ALONG THE WAY The Newsletter of Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church • October 2017 October 29 is Commitment Sunday Stewardship Committee We are a community that is Rooted in Christ and Reaching out in Love. is means we center ourselves on God so that we might better serve the world. Your 2018 Stewardship materials were mailed this week. is year’s theme, “Rooted in Christ, Reaching out in Love,” represents— today as it has for many years—our church’s core value. You are invited to worship with us in October as we joyfully celebrate many of the strengths of our church. We will hear from various members of the congregation how the church has made an impact in their own lives in the areas of Worship, Family, Mission & Service and Community. Please prayerfully consider how you are able to be a part of what God is doing in the world by making a commitment to the financial stewardship of Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church. October 29 is Commitment Sunday, when we will gather together in worship and turn in commitment cards. For convenience, commitments may also be made online. We look forward to October’s celebration of all the ways in which God continues to be at work in our community. www.svpc.us/give
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A LO N G T H E WAYThe Newsletter of Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church • October 2017
October 29 is Commitment SundayStewardship Committee
We are a community that is Rooted in Christ and Reaching out in Love. This means we center ourselves on God so that we might better serve the world.
Your 2018 Stewardship materials were mailed this week. This year’s theme, “Rooted in Christ, Reaching out in Love,” represents—today as it has for many years—our church’s core value.
You are invited to worship with us in October as we joyfully celebrate many of the strengths of our church. We will hear from various members of the congregation how the church has made an impact in their own lives in the areas of Worship, Family, Mission & Service and Community.
Please prayerfully consider how you are able to be a part of what God is doing in the world by making a commitment to the financial stewardship of Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church. October 29 is Commitment Sunday, when we will gather together in worship and turn in commitment cards. For convenience, commitments may also be made online.
We look forward to October’s celebration of all the ways in which God continues to be at work in our community.
Witness Offering received Food Drive for those in our community served by
Sunnyvale Community Services Say “No” to Hate, 12:45–3:30 PM, The Coleman
Room & neighborhood4 Parent Support Group Coffee, 9:30–10:30 AM,
Room 750 Just Among Moms (JAM), 9:30–11:30 AM,
Room 7027 GriefShare meeting #4, 9 AM–12:30 PM,
Fireside Room Outdoor Movie Night, 6:30 PM, Grass area next to
Phoenix Center Gym8 Moment with Children Rainbow Choir (K–2nd) Sings 3rd Grade Bible distribution, 10 AM & 5 PM worship services9 Deadline for newsletter articles12 Spice Dinner, 6 PM, Black Bear Diner, Sunnyvale14 Presbyterian Women Fall Kickoff, 2 PM, Santa Teresa Hills Presbyterian Church15 Knit for Kids Sweater Dedication, 10 AM & 5 PM worship services17 Session meets18 Just Among Moms (JAM), 9:30–11:30 AM, Room 70219 Refugee Transitions Intro/Orientation, 6:30 PM, RT’s San Jose office20–21 2017 Silicon Valley MobilePack, Gym28 Trunk or Treat, 7 PM, Church parking lot29 Commitment Sunday Creeds and Confessions Discipleship Class #1, 11:30 AM–12:30 PM, Soulé Hall
October CalendarA quick look at what’s happening at SVPC this month...
Where is that?
Coleman Room (Bldg 700)
Fellowship Hall (Bldg 300)
Fireside Room (Bldg 200)
Gym, Phoenix Center (Bldg 700)
Sanctuary (Bldg 100) Soulé Hall (Room 501,
Bldg 500)Youth Room, Phoenix
Center (Bldg 700)
November5 Installation and worship service for the Rev. Hardy
H. Kim, 2 PM, Sanctuary—this will be the only worship service on this day
Daylight Savings Time Ends12 Creeds and Confessions Discipleship Class #2,
11:30 AM–12:30 PM, Soulé Hall19 Creeds and Confessions Discipleship Class #3,
11:30 AM–12:30 PM, Soulé Hall23 Community Thanksgiving Dinner
Youth Fall Calendarshttp://bit.ly/Fall2017-CLUEhttp://bit.ly/Fall2017-FLASHwww.svpc.us/youth
Know what is going on with Clue High School by (1) seeing our quarterly calendar, (2) texting CLUE to 51400, and (3) following Clue on Instagram @cluesvpc #cluesvpc.
Get in the Flash 7th and 8th grade loop by (1) seeing our quarterly calendar, (2) texting FLASH to 51400 and, (3) following Flash on Instagram @flashsvpc #flashsvpc.
Parents are invited to sign up for our monthly email by sending a message to [email protected]. We have new texting codes to keep parents up to date on Flash and Clue. Clue Parents text CLUE HSPARENT to 51400. Flash Parents text FLASH JHPARENT to 51400. We will use these filters for details for trips and events.
Worship FocusCatch some calm in the middle of your week with the weekly Worship Focus email. This email includes a greeting from the preaching pastor, the sermon scripture and some questions for reflection. Begin to prepare your heart and mind for Sunday’s worship. Opt-in by sending an e-mail to [email protected] with your request.
commitments that affirm our gratitude for the past and our hope for the years to come.
I truly cannot wait to see what God will do with all the faithful support and joyful self-offering that this church family has to give.
Your fellow steward of God’s good gifts,
population with whom we need to connect; it mentions deeper connection and learning we might still foster; and it casts a vision of congregational involvement in addressing pressing needs (like poverty and inequality) around the world. I am pas-sionate about these possibili-ties, and I know many of you are too.
So, I invite you to worship with us during October, as we head into a season of stewardship. We’re going to be celebrating all the good things about who we already are. We’ll also be dreaming big, casting visions about our individual and shared roles in creating even more wonderful and challenging futures, filled with greater welcome and justice for all God’s people. We’ll be preparing ourselves to make
To the Community of Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church,
When I first considered a call to SVPC, I read the Mission Study Report, submitted by the Ministry Renewal Team in October of 2015 (bit.ly/MissionStudyReport). I saw a picture of a vibrant faith community that worships God with joy, nurtures children and youth with understanding, serves a wide variety of needs in the community, and fosters a genuine sense of community. The things I continue to learn about SVPC confirm that picture, and make me feel even more blessed to be a part of the work.
However, I don’t just believe I’ve been called to enjoy what’s already good; I also believe we’ve been called together to strive toward making the possibilities mentioned in the Mission Study Report a reality. The report speaks of young adults and a culturally diverse
The View From Hereby Rev. Hardy H. Kim
“I truly cannot wait to see what God will do with all the faithful support and joyful self-offering that this church family has to give.”
Save the Date! The Rev. Hardy H. Kim’s Installation and Worship ServiceSunday, November 5, 2 PM
This will be the only worship service on this day.
There have already been a lot of great community celebra-tions related to the arrival of our new pastor. We’ve had chances to hear him preach, to eat and fellowship with him, and to show our appreciation to him and his family. So why, you might be wondering, are we going to have another special service for him on November 5?
On that day, Hardy is going to be “installed” as the new pastor of this church. What does this mean? Our Presbyterian constitution tells us that, “In installation the church sets apart with prayer those previously ordained as deacons, ruling elders, and teaching elders, and called anew to service in that ministry.” In addition, this special type of service, “shall focus upon Christ and the joy and responsibil-ity of serving him through the mission and ministry of the church.” This service is one where we join together with the whole Presbytery to remind Hardy, and the whole SVPC community, of our special call to serve God in the world. That’s why it’s even at a special time (2 PM)—so that pastors and members of other churches can be present, and this is our only worship service on November 5.
We hope you’ll make a special effort to join us in this moment of celebration and commitment. You’ll get to hear from inspiring leaders from across our nation and the world, as they preach and deliver wisdom to our new pastor and the congregation. There will be a special reception for everyone following the service.
Rooted in Christ...Sunnyvale Presbyterian offers everyone an opportunity to connect with the church community.
Hurricane Season Response The past weeks have had us all in prayer for the many whose lives have been changed and upended by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. We know the challenges will continue for a long time to come and the good news is that Presbyterian Disaster Assistance will be there to help with relief efforts well into the future. Mission & Service has sent monies to PDA on your behalf. If you would like to give more, you can write a check to SVPC with “PDA” in the memo line and we’ll add it to our giving. Your giving makes a difference not only in our community, but far beyond. Thank you for your generosity.
This I Believe: Creeds and ConfessionsOctober 29, November 12 and 19, 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, Soulé Hall Taught by Jim Bennett and Bill Prior
What do we as Christians believe? Why do we believe these things? What distin-guishes Presbyterianism from other denominations? What has prompted the church, from time to time over the centuries, to try to answer these questions definitively? These and related questions will be the focus of this Discipleship class. The first class session will be on creeds and confessions generally; the next two sessions will focus on two of the most ancient creeds: the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed.
Advance registration is encouraged but not required; free child care is available by advance reservation 7 days prior to each class series.
Register for the class (and sign up for child care) on Signup Genius—bit.ly/2f4QaeN
For more information—www.svpc.us/discipleship
Reformation 500th AnniversaryOver the past few weeks you’ve heard the pastors talking about the Reformation and the values we’ve inherited from the work of our faith ancestors, as they sought new ways to be faithful to God. These days many Christians, including Presbyterians, are celebrating this history and the activists behind it. That’s because some of the dramatic events that kicked off this Christian revolution happened 500 years ago in October, including the official call for reform by German monk Martin Luther.
Presbyterian Mission states, “As Christians, our faith began with the followers of Jesus. But the beginning of our Christian faith as Presbyterian is in
the Reformation. The Reformation marks something significant for us in this part of the universal church: the coalescence of our focus on the Holy Spirit’s ongoing reform of us as a church and as individuals. Martin Luther helps us to understand and acknowledge that the institution of the church is not equal to God. We are called to worship the triune God alone, to claim Jesus Christ as Lord of the church, and to seek the ongoing sanctification of the Holy Spirit.”
You can learn more about this history and current celebrations here: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/worship/worship-reformationsunday/
All-Church Camp 2017 Wrap-UpAnneka and Stephen Bear, 2017 All-Church Camp Directors
More than 270 people had a wonderful time with fun activities, music, worship, engaging speakers and a great children’s program at this year’s All-Church Camp over Labor Day weekend at Redwood Glen in the Santa Cruz mountains. Our speakers, the Rev. Vincent Arishvara and Sean Donohue were a great hit with the adults and youth. We made new friends and rekindled old friendships. With record heat, the pool was very popular and sparked a fun, informal cannonball contest with many adult participants. There was no official scoring, but Jim Bennett and youth speaker Sean were top contenders. Camp would not happen without the 100 awesome volunteers—thank you. And of course the highlight of the weekend was another epic talent show. Join us next year!
Presbyterian Women Fall KickoffSaturday, October 14, 2 PM, Santa Teresa Hills Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of San Jose invite you to meet Carol Winkler, PW Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Carol will be flying in from Kentucky to bring us her message, “Gathering the Caring Community.”
Carol has served PW and PC(USA) as a leader at all levels of the church. She is also a great storyteller and will share stories from across the United States. Surprises are promised!
Come One, Come All to Outdoor Movie NightSaturday, October 7, 6:30 PM, Outside the Phoenix Center
SING will be showing on the outdoor BIG SCREEN. Please join us for a fun-filled evening all will enjoy. The movie will be shown on the outside wall of the Phoenix Center, so bring a blanket, low chairs, snacks, warm clothes—whatever you need to enjoy the movie. We will be providing popcorn, hot chocolate and glow sticks! We hope to see you there—and why not invite a friend to join you?
Trunk or TreatOctober 28, 7 PM, Church parking lot
All children are welcome to Trunk or Treat! Invite your friends and come enjoy a night of trick-or-treating in a fun and safe environment.
Can you help us with this fun event? We are looking for people from our congregation, young and not so young, to bring their car trunks and some treats so that children can safely trick-or-treat in our church parking lot. You can make this as simple or as elaborate as you like. Dress up and decorate your cars and then enjoy handing out treats to the kids from our church and community.
Please contact Emily Cramer at [email protected] to sign up to participate or if you have any questions.
Third Graders Receive Bibles October 8Third graders, please plan to be present at either the 10 AM or 5 PM service for your Bible presentation. Arrive early and meet in the sanctuary entryway to get your nametag and instruc-tions on where to sit.
Weekly NewsletterThe weekly Children’s Ministry email newsletter is the best way to stay current with SVPC’s children’s events. Opt-in to this newsletter (or any other church newsletters) from the website, www.svpc.us; sign up by selecting JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST at the top of any page.
Parent Support Group Coffee October 4, 9:30 AM, Room 750
Whether you have a child with a diagnosed special need, learning difference, no diagnosis, behavior challenge, or you just need a supportive community, SVPC’s Special Needs Ministry welcomes you to be part of this informal parent support group. We hope you will come, be in community to gain support, ask questions, share chal-lenges, learn about resources, and share joys and accom-plishments along the journey. Meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month and child care is available for a small donation. For more information, please contact our Inclusion Coordinator, Donna Dillard at [email protected].
Just Among Moms (JAM) 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, 9:30–11:30 AM, Room 702
JAM is a place for moms* to join together in a space to be real and honest about the joys and challenges of life. We meet for a hot brunch, relevant topics presented by speakers or other format, and an occasional craft or community outreach project—with an intention to have time to focus on YOU! If your children are not in school during this time, we offer child care (for a small fee) by Safe Church-trained staff for the duration of the meeting. For more information please visit the church website or email [email protected].
*Please note this is a group for moms of ALL ages with kids of ALL ages, not just moms with young kids!
Reaching Out In Love.Christ commands us to love one another as He loves us. Here’s how.
Faith In Action Silicon Valley Rotating Shelter to Close
epidemic proportions of drug and alcohol addiction. We have been sheltering an average of 8–9 men, almost half of our capacity of 15. Our operating budget continues to rise as we have been committed to keeping up with minimum wage and rising costs. Executive Director, Cathey Edwards, who has led the shelter since October 2011 on a volunteer basis, announced her retirement from Faith In Action effective the end of the year. In analyzing the need to provide leadership to continue the program, we realized the increase to the budget to hire a part-time
After much careful and prayerful consideration, the Board and Host Council of Faith In Action Silicon Valley Rotating Shelter has decided to end operations on January 1, 2018. While this iteration of the Rotating Shelter has been operating for more than 5 years, participating congregations have been opening their doors to the homeless for more than 25 years. It has been a unique opportunity for a relational ministry that has allowed us to meet and know amazing men who are as diverse in their experi-ences, professions, religious and community affiliations as we are.
In the recent past it has been increasingly difficult to find candidates that meet our criteria and are willing to join our program, even as we see the change in the demographic of the working homeless and recognize the
executive director would not be cost effective, especially given the low number of guests we have been serving. Other factors considered included the need for the host sites and volunteers to provide additional leadership to insure day-to-day operations ran smoothly.
Many of you have been an integral part of our mission to “Empower Motivated Men” and we are grateful for your support, prayers and good energy. We are committed to listening to the call of other programs in the area that need our help. There are several new programs to consider including a women’s rotating shelter, a family shelter to be housed at a church in Mountain View, a winter men’s rotating shelter in San Jose, and the Temporary Winter Shelter in Sunnyvale.
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We want to maintain our momentum and provide vol-unteers and support for other programs in our community that serve the homeless. We have a depth of experi-ence and insight that can be a great resource for these programs.
In the meantime, Faith In Action’s shelter program is still open and hoping to serve as many men as possible through the end of the year. We have the necessary funding to complete the year but we still need your prayers and support. There will be op-portunities in December to help with meals and hosting so stay tuned for more infor-mation about that and new opportunities to serve the homeless in the future.
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Refugee Ministry HighlightsElsa Amboy
In August, Immanuel House held an Open House to welcome visitors from our Presbytery. Activities included tours, lunch and visits with newcomers. In the nearly two years since the house has been operational, 32 refugees have been welcomed at the house upon arriving in the United States; 22 have moved on to more permanent housing. Immanuel House continues to be grateful for your assistance and support in this important work of hospitality.
In September, Refugee Transitions (RT) held a picnic in San Jose for newcomer families, volunteers and support-ers. I met two moms from Afghanistan who happened to be cousins and were reunited in the San Jose area. They were so grateful for an opportunity to start new lives with their families. RT continues to recruit and train volunteers to provide home-based tutoring for adults and youth, including adults housed at Immanuel House. RT will have an Intro/ Orientation on October 19 at 6:30 PM in the San Jose office.
If you are interested in Refugee Ministry, contact Elsa Amboy at [email protected] or 408-838-1331.
Immanuel House—www.immanuelhousesj.org Facebook—search for Immanuel House Refugee ProjectRefugee Transitions Information and
Lights of Gaza have a new Arabic name, “Nur al Amal,” meaning Light of Hope. The situation in Gaza worsens with no more than two hours of electricity available daily. Despite challenges two shipments of lights were delivered by Rebuilding Alliance this summer bringing to 28,000 the total number of solar inflatable lights delivered.
A $40 gift provides two lights to Gaza and one light to you. Lights and a donation bank are available at the Fair Trade table on the first Sunday each month in Trinity Court.Here are some suggestions to help shine the light on Nur al Amal:
Shine your light in a window Wednesday evenings •showing support for people of Gaza. Share a picture with your light on social media, saying •“We shine the light to Brighten the Future of Gaza’s Families” #itstimeforlight
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Donate $40One for you,
Two for children
in Gaza
It’s Time For Light!Brighten the Future of Gaza’s Families
Donate $40One for you,
Two for children
in Gaza
It’s Time For Light!Brighten the Future of Gaza’s Families
Donate $40One for you,
Two for children
in Gaza
It’s Time For Light!Brighten the Future of Gaza’s Families
Donate $40One for you,
Two for children
in Gaza
It’s Time For Light!Brighten the Future of Gaza’s Families
Spice DinnerThursday, October 12, 6 PM, Black Bear Diner
Our 50s+ Singles Group, Spice, will enjoy a no-host dinner at Black Bear Diner in Sunnyvale. Join us and enjoy a pleasant meal with the group. This is a wonderful way to make new friends and enjoy an evening out. For more information please contact Melanie Prolo at 408-394-9311 or [email protected].
Another Opportunity to Say “No” to HateSunday, October 1, 12:45–3:30 PM, The Coleman Room & church neighborhood
This poster expressing welcome to all can offer encouragement in the midst of challenging times. Pick up a poster from the kiosk to display in your window at home, and consider partici-pating in the next canvassing event.
We’ll begin the canvassing event with a short training on Islamophobia and how to canvass, then go out in pairs for two hours to offer posters within an assigned area of Sunnyvale. After returning, there will be time to share your experience; we’ll be done by 3:30 PM. Refreshments will be served.
This event is organized by our church’s Pilgrims of Ibillin group and South Bay Jewish Voice for Peace. Please RSVP to Miriam Kishi at [email protected] or 408-246-4664 as soon as possible.
Knit for Kids Dedication SundayMarilyn Kunz
The Knit for Kids Sweater Dedication Sunday will be held on October 15 at the 10 AM and 5 PM services. Sweaters can be dropped off at the church office or given to Marilyn Kunz (408-247-7865). Please turn in sweaters by October 12 to be included in the display on Trinity Court. Stop by our table after the service to ask questions, to
pick up an easy pattern or to give us any finished sweaters. The sweaters will be shipped to World Vision to distrib-ute to impoverished areas in the United States and around the world.
Thank you to those who knit and crochet these sweaters—for the dedication, time and love that you give to this ministry and for the beautiful handmade items you make for underprivileged children. Please check the Sunday bulletin for announcements about our monthly lunchtime knitting meetings.
2017 Silicon Valley MobilePack Hospitality volunteers are needed to greet and sign in the food pack volunteers as they arrive for their shift. After food pack volunteers are checked in, join the food packing stations or help prepare sample trays of MannaPackTM food that will be available for volunteers to try at the end of their shift. Hospitality volunteers are needed Friday, October 20, from 5:30–8 PM, and Saturday, October 21, from 1:30–3:30 PM.
Hospitality volunteers Food packing volunteers sign up here: sign up here: bit.ly/MP_Hospitality17 bit.ly/MobilePack17
Financial Update through August 31 Contributions have slowed, as is typical for the summer months, while expenses are close to budget. Keeping your giving current and making additional gifts enables our church to be financially healthy. We continue to be grateful for your stewardship to this church community. Thank you!
In Our Thoughts and Prayers... For recovery: Sarah Dyslin; Toni WoodruffContinuing prayers: Trina Grube-LiuFor the loss of loved ones: Marge Fraser’s husband (Ed Fraser);
Steve and Gerry Harting’s grandson (Sean); Laura Pierce’s stepfather (Frank Adler)
Go green!Go Green! Consider joining the more than 440 individu-als and families that now receive their newsletter electronically. The online edition arrives sooner, contains the same articles plus vivid full-color photos and live links, and can be easily shared with family and friends, all while helping reduce our carbon footprint! Opt-in by sending an e-mail to [email protected] with your request.
Newsletter DeadlinesThe newsletter deadline is Monday, October 9 for the November edition. Articles may be up to 120 words in length. Send your article to [email protected], and, if possible, include a photo with your article.
In Celebration...We celebrate the birth of Kimber Cheyenne McCarroll to
parents Jonathan and Rashelle McCarroll and great-grandmother Jackie McCarroll.
We also celebrate the 75th wedding anniversary of Ralph and Madeleine Robinson.
Proclaim the Peace of ChristJudi Pogue, Mission and Service Ministry Team
On October 1, World Communion Sunday, followers of Christ will recognize that our call to work for peace begins in our own neighborhoods and extends to the ends of the earth by contributing to the Peace and Global Witness Offering. This offering builds on the Presbyterian commit-ment to peacemaking established in 1980.
The Mission & Service Ministry has identified hunger, homelessness, refugees and immigrants as focus areas as we “reach out in love.” One of the recipients chosen to receive the 2017 Peace and Global Witness offering is Sojourners.A letter with details about this recipient was sent to the con-gregation in mid-September. It is our hope that members and friends will once again give generously.
“So He came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.”
—Ephesians 2:14–17
Presort StandardNon-ProfitU.S. Postage PaidPermit #143Sunnyvale, CA.
Address Service Requested
728 West Fremont Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94087408-739-1892 [email protected]
