We covenant with the Lord and with one another and do bind ourselves in the presence of God, to walk together in all the ways which are revealed to us by God, as the Word is made known to us. 

–Adapted from the Salem Church Covenant, 1629 

Dear friends, 

This Sunday is called Trinity Sunday, an annual consideration of our core theological beliefs. Nearly 200 years ago, the Congregational Church and Unitarian Church split in New England, where there had previously been one church established by the Puritans at Plymouth Colony 200 years previously, and they divided over the doctrine of the Trinity. These discussions have been an integral part of the Christian tradition from almost the very beginning, and though they may seem arcane or outdated, they have helped define us in the past. The important question of course is what do we believe today, conscious of our heritage. I still think it has meaning for us to consider our beliefs, and to examine how to be one community with diverse spiritual paths and convictions. Unity is not the same as conformity and I believe our strength at CC Peninsula is our diversity. Come celebrate our diversity as we worship together. Jesus prayed “that they may all be one” — but not that we all might believe the same things. Bring many Names of God with you to church this week!

Faithfully,

Pastor Jim

Dear friends,

Some of you will remember my friend from Duluth, Diana Oestreich, the retired military person who spoke to our church last January about her personal journey from soldier to peace activist. This poem which she posted today spoke to my own unease with what happened in Minneapolis yesterday and what continues to unfold around the country. 

We’re also in a time of uncertainty globally, with our country asserting influence in places as divergent as Venezuela and Greenland. And wars continue to wage around the globe in Russia/Ukraine and the Middle East, to name a few. Now more than ever our faith and our spirituality can be a source of inner solace as well as guiding our consciences as to how to respond to all that is happening.

Our Migration theme is extremely timely this month, and we got off to a great start last Sunday. This week we will explore the theme “God Knows No Borders”, by considering the baptism of Jesus, what it meant then, and what our own baptismal heritage might mean for us as a source of unity, strength and renewal. Come experience the cleansing waters as we symbolically re-enact through the rite of sprinkling the power of renewal and covenant.

I also want to draw attention to two different programs taking place this week. On Sunday after Coffee Hour we will resurrect a popular program from last year, the Death Cafe. It’s freeing to come and talk about mortality with other people, so plan to join us at 12:30 p.m. in the Dining Room. If you have a secular or a religious friend who might enjoy this conversation, bring them along; the content is non-religious, non-sectarian. And I invite you on Monday night, via Zoom, to enjoy a conversation between two of our local UCC leaders, Rev. Rhina Ramos and Rev. Alvaro Duran. I hope to see you somewhere along the line this weekend.

Your companion on the journey,

Pastor Jim

P.S. I am doing a public event later this month with KALW that you are welcome to attend in person or online. Here are the details: Thursday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m. at 220 Montgomery St., San Francisco. Register here.

Dear friends,

This week we begin a new worship series tied into the season of Epiphany. We’ll explore migration and immigration as it applies to our spiritual lives as well as to what is happening in the world around us. Come experience the power of the Epiphany story and the gifts it has to offer.

Then, join us on Sunday afternoon at Congregational Church of San Mateo, our original parent church, as they formally install their new senior minister, Rev. Jessica Vacketta. It was two years ago on Epiphany that I was installed here at CCP and I know what a joy it was to have so many from other neighboring churches in attendance.

Live in the light,

Pastor Jim