value of claiming a statement of faith
Oct 25 - Listening & Sifting
Contemplatively listening to Statements of Faith from various communities, old and new
Nov 1 - Remembering the Faithful
All Saints Sunday; Finding faith and belief in the Beatitudes
Nov 8 - Shifts & Shakes
Losing faith and finding it again, exploring the grief of lost faith and the hope of rebuilding
Nov 15 - Together
Considering the connection between faith & belonging in light of the Good Shepherd
Nov 22 - Faith, Hope & Love
Returning to the the foundation of what faith is for
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"Checking In, Reaching Out"
Tuesdays at 11 am
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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: Gardens of Faith
If your faith was a garden, full of beliefs planted throughout your life, who are some of the people and communities who planted them?
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83386604560?pwd=NKBWEoAxxYpzWbDEMa5eQv89bguP3I.1
Meeting ID: 833 8660 4560
Passcode: 135381
| | This Week's Prayer Circle | | |
We bid your prayers this week for:
A prayer of gratitude for my church family and friends who visited Ed while I was away. Thank you for your love and caring.
A prayer of gratitude from Chris and for Dave, who is losing his memory,
… for the soul of my friend Terry S, who died recently.
… for a co-worker who lost her mother recently.
…for my friend Bob M., going through therapy for pancreatic cancer,
… for our son Tom,
… that my strength would be restored,
… for comfort and healing for Helen, Dorothy, Donna, Ed and Lisa,
… for our friend Vanessa C, in heavy chemotherapy,
… for all church members and their families through the various challenges they face, and for my mother, who is declining rapidly. I am grateful for our children Whit and Kara, who bring huge blessings.
… for our congregation – may we have vision, hope, patience, and a joyful spirit,
… for positive change in our nation and in the world.
Amen.
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| | ACC Full Calendar of Events | | |
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.
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