All are welcome to a family-friendly weekly community dinner on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. This 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.

In last week's newsletter, Rev. Claire shared that we are in the early stages of planning renovations to the church's organ. Parishioner Rick Ellinger is leading conversations with many parishioners concerned about the state of the instrument and has gathered a great deal of valuable, detailed information about our current organ in order to have a basis for this renovation work. Rick will lead a one-hour forum in the church on two separate dates this week for parishioners interested in the current state of the organ and what attention it requires: first on Wednesday, December 10 at 5:00 p.m. prior to the Community Dinner, and again on Sunday, December 14 at 11:45 a.m. following the 10:15 a.m. service. As we embark on this work, we will also be forming two Organ working groups. We'll share more about the focus of each group at the forums. We hope to see you there - all are welcome!

The meditation group meets via Zoom on Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m. If you’re interested in learning more about contemplative practices drawn from the Christian and Buddhist traditions, as well as contemporary psychology, you’re welcome to attend. All are welcome!

Join via Zoom

• Click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/197694657?pwd=ekg3Y24zL2RjV2pKNEs5eVpFVzdidz09

• Meeting ID: 197 694 657; Passcode: 450305

On Tuesday, December 9, at 6:00 p.m. in the Chapel, the Christ Church community will be joined by members of Foothills Congregational Church and Los Altos United Methodist Church in an ecumenical service of healing for Advent. Together, we will share in contemplative chants from the Taizé community, acknowledging both the enfolding darkness and hope-bearing light of the Advent season. Gathering together in the round, we will delve into prayers, poetry, and Scripture passages that resonate with both the joys and griefs that this sacred season may hold for each of us. We will conclude our time by anointing one another with holy oil for healing, drawing upon the deep wells of prayerful resilience that we find in community together, and with our God who is making all things new. All are most welcome to join us for this prayerful service, to be followed by a light reception with seasonal treats and conversation. 

Join us as we continue our several-week Adult Forum offering of the Being With series on Sunday, December 7, 9:00-10:00 a.m. between the services in person in the Fireside Room. Being With is a transformative invitation to discover faith in the context of discovering friendship. This series is based on the belief that Being With us is what God is all about, and that being with God, one another, ourselves, and creation, is the calling of our lives in turn. Each week we'll explore topics like essence, story, community, suffering and hope, while holding space for sharing and listening to one another’s stories. There is no expectation to come for all weeks in this series, join us as you are able! Childcare is available in the Parish Hall Library. 

Join Christ Church Parish Choir tenor section leader, Paul Ingraham, for Christmas with the New Choir: Canticle of Winter. Featured works on the program include Gloria by Francis Poulenc and the world première of Magnificat by Korean composer Paul Shin, with Christmas works by Peter Philips, John Rutter, Morten Lauridsen, and George Frederick Handel. Performances are Saturday, December 6, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 7, 5:00 p.m., at All Saints Episcopal Church (555 Waverley Street, Palo Alto). For more information and to reserve tickets, please visit the New Choir website: newchoir.org.

Celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth. Share the joy of Christmas. The Christmas Crèche Exhibit is the longest-running community-led, annual crèche experience in the country. This beloved tradition features nativity art from around the world, hands-on activities for all ages, concerts, stories, marionette shows and more. It’s a free community event offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in collaboration with exhibitors, artists, and musicians from many faiths.

This year Christ Church was invited to decorate a crèche. Our Children’s Church children decorated our crèche figures last Sunday (see photo). It will be in the Community Creations area of the exhibit. Be sure to check it out!

The exhibit runs from December 6 - 10, 2025, Saturday - Wednesday, 12:30-8:30 p.m. at 3865 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

For more information visit christmascreche.org. 

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 be back to help us make Advent Wreaths. If you have garden gloves or gardening shears, please bring them. We’ll have pizza and hope you can join us! Also please note we order the food on Wednesday around noon, so please RSVP by then using this Google Form so we know how much to get.

Members of the Columbarium Association (i.e., everyone who owns a niche) are warmly invited to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting on Sunday, November 30 at 11:45 a.m. Members may join from either inside the Church or remotely using the log-in information for the 10:15 a.m. Sunday service (you will need to register for the service before 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 28 by sending an email to sundays@ccla.us in order to receive the Zoom log in information). This is an opportunity for the Trustees of the Association to update members on any new business and to re-elect the trustees, which must be done every year.

Join us during coffee hour on Sunday, November 30, to decorate the Parish Hall Christmas Tree. This annual Christ Church tradition is a time for fellowship and festivity as Advent begins. All are welcome!

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 second Evensong will be on Sunday, November 23, at 5:00 p.m. here at Christ Church, and will celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. The service will feature pieces from composers including Moses Hogan, Sarah MacDonald, William H. Harris and Richard Webster. There will be a reception after the service. All are welcome!

A Feast of Friendship and Gratitude: Building Community Together

The Pacifica Institute, Bay Area Cultural Connections, Silicon Valley Interreligious Council and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are hosting an Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday, November 15, 6:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1300 Grant Road, Los Altos). Christ Church has participated in this evening for several years and we hope you will join us for this celebration of friendship and gratitude. All are welcome!

Volunteers are needed to help with set up, serving or clean up, and/or to bring a side dish, salad or dessert - you can sign up here.

Please RSVP here.

The annual fundraiser for the Association for India's Development (AID) will be held again this year in the Christ Church Parish Hall on Saturday, November 15, starting at 5:00 p.m. The AID volunteer team would be delighted if Christ Church parishioners, or anyone interested in learning about social and environmental justice in the global south, can attend. The event will feature a traditional Indian dance performance and a few Indian dishes you won't see on any restaurant menu! You can see more details and RSVP here.

Christ Church Portola Valley & Woodside (815 Portola Road, Portola Valley) is offering a screening of the 1926 Harold Lloyd film For Heaven’s Sake on Friday, November 14, at 6:30 p.m. The evening will feature renowned theater organist Christian Elliott accompanying the film. There is a suggested donation of $10.00 for individuals and $20.00 for families. All are welcome!

Long time parishioner Howard Nelson passed away on September 7. Both he and his wife Nancy were active members at Christ Church for many years. Howard served on the vestry and as pledge secretary, supported our Twelfth Night events, was a member of the BBQ crew, and was actively participating in a men’s poker group until recently. A memorial service for Howard will be held on on Monday, November 10, 4:00 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (1301 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga). All are welcome!

Here is the link for the service live stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/2Wv6PNBDChM

Join us for a holy hike at Los Trancos Open Space Preserve on Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m. We will meet in the parking lot of Los Trancos Open Space Preserve, located on Page Mill Road, Los Altos. The exact location of the parking area is linked here on Google Maps. Our hike will begin from the parking area promptly at 2:10 p.m. We will explore the geological wonders of the San Andreas Fault Earthquake Trail, which allows hikers to view a portion of the San Andreas Fault within the preserve. We'll be joined by members of Christ Church Portola Valley & Woodside for a fun afternoon adventure with both parish communities. This hike will be beginner-friendly, and all ages and levels are welcome! Please RSVP to Rev. Cal at cal@ccla.us so he knows you're coming before the group hits the trail. 

A memorial service will be held for the Rev. Vern Jones at Grace Cathedral (1100 California Street, San Francisco) on Thursday, November 6, at 2:00 p.m. All are welcome! Please RSVP to Revvernjones@yahoo.com. As we shared previously, Vern passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, August 16, at the age of 98. He was a familiar face to many Christ Church parishioners from his days as a priest for the Mandarin Chinese Congregation here and his occasional preaching at our regular Sunday services. He continued to be a presence as a parishioner at many Sunday services and Christ Church events until his declining mobility made it harder for him to get here. Please direct donations in his honor to Grace Cathedral: https://gracecathedral.org/tribute-giving/.

Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good presents a special screening of the award-winning documentary American Agitators in partnership with Santa Clara University on Tuesday, November 4 at 6:00 p.m. in the Santa Clara University Library (500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara). American Agitators highlights IAF organizer Fred Ross Sr.'s work empowering ordinary people to fight injustice through grassroots organizing against police brutality, segregation, and voter suppression. Featuring leaders like Dolores Huerta and César Chávez, the film reveals the power of collective action to create a more democratic society. After the film, we will engage in conversation. A light meal will be provided. You can register here.

A parish-wide remembrance of those inurned in our Columbarium

The service begins at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, November 3, in the Columbarium followed by a reception on the Lower Lawn.

Join us to remember and celebrate our loved ones who, in death, remain alive in Christ (John 11:25). You are encouraged to bring an “offering” for the altar we will create together on the stone shelf below the niches. Suggestions: a photo of your loved one; something they liked, or something that reminds you of them; a candle (with holder); or some flowers. You may take your offerings home with you, or leave them for a few days, if you wish. 

Please R.S.V.P. by October 31st to Kris Stanfield: kasras@aol.com

Join us at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, November 2, for our annual meditative Requiem service during which we honor all those who have recently passed into eternal life. This service marks our observance of the Feast of All Faithful Departed, also known as "All Souls." You are invited to bring small photographs of deceased family members or friends for the Remembrance Table near the altar.

Join Peninsula Cantare for their 2nd annual Gala Fundraiser and Cabaret Night on Saturday, November 1, 7:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:45) at First Congregational Church of Palo Alto (1985 Louis Road, Palo Alto). Oliver Chiang, our parish choir bass section leader, sings with Cantare and welcomes all to come and enjoy this evening of music from all genres, including musical theatre, jazz, pop, and more, sung by some of the Bay Area’s best performers. The annual silent auction will allow you to bid on a few delectable items all to support Peninsula Cantare’s programs. Early-bird ticket prices are $60 per person and $600 for a table of 10 and will last until October 14 at 11:59 p.m. Purchase your tickets now to lock in your low price. Ticket prices include heavy hors d’oeuvres, desserts, plus wine! You can purchase tickets here.

Come and celebrate the Day of the Dead, Diá de los Muertos, with a family event and movie screening at Christ Church Portola Valley & Woodside (815 Portola Road, Portola Valley) on Saturday, November 1, 3:00-7:00 p.m. There will be arts and crafts projects, and food for purchase. At 5:00 p.m. there will be a free screening of the movie Coco in the church. 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 will celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - a beautiful Mexican tradition observed on November 1 and 2 to honor and remember loved ones who have passed. This is a joyful celebration of life, filled with color, music, and memories. We’ll learn about the tradition of the ofrenda (altar) and its offerings - such as food, flowers, and candles - and take a moment to share stories of those we love and remember. We’ll have Mexican food and pan de muertos (Mexican Bread of the Dead), and pizza, and crafts to make marigolds. If you’d like, bring a photo of a passed loved one (including pets!) to place on the ofrenda and share a memory. 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.

The meditation group meets via Zoom on Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m. If you’re interested in learning more about contemplative practices drawn from the Christian and Buddhist traditions, as well as contemporary psychology, you’re welcome to attend. All are welcome!

Join via Zoom

• Click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/197694657?pwd=ekg3Y24zL2RjV2pKNEs5eVpFVzdidz09

• Meeting ID: 197 694 657; Passcode: 450305

Many hands make light work! Support our campus and lend a hand at our Fall Work Day, Saturday, October 25, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. The Christ Church and Ventana School community will come together to tackle a list of campus projects ranging from weeding to painting. This is a great opportunity for members of the parish and the school to work side by side on our shared campus. We plan to do some planting and are looking for donations of drought-tolerant, non-toxic, native California plants. Questions please contact Diana (dianah@ventanaschool.org). All are welcome, there will be something for everyone, children included. Your RSVP will help us with task planning. When you arrive that day, please come to the Parish Hall to get assigned a job.

All are welcome to a family-friendly weekly community dinner on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. This week we'll finish our Halloween Costume Swap and Re-creating with Teacher Jenny! If you have a costume to swap, bring it. If you have a costume you want to modify, bring it. If you have fabric you want to use to make a costume, bring it. We’ll have pizza, and hope you can join us for some spooky fun! 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 Linden Tree Books on Tuesday, October 14, at Christ Episcopal Church (1040 Border Road, Los Altos) at 6:00 p.m. for an evening of discussion and questions on the current trends around banning books across our county. The evening will start with a reading of the recently released picture book The Day the Books Disappeared from authors Joanna Ho and Caroline Kusin Pritchard. This will be followed with a lively Q&A and panel discussion on the theories and philosophies of book banning, and how we all can get involved in addressing this issue. Joining authors Ho and Pritchard on the panel will be Maggie Tokuda-Hall, author of many beloved books and one of the founders of Authors Against Book Banning, and Mychal Threets, nationally known librarian and library advocate. Copies of The Day the Books Disappeared will be available for purchase and signing after the event. There is no charge to attend but an RSVP is required. You can RSVP and pre order copies of the book here.

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 first Evensong will be on Sunday, October 5, at 5:00 p.m. at St. Bede’s (2650 Sand Hill Drive, Menlo Park) and will celebrate Saint Francis. The service will include pieces from composers including Reginald Unterseher, Richard Ayleward, Gabriel Jackson and John Rutter. All are welcome!

Join members of the Christ Church and Los Altos United Methodist Church communities for a Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 5, 2:30-3:30 p.m., at Cuesta Park (615 Cuesta Drive, Mountain View). The group will meet on the grass area adjacent to the parking lot off of Cuesta Drive. All are invited to bring furry, feathered, scaly, or stuffed companions to receive a blessing of love, health, and gratitude. In the spirit of gratitude and giving back, you are invited to support the Silicon Valley Humane Society by purchasing items from their Amazon Wishlist. Your generosity helps provide care and comfort to animals in need. All are welcome to this joyful, all-ages community event--whether you come with a pet, a memory or photo of a beloved animal, or simply your love for creatures great and small.