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THE WEEKLY E-PISTLE
News & Updates
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SERVING THIS SUNDAY
Celebrant: Rev. Matthew McDermott
Preacher: Rev. Matthew McDermott
Deacon: Rev. Lauren P. McCombs
Organist: Lauren Wittine
Acolyte:
Altar Guild: Sarah Halsey
Greeter: Liz Laderman
Usher: Paul Lovoi
Lesson: Ruth Ann Wrucke
Epistle: Paul Lovoi
Intercessor: Lenore Lovoi
LEM: Chris Creed
Audio-Visual: Angela Hey, Lincoln M., Eamon M.
Flowers: Pam Kaufmann
Coffee Hour: Ruth Ann Wrucke
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Sunday, October 18
Church Service 10:00 am
Coffee hour 11:00 am
A conversation on Belonging 2:00 pm
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
All American Organ Recital 3:00 pm
Celebrating America 250
Followed by a Reception
Tuesday, October 20
Voices in the Valley Presents:
Barbara Creed 10:30 am
Will the court come to order?
Wednesday, October 21
Women's Spirituality 10:00 am
Thursday, October 22
Community Dinner 6:00 pm
Children's choir rehearsal 6:30 pm
Adult choir rehearsal 7:30 pm
Celebrations
Birthdays:
Lilly Mallinckrodt, Tricia Christensen,
Chet Wrucke
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Pray for the special needs of our congregation and lift up the following individuals to God in prayer:
Remembrance
Dale Perkins, Robert Avery
Healing
Suzy Redfern-West, Courtney Terwilliger, Ward Paine, Barbara Creed, Chet Wrucke, Trish, Allison Grey, Steve Millard, Rev. Davidson Bidwell-Waite, John Terwilliger, Lisa Bonfield, Stannye Llewellyn, Bruce McCombs, Dede Jamison, George Mallinckrodt, Peggy Dubes
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IMPORTANT NOTICE
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Last Chance to Sign Up!
Night of Light Gala
October 17, 2026 at 6:00PM
Julia Morgan Ballroom, 465 California Street, San Francisco
Join us for the gala of the year as you support our mission of a Bay Area where all our neighbors have access to the opportunities and resources they need to thrive.
Night of Light Attire Inspiration
Disco Glam: Bring your cocktail best with a hint of Studio 54, sequins, metallic fabrics, velvet, bold prints, or anything that catches the light. Dress to dance!
Celebrating Our Community
Pull on your velvet flares, platform heels or sequined bell bottoms as you Bump, Hustle or do the Disco Finger on the dance floor. You’ll be groovin’ for good since we will be raising money for housing security and a pathway out
of poverty for kids, families and young adults. Get your $400 tickets at
www.episcopalimpact.org. There are many wonderful auction items, including a case of Kingston Vineyards 2019 Pinot Noir from the Pflaum Family. You can bid at eifund2026.ggo.bid. We are so appreciative of the Episcopal Impact Fund for helping fund our Coast House dinner program.
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St. Mark's Becoming Beloved Community Speaker Series
Community, Faith & Racial Justice
Beyond the Divide: A Conversation on Belonging
Prof. john a. powell in conversation with Prof. Margalynne Armstrong
Sunday, October 18 at 2:00 pm
Parish Hall
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Palo Alto
600 Colorado Ave., Palo Alto
Please join us for the next installment of our speaker series.
jon a. powell is Professor of Law, African American Studies and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley and the Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute.
The Institute’s focus is on addressing the exclusion, marginalization and structural inequality of groups – what they call othering – by creating an environment of fairness, justice and care for the earth – what they call belonging.
john will speak about their approach and how best to bridge this divide, after which he will be interviewed by Margalynne Armstrong, Associate Professor of Law at
Santa Clara University.
Prof. powell has authored several books, including The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where we all Belong , which will be available for sale at the event.
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Grace Cathedral:
AURA
Select evenings through the summer.
Experience Grace Cathedral in a new light. AURA is an immersive sound and light installation that transforms the cathedral into a space for reflection, wonder, and contemplation.
Visitors are invited to explore the cathedral at their own pace while surrounded by music and luminous artwork.
For dates, tickets, and additional information, visit www.auragracecathedral.com
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VOICES IN THE VALLEY SPEAKER SERIES
Featuring
Barbara Creed
Will The Court Come To Order?
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RSVP For our Community Dinner!
Our Community Dinner is
Thursday, October 22 at 6:00 pm
This month's theme is
"All Hallows' Eve: sharing ways we make meaning"
Do you know the Christian roots of Halloween? Do you know that Dia de los Muertos lasts longer than one day? Come to eat together and share stories. Costumes and creepy-themed food to share are encouraged.
Gently used costumes will be collected to donate to our neighbors for their use this season.
All are welcome!
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Requiem Eucharist with
The Evensong Choir and Orchestra for All Souls’ Day
Sunday, November 1, 5:00 p.m.
The choirs of Christ Church Los Altos, Christ Church Portola Valley, St. Bede’s Menlo Park, and St. Mark’s Palo Alto will present Gabriel Fauré’s exquisite Requiem in a Eucharist for the Eve of All Souls’ Day at St. Mark’s, 600 Colorado Ave., Palo Alto. As part of the liturgy, names of departed loved ones will be read out by the clergy. Please use this form to add persons to be remembered. (You may also add a memorial donation toward the cost of the orchestra, which is over $3,000.)
| | Join Deacon Lauren for a Second Harvest Fundraiser | | Tickets On Sale Now: The Christmas Banquet 2026! | |
Tickets on sale now for our annual Christmas Banquet!
Buy 1 adult ticket for $75 or 2 for $140. Children's tickets for dinner and childcare are $35 each.
Invite a friend!
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Women’s Spirituality Group meets on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 am to 11:30 am via Zoom.
Our next book is "Living the Questions: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity" by David M. Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy.
Past books from our study are available in the church library under the Women’s Spirituality section, and all are welcome to borrow and continue exploring our shared readings.
Contact Mary Jennings at emjennings@aol.com for more information.
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SpiritCare Visit with Seniors: Singers, readers and hand-holders are needed on Sunday October 18th at Menlo Oaks Memory Care for a musical program about life journeys and walking with God. Amazing Grace! In honor of St Francis and the Blessing of the Animals, we will celebrate "All Creatures Great and Small." Contact Angela Hey.
Need Toiletries and T-shirts for Life Moves Navigation Center - 240 people have a warm bed and meals each night in Redwood City's Navigation Center. But they urgently need body wash, toothpaste and shampoo. 75 body wash and 45 toothpaste delivered but we are finishing it up this week. Clean T-shirts are needed too. Can you help? Bring items to the marked bin in the breezeway. Cash donations also welcome. Contact Kathy Kennedy.
Crop Walk Walkers Needed: On Sunday October 25th "walkers" from many churches will be gathering at St. Raymond's Church in Menlo Park for the CROP walk, a fund-raiser for Church World Services and Second Harvest. We are putting together a Christ Church walking team. Contact Kathy Kennedy to join.
Coast House dinner is postponed until early November. Contact Ruth Ann Wrucke to volunteer.
For the Veterans: For Veteran's Day (11/11) we are collecting toiletries, undies, socks, laundry supplies and cleaning supplies for the 39 vets living at Life Moves Eleven-Eleven shelter in San Carlos. View the Signup Genius at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094FA8AE2DA13-66771117-forthe and then bring any donations to the marked box in the breezeway by Sunday November 8th. Contact Carol Wentworth.
15K Rise Against Hunger Meals have Shipped: They are enroute to the Philippines. In the past two months the Philippines was devastated by widespread flooding and massive landslides triggered by the heavily intensified Southwest Monsoon. Five tropical cyclones have hit the northern and central regions, leaving a massive trail of devastation. 9.6 million people are affected across 10 regions. Our meals will help. Thank you!!
Collecting for Palo Alto Food Closet - Cut SNAP benefits particularly impact the homeless, veterans and newly emancipated foster kids. They need canned food (meat, veggies, soup/stews), beverages (hot chocolate packets, apple cider packets, instant coffee), pasta, oatmeal and miscellaneous items like grocery bags with handles, paper towels and sandwich sized ziplock bags. Bring items to the marked bin in the breezeway.
Hoptel: Provide hotel or full-sized toiletries, new men's undies (L/XL) and new men's socks every 90 days to this special short-term veteran's shelter in EPA. Put items in the marked box in the breezeway.
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Our next Baptisms will take place on Sunday, November 1 during our All Saints' Day service.
Are you or someone you know interested in baptism?
Please speak with a member of the clergy to partake in the sacrament this November!
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Hear ye! Hear ye!
The 177th Convention of the Diocese of California is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, through Saturday, Oct. 24 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
Our business meeting as a Convention is public, so we are preparing to welcome guests and visitors as well as share a livestream of the proceedings.
🎉 Thank you! We are excited to announce that every congregation has reported their delegates for this year’s Convention ahead of the deadline!
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Volunteers Needed: Coffee Hour Clean-Up
After Sunday service, we gather in the Parish Hall for coffee, treats, and fellowship, a special time to connect with our church family.
We need a few volunteers to help put tables and chairs away after Coffee Hour. Lending a hand ensures our Parish Hall is prepared for the week ahead.
Just pitch in after Coffee Hour, your assistance is greatly appreciated!
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Forward Day-by-Day Daily Devotions
The August - October small and large format booklets are available in the church and the office, or email Chantal ( admin@ccpvw.org ) to have one mailed to you.
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Carillon Preschool
Open Enrollment 2026-2027
Book a Tour Today!
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Sunday Morning Ride From the Sequoias to Christ Church
Rides are now provided by The Sequoias at 9:30 AM on Sundays with a return pickup time at 11:30. Contact the Sequoias Transportation Department at X4117 or sign up in the transportation binder.
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Important Notice
Phishing Scam Alert
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We want to make you aware of a recent increase in phishing scams targeting members of faith communities, including ours. In these scams, individuals impersonate church leaders by sending fraudulent emails or text messages requesting gift cards, money, or personal favors.
Please know: These messages are scams. No one from Christ Church, will ever request gift cards or cash from you via text or email.
If you receive a suspicious message, do not respond. Instead, contact the church office directly to verify its authenticity.
Thank you for your vigilance and continued care for one another.
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Senior Warden: Lena Perkins
Co-Junior Wardens: Paul Lovoi and Ruth Ann Wrucke
Betsy Alexander
Sarah Halsey
Andy Pflaum
Mercer Stronck
If you wish to contact our vestry members, please contact Chantal
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A Request
Dear family and friends,
I create and assemble this online newsletter.
Submission deadline for this newsletter is Monday at noon, otherwise articles may need to be published the following week.
Many thanks,
Chantal with a smile
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Book affiliate links benefit Christ Church
Christ Church Portola Valley & Woodside | ccpvw.org
Carillon School | carillonschool.org
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