Go Tell It on the Mountain

October 2014 Newsletter
Skyland Community Church

10:30 Sunday Service

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



Wall of silent auction donations 

Jackie reminds us: show our thanks 
to donors!

This year I was one of many who gathered donations for Harvest Festival from our business friends. It is harder than it seems; it takes courage to ask for help. Thank you Ellie and all who did this important but often unacknowledged work.

 

I also wanted to remind our members and friends that it is important to let these businesses know that we appreciate their contribution. For example Freddy Howell at the Birdwatcher told me she supports us because we support her.  

 

A list of businesses that contributed to our successful Harvest Festival will be in Whitaker Hall. Please take a moment to look it over and the next time you use their services, acknowledge your, and our, appreciation of their support.  


 

We do send them thank you notes but hearing it from grateful customers is even better.

 

--Jackie Seymour

 


 Local Students Need Items for Personal Care

 

We have been asked by Loma Prieta School district to donate various hygiene products for the low income elementary and middle school students who don't have access to them. Next time you are at a local drug store buying your own products, if you could also purchase one or more of the following:


 
Deodorant
Tampons and pads
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body wash 
Face wash

 

It would be helpful to have both masculine and feminine scents for the deodorant, shampoo, body wash and face wash, as both genders are in need. As there is ongoing need, you are welcome to put them in the food basket on any upcoming Sunday. I will make sure that they are taken to the school in a timely manner.

Thank you for your support of our local families in need.

- Christina Lopp Schwabecher

+++ 

Women's Group meets Oct. 14 to plan year

The Skyland Women's Group will hold its first meeting of the year at Fern Thompson's house on Tuesday, Oct.14 at 10:30 a.m..  All Skyland women are invited. We will do our yearly calendar at this meeting, so come and enjoy refreshments, fellowship and a voice in planning our activities!  

-- Mary Ellen McTamaney


Altar Flowers 

An open Sunday for flower donations is Oct. 5.  Please sign up in Whitaker Hall.


 

 

Round every house
The morning glory blooms
In the month of leaves.

--Ryota


+++ 

Meditation Moment

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance
and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 

 

May the God who gives
endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow

Christ Jesus.  

 

 

-- Romans 15: 4-5 

 


+++

Minister's Column


Curtain going up!  Circle of prayer opens Harvest Festival

 

Creating into Fall


 

First of all, thank you to so many of you for bringing your hard-working and convivial energy to the project of putting on the Harvest Festival. I am always proud of the way we present ourselves to the community during that special day. Every person makes a difference; everyone matters. We did it again! Bravo!


Fall is a time when the school year begins, days get cooler and creative energy tends to rev up, so let's be thinking about new, innovative things we could do together. One thing I am trying from ideas shared in a recent Deacons meeting is to offer a workshop on mindfulness and meditation at the church for the wider community. We will meet from 12-1 on Sunday, October 26th. During that hour we will cover ways to bring mindfulness into our day and share a simple way to meditate. I am hoping to attract some new people this way. Check out our ad on page 23 of the current Mountain Network News.  Child care is available, thanks to Jan Parker! Come yourself, invite a friend. My hope is that it will be fun and useful. 

 

Please feel free to share some new ideas about projects or programs or other things to try. Is it time to think about an all-church retreat? to build that labyrinth we have been talking about? maybe try something none of us have thought of before??? I am always fond of saying, "God is still creating". What might we do next?

 

-- Stephen

  
+++
Nothing like a postmortem
to cap a Festival



Pie crew Ava Schwabecher, Zoe and Deana Arnold ready for action

Almost as much fun as putting on a big event is the postmortem afterwards, when people get a chance to make plans with no immediate consequences. So it was that a score or so of dedicated souls gathered in Whitaker Hall after the service Sept. 28 to offer their views on how Harvest Festival went and how it could go better.

 

There seemed to be general agreement that the fair had gone spendidly, with receipts approaching last year's despite a thinner crowd this year and despite the absence of the single large donation that pushed the 2013 total higher.

 

But there is always room for improvement. One lively discussion concerned a suggestion to raise the price of the "all you can fit in a single sack for a dollar" feature that closes the fair in some sections. There were two main factions, a $3 crowd and a bolder group advocating a charge of $5. The issue was not decided, but the discussion seems sure to be revived next year.

 

There was agreement, however, that bids on the items shown on the wall outside of Whitaker hall should be separate from the auction of the baskets.  Next year, Festival chairman Larry Cooke said, the two will be run separately, and there will be a table near the wall to inform those winners and collect their bids.

 

The most confusion was generated by the new role of the Pods as salesrooms as well as storage bins. This year's Pods have translucent sides, and admit light enough to do double duty.  But where? 

 

The parking lot is the easiest place to accept items for donations and sorting, but it's not normally a sales site. Many people had ideas for solving this dilemma, none of which carried the day; but it seems certain that the suggestion will be revisited next fall.

 

But not yet.

--CB

+++

 



Marcia and Ellie ready for action in housewares

Harvest Festival Receipts

     Booth Donations

2014

 2013

   

 

 

        Silent auction

    8,032.43

   7,840.00 

        Bakery

       714.66

      850.40 

        Books

       411.75

      620.71

        Clothes

    1,237.35

   1,420.85

        Coffee

         53.72

        66.65

        Face painting

 

          6.00

        Jams & jellies

    1,195.39

   1,221.00

        Kitchen

       210.58

      341.75

        Lunches

       973.50

      889.00

        Odds & ends

       371.65

      305.15

        Produce & garden

       544.51

      162.70

        Toys

       433.50

      574.00

 

 

 

              Total Booths

  14,179.04

 14,298.21

 

 

 

    Miscellaneous

 

 

 

 

 

        Misc Donation

 

   1,360.09

        In kind donation

    1,449.58

   2,140.79

        In kind expenses

   -1,449.58

   1,925.70

        Misc. expenses

        -30.92

     -136.46

        Advertising/publishing

 

     -174.87

 

 

 

            Total Miscellaneous

        -30.92

   1,263.85

 

 

 

Total Harvest Festival


14,148.12

 

15,562.06


+++

Gerry and guest vocalist Chris Ross team up on a Golden Oldie

Financial Report for September 2014

 

A very successful Harvest Festival; thanks to all for your efforts.


 

Our Heifer tube of quarters overflowed and $133.76 was sent to Heifer Project International to support their small animal mission work, with note to send chickens.


Our pledge donations continue to be about $900 each month short of commitments. Please try to keep your pledge donations current, or inform me if you plan to make one or more lump sum payments. This will improve my reporting of planned income.

 

 Here is our operating finances report for Sept.. 2014, as of Sept. 28.


 

       Summary of Operating Finances


 

                    Sept 2014    |Jun 1 2014 to Sept 28        

          Actual  Planned |    Actual    Planned

 

Income   $ 24,628  $ 23,903 | $ 65,266    $ 71,113

Expenses $ 20,822  $ 20,417 | $ 59,327    $ 60,530

Net      $  3,806  $  3,486 |  5,939    $ 10,583


-- Gerald J. Alonzo

 

Skyland Community Church

Web: http://www.skylandchurch.com 

Mail: P.O. Box 245, Los Gatos, CA  95031-0245