february 2017 - coastside lutheran...

L o v e Ne ve r E n d s

I once again stood before those gathered to celebrate

the marriage union of two beloved ones reading

these words from Christian scripture:

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or

boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its

own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not

rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things,

believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

(1 Cor 13:4-8a) It never gets old hearing the beauty and power of love

as described in these words!

We often hear of love, but can lose sense of what it means. Hearing this description can help,

especially in times like ours today. I resonate every time love is named as the best counter to the

anxiety, fear, and outright hatred being expressed in too many places and in too many ways of late.

As concern arises regarding how this tension will play out in our nation and our world, we must ask

ourselves how will I, how will WE speak, live, and be people who love.

As children of the Living God, what better place to look than the very source of all being, all

knowing, love, justice, and grace? If we call ourselves Christian, we must go one step further and

look at how love is revealed in God’s own, God’s beloved son, Jesus of Nazareth—the heart and

soul of God. It is this One coming as the “Word made flesh”, a wee babe in the arms of common

people that can shed tangible light on the full extent of God loves. It’s hard to truly wrap our minds

around the immensity, depth, and breadth of God’s love where ‘there is nothing in all creation that

will ever be able to separate us from the love of God.” (Romans 8:39). That’s a lot of love and as

this scripture further states, it “is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” We may hear the words, “I

love you.” But in Jesus, we see what love looks like. In Jesus, the fisherman, the tax collector, the

housewife, the shepherd, the wounded, the outsider are treated with dignity, value, and even called

to be partners in sharing God’s love. Jesus reaches out and touches the untouchables. Jesus moves

out into margins of the society in which he lives in order to widen the circle of God’s love. He

even goes after the persecutor like in Saul, later named Paul or all those he asks God to forgive in

his last few breaths after being tortured, humiliated, beaten, condemned, and nailed to the cross. In

Jesus, we see how far God is willing to go in love—even into the depths of Sheol, Life in the face

of death itself, where even there Love never ends! If God can love that much, how can we not do

likewise?! No one said it would be easy. But, then, maybe that’s okay. Maybe that’s why we need

each other, as well as the gifts of grace in baptism, holy communion, confession and forgiveness.

This is not the time for giving up, holding back, decreasing or eliminating love. No! Now is the

time to delve deeper into God’s own heart, to claim the love of God from within and around, and

risk loving as God loves us, whole-heartedly and unabashed, especially those standing alone and on

the outside. That’s where Jesus will be . In the love of Christ and honored to serve, P as to r Da w n

C L C F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 p g . 1

What’s Inside this

Month?

December’s Treasurer

Report & December 2nd

Mile Giving

Choir/Music News &

Adelante Mujeres.

Thrivent Funds and Unity

Sundays.

Baptism and Parents Night

Out.

February 2017 Calendar

february 2017

C O A S T S I D E L U T H E R A N C H U R C H

C L C F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 p g . 2

DECEMBER 2016 TREASURER’S REPORT

SECOND MILE GIVING

December 2nd mile giving went to Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, one of 8 seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a founding member of the Graduate Theological Union, and a graduate school of Cal-ifornia Lutheran University. PLTS was the first ELCA seminary to become Reconciling in Christ (RIC). It is an ex-cellent seminary and where Pastor Dawn received her Master’s of Divinity in 1991.

Theological education at PLTS is done in the context of people who are rich and poor, liberal and conservative, and a wide array of human race, religion, sexuality, education, experience, and background. If our theology did not take all people into account, it would be deficient.

1. Giving in December 2016 was $19,280.18 compared to December 2015 giving of $17,737.78. Both Dec. 2015 & 16 had 4 Sundays.

2. Giving for Dec. 2016 fell short of our budget. Rentals & other income such as fundraisers fell ($2,352.87) fell short of our budget.

We spent ($5,711.95) less than we budgeted but all 2016 reimbursements are not in yet.

3. We made $1,251.80 at the Pumpkin Festival which was budgeted to make $3,000, but weather was terrible and all receipts were

down.

4. The mortgage as of 12/11/2016 was down to $7,043.77.

http://www.elca.org/

http://www.elca.org/

http://www.gtu.edu/

http://www.callutheran.edu/

http://www.callutheran.edu/

http://www.reconcilingworks.org/what/ric

C L C F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 p g . 3

CHOIR WORKSHOP/RETREAT—COME AND

HAVE FUN AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW

For the February choir workshop for CLC, I will guide

some yoga-inspired vocal exercises and stretches from

10:30-11, followed by music rehearsal from 11-2. We

will start with Taize songs to be used for Lenten

Vespers, followed by choir anthems. John Chen will be

our clinician for the day. He is director of music at

Aragon High School and will offer his critique and give us some

insights into successful choral singing. Anyone is welcome to join

in. We will be eating lunch at some point. CLC will provide the

sandwiches. Feel free to bring a side dish, drink, or dessert.

Liesl McPherrin

Adelante Mujeres—Meeting at CLC, Wednesdays in February

Adelante means move forward, go ahead, rise up and flourish. Mujeres means women. The local Adelante Mujeres

program empowers local Latina women who are recognized leaders in the community by providing the additional

training and skills necessary to increase the effectiveness of their work. The women want to engage in social justice

issues in our community at the grass roots level and provide a voice for those whose needs are often not heard. The

program is funded through a three-year grant. Socorro, our head nursery teacher is part of the group this year.

Coastside Lutheran has been approached by Pastor Julia McKeon of Holy Family Episcopal church in Half Moon

Bay, to let the group use the West Wing at CLC every Wednesday in February. The space at Holy Family did not

work for the group so they need a place to meet. We brought the request to council, and council unanimously voted

to allow this group to use our space for these meetings. Moreover, since we feel this work is integral to helping our

local Latino community, council also voted to not require insurance from this group. Instead, we consider them part

of our outreach ministry to the local community and as such they fall under our insurance. Pastor Julia further notes

that the classes would run from 6:30 to 9:00pm. Use of the kitchen would be very light as the meal would be

prepared elsewhere and brought in to serve.

Choir and Music News

San Francisco Symphony — Ode to Joy, at Davies

Symphony Hall in San Francisco. Tickets can be purchased

on the SF Symphony website. Performances are February

3rd at 8pm, and a matinee performance on the 5th at 2pm.

Liesl McPherrin, our Choir Director, is featured in the cho-

rus of these performances. For other performance dates and for

tickets, go online to SF Symphony

website: https://sf-symphony.tickets-center

C L C F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 p g . 4 C L C

Help from Thrivent Financial & Unity Sunday Service Projects

You’ve seen the T-shirts on many of our church members in the past few years. We have been at the receiving end

of matching funds and other funds from Thrivent for several years now. According to Thrivent, their members offer

hope, reach out to those in despair and show God's love in amazing ways. Families in need. Empty food shelves.

Struggling churches. Where our members see adversity, they also see hope. Thrivent says they are a membership

organization that changes lives.

How you can help

If you have money invested with Thrivent, you may be eligible for Thrivent Choice® dollars. In other words, you

may be able to say where Thrivent donates some of its charitable outreach dollars. In 2014, this program gave more

than $50 million to churches, communities and individuals. Some of our Thrivent members choose to have these

dollars go to Coastside Lutheran.

Thrivent Action Teams—$250 Community Impact Card

Thrivent says to put your faith into action! They tell members to think about an unmet need in your community and

consider how you could help. Apply to lead your volunteer team in a one-time fundraiser, service activity or educa-

tional event that can be completed within 90 days. Once your project is approved, you'll receive a Thrivent Action

Kit,

including: promotional banner, Invitations and thank-you cards. Thrivent Action Team T-shirts, and a $250

Community Impact Card you can use as seed money to purchase project supplies and create promotional materials.

Depending on your membership level, you are entitled to one or two $250 Community Impact cards per calendar

year.

How CLC has benefited and how you can be a part of these service projects

November 29, 2015 we had a Unity Sunday gathering where we packed many Blessing Bags for the homeless. The

funds for those kits came from Thrivent Financial. Thrivent members have applied for Community Impact cards to

feed book fair volunteers at the 2015 Book Fair, to buy warm jackets for our Christmas Outreach families, and just

recently to make baby kits for families in need around the world. In prior years we received matching funds for

Christmas Outreach as well. One way we all can help, whether you are a member of Thrivent or not, is to match the

Community Impact card with a donation or to simply show up and help with the project. We can all live generously

in this way. We’ll keep you informed as we strive to do these projects in future Unity Sundays & seasonal offerings.

Above right: Confirmation youth: Jayda, Ellie and Ella, order ing supplies for baby kits with Pastor Dawn.

It put their math skills to good use: working with a Thrivent Action Team card of $250, they had to continually

finetune the order to have the total come out exactly right. They did it to within $3, the best that could be done!

Left: Lilliana and Jayda with Marian on Unity Sunday getting the baby kit project star ted.

C L C F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 p g . 5

Welcome Zurich David Marcik the newest member of our congregation

January 15, 2017, in a joyous celebration, Pastor Dawn baptized Zurich David Marcik, son of Julie Ann and David

Marcik. Godmother is Micheline Speelman. Proud Grandparent is member Karen Hampton. We as a congregation

are all part of this baptism. We promised to nurture David in the Christian faith as we are empowered by God’s

Spirit, to help him live in the covenant of baptism and in communion with the church—the body of Christ.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Pastor Dawn and the

Youth of CLC—Parents Night Out!!

Led by Pastor Dawn, the confirmation and high school youth are offer-

ing a Parents Night Out to members of the congregation from 5:30 to

8:30 pm to be held at CLC.

Your children will be fed, have help with homework if needed, and will

play games and watch a movie. The movie is Inside Out.

Confirmation youth are doing this as a service project, and youth from the High School can get Community Service

hours for this project.

Please let us know if you are going to take advantage of this opportunity. Contact the front office at

[email protected] or Pastor Dawn directly at [email protected]. You can also leave a message

on the answering machine: 650-726-9293.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Children and Youth

February Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

1

6:30 am Men’s Group @ CUMC

7-9 am Community Breakfast 7:30 pm Coastside Orchestra practice, S.

6:30 Adelantes Mujeres

2

7-9 am Community

Breakfast

10 am & 1:30 Hope

7:15 pm –8:45 pm

Choir & childcare

3

5 pm Iglesia del Mar

8 pm Beethovern’s

9th @ SF Davies

Symphony Hall

9 pm Cleaning

4

7:30 am Open AA

7:00 pm Coastside

Orchestra Concert

@ CLC .

5

8 am Worship

9 am Spark Time

10 am Worship


2 pm Beethovern’s 9th

Davies Symphony Hall

6

3-4 pm Cleaning

7 pm Open AA

4:30-6:30 Head Start

parent meeting

7

3:30-5:00 PM

Confirmation

DeBode snack

Centering Prayer

6-6:45 Pr. Office

8

6:30 am Men’s Group

@ CUMC

7-9 am Comm. Brkfast

10 am Exec. Mtg


West Wing

9

7-9 am Community

Breakfast

10 am & 1:30 Hope

7:15 pm –8:45 pm

Choir & childcare

10


9 pm Cleaning

11

7:30 am Open AA

10:30-2 pm Choir

Retreat—starts with

yoga. Not only

choir, all invited.

12

9: 15 am only Worship

Annual Mtg with brunch

following/childcare also

Choir: Amazing Grace


13

3-4 pm Cleaning


parent meeting

7 pm Open AA

14

2:30-4 Women’s

Bible Study

3:30-5:00 PM

Confirmation

Rau snack

5:30-8:30: Parent’s

Night Out

15


@ CUMC

7-9 am Community

Breakfast


West Wing

7 pm Council Meeting in

Conference Room

16

7-9 am Community

Breakfast

10 am & 1:30 Hope

7:15 pm –8:45 pm

Choir & childcare

17


9 pm Cleaning

18

7:30 am Open AA

19

8 am Worship

9 am Spark Time

10 am Worship


3:30 PD doing offsite

wedding in Palo Also

20

3-4 pm Cleaning

7 pm Open AA

Cabrillo Winter

Break this week

21

3-4 pm Cleaning

3:30-5

Confirmation:??

Centering Prayer

6-6:45 Pr. Office

22


@ CUMC

7-9 am Community

Breakfast


West Wing (last one)

23

7-9 am Community

Breakfast

10 am & 1:30 Hope

7:15 pm –8:45 pm

Choir & childcare

24


9 pm Cleaning

25

7:30 am Open AA

26

8 am Worship

9 am Spark Time

10 am Worship

Choir: Lord’s Prayer


27

3-4 pm Cleaning


parent meeting

7 pm Open AA

28

3-4 pm Cleaning

Confirmation:

3:30-5 1st yrs.

Eberts snack

Centering Prayer

6-6:45 Pr. Office

March 1

ASH WEDNESDAY

SOUP & WORSHIP

5:30—prepare meal ,

6:15—eat; 7:15—worship

CHOIR singing Prayer of

the Children

2

7-9 am Community

Breakfast

10 am & 1:30 Hope

Choir

5:30-8:30 One-on-

one time with Liesl

3 5:30 Dinner @ Rocco

Ristorante Burlingame

8:00 Taize Worship @

Mercy Center Burlgm


9 pm Cleaning

4 7:30 am Open AA

OUR CALL

“I am God. I have called you to live right and well. I have taken responsibility for you, kept you

safe. I have set you among my people to bind them to me, and provided you as a lighthouse to

the nations, to make a start at bringing people into the open, into light:... Is. 42:6, The Message

OUR MISSION

Coastside Lutheran Church celebrates the grace of God through Jesus Christ by worshipping

together, serving the community, and providing a spiritual harbor where all, without exception, are welcome.

SUNDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE

8:00am Meditative Worship/Communion

10:00am Worship/Communion, followed by Fellowship

Website: coastsidelutheran.org Phone: 650.726.9293

Email: [email protected]

COASTSI DE LUTHERAN CH URCH 900 N. Cabrillo Hwy

Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

February 2017 Newsletter

february 2017 - coastside lutheran...

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