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MARCH 2017 - In This Issue:
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First Day of Spring, March 20
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TWO-SERVICE SCHEDULE 9:15 & 11:00
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March 5
"Community or Beloved Community?"
Rev. Thom Belote, preaching
There is an innate human longing for connection, belonging, and togetherness, for something that we call community. Great religious teachers including Martin Luther King, Jr. (the Beloved Community) and Jesus (the Kingdom of Heaven) have proposed that mere belonging is not enough, that we need to transform our communities into beloved communities. This morning we'll talk about how we become the beloved community.
Music notes: Maria Fairchild, a songwriter, vocalist and clawhammer banjo player, and Eileen Regan, a fiddler and vocalist, will provide all the music for the service.
March 12 (Daylight Savings Time begins)
"Sanctuary"
Rev. Thom Belote, preaching
Sanctuary is an ecclesiastical word, the room in which we worship. Sanctuary is a zoological word, a place where animals are protected. Sanctuary is a political term, a term for cities and universities and churches that embrace immigrants. Join us this morning as we explore the idea of sanctuary.
Music notes: To acknowledge the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, the Community Church Choir will be singing "Sun's A-Risin'" by Ben Allaway to help wake us all up!
March 19
"Things that Grow"
Rev. Thom Belote, leading worship
We're a growing church - in spirit, in service, in membership, and more. Join us this morning for a multigenerational worship service all about things that grow. We will have a very special visit from Frog and Toad during the service.
Music notes: The Youth and Children's Choirs will be singing.
March 26
"A Good Word for Hypocrisy"
Rev. Thom Belote, preaching
You're probably asking yourself, "Did I read this right? Will the minister really encourage the congregation to embrace hypocrisy?" Come and find out.
Music notes: 3/26: The Community Church Choir will be singing "Ballade to the Moon" by Daniel Elder, and "Meditation" with words by Rev. Bill Breeden and music by Mary Goetze.
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In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated;
racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an
all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
At the threshold of our Annual Pledge Drive, we find ourselves compelled to reflect on our commitment to our own beloved community. A financial gift is a statement of belief in ourselves; it is an act of generosity that says we believe that we have the wisdom and strength to prevail over the challenges our times present. Our gifts empower our beloved community to impact and influence change together.
During this season, members of our community will host "cottage meetings" in their homes or at the church. These festive, fun gatherings offer us the chance to share together what the beloved community means to us and our hopes for our future together. You will have the opportunity to sign up for one of the cottage meetings that will be held from March 10 through April 8. We hope you will join us for the fellowship, food, and, well, a bit of
funraising.
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Save the date!!! The Community Church's annual auction will be on Saturday, November 11, Veterans Day! Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. We are creating another FUNdraising gala that should be on the top of your list for your fall entertainment. This year's theme is SUUper Heroes so you can come dressed as your favorite UU or as another hero you consider to be super or as yourself! For more information and to volunteer to help,
contact Don and Susan Blanchard.
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Saturday March 4,
5:00-6:00 PM. Followed by a Family Scavenger Hunt for Parents and Kids. You'll get to go in all the fun secret places in the church! The hunt is from
6:00-6:30.
$3 per person which includes pasta entree and a dessert. You bring a side dish to share.
RSVP Here.
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DAYLIGHT SAVINGS BEGINS MARCH 12
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Spring Ephemerals,
Saturday, March 18. Carpool from the church at
10:00 to Johnson Mill preserve and share the spring with Trout Lilies and Hepaticas, Spring Beauties and Blood Roots, buzzy Parula Warblers and liquid Waterthrushes. It's spring at its finest and most fragile, followed by a lunch guaranteed to make you lighter at Venables. RSVP:
chandler-dorfman@mindspring.com
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Saturday, November 11. Mark your calendars now for this all-church fundraising event! See article above for more details.
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March was originally the first month of the year in the Roman calendar and was named Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war.
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Interested in the Preaching Practicum? For the past two summers our July worship services have been led by graduates of Rev. Thom's spring preaching course called The Preaching Practicum. This year there are 5 openings in this course that will run
on Thursday nights from 4/6 to 5/4.
Contact Rev. Thom directly to inquire about the class.
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Art in the Sanctuary - "My Grace is Sufficient" photographs by Lori Vrba from
March 5 through April 30. Reception on
March 5 from
1-3pm. Vrba's imagery is rooted in themes of memory, illusion, loss and revival. She is a self-taught artist committed to film and the traditional wet darkroom.
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COMMUNITY SERVICE MINISTRY
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Support Circles is a program under IFC. It provides support to families that have recently
experienced
homelessness. The Community Service Ministry after getting more information and attending the training provided by IFC has supported this endeavor. Two of the CSM members have joined with 3 other individuals in providing support to a single mother with 5 children, ranging from 2-12 years of age. We have gotten financial assistance from the Benevolence Fund. Our support to this family provides a 12 month commitment, with weekly contact and activities with the family. Her main objective is to get a vehicle so she can provide transportation to Head Start for her two youngest children. She will then be able to find a job that will provide her family with financial stability. We appreciate the support that we have gotten from CSM, the Benevolent Fund and The Community Church. We will give periodic updates on how our family is progressing.
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ECO'S ENVIRONMENTAL CORNER
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First Sunday Recyclables
March 5: Greeting cards
(All occasion. No Hallmark, American Greeting, or Disney cards. No writing on inside front, no photo cards.), gently used children's books.
As every month, ECO is collecting batteries (AAA - D, button, rechargeable), corks, plastic pencils, pens, and markers.
During the "First 100 Hours" of Trump's administration, ECO held a Multi-Faith Climate Vigil with five other faith groups. Over 60 attended to pray, sing, and hear faith leaders, including Rev. Thom Belote, speak. As part of the "First 100 Days," ECO invites you to join Faith Voices for Clean Energy Advocacy Day on March 21. See https://ncipl.org/event/ncga2017/.
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 We at the Center for Employment and Leadership would like to extend our immense gratitude to the Community Service Ministry and the church members for all their donations to support our workers and their efforts to improve their lives. We are incredibly thankful to have your support, and our laborers are so very happy to have been given the means to continue their work.
God bless you all.
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SPIRITUAL EXPLORATION FOR ADULTS
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SEA will offer the following courses in March!
On
March 9, 16, and 23 from
7 until 9pm, Joe Swain will lead a discussion on Stephen Prothero's book "God is Not One." In this book, the author argues that attempts to portray all religions as different paths to the same God overlook the distinct problem each tradition seeks to solve.
On
March 16, 23, and 30 from
7 until 9pm, Caroline Sherman will lead a discussion on Kristen Neff's book "Self Compassion." This course will allow explore how to give ourselves the same kindness and care we'd give a good friend.
Also on
March 15, 22, and 29 (Wednesdays) from
2 until 3:30pm, Karen Abbotts will lead a discussion on "Faith, Grace, and Heresy, the Biography of Charles M. Jones." Karen is the granddaughter of Rev. Jones, who was the Community Church's first minister and will give a deeper understanding of the ongoing struggle for social justice.
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Join us from 2-4 PM on March 1 and/or from 7-9 PM on March 20 in the Commons area to click, chat, and piece together shawls. It takes 18 blocks (7" x 9" made from washable acrylic, #4 worsted weight yarn) to make each shawl that we will donate to UNC Hospice in Pittsboro. The shawls will be used by patients for warmth and comfort and will remain with their families. We are patterning our group after Clicking for a Cause at Eno River UU Fellowship where ideas for patterns can be found
. Can't knit or crochet? We will teach you! Have leftover yarn or needles and hooks you no longer use? We will take them! Meeting attendance is not required! Donate finished blocks at our table on the third Sunday of each month (3/19)! Email Susan Blanchard or call
919-237-2401 for more information.
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STAY CONNECTED
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