Connections: March 20, 2023 |
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Dear Beloved Community at CCSM,
What a time, friends. I know there has been so much change over these past weeks. I don't know about you, but the very least I can say is that I am grateful to be going through this all in community and with God's love surrounding and holding us even more tightly than we can hold one another. I am so grateful for Rev. Kibbie and so many of our ministry leads who led Sunday's inspiring and centring worship service. I so appreciate the reminder to lean into all of the places of resurrection we can find, even if they are small or partial. Thank you all so much for your leadership. If you missed it, please do go back and watch, or re-watch, the service.
As you may have heard, this past weekend, I was at the UCC Church in Orinda (literally sleeping in the sanctuary!) with three CCSM teenagers and teenagers from five other local UCCs. We were exploring some key aspects of Christian faith and UCC identity: God, the Bible, Jesus, worship, UCC history, faith and justice, and much more. It was a whirlwind but it was also really centering to focus on these core elements of our life together and, for me, it was definitely a moment of resurrection.
It is always inspiring to see these topics through new eyes and fresh perspectives. To hear the youth answer the question of what gospel they would write if they were going to add something to the Biblical canon. To have them create elements of a worship service in their own words, giving thanks for romance novels and parents who love us even when we're grumpy.
This coming Sunday, I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be with you all in worship and to have CCSMer Rev. Jerri Handy preaching about her ministry at Albergue Las Memorias in Mexico.
I am deeply blessed, humbled, and privileged to have the opportunity to offer leadership in this liminal time as your Acting Senior Minister. I look forward to walking together in this specific way in the next weeks or months - until the right next step emerges.
Please know I am here for you - as is the whole church community - and always happy to connect.
Peace and blessings,
Sheryl
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Upcoming
March 26 - Rev. Jerri Handy - Albergue Las Memorias in Mexico
April 2 - Palm Sunday - Rev. Sheryl Johnson & Children
April 9 - EASTER - Rev. Sheryl Johnson
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We are using the SALT PROJECT for Lent this year. We have two Lenten Devotionals; one for adults (click HERE) and another for families (click HERE). We will be using the Matisse art throughout Lent as part of this. You can view more of that HERE for adults, and HERE for families.
Enjoy.
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We had a wonderful Healing and Reconciliation meeting on Sunday March 19 in Kloss Hall. This circle gathering was led by Margie Mader-Clark, Dorothy Kogl, Chris Wuthmann and Kibbie Ruth and was attended by about 65 people gathered in person and another 40 gathered on ZOOM. During this listening session, attendees were invited to share what was on their minds and hearts about the current events here at CCSM. This first meeting in an evolutionary process for renewal offered all who gathered an opportunity to express their feelings and to share their perspectives on past hurts and hopes for the future. Please stay attuned for further news about healing and reconciliation, and if you would like to view the recording of the event this past Sunday, please click HERE (this is a private link)
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An opportunity to learn!
The church community we want to cultivate will be increasingly diverse, so we need to get better at both cross-cultural engagement and dealing openly with conflict.
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One act of racial harm could have ripple effects across an entire organization. A single microaggression compounded with other acts of interpersonal racism and institutional policies that perpetuate unequal access to opportunities for staff of color can have sweeping consequences. Sending an email apology is like applying a Band-Aid to a systemic issue. And while organizations may opt to leave the role of accountability to their HR departments, cultivating a culture in which everyone practices a commitment to anti-racist community care and responsibility requires much more than compliance to labor policies and practices.
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How to Build a Culture of Accountability and Advance Racial Equity
Presented by Piper Anderson, Former Professor at NYU’s Gallatin School
Moderated by Barbara Wheeler-Bride
Date Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Time 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PT / 2-3:30 p.m. ET
Webinar price: $79
Program includes live session & one year access to webinar video
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Evening Gathering for Prayer
Sunday nights starting March 12th
7:00-8:00 PM in the Fireplace Room
(hosted by Kibbie Ruth)
Join us every Sunday night for contemplative time together and spiritual start to the next week. This is an open gathering, so all are welcome to come once or every week. In addition to being a conversation with God, prayer is one way to be in touch with our inner selves, and be present with and to one another.
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SEARCH COMMITTEE UPDATE
As was announced at the Jan. 8 service, the Senior Minister position has been posted on the UCC website, and we have begun to receive applications. To read an update from the Search Committee and to see a summary of the posting, click HERE or type in tinyurl.com/CCSM-SearchComm
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Scholarships for high school seniors and graduate students
The Youth Ministry at CCSM is pleased to support high school seniors and graduate students with scholarships for the 2023-24 school year thanks to the generosity of CCSM members.
High school seniors and graduate students who are active members of CCSM are encouraged to apply for scholarship support. Information about the scholarships and application packets are available at the following links: for the graduate packet, go to tinyurl.com/CCSM-grad-schol-2023, or for the undergraduate packet, go to tinyurl.com/CCSM-undergrad-schol-2023. Applications with supporting documents and letters of recommendations are due by April 15, 2023.
The Congregational Church has been supportive of education through our denominational history. In fact, many of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious educational institutions such as Harvard and Yale Universities and Bowdoin College were founded by the Congregational Church. CCSM follows in that important tradition of helping to educate our younger generation with scholarship aid.
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PICK-A-PARTIES STILL AVAILABLE
Feeling a little unsettled with changes at CCSM? Pick-A-Parties are a great way to reconnect with CCSM members, whether it’s enjoying the outdoors, learning something new, or just relaxing with old and new friends. There are still openings for the following parties: Huddart Park Hike (4/8 8:30-1 pm); High Tea (4/22 11 am); Book Lovers’ Luncheon (5/20 11am-2pm); Cooks and Bakers Zoom party (date/time tbd). And stay tuned for the Carolands tour, which looks like it's shaping up for this summer!
To sign up for any of these parties, contact Diane Kalliam, dkalliam@gmail.com 415.279.1359.
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Service of Healing Prayers and Song in the style of TAIZE
Just one more opportunity
Friday, March 31 at 7PM
Fireplace Room
Join us for a peaceful, quiet, reflective contemplative practice.
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NOW WHAT? Spiritual Conversations book for discussion
How can we connect with people with whom we have significant differences? How can we be peacemakers and contribute to a kinder society? The book Now What? How to Move Forward When We’re Divided (About Basically Everything) by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silver can help us become careful listeners, show mutual respect, and develop a deeper understanding of the Other.
Spiritual Conversations meets every other week on Monday evenings, from 6:30-8:00pm (NOTE NEW TIME) via Zoom. Our next discussion will be March 27. If you’re interested in knowing more, please contact Chris Wuthmann at cewuthmann@gmail.com or Chase Montara at cmontara@ccsm-ucc.org.
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COFFEE HOUR ASSISTANCE NEEDED
We hope that you have been enjoying the goodies during coffee hour. A few generous families have stepped up to help Linda Fenn with coffee hour during the past few months, and we’d like to continue hosting coffee hour; however, she needs families or individuals who can help with this on-going project.
Coffee hour is a lot to ask for one person (Lin) to do alone on a weekly basis (she already does the planning, organizing, and provides some recurring back up supplies). The greater the number of people who can help, the smaller the task is for each person.
It involves set-up, ensuring the trays stay filled, and then clean up—about an hour each Sunday both to organize prior to service and clean up afterward. While more hands make less work, any amount of help will be great, and everyone will appreciate having coffee hour continue.
If you can help out once a quarter (or more frequently if you would like), please email or call Lin Fenn (lindajfenn@yahoo.com) or Melodie Lew (boygie.m2000@yahoo.com; 650.573.9765). Thank you in advance!
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Click HERE for the latest PINE TREE Newsletter!
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BRING YOUR BLESSING BOX CONTRIBUTIONS ANY SUNDAY OF THE MONTH!
The "Blessing Box" outside of the entrance of CCSM is a project of the Ministry of Service and Justice, responding to the need for families in our neighborhood to access food and an expression of our call to be the "hands, feet, and face of God" in our community. The container will be in the narthex to collect food (canned, dried and boxed, no fresh food please! donations must be full UNOPENED containers, no fruits, vegetables, or bread) on any Sunday of the month. Thank you for your continuing generosity!
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Solar Project-related information:
From 3/20 - 3/24, the side walk from the parking lot into Little Wonders preschool will be blocked. There will be access into the ramp door to Kloss.
From 3/27 - 4/7, the entire middle row and the entire row of parking spaces closest to Ellsworth Ave. will be fenced off. There will be an opening through which you can drive for school drop off, but the only parking spaces will be in the row nearest to S. San Mateo Drive. This will impact Sunday parking-remember we have an overflow lot on the corner of S. San Mateo and Tilton.
From 4/10 - 4/14, the entire middle row will be fenced off and entirely inaccessible.
From 4/14 - 4/21, there will be a fenced off area that includes the space where Chase usually parks, the spaces to the right and left of that space, and capturing also the first six spaces in the middle row. This will impact Sunday parking- remember we have an overflow lot on the corner of S. San Mateo and Tilton.
From 4/17 - 4/19, all of the power to the church will be shut off. The church office will be closed. The Fire Alarm system will not be operational during this time.
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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.
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JUST A REMINDER...
...that from 3/20 - 3/24, the side walk from the parking lot into Little Wonders preschool will be blocked. There will still be access into the ramp door to Kloss.
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225 Tilton Ave. • San Mateo, CA • 94401
650-343-3694
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Scan the QR code above or go to
to make a donation or pledge to CCSM.
Don't forget to ask your employer if they have a charitable donation matching program to make your pledge go farther.
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