Radical Hope
The word "hope" appeared in the last presidential campaign and it continues to
have prominence in our public conversations. The reason is probably that so
many are feeling hopeless or are fearing hopelessness in our current economic climate. It is ironic that hope has little meaning except in the presence of hopelessness.
Henri Nouwen gives us some help in thinking about hope when he contrasts it with optimism, which he says are radically different ideas."Optimism is the expectation that things ... will get better. Hope is the trust that God will fulfill God's promises to us in a way that leads us to true freedom ... The person of hope lives in the moment with the knowledge and trust that all life is in good hands."
Hope was an issue for those who walked with Jesus through the last week of his life. There seemed to be none. There was certainly no reason for optimism. His movement seemed to be coming to a quick and tragic ending. Things were only getting worse. He was crucified like a common criminal. The burden of shame for his followers would have been great; as great as the fear that they would suffer the same fate. Then the unbelievable happened, the tomb was found empty and those women who had gone to the tomb were told that he was risen. But they (as recorded in Mark 16) did not see Jesus standing there -alive! They left the tomb feeling something between hope and hopelessness.
They had been given a word of hope, but not the proof that it was true. How like our lives. We have been given the word of hope and it has radically changed the meaning and direction of our lives, but we live on in faith trusting God that the word is true. It is more open-ended than we would like, but it is our present reality. Let us live in the freedom that only the rising God can bring, trusting that we are in his strong and loving hands.
Palm/Passion Sunday 10:30 am
Beginning with a triumphant, palm strewn procession Jesus begins the final
week of his life as he obeys his father's plan for the salvation of the world. He is
preparing for his atoning work on the cross, an act that will make it possible forus to be at peace with God.
Maundy Thursday 7:30 pm
Lord's Supper and Tenebrae Jesus gave us a "new commandment" (mandatum novum) to love each other (John 13:34) when he spent a final meal with his disciples. We know that meal as the Last Supper. We will celebrate the Lord's Supper and then observe a service of Tenebrae (Shadows) as we hear the passion story read.
Easter Saturday 12:30 pm at Truman & Bryant
Come help bless the children of the neighborhood by being part of the staff of the HUNT. Give the gift of your presence and a listening ear. It's a time when we can offer our neighbors a brief experience of a loving community, a place to gather and enjoy life together.
Easter Sunday 10:30 am Come celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. With Jesus' death and resurrection, he offers us reconciliation, justification, redemption, liberation, and forgiveness of sin. We can live in freedom from debt and the power of sin. We can live in his righteousness assured of a secure place in God's family.
DID YOU KNOW? . . . that Troy Royko recently received his captain's bars in an Army ceremony at Moffett Field that recognized his new rank. I'm told that the work is the same, but now he has the appropriate rank to do it. . . . or that Andres & Renee Pech have just closed on their first home which is in north Sunnyvale. We understand that Andres will be calling on his team of brothers and Renee's dad to join him in doing significant work on the house before they move in. . . . or that we'll be saying goodbye to Hans Jagow for a couple months when in mid-April his Air Force unit leaves for a tour in Djibouti. They will be flying search and rescue missions for the American peace keeping forces near the Horn of Africa. Tamera and Saylor will be staying behind at Covenant House to await his homecoming. . . . or that former member Bruce Pruitt is a newly published author of a book, "The Truth about Anti-Masonry" in which Bruce captures on paper a subject that has long interested him. A copy is available in the church library. . . . or that Blake Gaderlund is heaving a sigh of relief at having finished the last class of his Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Santa Clara University. He will receive his degree at a ceremony in May.
NEW ADDRESSES
Andres, Renee, & Nathan Pech 744 Santa Paula Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94085 (A new phone number will come later)
APRIL WORSHIP/PREACHING -With Palm Sunday and Easter we will finish our timewith Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem. We have been looking at the stories of Jesus' lifethrough the lens that Paul presents to us when he tells us that our lives are "in Christ". How does it change how we live, if we join Jesus in his journey to his death and resurrection. We will be praying Soren Kierkegaard's prayer, "O Lord Jesus Christ, save us from the error ofwishing to admire you instead of being willing to follow you and resemble you."
April 5 - Palm/Passion Sunday - Mark 15 - "In Need of Rescue" - J. G.
April 12 - Easter -Mark 16 -"An Open-Ended End to the Story" - Jim G.
April 19 - John 20.19-31 -"What Next?" - Jim G.
April 26 -- Rev. Jeff Budd
Women's Bible Study is on Wednesday mornings at 9:45 am. We are starting a new study on April 1, ably lead by Marian Ecklund and supported by Nancy Baldwinson. Do come join us for this new study.
We will look forward to lunching together at the Country Gourmet in Sunnyvale on Thursday, April 2 at 11:30 am. Please call Ona Avent (408-984-7625) for more information.
We continue our Stretch Yoga class on Wednesdays at Noon during the spring. Call Kay Roberts (408-255-7817) for more information.
Men's Lunch
We will be meeting on Thursday, April 2 at Noon. We'll be looking for you at Brian's Restaurant in Los Altos in the Rancho Shopping Center on Foothill and Magdalena. Please call Jim Gaderlund at 650.967.7447 with any questions.
Copies of the final draft of the edited by-laws are available in the lobby and the church office. This edition was shaped by discussions in the congregational conversations held during the fall and winter. The proposed by-laws and constitution will be acted on at a congregational meeting in August 2009. You may also request copies of the proposed constitution from the church office.
A very cold and extremely windy day did not keep our Book Lovers home ordampen their enthusiasm for sharing what they have enjoyed reading. Here is a brief sampling of some books our page-turners have enjoyed.
If you are a lover of mysteries, "The Franklin Affair" is an intriguing Saga for you. It is the 15th novel written by Jim Lehrer. The mystery begins at the funeral of a Benjamin Franklin scholar.The executor of his estate is told to look for a two hundred year old overcoat that has been donated to a museum. In the coat pocket he will find a secret message. Read on to learn the secret in the envelope. As Benjamin Franklin one said, "Three may keep a secret if two are dead."
The jury is still out about "The Shack", #1 New York Times Bestseller by William Paul Young. After a family tragedy a man finds a note in his mailbox signed "god," telling him to meet Him at "TheShack." Two of our Book Lovers did not like the book at all and one found it one of the most wonder books she had read. Perhaps you can decide.
You can almost hear the voice of "Mary Poppins" and Sister Maria of "Sound of Music" when youread Julie Andrew's autobiography "Home," the memoir of her early days in war-torn Britain. Her journey begins as a ten year old touring on the vaudeville stage to eventual international stardom. It is written with humor and sensitivity.
"Kristin Lauransdatter" by Sigrid Undset, a Nobel prize winning author, is an historical epic, set in14th century Norway. It is a story of a mother's relationship with her seven sons and our reader wassorry to see it end. Set in a beautiful valley Norway, it is easy to compare families in those by-gonedays to our own today.
"Uncivilized beasts and Shameless Hellions" is by NPR correspondent John F. Burnet. He takes us to many of the world's hot spots, spanning the globe and sharing what he is observing from Waco toKartrina with many countries in between. His insights take us to places we can only imagine.
Meera Madden, a native of India, shared her impressions of viewing the film "Slumdog Millionare."And Becky Mulder shared her oil painting that has been chosen to be displayed at the library inFoothill College where she is a student. It is a family scene of winter at the Grand Canyon.
I trust this list will tempt you to join us next time we meet with some of your suggestions.
Sunday, April 267, 2009 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the Central Seventh Day Adventist Church 11425 Spring Road Mountain View, CA 94040
Join us for a delicious meal of soup, salad, bread, cake and beverage and take
your beautiful handmade bowl home!
Minimum donation: $15
Contact Gisela Daetz at (408) 738-4726 or giselaud@comcast.net for more in
formation.
Homelessness affects many people in Santa Clara County. The Potter's Build, OVCAG, and the Alpha Omega Homeless Services Group is offering a unique opportunity to help. Even if you can't attend the dinner there will be abeautiful pottery boutique. This is a perfect time to get unique Mother's day presents.
Saturday, April 11 at Mountain View High School on the Bryant St. lawn 1:30 HUNT 12:30 - 3pm FUN
Join us for a fun community adventure! Bring the family and hang out while the kids hunt for colored eggs filled with candy and prizes! Have your picture taken with the Easter Bunny! Balloons, Face Painting, and more! Refreshments, too!
Want To Be More Generous? Consider “Giver's School”!
For those who desire to grow in generosity, Love INC is offering a four-month “Giver'sSchool” to teach biblical principles regarding giving. The Giver's School will take place thethird Saturday of the month from 9-10:30 AM at Neighborhood Bible Church, 1302 BranhamLane, San Jose 95139. In addition to a teaching time, each session will have time for discussion regarding the application of that morning's topic. The Giver's School will not be used to ask people to donate to Love INC. Here are the dates and topics:
March 21: Why Does Money Management Matter To God? April 18: Biblical Promises To Givers. May 16: Attitudes Essential To Generosity. June 20: Making Eternal Investments: The Nuts And Bolts of Giving.
Please call the Love INC Business Line (408) 379-9226 or send an email to rich@loveincsantaclaracounty.org if you plan to attend. No charge. No offering will be taken.