https://us02web.zoom.US/J/86806938388

Exciting news! The grand opening for our Tiny House Empowerment Village is scheduled for April 2nd, from 11:00am to 12:00pm, taking place in-person at the village and on Zoom. There will be food, drinks, music, and youth art for sale Come celebrate the conclusion of this 6-year long project with us!

The fresh green baby grass, and the blossoming sun- kissed daffodils awaken our senses to the coming of springtime.

 This week, these springtime celebrations include, St. Patrick’s day, and  the Vernal Equinox.

As I’ve learned from my Irish ancestors, the Celts were adventurers. They sailed off into unknown lands, sometimes sailing without a rudder, trusting that God would bring them to their place of resurrection, their place of wholeness and vocation. Each day was greeted as an adventure, filled with danger and possibility.

Aware of the challenges of life, and beauty and tragedy around every corner, Celtic travelers often drew a circle around themselves as they began each journey. The circle (or “caim”) reminded them that they were always encircled by God’s care. In the spirit of Psalm 139, they trusted that if they ascended to the heavens, God would be with them.

 If they descended to the depths, God would also be their companion.

Legend has it that a local chieftain was out to get Patrick. The chieftain sent his men to kill Patrick as he traveled along a lonely wooded road. As they closed in on Patrick, his pursuers discovered that somehow he disappeared. All they saw was a deer bounding across the road. From that adventure, legend has it that the Prayer of St. Patrick (the “Lorica” or “Breastplate”) emerged.  I leave you with these words and invite you to imagine Patrick drawing a circle around himself as he rotated in a clockwise manner. May we be reminded of God’s encircling care for us.

With Love,
Pastor Laurie

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
far and near,
Alone or in a multitude.
Christ shield me today
Against wounding.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.

Welcome Ben McKnight! Ben is our new part time, temporary communications specialist working remotely from Madison, Wisconsin. He also works for our sister UCC church, First Church Berkeley UCC, and enjoys reading, PC gaming, hiking, traveling, and yoga. He will be working with us, 7-10 hours a week, supporting us in our email newsletters, social media, and bulletins. He can be reached at communications@skylineucc.org.

Dear Ones,

Blessings to you, as we celebrate International Women’s Month!

#InternationalWomensDay #HerStory #WomensHistoryMonth

Here are a few quotes that I’d like to share with you. I’d love for you to share yours on our facebook page:

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”  -Maya Angelou

Jesus protected women.
Empowered women.
Honored women publicly.
Released the voice of women.
Confided in women.
Was funded by women.
Celebrated women by name.
Learned from women.
Respected women.
And spoke of women as examples to follow.
Our turn.
–Karyn L. Wiseman

Our NCNCUCC conference is holding a special Business Meeting, as voted upon during last year’s Annual Meeting, this  Saturday, March 13th, from 10 am – 1 pm.

Representation is critical since we’re determining our conference budget and discerning the future of Camp Cazadero.

The decision has critical implications for:

• our conference staff, and their ability to support local churches like ours.
• the future of the camping program at Camp Caz

I am planning to attend, and ideally, we would have 3 member delegates, including me, from Skyline.

I have been working with the conference council, on discernment for the camp, based on my role with the national CB&LF, and regional mission interpreters who have shared their experiences with maintaining their camping program throughout the UCC.

Let me know if you’re interested and available to attend, if you’d like to discuss, or if you have suggestions about other members who’d be ideal for this discussion.

For more info, including source documents, and registration, please go here:
https://ncncucc.org/annual-gathering/

peace, Laurie

As part of our commitment to being a Sanctuary Congregation, the Justice & Witness Ministry Team made a proposal to Church Council recently that Skyline become a Congregational Sustainer by having a special offering over several weeks in January, with a goal of raising $2,000 for Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI).

As we mark our Third Anniversary as a Sanctuary Congregation, please consider sharing some of your stimulus money (past and forthcoming) and savings throughout the Pandemic, for this offering. Please indicate “sanctuary” or “IM4HI” on your payment. It would be wonderful if we could exceed our goal!  It is a privilege to be a part of this justice-loving, compassionate and generous congregation! Read more about being a Congregational Sustainer here, from Rev. Deborah Lee…

Thank you for all the ways that Skyline UCC has been an incredible partner to IM4HI— supporting newcomer families,  advocacy, being a witness and sanctuary congregation.  I am reaching out to request one more way that Skyline can support our partnership.

IM4HI began a Congregational Sustainers program in 2019.  We currently have 40 congregations who in addition to engaging and partnering with us around the collective work of supporting newcomer immigrants, freeing folks from detention and advocating for new social policies which center people, dignity and liberation, support through the making of an annual gift or an amount that is generous to them.   This gift helps support the wider networking, training and capacity building that has really grown in the Bay Area to support congregations.  Today we have over 50 sanctuary congregations.

Congregational sustainers make a collective gift on behalf of the congregation to support the ongoing partnership and engagement supporting training, capacity building, support to directly impacted people and public advocacy.  Some congregations take a special offering, others may have an event where I or one of my staff comes to speak, others may have a budget for missions or partnerships.

Next year, we have the potential for some new political terrain.  But it is going to take a lot to make it happen. With all the damage that has been done, this is not going to be a quick fix, and it will require strong and consistent pressure. The immigrant community is going to need the faith community standing with them even stronger to stop the ongoing harms of detention and deportation.

We will meet with legislators, elevate the stories of those most impacted, organize public witness with families, undo all the harms Trump and those before him have done, until we have humane and compassionate policies towards immigrants.

Our key policy priorities are:  a) Re-opening our borders and restoration of  US and international asylum law.  b) Bringing to an end the practice of immigration detention which is an unnecessary, an ineffective deterrent and costly, to human rights and human trauma. c) Defunding ICE and protecting communities from deportation.  d) Creating a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million+ undocumented, TPS and DACA holders, so millions are not continuously vulnerable to deportation and can become full members of our society.

We will continue to advocate for those in ICE detention and state prisons during the pandemic and to elevate public health and judicial recommendations for a drastic reduction of those incarcerated by allowing people deemed safe to return to society to come home to their loved ones. We will continue to partner with and advocate for greater resources to support successful re-entry and alternatives to incarceration.

Thanks for considering this request! Thank you, though we miss being in community with you during the pandemic. We appreciate your prayers and walking with us on this journey.

I’m attaching a colorful flyer with more information about our Cong. Sustainers.  Let me know if you need any more information!

Blessings, Peace and Joy,

Deborah

Wednesday, November 25, 7-8 PM by Zoom

Zoom Link:  https://zoom.us/j/716026467

Meeting ID: 716 026 467

An evening of meditative songs and prayers.

On the day before Thanksgiving, in this season of separation, sadness and strife; rest in a moment of slow, beautiful gratitude, community, and hope.

An hour of interfaith readings, prayers, music, and silence.

Music: Ken Medema, 

Host and Speaker: Pastor Laurie

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:

Out of an abundance of caution and care for our more vulnerable members, SKYLINE WILL NOT HAVE IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICES until further notice.

 Services are broadcast live on zoom , Sundays at 10 am

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/716026467
Meeting ID: 716 026 467

links to our worship team!

Gabrielle Lochard, https://www.groupmuse.com/musicians/6295-gabrielle-lochard

Pastor Laurie Manning https://skylineucc.org/staff/ 

If you’ve never zoomed before, try logging in at 9:50 am.