Regional Voices

December 11, 2014

REFLECTIONS

"Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling? Can you hear Madam Insight raising her voice?" (Prov. 8:1)

How gratifying it was to hear these words that were foundational to my dissertation ring out across the sanctuary in the lovely scripture choir led by Dr. Margie Brown at my retirement celebration last Sunday.

So often Wisdom is yelling right at me! Sometimes I can hear her-but more often I don't. Her voice gets lost in the worries and the tribulations of my day-to-day distractions and judgments.

It is a pretty humbling experience to look back over one's life and contemplate that things that have been, that might have been, that I wish had been-or hadn't been! We mark milestones with rituals of meaning...birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, retirements, memorials.... If we didn't, we might never stop long enough to reflect on all the ingredients that make up Who We Are and exactly what has been "baked" when we put it all together! Lady Wisdom is calling, insight raising her voice, "Pay attention! Wake up! Look around you! Don't go back to sleep! Learn! Experience! Share! Grow!"

I love the Proverbs 8-9 scripture because it is a creation story. It is the story of Lady Wisdom, the partner and companion to the Creator-in fact the catalyst for all creation, "The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts long ago. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth." (Prov. 8:22-23). To me, this says that Wisdom is our true nature. Our souls require Wise Being to be healthy and whole. Everything created after Wisdom has that seed in it, waiting to be watered and nurtured to grow.

This divine Wisdom doesn't reside in some lofty, hard-to-reach ivory tower. It is inside us and all around us-in our day-to-day existence, residing "at First and Main...at the busiest intersection in town (Prov. 8:2). Carrie Newcomer, one of my favorite musician/song writers says it this way:

Holy is the dish and drain

The soap and sink, the cup and plate

And the warm wool socks, and the cold white tile

Shower heads and good dry towels

And frying eggs sound like psalms

With a bit of salt measured in my palm

It's all a part of a sacrament

As holy as a day is spent

Holy is the place I stand
To give whatever small goodI can.
The empty page, the open book

Redemption everywhere I look

Unknowingly we slow our pace

In the shade of unexpected grace

With grateful smiles and sad lament

As holy as a day is spent
(The Gathering of Spirits Album. Carrie Newcomer; Rounder Records)

There may not seem like much wisdom in those words, but when we slow down enough to live life at this common level and focus fully on each moment, it is as living in a state of ongoing prayer. So much that is unimportant falls away. So much that really matters becomes clear. Differences and conflicting realities can begin to merge into a continuum of one amazing whole. No excuses for being too busy, too distracted, too unworthy.... It is our true nature. She calls to us in the midst of the mundane, busy, fragmented places in our lives: Slow down; rest; find Grace; say Thank You.

I am filled with gratitude as I reflect on the love and wisdom that was shared with me last Sunday, and it is my ongoing prayer that we all find time to rest, renew, reflect, find meaning, reconnect with our true nature of divine Wisdom and heal our Souls.

-- Rev. Dr. Paula Pociecha

UPCOMING REGIONAL EVENTS

CCNC-N's 9th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.

January 11, 2015, 4:00 pm - SAVE THE DATE

Lafayette Christian Church

584 Glenside Dr, Lafayette 94549

Join us as we remember Martin Luther King, Jr.
And honor Rev. Sandhya Jha with the MLK award for her work

Founder of the ministry of the Oakland Peace Center
Activist in her Oakland community
Powerful & effective anti-racism trainings
Advocate for affordable housing

Installation of the Regional Minister

Save the Date - for Dr. LaTaunya M. Bynum's installation. The service will take place on March 21 at 3:00 pm at First Christian Church in Sacramento.

Learn More

Women's Action Web

Feb 4-8, 2015

It is with great excitement that we announce a very unique and powerful program offered by and for Disciples women, called the Woman's Action Web (WAW), coming Feb. 4-8, 2015 covering Sacramento, East and South Bay areas. Learn More

Camp Counselors for 2015!

June and July seem far away, but the Outdoor Ministry Committee (OMC) is actively preparing for camps at the Community of the Great Commission and at the South San Joaquin Camp. OMC and Camp Directors are looking for counselors, nurses, and keynoters for next summer. We would like to ask members of churches in the CCNC-N Region to consider applying for one of the positions for Junior, Chi Rho or CYF camp, or to perhaps plant a seed of interest and encourage someone else to apply. The application can be found at www.ccncn.org. Submitting an application would not be a commitment yet, nor would it be a guarantee for a counseling position, but would help us broaden our knowledge of people who are interested. Applications can be found here.

Our deadline to receive counselor applications is January 31, 2015.

Of course, May 2015 will be dedicated as the month for camper registrations with a deadline of May 31.

I would be glad to talk to anyone about these camp opportunities.

Thank you,

Leanne Stump

OMC Chairperson

jokeca@aol.com

925-323-3184

AROUND THE REGION

World Pauses to Pray for Peace.

Imagine if people all around the globe paused at the same time and prayed for peace. At noon, Greenwich Mean Time, on December 31, that happens. At that moment, people all around the world pause as individuals and gather in community to pray for peace.

"That can be kind of tough for those of us living on the west coast," explained the Rev. Jeffrey Spencer, an organizer of a peace prayer gathering in Fremont. "Noon in England is 4:00 a.m. here. But some of us are going to get up for a 4:00 a.m. interfaith prayer service on December 31 - and others won't go to sleep on December 30."

The service, co-sponsored by the Tri-City Interfaith Council, Interfaith Women of Peace, and Pax Christi will be held at Community of Christ, 34050 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont.

The organizers believe the service can make a real difference. "Peace begins with me," Sister Annette Burkart, one of the organizers, explained. "In these troubled times when we desire to have global peace, we need to make peace within ourselves and share that peace with our neighbors. By doing so, we end violence - all violence."

Marge Leonard agrees: "This is a time to focus intentionally on what we can do personally to contribute to peace."

Prayers from several different faith traditions will be shared by those present, in spoken word, in silence, and in song. "People from all faith traditions are encouraged to attend," Spencer said.

Paula's Retirement Celebration

I want to say a resounding "Thank you!" to all who worked so hard to plan and host my retirement celebration Sunday, especially Lafayette Christian Church, Yolanda M�rquez-L�car, Denise Turner, Coral Cogbill, Renae Earl and the rest of the Women's Ministries Council.

Talk about going out on a high note! I feel both exalted and humbled to have heard so many ways in which people have felt touched and blessed by my ministry. There is no greater gift and blessing you can give to me as I wind up eleven years in regional work, and 26 years in formal ministry. I truly honor and cherish each one of you for being in my life. I will continue to hold all of CCNC-N in my prayers and heart.

-- Paula

First Christian Church celebrates 140 years.

From a humble school house on 7th Avenue and Fargo, to a simple wooden building on 8th and Brown and finally to the current building on Cameron, the First Christian Church recently celebrated 140 years as being the first chartered church in Kings County. Learn More

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JOYS & CONCERNS & 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!

With a Prayerful Heart:

Hold in prayer the Tupua Family as they grieve the passing of Rev. Taulau Tupua. For information on services, click here.

With a Grateful Heart:

Sacramento First Christian Church had a big day on November 3. On that day two babies were born into the congregation. Aleta Rose Augustine was born to Garrett and Sara (Bowen) Augustine. Sara is well known in the region for her work with camping ministries, as a counselor and co-director. Then, Madeline Flora Harbit was born to Ellen Schramm and Daniel Harbit. Moms and babies are all doing fine.

The Rev. Bob Green has accepted a call to FCC Colusa.

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.

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: BRIM, Berkeley; Marilyn Colbert

Congregation to pray for next week: Tapestry Ministries, Berkeley;Leon Bacchues, 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, Watsonville

Lafayette Christian Church, Lafayette

First Christian Church, Redding

United Congregational Christian Church, Lodi

United Christian Church, Fresno

Vacaville Christian Church

REGIONAL CALENDAR

Jan 11, 2015	9th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. 4:00 p.m. at Lafayette CC
Feb 4-8, 2015	Women's Action Web, Learn More.
March 21, 2015	LaTaunya Bynum Installation, FCC Sacramento (Save the date!)
March 29 to April 4, 2015	Regional Hands-on Mission Trip to Loveland, CO Learn More.

OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST

Leadership Academy.

February 23-27, 2015
Marten House Hotel and Conference Center, Indianapolis, IN

The Leadership Academy is a week-long learning experience for leaders in both new congregations and transforming congregations, as well as social entrepreneurs of faith (new this year)-those starting faith-based health and social service enterprises. Learn More

Regional Hands-on Mission Trip

Mission teams are being hosted by First Christian Church, Loveland to assist with flood recovery following the severe storms and significant flooding that occurred across northern Colorado in the fall of 2013. Lou Ann Hughes, the chair of the committee that plans regional hands-on mission trips, has planned a trip there for next year. Ten registrations have been purchased to go to the mission station in Loveland, Colorado during Holy Week (March 29 to April 4). Anyone interested in going should send Lou Ann an email at: loualoui@hotmail.com. Learn More

PUBLISHING INFORMATION

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ALL news articles should be sent to enews@ccncn.org no later than the
Tuesday before publication.

________________________________

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through giving to Disciples Mission Fund!

Christian Church of Northern California-Nevada

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