First Presbyterian Church of San Jose 49 N. Fourth St., San Jose, CA (408)

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2013 First Presbyterian Church of San Jose 49 N. Fourth St., San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 297-7212 fpcsj@

Come to discuss even if you haven t read the book (you can read it later!!). Flight Behavior is a novel set in present day Appalachia.

the complexities we inevitably encounter in life lead us to believe in our particular chosen truths.

reason and conviction. Mission Worker from El Salvador to visit FPC on Wed.

Wed. June 5 for a Salad Supper and discussion at 6:30 pm.

She nurtures the relationships between a network of churches and other groups in El Salvador with Presbyterians in the United States.

companies, reduce hunger and strengthen rural economies.

abundant life that God wants for all people everywhere. Fathers Day - June 16 Back by popular demand!

1 2013 First Presbyterian Church of San Jose 49 N. Fourth St., San Jose, CA (408) FPC Our Next Book: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver: Discussion on June 2 after worship and snack time. Come to discuss even if you haven t read the book (you can read it later!!). Flight Behavior is a novel set in present day Appalachia. Like many of Barbara Kingslolvers novels, it touches themes of the environment and people; a parable of catastrophe and denial that explores how the complexities we inevitably encounter in life lead us to believe in our particular chosen truths. It somehow deals with the very concrete issue of climate change while delving into unsettled ground of science, faith, and the balance between reason and conviction. Mission Worker from El Salvador to visit FPC on Wed., June 5 Kristy Von Nostran, a Mission Co-Worker from El Salvador is visiting the Presbytery in late May and early June and is visiting FPC on Wed. June 5 for a Salad Supper and discussion at 6:30 pm. Kristi is the facilitator for the Joining Hands Network in El Salvador, an initiative of the Presbyterian Hunger Program. She nurtures the relationships between a network of churches and other groups in El Salvador with Presbyterians in the United States. Together, they strive to promote sustainable agriculture practices, reverse the growing dependence on imported grain and multinational seed companies, reduce hunger and strengthen rural economies. Faced with the challenge of a national food crisis in El Salvador, Kristi says Joining Hands works to help El Salvadorans experience the abundant life that God wants for all people everywhere. Fathers Day - June 16 Back by popular demand! Game Nights at FPC June 28 (and every 4 th Friday through September) 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Game nights are a good time to invite friends and neighbors. Win or lose, there will be free popcorn and drinks, lots of fun and the opportunity to kick back with new and old friends! Bring your favorite games! 5th Sunday Service Worship Day June 30, 2013 Four times a year, on the 5th Sunday of the four months that have an extra Sunday, we have a short commissioning worship service and then spend the morning continuing to worship God by serving people in need. Don t miss this opportunity!

Sharings from Sharon Dear Friends: As we begin the summer months I want to invite you to The Sound of Your own Silence, a 30 Day Retreat in the midst of Life s Busyness.

Instead, consider taking a 30 day retreat right in the midst of life s busyness.

Journaling exercises, questions for reflection, prayer ideas, and many suggestions for practicing silence. We will explore your relationship with silence.

Discover how unnecessary some of our speaking can be, and how we can retreat back into a blessed place of silence, as we do errands, attend meetings, and even eat a meal.

2 Sharings from Sharon Dear Friends: As we begin the summer months I want to invite you to The Sound of Your own Silence, a 30 Day Retreat in the midst of Life s Busyness. Wouldn t it be nice to slip away from your busy life and take a 30 day silent retreat? Absolutely, but few of us can carve out that kind of time to be away. Instead, consider taking a 30 day retreat right in the midst of life s busyness. I will have a resource for you that offers a 30 day spiritual workbook/journal that will help you to claim silence every day, in different kinds of ways. Journaling exercises, questions for reflection, prayer ideas, and many suggestions for practicing silence. We will explore your relationship with silence. Find out what makes you anxious about silent space and what makes you more peaceful. Explore the gifts that can come as you are silent while those around you are speaking. Discover how unnecessary some of our speaking can be, and how we can retreat back into a blessed place of silence, as we do errands, attend meetings, and even eat a meal. You can choose any level of silence that fits your life and your needs; full silence or just a few precious minutes a day, or anything in between. June Birthdays! Dawn Imada June 1 John Fukasawa June 4 Brian Jonasson June 9 Don Choi June 27 Jo Fukasawa June 28 Throughout the 30 days, you will be encouraged in three different areas: Praying in Silence: Start with just five minutes twice a day, and work your way up to twenty minutes of sheer silence as prayer. Use other prayer methods to enter into silent prayer, where you rest in God s presence with no words at all. Keeping Silence: In ways that are right for your unique life circumstances, explore different ways of keeping silence, by refraining from speaking and diminishing the background noise around you. Anna Lucia and Mom Reflecting about Silence: Take time to think about and articulate what is happening for you throughout the 30 days. You will also have the opportunity to meet once a week to practice silence and encourage one another throughout the month. If God is nudging you to take this journey---or you just want to give it a try, signups will be available beginning the second Sunday of June. Registration for the retreat will be open until June 23 rd. After those who would like to participate register we can pick a time to meet together weekly (however, meeting together is not a requirement of participation in the retreat). Joyously, in Christ s Service Pastor Sharon Page 2 FPC News Born April 2, here is baby Anna Luchia Capuchino (7 weeks old!) and Momma Irene on May 19.

First Pres. San Jose Front Door Ministry Front Door Ministry In May we made and gave out 1572 lunches for some 440 people (some of whom came to the door many times).

of useful canned and packaged food to Sacred Heart Community Services. So far this year, we have donated 305 lbs. of food, and 4,560 lbs. of food since we began our monthly food drive in June, 2009.

Our savings will help save the lives of poor women and girls in South Sudan and Haiti. www.mercybeyondborders.

promoting health, supporting economic development, or providing formal schooling and scholarships - include an educational component.

Among all who suffer from extreme poverty, the most vulnerable are women & children displaced by war. THE SOLUTION: Extreme poverty can be alleviated, but only with external intervention.

3 First Pres. San Jose Front Door Ministry Front Door Ministry In May we made and gave out 1572 lunches for some 440 people (some of whom came to the door many times). So far this year we have given out 7,151 lunches. [We gave out 12,510 lunches in 2012.] Monthly Food Drive for the Hungry People Served by Sacred Heart Community Services In May we gave 60 lbs. of useful canned and packaged food to Sacred Heart Community Services. So far this year, we have donated 305 lbs. of food, and 4,560 lbs. of food since we began our monthly food drive in June, This year s Change for Change non-profit group to raise funds for is Mercy Beyond Borders. Start collecting change now! We will collect our combined savings on Sunday, September 8. Our savings will help save the lives of poor women and girls in South Sudan and Haiti. OUR MISSION: Partnering with displaced women and children in ways that alleviate their extreme poverty OUR FOCUS: Women learn, women matter; all of our projects with women and girls - whether promoting health, supporting economic development, or providing formal schooling and scholarships - include an educational component. THE PROBLEM: Extreme poverty (defined by the UN as living on less than $1.25/day) is poverty that kills--for lack of adequate nutrition, shelter, clean water, & medicines. Among all who suffer from extreme poverty, the most vulnerable are women & children displaced by war. THE SOLUTION: Extreme poverty can be alleviated, but only with external intervention. In order to get onto the first rung of the ladder of economic development, those trapped in extreme poverty require aid and solidarity. According to economist Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and architect of the UN Millennium Goals, once they have that first leg up, they can and do advance on their own. THE MERCY BEYOND BORDERS APPROACH: Mercy Beyond Borders uses three methods proven to be effective in alleviating extreme poverty: (1) Educating women and girls, (2) Providing funding for small entrepreneurial projects designed and implemented by the displaced women themselves, and (3) Promoting maternal and child health. for Refugees In May we hosted some Refugee guests from countries far away from us, who our country has invited to become citizens. Some have come to Santa Clara County to be resettled, learn English, and find jobs. Our Presbytery has had a strong partnership with Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement program for the past 25 years. Recently our Presbytery raised nearly a million dollars to buy a rooming house in San Jose (68 S. 11th St. 7 short blocks to our church!) for refugees transitional housing. The new house will be called Immanuel House (God is with us), and will become one of our partner agencies we serve and support. Refugees come here, sometimes with just the clothes on their backs, fleeing from political, religious or other forms of persecution, and/or the ravages of war. They can never go home, and hope for a better life in America which many see as the land of opportunity. As our relationship grows with Immanuel House we will find ways we can help the house and its residents flourish. On Sunday June 1 we will take donations for Immanuel House. Page 3 FPC News

watermelon, carrots, celery, and eggplant in the ground. Watch everything grow!

(Talk to Rich Stewart or Pat Plant if you have some time to spare.

2013 marks the 20th year of sailing instruction at Lake Cunningham Regional Park.

With mild afternoon winds it makes for ideal sailing.

afternoon beginning the last week of June through the middle of August for a

4 Our vegetables are off to a good start! We ve got cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, chili peppers, beans, zucchini, watermelon, carrots, celery, and eggplant in the ground. Watch everything grow! We could use some help watering! (Talk to Rich Stewart or Pat Plant if you have some time to spare.) Lake Cunningham Sail! 2013 marks the 20th year of sailing instruction at Lake Cunningham Regional Park. There is a 54 acre lake located in eastern San Jose. With mild afternoon winds it makes for ideal sailing. Over the past two decades over 1600 youth and adults have learned the basics of sailing. The program for youth ages eleven - eighteen, begins on Monday and ends on Friday afternoon beginning the last week of June through the middle of August for a total of twenty hours of instruction and hands-on sailing. Youth sail on a simple back and forth course by the second day. The program for adults is held in the evening from 6-8 p.m. three evenings a week for two weeks for a total of twelve hours of sailing. There will be eight weekly youth classes and four adult classes. For more information, phone (408) Page 4 FPC News

WANTED: SNACK PROVIDERS! THANKS RICH! Enjoying after-worship fellowship over a plate of treats has become a welcome tradition at FPC.

We try to keep the refreshments simple and affordable but understand that providing for 40-plus can be intimidating for one individual.

If you would like assistance in finding a refreshment partner, please talk with me or call Judy Lococo at (408) 799-4013 and I ll help with a connection.

! Last weekend, members of Los Gatos Presbyterian Church assembled 200+ lunch bags for our Front Door Ministry here at FPC and delivered them this week along with a check for $500 for the Front Door

Unless you ve had your eyes closed, you must have noticed the following improvements (a partial list) created by our Facilities Elder, Rich Stewart: Brighter lights in the Sanctuary and Fellowship

5 WANTED: SNACK PROVIDERS! THANKS RICH! Enjoying after-worship fellowship over a plate of treats has become a welcome tradition at FPC. We have been very blessed by the faithfulness of volunteer hosts and hostesses over the past years. But this tradition cannot continue on a regular basis without more host participants. We try to keep the refreshments simple and affordable but understand that providing for 40-plus can be intimidating for one individual. So we invite you to team up with one or two others and sign up together to host a Sunday. If you would like assistance in finding a refreshment partner, please talk with me or call Judy Lococo at (408) and I ll help with a connection. By working together we can avoid empty refreshment Sundays. Yea!! Los Gatos Pres.! Last weekend, members of Los Gatos Presbyterian Church assembled 200+ lunch bags for our Front Door Ministry here at FPC and delivered them this week along with a check for $500 for the Front Door effort. How nice is that???? Rich making a brand new garden bed in back of the church this one with a walkway through it! Unless you ve had your eyes closed, you must have noticed the following improvements (a partial list) created by our Facilities Elder, Rich Stewart: Brighter lights in the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall Two very bright lights installed in front of the church to persuade our homeless friends not to sleep infront of the church at night. New specially painted areas Rich painted telling people not to park (making stalled traffic in the parking lot a rare occurance. Planters placed in front of Town Park Towers preventing people from parking in the route of parking lot traffic. The removal of old scrubby bushes in front of the church and replacing them with lovely flowers and flowering vines. New planting areas in the back of the church including many new fruit trees. And on and on. Thank you, Richard! You re an angel and a great contributor to the upkeep of our church. Martha Wills, Mission Elder from our Los Gatos Church with the 200+ lunches she delivered on May 28th! Lilies growing under our front sign Our front Door Ministry has been similarly blessed by West Valley, Sunnyvale, and Stone Churches. Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to your life's span? And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these." ~ Matthew 6:26-29 New tree One more thing regarding Rich! Our Deacons and Our City Forest dedicated a tree to Rich's father here on our property to the left of the church sign out on N. Fourth St. It will grow into a big tree which will flower in the spring. The Deacons will place a marker in front of the tree in honor of Rich s father who passed away earlier this year. Page 5 FPC News

6 Pentecost Wearing red we gathered for the celebration of Pentecost, considered the birthday of the church. Sharon preaching on Pentecost Dutifully, many in the congregation wore red to church. Janet Miller, former member and great singer, gifted us with beautiful song. THE PENINSULA BANJO BAND Jim Lathrop Page 6 FPC News The Peninsula Banjo Band (including our own Jim Lathrop) came to entertain us on May 18.

7 Coming in July! Our FPC Church Picnic Sunday July 21, 10:30 on This year we will be at Almaden Lake Park. SAVE THE DATE! SALAD SUPPERS July 17, 24 & 31, 6:30 p.m. We will gather for our typically delicious dinner and fellowship and then hear from special guest speakers from agencies our church has worked with including Goodwill, Loaves and Fishes, and the Downtown Streets Team. Two more Hero Awards will be presented. Please sign up to bring a salad, bread or dessert for each dinner. Spirit of the Living God Praise Hymn # 2117 Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me; Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Page 7 FPC News

8 Church of San Jose 49 North Fourth St. San Jose, CA ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED All tithes from the land, whether the seed from the ground or the fruit from the tree, are the Lord's; they are holy to the Lord. ~ Leviticus 27:30 OUR MISSION: At First Presbyterian Church of San Jose, we are a Spirit-led Community of Faith where the life and love of Jesus Christ is felt and shared. For more information, please contact: The Reverend Sharon Hare, Pastor Karleen Duchscherer, Administrator Church office: (408) fpcsj@yahoo.com Website: Newsletter Submissions: Please submit items to Pat Plant. Any format works (in person, church mailbox, patplant@ comcast.net). Deadline for the July, 2013 edition is Monday, June 24, Friends, visitors, newcomers: Join us this Sunday! Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. (come by 10:20 a.m. and join in the praise singing preparing us for worship.) Fellowship Time: Following Worship Children attend the first part of the worship service. Following the Children s Message, Sunday School is available for nursery through high school. High school age children attend worship service on the first Sunday of the month, and a teen discussion other weeks. First Presbyterian Church of San Jose, 49 N. Fourth St. 3rd St. E. St. John St. 4th St. E. Santa Clara St

First Presbyterian Church of San Jose 49 N. Fourth St., San Jose, CA (408)

September 2014 First Presbyterian Church of San Jose 49 N. Fourth St., San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 297-7212 fpcsj@yahoo.com www.fpcsj.org Sharings from Sharon Dear Friends: COMING UP ON FUTURE SUNDAYS! Sharon