|
I am participating in Relay for Life once again this year. So many of us have been touched by cancer. If you would like to support my efforts to raise money for the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life, please click the link below.
As many of you might know am a Breast Cancer Thriver (Survivor). In 2020 during all of the world pandemic chaos, I went in for my annual breast cancer screening and after an additional ultrasound and biopsy, I got the news that nobody wants, I had cancer. I was blessed to have an awesome medical team who took care of me and after some grueling treatments, I was told that I was NED (No Evidence of Disease). My care team knew how to fight this terrible disease because research that was in part funded by the American Cancer Society and that is why I support ACS and participate in Relay for life. Please consider making a donation to this special organization. America Cancer Society not only funds research, but they support cancer patients and caretakers through out their journey with the disease. They gives rides to treatment, provide counseling and so many other services. http://main.acsevents.org/goto/PetraLMenard If you have a person who had or has cancer that you would like to honor or remember, you can purchase a Luminaria Bag at the link above that will have that person's name on it and will be lit at the event. It is amazing to see all of the Luminarias at the event each year. I am raffling off the lap quilt pictured below to raise fund for Relay for Life. The tickets are $5 each or 6 tickets for $20. I will enter all donations into the drawing unless you let me know by email that you decline the raffle tickets. Thank you for supporting me over the years. This will be my 9th year participation in Relay and your support means the world to me.
0 Comments
The Call Committee resumed meeting this week, and celebrated a milestone in the process to call a new pastor. The church council approved the Ministry Site Profile (MSP) and the document was sent to the Synod office. After months of gathering information, talking to members of the congregation, and meeting weekly, a very important phase of the call process is complete. The Bishop and Synod staff will now review the document, and ultimately send us a group of five candidates that they believe would be a “fit” for our church community. How long that takes, we do not know. We are anticipating that it may be weeks before we hear from the Synod. In the meantime, the committee will not be idle. Our task now turns to preparing for the candidate interviews. We will spend the next few meetings formulating questions and preparing ourselves for the interview process. Again, we welcome input and thoughts on whom you would like to see as our new Pastor. Please feel free to contact any member of the Call committee. Sarah Janigian Members of the Call Committee: Matt Byom, Sarah Janigian, Randy Presuhn, Adolfo Ramirez, Paul Thomas and Julia Tranchina Hello my fellow CGSers!
It has been a privilege to service on your Council for the past 6 years and on the property committee for 9. They have been challenging years and also very rewarding. Accomplishments far outweigh any failures and are way too many to speak of here. One big accomplishment, is that we are moving forward with much needed work on our bathrooms and kitchen. With much of the work being done so far by Skye Gordineer & Steve Weirauch, and other members of the property committee and Church Council. We are very excited to show the progress to you in our upcoming congregation meeting. Make sure you all attend!! We need all of you to participate, and we pray you will like what you see!This is a time CGS surely needs us all to step-up and volunteer your time and talent. PLEASE when asked do lend your talent and when asked for volunteers step forward or volunteer where you see a need, talk to one of the council members. Please let us know what you think. I asked someone what I should write about and they gave me a great suggestion. To point out how this congregation takes care of each other and we how much love we have for one another. We recognize and celebrate for taking care of people outside of this church. We need to do the same on how we care for one other, by visiting each other, giving comfort, by truly listening and caring for each other. I have seen it in so many ways and by hearing about it from others. This is one of the main reasons I love this community. Hope Russell may God rest her beautiful soul was the 1st person that talked with me on my first Sunday I came here. Her warmth and caring lead me to want to be a part of this faith community. I am continually amazed by our community’s generosity both financially and emotionally. May God bless you all. As always in God’s blessing, Joe Shackelford Twenty- eight years ago, on Easter Sunday, my mother, Ruby Ross died after months of fighting her final illness. My daughter Caitlin and I sat by her side that day, soon joined by her best friend Ellie and her husband Lee. Mom opened her eyes when Ellie entered the room, held her hand, and asked her, “how are you doing, dear Ruby?” Mom’s eyes sparkled and her face opened into a smile as she gazed at each of us in the room and responded simply, “ I am fine, just fine.” Several hours later, when we had all gone home, she breathed her last. This day was both the saddest day of my life and the most inspiring. Twenty- eight years later, I still think of my mom daily and see her through my own actions and gestures as well as through the actions and gestures of my daughter. We tell stories of her legendary baking and sewing skills, her “joie de vivre,’ and her ability to organize people into focused groups, making changes for the youth in our community. We also remember her tough life as the eighth of nine children growing up on a dairy farm in the lowlands of Scotland, and for her service in the Land Army during World War II. Ruby’s life embraces the Easter story. She lived a graceful life through extreme hardships and moments of creativity and joy. In the last months of her life, those who loved her watched as she gradually let go of her physical body, and in the last few hours of her life, we watched her embrace the mystery that was yet to come. I find myself embracing a complicated set of emotions most Easter Sundays. There is a definite “Alleluia chorus moment,” when I feel the presence of Jesus, the Risen One, and there also is a tinge of loss as I acknowledge a longing to hold my mom and all those I love and who have loved who are now gone. I look forward to both Easter Sunday and the weeks beyond to embrace both.
- Pastor Jill In January 2020, the congregation ratified some significant changes to our Constitution to bring it inline with the then-current ELCA Model Constitution for congregations. Updating a constitution is no small task, and we are grateful to those who were involved in the process for their efforts and leadership.
You can find our current constitution here. One of the changes made in the 2020 update was with regard to the Annual Meeting of the congregation. C10.01 (Chapter 10, Provision 01) states that the bylaws will designate at least one congregational meeting per year as the Annual Meeting. Bylaw C10.01.01 says that the annual meeting of the congregation will be in November. Pretty straightforward, right? Yes, it is. BUT, that one little bylaw has implications for other parts of our constitution and practices as a congregation. Specifically, there are two instances of how C10.01.01 impacts how we operate as a congregation, and they are described below. C11.01 is the constitutional provision that states what officer positions of this congregation will exist, and they are president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. The officers, with the exception of the treasurer, are selected by the congregation council. The treasurer is directly elected by the congregation “...at the annual congregational meeting.” (emphasis added). The distinction of when the treasurer is elected is important, because the treasurer can be, or not be, a member of the council. So, when we elect a treasurer at our congregational meetings, we are electing someone who has voice but not vote on the council, essentially an ex officio member. However, the person elected as the treasurer can also be elected as a member of the council, with both voice and vote. As part of the 2020 constitution update, C12.02 dictates that the members of the congregation council shall be elected at a legally called meeting of the congregation held in the month preceding Pentecost (i.e., April or May). So essentially what has happened is that the decision to move council elections to the spring, away from the annual meeting, has resulted in an incongruence between when an officer position is elected, and when the new council members’ terms start and end. To rectify this issue, the current council has approved a bylaw revision to C10.01.01 and presents it to the congregation for consideration and adoption at the May 15, 2022 Congregational Meeting. The bylaw is presented below, with the words to be changed underlined. Current: C10.01.01 The annual meeting of this congregation shall be held on a Sunday in November. Proposed: C10.01.01 The annual meeting of this congregation shall be held on a Sunday in the month preceding Pentecost. But wait, there’s more! Making this bylaw change will impact Continuing Resolution C05.04.A08, which says that the congregation will, at its annual meeting, elect folks to attend synod-wide meetings, such as Synod Assembly. By adopting the proposed language of C10.01.01, we will need to repeal and replace continuing resolution C05.04.A08, because waiting until April or May to select our Synod Assembly reps is far too late. Therefore, the council proposes repealing continuing resolution C05.04.A08 and replacing it with C05.04.A22. The language is below, again with changed language underlined: Current: C05.04.A08 The congregation shall, at its Annual Meeting, elect laypersons to serve as voting members of the Synod Assembly and at meetings of any conference, cluster, coalition, or other area subdivision of which it is a member. The term of duty shall be one year, with no limit on serving successive terms. If a duly elected layperson is unable to perform these duties, the Congregation Council may, by simple majority vote, appoint another voting member of the congregation to serve for the remainder of that term. Proposed: C05.04.A22 The congregation shall, at a legally-called meeting, elect laypersons to serve as voting members of the Synod Assembly and at meetings of any conference, cluster, coalition, or other area subdivision of which it is a member. The term of duty shall be one year, with no limit on serving successive terms. If a duly elected layperson is unable to perform these duties, the Congregation Council may, by simple majority vote, appoint another voting member of the congregation to serve for the remainder of that term. With these bylaw and continuing resolution changes, our goal is to bring our governing documents into alignment with our current practices. If you have any questions about these changes, please do not hesitate to reach out to a member of the council by emailing [email protected] - Adam Erickson Robert Alter, professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at UC Berkeley, has had a distinguished career of critical scholarship and translation. He has won the PEN Center USA Literary Award for Translation and the Koret Jewish Book Award for Translation. His translations of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) are universally hailed as a “godsend”, “thrilling,” “illuminating,” and “masterpiece.” Below are four titles, gifts from Elena Danielson, that will be important additions to our library and our other Alter translations. Alter, Robert. Ancient Israel : the Former Prophets, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings : a translation with commentary. 222.077 Alt Alter, Robert. The five books of Moses : a translation with commentary. 222.1077 Alt Alter, Robert. Strong as death is love : the Song of Songs, Ruth, Esther, Jonah, Daniel : a translation with commentary. 221.5209 Alt Alter, Robert. The Wisdom books : Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes : a translation with commentary. 223.077 Alt Berrigan, Daniel. Isaiah : spirit of courage, gift of tears. 224.106 Ber "The Dan Berrigan of public protest and media flash point is, happily, known to us all. In this book is the less visible Berrigan, the one who reads Scripture with fresh eyes, who cherishes images and phrases of faith with attentiveness, who echoes the prophetic cadences of dangerous faith." ---Walter Brueggemann "Good scholarship, good scripture, good soul! Dan has again shown us how to put them all together. Is this perhaps Isaiah redivivus? Who else could do it but Dan Berrigan?" ---Richard Rohr, O.F.M. author of Radical Grace Bocko, Joseph. Luther’s small catechism with African descent reflections. 265.54 Boc In connection with the observance of the five hundredth anniversary of the Reformation events initiated by the 95 Theses, a distinguished group of African descent Lutheran theologians gathered at the offices of the ELCA to explore and reflect on Luther's Small Catechism. While continuing to affirm the gift of the Small Catechism in the life of the Church, they recognized that the meaning of these explanations of Christian faith could and should be broadened to address the historical, cultural, and linguistic experience of Lutherans of African descent, both on the African continent and in the diaspora. Brown, Brené. Atlas of the heart : mapping meaningful connection and the language of human experience. 158.12 Bro An Amazon Best Book of December 2021: In Atlas of the Heart Brené Brown unpacks the complex web of emotion, behavior, and thoughts that are triggered by our experiences, and gives us the nuanced language to fully understand our feelings and express them to others. At first glance, this seems like a very thorny subject, but Brown engages the reader through anecdotes, humor, and data to create a narrative that makes total sense. The book’s map metaphor and chapter titles guide readers through the places we go when we are experiencing different emotions, illustrating how a seemingly singular emotion or experience—regret, for example—has multiple categorizations (six in this case), each of which feels distinct from the others. As I read Atlas of the Heart I had the overwhelming sense that Brown “got” me so clearly it gave me the chills, and I think others will also feel seen, understood, and changed for the better by what this book has to offer. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor Chang, David, and, Bryan Lee. Cataracts : a patient’s guide to treatment. 3rd ed. 617.74 Cha Even though cataract surgery is performed several million times a year, it is common for patients to have questions, concerns, and misconceptions when it comes to the surgery. This useful resource covers the most commonly asked questions with clear, understandable explanations. Two of the country’s foremost cataract experts, Dr. David F. Chang and Dr. Bryan S. Lee, walk readers through the procedure and explain why cataracts form, how they are diagnosed, how they are treated, and what other eye conditions may affect cataract surgery, all in a way that is easily understandable for patients and their families. Duffield, Jill J. Lent in plain sight : a devotion through ten objects. 240.34 Duf "In this thoughtful new book, ten objects, common in our life and in the life of Jesus, mark a way of prayer through Lent: dust, coins, oil, thorns, and even towels. Duffield invites us to reflect on love, redemption, and God's promise in these simple, ordinary things, reminding us of the simple, ordinary, yet extraordinary reality of the gospel in our everyday lives"-- Heidi Haverkamp, author of Holy Solitude: Lenten Reflections with Saints, Hermits, Prophets, and Rebels Duncan, Lenny. United states of grace : a memoir of homelessness, addiction, incarceration, and hope. 267.554 Dun "In this passionate memoir, Lutheran pastor and social justice advocate, Duncan shares his unconventional life journey in order to illustrate the beauty and horror of life in the United States...He is fierce in both his criticism of America's institutions and his love for its people. This lyrical testament to life as 'a blind date with mercy' will challenge and inspire." [Starred Review] --Publishers Weekly "Lenny Duncan's tale of escape from the miserable lot that life dealt him is reminiscent of Claude Brown's Manchild in the Promised Land--powerful and beautifully told--but with a twist: Duncan's triumph comes through an encounter with redemption. I can hardly imagine a more profound story of salvation. You will be inspired by Duncan's strength but also jolted by his anger that the odds are so heavily stacked against all who are trapped by oppression and injustice. This is the work of a truly gifted writer." --Tom Gjelten, Religion Correspondent, NPR News Hamilton, Adam. The Lord’s Prayer : the meaning and power of the prayer Jesus taught. 226.96 Ham “In this book Adam Hamilton continues his passionate pastoral exposition of faith. As in his previous work, this book is attentive to the text, wisely concerning the human condition, and accessible for any serious reader. Like every good preacher, Hamilton’s work teems with suggestive anecdotes that function to connect the world of the text and the life of the reader. In this book Hamilton is doing important work for us whereby Jesus can “teach us to pray.” Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary Hanna-Jones, Nikole. The 1619 Project : a new origin story. 973 Han #1 New York Times Bestseller • A dramatic expansion of a groundbreaking work of journalism, The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story offers a profoundly revealing vision of the American past and present. One of the Best Books of the Year: The Washington Post, NPR, Esquire, Marie Claire, Electric Lit, Ms. magazine, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist Harris, Jessica. High on the hog : a culinary journey from Africa to America. 641.59 "Our leading historian of African-American cooking continues her quest to trace the multiplicity of ways that American food has been enriched-and in many ways created-by the Africans who were forced to immigrate to North America and their descendants." - Vogue.com "In High on the Hog, the inimitable Jessica B. Harris tells the story of the African American diaspora from the perspective of an accomplished food historian. Food, she tells us, is a metaphor for society. If so, I can't think of a better one. From slave food to Taste of Ebony, this is a gripping saga laced with descriptions of food that will make your mouth water." - Marion Nestle, NYU professor and author of Food Politics and what to Eat Levine, Amy-Jill. Witness at the cross. 232.925 Lev This is a timely and important introduction to the events of Holy Friday. Levine’s approach is scholarly yet personal, theologically sophisticated yet devotional. She does a masterful job sorting through the perspectives of the Gospel writers, showing readers what each evangelist accentuates and the things each writer wants us to think more deeply about and to question when it comes to our own experience of the world today. This is the best possible resource for either reflective reading or a study group. Rev. Dr. John S. McClure, Charles G. Finney Professor of Preaching and Worship, Emeritus, Vanderbilt Divinity School Prejean, Helen, Sister. Dead man walking : an eyewitness account of the death penalty in the United States. 364.6609 Prej It would be difficult to find a more powerful and moving attack on capital punishment than this plea for its abolition by a nun. Prejean was working with the poor when she began corresponding with Patrick Sonnier, a convict on death row. Before long, she had become his spiritual adviser and, while not condoning the crime of which he was convicted, spearheaded the unsuccessful attempt to have his sentence commuted. After Sonnier's execution, Prejean counseled Robert Willie, another condemned man, until he too went to the electric chair. Her well-publicized efforts on these men's behalf drew resentment from the victims' relatives, but she was sensitive to their continuing pain as well; she played a major role in setting up a victim assistance program in New Orleans. Yet Prejean remains an absolutist on the death penalty: ``Killing by anyone, under any conditions, cannot be tolerated''—Publisher’s Weekly. Rajashekar, J. Paul. Ed. Luther’s small catechism : an exposition of the Christian faith in Asian contexts and cultures. 265.54 Raj This volume is a contextual reading of Luther's Small Catechism with Asian eyes, in which an ardent attempt is made to enlarge the meanings and significances of Catechism by taking account of Asian realities, especially the context of religious pluralism (which Luther was vaguely aware of) as well as a wide range of societal issues like poverty, patriarchy, inequality, ecological crisis, and other pressing issues facing Asian Churches. Surely, this volume will serve as a relevant instructional material for Asian Christians on the basic articles of Christian faith. Theoharis, Liz, ed. ; foreword by William Barber. We cry justice : reading the Bible with the Poor People’s Campaign. 261.8 The "Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis is a towering love warrior and freedom fighter for precious poor people in the bowels of the American empire. This rich collection of essays is a powerful cacophony of prophetic voices that prefigure our beloved community." --Cornel West, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair, Union Theological Seminary, New York City "In these pages, an impressive group of contributors reminds us that we cannot talk about the love of God without taking seriously the need for justice for all God's children, especially the poor, the vulnerable, and the voiceless." --The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church and author of Love Is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times. "The book is an invitation to reflect in fresh ways on the urgency of faith and on the demanding crisis we face concerning issues of justice. This book is not to be 'scanned.' It is to be lived with while the justice-working, world-transforming Spirit of God does its relentless, indefatigable work." --Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary Thomaskutty, Johnson. An Asian introduction to the New Testament. 225.7 Tho "We all read from a location. The contributors to this important volume demonstrate the significance of Asian approaches to interpreting the New Testament, and not only for Asian Christians. Of special consequence are the affinities between Asian values, life experiences, and texts and New Testament realities: honor and shame, family and community, persecution and perseverance, colonialism and resistance, poverty and pain. I highly recommend this unique, eye-opening, and helpful guide to the New Testament." --Michael J. Gorman, St. Mary's Seminary and University. "An Asian Introduction to the New Testament breaks new ground and creates a much needed and long-awaited space for Asian voices in the study of the New Testament. This book captures the realities of a multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and the pluralistic contexts of Asia. It is an essential resource for those of us teaching New Testament texts, as it locates the growth of Christianity in both Jewish and Asian contexts and brings forth a unique perspective that is critical to the study of New Testament." --Sharon Jacob, Pacific School of Religion Children’s books Erlander, Daniel. Come to the water, little one : my Holy Baptism board book. J 234.161 Erl Using simplified images from Let the Children Come and Water Washed and Spirit Born, this book gives families a way to read and talk about the special bath called baptism. Daniel Erlander’s illustrations are accompanied by simple rhyming story created by Pastor Mary C. Lindberg. Erlander, Daniel. A place for you, little one : my Holy Communion board book. J 234.162 Erl This colorful and inviting board book introduces young children to holy communion with its welcoming message: "There’s a place for you!" Using simplified words and images from the original edition of A Place for You, this book gives families a way to read and talk about the special meal of Jesus with their babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Tout, Patricia. Pick a pine tree. J [Fic] Tout Ages 3-7. A story about picking out the right tree for Christmas. With a pop-up Christmas tree. CGS Library Notes
New titles for the CGS Library We’ve just added 22 new titles (purchases and gifts) to our library. Click [here] to see a list of those latest titles added. The list includes each title followed by a brief synopsis and / or review, and is followed by a number which is its call number. The call number is an attempt to group books on similar subjects together and shows the user where an item can be found on the library shelves. As a reminder (or if you never knew), our library has its own webpage and online catalog. You may find the library page by (1) going to the CGS webpage and (2) under “Living Together” (3) scroll down to “Library”. Clicking on “Library” takes you to the CGS library page where you will see “Library Thing” and right beneath it, “Click Here.” (4) Click on “Library Thing” for an overview of our collection (and access to our catalog by clicking on “Your library”) or (5) select “Click here” to be taken directly to our online catalog. Once at the online catalog, you can search by author, title or by key word. The catalog is automatically arranged by call number. If you have any questions, or all of this is confusing, your friendly CGS librarian will be happy to help. This is a milestone week for the Call Committee. We have completed the Ministry Site Profile. As announced in church this week, we will be handing the document to the church council for review and approval. Once the document is approved, it goes to the Synod office for candidate selection. A lot of thought and effort has gone into writing a profile of our church and community life. The input from members of our congregation, the survey results and the committee’s weeks of discussion, all shaped the information included in the document. Our hopes and prayers are that we have a very positive pool of candidates that are interested in serving our church community.
The Call Committee is going to take a break for a few weeks while the Church Council takes a look at the Site Profile. We meet again on April 20th. Please pray for the Call Committee and the Church Council as this process continues. Feel free to let any of the Call Committee members know if you have any thoughts or ideas you would like to voice during this process. Sarah Janigian Call Committee members are: Matt Byom, Sarah Janigian, Randy Presuhn, Adolfo Ramirez, Paul Thomas, and Julia Tranchina |
Christ the Good ShepherdVarious editorials, articles, and other items of interest. Archives
February 2025
Categories |