Sunday, August 31, 2014

Worship Videos 2014-8-31

Chinese Choir
 
Chinese Sermon
 
English Sermon

English Ministry News and Notes 2014-8-31

Christian Education for Children and Youth~ Classes Begin: Sunday, September 7th at 9:30 a.m.
Small Group Ministry~ Small group meetings resume the week of September 7th. Small groups gather weekly or bi-monthly for a time of encouragement, reflection on scripture, and prayer. You do not need to be an expert on the Bible to join a small group. Small groups offer welcoming, non-judgmental spaces for participants to explore their faith in a meaningful way. If you are not already part of a small group and are interested in participating, please see Pastor Brenda for more details.

Our 5th Annual fundraising event for YCVM (Youth and Child Visionary Ministries) is slated for Friday, October 24th! You can reserve your table now by connecting with Becky or Ben. Tickets are $50 per person or $500 per table of 10.

Our Silent Auction for this event is now accepting your pledge of (new) goods or services. Please connect with Peggy or Donna if you are planning to donate. Items can be brought to church beginning October 5th!

Napa/Vallejo UMC earthquake update

Dear California-Nevada Family,

Psalm 46 says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."  Thank you for your continued prayers for the people of Napa and Vallejo following the earthquake on Sunday.  First UMC Napa and First UMC Vallejo sustained damage to their church facilities.
 
The Cabinet is in continual contact with Revs. Lee Neish, First UMC Napa, and Renee Rico, First UMC Vallejo, as well as the leadership of both churches.
 
Napa First UMC has been "green tagged" for full usage of their Bonner Building and Adams Hall. The office wing, which consists of the church office, the pastor's office and the upstairs choir rooms have been "yellow tagged." This means that they are to be entered only by staff for official business and cleaning volunteers.  The church's historic building and parking lot have been "red tagged."  This means they are not be entered until further notice.  The church website has the most up-to-date information.
 
First UMC Vallejo has been cleared by the city for occupancy and has held worship in the sanctuary.
 
You can learn more about the churches on their websites and both churches also have a Facebook presence.
 
Please keep our brothers and sisters in Napa and Vallejo in your prayers for the days, weeks, and months ahead as they minister in their communities and repair their buildings.
 
In the Peace and Grace of Christ,
Rev. Kristie L. Olah
Dean of the Cabinet
Superintendent of the El Camino Real District

Monday, August 25, 2014

Sunday, August 24, 2014

I Relate Workshop ~ By Aeri Lee

More and more, conflicts and misunderstandings arising from cultural differences between individuals and groups are a daily occurrence in our lives. As followers of Jesus, the prince of peace, we are called to be peace-makers, bridge builders, and lovers and welcomers of strangers and the alien among us. But often times, many of us who want to follow Jesus' call are left wondering just "how" we may go about acquiring the skills necessary to be welcomers of strangers and to make peace with our dissimilar neighbors and our brothers and sisters. Well, there is chance to acquire the skills to begin our work! Everyone is warmly invited and strongly encouraged to attend a 1 day workshop on cross-cultural mindfulness on Saturday, September 27th from 10am - 2pm. The workshop will cover how to recognize that we may be having a cross-cultural encounter, how we may redirect our initial negative reaction to encountering difference toward better and deeper understanding of our selves and of those that may be different from us. The workshop, led by I-relate facilitators, Aeri Lee, and Rev. Kim Montenegro, will include many fun and interactive activities, self-discoveries, and "a-ha" moments, as well as a time to get to know our new pastor, Brenda Walker, in an in-depth interview. We will be inviting members of our Chinese-speaking congregation, so that we may learn and begin to explore how to not simply co-exist, but to creatively work together across our cultural differences to build God's kingdom. Please RSVP to our lay leaders, Steve Chan and Becky Wong, so that we may have enough food for lunch.

Prayers for the family of Michael Brown and the Community of Ferguson, MO

Please continue to pray for the community of Ferguson, Missouri in the wake of the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown. Pray for local churches and clergy including Wellspring United Methodist Church. Wellspring is a predominantly African-American United Methodist congregation located a block from the police station and less than a mile from where protests have been taking place. The pastor, Rev. F. Willis Johnson and his congregation have responded to the needs of the community by leading prayer vigils, helping with cleanup, meeting with community leaders, and comforting protesters. You can read more about United Methodist responses to the death of Michael Brown at The General Commission on Race and Religion of the United Methodist Church, GCORR.org, and at UMC.org

Pastor Brenda


 

English Ministry News and Notes 2014-8-24

Today is our StreetFest Open House! Join the festivities as we welcome the children and their families from our HomeWork Club! We are also expecting a lot of drop-in people from our community! Let’s show them our radical hospitality!

Christian Education for Children and Youth~ Classes Begin: Sunday, September 7 at 9:30 a.m.

Small Group Ministry~ Small group meetings resume the week of Sep-tember 7th. Small groups gather weekly or bi-monthly for a time of en-couragement, reflection on scripture, and prayer. You do not need to be an expert on the Bible to join a small group. Small groups offer welcoming, non-judgmental spaces for participants to explore their faith in a meaning-ful way. If you are not already part of a small group and are interested in participating, please see Pastor Brenda for more details.

Our 5th Annual fundraising event for YCVM (Youth and Child Visionary Ministries) is slated for Friday, October 24th! You can reserve your table now by connecting with Becky or Ben. Tickets are $50 per person or $500 per table of 10.


Our Silent Auction for this event is now accepting your pledge of (new) goods or services. Please connect with Peggy or Donna if you are planning to donate. Items can be brought to church beginning October 5th!

Monday, August 18, 2014

Sunday, August 17, 2014

English Ministry News and Notes 8-17-2014

Christian Education for Children and Youth~ Classes Begin: Sunday, September 7th at 9:30 a.m.

Small Group Ministry~ Small group meetings resume the week of September 7th. Small groups gather weekly or bi-monthly for a time of encouragement, reflection on scripture, and prayer. You do not need to be an expert on the Bible to join a small group. Small groups offer welcoming, non-judgmental spaces for participants to explore their faith in a meaningful way. If you are not already part of a small group and are interested in participating, please see Pastor Brenda for more details.

Middle School/Youth/Young Adult Picnic All students in grades 6 through college age are invited to celebrate the end of summer at Lake Chabot in San Leandro/Castro Valley on Saturday, August 23rd, from 10 AM - 2 PM. There are opportunities to hike, bike (bring your own), kayak ($20 rental), picnic, and play outdoor lawn games. Please sign up with Becky or Jacinto and let them know what kind of food you will be bringing. Families are welcome to join in on the fun, too. We'll light the charcoal, you bring the rest.

Parallel Worship on Sunday, August 24th, at 9:30 will precede the StreetFest Open House. Please enter through the annex doors!

Are you ready for another year of StreetFest! On August 24th, we will have games and crafts for all age groups. You all are welcome to stay after worship and help out. Sign up to donate food and to volunteer your time! Connect with Michelle Lu at lu.michelle8@gmail.com
Prep Day for StreetFest will be the Friday before, August 22nd!

Everyone loves a great story...

I bought this book some time ago called, The Story of a Lifetime. Very promising title don’t you think? Especially if you are a lover of fiction, you would expect The Story of a Lifetime to include great characters, intriguing exotic settings, adventure, and insights into depth of human condition. If you like biographies you might expect The Story of a Lifetime to contain the story of an underdog who overcame obstacles and achieved great things for humanity, or the story of someone who was heroic in the face of danger, or story of someone who changed the course of history.

The book actually contains mostly blank pages. And there are 500 questions to be meditated on and answered. The story in this book is the story of one’s life – an autobiography or a journal. Some of the questions have to do with facts and with history. But many of the questions are meant to draw out thoughts and feelings and fears and hopes. Each of us has a testimony - an account of what we have seen and heard.

Where have you experienced God’s presence in the story that is your life? How may God be using your story and your life as a means of revealing God’s power, grace, love, and compassion?

Pastor Brenda

Monday, August 11, 2014

Sunday, August 10, 2014

English Ministry News and Notes 8-10-2014

AIF Year End Party will be held at Church on Friday, August 15th.

Darlene Joe Lee Memorial Pie will be installed at Lincoln Sq. Rec Center on Saturday, August 16th, in a ceremony from 2pm to 4pm. This piece of art is in memory of her passing two years ago. Darlene (mother of Suzanne Lee) was a symbol of unselfish dedication to the youths of Chinatown and to the entire community.

Parallel Worship on Sunday, August 24th, at 9:30 will precede the StreetFest Open House.

Get ready for another year of StreetFest! This is our fourth year opening up the doors of CCUMC for all families. Save the date for August 24th. The day will be filled with fun games and crafts for all age groups. You all are welcome to stay after worship and help out. There are sign up sheets in the Social Hall; one for volunteers and one for donating food. Please sign up. If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Lu at lu.michelle8@gmail.com Prep Day for StreetFest will be the Friday before, August 22nd!

Watch this video from one of our StreetFest Open house events! It will inspire you to be a part of this year’s celebration!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuUteEl0-zY


































































































































































































































































































































 

NEWS: RESPONSE TO SPREAD OF EBOLA From UMCOR.org

As the Ebola virus spreads in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, The United Methodist Church continues to be present and respond through West African United Methodist church leaders and regional health boards, denominational health facilities, missionaries, and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). The church has three hospitals and five clinics in Sierra Leone and one hospital and three clinics in Liberia. The outbreak, which began in Guinea in February, has spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia, infecting more than 1,600 people and killing at least 887. This infectious disease causes hemorrhagic fevers, with a mortality rate between 50 and 90 percent. It has no known cure. An initial $25,000 grant from UMCOR to the Sierra Leone Annual Conference provided United Methodist health centers with material to protect health workers and prevent contagion and to construct an isolation unit at Mercy Hospital. A $50,000 UMCOR grant to the ACT Alliance was used to help build isolation centers, conduct workshops and educate communities about the virus, and to raise awareness about prevention. This week, UMCOR is partnering with Medical Assistance Programs (MAP) to send urgently needed supplies and personal protective equipment to Sierra Leone and Liberia. The kits include gloves, aprons, masks, goggles, rubber boots, and plastic sheets. The Religious Leaders Task Force on Ebola in Sierra Leone, chaired by United Methodist Bishop John K. Yambasu, and the Liberian Council of Churches and other ecumenical bodies in Liberia have called for three days of fasting and prayer this coming Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (August 6-8). Churches are asked to pray for all who are affected by this crisis, including healthcare workers. Your gifts to International Disaster Response, Advance #982450, supports UMCOR’s work with local communities impacted by natural or human-caused crises. Please join us in praying for those affected by this devastating virus.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Sunday, August 3, 2014

The Apostle Paul: Epic Failure

Today we continue to follow the story of the Apostle Paul and his call to serve the risen Christ. Paul’s first mission to Damascus was a disaster. People became so annoyed with his preaching about Jesus that they plotted to kill him. The situation becomes so bad that one night Paul has to get out of town, but he can’t even walk out the gates of the city. His only recourse is to be lowered down the city walls while sitting in a basket – not exactly a picture of success. What was going on in Paul’s mind as they lowered him down in that humble basket? Did he think about how pitiful this looked? Did he think about how differently he was leaving the city from how he had planned to leave? Did Paul wonder if Jesus had made a mistake in calling him to be his instrument? Paul’s early failure was formative to his faith. He continued to learn from it. We learn from Paul’s story that God can use our failures to transform us.

Pastor Brenda

English Ministry News and Notes 8-3-2014

Get ready for another year of Street Fest! This is our fourth year opening up the doors of CCUMC for all families. Save the date for August 24th. The day will be filled with fun games and crafts for all age groups. You all are welcome to stay after worship and help out. There are sign up sheets at the back, in the Social Hall, one for volunteers and one for donating food. Please feel free to sign up. If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Lu at lu.michelle8@gmail.com

Former CCUMC Pastor Rev. Benjamin Fong is in declining health due to cancer of the pancreas, liver, and gall bladder. He is calm and trusts God in everything. Please pray for him and his wife Margaret. He welcomes your emails, though he may be unable to respond. His email address is: talinfong@yahoo.com