Volume XXXVIII Number 3

Table of contents Page Rev. Toms Message 2 Special Gifts . . .Grants 2 Spire Dates 2 United Disciples Fellowship 3 “Horton Hears a Who” 3 Acknowledgments 3 Women’s Fellowship 4 Reflections - Hot Lunch Program 4 Rebuilding Together 4 Staff Office Hours 4 New Friends Lunch 5 Adult Forums 5 Soul Collage 5 On Going Weekly Events 5 Board / Committee Meetings 5 Volunteer Opportunities 6 Youth & Children 7 CareGivers 8 Women of Faith 8 In Our Thoughts & Prayers 8 Council Highlights 8 Birthdays & Anniversaries 9 FCCSJ Help Wanted 9 Bereavement Group 9 Spire Happenings 10 Women’s Interfaith Dialogue 11

Church Office: (408) 377-7121 www.firstccsj.org

First Congregational Church of San Jose • UCC In partnership with United Disciples Fellowship

The Spire • March 2017 Ash Wednesday, March 1, 2017

To begin our observation of Lent, First Congregational Church of San Jose will offer sessions of mindful, heal-ing and creative programs on Ash Wednesday, March 1, 2017.

Church members, friends and visitors are invited to participate in healing programs led by members of our Healing Ministry Team during the afternoon of Ash Wednesday.

Please consider participating in one or more of these activities:

Zentangle®: a meditative, calming art form that unlocks your creative potential and encour-ages mindfulness.

Soul Collage: a creative process that uses collage for self-discovery and building community ($5 ma-terials fee).

Labyrinth walk: group walks that may allow for insight to begin your Lent observation.

Healing Touch: private 20-30 minute sessions of a heart centered therapy to clear and relax your energy system. Healing Touch, which is full.

These healing ministries will begin at 4:30 p.m. and again at 5:45 p.m. Sessions will conclude by 6:45 p.m. so

participants can attend the Ash Wednesday service to begin 7:00 p.m. All programs are free of charge, ex-

cept for the $5 materials fee for the Soul Collage workshop. If you missed signing up for these activities,

come anyway. Sincerely, Your Healing Ministries Team: Nancy Domnauer, Margaret Gainer, Martha Guth-

rie, Mary Mathai, and Jamie Schweizer

Dominoes**Monopoly**Bunco**Bridge

Chutes & Ladders**FISH**Pictionary**Bingo

EVERYONE IS INVITED !!

Game Night & Potluck Dinner

Saturday, March 25

Join in GAME fun with your family and Church friends!!

The Fellowship Board is planning a Game Night, starting with a Potluck Dinner

on Saturday, March 25 in the Church Fellowship Hall.

Bring your favorite food dish to share, to the 6:00 p.m. potluck dinner---salad,

main dish, vegetables and desserts. Drinks and table settings will be provided.

Playing games will follow from approximately 7-8:30 p.m.

Bring your favorite game to play after dinner, or play another game that is

available.

To help plan for the set up for dinner and game playing, please sign up for

Game Night after worship on Sundays, February 26 and March 5, 12 and 19.

Be sure to SAVE THE DATE for Game Night!!

Page 2 Volume XXXVIII Number 3

Dear Friends,

When I was in my early teens, and our extended family would gather for a Thanksgiving or a Christmas meal, the table grace was general-ly left in the capable hands of my younger sister and our cousin, who would craft something ap-propriate and meaningful with which to christen the meal. That stopped the year I entered semi-nary when, with-out consultation, I was appointed priest at family gatherings (I was also apparently rendered fit for weddings and baptisms). I imag-ine it’s how dermatologists must feel under similar circumstances, always being asked to interpret this bump or that rash.

Still, on a predictably regular basis I find myself engaged with some-one in a conversation about pray-er. It stands to reason, of course, that people would be interested in my professional perspective on praying, and prayer itself, but in-creasingly the conversation has had less to do with what I believe, and more to do with how I can believe it. There are certain histor-ical and ecclesiastical artifacts, with regard to prayer, that create a general baseline for those con-versations. It revolves around effi-cacy, around the notion that pray-er does something, or doesn’t. Perhaps the most interesting and persistent notion is that prayer has the effect of convincing the Divine to do, or not do, some-thing.

This creates a very interesting condition in, and for, believers in this day and age, where the tsu-nami of rationality and scientific verifiability comes crashing over the rocks of hope and faith. Does prayer work? Will prayer change anything? Is prayer answered? Are

Special Gifts and Endowment Grants Background: Any established

Board, Committee or Ministry

Team of the Church may com-

plete an application for a grant

from the Special Gifts and En-

dowment Fund Annual Grants,

funded by a portion of the inter-

est income earned on endow-

ment funds. Grants are awarded

for one-time projects not in-

cluded in the Church’s operat-

ing budget. Subsidizing ex-

penses normally included in the

Church’s operating budget are

not eligible for this purpose.

Purpose: Grants are awarded

to projects which best accomplish

one or more of the following

items:

Enable the Church’s focus or other priority program.

Demonstrate an innovative ministry for a trial period.

Extend our outreach activities.

Improve our facilities or grounds.

Time line: Grant applications

must be received at the Church

Office by April 22, 2017. Applica-

tions received after the deadline

may not be considered.

some people better equipped for effective prayer than others? The questions are nearly endless; the hopes are nearly boundless; the suspicions are nearly paralyzing.

Despite this, some concept of prayer is foundational to most faith traditions. So, as the season

of Lent is soon upon us, we are going to tackle one small corner of this much larg-er conversation. We will do this in several different ways. We are go-ing to let the com-monly called

Lord’s Prayer guide our reflections this season. Our Lenten worship services will be tuned to various aspects of the prayer itself, de-constructing it in a way, in an ef-fort to think more deeply about it.

On the Wednesday evenings of the Lenten season (March 08 to April 12) those who may be inter-ested are invited to gather in the Friendship room at 6:30 p.m. for a discussion of the Lord’s Prayer in its ancient Aramaic form. You will have the opportunity to learn the prayer in Aramaic, but more inter-estingly, to reflect on the signifi-cant differences in meaning be-tween the Aramaic version and the one we think we know so well.

Finally, as the Easter Adult Educa-tion Forum this year I will lead a general discussion about prayer in the post-modern world, what we believe, why we believe it, and, more personally, what I think prayer can and cannot do.

I hope you will find that these conversations during the Lenten season stimulate your own think-ing and imagination. The subject of prayer is definitely something not best left to the professionals.

Pastor Tom

2017 SPIRE DATES

Month Deadline Mailing

January Mon. Dec. 19 Dec. 28

February Mon. Jan. 16 Jan. 25

March Mon. Feb. 20 Feb. 28

April Mon. Mar. 20 Mar. 29

May Mon. Apr. 17 Apr. 26

June Mon. May 15 May 24

July Mon. June 19 June 28

August Mon. July 17 July 26

September Mon. Aug. 21 Aug. 30

October Mon. Sept. 18 Sept. 27

November Mon. Oct. 16 Oct. 25

December Mon. Nov. 20 Nov. 29

January 2018 Mon. Dec. 18 Dec. 27

Wednesday evenings . . . .

(March 08 to April 12) those

who may be interested are in-

vited to gather in the Friend-

ship room at 6:30 p.m. for a

discussion of the Lord’s Prayer

in its ancient Aramaic form.

Rev. Tom’s Message

Volume XXXVIII Number 3 Page 3

Top O’ The Month, to you! Can you

believe that it is March already?! I

sure can’t. As we progress through

this year and assess all the changes

around us, I thought it would be

fitting to deepen our knowledge

about some of things that give us

strength as we sojourn through our

“every-days”.

Back in February, I ended a sermon

with a portion of the poem, “All the

Places You Will Go”, by Dr. Seuss.

This was well received as many

folks in the congregation agreed

that the writings by this writer were

not just for kids, but were meant

for adults as well. When choosing

the poem, I did some research on it

and on Dr. Seuss, himself. I was

disheartened by some of the things

that I found out about one of

America’s most celebrated writers.

However, I still chose to include

one of his pieces despite having

some inner tossing about it. So, for

this month’s Spire article, I chose to

share with you all some of the

things that I learned and why I still

made the decision to continue

supporting the latter work of Dr.

Seuss.

Apparently, Dr. Seuss, who’s real

name was Theodor Seuss Geisel,

was not always a very friendly guy

to those who were different from

him. He is documented as being a

“supremacist” and unapologetic

“racist”. There are many direct

quotes and a sickening amount of

cartoons drawn by Dr. Seuss, under

that pen name, depicting people of

Japanese, African, and German

decent in very abominable ways. I

was personally jaw-dropped by this

realization and was very tempted to

begin my personal crusade against

Dr. Seuss writings. Then, I

continued to dig. Evidently, after a

series of personal events, Dr. Seuss

began to feel remorse and spent

the later years of his life using his

pen to attempt to bring together

the same people that he earlier

helped to split apart.

Fun Fact: “Horton Hears A Who”,

one of his most famous stories, was

actually a piece he did in response

to his earlier anti-Japanese

depictions. He traveled to the

country after the bombing of

Hiroshima and was able to see just

how horrific the after effects were

for their people. He subsequently

dedicated the book to a Japanese

gentleman, Mr. Mitsugi Nakamura,

dean of Doshisha University in

Kyoto, whom he had become close

with during his visit to the country.

So, to make a long story short, Dr.

Seuss did some horrible things that

can’t be erased. Additionally, he

knew that he had done some “not-

so-great” deeds and spent the rest

of his life trying to do the right

thing. Not trying to pretend those

earlier things didn’t exist, but

acknowledging them and moving

forward. This is why I choose to still

respect him as a writer and a

human being. I can’t begin to tell

you how truly hurtful it was to see

some of the cartoons and words he

was responsible for against people

who look just like me and those

who don’t look like me. Yet, this

also shows Dr. Seuss’ inescapability

to be human. He was talented, he

was flawed, he was him. And at the

end of the day, that’s what we all

are in our own ways. We are all

blessed with talents and gifts

beyond measure. We are also

infinitely capable of mucking up

(Continued on page 7)

“Horton Hears A Who” United Disciples Fellowship

Saturday, March 4, 2017

6:00 p.m.

Alan Cole and David Elliott will talk with us about the well-reviewed bestseller book Hillbilly Elegy, in which J.D. Vance writes about his “people”: the white lower class to whom Mr. Trump has so appealed. Please join us for what is sure to be a riveting discussion!

Hosts: Dave & Pat Elliott’s 1160 Cochrane Rd. #206 Morgan Hill

Acknowledgments & Celebrations

♣ Rev. Shernell Edney-Stilley for sharing her aunt, the Rev. Yvonne Delk, who delivered a powerful message on 1/22/2017, and to the Revs. Edney and Gough for their moving sermons in January.

♣ Tara Everton and Nicole Link for their presentation about this summer’s Youth Service Trip at the Annual Meeting potluck.

♣ Kristin Link for leading the choir in their enthusiastic an-thems for Rev. Delk’s visit.

♣ The office volunteers for their work in getting the Annual Re-port published.

♣ Church Council for their thank you card for Mark Knudsen’s work on the land lease with Carden School.

♣ The Women’s Retreat commit-tee for planning and organizing a successful retreat.

Deborah Circle will meet in the

Friendship room on Wednesday,

March 1st at 10:00 a.m.

Ray Lubow will do one of his ex-

cellent travel programs for us.

Hostesses are Barbara Kilburn and

Betsey Woodward. We hope to

see you all on Wednesday.

Staff Office Hours Rev. Tom is in the office Saturday — Wednesday & takes Thursday & Friday off.

Rev. Shernell is in her office Sunday — Thursday & takes, Friday & Saturday off.

Kristin’s hours are Monday, Wednesday, & Thursday 9:00 a.m.-noon.

Marlie’s hours are Sunday, Tuesday — Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m

Cindy’s (Office manager) hours are Monday — Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Reflections on the Drop In Center Hot Lunch Program

I want to make this experience of serving lunch to homeless kids per-

sonal, for me and for my friends who are mostly enjoying good fortune

and not living on the streets. This experience would help all of us un-

derstand their world better, and help get rid of our fear and build a

bridge. Three of us served hot lunch (sloppy Joe's, salad, and brownie)

to about 20 young adults and two preschool kids and 4 staff members.

We were introduced to each other by names. I remembered a few

names, John, Cliff, Mike, but forgot most ... Most of them are the age

of my own sons, Dylan (19) and Tommy (17). I feel they are just the

friends of my children, yet I don't know them. I hope I will know them

better and help them more in the future as I would not want to my chil-

dren or my friend’s children living on the street. Among the young

adults, there were three young ladies, one is a single mom with a 4 year

old boy, one is recovering from drug addiction, and one is also with a

preschool age girl but also with her boyfriend/hubby. As to the young

men, most of them are just teenagers. I would not be able tell they are

living on streets if I saw them outside the center. Several of them just

come for lunch, and several of them are hanging out at the facility, tak-

ing a shower, playing basketball, having a quiet time listening to music

or watching video on their phone or device. Or talking to friends. One

man stood out as he already missed all his front teeth. All of them

were respectful to staff members and grateful for food. There are some

rules that they have to follow at the center. But it seems they either get

used to it or well trained. I didn't have any fear or uneasiness among

them as I had anticipated. One of the staff members did mention that

she learned how to work with them, but she can't trust them (not sure

in what aspects).

Two of the staff members are middle age gentlemen, two are young

ladies in the mid or late twenties. They are really nice people. The cen-

ter has staffed counselors, shower facilities and a place to sleep tempo-

rarily for over night. It is beautifully maintained.

I really think it is a positive experience for me. I am looking forward to

getting more involved and making some positive impact to their lives.

Other than serving hot lunch, I don't know what else can be done to

make an impact. But I am eager to figure it out.

Sally Guan, Community Service Ministry Team

Deborah Circle Volume XXXVIII Number 3 Page 4

SAVE THE DATE!!

Our next Rebuilding Together

Silicon Valley project is

scheduled for Saturday, April 22,

2017! Bring your hearts and your

energy and volunteer for this

worthwhile event. Rebuilding

Together brings communities and

volunteers together to rehabilitate

the homes of low income

homeowners, particularly the

elderly and disabled, so that they

may live in warmth, safety, and

independence. Past projects have

not only brought joy and

happiness to the homeowner but

have also left our volunteers with a

sense of accomplishment and

feelings of gratification knowing

that they have helped someone

who is truly in need. Mark your

calendars and watch for future

announcements and RTSV emails

for more information.

Contact: Liz Carey

princessbasia@yahoo.com or

408-364-6186

BOARD/COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Church Council 1st Tues. 7:30 pm Friendship Rm Children’s Ministries 1st Sun. 11:30 am Youth Center Youth Ministries 2nd Sun. 11:30 am Youth Center Common Ground 3rd Tues 6:30 pm Friendship Rm

Diaconate 3rd Tues. 7:30 pm Tom’s. Office Outreach 3rd Tues. 7:30 pm Office Mtg. Rm Trustees 3rd Tues. 7:30 pm Friendship Rm Fellowship 3rd Tues. 7:30 pm Room 14

Stewardship As Needed Adult Learning As Needed See Events Calendar Special Gifts As Needed for dates and time. Pastoral Relations As Needed Personnel Policies As Needed

ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS.

Sun. 10:00 am FCC Worship Sanctuary 11:00 am FCC Fellowship Fellowship Hall 11:30 am Adult Forum Friendship Room 2:00 pm Bible 101 (check calendar) Friendship Room 6:30 p.m. Faith Group (check calendar) Friendship Room Mon. 12:15 pm Dream Group Friendship Room 7:30 pm Bell Rehearsal Sanctuary Tues. 10:00 a.m. Bereavement Group Friendship Room 3:30 pm Wake Up & Knit Friendship Room Wed. 10:00 am Staff Meeting Rv. Tom’s Office 12:30 pm Spiritual Practice Rv. Tom’s Office Wed.—Sat. 10:00 am Organ Practice Sanctuary Thur. 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal Choir Room

Volume XXXVIII Number 3 Page 5

Beyond Evil: Theodicy in the work of Walter Wink

One of the best known among 20th century theologians, Walter Wink is especially identified with his work toward understanding power struc-tures, institutions, and their susceptibility to systemic evil. Wink was a devout pacifist, and a long time professor of the New Testament at both Union Seminary and Auburn Seminary in New York. As our Lenten season begins this March, Rev. Tom will lead us in a series of three dis-cussions about Wink’s work, focused largely on Wink’s best known tril-ogy, Naming the Powers; Unmasking the Powers; and Engaging the Powers. We will look at how Wink understood evil, a perspective deeply anchored in his understanding of the biblical story, and very much pre-sent in contemporary institutional structures (including the Church). Wink’s thoughtful perspective has profound currency for the world in which we find ourselves, and is highly instructive (and cautionary) for a church trying to wend a loving path through this world.

March 5th Forum: We will look at scripture and what Wink sees there in the story of powers and principalities.

March 12th Forum: We will examine these powers and principalities in the context of our own world.

March 19th Forum: We will allow Wink to guide us in thinking about how we navigate these same waters in contemporary society.

Come join us for any or all of these Forum conversations.

“The failure of churches to continue Jesus' struggle to overcome domina-tion is one of the most damning apostasies in its history. With some thrilling exceptions, the churches of the world have never yet decided that domination is wrong.” Walter Wink, When the Powers Fall: Reconcilia-tion in the Healing of Nations

Adult Forums

Are you relatively new to attend-

ing worship services or ministry

programs at First Congregational

Church of San Jose? Would you

like to meet a few more curious

folk? Share a meal and some sto-

ries? Learn a little more about us

and have some questions an-

swered? We will be hosting a New

Friends Luncheon on Sunday

March 26 at 1:00 PM (in the Choir

Room – off the Fellowship Hall),

with an opportunity for all this

and more. No obligation, just

lunch and conversation.

If you do happen to be consider-

ing joining our congregation as a

member, we anticipate bringing in

new members on Easter morning,

April 16, during worship.

Interested? Please contact Rev.

Tom at revtom@firstccsj.org so

we can save you a seat.

New Friends Luncheon

SoulCollage Come join us for a SoulCollage play date in the Friendship Room at FCCSJ. SoulCollage is a creative process

that uses collage for self-discovery and building community. Each person makes their own cards to represent

aspects of their personality, people/pets/places dear to them, archetypes, and Spirit. There will be time for

introductions/check-ins, explanation of the process, making cards, and "reading" what the cards have to tell

us. No artistic background is necessary...just a willingness to have fun and explore! Please bring a jour-

nal. Images, glue sticks, cards, and scissors will be provided...but you can bring your own if you have special

ones you like. $5 materials fee. March 10th at 10:00 a.m. in the Friendship Room. For questions or more

information, please contact Mary Mathai at: mathaima712@live.com.

Bread for the World's Offering of Letters Your Outreach Board is working with Bread for the

World, a collective Christian voice urging our na-

tion’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. Bread for

the World's Offering of Letters aims to realize a world in which all peo-

ple are fed. Our goal is to create political will by writing our policy mak-

ers and urging them to create pathways out of hunger and poverty. Join

the Outreach Board on Sunday, March 12th during Coffee Fellowship as

we turn our faith into action by writing postcards to our members of

Congress. For more information about Offering of Letters, go to:

http://www.bread.org/2017-offering-letters

Many of us have had the incon-

venience of misplacing our read-

ing glasses, or losing them alto-

gether. The fix is simple: pop

down to the drug store or the dol-

lar store and pick up a new pair.

Not so for the men and women in

Elmwood Jail. When they lose or

break their glasses, there are no

ready replacements, and the con-

sequences can be significant. They

cannot read court papers regard-

ing their cases. They can be ham-

pered in participating in rehabili-

tative classes and activities.

Women’s Fellowship is working

with Margaret Gainer to address

this need through our annual Ma-

terial Aid campaign this year. We

will be collecting reading glasses

during March for the men and

women of Elmwood. The glasses

should be:

Non-prescription readers in all

strengths (the kind the Dollar

Tree carries are fine)

Men’s and women’s styles

Plastic lenses and plastic

frames; no wire frames or wire

embedded in the frames

NOT red or blue. Those colors

cannot be used because of

gang issues

The last time we had a glasses

drive, you donated over 200 pairs

of glasses! Each pair was of vital

importance to the recipient, and

may have changed a few lives.

This is our opportunity to change

lives again.

March 12th

Second Harvest Food Distribution

at Campbell United Methodist

church is being coordinated by Ju-

dy Stevens. Sign up with Judy to

participate on a rotating basis. We

have committed to providing 4 vol-

unteers on one Wednesday each

month. It is a 3-hour commitment.

Village House Warming Centers

for 15 medically fragile homeless

women. Ellen Cook has participat-

ed in this ministry. The program

moves from church to church,

changing each month. Currently

Good Samaritan Episcopal Church

is hosting these women from 7am-

7pm 3 days per week. They have a

much smaller membership than

FCCSJ and really need help. There

are 3 volunteers required at all

times and each has a 2 hour shift

(you can do more than 1 shift). All

you do is be there to provide car-

ing support. The clients I have spo-

ken with are very interesting peo-

ple, from a variety of backgrounds.

Warming Centers also need volun-

teers to provide lunch. See Ellen to

learn more. You can sign up online

at: https://signup.com/

group/814619180052

Dignity on Wheels is a ministry

that provides showers and clothes

laundering for homeless adults.

They have 2 giant trucks that con-

tain the facilities. They provide a

supervisor, but volunteers are

needed to sign in clients and to

provide caring support. The truck is

driven to various locations around

Santa Clara County, most of which

are churches. Ellen volunteered at

Almaden Hills United Methodist

Church on Blossom Hill near Alma-

den Expressway. They have various

locations in San Jose and Palo Alto.

You can find all the locations and

schedules online at http://

www.dignityonwheels.org/ . Sign

up there to volunteer. See Ellen to

learn more about her experience.

None of these activities are particu-

larly taxing. Food distribution re-

quires standing for about 3 hours

and may be either indoors or out-

doors (under shelter). Warming

Centers are entirely indoors and no

standing is required. Dignity on

Wheels combines seated and stand-

ing activities and is outdoors (under

shelter).

Volunteer Opportunities The Community Service Ministry Team encourages you to minister to

the poor and the homeless through the following organizations

Volume XXXVIIi Number 3

Glasses for Elmwood Page 6

Volume XXXVIIi Number 3

YOUTH MINISTRIES This past month the senior high

youth were scheduled to attend

Feb Camp, a weekend long camp

in the Santa Cruz redwoods. Un-

fortunately, due to the storms, the

camp was postponed and a bunch

of kids were left pretty disap-

pointed. Since I can’t stand to see

their sad little faces – and I was

fairly bummed about camp myself

– we offered our San Jose youth

(and some of their friends) a

chance to come for an old-

fashioned lock-in at the church.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

I didn’t have anything planned,

just a lot of snacks, a video game

hookup, and tables full of board

games. But if there is one thing

you can count on, it’s that these

kids can have fun with very little.

The hours flew by as they played

Telestrations, the hilarious combi-

nation of Pictionary and Tele-

phone, ate snack after snack, col-

ored Celtic designs, rocked out on

Guitar Hero, and simply spent

time with one another. As I

watched them, I couldn’t help but

think that, in this time of struggle,

uncertainty, and so much fear, we

all could use a night where we

were just together. Time where we

rest, rejuvenate and renew our

energy for the road ahead.

I hope that we follow the lead of

these kids and take the time to

enjoy each other’s company. We

can only be the stronger for it.

Blessings,

Marlie Heberling,

Director of Youth Ministry

Robert W. Porter Scholarship Fund

The Robert W. Porter Scholarship

Fund was established in 1980 in

memory of its namesake who for

many years served as this church

school’s senior high teacher and

advisor to the Pilgrim Fellowship.

This fund began with proceeds

from the Pilgrim Fellowship’s pa-

per shed and donations from in-

dividuals and groups within our

church. The fund is now endowed

with the interest available for

scholarships.

Award(s) may be made annually

at the discretion of the Special

Gifts and Endowment Committee

using the following guidelines.

Preference will be given to

high school seniors who are

members of the First Congrega-

tional Church of San Jose, United

Church of Christ, and who are in-

tending a career in a helping pro-

fession.

Applications may be picked

up in the church office or request-

ed my mail from the office and

must be received in the church

office by April 22, 2017.

CHILDRENS’ MINISTRIES OFFERED PROGRAMS

NURSERY (Age 2 and under) Sunday, 10:00 - 11:15 AM Childcare is provided for all kids under 2 years old. Kids may be dropped off before worship or after the Children’s Moment.

ROOM 6 (Ages 3-6) Sunday, 10:00 - 11:15 AM After the Children’s Moment, kids age 3-6 join a storyteller and door greeter for our Godly Play curriculum, which includes a story, discussion, individual activity time, and a snack. All children must be picked up by a guardian at 11:15.

ROOM 14 (Grades 1-5) Sunday, 10:00 - 11:15 AM After the Children’s Moment, kids in grades 1-5 join a storyteller and door greeter for our Godly Play curriculum, which includes a story, discussion, individ-ual activity time, and a snack. All children in grade 3 and under must be picked up by a guardian at 11:15. Older children will be released to the Fellowship Hall.

Contact: Marlie Heberling, youthdirector@firstccsj.org

408.250.9937 (Call or Text)

Page 7

and making a sure mess of things

if we are not grounded in

knowing who we are and WHOSE

we are.

Overall, the lesson here is that we

need each other. We need each

other to be strong, we need each

other to persist, and we

need each other to forgive.

Thank You, Dr. Seuss, for

showing us these lessons in

the best way you knew how.

We hear your, “Who”.

Rev. Shernell

“Horton Hears A Who” (Continued from page 3)

YOUTH MINISTRIES OFFERED PROGRAMS

AXIS (Grades 6-12) Sunday, 10:00 - 11:15 AM Youth leave after the sermon time. (No AXIS on the first Sunday of the month)

VORTEX (Grades 6-8) Sunday, 5:00 - 7:00 PM Youth meet in the Youth Center. Dinner is included.

FLUX (Grades 9-12) Sunday, 6:00 - 8:30 PM Youth meet in the Youth Center. Dinner is included.

FOUNDATIONS (Grades 9-12) October-May, Sundays or Wednesdays

The FOUNDATIONS class offers commu-nication and leadership training, in-depth faith formation and reflection study, ser-vice projects, and more. This class will fulfill the Confirmation requirements. For more information, contact Marlie.

UPCOMING EVENTS Cupcake Wars Friday, March 31, 6 PM – 9:30 PM Let the baking battle begin! Come join us for a competition of the highest caliber as we bake and decorate cupcakes to compete for the grand prize! Dinner will be included. Please visit firstccsj.org/youthevents to register for all upcoming events.

All women are invited to attend

our Women of Faith Groups. We

meet monthly for discussion of a

theme and loving support for one

another. You are welcome to join

either or both groups.

Morning Women of Faith

Meets the 4th Monday at 10:00

a.m. each month. Our next meet-

ing is March 27, 2017 .

Evening Women of Faith

We will be participating in the

Wednesday evening Lenten pro-

gram in lieu of our regular meet-

ing on March 22, 2017 at 6:00

p.m. All women are invited. Con-

tact Ellen Cook with questions.

Our next meeting is March 18,

2017 noon - 2:00 p.m. in the

Friendship Room. If you are in

the position of being a caregiver

or support person (long distance,

or nearby), and would like to con-

nect with others experiencing the

same kind of challenges, this is

the group for you. Whether you

are caring for a parent or a

spouse, sibling or neighbor, you

are welcome to join us. We meet

on the third Saturday of each

month. Each meeting we have a

time of check in, and then explore

a topic related to caregiving.

Bring a dish to share for our

monthly potluck.

Sustainability Task Force:

Karen Armor reported that:

Initial planning is complete, and

the Task Force is ready to enlist

help from the other Boards and

Committees.

They have begun contacting

community resources about

participation.

They are taking advantage of

local groups’ networks for pub-

licity, and plan to keep the

event within the local communi-

ty.

They plan to have 2 – 3 food

trucks as part of the event.

They plan to create a web site in

support of the event.

Children’s Ministry Vision:

Rev. Shernell Edney-Stilley report-

ed that:

There is more interest in volun-

teering to help with Church

School.

She is developing a curriculum

development team with the

goal of:

integrating Godly Play with

more structured follow-up

activities.

building on the success of

the Advent kits.

incorporating science, social

studies, etc. into the curricu-

lum.

coordinating Church School

themes with those explored

during worship.

If you would like a full copy of the Church Council Minutes please email: office@firstccsj.org or call the office: 408-377-7121.

Volume XXXVIII Number 3 Page 8

Council Highlights

In Our Thoughts & Prayers

Billie Cole as she recovers at home.

Eleanor Tibbits

Karen Armstrong recover-ing from a broken leg.

Lynn Haydis recovering from a fall.

Brenda Eberle recovering at home.

The Weidmann Family mourning the passing of Albert Weidmann.

All those who are recipients of hospice care.

The women at Elmwood Jail.

All Military active duty and all Veterans; May we be a welcoming congregation for all those who have served (and their families)

One More

Valentine! It is almost Valentine's Day, and I

have some belated things that I

want to say. They come from my

heart. Thank you, thank you,

thank you for all the nice things

you have done for me. The phone

calls, cards, transportation, parties,

and visits are greatly appreciated.

No one knows how much being

remembered

means when

you feel that

you are alone in

the world.

Happy

Valentine's Day!

Love,

Eleanor Tibbetts

Miranda Jane Caton 3/2

Shirley Moore 3/2

Luna Punsal 3/2

Zoë Campbell-Eby 3/3

Joanne Domingue 3/4

Michal Stachnick 3/4

John Weidmann 3/4

Tom Boyce 3/5

Kitty Nesbitt 3/6

Markus Rystrom 3/7

Bob Glaser 3/9

Betsey Woodward 3/10

Debbie Grijalva 3/15

Lynn Haydis 3/16

Bonnie Hunt 3/19

Mark Rystrom 3/19

Megan Hardesty 3/20

Rebecca Hendricks 3/20

Erin Sgarlato 3/22

Ken Durbin 3/23

Leta Shattuck 3/23

Patty Ebner 3/24

Paul Punsal 3/24

James Berge 3/26

Nicole Link 3/26

Thomas Schweizer 3/26

David Proulx 3/27

Colin Domnauer 3/29

Happy March Anniversary!

John and Teri Heberling 3/13

Lynn and Alan Cole 3/15

Carol and Lowell Berge 3/23

Volume XXXVII Number 3 Page 9

Bereavement Group “Moving Through Major Life Changes”

2nd & 4th Tuesdays: 10-11:15am This group is designed to support all those grappling with major chang-

es or losses that have a major life impact of self-identity, self-direction,

self-motivation. Each session offers practical life giving tools designed to

support participants to move through these changes with dignity, cour-

age, and grace. For more information and to register, please call: Rev.

T’Shala, Bereavement Coordinator, (408) 450-7850 ext 130

DIACONATE BOARD

Works with the Ministers to sup-

port the spiritual growth, renewal

and well-being of the congrega-

tion. Duties include assistance in

offering the Sacraments, extending

ministry to members with special

needs, supporting the Director of

Music.

Needed: Two people to fill 3-year

terms

Contact: Karen Winchester, Chair

BOARD OF OUTREACH

Researches and recommends local

partnerships with non-profit

groups for Church involvement and

funding related to our ministry to

the wider community. Seeks out

ways to focus the Church’s ener-

gies to uplift, engage and support

the social, spiritual and economic

needs of our world. For example:

the upcoming Sustainability Fair.

Needed: Three people to fill 3-

year terms

Contact: Karen Armor or Jennifer

Howden, Co-chairs

STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

Educates the Church about the

meaning and importance of Chris-

tian stewardship. Plans and carries

out a yearly financial pledge drive

to raise funds for the operation of

the Church and its programs. You

are not required to make direct,

personal appeals for financial do-

nations.

Needed: One person to fill a 1-

year term and one person to fill a

2-year term

Contact: Jennifer Busam, Chair

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES BOARD

Please contact Rev. Shernell Edney

if you would like to support our

ministry program for the children

of our Church.

YOUTH MINISTRIES COMMITTEE

Please contact Marlie Heberling,

director of Youth Ministries, if you

would like to support our Church’s

youth program.

FCCSJ Help Wanted At FCCSJ, the Boards, Committees and Ministry Teams are the wings

that make our Church fly. Below is a list of volunteer positions that are

still open for 2017. Please consider sharing your time and talents by

filling one of these positions. And, encourage others to do the same.

For more information about the group or to volunteer, please contact

the individual listed with each group. You must be a Church member to

join a Board or Committee.

If you are the chairperson of a board, standing committee or ministry

team with an open position, please contact the Moderator or a Member

-at-Large to include an “ad” in next month’s listing.

Church member Gloria Bordeaux-Pacholec plays the part of Pastor Laura in the play

Volume XXXVIII Number 3 Page 10

Volume XXXVIII Number 3

March 2017 Wednesday 1 10:00 am Circle Meeting Friendship Room

1 4:30 pm Ash Wednesday Program --Narthex, Friendship Rm, Choir Rm, Labyrinth

1 7:00 pm Ash Wednesday Service Sanctuary

Saturday 4 10:00 am Sustainability FairMeeting Rev. Tom’s Office

4 6:00 pm United Disciple Fellowship Meeting Friendship Room

Sunday 5 11:30 am Adult Forum — Walter Wink Friendship Room

5 2:00 pm Bible 101 Friendship Room

5 6:30 pm Faith Group Friendship Room

Monday 6 11:30 am Dreamer’s Choice Lunch Friendship Room

Tuesday 7 7:30 pm Church Council Friendship Room

Wednesday 8 6:30 pm Lenten Workshop Friendship Room

Saturday 11 1:30 pm Women of Peace Gathering Fellowship Hall

Sunday 12 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS

12 11:30 am Adult Forum — Walter Wink Friendship Room

Tuesday 14 10:00 am Bereavement Support Group Friendship Room

Wednesday 15 6:30 pm Lenten Workshop Friendship Room

Saturday 18 12:00 pm Care Givers Support Group Friendship Room

Sunday 19 11:30 am Adult Forum — Walter Wink Friendship Room

19 2:00 pm Bible 101 Friendship Room

19 6:30 pm Faith Group Friendship Room

Monday 20 Spire Articles Due Church Office

20 10:30 am Calling Ministry Team Rev. Tom’s Office

Tuesday 21 6:30 pm Common Ground Meeting Friendship Room

Wednesday 22 10:00 am Women’s Fellowship Cabinet Meeting Friendship Room

22 6:30 pm Lenten Workshop Friendship Room

22 7:00 pm Evening Women of Faith Off Site

Saturday 25 10:00 am Soul Collage Friendship Room

25 4:00 pm Labyrinth Walk Labyrinth

25 6:00 pm Church Potluck & Game Night Fellowship Hall

Sunday 26 2:00 pm Bible 101 Friendship Room

Monday 27 10:00 am Morning Women of Faith Friendship Room

Tuesday 28 9:00 am Spire Folding Church Office

28 10:00 am Bereavement Support Group Friendship Room

Wednesday 29 6:30 pm Lenten Workshop Friendship Room

29 7:00 pm Sacred Spaces Sanctuary

Page 11

Mission Statement: To understand and live out Jesus' vision for a just and loving world.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS WORSHIP TIME - SUNDAY AT 10:00 A.M. 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Monday—Wednesday) Children’s Church School and 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Thursday—Friday) Nursery Care are available

We are an Open and Affirming Congregation!

1980 Hamilton Avenue • San Jose • CA • 95125-5638

Breaking Bread; Building Bridges

FCCSJ will host a Women's Interfaith Dialogue on March 11th from 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. This

will be the 3rd session with a theme of Breaking Bread; Building Bridges and our conversation will focus on,

Creating Actions Consistent with our Faith and Values. Our last conversation was about exploring our values.

This time we will talk about what actions we can take that are consistent with our faith and values and help us

build bridges of understanding.

We live in a polarized and divided society. We are finding it increasingly difficult to be in conversation with

people who hold different views and opinions. The goal of the women’s

interfaith dialogue series, Breaking Bread and Building Bridges, is to

create bridges of communication by breaking bread together and en-

hancing our understanding of each other’s values and faith. We commit

to use our shared faith based values for the betterment of our families

and communities. We want to find ways to bridge the gaps that are di-

viding us and enhance our understanding of each other so we can hold

our views and positions but are open to listening to others, be in con-

versation with each other in a civil manner and embrace the diversity of

faith, race, color, and ethnicities in our communities.

This Interfaith Dialogue group was founded by the Ahmadiyya Muslim

Community in Milpitas.

Women's Interfaith Dialogue

Some women of Women's Interfaith Dialogue. The picture was taken at the last meeting