All are welcome to join our weekly yoga class on Monday mornings, 8:30-9:45 a.m. in the Church Narthax. No previous yoga experience is required to attend, and contrary to popular belief, flexibility is not a prerequisite for yoga! Options or modifications will be offered for every pose to accommodate individual bodies. Please bring a yoga mat (though we have extras if you don’t have one) and dress for ease of movement. 

Join us for a single-session Adult Forum on Sunday, March 8, 9:00-10:00 a.m. between services in person in the Fireside Room. In this special Forum, we will welcome the Rev. Liz Milner, Executive Director of Correctional Institutions Chaplaincy (CIC) of Santa Clara County and Chaplain at the Correctional Center for Women in Milpitas. We invite you to join Rev. Liz for a discussion in which we will explore the impact of incarceration on our local setting, consider the unique challenges in our local jails, and dive into how people of faith can be present to our incarcerated neighbors and make a positive impact. All are welcome to come meet Rev. Liz at this Forum and learn more about how the Christ Church community can engage with CIC ministries. All questions are welcome! Childcare is available in the Parish Hall Library. 

Join the Christ Church and Ventana School community to pack meals for Rise Against Hunger in the Parish Hall, on Saturday, March 7, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Our previous events have been fun, energizing and inspiring as we came together to make a positive impact and provide food for over 10,000 families in an impoverished country. Children of all ages are encouraged to participate - there is something for everyone to do. All are welcome! Registration is required, click here to register. We need volunteers for set up and clean up, you also can sign up for either of those when you register (you can check multiple boxes when you register).

Join us in the Parish Hall for Ventana’s Family Movie Night on Friday, March 6 at 4:20 p.m. presented by the 4th/5th Graders with a snack bar including pizza! Even if you cannot attend, please consider making a small contribution to their fundraiser here. Tickets are available at the same link. Snack bar will be cash, PayPal, or Venmo only.

All are welcome to a family-friendly weekly community dinner on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Next week we’ll have pizza and pull out the Community Play Things large blue blocks for the kids to play with. We hope you can join us! Note that we order the food Wednesdays before noon, and while we do plan for a little overage your RVSPs using this Google Form are important in helping us plan for enough food.

Take a sacred pause with St. Timothy's Episcopal Church to embrace the stillness of Lent. Join the Rev. Callie Swanlund on Monday, March 2, 7:00-8:15 p.m. for a reflective gathering with sound bath. (No water, you're "bathed" in peaceful, musical tones!) This will be a restorative experience of time spent in prayer and community; wherein singing bowls, chimes, and soothing melodies invite your body and spirit into deep rest. No prior experience is needed; simply dress comfortably, bring a pillow or blankets if desired, and let the sound wash over you. Suggested donation $15–25; no one is turned away. Open to all. St. Timothy’s is located at 2094 Grant Road, Mountain View.

Callie Swanlund is an Episcopal priest, retreat leader, spiritual companion, and coach who helps others know their belovedness and find their Spark. Her new book, From Weary to Wholehearted, is a restorative resource for overcoming ministry burnout. Callie is a creative minister and leads individuals and groups in the work of Dr. Brené Brown as a Certified Daring Way Facilitator. Her How2charist: Digital Instructed Eucharist film has reached a global audience of Christians and curious individuals, and her Wholehearted Wisdom movement invites others into deeper reflection and connection. Callie recently completed her 100-hour training in sound meditation facilitation, equipping her to use instruments from around the world to create an embodied spiritual practice. Read more about Rev. Callie and Sacred Sound.

The Rev. Jim Antal — national spokesperson on climate change and Special Advisor on Climate with the United Church of Christ (UCC) — will preach about taking on the challenge of climate change on Sunday, March 1, 10:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church Palo Alto (1140 Cowper Street, Palo Alto). The service will be followed by an informal Question & Answer session. All are welcome, no registration is required, and attendees can part in the church parking lot.

Our Adult Forum returns on Sunday, March 1, 9:00-10:00 a.m., between services in person in the Fireside Room when we’ll welcome back the Rev. Evalyn Wakhusama, the second woman ordained in the Anglican Church of Kenya and founder of the Nambale Magnet School (NMS) in Western Kenya. Christ Episcopal Church and Ventana School have a longstanding relationship with NMS. Our parish donates to NMS through our outreach program, Ventana and NMS share resources and build connections between staff and students, and we have even sent youth there on a service trip in partnership with another Episcopal church in San Francisco. We are tentatively planning another trip there in partnership with St. Mary's Episcopal Church for summer 2027. All are welcome to a forum to meet Rev. Evalyn, learn more about NMS and discuss future possibilities for continued collaboration! Childcare is available in the Parish Hall Library. 

On Saturday, February 28, 1:00-4:00 p.m., come hear the esteemed Rev. Jim Antal — national spokesperson on climate change and Special Advisor on Climate with the United Church of Christ (UCC) — address why people of faith must take on the moral challenge of addressing climate change and how to do it. Antal’s ideas rise from theology, are informed by science and suggest people of faith accept a new vocation: ensuring the continuity of creation. He’ll explain how our current crises developed and have deepened, and remind attendees that faith groups have fostered significant social innovation throughout history. Antal will show how to protect creation by reorienting our values and empowering people to take action. The afternoon will include Antal’s keynote address, a Question & Answer session, and small-group discussions around implementing Antal’s ideas.

This event is produced by Peninsula Interfaith Climate Action and will be held at the Congregational Church of San Mateo (225 Tilton Avenue, San Mateo). While the event is free, organizers ask attendees to register through this link.

All are welcome to a family-friendly weekly community dinner on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Next week Teacher Jenny will join us for a watercolor art activity based around rainy days. We’ll have pizza and hope you can join us! Note that we order the food Wednesdays before noon, and while we do plan for a little overage your RVSPs using this Google Form are important in helping us plan for enough food.

As part of Christ Church Portola Valley & Woodside’s Voices in the Valley Speaker Series, join Craig and Lisa Reid as they share their story of prevention and self-advocacy on Tuesday, February 24, at 11:30 a.m. On February 3, 2025, Craig Reid’s heart stopped just outside a San Francisco BART station. He was 57 years old and had experienced the most deadly form of heart attack – the widowmaker. He was given hands-only CPR by a bystander who hadn’t taken CPR training since a teenager, four decades before. Miraculously, he recovered. His wife, Lisa, initiated her own preventative cardiac care due to her own family history of heart disease. Come and hear their compelling and informative story! There will be heart-healthy lunch served in the church library after the event. Christ Church Portola Valley & Woodside is located at 815 Portola Road, Portola Valley. This event will be livestreamed - youtube.com/@ccpvw

Christ Church offers a simple Eucharistic service each month usually on the 4th Monday of the month at 11:00 a.m. in the Gardenia Room in The Forum’s Health Center. This month it will be on Monday, February 23. Although this is held in the Health Center, it is open to all residents of The Forum. It’s a simple service with music and a bread-only Eucharist, and those who attend enjoy it greatly. Come join us if you can!

Join members of the parish choirs from Christ Church Los Altos, St. Bede’s Menlo Park, St. Mark’s Palo Alto, and Christ Church Portola Valley Woodside for a series of Evensong services. The third Evensong will be on Sunday, February 22, 5:00 p.m. at St. Mark's (600 Colorado Avenue, Palo Alto), and will celebrate Black History Month in the Season of Lent. The service will feature pieces from composers including David Hurd, Florence Price, and Eurydice V. Osterman. There will be a reception after the service. All are welcome! Mark your calendars for the final two Evensongs during Eastertide (April 26) and for Ascension Day (May 14).

Our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner will be on Tuesday, February 17, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Think pancake breakfast with all the fixings and various sides for dinner. This is a delicious opportunity to invite our friends and neighbors, all are welcome! Due to the school break week, this year parishioners will be bringing this dinner to us and Scout Troop 30 will offer their pancake dinner later in the spring at one of our Wednesday Community Dinner gatherings. We need electric griddles for cooking that evening. If you have a griddle we can use, and/or if you are interested in volunteering to help with the dinner this year, please reach out to Rev. Cal (cal@ccla.us). All are welcome!

All are welcome to a family-friendly weekly community dinner on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Next week we are excited to welcome Dr. Ali Zaidi, MD, a Performance Medicine physician who helps busy professionals stay healthy as they age. We spend years planning for retirement, yet often delay investing in our health until something goes wrong. Dr. Zaidi believes in proactive prevention targeting the biggest threats to long-term health: heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease. Come learn what you can do now to increase your healthspan! We’ll have pizza for dinner from 6:00-6:30 with Dr. Zaidi’s presentation from 6:30-7:30. Childcare will be provided during the presentation. Hope you can join us! Note that we order the food Wednesdays before noon, and while we do plan for a little overage your RVSPs using this Google Form are important in helping us plan for enough food.

Join us on Wednesday, January 28, 5:00-6:30 p.m. in the church or via Zoom as we continue our sanctuary master planning discussions. We’re delighted to welcome into these conversations the Rev. Stephen Hassett, current Rector of Ascension Episcopal Church in Vallejo, and former Rector of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Orinda. While at St. Stephen's, Rev. Steve led the congregation through a multi-million dollar sanctuary renovation, during which time the congregation learned a great deal. Rev. Steve has generously offered to share some of the insights and wisdom they gathered with our community. All are welcome as we continue to explore our thoughts, hopes, and dreams as we embark on this exciting chapter in the life of our parish!

Join via Zoom

• Click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84157864449?pwd=vVK5hG6sG7nH6sKkAXMV2IG5Ns9DQl.1

• Meeting ID: 841 5786 4449; Passcode: 230861

Linden Tree Books is excited to welcome back New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Honor winner Chanel Miller on Wednesday, January 21 at 6:30 p.m. to celebrate the release of her wonderful new middle-grade novel, The Moon Without Stars. This will be held at Christ Episcopal Church and will include a public book signing and time for audience Q&A. A ticket purchase is required to attend the event - tickets are $20.00 and include admission for up to two people and one hardcover copy of the book (purchase link for tickets). Additional copies of The Moon Without Stars, as well as Chanel's other books, will also be available for purchase at the event. We hope you'll join us!

Christ Church has a long-established tradition of celebrating 12th Night on the last day of the Christmas season in the church year. Come join the fun on Monday, January 5, 6:00-8:00 p.m. (in person only) as we continue this tradition in partnership with St. Timothy's Episcopal Church. Bring a hearty appetizer, a dessert, or something more substantial to share. There will be activities for children, we’ll sing carols, drink wassail (non-alcoholic options will be available), crown the King and Queen, and enjoy the Herod Play together in the Parish Hall. Then we’ll follow the Three Kings into the church for a short but beautiful candlelight service. All are welcome!

In place of the weekly Adult Forum, join us this Sunday, January 4, between services from 9:00-10:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room for a Sanctuary Master Planning Listening Session. As we begin discernment around our Master Plan for Sanctuary modifications, we want to hear from you -- things like, what is important to you about the space currently, what modifications would you like to have considered, is there anything in particular you feel isn't working for our current worship style? We hope you'll join us for this conversation! 

On Sunday, December 21, 9:00-10:00 a.m. , the Outreach Committee will meet to evaluate and finalize Christ Church outreach ministry grants for 2025. The committee will meet in the Fireside Room (the meeting will take the place of the Adult Forum this Sunday) and anyone interested in learning more about this ministry is welcome to attend the meeting!

NOTE: There will be no Sunday Adult Forum on Sundays, December 28 or January 4.

Join Christ Church parish choir members Jo Darius, Charles Thompson and Marie Alberry-Hawkins, and Ventana Teacher, Julie Kelsey, for their Schola Cantorum holiday concert on Sunday, December 14, 5:00 p.m. at Los Altos United Methodist Church (655 Magdalena Avenue, Los Altos). From timeless movie melodies to heartwarming tunes that spark seasonal nostalgia (even if they’re not technically holiday songs), this program promises cozy memories, feel-good favorites, and plenty of opportunities to sing along. Bring the whole family, and keep your eyes peeled — there might just be a special visitor in the audience. For tickets and more information, click here.