Post on 25-Aug-2018
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER Celebrating 163 Years of Ministry MARCH 2017
Senior Pastor
Rev. Dr. Greg Roth
Associate
Senior Pastor
Rev. Dr. Marsha Roth
Assistant Pastor for Families, Young Adults & Intercultural Ministries Leedah Wong
Director of Discipleship, Caring, and Outreach Alex Sung
Volunteer Visitation Pastor Rev. Dr. Jim Schoon
Director of Traditional Worship and Choral Ministries Darryl Guzman
Director of Contemporary
Worship
Thomas Bañuelos
Children’s Ministry Interim Director Alana Bischoff‐Chan
Youth Ministry Director
Seth Beardsley
Preschool Director Linda Hall
Facilities/Office Manager Tammy Sawyer
Finance Manager
Sally Suryan
Accounting Assistant
Julia Knutson
Ministry Assistants
Alana Bischoff‐Chan
Val Cooley
Polly Walker
the Centerville Presbyterian Church
“A Church committed to Jesus Christ through worship, nurture,
care, and growth.”
By…. …worshipping Ash Wednesday March 1 6:30 pm w
Soup Supper 6:00-6:30 7:00-7:30
Will you stay awake with me?
….reading the devotional Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection
...walking the Way of the Cross, a visual and script gallery Sunday, March 12
2
The Cross: As a Journey Towards Easter By Pastor Marsha Roth
The journey of our Faith is not only a journey through history of real events in the Biblical lands, it is also a journey of our own personal commitment to God, and our own growth as a church family...maturing from self‐centered children into faithful sons and daughters who love to serve and please our Father. It is a journey that we can remember together during Lent as we trace the footsteps of Jesus from Pilate to Golgotha, the cross. Usually we think of Christ’s crucifixion as an event that happened at a certain time and place. Of course our Lord’s death was an actual event in history. But it is more than that! It is a truth about God and how He still works in the world with us. It’s how God has revealed in Jesus His immense love, that provides a touchstone for our lives today. In our eagerness to celebrate Easter and the Resurrection, we often rush too quickly through Holy week, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter morning. Maybe it’s just too messy for us Western Christians who are more accustomed to the language of triumph and victory to give much attention to the “Way of Sorrows.” In doing so, we miss the tremendous significance of the Cross as something so much more than a symbol of the crucifixion and death of Jesus. It is also a symbol of the doctrine of the atonement. Jesus taught His disciples that His Cross symbolizes something far more profound than suffering and death, and even more than the theology of atonement. Beyond all the doctrine and the sentimentalism associated with the Cross, finally it is about the committed, powerful, faithful love of God the Father for us that He would risk even death of His Son, sacrificing everything, that we may have new life in Him.
George Mathew holding the cross high as he and others from CPC pilgrimage walk down the Via Dolorosa—The Way of the Sorrow.
3
Our retreat is coming soon, and we hope you are planning to join us in “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” Cheri Gregory and Antoinette Rodrigues will guide us on a weekend to clear away things that distract from the love and plan that Jesus has for each of us. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
AT THE RETREAT, PARTY WITH A PURPOSE: SOLE HOPE
On Saturday afternoon, March 18, we would like to invite retreat attendees to a Sole Hope shoe cutting party with a purpose to provide shoes to people in Uganda. Our group will work together to cut our old jeans into shoe uppers. These cut jeans will then be shipped to Uganda so local tailors and shoemakers can craft shoes to be given out at medical clinics. This project will help provide jobs, shoes, and medical relief to those in need.
If you plan to participate in this retreat event, it would help in the process of our project if you brought the following materials:
Heavy duty scissors or fabric scissors to cut jean material
Old jeans you are ready to discard or donate (if you do not have jeans and you want to contribute this valuable material, consider going to a thrift store and purchasing some jeans to donate to this project.)
Sharpie for marking the pattern on the jeans
Large safety pins
We are praying for each of you to come and find simplicity and focus this weekend.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, The 2017 Retreat Team: Lisa Dutra, Pat Lum, Sylvia Garrett, Teresa Schmit, and Wendy Stacy
What: Retreat Reflections is a time for women to get together to reminisce about our retreat experience. It is a time to share how God has been working in our lives and making us more like Him! Please bring pictures or other artifacts that will help you share your story. Also, plan on having fun and lots of good conversation!
Food: Brunch will be provided by the COACHes.
Who: You should definitely come. Also, please feel free to invite a friend. It is a wonderful way to encourage her to attend next year’s retreat!
When: Saturday, April 29th 9 A.M.
Where: Centerville Presbyterian Church 4360 Central Ave., Fremont Westminster Room: This is the first room on the right as you enter the Centre building.
CPC Women’s Retreat Location: Redwood Christian Park
Dates: March 17‐19, 2017 Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV) …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus…
Reserve April 29th for Retreat Reflections 2017
4
Session Notes—February 2017 Submitted by Charlie McClellan, Ruling Elder
February Session opened with prayer, followed by leadership training on the Principles of Worship. Pastor Greg led us through a set of ten principles we follow at CPC, beginning with our tradition of God‐Centered worship. We discussed these principles and how they govern our Sunday service and CPC’s mission, as well as align with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Pastor Greg contrasted how our guiding principles contrast with other denominations and how their services may differ. The consent agenda was approved with unanimous vote, with the highlight being the new lights installed in the parking lot and gymnasium. A number of lights had burned out in the parking lot and gym. All the lighting has been replaced with LED bulbs, providing bright lighting while using over 90% less electricity with increased longevity. The next time you are in the gym or parking lot, note the new, improved lighting. Ned Rendell presented an update from the CPC name change committee, which has spent much of the past year evaluating a name change for
Making Crosses Offering Prayers
Sunday, March 26 10:20‐10:55 am, between services.
Create your own cross. It can be as simple as tying two sticks together. Adorn it with organic material. As you express yourself, intercede for a friend or family member who needs the Lord.
During the cross making workshop you’ll hang your cross on a barren birch tree. We then encourage you invite that person to church on Easter Sunday.
Centerville Presbyterian Church. After much prayer and deliberation, the committee came up with a proposed name of Christ Central Church, as we are a Christ centered church located on Central Avenue. After much discussion, Session was unable to reach a consensus on the proposed name. The committee was asked to remain intact, as we will continue to pray for guidance on renaming (or not) CPC. Pastor Greg updated Session on the progress of the housing development proposal for the Old White Church site. Plans have been submitted to the city for approval, with a meeting with the Historic Architecture Review Board expected in about four months. The new Communication Committee is off to a fast start, with committee member Michael Hollister updating Session on plans for improving CPC’s digital media presence. The committee hopes to hire a part‐time person to assist with maintaining CPC’s web site, and will post the position soon. Session closed with prayer as we look for God’s guidance this coming year with many new and exciting things ahead for CPC.
5
Choirs Head to Carnegie Hall By Darryl Guzman Director of Choral Ministries and Traditional Worship Members of the Centerian Sanctuary Choir, the Centerville Community Chorale and the Fremont Christian
School Concert Choir will be heading to New York City to perform in world famous Carnegie Hall on March
11, 2017. The choirs will be performing the St. Cecilia Mass by Charles Gounod. The choirs are part of the
Manhattan Concert Productions Masterworks Festival at Carnegie Hall and will be combining with other
community and church choirs as well as university choruses. Guest conductor will be Dr. Paul Rardin from the
Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University. Trip dates are March 7 through March 12. While
staying at the Westin Hotel Times Square, the choir members will work together in three 4‐hour combined
rehearsals, see two Broadway shows (“Wicked” and “Lion King” or “Beautiful” and “The Great Comet”),
sample the cuisines of NYC (so many restaurants – so little time!) and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Big
Apple! The music being performed by the choirs in New York City will also be performed here in Fremont at
Harbor Light Church on Saturday May 20 at 7:00 pm.
The Centerian Sanctuary Choir, the Centerville Community Chorale and the Fremont Christian School Concert Choir came together at CPC on Saturday February 4 to record their progress on learning the music for their Carnegie Hall concert on March 11. Submitting a recording one month prior to the concert is a festival requirement for participation. Fortunately, the recording turned out great ‐ I guess we get to go!
6
By Linda Hall, Director of CCP
Spring Blessings to you all. Wow, I can hardly believe that Daylights Savings Time starts next week already!!! Our month here at preschool is going to be filled with spring activities. Our Chapel Time verse this month is, "God hears our prayers", taken from Luke 1:13. Please know that any of you are welcome to come visit us at the preschool any time or to drop in to see us at Chapel time. You just might be surprised at how quiet we are during story times! We will be starting off the month with a Teacher Workshop day, as we attend the BASS conference. Our annual Hot Chocolate Social date is set for Tuesday, March 7th from 6:30 pm‐7:30 pm. in classroom #17. We will share some cookies, finger food snacks and of course some hot chocolate, complete with marshmellows!!! We will do a fun family winter art project during our time together. Please feel free to drop in and join us—we would love to share the evening with you. Also scheduled this month is our annual Ardenwood Farms field trip on Friday March 24th. Our art projects this month will be a Citrus Painting (using real lemons, limes and oranges), a pastel Spring Sponge paint and some adorable "Yellow Day Chicks". The preschool children will be working on the numbers 7 and 8 and recognizing the shape of oval. In addition to all of the above projects, the Pre‐K children will be working on writing and vocabulary building for the letters: "P", "Q", "R", "S", and "T" and the numbers 6, 7 and 8. Of course there will be a lot of social skills building time going on as well during play time with friends. Whew, that is a fun filled month of learning, but then we only have some of these students for a few precious more months before they head off to Kindergarten. So much to do and so little time to do it!!
This month the preschool is having our Annual See's Spring Candy Fundraiser. This year all of our fundraising income will go to having the bathroom sink in the middle classroom professionally re‐finished as well as re‐finishing our sandbox bench. I will have a table out at Coffee Hour on Sunday March 5th and Sunday March 12th for taking orders with your payment. If you are not at church those days, but would like to place an order, the order forms will be available in the church office and are due back to me (with payment) by the end of March. The candy will be delivered here to school the week of April 10th. We will call you to come by and pick up your orders just in time for Easter! Thank you for your continued support of our preschool. Check out this fun photo of one of our "Stone Soup" day cooking activities last month. Lots of vegetables eaten that day. We pray that you and your families will have a very blessed month, and remember to come visit us some time.
7
8
Daylight Savings Time BEGINS on
March 12. Be sure to turn your clocks AHEAD
ONE (1) HOUR!
(Saturday night 3/11)
The Missions Committee
thanks all those who graciously gave baby items
for Ganado Missions Church in Arizona. Your generous gifts are
a blessing to those who
receive them.
9
CPC AT SERVICE!
As Christians, we are called to help the needy and the congregants of Centerville Presbyterian Church have certainly been doing that this winter! Ongoing in our community is our Free Dining Program which provides dinner to homeless and needy people each Tuesday and Thursday. But again this year, we expanded our feeding programs.
In the Bell last month you read about our serving at the Warming Center, the walk‐in food and shelter program run by Compassion Ministries, Abode and the City of Fremont. We served 35 people each of the three nights that the shelter was open in our week in December. Through your generosity, we took another week in February and served six nights and this time we served 60 people each night! The center is open on cold and/or rainy nights in the Senior Center and with our rainy winter, we have been happy to help! Thanks to all of you for your involvement!
A survey of the diners was conducted by the city and they determined that 53% were from Fremont and a total of 73% were from all of Alameda County. The ages of the participants varied from young children to past 80 years, but 27% were ages 50 to 60 and 13% were 60+. It’s tough being homeless!
10
Uganda Mission Trip by Carol Scruggs & Chris Stone Payne
We thank the Missions Committee and CPC
for sponsoring us as we joined Centerpoint
Community Church’s Mission Trip to Uganda
in January. Ten of us arrived in Kampala,
Uganda at midnight on Friday, January 13,
and were met by Catharine Coon and several
of her local employees.
Our first activity was to attend a very lively
Saturday Club at the Kampala headquarters
for Hope Alive!.
Chris was able to
meet the student
she’s sponsored for
several years, Piloya
Brenda, and was
invited to her home
to meet her mother.
Seven people live in
her small two room
apartment. They
have electricity but
no running water or
bathroom. Her mother cooked lunch on two
braziers outside the front door – it was rice,
peanut sauce with greens, and potatoes. The
family gave her a green pumpkin as a thank
you for her sponsorship. We were also able
to meet several of the students sponsored
by CPC families, and we have photos of
them.
We drove to Masaka where workshops were
planned for the next week. Pastor Jim from
Centerpoint Church was running a
leadership workshop for lay leaders from
churches in the area around Masaka. This
photo shows his attendees in front of
Masaka Baptist Church.
11
Inspirational Poem Submitted by Lois Uranga Christ has no body now but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are the body.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
The eight ladies taught
Critical Thinking,
English proficiency, and
household skills to
children from first
grade through
caretaker ladies for
Hope Alive! students.
Carol taught English
and Chris taught
knitting. It is an amazing sight to witness
how much the Hope Alive! students and
caretakers love and
appreciate Catharine
for what she has done
and continues to do for
them. All the
participants were easy
to love and bond with
as they were so happy
and excited to see and
interact with us.
We want to go back! It would great for a CPC
Mission Team to go to Uganda, as it was such
an enriching and rewarding experience!
Knitting Class with the teenage girls.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for
works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith
and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,
attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13
New International Version (NIV)
12
MARCH 10, 2017 is the deadline for submitting articles for the
April 2017 “BELL” Newsletter. Please submit to Val Cooley, Ministry Assistant — vcooley@cpcfremont.org. All articles submitted are subject to approval, editing, and space available.
4360 Central Avenue Fremont CA 94536
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Please Note: If you do not wish to receive this
Newsletter, please call our office at 510.793.3575 ext. 14
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage PAID
Fremont, CA
PERMIT NO. 7
Join us for Worship 9:00 a.m.
Contemporary Service Led by Thomas Bañuelos
with the Worship Team and Band
11:00 a.m. Traditional Service
Led by Darryl Guzman with the Centerian Choir and
CenterPeace Orchestra
Office Hours: M‐TH | 8:00am—4:00 pm
510‐793‐3575 Office | 510‐793‐3594 fax www.cpcfremont.org | cpcoffice@cpcfremont.org
March 1 ASH Wednesday –Service at 6:30 p.m. Soup Supper 6‐6:30 and 7‐7:30 pm in Westminster/Gym
March 5 The “Foundry” Kickoff Sunday
March 5 Youth Sponsored Fundraiser ‐ Taco Truck @ 12:15pm
March 7‐12 Choirs to Carnegie Hall NYC
March 12 TIME CHANGE – turn clocks AHEAD one hour
March 12 Sunday Eats and the Cross Walk – “Walking to Jerusalem”
March 17‐19 Women’s Retreat at Redwood Christian Park
April 2 Youth Sponsored Pancake Breakfast – Westminster Rm
April 8 Easter Egg Hunt 10 am – 12 noon (watch for more details)
April 14 Good Friday Service at Noon
March 26 Making Crosses, Offering Prayers