Christmas Eve Gathering

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Our Christmas Eve Gathering will be on Monday, December 24 at 6pm.
It will be a fun time of signing Christmas carols, listening to Scripture readings, hearing children's Christmas story, and a candle lighting. Following the service there will be refreshments, so bring a plate of Christmas cookies. We look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ with you! See you there!!

Christmas Eve Gathering

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Our Christmas Eve Gathering will be on Sunday, December 24 at 6pm.
It will be a fun time of signing Christmas carols, listening to Scripture readings, hearing children's Christmas story, and a candle lighting. Following the service there will be refreshments, so bring a plate of Christmas cookies. We look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ with you! See you there!!

Note: We will not be gathering on Sunday morning, December 24.
Please enjoy the morning with your family!

Thanksgiving Together Worship Gathering

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On Sunday, November 19, 2017, we will celebrate Thanksgiving together as a church family. This is a refreshing time of celebrating God's goodness, faithfulness, and love in our lives. 

We will conclude our time together with a shared Thanksgiving meal. Sign-up sheets for Thanksgiving food will be available at our worship gatherings. You can also sign up online by clicking here. Thank you!

Operation Christmas Child 2017

Shoebox Gift Packing Party and Collection Event
Sunday, November 12

Update: We provided 280 boxes this year!
80 from VLC and 200 from SCCS

For the last few years, Valley Life Church and Santa Clara Christian School have been partnering with Operation Christmas Child to provide shoebox gifts to children in developing countries, so that they can have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas and hear the story of God's love through Jesus. Our goal, between SCCS and VLC, is to provide 450 shoebox gifts. Our goal as a church family is at least 100 boxes.

This year we invite you to either pack shoebox gifts at home, pack shoebox gifts together with us on Sunday, November 12, or both.

On Sunday, November 12, we will be collecting and packing Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts at our worship gathering. 

For shoebox gifts you pack at home:

For shoebox gifts we pack together on November 12:

  • We are collecting items to go in the shoebox gifts.
    Please sign-up to let us know what you would like to bring to contribute to the packing party. Please bring items in bulk if possible. There are suggestions for quantity on the sign-up sheet. 
  • Sign-up is available at the Information Table or online at
    bit.ly/OCCPackingPartyatVLC 
  • Each box we pack at the Packing Party will need a sponsor. Please be prepared to pay $9 for each box you pack.
  • Our focus will be the 5–9-year-old age group for our packing party. If you want to provide a shoebox gift for a younger or older child, please pack that at home with your family and add it to the collection on Sunday, November 12.

Please visit the Operation Christmas Child website for ideas and instructions on packing a shoebox gift. Thank you for your generosity and participation in helping children in need experience the love of Jesus.

www.operationchristmaschild.com

 

LOVED – A Women's Retreat

"I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love, I have drawn you to myself." Jeremiah 31:3, NLT

Our district of Foursquare churches is hosting a Women's Retreat at Old Oak Ranch, October 13-15, 2017. The theme is Loved. This retreat is an opportunity to know, experience, and live into Father God's love for you. If you are interested, please click here to download the registration packet. VLC is hoping to take a group of ladies to this weekend retreat, October 13-15, 2017.

Community Classes for Fall 2017

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The Fall Session of our Community Classes start on Tuesday, September 12 and continues each Tuesday until November 14, 2017.

Our community classes are a missions effort to reach our neighborhood with the love of Jesus in practical ways. The classes we offer are ESL (English as a Second Language), Financial Peace University, and Kids' Club. We want people to know that we love them before we say that Jesus loves them. These classes are on Tuesday evenings, 7pm. Please consider where and how you would like to help. Thank you.

Financial Peace University

Update: This class is canceled for the Fall 2017 session. It will be offered for the Winter 2018 session, January 9, 2018.

A nine-week class that will change your life and give you peace! Class starts September 12 at 7pm.

Are you worried about money? Would you like to live in peace with regards to your finances? Then you need to check out Financial Peace University. FPU is a 9 week video course, featuring Dave Ramsey, starting September 12 at 7pm. If you are interested, the first lesson is free! All you need to do is register to attend by visiting the FPU website. If you want to continue, the cost is around $100 including materials. For more information visit the Financial Peace University website or talk with Pastor Stuart.

FPU is a part of our Community Classes. These classes meet on Tuesdays at 7pm in the VLC Auditorium (Bldg. F). Click here to see the current schedule.

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VLC All Church Retreat

Getting Away, Slowing Down, and Enjoying Life Together
Friday – Sunday, June 9-11

We will be gathering again at Camp Koinonia. This is a wonderful time to hang out with your church family on the beautiful Koinonia campus, nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains.

If you are going to the retreat, here is some information you might find helpful.

If you have any questions, please contact Ken Karnes.

Men's Prayer Gathering

Men's Prayer Gathering – Saturday, June 17, 2017

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1, NASB

Dave Tousley has opened his house for a men's prayer gathering on Saturday, June 17, from 9–10am. If you are looking for some encouragement or want to be a blessing to a brother in Christ, please consider spending an hour in fellowship and prayer at this gathering.

To RSVP or for more information, please click here to email Dave.

Dave & Betsy Tousley
1138 S. Daniel Way
San Jose, CA 95128

Please add this event to your calendar.
  iCalendar  •  Google Calendar  •  Outlook  •  Outlook Online  •  Yahoo! Calendar

Shopping Resources for Guatemala Donations

Families Helping Families

Each summer Valley Life Church hosts a service trip to Guatemala through Now Is The Time For Missions. The purpose of this trip is to BE the good news to our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in the areas surrounding Antigua, Guatemala. A significant part of this trip is to provide clothes to children of families living in extreme poverty. We bring on average 2000 pounds of donations each summer, most of which are clothes. Throughout the year we collect and receive donations of new and like-new clothes. Our goal this year is to bring as much new clothing as possible, and only bring the best of the like-new clothing items. In order to do this, we need to be intentional with our donation purchases. Below you will find links to email lists from some stores that we have found to have great deals on children's clothes. Please sign-up to these email lists to receive announcements of sales as well as special coupons that will stretch your donation purchases. 

Children’s Clothing Items We’re Collecting

New Items: 

  • Socks
  • Underwear
  • T-shirts/undershirts
  • Anything from the list below.

New or Like-New Items:

  • Non-branded shoes for school or sports
  • Fleece jackets
  • Conservative children's clothes

PAYLESS SHOES
School shoes are required for Guatemalan children to attend school.
  • Black Oxford or slip-on shoes for boys.
  • Black Mary Jane shoes for girls. 
Scroll to the bottom of the homepage to sign-up for their email list.
Click here to go to the Payless Shoes homepage.

If you want to shop for shoes through a local store, we recommend going to the Payless Shoes on Hamilton Ave. in Campbell. (781 W Hamilton Ave, Campbell, CA 95008-0402, 408-370-6860) Speak to the store manager, Esperanza, and tell her that Betsy sent you there to buy shoes for Guatemala. She has offered us 25% off for the shoes listed above.

OLD NAVY
Be the first to know about new arrivals, big sales & exclusive email offers. If you are a new subscriber, Old Navy will give you a 30% off coupon for your first purchase.
Click here to sign-up for Old Navy's email list.

THE CHILDREN'S PLACE
Great kids clothes at a good price. Scroll to the bottom of the homepage to sign-up for their email list. The Children's Place will give you a $10 off coupon for signing up.
Click here to go to The Children's Place homepage.

KOHL'S
Name brands at an affordable price. Sign up for our email Sale Alerts today and save an extra 15% on your next purchase in store or online! 
Click here to sign-up for Kohl's email list.
 

    Easter Brunch with Our Neighbors, April 16, 2017

    A part of our Easter Sunday Celebration is a shared meal with our neighbors after the gathering and Egg Hunt. We will do brunch! 

    Our Easter brunch will be a shared meal. We need your help to make sure we have enough food for all. Please bring three times the amount you would normally bring to the monthly shared meal. These are some items we're looking to serve.

    • Baked egg dishes (quiche, strata, breakfast casserole, etc.)
    • Pastries (including muffins, doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, etc.)
    • Fruit and veggie platters
    • Your favorite brunch dish!

    If you know what you would like to bring, please click here to let us know. 

    A Family Easter Celebration

    SUNDAY, April 16, 10AM — 12PM

    Easter is a time of celebration! We can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to invite all our Santa Clara neighbors to join in with us.

    Bring your family and friends and help us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This gathering is a family friendly church service with live music, dance performances, goodie bags for the kids, and refreshments for everyone after the service.

    WE WILL BE GATHERING OUTSIDE, SO PLEASE COME PREPARED FOR THE ELEMENTS.

    Our hope is that as you join us, you will not only enjoy yourself but will experience God’s love as we spend time celebrating the new life offered to us all in Jesus Christ.

    Neighborhood Family Festival 2017

    A Festival with a Mission

    Inviting the neighborhood for a time of food, friends, and fun in an environment where they can experience the generosity and love of God and find the opportunity to participaate in changng the lives of needy families in Guatemala.

    If you are interested in helping with the festival, please contact Ken Karnes by clicking here. Check out the festival website by clicking here. 

    VLC Youth Gatherings for March, 2017

    The VLC Youth Group meets twice a month on Sundays in Room 20 of the VLC campus during the VLC worship gathering.

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    Here is what Gio Serrato said regarding March's gatherings.

    For the month of March, we'll be talking about finding our identity in Christ. In order for us to understand that we must first understand who Christ is and what he did for us. We will also be exploring what doors are opened when we discover who we are in Christ. As for the "youth night," we either want to have a movie night at our place or go out mini-golfing or something.

    Here are the scheduled youth gatherings for March.

    • Sunday, March 5 – Our Identity in Christ
    • Sunday, March 19 – Our Identity in Christ, Part 2
    • Saturday, March 25 – Youth Night (Activity TBD)

    Guatemala Mission 2017

    Registration Opens Friday, December 16, 2016

    Below is a message from Shawn Smith regarding this summer's mission to Guatemala.

    "Feliz Navidad from Guatemala!

    Next summer, Shawn and Damaris Smith, Directors of "Now Is the Time for Missions", are hosting their 12th annual mission to Guatemala to love and serve hundreds of children in the name of Jesus, who are living in extreme poverty.

    Since 2006, Now Is the Time For Missions has safely hosted over 1,500 volunteers ages 7-77, from all over the U.S.

    They know that many of you have talked about joining them on their mission someday, so they made this video especially for you…

    If you have EVER wanted to go on a mission trip…

    …and if you have EVER wanted to serve children living in extreme poverty in a powerful, transformational way...

    ...and if you EVER wanted to share this experience with your children, spouse, or friends…

    ...NOW is your chance, and NOW is the Time…

    Shawn and Damaris really need your help next summer, more than ever…they are trying to serve more children next summer than ever before!

    Please consider serving on one of their mission teams for a week or two next June or July. 

    Registration launches on Friday, Dec 16th, and spots are limited to 40 volunteers/week.

    If you are interested and want more information, please click here to email Pastor Stuart, and Click here to sign the Guatemala 2017 mailing list and find more information about this year's mission.

    Guatemala Mission 2017 Information Page

    This mission opportunity may never be offered again.

    Now is the Time…because there's never a good time to go!

    Thank you for your help and support of this important mission project, and Feliz Navidad from Shawn and Damaris, and our Brothers and Sisters in Christ in Guatemala."