Peace Journey

Dear Friends:

• Thanks to Anita for the wonderful brunch today!
• Jazz at Peace was wonderful. Dave Rocha will also be with us for worship this next Sunday as we celebrate the culmination of our ~50th Anniversary Year~.
• The Thanksgiving Banquet begins at 5:00 pm. Notify Raddi El Mogazi, Mark Miller or Caroline of your Silent Auction gifts.
• The Gallery of Dreams Opening was excellent. Those present were moved by Kersti’s artistic work and a powerful story. The Reception with piroshkis (Maili’s Estonian specialty) was delicious.
• The “Who is my Neighbor?” class with Rabbi Dan and myself begins Monday, 7:00 pm at Beth Chaim. I hope we will have a large turnout to deepen the friendships which have evolved over the years and in order to see the new synagogue.
• The kids had to do some more coloring in worship today on our Christmas Candle when Christy announced that we now have received more than $80,000 in gifts or Planning Cards for our Debt Retirement Campaign. Can you believe it? Every gift counts and the generosity of Peace members is fantastic!

Photos from Sunday Morning

Here is a message from Lori Eickmann and Holly Musta with details concerning our Winter Nights Program. Your participation is desired and will give you a unique Advent Gift. Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007

Lutheran and several interfaith partners are partcipating in the Winter Nights program the week of Nov. 26-Dec. 3, to provide overnight shelter in the Peace sanctuary for several homeless families. The purpose of the program is to provide emergency housing to working families who are trying to stabilize their housing needs and get into transitional and permanent housing.

The families arrive at the host church in the evening at 5:30-6 p.m. and are served dinner by volunteers who also clean up and socialize with the families after, perhaps offering homework help or playing games with the children. Also in the evening the families make bag lunches for themselves for the next day, with lunch items provided by volunteers. Then, at least two volunteers spend the night with the families to be available if anything is needed. The next morning, the families eat breakfast, provided by volunteers, and must be out of the building by 7:30 a.m. (The restrooms must be cleaned by volunteers before the preschool students arrrive at 8 a.m.) The families are gone all day working, going to school, or meeting with social workers about permanent housing and other needed services. The families return to the church where they are staying for the week. We are expecting 20-30 people as our guests for the week.

Volunteers are needed to set up the area where the families will sleep on Nov. 26; make, serve, and clean up the dinner each night; coordinate the families to make lunches for the next day; socialize with the families as needed; and stay overnight with the families. Each morning volunteers supervise and clean the restrooms before the preschool students arrive at 8 a.m. Volunteers provide all food for the week’s meals. Volunteers also are needed to wash and pack up the sleeping linens the final day.

Peace is being joined by the LDS church, Islamic Center, Beth Chaim, and the Baha’i Assembly in hosting the families for the week. Each of these organizations will cover one night’s meals, and Peace members will cover the other 3 nights. A schedule circulating online with the interfaith partners hopes to ensure a variety of healthy meals.

We have many of the dinners covered, and some folks have signed up to donate food and spend the night. But we still need donations for more breakfast and lunch items, people to clean the restrooms, donate toiletries, set up and take down the sleeping set-up, and spend the night. Please contact Lori Eickmann at 925-551-7585 or Holly Musta at 925-683-4050 to volunteer.

Thanks to all who are participating in this opportunity to serve God’s people!

Blessings, Pr. Steve