See you for Sunday’s Sermon!

Hey Church … Happy Thursday!

I certainly hope that you are enjoying a great week without any complaints or complications. The weather outside makes me want to go “play.” I want to thank everyone who made worship a meaningful time on Sunday. I love that passage so much …

“God has shown you what God requires. Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.”—Micah 6-8.

Don’t be surprised as you hear this verse many times in our new year. For me, I will read and use this amazing verse like I use my stoles on Sunday morning, as a constant reminder of my call. Maybe we can all relax a bit and not over-think what God would have us do and be. Micah laid it out pretty clearly.

I also want to give a shout out to all of our amazing church leadership. Thank you for the work you did that made our Annual Congregational Meeting, informative, fun and … brief. I got to my Sunday nap earlier than I expected.

Sunday morning, we will head back to Matthew’s Gospel. You will recognize the passage right off. “You are the Light of the world and the salt of the earth.” I hope you and your family will make an extra effort to be in worship this week. The title of my talk will be: “Seasoned and Seen.” I love being you pastor!

Holding you close and lifting you high!

Pastor Greg

Groundhog Day

One of my favorite holidays happened this week, Groundhog’s Day! I’ve always had a weird fascination with it and hearing what the groundhog will tell us about winter even though we don’t really have winters in San Diego. I loved the movie with Bill Murray when I was a kid and then my youngest, Eden was born on Groundhog’s Day.

One of the things the day reminds me of is that there are seasons in life, but we never know the exact lengths of those seasons. Sometimes we want to transition from a hard season, but it takes longer than expected or we want to stay in a season longer, but it feels like it ends too soon.

What season are you in right now? Are you hoping it lasts? That it ends soon? What can you receive from that season even if it’s a hard one while still knowing “this too shall pass?” We serve a God who is with us in whatever season and that is worth sing God’s praise about!

Blood Drive -Blood shortage

Right now, hospitals across the country are facing a severe and worsening blood shortage, with national supplies dropping 35% in the last month. This drop is due to winter storms, widespread flu, and hundreds of cancelled blood drives. The shortage is putting patients at risk. People undergoing surgery, cancer treatment, trauma care, childbirth and chronic illness all depend on donated blood to survive.

If you are a regular donor, thank you. If you are unable to donate, for whatever reason, mention our drive to a neighbor, or a coworker. Maybe they'd like to donate in your name.

* As an incentive, the Red Cross is offering a $20 e gift card for donations made between January 26-February 28.

The CCP drive is February 12, 2026, 11:00 am-5:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall.

See the flyer for more detail or email sgurriell@gmail.com.

Ash Wednesday 2026

February 18, 2026

Ready or not … it is time to prepare for Lent and to affirm our place once again, in God’s world. Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 8th, we will gather in the fellowship hall for a brown bag lunch, a time of reflection and song, ending with Communion and the imposition of ashes. It will be a very informal gathering and everyone is encouraged to be a part. The first Sunday in Lent is February 22nd.

Lent 2026

“Close Encounters of the Jesus Kind”

A journey through the Holy Encounters of Christ

Small group gatherings on Tuesday at 12 noon, and Wednesday at 5:00 p.m.in the Fireside Room, beginning Tuesday, Feb. 24th. For the Tuesday gathering, feel free to bring your brown bag lunch, or treats to share. Hope to see you at one of the gatherings.

Ash Wednesday

February 18th, 2026

12 noon, Brown Bag Lunch, readings, singing, communion and the imposition of Ashes.

Hope to see you there.

Interfaith Shelter Network

Interfaith Shelter Network has several guests, currently ten, who face situational homelessness and are provided temporary shelter by houses of worship around San Diego. Now, they’ll be our neighbors in Poway for the first two weeks of February. We will help by bringing hot dinner, breakfast items, and sack lunches on Wednesday evening, February 11th, to St Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church (16275 Pomerado Rd, Poway) (exact time TBD) at 6pm. To bring an item, sign up in the fellowship hall or contact Autumn; even better if you can stay as well and enjoy the dinner with guests and volunteers. Or, you can drop the food off at Community Church of Poway by 5:30pm.

They also have a need for overnight chaperones to make sure everything is okay. All you have to do is sleep in a heated office or your own camper and enjoy free dinner and breakfast. Sign up here.

Let Autumn know if you need transportation for yourself or the food, or have other questions: autumnhankinson4@gmail.com.

Help support our Guatemala Team!

We have a group of volunteers going to work in Guatemala with Fundamaya leaving March 6th. Our CCP Outreach is asking our congregation to help support this service trip. Donations of children’s new or gently used preschool sizes 10 to 2 shoes, preschool size socks and adult reading glasses, are what is needed.

Also, during January and February you can also donate money as the Outreach special offering. Please make a note that the money is for the Fundamaya service trip. The team also appreciates your prayers! If you need any further information you can contact Mary Jo Longo or Colleen Clementson.

Books & More

Books and More will start reading Once There Were Wolves on Tuesday, January 27. The author Charlotte McConaghy imparts the suggestion that we may yet be able to reclaim what has been lost — a world in which we are all kinder to the planet, ourselves, and each other. This is the unforgettable story of a woman desperate to save the creatures she loves―if she isn't consumed by a wild that was once her refuge.

Everyone is welcome to join this wonderful group of ladies every Tuesday in the Fireside Room at 10 a.m.

Thank you for checking out our BUZZ! Here is what you were waiting for! If you have a favorite joke or any tips to make the BUZZ even better, please send emails to julie@ccpucc.org :)

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