In Daily Feast: Meditations from Feasting on the Word, Jeffry W. Carter writes:

"The world is filled with friendly churches. Friendly churches have room in their pews for new people; willingly welcome visitors with smiles, warm greetings, and welcome gifts; and make it a point to host invite-a-friend Sundays with zest and zeal. The world is filled with friendly churches, but what the world needs is open churches. Churches open to new people are open to their gifts, needs, and wants. Churches that are simply friendly make use of an informal and covert vetting process, one that moves through a series of questions regarding a new person's past church affiliation, family background, and personal interests. Open churches seek to hear how God might be calling them to widen their circle of discipleship as they embrace the new person. For open churches, two questions live in concert: How will we share God with others? How is God sharing others with us?"

Part of the mission and vision of the Christian Church of Northern California-Nevada is "to educate and empower every congregation to become a healthy, vital, and living witness to the love, justice, and grace of God through Jesus Christ". We are indeed called to be friendly churches; after all, hospitality is a spiritual gift; and alongside hospitality there is another call. We are called to be evangels, bearers of the good news of Jesus Christ. We are called to throw open our doors, and our hearts, and our minds so that the Holy Spirit can breathe through us and into the world.

That is how we become an open church. Thanks be to God.

LaTaunya M. Bynum
Regional Minister

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: ญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญMLK 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.)

 

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.

The members of Lodi United Congregational Christian Church recently voted to adopt an Open and Affirming Covenant that welcomes "the full participation of all persons-regardless of age, ability, race, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, relationship status, financial means, ethnic or spiritual background-in our worship, ministry, service and community." Learn More

  On November 2nd at 3:00 p.m., the First Christian Church of San Lorenzo (Disciples of Christ) will hold their closing service. If you are interested in attending please contact Carrie Osmer at mscosmer@gmail.com for availability.

On Saturday November 8th the family invites you to come and celebrate Jean's life! The celebration will be from 1:00PM-4:00PM at Sierra Christian Church. It will be an open house so come and drop in for a while or you are welcome to stay the whole time!  In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations may be offered to Sierra Christian Church in Loomis. Sierra Christian Church 5645 Rocklin Rd., Loomis, California 95650.

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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.
First Christian Church, Watsonville

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!

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!  

 

Nov 8

Fall Fest 2014

November 8, 2014, 9 am - 5pm
Mount Diablo High School, 2450 Grant St., Concord 94520
 
Too many youth are being bullied, teased, and rejected based on gender and sexual orientation. Let's come together to create change!

The Summit is a space for youth to voice their needs; and for all participants to learn strategies to build more welcoming spaces and participate in dialogue about what we can all do to promote acceptance.

Open to middle and high school students, community members, families/caregivers, service providers, faith leaders, school administrators, teachers, and staff. Learn More.

Hosted by Inclusive Schools Coalition of Central and East Contra Costa County, Contra Costa County Youth Advocacy Collaborative

The Disciples Leadership Program (DLP) at Eureka College is awarded to freshmen based on leadership, service and academic excellence, and the commitment to explore during college a life of faith-based servant leadership. Seminary-bound students interested in our pre-ministry track are encouraged to apply, but all qualified DOC students of any major and vocational aspiration with exceptional leadership and service will be equally considered.   DLP Fellows receive full tuition plus two on-site mentorships exploring service anywhere in the world, a $6,000 combined stipend for travel-related expenses. The DLP is a top-tier scholarship at the college, and is awarded to only two candidates per year with the academic preparation to maintain a 3.0 or better in college. (Qualified students are also encouraged to apply for the Reagan Leadership Program.) For more information contact Chaplain Bruce Fowlkes at bfowlkes@eureka.edu, or call (309) 467-6429.

Review of DLP Applications begins December 1.

 Learn More

Dr. Richard Horsley has a distinguished career as an academic specializing in 1st Century Judaic religion & politics but is now working to bring an answer so the question: so how does that matter to our faith and our world?

He gives us his answer is in these three lectures which are under the general title: Empire Versus Community and the Common Good The lectures cover these topics:
--Jesus Community and Empire (keynote Friday night)
--Taking the Gospel as a Whole (9am Sat. morning)
--Covenant Economics and Community Renewal (11 am Sat. morning)

Stone Church will be using its two Sunday morning Adult CE classes prior to the lectures for a review of key themes of Dr Horsley's works.

For more information, please contact Walter Hudson at FCC San Jose. Learn More

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This communication is made possible by generosity expressed  

through giving to Disciples Mission Fund!

 

      

 
The CCNC-N is the presence of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
in the northern half of the states of California and Nevada.