From Our Community Organizing Representative Chuck Witschorik:

Responding to our call at CGS to Proclaim, Welcome, and Serve, we've recently committed to serving our neighbors through membership in Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good (SVACG). As an organization dedicated to bringing together diverse communities from throughout Silicon Valley, SVACG is made up of a variety of religious and civic service groups. Striving to learn directly from members of these groups about their concrete social and economic needs, the work of SVACG involves face to face meetings, called house meetings, where people get together to share frankly about the challenges they are facing. Once these meetings are completed, a discernment process begins, where the information learned in the meetings is brought together and consensus is arrived at among the partner members of SVACG about what area(s) to focus on in response to the communities' articulated needs. For example, if a concern was heard at the house meetings about improvements needed in city park facilities for children, SVACG would then organize and work together to attend city council meetings and help advocate for favorable outcomes that would address that particular community need.

In these months of March and April, SVACG currently is involved in the house meetings phase of this process. This means that there are a number of meetings happening, not in private homes in this case, but at some of our partner institutions. During these meetings, local members of the community come together, listen to one another, and learn about social or economic challenges they each are facing. This valuable input will then become part of the process that the larger group will engage in as a way to decide together on next steps. 

In essence, our participation as a congregation in SVACG is a way we can serve our neighbors. By learning directly from those around us about their concrete needs, we will be positioned to contribute to tangible solutions through the work of advocacy that we will participate in. Please feel free to speak with any of us on the CGS SVACG team, including Rebecca, Jean Hope, Chuck, and Adolfo, with any questions you may have. We hope you will consider attending an upcoming house meeting and joining us in this work of service for and with our neighbors!

To register for a SVACG house meeting, please click here and fill out the form.

Since February is Black History Month, I thought I would present a list of books in the CGS Library that are by or about African Americans and their experiences.  Please note: in the list below, the numbers that follow each entry are the call numbers, the way you can find the book cited on the shelves.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me about what I did with the title you want that you can’t find. 


CGS Library
Black History Month
Books dealing with the African American experience

Anderson, Victor. Creative exchange: a constructive theology of African American religious experience.  277.306 And

Arnold, Harriet. Antioch, a place of Christians: chronicles of an African American church, 1893-1993.  926
Baldwin, James. The fire next time. 305.896073 Ba
Baldwin, Lewis. Never to leave us: the prayer life of Martin Luther King, Jr. 363.092 Ba
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between the world and me. 305.800973 Coat
Cone, James. A Black theology of liberation. 230.089 Cone
Cone, James. The cross and the lynching tree. 277.308 Cone
Copeland, M. Shawn. Enfleshing freedom: body, race, and being (Intersections in African American theology)  233.089 Cop
Collier-Thomas, Bettye. A treasury of African American Christmas stories. 810.8 Col
Cudjoe-Wilkes, Gabby. Psalms for Black lives. 261.1 Cud
Douglas, Kelly Brown. Sexuality and the Black church: a womanist perspective.  230.082 Dou 
Duncan, Lenny. Dear Church: a love letter from a Black Lutheran preacher to the Whitest denomination in the U.S. 266.6 Dun
Echols, James. I have a dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the future of multicultural America.   305.8 Ec
Gordon Reed, Annette. On Juneteenth. 394.263 Gor
Griffin, Horace L. Their own receive them not: African American Lesbians and gays in Black churches. 261.84 Grif
Haley, Alex.  Roots.  929.2
Hannah-Jones, Nicole. The 1619 Project. 973 Han
Harris, Jessica. High on the hog: a culinary journey from Africa to America. 641.59 Har
Harvey, Jennifer. Raising White kids: bringing up children in a racially unjust America. 649.709 Har
Jenkins, Willis. Bonhoeffer and King: their legacies and import for Christian social theology.
  261.10 Je 
Johnson, G. Jeff. Black Christians: the untold Lutheran story. 267.1 Jo
Joshi, Khyati. White Christian privilege: the illusion of religious equality. 305.67 Jos 
King, Martin Luther, Jr.  Strength to love. 220 Ki
Kujawa-Holbrook, Sheryl. Injustice and the care of souls: taking oppression seriously in pastoral care. 206.1 Kuj
Lorde, Audre. Sister outsider: essays and speeches. 814.54 Lor
Mason, Eric. Woke Church: an urgent call for Christians in America to confront racism and injustice.   272.3 Mas
Nittle, Nadia. Bell hook’s spiritual vision. 305.42 Nit
Noel, James A. The passion of the Lord: African American reflections. 232.96 No  
Obama, Michelle. Becoming. 973.932 Obama
Oluo, Ijema. So you want to talk about race. 305.800973 Ol
Pero, Albert. Theology and the Black experience: the Lutheran  267.1 Pe
Pinn, Anthony. What is African American religion?
Reynolds, Jason. Anti-racism and you. 305.800973 Rey
Ritchie, Andrea. Invisible no more: police violence against Black women and women of color. 365.232 Rit
Taylor, Keeanga. From #Black Lives Matter to Black liberation. 305.896 Tay
Thomas, James. A rumor of Black Lutherans: the formation of Black leadership in early American Lutheranism. 261.1 Tho
Ward, Jesmyn. The fire this time: a new generation speaks about race. 305.896 Ward
Wilkerson, Isabel. Caste: the origin of our discontents. 305.5 Wil
Wilkerson, Isabel. The warmth of other suns. 304.80973 Wi
Williams, Reggie. Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus. 230.044092 Wi
                                                                     Youth books
Cherry-Paul, Sonja. Stamped (for kids): racism, anti-racism and kids. J 303.8 Rey
Hamilton, Virginia. The people could fly: American Black folktales. J 398.208 Ha
Lyons, Kelly. Sing a song: how Lift Every Voice and Sing inspired generations.  J 813.6 Ly
Pinkney, Sandra. Shades of Black: a celebration of our children. J 306.7 Pink
Tarpley, Natasha. I like my hair.  J 813.54 Tarp

​

From Pastor Kristofer Rhude:

It is common across administrations for politicians to make false statements or institute sinful policies regardless of party. To respond to them all would be a full-time job in itself. But I am writing today to respond to a specific attack made against our own church. You may have seen that this weekend, Elon Musk, in his new government role, has made false accusations about the Lutheran church—accusing our church of both federal crimes, and questioning the legitimacy of our religious beliefs.
 
Mr. Musk’s statements are offensive and obviously false. The legal funding for these programs was publicly approved by the federal government, and robust accountability structures are in place to ensure it is spent as appropriated. And while our church is not perfect, we have always striven to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ: to feed the hungry, care for the sick, welcome the stranger, and accompany the imprisoned. Lutheran Social Services (LSS) and Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services), are two of our non-profit ministries whose mission is to answer this calling—both joint projects of the ELCA and the Missouri Synod (LCMS).
 
Around the country, LSS provides services for seniors, youth, veterans, refugees, and people with disabilities. LSS helps people find housing, jobs, and the healthcare they need. Nearly 1 in 50 Americans access life-giving services through these ministries each year. Right here in Northern California, LSS is currently supporting nearly 4,000 formerly homeless individuals with safe, stable housing in 32 supportive housing programs across seven counties. LSS has also been a leading partner to California communities rebuilding after wildfires.
 
Global Refuge is one of the largest resettlement organizations in the country, welcoming over 800,000 people to the United States since 1939 and helping them to build new lives and a new home here. Last year alone, Global Refuge welcomed 14,000 refugees from across the world to our shores, helping them to immigrate, and then aiding them in finding housing, jobs, healthcare, and access to other necessary services. These organizations are some of the most impactful ways that our church serves our neighbor in communities in every region of our nation. This is the work of the church: in the love of God and in service to our neighbor.
 
Now, I believe it would be worthwhile to have a thoughtful conversation around the relationship between government funding and religious institutions like ours. However, these comments did not question this relationship, but instead made a direct attack on the legality and legitimacy of our work to follow the Gospel of Christ—work that this church has been engaged in long before the idea of the United States was even a dream.
 
Such attacks are becoming commonplace. In addition to anti-Semitic and Islamophobic rhetoric continuing to rise across the country, a resolution was recently introduced in the House of Representatives to condemn a single sermon of an Episcopal priest. The vice-president has attacked his own Catholic Church after their bishops criticized his administration’s rescinding of protections for churches from immigration raids. A clear pattern rooted in the sin of Christian nationalism has emerged: that to many in power in our government, religious speech and practice is only legitimate if it aligns with particular political and theological agendas. These threats to our freedom of religion should be deeply and personally concerning to all of us.
 
The threat to the vulnerable in our community is even more immediate. If our government ends these already budgeted programs as Mr. Musk has promised, it will cause immense suffering—primarily amongst those who are already at most risk in our country. Global Refuge’s work has already been severely impacted, after a stop-work order from the State Department in January effectively halted much of their operations. Nearly 6,000 legally resettled refugees are in danger of eviction and food insecurity because of this order.
 
I am deeply concerned, and I am angry about all of this. But I encourage you to watch presiding bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s response to these accusations, which shares the good news in this moment—the good news that our church will never be intimidated or threatened into abandoning the Gospel of Christ. In faith, I trust that our church, our ministries, and our members will continue to share the love of Christ in our communities—especially in service to the most vulnerable. Though this is a single threat among many which we face, it is an opportunity for us to recommit ourselves to our living, active faith, which teaches us to walk with those in need, regardless of what the powers of this world demand.

At CGS, our mission statement is to Proclaim the good news, Welcome all, and Serve the community and the world with Christ’s love and compassion.  When we called Pastor Kris, we were looking for (and found) a spiritual leader who would help guide us into a future that encouraged and expanded that mission.  We are currently involved in serving the community in several ways.  For two months each year, we participate in the Safe Car Park program with other churches in the area.  This program provides a safe place for those living in their vehicles to park at night.  We provide our guests with a hospitality suite which is stocked with snacks, a refrigerator for their uses, tables to share meals, and an air conditioned environment opened 24 hours when the weather is too hot to stay in their vehicles.  We prepare and share meals with our guests and help them to feel welcome and valued.  Volunteer opportunities are available through Sarah Janigian.  We also participate in two separate Shelter Cooking programs.  Once a month, one of our three teams of cooks prepares a healthy meal of their choice for delivery to the LGBTQ+ New Haven Shelter or the Julian Street Shelter, where the opportunity to serve the meal and interact with the guests is also available.  Volunteers are always welcome to join one of the cooking teams through Phil Boyer.  There are also many one-time events throughout the year that utilize volunteers from the congregation as well as committees such as God’s Work Our Hands Sunday, Worship and Music Committee, Altar Guild, Care Committee, and Coffee Service.  Speak to Pastor Kris if any of these areas appeals to you.

Our most recent opportunity to serve the broader community is the Silicon Valley Sponsoring Committee.  This is a coalition of religious congregations, non-profit groups, and dedicated individuals who want to show up to support local community needs through action and the power of many voices.  CGS is a founding member of this committee and the official launch is on November 3rd at the Santa Clara Convention Center where our bishop, Jeff Johnson, as well as other bishops and church and community leaders will gather to celebrate this important work.  SVSC has already taken action to provide improved lighting for the Cadillac-Winchester neighborhood of San Jose, where residents were at risk at night and needed tree-trimming and improved street lights to increase safety.  We also got a stop sign installed where a child was killed while crossing the street. This was accomplished through community actions, inviting participation of elected officials, and convincing the Vice Mayor to allocate funding for these needs.  The power of many voices (and voters) accomplished this much needed improvement.  Talk to Rebecca Thomas, Chuck Witschorik, Adolfo Ramirez, Jean Hope or Pastor Kris about how you can make a difference through your presence.
​
CGS is an active, vibrant community of believers.  There is always the opportunity to pray for any or all of our activities.  See if there is any area where you would like to make a difference and join in the satisfaction and fun of sharing the good news.

​The titles below were added to our CGS Library over the past few months and are now available to all. Some were gifts to the library, some were requests, and some you may blame on me. They may be found on the new book shelf (top shelf of the book truck) or are already on the shelves. Please note that we use a modified form of the Dewey Decimal classification system, and the books are arranged on our shelves by that system. The numbers following each title (e.g. 277.3082 Alb) are the Dewey numbers you can use to locate the books on the shelves. If you have any questions (we have a library? Where is the library?, What is a book truck?, etc.), your friendly librarian (that’s me) will be happy to help you.
Recent Additions to the CGS Library – March-July 2024
Becker, Amy Julia.  To be made well : an invitation to wholeness, healing, and hope. Hereld Press, 2022.   248.4 Bec
  “Timely, practical, and full of hope, To Be Made Well is a beautiful offering for our weary, splintered, and hurting world. Amy Julia Becker skillfully addresses our personal and collective need for healing through examples from the Bible, from her own life, and from a diverse range of trusted leaders. These pages hold timeless lessons and helpful application. Highly recommend!” -- Vivian Mabuni, author of Open Hands, Willing Heart, and founder and podcast host of Someday Is Here for AAPI women leaders.
  “Amy Julia Becker has written a beautiful book, grounded in the person of Jesus and the healing he brings. This is not a book with a before-and-after story of miraculous healing; it is a book about how we live in a fractured world with bodies that bear on and in them the brokenness of living. It is a book about how we see Jesus, how he sees us, and how his love heals us just a little bit more each day.” -- Lore Ferguson Wilbert, author of A Curious Life: The Questions God Asks, and Handle with Care: How Jesus Redeems the Power of Touch in Life and Ministry
[Bible. English. NSRV. 2021] SBL Study Bible : including apocryphal / deterocanomical books. New Rev. Standard Version, updated ed. N.Y. : HarperOne, 2021.     220.5 NSRV 2021
  Supported by the largest and most respected academic association of Bible scholars, The Society of Biblical Literature, The SBL Study Bible is the landmark general reference Bible that offers the full text of the New Revised Standard Version.
Caldwell, Taylor. The Listener. N.Y. : Doubleday, 1960.   813.52 Cal
  Who was the mysterious listener? And what strange power did he offer to fifteen people on a desperate quest? John Godfrey, retired lawyer in a large midwestern city, erects a beautiful marble sanctum as a monument to his late wife. Inside, behind an electronic screen that hides him from each visitor, is the unknown one who sits. . .and listens.
Carter, Jimmy. Living faith. N.Y. : Times Books, 1996. 225.95 Car
  For President Carter, faith finds its deepest expression in a life of compassion, reconciliation, and service to others. Living Faith is filled with stories of people whose lives have touched his--some from the world stage, more from modest walks of life. We see how President Carter learned about other faiths from Prime Minister Menachim Begin and President Anwar Sadat; learned a lesson in forgiveness from a clash with commentator George Will; how he was inspired by the simple theology of preacher Ely Cruz, "Love God and the person in front of you"; and how the cheerful strength of family friend Annie Mae Rhodes taught him the meaning of "patient faith."
Carter, Warren. The Roman Empire and the New Testament : an essential guide. Nashville : Abingdon, 2006. 225.95 Car
  An indispensable introduction to Roman society, culture, law, politics, religion, and daily life as they relate to the study of the New Testament. The Roman Empire formed the central context in which the New Testament was written. Brief in presentation yet broad in scope, this book will introduce students to the information and ideas essential to coming to grips with the world in which early Christianity was born.
Erikson, Erik.  Young man Luther : a study in psychoanalysis and history. N.Y. : Norton, 1962, c1958.  268.2 Erik
  Full of wise observations not only about Luther but also about human life … -- W.H. Auden
  A very profound study … this book will be very rewarding – Reinhold Niebuhr.
 
Floyd, Wayne Whitson. The wisdom and witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer : meditations by Wayne Whitson Floyd on texts from Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Minneapolis : Fortress Press, 2000. 267.55 Flo
Gecan, Michael. Effective organizing for congregational renewal. Acta, 2008.
  255.3 Gre
  “I highly recommend this to all my best friends” – Kris Rhude.
Jacobsen, Douglas. Global gospel : an introduction to Christianity on five continents. Grand Rapids : Baker Academic, 2015. 270 Jac
  "Douglas Jacobsen has provided a succinct, well-organized, and clearly written historical account of contemporary Christianity as a truly global religion. Broad coverage of geographical regions and theological traditions--including very helpful graphs, charts, and bibliography--underscores the book's emphasis on diversity. For a Christian world that is continuing to change with unprecedented speed, Global Gospel offers unusually perceptive guidance." -- Mark A. Noll, University of Notre Dame. 
Keller, Timothy. Hope in time of fear : the Resurrection and the meaning of Easter. N.Y. : Penguin, 2022.  232.927 Kel
  Hope in the Time of Fear is a book that unlocks the meaning of Jesus's resurrection. Easter is a time of spiritual rebirth and a time of celebrating the physical rebirth of Jesus after three days in the tomb. For his devoted followers, nothing could prepare them for the moment they met the resurrected Jesus. Each failed to recognize him. All of them physically saw him and yet did not spiritually truly see him. It was only when Jesus reached out and invited them to see who he truly was that their eyes were opened. Here the central message of the Christian faith is revealed in a way only Timothy Keller could do it--filled with unshakable belief, piercing insight, and a profound new way to look at a story you think you know.


Lagerkvist, Pär. Barabbas. N.Y. : Vintage Books, 1955, c1951. 837.7372 Lag
  Barabbas is the acquitted; the man whose life was exchanged for that of Jesus of Nazareth, crucified upon the hill of Golgotha. Barabbas is a man condemned to have no god. "Christos Iesus" is carved on the disk suspended from his neck, but he cannot affirm his faith. He cannot pray. He can only say, "I want to believe."
  Lagerkvist won the 1951 Nobel Prize for Literature
Mattes, Mark. The Augsburg Confession : a guide for the perplexed.  Irvine : 1517 Publishing, 2022. 265.5 Mat
  This booklet (26 p.) introduces readers to the Augsburg Confession, one of the most important charters of Christian liberty. From the time of its appearance in the sixteenth century to this day, the Augsburg Confession connects back to the first Christians and shows how the Bible can be read and Christian life can be lived today. You will see how the gospel enlivens all aspects of the life of faith and the mission of the church.
Nhat Hanh, Thich. Love in action : writings on nonviolent social change. Foreword by Daniel Barrigan. Berkeley : Parallax, 1993. 294.33 Nha
  This book, introduced by Daniel Berrigan, collects over twenty years of Nhat Hanh’s influential writings on nonviolence, peace, and reconciliation. He introduces the reader to methods of looking deeply to discover the roots of war in ourselves, in our destructive patterns of living, and in greed and deluded self-interest on a global scale.
Niebuhr,  H. Richard.  Christ and culture. N.Y. : Harper Torchbacks, 1975. 50th anniversary ed., with a new introd. by Martin Marty; a new preface by James Gustafson, and a new essay by the author. 261 Nie
        "This is without any doubt the one outstanding book in the field of basic Christian social ethics."--Paul Ramsey in the "Journal Of Religion" ; "A superb piece of analytical writing in tackling what is just about the toughest problem face by Christians. The problem: In what way, or degree, is Christ relevant to the situation in which the Christian must live....Mr. Niebuhr distinguishes five typical answers to the Christian's problem of setting the relation between the Christ he calls Lord and the culture which holds him as the sea holds its fish."--Paul Hutchinson in "The New York Times Book Review"  
Niebuhr, H. Richard.   Irony of American history. University of Chicago, 2008. With a new introd. by Andrew Basevich. 973.91 Nie
    “[Niebuhr] is one of my favorite philosophers. I take away [from his works] the compelling idea that there’s serious evil in the world, and hardship and pain. And we should be humble and modest in our belief we can eliminate those things. But we shouldn’t use that as an excuse for cynicism and inaction. I take away . . . the sense we have to make these efforts knowing they are hard.”—President Barack Obama



Roseberry, David H.  Psalm on the cross : a journey to the heart of Jesus through Psalm 22. Anglican Compass, 2021. 232.4 Ros
    As he hung dying on the cross at Calvary, Jesus spoke these haunting words from the opening verse of Psalm 22, a psalm written by King David over a thousand years prior. While the words depict the anguish of suffering, Jesus knew that the complete psalm was one of triumph and hope. The moment that began in darkness and despair eventually ends with a proclamation of confidence and victory.







Childrens’ Books

Carlson, Natalie. The family under the bridge. N.Y. : Harper Collins, 2019, c1993.   J [Fic] Car
  A Newberry Award Winner.
  Armand, an old man living on the streets of Paris, relishes his solitary life. Then one day just before Christmas, Armand returns to his favorite spot beneath the bridge to find three cold and hungry children. Although he has no interest in children, Armand soon finds himself caring for the small family. It does not take Armand very long to realize that he must do whatever it takes to get them a real home. Children will treasure this warm and funny adventure of family, freedom, and Santa Claus. Suitable for children 7-11.


Dee, Jodi.  Dirt girl. Jodi Dee Publishing, 2023.  J [Fic] Dee
  “This book really surprised me, I absolutely loved it! It's about a girl who goes to a new school and really doesn't fit in. She often had dirt on her clothes and flowers in her hair and liked to play with bugs. One day she invited people from school to her birthday party and they decided to go out of curiosity. They had to see how this weird girl lived and to their amazement, they discovered she lived very much in harmony with nature. Her house was so different from theirs and so wonderful. After that they never teased her again. One quote in the book I found really powerful and I really must share with you. ‘Many people are afraid of what is different than them, Zafera thought.
But hold true to who you are, and others will eventually see your light. Being different is what makes each of us special!’ " -- Children's Bookshelf, 5 Star. For children 4-8.

Henson, Taraji P. You can be a good friend (no matter what!). Zonderkidz, 2024.
  J [Fic] Hen
  From award-winning actress and mental-health advocate Taraji P. Henson, You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!) shows kids the great things that can happen when we approach others and ourselves with empathy, patience, and love. This book is designed to help children ages 4-8 to overcome anxieties and embrace what makes them unique
.


Jean, Orion. Race to kindness.  Zonderkidz, 2024.  J 242.66 Jean
  Orion Jean was named TIME Magazine’s 2021 Kid of the Year. His amazing accomplishments include donating over half a million books to children, and collecting over 100,000 meals for the food insecure.
  From giving meaningful compliments to sharing your snack to donating used clothes, there are so many ways to be kind that it can be tough to know where to start!  Luckily, author and fellow kid Orion Jean has some simple steps we can all take to make the world a better place. For children ages 4-8.


Salati, Doug. Hot Dog. Knopf, 2022.  J [Fic] Sal
  2023 Caldecott Award Winner.
  NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • Publishers Weekly • Kirkus Reviews • New York Public Library
“An utter joy from beginning to end!” — Sophie Blackall, two-time Caldecott Medal winner.
  This hot dog has had enough of summer in the city! Enough of sizzling sidewalks, enough of wailing sirens, enough of people's feet right in his face. When he plops down in the middle of a crosswalk, his owner endeavors to get him the breath of fresh air he needs. She hails a taxi, hops a train, and ferries out to the beach.
  
Williams, Vera B.   Chair for my mother. Greenwillow Books, 2007.   J [Fic] Wil
  A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (A Reading Rainbow book)
  "A tender knockout. It's rare to find much vitality, spontaneity, and depth of feeling in such a simple, young book."--Kirkus Reviews

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/PMenard

I am honored to be participating in Relay for Life of Cambrian again for the 11th year with my team, Team Awesome.  This year is the 15th annual Cambrian Relay for Life and I am not only a participant, but I am also part of the Event Leadership Team.  I am one of several volunteers working to make the event great.  Our goal is not only to raise funds for American Cancer Society but also to gathering our local community to bring awareness about cancer, enjoy good food, entertainment and celebrate many years of success.  If you are local, I hope you will consider coming out the event April 26th @ 6pm to April 27th @ 4pm at Dartmouth Middle School.  There will be a lot to see at the event.
 
I hope you will consider donating to this worthy cause once again.  American Cancer Society is the leading organization working to help people facing cancer, fund research, and advocate for equitable access to care.  You can donate at the link listed.  If you want to honor a Cancer Survivor, remember someone lost to cancer or recognize a cancer caregiver, so can also select Luminaria on the web page and one will be created and displayed at the event.
 
This year I will also be raffling off a quilt that I made for the event.  If you would like to be entered into the raffle indicate in your message or send me an email and I will include you in the raffle. 
I truly appreciate your support and good thoughts for the success of the event.  With your help, I hope that soon we will see an end to this terrible disease.

 “CGS Lunch Bunch”

Name:
Community, Gathering for, Socialization: Lunch Bunch

Description:

The CGS Lunch Bunch is a monthly gathering hosted by CGS’s care team], designed to bring together individuals who might feel isolated or disconnected from the community. Our mission is to provide a warm, inviting atmosphere where everyone can share a meal, engage in meaningful conversations, and form lasting friendships. Whether you’re new in town, going through a tough time, or simply seeking fellowship, the CGS Lunch Bunch is here to welcome you with open arms.

How It Works:

    •    Frequency: Once a month, details on the specific date and time will be shared in advance.
    •    Location: Held at Sophie Jobe’s houseproviding an accessible and comfortable setting.
    •    Activities: Each gathering will include a shared meal, possibly themed potlucks or meals provided by local sponsors, followed by various social activities. Activities might include guest speakers, games, music, or small group discussions centered around themes of hope, friendship, and community support.
    •    Open To: All are welcome. While aimed at those feeling isolated, we encourage anyone seeking fellowship or wishing to support their fellow community members.
    •    Social Media: Regular updates, including dates and themes, will be posted on the church’s social media platforms.
    •    Word of Mouth: Church members are encouraged to personally invite someone who might benefit from the CGS Lunch Bunch, making it a community effort.
    

The CGS Lunch Bunch aims to break down the barriers of isolation by offering a space where individuals can come together, share a meal, and build connections. It’s more than just a monthly meeting; it’s an opportunity to create a community that supports and uplifts each other. Join us in making a difference, one lunch at a time.


​- Sophie Jobe 

-Sunday School here at Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is called Godly Play
You may be wondering: What is Godly Play, and what are some benefits for the children? Godly Play is a distinctive approach to Christian ministry with children, both innovative and deeply grounded in our spiritual tradition. It is a form of the Montessori style of teaching. 
We meet on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month.
Godly Play helps to re-sacralize the everyday things of the world, such as bread, wine, candles, oil, wood, linens, and clay. It reintroduces a sacramental worldview in an often practical and materialistic society, reminding us that the ordinary can be infused with the divine.
In a culture that often values noise and busyness, Godly Play teaches children and adults the value of quiet contemplation and deliberate engagement. It offers a counter-cultural message in a comforting and consistent manner, inviting participants to slow down and reflect amidst the rush of modern life.
By providing sensorial materials within a safe and stimulating environment, Godly Play integrates language and play, offering children multiple avenues for exploration and understanding. This holistic approach acknowledges that each child learns differently and seeks to engage the whole child—mind, body, and spirit.
Unlike traditional teaching methods, Godly Play is not about rote memorization or passive learning. Instead, it fosters discovery and personal meaning-making, allowing children to actively engage with sacred stories and parables in a way that resonates with their individual thoughts and feelings.
Craft activities in Godly Play serve as opportunities for creative expression rather than predetermined outcomes. Each child is encouraged to respond authentically to the stories they've encountered, fostering a deeper connection and understanding of their faith journey.
Teachers in a Godly Play classroom benefit from a stable setup and routine, allowing them to focus on facilitating meaningful experiences rather than constantly planning new activities. This consistency creates a supportive environment where both teachers and children can fully immerse themselves in the exploration of scripture and spirituality.
At its core, Godly Play teaches reliance on a gracious and accessible God, shifting focus away from transient worldly distractions towards enduring spiritual truths. It cultivates respect for oneself, others, and the world around us, fostering a sense of care, patience, and interconnectedness.
By embracing the rhythm of action, reflection, engagement, and prayer, Godly Play encourages participants to develop a spiritual rule of life modeled after the biblical principles of living in community and relationship with God.
Through its rituals and organizational structure, Godly Play instills kindness, mutuality, and respect for others—a living embodiment of the biblical ethic of communal living and love.
As a contemporary adaptation of lectio divina, Godly Play invites children to engage with scripture in a meaningful and personal way, moving beyond mere intellectual understanding to a deeper encounter with God's word.
Ultimately, Godly Play affirms the holiness inherent in all of creation and invites participants to recognize the sacredness of every moment and encounter. It offers a glimpse into kairos time, where the presence of God transcends the limitations of clock time, inviting us to dwell in the eternal now and reflect on the deeper purpose of our existence.
​- Sophie Jobe

​

​Dear CGS Folks,

I so enjoyed your February choral concert, and I talked briefly to Sarah about these orchestral concerts at FCC. I wanted to share with your whole congregation details about these two concerts, this Sunday afternoon and next Friday night.

We are launching a community concert series at First Congregational Church, starting with two orchestras that have performed here in the past. We are calling the series Concerts on the Corner and hope to grow it into a significant arts contribution to our local community. I hope that members of your congregation, as part of our community, will be interested in attending these concerts, and many more in the future. I hope you will share this information in whatever way is convenient. I realize this notice is a little late and we'll get you the information earlier in the future. We will also be glad to promote music events at your church to our congregation.

Harmonia California Inaugurates Concerts on the Corner
Chamber Orchestra Concert at First Congregational Church of San Jose - March 17

Harmonia California, the talented Bay Area chamber orchestra returns to the First Congregational Church of San Jose, under the direction of Kristin Turner Link on March 17 at 3 PM. The concert will feature the world premiere of 3 Meditations for String Orchestra and Harp by Bay Area composer Ron Miller. It will also feature piano soloist Barbara Sunseri performing Bloch’s Concerto Grosso No. 1 for String Orchestra and Piano.

The performance will be at First Congregational Church of San Jose, 1980 Hamilton Ave., San Jose, 3:00 PM, Sunday, March 17, 2024. Tickets are available at the door, $15 per person. Children 10 and under are free.



South Bay Philharmonic Graces Concerts on the Corner
Orchestra Concert at First Congregational Church of San Jose - March 22

South Bay Philharmonic will present the SBP Eras Tour (four centuries of symphonic music) at the First Congregational Church of San Jose, under the direction of George Yefchak on March 22 at 7:30 PM. The concert will feature Rossini: Introduction, Theme, and Variations, featuring clarinet soloist Tina Tsai; Actor: Meditation, featuring violin soloist Gene Huang; Haydn: Symphony No. 94 ("Surprise"); and Sibelius: Valse triste.

The performance will be at First Congregational Church of San Jose, 1980 Hamilton Ave., San Jose, 7:30 PM, Friday, March 22, 2024. Tickets are $20 per person at www.southbayphilharmonic.org. Children 12 and under are free.

Peace,

Brian