Sunday, November 24, 2013
Videos for 11-24-13
English Ministry News and Notes 11-24-13
- Happy Thanksgiving! Please note the church office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 28th and 29th.
- Christmas Poinsettias! An annual CCUMC tradition is the decorating of the sanctuary with poinsettias for Christmas Sunday and Christmas Eve. If you would like to contribute a plant, please place your order with Laura. Each plant is $10. We will take orders through Dec. 8th.
- Mark your calendars now for Charge Conference - Our annual business meeting will take place on Dec. 8th at 1:00pm in the social hall. All members are strongly encouraged to be a part of this time.
CCUMC Gives Thanks!
I am thankful that I’m free and have plenty to eat.
Every day is a giving, multi blessing. We truly believe all we have is from our almighty God. Thank you God. Finishing the new sun room.
I am thankful for my church family.
Being able to go to school.
Thank you God for my 2 beautiful, healthy grandchildren… for my mom’s health and loving care she receives from her caregivers… for the wonders of creation and the opportunity to experience it through travel, hiking, camping… health, friends, family…. Jesus!
Thankful for the grace of God, without which I might not be here today. Thankful for a supportive community in church at home and at work.
I am thankful for all my friends and family who love and care about me.
Thankful for all of God’s blessings. His constant, unconditional Love. Thankful for family, friends and the privilege to be part of CCUMC church family. Thanks be to God.
Thank God for unconditional love, his faithfulness and his forgiveness. I thank God for the past, the present, and the future. God has chosen me and adopted me into his family. He guided me over many obstacles, given me the wisdom, confidence and courage to do things beyond my imagination. He is leading me on. Blessing me with a life of abundance. He assured me salvation and forgiveness in my future. Thanks be to God. (Ed Lang)
Family. Celebrating my mom being 90 years young on 11/11/13. (Sylvia)
I am thankful for having a wonderful church filled with loving; people who just loves and cares. For a wonderful family who supports me in every decision I make and this new life.
I am thankful to be in the family of God. Amen!
Family and Health
Thank you for the great mercies of your love, Lord, and the grace that saves us. We lack nothing.
Struggles with myself/ God leading me to a stronger desire to know God and ask what God is like and God requires and humbly receive people with hope. (Jonathan Snook)
That we finally have the family we wished for blood and non-blood. Community and good health. Security and warm embrace. Love abundant. Gratitude.
I am thankful for the joy and blessings of family, of wonderful grandchildren Jonah, Leia, Adalyn. Truly gifts from above!
Thankful for family; God’s provisions and comforts; health and vitality.
I am thankful for God/Jesus because without them I would have not been learning day by day and becoming much smarter at school or at home.
Thankful for laughter and love.
Thankful for God, Family, friends, church and all of God’s creations.
Thanks be to God for small group ministries and a growing ministry with transformative congregation
I’m thankful that God loves me and all the world. Grateful that God uses me to care for God’s people.
God’s love and forgiveness, family and friends, God’s blessings, hope, comfort, joy
I am thankful for those who rescue me when I stray off the path. Thankful for the hope you give.
Thank you for Mommy and Daddy. (Love, Leia)
Sunday, November 17, 2013
English Ministry News and Notes 11-17-13
- We welcome back Becca Cramer as today’s guest preacher!
- Celebrating Stewardship Response Card – You are receiving a Celebrating Stewardship Response Card in the Messenger today. This is an annual practice we have to nurture intentionality in how we live out our membership vows in terms of our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Please take the card home with you and prayerfully complete. We will offer them to God on Thanksgiving Sunday.
- What are you Thankful for? Besides the Stewardship card that can be found with the Bulletin, there is a leaf –shaped piece of paper for you to lift up your thanks in 25 words or less (this includes your name, or you can be anonymous). Put them in to the collection plate, and they will be shared in next week’s Thanksgiving Messenger bulletin.
- Thanksgiving Parallel Worship & Gratitude Potluck – We will celebrate Thanksgiving on Sunday, Nov. 24th, with worship beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Annex. Worship will be followed by a gratitude potluck. For those with last names ending in A-M: please bring a main/meat dish to share. For those with last names ending in N-Z: please bring a side/veggie dish to share. The church will provide the dessert.
- Adventure in Faith Chapel – You are invited to participate in this vital ministry of sharing faith with our Homework Club students. Chapel will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 20th with a gather time of 1:30 p.m. For more information, please connect with Donna or Becky.
What if church wasn't just a place to go....but something we do? By Rebecca Wong
What if church was more than a place? What if church was not just a noun, but a verb? What an exciting concept! As I look through scripture, these words of Jesus jump out at me, screaming for attention: GO……..FEED….VISIT….CLOTHE….GIVE….INVITE….SELL….BUILD….MAKE….FORGIVE….BE….PRAY….LOVE! All are verbs, actions, ways that God calls us to be alive as Christians. And the fact is, that Jesus didn’t always “DO” this ministry in safe, easy, comfortable ways; he prayed with sinners, ate with the outcast, invited the weak, walked with the common, everyday folk of the villages who had needs, both physical and spiritual.
What might such a ministry look like in the urban setting of Oakland? Maybe it would be inviting the homeless to share a meal, selling our possessions to help provide goods and services to the needy, standing in solidarity with undocumented immigrants, walking alongside those who need health care or affordable housing, voting for systemic changes that benefit the common good and not just our own bank accounts, opening our doors to community needs, praying with people who may look different from us on the outside, but who are all our brothers and sisters in the Family of God.
I believe that just as in order for a reader to comprehend a passage he needs to connect what he reads to his own life, so Christians, in order to fully comprehend what it means to live out the Kingdom of God, need to connect the “verbs” of ministry to our real lives. The verbs are what enable us to reach out and connect with the community, and in doing so, we connect with God. CCUMC has made some wonderful beginnings along these lines: providing space for Homework Club, AYSC, and the ACMHS programs, working at the Lake Merritt Food Bank, building a school in Uganda, raising money for disaster relief, and working with people in the local community. Praise God for the ways these ministries have brought new life and hope both to the church and the community.
And with God’s help, we can do even more. What if we started each day asking God, what is it I should be DOING for your Kingdom today? How should I be connecting with the needs of my brothers and sisters today? How can I “BE” Jesus to everyone I meet today? How can I engage my CCUMC community of faith in being fully alive in Christ? Choose a verb from the scripture, and LIVE it with joy!
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Videos for 11-10-13
English Ministry News and Notes 11-10-13
- We welcome Rev. Michael J. Christensen to our pulpit this morning! He is the Di-rector the Shaolom Initiative for Prophetic Leadership and Community Development at Drew University; and International Director of Communities of Shalom for The United Methodist Church. Communities of Shalom is a global network of over 100 “shalom zones” engaged in social justice, community organizing, and community development--trained, equipped and promoted by the Shalom Resource Center at Drew University. Dr. Christensen was ordained in the Church of Nazarene and is a clergy member of the California-Nevada Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. He is the author or editor of nine books, including: C. S. Lewis on Scripture; Equipping the Saints: Mobilizing Laity for Ministry: The Heart of Henri Nouwen; a three-volume spiritual trilogy by Henri Nouwen on Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Formation and Discernment.
- Please Note: The church office will be closed on Monday, Nov. 11th for Veterans Day.
- Celebrating Stewardship Response Card – You are receiving a Celebrating Stewardship Response Card in the Messenger today. This is an annual practice we have to nurture intentionality in how we live out our membership vows in terms of our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Please take the card home with you and prayerfully complete. We will offer them to God on Thanksgiving Sunday.
- What are you Thankful for? Next Sunday, besides the Stewardship card that will be inserted in with the Bulletin, there will be a leaf –shaped piece of paper for you to lift up your thanks in 25 words or less (this includes your name, or you can be anonymous). Put them in to the collection plate, and they will be shared in our Thanksgiving Messenger bulletin.
- Thanksgiving Parallel Worship & Gratitude Potluck – We will celebrate Thanks-giving on Sunday, Nov. 24th, with worship beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Annex. Worship will be followed by a gratitude potluck. For those with last names ending in A-M: please bring a main/meat dish to share. For those with last names ending in N-Z: please bring a side/veggie dish to share. The church will provide the dessert.
What if Church were....
During these past four weeks and for the remaining two weeks, we have been asking ourselves “What if the church was…”
Today, I lift up the question, “What if the church today was the way it was in the beginning? Outbound. Unbound. Active.” How are we at Oakland Chinese Community United Methodist Church living as the body of Christ and the reflection of God’s kingdom within our community? What can we do better?
I invite you to re-read Acts Chapter 2 as you will re-discover the witness of the early pilgrims on the day of Pentecost. For openers, what are you usually doing at 9:00 in the morning on a Saturday? On Sunday? Midweek? On the day of Pentecost referred to, “God-fearing Jews were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” This was the first recording of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The people were both amazed and perplexed. The text continues. When the people heard the apostle Peter recount what was prophesized by the prophet Joel, they asked, “What should we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” [It is noted that those who heard and accepted Peter’s message numbered 3,000.]
But the story does not stop here, for we read, “Awe came upon everyone, be-cause many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
And just like with that first Pentecost, it all starts with connecting our baptism to reaching out across the places where we live and have our being. We need to take the message out of our church and into the streets… to the neighborhoods and coffee shops, parks and homes and businesses around us. We need to take our faith from the inside of our church to the outside. We have a world out there that needs to hear about Jesus and be transformed by our Jesus. It may take a spiritual fire to make it happen, and for that, we pray that Pentecost will come again and again. What will you do this week to be better prepared for God’s use? Amen.
-Contributed by Burt Yin
Today, I lift up the question, “What if the church today was the way it was in the beginning? Outbound. Unbound. Active.” How are we at Oakland Chinese Community United Methodist Church living as the body of Christ and the reflection of God’s kingdom within our community? What can we do better?I invite you to re-read Acts Chapter 2 as you will re-discover the witness of the early pilgrims on the day of Pentecost. For openers, what are you usually doing at 9:00 in the morning on a Saturday? On Sunday? Midweek? On the day of Pentecost referred to, “God-fearing Jews were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” This was the first recording of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The people were both amazed and perplexed. The text continues. When the people heard the apostle Peter recount what was prophesized by the prophet Joel, they asked, “What should we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” [It is noted that those who heard and accepted Peter’s message numbered 3,000.]
But the story does not stop here, for we read, “Awe came upon everyone, be-cause many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
And just like with that first Pentecost, it all starts with connecting our baptism to reaching out across the places where we live and have our being. We need to take the message out of our church and into the streets… to the neighborhoods and coffee shops, parks and homes and businesses around us. We need to take our faith from the inside of our church to the outside. We have a world out there that needs to hear about Jesus and be transformed by our Jesus. It may take a spiritual fire to make it happen, and for that, we pray that Pentecost will come again and again. What will you do this week to be better prepared for God’s use? Amen.
-Contributed by Burt Yin
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Videos for 11-3-13
English Ministry News and Notes 11-3-13
*We welcome The Rev. Schuyler Rhodes became the
Superintendent of the Bridges District of the California Nevada Annual
Conference of the United Methodist Church on July 1st of 2013. Prior to accepting the
Bishop’s invitation to serve on the Cabinet, Pastor Rhodes served for thirteen
years as the Pastor of Temple United Methodist Church in San Francisco,
California. Currently, Rhodes is completing his Doctor of Ministry Degree at
Drew Theological School.
Rev. Rhodes had served churches in New York City, New Jersey, and in rural New York State. His other experiences include Campus Ministry, Retreat Director, Teacher and Workshop Leader, and serving as the National Director for Peace with Justice Week. Schuyler has had extensive public speaking experience, traveling throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia and the United States. He has also served as Consultant on Peace and Justice ministries to the General Board of Global Ministries Women’s Division of the United Methodist Church and served for nine years as President of the Board of Directors of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization.
Rev. Rhodes has published numerous articles and monographs, as well as five books, “Journey Through The Psalms,” “Words of Hope and Clarity,” “Words for a Birthing Church,” "Pentecost Fire: Preaching Hope in Times of Change (CSS Press)" and "Words to the Silence: A Book of Uncommon Prayer (Ed. Min. Press)." He also wrote a regular column for “Emphasis Preaching Journal” for seven years, completing that work last year to work on some other writing projects.
He is married to Lisa Quoresimo and is the father of twins, Emma Elizabeth and Aaron Schuyler, age 19. His spare time interests involve a love of music. Schuyler plays guitar, mandolin and bass, and enjoys playing in a number of different settings. His latest recording is entitled “Live in the Light,” by Canaan Roads. He also loves puttering around his home in Woodland California, where he gardens and spends time working outdoors with his spouse, Lisa.
* LMUMC Food Pantry Ministry Work Day, Nov. 9th. Please connect with Jane for more information.
Rev. Rhodes had served churches in New York City, New Jersey, and in rural New York State. His other experiences include Campus Ministry, Retreat Director, Teacher and Workshop Leader, and serving as the National Director for Peace with Justice Week. Schuyler has had extensive public speaking experience, traveling throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia and the United States. He has also served as Consultant on Peace and Justice ministries to the General Board of Global Ministries Women’s Division of the United Methodist Church and served for nine years as President of the Board of Directors of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization.
Rev. Rhodes has published numerous articles and monographs, as well as five books, “Journey Through The Psalms,” “Words of Hope and Clarity,” “Words for a Birthing Church,” "Pentecost Fire: Preaching Hope in Times of Change (CSS Press)" and "Words to the Silence: A Book of Uncommon Prayer (Ed. Min. Press)." He also wrote a regular column for “Emphasis Preaching Journal” for seven years, completing that work last year to work on some other writing projects.
He is married to Lisa Quoresimo and is the father of twins, Emma Elizabeth and Aaron Schuyler, age 19. His spare time interests involve a love of music. Schuyler plays guitar, mandolin and bass, and enjoys playing in a number of different settings. His latest recording is entitled “Live in the Light,” by Canaan Roads. He also loves puttering around his home in Woodland California, where he gardens and spends time working outdoors with his spouse, Lisa.
* LMUMC Food Pantry Ministry Work Day, Nov. 9th. Please connect with Jane for more information.
What if church were ... unending questions, mindful listening, and loving obedience? By: Aeri Lee
When asked to imagine, to envision what church could be, there could be as many variations as there are people doing the imagining, perhaps each according to her own preference or inclination. What if we were asked to imagine what God would envision the church to be? Now this changes the focus from what “I” may want the church to be, to what God would have me/us be as God’s body here on earth.
Maybe that is the question I/we should be pursuing daily and moment by moment: “God, how would you have me, us, your ‘church’ right here, right now, be, do think, and act?” “How can I be ever more completely poured out for the sake of your love?” “How can each of my many identities be wholly about living out your love for the healing and transformation of the world?” “How can I be more ‘church’ as I teach my piano student today, as I take care of my niece and nephew, as I prepare for my assignments, as I interact with my husband, as I … et cetera?”
And after having asked such questions, what if being church means cultivating a careful listening heart that is ready to be lead and guided by that listening? And what if being church meant that we would be perpetually practicing a loving obedience to that “still, small” voice of God that gently but constantly points the way? What if each one of us pursued this questioning, listening, and obedience with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths? Would then we be the church God envisions us to be?
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