A CELEBRATION OF BEN'S MINISTRY

Retirement after 46 years of ministry

Saturday, October 20

1:00-5:00 pm

California High School in San Ramon

There's good news and not so good news:

The good news- as of Wednesday afternoon, we have 400 reservations!

The not so good news- yep, 400 reservations which means we have reached the maximum seating.  

Here's what you need to do if you have not made your reservation yet...

Contact Doral Main (510-352-2210) or retirementbb@att.net  

Your reservations will be kept on the waiting list.  Please do not let this deter you from at least attending the reception beginning approximately at 3:30pm on the 20th.  If seating does become available, you will be  contacted as soon as possible.  

(Please do not call or e-mail Quan as she

is not taking reservations) 

For all the details about this event,

go to: www.ccncn.org 

Important New Information on Parking:

As you come in the main entrance, keep going straight ahead to the parking lot in the back (Be sure to stop at the stop sign!) For those who have trouble walking, once in the main entrance, take a quick left and you can be dropped off there close to the theater.  

Don't forget...

...Bring lots and lots of home-made cookies to share for the reception- tell Doral your plans on this.

...Ben has requested that in lieu of personal gifts, an offering will be received for the newly created "Ben Bohren Camp Scholarship Fund." Gifts are also welcome if you are unable to attend or want to send a gift prior to the event.

...A Book Bash and Browsing of dozens of Ben's books from 46 years of ministry will be set up in the reception hall. Take them! Donations of any size will go to the Camp Scholarship Fund.

...Child care is available by reservation only for children ages 6 and under.

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October is here...

and with it comes cooler temperatures, brightly colored trees, baseball playoffs (BOTH the Giants and the A's!), AND sending in your donation for the Phon-a-thon.

We're getting closer but we still have a ways to go.

Latest count:

• $27,990 in total of pledges and actual donations! Outstanding!
• $19,463 actual donations received - this is really great also!
• $8,527 still needing to be sent in to reach our total

If you have been keeping track of how the Phon-a-thon has been going, we have a very interesting situation here. The pledges keep coming in (which is wonderful) at just about the same rate that the actual donations are being made (which is great because we know the donations are going to keep coming in, especially during the next two weeks!).

You can either go online (see button, click button, make donation) or send in your check to the Region office: 9260 Alcosta Blvd., C-18, San Ramon, CA 94583.

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Ministerial Annual Standing Review Form  

It's that time of year again for ALL Commissioned and Ordained Ministers (including  retired) who have Standing with the Northern CA- Region to check in with the Recognition and Standing Committee. Completion of this form IS REQUIRED in order to maintain Standing! 

Here's the good news; two ways to complete the 2012 Form:
1. Online. Simply go to: https://ccncn.webconnex.com/2012minstanding 

2. A Hard copy will be snail-mailed to you this week. Complete it and snail-mail it back. Be sure you sign it requesting Standing again; and having read the 

Ministerial Code of Ethics and the Regional Ethical and Sexual Conduct document.

THE DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION IS OCTOBER 26 

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TIME-SENSITIVE: Deadline approaching for the MLK scholarship for college students and for nominations for the region's annual MLK awards: APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS ARE DUE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12. [Please disregard information in the applications with an October 15 date.]  

...To apply for the MLK Scholarship, please fill out the form from this link: http://ccncn.org/mlk-scholarship-app-2012.pdf  

...To nominate an individual from this region for the MLK Award, fill out the form from this link: http://ccncn.org/MLK-Award-Nomination-09.pdf
(Former MLK award winners have included Robert Lemon, Carl and Esther Robinson, Sandy Perry, JoAnne Kagiwada , Clarence Johnson, and Marianne & Ben Fraticelli.)   

Please contact Sandhya with any questions (please contact her sooner than October 12): sandhya@ccncn.org

Congregation to pray for this week: Via Dolorosa Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, Modesto; North San Joaquin Area; Pastor Taulau J. Tupua.  

Congregation to pray for this week: Oakdale Christian Church, North San Joaquin Area; Pastor Mark Foglio.   

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.     

HELP NEEDED

First Samoan Congregational Christian Church of Sacramento (that 30 voice magnificent choir who sang to open Saturday morning at Annual Gathering), is beginning the final building work on their new 350 seat sanctuary!! Their Church Extension loan has been approved and they are so excited!! Here's how you can help?? They would love to hire Disciples to head the electrical work and the landscaping!! 

If you are interested call, Pastor Sal:
Rev. Salesa Fatu Fa'alau, FS
First Samoan Congregational Christian Church in Sacramento
(916) 922-2220 Office
(916) 642-0501 Mobile
www.efkaslaumua.org 

ANNOUNCING 2013 SUMMER CAMP DATES
(Yes, you have them already!!)

Community of the Great Commission
June 6-9- Adult Camp
June 23-29- Junior and ChiRho Camps
June 29-July 1- Grandparents and Me Session 1
June 30- July 6- CYF Camp
July 1-3- Grandparents and Me Session II

South San Joaquin-TBA   

UPCOMING REGIONAL EVENTS 

1. Spiritual Retreat for Chaplains and Spiritual Caregivers

"Creating Sacred Space For Ourselves"
An afternoon retreat...Friday, October 26, 2:00-6:00 pm

Sierra CC, Loomis

Includes Interactive Presentation, Labyrinth Walk, Music and Light Supper

Cost: $35.00

Registration materials available soon. Contact Diane Wilson, dianewilson2008@hotmail.com.

2. Bread for the World Sunday
Vince Mezzera, former moderator at FCC Vallejo, now working for Bread for the World in Washington, DC, has a challenge for CCNC-N:

"Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.  We have thousands of member congregations joining us in our efforts to change the policies, programs, and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to persist.  Yet I have been surprised at how few Disciples congregations are among them.  But we can change that, and Bread for the World Sunday (on October 21 or another date this fall) is the perfect time to start!  This is a chance to join with Christians nationwide as we lift up our voices together in prayer and worship on behalf of poor and hungry people.  Participation could be as simple as a few prayers about hunger during worship--nothing complex necessary; we would just love to have as many different churches as possible participate in some fashion.  You can see the resources I have helped put together for this event at www.bread.org/sunday - please take a look and prayerfully consider whether your congregation can participate!"

3. Ministry with the Differently Abled:
An Invitation to Beloved Community  

19 percent of the population of the United States has a
disability, is this reflected in our congregations? Why not?
Come join us for a conversation about our call as Christian community to be in ministry with people with disabilities as well as practical discussion on accessibility and worship.
When: Saturday, November 10
Time: Noon to 3:00 pm.
Lunch of soup and a salad will be served.
Where: Forest Hill Christian Church
250 Laguna Honda Blvd. San Francisco
Phone: (415) 566-1414
Cost: $10 suggested donation, but all are welcome
regardless of ability to pay

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The First Christian Church, Concord is seeking a dynamic, spiritual, energetic and enthusiastic Director for their Youth Ministry Program who: 

...loves kids, understands teenagers and communicates well with all ages;

...is deeply committed to helping youth deepen and enhance their relationship with God;

...will develop meaningful relationships with each of our existing youth;

...will develop and motivate a youth program that is spiritual, social, fun and meaningful; one that keeps our youth connected with God, our church community, and the world;

...has a vision for youth ministry that aligns with ours, and can develop and execute a plan to grow our youth ministry from a one-on-one relational style to a larger youth group style over the course of two to three years.

This is a part-time position of 10 hours per week. Additional time will be required for a week-long mission trip during the summer, as well as a weekend youth 

retreat in January or February. To apply or for more information, contact Russ Peterman at russ@concordfcc.net 

Back to top 

As I begin to consider my retirement from regional work on December 31st, I want to share with you some memories of my eight years in service with CCNC-N. They have been without doubt not only a joyful re-entrance into ministerial service, but very meaningful on many levels to my wife, Constance, and me.

When Chuck Blaisdell first brought to me a loaded grey file box and said, 'This is what you will need to begin your work with Training and Care,' I had a limited vision of what this work would entail. What lay ahead was an exciting and sometimes daunting journey into the lives and dreams of those preparing for ministry with a committee of ministers and laity (Training and Care Committee) all committed to preparing well the next generation of ministerial leadership. I am humbled to say that in almost all cases, these students were well-prepared academically, committed spiritually and ready for ordination after attaining their M.Div degree and being recommended to the region for this important step.

At this point, I want to thank the regional church, both of our denomination and other faith communities who fine-tuned our men and women in field service assignments. The committee added the requirement of Clinical Pastoral Education to the requirement for ordination and this has paid dividends beyond description. Ask any of our students who have progressed through this part of the program.

And then, Chuck gave me a second file box - this time requesting that I become staff liaison with the Search and Call system of the Disciples, head-quartered in Indianapolis. To those local church search committees with whom I have had the pleasure of working, thank you for your patience, your understanding and commitment to ministerial call! I did not anticipate the personal friendships that would arise through contacts with churches during this process. These friendships are cherished more than you will ever know. I have gotten to meet and know new clergy colleagues, most of them your valued pastors now and they represent some of our finest clergy anywhere!

The support of Ben and the staff have gotten me over more than one rough patch. My Pastoral Relations Committee has ministered to me in ways too numerable to count. You and I are blessed!

Please accept a personal word of thanks to all of you, specifically, and this region, generally, for your time and talents, God's gifts to us all. Your inspiration and dedication will live with me long after I officially leave the scene. You haven't seen the last of me yet! God's blessings on you all! We are the finest region in the country - take my word for it!