Bi-weekly e-news
May 31, 2013
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 "This is what we are about: We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces efforts far beyond our capacity. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something and do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest." Archbishop Oscar Romero, El Salvador, Murdered as he celebrated Holy Communion As Paula, members of the Justice Commission and I traveled to Vallejo, Woodland, San Jose and finally Visalia over four nights, we had the honor of being a part of gatherings that added up to 80 persons from 20 churches. Each part of the Transition Van evening included "breaking bread" together. First, we broke the sacred "bread of friendship" around dinner tables. Then we moved into circle conversations where we shared the holy "bread of listening" as others spoke from their deep selves about how transition affects their lives and churches. Finally we gathered around the Lord's Table to bless the "bread of hope" that nourishes our journey together. Each evening offered a way for God's hope..."to enter and do the rest." Hope is not birthed from everything going right. Hope becomes the holy hand-print upon our spirits that stirs us to act in the midst of struggle and uncertainty. The taste of hope remains upon our taste buds when the Supper is over reminding us that we are beloved while creating a longing for wholeness and justice for the other. The touch of it lingers upon our palms where another hand grasped ours and calls us again to community. "We bring a vision of the church together, the wholeness of our covenant. What can we do together?" comes as a call from one of the participants last week. What shall we do together? This work before us is incredibly difficult and demanding, and delightful and deep. Barbara Kingsolver, novelist and mother of one of my daughter's childhood friends, calls us to this holy, hopeful work that lies before us as followers of the Way: "The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof. " Let's live under that roof together! In grateful partnership, Mary As you consider your summer offerings, remember Week of Compassion as it makes responses on our behalf to those affected by the Oklahoma tornadoes. |
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FINAL DEADLINE JUNE 10, 2013TO REGISTER FOR CGC SUMMER CAMPS...
 NO REGISTRATIONS WILL BE RECEIVED AFTER June 10th.
They must be postmarked or delivered on the 10th.
You are Great: because you are making sure that children, youth and adults have an opportunity to stretch their spirits toward God and others at CAMP this summer by encouraging them to sign up, and get their registrations AND money into your CONGREGATIONAL CAMP REGISTRAR on time! THANK YOU!
Information for those struggling with decisions re: CYF Conference and
IMPORTANT FEATURE at CYF Conference: During free time, any camper who is taking a summer school course online will have the opportunity to go to the dining hall to do their online work in a quiet atmosphere. Rachelle Ryness, certified teacher and CYF Staff, will provide supervision and be available for tutoring if needed.
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 WOMEN'S MINISTRIES
Save the Dates
Registration for Quadrennial Assembly will begin at the Orlando General Assembly in July. If you are going to 2013 General Assembly sign up for the Disciples Women's luncheon.
ARE YOU GOING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY? WANT TO HELP?? GA leadership has asked Disciples Women to help at educational workshops. You will be able to help at the workshops you are attending. No need for extra effort. No public speaking is required. You will receive training the day of the event, in advance of the session's start. You will receive an identifying ribbon for your badge. Please email odw@dhm.disciples.org your availability for any or all of the following opportunities: There needs to be two hosts at each workshop. One will assist the speaker with basics, i.e. water, too cold, too hot. The other will be at the door to scan attendees' badges for Continuing Education Credits (in and out scans). Sunday afternoon-only sessions have 30 openings / Monday morning-only sessions have 60 openings / Tuesday morning-only sessions have 80 openings. The Women's Luncheon is on Wednesday. We will not be assisting education session on Wednesday, but you can still volunteer as a hostess for the Women's Luncheon. There are 60 openings. Exhibit Hall - The Women's Boutique, where you will be registering early for QA 2014 to take advantage of the discount and free tee-shirt and where you will be purchasing the new pre-event tote bag could also use some volunteers to assist in general ways around the boutique. Stop by to shop. Stay to help. There are over 230 opportunities for Disciples Women, friends and family, to make a difference. Please email your response to odw@dhm.disciples.org by July 1. Please give this your prayerful consideration ~ Paula
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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) . 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.
www.disciples-faithinaction.org
This site was created by our WM Faith In Action Team Leader, Hope Attenhofer and is dedicated to inform and provide resources to our congregations and communities to become aware of and address Human Trafficking. Take note of the media page where there is a link to the film: Call and Response. Watch the trailer and complete the form of interest (see: Events page) to have the film available within your church community. Also take a look at what community's are doing. See 'Events' and 'Community In Action' tabs. ___________________________________________________________________ 
October 5, 2013, 9:30am-4:00pm: Spa for the Spirit: A One-Day Retreat for Women at Elk Grove UCC, hosted by Women of Spirit and Action (DOC/UCC). |
NEWS FROM AROUND THE REGION
We celebrate with Gale Tompkins-Bischel (May 19) at the United Christian Parish in Lakeport, and Nathan Mazur (May 25) at New Spirit Community Church in the Pacific School of Religion Chapel in Berkeley where they were ordained in the Christian ministry. At such moments of commitment and affirmation of gifts, we sense that God's Spirit still moves with a grace-filled power.
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Renowned speaker Fr. Tom Weston will be giving a talk on "Clean and Sober Living" on Saturday afternoon, June 15 at 3 PM. at Fruitridge Christian Church of Sacramento. Noted author and lecturer on alcholism and addiction, he has been leading retreats for people in recovery from alcoholism and addiction and their families and friends full time since 1984. His inspiring words have touched the lives of author Anne Lamont of "Traveling Mercies" and "Help, Thanks, and Wow" in which Fr. Tom is mentioned several times. Fruitridge Christian Church is located at 4445 Fruitridge Rd., Sacramento, 95820 and the church phone is (916) 456-4700. Refreshments are provided following the talk. The event is free. Everyone is welcome. _____________________________________________________________
Mark your Calendar/Save the date
First Christian Church of Concord will be hosting its 2nd Annual Hawaiian Luau and Auction
This will be a fun-filled evening with great food, fellowship,music, and of course, everything Hawaiian.
_____________________________________________________________Save this Date: Christian Church Homes, Annual Fundraising Celebration, Friday September 6, 2013, 6:30 PM Marriot City Center, 1001 Broadway, Oakland
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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 this week: United Disciples Fellowship, San Jose, Golden Gate to Pebble Beach Area; Moderator, Leta Shattuck. Congregation to pray for next week: First Christian Church, San Lorenzo, East Bay Area; Cindy Walter, Correspondent
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
Prayers of care for Sandhya Jha as she moves toward a time of transition in her ministry with the Region and FCCO.
All other staff remain hard at work to help the CCNC-N Region be the body of Christ in its many forms. We invite your prayerful support.
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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!
Cause for Celebration and Prayer:  New members: Cottage Way Christian Church celebrates 2 new members; Forest Hill Christian Church celebrates 3 new members; First Christian Church, Palo Alto celebrates 1 new member; Mayfair Christian Church celebrates 4 new members;
First Christian Church, Turlock, has begun to share its building and ministry with St. Francis Anglican Church. Greg Frazier shared with the Modesto Bee, "We're going to worship in our own style and at our own time, but we're going to minister to Turlock together. In fact, we already did a Love Turlock day together." FCC, San Jose, as they take another key step to move forward their missional vision of a Recovery Café with a fundraising breakfast, Closing the Gap, on June 7, 7:30-9:30 AM with Noe Killian, founder of the Recovery Café in Seattle. Brenda Loreman who served as one of FCC's, Concord, Student Associate Ministers, and has been called to Niles Discovery Church in Fremont, will be ordained at Eden UCC in Hayward on Sunday, June 9 at 3:00 PM
Hope Attenhofer will be ordained on Saturday, August 24, 2013, at 10:00am at FCC Concord, 3039 Willow Pass Road, Concord, CA.
We celebrate with Pastor Taulau Tupua and his family and the faith community of Via Dolorosa CCC the news that the doctors have described him as "cancer free." Thanks be to God!
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Please surround Dwight Carlson in prayer as he suffered a stroke on May 21st, and is currently recovering at Davies Medical Center in San Francisco, 45 Castro Street. Speaking is difficult for him, and he is working to regain motion and sensation in his left side. Prayers are requested for Dwight, his wife Virginia, and the rest of the family. Visitors are okay for a few minutes at a time. Cards can be sent to the Carlson's home at 1629 E. Sunnyview, Visalia, CA 93292.
We continue to hold Pastor Mark Foglio in prayer. He was diagnosed with a squamous cell cancer on his left hand and will underwent surgery in Stockton on Friday, May 24th . Pastor Mark is still recovering from extensive surgery on his back and this is just one more challenge for him. Please keep him and his wife Darla in your prayers.
Please surround Kelsey, Tom and Shellie Warren with your love and prayers as the long process of healing for Kelsey begins following her accident. We offer our gratitude that Kelsey's prognosis is good following her surgeries and CT. Thanks be to God!
Kelsey's new address is:
TIRR Memorial Hermann
Kelsey Warren, Room 610
1333 Moursaund
Houston, TX 77030
Our prayers are also with Pastor Larry Love, whose brother, Steve, is out of acute care and in a convalescent hospital doing rehab after having a stroke. He is expecting to go home June 10.
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Our prayers continue for the following who remain in need of our support and concern:
- Barbara Wikoff, Oakdale CC
- The family of Reatha Kulcsar and Pacific Grove CC as they celebrate the life of elder emeritus Reatha Kulcsar who worked for many years with the Asilomar Conference Center
- Lt. MaShon Wilson, serving in Afghanistan, son of Gloria Wilson, Associate Pastor, FCC Alameda.
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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!
2013 SUMMER CAMP DATES
- June 23-28- South San Joaquin Camp at Camp Pacifica
Community of the Great Commission Camps
- June 6-9- Adult Camp
- June 23-29- CCF/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 (Grandparents and Me Sessions will not be held on July 4!)
July 13-17 - General Assembly, Orlando, FL includes a CCNCN Reception with other Western Regions, time and place tba
August 9 and 10 ACTS Class with Hope Partnership; places to be determined
August 26-27, 11AM - 2PM, San Damiano Retreat Center, Clergy Retreat 1 geared toward clergy who are retired and/or may be reinventing themselves in a new stage of life
September 7, CCNC-N NAPAD Convocation
Sept. 13-15 - Women's Fall Retreat at Mission Springs with Mary Donovan Turner
October 18-20 - Men's Retreat at Vacaville Christian Church with Christian Piatt
November 15-16, 11 AM-2PM, San Damiano Retreat Center, Clergy Retreat 2 geared for clergy serving in pastoral ministry or specialized ministries
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 | | Photo Credit: Brandon Gilvin |
The dust is still settling in Oklahoma where massive tornadoes struck several communities, large and small, on May 19th and 20th, and the damage has been devastating.
From reports, the storm impacted just under 4,000 homes, businesses and non-residential buildings. Of those, 1,248 were destroyed, 452 sustained major damage, and 640 sustained minor damage. Communities from across the socioeconomic spectrum were impacted in many ways, and will need ongoing support in terms of long term recovery.
This week, staff from Week of Compassion joined Disciples Volunteering, the UCC Disaster Ministry, General Minister and President Sharon Watkins, Transitional Regional Minister Dean Phelps, and UCC Conference Minister Edith Guffey have been on the ground checking in with those affected, identifying potential partners and resources, and imagining along with the community what recovery and a post-tornado "new normal" might look like.
It will take prayers, resources, and coordination, the work of many volunteers, and right now, patience and time for these communities to recover. With the support of so many who want to put their Compassion into Action, we will be able to do more than just watch. We will be able to bring healing and hope over the long haul.
Through your partnership with Week of Compassion, you have been there. Your generosity has already provided support to families who have been displaced, provided clean-up and other supplies to folks whose neighborhoods have been destroyed, and is bolstering the formation of long term recovery groups across the area. YOU CAN STILL SEND YOUR WOC OFFERINGS EARMARKED FOR OKLAHOMA TORNADOES.
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PUBLISHING INFORMATION
This newsletter is published bi-weekly on Thursdays.
Please send short text only articles only...
No flyers or pdf documents which require rewriting will be accepted.
JPG images and links should be submitted as a separate attached file and
not embedded in the body of a document.
ALL news articles should be sent to enews@ccncn.org no later than the Tuesday before publication.
Publishing schedule for balance of 2013:
June 13, 27 July 11, 25
August 8, 22
September 5, 19
October 3, 17, 31
November 14, 28 (Thanksgiving - no publication)
December 12, 26 (Christmas - no publication)
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This communication is made possible by generosity expressed through giving to Disciples Mission Fund!
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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