We are finally receiving some rain and cooler weather as we move into the Fall. This past Sunday, Pastor Erica was sharing from the story of Daniel and the “handwriting on the wall”. If you’ve ever heard that phrase before and wondered what it meant, you can listen again to Pastor Erica’s message here:
I am looking forward to seeing you this weekend as we celebrate Reformation Sunday at PCLG! We have some great, great music in store, we have our kids up in front helping to lead, and it should be an awesome morning.
A reminder that the Rise Against Hunger Food Packing event will be this Saturday morning (Oct 24) and the sign up is below in this email. Come help us prepare 15,000 meals for folks in need, and enjoy the time with others as we serve!
The PCLG Women’s Retreat is just around the corner and the sign ups are open. If you are interested or planning to go and you haven’t signed up yet, please do so! There are scholarships available to help with the cost if you need it, but we know it will be a relaxing, fun, meaningful and powerful weekend. Plan on it!
That is all for now. Read below for more info about what is coming up and I will see you on Sunday!
peace, pastor dave
This Week
Sunday
October 25
Book Ends
2:30 p.m. · Fireside Room.
Bookends is the monthly book club in the Fireside Room, with a Zoom option.
(Monthly Book Club): Our October book is The Covenant Keepers, A Historical Novel Based on a True Story published in 2026 written by our own PCLG member Andrea L. Simpson. It is the true story of the young Presbyterian missionary eye doctor to China’s Empress Dowager who must escape with his wife and three little sons during the infamous Boxer Rebellion of 1900 and be guided by true escapes of his Scots Covenanter and French Huguenot ancestors in 1681. We will meet in the Fireside Room with a zoom option. Join us for some chocolate macadamia nuts candy, Q & A’s, and book signing by the author. Email for the zoom link.
Kids lead worship, and third graders receive Bibles.
There will be no Sunday School.
This will be an exciting Reformation Sunday! All kids will be invited forward to sing the opening hymn and closing song with the church, our new Kids Choir will sing during the offertory, kids will help lead throughout the service, and 3rd graders will be receiving their Bibles during the Children’s Message.
The class begins after worship. If you are considering making PCLG your church home or if you are curious to learn more, come to our new members and inquirers class led by Pastor Dave. We’ll talk about what it means to focus on Jesus at our core, and we’ll share about our theological heritage and how our church seeks to grow and serve together. It will be an interactive morning with plenty of time for questions and for getting to know each other.
Tables of Eight forms groups of eight to ten adults who share four meals over six months.
Our next session of Tables of 8 will be from 11/1/2026 through 5/31/2027 We will have sign-ups on Sunday, October 11, 18 and 25. This is a great way to meet new people or get reacquainted with others in the church. The program is open to all adults over 18. People are grouped into “tables” of 8 to 10 people and pledge to have 4-5 meals together over six months. The meals can be in homes or restaurants or even picnics in a park or the Redwood Grove. Be creative. The sign up table will be near the donuts before church and the courtyard during coffee hour. If you are currently in a Table of 8 that needs more time, not to worry. You may still sign up for the next session. Contact Charlotte Ferree if you have any questions.
Theology on Tap 7 p.m. 7-9 p.m. at Hapa’s Brewing Company (114 S Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos). Join Pastor Dave and others there for a theological discussion over a frosty beverage. 21+
Friday
November 6-8
Women’s Retreat
St. Francis Retreat Center · San Juan Bautista.
Registration is now open for Our Journey to Freedom and Joy, our 2026 women’s retreat. Join us for a time of joy and connection with God and with one another as we explore our faith journey.
Our retreat speaker is Dr. Cara Miller, an engaging and dynamic teacher with a passion for accompanying individuals and teams seeking personal and spiritual growth. Cara is an author, coach and consultant in leadership formation, organizational change and the psychology of adult development. She earned a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a PhD from the University of San Diego. Look forward to a weekend of learning, singing, praying and playing together.
The retreat runs from Friday evening through Sunday morning at St. Francis Retreat Center, 549 Mission Vineyard Road, San Juan Bautista. The full weekend is $400, including two nights and five meals. Saturday only is $160, including breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Register online, or download the registration packet, complete the registration form and medical release, and turn them in with your payment at the church office or during coffee hour. You may also mail your form and payment to PCLG, 16575 Shannon Road, Los Gatos, CA 95032. Make checks payable to PCLG with Women’s Retreat on the memo line. Register and pay in full by Monday, October 26. Registration closes sooner if reserved spaces fill; no refunds are available after October 26.
Full and partial scholarships are available; contact Pastor Erica for information. Questions or requests can also go to the church office at 408-356-6156.
The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is a 3/5 scale of the original in Washington DC and PCLG new member Dennis Whittaker is an organizer in bringing it to the Bay Area. The wall stands as a reminder of the great sacrifices made during the Vietnam War and is meant for helping heal and rekindle friendships and to allow the opportunity to see this monument without traveling to Washington DC. The wall will be at the Cupertino Veterans Memorial located at 10110 Parkwood Dr Cupertino in the Cupertino Memorial Park.
Sunday
November 15
Family Hangout: 2nd Grade & Under
After church · Small playground.
You are invited to join Ben & Michelle Wiebracht and their children on our small playground after church for some fun, unstructured time together. The kids can run and play while the parents chat and get to know one another better. Feel free to bring a snack to share!
What would it be like for you to experience the upcoming holidays with a heart of peace and presence? Many of us get so caught up with the busyness of holiday plans and preparation, that we simply “soldier on,” robbing ourselves of peace, rather than being present to ourselves and others? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could celebrate the meaning of the holidays, along with experiencing the joy of gatherings with family and friends, rather than just breathing a sigh of relief after it is all done? This class with Linda Ikeda will examine some of the reasons for our anxieties/stresses and present some tools for managing them with peaceful hearts as well as the art of “presence”. Rsvp to indicate your interest to help us plan enough seating and food for attendees with the qr-code. Linda has been a Marriage and Family Therapist for over 30 years with experience in helping others manage trauma, anxiety and stress. She also has 15 years of experience as a Pediatric/NICU RN and has been a pastor’s wife for over four decades.
The Advent Craft Faire and dinner opens the Advent season.
At 4 p.m. you can join us in the Children’s Wings for Advent crafts and activities for all ages. Then we will enjoy a meal together in the Social Hall at 5:30 p.m. I hope to see you there!
The Story of Christ’s Birth, a Short Film by the Chosen
11:30 a.m. · Social Hall.
A light lunch will be served. We’ll watch a heartwarming dramatization of the birth of Jesus. Actors portray Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and others with realism and joy. The film is 42 minutes long, and will be followed by a discussion. Join us for this exceptional depiction of the birth of our Lord. Rsvp to indicate your interest to help us plan enough seating and food for attendees with the qr-code. The Chosen is a film series about the life of Christ. It is a worldwide sensation bringing the Good News to many people. The video we will watch is part of a special Christmas program which includes musical performances. We will watch only the part about Christ’s birth. Join us for this timely presentation to highlight the Christmas season.
