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It's Not About The Religion,
It's About The Relationship!
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This week's message:
" The Spirit Among Us …
A Great Cloud of Witnesses"
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Happy Thursday Dear Church!
Well, I finally was able to drive into the church office this week. I tell ya, this “getting old” with its aches and pains is not for sissies. I am feeling somewhat better. At least I was able to drive here this morning without too much hassle and pain. It feels good to be back in here. I am so grateful for everyone who picked up my slack the last three weeks. It takes a village to make this church run, and our village proves over and over that it is up to the challenge. Many thanks especially to Pat, Debbie and Marlene for keeping things running in the office. What a gift all three of them are to me.
This Sunday will be a very special day in our church. We will observe All Saints Sunday. All Saints is a day that is set aside to remember those folks in our faith community who have transitioned into God’s Arms, God’s life. Thank you to everyone who sent in photos to be used in the slide presentation. Indeed, Sunday morning, God will be honored as we remember those who meant so much to us and whose legacies we are called to live into. At the end of the worship time, we will be in for a very special treat. I am not going to tell you what it is … you will just have to be here to find out, but I can tell you, it is going to be really special.
Until Sunday, rest in this truth … God loves you! You are a one of a kind! God thinks your swell. God gets a kick out of you. God desires to know us more. May the rest of this week, bring you joy. I love being your pastor.
Holding you close and lifting you high!
Pastor Greg
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A Message from Pastor Debbie | |
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Greetings,
Last Sunday I announced that I will be retiring on December 31st. What will that look like for me? Mmm… I have no idea! That is the excitement of it all. I do know that I will be taking a “vacation” from the church for 6 months. These are guidelines set by our UCC Association, who our church is a part of. When I come back, I will be excited to be a participating member of the church. I also plan on being part of new areas of ministry within the UCC. I can’t wait! Of course, vacations are on my agenda.
There are many special events at the church (see details in this newsletter):
“Blood Drive” at our church on October 28th from 8:00 to 2:00 .
“All Saints Sunday” is during worship on October 29th.
Truck or Treat is Sunday, October 29th 3:00 – 5:00. Tell your friends.
November 14th, Interfaith Thanksgiving Service in Escondido at 7:00 pm.
November 19th is “Pie Day” during fellowship – bring a pie to share.
November 19th – Congregational Meeting.
November 26th – Advent begins.
Mark your calendars!
Blessings,
Pastor Debbie
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Worship through the Ages
The tradition I grew up in did not celebrate All Saint’s Day. I think a large part of it was simply a lack of awareness of the church calendar as I worshipped in a free, non-creedal church that often rejected the “traditions of man.” I am sure if my pastors were aware of All Saints Day and intentionally chose not to celebrate it, there reason would have been an anti-Roman Catholic sentiment or fear that would have rejected the honoring of past saints as possibly leading to the veneration or worship of saints.
What a rich heritage and opportunity we missed because of our fear and misunderstanding. First, scripture has some clear pictures of us living our Christian lives in the midst of a great cloud of witnesses who have paved the way, cheer us on (2 Timothy 1, Hebrews 11, 12, Revelation 4). Second, it is a great opportunity that the worship of God is much more pervasive than our little church on our little corner of the globe. Rather, when we worship, we join saints from all over the globe, indeed through all time, and even the more than human creation, in singing, “holy, holy, holy.” In this way, it is also a great opportunity to push back against the individualism that often pervades our culture, our churches and our worship. Third, there are many cultures in our world (and in our country) that have a rich history of honoring their ancestors. Even if our culture, or cultural expression of Christianity, does not value this as highly, we can be empathetic with those cultures, Christians and other religions that do. Finally, All Saints Day is a recognition of all Christians as valuable parts of the body, even those that don’t get normal recognition. We are all important and valuable. We all belong. You belong.
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Earthquakes near Afghanistan
Israel and Palestine
John Savage, organizer of Ladle Fellowship
Jim Siltanen
Larell, friend of Rosemary
Ivana, daughter of Anne Wallace
Dianne Florio
Joanne Jonas
Nina Melad
Our Church Leadership
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UPCOMING EVENTS & WEEKLY NEWS | |
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Red Blood Drive and How you can be an hero!
True Story from this October in Oceanside, CA! 🦸♀️🦸♂️
The quick notes:
Declan is a 10 year old boy who was riding his bike to his friend’s house when he crashed. He needed Mercy Air’s emergency transport team to save his life. “Mercy Air is the only community-based emergency medical services provider in the area with the ability to carry and administer blood products before patients even reach a hospital. Mercy Air 5 carries liquid plasma and packed red blood cells on every flight, allowing the team to begin a transfusion that can be continued through arrival at local trauma centers—services that Declan required.” (which is provided by ARC via on-call staff from UCSD)
After five surgeries, 55 staples in his abdomen, 181 units of blood and other products, 33 days in the hospital, lots of prayers, and ebbs and flows of physical therapy, Declan made a full recovery and is back home enjoying spending time with his parents and two siblings.
As a reminder, we can collect one unit from each whole blood donation and 2 units from each Power Red donation. Declan needed 181 units and he is just ONE patient. The impact that just one donation makes is so priceless.
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The full article:
Declan’s unbelievable story!
🤗So, make a significant impact, mark your calendar for this Saturday October 28th, and come join us in this act of kindness. Your donation can be the lifeline someone is desperately waiting for. Be part of this life-saving mission! We are all in this together! 💙
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=Poway
Grab your reservation from the link above and find your perfect time to shine.
Where: In Fellowship Hall at Community Church of Poway
When: Saturday, October 28th 8am-2pm
Notes: Sponsor Code is “Poway”
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🎃Join Us for a Spooktacular Trunk or Treat at Community Church of Poway!
Halloween is creeping around the corner, and we've got the perfect event to get you in the spooky spirit! The Community Church of Poway is thrilled to invite you to our trunk or treat extravaganza on Sunday, October 29th. This family-friendly event promises to be a spine-tingling, candy-filled adventure for all ages.
What to Expect:
- 🍭Trick or Treating Galore: Kids, prepare your treat bags because we'll have trunk after trunk brimming with delicious goodies. It's a safe and fun way to satisfy that sweet tooth!
- 🧙♀️🧌Costume Extravaganza: We encourage everyone to come dressed in their most creative, creepy, or cute costumes. The more ghoulish, the better!
- 🚗Themed Car Trunks: Get ready to be amazed by our car trunks creatively decked out in various themes. From spooky haunted houses to enchanting fairy tales, our trunk decorators have gone all out to make this event truly special.
- 👻Family-Oriented Fun: This event is all about bringing our community together for a memorable evening of laughter, games, and, of course, candy. It's the perfect way to celebrate the fall season with your loved ones.
So mark your calendars for October 29th, grab your costumes, and head on over to the Community Church of Poway. The fun begins at 3-5pm, and we promise a fang-tastic 🧛♀️time for everyone. Join us for an unforgettable Halloween celebration!
See you there, and be ready for a howling good time!
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What is Happening in Israel/Palestine
As most of you know this is a very serious war for everyone in the world. So sad to see, in real time, missiles being launched back and forth over the region. I am attaching a great article, written by a friend from college, Mark Wingfield, editor of Baptist News Global. Mark is a progressive Baptist and lays out the complexities of this war. I strongly recommend you read this article and continue to be in prayer for the people of Israel and Palestine.
https://baptistnews.com/article/in-this-war-there-are-no-good-guys/
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🌶️ CCP UCC CHILI COOK-OFF! 🌶️
The 2023 CCP UCC Chili Cook-Off was a spectacular success!!
We had a mouthwatering array of delicious chili varieties to savor. We can hardly wait for next year's event.
A big thank you to everyone who contributed their chili and amazing side dishes, as well as those who sampled them all – you made it truly fantastic!
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Building Projects Update
Thank you for your generous support of our building projects! We have received pledges of $216,900 for the roof and other projects to be completed this year. Plus, additional pledges were made for the next 4 years towards long term building projects. It is not too late to make a pledge or a contribution towards our building fund. So far, $131,900 of that $216,900 has been received.
If you have any questions, please contact Linda England at treasurer@ccpucc.org.
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CCPUCC Thanksgiving Worship and Pie Day
It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. On Sunday, November 19th, we will gather for a special Thanksgiving themed worship service, then adjourn to the fellowship hall for PIE! The cool thing is … the PIE comes from you. Last year we had almost 20 pies, it was a delicious fellowship. We want to encourage you to make a pie to share with your church. Your pastor is very fond of cherry btw
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Our Dearest Debbie!
If you were not in attendance this past Sunday, you missed a very important announcement from our longtime assistant pastor, Debbie Hallmark. Debbie informed us that she will be retiring at the end of the year. After so many years of service and love, it is now time for Debbie to live it up! We hate to see her go, AND we celebrate this new exciting chapter in her life. Keep tuned in for any special announcements regarding her departure.
WE LOVE YOU, DEBBIE!
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A LITTLE HEADS UP FOR CHRISTMAS EVE 2023
Well, the calendar is doing it to us again. This year, Christmas Eve happens on a Sunday. Christmas Eve morning, we will offer a very “unplugged,” intimate, worship time with Communion. This morning gathering will last only about 30 minutes. Then, at 6:00 p.m. we will gather in the sanctuary for a Christmas Eve Worship Celebration. Christmas Eve and Easter are two days when we put many of our eggs in one beautiful basket. We always have visitors who want to worship in a church on Christmas Eve, as well as your extended families. Make plans now to be here, family in tow, and invite someone you know who needs what we have in this beloved community. So … go right now to your paper calendars and iphones and log this information. It is going to be a wonderful holiday season
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The JOY of FOOD!
Each week there will be a “Recipe of the Week” for the Buzz!
There will be a red basket in the Narthex where you can drop off your favorite recipes or please email them to julie@ccpucc.org. It can be any recipe from family favorites to ones recently discovered! We will be encouraging you to share your thoughts after you made the dish too.
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No New recipes this week, so here is a past recipe, the Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie!
Click Here for Browned Butter Sweet Potato Pie Recipe!
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Who's got an upcoming BIRTHDAY?
The Community Church of Poway wishes the following members a Happy Birthday. We hope you have a blessed day celebrating YOU!
Jennisse Jonas Oct. 28
Francesca Cherrington Oct. 29
Ryan Kelton Oct. 30
Rose Maligat Oct. 31
Elaine Lemon Nov.1
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Adult Scripture Review:
Sunday’s following worship in the fireside room!
Email Susan Gurriell
at sgurriell@gmail.com
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Books & More
On October 17 Books & More will begin our discussion of The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. A tiny girl is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives completely alone with nothing but a small suitcase containing a few clothes and a single book—a beautiful volume of fairy tales.
Books & More meets on Tuesdays at 10:30 am in the Fireside Room.
All are welcome to join us.
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Centering Prayer:
Tuesdays at 6:30pm
Contact Colleen Clementson at powclem@yahoo.com or on
her cell at 858-663-6584, for the ZOOM invite
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Your Favorite Weekly Joke | |
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Thank you for checking out our BUZZ! Here is what you were waiting for! If you have a favorite joke or any tips to make the BUZZ even better, please send emails to julie@ccpucc.org :)
Joke of the Week:
Why do pumpkins sit on people’s porches?
They have no hands to knock on the door.…
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