After Christmas What?

For retailers, Christmas started in July; for the rest of the "world" it began in earnest the day after Thanksgiving. No wonder, then, that so many are ready to be done with it by December 26, as evidenced by the number of tree corpses that begin appearing on residential curbs.

For the church, though, Christmas hasn't yet started as I write this; as you read it, chances are Christmas is still going according to the church calendar. That's appropriate, because a single day is insufficient for us to take in the magnitude of what we've just celebrated.

That's also why the church puts four weeks in ahead: to prepare us to receive the gift of Christmas. Advent softens our spirits, unknots our hearts and pries open our minds to the memory and wonder of Christ's birth.

Christmas and the days afterward help us settle into the memory and marvel of the holy mystery, by which we prepare ourselves for Epiphany, the season when God calls us to burst forth like stars upon the world, carrying the good news of salvation. These precious days of Christmastide are the faith community's transition time: Christ is born; Christ will come again!

Hope, peace, joy, love,
Paula

Senior Chat for January

Check Out the Library

Covenant's Church Library in the Fireside Room is a place for sharing books and DVDs with others in the church family.

While I do enjoy having lots of books at my fingertips, what I enjoy most as your librarian is the concept that a working library is an efficient medium for sharing ideas among folks with common interests. With the Covenant library we can do this within the realm of our own peace, justice, and faith interests. When I give a book to the library, I want to share it. When I invite you to give a book or a DVD, as I am right now, I want you to give something you want to share. When I ask for suggestions for the library, how well we do this sharing is what concerns me most.

The following book by Gustav Niebuhr is the latest one I enthusiastically want to share. With two famous theologians in his family, his family name is quite familiar to us. Like them he, too, has taken a serious interest in matters of faith in America. In his career he has been a religion reporter at the New York Times and has worked for our own denomination. His new book Beyond Tolerance; Searching for Interfaith Understanding in America (2008), approximately 225 pages, is primarily about several fairly recent interfaith seminars or workshops – how they came about and what some of the participants thought was achieved. He asks challenging questions, tells interesting reporter-style stories, and seems to conclude that some profound things are happening. I sense that he finds great hope in the vitality of the individual beliefs of the people he encounters. He points out how this vitality, together with the active listening that is fostered in these workshops, is achieving "expanded boundaries" for many. Some church leaders are opposed to this kind of process, and he tells their story as well. One such workshop is the Festival of Faiths held in Louisville, Kentucky, for a number of years now and started by the laywoman Christy Brown. The background for this workshop includes the life and work of Thomas Merton, who lived for years at the Gethsemane Retreat Center not far from Louisville. Perhaps this book will expand your boundaries in the area of interfaith dialog.
Rudy Dyck, Librarian

O Come, O Come Immanuel

Advent—from the Latin "ad"-to + "venire" - come. Join us in Advent for worship and study as we prepare our hearts to "come to" Christmas and celebrate God's gift to us.

• November 30, December 7, 14, 21 10:45 a.m. - Sunday Worship in Advent
  On the four Sundays of Advent, we'll prepare for Christmas in word and song. We'll hear sermons based on the Psalms, "Advent Songs," sing Advent music for choir and congregation, and light the Advent candles for Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.
• December 17 7:30 p.m. Christmas Communion Service
  A Christmas Communion service in the Sanctuary is a time set apart from the flurry of activity for slowing down your spirit. The service also acknowledges that Christmas is not always joyful for everyone, and offers the comfort of word, music, sacrament, and silence for hearts carrying hurt, loss, or fear. Join with others as we deliberately open our hearts to the wonder of God's gift of Jesus Christ.
• December 24 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve
  A Christmas Eve Candlelight Service planned as a family-oriented service of lessons and carols brings us to the joy of Christmas in the telling of the story of Jesus' birth in scripture and song. We'll light the Christ candle and share the light with each other as we look forward to Christmas Day.

Adult Ed in Advent

Waiting: How do we prepare for Jesus?
Our Christian Education Ministry presents an Adult study program on the four Sundays of Advent. Leah Akers-Bell will lead our study of how various Biblical characters prepared for Jesus. Join us on Advent Sundays at 9:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room as we look at the examples of John the Baptist, Mary, the angel Gabriel, Joseph, and more.

Christmas Luncheon

Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 11:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall

Covenant's Presbyterian Women invite you to their annual Christmas Luncheon in Fellowship Hall on Tuesday, December 9. Doors open at 11:15, lunch at 11:30.

Bonnie Wilcox, Jean Scott, and Margaret Arnold would love to sell you a ticket ($7.00) in Fellowship Hall after worship on November 30 and December 7. In addition to decorated tables and good food, you will enjoy the heavenly music of the Gunn High School Choir, under the direction of Bill Liberatore. Invite your spouse, friends, visitors to share the fun!

Caroling

Sunday, December 14, 2008, 1:00 p.m. meet in Fellowship Hall

Enthusiastic carolers of all ages are invited to meet in Fellowship Hall at 1:00 December 14 to set out on a Caroling Party with Kristen Sheau and Cris Kerns. After several visits, we'll return about 3:30 or so to the Fireside Room for cocoa and cookies. Join the music making to bring some holiday cheer to those whose spirits need a lift.

Christmas Potluck

Sunday, December 21, 2008 after worship in Fellowship Hall

Join us after worship in Fellowship Hall on December 21 for a festive Christmas Potluck Lunch. Sign up December 7 and 14 to bring a dish to share. We'll have a Christmas lunch, some carols, and some Yule log silliness. Bring the family and invite a friend to this traditional event, moved earlier in the day this year to allow everyone to attend and have a quiet evening at home later on.

Deck the Hall

Bring your outdoor gear and head to the tree farm for a Tree-cutting Party after worship and fellowship time on December 7. We'll leave about 1:00 and find the perfect trees to place in the Sanctuary in preparation for celebrating Christmas Eve.

Got a yen for Yule logs? Join the Yule-log-making Party on Saturday, December 20, 10:00 a.m. at the home of Don and Doris Davis. Please contact Charles Scott if you can help provide greens to decorate the Yule logs, which will be distributed during the Potluck Lunch the next day.

Craving cookies? Join the Miss Nancy Cookie Bake in the Kitchen on Saturday, December 20, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Chief cookie chefs Madeleine Fackler and Cindy Sauln will be there to help organize the cookie bakers and decorators —children, adults, families and anyone who just likes holiday baking. You can be a helper—or bring your own favorite recipe and the ingredients and enjoy the company while you create the treats. We'll share the cookies for dessert at the Christmas Potluck Lunch the next day. If you are interested in attending or want to help plan the event, call or email Madeleine.

Blanket Angels

On November 30 and December 7, grab your coffee after worship and settle in to Create a Blanket for "Soldiers' Angels," a volunteer program to create thousands of handmade blankets for America's veterans, wounded warriors, and deployed heroes. The blankets will become part of their winter holiday care packages.

EHP Family Sharing

Rather than adopting an entire family, this year our gifts to the Ecumenical Hunger Program's Family Sharing effort will focus on teenagers because so many were left out last year. We'll collect sweatshirts or hoodies, sizes XL-XXXL (black, gray, brown, dark green--no red or blue gang colors). We also need gift certificates for $25 from Target, Walmart, or Best Buy.

See information on December 7 and 14 in Fellowship Hall. On December 13, we'll have a Wrapping Party at 1:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room to wrap gifts for delivery to EHP on December 15. Join us in this effort to help some of our neighbors in need have a happier holiday season.

Alternative Giving

The Faith Works Ministry invites you to honor a loved one with a gift to a worthy cause this holiday season. Alternative Gift tables will be in Fellowship Hall after worship on December 7 and 14. This year we will focus on helping individuals and families with the bare necessities of life. Stop by the Alternative Gift table and receive a gift card handmade by Laura Carroll to send to the honoree of your gift.

Christmas Joy Offering

Sunday, December 21, 2008

On December 21 during morning worship, we will receive the annual Christmas Joy Offering, which supports those who have faithfully served the church and those who are just developing their gifts. Receipts from this offering are distributed evenly to racial ethnic schools in covenant with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and to the Board of Pensions.

The Board of Pensions offers supplemental help to retired church workers, nursing home assistance, and emergency financial aid. Support of racial ethnic schools and colleges has been a program of the Presbyterian Church for more than 100 years.

Please give generously to this special offering supporting our larger Presbyterian community.

December Chat

Friday, December 12, 2008, 10:00 a.m. in Fireside Room

Join us in the Fireside Room the second Friday of December. We meet at 10:00 for sharing, light refreshments, and light exercises. No RSVP is necessary. We welcome you! Excellent presenters are invited to share with us about healthy living.

Dec. 12: Medicine and Healthy Aging
We all have aches and pains occasionally, so let's learn about the potential of Naturopathic Medicine. Dr. Samia McCully, a graduate of Bastyr University, the world's leading school for natural medicine, will be with us. Dozens of conditions and diseases can be positively impacted by Naturopathic Medicine.

Men's Breakfast

Saturday, December 20, 2008, 8:00 a.m. in Fireside Room

With a well attended November retreat behind us, the Men's Group returns to our regular breakfast meeting, set for Saturday, December 20 at 8:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room. This month, José Espinoza will lead us in a discussion of the second in a series on hospitality from "The Thoughtful Christian." All men are welcome.

On Goats and Chicks

Thanks to all who supported the bake sale held by Mama Jennifer's Cuties and Friends. They raised $160 for their donation to Heifer Project, enough to buy two goats, and maybe some chicks. The girls are still doing chores at home to earn more to add to the pot. Way to go, chicks! And they even had time to make a book giving Pastor Alison lots of advice about moving to Arizona.

Go, Godspeed!

A beautiful surprise awaited worshipers on Pastor Alison's last Sunday, when a new "Godspeed" banner made its first appearance. The banner represented perhaps an unprecedented collaboration of youthful artistic talent supported by the creative imagination and skill of their advisors. Jennifer Espinoza suggested the idea of gifts given to Biblical characters in their journeys and asked each Godspeed youth to represent in their drawing on muslin an attribute they'd like to have on their life's journey. Jane Bernstein's expert design and skill crafted the squares into the beautiful new banner in the Sanctuary. Thank you, all, for the handsome and spiritual addition to our worship!

Library Adds Titles

Here are two items added to the church library that offer new perspectives on faith issues that you want to consider.

While most of us know that Rev. Dr. Isaiah Jones, Jr., was a prolific man when it comes to music and liturgy, you may not know that he wrote three articles on African American spirituality and church music for the journal Call to Worship; Liturgy, Music, Preaching & the Arts, published in Volume 39.3, in 2006. The articles are now in the library in one shelf-style folder. These three articles are titled "African American Spirituality" (pp. 16-20); "Gathering of the Churches, Choir Festivals" (pp. 34-36); and "The Influence of Commercialism on Gospel Music" (pp. 49-50). The library also has his songbook, God Has Smiled on Me. All these titles will be permanently shelved at 264 (Public Worship).

On the matter of promoting interfaith dialog, a favorite subject of mine, we are adding a new book by the SFTS emeritus professor Lewis Mudge, The Gift of Responsibility; the promise of dialog among Christians, Jews, and Muslims. (2008, shelved at 291, Comparative Religion) While much of this book is heavy reading that I skipped over, I can recommend the preface and the rather substantial introduction. The author suggests that the dialog among religions is becoming so divisive that it could soon become a central issue because we are not seriously seeking a common understanding of our theologies. The responsibility he talks about is implicit in the covenant God made with Abraham: "[These faiths] have a common gift of responsibility to a shared covenantal promise to one another and to humanity." I like what he's saying. It is the responsibility of all of us in these Abrahamic religions to join this dialog aimed at a common understanding.
Rudy Dyck, Librarian

Covenant Snow Trip

January 16-19, 2009

Optimists' alert! Come one, come all, to the 3rd Annual Covenant Snow Trip. The weekend getaway for snow lovers is scheduled for January 16-19, 2009, at the Lake Tahoe Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center. The cost is estimated at $75-90 per person for the whole weekend, depending on number attending and food costs.

Reserve your spot now with a $55/person deposit; make your check payable to Covenant Presbyterian Church, memo line "Snow Trip." Don't miss the fun of frolicking in the snow and sharing the snowballs with friends. Contact Teri Jara.

Sendoff for Pastor Alison

Sunday, November 23, 2008 after worship in Fellowship Hall

Eat your heart out, Tony Awards and Oscars! The Covie Awards are coming soon!

Mark your calendar now for the big sendoff. Join us to say "thank you" to our departing Associate Pastor Alison Harrington and give her a Covenant-style sendoff at the 2008 Covie Awards and Potluck Brunch, Sunday, November 23, after worship in Fellowship Hall.

Sign up after worship on November 9 or 16 to reserve your seat and bring your favorite brunch item— sandwiches, salads, quiche, whatever.

A special feature of the occasion will be the 2008 Covie Awards noting some highlights of the last year at Covenant—get it? The "Cov"ies? Don't miss it! Join the fun to give Pastor Alison a proper "bon voyage" party!

Men's Retreat

November 7-9, 2008 at Monterey Dunes

Instead of our regular Saturday breakfast meeting this month, the Covenant Men's Group will hold our Annual Retreat weekend November 7-9, at Monterey Dunes. Our former interim pastor (and spouse of our current interim pastor), John Kelso, will lead the retreat. John did a fabulous job last time, and we are looking forward to his leadership.

Spaces are still available. The cost of housing and food is $200. If you are interested in attending, please contact either Dick Davies or Frank Bernstein.

Food--With and Without

"Won't you join us as we stand in solidarity with the poor and hungry, discerning —with God's help—faithful responses and meaningful coordinated actions to lift up our worldwide community through this global crisis?" A recent announcement from the PC(USA) outlines plans for a year-long focus in the national church on the problem of hunger around the world.

Responding to this effort and to the hunger around us, the Faith Works Ministry invites us to begin in November—when feasting is so much a part of our culture at Thanksgiving— to remember the hungry and find ways to address an obvious need in our own community.

Beginning November 2, we'll revive our tradition of observing a regular Sunday for bringing items for the South Palo Alto Food Closet with First Sunday Food. When we come to worship and share a communion meal on the first Sunday of the month, we encourage you to help fill the food baskets on a table in Fellowship Hall. Canned soups and stews, especially those with pop-tops, dry staples like rice, beans, cereal, and other non-perishable foods, are especially helpful. You can, of course, also continue to drop a check in the offering plate and bring food any Sunday. The months of Thanksgiving and Christmas are particularly urgent months for extra help.

Remember: First Sunday Food at Covenant is a specific time to give thanks by sharing our bounty. Can we help? We hope to make it a habit!

Senior Chat for November 2008

Please join us for stimulating and important discussions every second and fourth Friday of the month from 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room. Light snacks, light exercises, and friendly people await your arrival! No need to RSVP—just come on in!

• November 14: Memorial Favorites
  We will consider our favorite songs, hymns, and readings and record them for the future. It is most helpful for people planning memorial services to know what those remembered want to include. We will have many examples to consider and will have a booklet to fill out and have available for our loved ones to use. You are encouraged to bring your own materials to share with others.
• November 28: Family Chat
  No Senior Chat because of Thanksgiving the day before. Enjoy your holiday, and we'll see you in December. For more information, contact Rev. Dona Smith-Powers, (650) 494-3093.

Coveknitters

Sunday, November 16, 2008, 4:00-6:00 p.m. in Fireside Room

Coveknitters will gather in the Fireside Room on November 16 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. for needle-clicking, chatting, and sipping tea. Bring those Christmas gifts you are hurrying to finish and join us for this time of fellowship and crafts!

Library Notes

Two books by Philip Yancey have actually been "on the side" in the library for a while, waiting to be written up for the newsletter and shelved formally. Alas, I do not know who donated them.

Reaching for the Invisible God; What Can We Expect to Find?, Philip Yancey, 2000, 231/Y (God). I really like the way this book begins. In his preface the author explains that the book proceeds from doubt toward faith much like the way his own faith journey proceeded. He says that he sees his role here as more of a coach than a teacher who merely explains how the journey process works. Just from these words, plus the fact that I previously found another book of Yancey's—What's So Amazing About Grace?—quite readable, my interest was caught, and I was ready to dig into this book at least enough that I could tell you more about it. At the start the subject individual in the book faces some sort of a "thirst for God" but quickly finds himself confronted by a wide range of Christian terminology about the nature of God and the nature of this thirst for God. A struggle ensues and, if the outcome is successful, the thoughtful individual is promptly confronted with questions about the nature of faith. And so it goes, one struggle after another. And the author is your coach. I can imagine this book helping many people. Perhaps you know someone who might be helped by this book.

Soul Survivor; How My Faith Survived the Church, Philip Yancey, 2001, 270/Y (Christian biography). In a way I found this book similar to the one above. Again Yancey writes about an aspect of the struggle he had early in his own faith journey. But in this book he reaches beyond his own experience and tells about dialogs with others on the subject of their misgivings about the church in their lives. I had to read carefully to understand the nature of this book, because only about half of these "dialogs" are person-to-person, the others being what you might call literary dialogs, where he meets the other person through published writings. He begins with Martin Luther King. Yancey grew up in Atlanta, graduating from high school there in 1966. He tells about his family's concerns and trauma as King, also from Atlanta, was "using the gospel" in the process of "inciting riot in the name of justice." The church there was conflicted, and young Yancey was still early in his faith journey. There are 13 of these dialogs. In the case of Annie Dillard, Yancey interviewed Dillard, already an accomplished author, for a magazine article in 1977 when they were both in their twenties. One reason I recommend this book is that I like the idea of Christians being open enough about their own personal faith that they can talk about not-so-good aspects of their own church experiences.
Rudy Dyck, Librarian

Remembering Pastor Isaiah

So that Covenant can share in celebrating the life of our Pastor Emeritus, Rev. Dr. Isaiah Jones, Jr., who passed away September 21, several opportunities are scheduled for your remembrances.

• On Monday, September 29, the Sanctuary will be open for meditation and prayer during the time of the service in Los Angeles, 11:00 a.m-1:00 p.m. Quiet music will be provided.
• On October 5, we will sing Pastor Isaiah's communion liturgy during World Communion Sunday worship. On October 5 and 12 during Fellowship time after worship, pages for a memory book will be available for you to send your thoughts and remembrances to his family.
• On October 12, join us for Tea and Coconut Cake during Fellowship hour as we celebrate Isaiah's time at Covenant.

We hope you'll join us as we remember Pastor Isaiah's life and his time with us in joy and thanks for his special gifts of ministry and music.

In Memorium

Isaiah Jones, Jr.
March 10, 1940-September 21, 2008

We were saddened to learn early last Monday that our dear Pastor Emeritus, Rev. Dr. Isaiah Jones, Jr., went home to God on September 21. His leukemia had returned, and his weakened immune system was unable to fight off a bout with pneumonia.

Isaiah Jones, Jr., was born in St. Louis, the first of four children. As a small child, he played "piano" on table tops, before learning from a neighbor at age 10 to play "Precious Lord in the Key of A-flat." His love of music took him on a remarkable life journey from the gospel scene in Chicago to a Broadway production of Langston Hughes' "Black Nativity," his well known stint as keyboardist for the Fifth Dimension, and his first job as a Minister of Music in an "Anglo" church in Los Angeles that sang "black style gospel music."

Some of us remember a union service where only the Presbyterians in the congregation needed the music as we sang "God Has Smiled on Me." Pastor Isaiah's 7-1/2 years at Covenant were a great gift to us as he shared his passion for living each day to God's glory, and his joy in ministry and music.

Isaiah leaves his daughter Isis, her husband Seth Pickens and son Seth Isaiah; daughter Ikela; son Larry; brother David and sister Loretta and their families. We send our sympathy to his family and give thanks for the "Wondrous Grace of God" in his life. The title of the book he started last spring? God Has Smiled on Me, of course.

Share the Feast, Share the Gifts

On Sunday, October 5, we will observe World Communion Sunday with other Christians around the world. The Presbyterian Church began this celebration in 1936, with the idea that the first Sunday in October would be a time of sharing our oneness in Christ with other denominations and churches.

We will also receive our annual Peacemaking Offering that day. Seventy-five percent goes to support of the peacemaking programs of our Presbytery, Synod, and denomination around the world. We retain the other 25% to support local programs such as the Ecumenical Hunger Program, Urban Ministry, or Rev. Charles Tinsley's work with juvenile offenders.

We invite you to support this offering generously. Make your check out to Covenant Presbyterian Church and write "Peace-making Offering" on the memo line. Special envelopes will be placed in the pews.

Join the Party for the Covenant Children's Center

Thursday, October 2, 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall

Covenant members, friends, and families are invited to a potluck supper and celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Covenant Children's Center, Thursday, October 2, 6:30 p.m., in Fellowship Hall.

The founding of the Children's Center at Covenant in 1978 responded to the growing need for high quality childcare for neighborhood families. Since then, dozens of Covenant families have enrolled children in the CCC. Just as important are the hundreds of children from the surrounding area who have learned to love and be loved by the caring staff of the CCC.

Wells for Malawi

Sunday, October 26, 2008, after worship in Fireside Room

Have you ever given your child a drink of water from a ditch or polluted stream? For many parents around the world, there is no other choice.

Bring a brown bag lunch and join Richard and Beverly Martin in the Fireside Room on October 26 after worship, when they will share how their church in Urbana, Illinois, began a sister church relationship with a Presbyterian church in Domasi, Malawi, and realized the need for clean water.

Over 30% of the people in Malawi do not have access to clean water, and one in five children dies before the age of five from water borne diseases. Where clean water is available, children's deaths from dysentery are almost eliminated. The Urbana and Domasi churches expanded a shallow water wells program from another area of Malawi, and now have built almost 400 shallow water wells in the Domasi area, with each well serving a village of 200-300 people. How can the wells be built for $350 each? Join us in the Fireside room and find out.

Richard and Beverly will show pictures of their visit in 1997 to initiate the relationship with the prayer house; the continuing joint project for building water wells in the region; construction of a new church building; and their joyous visit in June of this year. Join us for this unusual opportunity to learn about a firsthand mission service experience.

Between the Lines

Covenant's new book club meets on Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room to discuss Marilynne Robinson's Pulitzer Prize winning book Gilead. It's never too late to pick up a good book and gather with friends to discuss what the book is saying to you between the lines.

Confirmation Ice Cream Social

Sunday, October 26, 2008, 3:00 p.m. in Fireside Room

In 2009, we will offer confirmation for anyone older than 6th grade who would like to become a confirmed Covenant member. What does it mean to be confirmed? How do you get confirmed? Come to an introductory confirmation meeting on October 26, at 3:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room, to have all your questions answered. This meeting is for youth over 6th grade thinking about being confirmed, their parents, and any adult who would like to be confirmed. Join us for ice cream and an introduction to what it means to be confirmed as a Presbyterian.

Coveknitters Resumes

Sunday, October 19, 2008, 4:00-6:00 p.m. in Fireside Room

Has your stack of mending piled up over the summer? Are you beginning to make Christmas presents? Or do you just want to chat over a lovely cup of tea? Join the Coveknitters on October 19, 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room for tea and handwork and chat.

Senior Chats for October

You are always welcome to join Senior Chat on the second and fourth Friday mornings each month at 10:00 a.m. Our friendly group shares refreshments and lively, stimulating discussion, led by presenters who are knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects. The Chats are truly an ecumenical experience, ur sessions. For more information, call Rev. Dona Smith-Powers.

• October 10: What to Do When Someone Dies
  Each of us faces this subject eventually when a loved one dies. It's good to know ahead of time just what to do, both legally and financially, and how to do it. If we have the information ahead of time, we will feel more confident and prepared. Evelyn Berk, a master tax specialist, will be our presenter.
• October 24: Tuina—Chinese Style Self-Massage and Exercise
  Sunny Chen will give us a way to keep the chi/energy flow in the body moving smoothly. If we know personal care for the body, we will learn how to relax and how to encourage our own personal health. Sunny will show us the meridians, accupressure points and the eight movements of Tuina.

Go Godspeed!

"Godspeed" is the new name we decided on for our youth church program because of what the word means.

First, "Godspeed" is something you say to someone taking a journey so that he or she will have a safe trip. Going through middle school and high school is like taking a journey—whether it's fun, or tough, through it all God travels with you. We hope that what you learn here helps you have a safe journey through your teenage years.

Second, Godspeed means that we don't follow the speed and pace of the world but that we move at a different speed— God's speed. We have different values from the world's and make different choices. We hope Godspeed will also help you move at God's speed and make the right choices.

Finally, we thought it sounded cool. Youth will stay for the entire worship service the first Sunday of each month, and then on other Sundays will be dismissed for Godspeed after the Children and Faith Moment. Welcome—and Godspeed!

Blessing of the Pets

Saturday, October 4, 2008, 11:00 a.m. Covenant's front lawn

Animals are a wonderful part of God's creation and often important members of our families. Join us at 11:00 a.m. on St. Francis Day, October 4, on the front lawn for a blessing of the pets. Bring your rabbits, snakes, iguanas, orangutans, dogs and cats along as we celebrate the special place of animals in our lives and our world.

Reserve Your Spot for the Men's Retreat

November 7-9, 2008 at Monterey Dunes

The Covenant Men's group holds its Annual Retreat November 7-9 at Monterey Dunes. Rev. John Kelso will lead our weekend discussion and study sessions.

In "Good God Questions," we will discuss some of the perplexing questions people of faith encounter as we live in our busy and complex times: Why Does God Allow Suffering? How Do I Find God's Will For My Life? What Does God's Forgiveness Mean? No advance preparation is required; just bring an open mind and a willingness to listen to others.

The cost for the weekend is $200; make checks payable to Covenant Presbyterian Church. Some scholarships are available. Please don't let cost stop you from sharing this fantastic time of fellowship. Contact Dick Davies or Frank Bernstein to sign up.

Music Director Welcomed

Covenant is pleased to welcome Donald Dillard as our new Interim Music Director. Mr. Dillard is already known to many of us for his fine music as a substitute organist on occasion.

A Philadelphia native, Mr. Dillard studied piano and voice at West Chester University and continued graduate studies in organ, conducting, and group vocal techniques at Westminster College at Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey.

He is also a composer of over 100 works for chorus, instruments, piano, organ, and voice, including cantatas, oratorios, a concerto, song cycles, and other orchestral works. His compositions have been performed throughout the United States and in several other countries, in recital halls, music educators' conventions, churches, and festivals. He has taught music on all levels and holds memberships in many musical professional organizations. He is married to pianist Yoko Nagashima-Dillard.

We are delighted to have Mr. Dillard with us for the next few months as organist and director of the sanctuary choir and handbell choir. He is looking forward to finding ways to increase involvement in our music programs. We hope you'll take a chance to get acquainted—and think about joining one of our choirs to help make some beautiful music happen at Covenant.

Fall Schedule Begins

Covenant returns to our regular worship hour beginning next Sunday, September 7, at 10:45 a.m. We look forward to welcoming everyone "home" to Covenant after a summer of travel, family visits, and Union Worship with our neighbors. We also hope you'll make an extra effort to invite a friend and welcome visitors who worship with us.

Sunday School Returns

Sunday School classes for children and youth resume at 9:30 a.m., Sunday, September 14. Children through 4th grade will gather in Room 5 with Jennifer Espinoza, Ellen Wunder, Esther Lee, and Cris Kerns. Children 5th grade and older will meet in the Fireside Room with José Espinoza, Diane Jones, and Ana Yañez.

Pastor Alison Harrington and Sunday School teachers are planning a new program for children and youth as they grow in their faith. See you in Sunday School!

Kickoff in the Back Yard

Some have traveled far away this summer while others enjoyed their own back yard. But September 7, we'll gather as a church family to gear up for all the exciting activities planned in the life of Covenant this fall.

Borrowing the theme of our summer Vacation Bible Camp, we'll focus on God's Big Back Yard and the call we have as Christians to serve one another. In worship we'll commission our Sunday School teachers and hear some music from Vacation Bible Camp. We'll read from the scriptures to learn about living as community in God's Big Back Yard and gather around the communion table. This service is planned for all ages, and we hope all the kids will stay through the service although child care will be provided if necessary.

After worship, join us in Fellowship Hall for God's Big Backyard Bar-B-Que—we can't get the whole family together and not light up the grill! Bring a side dish, salad, or dessert to share, and we'll provide bar-b-que, drinks and paper products.

Senior Chat Returns

Senior Chat returns to Covenant in September with two excellent programs to begin the new season. We invite you to join us in the Fireside Room from 10:00-11:30 a.m. We are a friendly, interdenominational group who share stimulating discussions, light exercises, brief devotionals, and light refreshment on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. We welcome everyone, and no RSVP's are necessary. Join us!

• September 12: Knowing Children
  Rev. Dona Smith-Powers leads our discussion, and you are encouraged to relate how the children in your life bring you health and joy. We have been told that people live longer if they retain the gifts of wonder, spontaneity, and humor as they age. Being in the presence of children can encourage those qualities in our lives.
• September 26: Depression--a Human Experience
  Debby Hagenmaier, R.N., M.S.N., from El Camino Hospital, will share with us the signs, symptoms and intervention options for depression. Whether you or your loved ones have occasional low key depression clinical depression, there are practical ways to deal with it and to improve one's outlook on life.

For more information, contact Rev. Dona Smith-Powers.

From the Library: Read up on Borg and Brown, theologians

Recent church announcements distributed at union services included a notice that Marcus Borg will be the featured speaker at this year's Robert McAfee Brown Lectureship event at First Presbyterian Church, November. 7-9. Borg is Professor of Religion and Culture at Oregon State University and a fellow of the Jesus Seminar. His book The Heart of Christianity; Rediscovering a Life of Faith will be studied at the seminar and is in Covenant's library. The front cover asks, "How we can be passionate believers today?" I read this book when I was reviewing it in 2006, and I like the way that Borg shows us how to rethink our faith in a changing world, a serious lesson but not too intense.

Our Covenant library also includes several of Robert McAfee Brown's books about the Bible and about applying our Christian faith to the world's problems, paperbacks about 150 pages long. Unexpected News; Reading the Bible with Third World Eyes and Saying Yes and Saying No; on Rendering to God and Caesar are easy reading but also quite stimulating. Brown's autobiography, Reflections Over the Long Haul; a Memoir, was completed by his family after his death and has wonderful accounts of civil rights movements he was in the middle of, just to mention one sort of thing you will find in this biography.
Rudy Dyck, Librarian

Book Study

Wanted: Good People who enjoy talking about Good Books. Plans are in development now for a midweek Book Study program. As soon as we survey which days are most available to interested readers, we'll gather with friends to discuss ideas and questions raised in some current works of fact (non-fiction) and fiction. Details will be available soon. Contact Pastor Alison if you are interested in a midweek afternoon book chat with others who love a good "read" and welcome the chance to talk about it.

Adult Education Programs Set

Two events are scheduled to focus on Adult Education in a new way this Fall.

• What Happened At General Assembly?They came, they voted, they left…so what happened? Join us in the Fireside Room after worship September 21 for a bag lunch discussion about what happened at the 218th General Assembly, a controversial one—but aren't they always?
  Pending ratification by local Presbyteries, ordination of gays and lesbians was approved for the first time. The Assembly also returned actions on other issues to local Presbyteries for discussion. Come and learn what went on while we were all busy volunteering. Bring your bag lunch and join us for a lively discussion.
• Coming in October…
  Join us after worship October 26 to learn about Beverly and Richard Martin's work with their Urbana church, which has helped dig wells in Africa so that communities can have access to clean water.

Movie Nights Return

During worship in September we will focus on the story of Moses. So we're taking a great opportunity to schedule our first "movie night," and we'll show the movie Prince of Egypt! We hope you'll join us September 12, at 6:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room for this wonderful depiction of the story of how God led Moses and the Hebrew people to freedom.

Covenant Men's Group

Gather all ye men! The Covenant Men's group resumes our monthly breakfasts in September. Note: Because of a Presbytery meeting on our usual third Saturday, we will meet instead this month on the second Saturday, September 13, at 8:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room.

We will continue our roaming through the various lessons in The Thoughtful Christian. If anyone would like to lead this month's session, please contact Frank Bernstein.

Let us retreat to go forward together!
The Covenant Men's group will have our Annual Retreat November 7-9 at Monterey Dunes, our usual stomping ground. We will dearly miss our beloved John Keith, but we know he will be with us—more than we know. John asked John Kelso to lead our retreat this year, and John Kelso has graciously agreed.

In "Good God Questions," we will discuss some of the perplexing questions people of faith encounter as we live in our busy and complex times: Why Does God Allow Suffering? How Do I Find God's Will For My Life? What Does God's Forgiveness Mean? No advance preparation is required; just bring an open mind and a willingness to listen to others.

Cost is $200; make checks payable to Covenant Presbyterian Church. Thanks to the generosity of the breakfast participants, some scholarships are available. Please don't let cost stop you from sharing this fantastic time of fellowship. Contact Dick Davies or Frank Bernstein to sign up.

Thanks for Vacation Bible Camp

God's Big Back Yard was full of excited children and lots of activity for our fifth Vacation Bible Camp in late July. We had 65 children participating in this joint effort of four churches: Covenant, First Christian, First Baptist, and, for the first time, i-Church.

We enjoyed the blessing of getting to know Ji-Yeon, in charge of Children's Ministries for i-Church, who served as a crew leader and brought five helpers for what we hope will be the first of more collaborations between our churches.

Pastor Alison and Cindy Prioste of First Christian Church were hilarious in improvised Bible dramas—sort of a Lucy and Ethel team, if you know who they are! Cris Kerns did an excellent job as craft leader, and two of Covenant's youngest members, Chloe Aaronson and Penny Sharp Alexander, participated.

We are thankful for all of our youth leaders and for the opportunity VBC affords them to develop leadership skills and to experience the satisfaction that comes from serving God.

This year's theme of service was highlighted by special speakers like Jane Bernstein, who shared stories of serving her family, especially her autistic son Peter. We also learned about serving our friends from a speaker from Green Pastures, the local home for disabled children; serving our neighbors, from a speaker from Almost Eden Garden, which provides produce for the Food Closet; serving our community, ject; and serving God, from Pastor Paula, who spoke about sharing the word of God and telling people about Jesus.

Other helpers included Natalia Tanojo, a crew leader who also brought her own children and four others dropped at her house so they could come; Diann Chethik, who provided lots of popular games; the Snack Crew of Lillian and Steve Quan, Janette Lee, Kelly Quan, and Esther Lee; Lizanne Reynolds, who shopped for groceries; and Teri Jara, who came to help the first day and stayed the rest of the week to help organize our paper work and do other jobs. The show-stopper was the arrival of the Good Humor Man, Charles Scott, who rang his bicycle bell and rolled in a cooler full of ice cream treats.

Even if you only dropped in for a moment, the energy and enthusiasm were apparent. The raves at the end of the week testified to the power of teaching children to work with each other and learn about God's world. Thanks, finally, to Jennifer Espinoza, whose creative energies and generous spirit radiates to children, youth helpers, and adults involved in the program. Can't wait to see what happens next year!

Kids Get Packs

Thanks to the generous response to the plea for backpacks and school supplies, Covenant, First Baptist, and First Presbyterian members donated and assembled about 40 backpacks for needy kids in time for distribution by the Interfaith Network for Community Help before school started.

Food Closet Needs You

While we were coming and going all summer, the South Palo Alto Food Closet's ministry to needy people in our neighborhood continued. As you've heard in the news, Food Closets and similar aid programs for the needy are finding the numbers of people they serve growing larger with the whimsies of the economy.

The Food Closet welcomes your donations year round: canned goods and dry staples, checks, a volunteer shift to serve clients or help with a monthly cleaning. In summer, they also welcome fresh produce if you have enthusiastic garden plants running rampant; call the Food Closet to check on how to donate fresh produce.

You can always leave canned goods in the Narthex basket, or drop a check in the offering plate or the office, payable to "Covenant Presbyterian Church," memo line, "South Palo Alto Food Closet."

For information about how to volunteer for a regular or substitute shift, call Jean Jones, about how you can help. She'll be glad to hear from you!

Senior Chat for July

Join us in the Fireside Room from 10:00-11:30 for speakers on timely subjects.

• July 11 - Single Payer Plan for California with Carol Dalrymple speaks on the latest information we need about health care plans.
• July 25 - Emergency Preparedness with Barbara Camino of the City of Palo Alto talks about practical, lifesaving changes in our "emergency kits."

Baseball Game

Monday, August 11, 7:00 p.m.

Take me out to the Ball Game! Covenant will be going to a San Jose Giants game on August 11th. We will be sitting in the VIP deck, which is well equipped with lots of food. Tickets are only $8 for kids and $10 for adults, so sign up in the Fellowship Hall after worship.

Library Browsing

Most of you have by now heard me talk about "preselected possible gems" from Pastor Isaiah's book donations of about a year ago, but thus far you've only seen one mentioned last month, When Corporations Rule the World. Now, we are shifting into high gear with four more titles from Isaiah added to the library.

• Reformed Spirituality; An Introduction for Believers, by Howard Rice, 1991, shelved at 248/R. Pastor Paula Kelso and I have discussed this book briefly, and I have read portions of it. In layman's terms, I would call this "spirituality from soup to nuts." That is, the reader finds out that there are a number of different aspects to reformed spirituality. I quickly found a few especially helpful sections.
• Reformed Confessions of the 16th Century," edited by Arthur Cochrane with an introduction by Jack get the urge to dig a little deeper into all those confessions that we have heard about from the first 50 years or so after the Reformation, this would be one place to start digging, because that is what most of the book is about. Jack Rogers is especially good at helping lay folks grapple with these kinds of complexities of our faith history and tradition.
• Documents for the Study of the Gospels, edited by D. Cartlidge and D. Dungan, 1994, 229/C. This book is for those who enjoy exploring non-canonical gospel-type writings of the New Testament era. Since we added a similar one about a year ago titled The Complete Gospels, it would be interesting to see how they compare. Any takers of this challenge?
• The Kingdom of the Cults, by Walter Martin, 1985, 291/M. I am glad to have this reference book in our library. Others on cults and sects that I have come across here have generally been quite dated, and I have the feeling about cults that they are often immature and still evolving, so timeliness is rather important. Ordinarily I would at least read a few sections at the front and at the back of a book I am commenting on, but not this time. However, I see that the last three chapter titles are quite catchy: "The Jesus of the Cults," "Cult-Evangelism – Mission Field on the Doorstep," and "The Road to Recovery."

Happy exploring.
Rudy Dyck, Librarian

News From Faith in Action

Many thanks for your generous gifts to the Pentecost Offering, totaling $1,182.70 to date. This PC(USA) sponsored offering goes in part to youth at risk programs.

Carol Holsinger notes that the Spring edition of the San Francisco Theological Seminary Chimes magazine features an item about Rev. Charles Tinsley, whose work with youth in the Contra Costa County juvenile detention system we have supported with our Alternative Christmas Gifts and other funds.

Rev. Tinsley has been selected as the 2008 Martin Luther King, Jr., Humanitarian of the Year. Contra Costa County presents the award each year to individuals who embody the ideologies that Martin Luther King, Jr. taught —integrity, peace, justice, nonviolence, diversity, equality for all and community involvement.

It's not too late to add your gift to the Pentecost Offering, which supports programs like these. You can put a check, made out to Covenant Presbyterian Church, memo line "Pentecost Offering," in the offering plate or leave it in the Church Office.
Faith in Action

Celebrate Presbyterian Women

Covenant had a very special tea after worship on June 1, in honor of more than fifty years of Covenant's presence as part of the Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of San Jose.

After long and faithful service in missions and study, fellowship and worship, Covenant's Presbyterian Women will retire from active membership in the larger church women's association and programs.

For many years, Covenant's Presbyterian Women have met monthly for study and speakers, provided circle programs for discussion and prayer, managed Christmas Luncheons and Bazaar fundraisers and Sewing and Crafts activities. They have sewn toiletries bags for the Urban Ministry's homeless clients, collected box tops and soup labels for mission projects, and supported special missions like the Menaul School in New Mexico and others.

Antless Picnic Coming Up

Sunday, June 15 after worship in the Fellowship Hall and patio.

To celebrate the end of the school year and the beginning of summer, you're invited to give Dad a break from his summer barbecue duties on Father's Day and join us for the Second Annual Antless Picnic in Fellowship Hall on June 15, immediately after worship.

The Fearless Frankznburgers Jara and Bernstein will tend the grills, and hot dogs, burgers, drinks, and paper goods will be provided. Jasmine Jara has been tending the ants she won since last year's picnic. Who will get to take the critters home this year?

Join us for the fun and good food in this official Summer Kickoff event. Sign up after worship on June 1 or 8 to bring your favorite picnic salad, side dish, or dessert to share. And don't forget to invite a friend to share the fun.

Summer Worship

June 22-August 3, 2008

The week after we celebrate summer with our Antless Picnic, we will move to our Summer Worship schedule. a.m. each Sunday through August 3.

Also on June 22, members of Covenant and First Presbyterian will worship together at Covenant while some from both churches attend the Opening Worship service of the General Assembly in San Jose, also at 10:00 a.m.

General Assembly

San Jose plays host this month to the 218th General Assembly of the PC(USA). Local and national planners have worked for more than a year to be ready for this important biennial convening of church clergy and lay leaders to address policies and issues facing Presbyterians around the world.

Covenant will send several volunteer workers to San Jose to help welcome, direct, and host the delegates from across the country and around the world to the South Bay Area. Some will sing in the Opening Worship Choir, and others have offered to be Prayer Partners and host volunteer workers in their homes. There's still time to volunteer to help, and we'll report details about the great event in the next issue.

Pastor Nominating Committee

Last week, Covenant took an important step in determining the course God wants us to take next by commissioning the Pastor Nominating Committee members elected at the Annual Meeting May 18.

It's an impressive group of energetic Covenant members who agreed to serve our congregation in this special task. The newly elected PNC meets with Session on June 4 at the regular Session meeting and then will begin its own intense meeting schedule, with the help of Rev. David McCreath, our PNC liaison from the Presbytery's Committee on Ministry.

Here's a look at your newly elected Pastor Nominating Committee:

• Frank Bernstein retired from active Session service last spring, after six years on the Session. During that time, he served as Trustee and helped launch and complete the Leap of Faith Campaign. He is also active in the Men's Breakfast Group and shows up as pancake and sausage cook on almost any excuse.
• Matthew Fackler grew up at Covenant and is currently serving as a Youth Elder on the Session. He is a frequent worship assistant.
• Frank Jara has been a Covenant member for two years. Frank says he's currently a "rookie" Deacon, and has served on the Evangelism Committee and as an usher and greeter.
• Dick Liewer is one of the original "Covenant kids" and has served more than one term on the Session. He's one of our masterminds of Building and Grounds maintenance and Work Days, and has helped develop several outreach programs during his time on Session.
• Lizanne Reynolds came to Covenant eight years ago and has served previously as a Bible study teacher in the LOGOS program and one term as a Deacon, with one year as Moderator.
• Kristen Sheau came to Covenant a few years ago and made her presence known quickly as an expert in Covenant's bicycle brigades. We've heard her in the choir and as a clarinet soloist. She is currently serving her first term as a Deacon and is a favorite among the younger set for her active life style, leading hikes and Earth Day programs and bicycle outings with Geoff and other fans.
• Bruce Templeton is also an original "Covenant kid" and is serving his second term on a Pastor Nominating Committee. He is a longtime member of the choir and the Support Committee, and was one of the Big-Three-Honchos who led the successful Leap of Faith Campaign to refurbish the Fellowship Hall and Sanctuary.
• Ellen Wunder has served as both an Elder and a Deacon, and has been a longtime member of the Handbell Choir. She has also helped with youth programs and Sunday School and has been part of the Evangelism committee this year. This is also Ellen's second term on a Pastor Nominating Committee, which she describes as a "challenging and rewarding" task.

New Officers

An Elder and three Deacons were also elected at the Annual Meeting May 18.

• Elder Carol Holsinger will complete the last year of George Van Hare's term and will act as Clerk of Session. She has served before as an Elder and Clerk of Session, has served many years on the Faith in Action committee, and worked in the LOGOS program.
• Diann Chethik is a former Deacon, Elder and Clerk of Session. She has served on a Pastor Nominating Committee and is a longtime choir member, Sunday School teacher, and member of the Support and Nominating Committees.
• Cris Kerns is a teenager who has grown up at Covenant. He's been active in the LOGOS program and Children's Choir, and he's helped with Sunday School and Vacation Bible Camp.
• Kathy Kerns has served before as both a Deacon and an Elder and recently became our financial secretary. She's a longtime choir member and has been active in the Faith in Action and Worship Committees, parents groups, and Coveknitters.

Senior Chats for June

Senior Chat offers a delightful variety of presentations with something for everyone! We meet every second and fourth Friday in the Fireside Room. We welcome you to join us and invite a friend. We begin at 10:00 a.m. and usually finish by 11:30, although some stay longer to visit with the presenters. For more information, call Rev. Dona Smith-Powers, Coordinator.

• June 13: Seasons of our Lives in Music - John Lehman has a collection of thousands of tunes from times past and will choose some to share with us. The music will reflect the yearly season as well as our life's seasons. He has been well received in our chats in the past, and we always are surprised at how many of the old singers and bands that we recognize. Nostalgia reigns!
• June 27: How to Shorten Your Life - How many stress points do you have? Debby Hagenmaier, R.N., M.S.N., will tell us how to cut that number and thus reduce our risk for disease, disability and early death. Resolving stress issues isn't just a simple matter of trying to have a calm exterior to the world. Rather, it involves the inner life and consideration of attitudes that influence our behavior.

Vacation Bible Camp

Vacation Bible Camp comes to Covenant next month. But we're looking for volunteer helpers of all kinds right now.

Our Vacation Bible Camp—God's Big Back Yard—sets up camp in Fellowship Hall from July 28-August 1, 1:00-4:00 p.m. We're already taking registrations for this highly successful program for youngsters age 5 through grade 5.

Our most pressing need is for crew leaders of high school age or older who can lead a small group of children through each day's activities. Crew leaders will be assisted by a junior crew member.

There are also many other ways you can be involved, either by helping at camp or by helping behind the scenes with shopping, preparing snacks, assisting Cris Kerns, our craft leader, with crafts, loaning props for decorations or Bible dramas, and so on. Chuck Scott has already been typecast as the Good Humor Man and will be distributing ice cream bars for snacks on one of our camp days. But we have lots of other roles for you, too.

Bible Camp is so much fun! The program provides a great outreach to our community and gives our youth, as well as the rest of us, a chance to exercise our spiritual gifts.

We hope you'll join us and share the fun, the love, and the learning. Please talk to Jennifer Espinoza for more information or email her.

Summer Reading

It's been a while since I have written a commentary on a work of fiction, so I felt challenged as I first thought about what to write about this first new addition, Christ the Lord; the Road to Cana" by Anne Rice (2007), donated by Joan Gielow.

First, I pondered how much of the book I might want to read. Well, I surprised myself and read all the not-quite-240 pages, and now I can recommend it. I did not know of Rice even though this is her 22nd book and she lives in California. Surprisingly, after making a name for herself writing vampire stories (!!), this is her second book of a series entitled "Christ the Lord," and she tells this story with Jesus speaking in the first person throughout(!!!). Readers can join the author in imagining what it was like to live in Judea in New Testament days. They can also imagine Jesus' thoughts over this short time that includes a local stoning of two boys; a minor uprising involving a march of irate men from Nazareth to Caesarea over a perceived Roman insult to their faith; Jesus' baptism by John at the Jordan; and the engagement and marriage of a close friend of Jesus' to a man whose family lives in Cana. This is a lot to imagine. Too much, really. But it is interesting to do so, and it does make one think about what one accepts or rejects as being plausible for this man Jesus, whom we often describe as 100% man and 100% God.

The second book going on the New Additions shelf this month is from Pastor Isaiah's donations last year: When Corporations Rule the World, by David Korten (1996), to be shelved at 322 (Corporations-- political aspects). First, I should point out that Isaiah was active on the Presbyterian board, Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI), hence his interest in a book like this. (For more information on MRTI see the "Church and Society" journal issue of Sept/Oct 2002 in our library.)

I only have a few comments about this book about the injustices resulting from recent globalization. The author taught business management in leading universities in America and at seminars around the world. One day he was troubled enough about these injustices to decide he had to do more to bring about change, so in the early '90s he and some of his friends started the PCD Forum (People-Centered Development Forum).

Together they focused their efforts on what he calls "seeking to transform the global so as to empower the local." He says, "An active propaganda machinery controlled by the largest corporations constantly reassures us that consumerism is the path to happiness, governmental restraint of market excess is the cause our distress, and economic globalization is both an historical inevitability and a boon to the species. In fact, these are all myths...." The book presents his view of the results of globalization and the reasons more of us should be working for change.

Our church library has a wide variety of books, fiction and nonfiction, on many subjects. Drop by for some summer browsing.
Rudy Dyck, Librarian

Earth Day Celebration

On a slightly breezy, but beautiful Saturday morning (April 19th) 5 youth and 8 adults from Covenant fanned out over Mitchell Park, our backyard, to pick up trash. We also found lots to recycle. After washing up thoroughly, we headed back for a picnic. Some played a very active game of frisbee led by champions Kristen and Geoff, while others relaxed, chatted and watched a mother and baby killdeer running around near us.

On Sunday join us as we continue to enjoy God’s creation by taking a hike in Foothill Park following worship. Bring your lunch and we will have a picnic before heading out on our hike.

Vacation Bible Camp

God's Big Backyard this summer at Covenant July 28 through August 1, 2008 - 1:00 to 4:00pm Kindergarten through 5th Grade Pre-registration required with $25 fee (scholarships available).

Vacation Bible Camp this summer will start in your own backyard and get bigger each day as kids take the love of Jesus into their neighborhoods and communities! Kids will participate in the large group excitement of Backyard Bash, experience God's Word at Backyard Bible Club, meet real-life servants at Community Corner, plus explore and create through fun-filled crafts, snacks, and games. Just step outside, take a look over your fence, and help kids discover how much fun they can have serving in God's Big Backyard!

Download and complete registration form and return to church office at 670 East Meadow Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94306. Questions: email Jennifer

One Great Hour of Sharing Update

Thanks to all who made a gift to One Great Hour of Sharing. Covenant's offering on Palm Sunday raised $1,330 which will be used to aid relief of the current flooding in the Midwest and other disasters, hunger programs, and self-development projects.

You can still make a donation to this year's One Great Hour of Sharing offering by placing a check in the offering plate. Make your check payable to Covenant Presbyterian Church with OGHS on the memo line.

Senior Chat for April

One way to energize yourself is to join us at a Senior Chat. In less than two hours you will feel more energy to meet the days ahead! We find healing and stimulation for our bodies, minds and spirits. Join us on the second and fourth Fridays from 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room. Welcome! We are a diverse group of friendly folks. For more information, contact Rev. Dona Smith-Powers.

• April 11: Dealing With Change
  We will explore the inevitable transitions in life: past, present and future. What are the serious, wise, humorous approaches to dealing with change? Kim Smith-Nilsson and Sue Ann Yarbrough, UCC ministers, will take us through some reflective questions and sharing of experiences as we discover our unique ways of dealing with life's transitions.
• April 25: Harmonica for Health
  Dr. Victor Yun has found the harmonica to bring health and meaning into his life. He will share information about the history, the basics of playing the harmonica, and the health benefits gained from the experience. Learning to play a new musical instrument creates new neurons in the brain! If you have a harmonica, bring it to the session.

CROP Walk to Fight Hunger

Sunday, April 27, 1:00 p.m. at Hoover Middle School

The 31st Annual South Bay CROP Hunger Walk is scheduled for Sunday, April 27, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Hoover Middle School, 1635 Park Ave., San Jose. Walkers will have one or five mile options.

The CROP Walk brings neighbors together to raise awareness of hunger and supports both local and international relief and development through the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, Sacred Heart Community Service, Church World Service, and other international humanitarian agencies.

Covenant's Faith in Action Ministry Team is looking for someone to be our Walk coordinator to recruit walkers and provide them with information about securing sponsors and pledges. Please call Susan at the Church Office (494-1670) or Laura of the Faith in Action Ministry Team (856-3452) if you can help.

Earth Day Events

Join Covenant for two events to celebrate Earth Day, April 19-20.

On Saturday morning, we will gather to work on a local outdoor service project. On Sunday afternoon, we will go hiking at Arastradero Park.

All are welcome, and parents are encouraged to accompany their children. Details will be announced in upcoming worship bulletins. Contact Kristen or Geoff Sheau for further information at (650) 704-6195.

Offering of Letters

Sunday, April 6 after worship in Fellowship Hall

Plan some time on Sunday, April 6, after worship in Fellowship Hall to write a letter for Bread for the World's Offering of Letters. This year's Offering of Letters urges that the U.S. provide more and better poverty-focused development assistance for countries around the world in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating world poverty by 2015.

Halfway from 2000, when the goals were adopted, we have accomplished many things: more kids are in school, more people have clean water, fewer children are dying from preventable diseases, more AIDS victims are getting lifesaving medications. But there is much to do: people in extreme poverty, people going to bed hungry, children without schools and dying from preventable disease.

Write a letter to an elected official on April 6 and tell him or her we can do better!

Presbyterian Women Lunch

Tuesday, April 8, noon in the Fireside Room

Presbyterian Women will have a salad potluck lunch on Tuesday, April 8, in the Fireside Room, beginning at 12:00. Rolls and dessert will be provided.

The program begins at 1:00 p.m. Louise Claspill will talk about Ra Black, the wonderful artist crippled by polio, who designed the beautiful Sanctuary banners that change with the seasons and the liturgical calendar.

You can sign up for lunch on April 6 after worship in Fellowship Hall. Come for lunch, fellowship, and a glimpse of some of Covenant's history.

Lent, Easter and Holy Week at Covenant

As we journey through the second half of Lent toward the passion and resurrection of Jesus, we hope you'll celebrate this holy season with us.

Lenten Suppers and Study
Lenten soup suppers and study continue through Holy Week, concluding March 19.

Palm/Passion Sunday, March 16
After beginning with a Palm Sunday children's procession to celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus to Jerusalem, we will close by extinguishing the last Lenten candle to anticipate the darkness of the passion on Good Friday. We will receive our One Great Hour of Sharing offering.

Maundy Thursday, March 20
We will observe Maundy Thursday with a service of evening prayer and choir music, beginning at 7:30 p.m. and appropriate for adults and children. We will remember Christ's last supper, inviting people in groups to receive the sacrament of communion at the table itself. It will be an intimate service, an opportunity to taste and see how gracious the Lord is, with freshly-baked bread to break in communion, and to take away.

Good Friday, March 21
The sanctuary will be open from noon until 3:00 p.m. We will read parts of the passion narrative on the hour and half hour; worshipers may visit stations displaying the symbols we have used during Lent and pick up a brief written meditation. Carol Holsinger on harp and Mary Lee Templeton on piano will provide music.

Easter Worship, March 23
At 6:30 a.m. on the Patio, weather permitting, we begin our celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord with a Sunrise Service planned by our young people, communion, and placing flowers on the cross. Breakfast follows in Fellowship Hall.

At 10:45 in the Sanctuary, we come together for a joyful Easter worship with communion, special choir and handbell music, and congregational singing of Handel's celebratory "Hallelujah Chorus." Join us and bring the whole family for this special day in our church family life.

Spring Cleaning

Saturday, March 15, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Just waiting to burn off some of that pent-up cabin-fever energy? Looking for a good way to limber up the lazy muscles after the winter hibernation period? Then we have a job for you!

Covenant Cleaners and a support crew from i-Church will get together for an elbow-greasing, reach-and-sweeping work day on Saturday, March 15, from 9:00 a.m-1:00 p.m. Fritz Beyer and the Buildings and Grounds folks would love to have your help with cleaning up the ravages of winter storms around the property, and Doris Davis and helpers will welcome the scrubbers and polishers and dusters to spiff up the kitchen, Fireside Room, and other cobwebby corners.

With any luck, we'll enlist the energies of the Men's Breakfast group, after they warm up with some hearty food, and others who want to get some fresh air, enjoy some exercise, and generally get Covenant ready for the Easter sunrise service and all the other festivities of the season. Mark your calendar now! We'll look forward to seeing you for some spring cleaning.

One Great Hour of Sharing

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Covenant will receive our annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering on Palm Sunday, March 16, during worship.

Since 1949, Presbyterians have joined with millions of other Christians through One Great Hour of Sharing to share God's love with people experiencing need. Our gifts support ministries of disaster response, refugee assistance and resettlement, and community development that help people find safe refuge, start new lives, and work together to strengthen their families and communities.

Where does the money go? Thirty-six percent goes to the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and 32 percent each goes to the Self-Development of People and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance programs. The Faith in Action Ministry Team hopes you will give generously to this offering to support people in need around the world.

Senior Chat for March

Stimulate your mind, body, and spirit with Senior Chats on the second and fourth Fridays of each month in the Fireside Room, 10:00-11:30 a.m. We share light refreshments, light exercise, and lighthearted fellowship, and we have great presenters in March. For more information, call Rev. Dona Smith-Powers, Coordinator, at (650) 494-3093. Join us!

• March 14 - Singing from the Heart
  Nancy Cassidy, a well-known soloist in the area, will jog our memories as she sings songs from the traditions of folk and gospel music and from various eras past. Feel free to hum or sing along if you are so moved. She will bring instrumentalists with her.
• March 28 - Aikido Way
  Jeramy Hale will share thoughts about the philosophy, history, and culture of Aikido, a noncompetitive Japanese martial art. The word comes from three parts: ai—harmony; ki—universal spirit energy; and do—the way. Jeramy and his wife, Molly, will demonstrate the art, the purpose of which is to bring discipline, inner peace, and unity of mind, body and spirit.

From the Librarian

This month I have three topics: a new book, the closing down of the separate collection of materials from the early 1980s called "Peacemaking," and some comments on the organization of the Covenant Library.

I don't know how Richard Creel's Religion and Doubt; Toward a Faith of Your Own (1977) came to be among our uncataloged books. But now that I have read some of it, I thank the donor. This book could be very helpful to a young person seeking a "world view of their own" and a "realistic faith," to use the author's language. It raises good questions and yet is not in the least cynical that I have been able to perceive. It does not appear to steer the reader toward any one faith. There are some ten pages of categorized bibliography that the author says is mostly written at an introductory level.

Within the past month I decided to dissolve the separate Peacemaking collection. We need the shelf space, and as far as I can determine, it is no longer needed as a separate collection. Anyone interested should see me soon.

I also wanted to mention, as I did last month, that the main collection is now using the whole numbers al fractions of the past. Some older books will still be numbered with the fractions, and may or may not be found precisely in the new location, but they should be close by. Any questions? Just ask.
Rudy Dyck, Librarian

SuperSunday

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Mark your calendar for a special three course event on Covenant SuperSunday, February 10. Don't miss it!

Grace
In worship we observe the first Sunday of Lent in this season of reflection and welcome the Boy Scouts on Scout Sunday.

Appetizer
After worship in the Sanctuary, we will receive the 2008 budget and approve the terms of the Associate Pastor's call at the Annual Congregational Meeting, an important event in our congregational life. Your copy of the Mission Study Congregational Survey, the first step in our planning for a Pastor Nominating Committee, will be available in Fellowship Hall, on your way to a special celebration.

Entree
Gung Hay Fat Choy! After the meeting we'll share a Chinese New Year Potluck Lunch in this Year of the Rat, a "time of hard work, activity, and renewal," a "good year... to make a fresh start." Bring your favorite Asian dish—or a potluck favorite of any origin—to help begin our "fresh start" in 2008. Be there!

Lenten Events Planned

Although it's only a few weeks since we put the Christmas decorations away, Lent arrives early this year with Ash Wednesday on February 6.

We'll begin this season of reflection with worship and communion in the Sanctuary, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Join us as we enter this holy season leading in six weeks to Holy Week and the celebration of the Resurrection.

The Adult Education team has planned a series of family suppers for Lent. We invite you to join us and bring the family for a soup and bread supper and study, beginning February 13 and continuing for six weeks, until March 19. Pausing on the Road to Jerusalem: Lent invites each of us to join in the journey toward Jerusalem that Jesus took during the last days of his life. One step on the journey can be to join with others on the Wednesday evenings of Lent for a simple supper (soup, bread, fruit) and study of Lenten themes. Discussions of the themes, led by Paula and Alison, will be offered for both adults and youth, so families are welcome. Supper will be served in the Fireside Room at 6:00 PM; study groups begin at 6:30; and we’ll return for a brief closing in worship, ending at 7:30. The cost for the meal is $2, or $5 for a family. Study guides will be available weekly on the preceding Sunday and at the Wednesday meeting.

We encourage you to sign up for the suppers in advance, only to be sure we prepare enough food. There will be no Sunday morning Adult Education program from February 10 through Palm Sunday, March 16.

Souper Bowl Sunday

Sunday, February 3, is Souper Bowl Sunday. The Faith in Action Ministry Team invites you to support the South Palo Alto Food Closet and this national campaign to provide food for the hungry. Last year, 14,000 organizations raised more than $8 million for charities across the country and around the world.

The South Palo Alto Food Closet has requested soups and stews this year, as the supply is nearly gone. Cans with pop top openers are especially welcome. Other items rarely donated and very often requested are cans of salmon, jams and jellies, and condiments such as sugar, salt, pepper, and sauces of all sorts. If you are able to donate $1 with each can, the funds will be used to buy additional items for clients' supply. If you write a check, make it out to Covenant Presbyterian Church, with "Souper Bowl" on the memo line. Proceeds from Souper Bowl Sunday go directly to the South Palo Alto Food Closet, so you are benefitting a local mission.

Presbyterian Women Lunch

Tuesday, February 12, 2008, noon in Fireside Room

Presbyterian Women will hold their February luncheon meeting on Tuesday, February 12, at noon in the Fireside Room. Lunch will be served by J 'n' J Catering, or Jane Bernstein and Jennifer Espinoza.

The program, beginning at 1:00, will be an important discussion about the future of the PW program, given their declining numbers. Signups for the lunch will be taken after worship in Fellowship Hall on January 27 and February 3.

Fair Trade

Sunday, February 10, after church in the Fellowship Hall

The Faith in Action Ministry Team invites you to add a very special shopping event to your Covenant SUPERSUNDAY experience on February 10.

After a delicious Chinese New Year Potluck Lunch, you will be able to do some early shopping for your special Valentine at the Fair Trade Shopping Table. They will have chocolates, nuts, and dried cranberries, as well as lots of information about what it means to look for the Fair Trade label. Items sold are purchased through a vendor recommended by the Presbyterian Coffee Project and are sold at cost as a way of increasing awareness of Fair Trade Foods available through the Coffee Project and local retail stores.

Senior Chat for February

You're invited to join us at Senior Chat, an ecumenical group that plans sessions on a variety of topics—food for the soul, body, mind. Everyone is welcome at our meetings in the Fireside Room on the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 10:00-11:30 a.m. For more information, call Rev. Smith-Powers, Coordinator.

• February 8: Getting in Touch with Your Playful Self
  Manjula Waldron, Ph.D., will ask us to consider the place of our child within. Sometimes life gets altogether too serious, and we forget that imagination, playfulness, and a sense of wonder can give us a healthy boost.
• February 22: Research with Animals
  Linda Cork, D.V.M., Ph.D., will enlighten us about research and animal welfare. She will tell us about aging issues, sharing the results of studies of older monkeys. This will be a rare opportunity to hear an expert in the field.

From the Librarian

Peacemaking is one of my favorite subjects, and because it has had so much attention in the church and around the world lately, I thought I would talk about how to find books in our library that relate to peace.

Let's start with recent additions, which are located on the New Additions shelf for their first year or so. In that section, you'll find Jimmy Carter's Palestine, Peace not Apartheid, Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea, Zachary Karabell's Peace Be Upon You, Scott Hunt's The Future of Peace.

More titles are located in the Dewey Decimal system categories, rounded to whole numbers. In the Dewey Decimal system that we use at Covenant, rounded to whole numbers (001-999), we have 248 and 261 under Religion and 303 under Sociology. We have good items, I would say, at each of these. The 248 category is entitled "Christian Practice" or "Spiritual Practice"; 261 is entitled "Social Theology"; and 303 is entitled "Social Processes" or "Peacemaking." You may choose to browse or to go to the listings in the Library Information binder. Or you can always phone me for help.

Lastly, an older collection called "Peacemaking," from the Covenant Peacemakers active mainly in the 1980's, is located just below the New Additions.

That's enough for an introduction. I hope you explore the library if you haven't already. Enjoy.
Rudy Dyck, Librarian

Art Workshop Begins

The Artist's Way is a process in which we will explore how to bring more creativity into our lives. Whether you long to be more creative in a specific artistic endeavor (music, painting, sculpture, writing, etc.) or are just feeling "stuck" in your life and want to "unblock," this group exploration of co-creating with the great Creator promises to be a powerful experience.

Beginning January 9, we'll meet for thirteen sessions, one introductory meeting and twelve more to match the twelve chapters of The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. We'll meet in the Fireside Room on Wednesdays from 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. about three times per month and finish by mid-May.

There is no charge for participating, but you'll need to purchase a copy of the book and make a significant time commitment outside of the group meetings to do the work outlined in the book. Contact Kevin Holsinger if you are interested.

Adult Education for January

Adult Education presents a varied calendar of programs for the New Year in January.

• On January 6, Rudy Dyck leads a session about New Year's Resolutions. Is there—or should there be?—anything inherently religious about the way we celebrate the New Year? In this session from The Thoughtful Christian, author Jason Byassee shares some ways Christians might celebrate the New Year. We will reflect on the past and coming year and share guided prayer time as the new year begins.
• On January 13, Rev. Alison Harrington presents a session on baptism: "Come On In, the Water's Fine!" If Jesus was without sin, why was he baptized? Why do we baptize infants? As we celebrate our Lord's Baptism on January 13, come and discuss the history and significance of baptism.
• On January 20, Joni Marshburn will lead an exploration of the use of gratitude in our spiritual life. Using the Psalms and Colossians, we will examine what it means to employ gratitude as a spiritual discipline, look at the difference between gratitude and optimism, and create our own prayers of gratitude.
• On January 27, Adult Education goes intergenerational as we gather at 3:00 p.m. (no morning session that day) to watch Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. There will be special snacks (Bertie Botts Beans, anyone?) and a time for age-appropriate discussion following the film. Come to the Fireside Room, by car, bike or broom, for an afternoon of fellowship and learning—all ages (for whom the movie is appropriate) are invited.

Senior Chat for January

Senior Chats may be the treat you choose to give yourself in 2008. We hear stimulating speakers who are rarely available elsewhere, and we enjoy light refreshments and light exercises. Please join us for a welcoming fellowship, and bring your friends. We meet in the Fireside Room the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 10:00-11:30 a.m.

• January 11 Nutrition Studies
  Christopher D. Gardner, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine at Stanford, will speak about ongoing and up to date Nutrition Studies at Stanford. Dr. Gardner is an excellent, engaging speaker and will bring new ideas on nutrition as well as opportunities for us to consider.
• January 25 Avenidas Village
  This is an innovative concept gaining popularity all over the U.S. It provides many of the benefits of living in a retirement community without leaving your own home and neighborhood. Executive Director, Vicki Epstein, will speak about how to maintain your independence and a sense of connection.

For more information call Rev. Dona Smith-Powers.

From the Librarian

As I contemplate the New Year, I am wondering again how to make our library resources more easily accessible to you all. Suggestions are most welcome. Please realize that the posted guide materials on the wall by the books, and the binder of more guide materials on the shelf just to the left of the posting, are quite comprehensive. As it says, you are always welcome to call me at home.

The next new book about to appear on the New Additions shelf is Palestine, Peace not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter. Palestine and Israel hold a special place in the hearts of most Christians, and our U.S. government has tried to help in numerous ways, not always helping very much.

Jimmy Carter has made a number of valiant efforts, both as President and as former president. I think this book is an excellent review of what he has attempted and what has resulted thus far. It also has an interesting 10-page chronology that starts in Old Testament times and goes to late 2006.

In my opinion, he correctly puts a lot of emphasis on the value of multiparty dialog per se, as opposed to the nature and amount of aid from America and elsewhere. How better to learn to get along as respectful neighbors, than to put priority on talking together and figuring out how to settle issues?
Rudy Dyck, Librarian

Be Still...

The week before Thanksgiving always feels like the slow ascent of the roller coaster car: better take one deep breath before the momentum of "the holidays" sweeps you away! This year at Covenant, you are invited to take that deep breath in many ways during the rush of the season, so that, spiritually speaking, your stomach won't be in your throat the entire time.

The Advent theme is Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God!" In worship we will share silence, focus on the kind of stillness that is active preparation, and sing those great hymns that slow the pulse of the season while heightening expectation. Adult education will be less about information and more about experience in the series, "Pausing on the Road to Bethlehem." The Winter Solstice service will offer a chance to remember loved ones, and acknowledge that the people who walk in darkness still walk in hope.

The Craft Workshop, Cookie Bake, and Potluck are wonderful "church family" celebrations of the season. And the EHP Family Giving and Alternative Gift Projects bind us to the community outside Covenant, blessing us with the gift of giving.

Breathe deep; be still; be blessed,
Rev. Paula Kelso

Spruce It Up

Saturday, December 1, 2007 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

No, we're not quite ready to put the Spruce up in Fellowship Hall and find the decorations. But we are ready for a pre-holiday Christmas Spruce-Up Work Day, scheduled for Saturday, December 1, from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

We'll spend the morning tending to the weeds and leaves, the windows and walks and buildings, and generally getting the Covenant site all clean and shiny for the holiday season and before the rains come, we hope.

Some of our friends from I-Church will be joining us, but we hope Covenant workers will show up in enthusiastic numbers. Many hands make lighter work, right?

Christmas Memorials

The Memorial Committee invites you to remember loved ones during this holiday season with a Christmas Memorial gift. You may choose to help decorate the Sanctuary for Christmas with a poinsettia ($7 each) or designate your memorial gift for the South Palo Alto Food Closet.

To make a Christmas Memorial gift, you can either complete the order form at the table in Fellowship Hall on November 25 or December 2 or 9, or return the enclosed form to the Church Office with your check, payable to Covenant Presbyterian Church, memo line "Christmas Memorial." Memorial gifts must be received by the Committee or Church Office no later than December 9.

Advent Crafts Fair

Sunday, December 2, 9:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. in Fellowship Hall

Our Children's and Adult Education programs will come together on the first Sunday in Advent, December 2, 9:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., for a once-a-year Advent Crafts Fair that lets everyone be an artist and take home the decorative fruits of your painting, gluing, and assembling efforts.

You're invited to get ready for holiday decorating in a crafts wonderland set up in Fellowship Hall. We'll have a variety of stations, planned by Jennifer Espinoza and Jane Bernstein, for a morning of hands-on fun and creativity, with holiday crafts of all kinds to make and take home. Come and let your inside artist out in the open!

Adult Education for December

The Adult Education program has scheduled an Advent discussion series led by Carol Holsinger, Joni Marshburn, and Diane Jones. Join us December 9, 16, and 23 at 9:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room for a different look at the Advent season.

The series, titled Pausing on the Road to Bethlehem: A Spiritual Journey through Advent, offers a scripture-based time for guided meditation and prayer as well as thoughtful reflection on music, art, and poetry.

Presbyterian Women's Christmas Luncheon with Gunn High School Choir

Tuesday, December 11, 11:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall

Presbyterian Women will hold their annual Christmas Luncheon in Fellowship Hall on Tuesday, December 11, beginning promptly at 11:30 a.m. In addition to the festive tables and good food, the highlight of the event is the musical performance of the Gunn High School Choir, directed by Bill Liberatore.

This event is always a sellout, so you're encouraged to get your tickets ($7) early. Presbyterian Women will take luncheon signups in Fellowship Hall after worship on December 2 and 9.

Annual Christmas Family Potluck Supper

Sunday, December 16, 5:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall

Mark your calendar and tell the kids to save the date. Sunday, December 16, at 5:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall is the time for Covenant's Annual Christmas Family Potluck Supper.

To help us plan setups, we hope you'll sign up in advance after worship in Fellowship Hall on December 2 and 9. But we'll find space for you, signed up or not. Bring a dish to share, place settings for your family, and a good appetite.

We'll have some carols and maybe even some Yule logs or other surprises, so don't miss it! And remember, the fellowship, good food, and Christmas Potluck spirit make it a great time to invite a friend.

Sleeper Memorial Cookie Bake

Saturday, December 22, 2:00-5:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall

Looking for a sanctioned sweet tooth event, guaranteed to tickle your taste buds and let you get your hands sticky? Join us for Covenant's very special Sleeper Memorial Cookie Bake, Saturday, December 22, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Kitchen and Fellowship Hall.

A fond tribute to Covenant's all-time Cookie Baking Champion, Nancy Sleeper, the Cookie Bake is fun for kids of all ages. Our new Chief Cookie Chef, Kristen Sheau, says we'll decorate pre-baked cookies and bake dozens of cookies in mouthwatering flavors for use at Fellowship time the next day.

Donations of cookie dough and unfrosted cookies are welcome. Kids of all ages are invited, although we ask that children under age 5 are accompanied by an adult. Contact Chef Kristen for information.

Christmas Reading Treat

Here's a great new book that will give you a Christmas reading treat or a good gift idea.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Relin is an outstanding book, published in 2006 and rated at the top by your Church Librarian. We'll shelve it on the New Additions shelf in the Church Library for a year or so.

The full title is Three Cups of Tea; One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at Time. That man, Greg Mortenson, tells the story of his highly unusual life after the promise he made to his Balti porter in northern Pakistan in 1993 as they returned from a troubling climb up one of the highest mountains in the world, K2.

Mortenson promised he would come back to Pakistan and build a schoolhouse for the girls of his porter's village. This was some promise, since Mortenson had almost no resources. He was a nurse living in Berkeley, at the time sleeping on the floor at a friend's house. It is an amazing "travel adventure story." It is also a touching "friendship story" involving a growing circle of friends in Pakistan and across America, and then, after some years of successful school building in Pakistan, with new friends in Afghanistan. And it certainly is a "life commitment story." I could not put it down. As this book was going to press last year, he had built 55 schools.

I heartily thank the two or three people who recommended the book to me, whoever you are. After reading some quite depressing things about current events in the world, this book was a real "uplifter" for me. Do you perhaps need such an uplift?

We also have about twenty books that Pastor Isaiah left behind for Covenant, now awaiting evaluation and possible addition to the library. My invitation for you to help select books from the remaining 20 or so still stands.
Rudy Dyck, Church Librarian

Senior Chat in December

You're invited to join us for two stimulating Senior Chat programs from 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room. The holiday season is a good time to invite friends. We share friendship, new ideas, and light refreshments. For information, call Rev. Dona Smith-Powers, Coordinator.

• December 14: From Inability to Ability
  Molly and Jeremy Hale will share their movie that they produced, an inspiring, true story. Molly was told that she'd never walk again after a devastating accident. Her determination and her amazing support network turned that prediction around. This session will prove once again that there is incredible power in faith and the human spirit.
• December 28: The Value of Tradition
  Please bring your favorite holiday music (CD or tape) and personal stories to share. If you wish, you may just come to listen and bask in the joy of others' contributions. It's a gift to be able to consciously share each person's unique traditions, passed on to children and grandchildren.

Covenant Bazaar and Great White Elephant Sale

Saturday, November 3, 2007, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall and Fireside Room

Presbyterian Women hold their annual mission fund raiser, the Covenant Bazaar and Great White Elephant Sale on Saturday, November 3, from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall and Fireside Room.

Presbyterian Women will have a variety of items for your admiration and shopping pleasure in their Treasures Room, usually known as the Fireside Room. The Sewing and Crafts Circle will have an assortment of beautiful handmade items for sale, and Covenant’s world renowned cooks will have an array of delectable baked goods for sale in Fellowship Hall. At the same time, the Community Activities Committee holds its Great White Elephant Sale in Fellowship Hall, benefiting their minority scholarship program.

How can you help support this annual mission fundraiser? First, you can make donations of like new "collectibles" by contacting Jean Scott. You can also donate treats for the taste buds by supplying baked goods; contact Bonnie Wilcox. PW will take signups for baked goods in Fellowship Hall through today, October 28. Donations may be dropped off in Fellowship Hall beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, November 2, and baked goods may be left either Friday or Saturday morning.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to support mission giving and minority scholarships while you shop, shop, shop for treasures, crafts, white elephants, and a tasty treat to take home!

Adult Education for November

In November, Adult Education focuses on How We Can Make the World a Better Place.

On November 4, 11, and 18, we’ll hear reports from those who attended the Sunnyvale conference on How to Make the World a Better Place. Your fellow Coven-ites will share what they learned on subjects from ecology to social justice, and we welcome you to a dialogue about what part Covenant can play in making our corner of the world better.

On November 25, Rudy Dyck will lead a session on the Fellowship of Reconciliation, which recently awarded our Palo Alto neighbor, Samina Faheem Sundas, its Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Peace Prize. Although those of us who have met her are thrilled that she has received this honor, many are unaware of what this national peace, justice, and nonviolence organization does. Our discussion will include coverage of Ms. Sundas’ work which led to the award from this organization founded in Switzerland in 1914 to try to prevent a war from breaking out. Later an American organization based in New York state, the group publishes a magazine, "Fellowship," now in its 73rd year. The organization provides advocacy training for "grassroots" civilian diplomacy and is currently confronting issues in Colombia, Burma, Iraq, Palestine, and more, as well as in our own country.

Join us at 9:30 Sunday mornings to explore some of the many ways around us to put our faith into acts.

Holiday Help for Hunger

For more than 25 years, Covenant has supported the South Palo Alto Food Closet, housed in Room 9. As many of you know, their needs for food and donations increase around the holidays. Kate Church, Director, nd of help they need if you’d like to make donations to help the hungry in our neighborhood have a brighter holiday:

• They will buy potatoes, onions and carrots, so please don’t get any of those.
• Their clients don’t like sweet potatoes, so leave those off your list.
• Any fresh vegetables that will keep at cool room temperature are welcome, such as green beans, green (or yellow or red or orange) peppers, celery, broccoli, tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Any fruit is also welcome — oranges, bananas, apples, etc.
• They won’t have space to store things refrigerated, but they can store things in a cool garage if necessary.

Instead of distributing turkeys this year, the Food Closet will give families $15 and couples $10 gift certificates to Safeway. That way they don’t have to store turkeys, and clients usually have enough money for a turkey and a little something else.

The Food Closet will begin distributing Thanksgiving items to families on November 12. You can leave donations in the basket in the Narthex. Cash donations are always welcome; leave a check in the offering plate or the Church Office, made out to Covenant Presbyterian Church, memo line, SPA Food Closet.