October 23, 2024

Dear Beloved Community,

As we celebrate Dia de los Muertos this upcoming Sunday at church, I am reminded of Wendell Berry’s novel “A Place on Earth”, where a father mourns the death of his oldest son in World War 2. For some years, he cannot reconcile his grief with the necessity of moving forward. But at some point, he is able to and he does this by understanding that his son’s death is not something separate from his son’s life, that his life is whole, and just has one more thing in it than before – his death.

I always liked that understanding. A reminder that people's lives are full, especially those of us who have the honor to live a long life, and their death is just part of their life, not the whole of it. People's life is more than their death. And the same, too, for all those you think of today, and this Sunday together in church – people’s lives are more than their deaths, and what we remember and keep alive is their living.

So this is what matters – the living. Their lives, our lives – death comes to us all but so does life, so does life.

As Mary Oliver has written:

When death comes

Like the hungry bear in autumn;

When death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

To buy me, and snaps the purse shut;

When death comes

Like the measle-pox

When death comes

Like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:

What is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

And therefore, I look upon everything

As a brotherhood and a sisterhood,

And I look upon time as no more than an idea,

And I consider eternity another possibility,

And I think of each life as a flower, as common

As a field daisy, and as singular,

And each name a comfortable music in the mouth,

Tending, as all music does, toward silence,

And each body a lion of courage, and something

Precious to the earth.

When it’s over, I want to say: all my life

I was a bride married to amazement.

I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms,

When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder

If I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened,

Or full of argument.

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world

This Sunday don’t forget to bring a photo of a loved one who has passed away. Instead of a sermon we will share stories of the pictures you have brought. I look forward to seeing all of you this Sunday, and remembering those we love who have passed.

Peace and blessings!

-Jorge

October's Giving Sunday offering is for the UCC's Neighbors in Need fund. Thanks for always being so generous with your gifts. Learn more about what this fund supports here.

Recent sermons

Check out our YouTube page to see recent sermons. Go to our archive of slides to see bulletins and slides used during recent services.

Recordings of our Taize services are also on the YouTube page.

Upcoming services and events

Borg Discussion Group: Thursday, Oct 24, 7pm on Zoom. Read Chapter 5 of “Reading the Bible Again for the First Time” by Marcus Borg.
Celebration of Life for Karen Conklin: Saturday, Oct 26, 2 pm. Stephen wrote a lovely obituary for Karen, posted here. Bring something sweet for the reception table, to go with Stephen's smorgasbord.
Dia de los Muertos: Sunday, Oct 27, 10am. Bring a picture and a story of someone you would like to remember at our annual observance. Tell Polly if you have names to add to the "Litany of the Saints."
Monthly Church Potluck: Sunday, Oct 27, right after the church service.
Book Group: Sunday, Oct 27, 7pm, on Zoom. This month's book is "Parable of the Sower" by Octavia Butler. This is an acclaimed post-apocalyptic novel published in 1993 but set in the years 2024-2027. In northern California of all places.
Worship & Arts: Sunday, Nov 3, after worship. Come help us plan the Advent season (already!).

Links and resources

Masterworks Chorale's fall concert is coming up, Oct 26th at 7pm and 27th at 4pm, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Redwood City. The concert features Ralph Vaughan Williams'Dona Nobis Pacem, a powerful anti-war message based on Walt Whitman's poetry. Here is a clip from the piece: The Dirge for Two Veterans, with the text.

Quote of the week

“Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.” - Kenyan Proverb

Weekly events

• Meditation group: Wednesdays at 7:30 am

In person at the church building.

• Sunday worship: 10 am

In person at the church building.