Making a Difference in a Vibrant Community

From CGS council member Jean Hope:

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.
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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.