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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.
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“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 (Dedicated To Christy, the medical teams of Veterans Affairs, Marin County Health, Santa Rosa, Sacramento, San Jose, Washington DC, Reno, Davis, Essen-Werden, Duesseldorf Hospitals, and all our CGS nurses) I am writing this to honor our dear friend Christy’s memory who passed away in October. She was only 49. A large portion of Christy's career was spent as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Stanford Children's. If you asked her kids what their mom did, they said, "She saves babies." She was one of the most selfless, compassionate, and tireless people I know. May God guide me and let the right words flow from my heart to my pen, to pay tribute to her life of service and countless contributions. She fought her cancer with so much courage, this was during COVID and her relentless determination brought her home to her daughter Aubrey and her son Cole. Aubrey and Andre met at Carden in pre-K and have been besties since. I remember them laughing, singing, dancing, and playing in our very CGS backyard. We were so thankful to the Lord and hoped after many brutal chemotherapies that she would be cancer-free. In August a tumor was found in her brain. Again, she fought like a lion and went through surgery with one single thought in mind. Make it to celebrate her 50th birthday with her loved ones. She passed away a few weeks before and is now smiling at all of us from above and continuing her work as the true nurturing angel that she was, is, and always will be. I admire her capacity to live in the present moment and to be the best mother she could be, despite some days under the harsh reality that she could not save all those in her care. Because she always led with her heart, she was able to make such a profound impact. Her impact lives through the lives she touched, the many lives she saved, and the many nurses she mentored. Amazing ICU nurses saved Remy’s life after his multiple-trauma motorcycle accident, then Ansgar's after his, and gave it all to the 10 friends and family that passed away last year many young and from terminal cancer. To all the nurses who cared for our loved ones: We see you; we need you; we feel you. Most of all we love you, to be interpreted in angel speak “We see God in you”. God is Light. God is Love. Love is God. Love is Service. Through your dedication and compassion, you are both Love and Light to every soul under your care. Thank you for being the special You that you are. Thank you for letting that little light of yours shine and melt our hearts. Thank you for the warm welcome and the many words of solace that made such a difference to brighten our days and overcome some of our grief. We are forever grateful for your loving kindness and critical care. “Essential worker” is not doing justice to the selfless giving and caring nurses do day in and day out in the front line. Their skills truly matter to save lives and when it’s not possible they provide the comfort, solace, and human dignity needed to overcome the fear of the last hour and to appease the grief of those left behind. This write-up is to inspire, fill their cups, and remind them of their "Why" in terms they don't always hear. To help them feel great about what they do and touch all their hearts. Nursing’s most extraordinary gift to humanity—they give, give, and give, —yet they never ask for anything in return. In a world that often values recognition and fame, nurses stand as shining examples of humility and service. They are the compassionate souls who tirelessly give of themselves each day without expecting or anticipating anything in return. Their quiet dedication speaks volumes, inspiring us all to strive for more humility and meaning in our lives. We should acknowledge all nurses do that affirm our value, relevance, and importance, not just as patients, but as human beings. Nurses are the beacon of hope, the reminder that no random act of kindness goes unnoticed and that genuine care matters. They are the motivation boost to help us not only recover but also to be the best we can be to reflect God’s Grace more perfectly. Educated by the Salesian sisters, St Francis of Assisi is one of my role models, and the excerpt below from one of his famous prayers is a good summary of what nurses do. “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury, pardon, where there is doubt, faith, where there is despair, hope, where there is darkness, light, and where there is sadness, joy.”
I am deeply humbled by the miracles you perform every day. By the not-so-little light that keeps shining from your soul. You touched our hearts but mostly the souls of our loved ones who went on to meet the Great Light. You brightened their last days and made the last hours more bearable. You told them there was no shame in being afraid and in asking for help to better manage their pain. You were the nurturing angels down below connected in your heart and soul to the ones from above. God gives grace to the humble and those who pour their heart and soul into giving. We are so blessed to have all of you gifted nurses in our midst. With deepest gratitude, Isabelle Coste-Fürst CGS Council Member & Deacon To honor Christy's long career as a nurse and her love of children, we have chosen to support St. Jude's. through this special fund. Everything they do is centered around finding cures and saving children. They do so much to support families when a cure is not possible. Should you prefer donating to CGS, feel free to do so. Our family has found in this amazing community the support to recharge our dead batteries, overcome the overwhelming grief wave, keep the Light shining in our souls on the dimmest and darkest days, and most of all to help us realize that grief, is Love enduring and that Universal Love is ubiquitous, even in the most painful of circumstances. - Isabelle Coste 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
- The titles below have been added to our CGS Library over the past few months and are now available in the Library. Those of you who were fortunate enough to attend Pastor Kris’ adult education classes on Christian Nationalism or the Apocrypha may find them useful for some additional reading. They may be found on the new book shelf (top shelf) of the book truck or are already on the book 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 need any help (what library? Where is the library?, what is a book truck?, etc.), your friendly librarian (that’s me) will be happy to show you his wicked plan. Alberta, Tim. The kingdom, the power, and the glory: American evangelicals in an age of extremism. N.Y. : Harper, 2023. 277.3082 Alb “Alberta adeptly illustrates how Christian nationalism is 'destroying the evangelical church' on a big-picture level, as well as how it’s justified individually, framed scripturally, and blared over pulpits in support of hyper-conservative political candidates. While he suggests a 'true Christianity' might still be salvageable, Alberta’s own evidence reveals how deep the rot has already spread. It’s an incisive, unsparing look at a movement in crisis" — Publishers Weekly Brueggemann, Walter. A way other than our own : devotions for Lent / compiled by Richard Floyd. Louisville, KY : Westminster John Knox Press, 2017. 242.34 Bru “God has always called people out of their safe, walled cities into uncomfortable places, revealing paths they would never have chosen. Despite our culture of self-indulgence, we too are called to walk an alternative path – one of humility, justice, and peace. Walter Bruggemann’s thought-provoking reflections for the season of Lent invite us to consider the challenging, beautiful life that comes with walking the way of grace” – Back cover. Chacour, Elias, with David Hazard; foreword by James Baker. Blood brothers: the dramatic story of a Palestinian Christian working for peace in Israel. Grand Rapids, MI : Baker Books, 2022, c1984. 956.945 Cha “From my perspective, both as a believer and as a diplomat, I take hope and comfort in knowing that amid all the hatred, destruction, and death, Father Chacour continues his patient work, softening one heart at a time”—James Baker III, U.S. Secretary of State, 1989-1992. Curtice, Kaitlin B. Living resistance : an indigenous vision for seeking wholeness every day. Grand Rapids, MI : Brazos Press, 2023. 204.408 Cur “Curtice fiercely yet gently calls us home to care about our souls and our bodies, about each other and Mother Earth. It’s a timely and timeless call to live resistance every day as we build the world we want together”—Jacque Lewis, senior minister, Middle Church. Gathercole, Simon, editor. The Apocryphal gospels. Harmondsworth : Penguin Books, 2022. 229 Gat “In the early years of Christianity, several groups produced "hidden" or "apocryphal" gospels, alternative versions of the story of Christ. Sometimes these texts complemented the four canonical gospels, sometimes they subverted them and often they were completely different. Often kept secret by their readers and frequently attacked by their detractors, these gospels shine a fascinating light on the early Christian Church and its surprising manifestations”—Back cover Gupta, Nijay. Strange religion: how the first Christians were weird, dangerous, and compelling. Grand Rapids, MI : Brazos Press, 2024. 270.1 Gup “In the 21st Century, when Christianity has been dominant for so long, it is hard to imagine a context in which the Christian faith was viewed as out of the ordinary and in some respects dangerously weird. This book packs a punch and is well worth reading”—Paula Gooder, canon chancellor, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. “Nijay paints vivid pictures of life in the ancient Roman world and identifies the beliefs and practices that made the earliest Christians stand out in contrast. It left me considering how the church today might recapture some of the weirdness and beauty that made such a mark on the ancient world. If you ever wondered how a tiny Jewish sect, worshipping a crucified Messiah, could ever turn the Roman empire upside down, then this book is for you”—Mike Erre, teaching pastor, Journey church. Isaac, Munther. The other side of the wall: a Palestinian Christian narrative of lament and hope. Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 2020. 275.694 Isa “Isaac’s deeply moving [book] tells his story as a Christian growing up in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem over decades of violence, war, and occupation. The reading of Isaac’s Palestinian narrative in no way negates Jewish ties to the land but rather tells an often unheard side of the story”—Mae Cannon, executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace. Khalidi, Rashid. Hundred years’ war on Palestine. N.Y. : Picador, 2021. 956.9405 Kha "Informed and passionate . . . Khalidi's is an elegy for the Palestinians, for their dispossession, for their failure to resist conquest"―The Guardian "The Hundred Years’ War is one of the best-researched general surveys of 20th and early 21st century Palestinian life, but it’s also a deeply personal work. . . . For a people whose history is all but criminalized, this act of retelling is itself a form of resistance"―The Nation "Rigorous and lucid . . . Rashid Khalidi, the intellectual heir to Edward Said, has written one of the great books on the Israeli-Palestinian question"―Financial Times King, Karen. The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the first woman apostle. Polebridge Press, 2003. 229.75 King “This is a rich, rewarding, and eye-opening review of how the only gospel written in the name of a woman can reveal the depth and diversity of the early Christian community. Strongly recommended-- Library Journal Leloup, Jean-Yves. The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. Inner Tradition, 2002. 229.75 Lel “Found in 1945 at Nag Hammadi in the Egyptian desert, it is a short but complex Coptic text that appears to render the voice of Mary Magdalene. This volume contains English translations of Leloup's French version of the original and Leloup's extensive commentary, which discloses the theology that inspired the lost gospel”--Booklist (American Library Association) Mack, Burton. The lost gospel: the Book of Q and Christian origins. New York : Harper One, 1994. 226.066 Ma “A masterful analysis of the entire Q tradition.... Its scope is large and its argument compelling"-- Bible Review "Serious discussion of Q, a collection of Jesus' sayings, has taken place mostly in academic circles. There is nothing substandard about Mack's scholarship, but this treatment has the added advantage of being accessible to average readers. Mack's thesis is that Q is the best record available for the first forty years of the various Jesus movements"-- Booklist Nittle, Nadra. bell hooks’ spiritual vision: Buddhist, Christian, and feminist. Minneapolis : Fortress Press, 2023. 305.42 Nit “This carefully researched and beautifully written look at the spiritual life of one of our finest writers and intellectuals is a complex and valuable addition to writing about the inimitable bell hooks”—Silas House, author of Lark Ascending. Pagels, Elaine. The Gnostic gospels. New York : Vintage Books, 1989. 229 Pa “...[D]enounced as heretical by the early church, Gnosticism proposed a revealed knowledge of God held as a secret tradition of the apostles. Elaine Pagels suggests that Christianity could have developed quite differently if Gnostic texts had become part of the Christian canon. Without a doubt: Gnosticism celebrates God as both Mother and Father, shows a very human Jesus's relationship to Mary Magdalene, suggests the Resurrection is better understood symbolically, and speaks to self-knowledge as the route to union with God. Pagels argues that Christian orthodoxy grew out of the political considerations of the day, serving to legitimize and consolidate early church leadership. Her contrast of that developing orthodoxy with Gnostic teachings presents an intriguing trajectory on a world faith as it "might have become." The Gnostic Gospels provides engaging reading for those seeking a broader perspective on the early development of Christianity. --F. Hall (Amazon.com) Robinson, James M., General Editor. The Nag Hammadi Library. 3rd rev. ed. Translated and introduced by members of the Coptic Gnostic Library Project of the Institute for Antiquity and Christianity. San Francisco : HarperOne, 1988. 299.932 Nag This revised, expanded, and updated edition of The Nag Hammadi Library is the only complete, one-volume, modern language version of the renowned library of fourth-century manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1945. Shanks, Hershel. The brother of Jesus : the dramatic story and meaning of the first archaeological link to Jesus and his family. N.Y. : HarperOne, 2003. 232.933 Sha “[In 2003] biblical archaeologists stunned the world with news that a limestone ossuary with the inscription "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus" had surfaced in Palestine and may have once contained the bones of James, the early church leader and brother of Jesus of Nazareth. … Numerous scholars who have examined the ossuary now vouch for its first-century origins, if not its theological significance. … The opening chapters tell of the box's discovery and authentication, while the later chapters discuss its potential relevance and describe what is at stake if the ossuary is genuine. Particularly interesting is the book's discussion of what the ossuary does for Jewish-Christian relations: James, the bishop of Jerusalem, was known for encouraging Christians to retain aspects of their Jewish heritage instead of jettisoning that heritage as Paul had. This engaging book invites readers to ponder the numerous questions and possibilities raised by the ossuary's discovery”--Publisher’s Weekly Trobisch, David. On the origin of Christian scripture: the evolution of the New Testament canon in the second century. Minneapolis : Fortress Press, 2023. 225.1 Tro “Provocateur and poet, historian and hermeneut, Trobisch has drawn for us more a map than a monograph, and one that promises to guide future quests of an ancient history and help plot the tellings of this fascinating story of the Bible’s real beginnings”—Rob Wall, Seattle-Pacific University. Wright, Jacob L. Why the Bible began: an alternative history of scripture and its origins. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2023. 220.9 Wri “By one of the brightest minds in the field, this is a book on the bible that all will want to read: an exquisitely written and innovative tribute to the nameless scribes who responded to destruction and defeat by building a powerful new form of community that no army could conquer. Venturing beyond the Bible’s religious teachings to its political and social dimensions, Wright’s tour de force demonstrated why this body of literature still matters for us today”—Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, Professor Emerita of Biblical Literature and History, Hebrew Union College. Children’s books Caruso, Joe. In the image of God: a story of identity and value. Caruso, 2021. J 248.4 Car “Filled with rhymes of affirmation and charming illustrations, In the Image of God is a beautiful reminder that our identity of found in Him. Children will be inspired to see themselves just as God made them, full of creativity, wisdom, power and love”—Back cover. - Paul T We are thrilled to extend a heartfelt invitation to our beloved church community
for a special fundraising musical gathering that aims to support Safe Car Park, a ministry dedicated to assisting individuals who find themselves living in their cars. This event promises to be an uplifting and memorable experience, filled with music that revolves around the theme of love. Our concert will feature a diverse array of musical performances, all centered around the powerful theme of love. From soulful ballads to joyous anthems, our talented musicians and vocalists will weave a musical tapestry that celebrates the universal language of love. This concert is to raise funds in support of CGS’ Safe Car Park Ministry. This invaluable ministry works tirelessly to provide assistance and support to those who are living in their cars, offering a safe haven and necessary resources to help them navigate through challenging times. We encourage you to participate in this cause by attending the event and making a contribution towards our fundraising efforts. No need to purchase tickets to see the concert, but we will be collecting free-will donations during the event. Your generous donations will go directly towards supporting CGS’ Safe Car Park Ministry and making a positive impact on the lives of those in need. Let us come together as a community to spread love and make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. Your presence and support at this musical concert will contribute to the success of our fundraising initiative and, more importantly, help Safe Car Park Ministry continue their vital work. We look forward to seeing you there for an afternoon filled with beautiful music and the warmth of community spirit. February is just around the corner, and with it the Safe Car Park program will be back at CGS. Help is needed to welcome the guests to our church site. For those unfamiliar with the program, CGS is a member of the Silicon Valley Safe Car Park network. We participate in hosting single adults and families sleeping in their vehicles to have a safe place to stay. Our church community has been very welcoming to Safe Car Park guests. Planning for the February visit is in full swing. Volunteers are needed for evening check-in (6:30 p.m.) and morning check-out (7:30 a.m.). We host a community meal on Tuesday nights during the month. Please use the sign-up sheet if you would like to prepare one of those meals. Donations of restaurant/grocery gift cards and gasoline gift cards are also always needed. In addition, donations of non-perishable snacks will be gladly accepted. (Please, all snacks individually wrapped.) We have set up an Amazon wish list link, to make it easy for you to donate and have it delivered to the church. The current link for instructions and volunteers to sign-up is below: SIGN UP sheet on Sign Up Genius INSTRUCTIONS for volunteers We look forward to welcoming Safe Car Park guests to CGS, and providing them a warm and welcoming place. Please feel free to contact anyone on the team if you have any questions. Sarah Janigian Rachel Visscher Kevin Visscher Chelsea Byom Susan Duran Well, as Karen Carpenter says in the song “greeting cards have all been sent, the Christmas rush is through.” We can take a breath and spend a little time in this final week of December reflecting and prepare ourselves for the new year. And what will the new year bring? Probably as many challenges as this past year. It will also provide many opportunities to continue the Christmas spirit of giving. In January alone, there are many events at CGS for us to join in celebrating our lives together. On January 8th, we will begin a new adult educational opportunity with our knowledgeable pastor on how the Bible was formed and some of the gospels that were not included in the final version! On January 9th, we can learn about the many ways to participate in our Safe Car Park Program. After worship on January 14th, we will have our first Children and Family event full of games, food and fun. We will celebrate the baptism of Ciaran on January 14th and Emma will be confirmed on January 21st. In addition, we can volunteer as assistants with the Godly Play program for our children on the first and third Sundays of the month and learn along with them about the stories of our faith. We can volunteer for Shelter Cooking to support those in our midst who experience food insecurities. Once a month, one of our four teams prepares a meal for the Julian Street Shelter to show our love and support. To think that all of this is available just in the month of January! We can all experience any of these chances to give of ourselves or we can pray for those who provide these vital services. Ask Christina in the office for more information on any of these events. Our community will continue to give in this coming year. Of that I have no doubt.
-Jean Hope "Here is some information, thank you notes and photos from SCVQA for this year. Many of them are thank you notes to our guild, but please remind the congregation that the church’s generosity to our organization is a big part of what makes the donations possible. As you have seen first hand, we put the entire great room to use during our workdays spreading out our numerous different activities across every inch of the room. This wonderful space allows us to prepare, process, organize and manage all the quilts that come through our group before being delivered out to our local community."
This year we were able to distribute an amazing 857 donated quilts. That’s more than last year. WOW! In addition to the individual recipient, the quilts also extend love and comfort to their families and care teams. We were able to donate around the bay area to the following recipients this year:
I’ve attached several photos, naming them such that I hope it is easy to know which photo goes with which organization. If any of your congregation would like more information, they can reach out to me directly via email or they can visit our website. The Grateful Garment Project provides victims of sexual violence the clothing and other resources they need to reclaim their dignity and begin the healing process. When sexual assault victims seek medical attention and rape kits are performed, they are asked to surrender their clothing for DNA evidence. The traumatized victim then has nothing else to wear home but a hospital gown. Grateful Garment Project works with hospitals, shelters, law enforcement and other nonprofits to meet victims’ immediate needs after a crisis and support their ongoing needs along their road to recovery. They requested hand-made wall hangings for the counseling and interview rooms. Oakland’s Children’s Hospital sent us this lovely thank you note: “Dear SCVQA, This card comes with the deepest thanks for years, actually decades!, of your giving of the gorgeous, beautiful hand made quilts you have provided USDF Benioff Childrens NICU with. The entire staff surrounds our dear Gina Bowerman – our most lovely, loving and skilled nurse each time she arrives with the colorful quilts showing through the many bags she carries in from you <Heart> …Our thanks are heartfelt and deep as we have both the honor and joy of offering these quilts from you. Many are given to the families who keep them for a lifetime – softening the memories of neonatal intensive care as a beginning. And many are used to brighten a hospital tiny bed or incubator for those sweet babies and families. Our thank you for your creative skills, your choices in beautiful fabrics and your grand hearts is more than can ever be fully expressed. From all the Oakland NICU and Hospital, Bette Flushman, NICU BCHO” Unity Care supports Foster Teens as they age out of the program. They sent this wonderful thank you note: “Dear <SCVQA, > Thank you for your donation of handmade quilts. Your gift ensures that young people are shown genuine love and appreciation. It also assists them in learning that a bigger community cares for them, despite what their tough beginnings taught them. Please share with others the powerful impact of your donation. When we updated our Mission: “We transform the lives of young people in and emerging from foster care by providing stable housing, caring connections, and life skills that build a foundation to achieve their potential.”, part of our goal became to educate and share that mission. Did you know that we serve over 200 transitional-age foster youth ages 18–25? While traditionally, youth can count on family support into adulthood, our young people must figure life out on their own. As you can imagine, this is not an easy feat. Unity Care is helping prepare them for success - so they can live independently when it is time for them to transition out of our program. How else does your donation impact youth? Unity Care also provides move-in kits, bright holidays, birthday parties and scholarships for our young people to pursue their academic/vocational dreams, and graduation ceremonies to celebrate important milestones and youth's accomplishments. Your donation of handmade quilts completes a customized bedding package for move in kits. This is a beautiful and thoughtful gesture that our youth are so deserving of. We invite you to become a part of our mission! Let people know who we are, what we do and how you are helping. Just sharing with your network that you donated will inspire others to do the same. www.unitycare.org/donate-now/ Sincerely, Tai Batov, Partnerships Coordinator” Unity Care, San Jose Markham Plaza is an affordable low income housing facility that houses seniors, veterans, formerly homeless, students and families. They requested a set of quilts for a holiday event for all the mothers and children in their San Jose housing. The CA Association of Nurse Practitioners SF Area Chapter’s appreciation event, NP Week, was held in November. “Hi <SCVQA>, My name is Lauren Thayer. I am one of the co-chairs for the communications/marketing team at CANP San Francisco. I have also included Shideh in this E-mail who is co-chair with me. We want to thank you so much for the quilts your guild has donated to NP Week the past two years! The quilts are a huge hit every year! NP Week is a week we celebrate our NP’s and the impact we have on our health care system, communities and patients. Last year was our first in person NP Week event since the pandemic and the quilts were so popular, we were thrilled to hear you wanted to donate more! For this NP Week, the gifts we gave to our members focused on self care. Each member of our NP Week event received a gift box of small self care items (teas, honey, candle, lavender cachet and pillow spray) as well as a chance to win one of the beautiful quilts through ticket drawings. At our event, four of our members were presented certificates of honor for their legislative work by Supervisor Mandelman. We had two inspiring talks by Sister Roma <in drag> and Rafael Mandelman as well as an educational dinner. It was a great success and we are so thankful for your donations! … We would love to work with you again next year! Thank you again for the quilts and your guilds heart to donate to our chapter! Lauren Thayer” One of the nurses that received a quilt at the event sent the following note: “Hi! I just wanted to drop a note and say thank you so much for the beautiful quilts and thank you for donating them to CANP. It made my month receiving one of your incredible quilts and it makes me so happy every time I see it. Thank you for making a difference in our lives. Best, Heather Coyne, MSN, NP UCSF Cancer Services APP Fellow” Sequoia Hospice provides end-of-life care. Their Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, Dee, shared these stories with us. These stories touch our hearts and truly inspire us. “This is what I’ve heard from staff, patients and/or their families; • Our nurse went out for a patient who was imminent, she saw your beautiful quilt keeping her warm. When I talked with the family, they expressed how grateful they were. • A quilt was delivered for our patient, he was non-verbal as he was transitioning. His sister was so thankful for the beautiful gift to help during this time. • I received this message from one of our nurses who delivered a quilt to her patient for her 99th birthday. She had been in a lot of pain and very depressed to the point she would not talk and only wanted to sleep. However, She loved the quilt and said “It’s beautiful. It’s her favorite colors pink and green! Thank you so very much!!! YOU helped me brighten up her day! Her spouse also was very THANKFUL!” • When the nurses come in and ask for something special for a patient who is cold, depressed, it’s their birthday,…..; They get excited to hand pick a special quilt for their patient. It is always appreciated and well received. The quilts not only bring joy to our patients and families but the nurses who over and over see their patients eventually pass away. It brightens my day to see them enjoy brining a thoughtful amazing gift. • We picked “Rock Star” of the month, the staff that won this award by going above and beyond was able to pick a quilt. They were able to pick an amazing quilt to bring home and cuddle while it represents their amazing work with our hospice patients. The joy it brought to be recognized and receive something so beautiful was priceless. … Thank you all so much. Words cannot express our sincere gratitude for all that you all do. Dee Walsh Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, Sequoia Hospice, 830 Hillview Ct. Suite 180, Milpitas, CA 95035” |
Christ the Good ShepherdVarious editorials, articles, and other items of interest. Archives
April 2024
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