Spiritual traditions teach that selfless service, or seva, is an integral part of the individual's spiritual journey.  We provide many opportunities to practice selfless service and offer hospitality to those on the journey, while also strengthening our community.

What is Seva?

Seva (pronounced say'-vah) is a Sanskrit word for the spiritual practice of selfless service. It is the practice of offering work with love and without expectation of reward. Seva is one of the simplest and yet most profound and life changing ways that we can put our spiritual understanding into action.

Through seva we both give and receive simultaneously. We are consciously and intentionally giving the very best of ourselves to the people and the activities we are engaged with and by the nature of spiritual law we cannot help but receive in return the inner inspiration, revelation and fulfillment that God has to offer us.

Sunday Seva

Each Sunday a rotating team of volunteers prepares the church for the Sunday services, prepares a light breakfast for those attending the 8:00am Lectio Divina service, greets people as they arrive for the 10:00am service, helps to clean and close the church after the 10am service, and assists in other ways as needed to support both Sunday services.  Being on a "Seva Team" provides the opportunity to serve the community once every four weeks.  To inquire about becoming part of a Seva Team, contact the Office Manager by phone or email.

Saturday Workdays

Each month, a special workday is held at the Church.  This is the time for the community to come together to provide special cleaning and maintenance of the buildings and grounds. It begins at 9:00am with prayer and ends by noon. The activities often include plant pruning, bed weeding and mulching, paint touch up, window cleaning, filter replacements, and sanctuary cleaning.

The workday is a time of karma yoga - selfless service - where we ask God to work through us for the highest good. While doing our service, we are encouraged to privately recite mantra or contemplate our relationship with God. Some enjoy chanting as they work. This encouragement allows us to use this sacred location and time to practice a different way of working, talking and thinking that sets aside our normal awareness of being separate from God and supports Christ consciousness in our activities so that we may learn to make this transformation also while away from the Church.

It is also a beautiful opportunity to indulge in maintenance activities that we may not normally want to do because we don't like it or aren't good at it. With prayer and selfless giving we become cleansed and refreshed. In addition, we build community with the workdays and we take stewardship for the well being of our Church community. Willing workers are encouraged to call the Church office with any questions during the week.

Note: While each month has a special scheduled workday where large projects are organized, a staff member is available every Saturday during this time to provide direction to anyone who wishes to "lay their hands on the church."  See the current monthly calendar for dates of upcoming special workdays.

Contemplative Service

Our community is developing a program which offers prayer and care to members of our church family during times of need.  The Contemplative Service program offers support by prayer, visitation and assessment of needs on an individual basis. Should the member require long-term assistance, we will jointly explore available community resources. Those who are engaged in the practice of Centering Prayer through CCH and who wish to deepen their devotion to God are welcomed into this opportunity for service to their brothers and sisters in community.  To inquire about becoming part of the Contemplative Service group, contact the Office Manager by phone or email.

Bookstore

Don't feel lonely after the church service ... be a part of our bookstore ministry!  Help is often needed on Sundays as well as during the week.  Opportunities include everything from selling books and gift items to duplicating & shipping audio tapes to out-of-town members of our extended congregation.  Do you have a creative flair?  We can also use your help in occasionally reorganizing and displaying our beautiful gift items.  Contact the bookstore manager for more details.

Contemplative Lunch

Help to prepare before, or clean up after our weekly contemplative lunch.  Community happens in the kitchen and love is in the food!  To inquire about helping out, contact the Office Manager by phone or email.

Audio Team

The aim of the audio team is to provide sound amplification, recordings, and lighting that will support and enhance the services and ministry of CCH.  Both Sunday services, the Tuesday & Thursday evening weekly programs, and special events are all calling for your service in the sound booth.  Alternatively, you may wish to help on one or more projects to improve the quality of our recordings or expand their distribution. 

Whatever your interest, you will be trained, apprenticed and mentored until you're comfortable with the technical aspects of the sound system.  If you believe your being would be served by increasing your attention, awareness and humility, the audio team has room for you!  For more information, please contact the Office Manager by phone or email.

Choir

The CCH choir offers an opportunity for singers to enhance the worship service with a special music number two to three times a year. Singers are asked to prayerfully commit to attending the five rehearsals prior to the performance. The choir practices in the sanctuary immediately after the church service on the designated rehearsal days. You need not be a professional musician, nor even able to read music to participate. Those interested can request contact information for the choir directors from the Office Manager by phone or email.

YES Teachers

Volunteers for the YES program have several options to choose from. Both nursery and toddler rooms need between 2 & 3 volunteers a week. A short orientation for toddler teachers will be held to allow volunteers to become familiar with the Godly Play feast celebration. 

The three Godly Play classrooms (4 year olds through 5th grade) will have team teachers. One is the Storyteller and the other is the Doorkeeper. Each team will sign up to work together 2 Sundays per month. The Journey to Adulthood (J2A) program for middle and high school (6-12 grades) students will also have team teacher pairs who will work together twice a month. Training for the Godly Play and J2A programs are held periodically. 

Other opportunities include: -- "floating angel" who will serve snacks and assist teachers in various ways -- Storytellers and musicians for chapel -- and greeters who work with the Godly Play children who arrive before the 10:00 chapel begins.

Floral Committee

The floral committee prepares flowers for the Sunday services and assists with flowers for special events.  Each member prepares flowers every 4-5 weeks.  New members work with existing members for training for their first 2-3 assigned dates.  If you're interested in joining the floral committee, contact the Office Manager by phone or email.

Retreat Staffing

Staffing a Centering Prayer retreat can be an extremely rewarding experience - many staff members consider it to be a ministry opportunity.  People interested in staffing a retreat should have a regular Centering Prayer practice of 1-2 years, experience attending our retreats (preferable a 10-day), and a deep love of Centering Prayer and a desire to serve it.  Retreat staff duties include...

These duties are usually shared by a staff team of 3-4 people.  Retreat staffing assignments are typically set in November for all of the upcoming year's retreats, but occasionally there are last-minute opportunities available.  For more information, or to be considered for a retreat staffing assignment, make an appointment with Barbara Cook through the Office Manager.