There is only one thing wrong with the traditional definition of prayer: it misrepresents God.  “Prayer,” the old teaching said, was “the raising of our hearts and minds to God.”  As if God were some regal, distant judge outside ourselves.  But science – with its new perception that matter and spirit are of a piece, sometimes particles, sometimes energy – suggests that God is not on a cloud somewhere, imperious and suspecting.  God is the very Energy that animates us.  God is not a white heterosexual male who lives in the US. God is the Spirit that leads us and drives us on.  God is the voice within us calling us to Life.  God is the Reality trying to come to fullness within us, both individually and together.  It is to that cosmic God, that personal inner, enkindling God, that we pray.

Join us this Sunday, as we explore prayer, contemplation, and meditation together, and have a conversation after worship about it.

What do you cherish?

What would it take for you to recognize it?

My epiphany came in the form of large, iridescent glossy black birds, ravens to be precise.

Over a year ago, a pair of ravens started visiting our back deck to snatch tidbits of food left for the jays. I called them Tristan and Isolde. I watched them, fascinated by their behavior. If one came, it waited for the other to arrive before eating. They spoke to each other in their corvid dialect and it wasn’t hard to see they were having a conversation as a couple. They seemed to cherish each other deeply.

Now most of you know we’ve had a tough time with my spouse’s cancer. Sometimes between all the medical visits, chemotherapy appointments, challenges and stresses the little things – like cherishing each other – get lost.

One afternoon I was helping my spouse get washed up, chatting with him, when I looked out the window. Tristan and Isolde sat on the branches of the redwood tree, snuggled close, chortling and whispering strange vocalization as they carefully preened each other. And it hit me: I could learn a lot about marital bliss from these birds.

I made a conscious effort to hug my spouse, to be kind and patient, to care for him like the birds did for each other. It has helped me to understand that in these days, every moment together is golden. Cherish those you love. Tell them you love them.

Post Note:

This past week Tristan and Isolde surprised us: they guided two fully-fledged raven chicks to our deck to visit. A family to cherish… and we have a whole new set of examples to follow. 

By David G.

From The Rev. Dr. Arlene K. Nehring, pastor at Eden UCC:  We have a new asylum seeker in our midst. Her name is Rihana. She is a friend of the family we are supporting at Eden UCC in Hayward.

Rihana is a 21 year old transgender woman who is a native of Chinandega, Nicaragua. She came to the US on April 11, 2019 seeking asylum after having been the victim of a hate crime in her home country. Rihana was beaten by five men, her throat was slit with a broken bottle, and she was left for dead in a rural area. She was taken to a regional hospital where she remained in a coma for two days, and continued to be treated for another 7 days. (She has letters from a clinical psychologist and photos taken at a hospital in Nicaragua documenting her trauma.) After she recovered enough from her injuries to travel, Rihana made her way to the US. She crossed the border  into Arizona and was taken into custody by ICE on April 11, 2019. She appeared in immigration court in detention. The judge ruled that she has “a credible fear” and granted her humanitarian parole provided that she pay a $10,000 bond. We will seek legal aid to transfer her immigration case to the SF court. We were able to negotiate the bail down to $1500 and find a church in NYC (Park Avenue Christian Church) that would put up the bond money. Rihana was released 12 hours later at the PHX bus station, where two advocates who are friends of a friend of mine (a pastor who is also an asylee) picked her up, took her to an emergency shelter, and cared for her since early last Tuesday morning. A member of my church donated money to cover air fare for Rihanna. She is flying to Oakland tonight.

Collaborators: Pastor Arlene Nehring & Stephanie Spencer, and Pastor Marvin Lance Wiser & Yuliana Wiser Leon (EUCC, Hayward), Pastor Rhina Ramos (Ministerio Latinx, Oakland), Pastors Eric Sherlock and Todd Adkins-Whitley (Danville Congregational Church UCC), and Pastor Laura Rose (First Congregational Church Alameda.) 

Institutional Partners: Eden United Church of Christ, Hayward, Danville Congregational Church UCC, and First Congregational UCC Alameda. 

Immediate Needs:

1. Hospitable housing in the Bay Area, i.e., use of a guest room with kitchen and bathroom privileges, or a room in a guest house. The host(s) need not be fluent Spanish speakers, but they do need to be LGBT friendly folks.
2. Cash and/or in-kind help with food, clothing, telephone, transportation  
3. Coaching to acquire healthcare benefits and services (Eden Church can provide coaching for new volunteers as needed)
4. Legal aid (Pastor Rhina, Pastor Marvin, and Pastor Arlene have begun a search for legal representation). If pro bono counsel can be found, funds will be needed to cover various application fees. 
5. Court accompaniment (Eden Church will take the lead, but we need bodies to pack the court when she is required to appear.)
6. Cultural navigation support (We can train trainers.)

Immigration ministry is intense. None of us can do this alone. I recommend reflecting on what we CAN do, rather than what we can NOT do—always mindful that through God all things are possible.

Please let me know if you would like to discuss this invitation.

Thank you, 

Arlene

The Rev. Dr. Arlene K. Nehring

Senior Minister

Eden United Church of Christ  510-582-9533 

This Sunday we are celebrating Pentecost!  Early on in the service, to honor the diversity of people from all over the world, I will invite people to greet each other, speaking  in various “tongues” besides English.  Please, come and open us to new ways of saying, “Good morning!” “How are you?”  In anticipation of the power of this Sunday, I am reminded of the words of William Blake: 

Unless the eye catch fire, God will not be seen.

Unless the ear catch fire, God will not be heard.

 Unless the tongue catch fire, God will not be named.

 Unless the heart catch fire, God will not be loved.

 Unless the mind catch fire, God will not be known.

May we all be kindled in the fire of God’s love!  with love, Pastor Lauri

Photo by Nadya Spetnitskaya on Unsplash

What a busy week at Skyline! It was full of life! 

On Saturday, our Preschool held the Annual Spring Fling to raise funds for scholarships for families; and one of the highlights was “Magic Dan” (check out his video). 

https://vimeo.com/337400196

On Sunday, we honored and celebrated our children’s program director, Rev Sheryl, on her last Sunday with us, and then a group of us attended the 20th anniversary of the Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus, which includes several of our beloved members.

 (check out the videos)  

https://vimeo.com/337396238

https://vimeo.com/337395463

https://vimeo.com/337396023

I give thanks for each one of you, and what happens with our synergy, our collective efforts, which God expands, exponentially. 

These are difficult times that we are living in – difficult for the world, for our country, and for many progressive faith communities, and the best time to give is during such times.  

I give thanks for our leaders, particularly our church council members, who are chosen by us, from among us to lead the church. 

I give thanks for what happens in Sunday worship: 

• Will is still filling the candlestick holders
• Sheila cuts our communion loaf
• David Guerra adorns the communion table for the theme for worship
• Benjamin and the choir practices
• Greeters, like Paula, open the doors and welcome us
• Ushers,  take up the collection and others, distribute communion
• Karl take photos
• Someone hosts
• Someone volunteers to teach church school with the children 

As our moderator Steve Kilgore mentioned last Sunday, that as a congregational church we are self-governing.  This means we decide who we (as a church) want to be and what we want to do.  There is no hierarchy outside of this congregation telling us how to manifest God’s love.  We have the freedom to:

• Reach out to the extended community with an annual  Blessing of the Animals, visits to nearby homeless shelters, bike ride fundraisers, vigils to advocate for human rights 
• Welcome those who have been marginalized by organized religion by holding an annual LGBTQ Pride service 
• Help those in need by supporting the Nueva Esperanza Preschool or by donating money to the local food bank
• Advocate to keep coal out of Oakland, and fossil fuels in the ground. 

In this church, every one of us has the freedom to put forth ideas about how this church should be and proceed.  But with freedom comes responsibility.  Just as there is no authoritative power defining us, there is no benefactor supporting us. It is up to us to pay the utility bills, maintain our church property, promote our church, and help our light shine.

Ruby Bridges, civil rights leader, once said, “Don’t follow the path. Go where there is no path and start a trail.”

• Over the next few weeks,  as you consider the stewardship you can offer this congregation, think about the trails we have cut, and those we should start together.
• Some of us are trailblazers, others help shore up the trail. Both are needed.
• Some of us have money,  some of us have skills, some of us have time. All are needed.
• Especially in this year, as we honor our 50th anniversary, think about who and what YOU want this church to be, and then fold yourself in to the dough that is Skyline Community Church.
• Your contribution is the yeast and fiber that defines this church.

Here’s the link to Skyline’s stewardship opportunities this year!  

The Skyline Preschool Fundraiser is this coming Saturday, May 18th. There are so many great prizes this year that we are raffling off to raise funds for the school’s scholarship fund as well as general improvements to the school. Below is a listing of the prizes we have so far. 

 

Grand Prize # 1: Seven(7) Nights in Hawaii ($10 Blue Tickets):

Grand Prize # 2: $3,500 Disney Gift Card ($10 Red Tickets):

Grand Prize # 3: Weekend Stay in Sea Ranch ($10 Green Tickets):

 

In addition to the grand prize drawings, there will be several other raffle ticket items ($5 Yellow Tickets):

• Dinner for a party of six (6) at MarketBar in San Francisco ($350 Value)
• Dinner for a part of four (4) at Florio Bar & Cafe in San Francisco ($250 Value)
• Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary “Cedar Enzyme Bath for Two” Gift Certificate ($178 Value)
• Gilroy Gardens – Two (2) Single Day Admissions ($116 value)
• Viscera Private Shopping Appointment & $100 Gift Card
• Tutu School – One (1) Month of Classes ($100 Value)
• AMC Movie Theater $100 Gift Card
• Family Day Pass to the Oakland Zoo ($98 Value)
• Trader Joes Bag of Nut-Free Snacks ($50 Value)
• Custom Encaustic Painting by Jenn Leighton Parker ($ Value TBD)
• Hipline Dance Classes ($ Value TBD)
• Leather Suspenders ($ Value TBD)
• Essential Oils Gift Basket ($ Value TBD)
• Knudsen’s Ice Creamery $20 Gift Card
• MOD Pizza $50 Gift Card

One of the most memorable Mother’s Day cards I’ve ever seen was one that my brother Steve gave to my mother, when he was in his early teens.  The card had a beautiful rose on the outside, and on the inside was printed these words,   “You’ve been like a mother to me”. We all laughed, especially my mother, saying, “well that’s good to know Steven, because I AM your mother”.. It’s easy to retell this story as an example of the confused thinking of a young teenager,  but I think that Steve was on to something profound..

You’ve been like a mother to me.  In other words, you’ve made space and time for me, you carry me in your heart, and you have never abandoned me. I believe in you. I trust in your love. 

Mother’s Day is complicated for so many reasons. We’ve all had, and have, such uniquely different experiences of our own mothers. And, women have all had such uniquely different experiences of being a mother, or not being a mother. Times have changed so much with respect to the roles of women, and also with respect to the understanding of what it means to “be fruitful and multiply”. Mother’s Day has become so commercialized.  And we lose sight of the amazing, life changing processes in nature that bring forth new life.  Processes  that so many of the world’s religions draw upon as a metaphor when trying to describe the experience of God creating new life within all of us. 

So this Sunday we will honor “You’ve Been Like a Mother to Me” Day.  We will seek to honor the life giving love that we’ve all experienced, and God’s creative loving energies working within all of us. 

Ee cummings writes a poem about this love, which I interpret as God’s love poem to each one of us:  

Ee cummings..  [i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
                                                      i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/i-carry-your-heart-with-me-by-ee-cummings

Thursday, April 25 at 3pm
Wear your No Coal in Oakland t-shirt and join us at next Thursday’s court hearing in developer Phil Tagami’s second lawsuit against the City.  

Where:  Alameda County Courthouse,  Department 18, 1221 Oak Street, Oakland. Click here for more inforation about the hearing to keep coal out of Oakland.
 
In November 2018, the City of Oakland terminated Tagami’s lease because he failed to meet critical deadlines for beginning construction of the rail-to-ship terminal at the former Oakland Army Base. In December, Tagami filed a second lawsuit in state court against the City asking the court to reinstate his lease, given him a two-year extension to fulfill his obligations, and for hundreds of millions in damages.  The City moved to dismiss his lawsuit and the hearing on the motion is set for Thursday, April 25 before Judge Jo-Lynne Q. Lee in Alameda Superior Court.
 
Please join us in the courtroom to show support for the City.  Wear your  t-shirt.  Come 15 minutes early to ensure you have a seat.  Please RSVP if you can join us.
 
For more information about the lawsuit, go to https://nocoalinoakland.info/tagami-sues-again/ 
or contact Catherine via the office (510-531-8212   office@skylineucc.org).

peace, Skyline Green team