Regional Voices
September 18, 2014
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 ...and God, how will we do ministry?God may provide what God wants and however God wants.
Nevertheless, God works through the faith and obedience of God's sons and daughters. That's why; money will come in from regular offerings and the love offerings you could afford. When God sees that we do our part, God intervenes to do everything else. As children of God, we should not work like the world does, through bank loans. We only work with regular and extraordinary love offerings from the people of God. We also raise funds through special activities and some Christian item sales.
And, ALL resources needed for ministry will come from the trust we have in God
and the love we feel for those that have not experienced the love of God.
We are to give...with generosity for, "who sows bountiful will also reap bountifully". 2 Co. 9:6
...what is a 'love offering'?
The Love Offering is a "love and sacrificial" offering that we share, (over and above our regular commitment to our community of faith) to ministries we believe in. We share a 'love offering' because we love the work of the Lord, and we share according to our strengths, capabilities and sometimes even out of all that.
"... for I testify they gave as much as they were able,
and even beyond their ability." 2 Cor. 8:3, 11,12.
...how should I give?
GET FAMILIAR WITH WWW.CCNCN.ORG to check out the latest news, needs and ministries of Northern California-Nevada Region;
CHOOSE A MINISTRY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT or you may choose to support general ministries of the region;
SENDING YOUR CHECKS to CCNC-N to 9260 Alcosta Blvd, Ste C-22, San Ramón, California 94583, or; CHOOSE THE 'DONATE" BUTTON AT OUR WEBSITE, and follow the prompts to use your bank card or credit card for a donation.
CALL THE OFFICE TO ASK if there is something you may help us with as a volunteer in the office;
SET A TIM E AND DATE to lift up in prayer, the work of our Regional Church in Northern California, and each of its staff;
NEVER STOP INTERCEDING to God, for the local church, Regional Church and General Church as we work in fellowship for the Kingdom of God among us NOW!
For any question, comments or information, please feel free to call us at the office (925) 556-9900 to speak to Jim or me at ext. 203. You are welcome to use my personal cell phone (818) 903-9659.
In the love of Christ,
Rev. Yolanda Márquez-Lúcar
Faith and Giving Regional Staff
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 Spa for the Spirit We invite all women to attend a day to explore spiritual practice and to engage in experiencing Jesus as Wisdom. This is a day of spiritual renewal for women in all stages of life. Rev. Dr. Paula Pociecha will guide us through the day where we can reconnect with our spirits and draw strength from a community of sisters. Come and let your Soul be delighted! Learn More
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 Women's Action Web
Ladies, have you ever heard that song by Joan Osborne "What if God was one of us", well what if God WAS? What are you going to do about it? I can help you with just a small part of that then I will need your help. Join me, work with me, help me, walk with me and mission with me. What I am talking about is our CCNCN-DOC/UCC region and the regions of the WWOW (Wild Women of the West) coming together as one, working, designing and implementing a Women's Action Web, happening in N. CA October 15-19, 2014. Learn More
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 2014 MLK Award and Scholarship Please Note: APPLICATIONS for MLK Nominations and MLK scholarship are available. A firm DEADLINE for both: October 30, 2014 To nominate an individual from this region for the annual MLK Award, fill out the form from this link: MLK Nomination Form. (Recent award winners include JoAnne Kagiwada, Clarence Johnson, Jim Mutulski and Vy Nguyen.) To apply for the MLK Scholarship, please fill out the form from this link: MLK Scholarship Application . (Recent scholarship winners include Lisa Smith, Micah Love, and Taulau Tupua.) Please address questions to Jan Warren at 925-934-3134 or jxwarren1947@yahoo.com. Please mail the nomination form and/or scholarship application to CCNC-N, attn.: Jan Warren at 9260 Alcosta Blvd, Ste. C-22, San Ramon, CA 94583-4143 Learn More
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 Hidden Treasures / Local Talent
This is the fourth year for the Serra Center Art Workshop, an instructional art program for developmentally disabled adults in our community. It is exciting to present selections of their art work in the Hidden Treasures, Local Talent Exhibit. Each of the 22 students in the workshop has one painting on display in the show for your enjoyment.
September 12 - October 5
Olive Hyde Art Gallery
123 Washington Blvd., Fremont, CA
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CHURCHES TO HOLD IN PRAYER
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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: Disciples of Christ Visalia; G. Niel Climer, Pastor
We feature two congregations in each edition of Regional Voices. 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.
PLEASE PRAY FOR CHURCHES CURRENTLY IN TRANSITION:
First Samoan Congregational Christian Church of Reno
United Christian Church, Livermore
First Christian Church, San Lorenzo
First Christian Church, Watsonville
Lafayette Christian Church, Lafayette First Christian Church, Redding United Congregational Christian Church, Lodi United Christian Church, Fresno Vacaville Christian Church
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JOYS & CONCERNS & PRAYER NEEDS
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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!
With a Grateful Heart:
The Women's Fall Retreat for Disciples and UCC women with Dr. Sharon Watkins was a huge success! !50 women attended and sang, and worshiped, and prayed, and ate together! The women of N. CA-NV always amaze and humble me with their generous hearts and giving. Over $4500 was received in giving. Learn More
With a Prayerful Heart:
Prayers of gratitude for Week of Compassion and their immediate response and assistance to Vallejo FCC for earthquake damage.
Update on Constance Cole and her bone marrow transplant for leukemia:
Cliff shares that the initial results of the biopsy marrow show no signs of leukemia and the new stem cells seem to be doing the healing they were meant to do. Continue to pray for their strength, comfort and endurance.
Jean Weathers, long-time musician and lay leader at Sierra Christian Church in Loomis had a stroke last week which caused a brain hemorrhage and has been in ICU in Sacramento. Please keep Jean and her family and the medical team in prayer! Prayer request from Rochon Hemmans, musician and lay leader at Oakland Mills Grove CC:Rochon's son and grandson were injured in a race car accident. Her son lost is left foot and three digits on his left hand and was in ICU at UC Davis Medical Center. Her grandson badly fractured his leg and is in the same hospital. Prayers for Rochon and family as they travel out there and for the medical teams. He is now at home.
Wayne Bennett is in Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu and has been there for nearly two weeks. Initially, he went into receive a new heart valve replacement. Before that happened, complications set in: some kidney problems; lungs filling with water and swelling of his arms and legs. The complications seem to be under control now; swelling has gone down and lungs are clearing. Wayne does not know when they will actually do the heart valve replacement. Wayne's daughter from CA has been there with him, but probably cannot stay much longer because she has to go back to work. Many people in Northern CA know and love Wayne who served as volunteer staff for the Region as well as Board member, leader of the Northern CA GLAD group for many years, and key leader at the former FCC Stockton. Wayne is currently in Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu; But cards can be sent to his home address:
201 Ohua Ave #3202-2, Honolulu, 96815.
Continued prayers as Allene Parker, Disciples clergy living in Visalia recovers from knee surgery.
NEW MEMBERS:
Sierra Christian Church, Loomis welcomed three new members
Niles Discovery Churcy, Fremont welcomed two new members
First Christian Church, Selma welcomed one new member
REMINDER: Pastors and church secretaries, the region wishes to acknowledge and congratulate those children, youth and adults who make the decision to join a church by transfer or baptism, as well as the names of any child and the parents' names of a dedicated child. Please send names, addresses, type of membership, child, youth or adult and church name to Cliff Cole (23mcc24x@comcast.net) whenever this occurs.
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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!
Sep 19
| Adult Leaders Working with Youth, CGC
| Oct 4
| Spirit Sisters Living Soul-Fully, Sierra Christian Church
| Oct. 15
| Women's Action Web on human trafficking modern-day slavery awareness, N. Cal
| Oct 17
| Disciples Mens' Retreat, San Damiano, CA
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 Reconciliation Ministry Special Offering
The 2014 Reconciliation Offering will be received in congregations on September 28th and October 5th. 50% supports general church reconciliation transformation teams. 50% stays in the region. Funds support /pro-reconciling/anti-racism/anti-oppression trainings for clergy, laity, and youth. It also supports grants to congregations within CCNC-N that develop specific programs to increase better understanding and transformation within their communities. Learn More
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 Reconciliation Generation During last few weeks Reconciliation Ministry has been collecting worship resources to help or aid in your individual learning and your conversations with others. Click here to review the resources, and if you want to take a more active part on this, please join #ReconciliationGeneration by pledging $10 a month (or more!) to Disciples of Christ Annual Fund. These funds will sponsor education seminars and programs to move the ball/conversation forward in our relationships with one another across the racial difference. Join the #ReconciliationGeneration DONATE NOW
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Roles and Responsibilities of Elders A request from Lisa Gonzalez, elder at Christian Church of Villa Park, IL Lisa Gonzalez, a candidate for the D.Min degree at the Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, is administering a survey on Disciples elders, and is requesting participation from congregations in several regions. The survey of pastors and elders focuses on the roles and responsibilities of elders within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), as well as the kinds of preparation people receive in order to take on the role of elder. The survey should take approximately fifteen minutes to complete, and participation is voluntary and entirely anonymous. If you are a pastor or elder and would like to participate, you may read more information about the survey and participate in the survey itself at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M936PB6 Thank you! Lisa Gonzalez
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 DOC & UCC Connection to Chapman in the News The Orange County Register did a feature story on the Disciples & UCC connection at Chapman. Learn More
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Community Enrollment and Education Events for CoveredCA The California Council of Churches (CCC) is one of the 48 grantee agencies contracted with CoveredCA to educate Californians on health insurance policies available through the Affordable Care Act. As a newly Certified Enrollment Counselor for the Bay Area Congregations with Covered CA at the California Council of Churches, I will need your help as we are now looking for churches in this area to host community enrollment and education events October through February 2015. Learn More |
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 or other 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.
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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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