Go Tell It On The Mountain
Monthly Newsletter
Skyland Community Church, United Church of Christ
Minister: Rev. Kevin Omi
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Sunday Worship Service 10:30 a.m.
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August 2019 to Sept 15 Church Calendar
Sunday, August 4
10:30 A.M.
Worship Service with Rev. Kevin Omi
Sunday, August 11
10:30 A.M.
Worship Service with Rev. Kevin Omi
Tuesday, August 13
10:00 A.M. to Noon Harvest Festival donations accepted & sorting
Thursday, August 15
10:00 A.M. to Noon Harvest Festival donations accepted & sorting
Sunday, August 18
10:30 A.M. Worship Service with Revs. Daniel Ross-Jones and Davena Jones
12:00 P.M. Sorting: Harvest Festival
12:00 P.M. Potluck Sunday & Search Process Intro
Tuesday, August 20
10:00 A.M. Sorting: Harvest Festival
Thursday, August 22
10:00 A.M. Sorting: Harvest Festival
Sunday, August 25
10:30 A.M. Worship Service with Rev. Kevin Omi
12:00 P.M. Sorting: Harvest Festival
12:00 P.M. Church Council
Tuesday, August 27
10:00 A.M. Sorting: Harvest Festival
Thursday, August 29
10:00 A.M. Sorting: Harvest Festival
Sunday, September 1
10:30 A.M. Worship Service with Rev. Kevin Omi
12:00 P.M. Sorting: Harvest Festival
Tuesday, September 3
10:00 A.M. Sorting: Harvest Festival
Wednesday, September 4
10:30 A.M. Loma Prieta Club
Sunday, September 8
10:30 A.M. Worship Service with Rev. Kevin Omi
Saturday, September 14
10:00 A.M. Harvest Festival
Sunday, September 15
10:30 A.M. Worship Service with Rev. Kevin Omi
12:00 P.M. Potluck Sunday
Regularly Scheduled Events in Whitaker Hall
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mondays
:
Alcoholics Anonymous 8:00
P.M.
Tuesdays
:
Qigong
8:30-10:00
A.M.
with Teacher Marcy Reynolds
Thursday
:
Qigong students only from 8:30-9:30
A.M.
Thursday
:
Yoga 7:00
P.M.
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Message from Reverend Kevin Omi
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God’s Great Wheels
Rev. Kevin Omi
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“Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.”
Great is Thy Faithfulness, stanza 2
The wheel is a powerful symbol of interconnectedness and grace-filled progress through our lives, not just for Christians but people of many faith traditions.
The earth moves through its orbit around the sun, bringing us the fullness of summer crops and beautiful warm days.
For individuals and families, summer vacations will give way to preparations for the new school year and the excitement of new classes and classmates. We move more fully into preparations for the Harvest Festival this month.
Wider church connections: we move within the concentric circles that are the Santa Clara Association, Northern California Nevada Conference, United Church of Christ, and the orbits of ecumenical and interfaith companions. We draw closer to nearby churches, recognizing what we share in common and being respectful of differences.
We have moved around the wheel from Stephen’s long ministry, through Jean’s bridge ministry, and are halfway through our Interim Time. Soon we will commission a pastoral search committee, guided by Associate Conference Minister, Rev. Davena Jones and the Holy Spirit; and in the appropriate time, a new settled minister will be called.
It took energy and love to spin up the wheel of reVision, grace to handle early wobbles, and now our Action Teams begin to spin up their own wheels of activity, wheels that will help some members of our wider community move from isolation to community; and uncertainty to greater security.
In all that we do, Jesus walks with us through cycles of birth, life, death, and resurrection; over and over again. Great is God’s faithfulness!
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Mark your calendar for Harvest Festival on September 14 from 10-4 pm.
Volunteers:
The sign-up sheet for volunteers is posted in Whitaker Hall. Please find something fun you’d like to do and add your name! We are hoping that all booths leaders find one or two volunteers to make sure everyone has a backup. Need a job? It would be especially helpful to find more help with the silent auction set up and check out, housewares, jewelry, the kitchen and CLEAN UP.
Donations:
We are collecting new or very lightly used clothes, books, toys, treasures, jewelry, household goods and tools. Drop off: Tuesdays: 10-12 and Sundays: 11:30-1 from August 13-Sept. 3rd.
Other Needs for the day of Harvest Festival:
We are also selling plants, produce and baked goods.
And, we are asking for friends to bring salads. Please sign up in Whitaker Hall.
Silent Auction:
Do you have contact with a business or service provider that might donate to our silent auction? Please reach out to Nancy Jo so we can send a request letter.
Sorting begins on Tues. Aug 13th:
The more the merrier; please join us on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-12, and Sundays after church. All day set up up is Wed, Th. and Friday, Sept. Sept. 11, 12 and 13th.
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Jamming? Jellying? Pickling? Or?
If you haven’t yet, please do! I’ve made blackberry and plum, and Patricia’s made lemon-lime marmalade. Fruit and berries are at their peak right now. But we need your help, because we can’t create enough to sell without it. Even a few jars from most of you would create a nice supply of choices. Remember, people often head straight to our booth as their first stop during Harvest Festival. We don’t want to disappoint them!
Mary Ellen McTamaney and Julie Victorine
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All actions and activities were enthusiastically approved by the congregation and the proposal teams transformed to Action Teams!
Connected through Adventures
presented their activity of a photography exhibit for children ages 4-11 (5th grade). The children would be instructed through an online video of how to take and submit a digital photo with the theme "My World in the Santa Cruz Mountains." There will be an exhibit of the photographs open to everyone on a Saturday in early November and remain in Whitaker Hall throughout the month.
Members: Nancy Jo Lopp, Jan Parker, Dorice Piraino, Lesley Louden, Ann Baier, Carol Greene
Fire Safe Mountain Community Team
presented their priority action to create Community-Wide Escape routes. They
intend to hold community-wide informational meetings about fire safety and risks to hear concerns of the community, organize neighborhood teams around community-wide escape routes and work with existing fire safe councils. An additional strategy is to leverage help from the local, state and the federal government to create and prioritize community-wide escape routes during wildfire. Team members: Larry Lopp, Al Feuerbach, Jeremy Cole, Gerald Alonzo
Community Building Events
presented "lunch and a documentary" with discussion on a 3rd Friday every month in the afternoon, from 12 noon-3 p.m. for seniors- beginning in October. Team Members: Brian Wood, Shannon Edwards, Terrie Landini, Gina Adams, John Heyes
Sharing Mountain Living Strategies- for Heart Mind and Spirit
presented their activity of having a community speaker's forum at the Harvest Festival.
They would invite key 95033talk experts or others to host 20-minute informal talks or demonstration sessions on a variety of mountain-living topics. Team members: Lynn Mitchell, Patricia Wood, Lesley Meehan, Carol Carre
The Mountain Hangout Team
presented their "First Friday" hangout activity. There will be food and drink, and sometimes music and will be open to any age that wants to gather in Whitaker from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Team: Paula Leary, Mike Mahrle, Renee Pressler and Marcia Rollins
the reVision team:
reVision@skylandchurch.com
Anne Evans
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LITANY THROUGHOUT THE INTERIM PERIOD
For God’s holy presence amidst change, we pray.
For comfort because loss is part of change, we pray.
For Christ-like steadfastness during the challenges of transition and seasons of faith, we pray.
For reassurance through frailty and failings, we pray.
For the abundant creativity the Spirit provides, we pray.
For our loved ones in this community of faith, we pray.
For God’s children beyond this community, we pray.
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Church Council News
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The council met on Sunday, July 28. Anne Evans gave a review of the Action Summit and a summary of actions proposed by each team. The council voted to use the funds remaining in the reVision budget as needed to finance the upcoming activities of any of the five reVision teams.
The process of searching for a settled pastor has begun. Criteria for the search committee candidates have been established. A nominating committee is being formed to select the search committee candidates, a process similar to that used to find candidates for our various boards and committees. Rev. Davena Jones, our regional Associate Conference Minister, will be speaking with the congregation on Sunday August 18 to explain the search and call process in more detail and answer questions regarding the process.
Kevin has initiated the establishment of written policies for various church related situations. A policy to ensure children are always in an environment safe from abuse was introduced by Dorice Piraino-Sharp. The completed document is expected to be reviewed at the next council meeting. Jeremy Cole presented the policy for Physical Safety of persons working on the church property. The Physical Safety policy dated July 23, 2019 was approved.
Kevin reviewed several activities that Skyland Community Church members have been invited to participate in by other local churches (Kid’s Club and Christ Child dinner dance). Kevin added that we will invite the community at large including other churches on the mountain to our upcoming events and activities (reVision action events, Harvest Festival, and Centering and Silence Meditation for parents after dropping off school children).
Jackie Seymour announced that she had finished writing the proposed Wedding Contract that will be given first to a lawyer for review and then to Trustees for their review and approval.
The next council meeting will be on August 25, 2019
Your co-moderators,
Jackie Seymour and Anne Evans
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Flowers for the Altar
Several Sundays during May and June are open for floral gifts. Please sign up on the calendar in Whitaker Hall. You can check the calendar in the links at the end of this newsletter.
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Summer heat wilts me--
yet with a meager trickle,
tea trees grow and bloom.
--haiku by John Heyes
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Reflection
Divine Redeemer, I find deep assurance in the knowledge that you are the Alpha and Omega. Most importantly, you have always been there from my beginning even though I did not recognize or acknowledge your presence. This day, I want to be bathed in your light, allowing it to search the inmost recesses of my being. Cleanse me and make me more like you. Amen.
p. 190, The Living Book of Daily Prayer, Kim Martin Sadler (editor)
Rev. Kevin Omi
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MISSION BOARD REPORT:
LOCAL AID:
In response to a suggestion from Mary Ellen, the Missions Board agreed to have a special collection on July 7 and 14 for The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.
RAICES
is "a nonprofit that promotes justice by providing free and low-cost legal services to
under-served
immigrant children, families and refugees in Central and South Texas."
With its customary generosity, Skyland Church members and friends raised an impressive $1,860. Special thanks to Mary Ellen and Shannon for promoting this endeavor. Drawing on Pastor Kevin's recent sermon, Long may God's plumb bob guide our actions!
John Heyes
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The Mission Board will focus on collecting for the
Harvest Festival
during the summer. Please help us with lightly used or new items to donate such as: jewelry, clothes, books, housewares, treasures, workshop items and tools, treasures and children's toys. We do not have room to store large items or furniture. Please make sure that everything you donate is in good working order. We do not have a repair team. Any items that are not sold at the
Harvest Festival
on Sat.
Sept. 14th
will go to Davenport Resource Center
https://cabinc.org/
,
Questions?
GLOBAL SUPPORT:
The Mission's committee decided to take a hiatus this year for the Africa Library Project so that we can put our efforts into Revision and the upcoming Harvest Festival.
Shannon Edwards
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Our Food Pantry
Loma Prieta School and CT English are on summer vacation so we will not be collecting snacks until September.
The food pantry could use a few of the following:
Tuna
Vegetarian soups
Small containers of juice
Blessings,
Julie Victorine
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NOTE From Your Treasurer
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Note from your Treasurer for first 2 months of our fiscal year:
Pledge income is $1,948 above expectations, however my planned distribution of pledges has a small error due to an unexpected full year lump sum donation. I will make proper adjustment to monthly expectations in August report.
Offerings and Hall rental incomes are also above expectations.
Total expenses are less than expected by $1939.
Donations of $1860 were received and sent for a special mission immigration support to RAICES.
A $500 donation to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) was also received and sent to our conference, NCNC-UCC.
We are 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.
Here is our operating finances as of July 29 for our 2019-2020 fiscal year.
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Respectfully
Gerald Alonzo, Treasurer
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Mountain Jam 2019 - September 7 from 11-6:00
Mountain Jam is a free family music festival and picnic in the Summit Area of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Come and enjoy top-notch entertainment, great food and fun activities. 100% of proceeds from sale of auction items, concessions and cash donations directly benefit; Music Programs at Loma Elementary and CT English, Mountain Neighbors Helping Neighbors to support our community, and meals for the Santa Cruz area Homeless.
Donations are tax deductible.
Where: Loma Prieta Playfield and Gazebo. Barbecue Lunch will be from 1:30 – 3:30
Skyland Church is a major contributor providing the BBQ lunch to many.
Please visit the website to see who’s playing and what fun activities will be there.
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Skyland Community Church, United Church of Christ
25100 Skyland Road, Los Gatos, CA 95033
phone: 408-353-1310
USPS mail: Skyland Church
P.O. Box 245
Los Gatos, CA 95031-0245
Website
http://skylandchurch.com
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