Skyland Community Church, United Church of Christ, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA

  When: Wednesday night, June 9 th at 7pm PST on zoom   Open Show Santa Cruz: Lesley Louden will be presenting her most recent photographic series on zoom and her students from Cabrillo will be presenting “Life After a Neurological Event” video project. Sign up to get the zoom link:   https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zoom-into-open-show-santa-cruz-june-9th-2021-tickets-155881051421   These photographs portray the discoveries possible during the daily household unruliness that the COVID-19 SIP created for my family, and for so many dual working-parent households. These images share good kid messes and new freedom and discovery when we were forced to be, just around the house. "Life  After A Neurological Event " video project. This video was created as part of a Cabrillo College cross-departmental collaborative project with the Cabrillo Stroke and Disability Learning Center students and the Cabrillo college Art Photography students entitled, "Life After A Ne...

  Note from your Treasurer for end of our ’20-‘21 fiscal year: Pledge income is $28,864 above budget primarily due to late pledge commitments after our budget was approved. Offerings are also $2,541 above budget.   We now have online “Donations” link on our website, “ skylandchurch.com ”, as a convenient way to support our mission outreach and operations. You may also mail your pledge and other donations to Skyland Community Church P.O. Box 245 Los Gatos, CA 95031-0245   Here is a summary of our operating finances as of May 30 for our 2020-2021 fiscal year. Income includes planned transfer of $15,500 from last year surplus to this year operating income. In addition to this year’s current $46,248 operating surplus we still have previous years $13,771 surplus. Gerald Alonzo, Treasurer ____________________________________________________ Skyland Community Church, United Church of Christ 25100 Skyland Road Los Gatos, CA 95033 phone: 408-353-1310 USPS mail: Skyland Church P.O...

  The Soothing Series Skyland women and friends have completed the Spring Soothing Series. Each of the seven zoom sessions was invigorating, grounding and, well, soothing!  At least 35 women attended one or more sessions, with about 20 of the attendees new (or newish) to Skyland. Women of all ages gathered to listen, learn, share and be together.  Thanks to Lesley Louden for creating the concept, bringing youthful energy (and her friends!) to the series and dealing with graphics. Anne Evans made the technology work, sent out invitations and reminders and kept everything flowing. Rev. Melanie bookended each session with inspiration and blessings.  We are so grateful to our generous presenters, Lesley Louden, Anne Evans, Paula Leary, Marcy Reynolds, Ann Baier, Elyse Fairweather, Gay Kraeger, Aubri Parker, and Lindsay Grote. Each presentation was carefully prepared, engaging and authentic...true gifts to our community of women.        ...

  Food pantry needs: Food Insecurity is not much fun.  When you have to spend your money on rent and gas and health insurance, even with a job paying $20 an hour, you are in the poverty level.  Each week we get great donations from our providers and but still we often see: - bad veggies - cut up bread that makes a partial loaf. - Too much celery.  - Too many potatoes. - Too much plain yogurt. - Too much of the same thing.  There is never enough milk, butter, cheese, eggs, meat or other items that don't often come into the food pantry.  For those of you wanting to donate food here is a list of always appreciated items:  healthy cooking oils, vinegar, spices, baking powder, healthy salad or sandwich fillings (cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.), tea, coffee, low sodium/low sugar snacks, fresh fruit that isn't apples or oranges, baby food, clothes detergent,  dish soap, shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, paper towels, soups, chili, yeast, sugar, flour, ...

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.  For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 As we move from spring into summer, changes are coming!  Assuming that Covid-19 case numbers stay low in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties, we look forward to worshiping outside beginning on July 4!  We will be seated at least six feet apart and masked, but we will be able to be together for the first time in 16 months.  What we have waited for, hoped for, asked for will come.  We will also broadcast via Zoom for people who have difficulty getting to church and for those who live far away.    Look for more information in the coming weeks. I am so very grateful that you all have voted to call me to full-time ministry!  I look forward to having more time to work with Skyland members to envision our future and to...

The 2021 Skyland Community Church Annual Budget meeting was held on Zoom after worship service on May 23. After a prayer by Rev. Melanie Weiner and opening remarks by our Moderator, Leslie Meehan, our Clerk, Randy McCalla (who also counted all the subsequent votes), certified that we did indeed have a quorum of church members (30) present on Zoom. The Skyland Behavioral Covenant was read by Moderator Leslie. Next, the minutes from the January 2021 Annual Congregational meeting were amended with several spelling corrections and then approved as amended by all those present. Following the enthusiastic endorsement of the Church Council and the revelation that increased pledges would enable such a change, the congregation unanimously (28 yes, 0 no, 0 abstaining) approved the proposal to increase our Senior Minister position from ¾ time to full time. Patricia Wood presented a short tutorial on the differences between a Call to Ministry and a Covenant versus an offer and a contract. (Present...

Bula Vinaka, a warm Fijian greeting of love and thanks, to the Skyland Church congregation and the Missions Board for your generous donation to our Friends of Fiji / Kadavu Connection school fees sponsorship program in 2021!    Fiji has been hit particularly hard, economically, with the pandemic, so your contribution meant more this year than you can imagine. One family, our friends and neighbors when we lived on Kadavu Island, was in great need, as their eldest daughter, Salaseini Lele Lewania Naivalurua (nickname Nia), is in her final year of Nursing School, and the family lost all their sources of income. Nia has worked very hard since primary school, and when she went to high school, Skyland was her sponsor. She always achieved very high marks, not only in classes, but in overall academic contests. Nia continues to study hard, get high grades, and is looking forward to graduating in January! Her hobbies are reading and swimming, and she turned 21 this year. She h...

  A Covenant is a sacred bond of Agape Love entered into by a Pastor, a Congregation, and the UCC Conference with the God of our understanding as a fourth partner. A Covenant is deeper than any contract because it entrusts hearts and souls to each other in God’s holy care. A Covenant is a sacred trust.   A Call to Ministry is a detailing of the sacred and worldly terms and conditions of the Covenant. A Call to Ministry is the prayerful desire by the people of the Church for sacred leadership, for pastoral care, and for spiritual guidance.  A Call to Ministry also includes responsibilities of the people of the Church for a financial commitment, release time for educational growth, and provision for respite and recreation for the care of the pastor who is being called. A Call to Ministry is deeper than a job offer because it is a commitment of both parties far beyond a job description and a salary; it is a commitment of love and care within God’s love and care. ...