News for February 6, 2024
This Sunday, Feb 11: In-person service at 10am
Our guest preacher this Sunday will be Rev. Jorge Bautista, presented by the Search Committee as a candidate for our next minister. All voting members of the church are requested to be present (or on Zoom), since we will vote on approving his call right after worship. It's an exciting time for College Heights!
Don't forget the all-church smorgy the night before, Sat Feb 10 at 6pm. It will be an opportunity to meet Jorge in a relaxed social setting before his Candidating Sunday. By the way, if you are a friend of CHC but not a member, you are very welcome to all the events of the weekend. You just don't get to vote on Sunday.
The Giving Sunday offering for February is for Puente de la Costa Sur, offering services to the South Coast communities of Pescadero, La Honda, Loma Mar and San Gregorio. What began years ago with the Pescadero UCC church repairing bicycles for the farmworkers has grown into a center for all kinds of services, from ESL to community health. Their next big event is the upcoming Farmworker Convention in March.
Recent sermons
Check out our YouTube page to see recent sermons. Go to our archive of slides to see bulletins and slides used during recent services.
Starting in Sept 2023, recordings of our Taize services are also on the YouTube page.
Due to a technical glitch, Polly's sermon on "The Hard Work of Peace" didn't get recorded. You can read the text here.
Pepe Doyle's sermon on "My Search for Joy" is posted, though not publicly. Contact the office for the link.
Candidating Weekend Feb 10-11
The Search Committee invites the whole church to come meet the candidate they are proposing as our next pastor: Rev. Jorge Bautista. Jorge's most recent position was as pastor to the Hispanic congregation at the Congregational Church of San Mateo. We are excited to welcome him to two events:
Sat, Feb 10, 6pm: an all-church smorgy (potluck) to meet Jorge. This is an informal, social event designed to give us all a chance to meet Jorge and for him to meet us. Please come if you can.
Sun, Feb 11, 10am: Jorge will preach at our regular Sunday morning service. After the service, members of the church will vote on whether to call him. If you're going to be out of town you can Zoom in, but proxies are not counted in this important vote.
Taize service this Friday
Join us this Friday, Feb 9, at 7:30pm for our regular monthly Taize service. We'll hear poetry by Lynn Ungar ("Forgiveness") and Ami Nashimoto will be back with her cello.
If you can't be there in person, the regular Zoom room will be open, and the bulletin will be online
Upcoming services and events
• Taize Service: Fri, Feb 9 (7:30 pm). Join us in-person or on zoom for this quiet service of chant and prayer. Poetry by Lynn Ungar; Ami Nashimoto on cello.
• Meet-the-Pastor Smorgy: Sat, Feb 10 (6 pm). Come share a meal with our pastor candidate, Rev Jorge Bautista. He's looking forward to meeting all of us!
• Candidating Sunday: Sun, Feb 11 (10 am). We will hear the preaching of the candidate for our next minister, and vote after the service. Voting members of the church are requested to be present (or on Zoom).
• Ash Wednesday Service: Wed, Feb 14 (7 pm)Â
Joint service with other local UCC congregations, held at CCSM (aka "the downtown church").
• Book Group: Sun, Feb 25 (7 pm), Zoom
Our next book will be "Horse" by Geraldine Brooks.
• Weds discussion group: Mar 13 (7 pm), Zoom
"Basic Bible Stories", meeting the main characters of the Old Testament. Our next stories are about Esther and Job, both worthy of our attention.
Links and resources
• The Doyles' neighbor Ben is doing a confirmation project for his church, trying for 75 donations of new toiletries, socks or towels which will go to Catholic Worker House in San Bruno. If you can help, bring your donations to church this Sunday and give to Kevin or Pepe. More info here.
• Free seminar on the History, Spirituality and Theology of Eastern Christianity, offered by Global Ministries University, Tues, Feb 6, 4pm PST on Zoom. Register to get the link.
• Second annual "Step Up for the Homeless" from Abundant Grace, Feb 14-Mar 17.
• "Minnie's Seaside Rest", a history exhibit at the UCC national office commemorating UCC missionaries over the last two centuries. Take the video tour with archivist Ed Cade. (Thanks to George Conklin for this bit of UCC lore.)
Quote of the week
"The quest of the human heart for meaning is the heartbeat of every religion." -- Br. David Stendl-Rast
Weekly events
• Meditation group: Wednesdays at 7:30 am
In person at the church building.
• Sunday worship: 10 am
In person at the church building.
Image: CHC in Spring, 2023 (photo by Lisa Bravo)
