Go Tell It on the Mountain

Skyland Church Newsletter - November 2017
Skyland Community Church

10:30 Sunday Service

Rev. Stephen Glauz-Todrank
 
Church phone: 408-353-1310

Calendar  

November 10: 

Memorial service for John Gaffney  at First Congregational Church, UCC, San Jose at 2:00 PM. The church is located at the corner of Hamilton and Leigh.


______________________

November 14:

Skyland Women's Group Meeting & Discussion  Topic
" God's connection to us: Seasons of the Church- Advent, Christmas & Epiphany and Lent, Easter & Pentecost
at
Shannon Edwards' home
25690 Adams Road, Los Gatos, CA. 95033
Call for directions  (408)353-2710
              _____________________

November 19:
Thanksgiving Pot Luck
AND
The Santa Clara Association of the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ is holding our

Santa Clara Association Fall Meeting 
Sunday, Nov. 19, 2:30 - 4:30pm
 
Foothills Congregational UCC, 461 Orange Ave., Los Altos
(more information in UCC Communications article)
::

The  Giving   Tree Holiday   Help
for  
Mountain Families, Children
 
The Skyland Women's Group  will
once again sponsor local families at CT English and Loma Prieta Schools for this holiday season. We will give Target gift cards to the children and Safeway cards to the families for food.  
 

The felt Giving Tree in Whitaker Hall is our way of showing the generosity of our church community and our neighbors.  Add a felt ball to symbolize your gift. We will collect money during and after church during Advent. 
If you want to give and can't make it to church on Sunday, please email Shannon Edwards at:  shannonedwards14@gmail.com or Deana Arnold at:  darnold@mac.com and we'll include your contribution. 

Altar Flowers

One open date for donating flowers in November is the 19th. Please consider also Sundays in December.
winding-road.jpg 



Revitalize Kitchen, 
Revitalize Life
by Ellie Lavender

As preparation for recent private cooking events, I clean and organize the Skyland kitchen at least twice a month. I have noticed our kitchen getting cluttered. My hope is that with the thoughts below, we are encouraged to keep the kitchen clean, clutter-free and organized.
 
As the place that nourishes body and spirit, your kitchen is the heart of your home. When the energy in the kitchen is positive and uplifting, families are more inclined to want to eat at home, and will enjoy better health and relationships as a result. 
 
Get Started Today! Apply these simple and practical Feng Shui enhancements to your kitchen and watch your relationships, health, and wealth become revitalized in amazing ways:
 
1.  Make cleaning a habit to improve prosperity.  One of the most important things you can do for your kitchen is to keep it clean and organized - and the two areas that need it most are the pantry and the refrigerator. Why? This is where food, a symbol of wealth and health, is stored. By keeping the fridge and pantry clean and organized, you'll improve your health by finding foods to prepare nutritious meals quickly. 
2.    Clear off countertops to energize your life . W hen you have a kitchen with clear counters graced with an attractive bowl of lemons or potted herbs, it just makes you feel like cooking. Clearing counters promotes positive energy flow in your kitchen - and that will impact your whole life.
3.  Discard damaged items to promote good energy in your foods.   Dented pots,  s cratched pans, chipped dishes and glasses are all items that bring negative energy to your food. Be sure to get rid of the damaged ones immediately.  Donating items that should be in the trash is spreading bad energy, so don't do it.
4.   Try to  put the trash out of sight, inside a cabinet and keep your trash can meticulously clean.  If the first thing you see in the kitchen is your trash can that's where your energy goes - out with the trash.  

Promote beauty, life and fullness for more abundance in your life. Now that your fridge, pantry, cabinets, counters and trash can are spic and span, it's time to introduce radiant energy; bring in potted herbs; and a lovely basket filled with fruit to promote health, wealth and abundance. 

Happy Decluttering.
Ellie Lavender
::
Skyland Women's Group Meeting & Discussion  Topic
"God's connection to us: Seasons of the Church- Advent, Christmas & Epiphany and Lent, Easter & Pentecost" Tues. Nov. 14th at 10:30 
(2nd Tuesday of the month)
Shannon Edwards' home
25690 Adams Road, Los Gatos, CA. 95033
Feel free to call for directions:  (408) 353-2710

Stephen Glauz-Todrank will be preaching about these seasons of the church year on Sunday, Nov. 12 and the women's group will have a follow up talk. This would be a great time to invite new and old friends to the church and to the women's group. 

We will discuss:
What is the meaning of these seasons for us as individuals and as a community?  After a short business meeting about our upcoming Giving Tree and Christmas pot luck, w
e will share our past experiences of these seasons while we were growing up and how the season impacts our lives going forward.
 

Minister's Reflection

I am really excited about the ReVision program offered by the Center for Progressive Renewal to churches which want to boost their vitality and strengthen their ministries in their communities. We sent an informational mailing out to those on our email list about ReVision last week. 

If you would haven't learned about the program already, I encourage you to do so by revisiting the email or looking at our website,  www.skylandchurch.com . under the heading "Newsletters and more". If you receive a paper copy of the newsletter, we will include a paper summary of the program. 

Because of the cost and commitment required, the Council will call a congregational meeting to bring it to a vote by our members, but since the program requires 30-40 people to participate in small groups in the initial phase, we will try to recruit you and others to sign up for a 7 session study and idea generating opportunity that takes place in small groups over a 90 day period. If enough people sign up it will help us know that many of you are likely to vote for it. 

Would you like to be one of the 30-40 people who share in the project of co-creating Skyland Church of the future, in which more people of all ages are receiving and sharing God's love, joining us for worship and in our work and play? Please look over the material and come to an information session after worship on the 5th (Don't forget to set your clock back!) in which we will play a couple of short videos and answer questions on the program. 

If you are willing to participate in the initial phase, there will be small groups scheduled at different times during the week to make it as easy as possible to do so. If the congregation decides to adopt the ReVision program the groups will begin early next year. If you have questions or would like to sign up please email me or call the church office at 408-353-1310. 

Every so often it is worthwhile to take a close look at who we are and what we are doing in order to let go of some things and try out some others. I hope that if we embark on this process we will feel that surge of energy that comes from being proactive about the future. My thoughts and prayers are with us as we discern together if ReVision is right for us. 

Thank you for giving it your thoughtful and prayerful consideration,
Stephen

::        
 UCC COMMUNICATIONS

In the face of life shaking loss, we can
 
RESPOND, REBUILD, RENEW
 
Santa Clara Association Fall Meeting
Sunday, Nov. 19, 2:30 - 4:30pm
 
Foothills Congregational UCC, 461 Orange Ave., Los Altos
 
Dear Members of the Santa Clara Association and guests:
 
The fall meeting of our association comes at a time when many are reeling from the shock of devastating climate related disasters. A series of extremely destructive hurricanes has been immediately followed by horrific fires this month in our own neighborhoods and around Sonoma County.
 
Our hearts experience grief, our minds-shock, over these events. Many are suffering personal loss, within our churches and our neighboring associations.  We long for healing and empowerment. Perhaps you have wondered, what can I do to respond?... how might we prepare to rebuild? ... in what way can we come together to begin healing and renewal as an interconnected body of the United Church of Christ.?
 
In taking these questions to heart, the SCA Executive Committee has chosen to focus our Fall Meeting on these issues through three powerfully active words: Respond, Rebuild, Renew. Please join us as we acknowledge and seek to heal our feelings of grief and help-lessness. Come learn about the responses of our local UCC congregations, our Northern California Nevada Conference, and the wider Church, to assist and care for those who are most vulnerable in the aftermath of these disasters.
 
Specifically, we are honored to receive Rev. Curran Reichert, pastor of First Congregational UCC, Sonoma, who will announce a new program created in response to those effected by the fires; especially those who have few or no resources to care for their families and rebuild their lives. This program will be funded by a grant from the wider UCC and donations from our local congregations to the Northern California Nevada Conference. 

Our Fall SCA meeting is an opportunity share how we wish to respond, rebuild and renew as well as a beginning way to mend through a healing service of renewal and anointing.
 
Please come represent your UCC church, co-create an empowered response
and receive nourishment in the healing waters of God's Love.

We hope to see you at this blessed event. 
 
In Christ's love,
 
The Executive Committee of the Santa Clara Association of the NCNC-UCC
FMI, contact:  Barbara Broadbent 408-393-3751 bbbent@comcast.net
Rev. T'Shala Olivieri 831-247-1098 auroralaia22@gmail.com



Report after f ive  months into our fiscal year.
 
Thanks to your special giving our special fire victim received $1,993 of support.  Also over the last 2 months you have given $2,300 to NCNC Disaster Relief to help Hurricane and Fire victims.
 
Pledge income for October exceeded our plan by $1,082, we our only $948 behind anticipated pledge income. Thanks for catching up on your pledge commitment.
 
Total Offerings received are low by $4,000 from financial plan. Offerings are donations from members and visitors who have not made a pledge. Our financial planning was optimistic on this item.
 
Over the 3rd quarter of 2017 the booming stock market has increased the value of our operating investments by $2,516. This is in addition to the gain reported last month and is helping to offset our other income shortfalls. The end result is actual operating income is only short by $239 of planned income at end of October.
 
Expenses for October are essentially on tar get.
 
We are now able to accept credit card payments for pledge, general and special offerings if that is more convenient than check or cash. See either Jan or myself after service for these transactions.

Operating finances as of Oct. 31 for 2017-18 fiscal year.
                 Summary of Operating Finances
                       October 2017   |      Jun 1,2017 to Oct 31
                   Actual    Planned |         Actual      Planned
Income      $14,524  $ 11,350 |      $ 85,095    $ 85,334
Expenses   $11,225  $ 11,323 |      $ 77,374    $ 77,818
Net            $ 3,299   $        27 |      $   7,721    $  7,516
 
Gerald J. Alonzo, Treasurer

NOTE from the editors (Brian and Patricia Wood):

In the near future we will introduce a mobile-friendly format for  Go Tell It On the Mountain.  This new format will automatically adjust to the format of any device, making reading our newsletter more accessible.