Calling all Disciples and UCC Women!  Spring Renewal is just around the corner on March 12, 2016!  This year's theme is "How to Do Church: Congo Style."  The day will feature a keynote by our very own Charlotte Jackson and preaching by the Rev. Dr. Lataunya Bynum.  Charlotte will enliven us with the vital ministries that can be found in Christian churches in the Congo - and what we can learn from them.
 
Workshops will focus on vital ministry and church - including drumming meditation, learning about Recovery Café, UCC/Disciples collaboration, and more.  This day is about finding the needs in YOUR community and responding to them with God's help.  
 
Cost: $30
Location: First Congregational Church of San Jose (1980 Hamilton Ave., San Jose, CA)
Time: Registration at 8:00 a.m.; Program 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Registration: Will be made available on Monday, February 8

The Justice Commission of the Christian Church of Northern California-Nevada is sponsoring Circles of Peace facilitator trainings in four different locations throughout the region on Saturday, March 5th, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

The training prepares individuals to lead Circles of Peace small group discussions on a variety of difficult issues facing our world, society and churches. The training will touch on the rationale for the Circles of Peace process, the nature of the three circles that are part of Circles of Peace (Circles of Inquiry, Circles of Healing, and Circles of Advocacy/Action), and specific practices that help keep discussions of difficult issues respectful and helpful. The training will conclude with participants practicing a Circle of Inquiry, Circle of Healing, and a Circle of Advocacy.

Read more ...

The Annual Gathering worship team needs your help!! We want to hear from you about what in means in your life to identify as a Disciple.

We would encourage our local pastors to help us by ensuring that those in their churches who have an especially important story to tell are invited to participate in this story-drive.

Submissions are requested by March 1st, and please note a submission would grant permission to use one's submission in Annual Gathering planning processes. Stories can be submitted to: agworship2016@gmail.com. Thank you.

View Flyer

The Christian Women's Fellowship is presenting Sister Karen  M. Barrett in Sharing Highlights of her Trip to Ghana West Africa on the second  Sunday February 14, 2016.

This will be done after our morning 11:00 a.m.  worship service, here at Mills Grove Christian Church (DOC) 5410 Fleming Avenue Oakland, CA 94619. The presentation will be held  in our Fellowship Hall downstairs. All are invited to come and enjoy this wonderful presentation.   
Thank you.
 
Sister Deloris Suarez, President, CWF

Hi Friends and fellow followers of Christ,
 
Two weeks ago, we launched our first promotional material for the Oakland Peace Center mini Miracle Day happening in the First Christian Church - Oakland building on Saturday May 7, 2016. We need your help planning this miracle day. We need Christian leaders to fill-in the following position:

(1)   Volunteer Coordinator
(2)   Fund-raiser Coordinator
(3)   Communication Coordinator
(4)   Worship Coordinator
 
For further information, you can contact:
Rev. Sandhya Jha sandhya@oaklandpeacecenter.org
or Eula Pagdilao eula@ccncn.org

For centuries, we have been blessed by the beauty and awe of color, light and the symbols of God's love for the world found in church stained glass windows. Unfortunately, it is the rare congregation who knows how best to maintain these treasures for the sake of future generations.
 
Disciples Church Extension Fund invites you and other church leaders to participate in a free webinar on February 25 at 3 p.m. EST, led by expert glass conservator Ron Weaver of Jacksonville Art Glass, Jacksonville, Ill. Ron will share suggestions about how best to protect, repair and even move the stained glass windows in your church.  Register for the webinar here.  For more information, contact Disciples Church Extension Fund Advisor Jim Michel at 800-.274¬.1883 or info@disciplescef.org.

As a leading resource in building planning and funding, Disciples Church Extension Fund is pleased to facilitate this discussion about one of our churches' most revered architectural treasures.

Learn more ...

For 149 years, Pacific School of Religion has trained transformative leaders of faith-based communities and organizations. Your church's support is essential to preparing tomorrow's faith leaders and community builders.

On February 28th, consider inviting a member of the PSR community to:
 
Preach at your church  
Give a Moment for Mission during the service  
Attend worship and be available for questions after the service

Congregational support is essential to the continued flourishing of Pacific School of Religion and the ministries our graduates pursue. If you are able to participate in PSR Sunday on February 28th (or another day, if the 28th is already designated), please fill out the form here.

I am a member of the Association of Disciple Musicians, and I am serving on the planning team for the 2016 conference to be held this year at the University of Evansville, Evansville, Ind., July 17-24.
This is the 55th consecutive ADM conference, and it has been held in numerous locations throughout the years.  It is for clergy, choir directors, handbell ringers, anyone who loves church music.  There is daily worship filled with music, handbell classes, chapel choir, ADM chorus, organ classes and many other options.  

Do you have a newsletter that this year's ADM conference could be mentioned?  I would appreciate getting the word out.  Surprisingly, many Disciples are not aware that this group exists.

Association of Disciple Musicians Conference
"Weave Us Together"
University of Evansville, Evansville, Ind.
July 17-24, 2016
For more information go to www.adm-doc.org
To register online, go to Disciples Home Missions, DHM Ministries, Association of Disciple Musicians
For more information, contact Alice Chaney  alice@madisonvilledisciples.org

Thank you.

New Members
FCC Sacramento reports two new members.

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.

Please pray for Rev. Jon Smith and his family. This is from Vacaville Christian Church:

Late Saturday night Wanda Smith, wife of Pastor Jon, suffered a stroke and heart attack. Despite valiant efforts, she passed away.

Cards may be sent to 821 Saddle Horn Trail, Vacaville, CA 95687.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, February 27th at 2:00 p.m. at the Christian Church of Vacaville, 66 Vine St. in Vacaville, CA. Reception to follow.

Please pray with us:
God, our everlasting hope and healer, stand with us at this time. May Jon and those he loves feel Your presence surrounding them. Help us to listen to, grieve with, and share our love with them. Wanda was such a light in our presence, Lord, and we treasure the memories we have of her. Help us to use those memories of love and laughter to lend a brighter light to our own paths as we move forward, knowing that one day we will see her again.

Thank You for giving her to us for the time we had, Lord. She brightened our lives as she is now brightening Your everlasting life.
In the name of Your Son, Jesus, we lift Wanda's loved ones to Your loving comfort. Amen.





Let us 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 consider incorporating this congregation into your congregational prayers this week during worship or in your newsletter, so we can grow together in prayer.


Please pray for the churches who are in transition.

Christian Church of  Northern California-Nevada