November 3, 2005


Saint Andrew Lutheran Church collects toys

Saint Andrew Lutheran Church of Almaden Valley is collecting Christmas toys for under-privileged children ages newborn through 12 years old.

The public is invited to participate in the service project by donating a gift. Games, toys and gift certificates are welcomed.

Participants can give the church office a call or send an e-mail letting them know about their contribution and church volunteers will pick up the gift for distribution. The church will match the gift with another gift.

Saint Andrew will spend $5,000 matching gift donations. All gift donations must be collected by Dec. 14.

The gifts will be distributed through the Lord’s Pantry, a nonprofit organization that has been in operation since the mid 1970s. Last year it served a total 26,637 individuals with an almost entirely volunteer staff.

For more information about church’s Christmas toy giveaway program, log onto www.Saint AndrewChurch.org, call (408) 927-7800, or e-mail cristinab@SaintAndrewChurch.org.

—By Sheila Sanchez

Almaden’s Joint Venture churches begin performance

In the production’s west coast premiere, Joint Venture Churches Music Director John Leslie portrays the character of Matthias, a follower of Jesus who was selected to join the remaining 11 disciples after Judas betrayed Jesus and took his own life.

“Matthias: the Thirteenth Apostle” will open the Almaden Adventures in the Arts 2005-06 season Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Joint Venture Churches of Almaden in San Jose.

Matthias tells of how he came to be a follower of Jesus and that he “was there” as a witness to the baptism of Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount, the events of Holy Week, the Crucifixion and Resurrection, Pentecost and Jesus’ Ascension.

Featuring light contemporary Christian tunes, including “People Need the Lord,” “Honor the Lord” and “When His Kingdom Comes,” originally recorded by Steve Green, Leslie will be accompanied by Roger Hoyt, Tim Miller, Tom Eschenfelder and a vocal quartet comprised of Susan Gaydon, Gwen Hacker, Terry Shoup and Dennis Elliott.

Besides being a church director of music and private music instructor, Leslie has also served as music director for many community theatre productions (including several for San Jose’s Tabard Theatre) and has performed frequently on stage in Massachusetts before moving to San Jose three years ago.

Leslie has performed his one-act musical “Matthias” in many churches in Massachusetts and in Maine.

Almaden Adventures in the Arts is part of the music program at Joint Venture Churches of Almaden, which for more than 30 years has been the home to two friendly Christian congregations: the Almaden United Church of Christ and the Episcopal Church in Almaden. The concert series is an effort to provide quality artistic offerings for the church community and neighbors.

Matthias will be performed at Joint Venture Churches of Almaden, located at 6581 Camden Avenue, one and one-half blocks east of Almaden Expressway in San Jose. 

The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $15 general, $8 students and $5 children ($20, $10 and $5 respectively at the door). Childcare will be provided. Tickets are limited and reservations are recommended. For more information or reservations, please call 408-268-0243.

—By Sheila Sanchez

State Catholic bishops support Proposition 73

The Bishops of the California Catholic Conference have issued a letter in support for Proposition 73, a parental notification initiative, which will be on the statewide special election Nov. 8.

Proposition 73, called the Parents’ Right to Know Act by its sponsors, will mandate that except for medical emergency, no abortion could be performed on an unemancipated minor unless the physician notifies the minor’s parent or legal guardian at least 48 hours before the procedure.

A judicial bypass will be provided for cases of physical or sexual abuse by the parent or guardian.

In their statement, the bishops said that they fully concurred with the intent of the initiative, which is “ensuring that parents are properly informed of potential health-related risks to their children and promoting parent-child communication and parental responsibility.”

They also said, “Our Catholic Catechism teaches that the family is a ‘privileged community’ wherein children are meant to grow in wisdom, stature and grace. We are also counseled to work with public authorities to ensure that the family’s prerogatives are not usurped.”

—By Sheila Sanchez

South Hills Community Church treats 3,000 at Halloween Fall Festival

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

It was a slow night for Almaden residents who stayed home manning the candy bowl for trick-or-treaters Monday night.

An appreciative crowd was treated to trendy dance moves by Princess Savannah Sheppard, 4-1/2, a rare sighting of the 4-year-old red Dalmatian, Tam Ha.

That’s because nearly 3,000 Power Rangers, fairy princesses, Robin Hoods, frogs, ladybugs, and other costumed creatures frolicked in the petting zoo, delighted in puppet show performances, and hopped stones for cake-walk prizes at the biggest Halloween party in town—the South Hills Community Church Fall Festival.

According to Sue Dennison, South Hills’ director of community outreach and wife of Senior Pastor Justin Dennison, the annual festival is one of many church events offered as a way to give something back to the community.

“We really love this community and feel we are here to serve their needs,” she said “They give so much throughout the year, so we put on events like this all year long as our way of serving the community and giving back to those we love and enjoy so much.”

Highlights included dancing to the music of South Hills’ very own Skitty and the Kangaroos, while one lucky winner went home with an all-expenses-paid vacation for four to Maui, made possible by a group of generous members.

Few went home empty handed, thanks to the more than 60 pumpkins scattered earlier throughout the festival grounds that later lined the curb—free for the taking.