Connections: March 28, 2022
Season of Lent
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Dear friends,
On Sunday I talked about Finding Hope. I want to share with you the quote from Howard Zinn I used – it is worth reflecting on.
TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.
In these days of climate change, an ongoing pandemic and the war in Ukraine, we need to open our heart to all the goodness and loving acts happening all the time, no matter how dire the situation. That opening allows us to be inspired to engage in making a difference, big or small, in whatever way we are able.
My prayer is that you find some hope this week.
If you haven’t heard it already, take a listen to the sermon link here and consider sharing it with friends, or on your facebook page if you have one.
This coming Sunday I will be talking about the Five Gates of Grief. It is so important that we name the grief we experience, individual grief and collective grief.
With gratitude,
Penny
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Click on the video above for the most recent entire worship service, or click HERE to listen to Penny Nixon's sermon Finding Hope
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Second Hour with Rev. Fletcher Harper
Sunday, April 3 at Noon
Rev. Fletcher Harper will join us live via Zoom for a special Second Hour event this Sunday. Please join us in person in the Buckham Room where we will use the large screen for his Zoom presentation, or Zoom in from home. During the call, Rev. Harper will tell us why and how he and his followers founded the organization. He will share information on the past, current, and anticipated future work of GreenFaith as well as outline recommended activities we at CCSM can consider taking in the coming months in order to advance our climate work.
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Grand
Re-opening
(AKA Triumphal Re-entry)
Palm Sunday, April 10th, 2022
We hope you will make a special effort to join us this Palm Sunday, April 10th, as we gather back together in-person for Sunday Service. We have it on good authority that the Donkey will be making an appearance! You won’t want to miss it!
A luncheon will follow the service. Rev. Penny will be making her famous chili—can you guess the secret ingredient? And Chase will be making her vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup. We will have corn bread and garlic naan, and lots of treats, too!
If you gather online, please try and attend the virtual Coffee Hour with Deb Chang (one of our new Board members who is online, too). Our members who gather in person want to stop in to say “Hello”!
While the festivities will be wonderful, what is even more wonderful is the opportunity to worship together in the sanctuary. Our community has impressively weathered a very difficult challenge with all the turmoil caused by the covid virus. So, we hope you will come and worship together as a community—grateful, strong, and determined to carry the progressive message of inclusion and welcome to all.
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Celebrating Women's History Month
Women Making a Difference in San Mateo County
From the desk of Assemblyman Kevin Mullin:
Women's History Month celebrates the contributions women have made to our history, culture and society. Each year, the California State Legislature provides members with the opportunity to recognize a Woman of the Year for their district. San Mateo County is fortunate to have many women who have made outstanding contributions to their local communities, the county and, in many cases, the region.
Join me for Conversations With Kevin as I welcome a panel comprised of the women I have had the honor to recognize as the AD 22 Woman of the Year throughout my legislative tenure, including my 2022 recipient Kitty Lopez, the Executive Director of First 5 Mateo County. During this virtual event, we will be discussing what motivates and empowers these women to make a difference, barriers and challenges they have encountered and overcome, and how others can become more involved and make a difference.
Tuesday, March 29 • 5:30 p.m.
—Kevin Mullin, 22nd Assembly District, Speaker pro Tempore
Note: Penny was honored as AD22 Woman of the Year in 2019 and will be a panelist at this event, along with AD22 honorees from other years! The 2022 honoree is Kitty Lopez, Executive Director of First 5 San Mateo County.
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One Great Hour of Sharing
offering next Sunday
Click the video to the left to watch the One Great Hour of Sharing video.
One Great Hour of Sharing is one of four special mission offerings of the United Church of Christ, our denomination. This Lenten Offering supports the disaster, refugee, and development ministries of the United Church of Christ within Wider Church Ministries. The UCC Wider Church Ministries works with domestic and international partners to provide support to health, education, refugee, agricultural, and emergency relief initiatives. You'll have an opportunity to contribute to this important fund on Sunday, April 3.
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Coffee Hour is Back!
Have you missed that special time right after the worship service to catch up with friends, meet new people, and have a cup of coffee and nibble on something sweet?
In-person AND Zoom coffee hour are BACK! Please join us immediately following the service on the Loggia (the walkway alongside the grass between the Sanctuary and Kloss Hall), or on Zoom at this link. Hope to see you there!
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Pray for Ukraine Every Tuesday at 7:30pm
CCSM held a powerful live Prayer Ritual for Ukraine on March 6th. We have decided to premier this ritual ONLINE every Tuesday until the war ends. We hope you will join us online weekly to continue our prayers and heal our hearts. These are challenging times and this offering is a way to bring our community together and magnify our prayers.
Please share this link with your friends and family so we can extend this offering to as many people as possible.
Link for Prayer Ritual on YouTube:
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Here's a video to share which gives a wonderful introduction to CCSM and a feeling for the community, both local and virtual.
Please enjoy and pass it along to anyone you think might be interested in finding out more about our church!
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225 Tilton Avenue • San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 343-3694
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