December 2008

Dear Friends,

The season of Advent is always a spiritual challenge. Along with everyone else, those of us who keep a spiritual Advent season join into the full-throttled secular Christmas season. We deck the halls, hit the eggnog and kiss under the mistletoe. Frosty and Rudolph share space with shepherds and angles, stockings are hung by the window with care, chestnuts roast on an open fire, Clarence gets his wings, we all dream of a white Christmas, and it’s wonderful.

Yet somehow those of us who keep Advent must celebrate the Holidays with our friends, family, and neighbors while remembering to wait for the birth of Christ. My suggestion is that we wait by keeping watch.

We must keep watch because the same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem on the first Christmas comes to us every day. Jesus is present in the joy of the Holidays; Jesus is among us in the poor whose needs abide even as the privileged celebrate the Season. Jesus returns to us in the needy those we may help with our material generosity as well as those whose longings are spiritual and emotional.

Keep watch for the Christ who beckons in the beauty of creation and in the wonder of art and science. Keep watch, for this Advent—as during the rest of the year—Christ is on His way.

With Warm Wishes for the Advent Season,

Ben

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Fun in December
It's Christmas Around the World!

*Academics*

· The kids are learning about the
letters “G” “H” & numbers 7 & 8.

*Themes & Activities*

Christmas
12/1-12/5


· 12/1 Art: Christmas Tree
Sung: “Hear His Bells”
· 12/2 Letter *G* day
· 12/3 Number 7 day
· 12/4 Bring a Christmas Card
· 12/5 Movie & share day

Christmas
12/8-12/12


· 12/8 Art: Triangle Reindeer
Poem: Santa Claus
· 12/9 Letter *G* day
· 12/10 Number 7 day
· 12/11 Bring last year’s Christmas gift
· 12/12 Movie & share day

Christmas 12/15-12/19


· 12/15 Art: Santa Hat
Song: “Santa’s Coming”
· 12/16 Letter *H* day
· 12/17 Number 8 day
· 12/18 Bring a red item
· 12/19 Movie & share day

Christmas
12/22-12/24
· 12/22 Art: Christmas Angel
Poem: Call Rudolph
· 12/23 Letter *H* day
· 12/24 Number 8 day




*Special Events*


Preschool Christmas Store
Fellowship Hall
Saturday, December 6
10:00-3:00PM



The Christmas Program
Sanctuary
Friday, December 19
6:30pm

Preschool Closed
December 25-January 5

*Christian Poetry*
I Found God Today
I found God today through the eyes of a child
He looked up at me and he gave me a smile
He brought me such comfort for which I have longed
Through the eyes of a child I realized I belonged
I found God today in an old woman's face
As she held my hands, I felt God's embrace
From problems in life I knew I would prevail
Which I felt through her hands so old and so frail
I found God today in the warmth of a friend
Who has given me strength for which I can depend
When life had me down and I felt so depressed
I realized through my friend just how much I was blessed
I found God today when I searched for so long
And it's now I realize, he's been there all along
In family and friends and in all who I see
Each day I find God and now I've found him in me
By Tommy Quin

Christmas Treasure

Dear Lord, we're here at Christmas time
To honor your sacred birth,
Dear Savior, thank you for bringing all
Your precious gifts to earth.
As we delight in this holiday
With its bright and special pleasure,
We pray to remember all year round
That You are the only true treasure.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
By Joanna Fuchs ________________________________________________________
December Lectionary Readings

Sunday, December 7, 2008
2nd Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Mark 1:1-8

Sunday, December 14, 2008
3rd Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126 or Luke 1:47-55;
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

Sunday, December 21
4th Sunday of Advent
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:47-55 or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26;
Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

Wednesday, December 24
Christmas Eve
Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96;
Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14(15-20)

Thursday, December 25
Nativity of Jesus Christ/Christmas
Dawn: Isaiah 62:6-12; Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:(1-7)8-20
Day: Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4(5-12); John 1:1-14

Sunday, December 28, 2008
1st Sunday after Christmas
Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 148;
Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:22-40
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Stewardship


Tree Fund Update: We still need $2,560. The diseased pine trees have been removed but we still need to meet the cost. Thank you for those of you who have
responded. We have collected $1090.



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~The Life of a Seminary student {on internship} ~
-Maxine Millender

My Grace is Sufficient for you…2 Corinthians 12:9

There is a saying that you have to be careful what you ask for because you just may get it. All of us residents have to have one to three goals and present a verbatim to our peers for discussion. This is difficult for all of us and my last one made me feel like I was on the hot seat. I have three goals which are 1) Learn to write theological reflection papers, which will display feelings and emotions, 2) Increase my knowledge of MSICU, NISC, Trauma, Rehab and Oncology as it relates to patient issues, concerns, and spiritual support, 3) Learn to write meaningful sermons which display that I have understood the scriptural text.

I bring this to your attention because my patient visits are giving me experience in each of my three goals. First, we have to write a theological paper each week which is one to two pages single spaced prior to our one on one with our CPE supervisor. Secondly, we are required to get familiar with our patient location, illness terminology, and a personal goal which I chose as writing sermons.

Because of so much trauma and death, I am getting lots of experience which has lots of emotions and feelings for me and my patients. I have had patient deaths with one family member, no family members, and up to 50 family members. I am dealing with a lot of trauma such as car collisions, head-on collisions, stabbings, people jumping out of cars, people falling several feet, and suicide attempts. Lastly, a verbatim presentation shares what you have learned from the visit and a possible biblical theme that you could share. All of this turns into self awareness, how you interact with your patients and each member on the team. We are learning how to work as a team, respect each other who are different than we are, and learning how to listen. It may sound easy but try it with someone you don’t know that well. Not so easy!

My relationship with the charge nurses, techs, and unit secretaries have started to get better on some floors and still working at it on other floors. It is difficult because they all see new residents each year and it’s starting new relationships each year for them. For us, it is difficult because some of them become set in their ways, and we have to find ways to get around this to develop a relationship in order to visit on their floors and ask them for help when we need it.

The most difficult area to build a relationship is the emergency room. There is a lot of trauma (we have 16 bays) and more if we use the hallways as rooms and everyone is on alert. I have great relationships on the evening shift and still working on the day ones. The nurses and techs change every few hours so that they don’t have to deal with burnout. They are assigned to an area each morning and get different patients daily. The hospital has its own culture and is very interesting in each department. It’s now funny to each of us as we navigate through the short cuts that we thought we would never learn.

I dealt with a lot of death last month and again this month. Sometimes the deaths have had BIG families (up to 50) and some have had one or two. Let me share death with you from the patient and family member perspective as best I can. When a patient comes into the emergency room with the expectation of going home but all of a sudden, their heart stops or it’s discovered that there is a brain bleed and they have to operate quickly.

When a person’s heart stops, there are teams of capable medical professions who work very hard to get it beating again. One young lady (48) came into ER about two weeks ago, she was talking when she left her house, but in the ambulance, she stopped talking and the paramedics had to perform CPR. The team was waiting for her when she arrived and started on her to try and get a heartbeat. Her Mother rode in the ambulance with them but when she saw what they had to do (CPR), she could not take it and I had to bring her outside the bay. I had to walk the sister to another room. (The bays are what the emergency dept calls them and they are rooms that are separated by curtains)

When the young lady coded (Code blue) again, the team manually pumped for 30 minutes and could not get a heartbeat. The Doctor came out to tell the Mother there was no heartbeat and his recommendation was to stop but would do what she wanted. She wanted them to continue but after another 20 min, nothing happened so she said to please stop. She then went into shock, the sister said, “there’s no way my sister can be dead” and the other sister was in shock. This is what we as Chaplains have to work with and we have to also help the Doctor and sometimes the nurses. Death is difficult, especially when it’s not expected.

Our verbatims are written based on experiences like this. We have to recall our conversation, our observations, discuss the patient’s sociological, psychological, theological/spiritual concerns, and what we learned as a biblical theme. Our verbatims are presented to our peers and CPE supervisors and everyone gets to ask you questions and sometimes it feels like you are on the hot seat. It is sometimes painful, feels hurtful, and there are some who have cried.

I have wanted to work on feelings and I am getting many patient visits where feelings are a big issue. Like I said, I have had a lot of death but have also helped the family to deal with it at that moment. Also, many patients don’t get better and the family members decide to withdraw all of the medication and ventilators. This becomes difficult for the doctors, nurses, techs, and chaplains. We don’t offer any advice, only support what a family or patient wants to do, pray to God with all patients, and I read scripture with most of my patients.

I will continue to write about my specific experiences so that you have an idea what I do, in detail. We all have to preach sermons and I preached on 10/15. All of our services are televised for the patients and whoever is watching during that time.

~to be continued~

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The Semibreve
-Jay Jordana, Director of Music Ministries



9TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF CAROLS
Friday, December 12, 7:00 PM
Celebrate the sounds of the holiday season with the Foothill Presbyterian Church Chancel and Children’s choirs, Glory Ringers bell choir, early music ensemble Peralta Consort; Voices of the Valley Community Choir, and other special guests. www.foothillpc.com

Suggested Donation: one non-perishable food item per person
All proceeds will benefit the Lord’s Pantry to feed the hungry.

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PLAY 2008
Sunday, December 21st Worship Service
We are inviting children from first grade to high school to participate in this year’s Christmas play. We would like older kids to fill the speaking roles of Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zechariah, angel Gabriel; secondary roles: King Herod, innkeepers, shepherds, three wise men, other angels, and animals in the manger. For those very young or those who do not want a speaking part, they are welcome to participate in a choir that would lead the congregation in traditional Christmas Carols.

Rehearsals will begin on Sunday, November 2, 2008, 12 – 1PM and will be ongoing, weekly. There will be no rehearsals on November 9th, and November 30th. Dress rehearsal will be on Saturday, December 20th, 9AM – 12PM. The performance will be held during the worship service on December 21st (Call time is at 9AM).

For additional information as well as for those who would like to help in play production, please contact John Isberg.

We are looking forward to your participation!

MUSIC SERIES BROCHURES
Winter 2009
We’ll be ready to print, fold, seal, and send the next batch to over 200 churches and businesses in San Jose. Please sign up at the board in front of my office if you would like to help. It’s a lot of work, so the more the merrier (and easier too!).

Let’s keep the Music Series healthy and alive!

UPCOMING CONCERTS
Winter 2009
Monteverdi Brass Quintet – Tuesday, February 10, 7:30 PM
Nothingset Ensemble – Sunday, February 22, 3PM
Flauti Dolci & Amici – Sunday, March 1st, 3PM
American Recorder Orchestra of the West (AROW) – Saturday, April 18, 3PM
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