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Dear CCNC-N Disciples...WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN THIS ISSUE:
"WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO CHURCH WITH ME?" SUNDAY
THIS SUNDAY, PALM SUNDAY- April 1
It's not too late to invite neighbors, friends, family, your Starbucks barista, your hair dresser, your tax accountant, your grocery clerk, etc. etc.!!
DO IT TODAY!!!
Check out the bulletin/newsletter inserts with information and the wonderful Holy Week brochure available to give as part of your invitatio n: www.ccncn.org
...REGISTER NOW for 2012 Annual Meeting
Look at how close to we are to 300 and we know of more coming in yet!
288 registered.
...Silent Auction at Annual Meeting hopes to raise $5,000!
...Check out the flyer for Pre-Annual Meeting Event
...Youth planning to attend...if not staying with your family, you MUST contact Carl Cordes to reserve space in the reserved youth rooms.
...Y oung Adults planning to attend...you MUST contact Ben to reserve space in the reserved young adult rooms.
THE NGOKAS ARE COMING...THE NGOKAS ARE COMING!!
GEORGES AND GERTRUDE WILL BE WITH US AT ANNUAL MEETING!! HALLELUJAH!
EASTER OFFERING RECEIVED IN MOST CHURCHES APRIL 1 AND 8
SEE ALL THE DETAILS FOR 2012 SUMMER CAMPS
...Registration forms
...Health forms
...Counselor application forms
...Scholarship forms
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 2012 ANNUAL MEETINGApril 20-22 New location, Sofitel in Redwood City
PLEASE NOTE ALL FORMS FOR ANNUAL MEETING ARE AT ONE PLACE NOW: www.ccncn.org
Special attention to four of those forms:
1. PRE-EVENT with Jerry Lang of Christian Church Foundation. "Blessing Generation to Generation"
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE VERY LOW ATTENDANCE FOR THIS EVENT...AND SUCH AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO HELP YOUR CHURCH...EVERY CHURCH SHOULD BE SENDING AT LEAST ONE PERSON!
How to help your church educate your membership on ways to encourage bequests, wills, and legacy gifts. Pastors...do you know how to do this???
2. BE PART OF 40 VOICE CHOIR!
MUSIC HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR 30 ALREADY REGISTERED...YOU CAN STILL REGISTER AND SHARE MUSIC WITH SOMEONE!
Calling all singers to sign up for the Annual Meeting Mass Choir under the direction of Michael Patch, Choir Director at Lafayette CC. Look for the registration forms at www.ccncn.org. We are asking for a $5.00 donation to cover the cost of the music which you will keep for yourself.
3. SPECIAL MUSIC WORKSHOP-WE NOW HAVE 21 REGISTERED
Saturday afternoon 12:45-2:45 p.m.
You can still attend but will share music and cost is $8.00, but you will not have music to take home. (This is different than singing in the choir)
4. THEMED BASKET SILENT AUCTION
We now have an I-PAD2 Basket coming as part of the 15 promised baskets, but we are looking for 15 more! Just arrived "Love Bears All Things" basket!
PLEASE LET US KNOW OF YOUR PLANS TO BRING A BASKET SO WE CAN BE PREPARED WITH TABLE SPACE.
The baskets will be available all day in the main meeting room for your bids.
Because there will be no Mission Action Auction Dinners this year, and that raised $10,000 to support our regional budget last year, we plan to have some fun with a minimum of 30 themed baskets for people to bid on throughout Saturday at Annual Meeting. We need churches, women's groups, men's groups, youth groups, etc. to complete the form and bring a fun basket with hopes of raising $5,000 in this way.
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Our Global Mission Partnership with the Republic of Congo Is Coming Alive! Materials are available at www.ccncn.org.
HOORAY! HALLELUJAH! LAST MONDAY, GEORGE AND GERTRUDE NGOKA COMPLETED THEIR INTERVIEW WITH THE U.S. EMBASSY AND WERE GRANTED THEIR VISAS TO COME TO AMERICA!!!!!!
Our Regional Republic of Congo Visitation Team will now swing into full mode in order to complete final details of their visit. How can you help?
...Do you know of any French interpreters who might work with them for a few days?
...If you have funds to send to support this visit, please send them now as we have a good ways to go to reach our $16,000 goal.
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PLEASSE NOTE THE DEADLINE FOR VIDEO SUBMISSIONS IS APRIL 1 which is this Sunday. We would take a new submission on Monday, April 2.
We hope to have more than 3 videos!
Are you wondering about entering this contest and making a video OR are you sure you just could never do it?? So, the Ministry Council and the Urban Shepherd Christian Church, Modesto, put together this fun video to promote this "Our Church Rocks" Video Contest. Watch, laugh, enjoy and make that video! http://youtu.be/UX0p8SsY3vIhis
1st prize- $250; 2nd prize- $150; 3rd prize-$100
All the details are at www.ccncn.org
If you want to see what we are talking about, take a look at what FCC Selma youth and young adults have done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzpTeJpdaSQ
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EASTER OFFERING IS RECEIVED IN MOST CONGREGATIONS ON EITHER PALM SUNDAY OR EASTER.
From the doorsteps of your congregation to the ends of the earth, the General Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) resource congregations for mission. The 2012 Easter Offering provides 20-25% of the annual funding for General Ministries.
The General Ministries serve on your behalf around the globe:
...In Central America, the Church has long-term partnerships for theological education, and agricultural and medical training.
...In Africa, which is among our largest global presence, there are more members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo than in the US and Canada.
...In Southeast Asia, our missionaries operate after-school programs keeping children from being sold into the sex trade.
These ministries and many more around the globe are dependent on your generosity. Your congregation connects daily to partners to provide education, medical, social and sustainable development resources in over 190 countries! Your Easter Offering gifts provide critical presence, meeting God's people at the place of deepest need.
In the United States and Canada:
...your financial support provides leadership to congregations seeking missional assessments and strategic planning.
...Your gifts provide resources to bring together college students and young adults for leadership training and development where the students learn, but also help direct the future of the church through honest conversation about cultural and generational relevancy.
...Your gifts provide supplemental pension payments to clergy who served in the mission field or small congregations and whose retirement benefits are insufficient to keep them above the poverty level.
...Your gift provides a safe and stable environment for developmentally disabled adults and children in foster care transition.
...Your gifts bring life and resource your congregation for mission!
The General Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are YOUR partners in mission, resourcing and equipping congregations for ministry. YOUR gift to the Easter Offering provides vital support of a critical common witness! Together, we are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world!
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 HOT NEWS
CHURCHES TO HOLD IN PRAYER
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Congregation to pray for this week:Bethel Christian Church, Alameda; East Bay Area; Pastor, Moon Lee.
Congregation to pray for this week: First Christian Church, Alameda; East Bay Area; Pastor, Fred Williams, Associate Pastor, Gloria Johnson-Wilson.
We will feature two congregations in each edition of the eNews. Please pray for their vitality, spiritual and numerical growth, their commitment to serving their neighborhood and their openness to the Spirit of God calling them into ministry in the 21st century.
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WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE REGION????
2012 Summer Camp Dates-Registration materials now ready!!
Mailed to all churches last week and available at www.ccncn.org
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Light the Darkness
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Here's the really good news- cost has gone DOWN but only if received on early bird basis with adequate advance payment! Be sure to check out the Scholarship application deadline as well! (All camps will be held at CGC except SSJ which will be at Camp Pacifica)
- Adult Camp June 7-10
- ChiRho/Junior Camp June 24-30
- CYF Camp July 1-7, 2012
- Grandparents & Me I June 30-July 2
- Grandparents and Me II July 4-6
- South San Joaquin June 24-29
Please note a couple of changes on the Grandparents and Me hard copy forms that were mailed out to the churches:
... Sunday departure time is 11:30 am
... Deadline for Balance due payment is June 15, 2012
We regret this error and hope you are catching it now.
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1. 2012 Year of Evangelism now ready to launch the next two special emphases of this year. What great opportunities await!
..."1,000+ People Praying" will be launched at Annual Meeting when those present will be asked to commit to three months of a daily prayer time around strenghtening for the work of evangelism. A beautiful prayer bookmark will be given to each one who makes a commitment. The program will then go throughout all our churches-bookmarks available to everyone. Materials and order forms were mailed to all churches this week and are available at www.ccncn.org
...Doable Evangelism Workshops will be held in four locations around the Region. Led by Randy Siever, Commissioned Disciples Minister from FCC Sparks, NV, and nationaly known for this evangelism teaching and training, will lead these 6 hour workshops. Here are dates and places:
- May 12- FCC Sacrameto
- May 19- United CC, Fresno
- June 16- Lafayette CC
- June 23- FCC Palo Alto (co-hosted by Sinapi Seed Fellowship and Walking Faith CC).
Our goal is 50 people at each event-200 total!
Registration forms were mailed to all churches this week and are available at www.ccncn.org
2. ANNOUNCING... Women's Breakfast at Annual Meeting
Drop in to Suie 325 between 7:30 and 8:30am for a Continental breakfast for women of all ages hosted by the Regional Women's Ministries Mission Cluster.
Learn about exciting upcoming events and programs sponsored by Women's Ministries such as the Human Trafficking Awareness day on May 12 in Oakland and Fall Retreat at Mission Springs Sept. 14-16 with Amy Gopp.
Check us out on our Facebook page "Doc Wisdom"
Thank you! From Denise Turner, Moderator of Women's Ministries Council
3. Sparks FCC is very excited about their upcoming All Church Family Retreat, at the Community of the Great Commission May 4-6, 2012. They are excited to welcome Disciples from across the Region to join them for a weekend of fun, community and learning (Discover your Spiritual Gifts)! There will be activities for kids as well as adults. If interested email Sandy Siever at rosebg@charter.net for more information or you can find a registration form: http://www.sparksfirstchristianchurch.org/SpecialEvents2.html
4. Make plans now for a really BIG Work Weekend at Community of the Great Commission, April 13-15.
We could always use help with a variety of projects. We will join the hard working folks from the Music Camp and another new camp to make for significant work being done! Contact Tina Heck at 530-265-6636.
5. Ever been on a CROP walk?
Well on April 28th and 29th, your chance is here. The Bay Area is having 11 different walks. From Oakland and Pleasanton on Saturday, to Alameda, Berkeley, East County (Pittsburg and Antioch), Fremont, Marin, San Francisco, Sonoma, South Bay & Peninsula in San Jose, and Vallejo on Sunday. Wow, what a great opportunity to get involved and have fun in doing it. It is also a way to support some local agencies as well as Church World Service. Many Disciple churches are involved in these events. If your church is not, well here is your chance. Go to www.BayAreaHungerWalk.org and click on the city of your choice.
(We celebrate that the Regional Director for Church World Service, who coordinates all these and many other CROP Walks in CA and AZ, is Disciples clergyman, Vy Nguyen, member at at FCC Oakland)
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| REGIONAL STAFF NEWS
The Regional Office will be closed on Good Friday, April 6.
Ben has returned from his visit to Lynchburg College with great joy in seeing some of his former church members from 1966-68 and from very positive responses to the two lectures he delivered at LC. He leaves Palm Sunday morning with our Regional Mission Team for Joplin, MO and will be there all week long. He will be checking e-mail and voice mail through the week but anything that can wait until after Holy Week is appreciated.
Sorry to hear that Yolanda has a fairly mild case of pneumonia but has been confined to bed for a couple of days hoping some powerful antibiotics will address the situation. If not, her doctor will place her in the hospital for a few days. Keep her in your prayers.
Kyung Min Daniel Lee is seeking your prayers for his nearly 17 year old daughter, Danielle, who was recently bitten by a spider which caused a very serious infection, however, she is home now and doing much better. You can send cards to her at: 3422 Flora Vista Avenue, Santa Clara, 95051.
The Regional Executive Committee has asked that you save the date of Saturday, October 20 for a Celebration of Ben's Ministry. Exact time and place to be announced later.
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GUEST DEVOTIONAL
By Carl Cordes, Director of Youth Ministries
 When I look around the region and the friends that I have, there is only one thing I can do....smile!
From a book of wisdom I have been reading: "If I have learned anything during my journey on Planet Earth, it is that people need one another. The presence of other people is essential--caring people, helpful people, interesting people, friendly people, thoughtful people."
And I would like to add one more, people who love to laugh. Ever been in a movie theatre all by yourself? Well, I have. It was a movie called "Pitch Black" and if you are not familiar with this movie, well, it is a science fiction movie with creatures who eat people in the dark. Sounds like a real "laugher." That is what I did, at some scenes. It made me feel great, even though most of the cast had been eaten by the end of the movie. My point is laughing is a great way to reach into your mind and release some great energy. I also know many people who like to laugh.
This region is full of so many people who love life and really want to do something about helping our communities and our churches. So why is it so difficult? With all these friendly, thoughtful, helpful, interesting people who love to laugh, you would think it would be easy. Well it is! We just over think everything. I think the greatest things happen simply. Jesus put it down simply, take the beatitudes; from Matthew 5:5 (The Message (MSG) "You're blessed when you're content with just who you are-no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought." Wow, isn't this simple. The Bible is full of things like this. Oh yea and it is full of really tuff stuff, also. But if we take all the simple things and make it our lives, things well happen.
The idea of just asking someone to church can be very freighting,  but on the other hand, it's such a simple thing. "Would you like to come to church with me?" Nine simple words, with big rewards. Like laughing at a movie, the simple things will lead to great things. Try it sometime.
Hope your Easter season is full of joy and family fun!
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UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
Per requests around the region,
here is a listing of regional meetings
and events over the next 30 days or so.
We do not put the dates of local church
events here as we never could get them
all and we would always miss some!
MARCH
31- Joplin Holy Week Mission Trip Orienation with flight out to Kansas City on Palm Sunday morning and return on Holy Saturday.
AFRICAN DINNERS ALL AROUND THE REGION IN EVERY CHURCH
DATE SET TO MEET YOUR CHURCH'S CALENDAR
APRIL
1- Palm Sunday and Holy Week begins
"Won't You Come to Church with Me" Sunday
5- Maundy Thursday
6- Good Friday
7-Holy Saturday
8-Easter Sunday
11- Annual Meeting Committee FCC Vallejo 6:00 pm
15- UDF Lecture at First Congregational Church, San Jose 3:30 pm
12- Serra Center Board Meeting FCC Fremont building 6:00 pm
20-22 - Annual Meeting- Hotel Sofitel
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CELEBRATIONS & PRAYERS
CELEBRATIONS
Do you wonder sometimes: what do those folks in the regional office really do?
(Come spend a day with us sometime and you will be amazed!)
This week and next are devoted to the huge task of preparing the Annual Meeting Progam Booklet and the very large House of Representatives delegate packet.
New Members as reported: Sierra CC, Loomis (1 adult transfer)
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CONCERNS
We have been very saddened to receive the news that 103 year old Elizabeth Stolp, very long time leader at FCC Chico and ardent supporter of regional ministry, was taken to the hospital in Chico last week-end with congestive heart failure. She is very weak, in hospice, and is in the final days of her life. You can send cards to her and her family care of her son: Fred Stolp, 2911 Grainland Road, Durham 95938.
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Tough news for Teresa Fraticelli, Lafayette CC, who was recently released from Stanford Hospital after 2 months stay following her bone marrow transplant. She was set to stay in an isolated residence for final recovery, BUT complications set in and she has been moved back to Stanford where she will be for 7-10 days if all goes well. So, keep the prayers coming. For now, cards of prayer and care can be sent to 4102 Moller Drive, Pleasanton, 94566.
Pastor Taulau Tupua, Via Dolorosa Samoan Congregational Christian Church of Modesto will soon begin a second complete round of chemotherapy in dealing with his lymphoma leukemia, but his numbers are all improving. The Tupua family and Via Dolorosa congregation appreciate prayers greatly. You can send cards to: 2329 Senimi Circle, Ceres, 95307.
Do keep Barbara Wikoff, musician at Oakdale CC, and husband Bob, Chair of our Regional Resources Committee in prayer. She is close to completing her chemo regimen and hopefully, will be told that further chemo treatments only need to be once every three weeks. Cards can be sent to: 941 Terrace Court, Oakdale, 95361.
Our prayers continue for the following who remain in need of our support and concern:
Darrell Burrell, FCC Redding
Bea Tiffee, FCC Dos Palos Violet Fields, FCC Oakland Darla Foglio, Oakdale CC Agnes Sours, Arden CC, Sacramento Wanda, daughter of Gloria & Nordean Baxter, pastor at Raynor Park CC
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FINAL WORD
Seekers, Students, Clergy:
Deepen your faith & broaden your knowledge this summer at PSR
Have you made summer plans yet? Summertime is a perfect time to take classes in religion, theology, spirituality, and more, in Berkeley or online. Summer Session runs July 9 - August 10. Classes and lectures are open to seminarians, clergy, and the general public.
Highlights include:
Registration begins on April 9. We'd love to have you join us!
www.psr.edu/summer
510/849-8268
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Sincerely,
Ben Bohren
Regional Minister and Newsletter Editor
Christian Church of Northern California-Nevada
925-556-9900
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