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

  Upcoming Donation Opportunities: In the month of January we will be collecting for three causes: Jan 2 - UCC - The Christmas Fund -   for retired pastors or those with emergency needs. Jan 9 and 16 - Blanket Sunday for the Church World Service Jan 23 and 30 - International Student support for Fiji, Guatemala and Tanzania INTERNATIONAL STUDENT   Education/ Tuition Financial Assistance: For the last weeks of January we will be collecting tuition for young people who are pursuing education on three continents. We have supported some of these countries for more than 10 years! Our members have personal links with these schools and our goal will be to give at least $800 to each continent. Some of our Skyland members "adopt" students individually too. If you have questions, feel free to contact these church members who have personal experience with these countries. Here are the funds we donated to for the 2020 school year. Fiji : (Glenda McCalla/Connie Durant- Kadavu-Fiji Isl

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. --Matthew 2:11 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! As we enter the new year, we watch the magi as they come from afar following a star to find and to pay homage to Jesus and to bring him gifts of great value, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. During January we too will have the opportunity to open our eyes to the light shining in and to give gifts to organizations who are working to make the world a better place. We will take special offerings every Sunday in January: January 2: The Christmas Fund January 9: Blanket Sunday January 16: Blanket Sunday January 23: International Students January 30: International Students Please take some time to reflect on the blessings in your life and how you might be able to be a blessing to someone else with a donation to one or more of these funds. Als

  Endowment Fund Amendment to Bylaws An Endowment Fund is a special category of donated funds that are given in order to provide funds into the future. The donations are made specifically to the endowment fund and the use of the funds are restricted to the organization’s goals. The management and distribution of these funds are restricted by law.    The purpose of the law is to ensure that the funds are invested in lower risk investments and to limit distribution to 4% -- 6% averaged over three years to ensure the funds are available in perpetuity.    In California, the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) is the current law in affect governing the investments and uses of endowment funds. Skyland Church has had an Endowment Fund since approximately October 1995 when a resolution was passed at a congregational meeting that outlined the uses and restrictions on an endowment fund. The earliest records indicate that the fund was set up in 1998 and began with $19

  The School Fee Sponsorship Program which supports the children of village families on Kadavu Island, Fiji, has been going strong since 2003. Skyland Community Church has been a constant benefactor over many, many years and your contributions have enabled dozens of children to attend school. One of these students, who has been sponsored since Form 3 (Grade 9) will be graduating from Nursing School this April! Her name is Dilewa, her hobbies are reading and swimming, she has been a top student throughout her schooling, and she is now 21 years old. Her degree will enable her to support her mother and father as they get older, as well as her younger siblings. On behalf of all the village children and their families who have benefitted from your great support, I would like to thank you very much! You have made a big difference in the lives of many people!  Connie Durant, Kadavu Connection Photo of Dilewa: ___________________________________________________________ Skyland Community Church

  Mission Board Holiday updates FOOD PANTRY AND GIVING TREE MERGE! This was our busiest month at the Food Pantry.    Forty- one Skyland Church and community members generously donated over $11,000 and we were able to give holiday financial support to 12 families and 21 young people at Loma Prieta School District and to 80 families who frequent our Food Pantry. Thank you for caring about our mountain community and helping families have food, clothes and toys for Christmas.  So many people had stories to tell about their needs and many are living paycheck to paycheck. We gave gift cards to Target, Safeway, Grocery Outlet and Trader Joes this year and our neighbors were delighted.  In addition to gift cards, this month we were able to give turkeys, pies, stuffing and white and sweet potatoes along with many greens to fill the tables of many families.  Over the holidays we got amazing donations from Second Harvest of Santa Cruz County (at St. Agustin's Catholic Church in Scott's Va

  Note from your Treasurer for first six months of our ’21-‘22 fiscal year. Pledge income is $3,071 above budget. Offerings are $7,799 above budget. Expenses are $3,282 below budget.   We now have online “Donations” item on our website, “ skylandchurch.com ”, as a convenient way to support our mission outreach and operations. Thanks to our online giving we have received several donations to support our local Giving Tree program. 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 Dec. 30, 2021-2022 fiscal year. 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. Box 245 Los Gatos, CA 95031-0245 Website   skylandchurch.com

The Skyland Church Council did not meet in December 2021. Have a Happy New Year, Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All! ___________________________________________________________ Skyland Community Church, United Church of Christ 25100 Skyland Road Los Gatos, CA 95033 phone: 408-353-1310 USPS mail: Skyland Church P.O. Box 245 Los Gatos, CA 95031-0245 Website   skylandchurch.com