This past Thursday we attended the Santa Clara High School Pops Concert. It was an AMAZING night of such quality musicians at this stage of life. The concert featured groups that met outside of class to work on music of their choice. Famous movie scores were played with such energy through the symphonic band. An announcement was made that the orchestra was invited to play at a national education convention in February. Awards were given and it was a fun time had by all.

There was a ouching moment when the choir sang and the graduating seniors stepped up to the front of the choir and previous choir alumni were invited to join the choir. As they began to sing this song "May the Music Never End" as they do every year .... the music abruptly stopped. How ironic and I personally got a little chuckle out of it.

But, the music teacher didn't get frazzled. The choir didn't break down. They just stopped and started again. This made me think about what kind of lessons we could learn from this moment;

1) Sometimes things just don't go the way we want.

2) Growth and maturity can come out of imperfection.

3) Take a breath - it's not the end of the world.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Major Shoshannah

***Included in this newsletter is information regarding Summer events after May. Please pay attention to those especially for registration dates and fees. Remember summer camp registration is open already for youth 7 - 17 (depending on the camp). All we ask is a $50 fee. However, if there is still a financial burden, please let us know and we can see how to support you.

** May 26 - Officed Closed for Memorial Day

** May 27 - Last Dinner and Bible Study - Summer Break

** May 28 - Encore Dinner Fundraiser, 6:30 PM, $20 presale, $25 day of - HAS BEEN CANCELLED

** June 1 - Bring/buy your lunch and join together for a picnic at the Rose Garden. No program, just hanging out eating lunch with friends in a beautiful setting. This is not an organized event - rather just anyone wanting to come and relax with lunch.

** June 8 - Recognizing senior graduates/promotions:

• Brooklynn Knight
• Janae Ruwethin
• Jenna Soper
• Kiara Ruiz
• Kaela Knickerbocker - promotion

** June 15 - Father's Day

** June 16 - Ruwethin family on vacation.

** All weekly/monthly programs on break for the summer starting June 1.

Jeane was in our church band for 25 or more years before moving to Atlanta in 2017 at the age of 90. We are planning a memorial service for Jeane Patterson on Friday, May 30th, 11:00am, at Federated Church in Saratoga. We would love to have you there if possible. Would you contact anyone else you think might be interested, please. Thanks! Phyllis

Take part in the global spiritual life survey

Who can take part?

If you have any interaction with The Salvation Army, we want to hear from you! Whether The Salvation Army is your spiritual home, your place of worship or your place of work, if you attend programmes or receive support – we want to hear about your experience of The Salvation Army.

Why should I take part?

To gain a full and authentic picture of The Salvation Army’s spiritual life, we want to hear from as many people connected to our movement as possible. Participation is not compulsory, but it is encouraged. We invite you to respond thoughtfully and honestly. We also hope this will be a helpful reflective experience as you take some time to check in on your own spiritual life right now.

How will my response be used?

Responses to the online survey are gathered anonymously and will be analysed by the spiritual life development team at International Headquarters. A report of the findings will be shared in August/September 2025.

Which languages is the online survey available in?

We want as many people as possible to be able to participate in their heart language. The online survey is currently available in the following languages: Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, English, Filipino, French, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish and Tamil. Further translation is under way.

When will the research end?

The online survey will be live from 22 April – 22 June 2025.

Is there an age limit?

No - there is no age limit to relationship with God and we don’t think there should be on this research either! For those who may be too young or unable to complete the online survey alone, we encourage parents or responsible adults to help out – could you bring these questions to your meal table or to a Sunday school class? For more ways to participate in this research with groups of children and young people, contact your territorial spiritual life development team.

Are there any other ways to participate in this research?

During this research period, 22 April - 22 June, each territory is encouraged to host focus groups exploring the same subject area. While an online survey will help us to reach many, focus groups will allow us to hear the voices of those who are unable to participate in online research. For more information about focus groups in your territory, please speak to your Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development.

Summer Camp is always a great week for youth to enjoy the outdoors, being away, and meeting new friends. Many decisions for Christ are made before the age of 13. The Salvation Army camping program is a great way for the youth to have a great time encountering God for the first time or encouraging them in their faith as they learn new skills. There are enough camper scholarships this year to send another 40 kids to camp - for just the registration fee of $50. Will you take advantage of this opportunity and sign up? Slots per camp are limited. Contact us asap through the following link: https://form.jotform.com/243383958204159

Week #1, June 9 - 14 Ages 8-12 years old

Week #2 June 16 - 21 Ages 8-12 years old

Week #3, June 23 - 28 Ages 8-12 years old

Week #4, June 30 - July 5 SAY Camp Ages 7-16 years old

Week #5, July 7 - 12 Ages 8-12 years old

Week #6, July 14 - 19 Music Camp Ages 7-16 years old

Applications are now available for WMI 2025

Click here for more information and the application.

https://www.usamusicwest.org/wmi2025/

What is Anthem?

We are excited to announce that registration for Anthem 2025 is now open! Anthem is a powerful weeklong experience designed for young adults (ages 18–28) across the Western Territory. It’s a space where delegates will explore the life of Jesus, connect it to their own stories, and grow in community with others. Through passionate worship, strong biblical teaching, meaningful fellowship, and high-energy Anthem games, our goal is to help young adults encounter Christ, deepen their faith, and be inspired to make disciples in their world.

📅 Dates:

August 4–9, 2025

📍 Location:

The Salvation Army Camp Redwood Glen

3100 Bean Creek Rd, Scotts Valley, CA 95066

📝 How to Register:

We’re using a new registration portal this year, developed by THQ IT team. The portal supports both Army and non-Army email addresses. You can access the application here:

👉 https://youthportal.usawest.org/program/saynetwork

✅ Approval Process:

Once a delegate completes their registration, it will be sent to their Corps Officer and then to Divisional Headquarters for approval before final confirmation at THQ.

💰 Fees & Travel:

Please coordinate with your Corps Officers for travel arrangements.

Registration Fees are as follows:

Delegate Portion

Divisional Portion

Territorial Portion

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the youth department or Majors Ruwethin if you have any questions or need support throughout the registration process.

Please keep informed by signing up for the Remind App. The goal is to touch base with a newsletter once a week and send communication in a secure way. Text to: 81010, Send the message: @chkhc6. Please share the info. Thank you in advance.

Sunday:

• 9:30 AM Small Groups for All Youth and Adults
• 10:30 AM Worship service
• 11:00 AM Junior Church for kids 1 - 5 grades and Nursery
• 11:45 AM Potluck & Fellowship (3rd Sunday unless scheduled otherwise)

Tuesdays:

• 6:30 PM Dinner for All
• 7:15 PM Bible Study

Wednesdays:

• 5:30 PM ARC Service and graduations

Thursday:

• 7:15 PM Young Adult Volleyball Fellowship

Friday:

• 6:00 PM Teen Youth Group (Monthly)

Saturday:

• 8:00 AM Men's Brunch (Monthly)
• 10:00 AM Women's Fellowship (Monthly)

Email: shoshannah.ruwethin@usw.salvationarmy.org
Website: siliconvalley.salvationarmy.org
Location: 3090 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, CA, USA
Phone: 408.247.4588
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSASantaClaraChurch