Happy Thursday Dear People!

Thank you for being you! You were all so supportive on Sunday as I muscled through the worship service. I wish I could say, “I am healed,” but alas, the gods of Sciatica, are not cooperating. What a joy to know that Pat and Debbie have everything under control at the office. For those who need me, you can call Pat in the office, and she will make sure I get the message. Also, a big “thank you” to our technical team. Sunday was rough. Gremlins of all sorts seemed to be at work. However, worship happened! God was glorified and I hope we all left a little changed. God bless you all in your work!

I hope that you have all been in an attitude of prayer for the horrific situation in the Middle East. Our hearts are breaking with the visuals we are receiving from the media. I pray that you can find those places in your heart where you realize that prayer is the best tool we have during this crazy, horrific time. I would also suggest that you mail/email your senators and representatives. Let them know the depth of your passion for all of God’s children. May peace come sooner than later. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers.

Sunday morning, we will continue our series on what it means to follow Jesus. One of the greatest opportunities we have to is found in our weekly worship service. I encourage you to read this old story with new eyes and hear its deep message with new ears and a revived spirit.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4%3A1-42&version=NIV

Hmmm … “worship in Spirit and Truth.” What does that mean for us? Come Sunday to hopefully, be enlightened. Until then, be in a state of prayer for the world and love everyone around you without trying to decide if they are worthy. We are all made in God’s Image. I love being your pastor.

Holding you close and lifting you high!

Pastor Greg

Team worship

I’m so thankful for our amazing team that is full of leaders who can hold down the fort while I am away. I want to take this week to give shout outs of my appreciation to them.

Mike Pritchard has been a huge gift to our church. He helps fill the gap I have in choral music helping put parts together for our choir and leads and helps make sure they know what to sing on Sundays. Of course, he is always prepared with an amazing prelude to bless us as well.

Jazzmine Farol is such a talented vocalist and plays a range of instruments that bless us each week. Anytime I give her a song to lead out on she comes prepared and excited with an amazing attitude.

Jeff Wield lends his leadership and availability to help on the tech side and even jumped back on to keys from bass this week while I was gone. He helps coordinate our order of worship each week and makes sure we all get a copy every Sunday morning.

Lee Laurence helps me out with administration, printing out and organizing music every week. It is a thankless job and hard to work with me who is always changing arrangements from week to week, but I’m grateful for her.

Mark Holland does our sound faithfully every week and has taken a big leap learning the digital board this year knowing full well it would be a learning curve and difficult at times. I’m thankful for all the work he has put in and for his endurance as our lone sound man.

Everyone in the choir (Rebecca, Pat, Lynn, Ron, Rosemary and Freddie)and the other members of the band (Bernie and Chris) lead our congregation in worship as well through the gifts and faithfulness and they are all worthy of our thanks. Thank you friends.

Earthquakes near Afghanistan

Israel and Palestine

Pauline, sister of Jim Euphrat

Susan Gurriell and family. Her brother Mike passed away.

John Savage, organizer of Ladle Fellowship

Carl Erickson and family – Carl’s dad passed.

Jim Siltanen

Larell, friend of Rosemary

Jessica, cousin of Rebecca, Elma’s daughter

Ivana, daughter of Anne Wallace

Dianne Florio

Joanne Jonas

Nina Melad

Pastor Greg

Our Church Leadership

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/

🌶️ 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!

🎃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!

Be a Hero on October 28th! Give Blood at CCP! 🦸‍♀️🦸‍♂️

🗓️You're invited to be a hero in your community on October 28th! Join us at our blood drive event, where your simple act of donating blood can save lives. It's a wonderful opportunity to perform a good deed for those in need. Sign up link is at the end of the post!

👀 As a token of appreciation, the Red Cross is offering a special incentive – a $10 e-card for every donor. This not only warms hearts but also your wallet.

🤗So, make a significant impact, mark your calendar for 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

Limited space is available, so don't wait! Grab your spot 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”

Building Projects Update

Our roofing project is underway. Today (October 17) they were stripping off shingles. While they are working, the north entrance to our parking lot will be closed. We should use the south entrance off of Hilleary Place, near the chapel.

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.

September & October Mission Offering

Greetings from the Outreach Ministry,

We had not planned to do a Basket of Hope for the month of October, but the needs of the Asylum Seekers are great, and we are supporting Interfaith Community Services in their response.

For October, we are collecting:

• Phone chargers – Apple and Android

• Burner phones

• Slip on shoes (all sizes)

• Adult socks

• Men’s drawstring pants (all sizes)

• Lightweight jackets (all sizes)

• Target and Walmart gift cards

Included below, is the latest flyer from Interfaith Community Services. If you wish to volunteer or donate online, the links are on the flyer. We will keep you updated as this situation is evolving.

No gift is too small or too large.

Thank you in advance for your amazing support.

Blessings from the Outreach Ministry

ASYLUM SEEKERS FLYER

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. 

No New recipes this week, so here is a past recipe, the Cheesy Broccoli Cornbread!

Click Here for Cheesy Broccoli Cornbread Recipe!

Adult Scripture Review:

Sunday’s following worship in the fireside room!

Email Susan Gurriell

at sgurriell@gmail.com

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.  

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

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:

How did the tree get a new job?

The tree had the right qual-LEAF-ications…

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