News for Jan 10, 2023
Sun, Jan 15: Zoom service
Join us this Sunday on Zoom at 10 am. We'll remember Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a chance to hear his voice and consider his role as a modern American prophet. The church council will meet after worship.
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.
Remembering May-Blossom Chang Wilkinson
From her obituary in the San Mateo Daily Journal: “May-Blossom Chang Wilkinson was a beloved elementary school teacher who lived to celebrate the milestone of her 100th birthday. She broke ground as the first teacher of color in the Berkeley Unified School District when she began her career in 1949. Pioneering and culturally relevant before her time, she taught primary grades for 38-years. Over the years, she brought innovation to lower grade level mathematics with her standing-room only conference presentations on how to use Chinese paper folding as a manipulative in the instruction of geometry. A celebration of life will take place on Sat, Feb 4 at 2 pm at Crosby-N. Gray & Co. Funeral Home, Burlingame” Read more.
Women's group news
No more Monday Zoom gatherings. But next Monday, Jan 16, bring your lunch to church for a “picnic” at 1 pm. Jan Richardson has published her annual Women’s Christmas Retreat, full of art and poetry.
A bot wrote last Sunday's hymn
Last Sunday, Roy asked us to sing a new hymn called “Amazing Epiphany.” It turns out that it was actually written by ChatGPT, a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to respond to prompts from human users. Roy asked ChatGPT to write a new hymn about Epiphany to the tune of “Amazing Grace.”
Here's what it wrote:
Epiphany, epiphany, a moment of clarity and light,
A revelation of what is true, that guides our path tonight.
In the silence of the morn, as dawn begins to break,
We are given a new beginning, a chance to start anew.
In the midst of confusion, when the way seems unclear,
We can find our direction, in the wisdom that is near.
Before putting it in the bulletin, we edited it slightly to have the correct number of syllables. See the "final" version in last Sunday's bulletin.
Upcoming services and events • Weds discussion group: Jan 11 (7 pm), Zoom
New members are invited to discuss what they would like to explore now that they are part of the church. Plus, an introduction to Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor and her “stroke of insight.” All are welcome.
• Taizé: Fri, Jan 13 (7:30 pm), in person
Join us for a quiet time of chant and prayer and a Celtic blessing of light.
• Book group: Sun, Jan 22 (7 pm), Zoom
“Fresh Water for Flowers” by Valerie Perrin
• Worship & Arts committee: Sun, Feb 5
Join us after worship to plan future services
Links and resources
Quote of the week
“This is my charge to you.
You are to be a light-bearer.
You are to choose the light.”
— Madeleine L’Engle in “A Ring of Endless Light”
Weekly events
• Meditation group: Wednesdays at 7:30 am
In person at the church building
• Sunday worship: 10 am
In person or on Zoom — see the newsletter or this site for updates
Image: May-Blossom Chang Wilkinson with husband Robert and son Steve, at Robert's 1953 graduation from UC Berkeley
