Rey Lambatin, Choir Director

​This is one of those really popular hymns that speak to me. It tells of one of God’s wonderful traits that bring hope and assurance to those who need it. So, understandably, it’s a favorite and widely sung in Christian churches around the world. Oddly though, I don’t remember singing this when I was going to the Catholic masses. I only started singing and playing this when I got involved in the evangelical church that I used to go to in the Philippines. I could still clearly hear in my head how the congregation would sing the chorus with much fervor. And as a choir director, I’ve encountered different choral settings of this hymn - from triumphant to meditative. However, I think because of its melody’s popularity, this becomes one the songs that the message of the words gets lost when we hear or sing it. With the following bit of history of this hymn, I hope that every time we hear the choir sings or we sing this as a congregation, we’ll go back to having a deeper appreciation of this music.

Thomas O. Chisholm, born in Kentucky in 1866, wrote the lyrics of this hymn in 1923. He wrote over 1200 hymns, such as "Living For Jesus," and "O, to be Like Thee." But the hymn we remember the most is "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." Chisholm did not write this hymn because something great and miraculous had taken place in his life. No, he wrote this because over his entire life he had learned to see the greatness of God. At the age of 75, he wrote: 

"My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness."

Chisholm sent the lyrics to William Runyan in Kansas, who was affiliated with both the Moody Bible Institute and Hope Publishing Company. Runyan set the poem to music, and it was published that same year by Hope Publishing Company and became popular among church congregations. Chisholm's lyrics reference the Bible verses of Lamentations 3:22-23. 

The quote above is from one of my favorite books in the world. It explains why it is so important to me that we have church. The way I am – who I am is because of all the time I have spent gathering with church people. It wasn’t always intentional but it wasn’t ever by accident, either.

The reason I believe that there is hope beyond depression is because of the language of resurrection that I heard in worship liturgy. The compassion I have learned to practice was only possible after years of seeing it modeled in long church meetings. My care for the environment is a product of potlucks without paper products and service-trips for vacations. Because I have gathered together with other followers of Jesus all my life I have been formed in the way of the cross.

In her book, Parker tells us that a number of studies support the notion that much of the time we spend in gatherings with other people disappoint us. Work, friends, conferences, family…all of it. As disappointed as we are, Parker contends that we tend to keep gathering in the same tired ways. We’re not mindful that what we are doing when we gather is shaping our own thinking and teaching others what kind of community this is.

I think about this all the time when I am with you. Worship on Sunday mornings – why are we doing it this way? Are you getting the messages through the order of the liturgy? Bible Studies – how can I get y’all to share the amazing stuff with one another that you share with me? Congregational meetings – how can we be in mission together without everyone hating it?

This past Sunday was the culmination of a long process of trying to address congregational meetings. These meeting are the second heart of this body of Christ. After worship, it is the only time that we’ve committed to being all together. It is the place where all of our biggest decisions are made: how we elect our leaders, how we change the parameters of our community, how we spend our money and resources, all things that we care about. I’m proud that over the past year, with the leadership of our council, we’ve switched off the auto-pilot and considered the way we do congregational meetings.

With the constitutional changes that we finalized last Sunday, we will now have two regular meetings of the congregation each year.

One meeting will take place in the month before Pentecost Sunday (usually May). At this meeting we will elect our council members and our treasurer. In the month that follows the new leaders will elect from among themselves the other officers of our congregation. They will then have the rest of the summer months to vision for the coming year and commission the Finance Ministry to prepare a budget for the coming fiscal year. A draft budget could be available in September for congregational discussion and input.

On a Sunday in November we will hold our annual congregational meeting. At this meeting we will vote on a budget for the coming fiscal year. We will also elect a Nominating Committee and Synod Assembly Voting Members. The council that was installed the previous spring will continue their work through the fiscal year turnover.

I’m excited because this will mean that we no longer have council members who leave before their hard work is finished. It will mean that we’re not trying to amend a budget over vacation or make financial moves before they’ve been approved by the congregation. It means our new council will have time to listen for God before proposing anything to vote on.

Generally, it means that we can gather better. I’m excited for the future when gathering for our congregational meeting will look more like what the prophets describe: God gathering her people from all directions of the compass, from the forgotten places, and the distant places, and the places separated by walls. There, with everyone gathered in the same tent the Holy Spirit blows and everyone is set on fire for the mission that they share – to proclaim God’s love in the world.

-Pastor Manda

By Daniel Thomas, CGS Musician
​
Each year, I look for the perfect New Year’s resolutions: get just a little more exercise, eat just a little bit better, be a whole crazy heck of a lot more organized. And like most people, these resolutions have largely fallen by the wayside by the time you’re reading this (except the organized one - that fell apart about 10:15 AM on January 2).

Now, nearing the end of January, I find there’s one behavior I have picked up – and it wasn’t on my list: apparently my 2020 New Year’s resolution is to stop paying attention to the comment sections on the internet.

Now most internet-savvy people would tell you right away that these sections are cesspools of anonymous rage and trolling and very, very rarely add anything to the discourse of the article. Most are there to somehow use the article to bash millennials/boomers/liberals/conservatives/other commenters/the author/the website/etc. Many sites have removed the ability to comment for just this reason. I know the comments are useless and only serve to get either my dander or my schadenfreude up; and I know I never come away from them feeling better about myself or the world in general. And yet, I was incessantly drawn to them. What was I hoping for? That some vitriolic hate-baiter is finally going to get their comeuppance? That a lone voice of reason is going to quell the tidal wave of snark and insults?

Then, after a conversation with my much wiser wife, it occurred to me: I read the comments because I made those comments.

I didn’t make them online, mind you – I have no desire to jump into that pool. But all throughout my day I’d see human interaction – acts of good, acts of negligence, acts of ill, and all the gray areas in between – and I’d have a comments section running in my head. Judging, assuming, rationalizing, criticizing. I read the comments because I was reassuring myself that I’m not the only troll out there.

So what happened? There certainly wasn’t a revelatory shaft-of-light-from-heaven moment. I just noticed that I wasn’t doing it anymore. Then I thought about a conversation we had about modeling behavior for our son – about how even the subtle actions we may not even notice are picked up and mimicked by children. And we talked about the constant snark we heard coming from some of our friends and family members, and how easy it was for us to fall into that pattern. I recognized the less I allowed myself to fall into that behavior, the less I needed to see others engaging in that behavior as well. 

It’s not perfect, and it’s only week four of 52. But I do feel a little better about myself, and a little better about the world. Maybe this is the perfect New Year’s resolution.
 

By Pastor Manda
Over the past year of 2019 our congregation has tackled a huge project: updating our governing documents after 10 years of no change (other than the continuing resolutions). I’m going to be honest because I think that I’m not the only one who feels this way – this hasn’t really been fun. 

It hasn’t been fun mostly because so much had piled up on us. Like not cleaning out your garage or balancing your accounts – the longer you leave it the bigger of a headache it becomes until you just have to sit down and slog through it. 

But here’s the good news. We’re almost done. Just one more time. 

On Sunday the 26th we’ll VOTE TO RATIFY all of the votes we passed in September and November to change articles in the constitution (see handout). We’ll need 2/3 of the people at the meeting to vote yes for these to be ratified and take effect.  

We’ll also vote on NEW AMENDMENTS: all the updates from the 2019 Churchwide Assembly that have been recommended to every congregation in the ELCA. If 51% of the people at the meeting vote yes on them as written, we’ll be able to adopt them with just one vote.

After this we don’t have to have these long confusing conversations about documents that most of us don’t read and voting processes that most of us can’t follow. Instead, we can do a little bit at each congregational meeting and keep it from backing up again. 

Hopefully. 

I’m grateful to those who stayed at the congregational meetings each time, waiting patiently for discussion to end and votes to happen. Without you voting we would have just been kicking the can down the road and make the pile bigger. I’m grateful to council members who took the time to actually read the governing documents, consider multiple options and think of what would be best for the future of our congregation. 

But mostly, I’m grateful to be the pastor of a congregation who knows that saying “we love Jesus” is only the beginning and that we show our love when we put it in to action by how we treat one another. Our governing documents are a reflection of that and I can rest easy knowing that we’re authentically living our faith at CGS. 

By Rey Lambatin, Choir Director
The last quarter of 2019 has been emotionally challenging for me. In the last months of the past year, I learned that three of my close and dear friends are battling cancer. These are friends with whom I spend a lot of time and share a lot of memories. This cancer feels very close to home. I know that medical technology has advanced greatly that having this disease doesn’t necessarily mean inescapable end, but past experiences with other friends and acquaintances have shown me that it’s not an easy battle to go through. Even with just the thought of losing any of my friends, made me feel uneasy, helpless, and afraid. But, through this unexpected disorder and chaos, I always find solace and comfort from things that are constant in my life right now. My loving and supportive husband, Mike, reading simple Facebook posts from family and friends in the Philippines, casual get-togethers with friends here, and the thing that always does amazing work to help lift my down spirit, MUSIC. Singing and playing the piano is therapy for me. Almost always, I feel happy when I’m making music. After a long day of work and doing errands, rehearsing and directing the choirs continually bring joy and renew my spirit (although it may not always show).

Any of us who have sung in choirs know all too well the joy it brings not just the audiences, but also the choir members themselves. And why wouldn’t it? When we raise our voices with lots of other gorgeous voices in a big, beautiful space, it feels like we’re altering molecules. The power, the mojo that this (relatively) small time commitment offers… how is it possible? Well, according to various scientific reports, we ARE altering molecules… inside our brains, with different changes occurring whether listening to music, singing, or singing with others. (from an article by Jaime Babbitt, Your Brain and Singing: Why Singing in a Choir Makes You Happier)

​A new year brings new hope for all of us, and 2020 shouldn’t be any different. I particularly hope for healing this year, for my friends who are battling cancer, and for everyone who are dealing with different kinds of illnesses. It is also my hope that the power of music help bring healing to spirits that are down, as it does to me.
A blessed new year to all.
 
​

Pr. Manda Truchinski
​
I remember the first year I was working with families experiencing homelessness. All my friends were working in similar jobs, with people who were surviving, not thriving. It was usually hard to muster hope for the people we worked with. Doing so was full of risk. It could be painful, fearful, and make us vulnerable every day. We would regularly lean on one another for mutual consolation and support. There were long happy hour gatherings, heartfelt phone calls at lunch, and more than one trip out of the city where we could distance ourselves and process what we experienced. 
We naively thought that Christmas would be a relief, but for many of us we experienced the other side of Christmas charity for the first time. That's when the hopelessness that threatened our relationships with our clients grew to include the generous givers. Our organizations would get an utter flood of presents in December. Gifts like bicycles, clothes, vehicles, furniture, and more gift cards than you could shake a stick at. Such an overwhelming amount in a short time sent our people into a tailspin. Kids would have bikes but with no home it wasn't possible to keep them. Individuals would be gifted more clothes than they could carry on their back. One family that I worked with got a new home at Christmas from a well-known TV show and lost it a month later because there was no long-term plan to keep them there. 

All the well-meaning charity that revolved around material goods and short term feelings undermined the already difficult system of assistance that our clients had to navigate. New treasures became liabilities. There was increased fighting within and among families. There was more anxiety and magical thinking than usual. It gave everyone a reason to abandon long-term goals. And all the careful structure of support that we'd been working on throughout the year crumbled like a building after a fire. 

If it wasn't for the support of my friends, and the veterans who had been through it before us, I know that many of us would have quit out of despair. We worked so hard to have hope in a desperate situation and then even charity made hope more difficult. 

Every year we wait with joy, knowing that Christmas will come. It always does. But those who first waited for Christ waited in faith, not certainty. They had to hope in something that they had not yet seen happen or known was possible. And hope can be painful, fearful, vulnerable, and full of risk. 

Today we also wait for Christ with hope. We yearn for a fix to the problems we see around us: poverty, injustice, racism, xenophobia, corruption. Sometimes when we can't find a solution, we say "Nothing will change until Jesus comes again." And those words guarantee that the world keeps burning. They let us off the hook because if only God can save us, what use is our hard work? 

But what if God is waiting for us? What if God needs us because God is unwilling to do it alone? What if we - doing the good work God has already called us to - can help God's saving work to be revealed here and now? Our stories, our songs, our service, our shelter might be the very things that welcome in the world we long for. 

This is where we need one another. We need one another for the support to keep on doing what God has called us to do. We need one another to celebrate and mourn the stops of our journey. We need one another to fan the flames of hope that a better tomorrow is possible. That which we await is not yet fully here. So we keep watch, holding on to one another so we don't buckle under the world's pain. 

​I started singing at a very early age because there was always singing in the family, and I remember singing in a trio with my sister, Margaret, and a cousin, in an Indian Reservation close to where I grew up. Then probably when I was in 7th or 8th grade, I started getting involved in our church choir, and continued until when I was in high school. When I moved to California in 1991, I auditioned right away to sing with the Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale (which used to be the “choir in residence” for San Jose Symphony Orchestra), and that went on until I retired from the group just this year. That makes 28 years of singing with SSVC! When I started coming to CGS, some of the congregation members told me that they could hear me sing good, and that I should join the choir. I think it was Joy and Janet who finally convinced me last year, 2018, so I started coming to rehearsals and started singing. I love singing in a group because of the beautiful harmony that the different voices create, and the joy of being able to sing words that deliver a positive message to those who need it. And I particularly love singing in our CGS Mixed Choir because of the closeness that I haven’t felt in a long time… and the director doesn’t howl at me!

Rey’s (Choir Director) note: It is a blessing and an inspiration for me to direct a choir with Carol in it. Despite some health issues, she is very committed and comes to every rehearsal whenever she can, and it’s very apparent to me that she loves singing. This commitment and love bring so much positivity to our group that brings even more joy serving in our ministry.

​On Sunday, CGS had a congregational meeting. Here's what happened: 

• We updated our constitution with 2 new bylaws and a new continuing resolution. To see the updated constitution click here. We also held the initial vote on two new provisions. In January we will hold a ratifying vote on the provisions from September & November's meeting. We will publish that comprehensive list in the next couple of weeks. The full governing document can be found here.
• The Beyond the Building team has re-evaluated our plans going forward.  Our dreams are big, but the potential funding is limited, so we determined for now,  it would be prudent to focus our efforts on the critical areas – the bathrooms and kitchen.  We are searching for a design/build firm who can handle both creating plans and doing construction.  This has been a bit more challenging than anticipated.  CGS is considered a commercial space and therefore, we must comply with a number of regulations not required for a residential project.  We have been in contact with a few companies, but they all do mostly residential work so they did not work out.  If anyone has suggestions of potential firms, please let anyone on the committee know.
• Council reported that the survey about what we should do with the parsonage received 21 votes for renting it out, 4 votes for selling it, and a number of suggestions for what else to do including but not limited to: use it for an after school program, use it to house people in need, and put our pastor in it. Jerry Clark is continuing to gather ideas for research. Email your input to him by clicking here.  
• Council reported that they will ask the congregation to form a call committee in 2019 for the purpose of calling a minister of word and service (deacon). This conversation will continue in 2020 at the next congregational meeting. In the meantime, if you are interested to know more or be involved, email the council by clicking here. 
• A report of the 2019 finances was presented and can be found here. 
• Rachel Visscher, Jean Hope and Petra Menard were elected to council. Laurie Gaumer was re-elected as treasurer.
• A budget for 2020 was proposed and can be found here. This budget will be voted upon at the January 26th meeting. If you have changes, concerns, or questions please email the council by clicking here. 
• Council reported that our shift to Breeze is almost complete. For this fiscal year the Financial Secretary has been learning the new system and dutifully doing double entry. The new tools have so far proven successful. 
• The treasurer asked for volunteers who were willing to serve on the Finance Committee. This team is responsible for the financial strategy and execution at CGS. If you would be willing to serve on this committee that will begin meeting once per month in January, please email our treasurer here. 

Dear fellow CGSers,

I am honored to present this most worthy Christmas project.  Your generosity these past years have been overwhelming!  

This year the project will be in support of the LGBTQ Youth Space, a safe space for youth in downtown San Jose, and Encompass Ministry for the homeless in Santa Clara County. The Biology Department at Stanford University will again be partnering with us in this project. These two organizations are thrilled with what we are able to give them.

There is a Giving Tree in the Narthex that have tags on it so you can choose one or both organizations to donate to.  If you donate to both organizations please place them in separate bags or boxes.  Please return your donation back the Narthex and place them around the tree.

Here are some ideas for the Youth Space:

• Individually packaged, non-perishable microwave meals ex. pasta, ramen and noodle soups, cans of soup, oatmeal cups, macaroni & cheese cups, etc... 
• Food bars ex. Clif Bars, protein bars, granola bars, fruit bars, etc. 
• Individually packaged snacks ex. crackers, seaweed, trail mix, dried fruit, etc... 
• Sneakers feminine (especially in sizes 9-12), masculine, and neutral styles.

Here are some ideas for the Encompass Homeless Ministries:
Travel size preferred, all sizes used: 

• shampoo
• conditioner
• deodorant
• razors
• body lotion
• hand lotion
• chapstick
• hand wipes
• hand sanitizer
• toothpaste
• toothbrushes
• floss
• combs/brushes
• hair bands
• make up
• feminine hygiene products
• nail polish
• socks
• underwear
• winter gloves/mittens
• toilet paper
• diapers

These donations are used throughout the year by these organization, so having your gifts turned in before Christmas is not a must. 

If you would like to give a check please make the check out to The Youth Space or Encompass Homeless Ministries. They will send you back an acknowledgement of your check.  Please turn checks into me or Laura Rinde.

Please if you have any questions do not hesitate to call me or email me!
408-373-9825 {cell}
 
Peace and love,
Joe Shackelford
​

By Daniel Thomas, Church Musician

Another year is rolling up to its close, and once again we prepare our hearts and minds for the anticipation Advent and the coming joy of Christmas. And once again, we prepare our ears and voices for the abundance of music that the season provides.

What does music mean to you? What role does it play in your life, both inside and outside of worship? Whether we recognize it or not, music is an omnipresent part of the human experience. It is a universal language, and even the smallest snippet of music can trigger the strongest emotions. Music can simultaneously represent the shared experience of all humankind and the most personal experience of one individual. One cannot imagine a world without music any more than a world without color, or smell, or taste.

Within both the spiritual and secular Western traditions, Advent and Christmas are the most celebrated seasons and holidays of the year. Within them you find the most ritualized social practices, and they are the time, more than any other, when people at least give voice to our shared humanity and our wishes for peace, love, and unity. So it is no coincidence that music – the one performing art that can be practiced by anyone, anywhere, anytime, that can be both celebratory and introspective, that can give voice to the individual while still embracing the whole of humanity – plays such an important role in these seasons.

It is also no coincidence that the music of the season – both religious and secular – brims with those same themes – peace, love, and unity. As we move through Advent and Christmas, I hope we all can reflect on music’s power and beauty – not just the art form itself, but the role it plays in nourishing our minds, our bodies, and our souls. And if your favorite Christmas song comes on the radio, don’t be afraid to sing along!

MEANWHILE, in my last article I wrote about the skill for self-promotion that most artists must possess to be a success in their field, and mentioned that I am a reluctant participant in that area. So naturally, this month I’m going to do some shameless self-promotion.

Rebecca and I will be performing with two of our dear friends as The MistleTones at the Gateway Theatre in San Francisco on December 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, and 17 at 7:30 PM. What are The MistleTones, you might ask? It’s a little tricky, but here goes:

We’re a vocal quartet who plays handbells doing holiday-themed parodies of classic rock and pop songs.

It’s a niche market, I know.

So, what can you expect from The MistleTones? Music, laughs, and holiday spirit for the whole family. Four-part harmony and handbells. New takes on songs by everyone from The Beatles to Styx to Lady Gaga. A five-minute version of the Claymation classic “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” And some lovely versions of actual Christmas songs as well.

So if you’re up for a jaunt to the city, come check us out! Tickets are just $25 and available at www.42ndstmoon.org.
​
(end shameless plug)