Thanksgiving Dinner at Anderson Congregation
The Anderson Congregation has generously invited everyone to join for Thanksgiving dinner on November 23 at 5:00 p.m. They are located at 19956 Alexander Ave.
Please RSVP to 530-209-6920 or cofchristandersonca@gmail.com.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading Accidental Saints: Finding God in All of the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber. A bit about the book:
What if that person you've been trying to avoid is your best shot at grace today?
...And what if that's the point?
In Accidental Saints, New York Times best-selling author Nadia Bolz-Weber invites readers into a surprising encounter with what she calls “a religious but not-so-spiritual life.” Tattooed, angry and profane, this former standup comic turned pastor stubbornly, sometimes hilariously, resists the God she feels called to serve. But God keeps showing up in the least likely of people—a church-loving agnostic, a drag queen, a felonious Bishop and a gun-toting member of the NRA.
As she lives and worships alongside these “accidental saints,” Nadia is swept into first-hand encounters with grace—a gift that feels to her less like being wrapped in a warm blanket and more like being hit with a blunt instrument. But by this grace, people are transformed in ways they couldn’t have been on their own.
In a time when many have rightly become disillusioned with Christianity, Accidental Saints demonstrates what happens when ordinary people share bread and wine, struggle with scripture together, and tell each other the truth about their real lives. This unforgettable account of their faltering steps toward wholeness will ring true for believer and skeptic alike.
Told in Nadia’s trademark confessional style, Accidental Saints is the stunning next work from one of today’s most important religious voices.
A word of caution, some of the language in the book is "earthy" and maybe unexpected coming from an ordained Lutheran minister.
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading Accidental Saints: Finding God in All of the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber. A bit about the book:
What if that person you've been trying to avoid is your best shot at grace today?
...And what if that's the point?
In Accidental Saints, New York Times best-selling author Nadia Bolz-Weber invites readers into a surprising encounter with what she calls “a religious but not-so-spiritual life.” Tattooed, angry and profane, this former standup comic turned pastor stubbornly, sometimes hilariously, resists the God she feels called to serve. But God keeps showing up in the least likely of people—a church-loving agnostic, a drag queen, a felonious Bishop and a gun-toting member of the NRA.
As she lives and worships alongside these “accidental saints,” Nadia is swept into first-hand encounters with grace—a gift that feels to her less like being wrapped in a warm blanket and more like being hit with a blunt instrument. But by this grace, people are transformed in ways they couldn’t have been on their own.
In a time when many have rightly become disillusioned with Christianity, Accidental Saints demonstrates what happens when ordinary people share bread and wine, struggle with scripture together, and tell each other the truth about their real lives. This unforgettable account of their faltering steps toward wholeness will ring true for believer and skeptic alike.
Told in Nadia’s trademark confessional style, Accidental Saints is the stunning next work from one of today’s most important religious voices.
A word of caution, some of the language in the book is "earthy" and maybe unexpected coming from an ordained Lutheran minister.
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Redwoods Peace Colloquy
“Poverty is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.”*
In addition, last year's report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that, "The number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2024 was the highest ever recorded."
We believe that loving our neighbors means fighting for affordable housing and economic justice.
Join us for this year's Redwoods Peace Colloquy to learn from experts, build connections, and gain tangible tools to truly love your neighbors in your community.
*Journal of the American Medical Association, 2023
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading Accidental Saints: Finding God in All of the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber. A bit about the book:
What if that person you've been trying to avoid is your best shot at grace today?
...And what if that's the point?
In Accidental Saints, New York Times best-selling author Nadia Bolz-Weber invites readers into a surprising encounter with what she calls “a religious but not-so-spiritual life.” Tattooed, angry and profane, this former standup comic turned pastor stubbornly, sometimes hilariously, resists the God she feels called to serve. But God keeps showing up in the least likely of people—a church-loving agnostic, a drag queen, a felonious Bishop and a gun-toting member of the NRA.
As she lives and worships alongside these “accidental saints,” Nadia is swept into first-hand encounters with grace—a gift that feels to her less like being wrapped in a warm blanket and more like being hit with a blunt instrument. But by this grace, people are transformed in ways they couldn’t have been on their own.
In a time when many have rightly become disillusioned with Christianity, Accidental Saints demonstrates what happens when ordinary people share bread and wine, struggle with scripture together, and tell each other the truth about their real lives. This unforgettable account of their faltering steps toward wholeness will ring true for believer and skeptic alike.
Told in Nadia’s trademark confessional style, Accidental Saints is the stunning next work from one of today’s most important religious voices.
A word of caution, some of the language in the book is "earthy" and maybe unexpected coming from an ordained Lutheran minister.
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading Accidental Saints: Finding God in All of the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber. A bit about the book:
What if that person you've been trying to avoid is your best shot at grace today?
...And what if that's the point?
In Accidental Saints, New York Times best-selling author Nadia Bolz-Weber invites readers into a surprising encounter with what she calls “a religious but not-so-spiritual life.” Tattooed, angry and profane, this former standup comic turned pastor stubbornly, sometimes hilariously, resists the God she feels called to serve. But God keeps showing up in the least likely of people—a church-loving agnostic, a drag queen, a felonious Bishop and a gun-toting member of the NRA.
As she lives and worships alongside these “accidental saints,” Nadia is swept into first-hand encounters with grace—a gift that feels to her less like being wrapped in a warm blanket and more like being hit with a blunt instrument. But by this grace, people are transformed in ways they couldn’t have been on their own.
In a time when many have rightly become disillusioned with Christianity, Accidental Saints demonstrates what happens when ordinary people share bread and wine, struggle with scripture together, and tell each other the truth about their real lives. This unforgettable account of their faltering steps toward wholeness will ring true for believer and skeptic alike.
Told in Nadia’s trademark confessional style, Accidental Saints is the stunning next work from one of today’s most important religious voices.
A word of caution, some of the language in the book is "earthy" and maybe unexpected coming from an ordained Lutheran minister.
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading Accidental Saints: Finding God in All of the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber. A bit about the book:
What if that person you've been trying to avoid is your best shot at grace today?
...And what if that's the point?
In Accidental Saints, New York Times best-selling author Nadia Bolz-Weber invites readers into a surprising encounter with what she calls “a religious but not-so-spiritual life.” Tattooed, angry and profane, this former standup comic turned pastor stubbornly, sometimes hilariously, resists the God she feels called to serve. But God keeps showing up in the least likely of people—a church-loving agnostic, a drag queen, a felonious Bishop and a gun-toting member of the NRA.
As she lives and worships alongside these “accidental saints,” Nadia is swept into first-hand encounters with grace—a gift that feels to her less like being wrapped in a warm blanket and more like being hit with a blunt instrument. But by this grace, people are transformed in ways they couldn’t have been on their own.
In a time when many have rightly become disillusioned with Christianity, Accidental Saints demonstrates what happens when ordinary people share bread and wine, struggle with scripture together, and tell each other the truth about their real lives. This unforgettable account of their faltering steps toward wholeness will ring true for believer and skeptic alike.
Told in Nadia’s trademark confessional style, Accidental Saints is the stunning next work from one of today’s most important religious voices.
A word of caution, some of the language in the book is "earthy" and maybe unexpected coming from an ordained Lutheran minister.
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Youth Winter Retreat
January 2-4, Youth Winter Retreat (Grades 6-12)
Directed by Laura Bolton, email: lbolton@cofchrist-spmc.org
Save the date!
More details coming soon.
National Park Trip
February 14-16, National Park Trip (grades 9-12)
Led by Laura Bolton, email: lbolton@cofchrist-spmc.org.
Save the date!
More details to come.
Camp 101
March 13-15, Camp 101 (Grades 1-3)
Directed by Jenna Boyd, email: jenna.b.1725@gmail.com
Save the date!
More details to come.
Children's Camp
June 18-22, Children’s Camp (Grades 3-5)
Directed by Shannon Hrobowski, email: shannonily@gmail.com
Save the date!
More details to come.
High School Camp
June 23-29, High School Camp (Grades 9-12)
Directed by Jessica Jones-Tidwell, email: sayhitojjones@gmail.com
Save the date!
More details to come.
Middle School Camp
June 30-July 5, Middle School Camp (Grades 6-8)
Directed by Clayton Troxell and Cathryn Cannavino, email: cattyrose13@gmail.com
Save the date!
More details to come.
SPECTACULAR (SPEC)
July 11-18, Spectacular - Graceland University Lamoni, Iowa (grades 9-12)
Delegation Leader, Jessica Hudson, email: jl.judson@yahoo.com
Save the date!
More details to come.
Youth Justice Summit
August 28-31, (tentative) - Youth Justice Summit - Sacramento
Co-Directed by Emily Rose email: erose@cofchrist-spmc.org & Laura Bolton email: lbolton@cofchrist-spmc.org
Save the date!
More details to come.
Elementary Retreat
September 25-27, Elementary Retreat (Grades 1-5)
Directed by Jenna Boyd, email: jenna.b.1725@gmail.com
Save the date!
More details to come.
Community of Christ Peace Forum
October 16-18, Community of Christ Peace Forum - Independence, MO
Directed by Shandra Newcom, email: snewcom@cofchrist.org
Save the date!
More details to come.
Christmas Youth Retreat
December 4-6, Christmas Youth Retreat (Grades 6-12)
Directed by Laura Bolton, email: lbolton@cofchrist-spmc.org
Save the date!
More details to come.
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
2025 Sierra Pacific Mission Center Conference
Dear Members and Friends of Sierra Pacific Mission Center,
It is almost time for Mission Center Conference! This Sunday, November 16 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific, our mission center community will be joining together for our annual Mission Center Conference. We are looking forward to a time of reflection of the past year and alignment for the future.
Below you will find conference materials with lots of information for you to look through to see what has been happening this past year in the mission center. I want to encourage everyone to look through the information that was submitted by so many leaders in our ministry! There are updates from the staff and some of the volunteers that lead our ministry in the mission center. Meaningful outreach in Youth Ministries, the Peace Colloquy, Happy Valley, Young Adult ministries, and lots of information about the financial well-being of the mission center.
Critical Pages to Print
If you would like to print what is specifically relevant to our business meeting on Sunday – please be sure to print the following pages:
Pg. 04
Pgs. 35-43
Pgs. 53-55
Voting Instructions
I wanted to give you some guidance in case we need to have a counted vote for any of our items of business. We will use the polling feature in Zoom to vote. However, using this feature only allows one vote per device that is logged in to the meeting. If you are logged in with other people in your home or congregation on one computer and want to vote individually, you have a couple of options.
You can log in to Zoom on another device (phone, tablet, etc.) when it is time to vote
You can text or email Paul your vote. Please include your name as well as how you would like to vote in your email or text. In the event that we need to vote in this way, we will remind you of these steps during the meeting.
Paul’s email is pharding@cofchrist.org and phone (for text): 402-995-9792.
Thank you for your prayerful preparation as we gather to further our ministry in our communities and the mission center.
If you have any questions, as always, reach out to me.
Ruth Seagraves
Mission Center President
Community of Christ Sierra Pacific Mission Center
Happy Valley Campfire Fundraiser
Save the Pool for Future Camps at Happy Valley
Help bring the ministry of water to the next generation! The Happy Valley Board of Directors is hosting a virtual campfire fundraiser to raise funds to renovate our pool on November 15 from 7:00 PM-8:30 PM. Drop by drop, Happy Valley is working towards our goal of $150,000 for the restoration, and they are already 39% there, thanks to the generosity of folks like you! With everyone's help, a little goes a long way - consider contributing to this worthy source of recreation, of community connection, of summer camp joy. Join us for fun, community, and silly camp songs for our online pool fundraiser by signing up here, or donate today to Happy Valley here.
Feel free to contact Lynley Closson (lynleyclosson@gmail.com) or Tim Dodds (tim@happyvalleycc.org) with questions.
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Trunk-or-Treat
October 31
6:00-8:00 pm
Join us for Trunk-or-Treat at the Grateful Gardens, San Jose Community of Christ. If you would like to give candy from your decorated car trunk contact Jim for more detail (408) 497-8009 or email sjslimJim@aol.com.
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Youth Intercultural Bridging Program to Australia
September 20 - October 4, 2025 (exact dates could change based on flights)
INTERCULTURAL BRIDGING PROGRAM TO AUSTRALIA
Who: Current 9 - 12 graders
Cost: $1000
Delegation Leader: Laura Bolton
Contact: lbolton@cofchrist-spmc.org
Registration for the Intercultural Bridging Program has reached its limit.
Please contact Laura Bolton to join the waiting list.
Dear friends,
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to attend youth camps in French Polynesia, Honduras, El Salvador, the Netherlands, the United States, and the British Isles. Each experience deepened my understanding of Community of Christ on a global scale and strengthened my love for our faith community.
In the past, the church provided opportunities for young people to connect with peers from around the world, but like many ministries, those programs have faded over time. The goal of this trip—and future trips to come—is to rebuild those connections and bridge the gap between our youth, fostering a renewed sense of unity and belonging.
To launch this program, our senior high youth have been invited to attend High School Camp in Australia. 🇦🇺
🗓️ Tentative Dates: Sept. 20 - Oct. 4, 2025
(exact dates can change based on flights)
💵 Cost: $1000
🤸 Who: Current 9-12 graders
🧑🏫 Delegation Leader: Laura Bolton
You'll find more information below including the application and deadline, details on an upcoming information session, and opportunities to support this program.
Application deadline is June 30, 2025
Youth will be selected based on their application, maturity, and commitment to the Community of Christ youth ministry program. Current freshmen - seniors are eligible to apply.
With anticipation and hope,
Laura Bolton (she/her)
SPMC Youth Minister
Community of Christ Sierra Pacific Mission Center
lbolton@cofchrist-spmc.org
FEELING INSPIRED TO BE GENEROUS?
The mission center is significantly subsidizing the expense of this program. If congregations or individuals would like to support this important formative ministry and sponsor or partially sponsor a selected youth, that would be a powerful gift.
Please contact Ruth Seagraves at 916-792-7125 or rseagraves@cofchrist-spmc.org.
Women's Retreat
Mark your calendars and make plans to join us at Happy Valley Conference Center for Women’s Retreat from September 19 - 21. Our theme will be, “The Hope Found in a New Story.”
Cost:
Adults & Youth (age 11-17): $175
Children (Age 3-10): $125
Under 3: $0
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley.
Cole Arthur Riley is, more than most things, a writer. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied writing at the University of Pittsburgh, but traces her love of words back to her father, who would bribe her and her siblings to write poems and stories to get out of chores, or for cold hard cash; and her gramma who was part writer, part sage.
Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Curator.
Some thinkers who have formed her include, Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Julian of Norwich.
Cole’s debut book THIS HERE FLESH was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Click to order the book online from Better World Books
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Young Adult Retreat
Register today for our next young adult retreat to be held September 12 - 14, 2025, in San Jose. Specific location TBD!
Not a young adult? Consider forwarding this email to young adults you know and love that are connected to our Community or who would enjoy the support of an accepting faith community.
Thank you for help with being invitational!
Questions? Contact Brian Anders at brian.steven.anders@gmail.com.
Disciplines Dialogue Devotion
You are invited!
Join us for Disciplines Dialogue at 10 a.m. Pacific every Tuesday.
Each week, we discover the scriptures anew together following along with Disciplines 2025, a book of devotions. Click the link below to join via Zoom.
Questions about this group? Email Bob B Thomas at bobbthomas@att.net.
The Enlarged-Print edition of the new 2025 book can be purchased using the button below.
Thrive Discussion
“Thrive” meets the 1st - 4th Monday nights every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Pacific. (We don’t meet on 5th Mondays.)
We are currently reading Accidental Saints: Finding God in All of the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber. A bit about the book:
What if that person you've been trying to avoid is your best shot at grace today?
...And what if that's the point?
In Accidental Saints, New York Times best-selling author Nadia Bolz-Weber invites readers into a surprising encounter with what she calls “a religious but not-so-spiritual life.” Tattooed, angry and profane, this former standup comic turned pastor stubbornly, sometimes hilariously, resists the God she feels called to serve. But God keeps showing up in the least likely of people—a church-loving agnostic, a drag queen, a felonious Bishop and a gun-toting member of the NRA.
As she lives and worships alongside these “accidental saints,” Nadia is swept into first-hand encounters with grace—a gift that feels to her less like being wrapped in a warm blanket and more like being hit with a blunt instrument. But by this grace, people are transformed in ways they couldn’t have been on their own.
In a time when many have rightly become disillusioned with Christianity, Accidental Saints demonstrates what happens when ordinary people share bread and wine, struggle with scripture together, and tell each other the truth about their real lives. This unforgettable account of their faltering steps toward wholeness will ring true for believer and skeptic alike.
Told in Nadia’s trademark confessional style, Accidental Saints is the stunning next work from one of today’s most important religious voices.
A word of caution, some of the language in the book is "earthy" and maybe unexpected coming from an ordained Lutheran minister.
Join us at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of good conversation and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you’ve never joined us before – we would love to see you!
Elementary Retreat
Friends,
We are so excited to see you at Elementary Retreat this fall! Our theme this year is “All Are Called.” That means God made each of us special - with different talents, ideas, and ways to help others. Jesus invites us to follow him, and we all get to be part of the good things God is doing in the world!
At camp, we’ll have a fun time where you can share something you love or show something you’re good at. It’s kind of like a Show & Tell!
Here are some ideas of what you could do:
Draw a cool picture or show us how to draw
Sing a song, say a poem, or do a dance
Show something you made
Teach us a game or a trick
Talk about your favorite hobby or collection
Show a special talent—anything you’re proud of!
You can bring something with you or just come ready to share.
—no matter how big or small! God gave you something wonderful, and we can’t wait to celebrate it with you. Everyone’s gift is important
General Details:
📅 September 5 - 7, 2025
🧒 Grades: 1 - 5
📍 Happy Valley Conference Center
This retreat is for youth in grades 1-5 and a loving adult buddy. Youth will be housed with their adult buddy and experience a weekend of events made just for them that they get to explore with an adult that cares for them.
Love Out Loud (Peace and Justice Reading Circle)
Love Out Loud, the Sierra Pacific Peace and Justice Reading Circle, will meet on September 4 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Pacific.
Join us as we discuss the book: “Poverty, by America” by Matthew Desmond.
We look forward to seeing and sharing with you!