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Bi-weekly e-news March 6, 2013
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 Reflections
We are CCNC-N, and we are running this race...and dancing this dance together! This chant of challenge and celebration directs us beyond Annual Gathering to where we live and share life.
I relished the time we had together at the Annual Gathering. Your faces, your energy, and your delightful welcome settled my uneasiness and nurtured my spirit. You provided a shot of adrenaline to exhausted bodies and weary spirits. Every coin and dollar (which by the way was 120.50 and one 3v Duracell battery) placed in the Blessing Boxes around the hall proclaimed our gratitude for our common life. Each of you and all who gathered along with the great cloud of witnesses from before and those who remained at home and the future voices brought alive God's presence.The Spirit of God in you greeted the Spirit of God in me!
I am deeply aware that at the present time a myriad of emotions emanate from within our life, our faith communities and the larger community of the Region. We are in the midst of a transition that is much larger and deeper than releasing a beloved Regional Pastor and welcoming a Transitional Interim Regional Minister.
At its core, our race conveys the good news that we are surrounded by a holy, extravagant love that will not give up on us. We must not give up on ourselves. We witness to such love when we welcome the "other" that is not reflected in our face or our experience, and we claim that person or persons as essential to our wholeness and our salvific healing. That is a reason to run the race and dance the dance.
Our life as CCNC-N is grief tinged because people we love no longer stand beside us in our congregations and our regional ministry. We wonder what is next and are unsure what steps to take. Fear and uncertainty can overtake us with paralyzing control. This race is not for weak of heart and spirit. Jesus ran this race, and it wasn't exactly a walk in the park for him either.
He saw in the other the very realm of God, growing and becoming, if there existed an openness to join God's great experiment of justice and compassion. Transitions invite us to experiment. Goal setting and goal accomplishing may be great tasks, but sometimes they wear us out and discourage us. What if we take the Jesus model of discovery and experimentation, and let it guide us? He experimented with how to express his radical call from God by changing Sabbath rules on the spot to redefining who's a neighbor with a quick witted question to carrying in his very being and doing a radical vision that the "powers that were" could not handle.
So I invite us to practice Gospel experimenting! Take more chances. If one experiment doesn't work, try another one. Claim all the myriad of feelings as opportunities for expanding our race. Delight in the holy dance that brings with it leaps of joy and body wrenching sobs...enjoy the race as an opportunity to run alongside another in hope. Extravagant love comes in all places and times. We are CCNC-N, and we are running this race...and dancing this dance together!
In grateful partnership,
Mary
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 REGIONALLY ENDORSED EVENTS AND INFO
2013 Easter Offering, Sundays, March 24th and 31st
 "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10: 10b)
These words of excitement were shared by a participant on a People to People Pilgrimage to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The group was privileged to be present at the dedication of the maternity wing of Bolenge Hospital, a place of healing and care built in 1928 by the Community of Disciples of Christ in the Congo (CDCC), a partner church with Global Ministries for over 100 years. Bolenge Hospital treats over 16,000 patients annually; many for HIV/AIDS related illnesses. The hospital also provides early childhood and prenatal care. Click here to view a video about this ministry in the Congo.
_________________________________________________________________  Chapman University Founder's Day, March 15-16, 2013 This annual two-day event will feature the innovative and articulate Rev. Dr. Brian McLaren, author of A Generous Orthodoxy, Naked Spirituality and A New Kind of Christianity. A former English professor and pastor, McLaren will help us imagine a vibrant Christianity for the new millennium. Brian will offer three lectures on Friday, March 15: Emergence - the Church in the 21st Century; Christian Identity in a Multi-faith World; and Faith Seeking Action - A Theology of Institutions, Communities and Movements. On Friday evening McLaren will lead a dialogue entitled "Will the Future Have a Church?" Joining him for this dialogue are Rev. Dr. Suzanne Castle, Rev.Tripp Fuller and Rev. Rich McCullen. Preaching at worship on Saturday, March 16, will be Rev. Geoffrey Black, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ. Worship will also feature Disciple on Campus students and honor Church Leaders of the Year Rev. Dr. Mildred Butler, pastor of United Christian Church and Rev. Dr. Joseph McGowan, pastor of Altadena Community Church. Other Founders Day offerings on March 16 include a prospective student/parent event, campus tours, a planned giving session, an additional McLaren lecture, a concert performed by the Chapman University Choir and a Disciples on Campus alumni party. For more information, visit the Chapman University website, get in touch with Kari Kempf at kempf@chapman.edu, or (714) 997-6760. __________________________________________ HOLY WEEK - HOLY WORK Regional Mission Trip, March 24 - 30, 2013, Joplin, MO  Holy Week 2013 will be our 8th "Holy Week-Holy Work" Region-sponsored Mission Trip. We will travel again to be part of the rebuilding in Joplin. Register and send $50 deposit before March 10.
Here is why we are going:
In the late afternoon of May 22, 2011, the city of Joplin, Missouri was hit by a devastating F5 tornado. The tornado was over a mile wide at some points and caused damage to over 75% of the area, with 25% of the city destroyed. It is ranked as the seventh deadliest tornado in U.S. history, with over 160 casualties, 7,000 houses destroyed, and another 850 homes damaged.
"Great needs remain in Joplin; my guess is that will be the case through this year and at least the first half of next year. They have switched gears: most of the work is now on new builds, although some of the work is still repairs of homes that were structurally sound after the tornado."
- Josh Baird, Director of Disciples Disaster Services
Everyone has skills that can be useful, but if you can't go, please consider sponsoring someone who can.
Click here for registration materials. They are also available on ccncn.org website.
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A BOOK OF DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR LENT
For Lent this year, our region has produced a Book of Meditations that includes a devotional for each day of the season, starting on Ash Wednesday, February 13th, and ending on Resurrection Sunday March 31st. It's a great way to make our passage through the season together as a common pe ople in our region.
The scriptures are from the Psalms and the books of Job and James. The booklet is now available at www.ccncn.org. If you would like to receive the devotions daily by email, please send an email with the word "Subscribe" in the subject line to michael@ccncn.org.____________________________________________________________________
UPDATE ON MAKING REGULAR ONLINE DONATIONS
"No one ever marched on Washington because of a pie chart." -Andy Goodman
 It's true. People get excited when they see or hear about something happening that makes a difference - not by looking at a bunch of numbers and charts.
It's about the Stories! Stories about peoples' lives being transformed. Stories about congregations coming alive and reaching beyond themselves. Stories about communities overcoming their differences by finding common bonds that enable them to imagine what the world can be. Stories, stories, stories. Behind all these stories stand people of faith and love generously sharing their resources for gospel possibilities.
A year ago, someone suggested that we develop a way for people to support the regional ministry and mission through recurring online donations. It would provide a way to continue, and even expand, our ability as a region to share our stories of faith and justice. First, we created the option for making donations online. Step one done. The second step is to now create the ability for people to make recurring donations (monthly, quarterly, etc) instead of a single donation. Quite often, making smaller, more frequent donations is easier on a person's budget than a single larger donation.
The option of recurring online donations is (almost) here! On April 1st, the process will be ready. And, it will be so simple. All you'll need to do is to find the "Donate to the Annual Fund" button in the e-news or the CCNC-N website...click it...the rest will be easy to figure out.
Real-life stories inspire and offer an image of what happens when we live our faith and share ourselves with others. Marching on Washington requires financial support, and so does the task of undergirding the ministries of our region.
Look for more information about this new way of giving. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Bill Garrett, Minister of Faith and Giving at bill@ccncn.org.Bill Garrett, Minister of Faith and Giving
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HELLO PASTORS AND CHURCH LEADERS!
The deadline for sending your PER CAPITA CONTRIBUTIONS was February 8.
If you have not already done so, it is time to send those contributions into the Regional Office! Your gifts help with expenses for Annual Gathering and to subsidize the youth who attend!
ALSO, PLEASE SEND IN YOUR YEARBOOK FORMS!
Please be aware that you should have received Yearbook forms at your church by now. Each year we must submit specific information to the General church for publishing in the General church Yearbook of standing. This form was mailed out to churches in early January, and the information was due into the regional office by Feb. 20. Please turn this in soon if you haven't done so already. Thank you! THE A.C.T.S. PROGRAM (Academy of Christian Training and Study) was launched three years ago by CCNC-N to provide quality instruction to support the lay ministry of the local churches. Over those three years, top notch instructors have presented a wide variety of courses that have been offered in an equally wide variety of formats. The ACTS team brought you courses that galloped you through the Bible, strengthened your spiritual practice, developed your Ad-Ministry muscles, and equipped you for evangelism. These courses have been offered in a classroom format, online, in Geographic area groups, single day workshops, and weekend retreats. In all, the A.C.T.S. curriculum has served an estimated 500 participants throughout the Region. In order for this program to offer the most useful courses for your congregations, please take five minutes for five questions. It's simple. Set your timer and visit: https://ccncn.webconnex.com/acts to complete your survey. Your valuable input will help the A.C.T.S. team assess the needs of the local churches and help us determine the proper curriculum to support you!
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 WOMEN'S MINISTRIES Save the Date: April 20, 2013 Spring Gathering of Women: "Connecting in Christ" at Palo Alto First Christian Church. Hosted by the women of Sinapi Seed Fellowship and Palo Alto First Christian Church. For registration information click here.
Women's Fall Retreat: September 13-15, 2013 Mission Springs Conference Center in Scotts Valley
Speaker: Mary Donovan Turner (Carl Patton Professor of Preaching and Dean of the Disciples Seminary Foundation's Berkeley Campus) . To register, click here. Resources available from www.discipleswomen.org:Disciples Women General Programs 2013 are available as a free download. You will find new programs covering Installation, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Stewardship; a special Quadrennial activity to introduce the theme of "I See You"; along with Bible studies on Human Trafficking and Environment.
Just Women 2013 Bible Study Pre-orders are now being processed. Orders placed before March 15, 2013, will cost $10 per copy. After March 15, the cost will be $12 plus $3 S&H per copy for all non-subscription orders. Order your extra individual copies today to avoid the shipping and handling charges. Look for the green 'sale' button toward the bottom of the page. ____________________________________________________________________  TEA FOR THE SOUL"We all have stories to share "Saturday, March 23, 2013, 9:30am-4:00pm Mayfair Christian Church, Stockton, CA A one-day retreat with music, workshops, and community. Keynote: "Diane Wilson - Telling My Story" Space is limited to 45 so follow this link to learn more and register by Friday, March 15, 2013 Contact Leota Lampshire at 916-677-6664.
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NEWS FROM AROUND THE REGION
"The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness does not overcome it."
(John 1:5)
Please join Mills Grove Christian Church for the presentation of "The Shadow of the Cross," a contemporary Tenebrae service-including communion-composed and arranged by Lloyd Larson. The service walks us through the final hours of Jesus' life, including his crucifixion.
The program takes place at 7:00 p.m. on Good Friday, March 29, 2013 at Mills Grove Christian Church (DOC), 5410 Fleming Avenue, Oakland 94619.
We welcome anyone who would like to be part of the choir for this event. So far we have participants from First Christian Church Alameda, First Christian Church Oakland, and others from the community. Rehearsals began on Thursday February 7 at 7:00 p.m.
For further information please call Mills Grove C.C. at (510) 534-4722.
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A JOB OPPORTUNITY FROM MINISTRY PARTNER CHRISTIAN CHURCH HOMES
CCH is seeking a Senior Vice President /Managing Director, and theyhope to fill this senior leadership position this spring and initiate an exciting vision to grow the organization and become a major leader in this important industry. CCH's longstanding relationship with the region means it would be great to see members of CCNC-N congregations applying for this position! Call CCH at 510-632-6712.
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INVITATIONS FROM PACIFIC GROVE
On Saturday, March 16 Disciples musician Josh Elson will return with his incredible choir from Palisades Charter High School for an evening concert. Also, please plan to participate in a BBQ/potluck dinner prior to the concert that evening.
The following Saturday, March 23 will be their annual Silent Retreat when participants all agree to fast from speaking from 9 am until 5 pm that day.
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SPECIAL REQUEST FROM FIRST SAMOAN CONGREGATIONAL
CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN SACRAMENTO
The construction of our church building has reached the point where we could use some help from our DOC members. We are seeking an Electrical Contractor or Private party with a license that we could discuss the project. We are also in need of a contractor for the Air Condition Installation. We are reaching out to our members who may be interested in doing this work for us.
We hope some of our members know of someone who could fulfill our need.
Many many thanks,
George/Secretary - FSCCC in Sacramento
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LOMA EAVES, member of Chalice Christian Church and student at Pacific School of Religion, has published a website of Lenten meditations for anyone looking for inspiration. Check it out at http://www.lomaeaves.com/ .
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DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE GOING TO DISCIPLES COLLEGE? GREAT NEWS
The Phillips University Legacy Foundation (Legacy Foundation) is pleased to offer an
undergraduate scholarship program to students who are pursuing a Baccalaureate Degree
and attending a college or university as listed in the current Yearbook & Directory of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The purpose of this program is to perpetuate the
mission and the legacy of Phillips University by helping educate students who will be future
Christian leaders.
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SERRA CENTER, a non-profit organization and partner in care with CCNC-N, provides living skills support and training to adults with developmental disabilities since 1975, is seeking a seasoned professional to serve as our Human Resources Manager.
Please visit http//:www.serracenter.org for a complete job description and submit your resume with salary requirement and reference for full-time or part-time to humanresources@serracenter.org.
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CHURCHES TO HOLD IN PRAYER
Please consider incorporating these congregations into your congregational prayers each week during worship or in your newsletter, so we can grow together in prayer.
Congregation to pray for next week: First Christian Church, Sacramento; North San Joaquin Area; Pastor Ted Firch. Congregation to pray for next week: First Samoan Congregational Christian Church in Sacramento; North San Joaquin Area; Pastor Salesa Faalau.
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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 REGIONAL STAFF UPDATES Who's around and when. . .
Quan Walker, Ministry Associate, will be out of the office from March 4-25, 2013.
Prayers of celebration and support for our Transitional Interim Regional Minister, Mary Jacobs
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JOYS AND CONCERNS AND PRAYER NEEDS
We seek to update these prayers appropriately, knowing that the region lifts them up to God with great reverence. Please email enews@ccncn.org with any prayers you would like to make sure are included or continued next week and beyond. Particularly, please e-mail the names and addresses of new members so we can celebrate them here and also send them a letter of welcome from the region! 
New members: One new member at Cottage Way Christian Church, Sacramento; One new member at First Christian Church, Sacramento; new member at Sierra Christian Church
Cause for Celebration:
Some of you have heard about the tragic break-in to the Oakland Peace Center / First Christian Church of Oakland, which impacted five different non-profit organizations working to end violence in the community. Several people from within this region (and from neighboring Oakland churches) donated directly to FCC Oakland to help, and as soon as Week of Compassion learned of the break-in, they contacted Sandhya Jha (pastor at FCC Oakland and director of the OPC) to pay for the $1,000 insurance deductible. God is good! The organizations that make up the Oakland Peace Center gathered on Monday night to discuss what needs to go in place in order for them to be able to stay and feel safe as they do their work, and it will not be cheap. But what was striking about that gathering is that the leaders, some from religious organizations and some from secular, agreed that the community needs their joint efforts, and that the people who broke in and did so much damage are in some ways worse victims because they are clearly in need of love and the awareness of God in their lives. That meeting closed with these organizations, diverse in purpose and usually only united in discussing the building, praying together for the spirit of God to pervade the building and the lives of those who damaged the building. Good is emerging from tragedy.
Please hold our Ministry Associate, Quan Walker, in prayer as she takes a much needed personal leave for rest and renewal starting March 4 and returning March 25.
Please pray for Shannon Kimbell-Auth, Pastor of the Lakeport church, whose father, a Methodist pastor, passed away February 15th.
Vi Spencer, retired pastor, whose daughter Janey passed away February 25th.
Family of Ken Compton following his death on February 16th. Ken helped establish Eskaton and was previous President of CCNC-N and past board member of California Chrsitian Homes, His life and faith celebration will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2 PM, Arden Christian Church, Sacramento.
Our prayers continue for the following who remain in need of our support and concern:
- Pastor Taulau Tupua, Via Dolorosa Congregational Christian Church of Samoa
- Sharon Greaser, First Christian Hanford
- Bill Shive, FCC Oakland and Tapestry Ministries
- Bea Tiffee, FCC Dos Palos
- Barbara Wikoff, Oakdale CC
- Darrell Burrell, FCC, Redding
- John Jordan, Regional Elder
- Kacey Alexander, FCC, Redding
- Sheilagh Driskoll, FCC, Antioch
- Lt. MaShon Wilson, serving in Afghanistan, son of Gloria Wilson, Associate Pastor, FCC Alameda.
- Bill and Nancy Garrett, after two recent deaths in their family, Bill serves on regional staff and Nancy serves on the Regional Women's Ministries Coordinating Council.
- Pastor Mark Foglio, Oakdale CC
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REGIONAL CALENDAR
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 23 - Tea for the Soul, Mayfair CC, Stockton
April 20 - Women's Spring Gathering, Palo Alto FCC
April 26, 27, 29, 30 - Healthy Boundary Training, Places to be announced
2013 SUMMER CAMP DATES
(Grandparents and Me Sessions will not be held on July 4!)
June 23-28- South San Joaquin Camp at Camp Pacifica
Community of the Great Commission Camps
June 6-9- Adult Camp
June 23-29- Junior and Chi Rho Camps
June 29-July 1 - Grandparents and Me Camp Session 1
June 30- July 6- CYF Camp
July 1-3- Grandparents and Me Camp Session II
July 13-17 - General Assembly, Orlando, FL
Sept. 13-15 - Women's Fall Retreat at Mission Springs with Mary Donovan Turner
October 18-20 - Men's Retreat with Christian Piatt
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 AN INSPIRING WORD FROM THE GENERAL CHURCH United States Civic Conversation Turns to Violence Prevention Disciples News Service, February 13, 2013The names are all too familiar - Sandy Hook, Columbine,Tucson, Aurora - names associated with some incident of violence involving a gun. Early in February, the U.S. House of Representatives gun violence prevention task force released findings that included recommendations to support Second Amendment rights for law-abiding Americans, but also a ban on assault weapons and a call for background checks and addressing the glorification of violence in entertainment. Though there is disagreement, now is the time to have a respectful conversation. More. . . |
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In recognizing the blessings we have received, let us remember we are blessed to be a blessing to others!
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Christian Church of Northern CA-NV
The CCNC-N is the presence of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
in the northern half of the states of California and Nevada.
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