Have you ever felt discouraged about the world lately and powerless to do anything about it?  In need of hope that it’s possible for ordinary people with no weapons but the truth and courage of their convictions to overcome oppressive forces of hatred, injustice and violence? In need of an epiphany to shine forth and give us ways to shine this little light of ours so that we may be an epiphany to others?  You’re not alone!

Jesus said that if his followers were to fall silent the stones themselves would shout out their praise. (Luke 19:40)  The light we see in Jesus is as old as the universe—older, for it brought this universe into being.  It has filled and  moved all things, held together all that cohered, evolved and changed all toward higher levels of organization and life and eventually consciousness, and brought life out of death, forming new stars and planets and living beings out of the old.

It’s this force speaking through Jesus in The Gospel of Thomas saying, “There is light within a person of light, and it shines on the whole world…. I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all come.  Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there…. The realm of God will not come by watching for it…. Rather, it’s spread out upon the earth, and people do not see it.”  from the Gospel of Thomas, 24, 70, 77 & 113

Join us this Sunday, for the story about an ongoing movement; a movement of freedom, of light, and of epiphanies that draw us forward. Epiphanies are not for us alone.  They recruit us to a Movement, the same movement that Martin Luther King Jr. led, Jesus led, Isaiah led, and Moses led; and the movements of our time.  Epiphanies transform us by the light of God they reveal so that we will transform the world around us to be more like God’s realm of mercy, justice and peace.  Let us see and be radiant and go out into our homes and into the beloved community of this town and into this divided and endangered world and shine in every way we can so that others see our light and are inspired to shine their own.

Join us as together we look for the light within our deepest heart, and open ourselves to be led to new ways to shine.

This Sunday we lift up the timeless words of the prophet, Isaiah, offering a glorious vision to be revealed, of straightening out the crooked places, of offering comfort and hope to all people. 

Blessings upon your week! 

“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
Says your God.
“Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;

³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough places smooth;
⁵ The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Isaiah 40:1-5  New King James Version

As Al Jarreau once sang it so beautifully, We’re in this thing together!

Last Sunday was a beautiful example of our togetherness, with SCC’s uniquely talented spiritual life team leading us in a worship service; revealing to us one body with many parts that makes us Skyline.

This prayer by Jane Medema, recently a new member, embodies the message of Sunday’s service:

“You, Beloved God, you have gathered our separate hearts and minds, our different stories, and our surprising array of gifts, into one family. We once again offer our lives to you so that we may be strengthened for our daily journeys.” 

Jane’s a member of our spiritual life team.  Special thanks to each member of this team for their superhero gifts! 

As part of the service, we joyfully welcomed three amazing superhero new members, Tim, Jerri and Shaun, whom I encourage you to get to know! Please read more about them below!

This Sunday the superhero gifts continue as Tim Carter -our brand new member, David Guerra, and others  join together in creating a fabulous family friendly worship service.  It features several Martians visiting planet earth trying to understand what Thanksgiving and gratitude are.  They encounter a very upset giant turkey (Mr Tim Turkey).  Join us as we explore the deeper meaning of gratitude and Thanksgiving as an intergenerational community, and bring your friends and your appetite for fun! Also, please bring your pies for the Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless (see Paula Byrens) and your donations to ACCFB!

See you Sunday!

Nearly every week, at some point in the service, Pastor Laurie tells us, “Whoever you are, and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” Sometimes, I let the sentiment fly by, but sometimes, it hits pretty hard.  That’s a profound statement.

Whoever you are… we’re all different; different backgrounds, experiences, tastes, foibles, flaws, and gifts.

Wherever you are on your life’s journey… since we’re all different; how could our journeys be the same? We come from different places, walked different roads, taken different wrong turns, and scaled different mountains.

I hope you will join me and the Spiritual Life Team this Sunday at Skyline as we explore what it means to be a pilgrim on that road and as we welcome new members who’ve decided to join Skyline to walk that road with us.

Article by Tom Manley, Spiritual Life Team

Sunday, October 21 – Sunday, Nov 18

The ACCFB barrels are in the church sanctuary and in the preschool from till 11/18.  Please donate non-perishable, healthy food such as:

• Canned Tuna                              Canned Chicken            Quinoa
• Natural Peanut Butter              Nuts and Beans              Brown Rice
• Canned Soup (low-sodium)    Whole Grain Cereal       Oatmeal

The food bank serves 1 in 5 residents in Alameda County.  Thank you for making this happen!  Contact Pastor Laurie through the office, 510-531-8212   office@skylineucc.org.

Sun, Nov 4 • 11:45 am

Interested in putting down some spiritual roots at Skyline? Are you considering becoming a member or official friend of the church?

The next New Members/Inquirers Class will be held Sunday, Nov 4, 2018, in the Sanctuary after the 10 am service. Come learn more about the United Church of Christ , Skyline and how to get involved. Rev. Laurie will lead and there will be time to ask questions. Anyone interested in learning more about the church is encouraged to attend, whether or not you decide to join.  Childcare is available if you let us know in advance.

Joining Sunday will be Sunday, November 11 during the 10 am service.

For more information, please contact Pastor Laurie at the office – 510-531-8212, office@skylineucc.org.

Last week, we focused upon the miraculous sacredness and the growing scarcity of rich fertile soil.  In light of this perspective, Skyline’s Green team encourages your support in signing this petition:  for decades, oil and gas drilling has devastated Creation and harmed some of the most vulnerable communities in our state – polluting our air and water, and sickening thousands of people. We encourage you to sign this letter to tell Governor Brown it’s time to phase out oil and gas drilling in California. Many thanks, Skyline Green Team!!

Also, we celebrated our  20th Annual Blessing of the Animals, honoring the Feast of St Francis. Please enjoy the photos at the end of this letter! 

This week we focus on the sacredness and preciousness of water. Nobody thinks about water. Until there’s no more. Or, until-as is the case in the poor neighborhoods of Flint, Michigan-the tap water is poisoned. In that kind of crisis, we suddenly think a lot about water.

One of the deep spiritual truths that undergirds all of us is our connection with water. “Throughout human history, the quest for God has often been connected with a quest for fresh water,” Diana Butler Bass writes in her book, Grounded: Finding God in the World, A Spiritual Revolution.

 It’s a truth in all world faiths, Bass tells us, and especially for Jews and Christians:  The Bible begins with the deep, when God’s spirit sweeps over the waters. From wind and the seas comes all of creation. For Christians, the Bible also ends with water: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city.” The final scene in the book of Revelation is the river of God, the water that heals and washes away all sorrow. … Water in the beginning, water at the end. God is the Alpha and Omega of the wells, rivers and seas.

What role does water play in your life? When you are seeking place of renewal , do you choose to go to a river or lake or stream or the ocean?  Can you think of a time when water might’ve played at healing role in your life?   For me, as a child of the Ocean State, as someone who grew up sailing on Narragansett Bay, as someone whose ancestors lived on the shores of Ireland, water is life. Being near the water is in my DNA, the waters sing to my soul.

Join us for a refreshing, life giving worship experience in which we honor the sacredness of water, and are reminded that, as we do, we are God’s beloved children: “I love you, I am well pleased in you”. Also, join us after worship for an extended conversation about the sermon and about the sacredness of water!

Blessings, Pastor Laurie 

19th Annual Blessing of the Animals! 

Special thanks to Becky Taylor for her leadership in promoting, recruiting for, and supporting our 19th Annual Blessing of the Animals!  We were blessed with beautiful weather and wonderful visitors! Enjoy the photos!