October 16, 2019
WHAT'S HAPPENING at Spring Hill UCC

"What does God require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?" 
Micah 6:8

Please plan to join us on Sunday, November 3, 2019
for a Special Congregational Meeting to discuss the sanctuary.
UPCOMING WEEK SCHEDULE
 Wednesday
10:30 a.m. - Hospitality Team Meeting
1:00 p.m. - "God Talk" Bible Discussion Group
5:30 p.m. - By-laws Committee Meeting
 Sunday
 10:00 a.m. - Laity Sunday - Chance Martinez-Colon (Member in Discernment) will preach
11:30 a.m. - Mission & Social Justice Teams Meeting
Wednesday
11:00 a.m. - Worship Team Meeting

COMPASSIONATE CONNECTIONS
 
Compassionate Connections, a care giving ministry of the Diaconate, seeks to match up our gifts with those in the congregation in need of them. Last Sunday there was a bulletin insert asking you to check off ways you were willing to help: by providing a meal, ride, visit, minor home repair, pet care, cleaning and “other.” We have been doing this for a few years and find that the biggest need is for meals, usually when there has been a hospitalization, illness or accident. Recipients are so grateful!
 
If you haven’t filled one out, there will be some forms in the narthex this Sunday, or you can click on link below and print out. Please return to the office or to Donna Ives. 
 
And if you have a need, please call the church office, or speak to one of the Deacons. We will match you up with someone who can help you.
Blanket Drive : The Blanket Drive will continue accepting any donations thru October 27. Thank you for your generous donations.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Scripture Readings
The Psalm Lesson
(Common English Version)
The Hebrew Bible Lesson
(Common English Version)
Gathering Hymn: "Enter, Rejoice, and Come In "
Sending Hymn: "In the midst"
Christmas Bazaar Update
Back in July we published an article in our weekly What’s Happening at SHUCC saying we had 22 weeks to go before the Bazaar and Cookie Walk. Well, 8 weeks from Friday (December 6) is the first day of our Annual Two-Day Christmas Bazaar and Cookie Walk! This fundraiser has always been one of our most successful and labor intensive fundraisers and we need your help so that it can continue to be the success that it has been in the past.

Lynda Spaulding and Patti DiGregorio are co-chairs and have assembled an exceptional team of volunteers that have been helping with ideas and much of the behind the scene planning. Now with the remaining time we have left we need everyone who is able to lend a hand. We have our “staff” set to go for the various sections of the Bazaar: Cookie Walk – Sue & Dick Mattson, Kitchen – Bruce Rafnell, Deb Rafnell and Donna Ives for the Country Store, Lynda and John Evola for the Basket Raffle, Kathy Fate for the This-N- That (gently used Christmas items, and Christian Valdeos and Virginia Tooker for the new Children Shoppe which will be set up in Davis Hall. If you can help with any of those areas (except preparing gift baskets for the raffle) on Bazaar days please speak to one of them.

There will be a flyer in Sunday’s bulletin for you to check off where you can help. Please fill them out and get them back to us as soon as possible.

We are looking for donations of the following:
For the Kitchen Hungry Tummies Café : soda, bottled water, small bags of chips, non-dairy creamer, small paper plates for the sandwiches (please no Styrofoam), rolls for the sandwiches, and individually wrapped packages of crackers to serve with the soup. These items will need to be dropped off the Sunday before the Bazaar so we know what will need to be purchased. Additionally, we need a few breakfast type cakes.

For the Country Store/Bake Shop: the suggested items are on the flyer. Our best sellers for the bakery and Candy Shoppe are homemade quick and yeast breads, jam filled pastries, fudge (we will have chocolate and peanut butter but could use other flavors). Brownies and cupcakes do not sell well, but smaller cakes and pies do. Also as noted on the flyer we are also looking for soup mixes and cookie mixes that can be sold.

F or the Children’s Shoppe:  Our plan for the Children’s Shoppe is to have items that we will be selling to children only that they can give as gifts to family member, teachers, etc. If you have any gently used Christmas themed or items that you think we make a good gift we would appreciate donations. We are also going to be have an area set up for them to make gingerbread house and other make-and-take items. We are also looking for someone to possibly do face painting, so if you have that talent please let us know.

For the Basket Raffle:  We need donations of themed baskets and gift cards for either the basket or the gift card tree. 

We are also looking for pre-lit 3 & 4 foot Christmas trees as they seem to sell the best. We know we are having some donated but are also looking for 1-2 white trees as they always seem to sell.

Please don’t forget we need you to bake your favorite cookies for the Cookie Walk!
We are planning to have a Thanksgiving Day Dinner here at the church on Thanksgiving day (Nov.28) for all that would like to attend. If you can help with donations for this meal, we will greatly appreciate it. There will be a sign up sheet this Sunday, October 20th. ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THIS TIME OF THANKSGIVING WITH YOUR CHURCH FAMILY!
The Worship Team would appreciate your support in making it possible to create a fitting background for our Christmas service. All who wish to give poinsettias may order them by filling in this form and returning it to the Church office or placing it in your offering envelope with your remittance. Deadline to order is Wednesday, October 30, 2019. Plants may be taken after the Christmas Eve service, Dec. 24th.
Building abundant lives by sharing the LOVE of Jesus.
Serving this week
Music :       
Kurt Glacy     
Greeters :
Carolyn Lohnes, Diane O'Malley,
Paige and Chloe Cummings     
Door Greeter & Offering :  
Frank Matthews, Margaret Violette,
Makayla and Hunter Marcum
Ushers :      
Pat Driscoll, Marjorie Skebos
Acolyte : 
TBD    
Liturgist:
Barb Boley
Sherrie Raymond, Scott Harris, Dick Jones, David Pulliam, Hazel McElroy, Cindy McElroy, Gail & Tom Calabro, Grace Wieser, Carrie Haggerty, Becky Bock, Mabel Ellam, Fernando Herrera, Myrtle Helfers, and Mike Quinn, Jereanne Willich, Nancy McKenney, Ann Miller & Betsey Ketcham.
Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance

On Sunday, during the time that we share where we saw God this week, I talked a little bit about the Florida Conference and the presence of God in our midst. After that I shared information about the plight of the Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance explaining that when hurricane Irma hit that area much of the housing in which the workers were living was destroyed. For a number of years the Florida Conference has been a supporter of the Coalition of Immokalee workers and Fair Food Alliance, which has been fighting for fair wages for the farm workers. While they have made great strides with that there is a tremendous problem with the housing conditions available to the workers. They pay huge rents for substandard housing in which several people live together. The Fair Housing Alliance is endeavoring to purchase land on which to build at least 100 housing units for farm worker families. There is, however, a time limit for them to raise the funds to purchase the property or they will lose the opportunity to do so.

At the end of the program our Conference Minister, John Vertigan, made the comment that perhaps the board could be persuaded if petitioned to set aside up to $100,000 to match funds donated from the conference churches. On Saturday, we signed the petition to move forward with this. The challenge before us was to commit our church to making a substantial donation to this cause. Several of the churches that are located in high-end areas around Florida have committed to asking each of their members to donate $100. Knowing full well that for many of us in this congregation that amount is not doable but we are asking that each of you prayerfully consider donating $10.00 to this worthwhile cause. We will be accepting donations through the end of October please make your checks out to the Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance (not the church) or if donating cash envelopes will be provided. There will be a box available for you to place your donations. Additionally if you would like further information about this cause you can visit their website at http://IFHA.info and we hope to have some brochures available at the church.
HOLY LAND TOUR
Imagine walking in the exact footsteps of Jesus. Imagine fulfilling a life-long dream, that until now seemed impossible. We are going to the Holy Land June, 1-9, 2020. This nine day adventure begins with a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee. You will visit the Mount of Beatitudes, view the aqueduct built by Herod the Great in 22 BCE, and spend time in Nazareth, Jesus’ home town. You will wander through the archeological excavations at Tel Megiddo and Beit Shean. Moving on you will see the site of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River and visit the place of our Lord’s birth in Bethlehem. You will walk down the Via Dolorosa where Jesus carried his cross out to the Hill of Calvary, and then on to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

One day will take you to the Dead Sea, the Masada Plateau, and the cave in Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947... a truly memorable day, indeed!

Your trip to the Holy Land will be rounded out with a time of worship and Communion at the Garden Tomb led by Pastor Robin and other attending clergy. Much, much more is included as this is only a brief synopsis of the highlights of a journey of a lifetime. These nine days will prove to be far more than a tourist adventure. This will be a life-changing spiritual journey. 

These nine days will be packed with one stunning discovery after another. Your tour guide will help reveal the Holy Land in ways that are beyond your imagination.

For more information, call Reverend Jerry Jones (616) 302-5981, or email his address at daclamrev1@gmail.com.
If you would like to listen to the Sunday sermon and/or view the Sunday Bulletin - they are on our website. Just click on
"Worship Service" then the week you want to hear or read!
Happy Birthday to.... .
Bailey Daniels (10/19)
Enrique Martinez-Colon (10/21)
Linda Matthews (10/23)

Judith Dascenzo (10/26)
Briana Tierno (10/26)
David Van Horn (10/31)
Please take a moment to wish those listed above a Happy Birthday or Anniversary!
If we missed your birth-date or Anniversary date,
please contact the church office so we can update our records.
Bring into the church for RE-CYCLING:
USED INK CARTRIDGES &
CELL PHONES
There is a drop-off bin in Fellowship Hall in the front right corner of hall.

- - - - - - - -
PLASTIC BAGS
Including grocery bags, produce & bread bags, cereal box liners, ice bags, newspaper sleeves, bubble wrap, etc.
There are two large boxes in the Fellowship Hall narthex. 
No Matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.
JESUS didn't reject people, neither do we.
4244 Mariner Blvd.  
Spring Hill, FL 34609
352-683-4870