Note from Pastor Hardy Dear SVPC Family, The news about the pandemic is hard to follow, isn’t it? Information isn’t always clear and, especially these days, there doesn’t seem to be a break from all the bad news. Public spaces keep getting closed; the plan to re-open businesses in California keeps getting pushed back; counties that had things under control are experiencing spikes in cases; we’re even back to seeing shortages in protective gear for healthcare workers. It all feels so tough! So, I wanted to share some good news: the PELC has re-opened! I know we’re still so far away from being able to enjoy the fullness of our community life at SVPC, but being able to get back to caring for some of the youngest members of the Sunnyvale community—even if it’s on a limited basis—means that we’re still finding ways to live out our mission of reaching out to share Christ’s love with others. The current guidelines for having preschool are very strict, and so things are very stressful for the staff and teachers of the PELC. Still, I want to say a big thank you to Grace Randle and all her team! I hope you will reach out to thank and encourage her as well. And I want to thank all of you, members of our SVPC community! Your willingness to close down the campus, to forego the worship and summer gatherings we’re all missing, and to be patient and diligent in working for community health—all of this is also essential to the resumption of PELC classes. Thank you for being a living example of showing love for neighbors during this difficult time. With gratitude,

News from Pastor Karin Dear friends, I know you have heard session made the decision to close our campus during this COVID-19 season. I want to clarify what that means for us as a community and why this is important. There are very few staff people who go on campus during the week—just the few that perform tasks considered essential business (campus maintenance, checking the mail, etc.—and no one goes daily). If pastors or any staff need to go to the office, they check in with Ernesto, our Church Administrator, well in advance to be sure the time they plan to go does not overlap with others. Ernesto tracks who is there and when, for the sake of everyone’s health, as well as to be prepared in the event that we need to do contact tracing. Please consider the entire campus closed. While people from the larger community may walk through campus, for those of us who are part of the SVPC community, we ask that you not use our parking lot or our campus as a meeting place, even for one-on-one meetings as this goes against the spirit of our closure and the many measures we have put in place. If you need to be on campus, we ask that you contact Ernesto at least 24 hours in advance so he can let you know if your requested time works. He may ask you to adjust your time a bit. All of this is for the good of all. We are all sad not to be able to gather or even enjoy the beauty of the campus. But we do this so we can all enjoy it together again when the time comes. Do note that PELC, with approval of session, has opened on a limited basis under strict licensing guidelines. They have already been inspected (and impressed the inspector!) and are following meticulous guidelines to provide limited child care to a number of families as a service to our community. They will continue to follow licensing guidelines for a staged and limited opening as appropriate. Let’s support them with our prayers. Take care and stay safe! Peace,

Thoughts from Barry Vickrey, Lead Elder for Discipleship Ministry

In 1963, James Baldwin published an essay entitled The Fire Next Time. I recently read it and watched a 2016 documentary, I Am Not Your Negro, about Baldwin’s friendship with three slain Civil Rights leaders: Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X. Baldwin, a gay African American from Harlem, was a Pentecostal preacher as a teenager. He left the church (or perhaps the church left him), but his writing is profoundly Christian. He combines appropriate rage over racism, urgency bordering on desperation, love that requires daring and growth, and hope for a future better than our past.  As we search for ways to respond to racism as a church and individually in this unprecedented time, we should be guided by Baldwin’s message of rage, urgency, love, and hope.

JOIN US FOR “LIVE” WORSHIP SUNDAYS @ 2 PM AND A SHORT COFFEE HOUR FOLLOWING

Watch the livestream broadcast of our weekly worship service. No Facebook account is required to watch on SVPC’s public Facebook page. Or you can watch on the SVPC website. You’re invited to join us for Coffee Hour following the service. Here’s what to look for when you watch on Facebook. Click on the blue Watch on Facebook button (in this email or on the front page of the website). If you don’t have a Facebook account, ignore any prompts by Facebook to log in or create an account. You may need to scroll down just a bit to see the Videos entry on the left side. At 1:45 p.m. we’ll already be live and there should be the word “LIVE” in red on the Videos button. Just click it. You should see a Welcome to Worship slide dated for this Sunday (July 12). At about 1:50 some music will start. Welcome to worship!

Watch on Facebook Watch on Website Join us for Coffee Hour

Would you like to listen to Sunday’s service on your phone? Follow these instructions on your phone to dial into listen only mode on Zoom: Use this phone number: 1-669-900-9128 Enter this meeting ID followed by #: 668 692 256 # Enter # for Participant ID: # Enter this password followed by #: 254631#

A PIVOT STORY by Chantelle Urbina, Director, The Music School

For over 40 years, students of The Music School have had a tradition of performing an annual Spring Musical. This year’s show, “Look in a Book,” is an original story about storybook characters and their adventures in a library. While sheltering in place, our dedicated students and teachers continued to rehearse online, and ultimately adapted the stage production into a movie musical. Teachers filmed the students’ dialogue in Zoom, and parents filmed their children singing and dancing along with teacher recordings at home. Music School teachers are now editing the sound and video, and will announce a watch party for viewing of the finished product. It was important to us to complete the project for our students, and we are so proud of our team’s adaptability and dedication. We learned a lot in the process, and are currently working on a new movie musical with our teens, an original story about superheroes and villains.

FISCAL YTD RESULTS

Apr 2020 – Jun 2020 ...................... $K Church Income ................................ 476 Church Expenses ............................. 388 Church Surplus .................................. 88 Outreach: PELC/Music School .... -$400 Combined Organization Deficit ... -$312 While the church’s giving is similar to last year, the Outreach Groups have been hit hard in this pandemic. PELC’s full-time program restarted on July 1 and The Music School has remained partially open (all classes online). The good news is that the U.S. Government PPP loan (to help businesses during the pandemic) will cover these Outreach Group deficits.

STAFF PROFILE Everyone, meet Jean Ranck , Pastoral Admin Assistant. Jean joined SVPC staff in June 2015.

Favorite snack or dessert? My favorite snack is German Chocolate Cake made by my husband. Favorite activity to do at home? My favorite activities are to scrapbook, work on jigsaw puzzles, and play Scrabble with my sons. Favorite musician/band? My favorite band/music is...well, the first album I ever bought was Sweet Baby James by James Taylor. I still have a soft spot for that one. One superpower? If I could choose a superpower, it would be to fly! How do you serve at SVPC? I’m Pastor Karin’s administrative assistant and support all Caring ministries.

UPCOMING “ VIRTUAL ” EVENTS

View Events Calendar

Ongoing Connections Sunday mornings, Bible Study • 8:45–10 a.m., Email Sundays & Tuesdays & Thursdays through August 10 • Children’s Ministry Summer Program • 10 a.m., Zoom Link Mondays/Thursdays, Yoga with Youth Ministry (everyone welcome) • 10 a.m., Info Mondays, June 22–July 13, Discussion Group—African American Poetry from the Harlem Renaissance: Poems of Beauty, Perspective and Protest • 5–6 p.m., Email Tuesdays, Men’s Bible Study • 6:30–7:30 a.m., Email 1st Tuesday, LGBTQ+ Family and Friends Support Group • 7 p.m., Email 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, Parent Support Group Coffees • 10–11 a.m., Email 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, JAM (Just Among Moms) • 1:30 p.m., Zoom Link 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, Mom’s Hour • 8 p.m., Zoom Link Wednesdays in July, Meditative Reflection on Psalms Discipleship Series • 7–8 p.m., Register Thursdays, Finding the Good in Grief • 7 p.m., Email *New* 2nd Thursdays, Spice Dinner • 6–8 p.m., Check the calendar 3rd Thursdays, Parent Support Group Coffee • 7:30–8:30 p.m., Email July & August, Youth Book Club, Sign Up Youth Netflix Parties, Check the calendar Special Events Sunday, August 16, Wine & Cheese & Documentaries (formerly CARAVAN Sunday) • 6-9 p.m., Info & RSVP To learn more about virtual events, videos and at-home activities for children and youth subscribe to their e-newsletters or check out the children’s ministry Facebook page or youth ministry’s web page.

RESOURCES July’s These Days , Daily Devotions for Living by Faith (PDF)

PRAYER REQUESTS In place of the blue prayer cards you filled out on Sundays, please send your prayer requests anytime to prayer@svpc.us. Be sure to include whether your request should/can be: Shared confidentially with the prayer team and pastors only Listed in the weekly newsletter Shared during prayer time on Sunday

IN OUR THOUGHTS & PRAYERS... Marian Devine for knee surgery recovery Gama Ramirez for the loss of his father, Canuto Ramirez Pray for endurance for all of us as we go through this pandemic storm.

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