In two weeks, we will celebrate communion. If you’re joining us online, remember to have your communion elements — some bread and drink that’s common to your home and household — with you when you connect to Sunday’s livestream worship.

Did you know that each time we come to the Lord’s Table for Communion, we also have the DipJar in the courtyard to help put food on others’ tables? Dip your credit card to give $5 to Sunnyvale Community Services. Want to give more? Just dip more! This method of giving is the most beneficial way to help SCS purchase needed foods in bulk. Thanks for caring!

Worshiping online? You can give online at sunnyvalepres.com/dipjar.

This Sunday, July 24 • During 11 am worship

Our CARAVAN 2022 students are currently off to the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, to learn from community members about the effects of segregation and institutionalized racist city policies that have kept Chicago as one of the most segregated cities in the country. Please pray for our students, staff, and volunteers as they travel and learn together on this mission trip.

Visit the Book Sale Cart on Sunday for some suggested reading to join in learning alongside our students and join us for CARAVAN Sunday on July 24 to hear their experience and how we can address housing rights here in the Bay Area.

We are pleased to announce that Jenna Burkhalter has accepted the role of Director of Children’s Ministry and Inclusion.

Although this is a new title for her, Jenna is not new to Sunnyvale Pres. Jenna started attending Sunnyvale Pres when a friend invited her to youth group. She had been going through a period of struggles with mental health issues and felt warmly welcomed by the youth group and church community.

During high school, Jenna volunteered as a Buddy in our Special Needs Ministry. Through this experience, Jenna felt led toward a teaching career and working with special education students.

Jenna spent three summers as the Special Needs Intern at Sunnyvale Pres during college. She earned a BA in Elementary Education with a Special Education Endorsement at the University of Portland, and an MS in Autism Spectrum Disorders at Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland.

Earlier this summer, Jenna was chosen as the new Inclusion Coordinator. When the Children’s Ministry Director job became available, Jenna felt a strong call to continue her ministry in this role. “I felt this was what I was missing — the opportunity to come back and support the community that supported me and helped to shape the person I am today. This is a place where I know I’ll be so happy!”

As Director of Children’s Ministry and Inclusion, Jenna looks forward to creating a space for children to learn about God and their faith, to teach them how God calls us to give back to our community, and use our gifts to show kindness and empathy to others.

When she’s not working, Jenna loves baking — a skill she picked up in college and says she is still learning. Jenna also collects fidget toys and loves sloths. (Ask her about the time she got to feed them at a sloth sanctuary in Oregon!)

Jenna works Sunday through Thursday and can be reached at jenna@sunnyvalepres.com. Please stop by to say “hi” or send her a welcome email!

TODAY, July 22 • 5–7 pm

Join us for a potluck in the park! We’ll have the grills hot and ready, so bring your own meat/food to grill and a side dish or dessert to share. The church will provide beverages (water, lemonade), paper products, condiments, and popsicles from Bliss Pops. Craft homebrew will be provided by the Grateful Goat Brewing Community. Fun for the whole family — invite a friend!

Summer means many things at our church — Vacation Bible School (VBS) in June, CARAVAN in July, and All-Ages Worship for the month of August!

Although sometimes this is challenging for families, this month also gives parents a time to see what their children notice in the sanctuary during the worship service. Did you know the stained glass windows tell the story of creation? Have you ever sat close to the organ to watch Valerie’s feet play some of the notes during the hymns?

Children bring a special energy into the sanctuary. When they are at the praygrounds, coloring or writing, they are actually learning and listening to the service around them. Children’s ministry will also provide activity bags in the narthex with some quiet puzzles and pages for kids to do in the pews. Children and youth are invited to participate in the service by reading scripture; please email childrens@sunnyvalepres.com if your young one is interested.

As a community, please extend a warm welcome to our youngest members as they worship with us in the sanctuary in August!

Sunday, August 7 • 1–2:30 pm • Las Palmas Park • RSVP

Youth and Children’s ministries’ adult volunteers and families are invited to an End-of-Summer BBQ. Food will be provided along with games, crafts and music for all to enjoy. Please RSVP by August 1. Come join in the fun!

6:30 pm video, 7 pm discussion • Zoom

Please join us for some meaningful conversations sparked by the recent NEXT Church National Gathering. The Restoration Bible Study features a short video series (10 minutes each) with accompanying reflection guides. Topics include Sabbath, environmental justice, inequities around rest, racial justice, post-pandemic church life, and the tension between tradition and vision. If you missed the first evening, no worries! Jump in where we are. Feel free to preview the videos and discussion guides ahead of time, or just join at 6:30 to watch with us. (August 10 will cover sessions 3 & 4; August 31 will cover sessions 5 & 6.)

Resource materials (password: svpcnext)

This year, our Church School will feature monthly service projects creating items that can be donated to organizations benefiting our greater community. In order to raise money to buy supplies for these service projects, we will be selling sweet treats in Trinity Court after service on Sunday, August 14. Please stop by to hear more about our upcoming projects and support Children’s ministry by buying a baked good or donating. We hope to see you there!

“Read-to-Me” Version of Presbyterians Today

As part of Presbyterians Today’s newly-updated digital edition, you can now enjoy our audio technology on any computer or mobile device. Select any article from the magazine, press the sound icon, and the article will be read aloud.

To learn more about events for children and youth subscribe to their e-newsletters. Also, check out the Children’s ministry Facebook page or Youth ministry’s Instagram or Linktree, or text ‘FLASH’ (Middle School) or ‘CLUE’ (High School) to 51400 for live updates.

Please note that we will no longer be offering Text-to-Give as an option for giving. We also are discontinuing the use of PayPal for now. We are currently working on new ways to give, but as always, you can continue to give through the offering basket, the website, automatic payments or setting up bill pay with your bank. For more information, visit the church website or contact our Contributions Specialist.

June 2022 (month 3).$K   

Church Income.......$349

Church Expenses.....$388

Church Deficit......$(39)

Outreach Surplus....$.14

Combined Deficit....$(25)

Church income of $349K was offset by $388K of church expenses year-to-date, resulting in a year-to-date church deficit of $(39)K. This was partially offset by the outreach groups — PELC and The Music School — which are contributing $14K year-to-date, resulting in a combined deficit of $(25)K. The combined deficit is the result of a slowdown in giving and in outreach group income as we enter the summer months. Church spending continues to run below budget, helping keep our combined deficit low.

In place of the blue prayer cards you filled out on Sundays, please send your prayer requests anytime to prayer@sunnyvalepres.com. Be sure to include whether your request should/can be:

Look for the red banner at the top of our new website (SunnyvalePres.com). Click the white button, “Join online worship & events.”