Catholic Community of Pleasanton
Social Justice Newsletter 
November 25, 2015
This 7:30 edition of today's newsletter is the first of two. The 10:30 edition will be informative in areas not covered here.

HAPPY AND BLESSED THANKSGIVING! 
Thanking God and Showing Gratitude

Think about how you've celebrated Thanksgiving in recent years.  Who you were with? Was it a large family gathering, just a few of you, or were you alone?
For many of us, being thankful and expressing gratitude in the words that we say when we pray is part of our prayer-life.
 
It is easy to feel thankful when a fortunate event occurs in our lives or we foresee good things coming to us. When luck turns our way we may feel that God has been good to us. All of us could try to show gratitude in a tangible way when one of hopes has been fulfilled or one of our prayers has been answered.
 
Today's newsletter has the theme of Thanking God and Showing Gratitude. Out of that theme comes the suggestion that when we are thanking God--on Thanksgiving Day or any other time--we can try to express our appreciation in the way we live our lives. Each of us can ask, "How can I get closer to living as Christ calls me to live?" 
Tri-Valley Poverty Effort

Several members of the Steering Committee and many from the Leadership Group attended the well-planned, well-organized and highly productive meeting on November 19th. 

Here was the agenda:

I. Welcome and Introductions (1:30-1:35)

II. General Business (1:35-2:00)

a. All In Steering Committee (Kristi)

b. Membership Coordinator position opening (Kristi)

c. 2016 Steering Committee (Gloria/Kim)

d. Fiscal agent: reminder (Kristi)

e. 2016 Leadership Meeting structure change (Kristi)

f. Social media update (John B)

g. Proposed organizational name (Mayor Marchand/Naming

Committee)

III. Strategies for Change: Committee Work (2:00-3:30) (Lori)

a. Discussion of Bold Steps and group structure

b. Group Work: definition of purpose and next steps

c. Strategy Development - short term and long term

d. Share out

e. Moving toward collective impact - Action planning for working groups
Concern America Sale - December 5th/6th

Concern America Artisan Craft Sale On December 5 and 6, following all Masses, you will have the opportunity to purchase hand-crafted gifts from Concern America. This amazing organization assists impoverished communities and refugees in developing countries by giving them the opportunity to make a living wage creating artisan crafts. These items are great Christmas gifts and will be available in the vestibule of both Churches. 

Giving Tree Volunteers 

Calling All Elves! The Giving Tree Committee needs your help on a few more activities in support of this wonderful ministry. We need volunteers to help collect and sign gifts in at the Rectory garage during drop-off between December 5 - 12 (during specific hours). If interested, please contact Diane Cowart at djcowart@aol.com. Family Envelopes are available this weekend and next weekend. CCOP has adopted about 500 families! Thank you for your generosity to provide these needy families around our Diocese a brighter Christmas season. 
Catholic Social Teaching and the Real World
 
The Wider World
 

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