A Note from Pastor Ben
Friends,
At the beginning of the December session meeting, Elder Karen Withrow provided us with a devotional in which she reminded us that the best way to keep Christ in Christmas is to go to Church.
A lot of us share a certain amount of distress around the ways in which the religious observance of Jesus has been coöped by a secular shopping extravaganza. It is a cheapening of something sacred when a holy day becomes a mere holiday.
And the best antidote to the secularization of Christmas is to go to church. I don’t say this because I believe Christians gathering together in worship will necessarily change the culture at large. I say this because when Christians gather together in worship the Christians themselves change. We have no control over what goes on in the shopping mall, but we do have the power to transform our hearts, and if we want the Advent season to prepare us for a deeply spiritual experience at Christmas, the very best thing we can do is go to church.
Coming to church has the added benefit of making those who will visit us over the next few weeks feel welcome. It’s always easier to visit a church with full pews. So please join us for the Advent season as together we wait expectantly for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.
Warmly,
Ben
The Semibreve
-Jay Jordana, Director of Music Ministries
NEW ADDITION TO THE MUSIC PROGRAM!
They're cool! They're hip! And they sound good! What are they? Handbells! We are starting a children's bell choir! If your children would like to play in a bell choir, your children are welcomed to join! We will be using handbells that are specifically designed to accommodate the dexterity and skill levels of children. And they come in really cool colors too! I also welcome assistance from parents and guardians in possibly watching the kids during rehearsals.
Rehearsals will begin in January 2011. Stay tuned for further rehearsal information.
CHECK THIS OUT! WE’RE FAMOUS (Well, kinda…)
The Music Series was mentioned and featured in several publications:
Stugrin, Michael. “Serious Fun,”
Symphony Nov. –Dec. 2010: 40-45.
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/symphonyonline/nov_dec_2010/index.php#/42
The following is an excerpt from "Serious Fun"
Of the twenty or so community orchestras in California's Silicon Valley, George Yefchak, principal conductor or the South Bay Philharmonic, in San José, believes that his orchestra differentiates itself by inclusivity. It calls itself "an open-source symphony" which means, says Yefchak, "We let anybody in!" We are trying to give opportunities to heartfelt players to play. We have people with skills ranging from high-school level to near professional." Most of the South Bay Philharmonic players are working professionals with advanced degrees in engineering, mathematics or chemistry, and have had musical training. Yefchak himself intermittently studied piano and then oboe in high school, and played during graduate school at Michigan State where he received a doctorate in chemistry. Today, in addition to conducting the South Bay Philharmonic, he is a member of the technical staff at Agilent Laboratories and is co-principal oboist of the nearby Redwood Symphony Orchestra.
The South Bay Philharmonic has unusual roots: until 2009 it was the Hewlett Packard Symphony Orchestra. Founded in 1993 by Music Director Herb Gellis and a few musician-engineers, for sixteen years it was one of the most accomplished (and well-funded) corporate orchestras in the U.S. HP moved on, spinning off half of its business into what is now Agilent Technologies. The Hewlett Packard Symphony Orchestra no longer exists, but many of its members are now building the South Bay Philharmonic into what they hope will be a top-notch community orchestra for San José. The orchestra has 50 members, many of whom are professionals at HP, Agilent, Google, and other Silicon Valley companies.
Gellis says that the South Bay Philharmonic is a labor of love. With no outside funding the players pay dues of $20 per concert. The group currently preforms three concerts a year, usually at Foothill Presbyterian Church in San José. Concerts are free and donations are split with the church. Each performance attracts 50 to 100 people, mostly friends and family of the players and church members. Gellis and Yefchak relish the opportunity to blaze new territory, even if it is close to home in Silicon Valley. The recent season highlight was a concert of all American music that featured William Grant Still’s Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American,” a composition from 1930 that was the first full symphony written by an African-American composer. Attendance at this concert was the largest of the season, due in part to several dozen followers of Still’s work who drove from all over California to attend.
Zimmerman, Heather. “Foothill Music Series offers community an ongoing gift.” Silicon Valley Community Newspapers [San Jose] 5 Nov. 2010: 175
http://www.mercurynews.com/san-jose-neighborhoods/ci_16527758
With concerts featuring everything from classical orchestras to early music ensembles and jazz groups, the Foothill Music Series is music to local listeners' ears nearly year round. The series, now in its 10th year, is a community program presented by the Foothill Presbyterian Church--which itself operates an array of musical groups, including a bell choir and children's choir.
The series features a diverse schedule of concerts from August through June, with performances once or twice a month. Concerts take place at Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Road, San Jose.
The schedule for November includes a concert by a unique duo of Junko Aono on yangqin or Chinese dulcimer and clarinetist Sylvia Loebach, Nov. 7, 3 p.m. Aono, a native of Japan with a background in classical piano, began taking yangqin lessons in college while she was learning the Chinese language. She regularly performs with both classical and jazz ensembles. Loebach, who holds a master's degree from Juilliard, performs with chamber groups and has appeared with the Mexico City Philharmonic. "This is actually very interesting because it's going to be World music. We haven't had this kind of music in a while," says Jay Jordana, the director of music ministries at Foothill Presbyterian Church, and the founder of the Foothill Music Series.
Jordana is a musician who has trained with Erie Mills and Dr. Charlene Archibeque and has diverse performing credits. She also served as assistant conductor of the San Jose Chamber Orchestra and leads Foothill Presbyterian Church's choirs and music ensembles, as well as co-directing and singing lead soprano with the a cappella vocal ensemble Amaranth.
Jordana will appear as a guest conductor in the next concert on the schedule, the South Bay Philharmonic's "All-Russian Concert" on Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. Orchestra conductor George Yefchak leads the orchestra in Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2, Little Russian. Jordana takes the podium to conduct Kalinnikov's Overture to Tsar Boris.
Next month, the Foothill Music Series features one of its annual events, ushering in the holidays with its popular annual Festival of Carols. The concert offers a mix of Christmas music, including favorite carols and festive classical selections, and will feature all of Foothill Presbyterian Church's music groups: the children's choir, bell choir, chancel choir and early music ensemble Peralta Consort. Guest artists and groups La Dolce Clarinet Quartet, Alum Rock Christian Golden Handbell Choir, Amaranth, and soloists who include singers from West Bay Opera and former Opera San Jose artists.
"It's very exciting for us," Jordana says. "There's a buzz here when Festival of Carols comes."
The final musical performance on the November calendar isn't part of the Foothill Music Series, but does reflect the church's growing reputation as a music venue. The Silicon Valley Symphony, a community orchestra, will perform several of its season concerts at Foothill Presbyterian Church, including the season opener, "Double Barreled BBBs," on Nov. 19. The symphony has been rehearsing at Foothill Presbyterian Church as well. Vivace Youth Chorus, which has appeared as part of the Foothill Music Series in the past, will also begin holding programs at the church in early 2011, as part of the youth choir's expansion.
"We're very happy because our facility is now being used," Jordana says of the groups not affiliated with the music series, noting that in the music world, word gets around. "The acoustics here are really nice, so people got wind. We're proud of that."
The word has certainly spread, both about the series and the church as a venue: Jordana has received inquiries from music groups in Europe, including most recently, an ensemble in Estonia, which is planning U.S. tours and looking to stop in the Bay Area. A prestigious group closer to home, the Ives Quartet, performed at the church this past spring.
Among the numerous concerts coming up in 2011: ragtime music with Chris and Jack Bradshaw, Feb. 13; new works by members of the National Association of Composers USA, San Francisco chapter, on April 10, and early music ensemble Harmonie Felice on April 16.
"The Messiah Project," on May 7, brings together choruses from all of San Jose's Presbyterian churches with local opera singers to sing Handel's Messiah.
The season's final concert highlights Foothill Presbyterian Church's resident early music group the Peralta Consort on June 11.
The suggested donation for each concert is $10 per person (to help offset costs and maintain the series). For more information, call 408.258. 8133 or visit http://fpcmusicministry.blogspot.com.
Thanks to all who have supported the Music Series throughout the years.
MANY THANKS…
to Anne Marie Daniel, Greg Hill, Dana and Benjamin Marino, Patty Potter, and Carol Tillman for the successful production of Aono/Loebach (Chinese Dulcimer), and the South Bay Philharmonic concerts.
10th ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF CAROLS
Friday, December 10th, 7 PM
FPC musical ensembles and guests come together to usher the season of Advent through music. This year features the chancel and children’s choirs, Glory Ringers, and the Peralta Consort. Special guests include Alum Rock Christian Golden Handbells, a cappella vocal jazz sextet Amaranth, La Dolce Clarinet Quartet, and numerous guest soloists.
Suggested Donation: Non-perishable food items, new socks, new undergarments, and/or toys for children aged-four. Proceeds benefit the Lord’s Pantry and Innvision to help those in need. Thank you for your support.
Vivace Youth Chorus is coming to the East Side!
Vivace Youth Chorus is growing! In an effort to reach further out to the community, Vivace will be adding classes for children in East San Jose. The classes will be offered here at Foothill on Tuesday evenings from 4:15 – 6:45 PM and will be taught by director and founder Peggy Spool, and by Jay Jordana. For more information, call (408) 885-1746 or email info@vivaceyouthchorus.org. You may also check out their website at www.vivaceyouthchorus.org.
WHAT’S COOKIN’ NEXT YEAR
Sunday, February 13th, 3 PM – Chris and Jack Bradshaw (Ragtime piano duets)
Friday, February 25th, 7:30 PM – South Bay Philharmonic
Saturday, March 5th, 3 PM – Flauti Dolci & Amici I
Sunday, March 13th, 3 PM – Gabrieli West
Saturday, April 2nd, 3 PM – Flauti Dolci & Amici II
Sunday, April 10th, 3 PM – National Association of Composers USA (San Francisco)
Saturday, April 16th, 3 PM – Harmonie Felice
Sunday, May 1st, 3 PM – Doris Williams
Saturday, May 7th, 7 PM – Messiah Project
Friday, May 13th, 7:30 PM – South Bay Philharmonic
Friday, May 27th, 8 PM – Monteverdi Brass Quintet
Saturday, June 11th, 3 PM – Peralta Consort
Have a wonderful Advent, happy Christmas, and a prosperous New Year!
*Bible Lesson*Chapel Day with Pastor Ben
Wednesday, December 1
*Spiritual Message is Peace & Giving*
And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 7
*Special Events in December*
12/11 The Children’s Christmas Store
12/17 The Christmas Program
Little Christmas Carolers
We are a band of carolers,
We march through frost and snow,
But care not for the weather
As on our way we go.
At every hall or cottage
That stands upon our way,
We stop to give the people
Best wishes for the day.
We pray a merry Christmas,
Made bright by Christmas cheer,
With peace, and hope, and gladness
And all they may hold dear.
And for all those that happen
To pass us on our way
We have a smile, and wish them
A merry Christmas-day.
Author Unknown
Have a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!
-Marilyn Kromrey
A CHRISMON TREE is a special kind of Christmas tree. The ornaments on this tree have meaning about the life of Jesus. Chrismons are religious symbols made in just two colors - white and gold. White stands for Jesus, purity and perfection. The gold stands for His majesty and glory. The white lights on the tree remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. The Chrismons on the tree in the Narthex were stitched by the Women's Association in the 1980's. We are pleased to continue the tradition.
GIFT BOX This symbol represents the gifts the wise men brought to the Christ child at His birth. These gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrhh, which were very precious and expensive items at that time. Only things of such value were considered to be worthy of the Son of God.
PASSION CROSS This cross is the form which is nearest to the true cross on which Christ died. The gold and white colors have a special meaning. White represents light, joy, purity and heave. Gold symbolizes the majesty and glory of the Son of God.
CANDLE The candle represents the light of the world as personified in the Christ Child. When two candles are placed on either side of the cross in decorating the church, they represent His two natures - human and divine.
BELL Bells are used as an invitation to worship. Christians have used bells since the 500's to summon worshipers. Carillons of bells are often used to play sacred hymns.
FISH The sign of the fish was used as a code by early Christians to identify themselves to one another in the days of persecution. It also recalls the Sacrament of Holy Baptism (a fish must live in water) and thus is a symbol of Christian regeneration.
LAMB As in the Old Testament a lamb was sacrificed, so in the New Testament Christ was the sacrificial victim, the lamb. When the lamb is shown as reclining it tells of the wounded, suffering Christ. Standing, and holding a banner, the lamb symbolizes Christ's victory over death.
WORLD The gold circle around the ball symbolizes God's love for the people of the world and for eternal life. The six pointed star is the star of creation.
EPIPHANY STAR A five pointed star is the Epiphany star meaning to show forth. The Epiphany season begins on the first Sunday in January and commemorates the showing forth of the Infant Jesus to the Wise Men, the first Gentiles to worship Him. The circle means without beginning and ending, therefore representing eternity and completeness.
HOLY TRINITY STAR This is a star of the Holy Trinity. The triune God, consisting of God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The interwoven circles also show the unity of the Trinity.
STAR The five pointed star, as well as being the symbol of Epiphany is also the symbol of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This may be due to the fact that the Hebrew word for Mary is Miriam, which means star. A six pointed star (the star of David) is a symbol of Jesus' royal heritage. The six points represent the attributes of power, wisdom, majesty, love, mercy and justice.
ANGEL The Greek meaning is "messenger". A spiritual being created by God to be His agent and do His will.
CROWN OF THORNS The Crown of Thorns is to remind us of the suffering of Christ caused by the crown of thorns placed on His head in mockery by the Roman soldiers, and His suffering when nailed to the cross at the time of crucifixion.
-Darlene Ristrim
Clothing left over from our recent flea market was sorted by Peg Nickl. Well worn stained and torn items were put in the USagain bin. Clean, gently used clothing filled 21 (13 gallon size) plastic bags. Sue LeValley helped load the bags into the car. The clothing was delivered to Inn Vision on Wednesday, December 17 by Darlene Ristrim. Inn Vision estimated the value of our donation at five hundred dollars. THANK YOU FOOTHILL FOLKS FOR YOUR DONATIONS.
We will continue to accept clean gently used clothing for Inn Vision. Look for the blue barrel in the narthex.
Clothing Collection at Foothill
We now have two options for clothing recycle/donation. The USagain bin in front of the sanctuary building is for all clothing and shoes no matter what the condition. USagain is a for profit business that bundles and resells clothing and shoes for resale in thrifts store and also for industry/factory use. The main goal is to keep shoes and fabric out of land fills. Foothill receives 1¢/pound of items collected.
A blue collection barrel inside the narthex is available for donations of new or like new items for Inn Vision a local nonprofit that does not resell clothing. Inn Vision offers clothing and other service to its clients to help get homeless families and individuals back in to homes and break the cycle of poverty. Question? Contact Peg in the church office.
Afternoon Tea
and Bible Study
with Pastor Ben
Join Pastor Ben Tuesdays in Advent for Afternoon Tea and Bible study.
Tuesday, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14 & 12/21
at 1:30PM in the library.
The Bible Study will compare and contrast the Christmas stories from the Gospels of Mathew and Luke.
Coffee, tea and cookies will be served.
Organic Carrots ©
Photographer: Rebekah Burgess
| Agency: Dreamstime.com
Foothill CSA
Enjoying the bounty of creation Begins January 4th, 2011
Email or call the church office for an order form:
foothillpc@gmail.com
408-258-8133
$100 for first month trial period
TOTAL DUE BY Sunday, December 26, 2010
Pick up your produce in FPC’s narthex
on Tuesdays from 9am-9pm 1/4/11 1/11/11 1/18/11 1/25/11
Please bring your own bags or boxes
The Life of a Seminary Student & Chaplain
-Maxine Millender
No matter who your boss is, you are really working for God--Sper
My how time is passing us by. October has been busy and most of my nights are either in ER or the trauma floors. This month I have had 10 deaths and one was a baby, 8 level 1 assaults, 6 strokes victims, 6 crisis calls, 6 full arrests, 5 motor vehicle accidents, 5 code blues, 2 domestic violence, 1 GSW (accidental) and 2 miscarriages.
Miscarriages occur when the fetus is 20 weeks or less. One of the young ladies was 16 years old was admitted to ER and this was her third miscarriage. When I walked into her room, her parents were with her and after introducing myself, I explained chaplain availability and services, and proceeded to give her some literature because I felt she did not want to talk and she didn’t. I offered prayer and she said yes. After prayer, her Mom and Dad had tears in their eyes and the patient was crying. I offered to be with her but she said it was ok, her parents were there and before leaving, I gave her my card.
The young lady of the other miscarriage was 18 years old. She has an 8 month old child, and came to the hospital in pain. When I walked into the room and introduced myself, she said, “don’t leave me.” I stayed with her through the process of delivery but left shortly before her placenta was delivered so I could call her family. This was my first time seeing this process and I was thankful to be there for her. The obstetrician, RN and PCT were thankful I was in the room to help the patient.
A lady of 48 years had been partying at her in in-laws, had a few drinks, left to go home but slipped on the ground and could not get up. The person in the truck who backed over her, head first, never saw here. She was airlifted to the hospital with serious head injuries. She is still in our trauma unit fighting for her life. Her brother who lives in El Paso called the hospital when he received the news, and immediately left his house for this 6-hour drive to Ft Worth. Her husband was in a state of shock, cried a lot and her children were also in shock and denial.
A 30 year old woman was driving in a desolate area with her daughter in the back seat. Her daughter was asking for her candy to be unwrapped and her Mom briefly turned around to take the candy but her car hit something on the road and they rolled over a few times. The Mom is pregnant, the baby is ok and her daughter is in Cooks children hospital with a broken wrist and head injuries but will be ok. I was called to visit with her to help her with guilt she still feels.
When a 23 year old man was driving too fast around a curve, he ran into a tree and his truck was wrapped around it. He was airlifted to the hospital, has massive injuries, and is fighting for his life. His Mom does not speak English but her niece was here to translate for us. Since I have been learning prayers in Spanish, I offered the Lord’s Prayer and read it to them in Spanish and she said gracias. I was able to say I am so sorry in Spanish to her and then hugged her. Her niece told me how scared her Aunt was and thanked me for being there with them.
Domestic violence is on the rise and when two women came in, I was called. One of the women had gone to dinner with her girlfriends; her husband went to the restaurant and made her go home. When she got home, he started to beat her and she was so scared that she got in bed, waited until he fell asleep, and then called the police. When they got there, they called EMS and then knocked on the door of their house but the husband would not open the door. She filed a police report and when she was in the trauma room, I walked in to see her swollen shut eye, swollen face, and sprained wrist. She told me how embarrassed she was and her husband had never hit her before. She allowed me to call safe haven for her and this is the very first time I have been able to work with a woman and get her to a safe haven. Most women say no or give an excuse about their husband. We called her Mom and Dad but they were not told where the safe haven is but were happy she would be safe. The commitment is a 30 day stay.
The second woman was embarrassed and humiliated and said it was a first time her husband had raised his hand to her. She was going to separate from her husband and he did not like it so she ended up in the hospital. When I tried to get her to a safe haven, she said no because her Dad was coming to get her and would take care of it. She thanked me for visiting her but she was so embarrassed that she didn’t want to share too much.
The baby deaths are still emotional an difficult. The baby who died during my night was the third of triplets. He was born weighing 10 oz and lived in the hospital for 5 months and gained 10# but his lungs would not develop.
Seminary status
We have received our mid-term exams and papers back from our Professors and I am passed. I received a B- on my Theology exam, a C on my History of Christianity paper and 4.7 of 5 on my prayer in Worship. The 15 page paper for Sacraments Theology is due 11/10 and a few days later my 20-page research paper is in History of Christianity. The worship project (10 pages) is due on 12/15, along with my Credo for Theology. We have 5 worship groups in our Worship class and my group will have our worship service on 12/15, this count as 25% of our grade. After all this, I will have a final in Theology and a final in History.
~ to be continued~
Worry is pulling tomorrow’s CLOUDS over today’s SUNSHINE-Adrian Rogers
