Connections

November, 2014 

Sanctuary Rainbow Cross

In This Issue
Pastor's Ponderings
Worship Notes
Music Ministry
Reconciling Corner
NBOP Upcoming Events
Women's Book Group
Kid's Corner
Bravo!
In Our Prayers
Prayer Chain
November Birthdays
 
5
Meg Hurt
9
Marguerite Li
14
Craig Meizner
15
Jack Hurt
16
Don Baldwin
20
Linda Allen
22
Jeff Boevers
25
Ruth Fisher
Sally Seitz
26
Madeline Boevers
Glo Wellman
Ann Williams
28
Jill Metz
30
Steve Crosley

let us know if we accidentally left you off the Birthday list! 

(The global UM site)

(The California - Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church)    

Hurricane Sandy
Volunteers in Mission (VIM) 
  
(United Methodist Committee on Relief)



(Daily Devotional)

 
UMC publications

(CA-NV Publication)
 
SOCIAL CONCERNS
 
 
Newsletter Deadline

Please submit articles and special CCUM events to Administrative Assistant, Cindy Piccinini, [email protected]
before the 14th of the month for the following month's newsletter. All items are subject to approval and editing. Thank you.


 
PASTOR'S REFLECTIONS

4-5Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life...  God set it in the place of honor. Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you'll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God.


 9 For you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do God's work and speak out for God, to tell others of the night-and-day difference God has made for you-from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
              1 Peter 2: 4, 5, 9 The Message

John Wesley encouraged active participation of the laity as the "priesthood of all believers." We are ALL empowered to be full partners in ministry.  We already demonstrate this here at Christ Church in many ways as we collaborate on many activities, bringing all our varied gifts to service.

In this season of Thanks-giving, our worship time will reflect our gratitude for God's abundance, and for the special people God has put in our path to open our eyes, and inspire our hearts to loving action.

As is our tradition, our Thanksgiving offering is for Elisha's Pantry. The pantry serves more than 150 people each week, giving them basic foods, seasonally fresh fruits and vegetables from the Harvest for the Hungry Garden and other community donations.

We will also be celebrating our relationship with Shomrei Torah with a joint Thanksgiving service on November 23rd at 7pm at their facility on 2600 Bennett Valley Road.


We are "a holy people," a community "vibrant with life." For the entire month, I invite you to acknowledge a gratitude for each day. I will be posting mine daily on my Facebook page. Even with all the challenges and hard times that can sometimes overwhelm us, gratitude for God's abundance can lighten our burdens, and lift us up! You are all on the top of my list. I'm so grateful for this unique faith community.   

 

Blessings to you All,  Glo


CLayM - WHAT IS A CONFERENCE LAY MINISTER?


Glo Wellman has been assigned as our Conference  Lay Minister (CLayM). The CLayM Ministry is unique and different from an ordained pastoral appointment. CLayM are members of the United Methodist laity who feel called to serve in more active roles in church ministry. Typically, when smaller churches are financially unable to supported an ordained clergy person, a CLayM pastor is assigned to offer pastoral leadership, often as a volunteer. They have experience and training to actively serve in all areas of church life: worship, preaching, spiritual leadership, pastoral care needs, and administrative functions. In those small communities, CLayM pastors receive assistance as needed with housing (living in the parsonage if needed and available), administrative supports including office space, and other ministry-related needs.


When our appointed minister, Amy Beth Durward went on leave in September, the Conference searched for the best way to help our church through this time before the next pastoral appointment next July. Because Glo Wellman is an official CLayM and an integral part of Christ Church, it was decided that assigning her to us as a CLayM pastor through June 2015 would be effective. As she has housing and other resources, Staff Parish has agreed to give reimbursements of mileage, and administrative and personal supports which help her to do her work with us.  As she is essentially a volunteer, we will all continue to work closely together to support the ministries and activities here at Christ Church.

 

 ~~~  

 


  

Sunday, November 2

All Saints Sunday  

Matthew 5: 1-12 

Communion Sunday 

Glo Wellman preaching 

 

Sunday, November 9 

Dedication of Pledges  

2 Corinthians 9: 6-15 

Glo Wellman preaching

Stewardship Stew following worship 

 

Sunday, November 16  

Reconciling Sunday  

Mark 8: 34-38  

"Welcoming LGBTQ Persons... to What Exactly?"

Mark 8: 34-3

Rev. Lindsey Kerr preaching  

 

Sunday, November 23   

Thanks-giving 

Psalm 100, Ephesians 1: 15-23 

Glo Wellman preaching 

Amnesty Letters

 

7:00 pm - Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

Shomrei Torah Temple,  

2600 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa   

 

Sunday, November 30

First Sunday of Advent 

Glo Wellman preaching

 

 ~ ~ ~
 


"There are many books that tell us how to find God. But the truth is that God is not lost or hiding. In fact, it is the actual, continuous, omnipresence of God that is so hard for the human mind to fathom.

 

We always look in the wrong direction: toward someplace else, toward something mysterious and far away. We try to recapture something that we believe we had years ago in childhood or something that we read about in spiritual books. We try to improve our skills so that we can capture an elusive God, a God who does not want to be found.

 

But God is not missing or elusive or invisible. It is we who need to make ourselves ready to receive God, who is always knocking at the door of our hearts, whose Voice is always speaking, whose Heart makes our hearts beat, and whose Breath is the world."

 

-- from The Instruction Manual for Receiving God

by Jason Schulman

 

 

 

~~~

 

  2015 JOINT CHARGE CONFERENCE

November 2nd @ 4pm 

FUMC, Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa

 

This year, our District Superintendent, Schuyler Rhodes, will be with us during our circuit-wide Charge Conference. We will meet with other churches, with potluck, worship and time for each church's yearly business. Everyone is invited. We hope you can attend.

 

~~~ 


 

~~~ 

 



 

CALLING ALL SINGERS!
If you would like to sing with the choir for the Advent and Christmas season, we will soon be starting to work on those pieces. Please join us for rehearsal Thursdays at 6:50 p.m. We'd love to have you, even if you can't commit for the whole year.
 

ADVENT CELEBRATION
Mark your calendar for The Advent Event, our all-church celebration of the joyful expectation of Christ's birth. On Sunday, December 7, we will move right from worship into crafts and wreath-making, a festive potluck meal, and musical performances. Let's mix and mingle and celebrate!
 
If you have a musical, poetic or dramatic piece to share for the performance, please let Carol-Jean Boevers know.

 

~~~   

 

RECONCILING CORNER Reconciling

 

 

 

 

 

WE FEEL HOPE!
 

 

 

On Oct 27th the United Methodist Judicial Council ruled to reaffirm the reinstatement of Rev. Frank Schaefer.

 

Rev. Frank Schaefer: "Today, we are witnessing a small, but significant step toward taking another look at the exclusionary policies of The United Methodist Church. With its decision to validate my reinstatement, the Judicial Council has acted justly and wisely. Their decision signals hope to our LGBTQ community that has not always seen the rule of love and grace winning over the letter of the archaic law the church still subscribes to. Today's decision also signals a willingness to continue dialogue and to seek solutions that will hopefully lead to a change in these archaic and harmful policies. The UM Church needs to find a way toward reconciliation, full inclusion of our LGBTQ community and an open altar for all God's beloved children. I will continue the fight alongside thousands of others in the reconciling movement for full inclusion and an open altar for all. I know the day is coming when this dream will be reality and I don't think it is that far in the future."


UMC Bishop Melvin Talbert: "Today I celebrate justice that  has been affirmed by the Judicial Council in Rev. Frank Schaefer's reinstatement in The United Methodist Church. Jesus shows us that choosing the way of love and biblical obedience always has consequences. The church has been persecuting prophets since the very beginning. In the book of Acts, just before Stephen was stoned, he asked, 'Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him.' Jesus the Righteous One is here in the love of Rev. Schaefer and others who practice ministry without fear to God's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer children. The church will one day repent of the violence done to Rev. Schaefer this past year, and more importantly, the violence done to all LGBTQ persons who, despite the UMC's discriminatory, immoral laws, are following their call to ordination, marriage, and ministry in the full life of The UMC. How long, O God, will the church try to martyr love?"

 

-- Quotes from Reconciling Ministries Network

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Reconciling Sunday is November 16th

Don't miss our Annual Reconciling Worship Service at 9:00 Sunday, November 16th. Pastor Lindsay Kerr from First United Methodist Church, Stony Point Campus will inspire us with her experience and wisdom.

 

Support Safe Spaces for LGBTQ Youth

We are invited by Izzy Alvarez, our Reconciling Ministries Network(RMN) regional leader, to the Welcoming Schools and Communities Summit November 8th from 9-5 at Mount Diablo High School, 2450 Grant St., Concord. The summit is sponsored by RMN, the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and the Inclusive Schools Coalition of Contra Costa County. Register and view workshops at www.nov8summit.evenbrite.com.


~~~

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
Thank you to all who have turned in your pledge cards for the coming year! For those who haven't yet, there is still time to lend your support. We will dedicate our pledges in worship on Sunday, November 9th. Your financial support is greatly appreciated!

Everyone is invited for Stewardship Stew following worship that morning. A variety of soups and stews will be provided. Plan to stay and enjoy!

~~~
 
WOMEN'S BOOK GROUP 
Wednesday, October 8th @ 7pm

This group meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month, 7pm, at Anita Pitzer's home. For more information, contact Anita.

 

This month's book is ORPHAN TRAIN by Christina Baker Kline. The story is rooted in the historical moment of orphan trains in America between 1854 and 1929 and tells the captivating story of two very different women who build an unexpected friendship: a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to questions no one has ever thought to ask.

 

~ ~ ~

 




 KID'S CORNER
 
We are thoroughly enjoying the wonderful kids who have joined our group and thankful for all of our caring teachers. With a broader age span in Sunday school we once again need three teachers each Sunday. Please contact Anne if you are interested in helping. It's so rewarding! (584.1235 [email protected])

 

Our Sunday school music time is a joy. Carol-Jean brings wonderful enthusiasm and our kids sing beautifully. You will hear more from them!

 

This Sunday, our children will be learning about All Saints Day and telling stories about special people in their lives. They will also make an altar which is well worth seeing.

 

For the rest of November we will talk more about Jesus' example of love, gratitude and helping others. We will learn about organizations that reach out to help others and begin to make a decision about where they will donate their 2014 Sunday offerings.

 

Many of you remember last year's Shining Gift Christmas project. Heather Boone shared with us her beautiful family tradition. Its purpose is to help children feel the joy in giving to others in our community and around the world at Christmas time. You will learn more about it in our worship service on December 7th. Thank you Heather and Marguerite Li for making this a living tradition here at Christ Church!

 

Anne

          

   ~ ~ ~

 

SUPPORT ELISHA'S PANTRY

THANKSGIVING OFFERING

Our annual Thanksgiving offering will go to support Elisha's Pantry. You can also support the Pantry by purchasing Sweet Things made by Myra Gaiser and Gayle Pickrell. These will be available starting Sunday November 9 for $5 per jar.Take home some of the abundance of summer to enjoy and help raise money for Elisha's Pantry. Don't forget that these make great gifts for the holidays.

 

  • Santa Rosa Plum Jam 
  • Plum Butter
  • Apple Butter
  • Meyer Lemon Marmalade
  • Apple Jelly

~~~ 

  


Many people today use their computers and phones to stay in touch with each other and keep on top of current events.  We now have a Facebook page. Thanks to all of you who have "liked" that page, and who go to it regularly. Now, we are asking your help to increase the number of people who visit that page. Please invite some of your friends who might have been a part of Christ Church in the past, or others who might be interested to like us. We want to have an active internet presence.

WEBSITE
Very soon, our Christ Church website will be edited and may even get a bit of a facelift. Let us know if you have ideas for this.

~~~

 

Let's get rid of Malaria! 

If every church member in the California Nevada Conference donates one dollar every week we will meet our goal of saving 200,000 lives.

 

Please feed our Imagine No Malaria Bucket one dollar every week.


~~~

 

 

There are so many of you who serve Christ Church...without mentioning a word about it.  

 

 

OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

We have some awesome Trustees here at Christ Church...Ron Simpson, our chair, Dave Allen, Steve Brown, Gary Bunas, Linda Carroll, Robin Coolidge, Bob Smith and Ted Wilmsen. Here are just some of what they accomplished this year! Thanks for your many labors of love!!

 

A great new sign, refurbished and lovingly maintained landscaping out front; repair of a leaking roof and stopped up pipes; transformation of dingy and dank to bright almost new breezeway bathrooms; upgraded PowerPoint equipment in the sanctuary; fresh attractive paint in the reception and administrative offices; continuing, solid insurance coverage and effective management of our leases and rentals netting $58,000 per year. 

*  A huge hug and thanks out to Dave Allen who has worked many hours to move our projector and continues to work on making our visuals for worship and other events a smoother process.

 

*  Thanks to Anne Colby, Myra Gaiser, Lois Nimmo, Deanie Wilmsen, and all those who have been helping with behind the scenes cleaning, de-cluttering, and organizing.

 

~~~

 

man praying

In our Prayers...

"God does nothing except in response to believing prayer."  

~John Wesley

 

 

  • Bob & Myra Gaiser (son, Noah, is having surgery)
  • Lois Nimmo
  • Darlene Davis' grandson, Ryder
  • Neal Bohn, Heather's son's girlfriend's father
  • Hannah Seitz (Sally Seitz' daughter)
  • Bob & Janet Smith, Annika & family
  • Joan Niebank
  • Durward family
  • Coolidge family (Mikey and Austin)
  • George & Jean Houser
  • Our church family & community
  • Friends, families & neighbors struggling financially
  • Military personnel & their families
  • Our government leaders
 ~ ~ ~
 
PRAYER CHAIN

One of the ways that we care for each other here at Christ Church is through prayer.  We have a team of people who regularly pray for folks who are in need of spiritual and physical healing.  Would you like to join those folks who pray daily for others in need?  

Would you like more prayers for yourself or people you are close to? Our prayer chain members feel honored to receive prayer requests from you. Contact Darlene Davis.

 

We also welcome written prayer requests you can put in the offering plate on Sundays. Prayer request cards are in the "Gray Pad' folder. 


We have listed names above so that we might all be in prayer for each other.

 ~ ~ ~