DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12

C E S scheduled for 11:00

This year’s Christmas Eve service will begin at 11:00. Everyone is in-vited to a end. Extend the invita on to your neighbors. Children are welcome to come in their PJs. The service will include special Christmas Anthems from the choir, familiar Christmas Carols, and candlelight. Pastor Jeff will be preaching.

C A S O 255 H S .

A er discussion and ques ons about the details of the sales agree-ment, the Cabinet voted unanimously (with one absten on) to ap-prove the sales agreement with Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Associa on. The sale price is $1.92 million. The church has a 30-day seller’s con ngency, during which me the agreement will be reviewed by the church’s lawyer. The buyer also has con ngencies that will need to be sa sfied before closing.

Of great importance is the lease-back agreement that is part of the sales bargain. The details of the lease-back are included in Pastor Jeff’s column on page 3. If all the con n-gencies are sa sfied quickly, the sale is expected to close in mid to late February.

L N S A S O L I T M O D

“This may be one of the most important gi s we give the wider community,” Pastor Jeff said, speaking of the Longest Night Service.

For many, the Christmas season is a bi ersweet me of year. For people who are dealing with grief, significant life changes, sobriety, and other challenges, it can be especially difficult. This is also the me of year nights get longer, so on the longest night of the year Niles Discovery Church offers a special, medita ve worship service that offers me for remembering and sharing our hur ng places with God. The structure of the service helps people open their hearts to hope.

Con nued; see “Hope” on page 2

December 1 First Sunday of Advent

“A Hope that Empowers” Isaiah 2:1-5

December 8 Second Sunday of Advent

“An cipa ng Peace” Isaiah 11:1-10

December 15 Third Sunday of Advent

“The Joy of Birth,” a Christmas Cantata

December 22 Fourth Sunday of Advent

“The Big Love” Ma hew 1:18-25

December 24 Christmas Eve ‐ 11 PM

“News from Mount William”

Luke 2:1-20

December 29 First Sunday of Christmas

“Meet the Light” John 1:1-18

UPCOMING WORSHIP

W P F P F P

Imagine if people all around the globe paused at the same moment and prayed for peace.

That will happen at noon, Greenwich Mean Time, on December 31. It’ll be kind of tough for those of us living on the west coast of the United States—noon in England is 4:00 a.m. here. Some of us are going to get up at for a 4:00 a.m. interfaith prayer service on December 31 (others won’t go to sleep on December 30).

Con nued; see “Prayers for Peace” on page 2

C T M T R 2

The Construc on Team has moved to round 2 in the process of ge ng building permits from the City of Fremont. Plans were submi ed in Octo-ber, which received over 100 comments from the City of items that need to be addressed. Our archi-tects and the Construc on Team have been working hard to address these items and have submi ed a new set of plans for fur-ther comment.

One item that needed a en on was the deeding of a ten-foot strip of land to the city along Nursery Ave., so the street can be widened in the future. The Cabinet voted to take this ac on at their mee ng on Nov. 18th.

See “Next Round” on pg 2

Niles Discovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

Imagine mee ng once a month with a small group of trusted friends to ex-plore together how you have witnessed God In Ac‐

on in your life. Such a small group is forming with the hope that by exploring together, lives will be en-riched and rela onships with God and each other will be deepened.

The format of the group will be simple. It will gath-er, and a er a brief check-in from each member, the group will explore in great-er depth one or two indi-viduals’ experiences of God In Ac on in their lives. Group members will have a chance to share their wit-ness, voice their ques ons, and explore their souls’

journeys in this sharing.

If you are interested in be-ing part of this group, con-tact Rose Monroe at 510-476-6350. The first two people to contact her will get to decide with her when the group will meet. The “where” is already de-cided: at the Masonic Home.

G I A G F

DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12 Page 2

S R

Due to publica on deadlines, we are una-ble to provide a report on this fall’s pledge campaign. A full report will be included in next month’s edi on of The Bell. If you have not submi ed your pledge for 2014, please do so right away to aid in the budge ng process.

P F P

This prayer service, co-sponsored by the Tri-City Interfaith Council and Interfaith Women of Peace, will be held this year at Community of Christ, 34050 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont.

Prayers from several different faith tradi ons will be shared by those present. There may even be a bit of music. There will be a me of fellowship following the service. Invite your friends of all faith tradi-

ons to join us.

H

Join us on Friday, December 21, at 7:30 p.m. for a me of special music, scripture, stories, silent reflec on, and healing prayer. The service will be followed by a simple

me of fellowship for those who wish to par cipate.

A endees will be invited to light candles during the observance as a quiet response and act of prayer. Pastor Jeff hopes that the service will provide a space for people “to release their anger, face their emp ness, have a good cry (if that’s what they need), and know that God cares.”

You may benefit from this service. You may have friends and neighbors who would also benefit. Consider extending a personal invita on and come with them as a suppor ve friend.

N R

Meanwhile, the Construc on Team is working on nego a ng a final con-tract with Canyon Construc on, our general contractor. The Construc on Team hopes to break ground some-

me this month if all the details get ironed out.

T Y s E

The congrega on extends a big “Thank You!” to all who par cipated in a small but mighty work party on November 9. Mark Twist brought his truck to haul away the pruning debris. Riki Twist and Helen Boyer worked hard in the kitchen. Kathy Kaldor and Ken Rasler painted out the graffi on the back of the building. Plus Nathan Sojourner, Beth Rasler, Chris na Monkman, Bob Singer, Mari-lyn Singer, and Taylor Johnson were helping all over the place.

A F ?

If you are on Facebook, please “like” the Niles Discovery Church page. You can find it at facebook.com/NilesDiscoveryChurch.

You can also join our Facebook “group” at facebook.com/groups/nilesdiscoverychurch/.

NilesDiscovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

Page 3 DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12

Jeff’s Jottings On November 16, historian and theologian Diana Butler Bass tweeted, “[The] Bible promises new things, not the comfort of old things.” I think she’s absolutely right. I also know that change is hard and an cipa ng change can be anxiety-producing.

We, as a church, are in the midst of change. In fact, we are in the midst of major change. I no ced that since the October 20 Special Congrega onal Mee ng (un l the deadline for this edi on of The Bell) anxiety levels in our church have risen. No wonder, really. At that Special Congrega onal Mee ng, we authorized the Cabinet to ap-prove a sales agreement for this building and there was some talk about offers we had already received. In the en-suing four weeks, the Construc on Team pursued one of those offers to the point of presen ng it to the Cabinet with a recommenda on that it be approved. At their mee ng on November 18th, the Cabinet approved the sales agreement. And we haven’t even broken ground on the 36600 Niles Blvd. site.

What will happen? Where will we live? How will we be a church if we sell this building before the next one’s ready to be occupied? I don’t think I’m the only person that has these ques ons or this anxiety. There are also some among us who are experiencing an cipatory grief at the coming loss of ownership of this property, and the sense of iden ty that comes with that.

Informa on can help reduce anxiety – so I’ll share some. But you should recognize that informa on alone isn’t go-ing to relieve all the anxiety, nor will it ease the an cipatory grief .

With that in mind, here are some of the basics of the offer that was approved by the Cabinet. It’s a cash offer, which is nice, because we don’t have to worry about financing. The Construc on Team and our realtor say that the amount of the offer is about as good as we’re going to get. If all the con ngencies that come with any offer are sa sfied, we would close some me in February. The agreement states that we can lease-back the church building on Sunday mornings & the evening of the first Monday of the month plus the sanctuary each Thursday night. We also retain use of what are currently the two pastors’ offices, and the storage closet in the office suite. The outer office would be the purchaser’s space, but in a sense a shared recep on area. The lease back agreement goes through December 2014 (about the me we hope construc on will be completed at 36600), and the cost is $1 per month plus our share of u li es, yard care, cleaning, and such.

So, worship, Sunday School, and coffee hour – the heart of our life together as a congrega on – will con nue pre y much as we have known them. The choir will also carry on as is. However, se ng up for and cleaning up a er wor-ship will have some addi onal tasks associated with them, and we won’t be able to use the facility during the rest of the week without making special arrangements with the new owner.

How the office func ons during the rest of the week will shi . Pastor Brenda and I an cipate that we will be sharing an office, and maybe we’ll start having office hours in coffee shops from me to me. Those are all details that we will live into, and we will work hard to communicate through the newsle er.

But none of this informa on fully answers the ques on about how we will be a church together during this in-between me. What about all the stuff we do that’s not on Sunday mornings?

Well, I think there is an opportunity for us in not being owners of the facility where we worship for a year. We have a chance to spend a year ge ng to know each other be er and tending to our spiritual growth. Because we won’t have the open ability to gather at the church for programs whenever we feel like it, we can gather in small groups in each other’s homes for fellowship, study, spiritual support, and accountability. Some of these groups might include one of your pastors, but some won’t. We will care for one another, united in God’s love for everyone’s journey … no excep ons. This is my hope for the coming year. Will you join me in making this happen?

Peace, Pastor Jeff

Pastor Jeff’s personal blog is at jeffsjo ngs.wordpress.com. He is publishing his sermons there so you can leave feedback or comments. He has started another blog, “Does God Care When My Mom Kills Slugs?” where he answers kids’ theological ques ons. You can read it at askrevjss.wordpress.com.

B G N E

A er nearly a year and a half of excellent service, Judy Smith has handed the reins of the editorship of this newsle er to Priscilla Taylor. We thank Judy for her hard work and dedica on in ge ng this primary tool of church communica on to you and welcome Priscilla to this minis-try.

A T E

Priscilla Taylor works at the San Francisco Chronicle in the Pre-press Department. She has a BA in Adver sing from San Jose

State University. Priscilla, also known as Cil, lives in Fremont with her husband,

G ‐ O H B

The church said good-bye to two members of our Church as they move to other areas to be closer to family.

O s Highbaugh was honored during the “Time with the Children” during worship on November 3. Carol Baer was toasted at the Emeritus/Merrill Gardens lunch on Novem-ber 12. Both Carol and O s were given pictures of the bell as a memento to remember us by.

Carol’s and O s’ new addresses will be published in the next edi on of the Church di-rectory, and are available to Church members from Cecilia if needed before the next edi on of the directory comes out.

R F T C T

W R C

W F G

15 minutes Prep 4 servings

Ingredients: 1 pound

medium carrots peeled

4 large garlic cloves, peeled

6 fresh ginger slices ¼ inch thick

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 Tablespoon bu er

salt and pepper

Instruc ons: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium baking dish combine the car-rots, garlic, ginger, oil and bu er*.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes un l tender.

Uncover and roast for about 30 minutes long-er un l the water has evaporated.

*bu er can be omi ed. Subs tute 1 tablespoon oil.

C T S H W S

MedlinePlus.gov is a web site created by the U.S. Na onal Library of Medicine at the Na onal Ins tutes of Health and recommended as a resource for health informa on. The informa on comes from reliable sources and is offered in both English and Spanish.

You can learn about diseases, condi ons, and how to stay well. There are also videos & interac ve tutorials Drug informa on is also available for prescrip on and over-the-counter medica ons.

Keep in mind that Val and Helen are available to help you with ques ons about your health or medical condi ons. Members of the care team, Debbie Keesis, Marilyn Rasler, Val Parker, Dorle a Larsen, Dena Hokom, Helen Boyer, and Pastors Jeff & Bren-da, are ready to bring you to an appointment or come for a visit. If you know of some-one who needs help or would like a visit (yourself included), please let us know.

Rich. They were married in Niles Congre-ga onal Church on April 4th, 1998.

Cil first a ended Niles Congrega onal Church in 1990 along with her sister, when Becca was looking for a church to be married in. They were welcomed with open arms, and they quickly became church members.

For a short me in the 90s, Cil helped run the Jr. High Youth group and assisted with the pre-schoolers in the Li le House on Sunday mornings.

While she may not be at church every Sunday, Cil does keep up with church news. She’s both excited & nervous about taking over the edi ng of The Bell.

DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12 Page 4

NilesDiscovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

D F

We met for Bible Study with Pastor Jeff Spencer, and discussed a pas-sage from Luke on evangelism. Then we gave him feedback on his Nov. 17th sermon, talked about how we have grown more accep ng of change, and the new possibili es it’s offering us.

We agreed to con nue saving our offerings for the new gas stove even though we have exceeded our $700 pledge.

Discussion about possible venues for our mee ngs during construc-

on will con nue at our next mee ng which will be a Christmas potluck on December 16th. Dena will entertain us with one of her amazing readings.

Bring something to add to the ta-ble, and join us. Everyone is wel-come, and the company is good.

M R L R T G

The Mildred Reynolds Lap Robe Tying Group met on October 22nd. Six lap robes were ed by the seven ladies who were present.

We gave a lap robe to Dorothy LaB-arr and one to Margaret Reiner, both residents of Emeritus at Atherton Court. Then we voted to give 20 lap robes to Puente.

The next mee ng will be held Janu-ary 22nd at the home of Alison Kie . Please let Dorle a know if you plan to a end so lunch can be arranged.

If you know someone who would like one of the lap robes, contact Dorle a. There’s no charge for the lap robes.

E F

The Evening Women’s Fellowship met at the home of Sandi Reeder on November 13th. Our study was “Pointed Conversa ons”, and based on the book of Job. We realized life’s struggles are s ll con nuing even 3000 years later. It’s just different problems for different

mes but always challenges.

Our next mee ng will be January 8th at the home of Shirley Dunlap. Irene Vollbrecht will lead our les-son, “Point A to B-Not a Straight Line” and the scripture will be Jere-miah 29:1-14. We voted to send our offering ($160) to Week of Compassion designa ng that it be used for typhoon vic ms.

Page 5 DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12

C B B

Members and friends of Niles Discovery Church are invited to submit short no ces that may be of interest to the rest of the congrega on. Note: To keep us from running afoul of regula ons, no commercial no ces or par san poli cal announcements are allowed . Niles Discovery Church makes no representa ons or endorsements about the events or services listed.

Christmas at the Mission

Lisa Lahowe invites you to hear her sing with The Mis-sion Peak Chamber Singers. They will be performing “Christmas at the Mission – The Season of Song” on Saturday, December 14 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, De-cember 15 at 4:00 p.m. at the Old Mission San Jose church on Mission Blvd. You can purchase ckets on line at mpsc.brownpaper ckets.com or directly from Lisa by check or cash. $12 for general admission, $10 for seniors/students.

Making Spirits Bright

The Golden Gate Men’s Chorus (a group with which Pastor Jeff sings) will present “Making Spirits Bright” on Thursday, December 12 at 8:00 p.m.; Friday, De-cember 13 at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, December 15 at 3:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, December 17 at 8:00 p.m., at St. Ma hew’s Lutheran Church, 3281 16th St, San Fran-cisco . $25 ckets and $35 VIP sea ng ckets are available on at ggmc.org. Student ckets are $10 at the door with an ID on an as available basis.

NilesDiscovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12 Page 6

G B ?

We will be accep ng dona ons of adult and children's bicycles during the Blessing of Bikes event in late April. Donated bikes should be in fairly decent condi on or need only minor repairs. They will be passed on to Puente to distribute to the people they support. You can learn more about the work of Puente at puentedelacostasur.org. Stay tuned for more details on the event in upcoming issues of The Bell.

I ’ S T A You’re invited to help fill stockings for Puente (h p://puentedelacostasur.org) once again—by the December 15 deadline.

We are be collec ng the items that go in the stockings (rather than completed stockings). Puente will put the stockings together.

There are stockings and bags on the stage, each labeled with one of the items. There is also a stocking for cash dona ons. Please help us fill them! We have commi ed to provide items for:

20 children’s stockings

Erasers, glue s cks, color pencils, s ckers, party-size PlayDoh, flash cards, socks, Matchbox cars and stocking caps

30 women’s stockings

Shampoo, condi oner, soap, razors, deodorant, lo on, mini flashlight, emery board/manicure kits, toothbrush, toothpaste, and socks.

Should you wish to make dona ons directly to Puente, you can find Amazon Wish Lists available for other dona ons at these websites:

h p://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/N95PGKG7AGC8

h p://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/29GUFA256RA9B

Puente is also in need of Kmart and Ross gi cards, so that the parents can do a li le shopping for their families. We hope to have these available for your purchase through our scrip program, so keep an eye out for those, and turn them in to any Ministry of Social Concerns Team member.

Do you miss the fun of stuffing stockings? Puente is also in need of volunteers to fill stockings on December 17 and 18. Check with Judy Zlatnik for more informa on.

G F S W H E

Surprise someone with a gi of a dona on in their name to programs like Heifer Interna onal or S.A.V.E., a group empowering women. Gi catalogs are avail-able on the stage in Ford Hall or online at:

www.heifer.org/gi -catalog/holiday/christmas.html

For alternate gi sug-ges ons see the Ministry of Social concerns bul-le n board.

F O B W H S D !!

Niles Discovery Church members helped form Tri-city Volunteers, and we con nue to support this local food bank and thri store with our

food & clothing barrels, and our Thanksgiving turkey drive. The TCV Team is very ap-precia ve of our efforts. Melissa, the execu ve director of Tri-City Volunteers, said "… Lovely to learn all about the wonderful work Niles Discovery Church is doing to con-tribute to the 6,000 families s ll depending on Tri-City Volunteers and the community for food assistance this Holiday period. We love and deeply appreciate your wonderful partnership."

They s ll need assistance especially with gathering the following for the holiday sea-son: stuffing mix. gravy mix, boxed mashed potatoes, canned green beans, corn, cran-berry sauce, applesauce in cups, and packaged desserts.

G H S The Ministry of Social Concerns has the wish lists from the Giving Hope program for six seniors. Requests are modest and frequently involve keeping warm. For more informa on contact Jzlatnik@yahoo.com, or 797-1389 or any me at church.

NilesDiscovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

N M S F SSDS T

Do you love a good documentary? If you want to be involved in selec ng, scheduling and hos ng the Second Saturday Documentary Series, please contact Pastor Jeff. He’s looking for a couple addi onal people to help .

Page 7 DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12

S I T W

T W C

You can subscribe to the weekly email news-le ers from the UCC Conference by going to bit.ly/QFhbEz and enter-ing your email address.

You can subscribe to the weekly email newsle er from the DOC Region by going to conta.cc/SlhyQL and typing in your email address.

You can subscribe to email newsle ers from the na onal se ngs of the Chris an Church (Disciples of Christ) at bit.ly/n1MzfK and the United Church of Christ at j.mp/odlTLO.

S O

The December special offering will support the ministry of Puente, the organiza on that is receiv-ing our Christmas stock-ings. Puente is a ministry in Pescadero helping to meet the needs of immi-grant farm workers. You

can learn more about them at puentedelacostasur.org.

This offering will be official-ly received on December 1, and, as with all our special offerings, you can give at any me.

Thanks to your generosity,

our November special offering for the educa onal ministries of our wider church raised $395.

You can see the schedule of special offerings at h p://bit.ly/10BKKGy or call the church office and Cecilia will mail you one.

L T PPRC K

The Pastor Parish Rela ons Commi ee (PPRC) wants to hear from you. Contact any PPRC member – Ron Adamson, Mark Twist, Judy Molander, Judy Hollowell, Dena Ho-kom, Annie O’Hare, Pastor Jeff Spencer, and Pastor Brenda Loreman – if you have a concern about the life of the church or a church rela onship that’s hur ng and want some assistance in healing it.

N MEO

3 A C C

C O

Get ready for the 3rd Annual Chili and Cookie Cook Off in February. As the days get colder, begin to experi-ment with Chili Recipes, a winning chili recipe is wai ng to be invented. Enjoy a few extra cookies over the holidays as you look for the perfect cookie recipe.

M A C H H

We need your help with suppor ng our Salva-dorian child through World Vision. Your dona-

on of aluminum cans and plas c beverage containers makes a tangible, las ng differ-ence in the child’s life.

You can drop the cans and plas c containers in the large plas c bins located in the pa o between the sanctuary and the choir room. (If you enter through the gate at the front of the church, take care not to lock yourself into the pa o by le ng the door close behind you.) You can also give your cans to Judy Zlat-nik on Sunday or drop them on her front porch. Call Judy for Niles pick up of large amounts.

What an easy way to enable good health for a child while doing your part to help the envi-ronment.

L

If you are the last one out check to make sure doors are secure and the lights are turned off. It’s good for the security of our building, for our PG&E bill, and for the earth. Thanks!

J

Go to our website nilesdiscoverychurch.org.

Look for the “Our Email Lists” paragraph toward the bo om of the front page, click on the link, and start

filling out the forms.

You can select what email lists you want to join – the newsle er, the

weekly prayer requests, the weekly announcements, and more.

NilesDiscovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12 Page 8

Emeritus Lunch

If you would like to join Pastor Jeff or Pastor Brenda for lunch at Emeritus (formerly known as Merrill Gar-dens) at noon on the second Tuesday of the month, please call Irene Vollbrecht (510-792-4642) by the Monday morning preceding the lunch. Non-residents of Emeritus are welcome, but it costs $11.

S S D S P :

“G P II”

In his explosive follow-up to his Oscar®-nominated film Gasland, filmmaker Josh Fox uses his trademark dark humor to take a deeper, broader look at the dangers of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the controversial method of extrac ng natural gas and oil, now occurring on a global level (in 32 countries worldwide).

Gasland Part II shows how the stakes have been raised on all sides in one of the most important environmental issues facing our na on today. A public screening of the film will be held at 1:30 PM on Saturday, December 14th at Niles Discovery Church, 255 H St., Fremont. The screening is free; dona ons are accepted. A discussion led by Lance Simmens, California State Director for “Gasland Grassroots” will follow.

The film argues that the gas industry’s portrayal of natural gas as a clean and safe alterna ve to oil is a myth and that fracked wells inevitably leak over me, contamina ng water and air, hur ng families, and endangering the earth’s climate with the potent greenhouse gas, methane. In addi on, the film looks at how the powerful oil and gas industries are in Fox's words “contamina ng our democracy.”

“Climate change is the moral issue of our day,” the Rev. Jeffrey Spencer, Senior Pastor at Niles Discovery Church, said. “Changing climates are leading to scarcity of water in some regions and too much water (usually called ‘flooding’) in other regions. Changing climates are leading to food shortages and famines. It is all too likely that changing climates will lead to war unless we do something now to mi gate the impacts of global warming.”

“We’re including this movie in the Second Saturday Documentary Series because fracking is bad for the environment, and because we need to be shi ing away from fossil fuels anyway,” Spencer said.

This screening is part of the Second Saturday Documentary Series, a film series co-sponsored by Niles Discovery Church, Tri-City Perspec ves, and the San Jose Peace and Jus ce Center. This screening is also co-sponsored by the Sierra Club-South Alameda County Group.

More informa on about the series can be found at tricityperspec ves.org. The trailer for the movie can be seen at youtube.com/watch?v=dzx7UXzK_z4.

Join us for our annual Christmas tea

at Tyme for Tea

on December 13 at 12:30 (Cost: $28 including

tax and p) Contact Dorle a Larsen

by December 8 for reserva ons.

Annual Christmas

Tea

NilesDiscovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

Page 9 DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12

Have “Lunch with the

Pastors” December 15

You are invited to join Pastor Jeff and Pastor Brenda for a no-host lunch at My Café (5475 Thornton Ave, Newark) on Sunday, December 15 around 12:15 PM. This is a me to chat together with no agenda (though Jeff has been known to ask for some feedback about ser-mons). Consider car-pooling.

This year’s Advent Celebra on will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 8. A talent show, potluck, and Christmas cra ac vity are planned for the evening. We are looking for people of all ages to par cipate in the Talent Show. If you have a talent to share, please see Chris na Monkman for details and to sign up.

More informa on will be available later from the MCE Team, along with sign-up opportuni es for assis ng with set-up, decora ng, and helping to run the event.

A C

P , D 20, P

Join Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, visitors and the Pescadero community as we go door-to-door seeking shelter during the Posada on December 20.

A er sheltering in Pescadero Church (UCC) for a few carols, we will walk over to the IDES hall for a tamale dinner and Santa’s presenta on of the Christmas stockings to the children of Puente.

For more informa on contact John or Judy Zlatnik or see the Ministry of Social Con-cerns bulle n board in Ford Hall.

M C

If you have your bank automa cally send a check to the church, please make sure the name on the check is Niles Discovery Church, and PO Box 2265, Fremont 94536 is listed as the address (not our street address).

UCC C D S F 2014

The Northern California Nevada Conference, United Church of Christ, has scheduled several camps for the summer of 2014 – and a couple school-year events.

January 18-20 – MidWinter Camp at Sempervirens (grades 6 to 8)

February. 15-17 – Feb Camp at Monte Toyon (grades 9 to 12)

July 11-13 – Caz You and Me Camp for children entering grades K - 3 and their adult companion/s.

July 13-19 – Caz Sr. High (entering grades 9 to 12)

July 20-26 – Caz Junior (entering grades 3 to 6)

July 27-August 2 – Caz Jr. High (entering grades 6 to 9)

August 8-10 – Caz Adult Spiritual Retreat

We will publish other camp informa on as soon as it is available.

Registra on for the UCC Conference Mid Winter Retreat is now open and registra on for Feb Camp will be available soon. You will need to register yourself at ncncnews.org/mid-winter-2014-registra on

$50 camperships are available to youth and to adults who register as adult counselors. But you must contact Pastor Jeff before you register. Pastor Jeff will give you a coupon code to include at the me of your registra on.

NilesDiscovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

DECEMBER Volume 13 Number 12 Page 10

P ’ S

Due to mee ngs and appointments, it is difficult for Pastor Jeff Spencer and for Pastor Brenda Loreman to post regular office hours. It’s a good idea to call before you drop by to make sure the one you want to see, is in.

Please call your pastor if you would like to make an appointment or have him/her come by for a visit

Church 510-797-0895

Jeff’s mobile 510-579-8851

Brenda’s mobile 510-828-4107

Pastor Jeff’s Sabbath day is Friday and his day off is usually Saturday.

Pastor Brenda takes Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays off.

Cecilia Le works Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Tuesdays, 8:00 a.m. to noon.

Cecilia will be on vaca on December 25 through January 5.

Barbara Rosellini Artha Marmaduke JT Edwards Jerry Mulcahy Diane Kindle; O s Highbaugh Girven Hunter Ken Young Carol Baer Kay McFarland Diana Roeding Isaiah Espinoza‐Carter Sarah Boyer Ryan BoyerTaylor Doug Higgins Fred Anderson Rollie Eaton Arlene Snagor Julia Parks Barbara Manning’s daughter Robin, her son‐in‐law, and her eldest daughter Kyrie; Rod Reyes’ niece, Ta ana;

Bill Palleschi’s father, Bill Palleschi; Doug Swint’s dad; Doug Swint’s mom; Mike Foster’s mother, Jan Richards; Carol Easter’s mother, Barbara; Julia Fernades’ unborn baby; Nancy Walker’s mother and father; Rod Reyes’ grandmother; Joanne Gehrer’s friend’s daughter Kim Benavente; Harry Jordan’s brother-in-law Lawrence Freitas; Isaiah and Aiyanna’s grandfather Ed Espinoza; Dorothy Williams’ daughter Belinda Williams; Shirley Dunlap’s son David Dunlap; Shirley Dunlap’s sister Nancy Cook; Nancy Walker’s dad; Joy Hurst’s mom Ruby Hurst; Rick Gallegos’ boss’ son, Chris McNabb;

B O T H C :

Ron Adamson and his family, including his sister Joanne Orput, as they grieve the death of Ron’s brother-in-law Alden; The people of the Philippines who are grieving so much death and destruc on; Leigh‐Anna Nielsen and Diane Hinton as they grieve the death of Diane’s father on November 1; Peg Tait, whose partner for over a

decade, Phil, died on September 29; The family of the Rev. Melvina Symons, who died October 13 (Melvina re red as pastor of First Chris an Church, Colusa in 2010); The family of Bruce Kie who died on June 21; The family of Dennis Reeder who died on June 14.

A , :

P W ’ A T B H P :

Kyle Lambert (son of Lisa Lambert); The residents at Lincoln Villa; The members of the United Church of Cookeville, TN, especially for the Wilson family; The safety (and in some cases safe return) of members of the congrega on and our friends and loved ones serving in the military, including: Chris Swint, Sco Swint, and Ben Gonzales; People who are unemployed and under-

NilesDiscovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

employed, especially members of our church and Carolyn, that they find employment that fills their hearts & souls. People who are homeless or in need of improved shelter. These leaders of our congrega on: the members of the Cabinet; the member of the Construc on Team; Pastor Jeff Spencer; Pastor Brenda Loreman; the Care Team.

NilesDiscovery Church, 255 H St. Fremont, CA 94536 (510) 797-0895 http://nilesdiscoverychurch.org

The Bell is First Class

If you received this issue of The Bell through the US Mail, then you received it first class. You can help reduce our costs (roughly $1.50 per issue you receive in the mail) by receiving The Bell via email. Simply go to our website www.nilesdiscoverychurch.org, look for the “Our Email Lists” paragraph toward the bo om of the front page, click on the link, and start filling out the forms. You can select what email lists you want to join – the newsle er, the weekly prayer re-quests, the weekly announcements and more. Then, please let Cecilia Le in the church office (510-797-0895; office-mgr@comcast.net) know that you no longer need The Bell via the US Mail.

N I L E S D I S C O V E R Y C H U R C H

N I L E S D I S C O V E R Y C H U R C H

Rev. Jeffrey Spencer, Senior Pastor Rev. Brenda Loreman, Associate Pastor PO Box 2265 255 H Street Fremont CA 94536 Phone: 510-797-0895 nilesdiscoverychurch.org