Monday, November 23, 2009

December 2009

From Pastor Ben

Dear Friends,

I am grateful for all the ways in which our congregation has stepped up this holiday to address issues of poverty in Santa Clara County. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving we collected a pickup-load of frozen turkeys for the Lord’s Pantry. We’ve been gathering coats for those who might otherwise be cold this winter. We’re collecting toys to be used as presents for children whose parents cannot afford gifts to place under the tree. The “Foothill Fineries” group will be selling fiber arts creations as a way to support the mission of the church. The Preschool will be selling books to help support the work of our preschool, which provides high quality, low cost preschool and childcare for working families. Several of us spent hours at Sacred Heart Community Services, packing and distributing boxes of food for Thanksgiving—and we’ll be back again doing the same work as Christmas draws near.

All this good work has created a special feeling at Foothill. When I walk into the Narthex and see stacks of canned goods, barrels of coats, piles of toys, and stuff that will be sold to support good causes, it feels right, like our congregation is proclaiming the Kingdom of God in real and tangible ways in our community.

Again, thank you.

My prayer is that everyone in our congregation—both members and friends—will come by the church this Advent season to experience what the church is doing to support the poor and to support the church in the most important and basic way a congregation can be supported, by coming to worship.

Without vibrant worship, a congregation cannot engage in the kind of ministry that reaches out to our community by addressing issues of poverty. Our worship inspires us and makes us strong. Our worship is a mixing bowl in which the ingredients that make a vital church family are blended; a full sanctuary is the best way to experience powerful worship.

So this Advent come home to your church family. Support your congregation by experiencing the joyous mystery of Advent in worship.

I look forward to seeing you.

Blessings for Advent,


Ben Daniel
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Sam Berry on the Fall Retreat

Follow this link to Sam Berry's blog:
http://www.redroom.com/blog/sam-barry/the-daily-sam-the-kazoo-and-god

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The Life of a Seminary Student & Chaplain
-Maxine Millender

“We always have enough when God is our supply”
Unknown author

This month at work I have seen a lot of death. I have taken many calls for full arrest which usually result in a death, and patients dying due to withdrawals. This past weekend we have had 20 deaths between the Chaplains and Residents.

The saddest one for me was 10/22. The patient was a Hispanic man who loved riding horses. His cousin, a friend, and the patient were riding when an animal ran on the trail and spooked the horses. All of the riders fell off their horses but this man (24 yrs) fell backwards, hit his head, and did not move. They gave him CPR, called 911, and when they arrived, took over CPR and gave him some medication. When he arrived at the hospital in ER (care-flight), they worked on him and finally sent him to OR, then moved him to ICU. I met the family in ICU, after they were located. He received great care but his brain function was minimal and all tests (brain flow) were done but he was virtually dead. The family did not want to accept he was brain dead but on 10/22, the Doctor had to inform them that it had been 48 hrs and he had to call the death of the young man. They have 2 children (2 & 3 yrs) and had just had a miscarriage. The entire family was devastated at the news and told me they were hoping for a miracle, especially his Mom. They kept asking for more time to be with him and were given an extra 2 hours. When the two hours were up, his wife cried out to us and pleaded that we let him stay intubated because God was going to provide a miracle and allow him to wake up. After our Spanish Doctors and Spanish interpreters explained that he was brain-dead, they finally accepted that he was not going to wake up. It was so sad and very difficult for me to handle this death. This young man was healthy and the family did not want to donate because they believed this was what the hospital needed to say he was really dead.

When a man (60) left for work, he went in the opposite direction, pulled on a street, and was sitting in his car. A passerby saw him, called the police; they got there and immediately called EMS. They gave him CPR and then put him in the ambulance and drove to the hospital. He was in full arrest when he arrived and was breathing but CPR was given quickly. I called the policewoman and she gave me his wife’s name and number so that I could call her. When she arrived our triage security people let her come back to the room and she watched her husband as he was given CPR and she was in a state of shock. The Doctor gave her a poor prognosis and within 2 minutes of getting it, he died. When we asked her if she knew what happened, she had no idea. We believe he had a heart attack and was possibly driving to get some help but no one will ever know. He was a COPD (Chronic obstruction pulmonary disease) person and was on the highest dose of daily oxygen and the Doctor said he died of cardiac pulmonary arrest. It was sad, especially when his daughters arrived and the youngest one (20 yrs) was sobbing and so hurt that her Dad had died. I helped them through the death process but they were so overwhelmed that they did not hear much of what I had shared with them.

I have had a few good deaths, according to some family members. What I mean is the families are expecting the death and start visiting the patient more often to say their goodbyes, they sing with the patient, have prayers, and celebrate the life of their loved ones. Although they cry when the patient dies, it is what we call anticipatory grief.

We have memorial services four times a year for our family members who have lost loved ones and in November, we will have one. We get as many as 30 families who show up and it helps many of them to talk about the death with the Chaplains who handled the death and was there with them.

I am handling ethics calls and going on more end of life discussions now and it is great for me to spend time with the families during these difficult consultation, especially when the Doctor starts to discuss withdrawals from life support.

My weekends (Saturday and Sunday nights) are getting easier now and the 10-hours are not so difficult but I do have to sleep the next day.

I have submitted many papers in my classes and read many books. It is taxing at times but I am keeping ahead of my assignments. My take home exam in History of Christianity had only three questions but it took me a week to complete the exam. The other two classes had what I call a rote memorization exam. I had 15 pages of notes for each class and had to memorize all of it, which is difficult for me. The professor could ask any question and of course when I took one of the exams, my mind froze, and I completely forgot most of the answers to two questions.

My book responses have been completed and now I am reading a book called Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love by St. Augustine for the Christianity course. I will be writing a 6-page theological response paper which is due the first week in November.

I have had time to see one movie called Law Abiding Citizen. It helped to take my mind off so much death and end of life discussions.

I really appreciate your prayers as I continue to work as a Chaplain and attend seminary.
Lord, may I continue to have a servant’s heart in all that I say and do.

~to be continued~

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*Academics*


The kids are learning about
Letters “G” “H”
Numbers: 7 & 8

Lesson for the month:
Words that Rhyme

Pre K Lesson: The correct way to hold a pencil.


*Themes & Activities*


*Christmas*
11/30-12/4
· 11/30 Art: Star Santa
Poem: Tis Christmas
· 12/1 Learning the letter G
· 12/2 Learning the number 7
· 12/3 Bring 1 Christmas ornament
· 12/4 Lesson: How to hold a pencil



*Christmas*
12/7-12/11
· 12/7 Art: Toilet Roll Reindeer
Song: Baby Jesus
· 12/8 Learning the letter G
· 12/9 Learning the number 7
· 12/10 Lesson: Bring 2 things that rhyme
· 12/11 Lesson: How to hold a pencil



*Christmas*
12/14-12/18
· 12/14 Art: Paper Candy Cane
Poem: Christmas Message
· 12/15 learning the letter H
· 12/16 Learning the number 8
· 12/17 Lesson: Bring 2 things that rhyme
· 12/18 Lesson: How to hold a pencil








*Christmas*
12/21-12/23
· 12/21 Art: Christmas Tree
Song: Christmas is in the air
· 12/22 Learning the letter H
· 12/23 Learning the number 8





Spiritual Message: Peace

Chapel Day with Pastor Ben
Tuesday, December 1





*Special Events*





Scholastic Book Fair
12/7-12/13

The Christmas Store
Saturday, December 12



The Christmas Program
Friday, December 18














*Preschool Closed*
Friday, December 25th through Friday December 1st.







*The Glass Slipper*
The True Meaning of Giving

It was only four days before Christmas. The spirit of the season hadn't yet caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our local discount store. Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and last minute shoppers jammed the aisles.

Why did I come today? I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head. My list contained names of several people who claimed they wanted nothing but I knew their feelings would be hurt if I didn't buy them anything.

Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of items, I considered gift buying anything but fun. Hurriedly, I filled my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long checkout lines. I picked the shortest but it looked as if it would mean at least a 20-minute wait.

In front of me were two small children - a boy of about 5 and a younger girl. The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands.

The girl's clothing resembled her brother's. Her head was a matted mass of curly hair. Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers. As the Christmas music sounded in the store's stereo system, the girl hummed along, off-key but happily.

When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a treasure. The clerk rang up the bill. "That will be $6.09," she said. The boy laid his crumpled dollars atop the stand while he searched his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. "I Guess we will have to put them back," he bravely said. "We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow."

With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl. "But Jesus would have loved these shoes," she cried. "Well, we'll go home and work some more. Don't cry. We'll come back," he said. Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice said, "Thank you lady."

"What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?" I asked. The boy answered, "Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus." The girl spoke, "My Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won't mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match these shoes?" My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face. "Yes" I answered, "I am sure she will."

Silently I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the true spirit of giving.

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December Lectionary Readings

Sunday, December 6
2nd Sunday of Advent
Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79;
Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6

Sunday, December 13

3rd Sunday of Advent
Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6;
Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18

Sunday, December 20
4th Sunday in Advent
Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:47-55 or Psalm 80:1-7
Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

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

Friday, 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 27

1st Sunday after Christmas
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Psalm 148;
Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52
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Opportunities Right at Foothill Presbyterian Church for YOU!
-Gay Southwell, Moderator of Deacons

Do you like flowers? Bring A BOUQUET OR 2 PLANTS to a Sunday Service in honor or memory of someone and share the beauty. SIGN UP ON THE BULLETIN BOARD BY ENTERY DOOR TO SANCTUARY.

Do you like food after Sunday service? SIGN UP TO BRING SOME COOKIES.

Do you like to be friendly? SIGN UP TO BE A GREETER ON SUNDAY MORNING.

Do you like to read the BIBLE? Call Peg and sign up to read during our church service. (You also get the best seat to hear the choir and or bells.)